connec ions
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
why kids should
drink water
the iPod touch
anything anywhere
anytime
Tasmanian Trade
Training Centres
operational
improving outcomes
in numeracy and
the Australian
Curriculum
Issue 14
Term 1 - 2010
Brighton’s Treasure
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22 Faith Ministry Justice
ST PATRICK’S COLLEGE
23 Age is no barrier
St ALOYSIUS CATHOLIC COLLEGE
31 Professor Mick Dodson AM
DOMINIC COLLEGE
34 50 Year On
ST BRENDAN-SHAW COLLEGE
regular features
5 FROM OUR DIRECTOR
10 HEALTHY ME HAPPY ME
13 LIFE AFTER SCHOOL
kids...
have your
voice heard!
14 MAKE JESUS REAL
16 WEIRD & WILD
18 IT BYTES
26 LEARN TEACH FEEL
33 BOOK NOOK
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
D
12 Fr John Wall Community Library
ST ALOYSIUS CATHOLIC COLLEGE
E
N
F I C E
O F
H O L I
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C
school features
SCHOOL SHORTS
www
parents
No time to find good websites
for your children? Watch
this space for fun and
educational ideas.
4
www.cybersmart.gov.au
important internet safety
tips and links to other great sites
www.crickweb.co.uk
free educational interactive
resources
www.starfall.com
stories for children and heaps of
reading related activities
www.funwithspot.com
for the early years
www.mathsyear2000.org/sudoku/
online sudoku!
www.uptoten.com/
kidsuptoten-home.html
learning games for kids
www.brainbashers.com
puzzles and brainteasers
animal
instincts
AnimalStudiesatMacKillopCatholicCollegegivesYear10studentsaccesstoawide
rangeofdifferentanimals(notjustthecuteandcuddly)forthestudentstostudy. Pat
Graham,aseniorscienceteacherattheCollegesaid‘thestudentsarereallyenjoying
working with the more unusual animals.’
Alex,who isgettingarealbuzz fromtheAnimalStudiescoursesaid,‘Weget to learn
aboutanimalphysiology,habitat,behaviour,breedingandeatinghabits.Currently,weare
keepingsomestickinsects,whichwearehopingtobreed,andrhinocerosbeetlelarvae.’
‘We are also hoping to get some fertile chicken eggs and put them in an incubator
and raise the chickens.’ As you can see from the lizards in the photos, students are
encouragedtobringintheirweirdandwonderfulcreaturesfromhome.Thesecreatures
are some lizards belonging to, and cared for, by Alex.
As Alex highlights: ‘Subjects like this are really fun and a bit different. I would
recommendtoanyonewonderingaboutanimalstudiesattheirschooltogiveitago.’
Roger Toombs
Development Officer
MacKillop Catholic College
Ace Animal Studies lizard handlers - Alex and Brielle
H E L LO
ConnectionsispublishedbytheTasmanianCatholicEducationOffice,anddistributedtoallfamiliesandschoolsacrossthestate.Submissionsand
feedbackarewelcomedaswevalueyourcommunicationtobettercatertoyourneeds.Pleasedirectcontributionstotheeditorwhoreservestheright
toamendordeclineanyitemsubmitted.Allphotographsandpiecesofstudentworkareusedontheunderstandingthatappropriatecompliancewith
current privacy legislation has been obtained prior to publication. Copyright TCEO Hobart
Contact: Kate Conforti Telephone: 03 6210 8888 Email: kate.conforti@catholic.tas.edu.au
Graphic Design: Julia Dineen Printer: Monotone Art Printers
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
N I A
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Holy Week and Easter are times of deep prayer and religious
celebration in Catholic schools through the experience of rich
ritual, prepared by our leaders of Religious Education, with
appropriate, creative input from students. Families are offered
each year the opportunity to reflect with the school community
on the deepest meaning of the Christian story. Often the events
of Jesus’ last days before His death and rising are dramatized in
striking and moving ways, depicted through art and expressed
in creative writing that is shared in homes throughout the state.
May the blessings of Peace and Joy that characterize Easter be felt
in the lives of each of us and the courage and love Jesus showed
through His sufferings and death inspire and strengthen us to live
with resilience and commitment.
The canonization of Mary of the Cross MacKillop in October
will be a highlight of this year for the Church in Australia and
especially for Catholic schooling. At 24 years of age, Mary
MacKillop founded a congregation of nuns to staff a system of
Catholic schools that made an unparalleled contribution to this
country. Her influence is strongly felt throughout Tasmania still
in the legacy the Josephite Sisters have left. It is extraordinary to
see the enthusiasm teachers and students have for her spirit and
life. As I visit schools, I see evidence of this everywhere as staff
attend colloquia organized by the Sisters, students learn about
her life, and she is visibly represented in beautiful carvings and
art works. Congratulations to the Sisters of St Joseph who have
opened the Mission and History Centre in New Town recently.
This will become a place of study and pilgrimage as students of all
ages draw on its resources for inspiration.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
for resourcing learning in the digital age. The open and shared
spaces, withdrawal areas, access to technology and possibilities for
teacher and student collaboration, are outstanding features.
Schools have entered into a new phase of creative energy in
learning and teaching practice, as they plan for learning that
is relevant, engaging and life-related for the students. Teachers
are meeting regularly at grade level with other colleagues to
learn about the new Australian curriculum in Maths, English,
Science and History and many schools are piloting aspects of these
documents using the interactive, online curriculum materials that
are available for teachers.
5
With all the excitement of these times in education, we always
remember the essence of what we hope to achieve as Catholic
educators.
The Church reminds us (Vatican Letter on Catholic Education
Sept 8, 2009):
Education today is a complex task which is made more difficult
by rapid social, economic, and cultural changes. Its specific
mission remains the integral formation of the human person.
Children and young people must be guaranteed the possibility of
developing harmoniously their own physical, moral, intellectual
and spiritual gifts, and they must also be helped to develop
their sense of responsibility, learn the correct use of freedom, and
participate actively in social life.
A form of education that ignores or marginalises the moral and
religious dimension of the person is a hindrance to full education,
because ‘children and young people have a right to be motivated
to appraise moral values with a right conscience, to embrace them
with a personal adherence, together with a deeper knowledge
and love of God.’ That is why the Second Vatican Council asked
and recommended that ‘all those who hold a position of public
authority or who are in charge of education must see to it that
youth is never deprived of this sacred right’.
Dr Trish Hindmarsh, Director - Easter, 2010
J OY TO T H E W O R L D
The year has begun well for our schools across the state, with new
facilities being blessed and opened and projects being planned
and started to complete the Federal Government’s Building
the Education Revolution initiatives in schools. The criticism
applied to this initiative in some of the press, particularly The
Australian newspaper, has not been the planning and building
experience of Catholic systems. We have been able to maximize
the funding received to build facilities that are relevant and cost
effective. Parents would be very proud, as are staff and students,
of the renovated and new classrooms, libraries, trade training
centres, science and language facilities, halls, playgrounds and
administration blocks, that reflect best contemporary practice
F R O M O U R D I R E C TO R
H O L I
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C
my message to you
SCHOOL SHORTS
6
creative
advertising
shapes careers
sailing to
victory
How I won the State Title
Last Month, a group of four Grade
8studentsfromStBrendan-Shaw
College, (Laura Wood, Eugenie
Edillo,ConnorHind&EmmaRogers)
representedthestateattheNational
DairyConferenceinWollongong.
They presented a 70 second
advertisement that they created
about why the best and brightest
should pursue a career in dairy.
Theirfilmwastitled‘Whichpathwill
you take?’
Theywereplacedsecond,onepoint
behindthewinningschoolfromSA.
Their efforts were outstanding as
thewinningschoolstudentswere
Grade 11 and 12 and our students
were Grade 8!
CO M I N G S O O N
Kaoru Sherriff
St. Brendan-Shaw College
Devonport
I think sailing is a fun sport. You need to use your brain as well as your body to be a
good sailor.
IsailinmySabotonmyownonSaturdays. IsailwithmydadintheNS14sonSundays,
and onTuesday night I sail with the StVirgil’s College team in Pacers. It is a lot of fun
and a lot of hard work.
IwonthestatetitlesinMarch,sailingwithmydadinanNS14.Thereweretwodivisions.
Therewasthecruisingdivisionandalsothechampionshipdivision.Wewereinthe
championship division, so we competed against the most experienced sailors.
Onthestartinglinewejustslowlyfloateduptothestartboat,sowhenwegotcloserwe
couldpullthesheetsandgo. Everyonewasbunchedupatthestartlinebutwewerein
the spot we wanted to be, so it was a good start.
Wewononeraceandgotasecondonthefirstday;agoodstartforthechampionships.
Wewantedtogetintotheleadandstaythere.Ontheseconddaytherewashardlyany
windandallthekidsjumpedintothewaterafterthefirstraceandhadaswim,andthe
parents all had a float about in their boats.
ThroughoutthethreedaystherewasreallytightracingbetweenPeterandMatthew
Davis and Dad and I. We won 4 races, came second in one and fourth in another. In
theendwewonandDadcelebratedsomuchthathelosthissunglasses–theyarenow
at the bottom of the River Derwent!
at the
movies
By Josh Eggins
St Virgil’s College, Austins Ferry
NigerianCatholicpriestswhohaven’tvolunteeredare
sent to save Tasmania’s struggling Church. But can
they fulfill The Mission?
See Our Lady of Lourdes, Devonport,
StartingWednesday 19 May at the State Cinema
03 6234 6318 / info@statecinema.com.au OR
view as a four part series on ABC’s Compass.
Grade 5 film festival entry at
www.mystatefilmfestival.com.au/films.aspx
Theirentry,ReflectingourFuturewon$500!
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
dairy isn’t
scary...
