Head of Junior School

Building resilience together — a night for Fathers

Dr David Buttifant, who spent over 25 years working with elite sports people, including many years with Mick Malthouse at Collingwood, now turns his attention towards building resilience in people and teams. One of David’s key messages in his work is that resilience is not built by removing obstacles but by learning how to navigate them.

This powerful idea set the tone for a wonderful evening at St Catherine’s School, where we welcomed David to speak with the Fathers of our Year 4 to 6 girls.

As our Junior School girls move closer to their teenage years, the conversation centred on how we can best support them to develop resilience, confidence and a strong sense of wellbeing. Importantly, David reminded us that true growth often comes not from comfort, but from challenge. As parents and educators, our role is not to smooth every path, but to walk alongside our girls as they learn to manage setbacks, embrace uncertainty and build inner strength.

A standout element of the evening was the openness and honesty in the room. Fathers engaged in thoughtful discussion, sharing their experiences, questions and perspectives on navigating these formative years. There was a genuine sense of connection, with many acknowledging both the joys and complexities of parenting during this stage of development.

We extend our sincere thanks to David Buttifant for his insights, and to the fathers who attended and contributed so meaningfully to the evening.

Celebrating our special persons

Today, we welcomed a wonderful group of special people into the Junior School, creating a vibrant and joyful atmosphere throughout the day. Grandparents, aunties, uncles, special friends and siblings, both younger and older, joined us in a morning of fun and excitement. The girls were proud to share their learning with a special person in their lives. With close to 200 visitors, the school was buzzing with energy. It was a delight to see our girls sharing their learning and proudly introducing the important people in their lives. The sense of belonging and connection was felt across the School and served as a reminder of the powerful role relationships play in a child’s experience.

Strengthening our community

Together, these experiences reflect something central to life at St Catherine’s — the strength of our community. Whether through evenings of learning and reflection with parents, or joyful occasions that welcome special people into the school, we are intentional about building meaningful connections.

Our girls flourish when they see the important adults in their lives engaged, connected and working together. These shared experiences deepen relationships and reinforce the strong partnership between school and home.

Dr Brendan Kean

Head of Junior School