MILL VALLEY RANCH

Blaring music and exhilarated chatter could be heard from Melbourne as the Year Sevens left for Tynong North. Our journey began in Geelong on the second of March. Oh, and what a marvellous journey it was. Upon our arrival, we experienced the thrilling feeling you receive just before you start an adventure, the feeling where your heart’s in your throat and you can’t sit still, even though your legs are asleep from the two-hour bus trip. The atmosphere was buzzing as everyone stepped onto the ground of Mill Valley Ranch. Our eyes were alight with excitement. We were happily introduced to some of the Mill Valley Ranch staff; Aaron, Kim, Sam and Hannah. They were wonderful people who made the camp even more enjoyable. We didn’t waste a second once we were all settled in. Our cabins, day groups and teacher leaders were announced and we were all given a badge as a souvenir and to make learning everyone’s name easier for the camp staff and teachers.

Some of the activities we completed throughout the camp included; archery, initiatives, horse riding, ropes course, raft building, craft and on both nights we had a late-night activity. On the first night, we all travelled through the bush on a night walk. Up through the tangled bush, we ventured, loving the crunch of the damp pebbles beneath our feet, the biting cold that attacked every inch of our bare skin and the glorious stars above. They looked as if someone had sprinkled glitter onto the emptiness of a blank page to light up the night. On the second night, we watched the inspiring movie, Ride Like a Girl. The movie showed us how women, with hard work and determination, can do anything they put their minds to.

We ended the camp exhausted, but we came away with memories that will remain in our hearts and minds forever and friendships that will last a lifetime. Thank you Mill Valley Ranch for providing the amazing experiences we will never forget, and to the Sacred Heart staff for making this opportunity possible. We are all so grateful.

Harper Allchin 7FBO

Please see below some images of students from 7SC, as they work on their first art project.

On the 28th of February 2020, we got the opportunity to attend the ‘Business in Heels’ conference with Mr Gromilic. We have a shared interest in commerce as we both study units 3&4 Business Management and 1&2 Accounting at St Josephs.

We were driven to Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus to attend a conference that was centralised around the importance of supporting women creating their own businesses. There is a lack of women representation in the entrepreneurial world, and ‘Business in Heels’ focused on the amazing things we can achieve when we believe in ourselves. We were greeted with many wonderful and inspiring women as we took a walk through the stalls set up for a range of successful businesses.

The guest speaker for the day was George McEnroe, the founder of Shebah. Shebah is a women-only rideshare service that was created after George felt as though there was no safe option for young women to get home late at night. This idea developed into something much bigger, and with a lot of hard work, they were able to develop it into the business it is today. She spoke about the discrimination she faced as a woman trying to break into the business world after being a comedian and a teacher. George gave amazing advice to the business owners attending the day, encouraging them to “go for it” and to “put everything into their business”, as that’s what it takes to succeed. She explained how the backlash received regarding the ‘gender discrimination’ created amazing publicity for her business and played a huge role in its success.

Overall, our morning at the ‘Business in Heels’ conference was a really great day and was a positive learning experience. It was interesting being able to recognise the links between what we were learning in class and what the different women were saying about their businesses. We were exposed to a whole new world of entrepreneurs which I believed would inspire us in the future to do the same.

Liana Vagnoni 11LOAHB and Claudia Anglin 11CLJF

The safety and wellbeing of our College community is paramount during these challenging times of uncertainty. For this reason we have decided to cancel or postpone community events involving large gatherings of people. This decision has been made based on the latest advice from the Department of Health and Human Services.

We have cancelled/postponed all community events scheduled between now and June, as listed below:

• Discovery Day - Tuesday 17 March
• Circle of Mercy - Thursday 19 March
• Alumni AGM - Sunday 22 March *
• Geelong Design Week - Wednesday 25 March
• Antiques Sideshow - Sunday 5 April *
• 160th Anniversary Mass and Celebrations - Sunday 19 April *
• Empowering Women Dinner - 7 May *
• School Production (including rehearsals) - March to June *

* Future date to be advised

Whilst we have no reported cases of the virus, we remain alert and will close the College if required based on the advice of health and education authorities. We reassure you that the College has an active management plan in place which we will adapt to the situation as necessary. If the College must close, classes for our students will progress to a remote learning platform.

Please stay safe and healthy during these challenging times.

A beautiful, fresh morning on Tuesday 25 February made this year’s triathlon very spectacular. There were 6 schools participating this year at Eastern Beach, Geelong. Clonard and SHC represented Geelong whilst the other schools were from Melbourne. The competition was tough, team support very prominent as was sportsmanship.

