Please keep an eye out on PAM, the Loreto College App, website and social media for any scheduled events.
For the full Loreto Events Calendar please visit via the Loreto College Ballarat app or Click Here
Leadership News
From the Principal
Mrs Michelle Brodrick
As we wrap up another term filled with learning, growth and community spirit, this newsletter provides a glimpse of the diverse and engaging events that enriched our school environment and enhanced our vision of promoting student agency.
Mary Poppins
This year’s production of the beloved musical ‘Mary Poppins’ was held in the Abbey Theatre from the 22 - 25 May. More than 110 students took part in the production, including over 60 performers and 50 front of house and backstage crew. The calibre of the performances was outstanding and the response from audiences overwhelming, with almost 2,000 people coming along to see the show.
An enormous amount of time and effort is required for a production of this size, and I would like to thank everyone who gave their time to ensure its success. A special thank you to Lindy Crowe Procaccino for her exceptional direction and choreography, and to our talented cast and dedicated crew working behind the scenes to make this a truly memorable experience for all involved.
Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week
Loreto College First Nations educators and students led a ceremony to mark National Sorry Day and other events for National Reconciliation Week in May. Students from Loreto College, Damascus and St Pat’s gathered alongside local community members on a stunning layout on the Loreto College oval for a Welcome to Country ceremony led by former Loreto College student and proud Wadawurrung women, Macaylah Johnson. Following the ceremony, students moved to the Gonzaga Barry Centre where they heard from our First Nations leader, Ella McCormack who spoke about the effects of the Stolen Generations on the generations of people in her life. Uncle Alan Harris, a Noongar Elder from the Bibbulmun clan of the Noongar Nation and the Ngaanyatjarra people of the Western Desert also shared his story urging all of us to be a beacon for reconciliation.
At a school assembly for National Reconciliation Week, guest speaker, Helen Christensen, acknowledged her cultural ties to the Tiwi Islands and Central Desert and now of her life ‘down south’. She spoke poignantly about this year’s theme, Now More Than Ever, especially coming off the back of the failed referendum. Helen is now working as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Education Officer, alongside Jeannette Morris, with Catholic Education Ballarat.
Student Forum against Gender-Based Violence
This year, the Ballarat community has been grieving the loss of Rebecca Young, Samantha Murphy and Hannah McGuire. Statistics indicate that two in five women have experienced gender-based violence since the age of 15 (ABS, 2021-2022). Research shows that excusing disrespectful and aggressive behaviours towards girls and women is learned from an early age. Adults have the greatest influence on young people’s attitudes and disrespect towards women. So, it is through education at school and at home that we can have the biggest effect on our young people. Lanaguage plays a powerful role both in contributing to and in eliminating discrimination.
Two weeks ago, secondary students from all schools in Ballarat came together to attend a student forum at Morsehead Park to discuss how they can help change community attitudes towards domestic and gender-based violence. As a regional city, the Ballarat community has a unique relationship with Catholic, Government and Independent schools working together in several areas. One example is Ballarat Associated Sport which is played amongst many secondary schools each week. Karen Snibson, Principal of Phoenix College, initiated the forum by contacting all secondary school principals in Ballarat, reflecting the views of the students to come together to discuss ways to bring about change The forum proved to be a powerful way of demonstrating a collective voice against gender-based violence and showed that we must continue to take advantage of the connections that exist and work together for the betterment of our community.
Image by Adam Trafford - Ballarat Courier
Masterplan for Mary’s Mount – Parent/Carer/Alumni Engagement Request
This year our vision for the future, in terms of master planning, is focussed on the Mary’s Mount campus. MGS Architects are working with staff and students to plan for dynamic learning environments and sustainable infrastructure that will seek to inspire, innovate and empower future generations. The master planning for the Mary’s Mount campus will allow Loreto College to finalise a long-term Master Plan for the next 10 years and beyond. Rich data has been gathered during initial engagement on the future of Loreto College in relation to the Lucas campus that will continue to inform and guide decision making.
If parents/carers and alumni would like to complete a survey to help inform decision making on the Loreto College Master Plan, please email info@loreto.vic.edu.au (Subject heading – Master Planning survey request). A survey will be sent to you to provide feedback.
From the Deputy Principal
Mrs Chris Shaw
'Forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn’t know before you learned it.' Maya Angelou
The end of Term 2 is often time of reflection and transition, completing a semester full of achievement across the spectrum of learning and school events. The culmination of targeted effort leads our students into end of semester productions, assessments, Exams for Year 10 & 11s and the GAT for those in VCE. In achieving something, there’s always levels of tension and determination and of course, challenge. The bar is set high for a reason – not merely as an obstacle, but as a catalyst for personal and collective progress and our students rise to the challenge when we give them space. Tackling difficult tasks helps them acquire new knowledge, refine existing abilities and expand horizons.
Year 12s are getting closer to the goals they have set, and most are re-adjusting their bar, looking at their individual data story and the influences on their chosen pathway. The resilience and flexibility needed to be self-aware enough to make such refinements comes with courage and adaptability. They have learnt this along the way through their years of school and many tell me they are most proud of not giving up when things get hard!
Challenges that inspire creativity and solutions to complex problems have certainly been seen in the many and varied pursuits. Our Year 7s are stretching themselves to learn a new instrument in the Da Capo program and we are so proud of how far they have come. The music staff have worked tirelessly to prepare them for their first concert. We applaud their motivation to improve, looking forward to seeing all they will produce. Year 8s have been contributing to the Live 4 Life program with focus and engagement, also demonstrating their leadership skills as they lead SEED visits for our local Primary School students. Year 9s have worked with students from St.Pats learning how to dance with St, take on the role of entrepreneurs and social innovators and are preparing for their City Experience. They have grown in their ability to adapt to changing circumstances and make decisions that require maturity and independence, putting themselves in the face of challenge!
Other students have been extended through such activities as the Ethics Olympiad, PESA and Legacy Public Speaking Competitions, the Players 4 Pink Football Match and the creation of amazing art and design works now on display around our College.
Adapting to changing circumstances becomes easier when we’ve learned to face challenges and conquered our doubts enabling reflection on our growth. Loreto students show us constantly that they are capable of self-assessment and can re-set their own bar independently if we as adults, just stand back and give them the chance!
Holiday Leave
A reminder to families that a leave of absence from school during the school term, needs to be approved by the Principal (over a week) or Deputy Principal (beyond 3 days and up to a week). Anything shorter can be sent to the YLC. Please be mindful of the interruptions to student learning that result when significant absence is in term time. Term dates are available well in advance to assist with your planning.
From the Assistant Principal: Faith & Identity
Ms Felicity Knobel
Our Faith and Identity community has had an exceptionally busy semester, with liturgical celebrations, fundraising, awareness campaigns and opportunities to be part of an active element of our college community. All of this makes us who we are as Loreto.
In the last three weeks our students have been busy preparing for one of our largest fundraising, awareness raising and liturgical celebrations with Gonzaga Barry Day on Thursday 25 July. We expect all students to attend this day. There are normal classes for period 1 and 2 and then the celebrations begin with our Eucharist celebration in period 3.
We have much to celebrate in our 149th year. Our theme for our dress up is “Aussie Icons”. We encourage all students and staff to dress up on this day. We are forever mindful of being culturally sensitive and ensuring that no one is offended by our dress. This will be discussed in our classes in the lead up to the day.
We have been inundated with assistance from our students assisting on this day. We are mindful throughout the year to limit the number of times our families are called upon for donations and money. Gonzaga Barry Day raises much needed awareness and money for Mary Ward International Australia. It is a day that as Loreto people we are looking after our Loreto communities throughout the world.
This is a student run and staff guided activity. Please talk to your child about what their mentor group is doing for the day, how much money they can negotiate to bring in for the stalls, what have they organised for their costume and what are they doing to assist in the running of the stall, are they going to be involved in LCs Got Talent? It is truly a day of celebration and joy.
Santa Teresa (First Nations’ name: Ltyentye Apurte) Immersion Experience - Year 9, 2025.
Eight Year 9 students have the opportunity to participate in a First Nations Immersion trip to Ltyentye Apurte, 85 km outside of Alice Springs. Ltyentye Apurte, pronounced Ginger Porter, is also known as Santa Teresa. A former Catholic Mission, with a population of 600 people, in Arrernte country, Santa Teresa’s Ltyentye Apurte Catholic School and Santsa Teresa Catholic Church are two important focal points within the community. Students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the community and be part of the local school, aged care and childcare center. They will also participate and gain an understanding of the Arrente culture, also allowing them to reflect on their place within the Australian landscape and how they can be better allies and walk together in Reconciliation. There will be a commitment to six to eight pre-trip preparation sessions and post-trip interactions at school. An information session for interested students and parents will be held early in Term 3.
