From the Deputy Principal

By Chris Shaw

Farewell to the Class of 2025

Last week we farewelled our Year 12 Class of 2025, marking not only the occasion of their conclusion of secondary school, but also the completion of 12 years of schooling. As a cohort, these students ably led by Ms Meaghan Hillman and past staff member Ms Claire Canavan, have worked cohesively to lead the College through its 150th year.  

In celebration of 150 years of Loreto education, the Class of 2025 planted a commemorative tree - joining every Loreto school across Australia in honouring our rich heritage and reaffirming our commitment to a flourishing future. Inspired by the principles of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on caring for our common home, the planting symbolises our dedication to ecological stewardship, a value deeply embodied by Mother Gonzaga who was a devoted lover of nature and the Earth. 

Throughout the Year 12 Celebration Assembly, a number of awards were presented to our students. Many of these have been kindly endowed by a variety of groups and we are ever grateful for their willingness to support a Loreto education. Most importantly, all our Year 12s received their Graduation certificate from the College. 

As part of our living expression of Gospel values and Catholic faith, Ms Brodrick signed the new 150-year Bible, blessed by Father Justin Driscoll at our anniversary Mass earlier this year. This act symbolises the shared leadership at Loreto College and our commitment to living the Good News of Jesus Christ within and beyond our community. 

Coming together as a community of students, staff, parents and special guests for special events such as these is more than just being in the same place at the same time, it’s about the connection support and shared purpose we have together. At its heart, our shared Loreto values, experiences and common goals are what makes us united, and these moments are important to strengthening that unity. 

At the start of the year, I spoke to the Year 12s at their Retreat about the pages in their stories that were yet to be revealed. I took them back to the 2004 Natasha Bedingfield song ‘Unwritten’, that has seen a recent resurgence, and we unpacked the lyrics encouraging us to see life as a blank page - full of potential and open to new experiences. Fast forward from the Retreat to now and we are at the end of their time at Loreto knowing that, ‘today is where their book begins - the rest is still unwritten’. With each of us having the power to shape our own story, just like Mother Gonzaga did 150 years ago, the class of 2025 was reminded as they danced out to the music, not let fear or expectations hold them back. They can start where they are, use what they have and do what they can, knowing when they walk past Mary Ward as they leave, that she is walking with them telling them to … 

Do good, and do it well.” (MW)

Class of 2025 Awards

Congratulations to the following students who have gone above and beyond across a variety of areas of our College: