I am making time to get out-and-about the school.  I dropped into a senior Business Studies class, yesterday, just as Ms Hay was introducing the economic theory on Supply and Demand relationships.  With tongue lodged deeply in cheek, I asked a question of how the Federal Police could improve profit margins for drug cartels.  The answer?  Make a drug seizure, which decreases supply, with the increased competition driving up the price.  I then went on to amplify how ridiculous this was, but that it illustrated how complex it is to find a solution to such a difficult issue.

An equally complex problem that we grapple with is that of Refugees.  This coming week (14 - 20 June) is Refugee Week.  As with many issues, there is no simple solution.  However, the direction from which one views an issue can bring a whole new perspective.  I was introduced to The Kite Runner, a book by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini some years ago.  One of the main characters, Baba, is a wealthy, well-respected businessman in Afghanistan who flees to America.  The paragraph that stayed with me was one where Baba, far from seeking to remain in his destination, longs for his home country to be repaired and restored so he could return.  To view the refugee from this direction, longing to return to a home that is gone, reveals a more compassionate attitude than assuming otherwise.

And today, I participated in an interview as part of a UTAS College of Health & Medicine sponsored project on obesity in the Northwest region.

All three of these issues, drugs, refugees and health, requires the capacity to think of unexpected consequences, different perspectives, and the ineffectiveness of deterrent strategies.  A dear friend who was a smoker once shared that no one can 'tell' a smoker to quit - the smoker won't stop until they want to.  It is 'education' that will lead the smoker to make this choice.  This is the type of thinking that modern schools and curriculum is trying to nurture in students.  These are encompassed in four of the seven Capabilities that are mandated in the Australian Curriculum:

Critical and Creative Thinking capability.

Personal and Social Capability.

Ethical Understanding capability.

Intercultural Understanding capability.

Two other classes that I dropped into was a Year 10 Work studies class who were working on their Financial Literacy VET Certificate, well on their way to achieving 19 Participation points toward the TCE, and a year 9 English Class, where one lucky student was the first to share an everyday phrase that, like so many, comes from Shakespeare.  "Love is Blind" from The Merchant of Venice earned the student a chocolate reward.

Frank Pisano
Principal

Mr Doubleday's Year 8 Diorama Design Challenge - prac work completed during learning@home. Students built these with whatever materials they had at home.

For Refugee Week 2020 (15-21 June) we’re inviting you to do one or more of our eight Simple Acts that can all be done at home, inspired by the theme ‘Imagine’.

Simple Acts are everyday actions we can all do to stand with refugees and make new connections in our communities.

Whether you plan an event or activity around a Simple Act or just take part during the week itself, you’ll be joining a big, creative, collective movement to imagine a better world.

• Imagine- This Simple Act is an invitation to take a step back from the current moment, and imagine the world you want to see. What would your school, community, city, or the planet look like, if you made the rules?
• Watch a film- The best films take us to places we’d never otherwise have gone, introduce us to people we’d never otherwise have met and spark conversations we wouldn’t otherwise have had.
• Read a book about exile - Books transport us. Through the page, we can reach out and touch another’s experience, or take a hike with them through the mountains and valleys of their imagination.
• Tell a (non-offensive) joke- Jokes bring us together, and remind us what we have in common. They also lift our spirits in the dark (the Arabic saying “شر البلية ما يضحك” – shirru-lbaliya ma yudhik – means ‘the worst misfortunes are funny”).
• Take a tour- This Simple Act is an invitation to discover artwork, objects and stories that open windows to experiences of displacement, and help us re-imagine our shared future.
• Thank your climate justice hero- Whether it’s a climate activist or someone looking after nature in your community, this is a chance to show your appreciation, and share the inspiration with others.
• Share a song- Discover, listen to or sing a new song this Refugee Week. A song that has crossed borders or a song in another language; a song about home, displacement, or imagining the future.
• Join the movement - Refugees and asylum seekers need our support and solidarity all year round. So once June is over, we hope you’ll carry the spirit and energy of Refugee Week with you, and continue to take a stand. By doing so, you’ll be joining a huge global movement that says, enough is enough. We welcome refugees.

"This program helps with helping you become the best scientists or enthusiasts in your science field and will cater everyone’s needs"                                                                          

- Jake, NYSF 2020 Participant

NYSF 2021 YEAR 12 PROGRAM

Dear Schools,

We would be very appreciative if you could share this information with your Science Coordinators and Year 11 Science and Maths Students. Past participants have said our program is "Life-changing", "Unforgettable", Eye-opening" and more, and we want all students to know that they too can apply now.

The NYSF Year 12 Program is a residential program designed to give students a broader understanding of the diverse study and career options available in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and to encourage continued studies in these fields.

WHO CAN APPLY

Year 11 students who are interested in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

live on campus at one of our host universities (Australian National University or University of Queensland);
tour science and technology labs and sites to experience facilities and learn about research being conducted;
engage with industry partners and research providers;
learn about university and STEM career pathways;
mix with other like-minded students from all over Australia; and
network with former NYSF participants to further increase understanding of STEM related study and career experiences
WHEN & WHERE IT IS HELD

Session A – Canberra, The Australian National University, Mon 4 – Wed 13 January 2021
Session B – Brisbane, The University of Queensland, Mon 11 – Wed 20 January 2021
Session C – Canberra, The Australian National University, Mon 18 – Wed 27 January 2021
Application process

Students applying for NYSF 2021 are required to submit an application through the NYSF website. Rotary Clubs can also be contacted to support students with their applications. Read more at www.nysf.edu.au. 

Promotion Toolkit

To ensure promoting the program is as easy as possible for you, we have put together a toolkit full of resources such as posters, flyers, suggested social media posts, photos and PowerPoint presentations. 

Follow this link to access the toolkit: LINK

If you have any questions please contact the NYSF office on 02 6125 2777 or nysf@nysf.edu.au

APPLICATIONS CLOSE 14 JUNE 2020

Good afternoon,

Pslaee do not tinhk taht I am bneig sramt but tihs is jsut sneieg if ploepe are alualcty rdnieag tshee eilams and our nwlsetster.

Oevr the psat few dyas ppleoe hvae been rgnniig and anskig waht we are dnoig aubot our wkeneed Mesass - in fcat aslmot 6 wekes ago we siad taht we wulod not be rcoemienncmg wnkeeed Mesass brfoee sgate 3 rstrtoiinecs are leftid - wevnheer taht mhigt be.

If you wsih to anettd a waekdey Mass tehn psalee ctoncat the Prisah Oifcfe (Tyudeas - Tarhusdy bweeten 10am-3pm). At penrset it lokos as if we wlil not raceh the aelolwd neumbr of 40 but psleae don’t pmesrue jsut to cmoe anolg and epecxt to be albe to get in - we need to rorced eoynvee who is trehe and trehe are ptolocrs wichh will be in pclae and wichh need to be arheedd to.

Enough of this nonsense. All we are trying to do is to ensure that people are safe so following the protocols about booking for Mass and for movement in the Church (which are displayed in the Church foyer) are really important. After each Mass we will need to clean the Church so we are asking people to keep to designated areas to avoid having to do more cleaning than is necessary.

Fr Mike Delaney