Principal
Mr Gary Conwell, Principal
On behalf of the St Stephen's Catholic College family, I extend my warmest Christmas wishes to all our families, caregivers, and education partners. Your support in educating our children is vital.
This time of year, we reflect on Jesus’ birth as God’s gift to humanity. Born in times of adversity, Jesus’ entrance into the world is heralded as an antidote to the world's strife. In the Catholic calendar, Advent—the period before Christmas—begins this weekend and is a reminder for us to focus our attention on themes of hope, peace, joy and love. Hope – in the promises that God makes in the life of Jesus; Peace – the promise of Jesus to each person that believes; Joy – in the fulfilment of the plan of God in Jesus; and love – that God incarnated himself into the person of Christ for our benefit.
Advent calls us to prepare ourselves for Christ’s coming, to reflect on our lives and seek reconciliation with God and others, and to help make Christ’s love real to the world. Our imperative is to follow Jesus' example of love, kindness, and compassion, prioritising others above ourselves—a challenging philosophy in modern times. In Jesus’ love, there is no separation, no foreigners, and no fear of the unknown—only his peace.
St Stephen’s Catholic College has had an exciting year. We are a community that nurtures academic excellence, cultural engagement, and community service. Students and staff alike participate in an array of activities that reflect the college's mission, from academic competitions and cultural festivals to sports events and social justice initiatives.
Amid these organised activities, I reflect on the numerous instances of care and consideration that occur daily within the college community. While negative behaviours in schools often dominate wider public discussion, they overshadow the many acts of kindness and support that students and staff extend to one another. Whether through mentoring in academic pursuits, volunteering in community service, or simple gestures of encouragement, these moments embody the spirit of advent alive at St Stephen's – a place where we strive to build respect and compassion.
I would also like to express my gratitude to the staff who are leaving us and serving our students and the college community well. We say farewell, and God bless to our teaching staff: Mr Aaron O’Neill, Ms Jac Patterson, Ms Julia Debel (maternity leave), Mrs Louise Messer (maternity leave), Mrs Emily Pensini, and Mr Mike Luff; and to our non-teaching staff: Ms Crisha Barney and Mrs Taryn Vermaak.
Additionally, we congratulate Ms Georgia Santucci and Ms Geraldine Peterson for finalising their university education degrees and beginning their journeys as fully fledged first-year teachers in 2025.
Gary Conwell