A Welcome from our Principal - October 2023

Welcome back to Term 4, 2023. It has been a remarkedly quick year through which we have seen many achieve goals in such a wonderful manner. I congratulate you all on completing three fabulous terms thus far. Now to finish off the year in a splendid manner.

Students undertaking VCE are entering their final stages of coursework. Term Four essentially is revision, practice exams and then final assessments. Students will now dedicate themselves to revising their work, attempting many past papers (which I believe is the secret to success in VCE) and regularly catching up with their teachers and friends to discuss their work, or just to get some topics/themes re-explained. It will be busy over the next few months but the rewards of your dedicated work during this time will be fantastic.

I wish all students preparing for final exams all the best regarding their preparation, the actual exam and then their final grades.

The Term Ahead

As we enter the start of Term Four, we have advertised a range of leadership roles and a broad range of teaching positions and non-teaching roles. Please encourage friends and acquaintances to look at these exciting roles and apply for them. We also have advertised for up to 12 trainee positions for 2024.

Tenders to build the Canteen, Wellbeing and IT Centres and classrooms are currently being developed by prospective builders, with the successful builder to be chosen soon. An exciting construction phase is ahead.

Pilgrimage

I was privileged to undertake a three-week Catholic Principals Pilgrimage to southern USA at the end of term three. The focus of the Pilgrimage was “Christian Holiness and Social Action.”

The Pilgrimage was magnificent, and one of my takeaway messages was around intergenerational trauma and forgiveness which said: “unless we forgive the person, he/she will permanently take up real estate in our heart.”

We also spent 2 days in silent retreat with the Monks at Gethsemani. The Monks live a life of silence and contemplation. Most Monks had been at Gethsemani for 60 years without ever leaving the grounds, which is just amazing. We also witnessed the brilliant community works carried out by the Loreto sisters.

We studied the significant Afro-American leaders in the early twentieth century including Thomas Merton, Martin Luther King Jnr., John Lewis and Rosa Parkes.

The impact of the small actions of Rosa Parkes was extraordinary. Rosa refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white person and that action alone sparked violence, protests, anger, and brutality. But Rosa achieved remarkable things towards ending segregation.

Doing small things in an extraordinary and courageous manner sees extraordinary achievements being attained.

With that in mind as we head towards the end of what has been another wonderful and successful year, be brave, be courageous and please keep connected and involved in our great College.

John Cortese

Principal

October 2023.

Luigi Gigliotti Scholarship Open to Year 12 Students

The Luigi Gigliotti Scholarship came into being after Notre Dame College was privileged to receive a grant of money from the Estate of a deceased member of our community, who had always held the College in high esteem.

The enduring legacy of invested monies will continue to generate funds for Year 12 student scholarships for tertiary study long into the future.

The intent of this Scholarship is to support students in regard to significant financial constraints that would prevent their family from being able to send their son/daughter to university, or who may face financial difficulty in being able to keep their son/daughter at university.

The Luigi Gigliotti Scholarship may be awarded to an applicant(s) after taking into consideration a range of the following criteria:

· Financial hardship

· Proficiency and application to studies

· Sport and community involvement

· Funds will be presented privately to successful applicant(s) upon receipt by the College of confirmation of the applicant’s enrolment into a university course

Scholarship Applications must be endorsed by the current Year 12 student’s Head of House and are to be handed into Student Reception at the College or directly to Mr. John Cortese by no later than

Friday 17 November, 2023.

Application forms are available for students to collect from Student Reception.