Page 6 - Inspire Magazine

A CLEAR VISION

WA PRIMARY PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR

rank Pansini was principal of a coastal “I remember thinking, if I ever get my
Perth primary school when what he chance, if that’s ever me one day, I’m going
describes as the opportunity of a to remember what real enthusiasm and passion
F lifetime came knocking. felt like.”
It was the chance to be foundation He remembered well. And when his
principal of Aubin Grove Primary School time did come, he took on board what he had
and build it from scratch which was, he says, learnt at Atwell and poured his heart and soul
simply irresistible. into creating the award winning Aubin Grove
He had enjoyed the buzz surrounding Primary School.
a new school when he was previously a When the school opened in 2011,
teacher at Atwell Primary School, and it was there were just 315 students. Under Frank’s
something he wanted to be part of again. leadership it has flourished and is now Western
“Atwell Primary School had just opened Australia’s largest primary school with more
when I was teaching there and I heard so many than 1100 students.
exciting stories coming out of the school,” “I thought if I was lucky enough to open
he recalls. “People were just so happy to be a school it needed to have some sort of social
working hard, creating something from the glue that was simple but powerful – and really
ground up. enabled everybody to buy in to,” he says.

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