Newsletter | Live a life worthy of the calling you have received

Vale Pope Francis

Last week we were saddened to hear of the death of Pope Francis especially in light of his slow but evolving recovery after many weeks of serious illness. Many were buoyed by his Easter blessing and seeing him amongst the crowds who gathered at St Peter’s Basilica on Easter morning.

Last Tuesday, as a school community we prayed for Pope Francis, and remembered him as an extraordinary faith leader whose papacy was marked by an unwavering commitment to compassion, advocacy, inclusivity, dialogue and the pursuit of justice and peace.

His ministry, in particular as Pope, reminded us that we are part of creation and that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. To this end, he called us all to care for our world, to care for each other and in particular to go out to the peripheries and care for all who suffer and are marginalised.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord

And let perpetual light shine upon him

May he now rest in peace.

Amen

Welcome back

I hope all students, staff and families enjoyed a restful term break and a very Happy Easter. The first fortnight of Term 2 has seen the rhythm of our school return very quickly. Thank you to all families who availed themselves for our Student Progress Meetings. Feedback and the home/school partnership are essential elements in our endeavour to support all students in their learning growth. While parents/ carers can use SEQTA to monitor their child’s upcoming tasks, and formative as well as summative assessment outcomes, the chance to meet with teachers to discuss their daughter’s progress is so invaluable. I encourage all students to continue to try their best and use all available resources, in particular their teachers’ assistance to support them in their learning.

Other features of the first fortnight have included our Anzac memorial and Year 11 students participating in the Box Hill RSL Anzac service, Year 8 Horizon program, Year 10 Retreat, AYIN Mock interviews, Year 9/10 DOHSA Synchrotron Excursion, and the 2026 France Study Tour Information Evening. Thank you to all staff, students and parents/ carers who supported these events.

The Benefits of a Catholic Education

For many years, research has highlighted the benefits of an all girls’ learning environment. In an all girls’ school, aspects such as student engagement, feeling supported, the ability to contribute and lead, the sense of safety, the degree to which their voice is encouraged and valued and the ability to reach their potential all rank more highly than in a co-ed environment. (International Coalition of Girls Schools). Please click here to learn more.

Recently released longitudinal research undertaken by the Centre for International Research on Education Systems (CIRES) at Victoria University has now also highlighted the lifelong benefits of a Catholic education.

The research highlighted those students who attended a Catholic school:

Are more likely to be employed
Earn higher wages
Be more likely to work in an industry or sector that directly benefits the public
Have higher life satisfaction
Have better general health
Be more likely to donate to charity

Please click here if you would like to read more.

When considered together, these two bodies of longitudinal research underscore what we at Our Lady of Sion College experience every day. It is a real privilege to support families in providing a high quality, caring and supportive environment where we aim to name and know each student and cater for her learning, wellbeing and spiritual needs. Thank you to all families for the trust you place in our school to support you and your daughter.

With every blessing for the fortnight ahead.

Tina Apostolopoulos

On the final day of Term 1, students and staff came together for our Lenten reflection, journeying through the Stations of the Cross. This was a time of prayer and contemplation, offering everyone the chance to reflect on the passion and sacrifice of Jesus. Through powerful dramatisation, music, and song, we walked alongside Jesus on His path to the crucifixion and resurrection. The combined efforts of the readers, actors, and musicians created a deeply moving experience, inviting all present to consider the true depth of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. It was a moment that invited us to prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter, contemplate our relationship with God and examine whether our words and actions towards others truly embody the love and grace God calls us to live.

Anzac Day

On Wednesday last week, I had the privilege to accompany Elana V (11 Blue), Cecilia B (11 Red), Lorena G (11 Blue), Angelica N (11 Gold), Anria A (11 Purple) and Bani K (11 Blue) to the annual Box Hill RSL Schools Anzac Service which was held at the Cenotaph in the Box Hill Gardens. As a part of this moving service, the Anzac story was shared and it was an honour that our students were invited to read the Anzac Requiem, and lay a floral wreath.

