Learning and Teaching 

End of Semester Reports

Student reports are now available for families and provide information regarding each student’s academic progress, achievement, and learning behaviours throughout the semester. These reports inform families of their child’s learning development and support an ongoing partnership between home and school. Families may access the reports via PAM using their existing login credentials. Please access this link to view the rubrics associated with the engagement and learning behaviors rubric.

Create Belonging

The last two weeks of term have seen all students move to the Headstart program and begin their 2026 academic program. The classroom and culture expectations, including routines for 2026, have been set during this time, and students were encouraged to engage positively in the learning occurring so as to set themselves up for success ahead of next year. During the program, students will receive essential information on the subjects they are enrolled in, including subject outlines, assessment schedules and holiday homework.

We were excited to welcome our 2026 Year 7 students to the school community last week. Transition Day is always a special milestone—filled with anticipation, curiosity and the energy of new beginnings. Our future Year 7s arrived with plenty of enthusiasm (and just a few understandable nerves), ready to take their first steps into the next chapter of their learning journey. We look forward to supporting them as they prepare for an exciting start to secondary school next year.

Share Success

With our VCAA exams and school-based exams now concluded, we are proud of the way all our students conducted themselves throughout these periods. As promised by the VCAA, this year's examination period proved to be smooth, and students have shared positive feedback on their experiences with their teachers. We extend our sincere gratitude to Kristine Morrison and Alison Edgar for their outstanding organisation and leadership, guiding the process with professionalism and care. We also acknowledge the dedicated team of assessors, led by Julie Bradley, and thank them for the support provided to our students during this important time. We wish our students all the best ahead of the release of VCE results on Thursday 11 December.

Our Annual Awards Evening was held on Thursday 5 December, providing an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students across both academic pursuits and broader school life. This special event recognises those who have demonstrated consistent excellence, dedication and growth throughout the year. We extend our congratulations to all award recipients and commend them for their hard work and fantastic accomplishments. A full list of recipients will be published in our School Magazine, available at the beginning of the 2026 school year.

Extra-curricular opportunities have continued to flourish over the past few weeks. Our Show Choir, led by Mr Roy Condeza, delivered an outstanding performance at the ESS Community Engagement Dinner on Thursday 14 November, and it was wonderful to receive such positive feedback from guests on the night. We also extend our thanks to Ms Rosie Davidson and Ms Julie Cannon for providing students with the opportunity to develop their debating skills, which they put into practice in a recent competition. This marks the beginning of an exciting new debating program that will continue in 2026.

Strive for Excellence

The College has been proud to celebrate the achievements of many students who have secured apprenticeships and traineeships within our community. Their dedication to their studies and proactive approach to seeking employment are truly commendable. We wish them every success as they take their next steps into the workforce.

In this newsletter, we celebrate the following alumni. Again, the College is very proud of those who have gone before us and continue to make meaningful contributions in their chosen fields. Sharing their stories allows us to recognise their achievements, highlight the diverse pathways our graduates pursue and inspire our current students to strive for their own aspirations. Our alumni remind us of the lasting impact of a Catholic College Sale's education, and we are honoured to acknowledge their ongoing success.

As we come to the end of another school year, we extend our gratitude to all our families for their support, partnership and trust. Wishing you a joyful Christmas and a Happy New Year. May this season bring plenty of peace, hope and God’s blessings. Enjoy the holiday break, and I look forward to working in partnership with our school community in 2026.

Rachael Bown 

Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching 

Alumni Profiles 

For our final alumni profile of the year, we are delighted to share the story of twins Sonia and Andrea McMillan from the Class of 1990. Sonia now lives in the United States and works in infrastructure as an Executive Vice President. Andrea is based in Melbourne and is the Vice President of Marketing at Disney.

The pair recently returned to the College for their 35-year reunion, enjoying a tour of the campus and reconnecting with their former teacher, Mr Ken Holmes. Their visit was a wonderful reminder of the strong, lasting connections formed during their time at Catholic College Sale.

