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.

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.

Project Compassion 2003 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

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. 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

Sr. Aileen was an integral part of the first formal pastoral team at Aquinas College. She remembered fondly the pastoral team being housed in the little wooden Chapel in Ford street, and her office was originally set up in the Confessional.

“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

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.

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