During our own Anzac Day prayer service, held the following morning, the College community came together to honour and pray for the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who have died in service. We gave thanks for the freedom we have living in Australia. Our prayers also extended to those still affected by war, as we continue to hope and pray for peace in our world today.

Year 10 Retreat Day

This week our Year 10 students attended their Retreat Day at Holy Cross Retreat Centre in Templestowe. The theme of the retreat was based on our 2025 College Theme- Live a Life Worthy of the Calling You Have Received and invited the students to reflect upon how they can live out this theme to achieve Justice, Peace and Love.

We heard from members of the St Vincent de Paul's Youth and Education Team, sharing with the students the reasons and the impact for many in our society who experience homelessness. They also spoke of the role that St. Vincent de Paul has in helping these people to rebuild their lives with dignity. Following on from this session, the students participated in a range of activities which challenged them to consider those in society who may be considered to be 'the face of the other', the marginalised, and what it means to act for justice, peace and love. Scripture used as a foundation for discussion included:

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9

The students celebrated a beautiful Mass where Father Mark Reynolds reminded them of the significant impact that Pope Francis had on many of the poor and marginalised in our world, not just through his words and teachings but through his actions. They were challenged to consider ways that they too can live out these same values of compassion, service, and justice in their own lives.

As we move into the third week of the Season of Easter may we remember that it is a time of hope and renewal. We give thanks for the gift of Pope Francis, his leadership and legacy. We pray that his words and deeds of love, compassion, justice, and inclusion will continue inspiring people to create a fairer and more compassionate world for everyone.

Wishing all members of the College community many blessings.

Student Progress Meetings, Student Feedback and Study Strategies

Thank you to all who attended the Student Progress Meetings (SPMs) across the two days. We had 623 parents and carers make 3,817 appointments. What a great level of engagement. The SPMs are a great opportunity to connect with the teacher and, with your child, communicate how they are experiencing the learning and suggest things that the teacher can do to improve this further.

A reminder that for feedback to be effective it needs to be timely. Teachers update SEQTA with both formative, smaller learning tasks that contain immediately actionable feedback throughout the learning of the content and summative feedback, an overview at the end of the unit of learning that looks at strengths and areas for improvement. Both should feed into homework, revision and study strategies.

Revision for Learning Study Strategies

Often students report that they know they need to study, but they are not sure exactly what this means. Study is more than reading over notes. Below are some strategies that can be used for all subjects.

Transform the content from one form to another - instead of highlighting a passage or re-writing notes, convert the key knowledge to key terms and then explain these terms to another person, or even record it as a voice memo. Alternatively, create a visual map of how the terms all fit together.
Chunk the content into manageable portions. Use colour coding to highlight the different areas and then match this to your practice pieces. This is a good way to check that you have covered everything.
Test whether you can recall the knowledge under pressure - reverse the process, instead of completing a task/question/problem set by the teacher, design your own. Get someone else to answer it for you and then mark whether they completed it the way that you intended. This is working on your higher order thinking skills. Flash cards or quick quizzes are more fun ways to revise a topic and you get instant feedback. Remember to shuffle the flashcards so that you are not just memorising an order. Ensure that you have someone else reading the answer so that you do not give up too quickly.
Apply feedback. Completing practice tasks and getting teacher feedback and reviewing past assessment is great, but unless that feedback is implemented, it won’t result in change. Re-write what it is you got wrong. Ask the teacher (or a friend/parent/carer) to read your ‘fixed’ answer. If it is still not correct, ask for more strategies on how to improve.

Semester 2 Subjects

For students in Years 9 and 10 undertaking electives there is limited opportunity to make changes to Semester 2 programs. Students should complete the Change of Subject form on SEQTA under Forms/Info and submit it via email or as a hard copy to Student Services. Change requests need to be submitted by the end of week 3.

Helping Your Child Stay Safe Online – Free Parent Webinars from the eSafety Commissioner

Today’s digital world offers incredible opportunities for learning, creativity and connection, but it also comes with challenges, particularly for young people who are still developing their understanding of online safety, boundaries and responsibility. As part of our ongoing commitment to student wellbeing at Our Lady of Sion College, we encourage families to stay informed and engaged in their daughter’s digital life.

