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NewsletterAlumnae Association of the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College, Bentleigh
Over 1,500 people packed the College hall on Thursday evening 21 August 2008 to celebrate OLSH’s 70th anniversary.In what OLSH Provincial Leader, Sister Pauline Compton fdncs, described as a “magnificent” occasion, former students and staff joined with current staff, students and parents in the celebrations.The foyer hosted a huge display of historical photos arranged in decades and a series of mannequins dressed in all the variations of the school and sports uniform over the last 70 years.These attracted a lot of giggles and stories of “Remember those horrible old brown bloomers we had to wear…” and “I was always hitching up my tunic and Sister XX was always telling me to “Dress properly, young lady!’ …”Inside the hall, Father Peter Hearn msc was the main celebrant for the Eucharist. It began with a moving ceremonial procession of 70 women, each bearing a candle representing the years from 1938-2008.Emotions and enjoyment were both high as participants mingled together afterwards at a supper served by some of the College’s senior girls. Women who hadn’t seen their classmates for 20 or more years were happily exchanging phone numbers – and yes, even email addresses.This joyful experience has ignited a desire in many past students to re-connect with each other and the current College community. The Alumnae Association has been established to serve and nourish this community of the College’s former students and staff.
70 years at the heart of girls’ education
Welcome 70th Anniversary CelebrationsA warm welcome to all past students, staff and friends of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College, Bentleigh. Over the years many past students from the College have had opportunities to come together and celebrate the memories of their secondary education. In a particular way, Mrs Maureen Malone (nee Wilson, class of 1972 and current staff member) has dedicated much of her own time to keeping the fires of the College past students’ association alight. So many of our connections can be attributed to her efforts. It is with sincere and heartfelt thanks that we acknowledge Maureen’s outstanding commitment to the spirit that is Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College.With the recent celebration of the College’s 70th anniversary it became clear to the College Board that it was time to renew the connections between all members of the family of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College. In order to follow through with this dream, we have appointed Ms Shane O’Neil to the position of Alumnae Secretary. This new pathway for the Alumnae Association will enable it to be a dynamic and integral part of the life of the College. Each one of us, is in some way, a part of the wonderful story that is the family of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College. Whether it be as student, staff, parent, religious or friend, we are connected because we belong to this family. And that connection is what binds us together. In modern day language, we would name that ‘connection’ as OLSH Spirit. In days past the phrase “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved!”, the traditional song “Our Lady of the Sacred Heart” or even “Regnet Christus” – “May Christ Reign” would have been what was expressed. The use of these words is our attempt to capture what it means to belong to this special tradition. Let each of us continue to treasure and deepen the special spirit that we claim as our own. It is a spirit that calls each of us forward now and into the future. Sister Anne O’Loughlin fdnsc Principal
June 2009 Vol.1 No.1
Greetings to everyone who is reading this first edition of the College’s Alumnae Association newsletter.I am pleased and honoured to be appointed the College’s first part-time Alumnae Secretary.It was in direct response to the groundswell of interest and emotion aroused by last year’s 70th anniversary celebrations that the step to create this position was taken late last year. The College Board felt that now, after 70 years of proud history, the school was in the right time and place to support the desire of former students to reconnect with each other and the College community.As a former student, I understand that desire to remember the past, to cherish friendships, to celebrate achievements of all shapes and sizes and to contribute back to the community.The Alumnae Association is here to assist all those who wish to re-connect. It will be an ongoing conversation about how best the College can assist with that.Newsletters, reunions, special events, alumnae returning as guest speakers and mentoring of students are all part of the re-connection process. Please let us know what other ideas you have.And finally, this publication has yet to be given a name – but you can help with that. See the suggestions for a title on page 3 and let us know what you think.Shane O’Neil Alumnae Secretary
From theAlumnae SecretaryWhat is the Alumnae Association?Why Alumnae Association rather than Ex-Students’ Association?Well, part of the reason has to do with the meaning of the word “alumnae”.Alumnae is the plural of the feminine term alumna, just as the better-known term alumni is the plural for the word alumnus.Essentially, the words alumna/alumnus denote a person who is a former student of an educational institution or, more strictly by dictionary definition, “a nursling or pupil”. (The Oxford Dictionary of English, Second Revised Edition, 2005.)
