New head admires strong community
BY JOHN MCLAURIN
New St Edmund’s College Principal, Joe Zavone, is most impressed with the College’s strong sense of community.
“My initial impression is that this has been a tangible quality amongst both students and parents,” he said.
“Their welcoming of me as a new principal has been warm and friendly, and their sense of support for each other is very strong.”
Mr Zavone, takes the reins from Daniel Lawler, and has come to St Edmund’s, supported by his wife of 22 years, Louise.
Born to Italian parents who migrated to Australia in the 1950’s, he grew up in the St George area of Sydney, is a keen collector of model Australian cars, and has also fostered an interest in design and aesthetics.
He was appointed to his new position late last year and brings with him over three decades of experience within Catholic schools.
Prior to his arrival in the nation’s capital, he has been a deputy principal of Christian Brothers High School in inner-west Sydney and also of St Scholastica’s College in Glebe.
He has also been assistant principal (teaching and learning) at St Patrick’s College Campbelltown.
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Whilst at St Scholastica’s College, Mr Zavone, was also on the Good Samaritan Schools Mission Team.
Here he developed a teaching and learning framework for all Good Samaritan schools in Australia, using the Rule of St Benedict as a foundation for the framework.
Professionally, he has a particular interest in teaching and learning – aligning pedagogy to a school’s charism to create a way of learning that is authentic to the background and founder of the school.
He is also passionate about ‘academic care’ which focuses on the way positive relationships are developed in the classroom between teacher and student and how this can be developed to support a school’s pastoral care structure.
Mr Zavone, believes that at their core, Catholic schools in particular have positive relationships and a vibrant community.
“Obviously one of my objectives as a new principal is to build on this wonderful community spirit and continue to foster relationships and partnerships in the wider school,” he said.
“Consultation, collaboration and communication are essential factors in the building of Eddies’ sense of community and family and I look forward to it.”
| Mr Zavone, has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (University of Notre Dame), a Master of Educational Leadership and a Master of Religious Education (Australian Catholic University) and a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Education (University of Sydney). |