Always Aloysius, Winter 2021

Title Here

A St Aloysius College Publication Winter Edition 2021

Contents Principal’s Welcome ....................................................... 3 2020 College Dux ............................................................ 4 Student Leadership ........................................................ 6 Welcome to the Year 7s ................................................... 8 International Women’s Day ......................................... 10

Enrolment Steps

Life is Co-Ed & so are we from 2023...

Alumni Profile: Jessica Au .............................................12

ATTEND CAMPUS TOUR Alumni Profile: Sister Hermenilda ...............................14 Departing Staff: Chris White.........................................16 Departing Staff: Jodie McLeod......................................18 New Staff .......................................................................19

Book via College website

Year 7 2023 Key Dates

SUBMIT APPLICATION FORM

20th Aug 2021 - Year 7 2023 application deadline

Forms available on College website or via email

FINAL STEPS Interview, offer and acceptance process

22nd Oct 2021 - Letters of Offer sent 12th Nov 2021 - Offer Acceptance Deadline

St Aloysius College invites enrolment applications for the coming years. Limited places remain for Year 7 2022 commencement.

Should this be of interest, we advise you to contact our College registrar at registrar@aloysius.vic.edu.au or 9325 9200 at your earliest convenience

Cover Image: Maya Holowka, 7C, Oil Pastel Drawing

Join the Alumni Community on Facebook St Aloysius College – Alumni Association

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Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021

St Aloysius College 31 Curran Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051 Ph: 03 9325 9200 Email: principal@aloysious.vic.edu.au Website: www. aloysious.vic.edu.au Design: DMC Group / dmcg.com.au / info@dmcg.com.au

Principal’s Welcome

New Student Entrance, officially opened on the 30th of March by Senator David Van.

It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you all to the 2021 Winter edition of Always Aloysius.

Although we are only nearing the midpoint of the year, it has already proven to be one of great opportunity, new learnings and certainly one that is living up to our 2021 College theme of Hospitality. This edition reflects this, with features on the Student High Achievers of 2020. We have also welcomed and farewelled staff and students, and improved school facilities which were officially opened by Senator David Van. Whilst we are preparing for 2023, when we will welcome the first group of boys at Year 7 and become the first Catholic coeducation College in the inner City of Melbourne, we are reminded that schools

are always places where the present is a wonderful mix of the past and the future and I think this edition demonstrates that St Aloysius College is certainly in that space.

experiences our girls are exposed to.

Perhaps rather than ‘always’ we should just recognise that we are all part of ‘wonderful Aloysius’. Enjoy the read, and the Winter.

In the footsteps of Catherine McAuley,

Our focus is always on ensuring that the history and traditions of the College are honoured and lived, and that twentyfirst century opportunities, facilities and thinking grow. We are always Striving for Higher Things....and, as such, we chose Hospitality as our College theme.

Mary Farah Principal

Please enjoy this wonderful collection of writings, which are only a pale reflection of the wonderful opportunities and

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2020 College Dux HIGH ACHIEVERS’ ASSEMBLY SPEECH

and a little character development never hurts.

Although 2020 was admittedly not the ideal year of fulfilling new year’s resolutions, from day one I was determined to make sure that, throughout the year, I would have no regrets. I did not want to let go of any incredible opportunities that would have enriched me, miss out on making a lifelong friend or never end up learning something new. Without having a positive, ‘just-do-it’ attitude, I would never have been able to play a lead in our musical, study a language, or participate in a plethora of exciting cocurricular activities. Now, because of the saying “once a St Al’s girl, always a St Al’s girl”, I couldn’t not talk about at least one of the Mercy values. Thus, the value of Courage perfectly encapsulates the key to fulfilling goals and overcoming challenges without any room for regret or thoughts of what could have been. And so, in the wise words of Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus, I ask you to “take chances, make mistakes, get messy” – because you never know what great memories may arise from a bit of risk-taking.

During the past couple of months I have been free of any homework or exam study, I have been able to reflect on my experiences of 2020. Whilst planning and writing this speech, I was determined to share with you some advice that you could potentially use within your own life, no matter who you are or what you pursue. Although I still have lots to learn, I would like to talk about the three things I believe brought about my success throughout my high school life, leading me to where I stand in front of you today. I believe that these three things are Courage, Hard work and Passion.

