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A Prayer for Eradicating Poverty
Creator God, Your image is alive in every human person
giving to each of us an inviolable dignity.
Create in us a desire to act in solidarity,
the ability to work together,
and a willingness to share with others
our time,
our energy,
our skills and talents and our wealth.
As we share and enjoy the fruits of your creation,
restore in us your vision of a world made whole,
and inspire us to commit ourselves to the common good.
Gracious God, give us ears to hear,
eyes to see and hearts to love,
so that we reflect you in our way of life,
and in our choices, words and actions.
Jesus is the good news to the poor.
As his followers, may we recognise the call to be the same.
Amen.
This week marks Anti-Poverty Week across Australia. The week includes World Food Day on Tuesday and the UN Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Wednesday. Weeks such as this set out to highlight issues of poverty and hardship, to strengthen our understanding of its causes and consequences, and call all of us to live more simply so that others might simply live.
While many in Australia live in comparative comfort, three million Australians (including over 730,000 children) live in poverty. Around the world more than a billion people are desperately poor. If we truly believe that Jesus came to bring the good news to the poor, what do we need to do to put the common good before our own, individual good?
Anti-Poverty Week ties in well with the most recent Social Justice Statement developed by the Australian Catholic Bishops. “A Place to Call Home: Making a home for everyone in our land” asks us to be the Good Samaritan: to take responsibility for homelessness and the housing crisis, as individuals, as a Church and as a nation.
In this year, the 70th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the statement reminds us that secure housing, along with access to food, work, education and health care are all inalienable human rights. We know that beyond the 116,427 who were homeless at the 2016 Census, many other Australians experience hardship in relation to housing. There is a shortage of community and social housing, many households are paying more than 30% of their income on accommodation and the demand for emergency accommodation is ever increasing.
So what can we do? Reading the statement might be a good place to start. Copies are often available in parishes or can be accessed by visiting the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council website (www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au). The report is supported by a number of interesting resources, including 10 action steps that we might take.
Welcome Back
Welcome back to term 4. I hope that everyone had a really good break and returns well rested, re-charged and ready for a big final term.
Staffing News
Last Friday Ms Claire Rayos started parental leave. We wish her and her husband Riko the very best as they prepare for the birth of their first child. Ms Daniela Ibrido and Mr Ross Russo are on long service leave.
We welcome Ms Christie Roberts (English / Chrysalis), Ms Jaimi Dawson (Visual Communication and Design) and Mr Russell Smith (Humanities) to our school community for Term 4. Each brings a wealth of experience, many gifts, fresh ideas and a strong commitment to learning and our students. I wish them every blessing in their time at the College.
40th Anniversary Celebrations
Next Sunday we are looking forward to the final event of our 40th anniversary celebrations, an ‘Open House’ afternoon for former students and staff. This is a chance to gather, catch up, share memories and have a look around the College. Please join us.
Good Intentions Aren’t Enough!
As we settle into Term 4, it is important that the good intentions with which we started the term match our practice.
Most of us begin a new term with the best intentions and know exactly what we SHOULD be doing. We SHOULD work hard, do our homework, read every day, ask for help, go to Study Support, start revision for exams early in the term, meet deadlines, come to class prepared……… However, having good intentions is not enough – it is what we actually do that counts! We need to have the self-discipline to follow through and to stick to the things we KNOW we SHOULD do.
Following the mid-year reports students set learning goals and action steps to achieve these. Whilst many are doing a great job in following through on these actions, some need to refocus and get down to actually doing what they’ve planned. With a quarter of the year to go, it is not too late. Support from a trusted friend, a family member, your PC teacher, the school counsellor / psychologist or your Year Level Leader might help.
I’d encourage all students to make sure that this is a term where they actually DO what they know they should be doing.
Catching up with Year 11 students
Last week it was lovely to see many of our Year 11 students back at the College for an early dinner and the chance to catch up with staff. On what was a lovely spring evening, we enjoyed a sit down roast dinner in the Jubilee Garden and the chance to catch up, share stories and reminisce.
This event follows a similar dinner for Year 12s in the last week of Term 3. Thank you again to Hayden O’Doherty and our student leaders for organising and hosting another very successful night.
Kwong Lee Dow Scholarships
Every year secondary schools across Victoria can nominate students to be considered for the Kwong Lee Dow Scholarships offered through Melbourne University. Applications are judged on academic achievement, school involvement and leadership skills. At the College we shortlist based on Semester 1 results and then look at involvement in school life and leadership to confirm the nominations.
I’d like to congratulate Jordan Luong, Hayley Nguyen, Harrison Gatt and Vimal Naik on being our nominees for the scholarship in 2018. Best wishes to these students. Each would be a worthy recipient of this award. We should hear by early December if they’ve been successful.
Year 9 Camp
On behalf of the Year 9 students I’d like to thank Mr. Taylor and all the staff who planned and attended the Year 9 camp. It was a terrific experience for everyone. Families will recognise that it is a huge responsibility taking away over 100 adolescents. I thank staff for their willingness to be part of challenging activities such as this, and students who were engaged, positive, mature and responsible in their approach to the camp. I know that the benefits of learning opportunities such as this are immeasurable.
Inter house Athletics Carnival: Friday 02 November
Preparations are under way as the Houses prepare for the Athletics Carnival in two weeks’ time. We ask that all families return the permission slips as soon as possible.
We hope for a fine day but should it be raining we will have a normal school day, Day 10 of the timetable.
Families are very welcome to join us for part, or all of the day. The Keilor Athletics track is located near the Keilor Basketball Stadium.
Keilor Athletics Track
Stadium Drive
Keilor Park 3042
Re-enrolment forms
Re-enrolment forms have been sent home this week. In order to assist us with planning for 2019, families are asked to return these by Friday 2 November, 2018.
Term 4 Uniform
From Wednesday 7 November all students will need to be in full summer uniform.
Newsletter Days for Term 4 2018:
Fridays:
1 November (Thurs)
16 November
29 November (Thurs)
19 December (mailed home)
The newsletter can also be accessed on Friday morning (Day 10) on the College website at http://www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au
Since our last newsletter…..
Over and above the day to day activities of the school since our last newsletter students, families and staff have participated in the following:
- Year 11 dinner
- Year 7 2019 Testing
- Guelen Week
- Year 10 Outdoor Education camp
- Year 8 Premier League
I am sure that students and their families are very appreciative of all these opportunities and the time and energy that staff put into organising and offering these experiences.
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YEAR 7 AND 8 ADVANCED MATHEMATICS CLASS - Challenge Stage
Advanced Mathematics is an extension class aimed at motivating, stimulating, encouraging and developing students who have been identified as being mathematically capable.
Earlier in the year 23 students took part in the first stage of the Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians run by the Australian Mathematics Trust. The students were awarded their certificates this week.
Certificates of High Distinction were awarded to:
Michael Tran (Year 8)
Certificates of Distinction were awarded to:
Matthew Le (Yr 7), Maire McEvoy (Yr 7), Leo Thinh (Yr 7), Elisha Trinh (Yr 8), Ngoc Do (Yr 7) & Sandy Hong (Yr 8)
Certificates of Credit were awarded to:
Genevieve Durand (Yr 7), Vivi Nguyen (Yr 8), Vincent Nguyen (Yr 7), David Doan (Yr 8), Rejoyce Modi (Yr 8) & Hilton Tran (Yr 7)
Certificates of Participation were awarded to:
Alessia Lo Guarro (Yr 8), Kevin Pham (Yr 7), Teige Dizon (Yr 8), Romiley McIntosh (Yr 8), Jordan Mo (Yr 8), Teresa Bui (Yr 8), Vivienne Nguyen (Yr 8), Ho Hinh (Yr 7), James Hoang (Yr 7) & Tony Le (Yr 7)
SCHOOL FEES
A reminder that all school fees should be paid in full before 7th December 2018. School Fees can be paid directly into our School Bank Account: Catholic Regional College St Albans. BSB: 083-347 A/c. No. 6909 17667 along with your Account Code as Reference. (see picture below)
Families are encouraged to contact the office to set up arrangements for 2019 School Fees and the (CSEF) Camps Sports and Excursions Fund 2019.
For concession card holders CSEF eligibility will be subject to the parent/legal guardian’s concession card being successfully validated with Centrelink on the first day of either term one (29 January 2019) or term two (23 April 2019).
