College Newsletter
Term 2 Week 8 Friday 17 June 2016
A Message from the Principal
It was a great privilege to attend the Installation of the Most Reverend Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM CONV as the fourth Bishop of Parramatta with College Captain Susie Sukarieh and Vice Captain Amelia Menouhos. The Installation took place yesterday, Thursday 16 June, and while a solemn mass was celebrated, Bishop Vincent's Homily and final address were both light-hearted and an expression of the debt of gratitude he feels, as a refugee, for the opportunities afforded to him and his family in his adopted country.
Bishop Vincent's Homily drew from the first reading from the prophet Isaiah (56: 1.6-7) "Have a care for justice, act with integrity, for soon salvation will come and my integrity will be manifest ... [those] who have attached themselves to the Lord to serve him and love his name and be his servants ... Their holocausts and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples" as a reminder that the Church has most recently faced many challenges and is at a cross-roads; Bishop Vincent sees the Royal Commission as an opportunity for introspection and action to address the Church's recent past and make restitution. He reminded the congregation that all are welcome in the Universal Church, including all migrants and refugees and it is his mandate to ensure that they had the same opportunity as he and his family have had since their arrival in Australia.
I leave you with the Gospel reading according to John (15:9-17) as a reflection on Bishop Vincent's challenge to all:
This is my commandment:
love one another, as I have loved you.
A man can have no greater love
than to lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends, if you do what I command you.
I shall not call you servants any more,
because a servant does not know his master's business;
I call you friends, because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.
You did not choose me, no, I chose you;
and commissioned you to go out and bear fruit,
fruit that will last;
and then the Father will give you anything you ask in my name.
What I command you is to love one another.
God Bless
Mr Frank Caristo
Acting Principal
Parent-Teacher Evenings for 2016
The Parent-Teacher Nights will be held this term and in Term Three. Details of each evening will be advertised to you via the newsletter and Skoolbag (we ask all parents to download the Skoolbag app as soon as possible). Dates for each night are as follows:
Year 8 Wednesday 29 June (bookings are now open; please see Skoolbag)
Year 9 Wednesday 20 July
Year 10 Wednesday 27 July
As in the past, all appointments can be made via School Interviews. Codes for each evening will be sent to parents via Skoolbag one week prior to the advertised date.
2016 SMH HSC Study Guide
The 2016 HSC Study Guide will be published in the Sydney Morning Herald and online next week, on Monday 20 June. The guide is a joint project with BOSTES. It is a valuable resource for students, teachers and parents covering a wide range of HSC subjects. It contains:
- study advice
- oral, performance and written exam advice
- tips for finalising submitted works
- videos
Contributors include BOSTES curriculum inspectors, experienced HSC teachers and markers, past HSC students and parents.
Earn three UAC bonus points with Macquarie University's Big History Scheme
The Big History Scheme rewards student commitment to learning by acknowledging completion of the Big History: Connecting Knowledge MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). Available through the Coursera Platform, students who verify completion of this course will receive three bonus points on their UAC rank to study a bachelor degree with Macquarie University.
Big History: Connecting Knowledge, is a 12 hour self-paced, independent study course that can be completed by students in Years 10, 11, or 12. It develops skills in problem-solving and critical thinking that will optimise student performance in senior years across all subjects and prepare them for tertiary studies.
How to apply:
- Students must enrol in the Big History: Connecting knowledge MOOC
- Following enrolment students will receive an email from the Big History: Connecting Knowledge team with a link to an online form to register their interest in the Big History bonus point scheme.
- Students must verify completion of the Big History Connecting Knowledge MOOC by obtaining a Coursera verified certificate for the course.
- Students must apply to Macquarie University through UAC within three years of verifying their completion of the course to automatically receive three bonus points on their UAC rank for admission to study from a wide variety of bachelor degrees with us.
Learn more about the Big History Scheme.
If you have any questions you can contact bighistoryinstitute@mq.edu.au or call (02) 9850 6410.
Working With Children Check
Parents or carers who engage the services of a private tutor or coach have an important role to play in helping to keep their children safe. The Certificate for Self Employed People will no longer be valid after their expiry date and the certificate holders will need to apply for a new Working With Children Check.
From 1st April 2016, adults who provide private tuition or coaching services to children are required to have a Working With Children Check. There are some exemptions, including volunteering by a parent or close relative with a team, program or other activity in which their child usually participates in or is a team member.
Parents or carers should ask their child’s tutor or coach for their name, date of birth and their Working With Children Check number.
They must then go online and verify the tutor or coach is not barred from working with children in NSW.
Verifying that a tutor or coach can work with children is quick and easy – just follow the simple steps at www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/parentscheckthecheck . If a person is barred, interim barred or not found then you cannot engage them in child-related work.
If you suspect that an adult is providing services to children without a Working With Children Check you can go online to make a confidential report or phone (02) 9286 7219.
School Fees
Term 2 School Fees are now overdue.
If you have an outstanding account please make payment or contact Mrs Baliva on 8724 7308 to discuss.
