The College's 2022 Budget is the main Agenda item at next week's Board meeting.  With their endorsement, this will then go to the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office (TCEO) for Approval.  While it is not official until the TCEO's approval has been received, I can communicate that the Board had already endorsed a 2.91% increase in College fees for inclusion in the Budget.

Catholic Education Tasmania (CET) has adopted a more systemic approach to how their schools operate as a measure to ensure that we meet our legal accountabilities.  For example, every Catholic School in Tasmania uses the same Terms and Conditions of enrolment.  This move to "systematisation" has seen each Catholic school in the state asked to move to system norms.  For many years, SBSC has been an outlier in Family Discounts (being that we allow a more generous family discount).  Thus, from 2022, we have chosen to adopt a phased approach to align with other CET Schools by 2024.  Hence, in 2022, the family discount for two students will reduce from 10% to 7%, then to 4% in 2023 before being removed from 2024.  For families with three students enrolled from the same family, the discounts are changing from 20% to 17% in 2022, then to 14% in 2023, before reaching the system discount of 10% in 2024.  Similar phasing is being applied for larger families, but given the very small number, we will contact them directly. 

The College has already aligned to the System's Fee Relief model that is always available to any family to apply for if they are under financial stress. 

Senior secondary exams begin next week.  A couple of staff members (with my approval) have brought their gentle and loving pets to visit our studying seniors.  I am sure that this will continue at various times during the exams.

Stay safe, keep happy, and join me in praying for our seniors who will be undertaking written exams in the next two weeks:

"Ever generous God,

You inspired St Mary MacKillop to live a life that brought constant hope and encouragement to those whom she encountered.

With confidence in your generous and loving providence, and together with St Mary,

we ask that you keep our seniors in your care.  Free them from anxiety and inspire them to perform at their best during their exams.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

Amen"

Year 9 Leadership Training

On Tuesday, 16 November, Year 9 students will participate in a one-day leadership workshop facilitated by college staff.

At this time, information of the leadership opportunities available to Year 10 students:

• Sports Leader (who also do non-sporty events such as Year 6 Orientation Day)

• Arts Leader (provide technical support for college events)

• SRC (representing their peers)

Students who wish to nominate for any leadership position will demonstrate their skills by facilitating year 7's Jump Rope for Heart on Wednesday, 17 November. Staff will receive student names and the chance to comment. Ideally, 30 leadership positions are up for grabs from the grade.

Parents of students in Years 7-9 will have received an email from me with a google form to complete, asking some questions that will assist us in constructing Core Class groupings for Year 8-10 2022.

The form will allow parents to identify 3-5 students your child would work well within the class and up to 3 students that are not a good combination with your child, along with the reasons.

This year, we hope that every parent completes the form. So, please, if you don't know or prefer to leave that decision with us, write 'nil' for the compulsory questions or simply reply to the email.

An information session for those wishing to audition for Devonport Choral Society’s 2022 production of Disney’s FREAKY FRIDAY at Forth Primary School Performing Arts Centre. Wilmot Road on Sunday, 14 November at 4:00 pm.

The information session will be an excellent opportunity to meet the Production Team, find out more about the show and get some tips on what the Team will be looking for at auditions. The production will be directed by Maree Brodzinski, with musical direction by Petrina Jahnz, and choreography by Elizabeth Viney and Taylor Rand.

FREAKY FRIDAY is the story of an overworked mother and her teenage daughter who magically swap bodies. They have just 24 hours before Mum’s big wedding to put things right again. FREAKY FRIDAY, a new musical comedy based on the celebrated novel by Mary Rodgers (1972) and the hit Disney films (1976, 1995, 2003). A hilarious, contemporary update of the classic story. A story where a mother and daughter see what it means to be a family while experiencing each other’s lives first-hand, if only for a day.

Auditions are open to performers aged 15+. There are plenty of adult roles in addition to those for teens/young adults. In addition, the casting of Fletcher is a 10-year-old boy. We will audition boys and girls from the age of 9-12 for the role. Hopefuls must sing, act, and move well. All roles are available.

No bookings for auditions are taken before the information session, and additional information is not available until then. Auditions are from 26 – 28 November. Auditions are by appointment only. All additional material is available on the Society’s website (www.devonportchoral.org) after the Information Session.

FREAKY FRIDAY is at the Paranaple Arts Centre (Town Hall Theatre) in May 2022.