Diocese_Of_Sandhurst_YearInReview_2021

16 2021marked the 200th anniversary of Catholic education across Australia. The first Catholic school inAustraliawas founded in October 1820 by Irish Catholic priest, John Therry. The school, situated in Hunter Street, Parramatta, taught 31 students – seven of whom were Protestants. An Irish Catholic convict, named George Marley opened the school for Fr Therry and ran it for three years. From very humble beginnings Catholic schooling has grown to become the nation’s largest education system outside the government sector. We are a vibrant system of over 780,000 students and employ over 100,000 staff across 1,760 schools. Sandhurst Catholic schools are part of a long tradition of Catholic education in Australia. The history of Catholic schools within the Diocese of Sandhurst spans 168 years. Over the decades, the network of schools has made a unique contribution to the life, faith practice, spirit, and culture of parishes throughout this region. Countless thousands of young people have benefited from the experiences they had and the skills they acquired in Catholic learning environments. From humble origins on the Bendigo goldfields in 1853, Catholic education has grown dramatically. Today, Sandhurst schools are thriving places of contemporary learning, where the Faith is celebrated and the child is at the heart of every endeavour. Early in his Papacy, Pope Francis spoke to Catholic educators across the world, imploring them to offer the very best of learning experiences and environments to the young. His words formed the foundation of the work that we in Catholic Education Sandhurst pursued during the challenging times of 2021. “An education in the fullness of humanity should be the defining feature of Catholic schools. Speaking about a Catholic education is equivalent to speaking about the human, about humanism. An inclusive education finds a place for all and does not select in an elitist way the beneficiaries of its efforts ”. (Pope Francis, 7 December 2015) As I reflect upon the year that was 2021, Pope Francis’ exhortation remains clearly in my thinking. Catholic schools aspire to provide a uniquely rich experience which forms the child as an individual who is capable of thinking for herself/himself, able to make decisions based upon integrity, compassion, faith and wisdom. As we embarked upon 2021, we did so with confidence in the knowledge that our work with and for the students, was purposeful and served society well. We carried with us five key foundations for this confidence: • An important feature of education is that the educator serves as role model for those in their care. • Our Catholic schools offer high-quality education. • Regular experience of the Catholic Faith is important in developing a strong religious foundation. • The school helps bring the student into the life of the parish. • Catholic education is accessible and affordable for all who seek it. Throughout 2021, three important features could not be ignored or downplayed. First, responding to State Government policy changes, and after many months of careful planning, the Diocese of Sandhurst moved to a new model of governance for its schools. A company limited by guarantee was formed to oversee the delivery of education in all diocesan primary and secondary environments – Catholic Education Sandhurst Limited. A subsidiary company, Sandhurst Catholic Early Childhood Education & Care Limited, was born at the same time, with the purpose of overseeing the development of Catholic kindergartens. Both systems are overseen by Boards which serve as representatives of the Bishop of Sandhurst. Both Boards have Committees which work closely with CES personnel to support schools in their endeavours. Second, education across the globe has been interrupted regularly by COVID-19. This continued throughout 2021 and every Sandhurst educational community was restricted by the impact of the virus. School closures, deep cleaning, illness, fear of the unknown, loss of income, remote learning and regular testing were commonplace. One admirable feature of this impact was the manner in which our schools coped. Quality teaching, learning and care continued. Schools and families are to be commended for the creativity and effort that was devoted to ensuring each student was in no way disadvantaged. REPORTS “ Sandhurst schools are thriving places of contemporary learning, where the Faith is celebrated and the child is at the heart of every endeavour.” Catholic Education Sandhurst Ltd