Senior School Newsletter

Regular Notices

• From the Headmaster
• From the Head of Faith and Mission
• Fullness of Life
• Omnia
• Calendar Dates
• Careers
• Music
• Outdoor Education
• Sport
  • Sport Fixtures
  • Sport Results
• Letters to Parents
• Photo Album
• Rosters
• Absentee Process
• Student Early Departure
• Lost Property

Other Notices

• 43rd St Kevin's Art Show
    Friday 24 - Monday 27 May
• SKC Dinner Dance
  - 'Good Vibrations' - Great Prizes!
    Book Now or miss out until 2015!
    Saturday 1 June
• Performing Arts
  - Years 7-9 Musical
    'Guys and Dolls Jr'
    Final Performance - Tonight 7pm
  - SKC/Korowa Production
    'Once Upon a Mattress'
    Thursday 23 - Saturday 25 May
• French Exchange Program
  - Host Families Wanted
• Year 10 and 11 Examinations
• Old Collegians' Association
  - Legal Professions Reunion
    Thursday 30 May
  - USA Reunion
    Friday 8 June
  - 50th Year of Rugby President's Lunch
      Saturday 1 June
•  SKC Rugby Association                
  - Bob Dalziel Shield
    Tomorrow Night - Friday 24 May
  - 50th Year of Rugby President's Lunch
    Saturday 1 June  
• Year 8 Alpine Camps
  - Parent Briefing
    Monday 17 June
• SKC Soccer
  - Photographers Wanted
• Basketball Clinic
  - July Holidays
  - Cross Age Tournament
  - Photographers Wanted
• SKC Mothers' Association
  - Swap Shop News
  - Spring Carnival Ladies Luncheon
    Wednesday 11 September  
• Parent Functions
  - Year 7 
    Mother and Son Evening
    Thursday 6 June, 7.00pm
  - Year 8
    Parents' Morning Tea
    Friday 23 August
  - Year 9
      Parent Function
    Saturday 1 June
  - Year 10
    Parents' Coffee Morning
    Tuesday 28 May
• Zimele News
  - Zimele East Africa Cup
• St Michael's Youth Mass
  - Saturday 25 May

From the Headmaster

From the Head of Faith and Mission

The fax of the matter

It’s funny how the occasions you’d rather forget are the ones that live long in your memory.

One such event was the first school camp I attended as a teacher. This was in another century and another state of the Commonwealth, so I feel safe bringing it up at long last. Bob Hawke was prime-minister, Charles and Diana were happily married and the school was celebrating the bi-centenary of European settlement by taking delivery of its first fax machine.

This machine, with its rolls of glossy paper, was kept under lock and key and could only be used if you booked it 48 hours ahead, which rather defeated the purpose. I imagine that most of the students of that time have finished school by now, although I do recall that some were slow to complete work. They were eventually allowed to submit essays by fax but this only encouraged last-minuteism which slowed things down even further. Last-minuteism is the science of delaying commitment. It has been one of the side effects of every so-called advance in communication technology. I remember one of my colleagues telling the students: ‘you boys are so disorganised. You’d leave your own deaths to the last minute.’

This particular colleague was put in charge of organising a house camp. He was a deeply spiritual man but prone to some of the disorganisation he deplored in the students. One Friday, he realised he had mislaid his diary. He was fortunate in that he was free from the anxiety which is a powerfully addictive drug in the lives of so many people these days. He told me that he wasn’t worried about the diary; he was just going to sit in the staff room and someone was bound to come and get him when it was his turn to teach. I ran into him again at 3.30. He was still in the staff room, disconsolate because no-one had come for him. But he’d had a nice day sorting faxes that had arrived at the school, putting them in envelopes and posting them to their recipients so that they arrived early the following week. He wanted his colleagues to enjoy a weekend without fax fatigue. I never did find out how he coped with the arrival of email.

