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The Chronicle Issue 2

By March 31, 2023April 4th, 2023No Comments

Principal Report

Dear Parents Guardians, Friends and Students

It is unbelievable that we have come to the end of our Semester One – the halfway mark of our Academic School year. It has been a very busy time for all at the College and has seen the students working towards results which show evidence of growth for each of them. If it is indicated on the report that staff would like to speak to you for a Parent Interview, please contact College Administration and they will be able to facilitate a meeting time for you.

A big thank you to all of our staff for their wonderful work this term. I can say confidently that we have exemplary teachers and house parents who look after your young people at school and in boarding. Each member of our staff whether it be in the kitchen or any other area of the College has one purpose in mind and that is ensuring that they provide the best in whatever work they are doing. Our staff always have our students as the focus.

We are saying farewell to two staff members who are leaving to take on new challenges. Ms Fleur de Vries has been our College Receptionist since January 2020. She knows each student by name and has been a welcoming presence during that whole time. She will be missed. Also, Ms Emma Wallace, who has been a House Parent since January 1 2022, in both the little girls and big girls dormitories. She is leaving us to do some study. We wish her luck with this.

We have a couple of new staff who have joined our team in the last couple of weeks. Ms Tasma Rush- Harvey has joined our kitchen team and Ms Joanne Day has begun in the office as our new Administration Assistant. I know you will join with me in welcoming them to our community.

Easter is such an important time for Christians everywhere. For Catholics it is the principal feast of the year. Throughout Lent we prepare for this time when we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus and the importance that this has for all of us in our lives today. I wish all of you every blessing that this special season brings and know that the students will return from this wonderful time refreshed and ready for the start of Term 2.

God Bless

Marie Barton
Principal

Harmony Day

A prayer for living in harmony and peace.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it; you shall love your neighbour as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two great commandments. (Matthew 22: 37-40)

Good and gracious God,
who loves and delights in all people,
we stand in awe before you,
knowing that the spark of life within each person
is the spark of your divine life.

Differences among cultures and races are
multicoloured manifestations of your light.
May our hearts and minds be open to celebrate
similarities and differences among our sisters and brothers.

Please send your healing and reconciling Spirit in order to bind
the wounds created by racism and racial hatred,
and to promote understanding, justice, and love.

We place our hopes for racial harmony in our committed action
and in your living presence in our neighbour.

May all peoples live in peace!

Amen.

Perth Secondary Youth Leadership Conference 2023

On 2 March 2023, several of our students from Years 8-11 had the opportunity to attend the Perth Secondary Youth Leadership Conference 2023 at the Perth Convention Centre.

Run by youth, for youth, the Youth Leadership Conference is designed to inspire, strengthen and empower our future leaders.

This action-packed one-day event consisted of internationally recognised speakers and team activities which focused on four key areas of immense importance for today’s young people.

These included an empowered, positive approach to leadership, creative ways to undertake teamwork, communication and coaching skills, and an opportunity to hear from successful entrepreneurs on how the pathway to creating a successful business can be achieved.

We hope that attending students made the most of the opportunity this event has provided and that they bring back some leadership skills and insights they have heard about over the course of the conference and apply them positively to the opportunities available to them both in and out of the school community.

Neha Singh
Mount Sion House Coordinator 

Year 10 Science Excursion

On Tuesday 14 March the Year 10 Science students went  to Yanchep National Park and Guilderton/Moore River.

The learning intentions were to develop a good understanding of what is happening in our place where we live as the climate changes.

The success criteria of this excursion is to be able to list the changes that are happening in temperature, floods, animals and plants effected by climate changes.

The dot painting on the Mai screen at the entrance to Yanchep National Park tells the story of the water body central to the wildlife of the park, the people coming and going and the balance between the sea, woodland and the freshwater.

The park was, and still is, a meeting place.

Cultural performance the message Tapping sticks and dance

Boomerangs are used as musical instruments and tapping sticks bring movement and dance to become a ceremony.  The gum leaves are able to be used by the women in ceremonial dance to punctuate movements and the message being delivered.

