St Kevin’s College moves closer to appointing new permanent principal after scandals
A series of controversies dragged St Kevin’s College through the mud. And while acting principal John Crowley has since provided calm leadership, it remains to be seen whether he be appointed permanently to the role.
Education
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Toorak’s St Kevin’s Collegehas moved to formally appoint a new principal as it continues to rehabilitate the school’s tarnished image.
Edmund Rice Education Australia, which oversees about 50 Catholic schools around Australia, advertised the role over the weekend.
Acting principal John Crowley was brought in to steady the school after a series of events which included the now infamous misogynistic tram chant and an expose on the ABC.
The events led to an overhaul at the school which saw headmaster Stephen Russell, after initially digging in, leaving.
Other staff have been let go and new positions and staff have been created and filled to restore confidence in the school within and in the wider community.
Among initiatives the school has signed up for include the government’s Respectful Relationship curriculum and the headmaster title has been replaced by the less gendered principal.
Mr Crowley, widely acclaimed for his work at St Patrick’s College, Ballarat, in which he was able to build a bridge between victims of institutional abuse and the school community, is expected to apply for the role.
Mr Crowley had to formally resign from the St Pat’s role at the start of the year.
St Patrick’s has just appointed Mr Stephen O’Connor, effective from January 2021.
He is currently head of school at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield, Sydney.
Among other positions he was previously deputy principal at Thomas Carr College in Tarneit.
Current acting principal Stephen Hill will continue in the role in Ballarat for the rest of the year.
Richmond-based EREA has appointed Collins Street executive search company Fish & Nankivell to manage the recruitment at St Kevin’s.
The non-selective St Kevin’s, which has 2000 students enrolled from early learning to Year 12, is “seeking to appoint a Catholic educator and administrator of the highest calibre who is called to serve and utilise his/her gifts in bringing to life the mission of the Church through Catholic education in the Edmund Rice tradition”.
“The new Principal will be a practising Catholic who is able to be true to the Church but also able to liberate young people, to open students’ hearts and minds, to invite students into the story of Jesus and make his message a living reality to them, to be accepting and welcoming, and to stand in solidarity with those who are marginalised and with the Earth itself,” the advertisement says.
Applications close on July 6. Insiders say Mr Crowley is a safe bet but searches can sometimes turn up other candidates.
Some close to the school believe it has paid a heavy price for the wrongdoings of a few and been the victim of the tall poppy syndrome. However, enrolments are understood to be strong.
While the end of 2019 saw huge changes at non-government school leadership roles, there are some still playing out.
Girton Grammar, in Bendigo, has appointed a new headmaster to replace Matthew Maruff.
Dr Clinton Massey, currently at Perth’s Tranby College, will start at Girton in fourth term.
During the Covid19 lockdown Mentone Grammar School decided to ditch its search for a new head, saying Mal Cater will stay on for another year.
Just weeks before the restrictions were enforced, the bayside school had announced Mr Cater, who has been associated with the schools for 50 years, would leave. But, with the looming concerns around coronavirus, it was decided he was the best person to guide the co-ed school during uncertain times.
Earlier, St Leonard’s in Brighton had announced the Stuart Davis, who was due to leave at the end of first term, would stay on.
In Berwick, long time principal at Mater Christi College Mary Fitz-Gerald will retire at the end of the year.
Hutton Consulting is currently conducting a search for a new principal for the Catholic girls’ school.
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