Principal's Report

A new chapter begins for St Mary’s College.

Presentation 150

I had the great privilege last weekend of representing St Mary’s College at the celebratory mass in St Mary’s Church to recognise the 150-year anniversary of Presentation Sisters in Victoria. Sr Helen Carboon, Congregation Leader, reminded the gathering that it was from this very ground that Parish Priest, Father Corbett, wrote in 1873 to Reverend Mother in Limerick:

From the ends of the earth I write to you for help. An Educational Bill has recently been passed by our local Legislature, which is diametrically opposed to our interests, as it requires that no religious instruction be imparted, at any time, in our schools. I shall give my house, which is sufficiently commodious for even six sisters, and is as convenient to the church as your convent is to the chapel.


Over the next century, Catholic schools were able to survive due to the religious sisters and brothers who served as the teaching workforce. As we leave the Presentation Campus, it seems timely to stop and give thanks to those who have gone before and left us such a rich legacy.

A New Chapter

A new chapter begins for St Mary’s College when we return in Term 4 on the Edmund Rice Campus, and it is important to acknowledge that a lot of work has already gone into making sure we are ready. Thank you to our builders, Harris HMC, who have understood that we had a very tight timeline and have brought the McCartney Wing project in ahead of schedule. Thank you also to our Project Manager, Dom, and architect, Hilary. The team at St Mary’s: Business Manager, Tristan McGlade, Property Manager, Michael Essing, and Deputy Principal, Shaun Lancashire, have also worked tirelessly to try to make the transition as smooth as possible.

There will, inevitably, be a settling period as we get used to sharing the same space. As always, we will address each issue as it arises in a respectful and calm manner, knowing that the benefits of being a unified community far outweigh the challenges.

Term 4 Commencement
  • Monday 7th October – Student Free day (Staff Professional Learning)
  • Tuesday 8th October - Students recommence on Edmund Rice Campus. Orientation morning for Years 9-12.
Uniform Term 4

When we return for Term 4, we are in summer uniform. We seek your support in promoting the wearing of our uniform with pride by ensuring all items worn each day are in accordance with our uniform guidelines. Uniform is one area in which we can show support for our High Expectations priority, with confidence that this will flow through to other aspects of learning.

The Uniform Shop is open on Tuesday and Thursday from 8am to 4pm and the first Saturday of the month from 9am to 1pm. Details are available on the College website.

Darren Atkinson 
Principal

Deputy Principal

The end of Term 3 is upon us!

Dear St Mary’s College Families,

The end of Term 3 is upon us!

I would like to acknowledge the recent year 10 and 11 retreats, the staff involved in setting up and running these retreat days and our students who participated fully. When attending one of these days, our students come to a deeper appreciation for the religious, spiritual and faith dimension of our school. This is often a little seed within each student that needs to be nurtured, cared for, made explicit, and to be given the opportunity to flourish.

RUOK day was also held recently. This day is promoted by our student leadership groups as an opportunity to check in with a friend, or to perhaps have some contact with someone you normally wouldn’t. Asking another person “Are You OK” can be a difficult question to ask, and even more difficult to answer. By highlighting this day each year, we open the door to this type of language and conversation being normal – just a part of what we do – every day. Thanks to the student wellbeing team and student leaders that prepared yellow ribbons, and to the Food Technology team for baking cookies for the day.

Each semester I present on anti-bullying to each year level at their community meetings. The purpose of this presentation is to explicitly state what bullying is and how it can be addressed. It is an opportunity to highlight the many forms of bullying and the schools’ position of ‘no tolerance for bullying’. In this presentation I reference the fact that there are students in our school community that may go home today and tell their family a story about their day that constitutes one of the forms of bullying discussed. The first place for an issue of bullying to be referred to is the Year Level Pastoral Leader. From there, the pastoral network of the Pastoral Care Teacher, the Student Counsellor, the Director of Students and myself may become involved.

All the best to all Year 12 VCE students who will complete trial exams next week.

I wish all students, their families, and the wider St Mary’s College community a very safe and happy two weeks of holidays and look forward to seeing everyone again on Tuesday October 8.

Shaun Lancashire
Deputy Principal

Director of Students

St Mary’s College acknowledges R U OK Day.

On Thursday, 12th September St Mary’s College acknowledged R U OK Day.

What is R U OK DAY?

R U OK? is a national suicide prevention charity and registered public health promotion that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times.

How did we acknowledge?

