91自拍

Easter & the Pope who inspires Hope

As a Church and as a Catholic College we mourn the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. Fittingly, his final public address on Easter Sunday was filled with the hope of the risen Christ, a hope that Pope Francis embodied.

鈥淭he resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope. 鈥� hope does not disappoint! 鈥� That hope is not an evasion, but a challenge; it does not delude, but empowers us.

鈥�On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God!鈥�

Full address .

Family Mass for Mother鈥檚 Day

All families are encouraged to join the Mother鈥檚 Day mass being celebrated in our College Chapel on Tuesday 13 May from 7.30pm. A light supper is provided afterwards for the chance to chat with staff and fellow Aquinas families.

USA Music Trip

It was truly a privilege to travel with 40 Aquinas students and 4 colleagues on the 91自拍 USA Music Trip last month, one of the best experiences of my 30+ years in Catholic education. The joint performances with students from Cardinal Spellman High School were a highlight (as was their cafeteria for our students!) and we look forward to returning the hospitality of their President Daniel O鈥橩eeffe in early 2026. Thanks to Spellman, one of the performances can be viewed in full here:

On behalf of the students and myself, I express my deepest thanks to Aquinas Music Coordinators Alison Bellew & Emily McKenzie, along with Adrian Perri & Daniel Lijnders for their organisation and leadership before and during the trip. Our students were perfect ambassadors for Aquinas and for the joy that music brings. Please see later in this newsletter for more details & pictures!

I thank Deputy Principals Michael Box and Jessica Alger for their leadership as Acting Co-Principals during my absence.

Lifelong benefits of a Catholic Education

The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey is a longitudinal study examining data from 2000-2022. A recent analysis undertaken by the Centre for International Research on Education Systems (CIRES) at Victoria University noted significant evidence of lifelong benefits of attending Catholic schools. The report notes 鈥渁fter controlling for a comprehensive set of alternative explanatory factors, attendance at a Catholic school was found to have a positive effect upon many outcomes. Compared to people who attended government schools, people who attended a Catholic school were found, on average, to:

For the full report, please see

Staff PL: Student Wellbeing Day
Staff returned for Term 2 to focus on Student Wellbeing on the 22 April professional learning day. Further preparations were completed for our 2026 Vertical Pastoral systems implementation, along with initial preparations for Positive Behaviour for Learning, a framework to further enhance student wellbeing and our college culture. The afternoon included a variety of sessions on staff wellbeing.

Vertical Pastoral Groups update
Thanks to families who responded to the Vertical Pastoral Groups survey from the 21 March Lighthouse. A similar student survey received almost 1000 responses and will be combined with the recent staff survey to help shape the way forward. We are in the process of compiling an FAQ document to respond to the queries submitted via the families and student surveys, with the intention of making this available to all families in the coming weeks. To clarify the three most common issues:

• The college will be subsidising new sports polo tops for students who move to a new House in 2026
• The THRIVE period will have sessions that are both vertical and horizontal, depending on the content / focus
• The 2026 timetable will include movement time between morning homeroom and period 1 to ensure students do not lose any learning time

David Broadbent 

Principal

Spiritually Speaking: Vale Pope Francis.

 Pope Francis鈥� passing on Easter Monday leads to reminiscing on 12 years worth of memories. He was and will be remembered as a compassionate and caring pope, whose love of God and love for the church led every action in his life. From that first day when he refused to have the luxuries and exuberance offered to a pope, he modelled humility. Francis was not one to tolerate injustice whether it was by

cardinals, bishops, laity or government officials. Willing to speak for the voiceless, he often ruffled feathers both in and outside of the church. Here are just some of the key memories I have of Francis.

1. Pope Francis with children.

Francis never prevented children from approaching him. He would stop his advisors and allow them access, to talk, to play, to ask questions. The first I remember is the young boy at the family mass who wandered up and stood with him. Then there was a gathering for people and children with disabilities where he invited a girl with down syndrome to sit with him while he spoke. Finally the one with the little boy who lost his dad and wanted to know if he would be in heaven. (I still shed a tear watching the video).

The rest of this article can be found  to read and learn more about Pope Francis, including; Being a friend of the "outcast", his care for the environment, his involvement in striving for World Peace and his Respect for women. 

