An excited Ms Fryer is looking forward to the challenges associated with her new role.

“I’m looking forward to working with the schools in the western area and I’m looking forward to the challenges this new position will provide,” she told the Cobar Age.

Ms Fryer’s new role will see her travelling throughout the diocese assisting principals with strategic leadership to create quality Catholic schooling in the diocese and develop human relations and human resources.

“One of my roles will be to assist in implementing a program called First Step Maths which will compliment our current program First Step English,” Ms Fryer explained.

This program will help students with NAPLAN preparation and to provide teachers with a greater understanding of mathematic processing skills.

Ms Fryer will also be facilitating professional development for staff across the diocese and mentoring new principals.

St Johns will be in good hands during Ms Fryer’s appointment as Primary Schools Consultant when new principal Russell Preece takes the reins.

Mr Preece, who was seconded from a school in Wollongong, has previously taught at St Johns for four years in the early 2000s and is looking forward to the change and the challenges of being St Johns principal, and wants to continue promoting student growth.

“This year we’ll continue assisting children to grow and learn to their full potential while creating a fun, safe learning environment for students,” Mr Preece told the Cobar Age.

“We’ll continue to focus on promoting the school mantra and continue to recognise spirituality and foster the educational development of our students.”

The new kindergarten class will have their education supported from the very start of their schooling with the school’s KickStart program, which will target pre-reading and writing, testing students on letter recognition, sounds, basic reading, and will identify students who require extra assistance.