秘密研究所

Staff Spirituality Day

Staff Spirituality Day is an important part of staff formation in our Catholic school and also an opportunity to build and maintain the appropriate accreditation to teach in a Catholic school. Thank you for your support so that our staff could gather together.

On Monday, we had visiting American theologian, Dr James Nickoloff, present to us on the theme 鈥淏eauty, Reason, and Justice in a Time of Pandemic鈥�. Dr Nickoloff observed that our grounds and buildings were very attractive and well maintained and that he has seen this repeatedly at the Catholic schools he has visited on this tour. He drew the conclusion that we must see that a well presented and clean environment is conducive to good learning, but also that, as a Catholic school especially, we recognise that appreciating something as beautiful is one of the ways we experience God. We were asked to reflect on those times when we had seen an amazing sunrise, the face of a newborn baby, a piece of art or sculpture, and had experienced a sense of awe. Many have reflected that the forced slow down of the last two and a half years has provided time to pay more attention to the beautiful things in our world - nature, food, creative pursuits, friends and family. Let鈥檚 pray that we emerge from the pandemic with new perspectives and any sadness and loss will not have been in vain. 

Year 7 2023 Information Night

Thank you to the families who joined us last Monday night as we commenced the transition process for those students who will be joining our community in 2023. It was a great turn out and an important opportunity to discuss some of the issues related to the transition from primary school to secondary and hopefully offer some reassurance that this is something Aquinas does extremely well.

Author in Residence

Parents/guardians of Middle Years students may have already received feedback from students who participated in a Mark Greenwood workshop last week. Mr Greenwood is an excellent storyteller and was able to engage the students by talking about his creative process. Thanks to Mr David Scott, Director, and the ARC staff for providing this opportunity to encourage our next generation of writers.

Enrolments and re-enrolments for 2023

Families will receive an email next week asking you to indicate that you are seeking re-enrolment for current Aquinas students and update any details that may have changed since last year. Can I please ask that you complete this process as soon as possible to assist in our planning for 2023. Should you have any questions you are asked to contact the Registrar. Enrolment deadlines for Year 7 2024 close August 19 and I am pleased to report that we continue to experience strong enrolment interest in the College.

Advisory Council Seminar

Our deferred Advisory Council seminar will now occur on August 23 and council members will be having input into our College master plan under the guidance of Y2 Architecture. Work is well advanced on plans to redevelop the vacant tennis courts on our Great Ryrie St boundary as an all-weather playing service. I look forward to sharing more detailed plans as we get closer to finalising the design.

Parents & Friends Network - Trivia Night

The Aquinas Parents & Friends Network are holding their first Trivia Night on Saturday 10th September to raise funds to support the students and staff at Trinity College Lismore, who are still significantly impacted by the floods from earlier this year. I understand there are a number of games and opportunities to win some great prizes, as well as enjoying the challenge of some good trivia questions. I'm sure it will be a great night and I encourage you to support all the good work that the P&F do for the College, and in this case, for the flood affected Lismore community. You can find more information and .

EISM Executive Officer

Ms Marissa Fillipou has been appointed as the next Executive Officer of our EISM sporting association following the resignation of Mr Nathan Bower. Ms Fillipou is currently at Caulfield Grammar and has a history with the AFL Players Association. She was also coach of the Australian U17 Girls Basketball Team taking them to two world championships. We also farewell Mr Lisa Tucker who has worked as an assistant for over 13 years.

Darren Atkinson
Principal

Appreciating the world through a text that may not be as popular anymore

At times, it is difficult to sit back and appreciate the beauty that exists all around us. Last Monday, the College staff had the opportunity to listen to Dr James Nickoloff, an Associate Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at Holy Cross University, Miami, FL. James was on a visit to Australia, predominantly to work with the Sisters of Charity in Sydney, and luckily for us, he visited Melbourne just at the right time. The College managed to get him to speak to the staff on spiritual matters. I was fortunate to drive James to Aquinas from the CBD, and we chatted on the way to school and then on the way home. 

Despite his wisdom being shared in a number of ways with the staff, the one comment that he made in the car, which made me reflect deeply, was that we are blessed to live in this wonderful country because nothing resembles the Garden of Eden more than the wonderful landscape we often take for granted here. I have heard that being said before, and I would agree, as having spent most of my childhood overseas, I am always amazed at the landscape we have in our country. Australia is a wonderful place and we often don鈥檛 take the time to appreciate the beauty we see in front of us. I suspect that there are many parts that don鈥檛 resemble the idea that the whole continent is an image of Eden, but the comment was very true for what we see in Melbourne. The comment made me realise that in every struggle exists the beauty of a resolution; that after the cold winter, we have the warmth of summer, and vice versa. 

