Wednesday marks the International Day of Families and across Catholic schools and parishes in Melbourne it is also Family Week. Family Week is an opportunity to reflect on the vital role that our families, in all their shapes and sizes, play in our lives and communities. It is a time to celebrate families in all their diversity and richness.

Each family is unique but whatever its structure, it’s where people find love, support and experience a deep sense of belonging. Families are crucial to our wellbeing. When families are compassionate, healthy, safe and nurturing places, our overall wellbeing improves, as does that of the broader community. Families help us to ride through difficult times and it’s within our family that we first learn about the presence of God in our lives.

Our opening reflection is a prayer for families. We pray for all families in our school community.

Lastly, we wish all the mums in our school community a very happy Mother’s Day for Sunday. We remember also the mums who are no longer with us. May all mums know that their unconditional love, support and all that they do for us are very much appreciated, even though we don’t always put our thanks into words.

On Monday morning we have our annual Mother’s Day Breakfast. It is a chance for a slower and more leisurely start to the week – hopefully, you have the time to join us. We look forward to sharing this special time with the mums, grandmothers and carers in our community.

Screen Free Day: Friday 10 May 2024

This week I am writing the newsletter early as Friday is a Screen Free Day. Apart from the staff working in administration roles, students and staff will not use screens (mobile phones, laptops, ipads) during the day. It will be a very interesting day as we navigate doing things differently.

The initiative to have one Screen Free Day per term was developed by our Child Safety Committee. It is an awareness raising activity to draw our attention to the all-consuming and addictive nature of screens, and the impact that this has on our relationships and wellbeing. The Child Safety Committee is inviting us to disconnect from screens to connect with each other.

Screen-based technologies, like phones and computers are wonderful. They have radically changed many aspects of our lives for the better, including education. No-one really wants to go back to the world of pencils, paper, spirit duplicators and the bakelite telephones of the 1950’s school. However, indiscriminate use can negatively impact our learning (work life) and wellbeing. We have all had the experience of checking one last thing on our phone at night, only to realise later, it is way past bedtime.

Concerns around the intrusion of technology into our lives have become so significant that the Commonwealth Government is introducing new employment laws around the right to disconnect.

Pope Francis regularly speaks about the need to disconnect from screens. Recently he spoke to young people at the Venice Biennial, reminding them to engage with others, rather than their phones.

“You might say, ‘but all around me, everyone is on their own with their cell phone, glued to social media and video games,’” said Pope Francis. “Yet, you must fearlessly go against the current: take life into your hands, get involved; turn off the TV and open the Gospel; get off your cell phone and encounter people!”

Our 2023 Resilient Youth Survey data provides some food for thought. Students are asked whether or not they access their devices between midnight and 6am.

Percentage of students using a device between midnight and 6am in 2023 (self-reported)

Note: The figure in brackets is the Australia wide percentage.

Thank you to the Child Safety Committee for driving this excellent wellbeing initiative.

SACCSS Interschool Sport

Term 2 is a busy time for interschool sport. Year 7 students started Premier League yesterday, our Badminton players will be competing on Monday, and last week we had the Interschool Cross Country.

Congratulations to all the students who represented the College at the SACCSS Cross Country. They displayed fine sportsmanship, achieved some very good personal best performances and were a credit to themselves, their families and the College. Thank you to the staff who organised the training sessions and supported the team on the day. 

We need to make special mention of two outstanding performances. Congratulations to Edward Oliha (9 Curtin) on taking second place in his age group and Joseph Di Bella (8 Clark) who placed third. Each should be very proud of what they have achieved.

School Advisory Council (SAC)

The SAC met on Monday evening. Key discussion items included:

• input on the Canteen policy which is currently being reviewed;
• feedback on the concept plans for the yard landscaping project;
• mental health and wellbeing issues, and
• a report from the Federation School Advisory Council meeting in Term 1.

I thank all members of the SAC for their time, input and support of the College.

There is room for one more parent/guardian representative on the School Advisory Council. The School Advisory Council Terms of Reference are available on the College website SAC Terms of Reference

Expressions of interest can be forwarded to principal@crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au.

Year 7 and 10 Immunizations: Last Chance

Year 10 students will receive the Meningococcal vaccine on Wednesday 16 May.

Year 7 families who missed giving consent for their child to receive HPV and Diptheria-tetanus-whooping cough booster vaccine can still do so. The students who missed  immunizations will be done with the Year 10’s.

Parental / Guardian consent for the vaccinations now needs to be done electronically by following the links below.

Please note:

1. Phone number needs to be entered with no spaces.
2. The edit button needs to be clicked to get ‘YES’ consent or ‘NO’ deny.

The Year 7 link is  https://portal.cirv.vic.gov.au//PrivacyCollection/?id=659a6026-eafd-ee11-9f8a-000d3ae1ab1a&Year7

The Year 10 link is https://portal.cirv.vic.gov.au//PrivacyCollection/?id=1a78e13d-57d0-ee11-9079-000d3ae1aeaf&Year10

Newsletter

The newsletter is published fortnightly and distributed to families electronically on Day 5. Students can access the newsletter via a link in the student bulletin on Monday morning.

Newsletter Days for Term 2 2024:           

Fridays:  23 May, 07 June, 21 June                  

The newsletter can also be accessed on Friday afternoon (Day 5) on the College website at http://www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au