Today, Friday 11 November we celebrated Remembrance Day, which is celebrated on the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. A whole school ceremony was held in the College and was hosted by our student leaders, who are to be commended on their efforts. A minutes’ silence was also observed and dedicated to those soldiers who died fighting to protect the nation. We remember in faith all who have served, and continue serving in our armed forces, especially those who have died and those wounded in battle.

We also remember at this time to pray for healing and peace; that one day, all peoples will lay down their arms and embrace one another as brothers and sisters in one human family. Lord our God, on this day of remembrance, we entrust all our prayers and needs to your infinite mercy. Help us to become ever more mindful of the bonds that unite us as a human family despite our differences. Heal our inner wounds and outward divisions, that one day our world might live in your true and lasting peace.

Timetable 2023:

As you may be aware, this year the College moved to a new timetable of 5 x 60-minute periods per day. This has been quite well received with regards to the brevity of the lesson, better supporting the ability of the students to remain fully engaged for the entire duration of the lesson. However, based on feedback from staff and students on the 5 lessons per day structure, we have uncovered some issues with the current structure that we are confident can be addressed through refinement of our timetable.

The larger of these issues has highlighted that the 5 lessons in a day structure is difficult for our students to prepare for, and can appear overwhelming both within the day, and throughout the 10-day cycle. Some students have identified that they are unable to adapt to the pace and requirements of needing to focus through five different subjects/content within each day. Additionally, our students highlight the increased pressure on them to complete homework for up to 5 subjects each evening, in preparation for the next day of 5 lessons, which can be overwhelming when considered over a 10-day cycle.

After careful consideration, supported by the feedback from key stakeholders, which has included our College Leadership Team, Teaching Staff, Year 7 to 10 Students, and School Advisory Council, a decision has been made to move to a 4 x 70-minute period day in 2023. This refinement in our timetable is further supported by the changes implemented at CRC Sydenham, which will also be adopting a similar timetable structure for next year.

Our recently elected 2023 College Captain Zalaika F and Deputy College Captain Alyssa D will explain some of the reasons for the change and some possible timetable options in the '2023 Student Timetable Options Video' below:

2023 Student Timetable Options

We thank parents who completed the feedback survey which was sent out earlier this week. More information regarding the final version of the 2023 timetable structure will be outlined in detail in the next edition of the newsletter.

Thank you for your on-going support.

Staff Curriculum Planning Day - Friday 25 November

Please note that due to a change to the timetable structure for 2023, there will be a teacher curriculum writing day on Friday 25 November. This will therefore be a student free day. More information regarding the 2023 timetable structure and the reasons for the changes will be outlined in detail in the next edition of the newsletter. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Important Dates

A reminder of the following upcoming and end of year events:

· Monday 14 November to Tuesday 23 November - Year 9 and 10 Exam Week

· Monday 28 November to Tuesday 29 November – Year 8 Exams

· Thursday 24 November at 7:00pm - Year 10 Graduation Mass, College Hall (Year 10 students and parents)

· Thursday 24 November – Year 10 final day

· Monday 5 December at 7:00pm - Year 7-10 Presentation Evening, A Celebration of Excellence, PAC (Year 7-10 award winners and parents)

· Tuesday 6 December at 9:00am - Year 7-9 End of Year Celebration Mass (parents welcome)

· Tuesday 6 December - Year 7-9 final day 12:30pm finish

On Thursday 24 November our College community will come together to celebrate our Year 10 Graduates of 2022. We will mark this occasion by celebrating them at an assembly through the school day with the 7-9 students followed by a Mass and Ceremony in our College Hall that evening.

• Students and their two guests are to arrive at 6:15pm and be seated by 6:30pm in order of their Homeroom
• Students are required to be in their full Winter uniform, including the College blazer but not the jumper
• Boys will wear a white shirt, tie, long trousers or shorts and clean black lace up shoes
• Girls will wear the winter kilt with navy-blue tights/socks or navy trousers and clean black lace up shoes
• A light supper will be provided in the College Cafeteria and the evening will conclude approximately at 8:30pm
  

This is an important College event and we would expect that all students will be in attendance. If they do not attend the 2022 Graduation, they will not receive a Graduation certificate, unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Please ensure you accept through Operoo no later than Tuesday 15 November. If you are unable to attend, ensure you provide a reason when declining.

