We have past the half-way mark of term! I wish the Year Twelves all the very best in their exams and work experience. From all accounts, the Year Twelve Retreat last week was a wonderful break away to Pinjarra where the students reflected, prayed and connected with self, others and God.

An outstanding first place result for our Year 7/8 Girls AFL team at the Great Southern competition. The entire school team made us proud with their competitive spirit and efforts.

The Junior School is very much looking forward to the annual Book Fair next week and we thank our terrific P&F for their organisation. I took great delight handing out some vouchers to our students who have continued to rack up House points for WESTIE behaviours.

So many of our students continue to amaze me with their extra-currlcular activities and achievments. Luke M being offered a place with SSWA team and representing WA at the Gold Coast in July; Mikayla H (Karadal Chance - HSH) and Willow B and achievements in the equestrian field; Tea Z being selected for another junior tennis tournament in Brisbane; our talented students (staff and parents) across Junior and Secondary in community performances (We Will Rock You, Class of '77 and The Lion King). I know there is more but I am not always made aware. I am happy to receive news about our students so please let me know.

In Term One, I mentioned some uniform changes. In Term Four this year we will transition to the following - College navy shorts as an option for females, navy socks for Secondary School girls and a new soft-shell jacket to replace the current rainjacket.

The College organises Student readers at every 4th Saturday 6pm Mass at Holy Family Church. All members of the College community are invited to celebrate Mass with the Parish, but if your child would like to read, please contact me.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and Week Seven.

A huge thank you to the P&F committee members, for the wonderful donation of the Wonder Rugged Car Kits to the college Digital Technologies department. The Wonder Rugged Car Kit for the bicro:bit is an omnidirectional car kit. It can achieve 360-degree omnidirectional movement and can also complete difficult movements such as drifting left and right. The students will be able to build and code them, taking their learning up to another level. I am looking forward to hearing their problem-solving and coding conversations as well as the laughs and fun I am sure they will be able to have.

Thank You

Mrs Cav and the students

This term the Year Seven and Eight students have had a lot of fun creating Inchworms. An inchworm is connected to a micro:bit, a servo motor and a paperclip. Students then write code investigating ideal angles of movement for the servo, delay time between moves and utilising loops.

"We made the Peppa Pig family as our inchworms, it was so much fun making these and would love to do another project like this. It is way better than making PowerPoints and posters. They were easy to make and were really enjoyable. We would definitely do it again. By Mia, Lara and Cleo

"We made a ladybug and a Beebot as our inchworms. We both had a lot of fun making these and looked forward to making them every week. They were not too hard to make and everyone’s looked amazing when they were finished". By Abi and Vileasha

"We made the bananas in pyjamas and SpongeBob as our inchworms. The inchworms were so much fun to do and we would definitely do it again". By Heath, Richard, Matteo and James!

I think the smiles say it all.

Mrs Cav

National Sorry day (26^th of May) is a day of healing, reconciliation and acknowledgement of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and their families that were a part of the Stolen Generation. From 1910 to 1969, tens of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were taken from their families to be forcefully assimilated into white society. This stripped them of their culture and robbed them of their identity. Some 40 years later the effects of this cultural genocide continue to inflict harm on Aboriginal people through intergeneration trauma caused by the loss of land, heritage, culture, language, and family. As the next generations of Australians, it’s vital for us to acknowledge the grief felt by Stolen Generation victims and its impact should not be forgotten or dismissed. Sorry Day also marks the beginning of Reconciliation Week.

Today in our College students were asked to wear a purple accessory in solidarity and remembrance. The Year 12s took a different approach, at the suggestion of Mrs Miller, we flipped our jackets inside out to display the Indigenous design that lines the inside. Shout out to Mrs Colmer for the design and the jacket committee for making it happen! The English and HASS departments alike have ensured students understand the day and its significance. From the English classrooms’ displays, to Mrs Trichilo’s Year 10s coming in to present during Home Room about Sorry Day, it’s been great to see students and staff embrace the day and I have no doubt the College will continue to do so in future years.

