Principal's Message

Dear parents, carers, students, and staff,

The recent severe weather and flooding in the Kempsey area has again affected our community, and my heart goes out to all those who have been impacted. As a Catholic college, our foundation is built upon compassion, resilience, and unwavering support for one another, especially during challenging times like these.

We have been closely monitoring the situation and are aware that many families within our College community have experienced disruption, isolation, damage to property, and the emotional toll that such events inevitably take. Please know that you are not alone, and our thoughts and prayers are with you.

In the spirit of our Catholic ethos, we are committed to providing support to our affected families. We may be able to offer assistance which may include:

Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Support: Our dedicated pastoral care team, including our counsellors and pastoral care coordinators, are available to provide emotional and spiritual support to students and families. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you or your child needs someone to talk to.
Academic Considerations: We understand that the current situation may impact students' ability to focus on their studies. If there are any issues regarding assignments or assessments, please communicate with your child's teachers or subject coordinator to discuss any necessary adjustments.

Let us hold in our prayers all those affected by the floods and work together to support our community's recovery. May we be guided by our faith and the spirit of unity.

Throughout these challenging times there are still many things to celebrate, here are a few:

Science and Engineering Challenge
This year we were thrilled to host Rotary's 25th annual Science and Engineering Challenge. This involved three days of events at the College involving students from all around the Macleay and Nambucca Valleys. A team of our very own students took out the win on Day 1. Thank you to Mr Doug Gately and Mrs Rayleigh Keith for supporting Rotary to host this year.

Regional Shakespeare Carnival
After negotiating closed roads and alternative routes to get to the Regional Shakespeare Carnival in Armidale; Kaitlyn Chadwick, Gracie Campbell and Sam Farrell will be heading to state finals in Sydney in two weeks for their incredible Group Devised performance. A fantastic effort to these three students who have worked incredibly hard to bring Macbeth to life!

Please also congratulate Eva Lemanski, Eli Baywood, Jessica Preston, Olivia Rafton and Ruby Sproule for their compassionate and impressive performances. While they aren’t heading on to the next stage, they should be very proud of their skills and dedication to each other and the craft. Thank you to their incredible teacher, Mrs Amanda Jordan.

Bill Turner Cup
The boys and girls U15 soccer teams won through to the next round in the Bill Turner Cup. Thank you to Mr Conrad Tamblyn and Ms Emma Tamblyn for taking the students away to represent the College.

Crime Story
HSIE students had the opportunity to be involved in a Crime Story incursion again this year. The reenactment of real life crime events provided the students with valuable insight as to how the police and judicial systems work. Thank you to Mrs Melissa Preston for facilitating this event.

Mr Melville will return to school in Week 5. I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenging experience of being your Acting Principal over the past seven weeks. I thank all the parents, staff and students for the support you have shown me. It has been wonderful to experience leading such a brilliant school even when we throw in a flood event and school closure to finish off my tenure!