Father Nestus Mugisha Visit:

On Tuesday 19 July we were honoured and privileged to have Father Nestus Mugisha visit the College and address the students at an assembly. Fr Nestus has previously visited the College on two occasions and was instrumental in building the relationship with our sister school St. Francis Kizinga- Uganda. Fr Nestus spoke of how we continue to build on the very positive relationships that have been established between CRC Caroline Springs and St Luke’s parish as well as our sister school St Francis primary school in Kizinga Uganda.

He passionately addressed the College community and outlined that by reaching out in friendship and solidarity with the community of St Francis, Kizinga we have given hope to hundreds of children and their families who otherwise couldn’t access education. He mentioned that the support of our students, staff and families has enabled the construction and furnishing of two brick classrooms; a daily food program; the refurbishment of the church with a concrete floor; and the installation of water tanks.

Fr Nestus spoke of how the St Francis, Kizinga community are enormously humble and grateful for the classrooms and the breakfast program and are full of renewed hope. Compassion, empathy, and love for one another are the cornerstones of our teaching at Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs and we are immensely proud of our community for continuing to embrace the Uganda Project.

Our College motto is beautifully succinct, yet all-encompassing. It clearly articulates the core Christian message of giving the gift of ourselves and loving each other. Live Fully Act Justly is a call to look beyond self-interest and stand in solidarity with the marginalised. Rather than asking, ‘How does this affect me?’ living fully and acting justly encourages a broader perspective that asks ‘How can I have a positive impact on others?

The 2022 St. Francis Kizinga- Uganda Fundraiser continues to be a major focus throughout Semester 2. This event is a celebration of our commitment to our Catholic Faith as well as a time to reflect on how we can action our College Motto.

Uganda Project - St Francis Catholic School, Kizinga

But there is still more to do. We need to:

• find a solution to water harvesting, possibly through the installation of more complex water tanks

• erect an outdoor kitchen / cooking area

• develop a sustainable food program that includes breakfast and lunch

• support further building projects

• provide furniture for future building projects

2022 Target $20,000

In 2022, the target has again been set at $20,000. But a project of this size and scope is going to need the continued commitment of our whole community. Therefore, in order to raise the funds, we need to come together as a school community and indeed live, breathe and enact our College motto of ‘Live Fully Act Justly’. As we have previously done, we are asking that every student in the College again commit to a donation of $20 to be paid in the next few weeks. This can be paid in small instalments to the Homeroom teacher if needed. In the case of families with more than 2 children a family donation amount of $50 can be paid.

Department of Health Recommendations- Face Masks:

It is strongly recommended by the Department of Health that face masks are worn in indoor settings, with face masks mandatory for those aged eight and over who are household contacts and attending school. This is because wearing masks is effective in reducing the transmission of COVID-19.

In practice, this means that the Victorian Government is asking that, through to the end of winter, students aged eight and over and staff wear masks when in class, except where removing a mask is necessary for clear communication or when a particular activity requires the removal of a mask.

Masks are not required to be worn outdoors but can be worn when physical distancing is not possible. This expectation should not constrain student participation in the full range of school activities, including music, sport, and performances.

Schools are not required or expected to sanction students or staff who do not meet this expectation but are asked to communicate this expectation to the whole school community and seek their support for this collective effort.

It is a simple step we can all take this winter to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases and ensure our schools are as safe as possible.

Reduction of testing and isolation exemption period:
The period of time when someone is considered a recently confirmed case and therefore exempt from testing and isolation requirements has been reduced from the previous twelve weeks to four weeks.

This means that staff and students who are household contacts of people with COVID-19 are not exempt from the testing and isolation requirements after four weeks of completing isolation with COVID-19. Previously, this period was twelve weeks, it is now 4 weeks.

This means that a student or staff member who is a household contact and wishes to attend school must take five RATs over seven days and receive negative test results and wear a face mask (if over eight years old) in indoor spaces. This applies from four weeks after the end of an isolation period when they were a case. RAT tests will be made available to students upon asking at reception.

Staffing News

We wish the following staff member well as they undertake a period of leave:

• Morgan O'Neill (Maternity Leave)

We wish the following staff members well as their contracts have now concluded:

• Jordan Blitz-Brisbane- Administration Assistant

We thank all of the above staff for their outstanding contribution throughout their time at the College and wish them all the best in the future.

