The announcement follows previous principal Kerri ‘Dougie’ Souter’s recent departure to take on the role of neighbourhood principal at Greater Shepparton Secondary College.
Mr Burbidge said there were exciting things in store for the future, but following Ms Souter’s 14-year tenure would be “no easy task”.
“She leaves big shoes to fill and her legacy at our school will be remembered long into the future,” he said.
“We thank her for the incredible commitment and dedication she gave to our school.”
Ms Souter said she “greatly valued” the time she had spent at St Georges Road Primary School.
“I will always cherish the fond memories of working with talented teachers, support team and leaders that worked very hard every day to make a difference for the students and community at St Georges Road Primary School,” she said.
“I wish Adam and the school community all the best for the future and look forward to seeing students make their way into secondary school.”
Mr Burbidge has been acting principal at St Georges Road PS for the past six months and is excited to lead the school forward after a “turbulent” few years.
He said while the challenges posed by remote learning were tough, there were also positives that came from that time.
“With every challenge comes opportunity and during this time we have come together as a community,” he said.
“This time has been a great accelerator for the development of technology in schools and its use for teaching and learning.
“We need to ensure that we take these positives with us into the future, utilising a hybrid learning approach to make learning more accessible for all.”
Building a strong community is another priority for Mr Burbidge as he moves into the permanent role.
“St Georges Road Primary School and Shepparton more broadly is a vibrant, diverse and exciting community,” he said.
“As a school we plan to harness the opportunities that such diversity presents to create engaging and rich learning experiences for our students.”
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