Principal's Update 

Celebrating Marist Champagnat Week 2026

This week, Catholic College Sale proudly joined Marist communities worldwide to celebrate Champagnat Week and the Feast of Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a deeply significant event in our College calendar.

Canonised in 1999, Saint Marcellin Champagnat is recognised by the Catholic Church as a saint for his unwavering faith, visionary leadership, and enduring commitment to young people. His legacy continues to inspire generations of Marists and remains at the heart of our College community.

At Catholic College Sale, we are proud to carry this legacy forward. Champagnat Week is more than a celebration; it is a time to reaffirm our identity as a Marist school and to reflect on how we live our mission each day.

The Marist characteristics: simplicity, presence, love of work, family spirit, and the way of Mary, are not values reserved for one week of the year. They shape our culture, guide our relationships, and underpin our commitment to ensuring that every student is known, valued, and supported.

This year, our celebration is further enriched by the Marist theme for 2026, “Full of Grace.” On Tuesday, 26 June, our staff took part in a dedicated professional learning day, which provided an opportunity to explore this theme in depth and reflect on how it calls us to act within our community. Together, staff considered practical ways to bring the Marist characteristics to life each day, in our classrooms, our interactions, and the care we provide for our students.

Throughout this week, students and staff will engage in prayer, reflection, and acts of service, each contributing in their own way to keeping the Marist spirit alive in our community. These powerful moments remind us that Saint Marcellin’s vision is most fully realised in the everyday.

As we celebrate Champagnat Week in 2026, we are invited not only to remember Saint Marcellin but to actively live his mission, with humility, compassion, and a deep commitment to one another, truly being people full of grace in all that we do.

National Reconciliation Week and Our Commitment to “All In”

This last week our College community observed National Reconciliation Week, a time for all Australians to reflect on our shared history and commit to building respectful, meaningful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

At Catholic College Sale, this commitment aligns closely with the ‘’All In’’ initiative, which calls on each of us to actively foster a culture of inclusion, respect, and belonging. Reconciliation is not a moment in time but an ongoing journey, one that invites us to listen, learn, and grow together as a community.

Throughout the week, students and staff engaged in opportunities for reflection and learning, considering how we can contribute to a more just and inclusive future. As a Marist school, our call is clear, to stand with others, to walk alongside one another, and to ensure that every voice is heard and valued.

Marist National Netball Carnival

Catholic College Sale was once again proudly represented at the Marist National Netball Carnival, where our students demonstrated not only impressive athletic ability but also teamwork, resilience, and Marist values.

Our team delivered an outstanding performance throughout the tournament, finishing seventh overall, an excellent achievement that reflects the group's dedication, discipline, and unity.

I would like to thank our coaches, Kirralee Carstairs and Jo Gieschen, and Team Manager Chloe Felsbourg, for their leadership, encouragement, and commitment to the team throughout preparation and competition.

A special congratulations to Mahli Stothers, who was selected for the Marist All-Australian Team, an exceptional honour given the strength of the competition across more than 16 teams.

We also celebrate Natalie Begovic, who received the Champagnat Award for exemplifying the true Marist spirit. Natalie consistently demonstrated positivity, encouragement, and sportsmanship on and off the court, and was a wonderful role model for her teammates.

Having had the opportunity to attend the opening day of the Carnival, I was incredibly proud of how our students represented Catholic College Sale. Their performances, including an undefeated first day, were marked not only by skill but also by humility and pride in representing the College.

Events such as the Marist Netball Carnival strengthen the bonds among Marist schools across the country and offer powerful opportunities for our students to live out the values that define us.

Master Plan Progress and College Development

Significant progress continues to be made as we look toward the future of Catholic College Sale through the development of our Master Plan 2027–2037.

On Tuesday, 26 June, we held a dedicated staff consultation day in partnership with our architects, Y2, to explore forward-thinking concepts for future learning opportunities. This important session enabled staff to consider how contemporary facilities can best support the evolving needs of teaching and learning within our College.

This work will continue throughout Terms 2 and 3, with further consultation planned with students, our Parent Reference Group, and the wider community. These conversations are critical in shaping a Master Plan that reflects our collective vision and aspirations.

We look forward to sharing the final Master Plan 2027–2037 with our community towards the end of Term 3.

St Patrick’s Campus – Stage 2 Refurbishment

We are pleased to advise that Stage 2 of the St Patrick’s refurbishment has now commenced, with demolition works beginning this week as our builder, Langden, moves on site.

This marks an exciting milestone in the ongoing development of our facilities, and we look forward to keeping our community updated as the project progresses.

God Bless

Brett Van Berkel