From the Deputy Principal
By Sue Hinchliffe
A Beautiful Celebration: the Commissioning of our Principal, Christine Shaw
Our College community recently gathered in a spirit of true felicity for the official Commissioning of our Principal, Christine Shaw. It was a truly inclusive, family-oriented occasion that beautifully highlighted the strength and breadth of both Chris’ and Loreto’s deep and global reach.
The Commissioning was even more poignant by the presence of Chris’s family, including family who travelled from New Zealand. A moving highlight of the ceremony was a very special (and surprise) presentation and blessing of a traditional Māori Pounamu. This powerful synergy of family, culture, faith and service truly reflected the hallmarks of Chris’ leadership.
Our students were central to the occasion, participating with the grace, reverence, and leadership that characterises our young people. We were equally blessed by the presence of many significant guests, particularly a number of CJ Sisters, representatives from Loreto Ministries, and leaders from Ballarat schools and DOBCEL. It was also wonderful to have staff and Principals from other Loreto schools join us. Following the formal ceremony, guests gathered for an afternoon tea at the Little Flower Campus. It was a beautiful opportunity to celebrate the exciting future ahead under Chris's leadership.
We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this day so memorable, and we offer our ongoing prayers and support to Chris as she leads our community with vision and heart.
Building Independence and Academic Excellence
At the beginning of this term, both staff and parents of the College engaged with Clinical Psychologist Dr Judith Locke, whose presentations focused on a goal we all share: building capable, confident, and independent students who strive for their personal excellence.
Staff are continuing to focus on this area in ongoing Professional Learning workshops to explicitly link the traits of Dr Locke’s focus 5R’s (self-regulation, resilience, responsibility, respect and resourcefulness) into core expectations to complement the Loreto Learning Expectations implemented at the beginning of the year.
In the coming weeks, students and families will navigate important academic milestones such as Subject Selection for next year, exam preparation, final semester assessment and the GAT.While these activities can present challenges, there are a number of actions students and families can take to ensure students can achieve their personal best.
Guide Strategic Subject Choices: Help your child focus on where their interests overlap with their abilities rather than peer choices or "scaling." Double-check university prerequisites together.
Maintain Routines and Expectations: Ensure regular attendance, home routines, and personal responsibilities remain a clear expectation during busy assessment periods.
Foster Agency and Active Study: Encourage them to proactively seek teacher feedback. Gently steer them away from passive reading or highlighting toward high-yield habits like timed practice exams.
De-escalate Exam Anxiety (The Locke Approach): Listen, empathise ("Yes, exams can be stressful"), and normalise ("Most students are feeling the same way right now").
Protect the Physical Basics: Keep your support operational. Ensure they get 8–9 hours of sleep, provide nutritious snacks, and maintain a quiet, distraction-free study space.
Praise the Process, Not the Percentage: Focus your praise on their effort, consistency, and routine. This lowers performance anxiety and keeps them grounded
Ultimately, academic success and personal growth are built on consistent attendance and daily accountability. This standard is wholly supported by the VCE framework, where achieving a Satisfactory (S) rather than a Not Satisfactory (N) outcome relies directly on a student's dedication to their coursework, meeting attendance requirements, and developing independent study habits.
We look forward to seeing these valuable conversations around effort, resilience, and personal excellence continue to translate into dedicated classroom practice and strong academic habits