One of the most rewarding parts of my role as Principal at the College is seeing our young people grow—not just academically, but as confident, thoughtful individuals who are ready to lead. In today’s world, leadership is more than a badge or a title. It’s about having the courage to speak up, the empathy to listen, and the drive to make a difference.

We believe every student has the potential to lead in their own way. Whether it’s through formal roles on like on the Student Representative Council (SRC) or simply by being a positive influence in the classroom or community, leadership is something we nurture every day. It’s about helping students find their voice and use it with purpose.

Research backs this up—when students feel heard and trusted, they become more engaged, resilient and connected to their learning. But beyond the data, we see it in the everyday moments: a student taking initiative in a group project, standing up for a friend, or sharing an idea that sparks change. These are the seeds of leadership.

What’s also powerful is how leadership builds stronger relationships. When we give students real responsibility, they rise to the occasion. And in turn, our staff see them not just as learners, but as partners in shaping the culture of the College. That trust creates a sense of belonging and wellbeing that’s hard to measure but easy to feel.

At the College, we’re proud to offer a wide range of leadership opportunities—big and small, visible and behind the scenes. We want every student, no matter their background or personality, to feel they have a place and a voice. I have been pleased to see so many students nominating to become a leader within the College for 2026. This is a strong representation of the confidence and ambition our students are developing.

As we continue to build a culture where student agency is valued, we’re not just preparing students for the future—we’re helping them shape it. And I couldn’t be more proud of the leaders they’re becoming.

Welcome to Spring! It has been lovely to see some sunshine around our campus this week as our community enjoys the energy and renewal that this season brings. With only two and a half weeks left until the end of term, there are several significant events on our College calendar that I would like to highlight.

College Open Evening
On Wednesday 10 September from 4.30pm to 7.00pm, Damascus will host our annual College Open Evening. This is a wonderful opportunity for prospective families to explore our College, meet staff and students, and experience the vibrant learning environment that makes Damascus unique. Families will be able to enjoy guided tours, interactive displays, and information sessions about the wide range of programs we offer. If you know of a family considering a Damascus education, please extend this invitation to them – we would love to welcome them into our community.

Father’s Day Breakfast
Tomorrow, we look forward to gathering for our much-loved Father’s Day Breakfast. This event has become a special tradition at Damascus, where students and their fathers or significant mentors share a meal together and celebrate the role these relationships play in our young people’s lives. We are thrilled to be hosting almost 300 members of our community tomorrow morning. A sincere thank you in advance to our Faith and Marketing & Development teams for their coordination and organisation of this event – I have no doubt it will be a memorable morning for all involved.

End of Term Arrangements
As we approach the conclusion of the term, please note that school will finish at the earlier time of 2.18pm on Friday 19 September. We have received confirmation from CDC Bus Lines that both country and CDC services will run at this early finish time, ensuring all students are able to travel home safely.

Scholarships Now Open

We are pleased to announce that scholarship applications for 2026 are now open.

Scholarships provide an exciting opportunity for students to be recognised and supported in their learning journey. A range of scholarships are available across different areas of student life, including academic achievement, leadership, the arts, sport and community involvement. Each scholarship reflects the College’s commitment to supporting young people to thrive and live out our values of compassion, justice, respect and service.

We encourage students to explore the scholarship opportunities and apply before the closing date. Please note, closing dates for scholarships vary.

For further details, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, please visit the Scholarship page on our website.

Emergency Management Drill – Shelter in Place

On Friday, 5 September, the College will conduct our quarterly Emergency Management Drill. As an education facility - particularly given our beautiful bushland setting – we are required to complete four emergency management drills each year. So far, we have practiced an evacuation (Term 1) and a lockdown (Term 2). This term, we will undertake a Shelter-in-Place Drill during this day, with shorter periods in operation.

A shelter-in-place (SIP) is an emergency response that involves remaining safely inside the school rather than evacuating, as there may be greater risk outside the buildings in certain situations. For this drill, McAuley and Xavier students will shelter in the Damascus Events Centre, while St Martin and Rice students will shelter in Building 5.

We encourage families to speak with their student about the importance of these drills in helping us prepare for a range of scenarios. Please note that no cars or visitors will be permitted to enter the site during the drill. Further details will come regarding the time. If you have any concerns about how your child may respond, please contact their Teacher Advisor or a member of the Student Growth and Engagement Team.

Thank you once again for your continued support and partnership in the education and wellbeing of your student.

