Newsletter Edition 10 / 2024, July 22

Principal's Message

Dear Emmanuel College Families,

It was great to have everyone return for term three this week and to experience the classrooms and school grounds filled with sound and activity.  I wish you all a successful term.

Last Wednesday I attended the annual Victorian Premier’s Awards at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre to witness Annameike Cozens receive an inaugural Outstanding VCE Vocational Major Award.  The Award recognises exceptional achievement within Victoria’s VCE Vocational Major program, honouring students who demonstrate excellence, employability skills growth, and community impact. Only six awards were presented across Victoria. Annameike’s achievements were widely recognised with interviews on local ABC radio and ABC 774, articles in the AGE and Standard newspapers, as well as featuring in a video about the VCE VM shown at the Awards presentation.  Several Emmanuel students have received Premier’s Award during the last four years, and Annameike’s achievement proves again that Emmanuel students can achieve at the highest level comparable to their peers across the State.  We can all feel proud of these achievements because regional schools are largely under-represented in the Premier’s Awards with most Award recipients attending Melbourne schools, and in most cases, very high fee-paying Melbourne schools.

The College is gearing up for its annual gathering and recognition of St. Ann’s Day this Friday.  The College will again play host to alumni from St. Ann’s College who will join in liturgy and prayer in the beautiful St. Ann’s Chapel, and enjoy lunch served by current students, with an afternoon of catching up and storytelling, and a little student entertainment.  The St. Ann’s Alumni are most welcome, and we wish them a memorable day.

Progress on the Edmund Rice Centre continues to move at a staggering pace.  At the site meeting last week, we saw that the west end of the building including the internal fit-out is largely complete.  The sports stadium is ready for the sprung timber floor to be laid and there is significant progress on the external hard structures that form the backbone for landscaping to proceed.  The college remains confident Nicholson Constructions will meet the projected finish date in November enabling the college to inhabit the building and prepare it for the first classes starting January 2025.

The main supplier of schoolbooks, Campion Books, has relocated.  They have moved to their new Warrnambool store which is now open at 1090 Raglan Parade, opposite Callaghan Motors. The shop is located in the service lane so there is plenty of parking in the area. 

Director of Learning Ms. Simone Rolfe has regular study and learning tips in the daily messages for students including this one about study groups last week.

Studies have shown that group study gives us an opportunity to practice retrieval (recalling information from our memory). It makes information stick in our brains and helps us identify gaps in our knowledge.  Things to avoid: Don’t compare yourself to others as studying is an individual process of growth.  Don’t spend too much time chatting. Limit that to study breaks.  Creating a study group: Set a time and a quiet place. Have five or fewer people in your group.  Plan what you are going to study beforehand.  For example, what topics are you going to cover, and how you are going to revise (quizzing each other, doing practice questions). Everyone needs to contribute. Plan for rest breaks.

We have seen this firsthand since the refurbishment and extension of the library a few years ago.  The library opens at 8am and closes at 5.30pm and on any day I witness students who have formed study groups working together to challenge and support each other’s learning.  I really encourage you to encourage your children to see the library as a safe, comfortable and happy environment in which to complete homework, revise and study before and after school.

Last week we farewelled Ruby Absalom from our Development team.  Ruby has only been with us for a short time, but she’s had a very positive impact in that time as she has refined and improved administration processes, produced excellent fortnightly newsletters and engaging social media posts that go to the heart of who we are as a dynamic learning community.  Best wishes to Ruby who is pursuing other opportunities further afield.

This week’s prayer also comes from the Daily Messages for students.  Have a wonderful week.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to “love one another”.
Let us pray we will be able to respond to Jesus’ call to be people of peace.

God of peace, we pray for those whose lives have been affected by war,
and for those who have lost their lives as a result of conflict.

God of peace, we pray for peace in our own hearts, in this community and in our family.  
May we learn to be peacemakers in our daily lives, following Jesus’ example.

St. Joseph: Pray for us.  May the spirit of Catherine McAuley and

Edmund Rice guide us in all we do. Amen.

Mr Peter Morgan
Principal

A Message from Mrs Claire Wrigley

We welcomed the students back last week and it was great to see the buzz around the school as students reunited with peers and staff. Below are a few practical points that we ask you to have a read through and assist us in their implementation. 

Arrival at School - Library Operating Times
Parents are reminded that students are supervised on site from 8.30am. If arriving before 8.30am students can access the library at McAuley campus. We do ask that students not arrive before 8.00am. The school library is open from 8.00am - 5.30pm (Mon-Thur) & 8.00am - 5.00pm (Fri) Thank you for your assistance with this.

