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Beatitudes for these times
Blessed are those who wash their hands,
for they shall hold living water;
blessed are those who keep their distance,
for they shall draw closer to God;
blessed are they who self-quarantine,
for they shall help others;
blessed are those who do not hoard,
for they shall feed families;
blessed are those who sing songs to sheltering neighbours,
for they shall be members of the heavenly host;
blessed are parents who learn to teach at home,
for they shall learn from their children;
blessed are they that shop for the elderly,
for they shall receive everlasting thanks;
blessed are the frontline health workers,
for they shall be called healers of humanity.
(Voices out of lockdown. Jan Sutch (ed)
Spring has sprung in the Community Garden. The fruit trees are in blossom and there are signs of new life and hope everywhere. With a steady decrease in COVID-19 numbers, there is also a sense of hope in our community. On Sunday, we will hopefully, get some idea about the shape of schooling in Term 4. We look forward to the possible easing of restrictions and to the better days that will come.
It has been a very positive fortnight in Learning from Home. Students continue to work well in their studies, even though most are more than ready to return to onsite learning. Thank you to all (students and staff) who are offering extra activities that keep us connected and engaged. Some like the exam preparation sessions help support learning, others are just for fun (spelling bees, trivia, mad hair days…). Every week there is lots to do, as you will see from our newsletter.
Many of the activities attract points for the Williams Cup, including the recent staff trivia. An update of the current Williams Cup points is included in the newsletter. It is a close tussle with only 7 points separating first and fourth.
Thank you also to families for all you do to support learning at home. It has been lovely catching up with current and future families at the Year 6 interviews this week, at the Massbaha (rosary circle) last week and at the Father’s Day breakfast.
Father’s Day
As I write I am looking forward to our first Fathers’ Day breakfast tomorrow morning. Breakfasts have been delivered, our guest speaker is ready and planning is all done. Thank you to our student leaders, Ms Cioccia, Ms Liberatore and Mr Quinn for all their work in organising this event. I know that it has taken quite some planning and organisation but am sure it will be well worth it.
We wish all the dads, grandfathers and all father figures in our school community a very happy Father’s Day for Sunday. We remember also the dads who are no longer with us. May all dads know that their unconditional love, support and all that they do for us are very much appreciated, even though we may not say and show this nearly enough.
Newsletter
In Term 3 the newsletter will continue to be published online only. Families will receive a SMS with a link to the newsletter, and students will receive the newsletter by email.
Newsletter Days for Term 3 2020:
Friday: 18 September
The newsletter can always be accessed on the College website at http://www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au
Some images from the College grounds; blossoming trees and daffodils.
What is our Call to Justice?
The human person is understood to be created ‘in the image and likeness of God’. This belief obliges Christians to work for justice, the flourishing of the human person and the common good of all. This theme is contextualized within our Year 10 theme, `Looking out the Window’. The unit gets students to reflect on not just awareness of social justice issues but get students to reflect on their personal impact on creating change in our world. The following are some reflections from students on the global issue of Climate Change and their personal response.
Yr 10’s reflect on themselves as Stewards of the Earth
I think society will have to change our ways in order to create a change for the better. For the past few years, our emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses have increased drastically. The Catholic Social Teaching of Stewardship of Creation claims that we are responsible for the actions that we do to our Earth, with this in mind, we should do things that are good for our environment and care for our common home. Through this unit, it has taught me to take care of our Earth more and view the world through the eyes of a Catholic and how we should be grateful with what God has blessed us with. Kristyl
Climate Change is the defining issue of our time. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding. The impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. According to Catholic social teaching, the earth and all life on it are God’s creation, Catholics must respect this gift by being responsible for our actions and take care of the world we live in. Linh
My thoughts and inner voice have changed and I have more knowledge about indigenous lifestyle in the past and how they treat and used the environment back then. I learned more about what is happening in developing countries and how they are destroying the environment by using chemicals and burning the forests. Rita
My inner voice has grown throughout this unit and I have also learnt many things regarding ‘Steward of the Earth’. Throughout this unit, I have learnt that the society’s aspect about taking care of the earth has changed over time but in a negative way. I have also learnt that more people are realising and getting to know about the harm the earth is going through, therefore, many people have offered to help. I would rate myself 6 out 10 as a ‘Steward of the Earth’ because there are still many things I need to learn and improve on. Stephanie
On a scale from 1-10 on “Steward of the Earth”, I'd have to place myself at 7. This is because I have not done many drastic and important things to make the earth and environment a better place, but I have the knowledge and ideas on how to keep the earth a better place. I also commit myself to small actions such as throwing the rubbish in the bin. Krystopher
I have gotten some knowledge on the impact we have on the earth and how much we are destroying it, so I am trying to adapt to a lifestyle where it's less of that. I would consider myself a struggling ‘Steward of the Earth’ but I definitely want the best for the earth. Liya
As a Steward of the Earth, I would like to believe that I live to protect God’s creation but there are things that are out of my control that I wish I could help with but just cannot. Such as things that are hurting our planet for example climate change, pollution, deforestation and more which are issues that I can have some effect on to help but cannot overall stop these issues. In terms of rating myself, I would like to give myself a respectable 7 but there are decisions and changes that I could make to further be a Steward of the Earth but those are decisions that can be difficult to make and maintain to do on a daily basis. One example could be becoming a vegetarian, something that would help me be a better Steward of the Earth but a decision which personally I do not want to make. Romiley
Resilient Youth Survey
This week and next week students will be completing the Resilient Youth Survey. This is the second year of conducting the survey.
