Issue 04 - Thomas Carr College
Transcription
Issue 04 - Thomas Carr College
Volume 19 Issue 4: March 27 2015 Coming Events From the Principal Dr Watson Mass for James Saliba Last week I took the opportunity to visit the Saliba family to pass on the many expressions of sympathy the College received over the past few weeks from parents, students and friends of the College. I also discussed our desire to have an opportunity as a school to gather as a Eucharist community to remember James. The Saliba family were delighted to accept our offer for a Mass to be held in our College Chapel and also to attend. The Mass will be held in the College Chapel on Tuesday 12 May at 4.00pm celebrated by Fr Jude, followed by afternoon tea. All families are welcome to attend but I would ask that you indicate your attendance to Mrs Deller Personal Assistant to the Principal by Friday 1 May to assist with the arrangements for the Mass. Reports and Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences Last week families will have received via the Parent Access Module (PAM) Semester 1 Progress reports. The progress report provides a good summary of how students have commenced the academic year and will indicate if everything is on track for some good academic results. I would encourage all parents to take some time to discuss the various aspects of the progress reports with their child. I offer my congratulations to those students who have received very positive progress reports and encourage them to continue to strive for academic excellence. Where individual progress reports may point to areas of improvement, again I would encourage a frank discussion at home about what can be done to seek improvement and most importantly make an appointment to speak with teachers about the reports. I would also remind students that it is never too late to make changes and seek improvement. The term concluded with Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences on Thursday evening and Friday morning. Thank you to all parents that took the opportunity to meet with their child’s teachers. Easter Easter is a significant time in the Church’s liturgical calendar and I encourage all families to attend the Easter liturgies on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. Times of the Easter ceremonies for the various parishes are attached. As Easter approaches, it is important that as Christians we take time to reflect upon the Easter season. Easter Sunday is both the third day of the Easter Triduum (Three Days of Easter, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil and the first day of the Easter Season). MARCH Fri 27: Parent Teacher Interviews Fri 27: Last day of Lenten Term (Student Free Day) APRIL Fri 3: Good Friday Sun 4: Easter Sunday Mon 5: Easter Monday Mon 13: Pentecost Term begins for students and staff Mon 13: Scholarship Examination Day Tues 14: Parents & Friends AGM Sun 19: Pre-ANZAC Day March Werribee Fri 24: ANZAC Day Community Mass Sat 25: ANZAC Day March in City MAY Fri 1: Staff Professional Learning – (Student Free Day) Mon 4: TCC Athletics Carnival Wed 6: Anniversary of Thomas Carr Thurs 7: “The Age” VCE/Careers Expo Fri 8: Mother’s Day Mass & Breakfast Mon 11: Malaya & Borneo Veterans Association Remembrance Service at the College. Tues 12: Parents & Friends Meeting Tues 12: NAPLAN Wed 13: NAPLAN Thurs 14: NAPLAN Fri 15: Thomas Carr Day Fri 22: ACS Athletics Carnival Mon 25: ACS Chess Championships Tues 26: Board Meeting Wed 27: Big Science Comp Yr 7-9 It is important to remember that the Easter Triduum is the heart of the Liturgical Year. The seven Sundays of Easter are also very important as they have precedence over all other solemnities and feasts. The fiftieth and last day of Easter is the feast of Pentecost. College Theme for 2015 College Vision ‘Seek God with all your heart’ Thomas Carr College is a dynamic Catholic learning community, guided by the Gospel. Prayer Lord Jesus, May we never forget the true meaning of Easter. May we take time over the holidays to remember your gifts to us – The gift of your life and death on the cross and hope of eternal life That your resurrection brings Amen. Excellence and opportunities to develop are pursued. Through our hope and service to others we shine our light into the world. Throughout this time of rejoicing, Alleluias are sung and the Easter candle stands in a special place in the parish church. May we take the time over the Easter season to celebrate the news of the risen Lord? Staffing Next term we welcome back Ms Sabo returning from maternity leave. I thank Ms Sherlock for her work as Acting Head of Learning and Teaching: Senior School. I also thank Mr Boompagul for once assisting the College with a short term replacement. Ms Casey, who has worked in the Food Technology area for the past 14 years as a Teaching Assistant has announced her retirement from 12 April 2015, at the conclusion of her long service leave. I have expressed our thanks and appreciation to Ms Casey on her contribution to Thomas Carr College over the past 14 years and have wished her all the very best for her retirement. Ms Lagamba has been appointed to replace Ms Casey. Commencement of the Pentecost Term A reminder to all families that the Pentecost Term for students commences on Monday 13 April 2015. I also take this opportunity to wish all families a very joyous Easter and a welcome break from what has been a very busy Lenten Term. God of life, creator of the human spirit, you enrich us, you entrust us with the freedom to choose life. For all this we are grateful. Amen Traffic Management As part of our traffic management we have asked parents not to enter the car park in front of the Paul D’Astoli Information Centre. To assist parents in understanding that this area cannot be accessed, a boom gate is being installed. The boom gate will be down from 8.15am to 8.45am and then from 3.00pm to 3.45pm therefore entry to this car park will not be possible. With the new bus loop now operating it will mean that the central driveway and “Key” will now only be for motor vehicles. I would ask for everyone’s co-operation in adhering to the traffic management guidelines which I have reproduced below. Guidelines 1. Adhere to all signs and markings in relation to parking limitations and speed 2. The top of the key of the main driveway must at all times remain a “1 minute only pick up/drop off zone” with cars continuously moving along. Strictly no parking. If your child is not ready for pick up, then you must exit the car park and re-enter via the roundabout at the front of the College. This zone will operate similar to the one at Melbourne Airport. 3. Motor vehicles are not to drive into or to park when waiting to collect children in front of the Paul D’Astoli Information Centre. This parking area is reserved for the staff of the College. 4. No motor vehicles are to enter the bus zone to pick up or drop off students. This space is dedicated for buses only, with the parking spaces reserved for College staff. 