College Newsletter
Term 2 Week 8 Friday 12 June 2015
A Message from the Principal
Dear Parents, Staff and Students
As the term moves into its final two weeks, students from Year 7 to 11 are working hard to conclude assessments and assignments to complete their topics or courses of study this semester. Year 12 students too, are working towards preparing for their Trial HSC examinations which commence in Week 3 of Term 3. These students are also completing their major works for Extension 2 English, Drama, Music, Textiles Technology and Visual Arts as well as preparing for speaking exams in Italian and French. I ask all in the community to keep these students in their prayers at this busy and stressful time for them.
As a community we pray:
Lord, lead me to look for the positive
in all people
and in all situations.
May I help bring light
to those in darkness,
and encouragement
to those who feel unhappy.
May I show as much care for others
as I would like them to show for me.
Amen
Classes for Term 2 conclude 3:20 pm on Friday June 26th 2015.
Term 3 classes begin on Monday July 13th 2015.
God Bless
Mrs Patricia Baker
College Uniform Shop
Cerdon College Uniform Shop Management
Telephone: 8724 7329 (During trading hours only)
Year 9 Subject Selections (2016)
Parent Teacher Nights
Year 8
24 June 2015 - 4:00 to 7:00 pm
Years 9 & 10
22 July 2015 - 4:00 to 7:00 pm
Canteen Helpers
Thank you
Co-ordinators Awards
Maya Badawi 7E10
Jessica Bahous 7E7
Tamsyn Balogh-Caristo 8G25
Jenna Chan 7E5
Monica Chan 8G25
Georgia Daoud 7E5
Bao Doan 7E6
Analise Elia 7E5
Rose Hanratty 7E10
Sophia Hassarati 8G26
Bethany Heng 7E9
Paris Jabbour 7E6
Alexandria Makary 8G26
Vasiliki Manolis 7E9
Rebecca Mansour 7E6
Archee Panchal 8G26
Shanice Seaib 7E10
Marina Tamer 7E6
Mikhaela Topfer 7E5
Kaitlynne Trieu 7E7
Sarah Vella 7E5
Sophia Vicic 7E6
Catherine Vu 7E7
Vanessa Youssef 7E5
Numeracy at Cerdon
Know your Times Tables.
By the time a student reaches Year 7 they must know their times tables. During primary school, students spend a great deal of time understanding their tables by counting, grouping items and building arrays. However, at some point EVERY student must KNOW their tables.
Knowing your tables enables you to work out more complex and difficult questions as you do not need to spend time on the multiplication. For example, knowing that 7 x 8 is 56 means you could answer problems such as, “A box contains eight blocks of chocolates. How many blocks of chocolate are in seven boxes?”
Secondly, if you don’t know your tables you will never be able to divide. Knowing your tables would enable a student work out a question such as, “How much do 3 students contribute to buy an $18 pizza?” If a student knows that 3x6=18, calculating each student would need to contribute $6 is easy.
Knowing your times tables is not only necessary to be successful in Mathematics, but it is a numeracy skill that is required in life. While calculators are great and so useful in calculations such as 236 x 457, it is sad to see girls at Cerdon take out their calculator to work out 6x4.
So please, if your daughter does not know her one to twelve times tables, help her learn them by quizzing her regularly. Don’t ask the tables in order, e.g. 1x1, 1x2, 1x3 etc but mix them up, e.g. 5x8, 7x6, 2x12 etc. When all else fails, sometimes students just need to do a bit of old fashioned hard work.
Grace Muscat
(Leader of Learning: Numeracy)
Enrichment @ Cerdon
I recently received an email from an ex-student offering positions to our girls for a new and exciting program offered by the company she now works in. In her email, she reflected on the enrichment programmes she was part of while at school, and just like she was inspired and challenged by them back then, she wanted to offer the same opportunities to our girls, and give something back.
