Lord Jesus, Fill my soul with your compassion for others, Fire my heart with your courage and infinite love. Enlighten my mind with your wisdom, Teach me to reach out to you in my need. And help me to lead others to you by my example.
Most loving heart of Jesus, Bring me health in body and spirit, That I may serve you with all my strength. Touch gently this life, which you have created, Now and forever. Amen.
We Acknowledge
Iona College respectfully acknowledges the Quandamooka peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our College stands. We honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past, present, and emerging, and we recognise their enduring connection to land, waters, story, and culture.
As we set a vision for the future, we commit ourselves to walking together in a spirit of reconciliation, respect, and partnership. Guided by the Oblate charism and inspired by God’s grace, we strive to build a community where every person is valued, where culture is celebrated, and where justice and hope are lived in action.
We Strategise
FROM THE BOARD CHAIR, COLLEGE RECTOR, AND PRINCIPAL
At Iona, we have always believed that our strength lies in our sense of community and shared purpose.
As we present the Strategic Plan for 2026–2029, we do so not as individuals, but united as Board Chair, Rector, and Principal to reflect the very heart of our unifying statement: We are Ionian. The decision to write this introduction together is intentional. It reflects our belief that leadership at Iona is not a solitary endeavour, but a shared responsibility. Just as our students, staff, families, and Old Boys have collectively contributed to the life of the College, so too must our leadership be collaborative and unified.
As a Strategic Plan, this document is more than a roadmap for the next four years. It is a collective commitment to the future of our College. A future shaped by the hopes, and aspirations of our entire community.
The unifying phrase, “We are Ionian”, builds upon the personal pride of I am Ionian, which has long affirmed the dignity and responsibility of each individual within our community. Now, informed by the African wisdom of ubuntu which means, “I am because we are”, and the Pope Francis inspired French phrase on our chapel doors, Je Suis Toi which means “I am you”, we embrace a deeper truth. The truth that our identity is formed in relationship with one another. So now, the “I” in “I am Ionian” finds its fullest meaning in the “we” of “We are Ionian”. This plan is shaped by that conviction.
Our strategic priorities of strengthening Catholic identity, inspiring educational excellence, building student and staff wellbeing, planning for sustainability, ethically engaging technology, and leading with accountability are not isolated or solitary goals. They are interconnected aspirations that rely on the contributions of many. They call us to act not just for ourselves, but for each other. They challenge us to build a College where every Ionian is empowered to live, learn lead and serve.
As leaders, we are proud of the discernment and dialogue that have shaped this plan. It is rooted in the charism of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and animated by the daring spirit of St Eugene de Mazenod, who urged us to “leave nothing undared for the kingdom of God” We believe that this is a plan that dares to imagine a future where every Ionian can, just as Jesus said in John 10:10, live life to the fullest.
We commend this Strategic Plan to you with confidence and hope. Its success will not be measured solely by metrics or milestones, but by the way it strengthens our community, deepens our mission, and inspires each of us to grow into our potential and contribute to something greater than ourselves.
Mrs Deborah Londsale-Walker Board Chair
Fr Joe Antony OMI Rector
Mr Trevor Goodwin Principal
Our Vision
Iona strives to be the accessible and aspirational Catholic school for families, forming men who are authentic, grounded, respectful and connected to a community that, like Jesus, serves and inspires others.
Our Mission
Through God’s gift of the Oblate charism, Iona College will continue to invest in our community to form young men who are inspired to grow into their potential to live, learn, lead, and serve.
“I have no use for smouldering wicks in this society. I want you to burn, give light, or get out”
St Eugene de Mazenod
Our Values
Faith
We dare to live the Gospel by zealously animating Jesus’ message of love through the Oblate Charism.
Integrity
We act with responsibility, transparency, and care for creation.
Respect
We cherish the dignity, wellbeing, and worth of every person.
Excellence
We dare to pursue personal excellence, curiosity, and a love of learning.
Service
We act with compassion and generosity to make a positive difference for others.
