In 1985 the Society of the Sacred Heart transferred to the Baradene College Trust Board, the complete assets of the Victoria Avenue property, responsibility for the Special Catholic Character of Baradene College and the Proprietorial rights embodied in the Integration Agreement with the Government.
In 2001, as a result of changing circumstances and particularly in order to give greater security to the Religious of the Sacred Heart and the College, the Trust Board decided to restructure and set up a limited liability company, Baradene College Limited (BCL).
In effect, this change meant that Baradene College Limited (BCL) was now entrusted with caring for the non integrated land and buildings and granting the college the use of the integrated and most of the non integrated land and buildings. The new relationship meant that BCL as Proprietor is charged with ensuring that the historic buildings and facilities were and remain suitable for the needs of future generations. BCL has continued a programme of campus redevelopment since 2002 including a Master Campus Plan to ensure that quality teaching and learning facilities are provided for students and that future projects are appropriately co-ordinated and prioritised. More recently in 2019 a music, media, hockey turf and underground carpark building has been completed. In 2024, BCL completed a new full size gym complex including additional teaching spaces and a new cafeteria to support Baradene’s growing roll.
THE STRUCTURE OF BARADENE COLLEGE LIMITED
To understand a little more about BCL you need to consider the Constitution of the Company formed.
The Directors are legally required to:
- assist in the promotion of the charitable, apostolic and religious activities of the Society of the Sacred Heart in connection with Baradene College;
- conduct Baradene College as part of the mission of the Catholic Church, in conformity with Canon Law of the Catholic Church, and following the stated educational philosophy of the Society of the Sacred Heart as expressed in the five Goals of Sacred Heart Education;
- exercise the legal rights and regulations of the Proprietor of Baradene College in accordance with the Private Schools' Conditional Integration Act (1975) and the Integration Agreement; and
- ensure that the income and property of the Company, wherever derived, shall be applied solely towards the activities of the Company or the charitable, apostolic and religious activities of the Society of the Sacred Heart within New Zealand.
THE WORK OF BARADENE COLLEGE LIMITED
In summary, the work of Baradene College Limited is dedicated to three main areas:
its work as proprietor under its Integration Agreement with the Government includes overseeing the special character of the College. This includes the appointment of four Proprietors' representatives to the Baradene Board of Trustees. Their prime responsibility is to ensure that the ‘Special Character', as expressed in the Goals, is upheld in the Governance of the College;
the provision of necessary buildings for the educational needs of students and the major maintenance of the Convent buildings; and
the funding of the activities of the Religious Education Department and the Chaplain stipends. In order to provide, maintain and improve these assets and activities Baradene College Limited determines the level of Parent Contribution to be paid each school term.
In addition to the College operations, Baradene College Limited liaises with the Sisters to maintain, with the assistance of the Society of the Sacred Heart, a caring living environment for the valued members of our Convent Community.
THE DIRECTORS OF BARADENE COLLEGE LIMITED
Baradene College Limited Directors, as appointed by the Provincial of the Australasian Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart, are:
Mr Edmund Lawler (Chair)
Edmund represents Baradene College Limited as a Proprietor’s appointee to the Board of Trustees. He has three daughters who are alumnae of Baradene College, and two sons, who are alumnae of Sacred Heart College. His wife Adrienne (Downey) is a Baradene Alumna.
Mr Richard James
Richard and his wife Sarah Stone (Alumna), have three daughters Mollie, Jemma and Nina who have all graduated from Baradene. Richard is a director of investment management company, NZ Funds Management.
Ms Catherine Ryan
Catherine and her sisters were all boarders at Baradene College following on from their mother who was a day girl. Two of her nieces presently attend Sacre Coeur schools. She has many years’ experience in education and is currently Vicar for Education for the Catholic Diocese of Auckland.
Ms Mary Anne Shanahan
Mary Anne attended Baradene College from 1971 to 1975 inclusive. She is a solicitor practising in New Lynn. She represents Baradene College Limited as a Director on the Catholic Education Services Board and the Auckland Common Fund Limited. She is married with two sons and a dog!
Sr Elizabeth Snedden
Sr Elizabeth Snedden is a member of the Society of the Sacred Heart and a part time lecturer in theology and spirituality at Good Shephard College, Ponsonby. She represents Baradene College Limited as a Proprietor's appointee on the Board of Trustees.
Mrs Anne-Maree O'Connor
Anne-Maree was a boarder at Baradene for five years. She works for the NZ Superannuation Fund where she specialises in social, environmental and corporate governance issues related to investments. Anne-Maree is married with two sons.
Ms Gillian Chappell
Gill is a self-employed environmental lawyer and works with other barristers in the city. She and her husband Rob have three children. Their daughter Emily was Head Girl at Baradene in 2019 and two sons attended Sacred Heart College.
Mr Richard Turnbull
Richard’s background is as a pharmacist, and he is now a director of a number of companies. Richard is married to Ann (Alumna), and they have three children, Nina and Elizabeth (both Alumna), and Joe, who attended Sacred Heart College. Ann’s mother, Jan Way, also attended Baradene College.
Mrs Justine Williams
Justine attended Baradene College in the 1980’s before studying fashion design, followed by a career in Magazines. Together with her husband, Shaun, they have two daughters, Augustine and Louella, who are both Alumna of Baradene.
Miss Laura Young
Laura attended Baradene from 1998 - 2004. She currently works in Government Affairs, and previously was a public servant at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She lives in Auckland with her fiancé.
Executive Officer - Mrs Sarah Nightingale
In attendance - Baradene College Principal - Mrs Sandy Pasley