Student Voice Advocates (for BCE Staff)
BCE has partnered with international experts in student voice, the Quaglia Institute for Voice and Aspirations, to help grow opportunities for student voice across our community of schools.
BCE has appointed 18 staff members to the role of Student Voice Advocates who will work to grow opportunities for voice over 2020 - 2022.
Student Voice Advocates 2020 - 2022 (For BCE Staff only)
BCE has commenced a 3 year partnership with the Quaglia Institue for School Voice and Aspirations to grow student voice in BCE community of schools.
Eighteen (18) staff are in the process of becoming certified Student Voice Advocates. The role of Student Voice Advocates is to:
- develop a shared understanding of student voice in their schools and cluster
- empower the voices of students in their schools and cluster
- promote student participation in their schools and cluster
Meet our BCE Student Voice Advocates
Name: Susan Hawkins
School: Guardian Angels, Ashmore.
Position: Primary School Teacher
Hopes and Dreams: Like all educators, I wish for my students to realise and reach their potential as learners. I believe this is best achieved when students have an active role in their learning. It is my hope that by embedding Student Voice within our school community, we will increase our ability to create authentic learning experiences that resonate with our students.
Name: Cassie Geissmann
School: St. Benedict's Colleg
Position: Pastoral Leader for Year 12s
my inspiration and motivation to be a Student Voice Advocate stems from my curiosity to develop a way of working with students that empowers them as active participants in their school communities. The aim is for students to contribute positively to their school, local and global communities. I am focused on improving our College culture, as we are a new College, and the 2020 student body is only our 4th cohort of Seniors. I believe if we provide students have a sense of belonging and ownership in their future, then greater gains in well-being, academic and community can be achieved.
Name: Louise Wijngaarden
School: Mt Maria Mitchelton
Position: Teacher – Maths and Science
Hopes and Dreams: I strongly feel that students need to be heard, to become fully engaged in their learning journey. I would hope to develop a deeper understanding of how to implement and embed the use of Student Voice across the entire school community, to enact deeper student engagement and lead to meaningful change.
Name: Michael Boyle
School: Chisholm Catholic College, Cornubia
Position: AP
Hopes and Dreams: I am excited to be a part of the Student Voice project as our school establishes a Student Representative Council and extends Student Voice throughout the operation of the school. As students are given the opportunity to include their voice, I hope they will feel more connected to the school and engaged in learning.
Name: Christine Flaherty
School: Mt Maria Mitchelton
Position: HPE and Religion Teacher
Hopes and Dreams for Student Voice: My hope is that Student Voice can become embedded in our practice so much so that it becomes second nature. I hope that my school can use this process as a way of better engaging with our students and enabling their educational journey to be as positive and empowering for them as possible.
Name:-Kathi Rutkowski
School:- St Matthew's Cornubia
Position:-Assistant Principal-Administration
My hope is that student voice will provide the platform for a culture to be developed within our school community where voice is valued, partnerships are strengthened, and authentic connections and relationships are made. I hope that student voice will assist in promoting student well-being through more purposeful and meaningful teaching and learning opportunities where students feel valued for who they are and what they have to offer as individuals. The dream is that voice will become an integral part of our everyday practice … 'EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY!'
Name: Kris Rowlands
Position: Catholic Perspectives (including Relationships and Sexuality Education) Education Officer
To promote and support planned dialogue amongst staff, student and families about happenings in our world appreciating what Catholic perspectives (lens) brings to individual and groups' action or non-action.
Name: Kevin Billion
School: St Mary's Primary Beaudesert
Position: Principal
Hopes and Dreams for Student Voice: I feel we are educating children and young adults in an era where their voice needs to be truly heard more than ever. Not only does their voice need to be heard, but I feel these future generation of leaders need to be shown how to really listen, learn from each-other, and engage for the betterment of the whole. My hope is that this will over time be a model for engagement that is seen to be an essential practice across our Catholic schools.
Name: Jenny Rutherford
Position: Education Officer Student Wellbeing based at Springwood
Hopes and dreams for student voice: to grow my own understanding of student voice, and to support schools to understand the importance, role and relevance of student voice, to build passion and appetite for student voice to become the way of working in their school. As a member of the Student Wellbeing team it is my mission to support schools to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our students to facilitate engagement in school life and learning, feel a joy in learning, and have the opportunity to live a good life with meaning and purpose.
Name: Bronwyn Buckley
School: St Peter's Primary School, Rochedale
Position: Principal
Voice is power if used intentionally. I want all our students to be happy, engaged and empowered learners, confident in their place in a meaningful learning journey. My hope is that voice will become “just what and how we do" with all members of our community. My hope for the students at school (and for me and staff) is to develop and the skills, abilities and knowledge to have authentic voice. My dream is to realise the potential that student voice has in changing the way we do things to be more personalised and intentional!
Name: Kym Daley
School: St. Mark's Inala
Position: Teacher
Most of my teaching career has been in the upper primary years. I love working with this age group of students. I look forward to listening to Student Voice, spreading the message to staff, so together we can learn to create powerful engaging classrooms and schools.
Name: Angela Ryan
School: St Peter Claver College
Position: Assistant Principal Identity & Mission
Hopes and dreams: Student voice becomes infused across all areas of school life so that it becomes a way of being in our schools that fosters the growth of self- efficacy, engagement and sense of purpose.
Name: Joan Prasser
School: Siena Catholic College
Position: Campus Minister
Hopes and dreams: I hope for Student Voice to be an effective platform for our students to be heard, be more proactive in their student journey and to be taken seriously by their teachers, our leadership team and their peers.
Name: Kareana Jensen
School: Xavier Catholic College, Hervey Bay.
Position: Arts Teacher for the Primary School / High School Home Group Teacher
The aspirations I have for Student Voice is that this becomes accepted and embraced by my school community in a very visible way. The revitalisation of current practice is particularly pertinent as is the introduction of new initiatives. Student Voice is about community, connection and visible exchanges that empower both students and teachers and promotes positive growth for the individual and community.
Name: Danielle Carter
School: Assisi Catholic College
Position: P-12 Head (EY/JY P-6)
My hopes and dreams are to develop a culture that authentically empowers and lives student voice within the College, where students potential and partnerships are valued and intentionally actioned. Value time to listen, discover opportunities and be open to possibilities!
Name: Krijn van Gils
School: Aquinas College
Position: Program Leader for Senior School
I hope to be able to implement more student voice within our College with a focus on student wellbeing and improving the teaching and learning outcomes through an increased awareness of the importance of relationships in educational settings.
Name: Anne-Marie Maw
School: St Agatha's Primary School, Clayfield
Position: Principal
My hopes and dreams for Student Voice is for generations of learners to grow their potential to be part of the solution. I believe through Student Voice, our students will grow as local and global citizens who demonstrate a genuine care and concern as disciples of Jesus. The future is looking particularly bright and 'Student Voice' is one of the stars in our constellation.
Name: Damian Bottaccio
School: Chisholm Catholic College, Cornubia
Position: Principal
Hopes and Dreams: Student Voice is an element that our staff have discussed as an area of need. I would hope that we could build a culture whereby students know that they have a genuine voice.