Update

web: www.emmauskempscreek.catholic.edu.au

We walk with Jesus Phone: 9670 8300 email: emmaus@parra.catholic.edu.au

Message from the Principal

Term 1 Issue 1

‘Every learner, Every day: Transforming Lives’

Important Dates 2018

TERM 1

February16th Swimming Carnival26th Yr 7 Vaccinations28th Open Night

March8th Emmaus Cross Country30th Good Friday2nd Easter Monday

April9th Photo Day13th End of Term 1

A huge welcome back to all the students and their families to the 2018 school year. It was a joy to welcome our 2023 graduate class, our 31st cohort at Emmaus-Year 7, 2018 all 145 of them last Tuesday followed by all the students on the Wednesday. A sincere congratulation Emmaus on how you have returned to school and got straight into focusing on your learning-well done and good preparation throughout this year.

I would like to acknowledge the great work of Mr. Anchique, Mr. Lowden, Mr. Magee, Mr. Multari and the support staff as part of their callback for the works completed over the Christmas holiday period to ensure that our staff and students returned to a soundly functioning College. Most of the maintenance work around the College focused on a tree audit undertaken by CEDP late last year and the subsequent removal of many dead or dying trees that posed a safety risk to our community.

College Leadership Teams

ExecutivePrincipal Mr Nastasi

Principal’s Personal Assistant Mrs SchembriAssistant Principal Ms Bowd

Director of Learning & Mission (Acting) Mrs Cocks

Director of Learning & Curriculum Mr Conway

Director of Learning & Wellbeing Mr Roberts

Curriculum Co-ordinator Mrs Else

Business Manager Mr Anchique

Leaders of WellbeingYear 7 Mr AshdownYear 8 Miss GaudiosiYear 9 Mr LevyYear 10 Mr MurphyYear 11 Mrs LukeYear 12 Mr O’Connor

Leaders of LearningREC (Acting) Mrs Cocks Diverse Learning Mrs Vogels English Ms Schinella Mathematics Mrs AllenPDHPE Mr Brunt HSIE Mrs ElseTAS Mr BauerCreative Arts Mrs HarrisScience Ms DoddsLearning Technology Co-ordinator

Mr Halpin

Leader of Sport Ms Hely

Language Mr Jung Library Mrs ElleryVET Co-ordinator Mrs PereiraCareers Advisor Mrs Scarfone

College Counsellor Ms Comito

I attach after my article the directory of the significant leadership responsibilities at the College for 2018 and highlight the introduction of several new positions and appointments to support students learning and well-being:

- CurriculumCoordinator-MrsMelissaElse- DiverseLearningCoordinator-MrsSharynVogels- MentoringCoordinator(JuniorschoolYear7-9)-MrKyleChurchill- LearningTechnologyCoordinator-MrGlennHalpin- StudentLeadershipCoordinator-MsAmyBorg

In addition, I welcome Mrs Jeanette Cocks into the role of Acting Director of Mission for 2018 and at the same time I am very grateful to the community of Caroline Chisholm Glenmore Park and their Principal Mr Greg Elliot for allowing us to reap the benefits of Jeanette’s vast array of Religious, Curriculum and Pastoral skills that she brings to Emmaus.

Welcome, thank-you and best wishes to all those new leaders mentioned above.

I would like to take this opportunity to formally welcome our New Staff to the College, along with all returning staff. New staff members for 2018 are:

- MrsKylieBurns-AssistantLeaderorLearning-TAS - MrsJeanetteCocks-ActingDirectorofMission2018 - MsGeorgiaJamieson-ICTTrainee(Oirstyear) - MsLauraPeacock-Mathematics(temporary) - MrAlexPetrocco-English/Italian - MsNaomiRichardson-PDHPE(temporary) - MrJulianSaba-LearningSupport/Diverselearning(parttime

