Reflection and Thanks

As this is the last edition of Lumina for 2025, I would like to express my thanks to our community for your support this year. It is hard to imagine that it was only a little over twelve months ago that we moved onto the Edmund Rice Campus following our capital redevelopment project. This year we have undertaken the EREA School Renewal Process and launched a new Strategic Plan 2026-30 as a result. We have also introduced a framework to improve learning and teaching (RAISE) which is built on the vision for instruction philosophy and looked to further embed our wellbeing model. This work becomes the foundation upon which we continue to build a school where each young person can flourish. Thanks to the dedicated staff of St Mary’s for their efforts this year – those in the classroom and those who provide support in learning, administration and finance.

Finally, a huge thank you to our fabulous young people. They are the reason for our being and it rewarding to see our graduates end their secondary schooling with gratitude for the opportunities that have been offered as a member of our community.

As I reflect upon this year personally, it has been one of great personal loss as I mourn the passing of my mum, but the warm embrace and prayers of my community have offered solace that has made a real difference.

Christmas is a time to slow down, to gather with those we cherish, and to reflect on the blessings we share. I encourage you to take time to celebrate not only the traditions of the season, but also the deeper meaning of Christ’s coming into the world. This season reminds us that the greatest gift we receive is the love of God, made visible in the birth of Jesus Christ. I wish all a Merry Christmas and hope that it is a season of peace and love.

HeadStart Week

This week our senior students have been participating in HeadStart. As the name implies, HeadStart is a week of classes for our Year 11 and 12 cohort of 2026 to help to prepare them for the year ahead. It is an opportunity to have an introduction to the Study Design, major assessments, and important subject specific vocabulary. We hope that students have found that this week has been beneficial and that they feel well prepared to resume after the break.

Year 7 Orientation Day

We look forward to welcoming the newest members of our community on Tuesday 9^th December for Year 7 Orientation Day. On the evening prior, we invite our new Year 7 parents to the college to talk about what they can expect as their young person commences secondary school. It is also a great opportunity to meet other parents and carers.

As we continue to move towards our goal of a gender balance, it is very pleasing to see that our next Year 7 intake is 44% girls. Please continue to promote St Mary’s with your family and friends as word of mouth is highest recommendation.

Staff Farewells

At the end of this year, we will be saying farewell to staff members who have been at the college for over thirty years – Mr Sal Lima and Mr Terry Sweet. Thirty-eight and thirty-seven years, respectively, is indeed a lifetime of service to our community. Both have contributed to the formation of generations of graduates and leave St Mary’s to enter retirement. Mr Tim Harrison, Mr Rob McNaughton and Ms Dana Gionfriddo also depart, and we wish them well with their future endeavours.

Finn Davis

A member of our graduating class, Finn has been drafted to GWS in the recent AFL Draft. We congratulate Finn on his selection and hope that his dreams of playing AFL are realised. As the draft coincided with our Graduation Dinner there was a rousing cheer as news came through of Finn’s selection and to witness his contemporaries rejoicing in his success was a delight.

School Advisory Council

The School Advisory Council farewells members, Ms Annabelle Scanlon, Mr Brian McAdam and Mr Michael Lee. Each has been very generous in their service. I’d also like to offer thanks for wonderful support to the continuing members: Mr John Sinisgalli (Chair), Mr Marc Dixon, Ms Michele Fonseca, Ms Jane Leroi and Ms Alex Wake. Joining me on behalf of St Mary’s are Mr Shaun Lancashire, Mr Tristan McGlade and Ms Amy Culpitt.

Parents and Friends

Our P&F gathered for the last meeting of the year on Monday and farewelled Ms Jane Leroi who is leaving the committee after many years of dedicated service, including a long stint in leadership. Ms Nina Coates was elected to the role as Co-Chairperson replacing Ms Leah Lloyd-Smith, who has led with great energy this year. Ms Angela Clelland continues in the role as Co-Chairperson, with Mr Julian Donlen continuing in the role as Secretary and Mr Greg Muir as Treasurer. The P&F is looking for new members and would like to promote the opportunity that the committee offers to contribute to small projects at the college and meet with other parents.

