海角大神

End of Term 3

This is the last edition of The Lighthouse for this term and, as we come to the end of a challenging Term 3, I would like to offer my congratulations to our students for their perseverance and continued focus on their learning despite high levels of teacher absence due to sickness. I would also like to offer my heartfelt thanks to staff for their efforts to continue to provide high quality learning opportunities and environments in which learning can flourish. We have been called to collectively respond with great resilience and I believe that we have done so admirably.

With colder and shorter days, Term 3 can be a term in which motivation wanes a little, but it has been pleasing over recent weeks to see the initiative of our Student Leadership Council to promote House based competition to help build community spirit. I thank those who have participated, or maybe just taken an interest in the contributions of others and I hope that it has been a great reminder that you belong to a wonderful community. 

I wish all students, staff and our families a safe and restful break over the upcoming holiday period.

School Improvement Priorities

Whole School Assemblies are very important in building our culture by sharing stories and showcasing achievement and they have been sorely missed during pandemic restrictions. It was great to be able to gather last week and I took the opportunity to share our school improvement priorities with our students. After a number of forums with parents/guardians, student leaders and staff during 2021, we have identified four priority areas in our School Improvement Plan:

• RESPECT - Through school wide embedding of Respectful Relationships and Restorative Practices, we aim to make the College a place in which all members of the community feel safe and supported.
• SPIRIT - Through celebration of our Catholic identity we aim to enhance the Spirit of 海角大神 Program and build connections in our broader community.
• HIGH EXPECTATIONS - Through harnessing the Attributes of an 海角大神 Student, we aim to improve Global and Digital Citizenship, enhance the learning environment, support emerging leaders and provide amenities that encourage creativity and collaboration.
• INCLUSIVITY - Through appreciating the sacred dignity of each individual, we aim to promote equity, embrace difference and diversity, and develop intercultural understanding.

It was pleasing to receive student feedback following the assembly which endorsed these priorities as important and worthy of our dedicated efforts to improve.

GAT

Our Year 12 students are about to enter the final stretch of their busy year and the General Achievement Test (GAT) this week marked an important milestone in terms of VCAA requirements for our senior students. This year, the GAT was in two sections and included students undertaking VCAL for the first time. Many of our VCAL students have completed the course requirements and are nearing the end of their secondary schooling.  It was pleasing to hear that quite a number of the students have already secured an apprenticeship or traineeship while at 海角大神 and are preparing to transition to the next stage of vocational learning and work. Once again we see the evidence that there are many pathways to successful completion of Year 12 at the College.

NCEC Conference

Catholic educators from across Australia gathered in Melbourne this week for the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) conference after a hiatus of six years. The conference brought together presenters from both overseas and all states of Australia on the theme: The Future is Listening. Special thanks to Mr Jared Campbell and the Year 10 Music class who came to the Melbourne Convention Centre to perform for participants in the conference. Those present were very impressed with the musical talent on display from our students.

P&F Trivia Night

Thank you to our dedicated P&F Network for their efforts to raise funds for those impacted by the Lismore Floods by hosting a Trivia Night this Saturday. I am sure the recipients of our support are very grateful. It is also a great opportunity to gather as members of our community and enjoy each other's company. Please consider joining our P&F Network as a way of connecting with others who want to make a difference at the College.

Farewell 

Readers of our College publications are familiar with the work of Ms Rebecca Presta, Communications Officer, and Ms Emily Scott, Graphic Designer. The high quality of our publications, presentations, website, and other aspects of our branding are the result of the efforts and talents of Ms Presta and Ms Scott. Rebecca and Emily have decided that it is time to pursue the next challenge in their professional lives and we farewell them and give thanks for the contribution that they have made to the College.

Darren Atkinson
Principal

Along with the daily activities that are going on at 海角大神 we are working on our School Improvement Plan (SIP). The first part is to set priorities and one of these for the next four years is about High Expectations. 

We have developed a statement about this:

Through harnessing the Attributes of an 海角大神 Student, we aim to improve Global and Digital Citizenship, enhance the learning environment, support emerging leaders and provide amenities that encourage creativity and collaboration.

As part of our future thinking we want to ensure that the aspirations that we have for our students, which we share with the community, are both clear and achievable. We know that students need to know about the world and about technology, but that is not the same thing as being a global or digital citizen, because citizenship also refers to responsibilities, consideration of others and working together.

We collected some baseline information from staff asking them questions about global and digital citizenship that enables us to see where the teachers and support staff believe the students currently are. You might be interested in some of the questions that we asked 

About global citizenship

• Students at 海角大神 understand what it means to be a global citizen
• 海角大神 College has a sustainable environment
• Our actions reflect an openness toward and acceptance of diversity
• Service learning (social justice) at our school is connected to our local community
• Students leave 海角大神 as global citizens

About digital citizenship

• Students at 海角大神 understand what it means to be a digital citizen
• Students at 海角大神 have a high level of digital competence
• Students are aware of their responsibilities to each other while online
• Students understand the power of being online
• Students live up to their responsibilities to each other while online
• Students use digital technologies to be collaborative and creative

I will leave you some time to think about these questions and I will write some more about the responses in the next Lighthouse, but I think these are challenging questions for us to think about in relation to the young people who are learning at 海角大神.

