PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

A message from our Principal

We farewell Mrs. Daphne Clements

On Friday the 1st of June all students, teachers and staff said farewell to Mrs. Daphne Clements our wonderful Assistant Principal and RIA Director who sadly left Rowville Secondary College to retire after 21 years with us. I’d like to share some highlights from Daphne’s career and take you down memory lane.

• Daphne started teaching in 1976 at Sunshine West, 42 years ago.
• She arrived at Rowville Secondary College in January 1998, where she came from Lyndale Secondary College.
• She started at the Eastern Campus which was only 2 years old with approx. 500 students in years 7 to 10. Mrs. Clements was in charge of curriculum and student management as well as being the Welfare Coordinator - 3 huge jobs!
• In the year 2000, Mrs. Clements moved to the Western Campus which had over 1000 students (about 250 more than it has today). Mrs. Clements stayed in this position until 2007. She has moved campuses more than any other staff member and has always done whatever she believed was best for the students without thought about how difficult it might be for her.
• In 2008 Mrs. Clements moved back to the East campus to oversee the commencement of the RIA program - which started with one class of year 9 students. Mrs. Clements was the first Director of RIA and worked incredibly hard to establish the very successful program we have today.
• In 2012, Mrs. Clements took on the role of Director of the Maths and Science Academy. And in 2014, under Mrs. Clements directorship, MSA students competed in the first robotics regional challenge in Honolulu, Hawaii. Our team “The Circuit Breakers” won the Best New Team Award and the Sports Precinct was finally opened.
• In 2015, Mrs. Clements moved back to the Eastern Campus and took back on the role of Director of RIA and she remained in that role until retirement.

Daphne symbolises the very best of education. She started her career as a teacher who cared deeply for students as individuals, who worked hard to ensure that every student achieved their best. Although she left the classroom quite some time ago - she never lost her passion for nurturing, pushing, challenging and caring for students.

Since I have stepped into the role of Principal, Mrs. Clements has been the most loyal and supportive person I have ever worked with - I do not have the right words to express my gratitude. She lives our school values of respect, responsibility, community and excellence in a truly honourable way. In 21 years at RSC and 42 years in total - of amazing dedication and hard work I’d like to congratulate her on a superb career and thank her for helping to make RSC one great school. We wish her health, happiness and relaxation in her retirement.

Daphne said “Rowville has been a large part of my life and I have stayed at Rowville as I truly believe it is a Great School. Rowville has great students who are happy, talented, respectful and appreciate the opportunities on offer AND great staff who are dedicated, supportive of each other and want every student to succeed AND parents and guardians who are caring and supportive of the school. I leave with mixed emotions, a great deal of sadness but with many many happy and fond memories. Goodbye and good luck I sure will miss this wonderful place.”

Ms. Julie Kennedy

College Principal