E-News 30 May 2023
Welcome to Term 2 Week 4
Welcome to Week 6
Leadership
At Av Christi we promote leadership at all levels. We believe that everyone in our community has the capacity to positively impact our school and add to its unique story. We promote a sense of personal agency, encouraging all to find their voice and input in a constructive and productive way to the life of our College.
The Gospels are replete with examples of Jesus’ leadership, revealing him to be a leader who “is prayerful, humble, merciful, relational, visionary, loving, compassionate, challenging, brave, counter- cultural, egalitarian, forgiving, non-judgemental and healing. These adjectives frame the terrain of the Christ-centred leader.” (CEWA Everyone Leads)
Jesus was a true servant leader illustrated through the way that he grew others by being aware and attentive of their needs. He put others first and saw capacity and individualised gifts in them. In modelling Jesus, we, as a collective community, strive to serve those around us.
Providing the right climate for leadership and personal agency to flourish is therefore a key strategic intent at Av Christi. We are thrilled to highlight true leadership in action through a series of recent events and activities at the College.
1. Own Your Path
This significant event in the life of our Year 10 students was held on Wednesday evening last week, bringing families and staff together in support of students exploring future pathway opportunities.
In providing students within a snapshot of exciting future possibilities, we want to inspire them to take ownership of their growth trajectory in their senior years to best set themselves up for future success in whatever future career they choose. In leading their own learning, they make their own educated choices around available pathways. Students are empowered to harness their unique abilities and positively influence their own lives through quality goal setting, reflection and action.
We are appreciative of the complexities of learning pathways in this very dynamic educational environment and therefore will be present alongside students as they navigate the journey ahead. In acknowledging the personalised gifts and interests of our students, we have multiple pathways available for students to support their career aspirations. They key is for our students to step forward and take a lead role in this very exciting phase of their lives.
We acknowledge the enormous efforts of College staff in ensuring the success of this new initiative. It was a genuine delight to see so many interested students and families attend the event and engage with the staff and post school career advisors and providers in exploring a future world filled with exciting possibilities.
2. Student Leadership
I was delighted last week to attend the presentation of our new Year 7 leadership group to the community. The leadership assembly celebrated the culmination of an extensive program run over the first semester to build a genuine sense of belonging within our new cohort of Year 7 students and to allow them to see the strengths and gifts of others.
As part of the program students were asked to nominate others whom they believed had the courage and commitment to lead. In strong recognition of the capacity of our Year 7 cohort, we received in excess of 300 nominations. We acknowledge all of our Year 7 students for involving themselves fully in this program and celebrate the positive way that they connect with and see others.
We congratulate those students who stepped forward to lead and accept this exciting challenge. We know that they will represent the Year 7 cohort in a very dedicated and energised way.
We certainly encourage all of our students to have the courage to step forward to lead whether in a formal leadership position or not. In living out our values in a legitimate way each and every day and proactively helping others to do the same, our students become leaders and positive impactors on our culture.
3. Staff Leading Learning
College staff highlighted their wonderful leadership last week through a rolling ‘Learning Carousel’ where teachers ran professional learning sessions for other teachers.
As a learning community, we learn together. The current educational climate is a very dynamic one and so we consistently look to learn and to innovate in providing the best possible growth opportunities for our students.
I applaud our staff for modeling a growth mindset and sharing their new discoveries about learning. Our learning vision is to grow, discover and create – it was wonderful to see these key drivers be brought to life in an authentic way during the ‘Learning Carousel’.
4. Parent Leadership – Friends of Av
We are most grateful for the ongoing support of our Friends of Av group. Last week’s meeting provided another opportunity for parents and caregivers to input into the strategic direction of the College.
We greatly value the voice of our parents in helping to shape Av Christi and appreciate their leadership in helping us to continue to grow our terrific culture. We encourage all families to participate in upcoming Friends of Av meetings.
Best wishes and every blessing.
Jeff Allen
Principal
Enrolments and Withdrawing Update
Kindergarten 2025 & 2026 – Apply Now
If you have a child born between 1 July 2020 – 30 June 2021, please apply now for 4 Year Old Kindergarten commencing in 2025. If you have a child born between 1 July 2021 - 30 June 2022, please apply now for 4 Year Old Kindergarten commencing in 2026.
