We come to the end of Term 3, and we have again as a College community navigated our way through challenging and unique times. However, thankfully we have done so in a composed, unified and connected way. For that, I thank and congratulate the entire CRCCS community of staff, students, parents/carers and families.

Please view the Term 3 Principal's Video Message below:

I would again like to congratulate our students, who have been so resilient as they have had to undergo another extended period of remote learning. The vast majority of students have been very engaged, present and involved in their learning. A big thank you also to parents and families who have supported the students through their remote learning journey this term.

I would also like to express my thanks and gratitude to our teaching staff, who have again gone above and beyond this term to ensure students have had a positive learning experience, albeit in very challenging circumstances. They have worked long hours and have tirelessly rewritten curriculum, course outlines and assessment tasks to accommodate on-going remote learning. They have also undertaken various new and contemporary modes of pedagogical delivery, including the use of flipped learning, video conferencing and MS teams throughout this period to enhance the students' learning experiences. These key learnings will ultimately have long term benefits for the College and will enhance future learning and teaching experiences.

We also thank the College IT, Maintenance, Counselling, Learning Diversity, Library, Support, Administration and Leadership teams who have been actively working on-site throughout this term. They have done an exceptional job throughout the entire term and worked actively to prepare the College for the possible return to on-site learning.

Term 4 arrangements

As you would be aware, the State government has not yet released its 'Roadmap' for a possible return to on-site learning. When this 'Roadmap' is released, the College will communicate with families how this will impact on our students, as well as key dates and arrangements for Term 4. As a College community, we are fully committed to working to provide our students with the best possible learning opportunities during these challenging times.

Office hours during school holidays

The College office and Reception area will remain open throughout the Term 3 school holidays from 8:30am to 3:30pm each day. However, strict guidelines pertaining to parents only being on-site for pre-approved meetings in extenuating circumstances are in place, including adherence to strict health and safety guidelines.

Vaccinations

Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs is committed to the safety and wellbeing of our school community.

We receive regular guidance from the Catholic Education Commission Victoria (CECV) as our governing authority to ensure that our school practices are aligned with health advice from the Australian and Victorian governments, to limit the spread of coronavirus.

At the present time, the Victorian Government’s advice is that:

• COVID-19 vaccines are free, safe and voluntary. The more people who choose to get vaccinated, the greater the protection for those vaccinated and the whole community.
• The best person to talk to if you have concerns about your health and being vaccinated against COVID-19 is your doctor/general practitioner (GP).

Consistent with this advice, COVID-19 vaccinations are not currently mandated in Victorian Catholic schools. I would echo the advice’s recommendation about speaking to a doctor or general practitioner regarding any concerns. Comprehensive information on the COVID-19 vaccines is also available from the Australian Government.

Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs will keep the school community up to date should the advice on vaccinations from the Australian or Victorian government change.

I thank you for your support over the last 18 months as we have worked through the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

Expressions of Interest to join new Federation School Advisory Council

All the Catholic parish and diocesan schools in the Melbourne Archdiocese are now under the guidance and governance of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS). In keeping with the objectives of the MACS Constitution, which states “The good work of educating the young, undertaken in the light of the Gospel, is a co-responsible task led by every member of the Catholic school community”, the School Advisory Council provides a crucial point of connection and support between the wider school community and school leaders.

The Federation of Catholic Regional Colleges are committed to maintaining the collective mission that began over 40 years ago to provide the best Catholic Secondary Education for the families in our local parishes and communities. We are seeking to establish a Federation School Advisory Council that continues to represent all four Colleges. Once the Federation School Advisory Council is established, each of the four Colleges will then, at a later date, look to establish an additional School Advisory Council at the local level.

While the School Advisory Council does not have governance responsibility or decision-making authority, it supports the Principals and School Leadership teams, and provides an important connection to the parish.

Please note that with the growth in the Melton-Bacchus Marsh corridor, MACS and CRC Melton have made the decision that CRC Melton will develop a new campus in the Cobblebank area (construction is about to begin) to create their own Federation. Therefore, effectively from this point forward, CRC Melton is no longer an active part of the CRC Federation, and is in the process of selecting a new name and uniform, amongst other things, to take effect from 2022.

A letter to parents/carers inviting expressions of interest to join the Federation School Advisory Council is available through this link.

