Principal 'disappointed' to miss chaplain funding
Mt Barker Community College will ask for community support to maintain its chaplaincy program after its application for continued funding was denied because of Federal Government cuts to the National Chaplaincy Program.
Mt Barker principal Andrew Fraser said the school’s chaplaincy service would continue for term one next year while other ways to secure its future were sought.
“I’m confident our community will rally to help raise the $20,000 to fund these two days of pastoral support,” he said.
“The chaplaincy program is a very important service that supports students, parents and staff, opportunities for student leadership development and recreational opportunities.
“They work with all students and do not provide a religious purpose or instruction, but focus on promoting student cohesion, inclusivity and opportunities for students to talk through problems and support them to make good decisions to solve them.”
Mr Fraser said the school’s second chaplain, who worked with feeder schools, would not be affected by the funding cuts.
Cranbrook Primary School, one of Mt Barker’s feeder schools, was among a host of schools in the region whose applications for funding were rejected.
Principal Michael Smith said he was disappointed the school had missed out.
Albany, Denmark and Gairdner primary schools have also had their applications for continued chaplaincy funding denied.
Department of Education Statewide services executive director Lindsay Hale said the funding provided by the Federal Government was not sufficient to maintain the number of schools currently funded.
Mr Hale said schools could still access State Government funding, or use the student-centred funding model to employ a chaplain directly.
Eleven public primary schools and seven public high schools in the region were successful in their applications for continued funding.
