Principal's Message

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable break. It has been heartwarming seeing our families back at school - seeing students' refreshed faces and hearing their holiday stories has been a joy. I’ve also been truly touched by the kind and congratulatory messages I’ve received following my appointment as Principal of Donvale. 

Some facts about me:

• I am married with two children – Emma (21) and Will (18) 
• Our gorgeous yet cheeky dog Leroy is a Pomeranian x Japanese Spitz (5)
• I support Collingwood in the AFL and Melbourne City in the A-league.
• I enjoy cooking, spending time in the garden and catching up with my friends and family. 

Having proudly served this school community for over 20 years, I feel deeply connected to our values, traditions, and shared vision. I understand the unique spirit and community of Donvale Primary, and I am committed to building on its strengths to ensure every student thrives.

Academic Excellence: I remain dedicated to maintaining high academic standards and delivering a rich and engaging curriculum that encourages critical thinking, creativity, and a love for learning. I will continue to work closely with our passionate and talented staff to ensure students are challenged, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.

Social and Emotional Well-being: I recognise that wellbeing is central to a child’s success. Creating a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment is a top priority for me. I will continue to promote and support the social and emotional development of all students through targeted programs and meaningful initiatives.

Parental Involvement: I truly value the partnership between home and school. I encourage you to be actively involved in your child’s education and warmly invite you to engage with our school community through events, parent-teacher meetings, and various volunteering opportunities.

Communication: I believe strong, open communication is essential to building trust and supporting student success. I will ensure that families are kept informed through regular updates via Compass and our school newsletter, with timely news, important dates, and achievements.

This term, I am thrilled that our students will have many opportunities to be engaged and involved in a variety of activities. Highlights include our school production, House Athletics for Years 3–6, gymnastics sessions for Foundation to Year 2, Book Week celebrations, the Father’s Day Stall, and Footy Colours Day. Selected Year 5 and 6 students will also proudly represent us in the State School Spectacular. These events, along with many more to come, enrich our students’ school experience and foster a strong sense of community.

It is an honour to lead Donvale Primary School, and I look forward to a positive, productive, and inspiring Term 3 with you all.

Assistant Principal Position

At the beginning of this term, I advertised the Assistant Principal position on Recruitment Online. While the recruitment process is underway, Emma Farrington has stepped into the Acting Assistant Principal role. Emma brings with her the key skills and qualities needed at this time, including expertise in daily operations, student and family wellbeing, leadership in Disability and Inclusion, as well as flexibility, collaboration, and a strong work ethic.

During this period, Ms Uriel Qian will be teaching the 1/2A class in Emma’s place. Ms Qian is a familiar face in our school community, having previously worked as a CRT in the 1/2 area. She has already built strong connections with students and is well placed to ensure continuity of learning. 

Ramping Report

Over the school holidays, I met with representatives from the VSBA and the construction team to discuss the progress of our ramp and beautification works.

Currently, Ramp 6 (also known as the "snake ramp") is causing some delays. Before the project can be finalised, tactile ground surface indicators must be installed on all ramps, and a final building inspection must be completed.

We’re also pleased to share that a new gazebo will be installed in the same location as the old one, and four new trees will be planted to replace the two that were removed during the works. 

Following our meeting, I’ve been advised that the temporary fencing will need to remain in place until the tactile installation and final inspection are completed—meaning the project will be extended by a few more weeks. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we work to improve our school grounds.

Fundraising Efforts

Last term we had a number of successful fundraising efforts. These included the Mother’s Day stall, Subway meal deal, Cadbury Chocolates and Book Fair. I would like to acknowledge the support and assistance from all the parents and wider school community who helped us raise around $4000.

On Monday I met with the School Captains and Student Representative Council (SRC) to discuss ways to spend our accumlated fundraising funds. They had a number of fabulous ideas such as 

• Gaga pit
• New netball rings
• Shade sails – replace the current ripped one on senior side and place a new one over the ninja playground
• Cubby house
• Shop fronts
• More seating     plus many, many more ideas. 

The School Captains and SRC have now been tasked to find out what students in their grade would like to spend our funds on. This is a great way to get some student voice and agency into decisions that affect their school surroundings. I will meet with the SRC reps again this coming Monday and will present their final list to School Council on Tuesday 5th August.