We invite all interested parents/carers to an information meeting on Wednesday 7 August at 6pm in the Theatrette.
From the Assistant Principal: Learning & Innovation
Ms Adele Ryan
What is Student Agency? Agency is a key competency to foster in contemporary society, indeed it is a core priority in our Vision at Loreto College. Professor Sandra Milligan and her team at the University of Melbourne’s New Metrics project, define Agency as: ‘Knowing what to learn, and how to learn, and who and with who to learn it from, to attain expertise…’ Agency encompasses a number of key behaviours that we seek to encourage and foster in our Loreto students, including: Being reflective; Being persistent; Pursuing goals. When we reflect on what it means to be a Loreto student, these three key behaviours are indicative of the courageous lives led by Mary Ward, Mother Gonzaga Barry and the sisters and teachers who followed in their footsteps. Learning requires persistence, courage and reflection in the pursuit of goals. Indeed, neuroscience tells us that learning and brain growth requires struggle: Courage and persistence are key to moving from struggle to expertise. Put simply, in order to promote brain growth and acquire new knowledge, you need to move outside your comfort zone.
As we approach the end of Semester 1, it is important for each student to reflect back on their successes in learning, and the challenges they have faced in managing their individual learning journeys. The semester report will be available on PAM, early in the holidays and provides a focus for parent and student discussions around learning. In considering reports, students should reflect on these questions: Have I been courageous and challenged myself? Have I been persistent and followed teacher guidance when learning has been difficult? When learning has been challenging, have I given it a go, rather than sitting back passively and opting out? Have I taken ownership of my learning by completing tasks and submitting homework in a timely manner? The answers to these questions will then help shape each student’s learning goals for Semester 2. We look forward to supporting our students again after the holidays, in their individual journeys and development of agency.
College News
Thank you to our Education Support Staff
During May, our Leadership Team put on breakfast to thank our education support staff as part of Education Support Staff Day. Staff were also lucky to have our VM students brewing some great coffee from The Hunter Van! From Administration to Finance, there are a number of areas often operating behind the scenes of our College to ensure our school runs smoothly day-to-day. A big thank you to all our education support staff for everything they do!
The Power of Positive Thinking
A few weeks ago, our Year 11 Cohort enjoyed the Thinking Traps workshop. The workshop focused on identifying unhelpful or negative thoughts and challenging them with balanced or positive thoughts. We all know that positive thoughts lead to improvements in our stress, anxiety and general wellbeing, but it’s not always that easy.
Thinking Traps is an evidence-based program, meaning they have used quality research to understand the human mind more. They asked us to think of our minds like a mobile phone. Our minds have lots of apps and we get notifications all day. For example, one of those apps could be called Mind Reading – we assume someone is thinking negatively about us. We all do this! Have you ever thought, “They don’t like me” or “I know I’ll mess up”, or “Everyone’s going to laugh at me.”?
So, just like your phone, in life, we need to read the notification, identify the app, and find evidence for and against the thought. But, here’s where it gets hard. If it’s a negative thought, we need to work hard to figure out what we are missing. There must be a way to think positively about the situation. Can I find a silver lining? What am I grateful for in this situation?
What I realised and took away from the workshop is that if you let yourself get trapped in negative thoughts, you will have no energy left, it will affect your relationships and you will probably make poor decisions.
Overall, it was great to have this opportunity at school and be able to learn new ways to identify unhelpful thoughts and balance our stress, anxiety and general wellbeing.
Grace Bales - Year 11
Erin Wins Best on Show
Erin Almeida has won first prize - Best artist aged 14-17, for her entry “Reverence” a pastel and charcoal artwork at the Pyrenees Art Competition. The judge, head of the Victorian Art Academy said 'The work shows a real aptitude for drawing. Nicely composed.'
Her amazing work was also sold at the exhibition which capped off the event nicely.
Leadership Workshops
Throughout term 2, all the student leaders had an opportunity to participate in leadership workshops. They were split from Year 8-9 and 10-12. These workshops had three sessions consisting of different things, such as your personal values and the importance of having leadership values to determine the person you want to be, helpful and unhelpful thinking and how it can affect your role in leading people and teamwork. These workshops were 2 periods each session and helped students have a more clear understanding in their leadership position including what their responsibilities are and what they want to add to in their community (fellow student leaders, year level etc.)
