Margurite O'Connor
Box Hill,New South Wales
Summary
Experienced Mission Team Leader with a strong commitment to promoting Catholic Identity and religious education excellence. Skilled in fostering a culture of formation and mission within schools. Proficient in mentoring middle leaders in RE, organizing professional learning opportunities, and collaborating with external partners for diverse formation experiences. Adept in evaluating program effectiveness and utilizing multimedia to reinforce Catholic Identity. Seeking new opportunities to continue making a transformative impact in religious education and fostering spiritual growth.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Mission Partner
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
04.2022 - Current
- Portfolio Lead: Formation and School Engagement
- Work with Chancery including Bishop's office to prepare liturgies.
- Co-writing and leading retreats for school leaders and staff.
- Work with clergy to develop sessions and present at retreats.
- Writing and organising delivery of prayers for system events.
- Work with a range of people from CSPD directorates and schools to co-lead formation and professional learning.
- Develop a plan each term for the engagement of the Mission Team with CSPD schools.
- Develop and manage delivery of system-wide Mentoring Program for newly appointed Religious Education Coordinators.
- Support a cluster of 10 schools (K-12, Primary and Secondary)working closely with leadership teams to build formation, religious education and mission in the school.
- Mentor middle leaders in RE.
- Develop and organise professional learning for Religious Education Coordinators including the Professional Learning Day each Term.
- Oversee the REC Network, inviting a group of colleagues to provide feedback about the work of the Mission Team each term.
- Develop and manage support for newly accredited teachers of RE.
- Work with external partners, including experts, venues and agencies to deliver opportunities relating to formation and religious education.
- Writing evaluation tools and analysing data to ensure that professional learning and formation opportunities are meeting goals and refined for relevance.
- Working with ACU to build a Formation Index to evaluate the impact of formation opportunities, pre and post-delivery.
- Development of a monthly Mission Matters Newsletter for all schools, sharing resources and information to support religious education and formation.
- Experience with ECSI. Selected to study in Belgium at KU Leuven to understand the challenges and opportunities presented by Catholic Identity in the modern world and the related survey data.
- Development of videos and audiovisual material to support projects associated with Catholic Identity.
Director Religious Education and Formation
St Pauls Catholic College
08.2018 - 04.2022
- Modeling commitment and witness to the Catholic faith
- Member of the College Executive
- Building relationships with the adjoining Primary and Parish, including the development of whole campus Staff Spirituality Days (Parish, Pre K - 12)
- Challenging and leading the school community ensuring it is recognisably Catholic and aligned with the strategic intent
- Building an understanding of contemporary learning theory and practice through the implementation of
- Developer: DRAFT Curriculum: Living Life to the Full.
- Ensuring all areas of compliance are addressed as the KLA Leader of the Religious Education Faculty including assessment, programs and pedagogy
- Promote and support Accreditation to teach Religious Education amongst staff
- Developing and delivering the Formation program for the College including Formation Days, Retreats
- Prayer and Liturgy
- Rebranding, developing and overseeing the Ekklesia program (social justice - outreach)
- Leader in the delivery of Inquiry Learning Pedagogy within the College
- Planning and engaging in professional learning with school staff on contemporary learning and teaching including the delivery of pedagogy workshops to staff.
- Building the capacity and capabilities of others through mentoring and observation including the supervisor for New Scheme Teachers.
- Contributor to the College Behaviour Management Plan.
Assistant HSIE Coordinator
St Pauls Catholic College
01.2018 - 08.2018
- Responsible for leading Stage 5 HSIE
- Organisation of programs, registers, reports, assessments, and assessment schedules
- Working collaboratively with staff
- Student Management
- Subjects: Religious Education, Modern History, Australian History and Geography.
Classroom Teachers
St Pauls Catholic College
07.2011 - 01.2018
- Developed skills for collaboration and organisation as part of a Job Share
- Worked within the Religious Education Department to develop programs, assessment and mentoring of staff
- Assisted with the organisation of liturgies
- Assisted with the organisation of retreats and spirituality days
- Subjects: Religious Education, Studies of Religion, English, Modern History, Business Studies, Australian
- History and Geography.
Foundation Staff Member
St Mark's Catholic College
01.2008 - 05.2011
- Developed the Religious Education programs to reflect the open classroom approach of the College
- Worked collaboratively with staff to deliver Religious Education within other KLA's
- Organisation of all liturgies within the College
- Wrote and lead reflection days
- Worked with the Bishop's Office for the Blessing of Buildings
- Subjects: Religious Education, English, Australian History and Geography.
Religious Education Coordinator 1 Pt and 3 Pt
Emmaus Catholic College
08.2004 - 05.2007
- Member of the College Executive (1 point and 3 point Coordinator)
- Worked with the Religious Education team to rewrite all programs with the inclusion of resources to ensure consistency within a very large department
- Reorganised assessments for the department to raise the academic approach to the subject and meet the diverse needs of the students
- Organisation of liturgies and daily prayer within the College
- Wrote and led reflection days
- Wrote and led retreats
- Subjects: Religious Education, Studies of Religion, English, Australian History and Geography.
Classroom Teacher/Religious Education Coordinator
Nagle College
01.1999 - 08.2004
- Contributed to all aspects of the Religious Education Department, working closely with the REC
- Developed liturgies for the College
- Attended retreats and spirituality days
- House Patron
- Member of the College Advisory Board.
Education
Master of Education - Leading And Learning
University of Technology
Sydney, NSW04.2025
Deputy Principals' Leadership Colloquium - Leadership, Mentoring And Performance
National Excellence in School Leadership Institute
06.2022
Master Religious Education - Curriculum, Liturgy And Leadership
Australian Catholic University
Sydney, NSW12.2003
Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - Religious Education
Australian Catholic University
Sydney, NSW12.1998
(Various) -
Ongoing Professional Development
Awards
- 2003 Masters Deans List Commendation (top 10%)
- 1999 Most Outstanding Education Student (Australian College of Education)
- 1998 Dean of Education Special Award
- 1995 Religious Education Scholarship (Catholic Education Office, Parramatta)
Parish Involvement
Our Lady Queen of Peace, Greystanes
- Member of the Parish Pastoral Council 2020 (School Representative)
- Liturgical Planning Committee
- Eucharistic Minister
- Musician
Additional Information
Mr Paul Finneran
Principal
St Pauls Catholic College
Greystanes, 2145
0419 287 330
Fr Paul Roberts
Parish Priest
Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish Greystanes, 2145
0417 441 177
Timeline
Mission Partner
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
04.2022 - Current
Director Religious Education and Formation
St Pauls Catholic College
08.2018 - 04.2022
Assistant HSIE Coordinator
St Pauls Catholic College
01.2018 - 08.2018
Classroom Teachers
St Pauls Catholic College
07.2011 - 01.2018
Foundation Staff Member
St Mark's Catholic College
01.2008 - 05.2011
Religious Education Coordinator 1 Pt and 3 Pt
Emmaus Catholic College
08.2004 - 05.2007
Classroom Teacher/Religious Education Coordinator
Nagle College
01.1999 - 08.2004
Master of Education - Leading And Learning
University of Technology
Deputy Principals' Leadership Colloquium - Leadership, Mentoring And Performance
National Excellence in School Leadership Institute
Master Religious Education - Curriculum, Liturgy And Leadership
Australian Catholic University
Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - Religious Education
Australian Catholic University
(Various) -
Ongoing Professional Development