Tuesday 26 April 2016

Dear parents,

WELCOME BACK!

On behalf of the College, we welcome the return of our staff, students and parents, including those who attended College coordinated tours over the holiday period.

The Space AvÐÔ°® to NASA in the USA was a wonderful opportunity for the 13 students who attended from the College. Thank you to Mrs Chanel Fenwick and Mrs Yvette Pearce who accompanied the students on an amazing tour. No doubt the touring group will be quite exhausted after a full two-week educational experience over the holidays.

Welcome back to teachers Mr Michael Rathmann, Mrs Lidia Di Giuseppe, Mr Adrian Richmond and Miss Victoria Carway who accompanied the 31 Year 10 students on the Humanities Canberra Tour from Tuesday 19 April until Monday 25 April, fortunate to conclude the tour by attending the Dawn Service in Canberra.

The College community gathered this morning to commemorate our own ANZAC service in the Community Centre.

[divider style="divider5" backtotop="no" top_margin="5" bottom_margin="5"]

CHANGES TO STAFFING

I would like to take this opportunity to note some changes to staffing from Term Two.

On behalf of the College, I take this opportunity to congratulate Deputy Principal Senior School Mr Ian Hagen on his appointment to the Acting Principal s role of St Francis School, Maddington, a co-educational Catholic CARE school for the remainder of the year, from Term Two to Term Four 2016.

Well known in the Catholic education community, we were aware the former Principal Mr Rory McNally passed away mid-way through last term. It is wonderful Ian was able to apply for this role and in service to the Catholic system, has accepted this challenge for 2016.

The very late appointment to this role announced by Catholic Education WA on the last day of Term One has necessitated some changes to leadership structures at the College.

I take this opportunity to announce the following staff who have been appointed to leadership roles from Term Two:

• Mr Jean-Paul Papineau as Acting Deputy Principal Senior School.
• Mr Michael Rathmann as Acting Head of Year 11, who will continue to cover Mr Papineau’s role.
• Ms Katrina Thomas as Acting Student Ministry Coordinator, replacing Mr Simon Keane who will be on Long Service Leave from Week Two.
• Ms Marian Lavelle who will be continuing as MacKillop House Coordinator.

Please welcome our newly appointed teaching staff:

• Mr Leith Daniel comes to us from Servite College to teach English and Religious Education. Mr Daniel has presented at every English Teachers Conference in WA for the last 10 years, has presented at national conferences, has had a number of essays published and for the past three years, has been involved in the teachmeet.wa movement, bringing free Professional Development to teachers across the State. Having held a variety of leadership roles as Head of English and Head of Year, Leith comes to us with a broad range of teaching and leadership experiences from Servite, Kolbe College, Aquinas College and Newman Senior High School.
• Mr Sean Nicoli has been appointed as a Mathematics Teacher from Term Two. Sean has taught Mathematics with the Department of Education since 2005, including recently at Rossmoyne Senior High School. He has taught across all phases of secondary schooling, as well as having worked in the TAFE tertiary sector holding both teaching and administrative positions. Sean is very committed to, and passionate about, teaching Mathematics and producing student focussed lessons and curriculum. Students and staff at AvÐÔ°® Christi College may be familiar with Sean already as a relief teacher.
• We welcome the return of Mr Christopher Pietroniro who has been appointed as a Religious Education teacher covering in the main, Mr Simon Keane’s classes in Term Two.

Please welcome our newly appointed supporting staff:

• Technical Manager Mr Daniel Chapman commenced his role at the College on Monday 11 April. Daniel came to us from All Saints’ College where he has held the position of Network Administrator since 2009. As Assistant Technical Manager, Mr Yun Chen will be supporting Daniel as we move into the next chapter of ICT leadership at the College.
• Ms Nurmala Simbolon has been appointed as our Native Speaker (Indonesian) Languages Assistant for Terms Two to Four 2016, a funded position at the College. Nurmala is currently studying for a Doctor of Education (Applied Linguistics) at Curtin University, her prior role as an English teacher at Pontianak State Polytechnic in West Borneo.
• Ms Claire McDonnell has been appointed as a Teacher Assistant working primarily in the Education Support Centre. Claire is currently working at Applecross Senior High School in a similar role.
• Ms Frances Whiting who has been appointed as a Teacher Assistant to commence at AvÐÔ°® Christi College on Tuesday 26 April for a three-week appointment. Frances is a AvÐÔ°® parent and an experienced former-teacher who has taught at numerous Catholic schools around the world.

