Emmanuel College Warrnambool eNewsletter

Principal's Message

Dear Emmanuel College Families,

Year 12 Valedictory
Welcome to Term Four. The first week of term has passed smoothly with an emphasis on our Year 12 students preparing for the busy final examination period. This Friday is Valedictory Day for the Class of 2023. From experience and from talking to a number of Year 12's this week, I know it is a bittersweet time. On the one hand there is great excitement knowing 13 years of formal education are concluding and with it comes a new freedom to make decisions and pursue the opportunities that have been dreamt of over time. On the other hand, there is a sense of loss knowing the place that’s been a second home and the many, varied people who are the Emmanuel family, will soon be left behind in the pursuit of the future. It is one of those significant rites of passage that are part of forming the adult humans we become. The Emmanuel community, the Emmanuel family, wishes this year’s Year 12 students success and happiness, and knowing that setbacks are a part of living and learning, we wish them the support of good friends and family to lift them up whenever their journey is challenging. Valedictory Day will see the year level attend mass with their teachers and families at St. Joseph’s Church at 9.30am, followed by a gathering of the students for morning tea and presentations and a whole school Valedictory Celebration in the Emmanuel Centre at midday.

Capital Works
When I last wrote this report just before commencing enrichment leave, I commented that the construction of the Edmund Rice Centre was about to begin. Having returned from leave a fortnight ago, the project is powering ahead. Extensive ground works were required to prepare for construction, and these have been completed; thankfully, no major sources of rock that needed to be cleared were uncovered. In addition, the bulk of the in-ground connections, plumbing and storm water works have been installed readying the site for the lower-level floor to be installed in the next few weeks. If you have driven past the College in recent weeks, you will have also seen the extensive works underway alongside Hopetoun Road to install a new entrance and road, a new carpark, and a new maintenance facility. The completion date for these works is December-January, while the Edmund Rice Centre will be completed by the end of 2024 with the first students beginning classes in the Centre in 2025.

Enrichment Leave
I express my gratitude and thanks to the College and to Mercy Education for enabling me to take enrichment leave during August and September. I travelled with a group of Catholic school principals to the United States of America beginning in New York and completing a pilgrimage that concluded in New Orleans. The journey took us through southern states at the heart of the 1950s and 1960s civil rights protests; states that clung to their laws of segregation between black and white refusing to implement new laws, such as those that allowed black children to attend white schools. The major focus of our time was the civil rights movement and a study of the lives of Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, and Flannery O’Connor. Of the four, it may come as no surprise, that Martin Luther King’s life and story had the greatest impact on me. His belief in the goodness in people, his hope in the future as evidenced in his letter written from Birmingham Jail, and his six principles of non-violence inspired by Jesus Christ and the techniques of Mahatma Gandhi, are extraordinary and inspirational. These six principles would be a wonderful way to address the unrest that’s increasingly present in our world today:

Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice not people.
Nonviolence holds that suffering can educate and transform people and societies.
Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

Some of our experiences were profoundly moving. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, left the members of our group deeply impacted. The Memorial for Peace and Justice is the nation’s first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved black people terrorized by lynching. The recently opened memorial names some 40,000 known men, women and children who were lynched, events that were often public spectacles, with citizens posing for photos in front of the bodies of those who were killed.

These most degrading times gave rise to men like King, and women like Rosa Parkes, another profound study in non-violent protest that ultimately brought an end to segregation on the Montgomery City buses, and gradually spreading to other southern states. Despite the achievements, I returned home with a profound sense that equality is still a distant dream, and Martin Luther King’s visionary “I have a dream” speech delivered in Washington in 1963, is yet to be fully realised. That of course is the nature of the Kingdom of God, it is not yet complete, and each of us plays a role in making it real. It was fascinating to be undertaking such a journey while at home a different but similar journey was unfolding, that of the referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Surely a Voice to Parliament is consistent with King’s Principles of Nonviolence? I will be voting YES in a few days time!

*Principal Peter Morgan and members of the study tour he recently completed in the USA with Dr. Bernice King, youngest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King September 9, 2023.*

In conclusion we pray for our Year 12 students as they journey towards and become valedictorians this Friday. We pray too, for our unsettled world. May Martin Luther King’s principles of nonviolence be viewed as a tangible way to achieve peace, prevent death and destruction, and protect the ordinary citizens of the world who are too often powerless in the face of decisions made at the highest levels of government.

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

Emmanuel Day
We thank our school community for purchasing a wrist band and are pleased to announce we raised $7,319 will all proceeds to be shared between our two primary charities, Mercy Works and Ruben Centre, Africa.

We would also like to acknowledge the generous support of the Midfield Group for their sponsorship of our BBQ and Harvey Norman who donated several prizes for the day.

Mental Health Month @ Emmanuel
October is mental health month. With the purpose to raise awareness throughout the month, we encourage our community to talk about mental health, help seeking and support services. At Emmanuel we have a number of lunchtime activities where our wellbeing team will provide some fun activities to engage with with our students.

National Mental Health Helpline: 1300 643 287
Kidshelpline: 1800 551 800

National Carers Week
National Carers Week, is celebrated from 15-21 October 2023, to recognise and celebrate the important contributions the 2.65 million unpaid carers around the country make to their families and community.

This year’s theme ‘Millions of Reasons to Care’ will highlight the diversity of carers and their caring roles and is an opportunity to raise community awareness among all Australians. In Victoria alone, there are over 700,000 carers who look after a family member or friend with a disability, mental illness, chronic or terminal illness or an older person with care needs.

National Carers Week 2023 is an initiative of Carers Australia and funded by the Australian Government.

poster_national_carers_week_2023_option_1.pdf

Uniform Transition
We continue the trial period of an extended transition from winter to summer uniform. Students will be able to choose to wear summer or winter uniforms based on the weather conditions. This transition period will continue until Friday October 27. As of Monday, October 30, all students will be required to be in summer uniform.

Hats will be encouraged in the first two weeks of Term 4 and required after Oct 16 regardless of the uniform a student is wearing. Please ensure that over this week you check to see that your child has a college wide brim hat.

Cyber Security Awareness Month 2023 – Be cyber wise, don’t compromise
Cyber Security Awareness is time for all Australians to improve their cyber security knowledge and take action to protect their information and devices.

The theme for Cyber Security Awareness Month for 2023 is 'be cyber wise – don’t compromise'. We’re encouraging you to take 4 simple steps to be cyber wise:

Update your devices regularly
Turn on multi-factor authentication
Backup your important files
Use passphrases and password managers.

Even these small steps can make significant improvements to your cyber security. Most cybercriminals exploit knowledge gaps to compromise your devices and information, so becoming more cyber wise, and sharing your knowledge with friends and family, can help us all stay more secure online.

Cyber security is everyone’s responsibility. We can all do our bit to be cyber wise. Take these simple steps to improve the security of our devices and accounts, and click on the link for more information https://www.cyber.gov.au/about-us

2023_ACSC_Top_tips_for_cyber_security_poster_A4.pdf

Bus Travellers
Our families/students are reminded that only students that are registered to travel on specific country buses can use this service; the service is not to be used for sports training/work/social purposes. Parent/Carers are to make their own arrangements in this regard.

Mrs Claire Wrigley
Assistant Principal - Students

CREATIVE 23

Applications Open for High Performance

We are currently calling for applicants to join the High Performance training team for 2024. It is a program ran outside of school hours on a Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning. The program is for any sporting background, all Year 8-12 students in 2024. Students have been emailed with all of the relevant details, which can also be found on daily messages. Applications close on Friday the 13^th October. As we begin our preparations for next year it has been a time to reflect on the amazing young people that have come through the program in the past 6 years. Below is a list of just some of the students who are realising their sporting dreams at the elite level:

Eloise Swarbrick: Scholarship to an American College for tennis
Archie Stevens: Contracted player of the Carlton Football Club
George Stevens: All Australian Captain of the Under 18 AFL team and potential draftee for this year
Lamon Lual: TAC cup All Australian Team and potential draftee for this year
Finn O’Sullivan: captain of the Australian Under 17 team and played for Vic Country Under 18 team.
Keela Moloney-Smith: accepted to a professional dance school for 2024.

We take great pride in the accomplishments of the individuals referenced, as well as in every athlete who has been part of the program throughout the years. Their collective contributions have significantly shaped the program's culture and ongoing success we witness today.

Mr Clements & Mr Smith
High Performance Coordinators

Student Voice - Emmanuel Day

Emily Mahony, College Captain
Emmanuel Day is an annual tradition that brings the entire school community together in a celebration of our shared values and talents. This special day is not just an event; it's an embodiment of the spirit of our school, where tradition, unity, and talent converge to create a memorable experience for all. The Year 12’s all dressed as the smurfs while other students were encouraged to come along as Jungle theme.

