E-News 23 November 2021
Term Four Highlights
A few highlights have included:
Music
The Arts Learning Area was proud to promote and present the Music Recital Night and Rock Fest in the past two weeks. Thank you to Music teachers Mr Jonathon Bradley, Mr Charles Pinkham, College Music tutors and the Arts Team for the brilliant opportunities provided for our music students.
Education Support Av at Point Walter
Thank you to our fabulous Education Support Team for providing this opportunity to our students. It was a privilege to share a little time with them.
Pastoral Sessions
There are so many activities happening across the College and offsite with the many components of the Term Four Pastoral sessions. Thank you to the Heads of Year for the overall coordination and all College staff in making it happen.
Year 7 Social/Disco
Thank you, Head of Year 7 Mr Patrick Woolley, Deputy Principal Middle School Mr Simon Messer and the Year 7 Homeroom teachers for giving the students the chance to socialise and dance at the Year 7 Disco. It was great to see former Head Boy Liam Rego as DJ for the night. The Year 11 leaders did a great job supporting the event.
College and Students on Display
We had an incredibly successful Open Morning on Saturday 13 November with over 500 guests. The student tour guides and musical performers were again fabulous and went above and beyond with their assistance.
Parent Contributions
The College Advisory Council is entrusted to assist the College, its strategic purpose and in the planning of future capital works. Members come to the Advisory Council with a combination of skills, including in Business and Finance, ICT and technical, Risk Management and Building and Construction.
I personally thank Darren Cutri, Karl Videmanis, Adrienne Wehr, Brad Pymont, Anita Parker, Patrick Bovet, Jens Radanovic and Jayson Livingstone for the enormous contribution to the College, voluntarily serving and being strongly committed to our community. Their combined efforts have ensured that the College is well-placed to provide the best of facilities which are also affordable for our parents.
Focus for the Remainder of the Term
The WACE examinations have concluded for 2021. We wait in anticipation for the results on 19 December and we keep our students in our thoughts.
As we move into Week 7, as College staff, we will inevitably begin to focus on 2022. This is good idea and allows for forward planning and preparedness for the new academic year.
This week we host the incoming Year 7 classes for 2022 and begin their transition to the College. We have a well-planned and successful formula to ensure that the new students make a smooth entry to secondary schooling. I thank Deputy Principal Middle School Mr Simon Messer, Head of Year 7 Mr Patrick Woolley and the Year 7 Homeroom teachers for 2022 for the implementation of the Orientation program. Thank you to Manager of Marketing and Enrolments Mrs Alex Carcione for the logistics of enrolment process over the past two years for the incoming cohort.
The Year 7 2021 Parent Information Evening takes place tomorrow evening, Wednesday 24 November.
Thank you to the many staff who assisted both at the afternoon sessions and in the months leading up to the afternoon and the forthcoming Year 7 2022 events.
Year 10 students conclude formal classes this week and begin their examinations. They conclude the year with a Mass in Week 8.
In Week 8 we will have the Years 7-11 Awards Assembly, another opportunity to celebrate excellence. This Assembly will also involve honouring the Av past with former College Principals involved in the proceedings. I look forward to seeing family and friends at the Assembly.
Let us Pray
Lord God, we bring our College into Your hands. May You bless the learners, teachers, and staff who work here so that the learning process, to discover how great You are, happens smoothly.
May You, Almighty God, make our College a place of great discovery, adventure, and also a place where we all learn to love as well love to learn. Help us to respect, value, and treat each other as brothers and sisters.
We pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour.
Amen
For students - A reminder and call to action for the final weeks of Term
Please:
Ensure that you have the “Four for Sure” for every class
Maintain uniform rules to avoid receiving consequences (e.g., Note of Concern, Lunchtime detention, loss of privilege of wearing the House Uniform on a Friday…)
Be courteous to everyone you meet
Respect the College environment, inside and outside of the classroom.
Celebrating Av Staff - Deborah Santaromita
Last Friday at the Associated and Catholic Colleges (ACC) end of Year Breakfast, Mrs Deborah Santaromita received the ACC St Sebastian Fellowship Award, a huge honour. Please find below an excerpt of the speech delivered by James Howard for the Award presentation.
Deborah Santaromita commenced at Av Christi College. For the last 33 years Deb has been passionate and tireless in her devotion to Sport, and in particular, netball on all levels from sub association, School Sport WA, ACC Championship and ACC All Star Programs.
Deb possesses a deep and genuine love of sport, and to this day remains motivated by giving back in the way her coaches gave to her as a developing athlete. She has always loved playing or working as part of a team and building relationships through sport, and we at Av are so fortunate to have been part of a team where Deb has cared for and supported us all in our growth over the past 33 years.
Over three decades Deb has coached Athletics, Swimming, Touch Football, Basketball, Water Polo and of course netball. She has performed the vital role of Sports Coordinator at Av along with coordinating the busy netball and touch programs over many years. She has also run a Year 9 Netball Smarts elective, along with swim camps and outdoor ed expeditions.
Deb expertly manages the selection trials of all Av Netball Teams along with staffing, umpires and student coaches for Netball. Similarly, she coordinates all the Av Touch Teams, boys and girls SASJ teams and boys and girls junior and senior SSWA teams with precision.
A multi-talented educator and coach who remains at the top of her game. Deb simply loves to be part of our team, and bases her success on the friendships she has developed through coaching and teaching over the years. She has been a mentor and ‘mother-figure’ to many in the industry and continues to move with the times, challenging everyone she connects with to raise the bar in terms of professionalism.
