An Update From Chris Woolley, Chief Executive Officer EREA Colleges Ltd | Issue 10 | 25 September 2024

Key Messages

This edition of CEO Comms coincides with the imminent conclusion of Term 3 in some jurisdictions and holiday period in others. Personally, Term 3 provided opportunity to participate in school renewal and School Advisory Council meetings. These opportunities provided a welcomed moment to reflect and acknowledge that the leaders in our Colleges and Early Learning Centres are highly skilled in attending to the operational requirements that accompany the good management of the resources entrusted to our collective care. Term 3 also saw our involvement in the recruitment of a number of new Principals and Deputy Principals within EREA Colleges, commencing in 2025.  EREA Colleges is on the cusp of generational change in terms of leadership as a number of outstanding and long serving senior leaders conclude their service. There will be time for individual farewells over the coming term and these will – quite rightly – recognise their significant contributions. I would like to acknowledge that with significant service as a Principal or Deputy Principal, comes significant contribution to the strategic and operational requirements of a College.  The work accompanying responsible stewardship often occurs in the background and is inherently complex. As we collectively embrace the optimism that comes with a period of renewal, we give thanks for those who have shepherded our Colleges over recent years. 

With an eye to the future, I am minded that recent media has drawn attention to a range of themes impacting Catholic educational institutions. Pope Francis highlights the challenges that coexist with the always present news cycle when he states “when media and the digital world become omnipresent, their influence can stop people from learning how to live wisely, to think deeply and to love generously”. EREA Colleges seeks to ensure that all Principals are well supported in these spaces.  Please let us know if we can do more.  

As we head towards the inevitable celebrations and ceremonies that signify the conclusion of the academic year and for many - accompanying rites of passage- I would like to commend the diverse fabric of our EREA Colleges and Early Learning Centres.  We know that within our collective network, there is a place for every young person who seeks a Catholic education in the Edmund Rice tradition. This is a commitment we will ensure remains at the forefront of the discernment around the future of Edmund Rice College, Bindoon which will pause operations in 2025. 

All the best for Term 4. 

Chris 

Updates

School Budget Reviews │ Due 27 September 2024 

We look forward to receiving the 2025 Budget Models from Principals and Business Managers of our schools. Please email to ereacollegesreporting@erea.edu.au by Friday 27 September 2024. 

Follow up meetings, to discuss budget submissions, will commence with Business Managers from 1 October 2024.  

EREA Colleges Ltd’s Audit and Risk Management Committee will convene on 31 October 2024 to review budgets, followed by EREA Colleges Board on 11 November 2024. Notification of Board approval will follow.   

Student Attendance Data │ Due 21 October 2024 

EREA Colleges is required to declare your schools Student Attendance data for Term 3, 2024. Please ensure your attendance data has been entered in SchoolsHub and is ready to be declared by Monday 21 October 2024. 

Safeguarding

2025 Safeguarding Conference │ 8 May 2025 

The annual safeguarding and professional standards conference will take place in Brisbane on Thursday 8 May 2025. Colleges and ELCs are requested to note this date in order to support the release of all staff who have additional child safeguarding responsibilities.  

CompliLearn Community Learning Platform │ Volunteers and Contractors 

As previously communicated, volunteers and contractors are required to complete annual training. 

To assist with and improve the administration of this process, EREA Colleges have worked with St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace to trial a self-sign up CompliLearn Community Learning portal that enables individual volunteers and contractors to register themselves via a QR Code/link.  

This CompliLearn platform is an additional platform and separate from your existing College/ELC CompliLearn platform. The benefits of having the CompliLearn Community Learning Platform separate to your main CompliLearn portal are: 

• Ability to have a sign-up option enabled 

• Ability to only share the Volunteer/Contractor course to the portal (i.e. so they cannot see courses irrelevant to them) 

• Ability to have the course automatically assigned once the learner signs up to the platform 

• Allows you to have an admin who will only see Volunteers/Contractors learning records and not all staff learning records when reporting 

Should your College wish to discuss this option for your community, please contact Shannon O’Gorman (shannon.ogorman@erea.edu.au). 

