College Theme for 2016 ‘Be the face of mercy’ Prayer Loving Father We pray for our community as we celebrate our 20 year anniversary. May we be strengthened to be witnesses to the Gospel of mercy and work for a future thatembodies a genuine culture of mercy. We pray to the Lord. Amen

College Vision Thomas Carr College is a dynamic Catholic learning community, guided by the Gospel.

Excellence and opportunities to develop are pursued.

Through our hope and service to others we shine our light into the world.

Volume 20 Issue 12: August 12 2016  From the Principal Dr Watson The Feast of the Assumption On Monday August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, the College will gather as a faith community to celebrate one of the most important feasts of the Church’s year. Our liturgy on Monday officially recognises the naming of Term 3 as the Assumption Term. Our principal celebrant for the Assumption Mass will be Monsignor Greg Bennet, Vicar General of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Feast of the Assumption is a particularly important feast that the Catholic community celebrate to the extent that it is the only holy day of obligation that now exists. To reflect upon the Assumption I have provided below a copy of the “Hail Mary”. This is often a prayer that we pray but sometimes I wonder how often we take the time to reflect upon the words. This may be the opportunity for you to do so:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit

Of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of god, pray for us sinners

Now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Feast of St Mary MacKillop Another significant feast that has recently been celebrated on Monday August 8 was the feast of Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop. As we reflect upon the feast day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, we pray:

Create in us, O God, a new heart and renew a fresh spirit within us. Through the life and example of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop stir into flame the

gifts you have given to each of us and the faith to use them without reserve Mary, you worked for the dignity and equality of all people,

Mary, you challenged people beyond themselves, Mary, an inspiration for all Australians,

Mary, a woman of your time. Amen

Staff Annual Dinner On the evening Friday August 5, the staff of Thomas Carr College gathered at the RAVC Club to celebrate our 20th Anniversary and our Annual Dinner. The dinner provided the opportunity for the College to recognise staff who have contributed 10 and 20 years of dedicated service to the College and to present the Thomas Carr Staff Award, along with the Luceat Lux Vestra teaching scholarship. This scholarship provides the recipient with $5,000 to assist with undertaking some significant professional learning during the course of 2017 and being able to contribute significantly to the continued improvement in the learning and teaching program at the College.

Coming Events Aug 12: International Youth Day; Year 10 Course Advice Day; Year 11 Leadership Assembly; Capital Appeal Breakfast; Year 8 & 9 2017 Subject Selection forms due Aug 14: Good Samaritan Campus Mass and Open Day 11am Aug 15: Whole School Assumption Mass; Book Week commences Aug 16: Year 9,10,11 2017 Subject Selection forms due Aug 17: Year 9 Reflection Day Aug 18: VCE Units3/4 Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences 4:30pm to 8:30pm; Year 12 compulsory PIN Aug 19: ACS Cross Country Carnival Aug 22: ACS Public Speaking competitionAug 23: Board Meeting Aug 24: Capital Appeal Breakfast Aug 25: Legally Blonde Production 7:30pm Aug 26: Legally Blonde Production 7:30pm Aug 27: Legally Blonde Production 7:30pm Aug 31: Malaya and Borneo Remembrance at The Shrine Sept 2: Father’s Day Mass and Breakfast Sept 4: Father’s Day Sept 5: SRC Casual Clothes Day Sept 6: Grade 5 School visits from St Francis, St Clare's and St John's Sept 7: ACS Allstars Presentation Sept 8: Birth of Blessed Mary; International Literacy Day; Japan Study Tour commences; 2006 Ten Year Reunion

 

 

Luceat Lux Vestra Teacher Scholarship In 2015, the College introduced the Luceat Lux Vestra teacher scholarship. The term Luceat Lux Vestra translates to ‘Let your light shine’ and this is something that we encourage both our staff and students to do. This scholarship has been created as the College acknowledges that great teaching is far more than just classroom performance. It is the ability to consistently create situations in which effective learning occurs. The conferring of this scholarship is a recognition of expert knowledge, exemplary practice, continuous improvement and commitment to meet the needs of the learners. It will provide teaching staff with an opportunity to undertake further professional learning to advance their skills and to continue to develop their craft as an educator. I am pleased to announce that the winner of this scholarship for 2016 is Michael Dalley. Please find below an extract from Michael Dalley’s acceptance speech:

