Newsletter Edition 7 / 2023, May 15

Principal's Message

Dear Emmanuel College Families,

Thank You 
It was pleasing to return to work last week after a short, but extended break, and true to form the College was operating at full pace; a busy, vibrant, dynamic learning environment.  My thanks to Michael Wrigley who replaced me in my absence, and to Claire, Suzanne, and Stephen who picked up extra tasks. Assistant Principal Justin Houlihan also returned last week having attended a Mercy Immersion Program in Dublin at the former home of Catherine McAuley, the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. Known today as the Mercy International Centre, it attracts pilgrims and workers in Mercy ministries from around the world who seek to deepen their understanding of Catherine, and our continuing mission to provide excellent educational opportunities imbued with the same spirt that Catherine and her sisters brought to their work. My sincere thanks to Simone Rolfe for undertaking the Acting Assistant Principal (Teaching & Learning) portfolio, enabling Justin to experience enrichment leave. 

Happy Mothers Day
While slightly late, I convey my best wishes to all mothers, carers and those who share the privilege of being a mother figure. I trust your day, a time to stop and recognise what mothers do and their extraordinary impact on our lives, was a memorable time. I also acknowledge those in our community whose mothers are not with us, including those who have passed away in the last year.  May God’s blessing be on all mothers and keep them safe.

Official Re-opening of the Science Precinct
After some delay, we finally celebrated the completion and official re-opening of the science precinct completed in 2022 in the last week. The $4.9 million project received state government assistance of $2 million giving rise to six new science laboratories, four new classrooms in A wing, four new classrooms in C wing, staff offices and work areas, plus an extension and refurbishment of the under-croft and canteen creating a modern, flexible, multi-purpose space. The precinct was officially opened by Jacinta Ermacora MP, Member for Western Victoria, and blessed by alumni and Sisters of Mercy, Kathlyn O’Brien and Marie Mansbridge. The project was completed during the pandemic and experienced labour and materials shortages common to capital projects at present. But great outcomes often arise from adversity and in this project the college has gained enormously. A feature of the project is a mural designed by Melissa Crothers portraying Emmanuel College alumni whose careers have stemmed from the study of science, first at this school and then further afield. Their stories and messages are inspirational and will inspire current students to see the study of science as a vehicle that leads to unlimited possibilities. We thank all those who have been part of the planning, development and use of these facilities that give Emmanuel students some of the best science learning opportunities available anywhere.

The school’s next major project, construction of the Edmund Rice Centre, is currently being tendered, and we aim to have a builder on site in the next couple of months with completion scheduled for late 2024 enabling the first classes to occupy the centre at the start of 2025.

2024 Year 7 Enrolments
Last Friday we sent letters of offer to families who applied for year seven enrolment in 2024. The college received a greatly increased number of applications this year for 2024 enrolment, and it is our intention at this time to introduce an additional year seven class to accommodate those seeking an Emmanuel education. There is presently a waiting list for 2024, year seven enrolment, however, we will continue to work with those families who aim to secure enrolment next year.  Applications are currently open for vacancies in years eight to twelve, and if you know anyone seeking admission to these year levels, I recommend you encourage them to contact the College Registrar, Jo-Anne Nelson at Emmanuel.

Congratulations
You may have noticed I regularly describe Emmanuel College as a learning community, or I make reference to the learning opportunities Emmanuel provides. Traditionally, schools have been thought of as places where students do the learning, and the teachers hold all the knowledge. This of course is a dated concept, and in a learning community, staff and students are learning together all the time. I am very proud of the number of Emmanuel staff members who undertake additional studies with the benefits of their ongoing learning influencing our practice and programs. I’d like to congratulate the Emmanuel staff members who recently graduated from further tertiary studies. Donna McPherson and Jacinta Skilbeck graduated from the University of South Australia with a Masters in Education culminating additional study and work over the last two years. In addition, Donna will be recognised in July at an Awards Ceremony as the winner of the Jane Harper Prize, awarded to an outstanding Master of Education student who achieves the highest mark for their Project in Education. I also congratulate Chamon Vogels, Tina Jenkins and Ben Brisbane who last term graduated with their Graduate Certificate in Teaching Religious Education from the Australian Catholic University. I acknowledge the huge commitment required to work full time, to parent and to study and I congratulate and thank Donna, Jacinta, Chamon, Tina and Ben.

