KCC Publication

Principal Message

Firstly we apologise for the delay with this week’s newsletter. We wanted to wait until after Open Evening, but then with further staff absences due to Covid and other external commitments we have been held up. 

 

Our Open Evening last Monday was a great success. We did it differently, as many of you would have seen, more of a convention feel to give families the opportunity to engage more with staff and learn about what we are about and where we are heading as a College. I’d like to thank the many staff and students who were a central part of the evening. Your work and dedication is greatly appreciated. 

I’d like to thank our Diocesan Primary Schools - Principals, teachers and students, who so kindly hosted us in the three weeks before Open Evening. With Covid restrictions we couldn’t bring students. Hopefully in 2023 we’ll be able to.

 

My own part was ongoing from the start for four hours with rolling presentations to a full room which was wonderful to see. Apart from describing the key themes of what we do now, I also challenged them to come with us on a journey as we re-imagine Kildare as a school for the future. The work on this has begun.

 

Our rigidity of thinking around schooling has not served the needs of students and we know Kildare needs to embrace the path set for us by major reports on work pathways and curriculum through the Shergold report and Masters Review of the NSW Curriculum.

 

This provides us with the inspiration to ask ourselves why we view our schooling as time limited? Why do students have to wait?

 

Some of the questions I put out on Open Evening were:

  • What is your child’s passion? If they don’t know and many don't, do they know what their strengths are coming towards high school?
     
  • Why can’t students in Years 9 and 10 study HSC subjects?
     
  • Why can't HSC students study University or Cert. IV TAFE courses?
     
  • Why can’t we accelerate students
     
  • Why is there a discriminatory split between ATAR and NON-ATAR students?
     
  • Why is VET viewed by many as a second class option instead of being complimentary to other courses or as a pathway to other options- work, further study etc.?
     
  • What other programs might we consider to help students build a digital wallet of skills, capabilities and dispositions so they can accumulate a useful portfolio starting in Year 9 or before?
     
  • Why do we obsess about the ATAR when we know so few students now need it?
    • In 2020 26% of Uni entrants used an ATAR as their way of entry.
    • In 2021 most of the Kildare students seeking university entry achieved it well before they sat the HSC through early entry schemes.

Our focus is on developing a pathway for students that is individualised and accounts for the above.  Much of what is asked above has ‘no’ as an answer because in the past that is the choice schools have made, but there are no barriers for us to rethink and redevelop pathways that build on the strengths and passions of our students so they are ready to enter the world of 2027, 28, 29 that at the moment we are only imagining. WE are taking a ‘Yes’ approach to these issues so the work is now on the ‘how’.

 

Exciting times for the Kildare community!

Thank you to all who have been involved in building consultations so far - staff, students and parents. These have been crucial in shaping the thinking about the site. Our SRC were quite simply outstanding and the best our architects have seen through their many experiences. A wonderful accolade for them.

 

We need to make a government grant application by the end of April so concept plans are underway based on the consultation. We need to balance the need for modern learning spaces with the imperative of heritage requirements with buildings. 

 

At the same time the Director, Dr Andrew Watson, has confirmed the Diocese commitment to boarding on the Mount Erin Boarding school site  but there is a need for a clearer delineation of it from KCC, as they are two separate entities now. This will also have implications for current buildings.

 

Our planned development of the Mount Erin (M Block) bathrooms is well underway and we look forward to completion by the middle of the year. We also have two double demountables coming to ease pressure on spaces and absorb growth temporarily.

 

As we have more to share with everyone for further consultation we will be in touch.