Towards 2025 – The Thread That Binds Us All

Traditionally held in the later stages of Term 3 each year, the Senior School Handover Assembly is a significant milestone for our Years 11 to 12 student leaders.

Each year, our School Co-Captains, along with the Student Executive, physically handover their leadership to the incoming captains for the subsequent year, with a physical memento symbolising the leadership role to be undertaken. For the future student leaders this serves as an important reminder of the responsibility being placed on them, and an acceptance of the commitment to their School and fellow peers.

This year, with the restrictions of COVID preventing a traditional handover, our reimagined Assembly connected our 2021 and 2022 Captains through the exchange of blue ribbons, recognising the symbolic role the blue ribbon plays in the life of every St Catherine’s girl – as the thread that binds us all.

As outlined in our Towards 2025 Strategic Plan, St Catherine’s Intent is to encourage and empower our young women to step forward, embrace every opportunity and use their voice.

Across our Junior and Senior Schools, girls are encouraged to develop a deep understanding of their personal capabilities and leadership potential through opportunities that challenge and inspire, including our Barbreck Ambassador Program in the Junior School, and our Years 9 to 10 Leadership Diploma, Student Executive, Student Representative Council and the newly created V.O.I.C.E.S program in the Senior School.

Voice, Ownership, Inclusion, Compassion, Empowerment and Strength creates the framework for our Use Your Voices, Girls’ Leadership Program, in recognition that often our actions speak louder than words, and not all acts of leadership require ‘speaking’ or an official title or specific captaincy role.

Leadership is a journey of personal growth and is different for each of our students. St Catherine’s Leadership Programs, along with our academic, Co-curricular, Year level and Wellbeing programs offer our emerging young women opportunities to continually develop key leadership attributes, and discover their personal aspirations.

Congratulations to our 2021 Student Executive for your leadership and guidance of the student body at St Catherine’s throughout another interrupted and challenging school year. I wish our 2022 incoming student leaders a year filled with opportunities.

Please enjoy our, reimagined Handover Assembly, provided below.

Mrs Gina Peele, Director for Student Programs