Michael Box
Deputy Principal Learning

What a great term!

It is amazing to think that the last week of Term 2, our very successful Activities Week, took place a term ago. Term 3 has certainly been positive, with many great experiences shared by the students and the staff at the College. I wish to thank you for your continued support and partnership with the College as we work together in providing your child with the best possible learning opportunities. The year has continued to bring its challenges but I am confident that the strategic responses, the support of the community and most importantly, the perseverance of the students will continue to allow the school to function to its best. 

Throughout the last few years, I have emphasised the importance of resilience building for young people. As discussed in many of the articles, there are multiple reasons for building resilience, but a key reason is the capacity that the person may have to deal with change by responding adequately to the challenges that the change poses. Change is unavoidable and brings great challenges to those who may not embrace it. At times, we have options and decisions to make in order to address the impact of change, but at other times, the options or control are removed from us. The last three years has provided many examples of this dilemma. Sometimes, an event is unavoidable and its impact can be life changing. Without focusing too much on the negative aspects of the pandemic, COVID-19 continues to be an elephant in the room for many of us, navigating through the challenges it poses for us as individuals and as a collective community.

Last night, the students from across all year levels celebrated the 海角大神 College Annual Music Showcase 2022, an event which until last night, I was yet to experience since joining the school in 2020 due to the pandemic restrictions. The students were amazing, displaying their many talents and coming together at the end as a whole group to entertain the audience in a way that was very inspiring. Their talents are amazing and the future looks bright for each of the students. Standing up and displaying a talent in front of an audience is not always easy to do, so well done to all those involved. There was a statement made during the night which caught my attention and made me reflect on my way home. The graduating Year 12 students were presented to the audience and we were reminded that these students, like all other students attending schools as Year 12 pupils, and in fact, like all students in schools, perhaps world-wide, have not enjoyed what we would have considered a 鈥渘ormal鈥� year since 2019. For the current Year 12 cohort, this is since they were enrolled as Year 9 students. 

As I reflected on the meaning of that important and very significant statement, I realised that many of the students have achieved amazing degrees of resilience as a collective. It would be irresponsible of me not to take into account the nature of the interrupted learning they have experienced, but I wish to consider those who have continued to work hard to achieve their best, and who enter the last two months of their formative secondary school education with a positive outlook of what the future holds in place for them. Many students have already arranged apprenticeships and further study while others await the exams in order to transition to a tertiary institution to continue their studies. As much as a deficit lens would show us the things that the cohort of students have missed out on, I am optimistic that in years to come, they will appreciate the efforts they made to achieve their goals despite those setbacks. Best of luck to all Year 12 (and others completing VCE Unit 4 subjects or Senior VCAL) as they prepare for the next stage of what will be a great transition to adulthood. For the rest of the community, it is important that we appreciate the example that the students working hard to achieve their best have provided us with. Their example shows how resilient a person or collective group can be, and how we possess the key to addressing the adversity that life鈥檚 challenges may bring. If your young person is preparing for exams, please encourage them to seek the support of their teachers and to access the great number of resources that have been arranged for them. 

The success of many of the Year 12 students can also be seen throughout the College. We can often be distracted by the complications that arise from the difficulties that our circumstances impose but a clear broad look into the whole picture allows us to see the many examples of resilience illustrated by our students. Despite school attendance being lower than usual for some students, the great majority attend school and all school programs have continued to take place. This is a positive step for the community as we find that sense of normality we seek. 

As we transition into the last term of the school year, I encourage you to discuss with your child how they are performing at school. Please be active in their experience of learning and engage their teachers in any necessary conversation to seek clarity, guidance and support. Your role is vital and will assist your child in developing the resilience they need so that like the majority of the Year 12 students preparing for their exams, transition and graduation, your child can also achieve their best despite the setbacks we all continue to face as a community. Support is available through your child鈥檚 pastoral leaders, particularly their Learning Mentors and Homeroom Teachers. For counselling support, please contact the respective Team Leader to Year Level Leader or email the Youth and Family Centre at yfc@aquinas.vic.edu.au

I thank you for the term and wish you and your family a restful time ahead. If your footy team is still in the finals, best of luck.

Nap Rodezno
Deputy Principal

Watching the Spirit flow

Throughout the past fortnight, there have been many activities that have created the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to flow amongst us. From conferences to fairs, I hope to share just some of these experiences with you. 

El Salvador E-encounter: Three 海角大神 students joined students from St Kevin鈥檚 and St Joseph鈥檚 colleges to immerse themselves in understanding the history, experiences and issues of the people of El Salvador. The compassion these students have gained for the people they spoke to will continue as they educate others in areas of sustainability, migration and basic human rights for women & LGBTQI community. 

National Catholic Education Conference: Mr Atkinson and I attended this event which provided an opportunity for Catholic educators from across Australia and around the world to share and learn from each other. 海角大神 music students also performed on the Tuesday, entertaining attendees and sharing their amazing talents. 

VCAL Showcase: Students demonstrating their projects and celebrating not only the skills they developed but also the communities they have helped. 

Family Mass: With a Father鈥檚 Day focus, 60 plus people gathered together to celebrate mass with Fr Dispin in our chapel Tuesday evening. Mr Gould鈥檚 Year 10 EDGE class were wonderful in hosting this event which brought together not only families across different year levels but also welcomed families joining our community in 2023. 

