This year’s theme for National Reconciliation Week, In This Together, is undoubtedly very apt and resonates on so many levels.

Distance Learning Mode required us all to pull together to deliver successful outcomes. It would be wonderful if this same single-mindedness and energy could be applied to decreasing the gaps in literacy and numeracy for our Indigenous students.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Reconciliation Walks when people came together to walk on bridges and roads across the nation and show their support for a more reconciled Australia.

While much has happened, there is still work to be done with young indigenous people who are over-represented in our jails, have lower VCE completion rates and significant gaps in their literacy and numeracy levels.

Just as we have all pulled together to deliver Distance Learning Mode for our students, each of us has a part to play in building respectful relationships that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.

I applaud the work of our small yet passionate Fire Carrier student group who before lockdown met to develop their 2020 Action plan.

One of the goals of this strategic and ambitious plan was to move our Bunjil totum to a more prominent place in the College. Bunjil, who travels as an eagle, is the protector of the land. Follow this link to read more about this spiritual being.

http://www.yarrahealing.catholic.edu.au/stories-voices/index.cfm?loadref=79

Alexandria Resource Centre

Our new resource centre has hosted students who have attended the College during Distance Learning Mode. This innovative space requires a fitting name, and so it is with great pleasure that I announce it will be the Alexandria Resource Centre.

After exploring the life of St Catherine of Alexandria (pictured below), this seems a very fitting name.

St Catherine was born around 287 in Alexandria, which at the time was a centre of learning, culture and faith.

Well educated and an avid scholar, St Catherine became a Christian at 14. As a young woman, she was tortured but refused to denounce her faith. Catherine suffered at the hands of Emperor Maxentius. She was eloquent in her defence of the faith, often using oratory to turn the followers of Maxentius against him.

She was sentenced to be executed on a breaking wheel, an ancient form of torture, but when she touched it, a miracle occurred - the wheel shattered. Catherine was eventually executed for her faith by the Emperor.

St Catherine is the Patron Saint of many causes including Scholars, Educators, Archivists, Nurses, Philosophers, Secretaries, Libraries and Mechanics.

The symbolism of the wheel is of great relevance to our space.

The spokes represent the varied services provided to our College community from within the Resource Centre.

The name also references the library of Alexandria that was a centre of learning in the ancient world and contained works by the great thinkers and writers of the time such as Homer, Plato and Socrates.

We have received updated information from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority regarding the changes to the examination timetable for VCE Exams.

These will take place from 9 November to 2 December with the General Achievement Test (GAT) taking place on 9 September.

This will allow the ATAR to be calculated and students to receive their results before the end of 2020.

Our Year 11 and 12 students and Year 10 VCAL returned today. Teachers will use the first week for consolidation, checking for gaps in learning and completing practical tasks. This will be based on the learning that has occurred for the majority of our students.

Students who have not engaged in learning during Distance Learning Mode (DLM) will be required to catch up on significant class tasks and assessments during lunchtime Homework Club, running in the first week.

Teachers have begun advising the Year Level Co-ordinators of the students of concern and the work required. It will be the student’s responsibility to ensure this is achieved, with the usual college policies in place.

During our Domain and Learning Leaders Meeting yesterday, we reflected on the positives of teaching and learning during distance learning.

Successful strategies will continue with the return to face-to-face teaching with differentiation opportunities enhancing learning in the classroom environment.

Our approach to e-learning has grown and will continue to grow across the curriculum. For our Unit 3 students, the upcoming SAC week provides a further opportunity to complete assessments in a supervised, authenticated space.

Next week we will run the Assessment Task and SAC recall and resit roster beginning Monday 1 June. Students and parents will be notified using the normal process.

We thank the CRC Melton community - parents, students, teachers and staff - for the continued support during our transition back to face-to-face learning.

Our Year 10 Pre-Psychology students have been researching sleep disorders as part of their unit of work on sleep and consciousness.

Great effort went into their poster presentations, as you will see below.

We have read in the newspapers and seen on the news the issues caused by school closures, particularly the impact on mental wellbeing.

For our students, the physical absence from school not only disrupted their education but also impacted on their social lives.

A recent article from the Generation Next website titled Re-setting friendships: What parents need to know about the return to school, provides some insights to what parents can do to support young people at this particular time. Click here to read the full article.

Elevate Education

Elevate Education will run its final webinar Independent Learning and Smart Study this Thursday 28 May at 6pm for parents and guardians who want to help their children study smart.

As COVID-19 restrictions are gradually lifted, these tips will help students transition back to a normal routine and set them up for the rest of their academic lives. One strategy to begin this process is to have a weekly planner, available here.

