Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
15 November 2013
Dominican Corner
Sr Julianna Drobik OP
We have Family in the Philippines and they need our
help!
In 2011 the Siena College community welcomed the
Coordinator of Dominican Sisters’ International
Sr Fabiola and the Coordinator for the Asia-Pacific Region
to Siena. Sr Cecilia OP.
Dominican Sisters International is an international
movement of Dominican Sisters. It seeks
to create links between all Dominican
Sisters of Apostolic Life throughout the
world for the sake of the mission of the
Order. There are one hundred and fiftythree congregations of apostolic
Dominican sisters in one hundred and eleven countries
throughout the world, numbering twenty five thousand four
hundred sisters.
Sr Cecilia is requesting the support of the Dominican
Family to assist the people in the Phillipines who have
suffered the devastation of the typhoon that hit at the
weekend:
2014 Booklists
Booklists and ordering procedures for 2014 books have
been emailed to all families, together with the SPA Second
Hand Booklist sale details.
All books are to be ordered ONLINE directly via Campion.
If you have not received your booklist for 2014, please
contact [email protected] and we arrange a copy to
be forwarded.
My dear Sisters and Friends,
Peace! I am taking the lead as the DSI-Philippines
Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPCC)
Chairperson to inform you of the series of disastrous
events in the Philippines from September to November,
2013.
The year 2013 had been very difficult for our country.
The member congregations of the DSI-Philippines (DSI-P)
have been extending monetary contributions in support of
the following events which caused displacements and pain
for thousands of people:

Three big communities in Zamboanga, Mindanao were
burned down by the Muslim rebels for 3-weeks last
September 2013. Many people lost homes and
properties and over 200 died.

An earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck Central
Visayas on Oct. 15, 2013. Two Dominican
Congregations were affected. Some of their school
structures sustained major cracks making some of the
WEDNESDAY MASS
Mass is celebrated in the College chapel each Wednesday
at 8.00am during school term.
Staff, students and parents are welcome.
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
1
Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
classrooms not possible for occupancy. Many lost
homes and more than 200 died from this earthquake.
I am sure you are updated with the latest news and photos
of the strongest typhoon with landfall that has been
recorded in the history of the world which smashes the
central part of the Philippines last Friday, November 8.
It was a super super typhoon by its strength and the
magnitude of affected areas. The destruction is a great
human tragedy, beyond imagination. One city alone which
was almost wiped out has an expected 10,000 deaths.
Evacuations and preparations were made days before the
typhoon but the super typhoon was far, far more powerful
than the preparations done.
Given the above
conditions we would like
to ask for any monetary
contributions you can
extend to the victims of
the recent typhoon.
Thank you very much for
the help. Whatever you
can give will surely make
people’s lives better and happier in these most tragic
moments. Sr Cecilia Espenilla, OP DSI-P, JPCC Chair
If you would like to send a donation to support the victims
in The Philippines, Sr Cecilia will ensure contributions
reach the people in need. Please deposit your
contribution to the following bank:
ACCOUNT NAME: St. Martin’s Foundation, Inc.
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 037-21-000153-1
BRANCH: Del Monte
ADDRESS: Bank of Commerce Bldg. Del Monte Avenue,
corner D. Tuazon, Quezon City Philippines, SWIFT
CODE: PABIPHMM
Prayer for Victims
Loving God, in the communion of Christ, we are joined
with the trials and sufferings of all, and in a special way to
our Dominican Family. Be with those who endure the
effects of the typhoon in the Philippines. Bring hope in the
midst of despair.
Unsettling God help US to hear the cries of those who are
enduring trials and suffering. Enliven all your children to
respond with compassion, aid and your care so all may
know the hope of your grace. Fill us with the spirit of your
love. Amen
Sr Julianna
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
15 November 2013
Bereavements
We extend our condolences to Mr Paul Failla on the
passing of his mother Giovanna. Ms Danielle Tranquille
on the passing of her aunt in Mauritius. We also hold in
our prayers past staff members, Anna Salmic on the
recent passing of her mother Maria Morabito and the
family of Heather Caswell. May they rest in peace.
A Message from the Executive Director of Catholic
Education in Response to the Victorian Parliamentary
Inquiry
Last week the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the
Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other NonGovernment Organisations released its final report and
recommendations.
It is source of much sorrow and regret for everyone in
Catholic education that children were abused in Victorian
schools.
For this reason I elected to appear before the inquiry – to
make sure that our child protection practices stand up to
the most rigorous scrutiny and to help the parliament
identify ways to strengthen child protection legislation to
protect our most vulnerable.
I am pleased to advise that in its report, the inquiry noted
Catholic education’s effort and commitment to mandatory
reporting and child protection legislation, and our
comprehensive professional development and staff
training initiatives.
The report also noted the need for Catholic education to
undertake further work to ensure greater consistency with
Victorian education department procedures.
While child protection laws apply to all schools equally, we
will also proactively engage with the Australian
Government’s Royal Commission into Institutional
Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to ensure our
experience can help inform and strengthen legislation into
the future.
It is not surprising that our efforts in relation to child
protection were recognised. We take the unprecedented
growth in Catholic school enrolments in the last five years
as a measure of your continuing trust in our schools.
Catholic schools have no greater responsibility than to
honour the tremendous trust you place in them to provide
a safe environment for your children.
Stephen Elder
Executive Director of Catholic Education
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
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Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
The hampers will be delivered to Leeann Boyle at St
nd
Mary’s House of Welcome on Monday 2 December so
that they can be wrapped in time for the Big Give on
Christmas Day.
