On Friday 8 August we celebrate the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. What a truly remarkable woman and Saint of the Catholic Church. Australia’s first Saint.
Mary MacKillop was born in 1842 in Fitzroy, the eldest of eight children. As a young adult, Mary went to work as a teacher in a little country town called Penola in South Australia. There she met Father Julian Tenison Woods who also wanted to do something for the poor children who could not afford to pay the school fees needed to attend school. Together, in 1866, they began the first St Joseph’s School in an old stable. Two of Mary’s younger sisters also taught in the school and other young women came to help them. At the age of 24 she dedicated her life to God as a religious sister and took the name “Mary of the Cross.” The Order they founded is the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, the “Brown Joeys.”
Mary MacKillop achieved so much in her life by founding an order that strove to look after the most vulnerable in our society, particularly children. Mary MacKillop stated, “Let St Joseph’s true children remember their mission and seek first the poorest, most neglected parts of God’s vineyard.” She unselfishly gave of herself to create schools and provide an education for the students and families that could least afford an education.
Mary MacKillop died in North Sydney on 8 August 1909, now the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, and was canonised on 17 October 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.
The quote that St Mary of the Cross is most well-known for and how she lived her entire life was, “Never see a need without trying to do something about it.” Let these words help to guide our every day as students, teachers, parents, guardians and citizens of a good, kind, caring and unselfish society.
- Mr Robert Fomiatti
CDFpay
Antonine College will be using CDFpay as another form of payment for canteen ordering at St Joseph campus using student ID card, as well as Cedar Campus College events and fundraising.
If you are an Alumni student or know any alumni students, we would appreciate your support in connecting with us and other alumni by adding Antonine College to your education history on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/antoninecollege/
Teeth on wheels visit
Dear Families,
We’re pleased to welcome Teeth on Wheels back to our school! Starting on September 3rd 2025, students will have access to regular six-monthly dental check-ups and fun, educational oral health sessions - all right here on school grounds.
To take part, simply complete the consent form by the August 28th 2025:
IMPORTANTAlready filled out a form for 2025? You don’t need to do it again - unless your contact details or your child’s medical history has changed.
Why Teeth on Wheels?
They specialise in children's dental care and are passionate about creating a safe, stress-free environment. Services include check-ups, cleans, and any necessary treatment - all without needing to leave school. Your child may even be eligible for free care through the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).
Deputy Principal - Learning and Teaching
Homework Survey
Thank you to the parents who contributed their responses to the Homework Survey. We will use this data along with responses from students and teachers to review our Homework Policy to ensure it is meeting the needs of our students, parents and teachers.
Curriculum Overviews & Important Events
Over the last week teachers and leaders have prepared Curriculum Overviews & Important Events to communicate to families (via Seesaw or email). The purpose is to provide information to families about the topics studied to allow for opportunities for engagement with the topics at home.
STEAM Learning Exhibition
On Thursday September 11 we have a STEAM Learning Exhibition at St Joseph Campus (Mother Isabelle Khoury Stadium entry via Waverley Parade) between 4pm and 6pm. Please join us to enjoy this Learning Celebration. Students and teachers are busy preparing items from Science, Food Technology, Music and Art to present to families. We request a gold coin donation on arrival.
There will be items available to purchase in the auction and voting for the best piece on show, all proceeds to be donated to the Arts programs at the College.
Save the date - Thursday 11 September
- Ms Ria Coffey
Deputy Principal - Student Management and Wellbeing
Term 3 Start
It has been most encouraging to see students come back after the holidays refreshed and prepared for their learning. A very positive start to the term and an opportunity to reflect on Semester 1 results and setting of new ones to extend their learning and personal and social skills in Semester 2.
Counselling Services
Our College is fortunate to have the services of two counsellors across both campuses to support our students.
Ms Lidia Tanski (Monday, Wednesday and Friday (Cedar Campus))
Ms Alesia Francis (Friday St Joseph Campus)
This service is available to all students free of charge and parents or students can self-refer by either emailing/TEAMS messaging the counsellors directly or seeing a staff member to put in a referral on their behalf.
The service is designed to support students in meeting their wellbeing and learning needs for overall wellbeing at school.
