It was fantastic to be able to meet with representatives of our Year 12 cohort yesterday afternoon as we worked through the planning for the end of their year. Planning is such a challenging concept in the current environment. We wrestle with the tension of being optimally organised against the unsurety of the social circumstances in which events may unfold. There are many events within our calendar that we are revisiting whether they are achievable while we are isolating and whether they need to be cancelled, moved online or deferred. I admire our Year 12 students who are emerging as the future leaders of our society with this new competence of dealing with and responding to regular and unplanned change. These are valuable skills that they are drawing upon as we progress through our planning of how they approach their final weeks and days at Damascus College.

One of the planned activities within our calendar that we will proceed with is the staff Faith and Catholic Identity Development Day planned for this Friday, the 27th of August. This Friday, there will be no remote classes or onsite supervision as staff work remotely with theologians; Sr Elizabeth Dowling RSM, Br David Hall, and Fr Rob Galea. The Damascus staff will be the remote learners on Friday, and we are looking forward to a challenging and rewarding day unpacking our Catholic identity and personal faith stance with these key contributors.

This week is also Book Week, and while most of the activities have been deferred until we return onsite, there has been a raft of different opportunities for students and staff made available by the St Martin’s Resource Centre staff team and the English staff team. I thank those staff for their work in preparing for Book Week and look forward to some of the onsite activities when we return.

Please be advised that the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has notified schools of the intention to reschedule the General Achievement Test (GAT) to Thursday, 9^th of September 2021. The GAT will run from 10:00am – 1:15pm and applies to any senior student who undertakes a Unit 3/4 VCE study.

Further information about the administration of the GAT will be provided to families as the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority makes the details available.

We are currently reviewing the last week of term and the implications of the current and future restrictions for Damascus Day. We will advise the school community of our planned approach to Damascus Day as it gets nearer. The last day of Term 3 for students will be Thursday, 16th of September.

We congratulate and send our blessings to staff member Isabelle Miller and her husband Tim on the safe arrival of baby Arthur Yorke Miller on the 19th of August 2021.

In our prayers this week, we remember the family of former staff member Bill O’Loughlin who’s father Gerard died last week aged 102. Bill died while he was a member of the Damascus community, and his father Gerard and Bill’s siblings have continued to support Damascus College through a scholarship in Bill’s name. We pray that our loving God welcomes Gerard and brings comfort to his family at this time.

As part of our staff day on Friday, Sister Elizabeth Dowling will be unpacking our theme in the context of Mercy. Mercy is not a trademarked entity of the Sisters who founded our community, but they have a beautiful perspective on how Mercy brings Jesus into our daily presence, and I found this poem by Sr Mary Wickham that I leave with you this week.

Mercy Days

If we utter aloud the word mercy, standing, each of us, by an open window anywhere we are in the world, then the word mercy will carry on the soundwaves onwards and unceasing, through the air of the wounded world. And maybe, when it takes flight into deed and kindness, justice and effort, it will effect a healing, a hope and a blessing.

It may call the homeless home, it may coax to hope the betrayed and broken, it may ease the burdened earth.

Listen for it, the repeated word mercy, on this Mercy day, listen for its neighbourly dialects and global idiom. Imagine those who, like you, are saying it aloud, and those who need to hear it, today- the word- mercy. One word, one deed of justice, one kind effort at a time. Creator God, Sustainer of life, Jesus, our companion Word, Spirit, who, like the air, inspires, give us the simple daring this day to say and to be Mercy.

A prayer and challenge for us all – until next week…

MATT

Please be advised that the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has notified schools of the intention to reschedule the GAT to Thursday 9^th of September 2021. The GAT will run from 10:00am – 1:15pm.

Further information about the administration of the GAT will be provided to families once Damascus College has been provided with a further update by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email Mr. Matthew Hallowell on 5337 2222 OR m.hallowell@damascus.vic.edu.au

In mid July four Indonesian language students from Years 8 – 11 represented Damascus College in the regional round of the Sayembara Lisan Indonesian speaking competition.

Sayembara Lisan is a prestigious annual event run by the Victorian state Indonesian teachers’ asssociation, VILTA in conjunction with Melbourne University. In one on one interviews, students demonstrated their ability to communicate personal information and respond to unrehearsed questions on prepared topics.

The Sayembara Lisan provides a valuable opportunity to consolidate what is learnt in language classes and build confidence and skills vital to communicating in the language in real time, particularly at higher levels and the VCE.

