As a school, we now communicate on many platforms on a daily basis meaning the demand for the Enews has reduced, however it is still a valuable source of information all in one place. Therefore, for 2022, the eNews will now go out only twice per term – In Week 2 and Week 8
Leadership News
From the Principal
Ms Michelle Brodrick
When we let go of fear and open our hearts to love we will
find the courage to be free – The Loreto Value of Freedom
We are thrilled to welcome back our students for 2022. A new school year brings with it a sense of excitement as each student moves up a year level and Year 7 students are transitioned into the College.
I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our new families who are joining our Loreto community for the first time. Along with our Year 7 students, we have several students in Year 9 to 12 that are commencing their education at the College.
As the Year 7 and 12 students entered on Monday 31 January, the enthusiasm and nervousness were evident. For 147 years, students have been walking through our gates embracing an education in the tradition of Mary Ward. A Loreto student comes to know the charism of Mary Ward, whose vision to transform the education of girls is alive and well; over 100,000 young women around the world are engaged in a Loreto education.
The five core values of Felicity, Freedom, Justice, Sincerity and Verity underpin Mary Ward’s spirituality and define our approach to education and social ministry around the world. In 2022 we celebrate the value of ‘Freedom’. As Pope Francis stated ‘freedom is the gift of being able to choose the good: this is true freedom’. The word freedom in Australia is often associated with the 1965 Freedom Ride by a group of university students in New South Wales. Their aim was to draw attention to the poor state of Aboriginal health, education and housing; lessen discriminatory barriers by highlighting existing racism; and to also encourage and support Aboriginal people to resist discrimination. The Freedom Ride was an important contributor to creating an environment for change. It helped move public opinion towards a 'Yes' vote in the 1967 referendum to remove the discrimination against Aboriginal Australians from the Australian Constitution. For the Loreto community we aspire to be able to work for all to be truly free and to live fully.
Our 2022 College Captains, Sophie Boyd and Jaime Sergeant-Crowe joined with other College Captains from Loreto schools around Australia to develop and write a prayer of Freedom. This prayer encompasses the many traits and behaviours that permeate the way we can live and demonstrate freedom.
FREEDOM PRAYER
God of freedom,
give us the courage and confidence to live
referring all to You.
May we learn to know ourselves,
and be the face of hope for others.
May we grow in inner freedom,
and share this gift together.
May we say yes to the wholeness of life,
and choose the good each day.
Grounded in our Loreto story
and by the faith of Mary Ward,
may we act not out of fear but solely from love,
responding with justice to her call,
to bring the right of freedom to our world.
We make this prayer in the name of Jesus,
who leads us with love,
and shows us how to be truly free.
Amen.
The Class of 2021
Congratulations to the Class of 2021. Their leadership, service to others and contribution to the College has been outstanding. Congratulations to Jorja Grumley who received the VCAL High Achiever Award and to the College Dux, Mia Mulheron who attained an ATAR of 99.55. Her pursuit of academic excellence and commitment to the College was recognised this year as the recipient of the ADF Future Innovators Awards and the Dorothy Irene Ellis-Thomas Scholarship. 14.85% of the VCE students achieved an ATAR about 90.
Thank you to the staff who contributed to the education of the students and to the parents and families who have been such an integral part of their final year of secondary education.
The Academic Assembly to recognise these achievements will be held tomorrow on Thursday 10 February. Year 12 students from the Class of 2021 who received an ATAR of 90 or more will be recognised with a presentation at the assembly, as well as students who received a study score of 40 or above and students who attained the highest score in each subject. Due to the current COVID situation, attendance has been restricted and a broadcast will be online for those that cannot attend.
Staff News
Over the break we farewelled long serving staff member Pat O’Shea. Pat has been Deputy Principal for the past 23 years at Loreto College. He has been dedicated and outstanding as a member of the Leadership Team and as a Chemistry and Science teacher. He was integral in the development of wellbeing programs, camps, fundraisers and events. Pat made a significant contribution to sustainability and student leadership in the College. We wish Pat and wife Barb and family all the best on their new challenge.
