The Feast of the Assumption is an important feast day in the Church’s liturgical calendar, and for St Columba’s College, as it is also the patronal feast day of the Sisters of Charity. From the time Mary was visited by the Angel to announce to her that she was to be the most holy of mothers, Mary’s life was offered as a yes to God.
Fr Elio Capra, our celebrant, beautifully captured what it means to offer up our lives as a “yes”, no matter what it is that we commit to, and to do this consistently. Mary did so, enduring many hardships, as did the Sisters of Charity. Their service and commitment are our salient example for lives lived as a “yes” to God.
Right to Disconnect
In the IONA of 7 May, I wrote to you about the changes to the National Employment Standards, and the Right to Disconnect. These laws will come into effect on 26 August 2024. St Columba’s College recognises and respects all employees right to disconnect and not respond to work-related electronic communications outside of designated work hours, where reasonable. Our College Email Policy for Families and Students (shared with you previously) provides guidelines for families in using electronic mail (email messages, SEQTA Direqt Messages, or any other means of electronic communication). It should be read in conjunction with the Parent Code of Conduct. These policies support the nurturing of respectful partnerships between the College and families, as we both work in the best interests of the young people in our care.
The Email Policy is explicit in asking students to ensure they are prepared for assessments ahead of time to minimise “last-minute” questions, and to avoid the stress of feeling they are going into assessments unprepared. While some teachers may choose to communicate with students outside of the times stated in the policy (8.15am to 4.30pm), this is not an expectation of the College.
Prayer
Sometimes students ask why we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption with a whole school Mass when their friends’ Catholic school doesn’t. In looking for an answer in the words of our Sisters, I came across two newsletters from the order. One beautifully outlining the answer to that question precisely, and the other demonstrating the absolute joy the day brings them.
From the Religious Sisters of Charity News section of their website – 2021, “…we are reminded that Mary Aikenhead had a great devotion to Our Lady and for this reason she chose the feast of the Assumption to be the Patronal feast of the Congregation.
Mary Aikenhead always turned to Our Lady for guidance and comfort. She would often sit with her rosary and ponder all the titles of Mary. She found in her a woman of strength, compassion, gentleness and comfort. She also recognised her as a woman who knew great suffering, sorrow, disappointment, but who never doubted her role in the life of Christ. So it is with this certainty she trusted the Congregation and all its works to the care of Mary.”
And from 2010, “In 2010 we have been doubly blest as the weather for both feasts has been truly magnificent. On the 15th August, approximately 90-100 Sisters assembled in Caritas, Gilford Road, Sandymount, Dublin. The joy of the Sisters on a day like this is palpable, partly because from the time that we entered the Congregation we know that each Sister and each Community in the Congregation is marking this special feast in an extra-special way.
So together we unite in prayer as we say:
Almighty, ever-living God,
You have taken the mother of your Son,
The immaculate Virgin Mary,
Body and soul into the glory where you dwell,
Keep our hearts set on heaven
So that, with her, we may share in your glory.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever
Amen.
(Concluding prayer Divine Office Vespers.)”
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Rev. Dr. Elio Capra for celebrating Mass with us on the Feast of the Assumption. His message was a powerful reminder that the Assumption is not just about Mary’s initial “Yes” at the Annunciation, but also about her continued “Yes” to God throughout her life. Every day, as she loved, raised, guided, and supported her son Jesus—even standing by Him through His suffering and death—Mary remained steadfast in her commitment to God.
Rev. Dr. Capra encouraged our students to reflect on their own life missions and to embrace them with a daily “Yes,” just as Mary did. He drew a parallel to the dedication of a gold medalist, who doesn’t just shine on the day of the Olympics but consistently says “Yes” to every early morning workout, every training session, and every healthy choice leading up to that moment. The gold medal is a culmination of all those efforts, much like Mary’s Assumption into Heaven is the ultimate recognition of her lifelong fidelity to God’s will—a path that we, too, can choose to follow.