ACC Leaders Event

Our Captains, Stella and Hugo, and Vice-Captain, Jack, joined the student leaders of the other Associated Catholic Colleges (ACC) on Wednesday night to make a brief presentation on what makes our school special at the ACC Student Leaders’ Forum at St Bede’s College. Our student leaders were asked this year to reflect on the history of their school and talk about the contribution that each has made to ACC. Hugo and Stella spoke about the relatively short history of St Mary's in the context of our long founding story with CBC and PCW. They also spoke about our strong sense of belonging and that everyone at St Mary’s feels known by name, as a characteristic that helps us to compete in ACC with pride and determination to do our best. A special call out to Stella who was the only female captain present on the night and her noble efforts to bridge the gender divide with the young men on her table.

Art, Design and Technology Evening

Examples of student work in Art, Design and Technology will be on display this evening as we celebrate the creativity of our young people. Thanks to leaders, Mr Raoul Chapman and Mr Michael Pye, and their teams, for their guidance and encouragement so that our young people can display the fruits of their creativity and production with pride.

Carols under the Sails

Please join us tonight, November 27 for Carols under the Sails. This tradition brings together our community in Christmas cheer as we gather to sing Christmas carols led by our music students. Thank you to Ms Katie Thomas, Director of Music, for her work to prepare our musicians for this evening.

School Uniform

Your support in helping to ensure our young people wear their St Mary’s College uniform with pride is appreciated, as it is an important visible symbol of their membership of our community. Details of our uniform requirements and opening times for the Midford Uniform Shop can be found on our website: https://www.stmaryscollege.vic.edu.au/enrolments/uniform

The P&F is encouraging the recycling of uniform, and they will be open on 6^th December between 10.30 and 12.30pm for those looking for second hand items.

Year Level Leaders 2026

Our Pastoral Leadership Team in 2026:

• Year 7 – Ms Lucy Dickson
• Year 8 – Mr Nicholas Nedelkovski
• Year 9 – Ms Lucy Waghorn
• Year 10 – Mr Grant Godbold
• Year 11 – Ms Judy Vandrine
• Year 12 – Mr Brendan Tollit
• Director of Students – Ms Jen Howard

Commencement Dates 2026

School resumes with Welcome Day on Thursday 29^th January 2026. Each year level will arrive at their designated times and undertake organisational duties in preparation for the full return to classes on Friday 30^th January 2026.

Darren Atkinson 
Principal 

A Night of Celebration: St Mary’s Class of 2025 Graduation

On Thursday night, the St Mary’s community gathered to celebrate a truly significant milestone — the graduation of the Class of 2025.

The evening began with a beautiful mass at St Mary’s Church, led by Father John, whose homily centred on the story Maybe by Kobi Yamada. At the conclusion of the service, students were presented with their graduation packages, which included books generously donated by Marina Brbot. These books featured inspiring stories from past students, including Father Bob Maguire and Dennis Batsis.

Following the mass, families, students and staff made their way to The Encore on St Kilda Beach for a joyful dinner celebration. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and pride as school captains Jude Fitzgerald and Matilda Phyland delivered their final addresses — heartfelt, reflective and warmly received by all.

The night was capped off with thrilling news: Finn Davis had been drafted to the Greater Western Sydney, a moment that was met with loud applause and immense pride from the St Mary’s community.

Parents, teachers and students continued to mingle throughout the evening, sharing gratitude, memories and hopes for the bright futures that await the graduating class. It was a celebration worthy of the remarkable young people who now step forward into the next chapter of their lives.

Judy Vandrine 
Year 12 Pastoral Care Leader 

As we come to the end of another school year, I want to highlight the wonderful work our Year 7 students have done in their transition to high school. Year 7 comes with lots of changes, and while it can feel challenging at times, it’s also a really exciting and rewarding year.

