STUDENT LEADERSHIP – How to become a better leader

Vol 33, No. 6, 16 June 2014
STUDENT LEADERSHIP
– How to become a better leader
Ms Michelle Neat – Senior House Leader Rice
During Term 1, the Senior Student Representative Council
(SRC) attended a student leadership conference run by GRIP
Leadership. They were able to talk to student leaders from
other schools and hear about different initiatives that they
run to raise money for charities as well as hearing about
other fun activities to organise throughout the year.
Whilst school is about education and learning, there is a lot
that you can learn about yourself and others while organising
and participating in various activities. The SRC have been
extremely busy doing Easter egg raffles for Caritas, BLINK
Day to raise money for various cancer charities and in Term
2, lunchtime Gender Wars and the inaugural Master Chef
which will conclude in Term 3.
GRIP Leadership have four core values, of which their name
is derived:
• GENEROSITY: Willingness to use what you have been
given (time and resources) on behalf of those you seek
to influence.
• RESPONSIBILITY: We all have a responsibility to develop
what we have and help others to live well.
• INTEGRITY: A commitment to truth and honesty in
dealings.
• PEOPLE: Every human being is of great significance, and
has a purpose to fulfil.
All students should strive to be leaders and can show their
leadership ability in many different ways. Middle students
can be elected House representatives, while senior students
have a variety of roles they can apply for, including House
Captains, Social Justice, Arts, Academic and Liturgy, along
with the customary School and Vice Captains. But these only
encompass the formal leadership roles within the school
community. There are a myriad of informal ways in which
all students at Emmaus can show, but more importantly
develop their leadership qualities.
GRIP Leadership describe some ways in which all students
at Emmaus can develop their leadership qualities:
Growth: everyone needs to use the gifts and talents that
have been given to them. But more importantly, they need
to continue to grow and mature these qualities so they
can be developing themselves to lead what is in front of
them now and also what may come in the future. Reading
more so you are continually learning, challenging yourself,
embracing change and persisting when things don’t go your
way (showing resilience) are four ways in which you can
grow as a person, and as a leader.
Relationships: all successful leaders have one thing
in common: they know how to build and maintain
relationships. It is important for leaders to build
relationships with other leaders, other students and even
staff members. No leader can succeed on their own. But
how can you develop these relationships? Be generous
with your time and resources, listen more than you talk
and always be genuine.
Integrity: it is crucial to maintain integrity as it is the
foundation to which many other qualities are built upon,
such as respect, dignity and trust. Integrity is having a
commitment to truth and honesty. Students striving to
be leaders should always speak the truth, no matter what
the consequences and set the right example with their
actions at all times.
People: it might seem obvious, but leaders sometimes
forget that people, or the student body, should be their
focus. It is easy to get caught up in doing what you
want to do, rather than what the student body wants to
do. Listening to students, helping them to succeed in all
aspects of life and encouraging them to come forward
with ideas are three ways in which we can include all the
student body in our leadership.
Reflection: one of the most important aspects of a good
leader is that they take the time to reflect. This is probably
the most important aspect of becoming a great leader.
Life at school can get pretty busy and often leaders are
moving from one project straight on to the next. It is
crucial that leaders take the time to reflect on the event
just passed or on their leadership in general. Practical
ways to reflect can be by continually asking questions,
continually considering what actions you need to take,
continually reading and learning.
So whether you have an official leadership role in 2014,
are striving to become one in the years ahead or like
to have more of an informal leadership role within your
sporting team, pastoral group or a specific class, ensure
you are taking some time to develop your leadership skills
and reflect along the way. There are many people who
can help you to become a better leader so ask for help
and don’t forget that it is okay to make mistakes. Often
the best way to become a great leader is to put yourself
in a leadership position and learn from there!
‘If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more,
do more and become more, you are a leader.’
