Lent. Lente. Leisurely.

Lord, help me to move through this Lenten season at your pace.

Not rushing from post to post.

Not having time to stop and reflect.

Feeling stressed and hassled.

Help me to slowly contemplate the mysteries of your Word.

Help me to set aside time to be with those I love.

Help me to reach out to those in need.

This is the springtime of my soul – Let me savour it.

Amen.

Catholic Education Week: (10 - 17 March 2024)

Next week we celebrate St Patrick ’s Day, the patron of our Archdiocese and Catholic Education Week. Catholic Education Week is an opportunity to join with other Catholic schools to celebrate our distinctive Catholic identity, our achievements and the important role that our schools play in our parish and local communities.  

The theme for Catholic Education Week 2024 is ‘In the light of Christ’. This is drawn from the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) strategic plan MACS 2030: Forming Lives to Enrich the World.  Christ is our inspiration, the very life of our purpose as Catholic educators. Everything we do is illuminated by this.

The Mass of St Patrick for Schools will take place on Friday. We will be represented by Ms Dykes (Faith and Mission Leader) and a small group of student leaders.

Each week our newsletter gives you just a glimpse of the great things happening in our own school. None of this can be achieved without the commitment of staff, the support of families and the enthusiasm, interest and involvement of students. We’re very lucky in all areas. Thank you.

Vale

Last week we were very sad to learn that Sharon Mills, a teacher at the College from 1999 to 2009, and Haney Rangel, a student from 2013 – 2016 both passed away.

Sharon taught Health, PE and RE and was a House Leader, Religious Education Leader. She leaves her husband Anthony and two young children. We ask that you keep Sharon and her family in your thoughts and prayers. We remember Sharon as a gentle, generous and gifted teacher who will be very much missed by all who knew her.

Haney was a shy and caring member of our community. Those who knew her were touched by her courage, determination and kindness. We remember Haney and her family in our thoughts and prayers.

Inter-house Swimming Carnival

Students and staff enjoyed a terrific Interhouse Swimming Carnival yesterday. We were blessed with perfect ‘goldilocks’ weather, not too hot and not too cold. Congratulations to all the students who represented their House and who did their absolute best for their teams. There were some very good team and individual performances. Thank you to all the enthusiastic supporters who cheered for the swimmers all day, and all who participated in the novelty events.

Thank you to Mr Boudaher, Mr Fernando, the House Captains and all who assisted them in organising a fine carnival and a very enjoyable day.

On Tuesday 26 March the College swim team will head off to the SACCSS Swimming Carnival at MSAC. We wish all competitors well and hope that each of them is able to achieve a personal best on the day.

Years 7 and 9 Family Nights

Over the past two weeks we have welcomed Year 7 and 9 families to the College. Thank you to everyone who was able to join us; to Mr Bain-King and Ms Roberts, the Year Level Pastoral Care Teachers and Associates, and the students who led various parts of the night.

We look forward to meeting Year 10 Families on Thursday 14 March.

Traffic Management

As is the case around many schools, traffic around our school can be hectic at ‘drop off’ and ‘pick up’ times. We remind students and families that:

• The speed limit around the College and Sacred Heart is 40 kmh.
• Students should use the crossings on Arthur and Theodore Streets.
• Those walking to and from St Albans station can use the safe crossing on the roundabout at the corner of Victoria and Arthur streets.
• Arthur Street provides less congestion and some good pickup points, as do Winfred and Alexina Streets.
• As Theodore Street is the most congested, we suggest that families do not pick up or drop off in this street.
• It is illegal to double park on Theodore Street.

I trust that families and students will discuss these suggestions and, if there is a need, adjust their practices to ensure everyone remains safe.

As we walk through lent…..

In the season of Lent we have been listening to many challenges communities face in the Philippines,Samoa and Malawi. There is so much we take for granted, like access to clean running water at school. Last Friday, St Albans Catholic Regional College students stood in solidarity with the 1 in 3 schools around the world that do not have access to running water. They did this by carrying 10 liters of water over 3 Kilometers. Students reflected on the challenge of carrying water everyday as a normal part of school life.

