Term One Congratulations

Dear Parents and Carers,

In my opening school address I spoke to students about giving their best and being their best as we embarked on a new school year. I also spoke to them about ‘The Eight to be Great’ for a new school year which included:

1. Being passionate, enthusiastic, and positive about what they are learning and doing at school.
2. Working hard so they can grow as a person and as a learner.
3. Understanding that at school and as with life we each experience challenges and difficulties along the way, so focus on one or two things that they need to work on, rather than too many things at once.
4. Pushing and challenging themselves, to be better and to not give up too easily.
5. Being open to new ways of learning and studying.
6. Staying motivated to improve so that they can experience positive learning progress.
7. Remembering they are part of something bigger, so remember to give of themselves by helping others out, being respectful and finding ways to serve the Ave community inside and outside the classroom.
8. Being persistent and disciplined in achieving their goals as there is no such thing as overnight success.

I can honestly say that students have embraced many aspects of ‘The Eight to be Great’ in what has been a very busy start of the school year. As such, I would like to congratulate all students for their participation, engagement and commitment throughout this term.

60th Anniversary Celebrations

A reminder to families that in Term Two the 60th Anniversary Mass will take place on Thursday, 22 June 2023 at St Patrick's Cathedral.

Please be aware the date of the 60th Anniversary Mass has moved from Friday, 12 May 2023 due to a change in the Archbishop Peter Comensoli’s availability.

Child Safety

At Ave Maria College we are committed to the care, safety and wellbeing of our students and see this as a central and fundamental responsibility of our college. Our commitment is drawn from the teaching and mission of Jesus Christ, with love, justice, and the sanctity of each human person at the heart of the gospels. Our College Motto, Striving for Truth through Love, guides our collective efforts in enabling our students to thrive in recognising the truth of God’s love and their own call to seek truth and love, in themselves and in their relationships with others.

The following principles underpin our commitment to child safety at Ave Maria College.

• All students deserve, as a fundamental right, safety, and protection from all forms of abuse and neglect.

• Our college works in partnership with families and the community to ensure that our students are engaged in decision-making processes, particularly those that have an impact on child safety and protection.

• All students have the right to a thorough and systematic education in all aspects of personal safety, in partnership with their parents, guardians and carers.

• All adults in our school, including teaching and non-teaching staff, clergy, volunteers, and contractors, have a responsibility to care for children and young people, to positively promote their wellbeing and to protect them from any kind of harm or abuse.

• The policies, guidelines, and codes of conduct for the care, wellbeing and protection of students are based on honest, respectful and trusting relationships between adults and children and young people.

• Policies and practices demonstrate compliance with legislative requirements and cooperation with the Church, governments, the police, and human services agencies.

• All persons involved in situations where harm is suspected or disclosed must be treated with sensitivity, dignity, and respect.

• Staff, clergy, volunteers, contractors, parents, and students should feel free to raise concerns about child safety, knowing these will be taken seriously by the College Leadership.

• Appropriate confidentiality will be maintained, with information being provided to those who have a right or a need to be informed, either legally or pastorally.

As part of our policies and procedures the College has a Child Safety Reference Group which includes both student and staff representation. This group meets regularly throughout the year. The College also has a number of nominated child protection officers, from our Sub-School Leaders and Counselling teams. Our senior child protection officers include:

• Ms Leonie Rushbrook, Assistant Principal (Students and Engagement)
• Mrs Natalie Meddis, Director of Student Wellbeing
• Mr Dane Calleja, Executive Deputy Principal (Learning and Operations)

Parents and carers who wish to access more information regarding child safety at Ave Maria College are welcome to visit the Child Safety section on our College website in the ‘About’ tab.

Democratic Principles and Values for Education

Additionally, at Ave Maria College we recognise that the school plays a vital role in advancing democratic ideals and principles. For democracy to continue to thrive, children must be taught democratic ideals and principles and to value its way of life. Ave Maria College will explicitly and implicitly support and promote the principles of Australian democracy, including a commitment to:

• Elected government
• The rule of law
• Equal rights for all before the law
• Freedom of religion
• Freedom of speech and association; and
• The values of openness and tolerance.

