Issue 5 Term 2 2020

The feast of Pentecost brings to a conclusion the season of Easter.

Jesus came, died and rose; however this was only the beginning.

Traditionally when we think of Pentecost we think of the Holy Spirit descending from heaven and landing on the Apostles. With the help of the Holy Spirit they were then able to go out to the world and teach all people about the message of Jesus and spread the hope of eternal life with God.

What is important here is that at some point, the Apostles acknowledged their call as Christians and so began the Christian Church.

This feast, like many others in our calendar year, helps us to reflect on our own mission and call to spread the message of Jesus. But as the feast reminds us, we are not alone, for the Holy Spirit is with us.

St Brigid was a great example of one who accepted her Christian call to spread the message of Jesus and did so with an unfailing faith that the Holy Spirit was always with her, guiding her or influencing others.

The feast of Pentecost does indeed conclude the season of Easter. However, our call to spread the message of Jesus is never ending.

Enrico Caprioli
APRIM

When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening. That’s where the power is!

During times of uncertainty our resilience is tested because we are creatures of habit; we like to be in control, to have a degree of predictability. Although adolescence is often characterised by the pushing of boundaries as young people seek to develop their sense of self, they also seek security and predictability. The current global COVID-19 pandemic has and is testing all of us in different ways, and for teenagers, the effects might sometimes be amplified given where they are in their development.

So what can you do as parents and carers to support your daughter/s as they navigate the current state of uncertainty? Keeping in mind the uniqueness of every individual, We offer in good faith some tips that we hope you find helpful.

• Establish and maintain a healthy routine of sleep, mealtimes, study and relaxation.
• Make time to do fun things together.
• Set boundaries that are realistic and which have enforceable consequences, and explain these to your daughter so that she understands your expectations.
• Look for positive behaviours and make them known to your daughter. E.g. “Kerri, I’m really proud of you for sticking at that task knowing how difficult it was for you!”
• If your daughter presents with a problem, model good problem solving and coping strategies by engaging in calm, empathetic discussion. Listen openly. Share ideas and strategies that reflect respect, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and so on.
• Encourage regular exercise.Value and make time for relaxation (being online does not relax the brain!)
• Help your daughter stay connected to friends and family.
• Create and use a Gratitude board or journal in which you record daily, one thing you are thankful for.
• Encourage your daughter to do something helpful for others.
• Acknowledge and validate uncomfortable emotions, and emphasise their impermanence (the emotions will pass and things will improve).

Further resources can be found at:

greatergood

healthyfamilies

raisingchildren

Glenn Clifford
Director of Wellbeing

‘In this Together’

National Reconciliation week is a time for all of us to learn about our shared cultures, histories and achievements; it is also a time to explore how we can contribute to achieving reconciliation in not only our school community, but wider society in general. 'In this Together' is the Reconciliation Week theme for 2020. These words call on all Australians from all backgrounds to have the 'courage to walk together to foster positive relationships that contribute to a better future for all'.

Various activities were undertaken by students and staff leading up to, and during Reconciliation Week to demonstrate our commitment to promoting reconciliation. These included:

• Prayers around reconciliation were shared each day during Pastoral Care time and morning staff meetings.
• Meaningful activities and displays were provided in the Resource Centre by Ms Haythorpe and student volunteers.
• Nunga students were encouraged to ‘bring a friend’ in the spirit of reconciliation to a workshop where they created artistic and colourful rocks.

During Term 2 holidays the Reconciliation Rocks will be dispersed throughout the Kaurna Plains and along the Tjilbruke Trail for the general public to find; they will be asked to place them in a different location for others to find. Don't forget to comment on the Kildare College's Facebook post 'Reconciliation Rocks' with a photo of your discovery.

With COVID-19 restrictions preventing whole school gatherings still in place, a virtual Reconciliation Liturgy involving students, parents and staff was created by the College. The liturgy was shared with students and staff during Monday morning PC to enable everyone to participate in the true spirit of Reconciliation. This beautiful liturgy has also been shared with the wider community including other Kildare Ministries schools in the eastern states.

