Executive Director's Update to Principals #42: Principalship at St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East - 29 Jul 2021

Principalship at St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East

Eileen Rice, principal at St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East, has announced her retirement, effective at the end of this school year.

Eileen has been a valuable member of the Ballarat Diocesan Catholic Education community for over forty years as a teacher, a Religious Education Leader, a Learning Diversity Leader and for the past fifteen years, as the principal of St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East.

Eileen has been awarded the Catholic Leadership Award from Catholic Education Ballarat on two occasions: in 2016 with John Crowley and again earlier this year. Eileen received this award for leadership that provides active witness to God’s presence in the education, parish and diocesan community, and that enhances the education community’s Catholic identity and for excellence in leadership around Religious Education, spirituality, liturgy, religious art, social justice, the founding charism, evangelization and ecology.

As principal of St Alipius Parish School, Eileen consistently provides active witness to her faith through her authentic leadership and promotion of inclusive practices. She lives out our Diocesan Vision of ‘pursuing fullness of life for all’ in all interactions and always shows a deep respect for the human dignity of each and every person. Her leadership is underpinned by the development of relationships with all members of the school and local community. Eileen’s outreach to our indigenous community has been significant. Eileen is a passionate educator with a strong commitment to providing the best educational opportunities for staff and students. She has a clear vision of high-quality education for all students.

In her letter of resignation, Eileen stated that she has loved every minute of her work. “Though it hasn’t always been easy, nothing worthwhile ever is. I have loved the challenges as much as I have loved the support of this amazing parish and school. Building relationships that honour each individual and enable us all to grow has been a joy.”

On behalf of the Diocesan Education Community, I congratulate Eileen on her contribution to Catholic Education over the years and wish her all the very best for the future. Advertising to replace Eileen will commence shortly.

Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat