Assumption College principal Kate Fogarty has been awarded one of six Menzies School Leader Fellowships.
The purpose of the fellowship is to help raise the profile and importance of outstanding leadership.
It is to encourage Australians to reflect on leadership, build their own leadership capability and contribute to systemic changes required to build strong school leaders equipped in increasingly challenging and complex school contexts.
The fellowship program is delivered by the Menzies Foundation together with a multi-sector collaboration group, including the Australian Council for Educational Research.
“I am extremely honoured to be one of six innovative principals and assistant principals from Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools to receive this fellowship to support and encourage leadership in schools,” Ms Fogarty said.
“This fellowship is critical in investigating and supporting school leaders who have the capacity to make catalytic change to improve student learning outcomes”.
“This fellowship will benefit our broader community as, with the support of expert researchers and specialised coaches, I and our incredible academic team will be encouraged to reimagine school leadership development, implement collective efficacy programs for the growth of others and then pass on our collective knowledge to the broader educational community.
“The COVID pandemic has brought on unique challenges within school environments, and this experience will enable me to work with various high-profile collaboration groups and leaders to find ways to meet the ongoing complex challenges in powerful ways.
“Insightful and effective leadership through complex situations will benefit local students in every school.”
The Menzies School Leader Fellowship Program is a two-year program that seeks to harness cross-sector expertise to understand how to build a pipeline of talented school leaders, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to successfully adapt to and take on the challenges and complexities of the role while supporting staff and students.
Each two-year $150,000 fellowship includes creating and leading an in-school collective efficacy research project, participation in a leadership development program co-designed by education leadership expert Laureate Professor John Hattie and his team at the University of Melbourne, individual leadership coaching, travel grants to undertake study trips, attendance at several professional development workshops and Menzies Alumni membership.
Other recipients of the fellowship include Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School principal Kate Dullard; St Catherine’s School principal Michelle Carroll; Our Lady of Mercy College principal Judith Weir; Glen Eira College assistant principal Aaron Peterson; and Auburn High School principal Maria Karvouni.
