He’s inspiring

By Lia Bichel
Dandenong High School principal Martin Culkin was deemed ‘the innovator’ on a recently released list of 100 most influential people in Melbourne.
The list featured in The Age’s Melbourne magazine special annual issue.
Mr Culkin received the honours for doing things ‘differently and better’ with $45 million in funding to accommodate students of Dandenong High, which merged with Cleeland High School and Doveton Secondary College in 2001.
He used the money to hire Hayball architects and designer Mary Featherston to create state-of-the-art buildings for the students.
Stage one of a multimillion-dollar project at Dandenong High School received top honours at the School Design Awards in October.
The environmentally sustainable design included energy efficient lighting, a skewed roof plan to increase natural light, shaded windows to prevent glare, open plan learning spaces, and art and science laboratories with work benches that extend into outdoor breakout spaces.
Mr Culkin told the Star that students and teachers have responded well to the developments.
“The early feedback has been absolutely sensational in terms of the way the students are learning,” he said.
“The feedback from teachers is also great. They are working in collaborative teams of three with 50 students. It’s been a positive experience. Everything is in the development stages, but it is something that will continue to grow and succeed.”
Mr Culkin learnt he made the prestigious list shortly before it was released.
“It is an absolute outstanding honour,” he said.
“I work with a great team of people and they all do outstanding work together.”
The next stage of the multi-million dollar project will be a physical education, theatre education and performing arts facility, which will be followed by a design, technical and arts building.