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School Reception: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm
Phone: (03) 8099 6000
Email:info@sfcc.vic.edu.au
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Our Catholic tradition is greatly enriched by the performance of rituals.
The living out of religious faith is populated by many rituals, some specifically linked to the season of Lent. One of the most distinctive of Catholic rituals is the marking with ashes at the start of the season of Lent, itself preceded in many cultures by Shrove Tuesday and the celebration of Mardi Gras.
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the time of preparation to celebrate the eagerly awaited Easter season. Numerous rituals are available to enhance our preparation for the Resurrection of Christ.
One such daily practice that can help us make space for God in our lives and include in our Lenten observance is the Ignatian Daily Examen.
An ancient Christian prayer, it can be like a place of life-giving water, where we sit quietly in the presence of Jesus and recollect the events of our day. The Daily Examen is a prayerful reflection technique on the events of the day to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us.
The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience. I recommend using the following link to learn how this helpful and simple ritual can assist you during Lent. The Examen
Ashes are what remain after a fire has gone out. They are a symbol for us—of death and of grief. Many Christians today receive a cross of ashes on their foreheads. This cross of ashes signifies that we are blemished; we are not perfect; that a fire has gone out in us too and needs to be rekindled. This cross of ashes signifies that we are ready to change, and to make efforts to set out lives firmly on the way of Christ.
Be strong and turn your life toward God.
Merciful God, you called us from the dust of earth; you claimed us for Christ in the waters of baptism.
Look upon us as we enter these forty days bearing the mark of ashes.
Bless us as we journey through the desert of Lent to the font of rebirth. May our fasting be hunger for justice; our alms, a making of peace; our prayer, the chant of humble and grateful hearts.
All that we do and pray is in the name of Jesus, for in his cross you proclaim your love now and forever.
Amen.
Shrove Tuesday is always a huge event in my family. My mum starts cooking pancakes the week before and on Tuesday night the whole family meets at mum’s place to eat pancakes and catch up. The word shrove comes from shrive, which means to absolve. And so Shrove Tuesday is a time to reset and commence our preparations for the Lenten journey that will begin on Ash Wednesday. Luckily pancakes freeze as we have suddenly cancelled for 2021!
Following Shrove Tuesday, we commence the Penitential season of Lent. This is 40 days in which Christians take time to reflect, consider our sins, ask for God’s help and make right any wrongdoing. This preparation involves fasting, praying and almsgiving.
There is a strong biblical base for the fasting. In Matthew’s Gospel, we hear that, “Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights and afterwards he was famished” Matt 4:1- 2.
This fasting and temptation was a spiritual preparation for Jesus just before he commenced his public ministry. Today we spend 40 days in preparation for the celebration and joy of Easter.
On Ash Wednesday, Catholics receive ashes and hear the words “Repent and believe in the Gospels”.
The Lenten season presents us with an opportunity to take stock and renew our desire for a closer relationship with Christ. Although our celebrations will be virtual this year, we can still reflect personally on how we will prepare ourselves for the Easter events. In his 2020 Easter address, Bishop Long asked the question, “Where can we encounter the risen Christ?”
This is a great question to reflect on as we prepare for the joy of Easter.
The news on Friday of a short lockdown in Victoria brought sadness and shock to our College community.
After such a wonderful start to the year, the need to revert once again to Distance Learning Mode was disappointing.
At the same time, we are blessed at Catholic Regional College Melton. All of our Year 7 students have received their laptops. All have undertaken instruction on how to use Teams, our online learning platform. Staff and students were quick to pivot on Friday and prepared for the three days of Distance Learning Mode.
The Monday to Wednesday timetable is operating as usual with Homeroom teachers checking in on students each morning. Staff set up each lesson with Learning Intentions and Success Criteria and then leave students to work independently. Staff remain on the Teams call to answer any questions.
Overall Catholic Regional College Melton was well placed to manage a swift return to online learning.
I thank staff for the extra effort undertaken last weekend to ensure the continuity of learning for our students.
We hope and pray that this will be short-lived and that we return to face to face learning on Thursday.
The College sends its sincere condolences to the Hermence family on the passing of Ian Hermence, father of Jonah (Year 8). Our prayers and support go out to Jonah and his family during this difficult time. May the Lord find and comfort them always.
| Dates to remember | |
| Wednesday 17 February | Year 12 Information Evening - POSTPONED |
| Thursday 18 February | Year 7 Information Evening - POSTPONED |
| Monday 22 February | Year 8 Camp |
| Monday 1 March | College Swimming and Multisport Carnival |
View the full College Calendar
As we begin the third week of the term, we again find ourselves in a lockdown but hopefully only for a few days.
A reminder to parents and guardians who drop off or collect their child from the front of the College to be as careful as possible as the area is very busy with traffic, especially in the afternoon.
Please avoid the bus zone and the disabled car parks and when you drive away, please do not attempt a U-turn against the traffic flow. Please use the roundabout if you need to head in the opposite direction.