The term alumni (plural of alumnus) is more commonly known as it covers both males and females.The beautiful thing about the words alumnus/alumna and their plurals is that they all stem from the Latin root word “alere” which means “to nourish”.So this is the hope of the OLSH Alumnae Association – that it nourishes former students by helping them connect with each other, the College and the wider OLSH community.
Getting together, catching up, remembering, telling stories and having a good laugh are just some of the benefits of becoming older.That’s why reunions are so popular. And it is never too soon to start.Later this year, all 2008 Year 12 alumnae will be invited to the traditional one-year-on cocktail party reunion at the college.
Class of 2004, 1999 and 1989If you are planning a 5, 10 or 20 year reunion this year, contact Shane O’Neil, Alumnae Secretary, for support and assistance. See page 8 for contact details.
Class of 1988This year will be your 21st anniversary. To be part of the organising committee for a get together, please contact Marie Callanan (nee Sfetsos) on [email protected] or Angela Rando (nee Coviello) on [email protected]
Class of 1980Next year, 2010, will be your 30th anniversary.
If you would like to be part of a big reunion, please contact Christine Barca on [email protected] or Cathy Convey on [email protected]
2008 Year 12s – Cocktail PartyThursday 10 September 2009 • 7.30pm at OLSH College
• • • C • • •
Reunions Anyone?
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Michelle Czech (2004), fashion designer, presented items from her clothing range at the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival held 15-22 March 2009.Lauren Crew (2003), Constable in Victoria Police, received the Tynan-Eyre Award as the Operational Skills Highest Achiever in 2008.Marie Hyland (1986), is a novelist who attended OLSH in her final year of schooling. In 2006, her second book Carry Me Down was short listed for the Man Booker Prize and won both the Encore Award and the Hawthornden Prize in 2007.Rachel O’Shea, Marie’s former Politics teacher, remembers her pupil well. She says, “She was a really brilliant ‘mature beyond her years’ type of student in many ways. She certainly had great language skills and was engaged in learning and tuning into national and international issues at the time.”Marie was indeed a “brilliant” student. She was school dux in 1986 and first published at the age of 17, in the same year. Her story “Overwhelmed by Joy” appeared in Australian Short Stories, Vol. 16.Marie (sometimes also known as Maria) publishes under the name M.J. Hyland.We would welcome your contributions to this regular column.
Danica Ellicott (2002), Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy, was awarded the Chief of the Navy Prize at the 2008 Graduation Parade of the Australian Defence Force Academy. Danica’s prize was for: “The most outstanding third year Midshipman in the fields of military and academic achievement, leadership, personal example and performance of duty during their time at the Australian Defence Force Academy”. After completing Year 12, Danica then worked part-time with the College’s Visual Arts Department for just under a couple of years, helping students with photography and spending many hours photocopying in the library.She says: “For me, the best bits of OLSH became evident after graduation.”“The background in education (those formulas we learned in maths that even the teachers said that we’d probably never use, I need every day) as well as the friendships that have lasted over the years have all helped to shape me into the person I am today.”
Spotlight on …
SuggestionsPleaseA title for this newsletterWe invite your thoughts on a name for this publication.Here are some suggestions …• Charisma • Alumna• Flame (refers to the image of
the heart in the College crest)• Connections• Regnet Christus
(College motto)• Sweeney (surname of first
Australian-born Daughter of OLSH and also one of the four College house patrons)
• McKenna (surname of the first principal)
We’d like to know what your favourite title is, or perhaps you have another idea altogether. Let’s hear those suggestions, please.
Let Us KnowIf you are a past student reading this newsletter courtesy of a family member or friend and you would like to receive your own copy in future, please let us know.You may have missed out because you are not on the College’s database.Sister Nora, the College archivist, estimates that over the last 70 years approximately 8,500 girls have attended OLSH College. This is quite an extraordinary figure.At present, the College has about half this number on its database and that’s mainly due to the relatively late arrival of computers as the means of keeping student records.In the lead up to last year’s 70th anniversary event and immediately afterward, more than 250 women
filled out ex-student information forms. Their details have now been added to the College’s database and many other records updated.If your contact details are not correct, please complete the updating your details section on the address sheet for this newsletter and return it to the College by either mail, fax or email.An updated data base will enable the College to re-connect, keep in touch and provide opportunities for ex-student interaction and support for the College in a variety of ways. The ultimate aim is to establish a vibrant Alumnae Association for Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College connecting the past, present and future of this school, its students and staff.
