Maria Woods Hillbrook Anglican and maria woods principal

Maria Woods, a cherished teacher at Hillbrook Anglican School, sadly and unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, October 31st 2023 at the age of 59. Her sudden death has elicited immense grief across the Hillbrook community, where Woods was known as a passionate educator and inspirational leader.

Woods taught at Hillbrook Anglican for over 15 years, touching countless lives with her empathy, wisdom and dedication to nurturing students. Her loss leaves a profound void at the school she cared so deeply about.

A Brilliant, Visionary Educator

Maria Woods joined the Hillbrook Anglican School community in 2008 as a teacher and quickly emerged as a guiding light for both students and fellow staff members. She brought a rare mix of academic rigor, creativity, compassion and spirit to her teaching.

Former students describe Woods as the teacher who inspired them to reach their potential and pursue big dreams thanks to her ability to see students' talents and empower them. Her passion for teaching and true enjoyment of working with youth brought out excellence.

An Inspiring Leader

Beyond the classroom, Maria Woods served in various leadership roles at Hillbrook Anglican over the years including Head of English, Director of Teaching and Learning, and Acting Deputy Principal.

In these capacities, Woods' natural ability to motivate others, her academic expertise and unwavering care for the school community propelled Hillbrook Anglican to new heights. Her hands-on, human approach to leadership allowed Woods to connect with stakeholders at all levels.

Cherished Member of the Community

While Woods made immense professional contributions to Hillbrook Anglican, she was also a treasured personal friend to many colleagues and students. Her warm, approachable nature and lively sense of humor fostered meaningful bonds.

One friend described her as “brilliant, amazing, inspirational, passionate, eloquent, humble, but also hilarious.” This sentiment has been echoed by the many lives Woods touched over nearly two decades at the school.

An Immense Loss

As the Hillbrook Anglican School processes this immense loss, they are comforted knowing Woods’ legacy lives on through the students she taught and colleagues she mentored. While words cannot capture her full impact, the outpouring of grief and tributes to Maria Woods give glimpse of how special she was.

Former parent Jayne Schulze shared, “I feel so fortunate to have known this incredible woman who shone her light so brightly, and along with my family I wish to extend deeply felt condolences to Maria’s family, the teachers at SCGS & the Grammar school community past & present.”

A Light That Burned Brightly

Maria Woods may have only been at Hillbrook Anglican for a relatively short period, but her influence stretched across generations of students. She will be remembered for shining her light brightly and upholding Hillbrook’s values of care, character and scholarship until the very end.

While the pain of this abrupt loss will linger, Woods' legacy remains cemented into the fabric of the school she loved. The Hillbrook community vows to carry on her work while keeping her spirit alive. Though gone too soon, Maria Woods' brilliance continues illuminating the lives she touched.