Dear Parents, Teachers and Students,
My apologies for holding up the newsletter from Friday. It is entirely my fault, and I will ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Pride at St Mary’s
Thank you to the Year 12 student leaders who arranged some important information sharing about Pride being a focus of inclusion, respect and welcome of difference.
Since my arrival at St Mary’s, I have been impressed by the sense of agency the student leaders have brought to their roles. The students gave a sensitive, dignified and clear message to the school that the first step in being safe is to feel welcomed. The response from the school has been overwhelmingly positive. It is a fine thing when teachers advance at the principal to tell them that they were inspired by the student leader’s initiative.
Congratulations to Audrey, Raj, Spencer, Luc, Ruby, Mitch and Thomas Lauder in Year 10.
Welcome to Tristan McGlade - College Business Manager from term 4 2023
I had the pleasure of a working breakfast on Saturday morning with Tristan who successfully applied for the important role of Business Manager at St Mary’s College. Tristan is a young man with an impressive career in the reinvigoration of businesses and companies. His recognition of schools as places of community, learning, opportunity and excellence was reassuring to me and will be a great asset into the future.
St Mary’s will be meeting the challenges of strategic financial planning, Commonwealth and Victorian Government Grants, extensive refurbishment of teaching facilities and human resource management. Tristan's experience, manner and vision will be a source of confidence for St Mary’s into the future.
I would like to thank the acting College Business Manager, Deanne Telford for her extensive work this year. Under resourced as she has been, she has managed the post Covid finances of the College with loyalty, discipline and flair. The College owes Deanne considerable gratitude.
Constitutional Recognition and Voice to Parliament Referendum, October 14, 2023
All students are encouraged to fully engage in the debate around this referendum. I am aware that many in our community have firm, evolved ideas and positions on the Voice. They should be heard with respect and consideration. Others have a more disturbing agenda that needs to be called out and challenged. Free and fair debate need not be abusive and divisive.
Few Australians can be anything but deeply disturbed about the statistics that put first Australians so far behind the rest of us with infant mortality rates, life expectancy, incarceration, school retention rates and substance abuse being but a few. Jingles, slogans and celebrities aside, giving agency for people to influence their own lives seems obvious to many of us.
I think the referendum will turn on how convinced Australians are that recognition and voice will help to close these gaps. Full engagement in the process is the obligation of all citizens in a democracy.
Yours Sincerely in St Mary’s College,
Michael Lee OAM.
