Aquinas College 60th anniversary

60th Anniversary Edition

Cover Photo: Planning Aquinas College on the new site for the school Illuminare Editor: Rebecca Presta Design and Composition: Emily Scott 2

46 Great Ryrie Street (PO Box 190), Ringwood Vic 3134 +61 3 9259 3000 | aquinas.vic.edu.au | illuminare@aquinas.vic.edu.au CRICOS 00127G facebook.com/AquinasRingwood twitter.com/AquinasRingwood

20 July 2021 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, My prayerful greetings to you, and warmest congratulations as you celebrate the Sixtieth Anniversary of Aquinas College in Ringwood.

For six decades now, Aquinas has been serving and supporting the secondary educational and pastoral needs of families in the Eastern region of this Archdiocese. As Catholic Education in Australia marks its 200th anniversary this year, Aquinas’ contribution as an integral part of the rich history of Catholic life and education is certainly significant.

In honouring any milestone, we often look to the whole journey, and I wish to acknowledge with gratitude the strong shoulders of those who have carried you confidently to this day. In particular, may I note the many staff who have modelled such a dedicated commitment to their students; and the countless families whose trust in placing their most precious gifts from God in the care of the College ensures this wonderful journey continues.

Of course the life of a College is not just contained within its walls, and College alumni have gone on to actively contribute to the community in various roles - testament to the Aquinas tradition of producing leaders and innovators who pave ways for future generations to follow. May these models continue to be an Aquinas light in the world.

Sixty years inevitably sees great change, and the past eighteen months alone under pandemic uncertainty has seen new and creative ways through which the community continues to thrive.

Today as you come together to celebrate and honour this journey of faith, may the College motto, lluminare et Ardere – to light up and be on fire, be the Spirit-filled heart which will go on to shape the next sixty years. I again congratulate you on all that has been achieved and urge you to be generous and faith-filled in the response which you undertake in the future.

May St Joseph whom we call on this particular year to protect us all, also be the guiding hand that continues to nurture your broad Aquinas family of students, parents, carers educators and staff of for many years to come. Congratulations!

With every grace and blessing, I remain, Yours sincerely in Christ Jesus,

Most Rev Peter A Comensoli Archbishop of Melbourne

St Patrick’s Centre, PO Box 146, East Melbourne VIC 8002 Australia Tel: +61 3 9926 5612 Email: archbishop@cam.org.au

3

From the School Advisory Council Chairperson On behalf of the School Advisory Council, I would like to congratulate Aquinas College on their 60th anniversary. It seems like only yesterday that Aquinas was celebrating 50 years of Catholic Secondary Education.

Having been associated with Aquinas as a parent since 2003 and a member of the College Board (now Advisory Council) since 2008 I have been witness to the many positive changes that have occurred during that time. Some specific highlights include: • Completion of the Senior Years Building and Wurundjeri Trade Training Centre.

• Aquinas’ acceptance as a member of the Council of International Schools placing us in the top 20% of schools globally.

• Construction of the state-of-the-art Middle Years Building.

Notwithstanding the above, the most pleasing aspect of my association with the College has been the continued development of the ‘Spirit of Aquinas’’. Whether it be an Opening College Mass, College Assembly, or Graduation Ceremony, there is a special feeling one gets when attending events at Aquinas.

I would like to acknowledge the contribution of all students, staff (teaching and non-teaching), Custodians of Mission and Parents for ensuring the Aquinas remains the school of choice for Catholic Education within our region.

4

Paul Ayton Chairperson Aquinas College School Advisory Council

Contents From the Principal

6

As we follow the Lord’s leading way

12

A new day has only begun

18

As our light burning bright turns our courage to flame

32

We learn from the joys and the tears

42

Aquinas has joined us as one

54

From people we’ve loved and from challenges met

66

5

From the Principal Darren Atkinson, Principal

after the founder of the Christian Brothers, Blessed Edmund Rice. In time, as schooling was established for girls, we felt the influence of leaders inspired by the teachings of St Dominic and St Mary MacKillop, whose charisms fire the spirit of our other two houses.

Today we boast a team of highly capable and committed educators at Aquinas who are ably carrying forward this legacy and also embracing the challenges of 21st century education.

Visitors to the Aquinas College Boardroom are drawn

to a series of aerial photographs that adorn the western wall. They tell a compelling story about what is possible for those with a vision. In this case, of course, the vision was secondary education for Catholics in our part of the eastern suburbs - initially for boys and subsequently for girls and boys. The photos depict humble beginnings.

An orchard with a creek meandering diagonally across from the northwest is populated by utilitarian buildings that will accommodate the first generation of Aquinas students. The photo from 1961 is, appropriately, in black and white. Each subsequent photograph depicts a growth spurt as the site transforms into the complex web of amazing learning and recreation spaces that our community are privileged to access today.

Those responsible for this founding vision had seen models of schooling overseas, still rare in Australia at the time, in which parishes collaborated to create a regional secondary school in the name of the Archdiocese. However, these founding fathers needed experienced school leaders and expert teachers if they were to further the educational opportunities for young people in their parishes. The photos on the eastern wall of the boardroom, the faces of those who have served the College as Principal, tell the story of the solution to this challenge. In 1961, Catholic secondary schools in Victoria were owned and operated by religious teaching orders and a workforce would rely on the commitment of one such confraternity, the Christian Brothers. The legacy of these first teachers is found in our Rice House, named

6

“I wonder what those Founding Fathers would say if they were here today?”

Aquinas College in 2021 is an impressive Catholic secondary school by any measure. It’s impressive in terms of its size with a student population of over 1700 students and a staff of nearly 250. It is bigger than many country towns. Size brings opportunities to offer a broad suite of learning options and we are proud that there is a pathway to Year 12 for every student and a rich co-curricular program of experiential learning along the journey. Learning should be both joyful and demanding and we admire the perseverance of students who are striving for academic excellence. A growing number are seeking a vocational pathway to the world of work and have courses articulated that provide great outcomes including quality apprenticeships and further training.

The breadth of options has seen student retention in the senior years at unprecedented levels and early departures are largely to take up full apprenticeship.

These “graduates” are true success stories sometimes missing in the narrative of top ATARs so tantalizing to our mass media.

Size also brings challenges in making sure that each individual feels like they have a place and are known... that they belong. Aquinas has a welcoming feel, something that may be intangible, but more than a fanciful figment of our imagination given how often this comment is made by visitors. This could derive from being deeply

Presenting the Deakin Shield 2021

College Captains 2017

Aquinas Long Walk with Nova Peris and Michael Long

embedded in our wider community and outward facing in so many aspects of our Christian mission, or from our strong intergenerational links with past students who choose Aquinas for their own children. Undeniably, what has become acutely apparent over the last 18 months, is that the key feature of a dynamic and inviting learning environment is the sight and sound of happy and excited young people. Certainly, a culture of welcome is not created overnight and should be cherished.

While a feeling of belonging is essential to good outcomes for young people, it is the quality and variety of the learning program that has helped Aquinas become a school of choice in our region. As an accredited member of the Council of International Schools, Aquinas continues to demonstrate that we aspire to meet, or exceed, the most stringent of international standards in education. The recent visit of the expert Accreditation Team, experienced educational leaders from across the world, confirmed that our students are accessing a worldclass education. Long standing international partnerships with our sister-schools in Chantonnay, France - Lycee St. Marie and Notre Dame Du Roc, and

more recent efforts to connect with Soochow University High School in Suzhou, China, reflect the importance of global citizenship and intercultural competency for our graduates in a highly interconnected world.

As we celebrate our 60th anniversary, Aquinas College is in great shape. We have a vision that reminds us of our origins and, yet, sets lofty goals for an even better future: Inspired by Gospel values and mindful of our Catholic identity, our Vision is to ignite the fire of learning and shine as a beacon of excellence, hope and love in the world.

On behalf of the thousands of beneficiaries over the last six decades, I offer my thanks to our founders who saw a need and responded, much in the spirit of St Mary MacKillop. I am proud to act as custodian as we enter another period of change having incorporated on January 1 as part of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS).

Happy 60th birthday Aquinas College and may you have many more.

7

Courageous determination Tony O’Byrne Principal 1989-2013

It is a remarkable achievement for the College to be celebrating 60 years of high-quality Catholic education and I offer my congratulations to the College and every individual who has played a part in its journey. In particular I acknowledge the support of so many fine parish priests who have always acted in the College’s best interests in their pastoral and governance role for the College.

One of the most wonderful features of Aquinas College life is the vibrant community feel which has been present since the early days of the College. Throughout the history of the College life-long connections have been a feature of the Aquinas experience. Students maintain friendships throughout their lives and often choose to send their children and grandchildren to the College.

The College has maintained a vibrance and warmth which in turn has resulted in past students returning to work at the College as teachers or support staff.

Many have chosen life partners from former classmates.

These enduring relationships are indicative of the successful formation and evolution of the College’s core Christian values enacted and sustained in everyday life.

I see myself as fortunate to have experienced such rich connections over my 25 years as Principal and beyond.

Without the courageous determination and foresight of the early Catholic parents, the Aquinas College we know today would be very different. It was in the mid 1950’s that these parents encouraged the parish priests of Ringwood, Mitcham and Croydon to purchase the land to build a secondary college. They succeeded but another hurdle quickly presented. At the time, the Chancellor (Business Manager) of the Archdiocese wanted to sell half the property believing what was left would be sufficient for the College. This was not seen as acceptable and so a delegation of parents took up the 8

challenge of meeting with the formidable Archbishop Mannix (Archbishop of Melbourne for 46 years starting in 1917). They argued that all of the land purchased would be necessary not only for the beginnings of the College but also its development in the future.

That Archbishop Mannix supported the parents has meant the College we now have was made possible.

In time, Aquinas College became the first purpose built regional college in the Archdiocese and the forerunner of over 30 such colleges today. As the first such school to reach 60 years of educational service, we can all rejoice in the generous attitude of our first families and what their determination has meant for so many students and their families over the past six decades.

I wish to acknowledge the many generous and dedicated staff who have served the College so well over the years.

They have always placed the students at the centre of their endeavours and have responded effectively to the many challenges that has seen the College grow from the original two schools into the one, full co-educational College of today. It was a wonderful privilege for me to spend half of my professional life at the College. I often meet former students and it is very heartening to hear of the successful and meaningful lives they lead both in family and in the wider community.

Aquinas College is indeed a remarkable school community.

Congratulations on 60 years. Illuminare et Ardere.

