Photo: Supplied.
FROM DPSS
Wednesday June 10 2026, saw a crowd of over 430 people gather to celebrate the official opening by Minister for Education and the Arts, the Honourable John-Paul Langbroek, MP, of the new Learning Centre – Diligence and Resilience Wings – at Darling Point Special School.
The official opening marks the next step along the school’s journey of collaboration, partnership, creativity, audacity, and educational excellence for students with severe disabilities who are engaged in enthusiastic learning every day throughout the school.
Nearly 70 years ago, in 1958, an Opportunity School was established on the Manly site and later rebuilt in 1986 as the Darling Point Special School.
The celebration last Wednesday was supported by the Director-General of Education, Ms Sharon Schimming, other senior officers from the Department of Education, the Honourable Joan Pease MP –Shadow Minister for Small Business, Shadow Minister for Customer Service and Open Data, Member for Lytton, and Alex Givney, Councillor for Wynnum Manly.
The presence of no fewer than three Order of Australia members: Prof. Allan Parker (the school’s scholar-in-residence), Mr Stan Plath, former Principal to Charmaine Driver and member of the Darling Point Special School Council, and Mr David Westlake, community leader and mentor, demonstrated the school’s strong reputation and the esteem in which the school’s work with the most vulnerable school students is held.
As shared by School Council Chair, Michael Jullyan, “Buildings are like people. Some are tall, some are pretty; this one is tall and pretty, but like people, no building is perfect, and like people, we are always trying to improve. What this purpose-built, state-of-the-art building does extremely well is allow people to interact, teach, learn, and be the best they can be. This school’s philosophy of teaching is like this building, strong foundations, designed fit-for-purpose and well resolved via the rigorous application of great values and principles”.
Principal, Charmaine Driver, took the opportunity to thank many contributors to the achievement recognised last Wednesday, including not only the Department of Education, the Queensland Government, the various members of the design, construction and project management team, but also Iona College, which since late 2022 have hosted half of the school’s students and staff during demolition and construction, and ongoing for the time being.
Mrs Driver made mention that these two schools share a birthday – January 28, 1958, also her own first day at school – and now in a way, share a backyard through the special school’s temporary Lindum campus whilst, as outlined by Minister Langbroek, the Queensland government progresses construction of additional special school facilities across the state, to accommodate parent choice in schooling for their children.
Speakers and guests celebrated students as central to the Darling Point Special School’s purpose, focus, and hope, confirming that without them, none of the excitement and delight experienced last Wednesday would have purpose.
Official proceedings concluded with students, staff, family members, and guests giving a rousing rendition of the school song, “Keep a Dream in Your Pocket,” which, since 1993, has been an inspiration and a call to vitality, courage, and hope amongst the Darling Point Special School community.
