Newsletter Edition 19 / 2023, December 4

Principal's Message

Dear Emmanuel College Families,

End of the 2023 School Year
With the senior levels now finished, this week sees the remaining year levels conclude their lessons and embark upon their summer break before returning on February 1, 2024. This year has been another successful year at Emmanuel with students excelling academically and in every field in which they participate. Earlier this year the Emmanuel College Strategic Plan 2023-2026 was finalised and ratified by Mercy Education Ltd., the school’s governing body. The introduction provides a brief snapshot of where the school is at and it’s direction:

Built upon strong foundations the College looks to the future and the years covered by this Strategic Plan, 2023-2026, with confidence and a deep desire to continue the growth of the Emmanuel community through continuous incremental improvement aligned with the College Vision and Guiding Principles. Emmanuel College offers a broad curriculum to a diverse student population. In 2025 the College will further consolidate its operations with all student learning taking place on one campus. As Emmanuel College continues to grow, we aim to be inclusive, to practise innovative teaching and learning, to be attuned to our time and place and seek to become the leading provider of secondary education in south-west Victoria.

I look forward to the 2024 school year and working with the staff and students to further Emmanuel’s growth within the local community and I thank the entire Emmanuel family for their contribution and work throughout 2023. 

I wish the Emmanuel family a blessed and joyous Christmas and a prosperous new year. Sadly, our world is diminished by the wars that continue in the middle east and Ukraine, and there is a collective sadness knowing that Advent has commenced while these countries continue to inflict trauma and suffering upon each other. Our 2023 Emmanuel Christmas prayer is one for peace in the world; real peace that gives rise to joy for all, the same joy that’s found in the story of Jesus’ birth remembered each Christmas. At Emmanuel, our desire for peace and joy is illustrated in our office window for all to see.

9@RICE Passion Project Expo
There is one remaining significant event this week for Year nine students and their families. The 9@RICE Passion Project Expo on Wednesday is a must see. During term four the students have completed individual projects many of which are extensions of their learning this year. On Wednesday the projects will be displayed and presented for the rest of the school community to view. Congratulations to the whole year level and many thanks to the staff members and parents who have helped bring these projects to fruition.

Staff Farewells
At the end of the 2023 school year the College says farewell to the following staff whom we wish well in retirement or the pursuit of new pathways, or while waiting for the birth of their child.

• Michael Owen is retiring from Emmanuel after 34 years of service. Michael attended the college as a student of CBC St Joseph’s and later returned to teach where Michael experienced the amalgamation of CBC and St Ann’s to form Emmanuel College. Over the years Michael has taught subjects including Health/PE and Mathematics as well as holding various roles of responsibility such as a Year Level Coordinator at various times, Sport Coordinator for six years and as a Health/PE faculty leader. Michael was instrumental in building the Outdoor Education program at Emmanuel and attended and led many school camps. Michael is a gifted water sports athlete and thanks to his expertise in surf lifesaving and his ability to train young people in and around the ocean, he is responsible for many students achieving their Bronze Medallion through the College’s academy program. In large part due to his service to the Warrnambool SLSC where he is a life Member, Michael was recently inducted as an Emmanuel College Inspiring Alumni. We wish Michael every happiness in this next stage of his life.
• James Laidler is relocating to the Grampians area and we wish him success. Since 2005 James taught English and Literature to all year levels specialising in the delivery of VCE courses. James coordinated the English teaching team for several years and was the Director of Teaching and Learning in the senior school where he oversaw efforts to grow academic outcomes for senior students.  One of several initiatives James introduced, Study Hall continues to provide a stimulating environment in which students learn and by working with their peers motivate one another to better outcomes. James and his wife Clare were the driving force behind the East Timor alternative schoolies experience enjoyed by many Year 12 students, and they were the conduits for the purchase of laptop cases from East Timor; a life giving partnership between our school and the small women’s collective on Attauro Isand that continues to thrive.
• Colleen Pope has taught Science, Biology and Chemistry at Emmanuel for the last five years. She is returning to Ballarat at the end of the year having accepted a position at St. Patrick’s College. Colleen has coached various Basketball teams including this year’s victorious junior girls state final team. She has assisted the Director of Faith and Mission this year sharing the role of Social Justice and Community Service Coordinator and played a leading role in the delivery of the weekly community meal on Tuesday evenings. 
• Jason McMahon has taught at Emmanuel for the last 2.5 years and in this short time has influenced the growth in materials technology and systems engineering subjects. He pioneered a range of ways to deliver these subjects and the outcome is evident in the number of students choosing these subjects and the projects undertaken. Jason will be operating his family business full time from next year, but we hope to see him helping with classes and/or projects from time to time. Best wishes Jason.
• Abby O’Brien and Isaac Jones are both graduates of Emmanuel College who returned to teach here in the last few years and are now exploring new opportunities in Geelong and Queensland. Both have demonstrated themselves to be capable teachers with a command of their classrooms. I am sure we will see both Abby and Isaac in leadership roles in the future and we wish them happiness and success.
• Anne Moloney has worked as a Learning Diversity Assistant for 13.5 years. In this role Anne has helped many young people to feel safe and to find their way through classes and year levels and to make decisions about their pathways beyond school. Always sensitive, caring and hopeful, Anne was a great support to many young people whom she supported to achieve their best. Anne, we wish you well in retirement following many successful years in learning support.
• We had another wonderful group of trainees this year whom we commend for their assistance to teachers and students. Thank you and farewell to Jordon Garner, Curran O'Donnell, Henry Hose, Reuben O'Callaghan, Molly Kellermeier, and Alice Cameron. We wish you success in your university studies and future career paths.
• We also express our best wishes to Geraldine Ross, Maggie Weymouth and Ruby Wilson and their partners as they commence family leave and wait patiently for the arrival of their babies. We look forward to the exciting announcements they will soon make.
• Alice Leddin, Zack Houilhan and Martin Wohlers have each played important roles this year helping us to fill gaps in staffing and acquitting themselves with diligence. Thank you and best wishes for 2024.
• Rikako Shimazaki spent most of the year at the College providing language tuition for students studying Japanese. Rikako has left a very positive mark on the school reflecting her composure, expertise, and skill. We wish her well when she soon returns to Japan and future success in all she undertakes.