Tania Grace
Assistant Principal Mission
 
 

Senior Years Report

Year 11 and 12 student assemblies this week have focused on informing students about the General Achievement Test (GAT) which takes place June 17. Information about 鈥榃ho sits the GAT鈥�, 鈥楾he purpose of the GAT鈥� and 鈥楿nderstanding the structure of the test鈥� were addressed.
The General Achievement Test (GAT) is a component of the VCE assessment
process, designed to evaluate general knowledge and skills in writing, numeracy, and reasoning.

All students enrolled in one or more VCE, VCE VM or VCE VET Year 12 subject (Units 3 and 4) must sit the GAT. This will include students from years 10 to 12 at 91自拍. VCE and VCE VET students in 2025 who completed the GAT in 2024 must sit the GAT again. However, VCE VM students who met the Literacy and Numeracy standards in 2024 and are not undertaking any VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3鈥�4 sequences are not required to complete the GAT in 2025, however, they may opt to do so if they wish.

The GAT contains two tests Section A and Section B. Section A is a literacy and numeracy assessment and Section B is general knowledge based on Mathematics, Science, Technology, Arts and Humanities. Each section begins with a 30 minute writing task, followed by 50-100 multiple choice questions.

All students must complete Section A. Students undertaking VCE or a scored VCE VET Unit 3鈥�4 sequences also complete Section B.

Although the GAT isn't part of an ATAR, taking it seriously gives you a safety net. It can protect your results and support you in situations outside your control.

The GAT is important for students in the following ways:

Confirms the Validity of Your Exams
If there's a discrepancy in your exam or SAC (School-Assessed Coursework) scores, GAT scores are used to check for accuracy and may be used in statistical moderation which is used to calculate Study Scores. This ensures fair and consistent grading across the state.

Is used for Derived Examination Scores (DES)
If you're sick, injured, or unable to perform at your best during an exam and apply for a Derived Examination Score, your GAT results help calculate a fair replacement score. A strong GAT performance can boost this result.

Helps with Statistical Moderation of SACs
Your SAC marks are compared across schools using your school鈥檚 exam performance and the GAT. So, your GAT score can influence how your internal assessments are adjusted to align with external standards. Again, a strong GAT performance can positively impact this result.

Certifies Literacy and Numeracy for VCE VM Students
For VCE VM students, Section A results are recorded on a certificate that verifies literacy and numeracy achievement.

No special study is required beyond the general knowledge and skills built through regular study of subjects like English, Mathematics, Science and History. Nonetheless, knowing the structure of the GAT and reviewing the styles of writing tasks in the two sections will assist student preparation by reducing uncertainty of what is required and increase confidence in their approach.

Students will undertake practice papers and receive feedback for Sections A and B written components during THRIVE classes on May 8th and 15th. The papers will be marked and feedback provided by English teachers. Multiple choice sections will be made available to students to complete at home. Further details about the running of the GAT day will be emailed closer to the date.

Rachel Crawley

Head Senior Years

Middle Years Report
  Last week, our Year Seven and Eight students participated in a workshop delivered by Toolbox Education. It was pleasing to see that students were actively participating in the activities and took away practical strategies to enhance their emotional regulation whilst inside and outside of school. For the next few weeks, our THRIVE sessions will complement the Toolbox presentation with follow-up activities led by the homeroom teacher.


The following sessions were delivered:

Year Seven - Emotional Regulation

Sometimes our emotions get the better of us. This can lead to fights, arguments and friendship breakdowns. Understanding how to let out our emotions is an important step. The key skills provided were:

-Tools to de-escalate conflict

-Effective strategies to manage uncomfortable emotions

-Progressive muscle relaxation

Year Eight- Mental Movies

Our minds have a catalogue of movies about our most uncomfortable experiences and unhelpful stories. These movies create anxiety, worry & stop us from living in the present moment. The key skills provided were:

-Creating distance from our unhelpful stories

-Avoiding unhelpful patterns of thinking and worry

-Developing mature language to communicate your experience

A useful resource for both parents and students can be viewed below in the podcast by Toolbox Co-Founders David Berlinski and Ben Scholl and they discussed topics we think that you would find useful.

They talk about the following issues:

- Anxiety and school refusal
- Conflict and relationship challenges
- Supporting student wellbeing in and out of the classroom

This conversation is full of practical insights and support strategies

Sam Storey
Head Middle Years

Please save the date and book in for our Family "Mother's Day" Mass

91自拍 warmly invites students and their families to celebrate mass together, with an emphasis on giving thanks to our Mothers or those that are Motherly figures in our lives.

