Term 1, Week 5, 2025 - Faithfully 27 Feb 2025

As we approach the end of summer and look forward to welcoming the cool, crisp autumn days here in Australia, our community has truly come into its own, embracing a rich array of academic pursuits, camps, sports, music, and co-curricular activities that illustrate the many ways we grow and learn together.

This edition’s theme of The Magnolia, faithfully - or Fideliter - invites us to reflect on the profound meaning behind one of the keywords in our School motto. The word Fideliter is derived from Latin roots that speak to loyalty, steadfastness, and trust – at Strathcona we define it as ‘faithfully’. To act faithfully is to commit wholeheartedly to our core values and to one another. It means remaining true to our promises, supporting our peers, and continually striving for excellence in every aspect of our lives.

Our School proudly upholds a Christian ethos, and our motto - Fortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter - guides us in every endeavour. Yet, what makes our community truly special is the rich blend of traditions and religious and cultural identities among our now 820 students. We celebrate diversity that includes a variety of Christian traditions, such as those who identify as Christian, along with our Baptist, Catholic, Anglican, Greek Orthodox, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Lutheran, and Methodist families. We also embrace students from Buddhist, Hindu, and Jewish backgrounds and those who prefer not to specify a religious affiliation.

This multiplicity enriches and empowers our Strathcona community, reinforcing our commitment to respect, compassion, integrity and courage. Every student's distinctive heritage and perspective is essential to our community's identity. By believing in each other's potential, we foster an environment where every voice is valued and celebrated. By learning from one another and celebrating our differences and similarities, we nurture a sense of unity that strengthens our shared values, sense of belonging, and bonds of trust among us.

At Strathcona, faith has played a vital role in shaping the values and character of our school community for over 100 years and for that reason I am delighted to be introduce myself as the new School Chaplain. I have been overwhelmed by the warm welcome I have received and already feel very much at home.

I have worked in the education field for all of my career and have particularly loved working as a Chaplain – a vocation that has allowed me to merge my teaching skills with my deep passion for sharing the good news of Jesus, reinforcing my commitment to sharing the message of faith in God as a way of wholeness and fostering a community where people belong, where they support and uplift one another.

As I have been introducing myself to my classes these past few weeks, I have told the students that I am like a solar battery – I recharge in the sun! I find peace at the beach, where I feel a deep connection to God’s creation. The vastness of the ocean, the rhythm of the waves, and the beauty of the sky, especially during sunrise and sunset, are constant reminders to me of God’s greatness and faithfulness. I am known for enthusiastically calling attention to stunning skies, urging others to appreciate their beauty. One important contributor to my world view is my husband’s work with people who live on the margins in our city. This challenges me to remember that Faith without works is dead – working for justice for all of creation is faith in action.

When it comes to Religious Education, I believe it should focus on how learning about faith can make us better members of our communities. Faith is about empathy, respect, and hope—qualities that help build a fairer, kinder world. My mission is to help students explore how the teachings of Jesus can inspire them to care for others and live with purpose.

Looking ahead, I am eager to enhance the spiritual life of Strathcona, offering guidance, pastoral care, and opportunities for every member of the community to flourish. I am excited to journey alongside students, staff, and families, nurturing a school environment rooted in kindness, understanding, and spiritual growth, reflecting my commitment to faith and service.

Strathcona Prayer Group 2025

This group exists to support the school community through prayer. We connect via a WhatsApp group and attempt to gather in person to pray in the Lyall Chapel two to three times each term. Our group is based on the Christian Faith foundation of our school where our founding women believed that creating a school was a call from God and that God would provide and sustain this school. We continue this faith tradition and pray for Jesus’ blessing, care, peace and support over our staff, students and families. This group is open to any guardians, parents or grandparents who would like to pray for our school.

Doreen Tang (parent) coordinates this group, sending weekly general prayer requests via WhatsApp. Details are not given unless a family specifically gives permission for it to be shared with the prayer group, we hold confidentiality in high regard.

If you are interested in joining our prayer WhatsApp group, please contact Bronwyn Arnott (Junior School Chaplain) barnott@strathcona.vic.edu.au or Janine de Paiva (School Chaplain) jdepaiva@strathcona.vic.edu.au. 

If you have any further questions or queries, please contact us. We appreciate your support and prayers.

God Bless,
Bron, Janine and Doreen.

Dads from all year levels, ELC to Year 12, joined in to eat, drink, socialise and, most importantly, continue the tradition of Strathy dads meeting new faces and reacquainting with others.

Huge thanks to our wonderful SFA team for hosting this annual event, Soon, James, Chris and Andrew, for placing such a strong focus on the “Community Feel” within our school cohort.

