From the Principal 

Passing the Baton of Trust 

This week's Leadership Handover Assembly was one of the significant moments in our College year, honouring the wonderful contribution of our outgoing student leaders while welcoming those who will carry the responsibility of leadership into 2027. 

Guided by Mary Ward's enduring invitation to "Be seekers of truth and doers of justice," our student leaders are called to lead with courage, integrity and compassion through the daily choices that shape the experience of others. 

It was a privilege to congratulate our incoming leaders and to thank Iris, Ava and all our outgoing student leaders for the example they leave behind. Below is the reflection I shared with our community as we marked this important transition. 

"Some words do not reveal their full meaning the first time we hear them. They deepen each time we return to them.

For me, Mary Ward’s invitation is an example of this: 'Be seekers of truth and doers of justice.'

This morning, these words take on particular significance. Today is more than a leadership handover assembly. It is the passing of the baton of trust, from one group of young women who have carried it with deep care, to another who now step forward to continue our College story.

To Iris, Ava and all our outgoing leaders, thank you.  You have led with grace and carried this responsibility with quiet confidence. You have demonstrated to us that leadership is not defined by position or by the moments when others are watching. You have shown us that leadership is about listening and serving.  

You leave behind more than a successful year. You leave behind an example.  And that example now becomes part of the responsibility entrusted to our new leaders.

To Coco and Georgia and all our new leaders, today, you have received more than a badge. You have received an invitation to live Mary Ward’s words, not simply as an ideal, but as a way of leading.

Be seekers of truth and doers of justice.

For we cannot do justice unless we are willing to seek the truth. And seeking truth is more than having the right answer or being honest. It requires the courage to look beyond our own perspective, and the wisdom to recognise that every person has a story we may not yet understand.

When certainty is often rewarded and can reign supreme, Mary Ward invites us to remain curious and accept the mystery of the unknown. In a world that can reward popularity, Mary Ward calls us to choose integrity and have the courage to see and then to act.

The leadership that will define you will rarely happen at Assembly each week or along Talbot Grove each morning. It will be found in the quiet moments: the student you notice, the confidence you restore, the voice you help amplify, and the opportunity you create for someone else.

While your badge may identify you as a leader, your choices and the decisions you make will convince people that you are a leader.

Leadership at Loreto Marryatville is never owned by one person or one year group. It is trust with humility, strengthened through service, and passed on with hope to the many.

May you all honour the legacy of those who came before you, inspire those who will follow, work together, and lead in a way that reflects the enduring spirit of Mary Ward. 

Be seekers of truth and doers of justice."

As we conclude another rewarding term, I wish all our students and their families a restful and joy-filled spring break. May the holidays provide time to recharge, enjoy the changing season with family and friends, and return refreshed for the final term of 2026. 

Kylie McCullah 

Principal