Link Up Term 3 Week 8 2022

Although spring is here and there are signs of budding trees and plants, the wintery weather is still with us! In most cases though, this has not impacted the many activities that have been taking place over the last few weeks.

Unsurprisingly, our Book Week celebrations again culminated in a magnificent parade with students and staff showcasing their favourite book characters, which complemented the various other activities that had occurred in the preceding days. Some of our talented Years 7-12 students demonstrated their literary skills in a 'Write a Book in One Day' session as part of the festivities.

Knockout sport competitions have continued with Years 8-9 boys and Years 7-8 girls in the Netball finals and the Open boys making the quarter finals of the basketball. This week our College hosted the Years 5-6 Hills Murray Catholic Schools Lightning Carnival with hundreds of students enjoying sports on the ovals and in the Community Sports Centre. Unfortunately, the poor weather forecast caused the cancellation of Wednesday's event as well as the need to postpone the Tri-schools Carnival today with students from St Catherine's in Stirling and St Joseph's Murray Bridge.

A major highlight in Week 6 was our Year 8 Canberra Tour! Our excited (but weary) travellers returned from this camp having visited a variety of significant places in our country's capital, including Parliament House, the National War Memorial and the Australian Institute of Sport. Thank you to Year Level Leader, Jen Ness-Ferry and her team (Mark Billington, Sarah Hoffman, Amy Ashley and Branden Hill) for enabling this wonderful experience for the Year 8s who missed this opportunity as Year 7s in 2021.

Our College Staff Reflection Day took place at the Mary MacKillop Precinct in Kensington last Tuesday. We were privileged to learn more about the life and legacy of our first Australian saint. Thank you to APRIM Oreste Farrugia for organising a great day of learning, fun and camaraderie, culminating in a liturgy in the Convent Chapel where St Mary of the Cross MacKillop also prayed and worshipped. 

We wish Gavin McGlaughlin well for his time of leave and welcome Carla Thomas in the role of Acting Deputy Principal - Learning while I step in as Acting Principal. We also congratulate the following R-6 teachers who have been appointed from the start of 2023. Those already at the College include Lauren Broadbent, Devan Chalmers, Stephanie Hocking, Ciara Pappin and Dan Peterson. Joining us from Mercedes College is Jessica De Luca, with Ross Habib from Mt Carmel College, together with Emma Hill from St Joseph's School Hectorville. In Years 7-12 we also warmly welcome Amy Plumridge who comes to us from sunny Townsville and specialises in English.

Finally, it gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of Speech Pathologist Nikki Snell and Occupational Therapist Rachel Vince, who join us as part of the Partners in Inclusive Practice program in partnership with St Catherine's Stirling and St Joseph's School Murray Bridge. We are so fortunate to have engaged two such highly qualified Allied Health professionals to work across these three campuses and look forward to the contributions they will make to our Wellbeing and Equity & Inclusion teams in 2023 and beyond.

Blessings and best wishes for the weeks ahead and we hope the sunshine makes a more permanent appearance as the Term 3 holidays approach.

Sonia Nelson
Acting Principal

Wellbeing Wednesday Works Wonders

While weekends have a rhythm of their own, the rest of the week can play a familiar song. Monday’s tune is a bit of a dirge. The day begins in a predictable, almost robotic way as we warm into the week. Crisply ironed shirt, looking for socks that are still in the washing basket, a rush around to organise lunch, some last minute homework, a race to the car and away you go. Monday seems to drag. By mid-afternoon, the comfort of the weekend past is wearing off and tiredness sets in. An early night on Monday is always a good idea.

Tuesday has its own vibe. It’s definitely not Monday but it is long way off Friday. To ensure that the post weekend slumber has worn off, Tuesday needs to be a day of action. A blast of physical activity on a Tuesday works wonders for the body. Moods lift on a Tuesday and if you are at the top of your game, a terrific Tuesday will set you up for the rest of the week.

Wednesday or Hump Day, as it is known in some parts because of where it falls during the working week, can be a bet each way. If the momentum of Tuesday carries over, then Wednesday just gets better and better. However, if your Wednesday gets off on the wrong foot it can feel like a bad Monday until you shake off the bad and remember that tomorrow is Thursday. This is why Wellbeing Wednesday works wonders. Wellbeing Wednesday is a feature of life at St Francs de Sales College. Student Leaders have ownership of this day and are always willing to create a microburst of wellbeing for the community. From music on the deck to a splash of yellow for RUOK Day or chalked messages promoting Harmony Day, Wellbeing Wednesday is a winner.

At the recent Staff Reflection Day, guest presenter Madhavi Nawana Parker from Positive Minds Australia, spoke about the benefits of microbursts of wellbeing. Recent research has found that as the world recovers from the pandemic, we humans need practical solutions to reset, recharge and recover. Leaving wellbeing until the weekend does not cut it. Madhavi recommends starting each day with a wellbeing microburst and interspersing the busyness of the day with little wellbeing gems. There are apps for everything these days and while these can help, you don’t need an app for a random act of kindness or to take a ninety-second break to focus on your breathing. Personal wellbeing is our own responsibility. The early days of spring, with the change of seasons and nature’s response by breaking the shackles of winter, is the ideal time to focus on wellbeing. An easy way to start is to Choose Life – the attitude we bring to situations makes all the difference and collectively, positivity builds community.

As far as days of the week go, Thursday has a more upbeat feel to it than Wednesday. Good fortune can happen on Thursday – maybe that is why Powerball is drawn on a Thursday night. If ever you are lucky enough to win it, I am sure you would agree but the main reason for feeling upbeat about Thursday has to be that it is the day before Friday. Even though Friday has had some bad publicity over the years, (Friday, the 13th comes to mind) I think most people would agree that you can’t beat the rhythm of a Friday afternoon. The Easybeats were definitely onto something. It makes you wonder what life would be like if every day felt like Friday afternoon.

Paul Fairlie
Deputy Principal - Community and Wellbeing

A Saint for all People

“God gives me strength for what is necessary”. This, one of St Mary MacKillop’s most well-known quotes, captures her deep faith in God and her trust that God is with her in all things. Last week our staff experienced our annual Staff Reflection Day, which was held at the Mary MacKillop Museum at Kensington. The focus was on the life and person of Mary MacKillop and how she lived ‘integrity’; our Heart Value theme for 2022.

We were blessed to have Mary Hemmings facilitate the day for us, giving us an insightful plunge into the beautiful life of Mary MacKillop, as well as her struggles. The staff had the opportunity to also visit the museum, take part in the ‘Mary MacKillop Walk’ around parts of Kensington, and be at peace in the Chapel onsite. The latter part of the Reflection Day was led by Madhavi Nawana Parker from Positive Minds Australia. She spoke of the importance of school staff to be mindful of their own wellbeing and to build daily routines and habits that allow moments of joy and wellbeing to be experienced.

I sincerely thank Mary Hemmings and Madhavi Nawana Parker for their time and commitment in creating a space for peace, calm, and formation for our staff.

Vinnies FIA ‘on fire’

The Vinnies FIA Group have been busy!!! Some members of the group spent some Pastoral Care time last Wednesday making muffins and cookies, which were taken to Vinnies Fred’s Van to distribute to those in most need and homeless people in the Adelaide region. We thank Hazel Hunter for her work in facilitating this.

During the last few weeks, other members of the Vinnies FIA Group had two lunchtime sessions with Karen Boswell making very interesting and artistic greeting cards. These were used as gifts during the excursion this week to the Vinnies Men's Shelter, situated in Adelaide.

The excursion was an insightful experience. Umes Acharya from Vinnies facilitated most of the day, which was focused on putting service into action. The morning was spent taking part in a tour of the Vinnies Head Office and then we went to the Men's Shelter to cook for the residents a sausage sizzle lunch. This was an opportunity for the students to have conversations with the men residing there, and to give them the toiletry gift-packs we put together, along with the handmade cards. It was evident that the men greatly appreciated the connection the students had made with them and enjoyed the meal and gifts. 

Holly reflects: “As a group we believe that the day was very insightful and that we have learnt a lot about homelessness and how we can help as a community.”

In the afternoon, some of the team from the Catholic Office for Youth & Young Adults (COYYA) met with the students and facilitated a session involving discussion about key themes and ideas that the Catholic Church could consider and address at the upcoming Diocesan Youth Assembly. This was a valuable opportunity for the students to have their voice heard in matters relating to the Catholic Church.

The Vinnies FIA Group is doing a terrific job in serving our community and beyond. We welcome to the Vinnies FIA Group, two new staff members – Devan Chalmers and Stephanie Hocking. We thank them for their support of this wonderful group.

Parent Connections

Our Parent Community Group hosted the Father’s Day Stall on Thursday 1 September on the Junior School deck. Throughout the day, students had the opportunity to purchase items for their dad or father figures. The Stall made a profit of $1,834.45, which will go towards a College community building event in the near future. A special thanks to Lia McNaught, Kristy How, and Emma Petersen for their dedicated work in facilitating the Father's Day Stall.

