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Governance

Sacred Heart Girls’ College is a school which operates with the consent of the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne and is operated and governed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS).

MACS governs and operates 292 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese to continue the mission of Catholic education to proclaim the Good News and equip our young people with the knowledge, skills and hope to live meaningful lives and enrich the world around them.

Recognising the good work of educating the young is a co-responsible task led by every member of the Catholic school community, School Advisory Councils have been established to provide a crucial point of connection between the wider school community and school leaders. 

This governance model was designed to ease the administrative burden on our schools and parishes, allow parish priests to focus on the mission of education in the parish, enable greater collaboration between schools and ensure greater consistency in school policies and procedures.

More information on MACS is available at macs.vic.edu.au.

Christopher Dalton, College Principal

Christopher began his teaching career at Parade College Bundoora in 1982 and after teaching at all boys schools, he held Deputy Principal positions at two prominent Catholic girl's schools before his appointment as Principal at Sacred Heart Girls' College in 2007.

Christopher is committed to Sacred Heart recognising the uniqueness of this exemplary learning community where young women are treated with respect and valued for their individuality and giftedness.

The RNDM spirit of the founding sisters provides a wonderful environment for young women to flourish in all aspects of their lives. Each young woman at Sacred Heart is supported within this nurturing community to achieve her very best.

Always striving upwards

Jodie McLaren, Deputy Principal – Staff

Jodie is a new addition to Sacred Heart Girls College in 2024, and brings a wealth of experience in Catholic Education, having worked in both boys' and girls' education. With a strong background in learning and development along with professional coaching, Jodie has also led various Professional Learning initiatives, as well as facilitated the implementation of various educational programs.

Passionate about girls' education, she is dedicated to actively motivating and empowering staff while advocating for them, so they exert a positive impact on both the learning outcomes and the overall well-being of our students. Having obtained a Master of Education from Deakin University, Jodie is thoroughly enjoying her role at Sacred Heart Girls College. She appreciates the wonderful environment at the College, observing students collaborating and forming strong bonds both inside and outside the classroom. Jodie sees that Sacred Heart has created an environment that fosters inspiration and balances academic achievement with wellbeing.

Julie Swanson, Deputy Principal – Learning & Teaching

Julie has been an educator in numerous Catholic Girls’ Schools for her entire teaching career and has held a variety of leadership positions. She joined Sacred Heart Girls’ College as Deputy Principal Learning & Teaching in 2019. She is passionate about all girls education and how this environment empowers them to become active, resilient and future ready citizens willing to face the future with confidence and optimism.

Julie is committed to ensuring the learning experience provides students with opportunities to develop the skills, dispositions and knowledge in order to be successful and engaged learners. For her it is the students themselves that make Sacred Heart special - their enthusiasm for all aspects of their learning, their dedication to their academic pursuits and their warmth for all members of the community.

Always striving upwards

Carmel Feeney, Deputy Principal – Students

With over 35 years’ experience in education – early intervention, primary, specialist and secondary settings, Carmel is a passionate educator. Working with young people is enlivening and building relationships is the basis of her work. Carmel believes that recognising the dignity, contributions and hopes of individuals and teams leads to a shared wisdom, encourages voice and builds a sense of agency for each person.

With a passion for learning, Carmel has completed Masters of Education studies in learning diversity, student wellbeing and educational leadership. Carmel believes it is important to be an informed and reflective faith leader – reading widely and engaging in parish life. Carmel also enjoys the personal pursuits of time with family and friends; netball, gardening, reading and pets.

Working with Sacred Heart students is enlivening – whether it be in the classroom, with student leaders, developing College community events, working with students who need additional wellbeing support or a friendly “hello” in the corridors. The students are diverse and engaging – they bring enormous energy. In a world of gender inequality, educating and empowering young women remains critical to our students’ lifelong wellbeing and opportunities.

Brian McCann, Director of Organisation

Brian is a long-term member of the teaching staff, currently teaching VCE Chemistry, at Sacred Heart Girls’ College. As Director of Organisation, Brian is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the College timetable, playing a major role in scheduling College activities and major events.

Sacred Heart is a special place to work. The students have a social justice focus, they are ambitious and supportive of one another. The teaching and support staff are the backbone of the college and provide a caring environment for the students.

Always striving upwards

James Tian, Director of Business Operations

James joined Sacred Heart in April 2020. It was a special time which brought both opportunities and challenges to James’ new role. James’ financial and management skills in banking plus over 15 year’s leadership experience in education sector has been valuable, particularly during the first 6 months of the global pandemic.

James is a CPA with a Master Degree of Accountancy. Despite the challenges, he loves the new role and enjoys the dynamic office and the wonderful administration and support teams at the college. “I cannot help noticing that Sacred Heart has such a great learning environment. Students show something really special in their focus and eagerness to learn. That makes Sacred Heart stand out.”

James is married with two kids. He is passionate about sports. He has been a youth soccer coach for 4 years in the local club. Since immigrating to Australia, he and his family has become big Bulldog supporters.

2025 Captains & Deputy College Captains

College Captains

Sara Amendola

Teneika Fraga

Deputy College Captain - Faith

Tess Dargan

Deputy College Captain - Social Justice

Marina Funtusoff

Deputy College Captain - Arts

Rosario Acosta Fernandez

Deputy College Captain - Sport

Sophie Stinear

College Captain

Sara Amendola

Sacred Heart Girls College is, and always has been, an uplifting, vibrant community where girls are supported and encouraged allowing them to achieve their best in all endeavours. I have certainly felt this support throughout my time at the College, and I can attribute values such as compassion, empathy, knowledge and faith to the countless teachers, students, peers and friends who have joined me on this journey.