Safety and Wellbeing of our students
The wellbeing of each student is important to us and in the event that parents or students become aware of an issue that is affecting the health and wellbeing of their child/themselves they should contact myself as soon as possible.
Welcome to Term 3! This term is quite a short term, only going for 9 weeks. I’m sure however that there will be a great amount of learning and engagement taking place.
World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
On Sunday 26 July we celebrated World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. We thank them for the vital role they play in our lives
God of love, We thank you for our wonderful grandparents. They bring such joy and happiness into our lives. Thank you for all the special times that we have with them. Please watch over them, protect them and care for them now. May they know your goodness and love always.
Amen
100 Days of School On Friday 1st August, our Foundation students celebrated a wonderful milestone: 100 days older! It has been a joy to watch them grow in confidence, curiosity and independence since the start of the year. Over the past 100 days they have shown persistence, bravery and collaboration in their learning. They are developing as kind, respectful, responsible and safe individuals, while learning to live the Gospel values of compassion, forgiveness, inclusion, service and love. We thank our dedicated Foundation Staff for the care and creativity they bring each day, and we acknowledge the important partnership with parents that supports each child’s journey.
Congratulations to all our Foundation students and families. We are proud of all they have achieved and excited for what lies ahead.
Child Safety:
Many of you are aware of the current situation in Early Years Education, so I would like to reassure you that schools are strictly bound by the Child Safety Standards and strict government regulations which make sure that all staff have regular police checks, are trained annually in the Child Safety Standards and the MACS code of conduct. All contractors, volunteers and visitors to the school must provide a current Working With Children (WWC) card to be admitted on to the school grounds.
Antonine College is an Allergy Aware School and therefore will not be encouraging any nut products at school. Antonine is also an Asthma Friendly School and will operate under the Asthma Australia guidelines.
As an allergy aware school our aim is to inform staff, parents/caregivers and students about the risks of allergies, with a focus on food allergies, and to provide a supportive environment in which children at risk of allergy/anaphylaxis can feel safe.
Mild to moderate symptoms of allergy can include swelling of face, lips and/or eyes, hives or welts on the skin, stomach (abdominal) pain and vomiting. Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) affect breathing and the heart and can therefore be life threatening.
The most common causes of anaphylaxis in schools are food and insect allergies.
The key to prevention of anaphylaxis is to identify allergens and prevent exposure to them.
Our school supports students at risk of anaphylaxis in the following ways:
training staff
teaching students not to share food with their peers
educating students about allergies and anaphylaxis, and
encourage parents from sending nuts and nut-based products to school.
We ask you to support the school’s risk minimisation strategies so that we can increase safety and provide an environment that meets the needs of all our students.
NAPLAN results were sent home last Friday to our Year 3 and 5 students. It is always important to remember that it is a test on one day and not always a true and final indication of how a child is doing. Overall, our results are strong and positive, and I am proud of the students achievements. For those that are finding some aspects of their learning challenging we have put in place from this year an extensive intervention program to help those students at their point of need. It is again important to contact your child’s teacher to discuss any concerns you may have about learning as I would expect them to be able to clearly articulate what is in place to support your child’s development.
Please ensure to select a time and meet with your child’s teacher during Parent Teacher Interviews.
Book Week Dess Up
As you know, our school loves a dress-up, and we're excited to announce that Book Week is approaching this term! It's never too early to start thinking about suitable costumes for your children. This year, Book Week will take place from Monday 18 August - Friday 22 August. Whether it's a beloved character from a favourite story or an imaginative creation, we can't wait to see the wonderful costumes that our students will wear to celebrate the joy of reading.
Our dress up day and parade will take place on Friday 22nd August.
Bullying No Way
This year Antonine College will be participating in the Bullying No Way: National week of action, 11 to 15 August 2025.
Bullying No Way Week is a commitment being made by thousands of schools and supporters across the country. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to bullying prevention. It gives us an opportunity to connect with students, staff and school communities to implement workable solutions to prevent bullying.
The theme for this year's campaign is Be Bold. Be Kind. Speak Up.
It takes a community to be brave and address bullying behaviours, within and beyond the school gate.
