Loreto Life 2019

SPECIAL EDITION

3 PATHWAYS OF LORETO

LORETO CONNECTIONS

Celebrate with us to commemorate the Commissioning of Ms Marina Ugonotti

We are a faith-centred, person-centred and ecologycentred school.

Connecting our ex-students with alumni news and upcoming events.

— Cover — The cover photo features 2018-19 School Vice Captain, Anastasia Leaver (pictured left) and School Captain, Evelyn O'Brien.

— Production — Loreto Life is printed sustainably on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper from well managed forests and controlled sources.Visit https://info.fsc.org to view accreditations.

Design: www.frescocreative.com.au

LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

Maria Regina Angelorum

Contents LORETO LIFE: A CELEBRATION OF LIFE AT LORETO NORMANHURST

— Page 04 —

— Page 06 —

— Page 12 —

A MOMENT WITH OUR CAPTAINS

OUR THREE STRATEGIC PATHWAYS

FRANGIPANI FAIR

We talk to our School Captain and Vice Captain from the Class of 2019.

We explore our faith-centred, person-centred and ecology-centred pathways.

We look at how the Primary School's Frangipani Fair inspires entrepreneurialism.

— Page 14 —

— Page 16 —

— Page 22 —

LORETO CONNECTIONS

REFLECTIONS ON BOARDING

PRINCIPAL'S COMMISSIONING

We hear all about the Principal's local and overseas 2019 and 2020 tours.

Our 2019 Boarder Captains talk about their experience of boarding at Loreto.

We celebrate the Commissioning of Ms Marina Ugonotti.

— Also in this edition — From our Chair

02

Master Plan

18

Mary Ward Pilgrimage

30

From our Principal

03

Loreto Sport

20

Celebrating Supergirl Week

32

We are Faith-centred

06

Musical Festival

24

Alumni News

34

We are People-centred

08

Loreto Day

26

Loreto Parents

41

We are Ecology-centred

10

Recognising our First Nations Peoples

28

Connect with us

44

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 1

From

Our Chair "THE ONE CONSTANT AT LORETO NORMANHURST IS CHANGE."

A

Greek philosopher once said, “change is the only constant in life”, and at Loreto Normanhurst – a dynamic and innovative school – the concept of change is one that we embrace and effectively manage.

"2019 was a historic year for Loreto Normanhurst, with the Commissioning of a new Principal. In a beautiful and moving celebration, we witnessed Ms Marina Ugonotti take up the commitment to lead our School."

Her vision and dedication, and her love of learning, along with her strong sense of justice, is inspirational. The School Board looks forward to supporting Ms Ugonotti as she continues to fulfil the School’s mission,

2 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

while developing strategies that will ensure excellence across all areas of the holistic education offered at Loreto Normanhurst.

We spent a lot of time in 2019 reviewing our governance framework to ensure that it is fully aligned with the priorities of the school; and as such, the school will continue to systematically execute the 30-Year Master Plan and will look to build an Early Learning Centre to open in 2021 followed by a new Boarding School to open in 2022. I appreciate the efforts and diligence of the School Board, the Property and Finance Committees and the School’s Leadership Team, in what has been a very important discernment process. I thank the outgoing School Board Directors of 2019 for their generous spirit and commitment to Loreto, and I look forward to welcoming the new Directors in 2020.

We continue to be concerned about the impact of climate change and of drought on our school community. The issues are far reaching but none are more affected than

our boarder community and the School will continue to do all it can to support those in need.

I would like to thank and congratulate all members of the school community on what has been a very successful year for Loreto Normanhurst. In particular, I thank Ms Ugonotti on her leadership of the School. She has continued to build on the School’s existing strong foundation in taking Loreto Normanhurst into its exciting next phase of growth, building and development.

If we continue to embrace change and aim for excellence, guided by our Loreto and Gospel values, we not only have the potential to affect change in our own school community, but in the lives of others as well.

I look forward to sharing in another exciting year at Loreto Normanhurst as we welcome all the opportunities that 2020 presents.

MR ANDREW QUOYLE Chair, Loreto Normanhurst School Board

Maria Regina Angelorum

CELEBRATION ISSUE

From

Our Principal “COMMITMENT TO GIRLS’ EDUCATION IS AS IMPORTANT TODAY AS IT WAS IN MARY WARD’S TIME…”

N

ew beginnings are always accompanied by a mixed bag of emotions – nervousness, excitement, apprehension, curiosity. As I started a new chapter of my Loreto Normanhurst journey in 2019, taking on the role of Principal, I felt the warmth and strong support of our beautiful community.

Mother Gonzaga Barry said: “There is no subject of greater, perhaps as great, importance to a nation as that of its women’s education,” and when Mary Ward founded the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1609, she recognised the critical difference that education for girls would make. Her vision, and the Loreto values that she lived out and embodied in the Institute and in her educational endeavours, have been passed on for over four hundred years.

Commitment to girls’ education is as important today as it was in Mary

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

Ward’s time, and I am most humbled and privileged to have been entrusted with the vision and leadership of our wonderful school.

“It is our relationships with one another, relationships marked by trust and respect, which give us the freedom and courage to be our own natural selves and thereby strengthen the richness of the whole community to which we belong.”

In 2019, along with all Loreto schools in Australia, we celebrated the value of Sincerity and what that means for us as a community. Throughout her life, Mary Ward strove to act in response to the deep stirrings of her heart and spirit, by listening

fully and openly to God. Like Mary Ward, we remind ourselves that it is through our own self-knowledge that we are able to have authentic relationships with ourselves and with others.

Every day I am inspired by the beauty and warmth of our Loreto Normanhurst community. Throughout the year, I have encountered wisdom, respect and openness. We celebrate the joy of seeing our students every day – the sounds of laughter in the halls, the dancing in the quad, the vibrant music… Loreto Normanhurst is alive with felicity.

As you browse through the following pages of Loreto Life, may the stories that unfold connect us in celebration of this very special school community.

MS MARINA UGONOTTI Principal

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 3

A moment with

Our Captains "WE ARE BOTH INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE STRONG, THOUGHTFUL AND KIND WOMEN THAT ARE THE CLASS OF 2019.

JOURNEYING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER HAS BEEN TRULY SPECIAL AND WE KNOW THAT EACH OF US WILL LEAVE AN IMPORTANT MARK ON THE WORLD."

O

ver the past year, every Normo girl has experienced many successes and challenges, whether it be in their studies, on the sport field or in other extra-curricular pursuits. No matter the outcome, we have seen all girls willing to have a go, celebrating their achievements and persevering through the tough times, all whilst being supported by the caring and dedicated Loreto Normanhurst community.

We celebrated record nominations at both the Swimming and Athletics Carnivals, enjoyed an incredibly successful Loreto Day, felt empowered during Supergirl Week, and basked in the excitement of winning the Senior Netball Firsts Premiership for the first time since 2005!

4 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

The leadership of Year 12 was nourished by the wonderful Ms Ugonotti as she stepped into her new role as Principal. On behalf of the Class of 2019, we would like to thank Ms Ugonotti for providing us with an example of a strong Loreto woman, who inspires us with her gentle feminism and her passion and care for this community.

As a cohort, the Class of 2019 committed to be leaders with integrity and compassion who worked together to overcome the challenges we face. Most of all, Year 12 committed to focusing on the ‘little things’ – placing emphasis on the importance of the small, everyday moments that amount to the Normo experience.

Reflecting back on our years at Normo,

we truly appreciate cheerful hellos, chats in the line to the bubbler and breaking out into song when the bell rings.

Our years at Loreto Normanhurst will remain forever treasured as a time where we were free to have a go, and to learn and grow as individuals, with the security of being in a community where we felt valued.

It is within this spirited community that we connected with a strong sense of loving faith, cheered wildly at carnivals, were filled with contagious excitement at Light Entertainment, and felt heart-warming pride to be a Normo girl at Music Festival.

