eNews #10 Term Three Week 7
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Dear Parents
My article for this weekās e-News focusses on the importance of parent support.
As all parents are aware, I recently emailed you highlighting the importance of the AvŠŌ°® Christi College Parents and Friends Association. I acknowledge the parents who were able to join the conversation about the topics which included the purpose of the P and F, what parent support means and suggestions for building community. The positive contributions and suggestions made will enable the P and F to restart in a different fashion. I will ask the P and F (on your behalf), to write an article early next term to share these ideas with you and ask for any further suggestions that you may have.
The next P and F meeting is scheduled for the first Tuesday of Term Four (13 October) at 7.30pm in the College staffroom.
In the same week as the P and F meeting, we had almost 300 fathers present at the Fathers Day Breakfast which was held at the Mater Christi Centre and organised by Mr Cam Allen; and a large number of parents who supported and attended the Dance Showcase evenings, with nearly 200 dancers performing on each of the nights. This Dance Showcase was coordinated by Mrs Chanelle Sparks and Mrs Caroline Fuhr, supported by Mrs Catherine Runyon, Mr James Dove and a large number of staff.
I salute the many parents of music students who have transported their daughters and sons to competition events in venues, both south and north of the river, during the Catholic Performing Arts Festival. I have appreciated reading the emails of congratulations from many āmusic parentsā who were grateful for Director of Music Mr Harriesā leadership. At the end of this article, I include a summary of students who have received Honourable Mentions and Merit Awards for their performances. Congratulations to Head of Arts Mr James Dove, Drama Teacher Ms Kelsi Davis, Arts Captains Monica Italiano and Benjamin Ring, and the cast and crew involved in our Drama Production, āA Midsummer Nightās Dreamā, who have been awarded one of the prestigious CPAF Shields.
Support for the College also includes parents working together with staff on a variety of issues surrounding the appropriate and legal use of ICT, as well as social media. I encourage parents to read Director of Learning Technologies Mr Trevor Galbraithās article in this copy of the e-News (General News Section). This weekās article is about VPN, or virtual private network. VPN is a network that is constructed by an individual, in our case our students, which is allowing them to connect to a private network. A VPN can have perfectly legal uses for businesses, minimising their risk of negative impact by outside negative forces. However, in our case, these systems use encryption and other security mechanisms to ensure the data the student is downloading cannot be intercepted. I reiterate, this is a serious breach of our ICT Acceptable Use Policy. We want to protect students from downloading software and Apps illegally, as well as streaming music or videos illegally; we also need to ensure students are unable to access all sorts of unmonitored sites such as pornographic sites, or open themselves to hackers, scammers, or permit viruses to influence our College or system networks - some of the more serious issues surrounding VPNs. Through our monitoring software, all students with unauthorised software running on their devices will be asked to remove it immediately. Therefore, there are serious consequences for students in breach of the very policies designed to protect them, policies designed to ensure they behave in an ethical and legal manner. We ask for parent support in this matter.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Caroline Payne
Principal
NB: We are still experiencing some errors with the current web font, a variety of characters (Including apostrophes and ampersands) are not displaying consistently. We apologise for the inconvenience.
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[accordion_item title="Fathers Day Breakfast" accordion="accordion"]
The Fathers Day Breakfast was held on Friday 4 September. It was fabulous to see so many dads come along. A big thank you to Cam Allen (AvŠŌ°® Communications) for his coordination of the breakfast. To the Cafeteria and school staff who did all of the hard work ā Thank you.
Thank you for your support of this wonderful community-building event.
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[accordion_item title="Year 7 Social Media Profile" accordion="accordion"]
On Thursday September 3 saw the final Pastoral Period session for the year. The Year 7s had an enjoyable and productive time designing their own Social Media Profile on Prezi and then an opportunity to evaluate the safety of their profiles.
Many students are reaching the age of 13 or have already gotten there and they are now legally permitted to have a Facebook account and many other Social Media sites. We encourage parents to discuss Cyber Safety with their child, but more so we are encouraging your children to think about what they are posting and the image of them that it presents to the public.
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[accordion_item title="Year 7 Sadler Sleepover" accordion="accordion"]
The Sadler Sleepover is happening! Friday 11 September is the big night. Please see the Poster on the Year 7 Portal for further details or contact Mrs Pearce on ypearce@corpus.wa.edu.au
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[accordion_item title="Year 9 Personal Project" accordion="accordion"]
Year 9 students have been provided with detailed information about the Personal Project Report. This information included report format requirements as well as focus questions to guide students when completing each section of the report. Please access the Report Format Guide on the Year 9 Portal.
Students were also reminded of the following points:
Instead, they will be asked to provide evidence that their Project is complete (photoās, film etc).