The eSafety Commissioner is Australia’s national authority on online safety and provides valuable support for parents, carers, and schools. One of the most effective ways to build your confidence in navigating your child’s online world is through the Commissioner's free webinars designed specifically for parents and carers.

These webinars explore key online safety issues affecting children and teenagers and offer practical, evidence-based advice. Whether you are concerned about screen time, online friendships, social media pressures or gaming habits, these sessions provide tools and insights to help you respond effectively and supportively.

Upcoming webinar topics include:

Understanding and using parental controls to help protect your child online (45 minutes). For parents and carers of children in primary school.
Sexual extortion: What parents and carers need to know (30 minutes). For parents and carers of young people in upper primary and secondary school.
eSafety 101 - how eSafety can help you (30 minutes). For parents and carers of children and young people in primary and secondary school.
Exploring the online experiences of boys and young men (45 minutes). For parents and carers of children and young people in primary and secondary school.

Each session is facilitated by eSafety experts who understand the real-life experiences of families. They include time for Q&A, enabling you to ask specific questions in a safe and supportive setting.

These webinars are ideal for parents/ carers who want to better understand the platforms their children use and how to guide their safe use without fear or overreaction. Families who participate should come away feeling more empowered, informed, and better equipped to have meaningful conversations about online behaviour and safety.

To learn more about the topics on offer or to register for a session, visit the eSafety Commissioner’s website here.

Together, we can create a supportive environment where our students feel confident and safe in the online world, both at school and at home.

Welcome back to Term 2.

The start of term for our Year 10 cohort has been a fast start with plenty going on. Classes have re-commenced after the break and we have commenced the road to our Semester 1 exams. Plenty of extra curricular activities have also recommenced. Our students participated in our Anzac Day service, Student Progress Meetings and earlier this week Year 10s attended their Retreat Day. My focus over the coming weeks will be to support families with the lead up to the Semester 1 exams.

Let’s start with some key dates:

Excursion Free: Monday 2 - Tuesday 10 June
Assessment Free: Wednesday 4 - Tuesday 10 June
Year 10 Exams: Tuesday 11 - Thursday 19 June

Year 10 sees students partake in their first full series of exams and this can be a nervous time for the students and families (and that’s ok). Each day we face lots of little exams (or challenges), when to cross the road, serving that customer at our part time job or completing the modules that lead to obtaining your learners. Our Semester 1 exams are the first attempt at learning what it takes to successfully navigate this process. It certainly won't be perfect (and we don’t strive for perfection, we strive for improvement) the first time round, BUT, we will learn lots.

Executive Functioning

Executive functioning refers to the set of skills that helps us manage our thoughts, actions and emotions that support us to achieve our goals. As we commence our exam preparation we will focus on both what we know, and how to develop and refine our ability to time manage, focus our attention and regulate our emotions.

Over the next cycle, I want to encourage all families to invest in looking at:

Organisation:

Supporting your young person by setting up a daily timetable that includes all elements of life. Schooling, part time work, sport commitments, bed time and opportunities to study.

Planning and Prioritising:

Is there the opportunity to break tasks down into smaller chunks and to set realistic goals?

Here the opportunity exists for families to share what has worked for you. Show your young person your diary, so they can see how you structure your day. This is a great role modelling opportunity that will lead to conversation about how you use these skills to manage your work each day.

These two skills are not developed by chance. They are cultivated by repetition and trial and error. Setting up and refining approaches now will support what the end of the semester will look like, when exams come upon us.

Welcome back to Term 2; another term full of opportunities for the Year 9s to connect with each other and to our theme of Curious, Kind and Courageous.

To begin, I would like to acknowledge three students who were nominated by their peers and staff as people who had lived the specific values of our year level theme. These students were acknowledged and congratulated at our last year level assembly of Term 1:

Kindness Award: Juliette J (9 White). For showing selflessness in assisting her peers and continually taking opportunities to show kindness to other students.

Curiosity Award: Sienna P (9 White). For continually asking questions to deepen understanding and to seek feedback in her work. She has shown continual dedication to her studies.

Courage Award: Eloise J (9 Red). For continually showing courage in standing up for others, showing kindness to all people and taking risks in her learning.