This portal can be setup and ready to use for the 2025 Volunteer/Contractor Training should you wish to opt in. 

Risk and Compliance

The annual risk and compliance conference will take place in Brisbane on Friday 9 May 2025.    Feedback from the 2024 conference indicated that there is an appetite for unpacking real life scenarios as a means of improving practice and consistency across the network of schools and early learning centres.  We will incorporate this feedback into the planning for 2025 and look forward to welcoming participants to Brisbane. 

Recently the Federal Government has flagged their intention to introduce legislation into parliament aimed at blocking children from social media and other digital platforms unless they are over a certain age – likely to be 14 or 16.   

At the same time, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training tabled its report, 'Study Buddy or Influencer'. The Report outlines both opportunities and risks, and provides important insights into the expected directions, shapes, and risks of Gen AI technology in education, helping inform our anticipation and pro-active mitigation of risks for the safety and wellbeing of staff and students as the technology gains momentum.  The full list of 25 recommendations to parliament can be found here.  There’s been no advice provided yet as to whether any of the recommendations will be implemented through legislation.   

One area highlighted in the recommendations is the importance of protecting students’ data and ensuring education providers do not select Gen AI tools that will store users’ data offshore or sell them to third parties. This is consistent with the current Privacy legislation.  Schools and early learning centres are asked to review their compliance with these obligations and introduce processes to eliminate or mitigate any risk detected. Please contact christina.longmire@erea.edu.au for advice or assistance.  

Around the Grounds

Temporary Pause of Operations │ Edmund Rice College Bindoon 

All Principals have been provided with advice on the temporary pause of operations at Edmund Rice College Bindoon in 2025. I would like to thank Chris Leadbetter and the College CLT for their work in supporting the young people at the College during this transitional period.   

Principal Induction  

EREA Colleges will welcome 5 new Principals in 2025, with each of these appointments having been made significantly easier by the depth of leadership capability and expertise already within the senior leadership teams within our schools. 

On Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 September, EREA Colleges welcomed Mrs Amber Hauff, Ms Andrée Rice, Mr Ben Lowrie, Mr Patrick Harmer and Mr Tim Cleary to our EREA Colleges office in Brisbane for a New Principal Induction. They were joined by Mr Luke Thomson who commenced at Ignatius Park College in 2024.  We thank each incoming Principal for their commitment and engagement over these two days.  

Emerging Leaders  

The EREA Colleges Emerging Leaders Program 2024-2025 was launched in August and will extend through Terms 2 and 3 of 2025. Fifteen of our emerging leaders from QLD/ACT and TAS were identified by their school leaders and have registered for the program. 

Opportunities for staff in WA and SA will be explored in 2025, having regard to existing programs conducted by relevant system authorities. 

EREA Colleges has engaged Mr. Chris Rider, former CEO of the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA), to facilitate the Leadership Challenge Workshop. 

This course was aimed at leaders who are emerging or have recently been appointed to leadership roles. 

Early Career Teachers  

Our Early Career Teachers Program for 2024 in the QLD/ACT and TAS regions was launched in August, with completion scheduled for October. Opportunities for staff in WA and SA will be explored in 2025, having regard to existing programs conducted by relevant system authorities. 

The program has been very well received by early career teachers and their supporters. This insightful program, facilitated by Catherine Jackson, supports those new to the profession. Sixteen of our new teachers from the QLD/ACT and TAS regions registered for the 2024 program. 

The program is designed to complement in-college support and mentoring. 

The program content included: 

• Edmund Rice Charism, Story, and Community 

• Catholic Schooling in Australia 

• The Contemporary Educational Landscape 

• Learning and Teaching Research 

• Understanding Self: Personal Mission, Purpose, and Values 

• Understanding Others: Personality and Emotional Intelligence 

• Intention, Impact, and Feedback 

• Professional Identity and Boundaries 

• Working with Adults 

• Professional Wellbeing and Resilience 

The program sessions and professional interactions aim to help participants develop the knowledge, skills, mindsets, and relationships needed to set them up positively for their professional journey. Importantly, this experience engages early career teachers with the broader EREA community, fostering their sense of professionalism, community, and mission. 

