Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Friends,

The reporting process for Semester 1 was completed this week and you should receive your daughter’s report next week. Please contact the school if it does not arrive by the end of the week and a duplicate will be organised for you. Overall, girls can be pleased with their efforts, but everyone can set goals for next semester to improve upon their classroom performance or to engage more with extracurricular programmes. I encourage you to contact teachers with any concerns. Whilst there is a Year 12 Learning Conversation evening early next term, the Year 7-11 evening is not until September so please don’t wait until then if you have any worries.

Thank you to all the families who donated food items to last week’s Mass for the Poor. The Springvale Vinnies who will distribute the food to families in need, gratefully received all the contributions. We had many visitors join us at last week’s Mass and as an expression of our Kildare Ministries’ value of Hospitality and welcoming all to the table, the Student Leaders greeted our guests and after Mass escorted them to the staff room for a shared lunch.

Our inaugural hockey teams competed with great success at this week’s SCSA competition. Congratulations to all girls playing such a technically difficult game. The junior and senior girls played so well they won their division. Well done.

School certainly doesn’t stop because it is the end of the term. Our Killester Big Band travelled to Echuca yesterday for a two-day performance programme which includes playing on a paddle steamer on the Murray. Next week we have a number of netball teams competing in the International Netball Competition. This is held from Tuesday 4th July to Friday 7th July at Waverley Netball Centre Jells Park, so if you’re in the area in the latter part of the week, stop by to cheer our girls on. The two day holiday programme will be run again for some of our girls whilst some students will be coming to school for classes. My thanks to all staff involved in the additional activities for the girls. It is a great commitment to keep offering opportunities to students to be their best.

This is my final newsletter as Principal of Killester. It has been a privilege to work at the school for the past 31 years, and as Principal for 21 years. I have a firm belief that as adults, we all share the responsibility of guiding young people to be the best person they can be as they take their position in the world. Parents have the key role in forming their children, but as a school, we too contribute in a significant way. This is what has driven me in my role over my career – a clear sense of responsibility towards our young people. To work in a school that also is deeply imbued by Gospel values of caring for each other and welcoming all has also helped shape my time at Killester. I leave with gratitude for all I have received from the school community – students, staff, parents and the Stewardship Council. I wish God’s blessing for each and everyone of you for a future of love and peace,

Leanne Di Stefano, Principal