Our Strategic Priorities
We:
Strengthen Catholic Identity Through Faith and Mission
Build Student Wellbeing and Personal Growth
Promote Staff Growth and Wellbeing
Inspire Educational Excellence
Plan for a Sustainable Future
Ethically Engage Technology
Lead and Govern for Accountability
Our Strategic Objectives
We:
STRENGTHEN CATHOLIC IDENTITY THROUGH FAITH AND MISSION
• Enhance opportunities for service that embody Oblate daring
• Deepen and embed authentic formation programs for staff and students
• Animate and embed Iona’s core values of Faith, Integrity, Respect, Excellence and Service.
• Enliven the story of St Eugene de Mazenod and the vision of Iona’s founders.
BUILD
STUDENT WELLBEING AND PERSONAL GROWTH
• Create a Student Success Framework that defines meaning and purpose through authentic service, academic excellence and engagement
• Review and strengthen practices to provide students with the gradual release of responsibility facilitating their growth as engaged, independent, and future ready learners
• Implement programs, including formation programs, that guide and support students in navigating contemporary challenges, including digital safety and cultural awareness, with confidence and integrity
• Enhance student leadership opportunities to strengthen student voice and agency across all phases of learning.
PROMOTE STAFF GROWTH AND WELLBEING
• Build capacity of all staff through strategically aligned professional development including programs for aspiring middle and senior leaders
• Tailor development programs for preservice practicum and early career teachers
• Attract and retain high-quality staff through an innovative and supportive workplace culture governed by the Staff Wellbeing Framework
• Uphold standards and behaviour through collective teacher efficacy, responsibility, and consistent accountability.
INSPIRE EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
• Cultivate a culture of academic excellence committing to high expectations of student scholarship and behaviour
• Integrate an evidence based pedagogical framework to ensure consistency and clarity of practice for effective learning
• Develop a targeted and intentional literacy and numeracy plan to further improve student outcomes
• Review and strengthen inclusive practices to provide all students with the opportunity to participate fully, learn effectively, and grow into their potential.
PLAN FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
• Embed Laudato Si principles across operations and curriculum to sustain our people, place, and story
• Plan growth strategically, including the development of quality learning facilities, to remain an accessible destination of choice
• Innovate through the lens of environmental responsibility
• Diversify revenue and partnerships to support holistic development for Iona.
ETHICALLY ENGAGE TECHNOLOGY
• Ensure an agile, critical, and contemporary approach to the impactful use of developing technologies
• Explore how Artificial Intelligence and developing technologies can support the cycle of teaching and learning, and staff wellbeing
• Implement a contemporary Learning Management System to improve communication, student outcomes and community engagement
• Engage next practice approaches when embedding digital tools and technologies to optimise learning.
LEAD AND GOVERN FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
• Review and refine systems policies and procedures to ensure safety, efficiency, and integrity of operations
• Review and refine reporting and accountability structures
• Enhance analytics and technology to track trends across the College
• Monitor and grow skill sets of the Board and Senior Leadership to ensure daring leadership and ongoing missional governance.
Our Strategic Accountability
Iona College is committed to ensuring the Priorities and Objectives of this Strategic Plan come to life. To support this commitment, the College Leadership Team will undertake actions to ensure that the plan brings energy, meaning and purpose to the work we do each day. This work will be informed by the values of Faith, Integrity, Respect, Excellence, and Service.
While bringing the plan to fruition, the College commits to:
• Presenting to the Board current, targeted, and relevant project plans
• Biannual evidence-based reporting to the Board and community about the progress towards the plan’s strategic priorities and objectives
• Utilising surveys and community feedback instruments to consult parents, students and staff on their perceptions of the plan’s progress and outcomes
This plan is explicit about how the College’s strong strategic priorities, history, legacy and values, bring purpose to the way we develop as a College. They will also inform the way we deliver measurable outcomes and intentional continuous improvement.
Significantly, the plan will be best measured by the way that Iona College continues to be an authentic community that partners with parents, to form young people who value Faith, Integrity, Respect, Excellence and Service while demonstrating their willingness to enter to learn and leave to serve.
