School Leaders

 

Jennifer Hamilton

Executive Principal

 
 

As Principal at Marnebek School I feel incredibly privileged and honoured to have been appointed to this position.  My educational morale purpose is to ensure all students at Marnebek receive a high quality education in which they can achieve success for the future.

Marnebek School is a thriving and innovative school where the individual needs of students are catered for in a friendly, safe and exciting learning environment.

We offer a strong, engaging curriculum along with excellent specialist programs, community programs and the Victorian Pathways Certificate.

 The vision of the school community encompasses a commitment to excellence for students with additional learning needs. Our school recognizes the strong link between home and school. Partnerships are encouraged and valued and we aim to be a family friendly school that focuses on the whole child. 

Marnebek School believes in providing a stimulating and engaging environment which enables students to embrace learning and achieve their full potential. We do this by building their social, emotional and physical wellbeing and empowering students to become active valued members of their community, preparing them for the future.

I thank the dedicated teachers, educational support staff and allied health team for their ongoing commitment to our students and school community throughout this year.

 

Chris Murray

Executive Assistant Principal

 
 

My name is Chris Murray and I'm the Assistant Principal of the Secondary School at Marnebek. I have taught across many age groups in classroom settings, covering both the Victorian Curriculum and the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC), I have also been fortunate enough to use two of my passions in music and physical education to teach in a specialist role. 

Secondary School at Marnebek is an exciting time of discovery and exploration, in which our students build on the experiences and learning of their primary years and prepare for the rigors of the final years of school through our Senior Secondary program. 

As a Secondary School we value the following:

  • responsibility and self-discipline

  • community responsibility, trusting and respectful relationships

  • recognition of a range of achievements

  • equality of opportunities to achieve the same learning outcomes

  • diversity and inclusivity

  • personal growth towards independence

  • creative learning and flexible teaching styles

I have been at Marnebek School since 2019 and love serving as an Assistant Principal! My passion is developing positive relationships with everyone within the community, working with students as they grow, supporting teachers and staff so that they can reach their greatest potential, strengthening a connection between school and home, and fostering a positive school culture.

At Marnebek, we know that the school to home partnership is what allows us to provide an extraordinary school experience for all students. I look forward to meeting each of you and learning how I can best support you throughout this year, and many more to come.

 

Luke Bennett

Campus Principal, Primary School

 
 

Hi, my name is Luke Bennett and I am privileged to be Campus Principal at our Primary School (New Holland Drive Campus). I have been a teacher and leader in all education settings in the UK & Australia and currently lead teaching and learning across our whole school. I place a strong emphasis on building relationships with students, staff and parents. When everyone works together in this partnership, our students will be able to reach their highest potential.

In our Primary School we build the foundations for our students in their learning, experiences and opportunities. We also focus on displaying our school values, Resilience, Respect and Responsibility throughout every school day.

Students are supported by Classroom Teachers, Specialist Teachers, Educational Support Staff and Allied Health Staff. Students have tailored educational programs to support them with their learning. We place a very strong emphasis on our termly Student Support Group meetings where everyone meets to discuss progress towards learning and wellbeing goals for each student.

We have brand new state-of-the-art facilities at Marnebek. This includes; Learning Buildings, Gym, Therapy Rooms, Basketball Court, Sensory Garden, Library and a Recording Studio. We also have amazing specialist classrooms for Art, STEM, Food Technology, Music and Dance.

It is an extremely exciting time for the whole of the Marnebek community and I am excited by the opportunities we will provide for students as they grow and develop into young adults. I look forward to meeting all community members this year and supporting all students and parents/carers throughout your time at Marnebek School.

 

Liam Mara

Campus Principal, Secondary School

 
 

Hi, my name is Liam Mara and I am the Assistant Principal of the lower secondary school. I have had 20 years’ experience in Special Education in various roles such as Education Support, Physical Education Teacher and Classroom Teacher.

I began at Marnebek in 2020 as Community Engagement leader and have worked across most areas of the school getting to know the students from all year levels. My current role of student engagement allows me to create wonderful opportunities for our students and generate educational experiences to become lifelong learners.

I feel very grateful to be part of a school that shares the same educational values as I do. My leadership is centred on Respect, Responsibility and Resilience and I aim to infuse these values on both staff and students. 

At Marnebek we aim to create a stimulating and engaging learning environment that gives every student the best chance of success. I am proud to be part of the Marnebek community and learning from our students each day.