We are so grateful to all the wonderful people who contributed to our Loreto experience – our loving families, our

Maria Regina Angelorum

LEADERSHIP

joy-filled friends, the nurturing staff, and all those women who came before us, particularly Mary Ward and her courageous legacy which still inspires our education today.

As we received the anticipated Loreto ring on Graduation Day, we could not be more grateful for the opportunities we have had, the people we have known, and the memories we have made. Although we are sad to be leaving, a new journey is ahead of the Class of 2019, and we know our time at Normo will remain with us forever because ‘once a Loreto girl, always a Loreto girl’.

EVELYN O’BRIEN AND ANASTASIA LEAVER School Captain and Vice-Captain 2018-2019

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

STUDENT COUNCIL 2019

BOARDER COUNCILLORS

School Captain: Evelyn O’Brien School Vice Captain: Anastasia Leaver

Caitlin Bush, Paris Sharpe, Bridget Downes, Imogen Whitnall, Millicent Price and Ainsley Woods

BOARDING SCHOOL Boarding Captain: Ella Anderson Boarding Vice Captain: Suzuki Yun

HOUSE CAPTAINS Aston: Sophie Dwyer Barry: Ella Nicol Kendall: Charlotte Ryan Kuring-gai: Gabriella Whipps Maye: Amelia Kenny Mornane: Lillian Barker Mulhall: Hannah Cowap Ward: Gabriella Black

EXTRA-CURRICULAR CAPTAINS Academic Activities Captain: Tamsyn Coetzee Communication/SRC Captain: Breanna Ivankovic Creative Arts Captain: Beatriz Fernandez Liturgy Captain: Charlotte Duff-Clarke Music Captain: Jayda Gursel Performing Arts Captain: Isabelle Humphries Social Justice Captain: Isabella Larkin Sport Captain: Zoe Warland

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 5

6 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

Maria Regina Angelorum

FAITH-CENTRED

We are

Faith-Centred "WE KNOW HOW TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD."

A

Loreto Normanhurst education is so much more than the things we learn in class each day. Each day has shaped us into who we are now and has helped us to figure out who we are supposed to be – giving us dreams and aspirations for what we are going to do with ourselves in this world. What we have learnt and experienced during our time here at Loreto has created the foundation for who we know we are called to be.

This foundation was built for us over 400 years ago by the woman we all know and love, Mary Ward. The legacy of her strength, her love, her values, her deep faith and her rebel heart encapsulate what it means to be a Loreto girl. Through her, we know how to stand up in the silence, to be a voice for the voiceless, to show our love in an active and influential way. We know how to be the light of the world. As we leave the halls and classrooms of our beloved school, we need to submit to this feeling to make change and work for justice.

But this comes with a challenge.

Navigating our world as an adolescent has never been harder. Technology, social media and rapidly increasing globalisation and secularisation floods us with ideas and concepts that at times are too overwhelming to process and amongst all this, we are here

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

seeking a purpose for ourselves, trying to find something steadfast to grasp onto.

Our generation is going to be the one that will have a lot of cleaning up to do.

Our future as a global community depends on the decisions we choose to make now and in the near future. Our Loreto education has prepared us as much as it can, but true passion can only come from first-hand experience. So I urge you, as the leaders of the future, to immerse yourself in the real world. Travel, volunteer, take risks. See how the rest of the world lives, and the daily struggles that people go through each day just to put food on the table. See the impacts of our actions on our climate, talk to someone who has known what true pain feels like.

“It is only then, once we know the world and have really lived in it, that we can, with sincerity, break down barriers to be who we are called to be and do what we are called to do.”

Our Catholic faith invites us to be a servant to everyone around us. To empower minorities and be a voice for the voiceless.

To challenge societal norms that don’t sit

quite right with us. But it is unfortunate that this Christian message can only go so far. In my role as Liturgy Captain the widespread distrust in our church has never been more apparent to me, and in keeping up-to-date with news and current affairs, it’s obvious why that is the case. Yet it has also become even more clear to me why people are choosing to stay. Instead of turning away from all our church has to offer, recognise the journey of formation that our church is on and trust in it. It is up to us, as women and young people, to help drive this movement towards a truer church, in our actions, our words and the contributions we make to our community and outside our school gates. The way we must do this is real and concrete, making noticeable change and meaningful influence with the teachings and values of Mary Ward at the core of everything that we do.

So, listen to the stirrings of your heart.

As we leave these school gates for the last time, remember that we go with the strength and confidence to be women of change and doers of justice. Stay true to yourself and stand up for what you believe in and let all that you do be done in love, a love that burns with a flame that can’t be put out.

CHARLOTTE DUFF-CLARKE Liturgy Captain 2018-2019

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 7

We are

People-Centred “PEOPLE DON’T CARE HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE.”– THEODORE ROOSEVELT

CULTIVATING A CULTURE OF CONNECTION The role of the teacher is considerably more complex than simply a deliverer of content (Bishop and Berryman, 2006). We have come to understand that the cultivation of positive student-teacher relationships is an influential force in a teacher’s ability to enhance student engagement and achievement (Roorda et al., 2011). In these relationships, our students know that their teachers have high expectations of them, yet they value the support and care they provide.

“They especially value the trust we have in them, encouraging them to stretch themselves out of their comfort zone, make mistakes, learn from these and try again.”

According to Professor Stephen Dinham, teachers are required to truly know their students; the best schools are able to demonstrate that their teachers know their students as learners, but more importantly, as people (2017).

Indeed, whilst we know that current educational theory and research loudly advocates the strength and value of strong student-teacher relationships, one need

8 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

look no further than the classrooms and corridors of Loreto Normanhurst to garner all of the evidence required to support such arguments. It is the trust and strength of the relationships that Loreto girls have with their teachers that underpins the success of our school. For this reason, our staff determined this year that we would further consolidate the strength of our learning model, the Loreto Normanhurst Student Growth Model (LNSGM), by focusing on the theme of ‘Knowing and Growing our Students’. With this focus guiding our work, we set about determining what more we could do to further cultivate the relationships between our teachers and their students.

This journey involved exploring the power of data as a tool to inform practice, utilising it to build clear academic and pastoral profiles of our students. We also explored methods of differentiating our practice to tailor our teaching to meet the diverse needs of students in our care. Such personalised learning is only effective if it comes from a place of truly knowing a student’s needs and motivations. As such, we have committed as a staff to consolidate key elements of our current unique model, such as our growth conversations with students, to maximise every opportunity for staff to act as mentors within these precious relationships.

Our year’s work can indeed be synthesised by the powerful words of the educational

provocateur, Sir Ken Robinson, “All students are unique individuals with their own hopes, talents, anxieties, fears, passions and aspirations. Engaging them as individuals is the heart of raising achievement.” (2015) So, how do we continue to build on what is already a thriving model? We need to pave the way to ensure that this model stands the test of time, that it is robust enough to face the challenges of a future unknown, as our students move into a world that is changing at an unprecedented rate. We know that the foundations are strong, but we are keen to engage in exploration of the key learning dispositions that will equip our students for this future, harnessing the power of student voice and self-reflection as a tool to further growth. We also feel that utilising an explicit coaching approach that will elicit authentic goals and aspirations from students is also key to tapping into our students’ true sense of purpose. Such mechanisms can ensure that teachers truly know their students, in turn allowing students to truly know themselves; the ultimate product of our efforts will be the cultivation of a culture of authentic care and connection that will stand the test of time.

MRS LYNN LONG Director of Pastoral Care

MS KIERYN BATEMAN Director of Learning

Maria Regina Angelorum

PERSON-CENTRED

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

10 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

Maria Regina Angelorum

ECOLOGY-CENTRED

We are

Ecology-Centred “ALL OF US CAN COOPERATE AS INSTRUMENTS OF GOD FOR THE CARE OF CREATION, EACH ACCORDING TO HIS OR HER OWN CULTURE, EXPERIENCE, INVOLVEMENTS AND TALENTS.” – POPE FRANCIS, LAUDATO SI’ A UNIFIED RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE Undoubtedly, one of the biggest challenges facing our modern era is that of climate change, and the devastating consequences that it entails. Just as generations before us faced nuclear disaster, so too does our own ‘Doomsday Clock’ strike two minutes to midnight again in 2019, a result of “global climate disruption”.

