As we near the middle of the term, things have really ramped up, if that is possible. Our senior students are in the final rounds of SACS as they complete their final 5 weeks of course work. The past week has seen the Year 8 students enjoying their medieval incursion as they learn about times past. Also, this week after months of rehearsals, the College production of “Chicago” will open. All the students involved are to be congratulated as are the team of staff involved under the leadership of Mr. Damian Bernardo. I would like to thank each and every one of them for their commitment and efforts in providing our students the opportunity to perform. Well done!

There are a million other things happening along with the day-to-day educating of the students and I thank all staff involved in these activities and wish them and the students all the best in their endeavours.

In this week’s reflection I share a story I read many years ago, that I read from time-to-time to remind me of the need to be conscious that every interaction, every word, or gesture can have a profound impact on the person we are dealing with. This is especially important for us teachers as the precious people we deal with daily are the adults of tomorrow. Each and every day we help shape and form these young people into the person they will become through our interactions. We should never forget the privilege nor the responsibility we have to these young people, their parents and to the wider community. I witness each and every day acts of kindness and care demonstrated by the staff here at Caroline Chisholm Catholic College and I truly believe that the students placed in our care are very fortunate and the world will benefit from their works as they set about forming our students into honest citizens and people of good Christian values. The seeds we scatter will blossom for all to see. Enjoy the read.

I share this story for a number of reasons, one is to remind us of the need to be conscious of how we deal with people because it will have an impact, especially our teachers, and a second is to ask ourselves: How many of us would notice a simple good deed such as the one described in the story, and how would we respond?

My reflection is driven by the increased propensity of individuals in our community to focus on the negative things they perceive, appearing to fail to see all the good that happens around them. My concern is based on the numerous communications I receive from all different members of our community, both within the College community as well as from members of the wider community. Whilst every now and then I receive positive ones, I am far more likely to hear from someone that has an axe to grind, wanting to tell me when I or another member of the community has failed in their eyes. Sadly, the trend of late is for schools to receive far more of these rather than the positive ones.

In recent times as the College has navigated its way through a very difficult situation, and in connection with this I have received numerous emails, some sharing their appreciation and their support for how we have handled the situation, but unfortunately these have been far outweighed by letters of concern or criticism. Whilst I understand communication can be driven by emotion, frustration and fear informed by perception, I do wonder, as people pen their communication, do they ask themselves how their email or letter is going to be received and how it is likely to impact on the individual or group targeted.

I can say the supportive and positive emails I received have assisted getting through a very tough time. To know that there are parents in our community that are grateful and supportive of the measures we have put in place is reassuring. These types of emails are not common and are far outweighed by emails highlighting instances when we have failed, or our students are making less than favourable decisions but all the letters and emails I receive did get me to thinking and pondering some questions.

Why does society have a propensity to focus on the negative? How many acts of decency or good in the world are going unrecognised? Why is it that we as a society are less likely to acknowledge when something is done well, or someone has done a good deed? Why is it that we have a newfound tendency to be outraged, or to take offence and then want to make sure our frustrations and feelings are made known to the world?

These questions are not easy on to answer, as we will never know or witness all the good that happens in our world. This is especially true given there exists a tendency in our society to only want to witness and recognise the poor behaviour that occurs and seldom take the time to see the lovely gestures that happen all around us every single day. Reporting in the media is a perfect example, as many reports are far too quick to point out the failings of an individual or an institution and very rarely highlight the positive acts or virtues. The Catholic Church is one such example. Some would argue rightly, the churches failings should be highlighted, but are the media too quick to focus on the atrocities of some individuals, deserved I would suggest, whereas, nowhere near as quick to highlight the good works of the church for which there are many. The same can be said of our politicians and our sports stars who often receive warranted condemnation of the media when they ‘stuff’ up but never seem to have their good work recognised as readily. Why is it that as a society we tend only to see the worst in people?

I think if we focused on those in the community who regularly do the right thing there may be more incentive for our young people to do the right thing.

Throughout the Gospels Jesus regularly taught about the Kingdom of God and what we needed to do to bring it about. I was reminded recently of one such teaching, Matthew 25:40-45

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Teaching our students the art of bringing God’s kingdom to life is of the utmost importance, if we are to bring our young people to their full potential. Attaining an understanding of the need to treat all people with the respect and dignity they rightfully deserve is a God send. Whilst doing the right thing should be done not for the recognition or the accolades but just because they know it is the right thing to do, I do believe we would benefit by highlighting the good more often.