The Mass is student-led and will be celebrated by our Year 10 EDGE class & Year 11 Religion Music.

We encourage you to come along to support these students and to enjoy some time for quiet reflection.

Hi, I鈥檓 Grace Rider, a Year 12 student and the Senior Social Justice and Outreach Captain. I鈥檝e been part of the Social Justice Club for a while now, and seeing just how powerful it can be when students come together to support others is what led me to this role. It gives me the opportunity to turn compassion into action and inspire others to do the same.

As the Social Justice Captain, I assist in running the meetings for the school鈥檚 Social Justice Club. Within the club, we learn about important justice issues and take meaningful steps to address them, both locally and globally. From fundraising to advocacy, we focus on building empathy, raising awareness, and creating real change in our school and beyond.

Each term, we have a main focus project that reflects different values of the College. Through the fundraising efforts of the dedicated members of the Social Justice Club, we were able to raise over $3,000 in Term 1 for Project Compassion, supporting Caritas Australia.

This term, our project is Tinnies for Vinnies, where we will be collecting non-perishable items for those in our local area who are struggling and may need some extra help to get through the winter. We will also be running our annual Winter Sleepout to raise awareness about homelessness. Keep an eye out for more information about both of these events in the coming weeks.

Term 3 brings our Fair Trade Fair, where we highlight ethical choices and workers鈥� rights. And in Term 4, we finish the year with the Vinnies Christmas Appeal, gathering gifts and food for families in need.

These aren鈥檛 just events 鈥� they鈥檙e powerful opportunities to grow, serve others, and be part of something bigger. In a world where injustice still exists, young people have a vital role to play. Even small actions, like donating a can of food or learning about fair trade, can leave a lasting impact.

So, if you鈥檙e curious, passionate, or just want to be part of a positive movement, I invite you to join us. The Social Justice Club will start up again next week, and will be meeting every Tuesday at recess in J1.05. No experience needed 鈥� just bring your heart, your voice, and your willingness to make a difference.

鈥� Grace Rider, Senior Social Justice and Outreach Captain

Karyn Myers

Sustainability Coordinator

 
Year 7 Immunisations - consent form link

The Secondary School Immunisation Program offers free National Immunisation Program schedule vaccines to all eligible Year 7 and Year 10 students. The Maroondah Council Immunisation Team will deliver immunisations to consented students onsite at 91自拍.

Year 7 Students - Wednesday June 18

• Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)

 Consent form link for Year 7 Students

Please to access the Maroondah Council immunisation details and instructions on how to complete the online consent form. 

Should you have any questions regarding the immunisations please follow contact information provided by the Maroondah Council on the information and consent form link.

 Health centre staff

On the 30th of March 40 of the Aquinas music students as well as 5 staff members boarded a plane bound for New York!
What followed over the next 12 days was an amazing blend of high quality music performances by the students, sight seeing, attending concerts, plane flights, American cuisine and lots of walking.
The staff were continuously blown away by the team work and support the students displayed with each other. The students represented themselves, the department and the College tremendously throughout the trip.

As the Music Program Coordinators we were honoured to have the opportunity to lead the students and our fellow colleagues on the trip. All of the support from the college, colleagues, parents and wider community was greatly appreciated.

Alison Bellew and Emily McKenzie
Music Program Coordinators

This year, students from year 8-12 were given the privilege to travel across the world to America, staying in both New York City and Los Angeles. While the flights were rough, and stress was high- we had the most amazing time, being given a chance to earn independence while travelling, and forming new connections with the people around us.

We were able to experience the wonders of both New York and LA, going to places like the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Broadway, Time Square, Disneyland, the walk of fame and so many other iconic and unforgettable places.

This trip offered us a deeper appreciation for music as a whole, as well as the incredibly different and lively culture of America- helping us all to grow as a musician, and a person.

We also had many great performance opportunities, being able to perform at Empire State Building, USS Intrepid, One World Observatory and St John the Divine鈥檚 Cathedral. Being able to perform in these new and inspiring places, was an incredible opportunity that will continue to encourage us all throughout our music careers.

One of the biggest highlights of the entire trip was our two day visit to our sister school: Cardinal Spellman High, in the Bronx. We were given the opportunity to interact with American students and experience an American high school, making so many new friends to last a lifetime.

