From the Chief Executive Officer THE REVEREND PETER LAURENCE OAM

Dear Colleagues SCHOOLS WEEK

ASC Schools Week has just concluded. Originating just over a decade ago in September 2012, this biennial celebration marked the sixth time the ASC family has come together for a Eucharist in St George’s Cathedral and combined Schools Concert in the Perth Concert Hall.

Schools Week is a celebration of our Anglican Identity, as it’s expressed through worship, music and performance. The ASC’s values of Faith, Excellence, Justice, Respect, Integrity and Inclusion sit at the heart of our schools’ mission and purpose. This was reflected in a magnificent act of worship on Wednesday afternoon in St George’s Cathedral, when we joined in Eucharist with Archbishop Kay. Then again in the vibrant Schools Concert on the Friday evening, where we celebrated the gifts and talents of our students on stage and the inspiring and supportive staff behind the scenes.

Concert Director Michael Newton again brilliantly pulled together a repertoire that expressed a diversity of musical genres for our enjoyment. Choirs, orchestras, ensembles, bands and even hip hop!

A big thank you to all who worked tirelessly to ensure our Schools Week Eucharist and Concert were great acts of worship and celebration.

Staff Matters

Chief Operating Officer

Ivan McLean has been appointed to the position of Chief Operating Officer at the ASC, commencing early June. Last year he served as Head of Middle School at St Mark’s Anglican Community School, and currently fulfills the Acting Head of Teaching and Learning position at the school. From 2016‒2021, Ivan was Secondary Principal of the Australian International School in Malaysia; prior to moving overseas, he was Associate Principal Senior School at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School from 2007‒2015.

Ivan holds a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) from UWA, a Diploma of Education, a Master of Science from Curtin University, a Diploma of Management, a Certificate IV in Training and Education, and the Wollaston Certificate for Anglican Leaders. He is married to Dianne and has two adult children, Aimee and Liam.

The ASC continues to be well served by our Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO), Shane Parnell, who stepped into the role earlier this year from his substantive position as Director of Technology. Shane will continue as Acting COO until Ivan commences in June.

Ivan has been a long-serving member of the ASC family and I look forward to welcoming him into his new role. Director of Human Resources

Kiel Anthony commenced mid-March as Director of Human Resources, replacing Kellie Opitz who moved interstate early this year. For the past 4 years, Kiel held the position of Employment Relations Consultant at Catholic Education WA. Prior to that position, he was the Human Resources Business Partner for the Salvation Army WA Division.

Kiel holds a Bachelor of Commerce from UWA, specialising in Industrial Relations, Human Resources and Management. A very warm welcome to Kiel. I extend a big thank you to Kellie Opitz who continued to support us from a distance over the past few months.

Director of New Schools

Keva Crouch leaves us at the end of this term. Keva has led this portfolio at two different times over the past decade. She was responsible for oversight of the work leading to the establishment and opening of St James’ Anglican School in Alkimos in 2015. More recently, Keva has led much of the preparatory work for our new All Saints Anglican School in Shepparton, as well as assisting with 441 Murray Street, our new highrise home from the end of next year. Keva has played a part in all the new school projects and land acquisitions of recent years. She also serves as Council Chair at St James’. Thank you Keva.

Holy Week And Easter

Schools Week is over and Holy Week is upon us. That means Lent is over too! When I went to school (as a student, not teacher!), this was called ‘Lent Term’. Together with Trinity and Michaelmas Terms, the school year was divided in three - what seemed to be three very long terms when one was 15 years old! A progressive move to four terms saw the year divided evenly into ten-week blocks, nice bite-sized chunks. With it came the retrogressive step of replacing names with numbers - Terms One, Two, Three and Four. Bring back the terms Lent, Trinity and Michaelmas, I say!

Lent rarely gets a mention outside the Church. While Christmas and Easter are still hot conversational topics, and Advent even gets a look-in with the renewed popularity of the Advent Calendar, Lent isn’t a particularly ‘sellable commodity’ to the general public. Forty days leading to Easter when Christians observe a time of selfreflection, confessing failings and resolving to live a more Godly life based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Term One (or ‘Lent Term’) is such a rich one for the chapel life of our schools, from commencement services in early February, through Ash Wednesday, Lent and now Holy Week. Liturgy and ceremony play such an important role in inviting our young people to engage with the Christian story. We learn more from doing than simply hearing and seeing.

As we journey through Holy Week this year, we share the passion story again and are reminded of the significant place that the season of Easter plays in our faith, our schools and our world. It is a message of hope that we encourage children and adults alike to live out through the year. Thank you to the Archbishop of Perth, and the Bishops of Bunbury and Wangaratta, for sharing their Easter Reflections with us in this edition.

Easter Blessings...

The story of Easter is well known. Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, his body put in a tomb, and a heavy stone rolled across the opening. Throughout Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday, when his friends went to the tomb, they found the stone rolled back and the tomb empty.

‘He is not here, he is risen,’ was the Easter message proclaimed.

We know that the story had a happy ending. Yet we often forget that, for Jesus’ dearest family and followers, the first Good Friday was a horrific and abrupt end to everything Jesus was, did, and promised. They did not know or expect that Jesus would rise again three days later. Their anguish was deep and without any hope –something many people experience when faced with the death of a loved one or burdened by the worries and problems of life.

The Easter story shows us the bigger picture of God’s plan for us. Jesus’ victory over suffering, death and evil is God’s guarantee that his light, goodness and love will always have the final word. As you remember and celebrate the Easter story this year, may you and your family experience the joy and hope which Jesus’ resurrection brings.

Christ is risen, alleluia!

He is risen indeed, alleluia!

The Most Reverend Kay

Goldsworthy AO Archbishop of Perth