Term 1 is nearly over and what a Term it has been for our junior campus staff and students. The students have settled well into their new roles as Year 7 or 8 Penola Students. The ‘Ready to Learn’ program implemented has helped students to be successful learners in and outside of the classroom. I would like to thank our wellbeing team led by Mrs Seel who have focused on ensuring students are informed about the appropriate use of ‘Social Media’ and the variety of platforms it involves. Students have had the opportunity to discuss and reflect on issues such as:

• Being lawful while using social media
• What does being unlawful look like when using social media
• Ways to ensure you are protected when using social media

We will continue to provide education around Social Media and the impacts it can have on young people into Term 2.

Year 7 Camp
Our Year 7 students participated in our three-day Camp at Mt Eliza. The students were able to take part in a number of activities from Raft building, Snorkelling, Archery, Sea Kayaking, Open Water Learning, Bike Skills and the Giant Swing. It was great to hear statements like “I learnt how to ride a bike today’ and “the water activities were so much fun”. Both staff and students were able to build relationships, resulting in new friendships and feeling a part of the Penola community.

Medieval Day
On Wednesday 6 February, the Year 8 students participated in our annual medieval day. This day is linked to the Humanities curriculum where students are studying medieval Europe. The workshops during the day allowed students to participate in activities related to arms and amour, music and dance, and clothing and lifestyle. Thank you to Mrs Mancuso our Head of Humanities at the Junior Campus for all her organisation and dedication to ensuring that the day ran smoothly.

Physical Education Incursion
During Physical Education classes this week students have received specialist athletic coaching from Pioda Strength & Conditioning. As part of the Year 7 and 8 PE curriculum students have been focusing on fitness and athletic events. The expert sessions from Pioda have been tailored to give students the confidence to perform efficient and effective movements as they head towards the House Athletics Carnival in Week 1 of Term 2.

Student Makayla H in Year 8 said the program also gave her “stretches and warm up exercises that can help outside of school” in her sporting pursuits in cricket and aussie rules.

A big thanks to Mr Pell and the PE team for organising this experience.

Harmony Week
From Monday 18 to Friday 22 of March we celebrated Harmoney Week. Promoting the theme 'Everyone Belongs' it's a celebration that recognises Australia's diversity and brings people together from many different backgrounds. It's about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. The staff and students were involved in the following activities to celebrate this important week:

• Variety of Cultural Music was played over the PA this week chosen by our student leaders
• Tuesday was casual clothes day for students and staff. Everyone was encouraged to wear cultural dress or the colour orange to celebrate Harmony Week
• Tuesday all students received an icy pole at lunchtime
• The Faith and Mission team organised prayers for the week in different languages
  

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our families a Happy Easter. May the grace of Easter bring healing, restoration, and new beginnings to all our families and staff here at Penola.

Have a restful term break.

As we approach the end of Term 1 we give thanks for the opportunities and experiences that have taken place. Our students have had rich and varied learning experiences and co-curricular offerings.

Thank you to families for your support during Term 1 with our College uniform requirements. I know a number of families have ensured their student now owns the correct school shoes. The holidays are a chance to check students have all required uniform items particularly as we head into the cooler months. A reminder that the college tie is to be worn with the winter shirt.

The College celebrated the cultural diversity of its community with prayers in different languages and a casual clothes day where many students chose to wear cultural dress or orange clothing which is the symbol of Harmony Day. It is fitting that this week we are hosting visitors from Japan and a group of students and staff are travelling to Italy.

Our Year 9 students this week are attending Year 9 camp at YMCA Lady Northcote which has provided experiences for personal growth as well as developing relationships with peers and teachers. Thank you to the staff who gave up their time to support this experience.

A group of Year 12 students and staff will be representing the College at the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal Kids Day Out Event at the Melbourne Convention Centre on Friday 29 March. The students will be operating a photo booth and rattling tins for donations. If you are in the city on Good Friday come past and say hi!

I wish you all a very happy and safe Easter.

Digital Devices
As per a recent letter from myself and Head of Campus Glenroy Mrs Liviana Daniele, another area of consistent practice that we are striving for is in relation to mobile phones and headphones (air pods, wireless headphones). These devices should be stored in locked lockers to avoid distractions from learning. I draw your attention to our consequence system below.

Year 12 Reflection Day: Launch into the deep
On Friday 1 March, the Year 12 students gathered with staff at the Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre in South Morang to complete their first reflection day of the final year. We “launched into the deep” with regards to each person’s faith journey, wherever that may be, as the Year 12s navigate through, what is and will be a very busy year. Several presenters such as Justine Hughes and Siala Maelasi, (Year 12 Penola 2023) and within the current staff of the College gave a witness to their personal faith. These were presented to help students consider the big questions in their own lives, topics that are usually discussed in the Religious Education class. Students were challenged throughout the day to consider the grace of faith for them, and what part God plays in their lives. We had some strong presentations delivered throughout the program and students participated in break-out groups to discuss faith-life topics at more intimate levels.