The Spirit of Christmas at Siena
With only a short time left to donate to the
Siena Christmas Hamper Appeal please
think about what you can contribute to
ensure that the less fortunate in our
community can have a special treat on
Christmas Day this year.
15 November 2013
Ms Marie Salinger
Director of Programs
and Chaplaincy
Last day for donations at Siena is Thursday 28
November.
th
Some suggestions:
Consider the age and gender of the person you are buying
a gift for. Think about what you would like to receive on
Christmas morning if you were this person. Items may
include Hoyts or Village cinema passes, Bunning’s gift
cards, gift vouchers, Diva bracelets, Lego, Body Shop
products, dolls, books, art materials, toiletries, nice pencils
and pencil case, backpack, caps, scarves and
accessories, stickers, toy cars – anything special that
would brighten someone’s day. No clothes or second hand
goods please. Food items must be non-perishable and
Leeann Boyle has suggested things that can be put
together to make a meal like pasta and a jar of nice sauce.
Special Christmas treats such as a Christmas cake or
pudding, chocolates and lollies. Some things to avoid are
food items that cannot be easily used to create a meal eg
tinned oysters. Please DO NOT Wrap your donations!
This week I visited several house groups and was deeply
moved by the generosity of our students and their families
in donating a wonderful array of gifts and treats for the
Siena Christmas Hamper Appeal. The excitement levels
are growing as each house group gathers together their
gifts and goodies in preparation for delivery of the
nd
hampers to St. Mary’s House of Welcome on 2
December.
St Mary’s House of Welcome in Fitzroy is a centre for
disadvantaged people experiencing homelessness,
poverty and mental health issues. The centre works to
further social justice within the community, and provides
food, social support and a range of flexible services for
people in need. Inspired by the spirit of the Daughters of
Charity, St Mary’s House of Welcome seeks to further
social justice by standing with disadvantaged people
offering support, solutions and hope.
The SRC are to be congratulated for promoting and
supporting this appeal at Siena and encouraging every
student to get involved in helping those less fortunate in
our community. Thank you very much to all students,
families and staff who have contributed to making this
appeal a great success.
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
Ms Marie Salinger
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
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Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
15 November 2013
Student Leadership 2014
In my role as Director of Programs it has been a privilege to be part of the student leadership selection process during the
past few months. Since August, when the Pillars 1 Student Leadership Program concluded and application forms were made
available to students, I have received an abundance of outstanding applications.. The students of Siena College have
enthusiastically put themselves forward to be servant leaders and to contribute to making, not only Siena College, but also
the local and global community a better place for all. The students have undergone a rigorous selection process involving
interviews and elections and we are now pleased to announce our Student Representative Council for 2014. Congratulations
and best wishes to these students who we are confident will be outstanding role models and ambassadors for our college:
College Captains
Ministry Captain
Cassia House Captain
Dianella House Captain
Kurrajong House Captain
Waratah House Captain
Sports Captain
Sports Captain
Kristen Monteiro
Isabella Overmars
Bernadette Harradine
Jordyn Bethune
Katherine Viti
Kara White
Emilia Fuller
Sally Cussen
Casey Warren-Smith
2014 College Captains
Kristen Monteiro & Isabella Overmars
Year 12 Councillors With Portfolios:
Benenson Society Captain
Debating And Public Speaking Captain
Drama Captain
Environment Captain
Fire Carrier Captain
Ict Captain
Music Captain
Public Relations Captain
Resource Centre Captain
Social Justice Captain
Social Welfare Captain
Veritas Captain
Visual Arts Captain
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
Kate Jordon
Georgia Margaris
Giulia Frattaroli
Haneen Bou-Karroum
Ebony Prescott
Natasha Galassi
Eliza Sharp
Charlotte Ravenarki
April Raftery
Angelique Barbuto
Katia Pellicciotta
Cassandra Bethune
Paige Linden
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
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Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
Year 11 Councillors With Portfolios:
Debating And Public Speaking Vice Captain
Environment Vice Captain
Fire Carriers Vice Captain
Ict Vice Captain
Ministry Vice Captain
Public Relations Vice Captain
Resource Centre Vice Captain
Social Justice Vice Captain
Social Welfare Vice Captain
Veritas Vice Captain
Visual Arts Vice Captain
Middle School Captain
Year 11 House Captain
Year 11 (X2)
Year 10 House Captain
Year 10 (X2)
Cassia
Dianella
Kurrajong
Waratah
Cassia
Dianella
Kurrajong
Waratah
Cassia
Dianella
Kurrajong
Waratah
Vinnies President
15 November 2013
Shenika Fernando
Eliza Beattie
Laura Georgi
Fiona Trask
Taylor Kennedy
Sage Wilson-Short
Danielle Gilmartin
Anna Pradhan
Daniela Pellicciotta
Margarita Bodrina
Clare McGibbon
Chryssa Yannios
Rebecca Smith
Sasha White
Cinzia Pellicciotta
Eliza Black
Sarah Smith
Laura Croce
Irene Terzopoulos
Madeleine Black
Serena Salanitri
Jaya Gillard
Amelia Bonato
Cristina Pellegrino
Alice Laming
Ella Madigan
Gabrielle Mahoney
Sophia Day
Tess O’Connor
Georgia Efthimiou
Gemma Toohey
Julia Cincotta
Elena Elefantis
st
All student leaders will be invited to attend a Student Leadership Training Day at Siena College on Friday 31 January 2014
th
and will be formally commissioned at the Welcome Mass on Thursday 13 February 2014.
