Term 2 Week 6 - 28th May 2021

Reconciliation Week

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This week we acknowledge and recognise the importance of Reconciliation Week as we stand alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, our First Nation People. 

I sincerely thank our Indigenous Education Workers, Mrs Carly Taylor and Mr Braden Saggers who have done an exceptional job of bringing awareness of the nation's Indigenous people and uniting students of St Joseph's Regional College. The activities on offer this week are a fine example of the reconciliation journey.

As educators we are the agents of change and renewal by providing great learning experiences for young people, removing barriers of division and addressing unfairness. We will be the face of Christ to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their families.

Together, we will work “for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination” (Uluru State of the Heart 2019).

Assembly_260521_3_.JPGAt this week's assembly, an Indigenous opening prayer was read by Indigenous students, who also lit the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candles. 

Thank you to our Flinders House Leaders, Gianluca Polacci Byrnes and Phoebe Bentley who ably chaired the assembly. I am pleased that our student leaders willingly embrace all leadership opportunities.

Below is the Indigenous opening prayer:

NATSICC Jubilee Prayer

Bubbaa Father,
You created all things seen and unseen
Listen to my silent prayers as I stand here before you As my weary eyes look back over distant horizons, Back to those days where my people walked.
The footprints of my Grandfathers are imprinted on the earth,
And the images become real to me.
I see my Grandfathers standing tall and strong, Warriors of long ago.
I hear them singing.
I see them dancing,
And my Spirit moves within me.
They told of the emus fighting,
And the kangaroos picking up the scent or our hunters.
The images fade away as I feel the hurt of my people.
I can hear the cries of my Grandmothers as they cry for their children.
Grandfather, you can see me as I stand here and feel this hurt.
Bubbaa Father is this the purpose of my being here.
Or is it your plan to reshape my people
To be once again the proud race it once was?
Let me walk with you and my Grandfathers towards the dawning of a proud and new nation.
I thank you for my Sacred Being. Amen.
These resources are to be used in their entirety or in part with the permission of NATSICC and with correct reference

Principal's Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received a Principal's Award at this week's assembly.

Neveah Bayly
Phoebe Bentley
Hayley Blackwell
Kayden Cook
Hunter Croft
Isabel Cusato
Ashton Daley
Chloe Eichmann
Imogen Elliott
Lilly Fraser
Ava-Grace Hawker
Mackenzie Jenkins
Lauren Johnston
Alexis Lambert
Chelsea Lewis
Bailey Moore
Savannah Nowak
Ava Peirce
Cora Puttick
Harvey Sinclair
Harry Turnbull
Tahlia Van Den Boom
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HSC Music Performance

The very talented Year 12 student, Tim Kobelke, perform one of his HSC pieces 'Georgia on my MInd'. Tim was accompanied by two of our music tutors: guitar tutor Mr Ken McArthur, bass guitar tutor and ex-student, Jacob Corbet, and our very own, Co-curricular Music trainee, Harry Amon on drums. Tim showed his excellence on the instrument with an improvisation, and much contrast throughout the song. Congratulations, Tim!

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God bless

Mr Jim Dempsey
Principal

Web Article Music Year 12 Awards Indigenous Education Principal's Message
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Faith in the Future

On Monday, 24th May, our College Captains, Ella Handley, Joseph Lewis, Mia Watts and Luka Marshall accompanied me to the National Mass for the Bicentenary of Catholic Education in Australia, held at St Carthage's Cathedral in Lismore. The mass was celebrated in each Diocese across Australia, simultaneously.

200 years ago, Fr John Therry answered the call to educate the youth of Parramatta. From that small beginning of 31 students began the work that now spans 1,755 Catholic schools, 100,000 staff and 777,000 school students. We are blessed to be part of this.

Thank you to our College leaders who gave up their Sunday to travel to Lismore and arrived home late on Monday night. To do this in the middle of HSC assessments, it is a true measure of their commitment to their leadership positions and the College.

