I extend a warm welcome to all students and families as we commence Semester 2. An especially heartfelt greeting is offered to the new families who have recently become part of our community. I trust that the recent break provided our students with valuable time for rest, rejuvenation, and meaningful moments with family and friends.

As we embark on this new term, I encourage all students to approach the coming months with enthusiasm—embracing new opportunities and experiencing new co-curricular challenges.

We look forward to Year 11 students attending their two-day Residential Retreat next Monday. This significant event offers an invaluable opportunity for reflection and personal growth, marking the beginning of their journey in leadership. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the dedicated staff members who will accompany and guide our students throughout this enriching experience.

May the term ahead be filled with success, personal development, and a deepening sense of community. I look forward to meeting families at our upcoming events and wish everyone a rewarding and inspiring Semester 2.

As we move into the week of Centennial celebrations, and the feast day of Mary Aikenhead, we appreciate the courage and sacrifice made by Mary Aikenhead, and the Sisters of Charity then and now to compassionately minister to those marginalised and vulnerable in our society– in our suburb, on the street, in the country, and in the workplace. In their footsteps, our College community continues to be led by the love of Christ, through active participation in social justice outreach opportunities.

PJs for Project Providence
Today, the entire school dressed in their favourite pyjamas to help raise funds for this year’s whole school charity, Project Providence. From staff in dressing gowns to students in fun matching sets, PJs for Project Providence sparked smiles and conversation while raising funds to give an education to two young women in Africa. Fueled by these acts of courage, compassion and joy, we look forward to our Mary Aikenhead Day celebrations and Centenary Mass to give thanks for those whose stories have shaped, and continue to shape the next chapter of Mt St Michaels' journey.

Wellbeing Events

Year 9 Parent Engagement Evening – Consent Education
On Tuesday evening, 22 July we are welcoming our Consent Education and Respectful Relationships specialist, Ms Caitlin Humphrys for our Year 9 Parent Engagement Evening. As part of our Year 9 HPE curriculum our students are learning about respectful and unhealthy relationships, consent, protective behaviours, sexting, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, pornography and help-seeking skills. This unit supports students in becoming confident and respectful individuals who actively contribute to a positive and inclusive society.

Ms Humphrys has been integral in our staff and student consent education across 2025 and has designed a presentation for our Year 9 Parent community. The presentation will begin at 5:30pm in the Auditorium and we look forward to welcoming you all then.
 

Year 7 and 8 Cyberbullying ‘Eyes Open Social Media' Presentation
On Tuesday, 22 July, the Year 7 and 8 students will participate in an Eyes Open Social Media—cyberbullying presentation as part of our Positive Education Program. Part of our student wellbeing imperative is to focus on education to equip our students with skills to navigate their online presence in our way that is safe for themselves and others. Please refer to the letter sent out by our Year 7 and 8 Pastoral Leaders, Ms Caitlin Conway and Ms Natalie McMaster for further details and links to parent education.
 
Friendly Reminders
As we return for a new term of school, I would ask parents and caregivers to support your daughters in meeting the uniform and presentation guidelines. All students are to wear their formal uniform (not sport) including the College bag and hat, to and from the College each day.

• No false eyelashes, nails or make up to be worn – You are beautiful just as you are!
• No helixes, multiple ear piercings or nose piercings – if ‘clears’ are visible, students will be asked to remove them.
• Please leave all of your lovely jewellery at home, especially large gold or diamante hoop earrings.
• Laptops MUST be carried in laptop bags at all times NOT tote bags

Thank you in advance for working in partnership with the College.

Welcome back to Term 3! I hope all students had a relaxing and restorative mid-year break. As we settle back into school routines, I’d like to share a few important updates and reminders for the term ahead.

Semester 2 Assessment Calendars
Semester 2 Assessment Calendars are currently being finalised and will be available digitally in Student Café shortly. As this semester is shorter than the first, it’s essential that students begin planning their study commitments early to give themselves the best chance to succeed.

Students in Years 11 and 12 have already received their Unit 2 and Unit 4 Assessment Calendars and should be reviewing them regularly, as major assessment tasks are fast approaching.

Year 10 2026 Subject Selection Evening
On Tuesday 15 July, current Year 9 students and their families attended the Year 10 2026 Subject Selection Evening. This event provided the opportunity to speak with Curriculum Leaders and subject teachers, enabling students to make informed choices about their academic pathways.

Students are encouraged to reflect on their interests and strengths when selecting subjects. Detailed information about core and elective offerings is available in the 2026 Subject guide for Year 10.

Year 8 & 9 2026 Subject Selection Presentations
Also on Tuesday 15 July, students in Years 7 and 8 took part in subject selection presentations during their Positive Education lesson. These sessions gave students an overview of elective options available in 2026. Further information can be found in the 2026 Subject Guide for Years 8 & 9.
 
