From the Principal

This week’s Gospel reading is among my favourites.

Jesus is such a brilliant storyteller and teacher. Using the parable of the seeds, a well-known farming analogy that would have resonated with his audience, he reminds us that we must tend to the soil to ensure the seeds that are planted flourish.

During this time of lockdown 2.0 it will be important to nourish our faith. As a community, we will continue to pray for a swift resolution of this pandemic and place our trust in our creator, who always has our best interests at heart.

As we prepare for Distance Learning Mode (DLM) 2.0, it is easy to become disheartened and to focus on the negative. But Term 3 once again provides opportunity and many positives.

This time around, teachers and students are already familiar with the Teams learning platform. Staff have these first five days to prepare for the move back to DLM on Monday 20 July and our VCE students will continue to have the benefit of face-to-face teaching.

As an eternal optimist, I am confident that we will learn from our Term 2 experience and once again continue to provide engaging learning opportunities for our Year 7 to 10 students.

And in all this, is there room for a light-heartedness – even to Scripture? Father Maurie Cooney, one of our Canonical Administrators, shared this in his weekly letter.

“Stay calm and don’t lose your head.” - John the Baptist

“Wash your hands often.” - Pontius Pilate

“Avoid greeting people with a hug and a kiss.” - Judas

“Don’t touch your eyes, nose, mouth or any open wounds.” - Thomas

“Pets and other animals do not spread this condition.” - Francis of Assisi

Parent response to CareMonkey 

A CareMonkey notification was sent to parents and guardians of Year 7 to 10 students yesterday requesting information about students who will need to attend on-site from next week during Distance Learning Mode. 

To ensure the College has accurate information about how many students will be on-site, parents and guardians are asked to respond to the CareMonkey as soon as possible.

Minimise face-to-face contact

In an effort to protect our front office staff, I ask that parents and guardians limit visits to our Front Reception area. Please phone our reception staff on 8099 6000 if you have any questions.

COVID-19 information translated

The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria has developed a poster that encourages people with COVID-19 symptoms to seek testing in 13 of the most common non-English languages used in our school communities. The links in the poster will direct you to translated resources on the Department of Health and Human Services website.

You will find the poster attached below.

Stop the Spread

From the Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching

As we begin Term 3, staff are again embracing the complexities of teaching different classes via different modes.

They aim to deliver creative and engaging curriculum for both their face-to-face senior classes and use Teams and SIMON as the learning platform for Distance Learning Mode, which starts next week for Year 7 to 10.

During DLM, all students are required to be online from 8.45am to 3.20pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 9am to 3.20pm on Tuesday and Thursday, undertaking their regular classes with their teacher. We ask parents to provide the learning environment (for example, a study or dining room table); however, parents are not required to deliver the curriculum content. This is the role of our teachers.

Teachers are available to answer student questions during the scheduled class time and will respond to emails from 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Classes for our Year 7 and 8 students will run for 60 minutes with a 15-minute break at the end to reduce screen time and enable them to refresh. Teachers are planning their curriculum around this timeframe.

For Year 9 and 10 students, lessons will run for 75 minutes as per their Semester 2 timetables. This will help prepare them for their senior years of learning and allow teachers to assess suitability for acceleration into VCE subjects or taking on VET options.

We ask parents/guardians to support their child’s learning by reminding them of the importance of completing all set work. Please encourage them to seek help from their teacher or the student support office if they do not understand their classwork.

During DLM or face-to-face learning, if your child is feeling unwell they should not attend class. Please inform the College so the teacher is aware of their absence.

Below is a reminder for students and parents/guardians as we begin DLM next week.

Students with individual learning support have access to student support officers during their scheduled lessons. Student Support Groups (SSGs) will run as scheduled timetabled classes.

If students do not make regular online contact or show progress in their lessons, parents/guardians will be contacted by the subject teacher. Parents/guardians can support their child by emphasising learning is continuing and will follow the same format as Semester 1.

Returning to DLM may require some adjustment; however, we are confident the students will manage this transition. If you have any concerns, please contact your child’s subject or homeroom teachers.

 

Year 11 2021 Subject and Pathway Selection

Year 10 families have received information about the Year 11 2021 Information Evening scheduled for this Thursday 16 July at 7pm.

The presentation will be delivered online via Teams. Year 10 Coordinator Rebecca Cassar will introduce the evening and our families will then listen to the presentation. There will be time to post (type) questions.

An electronic Course Handbook will be available before Thursday. Students should download it to their device for easy reference. It will also be used as a guide to any changes they may make during 2021/2022.

