R U OK Day: A Week of Connection, Care and Community Spirit

This year’s R U OK Day activities at Nazareth College brought a joyful and supportive atmosphere that truly highlighted the strength of our community. Thanks to the leadership of our dedicated student leaders and staff, the week was filled with meaningful moments designed to encourage conversations about mental health and wellbeing.

The week began on Tuesday morning with a warm welcome as student leaders and Leadership Teams greeted everyone at the school gates. Each student received a Chupa Chup, a smiley face sticker, and some important helpline information—a simple but powerful reminder that checking in with each other matters.

Wednesday’s focus was on creating worry beads, a calming activity that helped students manage stress and reflect on their feelings. Complementing this, hot chocolates were served, adding a comforting touch to the day.

Friday was a highlight for many, featuring slime making and mindful colouring activities that sparked creativity and relaxation. Once again, hot chocolates were enjoyed, reinforcing the sense of connection and care. The slime activity was especially popular, with students expressing how much fun it was to engage in a hands-on, sensory experience.

All activities were thoughtfully run by our student leaders, whose enthusiasm and commitment made the week memorable for everyone involved. A special thank you goes to our Wellbeing team, College Nurse Mel, Jerry Penny, Coreen Grimwood, Caitlin Mackay, the VET Cookery students for their incredible effort in baking over 1,000 cookies and our NCCA for packaging the cookies. These delicious treats were gratefully received by the entire college community and contributed greatly to the warm and joyful atmosphere throughout the week.

R U OK Day /Week reminded us all of the importance of supporting one another and keeping the conversation going. The positive spirit fostered by these activities reflects our school’s ongoing commitment to wellbeing and connection.

Thank you to everyone who made this week such a success!

Ms Gill Coyle

Head of House - Chisholm

Centre Of Italian Studies (CIS) Junior Italian Poetry Competition - 2026

On Wednesday, 2 September, 43 students of Italian in Years 7 and 8 participated in the annual Centre of Italian Studies (CIS) Junior Italian Poetry Competition. Each student chose a poem from a prescribed list and was tasked with memorising their poem. On the day, students presented with wonderful pronunciation and expression, with the CIS judge, Chiara, saying that she was very impressed with the standard of spoken Italian amongst our youngest students.

A few participants shared their experiences of the day. We are very proud of the efforts of all students, and look forward to another exciting competition in 2027.

I took part in an Italian poetry competition where we had to memorise a poem and perform it. It was a fun challenge and a great way to practise our Italian and get more confident speaking it. It was a great experience, and I enjoyed being part of the competition.

-Zachariah Barker, Year 8 student

Italian poetry was a great opportunity to become more fluent and confident in Italian. It was fun to put myself out there and challenge myself to remember the whole thing! I will definitely be doing it again next year.

-Victoria Odwazny, Year 8 student

For the last two years I have been participating in the Italian poetry competition. It is a great opportunity for me to improve on my pronunciation and fluency in Italian. Even though I wasn’t the best at it, it opened up my vocabulary and my confidence to expand in the language.

-Maliyah Santiapillai, Year 8 student

Ms Joanna Marletta

Teacher

Nazareth Volleyball Shines Across the 2026 Schools Cup Series 🏐

The 2026 Volleyball Victoria Schools Cup series was another significant chapter in the continued growth of the Nazareth College Volleyball Program, with an incredible 140 students representing the College across 15 teams.

Students from Years 7 through to 12 took to the courts across the three Schools Cup events, competing in Honours, Division 1 and Division 2 competitions.

Across the series, Nazareth recorded some outstanding results, led by two runner-up finishes. The Year 9 Boys Division 2 team produced an excellent tournament to finish 2nd, while the Year 11 Girls Division 2 team matched that achievement with another 2nd-place finish.

Our senior students also produced a strong result, with the Year 12 Boys Division 1 team finishing 4th, narrowly missing a podium finish after finishing top of their pool.

Importantly, Nazareth also had teams competing in Honours at both Year 8 and Year 10 level, providing our students with valuable exposure to the highest level of Schools Cup competition.

2026 Schools Cup Results

Team	Division	Final Placing
Year 7 Boys	Division 1	9th
Year 7 Girls	Division 1	7th
Year 7 Girls	Division 2	9th
Year 8 Boys	Division 2	8th
Year 8 Boys	Honours	7th
Year 8 Girls	Division 1	9th
Year 8 Girls	Division 2	9th
Year 9 Boys🥈	Division 2	2nd
Year 9 Girls	Division 1	7th
Year 10 Boys	Division 2	6th
Year 10 Boys	Honours	10th
Year 10 Girls	Division 1	6th
Year 11 Girls🥈	Division 2	2nd
Year 12 Boys 🏅	Division 1	4th
Year 12 Boys	Division 2	10th

140 Students, 15 Teams, One Program

While the results provide plenty to celebrate, perhaps the most significant achievement of the Schools Cup series was the sheer number of students who had the opportunity to represent Nazareth.

140 students competed across 15 teams, with representation at every year level from Year 7 to Year 12.

That participation demonstrates the growing depth of volleyball at the College. Students can enter the program, develop their skills and understanding of the game, and continue progressing towards Division 1 and Honours competition as they move through the College.

For our younger students, Schools Cup provides an opportunity to gain valuable tournament experience and begin building connections with their teammates. For our senior athletes, it provides the opportunity to test themselves at increasingly competitive levels and represent Nazareth after several years within the program.

More Than Volleyball

Schools Cup is also about much more than what happens on the scoreboard.

Across the tournaments, our students were challenged to communicate, work together, respond to setbacks and compete for one another. Tournament volleyball allows for plenty of highs and lows, and seeing students continue to support their teammates and represent Nazareth throughout those moments is an important part of the experience.