Year 9 News
Ms Stephanie Greet (Year 9 Level Coordinator)
Crazy Ideas College
On the 30 - 31 May, 25 Year 9 Loreto students went to the Tech School for a Social Innovators program, presented by Crazy Ideas College (CIC).
Throughout these two days, we developed crazy ideas to combat serious issues, broke them down into something achievable, and pitched them to members of our Ballarat community.
On the first day, we selected an environmental/societal issue that we were passionate about. We grouped up with people who had similar issues, narrowed it down to a specific issue, and brainstormed some crazy good ideas!
From Wastamals, an animal that consumes waste and transforms it into useful items, to The Safe Rhythm, a jacket designed to support those who have health issues, all our big ideas aimed to solve the issue we had chosen!
On the second day, we transformed our seemingly crazy idea into a more practical action. We made it smart and simple so that we could address our original issue whilst implementing a more achievable version of it in our community.
Then we presented both these ideas to community members, many of which were willing to guide the development of our ideas. This was quite nerve-racking! But everyone was so supportive.
Overall, this experience was lots of fun, especially because we had to think outside the box! It was new and exciting. And together, we created some innovative ideas, that maybe one day, could change the world.
Angelin Sony - Year 9
Year 9 Social
On Thursday 6th of June, Year 9 Loreto College and St Patrick's College students went to the Year 9 social at St Patrick's Cathedral hall.
In the lead up to the Year 9 social, Loreto students walked to the gym at St Patrick’s College to participate in dance lessons every Monday after school in May. These dance lessons, run by Eric and Mr. Thurgood, taught us a range of dances including the “Barn Dance” and the “Pride of Erin”. The dance lessons were a bit nerve racking at the beginning but those nerves went away quickly and the lessons became enjoyable for most students. These dance lessons also allowed us to socialise with students from St Patrick’s College and gain more dancing skills before the night.
On the night of the social, everybody dressed up in semi - formal attire, ready for a great night. The night consisted of practising the dances that we had learned, changing partners around the hall, and
free dance to the great music supplied by the DJ. Overall, everybody enjoyed the night and had a great time dancing, making friends and having fun.
Thank you to all the staff involved from both schools, particularly Ms Greet, Mr Stowe, Year 9 Mentor Teachers, Eric and Mr Thurgood.
Charlotte Bull - Year 9 Communications & Media Rep
VCE-VM News
Mr Andrew Blackwood (Faculty Coordinator: VCE-VM)
In VM this term we have been working hard to put the finishing touches on all of our Unit 1 and Unit 3 subjects. Our Year 11s and Year 12s have been completing projects for Personal Development Skills and Literacy which revolve around improving the physical, social or mental health of the participants.
Students have been very creative with their projects including a bushwalk up Mt Buninyong, a mindfulness slime-making session with Year 7s, Masterchef competition, Paint your Partner and Chinese Noodle Making at the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council. On top of all this, in Work Skills students have been creating Vocational Dioramas based on their future career pathways and in Numeracy Year 12s have been analysing daily step counts to create and look at Scatterplots.
For Sport and Recreation we have completed sports coaching sessions at Pleasant St PS, Ballarat Specialist School and Buninyong primary school. We visit each one day per week for 3 weeks focusing on basic, intermediate and game-sense sporting skills.
Earlier this month five of the Year 11 and 12 VM students had the opportunity to complete a Barista Masterclass at Johnny Aloo with owner Matt Freeman. We look forward to using his expert skills and knowledge to reopen our Hunter Coffee Van with a brand new machine in Term 3 so we can continue to sell coffees for the amazing staff here at LC.
Technology Faculty News
Ms Thea Mooney (Faculty Coordinator: Technology)
The Iconic Pavlova, Reinvented
Unit 2 Food Studies students have finalised coursework this term by using their understanding of Australia’s food history to redesign an Australian food iconic dish, the Pavlova, for their final Assessment Task. Many incorporated Indigenous foods into their product whilst others used ingredients that are grown or manufactured by Australian food companies. Some considered the impact of immigration and modern food culture and trends, all producing creative, sometimes unique interpretations of this classical Australian dish to answer the question of “what is Australian cuisine”?
