Deputy Principal

EREA Senior Leader’s Forum

At the end of last week, I had the opportunity to attend the EREA Senior Leader’s Forum in Wollongong. The purpose of the forum was to work through the process of coming up with an updated Charter for EREA. EREA is a national entity compromising over 50 schools including our Flexible Learning Network who educate our most vulnerable students.  The process for the renewal of our charter has included a meeting of Principals earlier this year as well as community consultation in all states. Members of the NSW community were able to come together with senior leaders from EREA last month here at the College. Following this consultation, leaders in schools met at the end of last week. The hope is that by November, the next iteration of our charter will be available for all of us that sets out our direction over the next six years. 

We must remember that while we have our own unique identity, we are part of a broader network of schools and colleges that has a mission to educate all. Edmund Rice’s mission was to ensure that those on the margins had the same access to education as those who were well off. In that spirit we must remember that our current charter, some of which I do not expect to change, includes our statement regarding valuing all members of the school community regardless of religion, race, disability, gender, sexual orientation or economic situation. This is a broad statement as it falls under the banner of being an inclusive community. We cannot pick and choose when we are inclusive. In my role, the wellbeing of every young man is paramount regardless of their circumstances. Let us not label our young men, let us allow them to flourish and be who they want to be, it is up to us to allow all our young men to let their own light shine.

Adrian Byrne

Deputy Principal