St Aloysius Catholic College eNewsletter

Dear Parents/Carers, Students and Friends of St Aloysius Catholic College,

Welcome to Week 7 of Term 3 and, more significantly, welcome to the first week of Spring! It’s a delight to walk the grounds of St Aloysius at both our Primary and Middle Campuses and see so many students active and enjoying the warm outdoor play.

It is also that time of year when our students who have been preparing for their first Eucharist in our Parish, are initiated into the sacrament for the first time. My thanks to Father Mike and Maggie Sandric who have been working over many weeks preparing our young people and special congratulations and every blessing to Jacey Banks, Ella Kruiswijk and Antonio Strk who recently received their first Eucharist.

REFERENDUM

Last week we had the announcement of the date of the Voice referendum – Saturday, 14th October. The Australian Catholic Bishops have been clear in their full support for the Uluru Statement which calls for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. In our young democracy, the right and freedom to vote is sacrosanct and must be exercised by every voter free from influence or pressure, informed by the issues and with our judgment guided by conscience. So, although neither the Australian Catholic Bishops, Principals and Priests, nor the Catholic Church itself, can presume to tell anyone which way to vote, we can signal our own intentions. As an Australian, a voter, a Catholic, a school Principal with many indigenous students and a proud Tasmanian, I will be voting yes. I have included below the full statement – it is a powerful and earnest plea.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart

We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart:

Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjacent islands, and possessed it under our own laws and customs. This our ancestors did, according to the reckoning of our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from ‘time immemorial’, and according to science more than 60,000 years ago.

This sovereignty is a spiritual notion: the ancestral tie between the land, or ‘mother nature’, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were born therefrom, remain attached thereto, and must one day return thither to be united with our ancestors. This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty. It has never been ceded or extinguished, and co-exists with the sovereignty of the Crown.

How could it be otherwise? That peoples possessed a land for sixty millennia and this sacred link disappears from world history in merely the last two hundred years?

With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood.

Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.

These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness.

We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.

We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.

Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination.

We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history.

In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.

The College and the Parish are hosting an information session at the Middle Campus on Tuesday, 12th September 2023 between 5.00pm-6.00pm. We invite all interested families to join us for this discussion. All attendees will receive a complimentary book.

We will also be holding an educational student forum on the Voice at the College, and will be encouraging all students to be involved in the discernment discussions. I warmly welcome all parents, friends, and parishioners to come and join the discussion.

And if you haven’t seen the advertisement for the Yes vote – it's worth a WATCH.

ST ALOYSIUS CATHOLIC COLLEGE FUTURE DIRECTIONS PAPER AND ONLINE CONSULTATION

Last week we met with parents to discuss the draft Directions Paper for the College which you can view HERE. Although we had a healthy turn-up on the night, some parents requested an additional online forum which I’d be more than happy to host.

Please send your questions for me via the online form HERE by 3.00pm Wednesday, 13th September. Thank you in advance for your questions and contributions to this process.

SENIOR CAMPUS UPDATE

Our new Senior Campus is on track for opening to students at the start of 2024!

We cannot wait to welcome our Year 9-12 students into this incredible space to start the new school year. The new campus boasts state of the art facilities, including a Science and Arts precinct, lots of study areas and breakout spaces, a gym and a VET café, all curated specifically for young-adult learners.

The outside spaces are starting to look really exciting. The playing surface is down on the undercover basketball court, the oval is ready for HPE lessons and lunchtime footy matches, the gardens are growing and the outdoor learning areas are looking inspiring.

All of our Year 10s have now had the opportunity to tour the new campus and we will be arranging tours for our Year 9s in the coming weeks.

We are thrilled to announce a sneak peak of the courses being delivered in 2024 – with new courses being added regularly.

For further information on the new campus or our Year 11 and 12 offerings please contact emma.puszkar@catholic.tas.edu.au. If you are yet to advise of your course selctions for year 11/12 2024, please contact samantha.wilton@catholic.tas.edu.au.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates from 50 Huntingfield Avenue!

ENROLMENT ENQUIRIES

Kindergarten, 2024

Applications are still being accepted for Kindergarten in 2024. If your child was born in 2019, they are eligible to attend Kinder in 2024. Families new to the College will be contacted to arrange an enrolment appointment and tour of our Junior Campus.

If you already have children at St Aloysius and have another due to start Kindergarten in 2024, please reach out to us to confirm their enrolment.

Year 7, 2024

Applications for Year 7 in 2024 are also still being accepted. All families will be contacted to arrange an enrolment appointment and tour of our Middle Campus.

Year 7, 2025

Expressions of Interest are invited HERE.

Enquiries for all other year levels are always welcome.

Please contact Melissa Dance (Enrolment Officer) with your enrolment enquiry either at sacc.enrol@catholic.tas.edu.au or by phone: 6229 0108.

SOCIAL JUSTICE WEEK

Each year the Australian Bishops Conference contributes to the development of local Catholic social teaching by releasing a major social justice statement in the lead up to Social Justice Sunday. 2023’s theme is Listen, Learn, Love: a New Relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Students at both Campuses were offered opportunities during lunchtimes last week, to learn more about the Uluru Statement from the Heart. They read Thomas Mayor’s children’s book Finding our Heart and responded to the text through art and craft activities. Student responses will be compiled into a book publication, which will be shared with families at our upcoming Community Forum on 12th September.

As a Catholic College, we look to the example of Jesus as the greatest teacher. He taught that the love of God has no boundaries or exemptions. Jesus recognised, respected and listened to all and we are called to do the same.

Thank you to Anne-Marie McWatters, our Aboriginal Student Success Teacher, for giving all of our students the opportunity to understand at their own level more about the Uluru Statement from the Heart and, in their responses, grow in love and understanding of one another.

CELEBRATING KAY – OUR LOLLIPOP LADY

Last week, our Junior Campus Deputy Principal, Bradley Canning, acknowledged 30 years of service from our Lollipop Lady, Kay.

An enormous thank you for keeping our students safe for 30 years! You are so appreciated.

MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB

We are in the process of forming a College Mountain Biking Club.

If your child is in Year 7 or above and would like to be involved they can chat to Mr Wright, Mr Hibbert or Mr Hickey.

THE HOBART CUP 2023

Congratulations to all of the St Aloysius soccer teams that played in the Hobart Cup last weekend. What a fantastic way to wrap up the soccer season – a full weekend of soccer fun! We extend further congratulations to our U9 boys and U9 girls who won their divisions, making them the Hobart Cup Champions for 2023. It is important we acknowledge the exceptional sportsmanship our students displayed during this tournament. We are proud of our students who represented St Aloysius with such grace and respect!

From the College to our coaches, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your hard work and dedication this season. Your guidance and support of our students is invaluable, and without you, our students are unable to play. You may now have your Saturday morning sleep-ins back!

SSATIS SWIMMING CARNIVAL 2023

Congratulations to our secondary swim team for their efforts at the SSATIS carnival on Friday!

A special mention to Makayla Wiles for 3rd place in the U14 50m Backstroke and 3rd place in the U14 50m Butterfly! Well done Makayla!

St Aloysius took out 3rd place in the Co-Ed Aggregate Shield. Well done!

Our swimming team will be heading to the state SATIS swimming carnival next week. GOOD LUCK!

TERM 4 SPORTS

The following sports are open for registration.

Please visit Compass Events for further information:

SATIS Year 9 and 10 Girls Tennis

Roster dates: Monday 23rd October - Monday 20th November