Volume 96 No 02 • 15 March 2019

Prayer Loving God, we thank You for the gift of Lent as an opportunity to be our best selves, with gratitude for the ‘great things’ You are doing for us every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen

International Women’s Day This year we were pleased to participate in a range of celebrations to mark International Women’s Day. The Senior Leadership Team joined myself, Ms Stangherlin and Ms Torelli in breakfast at Moonee Valley Council where we were inspired by the story of ‘Betty’, a local resident who spoke powerfully of her life’s journey as a woman and leader. We then heard from the Mayor of Moonee Valley, Narelle Sharpe, a Woman of Ave (Class of 1990), who shared her very personal story of challenge and self belief in developing leadership success as a woman. We are very grateful to the Rotary Club of Essendon and Essendon North for this opportunity for our students.

Forthcoming Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews As the term progresses, all students are engaged in learning tasks and assessments which will be the subject of Parent Teacher/Student Interviews in Week 9 of this term. Further, these meetings provide for valuable discussions about student learning from the point of view of engagement, effort and work routines. We encourage all parents to avail themselves of this important mid semester feedback; the partnership between teacher/parent/student is known to be a very significant one in learning success.

From the Principal The Catholic Church - From crisis to opportunity All would be aware of the conviction last week of Cardinal

George Pell for child sexual abuse, this following the 2018 report

of the Royal Commission into institutional responses to child

sexual abuse. Cardinal Pell has appealed his conviction and

therefore legal process has not concluded. From the

Commission we know that the crimes of sexual abuse were on a

wide scale, no less shocking than that revealed this week,

despite Cardinal Pell’s seniority in the Church. It has cast a

shadow over the integrity of the Church I have known and loved

all my life, yet faith remains. This time must be an agonising

one, certainly for victims; also for those who have lived their

lives as ordained and religious, and done so with such fidelity

and love.

Bishop Vincent Long, Bishop of Parramatta, originally from

Melbourne and well known for his humility, strength and

compassion, said in a homily last week:

“The Church has to die in order to rise again. It is a very dark time

for us but…we need to commit ourselves even more

wholeheartedly to the task of dying and rising again with Christ. A

time of crisis that we are entering into now can also be a time of

kindness, opportunity, a catalyst for renewal and transformation.

So, we can go forward with confidence that God is with us. We are

not the church of one particular individual or personality. We are

the people of Christ; a Church of saints and sinners.”

Bishop Long went on to stress that the Church’s primary

concern must be for victims and the need for changes to Church

culture, customs and practices that protect justice and dignity

for all. He concluded by calling for prayers for the Church, for

the clergy, for himself, so that “we can make this transition from

crisis to opportunity, from a time of darkness to the time of light

and resurrection.”

The poetic visionary William Blake writes: If the doors of

perception are cleansed everything would appear to Man as it is,

Infinite. For Man has closed himself up till he sees all things

through narrow chinks in his cavern.

I certainly pray that our beloved Church will cleanse itself of

‘closed perceptions and narrow chinks’. Perhaps Lent is a good

time for Catholics to see more clearly a way to the Infinite

wisdom and wholeness that Jesus speaks of.

Elizabeth Hanney Principal

Term Dates 2019

Term 1 - Friday, 1 February - (Years 7 and 12 Students) Monday, 4 February - Friday, 5 April Term 2 - Tuesday, 23 April - Friday, 28 June Term 3 - Tuesday, 16 July - Friday, 20 September Term 4 - Tuesday, 8 October - Thursday, 5 December

Deputy Principal: Staff, Learning and Teaching Learner Attributes Report Semester One and Parent/ Teacher/Student Interviews Learner Attributes Reports will be available via the Parent Access Module (PAM) on Tuesday, 19 March 2019. Each subject teacher will provide an indication of your daughter’s demonstration of the 6 Learner Attributes, thereby providing an outline of her approach to learning during Term One.

Parent/Teacher/Student (PTS) Interviews are a key part of the on-going parent-teacher relationship at the College, and towards the end of this term you will have the opportunity to discuss your daughter’s progress so far at the Year 7 – 12 PTS interviews.