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IGNITE Conference 2021

At this week's assembly, our Youth Ministry Offices, Matthew Strumolo and Emily Burg informed students about a fantastic faith opportunity coming up in September. I encourage eligible students to explore this event further. 

The conference, being held in Brisbane, is a unique four-day opportunity open to students in Years 9-12. 

What will I get out of attending an IGNITE Conference?

During this conference students are able to:

  • delve deeper into their faith.
  • attend the many workshops on offer 
  • meet like-minded people
  • create strong, lasting friendships
  • experience of daily Worship rallies.

Our Youth Ministry Officer, Emily Burg, comments below on her experience at IGNITE:

“Ignite conference was one of the best experiences of my life. I got to meet many new people from across the Lismore Diocese and more. I attended many fun interactive workshops where I learnt a lot about my faith and about different topics. I also got the chance to participate in the many rally’s and small groups where I got to sing, dance, worship, pray and get to know more about myself and those around me. I highly encourage any students in years 9-12 interested in going as it was a truly eye-opening experience and I wouldn’t be where I am today with my faith if it wasn’t for this event.”
Emily Burg.

I refer you to the Evangelisation article detailing the event further.

Safe on Social Parent Evening

Last Wednesday night, the Lismore Catholic Schools Parents Assembly hosted an information evening for parents on Social Media. Kirra Pendergast from Safe on Social presented on the evening. Kirra is always so engaging and up-to-date with tips on how we can keep our young people safe online.

Some valuable points Kirra shared with us were:

  • predatory online behaviour increased by 122% during COVID. Parents need to be aware of this.
  • Instagram - ask your kids before you post a photo of them is it ok to post it?
  • This teaches them that this is the correct protocol to use. Always ask someone before posting a photo of them.
  • Allow your children to set up Instagram for the first time with your email address so you have control and receive notifications.
  • Don't allow your children to post too much information in the bio section.
  • Recommend your children set up one Instagram account with their real name (apparently they set up many accounts) and use that to create a positive digital footprint of themselves eg. hobbies and interests. When this is searched by future employers, a positive impression will be made.
  • Facebook messenger for kids - is recommended as a well-controlled platform for children.
  • Encourage your children not to reply to DM (Direct message) requests from people or pages they don't know e.g. fashion or jewellery ambassadors wanting to follow them or engage with them. They are usually fake.
  • Snap chat - ensure your children are on Ghost Mode, they are private and can only be viewed by "these friends only".
  • Youbo - is a dangerous App as it is like Tinder for teens and places them directly into chat rooms with strangers.
  • Social Media challenges - e.g. the vortex challenge. Alert the school if you become aware of any dangerous online challenges.
  • Group Chats - teach your children skills to be able to remove themselves from group chats if they get out of hand or abusive. Even being a member of the chat can get them into trouble.
  • Keep devices out of bedrooms at night - there is a direct link between the blue light and teen anxiety.
  • Set a digital sunset - phones/iPads need to be off one hour before bedtime.
  • Online gaming - respect the classification. There is a direct link to problematic sexualised behaviour.
  • Online abuse - teach your children to speak up when someone threatens them online.

Thank you to all our parents who were able to attend and to MacKillop College for providing the venue. Also to Mrs Peta Rourke for her organisation of the event.

Free Parent Webinar

On Friday 4th June, there will be a free parent webinar on Student wellbeing and career resilience in a rapidly changing world.

The webinar will be hosted by My Future and facilitated by Dr Lyn O'Grady, a psychologist specialising in the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and their parents.  Dr O'Grady will explore the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on student emotional and psychological wellbeing which may create obstacles for students facing complex career decisions and transitions. 

The webinar will provide practical advice, strategies and resources for parents and carers supporting students in extraordinary times of change.

CLICK HERE to register for the webinar.

Mrs Tanya Daley
Assistant Principal - Mission

Web Article Parents Information Session Assistant Principal - Pastoral Information Technology Evangelisation
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National Reconciliation Week 2021
27th May to 3rd June

More than a Word. Reconciliation takes Action.


Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2021, More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action.

Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

National Sorry Day - 26th May 2021

National Sorry Day is a day for all of us to remember and highlight the impact of the past, whereby Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their families, and their communities.

This day is an opportunity for ALL of us to remember the mistakes of the past and work towards a stronger future together as one.


Reconciliation Week Activities at SJRC
This week to celebrate Reconciliation Week and to commemorate National Sorry Day, we held a special prayer in the assembly which included some of our Aboriginal students saying a prayer and lighting our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candles. We also showed a clip about the 2021 Reconciliation Week theme of, 'More than a word. Reconciliation takes action'.

On Thursday, we held our annual Walk for Reconciliation at recess where all students joined us in a walk around the College, finishing by adding their painted handprint to our banner that will take pride of place in the canteen window for the remainder of the week.

This was followed by our lunchtime activity of fundraising for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation Book Swap and BBQ, where we had many donated books available to be purchased by students and staff for a gold coin donation. We are so pleased to have raised $500 for the Foundation. Please take a look at their website: https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/

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Mrs Carly Taylor & Mr Braden Saggers
Indigenous Education Workers

Indigenous Education
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This exciting conference is back again in September, starting on the first Wednesday of the school holidays. The Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Lismore ("CSO"), will be organising the trip, which is open to students from Years 9-12 at St Joseph's Regional College. The cost will be subsidised by the CSO to make it more affordable and accessible. Student participants will be asked to make a co-contribution of $245.00 which contributes towards travel, accommodation, registration and most meals, and is the equivalent of the registration fee alone.

To secure your registration for Ignite, students will need to collect a form from the College office and return it by Friday 11th June. Please include payment of $245.00 (non-refundable) with the permission note and return it to the College office. Registration as a group will be completed once an idea of numbers is known.

Further details on the conference are below:

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Mr Timo Gobius
Leader of Evangelisation

Web Article Evangelisation CSO

Recently we held a PC photo competition around the character strength of "Appreciation of Beauty" and the winning PC was W04. Congratulations to Mr Johnston and members of the class who have won themselves a pizza lunch.

Mrs Sophie Woods
Leader of Pastoral Care, Macquarie & PC Programs

Pastoral Care Wellbeing

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North Coast Area Health Service is holding an Immunisation Day at St Joseph’s Regional College on

Monday, 31st May for Year 10 students
and catch up for Year 7, 8 and 11 students

A Parent Information Kit has been sent home with students in Year 10. The kit contains information about the following vaccinations and the disease that it protects against as well as a consent form.

Immunisation offered to Year 10 students on Monday, 31st May:

  • Year 10 - Nimenrix (meningococcal ACWY)

Other immunisations available on the day:

  • Year 7 - catch up for HPV dose 1 & Boostrix
  • Year 8 - HPV dose 2 - catch up from 2020 (must be on a 2020 consent form)
  • Year 11 - Nimenrix (Meningococcal ACWY) – catch up from 2020 (must be on a 2020 consent form)

NO VACCINATIONS WILL BE ADMINISTERED TO STUDENTS WITHOUT A SIGNED CONSENT FORM, VERBAL CONSENT IS NOT SUFFICIENT.

Signed consent forms are to be returned to the Area Health Nurse on Immunisation Day.

Please do not return completed forms prior to this day.

A record of vaccination will be kept by the Area Health Service and a copy will be provided to the vaccinated student for their records.

Please understand that if you do not have your child immunised in the Year (eg. Year 7 – 10) that is offered by North Coast Public Area Health, you are able to access this vaccine at a later stage at your General Practitioner. The cost of the vaccine, however, will not be covered by this program.