At Ave Maria College we are committed to the Values for Australian Schooling which include:

• Care and Compassion - Caring for self and others.

• Doing Your Best - Seeking to accomplish something worthy and admirable, trying hard, pursuing excellence.

• Fair Go - Pursuing and protecting the common good where all people are treated fairly for a just society.

• Freedom - Enjoying all the rights and privileges of Australian citizenship free from unnecessary interference or control and standing up for the rights of others.

• Honesty and Trustworthiness - Being honest, sincere, and seeking the truth.

• Integrity - Acting in accordance with principles of moral and ethical conduct, ensuring consistency between words and deeds.

• Respect - Treating others with consideration and regard, respecting another person’s point of view.

• Responsibility - Being accountable for one’s own actions, resolving differences in constructive, non-violent and peaceful ways, contributing to society and to civic life, taking care of the environment.

• Understanding, Tolerance and Inclusion - Being aware of others and their cultures, accepting diversity within a democratic society, being included and including others.

Concluding Prayer

As Term One draws to a close, I would like to wish both students and staff a well-deserved break. I hope that all our community have a relaxing, restful and safe break. We look forward to welcoming our students and staff back on Wednesday 26 April for the start of Term Two.

And finally, as Easter approaches, I would like to wish all families a blessed Easter as I conclude with the following prayer:

Lord, as we gather as family and friends:
We invite you once again into our lives.
May the hope of your resurrection brighten our days.
May the promise of your spirit working in us light up our lives.
May the love you revealed to us shape our giving.
May the truth in your word guide our journey.
And may the joy of your kingdom fill our homes.
As we gather underneath the banner of your life,
We thank you for all you provide as we celebrate
Your glorious resurrection. Amen.

God bless and may we trust in the truth of God’s word as we strive for Truth through Love.

News Article Author

Ms Tanya Hutton
Principal

Term One Progress Reports and Parent Teacher Conferences

The Year 7-12 Term One Progress Reports will be available for families to download via the Parent Access Module/Ave Learning on Thursday, 6 April 2023. These reports provided families with an update on student learning in relation to the Ave Maria College Charter for Education Learner Attributes.

The release of the Term One Progress Reports will be complemented by Year 7-12 Parent Teacher Conferences that will be hosted by the College on Tuesday, 2 May 2023. This event will occur online, providing families with the flexibility to engage from an offsite location of their choice. Families will receive specific information associated with the booking and operation of Parent Teacher Conferences.

Please note that due to the operation of Parent Teacher Conferences, there will be no classes on Tuesday, 2 May 2023.

Learning Program Spotlight

Each edition of the College Newsletter will include a spotlight on a component of the Learning and Teaching Program offered at Ave Maria College. This aims to celebrate the diverse range of pathways available for students as well as educate our community about the opportunities for learning that continue to evolve. This edition features the Senior Student Academic Pathways that exist for students.
The College offers a range of Senior Academic Pathways. The VCAA Guidelines are used to tailor pathways to suit individual student needs and interests, providing them with access to a wide range of subjects and courses that link them to their post-secondary field of choice.
The tables below provide a snapshot of the multiple academic pathways available for students.

Student pathway selections are supported by a series of parameters including curriculum structures, pathways mentoring and counselling, learning exploration etc. Opportunities exist for students to commence their Senior Academic Pathway in Year 10.

Learning and Teaching Quick Guide and Curriculum Pathways Snapshot

Each of these documents celebrate the wide range of programs, pathways and subjects that exist at the College for student learning in 2023. Members of the community are encouraged to use the links provided to explore the opportunities that exist for student learning.

Throughout Term One 2023 the Learning and Curriculum Team has worked to update the following documentation linked below.

