Principal's Reflection - 14 November

Farewell to the Class of 2025!

Statewide, Year 12 external examinations continue on Monday and Tuesday, next week. However, St Luke’s have no students enrolled in the subjects scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, and so today marks the end of the Year 12 examination period for St Luke’s. All that is left to do is appropriately recognise and celebrate our Year 12 students as they conclude their time at St Luke’s and head off to their next adventures. This time is always a mix of emotions for Year 12 students—the excitement of graduating and celebrating a 13-year journey, the sadness of leaving behind a place and people who have meant so much, and perhaps wonder or fear about what comes next. For a teacher, it is a curious time. Some of our Year 12 students feel like they have already outgrown St Luke’s, and from early in their Senior years, they have been looking forward to today with great joy. Some are not ready to leave and are anxious and worried about what comes next. Most of our students are somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. Of course, none of our students will lose the support of their families, friends, and loved ones, but one layer of support—the one the School provides—will greatly diminish after the end of next week. Our aim at St Luke’s is to help students establish a platform, academically, socially, and spiritually, that will enable them to live a life of their choosing —one that brings them great satisfaction and joy. It is my great hope that the School has been able to do this for our graduating Year 12 students. 

I very much encourage members of our community to be a part of the celebration where they can. For those interested, there are two public opportunities. On Wednesday 19 November, Year 12 students will gather in Buss Park in all their finery from 4.00 pm for photos ahead of the Formal Worship service in Christ Church. You can also catch their arrivals at Brothers Sports Club from 5.45 pm to 6.30 pm.

Homestay Families Wanted

St Luke’s families are likely aware of the inbound study tours that St Luke’s makes available to international students. The students who travel to St Luke’s experience tremendous benefits from their international experience, but our students benefit greatly as well. Our students are able to experience different cultures, expand their worldview, make connections across the globe, and sometimes, by participating in one of our international cultural tours, visit our international guests in their own schools. The School would like to continue growing this program, though we have recently had to turn down some requests due to our inability to accommodate students while in Bundaberg. As such, we are seeking more homestay families for both the 12-day study tours and the 10-week immersion experiences we offer. 

My family regularly hosts students from our international partner schools, and it is a very rewarding experience for our children. Our family stays in contact with each of the students we have hosted, and it is a delight to hear their stories as they finish school in their home countries and head off to university and work. I can absolutely recommend being a homestay family. If it is something you would like to consider, please reach out to our Registrar, Caroline Warnock. Beyond the generous weekly payment, there are many wonderful memories to be made.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our School.

Mr Matthew Hughes

Principal

Date Claimers

Back to School Boost

As part of the 2025-26 State Budget, The Queensland Government announced the introduction of the Back to School Boost initiative. The purpose of the initiative is to provide direct financial support to families with primary school students, reducing school-related costs and ensuring equitable access to

education for all students. Students eligible for inclusion in the February State Census will receive the $100 Boost allocation. This funding will be credited to your fee account once the school receives the government funding. Please note that the full allocation is dependent on the final census data reconciliation, which is scheduled for June 2026.