What a blessing it is to serve as college principal in our 60th anniversary year.
As we stand on the shoulders of six decades of excellence in Lutheran coeducation, it is both a privilege and an honour to look back with grace and give heartfelt thanks to those who came before us. From our founding visionaries to the tireless efforts of leaders, staff, students and families, each chapter of our story has been written with Martin Luther’s gospel message permeating through all that we do.
Our Foundation Stone, unveiled in 1962, brings this theology to the fore, with the inscription of the reformation catchcry Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, along with the reference to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved by faith. It is not the result of your own efforts but God’s gift.
With sixty incredible years and a firm foundation from which to work, I am excited by what is ahead. Our skilled educators, innovative partnerships, multi-disciplinary learning, flexible contemporary facilities, and research and development are all providing infinite opportunities for our young people.
‘The God of Heaven will give us success. We are going to start building.’
Nehemiah 2:20
In this edition of Spotlight, I am delighted to share with you some key events from Term 1, including our Class of 2023 achievements, the 60th anniversary service led by Bishop Lester Priebbenow, our weeklong immersive arts experience that was Luther Create, and an opportunity to hear from our German exchange students who spent Term 1 with us and their host families.
I am also proud of our students and staff for incredible displays of strength and determination at our annual House athletics and EISM Swimming Carnival where we placed an impressive second overall.
It’s an exciting time to be at Luther.
Ms Jacqui Layfield
Principal
Celebrating 60 Years of Educational Excellence
On Saturday the 10th of February the college opened its doors to all, coming together to celebrate, with a service led by Bishop Lester Priebbenow. Council Chair Helen Suke and Principal Jacqui Layfield delivered heartfelt reflections, while long-standing past staff member Alan Collyer played the organ. We were delighted to have past student Hannah Pietsch sing Psalm 23, Chaplain Anita Foster and College Captains deliver prayers and a student choir perform The Blessing, accompanied by past staff member Bernard Dana.
Guests were also treated to piano performances by Year 11 VCE Music students Jadon and Charlie and the Amati Strings, led by Rosie Burns, comprising Claire (Year 12), Isabel (Year 12), Dominic (Year 11) and Jaylen (Year 8).
The college Chapel also celebrated its own special milestone with 40 years since it was built. The Chapel is the heart of the college, it is God’s house, a place we come to hear his word and to learn the story of Jesus.
The Chapel window communicates this story through symbols, just as the art in the early Christian church did. The artist of the magnificent leadlight window, Klaus Zimmer, designed it using a series of symbols to remind us of God’s love.
With so much detail delicately placed in every inch of the window, students and staff are often reminded of the story that inspired its creation.
As we look ahead, we excited by the opportunity to continue our anniversary celebrations. Thank you to everyone who took the time to join us.
Happy Birthday Luther College!
Celebrating the Class of 2023
The academic year was off to a tremendous start, with the opportunity to recognise the achievements of our Year 12 Class of 2023 at the Luther College Opening Service in February. We are not only proud of their achievements, but the hard work and dedication that is an essential part of this success. What a perfect example for our current students to admire and aspire to emulate in 2024, and the years ahead.
Congratulations to our 2023 Dux, Charlie Oakley and Proxime Accessit, Joshua Haysom, together with the Subject Dux recipients and the entire cohort. We must also acknowledge our professional and dedicated team of teachers who mentor and challenge our students from Year 7 through to Year 12. We wish the cohort of 2023 every success for their future, in whatever pathway they pursue in the years to come.
EISM Swimming
Led by Sport Captains Ava and Matt, team Luther proudly took to the pool for the EISM Swimming Carnival in March. It was an opportunity for students across all year levels to compete against other schools at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. Luther finished with an impressive second overall plus winners in the U13 Girls group.
House Athletics
On a very warm Autumn day in March, students and staff gathered at the Doncaster Athletics Track for our annual House Athletics Carnival.
Competition was fierce and results tight until the very end, but there could be only one winner. Congratulations Birt House for an outstanding team performance.
There were five records broken on the day including a 36-year-old record in the Girls U16 400m. Other records included the Girls U14 Discus, Girls U14 Shot Put, Boys U21 800m and the Boys U17 Relay.
Congratulations also to our Year 12 students who made the most of their final carnival dressing to impress with some inventive costumes reflecting House colours. Eggplants, The Lorax and Cheerleaders amongst the stand outs.
Luther Create
Luther Create, our annual weeklong celebration of the arts, was an opportunity for students to explore their creative sides, with daily guest speakers, performers and workshops open to all.
Special guests included Ruccis Circus, jazz musician Julien Wilson, improv expert Dan Thomas and artist Sarah Fern.
In addition, students participated in daily Home Group exercises including a music and theatre quiz, while also making their own Home Group montage videos.
Chalk the Walk was also a highlight with stunning chalk drawings filling the undercroft and a microfilm competition giving students one minute to explore the concept of dreams.
Willkommen, unsere deutsche Schüler*Innen!
Six German exchange students spent Term 1 immersing themselves in life at Luther as part of the Bayerischer Jugendring (BJR) exchange organised through the Association of German Teachers of Victoria (AGTV).
Students were welcomed into the home of their host for ten weeks, where they not only gained an intimate knowledge of how things operate in the home and at school, but also the wider community. The reciprocal stay will take place later this year, when our students are set to enjoy a white Christmas.
Being a student at Luther College has delivered a number of surprises for our guest students, the first of which is managing tiredness, with longer school days, double periods and a larger campus to get around. They have also had to adjust to wearing a uniform, something they do not do in Germany.
“The campus is very big, open and spacious and I really like the idea of having multiple buildings,” Alina said.
“I also really like the different electives students can select. I am doing textiles and I really like it because at the end of the term we will have our own piece of clothing made,” she said.
“Luther has many different subjects, for example 'music performance', which I really love,” said Elias.
