Outgoing St Rita’s College principal Dale Morrow’s extensive education career spans nearly 40 years. In this time, she has shown great innovation and leadership, been recognised with award honours, and represented on several education committees including state, national and international committees drawing on her expertise. Undertaking her teacher education in 1979, Dale has since taught in the ACT, NSW, and Solomon Islands, and settled in Queensland to teach at Marist College Ashgrove and St Rita's College.

Stepping down after 15 years from the principal position at St Rita’s College Clayfield at the end of 2023, Dale will be remembered as a dynamic leader whose greatest motivation has always been the welfare of students and enabling them to achieve their goals. She often tells her students to ‘always do you,’ reminding them their responsibility to the world is to be themselves.

Dale’s long list of accomplishments includes being twice awarded an Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) Fellowship in 2020 and 2022, establishing St Rita’s social justice immersion program to Cambodia and India, and broadening St Rita’s educational offerings for girls’ education to reintroduce primary years.

Dale is described as a strong advocate for the teaching profession, including mentoring colleagues into senior leadership and principalship positions. Her extensive representation on national and state committees has also seen her share her vast career knowledge, including: an advisor to the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, a member of the Queensland Catholic Education Commission, the Education Reference Group Committee, a board member for the Catholic Secondary Schools Sporting Association, the Queensland representative on the Committee of Religious Institute and Ministerial PJP Schools Australia, and the chair for the Religious Institute Schools in Queensland.

Dale says journeying with young people, as they discover their giftedness in the world, is what drew her to the teaching profession. Reflecting on her teaching career, she said she feels privileged to have watched young people discover their intellectual and social selves, and that she still loves the idealism of youth and their commitment to making the world a better place.

In her nomination, colleagues wrote: “ As Dale concludes her formal teaching career at the end of 2023, her impact on education and teaching has been profound.”

“The contribution she has made to the many communities for which she has served has been outstanding and exemplary.”