St Francis of Assisi College - Term 1 Week 7 - 2022

Reflection for Lent

Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 | 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 | Luke 13:1-9

Sometimes you hear Indigenous people refer to Jesus as a ‘person of Country’. What might this mean? It is hard to imagine the Gospels without the connection of Jesus to the sea, the river, the desert, the fields and the mountain. His teaching often featured seeds and birds and sheep and corn. In today’s Gospel, we hear the parable of the fig tree. The impatient person wants to cut it down. A wiser person is prepared to work with nature by putting manure on the tree and looking after it. This is a story of growth. God is creative. God is patient with us. God gives us another chance.

We have so much to learn from the depth and resilience of Australian Indigenous culture and spirituality, both of which are intimately linked to Country. This week, Project Compassion features the story of Janice, a Wagilak woman from the Northern Territory. Janice, who lives in a remote community, is part of the Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation, supported by Caritas Australia. Janice is among those overcoming many obstacles to keeping their culture strong. She does this through dance. She honours the generations who have come before her and taught their community how to respect the land and live in harmony with it. Our response to Project Compassion is providing practical support for the blossoming of Indigenous culture for all future generations.

In this reading, Moses is in the wilderness, a place of surprising possibilities. Like the Australian landscape, the wilderness in scripture is subtle; it is a place of encounter with God. Moses thinks he is having a regular day in the family business, looking after his father-in-law’s sheep. But a voice comes from a bush that is blazing without being burnt up. The voice tells Moses to take off his shoes because ‘the place on which you stand is holy ground.’ This is the beginning of the freedom story of his people, the start of their journey out of captivity. May our journey to the freedom God wants for us also begin with the realisation that we too are standing on Holy Ground. God calls us all to be people of Country.

Lenten Season and Project Compassion – For All Future Generations

Fundraising throughout the six weeks of Lent will contribute to Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion Campaign. This Lent Caritas Australia calls us to support Project Compassion under the theme of For All Future Generations. Supporting Project Compassion is a way we can proclaim the faith that is in our hearts and help our brothers and sisters in need. During Lent, we are invited to take up the call to fast, pray and give alms - in solidarity as a global community. As such, our commitment to marginalised people is a direct response to the Christian call to ‘act justly, love mercifully, and walk humbly with our God.’

This Mr Lyons and Mrs Meuret’s Home Group students held a bake sale at recess and lunch as part of our fundraising efforts and over the next three weeks, each Home Group will hold a fundraising activity. 

Nathan Hayes

Principal

Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him.”

Luke 9:35

I remember listening to my grandparents tell an array of stories about life under German occupation in Europe, during the last World War. As a child their stories filled me with both fear and fascination. I decided there and then that I would be prepared if another war in Europe was ever to break out. In my wardrobe I started to keep a box that I could grab at a moment’s notice. The box held all necessary items that would ensure not only my own but also my family’s survival: matches, a torch, batteries, and band aids.

I have never had to grab my emergency box. As I grew the necessity for an emergency box was quickly made redundant. I think I laughed at my own ignorance and choice of items held within the box.

Today, the news is filled with stories from Ukraine and the devastation brought upon the people there. The impact of events rippling throughout the world.

I can’t help but wonder how many boys and girls had enough time to grab their emergency boxes from their wardrobes? How many had their hopes dashed finding out their survival items did not hold up against the falling bombs?

Amid this unrest Lent 2022 takes place. We see a battle of good versus bad being played out in real time on our tv screens. While struggle is a regular part of life, the immediate magnitude of the situation in Ukraine brings it to the fore in vivid colour.

The 40 days of Lent lead us in the direction of Easter where we journey with Christ through his passion, death and ultimately to resurrection. The journey is not separate from our day-to-day experiences but integral to it. The Lenten journey helps us remember that God is not distant from the struggles, trials and tribulations of life or history. He enters the dark side of the human condition and helps to lead us through it to light.

The hardships of life are coming to the fore this Lent. We see the images of violence, displacement, suffering, destruction, and death. Outrage, fear, and anxiety are growing.

We turn to the Lord now for in him we find our hope.

Nanda de Winter

Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission 

^{Pictured: Charlie Kalogerias (Year 8) of House Ventus watering the plants this week.}

Student Leadership

All students are invited to develop their leadership skills and initiate change in the College and broader community through involvement in one of our student-led action groups. Students are asked to complete a survey by following this link to indicate their interest by Friday March 25th.

Home Group

Each House has got their own planter box filled with native plants thanks to a Tim Field at Riverland Native Plants. Students will get the opportunity to paint and decorate their planter box in their House colours.

Reminder

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.

Volunteers Needed

As part of looking out for our student’s wellbeing and needs before and after school and during recess and lunch, the College has begun to purchase a collection of books. We are seeking any members of the community who would be willing to cover some books in contact laminate. The College will provide all materials required. Please contact Miss Annika Newman via email (Annika.Newman@assisi.catholic.edu.au) if you can assist.

“A person who wants to lead an orchestra must turn their back on the crowd.”

Max Lucado

Luke Cotter

Leader of Wellbeing

Our College Breakfast Club is up and running with self serve food available in the Heat n Eat area of the Year 7-9 Building prior to school starting. The longer-term aim is that students will run the Breakfast Club independently, with minimal adult supervision. To set expectations for our students there will be some initial teacher supervision. 

Students are required to:

• Wash, dry and put away any plates, cups, bowls, and cutlery used
• Ensure all rubbish is placed in correct bins
• HG students are rostered on kitchen clean up, put bread, fruit, and condiments etc. back in fridge / cupboards and wipe down benches

The formation of the inaugural St Francis of Assisi College Board is a significant step in ensuring sound governance and strategic oversight of the College in our formative years.

