Principal's Message

                                                                     Mrs Josie Crisara

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I would firstly like to wish all families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. At the Christmas Services last week the focus was on the theme of God is with Us, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. (Isaiah 9:6). What a wonderful gift has been bestowed on us. At this time of advent, we remember that we have been truly blessed and that with Hope, Love, Joy and Peace we can move into the new year with much cheer. 

Presentation Night

A different form of Presentation Night this year was livestreamed to families. We congratulate award winners, we celebrate all that has been achieved this year and thank families, students and staff.  I would also like to thank the Board members who contribute significantly to the governance and ongoing improvement of the College through their membership of the College Board and associated committees. This year, the financial and operational challenges presented by COVID and Home Learning have been immense and complex, and the unconditional support offered has been invaluable to all in our community. Also thank you to families who through this time have supported other families, especially those experiencing hardship through loss of employment and business. Together we have been able to give support which has been received with gratitude and humbleness. 

 

In the Principal’s address at Presentation Night I posed the question around what you would consider to be your Seven Wonders of the World, sharing some of mine: the Pyramids, the Grand Canyon, the Colosseum, Stone Henge, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal and the Auroras, discussing features of each that make them amazing. I wondered what your seven wonders of the world might be? I told the story of a student who shared the following: 

 

I think the Seven Wonders of the world are:

  1. To see
  2. To hear
  3. To touch
  4. To taste
  5. To feel
  6. To laugh
  7. To love

How important are these simple and ordinary things? Sometimes the things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous. A reminder - that the most precious things in life are right in front of us. 

 

2020 Presentation Night Award Recipients

CUMBERLAND SCHOOL

Colour Awards

DUNHELEN SCHOOL

Subject Awards

Colour Awards

Year 9 Writers Workshop Awards

  • Jasmine E
  • Ellisa P

BROOKHILL SCHOOL

Subject Awards

Colour Awards

  • Kwong Lee Dow Scholarship 2020 - Maryam T
  • Kwong Lee Dow Scholarship 2020 - Joshua P
  • Long Tan Youth Leadership & Teamwork Award Year 12, 2020 - Angus M
  • Long Tan Youth Leadership & Teamwork Award Year 10, 2020 - Sabrina C
  • Australia Defence Force Future Innovators Award 2020 - Maryam T

Parents and Friends Association

The Parents and Friends held their AGM recently and the following parents listed below will continue in their role as office bearers. This year the Parents and Friends have supported the addition of a playground near the Cumberland Village which is nearing completion.

  • President - Allison Phelan
  • Vice President - Melinda Gallicchio
  • Treasurer - Sally Penaluna
  • Secretary - Amanda Phelan

Thank you to the Parents and Friends Committee and helpers for their work this year.

Reconciliation Action Plan

The Indigenous Steering Committee has been working on a Reconciliation Action Plan and will continue to do so into next year. An important part of the plan is developing a vision statement.  The draft statement is as follows:

 

“The community of Aitken College respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri peoples, on whose land our College is located. We reverently offer our respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging, as it is their ancestors who have walked this country and built paths for us to follow. We acknowledge their special and unique place in our nation’s historical, cultural and linguistic identity. As a College, we strive to hear Indigenous voices in our teaching and learning by recognising, understanding and valuing their cultures and identities through the development of our minds and the opening of our hearts so we can learn from and alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples”.

 

The committee is looking for feedback on this statement. Comments, suggestions or improvements can be emailed to the College at admin@aitkencollege.edu.au by Friday 15 January 2021.

Victorian School Garden Awards

The College entered a submission into these awards. We are an award winner in the category for regional, the Kevin Heinz awards. The investment in the kitchen garden, agriculture, environmental studies, science, revegetation and sustainability programs in which students can partake has been rewarded.

Year 12 Valedictory Dinner

Last Thursday night we celebrated our Year 12 students the Class of 2020 with a Valedictory Dinner. Due to restrictions we were only able to have the students and a few staff attend but we livestreamed the graduation section of the dinner to families of Year 12 students. For a group of students who have endured so much in terms of the impact on their final year of schooling, they have demonstrated remarkable agility and resilience. Our final message to this cohort is:

 

To the  class of 2020, we challenge you to exceed our expectations, as now you are ready for the next chapter. Use your one precious life to make our world a better place. Make a difference in all that you do.

 

In the words of the prophet Micah, there are three things: 

Act Justly,

Love Tenderly,

Walk Humbly with your God.

 

May you live these words every day of your lives, as proud young people with big futures ahead of you.  Create your own story and come back and share it with us. 

Staff Departures

We say farewell  to Ms Cristy Herron and Mr Daniel Catoggio who move to take on new roles as Head of Science and VCAL Coordinator respectively in new schools. We congratulate them on these promotional roles.  We also say farewell to Mr Ron Rees who is retiring after a distinguished career in education. 

 

We thank the following staff who have completed replacement contracts this year: Ms Kate Riddell, Mrs Aysel Saglam, Miss Brittany James, Ms Jade Leonard, Miss Jwan Kada, Mr Leonard Barker, Mr Luke Costabile, Mr Michael Kilpatrick and Mrs Winnie Khahra.  We thank them for their contributions to Aitken College. 

 

We also wish Ms Carmen Mazzarotta well as she takes Long Service Leave in Term 1.