Year 9

We have now reached the halfway point of the term. While this milestone is often met with excitement as students begin to look ahead to the next holiday break, it can also be a challenging period for Year 9 students as assessment demands increase.

The Curriculum Office has worked carefully to distribute assessment tasks as evenly as possible this year. Students should have no more than two to three tasks in any given week; however, even this workload can feel overwhelming at times. If your daughter is experiencing difficulties or has concerns regarding her workload or wellbeing, please do not hesitate to contact me. As mentioned in my Week 3 newsletter article, families also have access to the online Study Skills Handbook, which offers a range of excellent resources to support students with time management, organisation, goal setting, and managing academic pressure.

This week, Year 9 students had their Chapel service in the Chapel itself, which was led by Abbeythorpe. Despite limited preparation time, the service was conducted with maturity and confidence. Several students stepped into speaking roles at very short notice due to absences, and I would like to commend the Abbeythorpe girls for their adaptability and the high standard they demonstrated. The photo for this week is the Abbeythorpe girls in the Chapel.

We also marked an important milestone on Thursday morning with the Cadet Unit Establishment Parade, officially launching our MLC School Cadet Unit. As one of only three all-female cadet units in Australia, this is a significant achievement. Although inclement weather required the parade to be held indoors, it did not diminish the sense of occasion or pride felt by all involved. Our Year 12 cadets have shown exceptional leadership and commitment, and it is evident how proud they are of their unit. I hope our Year 9 cadets look to them as role models and are inspired to become the future leaders of the program.

Finally, a reminder that for students participating in the Urban Challenge Camp, the Camp Code of Conduct form must be signed by both students and parents. Completed forms should be returned to students’ Luminary teachers by Friday 6 March 2026.

– Kate Schurch
Head of Year 9