Beyond music, everyone involved bonded as a group while taking in the sights, sounds, and energy of the city that never sleeps. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience, that has left lasting memories, and a more profound appreciation for music as a whole.

Anika Pamamull - Year 12 Music Captain

Aquinas Career News Edition #10 can be found . Topics this week include:

• Dates to Diarise in Term 2
• VCE and Careers Expo 2025 - This Weekend
• News from Monash University

                  - Reminder: Discover Monash Events                  

                  - New Bachelor of Speech Pathology Degree in 2026             

• ACU: 'Talk with Industry' Webinars
• Focus on Melbourne Information Sessions
• The Hotel School Australia: Tourism Insights Event
• Difference between a Bachelor of Laws and the Juris Doctor
• JMC Academy: Open Day 鈥� May 2025
• Endota Wellness College - Open Day 
•  News from Bond University

                  - Applying for 2026 Entry   

• ACAP - Online Info Session - Social Work 
• Data Science and Information Systems Degrees in Victoria in 2025
• Dental Technology and Oral Health Courses in Victoria in 2025
• Snapshot of Charles Sturt University (CSU) in 2025
• Snapshot of Macquarie University in 2025

Vanessa Ramsay

Careers Counsellor

On Anzac day we had the honour to attend the Dawn Service at Ringwood clock tower Friday morning. It was a powerful opportunity for us to reflect, pay our respects and acknowledge all those who fought for our country and freedoms we enjoy today. By around 6am the service began with special readings, prayers and moments of silence in memory of all those lives lost. On behalf of 91自拍, we laid a wreath down as a symbol of our gratitude. It was a beautiful moment to share and stand united with many people in our community as we gathered. The streets were filled with an overwhelming sense of love, respect and remembrance.

Evie Evans & Joseph Campbell

Aquinas Captains

Science 2025....A snapshot at Year 7

Students are usually filled with excitement as they begin their journey into secondary school Science, eager to explore new ideas, use laboratory equipment, discover how things work, and tackle challenges through investigation and inquiry. Their curiosity and energy sets a positive tone for their learning, as they begin to explore the big questions in a more hands-on and engaging way.

Throughout Term 1, Year 7 Science students participated in a variety of introductory activities designed to build their foundational understanding of scientific concepts and skills. They explored the scientific method, practised safe laboratory routines, when conducting experiments, and completed tasks that introduced them to key areas such as biology, chemistry, physics and environmental science. As they progressed, students documented their learning, reflections, and practical work, compiling these into a comprehensive portfolio. This portfolio showcased their growth, creativity, and developing scientific skills, serving as a meaningful record of their achievements.

The students said鈥�.

鈥淚 have been really enjoying year 7 Science for many reasons. Being able to use different kinds of equipment and chemicals and the teacher makes sure everyone is included and we understand what to do. She gives us lots of opportunities and makes the experiments and lessons fun.鈥�

鈥淚 think the mix between practical activities and theory has been good because most of the students seem happy and I have found Science to be very engaging and non-repetitive.鈥�

鈥� So far Year 7 Science has been an amazing experience. The experiments we have done were fun and a great way to teach Science. Personally, my favourite pracs have been making Slime and using the Bunsen Burner. I am looking forward to an amazing term 2 in Science.鈥�

This Term, Year 7 students explore Ecology, through hands-on learning, including creating their own biospheres. They study ecosystems, food chains, biodiversity, and the impact of human activity on natural habitats through interactive lessons, outdoor observations, and simple experiments. The unit fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and an appreciation for sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Students will also learn about the challenges that Wildlife Conservation Scientists face when working with threatened species in Australia. They will explore the types of technologies currently used by scientists to locate, track and monitor wildlife and start to understand the benefits and limitations of these technologies. This exploration culminates in a field trip to Healesville Sanctuary

Using design thinking, students tackle a real-world challenge: designing solutions to support critically endangered species that depend on tree hollows. They apply empathy, ideation, and prototyping to collaboratively develop habitat supplements within set constraints, combining creativity with scientific understanding.

Throughout this process, students will further develop their scientific observation skills and improve their knowledge of contemporary ecological issues. They are also guided and encouraged to think innovatively, fostering a mindset that prioritizes an understanding of real world needs and iterating future focused solutions.

Mrs Marisa Tsoukatos

Science Learning Area Leader

Students are currently studying SISXPLD002 Deliver Recreational Sessions.

