Wednesday 1 February was a truly significant moment in the life of the College, when the first group of St. Bernard’s students commenced classes at Resurrection House. The boys were excited, nervous and keen to check out their new surroundings. Students quickly settled into their new home, and we have had a great first week and a half down at the campus. The boys initially spent time getting to know their teachers, before launching into challenging and engaging curriculum. In speaking to the students, they are really excited about the year ahead and have already noticed the strong, positive relationships developing between themselves and the staff.

As a staff, we have observed the students begin to develop a sense personal responsibility for their learning, as well as an appreciation and high level of respect for the beautiful surrounds that Resurrection House offers. I have been particularly impressed in the interest students are showing towards their elective classes, and the subsequent effort that is being put into their work.

9A have been enjoying their Santa Monica experience, with Head of Santa Monica Campus, Josh O’Brien reporting there has been plenty of smiles and the boys are doing a fantastic job living in a tight community and looking after each other. They have participated in multiple surf sessions, an overnight hike, yoga classes and service learning activities.

9I have been immersing themselves in the Urban Engagement program, visiting significant sites such as the War Memorial and Melbourne City Mission. The boys will commence working on their passion projects which they will ultimately present to their parents at the conclusion of the program.

Looking ahead, we have the annual House Athletics Carnival next Thursday, 16th February. Students will need to arrive at the Essendon Campus in the morning and will spend the whole day there. We will also be launching our first Community Friday event next week, where we have organised a staff v student netball match, and we will also be holding a BBQ.

Homework Help will commence next week, with this being held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings in room 502 from 7:45am onwards. All students are encouraged to attend. I am very proud of the start that the students and staff have made, and I look forward to the year ahead.

On Friday, 10 February, we gathered as a College in the gym for our annual welcome mass and our first full school assembly of 2023.

This has also been an important part of starting our school year off, a tradition that is important to continue.

Fr Frank Moloney celebrated the mass fantastically, helping to set us up for a big 2023.

Thank you to all students who spoke and to those who were part of the musical performances, Well done!

St Bernard’s 60th anniversary ambassador Simon Madden needs little introduction.Simon completed HSC at St Bernard’s in 1975, reached the heights of the VFL/AFL, worked as a teacher, was an Essendon Football Club board member, runs a consulting firm, is an accomplished MC, a past Bernard’s parent and lives locally.He is the perfect choice as SBC celebrates and gives thanks for the life of the school and looks forward to an even more promising future with the Year 9 campus, Resurrection House, and new senior campus. Simon grew up in Airport West, the second of three boys.

He attended St Christopher’s Primary School before spending a year at St Monica’s, in Moonee Ponds, then a main feeder school for St Bernard’s.

It was a big commitment for the self-described working-class family. At times his father worked two jobs and his mother worked part time as a doctor’s receptionist and occasionally worked Saturdays at the “Tot” (now the TAB).

Ex-serviceman father Bill died at 56 while mowing the lawn, leaving wife Thelma with three boys - Paul, 14, Simon, 13 and Justin, 10.

“School had its ups and downs but it was important in giving me some direction,” he said.
Although Simon went on to be one of St Bernard’s most outstanding football products, he wasn’t a gifted footballer as a young boy.

“In Grade 4, I couldn’t catch a ball or kick a ball. All my friends played so I joined in,” he recalled.
“By the Under 11s I was starting to get the hang of it.”

By the under 15s he was hitting his straps as a footballer.

“I rarely trained but my under 15 coach said: “I reckon you could make it. You could be a serious footballer”.”
Older brother, Paul, played under 19s and seconds for Essendon and Simon said he was a good player but was more interested in his rock and roll band.

By Year 11, Simon was lining up for the Essendon seconds.He finished the season playing 16 games in the seconds and 6 games in the firsts.It was a busy week, playing school football on Wednesdays and for the Bombers on Saturday. Though young he was well prepared. Some weeks during the previous year he had played three games of football.

In the early years, football was very much part-time and he and his teammates trained after working hours Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. He finished his career at Essendon in 1992 with 378 games, putting him in the history books. He is a premiership player, Norm Smith Medallist, captain and All Australian player. He is a Life member of Essendon, the AFL and the AFL Players Association, a member of the Essendon Hall of Fame and the AFL Hall of fame.Justin, also a SBC student, played 332 games, is a dual premiership player and best and fairest winner. They are the only brothers to play over 300 games.
 

While footy was his passion, Simon’s HSC year loved to play soccer at any opportunity with a game played most lunchtimes.

“We’d turn up at English Lit after lunch all wet and smelly and sweating. What fun times.” he said.
He recalls a much smaller school footprint. The canteen was staffed by “lovely mums” and sausage rolls, coffee scrolls, cream buns, salads rolls, doughnuts were on offer.

He was appointed school captain and footy and cricket captain. When he was picked to play for Essendon he featured on the back page of the Age and then Sun with footy socks under his uniform. Simon recalled his mother had to regularly write notes to excuse him from homework as he juggled his footy with school.“It was very hard to fit it all in,” he said.

Simon said he scraped through with a complimentary pass and studied teaching at Mercy Teachers’ College.
His first teaching job was at St Augustine’s in Keilor.

"It was built on a hill, looking out to nothing and on the edge of the suburbs,” he said.

Initially, he was able to fit footy in with teaching but as the demands of footy grew he went part time and at one stage became the house husband.

“Footy was starting to want more and more of your time,” he said.Simon said his own experience helped Justin who would go on to play for Essendon and Carlton

“He saw how hard it was for me. In my first year I came home one night and burst into tears.

