DARANEWS 28 May 2021
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DARANEWS 28 May 2021 WEBSITE DARANET school life, the recent cases of Covid-19 in From the Principal Sydney and Melbourne remind us all that we cannot become complacent. We have Upcoming events Dear Parents/Carers, two long-weekends over the coming weeks Staff and Students, where families may have plans to travel 31 May interstate. I would urge families to continue We are already more to monitor the guidelines and advice from Reconcilitaion Day Public Holiday than half-way through ACT Health in relation to any changes to the term, and it is travel restrictions over the coming weeks. 4 -10 June pleasing to see the Thank you also to those families who have followed our protocols and the advice of Year 11-12 Examinations way most students are very engaged in ACT Health and kept their students at 11 June fulfilling their various home when they have been experiencing commitments as we cold and flu symptoms. Year 11-12 AST Preparation move towards the busy final weeks of the Feast of the Sacred Heart semester when many assignments and tests are scheduled. While it is a busy Enrolments 14 June time, it is important that students maintain The enrolment period for Year 7 and a good balance in their lives to reduce new Year 11 families for 2022 officially Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday anxiety about meeting deadlines. For many closes today, 28 May. This year we have 16 June students who may have planned their work received a significantly higher number of and time well, they will find their efforts applications for places in Year 7, 2022 than ACT Cross Country Carnival have paid off in terms of being well-placed in previous years. Our enrolment policy to meet all deadlines successfully. We wish provides a clear guide as to the process 18 June our senior students all the best when their that we follow when determining the End of Term 2 formal exam period begins next Friday. offers of places. Offers of places are not Whilst there is an air of relative normality scheduled to be made before the end of the 12 July as we go about the day-to-day routines of term, in line with those made for other ACT Students return to school Sacred Heart Day Mass 2021 DARAMALAN COLLEGE COWPER ST DICKSON 6245 6300 [email protected] www.daramalan.act.edu.au 2 From the Principal Catholic Schools. Families with students of Country in Ngunnawal language. The individually and in groups. It was great to currently enrolled in Year 10 are reminded Mass also served to highlight the Vinnies be able to have the band Flowermarket, that the Notice of Intention forms, emailed Winter Appeal, with the offertory including comprised of former Daramalan students, to families earlier this term, are due to be a selection of items that will be donated perform during the afternoon. The day returned by Friday 18 June. to the Night Patrol van. We were joined was a wonderful community event and for Mass by Chris McDermott, Principal celebration. of Chevalier College, who travelled from Sacred Heart Day Bowral with a large number of their student Yesterday we gathered to celebrate Sacred leadership team; Mark McGinnity, the MSC Visit Heart Day. The actual day of the feast this Director of MSC Education; and a number For several days recently we hosted a year is Friday 11 June, however as this is of former staff and members of the College large number of guests from the three the last day of our Senior Exam period, we Board. other MSC schools in Australia as well as chose to celebrate the day early to enable the MSC Provincial and other members our entire community to participate. It was The afternoon activities included a shared of the Provincial’s leadership team. The wonderful to be able to welcome back Fr BBQ lunch cooked and served by our meetings this year were the first time that Bob Irwin MSC to celebrate Mass with us, House Captains, staff and volunteers. this group has been able to meet in person which culminated with his rousing rendition We extend our thanks to those parents since 2019 due to the various Covid-19 of “Shout out to my soul”. The theme of and carers who volunteered their time to restrictions that were in place across the our Mass was ‘Many Hearts – One Family’, help with the BBQs. After lunch, “Dara’s different States and Territories throughout acknowledging that love is at the heart Got Talent” was held in the Sports Centre, 2020. The meetings which are held over of family and respect is one value that and it was clear that this is definitely the three days provide a great opportunity for flows from love. To mark Reconciliation case. Congratulations to all of the students representatives from each of the Colleges, Week, our College Captains, Patrick and who were involved in preparing the House MSC Education and the Chevalier Institute Maya, delivered the Acknowledgement Acts and to the students who performed to discuss issues and share ideas. The visitors shared morning tea with our staff and were treated to a lunch provided by our Hospitality staff and students. They were very complimentary about the warm welcome that they received during their visit. Music Performance Evening On Monday 24 May I and a number of other staff members, along with the parents and families of our music students, had the privilege of attending the Music Performance Evening. The performances from the Junior Band, Senior Band, Jazz Band, String Ensembles and Choir were amazing, with the Jazz Band being called back by the crowd for an encore performance. Hosted by Arts and Culture Captain, Isabella Miller, the evening really did showcase the musical talents that exist Sacred Heart Day Mass 2021 here at Daramalan. Thank you to all of the staff involved including Michael Jackson, Angela Dunn, Hilda Visser-Scott, Michelle Coggan, Helen Steel and Joe Woodward, and all of our external music tutors. Vinnies Sleepout On Friday 14 May, 48 students and staff participated in the Vinnies Sleep- out at the College. These students experienced for a short time what it is like to be without a warm place to sleep at night whilst learning that this is a major issue facing a growing number of young people in Canberra every day. I would like to thank Trish Halangahu for her organisation of such a significant community event, along with the staff and students who slept out on the night. MSC Guests Donations for the Vinnie’s Winter Appeal can be made through PT classes. 3 From the Principal Floriade in the Community Congratulations to Louise Chapman and the Lyons House team who have been successful in their application to bring Floriade to Daramalan. As part of the Floriade in the Community project, the College has been allocated 2400 bulbs and 2400 annuals for planting! It is envisaged that the planting will occur along the front (Cowper Street) and side (Morphett Street) garden beds and will be taking place over the coming weeks to ensure that the flowering coincides with Floriade. NAPLAN Our Years 7 and 9 students completed the NAPLAN tests recently and they conducted themselves very well during Year 7 NAPLAN 2021 the tests. I would like to acknowledge as the weather has changed. There is having been in the first cohort of girls to the work undertaken behind the scenes the option for our female students to be enrolled in Years 11 and 12. Michael to ensure that the tests ran smoothly by wear trousers during the winter months Munro-Mobbs has been appointed Heike Craig, Chris De Britt, the team to alleviate the cold associated with as the incoming Deputy Board Chair. of staff who were trained as facilitators, wearing a skirt in the Canberra winter. We also thank Michael Slaven for his along with the College IT Staff. There Thank you for your support in ensuring expertise and contributions as a member were very few issues or glitches over the that our students wear their uniform with of the College Board and the Finance, days that the tests were held, and this pride as ambassadors of the College. Audit and Risk Management Committee can be attributed to the approach taken over a number of years. Newly appointed by this team. as Directors of the College Board are College Board Changes Shaun Wilson and Andrew Webber. Uniform There have been several changes to the Shaun is a former student whose family College Board this month. We extend As the weather has turned colder and has a long association with the College; our thanks to Chris Fearon for his the foggy mornings have become more his mother was the PA to the Headmaster, contribution to the College over many frequent, can I take this opportunity to Fr Bob Irwin MSC in the mid-1980s. years as he steps down from his role remind families that hoodies, including Shaun brings a wealth of experience to as Chair of the College Board. He will Daramalan sports hoodies, and ‘puffer’ the Board and the Buildings, Facilities, be replaced by Adrienne Day as the jackets do not form part of the Daramalan Resources and IT Committee, through Board Chair who has previously held the uniform and should not be worn to school, his work in the private sector where he position of Deputy Board Chair. Adrienne at school or from school. Unfortunately, operates his own engineering company. has a long association with the College we are seeing these items creeping in Andrew is also a former student who brings extensive expertise in the finance and auditing sector to the Board and the Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee.