Empower, Encounter & Engagement
Our college staff recently came together for a full-day Professional Learning Day that celebrated the dedication, professionalism, and passion of staff as learners and leaders, while collaboratively shaping and continuing the journey of our St Mary’s Way, our shared Vision for Learning across Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12. The day affirmed the strong commitment of staff to learning, leadership, and collaboration in service of our students, families, and wider community.
Facilitated by PACE Leadership Director Kelly Smith, and supported by Broome Regional Officer and School Improvement Team Leader, Pina Hutcheson, the day built on the College’s strong strategic foundations. With the Vision, Mission, Values, Strategic Plan, Strategic Intents, and operational priorities already clearly established, the focus was on staff-led collaboration. This ensured that our strategic direction is not only understood, but deeply owned and consistently enacted in daily practice, with the values of our Patron, Mary, continuing to capture and inspire our work.
The day opened with Prayer and an Acknowledgement of Country, prepared and led by our College Leadership Team and Faith Companions. This grounding moment reflected St Mary’s Catholic identity and deep respect for Country, while also modelling the shared leadership, reflection, and collective voice that characterised the day.
Throughout the workshop, staff engaged as committed and reflective learners, proving a strong willingness to lead, learn, and collaborate in service of the College’s Vision for Learning. Drawing on collective expertise across teaching and learning, wellbeing, Catholic identity, leadership, operations, and community engagement, staff worked together to co-construct the St Mary’s Way as a lived and meaningful expression of our Vision for Learning. Central to the day was the shared belief that the St Mary’s Way is not written by a few but shaped by many. Through consultation, reflective dialogue, and collaborative design processes, staff identified the shared practices, behaviours, and expectations that define excellence at our College. They explored how strategic priorities are enacted consistently across year levels and departments, and how every role contributes meaningfully to a coherent, whole-College approach.
The professional learning process highlighted the depth of commitment across the staff community, with participants actively exploring how their daily work connects to the broader strategic direction of the College. This powerful collaboration reinforced the understanding that every staff member is both a learner and a leader, sharing collective responsibility for student learning, wellbeing, and faith formation.
By the conclusion of the day, staff had developed a strengthened shared understanding of the College’s strategic direction within a K–12 context. Key elements of the St Mary’s Way, as our Vision for Learning, were co-constructed and grounded in staff voice and professional ability, creating stronger connections between strategy and role-specific practice. The day also strengthened alignment, coherence, and collaboration across our College.
The Professional Learning Day affirmed that our Vision for Learning, the St Mary’s Way, is a collective commitment brought to life through the passion, professionalism, and shared leadership of our College staff. Through their dedication as learners and collaborators, staff continue to lead and shape a strong, faith-filled vision for learning that is experienced daily by students, families, and the wider College community. We look forward to sharing our work in this space with you all very soon!