While we will not be interviewing for this cohort this semester, to avoid missing out on a place, applications are encouraged well in advance as places are limited. You can apply online, here:
Year 7 2025 & 2026 – Sibling Applications
If your child is currently in Year 4 or Year 5 and is not already attending Av Christi College and you have not submitted an application, we encourage you to apply for Year 7 2025 and 2026 as soon as possible.
To be eligible for enrolment, all applicants must have submitted an application per child. If you are yet to do so, please apply online:
Withdrawing from the College Information
A reminder to parents, if you are withdrawing your child from the College you are required to give a Term's notice in writing. Failure to give adequate notice will result in a Term's fees being charged as per the terms and conditions of enrolment. Please liaise with your childs Classroom Teacher or Head of Year prior to withdrawing. To notify of your intent to withdraw, please submit the online form available here: www.corpus.wa.edu.au/withdraw
Pre-loved Toy Donations
At Av Christi College, each House donates to a charity. Merici House donates to a charity called Wheelchairs For Kids which produces rough terrain wheelchairs for donation and distribution to children living with disabilities in developing countries. For the first time in 25 years, Wheelchairs For Kids are about to run out of plush toys that they send with every one of their Wheelchairs. We’re asking you, the Av Community, for donations of pre loved, soft, cuddly toys for their next and future Wheelchair shipments. Ideally the toys would be less than 30cm in height and battery-free (toys with batteries cannot be accepted). There’s a competition within te Senior School Merici House, running from weeks 3-6, for the homeroom that donates the most soft toys! There are donation boxes in every Merici homeroom or if you are in the Junior School you can donate at the front reception. Thank you for your support!
Bric-a-brac Collection
We welcome unwanted household items from books to decor, toys to kitchenware, for the Romero House Stall at Av Christi Day.
Junior School donations are welcomed at the Junior School Reception while Senior School can donate to the Ministry Office.
Bagpiper
Do you play the bagpipes? Or know a family member who does?
Would you be interested in supporting the college in some upcoming events? Please email Ms Galvez on rebeca.galvez@cewa.edu.au
Events
Upcoming Events:
CAPSS Lightning Carnival - 30 May
Year 4 Reconciliation - 7 & 8 June
The latest events can also be found by visiting: www.corpus.wa.edu.au/events
Junior School Prayer Assemblies
We would like to invite all parents to join us on Wednesday morning at 8.40am in the Junior undercover area for a class-led prayer assembly. This is a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together and take a moment to reflect and offer our thanks.
The assembly will go for 10 minutes and will be led by our students. We believe that prayer can be a powerful tool in promoting positivity, and this weekly gathering provides a space for us to connect and support one another.
We encourage all parents to attend and be a part of this meaningful tradition. It is a great way to start the day and we look forward to seeing you there.
Junior School Assemblies
We are excited to announce that Junior School weekly assemblies will continue this term on Fridays at 9.00am in the Caroline Payne Theatre. These assemblies are an important way for us to come together as a school community and celebrate our achievements and milestones.
Each week, we will be presenting merit awards to students who have shown exceptional effort, progress or achievement in their academic, sporting or artistic pursuits. Parents will be notified via SEQTA if their child is receiving a merit award and are invited to attend and share in this special moment.
Following the merit awards, each class will present an assembly item that showcases their learning and achievements from the term. This is a great opportunity for our students to demonstrate their talents and share their learning with the wider school community.
Below are the dates that year levels will be presenting an assembly item for Term 2.
2 June 2023 - Led by Year 6B
URSTRONG Online Workshop
URSTRONG’s whole-school friendship strategy has improved the social climate in schools around the world, connecting over a million kids, parents, & teachers with a common language of friendship.
Families are invited to attend an online Language of Friendship parent-child workshop on Tuesday 30 May at 7:00pm.
Junior School Cross Country
We welcome families to save the date for the Junior School Cross Country to be held on 6 June at 12.30 pm. Junior School students in Years 3 - 6 are asked to wear their sports uniform to school on the day.
Below are the proposed timings for the event which will take place on the Senior School Oval.
12.35 pm: Year 3 Girls 1.5km
12.50 pm: Year 3 Boys 1.5km
1.05 pm: Year 4 Girls 1.5km
1.20 pm: Year 4 Boys 1.5km
1.35 pm: Year 5 Girls 2.0km
1.50 pm: Year 5 Boys 2.0km
2.05 pm: Year 6 Girls 2.0km
2.20 pm: Year 6 Boys 2.0km
Presentations 2.45 – 2.50 pm
More information will be provided in due course.