untilJuly) - MsJothyThavaratnam-Learningsupport/Diverselearning

(temporary) - MrJakeWebster-Science

Uniform ShopTrading Hours

Monday 10am - 4pmThursday 8am - 2pm

Our ParishesHoly Spirit

Todd Row, St Clair Ph: 9670 8222

Our Lady of the RosarySaddington Street, St Marys

Ph: 9623 1962

Our K-6 Schools Trinity Primary

61-83 Bakers Lane,Kemps Creek. Ph: 9834 3212

Holy Spirit Primary7-17 Todd Row, St Clair

Ph: 9670 5379

Our Lady of the RosaryYr K-6 Saddington St, St Marys

Ph: 9623 2500

Also, a huge well done to the following staff who are familiar to us alreadyhaving been with us in 2017 but have now moved into permanent orcontractualpositionsatEmmaus.

- MrDanielBrattoni-HSIE - MrJackBrogan-English - MsMarieBarbaro-two-yearReadingprojectwithYear7&8calledR3

Congratulationstotheseteachersalso. WewishallthosementionedabovewellastheybegintheirjourneyandwalkingtheEmmausRoadandtrustthattheyenjoytheirtimeattheCollege.I would also like to also take this opportunity to thank the staff, students andparents/carers for celebrating ourOpening School Mass which took place onFriday,February9th. AspecialthankstoFrJoseph(Sumesh)ourchiefcelebrantand to Mrs Cocks, Ms Waring, Mr Connelly and the musicians and the otherministers that day for their hard work around our Oirst whole school liturgywherethenewYear7andnewStaffwerecommissioned.

UNIFORM,GROOMINGANDCOLLEGESTANDARDS Istresstheimportanceofthesestandardsasnon-negotiablesasourstudentsareourbestadvertisement.TothatendIremindyouofourpoliciesandexpectationsasindicatedinthelastnewsletterof2017andaspostedonourCollegewebsiteandwould ask that all families support us at all times as responsible decisionmakersforouryoungstudents.

COMPULSORYSCHOOLATTENDANCEINFORMATIONANDAPPLICATIONFORLEAVEFORPARENTS A reminder that inNSWschool attendance is compulsory for childrenoverthe age of six years until the minimum school leaving age of 17 years.StudentsmustcompleteYear10andafterYear10,untiltheyturn17yearsofage,students must be: in school or registered for home schooling, or in approvededucation or training (e.g. TAFE, traineeship, apprenticeship) in full-time, paidemployment(average25hoursperweek)orinacombinationofwork,educationand/ortraining.

APPLICATIONS FOR EXEMPTIONIf you consider that it is in your child’s best interests to be exempted from the legal requirement to attend school for any length of time (one day or more), you must apply to the Principal for an exemption letter. The school will provide an Application for Exemption from Attendance at School Form, and assist you to complete it, if necessary. The Principal will consider your application and decide whether to grant a Certificate of Exemption.

Please note this exemption form can be collected from the Front Office or indeed downloaded from the College website. It would be my expectation that these exemptions particularly for holiday purposes outside of normal holiday breaks would NOT occur and namely not in Year 11 and 12 due to the crucial nature of missing learnings for the HSC.

Can I remind parent/carers that ATTENDANCE each day, every day and being on time, all the time is paramount to ensure academic success. The Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta has set a target/standard for all schools once again of 90% attendance by 90% of students in 2018 and this will certainly be the goal for Emmaus. In 2017 as a College we were just on 70% which effectively means that across all our student cohort almost ONE THIRD of possible school days were missed. This is alarming and there is really no excuse! I would ask parents/carers to be on top of attendance, know their son/daughter’s whereabouts each day and refrain from giving into requests from our youngsters for ‘days off’ for reasons other than significant illness. I have indicated to all the Homeroom teachers to make calls home to the parent/carers of their classes as a means of introduction and of being the first port of call should they need any support, including attendance dialogue/conversations should this become an issue. My message to the staff for the start of 2018 is to know the story of your student and I used the following quote to reinforce our work in 2018:

‘It is good to know the content; It is great to know the pedagogy, It is imperative to know the student’

Enjoy a video tour of the College by clicking on the link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8KCHc4Ay_k

Robert Nastasi, PrincipalBed, Med-Curriculum, MA Theolst

STAFFCARPARKREMINDER

CanIalsoremindallparent/carersoftheimportanceofnotenteringthestaffcarparkatanytimefordrop-offs,pick-ups,toattendtheUniformShoportheofOiceatthestartandOinishoftheday,themostbusiestofperiods.