I can say that, without a doubt, the absolute most important thing to channel in life is passion. The dictionary defines passion as ‘a strong and barely controllable emotion’ but I believe it is that and so much more. For me, passion helped me do the things I loved every day, manifested self-motivation during hardship, and remained at the core of my personal, social, and political beliefs that I wanted to live through my words and actions. The most notable instance of this was my year-long project of creating my Studio Arts artwork – drawing 100 portraits of women in my

2020 College Dux, Greta Linehan with College Principal, Mary Farah.

My name is Greta Linehan, and it is my utmost honour and privilege to be standing here today as the St Aloysius college dux of 2020; representing a class that I am quite sure no one is going to forget.

I want to start off by congratulating every member of the class of 2020. Your incredible success and ability to prosper is clear through the outstanding academic achievements of the year, as well as through observing your journeys from stressed out students flourishing into accomplished women. I would say that 2020 was a tough one for us, but overcoming the hardships of a trying year has ultimately shaped us into the strong individuals we are today,

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Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021

2020 College Dux HIGH ACHIEVERS’ ASSEMBLY SPEECH

awe at the high achievers – amazed by all the accomplishments and impressed by the presentations, but inspired more than anything. It sounds cliché but

since I was in year 7, sitting at each of these annual assemblies made me think, I really want to do that too. life on sticky notes to visually portray the statistic that 1 in 5 Australian women are victims of sexual assault. My passionate investment in this social issue, as well as my ambition to study law in the fight for women’s justice attributed to my greatest achievement of the year – being selected to exhibit my work in the National Gallery of Victoria within the Top Arts Exhibition for 2021. Without passion, my drive and determination to do things I love throughout both my art, as well as in my studies, I would not be the person I am today. I think that investing in hobbies, picking subjects you enjoy, fighting for change, and living your passions will not only bring success in your academic pursuit, but in all aspects of your life.

Finally, you really can’t get anything done without hard work – especially in year 12.

Hard work and dedication will ultimately get you to the places you want to be, even if we have all been tempted to not read our texts for English over the summer holidays.

I vividly remember sitting in this very hall on a coloured plastic chair looking up in

I wanted to stand proud knowing that my success would be acknowledged and knowing where I would be headed in the next step of the exciting future. But, what the speeches, the certificates and beaming smiles don’t tell you, however, are the tireless nights studying, tears of stress, painful friendship drama and bumps in the road that make your goals seem near impossible to achieve. I learnt the hard way that although confidence helps a lot, it is hard work and perseverance that truly sow the seeds of success. Behind every A+ will always be hard work in the form of several practice SACs, study checklists and mind maps. Despite achieving an ATAR of 98.20, at the end of the day I am still the same super nerdy, hard-working, ambitious girl I was in year 7, excited for what the future will hold for her – just a little bit taller.

Looking back at this whirlwind of a year has instilled a deep sense of gratitude for all the opportunities and support that has been offered to me not only throughout 2020, but throughout my entire high school life. Firstly, I want to thank all the friends I have made at St Aloysius – whether it be

laughing, crying, or studying together, I will cherish all the memories we have made. I want to give my most sincere thanks and appreciation to all of my dedicated teachers that work very hard and have made my experience at St Al’s from years 7 to 12.

Finally, I want to thank the most important people in my life – my mum and dad. For listening to my stress ranting, studying my flash cards with me the night before a SAC, being my personal taxi drivers for school events, and remaining my number one supporters throughout both my studies and my life. The sacrifices you have made for me do not go unnoticed and I love you both very much.

As a final note, good luck to everyone for 2021, particularly the year 12s – you have got this! Thank you.

Gretta Linehan 2020 College Dux

Greta’s Artwork as displayed at the NGV’s 2021 Top Arts Exhibition

Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021

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Student Leadership “LEADERSHIP IS NOT A POSITION OR TITLE, IT IS ACTION AND EXAMPLE.”

Maggie Twyford College Co-Captain

Bethany Pearce College Co-Captain

Agom Agong

Elise Ho Liturgy Prefect

Amelie Milazzi

House Cup Prefect

Fallon Prefect

McAuley Prefect

Emma Tabone Scully Prefect

Michelle Nguyen Verdon Prefect

Social Justice Prefect

Medot Tadesse

Chelsea Stewart Sport Prefect

Student Action Prefect

Gabrielle Dempsey

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Ava McLeod Arts Prefect

Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021

Trinity Foo

Student Leadership MESSAGES FROM YOUR PREFECTS

Elise Ho - As a prefect, I find it rewarding to know that the small changes I make around the College can inspire a more engaging environment for students as they learn and connect with their community.

