Dear Colleagues,

Over the past two weeks, I have had the opportunity to participate in a number of 2024 AIP Reviews attending at McCarthy, St Joseph’s Uralla, St Mary of the Angels, Guyra and St Joseph’s, Quirindi. It has been great to hear from schools what their ‘Greatest area of Positive Influence’ has been in 2024 and the goals each school will be working on in 2025.

As we work on our strategic planning for 2025 and beyond we are looking at the major reports coming from the federal government. This includes Improving Outcomes for All, The Report of the Independent Expert Panel’s Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System published earlier this year. In it it sets out the following road map to bring the Mparntwe Vision to life.

Mparntwe (Alice Springs) Education Declaration has two distinct but interconnected goals:

Goal 1: The Australian education system promotes excellence and equity

Goal 2: All young Australians become:

confident and creative individuals
successful lifelong learners
active and informed members of the community.

It goes on to say:

Achieving these education goals is the responsibility of Australian Governments and the education community in partnership with young Australians, their families

and carers and the broader community.

The Improving Outcomes for All report informed the Better Fairer Schools Agreement 2025-2034. This agreement is yet to be signed by NSW. Education Ministers have agreed on the following national priority areas

Equity and excellence
Wellbeing for learning and engagement
A strong and sustainable workforce

The alignment between these major educational documents with our Vision and Mission and AIP is strong. Our AIP reflects the goal of equity and excellence and further supports our young people to become literate, numerate, creative, critical thinkers, collaborators and communicators to realise a hope-filled future. In our AIP for 2025

Our work in strategic planning is summarised here:

Congratulations

St Joseph's, Tenterfield launched their school song on Friday. It is a wonderful celebration of this fantastic school and community. Congratulations Cherie Yates, Josh Arnold and the whole St Joseph's staff, students, Fr James and the whole community! Please enjoy Our Journey 2.

It was great to announce the School Performance Leader appointment for Armidale Catholic Schools, John Clery. John has diverse and extensive experience within the Armidale Diocese, holding a variety of roles since 1999. He is currently the principal at St Nicholas Primary School in Tamworth. Prior to this, John was the Assistant Principal at St Nicholas Primary School, Principal at St Joseph’s Primary School Quirindi, Principal at St Joseph’s Mungindi, as well as holding teaching roles at St Edward’s Primary School Tamworth and St Philomena’s School Moree. John is a lifelong learner who is committed to ensuring our young people realise a hope-filled future. I wish John all our congratulations, prayers and best wishes in his new role.

Diocesan News