John Quincy Adams
Compliance Data
PRINCIPAL’S
REVIEW
Mr Tony Hirst
Sunday June 8 was Pentecost Sunday when the disciples
experienced the Holy Spirit and which moved the
believers to action: their joy in the ‘marvels of God’
urged them to share the good news with others. The
Archbishop’s Pentecost Letter for Youth 2014 has been
distributed to Year 11 and 12 students but the message
resonates with people of all ages.
This year’s Pentecost letter to Youth is an invitation into
the joy of a life of faith inspired by the witness of Pope
Francis. The theme is drawn from Pope Francis’ Twitter
feed from February 7:
‘What zest life acquires when we allow ourselves to be
filled by the love of God!’
The Pentecost letter uses the images of surfing and
flavour to convey zest. In keeping with the surfing
imaginary, Archbishop Hart informs us that he was once
a keen surfer and states ‘even today, I can recall the
feeling of freedom from onshore cares, and the pure
simplicity of the single goal of catching that perfect
wave.’
Archbishop Hart invites us “to leave the safety of the
shore and step out into the ocean of God’s love, to taste
fully of his joy. Discover what zest life can have when
the love of God flows in you and through you!”
Year 12 Formal
Congratulations also to our Year 12 student leaders and
students for their conduct at the Year 12 Formal held
on Friday 13th June. The theme for the evening was
‘Winter Wonderland.’ Thanks also to the many staff that
supported the event during what is a very busy time
of year with correction and reporting deadlines. More
details will be included in the next newsletter.
Parents and Friends Association (P&F)
The P&F ran its first Car Park Coffee on Wednesday 4th
June. It was pleasing to see a number of parents come
for a free coffee from the College Espresso machine in
the stadium foyer and get to know a few other parents.
We hope to make this a semi-regular event and will
publicise dates to give people greater notice.
At the last P&F meeting it was agreed to again hold a
family evening with Music Trivia/Live Rock band evening
featuring staff member Simon Stack. This will be held
on the evening of Friday 15th August. The theme for
the evening will again be ‘Hot August Night’. This was
a great success last year and we would hope it is again
well supported. Please mark the date in your calendar.
As part of the compliance reporting requirements for the
Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace
Relations (DEEWR), all schools are required to report specific
information. Emmaus College fulfils these requirements
through regular newsletter information, the College website
and College Annual. The College also produces an Annual
Report each year which is available on the College website
and the State Register.
The following statements are included to ensure the College
has fulfilled its compliance requirements for 2013:
• In 2013 there were 164 staff employed by the school, 93
were female and 71 male.
• Corporal punishment is not permitted, and a statement
to this affect is included in our Discipline Policy.
• Student attendance is monitored on a daily basis. Parents
are alerted to student absences if they have not contacted
the school by 9.30 a.m.
• Statistics on student attendance are recorded in the 2013
Annual Report.
• Parent, student and teacher satisfaction is measured by
yearly surveys as part of the Catholic Education Office of
Melbourne’s School Improvement Framework.
College Production
Tickets for the Emmaus College Production, ‘Anything Goes’
are now on sale. Emmaus is very well known for the very high
standard of our Productions, so it is advisable to purchase
tickets early, as the show is likely to be a sell-out. ‘Anything
Goes’ is a well-known musical with music and lyrics by the
renowned Cole Porter. The story concerns madcap antics
aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London and
will certainly showcase the performing arts talents of our
students and will be a great night out for the family and
extended family. Attendance at the College Production is one
tangible way parents can support the school and be involved
in the College community.
App4 Parents
The App4 Students is working well for students, especially
those with iPads. Staff are entering homework information
that is easily accessible for students to access. Emmaus
College is now ready to roll out the next part of the App known
as App4 Parents. This App lets parents view on their own
devices homework and assignment due dates, receive teacher
messages and announcements, view student timetable and
diary and other school Information. Details on how to load
and use this App are available elsewhere in the newsletter.
While we haven’t publicised App4 Parents, we have already
close to 400 families that have loaded it.
The App also has web access via the following URL http://
emmaus.app4.ws/parent/ so parents can login using the web
browser as well.
