Born and bred in the Hastings, Mr Kuchling officially took up the position of director, educational leadership Hastings Network at the end of January.

Mr Kuchling said he is passionate about public education and is excited to be working with so many passionate educators.

"I grew up in this region and it is privilege to come home and to help make a difference to schools, students and principals across the network," Mr Kuchling said.

"I am blessed to have a wide range of schools in my network, from the small country schools to all our coastal schools. Each school is different but all are passionate about providing support and assistance to students.

"The Hastings Network is from Telegraph Point to Coopernook including Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island and while that presents challenges it is about drawing on highly capable expertise to help our students no matter where they live.

"The public education system is so large and diverse and it is my role to support principals to focus on collaboration between the schools to achieve best practices for student outcomes."

With a background in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Mr Kuchling said he treats all the schools in the Hastings network as individual but the idea of collaboration is also vital.

"Each school is unique and I am proud that every school has a focus on creating an outstanding environment for all our students," he said.

"It is thrilling to see students participating in ground breaking work and schools embarking on a journey to prepare students for their futures. We have students working with NASA on projects and other equally exciting partnerships.

"In the workplace, industries are changing and schools are adapting their focus to equip students with skills they need to succeed after school."

He said despite the great opportunities presented to students in local public schools the targeted, individual nature of education is paramount.

"Our focus is always on students. Ensuring students feel cared for and feel like they belong on a daily basis is something we strive for everyday.

"But by pooling our local expertise and resources hopefully we can deliver better outcomes for our students.

"It is an exciting time to be in education and I am looking forward to working with all the schools in the Hastings."

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