L-R: Br. John O’ Halloran, Philippa Darmody, Catherine Collins, Trish Leahy, Sr. Gabrielle Kelly, Tony O’Byrne, Br. Len Francis, John Mahon, Br. Jim Ahern, Jock Arthur, Alan Littler

9

A Spirit of its own Sister Gabrielle Kelly, first Principal of Aquinas Girls’ School 1967 - 1972

Though my connections date from 1967 when the Girls’ School began, memories of those early years are filled with gratitude for the experience of community and collaboration among all as we began the task of shaping this new place of formation for young people.

Those beginnings are now far distant, and immense and life-enhancing transformation has taken place, as I have been able to see on later occasional visits to the College.

It is a pleasure to send my warm congratulations and best wishes to all on this Diamond Jubilee. May the ever new cohorts of young people with their fresh enthusiasms continue to renew the valiant educators at Aquinas College. Jubilee rejoicing in full measure for all in these trying pandemic times.

Sister Gabrielle Kelly OP, October 2021

Principal Sr. Gabrielle Kelly with her Staff 1970

One of the many images I carry with me always, is of eighty four open faced eleven year olds, clad in motley garments, on the morning of the official opening of the College in the second week of February 1967.

They, and those who were to join them and follow them in subsequent years were the heart of the Aquinas project; they were its meaning and its purpose.

Fellow foundation staff members Sister Mel FDNSC, Mrs Anna Cocks and Sister Veronica RSJ, shared with me the joys and tears of that first year, as we began the task of shaping a new school community, with a curriculum, an organisation, a spirit of its own.

But what sagas we had! In the early years, there was the ever present clay dust in summer and the mud in winter, the buildings constantly under construction, and never quite keeping up with additional enrolments. There were the very early days when to venture into the 'playground' at lunchtime was to risk injury from a frisbee in full flight, when shade and shelter from the sun and rain were practically nonexistent (except for the classroom), 10

when geography lessons on alluvial fans and floodplains could be illustrated by a quick trip outside to the unimproved landscape. There was the day when uniforms were worn for the first time, when we purchased the very first library books - and so many more 'first times'.

Perhaps the dominant memory which remains with me from those early years at Aquinas is that of the quality of community which characterised the venture. It was all there potentially before we ever started - the existing parish groups of families with their priests - men and women of all faith and courage. In particular, there is the memory of Father O'Driscoll whose vision and support were constant and effective. However it was commitment to the project and basic trust in one another - families, priests, students, staff throughout all the risks and difficulties, which gave rise to a vital, new community which was itself Aquinas College.

Extract from Interview with Sister Gabrielle Kelly, March 1982

Br. Len Francis Headmaster 1961-1967 Sr. Gabrielle Kelly Girls’ School Principal 1967-1972

Br. K. K. O’Donoghue Headmaster 1968-1973 Sr. Mel Fouhy Girls’ School Principal 1973-1974

Br. J O’Halloran Headmaster 1974-1976 Br. J. Ahern Headmaster 1977-1978

“The most important kind of success associated with Aquinas came to my attention accidently, and while I am pleased it happened here, we do not claim the credit.

A student declared that she had learnt through her personal experience from being at the College, that happiness is found in making others happy.

That, surely, is the basic lesson in any human and Christian life.”

Mr. John Mahon Principal 1975-1988 Mr. Anthony O’Byrne Principal 1989-2013

Mr. Darren Atkinson Principal 2014-Present

11

12

As we follow the Lord’s leading way Tania Grace Assistant Principal - Mission 2018 - Present In our current world full of online services and

minimal human interaction, does faith change? The gap between lockdowns has definitely seen a decrease in church attendance which has only sped up the already declining numbers of regular church goers. In turn, with the shortage of priests, parishes are being combined and turned into hubs. Again I ask, does faith change?

Faith is the belief in the intangible and unexplainable, finding answers to life’s biggest questions. Why are we here? How were we created? What happens when we die? Why do we suffer? Is there an ultimate reality? Faith provides us with comfort and helps give meaning and security in our lives. So in reality, faith has not changed, the way in which we enact or practise our faith has.

Mass has long been known as the main form of faith expression in Catholicism. It was also the way many people in the 1950s to 1970s socialised. Many people of that era would recall the women’s/men’s groups, the sport clubs, bingo nights, dinner dances and many more events that were coordinated through the parish community.

Bishop Moran blessing the Girls’ School 1967

13

Beyond the obvious connections of Aquinas College being founded to educate the children of the local parishes, faith played a significant role in building the College spirit and sense of community. Families who shared similar beliefs and values based in their faith had a place where they could send their children for secondary schooling. In the early years of Aquinas College it was members of the parish who tended to the maintenance of the College and the Opening Mass was a key event of the year for the community to gather. Over time with inventions such as television, and societal changes such as working hours; the number of people attending mass was reduced. People could communicate and socialise beyond the parish.

The communal ritual of Mass hasn’t changed, and many people have missed this experience during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and isolation. Time and circumstance has seen people expressing their faith individually through daily actions and prayer rather than as a community.

Religious Education (RE) as another example of change in practice, has had many changes across the years.

Pre Vatican II, RE classes consisted of reciting and memorizing Canon Law and the Catechism, books which instructed and explained Church beliefs. There was no discussion, and reward only came in the successful recitation of the text. Post Vatican II, when the windows were truly opened, a new opportunity was provided for the lay community to question and explore beliefs.

Along with the changes in the 1960s and 1970s, religious education began to explore an openness in expression of faith, where failure was not possible.

Today, trained in the techniques of exegesis (analysing scripture), teachers and students can explore the bible and not only question the text, but also find the answers within themselves. Thus making the bible relevant in a secular world - enhancing a faith that has always existed, unchanged in concept, just stronger.

Faith and practice still plays an important role at Aquinas College, and it is ever present in our events, curriculum, co-curriculum and community. Our College core values which are focused across each year level are underpinned

by Catholic social teachings particularly compassion, belonging and stewardship. We acknowledge our faith through prayer at every College event, and staff and students have the opportunity to participate in reflection and liturgy. While COVID-19 has put a dampener on the full College Opening Mass celebrations in the past couple of years, it continues to be an inspiring community event, and we look forward to it joining us as a faith community again in the future.

14

Thanksgiving Mass 1976

Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral 2006

Opening Mass 2007

The Opening Mass was something special. It played a significant part in our lives. We were all there in one body and in one spirit. The College song was sung with enormous passion and the words and message “hand in hand now, we will stand now” became part of us. It provided the perfect platform for the year ahead. Being Captain was a very humbling and proud experience. To be amongst a student body that had an incredible bond and gave their best was something to admire. As we have traveled our journeys post Aquinas there always remains a special part of Aquinas that we reflect upon and we carry with us.

Steve Bainbridge, College Captain 1985

I graduated in 1991 after six years at Aquinas. It was a given that I was sent to Aquinas, being the last of five children, it was simply a natural progression from my Primary school, Our Lady’s Ringwood. Many fond memories come to mind - the school camps, the friendships of course of which so many still exist to this day. But a highlight for me was always the celebration of the Opening Mass. We didn’t begrudge going as students. We loved it. It was a highlight on the calendar. Our families came and it was always outside and we crammed in wherever we could. Masses included the school band rocking out the “Our Father” prayer, and always overflowed with a sense of community and belonging that has never been replicated elsewhere in my life. The school song was and still is a celebration of who we are and provides a powerful connection that only a member of our community can truly understand. I am always proud to tell people I went to Aquinas, proud to say my own children went through Aquinas and proud to be on staff here.

Madeleine Kalla (Lacey), Peer Year 1991, Past Parent, Principal’s Assistant and College Registrar 2007 - Present

A memory that really stands out is when His Eminence Cardinal Rodriguez from Haiti visited Aquinas in either late 2006 or 2007. Kate (my fellow College Captain) and I were given the task of touring Cardinal Rodriguez around the school, and what really struck me was how down to earth the Cardinal was. It’s a fond memory that reminds me that no matter how successful people are in life, we’re all ultimately just humans, and we should engage with each other in a vulnerable and truthful way.

The experience taught me that selflessness should be a key driver when seeking leadership, and I’ve endeavoured to keep this front of mind across my career to date.

Stewart Hawkey, College Captain 2007

My fondest memory is Opening Mass in what was then the Girls’ Quad. We would set up and practice in the afternoon and the entire school community would attend on that same warm summer’s evening. Parents sitting in the upstairs balcony level. At the end of Mass we would all stand on our chairs and belt out the Aquinas song at the top of our lungs. Even more special when I joined the band in my senior years.

Lisa Janssen (Cordingley) Peer Year 1986

15

Illuminare et Ardere our spirit burns on…

Throughout the 60 years we have had many different interpretations of our Latin motto, Illuminare et Ardere.

The motto derives from the St Thomas Aquinas quote: “Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate.” challenging us to not only think about but to enact upon the truth of God’s love.

Sister Gabrielle Kelly wrote “The central ideas were about being enlightened/the lamp (light of Christ, light of faith, light of knowledge), and shining or being on fire with love, life, or zeal; the flame being both light and love.”

Today “Illuminare et Ardere” is interpreted by us to mean ‘To Light Up and Be on Fire’. In all that happens at Aquinas there is great enthusiasm and, as a school based on the gospel values of Jesus Christ, we make every endeavour to provide an enjoyable and challenging Catholic secondary education.

Here are some student reflections on what Illuminare et Ardere means to them: Illuminare et Ardere The light in our hearts, the shine in our tears It's the flame burning on, throughout the years It proclaimed itself to the Apostles first And now, it burns with insatiable thirst Slowly it, it crept into the hearts of the people Then came the church and it rang in the steeple Christ's love burned on, our hearts it warmed And we all come together and Aquinas was fonned To share our religion, to learn in our Faith In Christ's path we'll travel, there we’ll be safe As St Thomas Aquinas once long ago did pray, We repeat it still - Illuminare et Ardere, Kate O'Callaghan - 8 Green 1980

Our motto, 'Illuminare et Ardere’ which we translate: 'burn and shine!" reminds us of a lighthouse which sends out flashes of light to guide ships through rocks and other dangers, Our motto sends out flashes of our hope to get to heaven.

Jeannette Chandler, 1 Red 1967

Chorus Luminus

Our motto, "Illuminare et Ardere!" - we translate from the Latin as "burn and shine", Most of us think this is an important thing we must try to live up to, not only at school or at Mass, but everywhere and at all times.

Why was this picked? Because it means what it says: "burn and shine!" - burn with love of God and with love of our neighbour and shine with acts we do to show this and by being ready to talk about our faith with others who have not the advantage we have had.

Gwenda Ling, 1 Red 1967

16

The Four Seasons Mural in the Mary MacKillop Chapel

Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral 2006

Spirituality...

We nurture a connectedness to God and a Catholic faith that is informed by scripture, tradition and the regional parish communities.