To do him justice, his house camp was immaculately prepared. The tutors had a series of lunchtime meetings where we were given photocopies of articles about the psychology of teenage development. We were given highlighters, another innovation of the period, and noted the most important parts. This camp, the house head informed us, was going to be a most significant time in the lives of young men: for the older ones to discover their leadership potential and for the younger ones to discover their independence from home. Every aspect of the program had been weighed and considered.

At long last, the big day came around. The buses arrived late and we had far to go, so the day was wearing on when we at last reached our campsite. It was then that we discovered that our house head had overlooked one small detail. There were no sausages. Not one. Nor any slice of bread. Nor any bottle of milk. To cut a long story short, there was no food of any description. It had simply not occurred to our house head, in weeks of passionate preparation, that in three days away, 130 boys might want to eat at some stage.

‘Oh well,’ he said. ‘Don’t worry. Something will turn up.’

So a couple of staff headed off to the nearest town, population 200, and, for the first and last time in my life, I bought the entire contents of a store. They had five or six bags of pasta, a few tins of tuna, various bags of rice and so on. We took everything and, believe it or not, we had a great feast because there was something that every boy enjoyed. Some were happy with Weet-bix.

‘Ah yes,’ said the house head, as if this was all part of the plan, ‘the adolescent boy loves variety. It was good we didn’t just provide one type of food.’

The issue had arisen at the store of how we were going pay for the food. The house head did have money for expenses but he’d left it inside the cover of his new diary, which was back at school. To be fair to him, he had remembered his cigarettes. The storekeeper suggested that the school send a fax agreeing to the cost. So I rang the school which gave approval for the first time for a fax to be sent on less than 48 hours notice. They also promised to have supplies for the rest of the camp with us by the morning.

‘Ah yes,’ said the house head. ‘It’s a good way to get the whole school involved in the camp.’

We survived. But the story comes to mind this week at St Kevin’s, a week of large scale preparations. Year 9 is making ready to head off on the Rice Program, the middle-school has been rehearsing Guys and Dolls, the fields are alive with the sound of football training and a crew of volunteers has been undertaking the painstaking process of hanging another terrific Art Show. Some boys are even preparing for their mid-year exams. In every case, it doesn’t hurt to have a plan.

Fullness Of Life

This week at St Kevin’s College...

• Kenny students with Ms Power assisted with the serving of breakfast at St Mary’s House of Welcome in Fitzroy.

• Nepal Information Evening was held.

• RICE Training Days took place for Waterford students and accompanying staff.

• Selected students participated in the CEO Senior Pathways and Transitions Program.

• Year 7 Immunisations took place.

• Ms Gallivan and selected Year 7 students attended Forum Debates.

• Ms Meney accompanied a group of Year 7 students to a Public Speaking Competition.

• Junior School Musical “Guys and Dolls” was performed at Waterford.

• Kearney students and Mr Krake assisted with tutoring at St Joseph’s in Collingwood.

• Community Service continued for all Year 10.

• Glendalough staff undertook professional development in Emotional Learning/ Positive Education/ Wellbeing.

• Mr Paul Hales from Catholic Superannuation Fund met with staff.

• McCarthy students and Mr Purcell assisted at “Good Grub”.

• Swimming lessons continued for Years 4 and 5 students.

• Curriculum/ Teaching and Learning Committees met.

• National Simultaneous Story Time Reading took place in Years Prep-4.

• iPad Professional Development Collaboration took place.

• Cusack students accompanied by Mr Langan assisted with tutoring students at the Edmund Rice Refugee Centre at St Albans.

• Selected students attended a Jazz Workshop with Music Staff.

• Rio Tinto Science Competition was conducted.

• New Staff Luncheon was held.

• SKC/Korowa Musical “Once Upon a Mattress” was performed over three nights.

• Workcover Health Checks were made available to staff.

• Year 12 students were addressed by Dr Chris Wright.

• Year 10 Japanese students went to Monash University.

• Glendalough Mothers’ Association held a meeting.

• Mr Hale and Purton students assisted at the community group PACSEL.

• Staff attended professional development in iMovie, Careers Education and The New Age of School Libraries.

• Choral Scholarship Auditions were held.

