Newsletter 11 August 2023
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
I have just returned from Study Leave and Pilgrimage. This was a rewarding experience, where I was able to visit the Mercy Centre in Dublin, Saint Declan’s Hermitage in Ardmore (I am always at pains to remind people that St Declan was in Ireland before St Patrick), the Edmund Rice Heritage Centre in Waterford, and the Arran Islands.
I also had the opportunity to study a course in Philosophy at Oxford University. I found the whole experience rewarding and I am very grateful for having had the opportunity. Having said that there are a lot of people in Europe, and I am very happy to be back in Perth.
I am delighted to say that the College was managed skilfully by Mr Battistessa in my absence, and I would like to thank him for doing so.
My first day back was at the College House Athletics Carnival at Perry Lakes. I was very impressed with the engagement by the students and the slick operation of the day by Mr Miotti and his team. It was nice to see students breaking records throughout the day or just having a go.
World Youth Day
We have been getting regular updates and reports from our Pilgrims who are completing the World Youth Day activities in Portugal. They are now visiting Fatima before they return to Australia, no doubt tired and exhausted. We look forward to hearing their stories.
Mr Declan Tanham
Principal
FROM FATHER KILZI - COLLEGE CHAPLAIN
Ministry News
The annual Vinnies Winter Appeal gives us an opportunity to support the most vulnerable in our community. Throughout Weeks 3-6 we will be collecting food and personal hygiene items for our locals Vinnies. Your form will have a basket with a suggested list of items to donate. To encourage you to donate, the Social Justice Leaders have decided that they will be awarding a pizza lunch to the form that donates the most items. So we encourage you to donate as much as possible.
ARTS & TECHNOLOGIES NEWS
On Friday, 28 July, the Aranmore Catholic College Drama Club performed the play 'Monster Faces', at the Marist Theatre, Newman College, as part of the Catholic Performing Arts Festival. Monsters Faces was directed by Year 12 Arts Leaders, Amelia Kelly and Hayley Moore with support from Neave Cunningham and Harmony Tuapola. The comedic play was riotously welcomed by the crowd and given excellent feedback from the panel of judges. Congratulations to the talented directors and cast for a fantastic performance!
The following Monday, 31 July, was the annual Senior Drama Evening with a second performance from the ACC Drama Club and monologue performances from Year 11 and 12 Drama students. It was wonderful to see the range of monologues chosen and performed by the up-coming dramatists.
Ms Phoebe Bennett
Head of Learning Area - Arts & Technologies
Careers News
For more details on the information in this section or for help with career/study pathways, pop in for a chat or keep a lookout for notices around school and on Seqta.
TISC Circular
Included in this copy: ALL students now require a USI TISC information webinar for students and/or parents Early offer Information and dates. circular-2023-4.pdf (tisc.edu.au)
TAFE
North Metro Tafe Creative Industries Expo 6th September 4-6pm If you are considering a career in the Arts NM Tafe is holding an expo where you can explore from a range of industries including:
• Animation and Game Art • Fashion and Textile Design • Film and Television • Printing and Graphic Arts • Graphic Design • Interior Design • Jewellery • Photography • Product Design • Visual Arts • Building Design and Drafting • BOOM Radio (Information booth) • Music and Sound (Information booth Jobs & Skills advisors will also be in attendance to assist with any application enquiries you may have. Creative Industries Open Day | North Metropolitan TAFE (northmetrotafe.wa.edu.au)
2024 Course Guide for Tafe is now out. Applications open Friday 1 September Full time studies guide | (tafe.wa.edu.au)
UNIVERSITY
Open days/nights Universities have a range of course information sessions if you are still unsure which direction to take after school. Jump on their websites for more information and book in.
Scholarships open August 1. Start checking undergraduate scholarships under any category that applies to you like, financial hardship, educational disadvantage, women in STEM, First in Family to go to uni. There are so many different scholarships that each university lists pages of them: TIPS: Some scholarships and universities give advice and tips on how to write a successful application. See the Curtin Scholarship Information Session on 8 August.
