Welcoming Back a Familiar Face: Susan Spackman Returns to Tieri State School as Principal

After beginning her teaching career at Tieri State School, Susan Spackman returned as a senior teacher nearly a decade later. In 2025, she’ll be returning to TSS once again, this time as the Principal.

Susan lives in Capella with her family, including two children who are currently studying in high school. We caught up with Susan for a chat about teaching and what the students, teachers, parents and community of Tieri can expect from her…

How long have you been teaching?
For 22 years. My first year was in Capella State School, then in 2003, I moved to TSS where I spent four to five years teaching. Around 2008, I moved to a school in Mackay for a change. I was there for another four or five years, before moving back to Capella State School and then back to TSS as Acting Principal in 2017 for six months.
My husband worked at Oaky No. 1. So even though I’ve moved around a lot, I’ve never really gone far. When Oaky No. 1 closed, we moved to Capella. Most recently, I was working at the Emerald Regional Office with the Education Futures Institute as a Senior Education Officer – Capability, supporting schools across the Central Queensland region with their teaching and learning of the Australian Curriculum.

How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a teacher?
I must have been around six or seven because I distinctly remember being asked that question in Grade 1 by my favourite teacher, Mrs Wilson. She was so kind to us and engaging, when she asked me I said I wanted to be a teacher…and that never changed!

What do you think makes a great teacher?
Definitely kindness, someone who has empathy and compassion. It’s so important because every student walks into the classroom with their own story, their own background, their own context. A good teacher will try to understand what each student needs in order to prepare them to be in the mindset to learn.

Do you have a standout moment in your teaching career?
When I was in Mackay I taught a laptop class. It’s common practice now, but this was around 2007 and that type of learning situation was still emerging. I didn’t know how to do it, so I put myself back through University doing a Masters in Education with a focus on ICT in learning to upskill myself to teach in that environment.

I learned so much that I was able to bring back to the students, and to the other laptop teachers in the area. I was nominated for a Smart Classrooms teaching award for innovatively using ICT in the classroom, and I won.

It goes to show that stepping out of your comfort zone can be really valuable and rewarding, in a number of ways. Coincidentally, that skill certainly came in handy during Covid and I was able to help quite a few schools design teaching programs for online or ‘anywhere, anytime’ learning.
The variety and the challenge, and the opportunity to be part of the community again. I’ve been working in curriculum-based roles for the last five years, operating across different schools. I’m looking forward to being in a position that allows me to refine how the Australian Curriculum is provided AND to deliver it. It gives me the opportunity to see it through.

Equally, I’m excited to be around students and parents again. I’ve missed that connection and can’t wait to be amongst the wider-school community once more.

What can the ‘wider-school community’ expect from you as Principal of TSS?
TSS is a fantastic school with a passionate and dedicated team behind it, from the teaching staff, to the P&C, to the volunteers and supporters. I’m looking forward to learning from them all and getting their input on what’s working well and where any improvements might be needed.

I believe regular, clear and transparent communication is the foundation of success. I’m very student-focused and at the heart of every decision I make I will be prioritising the wellbeing of the students and their learning environment in ways that assists with their development at school.

I always seek to understand what people need and to be responsive to the needs of the parents and/or carers within the context of the wider school when decision making.
I’m looking forward to getting to know the teachers and support staff and I hope that my experience with curriculum will help create engaging teaching experiences, which, in turn, will transfer to a positive learning experience for the students.