And yet, instead of making social and political strides, we often seem paralysed when taking action against, or even discussing, climate change.

Why? There is a tremendous fear of climate change; fundamentally, it will change our way of living. In late 2018 we witnessed a catastrophic beginning to the bush fire season, something which the Bureau of Meteorology has linked directly to climate change.

Despite this immense, and often well justified, fear of an unknown future, Mary Ward calls us to “act… solely from love” just as “we are called by God”.

Such a concept is reflected in our ethical duty as Christians to “work… and take care of ” God’s creation (Genesis 2:15); action, both individual and group, is paramount in changing our world’s climate narrative.

Sustainable living must rest at the heart of our individual lives, to “take nothing for your journey” (Luke 9:1) and endeavour to “walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8) through simple acts of changing our diets to include ethically sourced options, or choosing greener travel in order to reduce our climate footprints.

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

However, the greatest impact we can all make on the global climate is through unified people power. As consumer consciousness rises, so do ethical practices among companies – the 2019 Ethical Fashion Report from Baptist World Aid found that 61% more companies are investing in sustainable materials and practices.

Political consciousness, too, is integral to our response to climate change, and can lead to incredible outcomes. No clearer example of this is New Zealand, who passed their Landmark Zero Carbon Bill, in order to “deliver signs of action” on climate change by reducing emissions.

Beyond merely voting, robust discussions can help foster awareness of all facets of climate change, aspiring to create social and systematic change

that values our environment and our future beyond the short term. As women of strong faith, we must ensure our “conversation shall at all times be such that all who hear it may derive profit,” (Mary Ward).

Despite a sense of hopelessness, it is clear that steps are being taken – in September, 300,000 students marched for climate action, inspired by the likes of activist Greta Thunberg, revealing the true power of a united community in generating action.

Despite any fear, it remains true that “humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home,” (Pope Francis, Laudato Si’).

ISABELLA LARKIN Social Justice Captain 2018-2019

GREEN TEAM INITIATIVES 2018–19 “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.

It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Across the school, students embrace our ecology-centred pathway with commitment, innovation and dedication.

The Green Team offers a safe community of like-minded young people who are all keen to bring about change and keep the momentum going and work together to make many impactful ecological changes, both within Loreto Normanhurst and the wider community.

Some of their initiatives are listed below: • Ethical Christmas stall • Environmental Speakers • Enviroweek • Loreto Day ethically printed t-shirts and ribbons • Introduction of Green Team Junior Team • Low-bake, no-bake Stall • Snug as a Bug in a Rug Day • 1 Million Women Love Earth Festival • Green Team Breakfast • Sustainability Stall.

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 11

The Primary School's

Frangipani Fair THE PRIMARY SCHOOL FRANGIPANI FAIR AUGMENTS FORMAL EDUCATION BY INSPIRING ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKING AND BUILDING INNOVATION CAPACITY, A GROWTH MINDSET AND CRITICAL 21ST CENTURY SKILLS.

T

he girls are taught important business frameworks and how to work collaboratively to strengthen and support their ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.

“We all have the duty to do good.” – Pope Francis Working in teams, the 2019 Frangipani Fair saw lots of budding business owners show off their newfound skills. Students designed, developed and commercialised their concepts

12 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

to be product-ready with the Frangipani Fair providing a space where they had the opportunity to tangibly sell their wares.

The girls planned many ways to draw customers to their stalls, impressing everyone with their planning and organisational skills together with strong team work to reach the term long goal of a market day.

The market stalls ranged from beeswax wraps by ‘Bee Happy’, ice-cream sundaes by ‘Sundaes are better than Mondays’, Bowling and Wheel of Fortune by ‘Bowl for Fortune’, nachos by ‘Mumma’s Mexican’ and Terrariums by ‘Wild Things’.

The benefits of this program are far reaching and have taught the girls some valuable lessons that will hold them in good stead for life. The monies raised from the market day went towards ‘Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer’ the charity raising money for vital brain cancer research.

Thank you to the students, staff, parents and the Loreto community for attending and supporting this worthy cause.

MRS MARYANNE DWYER Head of Primary

Maria Regina Angelorum

INNOVATIONS

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

Local and Overseas

Loreto Connections OUR PRINCIPAL, MS UGONOTTI, TOGETHER WITH MRS KATE KOVACS, DIRECTOR OF BOARDING, EMBARKED ON A THREE-PART PRINCIPAL’S COUNTRY ROAD TRIP TRAVELLING FROM COUNTRY TO COAST, THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL RIVERINA, CENTRAL, FAR WEST AND NORTH WEST NSW, AND THE NORTH COAST TO MEET WITH CURRENT, PAST AND FUTURE FAMILIES, EX-STUDENTS AND FRIENDS OF LORETO NORMANHURST.

I

t was particularly important for Ms Ugonotti, in her first year as Principal, to have an opportunity to visit some of the areas that are home for our country boarders and their families and it was wonderful to be embraced by their warm hospitality. The stories about the drought and the conversations with families in country areas of NSW became immediately more real and the tenacity of those living and working in rural and remote areas was humbling to witness.

The Country Road Trips included visits to family farms, primary schools and towns in

14 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

regional NSW. The Ex-Students’ Association hosted a wonderful lunch in Dubbo which was a lovely afternoon to meet and catch up with some of our ex-student’s from that area.

We are all aware of the drought conditions being faced across NSW and the bushfire crisis. Loreto Normanhurst has a very proud tradition of country boarding, with over 80% of our boarders coming from regional, rural and remote areas of NSW and we are committed to this tradition continuing. The school is doing all it can to assist families in these hard times and the impact of the drought

in NSW needs our collective response.

If you have not yet taken the opportunity to contribute to Annual Giving, I encourage you to contribute whatever you can by supporting the school’s Bursary Welfare Fund which offers financial assistance to families in necessitous circumstances.

Through this fund, and the support of the Loreto Normanhurst community, these families can access the opportunity of a Loreto education. For more information visit our website at www.loretonh.nsw.edu. au/our-community/development/annualgiving-2019/

RECONNECTING

— Upcoming tours in 2020 — Country Family Lunches

COUNTRY FAMILY LUNCHES 2020

~

In 2020, we will again be visiting regional NSW to meet with current, past and future families, ex-students and friends of Loreto Normanhurst.

Please join us at one or more of the following events. We look forward to visiting our country families in 2020.

SUNDAY 17 MAY 2020

11am – 3pm, Armatree Hotel Merrigal Street, Armatree SUNDAY 14 JUNE 2020

11am – 3pm, The Sir George 320 Riverside Drive, Jugiong SUNDAY 26 JULY 2020

11am – 3pm, Crossroads Hotel 170 Maitland Street, Narrabri For enquiries and to RSVP email: countrytrips@loretonh.nsw.edu.au

Principal’s Overseas Trip ~

SATURDAY 8 TO SATURDAY 15 AUGUST 2020

Calling our alumni and past families in Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong – Loreto Normanhurst is coming to a city near you in 2020!

We would love to hear from our exstudents, as well as past families and friends of Loreto, who are currently living in these parts of the world.

PRINCIPAL'S OVERSEAS TRIP 2020

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

Further details to follow.

For enquiries please email: countrytrips@loretonh.nsw.edu.au

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 15

Reflections

On Boarding OUR 2018-19 BOARDER CAPTAINS HAIL FROM COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, BUT THEY TELL US HOW BOARDING AT LORETO NORMANHURST HAS INSTILLED THE SAME VALUES AND INTEGRITY, SHAPING THEM INTO THE WOMEN THEY ARE TODAY.

2

019 has been an incredible year filled with many fond memories for the boarders here at Normo.

