This week, our Music Captain, Celeste led Music Soiree 4 showcasing the College’s commitment to nurturing musical talent. The evening started with a captivating Percussion Sextet “6Drums4Eights” composed by Ms Townsley.

Middle School students, Freya H and Isabela C,exhibited outstanding ability on flute, Ruby O confidently played violin, and Amy B performed beautifully "For Good" from Wicked.Senior School vocal performances by Lily M "Get Down", Lily W "Idontwannabeyouanymore", Ellen F "A Thousand Miles", and Sophie G "Valentine" captivated the audience. Lily W, Lucy M, and Celeste M performed guitar solos with confidence and Ms Townsley's special violin performance “Laudate Dominum” was truly uplifting.

This celebration of musical talent is testament to the transformative power of music education. Thank you to all our music staff who mentor our students to ensure their continued growth and we are looking forward to celebrating more artistic talent at MusicFest 2, next Thursday evening 9 November.

The Feasts of All Saints and All Souls
November marks a special month of remembrance in the Catholic year, where we give thanks to God for all who have been guiding lights in our lives. November 1 is the Feast of All Saints, where we remember all of the Saints in Heaven – those declared and undeclared – who inspire and challenge us to grow into better people. November 2 is the Feast of All Souls, where we lovingly remember all who have died, and pray for those who we have lost in the last year.

Sometimes people think that Saints are perfect people, flawless superhumans who transcend the chaos and ordinariness of daily life to live perfect lives. This could not be further from the truth. Saints are heroes because they are ordinary; because they, like us, struggle, suffer, bleed and hurt. And while the Church names thousands of official Saints, there are many more who are unnamed, the people who, while not famous and known to many, are inspiring because of their love, generosity, courage and faith. 

Our founding sisters travelled from Ireland to establish a community in Australia nearly two centuries ago, and they brought with them a uniquely Celtic spirituality which remains with us today. The Celts believed in Thin Places: that there are places where one can walk in two worlds simultaneously – this world and the next. Our world and the eternal world are fused together, and in some times and places that fusion is so strong that the two worlds become one. On the evening before the Feast of All Souls, villagers in Ireland traditionally believed that their loved ones would return to visit with the living. Each year, the villagers would lovingly prepare their homes, sweeping their floors, lighting a good fire in the hearth, placing a bowl of water on the kitchen table, and setting a place at the table for each relative who had died. They would light candles in the window, and before going to bed, would unlock their front doors to allow their loved ones to enter. The care that was shown in preparing their homes reflected the deep love that they felt for their precious friends and relatives. This love stretched beyond this world and touched Heaven. For the villagers, this was an important way to demonstrate that those we love would always have a place in their homes and in their hearts.

We pray for all Saints, whether they be known to many or a few, and call upon them to guide us on our journeys.

Loving God,
We are surrounded by a cloud of faithful witnesses who have gone before us:
Those who have healed where we might have hurt,
Those who have spoken out where we might have remained silent,
Those who have loved when we might have looked away.
Help us to walk in their footsteps,
Learning courage from their sacrifice,
Gaining strength from their faithfulness,
Treading paths of loving obedience,
Leaving footprints for others to walk in.
In faith and love, we pray
Amen
 

Finishing the Year Well
We are well and truly over the hump and working towards a great finish to the 2023 school year. Our Year 12 students are nearing the end of their external examinations and preparation for their graduation is reaching fever pitch, as our staff and students work to make their final day at MSM a memorable one.
A few reminders to support our students to enjoy the rest of Term 4:

• Formal uniform must be worn to and from the College
• Mobile phones must be kept in lockers during the school day and can only be accessed during breaks for essential messages from home or work
• Tote bags are not a replacement for the College bag, they may be used in addition but not instead of
• Earrings should be plain gold or silver. Hoops should be no larger than a 5 cent piece in diameter. One pair worn in the earlobe
• Mobile phones are not to be used at the Kaf, this will be strictly enforced from the start of 2024
• Make-up is not permitted. Our students are all naturally beautiful and are so much more than their exterior!

Please ensure your daughters get plenty of rest during their assessment period with a good balance of study and downtime.

Year 12 External Examinations
This week our Year 12 students have completed their External Examinations in Mathematical Methods, Digital Solutions, Music, Visual Art, Modern History and Chemistry.  As the External Examinations will run for another week and a half, I urge our Year 12 students undertaking these examinations to continue to put their best foot forward as they complete their final assessment tasks.

I have been very impressed by the studious approach our Year 12 students have adopted, along with the resilience they have demonstrated throughout the external examination period thus far.

Year 11 Unit 3 Examination Block
With Unit 3 exam blocking commencing on Monday 13 November, all Year 11 students are strongly encouraged to be revising the content they have covered in class across the term on a regular basis to ensure that they can demonstrate their knowledge to the best of their ability. These summative assessment instruments represent the first internal assessment tasks in Unit 3 that will contribute to their final ATAR calculation, whilst also contributing to their QCE certification.

I wish all students the very best for their upcoming assessment. I am sure that their studious efforts will allow them to demonstrate what they know and can do.

Subject Confirmations for 2024
Families have all been sent subject confirmation information for the 2024 school year. If your student has any questions about their allocated subjects or needs to request a change, they are encouraged to contact me as soon as possible. Booklist information was also contained in this information letter but can also be accessed on the College website, under the ‘Resources for Parents’ link.