College Theme for 2018 “Moved by the love of Christ”

Prayer God of Hope, as we strive to deepen our relationship with you, help each of us become involved in activities that bring us closer to you. Amen.

College Vision Thomas Carr College is a dynamic Catholic learning community, guided by the Gospel.

Excellence and opportunities to develop are pursued.

Through our hope and service to others we shine our light into the world.

Volume 22 Issue 02: February 16 2018

From Principal Dr Watson

“They Will Shine” Lent On Wednesday, the College marked the beginning of Lent with the distribution of ashes during an extended homeroom. Ash Wednesday marks the commencement of the forty-day period before Easter Sunday a time when we are called to prayer and abstinence. I have included below a Lenten Reflection.

We are dust from our birth, but in that dust is wrought

a place for visions, a hope that reaches beyond the stars so reflected the poet Elizabeth Jennings, and so too does the Church as we enter every year into Lent,

touched with dust.

That this dust is “wrought” on our foreheads in the sign of our salvation reminds us that we are entering into

the season which leads us “beyond the stars” to great vision and hope of Easter.

At no time in our adult life is our Christian identity so

visibly marked on our skin.

The cross of ash is not the gentle and fragrant tracing of baptism: the cross which another brother or sister traces on us on Ash Wednesday is rougher, grittier; dirtier –

because that is what our lives have become.

The words spoken to us as we receive the ashes are also stark: “Remember that you are dust, and dust you shall return”.

Through prayer, fasting and almsgiving in the Lenten weeks, we are preparing ourselves for Christ to cast his Holy Easter fire once more upon our forgetful

discipleship, the dryness of our faith, the brittleness of our patience and peace. Mixed with the waters of baptism, the promises of which we renew at the Easter

Vigil, Our dust and ashes become a rich and fertile soil for Gospel seed.

Commencement Mass and Academic Assembly On Thursday, the College community gathered to celebrate the commencement of the new school year and the academic achievements of our top performing students in the Fr Tobin Gymnasium. We were very fortunate to of had Bishop Mark Edwards, our Regional Bishop as our celebrant on this day.

Coming Events

February 16: 90+ Luncheon February 16: Servant Leadership Day February 19-21: 7 Jade Camp February 20: Senior School Photo Day February 21-23: 7 Purple Camp February 26-28: 7 Red Camp February 26: Year 8 Shine February 26- March 2: 9 Silver and White City Experience February 28-March 2: 7 Silver Camp February 28: Year 8 Shine March 2: Year 12 Reflection Day March 2: Year 8 Shine March 5-7: 7 White Camp March 8: International Women’s Day Luncheon March 9: House Athletics Carnival March 12: Labour Day Public Holiday March 12-16: Catholic Education Week March 13-29: 9 Blue GSC March 14: College Tour March14: Year 8 Reflection Day (Blue/Gold) March 15: Year 8 Reflection Day (Green/Jade) March 16: Catholic Education Week Mass March 21: Year 8 Reflection Day (Purple/Red) March 22: Year 8 Reflection Day (Silver/White) March 23: Student Leader Photos March 28:Last Day for Students March 28: Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences 4.00pm-8.30pm March 29: Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences 8.30am-12.30pm

Thanks are extended to Mrs Nakitta Egan and her Catholic Identity Team for their outstanding planning and organisation of the Mass. As always, our celebration of the Eucharist was enhanced by our Choir and Musicians led by Mr Mat Morse, Head of Music. Following both Masses the College then recognised the outstanding academic achievement of students from the Class of 2017. Our new College Captains were also acknowledged during the assembly:

