Headquarters:
355 Station Street, Box Hill, Vic 3128
Year founded:
2013
Number of employees:
70
Phone:
03 93091181
Email:
Dallas.Brooks.CPS@education.vic.gov.au
Website:
dallasps.vic.edu.au
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/school/kingswood-college-melbourne
Valerie Karaitiana
Principal
Yun Chen
Assistant Principal
Hana Dennaoui
Assistant Principal
Leadership
With over 20 years of experience in educational leadership, Valerie Karaitiana is committed to fostering inclusive school cultures where every student can thrive. Passionate about supporting communities facing significant disadvantage, she has championed equity and opportunity through innovative programs. As the founder and leader of the Northern Schools Early Years Cluster and the Community Hubs Australia, Karaitiana introduced collaborative early childhood initiatives that continue to strengthen learning pathways. Recognised as a trailblazer in educational leadership, she remains dedicated to building strong community partnerships and inspiring excellence, resilience and positive outcomes for all learners.
Principal
Valerie Karaitiana
Yun Chen serves as an assistant principal with a clear vision for education that blends innovation, inclusion and global awareness. With experience across teaching, curriculum management and staff development, she is dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive school culture where every student feels supported and valued. Passionate about innovative instructional practices, Chen advocates for student voice and agency, ensuring learners are empowered to take ownership of their education. Committed to developing 21st-century skills, she promotes authentic, real-world learning experiences and global citizenship while building strong partnerships with families and the wider community to enrich student growth.
Assistant Principal
Yun Chen
Hana Dennaoui is an assistant principal and curriculum leader at Dallas Brooks Community Primary School, driven by a strong belief in the transformative power of education. She leads key improvement initiatives focused on inclusive education, strengthened intervention systems and data-informed practice. Dennaoui leads disability inclusion and the whole-school curriculum and has implemented a comprehensive F–2 Phonics Program aligned with Victorian Curriculum 2.0 and VTLM 2.0. Through coaching, mentoring, and PLC leadership, she builds teacher capability and ensures every student is known, valued and supported to achieve success. A proud mother of four young women in essential service professions, she brings her passion for opportunity, aspiration and equity into every aspect of her leadership.
Assistant Principal
Hana Dennaoui
Lisa Sacristani
Head of School (7–9)
Lisa Sacristani commenced as head of school (Years 7–9) in 2023. A dedicated and experienced middle years leader, she previously served as head of junior secondary at Donvale Christian College, where she spent over a decade in various leadership and teaching roles, including head of Year 9 and teacher of English, humanities and sport. Prior to this, Sacristani taught in a range of educational settings, gaining valuable insight into diverse school communities. She completed a Master of Education (Leadership) at the University of Melbourne in 2021. Sacristani values strong relationships and is committed to fostering identity, belonging and self-worth in every student.
Head of School (7–9)
Lisa Sacristani
Rob Fuller
Head of School (10-12)
Rob Fuller commenced as head of school (Years 10–12) in 2024. He joined Kingswood College from Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School, where he was director of curriculum. He is a passionate teacher of politics, history and English and has held roles such as year level coordinator and curriculum leader across the middle and senior years. He is deeply committed to supporting students through their VCE journey and enhancing teacher practice. At Kingswood, Fuller has introduced improved subject selection processes, reimagined the Student Representative Council and strengthened student-centred initiatives that promote resilience, character and meaningful real-world learning experiences.
Head of School (10-12)
Rob Fuller
Tina Flyger
Head of People and Culture
Matthew Westwood-Hill
Chief Information Security Officer
Kathy Pallasis
Manager, Human Resources
Pam Chhabra
Manager – Residential Strata
Tina Flyger commenced as head of people and culture in 2024. With over 15 years of human resources experience, she believes people are the cornerstone of any organisation. She takes a collaborative approach, working closely with executives, managers and teams to shape and deliver effective strategy. She is a dynamic, approachable and highly experienced people and culture leader, with a background spanning both schools and industry. Flyger’s expertise is key to nurturing staff and students, strengthening relationships, and fostering a positive, forward-looking culture that supports the continued growth and success of the Kingswood College community.
Head of People and Culture
Tina Flyger
Matthew Westwood-Hill is a seasoned cyber security leader with over 20 years’ experience in digital forensics, incident response and information security. He has led teams at SBS, CyberCX, and Ernst & Young, managing major incidents and aligning security strategies with business goals.
Westwood-Hill is known for his innovative, risk-reducing solutions and clear communication with executives and regulators. He drives awareness, compliance and resilience through training, policy and strategic planning. A frequent speaker and media contributor, he holds advanced qualifications in cyber security and digital forensics and is a recognised expert witness committed to continuous learning and emerging threat readiness.
Chief Information Security Officer
Matthew Westwood-Hill
Kathy Pallasis, manager, human resources at Frontier Software, leads HR strategy and operations from Melbourne. She oversees policy development, employee relations, and internal communications, working closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
Pallasis is known for her clear, responsive communication and collaborative approach. She manages employee records, supports strategic planning and coordinates workplace logistics. With experience in enterprise software, payroll systems and governance, Pallasis is a trusted resource for internal stakeholders.