We welcome the following staff –
- Kristy Pitt, Barb Perry and Lucy Canham (Administration Team).
- Alex Davies and Chloe Stevens (Trainees)
- Ginelle Polanske, Melissa Delaland-Desfosses, Wendy Green and Cathy Harris (Learning Diversity Team)
- Whitney Beseler (Director of Sport)
- Suppu Ginesh (Maths/Science Teacher)
- Gemma McDermott (Assistant Principal – Wellbeing)
- Em Shanahan (Assistant Principal – Learning and Innovation)
We also welcome back
- Tara Fitzgibbon (Counsellor)
- Pam Harrison (VCE Coordinator)
- Monica Baddeley (English Teacher)
- Kerri Loader (Technology Teacher)
Congratulations to the following staff who have new roles in 2022
- Linda McDonald (Director of Community Partnerships)
- Meaghan Douglas (Director of Library Services)
Leadership Team 2022
Following a review of the Leadership Team structure in 2021, we commence 2022 with a new Leadership Team structure and welcome Gemma McDermott and Em Shanahan to Loreto College. Christine Shaw commenced last year in Term 4.
- Christine Shaw (Deputy Principal)
- Felicity Knobel (Assistant Principal Faith and Identity)
- Gemma McDermott (Assistant Principal Wellbeing)
- Em Shanahan (Assistant Principal Learning and Innovation)
- Amanda Howes (Human Resource Manager)
- Brenton Riordan (Business Manager)
COVID
We understand that there have been multiple staff and families within the College community compromised by the COVID illness and isolation requirements. We send out our best wishes to those who are unwell and pray for a speedy recovery.
We are continuing to implement the measures set out in the recent Back-to School plan designed to ensure every possible effort is made for staff and students to be safe and that schools remain open.
I wish our students and families all the best as we commence our school year.
From the Deputy Principal
Ms Chris Shaw
“Educating the mind without educating the heart, is no education at all” Aristotle
There’s something about a school full of young people that ignites the spirit and rallies enthusiasm and as we settle into Term 1, I have delighted in standing back and watching Loreto students bring the campus to life. Such engagement, so very evident in the classroom is of course the focus of us coming together in one place. As educators we know it is much more than this of course and the relationships, connections, involvement, and service are the reasons we choose to be teachers. There is much to learn for all of us, students, staff, and parents alike and the partnership we share what makes our community stand out.
You will have received a great deal of communication and information in the last two weeks, and we are mindful of trying to ensure you are informed, but also know that this can sometimes be overwhelming. Below, is some key information for your reference and we hope that this newsletter (now produced twice per term in Week 2 and Week 8) is a place you can return to in a timely manner as information becomes relevant to your needs.
Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with your child’s Mentor teacher or Year Level Coordinator should you need anything clarified, or to discuss concerns about progress in any area. My email is below, and I can’t wait to meet you in person once school restrictions are eased.
Events – Re-scheduled or online due to COVID-19 school restrictions
The Academic Assembly will be for students only and will be held this Thursday 10th February at 9:15am in the MMC. This event will be livestreamed for families.
Swimming Carnival
Friday 11 February – Eureka Swimming Pool
This will be a compulsory student only event and unfortunately parents are unable to attend. Students are expected to travel to and from the venue by bus. In exceptional circumstances where students need to be collected from the event, a note should be provided the day before. A letter has been sent home detailing SunSmart and uniform requirements and students will be asked to wear appropriate swimming attire and keep covered as much as possible to avoid sunburn. We look forward to a fun-filled event of competition and novelty events with engagement by all.
School Calendar
Please refer to Parent Access Module (PAM) or the school App for the school calendar and the upcoming events for your daughter as this will be updated regularly with any changes.
Loreto College App
The Loreto College App is updated daily with all information regarding newsletters, notices, excursions, parent teacher information and reporting. This will also be the main source of information for co-curricular programs. Search for Loreto College Ballarat on the Apple App Store or Google Play to download the Loreto College Ballarat app. Once you have downloaded and opened the app, you will be able to sign in using your Loreto College PAM login details.