Damascus Day

On Wednesday 17 September, Damascus College will come together to celebrate our annual Damascus Day. This much-loved tradition is a whole-school event that begins with Mass and the Transfer of Leadership Assembly, followed by a barbecue and food van lunch, and an afternoon filled with fun activities.

The 2026 theme is “Aussie Icons”, and we encourage everyone to embrace the spirit of the day by dressing up as a famous Australian icon. Afternoon activities will include a petting zoo, inflatable obstacle course, face painting, dunk tank, “slime the staff member,” rowing and SRT challenges, cupcake decorating, a golf simulator and “guess the staff member from their childhood photo” – just to name a few!

Prizes will be awarded for the best-dressed individuals and groups, along with recognition for winners of the various competitions.

Damascus Day is a highlight of the school year, offering a special opportunity to celebrate who we are as a College and to experience the strength of our community together.

Please note that Damascus Day is a normal school day and attendance is compulsory. If your student is unable to attend, please notify the College through the usual channels. We look forward to celebrating this special occasion as a community.

2026 Leadership

Applications for our 2026 Senior Student Leadership Roles are now underway. This is a wonderful opportunity for senior students to step up, represent their peers, and help shape the future of our school community.

On Monday 25 August, the Year 11 cohort, led my Hannah Keating (Leader of Student Wellbeing), were introduced to the application process and key dates for Senior Student Leadership roles, along with the benefits and challenges that come with these positions. Current College Captains Joachim Henderson and Milan Pilmore spoke about their 2025 experiences, as did SRC President Luke Eddy and House Captain Anna Hodge, who all strongly encouraged everyone to take a leap of faith, get out of their comfort zone and make their Year 12 year a memorable one.

Responsibilities of the leadership roles include representing the College at formal, informal and community events, some of which are outside school hours, being a role model for all students and supporting the college rules and values by demonstrating consistently good behaviour and habits.

Desired qualities and necessary skills include a willingness to work with a wide range of people across all facets of the College community, showing a commitment to attend important College events a complete public speaking tasks with enthusiasm, being flexible to adapt and step up when required at short notice and being a role model for their peers.

School Captain applications closed on Monday, 1 September, the next stage of the process will see interviews commence on Thursday, 4 September, with candidate speeches to the Year 10 and 11 cohort scheduled for Monday, 8 September. The House Leadership applications close on Monday September 8, with speeches on Monday 15 September. Applications must be sent to the respective staff House Leaders.

Rice - Nicole Hexter n.hexter@damascus.vic.edu.au

Xavier – Andrew Robertson a.robertson@damascus.vic.edu.au / Gavin Webb g.webb@damascus.vic.edu.au

McAuley - Jayde Tangey j.tangey@damascus.vic.edu.au

St Martin - Daniel Jans d.jans@damascus.vic.edu.au

Announcements will be made at the transfer of Leadership Assembly, which follows the Damascus Day Mass on the morning of Wednesday 17 September. I wish all willing applicants’ good luck and encourage students to reach out to key staff leaders for advice and assistance.

It has been a busy and exciting time in the Teaching and Learning space as we continue to focus on supporting every student in their learning journey.

This week, PSG interviews are underway. These conversations are a valuable opportunity to gather feedback from families and staff on how best to support individual students. The insights gained through these interviews help us refine strategies and provide targeted support to ensure every student can thrive.

Our Year 7 Primary School Transition Day was another highlight. On this day, staff from our College met with teachers from the Catholic and public primary schools that our 2026 Year 7 students will be coming from. The focus was on building strong connections with these schools and sharing valuable insights, so that we can best support students as they prepare for their transition from primary to secondary school.

In classrooms, teachers continue to explore and apply the 5Es instructional model: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate as a framework to support all learners. Recently, our focus has been on the Explain phase, where teachers make thinking explicit, connect new knowledge to prior learning, and model strategies that guide students toward deeper understanding.

A key part of this work has been developing confidence with the “I Do, We Do, You Do” gradual release model. This structured approach begins with the teacher explicitly modelling the learning process (I Do), then moving into guided practice with students (We Do), before providing opportunities for independent application (You Do). This sequence supports learners by providing clarity, scaffolding and opportunities to practise and consolidate their skills.

To strengthen this practice, the Instructional Practice Team has been delivering targeted professional learning and working alongside staff to deepen pedagogical knowledge and classroom techniques. The team has been helping teachers refine their use of explicit instruction and embed strategies that support all students to achieve success.