The Resilient Youth Survey is an online survey which collects, analyses and reports on the resilience of young people at our school in terms of their strengths, life satisfaction, hopefulness, anxiety, coping style, risk and protective behaviors.
Specifically, the survey measures the resilience and wellbeing of our students across 9 key domains: Understanding Self, Social Skills, Positive Relationships, Safety, Healthy Body and Healthy Mind, Learning, Positive Attitude, Positive Values, Positive Identity.This data will continue to assist us in the design and implementation of our Pastoral Care program across the school and in particular respond to the needs of young people.
Occasionally the survey may raise questions from the students regarding personal wellbeing. It is important that as the adults that we listen to our children. If at any stage you or your child has concerns that you would like to further discuss, please contact the school, in particular your child’s Pastoral Care teacher, the Year Level Leaders our School Psychologist (Sharika) or myself.
Further information can be gathered by referring to the link – Resilient Youth Survey
Mr Kevin Quinn
Deputy Principal, Pastoral Care
LANGUAGES WEEK
From Monday 24th to Friday 28th August the College celebrated Languages and Understanding Week through a series of wonderful activities. This was a week to recognise the cultural and linguistic diversity in the Catholic Regional College St Albans community.
Students were invited to challenge their language learning and speaking skills by participating in a week long competition on Education Perfect. By the end of the week, students had collectively completed over 50 hours of language learning. A special mention to the three winners of the competition:
- Marsel Eshaq
- Laticia Nguyen
- Audrey Gerada.
In addition to this, students had the opportunity to show off their knowledge about different languages and culture by completing a survey. A special mention to Sacreana Ulugia-Sa’ena who was able to demonstrate a variety of phrases in over 10 languages and came up with an impressive list of cultural facts. Well done to Sacreana and everyone else who participated.
The efforts of these students have been recognised alongside all other students who participated and shared in the joy that is language learning and cultural diversity!
A big thank you to all the students and staff as well who offered their insights into cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as the challenges of not always knowing the language.
Daniele Zarosinski
L.O.T.E Leader
LEARNING FROM HOME
Cricket Victoria Girls Leadership Program
On Thursday the 27th of August, Audrey Gerada, Charlotte Gerada, Izabella Abdulahad, Vicky Huynh, Siena Singarella, Sierra Lynch and Maya Pion participated in Cricket Victoria's Girls Leadership Program. This Program aims to give the skills that young females need in order to become great leaders in the future. Well done to these girls who participated!
Attached are some notes that Audrey and Charlotte Gerada took from the Program, it has some valuable information for everyone to take on board who are interested in becoming a leader in the future, as well as for people who would like some advice for their wellbeing during Covid-19 lockdown.
Ms Adele Simoncini
YEAR 10 PRODUCT DESIGN
Visual Arts
'Who am I’ Drawing
I loved creating my artwork as l could include all the things l love that represents me.
It was fun and relaxing to express who I am. It was great to practice different styles of lettering and drawing like blending, using bold, cool and warm colours in my picture.