Parent Access Module (PAM)
Loreto College relies on SIMON and PAM (Parent Access Module) to record accurate medical information for your daughter. To facilitate this process, all parents or guardians need to ensure that the medical details for your daughter are accurate and up to date on PAM. A student’s medical details must be recorded on PAM in order for a student to attend excursions in 2021. It is essential for the school to have accurate medical details for your daughter. If you require assistance with this process please email helpdesk@loreto.vic.edu.au
(If you have an existing PAM account with Loreto your password will remain the same). PAM provides parents online access to a range of academic information including:
- Student timetables
- Attendance records
- The College Calendar
- Performance on assessment tasks
- Interim and end of semester reports
- Booking of parent teacher interviews
- Excursions
- Parent Notified Absences
PAM accounts are set up per family, however where it has been indicated on the enrolment form that the student has shared living arrangements a PAM account will be set up for both parents/guardians. In these circumstances information relevant to your daughter/s will be shared, and access to approve excursions will be given to the primary carer only. Please contact Kylie Wright at Directorict@loreto.vic.edu.au if you would like to vary these arrangements.
A PAM Parent User Guide has been written to assist you with the log-in process and to explain the key features of PAM, and can be accessed from the Loreto App and PAM.
Timetable
Student timetable information has will be loaded into SIMON for student and parents to access via SIMON (students) and PAM (Parents). Loreto College operates on a daily timetable of six 50 minutes periods. Student timetable and class times can be accessed through your PAM account.
- Recess is at 10:43am – 11:03am
- Lunch is at 12:50pm – 1:40pm
Uniform
Please ensure your daughter’s uniform meets school requirements, including dress and skirt length.
Full summer uniform is to be worn for Term 1 and Term 4. Winter Uniform is to be worn in Term 2 and Term 3. Students must wear full school uniform to and from school each day unless otherwise advised by the College.
We will continue to allow Sports uniform to be worn to and from school ONLY ON days of P.E classes as advised with COVID Guidelines until further notice.
No make-up (including coloured nail polish) or jewellery except for a plain stud or sleeper on the lower ear only is to be worn. Excess jewellery will be collected and held until the end of term. Hair is to be kept tidy, an acceptable colour and must be tied back. For further information, refer to the Uniform Policy located on PAM or in the Student Planner.
Mobile Phone Policy
Loreto College has adopted Victorian State Government guidelines that all phones must be kept in student’s lockers during the school day. Students may only access them before 8:48am and after 3:25pm. Mobile phones should not be with a student at all throughout the school day. Details of this policy can be found on page 6 of the Student Planner.
If a parent needs to communicate with their daughter or relay a message, please use PAM or contact Student Reception on 5329 6121.
ICT
During the first weeks of this term, students in Years 7 and 10 will be receiving new Dell 5320 laptops. Throughout the term we will be providing advice to students on how to use the devices, including how to manage and backup their files. Before students receive their laptops the Digital Device Agreement must be consented to by parents/guardians. The agreement will be uploaded to PAM in Week 1 of Term 1. Please ensure you consent to this agreement via your daughters PAM account.
All students must also agree to the ICT Resources Agreement and need to consent to this via PAM. There is a copy also available for your reference in the Student Planner on page 7, but consent will be completed via PAM. This will also be sent to all Parent in Week 1 or Term 1.
Contact Details
Any changes to family contact details should be updated via your Student Information PAM account and communicated to Student Reception.
Attendance and Absence
It is essential all students are on time for Mentor Group and attend all classes. All students must present a note after an absence. Parents should log a parent notified absence on PAM prior to 9:45am on the day of the absence. After this time, please contact student reception as soon as possible. Any student leaving or returning to school after an appointment must sign out and back in at Student Reception.
Library
The Library is open to students every day from 8:00am to 5:00pm with the exception of Mentor Group time each morning and Thursday Period 4. The Library will be closed to students from 4:30pm on Friday evenings.
Library ID Cards are required for borrowing and these are issued to students every second year. Printing and photocopying are available using the Library photocopier.
First Aid
Loreto College has a First Aid officer located at Student Reception. Any student who is unwell at school is asked to attend Student Reception. Students will be signed in to sick bay and a parent or guardian will be contacted if necessary. Students should not contact parents directly and make arrangements to go home. All students must be signed in and out of student reception whenever exiting the school.