This week we have also launched our year level fundraising focus and invited students to donate items for our Days for Girls Period Pamper Pack. This raffle will be open to Year 9s only and all students are welcome to donate items that would go into pamper packs that will be raffled at the end of the term. In previous years, donations have included snacks, tea, heat bags, self-care items, sanitary items, vouchers etc.

The money raised from these fundraisers will join with other year level initiatives that will go to the Days for Girls charity. As previously shared, this charity provides sustainable and reusable period products for women in developing countries. This is a special connection for our year level and an initiative that is so important to the outreach opportunities we have at our College. The SRC and I look forward to seeing the generous donations that Year 9 are able to provide.

Finally, the Year 9s are provided with 2 foci for the fortnight ahead. These are shared on the Year Level Google Classroom and with the Year 9 subject teachers to promote their use in a range of classes. The current foci are:

Setting up for quality revision: teachers will be sharing revision strategies that are subject specific so students can build skills in these areas across the term

Digital Detoxing: This could be implementing screen free time in the afternoon/on the weekend and instead using this time to do something creative/physical. Digital detoxes have a huge number of benefits for our mental health and wellbeing including: better sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, and better connections with others.

Don’t hesitate to get into contact to discuss these strategies or initiatives.

Art piece Collins St, 5pm, 2024

I am thrilled to highlight the inspiring work of Ms Emma Davidson and her talented students from Unit 2 Creative Practice in 2024, who completed an eclectic and dynamic collaborative art piece Collins St, 5pm, 2024 that is now framed and will soon find its home in the main hallway of the Ratisbonne Discovery Centre. This artwork is a collaborative piece completed as part of the coursework for Unit 2 Art Creative Practice.

In this unit, students learnt about the practice of collaboration and worked together to create this artwork. Collins St, 5pm, 2024 was inspired by the artwork Collins St, 5pm (1955) by Australian artist John Brack. In his artwork, Brack used repetition and a muted colour palette to depict the drudgery of nine-to-five office life in the 1950s in Melbourne, Australia.

He paints uniformly dressed office workers set against the backdrop of Melbourne’s financial hub, suggesting a very limited breadth of cultural backgrounds and age groups in the people he represents. While this was not an entirely accurate representation of the people of Melbourne at the time, it certainly doesn’t reflect the Melbourne of today.

Our goal in creating this artwork, was to celebrate the diversity of people who call Melbourne home in 2024.' Through teamwork, creativity, and a shared vision, the class brought their ideas to life in a stunning display that celebrates both individual expression and collective effort. Be sure to stop by and see their masterpiece in person!

Collins St, 5pm, 2024, Unit 2 Creative Practice 2024 students

Drama Week Wrap-up

Life was very busy in Drama at the end of last term.

We enjoyed a fantastic Drama Week which kicked off with a delicious and fun Drama breakfast and Games morning before school on Monday. This was followed by plenty of creative opportunities such as a Musical themed Disco, a One Minute Film Competition, a Tableau (from a Movie or Musical) competition and a hugely successful talent quest on Friday which was appreciated by a full to overflowing theatre of supportive Sion students. We had singers, dancers and gymnasts who were all very talented and brave – performing to a live audience of over 300 students. Thanks to all of our wonderful students for embracing their creative side and supporting Drama Week 2025.

Beauty and the Beast

Year 9 Drama Students attended a performance of Beauty and the Beast at Her Majesty’s Theatre in the city. This was an opportunity for many students to see world class theatre in our wonderful city. The students will discuss and analyse this performance and we hope such experiences also ignite a love of theatre for the future.

Senior Drama students are busy scripting and editing self devised final performances in preparation for a mid-term presentation to invited audiences.

Year 9 students are also immersing themselves in the world of Shakespeare in preparation for their presentation of Shakespeare scenes this term.

Mamma Mia

Our Musical production of Mamma Mia is progressing beautifully with a very talented cast filling the Miriam with the joyful sounds of classic Abba songs, and great characters.

We have finalised our crew also and next term will see the painting and creating of set pieces with the talented Mrs Schwab, backstage organisation and tech teams forming and rehearsing with Mr Kelly.

