We are pleased to open the workshop registrations and invite you to browse the overviews below to make your selections.
Please ensure you have registered for the conference here before making your selections.
All workshop numbers are capped, so we encourage you to book as soon as possible.
Please ensure you book only one workshop for each of the four sessions.
Keynote Overviews
No booking is required for these sessions as all delegates attend each of the keynote presentations.
KEYNOTE 1
Pr Br David Hall FMS: Mercy Schools: Good for Australia
What type of leadership is required in achieving this aspiration? Our world is yearning for a more hope filled future, but this aspiration remains elusive. Catholic schools, have something distinct to offer this human yearning for more flourishing lives. What is distinctive about Catholic schools in offering humanity a way to achieve more meaningful lives in a more just and compassionate world?
KEYNOTE 2
Dr Mark Williams: The Neuroscience of Learning
In the past 25 years, there has been a dramatic increase in our understanding of the human brain, how it develops and learns and how best to teach students. Many of the older ideas and strategies around learning and memory have been shown to be incorrect and recent findings paint a very different picture of the human brain and its capacity to learn. Leaders have the opportunity to develop and apply teaching practices that incorporate many of these findings in their own schools. This presentation will cover many of the recent findings and discuss the new concepts and ideas around the neuroscience of learning.
KEYNOTE 3
Lucy Stronach: Minderoo Foundation – Communities
Santa Maria College alumni, Lucy Stronach, shares insights from her role in Communities at the Minderoo Foundation. Lucy’s presentation will highlight some of the challenges currently faced by educators, schools and Australia broadly; ‘crisis of disconnection’, ‘loneliness epidemic’ and the increasing demands on educators as a result, as well as offering her insight into ways we can overcome some of these challenges on a macro and local level.
KEYNOTE 4
Dr Helen Street: Contextual Wellbeing – Creating Positive Schools From the Inside Out
As much as we all want to support improved wellbeing and mental health in our school communities, the majority of school-based wellbeing programs are failing to make a significant impact. Dr Helen Street proposes we turn our attentions to a more contextually focused, real-world approach to supporting wellbeing. She proposes that we need to take time to understand each unique school context and then work to bring out the best in that context, to ensure it meets the key needs of all stakeholders. In this, Helen believes ‘we need to know our context, to grow our context well’.
Workshop Overviews
WORKSHOP 1
Please choose one of the following sessions for Workshop 1
Pr Br David Hall FMS: Visionary Leadership Through a Faith Lens – The Call to be Bold and Prophetic
Leadership is described in many ways; autocratic, collaborative, distributive, servant and in our current times, strategic. What the world needs most in these complex, even fragile times, is leadership that is visionary. Our faith tradition offers a particular way of understanding visionary leadership that ensures it is more sustainable and more rooted in the lives of the people we serve. This workshop will explore what hope-filled leadership looks like.
Siobhan Bloomfield & Tom Crowle: Student Leadership Matters
Explore the evolution of student leadership at St Aloysius College, where tailored pathways are progressively developed to empower high-performing, confident and compassionate student leaders. This workshop examines the growth of leadership roles, mentoring and community projects across Years 7–12, shaped by Mercy values to foster service-driven leadership.
Christina Symons & Amanda Humphrey: The Power of Immersive Experiences in Education Today
This mission-focused workshop explores how immersive experiences transform service learning, fostering authentic engagement and lived faith in action. It highlights ethical considerations, deep listening and meaningful connections with community partners. Practical strategies for curriculum integration and sustainable program development will be shared. This presentation is ideal for schools exploring or refining immersive learning initiatives.
Dr Lucie McCrory: The Principalship Encounter – The First Year in the Hot Seat
Join Dr Lucie McCrory (Principal of Mercedes College, Western Australia) for a discussion on the possible pathways towards Principalship and rearview reflections on her first-year experience.
Claire Easton: Building a Thriving Workplace – A Holistic Work Wellbeing Framework
This workshop will explore how All Hallows’ School integrates the Mercy charism into its holistic approach to staff wellbeing, using a Work Wellbeing Framework. Grounded in the values of Faith and Mercy and inspired by the spirit of Catherine McAuley, the framework provides a comprehensive, proactive pathway to creating a flourishing work environment. Participants will engage in interactive activities to better understand how this framework enhances work-life balance and fosters a safe and sustainable work environment.
Elisa Litvin & Adam Valladras: Embracing Diversity in a Mercy School – Cultivating Inclusion and Compassion
In a Mercy school, teaching diversity goes beyond simply acknowledging differences; it embodies the mission of compassion, justice, and respect for all. This workshop will explore practical strategies to foster an inclusive classroom environment that reflects the Mercy values of respect and service. Participants will engage in discussions on inclusive curriculum design and creating a safe space for dialogue, and social justice in an effort to celebrate diversity, challenge bias and build a more equitable and compassionate school community.
