It is wonderful to be back at school after my recent break, a significant part of which was being part of a Marist Pilgrimage to Greece, Turkey, Italy and France. The opportunity to retrace the footsteps of St. Paul’s second missionary journey to places such as Ephesus, Philippi, Thessaloniki, Athens and Corinth, coupled with the immersion into the life and times of Saint Marcellin Champagnat, is one that I am very grateful for and am looking forward to sharing my spiritual experiences with members of our community. The faith, commitment and sacrifice shown by many of our forebears over the centuries has enabled our Church, and specifically our College, to be what it is today. The universal and global nature of our faith is certainly evident when we retrace the stories of the people and places that are so prominent in our story, as well as the adaptability of Jesus’ teachings to suit the challenges of the times throughout the ages. The current tensions in our world are possibly no different to the many significant events that have occurred throughout history, and the pilgrimage has certainly reinforced the crucial role that faith, hope, belief and community has played in supporting one another through times of challenge. I would also like to thank Mrs Meharg for filling in for me during my absence and for all the staff and students who have supported me during my time away.

As part of our ongoing attempts to provide opportunities for families, parents and carers to be involved more in some of the initiatives that we offer regarding spirituality, learning and wellbeing, the College has engaged the services of David Kobler from YourChoicez to present a webinar for parents and carers titled ‘Brave Parenting”.  David’s company has had a long standing relationship with Mount Carmel and presents seminars to our Years 8 & 9 students each year on the issues associated with sexuality, sexualisation in the media, consent and the impact of Social Media. This year we have been able to secure his services to present an online webinar for those interested in being part of this conversation. I have included the time, date and a couple of resources for your benefit. Details regarding registration for the event will be forwarded by newsletter and through the Compass portal over the coming weeks.

As we enter the midway point of the term, the cycle of learning, assessing and reporting continues in earnest. Coupled with the ongoing aims of providing opportunities for growth in the areas of faith and wellbeing, we again will see a range of activities next week. These include: 

• Year 11 PTS Interviews Wednesday
• Bishop Brian visiting Year 12 Wednesday Lessons 3 & 4
• Year 9 & 10 Food Tech Incursion Thursday
• Pupil Free Day Friday

Many thanks to all staff and students involved in these upcoming events for their anticipated success. As usual, thank you for your ongoing support with the Learning, Wellbeing and Faith development of our students. Please do not hesitate to contact the Office or your son or daughters respective Pastoral Advisor or Year Coordinator should you have any questions or require support. 

Mr Simon Huntly