As a College community, we have been excited to have a full week of learning, faith and wellbeing experiences provided for our young people. Our students have returned both excited and challenged to be part of our Damascus community. We have worked together to provide the foundations of a positive academic year where we have clearly established high expectations about behaviour and learning routines.

Some people believe that once a child enters secondary school, we do not have to be active, watchful or engaged as guides for our people. I would like to challenge this thinking; as an educator and father of two young people, this is far from my reality. Young people in secondary school need their parents and caregivers to be active, alert and engaged in their child’s education. I encourage you to take an active part in the education process. Ask your child what they are learning, what has challenged them and what they are working on. Inevitably you will get the grunt of ‘nofin,’ but ask and ask again. Students will rise to high expectations and will value your presence and care.

Life habits take forty days to be developed and formed. The best gift we can provide young people is an education that challenges the growth of the academic, social, physical and faith aspects of ourselves. Each one of us is on a journey of continual growth. I am a strong advocate for partnerships between family and home. l seek your support in helping your young person develop regular routines, study habits, work, sleep and eating habits. As family, we have clear routines, we are all busy, but we need to try to create habits in our home that support our young people to achieve their best. Each year we would revisit study habits, sleep hygiene and eating habits with our sons. We would ensure that they went to school having had breakfast, a healthy lunch and a clean and crisp uniform. Once our boys came home, we established homework or study rituals based around their co-curricular activities or commitments. I found that once these habits were established in term one, the remaining terms were set. I urge you to regularly visit the Parent Access Module (PAM), so you can see what tasks are due and the results of assessment tasks.

The most successful students are those who participate in the fullness of College life. Busy people are the happiest people. At Damascus College, we have a plethora of co-curricular activities, from drama, debating, public speaking, Minecraft, sport and music. Each student should commit to undertaking at least one co-curricular activity each term; it is a wonderful opportunity to meet students in their year level and across the College – it is the best form of peer mentoring. If you have a rostered day off from work, try to get to BAS sport early and watch your child compete or sit down in the back and watch the performance.

Last week l had the privilege of attending the Year 12 Retreat at Anglesea and participated in hearing the dreams and hopes of our young people. They have many dreams and plans for their own self-determined future. Many wish to study at university, go onto TAFE or complete their dream apprenticeship – work with your young person to help them realise their dream through hard work, perseverance and grit. The students were open to the gift of the Holy Spirit and one another and wrote beautiful affirmations about one another and the teaching community. I thank the many staff who gave up their own family time to be with our community on this important milestone.

Over the next few days, our Year 7 students will be engaged in our House Camps down at Creswick; this is an important aspect of transition and supports your child in making new friends and familiarising themselves with Damascus staff. Some students will be challenged and taken out of their comfort zone; please work with us if your child is having difficulties. Year 7 camp is an important milestone and bookends the beginning of secondary school.

On Thursday evening, our Leaders will be hosting the VCE/VM Information night. There have been many changes in this space since last year; l urge families of students in years 10, 11 and 12 to attend, and a letter has been sent home.

Next week we have a number of key events on the College calendar that l extend a welcome. On Monday, February 20^th, we will hold our Annual Academic Assembly that celebrates our students who have achieved noteworthy results in their VCE or VCAL. We hope to record this event and place it on our College website.

On Tuesday evening, we welcome our Year 7 families to the College and ask if you have not done so already, provide your RSVP here.

It has been a busy time in our rowing regattas, and many events have been held. I encourage you to come along and cheer our rowers at Lake Wendouree. Let us continue to celebrate DMAC pride and joy.

We remember those affected by the tragedy of the Syrian and Turkiye earthquakes and offer this prayer

God of mercy,

We pray for the people of Türkiye and Syria following the recent earthquakes.
We mourn the death and destruction,
and pray for those who have died and those who grieve.

Lord, bring them comfort, strength and renewed hope.

We hold in our hearts those who are injured,

And those who have lost loved ones, livelihoods and homes.

Lord, bring them comfort, strength and renewed hope.

Sustain and guide all responding to this disaster.
Grant those affected courage and resilience,
as they rebuild their lives and communities.

Lord, bring them comfort, strength and renewed hope.

Inspire us to unite in solidarity,
acting swiftly and generously,
so that help may reach all who need it.

Lord, bring them comfort, strength and renewed hope.

Amen

With every blessing.

Steven

Next Monday beginning at 11.30am (20/02/23), we are conducting the Academic Assembly for 2022 VCAL and Unit 3/4 students in the John Shannon Centre. Senior VCE and VCAL students who achieved outstanding results in both programs will be recognised and celebrated in front of the College community. We congratulate all Graduating students from our class of 2022 on their individual achievements and successes.

