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School Reception: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm
Phone: (03) 8099 6000
Email:info@sfcc.vic.edu.au
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People of quality
We thank you, Lord, for making us people of quality.
We pray that we may use our gifts well and not keep them unused, unwrapped,
because a gift is no good unless it is shared.
We thank you that we are people of quality whom your hands have made.
May you be blessed forever!
Amen.
One of the most exciting rounds of AFL football is the Sir Douglas Nicholls Round, which was held in the Northern Territory last Saturday. It is a celebration and recognition of the talents of Indigenous players in the AFL, with the main event being the clash between Essendon and Richmond.
Sir Douglas was born in 1906 on the NSW side of the Murray River at Cummeragunja Reserve.
A natural sportsman, he earnt a living as both a sprint runner and a boxer as well as becoming the first Indigenous player to be chosen in a Victorian interstate AFL team. Sadly, at the time, Sir Douglas was subjected to racial taunts on the field and by his team members. Perhaps this need for change is what motivated him to become a pioneer in the campaign for reconciliation.
As a proud Yorta Yorta man, Sir Douglas actively campaigned for the yes vote in the 1967 Referendum. After his successful football career, mainly with Fitzroy, he went on to become Governor of South Australia.
The legacy of his life’s work proves that passion, hard work and political agitation can achieve great success. We still have a long way to go in Australia, but Saturday’s match reminds us of the great strides we as a community have made in recognising our own first nations people.
At Catholic Regional College, we currently have ten students who identify as Indigenous. As a Fire Carrier school (Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education), we take our responsibility to continue the discussion about reconciliation very seriously.
You will soon notice that all emails you receive from the College will include the following statement:
Catholic Regional College Melton acknowledges and respects the traditional custodians of this land the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.
The Acknowledgement of Country is our way of proudly continuing the work championed by Sir Douglas all those years ago.
If you would like to learn more about Sir Douglas, click on the link below.
Distance Learning Mode
This year has taught us the value of reflection, evaluation and adjustment.
The College is receiving considerable feedback from parents about student workload, particularly in the junior year levels.
As a result, our Year Level Coordinators and Domain Leaders met last week to determine strategies and solutions to support student learning and wellbeing. You will find these outlined in this week’s newsletter update from our Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching, Joanne Holmes.
It is important to note that not all students will need alterations to their day. A recent study published by Catholic Education Melbourne highlights that for some students who are particularly self-motivated Distance Learning Mode (DLM) allows them to thrive.
Our teachers are providing lessons to cater for the diverse learning needs of students. Parents should email subject teachers directly if they feel students need extra extension activities. Students who have supportive and available parents will benefit significantly from an increased ability to learn independently.
The key to success is quality teacher, student, parent/guardian interaction with regular communication between school and home. Particularly during DLM, this consistent communication will be crucial to student learning success.
Congratulations
Last Thursday we held another virtual assembly that highlighted the innovation, resilience and dedication of our student leaders. I want to take this opportunity to thank the team - we are grateful for their efforts to continue to engage with the broader student body, despite the unusual conditions of 2020.
Staff Wellbeing
As we work through the last four weeks of Term 3, we are conscious of maintaining the wellbeing of all our staff. To enable this, the College has established a range of activities that give us an opportunity to connect and engage with each other while we are physically apart.
After a very successful trivia night via Zoom, staff are now engaged in a scavenger hunt. This weekend was spent rummaging through boxes to find a bus or train timetable from overseas and looking for old TEAC cassette players!
Staff are also taking part in an Active Challenge, which sees teams of four log the kilometres they walk, run or cycle each day. The competitive nature of our staff is highly evident, and the activities have provided a welcome distraction from the daily death count and negativity of lockdown news bulletins.
| Dates to remember | |
Wednesday 26 August | Parents and Friends Meeting - 7pm |
Thursday 3 September | Student Free Day/Staff Faith Day |
Monday 7 September - Friday 11 September | Year 12 SAC Week |
Today begins Week 7 of Distance Learning Mode (DLM), with only four weeks remaining until the end of the term.
