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Absentee Line - Text 0417 596 611 or Phone Primary 8150 2397, Secondary 8150 2323 or Email student.reception@smc.sa.edu.au

News

Term 3 Week 6 2022

From the Principal

From the Principal

Dear St Michael’s College Community,

National Child Protection Week
4 – 10 September 2022

We share with you this week’s La Salle blog regarding the National Child Protection Week and endorse their statement that “Protecting Children And Young People Is Everyone’s Business”.  The St Michael’s College Child Safeguarding Commitment Statement can be found on our website by clicking here.

The first week of September in Australia is Child Protection Week, and whilst child protection requires 24×7, 365 days of the year attention, the week provides an opportunity to put the spotlight on child protection, the work being done, and the challenge to do more.   

This year the theme for Child Protection Week is: Every Child in Every Community Needs a Fair Go.  That theme aligns strongly to our Lasallian Mission, not only in Australia, but across the District and the Institute. 

For young people to thrive we must continue to focus on enabling:

  • Equality in access to education
  • Stopping child abuse and neglect (and reducing its impact)
  • Pathways to quality supports (in the ways that young people want to access)
  • The voices and lived experiences of children and young people to be heard, honoured and included.

Our societies are only as strong as the support structures that exist for children, and the evidence shows that there continues to be much to be done.  We have seen how the pandemic has been especially challenging for children and young people, with many not having access to safe places.  That has meant that those vulnerable before the pandemic became even more vulnerable, and we know that the vulnerability of children and young people in Pakistan and Papua New Guinea was already high before the Pandemic.    

But there is also much being done, as a District our Ministries have been actively engaged and continue to engage in implementing and refining our Safeguarding policies and procedures.  We acknowledge that policies and procedures are only as good as the ways in which they are implemented and become the ‘way we do things around here’. 

As the founder wrote: “Take even more care of the education of the young people entrusted to you than if they were the children of a king.” 

Taking care, opening our hearts and our minds to what might be possible and rising to the challenge of being part of the solution – are very much what Safeguarding is about, and Safeguarding is at the heart of being Lasallian. 

Child Protection Week gives us an opportunity to affirm what we do every day, and in line with the theme of the General Chapter: “building new paths to transform lives”, we are also being challenged to ensure that we seek a reality where Every Child in Every Community Needs does in fact have a Fair Go. 

Secondary Campus Winter Co-Curricular Activities

The 2022 St Michael’s College Secondary Term 2/3 Winter Co-curricular sport season saw 50 teams participate in various competitions throughout. Many teams had success this year with 12 out of 18 netball teams playing in Grand finals for Premierships. 6 out of these 12 won their Grand Finals and were premiers in their division. Our Open A1 netball team had a convincing win in the Grand final and were undefeated all year. The Open A2’s also played in a mixed A1/A2 competition and were also minor premiers. They played in the Grand final and drew in an exciting finish. They then had to play 3 minutes each end in extra time. They held strong and had a great win in overtime to become premiers as well. It was a fantastic season for many teams finishing minor premiers.

Our Middle Girls Football team played for the first time in a weekly 9 a side comp with some success. Our Middle girls Knockout team made it all the way through to the semi final round but were knocked out by Nuriootpa. We had a Year 12 senior soccer team play in the weekly IGSSA comp as a social team and our middle girls played in the weekly IGSSA comp on a Wednesday also with some success but did not play finals.

The boys 1st XVIII Football team went through their season undefeated and made the Grand Final, which was a great result, while the boys 2nd XVIII team finished premiers in their division. Our girls 1st XVIII Football were premiers in their weekly competition and runners up in the State Knockout competition after making the Grand Final. Our Year 9/10 Knockout team made the top 4 in the state making the semi final round, whilst our Year 9B and 8A Football teams won the majority of their games. Our Year 7A team had a great first year of football, managing wins against powerhouses of Football in PAC and St Peters College.