In the story, the store owner went to the young boy’s aid without knowing if anyone was watching or expecting anything in return. He fed the poor, whilst maintaining each or their dignity through his trading. This is an example of the way we would hope all the students in our community would act.

I often wonder if we saw Jesus in every person, we encountered each day would we behave differently, because it is not always easy. We meet people daily who challenge our values, who make us feel uncomfortable who are difficult to be present for, but would that change if we knew they were Jesus? My challenge is for all in the community to ponder this question and to ask ourselves what drives us to feed the hungry, to clothe the poor or to set captives free?

God Bless,

Robert Brennan

Principal

Introducing the Waa Award

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the Waa Award. This new student recognition award emphasises every student’s positive contribution to the college. Rather than being a specific award for one specialty area, the Waa Award requires students to be actively involved across a range of school activities and events.

This award is named in honour of Waa the crow. The traditional custodians of our lands, the Marin-Bulluk clan of the Wurundjeri woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation acknowledge Waa as protector. Waa is also the totem and moiety for the clans of Kulin Nation who have kinship with him.

Students will need to gain points in four broad areas, however there is a minimum requirement for academic performance and community contribution. These four areas are:

• Academic

• Community
• Culture
• Sport

There are three levels of award: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each level of award requires a designated number of points in a specific area. Students must complete a minimum number of points in the areas of Academia and Community and can then make up the remaining points across any category.

	Total Points Required	Academic Minimum	Community Minimum
Bronze Waa	400	300	30
Silver Waa	800	600	60
Gold Waa	1100	750	100

The Waa Award intends to recognise and celebrate student contributions to the college over the entire span of their time as a student. As students reach milestones, they will receive a lapel badge corresponding to either the bronze, silver or gold level of achievement.

We have backdated a number of points for all students, and as such many students will be receiving awards across the term. I hope that you will take the opportunity to congratulate and encourage your children to strive for these awards throughout their time as a student at Caroline Chisholm Catholic College. The Waa Award is earned, not given, and reflects ongoing commitment to the college community and their studies.

More information on the Waa Award will be published through our college publications soon.

Tristan O'Brien
Deputy Principal - Faith & Mission

Religious Education - Visual Arts Focus

Our Year 12 Religious Education visual arts students have been exploring our annual theme of the Parable of the Mustard Seed. We are pleased to share their words and artwork.

Sarah Muscat:

My piece interprets the parable of the Mustard Seed as it resembles a tree that has gone through a transformation. The tree situated on one side is a tree that alone looks complete and joyous however, in comparison to the tree next to it, looks bare and bland. This is a representation of how different visual perceptions are made. Whilst one tree alone looks quite extravagant once compared to the other it looks like the lesser. This idea links to the parable because when ‘man’ or ‘god’ planted their smallest seed the largest tree grew from it to help and change the world. My piece conveys this because the simplistic approach of the initial tree can do just the same and is made from essentially the same materials, the beads are the difference between the two. Linking back to the parable the beads are what makes us all different. However, we all come from the smallest of seeds and have the potential to become the biggest of trees no matter who we are. My sources of inspiration were primarily the wire money/bonsai trees which remind me of peace, relaxation and clarity. 

Akshita Benny:

My artwork interprets the verse “Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” I believe this interpretation is conveyed as in the front it shows a small wooden plank with mustard seeds, but coming out of them are small pieces of florist wire that is the same material as the trunk to resemble the seeds sprouting. These “sprouts’ are also on the base as if growing from the ground, representing how the mustard seed is growing larger. In addition, there is a large tree, and embedded in it are various representations of birds as a reference to the scripture and how the mustard plant grows large enough to harbour and shelter birds.

Jacy Dinh:

The parable's primary message is about the nature and growth of the kingdom of heaven. “Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Although the kingdom may start small and seemingly insignificant, it has the potential to grow and expand beyond expectations. My tree stems from the centre of a blooming flower symbolising new life; flowers are small like mustard seeds which communicates the overall message of the mustard seed being seen as “small and insignificant”. However, a tree is able to sprout, bearing apples; a symbol of beauty and hope for prosperity.