Our Year 8 students are working through their selection process for 2021 electives. Students have access to the pre-recorded presentation and this Thursday’s assembly period is dedicated to entering their choices into Web Preferences with help from their Homeroom teachers.
You can help your child make appropriate choices by discussing their interests, passions and learning preferences.
Tertiary applications
A VTAC Information Evening was held last Thursday by our Pathways Coordinator Mrs Sasha Dickson. It provided a chance for students and their parents and guardians to learn more about the tertiary application process and ask questions. For more information, contact Mrs Dickson.
Easing the load
Deputy Principals, Year Level Coordinators and Domain Leaders have been discussing the impact of DLM on students. It has been a challenging time with students disconnected from the social experiences provided by face to face learning and peer interactions.
Several changes are being implemented this week to ensure students remain engaged in their learning and to support their wellbeing. Each year level has been considered and families will receive further information from Year Level Coordinators. Here is a summary of the main changes that will be implemented from this week:
Year 7 to 9
CRC Melton Unstructured Lesson Time
Year 10 and 11
Year 12 (Unit 4)
Teachers will continue to use both informal (eg quizzes) and formal assessment (eg tests) to determine your child’s progress within the Victorian Curriculum and their placement within the Achievement Standards.
A reminder that our next Parents and Friends Association meeting will be held tomorrow evening Wednesday 26 August at 7pm.
After the Principal's report, Teacher Librarian Michael Hill will introduce Infiniti, our new library management system. Infiniti has a user-friendly interface and will provide our Alexandria Resource Centre staff with a variety of tools to target curriculum resources for particular groups. Students and teachers can find all resources available to them in one simple search, at home or at school. Michael's demonstration will highlight some of these features.
Due to COVID-19, meetings are currently being held remotely through the Microsoft Teams platform. If you did not attend the last meeting but would like to be part of the next one, please email kmatthews@sfcc.vic.edu.au
to receive the information required to join the meeting.
It was a busy day in the kitchen with food cooked and delivered by staff to grateful neighbours and friends as part of our annual Staff Service Day last Friday (21 August).
The pandemic did not deter our team from reaching out to others in creative ways given the current COVID-19 restrictions.
Handwritten letters and other messages were distributed either in person or by post; masks were sewn and donated and many more acts of kindness made Friday a beautiful day for all who gave and those who received.
Here are just a few of the reflections from staff:
“Amy Bandeira and I have been combating our lockdown blues by spending a lot of time at our sewing machines. So for the Staff Service Day, we decided to turn our sewing efforts toward a good cause. St. Vincent’s Hospital in Fitzroy not only operates as a medical facility, but also assists vulnerable and struggling members of the community with a variety of needs each day. They put out a call for volunteers to donate face masks that they could distribute to their clients, and were grateful to hear from us and to receive our donation of 53 reusable masks. Hopefully, our small donation will make a difference to those in need.” – Hollie Whitlock
“I made a sweets pack of cupcakes, Mars Bar slice, rum balls and Nutella twists for the elderly that live in my street that I reached out to on our Staff Service Day. They were friends of my Nonna that I know and used to see at her house. I also wrote them individual cards of encouragement in English or Italian with my number if they needed anything. I enjoyed dropping them off at their doors and seeing their faces of surprise and gratitude. I even received a couple of packages back of biscuits and olives the next day, when I said I didn’t want anything in return. It was very humbling. The elderly in my community bring such wisdom and knowledge and are so inspiring to me.” – Louise Crocitti
“My son Aaron and I chose to make cookies to give to our neighbours as a little something to make lockdown a little easier.” – Natalie Bourke
“Baked some yummy desserts and packed them for staff members living in the 5km radius of my house. Hopefully the desserts brightened up everyone’s afternoons.” – Ashlee Hughes
“I live in a fabulous neighbourhood with people who always look out for each other. I made chicken and sweetcorn soup for Trevor and added spring onions that he grew and gave to me. One good turn deserves another.” - Robin Panousieris
“My service day was spent cooking to make sure my mother-in-law stays healthy during COVID-19 isolation” – Marion Jackson
“Today, I wrote letters to people who are isolated because of COVID-19. It reminded me of how enjoyable it is to write an old fashioned letter!” – Sister Mary Sarah
“I decided to bake and surprise a colleague and friend. I am truly grateful to be working in a great team, especially through this crazy time. Their phone calls brighten up my day, so I decided to surprise them and show them how blessed I am to have them in my life.” – Shehani Smith
“For our Service Day, I thought of the elderly people in my neighbourhood who live alone and rely on their children to bring them a home-cooked meal. Today I gave them the day off and decided it was my turn to cook for my neighbours. I hope they can imagine they are dining in a beautiful Tuscan village with the sun shining brightly on their windows Italian food.” – Claudia Russo
The College marked World Humanitarian Day last Wednesday 19 August with a Kahoot quiz and human rights videos on SIMON throughout the week.
