The commemoration of our annual Arts Week in Term 4 presents a celebratory time for our VCE Arts students to exhibit their portfolios encompassing Visual Communication & Design, Media Studies, and Art Creative Practice subjects as part of our VCE Art Show. 

Over three days, the newly refurbished Sports Hall transforms into an exhibition space, wherein the VCE students actively prompt our introspection with their exhibited work. Each piece narrates a distinctive story, raising our curiosity as we enjoy the installations and read their folios placed alongside the works. I always relish the opportunity to engage in discussions with the students, gaining insights into the narrative woven into their portfolios. The interplay of storytelling within their works and installations conveys the process of shaping ideas over the preceding months, guided by the expertise of our Creative Arts staff teaching VCE Units 3&4 subjects this year, Mrs Marinelli, Mr Dyring and Mrs Cassidy. 

St Catherine’s Old Girl, and renowned artist, Ms Katherine Hattam (’68), opened Arts Week with her address at the Senior School Assembly on Monday. Ms Hattam shared her own School stories, recalling the influence of her Senior School English and Literature teachers on shaping her own career as a young woman and emerging artist. She went on to study a BA in Literature and Politics at Melbourne University.  

Katherine’s passion for making art was ever present with her first exhibition, standing tall amongst many male artists, in 1978. Ms Hattam has won the Banyule Prize and the Robert Jacks Drawing Prize, and has been a finalist in the Dobell Prize, the Geelong Contemporary Arts Prize, the Tidal Art Award, and the Sulman Prize. Her portrait, Helen Garner speaks French, was a finalist for the 2022 Archibald Prize, and is again an Archibald Finalist this year with her work The Nightingale and the Kookaburra.  

The Archibald Prize 2023 is currently featured at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, until 5 November. Ms Hattam will also open our VCE Art Show on Friday evening, 6.00pm with the Show open across the weekend for St Catherine’s family and friends to walk through.

St Catherine’s girls find their voice: Debating, Mooting, and Youth Evatt Competitions

Congratulations to the Senior A Debating Team, who have qualified for the DAV (Debaters Association of Victoria) Finals scheduled for later this month. The Team is excitedly placed above the two Scotch College teams, arch-rivals on the Debating circuit. Year 12 students Ava Colosimo, Jemima Wilcox, Anise Imam, Leanne Hiew, Flora Du, and Zara Peele have been debating together throughout their senior schooling and we wish the girls the very best in their final competitions. 

Flora Du and Leanne Hiew will compete in the British Parliamentary Debating Competition Grand Final

Flora Du and Leanne Hiew have also competed as a team in the British Parliamentary Debating Competition and are in the Grand Final on Sunday 15 October. Both Flora and Leanne were named in the Top 10 Speakers. 

We are also thrilled to announce Year 11 students, Rhea Werner and Olivia Hargrave were selected for the National Finals of the Youth Evatt Competition (mock Security Council). With over 600 teams in the Competition, this is a stunning achievement. With their skills and knowledge honed through their Politics studies with Head of Humanities, Mr Paul Gilby, the Youth Evatt Competition requires students to work as pairs in representing countries on the UN Security Council to achieve resolutions.  

Shortlisted for The John Locke Essay Competition

This global competition offered by Oxford and Princeton Universities is considered the most prestigious high school essay competition in the world with 19,000 applicants submitting essays this year. Students shortlisted as finalists were invited to Oxford University for the prize giving in September with the opportunity to discuss their essays with Oxford, Princeton, and Cambridge Professors.  

This year, two St Catherine’s students were selected for this prestigious prize. On a global scale this is an extraordinary achievement for St Catherine’s School. The successful students were Rhea Werner, Year 11, and Leanne Hiew, Year 12. Rhea wrote a Philosophy essay and Leanne wrote a Politics essay. To read more click here. 

Staff News

This term we welcome the return from Long Service Leave of Ms Mary-Anne Keratiotis, Mr James Brown, Mrs Virginia Midgley, Miss Kristina Schrader, and returning as a member of the Maintenance Team, Mr Peter White.  

In Term 4, work quickly re-commenced on finalising the subject selections for 2024 and the subsequent staffing matrix for the Faculties next year. At the conclusion of this year, both Ms Skye Stansfield (HPE Faculty) and Miss Annie Taylor (Barbreck Prep teacher) will commence their maternity leave with the pending birth of children in December.  

I congratulate the following staff on their appointments to the Wellbeing Team. Mr Clint Blennerhassett in the role of Head of Year 10 and Ms Samantha Basford in the role of Head of Year 7.  

In recent weeks, I have sadly received a resignation from Mr Nick Grunden, who has accepted a Head of Music role at Loreto. Mr Grunden has completed a wonderful two years at St Catherine’s and reignited the Music Program post-COVID. He also undertook the ‘heavy lifting’ of the transition from St Catherine’s House to 15A; a temporary residence until we design and construct the new Music School. Mr Grunden will conclude his tenure in December.

Mrs Requin as Miss Trunchbull from ‘Matilda’

Our Barbreck Librarian, Mrs Cindy Requin, will be moving to Strathcona Girls Grammar. Across her years in St Catherine’s Junior School, Mrs Requin has nurtured a love of reading in our Barbreck girls, not only through her specialist Library lessons but also her imaginative and inspiring character dress-ups during our annual Barbreck Book Week Parade. 

Additionally, Mr Tom Crebbin will commence his retirement in 2024. Mr Crebbin has enjoyed 16 years of teaching, coaching, guiding, and inspiring St Catherine’s students to develop a love of sport and to aim high in their pursuits of excellence. He has been a much valued and pivotal member of the Barbreck Team, renowned for his ability to quickly identify sporting talent, and always keen to encourage a growth mindset in our girls. Tom will be dearly missed in our community.  

We thank Tom for his many years of dedication and wish him every happiness in his retirement. We are acutely aware that anyone who knows Tom will think of him every time his beloved Richmond Footy Team wins, visualising him with the black and gold scarf around his neck, and the playful jibes to those who barrack differently. 

We are pleased to announce Miss Olivia Cody as the new Barbreck Sports Coordinator. Miss Cody has been working alongside Tom this year to enable a smooth transition.  

Collectively, their service to St Catherine’s as teachers is certainly significant, and we will look to recognise their contributions at key events at the end of the year.