Semester Two – Important Dates
While final details are yet to be confirmed, Wednesday
10th September 7.30-9.00pm will see the final major
P&F function for the year. The evening is likely to have
a sporting theme, with footy finals and Father’s Day
occurring around this time.
Students return to school on Wednesday 18th June to
commence Semester Two. As this is the last newsletter
before the winter holidays it is important to remind families
that classes for all students conclude on Friday 27th June
at 3.15 pm. Classes resume after the holidays on Tuesday
15th July. Semester One reports for Years 10-12 are due to
be posted home on Friday 27th June and for Years 7-9 on
Thursday 3rd July.
More details will be included in future newsletters and
on the website.
Parents will again receive a new password to log onto Parent
Teacher On-Line (PTO). A new password is generated for
Continued Page 3
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all Parent Teacher sessions and will also be included
in the report package. As demand for these important
evenings is very high, I encourage you to log-on as early
as possible to avoid disappointment. The VCE Unit 3/4
Parent Teacher interviews will take place on Wednesday
16th July (the first Wednesday of term) in the Senior
Learning Centre. Parent Teacher Interviews for all year
levels are on the 14th and 21st August.
Holiday Trip
Best wishes to the Emmaus Netballers who will be competing
in the Gold Coast Netball Carnival held on the Gold Coast
in the second week of the holidays. The Carnival has been
running for 21 years with over 70 teams competing annually.
This will be the second time an Emmaus team has participated
in the Carnival. Thank you to Mr Elia Carter and Mrs Kendall
Otten who will accompany the students.
Federal Funding for Education
MEDIA STATEMENT
13 May 2014
Catholic Education Response to
2014-15 Federal Budget
The National Catholic Education Commission
(NCEC) has expressed strong concerns with the
Government’s decision to use the Consumer
Price Index (CPI) as the basis for school funding
indexation after 2017.
Catholic education welcomes the funding certainty
for Catholic schools confirmed in the 2014-15
Federal Budget through to the end of the 2017
school year. This funding certainty will help systems
and schools to plan for the next three years and
assist school and system leaders to focus on the
learning needs of students.
In the context of the Government’s priority to
reduce spending in many policy areas and reduce
the budget deficit, the commitment to fully fund the
Australian Education Act arrangements from 2014
to 2017 for all schools in all states and territories
is welcome.
However, based on recent experience, the school
funding assumptions contained in the Federal
Budget for 2018 and beyond will not meet the needs
of schools and students.
In the last decade the CPI has averaged less than
3%. This contrasts with school funding increases
reflecting real costs in schools of almost 5.5%.
NCEC Executive Director, Ross Fox, said that limiting
the rate of school funding increases to the CPI will
likely mean funding would not keep up with school
costs.
“School funding must keep up with real school costs.
For the last ten years CPI has been around half the rate
of school cost increases including teacher salaries and
access to technologies that support learning.
“Using CPI after 2017 is likely to increase school fees,
and strain the needs-based funding approach of Catholic
education,” said Mr Fox. “If funding fails to keep pace
with true costs, the fee increases needed to cover the
shortfall could put a Catholic education out of reach for
some families.”
Catholic education welcomes the capital funding in the
Budget for non-government schools. This is important
funding that will help build new schools and expand
school facilities in growing areas.
The number of students in schools is projected to
increase by more than 25 per cent in the next ten years.
This growth in student numbers will present a huge
challenge for all school sectors.
“Hundreds of new schools will be required for new
students in the next decade and without additional capital
funding it is difficult to see how school places will be
found for all students.”
School funding arrangements for Catholic schools
for 2018 and beyond will need careful consideration.
The review of funding indexation scheduled to begin
this year will be an important starting point. Funding
arrangements for 2018 and beyond must provide
certainty and sufficient funding to meet the true costs
of delivering education across Australia.
“The NCEC will continue to work with the Government
to achieve fair funding beyond 2017 that reflects the
long-standing commitment to a needs-based funding
approach and ensures funding keeps pace with real
school costs.”