News Article Author

Mr Dane Calleja
Executive Deputy Principal

Mother’s Day Breakfast

Our annual Mother’s Day breakfast is taking place in Francis Hall on Thursday, 4 May 2023, from 7:15am-8:15am. We invite all students to bring their mother, grandmother and/or significant females along to celebrate a morning all about them and the important roles they play in our lives. We are offering a delicious pancake breakfast, entertainment from the College Choir and a guest panel of an Ave Alumnae family.

Ave Alumnae - Get Involved!

Have you signed up for Ave Belong, our alumnae platform? Click HERE to register so that we can keep in contact with you. This platform is a way for alumnae to register their interest in sharing their story as well as a platform to network with other Ave graduates. Did you know that there are a range of ways that our Alumnae are involved in College life:

• Profile on our social media: this helps to share the wonderful stories of the diverse careers and pathways of Ave Students.

• Ave Belong Magazine: or biannual publication on what is happening at the College and what our alumnae are up to outside of the College. Each edition has a theme and we look to profile alumnae working in a broad field or industry.

• Guest on our new Voices from Vida Street podcast: this enables more in-depth discussions into pathways and journeys. These stories are inspiring and informative and help our current students to.

• Alumnae Panel: this is where specific careers and pathways are highlighted and students are able to engage in live Q&As. This usually happens during careers week in mid-May but can also occur at other times.

• Guest Speaker: this can include events such as Mother’s and Father’s Day breakfasts, Awards events, Year Level and Whole School Assemblies, and more. We also love having guest speakers in the classroom, who are able to bring theoretical learning to life by discussing real life applications.

• Mentoring: as senior students make decisions about their pathways, we often reach out to alumnae in the selected field and encourage them to have a chat with someone who is currently studying or has recently graduated from a similar course. Hearing about the course and pathway first had is invaluable.

Please be aware that any alumnae who are engaging with our students must have a current Working With Children check (WWC) or a valid exemption. In most instances this only needs to be a ‘volunteer’ WWC which can be obtained online. You can find out more about how to get this by clicking this link: https://www.workingwithchildre...

If you would like to know more or have any suggestions on ways you might like to engage with our current student body, please email us at alumnae@avemaria.vic.edu.au. We would be happy to have a conversation with you to discuss possible options.

Voices from Vida Street - Episode 1 now available

We recently released our introductory episode of our new podcast. Click https://podcasters.spotify.com...to listen.
We are pleased to also release episode 1: The Portelli’s this week. In this episode we hear from Gemma Portelli (2012), Hannah Portelli (2018) and Majella Portelli (2022). Whilst Majella will be familiar to those who have listened to the introductory episode, she is also one of the College co-captains from 2022 and has been instrumental in getting the podcast up and running. 

In this episode we speak to Majella and her two older sisters about their diverse careers and journeys. All three also held leadership positions whilst at the College, so we hear how that has influenced their lives after completing secondary school. Click https://podcasters.spotify.com... to listen to Episode 1.

News Article Author

Ms Joanna Hammer
Assistant Principal (Community and Growth)

Adolescents need connection for their health and wellbeing

In an article by Professor Robert Blum and colleagues in a United Nations publication, they wrote about adolescents needing connectedness as a crucial aspect for their health and wellbeing.

The article stated: “connections are cornerstones of health and wellbeing, and for adolescents the connections with family, peers, and community have a critical effect on development. Youth development programmes that treat adolescents as problems to be solved don’t tend to work. Instead, programmes should be focusing on maximising human connectedness, which evidence shows is a critical element of effective youth programmes.”

By connectedness we mean a sense of being cared for, supported, belonging, and closeness with others that comes from protective and sustained relationships within families, schools, and communities. A supportive social network of parents, peers, and teachers has been shown to improve adolescent mental and behavioural health and have lifelong benefits. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health in the United States, for example, found that adolescents who reported feeling connected to home or school at ages 12-17 years were as much as 66% less likely to experience high risk behaviours and reported better mental health in adulthood than less connected peers.

