School News

Brigidine College St Ives has experienced its usual busy start to the school year. Like any school, there are a myriad of things occurring, often concurrently, but our experience and the research tells us that this helps girls grow as they learn to manage their time and commitments and flourish in understanding the value of multi-faceted lives. Providing opportunities for girls to be involved allows them to develop their leadership capacity and our aim is that they ‘act in the world with strength and gentleness’ (Mission Statement).

Our strategic intent at Brigidine College St Ives is to ensure opportunities for girls and staff to grow in understanding Christ’s mission to love and serve humanity. This has occurred through social justice programs including working with Catholic Mission Australia in Cambodia, Street Retreats and many other opportunities.

Staff and students on immersion with Catholic Mission Australia in Cambodia

In January this year, eight students, accompanied by two teachers and the Catholic Mission’s facilitator, were given the opportunity for an immersion to Cambodia. The Immersion allowed students to embrace a variety of activities ranging from visiting historical sites such as “S21”, the Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields known for the atrocities under the Pol Pot regime, engaging in the daily lives of remote communities to interacting and teaching children English. The group met one survivor of the Pol Pot era who shared her incredible personal story of the Cambodian conflict. The opportunity to teach English, interact with the local communities and undertake some service work proved an invaluable opportunity.

Sentiments expressed by students reveal the value of the experience:

“I have returned to Australia with a newfound sense of gratitude and inspiration to reach out to others.”

“However, more importantly, the experience taught me that people with the simplest lives, are often the happiest and the most loving.”

Students teaching English to Cambodian children.

Camps and Retreats

Each year, all students take 3 days out of their normal academic program to attend a Camp (Years 7-10) or Retreat (Years 11-12). Years 7-9 undertake an outdoor education program which focuses on relationship building, physical challenges to develop resilience, goal setting and group decision-making. Year 10 undertake an urban challenge which familiarises students with the challenge of navigating their way around greater Sydney, undertaking some service learning and interfaith dialogue as well.

The senior students undertake retreats. Year 11 is focused on service to others through working in such places as hospices, refugee centres, St Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army and centres for the disabled. Year 12 focus on thanksgiving in anticipation of their life beyond school.

Student Leadership

In 2018 we commenced a change to Student leadership at Brigidine. The leadership program is designed to empower young women with skills that will propel them into the future. Students learn important leadership skills such as resilience and problem solving, giving them the opportunity to actively participate in the decision making process of the College. Students become role models, providing responsible service to the College community, leading with Strength and Gentleness.

More opportunities are available for students in Years 7-11 to have formal leadership positions and these opportunities form part of the new Student Leadership Diploma which will be one of the criteria for selecting senior leaders. There will be a student forum held once a term and there will be some changes to the structure of the senior leadership team.

Leadership at Brigidine College St Ives is defined as any action that makes the world I touch a better place. The leadership values of integrity, courage, compassion and fairness are essential along with humility. Humility is the foundation of leadership.

NASA Space Trip

Brigidine’s inaugural inclusion in the Alliance of Girls Schools' Australasia International Study Program with NASA, USA, took place in December 2017.

Caitlin Cummins (Year 11 2018) and Kate Heffernan (Year 12 2018) joined over 100 other Alliance girls from throughout Australia to attend HASSE Space School in Houston, Texas. Caitlin and Kate were immersed in the world’s most profound and impactful STEM environment, that of space exploration and science, in conjunction with NASA. Overlaid on this experience is a learning framework that incorporates personal development in areas such as self-motivation and reliance, goal setting, teamwork, curiosity and imagination, the multi-disciplinary skills necessary to take on the changing technological landscape.

Both Caitlin and Kate graduated from Space University at Space Centre Houston, where they were required to build and launch rockets and compete in simulations developing Mars Habitats, Space Shuttle Shielding and Thermal Space Suit designs.

Premier’s Anzac memorial Scholarship (PAMS)

Brigidine College was chosen as one of the 20 schools from NSW who submitted an Expression of Interest for the PAMS ballot. Amber McCully in Year 10 will travel to France and Belgium in 2018 as part of the final stage of the ANZAC commemoration. Twelve girls submitted an application which were shortlisted by the Principal and Head of History. The six who were shortlisted were interviewed by the Principal, the Head of History, the President of the P&F and the President of the Kirribilli RSL.

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