As part of their practical assessment small groups are responsible for delivering 3 different recreational sessions.

One of these is assisting in organising a hike/walk for the class to participate in.

Students need to specifically consider participants' needs and show how they could adjust their session if needed. Additionally they need to assign roles & responsibilities, implement team bonding or challenge activities and show how they considered hazards and risks.

On Thursday 1st May we enjoyed successful session led by Aria, Emma, Sage, Hannah and Izzy at Mount Lofty. It was great to see the way they engaged the group and developed their leadership skills in a supportive environment. They have set the bar high for future groups to aspire to during their session.

We look forward to future sessions at the Kokoda Memorial Trail and Lilydale Lake

Jeff Harrington 

Teacher

On Thursday, May 1st we had the opportunity to go to Mt lofty to be able to run our own recreational session. For this session we had to pre plan how long the walk would take to ensure we were back before period 3 and how to engage the class throughout the hike , we chose to create a scavenger hunt to create excitement with a reward at the end. Throughout the hike we were encouraged to think about how we would change the walk for people that were not as experienced , were older and if anyone had medical conditions. The hike really made us understand how much planning goes into recreation sessions and all the things that need to be thought about before and on the session , and how to shape the session to fit everyone comfortably.

Thank You very much Mr Harrington , Ms Monteau and Ella for helping make this experience possible.

- Hannah, Aria, Emma, Sage and Izzy

Year 11 Unit 1 Visual Communication Design students went into the city on Monday, 28th April, to gain a real-world understanding and experience of designers by completing a workshop run by Kosloff Architecture.

Students explored the practices and processes used by designers, specifically Kosloff, Fed Square, the State Library and Melbourne Central shopping centre, to learn how a design can improve life and living for people, communities and societies, and how understandings of good design have changed over time with a focus on brand identity. It was a great day immersed in the real world, learning how architecture can inspire branding. Another major focus of the day was interactive experiences. At both the State Library and Melbourne Central, students looked at how these public spaces helped people navigate their way through them through these varied interactive experiences and wayfinding. Students will be putting what they learnt into practice as they submit their next two outcomes.

Samantha Smith

Teacher

Student reflections:

As part of my Year 11 Viscom class, I had the opportunity to go into the city this week to view and interact with a variety of different spaces including Melbourne Central, Fed Square and the State Library. This enhanced my understanding of the importance of branding and logos in both traditional and modern settings and inspired me to apply these understandings to my own learning. In class we are currently working on creating our own brand identity and logos and this excursion helped me to understand the importance of visually appealing and eye-catching branding.

Leila De La Rue

On the excursion to Kosloff and around the city I was able to gain insight into the planning and work that goes into creating a strong brand identity for a business or design. I learnt that it is important to be consistent with colours, fonts, and/or themes to develop a memorable brand identity, but to also be open to changing a design and adapt with more modern trends and styles.

Stella R

I found the day in the city inspiring because we were able to go into design focused workplaces. Being able to look at different areas of design and how design is all around us really opened my eyes to the importance of effective design.

Lily S

VM Students are always being challenged through learning a range of skills which they require once they leave Aquinas and start in their selected careers.
During this week the Year 12 class visited Hijinx Hotel, an Escape Room that contains several rooms where students have to complete a range of challenges to practice Problem Solving, Team Work and Communication, all with an element of friendly competition. The students were placed in small teams and were awarded points for the completing of each activity. Each group worked exceptionally well to cohesively solve the challenges together.

At the completion of Hi Jinx, the entire group then worked individually on the next challenges: 10 Pin Bowling and Mini Golf. Students were coy about participating at first but after the games were started the competitiveness of the group came out.

Students all came away with some great experience of working in a new environment how to solve a range of problems and using this experience to help complete their Major Project; The Amazing Race Melbourne.

Travis Davidson

Teacher

Year 11 and 12 VCE Media students attended the VCE Season of Excellence on Tuesday, where they viewed Top Screen 2025 at ACMI in Federation Square and explored the Top Designs exhibition at Melbourne Museum.

Both exhibitions celebrated the outstanding creative work of Victoria鈥檚 2024 graduating VCE students. Featured disciplines included Media, Product Design and Technologies, Systems Engineering, Theatre Studies, and Visual Communication Design, along with VCE VET studies such as Creative and Digital Media, Furnishing, Engineering Studies, and Sound Production.

