Principal's Post
Dear Parents,
We hope that you have had the opportunity to enjoy a well-earned summer break and are feeling refreshed and recharged, especially after the challenges of 2021. With the new school year commencing, we are hopeful and optimistic about what 2022 will bring and the opportunity to enjoy the holistic learning experiences offered by the College.
Thank you for the warm welcome I have received to Mazenod College. I feel humbled and privileged to be part of such a warm, inclusive and hospitable community. I would particularly like to thank Fr Christian Fini OMI, Fr Harry Dyer OMI and Fr Kevin Davine OMI whose presence at the College is a great gift. A special thanks to outgoing Principal, Mr Tony Coghlan, for his generosity and patience in supporting my transition into the role. We wish Tony all the very best for the next phase of his journey and know that he will remain a welcoming presence at the College. I would also like to thank the many staff, students, and parents that I have met. I am looking forward to meeting many more throughout the course of the year.
It has been wonderful to share moments of welcome and return with all year levels over the past week. All of the College Staff are back, and we are looking forward to the 2022 Academic Year with hope and optimism. We are delighted to welcome new Year 7 students with their parents and carers last Friday and feel privileged that you have chosen us for your son’s secondary education. It was equally pleasing to see Year 11 and 12 Students return on this day, exercising exemplary leadership and role modelling to which Mazenod College has become accustomed.
2022 College Executive Team
In the middle of January, the College Executive Team gathered at Oblate Provincial House in Camberwell for a two-day retreat. Some of the main aims of the retreat included: to begin the year gathering ‘In the Lord’, prayerfully, collegially and socially; allowing the members of the Executive Team and the commencing Principal, to get to know more of each other; to take some steps in the ongoing process of the Executive Team forming and working well as a team, with particular focus on what is valued and how the team relates.
We reflected on the following quotes and spoke about our individual values and how these might transform into how we operate as a team.
“…You would have no power…’ replied Jesus ‘if it had not been given you from above…” (John 19:11)
“Your destiny is to be apostles, and so tend within your hearts the sacred fire that the Holy Spirit lights there…” (St Eugene de Mazenod)
“In organisations, real power and energy is generated through relationships.” (Margaret Wheatley)
“It’s not differences that divide us, it’s our judgements about each other that do.” (Margaret Wheatley)
I think we are so lucky to be led by a talented and dedicated team of leaders. Listed below is the composition of the 2022 College Executive Team, and their area of responsibility:
| Dr Paul Shannon | Principal |
| Fr Harry Dyer OMI | Rector |
| Mrs Joanne Noone | Dean of Staff |
| Mr Tim Ford | Deputy Principal (Students) |
| Mr Tony Rolfe | Deputy Principal (Operations & Compliance) |
| Dr Matt Fyfield | Deputy Principal (Learning & Teaching) |
| Mr Kyle Hoad | Dean of Data, Systems & Analysis |
| Mrs Pier Bourne | Dean of Senior School (Years 10 – 12) |
| Mr Noel Jenkinson | Deputy Principal (Curriculum & Staffing) |
| Mrs Anne Johnson | Learning Diversity Coordinator |
| Mr John Tighe | Dean of Faith & Charism |
| Mr Jamie Davin | Dear of Junior School (Years 7 – 9) |
| Mr Greg Pargeter | Human Resources & Policy Manager |
| Mr Ashley Voigt | ICT Manager |
Staff News 2022
Welcome back to Jacinta Fox, Theresa Syle, Marilou Gelderbloem and Helen Sauer who are returning from leave. We also welcome the following new members of staff who join Mazenod in 2022.
| Dr Mark Bowden | Economics, Commerce |
| Ms Wajiha Tariq | Mathematics |
| Mr Jarrod Benjamin | Mathematics |
| Ms Laura Fisher | Science |
| Mr Hayden Young | Science |
| Ms Carolyn Gekas | Digital Technologies |
| Ms Lydia St Ange | VCE Vocational, Religious Education, Physical Education |
| Ms Maggie Georgopoulos | VCE Vocational, Science, Year 12 Assistant Coordinator |
| Mr Ashton Vaz | Instrumental Music |
| Ms Linda Lin | Instrumental Music |
| Miss Eugenie Lyons | Instrumental Music |
| Mr Alex Keser | Instrumental Music |
| Mrs Chaths Fernando | Learning Diversity |
| Ms Rosemary Kucan | Psychologist |
| Mrs Dominique Maclou | Canteen |
| Mr Kyle Truong | Oblate Youth |
| Mr Anthony Yong | Oblate Youth |
| Mr Mateo Acosta-Fernandez | Oblate Youth |
| Mr Patrick Corfee | AFL Trainee |
| Mr Joshua Bouloukis | Visual Arts Assistant |
| Mr Matthew Foo | Tutor Program |
| Ms Sze Yu Chen | Monash University Masters Students |
| Ms Nives Milanovic | Monash University Masters Students |
| Ms Natalie Ilievski | Monash University Masters Students |
Class of 2021 Results
Congratulations to our Year 12 cohort of 2021 on their achievements throughout the year, which is reflected in the final analysis of their VCE, VET and VCAL results. These young men have shown incredible resilience and the College is proud of each one regardless of the results they achieved.
Congratulations to James Russell who achieved Dux for 2021 with an outstanding ATAR Score of 99.45. James is one of five students who scored 99+.
The other four students are:
Daniel Plowman 99.35
Ethan Lai 99.15
Cameron McEwan 99.05
Ben Noonan 99.00
Two students achieved perfect Study Scores of 50:
Jacob Luu - Business Management
Cameron McEwan - Geography
Other highlights include:
- 29 students with an ATAR above 95
- 56 students with an ATAR above 90 (28%)
- 48% of students with an ATAR above 80
- 71% of students with an ATAR above 70
- Median VCE study score of 32
- Percentage of study scores above 40 is 11
All year 12 VCAL Students passed their Senior VCAL.
- 85% moved onto an apprenticeship or traineeship
- 5% directly into employment
- 10% Tertiary study pathways
Ken Chau (Year 12) was awarded the Senior VCAL student of the year.
Congratulations also to Anthony Yong and Nicholas Tod from the class of 2021 for being selected into Top Class as part of the VCE Season of Excellence. A great honour for these students and a credit to the Performing Arts Department led by Felicity Kamevaar.
The statistics highlight our continuing outstanding success. 100% successful completion of VCE, VET and VCAL studies is remarkable. Tertiary opportunities, apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeship and employment placements have been managed by the Careers, Counselling, and VCE Pastoral Care Teams. It is particularly pleasing to see the outstanding results across our VET subjects, showing that these practical and industry-oriented pathways are becoming a more integrated part of our academic program. For the seventh year in a row, Mazenod Drama will be represented in the Top-Class Auditions.
Good luck with the next phase of your journey over the next few months and congratulations once again for the way you have supported each other and accepted the challenges of an extraordinarily difficult two years.
COVID-19
The Critical Incident Management Team is meeting weekly to decipher and implement COVID-19 Protocols and Procedures. I intend to write directly to families on a weekly basis at this stage to provide more detailed information on the back-to-school plan outlined by the Victorian Government. A reminder that we all must play our part and continue to slow the spread of the virus. If you, your child or a family member develop symptoms of fever, chills or sweats, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, or loss of smell or taste please take the necessary precautions.
I look forward to meeting you in the future, and to working with your son and his teachers and other supporters, for his benefit as we ‘Leave nothing undared for the Kingdom of God.’
All the best,
Dr Paul Shannon
Principal