Ms Marie Salinger
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
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Term 4, Issue 15
A Way with Words
NEWSLETTER
Ms. Donna Laughlin
Head of English
This term the English classroom has provided
opportunities for students to express themselves creatively
in a variety of genres. Year 7 students undertook a study
of poetry, exploring various forms including shape, haiku,
ballads and free verse. Year 8 students frightened each
other with stories written in the Horror genre. Year 9
students dabbled in Crime fiction, whilst Year 10 students
wrote on the issue of the role of women, in particular a
speech to be presented at an International Women’s Day
gathering. Congratulations to all students who have
demonstrated very strong skills at all year levels. The
English Department hopes you enjoy the following
selection.
15 November 2013
Always there
You know it’s there don’t you, ever since you were born it
has been there, watching your every move. It follows you,
always remaining one step behind so that you can’t see it.
So that you have no proof that it is there. It is the thing that
sits in the corner of your eye, the monster that hides under
your bed, the creature that waits in the cupboard. More
than once you have probably wondered why you are afraid
of the dark, even though you have forever been told that it
is just your imagination. Are you really scared of the dark?
Or are you afraid of what is lurking in it?
It is alive in the places that you cannot see where it has
the upper hand. It is alive in the stories that are told
around camp fire, the stories that remind you to be scared
of the dark. The stories that make you lock your doors and
bolt your windows tight shut. Sadly, the more precautions
you take, the more it is invited in. The more it wants you.
When children scream and cry at night, it is because they
have not yet been taught not to fear the dark. They are the
wisest of us all because their minds have not yet been
filled with lies about how monsters are not real. How it is
all in our imagination! Think about this. Imagination has to
be sparked by something. Yes, once it gets started, the
reality of what ever sparked it is contorted and twisted, but
there has to be a spark. That spark is what makes us
believe in things that are said to be not real. It is the
reason we don’t want to check behind us. It is the reason
that we are afraid to look through the corners of our eyes.
It is in the darkness and the shadows. It is in every one of
us. It is fear.
Alison Tullett
Ms Donna Laughlin
Deleted Extract from F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great
Gatsby
Jay Gatsby, a boy with an unfulfilled dream seeks to win
the heart of the woman he loves, Daisy Buchanan. In the
midst of living a fantasy, he finds himself wanted after he
takes the blame for killing the woman whom Daisy hit with
Gatsby's car.
Chiara de Cruz
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
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Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
An accident which turned into a misunderstanding,
Gatsby's life is taken by the woman's husband. After she
had gotten some of what she had wanted, Daisy went
back to living her life 'happily' with her husband. Nick,
Gatsby's close friend talks of his feelings.
I was always astonished by Daisy and the way she chose
to carry herself. The thought that she was once wrapped
in purity, tied with perfection and was defined in every inch
of his corrupt world, made me wonder.
It made me wonder how she, who was so innocent,
managed to throw the logs into Gatsby’s fire, ignited his
flame and then left him to burn in whatever she had
inspired. It made me confused, more than confused.
Gatsby became the man he was for her, had the things he
did for her and eventually died by the means of her; all for
what wasn’t even a single rose dampened by tears laid
upon his death bed. She was a fool, but he grew foolish.
To this day I am convinced that Gatsby was killed long
before the day of his murder. His life had been the victim
of more than his dreams, a victim of his false sense of
reality. He wasn’t killed by a bullet, but through an illusion
so contagious, so fatal. I knew Gatsby hadn’t killed the
woman.
I’d never known a woman to let herself fall for a man she
supposedly loved and react as a statue, so emotionless
and unaffected when he was shot because of her
resistance to the truth. Sadness overcame me when I
thought back to the weekend crowds of people who were
allowed to bathe in the enormity and indulge in the
extravagance that Gatsby offered, yet none of them ever
made the effort to acknowledge his departure. One thing
my weak hands had to hold onto was that the Daisy who
chose to be ignorant, to be so consumed in her own
reckless nature, was not the Daisy that was Gatsby’s light.
So yes, you can say that I was left in awe when I chose to
spare a thought for the way that, a once sweet fruit of a
woman, became a shrivelled lifeless being, because I
know that she was ultimately the one who paid Gatsby’s
final bill. She was the one left to choose between death
and an unfaithful life.
Natalie Dal Santo
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
15 November 2013
Celebrating International Women's Day as a Second
Class Citizen
Women have campaigned passionately through the past
sixty years or more for gender equality amongst both men
and women. Whether that be in the workforce, law or
society, women have continuously strived to fulfil
expectations to prove the point that women are just as
great; dare I say, better, than men. It is on this joyous day
that women of all nationalities can celebrate and look back
on how far women have come to reach this point in today's
society. It is also a day to celebrate the influential women
who have helped achieve female rights by speaking out
and putting forward the voice of women. But we must ask
ourselves, have women finished the fight for equality? Or
is this battle still raging in the hearts of women
everywhere, just waiting for the time to speak out and put
men in their place?
Julia Gillard achieved just that in 2012. Presenting what is
referred to as, “That Speech”; Gillard took a stand against
misogyny during the political debate about Mr Peter
Slipper's sexist text messages and provided a voice for
women on the world stage. She said "If he (Tony Abbott)
wants to know what misogyny looks like in modern
Australia, he doesn't need a motion in the House of
Representatives, he needs a mirror....what I won't stand
for, what I will never stand for is the Leader of the
Opposition coming into this place and peddling a double
standard...sexism should always be unacceptable, we
should conduct ourselves as it is always unacceptable..."
