黄色十大软件

Welcome Back to Term 2

A belated welcome back to the term as we come to the end of week two. I trust that you had an enjoyable Easter with an opportunity to spend time together with family and friends, or perhaps you finally had a long awaited chance to travel within Australia. Our students appear to have returned with enthusiasm ready to tackle the challenges of the busy term ahead. 

Sadly, I notify the community of the passing of Ms Rosa Coppola this week after a lengthy period of illness. We remember Ms Coppola as a dedicated and creative Art Teacher. Ms Coppola has been a member of the Aquinas community for 17 years and in a recent email to me said; 鈥淚 have enjoyed and found it so stimulating working with Aquinas visual communication students during my 17 years.鈥� Ms Coppola believed that it was a privilege to teach students to use their personal creativity and develop a love of art and she had this gift.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Students were informed of Ms Coppola鈥檚 passing during morning prayer yesterday and the Chapel is open today and Monday as a place of solitude. Students have been asked to speak to their parents if this news has raised concerns and support is also available to students through their pastoral teams and the YFC.

ANZAC Day

Our ANZAC Day celebration at the College on the morning of April 26 was a solemn, yet beautiful, liturgy led by students from the Year 11 Faith and Liturgy class.  Once again, our student body responded as appropriate and showed genuine respect in their silence for those who have sacrificed so much in the arenas of war and as peacekeepers. On ANZAC Day itself our College Captains represented us proudly and laid a wreath at the Dawn Service at Ringwood Clocktower. 

Parent Teacher Meetings 

Parent Teacher Meetings concluded this week.  Thank you to those who were able to take advantage of this opportunity to discuss the progress of their children.  I also wish to extend my thanks to the teaching and support staff for their continued efforts to provide meaningful feedback to you on your child鈥檚 progress. As you are aware, we continued to offer Parent Teacher Interviews online given the feedback that we received during 2020 and in response to our ongoing CovidSafe precautions. We will continue to review this format going forward.

College Patrons Mass 

Next Tuesday we gather as a school community to celebrate our College Mass in remembrance of our College Patrons - St Thomas Aquinas, St Mary MacKillop and Blessed Edmund Rice. We give thanks for the leadership offered by the Christian Brothers, Dominican and Josephite Sisters in the founding story of 黄色十大软件.  Thank you to Ms Tania Grace for her work in preparing our liturgy and to Fr. Tony Doran for presiding.

Visit of Mr Michael Sukkar MP

Yesterday we welcomed Mr Sukkar back to the College so that he could see the shade sails that have been erected in the quadrangle with the assistance of an $18,000 grant from the Australian Government. Mr Sukkar toured the College and was impressed with the ongoing developments since his days as a student.

Enrolment for Year 7 2023 - current Aquinas families

Families are reminded that we do not presume that you require a place in Year 7 unless we are made aware by the completion of an application form and, with very high demand on places, there is the risk of no vacancy if you miss the deadline.  Applications are now open for Year 7 2023 (current Grade 5) and close on August 20.  Please contact Ms Maddy Kalla on 9259 3008 or registrar@aquinas.vic.edu.au should you require an application form or have any questions.

Uniform Changeover

We come to the end of our transition period this week and from Monday, students must be in full winter uniform. Details of the

Darren Atkinson
Principal

As Parent Teacher Interviews conclude it is timely that we ask for feedback about the meetings. There is a link to a Google Form at the end of this article seeking parent views. 

We are interested in your views about:

• The nature of the meetings: In Person or online? If you had a preference what would it be?
• The organisation of the meetings: signing up, getting a timeslot, getting online.
• The content of the meetings and what you are seeking during the interviews.
• Any other views

The form has headings about each of these topics and asks you to select the most appropriate statements. There is also scope for comments in each category.

We will make the views expressed in this form available to all Aquinas staff. This form is for general purposes. If you have a specific concern or commendation please address it to the relevant Team or Year Level Leader.

The form will close on Friday May 14th.

Michael Box
Deputy Principal Learning

It is with pleasure that I introduce our new Director of the Aquinas Resource Centre, Mr David Scott, to our community.

Gina Goss
Assistant Principal - Staff

David has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Information Management, completed a Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching (PGCE Primary) and a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA). He commenced teaching in 2003 in England where he gained experience in a BECTA ICT Test Bed school, making him one of the first teachers in England to trial the use of technology as a teaching and learning tool.