The webinar is free and you can sign-up by following this link Elevate Education webinar

Term 2 Uniform

Now that we know the dates for return of students to school, it is time to get their winter uniform ready. All students are required to be in full winter uniform upon their return.

The requirements are set out in our uniform policy attached below and in the student diary. It is clearly stated the College Blazer is the external garment to be worn to and from school.

We would appreciate your support to ensure your child is wearing the College uniform correctly to and from school.

A reminder that Academy Uniforms is open with normal trading hours. They are fully stocked and adhering to social distancing and disinfecting all surfaces between sales. Their online service is also available.

The next Parents and Friends Association meeting will be held tomorrow (27 May) at 7pm. Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching Mrs Joanne Holmes (pictured below) will give a short presentation about her role at the College and the vision for Learning and Teaching at CRC Melton.

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. All families are welcome to attend.

Students in Year 7 English have been learning about the features of narrative texts.

They explored characterisation and creatively displayed their skills in a poster. They also practised their skills in quick, narrative writing exercises.

Below is some of their work.

If only I hadn’t forgotten by Diana Taylor (7C)

If only I hadn’t forgotten... to tie the rope back to the spaceship! What am I going to do? Now I'm just going to float in space. Maybe the other astronauts will see and help me. I need to get back to the ship, hopefully my oxygen won't run out. Look over there it's one of my friends, maybe they'll see me? Help help, yes, he sees me! Finally, I can get back to the ship and go back to Earth. Next time I should remember to tie the rope.

I don't want this to happen to me again, luckily my friend saw me. What would've happened if he didn't?

AHHHHHHH by Erika Jarosinski (7O)

“Lily wait up!” Chloe yelled. Chloe was pretty much the nicest girl on campus. She had long hair and pretty blue eyes, her personality was as bright as the sun and she always put people in front of her before herself. Chloe and Lily were best friends, since third grade to be exact. “Seriously Chloe it’s late and last curfew.” Lily whined. “Don’t be such a whimp Lily, have some fun in your life for once.” Chloe was the daredevil of the duo; she always broke the rules but still somehow manages to stay on top of her schoolwork. She always sneaks out and goes to parties. The one thing she valued most was family. “Lily come inside the house it will be fine.” Chloe whispered. “Chloe if something happens to me in there, I will do something you never thought I would do.” Lily said firmly. “Okay princess.” Chloe said sarcastically. “I’ll shut the door on three, and you have to stand in the house for one minute and then you can come back out OK?”

“OK.” Lily agreed. Chloe started counting down. “Three… two….ONE!”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

AHHHHH by Keira Van Renen-Gaopoa (7O)

Quick! She’s dashing through the forest light on her feet, but she can’t help it if she’s loud. Her thoughts were rushing through her mind, was this the end? She’s having trouble keeping up with her breath, she doesn’t know how long she can continue this. Maybe she should give up? The sweat dripping down her face and pouring down her body. Her alarm rings like sirens from fire trucks. “AHHHHHHHH!”, it was only a dream. This time it felt a little too real.

Today is National Sorry Day – a day that recognises members of the Stolen Generation and makes a positive contribution to the healing journey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around Australia.

CRC Melton is a FIRE Carrier School (Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education), and we encourage our staff, students and families to reflect on the journey of Reconciliation today.

Sorry Day was an outcome of the Federal Government’s Bringing Them Home Report, published in 1997.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of National Reconciliation Week. This year’s theme, In This Together, resonates with us all – both in this time of crisis and on the journey to a fully reconciled country.

The beginning and end of Reconciliation Week, which runs from 27 May to 9 June, commemorate two significant milestones in the Reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.

It is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving Reconciliation in Australia.

Although our planned programs are not able to take place this year, students will take part in reflections during the week in their homerooms.

You can follow the link below to a range of information and activities for National Sorry Day

National Sorry Day

Daniela Harrington

FIRE Carrier (Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education)

Our new Year 10 Student Representative Council members introduce themselves this week and provide an insight to their goals, observations from learning at home and words that inspire them.

The following students have been elected to be the 2020 Year 10 SRC Representatives:

Abby Timms, Alleya Bautista, Andria Jojo, Ethan Thewma, James Bertsias, Keirah Clark, Vasudha Mahajan, Wanwue Tarpeh.

The students were asked to answer the following questions:

What do you hope to achieve as SRC members?

As a group, we hope to act as a voice for students and be able to cooperate, voice our opinions and offer a different perspective. We also aim to provide an environment that inspires our year level and encourages them to share their ideas and turn their words into actions.