Prayer for All Souls

Loving God, we remember now in
prayer our dearly departed. May they
rest in peace with you and experience
the eternal joy of heaven. Heal our grief,
merciful Lord, strengthen our hope
that we, too, will one day share in the
resurrection of your Son who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

November – Month of All Souls

This month we remember all our deceased family and friends who have departed from this life. Our Catholic faith affirms the belief in Purgatory – where souls who have died in God’s grace are destined for heaven must first undergo purification before they experience full communion with God. St Pio of Pietrelcina says “We must empty Purgatory with our prayers.” We hear in 2 Maccabes chapter 12 that Judas makes atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin. Likewise, we on earth pray and offer sacrifices for the souls in purgatory that they may be freed from their sins and enter into their heavenly rest.

Throughout the month of November staff and students will have the opportunity to write the names of their deceased family and friends in our College memorial book. The memorial book will then be taken to St Catherine of Siena Parish Church where we will pray for all the deceased at our Friday 8am Mass, on the last Friday of November.

What You Should Know About Purgatory

Year 7 Faith Formation Day

On the 19 and 20 October our Year 7 students participated in their Faith Formation Day. The day took the form of workshops where our students immersed themselves in learning more about our College Pillars – Prayer, Stewardship, Learning & Compassion. The workshops were led by both staff and external presenters from our Catholic Faith Community (Sr Melanie, Josh Angrisano, Mrs Matilda Mattar and representatives from the Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans) and exposed our students to their great witness living out our Pillars in their everyday lives. Many students expressed their appreciation for the opportunity in allowing them to gain and understanding of how we can grow in virtue to live out our Pillars.

"The Year 7 Faith Formation Day on October 19 was an experience that I will keep in my mind for many years to come. With guest speakers from around the Diocese coming to help us expand our knowledge on our four college pillars, we had a lot of fun finding out a lot about ourselves and how we can be more like Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ."

Carlos T- 7 Kulin

Term 4 - Weekly Friday 8am Mass

A reminder that weekly Friday 8am Mass (8:00-8:25am) will occur every Friday of Term 4 (unless otherwise advised) at St Catherine of Siena Parish Church located on the school grounds.

All students and their families are welcome to attend. It is a wonderful opportunity to begin the day in contemplation and prayer, listening to the word of God and receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. I encourage all those who are able to attend.

Ablaze Youth Group

Ablaze Youth Group runs every fortnight at the CRCCS Hall from 7 to 8:30pm. All those in high school Years 7-12 are more than welcome to come along. For further enquiries, please contact: stcatherineyg@gmail.com

Sunday Gospel Reflection

Thirty-Third Sunday Ordinary Time Year C

Luke 21:5-19

Patiently endure the trials you are sure to face for Jesus.

Weekend Parish Mass Times

St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, Caroline Springs

Saturday (Vigil): 6:00pm

Sunday: 9:00am, 10:30am & 12:00pm

St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, Caroline Springs Website

Sacred Heart/Emmaus St Albans & Sydenham

Sacred Heart

Saturday (Vigil): 5:00pm

Sunday: 7:30pm, 9:00am (Polish), 10:30am

Emmaus Church

Saturday: 6:30pm

Sunday: 9:00am

Sacred Heart/Emmaus St Albans & Sydenham Website

Resurrection Catholic Parish, Kings Park

Saturday (Vigil) 6:00pm

Sunday: 9:00am, 10:30am, 12:30pm (Syriac – Iraqi), 3:00pm (every fourth & fifth Sunday of the month – South Sudanese)

Resurrection Catholic Parish, Kings Park Website

2023 School Fees

2023 School Fee notice and Fee Payment Agreements were mailed home. If you have not received them please contact the finance department or visit the school website. https://www.crccs.vic.edu.au/enrolment-1/college-tuition-fee

If you have changed home address or email details please also update the school.

2023 Payment arrangements are due back as soon as possible to commence in February 2023 and finalise by November 2023 unless prior arrangement is in place.

CSEF 2023 (Current health care card holders)

CSEF applications are being accepted for 2023. Please complete the application form on our website and return the completed signed form along with a copy of the parent/carer current health care card valid until the end of term one 2023 to the College office as soon as possible. CSEF Application Form 2023

STEM Immersion USA - 1-12 April 2023

Payments due dates are 1 February 2023 $550.