If you have any concerns regarding School Fees, please contact Ms Ross on 93662544.
INTERESTING FACTS COMPETITION
Last Term, the Science Department at Catholic Regional College St Albans ran the Interesting Facts Competition, whereby students researched a number of scientific facts and submitted what they thought to be the World’s most interesting science fact (in 43 words or less), together with a reference/source (e.g. website, book, etc).
They then voted for the best entry, with the winner receiving an ULTIMATE EARS BOOM 2 BLUETOOTH SPEAKER! Over the 3 weeks, we received 292 entries from different students, which is a great achievement.
We are now very pleased to announce that prize winners for the Interesting Facts competition are:
Third prize: Leya Asmerom, who discovered that Blue Whale’s fart bubbles are large enough to enclose a horse.
2 Second prizes: John Moore, who discovered that For the first time in human history, gene-editing has been performed to fix a mutation for an inherited disease in embryos and Lydia Asmerom, who discovered that Russia has a bigger surface area than pluto.
And first prize winner, who receives a certificate and the Bluetooth speaker, goes to Alakiir Deng, who discovered that When listening to music, your heartbeat will sync with the rhythm.
Special thanks to students and staff in The Bradbury Club, Geelong for organizing this competition, as well as their partners Good Guys Warehouse and the TAC for supplying the speaker as first prize.
Science Department, Catholic Regional College St Albans
Pluto and Charon vs Russia. Charon, also known as Pluto I, is the largest of the five known natural satellites of the dwarf planet Pluto. Picture, courtesy NASA
WHAT'S ON ...
NEW BOOKS ON THE SHELF ...
What the Woods Keep is the stunning debut of Katya de Becerra, who combines mystery, science fiction, and dark fantasy in a twisty story that will keep you mesmerized right up to the final page.
On her eighteenth birthday, Hayden inherits her childhood home - on the condition that she uncover its dark secrets.
Hayden tried to put the past behind her, and it worked. She's getting ready for college, living in a Brooklyn apartment, and hanging out with her best friend and roommate Del. But now it's all catching up with her: her mother's mysterious disappearance a decade before, her father's outlandish theories about a lost supernatural race, and Hayden's own dark dreams of strange symbols and rituals in the Colorado woods where she grew up.
As soon as Hayden arrives at her hometown, her friend Del in tow, it begins: Neighbors whisper secrets about Hayden's mother; the boy next door is now all grown-up in a very distracting way; and Hayden feels the trees calling to her. And among them, deep in the woods, Hayden will discover something incredible -something that threatens reality itself.
Ironman: Invasion of the Space Phantoms
by Steve Behling
DANGER! Menacing mongrels and frightening phantoms ahead! Whether running Stark Industries or suited up as Iron Man, Tony Stark has dedicated his life to making sure his technologies do not harm others. When S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Coulson informs Tony that two Avengers went missing while looking into one of his inventions, Tony immediately transforms into Iron Man and jets off to find them! But his simple rescue turns out to be . . . NOT SO SIMPLE. Along the way he must face mutating dogs, robotic sharks, and freaky shape-shifting monsters from another dimension!
READER'S CUP ...
Congratulations to the following classes who all moved up the Reader’s Cup Challenge Ladder:
8 Hollows,
8 Edison,
8 Orifici,
8 Clark and
9 Curtin
... KEEP READING
MINI BREAKFAST ...
There will be no Mini Breakfast on Friday 26 October due to preparations for the CRC 40th Anniversary celbrations
TERM 4 2018
Sunday 28 October:
40th Anniversary celebrations
Thurs 1 November:
Opening night Images 2018 Art Exhibition
Friday 2 November:
Inter-house Athletics carnival
5 & 6 November:
Cup Weekend Break
21/11 – 28/11:
Year 9 and 10 exams
Wed 28 November:
Year 10 final day of classes / picnic
Thurs 29 November:
Year 10 Graduation mass
Friday 30 November:
Correction Day
3/12 – 7/12:
Year 11 2019 Orientation Program – CRC Sydenham
Thurs 6 December:
Year 7 & 8 Ball Sports / Year 9 Trinity
Friday 7 December:
Final day for Years 7 – 9 students
Wed 19 December:
School office closes.