End of Winter Term/Commencement of Spring Term

LEARNING JOURNEYS – MIDDLE SCHOOL

Yesterday I was privileged to spend the day at New Norcia with a group of Year 8 students.  During Curriculum Enrichment Year 8 students spent three days on camp at New Norcia exploring the Big Ideas topic Place Across Time – Why Do Places Change?  This week a group returned to New Norcia to share their projects with the Benedictine Community.  Each student had created a historical journal and collaboratively they had produced videos advertising New Norcia.  The students were very articulate in talking about their learning and it was a wonderful for them to interact with the Benedictines for whom New Norcia is home.  We finished our visit by joining the community for prayer.   

Year 9 students also held an exhibition of their Big Ideas projects yesterday showcasing their work on the Big Question, Is Perth Ready for the Future?  Parents had the opportunity to view students' projects from New Norica and Perth at this exhibition as well as a range of other work during today's Learning Journey. It is great for the students to have an authentic audience for their work.  

SENIOR SCHOOL

Senior School students have been sitting 
exams this week and will conclude their exams during the first week of Spring Term.  Year 10 and 11 students will have a chance to gather at a Dinner/Dance to be held on Friday, 18 October at The Novotel Vines Resort. This will be a good chance to socialise after exam week and before the commencement of the Senior School academic year on Monday, 21 October. Please ensure RSVPs are received before Monday, 14 October to confirm catering.

Parents of students in Years 9 – 11 should have received information regarding course selection and booklist requirements. Please ensure that you follow the instructions for ordering the booklist items from OfficeMax to ensure delivery before their courses commence on Monday, 21 October.

I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy the break with your children.

STAFFING

It is with sadness we farewelled Mrs Sherie Hope from the College on the last day of Winter Term.  Mrs Hope has taught Mathematics at the College since May 2012 and has contributed a great deal in this area as will as in extra-curricular activities, including the College Drama Productions and Year 10 Dinner.  Mrs Hope is moving to Chile with her family.  I thank her for her contribution to our College community and wish her well on the next exciting stage of her journey.

Mrs Samantha Vagg will be commencing work in the College Café one day a week from the beginning of Spring Term.  As we grow the College Café is becoming busier and it will be good to have some assistance for Mrs Lewis.  Mrs Vagg has done volunteer work in the College Café for some time and I am very appreciative of her contributions to date. 

KEY DATES FOR SPRING TERM

14 October                  Year 7 – 9 students return to the College for the start of Spring Term  

14 – 17 October          Senior School Exams

14 & 15 October         Year 9 Students’ Wellness Days 
(a separate email has been sent to Year 9 parents)

16 & 17 October         Year 9 transition to Senior School courses 

18 October                  Staff Professional Learning and Student Home Study Day

21 October                  Flourishing Arts Art Exhibition Opening Night – 6.30pm - LRC

21 – 25 Oct                 Flourishing Arts Art Exhibition - LRC

28 October                  Drama Monologue Showcase – 6.30pm

28 November              Annual Celebration Night – 6.30pm - LRC

29 November              Staff Professional Learning and Student Home Study Day

3 December                College Board Annual General Meeting – all parents invited to attend

5 December                College Swimming Carnival - Bayswater Waves Aquatic Centre

Week 10

VICE PRINCIPAL

I am pleased to inform you that Mr Peter Collins has been appointed Vice Principal K - 12 from the commencement of 2014. He brings a depth of experience in K - 12 education from his current position as the Vice Principal of Ursula Frayne Catholic College.  Prior to this Mr Collins was a Consultant in the Resources Team at the Catholic Education Office and Head of Mathematics at Aranmore Catholic College.

HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

As you know, Ms Melissa Croswell has been appointed as the foundation Head of Junior School.  Ms Croswell will  commence at Holy Cross College at the beginning of Spring Term, 2013 and will play a key role in the establishment of our new Early Learning Centre.  The Early Learning Centre will open with students in Kindergarten - Year 2 at the commencement of 2014.

