Principal Report
Dear Parents, Guardians, Friends and Students
It has certainly been a long term for all of our community. We would normally be saying farewell to students at this stage. Everyone has been working extremely hard and are certainly ready for a holiday. The majority of our students have made significant progress on their individuals goals and should be very proud of these achievements.
I know I promised you some Curriculum information but sadly there is something else that has taken priority. Look out for this next term.
Unfortunately, the time has come again when we have had to deal with a group of students who have let down themselves and their families by showing extremely poor judgement in being involved in unsafe and illegal behaviour. Wednesday night, our Head of Boarding, Miss Sam Jenner, had some challenging conversations with these students and their parents and guardians.
Boarding schools are not prisons and there is a significant degree of trust placed with the students. This is true when they are onsite and more so when they are out of the College and return. Part of being a responsible boarder or student in our communities means that students need to own their own behaviours. There is always a small group of students in all schools who struggle more than others to take ‘responsibility’ for their own actions which do impact on themselves, in the first instance, and on others around them because of the fall-out or ramifications of their behaviour.
The welfare and safety of our students is our prime concern and any student who puts another student in danger does jeopardise their enrolment here. Our Drug Policy has allowed our Senior Leadership to work with those students who make the irresponsible choice of bringing drugs onto the College grounds by assisting them to make better choices and provide some services so they can learn how to make this happen. Regrettably, there are some students who believe they are above taking responsibility for their behaviour and will repeat these mistakes multiple times.
Our Restorative Practices provide us a vehicle to use to work with the students and staff concerned to allow for restoration of relationships when incidents occur. We had several difficult conversations today in an effort to get these students to think about what they are doing, consider their long term health and well-being and the affect this may have on those around them. As a school we will continue to have these conversations with your sons and daughters – even when they don’t want to listen. It is important that we all keep talking.
However, there are always a number of students who do not want to or do not take the opportunity for change and accept responsibility for any of their behaviours. These students are the ones who have every excuse under the sun, blame everyone else for their behaviours and cannot see that there is any problem with what they are doing. “It’s only marijuana. Everyone does it.”
From today there will be a zero tolerance to drug use at Edmund Rice College. Any student who brings in drugs, uses drugs and/or returns a positive drug test, when given, will be expelled from the College. Please have this conversation with your sons and daughters. There will be no more chances. The excuse that they have used them while on holidays or over a weekend will also not be acceptable as the students are expected to be clean when they are at school or in residence. Parents and Guardians of these students will need to pay for their transport home.
We are always trying to do the best for each student in our care, whether that be around behaviour, academic results or concern for their health and well-being. I know you as parents and guardians will support my decision. I look to you for your continued support and my promise to you is that we will continue to work with you to look after your young people.
On a happier note, I know the students are excited to be coming home. Enjoy your time together and we look forward to seeing them refreshed and ready for work next term.
God Bless,
Marie Barton
Principal
Prayer
We thank you Lord, for this term. For our challenges, our successes and the mistakes from which we have learnt. Be with us as we spend our time with family and friends.
Give us strength and courage to do what is right; to be witnesses of our faith. Help us to be practical Christians these holidays, to appreciate what others do for us, to give time and effort to help others. To be peacemakers in our family.
Keep us safe in our activities; give us good rest and good fun. Bring us back refreshed and ready for a new term. We thank you for our classmates, teachers, parents and a community that cares for us.
May we always be conscious of you in our lives.
We ask for your richest blessings over our staff. Surround them with your loving care, keep them safe and return them to us, renewed and refreshed.
Amen
Deputy Principal Report
The end of a busy term is fast approaching for students and staff, with many classes finalising assessment tasks and finishing up units of study in their classes. It has been fantastic to see the learning happening in each of the classes and students should be proud of what they have achieved this term.
There are several opportunities available for upper school students in a variety of work sectors and I encourage students and their parents/guardians to explore some of the current opportunities that could potentially change the lives of your children. These opportunities have the potential to lead to apprenticeship or traineeships. If students are interested in these areas, please encourage them to speak with me and I will assist them where I can.
The Defence Work Experience Program
The Defence Work Experience Program provides young Australians interested in Defence as a future career, the opportunity to sample life in Defence and learn more about the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Australian Public Service (APS).
The following experiences are available for students aged 15 -24 years and information packages can be accessed by clicking here.
| Work Experience Opportunity | Closing Date |
| Air Force Famililiarisation job Ref – WEP /02632/21
Army Familiarisation Job Ref – WEP/02849/21 ASD Cyber Security and Robotics Work Experience Program Job Ref – WEP/01546/21 Air Force Familiarisation Job Ref – WEP/02638/21 |
02-Jul-2021 05:00 PM (AEST)
09-Jul-2021 07:00 PM (AEST) 15-Aug-2021 05:00 PM (AEST) 17-Sep-2021 |
Focus On Mining Camp
The Focus on Mining Camp is a five-day residential camp for high school students to experience what it is like to study and work in the mining industry in WA. Students will get to tour mine sites, participate in hands-on workshops and meet industry leaders. The program targets students in Year 10 -12 who have an interest in science or engineering and would like an introduction to the mining and resources sector. Students from throughout WA are welcome to apply, and support is available for regional students to take part. The camp is free with all travel, meals and accommodation provided thanks to the support of industry and the WA School of Mines. Contact STEMOutreach@curtin.edu.au for more details or apply here.
