Helen Telford (Donvale staff, 1992-2001) was appointed the second Head of Donvale in 1992, following the death of the founding Head, Don Brown, and played a very significant role in the on-going development of this young campus.

During the period of her Headship, Donvale has been restructured from being a single stream P-8 Higher Elementary School, to become a K4 to Year 6 predominantly double-stream Primary School. She played an important part in the planning and implementation of a strongly child-centred curriculum, and has sought to staff Donvale accordingly.

Helen always emphasised the primary importance of student welfare, and has led staff at the Donvale campus to seek to ensure that all decisions and all changes were directed to this end. Similarly, she strongly encouraged the professional development of her staff, and has built a very competent team to support the Donvale community. Students, staff and parents are directly involved in innovative approaches to education, including engagement in artistic and creative improvements to the physical appearance of the campus.

Helen has also had a very productive partnership with the Carey Donvale Parents Association, who have worked to add value to the learning environment of the School, particularly in the provision of playground equipment, evaporative cooling in classrooms, and the management and operation of the canteen.

She has served as President of the Junior School Heads' Association of Australia, and has been a member of the Board of IARTV (Independent Association of Registered Teachers of Australia).

Helen competed her Doctor of Education degree after her appointment, and has published a text entitled: Transforming Schools Through Collaborative Leadership. She has been a regular contributor at Junior School educational conferences and workshops.

We thank Helen for the very significant contribution she has made to the Donvale campus over the past decade.
Donvale has been both the very special child one would want to have, because it is so unique and special in so many ways, and is the sort of School in which almost any teacher would wish to work. But Donvale has also been the precious child which causes any parent (that is, the School administration) some measure of concern, because of its special needs and the somewhat boutique nature of its operation. Yet Helen has maintained very high morale among her staff, students and parents; she has confronted teething problems with equanimity, continuing to develop and maintain a very special learning environment for all students, from Kindergarten through to Year 6.

Donvale continues to be something of a mystery to the Donvale-Templestowe municipalities because it is tucked away in Era Court off Springvale Road, but those who do know it know it has developed and, we trust, will continue to grow, into a very special learning environment because of its unique setting, its very special staff, and the sheer quality of its curriculum and pedagogy.

Professor Hedley Beare, from the University of Melbourne Education Faculty, stated to a group of overseas visitors to Donvale that 'Primary School education doesn't come any better than this'.

We thank Helen for all she did for this fledgling campus, and for the professional spirit she has engendered in her staff. Students, parents and staff alike, who hold her in very high regard, will significantly miss her.

Source: The Carey Chronicle, 2001, p. 22