our diocesan community - Catholic Diocese of Ballarat - Australian ...

Retaining our identity in the face of constant change
The Emmanuel College community in Warrnambool officially welcomed 216 new Year 7 students and 21 new staff members into
the College at the Opening Mass for 2008. Making the transition from Primary to Secondary education is a major event in the lives
of the young Year 7 students. A major worry for many students concerns friendship groups, so a Camp is held as soon as practicable
in Term 1 to allow the Year 7 students to get together and get to know each other as a group. The students quickly find new friends
through participating in a range of activities including swimming, surfing, cycling, canoeing, walking, team-building activities and a
concert. The aim of Emmanuel College is to ensure that the students feel safe, secure and happy in their new surroundings as they
make the leap to secondary school.
These major changes in the lives of the Year 7 students have been paralleled by changes being undergone by Emmanuel College
as a whole. Emmanuel College has grown disproportionately to the growth of Warrnambool’s population and a record number of
applicants for Year 7 were unable to attain a place at the College for Year 7 2008. Emmanuel College has transformed from being
Warrnambool’s small school to having the second largest school population in Warrnambool. Major changes such as this have meant
that the College has had to stay focussed on ensuring that Emmanuel retains the characteristics that parents and students love about
their school.
One of the things about Emmanuel that has been most valued by parents has been the size of the College. How will growing
enrolments impact on this view? The answer from parents and students is that we need to value and retain the multi campus
structure. At present this structure sees Years 7 to 10 located at the Ardlie Street Campus and the senior students at Canterbury
Road. This not only allows the College to retain its small-school atmosphere – the senior campus fosters relaxed and adult interaction
between staff and students, helping to prepare senior students to make the transition from the school environment to the adult world
of tertiary education and the workforce. The benefits of increased enrolments such as greater subject choices, more extra curricular
options and better facilities must not be overlooked.
Other factors that contribute to retaining the small-school feel includes reducing the number of teachers Year 7 students interact with.
The teachers have the opportunity to get to know their students well and this bring pastoral care benefits. There is a whole-school
approach to pastoral care. There is an approach to recognising student achievement that means that students are never reduced to a
number. For example, our tradition is to congratulate all of our graduates as a group, recognising that the options for senior students
are now very wide. The majority of students choose the academic path while others choose the VCAL, VET or Apprenticeship path.
All of these areas of achievement are valid and all students are to be congratulated on achieving to the best of their ability. We will
never let our students and their successes be determined by a number. Really listening to parents, students and the wider Emmanuel
College community is the key to retaining everything that is really valued about the College.
Change is a constant at Emmanuel College but
another constant is our emphasis on the traditions
of the school’s founders. The Mercy tradition of
extending loving kindness to others is complemented
by our respect for Edmund Rice and his dedication to
recognising the needs of youth. Emmanuel College will
continue to build on the past, while constantly looking
to the future and constantly listening to parents and
students to ensure that our College, while constantly
changing, retains its identity and its great traditions.
Emmanuel Opening Mass for 2008
welcomed new students and staff to a
year of great change. Pictured are College
Captains Daniel Barling and Hannah Ryan
with Father Lawrence O’Toole.
our diocesan community
A joint publication of the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat and the Catholic Education Office of Ballarat.
The Editorial Committee of Our Diocesan Community wishes to thank the many people who have contributed to this issue.
We also acknowledge the support through sponsorship of the Catholic Superannuation Fund, Catholic Church Insurances and the
Ballarat Catholic Development Fund.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Fr. Gerry Baldock, Sr Anne McMillan, Mr Allen Moloney, Sr Geraldine Mugavin, Mr Peter Schreenan, Mrs Carla Woodruff.
During 2008, ODC will be published in April, August and November.
All contributions to ODC may be forwarded to:
OUR Diocesan community,
PO Box 576, Ballarat 3353
Phone: (03) 5337 7159 Fax: (03) 5333 5148 Email: odc@ballarat.catholic.org.au
6
Our Diocesan Community - April 2008