A reminder that all dad’s and father-figures are welcome to attend the next Dad’s Group Gathering event (Fathering Project), which is being held this Sunday, 18 September. This time it will be just for dad's and father figures. The event in Term 4 will include children. The gathering this Sunday starts at 12:00pm and concludes at 3:00pm in the Community Sports Centre Function Room and includes a BBQ lunch and drinks. This is an opportunity for dads at the College to come together to network and continue to build a stronger community. We hope to see you there.

College Day

A reminder that College Day is being celebrated on Wednesday 28 September, Week 10.

It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate who we are as a College and to acknowledge our patron and founders. This day is also our main fundraising event for this terms Mercy Mission Appeal. The money collected from students to dress-up in theme and money collected from Stall sales etc will all go towards Catherine House. Catherine House offers crisis, longer term accommodation and support services for women experiencing homelessness.

To assist with our fundraising, please take part in our dress-up themes and have some fun!! The dress-up themes for the day are as follows. Be creative!

R-6 and Home Group teachers (Fluro colours)

• Year 7 and Home Group teachers (Red)
• Year 8 and Home Group teachers (Orange)
• Year 9 and Home Group teachers (Yellow)
• Year 10 and Home Group teachers (Green)
• Year 11 and Home Group teachers (Blue)
• Year 12 and Home Group teachers (Purple)
• Staff who don’t have a Home Group (Pink)

Oreste Farrugia
APRIM

Year 4 Camp 

Our Year 4 students braved some rather wet and cold conditions to attend the Year 4 Camp at Mylor Baptist Camp. It was a fantastic experience, and all the children had a wonderful time enjoying a variety of fun activities aimed at building teamwork, perseverance and confidence building skills.

Here are three Student Reflections about some favourite camp experiences:

"Raft making was my favourite activity. We had to make rafts with a variety of items that were given to us. We had to make it float and go all the way to the end of the pool and back carrying two people the whole way. After that we had to take it apart. The first team to do that won. It was a really fun activity." Emily 

"My favourite activity was archery. We got the arrows and we shot it towards the bullseye. It was boys versus girls and it was a draw! It was good because we learned a new skill." Leo H 

"My best memory of the camp was the Challenge course. It was wet, cold and very muddy! The obstacles were very hard. You had to climb up a rope ladder onto a slip and slide, then you had to go through a pond and climb over a log bridge, then you had to throw beanbags into a crate. We finished up by going through the mud. It was a very memorable experience!" Zara 

Book Week Celebrations 

This year's Book Week theme was Dreaming with eyes open. The R-6 community enjoyed an array of different activities over the week, including a Book Week launch assembly with Principal Gavin McGlaughlin to kick the week off, buddy class activities, read and relax activities for 3-6 students and a reading and coffee morning with parents/carers in the R-2 community. We finished the week off with the very exciting Book Week Dress-Up Parade. We even had a secret visit from a very special fairy, Miss Floss! The children all looked amazing with their costumes. Thanks to all the parents and carers for all your efforts in getting costumes ready for the day! 

Alice Taylor
R-6 Director of Learning and Literacy Leader

Year 8 Canberra Tour 2022

On Monday, 29 August, seventy Year 8 students and five teachers departed for a week of fun and learning in our nation’s capital, Canberra, assisted by funding received through the Federal Government PACER program (Parliamentary And Civics Education Rebate). The Year 8 students are to be commended for being fine ambassadors for our College.

A very special thank you goes to the Canberra Tour teachers for their outstanding commitment and dedication toward the success of the tour, and to our families, for being so supportive of their children and the learning experiences we offer.

Student Reflections

"We visited many interesting places and I had fun making new friends." Emily C

"The attractions I enjoyed most on camp were the Deep Space Communication Complex, the National Zoo and Aquarium, and an honourable mention must be rolling down the hill at the National Aboretum." Poppy

"I enjoyed visiting the Australian Institute of Sport, the Australian War Memorial and getting lots of sleep, there were lots of really good experiences on the tour." Connor

"Two things I learnt were that the HM the Queen can not ever enter the House of Representatives and there are many more galaxies than the one we live in. I’m also proud of getting a score of 109 in lane bowling." Grace

"It was a worthwhile experience because I learnt many more facts about the High Court and Parliament House than I ever knew before. I really enjoyed visiting the National Zoo and Aquarium, The Australian War Memorial and bowling was fun." Louisa

"My experience in Canberra taught me that I can be independent, how to budget my money and that HM the Queen is not allowed in the House of Representatives. It was also fun spending time with my friends." Alicia

"I am super proud of myself for getting sleep on the tour and I enjoyed visiting Parliament House and the Australian Institute of Sport." Hamilton

Jen Ness-Ferry
Year 7-8 Leader

Lightning Carnival

In Week 8 of this term we played host to our annual Hills/Barker Lightning Carnival. This is where a number of local schools travel to our College to participate in Netball, Basketball, Soccer or AFL 9s. This week our Year 5s played the various sports, coached by Year 9Y, and our Year 11 students umpired the games. It was amazing to see all the teams play with sportsmanship, encouraging each other to have fun and give it a go.