ThisyearMaristRegionalCollegeiscommencingaMiddleYearsLearningProgram.The
MiddleYearsLearningProgram,whichinvolvesYears7and8students,recognisesthatyoung
adolescentshaveparticularacademic,pastoralandsocialneedsastheymakethetransition
from Primary to Secondary education.
AspartoftheMiddleYearsLearningProgram,MaristRegionalCollegeiscommittedtoa
buildingprogramtoprovide21stcenturylearningfacilitiesforourMiddleYears’students.
Stage1involvestheconstructionofanew$3mpurpose-builtbuildingthatwillhouseYear7
students in flexible learning spaces.
Well-knownlocalfirm,VosConstructions,hasbeencontractedtobuildthenewlearning
centre,whichisexpectedtobecompletedinAugust,readyforopeninginSeptember2010
forTerm3.FundingfromtheFederalGovernment’sBuildingtheEducationRevolutionhas
enabled this project to be undertaken in 2010.
ThenewfacilitywillenhancetheschoolandwillprovideYear7studentswithanexcellent
learningenvironment.Theywillhavereadyaccesstotechnologyandresourcesneededto
engagetheminlearningthatisbothrigorousandenjoyable.Aswellastraditionalclassroom
spaces,studentsandteacherswillhaveaccesstosmallerlearningstudiosforindividualand
groupwork,asciencediscoverycentreandlargerbreakoutareasmakinguseofbothindoor
and outdoor spaces.
Alanna Stretton
Head of Middle Years
Marist Regional College, Burnie
TA S M A N I A N C A
kids send us your photos, poems, stories,
artwork,ideasabouteverything&anything
& things that you’ve done!
email: connections@ceo.tas.edu.au or
post: Connections,POBox102,NorthHobart,7002
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
They keep our bones
Fit and strong
To help us live
Happy and long.
But don’t forget
The people that make
All sorts of dairy
That tastes just great
7
The farmers who spend
Their days outside
In the beautiful surroundings
Of our countryside
The vets, the scientists,
The businessmen and more
I could go on forever
There are so many careers to
explore
In the Dairy Industry
There are jobs galore
Without our dairy
We’d be in strife!
As Dairy’s a part
Of everyone’s life.
In the Dairy Industry
You have a tough choice to make
As the question
I’m asking,
Is which path will you take?
By Laura Wood, Connor
Hind, Eugenie Edillo &
Emma Rogers
CO W S A R E S C A R Y
kids...
have your
voice heard!
send us
something
SCHOOL SHORTS
adolescents have
needs too
We get up in the morning
And reach for Dairy
Our milk, our cheese
And yoghurt are necessary
SCHOOL SHORTS
the big
move
Monthsofwaitingandwatchingwerefinallyoverformorethan100
PrepandGrade1studentswhentheHolyRosaryEarlyYearsCentre
in Claremont opened its doors on Monday 22 February.
Teachers and families watched on
as students explored the new facility,
marvelling at its open spaces and
twenty-first century technology
8
spaceforallchildrentogatherandincludesdramaticplayareas,
discoveryspacesandLiteracyandNumeracybreakoutroomswhere
worktablesprovideopportunitiesforchildrenfromdifferentyearsand
class groups to come together.’
The Centre allows children to access learning at their own level
throughacombinedplaybased,structuredcurriculumandenables
bothstudentsandteacherstoworkcollaborativelyandwithflexibility.
ICT Co-Coordinator Liz Mason is excited about the seamlessly
integratedtechnologythefacilityoffers.‘Wenowhavethetoolsto
offerourstudentstheexperienceofbringingtheoutsideworldinto
ourlearningenvironment.Wewillbeabletoengagestudentsin
creative interactive, interdisciplinary multimedia learning.’
Joanna Mekina
Holy Rosary Catholic School, Claremont
Principal Mrs Kate O’Driscoll said,‘We are very excited about the
opportunities this new centre offers us in terms of twenty-first
centuryteachingandlearning.ThedesignoftheCentreisbasedon
thephilosophiesofReggioEmiliaandiscommittedtothecreationof
conditionsforlearningthatwillenhanceandfacilitateourstudents’
construction of thinking.
OurteachersorganisethespacewithintheCentretocaterforsmall,
largeandindividuallearningenvironments.Italsoofferscommon
50th
st aloysius catholic college
celebrations on track
DANCE & SING
Planning is well underway to celebrate the 50th anniversary of
StAloysiusCatholicCollege,Kingston&Huntingfield. Anumber
ofeventsareplannedandformerstudents,staffandfamiliesare
welcome to attend any of these events including:
Open Day Wednesday
21 July (Kingston & Huntingfield Campuses)
Fashion Parade
Thursday 22 July (venue to be confirmed)
60s Cocktail Party
Friday 23 July (Kingston Campus)
Combined Parish/College Mass
Sunday 25 July (Christ the Priest Church)
Would you like to be placed on a mailing list to
receive updates on these exciting events and more?
If so, please contact SamanthaWilton on 6229 0100 or
email samantha.wilton@catholic.tas.edu.au.
Do you have any memorabilia to loan the College
to display during this time? Are you a former staff
member,familymemberorstudentwhomayhavephotos,
schoolbooks,uniforms,etcthatyoumightbewillingto
lend to the school? If so, please contact Ed Sianski on
6229 0100 or email ed.sianski@catholic.tas.edu.au.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
blue dragon day
SCHOOL SHORTS
‘All children have the right to be
children:tobesafe,toattendschool,
toplay,tobetreatedwithrespect,to
beheard,tobeunderstoodandtobe
loved.’MichaelBrosowski,Founder
of Blue Dragon
On Friday 19 March, St Aloysius
Catholic College, Kingston and
HuntingfieldsupportedBlueDragon
Day, a program aimed at raising
awareness of the issues and risks
foryoungVietnamesearisingfrom
poverty and to assist Vietnamese
children re-engage in schooling.
All students from Kindergarten to
Grade8woreblueandgaveasmall
donation.StudentsheardMichael
andVifromthecharityspeakabout
lifeinVietnamforchildrennotmuch
different in age to those listening
intently at St Aloysius.
‘Blue Dragon reaches out to kids
in crisis throughout Vietnam. Our
residential facilities, centres and
programs give children and youth
a new chance in life: the chance to
haveahome,agoodeducation,and
a happy, stable life.
‘We aim to break the poverty cycle
byofferingeducation,training,and
jobopportunitiestothosewhoneed
them the most: street kids, child
victims of trafficking, and the rural
poor’. Michael Brosowski
laughter for
everyone
9
grade 7 camp
Grade 7 camp ruled the world!
We went for a jog and a game of fruit salad,
Enjoyed by St Brendan’s boys and girls.
Then Jiya and Andrea decided the boys had something
The bus trip there was full of fun,
to add.
And lots of noise from everyone.
Breakfast was another great meal,
Lunch took place as soon as we got there,
Although serve yourself was the deal.
Under the teachers’ watchful stare.
Then my group was off to the challenge course,
Then we were put in activity groups,.
Split into teams, mine won, naturally of course!
And our Aussie Sport leaders rocked off the roof!
Morning tea was like any other,
Rock climbing was what we had up first,
Everyone eating and playing with another.
After our go, our fingers felt like they were burst!
Then my group was off to another activity,
While they waited the boys raced up the hall,
Onethatincludedlotsoffun,friendsandheightsnaturally!
Chucking and throwing a basketball.
What was up next was the Giant Swing,
Afternoon tea was up next,
Standing twelve metres high, a remarkable thing!
Chocolate chip cookies, and all the rest.
Everyone had a go, at hauling and swinging,
Up next my group had the high wires,
And most, if not all, had a go at screaming!
We all had a go before our nerves expired.
After that it was time for hot lunch,
Then all the Grade sevens went down to the beach,
AlthoughafewpeopleIknowwouldhavecalleditbrunch!
Withplentyofactivities,andthewaterjustoutofreach!
Pasta and salad were on the menu,
But then we decided to get our clothes wet,
Then everyone cleaned up, including the vacuum!
Splashed and played until the sun set.
The last activity for my group was mighty fun,
Dinner was a time when stomachs ruled,
As it included being on the run.
Heaps of delicious food, nothing to exclude.
To save poor Chris from the swamp monsters,
For dessert it was brownies and ice cream,
Jumping and leaping from the wooden towers.
And after that trivia, which felt like a dream.
So of course Camp Clayton was full of fun,
After trivia it was slice for supper,
Joy, friendship and laughter for everyone!
Then to our cabins for lollies, truth and dare
I hope to come back someday soon,
would come after.
And when I do I’ll be over the moon!
The lights went out at about twelve o’clock,
But nothing the teachers said got our mouths to stop.
The next morning we were up at ten to seven,
TheAussieSportleadersstoleoursmallpieceofheaven!
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
By Meg Wootton - Year 7
St Brendan-Shaw College,
Devonport
SHHHHH
Help out at www.bdcf.
H E A LT H Y M E H A P P Y M E
what’s in your
drink bottle?
10
why kids should drink water...
Whenitcomestohydratingkids,particularlythosewhoplaysports,
there’s a dizzying array of soft drinks, juices, and bottled waters
tochoosefrom. Andthere’sanothercategoryofbeveragesthat’s
causing a stir and that’s buzz drinks. Power drinks can include
anythingfromsportsbeveragestovitaminwatersto‘high-energy’
supplement drinks. What they all have in common is added
ingredients that say they ‘do’ something extra, whether it’s to
increaseenergyandalertness,boostnutrition,orevenenhance
athletic performance. But are they right for your child?
Evaluating the Choices
H AV E A L I T T L E D R I N K
Everyoneneedstostayhydratedtostayhealthyandyoucan’tgo
wrong giving your child plain water. But what about when your
childplayssports? Doesheorsheneedsomethingextratoavoid
dehydration? Not necessarily.
The average child athlete can and
should get all the necessary nutrients
and hydration by eating healthy foods
and drinking plenty of water before,
during, and after exercise.
