An Update From Chris Woolley, Chief Executive Officer EREA Colleges Ltd - Issue 3

Key Messages

Dear Colleagues

2023 has been a year of significant change for Edmund Rice Education Australia with the creation of EREA Colleges Ltd as part of a new governance model.  Through this period, our Colleges and Early Learning Centres (ELCs) have been united through the common touchstones of liberating education, gospel spirituality, inclusive community and justice and solidarity.  These touchstones provide each and every member of our community with a shared opportunity to enter into relationship with our God whilst living in accordance with the values of our Church.

As I look back on my first six months as CEO and the various events and opportunities to engage with Colleges and ELCs, I have been struck by the unique application of the four touchstones in each of the communities. Our Colleges and ELCs are dynamic learning environments reflective of the communities they serve. Central to all of our communities and at the heart of the formation of EREA Colleges as an entity is a commitment to the inclusivity and wellbeing of our students.

Our Colleges and ELCs recognise that families have made a decision to entrust us to partner with them to form their whole child. This partnership is one that challenges us – as educators, caregivers, and leaders – to navigate increasingly complex landscapes. Each educational context is unique and yet the common landscape across this nation is one in which school leaders are called to consider increasing financial pressures on families, shifting relationships between young people and the online environment and more often than we would hope – family violence, mental illness and antisocial behaviours. Having now travelled to each of the Colleges and ELCs that unite to form EREA Colleges Ltd, I have been privileged to witness the emphasis placed upon social justice and service as Colleges not only respond to immediate community need but also provide invaluable formation experiences for students. I am also reminded of the words of Pope Francis as he spoke of the conflicts in countries currently subject to war – “let us not lose hope: let us pray and work tirelessly so that the sense of humanity may prevail over hardness of heart.”

I would like to use this opportunity to acknowledge the support that you as senior leaders provide to all of our staff, our parents and caregivers, our volunteers and all those who contribute to our school communities in shaping the educational journeys and opportunities for all our students.  In particular, I would like to thank our Principals, senior leaders, School Advisory Councils, educators, teaching and support staff of each College and ELC for their dedication to the formation of each student.  I also thank the EREA Colleges Ltd Board and the dedicated team of staff at EREA Colleges for their support during a very busy 2023 – we simply could not have achieved what we have this year without them.

Finally, we keep in mind those students and families who graduate from our Colleges and centres this year and know that they are forever a part of the communities that their contributions shaped.  We also hold close those for whom 2023 has brought significant loss, challenge, or struggle.

As we begin to turn our minds to the season that centres around the birth of Christ, we are reminded that from the vulnerability of this infant child was to become the saviour of all humankind.  Returning to the spotlight shone by Pope Francis on the importance of hope, may we always hold tight to the hopefulness that our young people provide and commit in return to the education of their head, heart and hands.

Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.

Mr Chris Woolley
Chief Executive Officer

Safeguarding

Reporting Forms

By way of updates:

• Updated safeguarding policy and reporting form was released to St Edmund’s College, ACT on 26 September 2023. 
• Form A (mandatory reporting for Queensland) was released to Queensland Principals on 30 October 2023. 

Training

An overview of training requirements for all staff, contractors and volunteers across EREA Colleges was communicated on Wednesday 15 November.  Further details of specific release dates will be forthcoming in the near future.

Audits

Audits of Working With Children/ Working With Vulnerable people checks have begun.  Thank you to those Colleges who have provided their data.  The Safeguarding team will provide feedback to the Principal of each College as soon as is practical.

Around the Grounds

Principals and Deputy Principals Gatherings – St Virgil’s College, Hobart

At the end of the month, I will join Principals and the wider EREA community at the Thanksgiving Mass, Presentation of Charter Leadership Awards and Dinner. We come together to give thanks for another eventful year and acknowledge the four worthy recipients of the EREA Charter Leadership Awards for 2023. I will stay on in Melbourne and attend the CEO Meeting.

