Our People
25 September, 2025
Unexpected call to lead
For Catriona Fleming, the journey to becoming principal of Pomonal Primary School was anything but planned.
Originally from Boroondara Park Primary School in Balwyn North, she joined Pomonal last year as a classroom teacher for grades 3–6.
Just 11 days later, bushfires swept through the area, leaving a lasting impression on her early days at the small school and her new students, “I was helping the kids in terms of wellbeing, I think all of my performing arts and literacy background helped because its all about stories and singing songs and acting,” she said.
By May this year, she found herself unexpectedly in charge. “One day (Belinda Wethers) was principal, and the next she was on leave. And so I was asked would I do the role for a couple of weeks till she came back, so I did, and that was easy because I was just being a placeholder,” Ms Fleming said.
When former principal Belinda Wethers was later appointed to Skene Street Specialist School, Ms Fleming was asked to remain as Acting Principal. “They asked me would I be acting principal for term three, while they advertised for someone. So I did,” she said.
It was not a role she had ever envisioned. “I had absolutely no intentions of being a principal because I love my classroom teaching,” she said. But having ‘taken the bull by the horns,’ Ms Fleming has discovered she enjoys the challenge. “There's a lot of support, like Leanne, my business manager, who is amazing. We work really well together,” she said. “I’ve been learning how to do the role. We are also part of a cluster of schools and the other principals have been fantastic as well.”
While she admits the responsibility brings pressure, she also finds reward. “There’s pressure with the responsibility but also there’s immense satisfaction when you get it right. I enjoy learning,” she said.
Her first year at Pomonal, marked by bushfires, has left her with a strong awareness of the school’s emergency needs. “I think it’s going to help me with this term. Bushfire season is supposed to start a month earlier, so we are taking our emergency management plan very seriously and doing our fire drills. That’s the next big thing for me as a principal, actually running that.”
For now, Ms Fleming is awaiting the appointment of a new permanent principal.
“Having fallen into it, I would love to keep doing it. At some point I need to go back to my family,” she said, “But we are going to see what transpires.”
Though her path to leadership was unplanned, Catriona Fleming has embraced the role with resilience and dedication, qualities that will serve both her and Pomonal Primary well, no matter what the future holds.
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