5. Parents who need to quickly attend to business at the College or to pick up their child during the course of the day are asked to use the 15 minute parking bays. If your business at the College will take longer than fifteen minutes please use the dedicated visitors’ parking spaces. If all parents adhere to the above guidelines, this will ensure the safety of students. As the construction works draw to a close over the next few weeks your continuing patience, courtesy and understanding will be appreciated. If at all possible, waiting for only 10 minutes to pick up your child will avoid the congestion experienced at 3.20pm. I thank you for your co-operation in this matter. Traffic Management Plan College Protocol and Guidelines Thomas Carr College works in an educational partnership with parents for the benefit of all students. It is acknowledged that there may be occasions when parents/guardians wish to express concerns regarding College matters. For your information attached to this edition of the Beacon is the Protocol and Guidelines for Parents/Guardians in Expressing Concerns about College Related Matters. Student Achievement Congratulations to the following students for their participation and achievement in the following sporting events: Daniel Esposito Year 7: Participated in the International Friendly Ice Hockey Tournament in Sydney Rebekah Sutton Year 7: Represented Victoria in the National Junior Track and Field Championships in Sydney Rebekah Sutton Year 7: Competed in the Australian Junior Track and Field Championships, and finished 8th in Australia, also progressed to the second round of the Discus final and finished in the top 8. Achieving a PB of 29.12m. We wish her every success when she competes in the LAVIC State finals for Discus and Shotput at Lakeside, Albert Park, this weekend. Delcan Macaulay Year 8: Competed in the Australian Youth Athletics Championships in the Under 15s Hammer Throwing in Sydney Elizabeth Howell Year 9: Participated in the Under 15s Victorian State Hockey National Championship in Queensland Keli Tofete Year 9: Represented Victoria at the Rugby Union in NSW U15 Championships. Fraser Richmond Year 11: Successful in achieving a wildcard entrance into a National Men’s tennis tournament in Melbourne. From the College Board Dr Watson, Executive Officer On Tuesday evening the Annual General Meeting of the College Board was held. The Principal and Business Manager’s Annual Reports were tabled and accepted by the meeting. The Principal’s Annual Report is now available on the College website. The AGM duly elected Mrs Connie Skinner as the Chairperson of the College Board for 2015/2016 along with Mr Peter Collery as Deputy Chairperson. A number of Board members’ terms also came to an end and I thank most sincerely the following people for their contribution and dedication to the College during their term: Mrs Tanya Tesoriero, Parent Representative Mr Mark Gleeson, St James Representative Dr Jonathon Sargeant, Co-opted Member Mrs Geralyn McCarthy, Staff Representative To conclude the meeting the following people were confirmed as representative members of the Board: Fr Jude Pirotta, St James Parish Priest Fr Pius Kodakkathanath, St Peter’s Parish Priest Fr Frank Buhagair, St Andrew’s Parish Priest Dr Andrew Watson, Principal and Executive Officer Mrs Connie Skinner, Chairperson and St Peter’s Representative Mrs Geralyn McCarthy, St James Representative Mr Stephen Butler, Parent Representative Mrs Angela Drever, Parent Representative Mrs Antoinette Fava, Parent Representative Mr Cris Scarlata, Staff Representative Mr Peter Collery, Honorary Financial Accountant Mr Josh Ryan, Co-opted Member I thank all members of the Board for their preparedness to be of service to the College. Their time and energies are very much appreciated. From the Deputy Principal Ms McDonald Thomas Carr Day Friday 15 May Planning for this very important day is already underway. A committee of teachers and students will be responsible for its success. We are looking for parent volunteers to assist with cooking and food preparation. If you are available from 9.00am to 12.00pm on Friday 15 May, your support would be much appreciated. Please contact Ms Deller to advise your availability. SRC Sponsored Casual Clothes Day We had our first casual clothes day on Monday March 23. Thank you to the students and staff who supported this initiative - $1850.00 was raised on the day. The SRC are in the process of collecting ideas about how to use the money that will be raised in 2015. Uniform From Monday 13 April, students should begin wearing the winter uniform. Students may wear either summer or winter uniform in this first week, but not a combination of both. By the second week of term, Monday April 20, all students will be expected to be in full winter uniform. Consequences will occur for any student who is not complying with the uniform expectations. The Beacon Award The Beacon Award recognises achievements of our students. Selected students will be presented with a certificate of commendation and their names will be published in each edition of the Beacon. A maximum of 5 students per level may be recognised each fortnight. The criteria is: Evidence of learning which is consistently exemplary or displays great improvement. An action performed by a student(s) that supports the Catholic ethos of the school Evidence of behaviour which is consistently exemplary or displays great improvement Active and purposeful involvement in a college or community event Congratulations to the following students: Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 Lara Davis, Bridget Baldwin, Amy Virgona, Audrey Wong, Vanessa Webber Jasmine Wilson, Rachel Micallef, Sarah Marcevski, Nathan Marley, Tayla Venner, Jayden Martin, Rohan Matthews, Bertwin Gomez Mark O’Brien, Kuir Garang, Rahwa Berhane, Mervan Ferando, Lukas Zafiris Blake Bicket, Matthew Lloyd, Patricia Macabeo, James Brasher James Barsha, Megan Ferrer, Michael Lloyd, Kim Nguyen, Fraser Richmond Jacqueline O’Brien, Akshay Kamath, Elliot Abbate, Madeline Johnson, Shanice Nagy Correction to Beacon Awards in last issue: Barbara Hodnik, Lee Rudge, Jessica Cassar, Renee Dayao are in Year 10 not Year 12 as previously printed SRC Forum Thomas Carr College SRCs were noted in Ms Ryan’s recent speech in Parliament where she thanked the Principals that supported the leadership program. From the Business Manager Ms O’Neill Fee Discounts Fee payers who choose to pay their school account in full by Tuesday 31 March 2015 will be eligible for a 6.5% discount on the tuition fees portion. Payment can be made by cash, cheque or EFTPOS at the Business Office during operating hours, or by BPay (please use the BPay Biller Code and your exclusive BPay Reference number included at the top of your fee statement). Office Hours during Term Break Please note the following changes to the operating hours of the College Administration Offices during the upcoming term break: DATE Friday 27 March Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April GOOD FRIDAY 3 April EASTER MONDAY 6 April Tuesday 7 April to Friday 10 April From Monday 13 April FRONT OFFICE/ RECEPTION Open 8.00am to 3.00pm Open 9.00am to 12noon and 1.00pm to 3.00pm CLOSED CLOSED Open 9.00am to 12noon and 1.00pm to 3.00pm Normal hours of operation 8.00am to 4.00pm BUSINESS OFFICE Open 8.30am to 3.00pm Open 9.00am to 12noon and 1.00pm to 3.00pm CLOSED CLOSED Open 9.00am to 12noon and 1.00pm to 3.00pm Normal hours of operation 8.30am to 4.30pm We apologise for any inconvenience caused by these reduced operating hours. Fee Payers on pre-approved Payment Plans using regular cash, cheque or EFTPOS instalments are asked to attend the office during the hours of operation, as indicated above. Fee instalments paid by Direct Debit and Credit Card plans will continue on the advised scheduled dates. Fee payers can also continue their BPay and Direct Deposit arrangements during the term break, even on dates when the Business Office is closed. Best wishes for a safe and happy Easter. From The Head of Senior School Ms Knurek National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence Our Pastoral Care sessions in the Senior School on Friday 20 March explored the Theme of Healthy Relationships by focusing on aspects of Bullying and Discrimination. Communication technologies allow for different ways to bully others, but do not change the fact that the bullying behaviour (and not the technology itself) is the main issue. Online safety is one way to reduce the risk of bullying, identity theft or predatory behaviour by others and includes recognising when someone’s online behaviour is bullying, how to avoid engaging in or supporting