Leading and Learning with Edmund as Our Guide
I am delighted to formally announce the following College Student Leader roles for 2026. Liam Middleton has been named College Captain with Tom Eccleston and Baxter Thompson as our College Vice-Captains. I warmly congratulate these students and wish them well for this responsibility. I also congratulate all of the students who were short listed in this process and acquitted themselves so well. We are indeed blessed by the calibre of young people within our community, and I look forward to the announcement of House Leaders for 2026 and the leadership of the entire cohort. In the meantime, we remain in the capable hands of our 2025 Seniors who are doing a most commendable job across all domains of College life.
Catholic Education Week
We join 250 schools throughout Queensland this week in celebrating Catholic Education Week and the theme of Communities of Faith, Hope and Love. A very special part of the week is our representation at a Mass on Thursday at St Stephen’s Cathedral which is celebrating 150 years of Christian Brothers ministry in Queensland. Of course, this is also a celebration of 150 years of service, learning and leadership though the spirit and initiative of our Patron, Brother Patrick Ambrose Treacy, who brought Catholic Education in the Edmund Rice tradition to Brisbane in 1875.
Throughout these 150 years, the Christian Brothers established and led schools in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Warwick, Dalby, Yeppoon, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Maryborough, Gympie, Mt Isa, Mackay, Abergowrie and Townsville and pioneered Flexi schooling in response to young people in significant need.
All our schools stand on the shoulders of family and community contributions, sacrifices, generosity and relationships. We are indeed blessed as communities of faith, hope and love. Ambrose Treacy College is no different.
This week, while celebrating 150 years, we also acknowledge the pain and struggle caused by the wrong doings of some individuals in our history. In turn, we also remember and celebrate the many good people; Christian Brothers, lay staff, parents and families on whose shoulders we stand and give thanks for the young people of our 87 years of Catholic education on the site of Nudgee Junior and Ambrose Treacy College.
Academic Assemblies
We look forward to our Academic Assemblies this week which celebrate our student aspirations and achievements in pursuing personal excellence during Semester One from Years 4 to 12.
I congratulate all students on their achievements and acknowledge the vital role the partnership between home and school plays in this. Well done and congratulations to our teaching staff in supporting our students to grow and improve. Thank you to all parents and caregivers for your engagement with last week’s Parent/Teacher/Student conferences. I trust that a wealth of insight and advice was shared.
Mission Possible – Sleep Rough Challenge
I encourage all our students to take part in the Mission Possible Challenge — an opportunity to experience one night of “sleeping rough” in solidarity with those who do not have a warm bed or a safe place to call home. This challenge helps raise awareness and empathy for people experiencing homelessness, while supporting our mission to make a difference. It runs from Tuesday 22 July to Tuesday 19 August. Registration Link is here and as always, further details are on the ATC App.
Staff News
Congratulations to Ms Natalie Stanley of our Hospitality team who has been appointed to the middle leadership position of Head of VET, which includes the role of RTO Manager. We wish Nat all the very best for this experience. Today, we welcomed Ms Karen Bate, Ms Louise Pope and Mr David Tobin back to the College with Karen and Louise job sharing a Hospitality teaching role, and David returning to the Maths team. We wish them all the very best.
Community Prayers
Lord, we pray for those in our community who are suffering. Be with them in this time of hardship and uncertainty. Give comfort and peace to those who have lost loved ones. May their sorrow be turned into strength, and their distress turned into peace. May our hearts remain loving and pure as we seek too always be compassionate to those around us.
With faith, hope and love, and Jesus in our hearts.
Chris Ryan
