Hopefully everyone is feeling fantastic and ready for a well-deserved break as we head towards the end of another fabulous year.

It is always a wonderful time at the end of a year as we:

• see students having developed another year of growth in maturity and academic ability.
• reward and congratulate successful students for another hard year of study and excellence in sport and cultural events.
• see students successfully complete their studies at NDC and hopefully move into the next phase of their lives, whether in more study or the workforce

• the Year 12 students were certainly appreciative of all the events held that saw them end their time here in a memorable manner and the recently held Year 12 Graduation was such a beautiful and memorable occasion for all involved.

To see this excellence and growth and know that we as staff and parents at NDC have played a significant part in the development is always a great feeling and great acknowledgement for all of us.

Many students who we have had the pleasure of teaching complete their schooling here and leave for different pathways. Many students also complete their time here and for reasons of a personal nature, sporting ability, musical talents, being involved in production or just because they have been wonderful people, also have left a true mark on all of us, and we obviously remember them fondly and wish them all well in future endeavors.

A small number of staff who have been wonderful and supportive colleagues leave NDC for the next phase of their lives, be it teaching in other schools, taking on promotion positions, doing extra study or retirement. To all those who have been in our lives for either a short or long time, who have made a significant mark on our lives in many ways, we thank you for being a part of our lives and wish you all the very best for whatever the future holds.

Thank you to all staff for their fabulous work throughout 2023. All staff, whatever your roles are within the College play a significant part in ensuring our College is a wonderful school in which to work. I have enjoyed watching the staff show support for each other and the collegiality demonstrated on many occasions and ask that this continues into 2024. Collegial support and how we interact with each other often defines how well a school is travelling.

Thank you to everyone for your work done in your daily roles that many take for granted. Our work in pastorally supporting students, work undertaken in the classroom or work done in undertaking the many and varied extracurricular activities around masses, faith development, assemblies, sport, camps, retreats, music, productions etc. etc. all help to develop our students into magnificent young men and women who will be our leaders of the future.

I am proud of our school, our students, our staff, and the entire school community as Notre Dame College continues to be one of the best schools in our District. All keep connected and involved in our great school as we head towards the end of what has been another wonderful and successful year.

I would like to offer my best wishes for a safe, enjoyable, and healthy festive season to all the community members of Notre Dame College and hope to see everyone back on board in 2024 ready to face the challenges the year brings.

John Cortese - Principal

December 2023