A highlight of the day was the screening of Circuit, an animation by 91自拍 Year 12 graduate Keeley Blackwood, which was selected for Top Screen. Keeley鈥檚 work was one of just 13 chosen from over 350 submissions鈥攁 significant achievement.The 2025 cohort left the cinema with a visible sense of pride at seeing their school represented up on the big screen.

Following the screening, students visited the Melbourne Museum to explore the detailed folios that underpin the Media School-Assessed Task (SAT). They also drew creative inspiration from the diverse selection of photographic, print, and digital media works featured in Top Designs.

Overall, the day was a vibrant celebration of creativity, innovation, and student excellence鈥攂oth exciting and inspiring for all who attended.

We wish Keeley all the best as she continues her studies in animation at RMIT.

Natalie Desbois

Teacher
 

It was inspiring to see all the efforts of last year's year 12s and their projects. All the efforts from the start of the year condensed into 5 minutes where everything was centralised into one idea was amazing to see, and also a little intimidating in both the films and folios crafted. I don't doubt my own abilities but I want to challenge them and achieve what I saw at Top screens.

Year 12: Boon


Seeing the selected short films for Top Screens and the students' folios helped to give me an understanding how much effort needs to be put into a folio and production for it to become a great short film. The short films presented also contained storytelling that was both inspiring but achievable.

Year 12: Tom  

Year 9 Rice - My Melbourne

My Melbourne was overall a great experience, Me and my team had a amazing time exploring different parts of our CBD. We liked it a lot because of the freedom we were given and being able to roam around the city freely and do things that we wouldn't normally be able to do. This includes visiting Melbourne Museum which my team thoroughly enjoyed especially the bugs alive exhibit containing spiders which were not behind any protective glass and could leave their enclosure and bite us. We also enjoyed eating a lot of different foods that were really yum. And also going up to Eureka Skydeck and seeing a awesome view of the city. We were sad that it is over but we are glad we took many many photos to remember the amazing experience, we are incredibly grateful for all of our teachers for making it happen.

Charlie V, 9 Silver

Year 9 MacKillop - Camp

I never thought I would be carrying my bed on my back hiking across the beach until Camp Coolamatong. This camp offered us challenges, opportunities for self growth, and a time to create lifelong memories in which we will forever cherish.

Andie D. 

Camp was a fun experience filled with many activities and a chance to grow and meet new people, This was definitely the most challenging camp so far, but was a great opportunity to try things you have never done before.Over all camp was great and is a good activity for 7 and 8 to look forward to in the coming years.

Mikayla S. 

Camp was an interesting experience for all. We faced many challenges like our three expedition activities: hiking, biking or kayaking. It was a great way to bond with friends and get closer to people you don't often talk to. It was a camp we will never forget. Camp brought a great smile to all of our faces and we will miss that camp a lot.

Ivy B.

Year 9 Dominic - Starts With Me

The Year 9 students were provided with a range of diverse activities and guest speakers to explore the themes of: social justice, study skills, resilience, community and health and well-being. Students were provided with opportunities to display resilience, perseverance and gratitude and to develop various life skills. A real highlight is when students engaged in the METEC diver's education program to promote road safety as they look towards applying for their learning permits. Thank you to our amazing homeroom teachers who helped to make this program successful: Mr Harry Box, Ms Tina Cong, Ms Adelle Connor and Mr John Watson.

Please take some time to read about some of our presentations and explore the resources linked below:

Our Easter service this year was prepared and led by the 10 and 11 EDGE classes and occurred during Religion classes in the first fortnight of this term.

We had a three word theme for our Easter celebration: Joy, Celebrate, Hope.

We had three symbols to emphasise these words: Cross, Bible, Heart.

Our Gospel (John 20:1-18) was of the Easter Sunday events: the empty tomb, the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdala and then to the disciples. There was obvious stress and shock in the voices of the Disciples as these events took place and we can still hear the trauma it caused Jesus鈥� first followers all those centuries ago. Yet they still believed in Jesus and who he was, the Son of God. We are called to believe without seeing and to live our lives with heartfelt hope to bring about God鈥檚 Kingdom of Love and Justice. Students and staff participated with reverence throughout our service.

Lord Jesus,

We are Easter people and Alleluia is our song.

Help us to live our Easter joy in all that we do and say.

