Last night the College community gathered in a communal prayer and reflection service to prepare our hearts and mind for our Easter journey. Our community has experienced much pain, grief and loss, it was lovely to gather as a community to seek solace and hope. I thank the many families who attended and thanks to our Catholic culture team who prepared a beautiful service.

As the term concludes and we enter the Easter period, it is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all that we have achieved and all that we hope to gain through our relationships with one another and the Holy Spirit. As people of faith, the Easter story reminds us that we are people of Hope. I encourage families to seek the time to reconnect and rebuild relationships as a family. Families play a pivotal role in developing resilience and strength. In fact, families are considered a protective factor for young people to grow as successful and happy people. The holidays are the perfect time to take stock, sit, and be still with one another. Holy Week provides the time to listen and 'be' with our families.

Each of Year 7 and 9 students have participated in the annual NAPLAN program l congratulate the many students who put their best foot forward. NAPLAN is a snapshot of our children’s skills and abilities. As parents we know what are our children can achieve, but it is unconditional positive regard and high expectations that young people shine. We need to always believe in our young people.

Our community participated in the Annual Athletics Carnival at Llanberis. This event can only happen with the leadership provided by our Leader of Sports – Gavin Webb and the many staff on the day. I thank our staff who worked with energy and enthusiasm on the day. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing our students compete, support and cajole all members of their House. Our Year 12 students certainly shone and wore their costumes with passion and joy.

The College hosted the Ballarat Association of Schools (BAS) Swimming carnival. Well done to our many students who competed. It is inspiring to see so many students participating and demonstrating such strong sportsmanship.

Thanks to Finnian Augustin and the Languages team for their great work in welcoming and supporting our French Exchange students. I want to acknowledge our families and students who hosted our guests from France. This experience can only provide a deep awareness of others and people from different cultures. I’d like to thank Margaret McIntyre for supporting the College in the teaching of French this term.

Term 1 has been littered with great joy and learning. I thank all members of our community who have worked so all can live in the Light of Christ.

Congratulations on reaching the last week of Term 1!

For our community, Easter is the key celebration within our calendar. Holy Week is the final week of Lent and a time where we recall the events leading to Jesus’ death and resurrection. On Sunday we will celebrate the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where he was welcomed by crowds worshipping him and laying down palm leaves before him. On Easter Thursday, we recall that Jesus was arrested and tried. Jesus shared his Last Supper with his disciples. Jesus was crucified on Friday. He was buried the same day and arose three days later, on Easter Sunday. On Thursday we move into the John Shannon Centre for our Easter Liturgy and will acknowledge students’ collective efforts in raising money for Project Compassion.

In last fortnight’s newsletter I made mention of the importance of partnering with families in a student’s education. Some of the benefits include:

1. Holistic Development

Families provide insights into a student’s background, interests, strengths and weaknesses that can inform educator’s approaches to teaching and support. Understanding a student’s home environment helps create a more holistic educational experience.

1. Consistency

When families and educators work together, they can ensure that the messages and expectations for the student are consistent across home and school environments. Consistency is key for a student’s understanding and adherence to rules, routines, and academic expectations.

1. Supporting Learning

Families can reinforce learning outside the classroom by engaging in activities that complement what is taught in school. Whether it's reading together, discussing current events or exploring educational outings, family involvement enhances and reinforces academic concepts.

1. Emotional Support

Students thrive when they feel supported emotionally. Families provide a nurturing environment that can bolster a student’s confidence, self-esteem and resilience, which are crucial for academic success.

1. Problem-solving and Collaboration

When challenges arise (whether academic, behavioural, or social), partnering with families allows educators to work collaboratively with parents or carers to address these issues effectively. This collaboration fosters problem-solving skills and models positive conflict resolution for the student.

1. Cultural Understanding

Every family brings its own cultural background and values into the educational equation. Understanding and respecting these differences enriches the educational experience for both the student and the school community.

