Now in my third year as principal, I continue to be heartened by the community here at St Bernard’s. This year has had a sense of renewal to it, as we emerge from a global crisis. It has been a chance to begin again, re-establish traditions and start some new ones. Our school student body continues to grow in numbers, with a strong community reputation for guiding students to be the best that they can be.
Our strength throughout has lain with a dedicated teaching staff who strive to bring the best out in every child. I am inspired each day by our teachers. The concern they have for those in our care and their dedication to the profession that they exhibit each day. Teaching remains a vocation to us here and that is evident in the way we approach our work.
Teacher professional learning will always have a strong emphasis here. Last year we established a collaborative coaching model – freeing teachers for additional professional learning with a dedicated collaborative coach, to guide student improvement and growth. If we are serious about improving outcomes for students, then we need to invest in the quality of our teachers and support them to support our students learning with quality resources and professional learning.
This report aims to explain and contextualise events this year and outline the future we envisage for our school.