As our year draws to a close, let us continue to give thanks for all that has occurred during 2021 which has contributed to our growth as a community. We have celebrated our achievements in many forums and we have recorded our appreciation to all those who have been part of our journey.

There can be a beautiful simplicity about Christmas that is calming to our senses amidst the furious activity of daily life at this time of the year. When we listen to the carols and view the stable scenes in our nativity tableaux, we feel comforted by a story that we think we know so well.

However, for Mary and Joseph the birth of Jesus was far from being calm and comforting. They lived in Nazareth, four days’ journey from Bethlehem. Mary was a teenage mother-to-be, and a journey so late in her pregnancy must have been difficult for her. For Mary and Joseph this was a time of anxiety and hardship. The infant babe, in whom we rediscover God’s great love for humanity, becomes the adult who challenges us to imitate his selflessness and compassion, to recreate our lives, to make the peace, justice and hope of Christians a reality throughout the seasons of the year.

Christmas is not only the commemoration of an historical event that occurred over 2000 years ago, it is a spiritual event to be lived within each of us. Our mission is to make holy the secular aspects of Christmas and we do this by being patient, generous, loving and laughing people no matter how maddening the Christmas rush around us is.

The birth of Jesus made possible not just a new way of understanding life, but a new way of living it. Even though all around us are forces that are rushing us to a celebration that equates spending with love, we need to feel a strong undercurrent of authentic meaning. If we were to put into ‘ordinary terms’ the meaning of Christmas, perhaps it might look something like this:

It’s sharing your gifts, not purchasing them.
It’s not wrapping presents, it’s being present and wrapping your arms around the ones you love.
It’s not getting Christmas cards out on time, it’s expressing your greetings any time, at the right time.
It’s not having the best Christmas light display, it’s displaying the Christ light that comes from your heart.

May the Christmas spirit be present all year round, not just in December.

May all our intentions and actions be directed to the greater Glory of God.

Mary Aikenhead

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following Year 9 students who will fulfill the role of College Student Leaders in 2022:

College Co-Captains	Community Captains - Curriculum
Meg Butler	Avalon Forbes
Aimee Stacey	Charlotte Gray

Carmel House Captains	Community Captains - Environment
Matilda Brumby	Madison Casey
Coco Erin	Remi Mansfield

Loreto House Captains	Community Captains - Mission
Jessica Bray	Mackenzie Loveless
Isabella Lovell	Bailey Rothacker

Lourdes House Captains	Community Captains - Wellbeing
Ebony Burne	Aurelia Albertini
Claire Murray	Grace Hegarty

In Appreciation

I am sure all who attended our Year 10 Celebration Evening and Dinner would have appreciated the enormous amount of work which went into making it such a special and successful occasion. I would like to express heart-felt thanks to all staff who contributed to such a wonderful evening.

The Step up day for all our students was a wonderful day where we particularly welcomed our new students to the College. The Year 7 Orientation Day was also well attended and received. Thank you to all our teachers for the preparation and input for the day but I would particularly thank Miss Melanie Slyuters, Mrs Aimee Woodward and Mrs Lauren Hall for their lead in this area.

On Tuesday evening the Primary Nativity Play showcased both the Christmas story and the talents of many of our students. Thank you to Mr Gerard McNulty, Ms Dorothy Lincoln and to all the primary staff and children for their beautiful presentation of the Nativity Play.

Yesterday the students took home with them the 2021 FIDES yearbook which is an absolute delight to read and look at all the amazing images from College events and showcasing the amazing talents of our student community. To our staff who spent their time preparing articles, thank you! A heartfelt thanks is extended to Mrs Caroline Jager for her amazing gift to us of producing this keepsake for our community.

Staffing News

As always when we come to the end of a school year, we farewell staff who will leave the College for future endeavours. Firstly, we thank Mrs Anna Cazaly for her tremendous contribution to the College over the years, both in the Primary and Secondary schools.

We also thank our Finance Manager, Mr Richard Jolly, for his contribution to the Finance Team. We extend both Anna and Richard our best wishes in their future endeavours.

Mrs Lauren Hall, who commenced at the College this year as the Acting Director of Primary and most recently Acting Deputy Principal, will also conclude her tenure at the end of the year. We thank her for her tremendous contribution and leadership of the Primary School over the past year. We wish her well as she embarks on her new educational journey at John Paul II as Acting Deputy Principal.

We extend our congratulations to Mrs Caroline Wilson-Haffenden, who has accepted the position of Deputy Principal at St Mary’s Catholic College. Caroline has been a part of the Mount Carmel College community for 20 years and has made an enormous contribution to our school, not only in her role as a classroom teacher, but in her leadership of the Primary School.

Mr Scott Young retires from Mount Carmel College after dedicating 42 years to educating our young people, with seven of those years spent teaching and mentoring our students. Both students and colleagues have benefited from Scott’s experience, passion and commitment to Mount Carmel College.

Mrs Helen Crawford from our Long Day Care and Holiday Care program, will also retire at the end of this year. Helen has been an integral part of our Early Years team, providing care and exciting programs for our youngest students, readying them for the beginning of their educational journey. We wish both Scott and Helen a wonderful retirement, filled with family, travel and wonderful experiences.

Our three Trainees, Miss Ella Anderson and Miss Mikayla Cooper in Sport and Recreation, and Miss Ella Bererton in Business Services, have all completed their traineeships with Mount Carmel College. We acknowledge the wonderful work they have done during their time with us and wish them all the best in their future endeavours.

There are still some positions that need to be finalised and in the first edition of The View next year a list of staff and their duties will be provided. I am sure that the service and dedication of all staff in providing a comprehensive teaching and learning programme will continue to make the environment of Mount Carmel one where all are encouraged to make the best of absolutely every opportunity.

Thank you

I would like to thank the entire College community for their ongoing support as I have taken on the role as Acting Principal.

To the Leadership Team and College Board, I remain very appreciative of the support of these members and the commitment and energy that they bring to their respective roles.

Finally, but by no means, lastly, to the parents/carers, staff and students have a happy and holy Christmas and a wonderful holiday break. May God Bless.

May you be blessed with the spirit of the season,

Which is peace;

The gladness of the season,

Which is hope:

And the heart of the season,

Which is love.

Student Achievement