Av Christi Day (PP-12)
The Av Christi Day celebrations will take place on Friday 9th June, Week 7. The day comprises of a Mass in the David Heath Gymnasium, a Talent Show and the Festival of Av.
School bell times will follow normal Friday operations: Junior Start 8.50am to finish at 3.00pm (drop off and pick at Junior classroom)Senior Start 8.30am to finish at 3.10pm
Av Christi Day is the College annual fundraising event, and a day of celebration. We trust that all students will be in attendance for this compulsory event. The fundraising of this event raises much needed funds for Lifelink Charities.
We ask each student to purchase a $10.00 ticket which goes towards the expense associated with the day. The $10.00 ensures each student receives: Access to free activities during the Festival of Av Raffle ticket to lucky draw Recess snack (cookie with no nuts) and a juice box/water Lunch (choice of sausage sizzle, meat or vegetarian nachos soft drink/water).
Parents are asked to purchase these tickets via for Senior students, or for the Junior students. Students who do not use this facility can buy tickets directly from the Canteen. We are asking all students to purchase tickets by no later than Tuesday 6 June.
Students from Year 5 and upwards are encouraged to bring additional cash on the day as during the festival there will be several paid activities to enjoy as well as confectionary/treats ($0.50 to $3.00).
Music Recital Evening
Wednesday 14 June 2023
Caroline Payne Theatre
6.30pm - 8.30pm
Join us for an evening of musical talent as our students from Years 3-12 showcase what they have been learning with their music tutors at our upcoming recital evening. From classical to contemporary, our young musicians will impress with their musical prowess on a variety of instruments.
Week 6 Enews
As we come to the halfway point of term it was great to celebrate last week at assembly all the incredible things students are accomplishing in their classrooms. 3 Blue hosted their assembly item which focused on how to be a good friend. The message in the assembly clearly aligned to our school values of courage, commitment, and compassion, and how we strive to be Outstanding for Others.
This week we have 5 Blue presenting their item which I am sure will continue to shine the light on the excellent learning taking place in the classroom.
Winter Packs for Nyoongar Outreach Services - Av Christi Day Activity
With Av Christi Day approaching, I am writing to inform you about an exciting and meaningful activity that our students will be participating in to support the organization Nyoongar Outreach Services. As part of this initiative, we will be creating Winter Packs to provide essential items to those in need during the winter season.
To ensure the success of this activity, we have assigned specific items for each year group to contribute. I kindly request your support in encouraging your child to bring the following items to their classroom, where collection boxes will be provided by Tuesday 6 June:
Pre-Primary: Band-Aids and roll-on deodorant
Year 1: Gloves: suitable for winter and adult size.
Year 2: Scarf: Please donate scarves suitable for winter.
Year 3: Travel-sized hand sanitizers and small packs of tissues.
Year 4: Beanie: suitable for adults.
Year 5: Warm Socks: suitable for adults.
Year 6: Toothbrush and toothpaste
CAPSS Lightning Carnival
Wishing our year 5 and 6 students all the best at the lightning carnival this Tuesday. Thank you to Mr Cunningham for your support in organising and getting the students ready for the event.
Morning Drop off
A friendly reminder to families that the school’s duty of care in the morning starts at 8.15am. Families are encouraged not to drop their child off at school before this time as they would be unsupervised. If you require an earlier drop-off, Av Australia are open from 7.00am. Your child’s safety is of the utmost importance to us; therefore, we appreciate your support in this matter.
Katya Anderson
Head of Junior School
Junior School Blog posts
Junior School Community Update
UR STRONG
Dear Junior School parents. I am delighted to inform you of the commencement of our URSTRONG Junior School friendship program. This program teaches wellbeing, relationship skills and resilience through targeted sessions focusing on building friendship skills.
From Pre-Primary to Year 6, the students will participate in fortnightly sessions using the proven, skill-based strategies of the 'Friendology' curriculum that teaches kid-friendly concepts, skills and language to help them build and maintain healthy friendships.
Our teachers are super excited to explore the wonderful opportunities this program presents to assist your child's personal and interpersonal wellbeing. Be sure to access the website URSTRONG.com for more information or alternatively, see your child's class teacher for tips and suggestions for use at home. Alternatively, feel free to email me direct at danielle.damjanovic@cewa.edu.au for any assistance needed.
