Catholic Regional College St Albans eNewsletter

Ever present God,

giver and sustainer of everything that has life,

maker and fulfilment of all that exists,

although we fail to respect your creation,

listen to the prayers of our heart:

We too are creatures.

Turn our hearts to your love and care for all creation.

With you we gave names to all living things.

Turn our minds to your vision of the heavens and the earth.

We live off the bounty of earth, sea and sky.

Turn our hands to your stewardship.

Through Christ, in whom all things are made and held in being,

we pray for the power of your Spirit:

to transform our words and actions,

to care more deeply for all creatures,

to save what is threatened,

to mourn what is lost,

to seek Christ in the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor,

and to give glory to your name through all creation.

Amen

(Australian Catholic Bishops Conference: Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace)

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.

Even though what we can do is limited during lockdown, I wish everyone a restful holiday break and lots of sunshine so that you can enjoy the extra time outside.

The last few weeks have been busy. Student Leaders enjoyed their leadership conference; rehearsals continue for the school production; we have celebrated the season of creation; Year 9 students have been busy with their MAD projects, and every day there are numerous invitations for students to be part of co-curricular activities.

The most recent to launch is the Minecraft Club which starts this week. Congratulations to Peter Lean (9 Barton) for proposing this initiative and thank you to Mr Mitchell Porter and Mr Simon Koenders for working out how it could happen.

Reflecting back on the term, we can all be well pleased with all we have achieved. Despite moving between onsite and offsite learning three times, we have managed to do much of what we normally do in Term 3. Course selection for 2022; community conversations; student led parent / teacher / student conferences; assemblies, learning area weeks; the Father’s Day Breakfast, and the return of the CRC-STA podcast are just some of the highlights. I hope that everyone feels proud and a deep sense of achievement.

Social Justice Council Forum on the Environment

Last week I attended an interesting forum on the environment led by our Social Justice Council. The students invited us to discuss what we would like our planet to look like in the future and to reflect on what we are doing now to care for the earth, and what else, we, as a school community could do. It was a thought provoking discussion and I am in awe of this very talented group of young people.

During the forum, we discussed the impact of initiatives such as the school solar panels. Interestingly, since the installation in June 2018, the College has saved 757.54 tonnes of Carbon from being released into the atmosphere. This is the equivalent of driving 3,039,907 km by car or 19,424 trees.

MACSSIS Surveys: Thursday 7 – Thursday 28 October 2021

In this newsletter, we have included information about the MACSSIS surveys. Further information and a unique pin will be sent home in the first week of Term 4.

Start of Term 4

The first day of Term 4 will be Tuesday 5 October 2021. At this stage, we are waiting on advice from the Government on whether remote and flexible learning will continue.

An update will be sent to families once we know more.

Monday 4 October 2021

This will be a Staff Professional Practice Day. Students are not required to attend classes. Staff will participate in an online professional learning activity with Dr. Selena Fisk. Selena will work with staff around using data in schools.

Expressions of Interest to join new

Federation School Advisory Council

All the Catholic parish and diocesan schools in the Melbourne Archdiocese are now under the guidance and governance of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS). In keeping with the objectives of the MACS Constitution, which states “The good work of educating the young, undertaken in the light of the Gospel, is a co-responsible task led by every member of the Catholic school community”, the School Advisory Council provides a crucial point of connection and support between the wider school community and school leaders.

The Federation of Catholic Regional Colleges are committed to maintaining the collective mission that began over 40 years ago to provide the best Catholic Secondary Education for the families in our local parishes and communities. We are seeking to establish a Federation School Advisory Council that continues to represent all four Colleges. Once the Federation School Advisory Council is established, each of the four Colleges will then, at a later date, look to establish an additional School Advisory Council at the local level.

While the School Advisory Council does not have governance responsibility or decision-making authority, it supports the Principals and school leadership teams and provides an important connection to the parish.

Please note that with the growth in the Melton-Bacchus Marsh corridor, MACS and CRC Melton have made the decision that CRC Melton will develop a new campus in the Cobblebank area (construction is about to begin) to create their own Federation. Therefore, effectively from this point forward, CRC Melton is no longer an active part of the CRC Federation and is in the process of selecting a new name and uniform, amongst other things, to take effect from 2022.

A letter to parents/carers inviting expressions of interest to join the Federation School Advisory Council was posted on the College website.

My fellow Principals and I strongly encourage parents/carers to consider undertaking this important service.

Christina Utri,

Principal

If you would like to receive an information pack to help your deliberations in putting your hat in the ring, please email

FederationSAC@crcnk.vic.edu.au.