Students can be bold, kind and speak up to support others being bullied. While trusted adults are there to support children and young people learn how to be kind to each other and report bullying.
This Bullying No Way Week, we’re asking you to be bold and say something, be kind and support someone and be proud to speak up against bullying.
For more information about Bullying No Way Week and bullying prevention, visit the Bullying No Way website. https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/
During the week we will be engaging students in meaningful discussions and activities aimed at promoting empathy, understanding and respect for diversity. We encourage families to take this opportunity to have open and honest conversations with your child about the impact of bullying and what they can do if they need support.
Congratulations to Cruz! ⚽️
A massive shoutout to Cruz for being selected to represent Global Football in Manchester, London!
Cruz has been playing football for the past three years and currently plays for Green Gully, training an impressive five nights a week. His dream is to one day play in the Premier League, and he's showing the commitment and passion to get there!
All this while balancing life as a Year 4 student - what a superstar in the making!
- Mr Abraham Diab
Faith Development
Year 6 Reconciliation
On Wednesday 23rd July, inspired by the story of Zacchaeus, Year 6 students reflected on the power of forgiveness and the joy of being welcomed by Jesus. Through the sacrament of Reconciliation, they experienced God's love and mercy in a personal and meaningful way.
In Year 8 this term, we are fortunate enough to be trialling the new Religious Education curriculum set out by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools.
This unit is all about how Jesus prays and how He teaches us to pray. Within this, understanding the Trinity is a crucial part of being at one in payer. To explore the Trinity in Year 8 students have participated in a ‘Gallery Walk’ where they move around in groups to view different Trinity Icons and annotate the images showing their interpretation of how the Trinity is depicted. Students then picked one of the icons to complete a response to.
The Icons annotated were The Rublev Trinity Icon, Coronation of the Virgin Mary Icon, Maronite Trinity Icon, Modern Abstract Icon, Western Trinity Icon and Trinita by Masaccio Icon.
Connected to their prayer unit earlier in the year, and the College Theme, Pilgrims of Hope, students in Year 10 were given the opportunity to head into the city for a pilgrimage of prayer. Students started their pilgrimage at St Francis Catholic Church in the CBD, participating in Eucharistic Adoration, before heading to the NGV, where they prayerfully studied religious artworks from the 16th and 17th century. Students finished their pilgrimage at St Patrick's Cathedral, with an external and internal tour and some students participated in the daily mass, especially organized for pilgrims during this Jubilee Year. All Year 10 students should be commended on their reverence, respect and demeanour during this pilgrimage.
Student reflection:
On Thursday the 31st, Year 10A and 10B began our day in the city by visiting St Francis’ Church, where we took time to pray and reflect. Afterwards, we explored the National Gallery of Victoria, viewing a variety of artwork, including religious pieces from around the world. Finally, we walked to St Patrick’s Cathedral, where we took in the beauty of the church and its surroundings, and spent time in personal reflection and prayer - Clara T, Year 10
Upon arrival to the city, we went to st Francis cathedral and attended 30 minutes of adoration. This experience allowed us to deepen our faith and strengthen our knowledge of adoration. This time was peaceful and felt surreal. Surrounded by a carefully detailed interior with dim lighting which made it easy to enter the state of prayer. We ended this time by each lighting a candle with our own special intentions. - Jana A, Year 10
- Mr Fadi Elbarbar, Mr Daniel Saliba, Ms Tanya Khattar
Rosary
During Term 3, our students will come together in prayer every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during Break 1 to pray the Holy Rosary. With hearts full of faith, we will lift up all who are suffering especially the sick within our families and community. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, we entrust our intentions to the loving care of God, asking for His healing, protection, and peace. May this sacred time deepen our students' relationship with Christ and remind us all of the power of prayer.
To honour the feast day of St Charbel on July 19, our Year 1 students coloured beautiful images of St Charbel and displayed them around the classroom. A few students also wrote prayers to St Charbel, asking for his intercession. St Charbel, pray for us!