1. Parental Involvement

Research consistently shows that parental involvement in a student’s education correlates with higher academic achievement, better attendance, and improved behaviour. When parents and carers are actively engaged in their student’s schooling, it sends a powerful message about the value of education.

1. Building Trust and Rapport

Collaborating with families builds trust and rapport between educators and parents/carers, creating a supportive network focused on the student’s wellbeing and success.

Overall, partnering with families in a student’s education fosters a strong support system that enhances the student’s learning, emotional wellbeing and overall development. It's a collaborative effort that benefits everyone involved. I encourage families to log onto PAM and ensure that you are up to date with your student’s progress in their respective studies. Holidays may provide an opportunity to catch up on work that has been missed or to create a summary of first term learnings. Year 12 students are now one-third of the way through their learning program, so a comprehensive revision of content to date will be important. If you have any queries regarding assessment tasks or classroom learning, I encourage you to contact your student’s teacher.

Subject Teacher Interviews provide a great opportunity to connect with your student’s teachers to receive clarity around any questions that you may have. Subject Teacher Interviews will be held on the following days:

Monday, 29 April 2024 3.40pm to 6.30pm (Onsite or Virtual)

Tuesday, 30 April 2024 3.40pm to 6.30pm (Onsite or Virtual)

Thursday, 2 May 2024 1.00pm to 8.00pm (Virtual only)

Interviews will be 8 minutes duration and you have the option of completing interviews onsite or virtual (Monday and Tuesday) and virtual only on Thursday, 2 May 2024. Bookings will open early in Term 2.

Please note that Thursday, 2 May 2024 is a student free day for staff to conduct interviews.

If you have a student in Year 10 who has work experience next term and the paperwork has not been returned to the College, could you please attend to this as soon as possible.

Students will be able to wear summer or winter uniform (but not a mixture of both) for the first two weeks of Term 2. Can I ask families to please get out their winter uniform now and attend to it if there needs to be some alterations made. As parents/carers, daughters will say to you that no one else has their skirt to knee length – please hold firm in supporting the College requirement and ensuring that it is the required length to avoid unnecessary and embarrassing follow up! There is also a pant option if students are uncomfortable with the skirt or an appropriate length.

You may also be pressured to purchase a rain jacket. This item of uniform was introduced to cover the expensive blazer as students walk to and from school or as they wait at bus stops. It is an optional item of uniform.

It is exciting to see the progress made on the new building. It has been a hive of activity on the building site over the past month, with the ground floor slab laid (above the basement level), then concrete panels being lifted into place to form some of the south walls and the lift shaft. Columns are now being formed to hold up the remainder of Level 1, before another big concrete pour. Exciting times!

I wish everyone well for a blessed Easter and a safe and happy holiday.

Chris

The unique circumstances that our local community have faced over the last few months have guided me to be more diligent to ensure the promotion and protection of my own mental health. In doing this I wish to take this opportunity to highlight some of the measures that you can take, within the current context, to support the mental health of the young people in your care.

Transparent and Open Conversations

Be mindful of media saturation during a heightened period. The young people that you are supporting are digitally connected, suggesting they will be bombarded with messages. It is important to allay any fears or concerns with open conversations. Consider the following:

• Young people will react to what you say and how you say it. They will pick up cues from the conversations you have with them and with others.
• Give young people information that is truthful and appropriate for their age and developmental level.
• Talk to young people about how some stories on social media may be based on rumours and inaccurate information.
• Role model good behaviour- if young people are witnessing panic or overreaction they too will behave accordingly.

Your aim is to keep your student safe and to give them the foundations they need to do their best. At a minimum they need:

• to know they are loved for who they are and that you are always there to support them
• an environment where basic needs such as a safe and healthy place to live, healthy food, and school supplies are made a priority
• protection and support to keep themselves safe from mental and physical abuse
• respect for their feelings and concerns
• acknowledgement of their milestones and achievements such as birthdays or first day at school
• respect for their friends, clothing, sports and music choices, and interests.

