By Alesha Capone
For two families at a Hoppers Crossing school, it’s a case of history repeating itself.
Daniel Smith and Matthew Undy attended Derrimut Heath Primary School when they were children. Mr Smith’s sister also attended the school from prep to grade 6.
This year, Mr Smith’s son, CJ, and Mr Undy’s daughter, Sadie, are enrolled as prep pupils at the school, which is part of Baden Powell College.
Mr Undy said that Sadie was excited her dad had attended the school before her. Mr Smith said CJ felt the same.
“I took him on a tour of the school and I think it gelled with him and made him more excited, knowing his aunty and I had both come here,” Mr Smith said.
He said he was a student at the school until about year 10, and felt he had a “strong connection”, especially with former principal Nal Manolakakis, who has since passed away.
Mr Smith said that as a youngster, he would water the school lawns and helped to build a rotunda that still stands in the school grounds.
“It was just a really good school and I really want CJ to have that same connection with the school as I had,” he said.
Mr Undy said that while visiting the school with Sadie, he had enjoyed seeing some of his former teachers and staff members still working there.
“With key teachers we had through the years, it was really good in the way they taught,” he said.