What advice can you give your fellow students about learning from home?

Our advice is that they should make the most of being home, working in their comfort zone and at their own pace. They should also remember to take breaks to maintain their motivation, do some exercise and socialise (online).

While we have noticed the increased workload that some students are experiencing, we are thankful for all our teachers who have done a lot of work to make learning from home successful.

We are all becoming more independent workers; a skill that we will use throughout our lives. Reaching out and knowing where to find help can make distance learning much less stressful and more productive. If you are struggling, don’t be afraid to contact your teacher and ask questions.

It is also important that we stay in contact. We encourage students to reach out, enjoy the little things and stay connected.

What are you looking forward to on the return to school?

We all agree that the thing we are looking forward to most is being able to communicate face-to-face. This time away from school has made us realise how privileged we are to have access to the school’s exceptional resources.

Learning from home has meant major changes to how we complete our work. For a lot of our subjects, this has meant more theory and adjusting the way we do our practical work. We look forward to getting back into class and making the most of the resources we are provided with at school.

What is a quote that inspires you, and how?

“Your future is created by what you do today, not by what you do tomorrow.” Robert Kiyosaki

“This quote inspires me every day because it’s so easy to say, “I’ll just do it tomorrow”. If you want to do something, and that something could be, improving your grades, to make new friends, to start a business or to simply finish all your work, so you don’t have any homework, do it now. The only way to get to the finish line is to pass the start. You’ll come across people that say you can’t, and it may even be from those whose opinions you care about most, but if it’s something you want and you’re willing to push for it, I say go for it.” Alleya

“You don’t wish for things to get easier, you get better.” Jim Rohn

“This quote inspires me to better myself and not just wish for stuff to be my way. It helps me act on what I’m not good at and improve in those areas.” Vasudha

“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” Martin Luther King Jr

“This is a simple quote, a reminder to me that even in times like this when we are limited to what we can do, we must stay calm and continue to make the best of our lives.” Andria

“When asked to find an inspirational quote, I kept coming back to my favourite author (Gayle Forman) and her exceptional ability to incorporate meaningful and inspiring messages into her writing. “C’est courageux d’aller dans l’inconnu: It is courageous to go into territory unknown”. We are all in territory unknown, therefore what we choose to do in this time will be a reflection of our courage. It also feels right to conclude with another one of my favourite quotes, which I usually apply to the worst of situations: “Just keep swimming”. Abby

‘‘My greatest enemy is my inner me’’.

“This is a quote that I first heard while watching a Netflix show. I was procrastinating as I always do, and the words just stuck with me. Every time I put myself down, every time I tell myself I can’t, every time I reject my full potential, these words echo through my mind and remind me who I am and what I can be. This quote made me realise that the only real critic that exists in my life is me and that the only person who can truly push for my excellence and greatness is also me. Wanwue

Nirasha Pandi

Student Leadership Coordinator

Week three of the Social Justice team’s Gratitude and Positivity Competition has passed and continues to inspire.

Many students uploaded an image or quote to their homeroom’s Teams page, and this week we have come up with a new challenge that calls on students to make a video.

Students can create a funny tourism video of their backyard and send it through to their year level Social Justice representative by Friday 5 June.

One winner from each year level will receive house points, and the winning entries will be shared on Simon. Students will also be encouraged to post their videos on their social media pages and use the hashtag #visitmybackyard to share with their family and friends.

We would like to thank and congratulate everyone who has been involved with the Positivity and Gratitude initiative this term.

Last week’s winners were:

Year 8 - Elesha Gruis

Year 10 - Aaron James Aquilina and Hollie Megne

Year 12 - Donato Ottone

Staff - Daniela Harrington

House tally

Daffey- 90 points

Glasheen- 80 points

Fitzgerald- 110 points

Reed- 80 points

Madlen Hill

Social Justice Captain

Students in Year 7 to 10 studying Italian and Indonesian achieved outstanding results during the Education Perfect World Language Championships from 14 to 21 May.

Distance Learning did not stop our students from participating in the online competition and many earned certificates for their efforts.

Congratulations to Year 9 Italian student Ophelia Fernando who scored 6548 points to win an Emerald Certificate as did Year 9 Indonesian student NyaLang Majok with 5319 points. A fantastic achievement indeed. Auguri Ophelia! Bagus NyaLang!

Many other students also achieved great results:

Gold Certificate

Year 7 - Aruai Kon and Dhillon-Natalia Meredith

Year 8 - Diamond Phan and Elesha Gruis

Bronze Certificate

Year 7 - Janet Chakubuta

Year 8 - Joanna Johnson and Monique Phillips

Year 9 - Charlot Tarabene

Credit Certificate

Year 7 - Diana Taylor, Alicia Kanapathipillai, Alanis Furtado, Breana Kiernan and Archer Berry

Year 8 - Isaac Malual

Well done to all our deserving recipients.