The Personal Project Preparation Day will be held on Thursday 24 September (the last day of Term 3). Students will be provided with the opportunity to attend sessions designed to guide them through the Report writing and editing process. They will also begin to consider and plan how best to exhibit their work in preparation for the Exhibition to be held in Term 4.
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[accordion_item title="Pastoral Program ā Health and Well Being " accordion="accordion"]
Health and Well being has been the focus of the Year 9 Pastoral Program this term. Students attended the āChanging Mindsā Arafmi presentation earlier this term, helping to improve their understanding of mental illness, dispel the myths and stigma surrounding mental illness and provide information on support available in our community.
Students then accessed information and completed activities from the Act-Belong-Commit campaign, encouraging them to take action to protect and promote their own health and well-being.
This week, Amy Coombes, the Official Ambassador for Mental Health Week WA 2014 will present to the students. Amy is an outstanding and engaging presenter, focused on providing students with the tools and strategies needed to develop a positive and resilient attitude, reinforcing that itās ok to be exactly who they are.
The overall aim of these activities is to equip each student with the knowledge and skills necessary to cope with the pressures and challenges of day to day life, effectively preparing them for senior school and beyond.
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[accordion_item title="AvŠŌ°® Christi College Library" accordion="accordion"]
The College library is a dynamic centre of inquiry, imagination, discovery and creativity supporting and enriching all aspects of college life and learning.
Opening hours:
Monday ā Thursday 7.30am-5.00pm
Friday 7.30am-4.00pm
Homework Club:
Tuesdays and Thursdays 3.30pm-5.00pm
Virtual library resources:
24/7 via the Intranet: Overdrive eBooks, databases, video resources and study support
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[accordion_item title="The Young Australia League Charitable Endowment Trust Scholarships" accordion="accordion"]
A range of new and innovative scholarships have been launched which will help breakdown the financial barriers faced by young people which could otherwise stop them from reaching their full potential. Scholarships of up to $12,500 each year, for up to three years, will be awarded to successful applicants.
Unlike traditional scholarship opportunities which can be highly specific in their focus, with The Young Australia League J.J. āBossā Simons Charitable Endowment Trust scholarships, students can apply for funds for all manner of items including tuition fees, specialist courses, home tutoring, books, equipment, and even travel and living allowance.
Application forms and more information can be found on line at www.yalscholarships.org.au
The deadline for applications is October 30, so please act quickly to ensure your students do not miss out.
If you would like an information pack or to find out more about the scholarships please e-mailtschaper@yalscholarships.org.au or call 9325 3473.
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[accordion_item title="NAPLAN Results 2015 ā Year 7 and 9" accordion="accordion"]
Individual NAPLAN 2015 student reports have been posted to all families. If you have not received your copy, please contact the College.
For your convenience, the College has also added NAPLAN records in Coneqt-P/S.
NAPLAN tests the sorts of skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life, such as reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. It is important to remember that NAPLAN tests are not pass/fail tests. At the classroom level it is one of a number of important tools used by teachers to measure student progress.
Information specifically for parents and carers can be found in the .
How is NAPLAN performance measured?
NAPLAN is not a pass or fail type test, and is designed to illustrate the range of student performance across the country.
Individual student performance is shown on a national achievement scale for each test. The performance of individual students can be compared to the average performance of all students in Australia.
Information on individual student reports is available in the .
More detailed information on the reporting of NAPLAN results is available in the
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[tab_item icon="" title="Senior School" tabs="tabs"]
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[accordion_item title="OLNA Testing Round 2 ā Year 10 Students" accordion="accordion"]
For Year 10 students who are required to sit the tests and were absent the dates for the second round are as follows:
Literacy ā Writing Monday 31 August
Literacy ā Reading Wednesday 2 September
Numeracy Monday 7 September
Catch-up Thursday 10 September
Any student who was absent on the day of their test can sit a ācatch-upā on Thursday morning 10 September. It is imperative that those who are required to complete the assessments do so as there can be implications for Year 11 subject selection if the minimum standards are not met.
Information on OLNA can be found at:
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[accordion_item title="Paul Dillon Drug and Alcohol Presentations ā Thursday 3 September" accordion="accordion"]
Paul Dillon has been working in the area of drug education for the past 25 years. Through his own business, Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA) he has been contracted by many organisations to give regular updates on current drug trends. It was wonderful to have Paul present to Year 10, 11 and 12 Students, Staff and Parents on Wednesday.
Paul addressed the three Senior School groups over the course of the day. The key advice Paul gives to young people is that they need to support each other and look after their peers.