Family interviews will take place online on Wednesday 29 July with more information to come via CareMonkey. During DLM students can talk to their Year 10 teachers about subjects they are interested in.

As lifelong learners, we are all participating in a new, creative and challenging journey in education in 2020.

From the Deputy Principal Staff

What an interesting first week back for Term 3. Our Year 11 and 12 students have returned and are engaged in face-to-face learning and staff are preparing for Distance Learning Mode for our Year 7 to 10 students.

In light of the current restrictions, our College Athletics Day, all inter-school sports and excursions have been cancelled this term.

The health and safety of all students and staff who are on-site is a priority and we are following all recommendations from the Department of Health and Human Services and Catholic Education Melbourne.

Currently, this means:

• School entry is restricted to only students, staff and those delivering essential school services and operations.
• All students are temperature tested when they arrive.
• Any students or staff with a high temperature or other symptoms are sent home.
• Students are advised to social distance where practical.
• Hand sanitisers are available in every room. Students and staff are reminded to practice regular hand hygiene.
• A continued focus on high levels of cleaning.
• Designated student areas at recess and lunch.
• Students and staff may use masks.
• Increased exit points from the school grounds.

We will continue to assess these as the term progresses and make any necessary adjustments.

VCE Unit 3 and Year 12 VCAL Parent Student Teacher Interviews

Parent Student Teacher (PST) Interviews for VCE Unit 3 and Year 12 VCAL students will be held next Tuesday 21 July from 4pm to 7pm. Due to current restrictions, interviews will be held online via Teams.

Bookings can be made through the Parent Access Module (PAM) from today by following the steps below.

To access PST bookings:

• Login to PAM
• At the top of the page you will see the Parent Interviews link. Click this to enter.
• Select your child (if you have more than one, each will be listed separately).
• Select the subject.
• Choose an available time with the teacher.
• Repeat for each class and child as needed.
• Use the print icon to print off your interview times.

Teachers will schedule a meeting with students at the allocated time. Parents and guardians can then take part in the interview via their child’s device.

Bookings for PST Interviews close Monday 20 July at 4pm. Normal classes will operate on Tuesday 21 July.

From the Deputy Principal Students

We continue to live through the most extraordinary and very challenging times.

We can easily see the economic impact of COVID-19 with business closures, rising unemployment and loss of income. Socially, our movements and ability to catch up with families and friends are restricted.

What is difficult to measure is the impact on our mental wellbeing. As we now enter another period of lockdown, the tips below can help you support your child to deal with this ongoing challenge.

General tips to support wellbeing

• Remaining active is very important for mental health and wellbeing. Many school sporting competitions have been postponed and substitute activities like going outside for walks or doing online exercise programs like yoga or Zumba are great options.
• Make sure you join in with your child’s fun. It can be hard if you’re not feeling well yourself or if you’re having to make lots of decisions about changing your routine, but remember your child is looking to you to know how to behave. Show them there is still time for fun.
• Encourage communication with friends using virtual formats when face-to-face isn’t an option.
• Develop a plan with your child about their schooling over the coming weeks. This will need to be done in collaboration with their school, but it will be reassuring for them to know that there is a plan, even if it needs to be adapted later.
• Help your child to get enough sleep. You can do this by limiting the use of screens late in the evening and encourage your child to start a wind-down routine about an hour before they go to bed. This helps them prepare their body and mind for sleep.

A reminder that if you or your child needs assistance, please contact our wellbeing counsellors or psychologist, or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.

Year 8 Domestique Awards

The Term 2 Domestique Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of Year 8 students whose actions often go unnoticed.

The awards highlight positive student achievements and contributions in three categories – Empathy, Community and Endeavour.

During Term 2, students faced the new frontier of Distance Learning Mode (DLM). Despite this, it was fantastic to see many students continue to strive for their best, support those around them and their local community.

Due to the limited number of weeks with students in class, we were unable to allocate awards in some categories. Below is a list of the recipients of the Domestique Awards for Term 2.

Empathy Award - The students who received this award earned it by supporting people, encouraging their peers, taking steps to check on and improve the wellbeing of others, actively considering the feelings of those around them, and generally being positive and upstanding members of their homeroom.

Community Award - Community is at the core of all we do at CRC, with one of our overarching goals being to ensure that young people feel they are an essential part of the bigger picture. The students who received this award in Term 1 earned it by taking an active role in different facets of school life. They also helped teachers whenever they saw an opportunity and were the first to get involved in programs in and out of the classroom.