RU Ok Week: A series of events and activities brought to us by the YFC across this past week, bringing the school community together to talk openly about mental health and to have compassion for each other. 

Fair Trade Fair: Over the past few weeks our pastoral sessions have been educating students about the need for fair trade goods in preparation for today's fair trade fair. Ms Tukavkin and her social justice team have worked all term to prepare for today which has provided students a fun way to recognise and help protect the dignity and rights of all people across the globe

2023 Student Testing and the GAT: These events has many staff who took the time to make our students, both past and future, feel welcome and reassured.  

P&F Trivia Night: Tomorrow night our P&F Network are hosting a fundraising event to support flood impacted Trinity College and their community. 

While these are the larger, more evident events showing the Spirit flowing amongst us, we cannot forget the continual everyday things that often go unnoticed. The person who helps someone carrying a heavy load. The smile given that helps someone having a tough day. The person who picks up rubbish that is not theirs but does it anyway. While for many, these actions can go unnoticed, it does not alter the strength of the Holy Spirit. Where have you seen the Spirit this week? Has the Spirit flown through you? As the chorus in the hymn Spirit of God says:

Blow, blow, blow till I be, 
The breath of the Spirit, blowing in me.
May this next week provide the opportunity for the Spirit to flow through you. 

Tania Grace
Assistant Principal Mission

Throughout the term, many of our staff have been involved in Professional Learning (PL) both during and out of school hours. Many PL sessions are now offered online, partly due to the pandemic and lockdowns. This has created opportunities for staff to connect with other educators and specialists in their fields, both nationally and internationally (with some time zone adjustments!)

Recently our school nurses Fiona Gist, Maree Warren and Natalie Jones attended the Victorian School Nurses Conference. I thank them for submitting this report and photos, and for sharing this knowledge with the 海角大神 community in their care of us each day.

"The 2022 Victorian School Nurses (VSN) Conference theme was "Gaining Strength from Within". It was an absolutely fantastic day. It was wonderful to collaborate and meet with other School Nurses from different schools and how they run/operate day to day clinical practice. We were really spoiled with the speakers from the event and took away an incredible amount of learning that we can apply to our practice at 海角大神 College. 

Guest Speakers included: 

• Dr Michael Carr-Gregg; Dr Michael Carr-Gregg  - "Gaining Strength from Within"
• Matt Cronin; Founding member CEO of the Pat Cronin Foundation - "Let's end the coward punch"
• Epilepsy Foundation; Margaret Jarvis and Larni Severn - "Epilepsy and Seizure management in schools"
• Post Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS); Associate Professor Chris O'Callaghan (Austin Hospital/University of Melbourne) - "Foggy, Faint, Fatigued and the role of Adrenaline"
• Royal Children's Hospital - "Complex Care at Schools"
• Optimus Health Group Physiotherapy; Bryan Robertson (Consultant Physiotherapist) - "Soft Tissue Injuries"
• Australian Comedian Nurse Georgie Carroll; Registered Nurse and TV Personality & Comedian - "Using Humour in Adversity""

French teacher Sarah Aluthge and LOTE Learning Area Leader, Nathalie Walshe attended the French conference 鈥淏ringing Languages out of the textbook and into real life鈥� recently, presented by Critical Agendas. 

"We were privileged to attend the conference with other Victorian Languages teachers on 鈥淏ringing Languages out of the textbook and into real life鈥� presented by Rowena Bata, focusing on how language teachers can inspire students using a variety of tools to improve student engagement in the language learning process.  Throughout the day, we explored practical, meaningful tasks through the use of interactive resources and the highlight was the discussion on how to incorporate  the authentic resources in the Languages classroom despite the difficulty of texts.  We can鈥檛 wait to explore these resources in our French classes to not only motivate students in their French studies but to further enhance how languages are so relevant in this global age."

As the term comes to a close, I would like to thank (on your behalf) the hard work of all of the Staff at 海角大神. I know there will be many staff and teachers on campus over the coming school holiday break, to assist yr 12 students with their practice written exams and with preparation for their practical and written exams in Term 4. 

I wish you all a relaxing break with family and friends - and I hope your footy team wins!

Gina Goss
Assistant Principal - Staff

Senior Years Report

School events across this term have sparked a more pronounced sense of connectedness. Physical Fridays in the Senior Years have become a major carnival for students. Seb Barnes and Ella Grigg, our Senior Sports Captains, have led lunchtime volleyball tournaments. Teams across Years 10-12, together with a few teacher teams, have been battling out on the courts in the gymnasium, drawing large, enthusiastic crowds. While outside in the Forum, Gaby Steen, Angelique Graham and Eliza Crouch have been stage managing music performances. Friday鈥檚 certainly have a celebratory feel with students participating or supporting one another across the year levels. It is so good to be back to a full schedule of school events. In the pages to come, you will be able to read about today鈥檚 activities led by the Social Justice group and their production of a Fair Trade Fair, rounding off a week of RUOK day activities.