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[accordion_item title="Trial WACE Examination and Year 11 End of Year Examination Timetables" accordion="accordion"]
Year 12 (and Year 11 students doing Year 12 courses) examination timetable has been released and is available on the Year 12 portal. The Year 11 students will receive their examination timetables in the coming week which will be published on the Year 11 portal. It is important that students take careful note of their schedules so they arrive at the correct time for their examinations.
The dates of the examinations are as follows:
Trial WACE ā Monday 5 October to Tuesday 13 October
Year 11 ā Monday 12 October to Tuesday 20 October.
Please remember that Year 11 students who are doing Stage 3 courses with Years 12ās will be required to complete their examinations in the Year 12 examination period.
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[tab_item icon="" title="AvŠŌ°® General News" tabs="tabs"]
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[accordion_item title="Ministry News" accordion="accordion"]
From this weekās Gospel:
Be Opened!
Sometimes I stop rushing around and realise that I rarely hear birds singing.
I stay pretty busy. My mind stays pretty focused on the new task or appointment. And I miss the birds. And I fear I miss other cries as well ā the cries of people who need me.
āBe opened!ā Jesus commands in this weekās Gospel. He restores a manās hearing and gives him the power to speak. I wonder what that man heard after that. I bet he heard the sighs of lonely people who needed his time. I bet he stopped and sat with them. I bet he heard pleas of hunger from poor people. I bet he stopped and fed them. I bet he heard the cries of people who were rejected or suffering. I bet he stopped and embraced them.
Many people in our families, our schools, our jobs and our world need our ears opened. Many donāt want our advice. They just want us to listen without judgement while they talk about what hurts. Others need us to stand up with and for them at school or in our community. They need us to listen closely to understand their problems. Others, like parents and mentors, are crying to offer us advice for life. They need us to listen to their wisdom without getting defensive.
Do we hear the cries or advice as we go through life? Or do we rush so quickly that we miss them? This week, each day, ask Jesus to open your ears so you can listen closely. People will come across your path who need you to listen, or to whom you need to listen.
What can keep me from really listening to people who need my help or who are offering me advice?
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Mulan Parent Forum - Wednesday 9 September 2015
All parents, students and families of the 2015 Mulan Mob are invited to a supper and open forum on Wednesday 9 September 2015 in the Sadler Centre. This will be a fantastic opportunity to reunite the Mulan Mob, share stories and ask questions. Please join us between 7.00pm-8.15pm.
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[accordion_item title="Arts Report" accordion="accordion"]
SEPTEMBER
Wednesday 9 - Senior School OSP Drama Night - Postponed to Week 10
Thursday 10 - Years 11-12 OSC Dance Night
YOHfest - Drama @ Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
Tuesday 22 - Senior School OSP and Monologue Drama Night
DANCE SHOWCASE
Congratulations to all students involved in this yearās Dance Showcase āTarantismā. The students have been working hard since Term One and the results showed in two outstanding performances at the Curtin Theatre last Sunday and Monday evening. Both shows were sold out so if you missed out on a ticket or if you just want to see the show again, why not grab yourself a DVD? At only $15 you can place your order at trybooking by following this link:
Click to view photos from the performances evenings.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
Auditions for the 2016 College Production have been postponed until Term 4. Stay tuned to find out what which musical production will get the AvŠŌ°® touch next year!
CATHOLIC PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL
We are very pleased to announce that the cast and crew of A Midsummer Nightās Dream have been awarded the Catholic Superannuation Fund Award for Drama (full production) in this yearās Festival.
Congratulations to all students who have participated in this yearās Catholic Performing Arts Festival. See below for a list of certificate and award winners:
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[accordion_item title="Student Achievers" accordion="accordion"]
Gabriela Postma
The APAN (Australian Performing Arts Network) recently held the Storm the Stage Competition. Gabriela achieved the following:
1st Place - U/15 Musical Theatre solo
2nd Place - U/15 Contemporary Solo
Congratulations Gabriela!
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Sam Coten
Recently, Sam Coten travelled to Canberra to represent Western Australia in the National Final of the Plain English Speaking Award (PESA). Sam said that initially he felt like the WA tribute going off to the Capitol for the Hunger Games! Fortunately, the scenario was very different. Sam spent the weekend of the 8 and 9th of August enjoying the sights of the city including the High Court, National Gallery and Museum as well as getting to know the other six competitors. Sam had a wonderful time, making new friends from across the nation and 'always networkingā, to use Samās words.