Next Wednesday, 22^nd of February is Ash Wednesday, and globally, the Catholic community are being marked with ashes from the earth as a sign of humility. From Ash Wednesday, Lent is the forty days that follow until the blessed celebration of Easter, the zenith of belief for Christian people.

Here at Damascus College, we look to the period of Lent to support the fundraising activity for Project Compassion across the College. Damascus has a wonderful reputation as supporters of social justice. Project Compassion is the annual appeal for Caritas Australia, which is the Catholic Church’s international aid organisation. The community’s support of Project Compassion throughout Lent has been very generous over recent years, and we hope to continue that in 2023.

Lent is a time of preparation for Easter. We encourage our students to reflect on how they can give Time, Talents or Treasure over this period. Time in prayer or personal reflection about their relationship with God, Talents; the sharing of their personal gifts or talents to benefit others; finally, Treasure; charity or almsgiving to support those in need. At home, you may like to engage in the conversation about how this Lent as a family, you may be able to give Time, Treasure or Talents.

Catchup student photos will run on Wednesday, 1^st of March, for any students who could not attend the first photo session at the beginning of the year. Students must be in summer uniform with blazers, and they will be called to the Damascus Event Centre at the beginning of the day.

The annual House Swimming carnival will be held on Thursday 2^nd of March, at the Eureka Swimming Pool. Students must wear their PE uniform to school but may wear an appropriate House coloured top, supporting their House. Students will travel by bus to and from the venue; however, to alleviate the pressure on buses, students will have the opportunity to make their own way to Eureka Pool. This will need to be recorded when you complete the PAM permission that will be sent to families shortly. As with every school day, the Swimming Carnival is a compulsory activity for all students and provides an excellent opportunity for students to be their best! Not everyone is a talented swimmer, but there are a diverse range of activities to encourage student participation. We remind families that the College encourages students to be SunSmart for this event, in that they wear a hat and use and reapply sunscreen throughout the day. We would encourage families to reiterate the message with their students on the day.

It is not uncommon for students to pressure parents and guardians not to attend school on sports days, but it is imperative that parents stand firm and point out that community events are an important opportunity to learn and build both team and school spirit. Our focus throughout our sports program across the College is on participation. The team with the greatest level of participation has invariably been recognised as the overall winner at the carnival. Students who do not attend school on Thursday without a legitimate reason will not be eligible to attend college formals or extracurricular activities. In a break from the past two years, we look forward to welcoming our families back to the pool as spectators. We do ask that you sign in and out when visiting. If parents/guardians would like their student to be dismissed from the pool, they must tick the box in the PAM permission form to indicate this; otherwise, students will be brought back to school for regular dismissal.

Families are reminded to please be conscious when driving through the College, of students walking, and students on bicycles. Please drive at a steady walking pace.

Our year 12 students returned from Retreat on Friday afternoon. They were blessed with warm and sunny weather for the three days. This allowed students and staff to take full advantage of Anglesea’s beautiful coastal environment providing a magnificent back drop for the experience.

The Retreat marks the beginning of a very different year for our senior students. Unlike previous years for year 12 students, every beginning is also an ending. So the Retreat experience was an invitation for students to really pay attention to all aspects of their being – mind, body, heart, spirit – and take the opportunity to go quietly and deeply into reflection about the year ahead, their place in the world, and their relationship with God.

Students wholeheartedly embraced the Retreat experience and immersed themselves in the activities. This included times for mindfulness, exercise, good food, fun, friendship, prayer and reflection. It was a delight seeing our students experience the freedom to make decisions about how they presented themselves in their group activities as well as the freedom to experience the beautiful ocean and enjoy the natural environment.

The Retreat was also an invitation for students to come together as community. As a Christian community, challenges and stress points that will be experienced as a part of this final year of secondary schooling will be shared in an inclusive, responsive and compassionate manner.

We have enjoyed sharing this time on Retreat with the students and look forward to nurturing the positive relationships as a result of this time together.

Finally, thank you to parents, carers and families for working in partnership with the College to enable the Retreat to take place for our students.

Last week I had the privilege of being one of the support staff on the year 12 retreat. The retreat is often referred to as one of the highlights of the year 12 journey as students begin their formation of a class group within a Christian context. From my perspective the retreat provides a terrific impetus and focus on managing student’s emotional, spiritual, and physical wellbeing.

One of the activities that was presented to students was the need for students to manage their wellbeing with a focus on self-regulation and self-check ins. Be.You defines self-regulation as ‘learning about your own feelings and emotions, understanding how and why they happen, recognising them (and those of others), and developing effective ways of managing them. When young people learn to self-manage their emotions, they feel more confident, capable and in control”.

