High Expectations
We have high expectations of our young people and, why not! Why would we want to settle for mediocrity? Ms Jen Howard, Director of Students, has asked the staff to impress upon our young people that their appearance matters, and that they need to show that they are proud of their school in the way that they wear uniform. We are also reinforcing that phones and air pods must be always out of sight at school so that students can focus fully on the teacher and the other people around them. Learning improves when we minimise distraction. Like many things in life, if we get the small things right, the big things tend to follow. I know that we have your support and appreciate you reinforcing your high expectations as well.
Understanding Our Pastoral Chain
Each of our students is supported by a pastoral chain and, as we start a new year, it is timely to discuss the make-up of this team and their role. As is often the case, some etymology of the term “pastoral” helps in describing the role. Pastoral relates to the land and, more specifically, to the grazing of animals. In scripture, there are many references to shepherds minding their flocks and the role of the shepherd was to keep their sheep safe from harm, find them nourishment and to ensure that they did not stray. Jesus calls himself The Good Shepherd in John’s gospel.
Our pastoral chains are comprised of:
Classroom Teacher → Pastoral Care Teacher (20-25 students) → Year Level Leader (60-100 students) → Director of Students (Jen Howard) → Deputy Principal (Shaun Lancashire).
Each level supports the one below and acts as a point of escalation when appropriate. Our Behavioural Tracking system notifies those in the pastoral chain automatically when a concern is lodged. It is important that you bring any wellbeing concerns to the attention of the Pastoral Care Teacher as soon as they become apparent as early intervention is important to good outcomes.
Teacher shortage
We are experiencing a period of teacher shortage across Australia and, unfortunately, St Mary’s has not been immune from this issue this year. The challenge of finding teachers, which is even greater as you move out of metropolitan areas, is a topic of discussion in many forums at present and has been acknowledged as a priority by Education Minister, Hon Jason Clare. Research presented by AITSL at a recent principal’s forum indicates that with a median entry age of 27 years and a completion rate of just 54%, teachers are not emerging from our universities at anywhere near the rate required to meet a growing demand and an ageing workforce. In the short term, we are going to need to look towards immigration and encouraging those who have left the teaching profession to return. In the longer term, we need to do better at promoting teaching to our school graduates as a career that is rewarding. Your support as parents and caregivers in having such conversations with our young people is crucial.
Funding for schools
National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) Executive Director, Ms Jacinta Collins, has called upon commentators to stop “distorting the facts” in a recent media release. The reality is that most Catholic schools are low fee and parents / caregivers make significant sacrifices to send their children to a school that supports their values. Our schools are subsidised by government to try and ensure that that they remain affordable. The rhetoric that this money is redirected away from public
education, and we are, therefore, responsible for under-funding of public education deserves to be challenged. Acting Executive Director of the Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA), Mr Bruce Phillips, adds: “Hardworking families that choose a Catholic education for their child make an incredible contribution to the Victorian education system through both the schools fees and the taxes that they pay, while at the same time their children receive significantly less government funding compared to government schools,” in this recent media release.
Darren Atkinson
College Principal