Danielle Spark: Mental Health Strategy – From Plan to Action
Discover how Santa Maria College developed and implemented its Mental Health Strategy, enhancing wellbeing through community collaboration. Gain insights into fostering a supportive environment for student mental health and the actions taken to improve student wellbeing.
WORKSHOP 2
Please choose one of the following sessions for Workshop 2
Jane Sparks & Rebecca Dea: Student Engagement and Pastoral Care Using the Mercy Values
Jane and Rebecca will share how St Joseph’s College, Mildura has focused and built relationships within the entire school community through a range of practices underpinned by the college Mercy values. Their goal is to support the development of students with strong social values and skills that set them up for a highly effective adult life. In this workshop, they will share some of the programs offered by their school Wellbeing team.
Kirsty Murphy & Christina Spagnuolo: Mercedes Chrysalis – Unfolding the Wings of Student Transformation
Mercedes College Chrysalis, designed to symbolise a period of transition and growth, is a personal portfolio that showcases the development and transformation of students during their secondary schooling. The Chrysalis is an individualised, authentic, student-centred, digital growth measure. This workshop will highlight the Chrysalis structure, including the use of modules, channels and resources. It will address topics such as Wellbeing, My School Skill Set (digital literacy, learning skills and electronic diary), Pastoral Care Programs, Endorsed Courses, Micro-credentials and Future Pathway Planning.
Colin Hogan & Ellen Francis: IGEN – Exploring the Mutual Benefits of Intergenerational Learning Through Mercy Partnerships
The iGEN program (Catherine McAuley College, Bendigo and Mercy Health) connects students with aged care residents, fostering meaningful relationships, social and emotional growth and career exploration in aged care. Embedded in the curriculum, this sustainable model enriches learning while positively impacting residents’ wellbeing. Discover how iGEN is shaping future leaders and expanding its reach in 2025.
Margo Bastow: They Choose the School for the Teachers – But Will the Teachers Choose to Stay?
Sparked by parent feedback and shaped by staff voices, Thrive at Work was born from a deep belief that every team member, teaching and operational, plays a vital role in the life of our College. With great teachers consistently cited as the top reason families choose Santa Maria, Thrive at Work is our commitment to building a culture where all staff feel seen, supported and inspired to grow, lead and stay.
Tara Egger: Mercy Culture Audit – Maintaining an Authentic Mercy Charism Through Change
Tara shares insights into conducting a Mercy Culture Audit to ensure we are doing what we say we are doing. Tara will step participants through the development of a tool that can be accessed to gather data on all aspects of Mercy Culture longitudinally. In this case study, the research data was used to provide a benchmark for future comparison when looking at the Mercy Culture a decade on from the handover of governance. Delegates will be encouraged to reflect on the essence of what is means to be Mercy and to explore our point of difference.
Jamie Clark: Mercedes College New Professional Growth Model
In this session, Jamie Clark introduces the Professional Growth Model at Mercedes College, a structured framework designed to establish the conditions for high-impact teaching and continuous professional learning. Jamie will explore how the model integrates whole-school evidence-based PD, self-paced learning opportunities, and targeted responsive coaching cycles to drive ongoing improvement and enhance instructional excellence.
Catherine O’Kane: Sustaining Engagement – How Strategic Teams Strengthen Community
This presentation will explore the innovative strategic team structure at All Hallows’ School, which empowers all staff to contribute meaningfully to decision-making, innovation and change management. Catherine will cover the design of strategic teams and their key roles and explain how the model has facilitated change management by ensuring staff buy-in. This session will also demonstrate the outcomes and numerous benefits of the model, including increased staff engagement, streamlined processes and a stronger sense of community.
WORKSHOP 3
Please choose one of the following sessions for Workshop 3
Dr Helen Street: A Journey to Equity and Inclusion
In this workshop, Helen will explore popular attitudes and beliefs about the meaning of equity and inclusion in 2025. She will then invite delegates to explore how we might most helpfully understand inclusion and more effectively support diversity within our schools. Helen will help delegates to feel more confident in their pursuit of equity and inclusion in their classrooms and in their whole-school community.
Nuella Flynn: How Students Learn – A Model for Effective Teaching Practice
Evidence from cognitive science, neuroscience and education psychology provides insight to the processes that occur during learning, which helps explain why some teaching practices are more effective than others across diverse schooling contexts. In this session, AERO will share a model describing a set of teaching practices aligned with the learning process, and practical guidance for teachers and leaders to develop their understanding, make well-informed teaching decisions and implement evidence-based practices across the school.
