What qualifications did you need to work in the school?

[Old H&A Fan]

Yeah, little Sally was "smart" according to the writers, so they had her jump a year into Selina and Shannon's class. She was magically better at maths than her classmates in her own year.

It is one of Home And Away's black marks, having Sally, barely in her 20s, as headmistress, and made to look magically smarter than everyone else

[adam436]

I guess it is also easier to move up the ranks in a regional school, since there are fewer people vying for leadership positions. From my experience in teaching, principals in regional schools tend to have been there forever (the Donald Fishers and Walter Bertrams) or siginficantly younger people using it as a stepping stone for their next role, usually principal of a city school (the Paris Burnetts and Jade Montgomerys). 

Donald Fisher was so authoritative in the role, it's hard to imagine that some of the later office holders had the same power and standing as he did.

[Red Ranger 1]

Sally being made acting principal when Don left and then permanent deputy after only a couple of years of teaching was daft. By the time she was finally made permanent principal, she'd been deputy under three different heads and it felt about time if not overdue. Unfortunately, by then she was already on the way out.

[Homeandawayfan.]

When the show began, vice principal Donald Fisher was hankering for position of principal, hoping Bertram would retire. I think it was May 1988 that Don finally got his sought after promotion after 25 years teaching when it was said Walter was not coming back. This was around the time Donald was going from guest character to regular character. 

[adam436]

5 hours ago, Homeandawayfan. said:

When the show began, vice principal Donald Fisher was hankering for position of principal, hoping Bertram would retire. 

It shows great character development that Donald would willingly step down for personal reasons later on. He took a step back when Byron got sick/died, The original Donald was so career-drive that it cost him his first marriage and his relationships with Alan and Rebecca. 

Weirdly, there's always been power struggles for the principal role over the years, with characters like Angie and Jade crossing the line to get the job, and others like Donald hankering for the position. 

[CaptainHulk]

On 03/12/2025 at 19:18, adam436 said:

I guess it is also easier to move up the ranks in a regional school, since there are fewer people vying for leadership positions. From my experience in teaching, principals in regional schools tend to have been there forever (the Donald Fishers and Walter Bertrams) or siginficantly younger people using it as a stepping stone for their next role, usually principal of a city school (the Paris Burnetts and Jade Montgomerys). 

Donald Fisher was so authoritative in the role, it's hard to imagine that some of the later office holders had the same power and standing as he did.

Paris would have likely stayed (Another year max) if Rhett didn't get that other role. But he did so they invented the plot device of Paris' brother's death leaving his Niece and Neohew orphaned and needing someone to care for them.

[adam436]

23 hours ago, CaptainHulk said:

But he did so they invented the plot device of Paris' brother's death leaving his Niece and Neohew orphaned and needing someone to care for them.

Ironically, caring for other people's kids was the whole premise of H&A in those days, yet he didn't move them to Summer Bay

[CaptainHulk]

16 hours ago, adam436 said:

Ironically, caring for other people's kids was the whole premise of H&A in those days, yet he didn't move them to Summer Bay

Heh.

Probably didn't wanna go the Henderson Kids route ala Mike in that show (Uproot the kids from the city to the sticks following the death of a parent)