SENIOR SCHOOL

Students in Years 10 and 11 commence their end of academic year exams on Wednesday.            They have exams both before and after the holiday period and will need to be very focused on their studies during this time period.  Parents of students in Years 9 - 11 should have received a letter containing important information including booklists for the start of the academic year in Spring Term.

ASSEMBLY AND LEARNING JOURNEY

A College assembly and Learning Journey for Winter Term will be held on Friday, 27 September commencing at 1.45am in the Learning Resource Centre.  The Learning Journey will include some of the work completed as part of Curriculum Enrichment Week projects. I look forward to seeing you on Friday.

CAMINO 2014

Last Wednesday students who will be participating in the Europe 2014 trip and their parents gathered for an information session.  It was exciting to be at the point where we are talking about the practical details for this trip which will take place in April 2014.  We will be visiting Rome before flying to Spain to walk a section of the Camino de Santiago from Tui to Santiago de Compostella.  Tui is the town in which Rosendo Salvado was born, 200 years ago next year.  Following the Camino pilgrimage which will cover over 100 kilometres we will spend a couple of days in Santiago de Compostella before flying to Barcelona.  This should be a very special trip for participating students and staff.

Ms Connor

Week 9

Pope Francis has called for world wide peace in Syria.  We invite all members of our Holy Cross College Community  to respond to his call:

Prayer and Intercession for Peace in Syria

God of Compassion,

hear the cries of the people of Syria.

Comfort those who suffer violence.

Console those who mourn the dead.

Give strength to Syria’s neighbouring countries to welcome the refugees.

Convert the hearts of those who have taken up arms

and protect those who are committed to peace.

God of hope,

Inspire leaders to choose peace over violence 

and to seek reconciliation with their enemies.

Inflame the Universal Church with compassion for the people of Syria

and give us hope for a future built on justice for all.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, 

the Prince of Peace and Light of the world.

Amen

FOOD STUDIES DINNER

Thank you to the Year 11 Food Science and Technology students for the delicious meal they prepared last Thursday evening. As part of their assessment for the course they catered for a group of staff and parents.  The meal was delicious and the quality of service was outstanding.  Thank you to Mrs Sarah Brown for preparing the students for this event. 

COLLEGE FEAST DAY

14 September is the Feast of the Holy Cross and on this date in 2010 the College was officially blessed and opened.  On Friday we celebrated the CollegeFeast Day with a College Mass and a fair.  The Gospel for the Mass included John 10:10 - I came that they may have life and have it to the full and in the homily Fr Francis reflected on the link between the cross and Life to the Full.  Thank you to Mr Muller for coordinating the Mass, Miss O’Neill for the beautiful banner she painted for the Church, to Mrs Louden for the symbols of LIFE in the Offertory Procession and to Miss Kendrick for the very moving reflection.  Thank you also to all other staff who assisted and to the students who assisted with the music, readings and processions.  The Feast Day Fair featured a variety of stalls and activities, one of the highlights of which was the teacher auction.  Money raised from the Fair will go to Caritas for the Syria Crisis Appeal.  

DIGITAL LEARNING

On Wednesday we welcomed a number of interstate and international visitors to the College to explore how we are using digital technologies in the learning environment.  The visitors were very impressed with the articulate way in which the students spoke about their learning.  Further details can be found on the Life@Holycross bog - http://web.holycross.wa.edu.au/news/lifeblog/lifeblog.php

SENIOR SCHOOL EXAMS AND NEW ACADEMIC YEAR

Students in Years 10 and 11 students should be engaged in a rigorous study programme at the moment as they commence their final exams next week.  All students have been given an exam timetable.  It is important that students are revising thoroughly for the exams which contribute significantly to their final results for the year.  A letter will be sent to parents of students in Years 9, 10 and 11 this week giving details of activities for conclusion of the academic year and the commencement of the new Senior School academic year in Week 2 of Spring Term.  The booklist will be included with this letter.

