STRIDE@9

STRIDE@9

STRIDE@9 offers Year 9 students at Loreto Mandeville Hall Toorak the ability to explore their own direction, encouraging both collaborative work and individual learning to challenge their capacities and awaken civic awareness.

The academic program and experiential learning offered in STRIDE@9 will engage students to unfurl their curiosity, develop their independence, and build their capacity to think and act justly, deepening a sense of their moral and social responsibilities.

Through interdisciplinary learning, students will be able to grow and develop leadership and relational skills, aligned with Loreto’s core values of Freedom, Justice, Sincerity, Verity and Felicity, that are responsive and relevant. Guided by the Mary Ward Schools’ Compass, these skills will equip our students to actively shape a positive future, locally and globally.

Striding out, spirited and strong Pursuing her dream to its end.

from Lead Us On Mary Ward written and composed by Sr Deirdre Browne ibvm

The Mary Ward Schools’ Compass

The Mary Ward Schools’ Compass sets the direction for students in Mary Ward schools around the globe. In 2017, the Compass was created at an international conference of Mary Ward educators from 21 different countries, who met across the divides of culture, language and nationality, to set a course for our schools into the future.

The Compass features eight markers aligned to the directions we follow as we seek to find our way in the world as people of

faith and hope; each direction then points to a core focus for the curriculum and programs offered by Mary Ward schools and STRIDE@9.

At Loreto Toorak, we look to the Compass to guide our planning for the student journey in Year 9, which helps to ensure student attributes and attitudes are those of empowered, confident, thoughtful and courageous young people, who will become agents of change in the world.

The Compass Mary Ward Schools Today

Being an Agent of Change

A Mary Ward school today discerns what change is happening or needed, and encourages collaborative work to embrace change in order to take God’s purpose forward through education.

(cf KG pp 3&7)

Owning and Developing the Charism

A Mary Ward school today joyfully accepts responsibility for evolving and unfolding in our time the God-given charism that Mary Ward channelled in her time. We continue to interpret this charism, adapting what has been passed on to us, in creative and innovative ways congruent to the times.

(cf KG p 2, IBVM Call 1, CJ Call 8)

Embracing and Affirming Diversity

A Mary Ward school today embraces diversity as a mirroring of the wonder of Creation. Seeing the image of God in human diversity, we encourage the young to discover their interdependence so they each find their own dignity –“I am because you are”–and feel truly affirmed and included.

(cf KG pp 6-7; IBVM Call 5)

Keeping our Focus Fixed

A Mary Ward school today continues to take its bearings from Jesus, his gospel, and our charism, and to be guided by our JUST SOUL traditional values of Justice, Verity (Truth), Sincerity, Freedom, and Felicity (Joy).

(cf KG pp 1-2 & IBVM Call 1)

Guiding and Guarding in the use of Media

A Mary Ward school today develops responsive and effective ways to enable the young to engage safely and ethically with social media and emerging technology. This ensures the integrity of relationships while enhancing the opportunity for learning and creating global digital citizens.

(cf KG pp 7-8 & CJ Call 8)

Cultivating Values Needed Now

A Mary Ward school today promotes not only the traditional values in which it is rooted but also those values needed for education that is responsive and relevant to the present reality and to the future.

(cf KG pp 1 & 7)

Thinking and Acting Justly

A Mary Ward school today is aware of inequalities and oppression in the world of which it is part, and strives to be part of the solution, building peace by helping the young to think and act justly in response to injustice – whether in the school community, the broader community, or the environment.

(cf KG p 3,6,7,9; IBVM 2; CJ 5,6)

Engaging with the Bigger Picture

A Mary Ward school today, recognising the interconnectedness of all things, finds educational ways to engage with Laudato si’ and Agenda 2030: Transforming our World We promote the values, skills, and behaviours needed for living as global citizens finding fulfilment in harmony with all of creation.

(cf KG p 3; IBVM 2,4,5; and CJ 4,5,6)

Compass for the Future

Yan Balit - Walk Strong

STRIDE@9 Elements

Journey to Our Heart

The Collaborative Program

Intersection in the CBD

Central Elements of STRIDE@9

Journey to Our Heart

Exemplifies the following Mary Ward Schools’ Compass directions:

• Keeping our focus fixed

• Guiding and guarding in the use of media

• Cultivating values needed now

• Engaging with the bigger picture

• Thinking and acting justly

• Embracing and affirming diversity

• Owning and developing the charism

• Being an agent of change

Loreto Toorak has a long tradition of nurturing connections with First Nations Australians through immersions, incursions and experiences which emphasise friendship, community and learning.

Journey to Our Heart, which is integrated across STRIDE@9, focuses on the profound significance of Central Australia

as both the physical and symbolic heart of our country, embodying the life-giving spirit of the land.

Staff and students engage in walking on Country exploring the wonders of creation and learning from First Nations Australians. The immersive experience encourages spiritual reflection, listening and questioning and

Central Elements of STRIDE@9

a growth in understanding and respect. Journey to Our Heart is both an essential expression of our Loreto values and an experience which gives life to the aspirations of STRIDE@9.