Louise Phan Nguyen:

My source of inspiration is the Asian bonsai tree and lilyponds, I incorporate apples onto the tree to help represent that it would grow and spread across the world to an unlimited number of “God’s” followers. The term Bonsai in Japanese means 'planted in a container', and the plant is believed to bring good luck and harmony. My artwork interprets The Parable of the Mustard Seed by how small and tiny the seed of the tree will start off first and as time goes and it grows into a big tree, that’s when it’ll make a big difference – and even though we can sometimes feel small, Jesus tells us that we can also make a huge difference.

Alyssa:

In my interpretation of the parable of the mustard seed, it teaches us that we humans must create an environment (the kingdom of heaven) that accepts and benefits all forms of life.

The chopped-up yarn scattered around the base represent leaves on the ground that provide a visual comparison between how much larger the tree is from its leaves to refer to the parable, “the smallest of all the seeds, grows the tallest of trees”. With the seed representing our ideas planted into the world that can change our society into something great.

The pipe cleaners and the pom poms hand made from yarn is used to give texture and add to the tree’s size symbolising how the brilliance of the tree allow for birds to “make nests in its branches”. This signifies how we must contribute to our community by bringing shelter and food for the need.

I chose the colour of the base as a rich green to represent the very healthy grass which refers to the parable about how sunlight will strengthen the stem and deepen the roots of our tree. This teaches others that with a properly replenished soil, a tree can thrive and flourish. Similarly, a society built on love and compassion is one that can also thrive and flourish.

Duc Le:

My artwork titled "The Mustard Tree's Park" was an interpretation and creativity inspired by the “parable of the mustard seed”. The vibrant orange tree presented in the artwork symbolizes growth and strength, much like the mustard seed that grows into a large tree. It reflects the idea that if we nurture ourselves at the right time, we can achieve mental and personal growth, ultimately becoming the best version of ourselves. The birds perching on the tree represent the success and abundance that come from this growth. My sources of inspiration for this artwork were primarily a park where everyone can come to relax and enjoy a fresh atmosphere while can reflect on themselves through the Mustard Tree. To enhance the visual impact, I used orange cotton to envelop the tree, creating a contrast with the grey ground. Materials such as air-hardened clay and modelling clay were employed to shape the elements of the artwork. This allowed me to experiment with different textures and techniques. Through this process, I learned about the versatility of clay as a medium and the importance of colour contrast in conveying a theme effectively. The strongest element of art in my artwork is the colour contrast. The combination of the orange tree against the grey ground catches the attention directly to the tree, emphasizing its significance. The warm orange colour evokes a feeling of coziness and comfort, contemplating the message of personal growth and success.

Louise Pelle:

My artwork’s title ‘The Power of the Mustard Seed’ interprets the parable as I made a cherry blossom tree bloom out of the sacred words written on the Bible, as I transcript the original parable of the Mustard Seed onto the paper to give it that religious and spiritual feeling. The tree seems to have grown out of the pages, from the little yellow mustard seeds scattered around the pages. Around the tree are little green leaves that have meaningful words written on it, as I wanted to do this to show the importance of many ideas related to God that resemble with the tree. I chose cherry blossom petals as they resemble vitality and vibrancy, as it reminds us that life is fleeting, and we must appreciate ourselves and grow to the full potential. The spiritual significance and symbolism of my artwork speaks to the pleasantness, goodness, and sweetness of life as the smallest of faith can have the biggest impact.

Jemelle Cruz:

The different sizes and shapes of the flowers in my artwork convey the ever-growing state people are in. Throughout life, different branches and flowers grow and blossom as people prosper in God's hand that has taken the mustard seed, a metaphor for a person, and sowed it in his field, allowing them to flourish and grow in his love. The warm brown base is bare and simple, void of any usual signs of life or growth such as foliage and vegetation, to indicate that the odds stacked against a person in conditions where they may struggle to grow and sustain life (like having a small, seemingly unpromising seed), or foster a relationship between themselves and God, is not strong enough to quell and combat the strength and power of God's nurturing hand.

We are a busy campus this term, with camps, the musical, new students arriving, clubs and sport activities at lunchtime, Wednesday breakfast club, and the normal movement of CTK.

A HUGE congratulations to the students that participated in the musical. It was wonderful to see our students shine so brightly.

As we move into the second half of the term, I ask students to reflect on THEIR journey so far and how they would like THEIR year to finish. It is the actions, the thoughts, and the energy that we put into our days now that will allow us to celebrate at the end of 2023.

