Once upon a time, when educational management in the Northern Territory by the Northern Territory was new, our first Director called all Principals and school leaders to a conference in Katherine. Katherine is a regional town 300 kilometres south of Darwin. Our Director, Dr Jim Eedle spoke to us all about our newfound responsibilities. Dr Jim had a personable and inimitable way of speaking to people. he was a thinker, somewhat elitist in ambition for a system that delivered well and a man whom I thought was always humble in disposition. He always spoke with sincerity and conviction.

I was a relatively new principal. “Ladies and gentlemen”, Dr Eedle said, “always remember schools are for children.” He went on to explain that structure (process) should always support function (delivery of education to children). Schools should never become institutions where ‘structure’ took over, the providers becoming more important than the client group. Wise words and wisdom I cherished for the whole of my career. How far we have grown from that simple challenge, into a world of complexity where it often seems children and their education is really the last thing on the system’s mind.