Ian Zakon
National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC)
ALUMNI NEWSLETTER & 2014
REUNIONS
SECOND HAND UNIFORM SHOP
To assist parents purchase Winter Uniform items,
Tracey will be available on Thursday July 17, August
7, September 4
and September 18.
The year of 2014 will mark decade reunions for the
Classes of 1984, 1994 & 2004. Also planned is a
reunion of More College students from the Year Level
that commenced in Form 1/1971 and concluded in
Form 4/1974. Expressions of Interest are sought for
all reunions of our past students.
Work has commenced on the next Alumni Newsletter and
we welcome any suggestions, articles and contributions
from our past students, families and staff.
Please feel free to contact Michael Jones, Alumni Rep.
Ph. No: 03 9758 7784 or E: alumni@emmaus.vic.edu.au
•
•
Location: Beside Drama Room
Day: First Thursday of the Month
•
Time: 8.00am - 9.00am
3.00pm - 4.00pm
Contact: Mrs Tracey Foster
Girls tights are available at the Cashier’s
Office for $5.00.
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THE
EMMAUS
WRAP
IMAGES AROUND CAMPUS
Mr David White Assistant Principal - Staff
and Administration
The main focus recently has been students preparing
and completing exams. However, Term Two has also seen
many other events take place.
Year 11 Debutante Balls Information Evening
The Year 11 Debutante Ball Information evening was held
on Monday May 12th. Over 200 parents and students
were in attendance to start the annual “Deb” season
for Emmaus. This year there will be two balls with
approximately 37 couples per ball.
NAPLAN
All Year 7 and 9 students undertook the 2014 NAPLAN
tests on May 13 - 15. NAPLAN was held on both campuses
and students are to be commended on their manner and
the way in which they approached these tests. NAPLAN
results, even though only based on three days of testing,
provide good feedback to parents and the College as
well as the students themselves on their continued
progress. Thank you to our Assistant Principal, Teaching
and Learning, Dr William Keane and Year 9 Director,
Mr Michael Lafferty, on their co-ordination of these days.
Visit to Mt. Scopus by Year 11 RE Classes
Students enrolled in the Religion and Society Unit 1,
study a variety of religious traditions including Judaism.
Mt. Scopus again kindly offered our students the
opportunity to visit the College and talk with their Year
11 students about aspects and rituals of the tradition.
These visits took place over the last few weeks.
Students on arrival were taken to the Synagogue where
the Torah Scroll, prayer shawls and other elements
were displayed and explained. From here students were
escorted by Mt. Scopus Year 11 students to discussion
rooms where they explained the weekly Jewish rituals
and showed some of the symbols used in prayer.
Students also explained a little about Israel and told of
their school visits (5-6 weeks) to Israel at the end of Year
10. Students who elect to study Hebrew at VCE have 3
months in Israel living on a kibbutz and attending school.
Our Year 11 students came away with a greater insight into
the Jewish traditions which will assist them in completing
their next SAC.
Rice Day
On May 20th, all students in Rice House from Years 7 – 12
shared Mass together followed by activities in the Tony
Frizza Stadium and then lunch. These days are important
parts of school life as they build identity and give all
members of each House a chance to celebrate their
James Battaglia has been doing a number of physical activities
with his HPE class 8F. With the assistance of Mrs Sherwyn Rogers
common bond together. Well done to Ms Michelle
and Mrs Heather Maynard he has completed a skills analysis of his
Neat, Mr Terry Carman and Mrs Mary Rhodes (new
bouncing and catching skills with a basketball, soccer dribbling
Rice Senior House Leader, Semester Two) as well as
and kicking, and pictured here teaching and playing games of
many staff who assisted in making this day possible
swish on the new table with his class mates who wore a blindfold.
for all members of Rice House.