Duringgamesandcompetitiveevents,drinksshouldbeavailableat
alltimesandregularwaterbreaksshouldbescheduledaboutevery
15 or 20 minutes. The amount of water an athlete needs can vary
dependingonthechild’sage,weight,intensityoftheactivityand
weather conditions.
Sodaisnotrecommendedforhydrationduringsportsandshouldbe
avoidedbecauseitcontainsexcesssugar,whichcanleadtoweight
gain.What’smore,thecarbonationcanupsetyourchild’sstomach.
Sodaalsooftencontainscaffeine,whichactsasadiuretic(something
thatcausesfrequenturination)andmaypromoteinsteadofprevent
dehydration.
Asfortheotherchoicesonthemarkettoday,here’sacloserlookat
the ingredients they contain and how they measure up.
Sports Drinks - Sports drinks may be beneficial if your child
participatesinendurancesportsthatlastlongerthananhourand
ahalf(suchaslong-distancerunningandbiking,orhigh-intensity
exercisesuchassoccer,basketball,orhockey).Thesedrinkscontain
carbohydrates(sugar),whichcanprovideanimmediatesourceof
energy at a time when the body’s stores are becoming depleted.
Sportsdrinksalsocontainelectrolyteslikesodiumandpotassium,
whichthebodylosesthroughsweat,thatarenecessarytokeepthe
body’s fluid levels in balance and for muscles to work properly.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
Vitamin Waters - These drinks, which are also known as
fitness waters or enhanced waters, come in many flavours and
containvariouscombinationsofsupplementalvitaminsandminerals.
Theyalsooftencontainextracalories,artificialsweeteners,caffeine,
orherbalingredientswhoseeffectshavenotbeenstudiedinchildren
(such as ginseng or St. John’s Wort).
Vitaminwatersmaylooklikeaquickwaytofillanynutritiongapsin
yourchild’sdiet,butthesenutrientscancomefromahealthymeal
or snack, too. Also, they can provide too much of a good thing,
particularlyifyourchildalreadytakesadailymultivitamin.Getting
morethantherecommendeddailyallowanceofsomevitaminsand
mineralscanbeharmfultoachild’shealth. Keepinmindthatthe
dailyallowanceslistedonthelabelarerecommendationsforadults,
not kids.
Thebestplaceforyourchildtogetdailynutrientsisfrombalanced
meals.Ifyou’reconcernedthatyourchildisn’tgettingenough,talk
toyourchild’sdoctor,whomayrecommendadailymultivitamin
formulated for kids.
Energy Drinks - These are becoming increasingly popular
with middle and high school students who are looking for a
competitiveedge.Andwhilesomeenergydrinksareclearlylabelled
asunsuitableforchildren,othersarespecificallymarketedtokids
asyoungas4,promisingboostsinenergyandnutritionaswellas
enhanced athletic performance.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
Manyofthesedrinksalsocontainadditionalingredientswhose
safety or effectiveness has never been tested in children —
includingherbalsupplements,guarana(asourceofcaffeine),and
taurine (an amino acid thought to enhance performance).
11
The bottom line is this: energy drinks
offer no real health or performance
benefit for kids.
Childrenwhoparticipateinsportsshouldlearnthattheycanimprove
theirgamethroughhardworkandpractice—valuesthatwillserve
themwellbothonandoffthefield.Encouragingkidstobelievethat
they need something‘extra’to perform at their best is a slippery
slopethatmayleadtotheuseofotherperformance-enhancing
substances.
Remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be
critical when reading labels, and talk to your child’s doctor if you
have any questions or concerns. And teach your child not to be
so quick to believe the hype when it comes to power drinks. For
athletesandnon-athletesalike,nothingbeatsawell-balanceddiet.
Most kids who eat well, stay hydrated, and get enough physical
activity and rest will have plenty of energy — naturally.
Ricky Langford
Exercise Physiologist
Healthy Business
www.healthybusiness.net.au
WAT E R B A B Y
Most energy drinks deliver a stiff dose of sugar and caffeine —
sometimes as much caffeine as in 1 to 3 cups of coffee.Too much
sugarcanputyourchildinthefastlanetothedentist’ssurgeryand
alsocontributetoweightgain. Excessivecaffeinecomeswithits
ownsetofproblems—especiallyinyoungerkids,itcannegatively
affect attention and concentration.
Fewstudieshaveexaminedtheeffectofcaffeineonchildren,but
considerhowyoufeelwhenyou’vehadtoomuch.Caffeineisindeed
a stimulant — though a widely used and accepted one — and
becausechildrenaresmallerthanadultsandhaven’tyetdeveloped
atolerancetoit,itseffectsonthemmaybemorepronounced.Asin
adults, too much caffeine can cause:
jitteriness and nervousness
upset stomach
headaches
difficulty concentrating
difficulty sleeping
frequent urination
H E A LT H Y M E H A P P Y M E
Sports drinks are sweet, which may aid hydration in kids who
otherwise wouldn’t drink during periods of intense activity. Of
course,thesedrinkscontaincaloriestooandcanincreasetherisk
of excess weight gain — if your child is active and drinks these in
moderation,thisshouldn’tbeaproblem. However,sportsdrinks
arenotnecessaryforthecasualathlete. Ifyoursedentarychildisa
fanofsportsbeverages,considersideliningthesedrinksinfavourof
plain water.
S T A LOY S I U S C AT H O L I C CO L L E G E
12
The Father John Wall Community Library
is housed on the St Aloysius College
Campus at Huntingfield. Formerly the
Tasmanian Pastoral Resource Centre,
the new library is now expanded and
houses the Fr John Wall, Archbishop
Guilford Young and St John Fisher College
collections. Included in these are books
donated by Archbishop Eric D’Arcy and
priests and religious from the Archdiocese
of Hobart.
comm
Consisting of treasures
old and new,
the Fr John Wall
Community Library
includes a 1477 edition of
the New Testament in Latin.
unity
libra
ry
This1477editionwaspublishedsome20yearsafterGutenberg’s
very first printing of a Bible.
Other books in this print treasure trove include a 1643 edition of
PopeClementVIII’sliturgiesfortheordinationofpriests,deacons
and even the coronation of kings. A favourite is John Owen’s
EpigrammatumCambroBritanniOxoniensis,publishedin1666
duringtheGreatFireofLondon. It’stoday’sequivalentoftheiPod
andisabookthatfitsintothepalmofone’shand.Thediminutive
printistestimonytothecraftsmanshipofthe17thcenturyprinters.
AcopyofthefamousBookofKellsaddsanotherbeautifuldimension
to the collection.
Students and their teachers are using the facilities to assist
educationalprogrammes.Recently,MrsCamilleNewton’sGrade6
classhadtheopportunitytoexaminesomeoftherarebooksaspart
of their studies involving the history of printing.
Currently,clientsareborrowingresourcesfromallovertheIsland
fromGeevestontoSmithton.BorrowersintheHobartareamaypick
upandreturnresourcestotheTasmanianCatholicEducationOffice,
5EmmettPlace,NewTown. OthersmaypostitemstoFrJohnWall
Community Library, PO Box 102, North Hobart, 7002.
A GOOD READ
Thereisalsoaconsiderablecollectionofresourcescoveringgeneral
education,drama,poetry,Englishliterature,architectureandart.
Duringthepasttwelvemonthssome13000itemsfromtheoriginal
libraryhavebeenbar-codedandenteredintotheAIMSelectronic
library system. Work is also progressing towards putting the
catalogueonthewebforeasyaccesstopatronsinschools,colleges
and parishes throughout the Archdiocese.
Contact the Fr John Wall Community Library
on 03 6229 8800 or email ed.sianski@catholic.tas.edu.
au.VisitthelibraryatStAloysiusCatholicCollege,Nautilus
Grove, Huntingfield Campus, 7055.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
Are you in year 12 and making decisions for 2011? Or perhaps
you’replanningaheadandwanttomakesureyou’reontheright
pathwaywithsubjectchoicesandinterests?Orhaveyoubeenaway
fromstudyfora longtimeand are thinking about updating your
qualificationstofurtheryourcareer,orwouldsimplyliketostudy
forpersonalinterest? Ormaybeyouwouldjustliketofindoutabit
more about what happens at UTAS.
It’snevertooearly,ortoolate,tothinkaboutuniversitystudy.UTAS
OpenDaywillbeheldstate-wideatthethreecampusesinAugust,
and provides a great opportunity to find out more. Open Day
includesacomprehensiveexpowhereyoucantalktoUTASstaffand
studentsandlearnaboutcoursesonoffer,scholarships,applications
andstudentaccommodation.Courseoverviewpresentationsand
generalinformationsessionswilloccurthroughouttheday,along
withcampustours,activitiesanddemonstrationstoinformandenjoy.
UTAS Open Day will be held in Hobart on Sunday 8
August,inLauncestononSunday15Augustandatthe
CradleCoastcampusinBurnieonSunday22August. A
fullprogramoutliningtheactivitiesandpresentationsfor
all three 2010 UTAS Open Days will be available online
from early July – www.utas.edu.au/openday.
Enquiries can also be directed to the Uni Info Centre:
1300 363 864 or Course.Info@utas.edu.au.
LIFE AFTER SCHOOL
utas...unlocks your
future at open day
OpenDaygivesprospectivestudents-andtheirparentsandfamily
members-thechancetoexperiencewhatauniversityeducationat
UTAScanoffer.Andwithmorethan100undergraduatedegreesin
traditionalandspecialisedareas,thereissuretobesomethingof
interest:fromwellknowndegreessuchaslaw,engineering,music,
nursing,arts,business,medicine,educationandsciencethrough
todistinctiveareassuchasnaturalenvironmentandwilderness
studies,marineandmaritimestudies,earthsciencesandaworld
first degree in Antarctic Science. UTAS also enjoys a worldwide
reputation for research, teaching and learning.