Our Soccer program saw many teams compete strongly in their weekly competitions, with the highlight coming in the way of our Middle C1 team finishing top of the ladder in their competition, whilst our Year 7A team finished third in a great first year at SMC.

Our Basketballers fought very hard in the Division 1 program of the competition and whilst the win/loss ratio wasn’t in our favour, every team fought hard in every game all season.

It was great to see many students participate in Table Tennis once again this year, with our Middle teams all winning the majority of their games, and the big highlight coming in the way of our Year 7 team going through their season undefeated!

Congratulations to all teams participating in Term 2 and 3 co-curricular activities.  A huge thank you to all our coaches, umpires, players, and parents for a fantastic season. Without your assistance, students would not be able to experience such a diverse range of activities.

A special thank you to our secondary Co-curricular Coordinator Mr Jordan Young and Girls Co-Curricular Officer Mrs Leanne Burton, with support from Ms Ebony Minagall, who work tirelessly to ensure St Michael’s is well represented each week.

Keep an eye out for next week’s The Star for the Primary Campus round-up of co-curricular activities.

Kind regards,

Mr Damian Patton
Acting Principal

Weekly Communication and Important Dates

Weekly Communication and Important Dates

IMPORTANT DATES


Sunday 4 September
Father’s Day

Monday 5 September
Year 7 and 8 Athletics Day – Memorial Oval
Parents/Caregivers are welcome to attend.

Thursday 8 September
Year 11 (Year 12, 2023) Subject Counselling 9:00am – 8:30pm. No Year 11 Classes.

Friday 9 September
Staff Professional Development
Whole school Pupil Free Day

Wednesday 21 September
Pulse 14 Music Showcase – Live in concert with The Billy Joel Tribute Show Australia. Purchases your tickets here.

Friday 30 September
De La Salle Day
Classes conclude for Term 3, early dismissal at 12:45 pm

QUICK LINKS

Click here to view our online calendar.
Click here for Term Dates.
Click here for Uniform Shops hours and information.
Click here to purchase the Entertainment Book.
Click here for previous editions of The Star Newsletter.

Whole School

Whole School

ADOLESCENT SUCCESS CONFERENCE

Last week Joanne Gilmore (Director of Teaching and Learning – Primary) and Rhiannon O’Hara (Learning Enrichment Coordinator – Secondary) attended the Adolescent Success conference on the Gold Coast. Schools from around the country participated in a two-day Professional Development conference on teaching in the middle years with a focus on the idea ‘Humans Matter’.

Adolescent Success is a not-for-profit organisation for teachers, schools, businesses and other educators who work with young adolescents, particularly those in middle years education. Guests had the opportunity to hear from keynote speakers including Dr Donna Pendergast – Dean and Head of the School of Education and Professional Studies at Griffith University and Ewan McIntosh, and founder of consulting firm NoTosh who seek to work with schools, universities and companies to help them ‘rethink the environment in which they learn’.

Joanne and Rhiannon were also selected as presenters at the conference and had the opportunity to present their own concurrent seminar on the implementation of Year 7 into secondary school at St Michael’s College. Their workshop focused on SA’s implementation overall and the key learnings for our College over this period of time.

Conclusively, Joanne and Rhiannon heard from a range of presenters working in schools right across the country and have returned with fresh ideas and inspiration. We congratulate and thank Joanne and Rhiannon for sharing their work with other professionals and for representing the College.

Ms Amanda Price, Deputy Principal Staff and Strategy

Primary Campus

Primary Campus

BOOK WEEK – DREAMING WITH EYES OPEN

Author/Illustrator Jasmine Seymour has created the artwork for the Book Week theme this year and says, “Dreaming is not something that belongs to the past; it’s all around us now, then and always”.

Dreaming with eyes open is something children do very well, and we encourage that creativity in writers’ workshops throughout the year, where each child is encouraged to tell their stories.

