It has been a very productive and enjoyable start to the 2019 school year and I extend a warm welcome to the many new students and families that have joined the MSJ community. I have been very impressed with how the students have embraced the many learning opportunities presented to them and I, along with the staff at the College, look forward to working in partnership with students and parents to ensure that all in our College have the opportunity to develop and grow.

Our theme for 2019 is ‘Have Virtue and Courage in who you become’. Students chose this theme so that we could truly live out our College motto; Virtue Courage. To be virtuous is to choose good, to do good, to give the best of ourselves, to live life with purpose. A person with courage is able to cope with adversity and is willing to stand up for what is right. This is what we are challenged to do, to live our life, like Mary MacKillop and St. Joseph, with virtue and courage.

Each year I choose a contemporary song for the year; this year’s song is Girl On Fire by Alicia Keyes. The song is about new beginnings, new perspectives and fresh starts. It’s about finding your own inner strength and channelling it in a way you’ve never tried before. To be “on fire” is to allow yourself the freedom to take full control of who you are and how you want to live your life. To live your passion and shine your light unabashedly!! It’s that moment you choose to claim your power and be extraordinary!

The phrase to be on fire can mean a number of things - to be unbeatable, to be working really hard, to be incredibly passionate about something. It is very much about being confident, being resilient; it is about being moved to action and about being you! At our first assembly I challenged the students to think about how they will be virtuous and courageous. What will move them to action in 2019, what are they passionate about, what do they want to achieve, what will challenge them this year and what will fire them up! What will make them a girl on fire!

MSJ is a very diverse and inclusive community, and as such it is important that we celebrate and acknowledge this. In addition to Acknowledgement of Country and prayer at the beginning of all our assemblies and formal functions, we will also commence with a Statement of Inclusivity and Acceptance.

The statement will be as follows:

As an inclusive faith community, we acknowledge that we are all made in the image and likeness of God and we are created in love.

All faiths, genders, sexualities and cultures are therefore respected, accepted and welcome in the MSJ community.

At the end of last year, we developed our 2019 Annual Action Plan. Parents are able download a copy of the Plan via the following attachment.

AAP-2019-Overview

On Tuesday 5 February, the 2018 VCE/VCAL Awards Assembly was held in the Mary MacKillop Centre. It was a great delight to welcome back to the College the high achievers of 2018. The Class of 2018 should be very proud of all that they achieved. This was a great opportunity for us, as a community, to acknowledge and congratulate the many students who achieved exceptional results. Congratulations to Isabella Cassetta, our College Dux, who achieved an ATAR of 96.65. A full list of our high achievers and analysis of the 2018 VCE/VCAL results can be found further in this newsletter.

On Tuesday 12 February, we celebrated our opening College Mass. My thanks to Archpriest Father Michael Kalka who truly engaged with our community and led our Eucharistic celebration so beautifully. My thanks to Sister Kerrie Cusack - Victoria Tasmania Regional Leader and Sisters Mary Davis and Rita Malavisi, along with College Board Chair, Garry McLean and Board Member Shaun Rodgers for joining us for this wonderful celebration. I was delighted that so many parents and family members were able to attend; your attendance truly made it a community celebration. As always the students that participated in the Mass were outstanding. My thanks to all who were involved, your contribution ensured it was a very special Mass.

Kate Dishon
Principal