Term 2 Report

Wellbeing

The beginning of term 2 has been huge for the Wellbeing portfolio. We started off with the annual athletics carnival held on Friday 4 May. Even with some rain this did not deter many students from putting in a great effort and participating for their house. With the help of staff and students the day was a big success! It was great to see all our House Captains step up and encourage a large amount of House spirit and all the Year 12 students that dressed up and competed and supported everyone on the day. Congratulations to Cameron House who took out the House cup. Coming up for the rest of the term in the Wellbeing portfolio includes SCSA athletics, Basketball, Cross Country, Hockey, Aerobics competitions and AFL training this term. The Wellbeing team also has plans for a Year 7 netball competition, staff vs Year 12 netball competition and hopefully many more fun activities involving Houses and different year levels.

Academic

To start off term 2, the Academic portfolio has commenced a riddle competition. Riddles are beneficial puzzles that requires deep thinking and they enhance cognitive functions such as memory. That is why the Academic portfolio has decided to have a riddle competition between pastoral classes every Monday morning over the course of the next six weeks. Not only will this also encourage teamwork between pastoral classes to ensure they submit the answer fast enough but the winning pastoral group will also be awarded a delicious prize.

Tutoring Tuesday is happening on a weekly basis and allows VCE students to mentor and guide the junior students in their preferred area of study. Homework Club allows students to study efficiently in the Learning Resource Centre after school until 4.30pm every day and catch up on their homework.

There are many upcoming challenges and opportunities for students to test their capabilities with many academic challenges. Stay tuned for further developments and competitions.

By Niroshi R. Dikmadugodage - Academic Captain.

Arts

The beginning of Term 2 brings a full schedule for the Arts Team. This term the school musical Seussical was performed on the 11 and 12 May. More than 70 students participated by performing onstage or helping out backstage. The Friday and Saturday evening shows were sold out, which was amazing. The cast would like to say a massive thank you to all the help from the teachers. From playing in the band or to supervising our lunchtime rehearsals, we appreciate every minute of your time. As the Seussical whirlwind comes to a close, the Arts portfolio are going to be working on MSJ’S GOT TALENT. Every year we ask students of all talents to get up on stage and show us their skills. It is a great event that we as a team are really excited to coordinate. We are all looking forward to seeing what MSJ has to offer this year.

By Hannah Clarke - Arts Captain

Ministry

It is been a busy beginning of term 2 for the Ministry portfolio with 'Paschal Way of Light' taking place in week 2. We would like to thank everyone who was involved as it was a really special day. This term, we have also been working on a recycling video that will be shown at the next school assembly in hopes to promote proper recycling at MSJ. On the 24 May, MSJ will be having its first interfaith dialogue involving a panel of students from different faith backgrounds. Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions. We believe that an interfaith dialogue would be invaluable to the MSJ community as it would start a conversation about the importance of overcoming differences as well as personal prejudices, and being able to recognise the dignity in each and every human person.

Social Justice

Term 2 is an exciting time the social justice team. After MSJ’s amazing effort to raise over $5,000 for Project Compassion at the end of term one, we are looking forward to more fundraising and awareness events this term. To kick off the term, we will be celebrating Autism Awareness with lots of fun activities. A big thanks to all the students who put their wonderful ideas, we look forward to celebrating this day with you!

Next week we will also celebrating International Acceptance Day on May 17. This is a day to promote the dignity of all members in the MSJ community as we remember to ‘come as we are’. Students are invited to wear a small rainbow accessory or their coloured house polo on May 17 to show their support . Pack a picnic lunch and organise some food to share with friends, there will be live music on the oval, so come along to sing, dance, eat and celebrate acceptance!

Later this term, the MSJ community will also commemorate Reconciliation Week. There will be a range of activities running between May 28 - June 1, so stay tuned to see how you can get involved and better understand the issues faced by Australia’s communities and how we can contribute to the process of reconciliation.

By Olivia Mallia - Social Justice Leader

House Captain Reports

Cameron

May 4 was our annual Interhouse Athletics Carnival at the Newport Track. Despite the constantly changing and extremely cold weather, the day was a huge success with an incredible amount of students participating. Whether it was in track and field events, novelty events or the Solidarity Walk, lots of students gave it a go and had a lot of fun. This day wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work from Sue Sofarnos, so thank you Sue! I am very proud to announce that Cameron placed first overall, followed by McCormack, Penola, Providence, Solomon and Kincumber. Congratulations to the overall year level winners and well done to all the Cameron students who did me proud once again.

By Isabella Morlin - Cameron Wellbeing Captain

Kincumber

Our house competed in the annual Athletics Day Carnival. Although a day with constantly changing and not so pleasant weather conditions, everyone worked so well to get involved and really show their House spirit on the day. Even though Kincumber did not win, we still showed the most house spirit! Throughout the day, Mary and I saw many people commencing our House chant by themselves without the push from us to cheer. We would like to say a big thank you to all the students and staff involved in the setup and pack up on the day, but a specific and massive thank you to Sue Sofarnos for her amazing help in organising us, the house captains and the actual athletics day itself. I think it ran amazingly well and overall it was a great day, not only for increasing house spirit, but also increasing school spirit. Well done to everyone who competed, thank you for making the day so fulfilling and good luck to those competing in SCSA this week

By Zoe Unsworth - Kincumber Wellbeing Captain

McCormack

McCormack is having a great second term with three enthusiastic senior captains and two eager junior captains on board, ready for a great year ahead. We had a good start to the term with the whole McCormack house trying very hard at the House Athletics day on Friday 4 May. The day took place at Newport Athletics Track and although the weather was not great at times, everyone had a good day whether they were competing or supporting each other in events. McCormack came and we are all very proud of our house and their efforts on the day.

By Kaitlyn McIntyre - McCormack Wellbeing Leader

Penola

At the annual Inter-house Athletics Carnival held at Newport Athletics Track many eager competitors from Penola put up an excellent fight finishing in 3rd place. Well done to all who participated in track and field events, novelty events and the solidarity walk earning points towards out house tally. Congratulations to Penola’s Comfort Kennedy Year 12 for being the overall winner for the year level as well as Madison Kapulica Year 8 medalist. It was a great achievement from the house as a whole and hopefully MSJ can continue into SCSA Athletics with the same determination. A massive thank you to Sue Sofarnos for making these exciting and fun days possible.

By Laura Hegarty - Penola Wellbeing Captain

Providence

Providence had an awesome House Athletics day. Providence finished 4th this year. The weather held in for most the day with only a few showers during competitions. All the competitors fought against the wind and their opponents to fight for the win. Overall it was a very good day with track and field events as well as novelty events and the solidarity walk that was a big hit again. A big congratulations to all the competitors and a big thanks to all the staff involved that made the day run as smoothly as possible. And an extra thanks especially Sue Sofarnos and all her work. We all can’t wait to see how MSJ will go in the SCSA athletics on the 11 May.

By Naomi Parker - Providence Wellbeing Captain

Solomon

The House Athletics Day was filled with lots of excitement, House spirit and competitive rivalry, with every Solomon competitor being in it to win it! As they stepped up the the starting lines, the shot put, the long jump or whatever event it may have been, the Solomon students were ready to give it their all. The year 12 students also enjoyed themselves as they raced in their costumes, with everything from Kath and Kim to the cast of Toy Story making their way around the track! A huge congratulations to the students in Cameron house for taking home the trophy! And finally, a massive thank you to Sue Sofarnos for all your hard work, the day wouldn’t have been possible without you.

By Kiara Weerasekera - Solomon Wellbeing Captain

From the Principal