Deep peace, pure gold of the sun to you.

Deep peace, pure white of the moon to you.

Deep peace, pure blue of the sky to you.

Deep peace, pure green of the grass to you.

Deep peace, pure brown of the earth to you.

Deep peace, pure light of the dew to you.

Deep peace of the running wave to you.

Deep peace of the whispering trees to you.

Deep peace of the flowing air to you.

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.

Deep peace of the shining stars to you.

Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you.

Irish Prayer

Next Wednesday 21^st September is designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Peace. It is an opportunity to remember, celebrate and strengthen the ideals of peace, both within and among nations and peoples but also within our own community, and in our personal relationships. With conflict between nations rising and increased anger and aggression across the community – in our hospitals, on our roads, on our sporting fields and homes, it is timely to mark this day.

‘We invite you to take a few moments of quiet to read the peace blessing at the beginning of our newsletter and to reflect on how you might live more peacefully in your day to day life; in your home, your community, at work and at school.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. (John 14:27)

Thank You

As this is the final newsletter for Term 3 I’d like to thank students, families and staff for your support, hard work and care that you’ve given so generously over the past 10 weeks.

It is the first time in three years that we have been onsite for Term 3 and able to run the normal program. There have been many highlights: Immersion Day, the Year 9 camp, the Year 10 Social, course selection for 2023, interschool sport and much more.

Without a doubt it has been a very busy term so it’s no surprise that we’re all ready for a break! I hope that everyone enjoys this time with family and friends, and the opportunity to move at a less hectic pace.

Start of Term 4

Students will return to school on Tuesday 04 October 2022. On the Monday staff will be involved in a Professional Practice Day. They will participate in a range of planning and professional learning activities, including work with Chris Daicos on Accidental Counselling and with Leila Gurruwini (MACS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Officer) on Indigenous Spirituality.

Term 4 Timetable

There are no changes to the timetable for Term 4. Tuesday 04 October will be Day 2.

Design and Technology Centre

Families driving past the College will notice that the Design and Technology centre continues to take shape. The concrete and steel work for the ground floor is close to completion and work is starting on the second floor. We are very excited to see the new building beginning to emerge.

Enrolment for 2023

Enrolment at the College continues automatically from year to year. However, if a student in Years 7, 8 or 9 is not returning in 2023, 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.

Preparing for Term 4

School holidays are certainly a time for rest and recreation, however, the time between Terms 3 and 4 is more like a semi-colon than a full stop. It is a pause in the semester, a chance to catch your breath before the important final term. Some students will have projects or homework to complete over the break. It’s a good idea to get this done earlier, rather than later.

With exams only 7 or 8 weeks away, the holidays are a good time to begin revision of Term 3 work and / or to catch up on any missed work. Those who struggle with organisation might use this time to put some order into folders. Filing old notes and worksheets might be a good start. Ensuring that you have all the stationery you need for Term 4 would help.

If students do little else it would be helpful to find some time to read each day.

Term 4 Uniform

Families are reminded that Weeks 1 – 4 are a transition period for uniform. Students can wear either full summer or full winter uniform but not a mix and match of both.

Following the Cup Weekend, from Wednesday 02 November all students will need to be in full summer uniform.

The holidays may be a good time to check that students have all that is required.

MACSSIS School Improvement Surveys

Thank you to all students, staff and families for your input. This data will be released in late October and will provide important information for our planning for 2023.

Newsletter

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

Newsletter Days for Term 4 2022:   

Fridays: 14 October,   28 October,  11 November,   25 November,   16 December

Last Tuesday the Yr10 students participated in a justice day in the city. They heard a story of the homelessness from a representative of the Big Issue. They saw first hand the many people who live on the streets of Melbourne alongside the great wealth that also resides there. The day concluded with reflection groups and a liturgy where we reflected on the challenge set by the Good Samaritan. Thanks to students and staff for bringing open hearts to the world.

The position of Parish Administration Coordinator has become vacant in the Parish Office of Sacred Heart-Emmaus Parish, St Albans-Sydenham.

For description and details, go to Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne

https://melbournecatholic.org/job-vacancies  

For further information, contact the Parish Office at stalbans@cam.org.au

After a 4 year wait the event was finally back. The Victorian ICT for Women network ran an event for all Victorian school girls in Years 5 to 12 to make students aware of the incredible range of vocational avenues available in the technology field. This year the event was held at Deakin University and attended by over 1700 students from across Victoria. CRC St Albans attended the event with 30 students from across the years.  The students had opportunities to participate in a wide range of activities to make them aware of the educational and career paths available in the world of technology.  The students attended presentations by recent graduates to understand how they ended up in their career paths and the opportunities made available to them. The girls enjoyed experiences in Augmented Reality and how it is used to train future astronauts. The highlight for most of the girls was the trade show with great conversations with industry stakeholders and an opportunity to meet the occasional giant robot.  The students left the event with a greater appreciation of careers available within IT, some educational routes open to them and most importantly a full show bag. Roll on GOGIRLS 2024.

