From the Principal

Mosaic Evening – this evening!

Mosaic is an excellent annual community celebration for our College. All members of our school community are encouraged to attend this wonderful event this evening at Costa Hall, Deakin Waterfront Campus. The Student Art and Technology display commences at 6.00pm in the Costa Hall foyer followed by the celebration evening that begins at 7.00pm in the main auditorium.

I look forward to joining with students, families and friends of the College to celebrate the school year. As was the case in previous years no tickets are required to attend, all you will need to do is turn up at Costa Hall, and you will be ushered to a seat. There is no cost to attend, and you are most welcome to invite Grandparents, other family members, and family friends.

Thank you to our hard-working staff for organising and running this evening – most staff members play some part in supporting this community celebration. In particular, I thank Mrs Claire Hewitt for coordinating Mosaic.

Student Leadership

One of our mantras is “Saint Ignatius. Inspiring me to be a leader.” This mantra is based on the belief that all of our students can be leaders and as educators and parents our ultimate goal is to prepare our students for future success in life so they can be positive and constructive influencers who make a difference for the better. At an Ignatian school, our model of leadership is the ‘servant leader.’

We are about developing well-rounded students with well-developed competencies, with a well-formed conscience to guide them. We expect that they will unleash their potential to influence others for a better world – women and men for others prepared to love and serve (‘Amare et Servire’) for the ‘Greater Glory of God (AMDG.)’

The theme of our recent full school assembly was Student Leadership and provided the opportunity for the investiture of our Senior Student Leaders for 2019. The assembly was organised by Mr Anthony Gravener (Student Leadership Development Coordinator) and Mr Michael Timms (Deputy Principal, Student Wellbeing.) We were fortunate that a former College Captain, Ms Georgia Cowdery, could give the address to students about her leadership experience. Following her tertiary studies in Law, Politics, Indonesian and Counter-Terrorism, Ms Cowdery works in the Attorney General’s Department in Melbourne.

This year we have continued to grow our Student Leadership Development Program. Part of this development was witnessed at the Investiture ceremony where our first student and staff leaders were commissioned to the position of FIRE Carriers - Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education. This was an example of our commitment to and the importance the College places on Reconciliation. We were delighted that Ms Sherry Balcombe from Aboriginal Catholic Ministry could be present to speak to the assembly about Reconciliation and to commission our first FIRE Carriers.

Following the assembly, the Year 11 VCAL students conducted a special event - the “Mixed Abilities Colour Run” on the College oval. As part of the day, Kelly Cartwright (World Champion/Paralympic Gold and Silver medalist) also spoke at the assembly about her inspiring story that encouraged them to be the best version of themselves, no excuses. The Colour run was a disability-themed challenge, and we were delighted with the support provided to the VCAL by the large participation of students and staff in this undertaking. Well done to the VCAL students and their teachers!

Congratulations to the student leaders for 2019:

College Captains:

College Captains: Madeleine Crothers and Samuel Salisbury

College Vice-Captains: Heidi Bakker and William Palmer

Portfolio Captains

Academic Captain: Ruby Mangelsdorf

Arts Captain: Jack Woodfine

Environment Captain: Elyssa Winter

Justice Captain: Isabella Harry

Liturgy Captain: Isabel Kincaid

Sports Captain: Bianca O’Brien

Wellbeing Captain: Nikita Page

Arrupe Leaders

Sarah Bensted, Chloe Broadhurst, Lucy Carpenter, Kiera Galan, Emily Gordon, Noah Gullan, Eva Hay, Montana Holdsworth, Jamie Law, Ruby Moreland, Sean Neylan, Siara O’Brien, Erin Skene, Eleanor Small, Milly Stannard, Tilda Sturman, Abigail Valentine-Rawlins and Jessie Williams.

FIRE Carriers

Johanna Collins, Lachlan Fitzpatrick and Abigail Valentine-Rawlins.

House Captains

Bradman Captains: India Hart and Justin Finley

Bradman Vice Captains: Jess Breckon and Luke Lawson

Cuthbert Captains: Tahlia Rawson and Riley Coghlan

Cuthbert Vice Captains: Zoe Murrells and Matthew McFarlane

Elliott Captains: Olivia Occhipinti and Cody Beckley

Elliott Vice Captains: Ava Harvey and Nicolas Nadile

Fraser Captains: Montana Holdsworth and Logan Hockley

Fraser Vice Captains: Maeve Dungey and Harrison Middleton

SRC members

Year 7 SRC Representatives: TBA (in 2019)

Year 8 SRC Representatives: Bridget Keating and Ross DeLange

Year 9 SRC Representatives: Audrey Hughan and Joshua Abbott

Year 10 SRC Representatives: Florence Noble and Jonah Spilsbury

Year 11 SRC Representatives: Caitlin Harris and William Bothe

Year 12 SRC Representatives: Emily Jones and Tex Hallam

Unit 3 Orientation Program

Thank you to Ms Anna Oliver (VCE Coordinator), the Learning Area Leaders and the Senior School team of teachers for providing a valuable Orientation Program, “Kickstart,” this week and next week to prepare the Year 11 students for next year. It is essential that these students use the holiday period to prepare for the undertaking of their Unit 3 subjects. Teachers will have given guidelines and provided preparatory work, and the students have a responsibility to take advantage of this and not turn up next year finding themselves behind the rest of the class.

Can I please encourage parents to support this expectation? I expect that our senior students give their academic program the priority it deserves and other undertakings will need to fit in around their studies. I want all students, as I am sure parents do, to have the best chance of achieving to the best of their ability and this will be enhanced if the prevailing atmosphere is one where students are encouraging each other to do their best with their studies.

Staff News

Congratulations to Ms Jessica Grapsas (Teacher) on the birth of her daughter, Matilda Victoria. We wish Ms Grapsas all the best.

2018 Finishing dates for students

The Year 11 students finish their school year next week on Thursday. I wish them an enjoyable, restful and productive holiday period. As mentioned above I expect them to spend some time during the holidays preparing for their Year 12 studies.

The Years 9 and 10 students finish on Tuesday 4^th December after sitting their exams. And the Years 7 and 8 students finish on Wednesday 5^th December.

I wish them all an enjoyable, restful and productive holiday period as well.

Important dates for remainder of 2018

Thursday 22^nd November Mosaic Evening at Costa Hall

Tuesday 27^th November Leopold Seniors Citizens Luncheon / Concert

Wednesday 28^th November Year 10 Exams commence

Thursday 29^th November Last day for Year 11 students

Thursday 29^th November Year 9 Exams commence

Friday 30^th November Year 12 Valedictory Dinner

Tuesday 4^th December Last day for Years 9 & 10 students

Wednesday 5^th December Last day for Years 7 and 8 students

Tuesday 11^th December Orientation day for 2019 Year 7 students

Thursday 13^th December Yrs 7-11 Semester Two reports available via the Parent Portal (from 4 pm)

Friday 21^st December School office closes for holiday break

Commencement date for 2019 school year

Please note that the commencement day for next year is as follows:

Monday 4^th February 2019 – all students.

Michael Exton Principal