I am proud to be a co-captain of this College, as I am proud to reflect the beliefs of this community through my actions, especially the belief in student voice. As young women, it is important that we use our voices to advocate for the changes we wish to see in the world, as well as to speak up for ourselves and others. Sacred Heart encourages this, and the voices of students never go unheard, allowing for our learning environment to empower us.

As a leader within the College, but also as a senior student, I hope to contribute to this empowerment, and support my fellow students in using their voices for good, in the same way that I have been inspired to use my voice. I hope to foster a kind, caring community where students are valued for being themselves. Whether it's through the arts, through sporting achievements, or through academic accolades, all students at Sacred Heart are cherished for their uniqueness, and I am committed to being a valuable part of the leadership team that promotes this.

College Captain

Teneika Fraga

During my time at Sacred Heart, I have been able to step outside my shell, build lifelong friendships and challenge myself to always strive upwards.

What I love most about Sacred Heart is the commitment to breaking gender barriers and challenging societal norms. We are actively encouraged to step into traditionally male-dominated fields, fostering an environment where limitations do not exist - inspiring us to push boundaries, and explore new possibilities.

Student leadership is important as it acts as a bridge which brings together students and staff to work cohesively to uplift our school environment. It creates a community where student voices are heard, and ideas, and concerns lead to a positive change.

As a 2025 co-College Captain, I am dedicated to being a strong advocate for every student, working to enhance the enriching and empowering culture that sets the foundation of Sacred Heart. My goal is to make a meaningful impact, whether through significant or small strides. If even one student feels truly heard and valued because of my efforts, I will have fulfilled the job I set out to do. Ultimately, I want to foster a community where every voice matters and every individual feels seen, respected, and supported.

Deputy College Captain - Arts

Sophie Fregon

During my years at Sacred Heart Girls’ College, I have found and helped to develop an open, creative and dedicated atmosphere in the sector of the Arts. Stemming from the hard work of our teachers, staff and student body, Sacred Heart is a school that fully envelops itself into not only the academic, but the creative prospects and interests of each and every student.

I have felt this intense care towards all aspects of College life through my personal experiences participating in the school’s various events, such as College Musicals, House Arts and Arts Festivals. Through this experience, I have learned to work hard and dedicate myself to my dreams and passions; just as I intend to inspire every Sacred Heart student to dedicate themselves to their interests.

As the 2025 Deputy College Captain - Arts, I aim to continue this pattern of inspiration and creativity found within the College, as I seek to also expand artistic experiences and showcase more of our College’s incredibly talented artists. I aim to inspire every student to follow their passions and to entwine the Arts further into the life of the College. I am immensely proud of the artistic community that we grow at Sacred Heart, from Music to Art to Theatre Studies and I seek to celebrate the wonderful artwork that is created by our students.

I am extremely thankful to attend a school that celebrates the Arts to such a high extent and I will dedicate myself to the celebration of our school community through every aspect of school life.

Deputy College Captain - Faith

Emma Smith

Prayer and reflection have always been a significant part of my life and, throughout my time at Sacred Heart Girls’ College, I have had many opportunities to further deepen my faith and relationship with God.

As the Deputy Captain for Faith in 2025, I want to create a notable and faith-filled year that those in our community will remember. I seek to make a strong contribution to the life of the College by drawing awareness to the key events on the Liturgical Calendar and highlighting the importance of prayer and spirituality in all aspects of college life. I also wish to further strengthen my connections with my peers, teachers and the wider school community, nurturing their faith through my leadership.

During my time at the College, I have had the opportunity to participate in many wonderful and meaningful experiences that have shaped the person I am today.

I feel blessed to be a part of such a warm, supportive and uplifting community where everyone feels valued and their voices heard. Inspired by the faith-filled work of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions and their Founder, Euphrasie Barbier, I am proud to serve our college community with dedication, commitment and compassion.

Deputy College Captain - Social Justice

Tavishi Seneviratne

Sacred Heart has always provided the opportunity not only for myself, but all students that have walked through the doors to reach our fullest potential. The College Theme manifests itself in every aspect of the classroom, encouraging all students to 'always strive upwards' in all our endeavours, not just academically, but in our sporting, artistic, and personal pursuits.

What I love most about Sacred Heart is the unwavering support I receive from all members of the school community. I feel encouraged to try new things and push myself further because I know that I have a community of students and teachers who support me and my achievements. As Deputy College Captain - Social Justice, I am looking forward to working with the sacred heart community because the students are very social justice focused and enthusiastic about making change in the school and our wider community. I aim to ensure that every student at Sacred Heart feels that they have a place in our school and that their voices and opinions are not only heard, but received and implemented.

I am eager to work with Sacred Heart in 2025 as a leader and I am excited to see the wonderful work our community will do to promote inclusivity and equality within our school environment. I am proud to be part of a strong leadership team and I commit myself to promoting positive change at Sacred Heart.

Deputy College Captain - Sport

Isabella Mascaro

Sacred Heart Girls' College is more than just a place to learn. It's a community that supports students in feeling like they belong, pushing them to constantly give their utmost and modelling inclusivity, compassion and respect in everything they do. The wide variety of extracurricular activities, social justice, and sporting opportunities, as well as leadership positions available provide sufficient opportunities for personal and professional development. Specifically, the Sports department allows individuals to be challenged and grow beyond themselves whilst forming meaningful connections with others. Some of these sporting activities include House Athletics and Swimming Carnivals, House Cross Country and House Netball. Sacred Heart is also a part of the Catholic Girls' Sport Association of Victoria (CGSAV) sporting events in which all students are encouraged to compete against other schools in a competitive and enjoyable environment. I will always remember my time spent at Sacred Heart with fondness with unforgettable experiences that I will always cherish.