Author: Mr Jilbert - Head of Faith and Mission
Notice's from the Deputy Principal
STCC’s WELLBEING DOG PROGRAM
Millie’s Core Group can be seen here with her. Deb Randall and Nakkita Egan are also part of this team.
The following staff have signed up for the Sideline course this term:
Rita Grima
Rachel Rotondo
Rachel Lang
Fiona Hili
Moira Sullivan
Joanna Dickson
Sandra Boicos
Greta Bajada
Hilary Breman
They will complete approximately 5 hours of learning so that they are able to work one on one with Millie in term 4 and take her to their classes, offices or on energy offset breaks. The more staff that we have involved in our program, the more access Millie will have to our students.
We will put a call out to staff again in term 4 in readiness for the start of 2025.
PARENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE (PEC)
Every parent in our community is a member of the PEC and we welcome your involvement. If anyone is interested in joining the PEC or learning more about what we do you can join us in person or online – 7.30pm – meet.google.com/fij-hziu-ymk). Here are the PEC meeting dates and events planned for 2024:
20 August
Saturday 31 August Trivia Night
17 September
15 October
Friday 15 November 2025 Yr 7 Parents’ Welcome
19 November
This year, the PEC will use our events as opportunities to raise some funds for the upkeep of our beautiful wellbeing dog, Millie.
A reminder that the PEC’s Trivia Night will be held onsite in the College’s Hall. We encourage you to get a group of friends together (STCC parents or others!) and purchase a table of 8 or 10. If your friends are not trivia enthusiasts like you, don’t worry, we can add you to a table of other likeminded enthusiasts and you can make new friends!
Ticket sales end on Friday 23 August, so don’t miss out.
ALUMNAE COMMITTEE
Our Alumnae Committee meet once per term on a Wednesday night between 7:00pm and 8:00pm. They are working hard to build the College’s connections to our former students so that our alumnae are able to remain in touch with each other and with the college, improving engagement with our staff and students, fostering lifelong relationships and a sense of belonging.
Recently, the Committee has been reaching out to support alumnae who would like to promote their businesses to the STCC community. The first of these promotions can be seen below and we have several more to promote in the coming months. If you are an alumna, or know of an alumna, who would like to have your business spotlighted, please contact alumnae@columba.vic.edu.au.
If you are an alumna and would like to become a member of the Alumnae Committee, again feel free to use the email above to contact the team.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT TEAM REPORT
We are delighted to provide an update on the recent activities and initiatives undertaken by the Student Engagement Team (SET). Below, we outline our recent endeavors and future plans.
The student wellbeing survey has yielded crucial insights into the student experience at our school, and we are dedicated to addressing the concerns and suggestions highlighted in the survey to ensure that every student feels valued and supported. In response to student feedback, we are currently discussing how to address pricing concerns for items available in the canteen, aiming to ensure that our canteen remains affordable and accessible to all students. To broaden our students’ horizons, we are exploring opportunities for greater engagement with other schools. This initiative aims to complement our existing inter-school activities and provide students with additional opportunities to connect and grow.
We are pleased to announce that Millie, a valued member of our team, has increased her availability from one day a week to two days this term. Millie’s presence as a wellbeing dog has had a positive impact on our students’ wellbeing and sense of community.
We have clarified the rules regarding uniform and grooming, particularly concerning blazers. Understanding the rationale behind these requirements helps promote a respectful and cohesive school culture.
The SET has recently reviewed the College’s Student Management Guidelines to ensure that they are student-friendly and accessible to all. The updated guidelines for both students and parents were finalised and reviewed over Term 2 to ensure they are comprehensive and effective. These are now located in SEQTA Engage for reading.
We are proud of the progress we have made and excited about the initiatives we are planning.
