St Francis of Assisi College - Term 2 Week 10 - 2024

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NAIDOC Week – 7–14 July. Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud

NAIDOC Week 2024 will be held from Sunday 7 July to Sunday 14 July. The NAIDOC 2024 theme 'Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud' celebrates the unyielding spirit of our communities and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.

The fire represents the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous cultures, passed down through generations despite the challenges faced. It is a symbol of connection to the land, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As we honour this flame, we kindle the sparks of pride and unity, igniting a renewed commitment to acknowledging, preserving, and sharing the cultural heritage that enriches our nation.

"Blak, Loud and Proud" encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering us to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world. This theme calls for a reclamation of narratives, an amplification of voices, and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality. It invites all Australians to listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue, fostering a society where the wisdom and contributions of Indigenous peoples are fully valued and respected.

Through our collective efforts, we can forge a future where the stories, traditions, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are cherished and celebrated, enriching the fabric of the nation with the oldest living culture in the world.

NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Whether it’s seeking proper environmental, cultural and heritage protections, Constitutional change, a comprehensive process of truth-telling, working towards treaties, or calling out racism, NAIDOC Week underlines the critical point that we must do it together.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday

This Sunday marks Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Sunday with the theme, ‘Keep the Fire Burning: Strong in Faith,’ and the beginning of National NAIDOC week. On Sunday, we gather as one community to honour and celebrate the rich cultural heritage and contributions of our First Nations Peoples to our Australian Catholic Church. The themes ‘Keep the fires burning’ and ‘Strong in faith’ are very much related and so necessary for those working for Reconciliation. Being strong in faith is to keep the fire deep within our hearts burning. We have in us the capacity to love and to forgive even in the darkest of times. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday symbolises our unity as one people in Christ, and we encourage both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Catholics from across this great Southern Land to come together for Mass.

Celebrating Grandparents and Special Friends 26 July

Pope Francis established a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which takes place on the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne the Grandparents of Jesus. He established this day to celebrate the importance of grandparents to family life, and how grandparents and the elderly are value, and a gift both for society and for Church communities. In the words of Pope Francis: ‘Children and the elderly build the future of peoples: children because they lead history forward, the elderly because they transmit the experience and wisdom of their lives.’

Mr Nathan Hayes, Principal

Prayer NAIDOC WEEK:  
NAIDOC acknowledges and celebrates the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, NAIDOC Week falls in the School Holidays and it's theme is: "Keep the fire burning!" 

Gracious Creator, 
During this NAIDOC Week, we come together in gratitude for the rich heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who have cared for this land for millennia. 

We thank You for the diversity of cultures and languages, woven together like a vibrant tapestry across this sacred land. Help us to honor and respect the wisdom passed down through generations, nurturing a deep appreciation for the traditions and stories that connect us all. 

We pray for healing and reconciliation, acknowledging the injustices of the past and seeking pathways to unity and understanding. Grant us courage to walk together in harmony, recognizing the unique contributions and resilience of Indigenous communities. 

May Your Spirit guide us to embrace justice, love, and compassion for all, as we strive to build a future where every person is valued and respected. 
In Your holy name we pray, 
Amen. 

Mrs Sheridan Bonney, Assistant Principal, Reglious Identity and Mission

Semester Reports

Semester 1 reports for your child will be available from 4pm today on SEQTA Engage. This report will provide an overall achievement grade based on the Australian Curriculum and an indication of your child’s work habits.

A graded semester report is only one part of the College’s assessment and reporting practices. Throughout the semester, parents also receive feedback about their child’s learning progress through;

-student progress update reports

-parent/student/teacher conferences

- continuous reporting on SEQTA which focuses on timely and targeted feedback for specific subject assessment tasks. 

More detailed information about your child’s learning and assessment is always accessible on SEQTA Engage. We also encourage parents to discuss with their child about the feedback they receive for assessment tasks. If there are any concerns, please contact your child’s teachers, so that we can work in partnership to improve your child’s learning outcomes.

Learning Around the College

Students and teachers have had an amazing first semester. St Francis of Assisi educators have worked towards building a collaborative and supportive culture to ensure we create a learning environment where, all students, can learn and be successful. Throughout all areas of the curriculum, students have had an opportunity to develop their communication, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. These are important skills as they develop into capable learners. As I have wandered into classrooms, it has been incredible to see all the work that our students have produced in this first semester. As a college, we are very proud of our students’ achievements and acknowledge the effort students have gone to in producing these remarkable pieces of work which highlights their widespread learning.

Mrs Natalie Meuret, Leader of Learning

Student Leadership Report

The 2024 Student Leadership Council have thoroughly enjoyed our time representing the College this Semester. As we have worked this semester, we have continued to be led by the guiding principles we shared with you in Term 1 displayed below.