Trinity Foo - As Student Action Prefect, my goal is to support my fellow students in the very same way St Aloysius has done so for me; by empowering students to not only voice their opinions, values and beliefs with confidence, but also by encouraging self-expression through their talents and unique qualities they all should be immensely proud of.

Chelsea Stewart - I am honoured to represent St Aloysius College through being a leader, as I am able to give back to the community that has helped me grow as well as leave my mark.

Medot Tadesse - I am very proud of my role as a leader as it allows me to promote social change throughout the school community

and also foster students’ passion for social justice.

Michelle Nguyen - As the Verdon House Leader, I take pride in how others view me as a role model and the responsibilities I need to ensure are met in order to live up to my role. As a Mercy student, I am proud to call St Aloysius my school as the values I am taught here will encourage me to grow as a woman.

Emma Tabone - As a prefect, I really enjoy being able to give back to the strong community spirit, I am very proud to be able to lead the school.

Amelie Milazzi - As a prefect, I find pride in leading McAuley House and representing my classmates as a voice for them.

Agom Agong - As a perfect, it always makes me proud to be able to give back to the school in a strong way.

Gabrielle Dempsey - I take pride in the sense of community at St Aloysius College.

Everyone at the school is very welcoming and inviting and we are all able to build long-lasting relationships with everyone in the community.

Ava McLeod - Something which I love about being a prefect is the opportunity to represent our cohort and support the needs of the school community.

Maggie Twyford - In my role as college cocaptain I am proud to be able to represent a community that has supported me through my high school years, this has made me determined to strive to give back in any way I can.

Bethany Pearce - I am proud to be a leader at St Aloysius because I love working with the prefect team to come up with ideas on how our College community can come together to celebrate special events and day to day life at school.

Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021

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Welcome to the Year 7s FALSE START Tim Sinclair from “The Things a Map Won’t Show You” You have become Uncertain In this shiny Circle – K.

This poem is just one of the many that we analysed as part of our short story unit “A look at poetry.” Students were quick to make parallels between this poem and their new journey into secondary school.

As part of the short story unit students were asked to think about the rituals that they left behind and the new rituals that await them.

Nothing Is working out Like you planned.

Beginning any new journey is fraught with ‘false starts’, new rituals and deeper understandings of yourself and where you fit in within the cosmos. In Term 1 our Year 7 students explored the text “Things a Map Won’t Show” and were encouraged to consider this concept as they embarked on their secondary school journey. What are the things that exist in our school that are not obvious on any map anywhere?

As the weeks progressed students noted exactly what those things are: the culture that exists within the community, the rich Mercy traditions that are so much a part of our everyday existence and the new demands of learning in a space that calls them to be responsible for their own learning journey.

You arrived….how long?

Seven hours ago.

Seven hours ago You got off the plane.

As the Year 7s became more confident with SETQA, developed friendships, used their locks with ease and could now navigate their way around the space, the false starts became fewer.

And that Was the end Of all that you’d known Until now.

While we are always learning and life will always give us false starts, as students of St Aloysius College we are well on our way to having the tool kit to deal with the bumps that come our way.

With it’s row upon row Of Japanese snacks, And signs that scream In a language you can’t understand.

The promise of air – con And convenient convenience Are not working out Like you planned.

Rituals are important for a variety of reasons: sometimes they help us to mark time, or indeed to create time, by signifying beginnings and endings. At St Aloysius

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Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021

College, we experienced this on a number of occasions, when we came together to celebrate the start of Term 2 in a Whole School Liturgy – a ritual that many of us have come to appreciate even more in the last 12 months when these gatherings have been few and far between.

As the year 7 cohort continue to move through the school year they will have the opportunity to participate in many of the rituals and traditions that make our school unique, for some it will be the ritual of yelling out the last verse of the school song with gusto or the ritual of filing into the school hall for their first assembly while being cheered on by their peers.

Much like the poet in “False Start” we may have found ourselves feeling excited to begin in a new place, yet feeling a little overwhelmed. We can take heart that we learn from our false starts and continue to grow. This cohort will surely contribute to the many important rituals and traditions that are so much a part of our school community.

Tamara Lourdes Year 7 Leader and Transition Leader

Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021 9

International Women’s Day ROBBIE CAMPO

I am now an executive in a superannuation fund, Cbus. I am also a board member of two organisations; Victoria Legal Aid, and Women in Super, which advocates to improve gender equality for women in terms of their superannuation outcomes.

