We have had some outstanding results in this year’s ATAR. 27 students received an ATAR >90 with our median ATAR score being 81.35. Congratulations to Alexandra Cavanagh who was our 2019 DUX and also received the highest ATAR of 99.7, followed closely by Michael Adamos who received a score of 99.1. Congratulations also to Jordan Leckie who received a Subject Certificate of Excellence for Mathematics Applications.
Download 2019 Results Brochure
Welcome to the start of the 2020 academic year. In particular, we welcome new families and staff to our Marist Community. I hope all have enjoyed the family time that Christmas and the extended break bring.
The unprecedented ongoing bushfires across such extensive parts of the country have impacted upon all Australians and gained the attention of people across the globe. Many of us can tell of immediate experiences or share stories from loved ones and friends directly affected, while others have watched the horror unfold from televisions and / or social media. Our responsibility as a Catholic Community is to animate and engage our students to consider how we respond to this crisis and its impact on our environment.聽 Our relationship with creation and our preservation of it is reflected in the following assertion from Pope Francis:
To that end, our community in solidarity with those most affected by the fires in the broader community, along with other Marist schools and ministries across Australia, 秀秀直播 will be conducting a Marist Bushfire Appeal on Friday 7 February, the proceeds of which will be directed to St Vincent de Paul for distribution. One of our core Marist values is inclusivity and family; this is an opportunity for us to be broad in our outreach and focus. 聽In the interim, I would like you all to keep those families affected by this devastating catastrophe in your prayers and thoughts.
Our Marist theme for 2020, 鈥楢 Wild and Precious Life鈥�, prompts us to reflect on the question 鈥� or more a challenge 鈥� what is your plan for your one wild and precious life? At the heart of this theme is the quote, 鈥楥reating one new humanity鈥� (Eph 2:15) which invites us to engage in relationships that will support us in developing our gifts and talents.
In 2020, we will continue to grow our Vision for Learning 鈥� Shine through discovery, Let your light shine (Matthew 5:16). It is my hope that all students at 秀秀直播 are able to set clear and achievable goals that will allow them to be challenged as learners and to succeed in their endeavours. To achieve individual success, it is the responsibility of each student to take ownership of their learning and to seek support from their teachers. Across the College, our leaders of wellbeing, leaders of learning, coordinators and teachers are committed to supporting each individual student and year groups collectively. Critical to each student鈥檚 ongoing success will be the collaboration with families in adhering to expectations. To that end, each leader of wellbeing will be writing to families this week outlining the expectations for each student as a member of the College community. As a whole community, our collective commitment to growing our culture of excellence in all facets of College life will ensure a successful, engaged learning experience for our students.
In 2020, we have a new leadership structure commensurate to the strategic and operational needs of the school. Vice Principal Lisa Fogliani has responsibility for leading each school across the College.
In Early Childhood, Lisa McClue will be the initial contact person for all matters pertaining to the Marian Campus and will be supported by Katya Anderson, Leader of Learning.
The day to day leadership and contacts will be distributed to the following team:
Pastoral care teachers are the daily point of contact for students and families. Leaders of wellbeing and leaders of learning, together with Deputy Principal Wellbeing Secondary, Alan Fitzpatrick, will manage and coordinate the Marcellin Campus.
Congratulations to the cohort of 2019 for their outstanding individual and collective results in the WACE. I would like to highlight the following:
The success of each cohort is maximised by each student being placed in a pathway that is commensurate to their ability and interests. In 2020 there will be a renewed focus on working in partnership with families to ensure the correct placement of all students.
Download 2019 Results Brochure
Our very exciting capital development project, The Learning Hub at the Marcellin Campus, began in earnest over the holidays. Many changes to access have been put in place to ensure the safety of students and staff, and this will be addressed with students upon their return to school on Monday and Tuesday. All building projects of such a scale will bring about a level of inconvenience and we ask parents and students for their understanding over the time of construction (2020). Please click here to view other capital works that have taken place across the College over the holidays.
In this year’s Australia Day Honours Awards, the Regional Director for Marist Schools Australia in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, Ms Julie Ryan, was awarded “The Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)” for service to Australian Secondary Education.聽 Those with whom Julie has worked all know and appreciate the enthusiasm and many gifts she brings to every undertaking. The Order of Australia recognises Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service, exceptional achievement, hard work and dedication. The Australia Day Honours Awards provide all Australians with the opportunity to celebrate inspiring people, like Julie Ryan, who make our nation what it is. We congratulate Julie on being deservedly recognised for many years of selfless, generous and transformative service and leadership in Catholic education.
Please click here to access details about the Novel Coronavirus and precautions taken by schools.
I thank all parents and guardians as they prepare their children for the return to school. We look forward to welcoming all students back to school on Monday and Tuesday next week and seeing families at the forthcoming Family Mass.
Our students will not only arrive to the new school year with high hopes, but to an improved facility waiting to support them. The Facilities and Grounds team has worked tirelessly throughout the break to upgrade student amenities and prepare for the onset of the capital works program at Marcellin. Improvements and upgrades will benefit students at each campus. The following major items are of note:
The acquisition of a considerable quantity of classroom furniture in the Primary campuses will see students from Y1-Y6 enjoy contemporary learning environments. The flexible furniture allows for an education that supports the College鈥檚 Vision for Learning, Shine through Discovery, where the College鈥檚 鈥榩rinciples鈥� of Challenge, Collaborate, Create and Celebrate can be brought to life.