Thank you so much for awarding me the Luceat Lux Vestra Scholarship. It is very humbling to be given an opportunity to study overseas and to continue developing my teaching career. Over the last two years, I have been able to work as a Visiting Teacher at Yew Chung International School, Hong Kong and as an Educator in Residence with the Singapore Ministry of Education. Gaining an international perspective on my own teaching has significantly increased my confidence as a teacher and educational leader. I am, therefore, delighted that this scholarship will allow me to attend Project Zero Classroom, a week long residential program at Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA. I am fascinated by the idea of developing strategies for thinking and for creativity. This is of course a capability which is detailed in the new Victorian Curriculum and I have more questions about teaching this than I have answers. But I do believe that Harvard University’s Project Zero will allow me to explore many of these questions. The Project Zero Classroom is described as: A five day Summer School which features various frameworks and tools that enable you to look at teaching analytically, develop new approaches to planning, and make informed decisions about instruction. As a participant, you will explore ways to deepen student engagement; encourage learners to think critically and creatively; and make learning and thinking visible. In a Project Zero classroom, teachers are also learners who model intellectual curiosity and rigor, interdisciplinary and collaborative inquiry, and sensitivity to the ethical and aesthetic dimensions of learning. Not only will this scholarship allow me to study with internationally renowned educators, it will allow me to experience one of the world’s greatest universities. Harvard University’s reputation is internationally lauded and its Graduate School of Education has an outstanding Professional Education program. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to live and breathe the energy of Harvard and to walk in the footsteps of Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde and Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting! Once again, I thank Dr Watson and the Luceat Lux Vestra Committee for valuing the ongoing professional and personal development of staff and for granting me this incredibly generous scholarship. Thomas Carr Staff Award The College Staff each year are asked to nominate a member of staff who they believed live out the College Vision and Mission Statement of Thomas Carr College. The criteria for the successful recipient is someone who has demonstrated and displayed the following qualities during the past 12 months: A commitment to the Catholic Identity of the College Engendered School spirit Involvement in the co-curricular life of the College Engagement in the life of the College has been above and beyond normal

expectations Demonstrated a professional approach to all aspects of College life

Michael Dalley

Mary Udovicic

 

 

I was pleased to have received many nominations which made the task of the Thomas Carr Staff Award panel very difficult, but in the end we felt that there was one very deserving recipient. I am very pleased to announce that this year’s recipient of the Thomas Carr College Staff Award is Mrs Mary Udovicic Mary goes about their work with great enthusiasm and assists all members of the College community. Comments from the nomination forms regarding this person include, Mary: is always helpful and consistent is extremely passionate about the Catholic Identity of the College, along with its

mission is an amazing teacher, colleague and human being has a wonderful rapport and relationship with their students is a great ambassador for the school is compassionate, polite and enthusiastic is committed to the school in both love for the job and the students

Mary is a person who brings vibrancy to all the programs, events and activities associated with being a teacher at Thomas Carr College and most importantly, engages, enthuses and engerises her students 10 Years of Service Awards Michael Albones Michael joined the College in 2006 as a Mathematics, Science and Religious Education teacher, coming to us from the Bena Ben Secondary School in Papua New Guinea. He has a Masters in Physics and Degrees in Education and Science. Michael is currently completing his MBA. Michael has participated in a range of co-curricular programs at the College including the lunchtime Chess Club and the Social Justice program. Edward Cupido Edward begun at the College in 2006 as a Biology, Science teacher after migrating from South Africa in 1988 and then New Zealand in 2006 with his family. He has also taught Maths at the College, as well as holding several Year Level Co-ordinator roles. Edward’s ability to effectively cater to students of a range of ability levels in his classes, along with his engagement in the use of student feedback to inform his practices, planning and design of activities for his students is to be commended. Margaret Knurek Margaret also joined the College in 2006 and was appointed as Head of Music after a distinguished career in the Independent School sector. In this role, Margaret transformed the Music department. Her work with the instrumental music staff and the different bands, ensembles and choirs at the College has certainly put Thomas Carr College at the forefront of some prestigious events including Catholic Education Melbourne’s annual ‘Shine’ concert. Margaret has also been the Musical Director for the Catholic Education Week Mass for three years, along with a number of other significant liturgical celebrations held at the Cathedral. In 2010, Margaret was appointed as Head of Senior School. She has worked closely with all the staff and students under her care and is best remembered by the Year 12s for her reading of story books at assemblies, in particular Dr Seuss’ books. Melissa Sabo Melissa joined the staff of Thomas Carr College in 2006 as Business Studies and Information Technology teacher after meeting then Principal Paul D’Astoli at the University of Melbourne’s Education Careers Expo in 2005. Starting as a first year teacher at the College, Melissa threw herself into her new role. She has taught a variety of subjects and been involved in many co-curricular programs such as Year 7 camps, Thomas Carr Day committee, College productions, the Year 11 Service program and the 40+ Club. In 2007 Melissa was appointed as the Humanities Co-ordinator and in 2012 appointed as the Head of Learning and Teaching for the Senior School.

Michael Albones

Edward Cupido

Margaret Knurek

Melissa Sabo

 

 