Passionately speaking and on her own terms, Gillard
inspired many young women globally and brought sexism
back onto the media's agenda. It is because of one
influential woman, speaking on her own terms, that
Australian society has again recognized that gender
equality is an important issue.
Penny Wong, another influential political woman,
campaigned in 2012 for more women to be incorporated
into the board room, as she believes that women have
great potential and opportunity to be utilized, and by not
using this, we as a country, are holding ourselves back.
But is it enough that these two women in the political
spotlight are bringing the issue to the media's attention?
The answer is simply “no”. Women in all areas of life need
to stand up from themselves in every situation to pave the
way for future generations, whether that be on a local or
global scale. If we all unite, the dream of having gender
equality can become a reality for most women and in
particular working women.
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
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Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
Recent surveys have shown that more than half a million
households have women nominated as being the main
breadwinner of the home. In more and more families, men
are more likely to be staying home to take care of the
duties, traditionally associated with the mothering role,
according to an article written by Rachel Wells and Lara
O'Toole in the Sydney Morning Herald. It is change like
this, in everyday lives, that is starting to see Australia
advance towards a more gender equal country. Although
there will be many challenges faced along the road to
making this 'wild' dream a reality, with a large wage gap
between men and women and rising rates of domestic
violence to overcome, these can be bridged with hard
work, determination, and the desire to aspire to changing
the perspective about the role of women in society. And
so, it is on this joyous day of celebration of women, that
we should not only be looking back at the influence of
women in previous years but looking forward to what more
we can do to further open the eyes of men and women to
prove we are all equal and balance gender equality once
and for all.
Madison Pondeljak
“In almost every professional field, in business and in the
arts and sciences, women are still treated as second class
citizens. It would be a great service to tell girls who plan
to work in society to expect this subtle, uncomfortable
discrimination – tell them not to be quiet, and hope it will
go away, but fight it. A girl should not expect special
privileges because of her sex, but neither should she
“adjust” to prejudice and discrimination” – Betty Friedan, the
Feminine Mystique
We may have moved forward, but we aren't there yet…
International Women's Day is a celebration of the
landmarks we have achieved in women's rights and in
acquiring equality. On this day, thousands of events are
held around the world to inspire women and to urge us to
look back and see how far we have come. And we have
come far.
Women had far more limited opportunities in the past.
There was a time when women couldn't vote. It wasn't
until 1901 in Australia, 1893 in New Zealand, 1946 in Italy
and 1971 in Switzerland before women had the right to
vote, and some countries still don't allow women to vote. It
was not that long ago when women were expected to look
after their home, and be perfect mothers and wives. They
may have been given the chance at having an education,
but they didn't have the opportunities to use it. Likewise, in
many cases they weren't given the chance at having a
career.
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
15 November 2013
For so many women the choice was either get married
and have children, or be judged. Then, as time went on,
things started to get better for women. We were finally
moving forward in our fight for achieving equality.
Women are no longer restricted to being housewives.
They can acquire well-paid jobs. They can have their own
careers. We can see women playing professional sports
such as Cathy Freeman, who was an athlete and became
an influential figure in Australia. We can see women who
are popular actors such as the celebrated Australian
actress, Naomi Watts. Now women can not only vote, but
can get a position in parliament. For a brief historic time
we even had Julia Gillard in the position of Prime Minister
and Quentin Bryce in the position of Governor-General,
the first time in Australia’s history a woman had been in
either position. Women have been given the opportunity to
choose whatever they want to do in their lives, and so
many choose to be significant role models around the
world.
However, while women have been given these
opportunities, they are still sometimes judged on their
choices and not always treated equally in the positions
they hold in life. Women, who decide not to have children,
and instead, choose to build a career for themselves, are
still being judged negatively. Also, many women who hold
the same job position in the workplace as men are being
paid lower wages. It has been proved that women in fulltime paid work still earn 18% less than men or $1 million
less over a lifetime. Women in parliament are sometimes
portrayed as incapable of making sound political
decisions... This was evident when the now Prime
Minister, Tony Abbott, made the surprising comment, "If
it's true, Stavros, that men have more power generally
speaking than women, is that a bad thing?” Women
playing professional sport are often not given the same
support as men competing in the same sport, as evident
when Australia's female Olympic basketball team, the
Opals, flew to London in economy class, while the men
travelled in the luxury of business class. Further
investigation proved that the same occurs in women's
soccer and cricket teams, despite the fact that, in
basketball and soccer, the women's teams have higher
international rankings.
So while we have moved forward and achieved some
significant milestones in acquiring women's rights and
equality, we haven't reached our goal yet. Women have
many opportunities to achieve whatever they put their
mind to, but they are not always considered as being
equal to men who are striving for the same goals.
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
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Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
This should inspire us to not be content with what we
have, but to strive to make people aware that women are
capable of achieving at the highest level, and that
everyone should be treated equally. Emily Cecchetto
Response to ‘Mona Lisa Smile’: Women had more
limited opportunities in the past…
Sympathy for a housewife or student?
The stereotypical “friendly faced housewife” was a
common destiny for many women in the Western world in
the 1950's, when opportunities for women in further
education were rare. It was expected that only the
wealthiest, most privileged young ladies would be able to
extend their education by attending a tertiary college.