She holds a humanities degree, is a member of AHRI, and actively contributes to continuous improvement and inclusive workplace practices through policy and operational leadership.
Manager, Human Resources
Kathy Pallasis
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
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Adam Basaldella
Manager – Claims
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Product Manager
Claire Watson
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
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Dallas Brooks Community Primary School is a vibrant, future-focused learning environment, serving students from 18 different ethnic groups, with the majority from language backgrounds other than English. Its culture is grounded in community partnership, high expectations and a belief that every child can thrive when given meaningful opportunities to learn and lead.
Innovation at Dallas Brooks is driven by its inquiry-based approach to learning. Rather than limiting students, the school integrates education consultant Kath Murdoch’s inquiry cycle with 21st Century Learning Design, ensuring that embedded across the curriculum are:
critical thinking
creativity
collaboration
communication
problem-solving
digital literacy
Students are encouraged to ask big questions, investigate real-world issues and apply their learning. Open and flexible learning environments support this, allowing teachers to tailor spaces for small group instruction, targeted support and collaborative projects.
This commitment to inquiry has yielded tangible outcomes beyond the classroom. Dallas Brooks students regularly present at the University of Melbourne’s annual Kids Conference, showcasing projects that address global challenges such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals with a focus on student wellbeing.
Community engagement is another hallmark of the school’s innovative identity. Programs such as the Breakfast Club ensure that every child starts the day ready to learn, while the Community Hub provides families with a welcoming space to connect, access resources and participate in school life. A dedicated Wellbeing Team works alongside staff and families to promote resilience, inclusion and positive mental health, reflecting the school’s belief that education is strengthened when schools and communities work hand in hand.
Leadership at Dallas Brooks is strategic, distributed and deeply aligned to its vision. Principal Valerie Karaitiana articulates a future-focused direction that prioritises innovation, inclusion and continuous improvement. Externally, the school plays a sector-leading role through the Northern Schools Early Years Inc. (NSEY) cluster, co-founded by Karaitiana to support early childhood reforms.
Dallas Brooks’ collaborative governance model, which features strong oversight and involvement of local primary schools and partners, was recognised with the 2023 Early Years Minister’s Award for outstanding education and partnership.
The impact of these innovations is clearly reflected in the most recent Attitude to School data:
91% of students report strong motivation and interest (above the state average of 76%).
92% of students show strong self-regulation and goal-setting skills (compared to 83% across the state).
The recent Parent Opinion survey results highlight a similarly strong performance:
95% of parents believe students feel connected to the school (above the state average of 88%).
90% of parents agree that students feel empowered through agency and voice (compared to 77% statewide).
These metrics confirm that Dallas Brooks’ approach is not only creative but also highly effective in building confident, self-directed learners.
Looking ahead, the school plans to consolidate its existing innovations while continuing to strengthen community partnerships, deepen student engagement and build internal staff capacity.
In doing so, Dallas Brooks Community Primary School stands as a powerful example of how thoughtful, community-centred innovation can transform outcomes for children in an increasingly complex world.
IQumulate invests in education and people, which are vital to attracting new business and talent to the company.
“We have long tenures for several of our key staff, including some in leadership positions, and this sound working knowledge of our business, practices and industry provides great insights and a wealth of experience to offer our clients,” says Bastow. “Our new head of sales, Graeme Gordon, formerly manager for New Zealand, joins us in Australia to drive our sales strategy and lead our team to successful outcomes for our clients and our business. We look forward to great things ahead with Graeme as he continues to be active and present in the New Zealand market as well as building sound working relationships and new connections in Australia.”
Clients can also expect a lot from working with IQumulate.
“Through active engagement with our trusted broker network, IQumulate provides relevant information, education and training content,” says Graeme Gordon, head of sales. “Our clients can expect IQumulate to support their business in several ways, providing an understanding of what premium funding solutions are available and how IQumulate can spread the cost of insurance and help borrowers get the right level of insurance cover to free up their cash flow for other expenses or business growth opportunities. Premium funding is often considered a tool for those who simply cannot afford to pay their premiums in full. While this is certainly a significant driver for many, it is also successfully used by profitable companies who use premium funding to manage their cash flows more wisely or better manage their liquidity.”
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Overall
Learning is at the heart of the Kingswood experience. The school’s comprehensive Careers Program plays a vital role in supporting students’ personal growth and guiding them through their educational journey and beyond. Kingswood College is committed to developing confident, courageous and resilient individuals who are well-prepared to thrive in an ever-changing world. A rich co-curricular offering including sport, the arts, clubs and innovative experiences encourages students to discover and pursue their passions.
Set on a picturesque 20-acre campus that blends heritage architecture with modern facilities, Kingswood College is a vibrant, rigorous learning environment. Its passionate staff and active alumni community are a testament to the school’s enduring legacy and ongoing commitment to excellence.