Ms Claire Rayos starts parental leave on Friday to prepare for the birth of her second child.

We wish Claire and her husband Riko well at this very exciting time. Ms Rayos’ classes will be covered by Ms Cioccia, Ms Calafiore, Mr Marshall and Mr Donahoo.

Over the past two weeks the school has been busy with celebrating the season of creation. Last Tuesday students with met Ms Utri to discuss the future of this planet and how as a school we can respond. There was much discussion about the huge impact that solar energy has on reducing the school's carbon emissions. We discussed the need to build community and connect with our world through living our school mission `love one another as I have loved you’ .

Many classes took time out of their schedule to build nature mandalas. The feedback from staff and students about this activity was very positive. Here are some examples that students produced.

Once the students completed their mandalas they shared this prayer together:

Creator God,

Creative Word,

Creating Spirit,

instil in us the humility of creatures

and the wisdom of co-creators.

May we act and speak and breathe

as if within your dance of divine love.

Open us to marvel at the wonder

of your handiwork.

Enable us to see your spirit within all things.

Teach us to respect all that is created.

Humble us to hear the cry of the earth

and the cry of the poor.

Empower us to respond with all our heart and

mind and spirit.

In Christ and through the Spirit

we seek to be the carers within your creation,

AMEN

Fee Relief

The financial impact of lockdown varies from family to family. Some continue to work and are unaffected, however, other parents / carers have been stood down or had their work hours reduced.

We are keen to support families as much as we can. Fee relief is available to all affected families. Please contact our Bursar, Anne Ross so that adjustments can be made. Her contact details are as follows:

CRC ST ALBANS COLLEGE BURSAR, Mrs Anne Ross

PH: 0427 036 925

Email: aross@crcstalbans.com.au

STUDENT FREE DAY

Monday 4 October 2021

Students are not required to attend classes on this day as it will be a Staff Professional Practice Day with Staff participating in an online professional learning activity.

Newsletter

The newsletter is published fortnightly on Day 10 (Friday Week 2).

Newsletter Days for Term 4 2021:

Fridays:

15 October

29 October

12 November

26 November

The newsletter is available on the College website at http://www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au

Have you changed your address?

Your email address?

Mobile number?

Please let Eileen know :

echalmers@crcstalbans.com.au

Ph : 9366 2544

FAMILY RESOURCES

To all of our families, below is an extensive list of resources that you may find helpful. Thank you to our school psychologist Rosa Medina-Barron who put the list together. Sometimes the number of resources that are available can be overwhelming, however stick with the basics for yourself and your family's wellbeing.

Stay connected, exercise, eat well and get plenty of sleep.

Take care and we hope to see you all face to face in the near future.

Regards,

Kevin Quinn

DP Pastoral Care

Resources for children and families

Headspace/eheadspace (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Online and webchat support and counselling for 12-25-year-old Victorians, their family and friends.
Phone: 1800 650 890 or online at headspace.org.au/eheadspace
Orygen Digital
A specialist mental health service for young people aged 15-25.
Phone: 1800 888 320 or online at orygen.org.au/Clinical-Care/Clinical-services/Moderated-Online-Social-Therapy
Lifeline Australia (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
A crisis support service offering short term support at any time for people who are having difficulty coping or staying safe.
Phone: 13 11 14 online lifeline.org.au
Beyond Blue (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
A dedicated service for those feeling anxious, stressed, depressed or need assistance during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Phone: 1800 512 348 online Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au
YMCA
Virtual Y offers free access to exclusive fitness videos, nutritious recipes, wellbeing advice, family activities and their Youth Hub. virtualy.ymca.org.au
Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind’s digital care packs provide tools and resources for parents, carers and teachers to support positive mental health for the children in their care. www.smilingmind.com.au/kids-care-packs
Kids Helpline (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
A confidential and private counselling service specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years.
Phone: 1800 55 1800 or online at kidshelpline.com.au/coronavirus
ReachOut
A mental health organisation for young people and their parents.
Online au.reachout.com
Emerging Minds
Develops mental health policy, services, interventions, training, programs and resources for children and their families.
Online https://emergingminds.com.au
SANE Australia (weekdays 10am – 10pm)
Support, resources and advocacy for people affected by complex mental health issues.
Phone: 1800 187 263 or online at www.sane.org

