From the Principal – Issue #5, 2023

Dear Parents/Guardians, Friends & Students of SAC,

We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather for SAC Laneway 2023. In a sea of green to honour St Patrick’s Day, our students once again amazed us with their musical talents. Thanks to the many families and friends who came along to enjoy the evening, and to the many staff, especially Ms Nicole Wedding, who made the whole event possible. Our senior Rock Band, The Unexpected, will be recording some tracks at Chapel Lane studios in the holidays as a result of your generous support. You can read more about this exciting event from our Music Coordinator, Ms Fiona Turner, later in this newsletter.

Thank you to all the teachers, parents, and local businesses who supported SAC Laneway!
Click here to watch a short video of the night!

The College marked Close the Gap Day on Thursday 16 March by linking in with some of our extended SAC community to learn more about First Nations justice. Old scholar Naomi from Deadly Mentorz met with students from our Reconciliation Action Plan committee and others committed to addressing inequality. They shared ideas about how we can move towards a more just, equitable and reconciled Australia through our actions here at school.

This was followed by a session on Friday with the Justice and Mercy group led by Dr Joanne Buckskin. A grandparent of one of our current students, Jo is a Lecturer at Flinders University and she shared stories of First Nations women in South Australia who have made society better through the pursuit of justice in health, education, the media and social services. I am so proud of our students’ passion for justice and their willingness to listen, learn and take action for a better future. And I am grateful for the generosity of Naomi and Jo and for their willingness to share their stories and wisdom with us.

The National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) has been held much earlier this year, with all students completing the tests online. For students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, these tests provide a snapshot of how they are progressing according to national benchmarks. Our hope is that the move to an online format enables faster processing, so that feedback to students, teachers and parents can be used more effectively.

Camps and Retreats are in full swing at this end of the term, with Year 4, 6 and 12 heading off this week and some of the Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award students preparing for their next adventure in Week 9. Spending time away from home gives students a chance to strengthen and broaden their peer relationships and forge an even stronger connection with their teachers. We know from the excitement and anticipation that these will be some of the most memorable moments of the year and will help to develop students’ independence and confidence.

It has been a pleasure to welcome students from Japan to the College this fortnight. For the SAC students who meet the girls in their classes, and especially for those who have been their Study Tour buddies, this experience of intercultural learning and friendship-building is so valuable. Thank you to everyone for immersing our visitors in Mercy hospitality and ensuring that we continue to build strong ties with our sister schools in Japan.

Ms Paddy McEvoy
Principal

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