Columba - Winter 2021

COLUMBA S T C O L U M B A’ S C O L L E G E C OMMUN ITY MAG AZI N E

A S U S TA I N A B L E PA G E 4

College

Building a more sustainable College through new projects and initiatives.

The V C A L

EXPERIENCE

PA G E 7

What is VCAL and how does this pathway benefit students?

Winte r

2 021

P R I NCIPAL’S

note

WELCOME A sense of “normal” school life has returned and it has been a pleasure to once again see the College in full swing (almost), offering the activities that colour school life and add so much to the experience of secondary education.

This edition highlights our Year 12 2020 achievement data which was especially pleasing given the pandemic year. The achievement of our students reflected their resolve to ensure that the circumstances of their year did not dictate the outcomes they were seeking through their VCE or VCAL programs.

We were especially proud of our senior students as they approached their final exams with a confident, measured and self-assured demeanour showing remarkable maturity and a calm acceptance of the circumstances that impacted their year. In their acceptance, there was not capitulation, but a determination to make the most of the situation that came their way.

A significant feature of our senior offerings at St Columba’s is our VCAL Program running for Year 11 and Year 12 students. As an alternative certificate to the VCE, VCAL offers opportunity for the inclusion of a diverse range of vocational education and training programs as part of the certificate, as well as short, medium and longterm projects that students design and execute as part of the school-based learning strands.

02

Our VCAL students have a strong advocacy voice within the community, with many of their projects focusing on supporting needs within the wider community. Our VCAL offerings are an example of the programs at the College which are inclusive and cater for the needs of all learners. The breadth of options at the senior school provides choice of a learning pathway that suits the needs and interests of all students at the College.

This year our Mary Aikenhead Ministries value is Hope – a value which is a central tenet of our Catholic faith, and also a driving force for what we do in schools. To have hope is to believe in the future, to implicitly trust that our endeavours are making a difference, and to pursue our work, perhaps without seeing the fruits of our labour which will come to pass into the future. We have hope in the values we are instilling in our young people, that these values will become an integral part of their being, and that our students will go out and make a positive difference in the world, in the name of God whom we call love.

Open air class in the College grounds, circa 1910.

Works.

“

“ M a y w e p r o v e o u r w o r d s b y o u r

V E N E R A B L E M ARY AIK EN H EAD

CONTENTS

A Sustainable College What is VCAL Class of 2020 Results Stories From Our Students House News

4 6 8 9 10

Semester Snapshot College Leadership Team Alumnae Spotlight Our Community Next Issue

12 15 16 17 19

Cover - Insects created by Year 7 Art students.

03

A S US TA I N A B L E College A s m e m b e r s o f t h e C a t h o l i c C h u rc h w e a re c a l l e d b y P o p e F r a n c i s ’s encyclical, Laudato Si, which asks us to take ‘swift and unified global a c t i o n ’ i n a d d re s s i n g e n v i ro n m e n t a l d e g r a d a t i o n a n d g l o b a l w a r m i n g .

O u r C o l l e g e E n v i ro n m e n t C a p t a i n a n d E n v i ro n m e n t G ro u p , h a v e p u t t h i s c a l l i n t o a c t i o n w i t h t h e i n t ro d u c t i o n o f i n i t i a t i v e s a t t h e C o l l e g e t o s u p p o r t s u s t a i n a b i l i t y a n d e d u c a t e o u r c o m m u n i t y t o b e c o m e m o re e n v i ro n m e n t a l l y c o n s c i o u s .

04

THE WORK OF OUR STUDENTS

COFFEE CUP RECYCLING

The Environment Group has been very busy participating in many workshops, such as the making of beeswax wraps, no-sew t-shirts and bee hotels that will feature in the new veggie garden. These workshops aim to equip students with the skills to adopt more sustainable practices into their everyday lives.

St Columba’s College have partnered with 7/11’s ‘Simply Cups’ coffee cup recycling program. As part of this, 7/11 have donated recycling stations to the College which have been placed outside the Canteen, Gayip Biik and in the Staffroom. Coffee and slurpee cups and lids, along with plastic straws can be placed in these stations.