Resources for families

Carers Victoria
Represents and provides support for carers in Victoria.
Online https://www.carersvictoria.org.au/
Disability Information Helpline (available Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm).
Access to information and referrals for people who need help because of COVID-19, including access to counselling
Phone: 1800 643 787
Eating Disorders Victoria
In response to COVID-19, Eating Disorders Victoria has implemented a new Wellbeing Program to assist people living with eating disorders and their support people during these challenging times.
Online https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/find-support/eating-disorder-wellbeing-support-program/
HeadtoHelp (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm).
Telephone advice from trained professionals and, if needed, connection to the best support or service for the caller. HeadtoHelp also provides online resources for callers and healthcare professionals.
Phone: 1800 595 212 Online https://headtohelp.org.au
PANDA (Monday to Friday, 9am to 7.30pm)
Support for individuals and families to recover from perinatal anxiety and depression.
Phone: 1300 726 306 PANDA's National Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Helpline or online. https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/supports-for-parents-anxious-about-coronavirus
TANDEM carers
Represents organisations and individuals who care for people living with mental illness.
Online https://www.tandemcarers.org.au/

Resources for culturally diverse community

Embrace:
Multicultural mental health Provides a platform for multicultural communities to access mental health resources, services and information in a culturally accessible format.
Online www.embracementalhealth.org.au
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
A human rights organisation whose programs support people seeking asylum to maximise their own physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Online www.asrc.org.au
Foundation House
An organisation promoting the health, wellbeing, and human rights of people from refugee backgrounds who have experienced torture and other traumatic events.
Online www.foundationhouse.org.au
Migrant resource centre - North West region
A community-based organisation providing settlement support, aged care, disability and community services to migrant and refugees living in the north western region of Melbourne.
Online www.mrcnorthwest.org.au
Spectrum Victoria
Delivers services to newly arrived and established people with migrant and refugee backgrounds in northern and western Melbourne areas.
Online www.spectrumvic.org.au
Phoenix Westgate Migrant Centre
A migrant resource centre servicing the Hobson Bay area. Online www.wmrc.org.au
Cabrini
Additional mental health supports are being delivered by Cabrini (asylum seeker communities with a focus on Shepparton and Mildura), The Victorian Foundation for Survivors and Torture (refugee communities) and Australian Red Cross (asylum seekers, vulnerable temporary migrants).
Phone: 03 8388 7874. To refer a client: www.cabrinioutreach.com.au/referral
Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture
Phone: 9389 8956, get help at www.redcross.org.au/get-help/help-for-migrants-in-transition/help-for-migrants-in-transition/vic-relief

Crime and Punishment

In Year 8 Humanities, to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Crime and Punishment in the Middle Ages, students were asked to create a recount of the story of a Feudal Person who has committed a crime and been delivered a punishment for their crime. Attached are some fabulous examples of Student's work for this task (Newspaper Reports + Comic Strips).

SHAPE Word of the Week

- PERSEVERANCE -

Definition: Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Example: Perseverance is really important for living a life they enjoy and can be proud of. Why? Because life is full of challenges and struggles. Perseverance is the drive that helps you get past the hard stuff to get to what you want.

Synonyms: Determination, persistence, resolve, endurance,tenacity

Proverbial Phrase: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Encourages optimism and a positive can-do attitude when faced with adversity.

SHAPE Challenge Update

Well done to the following students who successfully completed at least 5 of the CRC SHAPE Challenge 6.0 activities in weeks 8 and 9 of this term. These students received a Subway voucher as well as house points for the William’s Cup.

First Name	Surname	Homeroom	House
Austin	Rozario	Yarra	Guelen
Konstantyn	Wejak	Yarra	Corbett
Claude	Sawan	Wimmera	Corbett
Sara	Nguyen	Wimmera	Reis
Anshi	Sunkara	Wimmera	Guelen
Deng	Adoor	Kiewa	Reis
Joanne	Tran	Kiewa	Corbett
Dareen	Marzina	Wimmera	Guelen
Dina	Abba	Wimmera	O'R
Amish	Sood	Wimmera	Guelen
Madyo	Al-shorji	Attard	O'R
Dwayne	Santiago	Attard	Guelen

SHAPE Challenge 6.0

Our St Albans Sport, Health and Physical Education (SHAPE) Team is encouraging our students, staff and families to take part in our Shape Challenge 6

Shape Challenge worksheets

This will ensure you are looking after your health and wellbeing in a safe and engaging way whilst learning from home, while also having some fun with your family and challenging your friends.

SHAPE Challenge Directions:

You are required to complete a minimum of 5 activities each week from the list provided in your SHAPE Challenge Grid. Note; you may do more than one activity each day, but must do a challenge for a minimum of 5 days.
Each completed activity must be written up in your SHAPE Challenge Reflection Log below. You must log your activities into your individual log in Google Classroom that your teacher has created for you. Be sure to log your activities and write your journal entry, as your Health teacher will be able to see what you have completed via Google Classroom.
Each student who has completed a minimum of 5 days each week, will receive a SUBWAY voucher electronically and will also earn points for their House towards the Williams Cup.
Enjoy your Free Healthy Meal!!!