In closing this week, on behalf of the College, I extend our deep condolences to the Jellie family following the death of Paul over the weekend. Paul’s children are in year eight and year ten, and Paul himself is well known in the local community. At this sad time, please remember in your thoughts and prayers Paul’s wife Angela, his family, and friends.

May Paul know the loving embrace of God, and may perpetual light shine upon him. 
May he rest in peace. Amen.
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

Uniform  - Student Voice
We have listened to feedback from student voice in regards to the PE uniform. As a result over the past twelve months we have introduced a new style of tracksuit pants with now two options available and a new style of shorts with now three options available. We have also introduced this year an Emmanuel College scarf and a long sleeve PE house polo which is sunsmart in summer and offers a little more warmth under the rugby jumper in winter.

Again in listening to student voice this term, we are trialling at Year 9 students wearing their PE uniform to school on the day they have practical PE class. Therefore it is important that students from Year 7 - 9 who are able to wear PE uniform to school are wearing the correct uniform.  All items of the PE uniform including tracksuit pants are to have the college logo on the item. Students in Year 7 - 9 are not permitted to wear plain navy tracksuit pants as they are not part of the PE uniform. All students including Year 10 are not permitted to wear the white polo shirt as this item is not a PE uniform item; it is part of the summer school uniform. We ask for parents' support to ensure that your child is wearing the correct uniform.

Diversity Month of May
There are lots of activities happening over the month of May as we celebrate our diversity at Emmanuel College. We aim to raise awareness of neuro-diversity, gender and sexual diversity, learning diversity and cultural diversity to ensure that we are inclusive and supportive of all in our school community. 

Over the past week students had the opportunity to participate in a trivia about cultural diversity. We have on display various country flags representing the countries of origin of  people in our community and had a presentation from the author of the book ‘Hopeless Kingdom’ Kgshak Akec. Also each week on a Tuesday in the canteen we have a dish available for students and staff to purchase from different countries of the world.

Kgshak spoke to some Year 9 & 10 English classes and was available for all students to meet at lunchtime in the library. Kgshak shared her story of leaving Africa with her family and migrating to Australia at the age of six. Kgshak shared with students her love of writing that began from the moment she started to learn English in Australia. She spoke about the challenges of breaking down cultural racism and asked students to be kind and welcoming to all. She shared the knowledge and skills she has learnt in writing her book with the hope she might inspire other young people to write stories.

IDAHOBIT Day
Wednesday May 17 is IDAHOBIT day. International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) celebrates LGBTQIA+ people globally, and raises awareness for the work still needed to combat discrimination. Students are able to wear casual dress and are encouraged to wear a particular colour that has been assigned for their year level and to bring a gold coin donation with all money raised going to our school charities of Mercy works  and Ruben centre in Africa.. On this day our Year 11 leaders will also have a bake sale with various food items available from different countries of the world.

Junior School Fit4Life Day 
All Year 7 & 8 students had a great day on Wednesday May 10 participating in engaging activities designed to promote physical health and wellbeing. 

Year 7 Students participated in a presentation from Project Rockit about online safety and supporting each other.  In homeroom they participated in  a workshop on character strengths, and an informative session about child labour which was followed by a poverty banquet activity; learning about poverty and how students can make a difference. In the afternoon they participated in a fun house activity challenge as they moved around various activities.

Year 8 students took on the challenge of the "working together walk" activity, where they carried 10L of water in teams and worked together to complete a 3km walk. The day also included a Project Rockit workshop and homeroom activities focusing on effective teamwork and positive relationships. 

Year 9 Fit4Life Presentation  - Be Wise - Pat Cronin Foundation
Former police negotiator Peter Eames shared Pat's story with Year 9’s last Friday, encouraging them to be more aware of themselves, support the mates and Be Wise.

