‘To live by the Light of Christ,’ our College theme for 2024 has been ably embraced, engaged and enlivened in semester one. I am grateful for our community’s willingness and energy to live and be models of contemporary Catholics, people on a journey of faith walking with one another. We have much to recognise and celebrate as we reflect on our work this semester. I have seen and heard our students engage in learning, challenge one another and strive to be their best.

The Damascus story is one of conversion, one of communal support and one that demands the support of all members of the community to become the best possible person and to see the face of our God in one another. I am sure in the past six months, you have experienced the diverse tapestry of belonging to a large secondary College. You will have seen the gifts of your child and possibly been disappointed by some of their behaviours and actions, however the Damascus story is one of Hope and nourishment that comes from being in community and to be beacons of unconditional positive regard.

Our students have much to be proud of, as they have finished their assessments, participated in examinations and extended themselves in the learning and teaching program and the co-curricula life of our College. I am so proud to hear of our students’ achievements whether in class, in their learning, on the sporting field, performance spaces or technology arena. Damascus students this semester have embraced ‘be my best,’ by being beacons of hope and grace.

Last week l attended the Year 9 and 10 Social here at the Damascus Events Centre and l was chuffed by our students energy and zest for life. I was able to witness first hand the gift of co-education and of respectful relationships. The students were able to come to the event with a plate of food, respect one another and to be genuinely present therefore living by the light of Christ. On that Friday, l was able to participate in the Annual Dancing with the Stars competition in the JSC, l was taken aback by our students sense of community, fun and humility; these are beautiful qualities that need to be nurtured and recognised. Our world needs more people who know how to have a sense of adventure, respect and risk taking. I saw young people take part in classical ballroom dancing with new fervour and humour. Damascus students know how to be; to be people of good will and joy.

As the term concludes l am grateful for the commitment and dedication of our staff. Our team here at Damascus work for the benefit of each student and community member – promoting learning, faith and wellbeing enabling each young person to be their best. I thank the staff for their hardwork and generous spirit and sense of community.

This week l received the resignation from Maddie Fry. Maddie has been accepted into the Victorian Police Force as a recruit. We thank Maddie for her learning and teaching support in VCE and VASS administration Maddie will finish with Damascus during the Term 2 school holiday period.

Farewell and good luck to Tony Van der Ploeg who will commence retirement on Friday 23 June. We thank you Tony for your continual work in supporting the upkeep of the college grounds, painting works and COVID 19 infection control measures over the past three years.

We also wish Michelle Tapera who will commence a new position with Federation University, specifically supporting young people in their apprenticeships. Michelle will be on leave from the Term 3 school holiday period, for the remainder of the 2023 school.

We thank Maria, Andrew and the team for their work in rehearsing and planning the College musical, The Addams Family. I know we are all looking forward to our sensational production and are excited to see our students perform and shine on the stage.

This week a group of our students will be heading off to Indonesia for our Biannual Study Tour. I would like to thank Brendan Bawden for his work in organising, co-ordinating and navigating this space. The itinerary is certainly jam packed. We thank Brendan, Anna and Kirsten for travelling with myself and our students.

May you find time for yourself and family during the upcoming break. I look forward to seeing you at the start of semester 2.

With every blessing.

Yesterday we came together as an entire school to celebrate Rice House Day. Brother Edmund Rice was the founder of the Christian Brothers. In Ballarat, the Brothers established their own school for boys and worked in and administered St. Paul's Secondary College on behalf of the Catholic Parishes of Ballarat. St. Paul's was one of the amalgamating schools that in 1995 became Damascus College. The spirit of justice that inspired Edmund and his Christian Brothers calls us still to educate for justice by serving the poor. Our Rice House celebrations yesterday were a wonderful showcase of young people's capabilities and talents. I congratulate Rice House Leader Nikki Hexter, the team of Teacher Advisors and other staff who supported them.

This Friday (23rd June) will be the last day of term, and we will see a school finish time of 2.17pm. Students have a casual day for the Vinnies Winter Appeal. Students are asked to bring $5, if it is within their family's means, to support the "Vinnies" Winter Appeal to support the homeless and at-need families. If your student has PE, Wood, Metal, Science or Food – please ensure that they wear appropriate clothing, notably closed footwear, for practical classes.

