The first week back at school is always a shock, having to get up early in the morning and put on school clothes, but it has been lovely to see everybody back on campus 鈥� a school is a very different and less vibrant place when there are no students around.

The term has started with a bang and there have been multiple reasons for me to be a proud Principal. We started with a High School academic assembly to celebrate our students whose Semester 1 efforts and achievements were reflected in Certificates of Merit and Excellence. It was great to be able to share the celebration with parents and families attending.

I have run a teacher leadership program over the past semester and thoroughly enjoyed working with colleagues keen to share and develop their leadership skills. Ms Birch has just started the first of a series of optional, after-school student leadership sessions and it was wonderful to see so many students from Years 7 to 11 step up and participate. I met a stream of them leaving the library after their first session and was so impressed with their enthusiasm at what they had been discussing 鈥� there was a real buzz in the air. It gives me great confidence, knowing that our students understand the importance of good leadership and that they want to upskill and get involved.

You may have noticed the new shade sails that have arrived at the front of the Primary School and I have particularly enjoyed the talk that this has sparked amongst the students, as they have tried to predict what they are for! I think they will be very pleased to see what will soon arrive in this location, ready for some better weather.

Term 3 is always a busy one. We have already embarked on lots of learning and we appreciate your support with this. Do remind your children that their teachers are here to help. There is nothing more pleasing than hearing from teachers that students are working hard and putting in their best efforts, asking how they can improve and what they need to do to learn more effectively. Carmel staff have the expertise to support students in this respect and it鈥檚 great to witness our students making the most of this.

Shabbat shalom,

Julie Harris

From the Principal