The interviews will take place on:

Monday, 25 March 4.00pm – 8.00pm

Tuesday, 26 March 12.30pm – 8.00pm (Student free day)

The booking process is as follows:

Interviews are booked via the Parent Access Module (PAM) on the College website. Please log into PAM using your previously supplied login details and book your appointments.

Parents will book interviews of 5 minutes duration with teachers; please ensure you leave a gap between each appointment to allow for movement between interviews.

Parents will also be able to make appointments with their daughter’s Mentor Teacher.

Teachers will use the system to request interviews with those parents they would particularly like to see. These requests will be visible when you log in.

The Parent/Teacher/Student Interview system will be open for parents to make bookings one week prior to the interviews, from 9.00am on Tuesday, 19 March 2019.

Michelle Robertson

Deputy Principal: Staff, Learning and Teaching

Community Message On Thursday, 21 March 2019, a Summative Review of

Mrs Elizabeth Hanney in her role as Principal of Ave Maria

College will take place. The purpose of the review is in

accordance with the contract under which Mrs Hanney is

employed which states in Clause 8.6.1 that “In the

penultimate year of the Principal’s contract, a summative

appraisal of the Principal’s performance will be conducted.

The particular focus of this appraisal will be on the

provision of advice to the Church Authority in the matter of a

further contract for the Principal” (Clause 8.6.1).

Ave Maria College engages in the School Improvement

Framework process of Catholic Education Melbourne. The 5

spheres that are the focus of this process are:

Education in Faith

Learning and Teaching

Student and Staff Wellbeing

Leadership and Management

School community

and these areas will form the basis of Mrs Hanney’s

Summative Review.

The Review Panel

The panel that will conduct the Formative Review

comprises:

Mr Peter Devery

(nominee of the Canonical Administrators)

Ms Deborah Barker

(nominee of the Principal, Principal of Santa Maria College)

Ms Victoria Myers

(nominee of the Executive Director of Catholic Education & Panel Chair)

As part of the review process feedback from staff will be sought

via interviews and an online survey.

Parents may also provide feedback to the Review Panel by:

a) requesting an interview on Thursday, 21 March 2019 after

3.30pm. This can be done by contacting Mrs Hanney’s office

on 9331 9300.

b) by sending an email to the Panel Chair, Ms Victoria

Myers vmyers@cem.edu.au prior to Monday, 18 March

2019.

Important Dates 2019 Dates Tuesday, 19 March Family Mass Evening (6.30pm—7.30pm) Thursday, 21 March SCSA Swimming Friday, 22 March Mission Action Day Monday, 25 March Year 7 – 12 PTS Interviews (4.00pm – 8.00pm) Tuesday, 26 March Year 7 – 12 PTS Interviews (12.30pm – 8.00pm) Student Free Day 31 March –17 April I.D.E.A.L Study Tour Friday, 5 April Term 1 Ends

Deputy Principal: Students, Learning Culture and Growth The past 2 weeks have been filled with student activity that highlights some of the amazing initiatives and programs that our students can experience. These experiences capture the flavour of energy, excitement and momentum that create a faith filled learning community that we experience daily. During my first 6 weeks at Ave Maria I have invited Year 9 students to enjoy a morning tea with me in my office. We were able to discuss what they loved about their school and any ideas they had which would improve student life. I have now extended the invitation to Year 10 students, who are all invited to experience morning tea with me.

Student Leadership Seminar On Monday, 4 March 2019, student leaders participated in a workshop lead by Year 12 Leaders. Students were able to explore their own leadership qualities and then in teams plan new initiatives for the year. The day ended with the presentation of leadership badges and a delicious lunch. This is the first session in a series of four that the student leaders will experience this year.

Year 7 Camp On Wednesday, 6 to Friday, 8 March 2019 all Year 7 students ventured on school camp to Marysville. I was fortunate enough to spend a day on camp enjoying team building and challenging ac- tivities.