Looking ahead, I remind families that Term 3 will commence with regular classes on Monday, 10th July. It's quite hard to think that we are almost halfway through the year and almost looking at subject selections going into 2024. Well done to all students on their efforts in concluding their Semester 1 classes and completing their assessment and classwork tasks and exams the best they can.

We anticipate that the timetable for the new semester will be on SIMON for students from in the first week of the holidays. Please encourage your student/s to log into SIMON and check their new timetable and in particular, their PE days where they will wear their PE uniform. Pathways and elective subjects will change over for the new semester, and it will be important for students to note these changes. Students changing electives or pathways subjects are reminded to bring along the relevant resources for those subjects with them on the first day back of next term.

Office hours over the holidays will be Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 4:00pm.

Until next term…

Chris

Finding Freedom

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me… Matthew 25:35

This week is Refugee Week. The theme this year is ‘Finding Freedom’. As people who are blessed with freedom, it can be difficult to imagine what living without freedom might mean. The refugee council of Australia states that being free can mean,

‘To live without the fear of war, to have your basic human rights upheld, to live in equality and without the fear of persecution are just some of the examples of what freedom can entail. Every day millions of people across the world embark on dangerous journeys for the sole purpose of finding safety and freedom. From Australia to nations across the globe, settling into a new environment after experiencing the perils of a refugee’s journey can also provide the opportunity to live, to love and to dream. ‘

At the end of the school term, we look to freedom from routine, we look for new freedoms such as adventures or new experiences, celebrating friendships or just being at home without watching the clock for our next appointments. With gratitude we acknowledge the good fortune we encounter in our lives every day. With these gifts and grace in our lives, we can strive to learn how we can use our life experiences to better the lives of others.

For those in our community we also remember that winter can be a difficult time. Not everyone has the warmth of a home. Some will struggle because of rising energy costs.

We acknowledge the great work of agencies such as St Vincent de Paul. We look forward to continuing our work with St Vinnies as part of the Winter Appeal.

Today at lunchtime the Justice in Action Group (JAG) held a hot chocolate day. We sold Hot chocolates, Oreos and marshmallows to support the St Vinnies winter Appeal.

The St Vinnies Winter Appeal this year is focusing on supporting the number of older women who are at risk of homelessness. The Winter Appeal helps to provide shelter, food, clothing and long-term support to many people in crisis including our mothers, grandmothers, friends and neighbours - and help rebuild their lives.

The reason we chose to do a hot chocolate day was to not only raise money for the St Vinnies Winter appeal but also to raise awareness about the current situation many people in our community are facing. In our day to day lives it is easy to forget how challenging life may be for people living in homelessness and poverty so experiencing the feeling of being cold and then being warmed up can bring to light how important it is for us to support those in need.

We thank all of those who come and supported out initiative.

Like Jesus we can listen, and we can act. We can support and promote preferential treatment for the poor and marginalised. We can continue to highlight with strong voices, the responsibility of all nations to share equitably in the earth’s resources and promote freedom as a way of life not only for some but for all.

The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2

Congratulations to the House Leading Teams of Rice and Xavier who, over the last 2 weeks have celebrated their Founder’s Day, culminating in vibrant whole school assemblies. I want to particularly recognise the work of the SRC teams in each of these Houses who were able to work with their student body to prepare student acts and acknowledge achievements. These assemblies were engaging and showcased an enormous level of talent. Well done to the teams of Xavier and Rice.

I draw you attention to the upcoming Middle School (year 9 and 10) Mental Health and Wellbeing forum which will be held at the Damascus Events Centre, Wednesday 12 July from 5.45pm to 7.00pm. This forum will provide a summary of a survey directed at our current year 9 and 10 students with a focus on factors that are compromising students mental health. Being a forum, the event will allow the opportunity for parents to speak directly to the Damascus Wellbeing Team as well as members of external services that are available in Ballarat. Our team intends to focus on the role parents and carers can play in promoting higher levels of wellbeing and what options are available to support families. We are hoping that a similar forum will be available for other year levels throughout next term.

