Secretariat
Mrs Catherine (Cath) Garrett-Jones
Executive Director, CCSP
You can email Cath Garrett-Jones here
Or call her on 02 9287 1514
A little about Cath Garrett-Jones
As a wife and mother of three adult daughters, I am keenly aware of the empowering strength of education and the critical and pivotal role of parents and carers as the first educators of their children. The voice of parents and carers is vital in ensuring our Catholic schools are inclusive and welcoming, fostering the Gospel values we seek to instil in our children.
I began my career as a teacher of science and biology in 1988 moving out of the classroom and into a role in Family Engagement in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Schools Office in 2012. During this time, I worked with the diocesan peak parent body and developed a new model for parent and carer engagement that has, as a focus, an emphasis on authentic parent and carer engagement in learning.
Our schools and their families have worked through unprecedented times in recent years that have only emphasised the importance of deep communication between our families and schools.
Plenty of research exists to highlight the importance of the partnership between families and their school and the critical impact this has on their child’s learning.
I have always considered the partnership a little like “jumping into a canoe together” with each of us paddling to reach our common destination - the same one we all share, best outcomes for our children. At times, parents and carers may find paddling difficult, but that’s ok, as a caring community, we have their back, offering compassionate and understanding support. At other times, teachers and schools may find the padding a bit challenging, that is when our families can do so much to help schools, build them up, affirm them and encourage them with their empathetic communication.
I am looking forward to continuing to strengthen the collaborative and forward-thinking Council, helping to shape an approach that is reflective of the needs of parents and carers across NSW and the ACT.
I am excited about the opportunity to build the capacity of our parents and carers to engage more deeply in their child’s learning. I am equally enthusiastic about supporting schools to develop and build their ability to engage with families to ensure meaningful connections that contribute to strong partnerships, enhancing learning for our children and young people.
Clare Dunstan
Media and Communications Officer
B Com (UNSW), Grad DipMgt (MGSM)
02 9287 1516
Theresa Sleiman
Administation Assistant
02 9287 1514
Email Theresa here