Since migrating to Australia in late 2006, David continued to utilise his extensive ICT experience to add value to the learning experiences of children. He subsequently completed the EPICT practitioner course and mentored his colleagues in enhancing teaching practices through ICT integration. In Australia, David previously worked at Lake Joondalup Baptist College in WA managing Literature Services Delivery.  In addition to promoting reading, a MS Access Trainer and Facilitator role, he further enabled high level collaboration and integration of ICT practices in the classroom and school library.

David is originally from Edinburgh, where his parents and sister still live and he also has a brother who resides in London.  David enjoys skiing, surfing, spending time with his family and of course, reading.  He is a fan of Christian music and has a love of Elvis Presley's Gospel songs.

David is delighted to be joining the Aquinas community and can see the clear investment in students鈥� learning and commitment to meeting their needs. He is thrilled that students embrace learning activities with an awareness of God and are guided by the College values, namely Spirituality, Belonging, Perseverance, Compassion, Stewardship and Justice. He endeavours to maximise students鈥� application of information literacy models so they can broaden their intellectual boundaries as thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skilful researchers and ethical users of information.

David welcomes staff and students to the ARC and is looking forward to getting to know the members of our community.

The Music department is filled with Jazz Music this term as students from the Senior Harmony, Harmony Tribe, Intermediate Stage and the Senior Stage Bands and groups prepare for the All State Jazz Competition which will be held this Saturday and Sunday at St Leonards College Brighton. Parents and Friends are welcome to attend with performance time listed below.

Saturday 1st May - Choirs
12:20 pm Premier Division Jazz Vocal Ensemble - Senior Harmony
4:32 pm "A" Division Choirs - Harmony Tribe

Sunday 2nd May - Stage Bands
10:10 am - "B" Division Big Bands Section 2 - Senior Stage Band
11:10 am - "C" Division Big Bands Section 2 - Intermediate Stage Band

Following this weekend performance these ensembles and others will be performing at the annual Not Just Jazz Soiree held on the 21st of May in the College gym. The Not Just Jazz concert is a fantastic performance opportunity for many of the extension ensembles and is hosted by the Friends of Aquinas Music parent committee. Not Just Jazz is FOAM's main fundraiser for the year, which aims to support the Music Department in purchasing equipment and enriching the experiences of our students.  Students will be performing repertoire prepared for the All State Jazz competition in addition to soloist, staff items and ex-student ensembles. 

Everyone is welcome to attend and tickets can be purchased from .
Everyone will receive a complimentary drink on arrival and the event is BYO food only, with drinks available for purchase from FOAM. 

Ensembles participating are:

• Senior Stage Band
• Intermediate Stage Band
• Senior Harmony
• Intermediate Harmony 
• Harmony Tribe
• VCE Soloists
• Aquinas Music Staff
• Alumni Vocal and Bands and many others

Jared Campbell
Music Program Coordinator

Celebrations could be heard in the chook house as Nugget laid her first egg. She was very proud of her efforts on Friday afternoon. We now have both red hens laying one egg a day.  The Austrolop girls have grown over the break and have nearly reached their full size.

Gardening Club will run at lunchtimes on Day 5 Friday for students who wish to get their hands dirty and plant some vegetables.

What to keep out of your recycling bin

Here are four items to keep out of the recycle bin:-

• Soft plastic. If it鈥檚 plastic and you can easily scrunch it your hand, keep it out of the recycling bin. You can take your soft plastics to your local supermarkets for recycling.
• Recycling in plastic bags. Put it in the recycling bin loose so it can be sorted and recycled correctly. If it鈥檚 in a plastic bag, you can bet those items inside will end up in landfill
• Clothing. When you have finished with your clothes, don鈥檛 put your clothes and shoes in your recycling bin. Clothes can get stuck in the sorting machines and make it harder for other items to get recycled. There are plenty of ways you can give your clothes a second life. Click here to find out more;
• Polystyrene. The next time you find yourself with a big cardboard box and a bunch of polystyrene left over from a big new purchase, you can pop the flattened cardboard into your recycling bin but keep the polystyrene out. Find out what to do with polystyrene by clicking here;

Introducing our new Year 7 Leaders

"I went to Holy Spirit primary school and I was one of the four school leaders last year. I have two sisters, one who is in Year 10 and one who is in Grade 4. I  have a Jack Russell dog named Jack. I play basketball and football and I like to go on bike rides with my friends. I also enjoy going to the beach and boogie boarding. I barrack for Collingwood and I enjoy going to watch them play with my dad and my friends.

