Prospectus
A message from our Principal Since 1963, Ave Maria College has been an intrinsic part of its local community, providing a warm and welcoming environment for young women, guided by the Franciscan values of Truth, Love, Peace and Compassion. At Ave Maria College, we foster a culture of rigorous academic achievement, underpinned by self-confidence and a deep relationship with God. It is through these principles and the pillars of faith, learning, community and growth that our students leave the College thriving – both personally and professionally – empowered to shape their own future. The heart of the College is – and always will be – the enrichment of faith, the wellbeing and growth of our students. We are committed to building a safe, open and supportive environment where our students have the curiosity to explore, courage to excel, confidence to thrive, compassion to love and a community within which they may grow. We would be delighted to welcome your family to discover everything Ave Maria College has to offer. May we continue to ‘Strive for Truth through Love.’
Tanya Hutton Principal
Click to watch: A Message from Our Principal, Tanya Hutton
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She Who Belongs Click to watch: Ave Maria College – Who is Ave?
She Who Loves 4
Faith: Nurturing a relationship with Jesus Christ Ave Maria College seeks to strengthen a student’s relationship with God from their earliest days in Year 7. We encourage our students to contemplate the importance of spirituality during their school years and beyond graduation. At every year level – and embedded within our curriculum – students are provided with opportunities to support and champion social justice to improve the lives of others – living out our belief in the dignity of each person. Our call to social justice action is drawn from the Gospels, as we profess the Franciscan values of Truth, Love, Peace and Compassion. This is our way of knowing Jesus. In the Gospel, John 17:21 says, “All may be One”, which inspires the College to help create compassionate young women who are prepared to be the positive change they want to see in the world with a goal of working toward a collective good. Our rich and engaging religious education curriculum incorporates Catholic teachings, ethics and scripture in a way that informs all relationships to build a safe, warm and welcoming community for all. We strive to nurture faith in our students everyday through religious education classes, school liturgies, prayer in mentor groups, Faith Formation Days or a simple visit to our St Clare Chapel.
Curriculum: An engaging and innovative program Ave Maria College is a high performing Catholic secondary school. Our patron, Helene de Chappotin, professed, “learning is for fullness of life for all”. We support this by pushing the boundaries to deliver an engaging, collaborative, rigorous and relevant curriculum. With an emphasis on design thinking, STEM and enterprise skills, our innovative and challenging curriculum prepares our students for the workforce of the future, encouraging students at every level to view learning, and the world around them, through a critical and creative lens. The College curriculum is underpinned by the AMC Charter for Education – a holistic approach to education, acknowledging the inherent connection between faith, learning and wellbeing, which we believe are intrinsically linked. It is designed to meet the myriad and evolving needs of our students, producing outstanding personal and academic success. We work closely with families and students to address specific interests, needs and capabilities by developing bespoke learning programs that may include off-campus VET and university subjects. Ultimately, we strive to educate the whole person, fostering a lifelong love of learning and readiness to contribute to the world.
Click to discover: Ave Maria Curriculum Pathways Snapshot
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She Who Engages
She Who Excels 8
Facilities: State-of-the-art learning environments Educating young women of the future requires the infrastructure to match. Ave Maria College boasts state-of-the-art facilities and contemporary learning spaces, to maximise the learning potential of all students. In 2017, the College embarked on a four-stage architectural Masterplan led by Ave Maria College alum and Hayball architect, Marissa Cavalchini. The ambitious plan breathed new energy into the College community by redeveloping a 1960s two-storey building into a modern three-storey learning centre that reflects our evolving identity as a contemporary place for young women to thrive. We provide functional spaces for both collaborative and individual learning. Our purpose-built classrooms are fully integrated with digital capabilities. Research areas and dynamic indoor and outdoor study hubs provide students with the flexibility to tailor their own learning experience. Sustainability and reduced energy consumption are factored into the overall design of all our award-winning facilities. Our focus on low energy lighting, eco-friendly air-conditioning and natural cross-ventilation, ensures we safeguard and future-proof our stunning facilities for generations to come. Our learning environments reflect the College emphasis on design-thinking, STEM and enterprise skills. The facilities are intended to spark curiosity and encourage students to seek new knowledge and skills with the view of opening pathways to emerging professions through classroom transparency, collaboration and engagement.
Co-curricular: Expanding on excellence At Ave Maria College, we complement our engaging and innovative curriculum with an extensive co-curricular program. The College recognises the importance of a robust co-curricular program to increase engagement and deepen critical thinking, creative thinking, problem-solving, reasoning and communication skills. The program is designed around the AMC Charter for Education, which seeks to build a love for learning and a readiness to contribute to the world. Alongside classroom learning, our co-curricular program supports holistic development that prepares students for whatever challenges they may face – building resilience and the confidence to thrive in any context. Students are offered a wealth of opportunities to discover new passions and hone skills in the areas of creative arts, music, drama, sport, debating, community service and beyond. We also offer a contemporary Timor-Leste immersion program, which encourages students to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. We also provide international study tours to Italy, Indonesia and the United States of America to foster a global perspective. Our House system is inspired by our Patrons to strengthen relationships within the College. The Houses – Helene, Mary, Frances and Clare – provide invaluable opportunities for cross-cohort interaction and personal development activities, fostering a sense of belonging and community across year levels through events such as the House Athletics and Sports Carnivals. Our program is far-reaching and ensures students’ talents, interests and ambitions are nurtured. This approach is designed to build a distinct identity and voice, unique to each student, that will carry them through life after Ave.
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She Who Shines
She Who Connects
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Alumnae “What makes Ave special is the warmth you feel walking through the front gate… which has a lot to do with the community that surrounds the school and the support within the school.” Danielle Price, Ave Alumnae - Class of 1995
WOMEN OF AVE MARIA COLLEGE
Click to watch: Interview with Ave Maria Alumnae, Danielle Price
She Who Thrives
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“Ave has always encouraged me to push myself, which has strengthened my self confidence and helped me grow as a student. The College has provided me with endless opportunities to express my individuality and interests and have my voice heard.” Mya Mollica, Student
14–22 Vida Street Aberfeldie VIC 3040 ABN 41 797 200 262
phone (03) 9331 9300 email avemaria@avemaria.vic.edu.au www.avemaria.vic.edu.au
@avemariacollege @avemariacollege @avemariacollegeaberfeldie