Senior School Newsletter
Term 3, Week 2 2022 Cover Photo: Students learning to make coffee during the holiday barista training course
From the Principal Dear Families Over the last two weeks, I have enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the six House Masses for our Senior students, the Year 9 Rice Commissioning Eucharist held at St Ignatius in Richmond, and the President’s Rugby Luncheon last Saturday. What has struck me while listening to the scripture readings, the homilies preached by our various Chaplains, reflections from each of the House Prefects and the two special guest speakers - Kevin Foote, Head Coach of the Melbourne Rebels; and Andrew Blowers, an All Black, current parent and Rebels Leadership and Wellbeing Coach - is the importance of living a life of gratitude. What I have heard is thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Gratitude helps you to grow and expand. If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, especially when life throws some very difficult curve balls, you will discover that your outlook on life will shift and so will your disposition. Gratitude is a feeling that nurtures your spirit, changes the lens you select to look through and provides a calmness to life resulting in a quiet joy or happiness. To be grateful allows us to look at opportunities as a point of growth, evolution and newness in a way that ignites and fosters a sense of goodwill, energy and hopefulness for a positive way ahead. As we journey through Term 3, may we be inspired by the virtue of gratitude and allow it to imbue our person in all that we do and say. I think John F. Kennedy has captured it best by saying: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
A PRAYER FOR RICE CAMP As one of our signature pieces at St Kevin’s, RICE Camp, continues this week, I share with you a prayer of commissioning for all our Year 9 students and staff proclaimed at the RICE Mass of Thanksgiving held last week. In this coming RICE Camp, may there be learning, prayer and fun. May there be hard work and friendship. May no one in this RICE camp be lonely; May no one feel left out. As we begin this RICE camp, let us do so in hope, in prayer and in friendship May the Lord begin it with us, be with us during it, and provide within each of us an opportunity for transformation and personal growth. May God bless us on our journey and keep us safe. Blessings and Peace Deborah M Barker Principal
From the Faith and Mission Team St Kevin’s is a wonderful place to be. In addition to our wonderful students, there are many aspects of College life that bring me immense approval. As an enthusiastic tea drinker, the staff room is one place that I enjoy. I can’t start a day’s work without a couple of cups of tea! The reali-tea is that I love a good brew. The staff room has an admirable array of tea bag varieties to quench the thirst of most teachers. However, if I’m being honest, while I have dabbled with an Earl Grey and a Lipton tea, I can’t help but remain faithful to my standard English Breakfast brand, although it’s good to know the others are there. Despite this tea-induced excitement, however, the staff room is not the number one place to be. Each Friday, it is wonderful to be part of our weekly Mass, in the Chapel of St Kevin. At Mass, we have an assortment of priests that could easily supersede any tea collection. They devote their time and travel from all parts of Melbourne, to celebrate Mass with our boys and staff. After the Gospel, our priests offer a short reflection on the readings. Last week, Fr Hayes spoke candidly about the importance of Mary of Magdala, whose feast day appeared then. He has an inimitable style, with such authority and grace, but in a relatable way the boys can understand. Tomorrow, I look forward to Fr Werner’s reflection on the feast day of another Mary: Mary of Bethany and her brother Lazarus. I’m sure it will raise us up. I regularly walk out of Mass with a spring in my step, a much-needed boost of energy to rival any biscuit or tea. Also on a Friday, our Guest Speaker program forms an integral part of the Year 12 Religious Education program. It is a privilege to listen to our inspirational speakers from our extended college community. Each of our invited presenters have made a concerted effort to make our world a better place, for all members of our society. We hope to impress this message upon the boys. I believe the development of all young people rests within the creative power of God; a God who is present through their own experiences and the provision of role models. By listening to our captivating speakers, we aim to ignite a passion within our boys, so they too can become witnesses to the Gospel message through their actions as well as their words. In the words of Socrates: “Education seeks to light a fire, not simply fill a vessel.” Our invited guests have often had to overcome a series of hurdles to achieve success. This was certainly the case for Olympic hurdler, Kyle Vander Kuyp, who spoke personally about how he has encountered racism, due to his Aboriginal heritage. Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon shared her extensive criminology experience and offered an honest and hopeful presentation on gender and family violence. Nicola Quin, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Homes Victoria discussed her role helping the ongoing management of the public housing system and her previous role as part of the Victorian Government’s COVID-19 response. We have had courageous guests who have shared sad life experiences, in a moving way that left us hope filled for the future. Order of Australia recipient, Sherene Hassan, spoke about how she received a barrage of abuse because of her Islamic faith, but responded to this hatred with love. Donna Cohen suffered a
