Our opening reflection is a gentle reminder that Lent is a time of doing small things which will and can make a difference in our world. It is not about grand gestures but about remembering to do the small, everyday things better. Any change we hope to see will only happen one small act at a time.

The reflection also echoes the Paul Kelly song ‘From little things big things grow’. Often, we know only this line from the song, not the story behind it. The song is about Vincent Lingiari and the Gurundji people of the Northern Territory who battled the Government, landowners and vested interests to regain their traditional lands. It is very much a David vs Goliath story but also an example of a small idea becoming a reality that made a huge difference to First Nations peoples. It is well worth a read.

As we enter the third week of Lent - what is one small action that you will take to change your corner of our world?

Catholic Education Week: 12 – 19 March 2023

This week we celebrate Catholic Education Week. It is an opportunity to join all 334 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese to celebrate our distinctive Catholic identity, our achievements and the important role our schools play in our parish and local communities.

The theme for this week’s celebrations is ‘Forming lives of faith, hope and love in the light of Christ’. Catholic education seeks to provide young people with a high-quality education that is inspired by the example of Jesus Christ, an education that develops the whole person and gives them the skills to transform our communities.

Each week our newsletter gives you just a glimpse of the great things happening in our own school. None of this can be achieved without the commitment of staff, the support of families and the enthusiasm, interest and involvement of students. We’re very lucky in all areas. Thank you.

Enhancing Catholic Identity Surveys

Every four years, in the year prior to the school review, students, staff and parents / guardians are asked to complete the Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) survey. These surveys were designed by the Catholic University of Leuven to better understand the Catholic Identity of a community and where the school community might like to see itself in the future. The feedback is invaluable in developing the next School Improvement Plan.

Students will complete the survey in their Religious Education class. Further information about student participation can be found by following these links:

Year 8 Camp

There is much excitement at Year 8 as students and staff prepare for camp next week. The focus of the camp is on developing students’ social and emotional learning through a range of challenging, team-based activities.

NAPLAN

Starting on Wednesday, Years 7 and 9 students will be completing NAPLAN tests. These have been moved from May to March so that results are available to schools in a more timely manner.

Further information about NAPLAN 2023 can be found via this link. 

What we are learning about in RE

In Year 7 Religion we are exploring the Catholic Regional College St Albans mission.

Year 7 students have reflected on our school's mission. 

The following are some reflections from 7 Kiewa on how they will respond to the school mission.

Upcoming Events

Year 8 Care for Creation Excursion

This term in Religious Education the Year 8 students have been unpacking the meaning of the Genesis one story and how this story calls all Christians to have `dominion of the earth`.  In order to further their understanding of what this means Year 8 students will be attending an excursion to Isabella Williams Memorial Reserve 56 Opie Rd, Deer Park VIC where they will spend some time caring for the environment. Please ensure you check PAM and complete the permission slip for your child to attend.

Year 7 Reflection Day

The Year 7 level will be involved in a personal and spiritual reflection day on Tuesday 28 April. They are exploring what it means to be People of Peace. They will be working in small groups and the day will conclude with a liturgy where each student is presented with a CRC St Albans Peace Badge. The Year 7 Reflection Day will be held at Quality Suites Point Cook Seasons 5 at 454 Point Cook Rd, Point Cook. Please ensure you check PAM and complete the permission slip for your child to attend.

All students in Year 7 and Year 9 will take part in the NAPLAN testing from Wednesday 15 March to Monday 27 March. During this time all students will complete three tests in Literacy (Reading, Writing and Conventions of Language) and one test in Numeracy. The NAPLAN schedule is as follows:

YEAR 7

YEAR 9

To be ready for the NAPLAN test, students need to:

• Have at least 8 - 10 hours of sleep the night before a test,
• avoid the use of electronic devices (screen time) one hour before going to sleep,
• have a healthy breakfast and snacks during the testing period,
• drink an adequate amount of water throughout the day of a test,
• ensure their laptops are fully functional and charged prior to a test,
• arrive to class on time, settled and ready to do their best in each of the tests.

Students may also wish to familiarise themselves with the online test tools via the use of the ACARA NAPLAN Online public demonstration site.

Please note any student absent on the day of a NAPLAN test will need to provide a doctor’s certificate and arrangements will be made for the student to complete the test at another time determined by the NAPLAN Coordinator.

If any students have any issues with their laptop in the lead up to the NAPLAN, they are asked to see Simon or Choung as soon as possible.

For more information about NAPLAN Online, families are encouraged to visit www.nap.edu.au or read the attached document. Students that are concerned about NAPLAN or have any questions, are encouraged to talk with their PC teacher, Year Level Leader, Maths or English teachers.

We wish all our Year 7 and Year 9 students all the very best for their upcoming NAPLAN tests.

Interim Reports will be accessible through the Parent Access Module (PAM) on Tuesday 28^th March.

Student/Parent/Teacher interviews will take place in the hall on Wednesday 5 April from 3:30 – 8:30pm and on Thursday 6April from 9:00 am – 3:00pm. 