The whole school assembly last week further reinforced the sense of place and inclusion many people share and experience at school. The assembly focused on community and celebrated excellence and achievement. Jack Tilbrook-Penone, Alice Hart and Monika Heng reported their experiences and achievements gained through the VCAL community projects. These projects have identified areas of need in the community and challenged the groups to implement change or raise awareness for their social, environmental or cultural concerns. Families were able to attend a presentation evening to learn about the different achievements of the action groups. Congratulations to the VCAL students on your contributions in generating change and improvement directly in our school and the broader community. The whole school can experience some of their vision and hard work by via the improvements made to the chicken coop gardens and the grounds around the J and P blocks. 

Sophie Fegan, a leader and technician for the AGiLE podcast introduced this initiative to the wider school community. The AGiLE podcast will provide students with creative fantasy-style story episodes in addition to school news and events episodes. Students have been working together to develop their technical and creative skills in preparation for broadcasting.

Performances by the Senior Concert Band performing 鈥淛uxtaposition鈥�, composed by Michael Ore captivated the audience. The band had received a silver medal for their performance of the piece at the Victorian Schools Music Festival. Further performances by Rose Ennis, Yr8 student, played 鈥楾he Boy Paganini鈥� by Edward Mollenhauer on violin and the Senior Acapella Choir singing 鈥淣ever Enough鈥� from The Greatest Showman greatly entertained their peers. The sports report celebrated the team and individual success at school, state and national success.

Thank you to all students, staff and families for their involvement and contributions to enable curriculum and extra curricular activities to run successfully across the term. We look forward to the holidays and we will see students studying Unit 3 and 4 subjects for their practice exams in the second week of the holidays. 

Rachel Crawley
Head Senior Years

Middle Years Report

Recently we held our Middle Years Excellence Assemblies. It was a great opportunity to showcase Excellence at 海角大神 across all subject areas. We celebrated the top 10 academic students at each year level and it was great to have parents in attendance as we honoured these students. The Excellence Assemblies are a continual reminder that excellence comes in many forms.

Some types of excellence are clear to see based on scores and grades. However, there are other forms of excellence we see at 海角大神 that are of equal importance but sometimes harder to measure like being a great friend, accepting others for their differences, being a supportive classmate, encouraging others, being a positive risk-taker, and being a creative problem-solver. We need to celebrate these too.

I was privileged enough to go to the EISM Cross Country carnival at Ruffey Lake Park last week. 海角大神 had nearly 100 competitors, all of whom excelled on the day. Many finished in the top 10 past the line, (we had 3 that were first past the line: Isaac Ghosn, Callum Settle, and Gabriella Linton.) However, if there were other categories where one could finish on the podium, all would have received a medal in some way. There was excellence in initiative for those who took it upon themselves to set up equipment without being asked or those who organised their team for a pre-race warm-up. There was excellence in inclusivity for those who noticed teammates who were a bit isolated or for those who supported their peers who were anxious. There was excellence in perseverance from those who pushed themselves to their own personal limits and excellence in preparedness to fail for those who felt out of their depth yet still were willing to risk judgment and maybe personal embarrassment for the opportunity to develop themselves or help the team. (Evie Evans, Ruby Melchiorre, Madison Stride, and Madeleine Dunne ran in a race well above their age group to assist the greater good...and did superbly I might add). There was excellence in respect as students showed great value for their opponents, teammates, staff, organisers, as well as the bus drivers that took them there. There was excellence in gratitude as students were thankful for the opportunity to be able to compete and have a great day in the sun with friends.

My day at Cross Country was really a microcosm of daily life back at 海角大神. There are so many types of excellence on display each and every day in so many areas. Many are immeasurable and very few receive a medal, a certificate, or a chance to stand on the podium. Some of these acts might be seen by the whole school like in our recent whole school assembly when Rose Ennis, Georga Carusi, the Senior Acapella choir, the Senior Concert Band performed (amazing!) or the many students (and staff) braved the lectern to speak in front of a packed gym. Or some might be seen by just one person like when a student feels the support of a classmate when they might be struggling or alone. It makes me feel grateful to be a part of the 海角大神 community, where excellence in many forms is such a regular occurrence.

Phil Box
Head Middle Years

We are looking forward to an up coming incursion run by Maroondah Council. Maroondah Council will be helping students complete a waste audit of the college on Monday 12th September.  Student leaders and interested students from across the College will be participating.

海角大神 College staff recently attended the Youth Environmental Summit (YES) at Whitefriars College. It was terrific to hear from students from a range of local Catholic schools and initiatives they are undertaking. Jas from Tomorrow Movement spoke  about environmental issues and opportunity for climate jobs and industry growth. They are proposing a 鈥楥limate Jobs Guarantee鈥� to prevent the climate crisis and grow our society with good jobs and innovative solutions.

Some action you take in the upcoming September holidays.

1. Collect some rubbish from your local area. Take a bag and fill it. Your local environment will thank you.
2. Action your home recycling. Gather up all your soft plastics, batteries and unwanted clothes and donate and recycle them at your nearest collection point.
3. Get on your bike. Try riding, walking and public transport instead of driving everywhere.
4. Off set your travel carbon emissions. To compensate for your travel footprint, you can purchase carbon offset credits equivalent to the amount of emissions you were responsible for.
5. Have an adventure in nature. It helps you with your emotions and physical wellbeing. Parks Victoria have a wide range of locations all around Melbourne and Victoria you can visit for free.  

