The Lumen Bulletin - Week Eight Term One 2025

Some days, when turning on the TV or scrolling through social media, it often feels like harmony is a rare commodity in our world. However, our Languages and Harmony Week which took place in Week Seven showed us that diversity and harmony are thriving within our community.  

In the spirit of Pope Francis's message on hope, we were reminded that harmony is not just a distant dream but a tangible reality we can create together. And this was more than evident at Lumen as staff and student came together – many in traditional and cultural dress – to sing, dance, eat and have fun.  

The culmination of this special week was our Harmony Day Community Mass which was a beautiful reflection of both our diversity and our unity. We were graced by the presence of special dignitaries such as Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton, who officiated our Mass, as well as Executive Director Catholic Education WA, Wayne Bull and Thornlie MLA, Colleen Egan. Additionally, an array of visiting principals, City of Gosnells councillors, Dr. Elizabeth Hayden, who led our Welcome to Country, and the amazing Year 3 students from Sacred Heart Primary School joined us. It was a wonderful celebration of shared values. 

I want to express particular thanks to all those on the Harmony Day Committee, led superbly by Caroline Watson, Deputy Principal Mission, for their dedicated efforts toward ensuring Languages and Harmony Week truly represented the strength of unity at our College. 

We are already at the end of Week Eight, and at the time of writing this, our students are participating in the Associated & Catholic Colleges (ACC) Swimming Carnival at Perth High Performance Centre (HPC) in Mt Claremont. We eagerly await news of their performances, and families can follow along via this link to the live feed. As we wrap up this week, I would like to take this opportunity to remind our Year 7 families of the upcoming Parent-Teacher Interviews taking place on Monday, 31 March from 3.30pm. 

God Bless.

Peter Sackett
College Principal

During Week Seven, our college came alive with celebration as students and staff embraced the spirit of Languages and Harmony Week. This special event showcased the rich diversity within our school community through a variety of music, dance, food, and cultural traditions.

The week commenced with Homeroom quizzes with various language questions. The whole school also participated in a competitive Tombola (Bingo) competition with the numbers being called out in both Italian and English. The week included a lively performance from the Mucky Duck Bush Band, which brought a true Aussie flavour to the festivities. Students and staff also enjoyed a lively Vietnamese Lion Dance. The excitement continued on Friday with the cultural dance concert, featuring routines from Hungarian, Afghan, Mauritian, and African groups.

Creativity was showcased as students made bracelets and keychains representing the many languages spoken at Lumen, highlighting the importance of cultural identity and inclusion. No celebration would be complete without food, and our community indulged in Italian pizza, soft drinks and gelato, Nigerian jollof rice, Vietnamese noodle salads, as well as classic Aussie treats such as pies, hot dogs and Tim Tams.

The week concluded with a moving Mass officiated by Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton, where 21 languages were spoken, reflecting the rich diversity of our college community. Students and staff proudly wore their traditional cultural dress, uniting in faith and reminding us that our cultural heritage forms a rich tapestry within the identity of the college.

Mai McShane
Head of Learning Area - English

On Friday, 7 March the Year 12 Outdoor Education students enjoyed a radiant day in Rottnest as a refreshing way to end the week.

The class gathered at Shed B in Fremantle at 7am for a slightly overcast and somewhat choppy ferry ride to the island. Concerns about the weather began to rise; however, the conditions on Rottnest could not have been more perfect. With crystal-clear waters, minimal wind, and the sun keeping us warm between dives, the day turned out to be an ideal outdoor adventure.

We managed to fit in three dives across various bays around the island, encountering a wide array of vibrant sea life and coral. The Snorkel Trail at Parker Point allowed students to read some information located on the seabed and provided some stunning underwater scenery, colourful corals and sea life. Traveling by bus around the island, our second dive at Parakeet Bay was one of the highlights for many students (and staff), diving through the small caves in the reefs, offering an exciting and unique underwater experience.

We finished the day with a Quokka selfie and a trip to the bakery to satisfy the hunger built from such a huge day.

Thank you to the staff and students for making the day such a pleasant experience and creating lasting memories in their final year.

Brad Stewart
Outdoor Education Coordinator

On Monday, 24 March the Flexitrack Uni Ready students attended Murdoch University to sample a day in the life of a uni student.

The day started in the main lecture theatre where students from several secondary schools enrolled in Flexitrack gathered. The day started with a welcome by the Murdoch student Ambassadors and Anita Maclaurin, Program Coordinator and Gemma Phanupen, Student Pathways Relationship Officer.

We were then given the opportunity to go to workshops in our chosen area of study. These included Nursing, Criminology, Engineering, Psychology, Business and Exercise Science. These workshops allowed us to sample what we might learn and how we would learn as a uni student.

It was also a great opportunity to hear from past Flexitrack students who had gained university entry through the Flexitrack program. The student ambassadors gave us an insight into how university differs from high school studies.

The Flexitrack Uni Taster Day was an informative and enjoyable day on the Murdoch University campus. This is a great alternative pathway for anyone thinking of attending Murdoch University.

Ms Creighton and the Flexitrack Class

Community Kitchen

What a great start to the Community Kitchen last week. We were able to prepare muffins, pizza and vegemite scrolls as well as chicken rolls and ham and salad rolls for the Kelmscott Vinnies to distribute on the streets.

Along with the food, we sent several bags of hygiene products. Thank you to everyone in the College who donated items. There is still time to make donations this term. Please see the daily notices for more information. 

