A thank you to all our staff at school
Throughout 2024 so far, staff at our great Notre Dame College have continued to do a magnificent job, delivering powerful education (both educational and wellbeing) to our students and supporting each other and the parents in our community.
In this time of severe teacher shortage, we need to remind all of the great work staff at Notre Dame College are doing and the importance of having such competent and caring staff working at our College.
I ask you all to recognize the extraordinary efforts staff at Notre Dame are going to in order to support our whole community with both their personal, professional and academic growth.
It is truly inspiring to witness.
2025 Course Information sessions
Through the early part of Term 3, students and parents were involved in sessions that supported students to select their subjects for the 2025 school year at the Years 10, 11 and 12 levels.
The sessions are an opportunity for staff to talk about the type of subjects that are available, pre-requisites needed for tertiary studies, differences between VCE and VCE/VM (formerly known as VCAL), what factors students (and parents) should consider when making subject choices for the following year, study commitments for the following year and obviously a time when staff could answer whatever questions were raised by students and parents.
Can I thank all parents who were involved in these sessions as this obviously helps support your children in making the right decisions re study programs for the following year.
Research has shown that students experience the greatest success with their schooling and beyond when education is an unbreakable partnership between the school (staff), parents and children - that is when parents share their children’s schooling journey with them, supporting them, encouraging them and helping them through any hurdles that arise.
Hopefully many parents will participate in the 2024 Course Information sessions.
VCE (Unit 3 and 4) – final stages of course work
Students undertaking Unit 3 and Unit 4 (VCE) are entering their final stages of coursework.
Term 4 essentially is revision, practice exams and then final assessments.
If any parents wish to have discussions/ contact between parents, students and teachers for students involved in Units 3 and 4 to discuss current progress and look at the direction regarding revision and study that is required over the next 8-10 weeks as students prepare for their final exams later in the year, please contact the teachers and the school immediately rather than wait too long.
Obviously actual class work will be finishing up in all units by late Term 3 and then students need to 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, revision, things they don’t understand or just to get some topics/themes re-explained.
It will be a busy over the next 2-3 months but the rewards of hard work over this time will fantastic if you are prepared to do the “hard yards”.
I wish all students preparing for final Unit 3 and 4 exams all the best regarding their preparation, the actual exam and then their final grades.
As excited as students and parents are when results come out in December, I can guarantee all students that Notre Dame College, the staff and myself are just as excited in receiving your results and seeing the fruits of our labour recognized also.
My thoughts, best wishes and prayers are with you all as you prepare for final exams over the next 3 months.
Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The 15th August was the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
On this day, Catholics and many other Christians celebrate the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it is one of the most significant dates on the Church calendar.
This significant feast day recalls the spiritual and physical departure of the Mother of Jesus Christ from the earth, when both her soul and her body were taken into the presence of God.
The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is observed in the Catholic Church in Australia as a Holy Day of Obligation, a day when Catholics are expected to attend Mass.
The only other Holy Days of Obligation in the Australian Catholic Church are the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas day), Easter Sunday and all the Sundays of the year.
At Notre Dame College, we all participated in a whole College Mass for Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Mass was beautifully prepared by the Faith and Ministry Team and supported by many other staff. Fr. Rob Galea and Fr Jackson were the main celebrants.
John Cortese
Principal