Connection at Year 7 Camp

Ave Maria College continues to offer many opportunities to connect. The Year 7 Camp is a wonderful example of students new to our community growing their connection to each other, to their Peer Support Leaders (Year 11) and to their teachers. Through challenging and engaging activities at Camp Alexandria, students formed bonds that will be called upon to help them navigate being a teenager.

Sienna Ciavarella and Jessica McKie in Year 7 report on the camp below. Their report shows a very strong sense of communication, collaboration and most importantly, connection.

“Year 7 camp was an amazing fun experience. The activities were so much fun. The flying fox was my favourite. We could see the canoes and the raft builders as we flew across the lake. Everyone loved the giant swing, and we all got our teachers and Peer Support Leaders to give it a go. Swimming was so much fun.

The Wildlife Show was incredible. We were given the opportunity to feel the scales of the snakes and some of the reptiles. Everyone saw an adorable owl. There was also a fluffy possum, it was so cute.

I loved the campfire because we roasted marshmallows which tasted delicious. The Peer Support Leaders told scary stories and were singing songs. We also got to spend lots of time with our friends while roasting marshmallows.

The Variety Show was epic. All the Peer Support Groups put on the best show ever. Peer Support groups 5 and 6 won with a total score of 30/30 (top score) The teacher performance was so funny, especially because they borrowed student costumes.

The Peer Support Leaders received their badges. We all thanked our Peer Support leaders for their kindness and support. All of us Year 7’s love our peer support leaders and thank them for all they have done for us.

The food was delicious, we especially love the pancakes for breakfast, the wraps for lunch and the chicken schnitzel for dinner. We loved the delicious cake and brownies for morning and afternoon tea as well as the garlic bread and the pasta baked.”

News Article Author

Ms Leonie Rushbrook
Assistant Principal (Students and Engagement)

Easter

The season of Lent has been a time in which members of our community have reflected on how they can enrich their faith and explore how they might grow closer to Jesus and each other. On 17 March our College Captains and Franciscan Leaders represented the College at the annual St. Patrick’s Day mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

In preparation for Easter, the Franciscan leaders helped organise and lead our Holy Week liturgy. This focused on key moments during the final days of the life of Jesus, including the Last Supper and the Crucifixion. The theme of the liturgy was ‘Light from Darkness’ and included a reflection from theologian Marcus Borg. Below is an excerpt from this reflection:
‘For Christians, Jesus is the light shining in the darkness. He is according to John's Gospel: "The true light, which enlightens everyone." Jesus is the light who brings enlightenment; indeed, he is "the light of the world."’

Faith Formation Days

The students of Ave Maria engage each year in Faith Formation Days, which are an essential part of their education. Each of these days is an opportunity for students to explore different aspects of their spirituality, including hearing from guest speakers and working together to discuss issues relevant to them.

The first of the Faith Formation Days will be for our Year 11 students on Thursday, 4 May 2023 followed by days for the other year levels throughout term 2 and 3.

News Article Author

Mr Patrick Hogan
Director of Catholic Identity and Mission

General Achievement Test (GAT) – Thursday, 15 June 2023

The General Achievement Test (GAT) is a pen-and-paper test of general knowledge and skills taken by students while completing their senior secondary studies. No special study is needed. Past study of subjects like English, Mathematics, Science and History prepares students for the GAT by building their general knowledge and skills in writing, numeracy and reasoning.

All students enrolled in a Unit 3–4 subject, including students not planning to undertake scored assessment must complete the GAT. This also includes students who have met the literacy and numeracy standards in a previous year.

The GAT is structured into Section A and Section B, with a range of question difficulties and marks are not deducted for incorrect answers. In each section students are provided with the suggested time allocation to complete it.

The timing of the GAT is scheduled for Thursday, 15 June 2023 and the timings are yet to be confirmed by the VCAA. Once the times are confirmed, all students and families will be informed.

News Article Author

Ms Deborah Bradshaw
Director of Learning and Pathways

Wellbeing Days

Connection, belonging and healthy relationships are protective factors that support enhanced wellbeing and mental health. This term we have focused on the Relationships aspect of Visible Wellbeing as this provides the foundations for great learning and growth for our students and our community.

