The Mazenod Gazette

From the Executive

Welcome Back To Parents

As we emerge out of winter we are looking forward to many events where we welcome back parents to the College. In recent weeks we have conducted enrolment interviews face to face with prospective families keen for their sons to attend Mazenod. Today we were able to hold our traditional Father’s Day Mass and Breakfast. Next week we welcome parents and students that will form the 2023 Year 7 cohort as they gear up for the start of secondary school.

 

As the start of the AFL finals series is upon us, we are fortunate to have former Melbourne footballer and media commentator David Schwarz as a guest speaker at our Parent and Son Wellbeing evening on Thursday 8th September. As the research suggests the development of many addictions such as gambling occur during adolescence and with the proliferation of gambling advertisements and accessibility to many forms of gambling, it is an issue that our students need to navigate. David will tell his story of gambling addiction and overcoming adversity during his football career. Please see link to details for this evening here.

 

We are excited to announce that we will be engaging Time & Space commencing during Year 12 transition in November this year. Time & Space programs provide a wonderful opportunity to strengthen connections between family members and within the school community. A structured program is presented throughout each Time & Space event. Highly trained facilitators guide parents and their adolescent children to hold significant conversations with each other and with members of the school community. As the program progresses, participants become more relaxed and comfortable about these conversations, some of which, may be life changing. The program is quite simple and at the same time powerful. Time & Space recognises that families come in all shapes and sizes and where a parent cannot attend, a mentor such as a grandparent, uncle, aunt, trusted family friend or adult older sibling, is always welcome. The plan at Mazenod is to hold three Time & Space events each year. In November, a Parent-Son night for Year 11 students moving into Year 12, in February a Father-Son night for Year 8 students and in May a Mother-Son night for Year 7 students. As we construct our wellbeing approach at Mazenod under the SEARCH framework these type of events focus on relationship building. More information about Time & Space will be distributed closer to each event and can be found here.

 

As our Year 12 students enter the final few weeks of school, we look forward to the farewell ceremonies that will take place in Term 4, including a return to Speech Night at Robert Blackwood Hall, the Final Day Farewell College Assembly and the Valedictory Mass and Dinner at the conclusion of exams, a great opportunity for students, families and staff to come together and celebrate the significant milestone of completing Year 12. 

Visible Well Being

Term 3 Character Strength Focus was on the Virtue of Wisdom.

There were plenty of opportunities during this term to highlight and draw on these character strengths with the Academic Excellence, Commitment and Perseverance, Christian Leadership awards, the start of semester 2 subjects, subject selections for 2023, VTAC preferences and RE Reflection Days. Staff were able to make wellbeing visible in a positive practical way acknowledging students’ strengths using the SEARCH framework known as ‘Strength Spotting’ allocating character strength badges on MazCom to students. This term the staff focused on coping, exploring and identifying, approaches and techniques to improve personal wellbeing and to also implement and assist students to cope better and therefore enhance wellbeing.

 

In an educational setting, coping strategies refer to the way in which learners predict, prepare, perceive, manage, react and alter their behaviour when stressed. This stress is often caused by failure, the threat of failure or the belief that failure is inevitable. The reactions to these threats are both conscious and sub-conscious; we cannot fully control our behaviour in every respect. Learning is more difficult when students lack the necessary strategies to manage stress and anxiety. As teachers want to make learning as easy as possible, it is logical that coping strategies should be explicitly taught.

Standards and Expectations

As we unwind some of the rules and regulations that were put in place to manage COVID at school, we are seeking parent support with ensuring that students are adhering to the College policies around standards and expectations. It would be appreciated if you could please ensure the following to help with our processes at Mazenod -

  1. If you son is absent, please inform the College.
  2. Please ensure that your son has the required Mazenod College uniform, including a blazer and the correct College tracksuit pants. A letter addressed to the Year Level Coordinator is required if your son is out of uniform so a uniform pass can be issued.
  3. Students are required to have an appropriate haircut and be clean shaven. Please check the Mazenod College Presentation Policy.
  4. Attendance matters - for continuity of learning and meeting attendance minimum requirements, to enable progression into the following year and to successfully complete VCE, VET and TAFE. 

With a busy end to Term 3 including ACC sport finals and Cross Country, a plethora of musical recitals culminating in the Music Gala, ACCent on Music Concert at Hamer Hall, along with the much-anticipated Performing Arts Festival, it certainly feels like a truly vibrant Mazenod College Community again. Thank you again for the continued support of the College and of your son, as we work together to achieve the best possible outcomes.

 

 

 

 

Mr Tim Ford

Deputy Principal - Students