My fellow Principals and I strongly encourage parents/carers to consider undertaking this important service. If you would like to receive an information pack to help your deliberations, about whether to apply to join the Federation SAC, please email FederationSAC@crcnk.vic.edu.au.

Staffing News

I would like to take the opportunity to wish our College Maintenance Officer John Sedgeway all the best on his retirement, as he concludes with us today. John began at the College in 2015, and we sincerely thank him for his outstanding contribution to our College and wish him all the best for the future.

We also wish Melissa Kennedy (Executive Assistant to the Principal) all the best as she begins her maternity leave.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome the following staff members to the CRCCS school community:

• Dean Cassar (Property Manager)
• Raoul Trento (Maintenance Officer)

As always, when a new staff members begin they bring a diverse range of knowledge, gifts and talents to share with our school community. We wish all Dean and Raoul all the best as they start their journey at Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs.

Once again, I thank you for your patience, support and understanding throughout Term 3 and the entire year, in these unique circumstances. I assure you that I, along with all staff at CRC Caroline Springs, are doing our utmost to support your child and we will continue to provide the best possible learning outcomes for all.

May God bless you and your family.

Lord, bestow on us Your heavenly grace to be able to resist the temptation
to slide into the abyss when worry, fear and doubt overcome us.
Let us return to you Lord our Almighty Saviour.
You bring life and love to our soul.

Let us be still in Your presence, pray for Your mercy, clarity, and peace.

You Lord are forever faithful.
You Lord will not abandon us.
You Lord by Your Cross has set us free from eternal suffering

Amen.

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

On Wednesday 14 September, we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (The Triumph of the Cross). It might seem morbid or even scandalous to many that we exalt a Cross – a symbol of great torture in Roman times. So, why do we celebrate this feast? It is for a similar reason that we remember the many women and men who sacrificed their lives in war on days like ANZAC Day or Remembrance Day. These women and men suffered in fighting for a greater good. Their suffering was an act of love for their country and the values they believed in. Jesus himself said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Similarly, Pope Francis is his Apostolic letter – Patris Corde stated:

“We can relate to the Doctors, nurses, storekeepers and supermarket workers, cleaning personnel, caregivers, transport workers, men and women working to provide essential services and public safety, volunteers, priests, men and women religious, and so very many others. How many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday ways, how to accept and deal with a crisis by adjusting their routines, looking ahead and encouraging the practice of prayer. How many are praying, making sacrifices and interceding for the good of all”

In our Catholic faith the crucifix is such a powerful reminder of the Christ’s immense love he has for all of us and the hope of sharing in His resurrection. It is only through Jesus’ death that He was able to rise. This is why we hang crucifixes in our homes, our schools and especially and most importantly inside our churches. To constantly remind us of Christ’s love and sacrifice. In fact, in every Holy Mass we participate in Christ’s death and resurrection.

We know that our lives are full of suffering, full of crosses big and small. Sacrifices we make daily. Sometimes we have no explanation as to why we suffer, but when we gaze on the Cross, we can offer all our sufferings to Him, knowing that through Christ’s death came His resurrection, and in our suffering there is always hope. Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." 

Let us thank God for all the wonderful sacrifices many have made during this pandemic at the service of others.

Reflection – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (1 min 17 sec)

Naming of new 2022 Year 7 Homeroom stream

Dear Parents/Carers,

The College is introducing an extra Year 7 stream in 2022.  As a valued member of our College community, you are invited to fill in the following survey form (link below) to nominate prospective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person/place for the naming of this new stream.

Please refer to the required criteria (in question 4 of the survey) and ensure that the proposed persons/places are appropriate. Nominations and a short summary as to how your nomination meets the set criteria, are to be completed by no later than Friday 17 September.

Please feel free to contact Mr Paul Sammut (Head of Faith and Mission) at psammut@crccs.vic.edu.au , if you have any questions or require further clarification.

Survey - Naming of new Year 7 Homeroom Stream

Gospel Reflection

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

Mark 9:30-37

Interim reports will be made available to parents/carers after 4:30pm on Thursday 16 September via SEQTA Engage. The report will provide a summary of progress made during the 10 weeks of Term 3. Term 3 predominantly consisted of Remote Learning for students.

The work habits each student has been graded upon are described in greater detail below:

Demonstrates academic improvement

Please note, for the Pastoral Care report, the work habit "Demonstrates academic improvement" should be interpreted as "Demonstrates personal growth".