The competition took place on Monday August 10th. Unfortunately, Sam was unplaced, with Victoria and NSW taking out first and second place. Mrs Colleen Litchfield, Samās mentor at the competition, said that his speech was excellent however that the standard was very high this year. She described Sam as āa charming and gracious young manā and was most complimentary of Samās social skills and his positive attitude. The competition was held in the Legislative Council chambers, which I am sure would have been inspirational for Sam. I wonder how many of these talented young people will be our future federal politicians! On behalf of the College community, I would like to congratulate Sam on his outstanding achievement.
My sincere appreciation is extended to Mrs Litchfield, for her coaching expertise and support of Sam for the entire weekend. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the sponsor of this competition, the WA branch of Australia/ Britain Society, who met all the costs of the flights and accommodation.
Mrs Noreen Stevenson
Public Speaking Coordinator
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Apex Australia Teenage Fashion Awards
Recently, Chloe Kingston, Gracie Drennan & Vanessa Serafini represented AvŠŌ°® Christi College in the āCasual Day Wearā section of the Apex Australia Teenage Fashion Awards for 2015. The Perth heats were held at Carine Senior High School over the weekend of the 29th & 30th of August. The girls modeled their garments beautifully and were excellent ambassadors for the College.
Congratulations go out to Gracie Drennan, whose two-piece shorts outfit was selected to go through to the state finals at the Hyatt Regency on 13th September 2015.
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[accordion_item title="Student ICT Acceptable Use" accordion="accordion"]
2015 Policy Guidelines
This edition of the College e-News is a timely reminder to parents of the protocols surrounding our current ICT Acceptable Use Policy. As a College, we work hand in hand as a team with parents, students and the wider community in preparing our students for the challenges of living in a digital world. In the past week, the ICT Team decided to āblitzā students who have created a VPN on their personal device. The following paragraph defines the meaning of VNP in simple terms.
VPN is pronounced as separate letters and is short for virtual private network.
This network is constructed by students using software and Apps, freely available to access the College Internet - ie to connect to a private network. These systems use encryption and other security mechanisms to ensure that the data the student is downloading cannot be intercepted.
With reference to the College ICT Acceptable Use Policy (available on coneqt p), under heading: 3. Unacceptable Use of Computing Facilities (as shown below), the very first point clearly refers to accessing networks without school authorisation.
3. Unacceptable Use of Computing Facilities
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Through our monitoring software, all students with unauthorised software running on their devices were asked to remove it immediately.
On behalf of the ICT Team, I have had a number of conversations with our Senior School students as to why they are engaging in this activity and in general, their response is, āto access Facebook Messengerā. If this were in any way connected to the education requirements of our students, the College would have ensured that students had access to this service. However, every teacher has confirmed that this is not the case; it is not an educational requirement.
We all have decisions to make, protocols to follow and responsibilities to accept. After having delivered a number of warnings and encouragement for all students to adhere to the College ICT Acceptable Use Policy, there will no exceptions to this directive as from next week ie Week 9, commencing Monday 7 September 2015. Student activity will be monitored and any student who chooses to create his or her own rules will incur the appropriate consequence/s.
The ICT Team is hopeful that this practice will cease immediately and not involve further students from the College. The choice is theirs.
Trevor Galbraith
Director of Learning Technologies
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[accordion_item title="Science news" accordion="accordion"]
Naked Scientist Show
Our gifted Year 7 and Year 9 Science students were treated to a Chemistry/Physics extravaganza show hosted by Dr Chris Smith at Murdoch University. Wow and Bang! After 90 minutes blowing our ears out with several major blasts it was time to walk back to school.
Science CafƩ
The WA National Science Week Committee invited 80 West Australian scientists as mentors, and 8 of our enthusiastic Y9-11 science-loving students to the Science CafƩ at UWA to discuss and motivate them into a Science Career.
A highlight was a keynote talk by Derek Muller, host of the TV series āShaking the Dragonās Tailā. It was great to talk to several scientists about there careers.
Biology 12 Zoo
Recently the Y12 Biology students visited the zoo to research conservation strategies used for endangered animals, such as captive breeding the Western Swamp Tortoise. Students were treated to an eye-to-eye feeding experience with the male giraffe.
Year 11 Biology AvŠŌ°®
Last week Ms Stevens and Mr Hurn squeezed into a bus with 23 Biology students to Hills Forest in Mundaring catchment area for a series of practical biology activities using quadrats, spotlighting and camping. Each year we also participate in a Marsupial monitoring programme that involves setting baited traps on a trapline to mark, record and release marsupials with the help of two wildlife workers. Traps are set one afternoon and checked the next morning.
The data contributes to a DEC programme Western Shield that is helping to recover native wildlife from the affects of feral animals. This year sampled a new area and one possum was caught that had previously been microchipped. We took its body measurements before releasing it back to the bush. The weather was good and we finished with a visit from native animals from Kenyana Wildlife.
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