Principal's Blog

Good Afternoon Parents Students, Staff and Friends of Derinya,  

One of the great strengths of our school is the way our families and wider community come together to make extraordinary things happen for our students. As we look ahead to the coming year, we are seeking your support in several key areas that help keep Derinya thriving. 

Derinya Art and Craft Exhibition 

Our much-loved Derinya Art and Craft Exhibition has been a highlight on the school and local calendar for many years. To continue this wonderful tradition, we are currently looking for an enthusiastic member of our local or extended community to chair the event.  

The DACE Chair acts as the Project Manager for the school’s annual Art and Craft Exhibition. The Chair oversees all tasks, ensuring each is assigned, tracked, and completed on time. They work closely with all DACE teams to ensure smooth operations and prevent anything from being overlooked. 

The Chair leads by setting agendas, running productive meetings, and ensuring all volunteers have a voice. They provide strategic leadership and oversight, acting as a liaison between team leaders and the school, and representing DACE externally — particularly with sponsors and community partners. 

As the central coordinator, the Chair keeps teams connected and steps in to fill any gaps or resolve issues to keep the exhibition on track. Successful delivery relies on early planning, ideally beginning in November, ahead of the mid-July event. 

Historically, the role was held by one person, but in recent years it has been successfully shared between two or three people to provide support and flexibility. 

Ideal Skills & Attributes: 

• Strong organisational and leadership skills 
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities 
• Creative mindset with attention to detail 
• Ability to manage volunteers, budgets and deadlines 
• Enthusiasm for the arts and community engagement 

If you have experience in event planning, project management, or simply a passion for community and creativity, we’d love to hear from you. 

Derinya Kitchen Day – Kitchen Specialist (Paid Position) 

We’re excited to recruit one or two enthusiastic cooks to lead our Derinya Kitchen Day (DKD) program. This is a paid position, ideal for someone who enjoys food preparation. The role involves planning, ordering, preparing and distributing DKD for our students one day per week.  

Small Renovation Project – Commercial Builder Needed 

We also have a small renovation project underway and are seeking a commercial builder who can assist with completing the works. If you or someone you know has the right expertise and is interested please get in touch. We are excited to get this project underway as it will provide a supportive and nurturing wellbeing space that will be advantageous for all children.  

Welcome students and staff for 2026  

Today we welcomed our 105 new foundation students for their second transition session. It was wonderful to see them settle quickly and be comfortable in the school environment. Along with our new students I would also like to welcome three additional staff members to the team to include Holly Smith, Tesa Halifax and Eva Donaldson. Please see their short letters of introduction below.  

Please note that preparations for classes for 2026 are now being finalised. The closing date for requests was some time ago. It is appreciated that families understand that this is now closed.  

If you can assist with any of the above mentioned roles, or would like to learn more, please contact the school office at 97873633. Your skills and generosity make an enormous difference to what we can achieve together. 

Thank you for your continued support and community spirit. 

Warm regards, Nadine Pye on behalf of the Derinya community.  

I’m Miss Halifax and I’m so excited to be joining the wonderful community at Derinya Primary in 2026! I’ve been a teacher for over ten years and have had the privilege of working with students across all grade levels. Outside the classroom, I’m a proud mum to two amazing kids, Billie and Jesse, and our much-loved fur baby, Hugo. I’m happiest when I’m outdoors, whether it’s spending sunny days at the beach, going on bike rides with my family, or getting out into my garden. I love teaching because every day is full of curiosity, creativity, and those little moments when students light up with understanding, it’s the best part of my job.

I can’t wait to start this new chapter at Derinya and look forward to meeting the wonderful students, families, and staff in 2026!

Hi everyone! My name is Eva Donaldson!

I’m so excited to be joining the Derinya Primary School community. I’ve recently graduated from Monash University and can’t wait to begin my teaching journey here. Over the past four years, I’ve been working as a Secondary Learning Support Teacher, which really confirmed how much I love celebrating student success and creating a fun, nurturing environment for all learners.

I love teaching because no two students learn in the same way. I still remember my own Year 6 teacher back in the UK, they helped shape me into the person I am today, and I hope to make that same lasting impact on my students.

Outside of school, I love living by the beach, spending time outdoors, and doing all things arts and crafts!

I can’t wait to meet you all in 2026.

Hello Derinya Community,

My name is Ms Smith and I am very excited to be joining Derinya in 2026. I have been teaching for 11 years and have taught all grades from Year 1 – Year 6. I have also been a Literacy Learning Specialist. While I really enjoy teaching all subjects, I love teaching literacy and have a passion for books. So if you want to have a book chat, I am always available!

When I’m not at school you would most likely find me walking my dogs, Daphne and Clio, with my husband Lucas, watching Formula 1, or reading with our cat Juniper. I also enjoy crafts and sports of all kinds.

I cannot wait to meet you all in 2026. Have a fabulous rest of the year and a very safe holidays.