As we come to the end of another busy year, I want to thank you for our community for their incredible support, especially our parents and families who walk alongside us in the education journey. Our partnership makes all the difference, and we are truly grateful for the trust and care you bring to our community.

Christmas is a time to pause, breathe, and enjoy the simple gifts: family, friends, and the joy of being together. In the Ignatian spirit, let’s take this opportunity to notice the goodness around us and be grateful for it. I hope this holiday brings you rest, laughter, and plenty of time to celebrate with those who matter most.

We look forward to welcoming you back in the new year, refreshed and ready for all that 2026 will bring.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

VCE Results

We are proud of all of our Year 12 students and what they have achieved in their time at Loyola College.

This year, we are pleased to note significant upward shifts in our academic results. For the third consecutive year, the median ATAR has increased. The number of students who have achieved an ATAR over 90 and over 80 has increased. Our Median Study Score is 30.

We congratulate the 12 students who attained an ATAR over 90, as well as Rachael Stanton - 12 who achieved perfect Study Scores of 50 in General Mathematics.

These results reflect dedication and perseverance, but they are only part of the story.

A more detailed overview of our academic results can be found HERE https://www.loyola.vic.edu.au/latest-news/2025-vce-results

Student Return Dates

Friday 30 January    Year 7, 11 and 12 return
Monday 2 February     All students return

Loyola College Annual Awards Evening

On Friday 5 December, Loyola College proudly hosted its Annual Awards Evening, a night dedicated to honouring the outstanding achievements of our students across academic, co-curriculum, and community pursuits. The event brought together students, families, staff, and special guests to celebrate the values of excellence, service, and leadership that define our college community.

The guest speaker for the evening was past student Gianna Lucas (L:04-09), an Australian motivational speaker, life coach, educator, and CEO of Happow, a gamified life skills platform for youth, known for empowering young people, especially girls, with programs focused on mindset, resilience, and purpose, drawing from her own experiences overcoming anxiety and her background in media.

The ceremony highlighted not only academic distinction but also contributions to the arts, sports, and social justice initiatives, reinforcing Loyola’s commitment to holistic education.

Among the many accolades presented were subject awards for top-performing students, recognition for leadership roles, and special commendations for community service. The three prestigious medals were awarded as outlined below.

Insignis Award: Annie Clarke (L: 20-25) The Insignis Award is presented to a Loyola Student who reflects the qualities of a person that St. Ignatius would have happily had as one of his companions. A compassionate, generous, and effective leader, and one who would recognise the good and do it despite the cost. In essence, a person for others.

Loyola Medal: Peter Keegan (L: 88-Present) The Loyola Medal is awarded to a current or former staff member, Canonical Administrator or chaplain who has given service in a pastoral or professional capacity and has shown loyalty and commitment to the College for an extended period of time.

Jesuit Medal: Karen Street Awarded to a current or former parent or College friend who has given service in a pastoral or professional capacity, showing loyalty and commitment to the College - the 2025 Jesuit Medalist is Karen Street.

St Ignatius Medal: Annie Clarke (L: 20-25) Awarded to a current or past student who has given service in a pastoral or leadership capacity showing loyalty and commitment to the College for an extended period of time. In 2025, the St. Ignatius Medalist is Annie Clarke.

Editors Note: This is the first time in Loyola College history that a Year 12 student has been awarded both the Insignis Award and St. Ignatius Medal in the same academic year.

We congratulate Annie Clarke (12 F/JMM) on being awarded both the Insignis and the Loyola medal.

Her acceptance speech is outlined below:

Good evening, Mrs Leutchford, Gianna Lucas, staff, students and guests,

I am incredibly fortunate and deeply humbled to be the recipient of the 2025 Insignis Award. It will be an honour that I take with me throughout the years to come, and an award I am truly grateful for. This year, we had the most incredible, driven, and passionate College Committee, and there are so many worthy candidates who could easily be standing up here tonight, and so I am truly grateful and honoured to be receiving this award.

Growing up, there was one phrase my mum repeated so often it became part of who I am: “Fortune favours the brave.” This simple motto has shaped my entire high school journey. To me, it means continuously stepping outside your comfort zone, saying yes to the unexpected, and having the courage to ask for the things you really want.