From the Faith and Mission Team tragic road traffic accident 30 years ago and experienced a life changing brain injury. Donna spoke bravely about her injury, the importance of her family and her inner fight to keep getting better. Another sobering account was a presentation from a representative from the Pat Cronin Foundation who spoke about the heartbreaking loss of Pat, due to a coward punch and the lessons that can be learned. We are so privileged to have so many role models within our community. Damien Barrett provided an entertaining presentation about his life in journalism. Former student Dr Cam Hawker gave a personal reflection on the challenges he encountered as a gay man at school and in the world of work. Another former student and expedition leader, David Knoff, extended the horizons of the boys by discussing his experience being stranded in Antarctica during lockdown, with little more than penguins for company. Natalie MacDonald from the Country Fire Authority and Karen Sait from the Port Phillip Community Group both gave uplifting presentations about their heartening work in our local communities. I think that our Friday Guest Speaker program and our weekly Mass offer an array of individuals, using their God-given talents, so they are able to quench the thirst of different tastes among our student body. Just like our staff room tea collection, we know that each weekly speaker will not always be each student’s ‘cup of tea’, but it is reassuring to know about each presenter and the goodness that they bring. Just like my taste in tea, I am supremely happy that I have found a career that offers me satisfaction, joy and positively impacts the lives of others. I pray that our students can do the same. Joe Keenan Head of Religious Education
St
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F o u n d at i o n
ANNUAL BUSINESS BREAKFAST 7AM WEDNESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 2022
RACV CITY CLUB LEVEL 17, 500 BOURKE STREET
THE BUSINESS OF SPORT IN AUSTRALIA
DISCUSSION FEATURING
BRENDON GALE JUSTIN REEVES JUSTIN RODSKI
Brendon Gale Richmond Football Club
Justin Reeves Hawthorn Football Club
Justin Rodski Melbourne Storm League Club
As CEO of Richmond Football Club since 2009, Brendon has overseen a period of significant change and growth. Prior to his current role, Brendon was CEO of the AFL Players Association and practiced law at King & Wood Mallesons. Brendon is a current parent with a son at the College.
Justin has been the CEO of Hawthorn Football Club since 2017 and joined the Club following an extensive career in sports administration at both Collingwood and Geelong where he held responsibility for corporate and consumer businesses. Justin is a past parent of the College where his son was a member of the Class of 2016.
Justin was appointed CEO of Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club prior to the commencement of the 2021 season. Prior to joining the Storm, Justin was the Chief Commercial and Customer Officer of Essendon Football Club and came into sports administration from a background in media and sports journalism.
Single tickets are priced at $80.00 | Corporate tables are available for $1,100
RSVP 7pm Wednesday 31 August Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/CBHCG Please email Kevin Culliver for any enquires foundation@associations.stkevins.vic.edu.au
Term Dates 2023 Tuesday 31 January
Year 7 and Year 12 students return
Wednesday 1 February
All other students return (except Prep)
Thursday 2 February
Prep students commence
Monday 13 March
Labour Day Holiday
Thursday 6 April
Term 1 ends
Tuesday 25 April
Anzac Day Holiday
Wednesday 26 April
Term 2 – Students return
Friday 9 June
College Correction Day
Monday 12 June
Queen’s Birthday Holiday
Friday 23 June
Term 2 ends
(Additional Week is the 3rd Week of the holidays) Monday 17 July
Term 3 begins
Date to be confirmed
Staff Conference
Friday 15 September
Term 3 ends
Monday 2 October
Term 4 begins
Monday 6 November
Mid-term holiday
Tuesday 7 November
Melbourne Cup
Friday 24 November
Year 10-11 Students conclude
Wednesday 29 November
Secondary Correction Day
Tuesday 5 December
Year 7-9 Students conclude
Tuesday 5 December
Year 9 Presentation Evening
Wednesday 6 December
Glendalough Students conclude
Wednesday 6 December
Year 7/8 and Year 10/11 Presentation Evenings
Omnia Awards
Jack Henshaw - Year 7
For his quick response in seeking assistance for an injured peer
William Noonan - Kearney
For his willingness to volunteer to play in the 6ths Basketball team
Vincent Nai - Year 8
Flynn Ryan - Year 9
For his contribution to the presentation of the Mathematics Faculty portal resources
For constantly showing compassion for others by checking in with them and being kind
Samuel Crack - Kenny
William Sudano - McCarthy
For his outstanding contribution to sport at the College.
