Artwork: Stephen B. Whatley

God of all goodness,

In Mary, you showed us that you do great things

through ordinary people.

We rejoice and are glad because

Mary shares in the glory of heaven with you.

May we be nourished by our sharing in your life and love,

so that we may live in the same faith in you as Mary did.

We make this prayer in your name.

Amen

Today is the Feast of the Assumption. This is an opportunity to reflect on Mary’s life and what she did for humankind. We give thanks and praise for her grace-filled and blessed life as we celebrate her assumption into heaven.

Mary is a woman who is one of us in every way; a woman who through her openness and trust in God enabled God’s will to be fulfilled in the most extraordinary way. Mary is more than a model of what is possible in relationship with God, she is our hope and our promise of what God can do in our own lives if we but trust and believe.

Student Led Conferences

Thank you to all families who attended the student led conferences earlier this week. They were a great opportunity for students to share their learning, achievements and reflections, and to identify goals for Semester 2. The support of families in this conversation is invaluable and very much appreciated.

Congratulations: Year 10 Students

The last four weeks have been a significant time for Year 10 students. They have selected courses for Years 11 and 12 and thoroughly enjoyed a great night at the Year 10 Social.  Each of these events is very much a rite of passage; a marker on their journey towards adulthood. They have impressed us all with their preparation, maturity and openness to advice. The next milestone will be work experience in the last week of term.

A very big thank you to Mr Sammut (Year 10 Level Leader), Ms Steele (Careers) and the Year 10 teachers who have supported students during this time.

Lastly, thank you also to all families who have been with their children every step of the way; the additional meetings at school and at Sydenham; ploughing through the course selection information and taxiing students around for the social. Thank you. We couldn’t do it without you and your support is very much appreciated.

With pathways for 2026 finalized, it is important that students now focus on the present, particularly their Year 10 studies. Too often thinking about the future can be unsettling. We can lose focus and forget the routines that have served us well to this point. In many ways the only thing that you can do about the future is to do your absolute best in the present. With more than 1/3 of the year to go, there is still much work to be done!

High School Musical Jnr (Six Sleeps to Opening Night)

We are looking forward to our school production next week. After months of rehearsals, everything is almost ready for opening night.

English can be a strange and colourful language. Typically, well-wishers will say "break a leg" to actors and musicians before they go on stage to perform. "break a leg" is an idiom used to wish a performer "good luck" in an ironic way. No one is really sure where the phrase comes from.

As we approach the opening night, I wish all cast and crew the very best. It has been a terrific experience so far and I am really looking forward to seeing our production of ‘High School Musical Jnr’. In theatre idiom ‘break a leg’ or good luck to all.

Staff Professional Learning

On Wednesday teachers were fortunate to work with Jess Rogers from TeachWell to explore key principles from the Science of Learning and the high impact instruction that are informed by these principles.

Our work is informed by the MACS Vision for Instruction being implemented across Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS). Families with children in Catholic primary school may already be familiar with some of this work.

As a school community we are continually looking to improve our practice and student learning outcomes. The work completed on this day provides an excellent foundation for next steps in our improvement journey.

Updating Family phone and email contacts

At times families change their phone or email contacts and forget to let the school know. In case of emergency, it is very important that these details are always up to date. If your contact details have changed, please notify the school, either by ringing the College or sending the information via email at enquiries@crcstalbans.com.au

NAPLAN Results

Year 7 and 9 families should now have received students’ 2025 NAPLAN results. Please contact the College, if you have not received these.  

Newsletter Days for Term 3 2025:       

Fridays:  29 August,   12 September

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

The school theme for National Science Week in 2025 is Decoding the Universe – Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language. This theme invites students and teachers across Australia to delve into the mysteries of the Universe by exploring the fundamental languages of nature, including mathematics and the groundbreaking field of quantum science.

Many activities were held during classes and lunchtime to celebrate the wonders of science. These included Education Perfect Science Challenge, science experiments/competitions and lunchtime activities such as the Tritation Challenge.

Did you see the meteor light up Melbourne's night sky this week? A nice suprise for Science Week!

From Saturday 16 to Saturday 23 August, we’ll be joining schools across Australia in celebrating Children’s Book Week, the CBCA’s biggest national event of the year. This year marks a special milestone — 80 years of Book Week — and the theme, Book an Adventure!, invites students to set sail through stories, explore fantastical worlds and embark on journeys through time and imagination.

Our feature artist for 2025, Jess McGeachin, has brought this adventurous spirit to life with a whimsical map filled with imaginary characters, inspiring readers to travel far and wide through the pages of a book.

Why 20 Minutes a Day Matters

Research shows that reading for just 20 minutes a day can significantly improve vocabulary, comprehension and overall academic success. It also sparks creativity, builds empathy and develops lifelong learning habits. This Book Week, we encourage families to set aside dedicated time each day to read together or to enjoy a quiet reading session.

Throughout the week, students will take part in short, fun homeroom activities in celebration of Book Week, helping us celebrate the joy of reading in playful and engaging ways.

Let’s inspire our students to “Book an Adventure!” this year,  both at school and at home.

Catholic Regional College St Albans will be taking 10 Year 9 students to attend the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) in Melbourne from Monday 1st December to Tuesday, 2 December 2025. What is ACYF? The ACYF is Australia’s premier national gathering of young Catholics, bringing together thousands of participants for 3 days of faith, friendship and formation. The festival features inspiring keynote speakers, engaging workshops, dynamic music and arts, and powerful liturgies. It’s an opportunity for students to deepen their relationship with Christ, discover their gifts and connect with the wider Church in a joyful, supportive environment.  If you are interested please complete the form below by August 15th.

All Year 10 students will be taking part in Work Experience during the last week of Term 3, 15 th – 19 th of September. This is an important part of their studies and helps students prepare for their future and career pathway. Parents, could you please support your children in finding a work placement if they haven’t yet done so. Work Experience forms were given out during the Year 10 subject selection process. Please feel free to contact Ms Lee-Ann Steele or Ms Denise Geraldo for further clarification. Attached is a link explaining the importance of Work Experience.

https://studyworkgrow.com/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Work-Experience-Guide-2025.pdf