Karyn Myers
Environment & Sustainability Coordinator

Last night family and friends of the 海角大神 Music program were in attendance to a sell out 海角大神 2022 Music Showcase. The audience and the performers were all so excited to finally be back performing at the Karralyka Theatre for our annual concert, the first time since 2019!  The program included a range or performances groups the the Music ensembles program including; Pep Band, Combined Choir, Senior Choir - A Capella, Strings ensemble, Boys Choir, VCE Class, Snare Percussion Ensemble, Senior Stage Band, Senior Harmony, Senior Guitar, Combine Guitar Ensemble and the Senior Concert Band.

This closing item for the showcase concert was the combined item. This year is the first time all ensembles united in one number together which featured over 140 students on stage performing together. Students from the Choirs, Bands and Guitar groups performed accompanied by film footage the theme song from the 1986 movie: Top Gun, combined with its most iconic song: 鈥淒anger Zone鈥�. The song featured on lead guitar Georgina Ladd and directed by Music Programs Coordinator Jared Campbell.

I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work students did last night, its was great to see so many students working together to prepare and present such outstanding performances.  I would also like to thank our amazing music staff here at 海角大神. These include: Adrian Perri, Alison Bellew, Daniel Lijnders, Dave Folley, Emily Mackenzie, Glenn Cannon, Hugh Stuckey, Jess Jacobs, John Barber, Mila Li, Rachel Lau, Tom Green, Marianne Rigby, Savannah Blout, Ros Jones and Trish Thompson. Music Captains and myself sincerely thanked them for all of there many hours of time and energy spent conducting and preparing for rehearsals each week. 

From the Music Captains speech last night to staff:  "As students, we treasure the way you (Music staff) nurture and encourage us to grow as musicians. We also appreciate all your efforts to prepare us for competitions and most importantly we value the meaningful connections we鈥檝e built through our rehearsals each week."  

Jared Campbell
Music Programs Coordinator

Exam preparation in the Senior Years

It is timely that we consider the multitude of ways in which students may prepare for their upcoming end-of-year exams in the VCE program as our Senior students head into their study break over the September school holidays.

In the Unit 3 and 4 Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics and Psychology), a significant proportion of the study score in the subject is determined by a student's performance in the end of year exam. At the College, we provide an opportunity for students to develop and practice their exam technique and check for understanding across the Unit 3 & 4 programs, through the completion of trial exams, scheduled during the upcoming school holidays.

The development of effective study techniques can be traced back to the Year 7 program in Science. Students are exposed to a range of techniques and encouraged to reflect on their practice, developing an awareness of those strategies that are more, and equally less effective, for individual students. Study techniques are explicitly taught in each unit of work through a range of teaching and learning activities. 

Every student is different, and thus effective study techniques will take different forms from one student to another and within different subject areas and contexts. That said, most effective strategies usually include some form of active participation with regular opportunities to revisit and review course content and skills, particularly those areas where a student was most challenged. 

Examples of effective study techniques may include the production of summary notes (in a range of forms), mind mapping, active viewing of revision videos, investigation of case studies (to broaden and deepen understanding),  participation in study groups, and the completion of quick quizzes and exam-style questions.  Using questions to check for understanding is most helpful as a way of identifying gaps in key knowledge and opportunities for further learning and consolidation. 

Whilst note taking (in its various forms) assists with active engagement of content, it is the completion of exam style questions, progressing to complete trial exams, that most effectively assists students to refine and develop their skill set. Every mistake made during the revision process should be viewed as an opportunity for learning. 

The analogy used in my class is that of preparing for a marathon.  Whilst a range of activities such as good sleep, nutrition, complementary exercises, and sports psychology can all be helpful in the preparations for such an event, the most important activity is arguably building up stamina through the repetitive nature of long-distance running. 

In addition, it is helpful if students set mid-term and long-term goals to assist in finding motivation and focus throughout the revision period. The Trial Exams should serve as a mid-way point for students to reflect on their understanding and readjust study techniques and focus moving forward. 

Having a comfortable and dedicated workspace that is conducive to effective study is helpful. I would also encourage students to seek, and act on, advice and feedback from class teachers and regularly cross-reference their resources and support materials with the VCE Study Designs.  Every question asked in class assists to build a richer understanding of course content.  

In addition, students should maintain a balance in their lives during this demanding time, ensuring that they schedule time for rest and relaxation to ensure that time dedicated to study is well-utilised. Working smarter rather than harder can often provide the edge when time constraints are pressing. 

Our students have a wealth of experience and resources to draw up in support of their journey over the coming months.  I would like to take this opportunity to wish our Year 12 cohort every success as they head into the upcoming study break and actively work towards the end of their secondary education.

Lynda Schulz 
Learning Area Leader Science

On Monday night, the VCAL students presented the outcome of their Community Projects to friends, family and staff, at the VCAL Showcase Night. Most students chose their groups based on the ideas they were interested in or inspired by, and many of the projects also raised money or awareness for the charitable organisation of their choice. VCAL Captains, Alice Hart and Jack Tillbrook did a fantastic job hosting the event, as representatives from each VCAL group took the audience through their process, challenges, and end result. The guests also had an opportunity to purchase some of the end products and have a closer look at the projects.

