Kirsty Barnetson is the Chair and an elected parent member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board. She brings her professional experience in management, law and governance to the board.

It has been exciting to see the values encapsulated in iCARE – Integrity, Connection, Aspiration, Respect and Excellence to see iCARE, increasingly embedded in the day-to-day operations of the school.  Our values represent what is core to Rossmoyne and its culture, and what underpins the success of our students. Our 2022-2025 Business Plan is providing a framework which is driving and shaping our school culture to continue to be a school of excellence, of which we can be proud.

It is a privilege to work with the board to support the school in its commitment to achieve positive outcomes for all our students, and reaffirm our great desire that our students leave our school as capable, compassionate and confident members of our global community.

Alan Brown is the Principal of Rossmoyne Senior High School and member of the School Board. He brings his professional experience in education and school leadership to the board.

“The Board of Rossmoyne Senior High School provides an avenue for members of our school community to provide significant input into the future of the school. The Board is made up of parents, staff, students, community members and industry representatives who work on the school’s four key priorities for 2022 to 2025 –  ‘capable learners,’ ‘real-world learning,’ ‘inclusiveness,’ and ‘staff excellence and wellbeing’. The strength of the School Board lies in the strong engagement of this group to ensure that Rossmoyne Senior High School provides the best educational pathway for every single student. As principal of Rossmoyne Senior High School, it is a pleasure to be part of the board and work with this committed group of people to make Rossmoyne the best school it can be.”

Michael Dockery is community member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board and a parent of former and current students. He brings his professional experience in tertiary education and educational research to the board.

“As a graduate of Rossmoyne Senior High School and parent of two recent students, I’m excited to be given the opportunity to contribute to the School Board, initially elected as a parent member and now as a community member. I have 30 years of experience in the tertiary education sector as a lecturer and researcher. My research has focussed on improving labour market, education and wellbeing outcomes for marginalised groups within Australia, and has included extensive analyses of education and training outcomes and the school-to-work transition. I have a strong belief in the importance of equality in educational opportunity for young people and hope my expertise in education policy can help to support the work of the Board and shape the school’s strategic direction.”

Andy Farrant is community member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board. He brings his professional experience in arts management, media, marketing, industry and technology to the board.

“It is a great privilege to be a member of the Board of one of WA’s leading independent public schools. The new strategic plan responds to the changing student needs and focuses on the whole student. The school’s students are able to meet the challenges of shifting demands of community, learning about the world and themselves in a carefully prepared environment that builds curiosity, resilience and confidence.”

Mahadevan (Jaya) Jayabalan is community member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board and a parent of former students. He brings his professional experience in building and construction, project management, transport, and directorship to the board.

“Working as part of such a well-educated, experienced team of professionals to guide our school on a path of continued success is most rewarding. Seeing the school’s periodic business plans come together and opening of the new car park (Karel Avenue entrance) have definitely been a highlight of my time on the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board since 2010. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the school, especially with the upcoming $35M redevelopment which was committed by State Government in March 2021.”

Michael Pailthorpe is an elected parent member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board a parent of former and current students. He brings his professional experience in management, governance, and marketing to the board.

“It is a great privilege to be re-elected to the board as a parent member. As a parent of three former students and one current student I am looking forward to continuing to bring my perspective and experience to the board to as it works to collaboratively monitor the school’s performance against its business plan objectives. The school has a wonderful brand, reputation and culture of excellence and we need to keep working hard to ensure this is maintained and enhanced across all aspects of school life. Similarly, I’m keen to see that the school continues to actively connect with and engage its stakeholders, to challenge itself and to strive to deliver the best possible outcomes for its students, parents, staff and wider community.”

Gordon Parkinson is a community member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board. He brings his professional experience in tertiary education, innovation, and science to the board.

“It is a pleasure and privilege to be a member of the School Board, working with staff, students, and members of the community, all of whom are committed and passionate about the importance of education and in particular about the excellent institution that is Rossmoyne Senior High School. A key responsibility of the School Board is to provide input into the development of, and ultimately endorse the School Business Plan. Given the rapidly changing world we live in, and consequent uncertainty about the future that our students will face, we are keen to help prepare them to be as ready as possible to face whatever they will encounter.”

I am currently the Principal at Riverton Primary School, from which a significant number of students at Rossmoyne SHS originate and am also the Network Principal for the Riverton Rossmoyne schools network.

