Helen O’Brien, Acting Director Catholic Education SA outlines a new strategy to strengthen and transform the presence of Catholic Education in SA.
I write to you as Acting Director of Catholic Education SA, following the departure of Dr Paul Sharkey who has taken up a senior executive role with the Catholic Education Centre in Melbourne. We wish Paul and his family every grace and blessing as they begin this new phase in their lives. I am delighted to undertake this position in the interim period while our next Director is determined. I invite your prayers for us and for the panel charged with making a recommendation to Archbishop Wilson.
One of the important undertakings for Catholic Education SA this year is development of the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools’ (SACCS) recently endorsed Strategy for Leading Catholic Education to New Levels of Excellence. This plan has identified the goal of strengthening and transforming the presence of Catholic education in South Australia. Two defining principles are at its core: that Catholic education seeks to be an option of first preference for Catholic families along with all families from the full range of backgrounds in the community, and that Catholic education in South Australia operates as a system of schools and early year services working in partnership for the common good.
This is an important time in Catholic education and the strategy outlines the challenges and potential directions that we must consider and take if our sector of schools is to remain as a first class, creative and effective system that educates young people in their faith and other aspects of their lives.
Can there be more important or exciting work?
I look forward to working with you during this period as we begin to put plans into action for our future.
Reception students who join a 2024 mid-year intake at a Diocesan Catholic school will get free tuition in Terms 3 and 4.
