Reconciliation Week Assembly
Our Reconciliation Week Assembly this week was both informative and reflective.
I had the privilege of sharing with our students two carvings gifted to us from a Xavier Catholic College in the Tiwi Islands: a jabiru and an owl. The jabiru speaks of presence and belonging. It stands tall, grounded, connected to land and water, sure of where it is, and of where it stands. The owl, by contrast, is the watcher and the listener. It represents wisdom, the kind that comes not from speaking first, but from attending carefully, noticing what others might miss. And so, placed together, they offer a gentle but profound invitation: to be grounded, and to be attentive; to know where we stand, and to remain open to what we do not yet understand.
The gift of these carvings is culture being shared, not as something to admire from a distance, but as an invitation to engage. And with that invitation comes a quiet responsibility to receive with respect, to be curious without being careless, and to let what we learn take root in us. It strikes me that this is precisely what reconciliation asks of us. It is to be lived out, day by day, in the spirit with which we encounter one another. It is found in our willingness to tell the truth about our shared history, to listen with humility, and to allow ourselves to be changed by what we hear.
Here at St Mary’s, we are called to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are not only acknowledged but are genuinely present in the life of the school, in our classrooms, in our conversations, and in the way we relate to one another.
Thank you To Mrs Mulhall, the prefects, staff and musicians who all contributed to such a rich celebration of our indigenous people this week.
Exams
We enter the season of exams over the next few weeks with Year 11 commencing next week, followed by Year 10 in the week commencing June 8. These experiences are not simply about testing knowledge, but about building confidence, developing effective study habits, and learning how to manage time and pressure. Through practice, students become more familiar with exam conditions and better able to demonstrate what they know independently.
Advance notice that Friday, June 12, is a Student Free Day to provide time for teachers to complete assessments and commence report writing. Thank you for your support.
Visit of the EREA (VSL) Board
Edmund Rice Education Australia (Victorian Schools Ltd) is the governing body for St Mary’s College and five other schools in Victoria: Parade College, St Joseph’s College Geelong, St Patrick’s College, St Bernard’s College and Saints College. On Monday night, they will be conducting their regular meeting at St Mary’s, and we look forward to showcasing the College as part of our welcome. Thank you, in advance, to the students and staff who will be staying back so that our visitors can see some of our young people in action.
Basketball Courts re-development
Port Phillip Council has commenced the resurfacing of the basketball courts, and this area is currently fenced off while the work is taking place. We have been informed that stage 1 will take place until the end of June at which time the courts will become available for use again. In September, stage 2 will commence on dates yet to be confirmed. We thank the council for investing in the improvements that will make this a better resource for our young people.
We are asking our young people to go around the work site on their way to the railway station and not walk down the parish driveway where there is motor vehicle traffic. Please also reiterate at home your expectation that Dandenong Rd be safely crossed at the overpass. Thank you for your support.
P&F Trivia Night
A sincere thank you to our Parents & Friends Association for hosting such a vibrant and enjoyable Trivia Night on Saturday evening. With its “Denim and Diamonds” theme, it was a fun night with an excellent turnout that brought together so many members of our community in a spirit of laughter and connection.
Events like these strengthen the bonds that make St Mary’s College so special. We are deeply grateful to the organisers, volunteers, and all who attended and contributed to the evening’s success. Congratulations to the organising committee and to all of the sponsors who donated some amazing prizes to be auctioned on the night.
As a member of the staff table, it would be remiss of me not to confess that, despite great enthusiasm, we massively underperformed on the night!
Thank you once again for your continued support and please look forward for future opportunities to support our P&F. The next meeting is on Monday June 15 at 7pm.
Vale Neale Daniher
The public outpouring of sympathy on the passing of Mr Neale Daniher this week reflects the enormous impact that he has made in the community, especially over the last 13 years as he has raised awareness and resources to fight MND.
St Mary's has a long association with the Daniher family and we pass on our deepest condolences to Neale's family at this sad time.