On World Humanitarian Day we commemorate humanitarian workers killed and injured in the course of their work and honour all aid and health workers who continue, despite the odds, to fight for human rights and provide life-saving support and protection to people most in need.
The following students achieved a score above 50 per cent on the Kahoot quiz and will receive a hot chip lunch when we return to school. Everyone who entered also received five house points.
The winners were:
Year 7
Calliah Willinski, Samira Feijten, Dylan Kenny, Marydina Kakinda, Zidane McNamara
Year 8
Paris Iaria
Year 9
Ophelia Fernando
Year 10
Abby Timms, Nathan Furtado, Peter Anyout
Year 11
Ager Mangok, Chloe Downer
Year 12
Xavier Keamy Browne, Sophie Hine, Danielle Cimarelli
Fitzgerald scored the most house points after the Homelessness Week World Humanitarian Day quizzes with 145 followed by Reed with 100, Glasheen 45 and Daffey 25.
Congratulations to the winners and a huge thank you to all who entered.
CRC Melton took out second place in the SACCSS Virtual Cross Country competition with our students running a total of almost 400km during the four-week challenge.
Congratulations to Year 11 student Solomon Miesen who contributed just over 130km to our College total. The second highest distance was run by Year 8 student Mikaela Lorenzo (64.16km) followed by Year 10 student James Morrow (33.1km). They were closely followed by Beamlak Tilahun and Tra My Nguyen with 28km.
The kilometres also counted towards our College running competition with Glasheen amassing an unbeatable 278.74km. Reed claimed second place with 89.36km followed by Daffey with 46.23km and Fitzgerald 29.14km.
A huge thanks to all the students who took part and contributed to both the SACCSS and house totals. A full wrap up of results is available in the tally boards below.
The family pet may be enjoying all the time you are at home; however the change to and strain of our “new normal” has seen some shifts in the wellbeing of students, parents and guardians.
Everyone in our school community needs to look after their wellbeing. We want students and their families to have access to support during this time. You are encouraged to refer to the flow chart below, which highlights ways to reach out and helpful strategies for the home environment.
During these uncertain times, it is typical for all of us at times to feel sad, stressed, angry or anxious.
Our Year 12 students are also feeling the added pressure of the year nearly ending, pressing assessment tasks, examinations and significant life decisions about their plans beyond CRC Melton.
With this in mind, our team of Year 12 homeroom teachers and a handful of students have developed some time out sessions to help our senior cohort focus on their mental health.
Students will be offered a 20-minute relaxation session during some of their study periods in the coming weeks. The sessions are not compulsory but highly encouraged and may include meditation, prayer or quizzes. Students will run the activities, supported by staff, and I thank all those who have offered their time.
This week’s activities allow students to reflect and start the day relaxed with a focused and clear mind through a prayerful virtual walk and a meditation session.
Even if it is only for a short time, we hope our Year 12 students and teachers take up these opportunities to pause and re-energise as we work through the final weeks of Term 3.