Angela Torelli

Deputy Principal: Students, Learning Culture and Growth

Director of Studies VCE VET Allied Health This year saw the introduction of Allied Health, a

subject facilitated by the Australian Catholic University (ACU)

College. This course provides students with the knowledge

and skills that will enhance their employment prospects in the

Health industry. These qualifications cover workers who

provide assistance to allied health professionals and other

health professionals with the care of clients. As a VET study

students work through units of competencies that explore

both the theory behind health and the building of practical

skills to assist in the care of patients.

A key aspect of this course is structured workplace learning.

Students are required to complete 80 hours of workplace

learning within the Allied Health industry, usually occurring

during the school holiday period. If you are in the position to

support one or more of our students for their work placement

please contact myself or Helen Aliaga, Careers and Pathways.

Jessica Hall

Director of Studies

Lauren Jackson / Brianna Coyle

Brigette Johnson / Alanna Boyle

Director of Faith and Religious Education Family Mass A reminder that our Family Mass will be celebrated on

Tuesday, 19 March 2019 beginning at 6.30pm in St Clare

Chapel. Please RSVP attendance HERE

Soup Van I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have been able to

partake in the soup van this year, an experience unlike

anything and one that has now provided me with great insight

into the selfless acts of kindness, St Vincent de Paul volunteers

show every day. Being surrounded by such an inspiring and

loving group of people we were privileged enough to have

helped, brought so much joy and love into my heart knowing

that even a small bar of soap or a pair of socks, or a simple

conversation could help and bring a smile to both of us, and

give a sense of hope and support that may be needed. This

experience was so insightful and gave me a new perspective on

homelessness in Melbourne. Often we are accustomed to

thinking that all homeless people must look and act a certain

way, but we are so wrong. Homelessness isn’t a matter of

appearance but rather the lack of belonging in a place they can

call home. So what I’ve learnt from this experience is to never

judge someone for the way they look, to treat everyone with

respect, and to simply be kind to everyone because we often

underestimate the impact a simple smile can have on a person.

Bianca Sprague Year 12E

Patrick Jurd

Director of Faith and Religious Education

(Left: St Vinnies Volunteer, Sarah Addinsall 12E, Marlee Victor 12A, Basma Hadchiti 12B, Bianca Sprague 12E, St Vinnies Volunteer and Ms Carolyn Mills

Director of Student Wellbeing Our Peer Support Leaders have been a particularly active

group over the past 2 to 3 weeks. These students have

combined the demands of Leadership with their studies

and shown a meaningful commitment to the College. The

Student Wellbeing Team day was a shared experience

with St Columba’s and St Bernard’s. Our students hosted

the day, which began with Project Rockit, who challenged

the students to understand their own individual

Leadership. Leaders walked away with a clear sense of

their own values and the responsibility of leading their

peers.

The day helped to prepare the Peer Support Leaders for

the upcoming Year 7 camp, and to plan activities for

International Women’s Day and Say ‘NO’ to Bullying Day.

These events allowed our students to enact their

Leadership, which they have done admirably.

Peer Support Leader Report As a Peer Support Leader, I participated in a Wellbeing Day, alongside peers from neighbouring Colleges. This day allowed me to share my ideas regarding effective leadership, as well as learn from the experiences of others. The most valuable part of this day for me personally, was a seminar led by Project Rockit. This seminar focused on embracing one’s individuality, and discovering the unique traits which make someone a memorable leader.

I put my newly acquired Leadership skills to the test on Year 7 Camp. This camp was full of challenges, but overall it was incredibly rewarding. With my younger peers looking up to me, it was important that I conducted myself with complete enthusiasm. Not only did I encourage my group to try new things, but I also participated in activities which were far outside of my comfort zone. The Camp Talent Show, was a favourite amongst Peer Support Leaders and the Year 7 cohort alike. It was so incredible to see students face their fears, by stepping up and performing for a huge crowd. My Peer Support Group came together as a team and encouraged each other to share ‘the gifts in me’.

Chloe McMahon Year 11

Natalie Meddis

Director of Student Wellbeing

Careers and Pathways Pathways and Work Experience Year 12 Pathway interviews are being conducted in

Term 1.