We warmly welcome back this Semester from maternity leave:

• Tiffany Azzopardi (English and Humanities teacher)

• Lauren Purdey (Food Technology and Maths teacher)

Archbishop Peter’s letter to the faithful

I strongly encourage you to take some time to read Archbishop Peter’s letter regarding the Fifth Plenary Council of the Catholic Church in Australia. The letter is an important reflection on the events and fruits of the Plenary Council.

Letter to the Faithful

The Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name;

Thy kingdom come;

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

SUNDAY GOSPEL REFLECTION

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C

Lk 11:1-13

Jesus teaches the disciples to pray.

Last week we had the honour of welcoming Fr Mugisha Nestus, from Uganda to our College. Fr Mugisha Nestus has played an important role in our college establishing a relationship with St. Luke's parish in Mannya and our sister school St Francis Primary School in Kizinga Uganda. Fr Nestus addressed our students in an assembly and shared his experience of how he became a priest, the day-to-day life of his community and how the generosity of our College community is changing lives in terms of adequate food and education for their people. After the assembly Fr Nestus met with the College Social Justice team which presented a chance for our students to ask him any questions that they had, based on his talk. Fr Nestus asked the students to reflect on what ‘justice’ means and how important their role in the community is in bringing Christ to the most vulnerable. He encouraged them to continue their great work and to never forget the richness of Catholic Social Justice even when they eventually enter a career. It was a wonderful and enriching experience for our community. Let us pray for Fr. Nestus in his priestly ministry and for his community.

Enrolment applications are now open to Year 5 students who will be starting Year 7 in 2024.

You can download the application form from our website. Applications close Friday 19 August 2022.

Please note that parents/carers who already have children attending the College and who have a sibling in Year 5 will still need to complete an enrolment form.

Math 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 room 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 3.

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,  

At Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs, we offer an array of Student Learning Support Programs to assist our students beyond the classroom. These programs are facilitated by Teachers and Learning Support Officers at the College. Students are encouraged to make use of the following programs:

• Maths Support
• English Support
• Refugee and EAL Support (with Operoo)
• Homework Support 

Students at times may be required to attend certain programs at the request of their teachers. Parents/carers will receive a SEQTA notification to attend the following: 

• Homework Catch Up 
• Assessment Re-Sit (with Operoo) 

Please see a summary table below for more information. If you have any questions, please contact Ms Linda Bracco on lbracco@crccs.vic.edu.au

Parent Information Night

Wednesday August 3 - Cancelled

Unfortunately, due to low RSVP’s the proposed Parent Information Night on Wednesday 3 August will be cancelled. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to planning an alternative date for early next year.

The College continues working to support our families. If you have any questions regarding: SEQTA or Operoo please contact the College reception.

We look forward to greeting you next year.

Catholic Regional College, Caroline Springs proudly presents Mamma Mia! The show opens Thursday night, and we are looking forward to seeing you there.

As anticipated, Mamma Mia has nearly sold out and we have limited tickets available. Secure your seats now to avoid disappointment!

Link to purchase tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/CAONF 

Shows:
Thursday 28 July: Opening Night 7.30pm
Friday 29 July: Second Show 7.30pm
Saturday 30 July: Matinee 2pm SING ALONG Show
Saturday 30 July Night: Closing Show 7.30pm

The Saturday Matinee show (30th July) 2pm will be A SING ALONG Show! Come ready to belt out the tunes with our amazing cast (lyric books provided). Feel free to dress up and to help bring ABBA to life in our Theatre.

Ticket Prices:

Adults: $25
Children/Concession: $15
Family (4 tickets): $70

UGANDA SAUSAGE SIZZLE

Uganda sausage sizzle fundraiser was a great success, raising a total of $630.55. Thank you CRCCS Community.

This Term we will continue asking each family to donate $20.00 towards the Uganda Project. This amount will go a long way, as it will provide essentials to the children, such as a meal a day. This project beautifully supports us in living out our College motto - Live fully Act justly and ties nicely with the Caritas quote for 2022 "for all future generations". 

St Vinnies Winter Appeal

The St Vinnies Winter Food appeal translates to - thinking about others!

