Strategic Directions

Transcription

1 Strategic Directions

2 Saint Ignatius College takes its place in an almost five-century Jesuit educational tradition, forming students in a spirit of Christian humanism. STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS Inspired by the Past, Embracing the Future FAITH FORMATION & IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY To promote a relevant and vibrant Catholic ethos in the Ignatian tradition TEACHING & LEARNING To provide excellence in teaching and learning through a challenging and inclusive curriculum PASTORAL CARE To promote a quality pastoral care program based upon cura personalis that promotes a positive sense of self and community COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION To develop and promote a strong sense of community to enhance the educational program RESOURCE, ENVIRONMENT & RISK MANAGEMENT To provide quality facilities and respond strategically to future resource provision and environmental stewardship.

3 4 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS Context Saint Ignatius College Riverview, as a boarding and day school, has established a tradition of excellence since its foundation in THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED THROUGH: The rich heritage of the Society of Jesus, which has been involved in schools since 1542 and today educates 2.5 million students in 45 countries throughout the world. A commitment to values and faith education. A balanced educational program that cultivates the academic, spiritual, physical, cultural and social development of each student. High standards in student-centred education, which focuses on the development of cura personalis and is contingent upon the formative role played by teachers and parents in the education process. Quality facilities and resources that maintain, develop and evaluate the educational program. The cultivation of a relationship with Jesus and a growing ease of finding God in all things. If our schools are to perform as they should, they will live in a continual tension between the old and the new, the comfortable past and the uneasy present. PEDRO ARRUPE, SJ (1967) Superior General of the Society of Jesus Letter to the Western Catholic Education Association

