A DREAM – It is hard to believe that it is already a whole month since Dunalley Primary’s buildings were completely destroyed by bushfire and we faced a very uncertain future for schooling our children in this community. I think we are all still trying to comprehend the events of 4 January and the overall effect on our lives. However, nearly four weeks on since the decision was made to build a temporary school at Dunalley, the developments on site have been nothing short of a miracle. The schedule to complete the school in time was always going to be very tight and we appreciate how hard the whole team involved has worked to meet that deadline.
ON OUR WAY BACK – We are pleased our students will be returning to school on Thursday 7th February, following a couple of extra student free days at the beginning of term which will allow the staff to sort the mountain of donated resources and prepare for the changes that will be inevitable in our new set-up. Thank you to all of them for forsaking some of their holidays to allow this to happen.
LEADERSHIP – The battle for the temporary school was very intense for those involved, but blessedly short – although it didn’t seem like that at the time! It was critical that the Minister for Education and the leaders in the Department of Education were able to visit our community to view for themselves the devastating effect the loss of the school had had and would have on the whole community. This enabled a speedy and inevitable decision to be taken to build the temporary school which was vital in alleviating concerns and allowing the recovery process for our whole community to begin. Again, the role of Jen Eddington and the Tas State School P&F Association members proved amazingly supportive. We thank all of them for the leadership shown in this regard.
SOCIAL MEDIA – The website and Facebook were incredibly important tools in keeping families informed while we were scattered far and wide for those first few weeks. It allowed us to receive amazing support from all over the country. The donations of both material and financial resources have been unbelievably overwhelming and will ensure that we have one of the best resourced new schools around. I cannot thank Sabine Bailey, Karen Kenny and Jo Hibberd enough for their work on the development of our Facebook page and Meg Bignell for all her assistance with the New Dunalley School website. I am very much indebted to a couple of personal friends who offered me invaluable support and advice from Day 1 when I needed direction – a little R&R in this case went a long way!
PARTNERSHIP – I would very much like to thank our Principal, Matt Kenny, for his support, concern, advice and strength both personally and for staff and parents through a period of uncertainty and then re-building. It will remain an important and lasting relationship that reflects the valuable partnership between the parent body, the wider local community and the public representative of the Department of Education. Thank you very much, Matt!
Elizabeth Knox, Chair,
Dunalley School Association
BACK TO SCHOOL DAY BY DAY
Tuesday 5 Feb – Student Free Day, students do not attend
Wednesday 6 Feb – Student Free Day, students do not attend
Thursday 7 Feb – Prep to Grade 6 students return to school for a whole school excursion to Port Arthur and Picnic at Stewarts Bay. The P&F needs volunteers for parent help and picnic duties for that day. No uniform required – beach clothes, bathers and towels. Lunch provided
Friday 8 Feb – Prep to Grade 6 students attend school for whole school activities in and around Dunalley. This include a visit by Hawthorn Football Club at 12 noon, BBQ lunch & football activities at the Dunalley Cricket Ground. All parents and community members invited! We would love some assistance with parent help for some of the morning activities if you are able to give up some time. Please wear uniform with some footy colours, if desired. Lunch provided.
Also Uniform Day – Fire Station – 9.00-2pm
LONG WEEKEND – Feb 9th, 10th 11th
Tuesday 12 Feb – Student Free Day, students do not attend
Also Uniform Day – Fire Station 9.00-2pm
Wednesday 13 Feb – Prep to Grade 6 begin classes in our new buildings
Thursday 14 Feb – Kinder students begin
Friday 15 Feb – Classes as normal for all students K – 6
For further back to school details please click on the “BACK TO SCHOOL” tab on the main menu.
New Dunalley School 