Our Student Voice members from Y7 to 12 planned a range of activities to take place throughout the day, including:

  • Creating yellow ribbon blazer pins for each member of the community. These were handed out and worn by staff and students throughout the day.
  • During Pastoral Care, our teachers delivered a presentation discussing the importance of asking R U OK, and how to do this effectively.
  • Our Y11 catering students created R U OK Day biscuits that were handed out at recess. We encouraged students to take a biscuit and check-in with a mate.

To further support our students, and raise awareness of mental health support, Y11 student Thomas Lauder created a series of daily student notices. These outlined how to talk to friends if you are concerned and highlighted how and where to seek help with mental health.

Asking R U OK is not just one day each year, we actively encourage our students to check-in with friends or check-in with a trusted adult. Our Pastoral Care Team are available to assist College students and families with any concerns.

Jen Howard 
Director of Students

Plan, Prepare, Practice, Perspective, Play

It might help to remember that you’ve done an amazing job so far!

PLAN, PREPARE, PRACTICE, PERSPECTIVE, PLAY

The exam period can affect the whole family.

Many students are feeling stressed about the uncertainty of the upcoming exam period.

The purpose of this exam period is to allow the practice of skills such as how to revise, how to study, managing stress and the effective management of time.

The idea of trial exams is to expose students to exam conditions before they reach the final VCE exams.

The rationale is to increase students’ skills and confidence.

Exam time can impact on the family. Remember as parents to Look after yourself during this period too.

It might help to remember that you’ve done an amazing job so far!

Exams are stressful.

Tempers may get short; theirs and yours. Their bedrooms may be messy, they may answer back, be upset with you, their siblings, others and they may not seem themselves.

Try to support your child by talking to them and focus on what they can control – day to day routines, organization and planning. Remind them that before they Practise, they need to Plan, Prepare, keep their Perspective, then afterwards you can all Play.

PLAN:


  • Plan and create a study routine in discussion with your child. Include a “work, study, sleep, social” balance.
  • Monitoring how late they are staying up to study and discuss the benefits of getting 8-9 hours of sleep a night. Encouraging a regular sleep routine is especially important as it will enable rest, recuperation, and allow your child to be in the best frame of mind to take on the challenges of exams.
  • Encourage and plan time to exercise. Natural endorphins will lift mood and the break away from the books will rejuvenate the brain.
  • Plan a study routine with breaks from study. Your child needs a healthy balance of study and down time.
  • Plan for alternatives. Have a plan B.

PREPARE:


  • Preparing healthy & regular snacks will ensure they are fueling their bodies.
  • Balance social connectedness with study. Studying with a friend can be helpful.
  • Reduce casual work hours over the exam period to free up time to prepare for exams.
  • Households can be very busy but try to have a quieter home in the lead up and during the exams.
  • Prepare and set up a study space. As part of this, put you phone on silent mode and put it out of reach.
  • Some students like realistic boundaries to be set for them as self-directed study can be too flexible. Discuss and prepare these together.

PRACTICE:


  • Subject teachers are an excellent resource for the content that needs to be practiced and the way in which the content will be tested
  • If the exam is essay style, use a prepared essay plan to practice and set a time limit consistent with the exam timing.
  • Old test papers or flashcards are an excellent aid for testing your memory. You can create your own flashcard set using an app like Quizlet or BrainScape. Once you feel you have a grasp on a topic, try teaching it to someone else or asking your family members to quiz you. This is a very effective way to figure out the content you’re confident with and where you need more revision.

PERSPECTIVE:


  • Encourage them to limit worrying about the “what if’s” outside their control
  • Try to help prevent your child from thinking too far into the future.
  • Discourage conversations that focus on ‘What if I fail?’ or ‘What if my mark isn’t good enough?
  • Use positive self-talk: e.g., “I can do this”, “I will get through it”
  • Talk about effort, realistic expectations, and alternatives.
  • Tell your child it’s OK to feel disappointed. Create new goals and pathways.

PLAY:


  • Celebrate effort NOT just outcomes.
  • Make time for PLAY

For more information about managing study stress, tips & advice, visit: https://headspace.org.au/young-people/how-to-reduce-stress-and-prepare-for-exams/ 


Trish Macguire

Director of Identity, People and Culture

Year 10 and 11 students have experienced their annual retreat!

In recent weeks Year 10 and 11 students have experienced their annual retreat.

Year 10 students split into two groups. One group visited the Islamic Museum in Thornbury while the other group went to mass in our parish church with Fr Jerome.

