Principal's Report
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Welcome Back
Welcome back to Term 3. I trust that the break provided an opportunity to recharge after a busy end to Term 2 and everyone seems to have returned in good spirits. We finished the first semester with a flurry of activity, with a wide range of co-curricular and extracurricular programs. I want to offer my thanks to the coordinators of these programs and the many staff who contributed to the success of the week.
Principal Announcement
By now you will likely be aware that I have made the difficult decision to leave Aquinas at the end of this academic year (January 2024). Aquinas feels like home to me and I have informed MACS of my intentions with mixed emotions. It is truly a privilege to have served the Aquinas community for the past 10 years. I will offer thanks for the many blessings that I have received more fully as we get closer to the end of the year. In the meantime, MACS will commence a process to appoint my successor and I am confident there will be great interest. Whoever is offered the opportunity to lead our amazing learning community will indeed be fortunate.
World Youth Day
We wish safe travels to Mr Aiman Aiashi and five Aquinas students who depart for World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal this week. They join almost 600 young Melbournians in what will be the largest ever contingent from the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne to attend an overseas World Youth Day event. The pilgrims will join more than one million young people from around the world from August 2-6 to share their faith in Jesus Christ through prayer and celebration.
School Advisory Council Seminar
Our School Advisory Council gathered for our annual seminar last night to discuss the topic of School Improvement Frameworks. We are reviewing our accreditation with the Council of International Schools (CIS) and investigating a new pathway that they are offering. We are also discussing the MACS School Improvement Framework and their survey instrument that we will be using later this year to allow for feedback from our community. The School Advisory Council finished the evening at our restaurant night, enjoying the fine food and service provided by our VET Hospitality students.
Subject Selection Expo - August 24 - No Student Classes
Between 2pm and 8pm on August 24, the College will be open and subject teachers available to provide advice and guidance in regards to the selection of subjects for 2024. It is important to try and get as much information as possible to assist in making good decisions about next year. More information about the Expo will become available as we get closer, but as for advance notice, there are no classes on this day as teachers are allocated Professional Practice time prior to their afternoon and evening commitment at the Subject Expo.
Staff Spirituality Day - August 25 - Student Free Day
Advance notice that August 25 is dedicated on our calendar towards the formation of our staff in regards to their roles and responsibilities as educators in a Catholic school. Students do not attend school on this date.
Senior Play - Almost, Maine
This year鈥檚 Senior Play was staged this week and it was a delight to be able to join the audience on Wednesday evening. The cast did a wonderful job of capturing the awkward, yet heartfelt, relationships between characters in a small rural town, set in the depths of winter. Each cast member played multiple characters and did so with aplomb. Congratulations to Mrs Greenwood, Director, and the cast and crew for a most enjoyable production.
Darren Atkinson
Principal