Principals rang bells of change in schools

The
Catholic Weekly
Online

Sydney
7 December 2003

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Principals rang bells of change in schools

20 YEARS PLUS: Br Kelvin Canavan, top left, with long serving principals (from middle, back row) John Ryan and Br Bernard Buffin; (front row) Carmel Fisher, Sr Loreto McLeod and Marj Avery

The careers of 23 retired principals, feted by the Sydney Catholic Education Office in a tribute to their service in Sydney’s Catholic schools, represent 346 years of teaching support, says Br Kelvin Canavan, executive director of schools.

And, he adds, “if the 10 principals who sent apologies were added, the grand total of service by the 33 principals who had retired or resigned since 2001 is 457 years”.

Br Kelvin said the principals have individually and collectively contributed to the building of a strong and successful system of Catholic schools in an era of unprecedented change.

“When the history of Catholic education in Sydney is written,” Br Kelvin said, “I believe the last 25 years will be seen as a period of growth, development and relentless change - and one of increasing achievement.

“We could have an interesting evening talking about the considerable changes in areas such as class sizes, staffing levels, curriculum, resources and funding since the time you first became principals, some as far back as the 1960s,” he told them.

Schools today are very different places than they were in 1983, or even 1993, Br Kelvin said.

He saw evidence of all this change in strategic management plans and annual reports to the community produced by each Catholic school.

Most of the retired principals would have been involved in major building programs in their schools in the past decade, which is a big responsibility, Br Kelvin said. In the last 16 years, “we have completed nearly $400 million worth of building programs” in Sydney.

“We haven’t paid for them all,” he said. “But we’ve built them.”

Br Kelvin acknowledged past leadership in creating the present record levels of enrolments in Catholic schools, saying that Catholic schools today are very effective, very Catholic and central to the educational mission of the Church.

“We continue to enhance teaching and learning, improve student achievement, continue to reach out to families, and for many, the schools provide their only contact with Jesus, his Gospel and our Catholic Church,” he said.

Five of the principals feted had served in leadership positions for 20 years or more.

Br Bernard Bulfin, whose last appointment was at Patrician Brothers College, Fairfield, served in Catholic schools for 47 years, with 35 as principal. He spends his time now in pastoral care, “visiting hospitals and jails on a regular basis”.

John Ryan spent 20 years as a principal, with his last school being St Dominic’s, Flemington.

Marj Avery with 21 years service, formerly of St Charles Primary School at Ryde, is enjoying her retirement after a hectic career.

Marj recalled how she became the first lay principal for many of her appointments with pressure on her “to make sure the school retained its Catholic ethos”.

Sr Loreto McLeod, who spent most of the past 20 years as principal of Our Lady of Mercy College, Burraneer Bay, now works in the Education Office’s Southern Region in parent liaison duties.

Carmel Fisher, 23 years a principal, now serves as a relieving principal in a variety of schools.