Fortnightly newsletter October 16, 2020

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CATHEDRAL COLLEGE WANGARATTA Fortnightly Newsletter

In this edition.....

Welcome to Term Four from Principal Nick Jones How to be on the Wangaratta Youth Council Register for the Parent/Carer Headspace session Register for the P & F Annual General Meeting Book Week 19-22 October Heads of School Reports

Book Week 2020

Curious Creatures...

Wild Minds October 19-22

Lunch time activities each day

Junior School Dress up day and parade: Thursday the 22nd October - dress as a creature, a book character or someone with a wild mind!

Principals Report MR NICK JONES

Welcome Back It has been fantastic to have all students and staff back on campus this week. There has certainly been a real buzz around the school as we come together again to learn, play and interact in a way that we have missed for so long.

We have often spoken about the little things we may have taken for granted in the past and I know that the whole school community appreciates the opportunity we have to return to the classroom to learn and flourish together again.Teachers are using the first days back with students to reacquaint them with our normal school routines and expectations. We understand that some students have struggled to keep up with their learning program during Remote Learning, while others have managed to meet and, in some instances, exceeded expectations. We will be ensuring that all students are supported to readjust to face to face learning and have every opportunity to flourish during Term Four.

Cathedral College will have the following priorities for the remainder of 2020: • • • • •

Supporting the emotional wellbeing for students, staff and whole school community.

Literacy & Numeracy development for Prep – Year Ten students.

Supporting VCE students and Year Twelve students to finish the year well.

Transitioning/Preparing students for 2021.

COVID safe co-curricular opportunities for students.

P&F The Parents and Friends Association is a very important group within our school community that plays a crucial role in developing community and providing opportunities for parents and friends to come together to support each other and the College. The P & F has been significantly affected by the pandemic as we have not had the opportunities to organize our normal social events and activities. The P & F is a great way to meet new people and support the school. I encourage all parents and guardians to consider joining the P & F. Please look out for further information from the school about how you can become involved with the P & F in 2021.

Term Four I am really looking forward to a productive and successful final term of the year. As restrictions ease, we are hoping to offer some COVID safe co-curricular opportunities to our students. Please continue to look out for our future communications to ensure that you are aware of the events and activities that we may be able to hold. While we are still unable to have parents or visitors come onto school grounds, we will be looking for future opportunities to stay connected and involve you as much as we can for the remainder of 2020.

As always, please contact us here at the College if you have any queries or questions.

All the Best.

Nick Jones

Photo Gallery Return to School

Photo Gallery Return to School

Junior School Report MR GREG NEWBOLD

The drumbeat of footsteps pounding across the pavement, squeals of excited high-pitched laughter, spontaneous jumping as newly seen friends strode through the gates and the sheer joy (and relief) as parents ushered their children from cars, across crossings and saw them meld into school life once again were memorable moments as school resumed.

Something similar happens at the beginning of each term; however, the excitement was more palpable than, what now seems to be the humdrum happiness of returning from holidays. From the staff perspective, how exciting it was to have children, the reason for our professional being, resume onsite learning.

And as per the return from Remote learning 1.0, what have we learned? The first time, we discovered, or perhaps had reinforced, was our knowledge that young children are very capable of acting independently, saying good-bye to a parent at the car, carrying their school bag, entering the front gate and organising themselves for the start of the day without any adult intervention or support. As adults, it may be a little disconcerting that ‘they don’t need us’, yet, to me it is them saying, ‘don’t worry, I can handle it, I’m a schoolboy or girl.’ How cool!

But that was then (RL 1.0) and this new situation of returning from RL 2.0 posed many challenges. And what did we see or find out?

If any educator was in any doubt of the importance of routine, structure and consistency in a person’s life, students reentering on site learning from a long period of absence, verified the incredible importance of routine, structure and consistency.

Timetabled periods, a place to put your belongings, a desk where you sit and others sit, set standards of behaviour, jobs to do that help the classroom community work, expectations of the playground and familiarity of people whom you interact with are the hallmarks of school. The children settled into school life once again, as if they had never been away. Their default position, memory of school and understanding of the do’s and don’ts are embedded and bubbled back to the surface once they left the bus or car or walked onto the school grounds.

As a teacher, we learn from our students every single day, and once again the youngest and most inexperienced in life have taught me (and others) that in home, work and play …...

Routine, structure and consistency are gold!

In another sign of normality, Year Two will venture on a day camp to Harrietville on Friday. Usually, this comprises of an overnight stay; however, with that not practical this year, a full day of adventure activities are planned which replicate the same experience, but without the sleepover.

Similar camp and activities are planned for each year level throughout the term, which is very exciting for our students and teachers.

