The Executive Director of Catholic Education has announced that our Principal, Mr Michael Lee, will conclude his time at MacKillop at the end of the 2025 school year.
Mr Lee wrote to the College community today to share the news, as well as the announcement from Pam Betts, where he described the decision as one of 'deep emotion'.
With his contract set to expire at the end of the year, Mr Lee decided not to seek a renewal after 18 years at the College.
Catholic Education will be advertising for a new principal in the coming days.
The College would like to express its gratitude for the profound impact Michael Lee has had on our school and the broader community over the past 18 years.
Mr Lee's message to the community is below.
Dear parents, staff and students,
I am writing to share an announcement from the Executive Director of Catholic Education, Pam Betts, that my contract as Principal of MacKillop concludes at the end of the 2025 school year and I have not asked for another extension.
MacKillop is in an excellent space, with a strong culture of safety and learning, excellent staff, talented leaders, and is financially secure. The confidence of the wider community in this school is a source of pride that we can all share.
The timing of this announcement has been in the hands of Catholic Education. It will give the MacKillop community and CECG every opportunity to secure an excellent appointment to take the College into the future.
I hope you can appreciate that this is a decision of deep emotion for me, but the right one for MacKillop after 18 years of one Principal.
Yours sincerely in St Mary MacKillop,
Michael Lee
College Principal
Mr Lee has also recorded a brief video message regarding the announcement:
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St Mary of the Cross MacKillop made the statement: “We are but travellers here, so while we are here we should do as much good as we can and live in peace with each other.”
With this in mind, the College respectfully acknowledges the Ngunnawal people who are the Traditional Custodians and First People of the land on which we gather each day. The College also pays its respects to the Elders past, present and emerging, and any other Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples living and working in the MacKillop community.
St Mary MacKillop College Canberra
Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Education Limited
ABN 60 675 797 734
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