Science Faculty News
Mr Matthew Flight (Faculty Coordinator: Science)
Ballarat Tech School Visits
During Term 2, the Year 7 and 8 students visited the Ballarat Tech School for a robotics program to enrich their knowledge of modern technologies such as AI and how it is getting used or may get used in the future. During this program, we learned how humanoid robots can help people with disadvantages (such as disabilities, learning-differences, mental illnesses etc.) by picking a disadvantage someone may face on a day-to-day basis and programming the robots to show how they may help these people have easier lives.
Harleen Ghumman - Year 8
The Arts Faculty News
Ms Julia West (Faculty Coordinator: The Arts)
During Term 2 we experienced the hard work and joy of Mary Poppins the Musical, enjoyed hearing the development of the Year 7 music students as part of our new Da Capo program, and seen the joy and creativity developed from Arts Elective program and assisted students through their VCE Arts journey. The students and Arts staff have worked tirelessly to design, plan, create and perform. It was an incredible joy to experience.
As we end Term 2, VCE Arts Students found themselves busy with completing SAT Folio artworks and designs. Students in Art Creative Practice, Visual Communication Design and Media have worked through the semester to respond to a design brief, trial mediums and develop scripts and treatments. In each learning area students have been asked to manage large projects, use technical and creative thinking skills and define a theme or create a specific meaning.
Year 12 Student Kiah Bennetts is a keen and passionate Visual Arts student who has enjoyed the arts program at Loreto College. In speaking with Kiah, it is evident that passion for the Arts and a commitment to your ‘own ideas’ is required when studying.
We wish all VCE Arts students, including Theatre Studies and Dance, best of luck with Term 3, which is in actual fact is your final term of learning at Loreto!
Interview with Kiah Bennetts
Loreto College Da Capo
The Da Capo All Stars band started last week with selected Year 7s asked to join. The band, headed by Music Teacher Ms Sarah Goodbourn, will learn skills in performance techniques and etiquette, and practice well know songs in readiness for the Da Capo Gala Concert.
The Da Capo Gala Concert will celebrate learning from the inaugural Year 7 Music Program on Wednesday 26 July at 6pm. Performed at the Abbey Theatre in the MMC, it will feature string ensembles, bands, solo artists and the Loreto Senior Band.
We are proud to share that we have a full house for our evening. Families are encouraged to check the website for any additional ticket releases.
Pictured is Ms Sarah Goodbourn in rehearsal with students from Senior Band.
Philosophy News
Ms Siegrist Bell (Teacher and Ethics Olympiad Coach)
Ethics Olympiad Competition
The Ethics Olympiad is an international competition that offers students the opportunity to strive for excellence in ethical and philosophical discussion. On Thursday 30 May a team of Year 11 Loreto students competed in the Victorian round of this competition.
Students competed in an intense eight heats during the day, debating topics as diverse as interfaith marriage, sportswashing and the evil race in fiction. The team were praised for the “style and content of their engagement” and received an honourable mention from the judges.
The team and I would like to thank Mr Foord who shared his expertise from many years' involvement in the competition, Ms Green for her ongoing support and the Arts staff for hosting us in the MMC on the day.
Would you like to be involved in an Ethics Olympiad? There is a competition for students in Years 7-9 later in the year and a senior competition next year. Please email Ms Bell if you are interested.
Public Speaking News
Ms Tammy Vandenberg (Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator)
Rostrum Voice of Youth
On Sunday 5 May, our students participated in the Rostrum Voice of Youth regional final held in our own Theatrette. Eva Cummins, April Yearwood, Isabelle McMahon, Sohpia Addison, Amelia Hill and Charlotte Irvin were our junior participants. They each presented a wonderful range of speeches on topics including 'Fast Fashion', 'Age is no Barrier', the dangers of social media and the impact of global warming. A huge congratulations to Charlotte Irvin who has made it through to the state final!
Our senior representatives were Mia Keating and Eliza Dodd who spoke about the dangers of social media and the potential impact on your future and the devastating impacts of smoking. Both spoke with incredible sincerity and presented flawless impromptu speeches. A credit to our College.
Plain English Speaking Competition
On Tuesday 28 May We hosted the PESA (Plain English Speaking Award) competition in the MMC. Local schools came to participate in this prestigious. They presented a 6 minute speech followed by an impromptu speech. The standard as always was incredibly high with a plethora of topic choices.
Congratulations to Lucy Eales who was runner up for this event.