The Indigenous Focus Team

The theme for this year’s National Reconciliation Week – 'In this Together' reminds us, whether in a crisis or on the journey of Reconciliation, we are all #InThisTogether. This slogan is especialy relevant at this point in time. As a College we are committed to supporting your daughter as she continues to engage in her learning, and work towards achieving her goals. We are 'In this Together'.

In our endeavours to set up your daughter for success in the workplace, we have experienced new and different ways to run group sessions where students have listened to and spoken with experts over Zoom. Our Year 12s participated in a Commonwealth Bank session on their rights in the workplace and ways they can save money after school. The use of this technology has allowed us to continue the planned content of our Girls Achieve Program. 

Examinations – Why are they conducted?

As we come to the end of the semester our Years 10 and 11 students will soon sit their Semester 1 examinations and our Year 12 students will sit their Mid-Year examinations. For many students, this time can be seen as stressful with many arguing that examinations promote a superficial understanding of topics and that they fail to represent the real world. However, examinations can offer a variety of benefits.

Good assessment across a school semester aims to provide a balanced and fair evaluation of students' abilibites. This can be achieved through varying contexts so that students can demonstrate what they know and can do. Our teachers use a variety of assessment methods including research projects, group assignments, oral and visual presentations, the use of technology including, podcasts, as well as the more traditional class tests and assignments

Assessment tasks must also be specific to the goals of what they are assessing, meaning that a creative practical task would look different to a knowledge based task. Whilst project based, group work can offer deep, rich assessment that promotes higher order thinking and decision making skills. Examinations allow students to showcase a breadth and depth of knowledge across the subject. This is our goal – differences in our assessment tasks that allow students the opportunities to demonstrate what they know and can do.

We look forward to the students performing well during the examination period which will be held in Week 9 of Term 2, for both Year 10 and 11 students and in the second week of the holidays for the Year 12 students. Further information about the examination period can be found in the letter and timetable that was emailed home during Week 5 of this term.

Raymond Kropinski
Senior Years Coordinator

Core classes 8A and 8C have been working to design, develop and create a cookie that reflects a theme of a party. Students started by sketching and refining their ideas using feedback from peers, before constructing their own cookie cutter using aluminium foil. 

Over the course of  two weeks, they created their cookies and decorated them using either royal icing or fondant. They evaluated the process by identifying successes and challenges in the task, while also providing suggestions for improvements.

Emma Ward
Food Technology Teacher

Students' Reflections

In this task I really enjoyed learning how to use fondant and royal icing. It was challenging to make the cookie cutter, but I was really happy with the final outcome. – Lily Sparkhall 8KE

There is a lot of thinking needed, and different steps to go through before creating the final product. I enjoyed that we were able to  create our own designs and decorate them how we wanted to. I chose to create a pineapple cookie. – Charli Chapman-King 8KE

This task was lots of fun. I liked being able to use different types of icing and it was cool that we got to make our own cookie cutters out of the foil. – Charlotte Ciracovitch 8CD

I learnt that it is important to think about the actual design of a product, before you think about the final product, because it might not turn out how you want it to. – Abagail Zwarts 8BC

I enjoyed this task, as I learnt a lot more about baking and the work that goes into cookies, especially the decoration of the cookie and how to use icing and fondant. – Vanessa Chhun 8NA

Year 7 HUMS have begun their Ancient Worlds and Poetry Units. The students have been busy creating, investigating, analysing and applying their knowledge and understanding of these units, into what will be elaborate displays. 

The displays will explore and present key aspects of ancient worlds. We have costume making, Bollywood dancing, delicious menus and a range of incredible representations the students have devised individually and in small groups.  

Later in the term, the students will be presenting their multimedia transformations of Banjo Paterson’s Geebung Polo Club poem. We are thrilled and excited to see what our students can create!

Carolina Salvo
Learning Leader

Senior classes have been researching into plant-based food and also food influenced by different cultures. 

These dishes have ranged from Chinese fried rice with deconstructed spring rolls, Italian inspired Earl Grey panna cotta, to plant-based meals such as pineapple satay fried rice, chia seed French toast with whipped coconut cream and a nutritious vegan poke bowl.