My mum told coach Des Tuddenham he was being too hard on her son,” he said.“Justin knew the reality and harshness of the game.”

Simon’s sons Joshua and Isaac also attended St Bernard’s.After football, Simon moved into the business world and now runs Simon Madden Consulting.

He still regularly catches up with his former school friends.During the Covid lockdowns a group of them got together online. “It really kept us going,” he said.

Simon said he is looking forward to seeing many of his former school friends and others during this year’s celebrations.

Off the ground and flying, music has returned to St Bernard’s College. Already in week two, instrumental lessons and ensembles have returned, including Show Band, Improv Class, Symphonic Band, Year 8 Music Academy, Concert Band, Rock Group, Guitar Ensemble and Choir.

Music has a very large and significant place in the hearts of all students, staff, and of course, the wider community of at St Bernard’s College. As always, the music department is a place of sincere welcome, joy and passion of all who love to either be a part of or would love to watch the action in the making.

In Year Seven, the young men have selected their instrument preferences, and will not only begin private lessons next week but with their class too, their band sessions. We wish the boys the very best of luck as they journey down this new and very exciting path of music making. Sorry to neighbours in advance.

In collaboration with the Year Eight coordinators, Mr Benjamin Tansey has started Music Academy for the Year Eight students who wish to learn more about music and be a part of the music experience at St Bernard’s College. All are welcome to join and be a part of the Music Academy.

The young men of the college have not only jumped into lessons and rehearsals enthusiastically, but they have begun performing with incredible technique; showing not only skill but incredible charisma and a keenness for learning. Lesson schedules have been distributed to the students and displayed in the music room and on MySBC. With that, students participating in instrumental lessons have also been allocated and invited to join at least one of the current college music ensembles. Below is list of the days and times that these ensembles take place.

If your son plays an instrument or loves to sing and is interested in signing up to music lessons or joining one of the college ensembles, please direct them to one of the staff members in the music department or send an email to MPuglisi@sbc.vic.edu.au.

We wish you the very best for 2023 and are looking for to the incredible term and beyond, full of music experiences.

This week, we dedicate Echoes of the Archives to Ms Maureen Kavanagh who passed away on January 10, 2023.

As many of you will know, Maureen was a kind soul, passionately dedicated to her work as an archivist, she meticulously curated the St Bernard's Archives and ensured our rich history was preserved.

She would always ensure a quality Echoes of the Archives article was published for each newsletter to highlight the past of the SBC community.

We will miss you Maureen - Rest In Peace.

St Bernard’s College is committed to a culture of zero tolerance for child abuse. We promote a culture that prioritises the safety and wellbeing of all young people and continue to respond positively and proactively to Ministerial Order 1359 in relation to related policies, procedures, strategies, risk mitigation and our responsiveness to emerging issues.

St Bernard’s College is committed to the establishment of a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are respected and valued.

As we begin the new academic year at St Bernard’s’ College it is timely to advise that the Child Safeguarding policies have been updated and can be accessed on the College website at https://www.sbc.vic.edu.au/child-safety-and-protection . All staff have been appraised of these updates via professional learning sessions. We recommend both parents and students review the policies to ensure they are aware of their obligations and responsibilities with respect to child safeguarding. If you have any questions, please contact the (Acting) Assistant Principal Student Wellbeing, Caroline Neil cneil@sbc.vic.edu.au

There are five key documents that underpin our work in this area:

• Our Child Safeguarding (Safety and Wellbeing) Policy and Procedures demonstrates the strong commitment of the College to child safety and wellbeing, and to creating and maintaining a child safe and child-friendly environment. It outlines the key elements of our approach to implementing Ministerial Order 1359. In addition, there is a student version of the child safety policy and procedures available on the college website.

• Our Child Safeguarding (Responding and Reporting Obligations) Policy and Procedures demonstrates the strong commitment of the College to child safety and provides an outline of the policies and practices that we have developed to keep our students safe, including from abuse or other harm.

• Our Child Safety Code of Conduct Policy and Procedures has the objective of promoting child safety in the College environment and safeguarding students at the College against sexual, physical, psychological and emotional abuse or neglect. It aligns with the College’s stance of zero tolerance against child abuse.

• The Child Safeguarding Complaints Management Policy and Procedures sets out how the College, as a child safe organisation has and implements a child-focused complaints handling system and manages child safeguarding-related complaints.

• The Student Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct has been developed to clearly set out the child safe standards of behaviour related to child safety and wellbeing that students are expected to abide by.

The College Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

St Bernard’s College endorses, implements, and complies with the EREA Statement of Commitment to Child Safety.

St Bernard’s College commitment to child safety is based on the following overarching principles that guide the development and regular review of our work systems, practices, policies, and procedures to protect children from abuse.

1. All children have the right to be safe.

2. The welfare and best interests of the child are paramount.

3. The views of the child and a child’s privacy must be respected.

4. Clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children are established in the Child Safety Code of Conduct.

5. The safety of children is dependent on the existence of a child-safe culture.

6. Child safety awareness is promoted and openly discussed within our College Community.

7. Procedures are in place to screen all staff, external education providers, contractors, and volunteers who have direct contact with children.

8. Child safety and protection is everyone’s responsibility.

9. Child protection training is mandatory for all College EREA Victorian Schools Board members, staff, and volunteers.

10. Procedures for responding to alleged or suspected incidents of child abuse are simple and accessible for all members of the College Community.

11. Children from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds have the right to special care and support including those who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

12. Children who are vulnerable have the right to special care and support.

13. Children who have any kind of disability have the right to special care and support.