Dear Parents & Carers,

College Production of “Les Misérables”

The performing arts are thriving and remain a vibrant and integral part of College life.

We finished last week on a fantastic high with four exceptional performances of the College’s production of Les Misérables at the Companions Centre. I believe I speak for the entire community when I say how proud we are of our students—well done! It was a big undertaking, and it was the first time for us to stage the show onsite.

More than ninety students participated in the production, taking on roles that included acting, singing, stage crew, and backstage assistance. Their talent, dedication, and energy shone through in every performance, as evidenced by the enthusiastic audience reactions and the many positive messages of thanks we received.

Although there were many impressive individual performances, the real strength of the production lay in the teamwork—both on stage and behind the scenes. Months of preparation and rehearsal not only brought the show to life but also helped our students develop skills, resilience, and friendships that will last long after the final performance.

A heartfelt thank you to the staff, volunteers, and parents who generously contributed their time and expertise—backstage helpers, crew, hair and makeup teams, musicians, and many others. The orchestra, in particular, deserves special mention—the music was absolutely sensational.

These performances wouldn't have been possible without the dedication, encouragement, and guidance of our staff. Over the past year, I have seen firsthand the care, coaching, and role modelling that shaped and supported our students throughout this journey. Many staff contributed in various ways, and I am deeply grateful to each of them. I would especially like to acknowledge the key leaders of this production for their vision and tireless work:

At Saint Ignatius, we place great value on Co-curricular opportunities, particularly in the performing arts, as we encourage our students to grow into confident, creative, and well-rounded individuals.

The following is an excerpt from the Director’s (Ms Andrea Broadbear) article in the Production Program that captures so much of what we were striving to achieve:

In Les Misérables, the characters dream of a better tomorrow a world shaped by fairness and empathy. In the same way, our production has been a space where students have imagined and built something bigger than themselves. They have learned that theatre demands hard work and patience, and that the true reward lies in the friendships and life skills forged along the way.

I hope that as you watch this production, you share in the pride and admiration I feel for these remarkable young people. They have embraced the responsibility of telling a story that matters, one that reminds us of the power of kindness, the necessity of hope, and the belief that each of us can help make the world a better place.

Do you hear the people sing?

Tonight, you most certainly will.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this magnificent achievement!

Sporting Success

Similar to the performing arts, there’s plenty of energy and enthusiasm for sport at our College.

Congratulations to our Year 9/10 Boys AFL team, who finished runners-up in the Victorian Herald Sun Shield Division 2 competition last week. In a thrilling Grand Final against Marcellin College, the boys fell just three points short after a strong defensive effort against tough conditions in the final quarter. A fantastic achievement by all involved.

Congratulations also to our badminton teams, who represented the College with pride at the GISSA Championship last Thursday. With eight schools competing over four hours of play, both our teams performed exceptionally well. Team 1 secured 3rd place, narrowly missing a grand final spot, while Team 2 achieved a commendable 6th.

Sport is going from strength to strength at Saint Ignatius!

School Community Surveys – please provide feedback

Every year around this time, students, staff, and parents are surveyed by MACS (with ORIMA Research managing the surveys this year for MACS) to gather information that helps us assess our progress with the School Improvement Plan. Parents have been emailed a link to complete the survey online, providing confidential feedback on how the College is performing in various areas. This vital information will help us evaluate our performance and shape our school improvement strategy. I kindly ask all parents to take the time to complete the survey. We need as many parents as possible to respond so we can obtain a reliable sample of opinions. Thank you in advance for your support. The survey closes on the last day of this term, September 19.

All students in Years 7–12 are set to complete the survey during Mentor time on Tuesday, 9 September, with staff doing theirs at the designated staff meeting on Wednesday, 10 September.

Some important dates on the College Calendar

• Parent, Student & Teacher Conferences were held on Wednesday, 3 September, and there will be another opportunity to book times for Thursday, 11 September, for students in Years 7 to 11 and VCE VM. Schedule times and details are as follows:

  • Thursday, 11 September (4.00 pm to 7.00 pm)

  • Format: Conducted via ‘Zoom.’

  • Each interview slot is allocated ten minutes, and discussions will conclude at the 8-minute mark to allow time for preparation before the subsequent interview.

  • Parents and Carers will have received an email from Ms Robyn Jackson, Deputy Principal (Teaching & Learning), explaining how to book interviews.

• The final day for Term Three classes is Friday, 19th September. Students will be dismissed at 2:20 pm, and buses will depart shortly after.

• The first day of classes for Term Four is Monday, 6th October.

Best wishes for the next fortnight,

Michael Exton | Principal

JUBILEE MASS WITH ARCHBISHOP PETER COMENSOLI

You are warmly invited to a very special occasion at Holy Trinity Church as they welcome Archbishop Peter to the parish, in celebration of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025.