Author Visits

This year we started our Book Week off with a visit from Author Phil Cummings, who had our Year 4 – 6 students spellbound with his storytelling.  Phil also spoke about the writing process, starting from his journal of ideas and ending with the editing process before publication.

Our Reception to Year 3 students had a visit from Author Katrina Germein. She has written many picture books and encouraged the students to participate in her storytelling with props and songs.  She also spoke about the writing process, showing her ideas journal and spoke about her collaboration with the Illustrators of her books.

The Parade

Our final celebration for the week was our Parade which was attended by many parents who saw their hard work and creative efforts as each class paraded around Founders Hall. Mr Nathan Rose was our organiser and wonderful MC. Each class chose a theme song played by our very own DJ Luke.

Students came in a magnificent variety of costumes, unlike the teachers and co-educators who all rushed to work that day in their pyjamas! At the end of the parade, we were treated to a flash mob performance by all the Reception students, who did a great job with their dance.

The parade was the big ticket item, but throughout the week, buddy classes participated in THE BIG READ where students of all ages read their books to each other. The books were a mix of professional and self-created. Year 4 and 5 students are waiting for their professionally published books to arrive from Little Scribes, with Mason M, Hayden H  and Luka P’s work being selected for a showcase by the Little Scribes team.

We are also close to the end of the annual Premiers Reading challenge, so please encourage your children to return their Premier’s Reading Challenge form to the library ASAP. The closing date is 9 September.

The Reading Tree is taking shape with over 200 names of those who have already finished the challenge!

We love reading. We love books, not just in Book Week but every week.  Reading gives you superpowers for life, and the world needs to hear everyone’s stories.

Ms Glenyss Steventon, Resource Centre Coordinator – Primary

CONFIRMATION AND COMMUNION MASS

Archbishop Patrick O’Regan exhorts the children to pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” 

On Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 August, 19 St Michael’s students celebrated their Confirmation and Communion Mass at Our Lady of the Manger Church, Findon, and Sacred Heart Church, Hindmarsh. Both Masses, presided by Archbishop Patrick O’Regan and Father Lancy, were a joyous occasion for the school and parish community. We are grateful to our Year 4 teachers, Mr Ray Becker (4M) and Mr Mitchell Boulton (4B) for their commitment and dedication in supporting the religious formation of the students entrusted to their care spiritually, socially, emotionally and academically. We are especially grateful to you, the parents and caregivers. As the primary educators of your children, you are the ones who bring your children to the Church to begin the process of initiation into the Catholic faith community through Baptism. The Church teaches that Confirmation confirms Baptism, and so Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion complete the three sacraments of initiation laying the foundations of every Christian life.

We wish to express our gratitude to Fr Lancy, Sr Nithya, Kathy Horan and to all who have enriched our Sacramental Program. Our Confirmation and Communion parent and student gatherings in Terms 2 and 3 invited us into a deeper way of being in the presence of God, and of relating to Jesus and to one another, inspiring us to become more actively involved in the life of the community through the ongoing guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is affirmed by Archbishop Patrick O’Regan’s exhortation to the children to continue praying three simple words, “Come, Holy Spirit”.

We are most grateful to you, dear children, the 19 candidates of St Michael’s College Primary, for the way you have prepared to receive and celebrate the sacraments of Confirmation and Communion. May you continue your journey of faith as Spirit-filled followers of Jesus.

We extend our congratulations to your families, sponsors, and you, the 2022 candidates of the Sacramental Program: Elijah Agostino,  Xavier Bourn, Alessio Cirillo, Zac Colella, Alessio Esposito, Franklin Hennessy, Harvey Horsell, Jake Howell, Ben Jackson, Josef Jelonek, Aleksander Krol, Nate Licari, James O’Brien, Marcus Marino, Mason Mills, Luka Placentino, Samuel Pollina, Oscar Stevens, and Aston Tozer.

