Location: St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, West Belconnen, ACT
Closing date: Sunday, 12 May 2024 at 11:55 pm
Commencement date: January 2025

BEFORE APPLYING FOR THIS ROLE, CONTACT AMY TALLON ON 0459 943 831 TO OBTAIN CRITICAL INFORMATION.

About Catholic Education, Archdiocese of Canberra

Catholic Education, Archdiocese Canberra and Goulburn (CECG) is a leading education provider in the Canberra and southern NSW region. We have city, regional, rural, coastal and remote work locations covering 88,000 square kilometres from Pambula in the south to Goulburn and Crookwell in the north and west to Lake Cargelligo. The System is comprised of 29 schools and nine early learning centres in the ACT and 27 schools in NSW. We educate approximately 24,000 students and engage over 3,500 staff.

CECG is among Australia’s leading education systems for teacher professional learning and development. This has been achieved by developing and implementing Catalyst, an evidence-based professional learning program based on the Science of Learning and the Science of Reading Principles. The program has been developed in collaboration with leading experts such as Dr Lorraine Hammond, Jenny Donovan, Natalie Wexler, Michael Roberts and Toni Hatten-Roberts. It provides teachers with curated resources to support development, growth and excellence in teaching and learning.

About the role

Principals of Catholic schools are called to live and promote our Vision, to share and witness to our Catholic faith and traditions, build inclusive communities and deliver contemporary quality learning opportunities for every person.

St Thomas Aquinas is a Catholic co-educational Parish school offering preschool to year six classes and is committed to the development of the individual child academically, socially and spiritually.

The school serves the West Belconnen community, including Charnwood, Dunlop, Macgregor, West Macgregor, Flynn, Fraser and Latham.

St Thomas Aquinas has a supportive group of professional teachers who share their interests through rewarding learning experiences and planned community celebrations. 

The team is trained in the science of learning, including direct instruction programs such as Spelling Mastery, Connecting Mathematics Concepts, and Initialit. Teaching staff have an Instructional Coach trained by Associate Professor Lorraine Hammond and/or Toni Hatten-Roberts. They are supported through access to training in the Writing Revolution, La Trobe University’s SOLAR program. The school works alongside curriculum writers for Ochre Education and implements trauma-informed approaches to education through the Berry St Education Model.

The Principal leads a team of 40 employees and a student cohort of 346*.

Catholic Education is seeking candidates who can commit to the purpose of our schools, namely “To be faith-filled Catholic learning communities of hope, joy and wonder where all are welcome and inspired to grow to their potential.”

We are also looking for a Principal who will actively engage with the community and grow school enrolments under their leadership.

*Enrolment numbers are correct at the time of publication.

Benefits and Opportunities

• Financial assistance for relocation purposes.
• A world-class professional learning through Catalyst.
• Attractive remuneration package.
• Salary packaging options.
• Access to the staff wellbeing program and choice of two Employee Assistance Program providers.
• Opportunities to further develop professionally as an educational leader.
• Make a positive difference in the lives of staff, students, parents and the broader community.
• 24 weeks of paid parental leave for the primary carer.
• Up to 14 weeks of paid parental leave for the non-primary career.

Essential Criteria

1. Practising Catholic with a demonstrated commitment to Catholic education and an understanding of the leadership role in Catholic education
2. Possess academic qualifications additional to initial teacher education (Master’s degree or five-year equivalent)
3. Demonstrated comprehensive understanding of curriculum, assessment and student welfare issues, including child protection
4. experience in leading inclusive teaching and learning communities
5. Demonstrated capacity to make data-informed decisions to inform teaching and learning
6. Demonstrated ability to integrate the use of information and communication technologies to both engage students in their learning and prepare them for an increasingly technological society
7. Demonstrated experience in building teacher capacity and managing the performance of individuals and teams
8. Demonstrated capacity to plan and manage resources effectively and equitably to improve teaching and learning
9. strong interpersonal skills and effective change agent with the ability to influence a wide range of stakeholders, including parents, other systemic principals, Catholic Education personnel and external stakeholders
10. Demonstrated ability to meet the five leadership practices of our Leadership Framework [link in the framework]
11. Be accredited, or willing to undergo accreditation, to teach Religious Education in a Catholic school.

Applications must include:

• A covering letter including statements addressing the five (1-5) leadership practices outlined in the Principal Applicant Pack
• Curriculum Vitae.
• The names and contact details of at least four referees.  You must nominate the Catholic Priest of the Parish you attend and attach a written Reference Check.

Other Eligibility Criteria

• You must be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident to be eligible to apply for this position.
• Appointment is subject to satisfactory employment screening for child-related employment in accordance with CECG policy.

Position Description