Legacy Award
Humanities Faculty News
Ms Jayne Carrigg (Faculty Coordinator: Humanities)
Year 7 Geography
On Monday 13 May, our Year 7 classes participated in a day of Geography field work. The aim of the day was to immerse themselves in learning about water, its uses, interconnections and significance. Students ventured over to Lake Wendouree where they identified different bugs in the water and sketched what they saw in the wetlands. Hands on, experiential learning is quite important as it makes classroom content real and adds a depth of skill that cannot be taught in regular lessons.
Year 12 Sociology Students Visit Greek Orthodox Church in Ballarat
In a bid to enrich their understanding of Unit 3 Ethnicity, Year 12 Sociology students embarked on an excursion to the Greek Orthodox Church in Ballarat. This visit was an integral part of their depth study focusing on the Greek ethnic group, aimed at fostering a deeper appreciation of the complexities and richness of different ethnic groups.
The highlight of the visit was an engaging session with Angelo Christofi, a respected member of the Greek community in Ballarat. Mr. Christofi shared his personal experiences, providing students with a firsthand account of what it means to be a part of this community. His talk offered insights into the culture and traditions of the Greek community.
The students found the visit to be an invaluable extension of their classroom learning. The experience provided them with a tangible connection to the theoretical concepts discussed in their sociology classes. The opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions with Mr. Christofi allowed for a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of the Greek community in Ballarat.
The Year 12 Sociology students extend their heartfelt thanks to Angelo Christofi for his time and insightful presentation. This experience undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the students, enriching their educational journey and fostering a greater appreciation for cultural diversity in Australia.
RE Faculty News
Ms Virginia Green (Faculty Coordinator - RE)
Holocaust Museum Excursion
On Tuesday 28 March, our Year 10 RE class visited the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. The students were able to view artifacts from the WWII period and learn about items of propaganda that installed antisemitism, hate and discrimination into general society during that time. They also learned about the dehumanisation and genocide of the Jewish people while also hearing about how survivors rebuilt their lives in Australia after the war. The highlight of the day was hearing from Abram Goldberg, a 99 year old (100 years in October) holocaust survivor, who answered questions about his life before, during and after the war and how he managed to save items such as letters and posters in order to ensure this event was remembered for all time. His main message was ‘that we are all from the same race, the human race’.
The Holocaust Museum is a sacred space of history that was founded in 1984 and is home to many ancient artifacts from WWII. It is an interesting sight, with writing covering the walls telling the stories that many Jewish people unfortunately went through because of the Nazi Party in Germany coming to power at the end of January 1933.
Many cruel laws were stuck in place, dehumanising the Jewish community completely. At the Museum, we spoke to a survivor who is turning 100 this year, Abram Goldberg. He comes every Tuesday to answer questions and spread awareness for the holocaust to ensure this history will never repeat itself. His artifact, a poster of propaganda that he snatched at 19 years old, became the starting point for the Museum. He told us his story and we asked questions which he answered kindly and honestly. He told us he made a promise to his mother that he would do whatever it took to survive, and that’s what he is doing. He puts in this effort everyday in honour of his deceased mother which takes a beautiful and cherished loyalty that could never be questioned. Alongside what he told us, he also revealed he had written a book about his experiences. His determination to share his experiences with us takes true courage and compassion, and that itself deserves the respect of everyone lucky enough to meet him.
Taylor Jubber - Year 10
Co-Curricular Sports News
Mr Liam Gill (Co-Curricular Sport Leader)
Victorian All Schools Cross Country Relay
Off the back of our BAS Athletics success, for the first time ever, Loreto entered a team in the Victorian All Schools X-Country Relay 4x3km event and won!! Up against 22 other schools across the state, this is an incredible feat and a credit to our runners and also the staff supporting them. Congratulations to Amali Torney, Bonnie Burt, Ailish Ryan and Aria Violini who ran an impressive time of 47.14.
BAS Sport for 2024
Please find a link to the list of BAS sports for 2024 below.