By Cassandra S

Arts and Culture Prefect

Saint Rita of Cascia

Feast Day: May 22

Patron Saint of: Difficult Marriages and Impossible causes

Life:

Born in central Italy in 1381, Rita was a wife, mother, widow and member of her local religious community. After a difficult marriage in which her husband was killed during a brawl and her sons died, Rita joined the Augustinian Nuns where her prayer and charity became legend. She was canonised a Saint in 1900 with many people visiting her tomb each year praying for the causes that we sometimes think are impossible.

Reflection:

Throughout her life, Rita became a holy person because she made choices that reflected her love for God. While she experienced many difficulties and challenges, she always trusted in God's grace and that she would be guided to exactly where she was meant to be. Sometimes its hard for us to let go and let God do his work, but we must never be afraid because God will always show us the way. St Rita of Cascia, pray for us.

The Year 5 & 6 boys' team has shown remarkable improvement in the Eagles Cup this term. In Round 1, they faced GSG and, despite a strong effort, were defeated by 8 goals. Round 2 saw a tighter match against Spencer Park, with the boys only falling short by 11 points, demonstrating better gameplay and teamwork. With two rounds remaining, the team is eager to continue their progress and achieve a strong finish in the competition.

St. Jo's Inter-House Cross Country Carnival was held under beautiful, sunny, and hot conditions last Friday, providing an ideal backdrop for a day of fierce competition. This year marked a significant milestone for the pre-primary students as they participated in their first-ever cross country carnival. The young athletes ran impressively, earning applause and encouragement from the crowd for their determination and effort.

The carnival featured a variety of races from 500m - 2.5km, with students from all houses competing enthusiastically. The vibrant atmosphere was further enhanced by the cheers and support from parents and teachers, creating a sense of community and celebration.

The high intensity races were paired with a lively tug of war, where students from different year groups joined forces in their house groups, adding a fun and competitive edge to the festivities. The tug of war was a crowd favourite, capping off a successful and enjoyable day at St. Jo's.

Well done to all Champions and Runner Ups:

Year 1:

1. Champions: Mya & Edward
2. Runner ups: Lillian & Emerson

Year 2:

1. Champions: Max & Lillie
2. Runner ups: Blair & Penny

Year 3:

1. Champions: Maddy, Jackson & Jed
2. Runner ups: Indigo

Year 4:

1. Champions: Luke & Keira
2. Runner ups: Eli & Coco

Year 5:

1. Champions: Mason & Sophie
2. Runner ups: Benji & Indi

Year 6:

1. Champions: Mackenzie & Suri
2. Runner ups: Hunter & Neve

Beautiful singing can be heard coming from the Undercover Area every Thursday afternoon as the Junior School Choir rehearses. With seventy-five students from Years Four - Six choosing to sing in the choir, it is not surprising that St Joseph's is gaining the reputation of being Albany's singing school. We are learning a song by JS Bach and another beautiful song called 'Stars'. We have recently begun a clever arrangement of 'Polly Wolly Doodle' complete with boom-whackers and kazoos! We can't wait to perform it for the Junior School when we've perfected it.

Much fun was had in the junior library at lunchtime today when three students from 6B set up a sticker making activity.

Thank you Amelia A, Herziah, Sienna and Amelia F for running the fun activity.

It is great to see students engaging in Christian service around the College !

UWA Albany is holding an Information Session for the Smart Start Enabling Course for students considering this entry pathway into university in the future.

Smart Start offers you:

1. A course delivered over 14 weeks or one semester gull-time study (or equivalent port-time);
2. The opportunity for entry into first-year degree studies delivered through Albany campus upon successful completion;
3. No fees are charged for this course;
4. A supportive study environment;
5. The opportunity to learn new skills and experience the rewards of university life; and
6. Contemporary coursework that provides an excellent foundation for university and lifelong learning.

Applying for Smart Start:

The application steps for the Smart Start course can be found here and are listed below.