I hope families can take some time to engage with their student over the coming holiday break. While we often acknowledge the young people we support as ‘young adults’, the reality is that they are craving time with their parent/carer who provide unconditional love and support. Please take some time to be present with your young student.

Wishing you unconditional happiness

Reports and subject selection

As we approach the end of Semester 1, we wanted to bring your attention to a couple of important pieces of information regarding reports and subject selection, while also wishing you a safe and enjoyable break with your loved ones.

Semester 1 Reports

Reports for Semester 1 will be available from Friday 23 June. These reports will provide a comprehensive overview of your student's achievements from assessment tasks, as well as indicate their progress in the Victorian Curriculum. Please note that the reports will not include comments this time. We encourage you to access PAM and SIMON Learning Areas for explicit feedback specific to each assessment.

We would like to remind you that the College has introduced Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies, which will be an ongoing practice in our reporting cycle. To support you in promoting these skills at home, we have provided several guides and support documentation. We encourage you to refer to these resources, including the SEL Success Criteria and how the continuum is presented in PAM knowledge banks.

If you have any questions or require further clarification regarding the reports, we encourage you to reach out to your student’s Teacher Advisor (TA) or Subject Teacher. Awards for
Semester 1 will be distributed in Term 3.

Subject Selection and Pathways 2024

We would like to invite you to an important event on Tuesday 18 July, from 5.30pm to 8.00pm. This event aims to provide you and your student with an opportunity to participate in workshops that will clarify any queries related to subject and pathways selection for 2024. You will also have the chance to request further information from the Learning Areas about the subjects offered and their requirements. Additionally, careers assistance and direction will be available to support your student in exploring career options and pathways.

To further support students, we will be hosting a Student Careers, Subject Selection, and Pathways expo during lunchtime between 18 and 21 July. This expo aims to provide additional guidance and ignite discussions at home about future pathways.

Please note that students in Years 8-11 will be inputting their subject choices during their TA period on Tuesday 1 August. They will have access to the 2024 Subject Selection and Pathways Handbook in the first week of Term 3. Further information will be communicated by the Careers team at Damascus.

Term 3 Interviews (Monday 24 – Wednesday 26 July)

The Term 3 interviews play a crucial role in facilitating subject selections and providing guidance on future pathways for our students. Subject teachers, who have extensive knowledge of your student's academic performance and progress, are best positioned to offer invaluable feedback and guidance during these interviews. The interviews will continue to focus on the development of Social Emotional Learning competencies, which is at the heart of our College’s commitment to ensuring our students strive to Be Their Best.

For Term 3, we are offering the following options for families:

• Year 7-10: Teacher Advisor (TA) Interviews

We will be conducting TA interviews for Years 7-10 students, capitalising on the TA’s role in fostering social-emotional growth, particularly for Year 7s. This will also provide an opportunity for Year 8-10 students to receive guidance as they navigate the process of selecting electives for 2024. Each TA interview will be scheduled for 10 minutes, with an additional 3 minutes allocated for changeover.

• Years 11-12: Subject Interviews

Subject interviews will be conducted for students in Years 11 and 12, focusing on future pathways based on subject selections. Each subject interview will be scheduled for 10 minutes, with an additional 3 minutes allocated for changeover. We would like to emphasise the importance of parents and carers attending subject interviews for Year 11 and 12 students. Research has shown that your presence and involvement during these interviews can be an effective catalyst in enhancing academic performance and supporting your student's educational journey. Your valuable insights and guidance can make a significant impact on their future success.

Official correspondence regarding TA interviews will be sent out to families in the first week of Term 3.

Year 10 TA Interviews: Signing up for Vocational Major and VET Subjects.

We would like to emphasise the importance of attending TA interviews for Year 10 students, particularly those who are considering pursuing a VCE Vocational Major (VM) and/or VET subject. We highly recommend that Year 10 students come onsite for their interviews to ensure a comprehensive discussion regarding their academic and career pathways.

Following the TA interviews, we have arranged for the Careers and Applied Learning team to be available in the St Martin Resource Centre. They will provide valuable support to students and families in the application process for acquiring their Universal Student Identifier (USI) number, which is a mandatory requirement for VET and VM courses.