13
FA N C Y A P H D
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
MAKE JESUS REAL
1
t-shirt
Let’s make ‘Mr Make Jesus Real’, Peter Mitchell
aka Mitch (Christian Values Education), really
awesome. Not that he isn’t already. Just with a
wicked t-shirt. Pick your favourite and one lucky
winner and Mitch can step out in style!
Email connections@cet.tas.edu.au with your choice
and don’t forget to include your size.
2
5
3
6
4
7
MJR T WINS
14
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
percenters
In sport they so often mention ‘The One Percenters’ which is
really the little extras that you can say and do for a team. At
home and school we are members of a team so it could be
helpful to read the list of some of ‘The One Percenters’ then fill
in the blanks with 4 that you can use as a family and 3 that
you can use at school.
you’re a team player
mum, dad, thanks for
being so wonderful
to me
you look wonderful
your a legend!
good morning mr
or mrs...
you’ve got a
sensational smile
you’ve got a great
sense of humour
fantastic goal
how’s your day
been ..... ?
do you want a
hand?
can i help?
thanks for that
sure mum and dad,
i’ll do it now
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
YO U A R E LO V E LY
‘These God Moments uplift us in our daily lives.’ Peter Mitchell, Christian Values Education
TA S M A N I A N C A
15
dad you’re a legend
how great was that?
your project is
wonderful
MAKE JESUS REAL
1
thanks for
tea mum
WEIRD & WILD
creepy crawlies
everywhere
program’saimistoallowstudentstodiscovermore
aboutthesmallercreaturesofourworld;everything
from ants, spiders, butterflies, stick insects,
cockroaches and so much more.
16
‘We currently have three giant burrowing
cockroaches George, Ann and Mary as well as lots
ofstickinsects–wehavethreedifferenttypes,the
Goliath, Spiny and Children’s Stick Insects,’ said
Program Coordinator, Elise Barrow.
There are thought to be over 220 000 different species of insects
inAustraliaandaccordingtoresearchconductedbytheCSIROno
onecanliveorvisitthiscountrywithouthavingpersonalcontact
withaninsect. Insectscanbefoundalmostanywhere–onplants,
inleaflitter,underrocks,incaves,dung,deadanimals,freshwater
pools,saltpansandsanddunes.TheCSIROhaveanationalinsect
collectionandCSIROscientistsareactivelyinvolvedindiscovering
newinsectsinAustraliaandfindingouthowtheseinvertebratescan
be preserved for future generations.
ThisyeartheScienceinSchoolsprogramrunbyCSIROEducation
inNorthHobarthasanewprogramfocusingonMiniBeasts.The
CSIRO Education’s program uses different
workstationstointroducestudentstotheworldof
MiniBeasts,throughlearningabouthowafly’seye
works,whatkindsofmouthsinsectshaveaswellas
howinsectssmell(sometimesusingtheirfeet!),and
communicatewitheachother.Studentslearnhowtoclassifyinsects
and why this is important for scientists to do.
Teacher, Ben Rheinberger and his
Yr 2/3 class from St John’s School in
Richmond recently visited CSIRO
Education and completed the Mini
Beasts Program!
Double Helix Science Club for schools
BOO
CSIRO’sDoubleHelixScienceCluboffersplentyofactionforschools.Fromclubschool
groupstomassivesavingsonbulkmagazinesubscriptionsandevenfreememberships.
www.csiro.au/products/DoubleHelixMembership.html
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
WEIRD & WILD
science is
ping pong
StudentswereabletoexploretheamazingworldofMiniBeastsand
insectsthroughoutthe90minutesessionrunbyCSIROEducation
Officer, Fred Pribac.
The students seemed to enjoy the
session, with the Spiny Stick Insects
being a great hit!
It’sagreatwayforstudentsandteacherstobecomemorefamiliar
withtheirsurroundingenvironmentandtheimportanceofmini
beasts to that environment,’said Education Officer, Fred Pribac.
Thisnewprograminvolvesstudentscompletingactivitiesdesigned
todeveloptheirproblemsolvingandinvestigationskills.Thesession
isdesignedtogivestudentsfromKindertoGrade6anawarenessof
sustainabilityandbiodiversityandtheroletheyplayinmaintaininga
healthy environment.
The Helix magazine
TheHelixmagazineisproducedbyCSIRO’sDoubleHelix
Science Club for children aged ten years and above. For
sciencenews,featurestories,hands-onexperiments,comics
and competitions go to:
www.csiro.au/products/TheHelix.html
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
17
‘Ourchallengewastobuildapingpongballgunordevice
thatwouldfireapingpongball4metresintoabucket.After
finishingthecompetitionwewereshownaroundtheScience
Departments of the University.
‘We were amazed by the many different branches of
Sciences,ormoreimportantly,theamountoffreestuffthey
weregivingaway!WewereprivilegedenoughtomeetKim
and Dave. After exploring the Uni and finding out a lot of
newinformationonpossiblecareers,Jeremydecidedthathe
wouldliketobecomeapoliceman,anastronomerandfollow
many other careers. We had a great day!’
Thestudentslefttheirexperimentalnoteswiththejudges
whoalsosawrepresentativesfromtheNorthandNorthWest.
TwoweekslaterwereceivedthegreatnewsthatSelby,Josh,
JacksonandJeremy’slauncherhadbeenjudgedsecondin
theState. CertificatesandanafternoonteainLaunceston
together with the knowledge of a project well done were
reward for a great piece of Science.
Selby Cooper, Joshua Leach, Jackson Sutherland and
Jeremy Jacobs from Grade 8 are above demonstrating
their Ping Pong Launcher. Octavia Cooper and her
launcher also represented the College.
BOING
The Science in Schools program travels around
Tasmania to any school with an interest in science.
For more information contact Elise Barrow at CSIRO
Education on elise.barrow@csiro.au.
St Jame’s Catholic College, Cygnet, took part in the 2009
TasmanianScienceTalentSearchtechnologychallenge.After
planningandtestingatschool,twogroupswerechosento
representtheCollegeatUTASinAugust.Thestudentswrote
of their experience:
IT BY TES
18
anything,
anywhere,
anytime
the iPod touch
TheGoodiesusedthephrase‘anything,anywhere,anytime’intheir
1970sTV show – there’s no way they’d have known that it would
be used to describe a mobile, hand-held computer that would
revolutionise education across the world!
anything
TheiPodtouchhassuchabroadarrayoffunctionsthatnowhere
is there a complete list of its capabilities. It weighs 115g, has an
89mmLCDtouchscreenandbuilt-instereospeakers.Itcomesin8,
32 and 64 Gigabyte (Gb) models.
Notonlyisitamusic,videoandgameplayer,butitcomesequipped
withthefollowingusefultools(amongstothers):internetbrowser,
calculator,calendar,addressbook,clock/alarm/stopwatch,voice
recorder(requiresexternalmicrophone,notshippedwith8Gbmodel)
and street directory.
Tocomplementthesoftwarethatispre-installed,Applehasanonline
store, the‘App Store’, where you can choose from over 160 000
‘apps’(applications,orsoftwareprograms)pricedanywherefrom
freeupto$US900(foravideosurveillanceoperationsystem).About
half of the apps available cost less than three dollars. Many apps
alsohavea free‘lite’version, with either reduced functionality or
advertisingbanners,soyoucantrybeforeyoubuythefullversion.
FUJI APP
Applehascoinedtheterm‘There’sanAppforthat!’inrecognition
of the massive number of easily accessible apps available for
download.
photo courtesy of Apple
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
Educational Apps: There are more than 10 000 apps
IT BY TES
taggedforeducation,andthousandsofothersthatcaneasilybe
incorporatedintoanyeducationalsetting.Ofthese,manyareuseful
intheclassroom,withasmanyavailabletobeusedathometohelp
studentstoimprovetheirownorganisational,academicandsocial
skills.
Useful Apps for the Classroom:
Not only can the iPod
touchreplacethedictionary,telephone,calculator,atlas,bible,diary,
calendar,notepad,dictaphone,USBdriveandmore,butitcanbe
used in so many ways to make the classroom a more engaging
place for the student of the 21st century.
Youcanpurchaseeachofthefollowingappsfortheindicatedoneoff cost, and transfer it to as many iPods as you own.
Paid Apps:
Wordbook – a comprehensive dictionary: $2.49
Smart Image Search – safely searches for online images: $2.49
Educate – for recording attendance and student results: $7.99
Brushes – an AMAZING painting app: $5.99
TypeDrawing–typesomewords,thenwatchthemfollowyourfinger
as you draw: $2.49
Reeldirector–makeslideshowsandeditvideosonyouriPod:$9.99
World Touch Atlas: $1.19
19
Free Apps:
Talkies3 – build slideshows with audio
SimpleMindXpress–createmindmapsandexportthemtoInternet
NumberLine – compare decimals and fractions
Frac Factory – convert fractions to decimals
Translator – translate between 50 different languages
TCT Lite – interactive periodic table
WriteNow Lite- interactive handwriting app
Useful Apps for Students: There are so many apps that
canmakeyourlifeeasier,helpyoutobemoreproductive/organized
or to help improve your schoolwork:
iStudiezPro–keepstrackofclasses(timetable),assignmentsanda
planner: $3.99.
myHomework – keeps track of homework assignments: free
iFlipr – Flash Cards: $5.99
FlashTables
Mobile Web Sites
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
WAY TO O CO O L
continued page 21
anytime, anywhere
IT BY TES
TheiPodtouchbatterycanprovideupto6hoursofvideo,
24hoursofaudioorevenmorewhenbrowsingthewebor
using basic apps.
The word ‘app’ has a few slightly different meanings.
The‘native’iPodtouchappisonethatispurchasedfrom
the App Store, and that doesn’t requireWi-Fi access to
open.ManynativeappsrequireWi-Fitofunctionproperly,
though.
