LAV ALLA TLHE STAFF JAOURNAL OF MARV IST SCHOOLS AALLAUSTRALIA Volume 25 | Number 1 | May 2019 INSIDE • Focus on Timor Leste • First Professions • New Schools – Timor Leste and Malaysia CONTENTS FROM THE 3 New School Leaders 5 VISITING MARISTS DIRECTOR 6 Marist 180 The very spirits of human beings 8 Marist-Sion College, Warragul 10 Marist Life and Formation Twenty one years ago during the Pontificate of Pope John Paul II, 12 St Gregory’s College Campbelltown the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education published The 13 REMAR Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium . Back in 14 First Professions 1998, the landscape of Australian education was yet to feature a 15 Marcellin College Bulleen National School Improvement Tool, an Australian Institute for 16 Timor Leste Teaching and School Leadership, NAPLAN testing for students in 19 Marist College Ashgrove Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, or a national curriculum. The digital and 20 Bridge Builders building educational revolutions of the Rudd Gillard Rudd 22 St Augustine’s College Cairns Government were a decade away as was the Global Financial 24 Newman College Perth Crisis, which precipitated that historic injection of government spending. David Gonski was known for his outstanding 26 Marist Youth Ministry professional work in law and business, and his talents were yet to 29 Marist Learning Centre Mt Druitt extend to complexities of government funding for Australian 30 St Joseph’s International School Malaysia schools. Whilst much has changed on that landscape, two 32 HITTING THE RIGHT NOTE decades on, and just a small step past the threshold into the 32 Book Review third millennium since the birth of Christ, the challenges 33 Assumption College Kilmore addressed in The Catholic School at the Threshold of the Third 34 St Patrick’s College Dundas Millennium remain entirely relevant. 36 Marist Schools Australia 36 Marcellin College Bulleen Over these past 20 years, many who work in schools would argue there has been a pervasive, distinct bureaucratisation of education in Australia. Examples such as: school wide (and even system wide) pedagogical approaches, based upon contemporary educational research and philosophy, have been created and LAVALLA implemented in many Australian schools in close collaboration with different Universities; large scale standardised testing and Editor Br Tony Paterson the resultant data has become a prominent feature in our Contact details Australian schools; governance requirements for Catholic schools Marist Schools Australia and educational authorities have been strengthened; compliance Marist Centre, with various regulatory regimes has become more intense. Each PO Box 1247, MASCOT, NSW, 1460 Australia of these elements has to some degree been instrumental in Email: [email protected] fostering a perception that education in Australia has become Lavalla increasingly depersonalised. Yet in reality, suggesting such developments and externalities distract us from our core purpose Published by Marist Schools Australia is the stuff of myth. In every age of education, in every country, Design & Artwork it is hard to identify a time when there has not been change Sydney Design Studio Pty Ltd • 02 9452 1967 impacting on schools from government, Church or society more Lavalla , the name given to this magazine is taken from the generally. village in France where The Catholic School at the Threshold of the Third Millennium , whilst St Marcellin Champagnat establish ed the world’s first Marist urging Catholic educators to be courageous in renewal and school in 1817. innovation of education, makes repeated emphases on the There are now Marist L importance and influence of that central and essential THL E A STAFF JOA URNAL V OF MARV IST SCH A OOLS A schools in 80 countries. US TRALIA LL relationship in a good Catholic school, that of the teacher with VL o A lume 25 A | Numbe r 1 | April 2019 Cover: First Profession for each of her or his students. In the midst of all that seems at Timor Leste Marist Brothers times to frustrate us as educators, there is much to be gained by (See Pages 14 and 15) constantly returning to the basis of the original motivation of one’s vocation, and look through that lens with curiosity and Smaller photographs 1 and 3: creativity at all that is new, changing or even interrupting. The Timorese postulants in Sydney following words from the The Catholic School at the Threshold of (See Page 5) and the small the Third Millennium are worth printing and framing to sit upon INSIDE middle photograph is the • Focu s on Timor Les the desk of every teacher in a Catholic school. • Fir te st Professions • New Schoo ls – Timor Lest international novitiate e and Malaysia community in Sri Lanka. Teaching has an extraordinary moral depth and is one of our most excellent and creative activities, 2 LAVALLA NEW SCHOOL LEADERS Mr Lee McMaster, of a Doctorate of Philosophy. Lee is an accomplished sportsman excelling in Principal St Gregory’s cricket, football, and