• The St Kevin’s College 43rd Art Show commenced.
• St Kevin's 1st XV played for the Bob Dalziel Shield as a curtain raiser to the Rebels game at AAMI Stadium.

Omnia

Calendar Dates

Newsletter contributions should be emailed to: newsletter@stkevins.vic.edu.au by 5pm on Monday.

Full Article or Flyer: for inclusion on website (to be linked from the short article in the newsletter) to be sent in a separate Word document using the same formatting requirements as above.

43rd St Kevin's College Art Show 

Friday 24 - Monday 27 May 2013

Invitations to Opening Night and Raffle tickets have been posted to all families in the last few weeks.

Opening Night Tickets

If you have been considering attending the Opening Night of the SKC Art Show tomorrow night Friday 24 May please secure your tickets at TryBooking NOW! Further information is available on the St Kevin's Art Show webpage - click here.  Telephone enquiries to 0405 439 539. 

Raffle

Please return all raffle tickets (sold and unsold) as soon as possible to SKC Reception (all campuses), clearly marked FOA Raffle Tickets or post to FOA PO Box 562 Camberwell 3124. The raffle will be drawn on Monday 27 May at approximately 8.00 pm and the winner will be notified.

Art Show Cafe

The Art Show Cafe will be open in KC Smith Hall over the weekend of 25-26 May from 10.00am-5.00pm serving delicious home baked morning/afternoon teas and light lunches.

The Friends of Art Committee

The Friends of Art Committee sincerely thank the St Kevin's College Community for your support of the SKC Art Show over 42 years and we look forward to your support in 2013. In 2012 the money raised was donated to the College to assist with the purchase of the Grand Piano (in the Boyd Egan Hall at Glendalough); fit out of the Kearney Extension at Heyington and a University scholarship ($1500) to the Zimele Foundation.

The Show will open on Friday 24 May at 7.00pm and then continue on Saturday 25, 10.00am–8.00pm, Sunday 26, 10.00am-6.00pm , Monday 27, 10.00am-4.00pm, concluding with ‘Meet the Artists’ Night’ at 7.00pm Monday 27 May.

For general admission Students are free and adults only $10 per person (pay at the door). We have over 240 professional artists exhibiting and approximately 700 paintings. The SKC Art Show is a competition and exhibition with $13,750 paid to the winners of the seven prize categories.

The paintings are available for sale from 7.00pm on Friday 24 May but must remain in the exhibition for the duration of the Show.
 
For more information Marianne Van Shoten can be contacted on 0425 724 475.

SKC Dinner Dance - HURRY...bookings MUST CLOSE on Sunday 26 May!

'Good Vibrations' - St Kevin's Combined Associations' Dinner Dance

Please email all enquiries to stkevinsdinnerdance@gmail.com.  

Performing Arts

'Guys and Dolls Jr' moves to Waterford

'Guys and Dolls Jr' is an abridged version of the classic Broadway musical 'Guys and Dolls'. This lively, fun show is sure to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. The story is set in New York of the 1950s, where ‘Guys’ run illicit gambling rings, and ‘Dolls’ perform in seedy nightclubs. Sky Masterson tries to date the virtuous Sarah Brown, of the Salvation Army Mission, as a bet. Miss Adelaide, lead performer at the Hot Box nightclub hopes that her fiancé of 14 years, Nathan Detroit, will make an honest woman of her. Well known songs in 'Guys and Dolls Jr' include 'Luck Be A Lady', 'A Bushel and A Peck' and 'Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The Boat'. Cast List - click here.

In addition to the 75 students in the cast, the show brings together a large number of students and staff working behind the scenes to bring the show to life. Everyone involved has enjoyed the humorous story and toe-tapping songs of 'Guys and Dolls Jr'. Now it is the audience’s turn to enjoy the production of this classic show with only ONE remaining performance left - TONIGHT!

'Guys and Dolls Jr' is suitable for all ages, and has been edited down to a very manageable 80 minutes plus interval.

Tickets Bookings are now open. Click here for TryBooking. 

