Staff worry children will be the "real losers" as they remain uncertain about how planned role changes at Hunter Catholic schools will look.
The Newcastle Herald revealed this week that some roles and responsibilities at Hunter Region Catholic schools will change, with staff fearing they could be out of a job.
Primary school teacher librarians, Aboriginal education workers, wellbeing, gifted education and English as an additional language staff could see their roles minimised, cut or restructured, the Herald understands.
A teacher librarian working at a Hunter Catholic school said it was unclear how many teacher librarian positions were being scrapped and how school libraries would operate when the changes kick in next year.
They were concerned about the prospect of cutting primary teacher librarian roles and the ramifications for schoolchildren.
They said school libraries offered valuable spaces for children at a pastoral, educational and recreational level.
"Children love the space and it's so good for them, and they can feel not only valued educationally but also as people," they said.
"The real losers will be children."
The Newcastle Herald understands staff across the diocese were callled to a meeting about the changes on Monday morning.
They watched a pre-recorded briefing where they were told of the organisation's financial position and that individual principals would speak to affected staff members.
Staff were reportedly told to keep details confidential.
The Catholic Schools Office of Maitland-Newcastle 2025 financial report to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) was due on June 30 this year, but has yet to be uploaded.
However, the 2024 statement shows the organisation recorded a $19.5 million deficit in the 2024 financial year.
The 2024 financial statement shows the Catholic schools spent more than $357 million on employee benefits, which was about 75 per cent of its total income ($471 million).
That figure included more than $224 million for teaching staff wages and more than $60 million for non-teaching staff.
According to ACNC records, about 4000 staff were employed across 58 schools in the Catholic diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.
A parent with four children across primary and secondary Hunter Catholic schools said she was upset to hear that Aboriginal education and teacher librarian roles could be affected.
"I am quite staggered by this decision. Parents have found out through the media, there has been no statement from schools," she said.
She said they valued the pastoral care provided at Catholic schools and was worried this could be eroded.
"There are critically low reading for pleasure rates at the moment and I think an effective teacher librarian can really meet a child where they are at, and put the right book into their hands," she said.
The Independent Education Union previously said it understood a "significant" number of staff and schools would be affected by the changes.
A spokesperson for Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle said it was making changes to staffing arrangements for the 2027 school year.
They said while a majority of staff would not be directly affected, some roles and responsibilities would change.