Central Elements of STRIDE@9

Yan Balit – Walk Strong

Exemplifies the following Mary Ward Schools’ Compass directions:

• Cultivating values needed now

• Engaging with the bigger picture

• Thinking and acting justly

• Being an agent of change

In Semester 2, as part of their Humanities and Wellbeing studies, students take part in the Yan Balit project.

This project focuses on human behaviour in its social, cultural, geographic, economic and political contexts. In partnership with Monash University, students explore design thinking processes to consider ways of researching, prototyping and refining possible solutions to real-world problems.

Assessment in Yan Balit centres on the evaluation of student

skills in conjunction with content knowledge, with an emphasis on flexibility in learning, creativity in problem-solving, research abilities, collaboration, feedback exchange and project and time management.

Yan Balit celebrates the Loreto tradition of nurturing changemakers, encouraging students to embody the legacy of Mary Ward by being critical, creative, confident, and willing to take risks for impactful solutions and actions.

Central Elements of STRIDE@9

Yan Balit - Walk Strong

Be critical, creative and confident

Take risks to develop ideas for impact and action

“Students engage in walking on Country exploring the wonders of creation ... The immersive experience encourages spiritual reflection and a growth in understanding and respect.”

Central Elements of STRIDE@9

Compass for the Future – Microcredentials

Exemplifies the following Mary Ward Schools’ Compass directions:

• Keeping our focus fixed

• Guiding and guarding in the use of media

• Cultivating values needed now

• Engaging with the bigger picture

• Thinking and acting justly

• Embracing and affirming diversity

• Owning and developing the charism

• Being an agent of change

A Loreto Toorak education emphasises nurturing and developing students’ skills to empower and motivate them to use their individual gifts confidently, creatively, and generously.

STRIDE@9 Compass for the Future is an innovative opt-in microcredential initiative which

utilises the Mary Ward Schools’ Compass as a directional guide. Students engage in activities, short-courses, and projects aligned with their interests, earning microcredentials which are affiliated with the directions of the Mary Ward Schools’ Compass. These microcredentials contribute to three milestone levels: GOLD, SILVER, and

Central Elements of STRIDE@9

BRONZE, providing formal recognition at an end-of-year celebration.

STRIDE@9 Compass for the Future aligns with Loreto’s core

values and focuses on skillbuilding to prepare students to actively impact their local and global communities.

Central Elements of STRIDE@9

The Collaborative Program

Exemplifies the following Mary Ward Schools’ Compass directions:

• Cultivating values needed now

• Engaging with the bigger picture

• Embracing and affirming diversity

• Being an agent of change

The Collaborative Program is a highly anticipated collective event for Year 9 students from Loreto Toorak, St Kevin’s College and Sacré Cœur.

This three-part program focuses on a common social purpose, promoting cooperative work and developing social communication and interactive skills in a supportive environment.

• Collaborative 1 focuses on connections and building relationships between schools communities

• Collaborative 2 emphasises physical challenges, and problem-solving — integral pillars of STRIDE@9

• Collaborative 3 takes the form of a social event organised by a collective student working party. Students take ownership of decision-making aspects, including the theme and social setup, demonstrating their initiative and responsibility.

Central Elements of STRIDE@9

Intersection in the CBD

Exemplifies the following Mary Ward Schools’ Compass directions:

• Cultivating values needed now

• Engaging with the bigger picture

• Thinking and acting justly

• Embracing and affirming diversity

Conducted by The Intersection Urban Learning Group, STRIDE@9 visits Melbourne’s CBD to explore a different perspective of our city.

Through interactive storytelling, students discover the strength of diversity in building a healthy society by addressing issues like homelessness, societal stereotypes and connection. The program includes a panelstyle Q&A where students engage empathetically with individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences

of marginalisation, fostering a realisation that all people are so much more than stereotypes: they are neighbours – emphasising the interconnectedness of the community.

Intersection in the CBD aims to break down biases and promote a deeper understanding of the shared humanity that unites everyone; prompting students to consider their own roles and responsibilities as Loreto students to be agents of change.

Central Elements of STRIDE@9

Student Agency

Exemplifies the following Mary Ward Schools’ Compass directions:

• Keeping our focus fixed

• Cultivating values needed now

• Engaging with the bigger picture

• Owning and developing the charism

• Being an agent of change

Student agency is a central aim of STRIDE@9; it illustrates the power of engagement for the Year 9 student.

Students are encouraged to ‘lead beyond the badge’. Engagement activities and working parties offer the opportunity for active participation, questioning and providing an authentic student voice in all aspects of the STRIDE@9 year. Opportunities include but are not limited to planning and evaluating pastoral activities, Journey to Our Heart,

incursions and excursions as well as providing a Year 9 lens to academic and wellbeing focus groups.

Year 9 students are located in the purpose-built Clendon Centre, where they collaborate to consider the use of their large open spaces. This enhances their sense of responsibility for, and ownership of, their environment.

“Leave after you something on which others may build.”

Mother Gonzaga Barry

THE CHALLENGES SHE NEEDS