Library News
Ms Meghan Douglas (Director of Library Services)
Reconciliation Week is a big focus for the Library in Term 2. This year’s theme ‘Now More Than Ever’ inspired our display and the classes we ran, and helped to focus our attention on the everyday acts of Reconciliation that we can all do. This includes learning Language, learning about the country we live and learn on, investigating our shared history, and learning more about First Nations changemakers. Our Library display highlighted some of the great resources we have that explore this history, including our comprehensive and evolving guide to First Nations history. We welcomed Year 7 Humanities classes to read and explore various Australian First Nations creation stories, as part of their study into Ancient Australia. We are proud of our developing collection in this area, particularly the emphasis on bilingual stories, and are actively seeking to grow this collection in the future - further suggestions from students, families and staff are very welcome. Year 7s extended their understanding with a second lesson considering the importance of language maintenance and reclamation. They explored the significance of place names on Wadawurrung Country, using the Gambay Language Map, a rich resource with embedded stories. Year 8 students visited us, as part of their ‘Seek Truth, Do Justice’ unit in RE. Their act of Reconciliation was to investigate a First Nations changemaker, through reading and games. We hope that through these exposures our students are able to learn more about Wadawurrung Country and our shared history.
In the same week, we hosted SEED visits for year 5 students from St Thomas More, St Alipius, Siena, St James, St Columbas and St Aloysius. We focused our sessions with them on the key themes of sharing stories, learning and building community - central goals of our Library - and had our guests read short stories and non fiction texts, explore our Library, and relax with our games and puzzles. We look forward to seeing some of these faces again when they start Year 7!
In the background, we have continued with our usual roster of support for learning and teaching at Loreto. We have welcomed English classes to read widely, and borrow from our always fresh collection. Some of our Year 7s have read and engaged with War Stories, as a warm up for their study of ‘Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief’. Some of our Year 9s have read short story and graphic novel adaptations of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, familiarising themselves with the plot and characters before grappling with early modern English next term. We have resourced the comparative study of Medieval Europe and Medieval Japan for our Year 8 Humanities students, through a great new research guide and new print resources as well. Our Year 12s continue to use the Library space to study and prepare for their SACs, as they reach the end of Unit 3. We have assessed and refreshed a number of our collections as part of our regular process of review, including the English Teacher Reference section, plays, poetry, classics, and picture books. We have created displays that highlight the best parts of our collection for IDAHOBIT, Pride Month, and Reconciliation Week, as well as highlighting our updated collection of study guides for Unit 3&4 students. Our Shadow Judges have continued to read, discuss and creatively respond to this year’s CBCA shortlist for Older Readers. A strong crowd favourite was the potions making activity, responding to Lili Wilkinson’s ‘A Hunger of Thorns’. Book Club and Writers Group continue to meet with enthusiasm, and our Library is full at lunchtime with students playing games, reading and catching up on homework - just the way we like it!
Happy Reading!
Library Website: https://libguides.loreto.vic.edu.au/Loreto-Library
Our email: library@loreto.vic.edu.au
Our eBook and audiobook collection: https://loreto.wheelers.co/
Instagram: Follow us @loretoballaratlibrary
Career News
Ms Jodie Howlett (Careers Coordinator)
In this week's Career News:
- Spotlight on SCU
- Softward Engineer VWE
- Learn to Lead in the Defence Force
- Macquarie Early Entry Scheme
- AFP First Nations People Program
- Women in STEM Scholarship
- Next Gen Awards 2024
Finance News
Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF)
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) will provide payments for eligible students to attend camps, sports and excursions. As Loreto College has an all-inclusive fee which covers the cost of camps, sports and excursions, any funds received will be off-set against the student’s tuition fee.
$225 per year will be paid for eligible secondary school students. Payments will come directly to the College and be credited to the students tuition fee account.
Eligibility:
Families holding an eligible Centrelink Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Veterans Affairs Gold Card on the first day of Term 1 or first day of Term 2 or be a temporary foster parent will be eligible to apply.
How to Apply:
Application forms are available on the Loreto College website, or click on the button below. The form needs to be returned to the School Office or emailed to accounts@loreto.vic.edu.au
If you applied for the CSEF at Loreto College Ballarat in 2023, you do not need to complete an application form in 2024 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances (new student/sibling, concession number, etc.). Your child's school will apply for the CSEF on your behalf.
Closing Date:
The closing date for CSEF applications to be submitted to the College is 28 June 2024 (no applications will be accepted after the closing date). All eligible families are encouraged to apply. For more information about the CSEF visit
Conveyance Allowance 2024
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 on the Loreto College website or click on the link below.
Please note that in 2024 parents who successfully applied and received the Conveyance allowance at Loreto College in 2023 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.
For further information visit:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/conveyance-allowance/resources
Any enquiries please email accounts@loreto.vic.edu.au
Any enquiries please email accounts@loreto.vic.edu.au
Community News
Please find the link for the May 2024 edition of Sustain Magazine from Loreto Australia and MWIA.
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