Ms Kirsty Sanderson
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Y9@E REPORT
Mr Michael Lafferty - Director Y9@E
ELECTIVE EXHIBITION
On Tuesday 27th May, Year 9 staff and
students hosted an Elective Exhibition
which showcased much of the work
the students produced during first
semester in their electives. Year 9
is the first time in their secondary schooling where the
students take an active role in choosing subjects they would
like to complete. Many of the subjects involve a hands-on
component where the students can be proud of a finished
product and showcase their talents in a variety of forms.
The night was a wonderful success with over 250 people
in attendance as well as some incredible work on display.
The Food & Technology
students, led by Ms
Monaghan, played a
special role on the
night by catering for
the evening as well
as serving the food
which they cooked.
An abundance of
savoury and sweet
delights were served
as families marvelled
at the talents of the
Y9@E students. The
evening culminated
in a very professional
and entertaining
performance by the
Theatre Studies
class which was an
appropriate climax to
a fantastic evening.
Thank you to all parents and students who attended the
evening. A special thanks to Ms Clements for setting up
the exhibition and all the elective teachers for facilitating
the production of such superlative work from the students.
Also, thank-you to all Y9@E staff who continue to inspire
the students to achieve their best.
5
First steps to setting up your App4 Parents
Using your child’s iPad...
Using your own iPad...
1. Download the App4 Parents app from the App Store
on your iPad. https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/app4students/id577927583?mt=8&uo=4
2. Open the App4 Parents app. The first time you open
the App, or whenever you are not logged in and tap the
icon, the screen you will see is as follows:
1. Open the App4 Students app on your child’s iPad.
2. Tap on ‘About Me’ (green book in book stack). Select
‘Parents’ from menu. The following screen will appear:
3. Fill in the School Identifier and your child’s User Name
(as supplied by the school, OR you can find these details
by going into Settings in your child’s App4 Students app).
4. Once you have logged in, the App will attempt
connection to your student’s school’s data. Once
successfully connected, you will then automatically be
redirected to the ‘About Me’ screen. Here, you can set up
your Parent/Guardian user access (or select a name from
the list - this screen will also show all parents/guardians
already nominated for the student).
3. Tap the ‘Add New’ button. Fill in new parent/guardian
details. Fields shaded red are compulsory.
4. Select your own 4-digit Parent Access Code. (PAC)
Please note: Your PAC should be recorded
somewhere safe and kept confidential. If at any
time you should lose or forget your PAC, please
contact the school for this to be re-set.
5. Once all fields are completed, tap ‘Done’. You will now
see the new parent/guardian entry, as follows:
5. Tap the ‘Add New’ button. Fill in new parent/guardian
details. Fields shaded red are compulsory.
6. Select your own 4-digit Parent Access Code.
Please note: Your PAC should be recorded somewhere safe
and kept confidential. If at any time you should lose or
forget your PAC, please contact the school for this to be
re-set.
7. Once all fields are completed, tap ‘Done’. You will now
see the new parent/guardian entry.
6. Setup is now complete.
8. Setup is now complete.
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ANYTHING GOES
Rehearsals are running at full pace and our 2014 Production
is looking stylish! All musical numbers have been learned
and all dance routines have been choreographed. The
sets and costumes are looking fantastic! We now need to
perform to you, the Emmaus College community!
Tickets for Anything Goes will pre-sale to cast members on
Wednesday 18th June. The College community will be able
to purchase tickets from Monday 23rd June. Tickets will be
made available via completing the Booking Form included
in this newsletter. Spare Booking Forms can be downloaded
from the College website or from the reception desk at both
Vermont South and Burwood Campuses. Only bookings
received with payment (cash/credit card/cheque) will be
accepted. All tickets will be processed during the mid-year
school holidays. The Cashier will be available during this
time for seating allocation and requests. Once tickets
have been ordered, changes cannot be made. It will
be the buyer’s responsibility to make necessary changes.
Anything Goes is promising to be another energy-driven
performance with very high production values. You do not
want to miss it!
Mr Jordan Thomas – Production Director
YEAR 10 OUTDOOR ED. CAMP
On the 18-19 May, 24 students from the Outdoor
Education class headed up to the Cathedral Range State
Park for an amazing adventure. Students were able to
experience a rock journey which involved a hike over
boulders, through caves, a 50 foot abseil and navigating
around cliff faces to Sugarloaf Peak at a height of 689m.
