Principal Message
This week we celebrate Presentation Day on Tuesday 21st November, recognising the founding presence and influence of the Presentation Sisters and their foundress the Venerable Nano Nagle, the ‘lady of the lantern’. In 1874 five sisters were sent from the Presentation community in Kildare, Ireland to Australia, settling in Wagga. The Mount Erin convent and boarding school were begun in 1876 which has evolved combined with St. Michaels Christian Brothers College and Trinity Senior High into Kildare and Mater Dei colleges in 2004. Mount Erin Boarding continues today.
The charism of Nano Nagle inspired young women to become sisters to serve the poor and educate them in times where such education was not encouraged. Edmund Rice was inspired by Nano in his formation of the Christian Brothers. Today the inspiration of our founders and Christ inspires our vision, mission and values of Faith, Learning, Care and Justice.
We will celebrate a liturgy in the college hall on Tuesday morning to celebrate Nano Nagle’s continuing influence.
Last Friday evening we celebrated our Year 12 formal at the Grange function centre. Along with 450 Year 12 students, parents, staff and invited guests including Michael McCormack MP, Dr Andrew Watson and Mrs Prue Horan Director and Deputy from CEDWW, Mr Dallas Tout Mayor of Wagga Wagga, the Presentation Sisters community, all experienced a wonderful night of celebration. I’d like to thank the KCC team led by Mrs Trina Rynehart and Ms Louisa Reynolds for the outstanding organisation of this event.
Please see below for the full list of major prizewinners.
Year 12 Major Awards 2023
THE FIONA BUCHANAN AWARD FOR COURAGE AND DETERMINATION
Awarded to: Damien Widdison
THE NICHOLAS SAMPSON AWARD
Awarded to: Kyra Swaffield & Luke Maynard
MARK GOODEN AWARD FOR HSIE
Awarded to: Lainey Shepherd
THE ANNE & PAT BRASSIL AWARD FOR PERFORMING ARTS
Awarded to: Tyrone Vatubuli
NOTRE DAME SCIENCE AWARD
Awarded to: Kate Wallace
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE LONG TAN LEADERSHIP AND TEAMWORK AWARD
Awarded to: Rohan Cummins
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE FUTURE INNOVATORS AWARD
Awarded to: Hannah Forwood
SISTER ALEXIS HORSLEY AWARD FOR THE BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE IN THE TRIAL HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMS
Awarded to: Kate Wallace
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET) AWARDS
Awarded to: Grace Heffernan
KILDARE ALL ROUNDER AWARD
Awarded to: Hamish McRae
Founders Award for COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Awarded to: Seb McCorry
SENIOR SPORTSMAN AWARD
Awarded to: Jackson Connolly
SENIOR SPORTSWOMAN AWARD
Awarded to: Kate Wallace
SPORTING EXCELLENCE AWARD
Awarded to: Isaac Mooney - Swimming
Congratulations to Drama students and Mr Michael Mack for the Much Ado About Nothing drama production over the past few weeks. The standard was very high and is the talent on display shows the wonderful work being done by our Creative and Performing Arts team through acting, set design and production, music, lighting, publicity etc. A real team effort by students and staff. Well done!
Staff engagement around Positive Behaviour For Learning
The Kildare staff have been working on a refresh of our thinking about students and their learning through the implementation of the Positive Behaviour for Learning framework. This refresh is in response to the context we find ourselves in using a framework that dates back to the 1990’s and is no longer fit for purpose.
The work has been supported by Viv Penman from CEDWW and our consultant Louise O’kelly. This has involved a number of twilight and shorter afternoon staff meetings in preparation for 2024. The collaboration has been energising for the staff. Further consultation will involve larger groups of students and parents.
“Positive Behaviour for Learning is a proactive, whole-school, team-based framework for behaviour support, with an emphasis placed on the prevention of problem behaviour and development of pro-social skills.” To read more about the framework click here
As we head towards the end of the year we have reminded staff and students to maintain their focus for five quality lessons each day to lay a solid platform for growth and progress in their learning in 2024. It is counter to what normally happens in students' minds in particular in term 4. Instead of lowering the effort we should increase to ensure we start well next year. Please encourage your daughters and sons in the effort.
