Welcome Back to Term 2
A very warm welcome to our families as we commence Term 2. Students and staff have returned with renewed energy, many holiday stories to share, and a clear sense of readiness for the term ahead.

Thank you to our parents and staff who commenced the term with Parent–Teacher Conferences. We trust these conversations were insightful and helpful as students settle into their learning for Term 2. We also extend our thanks to Mr Hamilton and Ms O’Neill for facilitating the online Artificial Intelligence Parent Information Session last Thursday. This session provided families with confidence that the College is well prepared to engage with AI thoughtfully and responsibly as a learning partner.
 

Celebrating Our First Nations Students
We proudly congratulate the following students on their outstanding achievements:

Lila C. (Year 11) has been selected as a recipient of a Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation (QATSIF) Scholarship, supporting her Year 11 and 12 studies. These scholarships are funded through Stolen Wages reparations and are an important part of truth-telling and reconciliation in Queensland. We are exceptionally proud of Lila, a dedicated and conscientious student, and a proud member of our First Nations student group.

Zara D. (Year 11) has been selected as one of only six students across Queensland to join the Catholic Education Queensland Ltd (CEQL) inaugural First Nations Student Council. This appointment recognises the leadership Zara demonstrates within the MSM community and the valuable perspective she brings as a First Nations student. The Council will seek feedback from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students on matters that impact their education and contribute to shaping the future of learning in Catholic Education.

National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA)
Nominations are now open for the 2026 National Excellence in Teaching Awards. These prestigious awards recognise teachers and school leaders who demonstrate excellence through their contribution to education at local, regional or national levels. They celebrate dedicated professionals who build community confidence in the teaching profession and inspire excellence in others.

If you would like to nominate an outstanding MSM educator, please follow the link below to commence your nomination: 2026 National Excellence in Teaching Awards

Afternoon Collection of Students
As afternoons are becoming darker earlier, we remind families that students should remain on college grounds while waiting to be collected following co-curricular activities. This is an important measure to ensure student safety.

ANZAC Day: Lest We Forget
At the end of last week, our community joined with millions of Australians and New Zealanders to mark ANZAC Day. For MSM, ANZAC Day is a very special day of commemoration. We are fortunate to have many defense families in our community, and we are proud to have seen many of our graduates pursue defense careers.

On Thursday 23 March, our College Captains and Mission Captains represented MSM at the Schools Service at the War Memorial in Brisbane City.

On the 24 March, we gathered as a whole school to pray for peace at our ANZAC Liturgy, where we reflected on the many ways that service men and women have acted justly, loved tenderly and served courageously. We thank Dr Bowman for her moving rendition of the Last Post and Reveille, the MSM Singers and 20 readers who made this liturgy so special.

On Saturday, more than 200 MSM staff and students proudly marched in the RSL Ashgrove ANZAC Day service – many wearing the medals of their parents, grandparents and great grandparents. We thank Mr Kelly for his coordination of this event, and the many staff who joined us in ANZAC Park for this important community event.

Rosies Student Outreach Commences
On 22 April, the first group of Year 11 volunteers completed their service at Rosies'. They join a long list of Year 11 students from MSM who have given up their time to provide coffee and conversations to people experiencing homelessness. Thank you to Mr Kelly and our team of staff volunteers for making this important service-learning experience possible.

Year 12 Retreat
Our 4th annual Year 12 Residential Retreat was a beautiful experience for our students and staff. While my heart sank a little on Monday morning when I saw the heavy bank of clouds, and the torrential rain that followed shortly after, I also saw an opportunity for a rich metaphor. After all, it is not possible to find a rainbow without first enduring the rain! Rainbows were our core business during these precious days away, as our students used The Wizard of Oz to explore the concept of journey. Each student had the opportunity to map the shape of her own life’s Yellow Brick Road, giving thanks for the people and experiences that she encountered along the way. For our Year 12 students, who stand now at a crossroads, this Retreat was an opportunity to give thanks for what has been and to pray for what is yet to come.

We sincerely thank Ms Paula Brydon (Year 12 Pastoral Leader) and the 12 staff members who accompanied the students to Coolum.

Join our team for the Mother’s Day Classic!
Students, parents and family members are warmly welcome to join us at this year’s Mother’s Day Classic on Sunday 10 May, as we raise awareness for Breast and Ovarian Cancer. Please refer to the letter in Parent Lounge for further information.

The Charity Challenge
Our Year 12 students are busily planning for their major fundraiser to support Emmanuel City Mission through Project Safe Haven. They will hold a series of fundraising initiatives in Week 5 (18-22 May), including dress up days, market stalls, goods drives, community activities and competitions. The students hope to deepen our community’s understanding of the complexities of homelessness and make a significant contribution to our fundraising total. I would like to thank the Student Leadership Team and Fundraising Planning Committee for all of their work in developing this wonderful initiative.

From the Program Leader Service Learning: Mr Clayton Kelly
Interact helps to put the action into the Community Action Network; helping students to live out the 'service above self' motto of Rotary International. Students each fortnight meet to determine practical and impactful ways to support the community. These students have had success with their planning and plans this year already; with their 'washer bunny' project with St Vincent's Hospital in Kangaroo Point being a great example of building an authentic partnership through service. Students and staff joined together after the Easter Liturgy at the end of Term 1 at St Vincent's, conversing and passing on Easter gifts that the members of Interact had donated and made throughout Term 1. They were also a welcome presence closer to home, handing out Zooper Doopers after the final NAPLAN test of the year for our Year 5 and 7 students.

