PRINCIPAL

AWARDS NIGHT 2022

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the week was the College Awards Night held in our Koort Centre. This was a fantastic occasion where the College celebrated the gifts, talents, hard work and achievements of our students across the Four Pillars. I was very grateful to Mr Lucio Cicchini who stepped in for me and delivered the Principal’s Address on my behalf. I was so disappointed that I was not able to be there but felt very proud of every student, including the Year 11s and Year 7s who were required to be there, as I watched the event online. Mr Cicchini stated: "for the students on stage tonight, it is only the tip of the iceberg. What is sometimes not seen is the hard work that is done to be get here to be on this stage. I hope you maintain your commitment to what you do best for future years."

Mr Cicchini and our College Captains also gave a tribute to our RNDM Sisters who this year celebrated their 125 Years of their arrival in Australia. Mr Cicchini explained that Perth was where the sisters first settled in Australia and immediately commenced a school in Highgate and then in 1967 commenced Sacred Heart Girls' School in Sorrento. In recognition of the RNDM Sisters' arrival in Australia, specifically in Perth, the College Captains gave each of our Sisters a personal gift and the College donated funds to the Euphrasie School in Kenya. We were pleased to receive a letter of gratitude from Sr Catherine Brabender, Congregational Leader, which is available HERE.

The Awards evening involves an inordinate amount of preparation and organisation and I thank all the students and staff who worked industriously to make the evening the best it could be. I particularly thank Mr Matthew Maddison, Mrs Shannon Sodano, Mrs Luana Abbott, Miss Natasha Correia, Mr Sam Di Nucci, Mr Lucio Cicchini, Mrs Sandra Manning and all Assistant Deputy Principals, all staff in the Arts Dept, Mrs Angela Ngaata, Mrs Emma Killian, Mrs Narelle Burnett, Ms Halina Alter, Mr Tony Budas, Mr Grant Miocevich, Miss Natasha Camilleri, Mrs Nicola Green, Mrs Linda Berichon, the Maintenance team, all teachers and support staff. Thanks are also extended to the Health and Physical Education Department for accommodating the use of the Koort Centre over a number of days. Thank you everyone!

As I mentioned in last week’s Newsletter, the 2023-2025 Strategic Plan was launched at the Award’s Night. I was delighted that we had so many parents/caregivers, students, staff and connected community members to the College contribute to this important document. All the data was collated and key themes were extracted. Using all the data, the Strategic Priorities highlighted were:

• Catholicity – enhancing contemporary engagement with our Catholic Identity, RNDM Sisters and their heritage.
• Stewardship – accelerating a culture of leadership that sustains a thriving, inclusive and diverse community.
• Innovative Teaching and Learning – accelerates a forward thinking culture that drives learning and nurtures personal excellence.

The full Strategic Plan document will be available on the College Website for the commencement of the 2023 academic year.

KIMBERLEY MISSION

Students involved in the Kimberley Mission flew out on Wednesday morning to commence their eight day Mission under the watchful eye of tour coordinator, Ms Susan Rodriguez, and Mr Tom Gravestock, Mr Justin Whitt, Ms Gill King and Miss Simone Tagg. I heard the following from Ms Rodriguez today: "The students were taken around Bardi Country to see some of their sacred places and then had Mass in the local church, complete with a roof made of paperbark. Fr John’s parish is the entire Dampier peninsula – massive. SHC students are brilliant." All students are enjoying the experience of reconnecting with the work of the RNDM Sisters in the Kimberley. 

MMC OUTDOOR ED CAMP 2022

Our wonderful students in the Mary MacKillop Centre enjoyed a three day camp in Dwellingup this week which included team building activities, rope courses, kayaking and bushwalking. The aim of this camp is to build student confidence, teamwork and communication. Thank you to camp coordinator, Mr Matthew Sofoulis, and Mrs Helen Mirco, Mrs Jenny Baker, Mrs Kate Day and Mr Paul Delane for your support of this camp.

ADVENT

The Advent Season begins this Sunday. It is a time when we prepare for Christmas, the birth of Jesus. As we know, the Advent Season includes the four Sundays before Christmas. In our parishes and at Mass this weekend, the priest will light the first of the four Advent Candles. This first Advent Candle is purple and is a candle of hope. The three other candles are lit on the three subsequent Sundays leading to Christmas. My very best wishes to everyone as we enter the Advent Season. 

God Bless.

Mr Leo Di Gregorio

Principal