We have also had issues in the afternoon with families parking on the opposite side of the College on Bulmans Road (adjacent to Cambrian Way Reserve). The council has been fining people for parking there. We recommend that your child walks to an alternative pick- up area.
We also have some staffing changes. Dan Kelly has accepted a position in wellbeing at St Columba’s College in Essendon.
Dan has been a valued member of the CRC community particularly as Domain Leader Health and Physical Education. He will leave us in two weeks and I congratulate Emma Wright who will take over the role. We wish Dan all the best in his new position.
As we find ourselves back in a Stage 4 lockdown, there is a feeling of déjà vu.
Having experienced a COVID-normal life, the feeling of disappointment about the latest outbreak is understandable. However, we need to remain focused on our studies and remember it will not be forever. One thing to help us through these times is to establish and maintain a structured routine.
An article on the Beyond Blue website titled Managing your mental health – the importance of establishing a routine highlights how our work, home and social lives have been turned upside down, requiring us to find new ways to live.
Psychologist Sabina Read recognises that having a routine which we establish and use to structure our days will, in turn, provide stability.
Some of the elements to include in your routine are set times for meals, exercise, and social connection. Making an effort to call, Facetime or message your friends and family will make you feel more connected.
When you are working from home, setting start and finish times, taking regular breaks and having a specific workspace all enable you to maintain your day’s structure.
These ideas tie in with our work on The Resilience Project, focusing our attention on GEM - gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.
When students practice GEM, they become happier, reduce stress, form stronger friendships, are more positive and have increased energy.
Throughout the College diary, there are questions that, when answered daily, can help develop resilience and improve wellbeing.
The questions encourage students to reflect on the positive aspects of their lives and appreciate the people and things that matter whilst developing their language around each area.
Students need to continue answering the questions during challenging times to foster a sense of hope for the future and appreciate living in the moment.
Additional resources for support are:
On Thursday 11 February we celebrated two award ceremonies - the 2020 VCE, VET and VCAL Awards and the 2020 Year 7-10 Awards. A full list of award winners and photos are featured in this week's newsletter.
It was wonderful to see so many of our students walk across the stage to receive awards of excellence acknowledging academic, citizenship, community involvement, leadership and peer achievements. We also announced scholarships for Religious Education, Music and Academic Excellence. Thank you to the families in attendance and those who joined the awards ceremonies via our YouTube link. We know how proud you must be.
Our College Ensemble and several individual performances by students added to the occasion, showcasing our community’s talent. Please contact the College if your child is passionate about music and would like to join our music groups.
Distance Learning Mode
As I write this today, we have returned to remote and flexible learning, or Distance Learning Mode (DLM) as our students know it.
Staff have uploaded work to the Teams online learning platform. Teachers and Student Support Officers continue to cater to the different needs of students in this online environment.
Last year, we explored a range of strategies, apps and activities to engage students through distance learning. These will be used in DLM and during face to face classes. Resources such as STILE, EduPerfect and Edrolo are being used across year levels to maximise learning.
PAT Testing in reading comprehension and numeracy is progressing. There will be a small delay and rescheduling for Year 8-10 classes due to lockdown. We hope to have this completed as soon as possible to begin our targeted tutor program.
Our 2020 Academic Awards Ceremony was held at the College last Thursday, at which our highest achieving students were recognised for their outstanding efforts in an extraordinary year.
A full list of award winners is available below and we congratulate all students on their achievements.
You can read a transcript of the speech by 2020 College Dux Jarryd Martin from the Academic Awards Ceremony here. Read now
Learn more about College Awards and Scholarships
CRC Melton 2020 Year 12 student Oscar Alcock is one of only 31 students statewide who achieved a study score of 45 or above in Product Design. Impressively only six of the 31 were boys.
This year, Oscar will study Industrial Design and work as a tutor at CRC Melton. Added to these impressive achievements he is also one of CRC Melton’s 2020 top 10 VCE students.
When you speak to Oscar about his Year 12 work, he will tell you that the highlight was designing and producing a piece of furniture for his personal use.
Spending time working through the technical problems, modifying to improve the product and hours of sanding and applying the wood finish provided moments of relaxation and pleasure in a job well done. It is something he will treasure and use for years.
Students achieve their dreams by doing different subjects and seeing the possibilities. Product Design and Technology: Wood is a subject that leads to a range of different careers, expands your creativity and belief in yourself.
Design and Technology teacher
Families who have not entered their child’s medical details into PAM are urged to complete this process as soon as possible.
Keeping your child’s medical details up to date is important. The College needs all relevant information to ensure the best possible care for your child in case of an emergency.
Staff are currently planning excursions, events and camps for students in all year levels. Students cannot attend these if their medical details are not completed in PAM.
If you have not already done so, please log in to your account, select your child’s profile then choose Medical Profile from the menu below their name. You can also click on the bell icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen and select the drop-down box that appears.
As well as entering all medical details, it is important to log in to PAM and check that the email address linked to your account is correct.
As advised via email from 2021, this will be the email to which all College correspondence is sent. If the email address is incorrect, please update your details.
