As we approach the end of Term 1 and enter the Easter season, I want to thank our students, families and staff for the spirit you bring to St Stephen’s Catholic College each day. This term has been full, busy and hopeful, and it has been heartening to see so many examples of quiet kindness, perseverance and care in our community.

Easter invites us to pause and remember that God’s response to a broken world is not despair, but hope. In a time when many of us are conscious of conflict and suffering beyond our own borders, it is natural to feel a mix of concern, sadness and even helplessness. As members of a diverse community, we are reminded that Jesus’ mission involved that of peace:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

In the Gospels, Jesus not only speaks about peace, he lives it. He blesses those who work for peace and calls his followers to respond to hurt with mercy and forgiveness, not retaliation. Jesus says,

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

They shape the way we think about pastoral care, the way we speak to each other, and even the way we design the structures of school life, and most importantly, what we expect from each person in our community – to strive towards peacefulness, not alternatives.

As we move into the Easter break, my hope is that this will be a time of rest and reconnection for you and your families: a chance to step back from the busyness of the term, to give thanks for the good things we share, and to hold in prayer those in our world who long for safety and peace.

Thank you once again for your partnership with the College, for the trust you place in us, and for the countless ways you support your children and our staff. I look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 2, renewed by the message of Easter and ready to continue our work together.

Vertical Home Form 2027

Several years ago, St Stephen’s introduced a pastoral system where the middle leader pastoral care teachers managed their students within their house (e.g. the Augustine Pastoral House Leader manages pastoral care for all students from Year 7 to 12 who are in the Augustine House). This was an important first step in aligning pastoral care around Houses rather than year levels. Building on that journey, we are moving to aligning all College home forms vertically. The reasons are as follows:

Supports Enrolment Growth
As our College continues to grow, vertical home forms allow student numbers to be spread more evenly, ensuring each group remains at a size where every student is known and supported. Our intake for year 7, 2027 is projected to be 140 students, which incorporates the majority of our feeder school students, siblings of current students, and Catholic and other students in our region.
Builds Leadership & Social Skills
Mixed-age home forms create daily opportunities for older students to model leadership and mentoring, while younger students gain confidence by having positive role models in close proximity.
Creates a “Family-Like” Environment
Instead of each class being made up of only one year level, students from different year levels within the same House will share a home form, building a sense of family and belonging across ages.
Strengthens Communication Across Age Groups
Regular interaction between students in different year levels helps develop stronger interpersonal communication and collaboration.
Smaller Home Form Sizes
The model aims for smaller Home form groups (approximately 22–23 students per class, with eight classes per House), making it easier for Home Form teachers to provide individual pastoral support.
Pastoral care responsibility for all year levels is spread across all teachers, including workload that typically is greater for teachers managing students in Years 7 to 9.

In short, the proposed structure is designed to reflect the kind of community we want at St Stephen’s: connected, supportive and anchored in our House system. It also addresses some human resource considerations and as mentioned, the growth in enrolment numbers.

What Will a Vertical Home Form Look Like?

Under the proposal:

Each Home Form will consist of a mixed-age group of students from the same pastoral House.
Students will remain within their House grouping for home form, providing continuity and deeper House identity.
Daily pastoral routines, check-ins and notices will continue to occur in home form time, but within this new vertical grouping.
Students in the same year level will have multiple opportunities to meet and gather during home form times, and in other times scheduled within the calendar.

How We Will Transition – 2026 Preparation for 2027 Launch

The implementation plan includes three stages:

A Family College Connect meeting in TErm 3 will be dedicated to the new pastoral home form structure. Please look out for communication in early Term 3.

Queensland Health Flu Vaccine Message

As we approach the flu season, Queensland Health has reminded us that vaccination remains our strongest defence against influenza. Last year, 73% of people hospitalised with the flu were not vaccinated. In 2026, Queensland has expanded its free flu vaccination program, which now includes a needle-free nasal spray vaccine for children aged 2 to 5 years (before they turn 6). This provides an additional, child-friendly option for families. Vaccinations are available through GPs, pharmacies, community clinics, and other authorised vaccination providers. By getting vaccinated, you help protect yourself, your family, and the wider community. To learn more, search “flu facts qld”.

Staffing Updates

I am pleased to share the following staffing updates:

New Appointments

Tuckshop Casuals
We welcome Myra Van Ornum, Rebecca Campbell, Ashlee Reid, and Janette Woodward to our tuckshop team. We are grateful for their support in serving our students and staff.
Hospitality / Art / Innovation Centre Aide
Marlene Ruge has commenced in a support role across Hospitality, Art and the Innovation Centre. We look forward to the skills and experience she brings to these learning areas.
Enrolments & Community Liaison
Carmel Arnol has been appointed to the Enrolments and Community Liaison position, taking over the role previously held by Maree Lopez. Carmel is already well known to many families, and we are delighted to see her step into this important role supporting enrolments and community connections.

Retirement

Carlo Veschetti
We acknowledge Carlo Veschetti on his retirement and sincerely thank him for his dedicated service to St Stephen’s Catholic College and to education more broadly over 39 years – an outstanding commitment to the students and families in this region. We wish Carlo every blessing and happiness in the next chapter of his life.

Gary Conwell

ssm.principal@cns.catholic.edu.au

Cairns Diocesan News

View the Easter Edition Below!