By signing up on the day of the interviews and engaging with the Careers and Applied Learning team, students significantly increase their chances of acceptance into their desired VET courses for the upcoming academic year, 2024.

Parents/Carers will be provided with additional information on how to visit the SMRC before or after the interviews.

We believe that these interviews and events will greatly assist in making informed decisions about subject choices and pathways for your student's future. We highly encourage your active participation and engagement.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and we wish you a safe and enjoyable holiday break with your families. We look forward to a successful Semester 2.

Please see following information on Imogen Rosenharts Year 9 Huminites Project: -

Winter Prayer

Lord: In the midst of Winter, when the days are cold and wind can pierce remind us of the warmth of your love. In the midst of Winter, when days are short, dawn comes late, and dusk arrives early remind us that in the darkness your light still shines.

Amen

The Addams Family is this year’s Performing Arts production at Damascus College, which will kick off on 19-22 July.

We are excited to introduce our community to the wonderful student cast members, the fist being Year 11 student Zac Cripps, playing Mal Beineke.

What made you want to audition for the show?

“Since I participated in Clue last year I haven’t stopped thinking about productions, and so this was an absolutely amazing experience to try out a musical.”

What is it about the show that makes you enjoy it so much?

“The cast. Everyone is so amazing, and I’ve never laughed harder with a group of people than I have with this cast.”

What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you about performing?

“It’s Zoe’s advice on learning lines and blocking, which is ‘split it into segments,’ it’s been working well.”

What is your favourite thing about your character?

“I love the change of heart Mal has. When the character finally becomes somewhat kind, I can chill and kind of see a bit of myself in him”

What is something you are looking forward to about this show?

“Definitely putting all of our hard work on stage for everyone to enjoy!”

WHY SHOULD MY CHILD CONTINUE WITH LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE?

At Damascus College, the compulsory study of either French or Indonesian during the first two high school years culminates with students potentially choosing to continue learning that language as a subject elective from Year 9 and on to VCE. Students of both languages who are currently at year levels 8 and above will soon be making their considerations and decisions about continuing with their language study. Learning a new language is fun and exciting. It also has wonderful benefits for children at school and in life, and hopefully your child might consider these benefits as well¹:

Enhances literacy skills

Children develop a better understanding of English when they study a new language. They become more aware of grammar, conjugation and sentence structures. This helps them understand how English works, enhances their comprehension and accelerates their ability to read and write.

Improves memory and brain function

Learning a language strengthens the area of the brain which is responsible for memory, speech and sensory perception. Bilingual people are better at retaining lists, sequences, names and directions. They are also more creative, perceptive and can concentrate for longer.

Helps develop critical thinking and problem solving skills

Learning a language enables children to analyse information and solve problems better as they can select relevant information and ignore irrelevant or misleading information. They become more rational and objective decision makers.

Fosters respect and understanding of other cultures

Learning a new language nurtures curiosity and openness in children. They become aware of new cultures, and develop a greater understanding and appreciation of other people and customs that are different to their own. As they develop their language fluency, they increase their ability to communicate across cultures and interact positively with people from other countries.

Improves overall performance at school

Studies show that bilingual and multilingual children outperform other children who speak only one language. Academic results indicate this is especially true in reading, vocabulary and maths.

Creates employment and career opportunities

More and more companies are seeking staff who can speak more than one language. Bilingual staff are valued for their ability to communicate in the languages of their business partners and to cross important cultural barriers.

Enhances travel experiences

A person who is able to speak the language of the country they are visiting has more opportunities to enjoy the local culture. They are able to interact more with locals, interpret written information and to travel with ease.

¹Source: Department of Education WA (Perth)

Finn Augustin

Learning Area - Languages

Hello Damascus Community.

Wow! What a term and what a semester is has been for the Humanities Learning Area. Our senior students will have completed Unit 1 and Unit 3 coursework. In this last week of term they should all have been introduced to their Unit 2 and Unit 4 courses of study. A big thank you to Hannah Muirhead who continues to offer after school Tutorials for her Legal Studies class. Jen Casey will also be running a revision Lecture Thursday afternoon (22^nd) for History. Finally, all Year 12 students will visit Fed Uni this Wednesday thanks to our Careers team – I know I am looking forward to this with my Geography class.

