When I reflect on my time learing to lead schools, I was fortunate during my time at St Augustine’s Primary School in Coffs Harbour, to meet and speak with Greg Whitby, the then Executive Director of Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta.. A towering figure in Australian Catholic education, Greg challenged us to rethink everything we thought we knew about schooling. He believed in possibilities beyond tradition. His words, ideas, and courage helped shape the bold decisions I made as a school leader.
Agile Spaces, Agile Minds
One of Greg’s most powerful convictions was that learning spaces had to change if learning itself was to evolve. He spoke often of dismantling the outdated “cells and bells” approach and replacing it with open, agile environments. Spaces that welcomed collaboration. Spaces that invited innovation.
At St Augustine’s, we embraced that vision. We moved from the old model, “one teacher, one class, one room” into co-teaching hubs where walls gave way to movement, flexibility, and shared practice. Backed by the BER (Building the Education Revolution) program and community support, we undertook a multimillion-dollar transformation. What emerged were learning hubs filled with light, purpose, and possibility.
More than the physical shift, it was about culture. The message was clear: teaching was no longer private work. Greg’s influence gave me the confidence to open the doors and build a community of learners, teachers and students alike.
Shaping the Future of Learning
Greg never settled for small tweaks. He called for transformation. He urged us to reimagine teaching in a way that aligned with the world our students were entering, not the one we grew up in.
At St Augustine’s, this meant creating a culture where inquiry, technology, and deep engagement became the norm. Our short film, The Future of Learning, captured that journey: traditional classrooms gave way to spaces of experimentation and digital exploration.
Greg’s voice echoed throughout: “Technology is not the end. It is the means.” We used tech not as a gimmick, but as a tool to empower learners, connect ideas, and solve problems. And we kept student growth at the centre of every decision. That was Greg’s challenge and his gift to us.
Teaching Gen Wi-Fi
Greg’s term “Gen Wi-Fi” captured a generational truth. Our students were wired differently. Fast, connected, curious. They didn’t need static content, they needed relevance.
So we let go of the traditional model of teaching and built something more dynamic. Students worked in teams, took ownership of their learning, and explored real-world problems. Inspired by Hattie’s Visible Learning and Sharratt’s Clarity Learning Suite, we reshaped our teaching to focus on growth, not grades.
Teachers became mentors. Classrooms became hubs of purpose. We stopped asking students to sit still and started asking them what mattered to them. That shift, driven by Greg’s vision, changed everything.
Growing Teachers to Grow Schools
Greg also believed deeply that student success was built on teacher success. “Professional capital,” he’d say, “is the key to transformation.” That insight shaped my strategy at St Augustine’s and formed my approach to leading schools.
We developed a teacher performance and development framework grounded in collaboration, not compliance. Teachers became researchers. They trialled ideas, reflected on outcomes, and shared openly.
We restructured the timetable to give teachers time to plan, learn, and grow together. We invested in coaching. We encouraged risk-taking in the service of professional growth. And as Greg always reminded us—when teachers grow, students grow.
Carrying the Vision Forward
While we learn of the news of Greg Whitby’s passing, his legacy is alive in every school that dares to be bold. From my days at St Augustine’s, through to leading the Aoba school group in Japan, I carry his vision every day. I see it in students working side by side, solving problems with joy. I see it in teachers collaborating with trust and pride.
Greg gave us a framework and the courage to lead transformational change. His legacy reminds all of us that education must never stand still. We owe it to our students to keep moving forward, keep reimagining, and keep building schools where possibility lives.
Vale Greg Whitby
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