Mary S
Student Engagement Team Member
Author: Ms McDonald - Deputy Principal
Year 10 Reflection Day
On Monday the 5th of August 2024, the Year 10 cohort participated in their interfaith day. My class went to the National Gallery of Victoria also known as the NGV. There, we were able to complete a series of activities to help us understand different faiths, cultures and beliefs through art. We completed activities such as a self-guided tour for us to see particular paintings and exhibits of the gallery and a particularly curated tour of certain paintings such as the “Feeding the Five Thousand” interpretation. Some of the religious paintings and sculptures and interpretations of important figures in Japanese culture. I found the activities quite interesting as I thought that as there was art involved, the interpretations of the main image and what they were trying to convey were open to our interpretation and from a different, more worldly perspective. We were able to see the different perspectives of religion at the time and look deeper into what the symbols and colours meant. For example, we were able to see the similarities in the patterns for the way Mary and Jesus were designed to help the people identify those significant figures in the church and give them a visual that was easy to fall back on. After lunch we then did a reflection activity about the art that we saw on display and how it resonated with us and with our lives, allowing us to analyse the art and our thoughts in more depth. Overall, I quite enjoyed the day and the activities that were involved, as it allowed me to think about the world we live in and the different views that people have about some of the same issues and major events that have happened over time.
Author: Amelia U - Year 10 student
Spring Music Concert
St Columba’s College in Essendon is proud to present its annual Spring Music Concert.
This wonderful evening will showcase various ensembles, from concert bands to big bands, orchestras, a rock band and guitar and percussion ensembles. There will also be a combined performance featuring our choirs alongside the Australian Women’s Choir. Under the direction of Wendy Stapleton, the Australian Women’s Choir will also perform their own piece.
The night promises a huge variety of music. There will also be a number of solo performances as well as a finale featuring all performers with their rendition of “Summertime”.
Come and celebrate the success of St Columba’s students, and enjoy a fantastic evening of musical excellence!
Kick Arts is on Friday 23rd August at 7:00 pm at St Bernard’s, Frank FitzGerald Auditorium.
Come along and support our St Columba’s College entries:
Dance Category – Cailey F performing a Traditional Scottish Dance
Drama/Musical Theatre Category – Zee E performing “Vanilla Ice Cream” from the musical She Loves Me
Music Category – The Small Little Big Band – Julia S, Claire O, Melissa T, Lucia R, Saskia C, Arpita S, Hannah T performing “The Chicken” by Alfred James Ellis/arr. Kris Berg
On Monday July 22nd the year 10 Core Science 2 classes were fortunate enough to have an excursion to the Melbourne Zoo. What better place than the zoo to help both classes condense and extend our knowledge of our current topic: evolution. We arrived at the Melbourne Zoo quite early and were quick to break off into our groups, eager to explore. Guided partially by a booklet but mostly by our nostalgic memories, my group was quick to explore the sea life habitat of the zoo, followed by the gorillas and then just short of an hour in the butterfly enclosure admiring the beauty of their variation and also eager to have one land on us.
Before lunch we were gathered in one of the Melbourne Zoo classrooms where we were fortunate enough to have an expert zoologist speak before us. We were lucky enough to hear and learn about the evolution and adaptations focusing closely on the large bracket of protocats. Our zoo teacher, Simon extended his expert knowledge to specifically dive into information about Lions (Panthera leo) and Tigers (Panthera tigris). Students were also shown the real skins of lions and tigers, a real paw and even a model of a Lion’s skull. We were presented with the opportunity to touch and feel the different fur and see the true gradients of colour. This allowed us to bring our knowledge to life by closely analysing a tiger’s stripes or the thickness of a lion’s fur and then determining how well they would survive in a particular environment.
The knowledge we received was valuable and easily implemented back into the classroom. I can speak on behalf of each student and say that our excursion to the Melbourne Zoo was truly such a great experience and opportunity to extend our classroom into the wildlife!