College Captains: Sian Donazzon and Estelito Agatep

Vice Captains: Nieve Walton and Ricky Xerri

Middle School Captains: Mia Bellet and Roshal Gupta Other College leaders have been recognised elsewhere in the Beacon. Congratulations are extended to all students who have taken on a leadership position in 2018. Swimming Carnival On Friday February 9, our competitive swimmers, Middle School students and staff participated in the House Swimming Carnival. Our students were co-operative during the day and many very eager to participate in the carnival’s swimming events and novelty activities. A special vote of thanks to Ms White and the Heads of House for their organisation of the Swimming Carnival. The results of the Swimming Carnival were: 1st Moylough with 2774 points 2nd Galway with 2439 points 3rd Wesport with 2156 points 4th Maynooth with 1927 points The carnival also serves as great preparation for the ACS Swimming Carnival which will be held on Thursday March 16. Our team is currently training for this event. Parents are more than welcome to attend the ACS Swimming Carnival which will be held at MSAC. I wish our swimming team all the very best for this competition and I look forward to hearing of some very positive results. Parent Representative on College Board The Board’s Annual General Meeting is being held on March 27. At this meeting, we will farewell those Board Members whose tenure has expired. In 2018, we will have one Parent Representative position become available. If you wish to be part of the discussion in guiding Thomas Carr College into the future, please register your interest by emailing principal@thomascarr.vic.edu.au An application process will take place and should there be more applications than positions available, a vote of the parent community will occur. Applications close 4.00pm on Friday March 2. Invitation to Parents & Friends AGM The P&F Annual General Meeting is being held on March 13. All parents/carers are invited to attend this meeting. The meeting begins at 7pm in the Principals Conference Room. If you would like to attend, please RSVP by Friday March 9 to parentsandfriends@thomascarr.vic.edu.au

From the Deputy Principal Ms McDonald The Beacon Award The Beacon Award recognises achievements of our students. Selected students will be presented with a certificate of commendation and their names published in each edition of The Beacon. A maximum of 5 students per level may be recognised each fortnight. The criteria is:

Evidence of learning which is consistently exemplary or displays great improvement

An action performed by a student(s) that supports the Catholic ethos of the school

Evidence of behaviour which is consistently exemplary or displays great improvement

Active and purposeful involvement in a College or community event Congratulations to the following students:

Year 7 Vanessa Schembri, Jayden Smithers, Sheridan Chown, Mitchell Goricanec

Year 8 Bezawit Kifetew

Year 9 Roshal Gupta, Mia Bellet, Marko Bozovic, Jayden Dashwood, Kuol Jongroor

Year 10 No awards this edition

Year 11 No awards this edition

Year 12 Kerry Wang, Ivy Luo, Adarsh Ram, Mckenzie Earl, Kamella Helou

Student Leadership SRC Representatives, College Ambassadors, House Captains, Liturgy Captains, Music Captains, Peer Support Leaders and Social Justice Captains received their badges at the Commencement Mass on Thursday February 15. It was wonderful to acknowledge these students. A full list of our 2018 Student Leaders is attached at the end of this issue of The Beacon.

From the Business Manager Ms O’Neill Social Media We have great things happening at our school on a daily basis and it is important for us to share these good stories with others. As a result, we are now ramping up the use of Facebook and Instagram where we will regularly post photos of the various activities that our students and staff are involved in. Parents are reminded that the College operates in accordance with its Privacy Policy. Any parent that is concerned about their son or daughters photo being shared on social media should firstly familiarise themselves with the Colleges Privacy Policy which is available on the College website: http://www.thomascarr.vic.edu.au/_uploads/rsfil/03778.pdf Follow us on Instagram @thomascarrcollege Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tcctarneit/

Payment of Fees

Pay your tuition fees in full by March 29 2018 and receive a 6.5% discount. Payment can be made at the Business Office, in person or over the phone.

Discount

1 student $322

2 students $579

3 students $965

4 students $1287

2019 Bursaries

Thomas Carr College offers students in Year 6 the opportunity to apply for a Bursary for entry into Year 7. The value of the Bursary is $500 for each year of study up to Year 10. There is a total of 4 bursaries available per year. Bursaries are open to students from Catholic primary schools and Catholic students from State primary schools who are not currently enrolled at Thomas Carr College.