Families who are interested in further reading on effective teaching practices might like to explore the Australian Education Research Organisation’s article on Explicit Instruction: Explicit instruction | Australian Education Research Organisation

As we look ahead, our focus remains on building strong connections between students, families and staff, and on ensuring that every learner is supported to reach their potential. Grounded in the Mercy values of service, compassion, and respect, our teaching and learning practices are designed to nurture not only academic growth but also the wellbeing and personal development of each student. We thank families for their ongoing partnership in this important work and look forward to continuing the journey together.

The Hands on Learning Program at Damascus College provides students with meaningful opportunities to develop practical skills and confidence through hands-on projects.

This term, students have been working on a bricklaying project in our beautiful bush setting, creating concrete foundations and now constructing four curved seats. The project has been brought to life through the generous support of Damascus College Maintenance team member Brent Evans, who has patiently shared his knowledge, techniques, and industry experience.

Brent’s warm approach has been embraced by the students, who are building both their skills and their enthusiasm as the project takes shape. The College is deeply grateful for his time, expertise, and the lasting impact he is making through his participation in the project.

Congratulations to the students who have embraced this learning opportunity, and to the staff who continue to support and encourage them.

Five of our Damascus College Year 12 students have set their sights on studying Medicine in 2026 and have already taken a major step towards their goal.

Over the holidays, Haileigh Buttigieg, Joachim Henderson, Kylan Jans, Milan Pilmore and Tiana Tisserent all sat the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT), a highly competitive exam used by universities across Australia and New Zealand as part of the entry requirements for Medicine and other health degrees.

Among these students are our 2025 College Captains, Joachim and Milan, who along with their classmates have shown great commitment in preparing for this challenge.

The UCAT tests critical thinking, problem-solving and situational judgement, making it one of the toughest steps in the medical entry process. Congratulations to all five students for their dedication and courage!

Year 12 student Luke Eddy has recently returned from Canberra, where he proudly represented Damascus College and the Ballarat region at the Indonesian Embassy’s Independence Day celebrations.

Luke was one of only five Victorian recipients of the prestigious Indonesian scholarship through the Victorian Indonesian Language Teachers Association (VILTA). Together with the other scholarship recipients, he participated in a range of cultural and educational activities, including the flag-raising ceremony, student forums, and embassy events.

In a special honour, Luke was invited to deliver the principal guest speech at the Independence Day ceremonies on Sunday morning. This recognition highlighted both his passion for the Indonesian language and his leadership as a young ambassador for his school and community.

While returning home meant catching up on classes and assignments, Luke reflected positively on the experience. The trip gave him the chance to deepen his cultural knowledge, meet Indonesian families and embassy staff, and build connections with fellow Indonesian language students from across Victoria and Australia.

Damascus College is extremely proud of Luke’s achievements and extends congratulations to all the scholarship recipients who contributed to the success of this special event.

On Friday 29 August, as part of the Digital Technologies/e-Safety program, students in Years 7-10 participated in a ‘Digital Thumbprint’ presentation from Optus, an engaging and interactive presentation designed to promote safe and responsible digital practices.

In conjunction with the e-Safety Commissioner invaluable information was presented to the year level groups, supporting students in developing essential digital literacy skills and understanding the impact of their online behaviour.

The sessions were tailored to be age-appropriate and align with both the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 and Damascus College’s commitment to fostering respectful and informed digital citizens.

The program highlights the benefits of maintaining a positive online presence while equipping students with practical knowledge to stay safe online in a way they can understand, apply, and enjoy.

There were tips and strategies shared with students to assist them work through improving their online identity for future success. The engaging presenter discussed social media profiles and posts through the lens of an employer, which allowed students to view social media from a different perspective.

As part of the cyberbullying sessions, students explored the importance of respectful relationships online through compelling scenarios and were asked to consider their impact when interacting online. Online consent and the impact of artificial intelligence was covered, and the tools students must have to positively support themselves and their peers.

Parent resources are available here: https://www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/parent-resources/

Congratulations to Damascus College Year 8 student, Lexi Boehm, who has made it through to the state finals of the 2025 Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee.

Around 20 Damascus students from Years 7 and 8 took part in the Australian-wide competition, and Lexi’s achievement highlights the value of learning opportunities that encourage confidence, persistence, and the sharing of gifts within a Catholic education.

We wish Lexi well as she continues in the competition.

On Wednesday 27^th August the Damascus College Learning and Teaching team welcomed Year 12 families to the second Family Partnership Program parent information session ‘Towards the Finishing Line.’

A team of experts shared their knowledge and strategies to assist Year 12 students and families in getting the most out of the next few months, in the run home for their final year of secondary studies.

Staff shared important insights on VCE and VM including study tips, key dates, and some important self-care strategies for students and parents, to reduce the stress and anxiety associated with exams and finishing school.