Wellbeing Support in our Community: A quick snapshot

A reminder to our community of the support services that are available over the school holiday period. Please reach out to the following organisations that can offer support in a myriad or areas pertaining to mental health services. I wish you all a restful and peaceful Easter Holiday period.

The Mass of the Holy Oils was celebrated this week. The Mass of the Oils or Chrism Mass is an annual celebration where the blessing of the oils and consecrating chrism takes place.

The Oils blessed are for all people who will be anointed in the coming year. These include the Oil of the Sick, Oil of Baptism and the Holy Chrism. Each Parish received their own oils to take back for parishioners.

Bishop Paul Bird, the Bishop of Ballarat, presided over the Mass. The Bishop was joined by Priests from across the Ballarat Diocese. It was a beautiful Mass that reminded us that in a geographically vast Diocese that reaches from the Murray to the sea, we are a ‘community’.

‘Community’ highlights the fact that a Diocese is essentially a community drawn together by Christ, a large community made up of many local communities. It was a delight watching Parishes from across the Diocese bring forward a symbol of their Parish, emphasising that whilst we are one community there is a uniqueness and a heritage that is lifegiving and worthy of celebration as the Diocese celebrates 150 years of service to God.

Unlocking Student Potential: The Damascus College Instructional Model

Summary:

This article introduces parents to the new Damascus College Instructional Model, explaining:

• The 5E framework of Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate
• Integration of high-impact teaching strategies, social-emotional learning and Mercy values
• Use of the research backed ReLATE Classroom Continuum for gradual release of responsibility
• Emphasis on consistent routines at school and home to support learning
• Encouragement for parents to discuss the 5E cycle and establish home routines

As parents/carers, we all want to see our students thrive academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually, developing into well-rounded individuals prepared for the challenges that life may bring. At Damascus College, we have introduced an innovative new Instructional Model designed to achieve precisely that: nurturing the whole student through an engaging, evidence-based approach to teaching and learning.

At the heart of our model is the 5Es framework: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. This research-backed structure activates students' prior knowledge and piques their curiosity before allowing them to experience new concepts hands-on. Clear, explicit instruction guides them through building understanding, which they reinforce through practice, collaboration, and review.

Why did we choose the 5E model? In short, it aligns with the theory of constructivism which sees learning as an active process of knowledge construction, not passive reception of information (Cotic & Zuljan, 2009). By fully engaging students in their learning journey, the 5Es empower them to unlock their potential.

Crucially, our Instructional Model brings together all the elements proven to foster holistic student growth. It integrates high-impact teaching strategies, such as collaborative learning activities, modelling, feedback and opportunities for practice in varied contexts (Briggs, 2014). These core pedagogical approaches are woven together with our focus on developing the Damascus Attributes in every learner:

• Gospel focus in the Mercy tradition
• Self-awareness and emotional wellbeing
• Critical thinking and problem-solving
• Cultural awareness
• Global citizenship

We recognise that students cannot reach their full potential academically if their social and emotional needs are not being met. That's why our model works hand-in-hand with our comprehensive social-emotional learning (SEL) program. Numerous studies highlight the benefits of SEL, showing improvements in academic achievement, positive social behaviour, emotional regulation and overall wellbeing (Durlak et al., 2011; Taylor et al., 2017).

Within the 5E framework we nurture self-regulation, student voice, and empowerment. We celebrate trial and error as part of the learning process. For those who need additional support, we provide individual growth plans built on regular social-emotional assessment. A caring, supportive classroom environment allows students to explore, take risks and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Underpinning our Instructional Model is the research-backed ReLATE Classroom Continuum. This comprehensive approach ensures we create an environment that supports the gradual release of responsibility from teacher to student as they acquire new knowledge and skills.

In the Regulation and Activation phase we focus on ensuring students are ready to learn. This may involve quick activities to activate prior knowledge, share learning intentions, stimulate curiosity and establish positive classroom norms.

