Ms Carolyn Liddy
Dear Parents and Caregivers
Our Year 6 students returned from camp last week at Maroochydore enthusiastic, a little weary, and brimming with anecdotes of the many challenging activities they undertook and just how much fun they had.
Over three days, our AHSisters participated in a variety of activities, including a high ropes course, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, and a water mat activity. Dragon boat racing was another favourite activity. I have heard that the students were brilliant participants throughout the three days despite some challenges with the weather and showed great determination, resilience, and enthusiasm.
I am sure they enjoyed the opportunity of an extra recovery day on Monday.
A special thank you to our amazing teachers for giving so generously of their time to ensure that the camp was such a success. We also had three recent past pupils attend as off-site activity assistants, and it was a wonderful opportunity for our Year 6 students to spend time with their older AHSisters.
Parent-Student-Teacher Feedback Meetings
Our second series of Years 5 to 12 Parent-Student-Teacher Feedback Meetings will be held tomorrow afternoon. Following on from a successful first round of meetings last week, these sessions provide a valuable opportunity for students, parents and caregivers, and educators to come together to discuss your daughter’s learning and development journey.
Thank you to the many people who have attended meetings so far, and for those who have registered for tomorrow’s sessions.
I also thank our dedicated teachers for the many hours of preparation they have invested to ensure these meetings provide expert feedback to our learners and contribute to the strengthening of our important partnership with our students’ parents and caregivers.
Foundation Day
This Friday, our whole school will join together for a special Foundation Day assembly where we will celebrate the arrival of Mother Vincent Whitty and the Sisters of Mercy who travelled from Ireland, on 10 May 1861 to begin their work in Brisbane. We remember and honour their pioneering spirit and commitment to education, justice, and service. We will also give thanks for Catherine McAuley and her faith-filled life and vision of Mercy that founded the Sisters and our wonderful school.
On Foundation Day and every day, it is important that we continue to remember and draw inspiration from our past, to ensure the legacy of the Sisters and our Mercy charism continue to shape our community long into the future.
Mother’s Day
The mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, aunts, female mentors, and mother figures in our life who play such a pivotal role in shaping our students on their journey to becoming young women of Mercy will be celebrated this Sunday on Mother’s Day.
Despite having no biological children of her own, Catherine McAuley was a wonderful example of the influence positive female role models can have on young people. By the time she was in her early 50s, Catherine McAuley was the legal guardian of nine children: five nieces and nephews, two young cousins, and two orphans. Catherine cared for these young people at the same time as she was establishing the House of Mercy on Baggot Street. I can only wonder at the limitless energy and patience that, like so many mothers throughout time, Catherine McAuley must have drawn on to get through each challenging day.
Our wonderful community will join together again for our annual Mothers’ Network May Morning Tea next Friday at the Royal International Convention Centre. We extend our gratitude to Mothers’ Network President Mrs Deb Hall, Morning Tea Coordinators Justine Douglas and Cassandra Dahlheimer, Director of Community Relations and Development Ms Jo Lovett, and the countless generous members of our community whose hard work and kindness make this a much-cherished event.
Whole School Survey
Every three years we conduct a whole school survey - this involves the creation of a survey for staff, students and parents and caregivers. The purpose of the survey is to provide timely data to inform the creation of the next strategic plan - a task we will be undertaking over the next four terms (from Semester 2) for implementation from the beginning of 2026.
All parents and caregivers are encouraged to complete the survey - the more input we have, the more our strategic plan can address identified needs and respond to both current and future needs and imperatives. Your unique survey link will be sent in an email from the communityrelations@ahs.qld.edu.au address this week - please look out for this email and if you don't see it, please also look in your junk email folder.
The survey has been created by MCR, an external market research company. Please know that while the survey link is being sent from within the school, the survey itself is hosted by MCR. All survey responses are in confidence, and no person who completes the survey will be identified to the school.
In our 163rd year, we have so much to celebrate. Our rich history and whole school community has brought us to where we are today. Your valuable feedback is important as it enables us to create a vision for the future to ensure we continue providing the best opportunities possible for all members of our All Hallows' community.
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback through the survey.
May God bless you and your family in the week ahead, with special blessings to all our amazing Mothers and Mother figures we are so grateful to have in our lives.
Ms. Carolyn Liddy (Deputy Principal).