Community Connectors
Our Class Community Connectors are thrilled to begin their important role of fostering positive relationships within our College. To effectively support their respective year/class group, our Community Connectors kindly request families to complete the form at the following link: .
Premier’s Reading Challenge
Attention all parents and students, get ready for the Premier's Reading Challenge 2023! Starting from Monday, 8 May until Friday, 8 September, students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will be encouraged to participate in this exciting challenge. This year, there are new and exciting prizes up for grabs. All students need to do is log at least 12 books during the challenge period, but they can read and log as many as they want! Plus, there are two weekly prize draws, so there's even more chances to win! Last year, one of our Year 4 students was a weekly winner, so let's see if we can get more winners this year! For more information about the challenge, please visit:
Junior School Library Update
On Wednesday 24 May our Primary students enjoyed taking part in National Simultaneous Storytime. The book this year was ‘The Speedy Sloth’ by Heath McKenzie.
Now in it’s 23rd year, this event brings children together in libraries, schools and homes around the country to read an Australian picture book at the same time. Issue 4 is available now. Parents are encouraged to order via Loop. Spare catalogues are available in the Primary campus reception.
Mrs Catherine Munro
Library Technician
Teaching and Learning Update
Jenny Miraudo
Deputy Principal Teaching & Learning
Senior School Cafeteria Update
We would like to remind all students about the importance of bringing their SmartRider card when visiting the canteen for food and drinks. This serves as a friendly reminder to ensure a smoother transaction process and save time for everyone involved.
To facilitate seamless transactions, it is crucial for students to have sufficient funds loaded onto their Smart Rider before entering the canteen. We strongly encourage parents to utilise the Flexi School app to conveniently top up their child's Smart Rider. For more information, visit: www.corpus.wa.edu.au/cafeteria
Senior School Blog Posts
Ministry Update
Vinnies Winter Appeal
Our Vinnnies Winter Appeal is underway and we need your help to make it a success!
We are asking for donations of blankets, sheets, and sleeping bags - the essential items needed to help those sleeping rough stay warm during the cold winter months. Please donate any new or near-new items into the tubs provided before Wednesday 17 May.
Let's come together as a community and make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. Your generosity and support are greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Weekly Faith In Action activities
Cooking for St. Patricks Community Centre, the Greening Project and Containers for Change are all up and running for this term. We have had great sign-ups from the students to get involved with Cooking nearly full every week. If you would like to sign-up, please come up and put your name down in Student Ministry.
HBF Run for a Reason
On the weekend our College team had 34 dedicated runners and an amazing group of 47 volunteers manning the water stations at the HBF Run For A Reason. Together, we raised nearly $4500 for Lifeline—an incredible achievement!
Thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, donated, and supported us. We're making a difference together!
Amelia McIvor, Maddison Lewis and Eilidh Milne -
Amelia has been selected to represent the School Sport WA swimming team in Sydney. We're incredibly proud of her achievement and wish her the best of luck!
But that's not all – let's applaud Maddison Lewis (Year 6) and Eilidh Milne (Year 9) for their remarkable selection. It's a tremendous accomplishment for our school to have three students chosen.
Congratulations to Amelia, Maddison, and Eilidh for their well-deserved selection. Their achievements inspire our students to pursue their passions and reach for greatness.
Annabelle Brady
We're delighted to share an update on Annabelle's outstanding achievement in gymnastics! Over the past few months, she dedicated herself to rigorous training, preparing for the State qualification competitions held in April and May. Among 70 talented girls, Annabelle showcased her incredible skills and determination, securing an impressive 8th place overall in Western Australia. Her remarkable performance earned her a well-deserved spot on the WA State team. This accomplishment is even more remarkable considering that only the top 10 finalists from each state are selected. We congratulate Annabelle on her success and wish her the best as she represents Western Australia in upcoming competitions!
Isabella Alves-Veira
We are thrilled to announce Isabella Alves-Veira's remarkable achievement! In April, Isabella, a talented Year 11 classical guitar student, successfully auditioned for the prestigious Accelerate Guitars program at UWA. This elite performance training program, designed for Year 10-12 classical guitarists, offers a transformative experience to take their playing to new heights. Isabella's outstanding skills earned her a full scholarship, and she recently completed the program in May. Under the expert guidance of Dr. Jonathon Fitzgerald, UWA Chair of Guitar, she honed her solo and ensemble repertoire. On the 27th of May, Isabella showcased her incredible talent in a joint concert alongside emerging artists from the UWA Guitar Studio. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Rohan Disley, Isabella's classical guitar tutor, for his unwavering guidance and support over the past three years. Isabella's dedication and accomplishment are truly commendable, and we are immensely proud of her musical journey. Congratulations, Isabella!
