This week, we continue our three-part series outlining the positive changes being made to improve ICT in SCEA schools.
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We all take this for granted in today’s technological age.
You may remember our SCEA News article less than 12 months ago, which described Midland Christian School’s first days in 1982 and its first computer purchase in 1985! We have progressed since then, and now our schools have teams of ICT support staff to ensure that the 3,500 devices on our school networks are maintained and upgraded periodically.
The new-look ICT Services Team Leader is not really ‘new’.
In fact, Jonathan Bracegirdle has been with SCEA ICT for the past 12 years, and he attended Southern Hills Christian College (SHCC) way back in the 1990’s.
He is truly SCEA royalty!
However, the team has a new focus – moving from a traditional ICT model to a modern ICT model, where support is not retroactive. The aim is to develop and deploy cost-effective, fit-for-purpose ICT infrastructure and services in line with the new ICT Strategy and Roadmap (that’s in Part 3 of ‘The future of ICT in SCEA’ in our next edition of SCEA News).
This week, we caught up with Jonathan to hear about his heart for the SCEA educational journey and the team that he is now leading:
“At SCEA, we play an important missional role in our culture and for God’s Kingdom,” said Jonathan.
“There are children who come to a saving knowledge of Christ through the education delivered by our teachers and support staff in our schools. It’s an honour for me to work with SCEA ICT and contribute to SCEA’s goals.”
“Over the past 12 years, I’ve been in various roles in the ICT Support team. I’ve enjoyed troubleshooting interesting technical issues, collaborating with a great group of technicians, and directly engaging with staff and students in our schools. Seeing our work benefit teaching, learning, and administration is truly rewarding.”
Jonathan is part of a large team that encompasses all of the SCEA schools and the Head Office. This team aims to ensure that you and your team have the tools required to do your job—whatever that might be.
This can entail fixing laptops for NAPLAN preparation, installing servers to backup critical information and even installing amplification equipment for teachers speaking in large enclosures and using large display screens at school assemblies.
The ICT Support team consists of:
- Laiyin Shen – BCS (currently on maternity leave)
- Simon Yung – BCS – not pictured
- Billy Muchtar – ECC
- Scott Patterson – SHCC and KCS
- Markus Bronkhorst – MCC
- James Warnock – NCGS
- Phil Jayes – SCC
- Mike Chumba – SCC
Please encourage these men and women as they begin a new chapter in SCEA’s history. Infrastructure upgrades and increased levels of service are expected to be seen before the end of 2024.
In our final instalment, we examine the ‘Operations, Networking & Security’ team, led by John-Paul Bullard.
PS. In other news around the Head Office, Mr Wayne Fewster’s title is now ‘Head of ICT’ and Mr Rhys Vallance is now the ‘Head of Risk & Compliance’.