Applies effort

• Attempts all tasks
• Maintains attention in class
• Participates in class
• Cooperates and collaborates in class
  

Manages personal learning

• Brings correct materials to class
• Organisation
• Satisfactory completion of set homework, in a timely manner
• Seeks teacher support as required
  

Demonstrates appropriate behaviour

• Punctuality
• Works respectfully with peers and teachers
  

If you have any questions regarding your child’s report, please contact their subject teacher to discuss further.

Term 3 has reinforced the importance of connection and partnership between school and home, teachers, and families. During this time, the ability of teachers to collaborate with and support parents as well as parents’ ability to support children has proved crucial to maintaining motivation and engagement in the classroom.

Results from PISA 2018 suggest that by providing high levels of emotional support, parents can play a significant role in the development of their children’s learning attitudes. By supporting the efforts of students in schools and encouraging them to be confident, parents can boost students’ self-efficacy, goals, motivation, sense of belonging and the value they place on school. 

The pandemic has been a reminder of the resilience of our students and teachers, and the incredible opportunities for learning that present themselves in our everyday lives. Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs community thanks you for your continued support throughout this challenging term.

Semester Two Examinations 2021 Cancelled

Within the rapidly evolving circumstances and an uncertain duration of disruption, we understand that students and parents are concerned about Semester Two examinations.

It is to be noted that students are undergoing higher than usual levels of stress, as well as mental fatigue due to the fear of virus exposure. Motivation is also made more difficult due to inconsistent onsite teacher face to face coaching and contact throughout this term.

Another consideration for making this decision is the regained learning time at the end of the Term 4. This extra time will be dedicated to revising and consolidating previous content covered throughout this semester.  

The College has therefore decided to cancel Semester Two Examinations for Year 8, Year 9, and Year 10 students. Considerations for making this decision are based, most and foremost on the safety, health, and social emotional wellbeing of our students.

We would encourage students to spend some time away from computer screens during the term break, ready to commence next term feeling refreshed and motivated for the remainder of the year.

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact the College.

School photos are being held on Tuesday 5 October and Friday 8 October.

The above photo dates are subject to change due to the possibility of remote learning continuing in Term 4. Parents and students will be notified during the holiday period if changes are made. Parents will receive an email from MSP Photography with our online ordering process over the school holidays. Students will not receive a hard copy form to order photos this year. This is to help with the ever-changing restrictions. Family photos can be ordered online also.

Students are to wear full CRCCS winter uniform with blazer, but no jumper on their allocated photo day. Sport and group participants will be notified via SEQTA notices about uniform requirements for their photos.

Uniform reminders:

• Boys – trousers (preferred), tie, blazer, shirt tucked in, no jumper, correct College socks, shiny shoes
• Girls – kilt/striped long pants, tie, blazer, shirt tucked in, no jumper, correct College socks, shiny shoes
• No make-up or jewellery
• Long hair to be tied back with a navy blue or maroon hair tie or ribbon
• If make-up, earrings, nails cannot be removed then the student will miss their photo.

A photo schedule has been made available to students on Wednesday 15 September via SEQTA Notices with further instructions. This will inform students of the day they are to wear their winter uniform. Students may need to wear their winter uniform and/or bring their PE uniform on both days as the health and safety of large groups has been taken into consideration when creating the timetable for photos. Students who have Physical Education can change in and out of their winter uniform for their photo.

As we are not taking homeroom class photos this year, there is still an option for parents to order a ‘class’ photo with all students’ individual head shots.

If parents choose to not purchase a photo, students are still to wear their winter uniform on their scheduled day as their photo will be taken for the yearbook.

The document linked below contains resources to support and encourage parents and students to continue active participation in the life of the Church, through activities such as time in personal and family prayer, reflecting on the Scriptures, making a spiritual communion, educating yourself and the family in the faith or participating in a Mass online.

Please click here to view the document.

Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs hosted our very first 'Virtual Pet Show'!

This was a positive way to engage with our students and CRCCS community during lockdown. We wanted to share the fluffy ones who help us get through the remote learning period.

To enter, students were invited to take a photo in their College uniform with their pet, and submit it to their Homeroom teachers.

It brought a smile to our faces as we saw students and staff share the furry ones in their lives.

