On Monday 11 November, we attended the live recording of the ABC Big Ideas podcast at the Shrine of Remembrance. The podcast explored the future of Commemoration over the next 90 years, marking the Shrine's 90 anniversary in Melbourne. We were extremely fortunate to listen to a panel of three young, innovative guest speakers who took a specialised interest in architecture, battlefield archeology, and the Australian Defence Force, accompanied by the ABC Big Ideas host, Natasha Mitchell. In doing so, the podcast also opened the discussion to the audience in the room, allowing us to hear the opinions of other high school students and teachers alike, capturing the true significance of commemoration in modern-day Australia. Overall, it was an incredibly insightful and eye-opening experience, calling us to reflect upon how we can further commemorate Australia’s past and present defence efforts moving into the future.
If you would like to take a listen to the podcast episode, you can do so here: ABC Big Ideas: The future of remembering wars past — school students speak frankly with Natasha Mitchell at the Shrine
Arden Roche - Year 10
Our MSJ Years 7 and 8 students took part in a Junior Debating Competition that was run by the Debaters Association of Victoria. This competition took place across Terms 3 and 4.
Congratulations to Year 7 students, Hannah Mackey, Jemima Sutton, Alannah Green, Akshara Anand, Swara Agrawal, Indiana Guerreiro, and Hridhya Garnesh and Year 8 students Bernice Chu, Arielle Farid and Allegra Whitmore. All have gained invaluable skill, become very confidence in their speeches and shown an effective rebuttal against their opponents. It was recognised by the adjudicator that the Model from MSJ were well prepared and made it difficult for the opposition to offer any significant rebuttal.
Debating techniques can be used in all subject areas, the benefits can extend through all aspects of the school curriculum. The skills address the critical and creative thinking, ethical, intercultural, personal and social dimensions of the Victorian curriculum.
Date |
MSJ Team |
Opponent |
Award to |
Best Speaker of the Debate |
16 Oct. 2024 |
MSJ 1 MSJ 2 MSJ 3 |
Islamic College of Melbourne Australian International Academy Bye |
MSJ 1 MSJ 2 |
Hannah Mackey |
13 Nov. 2024 |
MSJ 1 MSJ 2 MSJ 3 |
Islamic College of Melbourne Christway College Altona College 1 |
MSJ 1 MSJ 2 Altona College 1 |
Akshara Anand Jemima Sutton (Recommendation) |
27 Nov. 2024 |
MSJ 1 MSJ 2 MSJ 3 |
Altona College 1 Bacchus Marsh Grammar 3 Altona College 2 |
Altona College 1 MSJ 2 MSJ 3 |
Hannah Mackey Jemima Sutton |
Congratulation to our MSJ Debating Winning Teams, with Hannah Mackey winning twice the best speaker of the debate, Jemima Sutton won best speaker and recommendation for speaker of the night, and Akshara Anand also won the best speaker of the debate.
We are very proud of our MSJ Teams.
Anthea Heiniger - Teacher
A reminder that all fees for 2024 were due to be finalised by September unless alternative arrangements had been made with the Business Manager.
It would be appreciated if any outstanding balances could be settled immediately.
2025 Fees Survey (Mandatory)
An email has been sent to all families regarding 2025 school fees and your preferred payment method (fortnightly, monthly, term, direct debit, credit card, etc).
Please note: All families were due to complete this survey by Wednesday 4 December 2024.
An invoice for 2025 fees will be issued to all families late January 2025.
Daniel O’Malley - Business Manager
After being appointed to our positions of leadership for 2025, we collectively as a team had leadership training. These days were both fun and informative and have helped us to understand how we as students can help our school community and be leaders for others.
On day 1, the student leadership team went to Melbourne Sky Deck and participated in the Great Melbourne Race. We were placed in groups that correlate to our role. This day was fun and engaging and gave us a chance to learn how to work in a team and cooperate with our fellow peers. It gave us an opportunity to form new friendships and build on ones that we had.
