From the Principal Leader

Dear Parents, Carers, and Students,

During the last 2 weeks we have enjoyed an abundance of college activities as we embark on the new school year. In the last few weeks we have enjoyed several community events that always allow our Chisholm spirit to shine brightly. Our Opening College Mass and Caroline Chisholm Day last Friday was a day of celebration where all students Year 7-12 could find ways to explore how we can make our college community one where our 2025 value of compassion can be alive in our words and actions. I would like to express my appreciation to all students for engaging fully in the homeroom reflection activity with the support of class peers and their homeroom teachers. The girls designed individual pledges of compassion in their lives that will hopefully enable them to find real life opportunities where the Gospel value of compassion can be enacted making a difference in our world. I would like to thanks Fr Johnston (St Padre Pio Parish, Glenmore Park) for celebrating this Mass and guiding us on how we can truly model ourselves on our Patron Caroline Chisholm who helped the disadvantaged, as well as providing care and support to women and families who were struggling in the early days of Australia’s colonisation. Her persistence to prevail against adversity is central to our college beliefs about how God is present with us at all times instilling courage, compassion and grace through the work of the Holy Spirit. Following the Opening Mass, the students were able to set up stalls and commence fundraising and join in the celebratory activities such as fun rides, haunted house, the Lip Sync Battle and so much more. Thank you to all students and staff for your commitment to fundraising for Caritas Australia for the start of Lent this week! I would also like to acknowledge Mrs Jeanette Cocks, Ms Jacqui Morley for the organisation of our beautiful Opening Mass, along with all students who supported this as altar servers, readers, musicians, and vocalists. Our thanks and appreciation to Mr Caws, Ms Rigor, Mr Carozza, and Mrs Merriman for their organisation of our brilliant musicians and choir, as well as Ms Julie Wiffen and Mrs Wendy Slaughter for the Chisholm Token organisation and distribution, and finally Mr Beatty, John and Aleks for their IT support making the Mass one that is memorable for our college community. Thank youtube our students and staff for your help, support, motivation and commitment ensuring that Chisholm Day was a true success! In this Year of Jubilee, Pope Francs calls us to seek compassion and hope through the guidance and work of the Spirit making everything possible. Let us all be people of hope offering our compassion and always seeking to bring witness to  the message of the Gospel where light prevails over darkness. 

Thank you to all Year 11 students, parents and carers who were able to attend our Year 11 Information session in the Performance Centre on Tuesday 18 February. Your attendance has allowed you to more fully understand your Stage 6 learning and assessment commitments, as well as learn about the ways you can build an effective study schedule that will allow students to achieve their HSC goals with flying colours! Thank you one again to the parents who were able to come along and continue to seek ways to support your daughters in these final stages of their learning journey. IN 2025 we are adopting the mantra…we are BETTER TOGETHER!

I hope to see as many parents and carers at our Parents as Partners meeting next Week on Wednesday 12 March 4-5:30pm in the staff lunch room. We will explore our 2025 priorities, the Enhancing Catholic Schools identity Survey and uniform matters moving forward. I look forward to hearing your perspectives and continuing our positive partnership as we move forward together in 2025.

May God bless you and keep you safe in the palm of his hand.

Mrs Tania Cairns

Principal Leader