Parent Engagement

School Advisory Council

Each week you will find a brief bio on School Council members.

This week: Diarmuid Kelly

About Me: I’m Diarmuid Kelly, father of Aidan (Grade 2), Fintan (Foundation), and Cian (2 years old). I moved to Beechworth just over 5 years ago. I moved here from Melbourne with my wife Nell (who was brought up in the area) to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. I was fortunate to get work with the State Government in the region where I’m currently working in the area of Disaster Recovery. We are well settled into life in Beechworth with us making a great circle of friends (many parents at St Joseph's), and enjoying the outdoor space and activities it has got me involved with.

Why I am on the School Council: When our eldest (Aidan) started at St. Joseph's I was keen to have some involvement in school life and with the community. I once had a wise person say to me that getting involved in school will be something you won’t regret and that it's good for the kids to see that. I think this was particularly important for me as with my wife I go through phases where I can’t make drop-offs and pick-ups and found the council was an easier way to commit involvement. Having said that, it has been very flexible as I sometimes can’t make meetings but that’s ok – the fact I’m on the council means I have more conversations with Carly and other council members in between meetings which contributes to broader school outcomes. I have also found the council itself a fun space to meet other parents and get to know the teaching staff and Carly which is a great thing.

What do you love about St. Joseph's: I love the community spirit. Parents are very engaged with the kids, and are great for working through things together. There’s a real commitment by parents to get involved- we see that when we do Easter parades, volunteering for swimming, kitchen garden, working bees, the social committee, parent reps, and so on. I really enjoy getting to school pick-up and chatting with other parents before the bell goes off – I don’t take that for granted as not all schools are like that. Finally, I think it’s great we see teachers really invested in the kids learning and well-being – our kids love St. Joseph's and I think that speaks volumes to the environment that is set by all the St Joseph's staff.