We welcome the return of Mathematics teacher Mr Reno Sinagra and Head of Humanities Mr James Ramsey from Long Service Leave last term.

Finally, long time staff member Mrs Sonya Hope has retired after being at the College since January 1991, initially as a Teacher Assistant, more recently known to parents as one of our long-standing Administration Assistants in the Finance Department, a position she has held since 2006. We are most grateful for the service Sonya has provided to the College for almost 26 years.

[divider style="divider5" backtotop="no" top_margin="5" bottom_margin="5"]

CHANGEOVER PERIOD FOR WINTER UNIFORM

Just a reminder regarding the changeover period for the Winter Uniform this term, with a change to policy: We have already experienced a great deal of unseasonal warm weather in 2016. This year, we are trialling a change to policy which will see the inclusion of a ‘lead-in time’ in the wearing of the winter uniform. For the first two weeks ONLY, students will be able to choose to wear either their full summer or full winter uniform (no mixing and matching). By Monday 9 May all students will be in their full winter uniform. Homeroom teachers will be monitoring this change, which will be reviewed immediately afterwards.

[divider style="divider5" backtotop="no" top_margin="5" bottom_margin="5"]

PARENTS AND FRIENDS (P AND F) QUIZ NIGHT

SATURDAY 14 MAY - 7PM DAVID HEATH CENTRE

Every two years, the Parents and Friends hold a Quiz Night to build the AvÐÔ°® community engagement and to raise funds for a special project. I take this opportunity to invite parents and friends to book a table for the night to this major community event of the year!

For 2016, the P and F were provided with a variety of capital possibilities. They have chosen to assist the College in the further refurbishment of the Library, which is continuing to become the hub of the College at all hours of the day.

New library shelving and furniture – in re-imagining our 21st century Library, I had asked Mr Greg Port, Head of Library Information Services, to continue the work former Head of Library Ms Robyn Durack started five years ago, by seeking quotes for movable library shelving and additional comfortable seating in this next stage of redevelopment. The Library is now a meeting space for all students from early in the morning until 5pm in the evening. It is utilised heavily during recess and lunchtime, students often sit tests in the Seminar Room (now a quiet working space), with students studying or reading during the day and the ICT Help Desk having been relocated near its entrance. The approximate cost will be $40K (quotes for the movable library shelving is $35K).

In 2014, funds were raised to provide some of the sports equipment for the Fitness Centre, whilst in 2012, the funds raised went to the purchase of the fantastic cooker and surrounding equipment for the Mater Christi Cafeteria, whilst in previous years, all the air conditioning of our rooms was provided by the P and F.

Such projects have been nominated by staff to the Principal and presented to the P and F for consideration, as part of the College Policy for requesting funds raised by parents. On behalf of all students at the College, I salute our parents for the provision of these appreciated resources!

Please download the letter at the link below from the P and F for more details about the event.

[divider style="divider5" backtotop="no" top_margin="5" bottom_margin="5"]

OPENING OF THE COMMUNITY CENTRE – FRIDAY 10 JUNE, CORPUS CHRISTI DAY!

The date for the official opening of the Community Centre has changed and is no longer in Week Three.

All parents and friends are now invited to the Official Opening of the Community Centre which will be held in The David Heath Gymnasium, commencing at 9.00am, immediately after the AvÐÔ°® Christi Day Mass. Executive Director of Catholic Education Dr Tim McDonald will be present on the day to open this fine facility. A Community Morning Tea will be held on the top floor deck and adjoining classrooms for those who are able to join us. RSVP will be necessary – details forthcoming.

We are currently trying to confirm the postal details of some of the past Board Chairs (from the early years of the College), together with P&F Executive and Board Members whom we would like to invite. If you know the address of someone who was involved in our early history, could you please contact College Receptionist Mrs Michelina Crane at the College on 6332 2500.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Caroline Payne
Principal