Melissa received the wonderful news of pending motherhood and took maternity leave in 2014 and 2015 to spend time with her beautiful little girl Isabel. She is currently on maternity leave after welcoming another daughter Sophie and will return to the College January next year. Tina Alphonso Tina was appointed as an Administration Officer when she began at the College in 2007. She has been described as a person who will go the extra mile for a person in need and who takes on her responsibilities with great enthusiasm and effort. In 2012, Tina was appointed as the Middle School Administrator and earlier this year, in recognition of her work within Student Reception, was appointed as Team Leader for Student Reception. Tina has been involved in a wide range of activities at the College including being the parent representative on the College Board, participating in Working Bees, College productions and the P&F Trivia Nights. Tina is currently the President of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Hoppers Crossing. Through her endeavours with this group, Tina has been instrumental in working with the College to start our own Breakfast Club, which began earlier this week. This initiative will ensure that students who may not have access to a suitable meal of a morning, can start their day off with a nutritious meal. Tina is always willing to assist staff and students who attend Student Reception and this is always done with a warm greeting, a smile and with great appreciation from both staff and students. Michael Ramsay In 2007, Michael joined the College as a PE and Health teacher and the Health and PE Co-ordinator. Michael has held several positions over his time at the College including Assistant Year Level Co-ordinator, Year Level Co-ordinator and ACS coach. Michael’s dedication and enthusiasm as a Year Level Co-ordinator has seen his relationship with students blossom. His willingness to engage in the coaching process and the use of various teaching methodologies to articulate key aspects of the curriculum for his students is commended. Michael has been involved in many of the College’s co-curricular programs including the Year 7 camp, the enrolment interview process, the Year 10 Dinner Dance, the Duke of Edinburgh program and the Year 9 Ski camp. Michael has welcomed daughter Ruby and then son Ashton during his time at the College. Congratulations Michael. Amalea Albones Amalea began at the College as a Science Laboratory Technician on a contract part time basis. Later the same year she also took on a part time teaching role in the Science department for a short period. In 2009, Amalea returned to the College in a full time capacity with a mixed load of teaching and Integration Aide. As a member of the current Student Support team, Amalea has taken on the role of being a mentor to a new team member, contributed to the strong team ethos and worked diligently with the Maths teachers that she supports in the classroom. She has been involved in co-curricular programs such as the Homework Club, Lunchtime Club and Lunchtime Chess Club. Tamara Lourdes Tamara came to the College as an RE, English and SOSE teacher back in 2000. During her time at the College, Tamara has welcomed Chloe now 11, Ayden 9 and Louis 5. Tamara has been involved with many co-curricular activities including the Year 8 Rally Day, Year 10 Youth Days and Work Experience program, Year 12 camps and several College productions. She has also been a member of several committees including the Uniform sub committee, A Night to Shine committee, along with being the Debating Co-ordinator.

Tina Alphonso

Michael Ramsay

Amalea Albones

Tamara Lourdes

 

 

Tamara was also instrumental in writing and working on the English, SOSE and RE curriculum in the College’s early years, as well as being part of the team that created the first Thomas Carr Day. She was also a great contributor to many of the policies and curriculum that we have today. Barbara Reithofer Barbara was appointed as the Assistant Business Manager within the College’s Finance Office when she began at the College in 2007. In 2011, she was appointed as the Finance Manager to provide financial and administrative support and to manage the day to day activities of the financial team. She has been described as an effective and diligent worker who takes on her responsibilities with great enthusiasm and effort. Barbara is instrumental in the preparation of reports for the annual Audits and the Annual Financial Statement. She also completed her Diploma of Management in 2012. Eileen O’Shea Eileen commenced in 2006 along with so many others. She came to Thomas Carr College with a lovely Irish accent and the desire to educate students in English, History and Geography. It is interesting that Eileen also teaches Irish but she has never had the opportunity in Australia. During her time at the College, Eileen has been actively supportive of our Catholic Identity. Last year Eileen completed her Doctorate investigating the role of women in the early Catholic Church. This is indeed a great achievement. Michelle Simmons Michelle come to Thomas Carr College 10 years ago from Siena College to teach Visual Arts. Over the past 10 years she has worked effectively with some of our most talented artist, driving them to produce outstanding art works as is exhibited each year the annual Thomas Carr College Art Show. Michelle has been instrumental in planning and developing our Art Shows. Her passion for the Arts is displayed during all her classes as she engages our students in the various mediums used throughout the Art curriculum. 20 Years of Service Award As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we also acknowledge a staff member who has seen the College grow from inception to the thriving place it is today. Lucy Banks is intrinsically linked with the College as a foundation staff member. Starting in January 1997 as a full time School Secretary, she was then appointed Principal’s Secretary in 1998. In 2000, Lucy moved to the role of Registrar, which she still holds today. I am sure that Lucy could attest to the struggles that all staff and students endured when they began at the College’s temporary site in 1997. To be part of this early team would have been an extraordinary experience for anyone, and knowing Lucy as we do, we know she jumped in “boots and all” to make the best of any situation. Lucy was also one of the first parents of the College with her son Ian being one of our original 72 students. Lucy’s faith in the establishments and the development of a new secondary College for the west never waivered and she has continued to actively promote Thomas Carr College within the community. Lucy has played a significant role in many of the College’s major events over the past 20 years, including ‘A Night to Shine’, Graduation, Open Days, official openings and productions. She has a wealth of knowledge regarding the history of the College and implements this in moving the College forward in the 21st century. She was a vital resource for Larry Burn when he was writing the history of Thomas Carr College. Congratulations Lucy on being the first staff member of Thomas Carr College to give 20 years of service.

