Meet the principal, Katrina Dunne
Welcome to St Mary’s School, Charleville. My name is Katrina Dunne and I have been principal here since January 2021. St Mary's is a Prep to Year 6 Catholic co-educational inclusive learning community with over 125 students.
Charleville is my home and I have comprehensive experience as an educator at three of the four schools in our community. I have been in school leadership, taught P – 6 students, physical education, learning support, the arts and enjoy all aspects of community engagement.
I believe every child has the right to become literate, socially equipped and emotionally balanced. I believe every child is worth whatever it takes and can succeed in their learning. I believe maximum learning occurs when significant engagement takes place between the student, teacher, parents and caregivers.
At St Mary’s, we have a caring, expert teacher in every classroom committed to knowing each student personally, and who is ready to work with families for the benefit of every child. Our educators are skilled in all aspects of teaching students the way they learn best. They create personalised learning programs for each learner.
Every day in the classroom counts and when families align with the school’s ethos, values and expectations at home, we see happy, thriving, and courageous young people who graduate ready to take on the challenges of high school and life.
As a principal, I have high expectations of myself, the teaching team, students and parents.
My leadership style has been described as ‘transparent, no nonsense and pragmatic’, especially when it comes to communication, difficult conversations, behaviour management and challenging situations.
My goal is to continue to inspire and equip our educators with the best strategies, so they continue to build their expertise and increase learning confidence and achievement for every student.
I genuinely enjoy spending time with our students, and I am often seen in classrooms, on the playground and at local community events.
You are invited to reach out and talk to me any time about any aspect of your child’s learning and development throughout their primary years.
All aspects of school life including school events, Rumble & Tumble Playgroup, volunteering, working bees and parish life are open for all to enjoy; please come along and be part of our community.
As the mother of two young children who also attend St Mary’s, I thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere and opportunities our community has to offer - there’s a positive ‘buzz’ in our school - you can feel it when you walk through the gates.
If you are considering enrolling your child at St Mary’s, I invite you to come and see our beautiful school. I would love to show you around and I look forward to meeting you personally.