Principal’s Message
Dear Friends of St Ursula’s
Welcome to our first issue of Piazza for 2025.
This year marks a significant milestone for the Catholic Church as we celebrate the Jubilee Year, with the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. It is an important theme to reflect on and serves as a challenge to our community and all who parent and live with, work alongside and care for teenagers, that we are hope-filled people and we show our teenagers how to live a life filled with optimism and joy.
Our vibrant College community has embraced a jam-packed Term 1 and I am pleased to highlight some of the many events.
College Theme Launch
Our student leaders successfully launched the College theme for 2025, “Together we Rise”, which aligns perfectly with the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year. I am delighted to share this excerpt from the assembly led by our talented and inspiring student leaders.
“Our theme emphasises that the journey isn’t about the final destination or reaching the peak alone, but about climbing together, facing setbacks with resilience. As we rise, we carry forward the legacies of those who came before us, and we carve the path for those who will follow. Every flag we raise, every milestone we achieve, is a reminder that no journey is made alone. Let this year be a testament to how when we rise together, we create a future that is brighter and full of hope. Together, we build a foundation for those who will continue to climb, and in doing so, we shape a Urshies sisterhood where everyone can rise to their fullest potential”.
Class of 2024 High Achievers
We celebrated our High Achievers at a special College High Achievers Assembly and the outstanding success of the Class of 2024 in both the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Higher School Certificate (HSC). Our College’s 2024 HSC and very first IB results were of a very high standard, and the students displayed excellent learning growth. Our students continue to achieve results of which they and their families, and our school, can be very proud. Please enjoy the separate detailed article in this newsletter.
Opening Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral
Our College community then came together
in faith, hope and unity for the Opening Mass at the magnificent St Mary’s Cathedral. The significance of celebrating the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year added an extra layer of meaning and inspiration to this event. We were honoured by the presence of Sr Patty Andrews and Sr Venera Nicolosi OSU, whose attendance made the Mass even more special. I was delighted to warmly welcome parents and carers to the Cathedral, and our extended community was able to partake in this memorable celebration through the livestream.
Swimming Carnival
We were blessed with beautiful weather for our Swimming Carnival and our students and staff celebrated not only athletic talent but the incredible spirit that makes our College community so special. Yellow (Sheehan) took first place but events like these remind us that while competition is exciting, the true victory lies in our unity, encouragement, and College pride.
In the lead up to the Swimming Carnival, Year 7 participated in a Learn to Swim Program. I enjoyed this reflection by a Year 7 student:
During Term 1, Year 7 have participated in a swim program. This swimming program has had a significant impact of boosting confidence and building bonds among participants. As we all learn new skills and achieve milestones, such as improving strokes or mastering techniques we also make friendships and secure bonds with our peers. This swim program influenced many students to participate in the swimming carnival. Every time a student experiences a sense of accomplishment it enhances their self-esteem. So, this swimming program has not only made us amazing swimmers but it has also given us a confidence boost and helped us make good friends!
College Open Day
As enrolments for Year 7 2027 are currently underway, we held our Open Day in Week 5. So many of our students volunteered to assist with tours, displays and entertainment. It is always a pleasure to welcome future students and their families, and our girls continue to be outstanding ambassadors. Enrolments continue to be strong.
Staff Spirituality Day
In Week 6, our staff had the privilege of participating in a deeply enriching Spirituality Day at Mary Mackillop Place, North Sydney. We were guided by the wisdom and gentle leadership of Sr Leone Pallisier OSU, who served as the College Principal from 1976 to 1982. Her unique perspective of viewing Christ through an Ursuline lens resonated deeply with everyone. The setting of Mary Mackillop Place further enriched the day, providing a meaningful space for reflection and spiritual growth that left a lasting impact on us all.
International Women’s Day
During Week 6, we also celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme, “March Forward,” through various engaging activities organised by our student leaders. The festivities culminated in a whole school assembly on the Friday. We were honoured to have Bronte Horder (Class of 2010) as our guest speaker. Her accomplishments as a composer, songwriter, and vocalist are remarkable. Bronte shared her journey of pursuing her dream job in Los Angeles and her current work in Australia, creating music for film and TV. Her story is truly motivational and we have included an interview with Bronte in this newsletter for you to enjoy.
I was delighted to attend an IWD event organised by CPA Australia with seven of our student leaders. The girls were inspired by guest speakers who are leaders in Business. They also learnt about some of their continued struggles with issues such as gender pay gap and gender imbalance.
I also attended a very special IWD morning tea organised by Sydney Catholic Schools and the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF). A talented Year 12 student, Jacinta Drumond, performed her song, “Opportunities for All” which has become an anthem for CEF. Jacinta entered and won a competition in 2023, writing a song to celebrate the Foundation.
Amadeus Program
This year, Year 7 and 8 students are participating in the Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Amadeus Program, enjoying small group instrumental tuition and large ensemble (such as concert band or orchestra) rehearsals once a week. Who knows where this music experience will take them? In this newsletter is an interesting interview with Loreta Fin AM (Class of 1978) who has enjoyed a very extensive musical career that led to her appointment in 2024 as a Member of the Order of Australia for “significant service to music and education”.
Thank you for reading Piazza. As Term 1 draws to a close we are enormously proud of all we have accomplished so far this year and we look forward to sharing our Term 2 events with you next time.
Regards
Vivienne Awad
Principal