Throughout the year, the boarders have participated in many exciting events such as Commitment Weekend, Main Event, Pink Lady Cruise, themed dinners and community weekends. It is during such activities that we come together and celebrate what it means to be a Loreto ‘Pink Lady’.

One of the main challenges that Suzuki, Boarder Vice-Captain, the Boarder Council and I encountered throughout the year, was trying to introduce new and exciting events and initiatives into boarding, whilst honouring the traditions of the past.

However, we soon learnt that it was okay to be different in how we organised events, and that the enjoyment of the girls was our main priority.

Through the process of our graduation events, I was able to reflect a lot about my time within the Loreto boarding community.

Although finding the transition moving away from home challenging at first, I soon adjusted and came to appreciate the uniquely wonderful community of girls that make up our boarders.

I am so grateful for all the opportunities that I have been provided throughout my time at Loreto, that I would not have had access to in my hometown. The relationships that I have formed with girls in boarding, across all year levels, is something which I will always value and look back upon fondly.

16 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

The boarding community truly transformed to become like a family to me, supporting me through all of the highs and lows of my high school years, and for this I am extremely appreciative.

Overall, words cannot express the gratitude I feel towards my time spent at Loreto Normanhurst, and I was honoured to be given the privilege to lead the boarding school during my final year.

ELLA ANDERSON Boarder Captain 2018-2019

In 2016, my family and I made a lifechanging decision for me to move to Sydney from Hong Kong, to become a boarder at Loreto Normanhurst. As a naïve girl in Year 9, I didn’t know what it would be like to live with lots of other girls. I didn’t have a clue who I was then, let alone who I would want to be in the future.

Living away from home and apart from my family was never easy. It was a completely new concept for me, especially coming from Hong Kong, a country where boarding at school isn’t really even a ‘thing’.

However, the warm and welcoming nature of Normo girls and staff allowed me to quickly adapt to a foreign culture and environment.

Loreto opened up a lot of experiences which I would not have had access to in my home country. Furthermore, I was exposed to many aspects of leadership here at Normo,

which prompted my desire to step up as a leader and serve the boarding community.

Taking on the role as Boarder ViceCaptain was one of my greatest experiences, despite how daunting it seemed initially.

I was a very shy girl who constantly had self-doubt. I began to question everything I did and wondered if I was doing the right thing all the time. But this role was so good in pushing me beyond my comfort zone, as well as teaching me to believe in myself.

We organised some really big boarding events and so much time and effort was put into the process, but the end result was often so rewarding.

A lot of the opportunities I had as Boarder Vice-Captain, together with my close partnership with Ella, allowed me to learn what it means to be a good leader.

Looking back now, some of the best memories of Year 12 have stemmed from my leadership of the Boarding School.

My time in boarding has been filled with countless fond memories, as well as the support and love of all the girls and staff.

Boarding at Loreto has taught me to be passionate, that there is always a place for you and that you are never alone. Loreto has also taught me how to grow with confidence, to embrace challenges, and to live life with integrity, which has helped me to become the strong and independent woman I am today.

SUZUKI YUN Boarder Vice-Captain 2018-2019

Maria Regina Angelorum

OUR JOURNEY

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 17

18 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

Maria Regina Angelorum

MASTER PLAN

30-Year

Master Plan “LEAVE AFTER YOU SOMETHING ON WHICH OTHERS MAY BUILD.” – MOTHER GONZAGA BARRY 2017-2047 MASTER PLAN Loreto Normanhurst is an exciting and innovative school providing excellence in girls’ education for over 123 years and preparing students for life in an everchanging world. Our award-winning model of education encourages our students to be lifelong learners who are curious and critical thinkers with a broad vision for the future.

As a vibrant and dynamic school, we are also continually reinventing – striving to offer outstanding education and facilities for young women that is relevant to the changing times in which we live. To support our mission, we have developed a 30-year Master Plan – a Master Plan that will suit contemporary expectations and support the education of our young women for another 123 years and beyond.

The Master Plan has been developed to gradually redevelop or replace buildings with dynamic, versatile spaces. This will create an innovative and unified campus with character and identity, while ensuring sustainable and ecologically sensitive development over time.

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

The 30-year Master Plan for Loreto Normanhurst is inspiring and robust and leaves all areas of the 123-year-old site reviewed and improved.

“This is an exciting time for our school with a beautiful plan for its future while honouring our tradition and values.”

The first phase is the construction of an Early Learning Centre and a new Boarding School due to be completed in 2021 and 2022 respectively. The Early Learning Centre will provide: • Long day care for girls and boys from six weeks to five years old.

• Modern, flexible learning and play areas and multiple green outdoor spaces.

• Safe, nurturing environment underpinned by the Loreto Normanhurst vision.

• Award-winning model of education that encourages curious and critical thinking and life-long learning.

We are inviting Expressions of Interest for the Early Learning Centre and if you would like to submit your interest, please visit www.loretonh.nsw.edu.au/about-us/loretonormanhurst-master-plan/.

The relocation and development of the Boarding School will provide: • A multi-level boarding school with the provision of a variety of spaces for interaction and privacy to socialise, study, meet or retreat.

• Boarder accommodation separate from the school overlooking the school’s sporting ovals and the beautiful Loreto Normanhurst bush setting.

• A landscaped pedestrian link connecting the boarding school to the main campus.

• A cascading series of spaces, both internally and externally, connected by walkways resulting in a building which opens out to the ground.

• Apartments for staff accommodation purposes with individual street addresses.

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 19

Loreto Sport "NOT ONLY IS EXERCISING A GREAT WAY TO STAY IN SHAPE WHILE YOU STUDY, BUT IT CAN ALSO MAKE YOU AN EVEN BETTER STUDENT THAN YOU ALREADY ARE."

T

here are only 168 hours in a week, and you spend one third of those asleep. Take out time spent in class, getting to and from school and doing chores around the house, and suddenly your free time stops looking so free. It can be tempting, particularly for students in Years 11 and 12 to allocate a big chunk of that time to revision and study – it makes sense, right?

The more you study, the better you’ll do?

Let’s take a closer look…

Brains are like bodies – they fatigue.

Go for a lap of the oval and time yourself.

Do you think you could run the same lap at the same pace the 5th time? The 20th time?

The 50th time? Probably not, and it’s the same with your brain. You retain information better when your brain is fresh, and that

20 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

means giving it rest, just like giving your body a rest, and what better way to rest your brain than by fatiguing your body, right?

“According to Harvard Medical School, ‘many studies have suggested that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory (the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex) have greater volume in people who exercise versus people who don’t.’”

“When you are exercising, you change your blood chemistry and make nutrients more available to the brain. This increase in blood

circulation also enhances energy production.

The hormone epinephrine, stimulated by exercise, increases your awareness and therefore your ability to concentrate.”

Teenagers should be aiming to do 60 minutes of physical activity a day at a moderate to vigorous intensity. The important thing is figuring out an activity that works for you, incorporating it into your schedule and sticking to it. Don’t fall into the trap that more time studying equals better study as studying is just like exercise; short, concentrated bursts with periods of rest in between.

The 168 hours are always going to be there – how you use them most effectively is what can make all the difference.

MR MATT MULRONEY Head of Sport

LORETO SPORT

Celebrating the Commissioning of

“During the Celebration of the Eucharist on Friday 15 February 2019, I was anointed and commissioned as Principal of Loreto Normanhurst and I made my pledge of commitment to the community, committing myself to the educational vision of Loreto Normanhurst. This vision is centred in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and in the tradition and values of Mary Ward and the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am humbled to have had it entrusted to me. I am grateful for all the blessings of people and time that steered my path to land at these gates, a place where I have found a strong spiritual, intellectual and philosophical sense of home.”