Dear fathers/guardians, our annual Cedar Campus Father's Day Breakfast is on Wed 3 Sep. Tickets are sold via CDFpay, to purchase your ticket click here https://bit.ly/FathersDayBreakfast25
Please note: Tickets are for Father/Guardian only and their child/ren
On Tuesday the 1st of July, the Term 2 Music Soirée was held in the Mother Isabelle El-Khoury Stadium. It was our largest soirée of recent times, with 36 performances. Both campuses were represented across keyboard, guitar, voice, drum kit and Arabic drums, from Foundation students to Year 12s. The students performed brilliantly, the result of committed practice and rehearsals throughout the term.
After many solo and band ensembles, the Arabic drumming students were featured as the finale. The new Arabic drumming program, led by former student Elias Elhage, offers tuition to tabl and derbake players. Their group performances were a dynamic and exciting ending to an impressive night from our music students.
On Friday 1st August, it was the Foundation ‘100 days of School’ celebration day. The Foundation students and classroom teachers came dressed up as 100-year-old people. All the delightful old people came to school with their white hair, wrinkles, spectacles, slippers and of course their walking sticks! They hobbled along from the classrooms to meet in the atrium to sing and dance special 100 days of school songs in English and Arabic, to all the very young audience of proud parents and family members. Every student received a very special certificate as well as a lovely gift bag with some wonderful treats
The day was packed with lots of fun and exciting activities to mark this milestone day, including a 1-100 number treasure hunt around the school with their Year 6 buddies. They all made their very own 100 days crown and finished the day with a dance party.
Congratulations to all Foundation students for such sensational centennial celebrations!
On Friday 1st August, our Foundation students reached a very special milestone - 100 days of learning! To mark the occasion, students took part in a fun-filled day celebrating everything “100".
They sang an Arabic song for the occasion called يوم ورا يوم
Congratulations to all our Foundation students.
- Mr Joseph Abou-Zeid
Year 3 MAV Games Day
On Friday, 1st August, four Year 3 students (Khalil, Michel, Benjamin and Jonathan) went to Derrimut Primary School to represent Antonine College in the Mathematics Association of Victoria (MAV) Games Day. They were all very excited, as this was their first Games Day and they really didn’t know what to expect.
Our mathematicians were greeted by the student leaders at Derrimut PS and met the twelve other schools we would be competing against. In the morning, they played a quick rotation of partner challenge games that challenged them to use strategies to win. We did really well in that round! Then it was time for the best part of the Year 3 Games Day: the team relay.
Our team had to literally run as fast as they could, collecting question after question and submitting it to see how many questions they could solve correctly before the timer rang. After lunch, our team worked collaboratively to solve a series of problems. To make sure they had a rest for their tired brains in between the sessions, our students got to play in Derrimut Primary School’s “playpod” area, which was also a ton of fun. Each of our students was awarded a certificate for their participation and also won a “spot prize.” We are very proud of their achievement, collaboration and respectful behaviour on the day.
At our recent celebration of learning, students proudly shared their knowledge and discoveries with families. They explored how animals grow and change throughout their lives. Students investigated life cycles, food chains and living and non-living things. To tie it all together, they wrote information reports on animals of their choice. Using research skills and structured writing techniques, they produced reports that were both informative and engaging.
Thank you to all the parents who joined us and participated in our year 3 celebration of learning.
- Mrs Joelle Zakharia, Ms Janine Wanda and Ms Georgia Petraki
Year 3 Adam Wallace Incursion
We were thrilled to welcome author Adam Wallace for a special visit with our Year 3 students. With his energy and humour, Adam captivated the students as he shared his creative process and love for storytelling.
During the session, Adam taught the students how to generate exciting ideas for their own narratives. He broke down the process of creating stories in a fun, engaging way that made it easy for everyone to follow along. Students also had the opportunity to draw characters with Adam, giving them a glimpse into how words and illustrations can come together to bring a story to life.
- Mrs Joelle Zakharia, Ms Janine Wanda and Ms Georgia Petraki
Year 5 Excursion to the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre
On Friday 1 August, our Year 5 students had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre in Melbourne. The day was filled with learning, reflection, and a deeper connection to the life and legacy of Saint Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint.