It is encouraging to see where a different learning experience can take you. Enrichment activities aim to foster an interest but can also be the spark for new interests. Over the past few weeks a number of our girls have taken the opportunity and explored new experiences. As the holidays approach, I encourage all students to do the same. Take on the challenge, try a new enrichment activity and enjoy the journey learning will take you on.
The Year 12 Knowledge Challenge.
Last week Year 12 students took part in the Cerdon College Knowledge Challenge. Teams from each colour house battle it out to become the 2015 Champions for Year 12. The Grand Final saw Marcellin and McOscar working their way through over three rounds of questions based on everything from Maths, English, Science, The Arts, History as well as Sport, Entertainment and current affairs. Congratulations to Shantelle Moody, Valentina Bajraktarevic, Alicia Jane Kotsiopoulos, and Lilyan Abosh From Marcellin, for making the Grand Final . Congratulations to Andrianna Agathos, Esther Duruchukwu, Michelle Elias and Monique Brunet from McOscar for winning the 2015 Year 12 Knowledge Challenge. A special thank you to all the staff who supported the girls and the challenge.
Quota International ‘Student of the Year Quest’ 2015
On Wednesday May 20, 2015, Christina Kheir and Amanda Kheir represented our school at the Student of the Year Quest. The purpose of the quest, is to encourage leadership, self -expression and individual development in High School students. Participants are required undergo a 20 minute interview, deliver a prepared speech as well as give a speech on an impromptu topic. Christina delivered a speech on the importance of active citizenship while Amanda spoke about the evils of war. Both Christina and Amanda were outstanding ambassadors for our school. The judges spoke favourably of their confidence and enthusiasm, and commended them on the manner in which they represented not only themselves and their school, but also the wider community. Well done girls!
The Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA)
This program, sponsored by Rotary, enables teams of students to represent a nation in a simulated Model United Nations Assembly. Teams debate topics of international concern such as world peace, environmental issues and human rights over two days. This year Freshta Nawabi and Ama Berkoh from Year 11, represented Saudi Arabia at the assembly. Before attending they needed to familiarise themselves with the nation they represented, studying its history, politics, economics, people , geography, international alliance and their stance on current affairs. From their reflection, this was certainly a memorable experience:
On the 23rd and 24th of May, Ama and I were fortunate enough to be participating in the MUNA Completion, a program that encourages teenagers to cooperate with one another and resolve global issues. I can sincerely say that this was a truly valuable experience, as it enabled us to increase our self-confidence and our general awareness of the world around us. The debates were not only diplomatic, but also efficient in proving the value of resolutions and whether or not we should pass them. I strongly encourage all those who are interested in legal, economic and geographical concepts to volunteer for these types of programs, as they can enhance your learning.
Freshta Nawabi and Ama Berkoh
United Nations Youth Australia EVATT Competition 2015
The UN Youth EVATT competition gives students the opportunity to represent a Member State in a simulation of a session of the UN Security Council. Participating in the competition this year were Year 11 students Leanne Purkis and Zoya Shah representing Spain, Amanda Kheir and Emily Del Principe representing USA, and Christina Kheir and Freshta Nawabi representing Rwanda. Through this experience students develop many practical skills including debating, negotiation, problem solving and team work. The day itself was insightful and challenging, but certainly a worthwhile experience…
This program enables students to hold lively debates about problems that create hostility between member states and their international links with one another. We were welcomed warmly into St Paul’s Grammar School in Penrith, and from then proceeded to debate and make alliances with other delegations represented by other schools. This program gave each of us an insight into the formality of external organisations as well as their civil dealings with one another. Overall I am glad to have taken part in this experience and would encourage others to participate in similar programs.
Freshta Nawabi
Looking for something to do during the holidays?
The Power of Engineering:
Did you know engineering has the power to change the world? The UNSW is offering students in years 9 & 10 the opportunity to participate in a one day event to inspire and encourage girls to learn more about engineering, even though they may have not showed any interest. This event is on Monday July 6 at UNSW, it is FREE of charge but students are required to register on unsw.to/poe
The Scientia Challenge for students in Years 7-10 UNSW
The Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC), The University of New South Wales (UNSW) presents The Scientia Challenge Program, designed for gifted and talented high school students in Years 7-10.