online bullying, and being aware of the sort of support that bystanders can provide online. Further information can be obtained from www.cybersmart.gov.au Our Year 11 students looked at aspects of discrimination and how unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people are all types of discrimination. The final day of Term featured an Easter Liturgy and a School Assembly at which we celebrated the achievements of the students this term and formally presented badges to our College Ambassadors. As we approach Easter we need to remember the importance of Love: God’s love for us through the sacrifice of his son and our love for our family and friends. It is important to remember and recognise all they do to support and encourage us. Australia is home to the world’s oldest continuous cultures, as well as people who identify with more than 270 ancestries or different countries. This rich, cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a nation. In our assembly we also acknowledged the need to promote equality between people of different back grounds. We want to build a community where people of all cultures and backgrounds feel safe, respected and included. Year 10 Work Experience All Year 10 students are expected to participate in the Work Experience program in the last week of Pentecost Term from Monday 22 June to Friday 26 June. This is an important part of the Career and Pathways program at the College and much work has been done to prepare students for this during Pastoral Care sessions this term and I thank the Year 10 team of Homeroom Teachers and the careers staff for their work in this area. Whilst some students have sourced their work placements and handed in the legal paperwork, there are still a number of students who need to complete this. This must all be submitted to the Careers and Pathways Department as a matter of urgency. Interim reports and Parent/Teacher/Student interviews While it is pleasing to see the work a number of students are doing, the Interim Reports have identified a number of students whom are either not working sufficiently or who are having difficulty with a section/s of their work in some subjects. I encourage all parents to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with and discuss work with their child’s subject teacher as effective learning is very much a collaborative process. Students are asked to also attend and participate in this important feedback process. As all Senior School students have exams and/or the GAT in the second half of June, it is important to look at how work can be improved. The habit of study and revision needs to start early in the year, not just prior to assessment tasks or examinations. Pentecost Term commences on Monday 13 April at 8.40am. It is the winter termand the winter uniform is compulsory after the first week back. Please take some time over the holidays to make sure that it is all correct, ironed and still fits after last year. In the first few days of term, students may wear either summer or winter uniform but, not a mixture of both. The Pentecost term is a longer term and always very busy: we have our College Production, Winter Sport begins, as a College we celebrate our Community and our founder in Thomas Carr Day. In Pentecost Term the focus is clearly on academic achievements and preparing for exams and the GAT in June. I hope you have a blessed Easter Season and a relaxing holiday and I look forward to working with you all next term. From the Head of Middle School Mr le Roux Year 7 Orientation Camp The last two groups that attended were 7 Purple and 7 Silver. “On the 2nd of March, 7 Red were ready for their 3 day experience at the Good Samaritan Campus for our orientation camp. We got to work with our peers in a range of team building activities. We also got to go kayaking, bike riding and experience things way may have not done before. As a homeroom we got to learn more about each other and even our homeroom teacher. We saw some super talents from our peers and got to see their strengths. Overall as a homeroom we learnt more about each other, enjoyed ourselves and worked with others we may not have worked with before. I definitely learned new things about my homeroom. It was a great experience!” Isabella Loverso 7 Red “I liked camp because of the bonding activities we did with our class, so I can get to know my peers better. My favourite activity was canoeing/ kayaking I also liked the food. Especially the Lasagne.” Sona Sharma 7 Silver Year 9 Country Experience Tuesday 10 March 2015 saw the boys from 9 Blue and 9 Gold starting with their three week experience at our Good Samaritan Campus at Coragulac. The Good Samaritan Campus experience aims to provide all students with an exciting and challenging program in an environment that is safe, caring, structured and engaging. The emphasis throughout the three week experience will be on learning through doing. Activities and project work will be based around the local Coragulac and Otway’s environments of lake, coast and forest. Completing experiential learning in each of these environments will be a further focus on community living centred on day to day life on the Campus. The Country Experience forms part of the compulsory curriculum at Thomas Carr College. Therefore it is expected that all students attend the Good Samaritan Campus during their allocated timeframe. Any issues relating to attendance need to be discussed in advance with the Year Level Co-ordinators in consultation with the Head of Middle School and the Good Samaritan Campus Manager. Should a student be unable to attend the Good Samaritan Campus due to medical reasons or is taken ill at the Good Samaritan Campus, the parents need to make arrangements for the collection of the student and a medical certificate needs to be provided to the College. Should a student be deemed unfit to return to the Good Samaritan Campus it is the responsibility of the parents to communicate this to the Good Samaritan Campus Manager and the Year level Co-ordinators immediately. Students will not be able to return to Thomas Carr College – Tarneit Campus as all scheduled classes for their particular group are conducted at the Good Samaritan Campus. The failure to complete the academic assignment at the Good Samaritan Campus may hinder a student’s ability to successfully complete the overall assessment task for iD9 which may result in a student receiving an ‘unsatisfactory’ grade. Failure to successfully complete a number of assessment tasks over a semester results in a student being placed on Academic Tracking. Please refer to our website under the Middle School menu for further information or contact your child’s homeroom teacher or year level co-ordinators. Year 9 City Experience The week commencing Monday 27 April 2015 will see 9 Green and 9 Jade participate in their weeklong city experience. This experience will allow students to study the cultural, historical and sporting aspects of the city of Melbourne. The program recognises students’ increasing independence and requires students to develop their own transport plans in order to complete each of the set activities for each day. A city experience ‘passport’ has questions, facts, maps and information on key locations that they will visit individually, with their small group and as a class. Students will be in full College uniform during the experience and maintain the College’s behavioural expectations as outlined by their Homeroom teachers and Year Level Co-ordinators. Many aspects of City Experience interrelate with the iD9 curriculum. The students visit the Melbourne Zoo which ties in with two key aspects of the My Neighbour unit – endangered species and sustainability, an example of this includes the Orang-utan exhibit and the consequential impact of palm oil production. As part of the My Future Unit students