football refereeing. College Campbelltown He has been actively involved in the full co-curriculum programs of the schools in which he has taught especially in sports, student leadership development and public speaking. for the teacher does not write on With over 25 years of successful senior inanimate material, leadership experience in Catholic schools, but on the very spirits of human beings. we welcome Lee and his wife Sue to St The personal relations between the Gregory’s College in 2019. teacher and the students, therefore, assume an enormous importance and Andrea Woodgate, are not limited simply to giving and Principal, St Joseph’s taking. Moreover, we must remember Northam that teachers and educators fulfil a specific Christian vocation and share an equally specific participation in the mission of the Church, to the extent that “it depends chiefly on them Lee MacMaster commenced his whether the Catholic school achieves its appointment as the Principal of St purpose”. (19) Gregory’s College Campbelltown at the start of the 2019 academic year. Lee was Now more than ever is time to previously Principal of St Andrew’s Catholic celebrate, emphasise and honour the College, in the Northern Beaches Parish of artistry, influence and example of our Cairns, a Prep-12 co-educational college of teachers. As one of our most excellent over 1600 students. Lee is a highly and creative activities, teaching is the domain of those with the God given regarded Catholic educational leader who gifts of a true artist. Creative, is widely known for his passionate inspirational, unique, empathetic, leadership of quality contemporary passionate, complex, intriguing, learning and teaching. Prior to his tenure original, humorous, sensitive, and at St Andrews’s, Lee held a variety of Andrea Woodgate commenced as Principal spontaneous are just some of the senior leadership positions including of St Joseph’s Northam at the beginning of words that describe the teacher. The Assistant Headmaster at St Joseph’s Term 1 and she and her family, husband privilege of working with the very College, Hunters Hill, and St Leo’s College Jay and daughter Cara, have quickly settled spirits of human beings is a sacred Wahroonga with specific responsibilities into the rhythm of life in Northam. one. As the document suggests, for learning and teaching. In the Lismore Andrea comes to the role at Northam teachers and educators fulfil a specific Diocese Lee was Assistant Principal at after four years as Assistant Principal at St Christian vocation and share an equally Trinity Catholic College, and secondary Kieran Catholic Primary School, Tuart Hill specific participation in the mission of education Consultant for the Catholic and prior to this, five years as Assistant the Church. Education Office. He has served the NSW Board of Studies for 18 years as a Higher Principal at Orana Catholic Primary School, The role of teachers in making Jesus School Certificate senior examiner and Willetton. This is not Andrea’s first country known and loved has never been more supervisor of marking. Lee has a Bachelor placement as in 2008/09 she held the important. May the pages of this of Education from Sydney Teachers’ College position of Principal at Our Lady of Mount edition of La Valla provide glimpses of (University of Sydney), and his noted Carmel School, Mullewa, a town about the hope and joy evident in our commitment to learning is evident in a 100 kms north east of Geraldton. schools across the country each day, range of post-graduate studies including Already Andrea is overseeing developments and let us thank God for the principals, the achievement of the Outstanding at St Joseph’s with the student population teachers and staff who make it all Alumni award for his Masters of Education nearing 700, new portables arriving to possible. in Theology & Leadership (Southern Cross support the growth and a new building Dr Frank Malloy University & ACU) and his commencement about to commence. LAVALLA MAY 2019 3 Mr Matthew Brennan, During Semester Two, 2017, Matthew was the Acting Principal at Parramatta Marist Principal St Augustine’s High School, NSW. College Cairns With over 20 years’ of highly successful Before his appointment as the first lay experience in Catholic education, Matthew Principal of Saint Augustine’s College Cairns has been deeply immersed in the Marist from January 2019, Mr Matthew Brennan tradition both as a student and was Deputy Headmaster/Head of Senior throughout his career in Marist Colleges at School at St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown and Canberra. Campbelltown. Matthew is highly regarded for his leadership of quality contemporary Mr Mark Woolford, learning and teaching in boys’ education. Principal, Marcellin In addition, Matthew has extensive College Randwick experience in leading a Catholic boarding school community. Prior to his Mr Mark Woolford has been appointed the appointment at St Gregory’s College, new Principal of Marcellin College Matthew held a number of leadership Randwick.