Since becoming principal at St Aloysius Primary Primary School, Queenscliff, in 2022, Miriam Leahy has taken a hands-on, inclusive and stretch based approach. The beauty of working in a small school, with a close knit community, is that even as principal, Miriam still teaches senior art every week, and just went away on grade 5 / 6 Camp to Cape Schank for three days, enjoying swimming, climbing and camping with the kids.
This enables her to really know her school community and better plan for the best way to engage them in learning and teaching.
With some of the best NAPLAN results over the past five years in the Geelong region and a great outdoor learning program, Miriam has high hopes for the future.
Situated between the shores of Swan Bay and Port Phillip Heads, St Aloysius Primary School has offered innovative and engaging classroom and outdoor education for the past 120 years.
Miriam herself grew up and went to school on the Bellarine Peninsula so knows first hand how important the local environment is to the community, but also what the other educational needs of young people of this region are today.
Miriam’s experience in education has been vast and gives her a wide lens with which to view and plan for learning and teaching at St Aloysius. Her 23-year career has seen her teach overseas, teach English and Drama from year 7 year 12 at Siena College in Camberwell, be president of her local playground, serve as vice president of the school council of her local DET primary school and teach a variety of classes at St Aloysius since moving back to the Bellarine in 2014, before taking on the principalship in 2022.
Her commitment to Catholic education has seen her build great pathways for students in the local area to access the best schools the Geelong region has to offer, from primary through to secondary.
If you would like to know more about opportunities at St Aloysius, join Miriam for a tour, a cuppa and a chat at the term one open morning on Wednesday 29th March, at 9.30am, or email principal@saqueenscliff.catholic.edu.au
