Dear Families

Welcome to Aspire, our newsletter for future MSM families that highlights successes, activities and events that have occurred here at Mt St Michael’s College.
 
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In Faith and Love

Ms Sharon Volp
Principal
SAVE THE DATE!
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In the Junior School, we are committed to fostering the holistic development of our students through delivering a rich and developmentally-appropriate educational program. This includes quality learning experiences, wellbeing programs, co-curricular activities and service learning opportunities. Our vision is to create a nurturing community that enables every student to flourish. Your daughters will be supported at each step of their Year 5 journey by our experienced, passionate and dedicated Junior School staff.
 
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Ms Katie Jordan
Head of Junior School
IMPORTANT MESSAGES
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Year 5 Students First Day
 
It has been a wonderful start to the year in our Junior School! Our Year 5 and 6 students have settled in beautifully, and we are already seeing the beginnings of strong friendships, confident learning and positive leadership emerging across the Junior School.

A highlight of the first day for Year 5 was the College Welcome Assembly, where they were honoured with a warm and enthusiastic Guard of Honour by the Year 12 cohort. This significant tradition helps our newest students feel seen, supported and embraced by the wider College community. On the first day of school, our Year 5 cohort also had the joy of meeting their Year 9 Big Sisters – an important connection point for our girls as they begin their Mt St Michael’s journey.
Year 5 Retreat Day
 
Our smallest MSM students set sail for a wonderful day of reflection and fun at our Year 5 Retreat Day. Using the film Moana, the girls reflected on their first term at MSM, exploring the key concepts of welcome, courage and hope. At our moving liturgy, each girl was welcomed into the MSM family by her class teacher and was adorned with a handmade lei containing messages of connection and hope. We sincerely thank Ms Jordan, our College Counsellor Milena and the marvellous Year 5 team for supporting the girls at their first MSM Retreat.
Project Safe Haven
 
 As we journey through this special year of Justice, MSM has partnered with Emmanuel City Mission to develop a special year-long fundraising & advocacy project. ECM is a ministry that supports people experiencing homelessness. At their headquarters in Peel St South Brisbane, they welcome more than 300 visitors every day, providing a day sanctuary space where visitors can access showers, laundry facilities, nutritious meals and medical care in a safe and supportive place. In late 2025, ECM also opened a night sanctuary, providing 40 safe beds for people needing a place to sleep. The team at ECM are humble and caring, and are totally committed to their mission to serve the poor. It is a very special place. 
 
We have named our project "Safe Haven" because that is what ECM is: a sanctuary for some of Brisbane's most vulnerable people. Across the year, MSM has committed to raising at least $15,000 to allow ECM to purchase a new multi-cooking catering oven. The current oven, which produces more than 1000 hot meals a week, is currently being held together with electrical tape and hope! Our contribution will ensure that ECM can continue to provide the dignity of a hot meal to their visitors. 
International Women's Day High Tea
 
Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate at our International Women’s Day High Tea at Victoria Park on Sunday. A special thank you to our guest speaker, MSM alumna and inspiring leader, Madonna Jarrett MP (Class of 1988). Madonna’s words reminded us that leadership is about hope, justice, love and compassion, and that each of us has a unique path shaped by the doors we open and the values we hold. We are grateful for her encouragement for young girls and women to lead, make a difference, and use courage and resilience to balance the scales. Her call for more women in decision-making roles—while supporting everyone to rise together—truly resonated with all of us. Madonna, together with MSM alumna Ruby Patterson (Class of 2021) captured the attention of those gathered sharing their stories and empowering our community.

Thanks to MSM Alumni Inc for supporting the event, proudly sponsoring the tradition of a delicious cookie.
Thank you to everyone who attended, and to all those who supported our IWD Raffle through ticket purchases in support of the MSM Foundation and our Light the Way Capital Campaign.
ANZAC Day Liturgy
 
On Saturday, as the sun breaks over the horizon, Australians will pause for a national day of reflection, giving thanks for all who have served our country and remembering those who were lost to war. Our moving and poignant ANZAC Day liturgy celebrated the courage and ingenuity of Australia's defence personnel.
AROUND THE JUNIOR SCHOOL
Year 6 Science
This term in Science, the Year 6 students have been learning about Earth’s movement in relation to the Sun. They created three-dimensional models to explain how Earth’s rotation on its axis causes day and night. Through hands-on activities and group discussions, students explored why we experience sunrise and sunset at different times across the world.
Valentine's Day in the Junior School
Splashes of pink and purple filled MSM to celebrate Valentine’s Day! Our Year 10 cohort came together to host a bustling Valentine’s Day Market at lunchtime, filling the College with excitement, colour, and community spirit. All funds raised will support our 2026 major fundraiser “Project Safe Haven”.
Year 5 Drama
It has been a positive and joyous start to our Semester 1 Arts elective. Year 5 Drama students have been engaging in some high-energy drama games as they continue to develop trust and participation within the drama classroom. We have also learnt how important it is to be respectful and inclusive in our interactions with one another.
Junior School Water Polo Development
We're thrilled to see our Year 6 students getting involved in Junior School water polo development training on Wednesday afternoons! This program is designed to help our youngest athletes learn the fundamentals of water polo, including swimming techniques, ball handling, teamwork, and game strategies. Coaches focus on creating a fun and supportive environment where students can build their skills alongside their friends. By the time they reach Year 7, they will be ready to jump into competitive matches with confidence.
Year 5 & Year 9 Little Sister Big Sister IWD Activity
In honour of International Women’s Day, celebrated globally on Sunday 8 March, our Year 5 and Year 9 Little and Big Sisters engaged in a purple flower badge-making activity this week. Purple is a colour universally acknowledged as a symbol for this special day. The students proudly wore their flower badges in recognition of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
Inaugural CaSSSA Tennis Primary Cup Champions
The Term 1 CaSSSA Tennis season has now concluded after an exciting finals round on Saturday 28 March. This year marked the introduction of the CaSSSA Primary Cup, awarded to the top-performing school. We're thrilled to announce that our MSM primary teams have made history by becoming the very first winners of the Primary Cup in 2026. This outstanding accomplishment is thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Year 5 and 6 students and their coaches.