Kara Steward and Alana Durka
Food and Hospitality Teachers

Resource Centre Lessons
The Resource Centre is once again full of life. It is wonderful to have our Years 7 and 8 HUMS classes back in for their regular Resource Centre lessons. This week these classes have been exploring a new data base located on The Resource Centre Portal page which is an online gateway where students can access reliable and safe resources with ease. Book Talks are a key component of these lessons. The purpose of Book Talks is to motivate students to read, discover new titles and showcase different genres.Students are encouraged to participate in the Premier's Reading Challenge and get House points for reading.

Lunch Time Activities
The colours of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags were used as students coloured hand images and placed them around the word 'Sorry', as one of our lunch time activities during Reconciliation Week. The beautiful work can be seen in the images below.  

On Wireless Wednesdays we have been running special POP UP events  It was musical chairs last week and everyone had a ball. There was lots of laughter, as students connected with each other and the crowd encouraged maximum participation. Let’s see what wacky, fun activity we have planned for this week?

Resource Centre Volunteers
We are very blessed to have wonderful, committed Student Volunteers who are dedicated to their role. Last week these students qualified to receive a Badge to acknowledge their service. Mrs Neate awarded every student with a Certificate of Appreciation from Dana Wortley MP, Member for Torrens. Students were treated with individual serves of cheesecake, before borrowing some new books. 

‘Having the opportunity to become a Resource Centre volunteer was a big deal to me. I  always helped in the library at my primary school and I just love helping at Kildare to create some new friends and bond with peers. I thank and highly appreciate Mrs Haythorpe and the College community for awarding me with a delicious cheesecake and with a wonderful badge. The certificate was so honourable and I do thank the College very much.’ Chantelle Year 7

‘The cheesecake was amazing, mouth-watering, and was great because it was the best cheesecake I have ever eaten. When I received the certificate it was a surprise and unexpected. When I showed my mum she was super proud of me. When I wear the badge it means a lot because then I can help out Mrs Haythorpe in the Resource Centre, make new friends and learn new skills and I will never forget any of it.’ Fleur Year 8

Mrs Haythorpe
Resource Centre Manager

The Year 10 History class have been going back in time and exploring the growth of Pop Culture from the 1950s to present day and significantly the lasting changes these moments have had on our culture.

Whilst changes to fashion, entertainment, technology, politics and gender roles have engaged the students, and lead to some engaging and passionate discussions, they have demonstrated a keen enthusiasm for the music as we have progressed from Bill Hayley and the Comets, through Elvis, Madonna, the Bee Gees, Queen, Michael Jackson and Beyonce. There may still be time to for them to experience "Tubular Bells".

Students are displaying a strong understanding of how these key moments, events, individuals and experiences are a significant influence and inspiration on contemporary society.

Shaun Castles
History Teacher

This term, my Year 11 Religious Education students have been working on a practical activity which focuses on the current challenges that COVID-19 has presented to our wider community.

As the world is working together to find the best possible solutions for handling this pandemic, geographical isolation is creating distress and hardship for many vulnerable members in our community. 

The practical component of this task asked the students to create a series of questions and interview a vulnerable person in society (the elderly, the disabled, those with a compromised immune system or a terminal illness), and also identify and interview people such as volunteers or essential workers, organisations and/or places of worship who support those in need.

Tayla Davies (Brigid House) has worked tirelessly over the last few weeks with her grandmothers (Grandmother Iris is pictured with Tayla), to knit a lovely blanket for someone who is struggling under the current difficult circumstances. 

Tayla has decided to donate the blanket to the Hutt Street Centre – an organisation that supports people who face the recurring difficulties posed by being homeless. This beautiful gesture has highlighted and reinforced the power of kindness and compassion. A gesture such as this can mean the world to someone who is in desperate circumstances. It has also validated that creating a sense of hope during uncertainty, leads to positive change which can be done through acts of kindness.

A big thank you to Tayla and her wonderful grandmothers for giving up their time to help those less fortunate.

Zefi Pezos
Year 11 Religious Education Teacher