Through the Year 9 and Year 11 Wellbeing Days students had the opportunity to make connections with each other, to share some of their story and to develop a stronger understanding about other students. Students reported feeling closer with their peers. They reported that they enjoyed knowing that they weren’t alone with their feelings and this helped them feel more connected with their Mentor Group. 

We have moved the Wellbeing Days to earlier in the year in order to support this connection as we know that this helps students to feel more comfortable in the classroom. In turn, this helps students to take more learning risks and feel like they are in a supportive environment. We will continue this focus on relationships with the Year 7, 8 and 10 Wellbeing Days in the first few weeks of Term 2.

Peer Support Program

Our Peer Support program is a unique program that has grown in 2023. The Year 7 Peer Support program has been running for a number of years and it features Year 11 students who meet with their Peer Support Group of about 10 Year 7 students. Throughout Term 1 they have met twice a week to prepare for their performance on the Year 7 camp. The performance is a highlight of the camp and this year was outstanding. All Year 7s engaged and performed. There was a wonderful energy in the room and the students were incredibly supportive of each other. Of course, the teacher act was a great finale!

We have extended the Peer Support program this year to include Peer Support Leaders for Year 8. These Year 11 students work in the Mentor Group during Mentor Period and Mentor Time to create an innovative program where our Year 11s really fill the role of big sister. Our Year 11s have embraced the opportunity for leadership and our Year 8s have enjoyed the guidance and support from older students. We look to continuing to develop this program throughout 2023 as we address the issues that are affecting our students in a meaningful way while also providing opportunities for some fun activities.

News Article Author

Ms Natalie Meddis
Acting Assistant Principal (Student Wellbeing & Community)

Careers Team

The Ave Maria Careers team includes Ms Zoe Anderson and Ms Poppy Ibrahim. We aim to provide a hope-filled, strengths based and future focused approach. We are located in the Helene Library and provide student resources, programs, events, classes and careers counselling. Parents/carers are welcome to contact us at careers@avemaria.vic.edu.au or 9331 9328 to discuss pathways for their daughter.

Year 12 Future Planning meeting and Tertiary Experience Day

In Term 1, Year 12 students had an individual Future Planning meeting with a careers adviser. To complement their research into pathways, students also attended a Tertiary Experience Day excursion on Thursday, 23 March 2023. Students visited either Melbourne, Swinburne, La Trobe or Victoria Universities in the morning, followed by either ACU or RMIT in the afternoon. These opportunities are valuable in making informed pathway decisions for 2024.

Work Experience

Students in Year 10 are welcome to seek one week of work experience in the school holidays, or by negotiation at another time. Those wishing to go during the July break must ensure they contact Ms Zoe Anderson to cover all required paperwork by Wednesday, 24 May 2023.

Morrisby Online Profile

On Tuesday, 14 March 2023 all Year 10 students completed the Morrisby Online Profile vocational testing. The career suggestions from this profile are based on individual strengths, interests, and personality. This provides our students with a valuable tool to determine a variety of suitable careers. Students will use their profile to select and research careers of interest, possible pathways for VCE and relevant tertiary courses.

Ave Maria College Careers Website

Our Ave Maria Careers website can be easily accessed, via our main website links or click the tile below. It is a wonderful tool for students and families to explore important career information and resources.

Upcoming Events

• Girls Engineering and IT workshops at Melbourne Uni for Year 9 and 10 students
• Australian Defense Force (ADF) and Police Careers Information Sessions
• MySci Monash 3 days for Year 11 and 12 students
• Marine Centre Discovery Science experience in Queenscliff Victoria
• Nursing & Health Expo
• Medicine and Pharmacy Info Sessions
• Creative Media workshops on holidays: Animation, Audio, Design, Film, Games, Music Production, or Songwriting
• Campus tours of Deakin, Swinburne, Monash, Melbourne & ACU Universities these school holidays.

News Article Author

Mrs Poppy Ibrahim
Careers Education Leader