On retreat I was able to work with students on techniques to address the ups and downs of our mental health and wellbeing through a process that begins with self-regulation. This involves acknowledging and accepting our own feelings such as anxiousness, feeling overwhelmed, stressed, tired, sad in fact any human emotion. Once students can label their emotions, we worked through effective ways of managing these. When we acknowledge that our body is tired the message is to rest. But what do we do when we are feeling higher levels of stress, worry and apathy? Often these are a result of not listening to our body. Not acknowledging how much we are asking of it. Not recognising the demands, we are putting on it. Through self-regulation we can identify getting control back of our feelings and emotions. Increasing the amount of sleep, cutting back on additional shifts, exercising, meditation and addressing our diet are all ways we can bring equilibrium back to our body mind and soul.

A successful year 12 relies on trust, positive relationships, peer support and a positive mindset-all which were addressed on this retreat. I wish all students a wonderful experience and thank Adrian Newman, Sally Murphy and Sharon Lehtonen for their wonderful preparation.

Pictures below is my small group following our prayers of gratitude on the Anglesea beach.

Linking Social Emotional Learning to Leverage Academic Performance and Wellbeing- A Damascus College Initiative

At Damascus College, we recognise the importance of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in promoting academic performance and wellbeing. That is why we have made a conscious effort to explicitly teach SEL skills to our students.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) refers to the process by which individuals develop the skills to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of others, and use this understanding to build positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and achieve their goals. SEL is a critical component of a well-rounded education and has been shown to have a significant impact on both academic performance and wellbeing.

Our approach to SEL is centred on the development of five key competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. These competencies are taught through the 5Es (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate) a combination of direct instruction, modelling, and opportunities for students to practice and apply what they have learned.

One of the ways in which we incorporate SEL into the curriculum is being explicit in our teaching of SEL skills which are integrated into our assessment criteria. We also incorporate SEL into our teacher advisory program, where students work with their teacher advisor to develop and practice social and emotional skills. This includes activities such as goal-setting, problem-solving, and communication exercises, which help students to develop the skills they need to build positive relationships and make responsible decisions.

In addition to these formal SEL programs, all staff are trained in incorporating SEL principles into their teaching and interaction with students. This can include using SEL-based strategies such as restorative justice and in Term 2 participation in our ReLate programme, which helps staff and students to develop empathy and responsibility, and encouraging positive behaviour and being explicit in our outcomes through learning intentions and success criteria and

Studies have consistently demonstrated a strong relationship between SEL and academic performance. For example, a meta-analysis of 213 SEL programs found that students who participated in SEL programs showed an average 11% improvement in academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores (Durlak, et al., 2011). Furthermore, research has shown that SEL programs have a positive impact on motivation, engagement, and overall school climate, which are all critical factors that can contribute to academic success (Roeser, et al., 2012).

In addition to its impact on academic performance, SEL has also been shown to play an important role in promoting wellbeing. Research has found that individuals who engage in SEL activities are more likely to experience increased levels of self-esteem, resilience, and overall life satisfaction (Roeser, et al., 2012). Furthermore, SEL has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve coping skills, and promote positive behaviour, which can all contribute to a greater sense of wellbeing (Durlak, et al., 2011).

While the relationship between SEL, academic performance, and wellbeing is well-established, it is important to note that SEL is not just about improving grades or test scores. Rather, it is about developing the skills and attitudes that individuals need to be successful in all areas of their lives, both now and in the future. By fostering the development of SEL skills, educators can help students to achieve their full potential and lead fulfilling and productive lives.

References:

Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432.

Roeser, R. W., Eccles, J. S., & Sameroff, A. J. (2012). School as a context of development: Implications of developmental theory for school psychology. In Handbook of school psychology (pp. 3-34). John Wiley & Sons.

Eisenberg, N., & Spinrad, T. L. (2004). Emotional regulation, emotion-related regulation, and quality of life. In Emotion regulation: Conceptual and empirical foundations (pp. 169-187). Guilford Press.

As we settle into the rhythm of a new year, we pray that the busyness of life does not distract us from embracing the precious things you are wanting to give.

Lord, grant that we:

Have eyes that see

Have hearts that understand

Have courage to give

Have strength to hope

Have openness to receive

Have seriousness to be silent

Have depth the think

Have concern to care

Have desire to search

Amen

(adapted from the Year 12 Retreat Journal)

As they commence their Science classes, our Year 7 students are taking on the role of a Young Scientist - learning, observing, recording, asking questions and finding answers. This week students have been performing their first experiments, in which they are learning to use scientific equipment and take measurements carefully and accurately.