I incorporated graffiti, a speaker, headphones, microphone, Eminem, dance logo and a rapper to show my love for dancing and music. I used warm colours to symbolise my energy and to show that I’m like fire on the dancefloor!
I included Rosary beads and a big cross as my faith has a big place in my heart. The Indian flag and the AFL Tigers top symbolise my Anglo Indian nationality and Australian roots. The big bold red chilli symbolises my love for all things spicy, especially Indian food and eating with my special family. The basketball and Converse logo show my love for basketball and shoes l love to dance in. My background is a dance floor in cool colours. My dancefloor helps bring all my pictures together, in a fun way, to represent me. Charlie J Ferdinand, 7 Wimmera
FATHER'S DAY REFLECTIONS
As part of this morning's Father's Day Breakfast, the Student Leaders welcomed the community and shared a story about their own dads.
Good morning everyone, my name is Jude, I’m one of the College Captains and I would like to formally welcome you to this Father’s Day event. This is a very special day because fathers are true heroes and they deserve all the respect and appreciation. They sacrifice themselves everyday just to see their children smile. Growing up, my dad has always been by my side, supporting me, encouraging me, caring for me and loving me. But I never knew how brave and loving he is until we came to Australia. He left everything behind, his job, his friends and a life of 50 years, so we can live safely, peacefully and have a brighter future. We left our homeland, Syria and moved to Lebanon before we had the chance to start a new fresh life here in Australia. The older I get, the more I realise how blessed I am and how grateful I should be to have a dad like him. To the world, he may be just a dad, but to me and my family, he is the world.
Good morning, my name is Sonany and I’m one of the College Captains for 2020. I’d just like to start off by saying that my piece of hope has always been my dad. My story did not begin in Australia, but rather in Iraq. I was born and raised in Iraq for the first 5 years of my life, before we had to move to Lebanon due to the many conflicts and challenges. Without hesitation, my father left everything and moved to Lebanon so that his family would have a better life. Despite all the hardships and barriers my dad has faced, he did not even think about surrendining, and I proudly say that for that reason, my father has always been the greatest role model, as well as, being the most amazing dad anyone could ever ask for.
Morning, my name is Nhi Nguyen and I am one of the Vice Captains. Father’s Day is important to both me and my family because it is the day where we acknowledge all the hardwork and dedication my dad has put into our family. My parents and eldest brother were born in Vietnam, where my father was separated from my mum and brother because he wanted them to travel by plane and be safe. He risked his life by travelling by boat and enduring so many hardships with barely any food because he believed that they deserved a life filled with safety and love. On this important day, I want to honour my dad’s sacrifice and courage, he allowed my family to live so that my other four brothers and myself can grow up in a country of no conflicts and harm. He wanted us to grow up with the best life possible, to live life to the fullest even if that meant putting his life on the line. I will forever be grateful for him, especially for his persistence and resilience.
Hello, my name is Loang Aweng and I’m one of the Vice captains. Father's Day is very important to me because it’s a day to celebrate our wonderful father and what they have done for their family. It’s great to celebrate Father Day because it will help children understand the importance of a father figure, fathers are hard workers and are loved very much by their family and by celebrating this day for all fathers it will mean so much to them. My father is very important to me because he was the one who said that he wanted the best for his family and sacrifice everything to come to this great country with nothing in his pocket and change his life for the benefit of our lives and future generations. This is why I am grateful for my father.
CRC-SA PODCAST - EPISODE 3 OUT NOW
CRC-SA Podcast Episode 3 - Respect.
Thank you to all involved in this episode, especially Phillip, Emily, Spence, Mr Quinn, Mr Taylor, Miss Liberatore and Miss Sharika.
These podcasts were developed in order to keep our College community connected, to provide College news and updates and to keep us informed.
Episodes will be uploaded to Spotify every second Thursday. Each episode will be dedicated to different topics where students, teachers and guest speakers will be invited to discuss current issues.
National eSmart Week (6 – 12 September)
This week promotes the smart, safe and responsible use of technology. This initiative of the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation seeks to create awareness of online safety, bullying and wellbeing.
Below are ten tips for using technology safely. Well worth a read. Students or families who would like to know more about cyber safety or who need to make a report about the inappropriate use of technology are asked to visit the website of the eSafety Commissioner:
TOP 10 CYBER SAFETY TIPS
- Use tech to make life better
We can use technology to learn things, create things, connect with friends and family, reach out to people who are having a hard time, enjoy great entertainment, and even boost our fitness and mental health. Or we can use tech to make ourselves and other people feel lousy. Which would you rather do? - Keep your balance
Technology is incredible. Gaming, networking, apps … online shopping! But relying too much on tech can mess with your sleep and make you feel exhausted, stressed or lonely. Make time for the other things that matter to you: family meals, playing with pets, kicking a ball around, reading, cooking, art or just sitting out in the sunshine. - Boundaries, people
Sure, you're fascinating, but you don't need the world watching your every move. Regularly check your privacy settings on apps and social media, and make sure people can't track your location. Don't share passwords (no, not even with your best friend), and always think before you post. Photos that show your school uniform or the outside of your house might make you a little too easy to find. - Respect others
Before taking and sharing photos or videos of other people, always ask first if it's OK with them. And before you talk about someone online, stop to think: how might this make them feel? It’s not all about you, am I right? - Keep everything updated
Any idea what causes the most security breaches on the internet? Software that isn’t up-to-date. Seems crazy simple, but it’s true! Be vigilant about updating software, including apps, anti-virus and even the humble browser. - Spam, Spam, Spam, Spammidy-spam
Even with the best anti-spam and malware software – that’s up-to-date – spam is the modern version of junk mail. It’s everywhere! Beware of emails and messages from people you don't know, especially if they are misspelled, say weird things, or urge you to click on hyperlinks or open files. - Keep your cool
When someone's behaving badly online, the temptation is to shoot back something equally harsh – but is that really how you want to spend your time? If it's an annoying one-off, you might decide to let it go and do something fun instead. But if someone's behaviour online is making you scared, anxious or miserable, it's time to talk to someone you trust and block or report whoever is bothering you. - Keep your friends close and strangers at arm’s length
Do you know how many true friends most people have? Three. Yep, those four thousand and fifty-two social media ‘friends’ are a combination of acquaintances, people-you-met-once, people-you-can’t-remember-meeting-once and, probably, some ‘randoms’. How much do you want them to know about you? And if someone you don't know contacts you asking for photos, videos or personal info, or if they ask you to meet them in private or keep your conversations a secret – red flag! Tell a trusted adult straight away. - Be the hero
Have you seen someone being bullied or treated badly online? You have a chance to change the story. Think about reaching out to them and saying something kind and supportive, reminding them that they deserve to be treated with respect, and encouraging them to report abusive behaviour to the website, the eSafety Commissioner, or a caring adult. - Ask for help if you need it
Online dramas getting you down? Talk to someone you trust, like a friend, family member, teacher or mentor. Abusive behaviour online can also be reported to the eSafety Commissioner. And remember: you can chat for free to counsellors at Kids Helpline, eheadspace, Beyond Blueor Lifeline. They are open 24/7 and offer web and text counselling, as well as over the phone
Parent Information Sessions
Brimbank is offering free online parent information sessions on teenage mental health. For bookings and ZoomID email sydnh@brimbank.vic.gov.au or call 9249 4224.
House Points update
The William’s Cup House update is below. This is one of the closest contested years we have had in a very long time. Make sure you get involved in as many different activities as you can over the next few weeks and next term, to help your House get to number 1!
1. Reis (126)
2. O'Reilly / Guelen tied (124)
3. Corbett (119)
CRC’s Got Talent
In week 6 students and staff were invited to submit a short clip of their special talent. We had some excellent entries that showcased some of the amazing talents at our school. Please take a look at the video of all of the entries.
Congratulations to the following students for winning CRC’s Got Talent 2020
1st - John Bryton Santiago, 8 Clarke
2nd - Chanel Hurmez, 10 Mannix
3rd - Kayla Lu, 7 Snowy
These students have won important William’s Cup House points for their respective houses.
A special mention also goes to Mr Gary Connor who won the best staff performance.