Today I thought I would talk about: ● My six years at St Al’s, and what were the important things that I learned while I was here ● A little bit about my journey since 1986 when I completed year 12 here

On International Women’s Day, we were delighted to be able to welcome St Aloysius College Alumnae, Robbie Campo back to the stage! Robbie delivered an inspiring, motivating, and humorous speech to all students, a condensed version of which we share below.

“International Women’s Day is celebrated right around the world; and provides an opportunity for everyone to think about how the world is progressing in affording equality to all women and girls. This year’s theme for IWD was Women in Leadership: achieving equality in a post-COVID world.

Coming here to talk to you today gave me the chance to reflect on how my six years at St Aloysius shaped my educational path, my career choices and my outlook on life, and provided me the skills and confidence to recognise and exploit many of life’s opportunities including leadership roles.

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● How my path forward did not go in a straight line from school, but that my education here certainly gave me the foundation to take on leadership roles which are interesting, creative, and allow me to improve the lives of others ● I am also going to talk about how we need to achieve better gender equality for girls and women in Australia, especially addressing the gender retirement gap.

My parents chose St Aloysius because it was a school that combined a solid academic program with a strong focus on developing resilient, respectful, compassionate, and strong girls. There was a strong sense of community within the school, and a strong connection with the North Melbourne community through social justice programs that girls would be involved in at various stages of our secondary schooling.

The student community was culturally diverse, with girls coming from far and wide but mainly from Northern and NorthWestern suburbs, and over the six years I

was here saw a steady influx of girls from refugee families.

Back then, there were still several nuns involved as staff members, including the principal Sr Frances, although my favourite was an English literature teacher Sr Mae, who, through the course of any lesson would passionately flip between poetry and the Hawthorn football club.

She transferred her love of literature to me (and I suspect all her students), but thankfully as a Collingwood supporter, the love of Hawthorn did not rub off! We could not have contemplated that St Al’s would ever become co-ed. We had to make do with seeing boys from our two brother schools, St Mary’s and St Joseph’s, on the tram to and from school, or during the ballroom dancing program we did in year 9.

I particularly loved the drama program and involved myself in every extracurricular drama activity I could, including the Catholic Schools Drama Festival, the Rock Eisteddfod, performing each year in the St Al’s Day Festival and other performances the school held. My involvement in various drama activities did give me early opportunities to test my leadership skills, although I think that my classmates would probably tell you I was more of a bossy director than a natural leader.

Towards the end of year 12, I was not sure whether I wanted to study acting or law, two very different life paths. I auditioned for acting school, and knew that if I did not get in, I could pick up law as my second

International Women’s Day ROBBIE CAMPO

preference. I did end up getting offered my first preference - a place at drama school. I do think it was a tribute to the breadth of my education that I got to choose between these very divergent paths. The acting course I did was 4 years, and while I loved it, I got to the end of it and thought that it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life, and so went back to my second preference and studied law.

parliaments, holding only one-quarter of parliamentary seats worldwide. In Australia, we fare only slightly better, and still fall short of the 50/50 goal: 30.46% of Australian MPs are women.

Because I had a very strong commitment to using my law degree to tilt the scales of justice in favour of those who had less power, less money and who had less access to education and other opportunities, I never really had ambition to work in a law firm. After practising law for just a few years, I did a sharp career U-turn when I got offered a job in an industry super fund, where now, one of the most exciting parts of my job involves going to Canberra and talking to politicians about changes to superannuation laws that will affect our members. It is quite something to be involved in talking to Ministers, senators, and journalists, and directly influencing the making of laws.

While women comprise around 47% of all employees in Australia, they take home on average $253.60 less than men every week (full-time ordinary earnings). The gender pay gap extends into an even bigger difference in terms of retirement outcomes, with women ending up with only about 60% of the superannuation savings of men.

As a result, one in 4 single women who are retired are living in poverty and the fastest growing group of homeless people are retired single women.

I have been involved in developing our programs to promote what we do to our members, and I am also involved in advocating for our superannuation system to deliver fairer outcomes for women.

In Australia and around the world, we still have a long way to go in ensuring that women achieve full equality. Women are significantly under-represented in

“In Australian companies, women represent just 17.1% of CEOs and 14.1% of board chairs. In fact, there are more CEOs called Peter than there are women CEOs!”