visit the Melbourne Museum. The Museum offers diverse range of displays and exhibits with direct and strong links to the curriculum. The students are allowed to spend as much time as they choose here. The students also visit the Shrine of Remembrance. The memorial site was created to meet the needs of the grieving population after the extensive loss of life during WW1. This ties in with the My Country unit as students study the intricacies of trench ware fare and the events of Gallipoli. A visit to the Old Melbourne Goal allows our students to gain an understanding of the first fleet and convict life. As part of this visit the students undertake a case study analysis of Bush Rangers and our most infamous bushranger, Ned Kelly. Students find this visit and experience exciting as they get locked into jail cells and learn how it felt to be a criminal locked up in the since decommissioned prison. The Parliament House tour links to the My Self Unit. The students have a tour through the two houses of Parliament and get to witness Parliament in session. The Youth Homelessness Tour is linked in with the College’s social justice program. Students are educated on the struggles that our youth may face today and then taken on a tour of where the young adults may actually reside for the night around the city. Holidays during Term time The college does not support students taking holidays during term times as in some cases it means students fall very behind in their work and it may impact on their results and successful promotion to the following year level. If you do intend on taking holiday time during the Term please ensure that the college is informed about this in advance with the exact dates of travel and anticipated returning to college. Parents are asked to apply, in writing, to the Head of School for approval of extended absences due to family holidays. What's your Learning Style? If you are an auditory learner, you learn by hearing and listening. You understand and remember things you have heard. You store information by the way it sounds, and you have an easier time understanding spoken instructions than written ones. You often learn by reading out loud because you have to hear it or speak it in order to know it. As an auditory learner, you probably hum or talk to yourself or others if you become bored. People may think you are not paying attention, even though you may be hearing and understanding everything being said. Here are some things that auditory learners like you can do to learn better. Sit where you can hear. Have your hearing checked on a regular basis. Use flashcards to learn new words; read them out loud. Read stories, assignments, or directions out loud. Record yourself spelling words and then listen to the recording. Have test questions read to you out loud. Study new material by reading it out loud. Remember that you need to hear things, not just see things, in order to learn well. If you are a visual learner, you learn by reading or seeing pictures. You understand and remember things by sight. You can picture what you are learning in your head, and you learn best by using methods that are primarily visual. You like to see what you are learning. As a visual learner, you are usually neat and clean. You often close your eyes to visualize or remember something, and you will find something to watch if you become bored. You may have difficulty with spoken directions and may be easily distracted by sounds. You are attracted to colour and to spoken language (like stories) that is rich in imagery. Here are some things that visual learners like you can do to learn better: Sit near the front of the classroom. (It won't mean you're the teacher's pet!) Have your eyesight checked on a regular basis. Use flashcards to learn new words. Try to visualize things that you hear or things that are read to you. Write down key words, ideas, or instructions. Draw pictures to help explain new concepts and then explain the pictures. Colour code things. Avoid distractions during study times. Remember that you need to see things, not just hear things, to learn well. If you are a tactile learner, you learn by touching and doing. You understand and remember things through physical movement. You are a "hands-on" learner who prefers to touch, move, build, or draw what you learn, and you tend to learn better when some type of physical activity is involved. You need to be active and take frequent breaks, you often speak with your hands and with gestures, and you may have difficulty sitting still. As a tactile learner, you like to take things apart and put things together, and you tend to find reasons to tinker or move around when you become bored. You may be very well coordinated and have good athletic ability. You can easily remember things that were done but may have difficulty remembering what you saw or heard in the process. You often communicate by touching, and you appreciate physically expressed forms of encouragement, such as a pat on the back. Here are some things that tactile learners like you can do to learn better: Participate in activities that involve touching, building, moving, or drawing. Do lots of hands-on activities like completing art projects, taking walks, or acting out stories. It's OK to chew gum, walk around, or rock in a chair while reading or studying. Use flashcards and arrange them in groups to show relationships between ideas. Trace words with your finger to learn spelling (finger spelling). Take frequent breaks during reading or studying periods (frequent, but not long). It's OK to tap a pencil, shake your foot, or hold on to something while learning. Use a computer to reinforce learning through the sense of touch. Remember that you learn best by doing, not just by reading, seeing, or hearing. By following the following link http://www.educationplanner.org/students/selfassessments/learning-styles.shtml you will be directed to answer 20 questions to determine what your type of learning style would be. From the Senior Director Mr Scarlata Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences It was gratifying to see such a significant number of parents attend our Conferences on 26 and 27 March. From my observations and conversations that I had with parents many positive and forward moving discussions were experienced. Hopefully these dialogues will assist students to continue to experience success and reach greater academic and personal heights. Developing more opportunities for parents and staff to have positive experiences to discuss student progress is a priority for the College. The Parents and Friends “Conference Cafe” continued to show hospitality to parents both before and after their conferences. Thank you to Carmen Gleeson and her team for creating such a welcoming atmosphere and providing refreshments throughout the conferences. I would like to also acknowledge the presence of our College Ambassadors. Their welcome and help to parents and visitors during the Conference were tremendous. I take this opportunity to express my thanks to all the staff of the College, not only for their diligent work during the conferences but for their work in the ongoing development and implementation of the curriculum initiatives we have undertaken. This has been a very busy term and a well deserved rest is awaiting people during the term break. Easter Currently we have or are about to experience a number of the Easter traditions which have been part of our lives for so many years. These include: Hot Cross Buns, Easter Rabbits, Easter Eggs, Easter Candles. However it is important to look beyond the chocolate and remember what Easter is really all about. Holy Week: the week before Easter Sunday beginning with Palm Sunday when Jesus triumphantly rode into Jerusalem and the Jewish people took palm branches and went out to greet him. Holy Monday commemorates