From our Principal

Our Commitment to Action: Catholic Identity and Mission

We activate identity and mission through Catholic Social Teaching and affirming the dignity and inclusion of all.

Water from the Rock #32

Wherever the followers of Marcellin are present, working together in mission, this “family spirit” is the Marist way of communal living. Its well-spring is the love that Jesus has for all his brothers and sisters – all of humanity. Through this spirit we offer an experience of belonging and union in mission. (Water from the Rock #32)

In the footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat, Marists in mission, in the Church and in the world, present among children and young people, especially those least favoured, we are sowers of the Good News with a distinctive Marist style in our educational ministries.

Being Respectful, Responsible and Safe

This term, we have continued our focus on respect for self, for learning and for community. The College Expectations provide a framework to enable a positive learning culture at Marist-Sion College.

I am concerned about reports in the media, and indeed in this article, citing violent and abusive behaviour in schools. While violent incidents often make headlines, it is comparatively low-level disruption and disengagement taking up the most time for teachers away from the work of educating students. 

Our committed staff are working to deliver engaging learning opportunities for students. This is supported by a broad range of extra-curricular opportunities that connect students to areas of interest and passion. We are committed to providing a safe and predictable learning environment and with your support our students are benefitting from this focus.

Election of our 2025 College Captains, Vice Captains, and Student Executive Leadership Team

On the last day of term, we elected our College Captains and Vice Captains for 2025. Each of these leaders spoken with passion about their hopes and dreams for our awesome community.

We were thrilled to congratulate Joshua Bradley and Mandy Yako, who have been elected as College Captains for 2025! Their courage, generosity, and leadership shone throughout the selection process.

We were also pleased to announce Angus Dunsmuir and Illana Massaro as our new Vice Captains. Again, their commitment and character stood out, and we’re excited to see what they will achieve in their roles.

A special thanks to all twelve applicants for their passion and dedication. We look forward to supporting our new leaders and seeing them inspire the Marist-Sion College community in the year ahead!

Girls in Blue Program

On Tuesday 17 September, girls from secondary schools across Baw Baw and Latrobe participated in the Girls in Blue program—a fantastic one-day event for Year 9 to 12 students interested in exploring a career in the Police Force.

Mandy (Year 11 – Champagnat House), Sahara (Year 10 – Loreto House), and Brooke (Year 11 – Jericho House) had the amazing opportunity to tour the Warragul Police Station and hear directly from current Victoria Police officers about career pathways and what it's like to serve in the force.

Theresa Sloan – Outstanding Contribution to Marist Education

The Outstanding Contribution to Marist Education Award recognises staff who have made a significant contribution to Marist education beyond the ordinary. Such significance would be evident through the personifying of a characteristically Marist approach to ministry over a long period, service above and beyond what would be expected, and/or a major contribution to a particular Marist project or initiative. The Award recognises staff who evidence a spiritual identification with the deep purposes of Marist education.

Theresa Sloan (Learning Adjustment Assistant) plays a vital role in supporting students with diverse learning needs at Marist-Sion College.

Theresa plays a vital role in supporting students with diverse learning needs. She embodies the Marist Way by ensuring our most vulnerable learners are known and loved, treating the students as members of a loving family. Theresa advocates for the inclusion of students with diverse needs and she is valued for her compassion and kindness. Theresa speaks to the beauty that is present in our Marist-Sion College community. She celebrates the goodness contained in the human heart of our students and sees what God is doing there.

Theresa’s expertise in navigating complex processes is invaluable. She maintains strong professional relationships with colleagues and representatives, fostering a collaborative approach to both data collection and student support. Though knowledgeable, she remains humble and open to learning. Theresa’s dedication and commitment have left an enduring mark on Marist Sion College, and we are deeply grateful for the fingerprints of her service. Theresa’s generous heart and gentle presence is an expression of discipleship and that’s why we love you, Theresa. Congratulations!

Mass is Celebrated Every Friday at 8.10am

Mass is celebrated in the College Chapel every Friday at 8.10. The Mass goes for 20 minutes and provides space for prayer and reflection. All community members are welcome to attend this Mass.

50 Years – Marist-Sion Alumni Project

This project aims to identify and celebrate significant contributions Marist-Sion College educated women and men have made to our community over the past 50 years, echoing the dream of Saint Marcellin Champagnat for Marist education, “to form good Christians and good citizens” and Father Theodore Ratisbonne’s intention for Sion education, “You must have hearts bigger than the world; it is the fire of love that expands the heart.”

Dates are now confirmed for a series of events in 2025 to celebrate our golden jubilee.

We hope to create an Anthology of Outstanding Marist-Sion Alumni. The Anthology is a way of recognising those alumni who have made a significant and outstanding contribution to Australian life. Many ex-students who have gone on to become highly productive, influential, and honourable citizens of this country. The intent of the Marist-Sion Alumni Project is to capture some of those who have truly made their mark on society.

A Project Team has been formed to gather and collate alumni information and ultimately produce a tangible historical product not just for the golden anniversary but for the continued future of Marist-Sion’s presence in our region.

Our Commitment to Action: Learning and Teaching

We build expert teachers, adaptive teaching teams and collaborative expertise.

VCE Exam Audit – Congratulations

On Monday, our Year 12 and Year 11 Accelerated students sat their Unit 3/4 Trial Exams.

