Dandenong North Primary School and Silverton Primary School today confirmed their place as ‘bright spots’ in Australian education. Based on results achieved for their students both schools have been selected to join the Social Ventures Australia (SVA) Bright Spots Schools Connection (The Connection).

At a launch celebrating the school’s achievement today, Dandenong North PS Principal Kevin Mackay said, ‘Our Leadership Team is ecstatic to hear of our inclusion in the Social Ventures Bright Spots Schools Connection project. We will be inspired to achieve the next innovation-platform on our journey from Great to Excellent as a school – and as an exemplar of “could be”, for a system. We anticipate an exciting partnership with Social Ventures Australia and 2014 appears on our collective horizon as another year of exciting opportunity and development.’

Silverton Primary School Principal Tony Bryant said, ‘Silverton PS is so thrilled to be involved with SVA in supporting the children and families in our school community. We are very appreciative of the wonderful opportunity SVA has afforded our community.’

The launch was hosted by Dandenong Mayor, Jim Memeti and attended by Inga Peulich MLC, and Gabrielle Williams (Labor Party candidate for Dandenong). Both schools will now undertake specific projects relevant to their communities, with the support of SVA.

Dandenong North Primary School and Silverton Primary School are two of the first eight schools selected from Victoria and New South Wales to partner with SVA. The Connection empowers school leaders in low SES schools to advance their work and build a network of exceptional educators. SVA is now working with the schools to help them achieve great outcomes in low SES communities, and ensure that their leadership teams can further develop their work.

The Connection finds Bright Spots Schools achieving great student outcomes in challenging circumstances. Once these schools are identified, SVA invests capital in talented and proven school leaders to support their work in schools and will bring the school leaders together quarterly to share practice and to learn from the experience of others in similarly challenging schools.