Thank you
Finance Department
Cerdon College
Religious Education Department News
HSC Kickstart Physics Workshop
On 18th May, Year 12 Physics students visited the School of Physics at the University of Sydney. The excursion was not only educational but it was an eye-opening experience that broadened their perspective to the opportunities available in Science. They attended two workshops that are directly related to the 2 modules (Motors and Generators and Ideas to Implementation) studied in school and the participated in first hand investigations that are required in the syllabus. The state of the art resources available at the university allowed the students to see experiments like the photoelectric effect and the generation of radio waves. There was even the opportunity to take a quick tour in the new Nanoscience Hub that was recently completed at a cost of $150 million dollars. (You can find more information by viewing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A31maPm8PM).
Amanda Kheir, Year 12
Rotary Dinner
On Wednesday 1st June, Year 12 Hospitality - Food and Beverage and Commercial Cookery students hosted the Parramatta and Holroyd Rotary Clubs for dinner. This function was part of the Parramatta Rotary Club's fundraising efforts.
The Food and Beverage students transformed the Fourviere Centre into an amazing function room, with a blue, silver and white theme - very befitting of the evening. Meanwhile the Commercial Cookery students prepared a three course meal, taking into consideration any dietary requirements of the guests. The Table d'Hote menu consisted of:
Entree - Roast Pumpkin and Tomato Soup (with sour cream and chives) OR Potato and Leek Soup, Served with Crusty Bread Roll
Main - Prosciutto-wrapped Chicken with Ricotta and Spinach OR Pork Steak with Spiced Apple, Served with Baby Potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables, Gravy
Dessert - Pear, Lime and Ginger Crumble (with custard) OR Mexican Chocolate Cake (with raspberry coulis and mascarpone cream)
Entertainment was provided by the Year 12 Music students.
This function allowed the students to put into practice the variety of practical skills they have been developing over the last two years while undertaking the Hospitality course.
Thank you to the entire TAS department for the preparation work in planning such an event and to the consistent effort of the two Hospitality classes in producing an AMAZING event.
Mrs Kelly
TAS Co-ordinator
Numeracy at Cerdon
Numeracy and Literacy
Recently, students in my Year 7 Mathematics class were asked to write a short story that used the number -2. The girls were given no notification of this task, not allowed to do any research and only about ten minutes to write their story. The purpose of this activity was three fold, to:
1. assess the extent to which students understood the meaning of negative numbers
2. improve the literacy of students in numeracy
3. provide students with a creative avenue to express themselves.
Improving numeracy requires students to do more than just work with numbers but rather expand their understanding of the meaning of numbers.
It is with pleasure I share with you the work of Stephanie Volpato. Well done Stephanie!
One day a girl called Maddison went to get an ice cream from the freezer. A thought popped up in her mind and she wondered how cold the freezer was. She always thought it was zero degrees. She became extremely fascinated and decided she would research it. She walked to her room and searched the web, ‘how cold is an average freezer?’ The results came up and stated the average freezer is -16°C to -2°C.
She then realised that numbers could go below zero so she researched more about -2°C. She started to learn how to count in negative numbers and do operations in negative numbers, like -5 + (-2). That day Maddison learnt something new about numbers and -2.
Grace Muscat
(Numeracy Coordinator and Acting Mathematics Coordinator)
Enrichment@Cerdon
It has been another busy week in Enrichment… earlier this week some of our year 8 and year 9 students participated in the Cerdon’s inaugural Bridge Competition. Also this week Alycia Chand and Theresa Nguyen from year 11 had the first round of interviews for the National Youth Science Forum. Entry to this prestigious program is very competitive and we wish the girls all the best with their applications.
In this edition read about some of the exciting opportunities available during the July holidays for students interested in science. Also read about the free weekend for all at three of our Sydney museums…fantastic places for enrichment!
The Cerdon Bridge Building Competition
On Tuesday 14th June, a group of year 8 and year 9 students participated in Cerdon’s Bridge Building competition. Students had to build a bridge using paddle pop sticks, string, a cardboard tube and some glue. Bridges were tested for strength, design and aesthetics but as yet no winner has been declared as no bridge buckled with the testing weight of 20kg! Well done girls! Bridges will be re-tested next week and the winner will be rebuilding their model for the Aurecon Bridge Building Competition in August.
Free Museum Weekend
An invitation is extended to all visitors young and old to come and explore the Australian Museum, the Power House Museum and the Sydney Observatory free of charge on the 25th and 26th of June, 2016.
There are some exciting activities planned throughout the two days and everyone will have the opportunity to experience such enriching environments. If you register for the event, you will also have the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes. For further information on this fantastic opportunity visit
https://maas.museum/app/uploads/2016/06/MR_FreeWeekend_media_release_June-2016.pdf
Sydney Women in Engineering -Experience It! Student Conference 2016
Engineers Australia is hosting its annual Student Conference for girls interested in learning more about engineering. This is a fun, interactive and hands-on day, with activities which explore the various aspects of engineering. Students will have the opportunity to do workshops based on their area of interest. They will also have the opportunity to work as a team in challenges to win some great prizes. This day is open to students in years 9-11. No prior engineering, maths or physics required!
The Conference will be on Thursday July 14 at the University of Technology city campus.
