Celebration Season is Approaching - Ambrose Treacy College

Best wishes to all of our musicians for this Tuesday evening’s final concert for 2024. It’s has been another great year for our musicians from Years 4 to 12 and we look forward to the final performance of the year. Our musicians will be one of the highlights at our upcoming Celebration of Excellence evening on Tuesday 12 November. We are grateful to the large number of students who enrich the life of our school through their playing and singing at all manner of events, gatherings, celebrations and rituals.

Clontarf Foundation Awards Evening 

On Thursday 7 November our Clontarf Foundation families will gather in NJ Hall for their annual awards evening. I am very disappointed not to be able to be present at this event as I have an engagement in Canberra with EREA. This evening is always one of my favourites for the year.

Congratulations to all the students who are set to receive an award. It is always great to celebrate their achievements with them, their families and staff who support our Clontarf students each day at school.

 I wish to thank the Director of our Clontarf Academy Mr Matt Rae, Mr Josh Hoffman, Mr Matt Warr and all staff for their continuing work in supporting and celebrating our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and families. 

P&F Spring Lunch

On Friday, the ATC P&F once again hosted the annual Spring Lunch at Cloudland. With over 276 ladies attending, the event was a success with the proceeds from the day going towards breast cancer research and the ‘Share the Dignity’ Foundation. The raffle was supported by our generous sponsors from the local community. Thank you to the guest speaker Rochelle Courtenay for her insight, and to ATC mums Kim Skubris who hosted the discussion panel, and Prue Moloney who ably coordinated this event for the sixth year.

Student News

Our Year 12 students continue to manage the demands of the extended external exam process well. We have been very pleased with the use of the new Waterford Building for our external exams. This has been very effective in creating a positive environment for the students to focus. Some fellows have finished now and are looking forward to Valedictory celebrations on Thursday 14 November. There are, however, still some major assessments this week to go. Well done to our Year 12 students for doing their best. All other year levels are coming into the business end of term with Year 11 commencing exam block at the end of next week. The exam schedule for all year levels has been drafted and will be made available to all students and parents later this week.

Movember

Movember - a time of year to reflect on the challenges of men's health, particularly mental health. A Staff Team called Éamonn's Whiskers is set up, and os looking to grow, move, or challenge themselves throughout the month of Movember to raise awareness and funds for men's health and mental health. The Sport Department has shown it’s #StrongerTogether with a united sign-up already. 

Grow
For many years I was cursed with a sparse display of facial hair on my upper lip, but still appreciated the challenge of trying to grow something that resembled a moustache. If you're feeling confident to grow a solid Mario, or maybe something that would look more at home on Justin Bieber, all moustache growers are welcome to give it their best. In the words of Ted Lasso "Believe" and join Éamonn's Whiskers.

Move
If growing a moustache is not for you, then embrace the non-hair related opportunity to run or walk 60km over the month of Movember. Éamonn's Whiskers doesn't expect you to go as far as Ned Brockmann - just an average of 2km a day. 60km represents the 60 men lost to suicide each hour around the world.

Challenge
Do you want to break free from the Movember mould? If you have something else in mind to raise awareness for mental health, embrace that idea and join Éamonn's Whiskers with your own challenge.
All that remains is for you to join Éamonn's Whiskers and start your Movember journey or growth, movement, or whatever this Friday.

Éamonn's Whiskers's Mo Space

Movember, the month formerly known as November, is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men's health.

au.movember.com

2025 College Budget

The 2025 College budget has been submitted to the EREA Colleges Board for consideration and approval and we are presently awaiting that feedback from our governing body. This process is occurring later in the year than in the past, so I wished to acknowledge this as a courtesy to our families.

Like all domains and sectors, costs and expenses for schools are rising and we are very conscious of this and are continuing to work hard to facilitate a disciplined and conservative budget to support our families. I wish to provide some notice that there will be a tuition fee increase in 2025. Our aim has been to make it as moderate as possible. I will write formally, as I do each year when we have received budget approval to confirm details, but I wished to flag this with families as a courtesy.

Road Safety 

As we approach the end of the school year, another reminder regarding the safety of our students around the College grounds. ATC is a big busy campus, and especially around drop off and pick up times. Please take an extra minute to slow down – ensure your driving is very slow, ensure you take that extra minute to drop off and pick up your son at the appropriate location. Thank you to everyone who actively supports safety around and within our school.

 Community Prayers

Lord, we pray for those in our community who are suffering. Be with them in this time of hardship and uncertainty. Give comfort and peace to those who have lost loved ones. May their sorrow be turned into strength, and their distress turned into peace. May our hearts remain loving and pure as we seek to always be compassionate to those around us.

God bless,

Chris Ryan

College Principal