The other main type of app is the ‘web app’. This is
a website that performs some kind of function, and is
usually accessed via a web browser.
Thefollowingdiarygivesanexampleofa‘dayinthelifeof
aniPodtouchowner’(albeitanincrediblyobsessedone!).
6.30 wokeup,checkedemail,readTwitter/RSSfeeds…
7.00 shower – listened to favourite tunes on iPod
20
7.20 breakfast – caught up on current events using
m.news.com.au
7.45 bus – re-watched video for history class
8.20 school–re-checkedemail,loggedintoBlackboard
to check today’s work
8.50synchronisednewappsfromclasscomputer,checked
out Mad Libs app – maybe English can be fun!
14.30science–uploadedphotosofexperimenttoiPod,and
createdaslideshowtoillustratetheprocessofevaporation
15.15 checked myHomework app to see what books I
needed to take home and what homework was due
15.30bus-listenedtopodcastsforIndonesianassignment
16.00 stoppedatMcDonald’swithfriends. UsedfreeWi-Fi
to check bank balance – couldn’t afford to eat, so walked
home
16.15 home - music training usingTheory on the Go app
(I’ve got to get my sight-reading up to scratch!)
16.45 decided to help with dinner – used Jamie Oliver’s
20MinuteMealsapp to findrecipefor Mum to cook(how
helpful of me!)
18.30 openedWordpressappandstartedablogentrybut
didn’t finish it, so saved it to finish tomorrow
19.00 bought a couple of new songs from iTunes Store
20.30 turnediPodoffandputondiningtablewithmobile
phone (to keep Mum and Dad happy)
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
IT BY TES
photo courtesy of Apple
A mobile web site is one that has been optimized for hand-held
devices. Many useful (and even more not so useful!) web sites
haveadaptedtheircontenttosuittheiPodtouchscreen:Google,
Wikipedia,Youtube,Twitter,Facebook,Flickr,eBay,Amazon,Gmail…
ask your kids if you don’t know what some of these are.
OneparticularlyusefulmobilesiteisWorldcat. Ithelpsyoulocate
booksatyourlocallibrary(whereveryouare!).Visititathttp://www.
worldcat.org/m/
anymore?
Both Deon and Megan will be presenting
at Australia’s first iPod touch conference for
educators, entitled ‘Slide to Learn’ (a play on
words, based on the ‘slide to unlock’ component of
the iPod touch). It is to be held in Shepparton,
Victoria, on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 July.
A number of presentations will be available
to attendees in an online format. If you are
interested, please contact Deon on 6229 0112.
21
DeonScanlonistheICTCoordinatoratthenewHuntingfieldcampusofSt
NowthateveryoneiscatchingupwiththeamazingthingstheiPod
touchcando,Applehaveannouncedthearrivalofanevenmore
advanceddevice:theiPad. Basically,itisasuper-sizediPodtouch,
butthatdescriptionreallydoesn’tdoitjustice.Googleit!Asidefrom
thehumoroustake-offvideo,youwillfindplentyofadditionaldetails
– and it hasn’t even been released yet!
Deon Scanlon and Megan Iemma
AloysiusCatholicCollege. Formoreinformation,email:deon.scanlon@
catholic.tas.edu.au, Twitter: @deonscanlon.
MeganIemmaisbasedinMelbourneandspecialisesinMobileLearning/
MusicTechnology in the classroom and professional development for
teachers.Formoreinformationemail:meganaiemma@me.com.Twitter:@
megsamanda, Web: http://web.me.com/meganaiemma.
PLANET OF THE IPODS
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
S T PAT R I C K ’ S CO L L E G E
faith
ministry justice
Remar is a Marist youth leadership programme that operates
throughout Catholic schools across Australia. Established in
Columbia,itisamovementthatencouragesstudentstosailaway
from‘mediocrity’and to renew their call to be a disciple of Christ.
Remar has a fourfold focus.
1
2
3
4
Evangelisation and faith development
Personal development and leadership formation
Strong experience of being a part of a community
Social justice, ministry and service to others.
22
remar red reflections
On February 20 – 22, 39 Grade 10 students went to
BridportforRemarRedEmbarkationCamp.Weplayed
lots of fun camp games that had us all laughing. At
night, we had Taize prayer. For me this was really
inspiring,youfeelsoenergizedafterit.Taizeisachant
likeprayer,youcanholdontoanythoughtandthenyou
lose track of time.
If anyone asked me what Remar has done for me or
whatitislike,I’dtellthemRemarhasopenedupadoor
anditisfullofnewopportunitiestoexplore. Remarisa
placewhereyoucanfeelsafe,whereyou’vegotagreat
bunchofpeoplewhoyoucouldtalkto,peopleyoudon’t
normallytalkto. Remarisaplacetobeyourselfandget
to know more about everything.
By Olivia Coleman
St Patrick’s College has 73 students involved in Remar and they
havebeguntheyearwithpassionandenthusiasm.Sofartherehas
beentheRed,BlueandGoldEmbarkationCamps,regularmeetings
andtheministryrosterisupandrunning.Theyhavealsolaunched
amajorfundraisingprojectfortheyear–theEntertainmentBook.
WE LIKE IT
HugethanksmustgotoAdrianViney,whoisnotonlytheHelmof
theGoldRowersbutisalsotheRemarCoordinator.Incredibletime,
commitment and wisdom is offered by Adrian and the success
of the programme lies in his enthusiasm. Ann Viney and Peter
Santamaria–theBlueandRedHelmsrespectively-arealsotobe
thankedfortheenergyandlifetheyarebringingtotheirrowers.Our
studentsandtheStPatrick’sCollegeCommunityareblessedtohave
thesethreeamazingstaffmemberscommittedtosuchavaluable
programme and to the spiritual development of our youth.
Tracey Owers, Faith and Justice Coordinator
St Patrick’s College, Prospect
AsaRedRoweryouareexpectedtodoabout20hours
ofministrythroughouttheyear.Ministryishelpingout
thecommunityandothersinneedaroundyoubydoing
volunteer work. So far, the only ministry I have done
ishelpingoutattheSacredHeartCatholicSchoolfair
last Friday. I was on the gate handing out maps of the
school,sellingraffleticketsandworkingonthejumping
castle. Even though there was no money involved in
workingthere,IstillenjoyeditandknowingthatIwas
helping out a school made me feel great.
By Charlotte White
I found the camp to be one of the most amazing
experiencesofmylife. Iinteractedwiththemajorityof
the39people,eventhoughIhadneverreallytalkedto
thembeforeRemar.IjoinedRemarsoIcouldfindwhoI
wasandsoIcouldgainself-confidence. Ilookforward
tomanyyearsaheadwithRemarandIhopetobewith
this group right until the end of my schooling.
By Jacinda Meadows
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
S T A LOY S I U S C AT H O L I C CO L L E G E
age
is no barrier
to making a
difference
Moved by the devastation caused
by the terrible earthquake in Haiti,
three grade 2 students from St
Aloysius Catholic College set about
making a difference...with amazing
results.
KirbyMosenthal,MaiaJohnsonandAshaRatcliffe,fromGrade2,
haveproventhatyoursizeandagedonotmatterwhenitcomesto
helpingothers.Thesethreegirlswantedtodosomethingpractical
to raise money to help the troubled people of Haiti.
Inweekoneoffirstterm,theyapproachedBernadetteBrooks,the
DirectoroftheKingstonCampusofStAloysiusCatholicCollege,
withtheideaofmakingandsellingbracelets,necklaces,keyrings
and bookmarks. Over a five week period, the girls organised
beadingworkshopsandhadregularmeetingstosetgoals,plan
the promotion of their stall and make items to sell. The girls then
spokeatassembly,madeposterstoadvertisetheirstallandmade
PA announcements to ensure their stall was a success – which it
certainly was!
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
girls raised an incredible $500 over the two days – a remarkable
achievement!LesaRatcliffe,Asha’smothercommented:‘Thegirls’
commitmenttoraisingmoneyforHaitihasbeenamazing.Whilst
theyareveryexcitedatthenumberofnotesandcoinsintheircash
box,Idon’tknowiftheyfullyrealisewhatawonderfulcontribution
they have made.’
‘Their dedication and commitment to achieving their aim was
certainlybeyondmyexpectationsanditwasanabsoluteprivilegeto
work with the girls,’ remarked Bernadette Brooks.
The girls presented a cheque to Pat O’Halloran from Caritas at a
special assembly after Easter.
Energised by their experience,
the girls are planning another
fundraising activity for next term –
this time the project is badge making.
These girls are an inspiration to us all and a living witness to our
call to act out the Gospel message of reaching out to those less
fortunate.
Leanne Prichard, Pastoral Associate
St Aloysius Catholic College, Kingston Campus
BEAD IT
Over two mornings, the girls were responsible for setting up a
stall,whichwaswellattendedbystudents,staffandparents.The
23
A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E
volunteer holidays
Have you ever wanted to make a difference in the world but didn’t
know how to go about it? You could try a Volunteer Holiday ...
This exciting new way to travel was developed by Lee-Anne Levett, owner ofTheTravel Studio, a
boutiquetravelagencybasedinHobart. Lee-Annewantedtodevelopatravelproductthatwould
engagetravellerswithothermembersofourglobalcommunity.Outofadesiretohelpothers,Volunteer
Holidayswasconceived.TheTravelStudiotailorsuniquevolunteerexperiencesforpeopleofallages
andallwalksoflifeandallowsthemtoexperiencethejoyandfulfilmentofhelpingthoselessfortunate
thanthemselves.TherearefourtypesofVolunteerHolidays:TraditionalVolunteering,SpecialGroups,
Team Holidays and Fundraising trips.
traditional volunteering ... offers a very real cultural experience. Live
inthelocalvillageintraditionalaccommodationandbecomepartofthecommunity.Programs
range from two weeks to twelve months.
special groups ... have a particular skill, area of expertise or passion which can
be used to help others (groups may include community, church or school groups or even a
24
business). Choose from a Traditional Volunteer experience or a Team Holiday.
fundraisingtrips...fortheadventurousspiritwithacompassionateheart! Use
yourfundraisingskillstohelpothers.Fundraiseamongstyourlocalcommunity,gym,schoolor
workplace and engage other people in helping others.
teamholidays...allowtravellerstoexperiencevolunteeringwhilstalsoenjoyinga
holiday.Ledbyexperiencedvolunteersandguides,TeamHolidaysprovidearangeofsightseeing
opportunitieswhichcomplementthevolunteerexperience.TherearetwoexcitingTeamHolidays
comingupsoon,a12dayfullescortedtriptoThailandwhichdeparts29May2010anda9day
fully escorted trip to Vietnam which departs September 2010.