Daniel Arnold - Rahill
For ongoing commitment to the Rahill House community
For retrieving a lost blazer at Tooronga and returning to a Year 7
Matt Johnson - Staff
For outstanding generosity of spirit in his approach to assisting with RICE camp
Kasper Hoffman - Cusack
For his outstanding organisation and leadership of our House debating competition
Spencer Blake - Purton
For the peer-to-peer support shown throughout the Year 11 English oral presentations
Music News SOLO COMPETITION 2022 Heats for the Solo Competition will be taking place from week 7 of this Term, leading into the finals on October 5th. There are two sections: Intermediate (Yr 7-9) and Senior (Yr 10-12). Both heats and finals involve the performance of one solo piece of music or song. Accompanists, as needed, will be provided by the piano staff. Boys learning at school should discuss details of their participation with their instrumental or vocal teacher. Boys learning outside of school who wish to participate should contact Dr McGee: mcgeem@ stkevins.vic.edu.au.
COLLEGE CONCERT - MONDAY 15 AUGUST The highlight of the term will be the College Concert in Hamer Hall on Monday August 15th. This concert focuses on our ensemble program and will feature our large ensembles. Tickets for this event are available now through the Box Office of the Arts Centre Melbourne. Families will have received a Consent2Go request. Please accept this invitation so that your son can attend the rehearsal for this concert. The Student Rehearsal Planner details the exact excursion times for each ensemble. This document is linked here.
CONGRATULATIONS Mr John Quaine was recognised at the recent Australian Strings Association Conference with the State Award for Victoria. This is a great honour and recognises that John has ‘contributed outstanding work towards the development of string music in his state over a substantial period of time’. Congratulations Mr Quaine! We also congratulate Anderson Mokyiu (Year 7) for winning first prize in the 14 years & under Vocal Solo category in the 2022 Monash Youth Music Festival. MUSIC DATES TERM 3 Saturday July 30
Glendalough Junior Ensembles Workshop BEH/MMC
Thursday August 4
Glendalough Concert Band to VSMF Geelong (12.453pm)
Sunday August 7
Senior Large Clarinet Ensemble to Boroondara Eisteddfod
Tuesday August 9
Big Band 2 to VSMF (3.306.45pm)
Wednesday August 10
Big Band 3 to VSMF (9am12.15pm)
Wednesday August 10
Piano Concerts 7pm BEH/ MMC
MUSIC DATES TERM 3 Thursday August 11
Big Band 1 to VSMF (7.3010.30pm)
Saturday August 13
Year 5 First Eucharist
Monday August 15
College Concert Rehearsals all day
Monday August 15
College Concert 7pm Hamer Hall
Tuesday August 16
Senior Concert Band to VSMF (7-9.45pm)
Thursday August 18
Intermediate Concert Band to VSMF (3.45-6pm)
Friday August 19
Middle School Concert Band to VSMF (9.3011.45am)
Sun-Fri August 21, 22, 24-26
Years 10-12 Musical Matinee 2pm/Evenings 7pm RT
Wednesday August 31
Concert Band Auditions Commence
Friday September 2
Solo Concert, C308 3.30pm
Wed-Thurs September 7-8
Glendalough Musical 7pm SH
Friday September 9
Middle School Strings Concert MMC
Monday September 12
Music Association AGM 7.30pm C308
MELBOURNE YOUTH ORCHESTRA SUMMER SCHOOL - JANUARY 9-14 2023 Each year a number of our students enjoy participating in the MYO Summer School. At its heart, Summer School is about having fun, gaining inspiration and developing a love of music to motivate deeper learning. There are 12 ensembles including symphony orchestras, string orchestras, symphonic bands, jazz orchestra and jazz improvisation. Young musicians aged 7- 25 across all ability levels are welcome! Across the week, students will work with some of Victoria’s best educators and conductors to expand their music and repertoire knowledge and develop technique. Apply at this link: MYO Summer School Applications.
