Executive Director's Update to Principals #52: Principalship at St Brigid’s Primary School, Ballan - Mon 16 Aug

Principalship at St Brigid’s Primary School, Ballan

Gabe Driscoll, current principal at St Brigid’s Primary School, Ballan, has announced her retirement from this position, effective at the end of the 2021 school year. Gabe has been St Brigid’s principal for almost seven years and her decision to retire has been prompted by several months of sick leave prior to a diagnosis of cancer. She is currently undergoing intensive chemotherapy in preparation for major surgery. While Gabe’s oncologist has advised “writing 2021 off”, thankfully her longer-term prognosis is positive. This of course means that Gabe must, in the first instance, prioritise her own health and wellbeing. 

Gabe first began teaching in the classroom in 1981 at St Francis Xavier Primary School, Ballarat East and she has since worked in rural, urban and regional schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Diocese of Ballarat.  After working as a Curriculum Adviser with the Catholic Education Office Ballarat, Gabe commenced her first principalship in 1999 and has since led three schools as principal.

Gabe’s resignation as principal at St Brigid’s is not how she had anticipated her 40 years in Catholic education concluding. We are thankful for Gabe’s many years of service to Catholic Education and wish her well though this period and beyond. Gabe herself is grateful for the many children, parents and colleagues she has had the privilege of serving and working with as one committed to the vocation of Catholic education.

The recruitment for a new principal for St Brigid’s Primary School, Ballan, commencing in the 2022 school year, will commence in late Term 3.

Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat