Loving Lord,

In isolation, we come together
because we, though many, are one

Through different screens, we learn together
because we, though many, are one

From a distance, we support each other
because we, though many, are one

Despite the challenges, we grow together
because we, though many, are one

From different homes, we pray together
because we, though many, are one

We offer up this prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Our opening prayer was written by Mr Mead for this week’s Year 7 assembly. It is a celebration of the courage, connection and commitment that has been so evident in our community at this challenging time. In choosing our school theme for 2020, we, though many are one, we never imagined how much it would reflect our lived experience.

Term 3 has finished with a number of special events. Year 7 and 8 students enjoyed their Reflection Days, most year levels gathered for assemblies, Year 9 students presented their MAD projects and we’ve continued to enjoy a range of activities like online chess, trivia competitions, R U OK Day and WOW.

Reflecting back on the term, we can all be well pleased with all we’ve achieved. Despite learning and working remotely for the whole term, much of what we normally do in Term 3 has been completed. Students have developed pathways and selected courses for 2021, participation in co-curricular activities has been high and learning has continued differently but almost seamlessly.

We’ve had online parent/teacher/student interviews, assemblies, awards ceremonies, incursions, reflection mornings, a rosary circle, learning area weeks, our first Father’s Day Breakfast, launched the CRC-STA podcast and much, much more. I hope that everyone feels proud and a deep sense of achievement.

Thank You

As we come to the end of the term, I would like to acknowledge the incredible work of students, staff and families throughout this term. Thank you for your support, resilience, grace, patience and generosity in all things. It is very much appreciated.

Even though what we can do is still limited by Stage 4 restrictions, I wish you all a restful holiday break and lots of sunshine so that you can enjoy the extra time outside.

Term 4

At this stage there is no change in Government advice regarding schools for Term 4. It seems that Years 7 – 10 will continue with remote and flexible learning for at least the first 2 – 3 weeks.

Week 1 (Monday 5/10):    Remote and flexible learning for all students.

Week 2 (Monday 12/10):   Prep – Year 2 and Years 11 and 12 return to onsite learning.

All students from Year 3 to Year 10 in metropolitan Melbourne will continue with remote and flexible learning until further notice. A date for the return of these year levels to onsite learning will be subject to further health advice.

Newsletter

In term 4 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 4 2020:             

Fridays: 16 October     30 October     13 November     27 November     18 December

The newsletter can always be accessed on the College website at:

http://www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au

Year 8 Reflection Session During Remote Learning 

As a result of COVID-19 many changes have been made to how we operate our Year level reflection day program. This year we asked the Year 8’s to consider the gospel story of the Road to Emmaus in Lukes Gospel. On this road we hear the story of two disciples dealing with the unexpected event of the loss of Jesus. 

Luke tells us of the disappointment of the two disciples as they walked away from Jerusalem. They had believed in Jesus, and now he was gone, crucified by Pontius Pilate. What they had hoped for had been stolen by something they did not anticipate and could not control. The experience of our students at CRC St Albans during COVID-19’s remote learning is not unlike the experience of the disciples, it was unexpected and out of their control. 

As the disciples walked away from what they thought would be their future, the two on the road were invited to see things differently. With a little bit of direction and a lot of guidance they were able to see things differently – helped to see a different view of the future. It might not be exactly as they had planned for it to be, but it would still be one guided by hope and purpose and the promise of the presence of God much bigger than themselves. 

COVID-19 has taken the stability of routine and the expectation of a known future from our community at CRC St Albans. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, COVID-19 has asked our community to step outside the predictable and to find within us new opportunities and a new kind of strength. We have been asked to walk to Emmaus. 

The first session was concluded with a final prayer:

We pray for each other. 

As we gather to pray and reflect today may we be sure of God’s presence alongside us. 

We pray for our families. 

May we be grateful for the people in our lives who are with us on this road. 

We pray for our world. 

As we think of others experiencing feelings of disappointment, may we be motivated to offer words of encouragement and hope. 

We pray for ourselves. 

May we enter into this work with openness and calmness; ready to be reflective and prayerful. 

Amen

CELEBRATION OF LEARNING

As we approach the end of another ten weeks of Learning from Home, our students have continued to impress with their ability to self-manage, adapt and remain positive and open to continuous learning.  Through their feedback, it is clear that they have been able to reflect and feel proud of their achievement as well as recognize their strengths as learners.

At the Year 7 and 8 Level Assemblies, the following students received special mention for:

• Persisting and keeping focused on learning tasks
• Actively using feedback to improve their learning
• Participating in and engaging with the learning activities
• Using the correct etiquette in online communication
• Supporting their fellow classmates online

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews - Touching Base in Term 4

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews will be held in Week 3 of next term to provide an opportunity to check in and prepare for the return to face-to-face teaching and learning (all things going to plan with regards to the easing of restrictions in Melbourne).

The interviews will run from 2:30 – 5:00pm on Tuesday 20^th and Thursday 22^nd October.  Period 5 classes will be cancelled on these days to enable all families and students to connect with their Pastoral Care teachers.  

Families are asked to complete the online booking through the Parent Access Module which will be available from Monday 12^th October to Friday 16^th October. 

STUDENT WORK - YEAR 8 HUMANITIES

8 Attard Humanities Class have completed a task where they were asked to adopt a Medieval Character who had committed a crime and would then be punished for their wrongly offence. 

