From the Acting Principal

Principal’s Report – Welcome to 2026

Welcome to the 2026 school year. It has been a genuinely positive and settled start across the College, and I would like to thank our students, staff and families for the way the year has begun, full of energy, positivity and a strong sense of purpose.

A Strong Start for Our Year 7s

It has been wonderful to welcome our new Year 7 students to Parkdale. From the first day of school, there have been plenty of smiling faces and impressive new uniforms on display. Our Peer Support and Transition leaders have done an outstanding job guiding our year 7s and modelling the Parkdale Principles.  It was also a highlight to meet and speak to so many parents at our Meet the Tutor evening.  Congratulations to all our new students (and parents!) for making an excellent start to your time at Parkdale.

Facilities Improvements

Our additional signage was installed before students returned to school and it really gives the physical spaces an aesthetic lift.  We were able to use some of them as backgrounds for our Student Leaders photos, so hopefully you have seen them in some of the posts put on social media (also appearing in some photos later in the newsletter). We are working towards the removal four N-portable buildings for the end of term.  These will be replaced with a new courtyard space.  There will be some disruption to the Gym carpark and ovals when this occurs, and we will communicate details of this closer to the time.

The revised Dingley bus service has reduced congestion at the bus interchange and on the buses, with noticeable improvements to student comfort.  Adjustments to the 708 service have required some monitoring due to roadworks and occasional delays and it has been pleasing to see students taking this change in their stride. We will continue to keep an eye on how these changes impact our students and provide feedback to the appropriate authorities.

Celebrating Success

We are incredibly proud to share that two members of our 2025 Year 12 cohort have been recognised at the state level. Max Fitzgerald was selected for Top Acts, and Leftheri Tsitsari was selected for Top Screens. These prestigious showcases highlight the very best VCE performance and design work from across Victoria. To have two Parkdale students recognised in this way is a tremendous achievement and reflects both student dedication and the strength of our Arts programs. Leftheri's film is titled 'Crossroads', and you can view the synopsis here.

Building Community

Our information evenings have now been conducted for all year levels. These nights are an important opportunity to outline expectations, pathways and supports for the year ahead. Thank you to the many families who were able to attend, we value these partnerships and the role they play in student success.

We are finalising the details of our Alumni Homework Club, supported by high-achieving former students, to further strengthen the academic support available to our students. This program will add to the support already being provided in Maths through JuMP and SMASH on a Tuesday afternoon.  Details will be provided via Compass on how these supports can be accessed.

A key component of our culture is our whole school assemblies.  The first assembly of the year traditionally welcomes our new year 7 students, inducts our new student leaders, presents our previous year Dux and acknowledges our new year 12 students with the presentation of their year 12 badges.  This year the assembly held an extra special ceremony with the acknowledgement of the career of Principal, David Russell. 

Farewell Mr Russell

After nine years as Principal of Parkdale Secondary College, Mr Russell has announced his resignation from the role. Following a serious injury at the beginning of 2024 and an extended period of recovery, he has made the decision not to return to the position and to focus on other opportunities as he heads towards retirement.

Mr Russell has spent 40+ years working in schools, an extraordinary achievement and a testament to his commitment to public education. Since joining Parkdale in 2017, he has led the college with care, integrity and a strong focus on ensuring students and staff remained at the centre of every decision.

During his time as Principal, Mr Russell oversaw significant improvements to our facilities, including the completion of the Junior Learning Centre, refurbished courtyards and toilets, and upgraded hard courts. These developments, alongside many other initiatives, have strengthened our school and will benefit our community for many years to come.

On behalf of the entire Parkdale Secondary College community, we thank Mr Russell for his dedicated service and lasting contribution. We wish him all the very best in the next chapter ahead.