From the Principal 
Dear Families and Friends,
This will be the last edition of The Ionian for 2021 and it is hard to believe that we are at the end of another school year. When I reflect upon the year, it has been filled with so many joyful and memorable moments. I am of the firm belief that a community is not founded upon buildings and possessions, but rather on people. Iona Presentation College is an incredibly special place because of all the wonderful people that give so generously.
As part of our journey at Iona this year, Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) conducted a Cyclic Review, a 360-degree process whereby all dimensions of our community were reviewed. This was a particularly fruitful exercise as it was most affirming of the many outstanding things that occur at Iona, but also highlighted aspects for consideration into the future. So, I share with you some of the insights gleaned from the panel members,
"There is overwhelming consensus amongst all data sources that Iona Presentation College's community has a culture which is welcoming, enduring, safe, faith-filled and nurturing. This is seen as a point of difference compared to many schools and is evident in the esteem with which students value their place within the College, the way community members (both past and present) honour their membership of the Iona Alumni, and the multi-generational connection that community members maintain with the College.
Past and present members of the College community speak highly of the holistic education offered at Iona Presentation College and it was noted that the most effective advertising is 'word of mouth'. To quote one data source, "The school returned my child's sparkle".
There are many opportunities for all members of the College community to be actively involved in the life of the College. Groups such as Friends of Music, Friends of Sport and Men of Iona (to name but a few), ensure that all can contribute to the College and provide points of connection between the community and the College.
There is a sense of pride in being an Ionian and the term is tangible, valued and appreciated by all. Though the Presentation Sisters are less active within the College, the charism, personified by them, flourishes at Iona Presentation College and is genuinely treasured. Their time, counsel and impact are palpable.
The Parent Council is active and contributes to the College's cohesiveness and connectedness. The use of Class Representatives offers excellent opportunities for parents to feel included and to contribute, celebrate and socialise with other members of the College community.
The College Advisory Council functions extremely well and assists the College in many ways to ensure that Iona Presentation College has every opportunity to provide a contemporary, effective, differentiated, and holistic Catholic education to as wide a diversity of students as it can accommodate. The dichotomy between ensuring fiscal considerations are observed while offering an education to those who may require financial support is noted in enrolment considerations and aligns with the tenet of the Presentation charism and the actions of their founder, Nano Nagle.
The College's transition to K-12 and its transition to CEWA's governance have presented numerous opportunities and challenges to the College community in recent years. Consensus would indicate that these significant changes have been handled professionally and Iona Presentation College is well on the way to continuing its tradition of excellence, exceptional pastoral care and Catholicity.
Communications between the College and the home, at all levels, was acclaimed by data sources. The level of feedback on progress and achievement that is provided to students and their families is exemplary and keeps all abreast of how the students are progressing, what they need to do to complete assessments and the intent of programs taught.
Note was made by community members regarding the seamless way in which Iona Presentation College pivoted to remote learning considering the constraints dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The high quality of the communication allowed all students to continue their studies unabated. It was noted that students, including those in the Year 12 ATAR stream, 'did not miss a beat' and had everything they needed to continue their studies at 9.00am the morning after the requirement for students to not attend school was made. This is characteristic of the way in which the College's communication fosters strong connections between home and school.
The co-curricular opportunities offered to all students are outstanding and cover an impressively wide array of areas. The College identified close to 80 co-curricular offerings. It was universally acknowledged that staff at Iona Presentation College go 'above and beyond' to offer opportunities for students to experience a wide variety of learning opportunities within and outside the classroom. Students also have every opportunity to excel in their chosen field.
Student leadership is provided with a wide variety of opportunities to ferment a culture in which all students, regardless of the pathway upon which they embark, can serve in leadership positions and contribute to the decision-making processes at the College. There is a tradition of celebrating achievements, and the College takes immense pride in recognising the accomplishments of students, staff, alumni, and community members.
Iona Presentation College undertook a Climate Survey in 2021 and the findings were delved into deeply to determine what perceptions of the College offered opportunities to celebrate and which areas provided areas for growth. The findings were shared with the College community by the College Leadership Team in a judicious and pastoral manner which honoured the wonderful work done by staff and communicated which areas the College could focus on to improve the quality of the educational and pastoral opportunities it offered.
There is a cohesive, collaborative and collegial relationship between staff members where various roles are equally valued. A comment was made that there was not a 'them' and 'us' distinction between teaching and non-teaching staff. Rather, there was a well-supported belief that everyone's contribution was honoured and valued ."
Some of the areas identified for future consideration were as follows:
- Strengthening the relationship with Parish,
- Growing faith connections through retreat experiences, particularly with the introduction of a Year 12 Retreat,
- Continue to grow connection between Junior School and Senior School,
- Keeping the story of our Presentation Sisters front and centre,
- Reviewing decision making practices – staff and student voice,
- Development of a Vision for Learning that encompasses Pre-K to Year 12, and
- Continued analysis of data for growth and improvement.
As we have worked upon the development of a new Strategic Plan over the course of this year for 2022 and beyond, the above has been considered when planning our improvement journey in the coming years.
In closing, I would once again like to extend an enormous thank you to all families for your support in my first year of Principal at Iona. It has been an absolute privilege to serve this wonderful community and I can't wait to be part of the 2022 journey.
I wish you all a happy and Holy Christmas and hope that the New Year affords you much time with loved ones. Have a happy and safe holiday.
God bless,
Robyn Miller
Principal
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