As students explore new concepts through hands-on activities and discussion, we closely monitor their engagement while looking for misconceptions to address. We nurture an environment where trial and error are embraced as part of the learning process.

The Explain phase allows teachers to present information in varied forms using explicit, direct instruction, modelling, visuals, examples and success criteria. We check for understanding frequently and adjust as needed.

Students then move into the Elaborate phase where they apply their new knowledge through guided practice, collaborative activities, problem-solving tasks and, eventually, independent work. Our teachers provide specific feedback, differentiate tasks and gradually release more responsibility to students.

Finally, we Evaluate by reviewing what has been learned, assessing progress toward the learning goals using a variety of methods and preparing students to continue their learning journey.

This gradual release of responsibility, combined with routines that make learning processes explicit, allows students to develop self-regulation, metacognitive strategies and greater independence over time. It's an approach that research shows lead to improvements in academic achievement, motivation, and self-efficacy (Fisher & Frey, 2013).

Consistency is key to effective learning routines and that is a core strength of our 5E model. While content and activities shift between subjects and year levels, the instructional approach remains comfortingly familiar for students. Research shows that establishing consistent routines, both at school and home, leads to improvements in time management, self-discipline and overall wellbeing (Ferretti & Bub, 2017; Kliewer et al., 2022).

As partners in your student’s education, we encourage you to discuss what they are learning about and the classroom routines that guide their day. Ask about the 5E cycle: What engaged their interest? What hands-on activities did they explore? How did the teacher explain the core concepts? What practice did they do to elaborate their understanding? How did review and reflection help evaluate their progress? Getting your student to reflect on and articulate their learning can reinforce those routines.

At home, you can further support your student’s growth by establishing consistent morning routines, mealtimes, homework schedules and household responsibilities. Making time to talk, debrief the day and prioritize family time amidst your busy lives can work wonders too.

We are proud to bring this comprehensive Instructional Model to Damascus College, designed to unlock the amazing potential within every student. Built on the latest research yet grounded in the enduring Mercy values of respect, compassion, justice, courage, service and hospitality, it represents our shared commitment to empowering lifelong learners.

We look forward to this new era of engaging, empowering education for our students. As always, please reach out if you have any other questions.

References:

Briggs, S. (2014). Instructional design: Capture an interactive classroom. Lee.edu.

Cotic, M., & Zuljan, M. V. (2009). Problem-based instruction and development of competence for application of knowledge. Odgojne Znanosti - Educational Sciences, 11(1), 153-171.

Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D. & Schellinger, K.B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.

Ferretti, L. K., & Bub, K. L. (2017). Contextual factors underpinning the familial transmission of executive functioning. Child Development Perspectives, 11(4), 255-260.

Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2013). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. ASCD.

Kliewer, W., Shih, P. H. K., Betancur, L., & Sylva, S. (2022). Routines promoting family resilience and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Family Relations, 71(1), 174-189.

Taylor, R.D., Oberle, E., Durlak, J.A., & Weissberg, R.P. (2017). Promoting positive youth development through school-based social and emotional learning interventions: A meta-analysis of follow-up effects. Child Development, 88(4), 1156-1171.

Last Friday, Damascus College bid a heartfelt farewell to our new friends from Saint-Benoit School, our sister school in Angers, France.

During their visit, our guests from Saint-Benoit School immersed themselves in a variety of excursions, activities, and experiences. These activities were carefully designed to offer them a rich insight into the diverse and dynamic aspects of Australian life. From cultural outings to outdoor adventures, our aim was to provide them with a comprehensive experience that reflects the vibrant tapestry of our community. We hope that their time spent here was enriching and memorable, fostering deeper connections between our schools and leaving a lasting impression on all involved.

As we part ways, we hold dear the memories shared and eagerly look forward to nurturing these valuable friendships in the future.

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImSupported

Congratulations to the following students who have recently qualified to compete at the National Track & Field Championships in Adelaide this April.