Pat Cronin died at the age of 19 years old after being the victim of a coward's punch. His family and friends bring his story to students around the country in the hope of reducing social violence and supporting young people to develop self awareness and skills to support their mates.

Fit4life parent series  - SAVE THE DATE 
May 16 - Safe Partying for Teenagers
7.00m - Wyton Theatre 

Sonya Karras will provide a special presentation for parents/guardians on guiding teenagers through challenges that may arise during partying and socialising. This will be held  for parents of students in Years 10-12, please RSVP via operoo by May 15.

May 30 - "Embracing Neurodiversity: Understanding Our Tricky Brains & How to Empower Your Child (and Yourself!)."
7.00pm - Wyton Theatre
Join us for an informative presentation during Neurodiversity Week with ADHD & Executive Function Coach, Tania Rowan.

Tania will discuss the importance of building our cognitive skills such as memory and concentration in and out of the classroom; how all of us will experience problems with our brain functions at some stage; and, the impact that all of this can have on neurodivergent kids and adults. She will also share how these issues can underlie aspects of your child’s behaviours and provide strategies to help build these essential life skills.

We hope you can join us for this enlightening presentation. We will also have a Q&A at the end of the presentation. RSVP will be via an operoo notification that will be sent to parents next week.

June 13  - Safe on Socials 
7.00pm - Join us online or at The Wyton theatre for a live streaming of the presentation. 

Concerned about your children’s safety on social media? Looking for the answers but not sure where to turn? The Safe on Social Media presentation and Q&A session delivers real life case studies and strategies to help parents support their children. 

Bus Travel
We advise parents that students are not permitted to jump on country buses that they are not registered for travel on for the purposes of sport, work or social activities. If your child has to travel for football training for example it is parents responsibility to get them to training.

Mrs Claire Wrigley
Assistant Principal - Students 

Student Voice - Melbourne Writer's Festival

Caitlyn Belleville, 9A
It was an early wake-up at 4:00am to be at school ready to leave at 5:30am for the long drive to Melbourne. For me the bus ride went quite quickly, it was a great chance to have a good chat and catch up on some reading! The State Library was breathtaking, the architecture was amazing, so many books in one space! 😮

We heard from four amazing authors, Kay Kerr, Tom Taylor, Nova Weetman, and Lilli Wilkinson. 

First, we listened to Kay Kerr, an author of both fiction and non-fiction. We heard about her experiences in being a writer with autism, and her newest book, Love & Autism. I loved that she is proud of who she is and that she wants other neurodivergent people to feel this way. Then we met Tom Taylor an author who has been involved in writing DC comics, Marvel, and was the co-creator and head writer of the Netflix, ABC series The Deep. We got to ask him all sorts of questions about his writing and career, he was very funny! We then got to go for a walk through the Library and up some stairs to the pop-up Readings bookstore which had some great book stuff! We got straight into our next session with Nova Weetman, author of ‘The Edge of Thirteen,’ ‘Sick bay,’ and more, she was also involved in writing the Netflix series H2O. We learnt how to create a character by finding out what the character wants, and what they fear. We made a character as a group… poor Alex…

Lastly, we met Lilli Wilkinson, where she taught us how to brainstorm a story and make a plot. She walked us through the process and how she applied it to her newest book, A Hunger of Thorns, which I bought and had it signed! Can’t wait to read it! After this wonderful experience, I think that writing may definitely be on the cards! I think that one thing I took away from what the authors said was that anyone can write a book, and for those who want to write things that may help you is to journal, and read.

Overall this was a great day, definitely going again next year!

Nikolas Keramaris, 7C
Attending the Writer's Festival was a great experience. Below are my thoughts on the Writers Festival...

It was wonderful to meet the author of our Year 7 book, All the Little Tricky Things, Karys McEwen. It was also interesting listening to all the authors outline their writing journeys. They all told us that they knew they wanted to write from a young age. DC Comics and Marvel writer Tom Taylor was very entertaining to listen to. His passion and enthusiasm for writing were infectious. 

