THE HART
Term 1 2025 - Edition #10
In this newsletter
Principal's Message
Mr Ian Mejia
Mr Paul Murphy
Holy Week Liturgy
Ms. Jenny Hoare
Mr Paul Murphy
Year 7,8,9 Latin
Mr. Peter Wilkin
It's all Science!
Ms. Tiffany Murtagh
Message from the Chaplain
Fr Paul Grant
Open Day March 26
Important Announcements and Reminders
Mrs Nicole Abbott
Principal's Message
Ian Mejia, Principal
Dear Parents and Guardians,
At Hartford College, our partnership with parents is something we truly value—and one of the ways we nurture this connection is through our regular Key Parent Functions (KPF) These events are a special opportunity to come together as a community, hear from inspiring speakers, and continue growing in our shared mission to support the education and formation of our young men.
This term, we’re thrilled to welcome Joseph Pearce as our keynote speaker. Joseph is an internationally renowned author and speaker, celebrated for his insightful work on literature, culture, faith, and family. His books on iconic figures like G.K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis have captivated readers around the world, and his engaging speaking style makes this an evening not to miss.
We’d love for you to join us—and feel free to bring along family and friends.
🗓 Date: Saturday, 10 May 2025
🕡 Time: 6:30pm arrival for 7:00pm start – 8:30pm
📍 Venue: Hartford College, 33 Banks Ave
Each Hartford College family is allocated two complimentary tickets. Just use the code “parents” when booking. If you’d like to support the event, there will also be an option to donate during the booking process—any contribution is greatly appreciated.
Light refreshments will be served, and there will be a Q&A session after the talk. To help us cater appropriately, please RSVP via Compass. Thank you for your ongoing support—it’s through strong community partnerships like this that we can continue building a rich, holistic environment for our students.
Congratulations to Years 5 & 6 on a fantastic Holy Liturgy. There was a great deal of effort involved in this, and all the hard work paid off in a memorable, and professional play. Special thanks to Ms. Jenny Hoare, assisted by Ms. Cheryl Maloney and Ms. Grace Edwards for bringing it all together.
Wishing everyone a very safe and very happy Easter break!
Warm regards,
Ian Mejia
Principal
Holy Week Liturgy
Jenny Hoare, Year 5/6 Teacher
On the final day of Term One, the students in Years 5 and 6 presented a solemn and moving Holy Week Liturgy to the Hartford Community at St Michael’s Church, Daceyville. The dramatisation captured the most significant events in the suffering and death of Jesus, our Lord.
Throughout the term, the students carefully rehearsed Jesus’ journey to Calvary—from His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to His crucifixion on Good Friday.
During the season of Lent, the students reflected on the importance of opening their hearts through increased prayer, fasting, and giving generously to Project Compassion, as a way of thinking more deeply about Jesus and His sacrifice.
Holy Week is observed with special solemnity as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. It is the most important week in our Church calendar. Holy means “set apart,” and Christians dedicate this week to recalling the suffering and death of Jesus.
Reenacting Christ’s final days in Jerusalem is a reverent and meaningful way for students to deepen their understanding of His story and its lasting significance to our faith. God loved the world so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for us, so that we may share in everlasting life with Him in heaven.
The Liturgy concluded with reflective Prayers of Intercession and a special blessing from our dedicated Chaplain, Fr Paul Grant.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms Grace Edwards, our talented Hartford Music Teacher, for preparing the beautiful hymns that enriched our Holy Week Liturgy. A special thank you also to Ms Cheryl Maloney for her generous support, help and care in preparing the students so thoughtfully for the celebration. We also wish to express our warmest thanks to Mrs Nicole Abbott for thoughtfully organising a lovely Easter morning tea, where parents, students and staff shared in delicious Hot Cross Buns to mark the end of the term and the beginning of the holidays.
My sincere appreciation goes to the students in Grades 5 and 6 and Ben Mitchell in Year 8 for the reverence, enthusiasm, and commitment they brought to the Passion Play, making it a truly meaningful and moving experience for all.
It has been a rewarding and joyous term. I wish all students and their families a safe, happy, and Holy Easter, filled with peace, hope, and many blessings.
Ms. Jenny Hoare
Year 5/6 Teacher
Congratulations to our winners of the Easter Raffle:
- Thomas Brown
- Om Shetgaoncar
- James Elachi
- Samita Langi
Year 7,8,9 Latin
Mr. Peter Wilkin
This term in Latin, our Year 7, 8 and 9 students at Hartford College have been diving into the daily life of a Pompeian family—right on the brink of one of history’s most famous eruptions.
