Newsletter

This is an exciting time for the College with the official opening of the Altiora Senior Campus scheduled for 4 August. We are all eager and looking forward to the transition to the new building. It is imminent.

This week both Ms Farah and I met with Year 12 College student leaders and all VCE students about their crucial role in the transition to the building. The are the trailblazers for this new building.

As VCE Senior students they will be mature, responsible, calm and assured in their respectful transition. The new building is purposefully designed as a more ‘tertiary-like’ space, which will call upon students’ individual accountability to their studies. It is a serene and stunning learning environment that reflects the way in which VCE students’ initiative in their studies will come to the fore.

A date has not yet been finalized for the transition due to the remaining Certificate of Occupancy and VRQA approval process; but rest assured that the College planning for the transition has been ongoing throughout the year. That all VCE students have been briefed about the building and that more communication will follow as needed.

There are things that will be seamless in the transition. There will be things students will love about the new building. There will be things to refine and improve. There may be things students miss about the main campus. Such is the nature of change and a new environment. I welcome the students’ feedback and ideas for improvement and patience and grace as we dial in what needs attention. I look forward to the future opening and unveiling on Tuesday 4 August.

PESA Plain English Speaking Awards – Semi Finals 2026

On Friday 26 June, Year 12 Co-captain Fadzai Bako, defending champion of the VCAA Plain English Speaking Award, stood at the podium for the 2026 semi-finals poised, ready to speak, and ready to dominate, again.

The Plain English Speaking Award (PESA) is a public-speaking competition for students aged 15-18 years. The competition encourages students from government, Catholic and independent schools to speak to their peers from other schools on topics they are passionate about. Students are required to present a 6 minute prepared speech and a 3 minute impromptu speech.

Fadzai’s prepared speech focused on the media’s misrepresentation of African Australian youths. However, it was her impromptu speech that really impressed the adjudicators and secured Fadzai’s spot in the finals. Challenged with only 4 minutes to prepare on the topic of ‘History never repeats’, Fadzai confronted audiences with the contention that history does repeat itself by exploring the idea through the lens of the way in which the media enables male celebrities, such as Michael Jackson, to repeat their mistakes.

As a result of Fadzai’s success in the 2026 semifinals and being the current titleholder, over the holidays she was invited to present her prepared speech at a VCAA ‘Weekly Connect’ meeting involving all VCAA staff.

Fadzai now goes on to compete in the VCAA PESA final, which will be held on Friday 31 July at The Wheeler Centre in Federation Square. We wish her the best of luck in defending her crown for 2026!

Year 11 Student Leadership Development

Student leadership is a vital aspect of a school culture. It has an enormous impact on the overall student experience. Strong positive role models are the stewards of Mercy culture and enact and embody the Mercy values of hospitality, courage, respect, service, justice and equality in all that they do.

This week saw the first of a series of Student Leadership Development sessions that form part of students’ training and selection process for future Prefect positions in 2027.

At the first session, facilitated by Ms Siobhan Bloomfield and I, the notion of ‘stewardship’ was a notable idea. To be a steward is to oversee, protect and to grow something entrusted to your care, in this instance the legacies, traditions, values and beahviours of what it means to be a St Aloysius College and Mercy student.

Current Year 12 Prefects and College co-captains Fadzai B, Amelie E and Prefect, Sylvie S, shared their experiences of leadership with prospective future prefects in Year 11. In hearing their experiences, it was clear that their role was one of stewardship of mentoring, of growth through mentoring others and serving their community. They spoke about the need for communication and for being resolute in their roles when called upon to support the College and its students.

I wish all Year 11 students the best luck in their application process and hope that the ongoing leadership development is enriching. Thank you to Ms Siobhan Bloomfield for her role in facilitating and creating the leadership program.

Tom Crowle
Senior Years Leader