Programs of a similar nature will be rolled out in Western Australia and South Australia. 

Our Regional Directors of Education, Peter Fullagar and Chris Leadbetter, will continue to coordinate these programs on an annual basis. 

Leadership Gatherings 

August was a busy and productive month with gatherings for our Principals, Deputy Principals, and Business Managers across all regions. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to St. Patrick's College, Shorncliffe, for hosting Day 1 of our Principals' gathering for QLD, ACT, and TAS. Special thanks to Aquinas College for hosting our Business Managers gathering for WA/SA and CBC Fremantle for hosting our Principals' meeting for WA and SA. We also extend our thanks to Trinity College for hosting our Deputy Principals' meeting for WA and SA.

Save The Date │ 2025 EREA National Young Leaders’ Gathering 

We are excited to announce the upcoming 2025 EREA National Young Leaders' Gathering, which is facilitated by the National Office on behalf of TEREA.  

This is a significant event where young leaders from all EREA schools nationally will come together to engage, inspire, and be inspired.   

Event Details:  

• Dates: Tuesday, 21st January – Friday, 24th January 2025  

• Location: St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Brisbane.  

• Hosted by: Edmund Rice Education Australia     

This gathering is a unique opportunity for our young leaders to connect with like-minded peers, share ideas, and develop their leadership skills in a supportive and dynamic environment.   

Please mark these dates in your calendar. More detailed information regarding the event schedule, venue, and registration process will be provided at a later date.   

If you have any questions about the Conference or Registration, please contact Nicole Martin-Harman at ereayoungleadersgathering@erea.edu.au.  

We look forward to the participation of your Young Leaders in what promises to be an empowering and enriching experience! 

QCEC Governance Review  

As previously communicated to Queensland Principals, the Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC) has advised that there is to be a review of the governance arrangements pertaining to QCEC. Pam Betts will take a leave of absence from the EREA Colleges Board while she chairs the Review Panel alongside Lynne Foley OAM and Patrick Herd. Over coming months, EREA Colleges will consult with Principals from the 11 Queensland Colleges and 2 Early Learning Centres in order to coordinate a collective response.    

Staffing Updates

Principal, St James College, Brisbane │ Ms Andrée Rice 

Ms Andrée Rice has been appointed to the role of Principal of St James College, commencing in 2025. Andrée has extensive experience in leading schools which are known for being richly diverse and genuinely inclusive. Andrée is in her sixth year of Principalship, commencing at Our Lady’s College, Annerley in 2022, and prior to this was Principal of Xavier Catholic College on the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory for three years. Andrée has also previously served for 13 years as a Deputy Principal at Brigidine College and Stuartholme School. Andrée has demonstrated that she is a leader passionate about building school cultures that enable equity and excellence for all.    

Principal, St Laurence’s College, Brisbane │ Mr Ben Lowrie 

Mr Ben Lowrie has been appointed as the Principal of St Laurence’s College. Ben is well known to the St Laurence’s College community, serving as Deputy Principal at the College since 2021 and Acting Principal since Mr Chris Leadbetter’s departure in Term 1 earlier this year.   

Ben is a well-respected educational leader with 14 years' experience in Senior Leadership positions in two leading Catholic Colleges in Brisbane.   Prior to Ben’s commencement at St Laurence’s College in 2021, Ben had 18 years at Padua College. Ben was the Vice Rector (Deputy Principal) Pastoral Care as well as Head of House during his years at the College. His leadership at both schools has been marked by his strong interpersonal skills, his own faith, his commitment to the holistic development of young people and the strategic development of school communities. 

Deputy Principal, St Joseph’s Nudgee College │ Mr Stephen Meara 

Mr Stephen Meara was recently appointed to the position of Deputy Principal at St Joseph’s Nudgee College. Stephen is well known to the Nudgee community, serving as Acting Deputy Principal since January 2024 and over 30 years as an educator, with nearly 20 of those years being at the service of Nudgee College.    

As a parishioner of the cathedral parish of St Stephen, a weekly attendee at the Nudgee Boarders’ mass and in his previous role as Dean of Mission and Identity, Stephen is a man of deep faith and possesses a vast knowledge and understanding of the traditions and actions of Blessed Edmund Rice.    