Year 10 students are preparing for Work Experience.

Official week of Work Experience

Monday, 24 June – Friday, 28 June 2019.

Australian Defence Force GAP Year 2020 The ADF Gap Year program provides an opportunity for

young Australians, who have finished Year 12

(or equivalent) and are aged between 17 and 24, to

experience military training and lifestyle whilst gaining

new skills and pay over their Gap Year.

To find out more information about the ADF Gap Year

program please visit ADF Gap Year

National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) Applications for

NYSF 2020 open Friday 1 March 2019 and close on

Friday 31 May 2019. For more information visit

National Youth Science Forum

Inside Monash Seminar Series 2019 Get the inside story of what it’s really like to study at

Monash. You’ll hear from a current student, a past

student and an academic. It’s the best 90 minutes you

could spend researching your course. Bring along your

parents too! All seminars commence at 6.30pm. Exact

venue details are available on registration at Inside

Monash Seminars

Early Entry Programs at ACU Passion for Business (P4B) Early Entry Program

Passion for Law (P4L) Early Entry Program

More information available in Career News 8 March.

VCE and Career Expo 2019 Thursday, 2 May – Friday, 3 May 9.00am 3.00pm

Saturday, 4 May – Sunday 5 May 10.00am – 4.00pm

More information can be found by visiting

VCE and Career Expo 2019

Helen Aliaga

Careers and Pathways

College Co-Captains Make a Stand March Initiative As part of the Senior Student Leadership Team’s “12 Months of Empowerment” initiative, this month’s focus will be on encouraging social awareness within the College, aptly titled “Make a Stand March”. As College Co-Captains, Eliza and I are very eager to foster a charitable spirit within the young women of Ave. We believe that particularly as women in the 21st century, we are at a point where we have the capacity and means to advocate for what we are passionate about; and have a positive impact on our world. As part of our ongoing support for our sister school St Maria Mazzarello in Venilale, Timor Leste. Ave will continue to raise funds on our annual Mission Action Day Walkathon. Our core fundraiser will be backed by our Senior Student Leadership Event- but more on this later.

Part of our legacy as College Captains is to proactively make the most of every opportunity in this role to make a difference, however big or small. With this mentality, Eliza and I decided that we should endeavour towards supporting not only our sister school, but also charities and causes we believe are vital to advocate.

In saying this, I am delighted to announce that as part of our “Make a Stand March” campaign, I will be cutting off 50 cm of my hair to donate to Sustainable Salons, an organisation that makes wigs for people suffering from alopecia or medically induced hair loss. All funds that are raised in the process will go towards supporting our sister school in Venilale, Timor Leste, to allow children to receive the education they deserve; including learning resources, academic scholarships, as well as staff and student support. Joining me in this event will be Clare House Captain Hannah Shaw, and Faith & Social Justice Captain Hannah Portelli, who each will be donating 20 cm of their hair towards this worthy cause. We hope that this event will inspire students to make an active stride towards making a change in the world; whether this entails signing a petition, giving up plastic straws, donating a few dollars towards charity, or simply doing some research into issues in the local or global community. 2019 is a year in which we aspire to create change, and cultivate social awareness within our Ave Army.

We encourage one and all to donate towards Mission Action Day Walkathon and our “Make a Stand March Event”, where even a few dollars can make a profound difference in someone’s life.

Natalie Cierpisz and Eliza Gollant

College Co-Captains

Peer Support Leader Reflections of Year 7 Camp Last week the Year 11 Peer Support Leaders journeyed back to Camp Marysville to join the Year 7 students on their first high school camp experience. The Year 11 Leaders guided the nervous and excited faces of Year 7’s as they challenged themselves in a variety of activities such as the Vertical Wall and Canoeing. The serene landscape of Marysville provided a relaxing setting for both Year 7s and Year 11s to take time and reflect on being present, giving everybody an opportunity to be grateful for an environment which was once destroyed by devastating fires. As a group we listened to real life experiences regarding the tragic 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires. Our perspectives were broadened through learning about the hardships and long-lasting effects which the bushfires had on families and the community of Marysville.