It is very exciting and we thank our cast for their commitment and hard work so far. It will be a fantastic production, held on Thursday 7, Friday 8 and Saturday 9 August in Term 3.

Commedia dell'Arte

The Year 8s are undertaking performances in the Italian theatre style Commedia dell'Arte. All year 8s viewed an incursion performance demonstrating features of this style from Troppo Troupe. We look forward to seeing the Year 8s wonderful performance work!

GSV Term 1 Finals

Well done to our GSV Weekly Sport teams that qualified for finals on their impressive season in Term 1. We had several Softball, Volleyball and Tennis teams that narrowly missed out on a finals opportunity.

Senior Softball: Our Senior softballers had a fantastic season, they showed great teamwork and were always willing to learn. They lost their first final but it is a great achievement making the finals!

Intermediate Volleyball A, B and C: Our Inter Volleyball teams were dominant in the season all securing Premiers in their zone for the season. Well done to Ms Muller and the GSV Coaches for leading the teams this season. The C team won their first final but went down in a close Grand Final finishing as Runners Up.

Term 2 GSV Sport

Senior, Inter and Junior teams have taken to the court and field for round 1 this week in Netball, Hockey and AFL. Thank you to all students for attending trials over the end of Term 1 and the first week of Term 2. Teams are not set for Netball, there may be some movement in teams depending on training attendance, performance and attitude within the first few weeks.
We are very excited to introduce Level 2 GSV Coaches who will be assisting with Senior Netball and Junior Netball this season. Over the coming terms we will look to utilise our specialist coaches to continue to grow our program.

GSV Cross Country

Our GSV Cross Country squad took to the Tan this week for our first meet of the season. We had great numbers with 63 students attending. There were 8 schools in attendance and our students were very competitive and encouraged each other. Training numbers have been super. During our GSV Carnival training for Swimming, we have learned that consistency and dedication are essential for achieving continuous improvement. This will be the focus for our Cross Country season. Our next Cross Country event will be the House Cross Country at Springfield Reserve with over 200 students set for the start line on Tuesday 6 May during lunchtime and period 5. Then onto GSV Preliminaries and Champs!

Stawell Gift

Maddie P (12 White) competed in the Stawell Gift over the Easter holidays, a major running event for athletes. She reflected on her experience below:

From Friday 19 to Saturday 21 April, I competed at the Stawell Gift, the final race on the Victorian Athletic League calendar for the season. I raced in the women's 70m, restricted 100m and the u18 girls’ 100m.

The three-day competition had a surreal atmosphere with athletes having flown in from across the country. I went into the competition with a mindset of competing for enjoyment and not so much success to approach the meet from a different perspective. This allowed me to minimise the nerves and the pressure, which had a major impact on my pre-race approach and ultimately led to gaining a lot more pleasure out of the experience. Although I didn't run as well as in previous years, it was an amazing opportunity that I'm so glad I made the most of. I achieved my personal goal of achieving success through my mindset and not based on performance, something I've had a big focus on for the last eight months. It was a great way to finish the summer season with heaps of long-lasting memories. Maddie P (12 White)

Run the Tan

Erin M (11 White), one of our Cross Country Captains represented our College at Run the Tan last weekend. She had a terrific time placing in the top five for female students in the event. Below is a reflection from Erin.

Run the Tan is an event for mental illness and has a range of races from emergency services race and celebrity race to an elite field with Olympians. I competed in the school event, there were lots of other schools competing as well for a good cause. The Tan course is 3.827km around the Royal Botanical Gardens. Highlight of the event was the 400m Anderson Street hill, always fun to run up each time I do it and improve my time up the hill. Erin M (11 White)

National Diving Championships – Gold Coast

Our GSV Finals Evening podium placed Senior Divers, Olivia M (11 Gold) and Ella R (11 White) competed at the National Diving Championships in Gold Coast over the Easter holidays.