Surprisingly, when they finally got to university, most
would still be taught household skills and the “do's and
don'ts” of being the ultimate mother and housewife as "all
they had to do was devote their lives from earliest girlhood
to finding a husband and bearing children", explained
Betty Friedan in her work ‘The Feminine Mystique’. It
became 'normalised' for women to marry young and have
children early, as many young women were taught to
believe that marriage and domestic household routines
were far more important than receiving a formal education.
As shown in the 2003 film Mona Lisa Smile, one of the
main characters, Joan Brandwyn, chose to have a family
instead of continuing education as a lawyer at a most
prestigious university, purely because she had been
convinced that she could not balance marriage and
children pursuing an elite education and career beyond
the home. This extract from the film's script, a
conversation between Katherine Watson and the
intelligent aspiring lawyer, Joan, shows the difficult
choices many women faced in previous generations.
Joan Brandwyn: We're married. We eloped over the
weekend. Turned out he was petrified of a bit ceremony,
so we did a sort of spur-of-the-moment thing. Very
romantic...
Joan Brandwyn: It was my choice, not to go. He would
have supported it.
Katherine Watson: But you don't have to choose!
Joan Brandwyn: No, I have to. I want a home, I want a
family! That's not something I'll sacrifice.
Katherine Watson: No one's asking you to sacrifice that,
Joan. I just want you to understand that you can do both.
Joan Brandwyn: Do you think I'll wake up one morning
and regret not being a lawyer? Not as much as I'd regret
not having a family, not being there to raise them. I know
exactly what I'm doing and it doesn't make me any less
smart.
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
15 November 2013
Many real women, like the fictional Joan, were gifted
academically. Many women wanted to pursue a career as
a lawyer, doctor, president or scientist, yet were frowned
upon by society as they were considered "unhappy,
neurotic and unfeminine". Female students were taught to
ignore their ambitions of these women and were
indoctrinated into believing that true females do not wish
for a career, higher education or political rights. These
women were blinded to the fact that from these rare
opportunities come miracles.
While women craved these limited opportunities, due to
the restrictions of their society their dreams of earning a
position in the workplace were crushed as they were
forced to comply with the role of domestic women. By the
mid-fifties, 60% of women dropped out of college either to
marry or to avoid fears that too much education would
prevent a future marriage and a settled life. By the end of
the fifties, the average marriage age of women in America
dropped to 20, and was still dropping, into the teens.
Fourteen million girls were engaged by the age of 17.
As a result of these fears, the opportunities that education
offered women were lost and in some ways, regrettably
wasted. As for Joan in Mona Lisa Smile, she chose the
common path to embrace femininity.
So have things changed for young women today? Women
in the 50's were not expected to worry about their
academic skills as much as young women are today. We
can all agree to a great extent that expectations of young
women have increased dramatically. Today there are
endless courses offered in universities for women other
than domestic science. The indescribable amount of
change has left women far more concerned about being
accepted into a prestigious university than worrying about
marriage. Girls today are more likely to being focussed on
earning a living for themselves and not a husband doing it
for them and choosing to study and work rather than
vacuum a carpet or brush the shoes of her husband.
Surely, everyone would agree, that this is a positive
change as it allows girls to use their skills in proving to
society how productive and intelligent women can be in
the classroom, the workplace and not just in the home.
Isabella Nicolaci
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
9
Term 4, Issue 15
Victorian Schools Philsothon:
Siena College Success
NEWSLETTER
15 November 2013
Amani’s success is a reflection of her dedication,
perseverance and thirst for knowledge. We wish Armani
all the best for her future philosophical endeavors.
Mrs Simone Ryan
Head of Learning Enhancement
Siena College student Amani Hanna, from Year 9,
participated in the Victorian Philosothon for students from
Years 9 to 11. She is to be congratulated on winning one
of the three prizes awarded on the night.
A Philosothon is an event that encourages school students
to investigate ethical and other philosophical questions in
the context of “communities of inquiry.” This assists
students to develop higher order thinking and
communications skills through discussions with students
from other schools. The discussions are facilitated by
philosophy teachers and adjudicated by a panel with
appropriate academic qualifications. Students are given
the topic questions in advance and some stimulus reading
materials.
Examples of topic questions from recent Philosothons are
these:

Is it moral to fake kindness?

Does strong religious belief provide an evolutionary
advantage?

Does a flourishing economy depend on delusion?

Is Mathematics a Divine language?

What is the good life? How can we know?

Do men and woman have different natures?

Do you have free will?

Does the universe have a purpose?
Amani was awarded a prize for “most promising
Philosophy student.” This is a tremendous effort for
Amani who competed against approximately one hundred
and fifty students. Amani was awarded her prize by
Professor of Philosophy, Greg Restall from the University
of Melbourne. Dr Restall was a judge in the competition,
and described Amani as “a student who listened intently
and reflected deeply”. In addition Professor Restall
commented on Amani’s ability to bring together all aspects
of the discussion and be able to think creatively to find
solutions. Amani was a participant in Siena College’s
Enrichment Philosophy program in Years 7 and 8 and this
year she has taken on the challenge of doing a Philosophy
course through Distance Education Victoria.
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
Ms Simone Ryan
Girls State Chess Final
The Girls State Chess final was held at Lauriston Girls
School on 15th October. Danielle Gilmartin qualified for
and represented Siena College at this tournament.
The Chess Final had sixtyeight secondary students
participating at this event.