On the second night, we held a Variety Show where each Peer Support Group performed a song, dance or act which demonstrated the Junior School theme, “The Gifts in Me’. Each groups performance touched on the unique talents and gifts of each group member. Collaborating with the Year 7 students to create an entertaining and meaningful performance in a short amount of time proved to be a challenging task for the Year 11 leaders. We were challenged as leaders to ensure that everyone’s ideas were heard and implemented in some way into the performance. A sense of support and unity between Peer Support Groups further developed as the bond between Peer Support Leaders and Year 7 students was strengthened, as the girls became more comfortable and confident with sharing their ideas and telling stories.

Over the course of 3 days each Peer Support Leader got to know the unique personalities of the Year 7’s in their group. Many friendships were formed between the junior and senior school students, as together they faced the challenges of being away from home, braved the height of the rock-climbing wall and shared their talents in the variety show. As leaders, it was a rewarding and insightful experience, giving us an opportunity to explore the role of being a senior leader and role model.

Alessia Fazio and Mia Kefenhoerster Year 11 Peer Support Leaders.

Student Reflections Reflections of Student Leadership Seminar To officiate the selection of our 2019 Student Leadership Team

from Years 8 to 11, the Senior Leaders ran a Seminar aimed at

preparing the newly appointed leaders for a year of

collaboration, passion and empowerment. The Senior

Leadership Team welcomed their newest recruits in apt style by

getting everyone on their feet to an anthem of unity- “I Found

You“! Once the tone had been set, the leaders got right down to

business. Lead by College Co-Captains Eliza Gollant and Natalie

Cierpisz, the seminar focused on strengthening the foundation

of skills and attributes that make a dynamic student leader. The

Leadership Seminar revolved around many open-ended

questions that encouraged students to think, wonder, and push

their judgement, including prompts such as “What do you love

about Ave?”, “What are you going to do in your leadership

role?” and “What are some challenges you will face, and how

will you overcome them?”. After much collaborative thinking

and sharing of ideas, the Senior Captains continued by intro-

ducing their “12 Months of Empowerment” initiative to the

young leaders. This lead to a communal discussion of Social

Justice focuses and possible initiatives for the Junior, Middle,

and Senior Schools, where leaders were encouraged to think of

proactive ways to promote their charities to the College. It was

very exciting to witness the enthusiasm and vision that the

newly appointed leaders shared with us all and we look forward

to supporting them in their endeavors for 2019.

Special thanks to everyone who was involved in the planning

and executing of this Leadership Seminar, in particular Deputy

Principal to Students Ms Angela Torelli, College Principal Mrs

Elizabeth Hanney and of course, our Senior Leadership Team.

Furthermore, we look forward to welcoming our Year 7 Leaders

to our team once they are selected following their return from

the Year 7 Camp.

Natalie Cierpisz

College Co-Captain

Camp Marysville Camp Marysville was a wonderful experience where many new

friendships were formed. We were given the opportunity to step

outside of our comfort zone and try activities that were new to us.

As we arrived at Camp Marysville, we couldn’t help but notice how

different it was to home. The camp was surrounded by plenty of

fun activities. We were so excited to get out and about to enjoy the

beautiful nature.

We participated in the following activities while at camp

Wild About Water - In this activity, groups went out in canoes on a

lake. We learned helpful skills and learned about water safety!!

Initiatives and Low Ropes - Initiatives and low ropes was an

activity that encouraged us to work as a team and build new

friendships. We got to know each other a little better and had so

much fun while doing it.

Two Wheel Adventure - Two-wheel adventure was all about moun-

tain bike riding, useful tips on how to ride a bike and how to check

if the bike is safe to ride. We also cycled through the magnificent

forest and enjoyed a long downhill ride on the way back to camp.

Grow It Cook It - Grow it cook it encouraged us to learn about

sustainability, while tasting and smelling many herbs.

We cooked pizza with herbs from the garden.