Some examples include:

• pasta/spaghetti
• canned vegetables
• tuna
• canned stews
• whole grain, low-sugar cold cereals
• olive or canola oil
• canned tomatoes
• dried fruits, no sugar added
• honey
• chicken, beef and vegetable broths and stock
• canned beans
• dry beans
• peanut butter, or other nut butters
• rolled oats
• canned fruit in juice, not in light or heavy syrup
• canned vegetables, with no or low sodium
• low-sodium soups

On Monday July 11 our staff attended our annual Staff Faith Day. The theme of the day “listen and attend with the ear of your heart” (taken from St Benedict of Norcia whose memorial fell on that date). To listen with the heart is different to listening to a joke or a song. It is a difficult and challenging journey. It requires us to empty our hearts of our own agenda, of all that clutters our lives: to empty our heart of our own assumptions and prejudices; to empty our mind of all the preconceived answers and solutions. This is a place of inner openness to receive the Word – God. The day consisted of workshops which our staff opted into. These workshops where on various aspects of the Catholic Faith tradition: scripture; dignity of the human person; prayer; social justice; the relationship between science and faith; faith in art; Indigenous Spirituality and Catholicism and gave opportunity for our staff to explore the Catholic Faith more deeply for their own personal faith journey but also to ensure that our students are invited to encounter God and develop their knowledge and appreciation of the Catholic faith tradition. I am proud and humbled by to our staff who always show a willingness to learn and embrace the Catholic faith and in doing that succeed in responding to the challenge of “listen and attend with the ear of your heart” as St Benedict calls us to do.

PARADISE 4 KIDS – STAFF FAITH DAY

Day one of Term 3 was a Staff Faith Development Day. This day provided opportunity for staff to nourish their faith, as they worked through workshops of their choice. The focus of the day was "Listen and attend with the ear of your heart". A short, yet very powerful phrase that would only present truth when actioned.

The ‘Cooking with heart workshop’ took place from the kitchen. Staff were briefed and given the role of Master Chefs, as they would be delivering ones “daily bread”. In doing this, they reflected on the difference the meal would make as served with a smile, as well as the blessings they were surrounded by.

Staff worked tirelessly to whip up several warm and hearty meals, including desserts, which would later be served to the homeless members of our local community, through Paradise 4 Kids – Community kitchen.

Paradise 4 Kids is a full volunteer organisation helping the underprivileged in Faith, Food & Education. We, the CRCCS Staff felt privileged to play a part on this day, it was a true honour. ‘The Feast’ as referred to by the volunteers was received in a humbling way creating an atmosphere of excitement and overwhelming joy.

Let us always remember, "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in" Matthew 25:35.

On Thursday 23 June, 13 students and 3 staff members departed the College at 7am to embark on the Cairns Cultural Immersion Tour. For the next 6 days, we would be touring rainforests, exploring the environment, and testing our fears through obstacle courses, power jumps and the occasional croc-sighting.

The students on the trip were magnificent in their behaviour and willingness to give things a go. A huge thankyou must be given to the College, Ms Linda Bracco (Cultural Immersion Leader), Mr Anthony Zammit (Tour-Leader), Ms Georgia Seymour (Deputy Tour-Leader) and Ms Allison Caruana (Deputy Tour-Leader), as this trip would not have been made possible without them. Another thank you must be awarded to the wonderful students, who embraced the trip with all their might.

A few students on the tour have written up a reflection that details each of our days whilst in Cairns:

Joaquin Santos (10BA)
Day Two: On Day Two of the trip, after waking up early for breakfast, we made our way to the Daintree rainforest. During the time there, we went to the Daintree Discovery Centre, learning about the fauna and flora of the rainforest and the greater Cairns area, followed by a visit to the Daintree Ice Cream Company, enjoying a 4-flavour taster cup, the flavours being coconut, passionfruit, jackfruit, and wattle-seed (my favourite of the 4). Although both places were great, I feel like the best parts were the unplanned memories, including seeing baby cassowaries in the wild, learning of the existence of the demon duck of doom and the exciting, albeit loud, game of uno with the boys. 

Julian Cachia (10LI)
Day Three: On day three of the Cairns tour, we had the opportunity to participate in the zoom and wildlife dome, an indoor wildlife park with many zip lines and obstacle courses. This also included a zip line that hung over a 4-metre crocodile. The adrenaline rush was awesome, despite me not liking heights, that didn't stop me going through the course and having a laugh with peers and watching the teachers going through the course as well. On that day we also spent a couple of hours at Palm Cove swimming at the beach and spending time in the nice Cairns sun which was a great way to end off the day.

