The Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Lisa O’Donnell as Chrysalis’ Education Director, commencing Term 2 2020.

Lisa is currently the Teaching Principal of Blue Mountains Steiner School, and comes to Chrysalis with a wealth of Steiner and outdoor education experience, which spans 25 years.

During that time, Lisa has taught at a number of Steiner Schools including Mumbulla (Bega) and Milkwood (Darwin). Her outdoor education experience includes work at Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School, Sophia Mundi, Wollangarra, SCEGG’S, Geelong Grammar, Geelong College, St. Andrew’s Cathedral School, Carey Grammar, and the Australian School of Mountaineering.

Prior to becoming the Principal of Blue Mountains Steiner School in 2013, Lisa held leadership positions at Wollangarra Outdoor Education Centre and Milkwood Steiner School. Together, these roles have allowed Lisa to become deeply knowledgeable in all aspects of school management, registration, curriculum development and the delivery of educational programmes.

Lisa’s extensive outdoor education experience will further enhance Chrysalis’ strong camps programme. Having lived and worked in the remote Northern Territory communities of Maningrida and Papunya has also been a considerable influence. Her work has sought to have her students develop deeper connection with Country and First Nations peoples, “in order to be true to Steiner’s hopes and aspirations for young people, that we can grow moral citizens who can support this work now and in the future together and through our communities”.

In her role as a school leader, Lisa sees that “getting to know my new community will help me to understand my job, my role and my school, and provide a solid foundation in which to lead and make healthy decisions for our school”. Over the coming months Lisa will be looking to move with her family into our Community. As well as opportunities to meet with staff, we hope to facilitate an occasion for Lisa to participate in a broader Community gathering. We are sure you will all make her very welcome.

Interim arrangements

Leading to Lisa’s commencement, Kelley McGlashan will act in the role of Education Director. Kelley will then move to the High School Portfolio role, where she will work with the Executive Team in supporting Lisa. Pete Rundle, who has shared the education leadership with Kelley over the past year, will step back into his behavioural support role at the commencement of Term 1.

The Board are very grateful to Kelley and Pete, who have held the School so well in a period of transition and will do so for the rest of 2019. We particularly acknowledge Kelley’s extended role of leadership, which will see her having led the School’s education for almost 16 years upon Lisa’s commencement.

Gary Davis Board
Chair Chrysalis School