AllvehiclesshouldremainoutsidetheschoolgroundsorutilisethelargecarparknearTrinitytoensuresafetyforallourcommunity.Wealreadyhadanaccidentinweekoneandfortunatelytherewerenoinjuries,thoughIwouldbedevastatedto ever have to inform a family that a serious accident had occurred in the carpark involving a member(s) of ourcommunity.

PleasespareyourselftheembarrassmentofbeingtoldtoturnaroundasyouenterthestaffcarparkwherewewillhavethearearopedoffincomingweeksandmannedbyourmaintenancemenandBusinessManager.

ThanksagainforyoursupportandunderstandingaroundthisbutasyouknowweareahugecommunityandcongestionandtrafOiccanbuildupveryquicklycausingpossibledangers.

Finally, can I thankyou forentrustingyourchildrentoourcareandIwishyoutheverybest for2018andaskyoutoalwaysfeelconOidentincontactingtheCollegeorteachers/staffdirectlyatanytimeshouldyourequireassistance.

“ECCfocusin2018:Attendance;Feedback;Growth,Engagement/Empowerment;Well-being”

2018 STAFF

PRINCIPALMr Robert Nastasi

ASSISTANT PRINCIPALMs Melinda Bowd

ACTING DIRECTOR OF MISSION & LEARNINGJeanette Cocks

DIRECTOR OF LEARNING & CURRICULUMMr Darren Conway

DIRECTOR OF LEARNING & WELLBEING CURRICULUM ADMIN. COORDINATOR Mr Stephen Roberts Mrs Melissa Else

LEADERS OF LEARNING (LOL)Religious Education: Mrs Jeanette Cocks HSIE: Mrs Melissa ElseEnglish: Mrs Veronica Schinella TAS: Mr Steve BauerMathematics: Mrs Angela Allen CAPA: Mrs Claudia HarrisPDHPE: Mr Robert Brunt Science: Ms Melissa DoddsLearning Technology: Mr Glenn Halpin LOTE: Mr Darren ConwayDiversity: Mrs Sharyn Vogels Careers: Mrs Maria ScarfoneVET: Ms Irene Pereira

ASSISTANT LEADERS OF LEARNING (LOL)Religious Education: Ms Pia Waring Science: Mr Glenn HalpinEnglish: Ms Kristin Germanos Mathematics: Mr Alex VendrascoHSIE: Mrs Rebecca Curran TAS: Mrs Kylie Burns

LEADERS OF WELLBEING (LOW)Year 7: Mr Ross Ashdown Year 8: Ms Natalie Gaudiosi

Year 9: Mr Grant Levy Year 10: Mr Alex Murphy Year 11: Mrs Dominique Luke Year 12: Mr Mark O’Connor

OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONSStudent Leaders Coordinator: Ms Amy BorgMentoring Coordinator Junior school (Year 7-9): Mr Kyle ChurchillSport Coordinator Ms Kayla Hely

SUPPORT/ADMINISTRATION STAFFPrincipal’s Assistant: Mrs Linda SchembriBusiness Manager: Mr Harvey AnchiqueAdministration Coordinator: Mrs Elizabeth WarrenEnrolments: Mrs Barbara BiermannAccounts: Mrs Kylie Luckman/Mrs Tammy BigeniStudent Services: Mrs Christine Conroy; Ms Amalia Chebatte;

Mrs Barbara Biermann; Mrs Gayle Ellis Reception: Ms Lyn Weller

Library: Mrs Sharon Ellery (Librarian); Mrs Rosemaree MarshICT Mr Mitchell Multari; trainee - Ms Georgia JamiesonCanteen: Mrs Judy Pullen; Mrs Jo Franzke; Mrs Sonia Petersen,

Mrs Vicki Williamson, Ms Danielle Rixon

Assistant Principal

Ms Bowd, Assistant Principal

Welcome back to another year of learning at ECC. It has been a very settled start to the year and our young people seem very focused on commencing the new school year in a positive way. I would particularly like to welcome our new Year 7 cohort. They are a wonderful group of students and we are very much enjoying getting to know them.

Over the next two weeks all Year 7 classes will have a lesson on developing their understanding of how the brain works and the importance of one’s mindset. They will be learning about neurons and neuroplasticity, as well as the difference between a fixed and growth mindset. Parents/guardians of Year 7 are encouraged to have a chat to your children about this experience and what they know about their ‘brilliant brains!’

Road safety is always an important issue in schools and the safety of your sons and daughters is always paramount. Please ensure you follow all the rules of the road and signage when driving on site or in our school zone. Also, students are not to cross Baker’s Lane of an afternoon, as this is a very busy area with cars moving in multiple directions. Parents are asked to cross over and collect your child, or drive through the pick up point.

Communication at Emmaus

Effective communication with our families is very important. There are a number of platforms used to communicate key information with parents. These include our SkoolBag app, twitter, our fortnightly newsletter and our school website. Students also have access to Sentral.

We are currently revamping SkoolBag and you can access it in the following ways:

Download for iOS  - https://goo.gl/zcQr6y Download for Andriod - https://goo.gl/DhPe3t

Our Twitter handle is: @EmmausCEDP

We are also introducing an Emmaus Facebook page and you are encouraged to follow us:

Emmaus Catholic College, Kemps Creek NSW@ECCKempsCreek

Please feel free to email me at mbowd@parra.catholic.edu.au if you have any suggestions as to how we may potentially improve our ways of communicating effectively.

I am very excited about what 2018 will bring for our school community and once again look forward to sharing this journey with you all.

Religious Education

Mrs Cocks, Director of Learning and Mission

Tomorrow, we gather as a College to celebrate Mass to mark the commencement of the school year and to commemorate the 31st year of the College community. We also officially welcome Year 7 and other new students into our Emmaus family and commission those members of staff who are joining our community for the first time this year.

In 2018, we will focus on how we can walk with Jesus as people of SERVICE. This theme is reflected in the Gospel of Matthew: ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me’. (Mt 25:40)

Last year the Australian Bishops identified the liturgical year of 2018 as a national Year of Youth. The Year of Youth reminds us that young people have a great capacity to address injustice and create new opportunities for joy and hope.

“Today, many young people want to serve, and others are willing to take a chance to make the world a better place.” Archbishop Denis Hart, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

At Emmaus Catholic College we continue to make service a focus in every aspect of daily life. This is done by treating each other with respect and dignity, showing consideration for each other in our thoughts and in our deeds and finding ways to carry out the works of mercy associated with service in our community.

This Term our focus for social justice is on supporting the work of Caritas Australia through Project Compassion. Each year during Lent, Project Compassion brings together thousands of Australians in solidarity with the world’s most vulnerable communities, to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. This year Caritas has taken as its theme “For a just future”.

During Lent each homeroom will be involved in raising awareness and funds to support the work of Project Compassion. Through the generosity of the College community, we will assist in empowering young people build a just future for themselves, their families and their communities.

"Cultivate with love the seeds of goodness, beauty and truth that God sows in every new generation." Pope Francis

A few other reminders about Lent Wednesday the 14th February marks the beginning of the Lenten Season for the Catholic Church. This is a time of almsgiving, penance and fasting. During the 40 days of Lent we are asked to search for ways to change our lives and make ourselves better people. This can be done through charitable works such as contributing to Project Compassion, through attending the sacraments especially the sacrament of Reconciliation and by giving up items of food as a sacrifice or penance. In Lent it is traditional to fast and abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday. To fast means to go without so Catholics are reminded to try to limit their food intake on days of fasting. To abstain means to not eat meat. The days of fasting and abstinence from meat are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. However, it is traditional in the Catholic Church for people not to eat meat on any Friday in Lent.