CAREERS
From Term 3, we start receiving job offerings for summer and 2024, apprenticeship/traineeship information for leavers and volunteer openings to strengthen your work/life experience.
Mrs Claire Drabble
Pathways Coordinator
Mandarin News
Students have been learning to name body parts in Mandarin. Activities students engaged in to learn these terms included taking turns to say out loud the name of the body parts in Mandarin while classmates pointed to the part on their own body. Another activity included students drawing a face according to the teacher's description of a long, short or small facial feature.
Mrs Emily Tan
Mandarin Teacher
Science News
Year 7 – Robocopters
Year 7 students are learning about gravitational forces in science this term. We began the term looking at contact forces and have now moved on to non-contact forces. Students had the opportunity to create Robocopters during a lesson this week and were able to drop them from the balcony of the JO building, creating a beautiful backdrop for Miss Fitzroy, who was standing underneath.
Year 12 Physics – How do you measure the speed of light?
Using chocolate, a microwave, a meter ruler and your knowledge of the Year 12 physics syllabus.
Year 8 Chemical Change
How to Identify Chemical Change:
- Change in colour
- Release of gas
- Production of a precipitate
- Energy is produced or absorbed
Year 9 Conduction Rings
Metals are good thermal conductors but are all metals equal? Year 8s conducted an experiment and found out that of all the metals they tested, copper was the best conductor of heat and iron the poorest.
Year 9 Lemon Batteries
Creating a battery using lemons and then measuring the current produced with an ammeter or multimeter is always a fun activity.
Year 12 Human Biology – Cranial capacity
Cranial capacity is a way to measure brain mass when the actual brain is unavailable, such as with extinct species. Brain mass can then be compared with body mass to give an indication of intelligence. Here our Human Biologists are using Homo erectus, Australopithecine, Neanderthal and human skull models.
Year 12 Human Biology - Harry Perkins Institute Excursion
The Harry Perkins Institute is one of Australia’s leading medical research facilities. They also open their doors to secondary students giving them practical experience of the theory they cover as part of their syllabus and also a window into what it may be like to pursue research as a career. The Year 12 Human Biology class conducted a PCR and then gel electrophoresis to isolate a gene responsible for many melanoma cases in Australia.
Science Camp - The highlight of the year!
If you are in Years 7-10, don’t miss out!
To register your interest in attending Science Camp 2023 please go to https://forms.office.com/r/TXcyEiYETR
Science camp is held in Dryandra during Week 3 of Term 4. Monday 23/10 - Wednesday 25/10.
Activities may include:
- Native animal trapping, study and release
- A night walk through Barna Mia to observe and feed native nocturnal animals
- Bush walks
- Tour around Narrogin Agricultural College
- Visit to Narrogin
We will travel there by school bus and stay in dormitory-style accommodation with bunk beds, boys in one large room and girls in another large room.
If you have any questions about Science Camp, please message Mrs Geoghegan or speak with your Science teacher.
Applications close at the end of Week 6 which is 31 August.
Science Week is NEXT WEEK!
Science Week is next week, Week 5. Keep your eyes on the notices for lots of exciting activities both in class and at recess and lunch. Here are some flashbacks to previous Science Weeks to get you in the mood.
Mrs Naomi Geoghegan
Head of Learning - Science
Netball News
Congratulations to our Senior Girls Netball Team (Year 11/12s), who won the Semi-Final of the ACC Senior Girls Netball Championships against JTC (33-31) on Tuesday! They are now through to the Grand Final against Chisolm. Well done, and all the best! - Mrs Cherie Farnan, Specialist Netball Program Coordinator
Message from the uniform shop
Please note that the Uniform Shop will be closed on Friday 19 August.
UPCOMING EVENTS
For the College Calendar, please see here.