Principal's Reflection

As we approach the end of our first semester for 2021, we reflect on what has been another rich and vibrant semester for students and staff at the College.  Our theme for 2021 is ‘Wonder – celebrating all that is good with joy and gratitude’. This core value of the College encourages us to be curious and see beyond, to see the beauty and complexity in all of God’s creation, to contemplate the wonders of God and to celebrate all that is good in our world and lives!

We certainly commenced the year with gratitude; gratitude for being able to be together as a College community with few COVID restrictions, for having the gift of education and employment, and for being part of such a wonderful community! Our Commencement of the Year Mass was celebrated early in February and what a joy it was to have all students and staff gather together for the first time in almost 12 months! Our celebration of the Eucharist began with the entrance of the Year 7 Class of 2021, which is made up of 163 students from 31 different primary schools! Each student brings with them their unique gifts, talents and experiences and we look forward to their contributions to our community over the years ahead.

In the previous edition of Tower Talk, I congratulated and commended the Class of 2020 for the way in which they responded to the many challenges they encountered throughout their final year.  We were absolutely overjoyed for them when their results in both the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) were released. Despite the many disruptions to their learning that they encountered in 2020, the Class of 2020 achieved a 100% satisfactory completion rate and the best results the College has ever achieved in the VCE!  Their outstanding effort and achievement led to Kilbreda College being ranked 8th out of the 96 Catholic secondary schools in Victoria.  We were delighted to be able to welcome the Class of 2020 back to the College in May for their first reunion and hear about their time since graduating.

There are a number of reunions scheduled for the months ahead which will hopefully not be impacted by COVID.  We also have the Past Pupils of Distinction Dinner on Friday 30 July to look forward to and I congratulate all nominees for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the community which led to their nominations. The selection panel certainly had a very challenging task in selecting four nominees for induction.  I look forward to acknowledging and celebrating the achievements of all nominees at the celebratory dinner and also to meeting many other past pupils at our reunions this year.

As we journey through the remainder of 2021, may we continue to be inspired and guided by the teaching of Jesus, St Brigid and the Brigidine Sisters who established this wonderful school. I will leave you with a blessing that I am sure is familiar to many of you.

St. Brigid’s Blessing

May Brigid bless the house wherein you dwell

Bless every fireside every wall and door

Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof

Bless every hand that toils to bring it joy

Bless every foot that walks its portals through

May Brigid bless the house that shelters you.

Nicole Mangelsdorf

College Principal