Q & A

Berwick Chase Primary School Principal Chris Short. 176119_01 STEWART CHAMBERS

By Kyra Gillespie

with Berwick Chase Primary School Principal Chris Short.

1. What is something people don’t know about you?
That I was lucky enough to go on a surf trip to the Mentawai Islands with 12 close friends and family and surfed some of the best waves in the world for 12 days straight. We had our own boat to live on, traveling from one idyllic island to the next.

2. What is your favourite sporting moment?
Winning three consecutive basketball grand finals with a team of my best friends from school. We still play together each Wednesday at a much slower pace!

3. As a student at school I……
Was best characterised by my school reports comment “Christopher’s constant talking not only distracts him from the task at hand but all the other students around him.” Couldn’t argue with the truth.

4. Is it true you are still holding out hope that Essendon will draft you as a mature age rookie?
If Woosha needs a very slow tall bloke with marginal kicking I am certainly his man! I’d be there in a heartbeat.

5. Which six guests, dead or alive, would you invite to a dinner party?
Paul Keating, Nelson Mandella, Barack Obama, Paul Kelly, Xavier Rudd and Jack Johnson.

6. What is the funniest thing you have heard in the school yard or staff room?
While talking to a boy who was reported to be on the school roof the following conversation was had;
Me: “Mate Mr T said he saw you up on the school roof, is that right?”
Student: “No I wasn’t up there!”
Me: “Are you sure, mate, because he was pretty sure he saw you?”
Student: “I’m telling you I was not up there!”
Me: “Fair enough, mate. Was Jacko’s yellow footy up there because he wanted me to get it down?”
Student: “Yeah it was up there and about 15 tennis balls.”
Me: “Oh that’s interesting.”
Student: Words to the effect of “Oh no!”

7. What is your favourite book?
April Fool’s Day by Bryce Courtney.

8. What is the best part of being school principal?
Watching nervous young five-year-olds develop into bright, articulate future leaders of Australia. It is hard work but an amazing privilege.

9. What is your favourite TV show?
The Office US version. Michael Scott cracks me up!

10. What is the best concert you have seen?
The Sound Relief concert was held to support the devastation after the February 2009 Victorian bush fires. The cause was great and the line-up of bands even better. Even when an amazing storm came through with torrential rain the crowd kept on dancing.