Week 8

‘NEVER SEE A NEED WITHOUT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT’  Mary MacKillop

On Friday, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe reminded students of the significance of these words when he presented the College with the Archbishop’s Spirit Award for LifeLink. We were delighted to welcome Archbishop Costelloe to the College and, in speaking to the students, he encouraged them to ensure they ‘had the eyes to see a need’ and were prepared to do something about it.  He commended the students for their participation in the sleepout, not just for the money it raised for important social services provided by LifeLink, but also for the awareness it raises about social justice issues.

The Archbishop’s Spirit Award recognises a school's outstanding support for, and positive participation in, LifeLink Day.

It is presented to the school which comprehensively:

1. demonstrates active support for the Archbishop’s LifeLink Day initiative
2. embraces the goals of LifeLink Day; to learn about what the Church’s response to people in need is within our community, and to undertake some form of fundraising to support agencies funded through LifeLink
3. is committed to educating students on their responsibility to care for those less fortunate in our community
4. promotes an ethos of caring and compassion to students, teachers, parents and the wider community. That we all have a responsibility to show love and compassion not just on LifeLink Day, but every day. 

We are humbled to receive the LifeLink Spirit  Award for 2012 and  it will be a reminder to us that even as a small school we can work to make a difference to the lives of others and that as we grow, justice and service must continue to be at our heart.  The discomfort of one cold night is a sobering reminder to us that some people live a much harsher reality every night.

The LifeLink SleepOut is a community effort with staff, students and parents contributing to the event. I would like to make a special mention of Mrs Walmsley who has been the main organiser of the Sleep Out since its inception and who has done a great deal to ensure that the night is not just about raising money but also on reflecting on the Gospel message –

‘I was hungry and you fed me’ and on issues of social justice. 

OLIVE TREES FROM NEW NORCIA

The College has a strong connection with New Norcia - in fact the beautiful wooden cross in our Learning Resource Centre was made by the carpenter at New Norica and one of our Houses is named after Bishop Rosendo Salvado.   In 1831, four olive trees were brought from Europe to the Swan River Colony for Governor Stirling.   Over the years they grew and flourished and in 1860, 400 cuttings were cloned and then in 1866 carried on foot over seven days from the new Colony to New Norcia where Dom Rosendo Salvado planted the Monastery's first olive grove. Year 8 students saw this olive grove when they visited New Norcia last week.  

Last week Mr McKern was given 6 young olives trees which had been propogated from the trees which had been planted in new Norcia 147 years go. Mr McKern will now plant these olive trees on our College campus - a symbol of our connection with the monastic community of New Norcia.

The motto of the Benedictine community of New Norcia is Pax, meaning Peace.  Pope Paul X1 said, ‘if you want peace, work for justice’. I hope the olive trees that the New Norica community have given us will grow on this campus and will remind us that if there is to be peace in this world then each of has a responsibility to work for justice.

FATHERS’ DAY MASS

On Wednesday, we celebrated a liturgy for Fathers, remembering our fathers, grandfathers and those who have been like fathers to our young people.  The liturgy was followed by a delicious breakfast in the College Cafe.  Thank you to Mr Muller for organising the liturgy and to Mrs Lewis, Mrs Brown and the students who assisted with the preparation of breakfast.

TOURNAMENT OF MINDS

Well done to the team of College students who participated in Tournament of the Minds last weekend.  This problem solving programme encourages teams of students to think critically and creatively in addressing open-ended challenges.  Thank you to Miss Reynolds and Mrs Hodgson for their work in supporting the students to prepare for this event.  More details about this event can be found on LIFE@HCC.

COLLEGE FEAST DAY CELEBRATIONS

The College Feast Day will be celebrated on Friday 13 September – the Feast of the Holy Cross is on the 14 September.  Parents and family members are invited to join us for Mass commencing at 11.30am in the Parish Church and are also welcome to join us for the fair commencing at 12.30pm.  Money raised from the fair will go to Catholic Missions.  Students need to wear their College tracksuit with their House Shirt on Friday.  If they do not have their full College Tracksuit they need to wear their academic uniform.