My journey into the leadership roles I am in now did not follow a straight path, I can certainly see the impact of my education at St Al’s: a solid academic foundation, a passion for life-long learning, a strong creative streak, a commitment to making our society one which is fairer and where we are not leaving vulnerable members of our community out in the cold.

I would urge you to use your years here to pursue the things you are passionate about, and maintain a strong focus on your studies, as this is going to provide you with the best foundation for whatever life path or paths you wish to explore.

Robbie Campo pictured with College Co-Captains Maggie Twyford and Bethany Pearce.

As my experience has shown, your paths may not be in a straight line, and they might be different to what you think they will be. But the opportunities that will be available to you, the next generation of women leaders, will be yours for the taking.

So, make sure you grab those opportunities with both hands and an open heart!

Although it is 35 years since I left St Aloysius, I have always proudly considered myself a St Al’s girl. It has been such a great pleasure for me to be able to come and speak to you today and in finishing I invite you all to think about where you might be in 35 years’ time, and to recognise how your critical secondary school years here at St Al’s will shape your lives, career paths and values.

Happy International Women’s Day and thank you for listening to me.”

Robbie Campo Class of 1986

Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021 11

Alumni Profile DR. JESSICA AU

a professional soccer career, having just signed my first professional contract with the Melbourne Victory Women’s Squad in my first year of university.

Two years into my degree, I applied for Monash University’s Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine (BMedSci/ MD) course and was 1 of 50 offered early entry into medical school.

What advice would you give to someone considering taking this study path?

I would recommend that anyone wanting to study medicine really put in the work during high school to help them get directly into the undergraduate medical degree or undertake a Bachelor of Biomedical Science or Bachelor of Science degree to allow you to apply for a post-graduate medical school.

Although medical school is highly competitive, all it takes is hard work and motivation and you will definitely get there!

What influenced your choice of career?

What study did you undertake after Year 12?

I think there were two big influences in my choice of career, the first was due to my sporting background as I had a keen interest in how the human body functioned and the mechanics behind sporting movements. The second was having family live with medical conditions and feeling helpless when they were unwell. I wanted to improve my medical knowledge so that I could help them in anyway possible.

After Year 12 I studied a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (BBiomedSc) at Monash University while also juggling

The choice to enter medicine wasn’t one I had right from the outset of high school. I always wanted to pursue a full-time career

What year did you graduate?

2013.

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in football (soccer) and was faced with a difficult decision in Year 12. I was going so well in my football career and was being scouted by clubs across Victoria and told to train full-time and not attend university, but I knew I was also strong academically and that university was also a priority for me.

In the end I chose to do both, although it was a lot of hard work and very tiring, in the end it really paid off and I couldn’t be happier with the decision I made. I’m currently a Doctor at the Alfred Hospital and have been selected for the Australian Women’s Futsal Squad to travel overseas to play in international competitions.

Study/Career/Travel/Sporting highlights?

Study highlights would definitely include getting early entry into medical school in the 2nd year of my Biomedical Science degree and being ranked in the top 50 students. Monash University has a program where the top 100 highest performing students in the Biomedical Science degree get an interview for their medical school, with only the top 50 being selected for post-graduate entry.

My fondest sporting memories include having won the National Premier League with both Calder United and South Melbourne for outdoor soccer. Whereas, in futsal my greatest achievement would be travelling to Orlando, USA to compete in the World Futsal National Championships where my team placed 2nd overall against teams from around the world.

In regards to my career, I believe getting into the Alfred Hospital was a huge step

Alumni Profile DR. JESSICA AU

for me as working in one of Victoria’s big 4 hospitals really helped me develop as an intern and I’ve learnt and grown so much already as an individual.

I’ve also been so lucky to have been able to travel around Australia and overseas, so far I’ve been to Portugal, USA (Orlando & Hawaii) and Thailand. I definitely hope to add more countries to the list as soon as we can travel again!

What skills have you learnt?

I think the most important skills I’ve learnt have been leadership, time management and how to meaningfully interact with others. Leadership is so important as you progress through your career and I believe that being involved in leadership roles at St. Aloysius really helped provide me with the confidence and skills needed to problem solve and overcome any obstacle in my way. I learnt how to be assertive, but also kind and compassionate which is essential if you’re going to excel in a team. I also learnt the importance of time management and that if you really want to achieve your dreams and accomplish what you want out of life then you will find time. Sometimes it means sacrificing a few things along the way, but in the end it will all be worth it when you’ve reached your goals.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?

