Congratulations on reaching the end of Semester 1!
As I shared with Bosco students in assembly last week, I’ve been a teacher for many years and a principal now for almost 10 years. In that time I’ve seen many things about school stay the same, and many things change, not always for the better, particularly involving the challenges that young people face in building their skills and confidence, managing technology, which isn’t always used for good, and navigating relationships, which is sometimes the hardest thing we have to learn as we get older.
I asked students the question ‘What is a school?’
At first glance, the answer seems obvious. A school is a building with classrooms, teachers, students, desks, and whiteboards. It’s where we go to learn maths, science, history, English and can choose a range of subjects for interest and for future careers. But if we stop there, we’re only scratching the surface.
A school is not just a place — it’s a community. We are a community of diverse people, but we have St Mark’s College in common, and working or studying at St Mark’s means commitment to our vision, mission and expectations. Our community is where friendships are formed, where ideas are shared, and where we begin to understand the world and our place in it. It’s where we learn not just facts, but values — respect, responsibility, and resilience in life and in our learning.
A school is a partnership. It’s a shared effort between students, families, and educators. Students bring curiosity and effort. Families provide encouragement and support. And together, we all share the responsibility of nurturing learning and wellbeing.
As we come to the end of this term, I want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone for playing their part in this partnership. Whether this term felt like a sprint or a slow climb, progress in learning, respectful interactions with others and with the expectations of being a member of the community, are what matters.
In our final week of term, Year 10s engaged in Work Experience and were reminded that expectations in school are no different from those in the workplace. Rules and expectations are not in place for the sake of control — they are implemented and enforced to help us relate to each other with respect, to create a safe and supportive environment, and to make sure everyone has the best chance to learn and succeed.
When I ask myself again, what is a school, I know that it is so much more than it used to be when I went to school. But most importantly, a school, this school is ours. It belongs to all of us — students, teachers, staff, and families. Each of us plays a part in making it a place of kindness, growth, and opportunity.
Farewell Sarah
You will have received the announcement from our Director, Mrs Nichii Mardon, about Sarah Freer’s appointment as Principal of St Joseph’s Parish School in Gladstone. I have known Sarah for four years. In my first year as Principal, Sarah returned from maternity leave and stepped in as Deputy Principal at Bosco campus. This brave step reflected Sarah’s dedication, work ethic and ‘can do’ attitude, which she carried into her role as Deputy Principal at Benedict campus. Sarah’s leadership has been compassionate, inclusive and inspirational. I sincerely thank Sarah for her leadership and support and wish her all the best for the future at St Joseph’s Parish School.
Best Wishes
As the term concludes, we congratulate several staff as they start new chapters in their lives:
- Miss Kate Morgan and Mr Ben Ibele are getting married during the holidays, we look forward to welcoming Mr and Mrs Ibele back next term!
- Mrs Talia Sale, Mrs Meg Osborn and Mrs Tamsyn Blesing commence maternity leave, we look forward to hearing the news of their arrivals!
Thank you all for an excellent term, and safe travels to our pilgrims heading to the Philippines this weekend.
Have a great holiday and I look forward to seeing everyone in a couple of weeks.
Dr Sandra Hewson, Principal
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