Writing a farewell speech always comes with mixed emotions, a sense of accomplishment, gratitude, and pride and of course a degree of sadness that this wonderful group of Year 12s are moving on.
There have been many interactions along the way, much chasing up of uniform and lateness, conversations regarding your classes, pathways, friendships, break ups, life’s highs and lows, the positives and the negatives. As your Senior Wellbeing Leaders, Mrs Duncan, Ms Thompson and I thank you for the frank conversations that have taken place. Your confidence and the sharing and for your openness and trust in us.
Finishing Year 12 will never happen to you again.
The year 2020 will not repeat either. However, it will long be remembered as the year of Coronavirus, the world pandemic, COVID-19, face masks, ISO, financial struggles, shutdowns, sanitiser, home schooling, quarantine, stay home rules and the 5kms bubble.
Let it not only be remembered just for that!
You can dwell and continue to think you are exceedingly unlucky to have completed your VCE year and graduated in the middle of a pandemic, and what you missed out on, the excursions, trips, formal, schoolies cancelled, and graduation ceremonies done at a distance or virtually. You can catastrophise that everything was unfortunately cut short due to COVID-19.
Every single one of you did deserve more than this.
We all feel a sense of loss, but we commend you for doing everything you can to make it a good year despite all this. Meeting the challenge of adapting to online classes in the best ways possible, pushing through the lack of motivation and self-doubt to come out on top.
Look to the brighter side of things and see what you have gained. Despite what has happened in the world right now, you are resilient.
Challenge yourself to remember that you, the graduate class of Mount St. Joseph Girls' College 2020, learned life lessons in determination. The year that each of you remained steadfast in your academic progress. You have grown both as individuals and as a cohort that has risen resolutely in your senior year. Growing from the disappointments, you will be remembered not as the class that missed out, but the class that CAN and the class that DID.
You can show the world, not only how to put the pieces back together again, but how to create a new and more evolved normal, a world more just, kind, beautiful, tender, more creative, more whole.
You have the power to stand for, to fight for, and vote for conditions that will create a healthier society.
This moment is your invitation to use your education to begin to heal our world, applying the best of what you’ve learned in your head, and felt in your heart.
Yesterday, you demonstrated your creativity, your willingness to think outside the box, to find another memorable way to celebrate the end of your journey. You all need to be congratulated on your amazing textiles skills, resourcefulness and taking the initiative to engage and in doing so, you have done something others have not, you have created a new trend! A legacy! It will be always be attributed to you the 2020 graduates who refashioned the MSJ uniform!! What a great legacy to leave.
On a more serious note, as you go forward to exams and ultimately to tertiary studies or the workplace, we, and I speak on behalf of your three Wellbeing Leaders, your 18 Learning Mentors, and school community of all the teachers you have had teach you along the way, WE wish you all resounding success.
Be diligent in your preparation, humble in your results and dignified in your choices through your life. Remember to thank those that travelled with you, particularly your parents and family who probably have put up with much this year. Always think wisely with the choices you make, be compassionate, respectful of others, your environment and respect yourself and do so with dignity.
Be healthy, safe and happy in your lives ahead.
May you be the young women who make a difference to someone or something.
Take with you the humility and courage of Mary MacKillop,
the stewardship of Tenison Woods,
and the resourcefulness and strength within yourself.
May your life from this day be blessed with goodness and love.
Stay true to your dreams, use your gifts wisely, walk to the future with faith, hope and greatness.
From Mrs Duncan, Ms Thompson and myself, farewell, stay safe and remember you are always a part of the MSJ community.
May you all hold dear the memories in your heart and open it to share with others in your future life journey.
Kind regards and farewell,
Mrs Clare Kubacki
On 29 October the College was alive with the fun and colour of Crazy Hair & Sock Day to raise money for the Catholic Mission's Socktober campaign. As a college, we raised over $350. A great effort from the organisers and participants.
Friday 27 November - Last day for Years 10 & 11
Thursday 3 December - Last day for Years 7, 8 & 9