Emmaus Catholic College observes this Lenten abstinence by not serving meat products at the canteen on Ash Wednesday or on any Friday during Lent.

Lent is also a time of prayer.

A time for deepening one’s relationship with God.

It is a time of personal reflection, of searching deep within oneself to find ways in which we can change to become more Christlike, more focused on others rather than on oneself.

Wellbeing Watch

2018 Emmaus House Cup

This year at Emmaus House Points will no longer be just accumulated at the College Carnivals.

Students will now be able to earn points for their particular House Group in a variety different ways in the day-to-day happenings at school. This competition will be known as the “Emmaus Cup”.

The idea is to create a competitive spirit amongst the Houses outside the normal Athletics and Swimming Carnivals where students will develop a stronger connection to their House. This in turn will further build on the strong connections between students and build a strong sense of community here at the College.

Some ways in which students can earn points for their House include:

- 90% + Attendance each term- House Competitions at lunch and recess (these will vary)- Extra-Curricular Activities (Rep Sports, Debating, MADD Night etc)- Carnivals (Including individual Age Champions)- Merits- Acts that are aligned to the College Pillars

These points will be tallied individually as well as contributing to the group total for the House that the student is aligned to. The points for each House will be displayed on the digital scoreboard that has been purchased and will be hung on the wall outside Ms Bowd’s office.

What does the winning House get? The winning House will have a day out later in Term 4 to a theme park where they will enjoy their victory with the other House members.

Also, individual students who have the highest point tallies that are not in the winning House will also be invited on the day.

The only question now is….. Who’s going to win? Good Luck!

Mr Roberts, Director of Learning & Wellbeing

Merits & Demerits At Emmaus

This year there has been a slight adjustment into the ways in which students may receive a Merit for positive work or behaviour from their teacher. This will no longer be marked down in their SLP rather it will be marked down and tallied on Sentral. This tally will go towards the student’s individual points in the Emmaus House Cup as well as further individual awards.

Students may achieve Merits in the following ways: • Volunteering to do things beyond usual expectations • Consistent good LP (a week as a beginning point) • Excellence or effort in a task i.e. PBL, Quiz, etc • Exemplary behaviour in regards to co-operation in class • Picking up rubbish/cleaning classroom • Improved classroom participation • Improved effort/achievement • Extension work (see homework) • Leadership

Merits a Homeroom Teacher may issue: • Excellent SLP use- two weeks or shorter period for an unorganised student

• Uniform (minimum two weeks) • Attendance/ punctuality (month) • Collecting notices/rolls outside of normal duty

In addition to this, as a part of the current Student Management Policy, teachers will also be able issue a Demerit following appropriate warnings for negative behaviours. This is just an additional way teachers may correct inappropriate behaviour. As mentioned the students will have an opportunity to correct their own behaviour through warnings by their teacher before the Demerit is issued.

If a student receives a total of five (5) Demerits from their teachers, the students LOW may issue an afternoon detention. Following the detention the process will start again. Merits do NOT erase Demerit, however, if a student is making every effort to receive a Merit then this would be a positive approach to avoiding an afternoon detention.

Students may receive a Demerit for the following: • Rudeness/backchat (in some circumstances would not be sufficient) • LP not done/late submission of class tasks (warning given for the first offence) • Lateness to class/ attendance without an appropriate reason • Language – minor swearing etc (not to a teacher) • Chewing gum/eating in classroom • Distracting the learning of others • Constant calling out • Failure to remain in their allocated seat on a number of occasions in a lesson

Demerits a Homeroom Teacher May Issue • Poor diary use (for a period of time)

• No SLP (warning given for the first offence)

From the Science Lab

Welcome to a wonderful 2018 in Science!

Already this has been a fantastic year for discoveries and scientific awards: and it’s only five weeks into the year! Already it has been a great period of time for the recognition of the development, impact and predictions of Australian scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

As I watched the Australia Day Awards and read through the merit lists, I found it interesting that the majority of awards were recognising the efforts of Australian scientists.