Author: Charlize B- Year 10 Student
Mission to Mars
Early in the term, the Year 10 Astroscience class was lucky enough to attend the Victorian Space Science Education Centre to complete a ‘Mission to Mars’. This excursion was a day full of fun and learning opportunities as each student took on a different role to lead our teams to success. My group started the day as the astronauts, which meant we landed on Mars and completed tasks for research. I was the Commander, and as part of my role, I was the first to land on Mars, label the rock samples and organise the group. We communicated with Mission Control who guided us through our assignments until they discovered a sandstorm was coming! We quickly had to pack up our equipment and leave the planet in order to survive! Luckily, we all made it out safely. After a short break, we swapped over and my group became the Mission Control. We watched on the screens as the astronauts worked through their tasks and gave them some assistance and instructions. As the Extra Vehicular Activity Officer, I discovered the levels of radiation were becoming unsafe for our astronauts and I realised they only had 8 minutes to escape! As mission control, we informed our astronauts of this problem and guided them to safety in record time.
Afterwards, we used the samples and data we collected and researched what this could imply about each layer/zone of Mars. Each scientist studied the rocks, using new and interesting machinery to determine the environment of a specific zone on Mars, and what evidence supported this. As a commander, I worked with my teammate to create a presentation on each of the seven zones, compiling all of the evidence and explanations found by our scientists. We built a map of the different rocks and their zones and explained it to the group. Our engineers even uncovered some possible reasons for the horizontal layers of rock on Mars, which included tectonic activity and volcanoes! Overall, this expedition to Mars was a day full of new opportunities, discoveries and lots of fun!
Author: Gemma D- Year 10 Student
National Child Protection Week
‘Where we start matters’.
Organised by the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), Child Protection Week is a time to bring into focus the significant harms experienced by children around the country – including regional and rural Australia.
In light of findings from the recent ground-breaking Australian Child Maltreatment Study, NAPCAN’s focus is on what all of us can do to STOP child abuse before it occurs.
NAPCAN Patron, Governor-General David Hurley, says supporting children and families creates safer, healthier communities:
“National Child Protection Week is an opportunity for all Australians to work together to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child in every community.”
“I am proud to serve as Patron of NAPCAN and thank the many people and organisations around Australia contributing. I encourage all Australians to join in and learn from National Child Protection Week.”
NAPCAN CEO, Leesa Waters says the focus needs to be on prevention:
“We all want the best for Australia’s children. However, the recent Child Maltreatment Study shows that in Australia our policies and communities are not yet giving families the support they need to protect children from abuse and its potential impacts.”
“The study shows that 6 out of ten Australians have experienced abuse as a child, and that approximately half of these are currently living with serious mental health consequences.”
“This year our focus is ‘where we start matters’ and a great place to start is by listening to children and their families about what they need.”
“Together we can start to build a shared understanding that this is an issue that impacts the whole community and that together we can (and must) prevent child abuse.”
………..
National Child Protection Week runs from 3 – 9 September and invites ALL Australians to join together to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child in every community.
The Governor-General will officially launch National Child Protection Week at a public live-streamed event at 10am on Monday 4 September. Register for the launch and free online webinars at www.napcan.org.au/final-official-program-webinars-events-2023/
NAPCAN is the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and coordinates National Child Protection Week annually with support from the Department of Social Services and many organisations and individuals across Australia.
Increase in viruses and illnesses
Due to an increase in viruses and illnesses, we strongly encourage everyone to stay home until you have fully recovered from any illness. This precaution helps protect both your health and that of the school community.
Author: Rachel Rotondo - College Nurse
Vinnies Winter Sleep Out
St Columba’s is hosting Vinnies Winter Sleepout on Friday 23 August online from our homes…
Each day approximately 3,200 tenagers in Victoria attend a Specialist Homelessness Service seeking help but each night there are only 2 bed vacancies available to teenagers in the Metropolitan Melbourne area.
