Principal Message

The past few weeks have seen us at our best as a college community as we firstly saw over 120 students and a dedicated team of staff bring High School Musical alive at the Civic Centre with over 6 performances along with a dress rehearsal including our feeder Catholic Primary students. It was wonderfully well received and was of the highest standard. Particular congratulations to Ms Mel Hale and Ms Clementine Patterson who led this venture so admirably. Supported by Ms Louise Baker, Mr Strauss Human, Ms Samantha Taylor, Ms Daine Pulver, Mr Tom Pulver, Ms Amanda Yeo, Mr Ash Smith and many more staff assisting at different times.

Whilst that was occurring our AFL teams were working their way successfully through the round robin rounds of their local Wagga High Schools competition. All four, both boys and both girls teams, made their finals and won them. Congratulations to the coaches Mr Ryan Price, Mr David Kennedy and Mrs Cherrie Kendall and their support teams for an amazing effort. 

This was followed by our girls, juniors and seniors, working their way through the early rounds of their netball competition, culminating in making the finals and winning them. 

For the senior girls netball team, to win the Tracey Gunson Shield final after successive losses, is a testament to their resilience and grit. It was heartwarming to celebrate with the Year 12’s at the end of the match after so much effort over so many years to get there. Well done!

At assembly last Wednesday, I took the opportunity to congratulate, in particular Year 12, for the way they have supported each other and how they also led the college over the past few weeks. In particular, both through the musical performances but also the AFL and netball. A trend we have been seeing all year. It's been a wonderful example of how success can be achieved by persistence and quality effort. 

We look forward to ongoing success in the State Cup Rugby League, Basketball, Soccer and Rugby 7’s competitions. Hopefully our students will get behind these with the same level of enthusiasm and effort. 

Our reflections on our students' progress are always challenged by those students who may, at times, seem to be drifting, smoothing themselves off and trying to travel under the radar, despite intentional effort by teachers.  Our PBL process is a terrific way of seeing all students affirmed for their effort when it is deserving of it. If you feel your daughter or son is traveling well but you aren't hearing from staff please be encouraged to check in with teachers as to how things are going so that from your point of view no one falls between cracks as they have gone quiet. As we enrol students each year we always hear from parents about not wanting their child to fall between cracks.  It's a tricky issue in schools but our PBL data indicates many students are being recognised but I do wonder about those who aren't. 

With only a few weeks to go and the end of my time here at Kildare I have been heartened by the many messages of support and appreciation. Thank you so much for those. I look forward to noting some remarks in response to it all in our last newsletter for the term. 

God Bless