Basketball Academy – 36ers Visit

Earlier this term our Year 8-12 Basketball Academy students were fortunate to have the 36ers Basketball team come and run a series of drills and games for them. They worked on some shooting and offensive plays, and it was fantastic to be able to have these professionals on hand to provide tips and feedback.

Interschool Sport

This term has continued to see a number of teams compete in the various rounds of School Sport SA Interschool sports. Our Open Boys and Girls Basketball Teams competed in the Division 1 Minor Round Competition at Lights Community Centre and ought hard all day. The girls finished 5th on the day, just missing out on a spot in the top four. The boys ended up 3rd on the day, meaning they then went on to play Trinity College in the semi-finals. They played exceptionally well but unfortunately were beaten on the day. This means they ended up finishing equal 5th in the state which is an outstanding effort. Congratulations to Mark Billington and his team on this successful campaign. Our Year 7/8 Girls and Year 7-9 Boys Netball Teams competed in the Statewide Final during Week 6. Unfortunately, this date clashed with the Year 8 Canberra Tour so our Year 7 girls really had to step up on the day. They fought hard and ended up losing two matches and winning one, which is an excellent effort. The Year 7-9 Boys had a fantastic day where they won through to the Grand Final. Unfortunately, they went down to Modbury in the dying minutes of the match. However, they conducted themselves beautifully and showed determination and sportsmanship even in defeat.

Over the course of the year we are always looking for parents and volunteers to assist with the various teams. If you are interested in volunteering at the College please refer to the information available on our website under Community > Volunteering.

For all sports related information parents and carers can keep an eye on daily notices through SEQTA Engage. If there are ever any questions about these activities or other sporting related opportunities please email Nadia Honner.

Nadia Honner 
Learning Area Specialist - Health and Physical Education and Specialist Sport Coordinator

The end of Term 3 is certainly going to be a busy one for our Music family with the following events to be held:

Catholic Schools Music ‘Festival Choir’ – Monday, 26 September
Instrumental Music Showcase Cabaret – Tuesday, 27 September, 6:45pm
Junior Music Party – Tuesday, 27 September, 5:30pm
Catholic Schools Music featuring Tilly Lovelock as a Solo Artist – Wednesday, 28 September

Our talented music students have worked extremely hard over the past three terms and now we will all have the opportunity to see many of them performing live.

We are excited to once again be part of the annual Catholic Schools Music Festival where we will have 9 students feature as members of the 350-member Festival Choir on Opening Night at the Adelaide Festival Theatre, an amazing experience for our singers who have diligently rehearsed under the guidance of our Junior Music teacher, Amy Waters. Also representing our College at this year’s event will be our amazing Year 12, Tilly Lovelock, who will take centre stage with a solo performance. Huge congratulations to Tilly, we know you will do our College proud.

With our ever increasing Instrumental Music program at the College, we will be staging a ‘back to back’ performance in Week 10 to showcase the many talented musicians and singers we are developing.

Our Junior Music Party will kick off from 5:30pm in the Function Room (located at the front of the Community Sports Centre) and yes, it will be a ‘PARTY’ to celebrate our younger ‘Musos’ and we look forward to welcoming family and friends to this exciting event… and then next door, in the Community Sports Centre, we will be staging our Instrumental Music Showcase Cabaret commencing at 6:45pm, a program that will include solo and group performers that may even get you up for a bit of a ‘boogie’ on the dance floor. As the Cabaret is a table-seated event we ask you to get your group together organise some nibbles and drinks (non-alcoholic only) and BOOK your table via the online registration at stfrancis.catholic.edu.au/instrumental-music-showcase-cabaret.

Bec Page, Amy Waters and Aleks Bojanic
Music Department

Upcoming Dance and Drama Performance

Monday, 5 and Tuesday, 6 December, Week 8, Term 4 are the dates to mark in your calendar for the Semester 2 Dance and Drama production – The Super, Dooper, Spectacular, Sensational, Fantastically Marvellous and Extraordinary Talent Show!