Awards Ceremony
There is just one more newsletter to be published this year. On Thursday 14 December, a final newsletter will recognise student award recipients.  This year the awards presentation evening for students in Years 7-11 will be held on Wednesday 13 December commencing at 7.00 pm sharp in the Emmanuel Centre.  Students receiving an Academic Excellence or Special Award will be invited to attend the event via Operoo.  Award winners who are unable to attend are asked to collect their award from the College Office after the awards evening.  The Consistency & Effort Awards will be posted to students.  The Year 7-11 Dux awards and Year 12 awards will be presented at the Academic Assembly on Friday 2 February at 9.00 am in the Emmanuel Centre.  The recipients of these awards will receive an invitation in the mail after the VCE results have been released.  Parents and guests are welcome to attend both events.

I wish you well this week. May the spirit of Mercy be with you and in all that you do.

God of Hope; we pray for peace during this Season of Advent and the year ahead.
May families the world over know the joy that comes from deep and lasting peace.
St. Joseph: Pray for us.  May the spirit of Catherine McAuley and
Edmund Rice guide us in all we do. Amen.

Mr Peter Morgan
Principal

A Message from Mrs Claire Wrigley

As students finish up this week for 2023,  I take the opportunity to thank them for all their work this year and wonderful contributions that they have made to our school community. I wish all in our school community a Merry Christmas and a safe and enjoyable summer holidays.

Staff Achievement - Rachele Sloane, Fit4life Wellbeing Coordinator
Australian Association for Research in Education 
We congratulate Rachele on her recent presentation at the Australian Association for Research in Education. The theme of the conference this year was Voice, Truth, Place: Critical junctures for educational research. Education researchers were invited to explore critical junctures in the field. A diverse community of scholars engaged in meaningful discussions and exchanged ideas on the pressing issues facing education research today. As a lifelong learner, Rachele is currently completing her PhD at Melbourne University. 

Below is an abstract outlining  Rachele’s presentation.

Listening to the voices of Wellbeing leaders who work in school settings: Considering how they make sense of this complex term.   

Expectations for education systems to support student’s health and Wellbeing increased during the rise of COVID 19 and has continued. Growing global political tensions, financial insecurity and the pervasive climate crisis further intensifies pressure on schools to prepare students to engage with an increasingly complex world. This expectation is reflected in current policy, media and parent and community forums. As a result, schools and those who work in them are increasingly developing and implementing policy, processes, curriculum, and support. In doing so, they wade through the multitude of literature and program documentation, all of which use the term Wellbeing without clear definition yet as though its meaning is self-evident. 

