Christmas Blessing

May the coming days of Christmas,

days which remind us of Jesus’ first appearance on earth,

be more than ever days of great inner and outer joy,

an echo of the angels’ song and of the shepherd’s gladness!

May we live them so that Jesus,

now ascended into heaven,

when he looks down on earth

and on all the places celebrating his Christmas,

will rest his gaze with particular satisfaction

on the place where we are staying,

so he can admire

a marvellous, living Christmas,

built and re-built, hour by hour,

out of love for one another,

which makes him really present among us.

Amen

Thank You

As we come to the end of the year, I’d like to thank you for your support, generosity and hard work throughout 2024. Every year brings with it twists, turns, surprises and unexpected opportunities. As we look back over the year, I believe we can be well pleased with all that has been achieved. It’s been a very good year. Thank you.

In the mad rush that sometimes marks this time of the year, I hope that all families find moments of stillness to reflect on why we celebrate Christmas. Christmas is an ongoing invitation to each of us to be people of goodness and light.

May you all enjoy the light, laughter and love of Christ this Christmas and may the New Year be filled with happiness, good health and many blessings.

Farewell

With the end of the school year, we farewell a number of staff and thank them for all they’ve contributed to the school. Each has been an exceptional staff member and a fine teacher.

Thank you to Mr Kevin Quinn who retires after a long and distinguished career in Catholic Education. In his career spanning 45 years, Kevin has worked in six Catholic secondary schools, and for the last 18 years has been Deputy Principal Pastoral Care at Catholic Regional College St Albans. In this time, he has walked with many students and their families as they navigated the joyous and sometimes tumultuous years of adolescence. Students, families and staff will remember Kevin as a kind, courageous and authentic leader who was a great listener, storyteller and always had the best interests of students at heart. We wish Kevin and Trish, his wife, good health and every happiness in this new phase of their lives.

We also farewell Mr Anthony Barresi, Mr Eder Ramos, Mr James Younan, Mr Andrew Bain-King and Ms Mai Nguyen who take up positions in new schools. I thank each of them for all that they’ve brought to our community. Their work has been much appreciated by students, staff and families.

Lastly, we farewell Mr Tom Evangelou and Ms Teresa Vu from our non-teaching staff Teresa is looking to work in a tertiary based library and Tom is persuing his interest in computer prgramming. Their energy, care and dedication has been very much appreciated by all of us.

Final days 2024

Congratulations and thank you to all students for the way that they finished the school year.  Year 10 students and staff had a great final day at Ice Skating. It was a great chance to have some fun and to reminisce about the year.

Similarly, Years 7 – 9 students enjoyed their final day which included an end of year mass and pastoral care activities. Many thanks to all families for your support in ensuring that students finished so well.

Aaron D’Souza Bursary

Following our end of year school mass, the College awarded the first Aaron D’Souza Bursary. Aaron was a student at Catholic Regional College St Albans from 2003 – 2006, finishing his VCE at Sydenham in 2008. He attended the University of Melbourne, and completed a Bachelor of Science and two Masters Degrees before taking up a position with Victoria Police.

Unfortunately, Aaron tragically died in January 2022. His family have established the Aaron D’Souza bursary in his honour. A bursary towards fees and levies in Year 10 will be awarded to a Year 9 student at the end of each year.

I would like to congratulate Marian Mariscal, the first recipient of the bursary. Marian is a warm, generous, inclusive and kind member of our school community who has excelled academically; represented the school in SACCSS Badminton and Volleyball; is a regular at Volleyball club, and readily volunteers her time to serve others and the school community. She is a leader amongst her peers, unassuming and an excellent role model to younger students.  

It was lovely that Aaron’s parents, Gratian and Agnes; his sister Aisha and his aunt, Daisy could join us for mass and morning tea. Below is the citation that the family have written for the award.

"This bursary has been set up in the memory of Aaron D'Souza. Aaron was an exceptional young man, who loved and deeply cared for his family, friends, peers, young and elderly members of the community. He was kind, generous and always went out of his way to help those in need, especially his fellow students and the elderly.

He was hardworking, intelligent and excelled academically, especially in Maths and Science. His many academic and professional achievements were complimented with his passion and team spirit for sport with Cricket, Tennis and Footy being his favourites.

He was an active member of the Emmaus and Sacred Heart church who volunteered his time to support the church activities and community.

Aaron was selfless, and a truly well respected and much-loved member of the community."