Your current and correct email address is required to ensure you receive all information and notifications related to your child.
If you need assistance or require more information, please contact the College on 8099 6000.
You can access PAM from the College website’s homepage – in the top righthand corner, click on PORTALS to find the Parent Portal tab.
Or simply follow this link - Parent Portal - PAM
Our 2020 Year 12 students demonstrated perseverance, dedication and resilience to complete their final year of schooling in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With tertiary offers almost complete, it is incredibly pleasing to see our students’ fantastic success rate in obtaining pathways into their new careers.
In the first round of offers in January, 95% of students who applied through VTAC for tertiary study received an offer. Of these students, 69 received their first preference.
The following graph illustrates that 120 of our 149 Year 12 students (80.5%) received offers to study at university or TAFE.
There were also 15 students (10%) who gained employment with three obtaining apprenticeships.
In such a tumultuous economy and challenging work climate, this speaks to the strong level of work readiness skills our students have developed at the College.
We wish our 2020 Year 12 students all the best with their future pathways and hope to hear of their success as alumni.
Year 10 Theme 2020
We welcome all our Year 10 students and families to the start of the 2021 school year.
It is an exciting year for our students, filled with many incredible opportunities to grow, challenge themselves and make significant decisions about their pathways and passions.
Our Year 10 theme this year is Dare to do more than you are able. We will challenge the Year 10 students to recognise their potential and reach for it. Students will reflect upon their interests and strengths, pursuing opportunities and making choices that align with these.
Work experience is a highlight of Year 10, where students explore different industries and spend a week off-campus in Term 2. Students will work with their teachers, parents and guardians to make informed decisions about their future pathways through our VCE/VCAL subject selection process, which occurs early in Term 3.
We would also like to introduce our homeroom team for 2021:
10 Anthony - Kim Lillington
10 Bernard - Stephen Orr
10 Catherine - Brad Ryan and Nathan Belcher
10 Dominic - Kerrie-Ann Matthews
10 Mackillop - Jo Clinton and Carolyn Howard
10 O'Reilly - Martin Attard
10 Reed - Nerida Thurn, Emily Galofaro and Danielle Naumcevski
We look forward to supporting the Year 10 students in their academic, personal and spiritual endeavours, daring them to be the best they can be!
Please feel free to contact your child’s homeroom teacher or us at the College if you have any questions or concerns.
It is important for students to continue reading for pleasure during Distance Learning Mode.
Taking a break from the screen and picking up a physical book, magazine or newspaper can be quite relaxing. It also gives your eyes a rest from the reading that occurs on the screen.
For those who have trouble leaving the screen, or who have run out of physical reading matter, we can help.
Students have access to ePlatform, available through the College network, that provides a huge range of ebook and audiobook titles.
To find an ebook, click on the Infiniti Library Platform link under School Links in Simon. From the search button, enter an author, title, genre or topic of interest.
The list of titles found in your search will appear under the ePlatform tab. You can click on the title or the cover image. If you are prompted to log in, simply use your College ID (six numbers) and your College network password to borrow.
If you have any problems, please email mhill@sfcc.vic.edu.au.
Families are welcome and encouraged to become involved in the College community through the Parents and Friends Association.
The Association provides an opportunity to meet other families, hear about what is going on at the College and have a say in new initiatives. Each meeting includes a short presentation from a College staff member.
Our first meeting for 2021 will be held online via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 24 February at 7pm. The evening will include a presentation by our new Deputy Principal - Operations, Staffing and Strategic Intent Mr Michael Wilcock.
To join the next meeting please email kmatthews@sfcc.vic.edu.au.
This year the College is offering a wider range of private instrumental music lessons. In addition to vocal, piano, guitar and drum tuition, students can learn to play the flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet or trombone.
Playing a musical instrument has so many benefits. It improves your memory and mathematical ability, refines your time management and organisational skills and teaches you perseverance, to name a few.
Students who enrol in private instrumental lessons will also have an opportunity to perform at various College functions, such as school masses, liturgies, assemblies, concerts, and the wider community. The 25-minute classes are held during the school day.
For more details or to enrol in a lesson email Instrumental Music Coordinator, Daniel Askew: daskew@crcmleton.com.au
CRC Melton parents and guardians have exclusive access to Elevate Education’s Parent Webinar Series for Term 1, 2021. Elevate works with our students, delivering workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation.
Elevate’s webinar series can help you learn how to better support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they learn at school.
The next webinar titled, Time Management Techniques, will run live online from 6pm to 7pm on Wednesday 24 February. Registration is essential and is free for CRC Melton parents and guardians. It includes a live question and answer session so you can ask the presenter questions directly.
You can register for one or all of the free webinars using the link below.
Elevate Parent Webinar Series Registration
Other webinars in the series include:
Wednesday 10 March
Technology devices and self-regulation strategies.
Wednesday 24 March
Note taking skills to help your child deepen their revision.
A letter from the Archbishop of Melbourne Most Rev Peter A Comensoli to parents and guardians is available below.
Keep up to date with College events, procedures, resources and information via the links below.
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