Sports Update

Intermediate Senior School Sports Gala Day
On Monday the 1st of May our Intermediates and Seniors had the opportunity to participate in the Senior and Intermediate Gala Day which  included Soccer, Netball and Basketball. Rice were the big winners, taking home the titles in both the Girls Netball and Basketball. The house was also successful in Boys Basketball, While Maguire took out Soccer. Well done to everyone who competed on the day.

Senior Boys Premier Football
Emmanuel
24.17.161
Hallam Secondary College
0.1.1

Goals- C Byrne 5, T Byrne 2, Radley 2, Mohan 2, Wollerman 2, McKinnon 2, Mast 2, Lynch 1, Harris 1, Pollock 1, McNeil 1, Carter 1, Myers 1, Carter 1
Best - Team Effort

The Senior Boys got their premier football campaign underway with a home game against Hallam Secondary College at the Reid Oval. Overall it was an even contribution by the whole side with many players having highlights throughout. The Byrne Brothers combined well in the forward line with Radush Mohan adding plenty of pressure. Charlie McKinnon and Amon Radley were a dominant tall forward combination taking some terrific marks. The entire team showed a great ability to gel quickly and now look forward to our next match vs Rowville on the 17^th of May.

Junior Sports Gala Day
On Monday May 8th over 300 Year 7 & 8’s took part in the Junior Sports Gala Day. With all events held on campus, there was terrific support from senior students and teachers throughout as they cheered on their houses. Results for the day can be found below, congratulations to everyone involved on an enjoyable day. 

Junior Girls Netball
Year 7
1st-McAuley
2nd- Maguire
3rd- Egan
4th- Rice
Year 8
1st- McAuley
2nd- Egan
3rd- Maguire
4th-Rice
Junior Boys Football
Year 7
1st- McAuley
2nd-Rice
3rd- Egan
4th- Maguire
Year 8
1st- Maguire
2nd- Egan
3rd-Rice
4th- McAuley
Junior Soccer
1st- Egan
2nd- Rice
3rd- McAuley
4th- Maguire

House and WD Cross Country
With rain interrupting the House Cross Country on its original date, a change was made and it was run for the first time around the McAuley Campus. In total, the entire Year 7 & 8 year levels took part as well as around 50 senior school students. Results of the day are being announced at the upcoming School Assembly.

The WD Cross Country was run on Tuesday the 9th of May. Emmanuel took 88 runners who combined to take out the School Championship. We will now have progressors taking part in the Region event at Albert Park Warrnambool on Monday the 29th of May.

Age Group Winners
12/13 Year old Girls- Lucy Howland
14 Year old Girls- Rylee Foreman
14 Year old Boys- Jake Denaro
15 year old Girls- Indigo Sewell
16 year old Girls- Emily Benson
15 year Old Boys- Hamish Dobson

Senior Girls Premier League
Emmanuel
9.10.64
Hallam Secondary College
3.2.20

Goals- Olivia Wolter 7, Ava Welsh 1, Zara Welsh 1

On Wednesday May 10th our Senior Girls Premier League team competed for the first time in the SSV Premier League Girls Football. Playing Hallam Secondary College, our girls started strong with a 5 goal to nil first half. Chains of possession were a highlight for the side as the girls moved the ball through some strong defence. Olvia Wolter was a standout up forward with 7 goals. Emmanuel finished winner and now looks forward to the next match against Maribyrnong on May 24th in Melbourne.

WD Junior Netball
On Friday the 12th of May our Year 7 & 8 Girls Netball team took part in the WD finals against Warrnambool and Brauer. Both sides were dominant throughout, however maintained great teamwork. Congratulations to both sides on their wins, they now look forward to the Region Finals in Ballarat on Wednesday June 21st.

Clay Target Competition
We had a number of students compete in Colac on Wednesday May 10. The following results were achieved:

1st junior girl - Bridie Mason
1st senior girl - Ebony Mason
1st senior boy - James Wood 

The shield is returning to Emmanuel College for Best School Overall. We congratulate all the students who participated. 