The conference is FREE for high school girls, but registration is essential. For further information and to register please visit
The Conoco Phillips Science Experience 2016/2017
Calling all junior scientists in Years 9 & 10. The Science Experience is a three to four day program filled with science-based activities, workshops and challenges. This experience is offered by a number of universities across Australia during the holiday breaks and over the years this program has been very popular amongst our students. This year the UNSW will be offering their program during the July holidays. Students who are interested in Science and are willing to participate in The Science Race are encouraged to apply. Please visit https://www.scienceexperience.com.au/ for further information and to register.
Village Art –Rio 2016
An exciting opportunity is available for all students to support and inspire the Australian athletes at the 2016 Olympic Games. For the first time the Australian Olympic Committee has invited secondary school students to participate in the Village Art Program. Students are asked to submit an art work on A3 paper which depict or demonstrates an appreciation of the Olympic Games. This could include a moment in Australian Olympic history, their favourite Olympian both current and retired, or sport in general.
Students’ artwork will be used to decorate the Australian quarter of the Olympic village in Rio, for the upcoming Olympics.
For further information visit
http://education.olympics.com.au/programs/village-art/village-art
Entries are due to Mrs Agius at the end of the term.
NAIDOC Week Writing Competitions.
NAIDOC week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. As part of the celebrations, the Association of Independent Schools NSW and associated sponsors are giving high school students the opportunity to participate in a writing competition.
There are two categories:
Students in years 7-9 are invited to submit a piece of creative writing based on an Indigenous role model.
Students in years 10-12 are to write an essay on the topic Past and the Present: How does Indigenous Australia look in 2016.
Further information is available on
or on the Enrichment@Cerdon Google Classroom.
Entries close on Friday 24th June, 2016.
ATOM -1 minute film competition for school students
The 1-Minute Film Competition is an initiative of Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) and ClickView. It provides Australian and New Zealand primary and secondary–school students with the opportunity to make a 60-second short film or animation, and win fantastic prizes in the process. The theme for this year’s competition is Diversity. The two first-place prizes include $1000 in cash.
All entries need to be uploaded by Friday August 5, 2016.
To find further information about the competition, including the terms and conditions, please visit http://1-minutefilmcompetition.org/about/
The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry awards 2016
All Australian school students are invited to participate in the 2016 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards 2016. This is an exciting competition for all students who enjoy writing and would like the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes. Students have a choice to use the optional theme ‘waiting’ or use any subject. All poems must be the student’s own work. Entries must be submitted to Mrs Agius by June 27, 2016 for processing.
For further information visit http://www.dorothea.com.au/
Mrs S Agius
Enrichment Coordinator
Cross Country Congratulations
Congratulations to the following girls who were presented with their Cross Country trophies at the School Assembly last week and to the Cross Country champions - Marcellin
U12
Champion: Jemmie Le (McOscar)
Runner Up: Audrey Afful (McOscar)
U13
Champion: Claudia Portolesi (Colin)
Runner Up: Sophia Vicic (Marcellin)
U14
Champion: Olivia Achmar (Perroton)
Runner Up: Amira El-Sayed (Perroton)
U15
Champion: Trina Castelino (Marcellin)
Runner Up: Louise O’Neill (Marcellin)
U16
Champion: Alexia Abouhamad (Colin)
Runner Up: Catherine Raftopoulos (McOscar)
U17
Champion: Kaitlin Allan (Marcellin)
Runner Up: Mariah Younan (Marcellin)
U18
Champion: Chantal Cassar (Colin)
Runner Up: Jwana Khouri (Perroton)
ACU Step Up Programmes
Step Up – Health Science (USU)
This is a great program which has been designed by Equity Pathways and The Faculty of Health Science to support students transition to university. It has the dual purpose of inspiring students to aspire to Higher Education as well as providing students with the opportunity to gain credit towards their units in Health Science if they choose to study at ACU at no HECS cost.
This course does not contribute to their ATAR but does contribute to their university study at ACU.
The USU – Health Science program will be available for current Year 11 students.
This course will take place 16 – 20 January and applications close on 26 August. Students MUST NOT have other commitments during the course delivery week.
Student and Parent Information sessions are available on request.
Selection to the program will be based entirely on information in the application form, additional criteria and school report.
Updated advice for HSC students about examinations
Advice for HSC students about examinations has been updated on the Students Online website to include important information about the 2016 HSC examinations.
It covers a range of topics including revised syllabuses, changes to specifications and courses where personalised answer booklets are being introduced.
HSC Dates for Practical and Performance Examinations
College Uniform Shop
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Monday and Wednesday 8:00 am—2:00 pm (Terms 1 and 4)
Mondays only 8:00 am—2:00 pm (from Week 5 Term 2 and all Term 3)
Cerdon College Uniform Shop Management
Telephone: 8724 7329 (During trading hours only)
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About us
Email: cerdon@parra.catholic.edu.au
Website: http://dev.cerdon.nsw.edu.au
Location: Sherwood Rd, Merrylands West, New South Wales, Australia
Phone: 8724 7300
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CerdonCollege
Twitter: @CerdonCollege