As we continue to learn and teach from home, we are driven to implement new and varied strategies to engage our students in the Humanities classroom.
Our Unit 4 VCE students have demonstrated significant resilience in their Business Management class and completed their first online assessment for Unit 4, using the assessment platform exam.net.
They had an opportunity to practice in class and provide teachers with feedback so that the assessment day could run smoothly. As a Business Management teacher, I could not be prouder of their adaptability.
Meanwhile, our Legal Studies students are working towards their upcoming assessment tasks, our Accounting students continue to crunch numbers, and History Revolutions students completed an assessment task in the form of an essay via Distance Learning Mode (DLM). Australian History students also completed a Historical Inquiry on the last day of face to face learning.
Psychologist Dr Dennis O'Grady once said: "Change has a bad reputation in our society. But it isn’t all bad – not by any means. In fact, change is necessary in life – to keep us moving…to keep us growing…to keep us interested. Imagine life without change. It would be static…boring…dull".
While we might be a little bored at home our life is certainly not “static” in Year 12.
Our Unit 2 VCE students have demonstrated significant resilience, adaptability, self-discipline and time management in the transition to DLM.
Business Management students have been working on their marketing unit and again COVID-19 provides us with many opportunities to incorporate current economic issues and explore the impact on business environments.
Students in Legal Studies have been expanding their knowledge about criminal law, in particular sentencing practices, sanctions and the key principles of justice. Our Accounting students are reinforcing their skills and learning new accounting practices.
Unit 2 History students are currently studying the Cold War and have been exploring how close the world came to a nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Students have enjoyed learning about propaganda, including films such as Duck and Cover used to educate children as a method of personal protection against the effects of a nuclear explosion.
It has been interesting for students to compare their own experiences with panic buying seen in our current times with those preparing to seek shelter in bunkers during the Cold War.
The transition to DLM was particularly challenging for our Year 10 Humanities students who commenced a new subject as we entered Semester 2.
Our Political Law students have been gaining an understanding of our Legal System, in particular the court hierarchy and other methods of dispute resolution. The students have also learned about the potential influence of media and social media in court cases. It has been great to see students apply this knowledge to notable cases from the past 12 months.
Year 9 Humanities students have been learning about the economy through a unit rewritten to include the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students are relating government policy, economic and social impacts of the virus, business operation during the pandemic and the global, multinational economy and Australia’s relationship to it. For example, our export and import trade with China.
Year 8 Humanities students have also been working on their Business Economics unit, with a focus on Entrepreneurship. An entrepreneur in the business world is considered someone who has the ability and capacity to take risks in business. We encourage students to be as creative and inventive in the application of their studies.
Year 7 Humanities students are undertaking their Geography unit, which focuses on the topic of Places and Liveability. Students make comparisons with other countries and analyse their level of liveability against Australia. This unit is often quite enlightening for students who may not realise, for example, the levels of literacy and poverty in our own country.
On behalf of the Humanities Domain teachers, I wish all our students and families a safe journey forward. Please contact us if you need help, clarification or guidance.
The winner of last week’s Year 8 Italian Quiz was Adrian Prundus from 8M. Auguri Adrian! The answer to the Who Am I question was Michelangelo.
This week it’s over to the Year 9 students to guess the name of a famous Italian opera singer who blessed us with some amazing performances. A spectacular voice indeed. The full question appears on SIMON and there are prizes for the winning entry.
Answers should be emailed to Mrs Claudia Russo at crusso@sfcc.vic.edu.au with the winner announced on our social media pages later in the week.
Our Community Business Directory has been updated.
Our Student Representative Council developed the initiative to support businesses owned by families of our CRC community during these difficult times.
If you are a past student of CRC Melton or currently have a child attending the school and are interested in promoting your business in the directory, please email src@sfcc.vic.edu.au for an Expression of Interest Form.
We look forward to hearing from you and continuing to promote your business among our College community.
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