Mr Alastair Templeton
Sports & Lunchtime Activities Coordinator

Library News

Library Items On Loan From Term 1
We have had an amazing start to the year with the amount of books being borrowed and read,  increasing greatly in number. This is fantastic for our students and their learning. This is partly due to participating in Emmanuel Reads in March, where everybody (students and staff) in the school spent an extended Home Room on a Thursday reading and a general encouragement by English teachers and support staff for reading.
Most items (books) on loan from the Library are loaned for a period of 3 week. Students are able to renew items with the Library staff or via the online Library home page.

Students with Library items from Term 1 have been emailed reminder to return the items as they are now overdue. If you have items from Term 1 that you borrowed, you will have received an email to say that the items were going to be due in 3 days time, then another email or two to let you know that the items are overdue and then your family may have also received an email about the item/s.
We would like you to return the items or visit the Library to renew them. You will need to bring the book/item in to the Library to renew. Your help in returning these items means that other students can borrow them.
At McAuley, there are two library chutes where you can return items - in the blue box at the Library entrance near The Emmanuel Centre and the chute near the D Wing corridor. Students at Rice Campus can return the Library items to the Rice Office and they will be brought over to the Library by the Office staff.

If you have any questions about what you have on loan, please ask the Library Staff or email msinnott@emmanuel.vic.edu.au or log in to the Library homepage via SIMON.
We will place the cost of items not returned from Term 1 on the school fees in the next couple of weeks. Help us as Library Staff and your families by returning the items - that way we all have access to them.  Thanks for your assistance with this.

Melbourne Writers Festival Excursion
27 students from the Emmanuel College Student Book Club attended the Melbourne Writers Festival Secondary Program on May 1 at the State Library of Victoria. We were able to meet authors:
Karys McEwen (author of All The Little Tricky Things – a Year 7 English novel) and the compere for the day
Tom Taylor – graphic novel writer
Lili Wilkinson – author
Nova Weetman – author
Kay Kerr – author

Two of our students have written about their thoughts on the Melbourne Writers Festival, you can read these in the Student Voice section above. 

New Books In The Library
Students may be interested in these new books which are ready for borrowing from the Library:

Enola Holmes Mystery series – books 1-4 by Nancy Springer, beginning with Book 1 – The Case of the Missing Marquess (Series section in SPR)
Football Superstars soccer series – individual books on: Hazard, Mbappe, Aguero, Salah, Kane, Zlatan, Mane and Sterling (McAuley Real Life sports section).

Dyslexic Friendly Font Books
The Library has a number of books published in the dyslexic friendly font style.  These books show the letters with a heavy base, making it easier for the students to read.  There is a large variety of books – some are the set English texts for each year level, others are for leisure reading.  Ask the Library staff where they are located or look on the Library home page to see the list of dyslexic friendly font books.
On the Library home page students can see the three digital reading platforms we offer here at Emmanuel College.  When students are reading these books on their computer they can change the font to dyslexic friendly font or even change the background to be black with white writing or sepia toned pages.  As the Library Staff if you would like more information and we can show you how to use these platforms.

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge
Students in Years 7-10 can participate in the VPRC by attempting to read 15 books by September.  For the log in details, please see Mrs Sinnott.  The site is a great place to record the books you have read, give a star rating to a book and perhaps even write a review that will be shared with others.

Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shortlist
Each year books are chosen to be of high quality and are placed on a short list for different categories.  This year the shortlist has been announced.
Visit:  https://cbca.org.au/shortlist-2023

Mrs Margaret Sinnott
Library Coordinator

Performing Arts News

This week, the roll out of Year 7 band instruments has begun. There were many excited (and noisy) Year 7’s learning how to blow raspberries to get their brass instruments working... all great noises to hear! For parents, drop off and pick up on music days is encouraged at The STAGE loop, so students can take their instruments home and store their instruments

The VCE drama class spent May Race Day in Geelong, to see a play that is required to be analysed on their final exam. The World of Dinosaurs is a play that uses the performance styles of comedy such as situation comedy and parody as well as puppetry, horror, physical theatre, and Sci Fi.  The class also have their Ensemble performance SAC on May 15^th. The class have been working for 10 weeks on developing meaningful performances on subjects such as identity and also on dystopian societies. A range of complex issues have been researched and then interpreted into thought provoking ensemble pieces. We wish them well for their show.