Mrs Patrizia Puglia, Director of Religion and Spirituality

Secondary Campus

Secondary Campus

YEARS 7-9 WELLBEING CHARACTER STRENGTH FOCUS

Week 6: Love

Love. As I write this article, I find the beginning difficult. This strength is all-encompassing. Comedian George Burns once described love as “Something like a backache: It doesn’t show up on X-rays, but you know it’s there.” Nicholas Sparks is attributed to saying, “The best love is the kind that awakens the soul, makes us reach for more and brings peace to our minds”, and further back in time, Shakespeare told us that “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind”. In his letter to the Corinthians, St Paul wrote “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.”

Love’s power is very clear; it is one of the most empowering and enduring character strengths of all. They say it can ‘move mountains’ and energise us towards objectives like no other catalyst. If we reflect on the lengths we go to for our children and those we care for, we know this is true.

As we can all attest, the world is endlessly interconnected, and none of us can be at our best in isolation.  love helps to create positive feelings and overcome loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Without love, the strong relationships with our families, friends, or communities are not possible. love is linked to good health and a long life; it provides us with a sense of meaning and purpose. Of course, it goes without saying that love also needs to be directed at the world we live in, at other peoples and at the environment.

St Michael’s is a place where we aspire to ensure that each person is known, valued and cared for, whether student, staff or family member. As a community, we support each other in the hardest of times and celebrate together in times of joy. Several examples of this are our recent Wear it Purple Day; the great work of Eco Squad; our attention to COVID safe directives over past years; Year 12 College Leaders working with their younger brothers and sisters in the Garden; and College Co-Captain Avah Topp going bowling with younger students; Year 8 leaders preparing to work with and mentor younger students in the Junior School; and Year 7 Camp this Week; all of these experiences echo a strong call to love for ourselves and developing responsibility in taking care of each other and of our world.

As a part of self-love, it’s critical for us to take care of ourselves with correct sleep, diet, and exercise. If you haven’t already read Stolen Focus, by Johann Hari, it does offer lots of food for thought about how we can show ourselves and others more love by minimising our dependence on devices and thinking about the messages we are living. While I’m only about halfway through, I can say I love it!

Seeing any situation through the lens of love does help us to view things in a more positive way, to feel better and be healthier, and fundamentally helps each of us to contribute to the community where we are all known, valued, and cared for.

I leave you with the thoughts of some Year 9 students, as they remember Father’s Day ahead and what they love about the significant male role models in their lives:

  • I love the stories my Nonno tells me.
  • I love the unconditional support I get from my Dad.
  • I love that my Grandpa is always there for me and my family.
  • I love that my Dad is always there for me whenever I need him.
  • My dad is brave, loving, and sometimes stern, which I think is necessary in a Dad. He understands some of my struggles as he can relate from when he was my age.
  • What I love about my Dad is that he takes me to my trainings and games and buys things for me, and his a role model for people around me.
  • The one thing I love about my Dad is how he always pushes me to my limits with my football and also how he takes me everywhere.
  • I love my Dad because he supports our family with love and care and would do anything for our family.
  • DAD AND MUM: I love my parents more than everything. What I like the most about them is that when I make a mistake, they will talk to me about how to fix it the next time. I also like that they always have time for the family even though their lives are so busy.
  • I love my Dad because he supports me in what I want to do and makes me feel appreciated in everything I do.
  • What I love about my Dad is how he has been a good role model for my football and someone to look up to, and now it’s my turn to be a role model for my younger brother. He’s taught me how to be polite and not to be disrespectful.
  • My Dad is funny, sometimes he will do things that make me laugh but when we need him to be serious and help us out, he will. He teaches my siblings and I life lessons and to always be respectful.
  • I love my Dad because he is so loving and nice to be around. I love what he does as a job. He also asks me for opinions on the things he is doing for work and he always includes me. He has worked so hard for me and my mum to have a great life. He always takes me wherever I want to go and he always plays basketball with me. I thank my Dad so much for everything he does.
  • I love that my Grandpa is so easygoing and lets us be free when we are at his house.