– MS MARINA UGONOTTI, PRINCIPAL, LORETO NORMANHURST

S

tudents, staff, parents, ex-students and special guests joined together at a Celebration of the Eucharist on Friday 15 February to witness the commitment Ms Ugonotti has made to lead our precious school. This beautiful event of prayer, imagery and song, allowed us to transcend space and time and to formally acknowledge and celebrate Ms Ugonotti as she

22 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

begins her journey as Principal of Loreto Normanhurst.

A pearl pin was designed to commemorate this wonderful occasion.

The ‘pearl’ is an essential part of Loreto’s rich and dynamic history and represents Mother Gonzaga Barry’s belief in a solid and well-rounded education for girls. In a letter to them, Mother Gonzaga Barry described her Loreto children as a ‘row of goodly pearls’.

The pearl pin evokes fond memories of the event, and importantly, reminds students that the pearl symbolises each one of them – goodly and beautiful, formed out of grit, in and from creation.

When strung alongside all the other pearls of our school, they come to create something even more beautiful; held together strongly and securely by the love of this community.

Maria Regina Angelorum

PRINCIPAL'S COMMISSIONING

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 23

24 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

Maria Regina Angelorum

AWAKENING OUR SPIRIT

Awakening our Spirit

Music Festival THE BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS OF MUSIC AND SONG PERFORMED BY LORETO NORMANHURST STUDENTS AT MUSIC FESTIVAL EACH YEAR IS QUITE LITERALLY, MUSIC TO OUR EARS! WITH THE THEME OF ‘AWAKENING OUR SPIRIT’ OUR MUSIC CAPTAIN SHARES HER REFLECTIONS ON WHAT THE POWER OF MUSIC AT LORETO NORMANHURST HAS MEANT TO HER.

M

y time as Music Captain at Loreto Normanhurst was a rewarding experience that I will never forget.

I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity and to have called Loreto my school for the past six years.

“Our annual Music Festival at the Sydney ICC, was an exhilarating night inspired by the theme ‘Awakening our Spirit’.”

As the girls presented their hard work and talent to an audience of thousands, they created a breathtaking atmosphere of joy

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

and celebration; exuding immense pride in their school.

It was my privilege to co-host this event with Isabelle Humphries, the Performing Arts Captain. We thoroughly enjoyed showcasing our school’s wonderful talent.

Leading up to Music Festival, I was inspired by the immense hard work the conductors, accompanists and every girl gave to their House Choir performances. Each choir overcame numerous challenges in the rehearsal process to ultimately showcase a beautiful collection of angelic voices for the audience.

Of course, this celebration of music continued throughout the year as we witnessed girls singing their heart out at Wednesday long recess, joining in the hymns

of school liturgies and singing our school song, ‘Cruci’, with pride at every Assembly.

It has been an honor to lead these wonderful music events at the school this past year.

I am very grateful for the endless support from my peers, the Music staff and all other staff who have helped me as Music Captain.

It gives me great joy to imagine the many more wonderful musical moments and happy memories that will be made, through creating beautiful music, by future generations of Loreto girls. I know they will be encouraged and supported just as I have been.

JAYDA GURSEL Music Captain 2018-2019

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 25

Celebrating

Loreto Day LORETO DAY EMBODIES THE VALUES OF LORETO NORMANHURST BY SUPPORTING THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED WHILE EMBRACING THE SPIRIT OF THE SCHOOL BY UNITING THE COMMUNITY. IN 2019 WE SUPPORTED THE BABY MILK PROJECT TO HELP MOTHERS AND BABIES IN KENYA.

T

­­he Baby Milk Project, a Mary Ward International Australia project, is a crucial cause centred in the district of Lukulu in Zambia, Africa, and provides baby formula to mothers who have HIV/AIDS and are unable to breastfeed their children due to mother-child transmission. The Baby Milk Project works to provide basic nutrition for babies and children and to enhance their wellbeing to give them a chance to grow stronger and lead healthier lives, as well as supporting poverty-stricken guardians who do not have the means to provide this support for the babies.

By choosing to support this cause for Loreto Day, our community helped those in need by invoking a call to service and a commitment to social justice.

The day started with a whole-school Celebration of the Eucharist to acknowledge the cause for Loreto Day. The school

26 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

community then enjoyed the amazing food and games stalls organised by Year 11 before moving into the gymnasium for the Loreto Day Concert which showcases various talents in the performing arts. The concert is a celebration of the artistic achievement of Loreto Normanhurst and a celebration of our connection to St Lucy’s and St Edmund’s who were in attendance. The food and game stalls and the concert both contribute to the funds raised for the cause and are a unique and enjoyable part of Loreto Day, reflective of the Loreto values of social justice and felicity.

“In a world of inequality and injustice we stand with the oppressed, the disadvantaged and those exploited in any way by unjust systems.” – Mary Ward International Australia

The most fulfilling part of the Loreto Day experience is that the proceeds from the day will go to deserving mothers in the Lukulu district who are able to give nourishing formula to their babies to enhance their child’s health and quality of life.

The process for organising Loreto Day helped provide Year 11 to further develop their skills in communication, time management, teamwork and organisation.

The various teams that the girls were part of helped give an insight into future leadership opportunities and allowed Loreto students to actively involve themselves in organising and planning school events as a year group. The day was a rewarding one and we look forward to seeing what unfolds for Loreto Day 2020.

KIMIA DEGANI, ABIGAIL ROBERTS AND TARA SAVELL-MCKEAN Year 11, Loreto Day Communications Team 2019

Maria Regina Angelorum

CELEBRATIONS

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 27

28 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

Maria Regina Angelorum

CULTURE

Recognising our

First Nations Peoples LORETO NORMANHURST CELEBRATES THE HISTORY, CULTURE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES – THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS AND THE OLDEST SURVIVING CULTURE IN THE WORLD. TWO OF OUR STUDENTS SHARE THEIR REFLECTIONS ON THEIR OWN CULTURAL AWARENESS.

I

am a Wiradjuri woman of the Barkinji tribe of Bourke, NSW. In August each year, the whole Year 9 cohort at Loreto Normanhurst travels to Far North Queensland for two weeks, to experience the tribes and cultures in the Yarrabah area.

I found the experience provided me with insight into the different environments, traditions and cultures of Indigenous Australian communities. I was able to talk to elders, walk on sacred sites, see Aboriginal artworks and learn how to use handmade traditional spears.

“When I listened to the stories of traditional elder, Aunty Syb, it impacted me emotionally because I could relate to her stories about her culture, how she grew up and the drastic challenges of the Stolen Generation.”

The experience was very eye-opening and we gained so much knowledge about Aboriginal Peoples and the culture that makes Australia so unique. I feel very fortunate that I was

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

given the opportunity to experience this learning of culture in an enjoyable and ‘hands on’ way.

Loreto Normanhurst also implemented our Reconciliation Action Plan this year, the school’s formal commitment to reconciliation and as a school, we participate in Close the Gap Day and Harmony Day, recognising these days as one of respect and appreciation for the diversities in Australia and to commemorate Aboriginal culture. As an Indigenous student at Loreto Normanhurst, this is very personal and important to me. I have learnt many new things about the history and statistics of my people and feel that every student should be given this same opportunity, as this is one way that it can keep our spirituality alive.

CLARE STEVENSON Year 9

I am a proud Wiradjuri woman; my ancestors were the first inhabitants of the Forbes district over 40,000 years ago.

My education at Loreto is invaluable; and it has shaped the person I have become.

Through my education, my knowledge of my own culture as well as the importance of

reconciliation between Australia’s first people and wider Australia, has been enhanced.

Within my HSC body of work, titled, 'Our Past, Her Future' (pictured left), the inextricable connection between the past, present and future which is fundamental to Aboriginal culture is explored; whilst also providing insight into responsibilities of Aboriginal Peoples in terms of communal relationships, as well as the fundamental connection that Aboriginal Peoples share with the land as it is inherently connected to all aspects of being.

“This work also reveals deeply personal familial stories through the use of unique codes and symbols enabling my work to depict previous Dreamings, histories and experiences that have come before, as an integral influence on both our shared and individual futures.”