CRC St Albans SHAPE Challenge is proudly supported by Subway Delahey.

Staying Active During Lockdown

We are all aware of how important staying physically active is but now more than ever it’s super important for everyone, including our young people, to stay active at home or within your 5km for up to two hours exercising with one other person. Below are some ideas on how to stay active during lockdown.

Do a virtual running challenge with your family and friends - download a fitness app and share your results virtually with family and friends.
If you have a trampoline - spend some time jumping on the trampoline.
Help out by doing some chores around the house and getting your heart rate up.
Make a tennis wall at home - with permission from a parent/guardian, use chalk to draw a horizontal line on a flat wall outside 1 meter from the ground to the line. Then you can play tennis against each other or even downball.
Get all family members to write down 5 different physical activities on different pieces of paper and place them into a bowl. Each day one member of the family takes out a piece of paper and everyone has to do the activity on the paper.

Below are some links to workouts/activities from Brimbank Council and their Be Active program

SACCSS Run Challenge

Interschool sport is not running at the moment, so SACCSS has introduced the SACCSS Run Challenge. Please see the flyer below for more information. If you are interested in taking part the Google form is linked below so that you can submit your entry. There are prizes up for grabs too! Any questions please email ajurcec@crcstalbans.com.au

Run Challenge Google form link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeoJjVWbdKpBoW1MN5-O5Bl_Bvl8GnmXyl4G3HSzhkqBDzxQQ/viewform

**Join the CRC Albans STEPtember Challenge**

If you and your family are looking for a way to improve your health and wellbeing and raise awareness and/or funds for a good cause...I encourage you to join our CRC St Albans STEPtember Challenge....in three easy STEPS!

Click on the link provided: https://www.steptember.org.au/fundraiser/catholicregionalcollegestalbans
Register and join our CRC St Albans Team
Take 10,000 steps per day, your way!

Weekly Wellbeing Worksheet 10

As we continue our learning and teaching at home, it is important that we continue to utilise and add our 'Wellbeing Tool Box' to look after our health and wellbeing.

Please see the 'Weekly Wellbeing Worksheets' that we encourage all members of our community to use (see the link below).

7 & 8 Weekly Wellbeing Worksheets

9 & 10 Weekly Wellbeing worksheets

Welcome to TRP@HOME

Our school has been using the Resilience Project (TRP) to provide a coordinated approach to developing Social and Emotional Skills within our students, in particular Resilience.

The TRP@HOME provides a hub of activities and ideas to bring gratitude, empathy and mindfulness to day-to-day life: from kitchen table conversations, to bedtime stories and backyard expeditions.This activities section is for everyone; adults, children, teenagers, parents and carers alike! Head to the link below for wellbeing tips and ways to build resilience and happiness for yourself, family, housemates and the wider community around you: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/at-home/

The Resilience Project strategies and resources have been used in our Student Diaries and other resources as part of our Pastoral Care program. These resources focus on three key pillars proven to cultivate positive emotion; known to our students as GEM (‘Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness’). Our programs also have a strong focus on Connection, Purpose, Kindness, Emotional Literacy and Physical Health.

If you have any questions or require further information about items in our SHAPE Corner, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Dale Marshall (Health and Physical Education Leader) at our school office or via email at dmarshall@crcstalbans.com.au

CRC 's GOT TALENT - WINNERS

Due to the lockdown and remote learning, the House Capatins thought that it would be a great idea to run ‘CRC’s Got Talent’ for our Students and Staff to showcase their talents. We wanted our school community to feel a bit more engaged and connected with each other during this time and to have a bit of fun with it.

Two weeks into the competition, we received a very generous donation by one of the parents in our school community to be awarded to the winners. Therefore the House Captains decided to extend the competition for another 2 weeks, (taking it to just over a month), in order to provide opportunity for more participants to enter, considering the greater award for prizes.

We have been super impressed with all the entries submitted, showcasing both Students and Staff’s amazing talents… however there can only be room for 3 podium places. So without further ado… Here are your Winners of the “CRC’s Got Talent’ 2021.

And the winners are….

1st Place - Roger Louis

2nd Place - Dayanara Nuez

3rd Place - Mr Phan

CONGRATULATIONS to all who participated, making it a gigantic task to pick the winners.

FREE STUDY HELP @ BRIMBANK LIBRARY

Need extra, human support while doing home school? Free online homework and study help.