The SHC teams were very competitive and won all 3 divisions (Juniors, Intermediates and Seniors) plus the Overall Aggregate. Well done to our SHC team who represented us in such a dominant all round effort and congratulations to the individual students who won medals for placing in the top 10.

Final Scores at the end of competition:

Juniors – SHC students

Intermediates – SHC students

Seniors – SHC students (senior Girls did an extra lap on bike leg)

All are welcome to attend our first Circle of Mercy for 2020. It is titled 'Mercy Story, Mercy Values', and will presented by Bernard Dobson. Please see the flyer below for more information.

Please be advised the next Parent Communication Afternoon will be held on Tuesday 24 March, from 3.40 to 5.00pm. These evenings are available for parents who wish to discuss immediate or urgent matters with their daughter’s teacher. This can be done via a meeting or a scheduled telephone call.

Please note Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) will also occur this evening for Year 7 and 8 parents from 4.00pm - 6.00pm.

Teaching staff will be available between 3.40pm to 5.00pm. Please contact the staff member to arrange a suitable time for a meeting or a phone call within these times.

On Monday, 2 March, photographic artist Jahkarli Romanis visited Sacred Heart to talk to VCE and Year 9 Studio Arts classes. A former student (Class of 2016), Jahkarli has since completed a Bachelor of Arts in Photography at RMIT, and has recently commenced its Photography Honours program.

Jahkarli studied photography in Middle School and Year 11. After graduation from SHC, Jahakarli had intentions of pursuing a writing course, but it was a visit on Open Day to RMIT’s Photography department that decided her future course of study.

The focus of Jahkarli’s work has moved from what she described as the ‘window’, looking at the world through the camera, to the ‘mirror’, turning the camera upon herself as a means of exploring her own identity, especially her indigenous heritage. For a recent exhibition at Boom Gallery in Newtown, Jahkarli wrote that her photography,

Explores my own identity as a Pitta Pitta women … a pursuit for control and agency … through self-portraiture, rendering myself visible within a medium that was historically used to misrepresent my people.

Using the Photoshop technique of layering, Jahkarli ‘submerses’ herself ‘back in to Country – the landscape that is the link between my culture, tribal grounds and where I exist now.’ (See images below for examples of Jahkarli’s work.)

Jahkarli engaged each class with her passion for photography, along with an electronic presentation that included her former school work as well as that from RMIT and exhibitions. She also had a folio of prints which demonstrated some of the processes she uses in her current work. It is evident from feedback from both students and staff that they very much appreciated Jahkarli’s visit, and are keen to have her return to guide students with their folio work.

John Watts, Arts Staff

Well done to all 20 girls who competed at the Geelong Grammar Inter-schools Equestrian Competition on February 21 - 23, especially the girls who placed in their competition:

Sienna Dean - Encourage Show-jumping Champion (1st place)

Sophie Taylor - Medium reserve champion (2nd)

Charlotte Iles - Novice dressage champion (1st)

Students who competed:

Showjumping - Emily Ferguson, Sienna Dean (Encourage Champion), Chloe Leen, Alana Docherty, Lucha Alexander, Alex Light, Lilyanna Keating, Rosie Madden, Emma Street, Laura King, Isla Mullen, Emily Fellner, Eliza Ansell, Charlie Alexander

Dressage - Sophie Taylor (1st, 2nd & reserve Champion - medium), Charlotte Iles (senior novice - 1st, 2nd & champion), Alana Docherty, Matilda Iles, Imogen Hewitt, Emily Fischer, Imogen Garvey

Bianca Cheever, Director of Sport

Please see below the Semester 1 Parent Portal Data Timeline.

Every year SHC sponsors young women from our community partner school, CTID in Baucau, to go to teachers college to obtain Bachelor degrees in Education. These graduates, in turn go out into their communities to improve educational standards for Timorese children.

Sr Maria is the Madre at CTID and has sent the following photos of Merita and Alzira, whose dreams for a better future have been made possible by the generous donations of the SHC community.

Sr Maria writes, "Thank you so much for helping. God will bless and keep you".

Parents from Year 7 to 12 have nominated to represent their year level. They are referred to as our Parent Power Team Leaders. With their leadership and passion, they will work on building your YEAR LEVEL community this year, via the main communication portal of your year level private Facebook page. If you have not joined your year level page as yet, the links are at the bottom for you to do so*.

The Parent Power Leaders are there to support families, advise and guide, update you, answer and ask questions. Please support them back and assist to build YOUR community year level.

Also, the Parent Power Leaders will organise TWO social catch up's this year for each Year 7-12 (one per semester). Please support the parent leaders by coming along to the social catch up's, seeing families you know, meeting new families and being involved in your year level community. Keep a look out for the invitations!

