From the Chair

By Mrs Vicki Williams, Chair of the Board

Last week, I celebrated with the rest of the community when I heard one of our rowers, Isobel Egan, crossed the finish line on Lake Barrington to claim her third gold medal for Radford. This made me reflect on the success of the past term and the metaphorical gold medals we’ve achieved along the way.

We started this year with a new Principal, Christopher Bradbury. In a few short weeks, he has become an integral part of the College community and his presence and strong leadership are evident in the many spheres of the College.

I had the privilege to play a part in his Commissioning Service in February, in which he was presented to The Right Reverend Dr Mark Short, Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn, as the new Principal of Radford College. This unique occasion was attended by all staff and students, as well as invited guests, and left a lasting impression on all in attendance.

There were many more opportunities to come together as a community this term. There was the Welcome Back Event and the Evening with the Principal – both hosted by the Radford Parents and Friends Association. Major sporting events, which included the basketball finals, where no fewer than 14 Radford teams competed, the athletics carnivals and swimming carnivals, to name but a few.

The College grounds have also been a hive of activity, with the next stage of the Oval Enhancement Project well underway. Developments include a new Foundation Avenue that is scheduled for completion in August. This tree-lined walkway from the College Street kiss-and-drop will provide access to the Collegians Centre and ovals and provide another safe way for our students and staff to enter and leave the College grounds. This will also complete the landscape works facing College Street and Haydon Drive.

The Board is working closely with the Radford Foundation on planting 53 trees that will be lining this walkway. Families have the opportunity to purchase one of these trees and thereby leave a lasting legacy at the College. More information on this can be found in this week’s Bulletin.

Information on the uniform refresh was shared with the community this week, with the implementation of the new uniform to begin in January 2027. I would like to thank every person who took the time to provide their feedback on the uniform. It was truly a joint effort.

Thank you to every person for being involved with life at Radford – from teaching at the front of the class to cheering on children from the sidelines. To reiterate what our Principal said in his first Bulletin article: "This is more than just a school, it’s a community."

I wish you a safe and relaxing term break and hope to see many of you at our Foundation concert next week and at the many events we have planned for next term.