Principal's Panorama

Dear Families of SMOTA, 

What a magnificent two weeks! Although we have had a number of absences due to viruses and flus, we have certainly not put our foot on the breaks. Educators and students have been continually refining their learning in preparation for final grades for reports in Week Nine.

I am excited to see our 2026 Early Stage Ones for their enrolment interviews this week and of course demonstrate everything our school encompasses to Mr Edmund Maher (Secondary School Performance Leader) on Thursday. 

Colour Run

Thank you so much to our parent/carer helpers at the Colour Run on the 21st November. It was a wonderful event and I was so proud of our Stage Three cohort who helped our juniors feel comfortable on the course! Huge thanks must go to Jo C, who stepped in for the Parents and Friends Committee to be slimed. You are a legend.

Final 2025 Principals' Meeting

Our final 2025 Principals Meeting was held in Tamworth on Wednesday through Friday last week.  It was a good opportunity to catch up with my fellow Principals, to see how their schools are tracking this late in the year.

We said some sad farewells with Frances Reynolds (Mungindi), Cath Martin (Gunnedah), Pauline Long (Quirindi) all retiring, to Matthew Mills (Warialda) who is heading to QLD to take on a Principalship in the Rockhampton Diocese and Claire Ryan (Boggabri) who is taking a well deserved break with her family to travel.

With outgoing principals the Diocese sees Mrs Jacqui Wait (AP Holy Trinity Inverell) take on the Principalship at Warilalda, Amanda Sheridan taking over from Pauline Long at Quirindi.  As a Diocese, we also welcome back Melita Roache (formally O'Connor Catholic College and current Principal at Cobar to the Principal position at Mungindi.  As well as welcome incoming Principal, Nicole Prior, currently in the Maitland Newcastle Diocese taking on St Mary's College at Gunnedah.

We delved into the 25 schools’ draft AIPs as well as the Mission, Vision, and the Annual Improvement Plan (AIP) for Armidale Catholic Schools for 2026.

A highlight of the meeting was a great session led by guest speaker Kelly Humphrey, who is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) at the Australian Catholic University.  An absolutely phenomenal speaker about our commitment as a nation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and what we all can do every day to ensure that all of our young people realise their own hope-filled future.

Liturgical Year Change 

This coming Sunday is the change over of the Catholic church's liturgical year as this Sunday (30th November) marks the first week of advent! Heading into Year A in the three year cycle, we will be hearing from the Gospel of Matthew.  As one of the Synoptic Gospels, did you know that it is Matthew's Gospel that mentions the 'three wise men'?  The magi who came to worship Jesus as the king of the Jews and the only Gospel to include the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-15).

Over this coming Liturgical year we will learn more about Jesus and his 'coming' as the 'promised Messiah' who is prophesied by the Old Testament.  As one of the 'easier' Gospels to understand, due to its journey from Jesus' birth to resurrection, it is also used to help us understand other events in Gospels such as Mark.

I look forward to seeing you all at the School Leaders Speeches on Tuesday morning.

Until next time,

Zoe

Principal