As I listened to the Year 12 graduates this week expressing gratitude for the opportunities they have had during their MSM education, I contemplated on 2023 and reflected on our holistic approach to education. Through our whole school programs, our students thrive and have developed and discovered interests, passions, and talents both in and out of the classroom.

I asked some of our Middle School students about their most memorable events this year.

Year 7 student Estelle said ‘making new friends'. Kate added, ‘I love the way we all support each other every day. I especially enjoy the CaSSSA sport carnivals and the way we cheer and encourage MSM students in competition.’  Hannah said she especially enjoyed MSM’s Got talent ‘because everyone just celebrated students who put themselves out there.’ Myf said, ‘I finally got to use a Bunsen burner, and receive my ‘Bunsen burner License.’ Astrid really enjoyed the water polo semi-final because ‘all the training really paid off; it was an awesome game!’

Year 8 student Emerson loved 'the Retreat and making glitter sensory bottles'. Madeleine said 'the Arts Festival was a lot of fun' and she really enjoyed seeing all the activities that MSM students can join. Ava loved 'the team bonding at athletics camp'.

Year 9 student Grace said 'the cheering and atmosphere at sport carnivals was fantastic' and Lucy said, ‘she just loves learning because all her teachers are great!’

Thank you to our teachers who continue to innovate and find ways to personalise and differentiate each student's unique learning, passions, and capabilities.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all parents for your ongoing support and partnership, and I wish you all a joyful and blessed festive season.

As our school year closes, the Church begins its preparation for Christmas with the Advent Season. This Advent, our world waits for peace. As the sad events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, we can use this time to reflect on the importance of hope and the need to recognise the humanity in those who are different to us.

In 1973, author and poet Madeleine L’Engle wrote a beautiful reflection on the Advent Season, called The Risk of Birth. Her poem reads:

This is no time for a child to be born,
With the earth betrayed by war & hate,
And a comet slashing the sky to warn
That time runs out & the sun burns late.

That was no time for a child to be born,
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;
Honour & truth were trampled by scorn —
Yet here did the Saviour make his home.

When is the time for love to be born?
The inn is full on the planet earth,
And by a comet the sky is torn —
Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.
 
There is almost a sad irony that the place we look to with hope and anticipation this Advent – the manger in Bethlehem – is now in the middle of conflict and war. We have all seen the images and read of the horrors of the Israeli-Gaza conflict, where ordinary people have been caught up in a decades long conflict to control a tiny strip of land.
 
Thousands are dead. Tens of thousands more are injured. Millions have been made homeless. And the world has fractured – as judgments are cast about who is righteous and who is wrong.
 
Pope Francis has called for peace in Gaza saying:
“Let the guns be silenced!
Listen to the cry of the poor, of the people, of the children.
Sisters and brothers, war does not resolve any problem. It increases hate, multiplies the vendetta. War cancels the future.
I ask that all believers take only one side in this conflict, the side of peace.”
 
As we look to the manger this Christmas, we remember that Jesus, too, was born into conflict, in a land under Roman occupation, where his parents were not free.
 
We remember in our prayers all who live in Israel and Gaza, those from other countries who are trapped in the region, unable to leave, and all whose loved ones suffer as a result of this conflict.
 
This year, the manger that we will use at our Advent Liturgy will be made of razor wire and shredded cloth, representing the danger of war and the vulnerability of hundreds of thousands of children who have been born into lands at war. We join with Pope Francis in offering prayers for peace and the cessation of all violence.

School is Nearly Out!
This week we farewelled an amazing group of women who have blessed our community with such wonderful leadership in 2023. We had a day of wonderful celebrations, and I would like to extend my gratitude to the Pastoral Leaders especially, Mrs Paula Brydon (Year 12) and Ms Emily Mclaughlin (Year 11), who worked tirelessly to ensure the Graduation Assembly and Dinner were events to remember. There were words of kindness and wisdom, tears and embraces and most importantly the true spirit of MSM in the enthusiastic singing of Fide et Amore. Thank you to all who participated and made this day so memorable.

Despite this excitement, the show must go on and our remaining students continue to toil with finalising assessment and battling fatigue. The girls are in various states of study and stress and are undoubtedly focused on the finish line. For many parents, the holiday period is a special time to reconnect as a family and with friends. It can also present challenges in supporting our children in how they spend their leisure time and with whom. Please be assured that you are not alone in this and yes, we all experience parenting challenges from time to time. The current advice from family and adolescent psychologists in brief is:

• Be present. Your daughters may not tell you, but they really do want and need you to spend quality time with them.
• Be the parent. It is okay to disagree with your child, they need guidance, advice, and boundaries.
• Be consistent. Boundaries have little value if they are not constantly restated and reinforced.
• Be persistent. Teenagers forget, make mistakes, and have a natural urge to push boundaries, keep insisting on the limits you set.

Remember to be kind to yourself and know that parenting can be a tough road at times but is a most rewarding journey. From one parent to another: Best of luck!

As I reflect on the year that has been, I am so proud of the achievements of all students in Years 7 – 12 for their persistence to do their best work and their courage to continue with their studies, even in the face of adversity. I hope that all students have a wonderful Christmas break and come back in 2024 ready to expand their horizons and challenge themselves to learn even more.

Semester 2 Report Cards for students in Years 7 – 10 will be available in Student Café and Parent Lounge from Friday 1 December. Progressive reports for Unit 3 internal assessment tasks for Year 11 students will be made available early next year.
 
Take care and God bless.