Congratulations to Zac Healy (Year 11) and Kylan Jans (Year 10) on the recent grand final win in the Under 17 Ballarat Cricket Association Kirton Shield competition, held at Wendouree on the 29th January.

The Kirton Shield is an U17 regional cricket competition with best selected players representing their region. Teams from Maryborough, Castlemaine, Gisborne and Ballarat competed throughout January, with Zac and Kylan representing the Ballarat Cricket Association (BCA).

Congratulations to Zac, Kylan and the Ballarat team.

While the girls were competing in Geelong on the Barwon, the boy’s squad were home in Ballarat, back at Lake Wendouree for the Head of School Boys Regatta.

Some quality rowing from the boys with our Junior Division 1 boys coming home with a silver medal in their B final and our Senior Boys a bronze in the A final.

Congratulations to all students on a great day of rowing.

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImSupported

Hi everyone and welcome to 2023. I would like to reiterate what our leaders said in the first newsletter and that it was fantastic to see all those new Year 7 faces on the first day. As well as those new to mainly Year 11 and 12. It is great to see them finishing the secondary schooling in the best school in Ballarat!

2023 sees 24 staff in the Humanities learning area. 10 of those staff are new to Humanities in 2023. Although some have taught it at previous schools. Welcome one and all.

For the first time in about 6 or 7 years I have a Year 7 class. So I will have to get all my skills out of the kitbag to welcome them to Damascus College. The class that I have is a McAuley group and they have been wonderful so far. Their enthusiasm knows no bounds. We played the name game in our first lesson and I am happy to say that just about everyone could name everybody else by the end of the lesson. That was fantastic.

In Year 7 our students are introduced to values and the Australian Identity. This fits in beautifully with their camp this week and their introduction to Damascus College. Year 8 are continuing to look at Geography and megacities. The Year 9 students are Investigating the Industrial Revolution of the 17 and 1800’s. They will go to Sovereign Hill to see how the Industrial Revolution impacted the Goldfields in such a short time. The Year 10 students should be finishing their Careers work ready for Work Experience in term 2.

At VCE we offer Legal Studies, Geography, Business Management and History. It is good to see the Business Management and History classes are at capacity at Year 11 and 12. I am sure we could have offered another class for each which would have alleviated subject selection issues. Having said that it is a great problem to have!

Anyway have a great 2023 – remember to get that diary signed.

Educator David Neate may have retired from Damascus College, and members of the 2017 Green Group have graduated, but the work that they did then is continuing to make a difference to our environment.

The photo at Ross Creek was taken last Saturday by David.

David remembers fondly when the Damascus Green Group journeyed out to the Ross Creek Reserve, trudged through ankle-deep water on a cold, misty National Tree Day, and planted swamp gum and tea tree seedlings (they can be seen in the picture). David says that even last year, you could see 360 degrees views as you walked along this boardwalk, and now this year, it looks like it should – a walk through lush woodland.

Thank you to David and the 2017 Damascus College Green Group, we really appreciate your hard work then, as it has brought such beauty now.

Pictured: Ross Creek Reserve 2023, Damascus College Green Group 2017

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImPartOfSomethingGreater

It has been an exciting time to be an English teacher! I want to take the opportunity to remind guardians and students of our expectations. At Damascus, we expect that students of English read deeply, write regularly and listen attentively in class. We appreciate your continued support with English, at home and we are excited to offer a range of learning experiences including excursions, guest speakers and writer visits which will help students find purpose and meaning in their English studies.

We encourage guardians to read the class novels to support students at home. We hope you have rich discussions with your children about the core ideas and issues of the novels. Equally, we encourage you to support your students’ writing, by offering help with proof reading and editing. I would offer a particular note of appreciation to our Year 7s who are starting their study of ‘Blueback’.

Thanks to the English staff for their hard work in preparing lessons and writing curriculum as we tackle new units in the Middle School and new Study Designs in Senior English. There is nothing quite like the pace of Term 1! The marking process has begun in earnest, so I wish to express my appreciation to those English staff undertaking extra responsibilities and for pursuing professional development outside of school hours as we chart the course for the new school year.

Finally, we wish to use the opportunity to promote the co-curricular to ensure our English classes are rich learning environments where lively and informed discussion can take place. Opportunities like the Writing Club, Debating and Public Speaking competitions, SHOUT magazine and Book Club teach us to hone our thinking and planning skills, enrich our presentation style and enhance our world view. Plus, most importantly, these forums give students the chance to form new relationships with like-minded people.