Delivering opportunities for 140 students also requires a significant community effort.

A sincere thank you goes to our coaches and staff for the time, energy and commitment they continue to give to the program, and to our families for supporting our students and making these opportunities possible.

With participation continuing to grow and students now competing from Division 2 through to Honours, there is plenty to be excited about as the Nazareth Volleyball Program continues to develop.

Mr Josh Cowan

Head of House - MacKillop

Year 10 Outdoor Education – Cathedral Ranges Camp

Last week, our Year 10 Outdoor Education students headed to the beautiful Cathedral Ranges for an action packed, three day camp. Despite some wet weather, the students embraced the conditions and made the most of every opportunity, exploring the impressive Wells Cave before taking on the Razorback Track high in the Cathedral Ranges on day two.

Across the three days, students put the skills they have developed in class into practice, including navigation, teamwork, cooking and outdoor living skills. It was fantastic to see students supporting one another, working together to overcome challenges and stepping outside their comfort zones. The camp was a great opportunity for students to build confidence, strengthen friendships and experience firsthand the challenges and rewards of learning in the outdoors.

Ms Taylor Rogan

Teacher

Japanese Speech Contest

On Friday, September 4, two Year 7 students participated in the Japanese Speech Contest organised by the Frankston Susono Friendship Association. The students introduced themselves in Japanese and then recited the famous story of Hachiko, an Akita dog who waited for his owner to return every day for almost 10 years in front of Shibuya Station.

The judging criteria included accurate pronunciation, clear and fluent delivery, and appropriate eye contact. The students rehearsed diligently over the past month to build their confidence.

The results were impressive. Both students successfully delivered every part of their presentations in front of the audience and judges. Congratulations, or おめでとうございます, to Jayden Nguyen-Lim and Olivia Wang for embracing this challenge! This experience not only enhanced their Japanese language skills but also boosted their confidence in public speaking.

It was also a great opportunity for the students to observe how Japanese language skills can be further developed at the senior level and to see what they can aspire to in the future.

A special thank you to the parents who escorted the students to the venue and provided support throughout the event.

The contest has entry levels across the secondary section, so please contact your Japanese teacher if you are keen to participate next year!

Ms Yukari Nibun

Teacher

🏃‍♀️ SIS Division B Athletics Carnival

What a fantastic day for Nazareth Sport at the SIS Division B Athletics Carnival at Casey Fields!

A huge 93 Nazareth students took to the track and field, competing across a range of events and giving their best against some strong competition. There were plenty of standout performances, with many of our students earning place ribbons and proudly representing the College.

A special congratulations goes to our Under 15 Girls, who put together an outstanding performance to win the U15 Girls Pennant! 🏆 A fantastic achievement and one they should be extremely proud of.

A special mention also goes to our Year 12 students, Charlie, Eden and Billie, who came along and participated in their last school carnival. Thank you for your commitment and contribution to Nazareth Sport, and congratulations on reaching this milestone.

As a College, Nazareth finished 4th overall, which is a terrific result and reflects the effort, determination and teamwork shown throughout the day.

While the results were certainly worth celebrating, what stood out just as much was the way our students conducted themselves. They supported one another, encouraged their teammates, competed with great spirit and represented themselves and Nazareth College with pride.

To all of our students who were involved — congratulations! Whether you came home with a ribbon, set a personal best, cheered from the side lines or simply gave your best effort, you should be incredibly proud of your contribution.

💥Well done, Nazareth!

Mr Brendan Newcomb

Sports Coordinator & Teacher

Health & PE Week 🍎

HPE Week ran this year in the week beginning Monday 31 August to Friday 4 September.

Monday saw fresh fruit offered to students and many took up the bananas, apples and mandarins.

Wednesday is Activities Day and once again students took on the challenge of the WILD ONE obstacle course and the Rock Climbing Wall.

🤾🏻‍♀️Thursday saw the Yr 12s take on the Staff in the Annual Dodgeball Match, and in my absence I was told it was a very tight battle for the glory of Champions. In the end it was called a draw…

All in all it was a great week celebrating Health and Physical Education and a big shout out to all the HPE Staff who helped out during the week and do an awesome job all year round!

Mr Andrew Moore

Instructional Leader Health & Physical Education

VCE Visual Communication Design (Unit 2)

As a part of their second Outcome for Unit 2 in VCE Visual Communication Design, students explored the Messages Field of Design Practice and were challenged to look internally to develop a logo and icon that represented who they are.

As part of this journey, they learnt about the ethical and legal obligations of designers, as well as how designers have consulted with Indigenous Australian communities to create design solutions that incorporate their cultures and practices. Please take a look below at the culturally representative logos (and variations) that the students have designed that represents who they are.

Mr Rosario Ripper

Instructional Leader Visual Arts

♟️SIS Chess Champions!

Mr Peter Venmani Louis

Instructional Leader Mathematics

Manga Art Competition Winners

Congratulations to Olive Chen (Mannix 2), Zelika Tuni (MacKillop 1) and Aria Nguyen (McCormack 6) for winning this year's Manga Art competition!

While there was some tough competition, these artists displayed particular technical skill and creativity that wowed the judges.

And a special mention must go to Tiana Tsolakis, Zoe Casequin, Alana Hoang, Ayla Ocal, Harold Sam, Rachel Browne, Arianna Klapsos, Gus Palamara, Quinn Cozis and Agatha Tandi for their exceptional submissions, they made judging very difficult!

Please come support these talented artists and check out their works in the Resource Centre!

Ms Carly Diep

Library