Rostrevor College first all-boys school in SA to appoint female principal

A trailblazing private school leader says she hopes her appointment will “pave the way for other women”.

Shana Bennett with students Aekas and Domenic. Picture: Matt Loxton

Rostrevor college is the first all-boys school in South Australia to appoint a female principal.

Shana Bennett, currently deputy principal at Sacred Heart College, said she hoped the appointment “paved the way for other women”.

Ms Bennett is the first female principal in the school’s 98-year history.

“Obviously I’m excited and proud and delighted to be appointed,” she said.

“I hope it paves the way for other women in their leadership journey, in every sector, not just education.

“I was involved in the Australian Schools Women’s Leadership Summit earlier in the year and something I took from that is one of our jobs as female leaders is to reach back and bring other women up.”

Shana Bennett, with year 2 student Aekas, 7 and year 9 student, Domenic, 14 at Rostrevor College in Woodforde. Picture: Matt Loxton

This will be a first, not only for Rostrevor but for any boys R-12 school in SA.

The only other woman to have approached that level of school leadership in an SA boys school was Anna Mirasgentis who served two periods as acting principal at Blackfriars Priory School, Prospect – in Term 4, 2014, and again in 2016, when she was in the role for a full year.

Mrs Mirasgentis is currently principal at Woodville High School. Ms Bennett will assume leadership of the college of 920 students in January, just ahead of the college’s centenary year in 2023.

When asked if she thought it was surprising it had taken this long for a female leader to win such a position, Ms Bennett said: “I don’t know if it’s surprising, I think for Rostrevor the timing is right.”

After 20 years in the Catholic education sector across a range of roles, Ms Bennett said she understood the needs of both male and female “learners”.

“Boys do learn differently but I believe it is the quality of relationship between learner and educator that is most important,” she said.

“I look forward to working alongside the many experienced educators at Rostrevor who understand boys and how they learn and who enjoy bringing out the best in every student.”

Edmund Rice Education Australia is the governing body that operates Rostrevor College.

“We are very excited to usher in the next century of Catholic education at Rostrevor College with such a dynamic, experienced and well-respected principal,” EREA executive director Dr Craig Wattam said.