Interact will be active across May, hosting a Mother's Day stall on Friday, May 8. There will be a range of gifts for sale on the day which will be perfect for mothers, caregivers and women in our students' lives, with all proceeds being donated to Project Safe Haven (with cash and EFTPOS available for purchases). Interact will also be a major presence once again at our ExtravaCANza planned for Friday, 22 May as a part of the Charity Challenge. Our Interact executive will also participate in the upcoming District Conference (with support from our local Rotary chapter) and present on what has been achieved across the year while learning from other chapters. Interact's authentic student model of servant leadership has allowed them to convert ideas into action for many years here at MSM, and we thank the mentorship of staff Ms Jo Devenish-Meares and Ms Emily McLaughlin for guiding the leaders and participants each meeting. The longstanding partnership with Rotary The Gap / Ashgrove is also a cornerstone of this group's service, with dedicated volunteers such as Ms Padma Lal supporting our students by attending their meetings and through generous donations which have supported Project Safe Haven already in 2026. For any students wishing to get involved with Interact, all are welcome on Day 3 lunch times.

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Parent-Teacher Conferences
Thank you to parents and students who engaged with our in-person Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday 20 April – I trust that all found this interaction beneficial. We will be hosting the second event on Tuesday 5 May from 4:00 – 7:00pm. Please note that these conferences will be online in Microsoft Teams. Conference links for each teacher are available beside your bookings in Parent Lounge. 

Parent-teacher conferences provide an opportunity for parents to connect with their student's teachers and gain insight into their child's academic progress, learning behaviours and overall wellbeing. It is an essential communication platform for parents and teachers to discuss issues, share information, and develop strategies for supporting a student's success.

It is vital to approach parent-teacher conferences with a positive and open mindset. Teachers have valuable insights into your student's progress as well as their approach to learning. It is important for teachers to discuss both a student's strengths, as well as areas where they may need to improve. It is vital that students remain open to constructive feedback as this will enable them to improve.

It is also important to follow up on any action items discussed during the meeting. If the teacher recommends additional resources or activities to support your student's learning, please make sure to discuss how this recommendation can be applied with your student.

Whilst we have a set time for formal interviews, parents and caregivers are encouraged to contact either homeroom teachers for pastoral matters or subject teachers for curriculum matters at any time throughout the academic year should concerns arise. For matters pertaining to what is occurring in the classroom, the subject teacher is the best person to contact in the first instance, as they are in the classrooms with students. Homeroom and subject teacher contact details are all available in Parent Lounge. Please go to Student Details > Email Class Teachers > select the teacher’s name that you want to contact.

Welcome to Term Two!
As we begin the new term, we are excited to continue building on the successes of Term One, and look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in Year 5 and 6. This term promises to be another busy and rewarding one, with a wide range of learning experiences, co-curricular opportunities and community events planned.

I would like to sincerely thank Mrs Daniela Wightman for her wonderful contribution to the Year 5 Hope class while Ms Samantha Weston has been on leave. Mrs Wightman has provided continuity, care and dedication in Ms Weston’s absence. We warmly welcome Ms Weston back to the College on Tuesday!

Year 6 Term 2 Leadership Positions
At our Year 6 Assembly on Tuesday, we had the pleasure of acknowledging our Year 6 Term 1 Class Captains (Georgie, Matilda, Mila G and Charlee) and MSM Cares Leaders (Eva, Sophia and Millie). Their willingness to serve others, support both the Year 5 and 6 students, and model our College values has made a meaningful contribution to the life of the Junior School.

We were also delighted to announce our Year 6 Term 2 leaders:

· 6 Compassion Class Captains – Josie and Eilish

· 6 Justice Class Captains – Audrey M and Olivia D

· MSM Cares Leaders – Amelia and Sahana.

These students will receive their leadership badges at our Junior School Assembly next week. We wish our new leaders every success for the term ahead!

Mother’s Day Breakfast and Liturgy
We are delighted to welcome our Junior School students and their mothers to a special Mother’s Day Breakfast and Liturgy on Friday 8 May, from 7:00am to 8:15am in the Sophia Centre.

Please Note: For a special part of our Liturgy, you and your daughter/s are asked to bring a treasured Item to share with each other. It should say something about your relationship. Please keep it secret and hidden from each other until the time comes to reveal it during the morning. Your daughter has been briefed about this at school. Here are some ideas for potential treasured Items:

· A gift you have received. When you (or your daughter) were born, you may have received a gift from someone special. Or you might have received something special that’s been passed down to you.

· An old report (of yours or your daughter’s) in which a teacher made a comment that made you proud.

· A memento or trophy, either yours or your daughter’s

· A poem or artwork.

· A photo of someone special, maybe of someone who isn’t around anymore.

· Create something especially for the event, e.g. a scrapbook.

· A letter of appreciation.

 

Enjoy the long weekend!

Katie Jordan
Head of Junior School