The projects that the students chose were diverse and interesting, and included: 

• Redeveloping the VCAL Learning spaces
• Creating candles in mugs 
• Crystal infused candles
• Chicken coop renovation
• Creating green and clean garden beds
• Building planter boxes for around the College
• Building sustainable living veggie patches and chicken coops
• A card game based around raising awareness on waste and our environment
• Mental health awareness
• Baking shortbread and adding a mental health awareness message in the packaging
• Bullying awareness and prevention
• Jewellery and candle making
• An audit of the College's disability access
• Promoting and educating the importance of a sustainable way to shop for clothing and accessories.

It was a great night and I am proud of all the time and effort that the VCAL students have put into their Community Projects.

Michael O'Halloran
VCAL Coordinator

Architectural design creates great impact on its surroundings and the very best will impress and amaze its audience with its distinctiveness and elegance. While the foremost compelling structures of today impress with their innovative approach and leading edge technology, style and spirit, the architectural miracles of the past impress through their grandeur and skill to pass the test of time. 

Earlier in the year Year 11 Visual Communication students visited Cox Architecture, architects for the renowned AAMI Park. As part of the VCE course focusing on Environmental Design, we gave the students the task of designing a sports stadium for the 2026 Commonwealth Games to be held across regional Victoria. The design process included research, creative and critical thinking, the development and refinement of concepts and using the industry based software 鈥楽ketchUp' for final presentations.

Here are some of their unique designs!

Sharon Harte & Pina Perinetti
Teachers

"I personally though that the French breakfast was quite nice as it had a certain sort of feel with french music in the background giving an elegant backing to the breakfast and table cloths with decorated tables added a level of sophistication to the experience. The variates of different pastries were delicious and as were the baguettes. J鈥檃dore le chocolat chaud!!!"
Brayden Waddell

"The French breakfast was a great experience. It helped us practise our French, while also trying new food. The breakfast was a great way to get students involved in the class and have a good time. I hope to do things like this in the future!"
Rose Ennis

"The French breakfast was a great way for us to experience not only the French culture, but to also see how food is served in restaurants. The educational part of learning how to order food in French was very fun. The best part was definitely being able to share this experience with our friends. I loved all the food that was available and it was fun to see other students try the pat茅."
Ria Jijose

"Honestly I loved it and it was the funnest thing I鈥檝e done at school in ages!" 
Charlie Aston

On Friday 26th August, Applied Computing students attended VR Melbourne as part of their research into innovative and emerging technologies. During the two hours they were able to play a variety of Virtual Reality games including Beat Saber, SuperHot, Job Simulator, Walk the Plank and Creed using Oculus Quest 2 headsets. 

A highlight had to be using the air flight simulator that allowed the students to land a plane at a variety of airports including La Guardia (New York), Helo (Hawaii), and St Barts (Caribbean).

Judy Zuccon
Applied Computing Teacher

"On the VR Melbourne Excursion we were able to see how innovative technologies have advanced over history. We got to see how VR is being used as innovative solutions for different problems. We also saw the progress of technologies used in game consoles and the games themselves. We experienced a flight simulator as well which was interesting to see how pilots train for their licences."  
Nicholas Zito

"When we got there we were introduced to a wide range of old Nintendo video games as well as VR headsets. This involved games such as Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Super Mario, Donkey Kong etc. This helped to compare the different types of graphics, animations and game styles with the latest games made. We also got to experience flying a plane in our VR experience which was a lot of fun." 
Patrick Stanyer

"The excursion to the virtual reality place was very cool and allowed us to see what virtual reality is capable of. Playing Phasmophobia was fun and kind of terrifying at the same time because it鈥檚 very immersive. Doing things like jumping off a building is harder than it looks because it really feels like you are going to fall, but fortunately I didn鈥檛 fall."
Luca Volpe

"The excursion was incredible. There were several consoles and other video games including an NES with the original Legend of Zelda and a Switch with Mario Kart and Smash Ultimate. The actual VR was quite fun to play, and when a group of us decided to all play Phasmophobia together, hilarity ensued. Overall a very fun experience, and I would absolutely go back."
Findlay Upward

RU Ok Day/Week has been full of energy and enthusiasm!! 

海角大神 has been a sea of yellow with  chalking on the walkways to jelly in the canteen, splashes of yellow and T-shirts being worn, Sunflowers on the mural. RU Ok? is a harm prevention charity that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives.

Our work focuses on building the motivation, confidence and skills of the  help-giver 鈥� the person who can have a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling with life.

Asking RU Ok?, listening, encouraging action and then checking in is important every day but this week is RU Ok Day and it is great to put the spotlight on it so we are reminded of the importance of this process. 

The week started we have held an expo with Youth and Mental Health Services from our region sharing their materials and resources with students. This activity was made even more popular by Tilly the Labradoodle, and the lollies, badges and competitions with prizes. The atmosphere in the Gym on Tuesday was electric as Year 9 students played 3 on 3 basketball with brave staff members. By the way - staff Won!! Thursday was actually RUOK Day and we were entertained by Alumni Chantel Koetsier, performing beautiful music while students chatted, joined the Conversation Corner and added to the mural whilst wearing their splashes of yellow. The week ended with the Fair Trade Fair, Music Friday performances and Splendour in The Forum for the Year 12鈥檚.