I think the biggest challenge I’ve overcome wouldn’t be any single moment but more dealing with the fear of failure and selfdoubt. I think when you’re aiming very high with your goals there’s always that

fear that you won’t make it because it’s not easy and there are so many hurdles you have to jump before you reach your goal. I remember telling people I wanted to get into medical school and was met with negativity from my peers that I would never get there and that only students who went to private school got into medicine, which really made me question whether I should pick an easier career path. I think for those reading this who are going through that same struggle, my only advice is to listen to your heart and ignore the selfdoubt that people may attempt to project on you. If you really want something, whether it’s wanting to become a fashion designer, a musician, athlete or doctor, you just have to give it 100% and most of the time you will get there with that attitude.

One of my favourite quotes is ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars’ and I think that really inspired me to always aim high in anything I did whether it be academic or sporting-related.

How do you recall your time at St Aloysius?

What is your fondest memory?

I had an amazing time at St Aloysius, I really enjoyed all the school camps and the inter-school sporting tournaments.

My fondest memory would definitely have to be the joy I felt when we won our first interschool soccer tournament. I remember all the hard work we had put into training and how much it would mean to the girls and especially Mr Brooks if we won, so when we took the lead in the grand final and heard the final whistle, it was just pure elation!

If you could give your high school self some words of advice, what would it be?

I would tell my high school self to have fun, stay motivated and to believe in yourself!

Find a goal and work towards it because it will provide you with the drive you need to learn and be engaged during class. It’s also very important to make time for friends and family and have hobbies so that you aren’t studying all the time, so try to find an extracurricular activity that you really enjoy!

Who or what has inspired you?

My parents, my teachers, my coaches and everyone who believed in me from day one, especially the strong inspirational female role models I met along the way. I think the reason I had so much confidence growing up was because I had so much support and was always being encouraged by those around me.

What are your career aspirations/goals in the coming years?

My career aspirations & goals in the coming years would be to obtain a surgical residency position next year and hopefully become a general surgeon in the future. I would also love to become a female leader in medicine and help pave the way for women to enter surgical training without having to jump through as many hurdles as their male counterparts.

Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021 13

Alumni Profile SISTER HERMENILDA

After I graduated from St Aloysius, I completed a six-month course in Commercial Studies which included typing, shorthand and bookkeeping. We had an excellent teacher, Sr Barbara Hill. I then worked for British Products as a junior. During the war, I was asked to do the accounting work because a lot of the men were called to service.

What influenced you in becoming a Mercy Sister?

Well, I was sick of people telling me I had a Mercy face! One day I got word the Rev Mother of the Coburg Convent wanted to see me and I was so angry because I thought she was going to ask me join, so I piled on the lipstick and did up my hair. When Rev Mother asked me, I said “No I’m going to get married and have a big family like my mother”.

I knew Rev Mother would keep at me so I made up my mind to join, but also that they would kick me out smartly!

Two of my sisters and my aunt were also Sisters of Mercy, so it was in the blood I had no hope of getting away.

I entered the convent when I was 21.

Study/Career/Travel highlights?

Sr Hermenilda was born on 7th March 1921 and recently celebrated her 100th birthday. Hermie, as she is affectionately known amongst the Sisters, is the third eldest in a family of eight, she was born in North Melbourne and was four when her family moved to Brunswick.

What year did you graduate?

I completed the Leaving Certificate in 1936 which was equivalent to the current Year 11. Back then most students completed the Merit Certificate (Year 8) and left school to enter the workforce.

What study/work did you undertake after your time at St Aloysius?

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I worked for 12 years in Tasmania. I taught in Deloraine for six years, where I was Junior of the House. Then I moved to Burnie as Superior for another six years, I was 31 years old at the time. I still keep in touch with quite a few past pupils.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?

After my appointment as Superior in Burnie, I taught and held positions as Principal in over 20 schools across Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales including St Mary’s in West Melbourne and St Anges in Geelong.

Many parents didn’t think girls ought to be educated and I used to feel so sorry for them because they were clever girls and we would have got scholarships for them to come to St Aloysius but they weren’t allowed to stay on. It was a very unjust system which made me very sad.

Alumni Profile SISTER HERMENILDA

How do you recall your time at St Aloysius? What is your fondest memory?

What advice do you have for the students of today?

A couple of my favourite teachers were Sr Barbara Hill who was in charge of the Commercial class and taught Latin, had a great sense of humour, and really stood out in my mind.