Middle School Report MRS BRIGID PERKINS

What an exciting week for the school and our Middle School! There has been so much excitement and energy in the school yard and in our classrooms. It is very clear that our Middle School community, including our staff and students, are loving being back at school, after returning from remote learning. We have spent some extra time in Homeroom groups to allow our students to re-adjust to a seven-period timetable and a full day of learning. As expected, many students have misplaced their timetables and their locker codes, so it has been highly beneficially to ease our way back into the normal routine of a day at school.

As it is definitely warming up, it is important that all students are wearing their broad-brimmed school hats at all breaks, as well as applying sunscreen daily and remember to pack their own drink bottle each day. Full summer uniform is also now expected to be worn, so it is timely to make sure uniforms fit properly, dress lengths have been altered to ‘sit’ at the knee (especially as many students have grown over the break!) and school shoes have been cleaned.

Next week Year Seven and Eight students will be involved in workshops coordinated

by Headspace. There workshops will specifically focus on understanding mental health and improving our own mental fitness. Homeroom groups will be accompanied by their Homeroom teacher and other Wellbeing staff. This is an important topic and discussion for all students in light of the current pandemic and the amount of time students and families have spent under restrictions and home-schooling conditions. Our Year Six cohort continues to prepare for the transition into Year Seven and the arrival of new students to their cohort in 2021.

Discussions and conversations are being undertaken about homeroom groups and allowing time for students to recognise and identify those students who they learn well with. At this stage, we are unsure as to whether we will be able to plan for a Year Seven Orientation Day with our new students, however further information will be provided to students and families when we know more about restrictions.

All families are encouraged to keep in contact with relevant Year Level Coordinators and myself throughout the term if you would like to talk about your son or daughter’s development and wellbeing.

Senior School Report MS LAUREN LEE

What a difference a week makes. Last week we had only a small number of students on campus as we continued with remote learning. This week we welcomed back our Senior School students and the College has come back to life with the excited buzz of young people catching up with friends and undertaking face to face classes. A big congratulations to all our students who are completing a Unit Three and Four sequence this year. Last week these students finally had the chance to sit the GAT and I know that they were all pleased for it to finally happen. This week our Year Twelve students have been sitting practice examinations and we thank them for the effort they have put into ensuring they are prepared for these important tasks. Work has continued on planning for the final two weeks with Year Twelves and we are now waiting to hear what Daniel Andrews has to say on Sunday before we can firm up these plans.

Our Homeroom teachers have been excited to have their students back and have been working hard to check in and see how the transition back to school is going. For some of our students, the change in routine again has been a little overwhelming, while for others they have been excited to get back to school. Please remember to touch base with your Child's Homeroom teacher if you would like to discuss any concerns.

We are excited to start Term Four together and we are looking forward to seeing our young people in their classes as they make their way to the end of a very unusual year.

Many of our Senior Students will be keeping an eye out for positions of leadership as we open applications for School Captain and House Captain in 2021. I have just walked through many of the Year Nine Social Enterprise classes and it is great to see the students producing some outstanding projects.

From the Director of Studies MRS JULIE FINDLAY

As we welcome and settle students back to face to face teaching, the focus of the Teaching and Learning program is to help students build upon their learnings in remote learning and feel comfortable back at school. This will be varied due to a number of students enjoying remote learning and some finding this mode of learning more of a challenge. The curriculum will be adjusted slightly to help revisit some concepts taught during remote learning but also to cover the essential material required to move into the next year level in 2021. In some cases, it may just be that content is recapped in class discussion before moving on to the next stage of this topic. On October 27, parents and guardians of students in Year Six to Ten will have the opportunity to meet with teachers, online for Parent-teacher interviews. An email with links to log on has been emailed home. Please contact the office if you require further assistance.

Just as we return to school, we must also begin to think about 2021. In the next month letters will be emailed home with subject selections confirmed for 2021. This will be for VCE students first, followed by subsequent year levels. The letter will also include information on how to access and order books online from our school supplier, North East School Supplies. For students completing VCE, it is important that books are purchased for Head Start which commences on Monday, November 30. Many books can be purchased second hand by word of mouth, Facebook networks and the Sustainable Schools shop. Many books for VCE will stay the same for 2021 as no syllabus changes have been made for 2021. It is great to see a wide variety of subjects run at VCE next year, some sixty different classes will be offered.

Chaplains' Chat On the October 4, Christians commemorate the life of St Francis of Assisi, who was born in Italy in the 12th century and is the Church’s patron saint of animals and the environment.

More recently this day has become a popular day for pets to be “blessed”, which is always a lot of fun if it occurs in a church with lots of other animals!

St Francis also founded the Franciscan Religious Order in 1210 that still exists today.

People may also be aware of what is known as the Peace Prayer of St Francis. This prayer was not written by St Francis, however when it first appeared in 1915, it was written on the back of a holy card bearing a picture of St Francis. As it embodies the spirit of St Francis of Assisi’s simplicity and poverty, and as it first appeared during the First World War, it became known as the Peace Prayer of St Francis.