Barbara Reithofer

Eileen O’Shea

Michelle Simmons

Lucy Banks

 

 

Good Samaritan Campus All families, particularly our Year 8 families, are invited to attend our Good Samaritan Campus Mass and Open Day to be held on Sunday August 14. The day will commence with Mass at 11.00am to be celebrated by Bishop Peter Connors, Emeritus Bishop of Ballarat, followed by the official launch of “From Convent to Country Campus: The Story of St Brendan’s Convent Coragulac and Thomas Carr College”. This book has been written by Mr Larry Burn our College Chaplain and provides a great history of the Good Samaritan Convent. The Campus will then be open for inspection until 2.00pm. This is a great opportunity for all members of the College community to see our wonderful Country campus, particularly the parents of our Year 8 students. Student Achievements Claudia Abela in Year 12 has qualified for the National Dance Competitions with her outstanding results in the recent 'Follow Your Dreams Dance Competition'. Claudia received 2nd Place in the Lyrical section, 2nd Place in the Jazz section, an Honourable Mention in the Contemporary section and the biggest award of all 'Senior Dance Champion'. This outstanding result is testament to Claudia's hard work and dedication to her dance. Principal’s Review On Monday August 22, a Summative Review of my role as Principal of Thomas Carr College will take place. The purpose of the review is in accordance with the contract under which I am employed which states in Clause 8.6.1 that “In the penultimate year of the Principal’s contract, a summative appraisal of the Principal’s performance will be conducted. The particular focus of this appraisal will be on the provision of advice to the Church Authority in the matter of a further contract for the Principal.” Thomas Carr College engages in the School Improvement Framework process of Catholic Education Melbourne. The five spheres that are the focus of this process are: Education in Faith Learning and Teaching Student and Staff Wellbeing Leadership and Management School community

These areas will form the focus for my Summative Review. The Review Panel The panel that will conduct the Review comprises: Mrs Connie Skinner, nominee of the Canonical Administrators Mr Damian McKew, nominee of the Principal, (Principal of Clonard College) Ms Victoria Myers, nominee of the Executive Director of Catholic Education and

Panel Chair As part of the review process, feedback from staff will be sought via interviews and an online survey. Parents may also provide feedback to the Review Panel by: a) requesting an interview on Monday August 22. This can be done by contacting my

Personal Assistant, Ms Deller on 8734 2408 b) by sending an email with constructive feedback to the Panel Chair at

vmyers@cem.edu.au prior to August 22 From the Acting Deputy Principal  Mr Scarlata 2017 Subject Selection Process The 2017 subject selection process will soon come to an end for all students. Current Years 9, 10 and 11 students needs to ensure that their subject selection paperwork is finalised and submitted by Tuesday August 16. Our current Year 10 students have their Course Advice Day today and I hope that this will assist them and their parents in making their final choices for 2017.

Claudia Abela

 

 

I would like to thank and congratulate Mr Le Roux, the Heads of Learning and other members of the Learning and Teaching team for the hard work, planning and support they have put into ensuring that students and parents have been well guided and informed about the subject selection process. Emergency Drill On Tuesday the College held its most recent emergency drill. This is something we like to practice at least once a term so that we can ensure the whole College community is aware of the processes that need to be followed to ensure safety is a priority. The lockdown went well and both staff and students should be commended for the manner in which they participated and followed the correct processes. Legally Blonde The College’s musical production for this year is ‘Legally Blonde’. The production will be performed on August 25, 26 and 27. It is going to be a great production and I encourage all members of the College community to purchase a ticket and support the staff and young performers who have been working so hard on it. I would like to thank Mr Morse, his staff helpers and all the students involved for the hard work they have put in to date and I wish them well for the performances. Tickets for the performance can be purchased via the following link: www.trybooking.com/LXFA Staff Faith Day As well as having Religious Education as a subject at each year level, each level also has a Reflection Day during the course of the year. On these days they can explore various aspect of Catholic faith and values. As a Catholic community, the staff also need to nurture our own faith and model this to our community. Each year all staff participate in an annual Staff Faith Day, usually with an internationally renowned guest speaker. This is an opportunity for our teaching and support staff to engage further in historical biblical criticis, exploring the big ideas and questions for deeper theological understanding. This year the Staff Faith Day was held on Friday July 29 at Emmanuel College, Point Cook. The staff of Thomas Carr College and Emmanuel College joined together to listen to the main presenter for the day, Dr Ernesto Valiente, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at Boston College, Massachusetts. Dr Valiente’s teaching and research interests include Christology, Soteriology, Theologies of Reconciliation, Political theology and Latin American theology, with a particular interest in Liberation theology. Among his recent publications is “Liberation through Reconciliation: Jon Sobrino’s Christological Spirituality” (Fordham University Press, 2014). During the course of the day Dr Valiente explored the following themes: The Ministry of Jesus and the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God Jesus’s Cross and Resurrection Quest for the Historical Jesus

It was an enriching, challenging and fulfulling day. Our thanks go to the staff of Emmanuel College for hosting our staff and to Dr Valiente for providing such a thought provoking and enlightening presentation.  Mobile Phones and Phone Calls We ask for parent’s support and remind them of the College policy regarding the use of mobile phones. Mobile phones are to be switched off and placed in student lockers during the school day. If a student is found to have a mobile phone with them during any part of the day, the mobile phone will be confiscated and submitted to Main Administration for collection by a parent or guardian. A consequence will also be issued to students who fail to comply with this expectation.