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Not only was there cause for celebration last year for the 70th anniversary of the College’s founding but this year, 2009, also sees another wonderful milestone in the life of the OLSH family.It is 150 years since the naming of Mary under the title of “Our Lady of the Sacred Heart”. Father Jules Chevalier msc, the founder of the congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, gave Mary this title to honour her in a special way.
A New Form of GovernanceMany past students and friends of OLSH College may not realise that since 2006 the College has had a new governing body – a Board of Directors appointed by the OLSH Sisters to oversee the overall governance of the College. As you are aware, the College was founded in 1938 by the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. The Sisters, now situated in 27 countries across the world, see education as an essential means of reaching young people with the message of Jesus’ personal love for each of them.
Schools such as OLSH College at Bentleigh provide a love of companionship and friendship which answers students’ needs as well as encouraging and challenging them to become well-educated, confident, competent and compassionate young women who will make a difference to the society in which they live.
The College Board through its role of governance plays a significant part in ensuring that OLSH College continues to be faithful to the charism and ideals first given it by the sisters over 70 years ago.
The eight current directors are Sr Jennifer Christie fdnsc, Sr Helen Little fdnsc, Mr Michael Renwick, Dr Kevin Burke, Mr Charlie Broadhurst, Mr John Pearce, Ms Jan Elliott and Miss Barbara Bretherton (Chairperson).
Directors are appointed by the OLSH Sisters for a period of three years with the possibility of another three. Like so many others in the College community, Board members’ time and skills are given in a voluntary capacity.
While the form and style of education is forever changing and evolving, the underlying spirit remains.
Barbara Bretherton ChairpersonBarbara Bretherton, Chairperson, is also a former OLSH
student (1961).
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Another ImportantAnniversary
This year’s summer saw the horrors of what will now be forever known as Black Saturday.
It is hard in such circumstances to know what to say, how to express deep almost overwhelming emotions.
Sometimes it is helpful to connect with what other people have felt and said in often very different situations.
Years ago, English poet Edwin Muir wrote a piece about his home country called One Foot in Eden. It says in part:
But famished field and blackened tree
Bear flowers in Eden never known.Blossoms of grief and charityBloom in these darkened
fields alone.What had Eden ever to sayOf hope and faith and pity and loveUntil was buried all its dayAnd memory found its
treasure trove?Strange blessings never in ParadiseFall from these beclouded skies.
These words have filled my mind since our bushfires, and certainly from our blackened earth have sprung stories of courage, compassion, concern and hope.
In these days, may we reflect also on our own adversities and see what flowers have sprung from them, or what we can do to help these buds blossom and become blessings for us.
Sister Elizabeth Taylor fdnsc College Chaplain
In 1909, a group of six people including a newly-married couple, Francescantonio Briglia and his new bride, Rosina Barrile, left the small village of Marsicovetere in Lucania (now Basilicata) Southern Italy. They were bound for a new life in Melbourne.
Ninety-nine years later, their grand-daughter Frances Killaly (nee Wright) published I Nostri Nonni, or in English, Our Grandparents. This is the story of her
grandparents – a story of raising children, establishing a business, overcoming difficulties, negotiating tensions and, above all, a story of maintaining strong family ties over three and four generations. To write her book, Frances returned to her Italian roots, visited her grandparents’ native village, collected the stories of their lives in Melbourne, and assembled the recipes which nourished the family physically and spiritually.Trained in anthropology, Frances also examined her family history against the background of the wider stories of the Italian diaspora and sociological discourses of migration in general.
As well as delving into the past, Frances is also very much in the present. She has been part of a small group of the class of 1968 who have kept in touch since finishing at OLSH.The College’s 70th anniversary celebrations in August last year provided an extra occasion for 1968 classmates to get together as 2008 also marked the 40th anniversary of their final year.Building on that reunion experience, ten of Frances’ fellow students decided to attend her book launch on Saturday 18 November at the Italian Historical Society Conference Centre in Carlton.It was a joyous occasion followed by a visit to Jimmy Watson’s Wine Bar in Lygon Street and then, in keeping with the Italian theme, a dinner at Tiamo 2 just a few doors away.Frances was very touched by her cheer squad. She said, “It was so good to see you at my book launch…It’s difficult to find words to describe what it meant – love and gratitude come close.”