Jesus' cleansing of the temple, chasing out the money changers and overturned their tables. Holy Tuesday recalls Jesus' description to his disciples on the Mount of Olives of the destruction of Jerusalem. Holy Wednesday recalls Judas' decision to betray Jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver. Holy Thursday commemorates the Jesus at the Last Supper with his Apostles. Good Friday recalls Jesus' death on the cross. Easter Sunday commemorates Jesus' resurrection; the principal feast of the ecclesiastical year. As we enter the holiday period I would like to wish everyone a safe, happy and holy Easter season and a very restful term one break. Head of Learning & Teaching: Middle School Mr Wilkinson Student Data and Assessment – NAPLAN National Assessment Program (NAP) provides the measure through which governments, education authorities and schools can determine whether or not young Australians are meeting important educational outcomes. NAPLAN, or the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy, is a series of tests administered annually to Australian students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. NAPLAN tests are not tests that can be either ‘passed’ or ‘failed’ – they are tests that provide a snapshot of your child’s strengths and weaknesses in literacy and numeracy at a particular point in time. The tests cover four areas: Reading Writing Language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) Numeracy The results of the tests provide information for students, parents and teachers about student achievement which can then be used to inform teaching and learning programs. It is expected that all Years 7 and 9 students at Thomas Carr College will participate in the 2015 NAPLAN. It is important to remember students must have a functioning calculator for the numeracy aspect of the NAPLAN. Students need to bring all required equipment on the days of the tests otherwise consequences will be issued. The NAPLAN in 2015 will be conducted on the following days for years 7 and 9 students: Tuesday 12 May Wednesday 13 May Thursday 14 May Language Conventions Reading Numeracy (calculator) Writing Numeracy (non-calculator) Further information will follow in due course From the Director of Catholic Identity Ms Berardinelli Catholic Education Week Catholic Education Week should be one of the most important weeks on every Catholic school’s calendar and this was certainly the case at Thomas Carr College. We maximised every opportunity to proclaim our Catholic identity through hosting and participating in a broad range of events and activities over the course of the week some of which included functions organised through the Catholic Education Office such as St Patrick’s Schools Mass, Young Speakers Colloquium and a Visual Arts Display which we attended together with our three feeder primary schools. CEW at St Patrick's Cathedral “St Patrick’s School Mass was an awesome experience. I was so proud being able to attend as a representative of the College and spend the day with all Catholic schools around Melbourne. A highlight was actually getting a photo with the Archbishop and the other leaders of TCC and him.” Stephanie Vazquez, Liturgy Captain “On St Patrick’s Day, the College Vinnie's Conference had the amazing opportunity to go to the Annual Mass at the Cathedral. The mass was very beautiful and was a great way to start Catholic Education Week. Schools sent students from all around Victoria to attend the mass. The day was very enjoyable and something I would do again, with no second thoughts!” Nicholas Zammit, Middle School Liturgy Captain. Our week opened with a lovely opening prayer led at our Staff Briefing by RE Teacher Ms Udovicic who tied in beautifully the Catholic Education Week theme and St Patrick who lived a life of faith and hope. She also invited students to share their reflections on why they value a Catholic Education. “I am not a Liturgy or Social Justice Captain, but proud to say that this year I am a College Vinnies Conference Volunteer. I chose to join the Vinnies Group because I wanted make a difference in other people’s lives. It’s because of me being at a Catholic school that I have these opportunities to help others, and guide my peers into the light of God. I believe that coming to this College was a good decision and I feel blessed today to be able to share with you why being here is so important. Thank you for listening and Happy Catholic Education Week” Tarnah Inguanez, College Vinnies Conference Volunteer 8 Blue “I'm very honoured to be able to speak to you about what it means to me to have a Catholic Education. For me, it's important because I get to explore my Catholic Faith further, learn how to pray and worship God. I have also been involved in so many wonderful events and experiences such as being an Altar Server for the Opening of the our New Chapel. I am also very blessed to explore my gifts and talents through things such as the College Musical, Masses and liturgies and, finally being able to give back through being part of the College Vinnies Conference. I would like to thank all my teachers who have guided me so far in my education and lastly to my parents who sent me to this College. I hope you all have a great week!” Nicholas Zammit, Middle School Liturgy Captain 8 Blue. Our Head of Learning Religious Education designed daily faith filled quizzes during Morning Homeroom and within the RE classroom, students spent time unpacking the Catholic Education Week theme. Students creatively designed prayer chains; offering either a hope or dream for 2015. All prayer chains were placed up in our Staff Lounge as a source of inspiration and reminder of the important role we as educators play in the lives of our students. Opening Prayer CEW Art Displays Our staff joined together for a Morning Tea which included a formal address using key reflections from Pope Francis himself. We read out his transcript from the Vatican Radio on 14 March which spoke of the important role of teachers. “You must not teach just content, but the values and customs of life. A computer can teach content. Instead there are three things that you must transmit: how to love, how to understand which values and customs create harmony in society. For that we need good teachers!! I encourage you to renew your passion for humanity in the process of formation, and to be witnesses of life and hope. I also ask you, please, to pray for me, and I bless you all”. - Pope Francis Many people believe Pope Francis is changing the Church when really all he’s doing is bringing a light the Church’s teaching of centuries by simply offering a new tone that resonates with our modern world. Pope Francis’ words couldn’t have been timed more perfectly it was as though he knew we were celebrating Catholic Education down here in Melbourne. Our theme invited us to seek God with all our heart and soul. One way of allowing ourselves to be open to such an encounter is through opportunities such as yoga and meditation. Therefore, afterschool on Wednesday 18 March we hosted a staff yoga session; an opportunity to stop, breathe, move and relax. We had over 12 staff attend each coming away with a greater sense of awareness and acknowledgement of how important it is to spend time with the inner self. In doing so, special things can happen. Yoga - stop, breath, move, relax We were inundated with Project Compassion fundraisers from students selling homemade ice-creams, icy poles, pancakes, subway cookies, cakes, muffins and hot food. Some planned larger events such a Down Ball and Coil Trail Competition. We also organised a staff fundraiser that incorporated the primary Lenten pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Staff had the opportunity of joining in the Catholic Tradition by foregoing meat on Friday through purchasing a Classic Fish & Chip Lunch