I have much pleasure in presenting to you my report as Executive Officer of the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools for 2021. This Annual Report highlights the importance of Catholic Education in South Australia in supporting our students to become thriving people, capable learners and leaders for the world God desires.
As you read through this Annual Report you will see the breadth and depth of the work undertaken by SACCS in 2021. A strong partnership exists between SACCS and the Catholic Education Office which enacts and progresses the work arising from the Commission. This partnership enabled progress to be made in a broad range of areas including land purchases and building programs for schools; identification of possible future new school sites; policies and procedures developed and reviewed; boarding school strategy; work on a SACCS commitment Strategy for 2022-2027; engagement phase of Student Inclusion and Diversity Policy; school amalgamations; Catholic School Music Festival; Blueprint for ‘step change’; the Crossways curriculum; the LearnWell Paper; the Regional Schools Pathways Program; and the building and preparation of our first diocesan special assistance school in the northern suburbs. You will find details of these initiatives along with others in this annual report.
COVID-19 again shaped the way our students learnt and the way our teachers taught. The Commission and the Catholic Education Office remained agile and adapted to whatever it took to remain operational. Schools became adept at quickly changing to comply with everchanging guidelines and regulations to keep our communities safe. The commitment of the teachers in our schools, and staff at the Catholic Education Office, is to be applauded as the overriding priority was always to ensure the best possible learning outcomes for all our students during the pandemic. As we work towards determining what our new “normal” will look like, we thank both our staff and students for their willingness to comply with any requirements while looking for new and innovative ways forward to enable a complete and fulfilling educational experience.
A continuing challenge for the Commission is the funding of Catholic schools and students from both the state and federal governments. During the first half of 2022, as there will be both state and federal elections, the Commission has been and will continue to advocate on behalf of all the students in our care, their families, and the staff in our Catholic schools. We will meet personally with the Premier, state treasurer, and state and federal ministers to raise issues relating to education. Given the significant saving to the state government for every child attending a Catholic school, we shall seek stronger equity in funding for our students and schools ensuring the same opportunities for all students regardless of which school they attend.
Parents and carers of students in Catholic schools in South Australia make a significant contribution not only financially, but in their support of the learning of their children and the health of our schools. To assist our parents, a new group, Catholic School Parents SA (CASPA), was formed. CASPA’s vision is that all parents and carers of children are empowered through leadership, communication, advocacy, and partnership. CASPA will provide resources, education, and support to assist all families and parents in their role.
During 2021, the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools accepted governance oversight of Aquinas College, a Catholic Residential College for University students. This historically, is the first tertiary school under the governance of the Commission. We have welcomed this new branch of Catholic education and look forward to a long and happy relationship.
We are proud to have established a scholarship program for South Australian children and young people in care. Over 200 scholarships have been awarded to date. It is important to note, that once accepted, these scholarships will continue each year until the child or young person completes their schooling. The scholarship includes full tuition along with an amount to cover the cost of items like uniforms, textbooks, excursions, and extracurricular activities including sport or music lessons.
The Commission values its strong ties with the Governors and Trustees who have governance of their Catholic schools located in South Australia. Even with the difficulties of travel during the pandemic, we continue to be involved in dialogue and consultation with these separate governing organisations to both update them on the current work of the Commission and on specific matters that may affect their schools.
Rebekah Lyons, Executive Secretary to the Commission, who has again strongly supported the Commission in its work throughout the year is to be sincerely thanked. Rebekah ensures the Commission’s documentation is accurately and appropriately prepared, recorded and post meeting, ensures all actions are followed through. The Commission’s events proceed seamlessly under Rebekah’s planning and preparation.
I am grateful to my colleague Ms Nichii Mardon, Director of the Catholic Education Office in the Diocese of Port Pirie, the Leadership Team of the Catholic Education Office, their senior leadership group, and all staff at the Catholic Education Office who have done an extraordinary job in guiding our path through this second pandemic year. While working through the ebbs and flows of COVID, they have succeeded in moving forward with the strategic plan progressing it in practical terms.
I would like to personally thank Professor Denis Ralph for his continuous support. Denis’ strong passion for Catholic education and his experience at the most senior levels of education ensure the Commission is constantly working to continuously improve the educational opportunities for our students. I am also grateful to the Commissioners who bring their wisdom, diversity, and experience to the Commission. Their commitment is very much appreciated as they are essential to the ongoing success of the Commission.
Our Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Adelaide, Archbishop Patrick O’Regan DD and the Bishop of Port Pirie, Bishop Karol Kulczyck SDS are both strong contributors to the work of the Commission. I have appreciated their wisdom when working with them both on educational matters within our Church.
While I thought 2020 was certainly a year like no other, I didn’t expect that 2021 would unfold in a similar way. The challenges that presented due to COVID-19 and associated matters made the year demanding to say the least. However, I can confidently say that the year was still a great success and I look forward to the coming year when we will launch our new strategic plan that will enable Catholic Education to build on the excellent progress made to date.
Dr Neil McGoran
Executive Officer
