Principal's Message

As we reach the end of another fantastic year, it is a great pleasure to reflect on the many successes, achievements, and memorable moments our students have experienced in 2024.

This year, we have continued to celebrate and recognise positive behaviour through our STARS initiative with over 90% of students receiving STARS throughout the year. Our students have consistently demonstrated respect, responsibility, and effort in their learning and school community. To recognise these outstanding efforts, students participated in end-of-term excursions, with Luna Park and ice skating being well-deserved highlights. A really big thank you to Ms Da Silva and the incredible Year Advisors for their coordination of this whole school initiative.

The whole school S.P.O.R.T. program continues to go from strength to strength with our students excelling on the sporting field this year. The program is also extremely proud to acknowledge the achievements of Reece, who represented NSW in Touch Football, and Cooper, whose talent and dedication in lawn bowls have been nothing short of sensational. Our school teams also shone, with remarkable successes in soccer, basketball, netball, swimming, cross country, mountain biking, horse riding and cricket competitions, showcasing teamwork, skill, and determination. Our SPORTS program has also expanded this year providing opportunities to watch basketball and cricket with more excursions planned in 2025. aAnother huge year for all our sporting coaches and Ms Gavenlock who coordinates the whole program. 

The Dream Together program provided students with enriching experiences and excursions throughout the year, fostering a sense of community and shared goals for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls.The program was also successful in receiving numerous grants to support their Dream Weavers enterprise. A huge thank you and well done to Renee, Ms Lewis and Ms Davies for their passion and dedication to this wonderful program! Similarly, the Clontarf Academy continued its mission of inspiring young Aboriginal and Tores Strait Islander men, highlighted by a major camp to Darwin. This life-changing experience allowed our students to connect with peers from across Australia, build resilience, and create memories to last a lifetime. Special mention to Quin who received the Principal’s Award and Kade who received the Academy Member of the Year at the recent Clontarf Awards. A big thank you to Andrew, Ethan, Jarrod and Noah for their boundless energy, enthusiasm and dedication to the boys enrolled in this initiative. In 2025 we will welcome Matthew to the program as Director. 

In 2024, we have continued to engage a range of impactful initiatives designed to support and inspire our amazing students. Programs such as Top Blokes, Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman, Impact Academy, Consent Labs, and Backflips to Bullying have empowered our students with tools for resilience, self-awareness, and respectful relationships. Pit Stop has provided critical support and reflection opportunities, while the My Strengths program for Years 7, 10, and our graduating Year 12s has been instrumental in helping students identify and celebrate their positive personality traits. We are thrilled to announce that this program will expand in 2025, reaching even more students and building on its already impressive successes. A special thank you to our SSOs and  entire Wellbeing Team for their tireless efforts in coordinating and delivering these initiatives. The dedication to the wellbeing of our students is deeply appreciated and has made a lasting difference in their lives.

This year, our school embraced a new approach to teaching practice, focusing on explicit teaching strategies to support student learning. A key component of this approach has been the introduction of daily reviews, where each lesson begins with a review of previous content to reinforce understanding and build connections. Additionally, our teachers have employed intentional questioning techniques to deepen student engagement and encourage critical thinking. In 2025, we are excited to take this approach further by embedding learning intentions and success criteria into every lesson. This will provide students with clear goals and a strong understanding of what success looks like, fostering greater clarity and ownership of their learning journey. These strategies are part of our ongoing commitment to delivering high quality teaching practices that empower our students to thrive and achieve personal excellence. 

This year, our Annual Awards Ceremony was a highlight of the school calendar, showcasing the incredible achievements of our students across academics, leadership, and extracurricular activities. We celebrated excellence at every level, with major award winners inspiring us all. 

A special congratulations goes to Grace Williams who was awarded a prestigious scholarship to the University of Newcastle – a testament to their hard work, dedication, and future potential. We are proud of all our award recipients and their outstanding accomplishments.

As the year comes to a close, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and thanks to our outgoing School Captains, Matthew and Grace and Vice Captains Eliza and Leo for their exceptional leadership and dedication throughout 2024. Your commitment to representing the student body and driving positive change has left a lasting legacy. At the same time, we are thrilled to welcome our new student leaders for 2025 Jake, Georgia, Jacob and Shelby who will step into their roles with energy and fresh ideas. Next year will also mark the launch of an exciting Student Parliament under the leadership of Ms Hardy, providing a platform for broader student voice and collaboration. We look forward to seeing this innovative approach in action as our students shape the future of our school community.

Finally, I would also like to extend a huge congratulations to the graduating class of 2024! This exceptional cohort has not only achieved academic success in completing year 12 but has also secured a bright future, with many students receiving early university offers and apprenticeships in their chosen fields. Your hard work and determination have truly paid off, and I couldn’t be prouder of your accomplishments.

As we wrap up the year, I’d like to thank our dedicated staff, supportive families, and, most importantly, our incredible students for making 2024 a year to remember. Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season, and we look forward to another amazing year in 2025!

Mr Hope