In the season of Lent we give alms and raise money for those in need. At the Swimming Carnival, Student Leaders worked tirelessly providing a sausage sizzle for people. I would like to thank Maryam, Amanda, Oli, Shalom, Adrian, Qamar, Dianna and Anna  who cooked and sold sausages all day.

In the season of Lent we reflect on women who walked before us and with us. For International Women's Day, Student Leaders, teachers and our local Brimbank Councillor reflected on women that have inspired them. Students gathered together in the Library at lunchtime to hear the stories and participate in a quiz.

All students in Year 7 and Year 9 will take part in the NAPLAN testing from Wednesday 13^th March to Monday 25^th March. During this time all students will complete three tests in Literacy (Reading, Writing and Conventions of Language) and one test in Numeracy. The NAPLAN schedule is as follows:

To be ready for the NAPLAN test students need to:

• Have at least 8 - 10 hours of sleep the night before a test
• Avoid the use of electronic devices (screen time) one hour before going to sleep
• Have a healthy breakfast and snacks during the testing period
• Drink an adequate amount of water throughout the day of a test
• Ensure their laptops are fully functional and charged prior to a test
• Arrive to class on time, settled and ready to do their best in each of the tests.

Students may also wish to familiarise themselves with the online test tools via the use of the ACARA NAPLAN Online public demonstration site.

Please note any student absent on the day of a NAPLAN test will need to provide a doctor’s certificate and arrangements will be made for the student to complete the test at another time determined by the NAPLAN Coordinator.

If any students have any issues with their laptop in the lead up to the NAPLAN, they are asked to see Simon or Chuong as soon as possible.

For more information about NAPLAN Online, families are encouraged to visit nap.edu.au or read the attached document. Students that are concerned about NAPLAN or have any questions, are encouraged to talk with their PC teacher, Year level leader, Maths or English teachers.

We wish all our year 7 and year 9 students all the very best for their upcoming NAPLAN tests.

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Student/Parent/Teacher interviews will take place in the hall on Tuesday 23^rd April from 3:30 – 8:00pm and on Wednesday 24^th April from 9:00 am – 3:30pm. 

Interim reports will indicate whether an interview with subject teachers is requested.   The college will endeavour to accommodate interviews that are requested.

Families are asked to book sessions with their children’s subject teachers through the Parent Access Module by Friday 19^th April. The booking system is available through the college website or the SIMON Everywhere App. 

Early Dismissal

Students will be dismissed at 3pm on Tuesday 23^rd April and there will be no classes on Wednesday 24^th April as all teachers will be involved in the interviews.

We look forward to meeting with families and students to discuss their academic progress, achievement and goals.

During the year 7 family night, parents were given the chance to share strategies they have used to keep their children safe online.

Students were treated to an all female forum to help celebrate International Women's Day. Councillor Jasmine Nguyen from Brimbank Council, Jasmine Crisci (staff) and students shared stories of important females in their lives.

The sun was out in Sunshine on Thursday for our Swimming Carnival. Fierce competition between our Houses...the winners to be announced soon!

It was fantastic to see so many people attend the Year Nine Family Night last Tuesday. On behalf of the Year Nine teachers, we would like to thank you for taking the time to meet us and look forward to seeing you again throughout the year!

Please find attached the slides presented on the night.

- Ms Christie Roberts, Year 9 Level Leader

Butterfly House: Step into a magical world where colourful butterflies flutter and dance around you.

Science Discovery Dome: Immerse yourself in the wonders of the universe in our captivating 360-degree dome.

️Museum Visit: Embark on a journey through time and history with our pop-up museum.

All programs are at no cost. Bookings are essential and can be made starting on March 10^th at 9am by scanning the QR code, visiting www.brimbanklibraries.vic.gov.au, or calling your local Brimbank Library.