MUSIC OFFICE (C305) Parents or students with Music enquiries are encouraged to contact Mrs Andrea McDonald (Music Administrator) at the Music Office email music@stkevins.vic.edu.au, by phone on 9832 4941. Students are welcome to visit the Music Office before school, at recess, at lunchtime or after school.
Student Absences Absentee Contact Information If your son is not coming to school, will be late or needs to leave school early please make contact with the College. We ask that you please leave a phone message or send an email to our absentee email, with the relevant campus. Heyington: 98220911 or heyingtonabsence@stkevins.vic.edu.au Waterford: 94214319 or waterfordabsence@stkevins.vic.edu.au Glendalough: 98279808 or glendaloughabsence@stkevins.vic.edu.au The message must include your son’s name, tutor group or year level, and a reason for the absence. Note: these emails and phone numbers can be found under the tab ‘CONTACT US’, on the parent portal.
Parent Events YEAR 7 PARENTS CATCH UP
YEAR 11 PARENT COCKTAIL PARTY
Please join Year 7 parents for drinks and canapes.
Date: Saturday 6 August
Date: Friday 12 August
Venue: Mount Erica Hotel, 420 High Street, Prahran 3181
Venue: Mount Erica Hotel, 420 High Street, Prahran Time: From 7pm Price: $29.50 per person, includes finger food drinks at bar prices Bookings: via Trybooking RSVP: Sunday 7th August, noting bookings may close earlier if capacity reached. For any queries, please contact Alie (ellerysands@ gmail.com) or Darren (dhhawthorn@gmail.com)
YEAR 8 PARENT EVENT - SAVE THE DATE Year 8 Parent Event - Save the Date Term 3 Event: Coffee Morning Date: Friday 19 August Venue: TBA
Time: 7pm Price: $29.50 per person, includes finger food drinks at bar prices Bookings: via Trybooking RSVP: Friday 29 July Year 11 reps Michelle Ryan - 0405 438 351 Rachel Ackland - 0439 392 780
Careers News Yesterday afternoon a number of Year 12 students attended an Interview Workshop with Tyson Day from Arrive & Thrive. It was wonderful to see the students so engaged with this animated and knowledgeable consultant. Interview skills and confidence are crucial for success in a variety of applications including for scholarships, some creative courses, GAP Years, leadership opportunities and employment opportunities. Thank you to all the students who have given up their time to attend and we hope the experience was a valuable one. The Open Day season commences THIS Saturday with Swinburne and Bond Universities open to the public. Registrations are essential and students have been provided with the links via the SKC Portal and the Daily Memo. Students in Years 10 to 12 are encouraged to attend Open Days. The experience of being onsite is often motivating, enlightens students to opportunities and confirms which institution/campus could be the one to which they would be the most suited. This Tuesday I had the opportunity to outline the tertiary application process to the Year 12 cohort. Applications via VTAC open Monday 1st August and current Year 12 students wishing to study in 2023 are required to register and select their tertiary course preferences this term. This will be a draft which can be amended at any time until December 14 at 4pm, following release of results on the morning of December 12. A document outlining current dates, the tertiary course application process is available on the Careers Portal. Year 12 parents are invited to an online VTAC Information Evening TONIGHT. The Online Booking System for Careers Appointments is now open for Year 12s. Appointments should be made for August 1 onwards when the online VTAC Tertiary Application system opens. Appointments are to be made by students during their Study Periods, in consultation with parents should parents wish to be present via the google meet link. New appointments will be made available once all current appointments in each two-week block are booked.