Performances will be held at Vaucluse Hall, St Kevin’s Waterford Campus on the following dates/times:

'Once Upon a Mattress'

Presented by Korowa Anglican Girl's School in conjunction with St Kevin's College (Yrs 10-12 students) Once Upon A Mattress opens next week at Korowa. A cast of 60 students from Korowa and St Kevin’s have worked since the beginning of the year to bring this hilarious and charming story to life. Based on the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, the musical expands the story to include the romantic and hilarious adventures of Princess Winnifred. Lavish costumes will help bring to life the Royal Court of King Sextimus as a range young maidens attempt to win the hand of the Prince Dauntless the Drab.

It promises to be a fabulous show and as it's one of the key Performing Arts events on the College calendar, it would be wonderful to see as many as possible of the Korowa/St Kevin’s community in the audience for one (or more!) of the performances. St Kevin's boys from Years 10-12 are cast members for this production. Cast List - click here.

Please note that online booking system closes at 2.00pm on the day of the performance. There will also be a number of tickets available at the door, for last minute entry.  

French Exchange Program 

Host Families Wanted 

The French Exchange program is still requiring families to host two girls from Cours St Charles, our sister school in Orleans (2-30 July). If you are able to help, please contact Mme Cullen on 98220911 or email Ms Nadia Cullen cullenn@stkevins.vic.edu.au

Years 10 and 11 Examinations 

Students are asked to they arrive at the College at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time for an examination to check seating allocations. Pens, pencils, erasers and other stationary must be in a clear plastic pencil case or snaplock bag, It is the student's responsibility to ensure only approved material is brought into an examination venue.

Old Collegians' Association 

Legal Professions' Reunion - Next Thursday

USA Reunion 

50th Year of Rugby - President's Lunch - Next Saturday 

The College is celebrating 50 years of rugby in 2013. It has been a long and often hard road over the 50 years but especially in the last 25 years the College has enjoyed great success on and off the field and rugby is now considered a main stream sport at the College and a significant rugby school in the nation.

In 1963 Tony Paranthoiene approached Br Nangle and received permission to form a Rugby team. From these humble beginnings the sport had no pitch for some seasons and on many occasions had a home pitch in far flung corners of the suburbs. Today the rugby pitch at the school is permanent for winter every year. The first team had very few players but with hard work and dedication the sport has grown to now boast over 150 players per year. The successes have come trickling in and we have had 3 Australian Schoolboys representatives so far (David McCoy ’75, David Palavi ‘96/’97 and Jack De Guingand ’09) as well as Marc L’Huillier USA, Tamaiti Horua Australian U21 Captain and Super15 teams and also Talalelei Gray in the Australian Sevens and Super15 teams.

The Victorian Schools’ Rugby Union commenced formal premierships with Grand Finals in 1991 and St Kevin’s College has contested 19 in the 22 years with the last 18 being consecutive. In this time the 1st XV has won 10 Premierships. Perhaps, arguably, the most significant single victory has been the 1st XV defeating Brisbane’s St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace 1st XV in 2011.
We invite all former players to join in the celebration by attending the President’s Lunch on Saturday June 1st at the College. The 1st XV match that day is with Geelong Grammar School at 11.00am. We ask you to contact many other players that you have contact details for as many will not have received this newsletter.

We also ask that you invite your parents and friends of SKC Rugby to do the same, as they became as immersed in the game with St Kevin's as you and would perhaps enjoy receiving the invitation to renew old acquaintances.

As our special guest on the day is General Peter Cosgrove, many other friends of rugby may like to join you. They would be most welcome. The advertising flyer attached gives you all the details including the booking procedure via a website www.trybooking.com/COVW

If anyone has memorabilia and pictures of SKC rugby these would be most gratefully received. We would be happy to copy and return any item as well.

Please click here for a copy of your invitation for the fridge door!

Professions/Industry Reunions

As part of our continuing series of 'themed reunions' this year, there will be three evenings encompassing all in Law and allied to Law, Medicine/Dentistry/Health and all allied to them and the third is Architecture/Construction/Building and all allied to them. We are interested in hearing from any Kevinian to register their profession/industry in order to send invitations. 