Conceptualisations of Wellbeing in Australia have historically been informed by Western centric and often psychological ideas of health, though the term itself is often added afterward, indicating there is something more meant by the addition of this word. Policy and programs often reflect these Western centric conceptualisations despite recent requirements for schools to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and the increasingly multicultural composition of our society. Wellbeing is also used in policy and program documentation as a self-evident term though full definitions are not provided and meaning assumed, increasing complexity and difficulty, particularly for those attempting to implement and lead this work in schools.    

In this presentation I will draw on data from a phenomenological study of Wellbeing leaders in Victorian secondary schools and how they understand and work with Wellbeing in their contexts. Exploring participant experiences through a lens of Kemmis’ Practice Architectures, highlighted a practice of engaging fluidly with the “sayings” of wellbeing, avoiding singular and static definitions. Rather than uniformly defining this concept, Wellbeing leaders interpret and translate it within and between people, groups, and systems so that it is useful and relates to the context in which it is being used. Ultimately, study participants who work with this terminology in their everyday practice, voiced a preference for a flexible and dynamic understanding of Wellbeing that speaks to a truth of the concept only as understood by and in connection with the people in a particular place at a particular time. 

Uniform 
The correct wearing of the college uniform reflects a students pride in their school and promotes a sense of community. Holidays are a good opportunity to check your child’s uniform and make any new purchases where needed. Please see below the schedule of operating hours of the uniform shop over the summer break.

Final Week - student program overview

Year 7  
Normal timetabled classes Dec 4 - Dec 7. 
Dec 7 - period 1 & 2 - Step up program - Year 7 into Year 8, period 3 - Junior school merit assembly
Dec 8 - Final day, various activities planned.

Year 8 
Normal timetabled classes Dec 4 - Dec 7. With the exemption of activities below;
Dec 4 - period 3 & 4 - English exam
Dec 5 - period 1 & 2 - Science exam
Dec 6 - period 3 & 4 - Humanities exam, P5 or P6 visit to Year 9 expo.
Dec 7 - period 1 & 2 - Step up program - Year 8 students to Year 9, period 3 - Junior school merit assembly
Dec 8 - Final day, various activities planned.

Year 9
Normal timetabled classes Dec 4 - Dec 7. With the exemption of activities below;
Dec 4 - period 1 & 2 - Maths exam
Dec 6 - Expo day
Dec 7 - period 1 & 2 - Step up program, Year 9 into Senior school. Students are to go straight to McAuley campus on this day. Period 3-6 final day activities at Rice campus.

Year 10 
Normal timetabled classes Dec 4 - Dec 6. With the exemption of activities below;
Dec 5 - period 4 - 1.00pm - Maths exam
Dec 6 - period 1 - 11.20am - English exam. Period 4 -6, various activities, final day.

Mrs Claire Wrigley
Assistant Principal - Students

Annual School Fee Raffle

Join the college community in purchasing tickets to our annual Fee Raffle!

Money raised from your support will go towards a bus shelter at the new Hopetoun Road entrance to keep students sheltered during inclement weather.

PRIZE: Win 2024 school fees for one student to the value of $5,000.

If you don't have a student at Emmanuel College but would like to pay it forward or donate for a student or family in need, we welcome these entries too if you are the lucky winner.

You can purchase your raffle ticket online at the following link - https://rafflelink.com.au/emmanuel-fee-raffle

The winner will be announced on December 13!

Student Voice - Strong Girls

The 'Strong Girls' program is aimed to empower young girls, focusing on their physical and emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, and self-esteem. This program, ran by the Wellbeing team, is another example of how the 9@RICE program teaches valuable life skills and strategies to navigate challenges with strength and resilience.

"Each Wednesday, a group of Year 9 girls all go into the chapel and do heaps of different activities. Each week is different but we always look forward to it. It’s always so much fun and the highlight of my week. We love having Rachele, Jo, Megan and Jodie from the Wellbeing team talk to us, and answering any questions we have.

I have loved going to Strong Girls every week because it is such an amazing group of girls. We have learnt different things about each other and made connections with people we otherwise wouldn’t have. We can talk about anything without feeling judged or worried that it will get repeated to anyone else. Strong Girls is a safe space and we have all loved it."- Jaylah Moloney, Year 9 student

Faith & Mission News - Catholic Identity

As a Catholic school, we value the opportunity to engage in the development of our Catholic faith, with contemporary experiences of religious education, liturgy and outreach.          