With Stephen’s breadth of experience, as a leader in curriculum, student formation and administration, in very different contexts, this has given him significant insight as to the challenges his colleagues face, making him a source of counsel and mentor for many of the young leaders in our community.  

Vice Principal, Christian Brothers College, Fremantle │ Mr Brent Butcher 

Mr Brent Butcher has been appointed as the Vice Principal of Christian Brothers College Fremantle. Brent is currently acting in this position and impressed the selection panel with his commitment to the CBC Fremantle community.   

Brent has had a variety of educational experiences having taught at La Salle College, Clontarf Aboriginal College, St Mary’s Broome and Stella Marist Geraldton before moving into middle and senior Leadership. Brent has been a Head of House and Assistant Deputy Principal at CBC Fremantle before moving to Merecedes College in 2018 where he was Deputy Principal Pastoral Care for five years. Brent returned to CBC Fremantle in 2023 where he has held the roles as Deputy Principal Pastoral Care and Acting Vice Principal.  

Brent is completing his Master of Education at Notre Dame University and has a Graduate Diploma of Education (Notre Dame) and a Bachelor of Physical Education (UWA). He is seen as a humble, passionate and thoughtful leader who can support the principal in the continued growth and development of the CBC Fremantle community. 

Legal Counsel, EREA Colleges Ltd │ Mr Ben Foley 

Mr Ben Foley has been appointed in the inaugural Legal Counsel role at EREA Colleges Ltd and commenced on 23 September 2024. For the past two years Ben has been working as the Director, Legal and Assurance at St Peter’s Lutheran College, providing legal advice and compliance support as part of the College Corporate Leadership Team.   

Prior to working at St Peter’s, Ben has gained extensive employment law experience in private practice, and has worked for Toowoomba Grammar School as the Director of Enrolments and Marketing for 10 years. Ben holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology and a Bachelor of Applied Science (Horticulture Technology) from the University of Queensland. Ben has also been admitted as a Legal Practitioner to both the Supreme Court of Queensland and High Court of Australia.  

Ben’s expert legal knowledge, combined with significant experience in the education sector, will be a valuable asset to the EREA Colleges Ltd team. We look forward to the commencement of this role and the enhancement of our services to Colleges and Early Learning Centres.  

Business Manager, St Edmund’s College, Canberra 

EREA Colleges has now finalised recruitment for this role, and it is anticipated that an announcement regarding the successful candidate will be made by the start of Term 4 in ACT.  

Image left: St Patrick's College community farewell celebration for Principal, Mr Chris Mayes

Image right: St Laurence's College farewell assembly for former Principal, Mr Chris Leadbetter

Current Recruitment

Deputy Principal, St Laurence’s College, Brisbane 

EREA Colleges is currently recruiting for this role, with applications having closed on 22 September 2024.

Director of Business, Rostrevor College, Woodforde  

EREA Colleges is currently recruiting for this role, with applications having closed on 22 September 2024.

Dean of Business Operations, Ambrose Treacy College, Indooroopilly  

EREA Colleges is currently recruiting for this role, with applications closing 1 October 2024. For further information about the role, please visit the EREA Colleges site.  

Policy and Publications

Queensland 

The Queensland Government passed legislation on 11 September 2024 which mandates child safe standards and introduces a reportable conduct scheme for organisations working with children.  The new laws also simplify blue card requirements and strengthen eligibility assessments to work with children.  The Queensland Family and Child Commission will be responsible for the implementation of the ten new child safe standards and reportable conduct scheme and will guide and support organisations to meet their new responsibilities.  Relevant organisations will also be required to comply with a Universal Principle to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with environments that promote and uphold their right to cultural safety. Full implementation is expected by July 2027.    

Early Childhood Learning 

Goodstart Early Learning has released its protective strategies kit, Feel Safe, Be Safe free of charge to the broader early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector.  

Upcoming Events

We are in the process of finalising the dates for our 2025 calendar and will communicate it as soon as possible. 

Colleges Photo Gallery