Stay tuned for the next planned events,
SFA Committee

• Dates to Diarise in Term 1
• Nuclear-Powered Submarine Student Pathways
• Upcoming ‘Careers in Navy’ Events
  - HMAS Arunta – Open Day
  - HMAS Cerberus Open Day
• Important Announcement: New Adelaide University
• News from Deakin University
  - New PPE/Communication Double Degree
  - New Master of Speech Pathology from 2025
• Banking and Finance Degrees in Victoria in 2025
• Snapshot of Swinburne University in 2025

Some of these girls had already met their host sisters, who themselves were in Australia on exchange in the middle of last year. The other half will welcome their counterparts towards the end of Term 2 this year. For all of them it is safe to say that it was both a cultural and linguistic adventure and definitely took them outside their comfort zone! But really, can there ever be too much cheese??!

There were highs and the inevitable lows associated with being away from home and loved ones, especially over the Christmas period. However, all students have now been able to reflect on their experiences and I hope will truly have memories of their time in France, working to improve their French language skills and of course, make friends and connections on the other side of the world that will hopefully last a lifetime.

Strathy is celebrating ‘Courage’ as a theme this year and there is no doubt that all our students demonstrated courage in taking part in this 6-week exchange. Courage to leave the nest, possibly for the first time, courage to try out their language skills in real-life situations, courage to make new friends and courage to build on their independence.

Congratulations to all our students who are now going about their French studies with renewed enthusiasm and determination.

Virginia Prior
Head of Languages

Liv, Year 11
For six weeks over the summer holidays, I participated in a French Exchange with AFX and it truly was an unforgettable experience. I stayed in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, a quaint harbour town situated in Normandie, with my host family, the Carpentier’s. Earlier in the year, Emeline, my correspondent, spent six weeks with my family and I was very excited to be reunited with her. However, I did find it difficult to communicate with her family, at first, as they were adamant about me only speaking French to them from the very first night. Despite my frustration that I could hardly speak in full sentences to them for the first week or so, it meant that I was forced to immerse myself in the French lifestyle in order to learn as quickly as possible. That meant, taking dinner at 9pm most nights, eating an absurd amount of cheese or yoghurt after every meal, receiving a lot of awkward cheek kisses and feeling very clueless at the dinner table as I nodded along with the family’s conversation. Despite the few moments when all I wanted was the comfort of my own home, pushing myself out of my comfort zone allowed me to create some amazing memories with my host family. Some of these being: Climbing the Eiffel tower, our boat trip on the Bruges canals, riding my first roller coaster at Disneyland Paris, visiting Mont Saint Michel in sunny conditions and nights spent reading novels in the cozy living room while helping Emeline’s younger sister with her English homework. I feel far more confident in my French language skills after returning home and would definitely recommend this experience to anyone wishing to immerse themselves in the beauty of French culture, whilst also giving themselves a head start for VCE French.

Beck, Year 11
I went on exchange and stayed in a little town just outside of Paris; about 40min on the train to get to Saint Lazare Station. It was a challenging experience, but definitely worth it to get a deeper understanding of French - the language but also the culture. I felt my comprehension expanding enormously during those six weeks. The first week of school, I was completely lost, but by the end could understand most of what was going on in class, and chatting with the other students became much easier. They were very accommodating, and a lot of people were able to speak English, though I was quite adamant that I was there to learn French and I wanted to be spoken to in French. At times it felt a bit lonely and the cold and darkness due to it being Winter were an added challenge, but the time of year also meant that I got to have a Parisian Christmas, seeing all the beautiful decorations, going to Mass, wearing ugly Christmas sweaters and enjoying a time with the extended family. Overall, it was a long, but worthwhile six weeks and I would highly recommend it for those with a passion for French. C'était vraiment inoubliable!

Strathcona Mums and Special Friends Evening
We have the pleasure of inviting Strathcona mums and special friends to join us at the Hawthorn Hotel in a private room to celebrate International Women's Day with this year's theme being 'Accelerate Action'. This is a wonderful opportunity to get together, meet other women, and welcome our new mums.
Cost: $35 per person for finger food and a glass of bubbles on arrival with drinks then at bar prices.
Thursday 6 March 2025, 7.00pm- 10.30pm.
To book tickets, please click here.

Strathcona's 4th Dancing Under the Stars Evening
The Strathcona Family Association (SFA) warmly invite you to join them for a special evening, Dancing Under the Stars 4, celebrating community and connection at Grace Park Tennis Club. Enjoy a night of music with our DJ, delicious finger food with a drink on arrival and then drinks at bar prices. This is an opportunity to relax and mingle and enjoy the company of other Strathcona parents.
Saturday 29 March 2025, 7.00pm- 11.00pm.
To book tickets, please click here.

Sausage Sizzle on the Deck
Strathcona Friends of Kayaking will be holding a BBQ at lunchtime for students on Friday 7 March on the Deck. Sausages and drinks available. 
Cash and card accepted.