Message from the Director of Schools

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to Term 4. I hope you had some time to relax during the holidays. I know Term 4 is a big one with excursions, graduations and reports. I look forward to visiting a number of schools during the term.  

Our prayers are with our Year 12 students as they commence week 2 of their HSC exams.  Thank you to all staff for all you do to support our students in achieving their best.

2027 AIP and Non-Negotiables

Schools will participate in cluster meetings with School Performance Leaders and Damian Roff as part of review and reflection of 2026 and preparation for 2027 school AIP. 

The 2027 ACS Annual Improvement Plan has been approved by the ACS Board and we have begun planning for implementation in 2027. Our AIP represents the second year of our five year plan and is in a similar format to 2026. 

As discussed at our whole of system google meet on Day 1 of Term 4, 2027 sees the introduction of our Non-Negotiables for 2027 - 2030. Some of the changes you will see in the 2027 - 2030 Non-Negotiables are the priorities that match our strategic plan and AIP. The Non-Negotiables shape our work across the system for the next 4 years and are used to allocate resources. 

7th National Catholic School Improvement Symposium 

Armidale Catholic Schools Leadership Team presented at the 7th National Catholic School Improvement Colloquium ‘Drawing New Maps of Hope - Working Together for Catholic School Improvement’. This symposium brings system leaders from across Australia to share their work and how systems can work to improve the faith, learning and wellbeing outcomes for our students, staff and families. 

The presentations were:

• Drawing New Maps of Hope: Strengthening Catholic Identity Amid Changing Demographics - Damian Roff & Edmond Maher
• Drawing New Maps of Hope for the Adults in Our Schools: A Multi-Tiered approach to staff support efficacy - Kate Kenny
• Cultivating ‘Educational Constellations’ through Early Career Teacher Support - Katie Hanes, Phoebe O'Shea & Amelia Woolaston
• Education as a Collective Endeavour: Leading Well - System, School and Middle Leading for School Improvement - Regina Menz & Rod Whelan

It was great to share our learnings and work from Armidale Catholic Schools. 

Congratulations Sophie Greet 

Congratulations to Sophie Greet from McCarthy Catholic College who has successfully passed Module 1 of her Highly Accomplished Teacher Accreditation.

In the module report, the assessor highlighted that Sophie demonstrated evidence-informed practice and effective leadership of professional learning at the nominated career stage. The documentary evidence clearly articulated her role and context, showcasing strong collaborative practice and shared expertise. The feedback noted a sustained, positive impact on both student outcomes and colleague practice.

Have a great term 4, thank you all for all the work you do to support our young people to realise a hope-filled future.

Regina