College Canteen
The Loreto College Canteen is open at recess and at lunch. Student cash purchases are preferred but EFT is also available. The school does not allow for students to have an ongoing account. The canteen is operated by our Canteen Manager Jacqui Lamb and due to COVID restrictions, will be staffed by Loreto staff until further notice. Students are asked to order lunch from SIMON daily notices. There will also be self-serve options in Term 1 available to students.
Bicycles
Students riding to school on their bikes must access the school grounds via Wendouree Parade only and are to store their bike in the provided bike racks. Students are asked to ensure that their bike is padlocked.
Drop-off and Parking
Students must not be dropped off within the College grounds. Student drop off areas are the North and South side of Sturt Street, using the service road entrances and supervised crossing. Please DO NOT double park over any entrance of the school, including the double brick entrance gates on Wendouree Parade, the foot bridge and foot gate on Wendouree Parade and the double gates near the oval on Wendouree Parade and the foot gate on Morrison Street.
Contacts
At Loreto College, we are privileged to share a partnership with you in the education of our students. From time to time, you may have a query or concern you wish to share with us. Please keep in mind that for students at all year levels, the appropriate school person to contact on most matters is your daughter’s Mentor Teacher. Should you require additional support or assistance, the next line of contact is the Year Level Coordinator for all Year Levels.
From the Assistant Principal: Learning & Innovation
Ms Em Shanahan
“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” Walt Disney
A new year brings great excitement. There are new classes, new friends, new opportunities to learn and grow, and everything is fresh with no mistakes. As the year carries on, enthusiasm can wane, assessments pile up, and we can lose sight of all the possibility that only recently stood in front of us.
I have been so inspired by the vibrancy in Loreto classrooms, where students are actively engaged in a broad range of subjects. In the new role of Assistant Principal – Learning & Innovation, I will be working with staff and students to keep that new-year excitement alive, with each student knowing that we celebrate their progress and personal bests, while also acknowledging that mistakes, failure and setbacks are an essential part of the learning process.
Learning at Loreto takes on many forms. Years 7 and 8 will be on camp next week, developing resilience, team work and initiative. We have students engaging in a myriad of co-curricular activities across sport, the arts and academia. A favourite book of mine is David Epstein’s Range. His study found that those who are most successful in life and learning are those who develop physical and intellectual agility through the pursuit of different experiences. We see this in athletes such as Roger Federer who played different sports until taking up tennis seriously at the age of 16, or Australia’s very own Ash Barty who plays golf and cricket in addition to being the No.1 in tennis.
As I walk into school each day, my imagination drifts to the world of Walt Disney, possibly because of the gardens and stone buildings. Disney is a man who dreamt big dreams, took risks and didn’t fear failure. He was afraid of mice, so created Mickey Mouse to overcome this. He collaborated with others, espousing the values of curiosity, confidence, courage and constancy. It is my wish for each student at Loreto that they remain curious, proceed in their learning with courage and the confidence of knowing that they will be supported, while sustaining constancy with their effort. Together, we can do the impossible, and that will be kind of fun.
From the Assistant Principal: Faith & Identity
Ms Felicity Knobel
Welcome to our year celebrating, discovering, exploring and living our value of Freedom.
As a Loreto community it would be easy to focus entirely on our own freedom or lack thereof in the last two years. Instead we are using this experience to build our empathy for people in our world who always face this injustice of no freedom that the lifting of the pandemic won’t change. Coretta Scott King a key figure in the civil rights movement in America said “Freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others.” As people of Loreto we need to take action against this injustice, to be people in time that will do much.
The kite has become a symbol of freedom for us this year. At the end of 2021 we commissioned an artwork from Eliza McCrum (Class of 2021) and it is on the badge that will be presented to your child this week.
