Our Learning Support Team is continuing to become recognised for its excellence within Catholic Education Tasmania (CET). Ten years ago, it consisted of one teacher with a fractional time allocation to work with less than 10 identified students with learning support needs. This was the norm in schools at that time. Rose McDonald did pioneering work in growing the number of students at the College to be identified and broadening the criteria for providing support, supported until recently by Nona Roberts. We now have Leanne Purton working full-time, Christa Christie with a 50%+ allocation and Rose McDonald (who has been on leave for Terms 2 and 3) leading great work. I have reviewed a working document that the Department has drafted to support whole-school strategies for supporting our students, and I can see that this will be of benefit for all learners.
Another facet of the Team is its attention to gifted and talented students which Bridget Leary has been leading for a number of years now. She provides a range of extension activities. I received this feedback from the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office just this morning on enquiring about a grant that might be available:
"Bridget Leary has a grant this year also, which she has used for social and emotional development of gifted students at SBSC. She has done and is doing a fabulous job catering for the gifted and highly able students at SBSC. You must have been proud of the Tournament of Minds team results on Saturday. This weekends Tournament of Minds event in Hobart was one where she has used the competition to develop problem-solving skills."
And yes, I joined many in our community who were proud of their achievements. Just as proud as we were of Leah Sussman and her dance troupe who won at the Devonport Eisteddfod!
When I look at what the staff are offering at the College I feel that I need to do more to promote what excellent role models they are for our students. The latest OECD Education snapshot has identified that "Australian teachers put in the longest working hours across the OECD countries." I know that this is true of our teachers. Every staff member is doing the best that they can do ... and our teachers model resilience. The role has become much more challenging than it ever has been, and it is dismaying that more students do not recognise how blessed they are to have such dedicated professionals. Yet, day after day they put in. They recognise that people are complex and that unknown stories sit behind challenging behaviours.
But as teachers in a Catholic School, they understand that our schools are mandated to provide a 'preferential option for the poor'. This does not mean pitting one group against another, but rather, it calls us to strengthen the whole community by assisting those who are most vulnerable. And the poor includes those who are spiritually poor, poor in emotional support, or in social capital. In this way, Catholic Schools reflect real society, and model what a healthy society can look like ... and better prepare all students to contribute to a better society. This is the essence of our Vision, and I encourage you to visit our website as it unpacks what it means to have a generosity of spirit. At times I have felt my resolve challenged. However, these past days have caused me to reflect upon why I do what I do. It is for this. I truly believe that today's Catholic Schools (and SBSC) are beacons of what exemplary society can be.
Frank Pisano