The Year 7 program has involved many different events and opportunities for our students to strengthen their relationships within our school community. Our goal for Year 7 students is to feel connected; to their peers, teachers, family and wider school community. We feel our students have achieved this through key events such as the Formation Day, Welcome Mass, camp, and the Mentor Evening. It has been fantastic to see the connections this year level has made and continue to make with each other.

Below are some reflections made from our Year 7 Class Captains, these students have done an amazing job at strengthening the connection between staff and students across the school.

"I have really enjoyed P.E recently, getting with other classes, and playing together as a big group, participating in multiple different sports. There are also many options for us to select from for our year 8 electives, which gives us a good variety to choose what we pursue.”

• Gia Torres, 7 Carroll

"Year 7 has been an unforgettable year for me. Year 7 holds some great memories with me and my mates. A highlight was all the new subjects, they were really fun and really great to learn about. I have had a great year with all the other students and teachers welcoming me into this new environment. Year 8 is going to be very exciting with all the new learning opportunities and new classes to meet new people.”

• Jackson Caguioa, 7 Treacy

“My favourite highlight this year is the fun, chaotic P.E. classes we have had this whole year in Year 7. Plus trying new subjects and exploring more about high school. For next year, I am really excited to start out the subjects we picked for next year and even exploring more in high school whether that be academics or sports. Year 7 has been a great experience at St Mary’s College and I am excited for mine and my classmates journey at St Mary’s College.”

• Mikayla Mu, 7 Ryan

I wish this cohort all the best for Year 8; I look forward to seeing their success and the many ways they’ll continue to flourish. Have a safe and relaxing holiday and a very Merry Christmas!

Lucy Dickson 
Year 8 Pastoral Care Leader 

Last week, as part of our Pastoral Care Program, our Year 9 and Year 11 students participated in workshops delivered by Elephant Ed.

Year 9 - Consent

Students explored the concept of consent, defined as ‘a person’s free and voluntary agreement to engage in an interaction’.
The workshop helped students develop an understanding of:

• Legal aspects: Age of consent and the idea of free agreement
• Key elements: Recognising both verbal and non-verbal communication required for valid consent
• Media analysis: Examining how consent is portrayed across different media
• Respecting boundaries: Understanding the importance of personal limits
• Seeking help: Identifying trusted supports and available resources

Students were also introduced to the helpful acronym FRIES, which outlines the key components of consent:

• Freely given
• Reversible
• Informed
• Enthusiastic
• Specific

Following the session, 95% of students reported feeling more informed about the topic.

Year 11 – Sexual Violence

This workshop supported students in navigating a sensitive but essential topic. Key areas explored included:

• Legalities and current statistics relating to sexual violence
• Causes and contributing factors, including gender and power imbalances
• How everyday culture influences and reinforces sexual violence in society
• Prevention strategies focused on collective responsibility and effective bystander intervention
• Support pathways, including how to seek help and how to support peers

The aim of this session was to equip students with the knowledge and confidence to make informed, safe, and positive decisions in their relationships.
Following the session, 93% of students reported feeling more informed about the topic.
Partnering with specialists like Elephant Ed ensures that our students receive information that is accurate, engaging, and age-appropriate. For more information on Elephant Ed, please visit elephanted.com.au.
For additional support and resources about discussing consent with your child, visit consent.gov.au.

Jen Howard 
Director of Students

Navigating the Social Media Ban – Support for Parents/ Carers

As you will be aware, The Australian Government has introduced a new law that bans social media use for under-16s to strengthen online safety for young people.
Major platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, and X will be required to verify users’ ages and remove accounts belonging to those under 16.
The aim of the ban is to reduce online harms, including cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content. The law will come into effect on 10 December 2025.
To support parents/ carers in understanding the changes, purpose and implications, the eSafety Commissioner will be hosting a number of free 30 minute webinars.

Parents and carers will gain:

• a clear understanding of the new rules and their implications
• confidence in guiding their child through these changes
• access to trusted resources to support safe and positive online engagement.

To book your webinar, please use the following link to the eSafety Commissioner

Jen Howard
Director of Students

CIS - Centre of Italian Studies - Italian Poetry Competition 

We are delighted to share the outstanding results of the 2025 CIS – Centre of Italian Studies – Italian Poetry Competition for Year 7. A total of 25 schools participated in the statewide competition.