Schools competing on the day
were Mac Robertson Girls’
High, PLC, Our Lady of Sion,
Glen Waverley Secondary
College, PEGS, Balwyn High,
Sacred Heart and Catholic
Ladies College.
Students played seven games
in total on the day.
Danielle Gilmartin is to be congratulated for coming thirtyfourth in the State in the individual section. Danielle found
that "The tournament was exciting and challenging and I
won a number of games over the day."
The Siena Chess Club meets at Wednesday lunchtime in
the resource centre, new members are very welcome.
Ms Robyn Woodhouse
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
10
Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
Dav Swannie Award For Eliza Black
Congratulations to Eliza Black who won the C Grade
Swannie Award for the Camberwell region for 2013. This
is awarded to the best DAV speaker in Year 10 in the
Camberwell Region. Eliza has been an outstanding
debater for her team this year and we commend her on
this fantastic achievement!
JSP DAV DEBATING SEASON 2013
Congratulations are also extended to the Junior DAV team
for 2013.
Esther Fabian, Emily Smith, Chryssa Yannios and
Diveena Bajwa along with their coach Ms Freda Pahomis.
The girls were outstanding in their introduction to
competitive debating; there were only four undefeated
teams in the region who won all three of their debates
St Kevins, Strathcona and Siena College.
15 November 2013
St Vinnies Executive 2014
After two years as Co Presidents, Year 11 students,
Hannah James Crisp and Emilia Fuller have handed over
leadership to Elena Elefantis and Cristina Pellegrino for
the duration of 2014. All four girls will be part of the
Executive Team next year as they complete Year 12.
They will be assisted by Cake Stall Managers: Laura
Dooley and Maddy Buhagiar who are presently in Year 9.
Emilia and Hannah began their leadership in St Vinnies
when they applied to be Cake Stall Managers in 2010 they
were only Year 8s.
St Vinnies College Liaison Officer, Jennifer Egan, met with
the girls recently, after school in preparation for the
Executive 2014 planning. Jenn is also new to the job and
was previously teaching at Our Lady of Sion College. She
will meet again with Elena and Cristina for a few hours on
the SRC Leadership Day at the commencement of the
2014 school year . Hannah and Emilia wrote an article
about their time for the inaugural St Vinnies College
Newsletter to be distributed to schools in the next week.
Ms Nanette Giovannini
Only one speaker recorded an above average score (76 or
above) in all three rounds: Chryssa Yannios.
Well done to all of the team and especially, Chryssa.
Ms Michelle Robertson
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
11
Term 4, Issue 15
Year 8D Classroom Music Soiree
NEWSLETTER
15 November 2013
Year 8D Classroom Music Soiree
The classroom music soiree program for
semester two hit off with wonderful
performances from students in Year 8D on
th
Mrs Kerryn McGillen
Monday 11 November. We had students
Director of Music
performing solos, duets and quartets on
various instruments. Students have been working towards
this performance for several months and it has been a
great opportunity for all students to develop their
performance skills. It was fantastic to see so many
students from the same year level in the audience
supporting Year 8D musicians.
Chamber Strings Performance at the CEO Well-being
and Community Partnerships Conference
Chamber Strings was invited to perform at the CEO
Wellbeing and Community Partnerships Conference
th
Cocktail party on the 18 November at the Catholic
Leadership Centre. Louise Merlino (cello) Mia Berlin
(violin) and Annelee Kwan (violin) performed beautifully. I
would like to thank the students and Alexandra Hiew for
working hard to prepared an hours’ worth of music for this
gig during this very busy term. This was a fantastic
opportunity to build their repertoire and performance skills
and Chamber Strings are to be congratulated for
performing so well.
rd
Summer Concert 3 December
Our Summer Concert featuring our 2013-14 ensembles
rd
will be held on the 3 December in the school hall.
Permission notices have been given out to all students
th
involved and was due back on Friday the 15 November
to the music box at Student reception. Students will be
required to wear their Summer school uniform for this
concert. Ensembles involved include Symphonic Band,
Concert Band, Stage Band, Sisters of Swing, Groove
Train, Junior and Senior Choirs, Contemporary Choir,
Galway flutes and Brass and Saxophone Ensemble.
Christmas Hamper Raffle
This year we have been fundraising for Stage Band and
Sisters of Swing so they can attend the 2014 Generations
in Jazz in Mt. Gambier. As part of the fundraising
campaign we will raffle off Christmas Hampers at the
Summer Concert. We are hoping families will donate
small items of Christmas Food or gifts that can be made
up into Christmas Hampers. Any donations will be greatly
appreciated and can be dropped off at the music office.
Ms Kerryn McGillen
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
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Term 4, Issue 15
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
NEWSLETTER
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
15 November 2013
www.siena.vic.edu.au
13
Term 4, Issue 15
Siena’s Visual Arts and
Technology Week
NEWSLETTER
15 November 2013
Mr John Palomares
Head of Visual Arts & Technology
The week following our 2013 Visual Arts and Technology
th
exhibition 18 of October, Siena also celebrated “Visual
st
th
Arts and Technology Week” 21 – 25 . There was a rage
of special events that took place within the College.
Ulla Taylor, a pavement artist, who designed and painted
the wonderful koala outside the Science rooms, this time
painted a “Growling Frog”. Ulla shared and discussed with
students the process of designing pavement art and how
this form of art is becoming more and more popular in
Australia and around the world.
Ulla Taylor, a pavement artist painted a “Growling Frog”.