2026 Subject Selection Due Dates
All students in Years 7-10 are required to submit their 2026 subject selections via the online platform, Web Preferences.

Students have received an email from noreply@selectmysubjects.com.au with detailed instructions on how to complete their selections following their relevant subject information session. Subject selections are due by 8:30am on Monday 5 August.
 
Year 5, 7 and 9 Individual Student NAPLAN Reports
Students in Years 5, 7, and 9 received their individual NAPLAN Student Reports today. These reports provide insight into each student’s performance across the assessed domains: numeracy, reading, writing, spelling, and grammar and punctuation.

There are 4 proficiency levels:
• Exceeding - The student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing.
• Strong - The student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing.
• Developing - The student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing.
• Needs additional support - The student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes expected at the time of testing. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.

The NAPLAN student report shows a proficiency scale for each assessment area (numeracy, reading, writing, spelling and grammar and punctuation) with a student’s result shown as a black dot on the scale. The report shows your child’s results in comparison to the national average and the range for the middle 60% of students in their respective year level.

Year 5 - 12 Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences for Years 7-12 will be held online on:

• Thursday 31 July
• Tuesday 5 August
• Tuesday 12 August

Year 5 conferences will take place on:

• Thursday 31 July
• Wednesday 6 August

These conferences offer a valuable opportunity for families to connect with teachers and discuss student progress. Bookings are now open in Parent Lounge and will close at 3pm on Friday 25 July.

Contacting Teaching Staff
Parents are encouraged to reach out to Homeroom teachers for pastoral matters and subject teachers for curriculum-related queries. Subject teachers are best placed to provide information about classroom learning and assessment.

Contact details for all teachers can be found via Parent Lounge by navigating to:
Student Details > Email Class Teachers and selecting the relevant staff member.
 
Accessing Progressive Reporting in Parent Lounge
Semester 1 Report Cards for Years 5-10 were published at the end of Term 2. These reports offer an overview of student progress. For more details about the individual criteria assessed, parents can view specific task results under Student Details > Curricular Activities in Parent Lounge.

If you have questions about your daughter’s academic progress, I encourage you to raise them at the upcoming Parent Teacher Conferences or contact her subject or Homeroom teacher using the details outlined above.

Wishing all students and families a productive and positive Term 3.

Term 3 promises to be filled with more engaging learning experiences, personal growth opportunities and memorable moments for our Year 5 students. Our dedicated Junior School staff have been preparing diligently to ensure a smooth and enriching term for all students.

Term 2 MSM Cares – Vinnies Winter Appeal
The St Vincent de Paul Society, commonly known as "Vinnies," is a global Catholic organisation dedicated to serving individuals experiencing poverty and disadvantage. During Term 2, schools across Australia participate in the Vinnies Winter Appeal, a nationwide initiative aimed at supporting individuals and families facing hardship during the colder months. Our Year 5 MSM Cares group led this project in Term 2.

Our MSM Cares Term 2 project group – Charlotte, Georgia, Aria, Annabelle, Sahana and Annabelle - encouraged the Year 5 students to make donations to the Vinnies Winter Appeal. Students donated ‘warming’ items, including soups and noodles, tea and coffee, porridge, and baked beans and spaghetti. We even had some donations of cozy socks and PJs!

Yesterday, Mr Hollamby from the St Vincent de Paul Society attended our College Assembly to receive our donations. We hope that these items offer some comfort to people in our community who are experiencing hardship.

Year 5/Year 9 Harmony Activities
On the final day of Term 2, the Year 5 and Year 9 cohorts came together for Team Harmony activities. The aim of these activities was to promote collaboration, communication and cohesion amongst the two cohorts. It was wonderful to see our Year 9 students demonstrating leadership and support with the youngest students in our College during this valuable experience.

Year 5 Semester 2 Specialist Lessons
The Year 5 students are incredibly fortunate to learn from subject specialist teachers, who are both deeply passionate and expert in their various disciplines.

This semester, the Year 5 students will be participating in weekly Drama lessons with Mrs Madonna Kelly. Mrs Priscilla Ruddell will continue to teach the girls for Health and Physical Education. 5 Hope will be learning French with Ms Natalie Wright (Mademoiselle) and 5 Love will be learning Japanese with Ms Natsuko Kawakami (Sensei).

On Monday, the Year 5 students began their second rotation of instrumental music lessons. They are each learning a new instrument this semester – strings, voice or guitar. Based on the tremendous success of our Semester 1 Learning Showcase, we are very excited to see the students further develop their musical talents through this program.

Katie Jordan
Head of Junior School