Senior School Leadership Team (SSLT) In 2022 the leadership team in the Senior School remained as it had been at the end of 2021. Mr Neil Dunkley continued as the Director of Academic Education, Ms Dimitria Karapanagos as Director of Student Care and Development and Mrs Lindsey Herse as the Assistant Director of Student Care and Development. These appointments continued until the end of 2022, when permanent appointments were finalised for the following year. They worked alongside Ms Ann Hamer as Director of Teaching Development and Mr Stuart McNeill as Director of Active Education. Mrs Deborah Tierney continued as Senior School Co-ordinator, and her team continues to develop and add value to Senior School’s daily operations. The commitment and insight provided by each member of the SSLT towards the overall functioning of the Senior School helped enormously as we returned to normal operations throughout the year. I want to personally acknowledge and thank each team member for their valuable, tireless and professional commitment to CGS and for the cooperative spirit which has helped us achieve so much in a short time. Mr Sandy Goddard and Ms Kerri Rock remained members of the SSLT even though their Director’s portfolios covered whole school operations. Ms Rock was farewelled at the end of the year as she retired from CGS to move to Queensland. Her impact, down-to-earth attitude and no-nonsense approach have been a wonderful asset to the functioning of our team. Mr Smart was ‘decommissioned’ from the role of Head of Senior School at the end of term four as he moved into a new role as Deputy Head (Senior Specialist Care) from the start of 2023.
Exchange Programme & Overseas Tours Unfortunately, the Covid-19 situation meant that the School again decided to postpone all overseas tours for 2022. The Exchange Programme also remained suspended, with resumption planned for 2023 on a small scale at this stage. Online opportunities for connection and interaction with students from other parts of the world were taken up as they became available.
Pastoral Care Pastoral Care at CGS in the Senior School is overseen by the Director of Student Care and Development, along with the team of staff - the key group being the Pastoral Leadership Team (PLT). Specialist assistance is provided through our Chaplains, School Counsellors, Careers Advisor, Individual Learning Department, Indigenous Student Co-ordinator, Defence Mentor, Boarding staff and Health Centre as required. Our ten Senior Houses and three Year 7 Houses in the Senior School are crucial in providing individual pastoral care to all students and delivering an essential programme of learning about key topics in character development and becoming good citizens. The House system continues to be one of the finest aspects of a Canberra Grammar education. The Pastoral Care provided to students through this system helps to increase students’ connectedness to their School, which arises through the many unique facets of each House. Care for our students remains one of the highest priorities at CGS, encompassing many facets and interventions depending on the individual situation. This continued to be even more crucial during the Covid-19 lockdown, and the interactions within
19 | CGS | Annual Report 2022