This is our final year at Aquinas College and it is an opportunity to consider our connectedness to our faith. At the Year 12 Retreat it was a chance for us to reflect on our time at the College, how we are connected to our parish community and our hopes for the future.

The support of our mentors, teachers and peers and the focus on spirituality at our year level nurtures and informs our connection with our Catholic faith.

Stefanie Etchells, Year 12 The core value of Spirituality is a focus for our Year 12 cohort

17

18

A new day has only begun

Aquinas Boys’ College opened its doors on

February 8th, 1961, with an enrolment of 130 boys in Forms 1 and 2. The first Catholic Regional High School in Melbourne, it was set up to serve the needs of the parishes of Ringwood, Mitcham, Croydon, Lilydale and Healesville. An area of 30 acres alongside Jubilee Park offered adequate space for the projected complex of Boys’ and Girls’ Schools with chapel, library, assembly hall and playing fields. The first nine classrooms, with tuckshop, office, library and staff room cost 100,000 pounds.

The work of building was commenced in 1960, with Mr. Stan Moran as architect. The foundation stone was blessed by Archbishop Simonds on November 26, 1960.

The College colours were red, green and black and the motto was “llluminare et Ardere” (To light up and blaze).

Archbishop Simonds returned to open the College officially on May 22, 1961.

19

20

The decision to launch this new venture took a great deal of courage on the part of the priests, who were already weighed down by solid parish debts. It was, therefore, most encouraging for them in September, 1960, to receive the following letter from Archbishop Mannix: ‘I commend your initiative in establishing Aquinas College to help meet the growing demands for higher education.

Through this regional college, coupled with the primary school ~ in the area, your parishioners will have provided complete facilities for both boys and girls. I feel sure that the coordination of the resources of your parishes will enable high standards to be attained and will crown their already excellent achievements. Such colleges may well be the solution to many of the problems of our changing conditions. I willingly give this work my blessing, and trust that others may be inspired to undertake similar projects. ‘ It was more than 60 years ago when Aquinas was just an idea and a regional secondary college an almost immediate necessity, that three pioneer priests were mainly responsible for making it a reality. They were:

Father Coghlan - the parish priest at St John’s, Mitcham, for seventeen years. At his Requiem Mass fifty students from Aquinas formed the guard of honour.

Father W. O’Driscoll - was singled out by His Grace, Archbishop Simonds as the inspired genius behind the Aquinas Project. There was a day when Father W. O’Driscoll climbed through a wire strand fence at the south end of Thomas Street and tramped through an old apple orchard with a trickle of creek running through it and decided it would be the right place for school.

At least, the price was right and a thirty-five acre expanse had possibilities.

Father J. Scarborough - with Father O’Driscoll, was an original surveyor of the school site. He was parish priest at Ringwood for about ten years and was responsible for the building of St Francis de Sales School in East Ringwood, and the present church hall at Our Lady’s Ringwood.

A small brochure entitled Aquinas College - Blueprint for a Community concludes with these words: “Here in Mitcham we were part of that hope and in our parish priest, Father Gerard Coghlan, we saw at first hand the courage, enthusiasm and pastoral zeal which led to the erection of Aquinas. The priests who carried it through were men ahead of their time, and like all men in that situation, they had to overcome setbacks and frustrations. They did over come them and we are now reaping the benefits. One day

perhaps the founding priests will be honoured; I would envisage a stone plaque of Christ with the children and the inscription “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them”. On that radical Christian basis (and I say radical in its real sense), Aquinas College was built. No child who lived in the parishes involved would be turned away - money and status were not the qualifying factors.”

Stewardship...

We encourage our community to respond to the need for sustainability in our contemporary world in the light of the Gospel and its call to action.

I feel like stewardship is a value that brings all of our good intentions together. It’s a value that displays our creativity and selflessness to create a better world. One of the ways Aquinas conveys this is the Global Green program in Year 8. We were set with the task of creating a solution to a problem in our world. In groups, we shared ideas and demonstrated collaboration and creativity. I think this opportunity was worthwhile because we explored our year level core value more deeply.

Through Global Green and various other activities such as Clean Up Australia Day, Aquinas has helped us to bring Year 8’s core value to life.

Lucy Jordan, Year 8 The core value of Stewardship is a focus for our Year 8 cohort

21

A great change in education Was the plan that someday Aquinas would be a co-ed college? What are your views on the matter?

John Mahon: The first phase was to get a Boys’ School wasn't it.

Fr. O'Driscoll: Yes we made a great effort to have it coeducational really. Constitutionally, the Christian Brothers wouldn’t take the girls. But we felt very strongly on the coeducation side of it.

John Mahon: Then the pressure for the Girls’ School came from the parents?

Fr. O’Driscoll: It was there all the time but it was held up by the staff and the nuns. They kept putting it off as they perceived a problem. But interestingly enough when the JNJ sisters came to Mooroolbark, they came on the condition that they would be able to share in the starting of Aquinas Girls’ School. In fact that condition saved the foundation because Archbishop Simmonds was about to transfer the whole foundation from Mooroolbark to the north of the city.

Mr John Mahon at his Desk

In the 50s there was a great change in education.

Two things, one the primary school...and secondly the school leaving age which had been accepted as 14 came to be acknowledged as at least 15 if not 16. Now our whole concept was that the Church should provide Catholic education, at least for those years that schooling was compulsory.

When we saw that parish primary schools had only to provide schooling to Grade 6 we said well the Diocese then must carry on with proper catholic schooling for those remaining years. And that was how a new Diocesan school developed.

The secondary school could be a community school.

Fr. O’Driscoll

They wanted to call it Diocesan high schools but Archbishop Simmonds said no. I think it was Archbishop Simmonds that chose Aquinas. It was a bit of snobbery that they felt that if it was called a high school it was not as good as a College. It was better to call it a College and it was called Aquinas College.

Interview between Fr. O’Driscoll & John Mahon Circa 1981

22

I was in the first cohort of students to attend Aquinas College when there was a separate Aquinas Girls’ School which was built right next door to the Boys’ School with a dirt track in between. I remember the last year when I was College Captain vividly - some of us attended Aquinas Boys’ School for some science subjects including Physics and Chemistry and some of the boys came over to the girls college for Biology. Our Principal was Sister Gabrielle Kelly - a remarkable woman who was principal for the six years I attended.

One of my fondest memories was that Sister Gabrielle had an open door policy to her office for all the Year 12 girls – we could go and talk with her when she was available. Sister Gabrielle was a true leader – she led, shaped, and managed the school, the staff and the students in a direct, informed and compassionate manner. She was quietly but firmly spoken, she inspired attention and respect, and was well liked by both staff and students – especially the group of Year 12 girls. She certainly set Aquinas on a very firm and stable foundation for the future.

As a College Captain, I was able to observe and learn from her leadership style, focus and resilience. In my own working life I have led the building up of a specialist disability therapy service up from very small and precarious beginnings to a substantial and thriving service organisation. Sister Gabrielle Kelly was one of the women in leadership who was a true inspiration as an Aquinas student and College Captain.

Claire Cotter, College Captain 1972

First class from the Girls’ School to matriculate - Class of 1972

23

Our founding students and teachers Form 1 Green, 1961 Back Row: Unknown, Peter Noble, William West, Denis Carroll, Terrence Tincknell, Andrew Fowler, Unknown, John McCluskey.

Fourth Row: Unknown, Peter Lane, John Tyson, Gregory Coyle, Unknown, Unknown, Paul Batman, Michael Skurrie, Thomas Routledge.

Third Row: Mr Van Winkel, Patrick Buckley, Unknown, Peter Griffin, Charles McCann, Bator Mortonyi, Philip Ashton, Helmut Rohr, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown.

Second Row: William Brook, Unknown, Unknown, John Riley, Joseph Eastham, Bryan Fyfe, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown.

Front Row: Michael Batman, Unknown, Unknow, Unknown, Adrian Brady

Form 1 Red, 1961 Back Row: Leo Semonis, John Beerens, Denis Walters, Unknown, Peter Grasby, Brendan Scanlon, Alan Burgess, Peter Taylor Fourth Row: Wolfgang Kress, Kevin Phelps, Unknown, Unknown, Cornelius Gaynor, Stephen Lye, Unknown, Denis Radisich Third Row: Mr. Oldham, Unknown, Francis Rogers, Peter Soccio, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Christopher Lye, William Forrest, Rosario Montalto, Br. Chapman Second Row: Unknown, David Hughson, Michael Harris, Joseph Wiesniak, Kevin Dunne, Unknown, Paul Birchall, Anton Den Holder, William Conway Front Row: Allan Layton, Gerald Toohey, Michael Callanan, Christopher McCarthy, Brian Linnie

If you know any of the names of the unknown students we’d love to hear from you.

Contact us via illuminare@aquinas.vic.edu.au or 9259 3000.

24

Form 2, 1961 Back Row: Antonius Koopmans, John O’Sullivan, Michael McKeown, Anthony Bush, John Cogan, Thomas Roy, Desmond Davison, Kenneth Cuddy Third Row: Joseph Van Winckel, Benedict Bakos, Bernard Pinnock, Perry Whitehouse, Brian Farrell, Rodney Silvey, John Vander Werd, Geoffrey Johnson, Denis Andrew Second Row: Paul Clarke, John Connelly, John Nolan, Laurence Morcom, John Bilston, Peter McManus, Sean Tooehy, William Hill, Peter Postill, Terence Ralston, Br. Francis First Row: John Bennett, Gary O’Meara, John Leermakers, Kenneth Pobjoy, John Oostermeyer, Kaz Mazur, Peter Rowe, Jerome Mitchell, Richard McNally Sitting in front: Francis Fraczak, Barry Spence

Form 1 Red, 1967 Back Row: Joan McDowell, Anne Bagshaw, Megan Anthony, Susan Cheers, Susan Bathgate, Michele Sonsie, Bernadette Cincera, Andria Layton, Marie Barry, Centre Row: Jeanette Chandler, Jenny Wyers, Linda Farrelly, Gwenda Ling, Janet Hope, Helen Gray, Susan Ayton, Kerryn Baldwin, Denise Mackey, Margaret Roberts Front Row: Jan Tracey, Cath Grey, Julie Mullins, Denise Brian, Maria de Rosagro, Margaret Mioni, Pauline Betts, Monica Hanscombe, Leoni Mehrenen

Form 1 Green, 1967 Back Row: Jill Morphett, Rina Traa, Regina Sagon, Debbie Stevens, Sandra Volombello, Anne Buckley, Kathleen Brugmans, Lee Davison, Anne Butler Centre Row: Vivienne Neys, Maureen Collier, Sherri Kovestzy, Shelagh Kavanagh, Aulfidia Gatto, Marian Bush, Loretta Moxom, Susan Lenz, Susan McGilp, Elizabeth van der Zweep Front Row: Janette Boshier, Kerry Fairbairn, Linda Gerlack, Patricia Roberts, Lili Tomazia, Connie Muscat, Katherine Monk, Jenny Morgan, Joanne Van Os

25

Laying the foundations Mary M

acKill

op Ch

apel P

lans

Laurie Kogelman Accountant and Business Manager 2004-2014 I started work at Aquinas in 1989 and my first impressions when having my interview in the old Christian Brothers house in Thomas Street was that somehow I'd stepped back in time to the 1960’s when I was a student, nothing had changed. The Boys’ and Girls’ School were exactly as I remembered them, albeit two new buildings, the Senior Campus and the Peter Box Gymnasium had been added.