We began with a peaceful nature walk, giving students a chance to reflect on the beauty of God’s creation and prepare their hearts and minds for the day. From there, we visited the breathtaking St Patrick’s Cathedral, where students experienced the sacred space and learnt about Mary’s strong connection to prayer and faith.
At the Heritage Centre, students explored a range of exhibits during a guided museum tour, where they viewed Mary’s wheelchair, personal items, and artefacts from her time. A highlight for many was seeing a relic - a piece of Mary’s hair discovered on her hairbrush, which made her story feel very real and close to home.
We finished the excursion by attending Mass, a peaceful and prayerful moment that allowed students to reflect on all they had seen and learnt. Many were inspired by Mary MacKillop’s courage, kindness, and commitment to helping others - especially the poor and the sick.
It was a rich and meaningful day that brought our Catholic faith to life in a beautiful way. Mary MacKillop’s words continue to guide us: “Never see a need without doing something about it.”
This term Antonine students held a chess tournament in the Library, with students from all year levels taking part. The event ran over the course of a week during break times and followed a knockout format, with each match played at 10 minutes per side plus a 2‑second increment.
The semi‑finals and finals were held on the same day and featured some very close games. Congratulations to our top three players:
1st Place: Jayden S
2nd Place: Isaac H
3rd Place: Charbel M
Well done to everyone who competed and helped make the tournament an enjoyable experience.
Antonine students did us proud today, dressed in full school uniform and well prepared to make their chess moves. Aside from my Sicilian moves, the most popular strategies used by our students were the Pawn to E4.
Isaac made a crazy clutch then back in lead to checkmate in 3 moves, taking his Queen, Rook and Bishop. That’s 17 points in 3 moves.
Charbel promoted a pawn to become Queen, then sacrificed the queen to checkmate.
Anthony moved Queen to check then defended Queen with Knight to checkmate.
Miguel sacrifices a pawn to allow the rest of the pieces to develop.
- Ms Josie Rovetto
Student reflection
On the 24th of July the Antonine Chess team participated in the SACCS Chess tournament at St Francis college in Melton.
We competed in 8 Chess games with a lot of intensity and pride. Overall, we did very good and played the best game we could.
The Year 7s gathered for an assembly to celebrate their achievements from Semester 1. Students who achieved an average of 80% or above in their reports were recognised for their academic excellence.
Congratulations to the following students:
Teresia E
Chanel H
Nicole M
Alyssa T
Mary R
Marsela Y
Alexander A
Rachelle A
Bridgette S
Vostina T
Imaan R
Tariq R
Anna J
Eliana A
Jaad A
Yoli H
Jacob R
Paola E
Crystal F
Daniel B
Batoul K
In addition, four Wellbeing for Learning awards were presented to students who embody our core values: Enable, Connect, Engage, and Faith. Congratulations Alistar M, Mason E, Cristiano S, and Teresia E.
A highlight of the assembly was the presentation of the Year 7 Identity Award, given to a student who has demonstrated a strong and positive sense of self throughout the year. Congratulations Helena K.
Homerooms also shared their identity presentations, showcasing creativity and teamwork. Congratulations to 7D, whose handprint banner symbolised both individual identity and group unity, they were awarded Most Creative.
Finally, a big shout out to all Year 7 students for the large number of commendations earned so far.
Congratulations on an excellent start to the year!
Year 7 & 8 AFL Clinic with Dynamic Football Skills Academy
Students in Year 7 and 8 were offered the opportunity to participate in a skills-based clinic in ALF.
This was a unique opportunity was for students who signed up to work on their ball handling and game skills, facilitated by senior AFL coaches. The students were able to get feedback and also work in a team to improve their skills.
I was very proud to see our students show persistence and resilience and then work together as a team to participate in a smaller group game to finish off.
