🏆 ACC SENIOR FOOTBALL PREMIERS 🏆

St Bernard's College has claimed the 2026 ACC Senior Premiership, with an impressive 17-point victory over Parade College at North Port Oval on Wednesday, 24 June.

Coming up against a team going for a fourth flag in a row, our team knew they had to be switched on. Playing with discipline, cohesion and total commitment from each player, the team were able to lead at every change and withstand a fightback from Parade in the last quarter. It was great to see a strong St Bernard's crowd attend the game, and the players all walked a little taller with that support from the stands.

A strong defensive start, led by Max Hoffman and Lachie Mitchell, laid the foundation for the win, while key forward Nate Jenkins capitalised on his opportunities with a dominant five-goal haul in the first half.

As the game opened up, the pace and class of midfielders Isa Merhi and Tevita Rodan proved decisive. The pair controlled the clearances and combined for five goals, helping drive the team to victory. Tevita’s outstanding performance was recognised with the ACC Best on Ground Medal.

This premiership is a fitting reward for nine months of hard work, commitment, and preparation from the entire squad. This win now qualifies the team to compete in the Herald Sun Shield competition in August.

We thank Parade College for a great game and commend them on a fantastic season. We also thank our head coach Steve Alessio, assistant coaches Mr Aaron Heppell and Mr Paul Groves, and all the staff, students, parents, and community members who have supported the team this year.

To our team, we couldn’t be prouder of your efforts—well done and good luck for the Herald Sun Shield!

Final Results:

St Bernard’s 13. 9. 87 def. Parade 10. 10. 70

Best Players: T. Rodan, I. Merhi, L. Mitchell, N. Jenkins, M. Hoffman, S. Juricskay

Goal Kickers: N. Jenkins 5, I. Merhi 3, T. Rodan 2, B. Foley 1, J. Currenti 1, S. Juricskay 1

Semester 1 team stats, up to 22/6/26:

3 new members in June- welcome to the team! Total= 172

116 Donations = 348 lives saved.

Congratulations and a big thank you to Sam, our school captain, on his first Lifeblood donation- hopefully the start of many more to come!

A big shout-out as well to Mr Davies for another life-saving plasma donation, and Mr Arya who recently made his 50th donation!

Whether it's your first or 50th time, we encourage you to book an appointment and help save the lives of Aussies in need.

On Thursday, 11 June, the Frank FitzGerald Auditorium came alive with the sounds of our talented Year 7 students during the Semester One Music Concert. The evening was a spectacular showcase of the musical skills our students have honed this semester.

Each Year 7 music group played a short medley of songs, where several students played a solo measure and one brave student from each group took centre stage to step into the role of conductor. 

The night also featured impressive performances from several College ensembles. Our Symphonic Band's special opening performance included an instrumental medley from Beauty & the Beast, in a preview of what's to come for our College musical in July. Our talented Saxophone Ensemble got the crowd moving with 'I Want You Back' by the Jackson 5, and our Super 7s band closed out the evening with an emphatic performance inspired by Queen. A special shout-out must go to our Junior Rock Band, who brought the house down with a stirring performance of 'Linger' by The Cranberries.

In closing the event, College Principal Dr Michael Davies complimented the excellent progress our Year 7s have made in less than 6 months of practice, and remarked that when the curtains closed, he had never seen such relieved faces!

We'd like to congratulate all our performers, and especially our Year 7s, who leaned into the challenge of playing on stage and with all eyes on them, did themselves proud. We also extend our thanks to the dedicated staff, parents, and caregivers who support our boys—your presence and encouragement made the night even more special.

As always, we thank the Friends of Music for their unwavering support of the music program at St Bernard’s College. Your contributions are invaluable! 

On Friday, 19 June, St Bernard’s College hosted an insightful business lunch in partnership with Business North West.

Titled ‘The AI Horizon: Architect Your Next Decade’, our guest speakers explored the uses and benefits of AI for business owners, demonstrating how the technology can be leveraged to greatest effect.

As Rob Pisano of appliers.ai put it, the ability of AI to automate key admin and operations tasks will “help you get back to doing what you love as a business owner”.

More than just a tech talk, the lunch was a great chance for our community to network and connect, an opportunity that over 100 guests seized with enthusiasm. It was wonderful to see business owners and locals from a range of industries meeting and learning from each other, all while enjoying a fantastic buffet provided by Saluministi.

Thank you to our amazing panelists, David Galtieri (DepthNode.ai), Rob Pisano (appliers.ai) and MC Steve Alessio (Business North West). Their insightful presentations and discussions ensured all attendees walked away with a greater understanding of the potential of AI in business.

Our gratitude goes out to all our guests, sponsors and community partners—your presence made the event a truly special showcase of community and connection.

It’s not every day you get Her Majesty’s Theatre all to yourselves, but after following their curiosity and taking the initiative, this group of Year 9 students organised exactly that.

As part of the Year 9 Urban Engagement Program at St Bernard’s College, our Secret Life of Melbourne task challenges students to look beyond the surface of the city they think they know; to ask questions, follow curiosity, and seek out hidden stories.

Jesse, Ethan, Daniel, and Oscar recently took this to another level, as they reached out, made connections, and created their own opportunities. Their initiative led to a private tour of Her Majesty’s Theatre, giving them behind-the-scenes insight into one of Melbourne’s most iconic cultural spaces.

Not stopping there, they also secured an interview with performer John Xintavelonis, who is currently playing the role of ‘Cal’ in the musical ‘Waitress’ (or as he calls it: ‘Props the Musical’). This interview allowed the students to gain first-hand perspectives on the realities of life on stage.

This is what it looks like when our boys lean in! We are proud of these students for putting themselves out there and engaging deeply with the world around them.

Moments like these are exactly what the Urban Engagement program is designed to inspire—preparing our young men for the wider world by encouraging curiosity, confidence, and stepping outside their comfort zones.

Our students with performer John Xintavelonis (right), and HMT Patron Services Manager Danny Alder (left). 

Last week, St Bernard’s College hosted another fantastic Networking Evening for parents and alumni, this time focused on the construction, property and trade sectors.

The Peter Hogan Boardroom was buzzing with conversation as alumni, parents and community members made new connections over drinks and canapes.

Thank you to our amazing panel of guest speakers Fonda Zahopoulos, Fiona Grogan and Loris Rebeschini, who generously shared their experiences, learnings and advice in a candid conversation. A special mention to our MC, Teo Torrelli from MKS Lending Group, who hosted the night impeccably and sparked fruitful discussion amongst our panelists and guests.

And finally, thank you to our partners MNG Lawyers, McDonald Upton, BMW Essendon, MKS Group and MKS Lending Group, for helping to make events like these possible.

We have been thrilled with the participation from our community in these networking events, and look forward eagerly to the next one!

Here are the key administrative dates for Term 3 2026:

Tuesday 13 July: Term commences

Tuesday 21 July: Year 11 & 12 Vocational Major - Parent Student Teacher Conferences

Wednesday 2 September: Year 7-10 Parent Student Teacher Conferences

Wednesday 9 September: Year 7-10 Parent Student Teacher Conferences (Online)

Friday 18 September: Term concludes

Monday, 21 September to Wednesday, 30 September: VCE Units 3 & 4 Trial Exam period