From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope this newsletter entry finds you all well following an ‘action packed’ month of May and equally as exciting commencement to June. As we reflect on the incredible events of the past few weeks, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to our successful College Open Day on Sunday, May 25. With over 2000 visitors to the College and almost a quarter of these visitors with no prior engagement with us, it was truly an authentic showcase of the spirit and vibrancy of our community. In fact, the word ‘authentic’ was mentioned numerous times in describing the experiences of our visitors in their interactions with staff, students, and parents.

A special vote of thanks must go to our dedicated staff, enthusiastic student volunteers, and our Parent Partnership Panel. Your commitment and hard work brought our college to life and allowed prospective families to experience the warmth and inclusiveness that defines our community. I could not be more grateful to our Head of Engagement, Marketing and Communications (Emma Velthuis) and our Maintenance Staff lead by David O’Regan who worked tirelessly for months in the lead-up to the event preparing our campus and coordinating the many moving parts. What a team!

If the success of Open Day was not enough, we launched into the following week with our bi-annual Musical with Padua College, Mamma Mia! For those of you who were privileged enough to have secured a ticket (it was a sell out!) it was…. in my humble opinion the best school musical I have EVER seen. Congratulations to every student who was a part of this brilliant production – your exceptional talent, skill and dedication brought joy to every one of your performances and highlighted the importance of performing arts in the lives of our young people. Engaging in the arts not only fosters creativity and self-expression but also builds confidence, enhances teamwork skills, and encourages resilience—qualities that will serve our students well in all aspects of their lives. 

I have absolutely no doubt that the Mamma Mia! experience will endure in the memories of our Mt A and Padua students for years to come. I am so proud of these students. Of course, a production of this scale, quality and excellence could not be achieved without the exceptional dedication of our staff. To Ms Dani Curcuruto, Mr Daniel Allen, Ms Susan O’Toole Cridland, Ms Bonnie Howard, FCIP Staff, our dedicated staff and parent volunteers – we could not have done this without you all!  In our year of JOY, it is hard to imagine a more fitting musical.

Our 2025 CaSSSA Cross Country team also celebrates their outstanding achievement, in placing 4th overall in the competition held on a very wet Friday 30 May —our best results to date! This exceptional result is testimony to your hard work and determination - you have made us all very proud! It was wonderful to see you all in action out at Limestone Park, Ipswich. Our thanks to our Wolf Mothers (the Mt A Sports Team and Coaches).

Thank you to the families and students who joined us for our annual Alumnae in Conversation Event, "Paths and Purpose”, on Thursday evening, it was wonderful to see so many of our current families and students join us. Your participation in these events certainly enriches our community and strengthens our connections – past, present and future.

As we embark upon our final assessments and end-of-semester examinations, we encourage all students to do their very best and remind them, always that this a mindset underpinned by doing ones personal best and embracing “PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION”. I know that lots of support and preparation has gone into supporting our students for this time of year, but perhaps some reminders of how parents and carers may be able to assist their child during the next few weeks in terms of individual preparation.

The key messages to our students are as follows:

1. **Create a Study Schedule**: Break your study time into manageable chunks and set specific goals for each session.

2. **Stay Organized**: Keep your notes, assignments, and study materials well-organised to make revision easier.

3. **Practice Self-Care**: Ensure you are eating well, staying hydrated, and getting enough sleep. A healthy body supports a healthy mind. Consider a ‘digital detox’ (social media) for this busy period.

4. **Seek Help When Needed**: Don’t hesitate to reach out to teachers or peers if you have questions or need clarification on topics. There is plenty of help and support available here. Use your lifelines.

We wish our students the very best for this time of assessment of learning, assessment as learning and assessment for learning. Assessments are a ‘natural’ part of the learning process. Thus maintaining a healthy perspective in relation to our growth as learners is essential for all of us!

A Prayer for Students and Community

Heavenly Father,

We gather in gratitude for our community and the gifts we share. As we face challenges and opportunities, guide us with wisdom and strength. May we embrace our talents and support one another in our journeys. Bless our students with clarity of mind and resilience of spirit as they prepare for their assessments. May they find joy in their efforts and peace in their hearts.

Amen.

We thank you again for your unwavering support and commitment to our college community. Together, we continue to inspire and uplift each other – what a fabulous few weeks we have had!

Peace and all good,

Samantha Jensen

Principal