We are thrilled to offer both new and returning students and their families a very warm welcome to our Senior School for 2026. While the staff have been on board for some time, preparing and collaborating and getting ready for your daughters, and our campus is polished and the gardenias are in full bloom, a school without students is like a ship in dry dock. So, it was a relief to hear laughter and chatter pealing through the halls again.

However, we know transitions can be difficult. The long, lazy breakfasts have been replaced by the rude shock of the alarm, and it may take your daughters some time to readjust. This is why we dedicate time to ensuring that both our Year 7 students and our new students from Years 8 – 11 become accustomed to the routines of St Catherine's: the timetable, the lockers, the Cafe, the portal. All are important aspects of helping our students to feel at home here. But the most important of all of these are relationships – feeling known and nurtured by their teachers, and feeling comforted, appreciated and supported by your peers. Over the coming weeks we will also remind the students about the importance of establishing a routine, and we will discuss the importance of a healthy sleep routine. We will remind your girls that the evidence-based research is clear that teenagers who go to bed earlier and sleep for longer than their peers tend to have sharper mental skills and score better on cognitive tests.

We were both fortunate to attend the Year 12 Leadership Retreat this year and we witnessed the girls listen to one another as they debated the hotly contested topic of the Year 12 word for the year. The discussion was thoughtful, the perfect mix of intelligent and humorous, but above all, it was respectful. The girls really listened to one another and valued each other's opinions. As members of the St Catherine's graduating Year of 2026, these girls have crafted something special: a healthy respect for one another and a genuine fondness for each other's company. This is the culmination of their Senior School journey, and something that all St Catherine's students can cherish.

We look forward to partnering with you again this year in facilitating the best possible holistic education for your daughters.

Ms Lisa Hanlon Mrs Vasiliki Spanos

Deputy Principal - Teaching & Learning Deputy Principal - Student & Staff Wellbeing

Blue Ribbon

Nil Magnum, Nisi Bonum

St Catherine's School · 30 Jan 2026

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