Welcome back to Semester 2, l hope you and your family have had an opportunity to enjoy some of the school holidays together. We welcomed our students to the College on Monday and were pleased to hear the energy and excitement of our young people and staff who were genuinely pleased to see one another and to engage in another term of learning and faith. Social connections and relationships are at the heart of a Damascus education.

Some would be aware that l had the pleasure of accompanying twenty three of our students on a study tour of Indonesia with our committed staff: Brendan Bawden, Kirsten Phyland and Anna Rowland. Our students were engaged in a homestay and local Immersion Trip in Jakarta and Bali. I was so impressed by our students willingness to take risks, be open to adventure and be willing to learn from people of different cultures and faith beliefs as well as their desire to improve their Indonesian language skills

In Jakarta our students visited Istiqlal Mosque the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and the sixth largest mosque in the world in terms of worshipper capacity. Within Jakarta, the mosque is positioned next to Merdeka Square and the Jakarta Catholic Cathedral. Our students were open to different ideas and were able to step outside their comfort zone. The group were welcomed by the staff from Bloombank and were able to practice and further develop their Indonesian language and culture skills.

I encourage all our students to continue to learn a second language – to further develop cultural awareness, language skills but to understand the life of people from different backgrounds. ‘To live by the light of Christ,’ challenges each one of us to understand the other; to be in dialogue with people from different faith backgrounds and to listen with the ear of our heart.’ Our students demonstrated genuine empathy and were welcomed in a Muslim culture and Indonesian community with grace and hospitality.

Our VCE and VCE VM students have entered the final chapter of their secondary education. Our young people need your support and guidance to help them balance the demands of study, work and recreation. I encourage our students to maintain their leisure and appropriate downtime to preserve their wellbeing. As parents and carers we need to help students balance the demands of part time work and study. As we move towards the examination period l urge parents and carers to support their student to reduce hours of part time employment, to be able to proactively revise and study for their trial exams which begin at the end of this term. Preparation, organisation and regular review will support our learners to be their best and to achieve the outcome that they deserve; that will position them to access TAFE and or university pathways.

To further support our senior learners the College will provide our VCE/VM students the opportunity to meet with their subject teachers in the upcoming TA Interviews. I urge our parents of Senior students to make appointments in the upcoming interviews, so you are fully aware how you can support your child to achieve their best.

Next week we commence the 2024 Subject Selection process. The College will be holding a Pathways and Careers Information evening on Tuesday 18 July from 5:30pm – 8:00pm. Parents and carers will receive an email later this week with detailed information about the format of the evening and also the subject selection process. The College will also be holding a Pathways and Careers expo for all students from Wednesday 18 July to Friday 22 July at lunchtime.

I remind families that this year’s Performing Arts Production of The Addams Family will be held on Wednesday 19 July through to Saturday 22 July. Over the school holidays the Performing Arts team, Andrew, Nicole, Maria, Marcus, Anne and Alex were here more days and nights than not! We appreciate their commitment to the behind the scenes preparation and support to our students in the upcoming school musical - The Addams Family. I look forward to seeing our students hard work and perseverance come together in an eventful performance.

I would like to welcome Georgia Nicht to the College staff. Georgia has come to the College as an experienced classroom teacher from Loyola College in Watsonia where she taught both Senior and Junior Science. We also welcome to the College Greg Wright who commenced over the school holidays in our maintenance Team.

With every blessing.