We are thrilled that Samantha Dechene, Damascus College Class of 2022 has joined the list of amazing artists showing at the prestigious Next Gen 2023 exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

Pictures that Samantha created as part of her Damascus Studio Arts Photography studies entitled “Stigma, Eccentric AND Deadly” will be on display from 18 February through 16 April, with the opening and awards night being held on Friday 17 February. Next Gen 2023 showcases the work of students from government, Catholic and Independent schools from Ballarat and its broader region who have just completed VCE studies in Art, Studio Arts, Design and Technology, Visual Communication and Design and Media.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat has been exhibiting some of the best work produced by students from across western Victoria for over 20 years. Next Gen continues to be an important part of the Gallery’s exhibition program. It provides valuation professional training to its participants, acts as an inspiring introduction to the art world for current students and gives Gallery visitors insights into the world of young people today.

You can view Samantha’s work now, virtually, as part of the 2022 Year 12 Visual Arts & Technology exhibit https://www.damascus.vic.edu.au/2022-Visual-Arts-Virtual-Tour/

Congratulations Samantha!

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImReadyToTakeOnAnything

At Damascus College, it is straight back into our Explorer Sessions in Year 8 ESTEEM.

Students were set the task to design and construct a cardboard chair in 1 hour. The chair needed to have a flatpack design, be assembled in 45 seconds and hold the weight of a Year 8 student or our pet bricks Selly and Kirk. Students continued to develop their collaboration and problem-solving skills to produce a creative solution.

Well done to all of the students who were involved and participated. It was impressive to see what innovations and solutions were being discussed and constructed that resulted in sturdy cardboard chairs.

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImSupported

This past weekend saw Damascus College rowers participating in the 2023 RV Junior Schoolgirls Regatta on the Barwon River in Geelong.

Congratulations to all who participated, we support and admire your commitment to training, practice and stellar sportsmanship.

Pictured are the Girls Year 9 Division 1 crew of Annie Glover, Olivia Radisich, Annabelle Mumford, Meg Mason and Pippa Watt who achieved an impressive second in their heat.

#DamascusCollege #DamascusPride #BeMyBest #ImReadyToTakeOnAnything

For those students who missed the School Photo Day a catch up day has been booked in for Wednesday March 1. If your student(s) where absent, or missed having their photo taken, please ensure they attend school in full Summer uniform on March 1st, even if they have PE that day.

To order photos, please contact MSP direct on 5333 5577.

As we are approaching the hot summer months, we would like to remind students and families within the Damascus College community or the procedure for bush fire preparedness.

Fire danger ratings and warnings are used in Victoria to provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life.

Schools and children’s services listed on the DET Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) will be closed when a Catastrophic fire danger-rating day is determined in their Bureau of Meteorology district. Our school has been identified as being one of those at high bushfire risk and is listed on the BARR.

Where possible, we will provide parents with up to four days’ notice of a potential Catastrophic day closure by letter and SMS. A Catastrophic day will be determined by the Emergency Management Commissioner no later than 1.00 pm the day before the potential closure. Once we are advised of the confirmation of the Catastrophic day we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day.

Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child. It is also important to note that:

• No staff will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic day.

• Any planned after school activities at the campus will be cancelled.

• School camps will be cancelled if a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is determined for the Bureau of Meteorology district in which the camp is located.

• As a bus co-ordinating school all bus routes will be cancelled.

• Depending on which Bureau of Meteorology district is impacted bus route cancellations may affect our school.

On these Catastrophic days families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan – on such days children should never be left at home or in the care of older children.

For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the CFA advise that when Catastrophic days are forecast, the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic day.

As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan and our emergency evacuation drills will be conducted as scheduled.

Please note that we have not had a Catastrophic closure to date, a ‘Catastrophic’ is only used for days of extraordinary and extremely dangerous conditions.

What can parents do?

• Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that our school is closed.

• Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers. Keep in touch with us by reading our newsletters, by checking our website http://www.damascus.vic.edu.au and facebook page.

• Most importantly at this time of year, if you’re planning a holiday or short stay in the bush or in a coastal area, you should check warnings in advance of travel and remain vigilant during your stay.

• Talk to your children about bushfires and your family’s bushfire survival plan.

• You can access more information about children’s services closures on the Department of Education and Training website – see http://www.education.vic.gov.a...

For up-to-date information on this year’s fire season, visit the CFA website at www.cfa.vic.gov.au or call the 24-hour Victorian Bushfires Information Line on 1800 240 667.

Please see following in invitation from the Parish of Ballarat East

Click below for the PDF version

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