Ryan Francis
We are thrilled to share Ryan's remarkable performance in the School Chess League Central Zonal . Representing Av Christi College as a solo player, Ryan showcased his strategic prowess and determination. Out of 7 challenging games, he emerged victorious in 2 matches and achieved a draw in another, facing tough opponents mainly from Year 9 to Year 11. Ryan's exceptional skills and dedication are truly commendable. We congratulate him on his achievements and wish him the best of luck as he prepares for the state championship in July. Ryan, your hard work and success in chess are truly inspiring. Keep up the fantastic work!
Alex Hayes and Orlando Jessup
We are delighted to congratulate two outstanding students, Alex Hayes and Orlando Jessup from Year 11, on their remarkable accomplishment of completing their Silver Awards! They received their well-deserved certificates at the end of Term 2, and now they are registered to embark on their journey toward achieving the prestigious Gold Award before the end of Year 12.
Alex Hayes demonstrated exceptional commitment across various areas. Alex dedicated 26 hours to cycling, showcasing his endurance and passion for sports. Additionally, he spent another 26 hours honing his skills in indoor rock climbing, showcasing his determination and love for adventure. Not only that, Alex generously devoted 26 hours to supporting young children with learning challenges, aiding them in playing cricket and fostering inclusivity.
Equally impressive, Orlando Jessup displayed a remarkable range of skills and contributions. In PE, Orlando invested 26 hours in mastering badminton, exhibiting his athletic prowess. Furthermore, he dedicated 26 hours to learning to drive, demonstrating his determination to acquire new skills and responsibilities. Additionally, Orlando selflessly served as an Acolyte at his local parish for 26 hours, exemplifying his commitment to his community and spirituality.
Both Alex and Orlando meticulously planned a thrilling three-day Adventurous Journey. This journey encompassed a day of hiking, a day of mountain biking, and a day of kayaking, with a minimum of 6 hours per day. Their enthusiasm, resilience, and teamwork were evident throughout this exhilarating experience.
We extend our warmest congratulations to Alex Hayes and Orlando Jessup for their remarkable achievements at the Silver Award level. We wish them the best of luck as they embark on their Gold Award journey, confident that they will continue to demonstrate the same level of dedication, determination, and leadership.
⭐ Share Your Story ⭐
We love celebrating student success, so if you have a story to share please send details and a photo to: marketing@corpus.wa.edu.au
St Thomas More Bateman Parish Sacrament Dates 2023
Sacramental classes for St Thomas More Parish, Av Christi College and other surrounding schools will commence from Wednesday 8 February. These classes are conducted every week on a Wednesday from 4.00pm-5.00 pm in Terms 1-3, not including school holidays.
Enrolments for sacramental classes are available online. To register visit:
Confirmation - enrolments close for this class on 20 July 2023.
Saturday 9 September 2023, 3.00pm
Sunday 10 September2023, 11.30am
Reconciliation - enrolments close for this class on 20 June 2023.
Saturday 28 October 2023, 10.00am
For all enquiries please telephone Judy Machado, Religious Education Coordinator, St Thomas More Parish Bateman on (08) 9310 1747 or email her on catechist.bateman@perthcatholic.org.au
College Family Mass
We have our next College Family Mass at St Thomas More Bateman Parish scheduled for Saturday 29 July at 6.00pm.
This will coincide with the Year 6 Confirmation Commitment Mass, but all K-12 families and staff are warmly invited to attend.
Learn to Swim at Av
Av Christi College offers a Learn to Swim Program onsite at the Jennifer Reilly Aquatic Centre. The aquatic centre features a covered and heated 25 metre, eight-lane indoor lap and water polo pool, a separate 12 metre learn-to-swim pool and terrace seating for 180 people.
Our Learn to Swim Program is facilitated by Speed With Style, a company who provide a unique approach to swim teaching called Individualised Custom Teaching, which was developed by Dr Nigel Williams in collaboration with head coach and Speed with Style Founder - John Williams.
The Learn to Swim program is available to both Av Christi College students and those external to the College.
You can register and find more information about Speed with Style on the
College website: www.corpus.wa.edu.au/speed-with-style
In case you missed it...
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