Interim reports will indicate whether an interview with subject teachers is requested. The College will endeavour to accommodate interviews that are requested.

Families are asked to book sessions with their children’s subject teachers through the Parent Access Module by Tuesday 4 April. The booking system will open on Tuesday 28 March, and is accessible through the College website or the SIMON Everywhere App. 

Early Dismissal

Students will be dismissed at 3pm on Wednesday 5^th April and there will be no classes on Thursday 6^th April as all teachers will be involved in the interviews.

We look forward to meeting with families and students to discuss their academic progress, achievement and goals.

In Extended Pastoral Care and Homeroom, we have been working collectively to create a sense of community and sense of belonging where all students and staff feel safe and students are ‘ready to learn’.

Character Strengths

We believe everyone is unique and have something different to offer. Over the next week students will unpack and share their Character Strengths and celebrate their similarities and differences with one another in Pastoral Care.

What are Character Strengths? They are the qualities that come most natural to you.

• Every individual possesses all 24-character strengths in different degrees, giving each person a unique character or strength profile.
• When you know your strengths, you can improve your life and thrive.
• Research reveals that people who use their strengths a lot are 18 times more likely to be flourishing than those who do not use their strengths.
• Character strengths are a vehicle for improving wellbeing and providing a sense of purpose and hope.

If family members would like to complete the VIA Character Strengths Profile and share and celebrate with your child, you can do so by visiting this website:
https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register#youth

Mindful March

Please see attached our Mindful March calendar for all members of our community to reflect upon with each other.

Mindfulness can help us respond more calmly, even in difficult times. This month we encourage you to pause, breathe and notice, so we can respond more mindfully.

Remember...inner peace can contribute to outer peace too.

Academic Testing will be held on Saturday 29 April at 9:00am, further information will be sent to families in the coming weeks.

If you have not yet enrolled, please complete an application as soon as possible.

For any queries relating to enrolment please contact Jennifer Rowe on 9361 0002 or enrolments@crcs.vic.edu.au.

“ Choose a career that you think you'll love,

work hard and don't give up till you get there.”

Kat Duncan, Locum veterinary surgeon

International Women's Day was celebrated on Wednesday 8 March this year. Below are some resources to inspire you, of women excelling in all different careers around the world, plus there’s lots of great resources for girls and women looking to enter their dream careers.

Women in STEM

Did you know that Australia’s chief scientist is currently a woman?

The Girls in STEM Toolkit (GiST) has tons of stories of women crushing it in STEM careers, both in Australia and around the world. They have heaps of free resources you can explore, including interviews, videos, posters, podcasts and more.

You can also download a set of 8 awesome posters featuring some famous women in STEM.

Women in Aviation

Women in Aviation Careers is a resource for young girls and women who want to know all about the different careers in aviation and how they can get there. You can read about the different career opportunities and pathways, as well as find ways to connect with women in aviation through internships and work experience.

WAI Australia also has heaps of education and outreach resources, including their Girls in Aviation Days and the career journeys of women in aviation in their Aviation Careers Guide.

Women in Entrepreneurship

Keen to start up your own business or enterprise?

You might like to get some inspiration from women who have already done it before on the UQ Ventures site. Or you might like to check out this list of the top 17 Australian women entrepreneurs.

And if you’ve already got an idea but you don’t know what to do next, you could take a look at the Academy for Enterprising Girls, where you can access workshops and other resources.

Women in Construction

Build Something Big has some great video interviews of women working in a variety of different roles in the construction industry. You can even book to speak with some of the women directly and ask more questions.

Women Building Australia also has a National Mentoring Program for women new to the industry looking for support, encouragement and advice.

Women in Defence

In 2022, the participation rate of women in the permanent Australian Defence Force reached 20.1%, and in the Defence Australian Public Service reached 46.7%, figures that keep rising every year (source).

You can read all about pathways and opportunities for women in the ADF here. Or read and listen about the history of women in defence, as well as modern stories of serving women, on the Australian War Memorial’s website here.

CONVERSATION STARTER OF THE WEEK:

What motivates and inspires you? By finding this out, we can start to narrow down our potential options for future careers. Most people are motivated by a combination of things, like money, positive feedback or helping others and some people find that there is one particular thing that drives them much more than anything else.

Over the next two weeks we encourage families to find a time and space to discuss the following question:

JOB SPOTLIGHT

What is STEM?

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and maths. If you enjoy these subjects, you can find an exciting and satisfying job in the STEM industries. Watch the video below to find out more:

“Live Your Best Life in Love”

Every relationship is a journey and the grind of everyday life can cause you to lose touch with your spouse.

This experience gives married couples the tools to keep your passion alive in a gentle, nurturing environment, away from pressures and distractions of daily living.

The weekend is based around Catholic values and couples of all faiths are welcome.

 Please check our website for more details.

28-30 April 2023 in Melbourne

(Book early to avoid disappointment)

Information/Bookings: Phone Mercy & James 0409 183 676 or

Email: vicbookings@wwme.org.au    Website: wwme.org.au