Sonia McMillan

Give us a short snippet of where life has taken you since graduating from Catholic College Sale (e.g., university, work, travel).

It’s been 35 years since I graduated from Catholic College Sale—both a blink and a lifetime ago.  After completing a nursing degree in Brisbane, I went on what was supposed to be a one-year gap adventure in Italy with my twin sister. It turned into two amazing years of learning and loving everything Italian.  Back in Melbourne, I worked as a nurse in ICU and emergency and then - exactly ten years after leaving CCS—I went back to university and studied law at Monash University which I loved every minute of.  That launched me into construction and major projects law in Melbourne, and ultimately into project finance with a London-based firm – who, after 1 year in London sent me on a six-month assignment to New York City that never ended.  I am still in NYC – missing my family and all the great parts of Australia – but still loving the city and working in infrastructure.

What is your current career, what do you enjoy about it, and how did you get into this field?

My current role is still in infrastructure but not the legal side.  I am focused on investing in infrastructure in the US.  This means investing money on behalf of investors in new infrastructure (such as building new roads, bridges, solar plants, grid infrastructure, energy storage) as well as operating infrastructure (operating solar portfolios, utilities, multi-use facilities).  I love the scale and diversity of opportunities in the US market and playing a role in strengthening critical infrastructure which sits at the heart of communities. Being able to contribute to projects that improve the systems people rely on every day is rewarding.  I got into this field through my legal work advising infrastructure investors and developers which created valuable relationships, gave me industry knowledge, and the chance to step into the investment side when the right opportunities arose.

What are some of your favourite memories from your time at Catholic College Sale, or what was your favourite school tradition or event?

I loved PE—it was always my favourite subject, mostly because Mr Holmes taught it.  He had a way of making everything interesting, relatable, and somehow genuinely important to us at the time. I also loved swimming sports day and being down at the Sale pool, swimming for the blue house (though the actual name has completely escaped me!).  While I’m struggling to call out other specific moments, what really stays with me is the feeling of CCS (or Sale Catholic College as it was called when we were there). When I think back on my time at CCS, my strongest memories are warm, happy ones—being surrounded by good friends, teachers who cared, and a sense of belonging that felt safe, fun, and formative in all the right ways.

What advice would you give to your younger self back in school?

I would tell myself not to be in such a hurry to grow up and move on. To really enjoy the simplicity of life in Sale, of life as a student at CCS, and to soak up every opportunity at school—learning, sports, friendships, or other experiences.

What is one message you would like to share with today’s students and teachers at Catholic College Sale?

To the students – I would say it’s OK to improvise and not commit to a career plan too early.  Make the most of opportunities to find out what you love and what you’re good at – because that is the winning combination. 

To the teachers – I would say thank you. Thank you for continuing to be part of the CCS community and for carrying forward a legacy that is special.

Andrea McMillan 

Give us a short snippet of where life has taken you since graduating from Catholic College Sale (e.g., university, work, travel).

After graduation I headed to Melbourne Uni for an Arts degree, eventually completing Honours in English Literature. English was my favourite subject at school, and I happily spent four years buried in everything from Jane Austen to Modern American Lit, with detours through Cinema and Linguistics (the science of how language actually works—fascinating, I promise!).

Once the essays were done, I packed a backpack and set off for Europe, spending two years teaching English in Italy with my sister Sonia, where we learned to cook, ski, and speak Italian-with varying degrees of success.

Returning to Melbourne to start my “real life,” I began my career in publishing before moving to Disney, where I’ve now been for 14 years. I’m currently the VP of Marketing, overseeing the marketing of our films and our streaming platform, brand and franchise (including social media), partnerships, and events. It truly is the happiest place on earth.

These days you’ll find me in Beaumaris with my husband Marty, our two basketball-obsessed teenage boys, and our two beautiful King Charles Cavaliers—because every good story needs a couple of cute sidekicks.

What is your current career, what do you enjoy about it, and how did you get into this field?

