‘Lightening the Load’ a journey for Principals
MacKillop Voyage en France - a Quelle Aventure!
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he small and single-streamed cluster of schools in our Diocese is involved in a special project in 2011 aimed at reducing the administrative and bureaucratic demands on schools with teaching Principals and improving learning outcomes for students. This project is an important innovation for our Diocese and a response from Executive Director of Schools, Mr Peter Hill, to the call from this cluster for extra assistance in reducing the administrative burden. It’s about fostering collaboration, networking, and encouraging innovation. It is a professional development program of three two-day workshops spread across the year developed, presented and facilitated by Dr. Michelle Mulvihill (Corpsych Australia).
acKillop College in Bathurst is buzzing after the return of French students who took the opportunity to travel to France for two weeks recently.
What an experience for 30 students to visit the country of their dreams! An excited contingent departed Australia in April, accompanied by the Assistant Principal, Mrs Gina Whelan, HSIE/Languages Coordinator, Mr Paul McPhillamy and French teachers, Mrs Marcia Kanarakis and Mrs Carmel Freeman. The impetus for the France Tour was the recent establishment of a sister-school relationship between MacKillop College and Collège/Lycée de Saint André (St Andrews) in Colmar, France.
The feedback from our first Lightening the Load workshop was very positive. The two days were very challenging, yet reaffirming for Principals, though the sessions were inclusive and motivating. Michelle was great to listen to, had wonderful ideas and a passion and knowledge for real teaching and learning; she was approachable, interesting, understanding of our situations, able to effectively communicate and motivate, honest, direct, challenging, informative and inclusive. We are now able to look forward to our next two-day stint (Week 7, Term 2), which will concentrate further on the challenges of leadership with a focus on courageous conversations…and leading learning together! Janine Kearney CEO Dubbo Saint André is a systemic co-educational Catholic School situated in the region of Alsace, in North-Eastern France. The school caters to a student population of approximately 1,400 ranging in ages from 11 to 19 years old. Colmar is a large town of approximately 50,000 inhabitants, surrounded by a widely recognised wine-growing area of France. Mrs. Carmel Freeman had the opportunity of visiting this school in 2008 and was most impressed with the welcoming and friendly atmosphere. She feels it is very well matched to MacKillop College in terms of Catholic ethos and values. This sister–school relationship provides the students of MacKillop with an excellent opportunity to enhance development and maximise success in their study of French. Participation in the trip to France improves French language skills and deepens the students’ understanding and appreciation of another culture. The most exciting part of the trip incorporated a homestay program with the correspondents at Saint André Collège/Lycée. “We were warmly welcomed by the school community and we deeply appreciate the hospitality and kindness shown to our girls by the St André families during the five-night French home-stay,” Mrs Freeman explained. Principals with Dr Michelle Mulvihill at the first ‘Lightening the Load’ workshop.
MacKillop College in Bathurst continues to expand its cultural program and is proud to be able to offer such wonderful opportunities to enhance the education of its young women.
CATHOLIC OBSERVER - JUNE EDITION - PAGE 17