Class of 1988 - 25th Year Reunion 

SKC Rugby Association 

AAMI Stadium - Bob Dalziel Shield Tomorrow Night

Date:
Friday 24 May  5.10pm

St Kevins 1st XV will play at AAMI stadium as a curtain raiser to the Rebels and play for the Bob Dalziel Shield against Trinity Grammar - the whole St Kevin's Community is encouraged to attend and support the team. 

50th Year of Rugby - President's Lunch

Careers

We are very appreciative of the manner in which the Year 10 families have negotiated our new Careers Appointment Online Booking system. Thank you to all those parents who have booked appointments with their sons during the next few weeks. The importance of booking an appointment this term cannot be over emphasised given the need to set aside the majority of weeks in Term 3 for our Year 12 students to complete their VTAC applications for tertiary study. Parents are asked to check availability of all Careers Practitioners to ensure appointments are booked this term rather than waiting till next term and missing out.

The Careers Evening is taking shape and a draft program will be emailed home to all Year 10, 11 and 12 families early in June. We have some very exciting speakers including four Professors of Law, a retired professional rugby player, a retired AFL footballer, current parents and past students of the College who are professionals in the areas of Psychiatry, Medicine, Physiotherapy, Exercise and Sport Science, Accountancy, Finance, Law, Psychology, IT, Property, Construction Management and Architecture. The evening should be an invaluable learning experience for students to research career pathways through the experiences of the very generous members of the extended St Kevin’s Community and the tertiary institutions our students aspire to attend.

Year 12 students who would like to obtain their Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) Certificate this year are advised that there will be an opportunity to do so on the morning of Tuesday 25 June at the College. Numbers will be limited and registrations called for in due course. Following the completion of the RSA, Career Lounge are kindly arranging an information session with top companies in the Hospitality Industry likely to be employing students for major events following the completion of their VCE. This will be an invaluable opportunity for all students interested in working in this industry and supporting themselves through their tertiary study as so many have done in the past.

Items of note in the Careers News this week include:

• Aviation Study & Careers Expo

• ADFA Information Evening

• Careers In Sports Medicine Information Evening

• Access Education 2013 Mid-Year Lecture Program

• News From Monash University: New Entry Process: Bachelor of Architectural Design/Master of Architecture; Business and Economics – New Simulated Teaching Lab (STARLab); Computer Games Boot Camp (CGBC) 2013

• Where Can A History Major Take Me?

• Electrical Protection and Control Testers

• So, You Want To Be A Mechanical Services Draftsperson?

• William Angliss Diploma of Holiday Parks & Resorts (Spa)

• Health Science Degrees Offered At Victorian Universities

Please see Careers News for more details.

Music

Art Show Performances

A large number of chamber ensembles and soloists will be performing during the Art Show, with afternoon performances commencing at 2.00pm. Plan your visit to the Art Show to coincide with the musical offerings!

AMEB Examinations

Entry forms for AMEB examinations in Term IV are now being distributed by instrumental music teachers. Please note that due to the temporary facilities at Glendalough, entries are only being accepted for Grades 3 and above this time. Students preparing at lower grades can be offered an internal examination through their instrumental teachers.
Examinations conducted at SKC will be held on a Sunday. Other examinations will be held at the AMEB Studios in Hawthorn. Applications must be returned to the Music Office by June 18.

Symphony Orchestra Tour to Brisbane

A second letter has been posted to students participating in the Brisbane Tour. This letter includes a payment form for those with a remaining amount to pay, a Medical Form and an Itinerary. Please note that this includes a staff contact number for the tour and a list of things to bring. All students need to return their medical form to the Music Office. 

The Music Office can be contacted by phone on 9804 3045 and by email at music@stkevins.vic.edu.au

Boys with enquiries are encouraged to visit the Music Office before school, at Recess or at Lunchtime.