Dr Ernesto Valiente

 

 

Parents who need to contact their son/daughter may ring the College and a message will be emailed to the student if urgent. Students will not be called from class to take phone calls. 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 Dante Di Marco, Barok Ermias, Dylan Estepa, Lilly Mercieca, Ayden

Micallef Year 8 Rhys Bennet, Lorraine Fereti, Natasha Smith, Panos Roidis, Alex Lapina Year 9 Michelle Diep, Peter Tomelty, Sam Egger, Kashia Houli, Elijah SimanganYear 10 Elizabeth Howell Year 11 Jack Butler, Bree Duncan-Smith, Antonia Muscat Year 12 Justin Muscat, Jordan Depetro, Austin Deppeler, Megan D’Souza,

Jessica Gatt From the Business Manager Ms O’Neill Fee Payments We understand that families’ financial circumstances can change. If you are experiencing difficulty with meeting your commitment to pay fees, it is important that you contact Ms Kruse on 8734 2427 without delay. Parents shouldn’t feel embarrassed about speaking up; it is important that you maintain communication with us at all times. From the Acting Director of Learning & Teaching Mr Le Roux Year 10 Course Advice Day Thank you to the students, parents and staff who will make this year’s Course Advice Day so successful. I know that many Year 10 students have given serious consideration to their future learning and ensured that they investigated their subjects. We will shortly be in a position to begin processing the Subject Selection data. In the final weeks of the school year, students will experience their first week of Year 11 classes where they will receive outlines of the courses and holiday homework. A successful Head Start program will certainly be aided by students having made appropriate selections of subjects and I anticipate minimal subject changes as a result. Study Techniques One of the biggest mistakes made by students across the weeks leading up to the exams lies in the way they approach their learning, and in how they use the available time. The majority of students will commence their learning sessions by preparing a solid set of notes. They spend countless hours condensing information from all of the resources available to them, and as their learning progresses, spend considerable amounts of time re-writing materials to produce summaries and even summaries of summaries!

 

 

So what options are available to those students who do not possess a solid set of notes from which to study or learn? The suggestion is that students use their school notes and text books as their learning notes and I encourage parents/guardians to help them adopt the following strategies: Step 1: Read through a small section of the notes/texts slowly and out loud. Take the time to understand the material that you will be committing to memory. Step 2: Read through the same set of material out loud. Then vocalise what you are learning in their own words i.e. relay what you have just learned/reviewed to your dog, cat or imaginary friend! Step 3: Highlight important sections and fundamental concepts that need to be reviewed again, as well as those sections that you are not confident with by using a yellow highlighter pen. Step 4: Within 24 hours, re-read and re-vocalise the yellow highlighted sections from the previous day’s materials. As your understanding of the examinable materials improves, many of the sections highlighted in yellow will not be deemed as critical and will be excluded from summaries prepared. However, rather than wasting valuable time re-writing the more critical materials, we suggest that students re-highlight the important points using a darker highlighter such as green. Step 5: Within 7 days, re-read and re-vocalise the green highlighted sections from the materials studied the week before. Highlight important/challenging sections using an even darker highlighter colour such as pink. Step 6: Before the exams, read through and vocalise the sections in your notes/texts that have been highlighted in pink. If there is sufficient time, read through/vocalise the sections in green and yellow as well. By using this technique you can produce 3 summaries without re-writing one word. After doing this, it is then recommend that students spend the available time practising questions from as many sources as possible. It is the active learning and working through questions that will make the biggest impact on their examination results, not writing and re-writing materials. What’s Your Learning Style? Use this 20 question interactive self-assessment to discover what you're good at and where you may have room for improvement. Identify the things that interest you and get some ideas about careers to explore. Based on what you learn about yourself, you can pursue educational and career goals that bring long term satisfaction. http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml From the Director of Student Services Mrs McCarthy MyCareerMatch Over the last few weeks, all Year 10 students completed MyCareerMatch which was aimed at helping the students to get to know themselves and find a career pathway that best fits them. This program helps young people to discover personal strengths and employability skills by connecting their personal skills with careers linked to MyFuture, by building a positive self-image and confidence and by encouraging parents, Career Advisers and students to have a positive and well-informed career discussion.

The information provided by MyCareerMatch, together with the Year 10s recent Work Experience last term, should enable Year 10 students to embark more confidently on the SubjectSselection process for 2017 and also on future career pathways.

Upon completion of the MyCareerMatch, the program provides students with an 8 page Career Report that includes: how to choose a career that’s right for them a personality analysis and summary of their natural strengths a list of over 50 jobs that match who they are and what they would be good at

 

 

live links to the MyFuture website to research each job listed insights into their work-related strengths and ideal work environment the qualities they would bring to the job and how they make a difference a student workbook

This year, the Careers team will be sending a copy of the MyCareerMatch profile by email to all Year 10 parents. I encourage all parents to discuss this with your son or daughter. Breakfast Club The Student Services Department, in partnership with the St Vincent de Paul’s Conference at St James the Apostle Parish, is delighted to announce the commencement of a Breakfast Club at Thomas Carr College.