Students completed an exam for each subject they study in a setting that models the end of year VCE exams, including venue setup, conditions, and external invigilators. Students studying Unit 3/4 subjects engaged with these valuable opportunities to test their knowledge well.

Ciele Towb (Year 10 – Loreto House)

Ciele Towb (Year 10 – Loreto House) has published a piece of writing ‘What’s on in Willow Grove’ in the ‘Traf District News’. Mrs Kelly Mills kindly passed it on with Ciele's permission. It has a great message about inclusion, mental health and wellbeing.

Maths Week

Various activities and events are underway as we celebrate Maths Week across the College. Parents and guargians may like to explore some of these websites to provide Maths enrichment for their children.

• NRICH maths: NRICH is a mathematics resource for children, parents and teachers to enrich learning.
   
• Mangahigh: Mangahigh.com is a game-based learning platform for primary and secondary school mathematics. It is one of the world’s first Game-Based Learning sites, where students learn Mathematics via purpose-built casual games that balance fun and learning.
   
• MathIsFun: Website offering mathematics in an enjoyable and easy-to-learn manner to promote the fun aspect of mathematics – for primary aged children.

Japan Club

Our keen Japanese devotees we will be watching a Japanese gameshow in Japan Club this week! This show depicts a rivalry between two competing groups; one is a popular boyband whilst the other is a group of actors from a teen drama. Their aim is to get as many points as they can for their team by participating in different activities such as bowling, tongue twisters, frisby and much more!

Soirée – VCE Unit 3 and 4 and VET Showcase Evening

Our VCE Unit 3 and 4 and VET Showcase Evening is being held on Thursday night. For our VM, VCE Unit 3 and 4 students, participation in these learning areas has been transformative – helping them feel successful and empowered whilst navigating a changing and dynamic landscape. I am in awe of the creativity of our Marist-Sion College students.

AI Generated Text

A recent study by Tyton Partners found young people are using generative AI tools in greater numbers than teachers, with 59% reporting being regular users of this technology, compared to 40% of educators and administrators. As Australian schools struggle to keep pace with the dizzying speed at which AI technology is advancing, a separate report, released in early 2023 by Turnitin, found that from more than 200 million academic papers published, more than 22 million papers have at least 20% AI writing present, while more than six million papers have at least 80% AI writing present. To combat this, Turnitin launched an AI paraphrasing detection feature which identifies instances where AI paraphrasing may have been used to modify AI-generated text. We are also using these technologies at Marist-Sion College. Parents and guardians are encouraged to read this Educator Online article to find out more.

Our Commitment to Action: Leadership

We are impactful leaders, building capacity and driving school improvement.

Positions of Leadership Confirmed and Induction Planning is Underway

All but two of our Positions of Leadership for 2025 have been appointed.

Teaching Excellence Award

The College will present a Teaching Excellence Award at Presentation Evening this year.

The Award recognises a teacher from the College whose classroom practice has purposefully enacted each element of the strategic plan and significantly influenced student achievement. Mr Chris Senini has recently returned from a Marist Formation Experience Ecology of the Heart as last year’s awardee.

Our Commitment to Action: Child Safety

We commit to sustaining and improving our child safe practices and culture.

Year 12 Gratitude Mass and Thanksgiving Celebration

On Tuesday, we will farewell our Year 12s at the Year 12 Gratitude Mass and Thanksgiving Celebration. The Year 12s have impacted on us in ways they may never truly understand. Through the warmth of a simple smile or greeting, an act of kindness or a gesture of appreciation, their impression will remain with us.

In their final year, led magnificently by College Captains Zizi Pozzebon and Bailey Rainford, our Year 12 students have become the confident and talented young men and women.

May our Year 12 students stay close to their faith, stay close to their families and surround themselves with great friends. We eagerly anticipate witnessing the remarkable accomplishments of these young people in the future.

Child Safety Champions

Our Child Safety Champions are available to answer any questions that you may have with respect to our Child Protection and Safety Policy and the Child Protection Program.

Child Safety Champions are selected based on a number of considerations, namely:

• their personal attitudes, experiences and beliefs, for example, a person who is non-judgmental, calm, resilient and demonstrates a high degree of integrity and respect for confidentiality;
• their role within the College, for example, a person who has seniority and experience working with complex student and family issues at the College and someone who is readily accessible and available to all members of the College community; and
• their personal profile within the College, for example, a person who is approachable, who students and staff trust and who is willing and able to respond to issues personally and sensitively.

Our Child Safety Champions:

• Ms Lisa Harkin – Principal
• Mrs Jacinta Johnston – Deputy Principal – Catholic Identity and Mission
• Mr Tim Morrison – Deputy Principal – Student Learning Culture and Growth
• Mr Daniel Nisbet –  Deputy Principal – Wellbeing Partnerships and Safety
• Mrs Joanna John – Director of Counselling – Psychologist

Accessing Support through the College

The College has a support network for all students to assist in managing their mental health and wellbeing. Students are encouraged to seek wellbeing support from the Counselling and Wellbeing Services Team. Mrs Joanna John (Director of Counselling – Psychologist) and a team of counsellors are available five days a week to meet with students and families.

Additional support is available by contacting Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, Parentline Victoria on 13 22 89 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. We encourage any student who feels unsafe to confide in a trusted adult or contact the College’s Child Safety Champions by emailing: ChildSafety@mscw.vic.edu.au.

Ms Lisa Harkin

Principal