She is integral to the sporting fabric of Av Christi and in turn the ACC, and due to her meritorious and long-standing service, is most deserving of the Saint Sebastian Fellowship Award. Av Sport, ACC Sport and Netball in WA will experience a great loss with Deb retiring, however her legacy will live long and strong. She has and will continues to exemplify the spirit of St Sebastian; encouraging strength, endurance, perseverance, courage and justice among the young people in our association.
Overall, I’m sure everyone in the room will agree Deb’s has been an ‘exceptional’ contribution.
Thank you
Frank Italiano
Principal
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Student Success
Ella Daniel (𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 10)
On Sunday 21 November Ella participated in the Diana de Vos Ballet awards, held by the Royal Academy of Dance at WAAPA. Ella was awarded runner up for Grade 6/7 ballet (Ella is grade 6). Congratulations Ella!
Kade De Luca (𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟵)
Well done to Kade who is sharing his gifts to brighten the festive season of the residents at the Brightwater Aged and Disability Care Facilities. He will be performing 18 Christmas shows across their various facility locations with very supportive and appreciative residents thus far!
Leon Du Toit (Year 9)
Year 9 student Leon Du Toit has yet again achieved an outstanding result, making the top 3% of all Year 9’s nationally in the Australian Geography Competition – a contest for Australian secondary school students, assessing their geographical knowledge and skills. The competition aims to encourage student interest in geography and to reward student excellence.
This is the third year in a row that Leon has achieved excellent results in the competition, having previously placed in the top 1% of the country in 2019 and 2020. Congratulations Leon!
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School Holiday Uniform Shop Operating Hours - Middle and Senior School
The last day of trading for the Uniform Shop for 2021 will be on Wednesday 8 December 2021.
The last day to drop off pre-loved uniforms this year will be Friday 3 December 2021.
General Opening
A General Opening for all students (no bookings required) will be available on Friday 28 January 2022 from 9.00am - 3.30pm.
Any online orders placed via Flexischools during the holidays will be ready for pick up on Friday 28 January 2022.
Withdrawing from Av Christi College
If your child will not be attending Av Christi College in 2022, please notify the College as soon as possible.
Notice can be given via the following webpage:
Year 10 River Cruise - RSVPs close tomorrow!
Year 10 students are invited aboard Captain Cook Cruises for the Year 10 River Cruise! This highlight of the Year 10 social calendar takes place on Monday 6 December 6.00-9.00pm, with a 5.45pm boarding time at Barrack Street Jetty.
With tickets including pizza, drinks, DJ and a photo booth - this event is not to be missed! RSVP by 24 November 2021 at
2022 Year 12 Ball
It's that time again! With great joy we warmly invite our Class of 2022 to the Av Christi College Year 12 Ball, to be held at Optus Stadium on Friday 28 January.
We hope our Class of 2022 is excited for what promises to be a great night and a fantastic way for our Year 12 students to kick the year off!
RSVP by 4.00pm, Friday 3 December 2021 at
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award
After a first successful year, registration for the Duke of Ed Bronze Award are now open for students who will be in Year 9 in 2022!
Students who decide to take on the challenge of the Bronze Award will experience many new opportunities in the areas of Skill, Physical Recreation and Voluntary Service, as well as undertaking two 'Adventurous Journeys' with their peers.
For further details and to apply, please visit:
Registrations close Friday 10 December 2021.
Ignite the Spirit Fun Day
On Thursday 18 November, the College held its annual ‘Ignite the Spirit’ Fun Day.
The Fun Day was an Invite Only event for students who have been identified as commencing at Av Christi College in Year 7 2022 who may be the only child coming from their primary school or one of very few. The Fun Day was created to give students an opportunity to make friends prior to the official Orientation on 23 November 2021.
Approximately 70 new and very nervous students took part in a number of get to know you and team building activities, led by members of the 2022 Prefect Team.
As always our students did an amazing job running the games and making our new students feel at home.
We also welcomed the whole Year 7 2022 cohort at our Year 7 Orientation Day today, Tuesday 23 November. This will be followed by the 2022 Year 7 Parent information Evening on Wednesday 24 November from 6.00pm-7.00pm in the College Theatre.
Year 9 Careers Excursion
A group of Year 9 students embarked on a day of activities, to discover a range of careers. Students attended the Construction Futures Centre to explore trades and paraprofessional careers in Residential, Commercial, Mining and Civil Engineering.
ACC History Book
Most of our students leave school with fond memories of being involved in, and watching, interschool sporting contests. Now, Ken Spillman’s history of ACC sport in WA – released this month and aptly titled “The Right Spirit” – highlights the outstanding history of Av Christi College in the association.
Our involvement in the ACC goes back to 1985, when we competed in the C Division athletics carnival. The author traces Av Christi’s never-say-die attitude from these earliest days, when many students needed to compete in much older age groups. By 1990, we were in A division for both athletics and swimming.
Spillman notes that Av Christi has also excelled in team sports. Under such outstanding coaches as Mrs Deb Santaromita, he says, the College has produced some of the finest netball and basketball teams in the history of the ACC. Among the many Av Christi sporting legends to be celebrated in the book are three-time Olympian Jennifer Reilly, Brownlow Medallist Simon Black, pro-basketballer Carla Drennan, and recent student Kayla Van Der Linden, who was admitted to the prestigious ACC Lettermen Club for both cross country (2019) and athletics (2020).
“The Right Spirit” is packed with information, anecdotes and more than 200 images. To obtain your copy of “The Right Spirit” visit the ACC store at . Book sales open on Monday 22nd November.