• The entrance and car park moved from Thomas St to Great Ryrie St to enable better student and public access.

• Mary MacKillop Chapel.

• ARC, Arts Centre and Canteen.

• The Wurundjeri Trade Training Centre, incorporating a fully functional restaurant/cafe.

• State of the art Middle Years building.

It is fair to say that the College financial situation at the time prevented any meaningful planning in relation to any building programs. Enrolments were stagnant at around 1350 and we had no capacity to increase this significantly.

There were a number of necessary smaller projects undertaken to improve functionality and safety, including the redesign of the Year 9/10 quadrangle; shade sails for the Forum and Middle Years quad; water tanks and irrigation to the sporting fields; the refurbishment of the Senior Science labs; an upgrade to the Theatre foyer and a new entrance to the O’Driscoll Room; the construction of a parent drop-off and pick-up zone; and the building of the office and weights section in the Gymnasium.

The following are some of the major building projects undertaken between the early 1990’s and 2012 when the Middle Years building was completed.

26

1970

1960

• Senior Science labs moved from portables in Ford St to the Senior Campus, together with a new staff room.

• Theatre built under the Peter Box Gymnasium incorporating two new Food Technology classrooms.

Of course none of this would have been possible if not for the founding Parishes vision of providing affordable Catholic education in the area, the wonderful support of our parent committees over the journey and finally the College Leadership and staff over the years for their dedication and commitment to providing quality education.

The College is firmly entrenched as a leader in modern education and with enrolments so strong the future is bright. Happy 60th Birthday.

1981

It was a few years before our financial situation improved sufficiently to start planning. The building and refurbishment program evolved over time through collaboration with stakeholders to ensure any building design incorporated the latest technologies and best classroom practice. We engaged specialist educational practitioners to work with staff to ensure our educational goals were achieved.

Middle Years Building Demolition of Science Block

Technology Building

Library 1960s

Girls’ School 1970s

2006

1980s

2000

1989

Senior Years Building - opened, blessed and used for the end of year exams in 1982

27

Aquinas Life 1960s

Form 6 1968 Student Life 1961

Aquinas Girls’ School Students and Teachers October 1968

28

Classroom Learning

Prefects and Class Captains with Archbisop Simmonds

Students during lunchtime

Footy Match vs Whitefriars

Students at the Blessing of Aquinas Girls’ College

Classroom Learning in the 1960s

29

“I've been told I'm the first registered student at Aquinas.

Two things still stand out for me. Firstly, the mentorship and leadership of our first Principal, Brother Francis (except when Carlton lost!) and secondly, the camaraderie and mateship which we, the first students of Forms 1 and 2 experienced at the start of our secondary education.

In fact, I think I can still remember our theme song.

The values instilled in us by Brother Francis have been front of mind through my working career and still remain relevant today. Being a start-up secondary school, we had the barest of facilities but that was made up for by heart and spirit of all involved. I consider myself to have been very privileged to be one of those at the beginning of the amazing journey Aquinas has had.”

Denis Carroll, Peer Year 1966

30

1963

Now at 62 years of age I often reflect with some perplexity as to how intensely impactful those six years at Aquinas College were and how they have influenced and shaped my life in a very positive way. My fondest memory of Aquinas was by far the students around me.

Such great and diverse personalities, and whether it be in the classroom, lining up for the “tuck-shop” or kicking the footy on the oval I always felt the safety and reassurance of having friends around me.

My later student years occurred during a time when Aquinas was just starting to transition from being a “Boys’ School” to becoming a “co-educational” College with Aquinas “Girls’ School.” It was also a time when the Christian

Students at the Blessing of Aquinas Girls’ College

Brothers started diminishing from the teaching staff, and I remain very grateful for the Christian Brothers commitment to a faith-based educational system and interestingly enough, for their intense focus on sport.

In those days the focus on offering sport participation and quality education was considered highly advantageous and it was enjoyed by many students.

Congratulations to all in the Aquinas Community for their involvement and achievements in the decision making that for 60 Years has maintained the very high educational and developmental standards of a faith-based, inclusive College.

Michael Valastro, College Captain 1976

The old gate at the Ford St Entrance

31

32

As our light burning bright turns our courage to flame Peter Griffin Peer Year 1975, Former Deputy Principal - Students, Teacher 1981-1990, 2003-2019 If I was to try and define the Spirit of Aquinas College, it would be shaped by the relationships, tough love and pastoral care that help develop the futures of all the students who journey through the gates each day at the College.

I have been able to see the Spirit of Aquinas foster and develop from 1970 – 2019, having spent a collective 33 years at the College as a student and then teacher across this period of time.

For me, I first experienced the Spirit of Aquinas through the generosity, kindness and support of a few of my teachers. In an era within education when it was more about discipline and control than getting to know the student, for a teacher to go out of their way to help, assist and engage in some accepted joviality, stood them out from the rest.

Opening Mass in the International Forum 2008

33

When I began teaching at Aquinas in 1981, there was a gradual and accepted shift that teaching as a vocation was both equally instructional and relational. When students felt that teachers were genuinely interested in their wellbeing and success, they thrived.

The Spirit of Aquinas continued to broaden over the years. Students needed to be known personally, accepted and feel a sense of belonging to the College.

Witnessing students enjoy the learning process and gaining a foothold in the global world before them has been heartening. This Spirit has seen students develop confidence, take risks and display a willingness to showcase their talents.

A final testimony to the Spirit of Aquinas is the lasting friendships forged and formed through a student’s time at the College. Connection to others is so vital in our world at present with a multitude of pressures, expectations and competition for positions. What grounds Aquinas College students is the long lasting friendships that make us feel welcome to visit the College at any time.

Aquinas College has become part of my DNA and I’m sure it has done the same for many other staff and students.

Tinnies for Vinnies

I joined the Aquinas community as a Year 7 student in the late 1970’s. Our summer uniform was a yellow, gingham dress with a bottle green jumper and matching blazer, complemented by tan lace up shoes. Today, the uniform is far more fashionable than the yellow peril of the 70’s and 80’s. Throughout my time as a student, teachers wrote on a blackboard using chalk whilst students took notes on paper. Cleaning the blackboard dusters outside the classroom with a ruler was a task that today would raise significant OH&S issues for students who regularly inhaled the chalk dust without a facemask in sight! One constant that has remained during my years of connection to the College is the amazing sense of community that prevails, expressed so fittingly in the College song ‘united our hearts will remain.’

Nadine Callaghan, Peer Year 1982, Teacher 2007 - Present

Project Compassion 2003

Justice...

We promote opportunity and equity through awareness and support of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.

As a Year 10 student we are presented with a number of opportunities to bring the core value of Justice to life. At a local community level we work closely with Great Ryrie Primary School to assist non-native English speaking students with their homework to support their further education. In years which are not impacted by COVID-19, this would be our year to meet students from our Sister School in China and gain an understanding of schooling in New Caledonia. Through some of our key events in the year including The Long Walk and Harmony Day we are able to raise awareness and reflect on human rights in Australia and globally. Some of our Year 10 students have also had the opportunity to participate in the Building Bridges - Interfaith Dialogue Program and learn from other students in our area across other faiths.

Wishing Tree

34

Chloe North-Coombes, Year 10 The core value of Justice is a focus for our Year 10 cohort

“The Aquinas community was a place where the community truly lived the motto “to light up and be on fire”. Social justice was the ethos of the place.

Initially we focused on outreach for the families after hours - visiting students and parents who may have been ill, or supporting families in grief. The whole College community would come together to support each other. The staff would put together a roster to prepare meals and collect items for those in need.

We would run retreat days and wellbeing days for the parent community.

Over time we started to look beyond Aquinas College and into the world exploring opportunities for social justice that impacted more than our local community.

Aquinas College enabled me to live my dream, to be part of a passionate pastoral team and make a difference to many students and families beyond their school years.”

Sr. Aileen, Family Care Coordinator 1990 - 2013

35

Aquinas Life 1970s

1978

1974 Vertigo (publication) Staff

1976

36

Student Life

Girls during Lunchtime

Halloween Happenings 1976

Boys’ Athletics

1977 Form

76

6A 19

1971 Retreat

Students on the Lower Oval

37

“When I started in the late 1970s, the College was such a good place to be. The staff and students cared about each other and their community. I remember after the bushfires of 1983 within days the community had collected two van loads of items ready to take to the affected community.

We taught and lived our faith, with great kids coming from the feeder Parishes. It was religion that brought the students, staff and community together as we shared our faith. On the opening of the Girls’ School, Principal Sister Kelly walked around the perimeter of the school and prayed for the families who would be coming to it.”

Alison McNeil, Teacher 1974-2015

38

1977 was a year of friendship, co-operation and hard work.

Whilst pursuing our ultimate goal of HSC the burden was lightened by events during the year. We all have something in common, memories to share - of work and play, of minifetes and school excursions, of our Masses and Retreats - shared times when we became united, and the love of friends grew deeper.

Aquinas has seen us on our way and we have a long way to go, but we cannot and will not forget the years we have spent here for we have been part of its growing up as it has been part of ours.

All in all, 1977 was a great year. We won’t forget it and we hope that 1978 and every year that follows will be as good.

Memories will live forever.

Moira Cotter, Peer Year 1977 1970s

1980s

1980s Leaders

Compassion...

We promote the service of others through education and experiences that are based on kindness and generosity informed by Catholic Social Teaching.

During lockdowns and remote learning over the past two years, Compassion has been an important value we have all focused on.

Teachers have been reaching out to students and these acts of kindness have inspired me to also reach out to my peers. In our Year 11 cohort we participated in a Project Compassion activity spread across a term, which enabled us to raise money for those in need, aligned with our Catholic Social Teachings. We also contributed to fundraising for Caritas and Tinnies for Vinnies. We have continued these acts of kindness by staying connected with our cohort and being aware of our fellow student’s mental health.