(Gratian, Agnes and Aisha D’Souza)

Semester 2 Reports

These are now available to students and families through the Parent Access Module (PAM).

College Yearbook

One of the highlights of the final day is the distribution of our Yearbook. Once again, it did not disappoint. Congratulations to Ms Laura Cioccia and the dedicated Yearbook team on producing a creative and entertaining records of our journey through 2024.

2025 Booklists

These have been emailed to student emails and to families, and are available on the following link:

Uniform 2025

It is important that all families ensure that students have all items of the summer school uniform for the start of the school year. Please note the following:

1. Students must have the formal school uniform as well as the Physical Education uniform.
2. The PE uniform can only be worn on days when students have Physical Education.
3. Items of PE uniform cannot be mixed with the formal uniform.
4. Only black leather school shoes can be worn with the formal uniform.

Booklists 2025

Earlier this week, families received an email with information about 2025 Fees and Levies and also the 2025 booklist.

Please note:

For 2025 only, families with a Health Care Card will not have to order books. The cost of books and stationery will be covered from the School Bonus.

Enrolment for 2025

Enrolment at the College continues automatically from year to year. However, if a student in Years 7, 8 or 9 is not returning in 2025, we ask that families notify us as soon as possible. Please email echalmers@crcstalbans.com.au or ring Eileen Chalmers on 9366 2544 with this information.

Your assistance with this is much appreciated as we have a waiting list at most levels and would like to let these families know sooner, rather than later.

Start of the 2025 School Year

Friday 31 January 2025: Year 7 students only  (8.40am – 2.10pm) Year 10 Peer Support Leaders also attend.

Monday 03 February 2025: All students return   (8.40am – 3.10pm)

Monday 03 February 2025 will be Day 06 of the school timetable. Students should be able to access their timetable on SIMON from Thursday 30 January 2025.

Term Dates 2025

Term 1: Monday 03 February – Friday 04 April 2025 

Term 2: Tuesday 22 April – Friday 04 July 2025

Term 3: Monday 21 July – Friday 19 September 2025

Term 4: Monday 06 October – Thursday 04 December 2025

Please Note:    

Year 10 students finish at the College on Thursday 20 November but have an Orientation program at CRC Sydenham from Monday 24 – Friday 28 November.

Mid-year exams (Years 9 and 10): 16 – 27 June 2025

End of year exams (Years 9 and 10): 13 – 27 November 2025

Families planning to travel in the middle of the year or at the end of 2025 are asked to note that exams and the Orientation program at Sydenham are compulsory. Exams must be taken within the exam timetable. They cannot be taken before or after the exam week.

Please do not book travel before:

• 27 June in the middle of the year (Years 9 and 10)
• 28 November for Year 11 2026 students (Year 10 2025)
• 28 November for Year 9 students.

Year 8 RE Students Celebrate Advent with Joy at Kalyna Age Care

As we journey through the Advent season, a time of hope, peace, love, and joy, our Year 8 Religious Education (RE) students have embraced the spirit of giving and joy in a truly heartwarming way. This Advent, they participated in a special project that not only brought joy to their own hearts but also brightened the lives of others, particularly the residents of Kalyna Age Care in Delahey.

To embody the true meaning of Advent, the students crafted personalised Christmas cards and baubles for the residents. The cards were carefully written with kind messages, expressing joy, hope, and the Christmas spirit. Each card was a heartfelt expression of their wishes for the residents, many of whom may be spending the festive season away from their loved ones. The students took the time to thoughtfully personalise each message, ensuring that the words would bring a smile and a sense of connection.

In addition to the cards, the students also created beautiful, personalised Christmas baubles. Using a variety of materials, the students worked diligently to design and decorate each bauble, ensuring that it would be a meaningful and unique gift. These baubles, hanging on the Christmas trees of the residents, serve as a reminder of the love and care extended to them during this special time of year.

This initiative not only allowed the students to express the Advent theme of joy, but also taught them the importance of community, kindness, and the impact of small gestures of love.We are incredibly proud of our Year 8 students for their hard work, creativity, and compassion in bringing Advent joy to those in need. Their actions embody the true spirit of Christmas and remind us all of the power of kindness and connection, especially during the holiday season.

We hope that this experience has inspired our students to continue living out the values of Advent throughout the year, spreading joy and kindness wherever they go.

Wishing you and your family a joyful and peaceful Christmas season.

Ms Jacinta Dykes - Faith Development Leader