Principal's Update

Our Mother’s Day Breakfast on Friday 10 May was a wonderful acknowledgement of mothers and mothering in our community. Over 230 members of our community gathered to celebrate and give thanks for all that they bring to us personally and to the community.  It was particularly special to have a number of families with three generations of women present. 

Our guest speaker was Katrina Richardson, who is a Clinical Family Therapist with extensive experience in youth mental health and family therapy. Katrina spoke about the importance of the connection between mother and daughter, how the relationship changes as the daughter develops and what daughters need from their mothers during the different stages of their lives.  One of the many examples she gave was the importance of letting the girls experience disappointment (e.g. not being selected for a sports team) and navigate through friendships issues etc. Such experiences help them to build resilience, which will serve them well in life.  If we protect them from such experiences or step in to resolve challenges that arise for them, it may lead to a lack of resilience.  As Michael Grose, one of Australia's most respected experts on parenting says ‘Promoting personal resilience focuses on helping kids cope with life’s hurts, disappointments and challenges in the present, while building strengths for the future.’  The Parenting Ideas website (https://www.parentingideas.com.au/) provides a range of wonderful resources for parents and carers.

There are a wide range of activities and programs for students to be involved in before school, during lunchtime and afterschool at Kilbreda.  These opportunities include everything from robotics, dance, drama, music, sport and exercise, public speaking, debating, social justice  and homework/study groups just to name a few!  Zumba at lunch proved particularly popular last week with over 200 girls taking a class led by Ms Jaime Wallace.  Our Kilbreda Dance Company, led by Ms Cara Mitchell and VCE Dance students also has over 70 members.  It’s wonderful to see so many students actively involved in these activities and I thank all of the staff who so generously give their time to run them.

We are pleased to announce that, in addition to the homework support that is regularly provided after school in the library by teachers, we have introduced Learning Mentors to provide further additional support to students.  The Learning Mentors are recent graduates from Kilbreda who will be in the Library from 3.30pm to 5.00pm on most afternoons (Monday to Thursday) to assist students with homework and general study

Uniform

Thank you to all students who wear their uniform correctly at all times and to parents who ensure that their daughters meet the College’s expectations in this regard.  The College expectations in regards to uniform, including jewellery and make-up, are outlined on Page 15 of the Student Planner.   Any student who breeches these expectations will be given a uniform infringement.

A Mother’s Day Prayer

We pray for young mothers, who give life and count toes and tend to our every need;

May they be blessed with patience and tenderness to care for their families and themselves with great joy.

We pray for our own mothers who have nurtured and cared for us;

May they continue to guide us in strong and gentle ways.

We remember mothers who are separated from their children because of war, poverty, or conflict; May they feel the loving embrace of our God.

We pray for women who are not mothers but still love and shape us with motherly care and compassion.

We remember mothers, grandmothers,

and great-grandmothers who are no longer

with us but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love.

Amen

Nicole Mangelsdorf

Principal