Today

Today

may I give and receive love.

Today

may I work for justice.

Today

may I listen and pray.

Today

may I sing God’s praises.

Today

may I delight in God’s beauty.

Today and every day.

- Ruth Burgess.

It has been a good start to Term 4 with students and staff continuing their excellent work in managing the demands of remote learning and teaching. No doubt, everyone; students, teachers and families are more than relieved that the end is in sight. It will be good to hear and see students around the school, squealing, laughing and catching up with friends and staff. It has been a quiet place for far too long. We are certainly looking forward to welcoming everyone back.

Return to School Guide

This will be posted on the College website on Friday 23 October and emailed to all students. Families will receive notification through our normal communication channels.

Planning continues to ensure that the return to school is as safe as possible. We monitor advice from MACS and the Department of Health carefully and adjust our processes and protocols as new information comes to light. Parents and carers who are currently onsite in a workplace will understand that this is a fluid situation.

Staggered return to school

To manage the risks associated with the return to school and the opening of Victoria, there will be a staggered return to school. Students will be onsite as follows:

Students return to onsite learning from Tuesday 26 October, on the following days:

Year 7:   At school every day

Year 8:  At school on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Year 9:   At school on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Year 10: At school on Thursday and Friday.

Online learning will continue on the days that students are not at school.

All students return full time to onsite learning from Friday 05 November.

MACSSIS Surveys: Thursday 07 – Thursday 28 October 2021

Information about the MACSSIS survey was sent home to all families in the first week of term. We would really appreciate families taking the time to complete the survey. The feedback is important and assists us in planning. It is good to get a cross section of voices. The survey can be accessed in a number of languages.

If you need assistance, please contact the office and we will direct you to a staff member who can assist.

Planning and Key Dates for Term 4

We have included only a limited calendar of dates in the newsletter. As with all things this year, these are tentative and could well change as the term progresses.

Like everyone in Victoria, we are watching closely the easing of restrictions to see what we can and cannot do, what events and activities will be possible, whilst continuing to ensure everyone is as safe as possible.

Year 10 students, in particular will be wondering what the end of year will look like. At this time, CRC Sydenham is intending to have the Orientation program, from Monday 29/11/21 to Thursday 02/12/21 as planned. We hope to mark the end of student’s time at St Albans in a special way. What all this will look like depends on how the restrictions ease. Stay tuned. Plans A, B and C are in development.

Enrolment for 2022

Enrolment at the College continues automatically from year to year. However, if a student in Years 7, 8 or 9 is not returning in 2022, we ask that families notify us as soon as possible. Please email echalmers@crcstalbans.com.au or ring Eileen Chalmers on 9366 2544 with this information.

Your assistance with this is much appreciated as we have a waiting list at some levels and would like to let these families know sooner, rather than later.

Term 4 Uniform

From Wednesday 03 November, all students will need to be in full summer uniform.

The College Sun Smart policy is available on the website.

As we are now well into spring, forecasts of UV levels are predicted to reach three or higher during the period from now to the end of April. UV radiation is a major cause of skin cancer, and UV damage accumulated during childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with the risk of skin cancer later in life. We encourage families to speak with their child about ensuring they are Sun Smart during this time, including:

• wearing appropriate clothing
• wearing a broad brimmed, bucket or legionnaire hat while outside
• applying SPF30 or higher broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen approximately 20 minutes prior to going outside and re-applying every two hours while outside, or immediately after physical activity and swimming
• remaining in the shade during times when you are not involved in a specific outdoor activity, or if you are unable to follow the above recommendations

We also encourage all adults, including parents/carers, to adopt a SunSmart approach for themselves, not only to protect themselves from the dangers of UV radiation, but to also act as role models for our students.

For more information on sun protection, please go to the SunSmart website: https://www.sunsmart.com.au/

Cup Weekend

Families are reminded that there are no classes on Monday 01 November or Tuesday 02 November due to the Cup weekend. 

The break provides students with the opportunity to prepare for the final weeks of Term 4. It is a good time to catch up on work and hopefully time for families to have a break. Whilst we will still have restrictions, it is the first holiday in a while where we will not be in complete lockdown. 

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:

PH:   0427 036 925               Email:  aross@crcstalbans.com.au

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,     16 November,    30 November

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

Key Dates for Term 4 2021

Spring has sprung at the Theodore St entrance.

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

Plenary Council 2021

Australia’s 2nd Plenary Council gathered last week to discuss the issues of the  Australian Catholic Church today and into the  future. Two years ago, Catholic Regional College St Albans students met and responded to four questions from the Listening and Dialogue sessions and submitted their responses to the Plenary Council along with 2700 submissions from other Catholic organisations. Here are the responses from the students' Listening and Dialogue session.