A soaring kite is a sight to behold. It moves freely with the wind, it can look spectacular, it can go in many different directions. You can let a kite go, it can go wherever the wind takes it, however, for a kite to move well it has to have someone holding it that is confident, that can read the conditions and can change and adapt so as to let the kite soar. Due to conditions, a kite doesn’t always soar, it gets tangled, it requires you to stand away from other kites to allow them a chance to soar, it requires a rethink, to ask for assistance, to help someone. This resonates with the teaching of Mary Ward and Jesus.
Our understanding of freedom and our kite metaphor aligns with Jesus’ radical understanding of freedom. He preached to let go of old ways that crippled people, to not continue with practices that were empty and superficial. He wanted people to let go of opinions and views of society that would send people to the margins, to let go of material things and the known. To let go of hatred and division. To do this, gives freedom and allows people to soar.
We look forward this year to the opportunities that will bring this freedom to all.
Our Year 12 and Year 7 Orientation Activity - Exploring Freedom
On Monday 31 January our year 7 and 12 students had the opportunity to come together to explore our understanding of Freedom for 2022, through an art project. To see our senior students welcome our newest members of our community, the laughter and the conversations and the beginnings of friendship is something very special to behold. We look forward to unveiling our artwork this year as our year 7s and 12s process together at our Opening School Liturgy.
JPIC Junior and Senior
In the coming weeks our social justice group JPIC Junior and Senior will commence. This year we are very excited about new initiatives, new experiences and welcoming new members. It is never too late to become involved.
Retreats - Term 1
Our Year 12 Retreat has been postponed. We are delighted that Monday 11 July and Tuesday 12 July our year 12 students will have the opportunity to participate in our retreat for 2022. This is the first and second day back of term 3.
Year 11 Retreat
Our year 11 retreat this year is for our students to have the opportunity to attend the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Melbourne. The students will be in 3 groups and will attend on Wednesday 2 March or Thursday 3 March. Further information will be forthcoming in the next week.
Year 10
The year 10 retreat is on Tuesday 5 April and Wednesday 6 April. Your child will attend one of these days with their mentor group. Information will be available closer to the date.
College News
The Arts Faculty News
Ms Stepahnie Greet
It is always lovely to start a year with happy news. The Arts Faculty are super proud of the terrific artistic works our students were able to produce during 2021 and we are pleased to be able to announce that:
Top Class
Ellie Lovison has been selected to perform in the prestigious Top Class Dance Concert, 2022, congratulations Ellie, what a fantastic achievement. Mia Clark and Madeleine Palmer were invited to audition for Top Class Theatre Studies, unfortunately they were unable to audition, however, it is a great achievement in itself to be invited to audition. We would also like to wish Madeleine well, as she embarks on a Diploma and Musical Performance at NIDA (The National Institute of Dramatic Art, Sydney).
Next Gen 2022
Congratulations also to our Loreto students selected for the Ballarat Art Gallery’s NextGEN exhibition:
- Chelsea Hayes and Izzy Henning – Studio Art
- Grace Toohey - Media
- Emma Taylor - Art
New Staff to the Arts
We are also pleased to introduce Sarah Goodbourn, our newest member of the Faculty, to Year 9 Music classrooms. Some students may have studied flute instrumental lessons with Ms Goodbourn and so she will be a familiar face. The MMC Performing Arts office were excited to hear students working on their introductory task to their blues unit of “Shake a Tailfeather” - a fun and engaging way for Ms Goodburn to learn their names.
Maths Faculty News
Ms Paula Wheaton (Faculty Leader Maths)
As we start another year of learning there are a couple of things to keep in mind on the Mathematics front.
Firstly, one of the jobs at the start of the year is to make sure all students are able to activate their Cambridge resources which are associated with the textbook. For students who requested either a digital-only code or a reactivation code, Campion will have emailed this code to the email address that was used to lodge the booklist. If this can be passed on to students then they will be guided through the activation process by their Maths teacher.
Secondly, in Years 8 and 9 students have been placed in a Maths group which reflects their learning needs as indicated by their study of Mathematics in 2021. During the course of this year there may be some adjustments made to these groups in response to changing needs of the students. You may, therefore, find that your child’s Maths teacher changes at some stage during the year. These changes are not frequent or wide-ranging, but sometimes they need to be made to allow us to cater for the learning needs of all students.
