Dear College Community,
2022 Leave and Acting Principal, Mr Noel Nethery
As you may have read last week, I have decided to take Long Service and Renewal Leave in 2022. Next year, I enter my tenth year as a Principal, and my 22nd in education. Although the vocation is certainly rewarding, it is important that we all take the time for renewal, something I have neglected over my career. Having prioritised my commitments to the St Peter Chanel, St Brigid’s and Marist Regional College communities over this period, I have neglected the opportunity to take any leave and am well and truly overdue. Now is better timing, however, no time is perfect.
With a young and growing family, it is important that I take the time next year to spend with them. As I would expect for our staff, our families need to be placed at the centre of our thinking. My son, in Year One, has significant needs due to disability. I feel at this time, my energy and focus can be redirected to my family.
For Marist Regional College, Catholic Education Tasmania undertook a national recruitment campaign for Principals and Deputy Principals. As a result of this process, Mr Noel Nethery was secured as Acting Principal for 2022. As you read last week, Noel is a highly credentialled and experienced educational leader. For Noel and an evolving Leadership Team, the College’s goals to pursue will be clear as a result of last week’s validation process. Taking the full year of leave will allow the Leadership Team to focus on their work without a mid-year disruption or reshuffle.
I would like to reiterate my gratitude for the support, collegiality and reward you have provided me with during my time to date as Principal of this College.
Staff News
I am writing to inform you, Mrs Tracey Rogers has resigned from her position as Deputy Principal: Pastoral Wellbeing, effective 1 January 2022.
Tracey has been in this Senior Leadership role since 2018. During this time, Tracey has seen many challenges and has been a key member of the staff that has supported the community.
For next year, Tracey will look to invest her energy in other aspects of the College, particularly as a Literacy Intervention Leader in the Middle Years. Catholic Education Tasmania has a broad agenda to improve the literacy of our young people. The College will be looking to pursue goals in this area and Tracey’s experience will help us achieve them.
We thank Tracey for her work and investment in this position over the last four years in what is a considerably demanding role. Tracey has worked closely with hundreds of students and their families over this time, making a difference in the lives of others. We look forward to seeing Tracey continuing to support students, working with staff and families in a new capacity.
For 2022, we will now work closely with Catholic Education Tasmania to advertise for a replacement.
We also would like to welcome new staff to the community for 2022:
- Mrs Maxine Neaton (Religious Education)
- Mrs Jordan Turale (Drama)
- Mr Toby Skene (VET Construction)
All three staff are exceptional educators, and we welcome them to Marist Regional College.
Further detailed staff news will be communicated in due course.
Senior College Exams
We wish our Year 11 and 12 students every success over the next two weeks with their end of year exams. We commend our students who are highly committed to their studies as well as the staff who we have observed being fully committed to supporting the students during this time.
Uniform and Personal Presentation Policy
Our College is looking at creating a working party to review our Uniform Policy. The policy has had some review in recent times, including the provision of trousers and shorts for all students. We want to create a policy that is both inclusive for all students, as well as enabling the College and our families to ensure a high standard of student presentation.
Social Media Policy
Please refer to recent communication to all families in relation to appropriate social media use. This can be found at the following link: Correspondence – Social Media Policy 28102021
Reaching Out to Make a Difference Project: “Achieving better outcomes for our students from Circular Head”
Today, Mr Wayne Gale, Mrs Catherine Woodberry and Mr Hal Douglas visited the AgriTas building in Smithton to inspect the facility for remote learning for our students of Circular Head. As you may be aware, next year we are looking at providing a trial of this mode of optional and flexible learning on a Thursday and Friday of each week for students in Years 10 to 12.
There is still much to work through for this project to commence. A current priority is for us to clarify how we can make learning authentic through the use of technology, without implicating the teachers with an additional workload.
In coming weeks, we will be trialing this mode of learning with selected Year 10 students here at school. We look forward to updating you on the success of this approach.
Best wishes for the following fortnight which is a busy time within the College community.
In partnership
Gregg Sharman
PRINCIPAL