Tony Farley Executive Director Sydney Catholic Schools

Tony Farley

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Dear Families,

I thank you for considering a Sydney Catholic School to help you navigate your child’s educational journey….

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Effective leadership is crucial for our thriving Catholic school system and what we achieve.

The Board has an oversight role to ensure that best practices are carried out throughout the school system.

Our Board

The Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Board was established in 2017 by the Archbishop of Sydney as the governing board of SCS Ltd as trustee for the Sydney Catholic Schools Trust which came into operation on January 1, 2018. The board provides leadership and overall strategic direction to ensure the existence of “an effective system of education at all levels which contributes to the total educational needs of young people in Catholic schools” (The Catholic School, Rome, 1977, p9).

The SCS Board makes major policy decisions, approves the income and expenditure budget, and holds the Executive Director and Leadership Team accountable for the management of the school system.

The board is supported by three subcommittees: Audit and Risk, Catholic Identity and Mission, and Teaching and Learning.

The members of the board and its subcommittees are appointed by the Archbishop of Sydney, and come from all sections of the Catholic community. The members are:

  • Very Rev Dr Gerald Gleeson, Vicar General and Chair
  • Fr Michael McLean, Episcopal Vicar for Education
  • Prof Cate Thill
  • Prof Elizabeth Labone
  • Prof Hayden Ramsay
  • Ms Clare Baxter
  • Ms Loretta Di Mento
  • Mr Mark McCrossin
  • Mr Michael Digges
  • Mr Stephen Newton
  • Desiree Blackett, Company Secretary

The Executive Director has a team of senior staff that ensure our staff and schools are well managed and supported, and all government requirements are met and accounted for.

Our schools are grouped into closely aligned networks that ensure every student has an integrated K-12 experience. Within each network, student learning, family support and parish links are prioritised. The Chief Executive of each network facilitates the strategic vision, resourcing and support required in each school context.

School Principals lead the day-to-day operations at their school. They provide leadership, mentorship and support to students and staff, and have overall responsibility for the school’s teaching and learning, Catholic identity and other programs.