Over the break, our girls enjoyed several activities. On the first day of the school holidays, keen Meriden footballers descended on the Wanderers Fives Facility for the Meriden Foundation’s fundraising event held in partnership with the Western Sydney Wanderers Foundation. The day was a great success, with many fun activities for the girls to engage in that developed their football, teamwork and agility skills. Thank you to Mrs Rose Megale and the Foundation members for organising this event. An auction took place over lunch and the funds raised will be shared by both foundations.

I visited the Cadets Annual Promotion Camp held at the Trinity Field Studies Centre at Woollamia, near Nowra. Cadets in Years 9 – 11 undertook leadership training over three nights. I was impressed by the girls’ eagerness and commitment to learn and serve as they acquired new skills and developed relationships during the camp.

During the first week of the school holidays, students who are undertaking their Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award headed to the Hawkesbury River to complete their Adventurous Journey. Girls completed activities such as navigation, hiking, canoeing and camp craft.

The Madrigals, a vocal group for girls in Years 9 to 12, competed and won their division in the Sydney Eisteddfod. Furthermore, in the combined event, which brought together various choral divisions, the girls again sang with great skill and were victorious.

A group of Meriden athletes travelled to the Gold Coast in the last week of the holidays to compete in the Coast2Coast International Meet. Several girls achieved personal best performances and received medals in various events. Competing against student-athletes from the USA, Fiji, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea was a great experience for the girls.

Thank you to the staff who attended these activities during the school holidays.

Parents are encouraged to join one of Meriden’s community groups, such as the Parents and Friends’ Association, Junior School Auxiliary, Friends of Meriden Sport and the Meriden Foundation, as a way of supporting the School and strengthening the parent community. Further information about these groups can be found in the community section of the Meriden website. Alternatively, please email enquiries@meriden.nsw.edu.au for further information.

Term 3 sport commences this weekend, Saturday 22 July. Parents are encouraged to support their daughters as well as the opposition and officials on the sidelines at matches throughout the term.

As we commence a new term, I remind you to please label all items of school clothing, as well as bags, lunchboxes and drink bottles.

This term, we expect to commence our next building project – the development of our new DaCA building. This will impact the traffic flows around the School, and I ask for your continued patience and care when dropping off and picking up your daughter. Please drive slowly, follow the directions of Meriden staff and always be watchful of students, especially around the peak drop-off and pick-up times.