Finally, Maths Help sessions will again run this year and will occur on Thursday at lunchtime in the 8 Green mentor room (SF562). I encourage all students to make use of these sessions. They may choose to just use it as a time to complete Maths homework while there is someone there to ask for help or they may have specific questions they might bring along to be addressed. Students may bring along their lunch to eat while they are working.
Science Faculty News
Ms Natalie Howard (Faculty Leader Science)
VCE Chemistry, Physics and Biology Tutoring
From Mr Thurgood
There will be tutoring available to any VCE student studying Chemistry, Physics and/ or Biology.
At this stage we will run these sessions on a Monday from 3.30 to 5.00 in the Chemistry Lab (SF 103). If numbers warrant it, we can extend that to another night as well.
These sessions are unstructured. Come with whatever you would like sorted – pop in for five minutes or stay for the session. You could even bring a friend(s) to do your homework!!
Hope to see you then
Learning Diversity News
Ms Ginelle Polanske (Learning Diversity Leader)
Learning Diversity & The Learning Hub at Loreto
Diversity encompasses all learners across cultural, academic, social–emotional and physical attributes. These attributes often are not mutually exclusive.
Cohorts of students with diverse learning needs could include: those with vision impairment, hearing impairment, chronic health issues, physical disabilities, specific learning disorders, autism spectrum disorder or mental health concerns, as well as students considered gifted and talented or culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), including those with a refugee background.
Learning Diversity @ Loreto Ballarat:
A team of teachers and LSOs (Learning Support Officers) assist students both in their classrooms and in the Learning HUB and deliver evidence based programs and teaching strategies. Our programs ensure that accessibility and ability-appropriate content is available for all students. We work closely with Loreto teachers in all departments to ensure all students can access the curriculum.
Ginelle Polanske
Learning Diversity Leader
Melissa Delaland-Desfosses
Learning Diversity Teacher
Wendy Green
Learning Diversity Teacher
Catherine Harris
Learning Diversity Teacher
Chloe Stevens
Learning Support Officer (Trainee)
HUB Operations
Opening Hours
- Monday 8am - 4.30pm
- Tuesday 8am - 4.30pm
- Wednesday 8am - 4.30pm
- Thursday 8am - 4.30pm
- Friday 8am - 3.30pm
Programs
- Literacy classes
- Small group Literacy & Numeracy support
- Before & After School homework help
- Assistive Technology support
- Learning Program adjustments
Learning Diversity Teachers by Year Level 2022
Year 7 - Melissa Delaland-Desfosses
Year 8 - Wendy Green
Year 9 - Eve Richardson
Year 10 - Ginelle Polanske & Karen Bambridge
Year 11 - Ginelle Polanske & Karen Bambridge
Year 12 - Ginelle Polanske & Karen Bambridge
VCAL Community Engagement
This week our VCAL students were busy creating delicious food and atmosphere for a Faculty afternoon tea. As part of the VCAL Community Engagement Program, students practiced how to engage with each other, Year 12 students passing on their skills and knowledge to the Year 11 students. Platters, brownie, coffee, sausage rolls, a banner and table decorations were all part of the production in our specially fitted out VCAL facility in the Little Flower.
First Week of School
It was great to have all of our students back on campus last week and to particularly welcome all of our new students to Loreto.
After settling into their new classes, the Year 7s joined with the Year 12s to reflect on the meaning of Freedom, our school value for 2022. Together, they created a beautiful chalk display all the way from the Front Gate to the Quad. It was also a great opportunity for our Year 12s to welcome the Year 7s, get to know each other as well as pass on a few words of advice.
Year 11 Psychology
Earlier this week our Year 11 Psychology class had fun outside in the Quad, completing a practical experiment exploring research designs. As part of this independent group research design, students were blindfolded while having to catch bubbles and count how many bubbles their partner caught.
U/18 Victorian Country Basketball Team
Congratulations to Jemma Amoore (Year 11) and Emily Lewis (Year 10) who have been selected in the U/18 Victorian Country Basketball Team to contest the National Titles in Ballarat from April 10th-17th.
