My name is Dawn Petersen, currently principal of Golden Grove Primary, the first female and person of colour following the tenures of 6 white males in the 66 year history of this former model C school.   

Before that I served as Principal at Blomvlei Primary school in Hanover Park, where in a period of 11 years we managed to turn our school around from being labelled as dysfunctional to fully functional.  A place where we created a home away from home for our learners in this challenging socio-economic community. 

I taught as a Foundation Phase educator at Duneside Primary School from 1989, where I was also the Departmental Head before starting at Blomvlei.  

I am also the Regional Chairperson in SADTU, 1 of 2 females in this position in the Western Cape.  I was the Branch Chairperson for Athlone Central for 2 terms before that.  

In 2016 I won the Provincial National Teaching award and was a finalist nationally, in the “Excellence in Primary School Leadership” category.    

I am passionate about children, do my best to deliver in whichever space I find myself, and  continuously strive in an effort  to improve quality teaching and learning.