Principal's report

VCE Academic Excellence Assembly

This week we acknowledged the wonderful academic success of the VCE class of 2023 at our annual VCE Academic Excellence Assembly. It was great to welcome back to the College a number of Year 12 students from 2023 and their parents and families, as well as to congratulate a number of current Year 12 students who achieved really pleasing outcomes in their 3-4 subjects via either a 40+ study score or as the Dux of a 3-4 subject. 

As a school, our core business is teaching and learning and therefore, to honour and celebrate academic endeavour, achievement and excellence is an important thing to do as it speaks clearly about how we value excellence as a school. As a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition, we strive to educate our students towards wisdom; we strive to provide a liberating education characterised by quality teaching and learning, critical reflection and engagement, where students – in partnership with their teachers and the support of their parents - work towards achieving their personal best academically, where their world view is informed and shaped by compassion and commitment to justice and solidarity, where the wisdom they reach and develop liberates and equips them with the skills and dispositions to challenge and question what needs to be, and to live hope-filled, meaningful and successful professional and personal lives. 

At the assembly we acknowledged and celebrated one of the important measures we apply to education – academic achievement, growth and outcomes. We remain committed to supporting every student in their academic journey. St Pat’s has incredible staff whose professional approach to their work is inspiring and unwavering. We are blessed with outstanding facilities which allow us to deliver a quality education. All of these ingredients are important and contribute to the exceptional results we acknowledged and celebrated at our celebration this week. 

At the assembly, I addressed the boys by saying: 

Education enriches us – it is the food of youth and the delight of old age. It enables or prepares us – it is the ornament of prosperity, the refuge and comfort of adversity. And education ennobles us or makes us much better and more civilised people – it is the provocation to grace in the soul. 

It is about preparing you as a whole person – body, mind, heart and soul. It is about preparing you for success in your chosen professions and careers, as well as in your personal lives and relationships. It is about developing in you a moral compass based on the teachings and example of Christ and the values illustrated and reinforced by the Gospels. 

But one key ingredient comes from every single one of you as students of St Patrick’s. And this ingredient has contributed to the incredible outcomes achieved by those who will receive awards and prizes today. That is your understanding of how important and relevant school is in your formation and preparation for life AND your willingness to engage with is constructively, diligently, enthusiastically and with a genuine sense of appreciation and thanks. Not all schools are like St Pat’s. Not all students are presented with the wonderful opportunities you are. Be conscious of this, appreciate it and make the most of every opportunity available to you, particularly when it comes to your learning and your studies.

Gentlemen, when I am asked what is the best thing about St Pat’s, I always say – it’s the students, it is their enthusiasm, their energy, their humour and positive disposition, their zest for life and the sheer joy this generates at the College! 

Remember that ‘God provides the wind; man must raise the sail’. In other words, the elements for incredible engagement, growth and achievement are all here at St Pat’s…your willingness to raise the sail, to engage with this and embrace the opportunities with enthusiasm and determination is the question and the test for every one of you.

If you aspire to great things…Begin with the little ones! 

I encourage every student to take up this challenge and to reflect on the possibilities and positive implications of doing so. I encourage you to start with the little things which will lead to the growth and achievement. 

Congratulations to all who received awards and prizes at this week’s important assembly. My thanks to the parents who supported them through their years at the College and the VCE, and of course, I acknowledge and congratulate the staff who worked tirelessly with these students from Year 7 through to Year 12 and helped them achieve these terrific outcomes. Congratulations to all!