From the Principal Mrs Antoinette McGahan

A Student’s Prayer for a New School Year

Lord Jesus,

I ask for Your help as I begin this new school year.

Allow me to experience Your presence

in the many blessings You put before me.

Open my eyes to the new challenges and exciting opportunities

that this new school year brings.

Open my heart and mind to new friends and new teachers.

Give me a generous spirit to be enthusiastic with my studies

and courage to accept new opportunities.  

Help me to be attentive to my teachers

and let me experience Your presence in my new friends.

Jesus, inspire me to do my best this year!

Amen

It is with great pleasure that I welcome the Domremy Community to the 2022 academic year.  A very warm welcome to our new Year 7 students – the Class of 2027, to new students from Years 8 to 11 and to our new staff.  With our new students settling in and our existing students eagerly engaging with their new curriculum,  I am quietly hopeful  for what promises to be another wonderful and exciting academic year. 

The summer break definitely feels like a distant memory especially as the busyness of the school year is well and truly underway. We have much to share with you in this newsletter and hope you enjoy all the wonderful news.

Class of 2021

The Class of 2021 embraced the challenges of Covid head on, conquering all obstacles with determination and sheer hard work. As a result, we proudly congratulate the HSC Class of 2021 achieving brilliant results across all courses.  From a cohort of 89 young women, a total of 29 of our students made the Distinguished Achievers List. 

Our Dux, Bianca Lalic, achieved an ATAR of 99.45 – an outstanding result!  Despite over 80% of Year 12 girls having been offered early offers to university prior to the HSC, 17 of our girls achieved an ATAR of 90 or higher.  I am extremely proud of every single girl in Year 12, 2021. This outstanding group placed Domremy College 124th in the State, our best result to date.  Congratulations to all!

From an Archdiocesan perspective, Sydney Catholic Schools had 18 schools ranked among the top 150 high schools,  confirming its reputation as one of the top-performing systems of schools in Australia. Sydney Catholic Schools’ unprecedented academic success saw its schools reach new heights, with the number of distinguished achievers rising from 2,486 in 2019 and 2,511 in 2020, to 3,115 in 2021. “To the class of 2021, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and admiration,” Sydney Catholic Schools’ Executive Director, Tony Farley, said.

College Leadership Team

Leadership at Domremy is a team approach that is founded on collaboration, collegiality and service. The College Leadership for 2022 is as follows:

College Principal – Antoinette McGahan

Deputy Principal – Matthew Ryan

Religious Education Coordinator – Jane Sullivan

Curriculum Coordinator – Elsa Minadeo  

Instructional Specialist – Lucy Silva                    

Leader of Learning & Teaching/Newman Coordinator – Kelly Smit

Administration Coordinator – Linda Codamo

Business Manager – Peter Ephraums

New Staff

It is my pleasure to warmly welcome our new staff, recognising that each of them will bring to our community new energy, enthusiasm and a wealth of expertise and experience.

Kelly Smit – Leader of Learning & Teaching, College Leadership Team

Sarah Thompson – Leader of Innovative & Global Connections

Katherine Hoban – Science Teacher

Ivana Liistro – Science and Maths Teacher

Olivia Daidone – Art and Religious Education Teacher

Michelle Golding – Art Teacher

Nicole Kanis – Maths and PDHPE Teacher

Leanna Price –  Music Teacher

All new staff were presented with a lantern symbolising the carrying of Christ’s light forward in our vocation and as Presentation people. We also welcome back Mrs Lavinia Scarfone who was on leave in 2021. Further introductions appear later in this newsletter. 

2022 College Theme
‘Shine your light through our kaleidoscope’

Emily Fernandez, our College Captain, along with the Senior Student Leaders continued our annual tradition in launching the College theme for 2022. Each year a theme is carefully selected to encourage and inspire all members of our community to achieve their full potential in all they do.

The College theme for 2022 is centred around a kaleidoscope which is made up of a variety of stained glass pieces of different colours and shapes. It is a changing mosaic of colour symbolising  all the unique students within our Domremy community. The word Kaleidoscope was created by a Scottish inventor combining three Ancient Greek words.  The word means, ’Observation of beautiful forms’.  For us, we think in terms of Individuals taking actions within the community to make a difference, or the beautiful image of our community comprising all the wonderful girls that make it up. And of course we do not forget the all important image of the light, which makes our kaleidoscope visible.

We hope to see our students embrace this theme throughout the year, to use it to grow, shining their light, deepening their knowledge,and understanding the importance of their contribution  to our community.

Holiday Renovations

We had some work completed around the College during the holidays which included:

  • Installation of air conditioning in Mary Mackillop Building
  • New Lockers in the Nano Nagle Learning Centre, Mary MacKillop and Nagle buildings
  • An additional step added to the circumference of the courtyard outside the Nano Nagle Learning Centre 
  • Repaired the sunken slab between Notre Dame & Nagle Buildings
  • Storeroom in Notre Dame (2nd Floor) – demolished. Balustrade is under construction.
  • New College Banners and new House Banners currently on order.
  • Mobile Stairs manufactured for the Brenda Quinn Hall to allow easy access to the stage
  • New tables purchased for Nano Nagle Learning Centre – more to be ordered
  • Tables from Nano Nagle Learning Centre moved to the photography room in Mary MacKillop ground
On a final note….

Many thanks to Fr Phil Zadro from St Joan of Arc, Haberfield Parish who celebrated Mass in the parish for Domremy College Staff and St Joan of Arc Primary School Staff on Friday 28 January. His words of wisdom provided comfort and reassurance as all staff members who were invited at the start of the Mass to place our hopes and concerns for the year on the altar. We are very grateful to have Fr Phil’s support to nourish our faith with the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

It has been an absolute delight to see so many of you at recent school events even via Zoom. We are certainly looking forward to the many opportunities planned during the course of this year, to meet you and work with you in ensuring success in your daughter’s journey at Domremy.

Blessings on you and your families,

Mrs Antoinette McGahan, College Principal