When: Sunday 7th Sept, 11am

Where: Holy Trinity Church, Queenscliff

This Mass will also be a wonderful opportunity to honour and celebrate Father’s Day together as a community. Following Mass, you are invited to stay for a friendly cuppa and light refreshments.

A tip: If you want a seat, arrive early!

This week, MacKillop House was fortunate to welcome Captain Dianne Hobbs from the Salvation Army, who spoke passionately about the Meals Van program and the many opportunities for our students to get involved. The Meals Van provides food and support to people experiencing homelessness and financial hardship in our community, and it relies heavily on volunteers to keep running.

As part of the visit, our own students, Evie Zurawel, Angus O’Keefe, Ella Hobbs, and Xavier Cunningham, shared their personal experiences of volunteering on the Meals Van. They spoke with honesty and heart about why they serve and what they have learned along the way.

While each student initially began volunteering with the intention of helping others, they discovered something unexpected, the gift of relationships. They described how conversations over serving hot soup or coffee have helped break down barriers and challenged the stigma that often surrounds homelessness. They’ve come to see that those who use the Meals Van are people just like us, people with stories, hopes, struggles, and dignity. In their words, the experience has been “eye-opening” and deeply rewarding.

This message resonates strongly with our College motto, “To Love and To Serve.” In choosing to step forward and serve, our students are embodying Ignatian values of being men and women for others, placing compassion and justice at the centre of their lives.

I am incredibly proud of the selflessness shown by our students, especially our Year 12s who, in the middle of their busiest school year, still give up their Friday nights to serve those in need. Their willingness to put others before themselves is a true example of leadership and compassion in action. In many ways, they are walking in the footsteps of Saint Mary MacKillop, who dedicated her life to serving the poor and vulnerable with courage and humility. Just as she reminded us to “never see a need without doing something about it,” our students are living out that call through their service on the Meals Van.

We warmly invite any student or parent in our College community who feels inspired by this work to get involved. If you would like to volunteer with the Salvation Army Meals Van, please contact Captain Dianne Hobbs at dianne.hobbs@salvationarmy.org.au to express your interest. Together, we can continue to love and to serve, building a community where dignity and compassion are extended to all.

Sports Captain Update
Prepared by Phoebe Zahl

We are over half way through term 3, and sport at the College is in full swing. We have already had terrific success throughout the year at all GISSA competitions, with both the 9/10 Div 1 Girls and Boys Basketball teams recently taking out the 2025 GISSA Championships.

Congratulations also to Eleanor Cook, Reuben Cook and Natalia Eyck on representing Saint Ignatius College at the recent Victorian Schools Snowsports Championships at Mount Buller. Eleanor competed in the 'Skier Cross' and 'Alpine Giant Slalom'. Reuben competed in the 'Ski Cross' and 'Alpine Giant Slalom' and Natalia competed in the 'Alpine Giant Slalom' and 'Ski Cross'.

Another massive congratulations goes to the Year 7-8 Girls Netball Team on their recent notification that they have qualified for the ‘Finals Day’ of the Victorian Schools Netball Championship on Tuesday the 9th of September. This is a prestigious event and we are sure the girls will do the College proud.

Congrats must also go to the Senior Boys AFL team on making it to the semi finals of the Herald Sun Shield Div 1 Championships, even though the final result didn't go our way. A valiant effort!

The 9/10 Boys AFL team were narrowly beaten on the 'Finals Day' of the Herald Sun Shield Div 2 Championships on Tuesday 26th August. They did a phenomenal job making the Finals series and should be proud of their efforts!

Thank you to all the coaches, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts, all their hard work have been instrumental in these successes. Congratulations also to our athletes for their continued enthusiasm and contributions to our College sport program.

During Book Week the ILC came alive with adventure-themed activities that ran from Monday 18 August to Thursday 21 August.

Following the theme Book An Adventure, students embraced creativity, curiosity, and fun during their break times.

The Colouring Competition invited students to showcase their artistic talents, filling the ILC with vibrant, imaginative scenes. Nearby, a jar filled with Adventure Bears and Snakes sparked excitement as students tried to guess the correct number for a chance to win a prize.

LEGO enthusiasts built thrilling adventure worlds, crafting jungles, castles, and mysterious landscapes from bricks. Origami fans folded their way into storytelling, creating intricate paper designs that reflected their own adventurous journeys.

Wednesday lunchtime featured the CBCA Book Week Kahoot, where students tested their book knowledge in a lively quiz. Laptops in hand, they competed for glory, house points and prizes in a fast-paced challenge.

Adding a futuristic twist, the ILC offered VR experiences that transported students to new worlds. Friends gathered to explore digital landscapes, escaping the ordinary without leaving school grounds.