Through the engaging stories of Caecilius, Metella, and their household, the boys have been honing their translation skills while discovering the language, culture, and customs of Ancient Rome. They've followed the family through markets, dinner parties, and moments of everyday Roman life, all leading up to the moment when Mount Vesuvius looms on the horizon.
Along the way, students have explored Latin grammar and vocabulary in context, bringing these ancient voices to life with curiosity and a growing sense of connection to the ancient world.
Mr. Peter Wilkin
Latin, French, Philosophy
It's all Science...
Ms. Tiffany Murtagh
This term in Science, students put their knowledge of bacteria cells to the test with a hands-on experiment. After learning about bacterial structure and how these microscopic organisms grow, they swabbed various surfaces around the school—including desks, door handles, and even areas in the bathrooms—before transferring their samples onto agar plates. Over the next few days, they’ll observe bacterial growth firsthand, connecting their classroom learning to real-world applications. This experiment not only reinforces their understanding of bacteria but also highlights the importance of hygiene in our everyday environment.
Ms. Tiffany Murtagh
Science Teacher
Message from the Chaplain
Fr. Paul Grant
A Few Words from the Chaplain
Easter is approaching—a time of peace and joy, especially for those willing to listen attentively to the words of Jesus, who said to the Apostles, again and again, “Peace be with you.” Even now, during Lent, we are preparing to receive that peace by growing in the often-overlooked but essential virtue of calmness. This has been a recurring theme in my role as chaplain in recent weeks.
Through the short virtue classes, the celebration of Mass with a homily, and the regular personal conversations with the students here at Hartford, I’ve been encouraging a spirit of serenity, clear thinking, and steady joy—virtues that serve as a solid foundation for being at peace with oneself.
As I mentioned in the last newsletter, teaching virtues effectively requires a method—something to help the boys remember them and begin to make them their own. Over the years at Hartford, I’ve gone through the alphabet twice, with each letter representing a good quality. Now, I’ve begun working through the letters of the word HARTFORD itself. Since our last newsletter, we’ve explored Frankness, Optimism, and Respect. The next letter is D—I was thinking of Diligence, but I’m open to suggestions!
Hopefully, we are seeing some real fruit: boys who think more clearly, act more positively, and remain calm under pressure—a quiet but powerful sign that the spirit of the College is effective.
Wishing you and your families a Happy and Holy Easter!
Regards
Fr Paul Grant
Open Day March 26.
Important Announcements and Reminders
Joseph Pearce
Hartford College presents an evening to remember: "A matter of life and death: the battle for a true education".
Parents of Hartford College have been allocated two complimentary tickets per family. Simply use the code “parents” via this link or through the event page on the Hartford website.
Saturday 10 May, 6:30pm.
Hartford College Daceyville.
Uniform Shop
The office will be open in the April school holidays from Tuesday 22nd April - Thursday 24th April.
We also have a Staff Development Day on Monday 28th April.
A reminder the uniform for Terms 2 & 3 includes long trousers and long sleeve shirts. We also have woollen jumpers available.
If you need to pick up some Winter Uniform items before Term 2, please pop in when the office is open between 9am - 3pm.
Term Dates 2025
TERM 1: Friday 31 January - Friday 11 April
TERM 2: Tuesday 29 April - Friday 27 June
TERM 3: Wednesday 23 July - Friday 26 September
TERM 4: Tuesday 14 October - Wednesday 10 December
Compass Information
About
THE HART is Hartford College's newsletter for parents and students. Here you will receive all the latest news for what is happening around the school.
The name 'THE HART' refers to a mature stag of more than five years old. Its use is now considered in a more poetic form deriving from the Middle English word hert.
The word hart can be found in many classic texts such as the Old English epic Beowulf, which names Hrothgar's royal hall Heorot after the Danish word hjort meaning "deer".
J. R. R. Tolkien uses the word hart in his book The Hobbit, especially in the scenes traveling through Mirkwood Forest.
Shakespeare's uses the word in his plays, particularly the Twelfth Night as a pun between 'hart' and 'heart'.
It is in the spirit of these great works that we decided to name our newsletter THE HART since we want our boys to grow into mature and wise men like a faun grows into the stag or hart.
This newsletter will go to the heart of what is happening at our school by sharing news, stories and events.