63 projects are available across 23 countries ...
where will your heart lead you?
For more information on Volunteer Holidays, go to www.volunteerholiday.com.au or phone Lee-Anne on 03 6224 7444.
V
VOLUNTEER
Mt. Kilimanjaro Fundraising Trek
Join Us. Make a Difference.
This volunteer fundraising trip is a 12 day fully escorted tour, priced from
$5,960 per person. Departs Sunday 16 January 2011.
Participants are required to raise $2,000 in the months preceding the trek.
Engage your family and friends to support your fundraising efforts and
share the joy in helping others.
Ask us for full details of fundraising ideas, optional extensions and pre-trip
preparation. More information is available on our website.
B O N V OYA G E
www.volunteerholiday.com.au
29 Salamanca Square Hobart
Phone (03) 6224 7444
info@volunteerholiday.com.au
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
finally, australia has a
Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard said on 14 April, 2008 that
Australianshavebeendebatingthemeritsofanationalcurriculum
forthelast30years.Untilnow,however,noAustralianGovernment
has been able to produce a plan on how to deliver it.
Today,theRuddLaborGovernmentinco-operationwiththestates
andterritorieshasannouncedsuchaplan,whichwillseeanational
curriculum being delivered within three years.
TheAustralianCurriculumisnowwellunderwayinitsdevelopment.
It has been written in response to major global challenges and
demands placed in education systems and schools:
- Global Integration and International Mobility
- The Influence of India, China and other Asian Nations
- Globalization and Technological change
- ComplexEnvironmental,SocialandEconomicPressuressuchas
Climate Change
- Rapid and Continuing Advances in information and
Communication Technologies.
All young Australians will be
provided with an education that
enables them to become successful
learners, confident and creative
individuals, and active and informed
citizens (National Declaration on Educational
Goals for Young Australians 2008)
TheAustralianCurriculum,AssessmentandReportingAuthority
(ACARA) has been given the charter to develop the Australian
CurriculumfromKindergarten(PreparatoryinTasmania),initiallyin
thelearningareasofEnglish,Mathematics,ScienceandHistory.
AsecondphaseofcurriculumdevelopmentwillinvolveLanguages
(LOTE), Geography and the Arts, and there is agreement on
subsequentcurriculumdevelopmentwhichwillfocusonHealth
andPhysicalEducation,ICT,Economics,BusinessandCivicsand
Citizenship.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
The Australian Curriculum will include content descriptors,
achievementstandards,elaborationsoncontentdescriptors,work
samplesandresourcestoassistteachers.Thecurriculumiswritten
in year levels from Prep to Year 12.
TheYear 11/12courseswillnot beavailablefor at least two years,
withassessmentandcertificationremainingtheresponsibilityofthe
Tasmanian Qualifications Authority (TQA).
Therewillbenoadditional‘national’requirementforassessment.
This will continue to be determined by our sector using the
achievementstandardsasa‘referencepoint’forassessmentand
reportingateachgradelevel. NAPLANtestingwillcontinuetobe
used to assess literacy and numeracy in Years 3,5,7 and 9.
25
CatholicschoolsandcollegesinTasmaniaareworkingtogether
in a spirit of enthusiasm and collaboration to prepare for the
implementation of the first four curriculum areas – English,
Mathematics, History and Science – in 2011.
Networks of primary teachers have been established this year
to enable teachers to work with their colleagues to plan for
the delivery, assessment and reporting of the new curriculum.
Secondarynetworks,whichwereestablishedin2009,areactively
planningfortheimplementationofthecurriculuminthecolleges.
AnumberofteachersfromtheCatholicsectorareparticipatingin
on-goingconsultationforumsonthephaseonecurriculumareas,as
well as Geography and the Arts.
TwoCatholicschoolsare‘trialschools’andhencehaveveryclose
contact with the Curriculum developers. Sacred Heart Catholic
School,Geeveston,andStAloysiusCatholicCollege,Huntingfield,
were selected as two of the 150 trial schools across the country.
AllteachersintheCatholicSectorcurrentlyhaveanopportunityto
participateinanon-lineconsultationprocess,whichwillconcludeat
the end of May.
Jill Morgan
Secondary Education Services - TCEO
All members of the community are invited to access
the Australian Curriculum by registering on the
website at www.australiancurriculum.edu.au.
H A L L E LU J A H
Whileeachlearningareacontainsatraditionalstructureofscope
andsequence,theAustralianCurriculumwillgiveexplicitattentionto
the following ‘general capabilities’:
- literacy
-
Numeracy
- thinking skills
-
Creativity
- self management
-
Teamwork
- intercultural understanding -
Ethical behaviour
- Information and Communication Technology
- social competence
The Curriculum also gives attention to three cross-curriculum
dimensions:
• Indigenous History and Culture
• Commitment to Sustainable Living
• Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
LEARN TEACH FEEL
national curriculum
LEARN TEACH FEEL
26
pathways
to success
tasmanian catholic trade
training centres operational
TasmanianCatholicCollegesareamongthefirstschoolsnationally
tobenefitfromfundingundertheTradeTrainingCentresinSchools
Program,anAustralianGovernment2008initiative.TheProgram
provides$2.5billionover10yearstoenableallsecondarystudents
fromYears9to12accesstoTradeTraining.Theprimaryaimsofthe
programaretoimprovestudentretentionratesfromYear10toYear
12, and to address recognised skill shortages across Australia.
BUSY BUSY BUSY
The Tasmanian Catholic education
sector had three successful
applications in Round One of the
program, attracting an aggregate
total funding to Colleges of some
$10.587 million!
2 North West Hairdressing Trade Training Centre
Lead School: St Brendan-Shaw College, Devonport Total Funding: $1 440 500
3 Georgetown Trade Training Centre
Lead School: The Polytechnic Total Funding: $558 500
Cluster School: Star of the Sea Catholic College, George Town
Thefundinghasenabledtheconstructionoffirst-class,purposebuilt
technicalfacilities,therefurbishmentofexistingbuildingsandthe
provisionofcontemporaryequipment.Studentsnowhavethereal
1 The Southern Catholic Colleges Trade Training Centre
Lead School: Guilford Young College, Hobart
Total Funding: $8 587 867
Cluster Schools: St Mary’s College, Hobart; St James Catholic
College,Cygnet;MountCarmelCollege,SandyBay;DominicCollege,
Glenorchy;StVirgil’sCollege,Hobart;SacredHeartCollege,New
Town; MacKillop Catholic College, Mornington
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
LEARN TEACH FEEL
advantageofbeingabletoaccessmorediversecourseofferingsand
education options.
TheSouthernCatholicColleges,SouthernCatholicCollegeTrade
Training Centres, and North West Hairdressing Trade Training
CentrecommencedprogramdeliveryfromTerm12010.Theyare
offeringcoursesinarangeoftradesincluding:Electro-technology,
Construction,Hospitality,Horticulture,Hairdressing,Engineeringand
Automotive.
It is estimated some 300 students will
be involved in nationally accredited
Vocational Education and Training
(VET) qualifications mainly from
Years 10 to 12.
ManyotherstudentswillbeinvolvedinadditionalVETprograms
suchasResponsibleServingofAlcoholandshort‘taster’courses
throughout 2010.
Studentswhohavealreadyidentifiedacareerpathwaywillbewell
positionedtocommencetherequiredtrainingintheirchosenfields
whilststillcompletingtheirTasmanianCertificateofEducation.Itis
anticipatedthatmanyofthestudentsbeginningstudiesinoneofthe
newlyestablishedTradeTrainingCentreswillgoontogaintechnical
and professional qualifications in their chosen field.
ApplicationsarecurrentlybeingpreparedbyStPatrick’sCollegeand
MaristRegionalCollegeforconsiderationaspartofRound3ofthis
program commencing in June.
27
Tim Gourlay
Capital Works, Planning and Compliance - TCEO
PLANET OF THE IPODS
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
SCHOOL SHORTS
music
review...
28
Most people would know Green
Dayfromthe12millioncopiessold
oftheiranthemalbumAmerican
Idiotbutifyouarealoyalfollower
like most punk-rock lovers then
you would already own a copy of
their latest album 21st Century
Breakdown. Green Day’s usual
genreofintroducinga‘rebellious
aesthetic’withinthepunk-branded
rock opera is present but also
in this new album they’ve used
dramatic musical shifts that are
reminiscent of Queen, as well as
adding ‘Who-like’ classic rock
guitars. They even work in a
poignant piano ballad.
WHO?
21st Century Breakdown has
been written in the form of a
story following a young couple
named Christian and Gloria
who are confronted with a
‘manipulativeandauthoritative’
culture. It wouldn’t be a Green
Dayalbumwithoutreferencesto
theGovernmentanditsgreatest
failures,sowiththatinmindwhen
listeningtotheirnewestinstalment,
bepreparedtorockoutandenjoy
the lyrical genius that is Billy-Joe
Armstrong.