Diocesan School Boards have delegated responsibility from the Archbishop / Bishop for the overall well-being of its school, within SACCS’ (South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools) and diocesan policies and guidelines.

If you are interested in nominating for a position on the College Board, or you would like to have a conversation about this with me, please contact Claire Smith on 8595 4500.

At the end of week 6, teachers released student progress updates for each subject via SEQTA Engage.  The aim of these updates were to provide parents/carers feedback about their child’s progress before a formal grade is given in the end of semester report. Feedback enables a student to monitor their learning and focus on areas of improvement. It also provides a starting point, for parent/carers to discuss their child’s attitude to learning, to ask about your child’s strengths and how they can be enhanced, to ask which subjects are most challenging for your child and why, and to focus on your child’s learning growth and progression rather than the grade. We hope you find these progress reports valuable. If there are any concerns, please make contact with your child’s teachers, so that we can work to improve your child’s learning outcomes.

Student/Parent/Teacher meetings will occur Wednesday 30 March. These meetings will involve home group teacher, parent and child. Your child is an important part of this conversation as they reflect on their strengths and needs as they become a capable learning.   

There are five questions parents are encouraged to ask their child's teacher at these meetings: 

What is my child learning?   

How is she or he progressing?  

How do you know?   

What is my child’s attitude to learning? 

How can she or he improve?   

For more information on the Wakakirri Dance program check Rachel McLeod's you tube clip (link near top of newsletter). Students should speak with their Home Group Teacher if they would want to be involved in the program.

With the latest update of COVID restrictions not allowing non-SACE overnight camps until at least the end of Week 8, we have had to adapt our plans. Unfortunately, we will no longer be travelling to Port Hughes to conduct our two-night camp. However, our camp provider Wilderness Escape, have been willing to be flexible and are going to come up to the Riverland instead to run 3 one-day excursions.

These excursions will occur on the planned dates of Monday 21^st – Wednesday 23^rd of March (Week 8). Students will arrive and depart school as per a normal school day, therefore, those students who travel by bus can continue to do so.

While the camp will not be at the beach like originally planned, it will still have a strong focus on water safety, minimising environmental impact, being resilient, and getting students out of their comfort zones. The updated activities that students will have the opportunity to participate in include offsite kayaking, raft building, fishing, mountain biking, problem solving activities, billy carting, rock wall climbing and more!

Our inaugural Athletics Carnival was held in Week 7, with events being held on both Wednesday and Friday. On the Wednesday morning, 48 students travelled by bus to Glossop High School to compete in the 800m, 400m, 200m and 100m running events. All students showed great determination and effort for their house, earning as many points as possible. We would like to extend a big thankyou to Josh Vater and Emily Griggs of Berri Regional Secondary College for their generosity to allow us to utilize their facilities this year.

Friday was the main event, with a strong showing of support from our parent community, many offering their time to volunteer at field events or in the canteen. The day started with our House Captains leading the Acknowledgement of Country, Prayer, National Anthem and Opening. They then showcased their Team Spirit by leading their teams in a parade, featuring our iconic Nori Bird – The Pelican. As the temperature warmed throughout the day, as did the competition with our Year 7 and 8 students competing in a range of individual field events and team events. Our inaugural cohort of Under 13 and Under 14 age groups strived to each their personal best performances, setting a high standard of records for future cohorts to attempt to break.

Following the sausage sizzle at lunch, where proceeds were raised for Project Compassion, the day finished with the Tug of War and 4x100m baton relays. Ventus took out both the boys and girls Tug of War titles, with Terra winning the boys 4x100m and Aqua winning the girls’ title. With one final chant led by their House Captains, the Team Spirit Shield was narrowly taken out by Terra. The Team Games Shield was taken out by Ventus, and the first St. Francis of Assisi College Championship Shield was won by Ignis on 430 points. The age group champion medals were taken out by Blossom Kimberley (U13 Girls), River Dowling (U13 Boys), Imogen Lyons (U14 Girls) and Ryan Prokopec (U14 Boys).

I would like to publicly thank St. Joseph’s Renmark, St. Joseph’s Barmera and St. Albert’s Loxton for the generous use of equipment. A big thankyou to all staff, students, families and volunteers for their support and effort to prepare and ensure the day ran as smooth as possible. A special mention to staff members Luke Prokopec and Annika Newman for the extensive time they put in over the past few weeks. An overview of the points breakdown, along with the podium finishers is below.

Championship Shield

Team Games Shield

Team Spirit Shield 

U13 Boys Champion

U13 Girls Champion

14 Boys Champion

U14 Girls Champion 

We are now in the third week of Lent with the Project Compassion story of Janice, a Wagilak woman and traditional dancer who tells her family’s stories through movements handed down over generations.

Like many remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Janice’s faces a range of challenges – low employment and education, financial hardship, poorer health and lower life expectancy.

With your help, Caritas Australia supports Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation, which operates a centre for traditional and contemporary Aboriginal arts and culture, providing employment and generating income for local communities.

Janice believes that Djilpin Arts’ work is essential to create opportunities for young people to stay on-country, to share intergenerational knowledge between elders and the younger generation - to promote healing, and to keep culture alive.

Watch a short film about Janice’s story https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/janice-story-video

Please support Project Compassion:https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/

The school day will finish at 2pm on the last day of this term and our bus service will be adjusted accordingly, ensuring students using the Department of Education bus service from Renmark High School will get there in time to depart at 2.10pm.