Good planning at the heart of the new Italian College
Updated: Oct 6, 2020
Ongoing consultations with the community and listening to the needs of families is the core principle guiding our decisions.
In September, the Board of Italian Colleges Australia Ltd (ICA) met for a series of face-to-face Planning Days. Covid-19 restrictions did not stop the five members from discussing and making important decisions for the future of a K-12 Italian College for Sydney’s South West.
““We remain focused on delivering an operational K-1 college by 2023, so our connection with the community is pivotal for the success of this project.”
The direction the Board has taken is that of a careful and conscientious mapping of short and long-term goals for building and running the new college. “Ongoing consultations with the community and listening to the needs of families is the core principle guiding our decisions,” said Marco Testa, Chairman of the Board.
During the planning session, the Board proceeded to create a draft Business Plan for the College, spelling out the core mission and vision statements of the organisation. Italian Colleges is set to be a unique type of Prep to Year 12 College that delivers a comprehensive English-Italian primary and secondary education, guiding students through the richness of culture, family values, traditions and the Roman Catholic faith.
“Our mission is to bring together parents, teachers, professionals and community members with a commitment to preserving and promoting the Italian heritage, culture, values, and help raise new generations of passionate young and language-competent leaders through education,” stated Giovanni Albanese, Secretary of the Board.
The planning days provided an opportunity to finalise the name of the College. This will be released in the coming days. “The process of choosing a name has been a very difficult one, indeed. We have given voice to the expectations of the community, while also keeping in mind the values we wish the college to embody, as well as selecting a name which has a rich history and is linked to our Italian heritage and the world of education,” added Lorenzo Rositano, Director.
The ICA Board has also opened a Bank Account with the Commonwealth Bank and completed registering with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission. Under charitable law, the organisation is recognised as a ‘charity advancing education’ from 15 August 2020. ICA is now in a position to accept financial contributions from the public to support the project of building the college.
Board Members responsible for the working Committees have been liaising with community members through Zoom meetings to continue engaging in technical consultation. Daniel Pollicina and Emanuele Esposito, in charge of the planning committee, are entrusted with the task of defining an estimated amount of funds that are required to begin the college’s operations.
“We remain focused on delivering an operational K-1 college by 2023, so our connection with the community is pivotal for the success of this project. To enhance this, ICA will release its first newsletter in mid-October,” said Daniel Pollicina, Director.