1. Apply online

Fill in an application form here — uwa.edu.au/albany/Study-at-Albany

Be sure to attach a copy of your Australian Residency to your application.

2. Complete two literacy and numeracy tasks

Complete the English & Maths tasks either in person at the Information Session or online using the links below.

Written Task

Maths Task

These tasks are simply to gauge the support you may require in these areas.

3. Attend the Information Session

You should attend the Smart Start Information Session held prior to every semester.

(semester 1 entry — December & January; semester 2 entry — 19 June 2024 10am).

You can register for the next session via the link here or emailing uwa-albany@uwa.edu.au

4. Attend a short interview

Attend a short interview, either in person at the Information Session or online. This interview is an informal chat about your future study plans.

You are invited to the Triple P’s Power of Positive Parenting seminar - Transition Program.

This seminar can help you understand why our teens act the way they do and how your reactions and words can make a big difference. Our two-hour seminar is free for Year 7 and 8 parents and carers. The seminar is packed with ideas to help you give your children the best start in high school and get more enjoyment from being a parent.

This seminar is open to parents and carers of Year 7 & 8 students from all schools. If you have a friend, please register them and bring them with you.

The details of the seminar are:

Thursday, 30 May 2024

5.30 to 7.30 pm

Albany SHS Performing Arts Centre (APAC)

Parking at APAC, corner Campbell and Middleton Roads

Register your attendance using this link https://forms.office.com/r/PweWsBrS8p?origin=lprLink

Today we launched our media campaign ‘Blanket Albany’ here at Triple M Albany!

Not everyone gets to go home tonight! Homelessness affects people of all ages and from all walks of life and here at Triple M, we want to help our community!

Across 4 weeks from Monday 20th May, we’ve partnered with Harvey Norman to run a blanket drive, asking everyone to donate any new or unused blankets to assist our efforts.

On Saturday 15th June, we will be hosting a live broadcast between 8am-10am where we will spread the donated blankets out over an area, seeing how much of that area we can cover. We will then take all the donated blankets and distribute them among local charities supporting the homeless population ahead of the cold winter months around Albany.

Main drop off locations from Monday 20th May – Friday 14th June:

Harvey Norman Albany

Triple M/Hit FM Albany

The Empty Bobbin

Get ready to enter a world of “Pure Imagination” and join ALOTCO as we present a mesmerising production of this much-loved story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. An amazing chance for theatre goers of ALL AGES to join this incredible production, an experience not to be missed!

Director – Lachy McLean

Assistant Director – Fiona Kuiper

Musical Director – Neville Talbot

Co-Assistant Musical Directors – Matthew Clarke & Will Elms

Choreographers – Kelly Seaton & Lachy McLean

Based on the famous novel by Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features an original score composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) and a book by David Greig. The score also pays homage to the Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley score from the 1971 film with songs from the motion picture including "Candy Man", "I've Got a Golden Ticket", "Oompa Loompa Song" and "Pure Imagination".

The world-famous Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his mysterious factory... but only to a lucky few. Charlie Bucket, an imaginative boy with a knack for making something out of nothing, dreams of acquiring a golden ticket to tour Willy Wonka's over-the-top chocolate factory and can't believe his luck when it actually happens. Fellow contest winners: the gluttonous German, Augustus Gloop; Daddy's spoiled rotten princess, Veruca Salt; chewing gum celebrity, Violet Beauregarde; and over-amped computer hacker, Mike Teevee, have no idea what they're getting themselves into as they each learn lessons about selfishness and greed from Wonka who is not only out of his mind but potentially dangerous. With Wonka's world of pure imagination including chocolate waterfalls, nutty squirrels and the great glass elevator, all to be revealed by Wonka's army of curious Oompa Loompas. You'll devour this family friendly adventure that's full of mouth-watering visuals that "Must be Believed to be Seen".