The week was a celebration of imagination, with every activity offering a chance to learn, create, and explore. Book Week 2025 truly proved that adventure begins with a story.

It’s hard to believe that we are talking about the school holidays already! So far during term 3 we have welcomed many new and returning students to our faculty from years 7 - 10 for our semester based classes.

Classes are well underway with their first or second design projects in the resistant materials subjects (metals & plastics, mixed materials) and breadth classes. Which includes projects such as a geometric firepit, mixed material species and resin charcuterie boards, laser engraved bag tags and an electronic pollinating robot.

In game design and digital technologies, students have been learning to apply concepts from game theory such as cooperation, payoff and zero-sum games. They have had to design and make a unique board game including the design and creation of 3D printed game playing pieces with next steps being the creation of flowcharts to aid in digitising their game concepts.

As part of this, students are now in the process of learning about different programming languages and their respective pros and cons. This will guide them to write code for their game concept early in term 4.

Unit 2 Product Design students in year 11 have been designing for positive impacts for end-users and considering equitable design principals. Students have started their design processes, with some design solutions in the textiles (non-resistant materials) subject, including garments for people with sensory needs and on-trend clothing to empower amputees and people with mobility challenges.

And in food studies, year 9 and 10 students have completed their Food Safety modules and have prepared themselves for safety with food in the kitchen.

I would like to take the opportunity to commend the hardwork and dedication of our year 12 students who are coming to the end of their unit 4 studies. For many of these students, the Product Design & Technology faculty has been a core part of their schooling journey, and a place to realise many of their passions which extend beyond their formal education. A space where knowledge and skills can be applied together to design, make and create across subject and material specific areas.

Additionally, the VET building and construction students are coming to the end of their certificate 2 qualification, with many of these students pursuing a trade qualification or industry related internships into 2026.

Leigh Hodge | Product Design & Technology Learning Area Leader

Once again, we are supporting RUOK? Day at SICG which is on Thursday 11 September 2025.

This provides us with an opportunity to promote the importance of mental health and connect with one another. To help us mark this day there will be:

• Staff V Student Dodgeball at lunchtime in the small gym

• Student band at lunchtime

• Mental health promotion lessons in Years 7-8

Remember…… A conversation can change a life.

If you or someone you know is no OK there is plenty of support available:

I am proud to report on our students’ outstanding participation in the United Nations Association of Australia (Victoria) (UNAAV) Model United Nations, hosted by St. Joseph’s College. We fielded two teams of eager diplomats; a Year 10 team of four, representing Sierra Leone, and a Year 11 team of three, representing Germany. Stepping into the shoes of UN Delegates, our students represented their allocated nations - listening carefully, negotiating respectfully and advocating passionately for Pathways to Peace, the topic of the conference.

Over the day, our delegates experienced a faithful simulation of the UN General Assembly, moderated by Ian Howie, who is President of the UNAAV after serving an illustrious career across 4 continents and over 10 countries as a UN Official. They opened with formal Position Statements, engaged in lively caucus discussions (both moderated by Professor Howie and unmoderated, allowing students to grapple with the issues more informally) drafted amendments to a Draft Resolution, and concluded by voting on the final resolution on Pathways to Peace.

Our Year 10 team, representing Sierra Leone, gave an impassioned Position Statement exploring the impacts of civil strife and the devastating impact on the region which has left Sierra Leone with over half of their population under the age of 25. Representing Germany, our Year 11 delegates contributed perspectives on disarmament, responsible arms regulation, and coordinated humanitarian responses.

Participating in the event, there were 15 esteemed private schools from the Geelong, Ballarat, Werribee and Melbourne regions; St. Joseph’s College Geelong, Kardinia International College, Simonds Catholic College, Geelong Grammar School, St. Patrick’s College, Genazzano FCJ College, Geelong College, Damascus, Iona, Sacre Couer, Mackillop, Geelong Lutheran College, Clonard College and Saint Ignatius College Geelong, representing 32 different nations from around the world.

Throughout the day, our students built real-world skills that will benefit them beyond the conference; research, critical thinking, persuasive writing & speaking, coalition building and ethical decision making. Teachers and peers throughout the day praised our students’ preparation, collaboration and the maturity with which they balanced national interests and global responsibilities.

We extend our thanks to St. Joseph’s College for hosting, UNAAV & Ian Howie for their expert facilitation, and all staff and students involved in the event. Most of all, congratulations to our delegates who represented Saint Ignatius College with integrity, passion and confidence.

Tyran Dillon|VCE Politics

It's that time of year again where we're seeking the support of our College parent/carer community for the upcoming VCE Lecture Series. Parents/carers who are able to support our students in their academic endeavours to strive for the Magis can complete this Sign Up link --> https://signup.com/go/iEYWzxu

SICG Students do not pay to attend the series. Subject teachers will mark a roll in the lead up to the event.