Principal News

Loving God, 

You call us to love, a most fragile and precious action. 

You challenge us to love unconditionally as You love. 

Even when we fail to love others as you love us 

You encourage us to extend a welcome to others.

 (Sourced from “Meetings & Other Prayers for use in Champagnat Marist Schools).

We keep in our prayers, thoughts and hearts all those in need at this time, especially those affected by the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Welcome to Term 1, 2023

Dear Parents, Students, Staff and Friends,

I’m delighted to welcome you to a fresh new year at Marian Catholic College and very honoured to be the new Principal of this wonderful school. I would like to thank everyone from the school, Griffith Parish and Marist and Mercy communities who have made me feel so very welcome in my first weeks here. We have had a very settled start to the school year with all students and staff returning to school refreshed from a long holiday and keen to begin their learning in 2023. The feeling of welcome and belonging is a strong feature of Marian Catholic College and is very apparent to all newcomers such as myself.

2022 Achievements and Results

We complete Week 3 of  Term 1 having celebrated the outstanding results of our Year 12-2022 cohort last Friday-including congratulating the College Dux for 2022, Nicholas Sartor, who achieved an ATAR of 97.5  (Nicholas's Dux Speech is included in the Newsletter) and Marian’s  many other award winners and high achievers. Marian’s results also included 32  Band 6 and 139 Band 5s in HSC results. Students graduated and moved quickly to work opportunities, university studies, gap years and apprenticeships. 

These excellent outcomes come through hard work, dedication, persistence and resilience. Thank you to all students, student leaders, parents and carers and  teachers and support staff for their contribution to this wonderful success. We congratulate staff member Mr Micheal Crosato on his recent award at Griffith City Council Australia Day honours. We also congratulate all of the Marian Community for the College’s recent Community Recognition Statement for outstanding achievements in areas of advocacy, sporting achievements and community engagement.

Staffing

After farewelling much loved and respected Principal-Mr Alan Le Brocque and College Business Manager-Mrs Joanne Smith, the College our thanks go to Mrs Lora Segrave, Ms Helen Brill, Mr Damian Herb, Mr Will Lyons and Ms Kathy Sparkes for their excellent leadership and administration in the second half of 2022, supporting the Leadership team in setting up the College for this year. Marian welcomed four new teachers and five new support staff in January 2023-including several of our graduating high achievers who will be undertaking a gap year as tutors.  Staffing for teachers, amongst others, continues to be a priority for all of New South Wales and particularly for schools in regional and rural areas. Marian has a few staffing matters to finalise as a priority in the next few weeks based on student subject selection and teacher movement. Leadership and Teaching teams are collaborating so that minimal disruptions occur for students as we work through these adjustments. 

New Buildings 

The College has completed the last stages of the magnificent new building projects, with some last minute grounds and furnishing works being finalised. We will receive notification of the official opening date for the centres in the next few weeks. There remains a number of upgrades and maintenance projects in other parts of the school that will need to commence over the next twelve months. These will be communicated via the newsletter as we formalise plans and time-lines. 

Students

We welcome all of our students from Year 7-12. For students and families, this year is an opportunity to reset, after many restrictions from the pandemic. We expect to see more excursions and more opportunities to connect in the physical space as well as virtual. The College will send out Welcome Packs to all parents and carers of Year 7 students within the next two weeks and will follow this with an opportunity for parents and carers come into the College and see some of our exciting new facilities, meet staff and student leaders, in the first half of Term 2, once we have finalised the Opening of the new facilities. 

Catholic Schools Week provides another event that showcases students from Marian

 and other Catholic schools in the Diocese. On Tuesday 7th March, at 7 pm there will be a showcase of all secondary students' musical and drama performances at the Civic Theatre, Wagga Wagga.  Claire Harris, from Createhub Riverina, has been working with the five secondary schools to coordinate this event.   Marian’s student contribution to the Catholic Schools Performance has been coordinated and led by Mr Matt Segrave. Tickets will be on sale at a cost of $10. Further information regarding ticket sales will be provided to families as soon as this is available. Student Leaders have also been involved in planning and preparing Valentine Day fundraisers and events during their lunch breaks in time for February 14th.

Leading into Ash Wednesday and Lent, Leader of Faith, Formation and Mission, Mr Gab Abdala has been working with the team and student leaders to coordinate Caritas and Project Compassion fundraising as well as opportunities for participation in Reconciliation and the Ash Wednesday Mass falling on February 22 in Week 5. 

There are so many opportunities and events  happening here at Marian in addition to the quality teaching, learning, leadership and faith formation activities and pastoral support. I invite you to take some time to read about and view these in more detail in the reports and articles following.

My warmest regards

Dr Penny Ludicke