Loreto

Students and staff of Loreto have had a jam packed year in 2022, and have celebrated a host of achievements. We’ve worked hard to create a House where all of our students feel a sense of belonging and inclusivity. 

Our PACC teachers have been helping the students come to a deeper understanding of the Loreto Charism and Mercy tradition. We have explored Loreto’s connection to the Holy Family and Mary, the patroness of our College. This culminated at the end of Term 1 with our celebration of Loreto Day on March 25th. Further to this, students have been participating in activities from ‘Together in Mercy’; an initiative to help us build our knowledge about the College’s Mercy tradition. This project has helped us understand the importance of living a life grounded in justice, compassion, service, hospitality and respect. 

We have seen dozens of Loreto students achieve wonderful things in 2022, and they have been recognised as ‘Loreto Legends’. These achievements have been academic, sporting and cultural in nature, both in and out of the school, and there are just too many to name. So here are some highlights:

• Loreto are the inaugural winners of The Kennedy Cup; an inter-House sporting competition 
• Our students in the School Band were instrumental in helping SMC take the win at the Gunnedah Eisteddfod. This was also reflected in our clean-sweep of the Gunnedah Eisteddfod Public Speaking Competition 
• Loreto came second in the Athletics Carnival (we figured out early on that we are not swimmers), and our students' massive participation rate won us the St Joseph’s Participation Shield
• At the time of publication, Loreto are leading the Lunch Time House Sports Competition by a significant margin 
• Our agricultural students helped the SMC Ag team clean up at a host of events, including the Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza and Wingham Beef Week
• Every week, we have an impressive number of students receive Living Well, Learning Well awards for their achievements and respect levels, both in and out of the classroom 
• Loreto PACC 3 are the Diocesan Prayer Writing Champions; after winning a competition for composing a prayer to be used by all schools in the Armidale Diocese

The Student Leadership Team (SLT) has worked tirelessly all year in service to our school and wider community. Loreto had a number of students on the SLT this year including: Charlotte Baird (Yr 8), Sienna Mitchell (Yr 9), Charlie Lawrence (Yr 12) and Jarrod Ferguson (Yr 12). Thank you to these students for your efforts in being a voice for your peers and for your support of all things St Mary’s. 

Finally, and most importantly, I have to offer a massive thank you and shout out to the amazing team of teachers who have worked alongside me in 2022 in Loreto. These people have helped me to create a House full of students who want to be involved in the College and who feel a sense of pride in being a student of Loreto. Their work with The Resilience Project has built our students’ skills in gratitude, empathy and mindfulness; we truly have holistic young adults in our care thanks to the enormous work done by our PACC teachers: Ms Teresa Boyd, Mr Lindsay Mainey, Miss Ramandeep Kaur, Mr Adam Mooney, Mrs Marlene Tremain-Beveridge, Mrs Hayley Stephens, Mrs Sarah Semmler, Mr Lachlan James, Mrs Jody Law, Miss Sophie Greet, Mrs Sam Kennedy, Miss Moya Ryan, Miss Ellie Bourke and Mr Tim Kennedy. Our Loreto students are blessed to have you as their PACC teachers and mentors. 

Let’s go Team Loreto for 2023!

Warm wishes and blessings,

Miss Nikole Brooks