When I returned to Melbourne after my post-uni European adventures, I ran a bookshop before breaking into publishing. My first “proper” job was at Oxford University Press—the world’s leading dictionary publisher. It wasn’t exactly what I’d imagined (I had my heart set on being a publicist at Penguin, the first job I applied for and didn’t get), but it turned out to be the best lesson in staying open to unexpected opportunities.

Oxford was extraordinary: industry-leading work, yearly visits to Oxford University, and front-row insight into quirky word facts like how new words officially make it into the dictionary. After eight wonderful years, I was ready for a complete change and moved into licensed publishing—think The Wiggles, Barbie, Disney—which was joyful, creative, and enormous fun.

I eventually joined Disney to manage their publishing business and have been fortunate to explore many corners of the company. From publishing I moved into other consumer product categories (stationery, party, arts & crafts), then into retail marketing—which was the steepest learning curve of my career, in the best possible way. From there I stepped into brand and franchise work (Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars—the dream line-up), followed by partnerships, events, and social media. The biggest shift came with the addition of studio marketing, bringing new challenges, big campaigns, and plenty of excitement.

Today I’m the VP of Marketing at Disney. It’s an industry that never stands still, and that’s exactly what I love about it—the fast pace, the cross-functional collaboration, the thrill of chasing ambitious commercial targets, and the privilege of working on some of the world’s most beloved stories and characters.

What are some of your favourite memories from your time at Catholic College Sale, or what was your favourite school tradition or event?

Weirdly enough, I was never a great swimmer (Sonia definitely held that title in our house!), but I absolutely loved House Swimming Sports. The whole day had such a fun vibe—the house spirit, the friendly competition, the chants. There was just something about the sunshine, the laughter, and the relaxed ‘day at the pool’ energy that made it one of my favourite school traditions.

I also loved being part of the Deb Ball. I’m not even sure if it’s still a thing these days, but back then it was such a highlight. People even then said it was a bit of an outdated tradition—but for us, it was just pure fun. Learning the dances, getting dressed up in a beautiful gown, and having our hair and makeup done felt like such a big, exciting moment. And honestly, at our reunion we couldn’t stop laughing about the hair and the dresses—so much cringe in hindsight! But we genuinely had the best time. It was one of those experiences that felt magical in the moment and hilarious looking back, which feels like the perfect combination.

More broadly, my favourite memories are less about specific events and more about the everyday moments—lunchtimes, the laughs in class, and the feeling of growing up together. Those simple moments ended up being the ones that stayed with me.

What advice would you give to your younger self back in school?

If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be this: it’s completely okay not to have a plan. There’s a saying I love—“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” And in many ways, that’s exactly how my life and career have unfolded. Not knowing the destination can be surprisingly freeing; it gives you the space to discover what genuinely excites you.

I’d also remind myself to follow the things you enjoy, because they have a funny way of leading you to interesting places. And once you get there, stay curious. Be open to opportunities, even the ones that don’t match your tidy, preconceived idea of what your future should look like. Some of the best twists in my career came from saying yes to things I never imagined myself doing.

Finally, I’d tell my younger self that how you go about things matters just as much as what you achieve. The way you treat people, the way you make others feel, and how you show up—especially under pressure—can shape your reputation far more than any grade or result ever will.

What is one message you would like to share with today’s students and teachers at Catholic College Sale?

Returning to Catholic College Sale after 35 years was an incredible experience. I was amazed by how much the school has grown—especially the outstanding new facilities and the impressive focus on high-performance sport. Even with all the changes, including the merging of campuses, the College still has that same welcoming, grounded feel that I remember so well. What stood out most to me were the photos of today’s students—confident, happy, and thriving.

To the students: appreciate the opportunities around you, big and small. You’re part of a community with a long, proud history and an exciting future. Enjoy your time at Catholic College Sale. You’re part of something really special, and these years go by quickly.

To the teachers and staff: it’s obvious how much care, effort, and passion you put into creating such a positive, motivating environment. As an alum, it’s inspiring to see the College continue to flourish. It was honestly a joy to come back and see the spirit of Catholic College Sale still shining so brightly.