with some of the proceeds being donated directly to Project Compassion. We certainly were overwhelmed with the generous spirit of so many and look forward to receiving our total monies raised this term. To conclude our week of celebrations we hosted a Morning Community Mass in our College Chapel; an opportunity to pray for our school and parish communities. Both the St James parishioners and parent community were welcome to attend. Stations of the Cross On Thursday 26 March, the entire College community stopped to retrace the final days of Jesus’ life that we refer to as the Stations of the Cross. This dramatisation was produced by Mr Pomasan with his Year 9 Drama class accompanied by our College Choir and selected readers most of who came from the College Vinnies Conference. As we encountered each station we creatively contemplated the situation before moving on to the next station. This way the liturgy became a devotional act; we walked with Jesus as he walked to Calvary. Our College community respectfully engaged particularly during parts where dialogue was from our actors in the crowd; truly powerful! This has been by far one of the best representations of the Stations of the Cross at the College. Many of our students and staff were moved with affirming feedback after the event. Upon conclusion, we move directly into an Assembly where we congratulated our Beacon Award Winners and the Homeroom who raised the most donations for the Lenten Project Compassion Appeal. Stations of the Cross Dramatisaton by Year 9 Drama Group The Archbishop’s Conversation with Student Leaders (Written by Emily McDonald, Vice-Captain) Last Friday 13 March, Jacqueline O’Brien, Julius Torres, Connor Graham and I were accompanied by Mr Burn and Ms Udovicic to Genazzano College to attend Archbishop Hart's Conversation with Student Leaders. Through the Archbishop’s testimony, we were able to gain further insight into his views and values for our Catholic Faith within the Archdiocese of Melbourne. There was also time allocated to ask the Archbishop questions This followed with a presentation by Br Dan Serratore MGL and Justine Cumbo. Over the course of the day we had the privilege of meeting student leaders from other Catholic schools across Melbourne. We were split into groups to discuss what we learnt from the earlier presentations and what our school's visions were for the future of Catholic Education. This is where we were introduced to the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati, who gave up his life and wealth for the wellbeing of others, particularly the poor in Italy many years ago. His devotion to his faith and his generosity to the community went unnoticed until his death, thus showing that his good deeds were not done in vain. Conversation with Archbishop Hart Pier Giorgio Frassati’s example was used to inspire us to live by his example and take this knowledge back to our school communities; preaching the message that hard work will be rewarded in the end. Overall a very insightful, valuable and humbling day. This gathering provided us the amazing opportunity to meet the Archbishop in a different setting to discuss what it means to be a young Catholic leader in today’s school and wider society. Year 8 Reflection Over the month of March all our Year 8 Homerooms attended their annual reflection day. In speaking with both the Jewish Museum and our afternoon workshop facilitator Ms Sage there was nothing but praise for our students. Students were actively engaged by partaking in Jewish rituals and creatively designing artworks reflecting on their insights and key understandings from the museum tour which also allowed them to form connections back to the RE classroom. The program each year is a highlight for our students as they develop an in depth understanding and foundation into Jesus’ background but also to our home tradition Christianity. I thank our Year 8 RE teachers who have provided some student reflections from their RE class below; “At the Jewish museum we had the opportunity to learn about the Jewish tradition and their ceremonies including a Bar Mitzvah. We also learned about the Torah and Jewish people’s dietary laws. I found my experience at the Jewish museum very interesting. I most enjoyed sitting inside the synagogue” Nathan Lazarevski. 8 Blue I went to the Jewish museum and synagogue. In the Jewish museum I learnt that Jewish people are the people don’t pray to Jesus however, only trust in God. I also learnt that the synagogue is a place where Jewish people pray to God, it's similar to like a hat and they should cover their head to give respect to the God. Michael Jude 8 Silver “On March 12, 8 Blue and 8 White went to the Jewish Museum in St Kilda. While we were there we went into a large synagogue where we learnt about how Jewish people pray. When also had the opportunity to try different traditional food they eat. It was very different a tasted weird because we had never tried it before. I thought the day was very interesting and we learned a lot about the Jewish religion” James Malia, 8 Blue Year 8 Reflection “We visited the Jewish Museum as part of our reflection day. We learnt about the Jewish culture, rituals, ceremonies and lots more. We visited a Synagogue were they spoke about the importance of the Torah. We had a tour of different galleries and tasted Jewish food such as bitter herbs” Nicholas Zammit, 8 Blue On March 12, 8 Silver and White went to the Jewish Museum. I enjoyed learning about all the traditions and festivals the Jews have and I found it interesting that they follow the Luna calendar (the moon cycle). We got to try some of the foods they eat which was cool. It was a fun day” Grace Holman, 8 Silver From the Social Justice Coordinator Ms Dagmang Project Compassion 2015 In 2014, Caritas Australia raised nearly $11 million, of which Thomas Carr College contributed $1,454, that’s .01% percent of the worldwide donations. This year, the overwhelming response from the College community has been amazing. Students, together with their Homeroom teachers, organised fundraisers and promotional events. The involvement of parents was superb, they were not only financiers to some of their children’s fundraiser but bakers and makers of cakes, muffins and truffles. The College Vinnies Conference fundraising efforts commenced at the onset of Lent with the Tuesday Pancake, the Swimming Carnival BBQ, a Mega-Bake Sale and a Down ball Competition. To date $1700 has been raised. This can provide 5-day training course for 40-60 people on raising and selling fish in Nepal. In Indonesia, it could buy 4 adult dairy cows for a farmer, so his family can generate a stable source of income. What a wonderful achievement in putting the spotlight on global food issues and supporting Caritas Australia Food For Life appeal empowering the world’s poorest people to establish sustainable food sources for life. On behalf of the College Vinines Conference, I would like to thank each one of you for your generosity and support with our Lenten Appeal. We look forward to your continued support of faith in action in the months following. Indeed, every dollar counts! Project Compassion Fundraising Efforts From the College Chaplain Mr Burn Recently I have had the privilege to accompany students to two important functions for the young people in Catholic schools. Archbishop’s Conversation with School Leaders Each year Archbishop Hart spends a day with the leaders of Catholic secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. He speaks about his life, especially how his life has been shaped by his belief in Jesus and his commitment to making Jesus the centre of his life. In doing this he speaks about his family life and education and his ministry as a priest and a bishop. The students gain a rare insight into the very personal depths of our leader in faith. This