Successful applicants must be able to demonstrate genuine financial hardship and must have a current Health Card. The College Bursary is available to those students whose families could not otherwise afford a Catholic secondary education. Click here to apply: http://www.thomascarr.vic.edu.au/enrolment-information/dsp-default.cfm?loadref=69 Scholarships Please refer to the flyer at the end of this newsletter for information relating to scholarships at Thomas Carr College. Click here to apply: http://www.thomascarr.vic.edu.au/enrolment-information/dsp-default.cfm?loadref=206

From the Director of Catholic Identity Mrs Egan Lenten Season We have now entered our season of Lent and as such as Catholics, we are called to a period of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lent and some ideas of what we can do during our Lenten Term.

Prayer - Lent offers us all a very special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life, rooted in our baptism. In our busy world, Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply, experience sorrow for what we've done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need.

Fasting - Instead of focusing on ‘giving up’ a vice or a favourite food as the form of fasting for Lent, we can encourage those around us to think about what they can ignite within them to enact change for the better or self-improvement. For example, what characteristics would we like to embody – such us compassion, humility or forgiveness? We can reflect on what actions are needed to do this.

Almsgiving - During Lent in Australian Catholic schools and parishes are invited to give alms through Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion. We are also encouraged to learn more about how to be together in solidarity with the world’s poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. As well as this, it can be helpful to think about almsgiving in other ways. For instance, every day we could give someone a compliment, spend time with someone different during lunch or perform an act of charity every day. This could include doing a job that is not expected of us, such as picking up rubbish, or simply gifting someone with our smile.

(Reference Rahner, Karl 1964, The Eternal Year, Burns and Oates, London

"Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness ... It is better to give alms than to store up gold; for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life" (Tob 12:8-9). Why is almsgiving better than prayer and fasting? Because it is prayer, and it involves fasting. Almsgiving is a form of prayer because it is "giving to God" — and not mere philanthropy. It is a form of fasting because it demands sacrificial giving — not just giving something, but giving up something, giving till it hurts. Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35), but those who tithe often find themselves on the receiving end as well.

Caritas: Project Compassion This year, Project Compassion looks forward with their theme ‘A Just Future’. As Pope Francis said, “Cultivate with love the seeds of goodness, beauty and truth that God sows in every new generation.” Through your generosity during Project Compassion this year, you are empowering young people to build a just future for themselves, their families and their communities. Throughout Project Compassion 2018, inspiring stories from Nepal, Cambodia, Syria, Mozambique, the Philippines and Indigenous Australians will be shared, highlighting how our generosity can and has helped to empower our most vulnerable neighbors worldwide to build a just future for themselves, their families and their communities. Each Week there is a personal story about how the funds raised through project compassion are used to help people in need. Please find below the link to Janaki’s story. Please give generously throughout our Project Compassion Appeal.

http://www.caritas.org.au/projectcompassion/weekly-stories/week-1-janaki

From the Director of International Programs Mr Bridges College’s VCE students in China Graduate with Flying Colours Congratulations to the College’s seventh cohort of VCE students in China that have graduated from the VCE. Yang Yixuan was recognised at the recent Graduation Ceremony in China as Dux with an ATAR of 92.35, with many other pleasing individual results. These students have not only completed VCE studies, but undertake Chinese high school studies – providing them with dual certificate recognition. The program provides a world class platform for each of our graduates to continue further study in tertiary institutions in Australia and world wide. We wish them every success as they prepare to arrive in Australia to commence their university studies.

