Cohort News

Year 7 Pastoral Care

2022 has been an action-packed and fun-filled journey for Year 7. As we come to the end of the year, it is important that we celebrate how far each of our students has come. 

Our Week 9 activities saw the Year 7 cohort partaking in healthy competition through trivia, lip sync battles and teamwork challenges to discover which winning house would take out the title of champion. It was a close result, with all students fully getting into the spirit. Congratulations to all of you who participated wholeheartedly and worked amazingly well with your teammates! 

We also explored some of our local attractions when we visited the Australian Art Gallery and Museum. We enjoyed a day of fun in the sun, exploring our wonderful city. 

To complete the year, we celebrated our students who have demonstrated great achievement and effort in their studies at Brigidine. Well done to all award recipients, especially Klara James and Zari Boyd, for being named the joint Year 7 Student of the Year. Congratulations girls! 

Lastly, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you all, the parents and carers of Year 7. Thank you for the continual support you give to your daughters and to me through your communication and collaboration in making school a happy and positive environment for all. 

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas break with your nearest and dearest and look forward to working with you again in 2023. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Rebecca Monohan

Year 7 Pastoral Care Coordinator

Year 8 Pastoral Care

The Year 8 Girls have had a wonderful end of the year, participating in fun, House based activities as well as having the opportunity to connect with friends prior to the Christmas break. 

On Tuesday, the girls participated in Pastoral Group activities where they were able to finish the year off in style. The girls participated in a Year group meeting and Christmas movie viewing with lollies. They then moved into Pastoral Groups and competed in “Mini Olympics’ where the competitive energy was flowing. Finally, the girls finished the day by making Christmas lolly bags and Christmas cards for the clients of Canice’s kitchen. 

On Wednesday, the girls were tourists in their own backyard. The students engaged in a variety of activities outside of their daily academic and pastoral pursuits. Throughout this day, the girls visited the Australia Museum and Art Gallery of New South Wales. The Year 8 girls were lucky enough to visit the new building of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which is one of Sydney’s newest landmarks, where art, architecture and landscape connect. Throughout this building, girls were able to celebrate art, music and performances as well as educate themselves about topics outside of the standard classroom.  

On Thursday, the girls finished off their Pastoral Group challenge with Trivia and a Lip Sync Challenge. This was an awesome way to finish the year with all girls performing and participating to a high level. The winning group, overall, for the week was Brigid. Congratulations to all girls for their effort and enthusiasm throughout the week. 

On Friday, we finished the school year with a very successful and engaging end-of-year Mass and Presentation Day. Congratulations to all the award receipts and ladies who were involved in the music on the day. 

Finally, I wish you all well over the holiday break. May the holiday season fill your home with joy, your heart with love, and your life with laughter. I am looking forward to seeing you in 2023 after a well-deserved rest. 

Nikki McWhirter

Year 8 Pastoral Care Coordinator

Year 9 Pastoral Care

As we wind up for the year, I would like to thank all of the Year 9 students, their teachers and the College Executive for a great year. It has been refreshing to have a year without interruptions by COVID, and as a result, we have done so much. I thank all Year 9 parents for their support this year too. 

As we break up for the year, I want to wish Year 9 and their families a great Christmas and New Year break. I hope that they enjoy themselves safely. 

Be ready to start 2023 as Year 10s, the final year of Stage 5!

Tony Munguia

Year 9 Pastoral Care Coordinator

Year 10 Pastoral Care

Term 4 has gone very quickly, and we are now at the end of the school year. Year 10 experienced some time in the wilderness with their camp at Somerset on the Colo River. The girls must be commended for their engagement with the program, as all groups displayed true strength and gentleness to get through difficult challenges, such as canoeing and the muddy river run!

The year finished with the All My Own Work Transition Program. This program educated students on the issues, rules and regulations regarding plagiarism and equipped them with the knowledge of how to reference external resources correctly. These skills are vital as they move into their senior studies and beyond.

I would like to finish by thanking the Year 10 Cohort for their efforts this year, as well as the families of Year 10 students whom I have come into contact with. I am very proud to be associated with this year group, and I look forward to beginning their Senior School journey with them on the 1st of February 2023.

Merry Christmas, and all the best for the New Year!

Jon Campbell

Year 10 Pastoral Care Coordinator

Year 12 Pastoral Care

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This is a statement from Pope Francis on the true essence of Christmas:

"God never gives someone a gift they are not capable of receiving. If he gives us the gift of Christmas it is because we all have the ability to understand and receive it."

This is our last newsletter for 2022. Our term has really progressed quickly, and it is now time to reflect and express gratitude for all our achievements over the last year. Our Year 12 students have really had a busy term and are now able to face the many challenges, assessments and demands of Year 12.  

The Year 12 Leaders have developed many new, fresh initiatives and ideas over the past term. Olivia Berry and Zara Williamson and their Pink Lemonade and pizza stall enticed all our students to really appreciate the need to support Breast Cancer research in our society. Charlea Reynolds and Isabella Woods also promoted the Vinnie's Christmas Appeal across our College community, and many donations were able to be made to this worthy charity. Our out-of-uniform day was a true highlight as our College was full of Christmas colour and looking forward to our preparations for Christmas.  Our 'Speak up and Stand up Walk' in aid of domestic violence was also another initiative our students were involved in, and I would like to thank Mr Lyon, who participated in this event with our Leaders. 

We would like to congratulate Yasmeen Janschek on her selection into the under-17 NSW State Netball team, as we are so proud of her sporting achievements. Furthermore, Isabella Woods is to be congratulated on moving into the final round of the NSW School Constitutional Convention Parliamentary Education Division, resulting in her going to Canberra in March 2023.

As our term ends, I would like to place a few reminders for 2023. Year 12 returns on 1 February 2023. Please ensure that kilts are lengthened to knee level, grooming is of a high standard (without eyelash extensions/acrylic nails) and the need to be ready for another academic year. I have expressed the desire, over the break, for students to complete some consistent study, note taking and revision. Their half-yearly examinations begin in Week 8 so being prepared and ready for this, will definitely be an asset for all our Year 12 students. 

I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Ms. Quirk, Ms. Norman, Ms. Wood, Ms. Fox, Ms. Agazzi and Ms. Zafiris for their consistent support of our College Community. The Year 12 Pastoral Team- Ms. Evdokimova (Aquinas), Ms. Waterhouse (Brigid), Ms. Bataille (Delany, Ms. Rose (Regina Mundi), Ms. Mabey (Winifred) and Mr. Lyon (Xavier) have been a source of great strength to me and I wish them all every true happiness for this coming Christmas. Their dedication and commitment to the development of our students over the last year have been incredible. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to our student leaders: Yasmeen Janschek, Emily Liviassianis, Annabelle Mansour, Matilda Dibb, Faith Marian Ibarra, Sarah Pignatelli, Eliza Cooke, Elizabeth Frawley, Ava Smith, Katherine Loke, Lucy Andrews, Ashleigh Walker, Olivia Berry, Zara Williamson, Charlea Reynolds, Isabella Woods, Briena Connon, Paige Muscat, Sofia Bell and Ava Kalogerakis.

May this Christmas period be one of hope, happiness and fulfilment. I wish this for every Brigidine family in our community,

Adriana Parsons

Year 12 Pastoral Care Coordinator