Thank you to the RUOK Day Student Team - a great group of Year 9s and Year 11 VCAL students who assisted in organising events. And thanks to the student body for your enthusiasm and spirit. We hope this raised your awareness of the importance of prioritising your mental health and checking on those around you.

Sharon Daley
Director Student Services

It has been wonderful to be able to run our annual Fair Trade fair after a brief hiatus. In the weeks leading up to Friday's Fair, we have had slides and activities for students to engage in in order to spread awareness and understanding of Fairtrade and the impacts associated with fair working rights, a livable wage and ethical and sustainable consumerism. 

It was such a fantastic afternoon to see the work invested by our Students for Social Justice and Outreach Group helping to plan, prepare and organise the day and to see our student leaders working together to run activities and stalls with staff. 

All proceeds from the day will also go to Trinity College community in Lismore, they are still heavily impacted by the floods from the beginning of the year. Thank you to all efforts, it is lovely to see our community being animated in the teachings of the Gospel.

Sasha Tukavkin
Justice & Outreach Leader

It is with great excitement that we launch the Youth Wellbeing Hub. A safe space for students to come and find information on a range of important health, wellbeing and Child Safety topics. In the design process, we consulted with a group of students to make sure the Hub was user friendly, easy to navigate, pitched at the right level and included topics they most wanted to know about. 

The result is a very extensive, interactive and visually appealing space. We encourage students, staff and parents to use it as a resource and use it to start conversations and engage with material from experts in the field and the most highly regarded Youth Mental Health sites. A huge thank you to Emily Scott for her expertise and enormous work in the design process, Rebecca Presta for advice and consultation and the YFC Team for curating all of the resources.

We hope this will be an asset to students and the community and enhance the health and wellbeing of our young people.

Sharon Daley
Director Student Services

*this is currently only accessible using your student's @aquinas.vic.edu.au. Please ask your child to take you through the Youth Wellbeing Hub. 

Last Tuesday we gathered together as a whole school community for the first time this year. Hosted by our College Captains, Bailey and Levi, we celebrated the achievements of our students, and enjoyed hearing student reflections on the many events and activities we have shared this year.

Sporting Excellence

At the recent whole school assembly, we acknowledged the students who have represented/or been selected to represent Victoria this year in sport. We also celebrated and acknowledged the students who have represented/or been selected to represent AUSTRALIA this year in sport:

• ANTHONY JORDAN  ( YR 11) - ATHLETICS COMMONWEALTH GAMES
• MAX NAPOLITANO ( YR12) - U21 ULTIMATE FRISBEE
• ETHAN HOLLOWAY (YR10) - U16 BASEBALL IN THE USA

Congratulations to all these students on this excellent achievement.

During Term 3 the 海角大神 cross country carnival was held in PE classes. Students had to run a course around the ovals and points were awarded to each student based on their times. After all students had run, Dominic was just leading from Rice and Mackillop. The top 10 students in each age group based on their times from the PE classes were invited to compete in the runoff for the final places and also final selection for the Cross Country team.

After the 6 races, Rice students did very well and as such Rice stormed away and won easily with Dominic 2nd and Mackillop 3rd

Congratulations to these .

• U13 girls 1st Zoe Fabre, 2nd Gabby Hooper, 3rd Kiah Singh
• U13 boys 1st Fraser Brown, 2nd Max Lorkin, 3rd Kingston Clarke
• U14 girls 1st Amelia Beaumont, 2nd Amelia Harmer, 3rd Olivia Haun
• U14 boys 1st Callum Settle, 2nd Jordan Bruton 3rd Owen Lamborn
• U15/16 girls 1st Gabby Linton, 2nd Maeve Linton, 3rd Emma Fabre
• U15/16 boys 1st Lachie Buyck, 2nd Noah Blair  3rd Zody Cantelo

Last week, the EISM Cross Country carnival was held at Ruffey Lake Park on a beautiful day but on a very wet and heavy course. 海角大神 competed in the Division 1 section. The team had been training regularly in preparation for the carnival. This was the first time the carnival was held since 2019.

In the end 海角大神 came second to Mt Lilydale by the barest margin. We lost by 2 points overall, with the boys winning by 1 point and girls losing by 3 points. In analysing the results, the difference between winning and losing was only 0.4 seconds across all the runners who ran.

Congratulations to the following students who finished in the top 3 in their races:

• U13 Girls - Gemma Settle 2nd
• U13 Boys- Fraser Brown 2nd
• U14 Girls - Aleisha Harmer 2nd
• U14 Boys - Callum Settle 1st
• U15 Girls - Gabby Linton 1st
• U16 Boys - Isaac Ghson  1st

Being a team event, it was pleasing to see many of our runners finish inside the top 10: U13 Girls - 4 , U13 boys - 4, U14 girls - 1, U14 boys - 1, U15 girls - 3, U15 boys-1, U16 girls -1, U16 boys - 3, Open Girls-2, Open Boys-2.

We also won the U13 Boys & Girls, U15 Girls & U16 Boys

Thank you also to the following students who competed

Yr 7: Chloe Anderson, Zoe Bastide, Joshua Bettiol, Jett Clarke, Kingston Clarke, Pia Crozier, Madeleine Dunne, Zoe Fabre, Anaya Franklin, Harley Jemmeson, Dylan Jones, Will Kennealy, Max Lorkin, Tayah McKay, Xavier Micallef, Hayley Ross, Gemma Settle, Madison Stride, Joe Vardy, Tom Vozzo, Tessa Walsh, Noah Woods.

