Dear Parents and Carers

I hope you are all well. I have recently returned from my Principal Pilgrimage to Rome, Loreto and Assisi and will share the profound exprience with you in the next newsletter. For now, we would like to pay tribute to Ebony, our much loved OT, colleague and friend.

In Loving Memory of Ebony Mitchell: A Light to Our Children, Our Staff and Our Families

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our cherished OT, colleague and friend, Ebony Mitchell, on Saturday 18 October. At just 26 years old, Ebony had already left an extraordinary legacy as an Occupational Therapist.

In her professional life, Ebony brought unwavering skill and a gentle heart to the most vulnerable children in our care, championing their potential and making a tangible, positive difference in countless young lives.

Beyond her vital work, Ebony was the close personal friend and confidante of so many across our learning community and was a part of the Our Lady Star of the Sea family. She was a bright spirit, a source of ready laughter and a true pillar of our student and staff community. A beautiful person so tragically taken. We feel so blessed to have witnessed Ebony’s kindness, compassion and graciousness and will carry this with us. We grieve not only the loss of an exceptional colleague and friend but the absence of a beloved member of our work family. 

Our deepest condolences, thoughts, and support go out to Ebony’s parents Shaun and Kylie, her partner Jaryd, sister Chloe, brother Joshua and all her family and friends who mourn this immense loss. Ebony will be deeply missed and eternally remembered.

May perpetual light shine upon Ebony and may she Rest in Peace.

Arts Trail 2025: 

A huge thankyou to Rachael Thomas for such an amazing event. Her organisation, passion, vision and creativity are so greatly appreciated. Congratulations to all the students for their "masterpieces"- truly incredible all their talent. Many thanks also to LSO staff and teaching staff who supported Rachael further in this leadership space and all staff for shining the light so brilliantly on Art and Creativity in our learning community. For the beautiful music and singing from our very own Bella Scaffidi, Luke Giblin and other musicians we say thank you. Many thanks also to PFA representation of Belinda Kerr, Heidi McKerracher, Richard Kerr, Tim McKerracher, Saoirse Mc Kerracher  and others on the BBQ roster and from the PFA.  A true celebration of the Arts and Community.

Mission Fete:

In the next couple of weeks, Friday 7 November, our community is coming together to celebrate the annual Mission Fete, a vibrant event deeply rooted in our faith commitment to serving others. As people of faith, we are called to act, bringing hope to times of darkness both in our own lives and in the lives of those we may never know. This year, our students are specifically focusing on the sacred principle of Human Dignity—the belief that every single person is made in God’s image and every life is sacred. The Fete is a joyful, tangible expression of our focus on Human Dignity, transforming our community's generosity into life-affirming support—like school fees and medical aid—for our partners in Bulbula, Ethiopia. We thank you in advance for supporting the preparation for the upcoming Fete and keeping an eye on the newsletter and hub news specifically for what is required.

Wishing you all a peaceful and gentle fortnight ahead.

Kerryn