By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
GREG McMahon loves an opportunity.
And as the new principal of Doveton College he sees his new job as just that.
After eight and a half years as principal at Parkdale Secondary College in Mordialloc, Mr McMahon was officially installed early this year as the new chief of Doveton College.
“I’m a person who loves challenges and Doveton has this massive potential,” Mr McMahon said.
“It’s a school unlike any other school I’ve come across, in the sense of its opportunity and what it offers to the community.”
Earlier this month River Gum Ward councillors Wayne Smith and Damien Rosario visited Doveton College to meet Mr McMahon and the college staff to discuss the school’s direction.
The State and Federal government-funded Prep to Year 9 school opened in 2012 and was created in the wake of four other local primary schools closing down – Endeavour Hills Secondary College, Doveton Heights, Doveton North and Eumemmerring.
Mr McMahon said Doveton College not only provided primary and secondary school education but also several other programs for parents and younger-aged children.
“This is an organisation that’s not just a school, but part of this community,” Mr McMahon said.
“In any area, for the majority of students, education is the key to taking the next step. That might be an apprenticeship, a traineeship, TAFE, or university.
“From my perspective, there are different pathways to suit everybody.
“The one thing we can’t have is young people without their next step in life.”
The Colman Foundation, set up by retired businessman Julius Colman in 2005 to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds with their education, also contributed $1.8 million to the construction of Doveton College and its early childhood services.
Mr McMahon said the school was made up of students from a plethora of different international backgrounds, including Afghani, Iranian, Tamil, Sudanese, Burmese, Thai and many others.
“We’ve got 52 different nationalities in the school. It’s a complex school in the sense that there’s a number of different groups but it’s invigorating,” he said.
“This is what the new Australia will look like in 15 years’ time.”
Doveton College’s new principal also foreshadowed new opportunities for the school including plans for a new sport program.
“I love it, every day is a new challenge and every day I can see greater opportunities,” Mr McMahon said.