A variety of masses and liturgies have been or are about to be celebrated during Term 4, including Year 12 Valedictory Mass celebrated by Fr. Bill Lowry at St. Joseph’s Church, and All Souls’ Day more recently. We celebrate the end of our year together with upcoming year level and staff liturgies or mass. 

We are currently at the beginning of the Season of Advent. Advent marks the beginning of the Church’s new year and is a season of waiting, reflection and preparation leading up to Christmas. In the Catholic Church, the Advent season: 

• reminds us about the importance of Christ in our lives, 
• prepares us to celebrate Christ’s birth at Christmas, 
• and refers to his presence at a future time. 

In the most recent edition of Our Diocesan Community magazine (please see this link )  I encourage you to read a wonderful feature article on Father Lawrie O’Toole, our recently retired parish priest of Our Lady Help of Christians and good friend, and past Emmanuel College chaplain & governor. On the occasion of his Golden Jubilee (50 years in the priesthood), Lawrie reflects on his public and personal life.

There is also a thought provoking article by Fr Bill Lowry, our current chaplain and assistant priest of Star of the Sea parish  - ‘Discerning the future together’. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported and participated in all the events that contribute to the Catholic life of the college.

Jacinta Skilbeck
Director of Faith & Mission

Faith & Mission News - Social Justice

Our work in Social Justice is inspired by the actions of Jesus, who actively supported and cared for so many people who needed assistance from their community. 

We are fortunate to have many staff and students volunteer their time and expertise to make a range of events successful throughout the year in the area of social justice. 
At the heart of these events is our Community Meal, which runs every Tuesday evening, serving an average of 25-30 meals each week and assisting many people in need. This equates to around 800 meals served and is greatly appreciated by those who attend.  A few of our student volunteers provided their insights recently: 

Mia Hynes: I enjoy community service and this sounded like a different and interesting way to volunteer. While serving meals, I talked to people there and got to know them a bit more. It was great to have a conversation and means a lot when they show their gratitude for the volunteers. 

Bella Morgan: Volunteering at Community Meals is a great way to give back to the community and a really rewarding experience. It’s been really insightful and changes the way you look at different environments. 

Zoe Graham: My favourite thing about attending meals was the sense of community, I really think everyone got something out of it. 

Thanks to the many staff and students who helped facilitate the meals each week, especially Colleen Pope, Natalie Elliott-Jackson and Andrew McMahon for their constant support of the Community Meals. 
For senior students interested in volunteering next year, please keep an eye out for an expression of interest email early in Term 1.
We’re looking forward to more wonderful events to support social justice next year!    

Jacinta Skilbeck
Social Justice & Service Coordinator

Languages

It is a great pleasure to finally bring you news that overseas cultural and language trips will be resuming in 2024 to Japan, and early 2025 to France.

For many Emmanuel students, the ultimate purpose of studying a language is to experience the culture and to be able to put their skills into practise while immersing themselves in the culture of the country. We appreciate that over the last few years a number of our languages students have diligently continued to learn Japanese and French without the possibility of taking part in a trip organised by the college.

Emmanuel College is in the process of organising a trip to Japan for the last week of Term 3 2024 and going into the September holidays. We aim to get relevant information to families before the end of the school year regarding costs and itinerary. The trip will be available for Year 10 and 11 students studying Japanese in 2024.

A trip to France is planned for the end of Term 1 in 2025 and information will be shared with families in Term 1 2024.

In the future, Emmanuel will be offering languages trips in alternate years to students studying languages in Years 10 and 11.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Languages Coordinator, Mrs Julia Smith.

Julia Smith
Languages Coordinator

Creative Arts

Some great news for one of our Year 12 students, Brydie Shields, being short listed for Top Arts 2024!

This is a major achievement for Brydie and for the Emmanuel Creative Arts department, in a very select group for young creatives. Brydie has been shortlisted for her Art Making and Exhibiting Photographic Folio but also completed Art Creative Practice this year, working predominately in ceramics and 3-dimensional forms.

We would like to congratulate Brydie on this wonderful accomplishment, and we look forward to following her creative pathways in years to come.

