I am extremely thankful for my secondary education at Carmel College and the leadership opportunities I enjoyed in my time as a student. I know as a student I flourished in a school where core Mercy values are central and these undeniably shaped and empowered me to become the person I am today. Since leaving Carmel College and beginning my teaching career, I have been extremely fortunate to have taught in a number of different school communities, and now have been entrusted to lead the school community of Carmel College.

To the Carmel College Board of Trustees, thank you. I thank you for your faith, confidence and support as we strive to ensure that when our young women leave Carmel, they are empowered Mercy women of spirit and character who will act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our God while pursuing their personal excellence with the confidence to challenge and shape their futures.

A school is a place where not only textbook knowledge is received to gain the qualifications that determine whether or not students, and arguably schools, are academic and therefore successful. I believe that schools are so much more, and play a much larger part in providing the basis for a student’s future. I have discussed with colleagues the analogy of schools providing and supporting students being like a stepping stone. Our role is to ensure that the stone our students step from out of secondary education is as high, balanced and as wide as it can be so that when a young woman leaves Carmel she is empowered through her Catholic education in the Mercy tradition to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our God while pursuing her personal excellence, with the confidence to challenge and shape her future. We are not the end point for the student, for their education, for their development, but we are responsible for assisting, developing, educating and ensuring that our part in their journey allows them to sit up above the water, giving them the best platform from which to step into their future.

At Carmel we want education to open opportunities and pathways for our students.  We want to see students leave Carmel empowered to challenge and shape their future whilst being a woman who lives by our Mercy values whereby they are compassionate and respectful, where they seek justice for others and themselves, and where they have the courage to pursue their ambitions.

As we begin Term 3, we continue to face many challenges. Challenges from Covid and winter colds and flus, challenges from the weather and challenges in our daily and personal lives for a whole range of reasons. However, our core business of being a school with a vision that focuses on empowering our students to develop into a Mercy woman of spirit and character who will pursue personal excellence to be prepared to challenge and shape the future. remains at the heart of what we do.

I encourage our young women to make the most of their time and opportunities at school this Term, both inside and outside of the classroom. In every lesson, to engage with their teacher and their learning, ask questions, challenge their thinking and understanding, and outside the classroom have a go and participate in at least one of the wide range of activities and opportunities available from the sports field to the arts and cultural stages. I also encourage our students to contribute outside the classroom and to support one another by taking time to watch one another on the sports fields or arts and cultural stages.

I look forward to meeting and getting to know our students and parent community so ask that you stop and say hello when you see me outside of school. To our students, remember that we are here for you. We want you to be equipped and empowered to pursue your personal excellence, to be prepared to challenge and shape the future, where you act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our God.

Sarah Kemble, Principal