Weekly Reflection

Last Sunday, 5 September we celebrated all those who are father figures in our lives. Those with us and those we remember.

As said in John’s Gospel:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

We give our thanks, Creator God, for the fathers in our lives.

For those who are fathers, we ask for wisdom and humility in the face of the task of parenting.

Give them the strength to do well by their children and by You.

In Your Holy name, O God, we pray.

Loretta Kalms

Acting Director of Catholic Identity

From the Principal

One of the advantages of lockdown is that we are forced to slow down and have time to catch up on reading.

This weekend I read an article by Fr Gary Walker titled Where is God in all of this? It’s a good question when we are suffering. In a pandemic or Afghanistan, as Catholics, we can ask why God is allowing all this suffering. Fr Walker’s perspective in the article is this:

“Jesus does not take away suffering but fills it with his presence. People will continue to suffer one way or another, but the risen Lord offers to be with them, to walk with them. He said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. Matthew 11:28

It is an interesting perspective. So perhaps instead of asking why we are suffering, we need to think about how we invite Christ to journey with us in our trials?

I hope that all dads and father figures had a wonderful Sunday. You play a very important role in the lives of your children.

COVID vaccination advice for our students

As part of the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, all students aged 16 years and above are now eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

To help support the safe conduct of end-of-year exams, the Victorian Government has announced a vaccination blitz for final year students (all Year 12 students and Year 11 VCE Units 3/4 and VET scored students). Information about how to book a priority appointment has been sent to these students and families.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect your child, your family and our school community from further outbreaks and the spread of COVID-19.

If your child is 16 years or above (and not a final year or eligible Year 11 student as listed above) and you or they would like to book a vaccination appointment visit the coronavirus.vic.gov.au website or contact the Coronavirus hotline by phoning 1800 675 398.

Students can book their appointment and consent to vaccination themselves if the health professional assesses them to be a mature minor. In this case, the health professional assesses they understand the information relevant to being vaccinated and its effect.

Families can discuss their child’s vaccination date with their teachers to plan their absence and minimise disruption to learning if the absence is during school hours.

It is recommended that students don’t get their first vaccine on the day of an exam, or the day before an exam, to avoid feeling common but mild side effects such as tiredness, headache, muscle pain, fever and chills and/or joint pain during their exam.

To find a vaccination centre and opening times, visit the coronavirus.vic.gov.au website.

People aged 16-39 can also get their COVID-19 vaccine at a doctor’s clinic, pharmacy or community health service through the Australian Government’s Eligibility Checker. You can book your appointments online or by calling the vaccine provider nearest to you.

More information

Translated advice about the vaccines is available on the coronavirus.vic.gov.au website.

For further assistance, contact:

• the Victorian Department of Health Coronavirus hotline: 1800 675 398

• the National coronavirus and COVID-19 vaccine helpline: 1800 020 080

Please do not hesitate to email me at principal@sfcc.vic.edu.au or contact me by phone on 8099 6000 if you wish to discuss this.

Marlene Jorgensen

Principal

Looking Ahead

Dates to remember
Wednesday 8 SeptemberBookings open for Parent Student Teacher Interviews
Semester 2 Interim Reports available on PAM
Tuesday 14 SeptemberParent Student Teacher Interviews (online)
Thursday 16 SeptemberParent Student Teacher Interviews (online)
Friday 17 SeptemberTerm 3 concludes at 3.20pm
Monday 4 OctoberTerm 4 begins

Booking Parent Student Teacher Interviews

Bookings for Parents Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs) can be made through the parent portal PAM from tomorrow, Wednesday 8 September.

The interviews will be held online via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 14 September and Thursday 16 September from 4pm.

Instructions on how to login to PAM and make your interview bookings are available here: How to Book Your Parent Student Teacher Interview

You will also find information about how to access a link to the interview booking. Simply login to PAM and click on the Parent Teacher Interviews tab (see below).

