Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS)

MACS Regional Operations – Building a Unified 2026 Plan

The challenge

MACS entered the 2026 planning cycle needing to stay highly responsive to schools while also setting clear long‑term priorities that strengthen leadership, improve student outcomes, and support system growth. The team needed to:

  • Align four regions with directorate‑level goals

  • Identify emerging risks and opportunities

  • Strengthen culture and leadership

  • Create a shared vision that reflected both local realities and systemwide strategy

As the Vision & Plan notes, “the way we show up in the day to day shapes our team culture.” The planning process needed to honour this complexity while creating clarity and cohesion.

What we did

Unified Planning Through Collaborative Deisgn
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    Bringing the Team Together Around a Unified 2026 Direction

    We designed and facilitated collaborative workshops that brought all four regions together to shape a shared plan for 2026. The sessions created space for collective thinking, alignment, and open dialogue, helping the team unite around a common purpose and direction.

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    Building Insight, Alignment, and Cultural Strength

    Through structured conversations, the team surfaced gaps, risks, and opportunities grounded in real school needs. Regional priorities were aligned with directorate goals, reinforcing shared values, leadership behaviours, and collaboration across regions. This strengthened cultural continuity and built clarity and cohesion across the organisation.

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    Defining Success and Creating a Unified Operational Narrative

    The team co‑developed a measurable 2026 Action Plan with KPIs and priority actions, establishing a shared understanding of what success looks like. The process also produced one aligned operational plan and a unified narrative for how Regional Operations supports schools, parishes, and communities - ensuring consistent messaging and shared ownership of the work ahead.

The results

A Clear and Purposeful Path Forward.

  • Unified Planning Through Collaborative Design

    The planning process delivered clarity, alignment, and a strengthened sense of collective purpose. It positioned Regional Operations to stay responsive to day‑to‑day needs while progressing the long‑term priorities that will shape better outcomes for students.

  • Clear Priorities for Team Development in 2026

    The work surfaced the capability areas that matter most for the year ahead, including servant leadership, strategic workforce planning, amplifying the voice of schools, fostering a culture of care and collaboration, strengthening collective wellbeing, and building innovation capability. These priorities give the team a shared focus and a practical foundation for growth.

  • A Purposeful Path Forward

    As the Vision & Plan states, “We will realise our vision in the hundreds of small decisions we make every day.” The 2026 planning process brought those decisions into focus - creating alignment, strengthening culture, and setting the team up for a purposeful and cohesive year ahead.

Testimonial

Kirsty's facilitation was a key factor in the success of this work bringing a unique combination of insight, warmth, and strategic rigour to the process. She quickly built trust, challenged our thinking in constructive ways, and guided the team through complex conversations with clarity and confidence. Her ability to adapt to changing circumstances while keeping momentum and focus on outcomes was particularly impressive. The process not only delivered a strong planning outcome but also strengthened leadership alignment and team cohesion.

Francine Walsh
Senior Program Lead, Operational Strategy

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools

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