I trust that all students had a good break during the September holidays, notwithstanding the fact that Year 12 students needed to attend VCE Practice exams. I wish all Year 12's and their families well as they undertake their last few weeks of schooling at CRC.

Thanks to Rob Blackley who was Acting Principal for the last two weeks of Term 3, as I was a participant in the PAVCSS Pilgrimage to Central and South America.

It was an amazing Pilgrimage over 20 days with some of the highlights being:

• Hosted in El Salvador for five days by CRISPAZ (Christians for Peace in El Salvador)
• Revisiting the story of Bishop Oscar Romero at the Divine Province Chapel where he was assassinated during Mass in March 1980
• Immersion experience in the village of Papaturro, two hours from San Salvador
• Visit to Our Lord of Justice Parish in Canto Grande outside of Lima, Peru
• Meeting Sister Mary Dwyer, a Josephite Sister, who taught at CRC St Albans in the 1980s (and briefly here at Melton). Sister Helen’s vocation is in Canto Grande
• Visited the memorial to Sister Irene McCormack, a Josephite Sister, who was assassinated while working in the Mary MacKillop missions in Peru
• Meeting with peace activist, Sister Peggy O’Neill in Suchitoto- an amazing story!
• Tour of Cusco and the Sacred Valley
• A Day at Machu Picchu!
• Visit to the Maryknoll Language Institute, Cochabamba
• Visiting the 17th century Jesuit Missions in the Chiquitania region of Bolivia (San Javier, Concepcion de la Virgen, Santa Ana, San Rafael and San Miguel)

I look forward to next Sunday, 14th October when Pope Francis will canonize Blessed Oscar Romero. Blessed Oscar Romero, who was beatified by Pope Francis May 23, 2015, in El Salvador, was the archbishop of the nation's capital city of San Salvador. He was shot while celebrating Mass on 24th March, 1980 during the birth of a civil war between leftist guerrilla forces and the dictatorial government of the right. An outspoken critic of the violence and injustices being committed at the time, Romero was declared a martyr who was killed in hatred of the faith for his vocal defence of human rights.

I arrived at the church of Our Lord of Justice in Canto Grand in Peru on Saturday morning. We introduced ourselves to the Priest and the local Sister, Mary Dwyer, a Josephetite. She asked where I was from in Melbourne and I responded CRC Melton. With astonsihment, she replied "I know that school because I deputised as Principal for Sister Helen Reed when she was away in 1982!" She was teaching at CRC St Albans at the time and came up to Melton for 4-6 weeks! Amazing coincidence and one for our 40 year History book.

Student Leadership Investiture

In the last week of Term 3, the school community gathered in the hall for the last time to acknowledge and thank the work of our 2018 senior student leaders and induct the 2019 senior student leaders at our full school assembly. The College Captains of 2018 Ethan Trethowan and Maddie McGill and 2019 Captains Dylan Hassan and Evana Miesen addressed the students, attached is a copy of their speeches. As you read them, you will no doubt be impressed by their insights and their leadership qualities. As a school community, we are fortunate and blessed to have such fine young people leading the students of CRC.

Our Student Leaders for 2019 are:

Senior Leaders:

Deputy Captains

I would also like to take this opprtunity to thank the following students who were outstanding leaders in 2018:

Ethan Trethowan, Madalyn McGill, Jarrod Iaria, Boden Mugridge, Shehan Tennakoon, Rebecca Chin, Culain Ardley, Madeline Rizzo, Chloe Laurel, KhawTi Ling, Thomas Presnell, Georgina Azzopardi, Macy Le Huray, Corey Beaton, Erin Crowe, Harmonie Wegener, Kayla Davis, Renee Lancaster, Cassandra Nguyen, Veronica Thatcher, Danielle Sultana, Evana Miesen, Annmariya Praveen John, Denise D'Souza, Nicole Portelli, Dylan Hassan and Nikita Jarosinski.

Resilience Project App

I wrote in the last newsletter about having free access to the Resilience Project app because CRC Melton raised the most money for their Solomon Islands School project. The Resilience Project App is a daily well-being journal. Each day users will be prompted to identify their emotions, record moments of gratitude and practice mindfulness. The aim is to develop emotional literacy, engage with the positive things in life and be actively present. The school has been provided with 200 unique codes to access the app, if you are interested contact the school for a code and details on how to download.

Term 4 School Uniform

The start of Term 4 is a period of transition in the wearing of the school uniform. Students have the option of wearing either the summer or winter uniform in Term 4 up until the Melbourne Cup. Stated below are the uniform requirements for Term 4. The school jumper is not the outer garment to be worn to and from school.

Boys

Blazer - CRC Blazer need not be worn in Terms 4

Trousers - Navy Blue with CRC monogram

Shorts - Navy Blue with CRC monogram. Worn with navy blue socks. Summer only

Shirt - White open neck shirt with CRC monogram

Jumper - CRC Jumper can only be worn to and from the College if under the Blazer

Tie - Optional. If worn, the tie is to be done up to the shirt collar and worn correctly

Shoes - Black leather lace-up school shoes

Socks - Navy Blue

Belts - Plain Black with traditional plain silver or gold buckle

Girls

Blazer - CRC Blazer need not be worn in Terms 4

Dress - CRC Summer Dress (length to knee)

Jumper - CRC Jumper can only be worn to and from the College if under the Blazer

Shoes - Black leather lace-up school shoes

Socks - White anklets (no sports socks)

Hair - White, Black or Navy ribbons; clear or hair coloured combs

The only jewellery that is permitted in the ear is one plain silver or gold stud or one small sleeper. If sleepers are worn they must be removed during PE and at other times as requested by staff. No facial piercing is allowed. These items will be confiscated and returned at the end of term. All boys must be clean shaven.

2018 Subject Selections

Thank you to all families who supported students in their 2019 subject selections. Initial Year 12 subject allocations were sent home at the end of Term 3 and changes will need to be finalised this week. Families need only return forms to the office if requesting a change.

Current Year 9 and 10 students will be interviewed over the next weeks to finalise their 2019 Year 10/11 electives. Once completed, confirmation letters will be sent home. Current Year 8 students will then be followed up for their Year 9 electives.

Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews

Thanks to all families who attended these interviews. I am sure the conversations proved useful to parents, students and staff.

Please feel free to provide any feedback to me on the format and operations of the interviews.

The year 12 Legal Studies class is holding a fundraiser to support Australian farmers in need. Please refer to the poster for details.

Students are able to pre-purchase their order to prevent queuing on the day. We have messages regarding this on student notices and on the school Facebook page.

Daniela Harrington

Domain Leader - Humanities

See attached letter to parents regarding the Victorian Government Capital Funding Annoucement.

Stephen Elder

Catholic Education Melbourne Executive Director

Academy Uniforms have extended opening hours at the Melton Uniform Shop for the first two weeks of Term 4:

Thursday 11th October: 11:30am - 7:00pm

Thursday 18th October: 11:30am - 7:00pm

Usual opening hours during the school term are as follows:

Monday: 8:00am -10:00am

Thursday: 11:30am - 2:00pm

Please see attached flyer for Meltown Youth Program beginning Thursday 11th October.

Melton City Council

Please see attached information for Catholic Regional College, St Albans 40th Anniversary celebrations.

Laura Cioccia

CRC St Albans