selection over and above the information provided in Week 3 on the VCE Information Evening and at the Subject Sessions Expo morning, they may email one of the Careers Practitioners. Should any students wish to speak with us in person, they may book appointments in Term 4 at which time subjects for Year 11 may still be changed. Items of note in the Careers News this week include: •
Dates to Diarise in Term 3
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Bachelor of Accident Forensics at CQ University
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News from Australian Catholic University (ACU): ACU Guarantee 2023; Diploma Courses as Pathways to Bachelor Degrees
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Studying Medicine at the University of Adelaide
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Career as a Paramedic
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News from Monash University: Bachelor of Business Administration; Meeting Maths and Science Prerequisites; Student Recruitment YouTube Playlist; Book an Appointment
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Deakin University Bachelor of Arts – Looking a Little Different
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Health Science Degrees in Victoria in 2022
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Science Degrees in Victoria in 2022
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Snapshot of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in 2022
Please see the Careers website for more details. Ms Horstman, Ms O’Sullivan & Mrs White Careers Department
Year 10 students and families are requested not to book Careers Appointments for the remainder of this term. If students require additional help with subject
Sport
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Heyington Author Series Melina Marchetta The Heyington Author Series provides a rich range of authors to speak to students in Years 7, 8 and 10. When students meet authors, they are more inspired to read their books. They also have an amazing opportunity to improve their own writing by learning from successful writers. Last week, we were fortunate to have Melina Marchetta whilst she was briefly in Melbourne. St Kevin’s College was the only school she visited and she spoke to all of our Year 10 students.
emphasised that when writing “Less is more” and this really resonated with the boys. She taught them how to play with consonants, tense and the importance of reading your work aloud. Her presentation had a profound impact on the students as reflected by these comments: •
“I learned to write about what you know because then the story is more credible and realistic because the author then has a proper understanding of the subject. Secondly, I learned the importance of persistence and perseverance in writing and treating failure as a lesson learnt”
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“I learnt that we should look at all of the perspectives when viewing a book or writing one in order to gain a full understanding.”
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“No first draft is perfect - if you hit a wall with your writing then you should leave it and come back the next day to see if you have discovered anything new.”
Melina struggled at school; but, she loved reading. She was painfully aware that her life was not reflected on those pages. “If you are not there, you are not important. I want to write my story.” Publishers informed her that every year, they receive 2,000 – 3,000 manuscripts and they accept only two. After seven rejections, “Looking for Alibrandi” was published in 1993.
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All experiences in life are opportunities to develop and improve your writing.”
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“I learnt that failure is a good way to succeed as you can learn from all your experiences.”
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“It was really motivating because you can start writing with only 6 words and create a whole story.”
Melina highlighted the importance of and positivity around failure. “Failure is the beginning of something great. Embrace failure!”
There was a high level of collaboration between the Assistant Head of English, Ms Kacey Pelle and myself. Ms Pelle had prepared exemplary teaching and learning activities to prepare the Year 10 students for this experience. The Year 10 English Team enthusiastically integrated Melina’s ideas into their teaching.
Melina’s presentation was outstanding and she candidly reminisced about what it was like to grow up in Sydney and be from a strong Catholic, Italian family. Interestingly, Melina left school at 15 because she didn’t have the confidence to continue. She enrolled in a business school and learnt how to type – writing her first story on an electronic typewriter. She wistfully recalled the days of writing stories on floppy disks and losing her work!
