Newsletter Edition 18, November 22 2021

Principal's Message

Dear Emmanuel College Families,
The celebration of the Feast of Christ the King in Catholic Churches yesterday marks the end of this liturgical year.  Next weekend the Season of Advent commences and prepares us for the arrival of the Christ Child at Christmas.  Throughout the season of winter, we wait patiently for the signs of spring to arrive and through the season of spring we wait again for the warmth of summer to lift our spirits.  Similarly, the season of Advent has us waiting expectantly for the renewal and the reminder of Emmanuel; God is with us, while the birth of the Christ Child is a way for us to discover God more personally.  Perhaps this year as we come out of COVID restrictions and wait for Christmas, the Advent reminder that we are waiting the birth of God’s son is even more poignant.

Year 12 Graduation
We live our lives though various cycles and nowhere is this more evident than in schools.  In the last few days, we celebrated graduation with the year 12 students and their families marking the completion of another cycle of young people beginning and ending their secondary education with Emmanuel College.  You may like to view the 2021 graduation at this link here. I have also shared below my address delivered to our newest group of Emmanuel alumni at their graduation last Thursday.

Remembrance
November continues to be the month of remembrance, a time to recall those who have died.  In the last few days some of our own staff have experienced the death of family members and we remember Ian and Mary Cameron, father and aunt of Fiona Stephens, and Pat Gleeson, father of Carina McCosh. Together we pray for Ian, Mary and Pat and their families:

Remember Lord, those who have died and have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially those for whom we pray. May these, and all who sleep in Christ, find in your presence light, happiness and peace.
St. Joseph: Pray for us.  May the spirit of Catherine McAuley and Edmund Rice guide us in all that we do.  Amen.

Kind regards,
Peter Morgan
Principal

Principal’s Graduation Address  - Thursday 18 November 2021
Year 12s, today you complete a journey like thousands of young men and women in the State of Victoria.  You have graduated from Emmanuel College like generations of young people before you.  And you have become Alumni of this school joining the men and women who have attended this school since 1872.  But this year, recognizing that you have passed the finish line has greater significance, because the final two years of your secondary education have been completed under conditions that previous generations of Emmanuel graduates would not recognize.  While you have completed VCAL, VCE and VET, you have also faced the challenges of moving between school and home-based learning, while your access to community sport and milestone celebrations, and the opportunities to travel and holiday have all been compromised.  And yet here we are!

Completing Year 12 under the conditions you have has made you stronger and developed your resilience, and among all the things you’ve learned this year is the extraordinary lesson COVID has taught all of us, not to take anything or anyone for granted, because it can all be taken away in the blink of an eye.

In the next couple of years, I predict there will be books, films, research studies, documentaries and inquiries into every aspect of the COVID pandemic, and, more importantly, into how the human race responded to the pandemic’s threat to the survival of our species.  While we wait for the outcome of the research, I already have an insight into what it will say about the students who completed year 11 and 12 in 2020 and 2021.  The findings will confirm your right to feel proud, to feel proud that you are survivors and achievers.  Each of you can feel proud that your Resume’ will record the year of your high school graduation as 2021, confirming you completed two of the most important years of your school life during a global pandemic.  Everyone who reads your Resume’ will understand that graduation in 2021 demanded endurance, commitment and courage from those who completed Year 12. 

As you graduated today you received a simple gift of an Emmanuel candle.  It’s not large, or showy, because it’s the symbolism of your candle and the light it provides that matters.  We chose the candle to be your gift to remind you of the words of Catherine McAuley, the woman who founded the Sisters of Mercy who came to Warrnambool and began this school 150 years ago.  Catherine’s words are engraved in the bluestone surrounding the beacon in the forecourt of this building.  She said: “We should be as shining lamps, giving light to all around us.” 

As we experienced the pandemic last year and this year, we have known individually and collectively, what it feels like to live in darkness.  Remote learning, the loss of connection, the uncertainty caused by constantly changing regulations and the restrictions on our movement, all of which challenged our freedom and taught us about darkness.  One of the darkest moments I experienced in the last 12 months was witnessing one of our own staff members receiving the news that both his mother and father had contracted and died from COVID.  Compounding the terrible loss and sadness was the knowledge that both parents lived overseas and the staff member could not be present as they were taken to their final resting place.

But we also felt the light, for example, in the form of your teachers and all they did to help you continue your learning.  I also witnessed a moment of brilliant light on the last day of term three watching you celebrate the end of the term on what should have been your final Emmanuel Day.  And the highlight was seeing Grace Kenny dance for us one last time to the music she composed herself.  Grace, thank you for being a shining light for all of us for the last six years and especially this year when we needed it most.

Today, each of you is illuminated by 13 years of primary and secondary education.  But as you graduate today remember, globally less than half of the people your age will experience the same quantity or quality of education as you have.  I sincerely hope this knowledge is both a light and a catalyst for you to make the most of your education through whatever comes next. 