NAPLAN Treats

The Year 5 cohort celebrated the completion of NAPLAN by enjoying ice block treats given to them from members of our Interact group to celebrate their wonderful NAPLAN efforts.

MSM Swimming Carnival
We congratulate our Junior School students on their enthusiastic participation in the MSM Swimming Carnival held early in Term 1.

Year 5 & 7 Parents 'Welcome to MSM' Evening

We hosted a lovely evening for our Year 5 and 7 Parents/Caregivers on Friday 6 February. This was a casual evening where members of the College Leadership Team, the Head of Junior School (Katie Jordan), the Year 7 Pastoral Leader (Madonna Kelly) and the Program Leader – Middle School (Alison Larkings) engaged with parents on a more personal level. It was refreshing to hear the stories about how the students are settling in and that they are loving the MSM experience.

Project Compassion Launch

Congratulations and thank you to our newly elected Year 6 MSM Cares Leaders, who represented the College at this week’s Caritas Project Compassion Launch at St Stephen’s Cathedral. MSM Cares will focus its work on fundraising for Caritas throughout Term 1, ensuring that the vital work of caring for the world’s poor continues. At the Cathedral, our students had the opportunity to meet other student leaders from Brisbane Catholic Schools, and enjoyed meeting our new Archbishop Shane Mackinlay. Thank you to Ms Jordan for accompanying our MSM Cares Leaders to this event.

Semester 2 2025 Principal's Awards


At our Junior School Assembly held on our Valentine's Day Fundraiser, College Principal Ms Volp awarded a number of our current Year 6 students with Semester 2 2025 Principal’s Awards. These awards were presented to students who demonstrated Academic Excellence and/or Excellence in Commitment across their studies in Semester 2 of last year. Together, these awards highlight how our students demonstrate a love of learning through both achievement and effort. It brought us all great joy to acknowledge and celebrate these students.

Harmony Day in the Library
Harmony Day, celebrated on 21 March, is a day to recognise and celebrate our cultural diversity and promote inclusion and belonging for all. To mark the occasion, students came together at lunchtime in the library to make friendship bracelets and chatter-boxes — a simple and meaningful way to connect, share, and celebrate harmony with one another.

Year 11 Students Consult our Year 5 Students


As part of the Year 11 Religion and Ethics Sacred Stories Unit, students are re-imagining sacred stories from various faith traditions and spirituality into a storybook, video, dramatic movement or a dance for a younger audience.

During the initial drafting stage, Year 5 students worked with the Year 11 students to provide feedback on their story ideas. It was an energetic and productive session where the Year 5 students provided some of their own personal touches to the students' stories and together, they co-created possible images through the responsible usage of AI tools.

MSM Cross Country
The 2026 MSM Cross Country was a fantastic day, filled with an abundance of house colour and spirit across the course.

Junior School Wellbeing Activities


Our Year 5 and 6 students took part in dedicated wellbeing activities on the last day of term. These were planned by our enthusiastic Year 6 Class Captains to foster connection between both year levels. Students worked in groups of four (one student from each Year 5 and 6 class) to participate in activities that encouraged conversation, teamwork and a sense of shared community.
 
Students enjoyed answering icebreaker questions and creating a collaborative puzzle that celebrated what they value about life at MSM. It was a wonderful opportunity for the girls to build rapport and deepen their connection with one another.

Easter Egg Hunt
It wouldn't be the last day of Term 1 without a joyous Easter egg hunt. Our Junior School students scattered the Convent Launch in search of their personalised Easter egg featuring a special Easter message from one of their peers. 
Meet our Semester 1 Year 6 Class Captains
 
Introducing our Year 6 Class Captains.

Lyla Georgie W - 
MSM Cares Captains
 
At our first Junior School Assembly for the year, we recognised and congratulated our MSM Cares Captains - Millie, Eva and Audrey. These students have demonstrated great commitment to the MSM Cares service group since their commencement with the College in Year 5.
 
Positive Behaviours Awards
 
At each Junior School Assembly, students in Years 5 and 6 are presented with Junior School Positive Behavours Awards ...Year 5 and 6 students to receive Positive Behaviours for Learning awards were presented with their certificates.
OUR COMMUNITY
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