⚗️Year 12 Chemistry Students Dive into Analytical Techniques at KIOSC – Swinburne University

On 5 August, our Year 12 Chemistry cohort at Nazareth College had the unique opportunity to step beyond the classroom and into the world of advanced chemical analysis during an excursion to KIOSC at Swinburne University. Accompanied by Mr Louis and Ms Sharma, students participated in an immersive program that brought VCE Chemistry to life through hands-on experience with industry-level equipment and techniques.

Throughout the day, students explored the principles and real-world applications of analytical techniques used to investigate organic compounds. The highlight of the session was a simulated forensic investigation: students were challenged to identify an unknown organic substance seized during a police drug raid on an illicit drug manufacturing lab.

Using powerful tools such as:

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)
Infrared Spectroscopy (IR)
Carbon-13 and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

Students were able to apply their theoretical knowledge to solve a practical and highly relevant problem.

This hands-on experience not only deepened students' understanding of complex analytical techniques but also gave them insight into the roles of chemists in forensic science, pharmaceuticals, and research industries. Our students expressed how valuable it was to see the techniques they’ve studied applied in real-world contexts.

A huge thank you to Mr Louis and Ms Sharma for organising and supporting this enriching excursion. Opportunities like this make the study of Chemistry even more engaging and relevant.

- Christina Koufomanolis, Vishy Sreekanth, Jamil Kurdy - Year 12 Chemistry Students

🧠 MATHS IN ACTION

NAZARETH TAKES ON MAV MATHS GAMES DAY!

Friday 7 August 2026 • RMIT University, Melbourne

🌟EIGHT STUDENTS. 40+ SCHOOL TEAMS. THREE CHALLENGING ROUNDS.

ONE UNFORGETTABLE DAY OF MATHEMATICS!

Following a hectic Australian Mathematics Competition on Wednesday 5 August, where around 226 Nazareth students entered, eight budding mathematicians represented Nazareth College at the Mathematics Association of Victoria (MAV) Maths Games Day at RMIT.

They faced fierce competition from around 40 school teams from across Victoria, all competing for the Games Day trophy and some serious mathematical glory!

🧩 A DAY OF CHALLENGE, TEAMWORK & MATHEMATICAL BRILLIANCE

The competition began with Round One, where our students tackled tricky, Sudoku-like puzzles using different sets of numbers, including primes and perfect squares.

Next came a five-round Swiss competition, challenging students to identify patterns and accurately predict future numbers in sequences. Some problems required students to mentally calculate 220 or work through complex permutations, all under strict time limits!

The third and final round was a fast-paced relay featuring Olympiad-style mathematics, including: 🔢 Negative bases ➗ Modular arithmetic 🌀 The Fibonacci Sequence

It was an intense test of mathematical knowledge, speed, strategy and teamwork.

🏆 OUTSTANDING RESULTS! Our best result to date!

TEAM A — YEAR 12 TEAM B

Zac Ulas Masa Basic — Year 10

Danny Farr Daniel Miller — Year 10

Andrew Dinh Lucas Dinh — Year 10

Ruan Pasuleti Beau Browne — Year 11

⭐TEAM A — 9TH PLACE ⭐ TEAM B — 17TH PLACE

👏 CONGRATULATIONS, NAZARETH MATHEMATICIANS!

Congratulations to all eight competitors for representing Nazareth College with dedication, enthusiasm and a passion for mathematics.

A special thank you to Mr Kucfir for chaperoning our students and to the Maths Faculty for making this memorable experience possible.

Mr Peter Louis

Instructional Leader

Mathematics

“The Math Games Day was a fantastic opportunity to have friendly competition with other schools while engaging in fun math activities, such as kenken puzzle-solving! We placed well, and I offer a huge thank you to Mr Kucfir for accompanying us to the city for the day of fun!”

— Ruan Pasuleti, Year 12

"It was a great privilege to be able to participate in the RMIT Maths Games day for the second year running. Working on the same table as Melbourne High was certainly stressful… but it paid off, as our team showed great problem solving skills and coordination in each round while getting plenty of enjoyment out of the day. We took it up to all the strongest schools too – we were extremely proud and satisfied with what we had achieved and finishing in the top 10 was the culmination of that (perhaps unexpectedly)! Huge thanks to all the Nazarenes who stood up to participate, and special thanks to Mr Kucfir too for organising and supervising us for the day – we had a lot of fun, and it was great to prove ourselves against the very best."

— Daniel Farr, Year 12

PE Practical Professional Development

On Thursday 23 July, a number of PE and non-PE staff participated in a PE Practical Professional Development session held in the Nazareth Gym. The Session was run by Airlie Tudhope of PE made Easy who run PD’s in both the practical and curriculum spheres of Health and PE. The session was engaging, instructional and a lot of fun as well as been quite a workout for the staff attending.

The aim was to upskill and give new ideas and activities PE staff can use in their PE sessions to maintain engagement and participation in PE lessons. The two hour session was very well received by all staff. A lot of the warm up games and activities have been used in PE lessons this term with great enthusiasm which has been great to hear about and see!

Mr Andrew Moore

Instructional Leader

Health & Physical Education

Year 10 Youth Ministry Visits St Elizabeth's Primary School

On 10 August, 20 students from the Year 10 Youth Ministry program visited St Elizabeth's Primary School to facilitate a retreat focused on Catholic Social Teaching.

In the weeks leading up to the event, our students planned and organised a range of engaging activities designed to help Grade 5 students explore the Church's mission to show love, compassion, and dignity to all people through service and social outreach. Drawing on resources from Caritas Australia, they developed games and learning experiences that encouraged participation, reflection, and an understanding of how faith can be put into action.

