Donavan Rene, former principal of the Arthur Waldron Seventh Day Adventist School (formerly known as the Dominica Seventh Day Adventist School) has passed.

Rene is remembered as an outstanding educator, who served as principal of the school from 1988 to December 1995.  Prior to his appointment as principal, he was a member of the Board of Management of the aforementioned school, while serving the Government of Dominica in the Ministry of Housing.

During his tenure as a principal, Mr. Rene distinguished himself as a firm disciplinarian, with a strong commitment to duty. His skills in architecture allowed him to make significant contributions to the infrastructural development of the school. In fact, his imprints have made indelible impressions that are evident in all aspects of the school.

In January 1995, he left Dominica to take on the principal position at the St. Lucia Seventh-day Adventist Academy, where he continued to serve with distinction.  He later became the Education Director of the East Caribbean Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.  In that position, he supervised the SDA schools in St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Barbados and Dominica.  He later returned to St. Lucia where he served the Seventh-day Adventist church as High school principal, Education Director and Communication Director.

Mr. Rene fell sick shortly after his retirement, and succumbed to his illness on Monday March 2, 2020.

Emonews expresses deepest condolences to family and friends of former principal Mr. Donavan Rene. May his soul rest in eternal peace.