The end of the Semester 1 is quickly approaching and no doubt both students and staff are looking forward to the opportunity to slow down, reflect on the first half of the year and enjoy time with family and friends. The upcoming holiday period will provide time for us all to rest after a very active, vibrant and successful semester and re-energise ourselves for Semester 2.

In this last fortnight, students in Years 9 to 11 have prepared for and sat their examinations while other students have been completing final assessments for their Semester 1 / Unit 3 studies. These provide important opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning, develop their revision and examination writing skills and receive feedback on their progress.  

While most students enjoyed the day off on Tuesday 14 June, over 80 students across Years 7 to 10 spent the day and evening at the College participating in the ‘Write a Book in a Day’ competition.  11 teams undertook the challenge to work collaboratively as a team and ‘publish’ a book within 12 hours of receiving their unique group parameters.  This is the largest number of students who have taken up this opportunity and it was absolutely wonderful to see the energy, enthusiasm, teamwork and effort the girls exhibited throughout the day.  Well done to all involved!

Next week our Year 8 students have their ‘Triple E Week’ which includes a three-day camp, our Year 10 students will participate in their ‘Futures Week’ and 40 of our Year 11 students, accompanied by six staff, will set off on the Central Australia Trip.  All of these programs and experiences are developed and led by Kilbreda staff and designed to complement and enrich the social, emotional and academic learning of our students.

Queen’s Birthday Honours

Earlier this week the annual Queen’s Birthday Honours were announced for 2022 and we were overjoyed to see four members of the Kilbreda College community recognised for their service to the community.  Each of the recipients is a wonderful example of living out our motto of Strength and Kindliness and our core values of justice, courage and compassion.

Sister Angela Ryan csb OAM

Past pupil and past Principal, Sr Angela Ryan was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her ‘service to the Catholic Church of Australia.’  Sr Angela is also a member of our Stewardship Council, Finance Committee and is a Director of the Kildare Education Ministries (KEM) Board.

Sister Brigid Arthur csb AO
Sr Brigid Arthur is a Director of the KEM Board and Co-Founder and Project Coordinator of the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project (BASP). She was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to social welfare, particularly asylum seekers and refugees, and to Catholic education.

Past pupil Rear Admiral John (Jack) Rush RFD QC AO was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for ‘distinguished service to the law, notably as an Australian Defence Force senior legal officer, and to the community of Victoria.’ John was a pupil at the College from 1956 to 1958.

In addition to these three awards, in the General Division of the Order of Australia, past pupil

Dr Natalie Hood was the recipient of an Emergency Service Medal which is one of the Meritorious Awards presented as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Natalie was a member of the Class of 1983 and was recognised for her 39 years of voluntary service to the Victorian community in the area of Life Saving.

To read more about them and their significant contribution to the community which led to their award please see here.

Refugee Week

This Sunday marks the start of Refugee Week in Australia which is always held from Sunday to Saturday in the week which includes 20 June, which is ‘World Refugee Day’. The purpose of which is to increase community understanding of refugees, who they are and the challenges they face while also celebrating the many positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society.  Over the course of the week, we will acknowledge and celebrate Refugee Week as a school community in numerous ways, including a liturgy on Friday.  

A Prayer for Refugees

Lord God, help us to remember those who tonight will go to sleep unfed and unwelcome,
strangers in foreign lands, people who have fled for their lives and are far from their homes.

We lift up to you those who are escaping persecution and conflict, having fled death, torture or exploitation.

So many carry wounds, mental and physical. So many have suffered greatly.

Lord Jesus, give us more of your compassion for their plight, soften our hearts to their situation,
and help us follow your lead in seeking justice and mercy on their behalf.

We pray for an end to the wars, poverty and human rights abuses that drive desperate people to become refugees in the first place.

Nicole Mangelsdorf
Principal