A family history is not a book but a constantly growing process of life and love.Zita Denholm, Publisher
Reflection Family Matters
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The ten 1968ers who talked solidly from 2.30-9.00pm pictured at Jimmy Watson’s (from L-R): Shane O’Neil, Susan Grout (nee Richards), Kathleen Gilham (nee Stewart), Wendyl Vanderfeen (nee Bennett), Jan St. Lawrence (nee Collier), Helen Whyte (nee McCarthy), Verion Stroud, Patrice Heffernan (nee Brown), Frances Killaly (nee Wright), Helena Dunn and Joan Ahern.
Community service and outreach has long been a part of the OLSH ethos. This tradition of making a difference continues today.
St. Vinnies at OLSH is a group of compassionate young people (Years 9-12 students), parents and staff willing to share their time for others in the community.
A range of initiatives are in place. The Young Vinnies group is comprised of over 140 students, staff and parents. Volunteers work at Sacred Heart Mission in St Kilda and Fare Share, providing meals for the homeless.
Each month, the students gather in the Food and Technology area and bake muffins for the people of Footscray. These muffins are then delivered to those in need when the girls volunteer for The Matthew Talbot Soup Van.
A Culture of Giving
Happy faces: Maureen Kruger (2008), Sister Liz Taylor, College Chaplain and now also Office Manager, and Dong Liu, LOTE Teacher, preparing meals for the Footscray soup van run just before Christmas 2008.
Art from the HeartThree OLSH students had their art pieces selected for the Visual Arts Exhibition held at the Victorian Artists Society Gallery as part of the celebrations for Catholic Education Week 14-20 March 2009.Two were former students: Melissa Natoli and Katherina Tirekidis, both 2008 graduates, and the third is a current student, Shauny Ben-Natan, in Year 10.Melissa’s image titled Do You Remember? featured on the exhibition poster and catalogue. She also won the Visual Arts Exhibition Working Party Award which is very significant as it is decided by the exhibition curators and selection panel.
This year’s student art show at the College is scheduled for 15-17 October.It is planned to have the works displayed over three days with other accompanying arts activities, including a textiles and fashion parade, music and perfomance.Put this date in your calendar now. More details when they become available.
Did You Know… ?OLSH College has archives in a special strong room hidden away under the stairs on the ground floor.Here are safely kept many interesting items like the complete collection of school uniforms used for the last year’s 70th Anniversary celebrations. The room is full of wonderful photographs, some of them from the first days of the school. Many of them are fully labelled, but unfortunately most are not. If anyone has anything concerning the College that you would like to donate, Sister Nora Hanrahan fdnsc, College Archivist, would be delighted to hear from you. Please leave a message for her at the school on 03 8520 9200.
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“Each of us can work to change a small portion of events.”Robert Kennedy.
Here are some of the things that are happening at OLSH in the coming months. You are welcome to attend these events. Please contact the college on 03 8520 9200 for further information.
Fri 19 JunSacred Heart Feast Day Performing Arts Spectacular Evening
Wed 2 Sep Open Day 1.00pm-5.00pm
Thur 10 Sep2008 Year 12 Cocktail Party (invitation only)
Thurs 15 Oct - Sat 17 OctOLSH Student Arts Event (Visual Art, Design and Textiles, Performing Arts, Music)
Fri 20 NovSpeech Night, Robert Blackwood Concert Hall, Monash University (tickets available from the school)
A Bunch of Dates
OpenDayThe College’s Open Day is on Wednesday 2 September 2009
from 1.00-5.00pm.
All welcomeClasses will run throughout the afternoon. There will be displays of student work and some dance and drama performances. School tours will operate and enrolment
information will be available.
Come and see how much the College
has changed.
Mothers and DaughtersThere are many examples of generations of the same family attending OLSH. An especially easy way of finding some of these is to look at the women who help out in the canteen.One such mum is Liz Cameron (nee Hickey) who was a student here from 1971-1976. Liz’s two daughters also followed their mother to OLSH; Eloise (2005) and Claire, a current year 12 student.Asked what was special about the College, Liz said, “OLSH to me always seemed to have a very strong sense of pride in itself and the girls. It had a real community feel.”Liz said the fact the school had grown so much in education and facilities and had had so many options available for the students was another reason she had chosen to send her daughters here.“Even though the school has grown,” Liz said, “that sense of family is still here. The teachers really go out of their way to develop the girls. It hasn’t grown so big that people get left out.”
