Principal

Dear Members of the Academy Community,

We come to the final newsletter for 2024.  It is hard to believe that the 2024 year is drawing to a close – it seems that the year has sped by.

It has been a year when we have celebrated the Academy community in so many ways and have been true to our theme -  Stronger Together.

Of late we have celebrated two very important events.  The Graduation evening for the Year 12 class of 2024 and, at the beginning of this week, the Celebration of Excellence evening.

Monday's Celebration of Excellence Evening provided the opportunity to acknowledge student excellence in all areas.  I congratulate those students who were acknowledged. They should be truly proud of their efforts and I know teachers and parents share their pride. 

  Year Level Dux Recipients: L to R 

  Yr 9 Callie Axalan, Yr 10 Jenna George, Yr 11 Alice Portz, Yr 8 Riley Axalan, 

  Yr 7 Maisonya Nguyen

I extend best wishes to the staff and students who are leaving us and take this opportunity to wish them well for the future.  We thank each and every one of them for their contribution to the College. 

Staff departing the College:

• Gretta Harvey - Art teacher (retirement)
• John Andritsos - Humanities teacher 
• Mark Hyland - Faith & Mission Leader, Timetabler and member of the Leadership Team
• Kilian McNamara - English teacher - second attempt at retirement!
• Anne Marie Allan - Community Action/Work Experience/Alumnae Officer (retirement)
• Kate Jones - Digital Technology teacher (retirement)
• Kerri Ruff - Co- Registrar (retirement)
• Concetta Calgaro - Italian teacher (retirement)
• Aeneas Gallivan - Director of Sport
• Josh Callaghan -  Art Technician
• Andrew McLeod - English teacher & Learning Leader 
• Bianca Siciliano - Co-Registrar 
• Peter Jurasek - Science teacher

As you know, a number of the teachers above have been at the Academy for many years. Ms Gretta Harvey, Mr John Andritsos, Mr Mark Hyland and Ms Anne Marie Allan have each given more than 20 years to teaching and working at Academy with a combined total of 118 years of service to the Academy.  A great gift!  We wish three of these long serving staff a very long and happy retirement and Mr Andritsos a faster commute to his new school!

We also extend best wishes to Ms Alison Hocking who is taking a year's leave from the College to pursue her love of music and we look forward to her return in 2026!

I would also like to congratulate our successful recipients of the ACU Guarantee early university offer.  Your hard work in academia along with exemplary service in your community is well recognised with this achievement.  This year, 22 students from Academy of Mary Immaculate have already received an offer to study their chosen degree at Australian Catholic University (ACU) in 2025.

Finally, I say thank you to all members of staff, students, members of the College Advisory Council, the Parents’ Association and the Alumnae Committee for your support this year.  The teaching staff finish on Friday, 13 December and the College office closes on Thursday 19 December at 11.30am.   

Our 2025 theme “Paving the Way” is one we look forward to actioning throughout the year.  The road ahead beckons and the Academy community moves forward with hope and joy.

I wish you a very happy Christmas, a safe and relaxing holiday and every blessing for the coming year. 

Every blessing,

Sr Mary Moloney rsm 

Principal

Christmas Prayer

Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: for shining star and angel's song, for infant's cry in lowly manger.

We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child.   We behold his glory, and are bathed in its radiance.  Be with us as we sing the ironies of Christmas,

the incomprehensible comprehended, the poetry made hard fact, the helpless babe who cracks the world asunder.  We kneel before you shepherds, innkeepers, wisemen.

Help us to rise bigger than we are.

Amen