Despite the day being a very long one for everyone, the students held themselves in very high regard and should be proud of their input and achievements throughout the program. We completed the day with a beautiful liturgy, run by Fr Tony Cox and students. The sit-down dinner was an apt way to complete the work completed thus far, before we returned to watch the final entertaining act that intrigued the audience with the talent of illusion. The next Year 12 reflection day is being finalised now for a follow up to the initial “launch into the deep”.

Project Compassion
Throughout Lent, staff and students have been asked to make donations to the Project Compassion boxes, an initiative across Catholic schools and Catholic Churches throughout Australia. We followed the stories of three people in great need, who represent poor communities where our funds can make a difference. We learned about Ronita, from the Philippines and the difficulties that she and her community face every day; Leaia, from Samoa has benefitted from having a water tank installed at her home, thus improving her health and living conditions, yet the Samoan community needs so much more, and finally, Memory, the eldest child of a low-income farming family in the Mwanza district in southern Malawi. She became the first female carpenter and is able to offer financial security for her family. The money raised to help educate youth, especially young women who seek to transition out of traditional female jobs to be able to provide for their families. The initiatives at the College, such as the casual clothes Harmony day event donations have gone directly to Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion launch to reach out to communities such as these.

Lent
Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross were held over some Fridays and a Monday at the Glenroy campus to offer students an opportunity to gather, to contemplate and to pray together and witness the journey Christ took to Calvary as we lead to the great feast of Easter. The students that participated did so with reverence and compassion and real awe of the great price Christ paid for our salvation. These opportunities were wonderful to gather, pray and contemplate. We will seek further opportunities at both campuses to help nurture the faith life of the young people of the Penola catholic College community.

Easter Reflection

Between Easter and Good Friday there exists the essential tension of Christian living. The trick of a healthy spirituality is maintaining a balance between the two. However, more often than not, one is favoured over the other, and there ultimately emerges a distorted version of Christian faith.

With everything that is going on in our world at the moment with the varying wars and many frictions between countries and even within our own country and Society where murder, bashings, the increase of drugs and other forms of dependence to mention only a few things, we would have to admit that our world is in the grips of a theology of Good Friday. Easter, hope, and love have been forgotten.

However, it is a very strong belief of mine that we often “gloss over” Good Friday. Historically, the crucifixion and death of Jesus looked like the end of a very heroic life and a ministry dedicated to social justice and human liberation. In fact, the Jesus that returned in the post-resurrection appearances was a different person than the Jesus that hung dying on the cross. The Apostles in deed were losing the friend and the revolutionary leader who had absolutely inspired them. Mary in deed was losing the very son that she bore and indeed loved.

Balancing a Good Friday spirituality with an Easter spirituality means accepting the permanence and the pain of loss in our experience. At the time of the death of a loved one, we may need to console ourselves with platitudes, but we are ultimately faced with the fact that we will never again experience, as he or she was, the person who left us.

Balancing a Good Friday spirituality with an Easter spirituality means accepting the loss that inevitable accompanies change. Take for instance the now high school son or daughter as they have been growing up. For them, it means leaving behind a childhood that was fun and comforting. As a parent, even though they might rejoice at the young son or daughter as they are developing, there would certainly be a time of mourning the loss of the child they once knew. For most parents, there is the accompanying loss of their hopes and dreams, for their child now is becoming their own person and not perhaps as they had planned , imagined or even expected.

For those who dedicate themselves in sharing in the ministry of Jesus, the ministry of liberation, balancing a Good Friday spirituality with an Easter spirituality means accepting the real world. We eventually come to a place where the ideal will clash…sometimes even violently…with the harsh reality. To some degree, we must be prepared to sacrifice the ideal. At the same time, it equally is a distortion to accept oppression as simply the “will of God.”

The spirituality of Good Friday is a spirituality of acceptance and surrender. The spirituality of Good Friday sidesteps the denial, idealisation and cynicism that are all too common in human experience. As Christ hung on the cross, his last words were, “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.” Father, into your hands we commend our spirits, and acknowledge your Godhead over pain and joy, life and death, time and eternity.

Mary Beard Excusrion

On Wednesday 6 March the Year 12 Classical Studies students visited the state library to listen to renowned classicist, author, and television personality Professor Mary Beard. We enjoyed listening to her answer some of our questions regarding Rome and their emperors in relation to her upcoming novel ‘Emperors of Rome.’ We found this experience very interesting as we were able to hear from a real classicist in person, who has dedicated her life and research to the ancient world. It was a very educational experience as we were able to connect our class lessons to the topics that Mary discussed. Her comparison of Roman emperors to past and present leaders of the 20^th and 21^st Century, was extremely fascinating and very accurate. As we know with history, we learn from the past and try not to repeat the mistakes of the past. We finished off the day by visiting Melbourne central for lunch in the food court and returned with a new insight into classical Rome.

