From the Executive
We are now three weeks into the school year and the ‘machine’ is certainly up and running. We have welcomed our new students, families and staff, school photos have been taken, the athletics sports run and won, even if the inclement weather nearly transformed them into swimming sports, and the outdoor ed program is in full swing.
However, much was done over our summer break to ensure that the school year could begin smoothly. Our art rooms have been upgraded and modernised. The renovated areas allow for the possibility of greater collaboration and give our young men larger surfaces and more space so that their artistic abilities can flow effectively. Our maintenance team of Marc Johnson, Michael Morrissey and Vincenzo Morabito gutted the areas, created the formwork for dividing walls, and oversaw the work of the contractors who laid new flooring, plastered the walls, and completed the electrical work that was required.
While completing this work the team also supervised the completion of stage two of our Main Building renovation. This had been tendered to the Lloyds Building Group. Stage two began with enlarging the Health Centre, transforming it into the fantastic care facility seen below.
Health Centre
Penola Centre
Stage two has also seen the creation of a contemporary learning and teaching space for our Learning Diversity Team.
The students at Mazenod deserve the best, and this space — which has been christened the Penola Centre, in honour of Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint and champion of education — is spacious, bright and allows for greater individual and group support.
There is also a new toilet block in addition to these spaces.
Prior to Christmas, the Year 8 area was decanted, and our Year 8 cohort have been moved to a variety of locations that were available within the College. In March we hope to commence Stage 3 of our Building Program. When complete, the Year 8 rooms will have built-in lockers, all powered so that students can charge their laptops during breaks, dividing walls that allow teachers to create larger spaces that facilitate group work, and significantly improved audio-visual capabilities. We need to thank the PE and Sport departments that have lost areas that are vital in their sports’ organisation and who have had to source more external venues to assist with the running of activities. The Old Collegians Cricket club also needs to be recognised as, for the second year in a row they have not had access to the Cricket club rooms on the pavilion. This area has become a temporary staff room for our science team and allows the faculty to work and plan together.
Though building programs create noise, dust and inconvenience, the final product is always satisfying, particularly when the recipient of the project is that of our students. In future newsletters we will update you on the progress of the renovation program. Enjoy the remaining weeks of summer, please join us for our Inaugural mass which will be held at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday 24th February. If you require transport, you can book a seat on buses that have been chartered to leave from Monash University from 6.10pm onwards. (To assist with numbers please respond to the email and flyer that was sent to all families before Monday 20th February.)
Remember if there is anything that the College can do for you, please just ask.
Mr Tony Rolfe
Deputy Principal (Operations & Compliance)
MazCom Feedback and Assessment
The academic year has started strongly, and many teachers have started providing rich feedback to students. This presents a perfect opportunity for me to reach out and invite you to check MazCom for grades and feedback.
Please watch the short video below explaining how to access teacher feedback beyond the grades, including how to see quiz data and essay annotations. Teachers make this feedback available to parents, empowering families to have constructive conversations about learning and improvement.
Tutoring
We get many inquiries about tutoring at the College, and it is important to distinguish between two programs on offer:
Old Boy Tutoring
Past high-achieving Mazenod students come to the College after school and tutor either individuals or small groups of students. There is a cost for this and payment is made directly to the past student
Families wishing to access such a tutor should contact Ms Arlette Pat at apat@mazenod.vic.edu.au stating the year level of your son and the subject/s with which he needs assistance. We make every effort to find an appropriate student with availability.
Government Tutoring Initiative
The State Government has extended the tutoring scheme to a third year, and this targets students identified as at risk of falling behind age peers. This year, this tutoring will largely be delivered in class, with limited small group work after school. This is by invitation only rather than an opt-in program.
Thank you for your continued support of our teachers, our charism, and our College.
Dr Matthew Fyfield
Deputy Principal (Learning & Teaching)