Message from the Director

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to Catholic Schools Week, a great opportunity to celebrate all the wonderful work you all do every day to support our young people to realise a hope-filled future.

As we come together to celebrate Catholic Schools Week, we are filled with joy and thanks for the gift of Catholic education in our lives. This week holds special significance as we embrace the 2024 theme for Armidale Catholic Schools, Pray with Hope, in conjunction with Pope Francis' designation of 2024 as The Year of Prayer.

Inaugurating this year as The Year of Prayer, Pope Francis calls us to rediscover the profound importance of prayer in our personal lives, in the life of our Church, and in our world. It is a timely reminder of the vital role that prayer plays in nurturing our spiritual growth and strengthening our relationship with God.

Our theme Pray with Hope resonates deeply with our Vision: “A Christ-centred inclusive learning community that supports young people to realise a hope-filled future.” In embracing this theme, we acknowledge the power of hope as a driving force in shaping our lives and the lives of those around us, especially our young people. Learning to pray with hope is a transformative journey that enriches our faith and deepens our connection to God. 

May our schools continue to be communities where faith, learning, and wellbeing flourishes, and our young people, staff, families, and parishes are filled with hope.

In this special week, I thank every member of our school and parish community, students, staff, clergy, and our families for the vital role you play in Catholic education in the Armidale Diocese. Together let us pray with hope, knowing that with God all things are possible.

Our Principals and ACS Leadership Team pictured above, speaking about the importance of Catholic Schools Week and the significance of our theme: Pray with Hope. These videos will be posted on the CSO Social Media pages throughout the week. 

Congratulations 

Congratulations to Cathy Ible who was recognised for 25 years of Service to the Diocese last week. Cathy does fantastic work in parent engagement area and supporting schools. Congratulations Cathy.

Congratulations to Michael Wooster from O’Connor Catholic College on his attainment of a Master of Education (Reading and Literacy). His thesis project was titled Investigating the Impact of Multiliteracy Pedagogies in the Science Classroom. Michael is the Literacy Coach at O’Connor and his study has had a positive impact on his work in this role. Congratulations Michael. 

Congratulations to Eli Simpson, Subject Matter Expert: Strong Teams, Leadership Coaching and Student Agency on her attainment of Master of Leadership from Deakin University. Her thesis was titled Principal self-efficacy to lead improvement, innovation, and change in Armidale Catholic Schools. Congratulations Eli.

Happy Catholic Schools Week, I sincerely thank each and every one of you for your work in supporting our young people to realise a hope-filled future.

Regina

Director of Schools