From the Principal

Prayer for Preparation to Study

Lord, I know you are with me and love me.

Give me peace of mind as I prepare for this time of study.

Help me to focus on my books and notes,

keep me from all distractions so that I will make the best use

of this time that is available to me.

Give me insight that I might understand what I am studying,

and help me to remember it when the time comes.

Above all, I thank you for the ability to be able to study

and for the many gifts and talents you have given me.

Help me always to use them in such a way

that they honor you and do justice to myself.

A Salesian Prayer

This morning we awoke to the sad news that our beloved Queen, Elizabeth II, had died overnight at Balmoral, in Scotland.  Over the next few days and weeks we will hear much about her as people grieve and reflect upon her achievements in her long reign. To most of our students Elizabeth II is a person whose life would seem quite remote from their own; generations apart and living on the other side of the world from us.  Nevertheless, I encourage all our girls to take notice of the celebration of Elizabeth’s life. She was a woman who exemplified a spirit of faithful devotion and service to her subjects, a woman who experienced great sorrow at different times in her life and who always displayed modesty and courtesy towards the people around her.

Turning to matters closer to home, the last two weeks have been busy, which is no surprise really in a dynamic school such as ours, when each week presents new and exciting opportunities for learning. We celebrated Father’s Day last week and were blessed that so many  of our beloved fathers and father figures were able to join us for Mass and Breakfast. I hope our fathers will cherish their memory of the day as I am sure your daughters will because they were so proud to have you with them.

Our senior debaters took part in Five Dock Rotary’s Henry Lawson Debate against Rosebank College, an annual tradition which was put on hold over the last couple of years because of COVID.  Whilst our girls narrowly lost to Rosebank, I was impressed not only by their arguments, but by the confidence and poise displayed in their presentation and delivery. It is always rewarding and inspiring to see our young women not only excel in an educational capacity, but present themselves with strength and confidence as strong ambassadors for the College.

I was in awe of the Year 12 HSC Visual Arts Bodies of Work which were  exhibited at the College last week. Their work displayed so much talent for all to enjoy! We hope to be able to publish their works as soon as  they have been marked by NESA. We are sure the whole community will be delighted by the works the girls have produced. We wish all the Year 12 girls the very best as they await the marking of their practical components and as they prepare for their HSC exams.

Our girls continue to excel in sports, at both an individual and team level, with some brilliant results recently. Congratulations to our Intermediate Tennis team who met Marist Sisters Woolwich in the Grand Final last week and won. We also have four girls who have made it through to NSWCCC in athletics. 

All these achievements and the many more you read about regularly in our Newsletters and on our social media, do not come easily. For every success or achievement there is much hard work, sacrifice, perseverance and dedication. Whether it be training, or practice, or revision, or starting something over, it requires commitment and determination. I congratulate our students as their results demonstrate this, and to all our students I encourage them to continue to strive for excellence. As Lebron James has said “I’m going to use all my tools, my God-given ability, and make the best life I can with it.”

Domremy To Remain A Girls Only Secondary College

I am delighted to announce to our College and wider community, that in light of the announcement of the formation of St Vincent’s College Ashfield (K-12 Coeducational), Sydney Catholic Schools has resolved that Domremy College is to remain a girls only secondary school. The assurance of the future direction of the College as single sex school shall put an end to the  recent  speculation that the College would become a co-educational school. We will continue to work towards providing an exceptional educational environment in which your daughters can thrive and flourish.

Archbishop of Sydney Awards for Student Excellence

The Archbishop of Sydney Awards for Student Excellence is an annual recognition by the Archbishop of Sydney, of the outstanding young women and men in our Catholic schools. Each year, the awards acknowledge the students’ commitment to their faith, academic life, community and social justice. It is an important way of highlighting the very positive contribution that young people make to their school and local community. Specifically, these awards recognise those young people who give witness to their Christian values and who actively contribute to the faith life of their school. Recipients of the award are practising Catholics who show responsible participation in the life, mission and work of the Catholic faith community. It is also an affirmation of the support that families offer their children, and public acclaim for the commitment and dedication of their teachers. 

On Friday 9 September, Elena Gionta was presented with the Archbishop of Sydney Award for Excellence.  

Elena was chosen for this distinguished award as a young woman of great faith, generosity and humility. She is a model of living a life of genuine service to others. Elena is an exemplary role model for her peers. Her integrity as a student leader and as College Faith and Mission Prefect, has enabled her to give witness to service, empowering other students to take responsibility and use their talents to serve the community. Elena lives an authentic Catholic life and is truly a woman who will make a difference in the world. She is known for her consistency and reliability in being witness to the faith at the College and truly lives the College motto: ‘La Verite – The Truth.’

Congratulations to Elena on this wonderful achievement and many thanks to Emily Fernandez for reading the citation during the ceremony at St Mary’s Cathedral. 

You can read a copy of the citation later in the Newsletter.

NAPLAN 

The following is a very brief snapshot of our 2022 NAPLAN results. I am pleased to share with you the relevant information which strongly reflects the quality learning and teaching that happens at Domremy College. Whilst there is always room for improvement and growth, overall our results are very pleasing and significantly above the State average.

• Year 7 and Year 9 Writing results are particularly pleasing with 45% of Year 7 students and 33% of Year 9 students positioned in the top 2 bands for Writing.  An exceptional result above the State average.  
• In Reading, our girls also displayed growth in both Years 7 and 9 – 24% of Year 9 girls achieved in the top 2 bands, whilst 32% of Year 7 girls achieved in the top 2 bands.
• In Year 9 Numeracy, 19% of students were placed in the top 2 bands, whilst in Year 7, 29% of students achieved in the top 2 bands.
• Year 9 students achieved above expected growth across all domains – a notable achievement.

These results are excellent and clearly demonstrate the hard work and commitment of all in the pursuit of constant improvement. I wish to acknowledge the leadership of our Heads of Department in supporting the professional learning that takes place in the College, especially in the ongoing implementation of literacy and numeracy strategies in programs. I also take this opportunity to thank you, our parents and carers, for the learning support you provide as the first educators of your daughters. There will be more information on our results coming soon.

Fees

A reminder that all Term 3 school fees accounts should be settled before the end of term. If you are experiencing difficulties in paying the fees in the time frame required, I encourage you to make an appointment to discuss suitable options to meet your family’s needs and circumstances. All such discussions and agreements are private and confidential.  

On a final note…

There are only a couple of weeks until the end of this term. This year seems to be slipping away very quickly. The Year 12 farewells and celebrations begin soon as students eagerly continue preparing themselves for their HSC. I ask that we keep all these young women in our prayers and thoughts.

In the meantime, my constant message to each girl is that ‘success is not an option but an expectation’. Each young woman has the power to make a difference whether it is at home, at school, in her studies, in her sports or in her social circle. The qualities and attributes that contribute to achieving one’s dreams are passion, commitment, dedication, preparation, persistence and hard work.  The power to make a positive difference in the world around them and in their own lives is in their hands.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and support.

Blessings on you and your families.

Mrs Antoinette McGahan, Principal