Christian D 12I and Chantel K 12I

On Tuesday 27 February 2024, Mr. Hanney’s Year 10 Civil & Human Rights and the Law class were given the opportunity to attend and observe court proceedings at Broadmeadows Magistrate’s Court. Before court was in session, we were very fortunate to have Magistrate Stuthridge talk to us about her role in court, her personal journey in relation to her career, also Court Education Officer, Carolyn Burnside she gave us the chance to ask any questions about Victoria’s justice system. It was then time for the Magistrate to listen and decide on summary criminal cases and for us to stay silent, observe and fill out our worksheet. A factor that stood out for me was the respect that must be shown to the court system and the Magistrate. Upon entering and leaving the courtroom, all people must bow before the Magistrate before taking their seat with the prosecution, the defence or as in our case, the observational area.

Overall, it was a very engaging and educational experience. One that we as students were given an opportunity to learn about our justice system by experiencing it in real life. It has given me and all my class mates a better understanding of the structure and function of our legal and court system.

Isabella Moonen 10G & Fadi Morad 10 C

On Wednesday 6 March the Year 8 students took a break from their usual classes and were taken back to the Middle Ages! As a part of their studies in Humanities this semester, students attended presentations on ‘music and dance’, ‘arms and armour’ and ‘lifestyle and clothing’. They delighted in dressing up as nobles and peasants, discovering how heavy chainmail is and how uncomfortable helmets are! Some even participated in a duel!

On the same day the Year 8 students attended presentations that complemented their Religious Studies this semester. They were treated to sessions on ‘iconography’, looking at symbols and imagery in religious paintings. They listened to a very detailed but interesting explanation of the “Great Schism” and the features of the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church.

Students Explore Future Careers at Victorian Careers and Employment Expo
We're thrilled to share the news that our Vocational Major students had a fantastic time exploring future career opportunities at the Victorian Careers and Employment Expo on Friday 15 March. This highly-anticipated event was an incredible learning experience, perfectly aligned with our program's focus on applied learning.

Throughout the expo, our students engaged with a wide range of exhibitors, from leading employers to TAFE and training providers. Students gained valuable insights into various industries and professions, discovering potential career paths that resonate with their interests and aspirations.

We're proud of our students for their active participation and enthusiasm during this immersive event. It's inspiring to see students taking proactive steps towards their future careers, equipped with the knowledge and insights gained from the expo.

A huge thank you to all the students, teachers, and organisers who made this experience possible.

Matthew Rawley
Head of Applied Learning

Penola Catholic College 2024
Senior Production

On behalf of the Penola Catholic College community, I am excited to announce some changes to our Performing Arts Programs. We are going to be transitioning from doing one large show a year, to a Junior and Senior model.

We will be present “The Addams Family" Musical in Term 3 for our Senior show. I look forward to sharing more information about the Junior later next term.

For now, AUDITIONS! Please see below audition dates and collect an audition information sheet from the Performing Arts building or contact Ms Savage on jsavage@penola.vic.edu.au

Anyone interested in backstage, please email Ms Savage directly.

Auditions Information:

Sign up quickly and insure you have Operoo approval to participate.

Ms Savage
Instructional Coach & Head of Learning – Performing Arts

Junior Golf
Coach: Mr Daniel De Angelis

Friday 1 March saw Penola’s Junior Golf team head to the Melbourne Airport Golf Club for a SACCS competition. The students teamed up in pairs to take on 8 other schools that participated for the day. They ‘teed’ off the morning with a lovely introduction from our SACCS Executive Officer, Rebecc Clugston, before they headed off to play 9 holes of Ambrose. Our group 4 Boys, Gianluca B (Yr10) and Liam H (Yr10) finished with the best score of the day for Penola and 5th best in the competition with 39 strokes. Group 2 saw Riorden M (Yr10) and Jack D (Yr10) score a 43, including our group 1 saw William P (Yr10) and Lucas H (Yr10) score a 50. Finally, our group 3 students and youngest pair, Mia G (Yr9) and Zain A (Yr9) teamed up to finish the day on 48 strokes. It was amazing to see all 8 students work together to achieve the best outcome for their pair, while showing fantastic sportsmanship and teamwork throughout the day.

I would like to thank all 8 students for representing the college with such a terrific way, which turned out to be an amazing day of golf.