- Armani Anderson (Y 11): 100m

- Oaklee Burge (Y 10): 800m

- Lucy Jones (Y 10): 800 & 1500m

- Archie Grant (Y 7): 800 & 1500m

Good luck to Armani, Oaklee, Lucy, and Archie.

On Wednesday 13 March Damascus College Principal Mr Steven Mifsud welcomed our Year 7 cohort and their families to the College officially.

The community gathered on campus in the John Shannon Centre for some key presentations from staff and students, before being addressed by the principal. The year 7’s then received their Damascus College badge before heading to the courtyard for a BBQ, and the opportunity to show off their new school and teachers to their families.

Welcome Class of 2029! Your enthusiasm, energy, and vibrant spirit have already infused our school community with a newfound richness and depth.

In 2023 Damascus College undertook a significant step towards promoting mental health awareness amongst our students by being one of a few of schools asked to participate in Live4Life, the only mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural and regional communities.

Eight schools participated in its first year, with 1146 Year 8 students and 100 Year 10 students now trained in teen mental health first aid.

A City of Ballarat survey of 631 student responses showed that 81 per cent of students think that mental health education in schools is important and that 73 per cent indicated they are now more able to identify when someone may have a mental health problem.

Damascus students are learning the importance of taking care of their own mental health, and learning valuable tools to provide support for others.

You can read more about the Live4Life program and its expansion in 2024 at https://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/news/live4life-expand-ballarat-schools-2024?fbclid=IwAR3fc6kfuMrdNwYH5ClN7t15esVch8bo7sWSSgbq_yxo3XIl1Uo3XyfPkeg

Photo courtesy of City of Ballarat

Recently the Damascus College Hands on Learning Program (HoLP) class spent some time with Jillian Hogbin, from Caritas Australia.

Jillian's presentation to our Damascus students elevated the ongoing efforts of the students involved in Project Compassion within their RE classes. Throughout this term, the students have delved into the study of Caritas and its beneficiaries, actively preparing for their upcoming fundraiser dedicated to supporting this noble cause. In the presentation, students employed 'strength cards' to aid in identifying their inherent strengths and engaged in meaningful discussions on leveraging these strengths to contribute to a brighter future for generations to come.

We commend the work of our staff and students for this very worthy cause.

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImPartOfSomethingGreater

Team spirit shines bright at the House Swimming Carnival.

The carnival is a day for the College to gather as a community and enjoy a full day of events.

Students participate in activities both in and out of the pool including bocce, volleyball, basketball knockout and facepainting.

The day brings cheer and encouragement as each house group rally’s together to compete for the title.

Please enjoy a short video capturing some of the highlights and fun atmosphere

After five years of research and application into best practices for literacy, social-emotional learning, ReLATE and Mercy Values, Damascus College is proud to launch its transformative new Instructional Model. This innovative approach unites our exceptional educators with a shared vision of fostering holistic student growth and success.

The Learning and Teaching Professional Learning and Collaboration Day held on Tuesday 12th March, allowed educators to connect, collaborate and gain invaluable insights through interactive workshops. The introduction of our Instructional Model will equip teachers with consistent, evidence-based methodologies aligned with the College's vision of educational excellence.

The 5Es of Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate create an immersive learning experience that fosters academic excellence while nurturing the whole child. By engaging students through culturally responsive practices, we tap into their prior knowledge, creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.

Woven through this process, the model prioritises Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies, organisation, building confidence, resilience, perseverance and relationship skills. The ReLATE framework ensures cultural responsiveness and inclusive practices. Explicit literacy instruction across all disciplines equips students with vital communication skills. Ultimately, the 5Es epitomise the Mercy Values of respect, compassion, justice, courage, service and hospitality, developing well-rounded individuals prepared to lead with integrity through the lens of Christ.