In the afternoon the process reversed with a group at the Museum and the other students at St Franics in the city.

The Year 10 students at St Francis spent time in private reflection and many took the opportunity to light candles for deceased family members and other prayer intentions. A tour of the Catholic bookshop was the other element of the program.

The Year 11 students travelled by bus to the Lerdergerg River and spent time walking, participating in whole group activities, private reflection time along the river and sharing lunch in small groups. Before walking back to the bus students prayed the Magnificant and spent time considering how this ancient prayer can be part of their lives.

Year 9 students completed the Lego set of the Lighthouse. Working in small teams over many weeks the project was finalised this week. Jack Muir took a leading role in organising the building. The Year 9 program has the Gospel of John at its heart. The light of the world is symbolized by the lighthouse.

In economic theory a lighthouse is called a public access good. This means the user pays principle cannot apply. We have the lighthouse, paid for by all for the common good. It is an interesting example of economics and Catholic Social teaching intersecting.

Year 9 students recently visited the State Library to enhance their research skills. The library has an excellent self-guided tour. Our students, supported by our staff, spent the afternoon enjoying all that this cultural institution has to offer.

The food cooked for Reach Out Inner West was delivered to the community organisation this week. Non-perishable food items were also delivered. This Catholic social action project was well supported by students and staff.

Paul Quinn

Director of Identity, People and Culture

RoboCup Challenge

An unforgettable experience.

On Saturday, 14th September, two teams proudly represented St Mary’s College at the National RoboCup Challenge. This annual event brings together hundreds of students from across both regional and local schools to showcase their innovation, programming skills, and teamwork through robotics. Held at Genezzano College, it was an exciting day where our students entered the Maze competition, dedicating their lunchtimes to designing, building, and programming a robot capable of navigating a maze and rescuing victims in a simulated disaster area.

The challenge consisted of six rounds, each more difficult than the last. Our teams worked with determination, collaborating before every round to ensure their code was spot-on. While we didn’t take home a trophy this time, one of our teams placed 6th—a fantastic achievement, especially since they only began their journey five weeks ago.

Beyond the competition, our students gained invaluable skills in sportsmanship, teamwork, and problem-solving. The pride they showed in representing St Mary’s was truly inspiring. I have no doubt that this unforgettable experience will fuel their passion for robotics and programming. I look forward to having more teams participate again next year, and I hope to see even more students join us on this exciting journey! Who knows? Maybe next year we’ll bring home the silver!

If you’re a student who’s curious about robotics, now’s the perfect time to get involved. Join us every Tuesday lunchtime as we prepare for next year’s RoboCup and be part of a team that will represent the school.

Levi who was instrumental in the coding of one of the teams robot has provided a brief summary of his experience below:

"Recently me and a few other students participated in an event called the RoboCup. In our group, we built and coded robots to compete in a competition that concluded at an event on Saturday 14th . Our robots were placed in a maze where we had to detect and count green and red squares while navigating the maze and avoiding the blacked-out areas. This went on for about 6 rounds. There was a lot of minor and major fixes we had to do in between rounds to the code and to the robot itself, but we still managed to do relatively well. Unfortunately, we did not win or make it to the final 4 but it was still one of the most enjoyable school events I’ve taken part in. I’d like to say I and everyone else that participated learned a lot."

Sylvia Pastore
Teacher

Careers & Pathways

Congratulations to our VET students!

Careers & Pathways

Congratulations to Tara Cotter who will soon graduate with her VET Certificate III in Hospitality from William Angliss Institute!

Ms Pastore, her Pastoral Teacher, and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner last week, cooked and served by VET students under the watchful eyes of their trainers. This real world experience is invaluable for students and Tara has certainly gained the skills needed to work in the Hospitality industry.

It was wonderful to see Tara so confident and skilled in her food and beverage service and working competently in the team environment. You could easily believe she was running her own restaurant. 

Other students who will shortly graduate with nationally recognised VET Certificates are:

  • Geremy Baxas (Dance)
  • Li Baxter (Furniture Making)
  • Taine Bolger (Construction Pathways)
  • Harry Charlesworth (Automotive)
  • Charlotte Davis (Events)
  • Sophia Dinnadge (Interior Design Retail Services)
  • Ava Evans (Beauty Services)
  • Grace Kingston (Allied Health)
  • Daniel Kizek (Automotive)
  • Cooper Logan (Building and Construction)
  • Max Martin (Equine Studies)
  • Joel Sheridan (Building and Construction)
  • These students have shown great commitment over two years to gaining these qualifications!