Endeavour Award - We celebrate academic achievements on many occasions throughout the school year, but the Endeavour award is a little different. This award does not always consider the highest grades; instead, students are nominated for their effort, improvement, and tenacity.

8 Anthony

Endeavour Award - Jorja Mawson

Despite a difficult start to DLM, Jorja managed to rise to the occasion and become an excellent independent learner.

Community Award - Thinh Nguyen

Thinh received this award for always contributing to the homeroom during DLM. He regularly participated in homeroom activities and discussions on Teams.

Empathy Award - Shanessa Teves

Shanessa demonstrated her empathy for refugees and asylum seekers in Australia through her writing for the English Slam Poetry task.

8 Bernard

Endeavour Award - Aydin Huseyin

Aydin demonstrated a fantastic work ethic all term, communicating with his teachers and contributing to class discussions, always going above and beyond in his efforts.

Community Award - Nathan De Guzman

Nathan was extremely active during DLM, participating in school and year-level initiatives. He always displayed a positive attitude.

Empathy Award - Priscilla Mete

Priscilla has demonstrated empathy all year. During Term 2 she looked out for her classmates' mental health. She was incredibly supportive during DLM, liasing between teachers and students and helping others who had issues with their devices or Internet connection.

8 Catherine

Endeavour Award - Charlyze Prosser

Charlyze never fails to approach others each day with kindness, respect, grace and enthusiasm. She showed resilience with her schoolwork and in the classroom during DLM, working exceptionally hard and completing all her work to a high standard.

8 Dominic

Endeavour Award - Abigail Morgan

During Term 2 Abigail went above and beyond to keep up with class tasks, seek feedback, produce an excellent standard of work, self-motivate, as well as be a positive and enthusiastic member of her homeroom.

8 Mackillop 

Endeavour Award - Jack Kontostergios 

Throughout DLM Jack was a committed student in all subject areas. Jack worked consistently and was a great participant in all class activities. 

Community Award - Tayla Acisu 

Tayla continued her strong work ethic across all subject areas during Term 2. She also fostered positive relationships with her teachers and peers and encouraged and assisted her homeroom in a range of activities. 

8 O’Reilly 

Endeavour Award - Joanna Johnson 

Joanna was consistent and diligent in her studies, especially during DLM. She is a determined, respectful and considerate student and an invaluable member of 8O.

 

8 Reed 

Endeavour Award - Daniel Guinto 

Over the course of Term 2, Daniel worked hard in all his subjects and strived to do his best. 

Empathy Award - Marlee Leetham 

Marlee is an active member of 8 Reed. She is always considerate of others and regularly displays empathy for her peers and teachers. 

On behalf of the Year 8 homeroom team, subject teachers and students, congratulations to all the Term 2 Domestique Award Winners.

Ashley joins the Melton SES

Congratulations to Ashley Newton of Year 11 who became a full member of the State Emergency Service (SES) Melton Unit over the holidays.

After a gruelling eight hours, Ashley completed a range of written tests and practical scenarios where she was required to navigate casualty handling, set up lights and generators and remove a concrete slab off a casualty.

Throughout these tasks, Ashley took on the roles of Crew Leader, First Aid Officer and Safety Officer and demonstrated excellent teamwork.

Well done Ashley. 

David Arthurson

Year 12 Coordinator

40th Anniversary Celebration

Our 40^th Anniversary event planned for Sunday 30 August has been postponed due to COVID -19 restrictions.

During Term 3, our newsletter, website, Facebook and Instagram pages will feature an online celebration of this significant milestone.

This will include the launch of a commemorative book, which details our history and the people and events that have shaped the past four decades.

Canteen Operating Hours

The College Canteen will be open for recess and lunch every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from tomorrow (15 July).

Pre-orders are strongly encouraged and can be submitted via the Ultimate Schools website. To set up an account, visit http://ultimateschools.com.au/ and follow the prompts. Pre-orders can also be provided directly to the canteen by the end of recess.

A maximum of 10 students will be permitted in the canteen at any one time and students must use the hand sanitiser at the door before they enter. There are also crosses marked on the canteen floor to show students where they should stand. Only students who wish to buy food should enter the canteen (friends need to wait outside).

Students waiting to enter will queue outside the canteen. Apple Pay and Eftpos are accepted to minimise the use of cash.

Canteen staff are cleaning high-touch surfaces at the end of end each service period and following all Department of Health and Human Services guidelines.