SACCSS Senior Futsal
Coach: Mr Theodorakopoulos and Mr Montesano

On Monday 12 February, Year 11 and Year 12 students headed to Latrobe University Stadium, Bundoora to compete in SACCSS Senior Futsal. Despite the extreme heat on the day, both boys' and girls' teams were eager to showcase their talent. It was clear from very early on that Penola had Futsal talent in abundance.

The boys' team went undefeated throughout all five rounds, only conceding 6 goals over five matches. They also claimed victory in round 3 over the eventual winners of the competition. Unfortunately, the boys couldn’t secure victory in the grand-final against Thomas Carr but walked out proud runners up for the day.

The girls’ team also went undefeated, winning all of their games and securing a spot in the grand final before the fifth and final round. Defensively the girls’ were very strong as they only conceded 3 goals before the grand final. This was a very entertaining performance from our girls as even after extra time, the score was still level at 3-3. In the penalty shootout, Penola outscored Salesian 4-1 and Mr Montesano and his team remained undefeated, winning the tournament!

Congratulations to both teams for their exceptional performance in the heat and a special shoutout to Andrella T (Yr11) who was awarded the Best Player in the Senior Girls Grand Final.

Sustainability at Penola

Hello, my name is Ava O and I am the Captain of Sustainability this year. I chose to pursue this role because I have a love for environmental science and wish to pursue it as a career.

The goals that we have set at Penola this year are:

• Transparency within our actions and achievements of Penola Catholic College: Specifically, keeping students, staff, and parents informed about sustainability actions. We will track school progress in areas such as waste reduction, energy, and water savings. We are hoping to celebrate achievements and milestones to reinforce the importance of sustainability and motivate continued action.
• Increasing student, staff, and parent involvement: I intend to do this by starting a sustainability club that will be welcome to all staff and students. We will use this group as a platform to brainstorm ideas, plan activities, and drive initiatives to increase awareness and action on sustainability issues. We will also provide regular newsletter articles to promote active sustainability practices in the community.
• Increasing Education about sustainability: Education will be centred around implementation of green projects, such as recycling programs, composting bins, energy-saving campaigns, or initiatives to reduce water usage.
• Resource management and energy conservation: We waste important resources, and if we can reduce this we can reduce our carbon footprint and make our planet a safer place for everyone. We encourage our community members to think about turning of electrical appliances off at the power point and recycling.

Small steps to build sustainable habits.
We encourage people to investigate ways to reduce their impact on the environment by:

• Turning off electrical appliances at the power point will reduce your electricity consumption over time, which will also save money.
• Learning how to recycle effectively is important as it will reduce our impact on the environment. Hume and Merri-bek council websites have information about ways to recycle within each council.

I’m looking forward to working with our community to achieve a safer future for all!

Ava O

2024 CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF) Eligibility Dates
For concession cardholders CSEF eligibility will be subject to the parent/legal carer concession card being successfully validated with Centrelink on the first day of either:
Term 1 (1 February 2024) or Term 2 (15 April 2024)

How to submit a CSEF Application in 2024
If you have applied for the CSEF in a previous year, you do not need to complete an application form in 2023. The school will apply for the CSEF on your behalf unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

You will ONLY need to submit an application form in 2024 if any of the following changes have occurred:

• New student enrolments: Your child has started or changed schools in 2024 or you did not apply at the same school in a previous year.
• Changed family circumstances, such as: a change of custody, change of name, concession card number or new siblings commencing at the school in 2024.

CSEF Application Form

CSEF Financial Assistance Information for Parents

CSEF Flyer Arabic

CSEF Flyer Vietnamese

Student ID Card Information for Parents and Students (PTV)

A PTV Approved School Student ID is now accepted as students’ entitlement to buy student passes and concession fares.

This new, flexible option means that students at Penola Catholic College no longer need to arrange, pay for and carry the dedicated PTV School Student ID to travel on student passes or concession fares.

The Penola PTV Approved School Student ID must be carried when students travel. They’ll need it as proof of entitlement to concession fares or to buy a student pass.

Students should register their myki to protect their card’s balance if it’s lost or stolen. If the registered myki is lost or stolen, the student can contact the PTV Call Centre on 1800 800 007 6am to midnight daily (all night Friday and Saturday) to block their card and replacement myki pass will be issued.

Glenroy Neighbourhood House - Volunteers Needed

2024 Rainforest Retreat

Dallas Football Club

Lifelong, life-changing savings habits

Raising Body Kind Teens

School Crossing Supervisor of the Year

Victoria Police Career Expo

Breakthru SLES and Youth Employment Online Information Session

Anglicare Foster Care Information Session

Entertainment Membership

Tennis Titans School Holiday Program

PTV Information

I CAN Network Online Autistic Led Mentoring Group

Hume Youth Services Autumn School Holiday Program

Youth Services Level Up Training Calendar 2024

Yasemin's Driving School

North Park Tennis Club Holiday Program

Dance Factory