We look forward to Wellbeing Week in love next week, and we will do our best to follow St John Baptist de La Salle’s wisdom and “Often ask God for the grace to touch hearts”.

Enjoy the weekend ahead! May the sun shine on Father’s Day celebrations wherever we are!!

Mrs Tonia Carfora, Year 7-9 Wellbeing Initiatives Leader

Careers and VET Services

Careers and VET Services

WORK EXPERIENCE

The last day to submit completed and signed work experience paperwork for the Term 3 school holidays is Week 7, Thursday 8 October. Forms are available from the LEC Reception Desk, please note that no late forms will be accepted.

APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES

As South Australia faces an unprecedented skills shortage across multiple industries, there are many apprenticeship and traineeship positions being advertised. This issue has been the focus of this week’s National Jobs and Skills Summit. We’ve recently been contacted by businesses who have a connection with the College who are keen to employ young school leavers.  These opportunities are described below:

LINDSAY SOLID PLASTERING

An old scholar is looking to take on a first-year solid plastering apprentice – a school-based apprenticeship would be considered for the right applicant. Rendering makes up a large component of the work and you would also develop skills in venetian and indoor plastering.

Should you require any additional information or wish to discuss in further detail please contact Tom via email tomjlindsay@outlook.com

HI-CRETE ROOFING & CLADDING
  • 2 x Carpentry Apprenticeships (commercial and industrial)
  • 2 x Roof Plumbing Apprenticeships (commercial and industrial)

Hi-Crete Roofing & Cladding seeks young school leavers with a positive, can-do attitude to join their team. You must be willing to learn and be comfortable using your initiative.

If this interests you,  please contact:
Shaun Plummer
Director, HiCrete Roofing & Cladding
265-273 Cormack Rd Wingfield
Moblie: 0400885737
Email: shaun@hicreteroofing.com.au

SA POWER NETWORKS

SA Power Networks are now accepting applications for their 2023 intake commencing in January and March.  Positions are located in metropolitan and regional locations. Applications close 18 September.

For more details please click here.

TABMA APPRENTICES & TRAINEES

Carpenters: multiple positions
3x for the southern suburbs, no licence required for initial start (will consider school based).
3x or more for on site work, licence or accommodating parent/guardian required (will consider school based).

Timber Truss and Frame manufacturing trainees (18 month to 24 month traineeship)
2x Southern suburbs

Timber Manufactured Product Traineeship (18 month to 24 month traineeship)
2x Wingfield (will consider school based).

Bricklaying Apprenticeships
Licence or accommodating parent/guardian required (will consider school based).
Multiple positions available (3 to 4).
 