I decided to nominate for Year 7 Leader as I wanted to represent the voice of my peers, encourage positive relationships across the year level and be able to influence decision making at Aquinas. I know being a leader brings invaluable learning experiences. The most important qualities of leadership are communication, teamwork, support and encouragement, respect for others, and initiative. I personally try to apply these attributes to everything I do (school, sport and any other activities). 2020 was a difficult year for everyone and we all missed out on many activities and events. I want this year to be a really enjoyable year for everyone, and I encourage everyone to get involved in Aquinas activities."
Lachlan Motteram

"I first applied to be Year 7 Captain as I saw it as an opportunity to expand my leadership skills and be a part of the Aquinas community, as well as to encourage others to step out of their comfort zone. There were many steps to take in the process, with so many amazing candidates, and after several weeks of written applications and interviews with the teachers, I was immensely honoured to be named one of the two Year 7 Captains of 2021.

I can鈥檛 wait to engage in the role of Year 7 captain and I am thrilled to be able to work with students and teachers at Aquinas to allow for every student to have a voice to make a difference in the community.  I am also excited to learn from the senior leadership team, team leaders, and staff, as well as being a classmate and friend that anyone can come up to. I鈥檓 really excited as to what this year will bring as I never imagined I would be so fortunate to be in the position as a student leader at Aquinas, Year 7!"
Holly McGill

鈥淭he Arts enable students to develop their creative and expressive capacities by learning about the different practices, disciplines and traditions that have shaped the expression of culture locally, nationally and globally. Students are both artist and audience in the Arts. They make and respond and learn to appreciate the specific ways this occurs in different disciplines.鈥� The VCAA

At Aquinas we provide such a wide range of Arts subjects, giving opportunities for students to express themselves in diverse and rich ways.  In a world filled with noise and images, to spend time considering how and why something is created, and its impact on an audience can be significant. To appreciate others points of view and connect with artists and performers from different cultures enriches our lives. 

Recently there was a call to remove some TV shows and movies from public viewing due to the appropriateness of the content - Faulty Towers for example.  This was discussed with the VCE Studio Arts class this week while we were focussing on historical and cultural context. We looked at artworks showing stereotypes and imagery we now consider inappropriate and erroneous.  These works provide insight on the values of the time, how far we have come and how much we still have to talk about.  To remove these works from our galleries, similarly to the idea of removing shows from our screens, would be to curate our history.  It is important we open discussions, learn from the past, imagine diverse contexts and appreciate how we have evolved and gone past 鈥榩olitically correct鈥� to be 鈥榤orally considerate鈥� in how we view, express and embrace diversity, this is encouraged in and through The Arts.

A student recently questioned the value of Art class - a valid question and one I welcome.  To have a group of young people come into a room and make things, then walk out and head off to Maths or Science...what was the point?  The problem wasn鈥檛 that I didn鈥檛 have an answer, the problem was that I had a million reasons and wanted to jump up and down to tell them how rich their lives could be through experiencing The Arts!

I didn鈥檛 do that, they would have thought I was mad!  Rather, I asked them to imagine no Art at school. The obvious discussion was about not having a class where they would paint and make stuff from clay, but then it got real - the value of expressing creative ideas, the benefit of movement, imagination, the practical application of designs, the freedom of exploring, the achievement of creating something original, useful, beautiful, that tells our stories, sparks discussion, is provocative, that responds and reacts to our culture and connects us. 

鈥淭hrough engaging in The Arts students are entertained, challenged and provoked to respond to questions and assumptions about individual and community identity, taking into account different histories and cultures.鈥� The VCAA.  

Our young people have the opportunity to be vulnerable, supported, a viewer and consumer, a creator and risk taker.  Visual and Performing Arts are essential and inevitable.

Sandi van der Niet
Arts Learning Area Leader

We are very proud of our Middle Years Mathematics program, meeting each student at their point of need and seeing growth in their mathematical understanding. Please take the time to  detailing the who, what, when, where and why of Middle Years Mathematics at 黄色十大软件 and how we utilising the Maths Pathways program. You may even see some familiar faces starring in it. 

