Principal's Post

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to school, I hope you had a restful break and were able to rejuvenate after such a difficult year. The Christmas break and New Year has seen several references having been made to saying goodbye to 2020 and let's bring on 2021. Our students started school with great enthusiasm and expectation. We assume we will need to make adjustments to programmes and scheduled activities as we keep ourselves safe from COVID-19. In the first week, we had to utilise our streaming skills to cope with restrictions. Our Year 7 Information Evening was streamed through to families with over 200 hits. The evening is designed for our parents to meet Homeroom teachers as well but we had to revert to the trusted Google meets which served us so well during Remote Learning.

In recent years we have conducted Year 8 and Year 9 Information Evenings. These evenings provide the opportunity to hear useful information, as well as the opportunity to meet the respective Homeroom Teachers and enjoy some refreshments in the company of fellow parents. This opportunity is of course compromised when we are required to provide an online forum for such Information Evenings. 

We have scheduled a Parents and Friends Social Gathering for 7 pm on Thursday 10th March in the Peter LeGrand Room in the Provence Centre. You will receive an invitation to this evening with specific details but in the meantime please mark the date on your calendar.

Over the coming weeks some of the changes we have highlighted in our Strategic Plan 2020 – 2024 will be quite evident. Fr Harry Dyer OMI has joined Fr Kevin Davine OMI and Fr Giancarlo Iollo OMI as our new College Rector. Fr Christian Fini OMI will remain connected to the College in his work as Provincial but Fr Harry assumes the duties of leading our Faith Community and providing the spiritual direction that ensures we understand, appreciate and implement the Oblate Charism that is Mazenod College. On Wednesday evening Fr Harry inducted the new staff by highlighting the traditions and history of the Oblates in Australia, not only at Mazenod College Victoria but the De Mazenod Family history throughout Australia which includes the parish, street mission, tertiary education, seminary formation and aged care. Fr Harry brings to the College a wealth of experience in Oblate Ministry which includes time serving as Provincial and being on DOSCEL (Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Ltd), which is the governing Board of the Sale Diocese that is the equivalent of our new governing entity MACS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools) which has commenced this year.

The ACC has been honouring the services and dedication of its member school’s staff for several years. In 2020 Ms Joanne Caird received a Service Award. We are pleased to announce that two staff members were recently recognised for their outstanding contributions over many years and will be honoured as 2021 inductees. We congratulate Mr Noel Jenkinson for his commitment to ACC Chess and Mr Matthew Johnson for his dedication to ACC Football. We thank them for their ongoing involvement in the college programs and congratulate them on their achievement.

Welcome again to all our families and hopefully, we enjoy a safe, exciting and action-packed 2021.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Tony Coghlan

Principal