Clarendon College’s deputy principal Jen Bourke to succeed outgoing David Shepherd
The successor to Ballarat Clarendon College’s longtime principal has been announced as a WorkSafe investigation at the school continues.
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An elite private school has announced who will succeed its departing principal after a 27-year tenure at the institution.
David Shepherd will depart Ballarat Clarendon College at the end the year, with current deputy principal Jen Bourke to take over the top spot from 2024.
In a letter sent to parents on Monday, Clarendon’s Board of Directors chair Mark Patterson said the principal position attracted more than 50 expressions of interest and announced Ms Bourke as the successful candidate.
A WorkSafe investigation into an alleged contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act remains underway at Clarendon College.
A different WorkSafe inquiry related to allegations made by anonymous whistleblowers about the school’s culture in October 2022 recently came to a close without any action required by Clarendon.
An investigator appointed by the school to look into those matters made recommendations regarding “workplace improvement and remediation”, but Clarendon has not said who the investigator was or what his or her recommendations were in any detail.
About Ms Bourke’s appointment as the incoming principal, Mr Patterson said the school’s board was confident she could “maintain the momentum built under David’s leadership ensuring stability and continuity for our community”.
“Jen will continue to build on and enrich her already strong relationships with our high-quality executive, teaching and operational team.”
Ms Bourke, a VCE biology teacher, began work at Clarendon in 2005 and has held multiple roles beside the deputy principalship.
“Jen is a well-respected and admired member of the Clarendon community who has grown her career at the school,” Mr Patterson said.
“She is regarded as progressive and an innovator, is pragmatic and goal-oriented, is collaborative and compassionate, and is unquestionably committed to students’ learning and progress.”
He said Ms Bourke would work with Mr Shepherd for the rest of 2023.
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