Our students Year 10 students are in the last week of compulsory History. Next term they will enter their elective classes. Some will continue with History, exploring civil rights and the 60’ and 70’s. Others will elect, Legal Studies, Business Management or Geography. Each with some exciting options to follow up.

Year 9 have spent the term investigating World War 1. I know some students have delved into family histories to see if their Great-Grand Parents were involved in any way shape or form. Not to long ago I would have said investigate your great grand fathers but we now realise that the woman of our family contributed in many ways as well, from nursing through to holding the Home Front down.

Year 8 are continuing with their investigations into the Middle Ages and the Renaissance Times. I wonder how many Leonardo da Vinci’s we have among us? Some classes will spend the next 3 weeks completing the History Challenge. The theme is “Change and Continuity”. This allows our students to investigate, research and present on events, fashion, medicine, politics, social movements and any other historical issue. Once again thanks to our Year 8 teachers undertaking this.

Year 7 will have completed some investigations into our First Nations people from ancient times. In this area students will have highlighted the difference between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customs and European customs. In term 3 they will investigate one of Rome, Egypt or Greece.

As always there have been a number of excursion and different types of work being presented. Many of these have been pictured here during this term and displayed in the Library.

Well done students and good luck for the second semester.

Thanks, and; “remember history, otherwise you are doomed to repeat it”.

HPE at Damascus in Term 2 has seen students involved in several exciting activities.

Year 7 students have participated in creating a respectful relationship cake in Health with many students showing great creativity with their responses. In practical classes some students have already completed their swimming unit with the remainder of the cohort to participate in Term 3.

Year 9 students have had a busy Term 2. Students were taken through a number of workshops relating to the perils of drugs and alcohol during the SSMART ASSK presentation run by Ballarat Community Health.

Footy Codes students travelled to Melbourne for a M.C.G. tour, Presentation with an Olympian talk, and a ‘Game On’ session. The day culminated with students watching Carlton vs Brisbane at Marvel Stadium.

All students participated in Dance as part of the Year 9 PE program. Year 9 students were taken through dances such as the ‘Pride of Erin’ and ‘Heel and Toe’. Students from every year level WERE then able to enter the always popular Dancing with the Stars competition. The competition was a great success with many contestants and enthusiastic onlookers.

Term 3 promises to be just as eventful with Year 10 students moving into elective classes that include Australian and Global Health, Core PE, and Energy for Exercise. Year 8 students will participate in Netball and Volleyball, Year 11 students will consider the health risks associated with sedentary behaviour. Year 12 PE and HHD students have worked tirelessly throughout Unit 3 and will now take on Unit 4 as they head towards final exams.

Today students and staff at Damascus College took part in the annual Dancing with the Stars competition, and the mood was electric as the John Shannon Centre filled for this wonderful event.

Congratulations to all those who took part, whether you were dancing or a member of the audience cheering the competitors on, with a special thank you to event organiser Gavin Walsh.

While everyone who took part should be commended, we would like to acknowledge the various winners.

Pride of Erin

Junior winners: Macey McQuie and Declan Newman

Senior Winners: Casey Howlett and Isaac Inglis

Staff: Emma Baldwin and Wayne Forster

Heal & Toe

Junior winners: Chloe Martin and Tilly Jones

Senior winners: Lucy Baldwin and Anna Hodge

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImPartOfSomethingGreater

On Wednesday the 7^th of July, I, with fellow student Bronte Jarvis, attended the annual Legacy Junior Public Speaking competition. It is run by Legacy Ballarat, an organization that supports war veterans' families socially and financially. We went with debating leader Jen Casey, and spent the morning at the Legacy building, along with many other students from secondary schools across Ballarat.

We were required to give a five-minute prepared speech - I talked about 'Why Queer Inclusivity In Education Is Important' and Bronte talked about the topic 'Is Selfishness Really A Bad Thing?'. We then had five minutes to create a two-minute-long impromptu speech on the topic 'A Path Worth Taking'. Whilst neither of us progressed to the next level, it was a really good and interesting experience, both practicing public speaking and hearing what everyone else had to say. I'm very excited for the next competition!