There is no doubt that we can be forever focused on the struggles and inconveniences we face daily, and we can also feel disempowered and frustrated because of our busyness, our setbacks when trying to fulfil our plans and priorities with often clouded states of mind under pressure, as we try to achieve the goals we set ourselves to reach. However, in doing so, we could miss the wonders that we should cherish. The smile from a peer, or the greeting from a neighbour can have enormous impact on most people but I wonder if we ever get the opportunity to stop, in the midst of the very important matter we could be attending to, to truly appreciate the act, and more importantly, sincerely return the smile or the greeting? We live in a busy world, but the simple things in life still hold key value in making us happy and included.

As I dropped Dr Nickoloff at his destination in the heart of the CBD, he thanked me and said that the Aquinas staff gave him a wonderful memory of people committed to educating young people under the values that underpin catholic education. I responded by saying that we are indeed the fortunate ones because it is through our teaching and caring for the students that we can realise the Ministry of Jesus in action. Our catholic identity as a school is the most important aspect that I hope our students take with them upon graduation. By this, I don鈥檛 mean indoctrination and conversion for anyone who may practice a different religious belief, but rather an acceptance that as members of the Aquinas Community, we act upon the gift of being in solidarity with those who suffer, supporting the marginalised and implementing change in order to celebrate the wonderful diversity we have in this world. It is not enough to say that we give to the poor, or that we care for animals or are simply good people… We must live in solidarity with each other, we must embrace difference and we must lead change so that our society becomes whole. 

Although I initially considered teaching in catholic schools to be the same as any other school setting, I quickly reached a different perspective when I started to deeply reflect on my practice, my purpose and my faith as a young man a while ago. Teaching in catholic schools has impacted my personal journey as a believer. I have been challenged to appreciate that teaching extends beyond a subject matter and that development for each student is holistic, carried out in partnership with their families. Dr Nickoloff exemplified an exegesis of the Gospel according to John in the presence of all staff, asking some participants to offer their views and conclusions. An exegesis is the analysis and/or critical interpretation of a text, a task which I have since done on my own. The exercise challenged me to appreciate the effect of human influence in the creation of a document that voices God鈥檚 message, and I have learnt to appreciate how the tension and promise of peace continues to underpin social and political tension throughout the world today, making the Bible very relevant not just in ritual celebration of Christianity but as an authentic guide to living in the way of God. 

In consideration of the message that Dr Nickoloff left me with, I wonder, how can it be that the struggles of humans continue today with such resemblance to what the Bible expresses within its scriptures? Whether it be the particular message illustrated within each of the parables, the liberation expressed in the letters of the missionaries who proclaimed the good news following Jesus resurrection, or the empowerment that God gave the many leaders who saved the Israelites during the time of the Judges, the Bible provides us with an account of the struggles faced by humans when trying to search for the promised land, and these struggles continue to be faced today. 

This conclusion has challenged me into considering that when reading the Bible as a Sacred Text to guide my spirituality, and impact on my teaching, in both my personal life and role as teacher, I must embrace the opportunity to teach others to consider that doing what the Bible expresses and requests of us is difficult to attain unless Faith is not solely focused on a personal relationship with God alone but also in how we relate with our brothers and sisters, and how the care that we give extends to looking after the earth and other creatures. As members of our community, we can help each other, not just by preaching but by doing. Irrespective of what we may claim to do, actions speak louder than words, and showing examples of goodness in our personal lives reflects God鈥檚 message to others much more than anything we can say in words.

After reading the Bible last Tuesday night, I have failed to pick it up again. I guess that I have justified the busyness associated with my job as the reason. Perhaps it is through the reading of the scriptures or a conversation with my loved ones, that I will continue to truly appreciate the world we live in, taking time to reflect on the wonderful beauty outside my windows. I hope that you are all well and safe and thank you for the continued support you offer our wonderful 秘密研究所. I am so pleased that our staff had the opportunity to reflect and hopefully appreciate the very important role they hold as catholic education teachers. If you have any questions, please contact me, I would love to hear from you. 

Nap Rodezno
Deputy Principal

Students are in deep discussion about their pathways and subjects for next year. To ensure that parents are able to participate, the Subject Selection link is on PAM and there are meeting opportunities for parents later in August. There are different meetings for different year levels that have been published before but this table summarises all the upcoming meetings:

These arrangements are designed to give parents the opportunity to ask significant questions about the recent past and the future. If you wish to speak to a specific teacher about a particular matter, especially if this requires a lengthy discussion, as at any other time of the year, please contact the teacher via email. Email links to your child鈥檚 teachers are on PAM in the Learning Tasks Area.

