How exciting - a new year begins - 2025 Pilgrims of Hope.

As both staff and students we meet new staff and make new friends. We take up the fantastic challenge to all of us to seek a better life.

If you did well last year, your challenge is to do just as well, if not improve. If you did poorly in or one more area of your schooling or job, then start afresh and try hard to ensure those difficulties do not surface again.

In many ways 2024 was an incredible year and I express my heartfelt gratitude to every member of our Notre Dame College community for making it such a special year. What a year! How quickly did it go?

Thank you for your unwavering commitment, for supporting one another, and for contributing to the positive and collaborative environment that makes our school truly special. Together, we accomplish incredible things as colleagues and students, and I hope you take great pride in the vital role you play in making Notre Dame College such a wonderful place to work. Few places can compare.

And what a joy the VCE Results were. When the VCE Results come out, I have a truly blessed and beautiful day contacting students and parents of many students - talking to them about outstanding achievements and /or outstanding growth in performance. The love and joy these students and parents have for our fabulous school and staff in our school helps me realise the truly significant role we play in moulding these young boys/men and girls/women (that we have in our care for 6 years) into the adults of the future who will be leaders of their communities and families. Congratulations to our 2024 Dux Emilia Chrys who recorded the highest score of all the secondary schools in our catchment area – a brilliant result.

As we celebrated the festive season over the past 6 weeks, hopefully we all reflected on the pride we share in our school. 2024 marked 40 years of Notre Dame College - a milestone that highlights the rich legacy we are all a part of.

Looking ahead, the new buildings are set to be completed in late 2025 and will further enhance the joy and fulfillment of working in such a special place. Together let us embrace the opportunity to be part of the next 40 years of Notre Dame College’s journey.

For those staff returning in 2025 - let us all approach the new year with fresh energy and a commitment to our shared vision including our dedication to the implementation of MAGNIFY.

Here’s to celebrating last year’s successes and looking ahead to even greater achievements in the 2025 year to come.

I am so proud to share this journey with all of you.

Your proud Principal—John Cortese.