Acting Principal

I feel very privileged to be stepping into the role of Acting Principal while Dr Lavorato is on leave for the rest of the year. I have always found the SPC community to be a very welcoming community and I look forward to guiding the staff, students, parents and carers over the next few months.

I had the privilege during the first two days of my tenure, to attend the Student Leaders workshop in Mulgoa. It was a time for our young leaders to sit down and really think about what they want to achieve over the next twelve months. As they are only just starting their leadership journey, they had to reflect on the leadership qualities that they already possess, and they were challenged on how they were going to grow into areas that they would find difficult, as they must step outside their comfort zone. I was impressed with their passion, their ability to work as a team and their energy. I have no doubt they will be great leaders for all the young men in our community. 

The workshop was so successful due to the commitment of our Student Wellbeing Coordinator Ms Megan Santiago. Her dedication to the growth of our young men on both a personal and spiritual level is certainly appreciated. I would also like to thank Mr James Biviano who was also there and is such a support for not only these young men but the whole cohort. I look forward to him guiding these young men over the next twelve months as they finish their time here at the College.

Parent Orbit App

As previously communicated, the College has been operating two mobile applications to keep you informed: the SPC App and the new Parent Orbit App.

Over the past several weeks, our team has been diligently assisting parents/carers in transitioning to the Parent Orbit App. We decided to keep the SPC App operational throughout the term to avoid any abrupt changes that could disrupt the flow of information. 

This decision was made to ensure that you do not miss any important updates during this period of transition.

As we approach the end of the term, we want to inform you that the SPC App will be discontinued for parent/carer use. 

Moving forward, the SPC App will be designated for student use only. Therefore, if you have not yet switched to the Parent Orbit App, we strongly urge you to do so at your earliest convenience. 

Familiarising yourself with the new app will help avoid any confusion or missed notifications when the SPC App becomes exclusively a student tool.

To prevent any duplication of notifications, we also recommend that all parents/carers uninstall the SPC App. 

Should you need any assistance with the transition or have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our IT support team at itsupport@spc.nsw.edu.au.

Staff News

We welcome Ms Jodie Connor who commenced this week as Acting Deputy Principal. She will be with the College until the end of Term 4. She joins us on secondment from St Edward’s College, Gosford which is part of the EREA network. 

Mr Michael Cutrupi has decided to retire after 25 years of distinguished service at the College. He will be taking Long Service Leave in Term 4 and will officially retire at the end of the year. Mr Cutrupi has been a leader in curriculum development over a long period of time. His knowledge of NESA compliance is second to none. He has imparted his passion for teaching, in particular Physics, to hundreds of young men who have gone on to be leaders in their field. We wish Mr Cutrupi all the best as he transitions into the next chapter.

In Memoriam

It is with great sadness that I inform the community of the passing earlier this week of Br Bob Wallace, who until recently was a member of our College’s Identity Committee. 

Br Wallace was a member of the Christian Brothers Congregation for more than 40 years, having started teaching at Christian Brothers High School, Lewisham (Sydney), then moved to St Pius X College, Chatswood, where he began coaching rugby union, before a short posting in Goulburn. In 1971, he moved to St Edmund’s College, Canberra, where he spent 18 years as Headmaster.

In 1989, he became Deputy Headmaster at Waverley College, and in 1992 was appointed Headmaster, a position he held for 16 years. From 2007, he continued his service in education at St Leo’s College, University of Queensland, while coaching the university rugby team.

Br Bob contributed so much to the Rugby Union landscape in Australia. Beginning as ACT delegate in 1971, he became Honorary Secretary of Australian Schoolboy Rugby in 1973 and President in 1992, serving until his retirement in 2019. Over the course of more than 50 years of selfless service, his vision and leadership helped foster the growth of Australian Rugby.

We keep his family in our hearts and prayers.

Adrian Byrne

Acting Principal