Collection of students around surrounding streets
We have been made aware of a child safety matter in regards to the collection of students after school. In Barbers Lane we ask that parents not double park or park over driveways when collecting their children in this area. This congestion creates a situation where students may be getting into cars in an unsafe manner. 

We have several access points for parents to collect students onsite at the stage car park or in the designated pick-up/drop off areas near the road that runs beside the Emmnauel Centre or in the new carpark near the Goold campus. If collecting students in surrounding streets please be mindful of student safety and neighbouring properties. 

Uniform - black leather school shoes
As per our uniform guidelines students are expected to wear black, lace up, leather school shoes or black, lace-up ankle boots, as these are the most sturdy and safest shoes for students at school when participating in various subjects. Black runners are not acceptable with the school uniform and students not wearing the correct footwear will be required to replace them with appropriate footwear as per the uniform guidelines.

Fit4Life Parent Series - Sextortion Webinar  
On Wednesday 24 July Safe on Socials is presenting a webinar on Sextortion. We highly recommend this webinar to Emmanuel College parents/guardians. Safe on Socials are charging a small fee of $7.18 to register for this confronting yet informative webinar. More information and registration on the link below.  
https://www.safeonsocial.com/event-details/parents-educators-sextortion-deepfakes-nudify-apps-hosted-by-madeleine-west-kirra-pendergast 

Smokeless Tobacco Products
As we continue to work to educate our students and face yet another challenge with tobacco products, we ask for parent support in conversation around the dangers of smokeless tobacco products. These have hit the market this year and are another product that are targeted at young people.

As part of our access to WellbeingTV which is available for parents to access on our website, we also encourage you to click on the link below and look at the special report on smokeless tobacco products and register to get alerts to new information shared through Wellbeing TV.
https://emmanuel.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-smokeless-tobacco-products-au

Mrs Claire Wrigley
Assistant Principal - Students 

Subject Selection

Parents play a crucial role in supporting their children with subject selections. Recently, subject selection talks were held for students: Year 9 on 17th July and Year 10 on 18th July. At the time of writing, year 8 talks are planned for 22nd July, and Year 7 for 23rd July. These talks were recorded for those absent and for parents, and recordings are being sent to parents.

Year 9 students will complete pathway interviews this week with key college personnel, offering personalized guidance. All students need to finalize their subject choices by 2nd August. Year 7 and 8 students will have class time dedicated to this task, while Year 9 students will complete it during extended homeroom.

Parents can support their children by reviewing the recorded talks together, discussing interests and strengths, and encouraging thoughtful consideration of future career paths. Additionally, parents can download the subject selection handbooks from PAM and are encouraged to read these with their child. Being involved in pathway interviews and understanding the options available can also help parents guide their children effectively through this important decision-making process.

Ms Simone Rolfe
Director of Learning

Fr James Wall Bursary - Applications Open

The Father James Wall Bursary is open to Year 10 students in Catholic secondary colleges who exhibit leadership potential in multiple areas. Each bursary provides $5,000 to assist with school fees and other education related expenses for Years 11 and 12. Click HERE for more information. 

The closing date for applications is Friday, 13th September 2024, applications can be completed via the link below:

https://www.catholicdevelopmentfund.org.au/father-james-wall-bursary/student-application 

Student Leader Photos

See below the link to the Student Leaders Photos gallery.
The gallery photos can be purchased as prints or digital downloads. Prints are posted direct to the purchaser's address - https://galleries.watsonphoto.com.au/gallery/ecsl24/ 

Performing Arts News

July and August are busy months for the Performing Arts area. We have some great performance opportunities lined up at Mercy Place and our brass/woodwind ensemble have been asked to play at the Smith Family Organisation luncheon. The Emmanuel Singers numbers have swelled and now they are preparing for St Ann’s Day Mass and a performance at Crossley’s ‘15 Minutes of Fame’ later in the year.

Year 7 News
An Operoo is being sent to approximately 40 students in Year 7 to join the training school band. These invitees have shown promise, dedication and grit throughout the year 7 Music program thus far. Great things are happening!

Below are the remainder of results of the Warrnambool Eisteddfod’s band, instrumental and vocal sections. Our students did very well with some outstanding placements.