Thanks to the generosity of Caroline Springs Vet Hospital (located just next to our College), all entries will receive a show bag filled with pet goodies! For all who entered, these show bags will be ready for collection from Reception upon your return in Term 4. So, don’t forget – there’s one with your name on it!

Here are the photos of the adorable Virtual Pet Show entries:

Show bags gifted from https://carolinespringsvet.com.au

Art/Tech week is coming up at the beginning of Term 4.

The Visual Art Competition begins during the school holidays to give both staff and students a sufficient amount of time to become inspired and plan your portrait artwork.

The competition theme this year is ‘PORTRAITURE’. This can be a self-portrait, portrait of a fellow classmate, or favourite staff member of the school. The media for your artwork is drawing, painting, collage; just not digital.

Refer to the competition poster for more details.

Please note that if you create a portrait of someone else, please seek their permission first!

Hopefully you will be inspired, and creativity will flow during the holidays !!!

Year 8 Visual Art classes begun in Term 3 by working with clay to make tropical fish.

Now in remote learning, they are reviewing the elements and principles of art by completing various artist inspired designs.

The artwork here showcases designs inspired by the American street artist Keith Haring.

R U OK Day is a wonderful cause which helps build awareness on the importance of checking in on one another. The mission is to inspire and empower people to connect with others in their world and lend support where struggles exist.

We should not have to wait for this day to check in on our loved ones. R U OK is a prevention charity aimed at helping individuals through difficult times. However, we should be doing this day in, day out. No matter how big or small the issue, that feeling when somebody notices, and cares is priceless and often lifesaving.

All decks were on board for the week, with the Social Justice, Student Leaders, Wellbeing and Staff Association all collaborating and working together to ensure that the message was loud and clear. It was a bright and informative week.

Always remember to check in on one another and make sure the people around you are OK, or more so, ARE THEY REALLY OK?

Wishing all our CRCCS community a restful, well deserved term break.

Last May, 23 students from Years 7 to 10 participated in ‘The University of Melbourne School Mathematics Competition 2021’. This competition is tough, with very challenging problem-solving questions to solve in a limited time.

Even though there were no winning students from our College, I commend the following participants for their enthusiasm to participate and give it a go.

Year 7 & 8 Junior

Rafael Agdigos 7KO
Ethan Tu 7MK
Dominic Caye Espana Arellano 7BU
Elijah Hautea 7MK
James Jepson 7BA
Tony Nguyen 8KO
James Harbour 8BU
Rafael Mausisa 8BU
Aiden DiGrazia 8MW
Ella Stasinowsky 8CO
Ella Hall 8BA
Jett Cachia 8MK
Zachary Cotter 8MK
Chelsea Gutteridge 8CO
Zalaika Farrugia 8BA
Stacey Culas 8MW

Year 9 &10 Intermediate

Andrea Celestino 9MK
Irene Michael 9MW
Jessica Jepson 9MW
Luke Profeta 9MW
Austin Stellini 10CO
Tiana Baba 10LI 
Yohance Espina 10MW

When students commence at Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs, parents make a significant investment in their child's education through the purchase of a laptop and protective case and bag. While Apple laptops are sturdy, the screen must still be protected to prevent scratching and damage.

Below is a list of guidelines for students to look after their laptops at school, and at home during the holidays and periods of remote learning.

To protect MacBooks, students should:

• keep the hard case on the laptop. Cases are the first line of defence and are designed to break instead of the laptop. If the laptop case has been damaged, it should be replaced

• items should not be placed on the keyboard. Closing a laptop on a pen or power cord can result in damage to the screen

• books and pencil cases should not be placed on a closed laptop as the weight can cause stress to the screen

• laptops should be placed in laptop bags when moving laptops to and from school, and between classes

• laptops should be closed before moving within a room. If it is necessary to move a laptop while the screen is open, the laptop should be carried by the base. Carrying laptops by the screen can lead to cracking

• food and drink should not be placed near a laptop, inside a laptop bag, or above a laptop in a student locker

• laptops should be moved to the wall when charging to avoid the cable being tripped over during charging.

To remind students of how to look after their laptops, posters have been placed in classrooms and study areas within the College.

School holidays are an opportune time for students to relax, switch off from daily pressures and become absorbed in reading good books. Whilst many of our students are avid readers, some may need a gentle reminder from time to time to try reading for pleasure – they may just end up enjoying it!