Recently, I have had the pleasure of attending:

• St Laurence’s College Awards Celebration
• St Brendan’s College in Yeppoon
• St Virgil’s College in Hobart for the SA, WA and Tasmania Principal’s Meeting
• Qld/ACT Principal’s Meeting in Brisbane
• St Edmund’s College in Canberra
• St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace Celebration of Excellence Awards Night

I look forward to visiting Indooroopilly Montessori Children’s House at the end of the month and meeting the team and touring the facilities.

Updates on the development and consolidation of EREA Colleges, EREA nationally and associated structures and directions, were a feature of two gatherings hosted by St Virgil’s College in November. Principals from WA, SA and Tasmania met in early November, along with Regional Managers and Colleges senior staff, to cover topics ranging from Safeguarding and Professional Standards, through to Financial matters, Risk and Compliance. Deputy Principals gathered in mid-November to cover similar topics, and also spent time canvasing safeguarding scenarios and sharing initiatives from individual schools. Along with the practical benefits, the meetings provided opportunities for staff to reconnect and build collegiality. Thank you to Jon Franzin, Daniel Lapolla and St Virgil’s staff for hosting these meetings.

Staffing Updates

As the 2023 school year comes to an end, it has also been a time to acknowledge the leadership and contributions the following staff have made to their college communities:

• Marie Barton, Principal of Edmund Rice College – Bindoon who is retiring.
• Shaun Clarke, Principal of Ignatius Park College who is retiring.
• Peter Fullagar, Principal of St Joseph’s Nudgee College who will conclude his nine-year tenure at the College and commence with EREA Colleges Ltd in the new year.
• David Gardiner, Deputy Principal of Ambrose Treacy College who will retire at the end of the year.

In addition to these big leadership changes within the EREA community, I am writing to over twenty-five staff across EREA Colleges who will retire in 2023 following over ten years of service in Catholic education and EREA. What a remarkable achievement!

In other news, Mr Stephen Meara has been appointed to the position of Acting Deputy Principal (St Joseph’s Nudgee College) and Ms Jenny-Anne Price has been appointed as Dean of Operations (St Joseph’s Nudgee College) for a 12-month period commencing at the beginning of the 2024 school year.

I’m happy to announce that Nicole Martin-Harman will be joining the EREA Colleges team in the new year as the newly appointed Administration Officer. Nicole has over twenty-five years of experience in administration support and most recently supporting the Dean of Operations at St Joseph’s Nudgee College.

College and Early Learning Centre Updates

Congratulations to St James College, Brisbane who were awarded the Registered Training Organisation, School Pathways to VET Award (Gold) at the Australian Training Awards 2023.

Policy and Publications

Principals may be interested in this recent publication by School Governance that outlines The Privacy Obligations of School Counsellors.  Topics addressed include:

• Who is a school counsellor
• Do school counsellors have privacy and confidentiality obligations
• When can a school counsellor disclose personal information
• Can the school access a student’s counselling records?
• Can the student and their parents/carers access the student’s counselling records?
• What should the school remember to do?

Upcoming Events

Friday 22 December 2023 - EREA Colleges Ltd office closes 

Thursday 4 January 2024 - EREA Colleges Ltd office reopens

Christmas Arrangements at EREA Colleges

EREA Colleges Ltd Staff will experience a shut down over the Christmas and New Year period.  The last day for staff in the office will be Friday 22 December, with a return to work on 8 January 2024. For assistance and notifying EREA Colleges Ltd in the event of a major incident during the shutdown period, please contact the relevant person from the EREA Colleges Ltd Team as outlined in the table below:

A reminder that should Principals be taking leave, they are able to update the College’s Assurance/CompliSpace contacts to reflect the delegation to the Deputy Principal. In the first instance, please consult with the College’s Risk and Compliance Officer who can assist with this task.  Should additional assistance be required, please email ereateam.complispace@ideagen.com