FROM THE BOARD CHAIR

As indicated in an earlier communication the Board of Governance has recently undergone a full Board review.

The Board approached Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) to facilitate an external Board review to provide a holistic analysis of current governance structures and processes pointing to strengths and development opportunities to increase the Board’s effectiveness. The Board desires to ensure that the College’s governance processes have been appropriately established and the Board has a clear strategy for ongoing governance development – a continuous improvement approach.

The Review commended the very positive, collegial dynamic that operates at Board meetings that is shown in the respectful way in which the members relate and conduct themselves in the meetings generally.  This in turn enables the members to function as a highly-effective decision-making team.

However we are conscious that there is always room for improvement in every organisation. Some of the areas that the Board will give particular attention to in planning the Board agenda for the coming year will include

• a sharpening up of our risk management monitoring to make it more regular and comprehensive
• developing a more cohesive and comprehensive Board Charter
• more direct involvement in strategic planning processes and involvement with stakeholders.

The time has come for us to say goodbye to our current Company Secretary Mr Zak Plumridge and to welcome Ms Prue Meier to the position.  Zak has been a blessing to our Board and we have benefited from his financial expertise and innovative processes.  We have confidence that Ms Meier will prove to be a worthy successor and we look forward to working with her.

In October we will also farewell Ms Tia Cox who completes her second term on the Board.  Tia has been a director for the past six years and feels that the time has come to move on.  We are grateful to Tia for the commitment and professionalism which she has brought to the Board, and in particular for her leadership of our Recruitment Committee. This means that there will be two vacancies on the Board which we will address over coming months.  The Recruitment Committee will engage a strategy to identify suitable potential Directors, and we hope to have all positions filled in 2024.

In the meantime let us hold each other in prayer and support each other as we work continuously to enhance this wonderful enterprise we call St Patrick’s College Townsville.

Sister Helen Mary Peters

BOARD CHAIR