To assist with this, I published a resource titled ‘A Student’s Guide to Sustainability’ that provides helpful tips that are achievable for students so they feel capable of being able to make positive change. The Environment Group helped to organise events for Clean Up Australia Day, which students from the Fiontar Group, ‘Active Adolescents’, enthusiastically participated in.

These are then processed into useful items like road surfaces, traffic management devices and reusable coffee cups. The canteen also continues to accept clean keep cups in an effort to reduce the College’s waste production.

Along with this, the Fiontar students started germinating seeds in recycled egg cartons that will be planted in the new veggie garden.

THE STEM LAB RECYCLING S TAT I O N At the end of last year, a recycling station was set up at the entrance of the College’s STEM Lab where students and staff are able to make ongoing donations of their recyclable materials to be used in STEM activities.

Materials that can be donated include paper towel rolls, bits of foam, string, corks and old mechanical toys.

These are all saved from landfill or uncertain recycling processes, and put to good use in the innovative projects of our students. The station also collects bread tags for the organisation, ‘Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs’.

THE VISION FOR OUR SCHOOL VEGGIE GARDEN The garden beds connecting the College’s learning courtyard to the canteen area are being transformed into a student designed and maintained garden. To kickstart the project, a student survey and Veggie Garden Design competition was released to capture the visions and creative ideas of students.

The front of the garden will feature native plants to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land. The rest of the garden will be a productive veggie garden featuring plant pots from the art department and a variety of pollinator-attracting flowers. It is hoped that the garden will be a produce source for the canteen, local food banks and/or fundraising initiatives.

Adele Roeder, Environment Captain

These are taken to the Sussex Neighbourhood House where they are then transported to be processed and melted down into saleable items. The funds from these products such as seed pods and bowls, are used to fund wheelchairs for people in South Africa. We encourage all members of our community to continue contributing to the collections.

05

What IS VC A L ?

06

The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) is a practical qualification for students in Years 11 and 12. The qualification aims to provide the skills, knowledge and attributes to enable students to make informed choices about employment and education pathways, by providing them with work-related experience, literacy and numeracy skills and an opportunity to develop personal skills.

Students undertaking the VCAL study a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification at TAFE (or school) each Wednesday and complete a work placement each Friday.

Work placement enables students to implement the knowledge and skills they learn in VET, whilst learning on the job from industry experts and developing practical skills, which can often lead to ongoing employment post-secondary school.

The VCAL is accredited at three levels: Foundation, Intermediate and Senior which caters to students’ abilities and interests. Since its establishment in 2002 the program has grown significantly at St Columba’s College and we now offer the PreCAL program at Year 10 in readiness for Years 11 and 12.

Our robust and diverse study options spanning VCAL, VET and VCE, have provided our students with supportive and responsive learning environments, allowing for the greatest opportunities for future success.

THE VCAL EXPERIENCE We spoke to some of our College VCAL alumnae and asked them how VCAL has helped shape their career journey.

K AT I A M AT E R A Z Z O

ABIGAIL SCHWIDLEWSKI

EMMA CHAMBERLAIN

L I LY WILSON

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

CLASS OF

2013

I completed a Certificate III Business Administration Traineeship as part of my VCAL. I undertook work placement at Event Management Company, Ascot Vale West Primary School and Nelson Alexander Real Estate in Essendon.

With a foot in the door from work placement, I secured employment with Nelson Alexander and am still working there. I have worked in Property Management across a range of roles from Leasing Consultant, Business Development, Property Manager to Department Manager. I believe one of the biggest benefits of VCAL is having the ability to enter the workforce at an early age, to learn from experienced industry experts and get a taste of life beyond high school. VCAL allowed me to enjoy a different form of education, that was a balance between school, TAFE and work which was more suitable to my interests and kept me motivated in my senior years at school.

2019

As part of my VCAL studies, I studied a Certificate II in Equine Studies at Box Hill Institute and completed work placements at ‘Living Legends’ homestead for retired racehorses, ‘Future Farms’ an Arabian stud farm and with veterinary surgeon Dr Olivia Greenwood. I am working as a junior veterinary nurse while I complete my second year of a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing at Melbourne Polytechnic. I will be a fully qualified veterinary nurse by the end of the year.

VCAL is great if you enjoy hands-on work and know what field you want to work in. It helped me gain industry experience and many life skills.

