Building Confidence:  One Brave Step At A Time

As we come to the end of a vibrant and fulfilling Term 1, I am filled with deep admiration for the students – young people who choose, each day, to step into Kilbreda with courage, openness and a willingness to engage fully in the life of the College. Confidence doesn’t always arrive fully formed. It is built gradually, shaped by every brave choice to show up, speak up, take part, to lead and persevere. It grows through moments of vulnerability, creativity, and connection.

In just the past week, amidst the busyness of our Term 1 calendar, I have witnessed countless acts of this quiet bravery. I saw joy radiate from our senior music students as they performed at Treasury Gardens, engaging with primary school children during Catholic Education Week. Their passion and energy were contagious. I was moved by the generosity and maturity of our Year 11 student leaders, who guided our newest Year 7 students through their Reflection Day, helping them explore the deep need we all have to belong.

I was inspired by the creativity and commitment of our Student Environmental Action Leaders, who courageously addressed our school community, educating us on important waste management practices. I felt proud of our students who spoke in their native languages during our Harmony Day liturgy – an act of cultural pride that takes true confidence and self-respect.

Our Year 7 students danced with unfiltered joy at their first camp, embracing new experiences and new friendships. Our House Captains poured themselves into the planning and implementation of the House Athletics Carnival, ensuring it was a day marked not just by competition, but by spirit, connection and pride.

This same spirit of quiet confidence and joyful participation is alive in our debaters, who meet each challenge with persistence and poise, and in our production cast, who bring imagination, collaboration and creativity to life on stage.

Each of these moments may seem small on their own – but together, they weave a powerful narrative of what it means to grow in confidence. These students are not just participating; they are becoming.

Research from the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia consistently shows that girls in single-sex educational settings are more likely to develop greater self-confidence and stronger leadership skills. In particular, girls’ schools offer spaces where students are more willing to take risks, speak up and try new things – fostering a deep sense of self-belief. Dr Justin Coulson, parenting expert and founder of Raising Girls, similarly notes that “confidence in girls is cultivated through connection, competence and encouragement,” and that adolescent girls thrive when they are supported to stretch themselves, while being reassured that they are enough just as they are.

At Kilbreda, we are deeply committed to fostering an environment where every student feels safe to explore, empowered to lead, and supported to grow into their most confident and compassionate self. We believe that true confidence is not about being perfect – it’s about having the courage to step forward, even when faced with uncertainty, and trusting that your voice, your presence, and your contribution matter.

Staff Updates

We are delighted to welcome the following staff who have recently joined the Kilbreda College community:

• Julie Hepburn – Human Resources Manager
• Anika Hewitt – Director of Development and Community Relations
• Sheena Worthy – English Teacher
• Mollie-Rose van den Enden – Learning Diversity Assistant

We look forward to the contributions they will make and hope their time at Kilbreda is both rich and rewarding.

At the same time, we extend our heartfelt thanks and farewell to Lucy Gould (Learning Diversity Assistant) and Tina Russo (Art Teacher), who are moving on to new opportunities. We deeply appreciate their service to the College and the positive impact they have had on our students. We wish them every success and happiness in the future.

The Easter Season: A Time of Reflection, Transformation and Hope

This week marks the Fourth Sunday of Lent – a time of anticipation and preparation as we journey towards Easter. As a Catholic community, Easter comes at a perfect time to reflect on the term that has passed and to wait in joyful hope for what is to come in the year ahead.

Next Thursday, we will conclude the term with our Easter Liturgy, which will take the form of the Stations of the Cross. This powerful reflection invites us to walk with Jesus through his final moments and to consider the ways in which love, sacrifice and hope are present in our own lives.

The Easter season is a sacred reminder that the suffering and challenges we face can be transformed. As Franciscan Friar Richard Rohr explains, “..the true meaning of the raising of Jesus is that God will turn all our human crucifixions into resurrection.” In this light, Easter is not simply a historical event, but a spiritual reality that unfolds in our daily lives. Each hardship, each moment of struggle, can become a path to greater compassion, understanding and renewal – if we choose love and openness over bitterness and blame.

At Kilbreda, we are privileged to witness this daily transformation in our students – their growth, their resilience and their capacity to become more forgiving, more aware, and more hopeful.

As we enter into this sacred season, we are also called to look beyond ourselves and stand in solidarity with those in our global community who are seeking safety, dignity and a new beginning. We warmly encourage members of our Kilbreda community to take part in the Palm Sunday Walk for Refugees Rally on Sunday 13 April – a public witness for justice, compassion and a more humane approach to those seeking asylum. Participating in this event is a powerful way to live out the true message of Easter: to be people of hope, peace and welcome.

Over the Easter holidays, I encourage all students to be gracious, joyful, and to take time to reflect on the many blessings in their lives.  I wish all members of our Kilbreda College community a safe, restful, and joy-filled Easter break. May it be a time of renewal, connection, and gratitude—where you find moments of peace, give thanks for life’s gifts, and return with a renewed sense of hope and purpose.

Happy Easter!

Lord, help us to accept the grace of Christ’s resurrection.

 Let us be renewed by God’s mercy.

Let us know the love of Jesus.

Let us enable the power of his love to transform our lives.

Let us become agents of his mercy, channels through which God can protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish.

Amen.

Stephanie Smyth

Acting Principal