Michael Box
Deputy Principal Learning

The Assumption of Mary

This Monday, 15th August, is the celebration of the Assumption of Mary. A day that traditionally is one of holy obligation. Mary, the mother of God, made many sacrifices for her faith and love of the Father. In saying yes to Him, she faced years of great joy and love; yet also great fear and sadness. God rewards Mary for her faith and devotion through her assumption, body and soul into heaven.

The reading of 鈥淭he Magnificat鈥� - a hymn of blessing by Mary is a reading of hope and devotion and I included it below so that it may inspire you with hope.

And Mary said:

鈥楳y soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
鈥� according to the promise he made to our ancestors 鈥�
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.鈥�

Tania Grace

Assistant Principal Mission

In this week鈥檚 Lighthouse, I would like to introduce some more new staff who have joined us this term. We welcome them all to the Aquinas community.

Maryanne Rigby

I am thrilled to be teaching Voice in the Instrumental program and conducting choirs at Aquinas. I look forward to helping with school productions in the future. I spent the last 6 years at Blackburn High School and also currently teach at Korowa Anglican Girls' School. The singing students and all staff at Aquinas have been very welcoming, making my start really smooth.

I have lived in Abu Dhabi, UAE and in Strasbourg, France, which were both very different and interesting. The choral music in Alsace was outstanding and I became conductor of the Choir of the Council of Europe. I enjoy gardening and cooking and, of course, going to concerts, theatre and dance. I recently adjudicated the Victorian Schools Music Festival and led professional development at Festival of Voices in Hobart.

Kate Chamberlain 

I am teaching Junior Maths and Science and VCE Environmental Science and was previously teaching at Wantirna College. I have studied a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Conservation Ecology), a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary and Secondary) and a Masters of Education. I love to travel and I went to London and Paris earlier this year, but have also travelled to Malaysia, Singapore, China, New Zealand, New Caledonia, to all states and territories in Australia, and extensively through the USA. I rescue and rehabilitate wildlife, specialising in bats, and I was featured in National Geographic and BBC News articles covering a heat stress event for the flying foxes in Melbourne.  The Aquinas Staff have been very welcoming and supportive and the students are lovely too. 

Suzanne Phelan

My role at 秘密研究所 is Human Resources Officer and my duties are to provide support end to end support to the HR & Payroll office across a range of functions including recruitment, employment agreements & variations, staff inductions, HR data managements, management & review of position descriptions,  policy review and development, HR Projects as well as administrative support to the Assistant Principal - Staff. Before joining 秘密研究所 I was working for Visit Victoria as Coordinator, People & Culture.  After working in the HR field for a number of years I decided to undertake a Diploma of Business (Human Resources) at Swinburne University.  

Aside from some overseas and interstate travel, our family has a cabin at Lake Eildon and we have been going there for over 30 years. I love water skiing and my family enjoys wakeboarding.  Our family is quite active and enjoys participating in a lot of sports with my two sons playing basketball and football, my husband plays tennis and heads out on his mountain bike on the trails throughout Victoria.  I also manage to get to the gym a few times a week.

Travis Davidson

I have joined Aquinas after spending the last seven years at St. Aloysius College in North Melbourne where I was the Outdoor Education and  a Year Level Coordinator. After studying Sport and Outdoor Recreation at Monash University, I moved to Canada where he managed the logistical operations for the Children's Ski School at Whistler Blackcomb for 4 years.  Travis has spent time travelling around Europe, South America and Nepal and in 2019 and 2020 was a stay at home living in Philadelphia.  He is married with two young girls and loves running and cycling. 

Aavon Fernando

Before joining Aquinas as an IT Support Officer, I was working at a help desk for Telstra PSTN (Copper phone lines) services, and at PACCAR Kenworth prior to that where I was on the final line assembly and testing Kenworth and DAF heavy rigid trucks. I'm currently studying Cyber Security at Box Hill Tafe in the evenings on weekdays, and working towards accreditations in CCNA , CompTIA Network+, Linux+ and Microsoft Azure. I've completed various courses on topics like Bioinformatics and Criminology. 5 years ago, I was working in Dubai for the Volvo Car Company as a senior technician. Whilst there, I completed an online Associate Bachelors in Electrical Engineering. I have about 18 years working in the Automotive industry. I moved to Australia in 2016.I've travelled to Sweden, Japan, Nepal, UAE countries and I was born in Sri Lanka. I hope to visit New Zealand some time during the Rugby season.