Malcolm Beattie, one of our local watercolour and oil
painter set up a temporary studio space in the school’s
undercroft and painted a very skilful rendition of
Melbourne’s St Kilda Road in the rain. Malcolm was
extremely friendly and informative with our students as
they observed Malcolm’s great technique and mastery of
the medium.
During lunchtimes our students were also involved in
designing and constructing badges using paper as well as
different types of patterned fabrics.
It was an extremely busy time for the Faculty, as we
prepared for the Annual exhibition and organized events
for the following week, this was extremely rewarding to
see students develop an appreciation for the Visual Arts
and share it with the school community.
Malcolm Beattie, painted a very skilful rendition of
Melbourne’s St Kilda Rd in the rain
Thank you to all the Faculty members, who have guided
and supported our students in their creative journeys
throughout 2013.
Mr John Palomares
Badge making
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
14
Term 4, Issue 15
Chinese Excursion
NEWSLETTER
15 November 2013
Career News
At first we all wondered what we could possibly do in Box
Hill. Box Hill is a familiar place to most of us, yet it was
different when we were there to focus on Chinese culture.
Exploring Chinese shops, restaurants and meeting
Chinese people made time fly. I love studying Chinese
and I look forward to our next Chinese excursion.
Lucy Kim
Mrs Carolyn Scriven
Careers Development Practitioner
Items in the Career News include –
News from the University of Melbourne
 2014 Paterson Scholarship in Engineering
 My Melbourne e-newsletter
Work Experience Opportunities in 2014
 Royal Women's Hospital
 St Vincent's Hospital
 Austin Health
Moorabbin Flying Services – Airline Pilot Workshop
Dental Technology at Menzies Institute of Technology
Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled Nursing)
News from Box Hill Institute
 Did You Know?
 Certificate IV in Youth Work
News from Defence Force Recruiting (DFR)
 DFR Information Sessions
 DFR is now on YouTube
 One Year of Adventure
 Secure the Deck – Fun Mobile Game
Mr Wen-Liang Tow
Mrs Carolyn Scriven
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
15
Term 4, Issue 15
Health & Physical Education
Report
NEWSLETTER
15 November 2013
Congratulations to the following Year 10 students who
gained their Senior First Aid qualification:
Ms Anne Rice
Head of Physical
Education/Health
Health and PE Week was held recently at Siena. A range
of activities were organised to promote a healthy and
active lifestyle. Students enjoyed a volleyball match
against the staff, walking to school and enjoying a
nutritious breakfast upon arrival and riding a bike to make
a fruit juice. Thankyou to Mrs Viti for preparing the
breakfast, the sports captains and the staff in the PE/
Health faculty who organised the various activities.
Laura Croce
Danielle Gilmartin
Adrienne Callinan
Catherine Scheffer
Bridgid Nolan
Alexandra Scott
Charlotte Dalton
Alexandra Sexton
Chrisella Hondrakis
Eleanor Greenham
Catherine Mackenzie
Ashleigh Monaco
Gabrielle Mahoney
Hayley Byrne
Brigitte Traczewski
Kate Beaton
Catherine Garlick
Taylor Kennedy
Margarita Bodrina
Caterina Apostolakos
Imogene Leeson
Congratulations to Tony Healy and Dana Hamilton who
also successfully completed the course.
Year 7 Jump Rope for Heart Program
As part of the Health/PE curriculum the Year 7 students
participated in the Jump Rope for Heart program in early
October. The total amount raised this year was: $3573.90.
Congratulations to the Year 7 students and thankyou to
the families and friends for the amazing support this year.
Abbey Tanner enjoying the Bike and Blend
Senior First Aid Course 2013
Earlier this term, twenty one girls and two staff members
participated in a senior first aid course run by Life Saving
Victoria. We were taught the fundamental skills of first aid,
including: a CPR course, how to bandage and how to treat
injuries. We also were taught how to treat burns, bites,
stings and poisons. The course was taught by Steve and
Sheila, experts in first aid. They were very nice, and made
the course very enjoyable. We got to practice our skills in
real-life scenarios, and also got to administer CPR and a
defibrillator on a manikin. We would like to thank Ms Rice
for giving up her time and supervising this worthwhile
course. We would also like to thank Life Saving Victoria,
and would recommend this course to future year ten
students.
Hayley Byrne and Laura Croce
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
Ms Anne Rice
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
16
Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
15 November 2013
Sports Report
Mr Chris Clark
Head of Sport
Term 4 has almost come and gone, with finals fast
approaching. We will see four basketball teams take part
next week and we wish them all the best. We have also
welcomed our new Year 6 students into the sport program
with our very successful swimming program. Here is the
pick of the action from the term so far.
GSV Wrap
Senior Sport
Term 4 is always difficult for senior students to commit to
after school sport, therefore, GSV alter the season to
ensure that it is played in three hectic weeks of two
matches per week. It was great to have so many girls
wishing to be involved and maintain physical activity
routines that can compliment their study.
Our main senior GSV Basketball involvement occurred in
Term 2 and3 and we took home both the A and B grade
pennants for the second straight year. We entered a
senior basketball team into the Term 4 competition for the
first time. These girls epitomised the benefits sport can
provide as they were a friendship group just wishing to
play for enjoyment and to balance their study.
The girls made it through to the finals where they were
competitive against three other schools ‘A’ teams. They
were a pleasure to watch play due to their positive attitude
and enjoyment in being together. Thank you to Mr Gibbs
for coaching the girls.