We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

This year Aquinas entered two teams into the Kids' Lit Quiz, an annual event that tests young readers on their knowledge of children鈥檚 books, authors, and literary themes in a fun and fast-paced quiz. Schools from across the country compete in regional heats, with the national champions earning a spot in the World Final.Competing in the State Heat, Aquinas students held their own, winning multiple rounds and taking home a range of prizes, including books and art supplies. Aquinas Team 2 placed 5th in the State, with Aquinas Team 1 not far behind. Christian Tan also won a bonus round against all participants in the competition.All students showed outstanding teamwork, sportsmanship, respect, and kindness throughout the day, representing Aquinas well.

Kate Chamberlain 

Learning Enhancement Coordinator (AGiLE)

Today was really fun. We got to leave school for the day and go to another school to compete. There were about 30 teams, some from the same school as each other, some from other schools. Aquinas had 2 teams. Each team had 4 people, and we had to answer ten questions in each of the ten rounds. Each round had a different theme, and the themes were Quirky books, Residences, Riddles, Romance, Schools, Statues, Stories, Talents, Talking animals, and Teeth. If your team got the most points in that round, everyone in your team won a book. Our team won a round, and Christian won a bonus round. There was also a bonus question between the rounds, and if you were the first one to answer correctly, you won a pack of stationery. Neither of the Aquinas teams won, but we still had lots of fun participating and winning prizes. 

- Alice (7 Purple)

Are you in a position to offer a Year 10 student a work experience Placement?

 We're excited to support Year 10 students with the opportunity to gain real-world experience in the industry they're passionate about through the Careers Experience Program. This is a valuable opportunity for them to explore their future career paths first-hand.

We鈥檙e seeking support from the Aquinas community to provide work experience placements for our students. Do you own a business or have a contact in your network who might be open to hosting a student? Whether it's in a field of tech, arts, healthcare, business, or anything in between, we would love to partner with you to make this happen!

If you鈥檙e interested or know someone who can help, read the information provided and please get in touch! Your support could make a world of difference for the next generation of professionals.

This is the QR code to the google response form where you can show your interest in hosting a Year 10 work placement student. OR click on

11 EDGE students prepared and lead one of the two ANZAC services that took place on 24 April. Our aim was to give students and staff a slightly different experience of an ANZAC service. We began with a heartfelt song by Lee Kernaghan, 鈥楽pirit of the Anzacs鈥�. Following the song, we shared prayers and a reflection on the meaning of ANZAC. We continued with 鈥楾he Ode鈥� and the Last Post. The national anthem followed with all present showing great respect and reverence for remembering those who have fought and sometimes paid the ultimate price for our nation鈥檚 freedom. One service took place in the Forum, while a second occurred in the Middle School Foyer which was led by the 10 EDGE class. We thank the College community for their respectful participation.

Calling all knitters and crocheters- no matter the skill.

A couple of staff members have begun a Social Justice project knitting or crocheting squares. These squares will be sewn into blankets to give to those in need. At the moment there are a few students and some staff who have joined the activity and we are opening up to the wider community to join in. Perfect timing for the Cold weather ahead!

Wool Square Requirements:

• 8ply wool/yarn
• Size 5 Needles
• 21cm x 16cm (approx 40 cast on and 60 rows for knitters)
• can be plain stitch, or purl or patterned if you wish

Completed squares can be dropped off at reception or students can drop them off in the ARC.

Questions can be directed to Jackie Branson at bransonja@aquinas.vic.edu.au

The Great Debaters - first debate ever!  

There is a new club in town! The Great Debaters started in March this year. The debate club is a great way for us to meet new people and warm up to public speaking. The club has registered with Debating Association of Victoria to participate in formal debates with other students in the Ringwood region. The following students did an amazing job in their first debate with compliments, accolades and encouragement from the adjudicator. She was full of praise for the team on their first debate. The team from Luther had a lot more experience than our 0 debates tally before the night. The team consisted of first speaker Tyler, second speaker Zia and third speaker Sakhi. The support team included Grace and Tom (Debate Captains) Madison and myself. It was an amazing experience for the 7 team members with the debaters speaking really well and the support team being fantastic! They lost the debate, but the whole team felt like WINNERS! Mr Green is a great teacher, as we are all new to debating. He just wants us to get up and have a go; it's all about having fun.

The first debating team: Grace R, Tom K, Zia S,Tyler S, Sakhi S, Madison G, Zahra D.

I'm so glad they decided to create a debate team. Zahra D - Year 9 MacKillop