On Saturdays I usually volunteer my time teaching kids coding at the Melbourne PC User Group (now Melbourne Creators Collective, of which I am a member). Mainly Church and family time on Sundays. Aside from studying, in my spare time my personal computer projects, recording music, art, gardening, cooking, reading and paying attention to my wife keep me busy outside of school. I married in January of 2021 and we are expecting the arrival of our first child in early November of this year. The staff at Aquinas I've interacted with are the best of people and go out of their way to make me feel included and welcome. 

Gina Goss
Assistant Principal - Staff

Senior Years Report

Students are in the process of planning learning pathways for future years. Looking forward to future possibilities can be both exciting and daunting. Year level assemblies, Mentor sessions and individual student meetings have been dedicated to assist the students prepare. Below is a snapshot of the guidance and conversations which have been occurring with your children at school.

Year 12 students planning to continue on to university have been assisted by their Year Level Leaders and Mrs Fran Jennings, Careers Counsellor in starting their Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) applications. The application process opened last week and students are encouraged to begin this process sooner rather than later as the associated fees increase with later applications. Information regarding  the Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) has also been addressed. The VTAC website provides further information regarding these applications and University open days currently running.

Not all students are intending to apply to university, Mrs Anne McLaughlin, Pathways Coordinator, has been assisting students across the senior years with discussions and possibilities relating to alternative pathways. 

Year 10 Mentor meetings have aided students with navigating the subject selection process and facilitated information on how to gain the most out of the Subject Selection Expo. Students in this year level have also been meeting with Mrs Fran Jennings for career interviews to ensure students have a long term view of their subjects.

Students should be accessing the Careers, Pathways and Subject Selection link to research subjects available in 2023. A draft copy of the Year 10 subject selections is required by Monday 22nd August in preparation for Mentor meetings. Mentor meetings are designed to review student choices and advise families how to follow up further information which will assist in making final choices.  

I would encourage families to continue these conversations at home. The Subject Sselection website can be accessed through links on PAM. We welcome you to the VCE Parent Teacher interviews next week and Year10 Mentor meetings combined with the Subject Selections Expo on 25th August.

Rachel Crawley
Head Senior Years

Middle Years Report

I have trouble recalling the names of the characters in the 2015 hit Movie 鈥業nside Out.鈥� There鈥檚 a blue one and a yellow one and a happy one!?!? Maybe the reason I can鈥檛 name all the 鈥楨motions鈥� from the Pixar movie is that I am a child of the 70s and generally speaking, as a society, we were taught to suppress our emotions (much more likely is the fact that I only saw the movie once and it was 7 years ago). Turns out that the naming of emotions such as anger, fear, helplessness, boredom, dismay, resentment, loneliness, frustration, and anxiety is an important ingredient in coping with them.

These are all normal emotions that our teens go through, and we see these emotions at play regularly at school. However, there is often a frustration felt or difficulty in dealing with or moving forward when confronted with these feelings, as students can鈥檛 label or name them.

Bren茅 Brown is an American research professor, lecturer, and author of Atlas of the Heart. In this book, she talks of not being able to name or have a language around your emotions as akin to going to the doctor with say, a pain in your arm, and when you meet the doctor, your mouth is gagged and your arms are all of a sudden tied behind your back and you have no way of communicating your pain. This would be incredibly frustrating of course! This internalising or suppression of negative emotions is not generally a strategy that we can maintain and at some point in life, these emotions come out in a way that is not helpful or destructive.

Author Tony Schwarz of the New York Times says,鈥� Denying or avoiding feelings doesn鈥檛 make them go away, nor does it lessen their impact on us, even if it鈥檚 unconscious. Noticing and naming emotions gives us the chance to take a step back and make choices about what to do with them.鈥� When we clearly label our emotions there is also activation from all parts of our brain as opposed to say, just the threat centre.

Helping our teens to develop language around their emotions can get them some distance or separation from them or even be able to co-exist alongside them.

Dr. Dan Siegel of the UCLA School of Medicine, says, 鈥榠f you can name it, you can tame it,鈥� meaning just the act of labelling emotions can help us feel calmer.

Mr. Phil Box of the Aquinas School of Learning says about your emotions, 鈥業f you tell them 鈥榮ee you later,鈥� they just come back like the terminator.鈥� Ummm, maybe stick to Siegel鈥檚 rhyme?