It’s such a difference world, I’d be asking them to tell me what to do! Students today are much cleverer than we were at that stage of life. They are very shrewd and knowledgeable now.

The other was Mrs Wallace, we used to have meetings at her house and offer supper at the end of our meetings. The Principal at the time was Mother Madeleine Murphy, I remember she looked at my skirt one day and told me it was too short!

Who or what has inspired you throughout your life?

I was very lucky to have my parents, they loved one another.

Dad had a great sense of humour and he’d do fun stuff with us, mum was very demure

and gentle, together they had a very warm and loving relationship. My aunt also lived with us and she made all our clothes including the St Al’s uniform.

Dad did shift work with the railways. We’d be in the kitchen with the latest baby, and he would always remember to give mum and all us kids a kiss before he headed off.

When he was on the early shift, the noise he would be making would wake us. He would yell out to us if we wanted a cup of tea or coffee, and he’d make us a cup of warm milk with plenty of sugar in it, we used to think it was the most wonderful thing!

SR. HERMENILDA (LIL) MCMANUS Sr. Hermenilda (Lil) McManus 7/3/1921 – (Sr. Lil is now 100!) ● Sr. Lil is an alumna of St Aloysius College. She was born in Parkville and moved to West Brunswick in 1925. ● Sr. Lil is one of eight children whose two sisters also Professed as Sisters of Mercy. ● Sr. Lil was academically a high achieving student who was recognised throughout her education at St Aloysius College by awards and scholarships. She specialised in the Commercial stream of the Curriculum. ● Sr. Lil established a Career in the

Commercial and Business worlds of Melbourne in the late 1930s to early 1940s ● Sr. Lil entered the Mercy Order at Rosanna in 1942, was Professed in 1945 and finally Professed on 24th January 1950 ● Sr. Lil attributes her vocation to the influences of the Mercy Nuns on her and other girls as students. ● In Sr. Lil’s long vocation she has practised in education and worked in schools across Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales since March 1945.

Principal in no less than fifteen Mercy schools, often simultaneously leading her Community as Superior. All of this, along with fulfilling ongoing roles as Parish Worker. To this day she continues to engage with students of a nearby Mercy Secondary College in a pastoral care capacity. ● The Motto that Sr. Lil chose upon her profession was “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” which she has lived out in her service as a Sister of Mercy with a kind heart, a gentle disposition, a superior intellect, optimism and a lovely sense of humour.

● She has taught and held positions as

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Departing Staff CHRIS WHITE

refurbishments and technology-which has had a significant impact on learning.

Some of the ways that I saw the College evolve over this time but not in order were: ● Change of College address from 52 Brougham St to 31 Curran St ● College façade changed from old red brick to a mix with modern render ● Single room office to a whole new administration block ● Perimeter Wire fencing to steel and electronic gates ● Patchy grass and old gum trees to landscaped gardens with instant green turf ● A few outdoor park benches to more outdoor seating and tables in school yard ● Outdoor PE classroom to warehouse indoor gymnasium with upstairs fitness mezzanine In Term 1, we farewelled Chris White after 41 years of outstanding service to the College. Below, Chis reflects on those years. Congratulations Chris—and enjoy retirement!

“When I started teaching in 1980, I could never have imagined that I would spend 41 years teaching Physical Education and Art, two of my greatest passions. Looking back numerous changes have taken place in Education at the College in relation to curriculum, teaching practice, class numbers, student pathways, building

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● Overcrowded book filled library to updated Design and Technology Centre ● Chunky old classroom desks to individual blue tables and comfortable plastic chairs ● Two old art rooms to bright newly appointed and equipped rooms ● Tiny lockers cramped with school bags lining corridors to larger locker banks ● Dim lights and brick walled hall to clean white walls and new posters ● Blackboards and chalk to whiteboards and electronic TV screens in all classrooms ● Textbooks, pen and paper to writing

tablets and personal computers ● School population from the 1000’s – 500s ● Average class sizes from 34 to boutique 24 ● No College sports uniform (tracksuit) to several uniform changes ● Curriculum document changes CSF 1&2, VELS, AusVels, Australian curriculum to Vic Curric. ● Single page student reports to ongoing online reporting

Departing Staff CHRIS WHITE

● Hand-written pink metho smelling worksheets to extensive digital print and video resources ● Single large staffroom to staff offices scattered around campus ● Official rolls marked in blue pen twice daily to electronic recorded rolls each lesson ● Staffroom queues at urn for coffee to latte coffee machine and water bottles ● Mainly teacher directed learning to more student centred and individual online learning modules.

