Principal’s Message

by Principal, Mr Steven O’Connor

Lockdown 8

It has been another challenging and frustrating week for the College community. I was delighted to welcome the Year 12 students back late last week and hoped that their return would be the first step towards welcoming all students back to the College and a return to a normal routine. Yesterday’s announcement and hence our return to lockdown for a week and therefore all students being back in remote learning was not received well by anyone.

We continue to work hard to support our boys as best we possibly can at this time. It is important for them to remain positive and to know that we will get through this as a school, a city, a state and as a nation. I hope that the break from school over the next couple of weeks will provide students with an opportunity to refresh after a long and at times, challenging term.

Our Year 12 students and those in Year 11 doing a 3/4 subject should have received some guidance from their teachers about holiday revision and exam preparation for the VCE exams next term. Unfortunately we are not able to run our practice exams on site as we would normally, but we have provided students with practice exams to complete at home and then send in for marking and feedback from their teachers. It is really important that students remain focused on this aspect of their study and preparation. I wish them all the very best for this and encourage them to keep in touch with their teachers via the College’s email system as they continue their revision work.

We will continue to keep the College community informed of the arrangements for Term 4. We have not been advised of what restrictions will be in place, but I will ensure that we communicate this with you during the holidays.

Farewell to Staff

This week we farewell a few staff from the College and I wish to acknowledge and thank them for their contributions to the students and the College community during their time of employment. I thank the following staff and wish them all the very best for their future:

• Maree Boyle (finishing a short term contract as a Tutor for Student Learning)
• Andrea Romeo (finishing a short term contract as a Teacher)
• Stephanie Young (who is commencing her period of maternity leave as she prepares for the arrival of her first child) and
• Elizabeth Ryan, who has resigned from her role as Deputy Principal

I thank all these colleagues and wish them all the very best for their next steps. In particular, I wish Ms Young all the very best and we look forward to welcoming her back to the College after her maternity leave. I also thank Mrs Elizabeth Ryan for her commitment to the College over the last 14 years and her contributions via her leadership roles as Head of Senior School, Deputy Principal Student and Staff Wellbeing and for a period of time, Co-Acting Principal. We wish Mrs Ryan all the very best beyond the gates of St Patrick’s College.

Organisational Structure Review

Following feedback from the 2020 School Improvement Survey, we have engaged Hutton Consultants to work with the College in reviewing the organisational and administrative leadership structures that have been in place at the College. This process has included further consultations with staff and a number of 360 degree surveys, specifically around the leadership structure at the College.

Following this, we are moving towards a new leadership structure in 2022. This structure will include the appointment of a new Deputy Principal (this process is underway and is being led by EREA) and the appointment of four Assistant Principal roles. These roles will provide leadership to the four important areas relevant to the future growth, improvement and success of the College. The new positions are:

• Assistant Principal – Mission & Identity
• Assistant Principal – Learning Innovation
• Assistant Principal – Pastoral & Wellbeing and
• Assistant Principal – Staff & Culture

I look forward to advising the College community of the appointments of these new leadership roles during the course of Term 4 and I am looking forward to working with them in 2022.

Mr Steven O’Connor