Immersion Central Australia 2023- payment due dates

Payments are due by 1 Feb - $1000 and 1 March - $1000

Immersion Tasmania 2023- payment due dates

Payments are due by 1 Feb - $1000

If you wish to discuss any finance concerns please reach out to us by phone 9217 8000 extension 2 or email mkrsteski@crccs.vic.edu.au

Thank you Finance Department

Thank you to parents/carers who have already ordered 2023 resources for their children.

The 2023 Resource Lists have been published and families are able to set up accounts with Campion Education.

Step 1: View allocated subject list

• Students in Years 8-10 (2023) were emailed their allocated subject list on Friday 21 October 2023 to their student Outlook accounts.
• Students who are not sure how to access their Outlook email accounts should go to office.com and log in with the same details they use to log onto their laptops.
• The allocated subject list is based on the preferences students submitted in Term 3.

Step 2: Order resources

Please read the attached information sheet which includes a link to the Resource Lists and outlines the ordering process.

The final date for ordering through the Resource List to ensure delivery at a reduced cost and delivery prior to the start of Term 1 is 16 November 2022.

Maths Support is an after-school program designed to assist students in developing their numeracy skills. These sessions are facilitated by Math teachers at the College and are an excellent opportunity for students of all capabilities to receive tailored numeracy support and develop their confidence in all areas of Math.

This program is offered to all students at the College and will run from 3:20pm – 4:20pm in MM1 most Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students are not required to attend for the entire hour and, as such, can choose to leave after they have received the support they seek.

Below is the timetable for Term 4 which indicates the date as well as the teacher facilitating the session.

If you would like any further clarification, please feel free to contact me at the College at nlesnjak@crccs.vic.edu.au.

Dear Parents/Carers,

Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs is excited to be hosting Italian exchange students from our Sister School Liceo Scientifico Livio Cambi, Falconara Italy in February 2023 for 1 week. These students are aged between 14-15 years old and are fluent in English.

As a College, we are now looking for suitable families keen to host an Italian exchange student during this time. It is an enriching opportunity to interact with a student from another culture and welcome them into your family.

Please see a few important points below:

• all Italian exchange students are triple vaccinated against COVID-19
• host students can be from Year 7, 8, 9 or 10
• host families can take up to two students
• all Italian exchange students will take part in classes, incursions and excursions organised by the College
• host students can opt into incursions and excursions during that week

If you are interested, please complete the form below for more information.

Italy Hosting Form 2023

Week 4 of Term saw the traditional time slot for camp this year with a shift to year 10 due to the interruptions from COVID the previous 2 years. Again, there were multiple options available with students selecting from Adventure Camp at Phillip Island, Beach Camp in Anglesea, Horse Riding in Merrijig, Rock Climbing at Mt Arapiles and Snorkel Camp around the Portsea area. Thankfully the wet weather and flooding seen around the country hadn’t affected the venues and all camps were able to continue as scheduled.

I would like to thank all the students and families who took this opportunity to participate in the camping program, challenge themselves personally and finish their time at Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs. I hope you all took something away from the camp this year whether it be facing a fear, taking an opportunity you might not get again, making new friendships or developing leadership skills. Thank you also to all the staff that participated and the students who attended. The camps could not go ahead without staff attending and allowing these opportunities for the students.

Below are some student responses from the various camps:

"A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of going on the Adventure Camp offered at CRCCS. Immediately I noticed how friendly and welcoming the workers at the camp were. They welcomed us right in, often chatting to us and in my case even playing a game of table tennis against me. The food prepared there was also some of the best I have eaten at a school camp so far. All the games were extremely thrilling and rewarding, allowing us to act independently and push our limits. This may have meant attempting the high ropes course without holding on to the pilot bar, going to the top of the giant swing, or channelling our inner Rambo during the outdoor laser tag. I tried my best to face my fears with every activity I did, and most of my friends did too. Although, the best activity by far was undoubtably surfing. After getting fitted into the right wetsuit, given a board and taught all the techniques, everyone was determined to catch the perfect wave. I remember the exciting feeling when I was first able to get up, and then spent the rest of the session desperately trying to recreate it. The only bad part of that day was having to walk back up the hill from the beach after we finished. Overall, it was amazing being able to share such fun experiences with my friends and I am truly disappointed it’s now over".

