Over the last couple of weeks, there has been a much-needed spotlight on violence against women, and domestic and family violence. The rallies across the country and the response by governments indicates that this is an issue, a serious issue that we, as a country, need to address. As a school and as a girls’ school, we too have a role to play in educating and supporting the young women in our care. We are committed to speaking out about and highlighting these issues in age-appropriate ways with our students.
Our commitment to Respectful Relationships as part of our Wellbeing program provides us with the opportunity to demonstrate what respect is in all the different relationships that students have. We endeavour to educate them about consent, what coercion and manipulation is and feels like, and to understand they have the right to feel and be safe and to call out disrespectful and inappropriate behaviours.
As adults, our job is to support them, educate them, believe them, and communicate with them. Sometimes young people do not feel comfortable sharing concerns with us, it is up to us to notice any changes in behaviour and/or attitude that may indicate that something is not right. We need to work together in partnership to ensure that they are safe – this means that we too need to respect each other and call out behaviours that are not respectful to women and girls. As a community, it is time for us to really address this issue.
College Master Plan
Over the past six months, the College Board and MSJ Staff have been involved in working with Y2 Architects in developing the College Building Master Plan. The main components of this plan is to relocate our Maintenance facilities to a more appropriate site, build a new Visual Arts and Technology Centre, and a Performing Arts Centre that incorporates an auditorium. Work has commenced on stage one which is the relocation of the Maintenance facilities. This is an important first step as its relocation opens up access to land needed for stage two, the Visual Arts and Technology Centre. Planning for stage two is about to commence with us working with various educational and architectural consultants to assist us in this task.
Parish News
Last Sunday, Fr John Healy, Parish Priest, Holy Trinity Parish, Laverton, Point Cook and Altona Meadows, informed the community that he would be taking up the position of Parish Priest at Woodend on 10 July. Fr John has been Parish Priest at Holy Trinity for ten years. Fr John has led many a Eucharistic celebration here at MSJ and has been a great friend of our community. I thank Fr John for his care and support over the last ten years and wish him well in his new parish.