The Hut/Mai

The huts were carefully positioned so that the afternoon/evening breeze would blow heat into the shelter to warm the occupants overnight. The smoke would rise and the heat would enter the front of the Mai.

After constructing the hut/Mai the ground in the campsite was smoothed off so that any animal tracks would be left and if there was an animal in the Mai – it could be trapped. What we might now refer to as ‘home delivery’. • With the sticks used to create the Mai they were bound with the twisted reeds from the Yanchep wetlands.

Above:  Year 10 Science students enjoyed a day out at Yanchep National Park and the Moore River.

Yarning circle and bushwalk

The walk around the wetlands took about 40 minutes and allowed for discussion, discovery and connection to the features of the wetlands the park is found in.

The role of the yarning circle is for:

  • Relaxation and meditation – finding one’s centre
  • How are you feeling? Great/ok, struggling, good, empty
  • What are our signs and symptoms of stress?
  • We need our daily dose of excitement
  • Relaxation: guided relaxation, Tai chi, slow breathing, massage, Yoga

Story of The Place

Traditional Hunting Techniques Collecting materials and tool making

Sharp stones and rocks called boys- from the area were traded to make tools and other implements.

There are about 7-8 different types of boomerangs across Australia the tribes used for all purposes; including music, ceremony for example. Heavy hunting boomerangs were thrown at the legs of animals. Returning boomerangs were thrown around the back of trees to have birds startled and fly towards the hunter, for example, ducks and water birds, as the boomerang when landed would float. The shadow of the boomerang when flying past would cast a shadow on the water scaring water birds as they thought it was a hunting eagle.  Hook ended boomerangs were used for digging, fighting and around the campsite.

We arrived at the boat jetty to meet Mr Cooke and listen to a briefing and board the cruise boat.  We then cruised up Moore River to Diamond Island to look out for flora and fauna and bird spotting

We arrived at the Desert for an explanation of sand movement where we then had a sand boarding lesson followed by a BBQ lunch and swim.

Thank you to Year 10’s, Uncle Jimmy, Miss Hannah, Mr Neil and Mr Cameron for a great day out.

Cameron Eglington
Assistant Principal

Senior School Ball

Year 11 and 12 students recently enjoyed the annual Senior School Ball, which was held this year on Friday 24 February at The Swans Restaurant in Henley Brook.  Students and staff enjoyed a night of food, dancing and celebration as the following awards were handed to our beautifully presented students:

Best Dressed Girl – Junique Kwilla
Best Dressed Boy – Alex Gallagher
Belle of the Ball – Shanneil Dodd
Best Dressed Boy – Keriarkers Farquharson

Above:  Congratulations to our Best Dressed Boy – Keriarkers Farquharson and Best Dressed Girl – Shanneil Dodd

Boarding Report

As the first Term of 2023 comes to a close, we say goodbye to our fun, fabulous students for a little over 2 weeks. We hope everyone has a great holiday at home, and a festive, relaxing Easter break with family. Boarding students are due back Wednesday 26 April after 2pm.

Thank you to the Boarding staff who have looked after the Boarders in dorm, taken them to appointments, airports, excursions and sport training to name a few. It’s always busy in Boarding but the staff take it all in their stride and work hard to keep everyone safe and happy.

Sam Jenner
Head of Boarding

If you are not able to get hold of someone, please call Admin or text me and I will pass your message on as soon as possible.

Head of Boarding – Miss Sam 0457 518 155
Administration 9576 5500
Musk House 0437 218 346 Musk House Office Landline 9576 5550
Mary MacKillop House 0457 518 152 Mary MacKillop House Office Landline 9576 55780 Student Common Room 9576 5571
Mary Rice House 0457 518 154 Mary Rice House Office Landline 9576 5516 Student Common Room 9576 5557
Joseph House 0467 720 944 Joseph House Office Landline 9576 5554 Student Common Room 9576 5534