GET – Girls Engineering Tomorrow
The Girls Engineering Tomorrow (GET) program targets senior secondary students studying high-level maths and offers them mentoring support, and exposure to engineering activities, courses, role models and careers. It is open for students from year 11 upwards. The program is an intensive out-of-school course of 10 sessions of 2.5 hours run fortnightly over the school terms two and three at Curtin’s Bentley campus. Find out more information here
Tracey Crisp
Deputy Principal
Archbishop’s Forum
On Thursday 20 May, 2021 a select group of students participated in the Archbishop’s LifeLink Launch. The theme for the day was, “How is God calling us to be a Christ-centred Church in Australia that is a joyful, hope-filled and servant community?”. Students actively participated during this forum and provided answers and feedback with the help of their group discussions. Students were also given the opportunity to ask questions of their peers and the Archbishop. Overall, it was a fantastic day and the students were extremely grateful to be a part of a significant day with many likeminded peers.
Courtney Clark
RE Coordinator
Above – ERC Students meet with the Archbishop at the LifeLink Launch.
ASBT Woodwork
As part of their ASBT Certificate II in Leadership this term Tuesday’s class have had a woodwork lecturer from Central Regional Tafe at the College to undertake several projects. The class commenced with finishing off some patio chairs started by the group in 2020. They then decided as a group to make a table to go with the chairs and with the assistance and guidance of the lecturer have now completed this unique set.
The students were all able to take part in either the woodwork or the artwork in the middle of the table with some opting to do a bit of both. We are lucky enough to have many very gifted artists in residence at the College.
With the artists at work, the lecturer was able to then assist the students who wanted to make a table tennis table as a project for, out of school time, entertainment. Now the group have even commenced their next project so overall a very successful term’s work.
Theresa Okely
RTO & VET Administration
Above – ASBT Certificate II Students show off their handiwork.
Caversham Wildlife Park Excursion
On Monday 31 May Miss Jennine’s Agricultural Science classes visited the Caversham Wildlife Park set in Whiteman Park in the Swan Valley.
Caversham Wildlife Park has an impressive collection featuring about 200 species and more than 2000 head of animals, birds and reptiles. It is the largest privately owned collection of native wildlife in Western Australia.
This term, the year 7 and 9 students have been learning about diary cattle and the marketing chain for diary products. They were very fortunate to get the chance to milk a Jersey cow during the Farm Show.
The Farm Show also provided demonstrations in whip cracking, using sheep dogs for mustering and shearing a full fleece off a Merino Sheep.
Following the Farm Show, students were able to partake in unique interactive experiences such as feeding the kangaroos, meeting the wombats and koalas before heading over to have their photo taken holding a huge olive python.
At the end of the day students were rewarded with ice creams and a little free time at the park before returning to school.
Many thanks go to accompanying staff members Miss Anna Sparks, Mr Greg and Mr Brendan for all their help on the day too.
Jennine Thomasson
Teaching Staff
Above: The Year 7 & 9 Agricultural Science students enjoyed the impressive collection at the Caversham Wildlife Park.
AFL Carnival
Above – The Year 8-9 boys came out on top at the AFL Carnival against Moora and Dalyellup.
On June 3 the year 8-9 boys played an all day carnival with games against Moora and Dalyellup. The boys came together extremely well under the coaching and guidance of the year 11/12 Sport and Rec VET students. The boys were split at the breaks into playing groups (forwards, mids, backs) with the older students coaching them.
Our boys played extremely well and came out on top winning all our games by considerable margins.
Even though we came home with the trophy a special mention goes out to the boys who put their hands up and played for the other teams that didn’t have enough numbers. Bryce, Ziggy, Greico, Tyson, Nate, AJ, Adam and Elijah should all be extremely proud of themselves for stepping up and helping out the other teams. Well done boys!
Scott Smith
Pastoral Care Coordinator
Boarding Report
During the Sir Doug Nicholls round of AFL is a game between Richmond Tigers and Essendon Bombers football clubs called the Dreamtime Game. It is an annual game usually held at the MCG, but due to Covid restrictions the game needed a new home. Luckily Mark McGowan said that Optus Stadium, Perth could hold the event. As soon as we heard it was happening in Perth we tried to get as many tickets as we could. It was so hard to purchase bulk amounts of tickets but eventually with the help of many people we managed to get enough tickets to take all the Boarding students and Staff.
We arrived at the WACA for the Welcome to Country and the other ceremonies taking place before the game. I could not believe how packed the stadium was and that all these people were going to take part in The Long Walk.
Michael Long is an ex-footballer and played for the Bombers. After he retired from footy, he spent a lot of time fighting for Indigenous rights. One day he decided to walk to Canberra from Melbourne to talk to all the politicians about Aboriginal rights. So, the Long Walk was born. Every year Michael Long will lead a walk to the MCG before the Dream Time Game.
This year the Long Walk will be held in Perth. It was still led by Michael Long, with a load of Indigenous retired players such as, Gavin Wanganeen, David Wirrpanda, Des Hedland, Roger Hayden, Lewis Jetta, and many more. The Boarders all did the Long Walk, walking side by side with some of their footy heroes, it was very exciting. It took us about an hour to get to the stadium crossing the beautiful Matagarup Bridge which sways like crazy with thousands of people on it, but we made it, phew.
The pre-game show was amazing with pyrotechnic displays and lots of musical acts. The stadium was packed, and we all sat down to watch the game. It was a cracker of a game and went down to the final minutes when the tigers booted goal after goal and took the win. It was reported that there were over 55000 people in the stadium that night which is one of the biggest crowds in Perth history.
We all had a great time at the footy even if it was not the Eagles playing.
Candice Van Herk
Boarding Supervisor
Above: Boarding students participated in the Long Walk followed by the Dreamtime Game at Optus Stadium.
