It has been another busy and rewarding fortnight at Carmel, with many opportunities for our students to demonstrate their talent, commitment and, most importantly, our Mercy values.

We would like to begin by saying a huge thank you to our Carmel community for the wonderful support of PJ Day. De Paul House was incredibly grateful for the generosity of our students and families. It was a beautiful example of Āwhinatanga (service), Manaakitanga (care) and generosity in action. Thank you to everyone who supported the day and helped make a difference.

We also congratulate all of the students who participated in our Music Showcase. It was fantastic to see their talent, preparation and commitment, as well as the courage it takes to perform in front of an audience. We are equally proud of the students representing Carmel at KBB this week. Performing and competing at this level requires dedication, preparation and courage, and our students have represented themselves and our school with great pride.

There is plenty happening as we move into the final weeks of the term. For our senior students, subject options for next year are due on Monday. This is an important decision, and students are encouraged to make use of the support available from their teachers, Deans and our Careers Advisor, Mrs Bruce. We want our students to understand their choices and select subjects that reflect their interests, strengths and future aspirations.

Next week is also Tongan Language Week, providing an opportunity for our whole school community to celebrate and appreciate Tongan language and culture. A reminder, too, that there is no school next Friday, so please add this to your family calendars.

We are also heading into the finals of the winter sports season. We wish all our teams the very best and thank our students, coaches, managers and supporters for the way they continue to represent Carmel.

This week, I spoke with our students about something that sits at the heart of who we are as a girls’ school.

Being part of a girls’ school gives our students a unique opportunity to grow into women who are confident, capable and courageous, but also women who know how to lift others up, support one another and make a positive difference in the lives of others.

There is a growing demand for places at Carmel, with our waiting list continuing to grow and more families seeking a place for their daughters each year. While there is no single piece of national research that explains the increased demand for Catholic education, there is a clear sense that families value what Catholic schools offer – our special character, faith, values and strong sense of community.

Academic achievement matters, but it sits alongside character, relationships, service and a genuine sense of belonging.

This is something we should be proud of – but it also brings responsibility. The community that people want to be part of is the community that we create every day.

At Carmel, we have an opportunity to model what healthy, supportive and inclusive relationships look like. There is no need to compete with one another in ways that diminish others, or to exclude someone because they are different or do not fit neatly within a particular friendship group. Another person’s success does not diminish our own. There is room for everyone to succeed.

Sometimes the most powerful acts are also the simplest: noticing someone who is standing alone and including them; congratulating someone on their success rather than comparing ourselves with them; choosing kindness when it would be easier to walk away; or simply saying, “Come and sit with us.”

These are the moments when our Mercy values become real.

Being part of a community means recognising that we have a responsibility for one another. We want our students to be strong enough to stand on their own, but also generous enough to make sure that others do not have to stand alone.

So, as we head into the next few busy weeks, I asked our students to reflect on one simple question:

What kind of person am I being for the people around me?

Am I someone who includes?
Am I someone who encourages?
Am I someone who celebrates others?
Am I someone who makes people feel that they belong?

Our community is in demand because of what Carmel stands for. As a school, we have a responsibility to ensure that what people value about Carmel is visible every day – in the way we live, the way we treat one another and the way we make people feel that they belong.

I would like to thank all of you in our wider Carmel community – our families and whānau, past students, former and current staff, volunteers, coaches and all those who give their time, expertise and generosity to support our students and our school. The strength of Carmel extends well beyond our school gates.

And while we are talking about supporting our students, a reminder to get behind the PTFA’s September Fundraising Calendar. This is the PTFA’s major fundraiser for the year, with 30 daily draws and more than $3,900 in prizes – plenty of chances to win while supporting our students. Funds raised will support PTFA scholarships and contribute towards the development of outdoor activity areas for our students.

Thank you for the encouragement, partnership and trust you continue to show. Together, you help make Carmel more than a school – you help make it a community where our young women can grow into women who are confident, capable and courageous, and who know how to lift others up, support one another and make a positive difference.