There were lots of key take-aways for families to put into place to set their student up for success. As students navigate their career choices for life after school, important VTAC information was given, including key tips for accessing scholarships, gap year pros and cons, ways to choose a course that is right for you, and a reminder that students are more than just an ATAR and no matter your results, there are always options to follow the path you desire.

Throughout the session, it was a joy to welcome back 2024 College Captain Paris Govan, as she shared her recent experience and study strategies to the audience, and they appreciated hearing first-hand how she applied herself to achieve success.

Thank you to the many families that braved the cold of the evening, to partner with Damascus College in supporting students in their final months of secondary school.

A friendly reminder to Damascus families, that the third and final Family Partnership Program for 2025, is on Thursday 20 November with the topic of Respectful Relationships, to register please click here: https://www.trybooking.com/DCMHB

Last week, Damascus College welcomed Catholic primary schools from Ballarat and the surrounding region to our campus for the SEED Visits. This program is an opportunity for Grade 5 students to experience what it is like to be a secondary student at Damascus. It is a unique chance for them to immerse themselves in our learning environment, meet staff and students, and gain a genuine sense of what their high school journey at Damascus could look like.

The visiting Grade 5 students experienced a broad range of subjects across the day, with lessons that included Science experiments, Language classes, Food Technology and Physical Education, among many others. These engaging activities not only sparked curiosity but also highlighted the breadth of learning opportunities available at Damascus.

They also enjoyed moments of fun and connection, including sharing morning tea and lunch together, with games adding to the sense of community and enjoyment. The program highlights the leadership and hospitality of our Student Ambassadors, who led the visiting students on a campus tour, and our Year 7 students, who rose to the challenge as guides and mentors, modelling what it means to be part of the Damascus community.

Principal Steven Mifsud spoke about the importance of Catholic education in nurturing both learning and faith, and stressed the value of beginning and completing the full six years of secondary schooling within one community. “No one wants to see students switching schools midway through their journey,” he explained, noting that stability, belonging and growth are all fostered when students remain with the school they start at. Through SEED, Grade 5 students gain a glimpse into what a day in the life of a Damascus student is really like, moving between classrooms, exploring specialist subjects, and sharing meals together, all experiences that build excitement, confidence and connection to their future school.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to all the schools who attended, the staff and students who supported their groups, and to the Damascus students and staff who made the week such a success.

What is Thunderstorm Asthma?

Thunderstorm asthma is thought to be triggered by a unique combination of high amounts of grass pollen in the air and a certain type of thunderstorm (typically between October and end December). It can result in people wheezing, feeling short of breath, and tight in the chest with coughing. This can be sudden, serious, and even life threatening.

Anyone can be affected, even if they don’t have a history of asthma.

People at increased risk include those with asthma (diagnosed or unrecognised), hay fever (especially seasonal allergic rhinitis), or grass pollen allergies. People experiencing asthma symptoms even if for the first time should not ignore it and should seek medical advice as soon as possible. An asthma flare-up can vary in severity and can be life threatening. If there are signs that a person’s condition is deteriorating, urgent care should be sought.

How can your be prepared?

Education providers and families should be aware of forecast thunderstorms in the pollen season particularly on days with a HIGH or EXTREME pollen count. Where possible, students should stay indoors with doors and windows closed until the storm front has passed.

More information on thunderstorm asthma can be accessed on the Asthma Australia website: https://asthma.org.au/about-asthma/triggers/thunderstorm-asthma

The Thunderstorm Asthma forecast can be accessed at https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/epidemic-thunderstorm-asthma-risk-forecast

➡ Resources for schools and families

A variety of resources are available at the Asthma Australia website including fact sheets and videos. https://asthma.org.au/resources/schools

📃 You can access a range of Grampians region school posters and newsletter pieces by clicking on the image below.

If the image link does not open for you, please try https://sway.cloud.microsoft/cZxpMonpG3ldpzEg?ref=Link

Please see following a flyer in relation to Sturt Netball Club seeking assistance from Junior players:

From September 6 through to 14 there will be a rail disruption taking place on the Ballarat Line due to Melton Level Crossing Removal works.

During this time, buses will replace trains between Bacchus Marsh and Caroline Springs with trains running between Bacchus Marsh and Ballarat, Ararat, Maryborough and between Caroline Spring and Southern Cross.

A temporary timetable will be in place during this time.

Staff and students who catch a V/Line train to and from school are advised to check the timetable before they travel and allow extra time for their journey.

Here is a link to the timetable - https://go.vline.com.au/4n7IZBM