Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers, 

In the last few months I have had a real privilege and pleasure to see our young people in action through the Athletics, QISSN and Confraternity carnivals. I have been thoroughly impressed by many examples of leadership. Leadership is a quality we all take for granted yet makes a difference in every group. We know that the leader in a group often gives us clues on to how we behave, respond to the world around us or even what to wear. When I reflect on the people that influence what I do or the leaders I have known in the past; I can clearly see that in all groups the leader shows us the ways of thinking, being, doing and valuing that we emulate whenever we are in the group. Some people are leaders who help us to be better tomorrow than today, they are inspirational and aspirational. Others are what author Andre van Heerden calls mis-leaders. These mis-leaders are those who influence other to respond in ways that are negative, self-centered or destructive. Either way, those you allow to lead you will have a profound effect on your life.  

As we are in the midst of appointing our badged student leaders, I ask members of our community to reflect on what it means to lead at St Mary’s. Our College motto isEducare et Santificare, that is to educate and sanctify; translated to understand, to educate and make holy. This means as a College we aim to do two things - firstly, to educate and secondly, to help students identify that each person is sacred, that each person is valuable, extraordinary and profoundly connected to each other. And we do this through faith, hope and love so each person goes out and make a difference in our world. 

To be a leader in a college built on education and sanctification, means that the leader models and influences the community to understand that our choices and our actions no matter how small truly do have the potential to make a difference in the world.  

Whether it is through acts of kindness, generosity or even stewardship by picking up the litter around the ground, we all have the power to sanctify our interactions, relationships and the College. We have the power to show that we believe each person is a valuable and important connection within our community. To this end, our leaders are called to be people of influence, to make this occur. And show that each one of us is called to be a leader and to make a difference in the world.  

God bless,

Ms Kerry Manders 

Principal 

smw.principal@cns.catholic.edu