As parents and careers you will receive feedback on a regular basis via PAM, supported further by information found on the Maths Pathways parent portal. There are three tasks each learning cycle noted on PAM:

1. Mid cycle check: This is a checkpoint letting you know if your child has completed half of the required number of modules at this point in the learning cycle. 
2. Preparing for cycle test #: This is feedback on the summary sheet produced as a revision task prior to the cycle test. Students should include module titles, key information and two examples per module completed. For Years 7 and 8 a template is provided in the Homework book.
3. Cycle test #: This is the feedback on the cycle test using metrics of Growth, Effort and Accuracy. An average of 100% growth over the year equates to 1 years worth of mathematical learning. 

If you have any questions regarding your child's progress in mathematics, please contact their mathematics teacher or myself.

Save the date: Math Pathways Year 7 Parents Evening

• Tuesday 25th May 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm: 7 Aqua, 7 Blue, 7 Red, 7 Maroon 
• Wednesday 26th May 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm: 7 Green, 7 Navy, 7 Orange, 7 White
• Thursday 27th May 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm: 7 Purple, 7 Gold, 7 Silver, 7 Yellow

Erin Cumming
Middle Years Mathematics Coordinator

When selecting their courses students and their parents often ask the question, "what job will this subject train me for?鈥�.  Which is a reasonable question but in the contemporary terms where the average person will change careers around 5-7 times in their working life; and in a highly competitive employment market (where there are an average of 19 applicants for every job where only 3 get interviewed) shouldn鈥檛 the question be, 鈥渨hat employable skills would this subject help me develop?鈥�

In a 2019 Department of Employment Skills, Small and Family Business research report* employers were surveyed on the skills that they want in their prospective employees.  The report discovered that the essential 7 employability skills that employers valued, as much as technical skills, were:

• Communication and Teamwork Skills
• Interpersonal and People Skills
• Creativity and Problem Solving Adaptability and Resilience
• Reliability and Motivation
• Critical Thinking
• Digital Literacy

And with predictions that 84% of new jobs will be created in service industries the ability to communicate, work in teams, relate to other people, be creative and adapt is going to be more essential than ever.

So if you think, 鈥淒rama isn鈥檛 important,鈥� you may want to shift your thinking. 
Drama at all levels has a strong emphasis on collaborative work. Students work in teams toward a common goal; their communication, interpersonal and people skills progress through this collaboration.  Teamwork requires adaptability and resilience particularly when students find themselves working with others who have a range of ideas and opinions.  The need to problem solve in order to work out the best attack on their ensemble task frequently requires compromise and critical thinking to meet the directive. Add to this the need to create and use a range of digital resources for research and presenting work then you might be contemplating, 鈥淲hy aren鈥檛 I do doing Drama?鈥� 

The acting in Drama might be called 鈥榩retending鈥� but the development of employability skills it delivers certainly aren鈥檛 pretend.

Claire Travers
Teacher

*

At the end of Term 1, Year 9 Dominic enjoyed a week challenging themselves and forming new friendships as the focused on their core value - Perseverance.

"We went on a kayaking expedition and we saw dolphins. It was awesome"

"Really happy with our amazing raft that stayed strong and afloat!"

"I liked watching the sunrise on the water with friends"

"Camp was a great experience. I would love to do it again. My favourite was the tubing"

"Everyone did well on the bike ride and no one gave up!".

Commemorating ANZAC Day

"With a variety of speeches, prayers and music, the ANZAC day dawn service at the Ringwood Clocktower was a chance to reflect on the men and women who made the great sacrifice for our country those many years ago, pay our respect to them and their families and to honour the spirit of ANZAC. Following a year of separation, being able to gather as a community tightly huddled around the Clocktower with performances from a local brass band, pipe ensemble and bugle rendition of The Last Post - as opposed to a shaky tuba performance by me in my driveway last year - was a promising reminder of the community we know and love, as well as the return to normality. Looking up at the Clocktower, its proud face lit in red, standing as a beacon of memory above an ever developing Ringwood metropoly while hundreds of silent individuals had gathered around its base to pay their respects to the fallen was a touching example of the Australian, ANZAC and Ringwood spirit and is one that will stay with those in attendance for time to come. Lest we forget."
Flynn Wilkinson
College Captain