They also got to experience rock climbing and abseiling
up a number of different rock faces, some of which were
highly difficult. Over the two full days, students overcame
many personal challenges by themselves and as part of a
team. A fantastic experience which was enjoyed by both
students and staff.
Mr Elia Carter – LAL PE
7
Mental Health Week 2014 – “Bounce Back”
Mental Health Week has become an important part of the
Emmaus College calendar, and this year was certainly no
exception. The Counselling Service organised a number of
events for staff and students, in keeping with this year’s
theme: “Bounce Back”.
The aim of the events was not only to emphasise the
importance of mental health and wellbeing, but also to
remind every individual of their inherent resilience and
their ability to “bounce back” when faced with one of life’s
many challenges.
An exciting addition this year was the 5-day “Bounce Back”
Challenge. Participants were given a daily task designed to
increase their resilience, positive coping skills and general
wellbeing. We were thrilled with the numbers of participants
and particularly with the final entries whereby participants
reflected on what they had learned by completing the daily
challenges. Participants reflected on the importance of
including moments of calm and reflection in their week;
others gained improved feelings of confidence by taking on
‘safe’ risks or challenges; others noted that, by scheduling
self-care activities they were more productive and focused
in their school work. Congratulations again to our student
winners: 1st prize – Millie Adamic, 2nd prize – Liam Hartrick
and 3rd prize – Amelia Poloso.
Senior students were fortunate to hear from Beyond Blue
Ambassador Mr John Hopkins, who discussed the importance
of addressing mental health issues as a College but also as
a wider community. Mr Hopkins inspired students with his
positive outlook on life and his personal and professional
success, in spite of his own experience with Depression and
Anxiety. This was followed by an information stall where
showbags were distributed and students from all year levels
were able to come along and obtain tipsheets and resources.
SPORTING ACHIEVER
Jake Marinov - Year 8/
More 3 was crowned
Australian champion
in trampolining after
winning the gold medal
in the under 15 Men's
category. The national
championships saw
athletes from all states
and territories as well
as athletes from New
Zealand.
The take home message from this year’s Mental Health
Week is although life at times presents challenges for us;
by facing problems head on and remaining positive, you
will gain the ability to manage any adversity and “Bounce
Back” better, stronger and more confident.
Mrs Madeline Sibbing & Mr Jeremy Cass
- College Psychologists
COMING EVENTS
[JUNE]
16
Report Writing Day—no classes for Year 7-12 students
Year 10 Work Experience, until June 20
17
Report writing day—no classes for Year 7-12 students
Finance Committee/Board Executive, Vermont South,
7.30pm
18
Year 7–12 Semester 2 classes commence
19
Corpus Christi
World Refugee Day
Dante Alighieri Poetry Competition (Selected Students from Years 9, 11 & 12) – 9:00 – 1:30pm
21
24
Congratulations Jake!
27
30
3
Year 7-9 Semester Reports posted
14
Staff Conference Day– No Classes
15
All students commence Term 3
Visit from Emmaus/Italian Sister School, until Aug 1
Winter uniform compulsory
16
23
House Cross Country
22
29
Y9@E City Explore II
Year 7 Interschool Winter Sport commences
College Production until Saturday, June 26
More House Day
Year 9 & 10, 2015 Course Information Evening, 7.30pm, Vermont South
End of Semester School Mass
26
Parent-teacher evening, 4.00-8.30pm
Newsletter No. 7
Year 12 Further Maths SAC 4 3:30pm – 5:00pm
Y9@E City Explore II
Term 2 vacation
[JULY]
Winter Solstice
Board Meeting, 7.30pm at Vermont South
End of Term. School finishes at 3.15pm
Year 10-12 Semester Reports posted
30
Year 8 Learning Assessments
31
Education Committee, 7.30pm, Vermont South