Here are some ways for our teenagers to practice labelling their emotions:

• Name their feelings. Get them to notice how they feel as things happen. Naming the feeling to themselves or to you.
• Look for emotions in art, songs, and movies.
• Track a Positive emotion. Like feeling joy. Track and pursue it all day.
• Learn new words for feelings. How many feeling words can they name? Bren茅 Brown says there are 87 human emotions and experiences. Good luck!
• Keep a journal. Take a few minutes each day to write about how they feel and why (after they have written in their Aquinas Student Planner!!!!!) Writing about their emotions helps them get to know them better. They could do this through song-writing, art, poetry?
• Watch 鈥業nside Out鈥� and see if you can name the 'Emotions.' For the record they are - Sadness, Joy, Disgust, Angst, Fear, Anger, and.....Bing Bong!?!?

Just to let you know, after finishing this article I am feeling relieved, content, tranquil, and Bing Bong?! Have a great weekend full of positive emotions.

Phil Box
Head Middle Years

National Schools Tree Planting Day

秘密研究所 held its National Schools Tree Planting Day on the Friday Day 5th August. Students gathered from across the school to participate in tree planting. Students dug holes and planted a range of lilies, native grasses, climbers, shrubs and trees in the Indigenous Garden Trail. It was great to see students from year 7 to VCE working together. The students did a wonderful job and our garden continues to blossom.

A big thank you to Mr Gould for helping students.

Karyn Myers
Environment & Sustainability Coordinator

As Term 3 progresses so do our Aquinas Music Students.  Over 350 students have continued to participate in music lessons in 2022.  This year sees our highest enrolment in Year 7 with 98 new students, which is a new record. 

Term 3 performance opportunities include the Victorian Schools Music Festival which our Junior and Senior concert bands will be attending and the Royal South Street Eisteddfod in Ballarat which our Senior Choir Acapella will be attending. We wish all our student performers and staff the very best and look forward to hearing about the amazing opportunities to attend.  

We also have our Aquinas Music Showcase coming up on the 8th of September which will feature our combined Ensembles and Senior Ensembles along with some of the College鈥檚 select entries groups. Ticket information will be published on PAM once available and shared with student performer families via permission forms for early access. 

With subject selection well underway, I would like to encourage all our junior students to discuss with their teacher our classroom music program and to explore their future pathways either with music as a career or even to explore music as a passion, as many students do, right through to Year 12.

I like to include quotes in our music notes and below is one that I feel is a beautiful summary of music at Aquinas. 

鈥淭he true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.鈥�
Roy Ayers

Again, please remember, music is an excellent stress buster so I would encourage all our music students to keep playing - for themselves, their families, and those around them.  What better way to cheer up friends or relatives than a mini recital in person or via an online platform.

Jared Campbell
Music Programs Coordinator

Subject Selection Spotlight 

Health and Physical Education at Aquinas offers students a number of options to consider when deciding upon subject selection for their Senior Years (10-12) pathway. Students can elect to study Year 10 Human Movement, Year 10 Sports Science, VCE Physical Education and/or VCE Health and Human Development.

Within these subjects students are exposed to an experiential curriculum that is contemporary, relevant, challenging and enjoyable.  These subjects equip students with the appropriate knowledge and skills to engage in critical inquiry processes that assist them to research, analyse, apply and appraise knowledge in health and movement fields such as sociology, physiology, nutrition, biomechanics, anatomy and psychology.

The studies aim to prepare students for employment and/or further study at the tertiary level or in vocational education and training settings in fields such as exercise and sport science, health science, education, sport development and coaching, health promotion, nursing, community health research and development, humanitarian aid work and allied health practices.

The best advocates for studying subjects in the Health and Physical Education field are the students themselves.  Please read the following reflections from current students below.

Further detailed information about each subject on offer can be found on the Subject Selection website and opportunities to speak to relevant staff at the upcoming Subject Selection Expo (August 25th).

Stephen McGrath
HPE Learning Area Leader

Last week our Year 7 and 8 students learned the secrets of writing great stories from our Author in Residence, . Mark had the students enthralled and engaged as he shared insights into the editing process and the importance of adding imagination into stories.

Our Book Club students were also treated to a lunch with the author, which was a fun and lively discussion.

Looking at the student reflections from our Year 7 and 8 students, Mark has made a lifelong impact.