Make it Fun!
We seek to have small wins and celebrate our successes to ensure we enjoy the role we are in.

Have a Shared Intent
We will listen to the broader student body to identify a common goal we can work on together.

Role Modelling
We will be role models that leave a legacy and act appropriately to set an example of expectations and culture.

We have had the privilege to develop and display our leadership skills through a variety of events including College fundraisers and sporting events, the ANZAC Day Ceremonies in Moorook, Barmera, and Renmark, welcoming prospective students to our College during Immersion Days, and the student feedback forums held within our House teams earlier this term.

From the student feedback forums, we found some common themes across all houses and year levels. Some of these were having lunch time sport tournaments, more student clubs, reading spaces, a canteen, and an Academic Shield. We will be working as a team and speaking with school leadership to see how we can introduce some of these ideas this year.

Additionally, in early Term 3, we will be working with Mrs Trudgian and Mr Cotter to plan our Community Wellbeing Week scheduled for Week 8 leading in to R U Ok Day. There will be a range of activities to choose from each day centred on the five key domains of wellbeing and health: mental, physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing.

We look forward to organising these events and more in the second half of the year. Please, if you have any ideas, raise them with your relevant House student leaders who will ensure they are discussed at our meetings.

Prepared by Cleo Lambert and Riley Broad
On behalf of the 2024 Student Leadership Council Members

Supporting your child with anxiety

The College has an educational partnership with Open Parachute to support the pastoral development of our students and now the broader community! Open Parachute are excited to introduce the very first complimentary Parent Webinar Series for our community.

In Term 3 this year, they will discuss 5 very important topics that affect parents and their children. In the first webinar, Clinical Psychologist Dr Nicole Sokor will discuss children and anxiety.

A reminder that if you have any concerns or questions or information to share regarding your child’s wellbeing or academics, please contact their home group teacher in the first instance via email or through the College phone number - (08) 8595 4500.

Mr Luke Cotter, Leader of Wellbeing

The 7A class dedicated considerable effort to designing educational St Paul board games in Religion. During a double lesson, they enthusiastically engaged in playing each other's creations, reinforcing their understanding of St. Paul's missionary journeys through interactive questions embedded within the games.

Ms Anita Modlinski, Teacher

Term 2 Rowing

Our rowers took to the water for the last session of our Learn to Row. It was cold and a little rough, but students have progressed so well throughout this term. We ended with a bit of fun racing against each other. Well done to all the students who took part.

On-water Training Video 1

On-water Training Video 2

Rowing Program 2024/25

Congratulations for the following students who have been accepted into the Rowing Program for the 2024/25 Season.

Senior & Junior Squad

Billie A
Riley B
Reece C
Brodie H
Max H (coxswain)
Harry P
Ryan P
Imogen L
Jadyn S
Tate S

Learn to Row Squad

Tom C
Charlotte L
Jana M
Jenson S
Noah W

Yr 7 Coxswains
Sophie G
Ruby J
Lilly Mc

Mrs Stephanie Turnbull, Rowing Program Coordinator and Head Coach 

Ms Molly Gibbons, Strength and Conditioning Coach

Ms Mae Camporeale, Teacher in Charge 

On Friday of Week 9, Mr. Sampson, Miss Ward, Mr. Prokopec and Mr. Goodman took 4 teams of students to compete in the Interschool 9-a-side football carnival in Berri.

The participation based day saw students interact positively with students from all over the Riverland and adapt their skills to a modified version of football. All students represented our College proudly, with all teams registering one or two wins out of four games for the day. The highlight of the day was our two Year 7/8 boys teams facing off, with the Giants taking the bragging rights.

Well done to Paras S and Sophie H, who were awarded at the Good Sports recipients for our school, with both displaying exemplary sportsmanship and teamwork throughout the day. Thank you to Year 10 students Hugh Riedel and Ryan Prokopec, who assisted on the day as umpires, connecting to their learning in Year 10 Sports Academy.

Thank you to the staff on the day who supported with both coaching and umpiring when needed.

9A class spent this term researching, designing and constructing dog beds and bird nesting boxes in Mr Cotter and Mr Hunt's Sustainable Solutions class!

Those who designed and built a dog bed had to use recycled materials. We learnt how to deconstruct a pallet and had to be resourceful in how we completed our design. It was common for the materials to not perfectly match design needs, therefore changes were made along the way, and we learnt a lot about measuring and marking!

Those making nesting boxes researched what native birds can be found within a 5km radius of the school. We have made nesting boxes for crimson rosellas, the Australian owl-nightjar, the kookaburra, and the grey shrike-thrush just to name a few. To ensure the longevity of our nesting boxes new materials were used, with a strong focus on ensuring cutting lists were correct to minimize wastage.