The day begins with a gathering in the Emmanuel Centre, where students, teachers, and staff gather to reflect on the school's values and the importance of community. This spiritual component of Emmanuel Day sets the tone for the day ahead, reminding us of our common purpose and the bonds that tie us together.

After this, the school transforms into a lively carnival of fun activities, all organised within house groups. These house groups, carefully curated to promote diversity and camaraderie, add a competitive edge to the day's festivities. From silent discos, ice bath challenges and food stalls and everything in between, students engage in friendly rivalries, showcasing their athleticism, teamwork, and spirit.

But Emmanuel Day is not just about physical prowess. It's also a celebration of creativity and artistic talent. The highlight of the day is undoubtedly "Emmanuel's Got Talent." The stage becomes a platform for our students to shine, whether through music, dance, drama, or any other form of expression. The performances are not just entertaining; they are a testament to the diverse talents that our school community possesses.

What makes Emmanuel Day truly remarkable is how it fosters a sense of togetherness and belonging. It's a day when students of all ages come together to celebrate their shared experiences and the values that make our school special. It's an opportunity for older students to mentor and inspire the younger ones, creating a sense of continuity and mentorship within our community.

It is also an opportunity to raise much needed funds for vital causes in more need than ourselves and we are thankful to donate that money to the Ruben centre and mercy works.

In conclusion, Emmanuel Day is not just a celebration; it's a reflection of who we are as a school community. It embodies our shared values, strengthens our bonds, and showcases the incredible talents that our students possess. This annual tradition is a testament to the enduring spirit of our school, and it's a day that everyone looks forward to with eager anticipation. Emmanuel Day is a reminder that we are not just a school; we are a family, and this day is a testament to our unity and our endless well of talent and raising much needed money for those vulnerable in our world.

Environment & Sustainability Update

9A completing their turn as part of our 'Clean up Australia- Every day!' program and emptying their homeroom recycling bin. Well done, 9A.

Our Year 7 & 8 students have been participating positively in this since start of Term 2. Therefore, we decided to include Year 9s. Our Year 9 homerooms are rostered on weekly and students discuss how loose rubbish is often washed away into waterways and which then negatively affects the natural environment. Students collect any rubbish, then sort the rubbish using the image below featuring common canteen, lunch box and school rubbish. We thank the Year 9s for their efforts and encourage all members of our school community to ensure they place their own waste in the correct bin.

In Term 4, the Green Group @Emmanuel are working on a new program called “No plastic in November”. Where we hope to encourage our school community to reduce the single use plastic they use. Do you think you could last 1 month without bringing or buying single use plastic covered foods for school? If so, look out for information about this program and how you can be involved.

Environment & Sustainability Coordinator
Ms Brooke Jones

Sports Update

Regional Athletics
On Thursday the 6th of October, 54 students represented the College at the Greater Western Region Athletics. On a cold and blustery day, we saw many terrific performances including 5 relay team victories. The College was also successful in securing the school championship thanks to a terrific all round effort from competing students.

Results from the day can be found on the link below. Goodluck to the 20 students who will now represent the school next Monday, at the State Athletics meet next Monday the 14th of October.

GWR Track and Field Results
GWR Overall School Championship

Mr Alastair Templeton
Sports & Lunchtime Activities Coordinator

Library News

Emmanuel Day In The Library
The Library had lots of creative characters visiting on Emmanuel Day last Term, to take part in the Spelling Competition, the Languages activities and the games and colouring ins on offer.

International School Library Month
Emmanuel College is celebrating International School Library Month in October. During October, students will make some bookmarks to send to a school overseas that we will be linked with. We have participated for a number of years in this project.

Also in International School Library Month, the Library will be holding a UNO card competition on Thursday 26 October in the Reading Room at Lunchtime.

Year 12s Studying
As the Year 12's prepare for their final exams, we have captured their study techniques.

Mrs Margaret Sinnott
Library Coordinator

Embrace Kids

Embrace Kids is an uplifting film by Taryn Brumfitt
This film aims to improve the body image of young people across Australia and the world. Aimed at an audience of 9-14 year olds, but equally engaging for adolescents, teachers, and parents, this film inspires, educates, and advocates for a world where we are not held back by the thoughts we have about the way we look. Instead, young people are encouraged to figure out what makes them unique and special, and use that to spark change.

The four central themes of the film and resources include:

Celebrating diversity of appearance, including diversity in relation to gender expression, ability, cultural background, and size.
Appreciating the functionality of what our bodies can do more than what they look like.
Being kind to ourselves and others.
Focusing on real role models

Embrace_Kids_Film_Poster.pdf