Studiosity is the anytime, online study and homework help service, available to any family for FREE thanks to Brimbank Libraries.

There are two ways students can get help:

Connect Live: Students can ask a question and be quickly connected to a real, qualified Subject Specialist via typed or audio live chat, for help with English, Maths, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Business Studies, and more.
Writing Feedback: Students can upload any essay or written draft and receive detailed feedback from a real writing specialist, that helps them think about and improve their own work.

Studiosity is already used and approved by over 70% of Australia’s public universities, as well as hundreds of public libraries and schools across the country. You can see more about how it works, here: https://www.studiosity.com/howitworks

How to get started

Head to the Library website, all you need is your Library member number and password.

https://www.brimbanklibraries.vic.gov.au/index.php/what-s-on/latest-news/500-

studiosity-for-students#

OUR NEW LIBRARY . . .

Readers’ Cup Ladder

These are the best readers in the last 4 weeks:

Michel-Ange Durand Deslongrais

Wilsin Ghpreta

Yania Saleem

Odet Patq

Xavier Pham

Ajak Ayool

All data is taken from the eplatform.

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN GO TO THE SCHOOL LIBRARY ONLINE?

Just click on the link here:

School Library link

BOOK REVIEWS

Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them

By J.K. Rowling, By Newt Scamander

"A glance through Muggle art and literature of the Middle Ages reveals that many of the creatures they now believe to be imaginary were then known to be real."

As every fan of the Harry Potter stories knows, the shelves of the Hogwarts Library are home to all sorts of fascinating books. There are three you might have heard mentioned by certain Hogwarts students, and that you can add to your reading list too, including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

A set textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since publication, Newt Scamander's masterpiece has entertained wizarding families through the generations. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the wizarding world. Flipping through the pages of Newt's famous journal, you'll journey around the globe and discover the many and varied creatures that he made it his life's work to study and protect. Some of the beasts will be familiar to fans of the Wizarding World - the Hippogriff, the Niffler, the Hungarian Horntail... while others will surprise even the most ardent amateur Magizoologist.

To access all this week's book reviews and information on how to access the school library over the holidays, click on the link below:

Book Reviews and Library e-platform

BOOK WEEK WINNERS

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BOOKWEEK COMPETITION WINNERS..... Arasema and Juliette proudly received their prizes.

The Department of Health has created a simplified COVID Testing and Isolation fact sheet for members of Eritrean and East African communities in several languages.

They are available on coronavirus.vic.gov.au or are linked individually on CEVN using your login credentials.

Access to a translator for the COVID-19 hotline

COVID-19 hotline

If you are concerned, call the COVID-19 hotline 1800 675 398 (24 Hours).

Interpreting service

If you need an interpreter, call the COVID-19 hotline 1800 675 398 and press 0.

Triple Zero

Please keep Triple Zero (000) for emergencies only.

Languages

Expressions of Interest to join new

Federation School Advisory Council

Fee Relief

STUDENT FREE DAY

Newsletter

Have you changed your address?

Your email address?

Mobile number?

Please let Eileen know :

echalmers@crcstalbans.com.au

Ph : 9366 2544

Crime and Punishment

SHAPE Word of the Week

- PERSEVERANCE -

SHAPE Challenge Update

SHAPE Challenge 6.0

Staying Active During Lockdown

SACCSS Run Challenge

Run Challenge Google form link:

Join the CRC Albans STEPtember Challenge

Weekly Wellbeing Worksheet 10

Welcome to TRP@HOME

CRC 's GOT TALENT - WINNERS

FREE STUDY HELP @ BRIMBANK LIBRARY

OUR NEW LIBRARY . . .

Readers’ Cup Ladder

BOOK REVIEWS

BOOK WEEK WINNERS

Access to a translator for the COVID-19 hotline

COVID-19 hotline

Interpreting service

Triple Zero

Languages

Amharic

Arabic

Assyrian

Bengali

Bosnian

Burmese

Chaldean

Chin

Chinese - Simplified and Traditional

Cook Islands Maori (Rarotongan)

Croatian

Dari

Dinka

English

Farsi (Persian)

Fijian

Filipino

French

Greek

Gujarati

Hakka

Hazaragi

Hindi

Indonesian

Italian

Japanese

Karen

Khmer

Korean

Macedonian

Malay

Malayalam

Maltese

Nepali

Niuean – Vagahau Niue

Nuer

Oromo

Pashto

Polish

Portuguese

Punjabi

Rohingya

Russian

Samoan

Serbian

Sinhalese

Somali

**Join the CRC Albans STEPtember Challenge**