"It was extremely fun to have an author come to our library and tell us the backstories to some of his books! I My friend even brought me back to the ARC after break so that she could ask him more questions!" Madison Stride, Year 7

"Wow! It was amazing when Mark Greenwood visited, his stories were so good! The twists and turns he took us on made us all beg for more! He also told us non fiction adventures, of treasure hunting, shipwrecks and so much more! Definitely an author to remember!! Thanks Mark!" Ruby Donohue, Year 7

"I found Mark Greenwoods presentation both interesting and inspiring. I spoke to many of my friends from different classes and really enjoyed hearing about the different stories that he had told. The message that stuck with me most was when he told us all that 鈥渘o matter what, stay inspired. That whatever happens, there is always something to find a story in.鈥� Zoe Clark, Year 7

"As someone who reads a lot, I was very excited to learn that there was an author in residence at our school. Mark Greenwood's presentation was interesting especially when he spoke to us about where he finds the inspiration to write his stories. The part I was most surprised to learn about was how Mark would travel to the places he was writing about and take the journey that the characters would have so he could experience what they felt. The way that Mark also wrote about Australian history from the perspective of Aboriginal people interested me, because history is often written by the winners. It was a very enlightening experience to learn about the journey that authors go on to write books." Ria Jijose, Year 8

"Mark Greenwood had some very fascinating stories to tell for his novels' inspiration. The parts of history that he has creatively expanded on, are not the common tales we're taught about. The lost Ludwig Leichhardt, plane crash treasures and possible Tasmanian tiger sightings all gave me a different perspective on where adventure can be sourced from. He very well engaged me and my peers, and I'm interested to go and read his works, and look out for discoveries in my own life to possibly write about one day!" Samantha Mugamu, Year 8

"Mark Greenwood had some very fascinating stories to tell for his novels' inspiration. The parts of history that he has creatively expanded on, are not the common tales we're taught about. The lost Ludwig Leichhardt, plane crash treasures and possible Tasmanian tiger sightings all gave me a different perspective on where adventure can be sourced from. He very well engaged me and my peers, and I'm interested to go and read his works, and look out for discoveries in my own life to possibly write about one day!" Rose Ennis, Year 8

The Subject Selection Expo will held on Thursday 25th August, from 2pm to 8pm. It is an opportunity for you and your child to get a better understanding of the subjects available at the College as they plan their study path for 2023 and beyond. 

Final subject selections are due on August 29, and all students in these year levels 8-11 have been sent an email with a unique link to input their individual subject selections. The Subject Selection website has a description of every subject offered at Aquinas from Years 9 to 12.

Students in Years 8, 9, 10 should submit a first draft by 22nd August. This is a good opportunity to discuss the plans and possibilities of subjects with your child. For the younger students who are selecting subjects for the first time, this can be a little daunting but can also provide insight into their potential study pathway. For senior students this can be an exciting time to either try something relatively new or hone in on the subjects they may feel quite passionate about.

"It was great to talk to the subject teachers, and even some of the students who have done the subject, just to get a feel for what the subject might be like."

"I thought I knew what I wanted to do, but learning more at the Expo, and having my parents there to talk things through with was actually pretty helpful."

"Subject Selection Expo showed me what I could choose in Year 9, and I really liked the Science options."

"I feel like going to Subject Selection helped me to really know the path I wanted to take and how to do it as I went into Senior Years."

PARENT SURVEY: at the Subject Selection Expo we hope parents and guardians can provide their thoughts and insights as part of a Parent Survey. A FREE hot drink is available at the Hospitality Coffee Cart for each completed survey. 

Within the Year 9 Science Curriculum, students have the choice to select from two science electives to complement their core Science program, these being 鈥楩uture Sciences鈥� and 鈥楶lanet Science鈥�. These electives allow students to develop key scientific skills such as designing and conducting investigations and communicating scientific ideas.

In our 鈥楩uture Sciences鈥� elective, students have been busy working on their extended experimental research projects. Examples include:

• making and testing sustainable concrete;
• designing and building a wave tank to measure coastal erosion;
• measuring the effects of UV light on bacteria;
• measuring if the way that we cook our vegetables affects vitamin C content
• measuring the effects of salty food on blood pressure; and
• using coagulants to clean up pond water.

A total of ten projects (15 students) have been entered into the Science Talent Search (STS) competition. The STS is an annual, science-based competition open to all primary and secondary students in Victoria and is run through the Science Teachers鈥� Association of Victoria. The scientific reports produced by students have been absolutely outstanding and we wish all students the best in this competition.

A particular shout out goes to Priscilla Monewalu (Year 7) and Monique Bambery (Year 10), who through the AGiLE program, have also participated in the STS competition, spending many of their spare recesses and lunchtimes to complete their projects.