I am financially savvy thanks to my numeracy classes on money management. One of the reasons I chose VCAL was because of my Dyslexia. I felt this pathway enabled me to work on my passion while still learning. When I applied for a job at PetBarn, my manager at the time, commented that my resume was one of the best she’d seen. I attribute this to the amazing work placements I was able to secure through the VCAL program.

2012

I started VCAL in Year 12 after I realised the VCE pathway wasn’t for me. I knew I wanted to be a teacher so I completed a Certificate III in Children’s Services as a traineeship and did my work placement at WonderKindy in Tullamarine.

I am currently working as the Head Kindergarten Teacher at Casa Bambini in Essendon.

When I finished school I completed my Diploma in Children’s Services at MEGT, and went on to complete a Bachelor in Early Childhood and Primary Education at Deakin University, and by completing my Diploma first, I was able transfer into the second year of the Bachelor course. Transferring from VCE to VCAL was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, as I was able to start this journey whilst I was still in high school.

I was given the opportunity to study something I really love and after ten years I can’t see myself in any other industry.

2019

I studied a Certificate III in Design Fundamentals (Fashion Design) at Whitehouse Institute of Design, and completed a work placement at Judith Penak Couture. I assisted in making wedding dresses and learnt a lot about customer service. I also completed a work placement at Spotlight and secured a job from this placement which I still have today. After graduating I started a Certificate IV in Marketing and Communication at RMIT. Three months in, I was given a conditional offer into the Bachelor of Communication (Advertising) also at RMIT and began it soon after. I have never been more excited than when I got that email that I had been accepted. When I complete this course, my hope is to work in either Strategic Planning, Copy Writing or Artistic Direction. I considered VCAL since starting secondary school. It was interesting combining school, TAFE and work placement, I felt more grown up then a lot of the other students. It also meant I was ahead as soon as I left school, because I had a solid job, lots of work placement experience and heaps of references from within the industry.

07

CLA SS OF 2020 R E SU LT S S AT I S FA C T O R Y

VCE COMPLETIONS

VCAL UNITS COMPLETED

VET UNITS OF COMPETENCY COMPLETED

FURTHER R E S U LT S

UNIVERSITY COURSES

College Dux, Janeca Cabanayan, achieved an ATAR of 99.2

1 La Trobe University

66 students received an ATAR over 80 28 students received an ATAR over 90

2 RMIT University 27.5% Society & Culture

3 Australian Catholic University

21.5% Health

4 University of Melbourne

Median VCE Study Score of 33

16%

5 Swinburne University

13% study scores of 40 and over

15.5% Natural & Physical Sciences

99% of students applied for tertiary places

10.5% Creative Arts

Management & Commerce

3%

ngineering E & Related Technologies

2%

Education

98% received a first-round offer

1.5% Architecture & Building 1%

Information Technology

1%

griculture, Environment A & Related Studies

ood, Hospitality 0.5% F & Personal Services

08

TOP 5 INSTITUTION D E S T I N AT I O N S

Stories FROM OUR STUDENTS JANECA

TERESA

C A B A N AYA N

VARTULI

COLLEGE

Dux

What are you currently studying, and where?

JC I am currently studying a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne.

What has your first semester been like?

JC My first semester of university was not at all what I expected. While there definitely has been some challenges, I love the atmosphere and there are so many opportunities for you to discover what it is you are passionate about. I’ve been fortunate enough to have some of my classes on campus which have all been a blast. I’ve been able to meet so many new people, while still keeping in touch with friends from high school. In terms of my studies, although the workload is a huge jump from high school, I’ve found my course to be really interesting and have particularly enjoyed the practical side of my Science subjects. The main challenge for me has been time management, however I’ve learnt to adapt to the university structure and scheduling. Overall, I think my first semester has mainly been about transitioning into the new environment, but so far, it has been an enriching experience.

VCAL

Dux

What are you currently studying, and where?

TV I was offered a place and was due to start a Diploma of Nursing at Australian Catholic University (ACU) at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, ACU made the decision to not continue offering the diploma and I was unable to commence my studies. Although I was disappointed, I decided to not let it stop me and I applied for a mid-year intake at Kangan Institute and was accepted into the Diploma of Nursing, and will begin in August. When I complete this course I plan to transfer into the Bachelor of Nursing which will allow me to become a registered nurse.

