LIFE Summer Term Week Five
| Mon | 4 March | Labour Day Public Holiday – College Closed | |||
| Tue | 5 March | Home Study Day – College and Uniform Shop Closed | |||
| NEAS to be rescheduled | |||||
| Shrove Tuesday | |||||
| Wed | 6 March | Ash Wednesday | |||
| NEAS Yr 10 to Yr 12 vs La Salle | |||||
| OLNA Writing - First Round | |||||
| Thu | 7 March | NEAS Swim Meet at La Salle | 2:00pm to 5:00pm | ||
| OLNA Writing - First Round |
Parents please use Parent Coneqt for SEQTA Engage via this link for current letters and excursion information. SEQTA Engage
VILE Message from Villain School Playwright
The cast and crew of Villain School were lucky enough to make an international connection during Week 4 with the playwright of Villain School Brian Taylor sending a video message from Colorado. We are thrilled to be able to use technology to make connections with playwrights which were not possible in a world before digital resources. Thanks to Brian for taking the time to send this through to our students.
Mr Chris McRae
Production Director
Year 8 students take up the challenge in Big Ideas
This term, in Big Ideas, the year 8 students must answer the question, 'Are the odds ever in your favour?' We have based this project around the theme of the Hunger Games. In week one, we watched a clip from the Hunger Games, with students then being sorted into districts.
We have ten districts, each with different characteristics, ranging from farmers to scientists, from miners to teachers. Each district was given a different amount of money to begin with, and they have to use this money and the supplies they are given to complete each weekly challenge. Sometimes, this involves buying extra resources or trading with other districts.
So far, students have completed an egg saver challenge, and a building challenge using spaghetti and marshmallows. Winning districts win monetary rewards, while districts who perform badly lose a tribute. Each achievement is recorded on a giant scoreboard in Subiaco.
We are looking forward to hearing how the different districts aim to solve a refugee challenge and complete a themed fashion show.
We have ten districts, each with different characteristics, ranging from farmers to scientists, from miners to teachers. Each district was given a different amount of money to begin with, and they have to use this money and the supplies they are given to complete each weekly challenge. Sometimes, this involves buying extra resources or trading with other districts.
So far, students have completed an egg saver challenge, and a building challenge using spaghetti and marshmallows. Winning districts win monetary rewards, while districts who perform badly lose a tribute. Each achievement is recorded on a giant scoreboard in Subiaco.
China: Then and Now Study Tour
Ms Bond represents Holy Cross College at an Educational Forum in China
During the recent April school holidays, Ms Kelly Bond represented HCC at an Educational Forum in China with 12 other school leaders from across Australia. This opportunity was put together by the Asia Education Foundation and the University of Melbourne which included visits to numerous historical sites as well as cultural events across the cities of Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Beijing. This wonderful study tour showcased Australian teaching and learning methods to a forum of 600 Chinese Principals and Government Officials in the audience and was streamed live on the internet to 33,000 educators across China. Ms Bond had the opportunity to present at the Hangzhou Education Forum about the innovative teaching and learning methods across Holy Cross College and sat on a panel answering questions from the Chinese Principals. During the 10 day educational tour, Ms Bond visited and taught in several secondary schools and universities. There was also a brief opportunity to visit The Great Wall of China, the Ming Tombs and Tiananmen Square. A visit to the Australian Embassy in Beijing gave the group an appreciation of Modern Chinese society and Australia's trade to Asia. Holy Cross College gifted the Hangzhou Middle School olive oil from the Benedictine Monks in New Norcia, a cross from San Salvador and a photography book about Western Australia.
During the recent April school holidays, Ms Kelly Bond represented HCC at an Educational Forum in China with 12 other school leaders from across Australia. This opportunity was put together by the Asia Education Foundation and the University of Melbourne which included visits to numerous historical sites as well as cultural events across the cities of Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Beijing. This wonderful study tour showcased Australian teaching and learning methods to a forum of 600 Chinese Principals and Government Officials in the audience and was streamed live on the internet to 33,000 educators across China. Ms Bond had the opportunity to present at the Hangzhou Education Forum about the innovative teaching and learning methods across Holy Cross College and sat on a panel answering questions from the Chinese Principals. During the 10 day educational tour, Ms Bond visited and taught in several secondary schools and universities. There was also a brief opportunity to visit The Great Wall of China, the Ming Tombs and Tiananmen Square. A visit to the Australian Embassy in Beijing gave the group an appreciation of Modern Chinese society and Australia's trade to Asia. Holy Cross College gifted the Hangzhou Middle School olive oil from the Benedictine Monks in New Norcia, a cross from San Salvador and a photography book about Western Australia.