Eighteen students from St Mary's College received Certificates of Merit (Certificato di Merito). Special mention must go to the following students that went one step further and received Commendation Certificates (Certificato di Lode).

• Sebastian Ala
• Mathilde Masson
• Xavier Smith
• Gia Torres
• Hikaru Costello
• Mikayla Mu
• Samantha Samson
• Julien Ilton

We are especially proud to announce that Mason Sacco was awarded the Primo Premio (First Place). Mason performed brilliantly on the day and executed his recitation flawlessly.

This is an outstanding achievement and a testament to Mason's creativity, effort, and passion for the Italian language. Bravo, Mason! All the students demonstrated hard work, dedication, and a passion for Italian literature, making their participation a memorable highlight of the year.

Rosario Genovese
Learning Leader - Languages

Here are some more Year 7 students who are showcasing their Italian speaking skills.
Enjoy listening and watching what they have accomplished.
From 7 Ryan: Mason Sacco. Callum Slattery, Mikayla Mu and Samantha Samson.

Prof Lima
Year 7 Italian teacher

Celebrating a Year of Achievement, Creativity and Community

The Music students at St Mary’s College have finished the year on a truly strong note, with a series of vibrant events that showcased their talent, dedication and love for the arts.

We began with the Years 7–10 Final Recital, where more than 25 students took to the stage to perform an inspiring variety of solos, duets and ensemble pieces. The standard of musicianship was outstanding, and it was wonderful to see our younger performers growing in confidence and skill.

We then had the Year 12 Graduation Mass, featuring the staff band and the College choir. Their hymn performances filled the space with warmth and beauty, made all the more special by the stunning acoustics of St Mary's Church. It was a heartfelt and memorable way to farewell our senior students as they step into their next chapter.

Meanwhile, many of our musicians have been working tirelessly in preparation for their AMEB exams, nationally recognised exams with a high level of musical rigor. We are incredibly proud of the professionalism, discipline and artistry our students have shown throughout this process. Their commitment is evident in the exceptional quality of their performances.

To close the year, we are excited to present our much-loved Carols Event, this time bigger than ever! We are teaming up with the Art, Design and Technology departments to create a festive evening that brings together visual art, delicious food and joyful music. It promises to be a wonderful celebration of creativity and community spirit.

Thank you for supporting the Music Department throughout another fantastic year.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Katie Thomas 
Director of Music 

Year 9 Community Engagement at St Columba’s Primary School

Our Year 9 students recently visited St Columba’s Primary School, Elwood as part of their Community Engagement Project, putting service, leadership and connection into action.

During the visit, our students planned and facilitated a range of engaging physical education activities, including dodgeball, capture the flag and octopus, giving the younger students the chance to be active, involved and have plenty of fun.

Alongside the sports activities, our Year 9s also ran several hands-on science experiments that were a big hit. These included the ever-popular Mentos and Coke experiment, slime-making, and the spectacular elephant’s toothpaste reaction, sparking curiosity, excitement and lots of great questions.

This experience gave our students a valuable opportunity to develop confidence, communication and teamwork skills, while also contributing positively to a local primary school community. It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm, responsibility and leadership shown by our Year 9s as they worked with the younger students.

Thank you to the staff and students at St Columba’s for their warm welcome, and well done to our Year 9 students for representing St Mary’s College so positively in the wider community.

Jo Warr
College Registrar

This term, our Year 11 VCE Vocational Major students rolled up their sleeves and took on a hands-on construction project that combined practical skills with teamwork. Their goal was to build large concrete planter boxes entirely from scratch, using simple tools and materials.

Under the guidance of their teachers, students learned how to correctly mix concrete to achieve the right consistency and strength. They explored the importance of reinforcement, using wire to support the structure and prevent cracking over time. Students also practised forming solid joins, developing an understanding of how careful layering and setting contribute to a durable final product.

