Catherine McAuley Westmead Welcomes New Assistant Principal

Photo of Mrs Kate Kelly standing in front of statue
Mrs Kate Kelly is Catherine McAuley Westmead's new Assistant Principal.

Mrs Kate Kelly has joined the school as Assistant Principal with oversight of learning and teaching.

The school welcomes Mrs Kate Kelly who joins the Catherine McAuley Westmead community this year as Assistant Principal with oversight of learning and teaching. Mrs Kelly has replaced Mr Michael Hall who retired at the end of 2025 and will join with Ms Debbie Grigson, Assistant Principal with oversight of pastoral care and administration, in the two Assistant Principal roles at Catherine McAuley.

Mrs Kelly is an experienced educator and English teacher who has been teaching for 22 years. Most recently she was the Head of School for Years 5 - 8 at St Luke’s Catholic College, Marsden Park. Prior to that Mrs Kelly taught at St Patrick’s Marist College, Dundas and has worked as a literacy consultant at Catholic Schools Diocese of Parramatta and an English teacher and literacy coach in the Sydney Diocese.

“I am excited to join the Catherine McAuley community because of its strong sense of purpose, its commitment to faith-filled education, and its clear focus on high quality teaching and learning,” said Kate.

The school’s emphasis on both excellence and care resonates deeply with my own values and experience in Catholic education, and I am inspired by the opportunity to contribute to a community that places student learning at the centre of everything it does.

Mrs Kelly says that one of the things she loves most about teaching is the privilege to walk alongside young people as they discover their voice, their confidence and their capacity to think deeply about the world. “As an English teacher and leader of learning, I’ve been energised not only by individual classroom moments, but by the opportunity to shape conditions across a school where shared practice strengthens and student growth is visible.”

Mrs Kelly is a curriculum and pedagogy expert and her skills and knowledge will appropriately complement the delivery of curriculum at Catherine McAuley. “Mrs Kelly will support the school in delivering a high quality and contemporary education for Catherine McAuley students,” said Ms Mary Refalo, School Principal.

“As a mum of three, I see education as deeply personal. Having my eldest graduate from Year 12 last year has given me a renewed appreciation for the hopes, pressures and pride that families experience alongside their young people, and it shapes the way I approach my work”, says Kate.

I look forward to building relationships with staff and students, learning the story of Catherine McAuley, and working collaboratively with leaders and teachers to strengthen collective practice.

Welcome Mrs Kelly! The school is thrilled to have you join the Catherine McAuley Westmead community.