By Sahar Foladi
Dandenong North Primary School (DNPS) has named its new gymnasium in the honour of it’s legendary former leaders.
The husband and wife duo Principal, Kevin Mackay and assistant principal Jenny Mackay spent a combination of more than 70 years at the school. In recognition of their combined service to the school and community, the ‘Mackay Gymnasium’ has been named after them.
While Ms Mackay felt amazing, Mr Mackay had different emotions.
“I do feel a little bit embarrassed because it’s never just one person who’s responsible for anything, never.
“It’s all the students themselves who have made the school a good school and the teachers made the students so that they can make it a good school and I was lucky enough to be able to help our teachers become the best teachers they could be.
“So for me and Mrs Mackay to have the whole gym named as the Mackay gymnasium sort of forgets a little bit about all the people who have contributed to it,” Mr Mackay said.
The new gym is scheduled for completion early next year meanwhile the school have been using their neighbour, Dandenong High School’s gym.
“In sports our students for the last 13 maybe 17 years have won the cross country events of all the schools, that’s because they’ve been very fit. Fit children have the oxygen through their body where they’re motivated to learn.
“This facility will help them to stay fit at that level and will continue the good learning,” Mr Mackay said.
Established in the heart of a diverse suburb, the school is surrounded by residents who come from overseas as refugees and migrants. The couple have helped the school bring out the best in kids from more than 50 diverse backgrounds.
Mr Mackay said he has learned so much throughout his career from people with different backgrounds and it has been a privilege.
“It helps our society become a more inclusive society if more and more people can work in environments we have been lucky enough to be able to work in,” Mr Mackay said.
For the most part, the school is the first choice for overseas parents in the area to enrol their children to the school, given its reputable past and progress in teaching.
The school consists of groups and programs to help parents from non-English speaking backgrounds to integrate into the society and be active member of the community such as the Afghan Mothers group.
English as an Additional Language (EAL) teacher Rosemary Abboud has worked in DNPS since 2006.
“It’s very exciting to see the new building that’s going to benefit other students for many many years to come. They’re just brilliant, the new building, and the gymnasium in particular is going to give the students the new opportunity to play sport in all sorts of weather and access many different types of activities within that,” Ms Abboud said.
There’s a real sense of inclusiveness and pride in the teachers, students and principals to call DNPS their school.
“I’m really proud to be able to say I work in Dandenong North. I can’t think of working anywhere else,” Ms Abboud said.
Out of the lifetime that the Mackays have been in the school, Mr Mackay said he misses the kids the most especially when they run up and give him a hug and the student visitors who used to come to his office and have informal conversations.
“I want our students to keep giving back… because from generation to generation more of our people who feel empowered to give back to others, to make a better society, that’s what I hope will be the legacy,” Mr Mackay said.
Education Minister Natalie Hutchins came down to the school and paid tribute to the retired principals.
“Can I just say how wonderful it has been to have Kevin and Jenny in today to celebrate the 75 years of their achievements to this beautiful school and to see a plaque that’s going to be placed here on the gym in their name and memory,” Ms Hutchins said.
The new gym is being delivered as part of Andrews Labor Government’s school modernisation and upgrades program.
“Twenty years that the former principal has been lobbying to see this gym come out of the ground, it’s been an absolute pleasure that it’s our government that’s delivering funding to make this happen,” Ms Hutchins said.
In the last eight years, the Labor government has invested $12.8 billion to establish new schools and more than 1,850 school upgrades, created around 17,400 jobs in construction and associated industries.
After almost a lifetime of responsibilities, challenges, joyful moments at the school and immense growth, the Mackays can rest knowing they’ve changed lives of so many.
“We’ve got a motor home that we’d like to travel around Australia in, but I want to hear about the success of Dandenong North Primary School too, so I will remain connected, because we think of it as family and I am part of the family.”