Jemma is one of three bottom age team members who have progressed to be key members of the 2022 team. She is currently playing both NBL1 and U/18 division for the Ballarat Miners and club basketball for Exies.
Emily has been named as an emergency in the team and is currently playing for the U/18 Ballarat Miners and club basketball for Drummo Dragons.
We wish both students all the very best for the tournament and future basketball endeavours.
Library News
Mrs Sarah Lane (Library Officer)
Welcome back! We hope everyone enjoyed a nice, restful break. It’s been wonderful having students back in the Library and we’ve loved hearing all about your holidays reading adventures. This year we welcome our new Director of Library Services, Meghan Douglas. Meghan comes to us from the English department and is passionate about student engagement with literature. She has some amazing ideas for the Library space and we are all so excited to see what the new year brings!
For those who are new to Loreto, the Library is open before and after school, Monday to Friday. We have a wonderful collection of books and online resources and provide a warm, friendly space (with the best view!) where students can gather, study, read and play board games.
Later in the month we will be celebrating Library Lovers’ Week. This lively celebration usually includes games, activities, craft, beautiful displays, competitions and (fingers crossed!) the return of our Library Cinema. We’ll have more details for you as the event draws closer.
Book Club started back last Thursday and is a fun, energetic environment where students can come to talk about books and engage in book themed craft, games and activities. Rather than having a set book we all read, the club is focused on what the students are already reading and is a place where they can come and chat about the books they love and share recommendations with their peers.
Later in the term we will begin taking expressions of interest for our Shadow Judging program. This program is an intensive exploration of the CBCA shortlisted titles and involves reading, discussing, creatively responding, and judging the 6 shortlisted books. Now in its third year at Loreto, the program has seen the creation of some amazing art installations including an augmented reality graffiti trail, short videos, a board game, and a giant set of wings made entirely out of recycled book pages. Our judges’ responses were so incredible they were even used by the Victorian branch of the CBCA in the grant application that has now seen the program go national!
Here’s a quick reminder of some of our services and how you can connect with us:
Library Website: https://libguides.loreto.vic.edu.au/Loreto-Library
(Where you can search our physical catalogue, access online databases, magazine and newspaper subscriptions, peruse our genre guides and reading lists and access thousands of ClickView videos and individual subject guides.)
Our email: library@loreto.vic.gov.au
Our eBook and audiobook collection: https://loreto.wheelers.co/
Book Club Google Classroom: https://classroom.google.com/c/MTMzODI5MjQ3MzYz?cjc=guxe3q5
Instagram: Follow us @loretoballaratlibrary
Happy Reading!
The Library Team
Career News
Ms Jodie Howlett (Careers Coordinator)
In this week's Career News:
- Scholarships for high achieving students (Yr 12)
- University course search tools
- Australian Defence Force Gap Year Program (Yr 12)
- UCAT ANZ – information for students applying for medicine and dentistry (Yr 12)
- Inspirational STEM and Health Science career videos
- Start the school year by setting goals
- ATARs for several health study areas (e.g., nursing, physiotherapy)
- Upcoming career events
- How to find casual employment
- Information about careers with the Victoria Police
- Information on apprenticeships and traineeships.
Loreto Events & Communications News
Mrs Judy-Ann Qulliam (Director of Marketing & Development)
International Women's Day
We warmly invite the Loreto community to our annual International Women's Day Breakfast and presentation of our 2022 Women in Time - Inspiring Alumni inductees on Tuesday 08 March at 7.00am at the Ballarat Golf Club.
Senior students are especially invited to attend as this is a must-attend event for future and career inspiration, as well as a Loreto community celebration. Students are encouraged to bring along their mother or special friend and enjoy a delicious breakfast.
Our Women in Time – Inspiring Alumni celebrates the outstanding achievements and contributions of extraordinary Loreto College Ballarat alumni who have become exemplars of Mary Ward’s vision that “women in time to come, will do much."
Senior students should not miss the opportunity to hear the amazing life stories and career journeys of our 2022 inductees, Maria Myers AC (Class of 1964), Kate Torney AO (Class of 1985) and posthumous recognition of Sr Cynthia Wright ibvm (Class of 1953).