Isabeau Turner, Year 7

During the last weekend of May, Damascus College Year 8 student Maddison (Maddi) Ponsonby and Year 10 student James Gunn, attended a trial of the ‘Chief of Army Cadet Challenge’ at the Simpsons Barracks in Watsonia.

The Chief of Army Cadet Challenge trial, if you are successful, leads to a place at the national competition. that gathers the best cadets from each state to compete against each other in a 48-hour epic battle for supremacy. Out of 30 applicants only 10 could be selected to make the Victorian team.

The trial is a gruelling weekend adventure that challenged the mental and physical capabilities of each participant. The trial started with a physically tough, time-limited 5km walk over hilly terrain while lugging a rifle and around 10 kg of extra weight. Following that was a beep test and a swim test. The next day focused on practical assessments that consisted of first aid, radio procedures, navigation, field engineering (knots and building structures with minimal supplies) and teamwork.

Congratulations to Maddi, whose success at the trial has earned her a spot to represent the Victorian team to compete at the National event to be held in Canungra, Queensland. James despite a valiant effort unfortunately just missed out. Such an incredible effort and a great achievement by both, something to be very proud of.

Both Maddi and James had a challenging but rewarding experience that pushed them to the edge mentally and physically. Maddi said, “Chief is one of the greatest experiences I've ever had and I'm very happy I gave it my best shot because I got into the Victorian team.”

Good luck to Maddi in the upcoming ‘Chief of Army Cadet Challenge’ in Queensland. We wish her all the best.

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImReadyToTakeOnAnything

We are excited to spend five minutes with Year 12 student Sara Abu Asbeh, to hear her aspirations for university after high school.

“Personally, I feel ready to become more independent and experience life outside of Ballarat; I think there are so many invaluable opportunities and significant relationships with people I haven’t met yet waiting, and university is an exciting place to begin the next chapter of my life.

My goal is to study a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in politics and international relations, as I am extremely passionate about current affairs and advocating for justice. I received the Kwong Lee Dow scholarship in Year 10 from Melbourne University, and through the opportunities it has provided I have learnt more about the Melbourne campus, and the international exchanges they offer.

Growing up with a Mediterranean and English family in Australia, I have been surrounded by multiculturalism and have loved the ability to embrace many aspects of different cultures. Continuing this in a profession which values and supports the relationships between nations is important to me.

I would love to work in an embassy or for the Department of Foreign Affairs, as it would provide vital work that would make an impact, as well as providing an opportunity for travel.”

Thanks for your time, Sara, and good luck with achieving your international relations aspirations.

The Addams Family is this year’s Performing Arts production at Damascus College, which will kick off on 19-22 July.

We are excited to introduce our community to the wonderful student cast members, may we introduce Year 9 student Dana Reynolds, playing Morticia Addams.

What is one of your favourite rehearsal memories?

One of my favourite memories from the rehearsal period was when Andrew asked if I could tie my legs together with a scarf, because I needed to train myself to take Caroline Jones' iconic, tiny steps... but here's the funny part. I then had to go up a staircase in one of the scenes, and almost fell over in the process! It was so awkward trying to get down the stairs with my legs tied together, that everyone was almost in tears laughing.

Do you have a favourite song in the musical? If so which one, is it?

I love the song 'Just Around The Corner' because it's a big number and it uses very clever humour, however, the song 'Happy/Sad' continues to make me cry every time I listen to it. The lyrics are just so beautiful and gut-wrenching.

What made you want to Audition for this show?

I've loved the Addams Family since I was very young. I remember my dad telling me Addams Family stories before I went to bed. I've also loved the soundtrack for quite some time, and so I was very certain I wanted to audition.

What is it about the show that makes you enjoy it so much?

Something I love about being in the Addams Family is that it's starting to become like a real family. We are always supportive of each other, enjoy each other's company, and everyone has learnt to put up with my jokes!

What is the best piece of advice someone has given to you about preforming?

“Seize opportunities!”

What is your favourite thing about your character?

I love Morticia's sarcasm, stubbornness, and dry humour. I also love the challenge it has been to portray her.

What is something you are looking forward to about this show?

Walking out onto a stage and seeing an audience in front of me has always been one of my favourite feelings ever, so I'm definitely looking forward to that!