College Principal

I begin my newsletter with an excerpt of a Prayer for Peace in Israel and Palestine released by the National Council of Churches in Australia.

God of Comfort,
send your Spirit to encompass all those whose lives
are torn apart by violence and death in Israel and Palestine.
You are the Advocate of the oppressed
and the One whose eye is on the sparrow.
Let arms reach out in healing, rather than aggression.
Let hearts mourn rather than militarise.

God of the Nations,
let not one more child or elder be sacrificed on altars of political expediency.
Keep safe all people from unjust leaders who would exploit
vulnerability for their own distorted ends.
Give wise discernment to those making decisions to pursue peace.
Provide them insight into fostering well-being, freedom, and thriving for all.
Teach all of us to resolve injustices with righteousness, not rockets.
Guard our hearts against retaliation, and give us hearts for love alone.

Strengthen our faith in you, O God of All Flesh,
even when we don’t have clear answers,
so that we may still offer ourselves non-violently
for the cause of peace.
Amen.

Term 4 is well and truly underway and it will be a very full and fast-paced race to the end of the year. Our Year 12 students are currently sitting their HSC and IB Examinations and we are very proud of the way that they have approached these major examinations. Students have been well prepared, calm and mature in their outlook, showing us that they are ready to move towards the next part of their journey beyond school. Huge congratulations are in order for our Design and Technology students, 16 of whom have been nominated by NESA for SHAPE 2024, the NSW showcase for exemplary Major Works in the HSC! We also congratulate Eva Whitbread who has also been nominated for the HSC Encore showcase for her Music Performance.  

Last week our Year 11 students received their Senior badges and they were formally recognised as Year 12 students. For the first time, we were joined by parents who were able to be present for our liturgy. This occasion gave me the opportunity to talk to the girls about ways they might set themselves up for success which includes striving for the best academic results possible, while also building character and integrity which are equally important life and career attributes. Like anything in life, most times achievement comes with a commitment to hard work and I reminded them that while we are all here to offer support, the hard work and determination to be organised and disciplined in their approach must come from within. I reminded them that social media is not their friend and that they need to regulate themselves in giving up the short term gratification of checking their feeds for ‘likes’ or watching the next episode of Netflix to instead delay gratification for a longer term reward. We wish them well as they step into their final school year.  

Last weekend students represented Santa Sabina in the Independent Girls’ Schools Association (IGSA) Festival of Speech. Coached by Ms Sulis, they competed in sections including Poetry, Reading, Current Affairs, Religious and Ethical Questions and the new section Soapbox where they could choose a topic and start ‘ranting’ about it!  At the same time, 23 Year 4 students embarked on a journey to Tallong for the culmination of their Dominic The Adventurer Award Program. Throughout the day, they tackled various challenges that honed their outdoor skills, problem-solving abilities, and resilience, fostering character development in line with our Dominican Pillars: Community, Learning, Prayer, and Service. With their parents in attendance, our students built a raft, set up a shelter and completed activities on the High Ropes and of course, built a fire. The adventure concluded with an Award Presentation set against the backdrop of our serene outdoor chapel, marking a memorable day of achievement and personal growth. We congratulate the students and thank Mr Walker for leading this unique program at Del Monte.

Thank you to the men and women who attended our annual Golf Day recently. This was a joint venture organised by Mr Ayoub, our Director of Development, and the P&F Association.  By all accounts, it was a great day and a fundraising event which provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships in our community. 

Preparations are well underway for our new twilight event, the Fra Angelico Festival which will kick off at 5:00pm on Friday 17 November. We can’t wait to showcase our student work in the creative and performing arts; there will be a fashion parade, international eat street, our virtual reality Lumination Labs will be open –

– and there will be a fabulous light show with lots of activities for the children and a Champagne Lawn for their parents. Bring your family and friends along to have a great night together while we celebrate the wonderful work of our students. Find more information here.

Go gently.

Paulina Skerman
College Principal