You are about to take a more active role in the world than ever before.  As you make your way in life shine the light of your education into dark corners, help to expose the things that are unfair, work together to find solutions, and speak for those who do not have a voice.  We can say proudly and confidently that here are many Emmanuel graduates around the globe who are already doing this.  Now it is your turn!

As principal I also acknowledge and thank your teachers, coordinators and support staff who have worked with you this year and helped you arrive at this day.  I thank too the many teachers and staff who laid the foundations for this final year.

To your family members both present today and watching remotely, thank you for entrusting your children to Emmanuel College.  I trust we have been able to honour the expectations you had of the College to provide a balanced and well-rounded Catholic education.

Finally, to all who make up the graduating class of 2021, Emmanuel College is a part of your lives.  Never forget what it stands for and strive always to be an Emmanuel person.  That is, a person of good character and integrity, a person of compassion and mercy, a person who seeks truth and justice.  A person of the light!  A young adult imbued with faith, hope and love.  And may each of you be a shining lamp, giving light to all around us.

Your time as students of Emmanuel College comes to an end today as from this moment you become Alumni of this College joining the thousands of proud Emmanuel Alumni who came before you.  As alumni, we will always be interested in what you do.  I encourage you to continue to make us proud whatever you do, and always know you are welcome to return to your College as you will always be a part of the Emmanuel family.

I trust you also know, as you continue your life journey, that there is a loving God who helps us find meaning in a world where meaning can be hard to find.  Even if the voice of God seems very remote today or even silent, do not abandon God, because, more than anyone, God knows who you truly are and who you are capable of becoming.  As you depart today, this community prays for your health, happiness and success.

To the class of 2021, there is no more to say except, congratulations; and,

• May God bless you.
• May God keep you.
• May you, forever and always, know you are held in the palm of God’s hand.
• And may you be blessed always, with the gifts of Faith, Hope and Love.

VCE Exams complete

Congratulations to all of our VCE students upon completing their exams.  Our Year 12 Japanese students celebrated by eating Obentos from Shiraya Shusi and Deli after their exam.  Our Year 11 students have also completed their exams and have commenced their "Early start" program for both VCE and VCAL students.   Year 10, 9 and 8 exams will occur over the next two weeks.  

Library News

Frequent Borrowers Semester  2 2021
Congratulations to the following students who have been recognised for their reading during Semester 2:
Year 7
Brooke Cahill-Walker
Tomas Foster
Jack Madden
Elijah Place
Mason Lowe
Grace Corbett
Layla Kermond
Ash Perrott
Madeleine Crowe
Blake Passlow

Year 8
Jesh Jayadeep
Don Heenpalla
Taylah Wiffrie
Emma Gass
Aliza Gurney
Scarlett O’Donnell
Emily Edwards
Lukas Phillips
Caitlin Barry
Cody Brown

International School Library Month
The Library is in the process of finishing the hand made bookmarks to send to our partner school in Portugal.  We have sent one parcel of bookmarks and are preparing the final one to send.  Thank you to the students and families who have made bookmarks.

Year 12 Chill Out Space
The Wellbeing Team provided a welcoming space for Year 12 students before and after exams in the McAuley Library Reading Room.  There was food, meditation and time to chat.  Thanks to the Wellbeing Team for providing this for our students.

Library Item Returns
Students are asked to bring back any resources that they don’t require over the holidays.  If students would like to borrow books for holiday reading, they are welcome to do that.  We just ask that they renew the resources with us until February 2021.  Any items not loaned out to February 2021 will be deemed as not returned and once school has finished the cost of these items will be added to the school fees.  We ask that students return items or renew them into 2022 – they will need to have the item with them for us to renew it

Margaret Sinnott 
Library Coordinator 

Student Leadership 2022

Private Music Lesson Performance

Here is a video of amazing student performances.  This short video compilation features Josie Collins, Francisco Cognian, Kai Moloney Smith and Maya Ryan. 

Upcoming Events

Monday November 22
Week B
Early Start Year 11 into Year 12 VCE
VCAL Work transition week 

Tuesday November 23
Year 10 Exams commence

Friday November 26th
Year 10 Final Day
Early start Year 11 into Year 12 concludes 1pm
Year 8 and 9 Exams commence 

Monday November 29
Week A
Chess Online National Championship

Wednesday December 1st 
Year 8 Assembly Period 1 

Thursday December 2
Year 8 Big Day Out 
Year 9 Senior School Orientation 
Year 9 Last day  
Year 7 Gala Afternoon Period 5&6 

Friday December 3
Surf Life Saving Academy Bronze Medallion Exam
Year 7 & 8 Last day 

Monday December 6 
Catch Up Exams 

Tuesday December 7 
Year 7 2022 Orientation Day
2022 Leadership Workshop