Whilst there have been over thousands of students that have passed through the doors, five principals and many staff during my time, my fondest memories of the College are all the wonderful people I have had the opportunity to work with, which is something I will always cherish.

Fortunate to have also celebrated in the College’s 100th, 125th and 130th milestones, the College has a rich history that has evolved to meet the emerging needs of the community. I see the transition to Co-Ed as another in its stage of leading Catholic Education into the 21st century.”

Having the opportunity to coach many different sports teams and being able to share in the enthusiasm, friendliness and achievements of the students was one of my favourite things about the College and is one that I will miss in retirement.

Chris White

Always Aloysius – Winter Edition, 2021 17

Departing Staff JODIE McLEOD

We thank Jodie McLeod for ten years in Community Development and Marketing, and wish her the best in her future role.

“When I joined the College community in 2011 as the Marketing & Communications Manager, I never envisaged I would stay for almost 10 years. I was appointed by the previous Principal Mr John Davidson into a newly created role. The College wanted to focus on marketing to the community and building relationships with the local Primary schools. I quickly learnt about the varied opportunities available to the students. I established connections with local Primary schools and worked on many wonderful events.

Schools are very special places, full of great stories to tell and wonderful achievements to share. It was my job to communicate these stories and build relationships. I saw many changes in the College upon the appointment of Mary Farah as Principal in 2013. Changes that moved the College to be a school of choice for many. Changes that enriched the stories and heightened students’ achievements. We worked hard to create quality publications and marketing material that promoted the College. We hosted fun-filled community events and showcased students’ talents through performances. I recall fondly the MotherDaughter breakfast where my sister, a St Aloysius Alumni, spoke to the community about her career in the Police Force and the influence of family support on her

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career development. I sat proudly in the audience with my daughters, and my Mum listening to her speak about her wonderful achievements.

My two daughters enrolled at the College during my time there, one will complete Year 12 this year and one is in Year 9. I have watched them immerse themselves into the College culture and take on new opportunities and responsibilities including travel to NASA, Italy and Sydney.

They have learnt new skills in their involvement in co-curricular activities such as sports team, debating, choir and the College musical. They have embraced leadership roles and have developed skills that will put them in good stead for a great future. We were a host family to four visiting Japanese students and a student

from the sister school in Italy. Our family loved opening our home to these students and showcasing our beautiful city.

Throughout my time at the College while I saw buildings renovated, curriculum changes and new programs developed, what remained at the centre of the work we did was the students and their families.

I had many wonderful experiences, worked with great people and will hold dear the friendships and memories I created during my time at the College. I thank Mary for her continued support and understanding in the importance of the role I filled. I hope the future is bright for St Aloysius and the many students that will be graduates of the College.”

Jodie McLeod

New Staff JOANNA GRUJOVSKI Arts & Technology Learning Leader “Coming over from a large coeducational school to St Aloysius, the transition was welcoming and smooth. Within weeks at the college l felt loved and embraced by the entire St Aloysius community.

Having completed my Bachelor’s degree in Design at RMIT and Cert 4 in Training and Assessment my extensive experience stems from a fashion industry background as a fashion designer, pattern drafter seamstress and business owner. I am passionate and inspired by haute couture designers and the direction in which new

contemporary designers are implementing sustainable practices into designing and manufacturing innovative recycled fibres, fabrics and products. I am in constant awe of new and emerging technologies that are rapidly evolving.

I enjoy the challenge of planning creative curricula that will ensure student engagement and passion with successful outcomes for all students.

I look forward to working with our exceptional staff and our creative high achieving students.”

MADELEINE IRVINE Director of Marketing and Communications “I am so delighted to have joined the supportive and inspiring St Aloysius community and am thrilled to be part of the very important transition of the school to co-education.

I grew up in Bendigo and moved to Melbourne when I finished school. After I completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne, I worked for a time in global media and advertising agencies before realising that big multinationals aren’t my thing, and that my real interests lie in education and human

connection. I spent almost four years working in Marketing at a small school in Kew, and now find myself at St Aloysius in a really exciting role at a really exciting time!

These days, I love walking my very naughty kelpie, cooking, yoga, gardening and (time will tell with this one…) watching the Dees enjoy their time in the sun at the top of the AFL ladder.”

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Strive for Higher Things