Alex Podolczak (10WO)
Day Four: Today we arrived at Hartley’s crocodile adventures where we were infested by Crocs. During our adventure here, we began our day helping the environment by putting on gloves and planting trees. After taking time walking around the park to see animals and feed cassowaries, we were treated to an entertaining crocodile feeding show. Following Hartley’s Park, our group experienced the tropical rainforest from a totally unique perspective aboard an amphibious World War II army duck vehicle. As darkness settled, we found ourselves in the Cairns night market, where we were given free time to explore small shops and find a place to have dinner. A long day called for a frozen yogurt to end the night!

Olivia Scire (10MK)
Day Five: Although every place left a remarkable memory, Fitzroy Island had to be my favourite. The boat journey across to Fitzroy was quick with some beautiful scenery. The crew where super friendly and organised. Once we arrived on the island, we went for a few beautiful walks and were treated to a Glass Bottom Boat Tour of some of the coral in the Great Barrier Reef. I had been excited all day to go snorkelling and couldn’t wait to see all the beautiful fish and coral. Once we went snorkelling, the water was beautiful and warm. Whether you're after excitement and adventure or just wanting to relax and soak up the sun on a tropical beach, Fitzroy Island is worth a visit.

Vincent Hosny (9CO)
Day Six: One of the many highlights of the Cairn's trip was the Skyrail & Cairns Aquarium. Firstly, the Cairns Aquarium. I got to take a walk through the deep dark depths of the ocean surrounding North Queensland and some of the rivers that run through it. I also got to look at the history of the aquarium and how it was built. The Cairns Skyrail departed a place called Smithfield in Cairns and was headed up the massive mountains to Kuranda. As we left the station, I felt a bit scared but most of all extremely excited to see the wonderful view of Cairns. I saw beautiful mountains and lots of trees, we also went over some cool lakes and a pretty waterfall. It was a relaxing time that gave me the opportunity to think about my time at Cairns and how fun it all was as this was our last day together in this beautiful State. This was honestly one of the best trips I've ever been on and I'm so grateful that I got to take part in this wonderful experience.

Congratulations to our Chess players for an excellent effort in the recent SACCSS Chess tournament. This competition was held on Monday 18 July at Thomas Carr College in Tarneit, with fourteen schools and more than 200 students participating.

It was very exciting to see that both our Junior and Intermediate teams won their divisions and are now the 2022 Chess champions. This was a lovely reward for the dedication and hours spent practicing by our students. Additionally, Ethan Tu was awarded a bronze medal in the individual games tally in the junior division. Our Senior team also played well, winning many of their games, especially as they were playing older students. Well done to all of our Chess students!

JUNIORS

Oscar Nguyen 8WO

Ethan Tu 8WO

Rafael Agdigos 8WO

Caleb Piacentini 8LI

Harrison Payne 7MK

Mikhael Al-Jamil 7KO

Bavly Sedrak 7MW

Chase Grima 7MW

INTERMEDIATES

Mark Rabino 10BA

Naisos Mantzaris 9KU

Joaquin Santos 10BA

Ashton McMenamin 9MW

Heinrich Ernacio 10MK

Stephen Wijayaratne Thejage. 10MW

Steve Wijayaratne Thejage 10BA

Irene Michael 10WO

SENIORS

Jessica Jepson 10WO

Emily Rechichi 10BA

Julian Mationg 10BA

Nathaniel Spagnola. 10KO

Hunter Tosic 9MW

Yacoub Al Was Eshaq 9BA

Nadhir Kakki 9BU

Our Year 10 woodwork students have been hard at work finishing off table props for our College’s production this July.

As part of their introduction to the design process, they were asked to finish the tables for our production by identifying areas of improvement and addressing the problems they found. With wood putty and sandpaper, our students were able to bring the tables up to production standard, ready to be painted.

I thank Ms Franzone for giving me an opportunity to involve students in the design process so early in the semester and for allowing us to be part of this amazing opportunity. We can’t wait to see our tables used in the Mamma Mia production this July.

