AN experienced school leader, Paul Guthrie will be taking up the post of executive head at Curro Hillcrest from 1 September.
Guthrie has extensive experience at management level having been the headmaster of Kingswood College in Grahamstown as well as having served for a number of years on the executive management team at Hilton College.
Most of his teaching career has been in KZN so Guthrie said he was excited to be returning to the province and make a contribution at the Curro Hillcrest Pre-School, Primary School and High School.
ALSO READ: From Old boy to headmaster, Hall bids Westville Boys’ High farewell
“I have a vast experience in education over the past 29 years and in independent education for 25 years. I hope I am bringing experience in a wide variety of areas from a broad number of avenues from my involvement in the schools.”
Guthrie was born in Scotland near the golfing town of St Andrew’s and started his teaching career at Potchefstroom Boys’ High School.
“I spent a brief stint at KES (King Edward VII School in Johannesburg), I was at Hilton College for 19 years in various roles: mathematics teacher, housemaster, senior housemaster and a member of the executive management team as director of marketing and admissions,” he said.
Guthrie has not only served at management level in various schools, but has also coached rugby, cricket and athletics.
“I am a member of the Cricket South Africa General Council and Schools’ Executive.”
Guthrie has coached the KZN U19, U17 and U15 cricket as well as been a selector and convenor.
“I am currently the U17 Tournament director and convenor for Cricket South Africa and have done so for the past 15 years in serving a sport after my coaching career,” said Guthrie.
He said as an executive head, his duties are to oversee the primary and high schools from a strategic and operational perspective, “to ensure Curro Hillcrest remains at the forefront of 21st century education and a centre of excellence. And, to ensure the various stakeholders of Curro Hillcrest work together in the quest of ‘educating for life’.”
Initially, Guthrie was going to study Actuarial Science due to his ability in mathematics but was influenced by his headmaster to go into teaching.
“I love teaching as we have an opportunity to influence the youth and grow them to be ‘servant leaders’ and people who will make difference as they journey beyond school. Teaching is an opportunity to nurture young people to be the best they can be.”
He said his motto is, ‘we are educating for life and not just for the final matric exam’. “My philosophy of education is that all children are unique and must have a safe stimulating educational environment where they can grow physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually.
It is my desire to create this type of atmosphere where learners can meet their full potential.”His goals at Curro involve providing a safe environment where learners are invited to share their ideas and take risks.
“Encouraging teamwork, co-operation and service to others, commitment to deep-rooted Christian values and being open to new ideas and to promote active and responsible citizenship. So we develop self-confident, self-disciplined, communicators with leadership skills contributing to the community,” said Guthrie.
Do you want to receive alerts regarding this and other Highway community news via Telegram? Send us a Telegram message (not an SMS) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409.
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts.
Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.
