Bondi Public farewells principal who died with colourful ties, song Mr Jones

Students at Bondi Public School will lead tributes at a memorial to former principal Michael Jones this week, with a number of surprises planned and not a single dry eye expected.

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The Bondi Public School community will farewell maverick eastern suburbs educator Michael Jones in what is expected to be an emotional memorial for the former principal on Friday.

Tributes to the 67-year-old at the school’s service will be led by students, who will play a pivotal role in the memorial, wearing colourful ties in his honour and performing a rendition of the 1993 Counting Crows song Mr Jones.

“The whole school will be singing the song in memory of him. It’s modified so that the lyrics reflect his life,” Bondi Public School acting deputy principal Kate Owen said.

Mr Jones and former Waverley mayor Sally Betts. Picture: Supplied

“They are going to be wearing the ties because that is what he was known for.

“I think it will be a pretty emotional day for everyone in the community.”

Mr Jones’ sudden death in May was met with an outpouring of grief by former students, teachers and parents and it is understood pupils at the school have been dealing with the loss by creating collages for this week’s memorial.

Spending four decades in public education, Mr Jones took over at Bondi in 2007 with the school in dire straits and on the brink of closure.

Former BPS principal Michael Jones (pictured) will be remembered for his four decades in public education this week. Picture: Supplied

Since then, enrolment numbers have boomed from 70 to about 500.

“He was a much-loved member of the community,” Ms Owen said.

“People have been coming into the school and filling up the memory book with tributes to Mr Jones (since he died).”

“He has done so much for the school … everything that happened here is because he instigated it.

Mr Jones’ death last month was met with an outpouring of grief from across the eastern suburbs. Picture: Supplied

“A love of literature and reading, that is the legacy he has left behind and we will continue with his work.”

A number of speakers are expected to share memories of Mr Jones at the memorial, including former Wentworth MP Kerryn Phelps, a friend a the former BPS principal for more than 20 years.

Just a week after being released from hospital, Mr Jones was handing out how-to-vote cards as part of Dr Phelps campaign team on election day.

The memorial will take place on the school’s Wellington St campus from 12pm, Friday.