SECTION 039 - 18 Years & Under Own Choice Solo
1-Chloe Mutton
3- Bella Aquilina
HM-Jessica Bushell, Amelia McLeod, Charlotte Dumesny

SECTION 040 - 18 Years &Under Disney Songs Solo 
1-Bella Aquilina 
3- Charlotte Dumesny, Amelia McLeod
HM-Jessica Bushell

SECTION 041 - 18 Years & Under Swing/Jazz Solo
1-Amelia McLeod
2-Chloe Mutton

SECTION 042 - 18 Years & Under Musical Theatre Solo
2- Amelia McLeod
3- Chloe Mutton, Grace Pollock
HM- Jessica Bushell

SECTION 043 - 18 Years & Under Contemporary Solo
1-Amelia McLeod
2-Bella Aquilina
HM-Chloe Mutton

Section 165 - Senior Secondary Schools Band
1-Emmanuel College

Novice Woodwind Solo
3-Grace Stephens

Intermediate Woodwind
1-Sienna Plozza
2-Belle Plozza

VCE Drama
In the final weeks of Term 2 the VCE Unit 1 and Unit 3 Drama classes presented their Ensemble SAC to family and friends. Performing in front of an audience is vital in the development of performance skills as well as learning strategies to assist the tummy butterflies prior to a show. Each performance was unique showcasing individual strengths and talent. For Term 3, the focus is solo performances and we look forward to sharing these with family and friends again.

Music Teacher SPOTLIGHT
Adam Burgess-Metal is a passionate and dedicated music educator with 16 years of experience in teaching a diverse range of students. Their love for music and commitment to nurturing talent has driven them to excel in both individual and group instruction settings.

Adam believes in fostering a supportive and inspiring learning environment where students can explore their musical interests, develop technical proficiency, and cultivate their creativity. They prioritize personalized instruction, tailoring lessons to accommodate each student's learning style, goals, and musical preferences.

Beyond the classroom, Adam is actively involved in the local music community. They volunteer their time to community music programs, charitable events, outreach initiatives, enriching the lives of others through the power of music.

Ms Megan Davies
Head of Performing Arts & Instrumental Music Coordinator

Sports Update

A great day at the 2024 SSV State Cross Country on Thursday 18th July. On a very muddy and heavy track at Yarra Glen Racecourse, our Emmanuel team did extremely well. Our 12-13 Girls as well as our 14 Girls both won State Bronze Medals in the team event which is amazing! We also had some very solid individual results highlighted by top 10 finishes for Rylee Foreman (Girls 15) and William Verhoef (Boys 15). Overall, a very successful day for our school! Thanks to Jaffa for driving the bus and Oscar Pollock for his photography skills.

Mr Mark Jansz
 

Library News

Library and Information Week 2024

Library and Information Week will be held from 29 July to 4 August.  The theme this year is Roots of Democracy.  Libraries are one place where information is available and accessible to all.  Libraries have their roots in providing free and equitable access to information.

Book Week

This year Emmanuel College will celebrate Book Week in Week 5: Monday 12 August to Friday 16 August, culminating in the announcement of the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book Award winners on Friday 16 August.  Each day in the Library there will be activities to celebrate books and reading.  As the theme this year for Book Week is The Magic of Reading, we are looking for some students to do magic tricks at lunchtime.  Students can see the SIMON messages and complete the Google form to register.

Olympics 2024

The Library will show the Olympics on the Library TV at Recess and Lunchtimes.

Card Games and Board Games In The Library

Last Friday students participated in card games and board games in the Library.  The Library has purchased many new games for students to play at Recess and Lunch.

Top Books From Term 2 At Emmanuel

The top books borrowed and read by students at Emmanuel in Term 2 this year have been tallied.  The Hunger Games (book 1) by Suzanne Collins was the most read book, followed closely by James Dashner’s Maze Runner.  In the top 10 were books on AFL, surfing, netball and Gallipoli.

Mrs Margaret Sinnott
Library Coordinator

Games Day in the Library

Career News

Year 10 Deakin Discovery Day

On Wednesday July 17^th all Year 10 students attended The Deakin Discovery Day.  This immersive on-campus experience provided students with key insights into university life through hands-on learning, and access to innovative learning spaces to help break down common myths associated with university and accessing higher education.

There were 5 streams on offer that the students could explore:

Health - Find out about Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Medicine test your skills on taking medical observations, infection control and plans to back to independent living.

Sport and Health Promotion – Learn about careers in sport, using design skills and create the new AFL Tasmania team or Supers Netball team. Keeping with the theme understand population health their campaigns, create your own and try out our beer goggles!

Environmental Science - Helping to design the new penguin homes of the future and environmental conservation strategies by learning about  how to clean up oil spial

Engineering & Construction – Competing in teams, they will test students’ skills in bridge building and wind turbine blades.

Creative & Advertising - Are you creative?  – Learn how to make patterns and how to create ad campaigns

Many thanks also to those staff that attend the day, these events cannot take place with out your ongoing support.