The Simpson Prize Tour: The Trip of a Lifetime!
The Simpson Prize is a national History competition funded by the Australian Government. Each year students across the country are invited to submit an essay in response to a question related to Australia’s experiences in the Great War.
In 2017, the question read: Some historians have described 1917 as “the worst year of the Great War” for Australia and Australians. To what extent is this an accurate statement?
Holy Cross College student Daniel Docker entered the competition for the second time in 2017 and was selected as the winning entrant for Western Australia. In March 2018, he travelled to Canberra for the Simpson Prize awards presented at Parliament House and in April, toured London, Paris and the Western Front as a representative of the Australian Government.
Here are his thoughts on the experience:
My experience on the Simpson Prize tour was incredible. The tour of the battlefields of the Western Front where 100 years ago many Australians, among other Allied soldiers, paid the ultimate price was very eye opening. Often when we speak of the Great War, we make mention of the great sacrifice and huge tragedy of the conflict - but words don’t truly explain it. In this case, seeing is believing, and I don’t believe that without this experience I would truly be able to understand what took place a century ago. The cemeteries that I visited had the bodies of someone’s sibling, someone’s parent, every single one had a story. Some stories may never be told, as those people are now known as “A Soldier of the Great War.”
One of my favourite parts of this tour was the Menin Gate Last Post Service, where I had the privilege of laying a wreath along with some Queensland students. The memorial itself was stunning but being a part of a service that is so important to Australia’s history regarding the war was very special to me. The most revealing part of the trip was the Notre Dame de Lorette French military cemetery, with nearly 40,000 French soldiers of the First World War buried there. Unlike the Commonwealth war graves, the French did not have headstones - rather simple crosses for each burial. Looking out upon the thousands of crosses that stand over the vast cemetery really hit home how much loss was in World War One - and this was only French soldiers.
The dawn service on ANZAC day for the Centenary of Villers-Bretonneux was very moving, with speeches from Malcolm Turnbull, Edouard Phillipe and Prince Charles. The memorial itself is stunning and was used creatively in the service, at one point images were being projected onto the tower which was deeply moving. The Simpson Prize tour was a life changing experience for me, no longer will I think of the death toll of the First World War as a number but rather thousands upon thousands of individual soldiers - each with a story that may never be told.
Daniel Docker
Year 11 Student
Holy Cross College
Daniel’s prize-winning essay may be found here
ECU ATAR revision sessions
ATAR Revision Sessions
ECU is again offering revision sessions for current Year 12s in September. The list of the sessions and times is below but please ensure your students register online. These sessions typically book out early and are free to attend. Below are the sessions that are being run at Joondalup campus. Bunbury will also be running sessions as well which you can view here.
Human Biology Monday 24th September 2pm-6pm
Maths Applications Tuesday 25th September 8:30am-12:30pm
Maths Methods Tuesday 25th September 2pm-6pm
Physics Wednesday 26th September 8:30am-12:30pm
Biology Wednesday 26th September 2pm-6pm
Maths Specialist Thursday 27th September 8:30am-12:30pm
Chemistry Thursday 27th September 2pm-6pm
English Friday 28th September 8:30am-12:30pm
Junior School Update
Kindergarten
Last week, Evelyn came to Kindergarten with a chrysalis inside a mesh box. Within the first hour, the chrysalis started to wiggle and shake and we watched on in wonder and awe as a butterfly began to emerge. We set up one of the iPads to record the process and we airplayed it onto the TV, so we could watch closely. We even took a time-lapse video, which shows the butterfly beginning to stretch and flap his wings and move around the box. Evelyn took the butterfly home that night and released him in her backyard. We had the most amazing day! Mother's Day Celebrations
Last Wednesday, the Kindergarten children were lucky enough to share the morning with their mums, aunties, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and other special women. We treated our amazing ladies to a concert and lots of activities such as a photo booth, biscuit decorating, tea party, jewellery making, portrait painting, leg shaving, hand printing and nail pampering. We had the most amazing time and it was wonderful to see how much love could be present in two classrooms. Happy Mother’s Day!
