From the Principal
Year 7 (2021) students on Transition Day at the Secondary School
Farewell to an ordinary year - welcome to a joyful 2021
As we come to the end of this unlovable year it is time to say farewell to some members of staff, and to welcome others.
Linda Kay, who has continued to work from her home in Adelaide for much of this year, under the work-from-home requirement, has decided to retire at the end of term. Linda has been at Preshil since Term 4 in 2017 and has held a number of leadership positions, including Year 12 Coordinator and DP Coordinator, as well as teaching French and Psychology. Covid-19 has made a return to Melbourne too uncertain. We have missed Linda’s presence on campus this year, but understand that she will return for the gala Valedictory planned for the 2020 Year 12 students early in the new year, when it is possible to have such a gathering.
Joan Morgan joined us at the beginning of 2020 to teach Drama and DP Theatre; after what must have been the worst year for teaching a subject so focused on collaboration and physical interaction, she too has decided to retire.
Monique Fruewirth took up a replacement position when Chris Dite left for Hong Kong earlier in the year. She has decided to reduce her teaching commitment, but still maintain a relationship with the Secondary School as a regular replacement teacher and we look forward to continuing this contact.
Phuong Tran has decided to take a year’s leave and, while this is very disappointing for students and her colleagues alike, she is already talking about projects and new initiatives for when she returns in 2022.
Each of these individuals will be missed and we know that you will want to extend good wishes and farewells to them in these last few weeks.
On the other side of farewells, there are also three new teachers to welcome.
Rob Grundy joins us as an experienced French and Spanish teacher. He brings his expertise from a number of international schools and is very pleased to be joining a progressive, International Baccalaureate school.
As well as Rob, we will welcome two teachers with broad professional experience in their respective fields in other professions, who are joining the Preshil staff as part of the University of Melbourne Internship Program. Julia Madden will be teaching Japanese in Years 7 and 8 (the first time we have offered this language at Preshil) and Lewis Kingston is bringing his considerable expertise as a designer and architect to our rapidly expanding MYP Design programme.
Together with Natalie Jensen returning to the School for 2021 as Interim Principal, it looks like being a wonderful, hopefully Covid-free, year.
Marilyn Smith
Principal