This week marks Anti-Poverty Week across Australia. The week includes World Food Day on Tuesday and the UN Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Wednesday. Weeks such as this set out to highlight issues of poverty and hardship, to strengthen our understanding of its causes and consequences, and call all of us to live more simply so that others might simply live.

While many in Australia live in comparative comfort, three million Australians (including over 730,000 children) live in poverty. Around the world more than a billion people are desperately poor. If we truly believe that Jesus came to bring the good news to the poor, what do we need to do to put the common good before our own, individual good?

Anti-Poverty Week ties in well with the most recent Social Justice Statement developed by the Australian Catholic Bishops. “A Place to Call Home: Making a home for everyone in our land” asks us to be the Good Samaritan: to take responsibility for homelessness and the housing crisis, as individuals, as a Church and as a nation.

In this year, the 70^th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the statement reminds us that secure housing, along with access to food, work, education and health care are all inalienable human rights. We know that beyond the 116,427 who were homeless at the 2016 Census, many other Australians experience hardship in relation to housing. There is a shortage of community and social housing, many households are paying more than 30% of their income on accommodation and the demand for emergency accommodation is ever increasing.

So what can we do? Reading the statement might be a good place to start. Copies are often available in parishes or can be accessed by visiting the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council website (www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au). The report is supported by a number of interesting resources, including 10 action steps that we might take.

Welcome Back

Welcome back to term 4. I hope that everyone had a really good break and returns well rested, re-charged and ready for a big final term.

Staffing News

Last Friday Ms Claire Rayos started parental leave. We wish her and her husband Riko the very best as they prepare for the birth of their first child. Ms Daniela Ibrido and Mr Ross Russo are on long service leave.

We welcome Ms Christie Roberts (English / Chrysalis), Ms Jaimi Dawson (Visual Communication and Design) and Mr Russell Smith (Humanities) to our school community for Term 4. Each brings a wealth of experience, many gifts, fresh ideas and a strong commitment to learning and our students. I wish them every blessing in their time at the College.

40^th Anniversary Celebrations

Next Sunday we are looking forward to the final event of our 40^th anniversary celebrations, an ‘Open House’ afternoon for former students and staff. This is a chance to gather, catch up, share memories and have a look around the College. Please join us.

Good Intentions Aren’t Enough!

As we settle into Term 4, it is important that the good intentions with which we started the term match our practice.

Most of us begin a new term with the best intentions and know exactly what we SHOULD be doing. We SHOULD work hard, do our homework, read every day, ask for help, go to Study Support, start revision for exams early in the term, meet deadlines, come to class prepared……… However, having good intentions is not enough – it is what we actually do that counts! We need to have the self-discipline to follow through and to stick to the things we KNOW we SHOULD do.

Following the mid-year reports students set learning goals and action steps to achieve these. Whilst many are doing a great job in following through on these actions, some need to refocus and get down to actually doing what they’ve planned. With a quarter of the year to go, it is not too late. Support from a trusted friend, a family member, your PC teacher, the school counsellor / psychologist or your Year Level Leader might help.

I’d encourage all students to make sure that this is a term where they actually DO what they know they should be doing.

Catching up with Year 11 students

Last week it was lovely to see many of our Year 11 students back at the College for an early dinner and the chance to catch up with staff. On what was a lovely spring evening, we enjoyed a sit down roast dinner in the Jubilee Garden and the chance to catch up, share stories and reminisce.

This event follows a similar dinner for Year 12s in the last week of Term 3. Thank you again to Hayden O’Doherty and our student leaders for organising and hosting another very successful night.

Kwong Lee Dow Scholarships

Every year secondary schools across Victoria can nominate students to be considered for the Kwong Lee Dow Scholarships offered through Melbourne University. Applications are judged on academic achievement, school involvement and leadership skills. At the College we shortlist based on Semester 1 results and then look at involvement in school life and leadership to confirm the nominations.

I’d like to congratulate Jordan Luong, Hayley Nguyen, Harrison Gatt and Vimal Naik on being our nominees for the scholarship in 2018. Best wishes to these students. Each would be a worthy recipient of this award. We should hear by early December if they’ve been successful.

Year 9 Camp

On behalf of the Year 9 students I’d like to thank Mr. Taylor and all the staff who planned and attended the Year 9 camp. It was a terrific experience for everyone. Families will recognise that it is a huge responsibility taking away over 100 adolescents. I thank staff for their willingness to be part of challenging activities such as this, and students who were engaged, positive, mature and responsible in their approach to the camp. I know that the benefits of learning opportunities such as this are immeasurable.

Inter house Athletics Carnival: Friday 02 November

Preparations are under way as the Houses prepare for the Athletics Carnival in two weeks’ time. We ask that all families return the permission slips as soon as possible.

We hope for a fine day but should it be raining we will have a normal school day, Day 10 of the timetable.

Families are very welcome to join us for part, or all of the day. The Keilor Athletics track is located near the Keilor Basketball Stadium.

Keilor Athletics Track

Stadium Drive

Keilor Park  3042

Re-enrolment forms

Re-enrolment forms have been sent home this week. In order to assist us with planning for 2019, families are asked to return these by Friday 2 November, 2018.

Term 4 Uniform

From Wednesday 7 November all students will need to be in full summer uniform.

Newsletter Days for Term 4 2018:           

Fridays:

1 November (Thurs)

16 November

29 November (Thurs)        

19 December (mailed home)                     

The newsletter can also be accessed on Friday morning (Day 10) on the College website at http://www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au

Since our last newsletter…..

Over and above the day to day activities of the school since our last newsletter students, families and staff have participated in the following:

• Year 11 dinner
• Year 7 2019 Testing
• Guelen Week
• Year 10 Outdoor Education camp
• Year 8 Premier League

I am sure that students and their families are very appreciative of all these opportunities and the time and energy that staff put into organising and offering these experiences.