Olivia won gold in the 16-18 girls 3m springboard and Ella just missed out on bronze in the same event, coming in 4th. Both girls dived incredibly well, the only two divers out of 42 competitors to perform a dive that scored over 50. For the 1m springboard, Olivia came 4th and Ella 18th out of 43 divers. Ella also competed in the 3m synchro, coming 9th out of 27 teams.

We are so proud of their achievements, it is great to see reward for their efforts in the months building up to Nationals.

Free and voluntary reading

Stephen Krashen in “The Power of Reading” (2004), spoke about a phenomenon where if children had their favourite books within arms reach of their bedroom at night, they were more likely to spontaneously pick up a book and engage in 'free and voluntary reading' unprompted.

So what is in your teenager's bookcase? Childhood favourites? Gifts from grandparents? Secondhand street library books? Is there a 'to be read' pile? Do they set their own reading goals?

For many of our teenagers, secondary school is an important time to grow their reading diet. Their brains will benefit as they move from simplistic stories onto more complex themes. For many, the jump from primary to secondary involves turning their backs on their favourite primary books to find a new genre or author to love and covet.

'Free and voluntary reading' is about taking the time to sit and focus for 20 minutes on a story with an overarching theme, characters and ideas that you might not come across in everyday life. In Daniel Goldman’s book, Focus (2013), he speaks of the importance of students developing and stretching their focus until they can read for 20-30 minutes without feeling the need to check their phones, get something to eat or look something up on their iPads.

Three things that parents can do to encourage 'free and voluntary reading' at home.

Suggest similar or appropriate books and authors to match your child’s interests.
Using your school or local library to identify age appropriate books for students to read. Share with your child your favourite books and encourage them to read them. Common Sense Media provides reviews of books from both the reader and the parent point of view.
Take the time to discuss books with your child to increase their understanding.
What did you think of the ending? What about the main character, do you feel that they got what they deserve? What about 'that plot twist'? Getting students to verbalise their reading and understanding will build their confidence. Reading the books that our children read also gives us an understanding of what they do and do not like.
Encourage your child to develop frequent reading habits.
How long it takes your child to read a whole book. Do they finish books or do they float from one to another never actually finishing a book? Do you have a technology free day on the weekend to encourage reading? Does your child see their parents reading on the weekend?

Parents and carers can access our catalogue as a guest and see what books are available for students through our Learning Resource Centre: If you click on 'Quick Lists', you can see the curated lists for the Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge that the school participates in each year. Each of these books has been read by teachers and librarians and are deemed appropriate for Years 7/8 or Years 9/10 and are clearly labeled in order for students to easily identify them.

Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge

Congratulations to Eleonora C (7 Gold) and Suzie Y (7 Purple) for completing the 15 book reading challenge.

We have a total of 553 students registered in the competition and we have verified 329 books so far. The closing date is Friday 5 September, 2025.

Project Compassion

As Term 1 came to a close, we celebrated the conclusion of another successful Project Compassion campaign at Sion. The following is an overview of the exciting conclusion:

Sold Hot Cross Buns
Held a Staff v Students Basketball game – congratulations to the staff who had a convincing win!
A Bake Sale where over 100 students baked delicious goods to be sold
Held our annual Voices for Change concert – Ava D (12 Red), our Music Captain assembled several of our talented students who entertained our College community
Our Easter raffle was drawn – congratulations to Mia A (8 Red) who won first prize and to the other 14 winners. I hope you all enjoyed your chocolate goodies
As a community, $5,296 was donated via our online donation portal. Congratulations to Lourdes who donated the most money and have been awarded 200 points towards the House Cup.

Thank you to the Sion community for your ongoing support of Project Compassion. Your generous contributions are helping to empower some of the world’s most vulnerable communities to strengthen and lift themselves out of poverty. I look forward to announcing the grand total raised at our Term 2 Assembly.

Ozanam House

We continued our support of Ozanam House with our monthly visit. Mrs Lynne Shaw accompanied two Year 11 students Samantha O (11 White) and Isabel P (11 White) who were given a tour of the facilities and then assisted with the dinner meal service.

FIRE Carrier – Dates of National Significance

Estella F, our FIRE Carrier Captain continues her exploration of significant dates of national significance for First Nation peoples.

