Career Women’s Network

Mentors and role models

The launch of Santa Sabina’s Career Women’s Network in May brought together hundreds of distinguished alumni, parents, senior students and local dignitaries over breakfast in the College Hall. The Career Women’s Network seeks to create one-on-one partnerships between senior students and successful women and men, ex-students as well as parents and friends of the College – a mentorship program on steroids!

The program aims to prepare each student for the world beyond the classroom, equipping her with the skills, strength and resilience to be financially independent, engage in healthy and respectful relationships, lead a fulfilling and purposeful life, balance competing demands, prioritise mental and physical health and find space for calm and contemplation.

The launch was exciting, not least because the then-Premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian, appeared via video link, but also because our in-person Guest Speaker was Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Cathy Foley AO, an ex-student who gave generously of her time to share her life hacks for success in life in all levels – not just in terms of career.

What better way to instil in our graduates a commitment to excellence, confidence to lead with courage and to act with justice and compassion to make the world a better place.

WHO OUR SPEAKERS WERE

DR CATHY FOLEY AO –

Australia’s Chief Scientist

GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN –

Then-Premier of NSW

PAULINA SKERMAN

–

College Principal

Above and left: The students and the College community members enjoyed formal presentations and informal discussions over breakfast.

Above: Gioia House student leaders with their symbols of office Below: Action Girls – recipients of Gioia House Certificates Right: Alannah Quinn, Gioia House Captain.

Action Girls and Student Leaders in Gioia House

The girls of Years 5 and 6 have fully embraced Gioia House on the secondary campus where they are front and centre in their very own attractive and intellectually stimulating learning spaces within the Martin de Porres Centre.

A signature feature for the Gioia House girls is our unique Action Girl framework which helps the students learn about building positive, respectful relationships, age appropriate social and emotional skills and an understanding of ethical principles and behaviours that can be taken beyond the classroom.

Guided by their teachers to become people of action, for themselves and for others, they have strengthened their sense of community and belonging. The framework embraces pastoral care, a buddies program and mentoring by Year 10 students who support and encourage the Gioia girls to achieve their personal goals and develop their interests and passions.

Alongside the pastoral care of the Action Girl framework is Rock and Water – an evidence-based, internationally renowned program that uses physical activities to develop mental and social skills. The program aims to help students to connect their bodies, minds and hearts to develop the self-control, self-reflection and self-confidence they need to be active members of the school community and wider society. Through engaging in physical activities and games, Gioia House girls learn how and when to be a resilient, strong, unmovable rock and when to adopt communicative, flexible water attitudes.

Students in Gioia House follow the mandatory courses of the NSW Curriculum and have the additional advantages of classes in Religious Education, Languages, Philosophy, Interdisciplinary Units, Pastoral Care and Community. Philosophy lessons unique to Santa Sabina foster the development of thoughts and a sense of wonder through respectful discussions, helping students develop critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinking skills.

Guided by their teachers to become people of action, for themselves and for others