In Term 1, Geography students tested their geographical skills and knowledge against students from all around Australia in the 2022 Australian Geography Competition.

I would like to commend all participants on their excellent results.

Congratulations to Jessica Jepson 10WO and Luke Profeta 10MK who achieved a distinction and Teodor Pandurevic 7MW who achieved a high distinction. I would also like to acknowledge Chase Grima 7MW who achieved an outstanding result, placing him in the top 1% of students across Australia in the Year 7 level of the Competition – well done on such a fantastic achievement!

Nearly 70,000 students across Australia entered the Australian Geography Competition, highlighting our student’s impressive results.

The Competition aims to encourage student interest in geography and to reward student excellence. Geography is such an important subject because it brings together the physical and human dimensions of our environment, helping students to develop a deeper understanding of our world and the challenges it faces.

Again, congratulations to all students involved in the Competition.

BE POSITIVE VIBE DAY

Morning Lollies, happy tunes, smiles and positive affirmation cards greeted the students at the gates, while lunch presented several games and mindful colouring-in.

The social Justice team reminded our community of the wonderful people and blessings we are surrounded by, while encouraging them to be the best version of themselves.

Dear Parents/Carers,

Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs is excited to offer our Italian Exchange Program for 2023 to our current Year 8 and 9 Students.

The Italy Cultural Immersion Tour will take place on the 9 September to the 27 September 2023. It is offered as an optional experience for students interested in exploring Italian language and culture and partaking in an exciting exchange experience. Students wishing to attend this tour will be required to host an Italian Exchange Student for 1 week during February 2023. This gesture will be reciprocated if your child travels to Italy in September. The experience of hosting an Italian student, and being hosted by an Italian family, is a major highlight of this exchange program for travelling students and their families.

On Wednesday 10 August, the College will be holding a Parent Information Night, for parents/carers of current Year 8 and 9 Students who are interested in attending the 2023 Italy Cultural Immersion Tour. The Parent Information Night will commence at 6pm in the Performing Arts Centre. Information will be presented regarding the itinerary, travel procedures and an opportunity to ask questions regarding both the tour and hosting element of the exchange.

Please register your child’s interest and RSVP for the Parent Information Night using the link below. If you have any questions about this tour, please do not hesitate to contact me via email lbracco@crccs.vic.edu.au

Parent Information Night Registration Link

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

We are very excited at Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs to continue Beyond the Horizon in Term 3 2022. This is a group for the thinkers, questioners, philosophers, theologians and dreamers to discover the deepest Mysteries of life, to discover the supernatural, which we find Beyond the Horizon.

Day: Every second Thursday beginning Week 2 of Term 3 - 21 July 2022

Time: 3:15pm - 4:00pm. 

This is an optional event and you can attend as many sessions as you would like.

What can you expect if you sign up to come to Beyond the Horizon? 

o You can expect to see beauty in film and art
o You can expect to go deep and meaningful with philosophy and theology
o You can expect to expand your knowledge of the world of science and history and theology.
o You can expect to ask your burning questions and discover answers
o You can expect to learn the art of logic and debate
o You can expect to find real meaning in silence and prayer
o You can expect to be inspired by true stories beyond your imagination

This is for anyone regardless of your grades at school, regardless of what your beliefs are right now. This is for you who are looking for the Truth.

Please contact Mr Paul Sammut psammut@crccs.vic.edu.au for any questions or concerns.

Ablaze Youth Group is a community for those in high school to come together and encounter the person of Jesus. It is a fun, safe and welcoming place for faith to grow, where questions can be asked and life experiences can be shared. We aim to journey together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we may set the world ablaze.

When: Friday’s every fortnight from 7:00 to 8:30pm at CRC Caroline Springs Hall.

Contact: Email stcatherineyg@gmail.com or find ‘Ablaze Youth Group’ on  Facebook.

COME AND SEE:

One aspect of Parish life is the RCIA process – the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

It is a process for those who are considering that they might become part of the Catholic Church – from another religion, from no religion, and from years of inactivity after having been baptised as Catholic.

The group usually meets fortnightly on Tuesdays, at 7:30 pm in Sacred Heart Church.

Please contact the parish office for further information and registration.

The contact details for the Parish Office are as follows:

TEL: 03 9366 2146
EMAIL: StAlbans.Office@cam.org.au