Yr 8: Amelia Beaumont, Laura Blackman, Jordan Bruton, Zac Charlot, Katiah Di Leonardo, Olivia Haun, Dylan Henson, Gabby Hooper, Ella Humphries, Miller Jenvey, Owen Lamborn, Isabelle Leech, Ruby Moret, Alex Oldaker, Jai Ramsdale, Oliver Rankin, Kiah SIngh, Judd Walhout

Yr 9: Noah Blair, Lachie Buyck, Joe Campbell, Zody Cantelo, Lachlan Coverdale, Aerin Donohoe, Oscar Dubois, Evie Evans, Emma Fabre,Alovi Gomes, Jarrah Hammersley, Jemima Mannix, Ruby Melchiorre,Chris Pezzano, Joshua Ross, Lucy Scutt, Cameron White, Maeve Wilkinson

Yr 10: Haylee Bastide, Tegan Bruton, Jamie Clarke, Michael Clarke, Brayden Collins, Hunter Ghosn, Sophie Lorusso, Georgia Scheer, Tom Vardy

Yr 11: Sam Box, Isaac Macklin, Nathan Reid

Yr 12: Kaelan Boundy, Brittany Bourke, Harry Flynn, Linden Hammersely,Grace Higgins, Ned Mooney, Sophie Triandafillou

Congratulations also to our four Cross Country leaders - Ella Grigg, Seb Barnes, Sophie Stokes & Jesse Meikle.

A huge thank you to the staff who worked with the team either at training or the day-  Mr Phil Box, Mr Jonathan Lau, Ms Emily Box, Ms Karen Woods, Mr Andy Harrison, Mr Tom Wilson, Mr Steve McGrath, Ms Jade Rose, Mr David Malvaso

Bernie Brummell
Sports Coordinator

Last week, the Year 9 EISM Grand Finals were held. We had seven teams qualify for the Grand Finals - Boys & Girls Volleyball A & B, Boys & Girls Indoor Cricket and Boys Soccer.

Congratulations to these teams that won their premiership: Girls Volleyball A and Boys Volleyball B. The girls Volleyball A defeated Tintern 3 sets to 1 and the boys defeated Luther 3 sets to 2.

The other teams all lost in very close games.  

The Intermediate Girls Netball team competed in the Victorian Schools Netball Championships finals day last Tuesday 30th August at the State Netball Centre.

The team had won all their games on the qualifying day and were eager to compete against other very good schools. The team overall did very well. In the first game, the girls started slowly and were not able to match Loreto College ( 6-14). After this slow start, the team regrouped and in a close game against Trinity College Colac with scores level with a minute to go, the team unfortunately lost 11-13. In the next 3 games, the team regrouped and played well. They played Kilbreda College winning 13-11 and then against OLMC Heidelberg, the girls worked really hard and held on for a draw (8 all). In the last game against Luther, the girls showed their ability and got some bragging rights, winning in a tight game 11-10.

Congratulations to all the players who were involved across both days. The team was Shonea Barker, Isabella Finta, Gabby Linton, Emma North-Coombes, Amelie O鈥橞rien, Olivia Oracz, Georgia Scheer, Claudia Semos and Stella Smirk. Also thank you to Sienna Smith and Anneka Rasmussen who came along on the first day to assist.

A huge thank you to Ms Megan Lemiszek for all her work with the team before and during the day.

Bernie Brummell
Sports Coordinator

The Building Bridges Interfaith Dialogue program has been running throughout the Semester, still challenged by the impacts of the last two years, it was wonderful to see our students on board again and excited to be involved. 

The program connects students from different faith based schools in the Eastern region and allows students to explore and understand other religions as lived by peers and to also gain a better understanding perhaps of their own faith formation. On Monday 29th August, our small group of students attended the Creative Day at Mt. Scopus Memorial College with great enthusiasm! Many students reflected on how much they had learned and reflected on how they are now empowered to affect change with interfaith dialogue in their lives. 

We look forward to our presentation evening next Tuesday 13th at 7:30pm where all schools across Melbourne will come together and celebrate the success of our collective efforts.

Sasha Tukavkin
Justice & Outreach Leader

Major Fundraiser

Our best ever raffle prize has landed and all funds raised go towards securing the future of our club.

• 3 premium seats on Level 2, centre wing for the 2022 AFL Grand Final
• 3 hour premium food and beverage package during the game
• 3 hour official AFL function in Yarra Park from 10am including food and beverage package

Each ticket is valued at $2500 and the total prize is worth $7500.All of this could be yours for the low price of a $50 raffle ticket. Raffle tickets can be purchased at this link - 

Absolutely every dollar raised in this raffle will go towards the building fund for J.W. Manson Reserve and the new pavilion and facilities which our club will be able to enjoy for generations to come. If you've played for the club in the past, if you're a current player or supporter or just a long time follower of the Bloods your support with this fundraising effort is massively appreciated.

If you could also please forward the details of the prize and the raffle ticket link to those in your network to spread the word and increase the funding for the exciting J.W. Manson Reserve.

Go Bloods