The day was a wonderful opportunity for our students to exercise leadership, share their faith, and serve the wider Catholic community. We thank St Elizabeth's Primary School for welcoming us and look forward to future opportunities to work together.

Mr Peter Nathan

Instructional Leader

Religious Education

⛩️Year 7 Students Perform おむすびころりん

On Friday 14 August and Monday 17 August, our two Year 7 Japanese classes performed the Japanese folktale おむすびころりん (The Rolling Rice Ball). Students had been learning this traditional story over the past two terms, and the performances provided a wonderful opportunity for them to showcase their learning and hard work.

Students worked in groups of three or four, taking on the roles of narrators, an old man, an old woman, and mice. To support their learning and memorisation of the story, students used ACTLAN sign language, which helped them recall their lines and understand the sequence of events.

It was particularly impressive to see students working collaboratively during rehearsals. They supported one another by practising together, helping each other memorise lines, and encouraging one another. During the performances, students demonstrated not only their Japanese language skills, but also excellent teamwork and confidence. They greeted the audience politely, bowed appropriately, and worked together to complete their presentations successfully.

Some students were initially hesitant or lacked confidence, but they bravely participated and stayed committed to their roles. Others showed genuine enthusiasm and thoroughly enjoyed bringing their characters to life.

It was wonderful to see the students’ growth, effort and teamwork throughout this learning experience.

Well done, Year 7s! I am very proud of you!

Ms Yukari Nibun

Teacher

💥Peak Performance HQ

Over the past few weeks, our VET Certificate III in Sport, Aquatics and Recreation students have had the fantastic opportunity to work with Mitch from Peak Performance HQ.

As part of their course, students are required to develop and work through a fitness program tailored to their chosen sport. Mitch, the owner of Peak Performance HQ, visited Nazareth College to run several practical sessions with the students in our own gym.

During these sessions, Mitch helped students develop sport-specific training programs and guided them through a range of movements, ensuring they understood how to perform each exercise correctly, effectively and safely.

Following the sessions at Nazareth College, students were given the exciting opportunity to visit Peak Performance HQ in Somerville. There, Mitch took them through a series of fitness tests, allowing students to collect data, identify areas for improvement and gain an insight into the process used to develop training programs for elite athletes.

This was an incredible hands-on learning opportunity for our students, providing them with valuable knowledge and practical experience that they can take into their own sporting journeys.

A huge thank you to Mitch and the team at Peak Performance HQ for sharing their expertise and giving our students such a valuable experience!

Ms Tenille Kirk

OES & HPE Education Support Officer

Year 11 Outdoor and Environmental Studies – Mount Stirling Snowshoeing Camp

Our Year 11 students studying Unit 2 Outdoor and Environmental Studies recently had the opportunity to travel to Mt Stirling for a three-day, two-night snowshoeing camp.

After a long bus journey to Telephone Box Junction, students began their adventure by hiking through the snow with full packs containing everything they needed for the three days. The group made their way to King Saddle Shelter, which became their base camp.

On the second day, students completed approximately 12km snowshoe hike to the Mt Stirling summit and back, taking in the unique alpine environment along the way. On the final morning, students packed up their very wet and cold gear before making their way back down to the bus for the journey home.

The camp provided students with an excellent opportunity to connect their classroom learning with a real outdoor environment. As part of Unit 2, Area of Study 1: Understanding Outdoor Environments, students have been exploring the biotic and abiotic components of environments and the natural changes that occur within them.

At Mt Stirling, students were able to experience firsthand how abiotic factors such as snow, temperature, weather and elevation interact with biotic components such as alpine vegetation and wildlife habitats. Experiencing the area in winter also allowed students to consider how seasonal changes can influence an outdoor environment and the ways people interact with and use it.

Beyond the curriculum connections, the camp challenged students to develop their independence, resilience and practical outdoor skills. All three teachers who attended were extremely impressed with the group’s enthusiasm, perseverance and snow-camping skills, particularly when faced with cold and wet conditions.

Well done to all students involved on a fantastic camp and a memorable Outdoor and Environmental Studies experience!

Ms Taylor Rogan

Teacher

VCE Visual Communication Design (Unit 2)

As a part of their first Outcome for Unit 2 in VCE Visual Communication Design, students explored the Environments Field of Design Practice and were challenged to design a house made from up to four (4) shipping containers. They investigated the modern history of architectural movements as well as existing small homes on the market and drew many different forms of small houses to explore potential Design Ideas.

The crux of the project, however, was the creation of four documentation drawings of their small houses, applying the architectural conventions according to Australian Standards.

These drawings included Floor Plans, Site Plans, Elevation Drawings and Planometric Drawings to communicate various visual and numeric information to a wider audience. Please take a look below at the many great examples of the students’ folio pages and their documentation drawings.

Isabella Matulic MX1

Chloe Loizou CH5

Quinn Cozis CH1

Olivia Chen MX2

Alexander Matulic MX4

Harold Sam MC2

Blake Norman MX5

Alexander Matulic MX4

Isabella Matulic MX1

Chloe Loizou CH5

Mr Rosario Ripper

Instructional Leader

Visual Arts

House Competitions Continues🏆

McCormack House hosted a UNO competition this term, with students from different year levels coming together to battle it out for the title of UNO champion! 56 students took part, with each house represented throughout the competition, earning much desired House Points!

Congratulations to our year-level winners: Venuri M, Charlie P, Xander S, Amelia B,

Taylan S, Amalia M, Holly G, Kenny N, Josh K, Allegra P and Eric P.

A huge congratulations to Alysha T, who was crowned our overall UNO Competition winner! Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the competition such a fun event.

-Aliyah K & Nick S - McCormack House Captains

NCCA