MY RETIREMENT

GOODBYE and THANK YOU to students, staff and parents/carers of Athol Road Primary School for your ongoing support over many years.

This will be my last edition ‘From the Principal’s Desk’, as on this Friday, 9th June I am retiring!

I have worked at Springvale South/Athol Road Primary School for 40 years – from 1973 – 1976 (4 years) and from 1987 – 2023 (36 years).

The Athol Road Primary School is a very special community – students are well mannered and respectful, parents/carers are supportive and respectful and staff are the hardest working people I know, committed to providing the best education possible for our students. As a team, we have achieved great things and enjoyed many fun times and challenges over the years and I truly appreciate everyone who supported me in any way, through words, thoughts or actions.

I will always look back with great pride on Twilight School, Fashions on the Field, sporting successes, performing arts performances, especially the choirs and the multitude of other events where the school community pulled together to provide exceptional learning experiences for our students.

Athol Road Primary School is in great hands with Ms Nigro as Acting Principal and Mrs Harkness as Acting Assistant Principal. Together we have worked as a strong team, over many years, to embed the school’s philosophy of putting students at the centre of all decision-making, promoting the need to teach students what they need to learn at any given point in time and not what, we as teachers, think they need to know.

My only hope has always been that I leave Athol Road Primary School in a better position than when I started, especially since becoming Principal in 2004. Every day when I drive through the main gate and up the driveway, I admire the beautiful environment in which we all work and learn together and I will have exactly the same thoughts when I drive out the school gates on Friday.

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for the support I have received from so many people over my 40 years spent in this wonderful learning environment with some very amazing people.

I leave you with a well-known Irish Blessing!

May the road rise up to meet you;

May the wind be always at your back;

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

The rains fall soft upon your fields;

And, until we meet again;

May God hold you in the palm of his hand

Athol Road Primary School: a Great School Becoming Greater

Ruby Toombs: Outgoing Principal

Key Dates