Parramatta High School principal Domonique Splatt retires after 45 years in education

As a child she dreamt of becoming a teacher and ran imaginary classes in her kitchen, decades before becoming the first woman to helm a western Sydney high school. Now this accomplished educator is ready to retire.

Domonique Splatt is retiring after more than four decades in education.

She dreamt of becoming a teacher and would use a blackboard and flash cards in the kitchen of her childhood home to educate imaginary students.

Now, Parramatta High School’s only female principal in its 111-year history, Domonique Splatt, will retire after 45 years as an educator at five high schools.

Her first post in 1979 as a graduate “wanting to change the world” was at Kirrawee High School where her two younger cousins were students and “horrified” she would make her career debut there, despite never teaching the year 8 and 10 students.

“I imagined they thought ‘Oh no, what’s she going to tell Mum’,’’ she recalled.

“They just did not welcome me with open arms because they did not know how it was going to work out.’’

Domonique Splatt worked at Fairvale High School from 1980 to 1984.

A history buff, Ms Splatt often dressed up for history days like this one at Parramatta High circa 1986.

The family dynamics might have been a bit strange but Ms Splatt’s career flourished and she went on to teach at Fairvale, Lurnea, Parramatta and Ambarvale high schools.

She was the first deputy principal at Lurnea, taking on the challenges of leading a school with an intensive English unit and mainstream students.

Domonique Splatt was the principal at Lurnea High School from 1998 to 2011.

When Ambarvale was a fledgling school in 1990, she was the head history teacher when it ranked fifth in the state several times for the subject.

In 2015, she was three years into her job as Parramatta High’s principal when the school was the most improved with NAPLAN results, an achievement she credits for the return of selective school students.

She has spent a third of her teaching career at the history-steeped Parramatta High, the “school on the hill” which was selective up until the 1980s, then returned to be partially selective in 2012 when she became the principal.

She had taught history at the school in 1986 and 1987.

Domonique Splatt in June 2015, celebrating successful NAPLAN results with students at Parramatta High School.

“It’s my last school but probably closest to my heart in that I think achievements have been great here in the sense of being able to support students,’’ she said.

“This is the first school (I’ve worked at) that has that long history and heritage. This school has that in spades. When the kids get to year 11 and 12 they start to breathe the history.’’

Cricket legend Richie Benaud and the first Australian-born NASA astronaut Philip Chapman are among the famous alumni of Parramatta High, which is Sydney’s oldest co-ed high school.

Parramatta High School is closest to her heart.

The facility now has 1100 students learning on “the smallest site in NSW’’.

“A lot of parents want to send their children here,’’ Ms Splatt said, adding that she wants class numbers capped at 30 students.

“We want them to grow and develop, and thrive. This school’s got strong academic bones to it, but it’s also a safe and happy school.’’

Domonique Splatt is the first female principal in Parramatta High School’s 111-year history.

Domonique Splatt embracing her love as a history teacher at Fairvale High School in the ‘80s.

Growing up in Earlwood, Ms Splatt attended Marrickville West public and Dulwich Hill high schools and has long been an advocate for public education because it “provides excellent opportunities and it’s the great leveller in education”.

Now living in the lower Blue Mountains with her husband John, Ms Splatt, 67, is ready to say goodbye to the long commutes and welcome more time gardening and travelling “off-peak”, particularly indulging her love for history in Greece and Rome.

After 12 years as principal Ms Splatt said she believed there needed to be a turnover of ideas.

Ms Splatt’s last day will be July 5. Her farewell celebrations will include a high tea with staff and a presentation with students and receive a retirement medal from the NSW public education director.

Originally published as Parramatta High School principal Domonique Splatt retires after 45 years in education