MSC EDUCATION, TRANSITION TO A LAY DIRECTOR, MARK McGINNITY
In recent decades, Jim Littleton, Denis Uhr, Bob Irwin, have served in this rolel, Director of MSC Education, for our four colleges, Downland, Chevalier, Monivae, Daramalan – Mark McGinnity, finishing his term as principal of Monivae College, now takes on the responsibility.
His comments appeared recently in the MSC printed magazine.
Greetings to the wider MSC community.
At the end of 2019, I conclude my tenure as Principal of Monivae College, Hamilton, and will be taking over from Father Bob Irwin as the Director of MSC Education (Australia) – very “big shoes” to fill, indeed! By way of introduction, I’ve been asked to provide a brief career synopsis.
With over 35 years as a Catholic educator, my time at Monivae was preceded by a range of leadership roles at Xavier College, Kew; St Ignatius College, Riverview; St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill; John Paul II Senior High, Murrayong, and St Pius X College Chatswood. Looking back – I would like to think that my leadership style has been one focused on the provision of positive encounters and strategic outcomes, constant learning and personal reflection. The spiritual formation of students and staff has been a constant throughout my career.
They say that “all good things come to those who wait”. For myself and my wife, Sue, our time at Monivae, immersed in the MSC charism, has been worth the wait! We have found our spiritual home.
Looking forward to the new role – I am therefore grateful to have the opportunity to continue a career within a tradition that holds “relatedness as the care of all educational pursuits”. Now more than ever. Collegial support amongst educational leaders is something to be nurtured and fostered. In a regional setting, this has been a particular focus of my time at Monivae and I look forward to supporting our MSC Principals and College Boards to ensure the MSC charism continues to flourish in our schools. As a recent graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, I view governance as an important aspect of modern educational leadership. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to have held numerous positions on Boards across the Education, Health and Sports sectors. Experiences gained here will hopefully help me serve both our MSC schools and the Chevalier Institute well.
In Term One next year, it is envisaged I will “shadow” Bob Irwin as he attends Board meetings at our four schools. I hope to meet new faces and renew acquaintances with others as we “make the rounds” and as stated earlier – “very big shoes to fill”, prayers please.