Spelling Bee
Last week we held a spelling bee competition for Years 7 to 10's to determine the best spellers in these year levels. The top 3 from each competition went into the Grand Final. Results are below:
Year 7 and 8 Competition
1st - Roger Louis 7 Snowy - Guelen
2nd - Kayla Lay 7 Wimmera - Guelen
3rd - Vicky Huynh 7 Snowy - Corbett
Year 9 and 10 Competition
1st - Rhaven Hao 10 Chisholm - O'Reilly
2nd - Vivi Nguyen 10 MacKilliop - Reis
3rd - Elisha Trinh 10 MacKillop - O'Reilly and Brandon Khoo - 10 Mannix - O'Reilly
Grand Final results
1st - Brandon Khoo 10 Mannix - O'Reilly
2nd - Rhaven Hao 10 Chisholm - O'Reilly
3rd - Roger Louis 7 Snowy - Guelen
Year 10 Trivia
Thank you to all of the Year 10's for taking part in the Year 10 Trivia competition on Wednesday. 1st place will receive a canteen voucher when we get back to school and all other winners will get William's Cup points for their House. The scores were close but the overall winners are below:
1st - Mathyoos Jabreta 10 Mannix - Guelen
2nd - Hero Nguyen 10 McAuley - O’Reilly
3rd - David Doan 10 McAuley - O’Reilly
SHAPE Challenge update
Well done to the following students who successfully completed at least 5 of the CRC SHAPE Challenge 2.0 activities in weeks 6 and 7 of this term.
WEEK 6:
|
YEAR 7 |
YEAR 8 |
YEAR 9 |
|
Violet Lutar Audrey Gerada Tiffany Georgiou Ngun Losang Jeesika Al-Qasspitrus Avril San Jose Janelle Lawang Markus Antunovic-Spehar Frank Hanona Charlie Ferdinand Kayla Lay Jenny Pham Caleb Tapuala-Unasa Tristan Wolfe Marcus Nguyen |
Amadeus Wejak Caelen Khoo Amber Nguyen Isabella Nguyen Theressa Nguyen John Bryton Santiago Veronica Le Fadi Makdessijarjis Isam Shakoori My Nguyen |
Precious Ohanekwu Calven Lipec Dustin Nguyen Alessandra Pagaduan Julie Pham Roaa Aluoka Hinh Ho Nikola Markic Martina Tran Yania Saleem |
Week 7:
| YEAR 7 | YEAR 8 |
|
Audrey Gerada Vicky Huynh Avril San Jose Janelle Lawang Jimmy Tran Leo Nguyen Maya Pion |
Roaa Aluoka Hinh Ho Martina Tran Julie Pham Yania Saleem |
The points tally for the SHAPE Challenge are below:
| CORBETT - 72 pts | GUELEN - 64 pts | O'REILLY - 69 pts | REIS - 59 pts |
ISO BOOK FORTNIGHT
BOOKWEEK THIS YEAR
IS
‘ISO BOOK FORTNIGHT’
To celebrate ISO Book Fortnight we are running a series of 4 competitions.
Some of the competitions are harder than others
and
the PRIZES reflect the work involved.
There are gift cards and chocolate packs to be won.
Check out the various competitions and give them a go.
YOU HAVE TO BE IN IT TO WIN IT!
- Find and read a book from the ePlatform that is also in the School Library’s Destiny catalogue.
- Finish reading the book then access the Destiny Quest Catalogue.
- Find the entry for the book you have read, add a review and a star rating to the entry and SAVE it.
- Once this is completed you need to email me with your name, your class, and the name of the book you have read, so your entry can be verified.
Email entries to: arobinson@crcstalbans.com.au
Below are some of the books listed in both catalogues. There are many more.
The Great Godden by Meg Rostoff
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman [more titles]
Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz [more titles]
Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz [more titles]
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K.Rowling [more titles]
Once by Morris Gleitzman {more title]
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl [more title]
Winter by John Marsden [other titles]
The 26-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths [more titles]
Angel Mage by Garth Nix [more titles]
BOOK REVIEW
The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais
Deaf teen Maya moves across the country and must attend a hearing school for the first time. As if that wasn’t hard enough, she also has to adjust to the
hearing culture, which she finds frustrating—and also surprising when some classmates, including Beau Watson, take time to learn ASL. As Maya looks past graduation and focuses on her future dreams, nothing, not even an unexpected romance, will derail her pursuits. But when people in her life—deaf and hearing alike—ask her to question parts of her deaf identity, Maya stands proudly, never giving in to the idea that her deafness is a disadvantage.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42771975
READERS' CUP LADDER
Placings on the ladder are calculated from the borrowing of books from the eplatform.
