From the Principal – Issue #12

What a fabulous fortnight to start Term 3, celebrating the new Dunlevie Building! Seeing the faces of primary students as they flooded into the building on Day 1 was so rewarding for everyone who has worked tirelessly over the last couple of years to bring this project together. The bright and spacious classrooms, thoughtfully designed breakout spaces and sensory rooms and the stunning range of furnishings to suit all learners are already making an impact. The rooftop terrace has been embraced by students of all ages. We look forward to the official opening in Week 4, where we will acknowledge the many people who brought the project together, on time and on budget.

Thanks to the many families who attended the Welcome to Country led by Jack Buckskin last Friday. It was important to acknowledge this new beginning in Dunlevie, and Jack has a way of bringing people together that is both simple and profound. We are walking on Kaurna land, and we follow in the footsteps of generations of remarkable Mercy women, and we are proud to honour their legacy at SAC today.

This week the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award participants are in the Tiwi Islands, visiting Sr Anne Gardiner and students and staff at the Murrupurtiyanuwu Catholic Primary School. We are grateful for the hospitality that is extended to our students and staff each year and we hope that this immersion experience may raise awareness and plant a seed for some of our SAC graduates to pursue work in remote communities.

A group of senior students and PE staff returned from their trip to Falls Creek last week. It was the first Ski Trip to run for many years, and it seems that it was greatly appreciated by all who took part. We were thankful that the snow arrived just in time, and grateful to the staff who made it all possible: Meg Henderson, Nicole Glennon, Cass Marousopoulos and Jacob Dickson.

The Subject Selection Process is in full swing this term as students from Years 9 to 11 consider their options for 2027. The Year 12 students also have significant decisions to make about their post-school pathways. In these moments, we always encourage students to connect with the people around them: their families and their teachers. Speaking with trusted adults helps young people to broaden their thinking and maintain open minds and hearts, approaching the future with confidence. We hope that students welcome this opportunity to exercise greater voice and agency in their learning through strong subject choices.

SAC Old Scholars came out in force for the annual Winter Cocktail Party last Friday night. It was a joy to welcome Sr Judith Redden RSM, old scholar and past Principal, whose work has shaped so much of the school we are today. Graduates from the 1940’s through to 2025 attended, with a brilliant turnout from the Class of 1976, and there was a great spirit of Mercy in the Heritage Room. The SACOSA Choir were in great voice, and we thank Kate Lewis for the way she inspires these magical performances for every occasion. We look forward to the next big event on the SACOSA Calendar – the Mercy Day High Tea.

Hoping that everyone is keeping warm in this chilly start to Term 3!

Ms Paddy McEvoy,
Principal

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