Your child’s Semester 2 Interim Report will also be available on PAM tomorrow.
Michael Wilcock

Deputy Principal, Operations, Staffing and Strategic Intent

From the Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching

Extended lockdown

This week we begin the next round of adjustments to learning and teaching for Year 7 to 10 students. These changes will continue to support the online learning taking place. However, the reduction in the screen contact time gives everyone a welcome break. Teachers have made the relevant adjustments to their content and timelines.

Parents are encouraged to monitor the times their child is expected online and encourage them to choose a relevant activity when not online. Year level coordinators have provided the timetabled roster of unstructured lessons for Year 7 to 9 to help parents know which lessons this applies to each day.

Year 10 classes have been reduced to 60 minutes with a 15-mintue break at the end.

VCE and VCAL updates

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) provide schools with regular updates and adjustments for VCE, VET and VCAL as the lockdown extends.

The GAT has been moved to Tuesday 5 October. Performance and oral exams occurring on this day have been rescheduled. The Unit 3/4 VCE examinations are on track to occur in the dedicated exam period from Monday 4 October to Wednesday 17 November (including performance/oral exams).

The COVID vaccination blitz from Tuesday 7 September to Friday 17 September will ensure all our Year 12 students, Year 11 VCE Unit 3/4 students and Year 11 VET scored students have access to priority vaccination.

Teachers and VET trainers can apply the 2021 Special Consideration to VCAL units and credits for unscored VET units for VCE and VCAL students. Teachers and trainers are accessing all information through VCAA and VASS.

NAPLAN online

We continue to prepare for the NAPLAN Online School Readiness Test (SRT) on Friday 8 October.

Students in Year 7 and 9 will complete a writing and an omnibus test on their devices, which have a lockdown browser installed.

Again we thank all families for their support this term, during which most learning has occurred online.

Joanne Holmes

Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching

Show off your creativity

Every year students from CRC Melton and many Catholic schools across Victoria are given an opportunity to create an artwork and have it published in the Shared Stories Anthology.

The artworks chosen for the publication are usually created during art classes. This year however, we are opening up the opportunity to the broader student body of CRC Melton.

The artwork could be a painting, drawing, digital artwork, sculpture, hand drawing, or photograph and could express how students are feeling in lockdown or show their creativity.

Pictured above are two artworks by students (from left) Ava Krajina and Anne Lazaro selected for last year's anthology.

Students who would like to submit artwork for consideration for Shared Stories can submit a photograph of their finished piece to me via email at arowley@sfcc.vic.edu.au by Monday 4 October (first day of Term 4).

Amy Rowley

Arts Domain Leader

Dante Alighieri Italian Poetry Competition

Almost 20 of our Year 9 and 10 students will take part in the Dante Alighieri Italian Poetry Competition next Monday 13 September, reciting their poem from memory online.

Dr Teresa De Fazio from the University of Melbourne will judge the students on their pronunciation and pace of their overall delivery.

The students have chosen a poem and are honing their memorisation skills to prepare for the day. We wish the following Year 9 and 10 Italian students all the best of luck.

Year 9 students - Anna Aguirre, Kaitlyn Borg, Elesha Gruis, Dannilla Jeevakenthiran, Emma King, Thinh Nguyen, Diamond Phan and Mikaela Lorenzo.

Year 10 students - Georgina Bertsias, Ophelia Fernando, Caitlin Frank, Alannah King, Dakota Luckett, Kiara Massey, Samantha Merin, Andre Nguyen, Teresa Sant, Clara Thour.

Claudia Russo

Languages Domain Leader

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week at CRC Melton started yesterday (6 September) and will continue this week with multiple activities planned for students.

The SRC initiatives remind students to look after themselves and each other. The week also aligns with R U OK Day this Thursday 9 September.

The SRC’s activities for students include:

  • Daily Mental Health Facts Quiz
  • Wear it Green Wednesday
  • R U OK? Conversation Bingo
  • Find Your Strengths!

