From the Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School

Staffing

Several new members of the teaching staff have recently joined the St Gregory’s College community. We welcome each of these staff and wish them all the very best as they commence their employment with the College. 

Mr Andy Andrews 

Mr Andy Andrews commenced at the College a few weeks ago, replacing Mr David Clarke in the Science department. Prior to joining our community, Mr Andrews was employed as the Assistant Science Coordinator at De La Salle College Bankstown. Mr Andrews was also previously employed at Kogarah Marist and he taught for sixteen years at Waverley College where he was a Year Coordinator for eight years. 

Mr Andrews holds a Bachelor of Science and Diploma in Education, both from the University of Sydney. He also completed a Graduate Certificate in Chemistry through the Australian Catholic University. He is a very experienced teacher, having taught Stage 4 & 5 Science for twenty-eight years and Stage 6 Chemistry for twenty-one years. He is an experienced marker of HSC Chemistry and his students have excelled with his dynamic, challenging and learner-orientated approach. Science and Chemistry in particular, has been a lifelong passion for Mr Andrews and this shines through and inspires his students. 

We congratulate Mr Andrews on his appointment and we are pleased to know that he has settled in well at St Gregory’s College. 

Mr Nicholas Bestulic 

Mr Nicholas Bestulichas been appointed to replace Mrs Rachel Witheridge who commenced her leave several weeks ago. Mr Bestulic will be teaching Mrs Witheridge’s History classes until the end of this year and he will also continue teaching in the HSIE faculty from the start of next year until the end of Term 3 2022.

Mr Bestulic is a graduate of St Gregory’s College, completing his Higher School Certificate in 2016. He then commenced his tertiary studies and has since successfully completed a Bachelor of Arts (Archaeology & Ancient History and Philosophical Psychology) through the University of Wollongong. He is also nearing the completion of his Master’s Degree (Secondary Teaching – HSIE) and Graduate Certificate in Religious Education through the Australian Catholic University. 

His recent experiences have included a combination of paid and voluntary work as a private English Tutor assisting adults to improve their verbal, written and reading English skills, in preparation for their International English Language Testing System Exam (IELTS). In following his passion for archaeology, Mr Bestulic was the excavation team leader in the University of Wollongong Archaeological Excavation in 2019 involved with the archaeological excavation and research of the Bundanoon Trust sight, Illaroo.

We congratulate Mr Bestulic on his appointment and extend a warm welcome to him back to the St Gregory’s College community, and take this opportunity to wish him all the very best.

Staff Leave

During Term 4, three members of the Senior School teaching staff will be taking periods of leave.

Mr Mitch O’Brien is taking long service leave for all of Term 4. During his period of leave, Mr Daniel Reyes will be teaching Mr O’Brien’s PDHPE classes and Mr Matthew Coffey has been appointed to the position of Acting Year 7 Leader for the term.  

Mrs Natasha Patao commences her maternity leave at the end of this term and she is due to return at the beginning of Term 3 2022. We take this opportunity to wish Mrs Patao all the very best for the approaching birth of her second child. 

Mrs Sally Wall is taking long service leave for all of Term 4. During her period of leave, Mrs Wall’s Science classes will be taken by Mr Joshua Redmayne. 

We wish each of these staff members all the very best for their time away from the College. 

Return to School Roadmap

The NSW Government have provided a Return to School Roadmap to help school plans for the staged and staggered return to school from Monday 25 October for a small number of Junior School year groups and Year 12 students. This will be followed in successive weeks by students from other year groups. Of course, this is all dependent on the restrictions applying at the time to schools, based upon their LGA.  

Whilst we know that parents, students and staff are all eager to learn more about these plans for a return to learning onsite, it is still a little premature to provide definite and full details. What we do know, is that the first three weeks of Term 4, commencing on Tuesday 5 October, will see a continuation of the online learning that has occurred during Term 3. 

The College staff will be working hard to plan and prepare for the return to school and families will be provided with more detailed information in the early part of next term. 

Mr Paul Brooks

College Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School