New body to help with schools’ Champagnat Marist character

It was recognised that the traditional oversight model for schools needed to evolve to address modern educational challenges.

Janne Pender, CMEL’s inaugural chair, said: “We needed to have a group that would focus solely on the mission here in New Zealand, and the establishment of this proactive organisation marks a transformative step forward.”

She added: “This initiative will strengthen and further unify key institutions, including Marcellin, Sacred Heart and St Paul’s Colleges in Auckland, as well as the Marist Alternative Education initiative, the Sacred Heart College Hostel and eight associated schools.”

The new organisation will work with all Champagnat Marist schools on formation and will assist the proprietor boards of Marcellin, Sacred Heart and St Paul’s Colleges to develop and maintain their Catholic Champagnat Marist character. Those schools were founded by the Marist Brothers.

From this perspective, CMEL has recently appointed Justin Durling as its first CEO. He is a New Zealander with extensive experience in Catholic education.

One of the key challenges CMEL aims to address is the “diminishing strength of Catholicity” in schools throughout the country.

“Addressing this issue is vital to ensuring the Catholic ethos remains vibrant and deeply embedded within these schools, making it one of CMEL’s biggest tasks and challenges,” explained Br Barry Burns, co-chair of the Association of Champagnat Marists Aotearoa – New Zealand.

Maintaining the core Catholic character of Catholic schools in an increasingly secular society has become more difficult, and there is a shrinking pool of qualified Catholic educators.

CMEL will focus on establishing clear performance indicators, a task slated for strategic planning sessions with Br Peter Carroll, the provincial of the Star of the Sea Province in Oceania.

FULL STORY

https://champagnat.org/en/marist-leadership-has-established-champagnat-marist-education-limited/ (Marists of Champagnat)