Updates

This weeks detailed newsletter can be located on the careers website

https://www.emmanuelcollegecareers.com/

Items in the Career News include - 

• Dates to Diarise in Term 3
• Concordia College International Excellence Scholarship
• University of Tasmania Schools Recommendation Program
• Studying Psychology at La Trobe University
• Career as a Data Scientist
• Accelerated Bachelor of Education (Primary) at Deakin University
• Optometry Courses in Australia in 2024  
• Speech Pathology and Audiology Degrees in Victoria in 2024
• Snapshot of Chisholm Institute in 2024 

Mr David Gladman
Student Pathways & Careers Leader

Words for Wellbeing

Diversity Month was celebrated by Emmanuel College at the end of Term 2. 
Please enjoy this video showcasing Diversity Month.  

Book Recommendation
The Anxious Generation: Jonathan Haidt

The negative impact of technology on our health and wellbeing can never really be off-topic in today's society. There seem to be many conversations wherever we go after the problems technology and social media cause for our children, for us, for the world and yet, for all of the talk of problems caused, there are very few solutions offered to us that actually work.

That's why we want to share this book with you. Dr Haidt has spent years delving into what happened to young people in the early 2010s that triggered the surge of anxiety and depression around 2012.

The Anxious Generation offers an explanation by telling two stories. The first is about the decline of the play-based childhood, which began in the 1980s and accelerated in the ‘90s. The second story is about the rise of the phone-based childhood, which began in the late 2000s and accelerated in the early 2010s.

In The Anxious Generation, Dr Haidt talks about the four simple, user-friendly norms he suggests for us to reduce the impact of smart phones on our mental health.

The four norms he proposes for a healthier childhood:

• no smartphones until high school
• no social media before 16
• phone-free schools (phones locked away for the duration of the school day)
• more independence, play and responsibility in the real world

Dr. Jonathan Haidt, PhD, is a professor of social psychology at New York University and bestselling author on how technology and culture impact the psychology and health of kids, teens, and adults.

'This is an important topic for everyone, young or old, parents and teachers, students and families, to be aware of in order to understand the potential mental health toll of smartphone use and to apply tools to foster skill-building and reestablish healthy norms for our kids.'
Andrew Huberman, the Huberman Lab

Fit4Connection
During Term 2, we launched the Fit4Connection program engaging two groups of students from Year 9 and Year 11. Over six weeks, students embarked on a journey of self-discovery and exploration, using photography to delve into themes of identity, relationships, and connections to important people, places, animals and objects.

Each photograph captured a unique perspective and was accompanied by a description, unveiling the deeper meanings behind the images. This initiative not only empowered students to express themselves creatively but also encouraged them to reflect on their personal experiences and connections in a meaningful way.

The primary goal of Fit4Connection was to foster positive connections and enhance social and emotional skills among participants. Through this program, students had the opportunity to broaden their perspectives, build empathy, and connect with their peers in a supportive environment.

Based on the student feedback from Term 2, we are excited to continue Fit4Connection this term with new groups of Year 8 and Year 10 students. The program will culminate in a Term 4 exhibition, showcasing the inspiring work created by all participants.

Alumni News

Save the Date Class of 1994 - 30-Year Reunion

Can you believe it? Three decades have passed since the Class of 1994 last walked the halls of Emmanuel College!

In a year that saw so many now iconic films released including Pulp Fiction, the Lion King, Priscilla and Forrest Gump, and the launch of the first PlayStation, Emmanuel College farewelled the equally iconic Class of 1994.

The crew is soon, and excited to come together again to toast their 30-Year milestone. So if you started at St Ann's or CBC in 1989 or joined them along way as the schools amalgamated, get ready for a night of laughter, nostalgia, and rekindled connections. The best is yet to come, and they can't wait to see you there!

Find more information by joining the chat in Facebook Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/511977825588077

Candice Hampstead

Alumni Coordinator

Tuning into Teens

Green Futures Now Art Competition

Campion Warrnambool is Moving

Young Adult Writers Workshop

Aspiring writers, get your creativity hats on! Author James Phelon will be dishing out helpful hints on how to write wonderful, exciting stories. You'll learn how to craft memorable characters, create compelling plots, and develop your own unique writing voice. This workshop is the perfect opportunity to connect with other young writers and get inspired by one of Australia's most talented authors.

Click here to register

https://warrnamboollibrary.spydus.com/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/OPAC/EVSESENQ?SETLVL=&RNI=1241930

Upcoming Events

Tuesday July 23
Year 7 into Year 8 Subject Selection Information Session

Wednesday July 24
Year 7 Faith & Formation Day

Thursday July 25
Year 8 Faith & Formation Day

Friday July 26
St Ann's Day

Monday July 29
Library & Information Week (all week)
Red Earth Reflection Evening

Tuesday July 30
WD Senior & Intermediate Basketball
Year 9 into VCE Acceleration Interviews
Year 10 Pathway Interviews

Thursday August 1
Intermediate & Senior Soccer

Sunday August 4
Year 12 Outdoor Ed Ski Trip 

Child Safety