By Olivia Pacconi
Guilford Young College,
Hobart
improving
outcomes in
numeracy
accelerating catholic
tasmanian schools to
improve outcomes in
numeracy
The Commonwealth funded ACTION (Accelerating Catholic
TasmanianSchoolstoImproveOutcomesinNumeracy)pilotproject
aimstoimproveteachercapacityinmathematicsteachingthrough
professionaldevelopment.Itisprovidingindividualassessmentsand
customisedinstructiontoincreasestudentnumeracyskills.Home
andschoolpartnershipsarehelpingparentstobettersupporttheir
children. Eleven schools are involved in this project:
Southern Tasmania
John Paul II Catholic School, Rokeby
St Paul’s Catholic School, Bridgewater
St Brigid’s Catholic School, New Norfolk
St James Catholic College, Cygnet
Sacred Heart Catholic School, Geeveston
St John’s Catholic School, Richmond
St Therese’s Catholic School, Moonah
Mount Carmel College, Sandy Bay
Northern Tasmania
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School, Deloraine
St Finn Barr’s Catholic School, Launceston
Star of the Sea Catholic College, George Town
For more information on ACTION pilots visit
www.pilots.educationau.edu.au.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
LEARN TEACH FEEL
what’s happening?
Homeandschoolpartnershipsbringfamiliesintopartnershipwith
schoolsandincreaseopportunitiesforcollaboration,mutuallearning
and shared understandings.
Task-based, one-to-one assessment
interviews provide insights into
what individual children know
and can do so that teachers can
personalise learning.
Postgraduate study has improved the pedagogical content
knowledge of Numeracy Coordinators and made them skilled
practitioners and leaders of mathematics in their school.
Regular school visits fromTasmanian Catholic Education Office
professionalstaffhasenabledteacherstowitnessgoodteachingin
practice,clarifyandlearnnewideas,collaborate,gainconfidence
and feel supported.
29
Regularprofessionaldevelopmentsessionshaveassistedteachersin
their capacity as teachers of mathematics.
Anonlinesitefortheprojecthelpsteachersfromaroundthestate
toshareinsightsandideas,posequestionsandworktogetherwww.
actiontasmania.ning.com
what works?
Homeandschoolpartnershipsallowparentstohearhowandwhythe
teachingofmathematicsischanging.Theycanshareinformation
and learn about ideas from other parents and the project team.
Individualstudentassessmentsprovideinsightsintowhatachild
knowsandcando,sothatteacherscanpersonaliselearning.The
results often challenge their assumptions about the child.
school highlights
1 Record numbers of parents have attended mathematics
workshopsheldduringandafterschool. Feedbackfromparents
showsthatthefollowingfactorsarecontributingtotheirattendance:
- sessions held at different times during the day
- childcare provided for pre-school children
-abagofgamesandmaterialstouseathomegiventoeachfamily
- a hand written invitation from each child
- an interest in how mathematics teaching has changed.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
Louise Hodgson
Education Officer: Numeracy/ACTION Project - TCEO
EASY AS 1 2 3
Parentsenjoytheworkshopsandfindthemrelevantandbeneficial.
When asked to list the most useful aspect of workshops, most
parents list games to play at home.
2Theonetoonemathematicsinterviewforeachchildhasenabled
teachers to be more precise about students’ learning needs.
Teachers have said,‘In the past, we made so many assumptions
aboutwhatstudentsknowandcando,nowthatweareawareof
whattheyknowandunderstand,wecanbuildtheirunderstanding
atanappropriatelevel.Wearenotgoingtosetthestudentsupfor
failure; we’re actually going to set them up for success.’
LEARN TEACH FEEL
the Tasmanian Aboriginal Story
Many Aboriginal People have both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal ancestors.
Skin colour is not a valid means of identifying Aboriginal people. An Aboriginal
person is a person of Aboriginal descent who identifies as Aboriginal and is
accepted as such by the community in which they live.
CatholicschoolsinTasmaniaareverycommittedtoensuringthatallstudentsreceiveanaccurateaccountoftheTasmanian
Aboriginalstory.EveryschoolhasaccesstoinvitingmembersoftheTasmanianAboriginalcommunitytocomeandspeakto
students and teachers.
MostofthejuniorschoolsinSouthernTasmaniahaveadoptedawholeschoollearningsequenceonTasmanianAboriginals
whichismademoreauthenticbyvisitsfrommembersoftheTasmanianAboriginalcommunitytoclassroomsandexcursions
tospecialsites. NoscopeandsequencetakesplaceswithoutatleastoneclassutilisingthefantasticpermanentTasmanian
Aboriginal exhibition, ningenneh tunapry, at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
TheveryrecentdiscoveryatBrightoncreatesanexcitementaboutthesignificanceandimportanceofeducatingstudentsabout
the history of Tasmania - ancient to modern times.
Sarah Lackey
Education Officer: Aboriginal Education - TCEO
30
buried treasure
Thediscoveryofa40000yearoldAboriginalsettlementneartheJordanRiverValleyinBrightonhasattractedtheattentionof
archaeologists, scientists, the community and the Government.
Tasmanian Musem and Art Gallery indigenous cultures curator
Tony Brown said the discovery would require ‘a re-writing of the
history books’. ‘It is going to change everything we knew about
the settlement of this land and require a revaluation about when
Aborigines came to Australia and when they came to Tasmania’.
Inthepreliminaryresearchphase,thearchaeologicalinvestigationwasinstigatedbythedevelopmentoftheBrightonBypass,
intendedforconstructiondirectlyuponthesite.Filledwithstoneartefactsthathavebeenpreservedintactforlongerthanwe
can imagine, it could prove to be a window into history and become an Aboriginal site of deep cultural significance.
S O O O O E XC I T I N G
Duetothesite’slocationinthevalleybesidetheJordanRiver,thesiteandartefactshavebeenpreservedbyfloodwaters
depositinglayersofsiltysandoverthesettlements. Everydaytracesoflife,leftbehindbyancientcommunities,restinan
historicaltreasuretrovethatplotsthecontinuousoccupationofthesiteoverthousandsofyears.Therecouldbemillionsof
artefacts,somedatingbacktotheiceage,inthisonerelativelysmallareaestimatedtobe35000yearsolderthenStonehenge
in England, a World Heritage Site, and the Egyptian pyramids.
Asaresultofthisfinding,TasmaniacouldwellbetherichestAboriginalHeritagestate. Itisnowuptothearchaeologists,
scientists and Aboriginal community to continue to reveal the importance of this quiet valley location.
AfteranumberofprotestsbytheAboriginalcommunitydrawingtheworld’sattentiontotheuniquesite,let’shopetheycan
rightfully determine its future.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
DominicCollege,Glenorchy,hadtheprivilegerecentlyofhosting
the2009AustralianoftheYear,ProfessorMickDodsonAM,onan
exclusivevisittotheCollege.ProfessorDodsonwaswelcomedby
respectedTasmanianAboriginalelderandDominicCollegeparent,
Uncle Glenn Shaw.
DominicCollegePrincipal,MsBethGilligan,saidthattheairwas
electricwithexcitementasstudentsandstaffwarmlyembraced
Professor Dodson.
‘You know that these kinds of
moments are transformational
moments for our students,’
says Ms Gilligan.
Duringhistwo-daystay,ProfessorDodsonhadtheopportunityto
present the Be More Awards to some exceptional students at a
special whole College assembly.These peer voted awards were
giventostudentswhodemonstratedthattheyaspiredto‘bemore’
rather than ‘have more’ in their every day actions.
Professor Dodson also took the opportunity of speaking with
studentstoemphasisetheimportanceofpersistingagainstadversity.
‘Sometimesyou’regoingtofailbuttheimportantthingistogetup
and have another crack,’ says Dodson.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
31
‘OurRAPTeamhopesthattheactivitiesandachievementsofour
Indigenousstudentsthroughouttheyear,togetherwithhosting
Professor Dodson’s visit to Tasmania, will raise awareness of
Reconciliation within our community. Professor Dodson is an
extraordinaryIndigenousAustralianandhehasinspiredanddeeply
challengeduswithhisvisionforIndigenousequityinAustralia,’says
Ms Gilligan.
Duringhisvisit,ProfessorDodsonalsoenjoyedacruiseontheRiver
DerwentexaminingheritagesiteswithDominicCollegeparentsand
TasmanianAboriginalCulturalandHeritageOfficer,MrAaronEverett.
A visit to theTasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, accompanied by
respectedTasmanianAboriginalelder,artistandfriendofDominic
College, Auntie Verna Nichols followed.
ItwasanabsoluteprivilegeandhonourtohaveProfessorDodson
sharehiswisdomwiththecommunity.WelookforwardtoProfessor
Dodsonreturninginafewyearstosharehowweareprogressingin
working towards Reconciliation at Dominic College.
For more information please contact
Melissa Ralph, Dominic College Community Relations
& Development Director on 6274 6010 / 0439 723 878
or email mralph@dominic.tas.edu.au.
ROLE MODEL
While at Dominic, Professor Dodson spoke with parents and
staff involved in the Reconciliation Action PlanTeam, and led a
professionallearningsessionwithDominicstaffwherehechallenged
the community in relation to working towards Reconciliation.
D O M I N I C CO L L E G E
be
more
Professor Mick Dobson AM visits Dominic College
LEARN TEACH FEEL
32
architects
design
for a new kind of learning
The classroom is the most visible symbol of an educational
philosophy. When designing the Holy Rosary Catholic School,
Claremont,learningspace,architectsandeducatorsworkedtogether
drawingontheworkofPrakashNairandRandallFieldingtoimagine
a new way of catering for learning.
Thedesignconceptsarewellresearchedanddocumented. Nair
andFielding’sbookTheLanguageofSchoolDesignisusedhereto
explore aspects of the Holy Rosary Early Years Centre.
L E G O A N YO N E ?
Transparency is the idea of developing
a school with high levels of visibility
in both formal and informal areas.
In educational thinking transparency
also refers to an openness to ideas, to
learning styles and to possibilities.
