From the Principal

Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, Staff and Friends of Mazenod College,

Since the last newsletter, it was wonderful to be involved in my first Mazenod events to recognise and farewell our graduating Year 12 students. Heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2023, they were truly beautiful celebrations, highlighting our community and the pride our College has for you all.

What has been equally heartening to witness, has been the manner in which our Year 12 students have acknowledged and appreciated the contribution that a Mazenod College education has had on them. Most notably has been the warmth and generosity of spirit in which our students have gone about thanking the staff who have guided and supported their journey at our College.

Somewhat ironically, last Friday was World Teachers’ Day where Australia, albeit different to the gazetted UNESCO world day due to our school calendar, celebrates and thanks the teaching profession. Our teachers have ensured that a quality education has continued across this year, reinforcing the significant role played in the lives of our students, their families and communities. The work of a teacher, or any staff member in a school for that matter, is a devotion of care and compassion, challenge and empowerment, support and transformation. And we are very lucky to have such wonderful staff here at Mazenod who strive to bring all of these into the lives of our students.

Last week ended in sensational fashion with the much-anticipated annual Arts Exhibition and the Sports Awards Dinner. Both events highlight in the most glowing terms, the undeniable gifts and talents of our students. I must extend my heartfelt thanks to the staff of Ms Jazmin McKechie, Mrs Cathy Giannopoulos and Miss Lauren Gissing who transformed room 504 into an amazing display of our students’ artist talents, to Mr Tim Grabski, Mr Chris Mason and the HPE staff for creating a wonderful atmosphere to showcase the sporting attributes of the boys, along with a host of other staff and students, many of whom worked tirelessly to assist with these exciting events. Thank you to our parents and families and I reserve the highest of praise for the boys themselves, because it is their gifts and talents that we celebrate in earnest.

The Year 12 ATAR examinations commenced this week with the Biology exam being first on Monday morning. Our prayers are with all of our students who will complete examinations in the coming weeks which includes students from Year 10 and 11 at varying times until the end of the year.

Traditionally at the start of November, we faithfully acknowledge All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, remembering the Saints and those we have loved and lost from this earthly life. We are all touched by death and loss and the marking of these times with solemn occasions such as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day brings some consolation and a reminder of our eternal life in heaven.

I spoke about All Saints Day at our assembly this week, that although we feel inadequate to live a saintly life, saints are human and as such, we too have an inherent ability to be saintlike in our lives.

“We must strive first of all to lead people to act like human beings, and then like Christians, and finally, we must help them to become saints”. (St Eugene de Mazenod)

God bless.

Simon Harvey

Principal