Take care,

Veronica Argus

I would firstly like to thank all of St John’s students for the way they have conducted themselves as we enter the midpoint of Term 3. It has been pleasing to observe the growth and maturity of our Yr. 7 students who have now settled into the community and are thriving with their learning and relationships with their peers. Well done to our Yr. 7s!

In the Learner Mentor program our Yr.8 students have being focusing on the topic ‘Working Smarter not Harder’, where they have been reflecting on their learning during Semester One and creating SMART reflection goals. This has been a useful reflection tool as Yr. 8’s review their Compass Learning Task results and their learning behaviors as outlined in the recently published Progress Reports. A big congratulations to the SJs basketball team who took the win against the teacher’s team.

Our Yr. 9 students engaged in an incursion run by Elephant Education which focused on respectful relationships. The program saw students engaging in scenario-based workshops will the aim of supporting students to make positive and informed decisions when interacting with their peers.

A reminder to students and parents/careers that each Wednesday the College offers an After School Program where students engage in sporting and group activities. This is a great opportunity to come and have some fun with your friends in a supervised and supportive environment.

The College also offers a SJ Homework Club that runs in the BISC each Thursday afternoon from 3:10 pm- 4:10 pm, another opportunity to get some extra teacher support in completing any unfinished classwork or Checkpoint tasks. Hope to see many more students there each Thursday!

All the best,

Luke Robinson

It’s been a truly busy and exciting couple of months for the Sacred Heart Campus. One of the most recent highlights was of course our spectacular school musical, “Chicago”. As the final musical for many of the year 12 leads, they definitely didn’t drop their standards as this was seen by many as one of the most professional shows to date. On the sporting front, our SACS senior boys soccer team have made it through to the grand final. Furthermore we have seen many successes across other sports including basketball and hockey, not to mention competition on the senior debating front. Many of our students welcomed visitors from our Chinese sister school who were given the opportunity to observe a typical Australian senior classroom. Students have been able to take part in excursion for VET sport and rec, drama, physics, outdoor ed and more. On top of all this, our year 12’s have been able to get a jump start on preparing for exams by taking part in our exam ready program.

Thomas Flatman

Year 12 Year Level Coordinator

15 August - College Mass

The College will gather as a whole to celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption during the school day.

As a formal event, it is expected students will wear their blazers during the liturgy.

18 August -  Enrolment Applications Close

For those looking to enrol a student to start year 7 in 2025, (currently grade 5) enrolment applications close close on the 18th of August.

Please head to https://www.cccc.vic.edu.au/en... for more information.

21 August - Student Free Day

There will be no students on site on the 21st of August, and staff will be undertaking faith formation work.

24 and 25 August - Book Week Speakers

To celebrate book week, we have a number of guest authors and illustrators coming to speak to students and staff. 
Those wishing to attend should register here: 
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=zm9uboTQ00yWwD6zq8CFA-98PFpa9AFPi4atT1xiAj9URFdUVzMxVlM4QTBDVUlURkFIVk9YVU9HNS4u

1 September - Fathers Day Mass and Breakfast

We encourage any and all students to attend our upcoming Fathers Day Mass and Breakfast along with the father figures in their lives. 

The mass will begin at 7.30am, with breakfast served at 8.

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/f...

College Production - Chicago, High School Edition

Congratulations to all the students and staff who were recently involved in our school production of Chicago – High School Edition. The set looked fantastic, the singing was fabulous and everyone looked amazing!

Hainan Huahai Middle School VCE Study Tour

We recently had students from our sister school in Hainan come and visit.

They spent time shadowing our students and participating in classes, as well as heading out to Garema!

NEST Program from OzHarvest

We’re incredibly excited to have OzHarvest presenting their NEST (Nutrition Education & Skills Training) program to our VCE VM Senior Group.

The program, taught over 6 weeks, teaches students life skills around food, nutrition and budget. We hope that this will help students take the seed of what they learnt in the workshops and develop healthy life skills around nutrition as adults!

History Up Close Medieval Incursion

A number of our students recently had the opportunity to learn about everyday life in Medieval Europe in a school incursion. They covered a range of areas, including harm and healing, music, armoury, and dance!

Prayer for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Father in heaven,
all creation rightly gives you praise,
for all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom
she who bore the Christ within her
was raised body and soul in glory to be with him in heaven.
May we follow her example in reflecting your holiness
in the words we speak and the actions we take,
and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.