What has your first semester been like?

TV As I have not commenced my studies yet, I have been taking the extra time to improve my overall health. I have really enjoyed the extra time for myself as I have learnt new cooking skills and have overcome my fear of going to the gym by myself. I have also taken up extra shifts at my retail job at Target. It wasn’t quite how I expected things to go, but it has still been a positive start to my first year out of high school, and I can’t wait to start my Diploma.

09

HOUSE NEWS HOUSE WELCOMES Our School year began with our House Welcomes. Our House Welcomes are important events that honour our House Patrons and acknowledge our College staff and students. Held across seven nights, our House communities came together to welcome our new Year 7s and new students joining the College in Years 8 to 12, along with their families, into College and House life. We also took the time to recognise our Year 12s as senior members of the St Columba’s College community.

(Left) Year 7 O’Brien House students.

NEW HOUSE LEADERS Our House Leaders play an integral role in the House system at the College. Introducing our new House Leaders for 2021: Heath Morris – Bruton House, Rebecca Spiteri – Cahill House and Daniel Kelly – Williams House.

They join Nicole Mazzarella – Cater House, Carmel Anile-Saade – Cunningham House, Liliana Condello – de Lacy House and Kathy Hicks – O’Brien House.

REB ECCA SPITERI

H EATH MORRIS

DA N IEL KEL LY

HOUSE CAPTAINS St Columba’s House Captains are important members of the Student Executive (see page 14) at the College. They work to support their House through various activities and experiences.

Introducing the House Captains of 2021: B RU TON Molly Tyrrell CA H IL L Caitlyn McDonald CATER Emily Dungan CU N N IN GH A M Juliana Basilone DE L A CY Mikaela Mihocic O’ B RIEN Antonia Crea WIL L IA MS Stephanie Nass (Right) (L–R) Antonia Crea, Juliana Basilone, Molly Tyrrell, Stephanie Nass, Caitlyn McDonald, Emily Dungan and Mikaela Mihocic.

10

SWIMMING CARNIVAL The day started with grey skies and intermittent rain, but ended with sunshine and happy faces. Students and staff brought their House spirit to the Queens Park Swimming pool, where they participated in swimming races, novelty races and water polo. With wonderful participation, it was Cahill House who took out the overall Carnival. This year the Year 12 cohort introduced a ‘Best Costume’ award, with participants dressing up and representing the seven College Houses.

They campaigned across the day with the final win going to Bruton House’s Molly Tyrrell and Ava Cullia.

(Right) Cahill House Captain, Caitlyn McDonald.

(Above) Molly Tyrrell and Ava Cullia, Best Costume winners.

ATHLETICS ACTIVITY DAY If it is not a global pandemic, then it is the weather getting in the way of our Athletics Carnival. Unfortunately, this year’s carnival was cancelled due to inclement weather. This did not stop staff and students from having an afternoon of fun onsite at the College. Our VCAL students took control and developed an afternoon of novelty activities and a fundraising BBQ. With egg and spoon races, bean bag toss and a tug of war, not even the staff could resist in joining in. Our VCAL students turned what could have been a day of disappointment, into a day filled with joy. And they raised over $300 for Caritas, through their BBQ. (Left) Year 7s ready themselves for an egg and spoon race.

YLEAD Our House Representatives and Student Executives took part in leadership training with yLead. Through fun and dynamic activities, our student leaders were challenged to find their leadership style, formed plans to bring their big ideas to life, and built strategies to effectively work as a team. Our student leaders came away from the day, with a new-found confidence in their ability to lead their peers through a successful 2021.

(Right) Student leaders spent the day training with yLead.

11

S E M ES Tsnapshot ER COLLEGE OPENING EUCHARIST

(Above) Auxiliary Bishop Terry Cullen celebrates the St Columba’s College Opening Eucharist.

CELEBRATING 200 YEARS This year across Australia, we celebrate 200 years of Catholic Education. On Monday 24 May, masses were held nationally on the Feast of our Lady of Help of Christians, as part of celebrations. A group of student representatives, along with Principal, Ms Rita Grima and Head of Faith and Mission, Ms Renee Fleeton, headed to St Patrick’s Cathedral, joining representatives from schools across Melbourne, to attend the mass. Celebrations will continue throughout the year.