The next Immunisation clinic will be held on Monday, 1st November 2021. On that day the following immunisations will take place:

  • Year 7 HPV dose 2
  • Year 7 HPV dose 1 & Boostrix - catch ups
  • Year 8 HPV dose 2 - catch up (must be on a 2020 consent form)
  • Year 10 Nimenrix (meningococcal ACWY) - catch up (must be on a 2020 consent form)

Any questions or concerns regarding the vaccinations can be addressed by calling Kylie Wood at the Public Health Unit on 6589 2120.

Mr Mark Robertson
Leader of Administration

Immunisation Year 10

Music Notes

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A reminder that deposits for the Tasmanian Music Tour are due next week. For further information, please see Mrs Sharon Green, Leader of Co-curricular Music.

Sharon Green
Leader of Co-Curricular Music

Cinderella at the Glasshouse

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Year 8 student, Matilda Shields, was very excited to tell our College community about an upcoming musical she is involved in. Thank you, Matilda, we wish you and the cast all the very best.

Over the past few months, some local Port Macquarie teenagers have been working with a company called Theatre Oz to practice and rehearse a musical that will be performed at the Glasshouse, Port Macquarie on 16th - 17th July. This musical is Rodgers and Hammerstein's, Cinderella. The basic fairytale retold on stage, we have been working very hard every weekend for rehearsals that sometimes last seven hours.

Tickets are now on sale at the Theatre Oz website:  https://www.theatreozpm.com.au/cinderella-july-2021.html

We would love to see you there!

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Mrs Fiona Jensen
Drama teacher

Music Music Notes Creative Arts
Year 9 Marine Studies students had the opportunity to gain their CPR certificate last term. CPR is a vital skill to have particularly where water activities are involved. Marine students will have the opportunity over the course of their studies to also gain their boat license. Marine and Aquaculture Technology provides an opportunity for students to study marine and related environments.  The course gives students the opportunity to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to use and protect its unique ecosystems.

Mrs Diana Walsh
Assistant Leader of TAS

TAS Year 9

Students in Year 12 attended The University of Newcastle, Australia Schools Visit Day yesterday for a day of immersion, information gathering and knowledge building. Thank you to Martine Fogg from The University of Newcastle, Australia for her wonderful organisation of the day.

Our Year 12 students were outstanding ambassadors for our Collège.

#aHSC4opportunity #lifeafterschool #successfultransitions #welldoneyear12

Leanne Tinsey
Teacher and Leader of Careers and University Transition

Year 12 Careers

We have an extensive Parent Library, and we will feature some of these titles over the coming weeks. Well-known researcher Mark McCrindle's new publication "Generation Alpha" is an interesting read for people wanting to gain further insights into the mindset of our young people.

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SORA

We have an exciting reading service available through Sora, the student reading app, which provides free 24/7 access to ebooks and audiobooks. What better way to engage your student’s mind than through reading?

Starting 5th May – 20th August 2021, the Sora Sweet Reads program will offer a collection of Juvenile and Young Adult titles that will be prominently displayed in Sora for quick and easy unlimited access. You can explore the title offerings and learn more about the program here: https://resources.overdrive.com/sora-sweet-reads/.
How does it work?

Sora provides the quickest and easiest way to get started with digital titles from our school. Students can simply log in and instantly access hundreds of ebooks and audiobooks on virtually any device. Get started today at https://soraapp.com or download the free Sora app for Android or iOS. For easy access, our school’s setup code is ACEN.

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AudioBook Sync

Over the next few weeks, various audiobooks will be made available for free download and lifetime ownership. See the attached flyers for more detail. See below for FAQ about getting set up for downloading your free audiobooks.

Mrs Karen Bale - Teacher Librarian (Monday-Thursday)
Mrs Michelle Lawler - Teacher Librarian (Friday)

Library
Emily Camilleri adapted her goals when the onset of COVID-19 in 2020 ambushed her plans to work in the travel industry.
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#arborist #environmental #outdoors #nature
#aHSC4opportunity #wherearetheynow

Mrs Karen Bale - Teacher Librarian (Monday-Thursday)
Mrs Michelle Lawler - Teacher Librarian (Friday)

Alumni

Word of the Week: Trivia

Meaning: Details, considerations, or pieces of information of little importance or value.

