The Supportive Friends are proud to have been organising and collecting donations for St Vincent de Paul Society. As a community, we have rallied together to provide bucket loads of tinned fruits and veggies, cereals and soup which will go to those who are less fortunate.
Throughout this term, the Drop-In Space has provided a warm and inclusive environment for any MSJ student looking for a quiet, friendly place to take a break, recharge, connect with others and participate in activities. The Supportive Friends have been instrumental in creating this positive atmosphere volunteering their time to sit with students and offer a welcoming presence. Feedback from those who’ve visited the space has been encouraging, with many students sharing that they appreciate having a calm, safe area to enjoy some activities.
Earlier in the term, the Supportive Friends also hosted a welcome lunch for new students where they enjoyed a chip lunch, shared any concerns they held and received support. This initiative helped encourage connection and belonging across year levels.
Next semester the Supportive Friends are aiming to support and organise activities for RUOK Day and Bullying No way week to spread awareness about mental health struggles relevant to students today.
The Peer Support Leaders have been working together to create fun ways to get all the Year 7 students to build positive relationships with each other with the focus on inclusivity and confidence as a cohort.
The Peer Support Leaders have been meeting regularly as a team and have come up with a program called ‘Fun Fridays’ which takes place during Learning Mentor time each Friday. It is a way to have a bit of a reset at the end of each week.
Some of the activities run so far include booklets, a Disney kahoot to align with the MMADD Day theme and ‘guess the celebrity by their eyes’ and Pictionary. A favourite so far has been “guess the song” where students worked together to figure out the names of their favourite songs.
The Peer Support Leadership program has been a great opportunity for all of us to build connections with the junior school and improve our leadership skills over the last semester.
The feedback from the Year 7 students has been positive:
We were so happy to attend and support Joseph’s Corner at their High Tea event. It was a truly special day filled with delicious food, great company, and a powerful message. We loved hearing the guest speaker share their powerful story, and it reminded us why Joseph’s Corner is such an important part of the community. With the amazing David Mann as MC, it was a fun and inspiring day that we’re proud to have been part of.
Olivia Tole & Eliza Pelns - Year 11 & 12
Open Day was on the 18th of May, which is where MSJ students from Years 8–12 volunteered to guide families considering enrolling their children. The biggest highlights were definitely the leadership panel and the chance to showcase MSJ to prospective families. During the panel, Mrs Dishon asked questions of the student leadership team, and then the leaders turned the tables, asking questions back. It was an engaging, two-way conversation that gave real insight into student life. Touring families around MSJ also gave our student guides the perfect opportunity to highlight both the academic and social sides of our community.
Bianca Anderson & Joanne Vivera - Year 12
On the 13th of June MSJ held a Winter Sleepout in the MMC, with an estimation of 80 people who said they would be attending, and most showing up. The event was about spreading awareness on social issues, especially the issues of homeless within our community. We ran the winter sleepout to raise money for Vinnies, as well as collected donations over the last month up to the night of. We were able to raise over $3,000 in online donations as a school community and had donated buckets full of pantry items that we then donated to the Vinnies foundation. On the night we were joined by members of the Vinnies organisation, and our guest speaker Maria Quigley, who represented the Big Group Hug foundation. Maria spoke about the origins of the foundation and how they are able to help families experiencing homelessness, which a few of our leaders were then lucky enough to have the opportunity to converse afterwards. At the end of the night we had our liturgy where we gathered in a group outside. We then laid out candles on a large wooden cross to symbolise Jesus’s light guiding our prayers for those in need. Overall the Winter Sleepout was a successful night and was our most successful to date.
Courtnee Doering - Social Justice Leader
On June 17, our Year 9 students attended their annual Reflection Day at the Williamstown Town Hall. The day was filled with a variety of engaging activities including team games, drama performances, group discussions, dancing, and more.
The central focus of the day was to encourage students to reflect on and deepen three key relationships: their relationship with themselves, with others, and with God. A highlight for many was the lunchtime break - Hot Wings proving to be a popular choice among students. It was a meaningful and enjoyable day for both students and pastoral teachers. We extend our thanks to the Catholic Mission Team for their energy, experience, and thoughtful leadership throughout the day.
Judah Dundon - Student Engagement Leader
On Tuesday, our Year 10 students stepped out of the classroom and into a powerful experience of faith, culture, and connection. The day began on campus with an inspiring workshop led by the Kiera and Nanjera from Djirri Djirri Wurundjeri women’s dance group, who shared their rich Aboriginal culture through dance and storytelling.
Students then explored places of worship and cultural understanding across Melbourne, from the Islamic and Jewish Museums to St Patrick’s Cathedral, a Greek Orthodox Church, and both Buddhist and Sikh Temples.
This day brought their Religious Education studies on World Religions to life, reminding us all how important it is to foster dialogue, empathy, and respect in today’s world.
Anne Severi - Director of Catholic Identity
