From the Principal

Welcome to Term 3!

It is the term for showcasing The Arts both within the school as well as through The Catholic Performing Arts Festival. I thank all the staff, tutors and students who have spent hours practising for the performances. 

I was fortunate to attend Catholic Secondary Principals Australia (CaSPA) Conference, held this year in Perth at the Crown on Monday 15 July and Tuesday 16 July. The final day included an optional visit to Catholic schools. I was proud to host 13 Principals from around Australia who visited classrooms and spoke to staff about our unique specialised programs. They also heard a beautiful rendition of our College Hymn. I know they chose the best school to visit!

This week, the College held our NAIDOC Assembly. NAIDOC Committee Co-Chair, Steven Satour explains this year’s theme beautifully. “’Blak, Loud, and Proud’ encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering us to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world.”

I reflected on this theme and quote focussing on the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous Identity. Today we are blessed to have many positive Indigenous role models that celebrate their history and culture. We welcomed back Dr Sue Gordon as our guest speaker at the assembly.  Elder James Webb and his grandsons form the Wadumbah Dance Group, did a welcome to country and an indigenous dance.  Dr Gordon AM, a Yamatji woman, was Western Australia's first indigenous magistrate and served for 20 years on the Children's Court bench. She spoke about her connection to St Norbert College and Sister Kate’s, located also on Treasure Road. Dr Gordon’s sons came to the College for a short time in the 1980s and what became clear from her address was the importance of education and the connection to family to lead a full, happy life and being of service to others.

We have a number of new staff joining us this term.  We welcome:

• Mr Paul Murphy – Deputy Principal for Year 7 & 10
• Mr Christo Salachan – Religious Education & Physical Education
• Mr Callum Daly- Mathematics 
• Mr Jonathon Levy- Mathematics
• Mrs Suhanna Karma – English 
• Mr Mark Richardson – Science
• Mr Jan Malski – Community Relations and Marketing

We also welcomed back Mr Cian O’Gradaigh from Ireland who is filling in for a few weeks teaching Mathematics.

We farewell the following staff:

• Miss Peaches Jane has accepted an English teaching position at Guildford Grammar.
• Ms Camilla Gizzi has been teaching Italian for the last few months and will be returning to Italy to commence a job with the United Nations in Rome. Ciao, arrivederci e buona fortuna.
• Mrs Kate Aylett our Community Relations and Marketing Officer commenced leave to await the birth of her first child. I thank Kate who completed the design of our new College website which will continue to be developed as we update it with photographs of events. Please take the time to explore it!

Congratulations to Mrs Laura Marsden and her husband who welcomed a baby girl-Edith Rose on Monday 15 July.

Like many of you, I have been following the Olympics closely and reflecting on the dedication of athletes who prepare to be at their best every four years. There are many lessons to be learnt from these athletes. Having a multitude of talents, but without dedication and hard work, those talents remain underutilised and unrealised. Olympians start with inherent abilities in their sport, but it's their relentless dedication and rigorous training that propel them to the highest levels of competition.  Commitment to intense practice, strategic planning, and mental conditioning, all of which transform their raw talent into peak performance. The sacrifices they make and the effort they invest highlight a crucial truth: talent alone is not enough. It is the fusion of hard work and perseverance that truly unlocks one's potential and turns dreams into achievements. I hope that our students are inspired by the dedication of the athletes and can witness the victories and learn how to bounce back from the disappointments.

Thank you and God bless.

Ms S Rainford

(Principal)