LUA PELLEGRINI Class of 2019

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 29

Mary Ward

Pilgrimage JOIN MRS LIBBY PARKER, DIRECTOR OF MISSION, ON A JOURNEY TRACING MARY WARD’S FOOTSTEPS – A TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT ALLOWED HER TO EXPLORE THE DEEPEST PART OF HER SOUL AND EXAMINE WHO SHE HAD BECOME AND WHY.

D

o you ever take the time away from your busy life to reflect and take stock of who you are, what matters to you, and what gives meaning and purpose to your life? I had the privilege this year to do just that by participating in the Mary Ward Pilgrimage to Europe with my colleagues from Loreto Normanhurst, Sr Libby Rogerson IBVM, and Ms Kerry McCullough, Spirituality and Liturgy Coordinator, along with colleagues and leaders from the seven Loreto schools around Australia.

I grew up in Gundagai, a small country town in rural NSW, and I was blessed to have the freedom and space a country lifestyle provided and a big, close Catholic family to go with it. It wasn’t until last year, however, as I approached my 50th birthday, that I travelled to Europe for the first time with my husband. It’s quite ironic that I have spent my life teaching about religion, religious history and spirituality, all based on the lives and teachings of others, without experiencing any of the places these significant people had walked and journeyed.

My life has had many blessings and experiences, none more important to me than having children, educating them and working hard to provide the best I can for my family. My work has always been incredibly important to me and I

30 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

know that working with teenage girls and stretching them to be the best they can be by developing a deep relationship with God, is what makes me happy and is where I find much joy and a life-giving energy. However, until the Mary Ward Pilgrimage, I had never experienced such a deep transformational experience that allowed me to explore the deepest part of my soul and examine who I had become and why.

Our pilgrimage began in England, in the countryside surrounding York, where Mary Ward was born and lived before answering the call of her deepest desire to become a Sister. We traced her footsteps and crossed the English Channel to St Omer and Liege where she began her own order of Sisters, building schools and adopting St Ignatius’ rule of living outside the walls of a convent; a revolutionary path for a woman at the time. We then travelled on to Munich, where after the success of Mary Ward’s schools and the establishment of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she ended up arrested and a Papal Bull of Suppression was placed on her beloved order of Sisters and her schools were closed.

There were many moments, places and stories that touched me, but none more so than my experience at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Grace. Before we left the pilgrimage, each pilgrim was given a small

wooden heart to place somewhere along the pilgrim route that had touched us personally.

I would now like to share my reflection of this special place with you.

“As I make my slow pilgrimage through the world a beautiful sense of slow mystery seems to gather and grow.”– Arthur Christopher Benson A great amount of trust is required of a pilgrim when they allow themselves to step over the threshold and through the doors of the unknown to experience another way of being. It is a trust in themselves, to be open to the possibilities that may await them; a trust in others and the pilgrims they share the journey with; and a trust in their God, who alone knows what is truly desired for them. I certainly had this sense as I stepped into the world of Mary Ward and her companions, into a life and time that was known only academically to me; I had not lived, experienced nor was fully aware of the depth and significance of her life.

Whilst the context of Mary Ward’s life was certainly set in the city of York around the Bar Convent, although this did not exist during her lifetime, my greatest insight came

Maria Regina Angelorum

MISSION

when I revisited the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Grace at the top of Mount Grace above Osmotherly. The revisiting came at the end of the pilgrimage when I rummaged back through my notes, journal reflections and my photos and was moved by the way Mary Ward returned to this tranquil site, a place for pilgrims to pray, including her own companions who prayed for her health there.

I felt like a I had a brief window into her soul and I had a deep sense that after everything Mary Ward had encountered, at first some joys and triumphs, but then gradually all the suffering and disappointment that she had endured, the Shrine of Our Lady at Mount Grace was where she found peace and almost her final refuge. She placed, as always, her trust in God at this site. She gave thanks for the graces she had been given. It is a deeply spiritual place overlooking the landscapes of her life and time. A place where she journeyed, in prayer and reflection. A place where she walked, where she prayed and where no doubt she contemplated her deepest desires for her Institute and her companions.

I found myself coming back to that idea of trust, a trust of God, of self and of others.

It was at Mount Grace where I had chosen to place my heart on the first visit. Walking in the pilgrim footsteps of those who’d gone before and tracing the Passion of Christ up through the trees, I was immediately struck by God’s presence. I was struggling through my own grief, with the loss of my mother, and when I became aware of God’s presence I felt a weightlessness. An acceptance that no one is on this journey alone. I placed my heart at Station Number 4, where Jesus Meets His Mother. It was at this time on his journey that Jesus needed all his strength to continue and so he comes face to face with his mother Mary who is his most powerful source of strength. It was their love and trust in God that united both of them to continue. So too this must have been for Mary Ward, I thought. She had journeyed, followed the way God had desired for her and yet still did not despair or turn to bitterness when all seemed lost. She remained faithful and trusted in God, she persevered until the end. I realised as Mary Ward did, that when we persevere and trust in God, and when we walk this way with our companions, we are never alone.

MRS LIBBY PARKER Director of Mission

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 31

32 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

Maria Regina Angelorum

SUPERGIRL WEEK

Celebrating

Supergirl Week A SUPERGIRL IS PASSIONATE, CARING AND STRONG. SHE IS UNIQUE AND TRUE TO HERSELF AND ALLOWS FOR OTHERS TO BE THE SAME. A SUPERGIRL USES HER POWER AND VOICE TO STAND UP FOR OTHERS AND SPEAK ABOUT ISSUES IN OUR MODERN WORLD.

T

his year, we celebrated our fourth annual Supergirl Week in the first week of March to coincide with International Women’s Day. During this week, the Loreto Normanhurst community, both students and staff, gathered together to celebrate the power of being a girl through fun and laughter whilst reflecting on the power that girls possess and how this power enables us to have a strong voice in the world.

We also recognise the importance of support networks that allows us all to achieve our potential.

“This year, the Student Representative Council (SRC) really wanted to promote the idea that each girl is unique and that her real super power comes from accepting who she is and ‘letting her light shine’.”

On Monday we kicked off with a student game of ‘benchball’ in the gym. Two teams of Year 12 students competed in

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

healthy competition where they challenged themselves whilst also having fun. It was great to see the enthusiasm of all the girls present, whether they were competing or spectating.

Tuesday was ‘Team-building Tuesday’ and on this day during Tutor time, each Tutor group participated in trivia (part one) which included questions about influential women in the world.

‘Women Wednesday’ was celebrated with music at long recess that focused on powerful and influential female artists who have in some way shaped the music industry.

Student Soapbox was on at lunchtime in the LRC and it was excellent to hear from students and staff about issues that are affecting women today. All the performances were particularly inspiring and insightful and overall it was a great experience.

On Thursday, we celebrated ‘Thoughtful Thursday’, and on this day the girls were invited to reflect in their tutor groups about the impact that Supergirl Week has on them.

The girls also participated in trivia (part two), with the hope of getting the highest score for their House.

The final day of Supergirl Week was ‘Funky Friday’ and this was a mufti day, where a gold coin donation was collected to go towards Project Compassion. We began the day with Friday Morning Communion, led by our Year 12 Eucharistic Ministers – it’s always a beautiful way to start the day in prayer and reflection.

“Supergirl Week is a collaborative effort from the SRC and staff as well as the Student Council, who work together to create opportunities where students can express themselves and feel listened to and supported.”

We are reminded daily of the power of being a girl – and that girls shouldn’t have to wait until they are adults to celebrate womanhood and the power of being female, as they have the capacity to care and nurture and effect change at any age.

BREANNA IVANKOVIC SRC/Communications Captain 2018-2019

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 33

34 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

Maria Regina Angelorum

RECONNECTING

Alumni News WE CATCH UP WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND ACHIEVEMENTS FROM OUR PAST STUDENTS.