The second training day was onsite and provided us a chance to talk to this year’s leaders. This gave us an insight of how we can help shape our school but also the challenges that come with being a school leader. We were also able to set our goals for the year ahead and plan how we want to accomplish them. Both leadership training days helped to establish meaningful connections in the group, allowing for collaboration and trust to be developed and shared between all the members of the 2025 leadership team
Moving forward, the SLT will use the ideas and connections that were nurtured during these programs allowing for successful and productive changes in the coming year.
We thank Ms Simcic, Mr Dundon and Luke McCartney for all their support in organising and running these successful days.
Bianca Anderson and Joanne Vivera - 2025 College Captains
College Captains (including Academic portfolio) - Bianca Anderson, Joanne Vivera
Vice Captain - Lily Hood
Ministry Leader - Julie Wakfer
Arts Leader - Moira Gingco
Social Justice Leader - Ebony Silva
Sustainability Leader - Charlotte Farrugia
Co-curricular Leader - Indi Horsburgh
Diversity Leader - Sophie Gathercole
Senior Cameron House Leaders - Kate Birthisel, Cheyne Peet
Senior Kincumber House Leaders - Heidi Fehring, Lucy Aitchison
Senior McCormack House Leaders - Bianca Suine, Priscilla Law
Senior Penola House Leaders - Chloe Vella, Shannon Williams
Senior Providence House Leaders - Elena Mirabile, Millie Scott
Senior Solomon House Leaders - Athena Koulis, Poppy Wickham
Cameron JHL - Allegra Whitmore, Samantha Fish
Kincumber JHL - Arielle Farid, Alyssa Wilkinson
McCormack JHL - Amelia Cassar, Aurora Ziras
Penola JHL - Phoebe Black, Sophie Cookson
Providence JHL - Olive Joubert, Camila Rodriquez
Solomon JHL - Claire Hinds, Orlaith Bethall
Aligning with the current Year 8 Religious Education Curriculum, students were tasked with leading a liturgy that reflected the unit focus on 'Creation and Care for Our Common Home.' Through the integration of scripture, prayers, reflections, and practical activities, the students were challenged to create something that went beyond a simple presentation. They explored the structure and purpose of a liturgy, crafting meaningful and moving experiences that highlighted their environmental concerns and offered practical responses.
Working in small groups, the students presented a range of emotive liturgies, sharing their personal worries, challenges, and stresses related to climate change. Despite these concerns, they demonstrated a proactive approach, incorporating reflective and solution-oriented activities that emphasised the beauty of creation and our shared responsibility to care for it.
This assessment empowered students to think creatively, critically, and emotionally about environmental stewardship. Their liturgies challenged both themselves and their peers to consider how they can become true stewards of creation.
Congratulations to all Year 8 students for their efforts in this meaningful initiative!
Elaine Calleja - Religious Education Teacher
As a regular visitor to the Learning Resource Centre, these are some of the things I have noticed going on in Term 4.
The Learning Resource Centre is always busy. There are students studying, reading, playing games, photocopying, using the 3D printer, playing chess, doing club activities, making podcasts and hanging out with friends.
The LRC was especially busy during class time when the Year 10 and 11 students were doing Head Start, as it was a quiet place for them to study and do some holiday homework but once they had finished school, the LRC went back to normal.
There are always reading displays in the LRC. This term, we had a ‘Spooky Books’ display that coincided with Halloween and saw all our Horror books take centre stage. That was followed by a Christmas display, ‘Tis the season to be reading’. This display was created by myself and my classmate Evie, as part of our Duke of Edinburgh service. The Duke of Edinburgh program is designed to challenge young people and encourages them to do some community service. The Duke of Edinburgh program is an important extracurricular activity that MSJ operates. I am currently doing my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh and chose to volunteer in the LRC. I have learnt to do many different tasks such as how to find and shelve books and choose the word for the 'Word of the Day' display. I have also gone through the process of making a display - researching, designing, creating and displaying. Below is a photo of the display that Evie and I made.
The LRC is also encouraging all students to read over the holidays with their Summer Reading Challenge. The challenge is to read five books between 1 December 2024 and 1 February 2025. Students who meet the challenge will receive their first House Point for 2025. So, pick up a book this summer and experience the joy of reading.
Emma Mason - Duke Of Edinburgh program