Cathy Osborne (nee Vaudrey), Canteen Manager, is also a former student (class of 1968). Her three daughters all attended OLSH: Nicole (1990), Fiona (1995) and Kate (1996).Liz credits Cathy with being one of the reasons she volunteers in the canteen.“She is a really lovely lady – so easy to work with.”Funnily enough, Cathy said the same thing about Liz. “It’s a mutual admiration society,” she laughed.If you would like to help in the canteen, please contact Cathy Osborne at the College on 8250 9211.
Elizabeth Cameron (nee Hickey) in Year 12, 1976.
Cathy with friends at St. Joseph’s Park, opposite the College where the new convent now stands: (L-R back) Helen McFaull, Gwen O’Brien, Jenny Humphrey, (front) Cathy Vaudrey, Therese Falkingham.
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Footer photographs, pages 2–7: Cornelia Gratzer, MG Studios
In 1938, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College, Bentleigh, started as an educational facility.It offered commercial classes for six students (including one boy), at first in St. Paul’s School and then in August 1938 on the current school site. These pioneering students occupied a small one-storied building in G6, now the northern art room. The College was registered as a secondary school in 1946, the same year the second classroom G4, now the southern art room, was completed.
How things have changed!
Now in 2009, OLSH College has:• 667 students in total• five classes of year 7 girls,
with 125 at that level• 115 Year 8 students• 116 Year 9 students• 113 Year 10 students• 106 Year 11 students• 92 Year 12 students• 54 full time and
39 part-time staff membersCompared to 1938, there is a wider range of subjects. The College offers a choice of 118 VCE units, as well as the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL), and Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses such as Business Administration, and Sport and Recreation.The size of the College’s site has also expanded considerably, especially with the recent acquisition of the Southleigh Nursing Home to provide sporting and recreational space for students. OLSH College now occupies 10,391 square metres or about two-thirds of the big block bordered by Jasper Road, Patterson Road, Robert Street and Brewer Road.
Four of last year’s Year 12 class returned to the College on Tuesday 17 February for the first school assembly for 2009. They came to be congratulated for their academic achievements and to share their wisdom with the current Year 12 group about making career choices.
Lauren Gilbert, Tammy Li, Connie Petousis and Kelly Schober (College dux) all received ENTER scores over 90 – a splendid result. Two other high-achieving students – Olivia Hutchinson and Maureen Kruger – were unable to attend.
After the assembly, the four girls joined this year’s Year 12 students for a shared lunch and then a question and answer session in the theatrette.
Topics the girls spoke about included such thorny issues as balancing workloads, coping with stress, understanding parental expectations and preparing for exams.
There were many questions from the group of 92 Year 12 girls present, particularly about how to combine a social life with study and work.
One of the best points made was by a 2008 student who said her final year was when girls moved beyond their normal circle of friends to bond with the whole of their class.
The 2008 girls also said there was no substitute for shared experience. All agreed that friendship was vitally important in helping them as individuals to deal with their own issues. In year 12, they realised they were not alone.
On 10 September this year, all 2008 Year 12 alumnae will be invited back to the College to celebrate at the traditional one-year-on cocktail party reunion.
School Snapshot 2008 Meets 2009
Making the transition from secondary to tertiary education: (L-R) Lauren Gilbert, Kelly Schober, Connie Petousis and Tammy Li.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College 111 Jasper Road, Bentleigh, VIC 3204 Tel: 03 8520 9200 Fax: 03 8520 9299 Email: [email protected] Web: www.olsh.vic.edu.au
Printed on 55% recycled, 45% sustainable plantation paper, elemental chlorine free.
Your SayThis newsletter is for you so please send us your contributions and feedback.We would also like to know if you are planning any reunions.If you have some news to share or just want to get in contact, here’s how:
MailMs Shane O’NeilAlumnae SecretaryOur Lady of the Sacred Heart College111 Jasper Road, Bentleigh, VIC 3204
Phone or FaxPhone: 03 8520 9263 Fax: 03 8520 9299
