Skip to content

Meeting of the Boards of Directors of Chile’s schools

From the 6th to the 9th January, the members of the Board of Directors of the twelve Marist schools of the Chile Sector and the Animation Areas met in Limache, in the region of Valparaíso. On the occasion, the directors were able to learn about new planning and management methodologies presented by Marcelo Cordeiro, strategic adviser of Maristas Brasil, the Provincial Plan and the Annual Sector Plan for 2025, among others. 

The first day began with a prayer in memory of Br. Luis Carlos Gutiérrez (RIP). Then we welcomed the new directors and Marcelo Cordeiro, strategic advisor, from Maristas Brasil, who will accompany the work during this year. Pablo González, our Provincial of Santa María de los Andes, followed by some words from the Executive Secretary Manuel Llanos and the Mission Delegate Marcela Hormazábal. After lunch, the directors took part in a dynamic of connection, in which they celebrated the fruits of the work of the last few years, to end the afternoon with a space for a retreat to reflect on the past, the present and the future, in charge of the Area of Life, with the motto ‘As Marists we walk in the footsteps of Champagnat’, which was repeated at the end of each day. 

On Tuesday, after a time of prayer, Brother Álvaro Sepúlveda, Vice Provincial of Santa María de los Andes, gave a presentation on the new Provincial Strategic Plan, followed by Marcelo Cordeiro, who together with the Mission Delegate, presented the lessons learned from the journey and the SOAR Matrix, a planning model that identifies strengths, opportunities, aspirations and results. In the afternoon Marcelo, together with the Executive Secretary of Life and Mission Manuel Llanos, presented the BLUE evaluation model which helps to identify those that need to be eliminated, reduced, increased and created.

On Wednesday 8th after the prayer, Marcelo presented again on the OKR methodology, which is a working method that directs the actions and efforts of a team to common short and medium term objectives. After a break, the Executive Secretary, Manuel Llanos, animated two modules on the elaboration and presentation of the Annual Sectoral Plan and the School Boards for 2025.

On Thursday, the last day began early with a presentation by Pedro Díaz, from the Mission Sector on the Management of people, in line with the provincial planning. This was followed by a plenary session and the Eucharist of Sending, which brought the meeting to a close. 

For Esteban Mena, pedagogical coordinator of the Marist College of Villa Alemana, the meeting was encouraging, ‘because everything that has been presented to us in terms of strategic planning, people management, there is a lot of fertile ground for orienting what Marist education implies in terms of what the Province is asking of us’. 

The rector of the Marist College of Curicó, Jessica Torres for her part valued the changes that are coming ahead: ‘I am left with a lot of strength, a lot of hope that the changes are always positive, well planned and above all with the experience of people who are very enthusiastic about these changes, faced with a new reality and new contexts, we have to make all the indications and changes that are required, with audacity and hope that everything will go well’. 

Finally, the Mission Delegate, Marcela Hormazábal stressed that these CODIS mark a time of transition: ‘We are closing a strategic planning that goes from 2020 to 2025 and now we are welcoming the strategic propitiation that the Province of Santa María de los Andes has, therefore, the work was focused on that, on knowing the instrument that we are going to use, but also to celebrate what was achieved in the previous period. Now comes a new time, a new way, the directors welcomed it well, it was a very fraternal CODI, of dialogue and family spirit’. 

We thank the members of the Board of Directors of the twelve Marist schools in Chile for their enthusiastic participation and the members of the Sectoral Animation Areas and the Provincial authorities for the organisation. 

Joaquín Meli – Head of communication Santa María de los Andes

Leave a Reply