Some of our students will participate in Kids Lit Quiz - a World Wide quiz for students to answer 100 questions of children's literature Monday, 31st May.

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St Joseph's Regional College Library
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27th May 2021

How do you find out about events that are coming up.  

There are four ways:

  1. Firstly, our SJRC Sports Website.  All information is posted here first.  There is a calendar of events on the front page with links to further information.  There is also a news sidebar for the latest results and competition reports.
  2. Secondly, our Facebook Pages of which there are two.  The first is a Public Facebook Page that the wider community has access to - Like it to include in your news feed. The second is our Closed Facebook Group also called St Joseph’s Regional College but is a closed group for students and staff.  The same information is posted here but unlike the public page, students are able to post and ask questions.  You must first apply to be a member and I will accept your request.
  3. Thirdly, our Newsletter which is emailed to staff and students each Friday of term and is also available on the SJRC website.  Every student should be reading this on a weekly basis.
  4. Email - check regularly.

I suggest keeping your ear to the ground and tap into all these methods so you don’t miss out.

Don’t be afraid to try out – you will never know if you never go. 

Michael Cannon
SJRC Leader of Sport

27th May 2021

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12th May 2021

The annual SJRC Athletics Carnival will be held on Tuesday 13th July (Term 3 Week 1).  Due to the size of our College, we are unable to run all events on carnival day.  For that reason some of the events are run at the end of Term 2 – they are listed below.  All high jump events require parents to provide permission on the official form.  All events are optional.  Points accumulated will count towards age champion tallies.

All Year 7 & 8 students will be provided with Fosbury Flop (high jump) tuition during sport classes so they are prepared for their high jump event if they choose to enter.

2021 SJRC High Jump Permission Form

Pre-Carnival Events

Term 2

Week 8
Thur 10th Jun - Athletics 1500m All Ages (Oval - lunch)
Fri 11th Jun - Athletics 800m All Ages (Oval - lunch)

Week 9
Mon 14th Jun - Queens B'day Public Holiday
Tue 15th Jun - Athletics Triple Jump All Ages (Oval - lunch)
Wed 16th Jun - Athletics 400m All Ages (Oval - lunch)
Thur 17th Jun - Athletics 16s High Jump (Hall - lunch)
Fri 18th Jun - Athletics 15s High Jump (Hall - lunch)

Week 10
Mon 21st-Thur 24th Jun - Yr 9 Canberra Excursion
Tue 22nd Jun - 
Athletics 13s High Jump (Hall - lunch)
Wed 23rd Jun - Athletics 17+ High Jump (Hall - lunch)
Thur 24th Jun - Athletics 12s High Jump (Hall - lunch)
Thur 24th Jun - 14 Boys Cochrane Cup Rugby League Gala Day @ Port Macq
Fri 25th Jun - Athletics 14s High Jump (Hall - lunch)

Term 3

Week 1
Mon 12th Jul - Pupil Free Day
Tue 13th Jul - SJRC Athletics Carnival

Week 5
Thur 12th Aug - Diocesan Athletics @Coffs Harbour

To qualify for the SJRC Athletics Squad, students need to finish in the top 2 of each event.  More information regarding this year's carnival will be out before the end of term.

Mr Michael Cannon
Leader of Sport

12th May 2021

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On Friday 21st May, 35 students travelled to McAuley College, Grafton to compete at the Lismore Diocesan Cross Country Championships.

The day started with walking the course - it was very different to the SJRC track and a true cross country test.  There were two different circuits - 3km and 4km.  Age groups ran different distances - the older the further.

Results are at the link below. SJRC students are highlighted yellow.  Congratulations to the following students who qualified for the Diocesan team (highlighted green).  They now compete at the NSWCCC Championships held at Sydney Motorsport Park Eastern Creek on Tuesday 8th June 2021.