From the Head of Middle School Mr Wilkinson Year 7 Welcome Evening On Thursday February 8, the College concluded the formal aspect of transition for the new cohort of Year 7 students, by conducting the annual Year 7 welcome evening. The evening was a great success with parents hearing important information in a group setting and then having the opportunity to undertake small seminars with their child’s homeroom teacher, in their child’s actual homeroom. A special thankyou to the Year 7 Coordinators Mr Jacob Levy and Mrs Lauren Arandt for their organisation and participation in the evening. It is also very important to acknowledge the great work of the administration officers in Student Reception, Michelle Cox, Susan McCasey and Team Leader Tina Alphonso. Without the support of all of these staff the smooth transition of our Year 7’s would not have been possible. Year 7 Orientation Camp As part of the Transition Program at Thomas Carr College, Year 7 students will be attending a two and a half day camp. The camp is another stage of transition that will provide all students with opportunities to build upon current friendships, as well as establishing new and closer bonds with students in their homeroom and the wider community. The camp provides students with the opportunity to participate as a group in a number of activities. There are a number of team initiative activities which promotes bonding with their homeroom and teachers. Should you have any queries regarding this, please do not hesitate to contact the Year Level Co-ordinators (Mr Jacob Levy and Ms Lauren Arandt).

Dates Please refer to the table below for 2018 dates Time of departure 8.30am Time of return Approximately 3.00pm to 3.30pm Method of transport Bus Departing from Thomas Carr College Returning to Thomas Carr College

Homeroom Date

From To

7 Green Wednesday February 14 2018 Friday February 16 2018

7 Jade Monday February 19 2018 Wednesday February 21 2018

7 Purple Wednesday February 21 2018 Friday February 23 2018

7 Red Monday February 26 2018 Wednesday February 28 2018

7 Silver Wednesday February 28 2018 Wednesday March 2 2018

7 White Monday March 5 2018 Wednesday March 7 2018

*Please look at the College website under the ‘Middle School’ menu for updates and further information.

From the Head of Senior School Mrs Knurek Congratulations Congratulations to Tyne Marsh who was awarded the Lalor Hero Award late last year for her work with Asthma Australia and the Ambulance Australia to raise money and awareness for Asthma research. Tyne’s sister died suddenly in the Asthma Thunderstorms that struck Melbourne on November 21 2016. Tyne has raised over $10,000 for Asthma research and the Asthma foundation through a number of initiatives. The award was presented to her in the Year 11 Assembly on the first day of the School year. VCE Unit 3 & 4 Parent Information Evening On Thursday February 15, the College held an information night for all students studying a Unit 3 & 4 subject. On this evening, we outlined the processes and procedures required for successful completion of the VCE. Strategies were also discussed for study routines, time management and a list of key dates for each year level was supplied to assist students and parents in their planning of the year. This information has been uploaded onto the College website. I would like to thank all staff who assisted with this evening. Good learning is based on regular work over a long period of time. Year 12 students have only 8 months left before the end of the school year and that includes 6 weeks of holidays! Study Habits The key to success at the senior level, whether it is in VCE or VCAL is a combination of hard work and excellent study habits. Time management is the key to successful studying. Maximizing efficiency when you study results in more free time for other activities. The following habits will help:

Have a quiet work area free from interruption

Set yourself goals (short term, medium term and long term, as they help keep you focussed and motivated)

Keep a record of all work that is required and when it is due in

Begin work when it is set and work consistently from that time. Allow enough time to complete each task

Make a list of priorities so you know which tasks come first

Organise your time so that nothing is left to the last minute

If you have large amounts of work to learn, break it up into chunks of information and use highlighters for each section to help them stand out.

Study Periods The College expects all senior students to be independent learners. When students have a study lesson timetabled, the College expects that quiet and private study will take place in the Information Centre. All students must attend homeroom period at 8.40am each morning. Attendance All students are reminded that they are required to remain at the College for the entire school day. Students who have turned 18 are not permitted to sign themselves out at lunchtimes or when they have study periods. Students who have been dropped off by their parents or have arrived independently, are not free to leave the school grounds of their own accord for any reason; this includes visiting the local shopping centre. No student is permitted to leave the College grounds to purchase their lunch.