Across Campus

McAuley Resource Centre

Book Week Adventures Come to Life!

What an incredible week it has been in our school library!  This year's Book Week celebration, themed "Book an Adventure”, has truly lived up to its name, taking our students on literary journeys far beyond the classroom walls.

A Week Full of Literary Adventures

Our library has been buzzing with excitement as students from all year levels embraced the spirit of adventure through books.  The enthusiasm has been contagious, with students eagerly participating in a variety of engaging activities designed to celebrate the joy of reading and the endless possibilities that books offer.

Highlights from Our Adventure-Packed Week

Daily Mentor Group Quiz Challenge - Each morning brought a new literary puzzle to solve! Students gathered in their mentor groups to tackle thought-provoking questions about famous adventures and beloved characters.  The competitive spirit was high, with Mentor Groups working together to unlock literary mysteries and showcase their bookish knowledge.

Library Scavenger Hunt - Armed with clues and detective skills, students embarked on treasure hunts throughout our library space.  From finding specific genres to locating particular authors, this activity had everyone exploring corners of the library they may never have discovered before.  It was wonderful to see students helping each other and sharing their favourite discoveries along the way.

Haiku Poetry Competition - Students channelled their inner poets, creating beautiful three-line verses inspired by their favourite adventure stories.  The creativity on display has been remarkable, with haikus ranging from epic fantasy quests to everyday adventures found in contemporary fiction. 

Bookmark Making Station - Students designed personalized bookmarks featuring adventure themes, favourite quotes, and original artwork. These handmade treasures will serve as perfect companions for future reading adventures and wonderful reminders of our special week.

Book Collage Creations - Using old magazines, book covers, and their imagination, students created stunning visual representations of adventure stories.  These collaborative artworks now decorate our library walls, creating an inspiring gallery that celebrates the visual power of storytelling.

The Adventure Continues

As Book Week draws to a close, the adventure spirit lives on in our library.  We've witnessed students discovering new genres, making reading connections with peers, and developing a deeper appreciation for the transformative power of books.  

Remember, every day is an opportunity to “Book an Adventure”.  Whether you're seeking fantasy realms, historical expeditions, scientific discoveries or contemporary journeys, your library team is here to help you find your next great read.  

Keep exploring, keep reading, and keep adventuring!

Ms Cathy Bennett

Learning Leader – McAuley Resource Centre

Calligraphy 

On Monday, the Shodo Super Kids (SSK) came to Academy to demonstrate the art of Japanese calligraphy to the teachers and students of Academy, particularly the Year 8, 10 and 11 Japanese classes. 

Our Year 10 class was very fortunate to experience this so we could improve our kanji by learning the proper way to write Japanese characters using specific brushes.  First we learnt about the equipment shodo requires and had the opportunity to craft our own ink, and then we learnt three key strokes that would be the basis of the characters we were about to write. 

The Shodo Super Kids taught us about different kanji in relation to our Mental Health Week and each student chose a very specific kanji combination that would end up being our final masterpiece. 

In short, we learnt about different techniques in developing our Japanese script and really enjoyed the experience.

- Mailys Nguyen & Callie Axalan

UN Model in French

On Monday, 28 July the Year 12 French class and Daphne, the French exchange student, went on an excursion to the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership to do a UN Model in the French language on the pivotal topic of AI and human rights.  Through this experience, we were not only able to enhance our French skills but also public speaking whilst learning about the way that the UN works. 

The Academy had two teams of three people each, representing the countries Canada and Rwanda.  The day began with a position statement from each of the 30 countries, followed by a debate on specific clauses of the draft resolution before a final vote. 

“What I especially liked about the day was learning about the UN and being able to meet other VCE French students talking in French about problems that truly impact our world” 

- Charlotte Berryman  

“It was really interesting to research about Rwanda, a new country that I didn’t know much about and the way that AI is being used in developing countries” 

- Elise Dabbs

"It was an enriching experience that allowed us to explore the complex intersection between artificial intelligence and human rights within a global context.  Additionally, it provided valuable opportunities to enhance our French language skills and build greater confidence in debating alongside representatives from 24 other countries."

- Montana Lattouf 

Bienvenue

We are delighted to welcome Daphnée Hautière-Rey to the Academy school community as part of a reciprocal French exchange program coordinated by AFX Student Exchange.

Daphnée has been staying with Eloise Robinson’s family and will be experiencing school life in Australia for six weeks.  Earlier this year, Academy student Eloise Robinson travelled to France during the summer holidays to take part in the same exchange, where she attended school and lived with Daphnée’s family.

This program provides both students with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a new culture, strengthen their language skills and form lasting international friendships.

We look forward to supporting Daphnée as she settles in and enjoys her time at the Academy.

Ms Natalie Dickson

Languages Learning Leader

Dante Alighieri 

Congratulations to our students who took out prizes in the 2025 Dante Alighieri Poetry Recitation Competition and who will have their prizes awarded to them Saturday, 11 October at Co As It, 189 Faraday Street, Carlton. See below for the wonderful praise our students received.

“ Dear Elena,

Congratulations again to you and your students, Romy Peuser Year 9 2nd Prize, Isabelle Naidoo Year 9 3rd Prize, Zoe Dafnias Year 11 2nd Prize, for their prize-winning performances in the 2025 Dante Alighieri Society of Melbourne’s Poetry Recitation Competition.  We are delighted to invite you to the Presentation Ceremony to celebrate your school’s Prize Winners in the 2025 Dante Alighieri Poetry Recitation Competition. The ceremony will be held during the ‘Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo’. 

“The Academy of Mary Immaculate school community is very proud of our students' outstanding achievements at taking home three top prizes from a competition that had over 2000 competitors. Un ottimo lavoro ragazze!" - Professoressa Camera

Our finalists L-R: Romy Peuser - Year 9, 2nd Prize; Isabelle Naidoo Year 9, 3rd Prize; Zoe Dafnias - Year 11, 2nd Prize

Our finalists L-R: Romy Peuser,  Isabelle Naidoo, Zoe Dafnias & Serena Barbaro Year 12 Special Mention                

Ms Elena Camera

Teacher