year the meeting was held at Genazzano College, Kew on Friday 13 March. Thomas Carr was represented by College Captains Jacqueline O’Brien and Julius Torres and Vice Captains Emily O’Connor and Connor Graham. We were accompanied by Ms Mary Udovicic. Young Speakers Colloquium – Catholic Education Week This event is organised each year as part of Catholic Education Week by the Catholic Education Office. It is an opportunity for students to come together and hear from young people who are making their mark in the world. The main speaker for the day was former Star of the Sea College student, Sophie Rudolph, who is now completing Mr Burn Chaplain with Year 10 students at the Young Speakers Colloquium a PhD in Education, researching and campaigning for improved indigenous education. Two Year 10 students were chosen to represent the College, Patricia Macabeo and James Brasher. The colloquium was held at the Catholic Leadership Centre in East Melbourne on St Patrick’s Day immediately after the cathedral Mass and included a catered lunch. We are grateful to the Catholic Education Office for providing an opportunity for our younger senior students to meet with students from other Catholic colleges and to hear speakers on topics of national importance. From the Head of Learning: Religious Education Ms McGinnes Year 9 New Religious Education Curriculum Religious Education in Year 9 has been reviewed and updated to ensure that we are offering a contemporary curriculum that values and reflects the interests and experiences of our students. Focusing on the topics of ‘Social Justice’ and the ‘Australian Catholic Church’, students select a number of learning activities throughout the term to complete at their own pace. An activity log is used to monitor progress and help students develop their organisation and time management skills. All work is collated and presented in a portfolio, which will be fully assessed at the end of Semester One. This new curriculum offers students an opportunity to choose their own learning investigations, rely less on teacher-directed instruction, and become self-directed learners. We hope that by creating a climate that promotes inquiry and creative exploration of ideas, our students are supported to engage in deep and powerful learning. Year 12 School Based Religious Education Students in the Year 12 School Based Religious Education program have been studying ‘Religion and Art’ during the Lenten Term. This has involved looking at different types of religious art, including calligraphy, stained glass windows, icons and graffiti. Students analyse the way in which art can convey a religious teaching or belief, aid worship or help people understand spiritual truths. The major assessment piece for this term involved the creation of an artwork that expresses a religious belief or experience. The artwork to the right was created by Emily Cassar of 12 Blue as a representation of the story of Joseph and his Coat of many Colours. This artwork made Emily reflect on both the story in scripture and our tendency as a society to care more about brands, labels and money rather than what is most important in life. From the Director of Student Services Ms McCarthy Friday 2 March was the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. It is a time when we encourage thought and dialogue about the impact of bullying behaviours on young people, both within schools and in the community in general. The College is regularly looking for opportunities to raise awareness amongst the school community of the impact of bullying on all students, and so the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence is a timely reminder of the devastating effects that bullying can have on others. Parents are also encouraged to discuss the harmful impact on bullying behaviours with their sons and daughters. It is important for all families to be aware of Thomas Carr College’s Personal Relations Policy which outlines student expectations and responsibilities that relate to bullying. The College does not tolerate bullying behaviours and works proactively to prevent bullying. All reasonable actions are taken to assist students who are being bullied. Joseph’s Coat of Many Colours Emily Cassar A useful website for parents and teachers is www.bullingnoway.com.au. This website provides a list of strategies that can be used to combat bullying. If you have concerns that your son or daughter may be exhibiting signs of being bullied, please do contact your child’s homeroom teacher or year level coordinator. From the Wellbeing Team Ms Georgey, Student Counsellor National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence - Friday 20 March 2015 Thomas Carr College has taken part in the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence. Today, Pastoral Care sessions across the college focused on this pressing issue. Our aim in embracing this Day of Action, has been to educate students about the enormous power of each individual to respond to bullying. Bullying is when an individual or group uses its power and strength to repeatedly and intentionally use words or actions against another individual or group. This might include repeatedly hurting, harassing, verbally humiliating, physical, emotional, psychological or social harming of others, leaving them feeling oppressed, powerless and in some instances, traumatized. When this occurs online, it is called cyberbullying. Our approach is to educate and empower students about the influence they each have to become active bystanders or ‘up-standers,’ and not simply passive bystanders, whether online, or in person. The research indicates that the largest, most powerful influence in a bullying situation is the bystander. Thomas Carr College, encourages our students to be active citizens with etiquette, netiquette (etiquette online) and a desire to contribute to a culture of tolerance and inclusion of all others. Our goal is that all students feel they are part of the solution, by promoting the notion that ‘if you see something, say something.’ To celebrate the day, we wanted to do something that would help all students take action – when they see, hear about, or experience bullying. So today, Wellbeing launched the “Bully Box “- a new, non-confronting, safe and additional option for all students to report bullying by just sending an email. The in-box will be accessed by wellbeing staff who will respond to all reports in consultation with YLC’s. This will certainly not replace any existing processes or policies, it simply sits alongside these as an additional way that students can tell someone if they, or someone they know, is being bullied. This has been developed in recognition of the fact that not all students feel comfortable reporting bullying face-to-face to a staff member. For further information and advice on parenting and bullying the Department of Education and Training have many terrific resources available at the link below: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/bullystoppers/Pages/parents.aspx From the Head of Sport Ms White House Swimming Carnival 2015 Moylough- 1st - Mr Gorzkowski In this year’s swimming carnival Moylough went in full of confidence and enthusiasm. It was a great day at Werribee Leisure Centre that saw some great battles especially from some tough competitiveness from Maynooth. Moylough was poised to ensure that as many events as possible were filled and all credit to Moylough’s captains who ensured that swimmers were in the right place at the right time. Well done to Janelle, Anthony, Emily, Patricia, Rahwa and Connor. Moylough staff performed their duty exceptionally especially the marshals that played such a pivotal role in co-ordinating our lanes. From one of our captains: ‘Swimming carnival 2015 was a very memorable day and event for not only myself but all of the other year 12 Moylough