In recent months, Wellbeing staff have become increasingly concerned by the large numbers of students arriving at school without having had breakfast. Research confirms that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for students’ health, but not all our students are able to have breakfast for different reasons. Breakfast is important in re-fuelling the body with energy and nutrients, kick-starting the day. Children and young people who have eaten breakfast can concentrate better and have a longer attention span, helping them to learn and study better. They can also perform better physically after eating breakfast as there is more energy available to their muscles. Breakfast can improve behaviour and mood, as young people have better concentration and are not tired or hungry throughout their busy day.

To date, we have had a very steady stream of young people avail themselves of the Breakfast Club. We are now getting well over 60 young people each morning and numbers continue to rise. The Breakfast Club is staffed by both St Vincent de Paul volunteers from St James and College staff. This is yet another great example of a great partnership between the College and the parish of St James and we are indeed very grateful to St Vincent de Paul for their sponsorship of this exemplary initiative.

The Breakfast Club is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the College Dining Room from 8.00am to 8.30am. There is no charge to students as the St Vincent de Paul Society is kindly sponsoring this great initiative. We will review the Breakfast Club at the end of the year and will consider extending it in 2017. Victorian Child Safety Standards: Respecting our Learning Environment There are many reasons why parents, carers and community members visit the campus during the day. We value the relationships we have with our parent and community and welcome them to our College, however, to ensure the safety of our children and young people, it is important to be able to identify all adults on the school grounds. We do this by issuing visitor passes during school hours. All parents, carers and visitors to the College are respectfully reminded to sign in at Main Administration if they are visiting the College so that you can be issued with a Visitors Pass. Thank you for ensuring that our learning environments and property are respected by all. From the Student Wellbeing Team Ms Chitima On July 22, the current Indigenous students travelled to the Korin Gamadji Institute (KGI), Richmond Football Club, to participate in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students in Catholic Schools Day.

The following is a summary of the day written by Chloe James:

The day started with various presenters from the CEOM and Indigenous Elders teaching us about our culture and heritage. We were then placed into groups and participated in a 3 activity rotation, boxing fit, Songlines and dancing. We also got an opportunity to listen to the Mullum Mullum Gathering Place Elders Choir who sang very well.

Overall, it was a really great day, meeting well known people throughout the Indigenous Community, and having the chance to meet other Indigenous students from Catholic Schools.

The Breakfast Club

Indigenous excursion

 

 

From the Head of Senior School Mrs Knurek This term we begin the process of student leadership for 2017. Our Senior School Leadership is a focus at the moment in Year 11 and the Pastoral Care Program has featured sessions on Leadership qualities and resilience. Information about applications and the selection process for College Captains in 2017 will be explained to Year 11 students as part of a Leadership assembly on Friday August 12. Students interested in the position of College Captain or Vice Captain are required to complete and submit an application form addressing set criteria by Tuesday August 23. Those who go through to the next stage will be interviewed by senior staff on Monday August 29. The final applicants will address their year level on Friday September 2 during their Pastoral Care period and voting will then take place. The College Captains for 2017 will be announced at the end of term assembly on Thursday September 15. Each College Captain is expected to embody the aims and ideals of the College community. They are expected to provide leadership to and be a role model for fellow students. College Captains and Vice Captains will report regularly to the Head of Senior School, Deputy Principal and Principal as required. College Captains and Vice Captains are expected to: Represent the College at functions Assist with the organisation and running of College and School Assemblies,

meetings, Information Nights, Open Days and similar Attend SRC meetings and be responsible for running the SRC Executive meetings Work closely with staff and students to encourage student participation in College

events Organise reports for the Annual and ‘The Beacon’ Perform other duties as required by Head of School, Deputy Principal or Principal. Nominating students should be able to demonstrate: Leadership qualities Pride in the College Enthusiasm Excellent communication and listening skills Exemplary role modeling within the College and in the outside community Excellent organisational skills

Practice Examinations As part of our preparation of our Year 12 VCE students for their final examinations in November, they will be expected to participate in a number of practice exams (past exam papers) under exam conditions. This experience of sitting trial examinations has proven to be invaluable in preparing students for the end of year examination period. Students are also encouraged to download additional past examination papers from the VCAA website and to complete these at home. Letters giving specific details of the individual subjects will be sent home. Please note that these are compulsory and that students will be required to remain at school on selected Wednesday or Thursday afternoons this term. Any student who is absent on the days set for their subjects is required to have a medical certificate. Students who have been approved by Ms Sherlock as a Non-Scored VCE student will not be required to sit these examinations. Year 12 Information About Schoolies Week As part of our Pastoral Care program, Year 12 Students will participate in a seminar conducted by the Red Frogs organszation on Friday August 19. This is one of our support strategies for educating, preparing and equipping Year 12s about the realities of Schoolies Week and life after school. The session aims to empower students to make positive and informed choices based on real life insights. Additional fact sheets have been made available through Catholic Education Melbourne and copies will be available at the compulsory Year 12 Graduation Parent Information Night on August 18. For more information on staying healthy and looking after your friends, visit the Schoolies website www.schoolies.youthcentral.vic.gov.au and/or Victoria Police’s website www.go4zero.vic.gov.au/

School Captains Luke Gleeson and Amy Bongetti

 

 