If you have missed out, expressions of interest for Round 2 VET subjects will open again next term. Details are in the Senior Pathways Handbook on Simon/PAM.

Mandy Ellwood
Careers Counsellor

Year 9 Stem/Mathematics

Building the tallest tower using engineering, creativity and teamwork!

Year 9 Stem/Mathematics

In groups students were given the task to build the tallest tower using engineering, creativity and teamwork.

The materials allowed were 3 sheets of paper and one metre of sticky tape as well as jubes and toothpicks.

It was great to see all students enjoying a competitive situation and relishing the chance to prove superiority over others.

Eddie Cavolo
Teacher

Association Sport

Congratulations to the Year 8 Table tennis team!

Congratulations to the Year 8 Table tennis team on winning their Grand final.
The team was very successful going through the season undefeated and winning all seven rounds. All players made positive contributions at various stages throughout the season.
The grand final was played at MSAC and the result was St. Mary’s defeated St. Bernard`s 11 games to 4.
Eight of our 10 singles players won their matches, and three of our five doubles pairs also won their matches.
Well done to all squad members on this well-deserved victory.

Sal Lima
Coach

Year 12 Fees Reminder

As we approach the final term of the school year.

Year 12 Fees Reminder

As we approach the final term of the school year, we kindly remind all Year 12 families that accounts must be settled in full by the end of the first week of Term 4, Friday, 11 October 2024. This ensures a smooth transition for our graduating students as they conclude their journey at St Mary's College.

If you have already arranged an approved payment plan, please ensure that your payments are up to date. For those who may be unsure of their account status, we encourage you to reach out to our Accounts team for assistance at fees@stmaryscollege.vic.edu.au. Our staff are happy to answer any questions and provide guidance if needed.

We greatly appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and thank you for your continued support throughout the year. Your cooperation helps us maintain the high standards of education and resources we provide to all our students.

Thank you once again for being part of the St Mary’s College community, and we wish all our Year 12 students every success as they enter this final stage of their school journey.

Tristan McGlade
College Business Manager

Parents and Friends Final Fundraiser - Volunteers Needed

Volunteers Needed - Sunday 27 October 2024

Volunteer Opportunity for Bunnings Sausage Sizzle – Sunday, 27 October 2024

The Parents and Friends (P&F) association is excited to announce our upcoming Bunnings Community Sausage Sizzle on Sunday, 27 October 2024. This event is an excellent opportunity to raise funds for the College while fostering a sense of community spirit.

We are seeking volunteers to assist with various tasks, including setting up, grilling sausages, serving customers, and packing up. It’s a fun and rewarding way to get involved and meet other parents while contributing to the College.

If you’re available to lend a hand, we would greatly appreciate your support. To register as a volunteer, simply visit the following link: Volunteer Registration.


UNABLE TO HELP ON THE DAY BUT WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE?

We are looking for donations of 

  • Sausages
  • Bread
  • Cans of Soft Drink

If you would like to donate, please email David Formosa at dformosa@stmaryscollege.vic.edu.au

Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to seeing you there!

David Formosa
Director of Development

Fortnight in photos

Our School in Images

2024 Lumina Edition 14 - 20 Sep 2024

Director of Students

St Mary’s College acknowledges R U OK Day.

Jen Howard

Director of Students

3808

On Thursday, 12th September St Mary’s College acknowledged R U OK Day.

What is R U OK DAY?

R U OK? is a national suicide prevention charity and registered public health promotion that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times.

How did we acknowledge?

Our Student Voice members from Y7 to 12 planned a range of activities to take place throughout the day, including:

  • Creating yellow ribbon blazer pins for each member of the community. These were handed out and worn by staff and students throughout the day.
  • During Pastoral Care, our teachers delivered a presentation discussing the importance of asking R U OK, and how to do this effectively.
  • Our Y11 catering students created R U OK Day biscuits that were handed out at recess. We encouraged students to take a biscuit and check-in with a mate.

To further support our students, and raise awareness of mental health support, Y11 student Thomas Lauder created a series of daily student notices. These outlined how to talk to friends if you are concerned and highlighted how and where to seek help with mental health.

Asking R U OK is not just one day each year, we actively encourage our students to check-in with friends or check-in with a trusted adult. Our Pastoral Care Team are available to assist College students and families with any concerns.

Jen Howard 
Director of Students

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