It is therefore a privilege to be on the Board to provide some support and expertise for the important link between the local primary schools and the secondary school. Having worked for 40 years in education, in both the secondary and primary sectors, 25 years of which have been in leadership positions, I hope that I can use my experience to support Rossmoyne SHS and its community through my involvement on the School Board.

I’m very pleased to be joining the Board and be given opportunity to work alongside people so committed to making sure Rossmoyne Senior High School is doing everything we can to provide the very best educational experience for our students.

I look forward to building on my existing work within the school, with the knowledge of school operations and stakeholders that I will gain by being a member of the board. I hope to be an advocate for both staff and students, in maintaining the exceptional level of teaching and learning at happens at Rossmoyne Senior High School everyday”

Chandrika D’Mello is community member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board and a parent of a current student. She brings her professional experience business ownership and sessional lecturing to the board.

“The 2022-2025 business plan is progressive in its mission to mould our students into real world thinkers while maintaining the school’s existing values and culture, undertaken with a view to making a positive impact. As the students are exposed to more real-world learning, they will be well placed to function in the new normal we are now faced with. Of particular interest is the mission to foster inclusivity of the students into the school community, as well as amongst the students who are encouraged to embrace diversity. Additionally, the $35M injection of funds will see RSHS transform into a vibrant and interactive learning hub for the future. I feel privileged to be a part of such a dynamic and accomplished team of Board members and look forward to supporting the school meet its goals of the business plan and beyond.”

Patrick Chen is an elected parent member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board and a parent of former and current students. He brings his professional experience management, pastoral care, young people, chaplaincy, and networking to the board.

“Education is our currency today for a better tomorrow. Not just learning facts but training minds to think. Not just how to make a living but how to live. Thus, RSHS is about preparing future ready citizens to confidently face an uncertain future in this rapidly changing landscape.
Educators are future shapers.
Therefore, it is an awesome privilege to serve on the Board and support our educators in

• engaging students, staff, families and the wider community
• preserving our iCARE values
• executing the Business Plan

It is our desire that RSHS continues to be a forward-thinking school community that breathes excellence in teaching, learning and leadership. I look forward to journeying with our distinguished board members as we creatively and strategically build a better tomorrow, today.”

Kelly Stephen is community member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board and a former student. She brings her professional experience in accounting, finance, tax, HR, change management, and learning and development to the board.

“It was an honour to be approached and subsequently accepted as a member of the School Board as the school has had a significant impact on where I am today. Being a graduate of Rossmoyne SHS I am proud to be able to share my views and personal experiences in order to contribute to help shape the student experience and help the school continue to excel in a sustainable manner. Being “future ready citizens” is so important in the current environment and I am looking forward to working with the Rossmoyne community to ensure that the students are equipped with what they need to succeed after graduating from high school, and have fond memories of their time at school.”

With a constantly evolving role in workforce advisory matters, I am also keen to help shape the school’s professional plans.

Community member, Alumni

Experience: Project Management, Land Development, Compliance

As a former student, returning to Rossmoyne Senior High School as a Board Member fills me with excitement as it represents a unique opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the school that has played a significant role in shaping my own journey. Bringing a diverse background in project management, land development and compliance I am eager to leverage my skills and experience to drive positive change and ensure that Rossmoyne remains at the forefront of academic excellence.

Melissa Van Dyk is an elected staff member of the Rossmoyne Senior High School Board. She brings her professional experience in education, student leadership, veterinary medicine & surgery, and business ownership to the board.

“In many ways it seems serendipitous, that I returned to secondary school, as my experiences there were challenging. However, ironically, after practicing as a veterinarian and running a small business I found myself uncovering a deep-rooted desire to return to education. I wanted to help ensure future generations have positive experiences at school, where they are supported to develop a strong sense of self for their life’s journey. Although I have tried to achieve academic excellence in the past, I saw in practice success was not possible without self-worth and growth not achievable without capacity to reflect on the world we find ourselves navigating through. From experiences, I can appreciate learning comes from an inherently vulnerable space, so establishing student self-confidence allows learning to occur, and ultimately personal excellence to be reached. I enjoy the opportunity to work with the Board and the school to bridge the gap between our current system and their Business Plan. It is a privilege to be on the School Board, where we engage in deep discussions on school priorities, values and visions so that all young people at Rossmoyne Senior High School feel seen, heard and valued.”

Students Nathaniel K (Year 10) and Oolka V (Year 11) are valued members of the school board and join as representatives of the student voice.

They are both members of the Student Council.