“Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t going away”

Elvis Presley

Welcome back the start of a new school year! I am excited to embark on the Year 8 journey with you and your children. I look forward to a year filled with growth, learning, and memorable experiences.

Firstly, I would like to introduce our Year 8 Team for 2025.

On the first day back at our Year Meeting I spoke with Year 8 about the fact that it is a special year for us as a Catholic community. It is a Jubilee Year with the theme being, Pilgrims of Hope. We believe as a faith community that hope is a powerful force that drives us to achieve our goals and overcome challenges. I encouraged our students to embrace hope every day, fostering a positive and resilient mindset.

Another focus for 2025 is the new College Mantra; ‘Respect, Responsibility and Ready to Learn’. To flesh this out a little further, respect is a cornerstone of our school community. We expect all students to show respect for themselves, their peers, teachers, and the school environment. Taking responsibility for one’s actions is essential for personal growth and success. We encourage our students to be accountable for their behaviour, academic work, and contributions to the school community. Lastly, being ready to learn means coming to school prepared and with a positive attitude and the required resources.

I spoke with the children about the famous quote by Elvis Presley above. As it indicates, you can try to hide, shut down your light or even blend in with the crowd, but your heart and your truth will show you the way forward. I encouraged every student to listen to their own truth or ‘Veritas’, trust in their god given talents and embrace hope for a wonderful 2025!

Year 8 Shout Outs:

• Congratulations to Adelaide Goff who participated in the National Futsal Championships 2025 in Melbourne this January run by Football Australia. 
• Well done to Oscar McNamara and Koby Walton who represented Newcastle in a Cricket Carnival at Yamba.