What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time? 

God is asking us to be communal and supportive. God is asking us to not hate people on line and to love as Jesus loved. 

What questions do you have about the future of the Church in Australia that you would like the Plenary Council to consider?

Why are there not more opportunities for young people in the Church?

Why is there less emphasis on religious studies?

Why do we not have equality for women in the church?

Why do we not have married priests? 

Would you like to share a story about your experience of faith or of the Church in Australia that has shaped you?    

Our families have provided a strong foundation of faith. Our community represents cultural diversity  and we feel this enriches our faith.

The Plenary Council made some progress over the week. A report will be developed over the next nine months which will provide a roadmap for the Australian Catholic Church in the future.

Plenary Council Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit of Pentecost.

Come, Holy Spirit of the great South Land.

O God, bless and unite all your people in Australia

and guide us on the pilgrim way of the Plenary Council.

Give us the grace to see your face in one another

and to recognise Jesus, our companion on the road.

Give us the courage to tell our stories

and to speak boldly of your truth.

Give us ears to listen humbly to each other

and a discerning heart to hear what you are saying.

Lead your Church into a hope-filled future,

that we may live the joy of the Gospel.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

bread for the journey from age to age.

Amen

Studying Guidelines

How to ensure you are getting the best out of yourself and looking after your health and wellbeing leading up and during exams.

Later this term our Year 9 and 10 students will complete semester exams during weeks 7 and 8. More information about the schedule, will be sent out over the next few weeks.

However, there are several measures that students and parents/guardians could perform that may help ensure success in study before and during the examination period.

These include:

• Having a good study work space at home which is well lit with natural light and is comfortable for you.
• If a student is using technology to study ensure that any form of social media is not in the background.
• The majority of learning happens inside the classroom, therefore students are strongly encouraged to use this time as effectively as possible.
• Students are encouraged to have an open dialogue with their teachers about their learning and approaches to studying.
• Healthy habits that include a healthy diet, exercise and good sleep patterns are also important.
• Having conversations with family members about how you are going with exam preparation.
• Students are encouraged to share their study notes with family members.

Students are encouraged to utilise all available networks to ensure they reach their full potential and are looking after their health and wellbeing. If students or parents have any further questions about studying, please see your subject teacher or feel free to contact the school and speak with a member of our Learning and Teaching Team.

'Scoring the Exam Home Run' Workshop

Year 9 and 10 Students looking at 'Scoring the Exam Home Run'

All Year 9 Students are invited to join us for our online Exam Preparation Workshop: 'Scoring the Exam Home Run'.

The skills, knowledge and understanding you will gain from this workshop won't only help you prepare for exams, but also teach you how to study effectively.

When: Thursday 21^st October

Time: 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

What to bring: an open mind and a willingness to grow and improve.

How: click on the link provided 5 minutes before the designated starting time: https://meet.google.com/tik-bdwk-jna

It is with great pleasure that I can share with you all the winners of the Trash Puppet Competition from last term.

1st place is Peter Lean

2nd place is Audrey Gerada

3rd place is Ruby Nguyen

Special mention for his traditional puppet is Charlie Ferdinand

Peter's puppet will now become the face of the SJC zero litter campaign, which we hope to roll out as students return to school.

Hayden - Community Engagement Leader

DO YOU STILL FIT INTO YOUR SCHOOL SHOES?

Recently our 7 Kiewa students were asked to try on their school shoes in preparation for the much anticipated return on the 26th October. Some students found that they had outgrown their shoes in the time away from school! 

Ms Josephine Lowe

Word: Optimistic

Definition: Hopeful and confident about the future.

For example: She is optimistic about her chances of winning a gold medal.

Synonyms: Cheerful, positive, confident, hopeful, sanguine.

Video: https://youtu.be/2hHNq45rEnU

Weekly Wellbeing Worksheet 2

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.

Year 7 & 8 Worksheet

Year 7 &amp 3.09 MB

Year 9 & 10

Year 9 &amp 3.03 MB

Our St Albans Sport, Health and Physical Education (SHAPE) Team is encouraging our students, staff and families to take part in our 'SHAPE Challenge 6.0'.

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:

1. 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.
2. Each completed activity must be written up in your SHAPE Challenge Reflection Log below. You must log your activities into your individual log on 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.
3. 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.
4. Enjoy your Free Healthy Meal!!!

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

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.

Well done to the following students who successfully completed at least 5 of the CRC SHAPE Challenge 6.0 activities in week 2 and 3 of this term. These students received a Subway voucher as well as House points for the William’s Cup.

SHAPE Challenge - House Points update