When our Year 9 students on Urban Experience last week asked a Frontyard presenter (Homelessness Service Provider) “What is the main cause of youth homelessness?” She said the main cause is domestic violence. They then asked “What can we do to help?” The presenter responded that the first step to change is awareness and education. She told our students we need to speak up for our young people who are lost and need our help. Let us be their voice so that they may be heard.
Vinnies Winter Sleepout at St Columba’s is an opportunity to raise awareness as a community. This is your chance as a family to change the lives of people in need and, in the process, change your perspective on homelessness. We are inviting St Columba’s families to get involved in the Vinnies Winter Sleepout from the comfort and convenience of your own home. You choose where you will sleep either in a sleeping bag on the living room floor or in a tent in the backyard or in the garage. It is up to you.
Our Vinnies Winter Sleepout will be online Friday 23rd August from 6 to 8pm with our wonderful hosts Liturgy Captain, Charlotte Mollica and Social Justice Captain, Kathy Vu. We are planning an engaging evening with competitions, scavenger hunts, mystery box challenges, entertainment from our school production ‘Chicago’, jigsaw puzzles and more.
Want to donate? It is only through the kindness of generous donors that Vinnies is able to continue their good works with our current 25,000 Homeless across Victoria.
Author: Kathy V & Charlotte M - Justice & Liturgy Captains
Justice Corner
To showcase our Everyday Heroes in our own community we will interview someone for each Iona issue to highlight how blessed we are to belong to a community inspired by the life of Mary Aikenhead. We aspire to carry on her legacy of service to the poor and vulnerable and alleviating poverty in all its forms in society today.
Our Everyday Hero this week is Allegra S in year 8.
In year 6, my best friend and I were Social Justice captains. We organised a few fundraising events for our primary school, supporting local charities. Outside of school, we, along with a few other friends, wanted to do our own fundraiser. We chose the Red Cross Foundation as we wanted to help people in need in our community. Some of the things that we did to raise money were: selling lemonade and banana bread, crocheted plush Santa’s and made stress balls, and sold them to school students, and people in the community. From here, with the money we had raised, we purchased essential items that homeless and less fortunate people would need, like a towel, water bottle, foot wear, beanies, sun hats, socks, wipes, food items, and a small hand-written note. These items were then made into a hamper, and donated to the Red Cross Foundation, which was then handed out to less fortunate people.
We have enjoyed doing this to help our community, and we are currently planning our next project for the end of this year.
From a personal perspective, I have enjoyed spending time with my friends, as well as helping out those less fortunate, which has made it a rewarding task.
Author: Allegra S- Year 8 Student
Park Street Works - Mid September to Mid October
The attached notification letter and plans that have been sent to residents within the vicinity of Council’s upcoming Park Street projects. The works that will be undertaken include the installation of raised threshold treatments, a pedestrian refuge installation and the upgrade of an existing roundabout to improve pedestrian safety. Please refer to the attached letter and plans for further information.
Council have awarded the works to a contractor and have been requested to complete the major works during the September School Holiday Period in order to minimise the disruption.
Author: Mr Finger- Business Manager
Sports Update
We competed in the CGSAV Futsal Competition for the first time and both teams, Juniors and Seniors, were the overall winners in their categories!
We also had two Players of the Match – Olivia W Yr 7 and Elisa P Yr 12
We had 10 of our year 10’s invited to participate in an ACC Mixed netball competition with St Bernard’s college. It was the first year of this fun full-day round robin competition – and even though our teams didn’t take away a win they definitely enjoyed the experience. The St Bernard’s students continued to improve their netball skills over the day and our students were very patient and supportive.
Author: Ms Murton - Sports Administrator
Important Dates
Thursday 22nd August – CGSAV Soccer Competition
Friday 23rd August – Vinnie’s Winter Sleepout
Friday 23rd August – Kick Arts
Monday 26th August – Friday 30th August – PBL Week