Mrs. Jo Borg and Mrs. Natalie Pecherczyk
Kindergarten Teachers
Year 6 Pilgrimage
The Year 6 students went on a pilgrimage on the May 4 to follow in the footsteps of our class patron, Sr Irene McCormack. To start the day, Year 6H and 6C caught a bus to Elizabeth Quay. It was a beautiful morning and luckily we had the best weather for walking. From there, we had recess and took the ferry to South Perth. We then walked to the Mary MacKillop Centre where we met Sr Maree who had prepared activities for the day. She showed us the Diorama Room which was filled with statues depicting the five main stages of Mary MacKillop’s life. It was incredible to learn about her selfless work and how she dedicated her life to helping those in need. It was truly an eye-opening experience and we learned that Mary MacKillop managed to set up schools and orphanages with extremely limited resources. 
Sr Maree took us to a beautiful, colourful room where she told us all about Sr Irene McCormack’s life and her amazing missionary work. Irene McCormack was a teacher in Perth for 30 years before she decided to devote her life to helping the poor. She travelled to Peru where she dedicated her life to helping those in need, providing Caritas food parcels and setting up libraries. Did you know that the name Irene means peace? To finish off our day at the Mary MacKillop Centre, a liturgy was held in the chapel. We lit candles and placed them on the Altar and reflected on the inspiring lives of Mary MacKillop and Irene McCormack. Before boarding the bus, we visited a beautiful rose garden where Irene McCormack’s clothes’ ashes were scattered under the rocks. We had such an amazing time and we are so thankful to have had the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of our class patron.
Kate and Sienna
Year 6 Students
YCPSSA Swimming Carnival
Students in Years 4, 5 and 6 represented the College on Thursday at the Catholic Primary School Sporting Association’s Division B Swimming Carnival at HBF Stadium.
This was the first time that Holy Cross participated in the event with seven other schools. Team captains, Jamie Perry and Katelyn Smink carried the Holy Cross banner proudly as the students took in the amazing facilities at the stadium. The entire team were abuzz with excitement right from the moment they walked into the stadium and their enthusiasm did not wane all day. All of the students gave it their all and should be very proud of their efforts across all events with many students winning ribbons for placing in the top four for their divisional races.
It was sensational to witness such a wonderful team spirit with our students, cheering each other on and stepping in for others when needed. A special mention goes to Oscar Forbes of Year 4 who managed to come second in the 50m Butterfly Open division, racing against students in Year 6.
A special thank you goes to Mrs Orilee Ryan for all of her hard work with the early morning training sessions twice a week in the lead up to the carnival and to all of the parents for ensuring their children attended the sessions. Thank you to Miss Armenti, Miss Hickey, Mr Elliott and Mrs Basell as well as the wonderful parent volunteers who came along on the day.
-Mr Brendan Buckley
Sports Coordinator
VILLAIN SCHOOL TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Tickets for the College Production of Villain School are on sale now and selling fast! Our opening day saw over 200 seats filled so make sure you get in fast to avoid disappointment. There are a maximum of 240 seats available for each show so there are plenty of chances to see VILE in action in 2018!
TICKET PRICES
Adults $15
Students/Concessions $12
Children $10
Family of Four $40
Tickets available up until show dates from www.trybooking.com/346290
TICKET PRICES
Adults $15
Students/Concessions $12
Children $10
Family of Four $40
Tickets available up until show dates from www.trybooking.com/346290
Year 11 Student Breannah Rigoli as VILE's Queen Bee Heidi Jekyll
Villain School Tickets On Sale Monday
Tickets for the 2018 College Production of VILLAIN SCHOOL will go on sale at 9:00am on Monday next week.
Tickets will be $15 for Adults, $12 for Students/Concession and $10 for Children and can be purchased from https://www.trybooking.com/346290 or by scanning the QR code on the posters displayed around the College.
There will be three public performances of Villain School on Thursday 21, Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June commencing at 6:30pm. Doors will open at 6:15pm. There will be refreshments available at interval for a small fee and programs will be sold on the nights for $2.
We are looking forward to what is set to be a colourful and wild production!
Mr Chris McRae
Learning Area Coordinator (The Arts) and Production Director
Tickets will be $15 for Adults, $12 for Students/Concession and $10 for Children and can be purchased from https://www.trybooking.com/346290 or by scanning the QR code on the posters displayed around the College.
There will be three public performances of Villain School on Thursday 21, Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June commencing at 6:30pm. Doors will open at 6:15pm. There will be refreshments available at interval for a small fee and programs will be sold on the nights for $2.
We are looking forward to what is set to be a colourful and wild production!
Mr Chris McRae
Learning Area Coordinator (The Arts) and Production Director