I

t was with great joy that exstudents were able to celebrate the Commissioning of Ms Marina Ugonotti as Principal of Loreto Normanhurst in February. The school has continued to thrive and meet the needs of the community under her leadership and we look forward to many years of continued friendship and support. It was a Spring Fair year and we enjoyed organising the Spring Fair stall and catching up with other exstudents. There were many other wonderful occasions and celebrations held throughout 2019, providing opportunities for exstudents to reconnect and enjoy time with friends, both old and new. Thank you to all ex-students who attended and supported these events including those organised by the Ex-Students’ Association.

QUEENS HONOURS LIST ORDER OF AUSTRALIA – 2019 Congratulations to these ex-students who received an Order of Australia award for recognition of their outstanding achievement and service.

• Clare Martin (’69): Awarded OAM for her service to the people and Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory and as a community advocate.

• Nicole Bolger (Carson ’82): Awarded OAM for her services to Nursing.

• Lisa Sweeney (‘78): Awarded OAM for her service to radio and broadcast media.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARDS For many years Loreto Normanhurst has been involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme where students test themselves in

outdoor activities and generous service.

Our students commence the program in Year 9 fulfilling the Bronze expeditions and performing their community work.

Some then go on to the Silver program and only a few move through to challenge themselves to do the Gold program.

Victoria Pengilly (Class of 2017) and Margaux Choo (Class of 2018) have both gained The Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award which was presented to them in July by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor of NSW. Recent graduates, Anna Hanselmann, Nitasha Dewan and Lara Al Amri all from the Class of 2019, have also been granted the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award with the formal ceremony to take place in the coming months.

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 35

— Alumni News — — Past events —

– July 2019 – CLASS OF 1981 – ANNUAL GET TOGETHER

– 2 March 2019 – LORETO CANBERRA CHAPTER ANNUAL REUNION

On Saturday 2 March, a wonderful Loreto Mass and Luncheon was held in Canberra. Many age groups and Loreto Schools were represented from across the country, which is what makes the Canberra lunch a unique and great tradition. A beautiful and inspiring Mass was held with lunch afterwards which made for a relaxed and enjoyable catch up.

A wonderful time was had by those who could attend a fun gathering at The 3 Weeds Hotel in Rozelle for a catch up inbetween ‘big’ reunion years!

– 10 August 2019 – CLASS OF 1969 AND 1967 FOURTH FORM LEAVERS – 50 YEAR REUNION

– 25 May 2019 – CLASS OF 1989 – 30 YEAR REUNION

At the Southern Highlands Winery – the Class of ’89 gathered for a weekend of wine, food and retail therapy in the Southern Highlands.

We had a brilliant time and absolutely loved catching up. We are a special group who genuinely love and wish the best for each other.

The much anticipated 50-year class reunion luncheon was held at the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel Cello Room. Friendships were renewed and we fondly remembered those of our classmates who could not be with us. We had lots of laughs and some of us brought their old school ties, badges, merit cards, chapel veils, sports awards and broad blues! Our Guest of Honour was Sr Deirdre Browne IBVM who had taught music to so many of us and she led us in a rousing rendition of “Queen of Loreto” accompanied on the piano by Genie King (Curtin). Memories of our school days were happy ones and shared laughter was evident throughout the day. The Class of ‘69 are now Golden Jubilarians and will always be proud Loreto girls ready to make a change in our world.

Maria Regina Angelorum

RECONNECTING

— Alumni News — – 24 August 2019 – CLASS OF 1999 – 20 YEAR REUNION

each girl. These words hope to inspire, remind and motivate actions towards the next five years and perhaps stories of how these words were embedded into our lives will be shared at our 40th reunion.

– October 2019 – CLASS OF ‘57 & ’59 – LORETO LADIES IN MUDGEE

The Class of ‘99 gathered at the Clock Hotel, Surry Hills and although it had been 20 years since we left the Loreto gates, the reunion made it feel like yesterday. While all of us have filled this time with exciting experiences; it was wonderful to find many of us have not changed one bit! All through the afternoon and long into the night, the room was filled with the buzz of endless chatter, laughing and the occasional, “I remember that too” – as we reminisced fondly about our school years. Teachers' names were remembered, lines from Music Festival songs sung and words like ‘Barry Wing’, ‘Year 8 Corridor’, ‘Spirit Cup’ and ‘Donut Day’ were dropped into dialogue with no explanation needed. Many ladies travelled from rural destinations, interstate and even one attendee from Hong Kong. It was a delightful day and thank you to all those who joined us.

– 14 September 2019 – CLASS OF 1984 – 35 YEAR REUNION

The Class of ‘84 met for lunch at the Belvedere Hotel Rooftop Bar. There were a mix of day girls and boarders, some of whom had travelled from Singapore, Moree, Dubbo and Forbes. The afternoon provided a wonderful catch up for old friends to exchange news and to renew friendships and connections. The Loreto spirit was certainly alive and well with lucky door prizes and special word cards handed out to

A group of us who live near one another in the Mudgee area often meet up and this year we were delighted that many more Loreto ladies joined us. Our weekend included a visit to the local Mens’ Shed, and ex-student Rachel Flynn's (nee Charlesworth '85) thriving handmade business followed by a delicious lunch in a lovely courtyard coffee shop. We also travelled to Gulgong to visit the newly opened Holtermann Museum. A wonderful weekend was enjoyed by all.

– 5 October 2019 – CLASS OF 2014 – 5 YEAR REUNION

Over 80 girls from the Class of ‘14 celebrated our five-year reunion starting with a long lunch at the Paddington Inn. We enjoyed Loreto trivia with the fun continuing into the evening with many stories and laughs shared. Thank you to everyone who attended for making this such a wonderful event.

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 37

— Alumni News — — Past events — – 2 November 2019 – CLASS OF 1979 – 40 YEAR REUNION

Ex-Students' Association — Upcoming Events

The Ex-Students’ Association is organising a number of events for 2020 and we invite you to join us in support of your Association.

Join us: — SATURDAY 7 MARCH — OPEN DAY — SATURDAY 14 MARCH — LORETO ACT CHAPTER & DISTRICTS ANNUAL MASS & LUNCH — WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL — EX-STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION RECONNECTING DRINKS — SUNDAY 3 MAY — EX-STUDENTS’ HIGH TEA RECEPTION ROOM, LORETO NORMANHURST Thirty-seven members of the Class of ‘79 celebrated their reunion at the Tilbury Hotel, Woolloomooloo. We talked about the drought and dust storms that are having such a dreadful effect on our country families and were delighted the next day when we heard that farms in Brewarrina had received 100mls of rain overnight! A big shout out to those who came from far and wide such as Switzerland, Queensland, Tasmania, the ACT, and far north west NSW. It was wonderful to catch up with old friends.

THINKING ABOUT YOUR 2020 CLASS REUNION? “Once a Loreto girl, always a Loreto girl!”