1980s

Ann Marian Joseph, Year 11 The core value of Compassion is a focus for our Year 11 cohort

39

Aquinas Life 1980s

School Life

Administration Staff 1987

Liturgical Dance at the Whole School Mass

Sports Day

1984 School Life

40

Girls’ Netball Team Girls enjoy a Feast

Senior School Gold Captains 1985 Dawn Aitken, Maureen Watson, Cath Collins

John Mahon presenting a student with an award Senior School Gold Captains 1985 Staff Grand Prix

41

42

We learn from the joys and the tears

Michael Box Peer Year 1977 Deputy Principal Teacher 1987 - Present When thinking about the sixty years of Aquinas College it is easy to see the physical differences in the College and to recognise the changes that have occurred, as much because time has passed and the expectations of people of what a school can provide have grown.

It’s worth thinking back to what helped build the College in the first place. In the late 1950s Mitcham, Ringwood and Croydon and surrounds were the outer suburbs, where the local housing was constructed on streets that still had orchards and other rural activities.

The Catholics in these areas built their communities, often through their own physical and economic efforts.

Once the primary schools were built in parishes, the next need emerged, where would the children go to high school. The concept of Aquinas College was something different to the “Order owned” schools of inner Melbourne. Instead the Archdiocese determined that the local parishes would own a regional school, which centred Aquinas in the heart of the community and in many ways set it up for what it is today, a school that the community believes in.

November 1972

43

Aquinas in the early years was a school for aspirational Catholic families to send their boys, and later boys and girls as a means to access middle class work and life. Curriculum reflected this. Here is a Form 3 (now Year 9) report from 1964, when only the boys part of Aquinas was operating.

Looking past the handwriting and fact the teacher must have kept the report for the whole year to write in the final details, the subjects are limited to traditional academic learning, Religion (with marks and averages), English, Latin as the foreign language (at this time a pathway to law and medicine), History, one Science, three streams of Mathematics and Geography. In all likelihood these were learnt in 40 minute periods with the same timetable every day. Mechanical drawing was the vocational subject that substituted for Latin, for those with no wish to commune with dead Romans.

All of these classes were conducted where the 87 boys were, in two classrooms. This is not an illustration of a curriculum with a lack of diversity, rather learning that was in tune with the aspirations of the community, but also a society that assumed schools like Aquinas were for book learning and the vocational learning was for technical schools or through the Master and Apprentice model that produced tradesmen.

At this time there were many vocational opportunities prior to school completion. Three classes of more than forty boys in the early 1970s became two classes totalling fifty by the time they reached Form 6. The attrition rate

YEAR 9 2022 Core Subjects

Religious Education English History: Becoming Australian Mathematics Physical Education/Health Science

Electives

Arts Animation Art X Dance Performance Drama 1: Intro to Acting Fashion Design and Textiles Media Music – Digital Music – Performance Social Art Projects Visual Communication Vis Com – Illustration

44

was high to the extent that all the Form Six girls in the late 1970s fitted into a building that is now used for individual music teaching rooms near the Ford St gate.

Assessment was based on exams. Results in English, Maths and Science were dependent on that one day in November as coursework counted for naught in the Higher School Certificate of the sixties and seventies.

This curriculum is in spectacular contrast to the selections available to students in the Form Three of 2022, which is now known as Year 9. The myriad choices incorporate the basics that were on the 1964 report card but also reflect how schools in general, and Aquinas in particular, are expected to cater for the needs of young people beyond just the traditional academic model. There needs to be options that allow for artistic, technical, creative, scientific, vocational and spiritual development.

With this curriculum development comes the creation of spaces for that curriculum, sporting fields and courts, workshops and studios, theatres and open airy classrooms, kitchens and restaurants. When the students of Aquinas are asked what they like about the College, the word opportunities is a common refrain. It is easy to be dazzled by the new and shiny buildings and the diverse curriculum, but underneath this is a community that wants the best for its children, a community with the same beating heart of belonging and connecting that formed Aquinas in the first place.

English Journalism Literacy 1 SMART Reading Literacy 2 SMART Learning Humanities Geography Languages Other Than English Chinese French PE/EISM Religious Education Faith & Liturgy: Catch the Wave Science Future Sciences Planet Science: Earth or Mars?

Technology Computing: Online@N9ne Computing: Programming@N9ne Food Technology: Masterchef Food Technology: Melbourne Cafe Culture Make and Create Product Design Robotics Systems Engineering

Learning during the 80s

Class of 2006 Excellence Awards

Form 3 Report Card 1964

Aquinas featuring on ‘It’s Academic’ 1968

45

“Long after your students have forgotten all the curriculum you’ve taught them they will still remember your quality as a human being.” With these words the then Convenor of the Australian Principals Conference welcomed me as a young teacher to their staff. I had passed the curriculum demands of the interview and now it was time to cut to the chase...

I arrived at Aquinas in 1988. Change has been the one constant...at the physical level Aquinas has transformed itself with a progressive building program. Its architecture and fit-for-purpose buildings and landscaped grounds allow education to transform young bodies and minds in an environment independent of climatic extremes.

Long gone are most of the weatherboard and brick utilitarian buildings of the sixties together with their limitations. Students work in an environment of which they can be proud. Since 1989, Aquinas has been in the vanguard of curricular change. From the pilot school status of the late 80s VCE introduction until the present day Information Revolution change has been extensive and constant. The “chalk and talk” of the 80s, “photostat and chat” of the 90s, have given way to “Web and TED” for teachers and developing online research skills for students.

One of Aquinas’ great strides is its commitment to inclusion. No longer just an academic institution it leads in diversity, the development of the whole person to be the best they can be, to live out the Christian message of living “life to the full”; special educational services and mental health services play their part in education which emphasises the uniqueness of every student. Pathways are open for university and colleges, for vocational employment training with a view to apprenticeships for boys and girls through the Aquinas educational hub and other school providers in the East.

I’ve also changed, Aquinas has been transformative for me. No year has been the same: the exigencies of teaching young people have propelled me into three post graduate degrees when I felt I needed to know and understand more. I have taught an average 200 students per year over 34 years - around 7000 - and greeted many more every day in the “hallways of a hundred hellos”.

And those words from 1979 with which I began this tract come back to me. I have honoured them and let them guide me in my educational practice as I have grown as a person. Education is for everyone at Aquinas.

Paul Neeson, Teacher 1988 - Present

Studying in the Library during the 1960s

Maths Probability Carnival 2021

46

Audio Visual Room 2006

Perseverance...

We are challenged to continually strive for excellence in all aspects of our learning.

The Year 9 core value of perseverance has very much been brought to life this year especially with all the lockdowns. Over the past two years, our teachers, our families and even our peers have encouraged and challenged us to continue to focus on our learning and find new opportunities to excel. Our recent Excellence Awards for Semester 1 showed that despite much of this year being remote learning we could acknowledge and celebrate our cohort’s learning excellence. Luckily we were able to take part in the Challenge Walk earlier this year, which is a 16km walk into the City. While this is a physical example of our perseverance because at times it got tough and our feet got sore, it gave us the time to reflect on our path ahead as we prepare to enter our senior years.

Georgia Kavanagh, Year 9 The core value of Perseverance is a focus for our Year 9 cohort Learning in the 90s

2000s Computing

My first year as a Computing teacher at Aquinas College was one that I will always remember. My 30th year in 2021 as a Computing teacher at Aquinas College is one that I will never forget!

In the early years, there were two computing classrooms at the back of the ARC which housed 16 IBM PS1s in each room. These machines were DOS-based and were operated through a keyboard. Mouses (or mice) had not been invented yet.

On my very first lesson I was timetabled to teach a Year 10 Information Technology class. 64 Year 10 students turned up to be divided between the two classrooms and two teachers! With two students per computer and 32 students in the room, I taught word processing and spreadsheets, along with the inimitable First Fleet database.

I had to count down “5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - Click” so that students could login to the system within one minute, else it would take up to five minutes for everyone to login.

Applied Computing has kept up to date with the latest Computing trends. In 2021, students learn about virtual and augmented reality, drones, Python programming, interactive data visualizations, Unity game development, artificial intelligence, and so much more.

The Aquinas College network provides our students with the most up to date computing resources available. It has allowed us to cope with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and ensure our students can participate in continuous learning. Online learning has meant that we (staff, students and parents) have all had to learn many, many new skills from Google Meets through how to communicate when not meeting face to face.

A long distance from the inimitable First Fleet database!

Judy Zuccon, Applied Computing Teacher 1992 - Present

47

Aquinas (Girls’) College was turning five in 1972, the year I commenced Form 1. Sister Gabrielle was the Founding Principal, and we had nuns from I think three different Orders. We learnt how to sew and embroider; in Form 3 for drama, we filmed three minute movies on Super 8 films and in music we were shown how to play ‘Morning Has Broken’ on the piano. There were camps, debutante balls and musicals on offer, much the same as Aquinas today.

Since then, the landscape has changed from a large grass/bushy cliff separating the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools at the side of the oval, to a levelled oval and new VCE building south of the Boys’ School. It’s wonderful that the ‘Spirit’ of Aquinas hasn’t changed – that community feeling of belonging, the respect and camaraderie that I felt as a student, is still evident decades later.

Jo Hope (Haverkort), Peer Year 1977, Deputy Principal Learning Secretary 1995 - Present

When I started teaching at Aquinas College in 1991 classes had up to 34 students, and work was written on blackboards or the overhead projector. To show a film you would find a television and VCR on a trolley and roll it into the room with the videotape from the library.

After 1992 there was a continuous building program to improve the facilities at Aquinas. Over the years the ARC, the Science Laboratories, the Gym, the Theatre and the classrooms have all been or updated. Past students from the 90s can barely recognise the buildings they were once taught in. While there have been many changes through the years; there has been a constant desire by all staff to give the students the best possible education with the intent that they will be ready to participate in the world when they leave Aquinas.

Cath Santagada, Teacher 1991 - Present

Aquinas has changed over the years...from three separate schools to one co-ed College; new buildings have been developed and now we are back to a black blazer!

But some things have not changed. When I started the staff were so collegial and friendly and this still continues today.

Staff and students have always spoken highly of the connection they have with each other and the College.

This continues to be seen in how many past students have married each other and sent their children to the College. Apart from the physical changes, Aquinas has been a forward thinking school in regard to subjects and technology. It has continued to grow because of the work of the two principals in my time at Aquinas - Tony O’Byrne and Darren Atkinson. The stability of having only two principals over such a long time has enabled the College community to have confidence and this has seen the growth in numbers of students. In 1989, there were on average three boys and three girls classes per year level with approx 28 or more students, now it has 12 classes with approx 26 students per class!

