News & Events

We congratulate Bernadette, Principal of St Barbara’s Parish School, Roxby Downs, on being acknowledged at the PAI Awards this week.

The annual John Laing Awards for Professional Development acknowledge principals in every state and territory who demonstrate outstanding leadership in providing professional learning in schools. They celebrate the contribution of school leaders who have undertaken, and supported the professional learning of teachers and others.

Bernadette was nominated by SACPPA, and Principal colleague Ros Oates presented Bernadette with her award at the 2016 Awards ceremony held on Wednesday 26 October.

Her teaching and leadership career stretch across the Diocese of Port Pirie.  This has included teaching in St James School, Jamestown; Jamestown Community School, St Mark’s College Port Pirie and Snowtown Area School before being appointed to leadership positions at St Mark’s College, Deputy Principal ;St Joseph’s Parish School Gladstone, Principal; St Barbara’s Roxby Downs, Principal; St Joseph’s School Port Lincoln, Principal.

Bernadette’s understanding and experience as a leader of rural Catholic schools is an invaluable asset to her fellow professional colleagues and to her schools teaching staff.  She is a teaching principal, which assists her developing beginning teachers into outstanding teachers and into first time successful leaders.  Her willingness to display good teaching, model and insist upon 21st century pedagogy has developed sound relationships with staff, students and community members. 

She demonstrates her own dedication to broad professional involvement and is a member of several professional associations.   Recently, her professional development has included a study tour to Singapore, Instructional Rounds training and Understanding by Design training, all of which contribute to her leadership style that develops a rich learning environment in her schools. 

The distance and remoteness of many of the rural schools where Bernadette has worked, and in her current role at Roxby Downs, is not a barrier because Bernadette has an outstanding ability to be self-sufficient.  She manages to attract quality teachers and along the way inspires many of these people to develop into future leaders in education.

We again congratulate Bernadette on being such a worthy recipient of this award.