Principal's Update 13 June 2025

Dear Members of the Marcellin College Community,

The crisp winter mornings have well and truly arrived at Marcellin College and with them, the perfect excuse for me to dust off my collection of scarves. While some may question just how many scarves one principal needs, I like to think of it as an exercise in adaptability and resilience - two qualities we continue to foster in our students!

As we near the end of what has been a full and enriching Term 2, I would like to share some of the highlights and happenings from the past fortnight.

Work Placements
Many of our VCE Vocational Major (VM) students have spent time over the past fortnight actively engaged in work placements across a wide variety of industries and workplaces. These experiences are a vital component of this pathway, giving our students the opportunity to apply their learning in real-world contexts, develop employability skills and explore future career options.

The feedback from employers has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising our students’ maturity, adaptability and commitment. I would like to acknowledge our dedicated staff who support this program under the leadership of Ms Fran Davey and thank the many parents who assist in preparing their sons for these important experiences.

National Men's Health Week
This week, we acknowledged National Men's Health Week. It is a timely opportunity for us to focus on the physical and mental well-being of the boys and men in our lives. Some key facts that are particularly relevant to our College community:

• Australian men, on average, live four years fewer than women, often due to preventable health issues
• Over 45% of Australian men will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime
• The leading cause of death among Australian men is coronary heart disease
• Encouragingly, the rate of young men engaging in regular exercise is rising

At Marcellin, we take the formation of young men seriously, ensuring they are not only academically capable but also equipped to care for their physical and emotional health. Through our Pastoral programs and Health & Physical Education (HPE) curriculum, we aim to continue promoting healthy lifestyles, positive relationships and help-seeking behaviours.

Year 10 and 11 Exams
Our Year 10 and 11 students recently completed their mid-year examinations. We commend them for the dedication and effort they demonstrated throughout this assessment period.

Exams provide important opportunities for students to develop study routines, time management and personal responsibility. They also allow teachers to gather valuable insights into each student’s learning progress and needs. I encourage all families to take time to discuss with their sons what they have learned, not only about the subject content but also about their own approaches to learning.

Primary School Taster Day
Today, we welcomed primary school students from a number of our feeder schools to Marcellin for our Primary School Taster Day. This is always a highlight in our calendar, providing young learners with a glimpse of life at secondary school.

Through fun and engaging sessions across various disciplines, these students experience firsthand the vibrant learning environment and community spirit that characterises Marcellin College. It is also an opportunity for them to meet our wonderful students and staff who embody our Marist HEART values of Acceptance and Trust in welcoming these guests to our College.