- Mark Johnston, Technology Leader

I think that Kryal Castle was a very exciting trip for all of us in Year 8. We were able to experience many different activities relating to what we were learning about in Humanities, which was the Medieval time period. It was very interesting to learn about how people lived in Medieval times and how their beliefs and practices have influenced the modern world. I think it was especially interesting to see what kind of armor and swords Medieval knights used, and although quite gruesome, how torture machines were used to punish/kill people back then. The Year 8 students also got to participate in sword fighting as well as being part of a “Middle Ages trial” act. We all sat in an old court room and decided if a student was innocent or guilty of an act. Of course we decided he was guilty because we wanted to see him ‘punished’! All in all, it was a great experience for us, and it taught and showed us many aspects of this time in history. 

- Lihnah, 8 CK

On Tuesday 6September the Year 7 students took part in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) immersion day.

They participated in a range of activities designed to use key skills related to STEM such as:

• Problem solving
• Creativity
• Critical Analysis
• Teamwork
• Independent thinking
• Initiative
• Communication

It is predicted that these will be the most sought-after skills for the jobs of the future!

The activities included:

• Building a catapult
• Science Show -Chemical Secrets
• Maths Games & Activities
• Tower Challenge

The students and staff had a great day.

“The Scientist ruined someone’s shirt & then carbon dioxide apparently fixed it! This is because lots of people were breathing it out. This was my favourite experience of the day.”

‘It was wonderful to be able to work in small groups again, I really enjoyed it.”

“The science guy made science really interesting.”

“The Math’s game activity was fun, especially how they were quick paced.”

“I enjoyed learning about chemical reactions.”

“Putting our minds together to make something that actually worked was the best part of the day.”

“The best part of the day was developing quick thinking and teamwork skills.”

Family Man

You feel it all as a father; joy, thrill, strength – even aches and pains. And it’s important to acknowledge it all. So whether you're a father figure, new to the job or know someone who plays this important role in your life, we're here with advice and support for all stages of the journey.

One undeniable truth about kids

Every parent knows it: kids can be trying. And the effect on our mental health can be huge. That’s why Family Man exists to help parents calm the chaos, and improve their mental health. It’s where you’ll find simple tips and advice with evidence-based strategies shown to improve children’s behaviour.

Check It Out – Parenting Strategies That Work

Wellbeing for Learning Important Dates/Events

• eSafety Commission - Webinars for parents and carers
• Brimbank Youth Services upcoming free parent webinars, please see further details below. These two webinars are part of a response to the Brimbank RYAS data indicating that 50 – 70% of male gender secondary school students are gaming excessively and 45 – 60% of female gender secondary school students are texting between midnight and 6am.
  • Thursday 13 October: Teen Gaming – What every parent needs to know
  • Thursday 27 October: Untangling Teens & Tweens from Tech

Our Positive School Wide Behaviours (PSWB)

at CRC St Albans

As our students prepare for school-holidays; it is important to remind ourselves our Positive School Wide Behaviours when we are in the Community.

When we are in the community we are not only representing ourselves, but also our families, school and church. We remind our students that at the heart of the community are positive respectful relationships.

Self-Care September

Welcome to Self-Care September

Caring for yourself isn't selfish. When we're kind to ourselves it also helps us respond more positively to what happens and treat others more kindly too.

Please see our Self-Care September calendar full of actions to help you be kinder to yourself. Please share it with your loved ones too.

Character Strength of the Week

Forgiveness - Virtue of Temperance

Definition: The action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.

Explanation: I forgive others when they upset me and/or when they behave badly towards me, and I use that information in my future relations with them.

Synonyms: Understanding, tolerance, dispensation.

Quote: "Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness" - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

"Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave" - Indira Gandhi

Further Information: Forgiveness means to extend understanding towards those who have wronged or hurt us. It means to let go. In many cases, this is the letting go of some or all of the frustration, disappointment, resentment, or other painful feelings associated with an offense.

How to ignite your forgiveness:

• What are the circumstances in which it is easy for you to be forgiving? Who is easiest to forgive in your life?
• How does it feel when you forgive someone?
• What are the advantages of forgiving someone, and what are the disadvantages?

National eSmart Week

Last week we celebrated National eSmart Week and we unpacked our rights and responsibilities in the online world? Our National eSmart Week activities were developed to help us become positive digital citizens.

Please use the link provided to unpack our eSmart resource with your family Learning Topic - Rights.

RUOK Day CRC St Albans

Checking in with each other is a consistent approach we take here at CRC St Albans, as it ensures we are all 'ready to learn' and feel safe, connected and happy. More importantly, it allows us to check-in and start a conversation.

Please see our RUOK CRC St Albans Presentation and enjoy the activities.

Remember, a conversation could change a life.