Loreto Normanhurst is set to mark the next exciting chapter in the school’s 30-Year Master Plan, with the commencement of construction on the new Loreto Normanhurst Boarding School from 1 July 2024.

The significant milestone will be celebrated by the entire Loreto Normanhurst community with an official ‘Turning of the Soil’ event to be held at the school on Monday, 24 June from 1:30pm. Taking on the honours of breaking ground for the Boarding School will be Loreto Normanhurst Principal, Ms Marina Ugonotti.

In attendance will be an array of members of the Loreto Normanhurst school community both past and present. This will include the school’s current 1,200 students comprised of 217 boarders.

Other attendees will include those behind the forward-thinking design of the Boarding School, AJ&C Architects, and those tasked with seeing it through to fruition, project management firm Carmichael Tompkins Property Group (CTPG) and construction company, Buildcorp.

The new purpose-built, four-level building will proudly elevate Loreto Normanhurst to be one of the best schools for boarders in the country. The forward-thinking design will meet the diverse needs of the contemporary boarding community and enrich the friendships, educational opportunities, and experiences available to students and all members of the school community.

Through carefully crafted spaces including collaborative learning hubs and inviting common areas, Loreto Normanhurst will mark the dawn of a new era in contemporary boarding, one that ignites creativity, encourages meaningful interactions and forges stronger lifelong friendships.

Speaking to the legacy and impact of the new Loreto Normanhurst Boarding School, Principal Ms Marina Ugonotti, said:

“Our Boarding School has long been aptly known as the ‘heart’ of the Loreto Normanhurst community. This new era of Loreto Normanhurst Boarding will continue to bring together girls from all walks of life including rural and Indigenous students into our heart, with access to the holistic education first envisaged by our foundress, Mary Ward.”

Students set to benefit from the new Loreto Normanhurst Boarding School in their senior studies include rural boarder Alexandra Haire (Year 8), and city boarder Mia Dranganoudis (Year 9).

Hailing from a family farm in Tambar Springs near Gunnedah in remote NSW, Year 8 boarder Alexandra (Alex) Haire is looking forward to a new home away from home. It is the sense of community and endless opportunities that make her boarding education so meaningful.

With family a little closer by in the eastern suburbs of Bondi, Year 9 boarder Mia Dranganoudis has also discovered her home away from home. Mia’s mum Kerry credits the boarding environment for cultivating a strong sense of community, diverse friendships and supportive lifelong connections. One of a growing number of Sydney-based parents exploring the option of flexible boarding education, Kerry said:

“Boarding has provided Mia with a transformative experience, fostering her independence and personal growth in numerous ways. Immersed in a community of peers, Mia has had the chance to explore and develop her sense of self, gaining greater self-awareness and confidence along the way.”

Loreto Normanhurst introduced a fully flexible boarding model in 2018, allowing families like the Dranganoudis’ to access the Loreto Normanhurst award-winning model of education and choose the boarding arrangement that best fits their needs.

The Loreto Normanhurst Boarding School is also expected to provide immense benefit to day students at the school, with the presence of boarding students long enhancing and enriching the educational environment for students.

"Even as a day student, boarding has had a profound impact on our daughter's education and growth into young adulthood. The boarding experience has enriched her learning, broadened her horizons, and fostered meaningful connections with peers from diverse backgrounds. As ex-country people and country at heart, it has been wonderful to see our daughter foster great friendships with boarders," said current day parents, Paul and Amanda Timmins.

In creating a unified campus with an inclusive atmosphere within new spaces, both day and boarding students stand to come together to learn, grow, and form the lifelong friendships so intrinsically associated with a Loreto Normanhurst education.

‘Turning of the Soil’ Event Details:

Date: Monday, 24th June 2024

Time: 1:15pm arrival for 1:30pm commencement of formalities

Photo Opportunities: Stakeholders on construction site, soil turning, pink chalk cannons

Address: Loreto Normanhurst, 91-93 Pennant Hills Rd, Normanhurst NSW 2076