It is a well-known prayer, and one that we use in our Chapel Services. Below is a version adapted

by Mother Teresa.

Saint Francis Prayer Lord, make That where That where That where That where That where That where That where That where

me a channel of your peace. there is hatred, I may bring love. there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness, there is discord, I may bring harmony, there is error, I may bring truth, there is doubt, I may bring faith, there is despair, I may bring hope, there are shadows, I may bring light, there is sadness, I may bring joy.

Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort, than to be comforted, To understand than to be understood, To love than to be loved.

For it is by forgetting self that one finds.

It is by forgiving that one is forgiven, And it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.

Amen.

Chapel Services Please also find below links to the virtual Chapel services for the first week of Term Four.

Junior School: Chapel Service Theme: The story of Paul in the New Testament Middle and Senior School: Chapel Service Theme: Faith and Trust - Reverend David Jones and Mrs Cathy Carden

Wellbeing For student returning to school again after the extended time at home it is likely to bring a mix of emotions both socially and academically as they resume their regular school routines. Please see some ideas to support your young people as they make this transition.

Help your teenager feel more confident:

5 Ways parents can help teenagers study for exams:

Headspace - Parent and Carer Session Supporting young people: notice, ask, connect In partnership with Headspace in Schools, Cathedral College Wangaratta will be conducting Mental Health Education for years Seven to Eleven during Homeroom over the next few weeks. This will commence on the 19th of October, 2020. These sessions are aimed at providing students with education related to understanding mental health and wellbeing and a focus on coping strategies to strengthen mental fitness.

Additionally, a parent and carer session to complement the student workshops will be offered on Thursday October the 22nd, from 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm. This session will cover information including: · · · · ·

adolescent mental health and wellbeing adolescent development strategies to connect and communicate with young people general information for parents to support their young person where to access support

These sessions are free and will be presented online by Headspace professionals. Places are limited:

LINK TO REGISTER This is a wonderful opportunity. If you have any further questions, please contact June Stamp (College Counsellor) on 57222144.

-Ms June Stamp

Around the College German Studies Oral 2020 For some students, VCE examinations began this week. Eight Year Twelve students completed their German Oral Exam on Wednesday at the Centre in Wangaratta. After many years of studying the language, they were excited to begin the final step of completing their journey as a learner of German at Cathedral College. They waited nervously to be called in for their 15-minute interview and were proud and happy when they joined their peers after. We wish them all the best for their written exams.

Year Nine Social Enterprise Year Nine ACRE Shark Tank presentations In the last week of Term 3 and first week of Term 4, all Year 9 Social Enterprise students presented their business pitches to a Shark Tank panel from ACRE (Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship). Once again, this was delivered online with confidently delivered slide decks or video presentations and many with prototypes assembled at home during remote learning.

With the return of students this week, students can look forward to making batches of goods in class ready for sale at our Pop-Up Markets or Online Shop in November. Presentations were a credit to the teamwork of students but also the support of their teachers throughout – thanks to Ms Gallagher, Mr Gerrish, Ms Rose, Mr Graham and Ms Raven.

It’s Mask-tober!

This week the Masked Avengers group has donated $1000 of profit from reusable mask sales to NorthEast Health Wangaratta for the purchase of equipment for Illoura Aged Care. An article on this wonderful initiative will be shared next in the Chronicle in the coming weeks. We have also been given dozens of masks generously made by Tamar Dalton, Keren and Alice Stokes and Jane and Beatrix Clarke. Given the current mandate to keep wearing masks, we have some new fabrics and styles for Spring. We have also introduced a Pay It Forward option, where if you donate $10 we will donate 2 reusable masks to local people in need through Anglicare Wangaratta.

Keep an eye out on our online store. https://shop.cathedralcollege.vic.edu.au/ Thanks for your support.

-Mr Matthew Henderson

Year Six Balloon Tower Upon their return to onsite learning the Year Six students were required to put their initiative and teamwork to the test by building a freestanding balloon tower with their friends. With a simple set of materials and some ingenious design, many children were able to build some very impressive structures!

From the Music Department 8th Annual ASC Piano Competition Congratulations to all the College students who entered this year’s online competition, it was fantastic to see so many of our pianists take on the challenge of preparing and recording a piece for judging. The adjudicators comments highlighted many positives in the technique and expression of our students playing. Of particular note was Edwina Everard’s performance of the ‘Theme from the Man from Snowy River’ by Bruce Rowland which earnt her 3rd Place in the Justice Category. Well done Edwina!