"After only being able to honour our ANZACs from the end of our driveways last year due to restrictions, it was fantastic to have the opportunity to come together as a community for this year鈥檚 dawn service at the Ringwood Clocktower. It was an important time for reflection for us all as we laid a wreath at the foot of the monument, thinking about the ANZAC spirit. Those who have and those who continue to serve in our armed forces have sacrificed so much for us all and our prayers and gratitude are with those brave men and women and their families."
Mikaela Tenney 
College Captain

One of my favourite events to attend is the annual Maroondah Youth awards. These awards recognise the strengths, resilience, and achievements of young people aged between 10-25 in Maroondah. The event is a night filled with personal stories, inspiring speeches, amazing performances, and recognition of young people. Despite the fact I have been attending these religiously over the last five years or so, each and every time I am still amazed at the talent, capacity and resilience of the young people in our community.

This year the award ceremony was like many others things, impacted by the events of last year. In a way it made the achievements of those we gathered to recognise even more special! Whilst there is no shortage of great young people at Aquinas, it was my privilege to witness four of our students receive awards from Maroondah Mayor Cr Kylie Spears and various councillors.

Mikaela Tenney one of our current College Leaders was recognised in the category of Leadership. Mikaela has served our school community in a leadership capacity each year at Aquinas. Her dedication to supporting others in particular last year during remote learning was simply inspirational.

Dylan Tudor was recognised for his achievements also in the category of Leadership. Dylan is an active year level student leader, a motivated and energetic member of in our Chid Safety and Wellbeing Student Advisory Committee and other capacities outside of school. 

Andre Painter was recognised in the Perseverance category for his determination and dedication to his learning. Andre has an impressive work ethic and is willing to seek further clarification of any issue when required. Andre reminds us intelligence comes in many shapes and forms, It鈥檚 not if your smart, it how your smart!

Isabelle Flores (class of 2020) also received a Perseverance award. Completing Year 12 in a very different year, establishing an online business to replace the loss of part time income and keep her motivated and busy is testament to Isabelle鈥檚 character and strength.

Last but definitely not least Ted Walker O鈥橞rien鈥檚 award recognised his achievement and character strength of Perseverance. Ted has a bright future ahead given his motivation and entrepreneurial positive outlook on life. In addition to managing his learning form home in 2020, Ted established his own car detailing business to replace casual employment during lockdowns. Ted is a fine example of self-efficacy, determination and hands on learning!

What a pleasure to see our students shine their individual and our collective Aquinas light proudly and bright.
Despite limited numbers being able to attend and other commitments preventing some recipients receiving their award in person more people than ever before could access the awards via a live stream option. The link below takes you to the Maroondah Youth Awards web page where you can see for yourself a selection of the talented, resilient and versatile young people we have in the local community.  We may be a little bias but feel some of the brightest stars in this collection are those from 黄色十大软件.



Cheryl Kane
Child Safety and Wellbeing Coordinator. 

Over the Easter weekend a number of 黄色十大软件's current and former students competed at the annual Stawell Gift Athletics meet.

Current Year 11 student Sophie Stokes competed in the Open Women's 800m race. Sophie was successful winning the event  by over 3 secs. In 3rd place was former student Meg Deane.

Congratulations to her on this excellent achievement!

Congratulations to Year 10 student, Anthony Jordan who recently competed in the Australian Track and Field Competition before joining a three day camp at the AIS in Canberra. Anthony achieved Gold medals and some personal best results.

• Para U17 Long Jump 鈥� Gold medal 鈥� 5.57 and a PB and Aust record in T47 U17, U18, U20
• Para U17 200m 鈥� 24.05 鈥� Gold medal 鈥� and a PB and equalled T47 U17, U18, U20, Australian and Aust Allcomers record
• Para U17 100m 鈥� 12.16 鈥� Gold Medal and broke his own U17 and U18 T47 record.