Dr Graham Farquar was awarded the 2018 Senior Australian of the Year for his work in the area of delivering practical benefits to the agricultural sector. His work on examining how water efficient crops can improve our food security in a time of climate difficulties is vital.

Professor Michelle Simmons has pioneered research that has led to a transistor made from a single atom and world’s thinnest wire. She aims to build a quantum computer that would solve problems and model situations that might take many, many years. Working with the University of New South Wales, Michelle actively encouraged all boys and girls to dream big and achieve their big goals in Science.

As our senior students begin their Year 11 courses in Science, the junior Science students are gearing up for a very active and productive year. Dissections, chemical reactions, physical experiments and many activities designed to make them scratch their heads are waiting.

Eminent scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson has said:

“Children are born scientists. They are curious about everything around them….”

Ms Dodds, Science Leader of Learning

From the HSIE Department

Mrs Curran, HSIE Assistant Leader of Learning

Welcome back to another exciting school year. Throughout this year the HSIE faculty will be focused on giving students a variety of learning experiences and engaging them in their learning. Throughout this year we will again be offering students a variety of opportunities.

In Terms 1 and 2 we will be conducting the following competitions:The Business Studies Competition – for students in Years 10-12The History Competition – for students in Years 7-10The Geography Competition – for students in Years 7-12.

We will be continuing our close link with the St Mary’s RSL Sub-Branch through a number of initiatives including in particular, Colin Shepherd Memorial Scholarship.

In Term 4 we will also be putting together our 2018 History Mastermind Team and will be looking to putting and team together to practice in preparation for this event. There will be more information regarding each of these opportunities in the coming weeks, on Sentral and in future newsletters. Students can also approach their HSIE teacher for more details. In the coming weeks the following groups will also be going on excursions:Year 12 Legal students will going to the Parramatta Courts for inside look at the courts on March 8th and Year 10 Geography will be going to Collaroy Beach for fieldwork on March 16th. Notes will be going home and need to be returned to class teachers ASAP. We look forward to working with all students throughout 2018.

TAS Department

This whole process is a funny one. One minute I am sitting here thinking “why are our students not gaining greater acknowledgment for what they do in TAS?”, and the next minute they are presented opportunities to perform on a global stage and are being celebrated by one of the world’s top 20 universities. Education is alive and well at Emmaus Catholic College, and if that is day one in TAS 2018, well we had all better hold onto our hat as we have an awesome year of learning to come!

As I enter my fourth year as a member of the Emmaus College community, I was starting to wonder why our students do not collect more positive acknowledgement for the work that they are completing. This is by no means a criticism of what they are doing … in fact my opinion is our students are more than competitive with any that I have seen at other schools within which I have worked. But I had this nagging feeling that something is missing. While running around the TAS workshop watching student excellence evolve before my very eyes, I wonder why greater recognition was not coming our way in TAS. That is, while accolades were being deservedly awarded to our students in other faculties, like the HSIE Anzac Day project and the Captivate musical program to name a few, TAS seemed to have fallen asleep at the wheel and work was not receiving the recognition that it deserved … for the life of me, I could not understand why … I had a real “male” moment and gave a chuckle at the epiphany that I had. Could the lack of recognition be as simple as me not telling people what we are doing? Could it be that I needed to put our students forward to show others what is happening within our walls? With nothing to lose, I thought I would give it a go and just tell a couple of people what our students … your children … could do.

For those that do not know, TAS is all about problem solving, so I started looking for affiliations that we could tell of our skills in creative thinking to show how good we are. In America, there is a global competition called Destination Imagination where students from all round the world gather in an Olympic style event where teams wrestle with their mind to gain glory in the areas of STEM education and social justice concerns. Over 15,000 students selected from all over the world take on the pilgrimage to compete for the gold medal. Explaining to the organisers what we have achieved with the students working in the area of social justice, and their ability in undertaking and successfully completing engineering challenges, we, Emmaus Catholic College from “little old” Kemps Creek NSW, have been invited to send two teams to represent Australia at the Global Finals! Look, I am trusting that you won’t tell anyone yet as we are still finalising the arrangement, but the bottom line is twelve of our students are that good we have been invited to Knoxville, Tennessee to compete at a thinking Olympics!

