This week's message will be short for two reasons: the long weekend due to tomorrow's public holiday in Devonport and the subsequent closure of the College, and the last 2 days spent with the Validation Panel as part of the comprehensive review that has taken place this year.
Throughout 2022 we have been gathering data and providing access to College materials to a panel of professionals to critique and identify commendations, areas for growth, and recommendations for future practice. The process culminated in a visit to the College by the panel on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. The Panel was chaired by Damien Brennan from Queensland. (He noted that his work with Catholic Education Tasmania has been "bookended" by SBSC, having begun by chairing the panel that conducted my second Appraisal as Principal in 2017 and ending by chairing SBSC's Validation review.) Other Panel members included Stephen Hill, the Principal of MacKillop College in Hobart, Martin Tobin, the Director of Catholic Identity and Evangelisation from the TCEO, Bernadette (Bernie) Brooks, who has been appointed to lead Validation within CET from next year, and Shayne Kidd (Regional Principal Leader).
Before the visit, the Panel reviewed a substantial amount of documentation, including the results of the SRS survey of parents, students and staff conducted over July and August this year. These showed a high level of positive feedback and the panel encouraged us to share these more widely. Then, over the past two days, they met with our Parish Priest, Fr Jaison, and various others, including parents, students, Board members, Teaching and Learning Leaders, House Coordinators, Homeroom teachers, and general teaching staff.
Before leaving, the panel provided the School Leadership Team with a preview of the final report that will be submitted to the Schools' Registration Board. It is fair to say that the report was overwhelmingly positive. Of particular note was the recognition by students that the teachers at the College "really care about us and want to help us". Their high expectations and quality were commented upon by both students and parents, with them also being commended for their "generosity", demonstrated by the effort that they put into their work, as well as their involvement in extracurricular activities. Pastoral Care and well-being are also highly regarded by everyone, with the panel reporting that a consistent message was that students "felt safe" at the College and felt that they were supported, with many avenues to follow to get help.
The panel commended the School Leadership Team, noting that the team was cohesive and had an easy working relationship and a thorough knowledge of what is good at the College and what we wanted to work on. They were also very complimentary of the state of the College's grounds and facilities and the quality of our students, who impressed them with their warm hospitality and insight.
The Panel were also impressed with our Student Leadership structure. Including College Captains in School Leadership Team meetings was something none had seen before and was highly commended.
The students were also positive about the way that the Catholic Identity was implicit in the culture of the College and was not forced upon them. I noted the influence of my predecessor, Frank Rice, in this as Frank was a firm believer that we needed to be "invitational" in our approach to promoting our Faith.
The Panel's recommendations are, largely, to "keep on doing what you are doing", plus some encouragement to do more to help our students to identify the pathways to year 12 that the College provides and the benefit of doing so at the College. I will await the full report and sit down with the incoming Principal and the two Deputy Principals to provide a "handover'. However, I will indulge myself one last time and provide my thoughts, although I emphasise that this is an indulgence as Stuart Ralph and the whole School Leadership Team have my confidence that they do not need my direction (or endorsement).
Yet again, the College’s reputation as a school of excellence in “The Arts” has been enhanced by another endorsement by Artrage assessors choosing the works of a third of our Senior Art Class’s members as worthy of display in the Artrage showing of 2022 work that will go on display across the state next year. Our class of 15 students provided as many pieces as Don College or Launceston College, who each have nearly 10 times as many students doing Art ... and this happens year-on-year. Well done Jo Hoare!
Stay safe, keep happy and I will keep you in my prayers.
Frank Pisano