My name is Rowan Tatter, a 41-year-old apothecary who hails from the village of Rothenburg, and I’ve committed the heinous crime of theft. Ever since a famine ravaged through this land, the herbs and plants I’ve used to concoct my medicine and drugs have become scarce. Thus, people have stopped coming to my shop seeing as how I'm running low on supplies meaning I can't support my family, but I need to commit several sinful acts as I don’t want to see their miserable faces ever again. I started off by pickpocketing people when they were distracted and weren't looking which then escalated into silently sneaking into people’s homes and stealing their possessions at night. I've never felt so much guilt on my shoulder until now. I feel so ashamed that I had to resort to theft to support my family. One day, while I was purloining fruit, I was caught by the fruit vendor's child who called a nearby knight in town to apprehend me. Who would have thought I'd be thwarted by a child? The villagers raised a great hue and cry against my punishment because they refused to believe I did this dastardly act as I supported them and their families with medicine. I felt quite touched when they stood up for me, but all their arguing was for naught.

- by Leon Nguyen - 8 Attard (Written description of the crime his Medieval Character committed)

Good day, I am Ulric Arkwright who hails from the Manor of Kent. I am a poor peasant, tending the farm in long, utterly back breaking days to go home only to starve in slums filled with sickness and death. The black death has just swept the Europe, killing many of us peasants while the selfish lords and king sit in castles enduring no hardship while enslaving us. Well I’ve had enough. I’d like to know what’s keeping us peasants working for the lords, what’s keeping them above of us? To end the injustice I joined a rebellion, lead by Wat Tyler, which would be known as the peasants revolt! We armed ourselves, marched in London with our hearts bursting with the excitement that change was coming. We would have no more of this injustice, the tyranny would end and we would be free! We stormed buildings beheaded our evil opressors and were finally promised that forced labour would be abolished. However those promises did not stand. At the Manor of Norwich we were confronted and beaten in battle. I now I await my cruel and unusual punishment.

- by Amadeus Wejak - 8 Attard (Written description of the crime his Medieval Character committed)

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS & PARENTS

We are not the only ones finding this time of isolation and remote learning difficult, our parents and guardians are too. They are working hard to keep us safe and supported. As a student body, we would like to acknowledge them with a magazine of thanks. 

Please click on the following link to access our 'Thank You' magazine:

CRC-SA PODCAST - EPISODE 4 OUT NOW

CRC-SA Podcast Episode 3 - Mental Health and Well Being 

Episode 4 has been uploaded and is now ready for your eager ears!

This week we explore mental health and well being!

Part 1 - Former solider Private Bond takes us on a journey through his experiences in the army and the daily life of a soldier.

Part 2 - Rachael Lynch gives us some insight into her experiences as a Hockeyroos goal keeper and an R U OK? ambassador.

Both speakers shed light on mental health and well being and provide advice on how to get through trying times such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here is the link:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1Qsi0MNjyOva9BaNZv2McR?si=w7wrGc-QQpCN9RV-kg3yxQ

We will be back again after the holidays exploring some new and and exciting topics.

Have a great break everyone!

Photographic Challenge

Seeing the world with a new perspective.

Take up the weekly challenge and send in your photo to view and share.  Each week will be a different theme; the challenge is to take that photo. 

photos@crcstalbans.com.au

This week’s theme is:

Something we are thankful for during lockdown

Closing Date:  Wednesday 7th October

Submissions to: photos@crcstalbans.com.au

To enter the Photography Challenge, make sure that:

• It must be your photo
• There's no such thing as a good or bad photograph
• It is your interpretation of the theme
• No online photo or image  

This is a photographic challenge so try to demonstrate your photographic skills by looking at: composition, color, leading lines, originality, editing.  

To participate send your photos to: 

•  photos@crcstalbans.com.au

• jpeg format

• Cropping to square (iphone editing)

• Send with your name, year level, Photo Challenge No 1.

• A short explanation of your photo

If you are using a serious DSLR camera, digital SLR or a phone camera, it doesn’t matter.  Photos will be selected and recognized each week in our school newsletter.  Student leaders are working towards a platform for viewing all photos, yet to be determined. Tips and hints to be suggested by in house experts.

Here's some images from Mr Tobin and our Student Leaders, and what they are grateful for.....

House Points Update

Below are the House points for the end of Term 3. O’Reilly has moved ahead slightly due to a few good weeks with the spelling bee and trivia competitions. 1st place is still up for grabs next term with lots more activities for students to be involved in to win points for their House.

Year 8 Trivia

Thank you to all of the Year 8's for taking part in the Year 8 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 very close but the overall winners are below:

1st - Theressa Nguyen 8 Clark O’Reilly

2nd - Ana Markic 8 Orifici O’Reilly

3rd - Adeline Tran 8 Hollows Guelen

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 8 and 9 of this Term.

WEEK 8:

The Moon Festival

The Moon Festival is coming. Let’s celebrate together. The Moon Festival is known as the Children’s Festival. Every year, the Moon Festival is organised exclusively for children. Adults hold the Moon Festival because they love and care about children. They celebrate the Festival with children so that they are happy and are cheerful. The whole family gets together with their kids for parties, entertainments and festivities as part of the Moon Festival.

Our intention is to promote a greater awareness and appreciation among our students for the different cultures represented in our community. In turn we are optimistic that this will promote a greater respect for cultural differences.

Please click this link to watch the Moon Festival 2020 CRC St Albans.