The program features a range of workshops taught over three days. The courses are developed and presented by academics at the UNSW. The July holiday programs include the following workshops:
· The Brain in Health and Disease
· Developing Interactive Animations for the Web
· Embracing the Avant-Garde: Using Modernist Literature to Inspire Your Writing Low
· Flex Your Wii Muscles
· Horror Fiction and the Rise of the Vampires
· It’s a Small World After All: Globalisation and the Power of Our Choices
· Wild, Weird, and Wonderful: What Makes Earth a Living Planet
Each three day course costs $350. Further information on each workshop is available from visiting the GERRIC site on https://education.arts.unsw.edu.au/about-us/gerric/for-gifted-students/scientia-challenge-yr-7-to-10/ or from Mrs Agius.
The Powerhouse Museum holiday programs
During the July holidays the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, will be presenting a number of workshop for students aged 14 years and under. Included in this holidays’ program is a workshop on Game Design with Unity (Coding in C++), Programming a Robot, Electronics Just for Girls and for all you Minecraft fans Minecraft just for girls!
There is a cost associated with all activities. For a full list of activities and for further information please visit https://maas.museum/powerhouse-museum/
Doodle 4Google
Google is pleased to invite all students from years 1-10 to participate in the Doodle 4 Google competition for 2015. This competition offers students the opportunity to have their artwork viewed not just by their teachers and classmates, but by millions of people across the internet. This year’s theme is “If I could travel back in time I would …” This is a fantastic opportunity for students to use their creativity and imagination to produce a doodle…and a great holiday activity! For further information, interested students can visit
https://www.google.com.au/doodle4google/
All submissions need to be processed through the school. Entries are due to Mrs Agius by August 14, 2015
Mrs S Agius
Enrichment Co-ordinator
PDHPE and Sport Report
School Athletics Carnival
Special thanks to all staff and students who assisted at this year's carnival.
Good Luck
Best of luck to Elissar Maalouf (Year 9) who is competing in the State Equestrian Championships next week from Thursday 18th - Sunday 21st June.
Ms K MacKinnon
PDHPE and Sport Co-ordinator
Whooping Cough Information
Usually 9 to 10 days (can range from 6 to 20 days).
Symptoms:
Starts with a running nose, followed by persistent cough that comes in bouts. Bouts maybe followed by vomiting and a whooping sound as the child gasps for air.
Do I need to keep my child home?
Yes, until the first 5 days of a special antibiotic have been taken.
How can I help prevent spread?
Immunisation at 2, 4, 6 months and 4 years of age. A particular antibiotic can be given for the patient and those that have been in close contact. The infected child should be excluded from childcare and school until 5 days after treatment begins. Unimmunised childcare attendees may be excluded from childcare unless they take the antibiotics.
Measles Information
Measles is a serious disease that is easily spread through the air. Immunisation is effective in preventing the disease. All children and adults born during or after 1966 should be vaccinated with 2 doses of measles containing vaccine if not already immune. Please download the Factsheet for further information.
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Factsheets/measles.pdfSchool Excursions and Incursions
For all other excursions and sports activities, you may still receive a permission note which will need to be completed and forwarded to school by the due date. Some of these excursions may incur a cost which will also need to be paid by the due date. There are no exceptions or extensions to the due date for these activities.
A copy of each notification and permission note is also available from the College Website.
Change of Contact Details
Thank you
College Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop's normal trading hours are as follows -
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)
School Calendars
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WEP Student Exchange – Learn and Discover the World!
WEP Australia is a not-for-profit student exchange organisation registered with the Education Departments in NSW, QLD and VIC. Applications for short and long-term programs commencing from November 2015 onward are open now. Students can choose from over 25 countries to live with a volunteer WEP host family and attend an overseas high school for a summer, semester or year. To request program information for your family, visitwww.wep.org.au, email info@wep.org.au or call 1300 884 733.
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