We congratulate Meg Jones (Y9), Megan O’Beirne (Y11), Leah Stevens (Y10)and Jovie Skewes-Clinton (Y8) for their commitment and effort in working with their Indonesian teachers to prepare for their individual performances.

We are very proud to announce that Year 9 student Meg Jones and Year 11 student Megan O’Beirne progressed to the final round, which was to be held at the Sidney Myer Asia Centre, Melbourne University on 14th August. However due to the public health regulations, the final round of competition was held online instead.

We congratulate Megan O’Beirne on her achievement of placing third in Victoria! Megan and her family have been invited by VILTA to attend an online award ceremony in September.

Once again, well done to all participants!

Last week Damascus had planned to host the Bright Futures Breakfast, where we were looking forward to welcoming our guest speaker; Jocelyn Bignold, (OAM) CEO of McAuley Community Services for Women.

We look forward to welcoming the Damascus community to this sumptuous breakfast and opportunity to listen to an engaging speaker, at our new and innovative Damascus Events Centre.

Book your ticket at: https://www.trybooking.com/BQGKK

Recently, as the sun was shining as the dedicated members of the Green Group enjoyed themselves as they industriously re-potted Murnong seedlings. The Murnong is an indigenous food crop that can taste a bit like a potato, but depends on how it is cooked.

The Green Group were re-potting the Murrnong in the hopes that they will be ready for sale at the Damascus Day celebrations scheduled for Wednesday 15^th September. Funds raised from the sale of the plants will be donated to the Bright Futures Scholarship.

If you love to play in the dirt, like to watch things grow and want to be part of a group, why not consider the Damascus College Green Group? New members are always welcome, just contact Mr Neate (d.neate@damascus.vic.edu.au) and let him know you want to come along to a meeting to see what it is all about.

Last week Damascus College celebrated Science Week.

The school theme for National Science Week 2021 is Food: Different by Design. It honours the United Nations International Year of Fruits and Vegetables and the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.

Students participated in a variety of different activities, including the planting of fruit trees in the horticulture area of the campus. The olive and apple trees will be a welcome addition to the vegetable patch.

Earlier in the week, a National Science Quiz was streamed online for students to take part in with lots of prizes to be won, and a Periodic Table Challenge happened where participating students were challenged to name how many elements of the periodic table they knew.

Congratulations to Year 11 student Sinead Sugars and Year 8 student Kylan Jans for taking out the win in the junior and senior sections, and well done to all students that took on this challenge!

As you may know, this year is a very special year for the Damascus community, as we are celebrating our 140 year anniversary of providing Catholic education, dating back to 1881.

To celebrate this occasion with our wider community, we are hosting a Gala Evening on Saturday 23rd October, 6-10pm which will be a wonderful evening of celebration and entertainment. Attached is the invitation.

Today, we are excited to be opening up ticket sales to our Damascus community. Please book your tickets at: https://www.trybooking.com/BTQJX

Tickets are $80pp, and this includes canapes on arrival, a sumptuous main meal, dessert and all drinks are included (beer, wine and soft drink). What a wonderful opportunity to put your glad rags on!

Throughout this special evening, there will be current and past students and staff performing to entertain the guests and to celebrate our 140 year history, with the formalities concluding by no later than 10pm.

If for some reason we have to postpone the event, your ticket will still be valid for the new date.

We look forward to celebrating this milestone with you at the Damascus College 140 year Anniversary Gala Evening.

Each year the ADF sponsors the Long Tan awards for students in year 10 and year 12. The winners receive a certificate and prize of $250 for a year 10 student and $550 for a year 12 student. There are 2 categories of awards:

Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award

Awarded to a student who shows strong leadership, the ability to work in a team by communicating and co-operating with others, who shows respect for school values and gets involved with both their school and community.

Congratulations to our 2 winners:

Jessica Hodge Year 10 and Kiara Dowie Year 12

Long Tan Future Innovators Award

Awarded to a student who shows a high level of innovation and motivation in the STEM learning area (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) – either within the classroom or in extra-curricular activities.

Congratulations to our two winners:

Drew Smith Year 10 and Shay Reukin Year 12

This week students participated in a Year 9-11 Indonesian Immersion Days, where students took part in Indonesian cultural activities including dance, movement, music, orchestra, the acting of Indonesian legends and batik making.

It was a wonderful opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the Indonesian culture and develop an interest in a foreign language, without having to leave the confines of the Damascus campus.

The passion, energy, enthusiasm and costumes were amazing, well done to all involved.