The project wasn’t just about technical skills - it encouraged problem-solving, collaboration, and persistence. It was important to work collaboratively so that unexpected issues or breakages could be fixed and resolved.

Their finished planter boxes are impressive in both size and quality, and they will soon have a practical purpose. Students plan to fill them with herbs and vegetables, contributing to a sustainable garden space that the whole school community can enjoy.

This project is a testament to the students’ growing confidence in applied learning and their ability to bring an idea to life through hard work and hands-on experience.

Amy Fitzpatrick 
Teacher 

Donate Your Pre-Loved Uniforms to the P&F Recycled Uniform Shop

As we head towards the end of the year, it’s a great time to sort through school wardrobes and consider donating any good-quality, pre-loved uniform items to the P&F Recycled Uniform Shop.

The Recycled Uniform Shop is run by our dedicated Parents & Friends Association, and it serves two important purposes:

• Supporting families by providing a more affordable uniform option

• Supporting the College through funds raised for P&F initiatives

We are gratefully accepting:

• Current St Mary’s College uniform items in good condition

• Clean garments, free from stains, tears or excessive wear

• Clearly labelled items (if possible) with your child’s name removed

How to donate

Please:

• Wash all items before donating

• Place them in a bag clearly marked “Recycled Uniform Shop”

• Drop them at College Reception during school hours

Every donation, big or small, makes a difference to our community and helps us reduce waste by giving uniforms a second life.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our P&F and St Mary’s College community.

David Formosa
Director of Development

P&F AGM Update – Welcoming Our 2026 Leadership Team

The St Mary’s College Parents & Friends Association held its Annual General Meeting yesterday, celebrating another year of community connection, volunteer spirit and collaborative achievements.

We are pleased to share that Angela Clelland will continue into her second year as Co-Chair in 2026, joined by Nina Coates, who will step into the Co-Chair role for the first time. Together, they bring a wonderful balance of experience, enthusiasm and commitment to our College community.

We also acknowledge and thank our continuing office bearers:

• Greg Muir, remaining as Treasurer

• Julian Donlen, continuing as Secretary

• Danielle Walker, who will continue coordinating the Recycled Uniform Shop with dedication

A warm and heartfelt thank you goes to Leah Lloyd Smith, who concludes her two-year term as Chair. Leah’s leadership, hard work and steady support have helped shape a P&F that is welcoming, proactive and deeply connected to College life. We are delighted that she will remain on the committee in 2026.

As we plan for the year ahead, the P&F is committed to tailoring its activities to better reflect the needs and interests of our families. To support this, we invite all parents and carers to complete the Parents & Friends Survey.

The survey link below for your convenience. 

Parents and Friends Survey 

Or alternatively scan the QR Code.

Your feedback will help us strengthen our planning, refine our events and maximise volunteer involvement across the College.

Thank you to everyone who contributes to the life of our P&F—your generosity and community spirit remain at the heart of St Mary’s College.

David Formosa
Director of Development

Thank You to Jane Leroi – A Remarkable Leader of Our P&F

For many years, St Mary’s College has been fortunate to have the unwavering dedication, warmth and leadership of Jane Leroi, who has served as Chair of our Parents & Friends Association with distinction.

Jane has been a constant presence in the life of our College community. Her ability to bring people together, build genuine connection and champion initiatives that enrich the student experience has left a lasting impact on St Mary’s. Under her stewardship, the P&F has continued to grow as a positive, welcoming and solution-focused group—one that strengthens the partnership between families and the College.

From major fundraisers and community events, to the simple, everyday moments of service that often go unseen, Jane has given generously of her time, energy and heart. She has been instrumental in helping create opportunities that directly benefit our students, whether through improved facilities, community-building events, or practical support for College projects.

We are deeply grateful for Jane’s commitment and the countless hours she has devoted to ensuring our P&F remains strong and vibrant. Her leadership has helped shape the inclusive, connected community we value so deeply at St Mary’s College.

On behalf of the College, our staff, students and families, thank you, Jane, for your outstanding service and for the spirit of generosity you have shared with us all. Your legacy will continue to be felt for many years to come.

David Formosa
Director of Development