Claudia Russo

Languages Domain Leader

With much anticipation, we warmly welcomed back our VCE students today to face-to-face learning.

As we prepare for the gradual return of all our students, together as a school community, we continue to navigate our way through this most unusual and unprecedented time.

Every member of the Design and Technology team, including staff, students and parents, stepped up to the challenge of distance learning with grace and poise.

Our teachers continued to develop and deliver innovative curriculum programs in all learning areas while students responded with resilience and commitment to create exciting and inspiring design solutions at home. I also thank parents for supporting and encouraging students.

VCE students

In VCE, our Product Design and Technology Wood and Food Studies students have their future pathways and career aspirations firmly in sight as they diligently complete their coursework, assessment tasks and folio development.

Year 10

In Year 10, our Engineering students are investigating complex measuring and ratios in and around their homes and using this information to create designs to scale.

Hospitality students have been working through a design brief that requires them to use their critical analysis skills to re-design an existing hospitality business and develop design solutions to ensure the business remains viable and sustainable in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Food Studies students have focussed on eating well for the future by critically analysing a range of contemporary food trends, fads and diets.

The Design and Technology Wood students have investigated the characteristics and properties of different materials and the ways they are recycled in our community. Students then produced sustainable solutions to waste materials by creating inspiring garden planters made from a range of recycled materials from around the home. These students now begin a new unit investigating how force, energy and motion can be used to create movement using a range of different materials.

Year 9

Our Food Studies students have investigated Australian cuisine and how the use of various native Australian ingredients and foods from around the world can be combined in modern-day recipes to generate nutritious solutions for healthy eating. Students have created some wonderful magazine articles showcasing their design ideas.

Year 8

In Design and Technology Fibre, our students investigated four natural fibres, including cotton, silk, linen and wool. They then created designs of ‘soft monsters’ through the development of their own mood board ensuring designs incorporated recycled and sustainable materials. Students have certainly generated some very creative design ideas.

Food Studies students investigated the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the Australian Dietary Guidelines, and then critically analysed various recipes, the nutritional properties of the selected ingredients and the preparation techniques. This knowledge was used to create recipes that included photos of keys ingredients and processes while observing an evening meal being prepared at home.

Food Studies teachers further enhanced the distance learning programs across all year levels by creating pre-recorded recipe demonstration videos for students of a range of recipes that feature in our learning programs.

Our Food Assistants, Kristina Hefter and Kylie Nicholl have been completing the exciting task of setting up our new online food ordering system, which will advance the operations of our existing system from the beginning of Term 3.

I would also like to thank both Kristina and Kylie. They always work tirelessly to ensure that our practical Food Studies classes operate at the highest standard and that our food classrooms are consistently clean, safe and hygienic.

The practical component in all design and technology learning areas will resume as usual with our return to face-to-face learning, with additional measures in place to ensure the highest standards of hygiene and sanitation continue to be maintained during all practical classes.

This will require the sustained cooperation of students while working in these practical environments within our College. Please feel free to contact your child’s subject teacher or me, should you have any questions.

Kristina Stefanovska

Design and Technology Domain Leader

Reed is leading the tally board as we enter the final week of the Move in May Challenge.

A full list of tasks and bonus challenges for this week is available below.

As of yesterday (25 May) the points tally was:

Reed- 209

Daffey- 172

Glasheen- 131

Fitzgerald- 28

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray is facing difficult times providing for those it serves.

COVID-19 has stretched its frontline services to the limit. Right now, it is one of the only lifelines for thousands of people who need help.

Each day, caseworkers are seeing increasing numbers of people who need urgent help with the basics, including people who before the pandemic had lived independently in the community. All this is putting pressure on current services.

The centre is calling on the community to give generously to its Winter Appeal so it can be there for everyone who needs help - today, tomorrow and every day of the year.

From Friday 12 June to Saturday 13 June we are inviting students to take part in The Hunger Experience and go 24 hours without eating.  A GoFundMe fundraising page will be set up to raise money for the centre.

Students or staff who are interested in getting involved should email Ms Hume at chume@sfcc.vic.edu.au so they can be added to the Teams page.

A Teams meeting about The Hunger Experience will be held at lunchtime on Tuesday 2 June. You must attend the meeting to express your interest so a permission form can be sent home via CareMonkey. 

Everyone is welcome to participate.