Following her 40 minute presentation, she conducted a writer’s workshop for a group of students. As a former teacher of boys, Melina knew how to make the experience practical and engaging. Presenting them with a range of 6 word memoirs, the students had to create their own 6 word response, then add an emotion and then a complication. Melina
Mrs Julie Pagliaro Head of Libraries
Fathers’ Association From the Father’s Association perspective Term 3 is very quiet. Only the Years 5 and 6 father-son camps and a networking event fill the calendar. We separated the 5/6 camps due to popularity and people missing out. The Year 5 camp was held last weekend (review below) and the Year 6 will be this weekend. The networking event, originally planned for August 5 on the calendar, has been postponed to a later date as this will be another well-attended and very interesting function. With a focus on B2B and B2C, as well as interpersonal connections, this event will bring together like-minded people and business opportunities with a goal to introduce as many SKC parents in a fun social setting. Hopefully, the outcome is new connections, business opportunities and personal growth objectives fulfilled. We aim to have this near the end of August/start of September. The next Fathers’ Association meeting is to be held on Tuesday 2 August in the Brandon Room at Heyington. This will be in-person only, so please do attend. Drinks and snacks provided.
YEAR 5 FATHER/MALE MENTOR & SON CAMP This year the SKCFA are running a separate Year 5 and Year 6 father/male mentor & son camp to be able to accommodate the huge demand. At 9am last Saturday, around 100 participants arrived at the Lake Dewar YMCA Camp at Myrniong. Fathers/male mentors and sons were greeted by Camp Leads Barry Thatcher, Zvonko Balic, Anthony Privitelli and Sarkis Tepeli who had been trained on running such camps by fellow Glendalough dad Simon Janes. All cars were full of electricity, even though they were not all Teslas! Information packs were handed to each father/male mentor and son, their room number as well as one of the team bandana designs, purchased from Canteen on behalf of the SKCFA. Each team participated in mountain bike riding, geocaching, archery, survivor challenges, flying fox and leadership tunnelling during the weekend. There was non-stop encouragement from both the adults and the boys. On Saturday evening, after a great dinner, all guests gathered around the bonfire for a fantastic reflection session run by Lee Metanga. They all took a moment to be thankful for what we have and the College we are all a part of.
After reflection, some boys watched a movie, while some played sports. The fathers/male mentors also socialised. Lake Dewar provided platters of food to enjoy, while many “connoisseur” fathers shared their own collection of produce. This literal breaking of bread was very relevant to the sense of belonging. Lake Dewar was full of activity and noise and, by the end, guests were all ready for bed as darkness fell over Myrniong. They all knew the next day was again full of activities that nobody wanted to miss out on. As the conversations of both fathers/male mentors and sons faded away, the snoring began! As with all such camps, everybody knew Sunday morning would move very fast. All attendees were up and ready to go, on time and just as “hungry” as the day before (lucky the SKCFA had added extra meals to the camp!). In addition, the SKCFA had funded coffees for the guests during the weekend, something welcomed by many who had stayed up talking and socialising the night before ... or were simply kept awake by the snorers! After another fully-cooked breakfast, each team gathered outside the dining area where we thanked the fantastic staff at Lake Dewar and everybody for attending, as we have really missed these camps the last two years due to lockdowns. As the weekend ended, it was clear the camp was no longer simply a date in the family’s calendar. For many, it was a turning point to reconnect with their son, who is growing up so quickly. In many ways, each dad left with a different son, and importantly, many sons left with a different dad, in the same car but in a better place. We look forward to doing the same things this weekend with the Year 6 father/male mentor and son camp. Mr David J Kahan President - St Kevin’s Fathers’ Association
Spring Luncheon The Glendalough Parent’s Association have been working hard to make this year’s Spring Luncheon on 9 September a fabulous afternoon. Invitations were sent out to the entire school community on Monday. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10am and they will be sure to sell out quickly. You can buy individual tickets and we will then place you on your requested year level table, or you can nominate to sit with a couple of friends, or organise a table of 12. Please follow the link to get your tickets: www. trybooking.com/CAOAR from 10am on Friday. Thank you to the generous individuals and families who have already donated goods and services to
be used as prizes or auction items at the luncheon. We are still looking for, and gratefully receiving all donations. Please see the attachments section at the bottom of the newsletter for a sponsorship form if you would like to donate. We would love to hear from you. Feel free to email myself or Patricia Di Pasqua patriciadipasqua@gmail.com with any queries. Mrs Susie Battistella GPA President susie.battistella@bigpond.com
2022 Spring Luncheon
Second-hand Uniform Shop