We hope that the stories in this edition of the Emmanuel College Connection will uplift and inspire you. This edition should have featured a report and photos from one of our most significant events of the year - the Evening of Inspiration - but, due to COVID restrictions we were unable to hold the evening in the manner that we had planned as a grand event at the Lighthouse Theatre.
We are currently making plans to re-shape and reschedule the event but we would like to recognise in this edition those alumni who were to have been inducted in July.
These individuals could provide no broader example of contributing to and shaping the communities we live in and serve.
Many of our inductees have been saving and improving lives around the globe, whether through scientific research, enabling food security, sacrifice on the battlefield, working on human rights and suicide prevention or removing the stigma around mental health. In traditional Jewish teachings it is said that anyone who saves a life is as if they had saved an entire world. God has given us abundant life, and we are commanded to share this life with others. In a Catholic school we could say it is part of the journey of discovering what it means to be fully human; to have life and to have it abundantly.
This year we welcome into the Inspiring Alumni: Inala Cooper, Dr Alison Farley, Anthony Leddin, John McGrath OAM, Jacinta Reddan and Graham Warburton. They will join the previous 45 inductees in inspiring current and future generations of Emmanuel students.
In 2019 we introduced for the first time the Young Alumni Achievers – a way to recognise the outstanding achievements of those who are under 35 and are in the early stages of their lives and careers. This year we recognise: Meleita (Finnigan) Crimmin, Stephanie (Reid) Thiberge, Dylan Lesock, James Kol, Daniel O’Keefe, Garry Roberts and Tom O’Connor. We look forward to seeing each of you continuing to lead and inspire.
Although many events and co-curricular options at Emmanuel College have had to be put on hold due to COVID, nothing is slowing the progress of the exciting restructure of our College campuses and programs for 2022. In the last edition of the College Connection we reported on the engaging, new Year 9 Program - 9@RICE. Concurrent with the introduction of 9@RICE at the beginning of 2022 will be the introduction of major campus restructure.
Students in Years 7 and 8 will be located at the Goold Campus on the Hopetoun Road side of the College. When students complete the 9@RICE program located at the RICE Campus in Canterbury Road they will return to the McAuley Campus as fully-fledged members of the senior school ready to lead their own learning and complete their secondary education in a senior school environment.
From 2022 the senior school will comprise students from Years 10 to 12 based at the McAuley Campus in Botanic Road. Each student at McAuley Campus is considered to be a senior student who is on a three- year journey of personal growth and all are expected to rise to the challenge of being self-aware learners who own their learning and determine their own pathway to the future.
Although many events and co-curricular options at Emmanuel College have had to be put on hold due to COVID, nothing is slowing the progress of the exciting restructure of our College campuses and programs for 2022.
At the McAuley Campus, Emmanuel’s House system will become even more significant. In the senior school, comprising Years 10 to 12, the House system will be vertical. Students from these year levels may access classes and will join Mentor Groups together, rather than being locked into traditional horizontal year levels.
With the distinction between year levels removed, Homeroom Teachers are replaced with House Mentors who provide stability and support for students on their three-year journey until they complete their Emmanuel College education.
This will not only make it easier for Year 10 students to accelerate their learning it will enhance parent partnerships with the House Mentor working with students and families over a three-year journey to provide personalised, holistic support. There will be reciprocal opportunities for leadership, mentoring and advice between students.
Year 10 students do better in a senior school environment where the maturity and leadership of older students is modeled to them. Strengthened school connectedness and inclusivity has a positive impact on learning outcomes.
At times there will still be a need for students to gather in their peer years, for instance on camps and retreats (although these will be House group-based), social activities, Fit4Life days and presentations.
We look forward to the years of planning coming to fruition in 2022 and seeing the results in future years. We also look forward to witnessing the completion of the infrastructure changes required to support these programs.
The new McAuley Campus Library is one of those major infrastructure changes and the opening of this facility in May features in this magazine. Later this year we will celebrate the opening of a new Science precinct at McAuley Campus, with six laboratories, four classrooms and multiple, flexible learning and gathering spaces. The area below the Science Centre has also been expanded to provide a gathering space with tiered seating, cafe seating and study booths for those who prefer to study or collaborate in a less quiet environment than the Library. There are several other works to be completed, such as additional car parking spaces, but we are well on our way to being ready to embrace this exciting time of great change.
Many in our community are aware of our VCE success stories and outcomes but throughout the year students who focus on vocational studies quietly depart the College without fanfare to take up apprenticeships and traineeships. This has been an area of outstanding success for Emmanuel students. Throughout 2020-2021 we have seen almost 50 students being offered and accepting highly sought after apprenticeships in trades including: building, plumbing, automotive, landscaping, electrical, tiling, engineering, bricklaying, carpentry and hospitality, along with a range of traineeships and full time employment positions.
We would like to congratulate the following new Emmanuel Alumni on their success: Baillie Keast, Clem Nagorcka, Archie Barber, Jack Burke, Brooke Rankin, Cooper Wellington, Jack Noonan, Nelson McLaren, Flynn Grieve, Harvey Russell, Joe Nyikos, Kaleb Allen, Arjuna Buttonshaw-Benning, Jonah Maher, Jake McCosh, Paddy O’Sullivan, Mac Peterson, Matthew Sinnott, Harry White, Jorja Wolter, Thomas Lee, Charlie Moncrieff, Ethan Bean, Ethan Dowd, Shane Blignaut, Sam Houston, Lachlan Down, Abbie Cozens, KC Graham, Jonah Bowles, Isaac Place, Eva Hudson-Jolly, Jack Owen, Ryan Sheen, Joshua Barker, Ke’ann Calloway, Kyle Delaney, Thomas Freitag, Kylan Kelly, Lillee Gibb, Cate Jago, Archer Wellens, James Carlin, Walker Owen, Beau Uebergang, Liam Gurry, Harley Farquhar and Flynn Wilkinson.
Because these alumni leave the College prior to graduation, we now recognise their achievements with a letter and an alumni keyring. We hope you know that you will always be valued and welcome members of our Emmanuel College community.
In the March edition we farewelled Lisa Pope, Assistant Principal - Students, who spent nine years as a member of our Emmanuel family. Lisa was replaced by Claire Wrigley.
Prior to joining Emmanuel, Claire was the Assistant Principal – Students at Mercy Regional College Camperdown. Prior to this she taught at Mount St. Joseph’s College and St Joseph’s College, Geelong, holding leadership roles including Year Level Coordinator, Community Service Coordinator, Transition Coordinator, Head of Health and Physical Education and Director of Sport.
“Through my years of teaching in a variety of leadership roles, I have always placed priority on working to improve practice, programs and policy. My teaching and leadership approach is based on the ideal of education that nurtures the whole person. I provide leadership that is centred on compassion and respect.” said Claire.
Claire says her leadership experiences have been enhanced and supported by great colleagues, role models and her academic studies. She has a Master of Education (Student Wellbeing) from the University of Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma in Religious Education from the Australian Catholic University, a Bachelor of Education (Physical Education) and a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment.
At Mercy Regional College in Camperdown, Claire was responsible for founding the ‘Respect Cup’ and creating greater indigenous awareness through the FIRE Carrier leadership and community acknowledgment of indigenous Australia.
“It is with a sense of great excitement that I commenced my role as Assistant Principal – Students, at Emmanuel College. I feel this year is particularly special as we celebrate 30 years as Emmanuel College with such a rich history having gone before. I look forward to continuing to serve the College and working with the community in promoting our Mercy values.”