I also started looking locally too and entered some individual students in competitions of note to see how they fair in aspects of education in NSW. Every year, the University of Wollongong run an event to find our best and brightest students in STEM and Technology education. We have done a lot in upgrading our teaching programs to cater for our changing world, and I thought it would be good to receive some feedback on the work being completed at our College.

Mr Joyce showed me the work of Elizabelle El-Alam, one of our current Year 9 students, and after listening to her narration and watching her video presentation of how food reacts in our body, I new that this work needed to be presented (link to video can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXiFOfzImws&t=60s). Furthermore, Andrew Grima in Year 10 did a fantastic job with a CAD/CAM jewellery project that I thought was also good enough to challenge the norms of STEM education. Not stopping there, the 2017 Year 9 iSTEM class were entered as a group because of the way that they worked last year as a team and due to the artefact that they created. Can you imagine how I felt on my first day back when I was contacted by the University to be informed that all projects had won an award! Even better still, the Year 9 class collaborative project won a major award!!! Even I was impressed, as at my past places of employment we did not even get a look in at this competition! I would love to tell you more and describe what the students have won, but it will remain a mystery until later this month when the presentation is conducted in front of 500+ guests in an auditorium on the Wollongong University Campus.

Mr Bauer – Leader of Learning TAS

Creative and Performing Arts

Mrs Claudia Harris – Leader of Learning CAPA/ Visual Arts and Music Teacher

Welcome back to a spectacular year of learning in Creative and Performing Arts! This year’s Pantone colour of the yearis “Ultra Violet”.

As I prepared to write this article, I researched how this colour will inspire our students for the year of 2018. The colour Ultra Violet 18-3838 is a dramatically provocative

and thoughtful purple shade that communicates originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking that points us towards the future. As we approach the Lenten season, this colour also reminds us of our Catholic learning community and the ways in which we connect with each other and with our God. The colour purple represents a time of fasting and renewal in addition, it also represents royalty which

communicates Christ’s victory through his resurrection. We are excited for our students to be inspired and light the way for what is to come in our year of learning in 2018.

Welcome back to our Creative and Performing Arts team: Mrs Stevenson (Visual Arts), Miss Ashton (Visual Arts), Mr Connolly (Music) and Mr Ferreri (Music).

Last year we celebrated pleasing results from our HSC CAPA subjects. Both Music 1 and Visual Arts courses performed above state average. 100% of students in Visual Arts and 89% of students in Music 1 achieved higher than a Band 5.

We are excited for our students to be a part of the various CAPA initiatives in and out of the classroom. Students are encouraged to look out for Sentral announcements in order to get involved.

Congratulations to Natasha Tatarinoff (Year 9) who was a finalist in the Parravision event and performed at Parramatta Park on Australia Day. Natasha was lucky to also meet Kate Ceberano who was one of the judges on the day. It is fantastic to see our performing arts students shine outside of the classroom and take on opportunities to broaden their experience. Well done Natasha!

We look forward to an innovative 2018 and for our students to shine in Creative and Performing Arts at Emmaus Catholic College.

Music Instrument ClassesEmmaus Catholic College is offering a wide variety of private Music classes to students. The classes are aimed at all skill levels for all ages and are taught by private tutors, all with extensive experience in both performing and teaching.

The instruments available for lessons are Guitar, Bass Guitar, Piano, Drums and Singing with all instruments provided by the College. There are also HSC workshops available for both Year 11 and Year 12 students. 

Information regarding classes for new and existing students will be available shortly.

Interested students should look out for Sentral announcements in the coming weeks.

From the Sports Field

Welcome back to the start of another busy school year in Sport!

