The past fortnight has been a celebration of learning through individual and collective efforts whereby our students have worked assiduously with our teachers and one another to produce outstanding performances and a deepening of one’s gifts and talents. Our students have been able to demonstrate their skills in social and emotional learning and employed the skills of perseverance, organisation, leadership, resilience and confidence. I have been so proud of our student's application to their learning, their future pathways planning and co-curricula life of the College.

This week the College received the Diocesan Message stick to celebrate 150 years of the Ballarat Diocese. Our student leaders met with students from St James Primary school and participated in a ritual of thanks and acknowledgement. Our leaders presented the message stick to the Emmaus community. To mark the 150th anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat, and in recognition of, and sensitivity to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and brothers, four Message Sticks are simultaneously journeying to each Catholic school across the four education zones of the Diocese to carry the message to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)

Last week we joined Damascus SRC students in welcoming Prep and Grade 6 students from St James Parish School as they passed along one of the Message Sticks. After a liturgy in the Damascus College chapel, the Message Stick was proudly on display in the St Martin’s Resource Centre before it was passed on to Emmaus Catholic Primary School this week.

Our subject selection expo and Career’s Evening was brilliantly organised by our Career’s Team led by Georgia Shilito and Alan Archibold and supported by Belinda Dwyer, Caroline Nolan and our Learning Area Leaders and teachers. Our students need to have clear goals and a pathway to plan for their future and to appreciate the value of their education and for them to be agents of their future. The College is proud of the breadth of senior pathways ensuring all our students complete a senior study that meets their needs and aspirations. I look forward to seeing our families and young people over the next few days as they continue to plan their subject selections for 2025 and beyond. Young people today, more than ever before, need to complete their senior secondary education. Whether heading into university, TAFE or an apprenticeship our young people need the skills of perseverance, a nationally recognised qualification such as a formal year 12 certificate to position themselves into their future pathway. Damascus offers students choice in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the Vocational Major (VM). I encourage our families to explore the best certificate to meet the needs of your young person.

Last week a number of our students participated in the The Royal South Street Society Program in debating and public speaking with much success. Now Australia’s oldest and longest running eisteddfod, the annual Royal South Street Society Ballarat Eisteddfod has seen well over one million aspiring singers, dancers, orators, writers, musicians and composers pass through the doors since 1891 – including the likes of Dame Nellie Melba, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Joan Kirner, Andrew Olle, Alfred Deakin, Anthony Callea and many more. I was so proud to see our Year 12 team compete and to hear of our teams win to proceed to the final rounds. Debating and public speaking supports our learners to be articulate, reflective and expressive. Well done to our competitors.

Congratulations to our staff and crew who presented The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. Our students, impeccably directed by Andrew Seeary, were able to capture the experiences, feelings and emotions of a young person living with Autism. The students were able to capture the intensity of life, the challenges and the joy of living in a family that experiences hardship. Each one of us has our own challenges, but it is only when we believe in ourselves and we are supported by our community of people, that we genuinely grow to reach our potential. Life presents us with much adversity but it is only when we confront our challenges we grow and become better people.

I would like to welcome the following new staff:

Pierce Smith – Teacher

Lyndall O’Keefe – Learning Support Officer

David Carton – Learning Support Officer

Alexander Jameson – First Nations Support Officer

With every blessing