- Mr Ben Hedderman

Dates/Events and Reminders Year Seven 2nd HPV Gardasil /Year Ten catch-up on Meningococcal Immunisations The new date for Year Seven Immunisation is Thursday October 15. Students are strongly encouraged to eat breakfast that morning so they are not having the immunisation on an empty stomach.

If your child is anxious about injections you can ask their Homeroom Teacher to bring them over at 9am before all other students arrive or if they would prefer you to bring them that is fine.

Students will be brought over in their homeroom groups throughout the morning.

If there are any Year Ten students who did not have their Meningococcal immunisation earlier in the year they can also attend.

-Mrs Francene Hoyle

CCW Parents and Friends AGM 2020 Please join us at our upcoming AGM. The P & F Committee is an integral part of the College’s culture, community spirit and a welcoming and a supportive body for new and existing parents.

This year was challenging for all of us. We have continued to meet (virtually) but have been unable to operate at the level we are accustomed to. We look forward to 2021 and the new opportunities it will bring.

The AGM will be held on Tuesday October 27 at 6.30pm and be followed by a regular Parents and Friends meeting at 7.00pm. Light refreshments will be provided.

EVENT LINK This year there are three positions to be elected: • President • Vice President • One Ordinary Committee Member Nominations forms for the above positions are to be submitted to the Secretary via email by October 21, 2020.

Tuesday 27 October - 6.30pm at the Gateway Hotel, Wangaratta As the committee is not able to convene in person, nominations will be emailed to the P & F Secretary Kate McMillan, at katehamishmcmillan@bigpond.com.

-Committee member nominations - The email needs to include the name of the nominee and the position they are being nominated for.

- Self-nomination – should you wish to selfnominate for a position, your nomination needs to be emailed to the secretary with the position you wish to nominate for.

Add a little bit of body text Should you have any questions about the

positions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to welcoming you all.

Kind Regards, Dr. Jacqui Way President of the P & F

Dates/Events and Reminders The Youth Council nominations are currently open.

They close on October 26, 2020 Forms can be picked up at the reception desk in the Government building, printed from this email attachment, following the link below or emailing youth@wangaratta.vic.gov.au to have a copy emailed out.

e-Safety webinars

Aussie Student Inventions Competition Calling all budding young inventors. Here is your opportunity to get your idea off the drawing board and out into the world. All primary and secondary school student inventors are invited to prepare an individual, team or class entry.

There are three categories available for school students: Primary, Years 7 - 9 and Years 10 - 12.

Inventions can be any type, size or functionality and solve any kind of problem.

Click here for more information

The Stitch Out of Time Project Over the past few months, the school community has engaged in a HeadSpace initiative of creating a piece of art work that provides some reflection of the COVID ISO experience. We are looking to finalise this project before the end of the school year. This is a last call out for anyone who would like to engage in some mindful, creative sewing – you can collect a pack from Ms Valerie Crosse in the Art Room. Or if you have completed your squares, please return them to school as soon as possible.

We would like all squares returned by Friday 30th October so that we can bring them together in some way to create a CCW COVID Creative Art work. If you have any questions, please contact Ms Crosse.

From the Uniform Shop Uniform Shop Opening Hours - Term Four Due to current restrictions, the uniform shop is operating by appointment only. Please click on the link to make an appointment:

Uniform appointment link Monday 8.30am - 1.45pm* Wednesday 8.30am - 1.45pm Thursday 8.30am – 4.00pm* Friday 8.30am – 1.45pm New Students by appointment Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, appointments are required

CCW Community Connect

Mitchell Ave Skate Park I AM looking for EOI's from keen skateboard and scooter riders who want some input into the design of this new park! If they would like to be included, could they please email council@wangaratta.vic.gov.au with the subject and leave their details.

Rachel Harrop - Youth Development Officer Wangaratta Council

National Water Week During the week of October 19-25, the Australian Water Association organises National Water Week and makes a splash across Australia, inspiring individuals, communities and organisations to build awareness around the value of water. Access to clean water is hugely important to our daily lives, and it’s down to all of us to protect our water environments and resources and use water wisely.

The theme for 2020 is Reimagining our Water Future. As our population grows, this will put more stress on our water resources, so how can we reimagine the way we use and reuse water to ensure there’s enough of it in the future? How can we rethink our current water practices to help conserve valuable water resources? What can we do as individuals and as communities to inspire a more sustainable water future?

Website link

The Greta Cricket Club season is starting soon we would like to invite any interested students to come to training and give cricket a go. We currently have many students from the surrounding districts playing with us and welcome anybody new, regardless of experience.

We have a Woolworths Junior Blasters competition, U12s, U14s and U16 teams. If you would like general information, please contact Mr Nathan Manning at school or call Paul Rosser on 0438056214 at the club regarding training. Please be aware we are following strict COVID protocols.

17th of October is the staying date for the under14s 24th October under 12s and seniors kicking off.

Please help our great little club thrive!