Additionally, in October 2019, “Healthline Media” stated the following:

Research shows that regular reading:

• improves brain connectivity
• increases your vocabulary and comprehension
• empowers you to empathise with other people
• aids in sleep readiness
• reduces stress
• lowers blood pressure and heart rate, and
• fights depression symptoms.

Our students currently have access to thousands of e-books and audiobooks via the school Library Portal on the Wheelers platform. It is a very simple process to log in and “borrow” a book.

Students who are members of the Melton/Caroline Springs public libraries can also access their digital collections, as well as take advantage of their “click and collect” service during periods of lockdown.

eBooks from the Library Portal

Melton City Libraries

History so far has been very interesting and intriguing, although we haven’t been in class to learn, we still understand. We have learnt about WWII and to get into more depth, we’ve learnt about how it started and why it started. In the unit of WWII, we branched out to other topics, such as, the Interwar, the causes of WWII, how Hitler rose and created Nazism, the course of the war in Europe and the Holocaust. Something I learnt out of this was the Treaty of Versailles and how it was made after WWI – saying that if the rules were broken then the specific country who broke the rules had to repair the damage they did to the Allied countries – although Germany disregarded the rule and decided to do what they wanted, putting other countries in danger. During this first term of history, I’ve enjoyed learning about the causes of WWII such as the Great Depression, which started in August 1929 and ended in March 1933 although only a few countries were affected by this big issue, it is still noted down in history. Now we are learning about the Kokoda campaign and the track that the Australian soldiers walked while the Japanese bombed them. 1 million soldiers participated also 34,000 people passed away and 23,000 people were left wounded. I have taken so much information from this and cannot wait to learn even more.

Morena Ventureira, 10 Marin-Karrang

In Year 7 Humanities, we learned about Civics and Citizenship in Australia. As Australian citizens, there are six values that we hold dear: freedom, equality, compassion, inclusion, responsibility and a ‘fair go’. Each of these values makes Australia a multicultural, safe and desirable place to live. There are no limitations to these values and can be seen in workspaces, schools, households and even in public. Under Australian law, no person will be discriminated against or be disadvantaged because of their race or religion. No one will be denied job opportunities because of their appearance. Australians will also look after those who are in need as well as welcome everyone with open arms. Everyone is treated as no less of a human as anyone else and has an equal chance at success and happiness in their life. Because of this, many people from many countries all over the world have chosen to make Australia their home; to live the fair and peaceful life that they dream of. In holding and protecting these values, Australians are then able to participate actively and responsibly to contribute productively within society.

Leila Alves 7CO

In History over the past term, we Year 10 students have picked up where we left off from Year 9 Humanities, beginning to study World War II after concluding previous lessons on World War I. We’ve investigated the events which caused the Second World War, the war’s effect on many different countries, the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party, the Holocaust, and the use of propaganda within WWII Germany.

Over the past few months in this class, I’ve taken away quite a lot, but what is most interesting is how WWII was not only a fight for power, but also involved a lot of mental manipulation and other non-physical factors which lasted for years. This includes how the use of propaganda affected Germans into following Hitler and agreeing with Nazi values - it was an eye-opener into the psychological factors which contributed to WWII in addition to the violence.

My favourite part of this class so far has been applying previous knowledge to analyse propaganda heavily utilised throughout Germany at the time. Skills learnt in many different subjects were put to use to inspect primary sources, only further expanding our knowledge of history.

Talia Silvio, 10 Lingiari

During this term in Year 10 Civics and Citizenship, we have been learning about the Australian government. We have covered a variety of topics including what a constitution is, how the government is formed and the roles of different personnel involved within parliament. We then drew comparisons between the Australian government and the Indonesian government to look at the similarities and differences. It is important to understand and learn about our government as it gives us an understanding and appreciation of how Australia became the country that we proudly live in today.

Nicole Santos, 10 Murphy-Wandin

On Friday 2 September, eight students from Years 7, 9 and 10, competed against over 50,000 students across Australia in the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge.

During the challenge, students had 45 minutes to solve 15 problems that could be solved by a computer. Points were awarded for each question based on the difficulty of the problem.

Congratulations to all our students who participated. Students will receive certificates next term, which include three Merit Certificates and three Credit Certificates.

Well done to Jessica Jepson of 9 Murphy Wandin who also receives the Best in School certificate.