From left: Nichii Mardon, Director Catholic Education, Diocese of Port Pirie, Anthony Pickering, College Finance Officer, Nigel McPhee, CESA, Rosa Hulm, CESA, Von Hombsch, CEAS, and Nathan Hayes, College Principal.

We were fortunate this week to host a visit from Nichii Mardon and senior staff from Catholic Education SA. Nichii is very familiar with the College, having visited the school often, however it was a great opportunity to show our beautiful facilities and gardens, particularly our new buildings, to our Adelaide based colleagues. Nothing beats first-hand knowledge and seeing the College in person. 

Everyone is invited to attend the events being held throughout the Riverland during NAIDOC Week 7-14 July 2024.

Catholic School Parents SA are delighted to share the Parenting Conference with you. There is an outstanding line up of guest speakers, who will touch on three different topics:

• Maggie Dent: Help Me Help My Teen.

• Paul Dillon: Teens, Parties, Alcohol and Vapes. What do parents need to know?

• Madhavi Nawana Parker: Being calm in the eye of a parenting storm.

Event details :

• Tickets $25 including light lunch along with the fantastic line up of speakers
• Held at The Sanctuary Adelaide Zoo  
• Term 3, Sat 31^st Aug 2024
• 9:30am – 3:00pm

The 2024 My First Speech Competition is now open for entries

 This year all entries will be submitted via our online entry portal. Head to the How to enter page for more details and instructions on entering. 

https://www.aph.gov.au/myfirstspeech

Stay up to date with what's happening with RYT using the link below: 

RYT Newsletter | Annual General Meeting and June Updates

Australian Government Mobile Service Centres travel extensively throughout rural and regional Australia. A Mobile Service Centre will be visiting Renmark on 12 July 2024. 

Staff from Services Australia travel with the Mobile Service Centres and can assist people with Centrelink and Medicare payments and services. Information about Department of Veterans’ Affairs programs and support services for veterans and their families is also available.

Centres have disabled access and customer Wi-Fi to assist in creating myGov accounts and accessing online services.

A factsheet with further information about the services is available here.

More information about the Australian Government Mobile Service Centre is available on our website: servicesaustralia.gov.au/mobileoffice

The AYCC is Australia’s largest youth-led organisation, uplifting youth voices to work towards climate solutions. Young people are growing up with increasingly frequent climate disasters disrupting our lives. We’re facing a rising cost of living and an uncertain future. But we also have a fast growing movement of young people, all over the world, who’re determined to fight for a fairer and more just future. That’s why we are coming together for training weekends across the continent, to skill up the next generation of climate leaders.

Training weekends are a launchpad for young people to get involved with climate action. The training is open to any young person living in South Australia, whether they've been involved with the environment for years or are new to taking action on climate change. 

Youth Climate Training Weekend on 13 and 14 July is a great opportunity for students interested in the environment, social justice or building leadership and advocacy skills. 

WHAT IS IT?

Our big, bold 2-day training weekends are like no-other. We’re focussed on action - we’ll learn from each other and campaign experts on how to make change happen. We’ll have workshops, discussions on campaign skills, leadership development, tactic training. Participants will walk away with a clear plan about how they can make a difference in their community.

WHEN IS IT?
Over 2 days on Saturday the 13th & Sunday the 14th of July.  

WHERE IS IT?

North Adelaide Community Centre.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Travel scholarships are available for young people travelling from regional areas to attend. This means we can reimburse young people for travel costs and accommodation expenses. 

RSVP

Young people between the ages of 13 and 30 can register to attend here. 

AYCC would absolutely love students from SFoAC to be involved, and AYCC is also able to provide ongoing support for any students who want to start an action group at their school following on from the Training Weekend. AYCC has run similar trainings for thousands of young people over the past 10+ years, and many high school students have gone on to become powerful leaders in their community.

Don't hestiate to contact the College office on 8595 4500 if you have any difficulty with the various mediums used by the College to commuicate with families. 

Saver Plus is a FREE 10-month matched savings and financial education program funded by ANZ and the Australian Government Department of Social Services and delivered by The Smith Family.

The program aims to help participants to learn how to better manage their money and develop long-term savings habits.

Saver Plus is available to anyone who is eligible across Australia.

Eligible participants learn money skills and receive up to $500 to help with their school expenses.

* 10 month program (commence at any time)

* Save $50 a month for 10 months and receive $500 towards educational costs

* Complete up to 10hrs of Virtual workshops called MoneyMinded (support provided)

* Must hold a Health Care Card/Pensioner Concession Card and meet the following eligibility.

* Income: Carers payment / child support are also considered with other eligibility.

More information at www.saverplus.org.au