Retail or Warehousing Trainees
3 x positions West / Central and East

Contact details:
Ph: 1800 822 621
tabmaat.com.au

THE VACANCIES LISTED BELOW ARE PROVIDED BY MTESA
APPRENTICESHIPS
  • Agricultural Mechanical Technology – (Riverland)
  • Automotive Underbody Technology – (Mount Barker)
  • Baker – (Meningie)
  • Bricklaying – (Riverland & Adelaide)
  • Bricklaying & Block laying – (Murraylands & Adelaide Hills)
  • Cabinet Maker – (Murray Bridge)
  • Carpentry – (Adelaide, Gawler, Barossa & Norwood)
  • Carpentry/Installer – (Adelaide Hills)
  • Commercial Cookery – (Hay Valley)
  • Concreting – (Riverland)
  • Electrical Machine Repair – (Glandore)
  • Electrician – (Glandore)
  • Engineering Fabrication – (Murray Bridge, Adelaide Hills, Regency Park & Renmark)
  • Engineering Mechanical – (McLaren Vale & Renmark)
  • Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology – (Murray Bridge & Riverland)
  • Plumbing – (Stirling)
  • Wall & Ceiling Tiling – (Adelaide)
TRAINEESHIPS
  • Business Administration – (Adelaide & Hilton)
  • Business Finance – (Murray Bridge)
  • Horticulture – (Riverland)
SCHOOL BASED APPRENTICESHIPS
  • Agricultural Mechanical Technology – (Karoonda)
  • Automotive Underbody – (Mount Barker)
  • Baker – (Meningie)
  • Bricklaying – (Riverland & Adelaide)
  • Bricklaying & Block laying – (Murraylands & Adelaide Hills)
  • Business Administration – (Hilton & Murray Bridge)
  • Carpentry – (Adelaide, Gawler, Barossa Norwood & Goolwa)
  • Commercial Cookery – (Hay Valley)
  • Concreting – (Riverland)
  • Electrician – (Riverland)
  • Engineering Fabrication – (Regency Park & Renmark)
  • Engineering Mechanical – (Renmark)
  • Horticulture – (Riverland)
  • Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology – (Riverland)
  • Plumbing – (Stirling)
  • Wall & Ceiling Tiling – (Adelaide)

Job descriptions can be viewed online by clicking here. If you are interested in any of these jobs, please register online and email your resume to admin@mtesa.com.au

Ms Leanne De Young, VET Coordinator

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN SPORTS INSTITUTE (SASI)

Registrations are now open for the next round of Talent Search testing! SASI want to identify high school students who have the potential to achieve success at the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics. Their sessions involve a range of tests that provide each participant with a personalised report of their top five sports.

Click here to register for the October school holidays testing.

DEFENCE FORCE YEAR 9 TO 12

We remind students choosing subjects in Year 9 2023, that even the Defence Force likes to see a continuation of Maths and Science subjects for General Entry. If you do not select Aerodynamics and Chemistry as a second semester Science subject in Year 10 you may be ineligible for some General Entry pathways as there is an expectation of two semesters of Science in Year 10. Students interested in the Defence Force have many virtual events coming up. Click here for more information.

ADFA is where students live in at ADFA Canberra, study for a degree through UniNSW (no debt) and begin Officer training. Any Year 11 student contemplating applying to ADFA are encouraged to begin research and applications this term.

Adelaide: Army Airforce Navy: Trade Careers Information Session
Thursday 8 September 2022
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (ACST)
Register here.

CAREERS AND VET PORTAL ON SEQTA

We encourage all Year 10 to 12 students to create an account on the Careers and VET Portal. It is accessed via the SEQTA Homepage: the Black and Green tile. Students can access many resources and see on the opening screen many upcoming Career Events. We ask students that they only register with their St Michael’s College email account and not a private email accounts.

TAFESA APPLICATIONS AND FREE TAFESA COURSES

For majority of TAFESA courses, the minimum age to apply is 16 years and not a current school student. As such, some Year 11 students may contemplate applying for a course in 2023. Whilst SACE completion is required for some courses, it is not required for most.

This week’s announcement by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese heard that the National Cabinet has reached an agreement to create 180,000 fee-free TAFE places for 2023, which will be a $1.1 billion package. In terms of how this plays out is SA, we will have to keep an eye on the subsidised fee section on the relevant TAFE course page. We anticipate this will not be updated for a while. Please note, not all TAFESA courses will be free.

We hope any student interested in a TAFESA course for 2023 has now applied on the SATAC website. As emphasised in both presentations, any student contemplating a TAFESA pathway is encouraged to apply via SATAC as soon as possible. Nursing has now become competitive meaning there are more applications than places available. Once all Course Admission requirements are met by the due dates, offers will be made by earliest date of the SATAC application as the selection criteria. Not all courses have this method of selection.

There are upcoming Information sessions in the area of Fashion and Merchandising and combined courses with Flinders University. Please click here for more information .

Ms Rose Coorey and Mr Anthony Vizaniaris, Career Counsellors