Future Sciences Team, Dr Hulston & Ms Lochner

Here is what some of our students had to say about their extended experimental research projects:

Priscilla Monewalu (Year 7): "For my Science Talent Search experimental research project I learnt about, investigated and experimented with coagulation, and the effect of adding varying amounts of aluminium sulfate (a coagulant) into pond water, in the measure of turbidity. I enjoyed this project because it gave me an opportunity to learn and investigate a new area of science which I had not known about before. It also helped me grow by improving my skills in conducting experiments, as well as writing a scientific report."

Ben Qi (Year 9): "I was able to work on a project regarding sustainable production of concrete, for this year's STS competition. I loved how I was able to get hands-on experience on how to make concrete, and also being able to acquire knowledge that could possibly help in the future. I definitely recommend future science for students considering taking this subject. You will have fun, whilst learning and expanding your scientific knowledge."

Monique Bambery (Year 10): "As part of the STS competition, I tested the strength of environmentally friendly concrete containing crushed glass. I enjoyed doing the STS because I loved learning about this area of science and got to make my own batches of concrete. I would really recommend this competition because you get to conduct an experiment and learn about an area that interests you."

Other STS Projects included: 

Measuring the decrease of the size and amount of bacterial colonies caused by various durations of ultraviolet light exposure

Measuring blood viscosity and the effect on the size and satellite stains of a blood spatter

How can different scents affect blood pressure?

Does the way we cook affect the amount of vitamin C in our vegetables?

In Year 10 Visual Communication - Digital, students explore the world of design, applying many different facets that reflect the design industry. As a designer, one never knows who is going to walk through your door. For their Packaging Assessment Task, students were told that a client  required a shoebox to be designed that needed to reflect the shoe inside the box. An envelope containing a picture of the shoe was 鈥榙elivered鈥� to them. There were varied responses as students opened pictures of slippers, stilettos, track shoes, rollerblades, cowboy boots and more. They all accepted their clients' needs and set about digitally redesigning a logo and creating a shoebox that reflected the shoe inside the box!

Judging by the quality of the work I鈥檓 sure their clients would have been very satisfied.

Pina Perinetti
Teacher

A big congratulations to Year 10 student, Ethan Holloway who has returned from competing in the Senior League World Series in the USA. Team Australia finished 3rd in the international pool and 5th overall in the world, beating Guam and Canada and losing to Panama and Puerto Rico. An amazing effort by a wonderful group of young men representing our country with pride.

Well done once again to Year 12 student, Kaelan Boundy who recently competed for Victoria U21 Hockey team in the Australian Championships in Perth. Kaelan was recognised as playing an important part of this talented team. He has another few years competing in this team, as he was one of the youngest members of the squad.

The Subject Selection Expo will held on Thursday 25th August, from 2pm to 8pm. It is an opportunity for you and your child to get a better understanding of the subjects available at the College as they plan their study path for 2023 and beyond. 

Final subject selections are due on August 29, and all students in these year levels 8-11 have been sent an email with a unique link to input their individual subject selections. The Subject Selection website has a description of every subject offered at Aquinas from Years 9 to 12.

Students in Years 8, 9, 10 should submit a first draft by 22nd August. This is a good opportunity to discuss the plans and possibilities of subjects with your child. For the younger students who are selecting subjects for the first time, this can be a little daunting but can also provide insight into their potential study pathway. For senior students this can be an exciting time to either try something relatively new or hone in on the subjects they may feel quite passionate about.

"It was great to talk to the subject teachers, and even some of the students who have done the subject, just to get a feel for what the subject might be like."

"I thought I knew what I wanted to do, but learning more at the Expo, and having my parents there to talk things through with was actually pretty helpful."

"Subject Selection Expo showed me what I could choose in Year 9, and I really liked the Science options."

"I feel like going to Subject Selection helped me to really know the path I wanted to take and how to do it as I went into Senior Years."

PARENT SURVEY: at the Subject Selection Expo we hope parents and guardians can provide their thoughts and insights as part of a Parent Survey. A FREE hot drink is available at the Hospitality Coffee Cart for each completed survey. 

MACS held its annual Make A Difference showcase on Tuesday the 10th of September. Previously, three of our Global Green winning teams applied to enter the showcase, which is also a competition, and were invited to attend.

Theatre Techs Club provides interested students with backstage pass to the workings of the theatre. Our Theatre and Events Manager, Maryanne Leavey, gives a small group of enthusiastic students hands on experience on how to operate the sound and lighting desks - the tricks of the trade and the troubleshooting. On a Thursday recess, a group of Year 10 students get their hands dirty and learn about prop-making, with a focus on providing props for the drama productions.

"Tech has been such a fun experience! We learn a wide range of skills including how to operate the operation booth, how to set up equipment and many other skills. We also play a part in helping prepare the props for upcoming shows and events. I am so grateful for Maryanne for giving us the opportunity."