4 INSPIRED BY THE PAST EMBRACING THE FUTURE

5 Faith Formation & Ignatian Spirituality: 8 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS To promote a relevant and vibrant Catholic ethos in the Ignatian tradition Teaching & Learning: To provide excellence in teaching and learning through a challenging and inclusive curriculum Pastoral Care: To promote a quality pastoral care program based upon cura personalis that promotes a positive sense of self and community Community Participation: To develop and promote a strong sense of community to enhance the educational program Resource, Environment & Risk Management: To provide quality facilities and respond strategically to future resource provision and environmental stewardship. Students Embrace opportunities for prayer and liturgy, Ignatian Service, retreats, Religious Education and Immersions, being open to personal and spiritual growth in Christ Be open to solidarity with the marginalised through experiences of and reflection on Ignatian Service, Immersion experiences and House initiatives Support collaborative expressions of faith with the local and wider church and its traditions Have age appropriate experiences of the Spiritual Exercises, especially the Daily Examen and the principles of Discernment Experience Religious Education as an academic and theological underpinning of the range of opportunities offered by the Ignatian Centre Cultivate compassion and a commitment to a faith that does justice Embrace scholarship as a response to God s gift of intellect Respond authentically to a culture of critical thought, reflection and independent work Set goals and work with care and purpose towards them Embrace teaching and learning initiatives aimed to promote personal responsibility for learning Respond with integrity to the demands of digital citizenship Respond with integrity to differentiated learning which encourages student development and promotes a positive environment Embrace and support personal growth through the Pastoral Care program Positively support policies and procedures designed to ensure the safety and well-being of students, including anti-bullying initiatives Strive to create an inclusive community where all are welcomed and valued Engage in leadership formation programs that build strength and resilience Inculcate a sense of being men for others and a leadership style expressed in service Be responsive to security initiatives that promote safety for all Embrace an educational program that provides flexibility and diverse student pathways Promote opportunities to support and develop school goals Support Jesuit partnerships and contribute to community building Embrace diversity in the school community, particularly through enrolments in the SEIP unit and Indigenous education as well as metropolitan, rural and overseas boarders Participate fully in the holistic education programs at the College Embrace the opportunities for growth provided by the boarding community Respond to the need for ecological stewardship through sustainable practices and conservation programs Respect and appreciate the grounds and facilities of the College Contribute to student forums aimed to optimise facility usage at the College Engage in action that contributes to a sustainable community Utilise IT resources in accord with College priorities and practices Strategic Directions Staff Accompany students in reflection on their experiences Embrace formation through reflection experiences that foster personal and spiritual growth and commitment to a shared mission Actively support the teachings and values of the Catholic Church, the spirituality and pedagogical style of the Society of Jesus, and conduct oneself in a way consistent with these ideals Participate in and deepen formation through immersion, Ignatian Service and retreat activities Work with the Australian Province of the Society of Jesus on staff formation, cross ministry collaboration and Asia Pacific Assistancy engagement Commit to a process of professional review and development to facilitate optimum learning outcomes for students Plan, program and teach in alignment with the directions and emphases of BOSTES and Australian Curriculum with regard for social justice Utilise Information Technology to support and enhance learning Facilitate tracking and analysis of student data to inform teaching and learning strategies Support professional standards of collaborative practice and collegiality identified in the AITSL standards Engage in innovative practice and research-based learning pedagogy Identify and respond to WHS initiatives that relate to workplace health safety Pursue opportunities for personal development that are relevant and engaging Work with specialist agencies to promote the cause of staff well-being Accept and promote professional standards that ensure the welfare of all Commit to practice which inextricably links pastoral care with teaching and learning Respond to professional review development and processes designed to strengthen work effectiveness and satisfaction Promote a whole school and inclusive approach to community Embrace the learning needs of students particularly the SEIP, refugee and Indigenous students Support community initiatives that promote safety, security and well-being Actively engage in the holistic educational program Participate in WHS and well-being initiatives as required Monitor, maintain and account for facilities for which staff are responsible Embrace education initiatives that heighten awareness of and response to environmentalism Judiciously manage College finances and resources Facilitate environmental action and its integration with the school curriculum Community Contribute in ways that are consistent with the College s mission Work in solidarity with the marginalised in the College community Offer particular assistance to the causes advanced by the College and the Province Commit to building links between the College and the wider Jesuit family Actively support the activities of the OIU, P&F and Past Parents in ongoing faith formation, the sacraments and in the Faith in Service programs Promote Saint Ignatius College as a school which holds scholarship as central to the educational program Respond to collaboration between staff, students, parents and the wider community to promote student learning Embrace partnerships that will develop staff and students abilities and competencies Proactively support and respond to the needs of the school community Where possible, facilitate access to specialist agencies and services that promote well-being and safety Specifically utilise the services of the OIU, P&F and Past Parents to build community at the College Assist with induction and orientation programs for the benefit of all who join the community Provide optimum education opportunities for disadvantage and isolated students through a strong residential community Support a culture of continuous improvement throughout the school community Respond to satisfaction surveys and focus group activities as required Promote the principles of Jesuit education across the community Respond to strategic issues of governance as required by the College Council Embrace and support an inclusive educational program Mutually embrace the work of the OIU, P&F and Past Parents Work collaboratively to ensure compliance requirements are maintained Participate in assessment of grounds and facilities to ensure protection and preservation of resources Support the initiatives of the OIU, P&F and Past Parents that promote the cause of community at the College Provide support for and participation in environment programs and sustainability Promote philanthropy to support the College s welfare, bursary and capital programs Governance & Administration Shape administrative decisions and processes in the light of Catholic and Jesuit social justice teachings and Ignatian discernment Ensure Ignatian traditions are known and celebrated in the school Provide a range of opportunities including liturgy, prayer, and retreats in which an encounter with God and personal faith will be nurtured for staff and students Explore opportunities to strengthen links with other Jesuit schools and social justice activities and ministries Promote reconciliation and inclusivity via bursaries Articulate and reinforce the centrality of teaching and learning in the College Facilitate teaching and learning imperatives of the BOSTES and the Australian Curriculum Ensure resources are provided for professional development opportunities that will enhance teaching and learning Ensure that the fundamental principles of Jesuit education are incorporated into the teaching and learning program Develop and promote a College-wide professional learning framework Develop policy in accord with best educational practice Develop a College-wide program of student development and well-being based on the education of the whole person Build a culture of cura personalis through articulated pastoral care structures and strong, mutual relationships based on conversation, reflective dialogue and a deep appreciation of context Affirm and support staff and students where opportunities exist Monitor and review orientation programs that promote a sense of inclusion and support for all who enter the College Establish strong administrative, pastoral and financial structures to ensure the ongoing Bursary Program Form students intellectually, spiritually, morally, physically, socially and emotionally Provide Ignatian leadership opportunities for staff and students Implement and refine Restorative Practices Promote risk management and implement intervention strategies to support the entire school community Ensure the effectiveness of induction and orientation procedures for the benefit of all who enter the community Facilitate and promote the cause of continuous improvement Conduct communications audit with a view to improving communication with all members of the College Community Provide disability access and facilities to enable community participation Pursue risk identification strategies and respond accordingly Undertake a Strategic and Master planning process which will see the College well placed to pursue its future goals Review financial planning to ensure short and long term needs can be accommodated Provide financial leadership Develop and formalise WHS practices and structures Identify key environmental and ecological futures that will embrace sustainability Review school policies and processes to improve organisational governance and operational effectiveness AITSL: Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, BOSTES: Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards, CURA PERSONALIS: Care of the Individual, OIU: Old Ignatians Union, P&F: Parents and Friends Association, SEIP: Special Education Inclusion Program, WHS: Workplace Health and Safety.

