Principal's Report 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Congratulations to all our year 12 students who have finished their VCE and VCAL classes and have transitioned to examinations, work or pending future studies. Their senior school experience has been marked by a global pandemic which had the most extraordinary impact on their learning, their time at school and the many experiences that normally accompany the final years of school. Yet, there they were, smiling and celebrating their achievement of a truly significant milestone despite the circumstances and the duress under which it was completed. 

Student Leaders and College Captains

One of the extraordinary and privileged experiences those of us who work in secondary schools have each year is witnessing the cycle of students beginning and ending inexorably unfold.  While last week saw the Year 12’s finish, we also turn our attention to recognising the next generation of Monivae student leaders and College Captains.  The rigorous process of selecting the 2022 Student Leadership Team includes the collection of student’s expressions of interest, staff and student voting, a leadership workshop for shortlisted students, written applications and interviews. 

Monivae College have an outstanding group of young women and men to lead our school in 2022. Each of them possesses the important qualities students of an MSC education and ethos need to successfully lead our community. I am confident they will lead with love, kindness, humility, forgiveness, and compassion. This is of particular importance as we return after two years of remote and face-to-face learning.

We congratulate the following students appointed to 2022 leadership roles:

College Captains: McKeely Hol and Hamish Kearney

Vice Captains: Bella Nicholls and Joshua Gordon

Sports Captain: Tahlia Ross

Arts Captain: Allie Burns

Boarding Captains: Isabella O’Connell and Rory Caldow

Ffrench House Captains: Holly Cooling and Nicholas O’Brien

Glenelg House Captains: Eden Blanchett and Amalie Rowe

Mitchell House Captains: Olivia Nield and Maggie Doyle

Lonsdale House Captains: Maddison Rhook and Harrison Killen

1st November was the Feast of All Saints and Tuesday the Feast of All Souls. The month of November is considered a time of remembrance in our tradition. I reflect on the human saints in our lives, particularly people who are no longer with us yet have had a remarkable influence.

Joyce Rupp makes these reflections in her book ‘Out of the Ordinary’: “It is a time to remember with gratitude all those persons whose goodness has inspired me in my beliefs and given me the courage to act on what I believe…….. I think of “Saints” as not only those women and men who have been canonized by the church, but all people whose lives reflect the goodness of God. Saints are often not perfect people. They have their faults, idiosyncrasies, and weaknesses. They have their own struggles and difficulties. Even the canonized ones are noted to have been difficult to live with because of their unique mannerisms. Yet, the saints are people of integrity. They have a central focus at the core of their lives: the love of God. They consistently choose to act out that central reality, no matter how ordinary or extraordinary their lives may be.” (Joyce Rupp. ‘Out of the Ordinary’. Page 32. 2000)

My prayer this week is one of gratitude for the saintly people of influence in our lives. Many of you are acting in the interest of the safety of others, supporting our young women and men in the general challenges of living in a post COVID world. It may help them and even ourselves to know that our actions to keep others safe reflect a Godly desire to love one another.

A friendly reminder for parents who drop their child to school by car. The safety of our students, both Monivae and St Mary’s, is paramount and speed limits apply once you have entered the grounds from Ballarat Road. This limit is 15kmh and I ask that this is strictly adhered to.

We remember in our prayers the family of Nicky Riddle (teacher) on the passing of her loved father. In this month of remembrance, we pray that our loving God is with her family in their time of loss.

Kind regards,

Jonathan Rowe