Visit 200years.catholic.edu.au for more information.

(Right) St Columba’s College students attend mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

12

This year’s College Opening Eucharist was a special event for the St Columba’s College community. On the 11th March, we gathered together as a community in one space, it was the first time we were able to do this in more than a year. Lead by Auxiliary Bishop Terry Curtin, we reflected on all that we had endured in 2020 and welcomed the beginning of new year, with particular focus on our timely College theme of Hope.

INTERFAITH St Columba’s College promotes the learning, understanding and collaboration with people of different faiths. Each year we hold our Interfaith Dialogue Day, which brings together our students and the students from Illim College, to explore faith, womanhood and friendship. Our Year 12 Text and Traditions class, visited Melbourne’s oldest Synagogue, East Melbourne Shule, and spent an afternoon in conversation with Rabbi Dovid Gutnick learning about history, Patriarchs, Prophets, beliefs and rituals. These experiences help us to promote our Mary Aikenhead Ministries’ values of love, compassion, justice and hope.

(Above) Students from Illim College and St Columba’s College.

(Right) Students visit East Melbourne Hebrew Shule.

ANZAC DAY This year we honoured Anzac Day as part of a whole school assembly and wreath laying ceremony. Our youngest and eldest student, joined our longest serving and newest appointed teacher to lay wreaths at the foot of the College flag poles, while the ceremony was live streamed to staff and students in the Multipurpose Centre. Anzac Day would not be complete without a biscuit, and our VCAL students ensured that we were treated with freshly baked Anzac biscuits at lunchtime, as part of the day’s activities.

(Left) VCAL students get ready to sell Anzac biscuits.

MOTHER’S DAY

BAHAY

HIGH TEA

TULUYAN

The College warmly welcomed mothers, special women and daughters to Gayip Biik on Saturday 8th May, to honour Mother’s Day. With a lovely and delicious high tea served, a beautiful liturgy, and a few fun games with prizes, the afternoon was a wonderful way to celebrate the amazing mothers and mother figures in our community.

This year’s Bahay Tuluyan bike riders were blessed with incredible weather for the yearly fundraising ride to Williamstown. The day was especially great, after its cancellation in 2020. Over 30 staff and students rode the 40km round trip to Williamstown. After a stop for lunch by the water, the trip home was a little slower but our riders were proud with their accomplishment. The day raised necessary funds for Bahay Tuluyan, a Filipino based charity, and raised the spirits of the St Columba’s College community.

(Above) Year 12 student Annalise, with her mother, Nat and grandmother, Marilyn.

(Above) Riders prepare to ride 40km to raise funds for Bahay Tulyan.

13

S E M ES Tsnapshot ER INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY PANEL International Women’s Day, is always acknowledged at St Columba’s College, and this year we decided to do things a little differently. With the theme ‘Women in Leadership’, the Year 12 VCAL students hosted a panel of guest speakers for the Year 10 cohort, who are in the midst of exploring their pathways. Bianca and Bridget Roccisano, of Bianca and Bridget Clothing and Boobie Tape, Emily Lucin, of Napoleon Swimwear, and Gabriella Roccuzzo, of salon Gabrielle, spoke to students of their journeys and their experiences of being female entrepreneurs. The event was hugely successful, with fantastic attendance and great insights shared to our students. A wonderful way to promote successful women on International Women’s Day. (Right) Panel of speakers present to Year 10 students.

STUDENT EXECUTIVE With student led assemblies, new initiatives, fundraising efforts, and the general work of being in Year 12, the Student Executive, including our House Captains (page 11) have had a busy start to the year. Introducing the Student Leadership team for 2021: College Co-Captains: Alysha Lowrie and Grace Saporito Arts Captain: Allanah Hessey Environment Captain: Adele Roeder Liturgy Co-Captains: Florence Cooper and Catherine Nicolaci Social Justice Co-Captains: Bridget Kennedy and Carla Perrone Sports Captain: Sarah Pamment

(Above) Alysha Lowrie, Ms Rita Grima and Grace Saporito (Right) (L–R) Allanah Hessey, Sarah Pamment, Carla Perrone, Adele Roeder, Florence Cooper, Bridget Kennedy and Catherine Nicolaci.

