From the Principal

Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Staff,

A current advertising campaign by the Australian Heart Foundation is encouraging people to walk. It suggests that any step is a step in the right direction and their slogan below tells us why it is so important. Who doesn’t want a healthy mind, body and heart?

Despite how compelling the reason is, I wonder how many of us have tried and thought, “I just don’t have time to take a few more steps”? We get reminders when we visit a doctor, or jump on the scales or – perish the thought – when we or someone we know suffers a life changing health issue. Many people will ignore the advertising campaign; some may make excuses for why it doesn’t apply to them, others do take notice, perhaps because it has hit a nerve for them. Whatever it is, even when our physical bodies are in jeopardy through heart disease; a simple action such as walking is a step in the right direction.

Lent is a bit like an advertising campaign for our spiritual hearts and for our souls. 

We are reminded each Lenten season to use the time to take stock of where we are in our lives. We are challenged to give up something as a sign of our desire to be forgiven. Sometimes, we are challenged to give – like giving more of our time to the people and relationships in our lives. We know the story of Jesus in the wilderness, being tempted by food, fame and power. He could have succumbed. He had fasted for 40 days and would have been weak from hunger. And who would not want the fame and power that was offered? Jesus had a choice to make, not about his physical body alone, but about his spiritual body and soul. 

Lent is a time to reassess and take one step towards repairing a relationship – with yourself, with your family or friends, and with God. Any step is a step in the right direction. Will it be easy and smooth sailing? Probably not – life rarely works this way – but it is a step forward and the beauty of our God is that He is not only waiting for you, He wants to walk alongside you each step of the way. God is always there – even if we don’t recognise Him; even if we feel that we don’t need Him; even when we feel weighed down by our lives. God is always there. As Christians, we believe that God will never abandon us in our lives – NO exceptions! 

So this Lent, let’s consider not only the physical health of our brains, bodies and hearts, but also our spiritual health – mind, body and soul. 

Our students continue to impress

We had two of our students, Natalie (Year 9) and Mataali (Year 7) go through to the Semi Finals in the CSDA Public Speaking Competition. Whilst only one of our young women, Mataali, made it through to the Grand Final of the Competition, both girls were brilliant in their preparation and delivery of their speeches. 

The public speaking competition is highly competitive across the whole of Sydney and involves over 900 speakers. I had the privilege of watching both girls deliver their speeches. No palm cards for either girl, no juvenile concepts and arguments – before me I saw poised, confident, articulate and assertive young women whose preparation for the event had been very thorough. In speaking with their parents, they had done it all themselves; another sign of the strength and commitment is that  they had to push the boundaries of their “potential”. Though the competition was fierce and Mataali may not have won, she is to be congratulated on her outstanding performance.

Using HSC learnings to improve teaching practice

As you know, our HSC results last year were very good, but we are not a school to rest on our laurels and are always actively seeking areas for improvement. During the last few weeks I, along with members of our College Leadership Team, have been holding meetings with each KLA leader about their results. The Coordinators prepare a detailed report analysing HSC data and the most important part of our meetings is the discussions we have and planning of next steps for further improvement. It is wonderful to see KLA leaders and their teams focussed on lifting each girl, not only to her potential, but arguably, beyond what the girls themselves imagine their potential to be.

A Prayer for International Women’s Day

Today we honour the women of all times and places: 

Women of courage

Women of hope

Women of suffering

Women of mourning

Women living fully

Women experiencing joy

Women delighting in life

Women giving life

Women knowing the interconnectedness of the human family

Women promoting human flourishing

Women boldly leading the transformation of unjust global structures

Women seeking and sharing wisdom

Women seeking and sharing love

Loving God,

We celebrate your faithfulness and love. On this day we commit ourselves to the promotion of the full humanity of all women everywhere. We know that whatever denies, diminishes or distorts the full humanity of women is not of God. Help us to be faithful to your call of love. Amen.

Venerable Nano Nagle, Pray for us.

International Women’s Day 2025

The UN International Women’s Day is celebrated globally on March 8 and this year it was celebrated under the theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” It is a call for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all leaving no-one behind. I attended the 2025 International Women’s Day celebration organized by the Catholic Education Foundation, Sydney, and it was a wonderful celebration of women’s accomplishments and contributions.

I was fortunate to be accompanied by six of our wonderful 2025 Student Leaders, Jessica De Freitas, Sophia Pollicina, Jasmine Youssef, Antonia Carbone, Bianca Kolokotsas and Mia Di Giacomo. One of our esteemed alumnae, Piper Schadel (Class of 2019) delivered a powerful speech, recognising the significant achievements of women in various fields.

The event was filled with inspiring stories and discussions recognising the incredible achievements of women in education, leadership, and beyond. We celebrated the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, and there was a strong call to action for everyone to contribute to accelerating gender parity. A memorable and empowering experience, reminding us all of the importance of supporting and uplifting women in our communities and beyond.

Open Day

Our recent Open Day was a resounding success, with approximately 1,500 visitors exploring our campus. More than half of our students volunteered, serving as great ambassadors for our College. We are incredibly proud of their dedication and enthusiasm.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our staff for their hard work in showcasing our school, and to the parent helpers for their invaluable support.This day is of paramount importance offering a unique opportunity for prospective students and their families to explore our campus, engage with our dedicated faculties and wonderful students, and experience firsthand the vibrant and inclusive community that defines our College. That was all on show on Sunday! Thank you to all involved on the day, not to mention the work that went on behind the scenes leading up to the big event.

I reserve a special thank you for one of our parents, Meagan Leslie, mother of Madeline in Year 9, who kindly agreed to speak at our presentations on the day and provide her perspective as a parent at the College. It is never easy to stand up and speak in a hall filled with people, let alone about your one’s own personal journeys, discoveries and insights, but Meagan did this beautifully and spoke from the heart. 

Swimming Carnival

Our annual Swimming Carnival last Friday turned out to be a magnificent event, with all students getting into their House spirit. With the addition of our two new  colour Houses, Joseph and Siena, the war cries were deafening and the six House banners added to the kaleidoscope of colour. 

NAPLAN 2025

This year, NAPLAN testing is taking place from 12 – 24 March. NAPLAN, (the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy), is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 across Australia. The tests cover four key areas: reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar, and punctuation), and numeracy. The results provide a snapshot of students’ abilities in these fundamental areas, helping to ensure that they are developing the necessary skills to succeed in their education and beyond. 

For teachers, NAPLAN results are incredibly valuable. They offer detailed insights into each student’s strengths and areas for improvement, which can guide personalized teaching strategies. By analysing the data, teachers can identify trends and gaps in learning, allowing them to adjust their instructional methods to better meet the needs of their students. Additionally, NAPLAN results help schools evaluate the effectiveness of their educational programs and make informed decisions about resource allocation and professional development. NAPLAN serves as one of a number of critical tools utilised for enhancing the quality of education and supporting student success at Domremy College.

On a final note …

Again there is a lot to celebrate in this issue. I would like to thank our staff, students and parents who attended the Clean Up Australia Day event two weeks ago, committing their time in order to better our local environment.

Our Try Domremy for a Day Program is proving to be very popular again, with our Year 5 day reaching capacity in record time! Registrations for our Year 4 Day have now opened online and I encourage anyone who would like their Year 4 daughter to attend to register. Enrolment Applications for Year 7 2027 are filling quickly and interviews are being scheduled for early Term 2.

Today is St Patrick’s Day, and I leave you with that beautiful Irish Blessing:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Blessings on you and your families,

Mrs Antoinette McGahan, College Principal