At Damascus College, we understand that investing in educator development means investing in the future of our students. Our instructional model creates enriched learning environments where students are known, valued, and prepared to Be.Their.Best. As a living document, it will continue to evolve based on stakeholder voice, ensuring our approach remains dynamic and responsive.

Damascus College French students from years 9, 10 and 11 who are currently hosting eleven French visitors from St Benoit (Sister School – Anders , France) all enjoyed a sunny day out together in Melbourne last Tuesday.

After boarding an early train to Southern Cross Station, all students enjoyed walking and exploring the sporting capital of the world; experiencing the MCG and our national love of cricket and Australian Rules Football.

The tram-ride and tour of the War Memorial was also a highlight where the presenters and staff made a special effort to reference the alliance between the ANZACs and the French across the two world wars of the 20th century, which opened up some great discussion for the St Benoit students on their own experiences of visiting the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, not far from their home location.

All students represented Damascus College proudly, and it was a wonderful day out for everyone.

Dear Friends of Damascus College – Performing Arts, We warmly invite you to "Come Back to the Audi" and volunteer with us in 2024!

As we gear up for several exciting productions, we're seeking assistance in various areas such as costume and make-up, prop construction/coordinator, stage management, and production assistance. Additionally, we're on the lookout for volunteers to serve as a dialect coach (British accent) and an assistant for choreography/movement.

If you're interested in lending a hand, please reach out to one of our alumni officers, Korina Hegert k.hegert@damascus.vic.edu.au. Simply provide Korina with your Name, Last Year of Attendance, Contact Number, Email Address, and specify which production area interests you. Korina will then be able to share more details with you.

Spaces are limited, so don't hesitate to get in touch now to ensure you don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to reconnect and contribute. We can't wait to welcome you back to the Audi!

Congratulations to Year 12 student Freya Palmer who last night received four awards at the Ballarat Cricket Association awards night.

She received the U17 female best player award, the U17 female bowling aggregate award, the U17 female batting award and the U18 female best player for Western Victoria.

Well done Freya, that is an amazing haul of sporting achievements!

Sport Report – Week 9, Term 1, 2024

What an action packed term full of sport!

Well done to all 110 students who represented the college in BAS Term 1 Sport. The fun had, friendships developed, skills displayed and school spirit on show was wonderful to see. To the 20 staff members who coached, umpired, scored and travelled on busses, a huge thank you. School sport cannot happen without our dedicated staff supporting student pursuits. See below a summary of sports played.

BAS Tennis Singles Championships

Thursday, February 29 saw the annual BAS Tennis Championships Finals held at the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre in Wendouree. The following students had progressed from the preliminary rounds. Thank you to Lyndall Thomas, who supervised on the day.

Junior Girls – Elsie Angove (Year 8), defeated in the semi-final.

Senior Girls – Keira O’Beirne (Year 10), defeated in the final.

Senior Boys – Jarrod Joyce (Year 12) won the final after defeating his brother, Brayden, in the semi-final. This was Jarrod’s 6^th victory in a row in the event, an outstanding effort.

Clay Target Shooting

Laang Sporting Clays hosted the Warrnambool Region Clay Target Shooting Competition on Monday, March 4. Well done to the following 12 students who represented the college, this was a big commitment, with the bus leaving at 7:00am and returning at 5:00pm.

Jack Dwyer, Darcy Smits, Tom Grigg, Denny Mahar, Bella Mahar, Kara Longmire, Imogen Wright, Lewis Carbone, Willem Madigan, Casey Leonard, Eli Smart, Kalan Grant. Thank you to Mr. Chris Grant for supervising on the day.

BAS Golf Championships

Rex Hodge and Joshua Lane represented the college at the annual BAS Golf Championships, which was held at Midlands Golf Club on Wednesday, March 20. Both boys competed well on the day in the 18-hole event.