14

CAMPS Our Year 7 and 9 students were lucky to finish off Term 1 with camp. Year 9s headed to Gembrook and our Year 7s spent their camp in Marysville. Our students challenged themselves to step out of their comfort zones. They slept in tents, prepared their own meals, tried archery and ropes courses, and got to know each other a little better.

They were all happy to come to home to their beds, but it was undeniable that they had a brilliant time.

COLLEGE LEADERSHIP TEAM

(Below top) Year 9s enjoy a hike.

(Below bottom) Year 7s set up camp in Marysville.

Ms Rita Grima Principal

Ms Brigitte McDonald Deputy Principal

Ms Renee Fleeton Head of Faith and Mission

Mrs Nakkita Egan Head of Students

Ms Greta Bajada Head of Teaching and Learning

Mr Frank Bonavia Head of College Operations and Compliance

Mr Malcolm Finger Business Manager 15

Alumnae

S P O T LIGHT WHO AM I Sarah Arrowsmith Class of

2017

What have you done since graduating? I received the Chancellor’s Scholarship which allowed me to attend a University funded trip to NASA in Houston, Texas. This trip enabled me to have some unforgettable experiences, including heading to the Silicon Valley to have tours around Google and Tesla. This led me to be involved in other projects at Victoria University.

How did you get this opportunity? Because of my commitment to striving to improve the quality of life for those less fortunate. Since the middle of Year 12, I have been involved in a group helping disadvantaged young women from across the world. ‘Days for Girls’ is an international organisation that creates reusable, sustainable menstrual care kits for young women so that they remain at school and receive an education beyond puberty. These kits are completely homemade and involve several hours of cutting, washing, sewing and packing in order to get to their destination. In Year 12, I recognised that Days for Girls required more hands. Soon enough the connection was made and through our hard work, many young women across the globe can make a difference to society.

Advice for others wishing to be change makers. It is important to know that without hard work and determination, these kinds of opportunities don’t arise. To receive opportunities, it is necessary to expose yourself to different programs and place yourself outside of your comfort zone. Involving myself in co-curricular activities throughout secondary school and volunteering my time to help other young women has allowed me to put things I encounter into perspective.

WHO AM I Deirdre O’Donnell Class of Head Prefect and Dux

1971

What do you do today? I am presently chair of the board of St Columba’s College, and have a part time position as deputy chair of the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, plus belong to two other volunteer boards. The first is the Stewardship Council of the Missionary Sisters of Service, a uniquely Australian order of nuns whose mission is ‘to go into the highways and byways’. Their founder, Father John Wallis, grew up in Yea, in north central Victoria, and as I now live in regional Victoria this had a special resonance for me. I am also chair of the board of ACCAN (the Australian Communications Consumers Action Network) the national peak body for communications consumers.

ACCAN focuses on accessibility and affordability, and has played an important role during the past year in promoting and safeguarding consumer rights when simply being connected via telecommunications became one of the most important ways for our society to continue to function during the COVID pandemic.

How did St Columba’s College impact you? ? I see the impact St Columba’s had on me as being twofold: it gave me friends for life, and the teachers encouraged me to always strive to be my best. Looking back now over a period of nearly fifty years since I left, I can still attest to the strength and value of the friendships, and have a great store of memories of teachers from Mrs Kelly in Grade 3 through to Sister John in Year 12, not to mention May Downs and Mrs Nicholson. We seemed to have a great variety of fascinating teachers, both lay and religious, guiding our progress though our school years.

To share your news with the community get in touch with us via email.

E alumnae@columba.vic.edu.au We would love to hear from you.

16

Our

COMM UN IT Y SAVE THE DATE ‘1 REUNION Our annual group reunion for our graduates of years ending in ‘1 will be held in November. Graduates of ‘1 years are invited to join us on Saturday 6 November 2021 at 3pm at the College for nibbles and drinks. We also extend an invitation to our 2020 graduates to join us on Saturday 30 October 2021 at 10.30am for the One Year On reunion. Catch up with friends and teachers, and enjoy some drinks and nibbles.