house captains, vice captains and certainly Mr Gorzkowski. As it was a very successful and fun filled event, the day couldn't have been any better as we finished the day with a victory, I certainly know for myself as Moylough – Winners of the House Swimming Carnival 2015 it is my last house swimming carnival I'm so proud to be the Moylough house captain and to have lead our house with the other captains to victory’ Janelle Sammut The day concluded in with the best possible result for Moylough, winning the Perpetual Swimming Trophy off the 2014 champs Galway. As Head of Moylough I couldn’t have been prouder with my House and can say that we are now setting our sights on the Athletics Carnival. Maynooth- 2nd – Mr Allen Rather than dwell on a disappointing fourth place in 2014, the students of Maynooth stepped up to the swimming block on Friday 20 February, ready to banish the Ghosts of Carnivals Past and write a new glorious chapter in our proud house history. There was much splashing and thrashing, cheering and costuming, and rallying of troops by determined House Captains. When the froth had settled, we pulled off a very respectable second place, thanks in no small part to the efforts of a few individual stand-out performances (Nicolas Lettieri and Karly Flahive of Year 7, Nicholas Moran of year 8, Lachlan Luca of year 10, Ally Wilson of year 11, and James Tzelepis and Jacqueline O’Brien of year 12). We also managed to take out the staff relay race, thanks largely to a fine impersonation of a rock by Galway Head of House, Mr Connor. Thank you very much sir. Westport- 3rd - Ms Rothery ‘Last Friday 20 February Thomas Carr held their annual swimming carnival, and whilst it wasn't the day for us in Westport it still gave us the opportunity to come together as a house and cheer on all our talented athletes. Thankfully the weather held off and we were able to enjoy the sunshine which was nice for a change. A massive thank you and congratulations to all our swimmers who did a fantastic job swimming, although next time we need to make sure we fill all our events if we want to win. Let's aim even higher for the Athletics carnival, fill all our events and hopefully add another victory to our collection!!! Carla De Pasquale Galway- 4th - Mr Connor For the 2015 Swimming Carnival, Galway was not able to hold on to last year’s glory. The tireless work of the captains on the day set an example for what student leadership looks like in action, whether it be with participating in the many events or the helping organise the team for Galway. These young men and women did themselves proud living up to the example of the Galway captains of past. Many of which were there to help lend a hand. There was some outstanding efforts made by a number of students filling multiple events, and in many instances filling gaps where students were not able to swim. Some such students include the amazing efforts of Tom Newland, Thomas Darlington, Monique Fegan, Jacob Oliver, Lauren Shaw, Rebekah Henry and Zoe Conroy Knowles to name just a few. It is this amazing dedication that Galway has become renowned for and will help it again rise out of the ashes like a phoenix. Many of the Galway students showed outstanding efforts and results enabling them the privilege of representing the college at the coming ACS swim competition. ACS Swimming Carnival- Friday 20 March On Friday 20 March, seventy Thomas Carr students represent the College at the ACS Swimming Carnival which was held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. We had many stellar individual and team performances on the day which was fantastic. Our year 8 girls finished 3rd overall in their division which was fantastic. Individually, we had many stand outs on the day. Some of our best performers were: Shanieka Diec Montan Rauner-Smith Karly Flahive Jade Murrell Yr 7 Yr 7 Yr 7 Yr 8 Monique Fegan Shanais Rauner-Smith Alexie Barlow Campbell Barlow Yr 8 Yr 9 Yr 10 Yr 11 Despite all of these outstanding performances above we were unsuccessful overall, coming in 7th. A positive to come out of the day though was that we now recognise where we are at and acknowledge that we have room for improvement. We also understand what is required to get ourselves up to the standards of other ACS schools and we are committed to making progress in this area for 2016. I would like to thank all of our students for putting their hands up to represent our College on the day. You are all amazing ambassadors for our school and I couldn’t be more proud of you. Our athletics season is also coming up early in term 2. As a result we are also seeking expressions of interest from those who have a passion for track and field events and could assist with training. If you are interested please contact Miss White at the College on 8734 2444. Victorian All Schools Swimming Championships On Thursday 5 March we had Montana Rauner-Smith (Year 7), Jade Murrell (Year 8), Monique Fegan (Year 8), Shanais Rauner-Smith (Year 9) represented the College at the Victorian All Schools Relay Championships at MSAC. Our girls were in action against some formidable opponents and sports schools right across the state on the night. The girls swam their hearts out and brought home 2 medals out of 5 events which is a massive achievement considering some of the girls were racing up against 15 year olds. Here are their results: Under 15 Medley Relay: 4th Under 15 Breaststroke Relay: Silver Under 15 Backstroke Relay: Bronze Under 15 Butterfly Relay: 5th Under 15 Freestyle Relay: 68th A super effort girls. Well done! We look forward to having a much bigger team next year. From the Head of Learning: Arts and Technology Mr Dalley Senior School Production Tickets will go on sale for the 2015 Senior School production in week one Pentecost Term. This year the College is staging two one act comedies, ‘A Mad Breakfast’ and ‘Black Comedy’. The show will be performed on April 29, 30 and May 1 at 7.30pm in D18. Tickets can be purchased through student administration. More details to follow. Parents and Friends Association Parents & Friends AGM The upcoming AGM of the Parents & Friends Association will be held on Tuesday 14 April at 7.00pm in the College Board Room. All parents and friends are welcome to attend and join the friendly and fun group of Parents and Friends. Our normal meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 7.00pm and we would love to see you there. Second Hand Uniform Shop Open during term time on Thursdays from 3.00pm – 4.00pm. Cash and cheque payments only (no eftpos available). Medal Winners Girls Relay Team at the Victorian All Schools Swimming Championships Community News Employment - Traffic Management Officer Thomas Carr College is seeking a Traffic Management Officer to direct vehicles and pedestrians through our College carpark. The successful applicant will work 2 hours per day from 8-9am and 3-4pm and will be required to obtain Working With Children and National Police Checks. For further information please contact Kylie Stonehouse, Human Resource Officer at Thomas Carr College on 8734 2417 or employment@thomascarr.vic.edu.au Uniform Shop Don’t leave it until the last minute! Organise your Winter Uniform now! No need to make an appointment open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8.15am – 4.00pm. Except for the dates listed below. Over the holidays the Uniform Shop will be open on Friday 10 and Monday 13 April from 9.00am – 4.00pm and Tuesday 14 April from 8:15am – 4.00pm. The Uniform Shop will close for Term 1 holidays on Friday March 27 at 4.00pm. Normal trading days will resume from Wednesday April 15. Have a safe and Happy Easter Any questions please phone Natalie on 9749 5969. Students are you looking for something to do over the school holidays? Why not try one of these Short Courses at The Gordon. Classes are fun, engaging and hands on.