Outdoor Education

Year 8 Alpine Camps Parent Briefing

Sport

Co - curricular Winter Sports

Season's fixtures have been updated for all Winter sports on the website. Please check the Current Fixtures each Thursday afternoon for any sport draw changes.

Please click here to view this week's fixtures

SKC Soccer Association

SKC Soccer Photographers Wanted! - Win a Prize! Parents, friends and family are once again asked to take photos of the action on and off the field at this year’s SKC soccer games. Prizes for best photo at each year level will be awarded at the Soccer Presentation Night on Sat 10 August, 2013. Submitted photos will be placed on the College Soccer website during the soccer season and also be used for the Presentation Night photo slideshow. So make sure your son’s team is represented!

• CD’s or USB keys sent to school office addressed to:

• SKC Soccer Photos 2010 Attn: Mr Nick Hale

Emailed to Mr Nick Hale on halen@stkevins.vic.edu.au

Emails with attached photos to be no larger than 3.0MB in total per email.

If photo files are very large, please either reduce file size or put on CD (suggested photo file size for emailing: approx 1024x768)

Please include team name (eg 8C Green)/date/photographer’s name/contact phone number with submitted photos or CD’s.

Basketball - July Holiday Clinics 

Basketball Clinics July School Holidays July 11 and 12

Skills, fitness, teamwork and fun!!! Following the enormous sell out success of the recent holiday clinics, the SKC Basketball Association is pleased to advise they will again be conducting clinics for all interested Years 7 and 8 basketball players and extending the clinics to Years 5 and 6 players.

The St Kevin’s Basketball Clinic will be held in the third week of the holidays on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 July and are great value at only $60 for the two days. The clinics are divided into 2 groups; basketball boys from Years 5-6 in the morning and Years 7-8 in the afternoon. All are welcome to attend, however places will be limited. Bookings are now open and can be made at TryBooking.

Years 5-6 Clinic - click here.
Years 7-8 Clinic - click here.

It’s a clinic you won’t want to miss! Please see the flyer for further details click here.
If you have any questions or need further information please email Danielle - skcbball2011@gmail.com

For further information please contact Karen Reidy - 0412 835 905.

Cross Age Basketball Tournament FREE Sausage Sizzle!

SKC Basketball Photographers Wanted! Win a Prize...

SKC Mothers' Association

Swap Shop News

Spring Carnival Ladies Luncheon

Parent Function

Year 11 

Be prepared for a fun evening, feel free to confirm your tickets on a designated Year 11 table.
Table Captain - Jo-Anne McMahon-James.

Year 10

• Thursday 13 June - Mothers' Dinner - Emerald Hotel.

• Thursday 18 July - Parents' Cocktail Party.
• Saturday 31 August - Parents' Evening Get-together - 7.30pm, The Pavilion, SKC Heyington.
  

Year 9 - Hold the date

Term 2 Parent Function - Saturday 1 June

Year 8

Hold the following dates for Year 8 Parent Functions remaining for the year. Details to follow shortly.

• Friday 23 August - Morning Tea

• Saturday 26 October - End of Year Function

Year 7

Mother and Son Evening

Zimele News 

The Zimele East Africa Cup - Walking in my shoes 

Most children in Africa cannot afford the luxuries of shoes or sporting footwear. April and May is the wet season in Kenya and the bumpy dirt tracks become rivers of mud. Students lucky enough to have shoes will have them ruined during these months. Shoes are only a small problem for many of the families we support in Kibera. Torrential rain during these months causes houses built on inclines to slide off cliffs. Many people die.

Zimele are organising a shoe drive over the next two weeks. We are asking families to drop off at Glendalough and Heyington new shoes (school shoes, runners, football boots). Your generous support will commence the “Walking in My Shoes” program and assist the most needy families in East Africa.

“Go forth on your journey,
For the benefit of many,
For the joy of many,
Out of compassion for the welfare,
the benefit and joy of all beings. “
.....................................The Buddha

St Michael's Parish Youth Mass

An event for students from Years 6,7 and 8. Please download your flyer for the fridge door here.