Students will find all the details on Simon.

R U OK? Day is a national event during which people are encouraged to acknowledge their mental wellbeing and that of those around them. It is a great opportunity for students to check up on their friends and peers to support each other’s mental health.

It is more important than ever that students check in with one another, given lockdown can take its toll on many students, especially those preparing to complete their VCE exams soon. The uncertainty can be quite challenging and R U OK? Day is a time students can show their compassion for one another, even though they cannot see each other on-site.

We encourage students to get involved with the activities running this week and check up on their friends. Remember to check Simon for the latest updates and the organisations that would welcome donations during Mental Health Awareness Week.

Alannah King

Year 10 SRC representative

Read an award-winning book

The Children’s Book Council of Australia recently announced the winners of the Book of the Year Awards for 2021.

(above, from left) Book of the Year – Older Readers (13-18 years), Book of the Year – Younger Readers (7-12 years).

(below) Picture Book of the Year

The Alexandria Resource Centre has all of these titles available for you to enjoy once we get back on site.

In the meantime, you can explore award-winning books from all over the world and in all different categories.

Simply enter the search term “award winners” in Infiniti, then click on the ePlatform tab to explore the numerous award-winning titles in ebook and audiobook format.

Michael Hill

Librarian

Student Artist in the Spotlight

This week we ask Year 9 student Diamond Phan to tell us about her artworks as part of our spotlight on student artists, their work and who inspires them.

Tell us a little about the artwork you have been working on during DLM – both in your formal classes and outside school hours?

“In classes such as art, I follow the given instructions to create pieces. Although you are slightly restricted by rules, you can still find ways to put your twist on it. In contrast, I spend most of my free time doodling as a form of escape to help me cope. It’s important not to push yourself to create a final piece, but to enjoy the little things.”

Can you describe your artworks and what you used to create them?

Title - Lady With Horns
“In art, our first task was to create a front cover that best represented us as a person. I used pink, blue and purple pencils, layering them accordingly to create different shades and tones.”

Title - Strawberry Cake Dessert
“This sort of cake originated in the United States, but it’s aesthetic was altered in Japan to create a creamy, strawberry sponge. To create this piece, I first sketched the initial design lightly in yellow pencil, then used watercolour and paint to layer the details.”

Title - Sphere and Apple
"During Distance Learning Mode, we learnt how light interacted with objects, rendering things such as spheres and apples. I used a mechanical pencil in these drawings, pressing harder or more lightly when needed to imitate reflections and shadows."

How has art helped you during lockdown?

"Art has acted as something calming that I could return to after a long day, sometimes even doodling during class. I have a few sketchbooks, and looking through them when I can helps me remember that I’ve come a long way and that to improve in life you have to try, and try again."

Tell us about your favourite type of art or artist?

“I usually work with pens or pencils, and occasionally watercolour or paints. I’m in awe of a digital artist that goes by the name of wlop. Each of his artworks has a soft touch, with hard edges in places where it’s needed. He has succeeded in understanding anatomy, light, and even the structure of fantasy beings. He is a source of inspiration.”

Would you like to use your artistic talents in a career in the future?

“I do admit that art has been a part of me from a young age, but it’s something I see as a hobby in the future. I still value the subjects I have ahead of me, such as science, maths, humanities and the many job opportunities that may come. But regardless, I see myself still loving art every step of the way.”

VCE Revision Workshops

Community Notices

On Track Online School Holiday Program

Calling all aspiring songwriters, rappers, singers, beatmakers and poets! On Track is an exciting music experience where students collaborate online with some of Australia’s leading industry talent and inspiring musicians.

Click below for more details and to register for the online Term 3 holiday program that will run from Monday 27 September to Friday 1 October.

On Track Term 3 Online School Holiday Program

On Track Term 3 Online School Holiday Program Registration Form

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