Gryphon Times (13/02/26)
principals message
Welcome back to Term 1. Much of the first few weeks has focused on building community at Downlands. This has involved spending time welcoming new staff, students and families and ensuring all felt the family nature of a Downlands education. Sharing a meal with our new boarding students and families was a major highlight of the new year.
Celebrating academic successes with our Year 12 cohort of 2025 was a wonderful evening. It was fantastic to hear of students’ pathways and plans for the future. Congratulations to William Murtagh as Dux of the College (Father George Butler MSC Prize) and Myles Farrington as Runner-Up to the Dux (Kevin Hanley Prize).
Our focus on community has continued for parents with engagement nights at the College and through the P&F who have held connection evenings off-site. Daily the relaunch of My Downlands has focussed on providing a clearer and more informative communication experience for parents, this will continue to be refined through feedback and user experience.
Week 2 saw three wonderful community events. The Secondary Swimming Carnival, the Junior Swimming Carnival and the Opening Eucharist which incorporated the missioning of the College’s new Chaplain, Father Chung, and the leadership induction and commissioning for Year 12 leaders and students. These three events clearly showed the spirit, family and leadership of students and staff. Father Chung captured how students approached these events perfectly in his homily.
“By the end of his journey, the boy realized that to become successful does not mean to gain something important, but to become a loving person.
You come to Downlands searching for knowledge. You come hoping for success. You come wanting to build a good future. Education is a not only a gift, it is also about forming your heart, which should be filled with love.”