The Frozen Jnr cast are very excited that is finally May! The final preparations for the show are occurring and we can’t wait to present Frozen Jnr to the community.

Over the coming weeks l will presenting some great visuals about the importance of music and how learning to play an instrument assists cognitive function as well as being fun!

Ms Megan Davies
Head of Performing Arts & Instrumental Music Coordinator

Career News

Year 9 Students

• Swinburne University – Astronomy and Astrophysics work experience
• She Commerce program – The University of Melbourne
• The Santos Science Experience

Year 10 Students

• Victorian Indigenous Engineering Winter School
• Work experience programs
• Swinburne University – Astronomy and Astrophysics work experience
• She Commerce program – The University of Melbourne
• The Santos Science Experience

Year 11 Students

• National Youth Science Forum – applications now open
• Victorian Indigenous Engineering Winter School
• Work experience programs
• She Commerce program – The University of Melbourne

Year 12 Students

• Early entry programs: guides for Victoria, Canberra and NSW institutes.
• ADF Gap Year Program
• Australian Federal Police – 2024 Directions Program
• UCAT ANZ – registrations close soon
• Scholarship programs for high achievers
• Digital apprenticeship program
• Defence Civilian Undergraduate Sponsorship – cyber security and computer science
• Victorian Indigenous Engineering Winter School
• Work experience programs
• She Commerce program – The University of Melbourne

All Students

• Explore your global university options.
• Research TAFE and university courses
• Maths careers
• Motorsports courses
• Careers in IT
• National security careers – Australian Signals Directorate
• Natural health courses
• Careers with the Australian Federal Police
• Apprenticeships and traineeships
• Careers in sport
• How a podiatrist saved Peter’s life
• Upcoming career events

For more information go to https://www.emmanuelcollegecareers.com/

Vacancies
Midfield Meats and Westvic Staffing Solutions currently have a number of vacancies, these include, apprenticeships, Traineeships and also school-based apprenticeships, please see the following attachments for more information and how to apply.

Belfast Aquatics
Belfast Aquatics have a course available to become a Swim Teacher on the 27th May and also that we have positions available for Swim Teachers at the centre.

Please see the attached the flyer for more information and anyone interested can contact Renee Hynes 0447123208 or email Renee Hynes baqswimsurvive@gmail.com

Mr David Gladman
Student Pathways & Careers Leader

Alumni Update

The CBC Catch-Up
It was laughter and smiles all around on the evening of May 1, as our CBC boys came together for the annual Catch-Up.  The event attracted 100 boys of all generations of CBC back to Emmanuel College to reconnect with old friends, and remember the tales of their school days.

This year we were inspired by the works of our guest speaker, Br Frank O’Shea (of the Class of 1971) who joined us via video conference all the way from the Ruben Centre in Kenya.  Frank shared stories of his life and work in Kenya, his short-lived retirement, his early work in places like Tonga and South Sudan, a tussle with a giraffe, and how he survived anthrax.  Watch the full interview here - https://youtu.be/v5Y-ADvLUOU 

A rare circumstance for many of the boys was also the opportunity to catch-up with past teachers, Br Gibbons and Br Clery.  Both in their 90’s, these special guests joined us at the Catch-Up, where both had queues of their past students all wanting to share stories with them.  Br Gibbon’s is certainly remembered by his students for fostering a great curiosity in Chemistry and Physics, and Br Clery for his ability to tell a story, and his skill with both a football and a cricket bat.

Click here for all photos from the event. 

Thanks to all who attended and made the event as special as it was.

60 Year Reunion
Emmanuel College was delighted to support and be a part of a reunion that united the CBC boys 60 years on from their school days!

The event was brilliantly led by alumni Kevin O’Donnell, Brian Short, Yani Marris, Laurie Gleeson, Mick Crowe and Laurie Foley, who for about 18 months diligently searched high and low for all the boys that sat beside them in the classrooms at Canterbury Road.  Their hard work paid off as they not only drew classmates from across the country, but as far away as the UK!  Perhaps even more impressive, was that the event was attended by two of their teachers – Br Gibbons and Br Clery. 