"After the Australian Track and Field Championships were cancelled last year, the hype for this year's nationals was high. That hype turned into one of the best weeks I've ever had. I came home with gold medals in all my events - U17 para 100m, 200m and long jump. I also was able to break the U17, U18 and U20 long jump record as well as equalling the open Australian record in the 200m for my para classification which is T47 (4 represents the category which is loss of limbs/legs and 7 represents the severity of the disability - lower is more impaired). Overall, catching up with mates and watching other athletes vying for Tokyo made the experience all the more better."
Anthony Jordan

On the last Tuesday of Term 1, Aquinas entered the Victorian Schools Ultimate Frisbee Championships at Parkville. We took the Senior Boys and Girls teams who had been competing in the EISM championships.

A report from the Senior boys team

"On Tuesday, in the last week of term our small team from EISM went to the State Ultimate Competition in the city, where there was a large tournament of about 18 schools all competing. Caulfield Grammar managed to beat us early on in the morning, and then we beat the other four teams in our pool to finish second in our pool, with Caufield on top. Since we were the highest ranked second placed in all the pools, we entered the finals and were up against Caulfield again. Once again they beat us. We ended up finishing third place overall beating Covenant College Geelong. Because Caulfield had two teams, it worked out that we were the second best school in the whole competition! Overall everyone had a fantastic time, and we鈥檙e confident we鈥檒l do better next time! A huge thank you to our coach Mr Jess on his work with us."

The Boys team: Sam Alvarez, Max Baines, Nathan Boland, Isaac Curtis, Billy Gleeson, Charlie Hewitson, Kobe Hussey, Joel Jobling, Lewis Johnson, Max Napolitano, Rainier Palao.

A huge congratulations to Max Napolitano whose performance at the championships and trials has seen him selected in the U18 Men's Ultimate team for Victoria!

A report by Nathan Boland

"The 黄色十大软件 Senior Girls Ultimate Frisbee team recently competed in the Victorian Schools Championships. The team was extremely competitive, winning their first four matches convincingly and finishing first in their pool. The girls then had a solid win in the semi against Canterbury Girls Grammar School, before proceeding to the Grand Final. Here they faced Covenant College Geelong in a very tough, competitive match. Covenant started well with a few quick scores giving them a decent lead, but to our girls鈥� credit, they stepped up the defensive pressure and fought back from a 5 point deficit to eventually go down by just 2. Our team gave it their all and walked away with a silver medal and their heads held high after a successful day and a good result. The Aquinas team should be very proud of their display of impressive skills and fitness, determination and positive attitudes throughout the day, as well as proud of their commitment in preparing for the tournament. They have worked hard, developed as a team and have played every match in the spirit of the game. A fantastic and inspiring effort from this wonderful team."

Congratulations to the team: Mikayla Aloi, Christina Doan, Erin Gualano, Natasha Langsdon, Mikaela Tenney, Emily Box, Indi Clarke, Rory O'Brien, Chloe Ross, Issy Edwards and Sophie Stokes. Coached by Miss Megan Lemieszek 

The senior boys and girls touch football teams competed in the Victorian Schools Touch Football Championships in the second last week of Term 1 at Endeavour Hills.

A huge thank you to the team coaches: Mr Steve McGrath (girls team) and Mr Tom Wilson (boys team)

"The senior girls touch team competed in a round robin format. There were three pool matches before finals so the potential to play five games in total for the day, a tough challenge in itself given the unexpected humid and hot conditions. The first game of the day was definitely an eye opener for our girls as we got a little bit overwhelmed by the speed of play by the opposition and a lack of awareness for the width and space to have to defend. To the girls credit after a review and reflection post game the girls turned it around in the second game and demonstrated an ability to drive with run and support through the middles and links making the most of quick turnovers.  Reward for effort with several tries and a win gave the girls confidence in their ability and recognition for their efforts at training to implement game strategies and tactics.  We finished the pool matches with one win and two losses which meant that we were playing in the Plate finals.  The first semi final against Fountain Gate was a game played with great spirit and close all the way throughout, finishing level at the siren which meant we went into a drop off period.  Both teams dropped two players from the field essentially now 4 V 4 for a two minute period.  Fortunately we were able to score a great try on the wing just before the siren to win and move into the Plate final against Luther.  The Final saw a similar outcome to the Semi with both teams tied at the end of the game and again going into a drop off.  Unfortunately one of the Luther girls saw a gap in our defence and scored with a great diving try to win the game.  It was great to watch the girls improve considerably through the day as they gained confidence and a greater understanding of game play.  Well done to all the girls who competed, and thanks to the Year 12 girls especially for their commitment over the years and we look forward to next year."