"Tech is an engaging group where you learn how to work backstage with sound consoles, lights, props and the stage itself. There is a props group, also on every Thursday, where we create amazing props."

Students that attended the Year 10/11 2022 Immersion to Arnhem Land remote Indigenous communities came together for their reflection evening last Tuesday 2/8. Students prepared some light refreshments and served their guests - parents or special adults, including Mr Atkinson and Ms Grace. 

The evening allowed students to refocus on the purpose of the Immersion experience and allowed for some great discussing as to how they appreciate the experience and how to take this learning further as advocates, FIRE Carriers or as leaders amongst their peers.

Sasha Tukavkin
Justice & Outreach Leader

"I applied for immersion for the experience and with idea that I might not get the chance to have this experience again. One of the highlights of the trip was talking to the elders and the members from the communities we visited. I also really enjoyed seeing crocodiles jumping out the water at the Adelaide river, it was also fun getting to know people I haven't spoken to a school before. From the immersion I have brought back some knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Australians."

"My highlight was spending time in Menngen with 92 year old Indigenous elder Bill. One night before he left our campsite to return to his house he walked up to me and said, 鈥淚鈥檓 going home now!鈥� and gave me the biggest hug. It made me feel so welcome and cared for so that was definitely one of the many highlights. The trip allowed me to learn so many new things about Indigenous culture like traditional foods, values and Dreamtime stories. I have a newfound respect for Indigenous Australians, especially the elders who have had to live through so much adversity."

"My highlight was getting to meet Bill and Miriam-Rose. They shared stories and their culture with us. It was really interesting to learn about as it鈥檚 so different to the way we live in the same country."

"I knew Immersion would challenge me and throw me out of my comfort zone, and that was an exciting and scary prospect. A few highlights for me were meeting new people, meeting the elders, learning about the land and camping. I took a lot of things home with me through this experience, some of them being resilience, new friends, stories, and a newfound respect for our first nations people. I've learned new ways to take action and spread awareness by educating friends, family and other peers about indigenous Australians."

The community may have noticed that today was meant to have a whole school mass. Unfortunately, with the current recommendations for winter, it would be unwise to place 1700 students into the space of the gymnasium for an extended period of time.

We will still have three opportunities for students to celebrate mass this term. We have two morning masses, 19th August and 9th September which will be presided by Fr Len open to all staff and students. We will also be holding another Family mass on the evening of 6th September in which Fr Dispin will preside. The family mass is open to everyone in our school community and further information will be sent out to family in the coming weeks.

Two of our classes in Year 10 and Year 7 have decided to create a buddy system to support our newest students as they navigate their first year at secondary school. While we are now well into the year, the classes still meet regularly to continue the support of the younger students.

On Tuesday 2nd August, Aquinas competed in the Victorian Schools Boys Netball Championships qualifying day. We entered Junior, Intermediate and Senior teams into the qualifying day being held at Waverley Netball Association courts at Ashwood. The Senior boys competition unfortunately did not have enough teams and as such the team has qualified for the finals to be held in September - continuing our great run of the senior team competing in the State Championships

The other two teams had been training for many weeks in preparation for the day. On a windy day and outside courts, the skills of all players were tested. Both teams played really well throughout the day, but in both divisions, they came across 2 really strong teams who were able to play consistently and not make errors at crucial moments. Both teams finished 3rd in their pools.

All our players throughout the day got better with their skills and team work.

Congratulations to the players in both teams for their involvement and commitment to the competition. We now wait and see if either team qualifies for the State Championships.

Junior Boys team: Edward Barclay, Griffin Box, Luke Clemow, Lachlan Ghosn, Oscar Hipfel, Edward Leahy, James Papadopoulos, Jai Ramsdale, Jimmy Volombello. 

Intermediate Boys team: Paddy Burgess, Isaac Ghosn, Will Ghosn, Tom Nedza, Oliver Postill, Lachlan Quinn, Will Tait, Riley White, Ben Williams.

A huge thank you to both coaches - Ms Karen Woods (Junior) and Ms Dani Lorkin ( Inter) for all their work and support of both teams. Without their involvement these opportunities would not be possible.

Bernie Brummell
Sports Coordinator

Family Mass Invitation

秘密研究所 warmly invites students and their families to celebrate mass together. The focus, while primarily is on Fathers and the important males in our lives as we celebrate the joys and qualities of all family members.

When: Tuesday 6th September
Time: 7.30 pm
Location: Mary MacKillop Chapel.

For planning purposes, please .