Information Night: Thursday 13th June 6pm

Auditions: Saturday 29th of June and Sunday 30th of June

Performance Dates: October 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 25th, 26th and 27th

Stay tuned for more information and the Audition Pack coming soon! https://www.alotco.com.au/charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-australia

It is that time of year again when we are getting the kids out and about! Please see our Term 2 kids club.

This year the Go for 2 &5 Albany Kite Fiesta will be held at Anzac Peace Park, Albany from 10am to 4pm Sunday 2 June 2024 (Long weekend).

This free, popular event includes the spectacle of giant kites being flown as well as kite making workshops where families can make their own kites.

This annual, public event, supported by Healthway and the City of Albany, is attended by many hundreds of families each year, and provides a fun, educational outing during the September long weekend for young people, their parents and grandparents who live or are visiting Albany.

Please contact Basil Schur on 0429481019 or email bschur@greenskills.org.au if you require further information.

Saver Plus is a FREE 10-month matched savings and financial education program funded by ANZ and the Australian Government Department of Social Services and delivered by The Smith Family. The program aims to help participants to learn how to better manage their money and develop long-term savings habits.

Saver Plus is available to anyone who is eligible across Australia.

Eligible participants learn money skills and receive up to $500 to help with their school expenses.

* 10 month program (commence at any time)

* Save $50 a month for 10 months and receive $500 towards educational costs

* Complete up to 10hrs of Virtual workshops called MoneyMinded (support provided)

More information at www.saverplus.org.au

After a couple of months of uncertainty, it is with great pleasure that I am writing to let you know that the foundation finds itself sailing again. Although Minderoo Foundation are now providing financial assistance for the next few years, this does not cover sponsored voyage places. This funding is only for maintaining the ship.

Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation provides a range of tailored programs suitable for various ages, backgrounds and abilities. Our voyages aim to

1. Foster Leadership: Develop leadership skills through hands-on experiences and challenges aboard our iconic tall ship, STS Leeuwin II.
2. Promote Teamwork: Encourage teamwork and collaboration in a dynamic and engaging maritime environment.
3. Enhance Personal Development: Unlock hidden potential, boost self-confidence, and instil a sense of responsibility and accountability.
4. Inspire Environmental Awareness: Connect students with the marine environment, fostering a deep appreciation for our oceans and promoting sustainable practices.

This is a fantastic course for free and online.

MyTime is a facilitated peer support program for parents and carers of children with disability, developmental delay or chronic medical conditions.

Parents/Carers are welcome to attend even if they are yet to receive a diagnosis and would like to meet parents/Carers who may be in a similar situation to theirs.

MyTime groups are for all parents and family carers of children under the age of 18 who need a higher level of care than other children.

We meet weekly on a Tuesday afternoon from 12:30-2:30 during the school term.

MyTime now meets at the Child and Parent Centre near Mt Lockyer Primary School. Click link here.

WE WILL ROCK YOU

Musical by

QUEEN and Ben Elton

‘Guaranteed to blow you mind!’

Tickets on sale NOW! Row Seating only!

12 performances over 4 weekends May/June

Book: https://paperbark.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/129832

Since 2002 over 16 million theatregoers in 28 countries have been thrilled by this awe-inspiring production which is based on the songs of Queen with a book by Ben Elton (The Young Ones, Blackadder, Popcorn).

Elton fashioned this hilarious futurist comedy around more than 24 of Queen’s biggest hit songs including 'We Are the Champions', 'Radio Ga Ga', 'I Want To Break Free', 'Somebody To Love', 'Killer Queen', 'Don’t Stop Me Now', 'Under Pressure', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'Another One Bites The Dust' and of course, 'We Will Rock You'.

The musical takes place in a future age on a planet once called Earth that is now controlled by a mighty corporation...rock music is unheard, and all musical instruments are banned. The hope of breaking free rests with an unlikely resistance-an alliance of rebel Bohemians.

Directed - Donna Markovic

Musical Director - Jen Graham-Taylor

Choreography - Andrea Le Page and Carmen Fasolo