FROM THE COLLEGE PRINCIPAL
I hope the first three weeks of Term 3 have gone smoothly for each of our students – certainly there has been much to celebrate.
- High volumes of students have been recognised for their Semester 1 Academic achievements and efforts.
- Our Year 7 students have earned the best NAPLAN results in the College’s history.
- Our Year 9 students have earned the best NAPLAN results in the College’s history, improving upon their distance from the state and national means.
- Our Confraternity Rugby League Team returned victorious after only their second year in the competition.
- Our ‘Pink’ Hydrogen Grand Prix team won the ‘Girls in Stem’ award, and have been invited to participate in the World Championships in Prague in 2027.
Catholic Education Week
In Week 2, we also celebrated Catholic Education Week, emphasising the distinctive mission of Catholic education: nurturing young people in faith, learning, service and community. This year’s theme, Share Your Light, Inspire Others, reminds us that each student, staff member and family brings unique gifts that can brighten the lives of others through compassion, courage, generosity and example. Celebrating Catholic education is important because it allows us to give thanks for the many ways our schools form young people not only academically, but also spiritually, socially and morally, helping them to grow as people of hope who are ready to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
Educational research increasingly affirms what Catholic schools have long understood: that young people flourish when they feel known, valued, connected and purposeful. For girls in particular, wellbeing is strengthened through environments that foster belonging, positive relationships, spiritual growth, hope, self-efficacy and opportunities for service. Studies of Mercy girls’ schools have found that former students identify belonging, connectedness, hope and shared belief as important influences on their growth, while broader Australian research has shown that students in Catholic secondary schools report strong levels of emotional and mental wellbeing and lower loneliness. In this sense, Catholic education supports wellbeing not only through pastoral care programs, but through a whole-person approach that nurtures the academic, social, emotional and spiritual life of each student. I take this opportunity to congratulate Brooklyne Stegman, Year 12, for winning the Deus Est Caritas Award, recognising her contribution to Catholic service and identity.
At St Patrick’s College Townsville, we have seen a pleasing improvement in the engagement of our young people with Catholic faith in action. The volume of girls participating in Mercy Girls in Action has grown by almost 5%. Across the College this year, we have so far supported Chicks in Pink, CARITAS Project Compassion and the Vinnies Winter Appeal. We have also introduced Year Level Masses across each grade.
As part of our celebration of Catholic identity, we also recognised two of our staff for their service to Catholic Education. Mr Chris Pacey has worked at the College for 15 years, serving in a range of leadership roles including Head of Faculty – Science, Dean of Academic Operations and Deputy Principal – Academic. Across each position, Chris has consistently demonstrated servant leadership driven by compassion, humility and integrity. He has also led initiatives to raise money for various charities, most recently raising more than $10,000 for The Kids’ Cancer Project. His leadership of initiatives such as Clean Up Australia Day and the Reef Guardians programs has inspired a sense of stewardship in our young people, who understand the importance of care for the earth’s resources.
Ms Tallisha Harden has been at the College since 2023. Her commitment to model compassion, courage and generosity has been an enduring gift to the College community. During her time with us, she has worked to build connection and belonging with members of our First Nations Communities and has led the implementation of the College’s Reconciliation Action Plan. I know that all members of our St Patrick’s College family will join me in congratulating Chris and Talisha on this significant recognition.
Our Catholic identity also calls us to understand leadership as service: the willingness to use our gifts for the good of others and to help build a community shaped by compassion, justice, courage and hope. With this in mind, our student leadership process for 2027 has now commenced. This process asks students to have the courage to self-nominate, to recognise the gifts they have been given, and to consider how they might share those gifts in service of our College community. This is particularly important for girls in the 21st century, because the world needs young women who are confident to step forward, speak with integrity, lead with empathy and make a positive difference. It also needs young women who are capable of taking risks, without any guarantee of success. Encouraging our students to see themselves as potential leaders is not simply about holding a title; it is about helping them understand that their voice matters, their example influences others, and their capacity to lead with faith and purpose can shape the future for the better.
Enrolments – Applications invited for 2029, 2030 and 2031
Happily, there is growing community interest in St Patrick’s College Townsville. This has necessitated a more longitudinal approach to the management of enrolments.
- Enrolments for 2027 are now full, though we are accepting wait list candidates. We occasionally see some movement in our intake as a result of the relocation of Defence Force Families.
- Enrolments for 2028 are almost full. If you or families that you know of haven’t yet applied, please action this as soon as possible. I expect to be at ‘waitlist only’ by the end of the term.
- We are accepting enrolment applications for 2029, 2030 and 2031. We will commence interviewing for 2029 in Term 4.
Click here for more information or to enrol now.
Staffing Updates
Mr John Goulter has resigned from his position as Head of Faculty – Music & Performance. John has been with the College for almost 9 years and during that time supported not only the implementation of multiple versions of the National Curriculum in Music, but countless extracurricular initiatives from choirs, to ensembles, to the College Musical. I thank him most sincerely for his tremendous service to the College during his time, and for his mentorship of our highly talented Musicians. In November, John will be taking a promotional opportunity at Townsville Grammar School, working as Director of Performance across Dance and Music across three campuses. We wish him all the very best.
Ms Kirsten Walsh, who is on leave in 2026 from her position as Head of Department – Visual Art & Exhibitions, has indicated she will not be returning in 2027. Kirsten started at the College in 2021 and has inspired many of her students to achieve outstanding outcomes in Visual Art, including exhibiting their work at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. She is currently in the UK and intends to remain there for the foreseeable future, supporting her family through a challenging period. Kirsten and her family remain in our thoughts and prayers.
Ms Jade Phillips has resigned from her position as Teacher Aide in the faculty of Inclusion with the aim of investing more time in supporting the family business. Jade has been with us since August 2023, supporting a myriad of students to access learning and assessment. She has been highly regarded by students and staff alike, forging strong relationships with the students she has supported. Jade will finish her time with us on August 13.
Mr Hendrik Venter has resigned from his position as Facilities Officer in the Maintenance Team to pursue other opportunities. In the 8 months he has worked with us, Hennie has proved to be a most reliable and hard-working member of the team. He will finish his time with us on August 14.
We wish all our departing staff the best for their respective futures and acknowledge the wonderful contributions they have made, not just as employees, but as people, during their time wish us. From now, until the end of the year, the College will conduct recruitment processes for current vacancies, along with 2027 positions.
Kath Little
COLLEGE PRINCIPAL