Big Trees and River Discovery Walk - Big trees and river discovery

walk was a slow, easy walk, through the forest admiring nature and

learning how the fire affected the environment. We were given

time to sit and sketch a scene.

What Makes A Community - We walked into the town of Marysville

and went to a memorial that was built after the fire. Then we

supported local businesses by buying something from their shops.

Bruno’s art and sculpture garden was a forest filled with many

beautiful statues.

Vertical Challenge - Vertical challenge required us to climb the

tallest rock-climbing wall in the southern hemisphere. The group

leaders were very encouraging and supportive. Group leaders en-

couraged us to climb as high as we felt safe stretching us outside

our comfort zone.

The food was delicious, and there was plenty to eat. We certainly

didn’t go hungry! Afternoon tea was our personal favorite. The

wonderful chefs always had cake prepared for us!

On night 1, everyone gathered around the campfire to sing songs,

and toast marshmallows. We worked with our peer support group

to create a performance. The groups performed in front of the year

level and there was even a performance from the leaders at camp

Marysville and there was a surprise performance from the

teachers.

Alyssa Caruso and Sophia Rao 7E

Student Achievements Congratulations Ruby Gojevic,

Year 8 who in February

competed in the ACT

International Open Judo Cham-

pionships in Canberra. Ruby

achieved 3rd in the Senior Girls -

57 kg division. In March Ruby

was awarded 1st in the Senior

Girls U57kg category at the JVI

Inaugural Competition in

Broadmeadows.

SCSA Tennis On Thursday, 8 March 2019 students travelled

to Boroondara Tennis Centre to compete in the 2019 SCSA

Tennis Competition. Competing in all 3 categories of

Junior, Intermediate and Senior all teams played

outstandingly demonstrating great team work and

sportsmanship throughout the day.

Our Senior Team were crowned 2019 SCSA Champions

Special mention to Chanel

McKay, Year 11 who won all 7

singles games convincingly

and was named Best Senior

Player of the day.

Congratulations to all who

participated with such

enthusiasm. Thank you Mr

Tony Spanti, Ms Julia While

and Ms Jennifer Lorrimar for

all the hard work leading up to

the event.

School Fees

A friendly reminder that Term One Fees were due Friday 8 February 2019.

The 2019 Family Finance and Information Guide which was emailed to all families on 19 December 2018.

Where payment has not yet been made, kindly contact the Finance Office on 9331 9307 immediately to discuss suitable payment options.

Please note, a Late Payment Fee of $100 may be imposed.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund

If you hold a Health Care Card or another Concession Card which names your daughter, we strongly encourage you to complete the CSEF Application Form and return to the College immediately.

House Swimming Carnival Reflection The 2019 House Swimming Carnival was not one for the light hearted. The temperature was running high but not quite as high as the excitement those in attendance were feeling. There was an outstanding level of participation from across all Year Levels in both the novelty events and the official races all throughout the day. The level of involvement from teachers and students alike was unlike any in the years before even without a 1st place ribbon everyone wore a smile. The Year 12 parade was a highlight as always, from killer costumes to that sensational dance, the enthusiasm the cohort brought on the day was electric and not only that but it lasted from their early morning McDonald’s run to the midday chanting wars between Houses right through to the days end. The Year 12 students really wanted to make this a day enjoyable for all and they did exactly that. Although we saw mass participation across all Houses on the day, claiming 1st place in the Junior and Senior categories and 1st place overall was “Fantastic Francis “whom we are so honoured to represent! The result was an amazing effort and is testament to each and every one wearing orange on the day.

Aleshia Torcia and Mia Salvador Year 12

Community News

Family Mass Evening Ave Maria College warmly invites your family to attend the Family Mass on Tuesday, 19 March 2019.

Fr Peter Hoang will be the celebrant for this evening held in St Clare Chapel beginning at 6.30pm.

The Family Mass is a wonderful opportunity to thank God for our many gifts, including the great gift of family.

On conclusion of the Mass we invite you to stay for refreshments and a chance to chat with staff and other parents.

Please respond to the invitation to attend the 2019 Ave Maria College Family Mass HERE.