TAMWORTH’S principals have hopped on a bit of a merry-go-round with some changes in the top roles at the private primary schools.
St Edwards’ long-term principal Gary McSweeney has been seconded into a new role with the Catholic Schools Office as a school consultant, based in Armidale for 12 months.
St Nicholas’ principal Stefan van Aanholt will take over the principal job at the Hillvue school and his current deputy John Clery will take the reins at the Carthage Street school.
READ MORE:
Mr van Aanholt announced he would resign in July after a seven-year stint at St Nick’s.
The changes will come into effect at the start of term one in 2019.
In a letter to staff and parents, the diocese’s director of schools, Chris Smyth, thanked Mr McSweeney for “his commitment to the students and staff of St Edward ’s over the past 21 years and for agreeing to his secondment role for 2019.”
“Stefan brings a wealth of experience to the St Edward’s community as a primary and secondary teacher and school leader,” he said.
“Stefan will join assistant principals Alison Hatton and Pauline Long and other members of a strong leadership team at St Edward’s for 2019.”
It’s unclear whether Mr McSweeney will return to the principal job in 2020 after his 12 month secondment.
The diocese informed the St Nicholas school community Mr Clery would be the new principal last month.
He has taught at a number of schools in the region during the last 18 years, with stints in Moree, Quirindi and Tamworth.
Mr Clery has previously been the principal and religious education coordinator of St Joseph’s primary schools in Quirindi and Mungindi for a total of seven years.
“John is a person of strong faith who is an active member of the St Nicholas Parish, Tamworth,” Mr Symth wrote in his letter.
“He is committed to the creation of a Catholic school environment that is welcoming, inclusive and Christ centred in its mission and focuses on strong relationships within the community and between school and parish.”
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