This year we are also introducing a new Women in Time scholarship for a current student to follow her ambitions.
A bus will be booked to bring students back to school by 9.00am.
Loreto College Communications
Welcome to the first edition of the eNews for 2022. With changes in communications platforms and the need for news in this day and age to be shared instantly, the need for the fortnightly eNews has somewhat reduced. Therefore, the eNews will now be published twice per term, in Week 2 and Week 8 and the link will be emailed and shared via the Loreto App. Our aim is to collate two must-read eNews publications each term that provide a thorough introduction and overview of news and events each term. The eNews and News items are updated regularly and available at all times for reference on the College website.
Attached is a flyer that lists all of our Loreto College communications platforms and direct links.
We strongly encourage all members of our community to consider connecting with the College through our Loreto App and social media networks.
With lots of news from around the College published regularly, we invite you to please keep up-to-date with all the Loreto community news on your preferred platforms.
Advertising in Verity in 2022
One of the ways you can support Loreto College and share your support of the school and our Loreto community is by advertising in Verity magazine. Advertising allows us to design, print and share this important alumni magazine, and at the same time, promotes your business to our Loreto community. There are also opportunities for advertorial spaces! If you are a Loreto alumni with a business to promote, please consider our Loreto Launchpad feature.
We would love to see some new businesses featured in Verity and are very grateful to those who have advertised in the past. Published twice per year, in May and November, please contact us by end of February for our first edition of 2022.
May 2022 Edition – will be a bumper edition as we share details of the new Strategic Plan for the school.
Contact development@loreto.vic.edu.au for more information.
Loreto Community Notices
2022 Shoe Guide - The Athlete's Foot
Please click on the button below to download The Athlete's Foot 2022 Shoe Guide which includes shoes that meet the school uniform policy. Each time you buy a pair of shoes $5 is donated back to the school through their School Rewards program.
Rebel Sport
We are proudly partnering with rebel in their rebel Community Givebacks program which entitles our school to receive 5% of all our members purchases at rebel back as credit to spend instore on sports equipment or teamwear!
To support our school all you need to do is join the rebel active loyalty program and link your member account to our school next time you visit your local rebel store. A friendly team member can help you do this instore and you’ll also receive some great benefits like exclusive member offers and access to VIP experiences, rewards and competitions for being a rebel active
member.
Just remember to swipe your rebel active loyalty card instore or log into your account online when making a purchase at rebel and our school will receive 5% back as credit to spend on sports gear!
Thanks for your support.
Loreto College Policies
The College is in the process of updating and publishing a range of relevant policies and procedures. The policies most applicable to families are accessible on the Loreto website.
Finance News
Conveyance Allowance 2022
The conveyance allowance is a form of financial assistance for parents/carers to transport children to and from school in rural and regional Victoria. Allowances are available for public transport, private car and private bus.
In some locations, students are unable to access free school buses. In these instances, students may receive a conveyance allowance to assist with travel costs.
To be eligible for a conveyance allowance, a student must reside 4.8km or more from the College.
Application forms are available at Main Reception or click on the following link, which also provides additional information.
Please note that in 2022 parents who successfully applied and received the Conveyance allowance in 2021 are not required to complete a new application form unless their details have changed – address, mode of transport, etc.
However, to submit a claim Myki receipts or statements or other bus company receipts must be received by the end of each term.
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/conveyance-allowance/resources
Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
The Victorian Government introduced this fund for the following purpose:
“Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund will ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities.”
If you hold a valid means-tested Health Care card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF ($225 per secondary school student). The allowance will be paid to the College to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions, or sporting activities for the benefit of your child and deducted from your school fee account. Applications close at the end of Term 2. Please complete the attached CSEF and return to the College.
Any enquiries please email accounts@loreto.vic.edu.au
Important Dates
Due to the unpredictability of the current COVID-19 situation, please keep an eye out on PAM, the Loreto College App, website and social media for any updates to scheduled events.
For the full Loreto Events Calendar please visit via the Loreto College Ballarat app or https://pam.loreto.vic.edu.au/Login/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f