Bernie Brummell, Sports Coordinator 1989 - Present

48

After being offered a position in the Aquinas Boys’ School in Graphic Communication, I arrived at Aquinas at the start of 1988 and found the addition of Metalwork a bit of a surprise, particularly when I had never used a welder in my life. Thirty four years later I am still here (albeit without the Metalwork), privileged to be part of an extraordinary community who bring the College to life each day with their energy and passion.

I have seen many changes in staff personnel, structure, processes, teaching and learning, facilities and even the College logo, redesigned by one of my Year 11 Graphic Communication students back in the early 90s. There was no formal curriculum documentation apart from the HSC course, and subject choices were limited. In the Arts we taught the skills that were required to succeed in VCE and each teacher taught according to their strengths. Today, Aquinas provides a broad comprehensive curriculum that assists students to embrace and develop their individual gifts and talent and reporting is thorough, transparent and ongoing. Aquinas has continued to grow in many ways. As a teacher, I hope I have brought out the best in students, enforced creativity and passion in their learning and inspired them to strive for their full potential to achieve greatness.

Sharon Harte, Teacher 1988 - Present

When I arrived at Aquinas in 1999, I was in my twenties, organising my wedding, saving for our first house and even had hair - and long hair at that! Oh, how times have changed! Now, 22 years later, my eldest daughter is finishing Year 12 at Aquinas, my second is in Year 10 and my next two will be arriving here shortly - needless to say Aquinas has become a huge part of our family.

The technology changes have probably been one of the biggest drivers of curriculum change over the years as well. Blackboards and chalk were gradually replaced with basic electronic whiteboards and then Apple TVs and class notes were written on plastic film for the overhead projector lamps. If you had suggested 20 years ago that we would be teaching by virtually meeting our students on a remote video-link and simultaneously presenting animated simulations from a web-based e-learning platform while the students collaboratively brainstorm on a shared virtual jamboard, I wouldn’t even have laughed - I wouldn’t have understood a word of it. If the COVID-19 pandemic had been the COVID-99 pandemic, teaching would have looked very different.

Brett Donohue, Current Parent, Teacher 1992 - Present

Student Life 1960s

Food Technology 2000s

Learning in the 70s

Revegetation Site 2006

49

I commenced my time at Aquinas College in 1992 as an enthusiastic 12 year old, eager to begin my journey into secondary education. Little did I know at the time that I would still be enjoying my days at Aquinas almost 30 years later as a Science educator. Whilst I always felt very well resourced in my education, the learning spaces were far less impressive than the beautiful contemporary, light filled spaces of the present day.

Our education system is now far better adapted to support individual students and ensure that we offer a rich and diverse curriculum that caters for all students.

One of the most obvious differences in education over the past 30 years is the use of technology. Such was the demand for computer rooms in my early teaching career that spaces within the College were redeveloped to allow for an ever expanding number of desktop computers. It is interesting now to witness that with the rapid pace of technological change, computer rooms have become almost redundant as students all carry their own device in the way in which we once carried our pencil case and student planner to every lesson.

Lynda Schulz - Science Learning Area Leader, Peer Year 1997, Teacher 2002 - Present

50

Library 2000s

My fondest memory is of Maureen McFadzean, who taught me English in Year 12. Not until decades later did I appreciate how she was forming my ability to think critically. I hope she could sense what I couldn’t - that she was actually teaching me something and I would eventually grow up. And obviously my most easily recalled memory is of our entire year level being expelled on the second last day of our schooling!

Philip Roper, Peer Year 1994

Whether it was playing campus-wide hide and seek with walkie talkies in Mr Toomey’s class, having impassioned discussions about Animal Farm with Ms McLean, helping Mr Box make up dance moves on the spot for the closing scene just days before Seussical Jr opening night, or convincing Mr Brummell to let me go to the swim carnival, it was the everyday interactions and sense of community that Aquinas cultivates, that made it such a fun and enriching environment to grow up in.

Our priorities as College Captains were to engage in important and transformative discussions, which led us to present to the College Board and run meetings with leaders from all year levels.

Matt Cavicchia, College Captain 2018

Year 12 1980 was the second year of Aquinas' movement towards co-education, although at that stage it was only at Years 11 and 12. There was a general feeling that the College had entered a new and exciting era.

Personally, I enjoyed being part of the College during its transition stage. It was an exciting time and traditions were being challenged. Although I mostly focused on fun, friends and sports at Aquinas, I developed a love of learning that led me to become a teacher and principal. Schools bring people together and forge relationships. Happy 60th to Aquinas!

Chris Phyland, College Captain 1980

Siobhan Brodrick, College Captain 2018

Using Computers in the 70s

Classroom Learning 1960s

51

Aquinas Life 1990s

Students on the Oval

Camp

Year 12 Banner 1997

Girls’ Athletics Squad 1991

Year 12 Graduation 1997

52

Public Speaking

Year 12 Graduation

Kath Wilson with Students

Year 12 Mass 1997

Students Performing

In preparation for an excursion

53

54

Aquinas has joined us as one

Each year as the College welcomes eager Year 7 students and their families to the first day of school, we are greeted with the familiar faces of our Aquinas Alumni, as parents. Aquinas has long been a part of many local families’ education traditions and we welcome back second and third generations of students.

“When we started looking at secondary schools for Dylan and Brooke we wanted to find a school that suited them and gave them many opportunities both academically and individually to be able to find and explore their passions.

There were many obvious changes when we returned to the College for my 20 Year reunion. There were new uniforms and new buildings, all which were great.

However, what impressed us most was the sense of pride and belonging the students throughout the college demonstrated, along with the opportunities and support they spoke about having.

Returning to be part of the Aquinas College community as a parent has been a wonderful experience and we have loved seeing Dylan and Brooke make the most of the opportunities available to them. Be it through their range of subject selection, camps, leadership opportunities and music performances.”

Penny Tudor (Frank), Peer Year 1995 Students in 1960s

55

L-R: Penny Tudor (Frank), Dylan Tudor (Current Year 11), Brooke Tudor (Current Year 10)

The Steen Family In 1996 I graduated from Aquinas College and didn't expect when I left, that 25 years later the College would play such a major part in the life of my family! My son Reuben will graduate this year, my daughter Gabriella will graduate next year, Joshua will complete Year 8 and their younger brothers will follow on after them. When it came time to select secondary schooling for our family, I knew I wanted my own children to have the same experiences I did. I knew I wanted them to be part of a school that valued community, compassion, inclusion, social justice, faith, empathy, and respect. Walking through the gates seven years ago for an Aquinas College tour, it was obvious that so much cosmetically had changed; but the guiding principles that make Aquinas what it is, had not.

Aquinas is still a place that nurtures learning, in whatever subject area your passions lie. I've witnessed through my own children, that same care and genuine interest the teachers share in their relationships with students.

Aquinas College is a place that does an amazing job of building a sense of belonging and community.

A lot has changed at Aquinas since 1991, I started in a transitional phase in the College as it moved from single-gender learning areas to fully co-educational.

For most of us it was pretty strange, since we had been in co-educational classes at primary school; you can imagine

L-R: Joanne Steen (Mansour), Joshua Steen (Year 8), Gabriella Steen (Year 11) Reuben Steen (Year 12)

56

the flurry of excitement when the bells would ring, and all the students would be able to mix together!

Students of today enjoy an incredibly resourced technology area, back in the 90's there was single standalone woodwork/metal work building beyond the gym for the entire school to learn in. Nonetheless, it provided all we needed, and I still have the silver plated jewellery I made back then with the support of my very passionate teachers! Gone too is the huge dimly lit table-tennis hall that was underneath the gym, taking with it the rumours of underground tunnels utilised by rebellious senior students! Though much has changed at Aquinas College (goodbye and good riddance brown check summer dresses!!) the essence that makes Aquinas what it is today, has not. The enduring friendships with lifelong friends, the stories and histories that inextricably link us together. The genuine care for us, both as learners and people which our teachers demonstrate. The passion for social justice and demonstrating the love and example of Jesus Christ through action, not only words. These were the hopes and dreams I had for my own children when I chose to send them to Aquinas College. I'm so grateful this has also been and is their experience. Illuminare et Ardere - may the light that shines so brightly at Aquinas, continue to burn for another 60 years and beyond!

Joanne Steen (Mansour), Peer Year 1996

The Volombello Family My name is Jim Volombello, I am Silvio’s Grandson

and Ben is my dad. I currently attend Aquinas and am in Year 7 Red, same as Silvio. My house is Rice. I am really excited and proud to be going to Aquinas following in my Nonno and Dad’s footsteps and definitely hope I can play with the Aquinas Football Club when I am older.

My name is Ben Volombello, I am Silvio’s son and

Jim’s father (current student). Thinking back to my time at Aquinas brings many very fond memories, these extend beyond the six years I attended including many years after playing football with the Bloods. My wife Amanda also has a strong connection with Aquinas as her mum attended the College and her Aunty and Uncle are life members of the Aquinas Football club.

Whilst the landscape has changed dramatically since my time, when I walk through Aquinas I see glimpses of the old school yard and reminisce on some of the “good old days”. Like the time we explored the pitch black labyrinth under the gym before it was converted to the Theatre. I genuinely believe the Aquinas family has helped my family, and my extended family accomplish what we have, both personally and professionally.

I hope my other two children, Charlie and Pippa, will also attend Aquinas and that each of them will enjoy a similar experience to my own.

It was a Boys’ School when I started, with a central quadrangle and two portables - Physics and Chemistry labs.

Recess was spent in Jubiliee Park and often involved a giant slide, British Bulldog, and torn shirt pockets.

We had Prefects in Forms 5 and 6, and I was a Prefect who had to police the uniform policy, no smoking and general behaviour. Class Captains helped manage the class behaviour as teachers moved between classes, often writing names on the board for later punishment but rubbing them off before the teacher arrived.

The Girls’ School was built in our time including the “fiery mote and razor wire fence” (figuratively).

At the time only the upper oval existed and swimming carnivals were held at the old Jubilee pool. We were all glued to the scratchy black and white TV in the Biology lab to watch man’s first step on the moon. It was a time of making good mates and great memories and I still have dinner with a couple of friends from Aquinas College.

So, on behalf of my family, I am proud of Aquinas and the way it has developed from its simple beginning in 1961 to a place of such diverse opportunity for learning and with such an awesome reputation. I am proud to have sent my four children there and attribute their successes in many ways to the education they received.

My name is Silvio Volombello. It was a pleasure to be asked to contribute to the Illuminare from our three generations. My association with Aquinas began in 1966 when I started in Form 1. The school was close enough that I could ride my bike from Bayswater North and affordable for my parents although I did win a scholarship and that helped. With regard to recollections I’ll just share a few prompts that may jog a memory or two for those of my vintage.

L-R: Jim Volombello (Current Year 7), Ben Volombello (Peer Year 1997), Silvio Volombello (Peer Year 1971)

57

The Gridley Family Aquinas has been a part of our lives for 19 years.

