Until 2011, the early adopters of Positive Education in Australia worked largely in isolation or within small networks of schools in which knowledge and experiences where shared informally.

Early in 2012, Peninsula Grammar (Victoria), St Peter’s College (South Australia) and Knox Grammar School (New South Wales) met with Associate Professor Lea Waters at the University of Melbourne’s Graduate School of Education, to explore the likely benefits of forming an association of educators who shared the vision of promoting Positive Education in all schools across the nation.

The notion of learning from each other, as well as encouraging other schools to embrace the tenets of positive psychology was clearly a shared vision of these three schools.

A few months later, the leaders of nine schools from across Australia came together at St Peter’s College in Adelaide for an inaugural workshop at which the foundations of the association were discussed.

Much work was done during 2012 – 2013 to develop the mission, vision and core values of the new association, which was to be named the Positive Education Schools Association. This work was assisted greatly by Michelle McQuaid, using an Appreciative Inquiry approach.

From the beginning, there was a strong commitment for PESA to be an association of educators and schools from all sectors, across regional and metropolitan Australia: government, independent and systemic.

The founding schools of PESA provided countless hours of support and generous financial assistance to enable our Association to formally launch at the 4th Australian Positive Psychology & Wellbeing Conference held at the University of Melbourne in February 2014. 

For the science of wellbeing and Positive Psychology to be integrated throughout the education system, enabling all students, schools, and communities to flourish.

To lead, promote, and foster the implementation and development of Positive Education.

Chairman: Simon Murray OAM

Deputy-Chair: Anne Johnstone

Treasurer: Warren Symonds

Leonie Abbott

Joanne Alford

Janis Coffey

Charlie Scudamore