This performance will showcase the talents of the Dance Minis, Dance Crew, Year 8, Stage 1 and 2, Semester 2 Dance classes, all presenting their choreographed routines; however, we have put a ‘spin’ on the proceedings this semester and the dramatic talents of the Year 9 Drama classes will also be showcased in this one of a kind production.

Junior school matinee performances will be held on Monday, 5 and Tuesday, 6 December in The Dell, Performing Arts Centre at 2pm, with two evening performances for parents and friends on Monday and Tuesday at 6:15pm.

The format for the performances may again require social distance seating, therefore if that is still the case, it is expected that there may be family and friends who miss out on a seat at the live performance due to limited numbers (bookings will open closer to the date to ensure that the current restrictions have not changed). To accommodate for this, or for those who may not feel comfortable (given the COVID situation) attending a live performance, we will again stream the recorded performance of The Super, Dooper, Spectacular, Sensational, Fantastically Marvellous and Extraordinary Talent Show!, which will be available for a limited time via a private link.

As Sir Ken Robinson says, dance allows students "who need to move to think", and in providing Dance and Drama as part of the curriculum, we allow them to do just that!

Peta Bojanic
Dance and Drama Teacher

Science Week

National Science Week is an opportunity for everyone to talk science, see science and do science. During Science Week at the College, the STEM outreach team from the University of Adelaide engaged students in flavour and aerospace science activities.

Year 7/8 explored aerospace engineering and space science and the basic science and engineering principles in rocketry. They put their knowledge to the test by designing, building and launching small scale rockets.

Year 9/10 students explored taste and smell. They learnt what senses are used for tasting and the chemical basis for smelling aroma.

Zonya Grear
Learning Area Specialist - Science

Monarto Safari Park

Our Year 7s visited the Monarto Safari Park as part of our learning around Ecosystems for Science. We observed animals in their habitat and recorded some of the behaviours we witnessed over ten minutes at one minute intervals. One of the many tasks that wildlife biologists undertake in their line of work is to observe and record animal behaviour.

Students participated in two activities led by rangers from the Safari Park. One group went on a bus tour through the park visiting the large enclosures. Some students commented that it felt like we were in the ‘cage’ (bus) and the animals were observing us driving past, a role reversal compared to a conventional zoo. Our ranger tour guide was very informative and gave us some great information not only about the animals themselves but also about the large habitats and future plans for the park.  

Whilst half of the students were on the bus tour the other half were with another ranger at ‘The Outpost’. Here the students had to complete some tasks that a ranger out in the wild would need to do. Students had to sort poo, bones and footprints, labelling them with the correct animal.

The chimpanzees were a real highlight. Watching them try to assert their dominance over one another was fascinating and how the leader of the group kept them all in check. The way they could throw themselves around grabbing on to things as they flew was amazing to watch.

Student Reflections

"We enjoyed watching the chimpanzees try to assert their dominance over one another. The way they could throw themselves around grabbing on to things as they flew was amazing to watch."

"We observed the Meerkats getting to know the porcupines through a fence as the keepers are planning on them sharing the same enclosure some time soon. The meerkats were very skittish as they slowly moved closer and closer to the grate that the porcupine was behind."

"The baby cheetahs were very cute and fluffy laying about with their mother."

"It was great to see the animals just roaming around in their large enclosures and enjoying their space whilst we were enclosed and protected behind the glass of our airconditioned bus."

"The Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby enclosure allowed us to enter their habitat and stay within a designated area for people and they animals could come to us if they wanted. This shared space within their closure made everyone feel comfortable, animals and people alike."

"We learnt a lot about the chimpanzees, from the environmental impacts of deforestation to the many programs going on around the world to help these primates."

Adam Schembri
STEM

Catholic School Parents SA (CSPSA) is pleased to present the first Parent Engagement Evening and welcomes all parents and carers of children in Catholic schools to attend.

The event “Anxiety and Worry in Children and Teenagers” will be presented by Madhavi Nawana Parker and is described as follows:

“All children experience some degree of anxiety and worry. This session will help parents and teachers learn to respond in a way that doesn’t further inflame the situation and reduce destructive thinking patterns and improve resilience and wellbeing.”

Madhavi Nawana Parker is director of Positive Minds Australia, and an established author, counsellor and speaker. She has provided young people, families and schools with tools to develop resilience, confidence and wellbeing through counselling, professional development and parent workshops.

The session will be facilitated online and in person. The event will be limited to 150 places in person, with the online platform unlimited.

The details of the event are below:
Date: Tuesday 20 September 2022 @ 6:30pm - 8pm
Location: St Thomas School and Preschool, 10 Ruston Street, Goodwood SA
Cost: Free
Registration: Registrations can be made via the Registration Centre.