From the Assistant Principal: Faith & Identity
By Felicity Knobel
Reconciliation Week
Our College community came together this term to mark National Reconciliation Week 2026, embracing this year’s theme, 'All In', a call for all to commit to reconciliation every day and take active steps towards meaningful change.
We began with a special Acknowledgement of Country shared by Bilyana and her grandmother, Marjorie. We thank Marjorie for joining us and sharing Language with our community.
Our student voices led the assembly, with our Dhurring students and FIRE Carriers sharing their reflections on what reconciliation means to them and what it means to be “All In”. Together, they shared what reconciliation can look like in a school, learning together, asking questions, and challenging preconceived ideas and assumptions.
Our Dhurrung students shared the traditional Indigenous practice of rope making with our community. Symbolising that when we work together, our Loreto community embraces the shared responsibility of being “All In.” By weaving together, we demonstrate strength in numbers and how our collective commitment to reconciliation can make us stronger and united.
To further symbolise the importance of reconciliation within our school and its connection to our Loreto values, the assembly concluded with the commissioning of our Principal, Christine Shaw, as a FIRE Carrier, recognising her commitment as an active ally within both our Loreto and wider community.
For those new to our community, the Dhurrung program, meaning Wadawurrung for heart, provides a safe and supportive space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at Loreto. With courage, our Dhurrung students shared their experiences and spoke about the importance of connection to culture and identity.
Meanwhile, our FIRE Carriers are a group of staff and students dedicated to reconciliation and raising awareness of First Nations cultures and Australia’s full history while working to build respect, understanding, and inclusion. They led a range of activities during the week to promote reconciliation and to raise funds for the Opening the Doors Foundation. Students supported the cause through ribbon and donut sales, while Mentor Groups participated in Kahoots that encouraged learning and conversation.
Our Library team curated a pop-up collection celebrating First Nations authors and stories, and students took part in rope weaving activities, a symbol of strength, hope and unity, and a reflection of our commitment to being All In for reconciliation.
Year 8 students engaged with First Nations landscape art, responding by creating aerial-view artworks of places that are meaningful in their own lives.
A special moment of the week came when a staff member baked Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander–inspired cupcakes for our Dhurrung students and staff, as a small but meaningful gesture.
Funds raised throughout the week supported the Opening the Doors Foundation and its work to help First Nations students access educational opportunities.
Student Leadership Semester 2
At Loreto College Ballarat, there is a significant focus on the leadership capacity of our students. Mary Ward said that ‘women in time to come will do much’ and our students are witnesses to this statement each and every day at Loreto. We encourage all students to nominate themselves for formal leadership positions, however, we promote Mary Ward’s open circle of friends as our model of leadership. This means that all students are capable of leadership and that just because you don’t have a formal leadership role this does not exclude you from being a leader. Mary Ward and Mother Gonzaga Barry needed the members of their open circle of friends in order to complete their work, in fact these people were vital. We congratulate all students on their leadership in semester one.
Senate and House Executive 2027
Our senior leadership process is now underway for 2027. Our Year 11 students have participated in information sessions in the past week with our Student Engagement Coordinator Ms Sarah Slater. We encourage all our students and families to understand this leadership process and look at what is the criteria for selection, how they can work towards senior leadership positions in our College community. We encourage all parents and carers to have conversations with their child about their involvement in our College community and their capacity to lead.
St Vincent De Paul Non-Perishable Food Drive
As a Catholic community, we are always developing our understanding of what it means to give dignity to each person, to give preferential treatment to the poor and how these principles help us to work towards the common good. These Catholic Social Teaching principles are the very essence of who we are as a Catholic community. Our community have a long association with St Vincent De Paul, who do an amazing amount of work assisting people in need. This year, we again asked our community to give generously with non-perishable food items that will assist Vinnies to continue their good work in our community.