Congratulations to the players - Emily Box, Tahliah Cameron, Sienna Devink,  Kamryn Disney, Leila Hedderwick, Sienna Jones, Natasha Langsdon, Ashlyn Tait, Sophie Stokes, Grace Walsh.

"It was brilliant to be back in a competition setting and competing against other schools again after what transpired in 2020. The Senior Boys started the day very strongly with a good win against Luther College.  With solid competition throughout the day both teams competed extremely well. With the boys finishing the day with 2 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses. The boys tried really hard and the losses were always close, which was so very impressive. As a result we would find ourselves runners up in the plate competition. Thanks to all the Year 12's for their commitment over the journey of their touch football careers at 黄色十大软件, your contribution hasn't gone unnoticed. Finally, thanks to all students and Mr. Brummell for their commitment towards the Touch Footy carnivals and championship."

Congratulations to the players - Seb Di Simone, Owen Foxwell, Luke Dowling-Horgan, George Sajive, Ryan Webster, Harry Flynn, Jesse Meikle, Michael Barics, Pat Lavemai, Jayden Urban.

BOYS BASKETBALL A
Aquinas 63 defeated Emmaus 50

After a great season with only losing once and that was to Emmaus in a really tight game, the boys were looking forward to the grand final, and what a great game to finish off a great season.  A team effort ensured that we controlled the game and ultimately a positive result. This team of great young adults is extremely talented, dedicated, supportive and passionate about playing with and for each other.  They should be very proud of themselves and the way they handled the season.  They are all an asset to the Aquinas community on the court, but more importantly off the court.  Well done on a great season and the grand final win!

BOYS BASKETBALL B
Aquinas 41 defeated Mt Scopus 40

The Aquinas boys took on an unfamiliar foe in Mt Scopus, with our round one match up cancelled due to Covid restrictions at the

time. The game was hard fought from the first whistle to the last, neither side holding more than a 5 point lead at any stage and many lead changes as momentum swung.  In the first half we battled hard on the boards against a bigger Scopus outfit, but kept them in the game with sloppy turnovers at times.  Jake Moore and Felix Seymour were strong on offence, getting to the basket and forcing the Scopus talls into some early foul trouble.  Tom Rees, Linden Hammersley and Sean Griffiths all played great roles off the bench, bringing energy and being productive on offence.  Reid McGreevy had a big role to play as our only true tall and he stood up with strong work at both ends.  Michael Barics whilst undersized, was a beast on the boards and his hustle made sure we didn't give up too many second opportunities.

The second half was more of the same. as the game went down to the wire.  Down 5 with 2 minutes remaining, our boys were able to hang in, make smart plays and give ourselves the opportunity to take the win.  Josh Leonard was the stand out player on the court and deservedly awarded the MVP medal for the game.  He was prolific all game but took over down the stretch making clutch free throws and the go ahead basket with 4 seconds remaining.  The final score of 41-40 was a true indication of the closeness of the contest, and a win to savour.  Congratulations to both our boys and Scopus, who all played the game hard, but in great spirit.  Nothing like winning the close ones, well done boys!

SENIOR GIRLS BASKETBALL A
Aquinas 36 def Emmaus 29

In a really tight final that saw the lead change many times, we finally took control in the last few minutes of the game. The girls used the ball effectively throughout the game and our defence was very impressive. It was really pleasing to see how hard the team worked when under strong pressure from Emmaus. Well done to all the players for their endeavours and commitment to EISM Sport at Aquinas

SENIOR GIRLS BASKETBALL B
Aquinas 26 lost to Emmaus 32

Congratulations to all the players on the way we played today. We tried really hard against a very consistent team. We were always in the game and put lots of pressure on them but missed some key shots that could have made the difference. It was an exciting final as both teams pushed each other to play good basketball. Well done to everyone on your performance today and across the season

SENIOR GIRLS ULTIMATE FRISBEE
Aquinas 10 lost to Mt Lilydale 16

In a great final we worked really hard and pushed Mt Lilydale all the way for the first three quarters. Unfortunately, they were able to overrun us and ended up winning convincingly. Well done to all the players for a wonderful season and your commitment to the team. Congratulations to all the Year 12s for your valuable contribution to the team and the Ultimate frisbee team over the past four years.