We thank the Parent Power Team for leading their year level and thank each year level community for being involved!

*If you have not joined your private Facebook year level page, the links are below -

• Year 7 Parents: https://tinyurl.com/year7parents
• Year 8 Parents: https://tinyurl.com/year8parents1
• Year 9 Parents: https://tinyurl.com/year9parents
• Year 10 Parents: https://tinyurl.com/year10parents1
• Year 11 Parents: https://tinyurl.com/year11parents
• Year 12 Parents: https://tinyurl.com/year12parents1
  

Congratulations to Ashley Delaney 10SIDH, on being chosen as the Deputy Junior Mayor for the 2020 Youth Council. Please see below the City of Greater Geelong blurb introducing Ashley and her fellow Youth Council members.

Introducing our 2020 Youth Council! 👏 A big welcome and congratulations to Elkin, Hollie, Josie, Jed, Matty, Ruby-Jane, Banjo, Fadilah, Carmen, Logan, Junior Mayor Farzana and Deputy Junior Mayor Ashley.

These 12 young people will serve as the official ‘youth voice’ for Council, discussing priorities like social and community connections, mental health and well being, and capability; such as skill development, education and employment. More here: http://ow.ly/smZF50yuYVz

Photo courtesy City of Greater Geelong. Ashley is back row, 5th from the right

This year our SHC swimmers representative team competed in the All School Swimming Relays, held on Thursday 5 March at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Students and staff headed up on a bus together straight after school and the night had a wonderful ‘buzz’ and feel to it. All girls came prepared to race and were very supportive of one another cheering and clapping throughout the events.

Sacred Heart College were very competitive in all relay events and the girls should be very proud of their efforts. They came 7th overall against all schools in the state of Victoria. Well done!

I would like to say thank you to all students who came along on the night and a special thanks to Miss Abbey Turner for organising the team before the competition and Miss Maddie Boyd and Miss. India Hart from attending the night with me.

Team: Emily Joyce, Ella Donnoli, Zoe Honey, Georgia McCardel, Aaliyah Kapisiz, Georgia-Rose Aitken, Abigail Edwards, Allegra Lloyd, Alana Docherty, Mateah Thompson, Chanel Simsic, Jade Walters, Stella Draper, Claudia Draper, Tiahnee McGarth, Isabelle Aitken, Lacey O’Brien, Molly Green, Mackenzie Hooper

Bianca Cheever, Director of Sport

Mother Xavier Maguire belongs to a largely unsung host of women religious who have contributed so much to the development of the Catholic Church and also to the life of the nation. Her legacy as a Sister of Mercy is one of inspiring leadership, facing all obstacles with courage and stamina to bring her vision to reality. - Helen Mary Delaney RSM, author of 'Mother Xavier Maguire - A Woman of Faith and Vision'.

Helen Mary Delaney RSM has written an extensive and engrossing book about our Foundress, Mother Xavier Maguire. Please click here to purchase Mother Xavier Maguire - A Woman of Faith and Vision.

Dani Storm (Design by Storm), a Melbourne based industrial designer and furniture maker, has collaborated with SHC iTinker/wood students to create a lighting installation to be exhibited at Brightspace Gallery in St Kilda as part of Melbourne Design Week. Students connected the theme of the exhibition, Light + Life to the recent devastation of this Summer's Australian bushfires.

The following is the students' perspective.

Our native flora and fauna have had their ashes scattered in the air, causing destruction to our ecosystem and additionally impacting surrounding countries. Our installation focuses on the remaining structure and life of the land. The beauty and life that comes from traumatic events can often create a sense of community and belonging, bringing people together to repair what is broken.

After consultation with residents living in the impacted areas of East Gippsland, debris was collected and carefully transported back to the Makerspace at Sacred Heart College. The charred wood will form the design of a sculptural light, bent to resemble unity and hope after destruction.

EXHIBITION TIMES: 13–22 MAR, MON–FRI, 10AM–6PM & SAT–SUN, 12–4PM

https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/program/lightlife/#date8

Siobhan Kavenagh, Makerspace Manager

March 23 - 29 is VicHealth’s This Girl Can Week and it’s for all kinds of Victorian women, who are all kinds of active. It’s about giving something a go and discovering how good being active can make you feel!

To show our support and encourage students to move every day, whether it’s a little or a lot – we’ve organised some fun lunchtime activities for everyone to ‘have a go!’

You can look up other events happening near you by clicking on this link.

#ThisGirlCanVIc

Meg Saxon, Sports and Wellness Centre Manager

Each year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information.

To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school.

Please click here for more information: NCCD fact sheet for parents guardians and carers