St Lucy’s at Santa Sabina College
St Lucy’s School recently celebrated our very first year at Santa Sabina College. Nestled in the St Dominic’s building, our classroom became a beautiful and symbolic home, reflecting the shared Dominican charism that unites both school communities.
We began the year with three students in Avon Class and joyfully welcomed several more over the course of the year, finishing with a thriving class of seven. From the very beginning, we were met with warmth, generosity, and a genuine spirit of inclusion from the Del Monte Primary School community and the wider Santa Sabina College community.
Our students integrated smoothly into play, learning and social opportunities across the school, with the opening of the newly reconstructed playground providing a joyful and welcoming space to share play and build a growing sense of belonging. This positive integration extended into the classroom, where Avon Class thoroughly enjoyed participating in specialist lessons with the Creative Arts and Digital Technology staff. The warmth and openness with which these teachers welcomed us made introducing our students to a mainstream learning environment especially rewarding. It was inspiring to see the skills our students developed under the guidance of such brilliant educators. A particularly proud moment came when one of our students was selected to have his work displayed in the IPSHA Virtual Art Show as a Kindergarten representative for Del Monte – a deeply affirming achievement for the student, his family and teachers alike.
Throughout the year, our students were afforded many opportunities to participate in a variety of whole-school events, including assemblies, Masses, Book Week, the Colour Fun Run, the Fra Angelico Festival and the Splash and Dash K–2 Swimming Carnival. Each offered meaningful opportunities for connection, shared celebration and joy as part of the wider College community.
Another standout highlight was our excursion to the Mount Annan Botanical Gardens with Kindergarten. The students enjoyed learning about Indigenous flora and their everyday uses and of course, in true Kindergarten style, the coach ride was a highlight! Smiles, laughter and squeals of delight filled the bus – such a joyous sound and a memory to treasure.
One of the most special moments of the year was seeing our students receive Dominican Awards alongside the Del Monte students in both Semester 1 and Semester 2. The pride shared by the College community during these assemblies was deeply heartwarming. Celebrating our students’ efforts and achievements together not only filled us with immense pride but also powerfully reinforced their sense of belonging within this beautiful community.
As we reflect on this inaugural year, we do so with deep gratitude. Guided by the St Lucy’s School Values of Truth, Joy, Courage and Community, it was a year of growth, belonging and shared celebration. It has been truly wonderful to witness our students grow in confidence and flourish in their new school environment. As our St Lucy’s community continues to grow, we look forward to many more years of learning, connection and joy at Santa Sabina College.