SENIOR GIRLS SOCCER
Aquinas 4 defeated Mt Lilydale 1

The girls were very excited to get to play Mt Lilydale at home in the grand final having lost to them at the start of the season. We started well but were unable to take some chances early. Mt Lilydale scored first and this made the girls even more determined and we replied quickly after their goal. At half time the scores were level at 1 all. Scoring first in the second half was vital and the team's confidence grew and we took control of the game, scoring three times in the second half to win well. Congratulations to all the players on a superb final and their commitment to the each other throughout the season

SENIOR BOYS SOFTBALL
Aquinas 0 lost to Mt Scopus 15

After having had a great season and not losing a game, we met Mt Scopus in the final (who we did not play because of the Covid lockdown). Unfortunately we met a very strong team who were clearly the best team in the EISM. We tried hard but could not match their skills and general play today. Well done boys on a great season and commitment to the team.

SENIOR BOYS TABLE TENNIS A
Aquinas 0 lost to Donvale 6

The boys were looking forward to a really great final against the only team that had defeated us throughout the season. In every game we pushed them all the way but could not get key points. We were beaten by a good team who played consistent table tennis. Well done to all the players on a great season. Look out 2022, we will be back

From Monday 3rd May 2021, students will be required to wear full winter uniform.

It is a clear expectation that all students at Aquinas wear the College uniform correctly and proudly.

Spartan supplies all facets of the uniform to our families. All items can be conveniently purchased on line or in store. The online facility includes the options of free home delivery for Aquinas families. Or pick up from the shop can be arranged.

1/210鈥�214 Canterbury Road
Bayswater North
(03) 9070 8284

Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm
First Saturday of the month 9.00am - 12.00pm

Online ordering with delivery is also available.

Read more about the 黄色十大软件 uniform requirements

黄色十大软件 is competing in the Big Science Competition again this year. 

The Competition takes 60 minutes to complete and consists of a series of Multiple Choice Questions designed to test critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, not just factual recall. 

Questions are set in real-life, contemporary contexts making them relatable and interesting.  Questions are aligned with the Australian Curriculum and test students' ability to think critically and solve problems,  as well as their scientific knowledge.

This year, the competition will be run as an online event.  Students are able to undertake the competition online at a time of their choosing outside of timetabled class time.  This international competition is open to students in Years 7 to 10. Registration is free.

Each student who takes part will receive a certificate as well as feedback on their performance in the competition.  The College will also be notified of the registration and performance of Aquinas students.

Students can self-register via the following link: 

The Competition will run between 17th - 28th May 2021 and registrations are now open.

Any questions can be directed to Mrs Lynda Schulz, Science Learning Area Leader (schulzlg@aquinas.vic.edu.au) or Mr Chris Kelly, the Aquinas Laboratory Manager (kellyc@aquinas.vic.edu.au), via email.

MACS have recently released their operations manual around COVID-19 requirements.  They have advised that:

• You must not attend the College if you have any COVID-19 symptoms or are feeling unwell
• You must have with you a mask each day you attend the College
• You must wear a mask when travelling on public transports
• It is recommended to wear a mask when you are unable to socially distance
• You may be required to be tested for the virus under medical advice before returning to the College

We believe that these measures are in place to protect all members of our community and I stress to you the importance of seeking advice from any of us should you have any concerns or questions. 

Nap Rodezno
Deputy Principal

IMPORTANT: If your child is sick, or displaying any of the COVID-19 symptoms, we ask that your child stays home and is checked by a medical practitioner before returning to school.

Not sure you鈥檒l get value out of an Entertainment Membership?

• Head to Casalinga and save up to $40.
• A free frozen yoghurt at Tutti Frutti. 
• $10 off at Star Car Wash. 
• Coffee and cake or a loaf of bread at Laurent. 
• Up to $50 off at Sushi Hub. 
• $50 off a major car service at ABS Auto. 

All this within a few kilometres from Aquinas. And there is so much more…JB HiFi, Woolworths, WISH e-gift cards, Dan Murphy鈥檚, Rebel Sports, Big W, The Iconic…

Don鈥檛 forget that 20% from each Membership contributes to the Mary Rice Centre in Nairobi.