The above items represent the visible and tangible works that have been undertaken, but signify just a fraction of the program of works undertaken. Facilities Manager Reece Jones, Head of Grounds David Marshall, along with their respective teams, along with the wonderful contribution made by our casual staff should be recognised. We thank you for your hard work and support throughout the holiday period.
We wish the entire community of 秀秀直播 health and happiness over the Christmas season. What a year is has been!
The significance of the historical event of the birth of Jesus Christ defined the world in which we now live as a Catholic community. During this Advent season, we await the coming of Christ and with it the expectations of new life and a new beginning. In an increasingly secular time, our Christmas liturgy was a timely reminder of the importance of what it means to be part of a family. The love and care within each family is critical in the lives of our children and our greatest illustration of this is the story of a young couple from rural Israel searching for a place, a room at an inn for the birth of their child. I encourage all families to take the time to visit their local parish to celebrate Christmas Mass. This is a special time of year for all Christians and for all families. Enjoy the time together!
Developing relationships and learning to engage in the world is fundamental to the growth of any person. At 秀秀直播, our Marist characteristic of Presence calls us to actively engage with each other and grow our sense of community. This is exemplified through our which is designed to provide our College Community with a framework through which to engage and live-out the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Its outcome may not be measured during the student鈥檚 College life. It is our aim that the values of faith, love, hope and service will manifest themselves during the student鈥檚 lifetime, and that their Catholic, Marist school experience will be one that transforms and animates them to be people of the Gospel.
Key priorities within our Ministry Plan are advocacy, social justice and service learning partnerships. The aim is to provide a framework for social action that is inspired by Gospel values, which seeks to provide the 秀秀直播 community with local opportunities to collaborate in ministries of outreach of the Catholic Church. In late November I accompanied sixteen Year 11 students and four staff from our College and St Joseph鈥檚 College Northam to the Philippines. This immersion has become an integral component of our College life because it stimulates our students鈥� sense of social justice and heightens their awareness of the opportunities for service in the community, both now and post school. Pope Francis contends that 鈥�the measure of the greatness of society is found in the way it treats those most in need, those who have nothing apart from their poverty.鈥�
The immersion has three components:
The impact and effect of this advocacy and immersion experience to the Philippines for our community has been extraordinary. Four years of this experience has grown the culture of engagement and service within and outside our school. We have established a partnership with St Joseph鈥檚 College Northam that engages students and staff from both Marist schools in this project. Our fundraising efforts have doubled and the awareness raising is now part of our pastoral program. Students have used the experience to develop their skills and capacity for critical reflection. This has enabled many students, post-school, in their application for tertiary study and for securing work in human rights and ministry. The most pleasing aspect is our community recognising the work and mission of the Catholic Church. Our students see how good works, with advocacy and service being a fundamental part of this mission.
This is a very special occasion on the College Calendar and marks the end of a journey from Kindy to Year 12.
In farewelling our Class of 2019, I stressed the importance of living out our dreams and that those dreams are the sum of many opportunities, challenges, experiences and of course people who support and walk with us 鈥� with their own gifts and talents.
I spoke of the recent canonization of Blessed John Henry 秀秀直播, our College namesake, whose pursuit was to inspire people to search for truth and freedom of conscience, in a time of great division and inequality between social classes, men and women, countries and more specifically between Catholics and Protestants. Saint John Henry 秀秀直播鈥檚 invitation to us is to live our life to be one of humble service and affection to each other. If this can underpin our intent and be the foundation for lives, our future, no matter what challenges we face, will be assured.
Our Year 12 students have been a magnificent exemplar to our College of this inspiration 鈥�.they have stood up for what they believed to be right and just. Their efforts, demonstrated by application, resilience, discipline, shared values, friendships and self-belief have enhanced our 秀秀直播 culture. They have exemplified the Marist notion of presence by the way they have valued relationships in myriad ways. They have demonstrated a willingness to get involved, 鈥榯o have a go鈥�, and have the flexibility to try new things.
Please click here to access the Principal鈥檚 Graduation Speech.
In the words of Saint John Henry 秀秀直播:
Let us grow in wisdom and love
and act with courage to choose what is right.
May we always be open to change
and have the strength to accept
what is new and valuable.
Give us peace and happiness in what we do.
We ask this through Jesus, Your Son,
and Mary, our Mother.
Amen.
This term, the College underwent a School Cyclic Review conducted by Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA). A School Cyclic Review focuses on the effectiveness of a school鈥檚 engagement with self-review, the impact of self-review on school improvement and the future directions for the improvement of student outcomes that the school has identified. The data sources for this review included parents, College Advisory Council, staff, and students coupled with the College鈥檚 own self review statement, Strategic Improvement Plan, Annual School Improvement Plans and Annual Reports.
The feedback from the review across the domains of Catholic Identity, Education, Community and Stewardship were very affirming for the College. The review report specifically identified the College鈥檚 Vision for Learning Shine Through Discovery 鈥� Let Your Light Shine as a clearly defined strategic and operational direction of the College. It notes Teaching and Learning are student driven and data informed and a learning culture that encourages growth in all students is clearly visible. Underpinning this strategic priority is our renewed focus on Catholic Identity through the implementation of our Ministry Plan and commitment to the formation of the spiritual life of students and staff.
