Message from the Principal

Congratulations to the Year 12 Students on their thought-provoking theme launch on Tuesday for 2020 Mission Possible: Sisters on a Mission.

With the well-recognised theme song of Mission Impossible creating the atmosphere, the Year 12 students took on the mission of saving our four house values of courage, strength, honour and determination during their theme launch. 

Poppy and Zoe shared the following message to bring the launch to a conclusion

Together we have unleashed the house values of ‘courage, strength, honour, and determination’. If we keep working together, we can achieve so much more. Our theme for this year is 2020: Mission Possible; Sisters on a Mission. On an individual level, we can enact this by participating in the various aspects of our school life, be it through sports, academia, missions or culture. You can choose your mission!

With commitment in sport, you can become strong in mind, body, and spirit! By setting academic goals and achieving them, you’re developing your personal sense of determination. With pride in missions, you can create tangible positive change in the lives of people around you. How honourable! With confidence in culture, you develop courage to live out your passion. As a collective mission, our goal is to increase our sense of community hence “Sisters on a Mission”. By striving to achieve our individual goals, we also work towards uniting our entire community through our interests and achievements.

In Term 1, our focus is on setting goals and visualizing where you want to be in the future. Therefore, we have dubbed it the term of “2020 vision”.

There have been many significant community events in the last week.  I would like to highlight some of these events, and I would encourage you to read the more detailed articles included in this newsletter. 

Our Opening Eucharist and Commissioning of Student Leaders took place at the Sophia Centre on Monday February 3. Fr Gerry Kalinowski from Jubilee Parish celebrated Mass his first community Eucharist with us. Congratulations to the Year 12 Student Leaders and Year 12 students who received their badges on this special occasion. 

The Interhouse Swimming carnival was held at the Valley pool on Wednesday 5 February. We were fortunate that the weather was kind to us (cooler and not the torrential rain).  It was a very competitive carnival! Congratulations to overall winners Grantuly House. I would also like to extend a special congratulations to the Year 12 House Leaders on the great work in leading their house on the day. Special thanks to Ms Roy and Miss Page for their organisation of the carnival and to the staff who assisted in the various ways.

The Sophia Centre was the venue for our annual Year 7 Father Daughter Breakfast on Thursday 6 February. It was a lovely occasion with 298 students and fathers (or another significant male) attending. Thanks to keynote speaker Patrick Coleman (Parent and Foundation Chair) for sharing his journey at MSM.  I would also thank Richard Peace (P and F President) for his promotion of the P and F Association. Thanks to Jenny Kemp for her overall organisation.

Last weekend our Music students had a wonderful time at Music Camp at Duchesne College at Queensland University. In a busy program our choirs, bands and ensembles maximised rehearsal time and made fantastic progress. I had the pleasure of sitting in on the Year 7 and 8 choir rehearsal where they were learning songs in both Spanish and German. How impressive!  

One of the highlights of the Camp Concert was the presentation of navy badges to the Year 12 students who have been dedicated members of the music program for six years. Our musicians share their talents with our community to enhance so many of our College celebrations for example Masses and Assemblies. Congratulations and thank you to the following students for your service to MSM:

• Angelina Barbieri-Yates - String Orchestra
• Giulia Brancatini - Concert Band         
• Priyanka Fullinfaw - Concert Band, Wind Chamber Ensemble
• Alicia Gibson - College Choir  
• Melanie Gonzalez - College Choir, Concert Band        
• Zoe Goodin - College Choir, Guitar Ensemble, MSM Singers       
• Caitlin Harley - Concert Band         
• Jaymee Jones - College Choir        
• Aneesha Jones - Concert Band         
• Madeleine Martin - College Choir, MSM Singers, 
• String Orchestra - String Quartet 
• Chelsea McNeill - Guitar Ensemble
• Georgie McPhee - College Choir        
• Lara Naggs - College Choir        
• Alessandra Tait-Bermudez - Concert Band, Wind Chamber Ensemble
• Nathalie Taylor - Concert Band
• Olivia Vasiliadis - String Orchestra 

Thank you to our amazing Music Team – Ms Miriam Townsley (Program Leader – Music), Ms Linda Statham (Director of The Arts) Mrs Julie Thompson (Music Administration Aide) and our talented Music Tutors, Conductors and past students. Thank you to our special guest conductor of Camp Choir, Dr Anthony Young.  I am so grateful to our staff who gave up their own time to attend the camp during the day or to assist with the overnight supervision.   Thank-you also to Music Support Group Leaders, Mrs Natalie Malczewski and Mrs Marianne Schmidt, for their invaluable assistance and coordinating of the parent roster. 

In faith and love

Sharon Volp
Principal