The following Year 9 students have been awarded with an Academic Excellence Award for achieving an average of 80 per cent or above in one or more of their subject areas in Semester One. These students have shown commitment and dedication in their academic studies. Congratulations to the following Year 9 students:
Esther E
Charbel A
Maria K
Zeina A
Marisya Q
Catalina K
Sienna S
Gazl R
Shahad T
Diane Y
Sarah F
Mariam S
Aya H
Tatiana E
Gabriel M
Emily J
Tia I
Josephine M
Tomas A
Emanuella I
Malak S
Jamil B
Zahra I
Jacob C
Mary-Rose A
- Ms Diane Farah
NAPLAN Certificate of Achievement
The following Year 9 students have been awarded with a Certificate of Achievement in the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy 2025. The students received an award for achieving the exceeding standard in Reading or Numeracy or for achieving high growth and/or increase in proficiency in Literacy or Numeracy. Congratulations to the following Year 9 students:
Charbel A
Mary-Rose A
Shahad A
Zeina A
Yahya A
Jamil B
Esther E
Yousif G
Isaac H
Tia I
Zahra I
Catalina K
Joseph K
Maria K
Marisya Q
Sienna S
- Ms Diane Farah
Year 10 Semester 1 Academic Awards
During our Year 10 assembly this week we recognised the outstanding academic achievements of students from semester 1, 2025. This group of students obtained an average result of 80% or higher across all subjects in semester 1 which showcased their ongoing commitment to their studies.
I congratulate the following students on this achievement:
Angi Al
Andre S
Maher M
Marina M
Lavenya H
Ben G
Rafael O
Jacob J
Liana O
Jana A
Layelle A
Laith P
Evelyn E
Layla H
Mariam J
Mia A
Iman M
Christel S
Clara T
Nour F
Ranin S
Ravnoor S
Cristian R
Mariecella J
Catherine E
Grace I
Tasnem M
Sulaiman A
Maryam R
Mirna J
Ayah A
I also would like to recognise the students who have received year level awards for term 2.
Please join me in congratulating the following students:
Year 10 Agency Year Level Award – awarded to Layla H for displaying consistent expectations for each pillar of the Wellbeing for Learning framework and being an active agent in their wellbeing and learning.
Year 10 Enable Wellbeing for Learning Award – awarded to Vanessa A
Year 10 Connect Wellbeing for Learning Award - awarded to Lara A
Year 10 Engage Wellbeing for Learning Award - awarded to Lorissa E
Year 10 Faith Wellbeing for Learning Award - awarded to Yamen G
Thank you to all parents/carers of Year 10 students for your ongoing support.
- Miss Isabella Athaide
VCE Assemblies
During the VCE assemblies, students were acknowledged for their great achievements from Term 2 and received peer nominated awards:
Year 11 Leaders Award – To Isabella I and Hannibal D for displaying that true leadership impacts, influences and inspires through attitudes and actions.
Year 12 Integrity Award – To Maghi F and Antonio H for being engaged and resilient learners who have a strong sense of self, purpose and integrity.
VCE Wellbeing for Learning Awards – To students that displayed consistent expectations for each pillar of the Wellbeing for Learning framework:
Enable – Nicholas T & Mirna A
Connect – Annabelle M & Habib A
Engage – Channel K & Mansoor H
Faith – Natasha N & Marshellino H
Academic Awards
– To students that scored 80%+ on their Semester 1 Report:
Year 11
Isabelle H
Charbel M
Ghazal A
Hannibal D
Kartia T
Angelina S
Isabella I
Annabelle S
Emma A
Year 12
Tahlya M
Alya K
Philip F
Dima H
Leen M
Joelle A
Isabella M
Jayden S
James F
Miriam B
Natalie D
Helene I
Ibrahim A
Well done to all the recipients on their excellent achievement!
19 August: 8:30am - 6pm Year 8 Celebration of Learning Interviews on site at Mother Isabelle Khoury Stadium entry via Waverley Parade (no Year 8 classes on this day)
19 August: 8:50am - 6pm - Year 10 Subject Selection Interviews online via TEAMs (no Year 10 classes on this day)
19 August: Parent teacher interviews F-12 - online from 2pm - 6pm (classes conclude at 1.20pm)
20 August: Cedar Meerkat Productions Performance
22 August: Cedar Book Week Parade
3 September: Cedar Father's Day Breakfast
11 September: Antonine College STEAM Learning Exhibition
Cedar Campus (Foundation - Year 6
130 Harding Street, Coburg VIC 3058
Saint Joseph Campus (Year - Year 12)
71 Grandview Ave, Pascoe Vale South VIC 3044