Community Kitchen is on again Wednesday, 2 April from 3:15pm to 4:30pm. All are welcome to come along and help. Email Janine.creighton@cewa.edu.au for more information.

The Vinnies Leaders Summit

The Vinnies Leaders Summit was held on Wednesday, 26 March at Vinnies headquarters in Canning Vale. Student leaders from six Catholic colleges joined together with a common mission of understanding what ‘Vinnies’ does and the programs that operate within the organisation. 

The students together packed 100 hygiene packs for distribution. Guest speakers included volunteers from local conferences, Homeless Housing Officers, Youth Services and the Call Centre Coordinator.  A tour of the donation warehouse and the call centre was an eyeopener. The call centre had already taken 180 calls for assistance that morning. The Leaders Summit highlighted the need to continue to support those in our communities that are vulnerable.

Janine Creighton
Vinnies Youth Coordinator

On Wednesday, 19 March the Year 12 Biology students visited the Harry Perkins Institute, where they had the exciting opportunity to run PCR and analyse their results using gel electrophoresis. The morning kicked off with a fantastic presenter who engaged students in a fun competition to model PCR amplification using paper models. The hands-on experience continued as they explored various research labs in the building. It was an enriching and interactive day, giving students a real-world glimpse into biotechnology and laboratory techniques.

Salonee Poongavanon and Michael Oversby
Biology Teachers

On Wednesday, 26 March the College Counselling Team held a Year 7 Parent Information Morning. Topics discussed included information about adolescent development, boundaries, things to look out for and communication with your teen. Further recommendations included viewing the following resources for more information, advice and support in raising your teen:

• The Role Of A Lifetime : ABC iview
• Home - ReachOut Parents free support for parents of teens
• RELATIONSHIP AUSTRALIA WESTERN AUSTRALIA: course-workshops
• RAISING CHILDREN NETWORK (AUSTRALIA) Resources for raising teen: https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens

If you were unable to attend, please also see a copy of the slides here.

Vanessa Mirco, Rachel Goodchild and Yan Jin
Counselling Team

On Wednesday, 26 March our Year 12 students were privileged to receive a visit from some of our past students: Hudson Wheeler, Makhi Dagnall, and Jason Haddad. They shared their experiences and journeys since graduating from Lumen, providing valuable insights into their pathways.

Hudson, currently in his third year studying medicine at UWA, spoke about the challenges and rewards of pursuing a career in healthcare. Makhi, who has secured an apprenticeship as an electrician, discussed the practical aspects and opportunities within the trades and showcased an authentic story about his decision to change career pathways. Jason, in his final year studying engineering at Curtin, highlighted the importance of perseverance and dedication in achieving academic success. He also reflected on the numerous times he changed his mind during Year 12 before finally choosing to study engineering.

The visit included a Q&A session, allowing our Year 12 students to engage directly with the alumni. This interactive segment was well received, with students appreciating the opportunity to ask questions and gain firsthand advice.

We are incredibly proud of our alumni and their accomplishments. Their willingness to return and share their experiences is a testament to the strong community spirit at Lumen Christi College. We look forward to welcoming more alumni for future events and continuing to inspire our current students.

Rosa Nicholls & Stefan Hamilton
Head of VET & Careers Coordinator

Each Wednesday, our Year 11 Certificate III in Dance students are treated to a lesson from our 2023 Dance Captain, Demi Glassby to assist them in the content for the unit 'increase depth in lyrical dance technique'. Students have been enjoying Demi’s energy and new style of choreography. Look out for the Year 11 Lyrical Dance in this year's Dance Showcase to get a glimpse of Demi’s choreography.

Samantha Farley
Dance Teacher

We are delighted to congratulate Class of 2021 graduate, Jessica Garratt on her recent graduation from Notre Dame with a degree in nursing. Jessica has now joined the nursing program at Armadale Hospital, where she will undoubtedly continue to excel and make a positive impact. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and wish her all the best in her nursing career.

Current Profession: Student Athlete

Where did life take you after graduation? After graduation, I went to the Philippines on a scholarship to play collegiate volleyball in the most famous college volleyball league (UAAP). In the three years of playing for my school De La Salle University in Manila, I won a championship and went to many different countries for training camps and tournaments. For example, last year we played in Taiwan and represented not only our school but the Philippines.

What has been your biggest career highlight so far? My biggest career highlight was becoming a champion in my rookie year. Additionally, I have been MVP (Most Valuable Player) and Best Opposite in our pre-season league. And right now, in our current league, which is from February until May, I am in the race for MVP and Best Opposite.

What is your fondest memory of life at Lumen? My fondest memory was my last year as Head Girl. It was also the last time the title was known as Head Girl as the next year it was changed to College Captain. That year taught me so much about how to be a leader which is what I continuously apply whilst being on this team.

What advice do you have for current Lumen Christi College students? Grab the opportunity when it arises because you never know where it will take you and you don't want to live life thinking of all the what ifs!

Jake Selected for All Stars Baseball Team

Congratulations to Year 10 student, Jake Lord who has been selected for the Western Australian All Stars U18 Baseball Team! He and his team will travel to Singapore in May to compete in the prestigious Lion City Baseball Tournament, an international event that brings together talented teams from all over the world. Well done, Jake!

View the College Calendar

Enrolments for Year 7 2026 and 2027 are now open. If you are yet to submit your enrolment application, please do so here. Please note, enrolments for Year 7 2026 are filling fast.