Announcement from the Chair of School Council
Dear Member of the St Andrew's Cathedral School Community
It is with much sadness that I write to inform you that after 14 years as our Head of School, Mr Phillip Heath has accepted the invitation to take up the Principalship of Radford College in Canberra effective from 1 July 2009. This difficult decision for Mr Heath was reached after a period of quiet reflection and prayerful concern for all involved.
Mr Heath became the 13th Headmaster of St Andrew’s Cathedral School in May 1995. He was only the second lay principal and the first ever to have come from outside the Cathedral community. During his Headship, SACS has progressed in virtually every dimension of its life and work. The enrolment has more than doubled and we have acquired additional space and facilities that are most impressive. The longstanding challenge of finding permanent space in the city has been settled and we have built vital relationships with the University of Sydney and other places where we have access to facilities.
The formation of Gawura in 2007 is regarded by many as one of the School’s most important contributions to the national agenda for the education of Indigenous children. In addition, the introduction of coeducation from K-12 has been accomplished with admirable fluency, especially through the innovative “twinning” programme for the Middle Years. The introduction of the IB Diploma in 2009 completes a remarkable story of development for the School. During this phase of dramatic growth and change, the School has maintained its long cherished tradition of compassion for each and every student who forms part of our community.
Radford College is an Anglican Early Learning Centre to Year 12 School of 1500 students on a nine hectare campus in Bruce, ACT. This year marked its 25th anniversary and, in that comparatively short time, the College has established an enviable reputation for academic and cultural success.
Throughout his tenure as Head, Mr Heath has been a visionary and energetic leader, and his innovative approach has gained him national and international kudos as an educator. As well, his personal Christian commitment and pastoral heart have deeply impacted the SACS community. We thank God for Mr Heath’s leadership of St Andrew’s and we wish him and his family every blessing as he takes up his new role in Canberra.
The departure of Mr Heath in 2009 will bring a new phase to our school. The School Council will soon commence the challenging process of searching for a new Head. We pray that God will help us find the best person to lead St Andrew’s Cathedral School into the future.
The Reverend Dr Colin Bale
Chair of School Council
Thursday 20 November 2008
