Principal's Update 17 May 2024

Dear Marcellin College Community,

It has been a busy fortnight here at the College with a number of events, including a Grade 6 Trivia Night, Mother’s Day breakfasts, Marcellin Business & Community Network breakfast, guest speakers, a Marian Lecture and the opening night of our M2 Theatre Company combined production, Chicago. We have watched the scaffolding rise around our Library building as the refurbishments continue, promising an exciting new space for our students.

On a different note, an incident occurred last week as two students exited a public bus along Thompsons Road. They were confronted by an individual displaying threatening behaviour and what they perceived to be a kitchen knife. Thankfully, the students acted prudently by avoiding engagement and safely made their way to the College, where they immediately reported the incident. The police were promptly notified and addressed the situation effectively, ensuring no harm came to our students or community members.

This incident, while isolated, reminds us of the growing concerns regarding the presence of knives and other weapons in our communities. It is crucial for our students to remain vigilant and understand the importance of removing themselves from potentially harmful situations safely and swiftly. We urge all parents to discuss with their children the appropriate actions to take if faced with similar circumstances, emphasising the importance of safety and immediate reporting to authorities. We will also continue to have staff present at public transport stations around our school and continue to discuss safety measures in our upcoming year-level assemblies.

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Uniform
As we move closer toward the mid-point of Term 2, it is important that we reiterate our high expectations regarding the wearing of the College uniform and general student presentation. Next week, Mr Gentile and Mr Annett will address all students and remind them of what it is to be a Marcellin College student. I encourage parents to speak to their sons over the weekend and support us in addressing this issue. Shirts need to be tucked in, ties need to be worn correctly and our senior students need to model this across the school. We will be holding students accountable if they do not meet our community expectations. It is important that our students understand that we have high expectations of them both in and out of the classroom. I thank you in anticipation of your support.

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College Captains unite to condemn violence against women
Andrew, Anton and Daniel have penned the following words:

“Every four days, a woman in Australia is violently killed. The Marcellin College community comes together to say, ‘enough is enough’ and that the violence must stop.

Women should not have to live their lives in fear, whether that be at home, on the street, or at a park; They deserve the right to feel safe. 34 women have tragically died due to domestic violence in Australia this year. When it comes to violence against women, the only acceptable figure is zero.

We remember all the women who have been killed in gender-based violence and stand together with a commitment to stop this nation-wide problem. As a community, it is our responsibility to stand up, speak out and speak loudly.”

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St Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us
Mary our good mother, pray for us
And may we always remember to, pray for one another

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Marco Di Cesare
Principal

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