Tuesday 15 April, Anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in custody report:

The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, finalised in 1991, made 339 recommendations aimed at addressing the disproportionate number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody. These recommendations focused on improving custody procedures, enhancing police education, and fostering better communication with Aboriginal communities. Despite some progress, the death rates remain disproportionately high, highlighting ongoing challenges and the need for continued reforms and action.

Friday 25 April First Nation involvement in ANZAC:

First Nations people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, have a long and significant history of service in the Australian Defence Force, beginning with their involvement in World War I as part of the ANZACs. Despite facing racial discrimination and exclusion from enlisting, many Indigenous men served in both World Wars and still have their contributions overlooked. An estimated 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people served with the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, with at least 70 stationed on the front lines and in the trenches at Gallipoli. Their bravery and commitment to service were instrumental, yet their contributions were largely ignored for many years. The involvement of Indigenous soldiers in both World Wars reflects their dedication to Australia despite the significant challenges they faced due to discrimination.

Wednesday 1 May 1946 Pilbara Strike anniversary

The Pilbara Strike, initiated on Wednesday 1 May 1946, stands as a pivotal event in Australia's history. Approximately 800 Aboriginal pastoral workers from 27 stations in Western Australia walked off the job, protesting against poor wages, substandard living conditions, and lack of personal freedom. This action marked the first industrial strike by Aboriginal people since colonisation and became Australia's longest strike, lasting until 1949. The strike not only challenged exploitative labor practices but also ignited a broader movement for Indigenous rights and sovereignty. Estella F (12 Purple)

Newsletter | Live a life worthy of the calling you have received

Important Dates

What's On?

From the Principal

Principal's Message

Vale Pope Francis

Welcome back

The Benefits of a Catholic Education

From the Deputy Principals

Deputy Principal Faith and Mission – Anna Gionfriddo

Anzac Day

Year 10 Retreat Day

Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching – Allison Stott

Student Progress Meetings, Student Feedback and Study Strategies

Revision for Learning Study Strategies

Semester 2 Subjects

Deputy Principal Student Wellbeing – Christine Kralj

Helping Your Child Stay Safe Online – Free Parent Webinars from the eSafety Commissioner

In Remembrance

Year Level News

Year 12 – Kathryn Steward, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Student Progress Meetings

Year 12 Rugby Tops

After School Study Sessions

Term 2 - Key Dates

Save the Date

Year 11 – Beth Amos, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Year 10 – Adam Rieusset, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Executive Functioning

Year 9 – Jennifer Tilley, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Year 8 – Chris Wilkes, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Year 7 – Jade Goss, Wellbeing and Growth Leader

Learning Area News

Drama – Catherine Bennett, Drama Teacher and Alex Bleazby, Arts Learning Leader

Art piece Collins St, 5pm, 2024

Drama Week Wrap-up

Beauty and the Beast

Mamma Mia

Commedia dell'Arte

DOHSA Synchrotron Excursion – Francis Nguyen, Science Learning Leader

DOHSA Synchrotron - Light it up!

Student reflection

Year 10 Food By Design — Kirsty White, Food Studies Teacher

Year 10 Food By Design

Co-curricular News

Music – Martin Macaulay, Head of Music

Year 7 Ensembles Open Rehearsals

Term 2 Music Soiree

Ensembles Concert Thursday 3 July 2025 – Save the Date!

Sport – Liam Cox, Head of Sport

GSV Term 1 Finals

Term 2 GSV Sport

GSV Cross Country

Stawell Gift

Run the Tan

National Diving Championships – Gold Coast

Learning Resource Centre – Margaret Lawson, Head of Library and Information Services

Free and voluntary reading

Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge

Social Justice – Lucy Miotello, Coordinator

Project Compassion

Ozanam House

FIRE Carrier – Dates of National Significance

Careers and Pathways – Brooke O'Hara, Coordinator

Parent News

Parents' Association Term 2 Meeting Invitation

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) Application Form

Important Dates

From the Principal

From the Deputy Principals

Year Level News

Learning Area News

Co-curricular News

Parent News

Important Dates

From the Principal

From the Deputy Principals

Year Level News

Learning Area News

Co-curricular News