As the Principal of Mary Queen of Heaven Primary School I am very excited about the opportunities we have to work in partnership with our families and community to create something special.
Inspired by the words and work of Saint Mary of the Cross Mackillop, I aim to “Never see a need without doing something about it.”
My journey to Mary Queen of Heaven comes with extensive experience as a Principal and school leader in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Relationships are at the heart of all that I do. Knowing the story of a child, their family and their community helps to shape the way that we can work and learn together. Building strong, trusting and respectful relationships comes before anything else. Mary Queen of Heaven is a welcoming learning community where dreams are lived and the impossible is made possible.
A focus of my leadership is to develop a culture that places the student and their individual learning needs at the heart of the educational process, and I am very proud of the way we have built this into the culture of Mary Queen of Heaven in one short year. Mary Queen of Heaven provides opportunities to enable every child to reach their full potential. We focus on building strong partnerships with the community. We believe that the active engagement of the community can have a profound impact on the culture of the school and the education of our children.
Mary Queen of Heaven is the sister school of St Carlo Borremeo, Greenvale and School of The Good Shepherd, Gladstone Park. Right from the beginning we have developed close relationships between these two school communities as we operate as three schools in one Parish.
In addition to providing inspiring, contemporary physical spaces for our learners, we have engaging, passionate educators who are committed to fostering nurturing relationships with children, working in partnership with families and collaborating with colleagues to ensure that every child is understood, nurtured and supported.
Away from school I am a proud mother and wife. I am an avid reader, particularly of autobiographies and biographies and I have a life-long interest in wellness and fitness. Spending time with family in the great outdoors is what brings me joy away from my work. When the weather is right you may see me walking or running in the neighbourhood. Be sure to say hello!
I feel privileged to have this opportunity and thank you for entrusting your precious children into our care. I know together we can do great things.
Mrs Renae Gentile
Principal
Being part of the Mary Queen of Heaven community in its founding year has been a life-changing experience! It is with immense gratitude that I continue to be part of this thriving community in 2026, as Deputy Principal and Literacy Leader.
I migrated from Portugal to Australia as a child. My family's migration story is part of who I am and my core values of gratitude, connection and growth. Mary (or Fatima) was always a prominent image in my family; a reminder of the importance of faith, courage and humility.
I find joy when present with my family and friends, or being in nature with my children, Husband and our dog, Mac; who is also one of our school’s wellbeing dogs! I am a self-confessed foodie, and have mastered the art of baking sourdough bread from scratch (lockdown win). I love delving into a good book, especially one that stretches my thinking about life.
Working as an Educator and Leader is a privilege. To witness the delight of children’s discovery and wonder of their curiosity is a tremendous gift!
I strongly believe that every child is competent and capable. My mission as an Educator is to guide children on their learning journey, providing them with experiences that enable them to ‘let their light shine’, whilst fostering a love of learning. I work passionately as a leader to challenge, nurture and inspire educators, so that they in turn can inspire, nurture and provide suitable challenges for the children in their care.
Mrs Daniela De Luca
Deputy Principal