6 13 The 21 st Century The 21 st Century ensures that excellence will not be achieved by traditional models of schooling but by an acute understanding of the social, educational, economic and cultural climate of the contemporary world. ACCORDINGLY, STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS: ACKNOWLEDGES: The changing expression of Church and its relationship with schools The growth of secularism as a social phenomenon The impact of globalisation and internationalism The social context of continuous change The impact of climate change and the importance of environmental stewardship The importance of life-long learning for career paths that are in a state of rapid change Saint Ignatius College Riverview is committed to the spiritual, academic, personal and physical growth of each student through a schooling culture which is aspirational. Students will be exposed to a strong and vibrant Catholic faith, based upon the teachings of the Gospel, the person of Jesus Christ and a distinctive Ignatian spirituality. This vision will only be achieved through a collaborative partnership involving staff, students, parents, Old Ignatians and all who contribute to the positive formation of young people for the future. the (current) global reality, with its great possibilities and deep contradictions, is different from the Counter- Reformation, the Industrial Revolution, or the 20 th Century. PETER-HANS KOLVENBACH, SJ (2001) former Superior General of the Society of Jesus

7 14 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS The School Council has endorsed a vision that will continue to refine and improve the educational and pastoral program in context of our Ignatian tradition, which informs the principles and practices at the College. Strategic Directions builds on the Preferred Futures document (2005) and is designed to equip the students of Saint Ignatius College Riverview with the skills, attitudes, dispositions and capacities to become life-long learners. Students will take their place in and contribute meaningfully to their local and global communities. OUR VISION SEEKS TO: In Jesuit education, the depth of learning and imagination encompasses and integrates intellectual rigour, with reflection on the experience of reality, together with the creative imagination, to work toward constructing a more humane, just, sustainable and faithfilled world. Build on the strengths of the past to inform the present and create new futures that will enable students to experience growth and success. Promote excellence in Catholic and Jesuit education. Form a personal and robust faith through action in the learning and service programs. Achieve quality teaching and learning in all aspects of school life. Engage the support of students, parents and staff to promote and fulfil the mission of the College. Develop and review processes to encourage accountability of all members of the school community. ADOLFO NICOLÁS, SJ Superior General of the Society of Jesus Strategic Directions ( ) will be implemented by action plans developed by the College Executive, with annual reporting to the College Council. Strategic Directions ( ) is cognisant of and responsive to the key priorities and initiatives that reside with the Society of Jesus in Australia and the Jesuit Assistancy of Asia-Pacific. MR JOHN WILCOX, CHAIR OF COUNCIL REV FR ROSS JONES SJ, RECTOR DR PAUL HINE, PRINCIPAL

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9 T F Tambourine Bay Road Lane Cove NSW 2066 stignatius@riverview.nsw.edu.au Enrolment enquiries should be directed to the Registrar: registrar@riverview.nsw.edu.au