Luke P – Adventure Camp

"The 3 of us went to Adventure Camp and made a lifetime of memories. We went to Philip Island Adventure Resort and participated in various activities we were familiar with like the giant swing and flying fox which never get old, and some new ones like the chaotic team rescue, surfing, and laser strike. The staff members made our experience so fun by spending their free time with us and getting to know us throughout the different activities. The cabins were clean and cosy, and the food filled us all up. The way the cabins and activity groups were set up ensured that the three of us were always together along with all our other good friends with whom we got to make countless memories. We all had so much fun at camp and it was a great way to make some final year 10 memories and torture our favourite teachers before exams and graduation".

Katherine S, Athena A and Sara G – Adventure Camp.

"Beach Camp was a very enjoyable experience for the students and teachers. With 100% participation in every activity; surfing, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and boogie boarding, with some epic waves and wipeouts. It was really easy to pick up, with most of us not having a clue beforehand. The Go Ride A Wave instructors were there to teach us how to do these fun activities whilst being safe. We highly recommend Beach Camp if you want to have a fun time with your friends for your last camp with CRCCS".

Layla S and Olivia A – Beach Camp

"The year 10 horse riding camp was definitely one to remember, the three days we spent at Merrijig were full of horse riding, hanging out and most of all, rain. On the way up to camp, we had a 3 hour drive to our destination. There were many winding dirt roads once we entered Merrijig, and each time that we went around a big bumpy bend no one would miss the chance to make a noise with their mouths, which was funny not only for the teachers but also for us students. The rain hit us constantly for all three days we were at camp, even though we got drenched, we found time to get comfortable with our horses and ride them. In our spare time, when we weren't riding horses, we played games, sat by the fire and best of all, roasted marshmallows. The staff at Merrijig were amazing, they put all their time and efforts into making everything perfect and as memorable as possible for us, even though the rain made that extremely difficult. They taught us to saddle up the horses and groom them, as well as ride them confidently - we also learnt how to direct and communicate with them. Overall, the horse-riding camp was a memorable experience that we all will never forget. A big thank you to everyone who went on the horse-riding camp, each of us made a massive effort to make the most of this experience, we all had the time of our lives and made awesome memories that we will be able to hold onto forever".

Renee C and Olivia B – Horse Riding

Friday 4 November, saw our students enjoying a snag in the sunshine in casual attire. The CRCCS community managed to raise a total of $1600 towards our Uganda Project, thank you for the generosity that you all continue to show.

All families at Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs are warmly invited to host a Japanese Exchange Student from our Sister School Notre Dame Seishin High School. 

Please see some important points below: 

• the hosting period is 1 week from 19^th of March – 26^th of March 2023
• host students can be from Year 7, 8, 9 or 10
• all Japanese exchange students are vaccinated against COVID-19 
• host families can take up to two students (male or female)
• all Japanese exchange students will take part in classes, incursions and excursions organised by the College
• host students can opt into incursions and excursions during that week
• all host families will receive a visa gift card for each student they host
• parents/carers can register their interest via the below link by Monday 28 November 
• please contact Ms Linda Bracco for me information lbracco@crccs.vic.edu.au.

Japanese Hosting Link

During Semester Two, our Year 9 students as part of their studies in Project 9 completed four City Experience Excursions. The first day focuses on how Crime, Politics and Education have shaped the Melbourne CBD, with students visiting the Old Melbourne Gaol, Old Treasury Building or Parliament House and the Melbourne Museum. The second of these days has students examine the influence of Asian and Indigenous Culture on the city through a visit to the Chinese History Museum, completion of a Tai Chi session, visit to Birrarung Marr and exploration of indigenous artwork at the Ian Potter Centre. For the third of the city experience excursions, students spend time during Project 9 classes planning a day in the city, exploring some of the different cultures of Melbourne and learn how to navigate into and around the city. The final day students demonstrate their knowledge learned through the program by completing an Amazing Race around the city within a set time period. Congratulations to all Year 9 students for their attendance and efforts as part of this program in 2022.

Christmas is the perfect time to think of others within our community who long to feel loved. Your support is paramount in making this season a joyous one. St. Vinnies would like to put out a call for families who wish to purchase and donate new toys or books for children from the ages of 12 months to 12 years of age. Gift vouchers are always appreciated as well.

These donations will be given directly to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Deer Park and distributed to families in and around the area. All families wishing to donate items are kindly asked not to wrap them, but to place them under the Wishing tree opposite reception.

This Christmas incentive will be running from 8 November to 5 December 2022.

On behalf of the Social Justice Team and myself thank you in advance, for showing the true meaning of compassion and unconditional love during this festive season, while allowing Christ to be born in your hearts and homes.