GO GIRLS 2022

After a 4 year wait the event was finally back. The Victorian ICT for Women network ran an event for all Victorian school girls in Years 5 to 12 to make students aware of the incredible range of vocational avenues available in the technology field. This year the event was held at Deakin University and attended by over 1700 students from across Victoria. CRC St Albans attended the event with 30 students from across the years.  The students had opportunities to participate in a wide range of activities to make them aware of the educational and career paths available in the world of technology.  The students attended presentations by recent graduates to understand how they ended up in their career paths and the opportunities made available to them. The girls enjoyed experiences in Augmented Reality and how it is used to train future astronauts. The highlight for most of the girls was the trade show with great conversations with industry stakeholders and an opportunity to meet the occasional giant robot.  The students left the event with a greater appreciation of careers available within IT, some educational routes open to them and most importantly a full show bag. Roll on GOGIRLS 2024.

- Mark Johnston, Technology Leader

Student Leaders Conference

Visit From the Lord Mayor of Brimbank

On Monday the 12th of September the Lord Mayor of Brimbank Council, Cr. Jasmine Nguyen visited the College to speak with student leaders and school garden volunteers about the Brimbank Climate Emergency Declaration as part of our Season of Creation celebrations.

Cr. Nguyen spoke passionately about her journey into politics and eventually the title of Lord Mayor and encouraged all students as residents of Brimbank to engage with Council and make their voices heard! 

The climate emergency strategy sets out actions for Council operations to be carbon neutral by 2030 and for the whole local government area of Brimbank to be at net zero by 2040! This session has no doubt inspired our own leaders to set ambitious goals for our own community to be discussed at the first community earthcare meeting next term.

After her presentation student leaders took the Mayor on a tour of the garden and discussed our community work growing food and raising funds for the loaves and fishes food bank. 

Congratulations to all involved for an excellent afternoon!

Year 8 Humanities - Kryal Castle Visit

I think that Kryal Castle was a very exciting trip for all of us in Year 8. We were able to experience many different activities relating to what we were learning about in Humanities, which was the Medieval time period. It was very interesting to learn about how people lived in Medieval times and how their beliefs and practices have influenced the modern world. I think it was especially interesting to see what kind of armor and swords Medieval knights used, and although quite gruesome, how torture machines were used to punish/kill people back then. The Year 8 students also got to participate in sword fighting as well as being part of a “Middle Ages trial” act. We all sat in an old court room and decided if a student was innocent or guilty of an act. Of course we decided he was guilty because we wanted to see him ‘punished’! All in all, it was a great experience for us, and it taught and showed us many aspects of this time in history. 

- Lihnah, 8 CK

On Tuesday 6September the Year 7 students took part in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) immersion day.

They participated in a range of activities designed to use key skills related to STEM such as:

• Problem solving
• Creativity
• Critical Analysis
• Teamwork
• Independent thinking
• Initiative
• Communication

It is predicted that these will be the most sought-after skills for the jobs of the future!

The activities included:

• Building a catapult
• Science Show -Chemical Secrets
• Maths Games & Activities
• Tower Challenge

The students and staff had a great day.

“The Scientist ruined someone’s shirt & then carbon dioxide apparently fixed it! This is because lots of people were breathing it out. This was my favourite experience of the day.”

‘It was wonderful to be able to work in small groups again, I really enjoyed it.”

“The science guy made science really interesting.”

“The Math’s game activity was fun, especially how they were quick paced.”

“I enjoyed learning about chemical reactions.”

“Putting our minds together to make something that actually worked was the best part of the day.”

“The best part of the day was developing quick thinking and teamwork skills.”

Family Man

You feel it all as a father; joy, thrill, strength – even aches and pains. And it’s important to acknowledge it all. So whether you're a father figure, new to the job or know someone who plays this important role in your life, we're here with advice and support for all stages of the journey.

One undeniable truth about kids

Every parent knows it: kids can be trying. And the effect on our mental health can be huge. That’s why Family Man exists to help parents calm the chaos, and improve their mental health. It’s where you’ll find simple tips and advice with evidence-based strategies shown to improve children’s behaviour.

Check It Out – Parenting Strategies That Work

Wellbeing for Learning Important Dates/Events

• eSafety Commission - Webinars for parents and carers
• Brimbank Youth Services upcoming free parent webinars, please see further details below. These two webinars are part of a response to the Brimbank RYAS data indicating that 50 – 70% of male gender secondary school students are gaming excessively and 45 – 60% of female gender secondary school students are texting between midnight and 6am.
  • Thursday 13 October: Teen Gaming – What every parent needs to know
  • Thursday 27 October: Untangling Teens & Tweens from Tech

Our Positive School Wide Behaviours (PSWB)

at CRC St Albans

As our students prepare for school-holidays; it is important to remind ourselves our Positive School Wide Behaviours when we are in the Community.

When we are in the community we are not only representing ourselves, but also our families, school and church. We remind our students that at the heart of the community are positive respectful relationships.

Self-Care September

Welcome to Self-Care September

Caring for yourself isn't selfish. When we're kind to ourselves it also helps us respond more positively to what happens and treat others more kindly too.

Please see our Self-Care September calendar full of actions to help you be kinder to yourself. Please share it with your loved ones too.

Character Strength of the Week

Forgiveness - Virtue of Temperance

Definition: The action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.

Explanation: I forgive others when they upset me and/or when they behave badly towards me, and I use that information in my future relations with them.

Synonyms: Understanding, tolerance, dispensation.

Quote: "Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness" - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

"Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave" - Indira Gandhi

Further Information: Forgiveness means to extend understanding towards those who have wronged or hurt us. It means to let go. In many cases, this is the letting go of some or all of the frustration, disappointment, resentment, or other painful feelings associated with an offense.

How to ignite your forgiveness:

• What are the circumstances in which it is easy for you to be forgiving? Who is easiest to forgive in your life?
• How does it feel when you forgive someone?
• What are the advantages of forgiving someone, and what are the disadvantages?

National eSmart Week

Last week we celebrated National eSmart Week and we unpacked our rights and responsibilities in the online world? Our National eSmart Week activities were developed to help us become positive digital citizens.

Please use the link provided to unpack our eSmart resource with your family Learning Topic - Rights.

RUOK Day CRC St Albans

Checking in with each other is a consistent approach we take here at CRC St Albans, as it ensures we are all 'ready to learn' and feel safe, connected and happy. More importantly, it allows us to check-in and start a conversation.

Please see our RUOK CRC St Albans Presentation and enjoy the activities.

Remember, a conversation could change a life.