Five Gridley boys (two of whom have wives that were from Aquinas) and three daughters have been educated at Aquinas. During this time I decided that I needed to give something back and when Fr. Dillon (Mitcham Parish Priest) asked me to be on the Aquinas College Finance Committee and the College Board, of course I said “YES”. This led to 12 years on the Board, including two years as Board Chairman, and the first Old Collegian to do so. Under the leadership of Mr Tony O’Byrne, I helped with the decision making to re­ construct the College to provide many of the buildings and facilities that we have today.

Thank you Aquinas community for the opportunity.

Dennis Gridley, Peer Year 1973, past Chairman of the College Board

My sisters and I have such fond memories of the music program at the College and the different ways we were all involved in College life. Aquinas truly had something for everyone. We were all involved with the Aquinas College Concert Band - myself on the euphonium, Liz on the tenor saxophone and Victoria on the clarinet and alto saxophone. In 2005, all three Gridley sisters were in the band for the college musical “Anything Goes”. Most of all, we all have such fond and cherished memories of our music lessons with Miss Patrice Marshall. A lady so petite and yet so intimidating - she always knew if we hadn’t practiced! Our mum Jill (also an Aquinas alumnus) was a big supporter of our musical endeavours, and was a founding member of the Friends of Aquinas Music (FOAM), which still operates today. I also had a role with the Aquinas Resource Centre (ARC) as it transitioned into its new building in 2005, as I was the Library Assistant postVCE. After I left and went on to university, my sister Liz Gridley also worked in the ARC as the inaugural graphic designer for the College, creating many designs that are still used today. We both have fond memories of our time working in the ARC, and cherish the relationships we formed with our staff colleagues during that time.

Sally Gridley, on behalf of sisters Liz and Victoria, Peer Year 2004

L-R: Dennis Gridley, Sally Gridley, Liz Gridley, Victoria Gridley

Belonging...

We are mindful of our diverse local and global community; we are culturally inclusive and respect the dignity of each individual.

The first year of high school is a big jump for every student, but now I understand why the core value of belonging is focused in Year 7. In transitioning from primary school to high school we meet so many new people who we haven’t grown up with and don’t know much about.

Focusing on belonging means we are more mindful and respectful of each individual student we meet as they become friends and our new cohort. Knowing that the Youth and Family Centre is available if we ever need to talk really supports my sense of belonging. This year we were lucky enough to participate in our first Harmony Day where we learnt about and celebrated the diversity of our local and global community.

Samantha Mugamu, Year 7 The core value of Belonging is a focus for our Year 7 cohort

58

The Rees Family As a current student of Aquinas, entering into the College I was looking forward to the lifelong friendships I was going to create. This is something I had been looking forward to from a young age has I had watched my parents remain close to their friends from Aquinas, and listened to them speak so fondly of their memories.

Aquinas College has a very strong community, and within that community the College values are rooted deeply in current students and past students, I feel very privileged to have been immersed in this and to share something so special with my parents as well.

Amelia Rees, Year 12

My most prominent memory at Aquinas were the Masses and assemblies where the whole College would gather together and the College song would be sung with gusto and enthusiasm. The band would be playing and it really did make me feel happy and connected to the Aquinas community. I still remember every word, “Let it sing out…”. My husband Lucas says the biggest change he has seen over the years since we graduated in 1993 are all the new and improved buildings and facilities.

Going back further in my family's history at Aquinas College, for a short period of time my Grandfather Louis van Winckel taught Religion and French at Aquinas in the first year it opened. My Dad Anthony Pote also attended Aquinas from 1966 for his secondary schooling.

He was the sub editor of the newspaper “Pot pourri”.

Anthony remembers Principal Brother Francis and his football coach Brother Hewitt. Both the Pote and van Winckel family have had family members attending the College from the day of its opening up until today with various branches of the family tree on both sides, students of Aquinas. There is certainly a rich history and ongoing affinity with Aquinas College.

Jessica Rees (Pote) and Lucas Rees, Peer Year 1993

L-R: Nick Moran, Kellie Moran (Lobosco), Kiera Moran (Year 8), Jordan Moran (Year 10), Isabella Moran (Year 12),

The Moran Family Watching our eldest prepare for her final exams and last days of secondary school, we paused to reflect on our time as students at Aquinas College. In 1992, we were the first year to complete VCE which posed some difficulties, yet in comparison, we watched helplessly as our children faced monumental challenges over the past two years.

There are many differences between what College life was like then to what it is now, but what remains the same is the heart and soul of Aquinas College.

While the College song has been revamped, the sentiment, spirit and, gusto in which it is sung remains the same; the buildings are newer, yet they still house dedicated, accomplished and devoted teachers; the challenges around education are different, yet they are still handled with committed leadership that inspire and support young people through education and pastoral care.

Our memories of day-to-day life at Aquinas have blurred a little, however the feeling of being a part of the Aquinas College community remains unwavering. We observe our children experience the same sense of identity, belonging and kinship that we were both privileged to be a part of as Aquinas College students.

Nick & Kellie Moran (Lobosco), Peer Year 1992

L-R: Lucas Rees, Jessica Rees (Pote), Amelia Rees (Year 12), Thomas Rees (Year 10)

59

“the Bloods” Aquinas Old Boys as it was known took to the field

for the first time in 1981, by the skin of their teeth.

A committee led by President Barry Cuskelly, a tireless big ideas man, and Vice President John O’Loughlin scrambled as the deadline to field a team approached.

The thinking behind starting the club was to give the youth of the area somewhere to play and socialise.

No mean feat starting from scratch. Initially they started playing in the East Suburban Churches league.

Saturday could not come around quick enough, the place to be was the bottom oval, it was home.

You would have Pat Ryan time keeping and eating hotdogs, the mud would be so bad that by half the time you didn’t know which team had the ball.

One item that would go on to be a fixture of the bottom oval, the canteen caravan, was actually towed from Footscray by Barry with days to spare before being draped in those amazing three colours and serving thousands of hungry football fans for years to come.

Anyone that hasn’t been bogged on the bottom oval hasn’t been to a Bloods home game.

A young bloke wandered into training one night.

“Hey guys, just seeing if I could get a game”. “Well son let’s see what you’ve got”. We are reliably informed that by the end of training that young man had stood on about eight blokes’ heads and impressed everyone enough to get a game and another 316, along with seven Best and Fairest Awards. The lads name was Marcello Tarulli.

The early days of the club were spent idolising the players of the Bloods and when they applied and were accepted into the amateurs (the VAFA, in 1987) the idolisation continued. During this time, we watched John Ryan kicking bags, Andrew Coster doing what only Panch could do, Wheels putting on a clinic every week.

These are the names of the early years but they have been joined by the Livingstone’s, and Shane the 300 game workhorse. Cam Colliver, Maarskant, Cultera, Morrison Storey, De Braber, Whits, Lachie Barnes, Russell Foster and many more.

60

Time has built not only a club but a culture. We now see the emergence of the junior side; the importance of the under 19s; and the best thing to ever happen to the club, in 2018 we introduced our first ever women’s team.

Add to the honour roll the names of Matthers, Tucker, Elliot, Dargon, Hogg and Winters.

Over the years we have seen tragedy descend upon the club, but we have also seen the way the club bunkers down as a community and gets stronger. It is a club built on the hard work of players, coaches, trainers, officials, and volunteers. Each of whom would have their Saturday afternoons no other way. Some players have left for other teams but no one has ever come across a better club.

Aquinas Old Collegians Football Club celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The search for improvement and growth never stops. Our football club has three men’s teams, two women’s and two junior teams.

The Club is a great organisation and those who pull on the jumper or support the Club off field are proud of the opportunity to represent the Club. Every person within our organisation has a role to play, no one, more important than the next person. This is the foundation that sees the club continually grow from strength to strength.

61

The willingness of the people On the 7th February 1965 the parish priests of the region called a meeting of parents with a view to forming a committee to assist the Principal and staff in developing the College. A committee from the member parishes was form­ed and on Wednesday 10th February I found myself President of the Aquinas College Parents’ and Patrons’ Association. The first committee was a dedicated group of peo­ ple anxious to develop a firm foundation on which those who would follow could build. There was a great spirit at Aquinas between the staff and parents.

The committee organised the father and son nights.

These nights gained tremendous support. Doctors, priests and parents combined to discuss matters of concern to the young adolescents.

The most pleasing part of our early years was the willingness of people to do whatever was asked of them.

The school needed bicycle racks - a few quick phone calls and all the welders, carpenters’ and helpers needed to erect them were assembled within minutes and in one weekend, all that was needed to be done was completed.

Mr Patrick Smith, the first President of the Parents’ and Patrons’ Association

62

Parents’ & Patrons’ As good work. sociation The P & P continue th report by the main el eir John Living ements here stone capt . The Moth their soci ures al meetings ers’ Auxili ary used to learn a and money raised was lot about school prog used to re furbish th rams e Chapel.

To the work ers a BIG THANK YOU! !

The Tucksh op ladies are heroes - th another gr eir combin oup of unsu ed devotion we expect ng day by day gives us th without li e service of apprecia ttle thanks tion. Mrs. and signs Box and Mr another tw s. McLachla o workers who give us n are Second-han their time d Uniform Shop such to make th a success. e

1975 Farewell Father O'Driscoll by Ladies’ Auxiliary

Year 9 Basketball Court Upgrade

During 1969, the Parent’ Committee worked towards the usual objectives of organising cleaning and maintenance of the Colleges, social functions for College parents and friends and raising funds for College equipment. In addition, a sub-committee, led by John McKenna organised the visit to Melbourne of two students from Br. Francis’ school in the New Guinea highlands, showing them as much as possible of the true Australian way of life.

Extract from President’s Report 1969-70, Walter Narty, Parents’ and Patrons’ Association President

With the aim of providing extra amenities, help in the routine duties of the school and a means of having parents mix socially, the Parents’ and Patrons’ Association was formed. This body has been responsible for providing so much for the betterment of the Colleges such as building a basketball court; the shed for paper collection; bike racks at the Girls’ School and top dressing the small oval; organising a cleaning roster; arranging Mother and Daughter and Father and Son nights; holding the Annual Supper Dance and a TV Ringside night and helping ex-students to form their own association.

Debutante Ball 2004

To an extent, the Association also acted as a medium for discussing complaints and requests from parents and actively represented parents on the College Board.

All this, of course, was only possible with the support of parents and friends and the cooperation of Brother Francis, Brother O’Donoghue, Sister Gabrielle and the College staff.

President’s Report, 1971 Yearbook

Today the Parents and Friends Network (P&F) at Aquinas College is an integral part of the College community and contributes to and supports a number of key initiatives.

