Principal's Message
Dear Parents/Carers,
Thank you to our Mater Dei families for your support of the recent College Swimming Carnival. It was a wonderful success, with students giving their best to gain points for their House and for serious swimmers, to support their pathway to representative Swimming opportunities. Congratulations to Sherrin House, who was the winning House.
We are now more than halfway through the term and our students have settled into a positive and productive learning routine. Our Year 7’s have transitioned very well into the College. We have certainly been blessed with an engaged and enthusiastic cohort!
Congratulations to the students who were commissioned as leaders of the Student Representative Council this week. Details are included in this edition of the newsletter.
The recent Year 12 Retreat was a special faith experience for our graduating class and details are included in the newsletter. Many students are involved in the co-curricular life of the College this term; sporting competitions are underway and our students are rehearsing for the College production of Grease next term.
As we journey through Lent, our focus includes supporting Project Compassion. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta said,
The work of Caritas reminds us that living our faith through service is an important expression of all we believe, as expressed through this Project Compassion Prayer.
We pray:
God of all peoples and nations,
As you accompany us
on our Lenten journey,
May our fasting strengthen our
commitment to live in solidarity,
Our almsgiving be an act of justice,
And our prayers anchor us in love
and compassion.
Awaken our hearts and minds that
we may be one human family
As we all go further together.
We ask this in Jesus’ name,
Amen
A significant part of our Easter preparation is the College Easter Egg raffle to support the works of St Vincent de Paul. This was launched on Thursday and I thank our parents/carers in advance for supporting the raffle so generously with donations and the purchase of tickets each year.
Year 7 2025
Year 6 visits to our local Catholic Primary Schools took place last week, with Enrolment information provided to all students to take home for completion. Applications are made online for all Diocesan schools going forward and are accompanied by supporting documentation.
The Year 7 2025 Open night on Tuesday was very well attended with a huge number of students volunteering to be present that night to show prospective families what learning looks like at Mater Dei. Interest in places for Year 7 next year is very strong and we have already received many enrolment applications and “Meet and Greet” interview bookings for 2025.
NAPLAN
Year 7 and Year 9 will undertake the Tests on site from 13 March. Information has been forwarded to parents/carers of both year groups and further details about NAPLAN are available here.
Staff News
Jackie Walker has submitted her resignation from the College from the end of this term. I thank Mrs Walker for her outstanding contribution to Mater Dei over the last twenty years as both a teacher and a KLA Leader of Religious Education and wish her every blessing for the future.
MEBS Parent Advisory Council
The inaugural meeting of this new group will take place on 21 March and the College will be represented by Mr Stephen Hines as well as myself.
Next week is Catholic Schools Week in our Diocese and we take this opportunity to celebrate every aspect that our College offers as a Catholic Learning Community.
May St Patrick and St Joseph, whose Feast Days occur at this time, serve as models of courage and fidelity to us all.
Best wishes,
Mrs Val Thomas |Principal