Veronica Parker & St Brigid’s Boarding Leaders: Walking Together in Two Worlds
The Boarding leaders of St Brigid’s College will share with you how they thrive in a city school setting and then flourish at home in some of the remotest regions in Australia. The students excel at code-switching and two-way learning. They are culturally aware and comfortably step into two very different worlds. The journey to thriving within these cultural settings is not always easy. The partnership between home and school is at the heart of making this possible. Join us as we share the challenges and joys of walking together in two worlds.
Louisa Rennie: Drawing on our Charism to Inform the Future of Mercy
Join Louisa Rennie, CEO Mercy Education, in dialogue to explore the Mercy Charism and its expression in our educational context. Be prepared to add to the conversation, learn from others and share insights into the challenges and opportunities for influence within and across our schools, today and into the future.
Majella Dennis: Pairs Peacemaking – Navigating Relationship Repair and Rebuilding Connection
Effectively resolving conflict in relationships is a universal challenge. Understanding emotions, building empathy, communicating respectfully and navigating relationship rupture and repair are all fundamental skills in schools and workplaces and in our own personal lives, yet many of us do not have a toolkit to support these processes. This workshop introduces the PAIRS framework for understanding interpersonal relationships and resolving conflict. The framework applies restorative practice principles and provides a clear, actionable process for facilitating conflict resolution for both staff and students, building positive workplace and school relationships.
Michelle Carrick: Pathways to Professional Excellence – A Growth and Development Framework
Santa Maria College has a strong culture of staff professional growth. Discover how our bespoke staff development programs WELCOME, NURTURE, EXCEL and LEAD foster professional learning at every career stage and empower our teachers as they strive for excellence in teaching and learning.
WORKSHOP 4
Please choose one of the following sessions for Workshop 4
Dr Helen Street: A Journey to Equity and Inclusion
In this workshop, Helen will explore popular attitudes and beliefs about the meaning of equity and inclusion in 2025. She will then invite delegates to explore how we might most helpfully understand inclusion and more effectively support diversity within our schools. Helen will help delegates to feel more confident in their pursuit of equity and inclusion in their classrooms and in their whole-school community.
Nuella Flynn: How Students Learn – A Model for Effective Teaching Practice
Evidence from cognitive science, neuroscience and education psychology provides insight to the processes that occur during learning, which helps explain why some teaching practices are more effective than others across diverse schooling contexts. In this session, AERO will share a model describing a set of teaching practices aligned with the learning process and practical guidance for teachers and leaders to develop their understanding, make well-informed teaching decisions and implement evidence-based practices across the school.
Dr Tania Hicks: A Sense of Hope, Shared Belief and Connectedness to Others – Student Spiritual Growth in Mercy Education
The distinctive nature of a Mercy education fuels student spiritual growth through providing a sense of hope, shared belief and connectedness to others. These key findings were derived from a study by Dr Hicks, which explored how the education delivered in three Western Australian schools, founded by the Sisters of Mercy and grounded in their distinctive charism, influenced student spiritual growth. The study explored the perceptions of ex-students about the influences of Mercy secondary schooling and revealed how particular aspects of the mission and identity of the Mercy charism fuelled spiritual growth.
Kate Anderson: Advancing Global Water Justice – Advocacy, Action and Sustainable Solutions
This interactive workshop is designed to equip educators from Mercy schools with the tools to understand and address critical water justice issues. Participants will explore the Mercy Water Justice Coalition’s mission and the Mercy Justice Advocacy Approach, gaining insights into how they can advocate for and implement sustainable water solutions within their school communities. By linking faith, education and science, schools are empowered to develop Water Justice Action Plans that foster collaboration and community engagement.
Helen Shanahan: The Community Songbook – the Power of Group Singing and Harmony
Join award-winning singer-songwriter Helen as she shares insights into her role as founder of the Songwriters Café. Helen will explore the impact of music events on building community and uniting people. This interactive workshop will also explore the power of singing in harmony, and delegates will create a group song together to experience first-hand the uplift and joy that comes from making music. Group singing only and no musical ability is necessary – this workshop is suited for anyone with an interest in learning more about the power of music on our wellbeing and the ways in which singing can build and foster community.
Jayne Kingwell: AI: A Whole School Approach to the Future of Learning
This workshop outlines a whole school approach to Artificial Intelligence, focusing on its impact on teaching, learning and community engagement. We will share guiding principles and initiatives that support staff, students and parents in navigating AI’s opportunities and challenges. Key strategies include professional learning for educators, student engagement in responsible AI use and meaningful discussions with parents. Participants will gain insights into fostering an AI-informed school culture that prepares students for the future of learning.