It is an opportunity for like minded parents to play an important role in the life of the College. In recent times, the Parents and Friends Network have been responsible for contributions toward revitalising the Year 9 recreation area and much needed outdoor seating; coordinating the Year 10 Presentation Balls each year and sponsoring a pilot program for students on the Autism Spectrum.

Denise Raven, Current President of the Parents and Friends Network

of those ir thanks to all h to express the wis al to e tic ghu rac ono imp O’D is and Br. g of Aquinas. It THANKS. Sr. Basil ways in the runnin y man so m. in the m to who assist the are very grateful l names by they mention individua

to those who :Special thanks go ants; their many assist ent Car Trial and organized the rec

pers; removal of newspa arrange for the

thers’ garage; ension of the Bro completed the ext

the week-end; two schools during nance work in the nte mai did

cricket pitch; und the practice erected wiring aro at

n of the library the classificatio so much work on ng doi are who and to the ladies . the boys’ school

63

Aquinas Life 2000s

Hot Air Balloon Visit 2008

Food Technology2006

Year 8 Surf Camp 2006

64

Year 8 Medieval Exhibition 2006

Year 8 Medieval Exhibition 2006

Harry Potter Celebrity Heads in the ARC 2005

Students in the Forum 2006

World’s Greatest Shave 2009

Year 7 Camp 2006

Face Painting in the ARC 2007

2008

Michael Long with Year 11s 2007

Kakadu Trip 2009

Painting the Staff Centre 2007

65

66

From people we’ve loved and from challenges met Anne-Maree Grimaldi Teacher 1989 - 2016 The first trip to France took a solid 12 months of negotiating and relationship building, and it didn’t get too much easier over the years. The paperwork alone was enormous for each student, and getting the parents to understand the responsibilities of the parent and child while we were aware could sometimes be challenging.

A school was picked in France which was in the country, about 350kms out of Paris, because this forced the students to mainly speak French. In our first year, after 12 months of creating a relationship with the Principal when we got to the school in France there was a new Principal who had no idea of the agreement or what had been set up for our students! Over the years, the trip became a well oiled machine - a night flight had us arriving in Paris at 7am; by 9am the group was at the Eiffel Tower, followed by lunch at a local restaurant then onto the TGV for a 2.5 hour fast train to our destination. By 5pm that night the students were meeting their exchange families.

Athletics 1980s

67

That first trip was supposed to be a one off but the next year students kept asking “Madame, where are we going to France?” so I started the planning again and it became an annual event. It was also the impetus for many international trips for the Aquinas College students, including the exchange program for French students to spend time in Australia. A shorter trip to New Caledonia for Year 10 students studying French was created; and the annual trip to China for Year 9 students which drew on my knowledge, experience and travel relationships.

I absolutely loved my time at Aquinas. Loved the teaching and the opportunities.”

Tony O’Byrne Asia Trip 1990s

France Trip January 2006

Kakadu 1980s

68

Kakadu Trip

My fondest memories are certainly the times I shared with lifelong friends, in particular, the Year 11 Kakadu experience. I’m proud of my Aquinas roots and Aquinas’ focus on community, compassion and kindness. I feel those values have helped me achieve my goal of becoming a lawyer and earning respect amongst the legal community, and I’ll always be grateful for that.

Cassie Clarke, College Captain 2012

My fondest memories of Aquinas are College Assemblies, Music Fridays in the ARC, and camps.

Briony Pearson, Peer Year 2015

European Pilgrimage 2009

Tony O’Byrne Asia Trip 1990s

69

Camps were also prominent and a valuable learning experience, with every year level participating in week long trips to the Grampians, cross country skiing, surfing, golf, beach environments, high country and of course Kakadu. These were all experiences that were incredibly fulfilling, where student-teacher relationships took on another dimension and memories remain forever.

Immersion trips - living in community with first peoples - hold special memories for me. I had the privilege on a number of occasions to travel with small groups of students to the remote indigenous community of Daly River in the Northern Territory. The community embraced us with their warmth, humour and generosity and were so proud to share their lives and culture with us. My family and I now have a special bond and relationship with some of the community who have regularly visited us in Melbourne; Miriam Rose Baumann, Senior Australian of the Year is one of these special people we now call a friend. It has been life changing.

Sharon Harte, Teacher 1988 - Present

70

Kakadu Trip 1970s

European Pilgrimage 2009

Kakadu 2003

71

A powerful force in the sporting arena Aquinas College has long held a reputation of being a powerful force in the sporting arena. From the time the gates were opened, sport has played a strong role in our co-curricular activities. In 1964, Aquinas College became one of five foundation schools to come together to an Independent Schools in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne sporting competition. Other founding member schools included St Leo’s College (Box Hill), Kingswood College (Box Hill), Whitefriars College (Donvale) and Luther College (Croydon) Initially the competition was for boys only, and the only sport offered was Australian Rules Football. It developed rapidly to include Athletics, Cross-Country and Swimming carnivals, Cricket, Tennis, and Debating.

Netball 1980s

These competitions were held on Saturdays. It was called the Eastern Independent Schools Association. There was a push for girls to have access to inter-school sport, and after extensive meetings in 1970 the following schools formed the Eastern Independent Girls Schools Association (EIGSA): Aquinas College (Ringwood), Mt Lilydale College (Lilydale), Chavoin College (Burwood), Mt Scopus Memorial College (Burwood), Huntingtower (Mt Waverley), Our Lady of Sion (Box Hill) and Luther College (Croydon).

Aquinas College teams were regularly crowned Premiers across a number of sports including the Boys’ Football in 1969, 1975, 1976 and more recently; while the Boys’ Cricket team also dominated in the mid 1970s.

In the Swimming Carnivals up until 1980, Aquinas College won the Boys’ division in 1968, 1971 and 1972.

In the Athletics Carnivals, Aquinas College won the Boys’ division in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972 and 1974.

Aquinas won the Girls’ division in 1972.

Girls’ Hockey Team 1980s

From 1981 to 2000, Aquinas College continued to win a number of premierships in senior competitions.

Girls’ Netball was a particular strength with wins across almost every year of the competition. There are a number of past students who currently hold records for the EISM Athletics, which were set in the period 1981-2000.

Bernie Brummell, Sports Coordinator 1989 - Present Boys’ Football 1960s

72

Boy’s Swimming 1980s Girls’ Hockey 1980s

Boys’ Junior Athletics Squad 1991

Ultimate Frisbee 2016 Cross Country 1980s

Cricket 1980s

I was a student at Aquinas College from 1979 through to completing my HSC in 1984. I remember seeing a few nuns at the school during my time there, which is something you do not see in the College now. One of my home room teachers was Mr King, who also taught my daughter some 33 years later. I remember being involved in a liturgical dance at an Opening Mass, inter school sports (netball, hockey), swimming carnival and cross country running around the College. Now all these years later, as a staff member, it is interesting to see so many changes which have occurred, especially the addition of new buildings and facilities.

Jennifer Paterson, Peer Year 1984, Past Parent, Accounts Payable Officer 2011 - Present

Chisholm House

Girls’ Softball 1980s

Athletics 1977

My favourite memories of my time at Aquinas include World Youth Day in Sydney and representing the College in Netball at the Interstate Championships.

Emma Griffiths (nee Hadj), Peer Year 2008

73

Performing brought the community together The performing arts has played an important role at

Aquinas College from its early days from music ensemble performances, to plays and musicals. In recent decades, the junior and senior musicals have played to full houses of proud parents and community. A number of our alumni have gone on to contribute significantly to the arts and entertainment industry.

My fondest memories at Aquinas was the involvement in the Musicals under the leadership of Sr Marg O’Toole.

The experience of working together as a team to create these events and then celebrating the fun of performing, have stayed with me as a model for working with groups throughout my life. In my first year at Aquinas in 1971, my home room teacher, Ms DeSilva provided an opportunity for some of us to sing at Nursing Homes. I have never forgotten the joy on the faces of the elderly people we sang to. In the year I was School Captain we implemented a program in which senior students spent time in junior classes listening to their concerns, creating channels of communication for younger students to be heard. The positive feedback received from this program confirmed my belief in the value of providing forums for everyone’s voice to be heard.

Jane Monk, College Captain 1976

My fondest memory of Aquinas College was the ability to spend six high quality years of music and classroom experiences with Mr Rod Meaklim.

Alex Watson, College Vice Captain 2019 Crazy for You 2011

74

I loved getting involved with groups and activities, whether it was debating, musical, concert band, book week or athletics. I was so proud to become College Captain because I saw it as a reflection of all the great friends and connections I had made and that the people I cared about believed in me to represent them.

Heath Pawley, College Captain 2003

Being a part of the performing arts - dance, music and drama. And what a better way to combine them than to participate in the annual musical. From the first ever junior musical to Grease and even some lesser/more well known productions, they will always be the highlight of my time at Aquinas.”

Fiona Hyde, Peer Year 2009

I thought that the Drama Nights we had (one each year) were a fine force for development.They were entertaining, they cultivated talent and ar­tistic judgement and they gave a chance to the school to function together for a specific aim. Schools can lose by too much fractionation.

The parents supported the drama nights always. They were demanding on teachers, who possibly would have preferred to be exempted. Everyone pulled together, however, and they were successful. We went round the countryside for venues, through Ringwood, Mitcham, Croydon and finished up in the Alexander Theatre at Monash - the perfect theatre.

Br. O’Donoghue, Headmaster 1968 - 1973

A Space Idiocy 2007

Grease 2007

Damn Yankees 2006

Aquinas College Band 1976

Aladdin 2010 High School Musical 2008

The Addams Family 2015 Yeomen of the Guard 1985

75

Aquinas Life 2010s

2017 Harmony Day 2010

Poppies Display 2018

Year 9 Mission to Mars 2009

76

English Class 2015

Circles of Silence 2018

Band 2010

First Look at Chorus Luminus 2018

Kakadu Trip 2010

Colourful Run 2017

Opening Assembly 2018

Year 7 Dominic Camp 2018

Year 11 Formal 2010 Recording the School Song 2017

Year 12 Physics Excursion 2017

Graduation Mass 2018

EISM Athletics 2011

77

Share your News We would love to hear from our Aquinas College Alumni.

Share your news about births, engagements, marriages, in memoriam or outstanding achievements to feature in upcoming editions of Illuminare.

If you have any historical information for our archives, we would love to take copies for our archives.

78

Email your news, photos and information with your contact details to: illuminare@aquinas.vic.edu.au Would you like to be added to the mailing list to ensure you get every future copy of Illuminare? Register on the Alumni section of the College website: www.aquinas.vic.edu.au

60 Years of Illuminare et Ardere