Damascus Swimming Carnival

On Thursday, February 29 the annual Damascus Swimming Carnival was held at the Eureka Pool. On a cool morning the excited Year 7’s kicked of proceedings with the 50m Freestyle events. With an enthused crowd and wonderful dress up costumes to match, the day was full of noise and colour. It was great seeing the year 12’s, at their final swimming carnival, show plenty of enthusiasm and leadership in supporting the younger year levels. At the completion of the 50m Breaststroke, Backstroke and Butterfly events it was time for the much anticipated relays. The relays always bring plenty of crowd involvement and this year was no exception, with cheering and encouragement from all around the pool. 2024 saw a new event introduced, with the Champion of Champions, which brought the fastest eight female and male swimmers, from any year level, to race over 50m. It was also fantastic to see three year 7 students qualify for this event, Estelle Karslake, Ruby Cookson and Jonty Ward, a super effort. Another tradition at the Swimming carnival is the Synchronised Swimming that the Year 12’s perform, which finished with all four Houses in the pool singing Damascus chants and War Cries, a sight to behold. Below are the House and individual summaries of the day.

House results

Year Level Champions

Champion of Champions (8 fastest swimmers in the college)

The top three place getters were as follows

Girls

Boys

Damascus Athletics Carnival

The Damascus Athletics Carnival was held on Tuesday, March 19 at Llanberis Reserve. On a fine but windy day for competition students eagerly got on the busses at Damascus to give their all for their House. In a slight change to the format in 2024, Hurdles was taken out of the program and Javelin and Discus re-introduced, which had been completed in PE classes throughout the early weeks of Term 1 and a lunch time for Year 11 and 12 students. Overall results were as follows.

House results

Year Level Champions (TBC at the time of writing)

Champion of Champions (8 fastest at the college)

Time didn’t allow this race to be run but below are the qualifying times. During a lunch time, early term 2, this event will happen, stay tuned.

Girls

Boys

BAS Swimming

On Wednesday, March 20, 60 students represented the college at the annual BAS Swimming championships. Selection was gained as a result of performances at our Swimming Carnival earlier in term 1. Our students competed hard, against quality opposition and all students should be very proud of what they achieved, both individually and collectively. A huge thank you must go to the staff who assisted on the day – Dan Jans, Rachel Wallbank, Georgia Shillito, Nikki Hexter, Tegan Heinrich-Morrison and Paddy Dillon.

National Track & Field Championships – Adelaide, April, 2024

Congratulations and good luck to the following students who are competing in the National Track and Field Championships in April.

Oaklee Burge – 800m

Lucy Jones – 800m & 1500m

Archie Grant – 800m & 1500m

Armani Anderson – 100m

Term 2 BAS Sport

See below for a summary of what sports are available in term 2. Students have been sent an MS form to register their interest. Early in term 2 meetings and training sessions will be held in readiness for the season, which commences in week 2.

Term 2 Key Dates

Damascus Sport Uniform

Students need to ensure they are in the correct uniform to participate. Students should check with their coach as to what is required and bring your own drink bottle.

I wish all students and coaches the best for Term 2 Sport. Always play the game in the right spirit, wear the correct uniform, respect the umpires, staff in charge and the facilities. You all have an opportunity to add to your school experience by being the best you can be, both in and out of the classroom.

Please do not hesitate to contact myself (g.webb@damascus.vic.edu.au) or Sport and PE Administrator, Patty Dillon (p.dillon@damascus.vic.edu.au) at the College with any questions.

Regards,

Gavin Webb

Sports Coordinator

Damascus College Year 12 students, James Gorman and Wesley Fletcher, joined the Ballarat Region Indonesian Community (BRIC) for the Begonia Festival Parade held in Ballarat last weekend.

The BRIC parade float featured the theme "flying bird paradise," adorned with participants in traditional Indonesian attire, dancing to live music alongside a striking large puppet.

As the only secondary school in the local area offering an on-site VCE Indonesian program, Damascus College is deeply committed to cultural education and exchange within the community, a responsibility taken with utmost seriousness.

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImPartOfSomethingGreater

Please see following information on how you can help the Redan Footy Club:-