Justice at Marian College Sunshine West

At the end of 2019, the School Leadership Team appointed the first Educating for Justice Leader at Marian College. The role was born out of a need to re-centralise Justice literacy within our community with the intention of streamlining curriculum programs and student led social justice groups towards shared goals that are underpinned by Kildare Ministries’ core values. This new role promised new, and exciting, possibilities. Social Justice groups started working together, rather than in competition with one another. Plans were made at the annual student seminar that brought together students from a range of different student leadership portfolios. Relevant staff began meeting to discuss new ways of educating, and enacting Justice in our community. 

And then we went into lockdown.

After we began to regather ourselves, we had to learn to accept that Justice needed to be enacted differently this year. In dealing with unprecedented challenges, we sought to find creative opportunities to educate and raise awareness within our College community regarding issues of Social Justice that mattered to us. We spent time working together to support the Black Lives Matter movement, and International Women’s Day, seeking support from a diverse range of students. With this, traditional methods of fundraising needed to be adapted in order to comply with health related protocols. We also started to develop materials and resources that could accompany what we were selling, with the intention of making that all important leap from just “doing charity”, to hopefully sparking some awareness of injustice in our world, and to provide opportunities to act, speak, listen and learn. It was just a start, but it was done with a good measure of hope. 

Our Year 10 Religion classes have traditionally focused on practising ‘Justice and Service’ by undertaking a five week volunteer work program. This usually involves visiting local Nursing Homes, Primary Schools and Vinnies stores where students are encouraged to move out of their comfort zone, look beyond their own needs and serve others with dignity, strength and kindness. As an alternative program in 2020, we asked the girls to look within their own family and friends to see how they can best continue the tradition of serving others. The results were quite creative and thoughtful. Each girl logged into the class Community Journal and recorded their deeds on a weekly basis. Parents, siblings, grandparents, nieces, nephews & friends were all recipients of the girls' gentleness and kindness. Let us hope this spirit of generosity and the search for Justice can now be extended to the wider community in the years to follow.

Our Student Justice Team developed a JDF Instagram account which was utilised to continue to educate the wider community on current social justice issues. Multiple posts regarding these issues were posted, discussing particular topics in hope of raising awareness. Some issues included homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, asylum seekers and the genocide of Uyghur Muslims in China. The struggles of such minority groups were targeted and explained, remotely from home, with great depth, along with ways in which our community can advocate and assist such individuals.

And it is this hope that drives us into 2021. We find ourselves in a “new world” facing this liminal space of uncertainty and exhaustion. Moving forward our goal will be to remember 2020, and think of it as a teacher; to accept that, at the core of it, learning something new is hard and uncertain. But we are hoping that we have listened closely enough to stop and reflect on what we have been forced to recognise this year and to use it to make something new.  Looking back, Marian College can be proud of what we have been able to achieve under demanding circumstances.

An insight into the Stewardship Council at Marian SW

Gerard Broadfoot

Gerard is currently Principal at Mother of God Primary School in Ardeer, a school that has a close association with the Brigidine Tradition. Gerard, and his family, have had a long connection to this tradition especially with Marian College. His daughter attended the school and was appointed one of the College Lamp Bearers in Year 12.  Gerard has been a member of the Stewardship Council for 15 years and currently holds the position of Chairperson. This is Gerard’s last year as Principal and is looking forward to retirement.

Monika Pilekic

Monika graduated from Marian College in 2007 and joined the Stewardship Council in 2018. Monika is an experienced marketing professional, focused on customer engagement. She is currently the Head of Marketing for Lifestyle Communities - an ASX300 listed developer and operator of high-quality affordable communities for over 50s.  Monika is also on the Board of Youthlaw and has spent a significant part of her early life working with charities such as Moira Kelly’s Children First Foundation and Lions Clubs Australia. In her spare time, Monika enjoys baking, reading a good book, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying the simplicity of a good walk. She is currently expecting her first baby in December this year.

Adele Hegedich

Adele has been a member of the Stewardship Council for 3 years. She is a Marian alumni who graduated in the year 2000. Her sister also went to Marian. Adele graduated from Monash University in Law and now has a Law practice. She also has a Bachelor of Business from Victoria University. Adele has been a councillor at Wyndham Council from 2009-2019 and has served as Mayor. She is also a Rotarian. Adele is married and enjoys travelling, cooking and reading a good book.

Annette Broadfoot

Annette has recently retired after 45 years of work as a primary teacher and principal. In her role as Principal she worked in three parish primary schools, enjoying almost all of it!! This year Annette has become a grandmother for the second time and is fascinated by watching her grandchildren grow and develop. All those years in education have certainly helped her understand child development and she has said that she is so much more observant about their milestones and stages of development than she ever was with her own two children. Life in 2020 has been challenging but it has rekindled her love of literature and the on-line book club has widened her exposure to the variety of books. When life begins to return to normal she is hopeful that she can take up some art courses, in particular bronze sculpture workshop. Annette has been a long standing member of the Stewardship Council and served as Chairperson and as a member of the Finance Committee. She is also a member of Kildare Education Ministries Board.

Damian Casemento

Damian has been a member of the Stewardship Council for 7 years and is also on the Finance Committee at the College. He has been in Catholic Education his whole life. He has vast experience with 15 years working in schools as a teacher and in leadership and then for the last 20 years as Principal at two schools. Currently he is Principal of Marian College's neighbouring school St. Paul’s Primary. He has a vast array of teaching qualifications including from Diploma, Bachelor and Masters level  as well as studies in Educational Administration; Student welfare and Masters of Business Administration.  Damian has held Executive roles on the Victorian Association of Catholic Primary School Principals and is a member of various school boards and parish committees. He is married with 3 children and enjoys football and cricket.

Raymond Pisani

Currently Principal at Marian, Ray has been at the College since 2007, and began as a Co-Principal with Rita Grima. Before that Ray spent 23 years at MacKillop College, Werribee in a variety of roles including 11 years as Deputy Principal (Pastoral Care). Ray’s qualifications include a Bachelor in Applied Science (Mathematics), a Diploma in Education, a Graduate Diploma in Educational Administration and a Masters in Education. Ray is married and has one teenage daughter.

Anne Walsh

Following many years in secondary school classrooms and administration, Anne worked in multimedia to create award-winning digital resources which were used locally and internationally to communicate, educate and inspire. Since 2012 she has been a consultant in online communications to organisations who do “work that matters”. A teacher by training and commitment, Anne remains involved in education as a member of Marian College Stewardship Council, Sunshine and a Member of the Kildare Education Ministries Board.

Stewardship Council Goals 2020

The Council has adapted its work this year to gain a greater understanding of the processes and protocols in relation to Covid-19 as well as the resultant impact on the students, families and staff.  The Council has also been looking at the School Review process and in particular the College Vision and Mission Statements.