Ms Natasha Cummings and Mr Rob Gunstone
VCE Photography Teachers

Sports Update

Year 7-8 Girls Cricket State Finals
On Thursday November 23rd the Year 7 & 8 Girls Cricket team competed in the State Finals in Melbourne.

After defeating Elizabeth Murdoch College in the semi-finals, bowling them out for 40 runs, the girls progressed into the State Final against Catherine McAuley College. In another low scoring  and tense encounter, Emmanuel bowled first taking the 10 wickets for 43 runs. It was far from an easy chase however as Emmanuel got the runs in the 12th over with 1 wicket remaining.

Congratulations to the team on the Title and well done to Jordan Garner, Mr Timmy Hunt and Jaffa for coaching and transporting the team.

Tennis Gala Day
On Monday the 27th of Novemeber, around 40 students took to the court at SuperGrasse Warrnambool to compete for their house in the Tennis Gala day. After being rescheduled twice due to poor weather, we had a little more luck this time as students took to the court in mild conditions seaching for a house victory.

McAuley were the winning team on the day as they took out the doubles format. Well done to all students who participated on the day.

Mr Alastair Templeton
Sports & Lunchtime Activities Coordinator

Library News

Digital Reading Platforms – 2024 English and Literature Texts
The texts being studied in English and Literature are available on our three digital reading platforms. Students use their computer log in to access from SIMON, Library homepage.

The three reading platforms are: Sora, Wheelers and Bolinda Borrowbox. See the attachment below to find the list of books and which platform to find them on.

There will be both ebooks and e audio books to use to help with English and Literature studies. Many students listen to the audio book while having the text open and reading along.

If you have any questions about getting on to the digital reading platforms, please ask the Library Staff or email msinnott@emmanuel.vic.edu.au

Here are the links to gain access to the books:
https://soraapp.com/library/emmanuelau
https://emmanuel.wheelers.co
https://emmanuelvic.borrowbox.com

On these sites you can change the book font to open dyslexic font - some students find this easier to read: the letters are more heavy based. You can also change the background colour for the ebooks on these sites.  

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge
Twenty students from Years 7-10 at Emmanuel College have successfully completed the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge in 2023.

The students read at least 15 books throughout the year and recorded the details on the Challenge website. Each year students from kindergarten to Year 10 are encouraged to join in the Challenge put forward by the current Premier each year.

Congratulations to each of these students for the effort they have put in to reading and for participating in the program. We look forward to students from Years 7-10 participating next year.

• Grace Stephens
• Sienna Plozza
• Don Heenpalla
• Blair Forth
• Nikolas Keramaris
• Blake Hughson
• Lena Watty
• Kira Thomson
• Naman Mutti
• Eva Miller
• Ethan Wu
• Sophie Ierodiaconou
• Gretta Wake
• Nyema Wiltshire Jervies
• Nick Nguyen
• Kaelen Perera
• Christian Wyse
• Madeleine Crowe
• Gemma Wicking
• Emily Rankin

Mrs Margaret Sinnott
Library Coordinator

Career News

Click here to read the latest Careers Newsletter -
https://www.emmanuelcollegecareers.com/ 

Topics Include:

• Defence Force
• TAFE pathways
• University Course Preferences
• Employment – Apprenticeships, Traineeships, Gap Year, and tips on resume building
• UCAT – preparation for 2024
• Victoria Police

Mr David Gladman
Student Pathways & Careers Leader

Our Diocesan Community - November 2023

Click here to read the November 2023 edition of "Our Diocesan Community" 

Ignite All Ages Music Festival

Upcoming Events

Wednesday December 6
Year 10 Students Final Day
9@RICE Passion Project Exhibition

Thursday December 7
Year 9 Students Final Day
Junior School Assembly (11am-12.15pm)

Friday December 8
Year 7 & 8 Students Final Day

Monday December 11
VCE Results released

Tuesday December 12
Year 7 2024 Orientation Day
Year 7 2024 Parent Info Session - Wellbeing 

Wednesday December 13
Student Awards Ceremony - 7pm

Thursday December 14
Basketball Academy NBL Game Excursion

Friday December 15
Officed Closed
Reports released to Parents

Friday January 19
 Office Re-opens

Wednesday January 31
New Student Orientation - Year 8 - 12

Thursday February 1
Term 1 Begins - all students commence

Friday February 2
Whole School Academic Assembly - 9am

Monday February 5
Year 7 Swimming Trials