Compulsory Year 12 Graduation Information Evening Parents are reminded of the compulsory meeting for all students graduating from Thomas Carr College on Thursday August 18 at 6.30pm upstairs in the Bruce Runnalls Centre. At least one parent/guardian must attend this night at which we will outline our expectations of students over the final weeks of their secondary schooling at Thomas Carr College. There will be a number of guest presenters including a representative of the Victoria Police. As was outlined in a letter from the Principal last term, students who do not attend with a parent/guardian will not be able to participate in the graduation events and ceremonies. Senior School ACS and Year 11 Service Program The Year 11 component of the ACS program and Service Program concludes on Wednesday August 24. As of Wednesday August 31, Year 11 students will be dismissed from the College at the conclusion of Period 4 (12.45pm). Some students may be involved in ACS All Stars Presentations on Wednesday September 7. More information will be provided to these students in the coming weeks. It is imperative that all students are actively engaged in thorough examination preparation in the lead up to the end of year examinations and it is expected that they use this time efficiently and effectively to study at home.

Year 10 students will remain at the College and participate in a special sporting program on Wednesday afternoons until November. Wednesday November 2 and 9 will be supervised private study for their examinations. Year 10 ‘Italian Day Out’ Excursion Ciao! Mi chiamo Zara Gibson. On Tuesday July 19, my Year 10 Italian class and I attended the Italian Day Out at the Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre, in Preston. Throughout the day we listened to multiple guest speakers explaining to us the advantages of learning Italian in University, the opportunities it gives us and why we should continue it in VCE. We also had the opportunity to interact with students from the other schools that attended. During the day we played Kahoot, then I was selected to represent the College to answer comprehension questions from a video we had watched. I achieved a result of second out of all the schools represented. Before lunch we watched the film ‘Manuale d'amore’, an Italian romantic comedy. We also had the chance to try chocolate and lemon gelati which was delicious before going into the theatre to watch a band perform some famous Italian songs. Overall the day was interesting and enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it to future Year 10 Italian students. On behalf of my class, I would like to thank Signorina Parcesepe for organising our participation in the event and Signorina Zanca for attending with us. Homework Help Students are welcome to attend Senior School Homework Help every Tuesday in the Information Centre from 3.20pm to 4.30pm to stay on top of your studies.  

Date Week Teachers Subjects

Aug 16 6 Mr Dalley, Ms Parcesepe, Ms Singh, Ms Kaur, Ms Sherlock

Drama, Italian, English, Maths

Aug 23 7 Ms Mercica, Mr Loughran, Ms Shaw, Mr Scarlata, Ms Sherlock

English, Literature, Indonesian, Biology

Aug 30 8 Ms Atwood, Mr Pesko, Ms Sherlock English, Maths, Chemistry

Sept 6 9 Mr Cathcart, Ms Mocan, Ms Sherlock English, Maths

Sept 13 10 Ms Sherlock, Ms McIntyre English, Math Methods

Italian Excursion

 

 

From the Acting Head of Middle School Ms Solier Uniform Expectations Please be advised that we have updated our Uniform Procedure to include this statement:

“Students are advised that if they do not have a PE uniform item, then full normal College uniform is expected to be worn and a change for participation in practical classes to occur.” All other expectations remain the same in regards to uniform and we expect that our students wear it appropriately and with pride. Middle School Leadership Opportunities On August 19, Year 8 students will have a Pastoral Care lesson on the value of leadership. During this time, current leaders in Year 9, including our Middle School Captains Drashti Shah and James Mallia, will speak to the students about the importance of leadership, the responsibilities it comes with and the personal development that occurs with such opportunities.

Year 8 students are strongly encouraged to consider their own leadership potential, not only in leadership roles, but also in their general behaviour. Applications for Middle School Captains close at 9.00am on August 23. We would also encourage students to begin to think about other leadership opportunities within the school, including but not limited to College Ambassadors, Liturgy and Social Justice Captains, House Captains (at Year 9), Peer Support and SRC. At Thomas Carr College, we offer a wide variety of leadership opportunities at every year level and all students are encouraged to make an appropriate application should they have leadership potential. CareMonkey A big thank you to parents that have already signed up to CareMonkey and used it to accept permission notes. I urge all parents who have yet to sign up to Care Monkey to do this as a matter of urgency as we have a number of events coming up that do require the App to be used for permission slips. Due to the nature of our duty of care, we are unable to take students on excursion that do not have a CareMonkey profile or who have not accepted the permission form. Students may receive consequences for non attendance to these events and like any other school event day, if a student is absent we do require a Medical Certificate. If you are unable to create a profile or need assistance with this, we ask that you contact Student Reception for support. Country Experience Students have once again begun their visits to our Good Samaritan Campus. 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 is on learning through doing. Activities and project work will be based around the local Coragulac and Otway environments of lake, coast and forest. Complementing experiential learning in each of these environments will be a further focus on community living centred on day to day life on the Campus. Please find below the class and dates that will be attending the Good Samaritan Campus during the Assumption Term. 9 Red August 22 to August 26 August 29 to September 2 September 5 to September 9 *Please refer to the College website under the ‘Middle School’ menu for updates and further information.