The reunion began at the College with Mass in the Rice Campus Chapel.  Kindly celebrated by alumni, Fr Patrick Mugavin (Class of 1967), this was an incredibly special way to come together to begin the day.  Campus tours followed, where the boys enjoyed seeing how much the school had changed, while being reminded of plenty of tales from the classroom.  The reconnection and reminiscing continued over lunch, and for many hours into the late afternoon. 

It was wonderful to watch on as friendships rekindled over shared memories, and the gratitude the boys showed for the work of their teachers.

For photos from the event – Click here.

Candice Hampstead
Alumni Coordinator

Food Allergy Week: 21 - 27 May

Australia has the highest incidence of food allergy in the world, and it’s growing at a rapid rate. We estimate that there are 800,000 Australians with a diagnosed food allergy, and many more undiagnosed. Food Allergy Week is an initiative of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia and is dedicated to promoting community understanding of food allergy to help protect those at risk.  During Food Allergy Week, Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia is calling on all Australians to unite to help increase awareness and share information on what we can do to improve safety for people who live with food allergies. 
Useful resources can be found at:
Food Allergy Awareness factsheet

250K provides age-appropriate information and resources to assist young people who are living with severe allergies, and to help them to feel more connected with other teens and young adults going through similar experiences in a fun but informative way.

MyEpiPen is an online resource dedicated to helping with the management of Anaphylaxis, including a reminder program for recording expiry dates for an EpiPen.

As per the Emmanuel College Anaphylaxis Management Policy, it is the responsibility of parents/guardians whose child is at risk of Anaphylaxis to:

• obtain the ASCIA Action Plan from their child’s medical practitioner and provide a copy to the College as soon as practicable;
• immediately inform the College in writing if there is a change in their child’s medical condition, relating to allergy and the potential for anaphylactic reaction, and if relevant obtain an updated ASCIA Action Plan;
• provide the College with an adrenaline autoinjector that is current and not expired for their child; and
• participate in annual reviews of their child’s plan.

National Sorry Day

CRISP Program Update

A  group of 10 Star of The Sea parishioners are on a path to sponsor a refugee household to come to Australia, as part of the four-year Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP), run by Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA), in conjunction with the Department of Home Affairs and the UNHCR.

The Star of the Sea Parish CRISP group have undertaken the required background checks & training & are now fundraising  to enable the provision of initial  housing & essentials prior to the household accessing government support & seeking  employment.

When we have reached our fundraising goal we will be matched with a refugee household by CRSA. They will be flown to Australia  on permanent humanitarian visas.

We will meet them at the airport, provide transport to Warrnambool & then 12 months of support as they transition to independence. This will include linking with government services, language assistance & looking at education & employment options.

CRISP is an innovation in refugee resettlement in Australia and we are excited to be part of it. When only one percent of displaced people globally is permanently resettled each year (UNHCR figures) we are proud to be taking our small part in giving a future to even one household, for the first 12 months of their life in Australia.

The response from our Parish community to participating in CRISP has been overwhelmingly supportive.

Tax deductible donations to support our CRISP fundraising can be made via  Shout For Good

More information about CRISP is available on the CRSA website.

Group Coordinators for Star of The Sea Parish:
Katherine Stewart: katherinestewart99@gmail.com 0459 615 564 
Ann Barker: anntbarker@gmail.com 0427 728 333

Upcoming Events

Tuesday May 16
Fit4life Day - Year 12
Cultural Tour Excursion - VCE U1 Food Studies 
French Escape Room Experience - Year 9 & 10
Fit4life Parent Series

Wednesday May 17
Casual Dress - Celebrating Diversity
Boys Premier League Football - Senior

Monday May 22
Catholic Education Week (all week)
Frozen Jr. Production Week (all week)
Visual Communication Design Excursion - Year 11 & 12

Wednesday May 24
Girls Premier League Football - Senior

Thursday May 25
Whole School Assembly - Reconciliation Week

Friday May 26
Try a Career - Year 9
Last day to accept offers - 2024 Year 7 

Monday May 29
Year 10 Camp - Egan & Maguire (Monday - Wednesday)
GWR Cross Country