  • Keira Donovan - 13 Girls (3km)
  • Chloe Cooper - 18 Girls (6km)
  • Jasmine Ferguson - Girls Multi Class (3km) Pending
  • Brendan Walsh - 15 Boys (4km)
  • Matthew Walsh - 18 Boys (8km)
  • Matthew Gleeson - 18 Boys (8km)

2021 Diocesan Cross Country Results

Thank you to the staff who travelled with the team: Mr Michael Morson,  Mrs Diana Walsh, Mr Michael Cannon and Mr Cameron Hunt.

Michael Cannon
SJRC Leader of Sport

23rd May 2021

Web Article sports_article Cross Country
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26th May 2021

Congratulations to Taj McIntosh (Yr 10) who was selected in the NSWCCC Open Boys & 16 Boys Hockey Teams after a trial in Sydney last week.  Taj has a busy couple of months coming up:

  • NSW All Schools 16 Boys Tri Series: 5th & 6th August where he is trialing for a place in the NSW All Schools 16 Boys Team.  (Venue: Broadmeadow NSW)
  • NSW All Schools Open Boys Tri Series: 19th July where he is trialing for a place in the NSW All Schools Open Boys Team. (Venue: Broadmeadow NSW)

Good luck Taj.

Michael Cannon
SJRC Leader of Sport

26th May 2021

Web Article sports_article Hockey
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23rd May 2021

Congratulations to Sam Watts (Yr 9) who was selected in the NSW Catholic Combined Colleges 15 Boys Rugby League Team after a trial at St Mary's last week.  Sam now goes on to trial for a place in the NSW All Schools 15 Boys Team.  That trial will be over three days 22nd - 24th June and also held at St Mary's Stadium.

Team Lists:

Michael Cannon
SJRC Leader of Sport

23rd May 2021

Web Article sports_article Rugby League

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Our College canteen is in need of volunteers. If you are able to spare an hour or so of your time, we would love for you to join us. Please contact Donna Hamlin through the College Office 5525 4100 to arrange.

Weekly Lunch Specials

Term 2 Week 7 Lunch Specials 
Monday Butter Chicken & Rice
Tuesday Cheese & Spinach Ravioli with Pesto sauce
Wednesday Beef Burritos
Thursday Pizza- Meatlovers or Vegetarian (orders only)
Friday Spaghetti Bolognaise

The Canteen opens at 8.00am every school day.

CLICK HERE for the Canteen's everyday menu.

Ms Donna Hamlin
Food Services Manager

Canteen

Further Post School Information For Students and Families

The following link has a wealth of information for young people with disabilities and their families navigating the next steps to further employment or study after Year 12: https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/finding-keeping-and-changing-jobs/leaving-school

Learning Enrichment

Zamplify is a FREE event to give the Youth (12-25 years) in the Port Macquarie-Hastings area the chance to come together, have some fun and celebrate Youth Week 2021.

Live Local Music - Obstacle Courses - Food trucks - Moonlight Movie

Rotary Club World Record Attempt

You may have heard or read about the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie West's attempt to break the existing world record for the 'Longest washing line of socks'. The attempt is planned for 4th-5th June 2021. We are asking families to check their washing machines, under beds and lounges for those missing socks. If you find a lonely sock, bring it in and pop it in the specially marked tub in the College Office. Together we can help the Rotary Club of achieving its goal of pegging 100,000 socks on the washing line.

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The Players Theatre

On 29th May 2021 at 10.00am you are invited to an information session for the upcoming Musical Production of Oliver to be held in September/October 2021.

We are looking for children aged between 10 years to 17 years to come and audition for a variety of roles, such as Oliver Twist, Artful Dodger, and many other positions in the children’s ensemble.

We invite you to come to our Oliver Information Day, at The Players Theatre, to find out everything you need to know, and to have the opportunity to ask our production team any questions you may have.

You will find us at The Players Theatre, 33 Lord Street, Port Macquarie.

Hope to see you there,

Regards

The Production Team

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Community News