The senior cricket team enjoyed both a very positive and
frustrating season. The girls went through the season
undefeated, and while that would usually mean finals, the
girl’s opportunity to compete at those was ruined by bad
weather. Two washouts and a very rare cricketing ‘tie’
meant the girls just missed out. My thanks to Mr Smith for
his work with the team.
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Junior Cricket
Washout
Siena 169 – Mentone 107
Siena 148 – Fintona 115
Siena 101 – OLMC 164
Senior Cricket
Round 1
Siena 89 – Ivanhoe 61
Round 2
Washout
Round 3
Siena 79 – Camberwell 79
Round 4
Siena 91 - St. Catherines 64
Intermediate Basketball
Round
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Round
Team A
Siena 48 – Ivanhoe 20
Siena 34 – Strathcona 42
Siena 62 – Ruyton 14
Siena 32 – PLC 24
Siena 64 – St.Catherines 9
Team B
1.
Siena 41 – Ivanhoe 18
2.
Siena 38 – Strathcona 17
3.
Siena 65 – Ruyton 16
4.
Siena 52 – PLC 10
5.
Siena
Round
- St Catherines
Team C
1.
Siena 34 – Ivanhoe 20
2.
Siena 14 – Strathcona 25
3.
Siena 14 – Ruyton 27
4.
Siena 45 – PLC 5
5.
Washout
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
17
Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
Junior Basketball
Round
1.
Team A
Siena (1) 32 – St.Marg. 20
Siena (2) 7 – Loreto 30
2.
Siena (1) 27 – OLMC 20
Siena (2) 48 – Mentone 26
3.
Siena (1) Washout
Siena (2) 33 – Fintona 28
4.
Siena (1) 37 – OLMC 26
Siena (2) 11 – Shelford 47
Round
1.
Team B
Siena (1) 62 – St.Marg. 4
Siena (2) 4 – Loreto 15
2.
Siena (1) washout
Siena (2) 8 – Mentone 26
3.
Siena (1) washout
Siena (2) 16 – Fintona 14
4.
Siena (1) 38 – OLMC 48
Siena (2) 20 – Shelford 42
Round
Team C
1.
Washout
2.
Siena 0 – OLMC 30
3.
Washout
4.
Washout
Term 4 Swim Program
For the past four years we have been inviting our incoming
cohort of Year 6 students to take part in a swim program
alongside some of our younger girls from our swim squad.
Again, we have been lucky to have our two swimming
coaches Nick Ferrier and Jaclyn Dunham on board to run
the program.
15 November 2013
We look forward to seeing these girls joining us again for
the start of our formal swim season at the start of Term 1
2014. Thank you to Nick and Jaclyn for all of their hard
work with a group that numbered thirty-five most
mornings.
GSV Year 7 Expo Day
Since our inception into GSV our Year 7 cohort has
enjoyed the opportunity to partake in a full day of activities
at Monash University run by staff from GSV and state
sporting bodies. The day sees students split into groups
containing other students from Siena and also students
from other GSV schools. They then get the chance to
move through a range of different activities, many are not
mainstream sports. They are instructed from state
providers in the sport and come away having experienced
activities that they may wish to pursue at a later stage.
However, the most beneficial aspect of the day is the
chance to meet girls from other schools that they will see
throughout their next six years associated with GSV.
Below are two accounts of the day from two of our Year 7
students.
At the GSV expo day everyone had four activities to do
throughout the day. They we all different activities each
group, some of the activities I had never heard of, there
was only a few I have heard of. The four that I did were,
Wheelchair Basketball, Netball, Dance and AFL. I found
this a really good group because I had played netball and
AFL but I have never tried Wheelchair Basketball or
Dancing, so it was a great day to try something new while
meeting girls from other schools. Genevieve Bohan
On Wednesday 16th October, Year 7 students went to
Monash University for a GSV Expo Day. Students from
Strathcona and Ruyton also participated, which was a
great way to meet girls from different schools. The
students were divided into groups and participated in
series of sports the GSV program offers.
The sports I participated in were Tennis, Fencing,
Cheerleading and Cricket. It was an experience enabling
students to participate in sports that they would normally
not be able to do. The day was well organised, fun and
enjoyable.
Johanna Zikas
The response was fantastic. We had some twenty-five
Year 6 students involved across the six sessions. It was
again positive to see girls interacting and familiarising
themselves with girls they will be coming into the College
with next year.
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
18
Term 4, Issue 15
NEWSLETTER
15 November 2013
Celebration of Sport Evening 2012:
th
Wednesday 11 December
Our fifth annual Celebration of Sport evening will take
th
place on Wednesday 11 December here at Siena.
The night will see us acknowledge the tremendous efforts
of all of our girls who have been involved in the sport
program throughout the year. We will again welcome a
special guest to speak about their sporting experience and
give insights into their school sporting experience and how
they used it to propel them into bigger and better things.
Also, we will announce our two major award winners; our
Excellence in Sport award and our Siena Spirit in Sport
award.
The night will be hosted by our two sports captains Abbey
and Ashleigh and will feature their video presentations
from the year in sport and also include visual
presentations from our sports aerobics girls.
We invite the entire College community to join with us on
the evening to celebrate another tremendous year in sport.
GSV Year 7 Expo Day
Cheerleading activities
Fencing
Mr Chris Clark
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
www.siena.vic.edu.au
19
Term 4, Issue 15
815 Riversdale Rd, Camberwell 3124
NEWSLETTER
T: 9835 0200
E: [email protected]
15 November 2013
www.siena.vic.edu.au
20