SHELDON College founding principal Lyn Bishop has paid tribute to the families who helped get the school off the ground, after announcing she will step down after 25 years in the job.
The Medal of the Order of Australia recipient has received an outpouring of support from the school community, with a comprehensive recruitment process kicking off to find her successor.
Dr Bishop opened the school in 1997, with a temporary classroom set-up at the Pine Lodge Equestrian Centre.
It came after 32 years' experience in Education Queensland as a teacher, senior mistress, deputy principal, principal, then finally a job in quality assurance at the central office.
Her dissatisfaction with her new bureaucratic role was the push she needed to open her own school.
"The promotion was taking me out of a position I loved so much because I didn't have an opportunity to work first hand with children," she said.
"That was partially the reason [I wanted] to go back into the school setting."
The early days of Sheldon College were not all smooth sailing, with resistance from other schools in the area meaning the college nearly did not get off the ground.
But after it was knocked back by the New Schools Commission, a federal appeal led to Sheldon College being given approval to open.
With the school year just weeks away, a rush began to hire teachers, hold enrolment interviews, design uniforms and order equipment.
While the Taylor Road block was not yet ready to be occupied, a deal was struck with Pine Lodge Equestrian Centre across the road for temporary facilities to be set up there.
Sheldon College opened in the centre's carriage room in February 1997, with 110 students and six teachers.
Dr Bishop said she was eternally grateful to parents who had invested in the school in its early days.
"[They] bought the vision when there was nothing else to offer them but an empty block of dirt on Taylor Road," she said.
"Those parents ... set up the school every Sunday afternoon and packed it down every Friday afternoon.
"Those parents built the home school partnership we have today."
More than two decades later, the school has more than 1400 students and 300 staff members.
In recent years, it has opened its $15 million LINQ precinct and high-tech ArtScapes facility.
"What I love most is the staff and the community who work together and strive for excellence," Dr Bishop said.
She said despite her love for the school, she would take a step back when her successor took over.
"I have a very strong opinion that when I step down, I will step away from the college and its operations to give the new principal every opportunity to make their mark upon the school," she said.
"I don't know that this can be achieved if you're floating around in the shadows or if you have a presence.
"I'll still follow the development of the college very closely but I will be doing that from a distance."
Sheldon College's new leader would be someone who embodied the school's vision, mission and values and preserved its culture.
"Undoubtedly they'd want to see our students continue to succeed in their life's journey, whatever path that may take."
While she will step back from her school role, Dr Bishop plans to give lectures to university masters students and deliver leadership development programs.
"I'm not ready for retirement just yet," she said.