For more information and to RSVP to any reunions, visit columba.vic.edu.au/alumnae

R E U N I O N S TA K E T W O Last year meant the cancellation of a number of our events, but we were pleased to be able to welcome our 2019 graduates back onsite for the One Year On reunion on Wednesday 24 February 2021 and our ‘0 graduates on Saturday 27 March 2021. It was wonderful to have our alumnae back onsite and enjoying the time to catch up with their school friends.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE The year has started with a bang for the Parent Engagement Committee (PEC). In Term 1, the PEC hosted our new families for a meet and greet. It was a wonderful evening, and the warm weather allowed for an outdoor event. Families came away from the evening feeling connected and valued, as new members of the St Columba’s College community. In Term 2, the PEC held their annual Father/Male Mentor and Daughter evening for our Year 7 to 9 families. With a turnout of more than 120 people, the night was filled with fun, food and great times. Keep an eye out for more PEC events later in the year.

INTRODUCING THE EXECUTIVE Introducing the Parent Engagement Committee Executive for 2021: PRESIDEN T James Williams V ICE PRESIDEN T Suzette Bayona SECRETA RY Angela Whelan TREA SU RER Natalie Donnelly

The Parent Engagement Committee meets every third Tuesday of the month.

All Welcome. For more information visit columba.vic.edu.au/parent-engagementcommittee

(Above top) 2019 graduates attend the One Year On reunion.

(Above bottom) ‘0 graduates at the group reunion.

(Above) Families attend the PEC meet and greet.

17

A S P E CIA L G I FT FO R S ISTE R Tess E a r l i e r t h i s y e a r, w e d i d w h a t w e h a d h o p e d w e w o u l d n ’t h a v e t o d o , a n d b i d f a re w e l l t o o u r d e a r S i s t e r Te s s . S r Te s s w a s a p p o i n t e d t o t h e C o n g re g a t i o n a l L e a d e r s h i p Te a m , o f t h e R e l i g i o u s S i s t e r s o f C h a r i t y, a n d w i l l h e a d t o S y d n e y t o c o n t i n u e t h e v a l u a b l e work of the Sisters.

A t o u r m i n i - f a re w e l l , w e h o p e t o h a v e a b i g g e r o n e i n f u t u re , P r i n c i p a l , M s R i t a G r i m a , s p o k e t h e s e b e a u t i f u l w o rd s t o S r Te s s :

“ You have been many different things for so many of us. For the students you have modelled what it is to be a committed woman of faith, sacrifice and service, breaking down their misconceptions about what a nun actually is and does. For the staff you have been friend, confidante, mentor, and when things get challenging a truth-telling mirror that helps us to reflect on what God is asking of us at the time. You have been an everpresent reminder of our mission as a Mary Aikenhead Ministries College in the tradition of the Sisters of Charity. You will be missed for your compassion, your kindness, the way you model inclusion and love, your humour – especially so in your lighthearted irreverence. Most importantly, it will be your humanity that we will miss – in your own very special way you remind us so remind us what it means to be a community in Christ’s name.

To honour

“

that each of our stories is important and valued, and in doing

Sr Tess, a special scarf was made. Ms Sandra Boicos and the Visual Arts Team designed and produced a scarf, which features the names of every student and staff member at the College. Sr Tess can keep us all with her, as she takes the next steps in her journey with Christ and the Sisters of Charity.

Next

IS SU E

STAY TUNED FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE: THE ARTS GRADUATION YEAR IN REVIEW

C O N TA C T U S St Columba’s College

T 03 9337 5311

2 Leslie Road (PO Box 89)

columba.vic.edu.au

Essendon VIC 3040 Enrolment Enquiries General Enquiries Community News

E registrar@columba.vic.edu.au E principal@columba.vic.edu.au E alumnae@columba.vic.edu.au

UNDER THE STEWARDSHIP OF MARY AIKENHEAD MINISTRIES IN THE TRADITION OF THE SISTERS OF CHARITY Proudly printed on post-consumer recycled paper to uphold the environmental values of St Columba’s College. Print edition Winter 2021.

(Top) Street of House, Year 10 2020

C O L U M B A .V I C . E D U . A U

S T COL UMB A’S COL L E G E COMMUN ITY MAG AZIN E

2 021