Humanbeingsaregeneticallyengineeredtobeoutdooranimals
andtheneedtobeconnectedtotheoutdoorsisneverstrongerthan
whenweareyoung.Aconnectiontotheoutsideassistschildrento
learnastheynaturallyalreadydo,everywhereandallofthetime.
Youngchildrenusesimpleobjectsfromnaturetoassistwithplay,
explorationandthedevelopmentofmanyunderstandings.Water
playforexample,allowschildrentoexploreconceptsofvolumeand
capacity, more and less, wet and dry and much more. For a child
learning does not stop when they move outside.
Ofalltheelementsthatmakeupahighperformanceschool,none
has greater impact on quality of learning than daylight.
Naturallightisavitalelementofanopenlearningspace.Theuseof
glassallowsforlighttopenetrateintoallareasofthelearningspace.
Therewasatimewhenart,musicandtheatrewereconsidered‘soft’
sciences—lessimportantasitweretogettingagoodeducation.
As such these spaces were not included in learning areas. This
meanschildrenweredeniedtheopportunitytoexplore,discover
andmoveintheirlearning.Thiscentreallowsforexplorationand
creationinart,drama,scienceandmathematics.Theseareasare
linked to each other and outside learning spaces to allow better
integrationandseamlesslearningtocontinuebothinsideandout.
School building design needs to maximize access to natural
ventilation. Like daylight, natural air contributes to a healthy
environment.Itcanalleviateoreliminatesomeofthemoreserious
problemsassociatedwithspendingexcessiveamountsoftimein
air-conditioned spaces.
For students in particular, technology is almost an extension of
themselves.Childrenusetechnologytocommunicate,todiscover
theworld,toplaygames,tocollaborate,tocreatethings,towrite,
to read and to organize their lives. In the past they have left their
technologicalselvesatthedoorastheyenterschool. Forachilda
spacewithouttechnologyisveryforeign–asisaroomdedicatedto
technologywherethetechnologyisisolatedfromplacesoflearning.
Annie Nolan
Education Officer: Primary Curriculum South - TCEO
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
Heist Society
BOOK NOOK
fullers great
winter reads
out in this incredibly sweet little book
about happiness, friendship and, of
course ... what it is that makes our tails
go fwip!
Ally Carter
Hachette Children’s
$16.99
Ages 13+
Boom
Stolenpaintings,NaziGermany,stylish
foreignlocations,deviousBond-esque
villainsandsuper-sassyfemaleheroines
... these are the usual suspects for
a female-friendly young adult novel.
Lately, it seems as though, unless it’s
fullofvampiresortear-inducingterminal
illnesses,abookjustwon’tgetalook-in
inthetoughYoungAdultMarket.Then
Ally Carter comes along, blasting into
thegenrewitheverybitasmuchmight,
muscle (and, occasionally, TNT), as
theRobertMuchamoresandAnthony
Horowitzes have done on the boy side
of things. Ally Carter writes books that
show the girlscan do it every bit as well
as the boys, and her latest offering is
herbest-andmostaction-packed-yet.
Katarina Bishop comes from a family
of thieves. When she was a toddler,
her parents took her to the Louvre ...
and used her to help them execute an
arttheft! Atthebeginningofthisbook,
she is trying to live the straight life in a
prestigiousprivateschool. But,asinthe
bestactionadventures,thelureof‘one
last big job’- and a spunky millionaire
sidekick - drags her back into a life of
crime. This is a fun book, with only
a smattering of serious emotion - an
elderly art historian provides some
poignancy, as does Katarina’s grief for
her late mother - but it is beautifully
writtenandwillbeenjoyedbyteenage
boys and girls alike.
Mark Haddon,
Random House
$24.95
Ages 8+
‘This book was first published in 1992
underthetitleGridzbiSpudvetch!.Itwas
aridiculousthingtocallabook. No-one
knewhowtopronounceit.Andno-one
knew what it meant until they’d read
the story. As a result only twenty three
peopleboughtthebook.Actually,that’s
anexaggeration,butnotmuch.Itrapidly
went out of print.’- Mark Haddon
Thankfully, a primary school teacher
and her class, from Oxford, England,
lovedGridzbiSpudvetch!Theylovedit
so much that they sent Mark Haddon
- who was, by now, very famous due
to his hugely successful book, The
CuriousIncidentoftheDogintheNight
Time - a whole class-worth of letters
telling them how much they loved it!
MarkHaddonwassochuffedhedecided
to rewrite the novel (it needed lots of
updating-thekidswerestilllisteningto
audio cassettes), and it has now been
rereleased as Boom (a much simpler
title,I’msureyou’llagree).Theresultisa
crazy,quirky,laugh-out-loudfunnybook,
full of aliens, time travel, secret codes,
murderous bikies and food that tastes
like socks. It is super dooper fun, and
willhaveyoungpeopleandolderpeople
alike in stitches!
When You Reach Me
Rebecca Stead
Text Publishing, $16.95
Ages 10+
IknewaboutthisbooklongbeforeIhad
a chance to read it. It was released in
America a good six months before it
cameouthere,andthebuzzaboutitwas
enormous. I could not wait to get my
handsonacopy.Whenitfinallyarrived,
I had that brief moment of anxiety that
it might not be all I had hoped. That
moment was over as soon as I read
the first words. You know that any
book with the first chapter title‘things
you keep in a box’, and a first line ‘So,
Mumgotthepostcardtoday...’isgoing
to be mysterious, fun, eccentric. As I
readon,Iaddedmoreadjectivestothe
list-engaging,page-turning,startling,
intoxicating.Thisbookiseverythingthe
reviews said it was, and the fact that
it just won the Newbury medal - the
equivalentofourCBCAbookoftheyear
- only reaffirms this. The protagonist
is Miranda, a street-wise New Yorker,
who lives with her Mum in a run-down
apartment. Her best friend is Sal, the
boynextdoor. EverythinginMiranda’s
and Sal’s world is pretty good until
the day Sal gets randomly punched
in front of Miranda. He abruptly ends
their friendship. This is only the first
of Miranda’s worries, though. Things
get even stranger when a mysterious
note arrives: I am coming to save your
friend’s life, and my own. I must ask
two favours. First, you must write me a
letter. Who has sent her the note? Why
did they send it to her? And what has it
gottodowiththeboywhopunchedSal,
andthecrazyhomelessmanwholives
underneath their letterbox? Trust me,
you will be DYING to find out!
33
Want more?
Call Cate at Fullers
Bookshop on 6243 3800.
Wag
Patrick McDonnell
Hachette, $24.95
Ages 4+
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
D I D YO U R E A D T H I S ?
Dogs have the right idea, don’t they?
They take joy in everything - flowers,
walks, swims, a tummy rub, food ... it
seemslikeeverythingmakestheirtailgo
‘fwip, fwip, fwip’. Well, that’s certainly
the case for Earl, whose tail goes fwip
and fwap all day long. But what is it
exactlythatmakesEarl’stailwag? Find
S T B R E N D A N - S H AW CO L L E G E
34
50 years on
St Brendan-Shaw College
Catholiceducationintheregioncommencedin1889bytheSisters
ofStJosephwho provided primary and secondary educationin
DevonportandUlverstone,butthecommunitywantedaboysschool.
On January 1 2000 the Devonport Parish welcomed the new
millennium with a Mass, celebrated by Fr Richard Ross, at 5am
on the James Street Green. Mass was followed by a breakfast
wheremanymemoriesandstorieswereswapped.Oneparishioner
recalled that it was forty years to the day when the site on which
StBrendan-ShawCollegestandswasfirstharvestedofcarrotsand
peas.Theprofitswereusedtoassisttheambitiousbuildingprogram
of the Christian Brothers.
T­ hestoryhighlightsthedevotedcommitmentofthecommunityto
theestablishmentofaCatholichighschool.Thatsamecommitment
continuestodayandthisyearmarksthe50thanniversaryofCatholic
education on the site.
On February 2 1960, three Christian Brothers, Pat Dillon, Ray
McInerney and D O’Hearn set up 3 classrooms with 125 boys,
including 51 in one grade 5/6 classroom and with minimum
equipment. Br Dillon, the first Principal, handled all the College
administrative work by himself.
J O L LY G O O D F E L LO W S
Inset:Bros.O’Hearn,DillonandMcInerneyarewelcomedbyparishpriestFr.JohnGriffin
Archbishop Dr. Guilford Young blessing the official opening in 1960.
Today, the college offers education to
712 students from Years 7 -12 and
there are over eighty staff members
who teach, clean, administer and
run a very efficient school.
In 1969 Shaw College, for girls, was established adjacent to St
Brendan’sCollegeandwasadministeredbytheSistersofStJoseph.
TheCollegewasnamedafterFrShawwhowasthefirstParishPriest
ofDevonport. ByagreementbetweenthetwoCollegesacertain
degree of co-instruction was arranged at Years 9 and 10.
In1972,byagreementoftheArchdiocese,theChristianBrothers
andtheSistersofStJoseph,DevonportRegionalCatholicCollege
Board of Management was established to provide financial
managementforthetwoColleges. In1981thetwoCollegeswere
mergedtoformStBrendan-ShawCollege,aco-educationalCollege.
In July 1989, the Archbishop of Hobart, Dr E D’Arcy, granted
permission for the introduction ofYear 11 and 12 classes in 1990
andStBrendan-ShawCollegenowoffersfullCatholicSecondary
EducationfromYears7to12.Togetherwiththeprimaryschools,
Kinder to Grade 12 Catholic education is provided for all young
people in the region.
The celebration of 50 years will be held on the weekend of 30 and 31 October, 2010 and hopefully each year will be
represented. For further information please contact Robert Bird on 03 6424 7622 or email rbird@sbsc.tas.edu.au.
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E
35
TA S M A N I A N C A
H O L I C E D U C AT I O N O F F I C E