Grevillea House

What an extraordinary year this has been. We have all experienced a roller coaster of events and I feel that we have responded with true grit and optimism.

We started this year with a lot of uncertainty about what was going to unfold and went into our first cycle of remote and flexible learning with apprehension. We had no template to help us navigate these stormy waters, but what we found was an incredible willingness in teachers and students to collaborate and ensure that learning would be meaningful, relevant and allow students to grow. We found also that our teachers in Grevillea House experienced a lot of growth as learners and we moved into the second phase of remote and flexible learning feeling a lot more confident about what we would be able to achieve.

We achieved an enormous amount and we found that even during this relentless pandemic, we have been able to innovate and show how incredibly motivated our students are, and that they are truly agents of their learning.

Our amazing Grevillea Coordinators, Steph Ellison and Ryan Anderson, and Assistant House Leader, Danni Vrondou ensured that everyone was able to feel that they were still connected to our House, by designing activities and competitions that our students were able to participate in. Our Grevillea teachers were able to make positive comments about our students on a Padlet specifically created for this period of time. These and many other initiatives have ensured a smooth transition to onsite learning during this term. We continue to refine our practice and differentiate learning so that our students can continue to flourish.

I feel very privileged to lead such an amazing and optimistic group of teachers and students. They have taught me so much about resilience and dignity in the face of uncertainty and I thank them for this. I would also like to acknowledge the formidable House Leadership team that we have in Grevillea. Kirsten Crawford, Danni Vrondou, Steph Ellison and Ryan Anderson: your passion for education and our students was shown through your tireless efforts to engage and connect with families and ensure that no-one was left behind. Our teachers - too many to mention - have supported all of our efforts and students effortlessly.

I’d like to share with you all that after 30+ years in education, I have decided that l need to pursue other passions.  So I will be finishing at the end of this year.

I feel truly very honoured and grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the Dandenong and the Doveton communities. Thank-you for your trust and for allowing me contribute to the lives of these truly deserving and resilient young people. I wish you all every success with all that you do and I hope that you remain safe, healthy and happy. Know that I will think of you often.

Always keep laughter and joy in your hearts and lives.

Vicky Argyropoulos

Assistant Principal - Grevillea House