From people we’ve loved and from challenges met

Anne Marie 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.

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

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

Kakadu Trip

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

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.

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.

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

Netball 1980s

Girls’ Hockey Team 1980s

Boys’ Football 1960s

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. 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

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