Representative TeamsAll students have now selected a Sport for Term 1 and Representative teams have been finalised. This season, Emmaus will be entering teams in to the PDSSSC Competition in both Junior and Intermediate Boys and Girls Touch Football, Junior and Intermediate Boys Basketball and Intermediate Girls Volleyball and the competition is set to be tougher this year with St Columbas now joining our PDSSSC Sporting competition.

The competition begins in Week 3 and all students representing our College are expected to have the correct shorts and socks that are available for purchase at our College Uniform Shop. Students will be loaned a singlet for the duration of the Season which is their responsibility. A replacement fee of $50 applies if this is not returned to their coach at the conclusion of the Season.

Representative Sport BusesA reminder that buses returning from Representative Sport may arrive back at the College after our normal afternoon buses and for that reason, students need to ensure they have alternative transport home on Thursday afternoons.

Venue SportStudents are required to bring the appropriate money each Thursday if attending venue Sport. As per College Sport procedures, any student who forgets their money must see myself and will attend Community Service. Attending Community Service twice in one Term results in an afternoon detention and the potential of losing the privilege of attending their chosen Sport.

Weekly prices for venue Sports are as follows: Don Bosco: $5 AMF Bowling: $7 Gym/Fitness: $7Flipout: $7 Ice Skating: $8 Cables Waterpark: $12

School Based Sport CostsThere is a minimal applicable cost for School Based Sports (such as CAPA and Creative Justice) This cost is to have been paid to the Sport Teacher by the end of Week 2. These small costs allow us to continue providing the necessary equipment and resources for this Sport to be operational.

It is an expectation that all students in Years 7-10 attend Sport of a Thursday afternoon. This is not a time that can be used for students to leave school and/or attend appointments. If there is a pressing reason where a student is unable to attend their allocated Sport, a note is to be provided to and signed by their Leader of Wellbeing. Our College office staff require this to allow students to sign out.

Swimming CarnivalOur College Swimming Carnival is rapidly approaching in Week 3; Friday 16th February. This is a compulsory school day and a day that is significant to our College community. Rivalry between houses is building and this is just one of many days on our school calendar where students are provided with the opportunity to really feel connected and a part of their House group whilst earning points toward our inaugural House Cup that has been introduced this year by Mr Roberts. Further details about this day will be coming home to you next week. Spectators are most welcome.

Please note: if your child has represented the State or Country in their chosen sport, please let Ms Hely know. They may be eligible for a College Sporting Blue Award.

If your son/daughter is interested in trialling for various Sports throughout the year at a NSWCCC Representative pathway, please visit this website to register your child’s details for the relevant trial/s. https://www.csss.nsw.edu.au/nswccc-home.aspx

Miss Hely, Head of Sport

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Phone: 1300 906 060 or 0408 116 747 329 Wentworth Road, Orchard Hills

Quality Care and Compassion with No Comprise

From the DioceseChild Protection Information Line - Royal Commission – The Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta has established a Child Protection Information Line in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. The dedicated Information Line will provide information about how schools are handling child protection matters and will be able to respond to individual enquiries and assist people who have concerns or help them take allegations to the police.  It can also put people in touch with appropriate support services if needed.

The Child Protection Information Line is 1300 661 015 (cost of a local call within Australia).  The line is available outside of school hours and connects directly to a Catholic Education Office staff member. 

Not returning in 2018

If students are leaving the College, we require:

(i) 10 weeks written or emailed notice from parents/ carers prior to student leaving advising where student will be attending or working.

(ii) Written confirmation from the new school or employer - or confirmation of courses to be studied at TAFE or other tertiary institution.

Emmaus Catholic College Open Night Wednesday 28th February, 2018

Students will be showcasing what occurs in the learning environment

atEmmaus Catholic College

General Information 6pm-6.30pm-in College HallTours of the College 6.30pm - 8.30pm

Venue: Sr Patricia Tully Centre (Hall)87-109 Bakers Lane, Kemps Creek

Contact: 02 9670 8300

Every day is an Open Day atEmmaus Catholic College

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OPEN

NIGHT