Middle School Captains James Mallia and Drashi Sha

 

 

Year 8 Shine Program During the Assumption Term, students travel to the Medibank Ice House in Docklands. Here they will experience a day consisting of a lesson in ice skating, followed by a choice of either ice hockey or curling. Students will receive professional instruction from qualified coaches in ice skating, within their respective ability. They will learn to overcome personal challenges by putting their physical abilities to the test. Once confident they will play either a game of ice hockey for those more confident skaters or curling for intermediate skaters. Subject Selection

Year 7 and 8 students will begin their Subject Selection process during the Assumption Term. Further information about Subject Selection can be found on our College website under ‘Learning and Teaching’ and we would advise that you use this to inform subject selection choices. From the College Chaplain Mr Burn Chaplain’s Corner For some years now our Year 11 students have been supporting the work of the Ozanam House Community Centre in North Melbourne. This Centre provides a number of services to homeless and needy people in the inner city. A major activity, and the one our students help out in, is the daily breakfast and lunch service to anyone who comes in off the street. The Centre also provides a range of medical and social services, facilities for showering and washing clothes and recreational activities for clients. The Centre is open five days a week, Monday to Friday. This week I accompanied four Year 11 students Marko Vekic Jordan Dinkovski, Tracy Kaye and James Restelli (pictured right) to Ozanam House. Their main role was to help in serving lunch. On Wednesday, 115 lunches were served between 12noon and 1.00pm at the Centre. Like all our students who go to the Centre, this week’s four were filled with a degree of apprehension as they approached the unknown. The drive into North Melbourne provided a good opportunity to explain what they would do and what might be expected of them as volunteers. Our students’ apprehension quickly turned to confidence as they were greeted in a friendly manner by staff leader Maria and briefed on what they had to do and what to expect. As they served the food it was apparent from our students’ smiles and conversation that they were enjoying the experience. The staff and several of the clients showed their appreciation for the students. It was good for them to see young people working in the service of others in such a happy way. Talking as we drove back to the College, it was clear that the experience had a profound effect on them. Their encounter with people in great need was perhaps the first opportunity they have had for such a direct experience of people in need. They all agreed that they enjoyed the experience and they would like to go again. Our students had a positive experience of the work of the Church for people in great need.

Homeroom Date

8 Blue Monday August 22

8 Gold Monday August 22

8 Green Monday August 29

8 Jade Monday August 29

8 Purple Friday August 26

8 Red Friday August 26

8 Silver Thursday August 25

8 White Thursday August 25

Ozanam House Volunteers

 

 

From the Parents and Friends Association Mrs Gleeson Local Matters Jar at Grill’d Werribee For the month of August, community members are able to add to the ‘Local Matters’ jar at Grill’d, Pacific Werribee. Please support the College by dropping in a token on your next visit to raise additional money for the College. Community NewsVote Now for Thomas Carr College in the 2016 CUA Community Care School Grants Program

Thomas Carr College has entered the 2016 CUA Community Care School Grants Program for the chance to win $5,000 to go towards the purchasing of a portable sound system and microphones. Drama students currently study and work in two large rooms contained in demountable building with minimal equipment whilst the sound system currently used is a home theatre audio system which is non portable. The new portable sound system is a vital component in the establishment of our new Arts Centre equipment and will allow classes to practice in other areas of the school.

The College is up against 8 other schools in the area to take out the $5,000 prize and, as the winner is determined by community voting, we need your votes! To vote or to learn more about the program and our project proposal, visit www.cuacommunitycare.com.au and select Thomas Carr College from the drop-down menu. Alternatively you can click on the link on the Thomas Carr College website. You can place your vote via this website or go to the local CUA branch at Pacific Werribee. Every person can vote once online AND once in the branch. Also, voting is open to anyone so please feel free to get friends and families involved and voting. Voting closes at 4:30pm (AEST) on Tuesday August 23. So, place your votes and help us be in with a good chance of winning $5,000 to improve our school! Uniform Shop 30% off white school shirts with the old College logo, including all styles for both boys and girls. Please note that we only have limited stock and sizes available and there are no refunds on stock. For more information please call Michelle on 9749 5969 or at thomascarr@midford.com.au Lions Youth of the Year Quest The Lions Club of Point Cook Inc. is offering local students an opportunity to participate in the Lions Youth of the Year Quest. Young people between the ages of 15 and 19 years of age as at June 30, 2016, are eligible to enter. This is a prestigious event for young people, which boasts many high profile Australians amongst the ranks of former entrants. These include former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, former Premier of Queensland Peter Beattie, ABCs Sabra Lane and Senator Simon Birmingham. Through entering the program, which is now in its 50th year, students will have an unequalled opportunity to experience an interview situation in a friendly atmosphere and a chance to practice their public speaking skills. Quest entrants are also given the opportunity to progress through several levels beginning with a local club judging and culminating in a National Final. Point Cook Lions will be conducting their local club judging on September 18 and 19. Initial judging will take place on Sunday September 18 and oral presentations and final judging will take place on Monday September 19 at a Dinner Meeting. A Youth of the Year winner and Public Speaking Award will then be decided. The Youth of the Year winner will then have an opportunity to progress to the next level of competition. Deadline for contestant entries will be September 12. Further information can be found at http://lionsclubs.org.au/activities/youth/yoty/