Class of 2015: 5 year Reunion Class of 1990: 30 year Reunion Class of 2010: 10 year Reunion Class of 1980: 40 year Reunion Class of 2000: 20 year Reunion Class of 1970: 50 year Reunion Contact us to help you connect with your year group and promote your 2020 reunion event – email development@loretonh.nsw.edu.au

38 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

— THURSDAY 20 AUGUST — EX-STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION THEATRE PARTY, "COME FROM AWAY" — SUNDAY 6 DECEMBER — EX-STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION MEETING & AGM If you would like to help out with any of these events, please email: exstudents@loretonh.nsw.edu.au

For your diary: — WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH — WOMEN OF INFLUENCE EVENING — 10-11 OCTOBER — LORETO FEDERATION LORETO MARRYATVILLE, ADELAIDE — WEDNESDAY 21 OCTOBER — MARY WARD JUSTICE LECTURE LORETO NORMANHURST

Maria Regina Angelorum

BIRHTS & VALE

— Alumni News — — Births — CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE FAMILIES ON THEIR NEW ARRIVALS

Kristen (Kilby ’05) and Simon Hegarty on the birth of James Peter Hegarty

Emma (Dewberry ’02) and John Ewer on the arrival of their second daughter, Claire Frances Ewer

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

­— Vale — WE OFFER OUR SINCERE SYMPATHY TO THE FOLLOWING EX-STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES The family of Penelope Hoyer (Loneragan ‘67). ~ Kathryn Nowland (Bubb ’74) and Robyn Bubb (‘82) on the death of their sister, Susan Notary (Bubb ’77). ~ The family of Mary Faber (Stoneman, ‘68). ~ Frances Meagher, Judith Soper (’78) and Felicity Soper (’80) on the death of their mother, Mary Soper. ~ Colleen Bierhoff (Noonan ‘80) on the death of her sister, Maureen (Noonan ‘73). ~ Keeva Mostyn (Jones ’98) on the death of her father, Barry Jones. ~ Margaret Olive (McMaster ’80) and Joanne Golja (McMaster ’79) on the death of their father, Ian McMaster. ~ The family of Geraldine Farrar (Moore ’48). ~ Kathryn “Coty” Farquhar (Hahn ‘80), Lisa Dent (Hahn ‘78) and Caroline Swan (Hahn ‘85) on the death of their father, William (Bill) Hahn. ~ The family of Judith Gillett (McMillan ‘52). ~ The family of Christine Carberry (’73), sister to Julianne Ball (Carberry ’78), Suellen Mackay (Carberry ’75), and Roslyn Carberry (’82). ~ The family of Michael Jarvis, father of Raphaela Higginbotham (Jarvis ’94), Rizpah Jarvis (’96) and Rahab Wilson (’97)

The family of Chris Roche, brother of Stefanie Dobb (Roche ’82), Margaret Knight (Roche ’74), and Lissa Spencer (Roche ’71), uncle to Elizabeth Dobb (’13) and husband to the late Rosie Ovens (’69). ~ The family of Frances Brodie (Tully ’63). ~ The family of Anthony (Tony) Bolger (1928-2020), eldest son of Murray and Barbara Bolger (Roche 1916); brother of Margaret Sykes (Bolger ‘48); brother-in-law to Ann Maree Bolger (Chatfield ‘52) and Mary Bolger Roche (O’Brien ‘55); father of Mary Louise Bolger (’80) and Emma Gibson (Bolger ’82); grandfather of Eliza Bolger (’08), Kathleen Bolger (‘11), Grace Gibson (‘13), and Lucy Gibson (‘17); uncle of Mary-Ellen Taylor (Sykes ’77), Julia Bolger (‘78), Nicole Bolger (Carson ‘82), Catherine Bolger (‘84), Lucy Burt (Roche ‘84), and Bernadette Eastham (Sykes ‘86); and grand uncle to Lucy Taylor (‘06), Maddie Sykes (‘12), Sally Roche (‘13), Sophie Roche (‘13), Olivia Taylor (‘14), Molly Carter (Year 12 2020), Claudia Sykes (Year 12 2020), and Georgia Sykes (Year 9 2020). ~ The family of Patricia Mellick (O’Donoghue ’45), mother of Katherine Oriti (Mellick ‘76); Margaret Mellick (‘77); Elizabeth Mellick (‘79); Josephine Mellick (‘81), sister of Joan Carmody (O’Donoghue ‘47), aunt of Sue Meagher (Carmody ‘75) and Lisa Bartalesi (Carmody ‘78) and sister-in-law of Diana Beckley (Mellick, ‘45).

— Alumni News — — Marriages — CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE EX-STUDENTS AND THEIR PARTNERS

Gianna Shannon (‘04) and Jayce Allen

Caitlin Aquilina (’09) and Peter Bokor

Stefanie Camden (’05) and Brendan Potts

COMMUNITY

Loreto

Parents THE LORETO PARENT ASSOCIATION IS INTEGRAL TO BUILDING A CONNECTED AND CARING PARENT COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS MANY EVENTS, AND THIS YEAR, THE LORETO COMMUNITY ENJOYED ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SPRING FAIR.

A

fter many weeks of preparation, Spring Fair 2019 finally arrived and was filled with fun rides, kids’ crafts, bear-building, animals, music performances and farm skills, dancing, cheerleading, yummy food, homemade goodies, produce, plants, memorabilia, entertainment, retail therapy, books, and beautifully displayed gift baskets – there was so much to see and do!

The storm held out until late in the day, so we were able to enjoy the full day’s festivities. It was also wonderful to hear news of some very welcome rain which reached some of the drought-affected areas of the land that weekend.

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

The inaugural Young Farmer Challenge was a great success and a fantastic opportunity for the boarding community to work together.

“The first ever ‘Battle of the Bands’ was also a great success and exciting emerging talent blitzed the stage!”

We thank all the committee members, school staff, students, ex-students, maintenance team and parents who worked before, during and after the day to ensure it was a success.

It was a huge day for all our community – both past and present – and a fantastic day achieved through great team work.

The Parent Association is involved in organising and coordinating many social events at the school as well as raising funds that contribute to projects within the school to benefit all students. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all parents for their involvement and support throughout the year and we encourage the parent community to continue this support into 2020 and beyond with the new Parent Association President Mrs Jane Dalton.

We wish Jane and the PAL committee every success for 2020.

PAUL WHITE AND LOUISE WYTENBURG 2019 Parent Association Co-Presidents

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 41

42 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

Maria Regina Angelorum

COMMUNITY

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

Special Edition 2020

•

LORETO LIFE 43

Connect with us BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US TO FIND OUT ABOUT NEWS AND EVENTS, AS WELL AS VIEW INVITATIONS, PHOTOS AND VIDEOS FROM ACROSS THE LORETO COMMUNITY.

— Instagram —

— Facebook —

— Loreto Website —

WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/LORETONH/

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LORETONH

WWW.LORETONH.NSW.EDU.AU

Follow us on Instagram. Look for our handle @LoretoNH and hashtag #loretonh to contribute your favourite school memories.

www.facebook.com/loretonh www.facebook.com/loretonhprimary www.facebook.com/loretonhalumni www.facebook.com/loretonhpal

Visit the website for all other information.

Stay Connected ~

SHARE YOUR NEWS

— LinkedIn —

— Twitter —

WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/SCHOOL/ LORETO-NORMANHURST

WWW.TWITTER.COM/LORETONH

Follow Loreto Normanhurst on LinkedIn and connect with staff, students and alumni to keep up to date with news of our professional development and career success.

44 LORETO LIFE

•

Special Edition 2020

twitter.com/LoretoPrincipal twitter.com/LoretoDeputy twitter.com/LNExtraCurric twitter.com/LoretoPastoral twitter.com/LoretoLearning twitter.com/LoretoBoarding twitter.com/LoretoMission twitter.com/LoretonhSport

If you have any news you would like to share with the Loreto community please email news@loretonh.nsw. edu.au – we would love to hear from you. Please note, contributions are subject to consideration by the editorial team.

STAY IN CONTACT Please ensure you update your contact details with us so we can keep in contact. Please email development@loretonh.nsw.edu.au or call (02) 9473 7300 to update your details.

Maria Regina Angelorum

COMMUNITY

SATURDAY 7 MARCH 2020 – 11AM TO 3PM

Open Day is a wonderful opportunity to experience a day in the life of Loreto Normanhurst Enjoy tours of the school, presentations, classroom demonstrations, live music, cake and food stalls in the gardens, BBQ, animal farm, train rides, and much more!

Loreto Normanhurst | 91-93 Pennant Hills Road Normanhurst | 9487 3488 | www.loretonh.nsw.edu.au

Cruci Dum Spiro Fido

B A C K C O V E R F E AT U R E S P E A R L L A P E L P I N G I F T E D TO L O R E TO S T U D E N T S , S TA F F A N D S P E C I A L G U E S T S TO C O M M E M O R AT E T H E C O M M I S S I O N I N G O F M S M A R I N A U G O N OT T I