It’s easy to move through your education without taking part in anything, without pushing yourself, without “Favouring the brave.” But at Loyola, we are surrounded by an abundance of activities and opportunities, all waiting for someone willing to take the first step.

Through favouring the brave, I have travelled to Timor Leste for an incredible immersion experience, to Adelaide for a Jesuit retreat called Kairos and to Sydney to volunteer at an Indigenous primary school. These are just a select few of the opportunities I took up at Loyola because I chose to live by the motto “Fortune favours the brave.”

Taking up opportunities and daring to be courageous allows you to discover who you are and what matters to you. That, I believe, is one of the most important parts of secondary school. So, I encourage you, no matter what stage of life you are in, to choose to be brave, especially here at Loyola, where opportunities are quite literally everywhere.

This leads me to my first thank you: to Loyola, for the countless opportunities it has given me, and to the people who have encouraged me to embrace them over the past six years.

To the teachers who have nurtured my leadership: Mr Calderone, Mrs Tolli, Mrs Salmic, Mrs Sudano, and Mr Tran, thank you for your dedication and guidance. To my Mentor teacher, Mr Martino, thank you for believing in me, supporting me, and encouraging me even when I struggled to believe in myself. To all teachers and support staff who have helped me throughout my journey, both this year and throughout my entire high school journey: thank you for shaping me into the person standing here today. I’ve been truly blessed with the best teachers.

To my friends here tonight: thank you for being my support system and the best people to spend every day with.

There are so many more people I wish I had time to thank but the most important people are my family. To my little sister, Daisy: you make me laugh every day and you are such an incredibly smart human being. Thank you for putting up with me and for being my built-in best friend. To my mum - many of you may know her as Mrs Staub, but to me she is the most supportive and extraordinary mum I could ever ask for. I could not have done any of this without her wisdom and love.

Once again, thank you it’s a huge honour.

Mentor Conversations – SAVE the DATE

We will be changing the way we facilitate Mentor conversations next year:

• Years 8–12: Conversations will take place on Thursday, 29 January, prior to students commencing.
• Year 7: Conversations will happen during the Year 7 Picnic on Friday, 30 January.

Please look out for further communication about this opportunity.

The role of the mentor is to accompany students as they move through the college. It ensures that each student is fully known by a significant adult at the college. It is important that this relationship is nurtured as it ensures that parents and school are working in partnership to support each student.

We have reviewed the structure of these conversations to ensure that they are focussed and include discussion on attendance, academic progress, co-curriculum involvement and wellbeing. The conversation will also involve shaping goals for the year, which will later be formalised with their mentor teacher. Setting goals gives students direction and purpose, helping them stay focused and motivated. It encourages self-reflection and ownership of learning, building resilience when challenges arise. Goal-Setting also supports academic success and personal growth by promoting time management and prioritisation.

MACS Child Safety

We were very proud to open the new MACS Child Safety and Wellbeing Framework and fin our very own Mr Adrian Stojkovich (Head of Design Technology) and student Archie Andrew (9 C/KMC) on the centre page.

Cyber Incident Update

MACS' cyber forensic experts are now close to finalising their comprehensive analysis of the data.

We anticipate sharing the outcomes through detailed, personalised communications to any impacted members of our community early in the new school year.

A reminder that specialist identity protection advice and resources are available to you free of charge through IDCare via 03 7018 2366. When contacting IDCare please quote the referral code MACS25.

Prayer for the Days After

In light of the recent tragedy at Bondi Beach, where many lives were lost and communities deeply affected, we pause as a community to pray for peace, healing, and hope.

Together, let us hold those impacted in our hearts and ask God to guide us in building a world of compassion and unity.

Merry Christmas to all of our Loyola community.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 #𝟯𝟲: 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲

Our latest edition of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 is now available online and can be accessed via https://bit.ly/3MCiZ4P

The Companion is our bi-annual school magazine and provides a great snapshot into recent news and events from Loyola College.

Those Alumni who have requested a mailed copy will receive their edition in the coming weeks.