As in previous years, this November issue of The Vine includes updates on staffing changes, listing those departing at the end of 2024 and new appointments starting in 2025. This year’s recruitment process has been shaped by several factors, particularly the steady enrolment growth our College has experienced—a trend expected to continue over the next five years. In response to this growth and feedback from the recent College Review, a new Organisational Structure is being developed for implementation next year. This ongoing process has already led to several positive and productive changes.

The main changes relate to the Secondary School, as the Primary School and the Christian Ministry Department had previously been reviewed in 2023:

1. The Head of Secondary role has been separated from the Deputy Principal role to increase focus and resourcing for the Secondary section.
2. The previous two roles of Director of Students for 7-9 and for 10-12 have been combined into one Director of Students 7-12 role to oversee the strengthening of our House pastoral care system, which is highly regarded as the most effective way of promoting Secondary students’ wellbeing and managing their welfare.
3. The House pastoral care system has been bolstered from next year with the addition of 4 Assistant Heads of House.
4. The Careers Coordinator role has been removed from the Director of Students role, to increase focus and resourcing in this area.
5. Additional leadership positions in four Departments (English, Maths, HSIE, Performing Arts) enables the introduction of Assistant Department Leaders.

Such significant changes will have profoundly positive impacts on the functioning of the Secondary section.

We acknowledge and convey our thanks to the following staff who will finish at the end of the year:

Mr David Collins (Maths Teacher and Acting Secondary Teaching and Learning Coordinator) – appointed as Head of Secondary at Shire Christian School, less than 10mins walk from home rather than a 60km car trip each way.

Ms Caitlin Williams (Secondary Sports Admin) – promotion to Head of Sport K-12 at Penrith Christian School.

Mr Thomas Kroon (Technologies Teacher) – appointed at Bede Polding College.

Mrs Melissa Boulden (Music Teacher) – appointed at Marsden Park Anglican College, closer to home.

Mr Nick Lane (Head of Performing Arts P-12) – appointed as Music Ensembles Coordinator at Leppington Anglican College, closer to home.

Mrs Alix Madden (Science Teacher) – appointed as Assistant Head of Science at Norwest Christian College.

Mr Ben Voller (Science Teacher) – appointed as a Science Teacher at Arndell Anglican College.

Mr David Thurlow (K-12 Music Teacher/Head of Latimer House) – appointed as a Music Teacher at Australian Christian College.

Dr Felix Kobus (Director of Operations P-12) – has been appointed as a Science Teacher at St Columba's in Springwood.

We announce and welcome the new appointments of the following staff for 2025:

Head of Secondary – Mr Tony Kelshaw.
Currently, the acting Deputy Principal/Head of Secondary and Director of Students 7-9. Prior to arriving at PAC in 2023, Tony held a range of leadership positions (Head of PDHPE, Head of House, Head of Midde School). These experiences have equipped him well with the necessary skills and knowledge to lead a large and complex Secondary section. He is a strong advocate for innovation and collaboration, to empower staff and to partner closely with parents for the benefit of students and for creating a multiplicity of opportunities for them to succeed.

Director of Students 7-12 – Mr Mark Gee.
Presently Mark is the Learning Enhancement Leader at Wycliffe Christian School and prior to that was the Head of Middle School and the Deputy Head of Senior School at Penrith Christian School. He has over 24 years’ experience as a teacher of English and Japanese, as well as a leader of Christian education. He has consistently demonstrated a passion for student wellbeing and a talent for developing and leading teams. He thrives on creating a nurturing environment for both students and staff. He has a proven track record of successfully implementing new programs and initiatives that enhance student progress. He is skilled in communication and collaboration and is committed to building strong relationships.

Director of Teaching and Learning Innovation P-12 – Ms Liz Errington.
Liz has over 25 years of experience as a teacher and a leader of teaching and learning in Anglican schools. She holds a Graduate Certificate of Teaching (Middle Years), Master of Science in Coaching Psychology, a Master of Education, and a Bachelor of Education (Special Needs Education). She is passionate about fostering academic excellence, student engagement, and staff development. Currently she is the Director of Teaching and Learning (K-6) at Georges River Grammar, demonstrating expertise in curriculum, pedagogical practices, and strategic planning. Most recently, she has co-written the K–12 staff goal-setting program for the staff Professional Development & Growth Program.

Director of Operations P-12 – Mr Ben Ryan.
Ben brings over 20 years of experience in teaching and leadership in both Australia and the UK. His career is marked by a demonstrated record of success in improving the performance of departments and whole school areas. He has held a range of positions within schools including Year Coordinator, Director of Students P-12 and Assistant Principal. As a dedicated advocate of student-centred learning, he is committed to building strong relationships with colleagues, students, parents, and the community. His experience in leading strategic planning, organising events and managing change will be invaluable for the effective operation of our College.

Head of Performing Arts – Dr Christian Watson
Please see below for a letter from Dr Christian Watson.

Executive Assistant to Head of Secondary – Mrs Virginia Whyms

Clinic Officer (Part-time) – Mrs Jemalyn Adorable

We also congratulate the following staff for their new appointments from 2025:

Head of Latimer House – Miss Angela Streeter

Assistant Heads of House – Mrs Katie Dunn (Cranmer); Mr David Chen (Latimer); Miss Hannah Ramsay (Ridley); Mr Isaac Bingham (Ryle).

Assistant Department Leaders – English: Mrs Justine Gorman; HSIE: Mrs Renata Lackey; Performing Arts: Mrs Emily De Sousa

Careers Coordinator – Mrs Annette Carter

The Recruitment process for the Deputy Principal P-12 continues and we will provide an update for the College community before the end of the year. Other teachers commencing at the start of 2025 will be introduced to families at the start of the year.

Building Program

Another important update concerns our building program, which is progressing well and is ahead of schedule. Our projections for a staged completion of the various parts of the program are as follows:

Start of Term 1 – D Block Ground Floor classrooms returned to normal use;

Start of Term 2 – E Block Ground Floor classrooms returned to normal use and the new upstairs D Block classrooms ready for use;

Start of Term 3 – the remainder of the project finished.