St Mary's Coptic Orthodox College

Newsletter Issue No. 7

"The World needs good, kind hearts."

Get to know our Staff

St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College Commitment to Child Safety

St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College is a child safe organisation which welcomes all children,

young people and their families.

We are committed to providing environments where our students are safe and feel safe, where their participation is valued, their views respected, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives.

Our child safe policies, strategies and practices are inclusive of the needs of all children and students. We have no tolerance for child abuse and take proactive steps to identify and manage any risks of harm to students in our College environments.

We promote positive relationships between students and adults and between students and their peers. These relationships are based on our Christian values, including trust and respect.

We take proactive steps to identify and manage any risk of harm to students in our College environments. When child safety concerns are raised or identified, we treat these seriously and respond promptly and thoroughly.

Particular attention is given to the child safety needs of students experiencing risk of vulnerability due to their diverse backgrounds, personal characteristics or circumstances.

Inappropriate or harmful behaviour targeting students based on these or other characteristics are not tolerated at our school, and any instances identified will be addressed with appropriate

consequences.

Child safety is a shared responsibility. Every person involved in our College has an important role in promoting child safety and wellbeing and promptly raising any issues or concerns about a child’s safety.

We are committed to regularly reviewing our child safe practices, and seeking input from our students, families, staff, and volunteers to inform our ongoing strategies.

St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College has zero tolerance for child abuse.

Voucher program to help kids play local sport

Victorian Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence has opened applications for the latest round of

the Get Active Kids VoucherProgram, which helps children and families meet the cost of

participating and playing local sport.

Eligible families can apply for vouchers of up to $200 per child, which can be used pay for

memberships, registration fees, uniforms, and sports equipment.

 Vouchers can be used up to 30 April 2024.

 Families can also continue to claim reimbursement for expenses incurred from 8 May 2023.

For more information about the program and to apply, tab on the link button below. https://tinyurl.com/34dxn3sk

Link

برنامج قسائم لمساعدة الأطفال على ممارسة الرياضة المحلية

فتح وزير الرياضة المجتمعية في فيكتوريا روس سبنس باب التقديم للجولة الأخيرة من برنامج قسائم

. والذي يساعد الأطفال والعائلات على تغطية تكلفة المشاركة وممارسة الرياضة المحليه ، Get Active Kids

يمكن للعائلات المؤهلة التقدم بطلب للحصول على قسائم تصل إلى ٢٠٠ دولار لكل طفل ، والتي يمكن استخدامها لدفع تكاليف

.العضوية ورسوم التسجيل والزي الرسمي والمعدات الرياضية

يمكن استخدام القسائم حتى ٣٠ أبريل/ نيسان ٠٢٠٢٤ -

يمكن للعائلات أيضا الاستمرار في المطالبة بسداد النفقات المتكبدة اعتبارا من 8 مايو ٠٢٠٢٣ -

لمزيد من المعلومات حول البرنامج وللتقديم، يرجى الضغط على الرابط التالي٠

الرابط

Economics Mark Stalls

Each year, our Year 6 students host an event known as Market Stall Day. During writing and economics sessions, our students worked collaboratively within their groups to create a business name, develop a company logo and slogan. When developing their businesses, students were required to consider goods and services, budgets, expenses and profit margins.

Students promoted their businesses using advertising techniques they have explored during their writing sessions; including marketing to a target audience and product promotion. Students worked tirelessly to ensure our Market Stalls would cater for all students in Primary and ensure each student could make a purchase if they wished. Some of the popular stalls included Peppa’s Party which sold Peppa Pig themed toys and lollies. Time 4 Slime sold pre-made containers of slime and students had the opportunity to create their own personalised containers of slime. Level Up tapped into the students’ love of

video games and provided the popular game FIFA to be played on a Playstation4 for a specified amount of time.

The feedback we have received from students and teachers in Primary has been very positive and enthusiastic! Our Primary students had a fantastic time visiting our Year 6 Market Stalls.

Today, our Year 6 students raised a total of $2607.90! This is an amazing achievement! The Year 6 teachers are immensely proud of our students’ efforts. The Year 6 cohort has decided to donate the money to the following charities: Make a Wish Foundation and Cancer Council Australia.

Liz Robertson

Year 6 Classroom Teacher

5/6 Cluster Coordinator

MATH WEEK

Math Week (Monday 9 October – Friday 13 October 2023)

St. Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College celebrated one of the most important weeks in the College curriculum calendar – Math Week!

Throughout the week, secondary students were encouraged to participate in a variety of activities during lunchtime such as:

 Maths Kahoot

 Maths Bingo

 Math Games

 Chess

Every student could also participate in a daily Sudoku where a reward was given for the first correct entry.

The fantastic week concluded with the Year 7 & 8 students participating in a wide range of activities presented by the Work of Mathematics Group.

Mr Evan Kasapis

Head of Mathematics

The Arts and Technology Exhibition Night

This year's Arts and Technology Exhibition was held on Thursday, the 19th of October in the College Gym. The night was nothing short of mesmerising.

First off, the turnout from our parents and staff was astonishing! The venue was packed to the brim, buzzed with the shared excitement of families and students. Absolutely heartening sight!

Let's talk about the food! The sumptuous dishes which were enjoyed by everyone felt like they were straight out of a 7-star restaurant. The pride and joy on our students' faces as they served those delightful dishes were absolutely priceless. But, of course, when Mrs. Jousline is steering the culinary ship, we're guaranteed a gourmet journey filled with explosive flavours. Mrs. Madonna's coffee-making expertise added the perfect finishing touch to our feast.

Next, the art exhibition was truly a testament to the diligent and imaginative endeavours of Mr. Alberto and his secondary art students. Every piece from our Primary students led by Mrs. Sophie and Ms Christine spoke of immense creativity, underlining the boundless talent we nurture here. Mr. Johnson's expertise in the area of robotics was enjoyed by all.

And then, the spotlight shifted to the stage. What transpired was pure magic. The transformation of our stage, complete with curtains and professional lighting, set the scene for a breathtaking evening. The outstanding performances, from the band to the choir to the solo acts, left everyone in awe. Our music students together with their music teachers Mrs. Sandra, Mr. Tony, Mr. Joshua, Mr. Dimitri and Miss Sabrina showed their dedication, passion, excellence and pride in their work. Their talents shone brightly.

As we continue our journey, may we always be blessed with God's love and peace. Let's keep the spirit alive, treasuring these memories and looking forward to creating many more in the future.

Sandra Mlikota

Head of Music

Year 10 Camp

In Week 5 of Term 4, our Year 10 students travelled to Camp Marysville for their camp this year. Most students had a fantastic (and somewhat cold) time but have returned with memories they will treasure for a very long time. The weather was generally kind but our students participated in all activities with enthusiasm and humour.

The experience was somewhat unusual as the students didn’t get to choose their activity groups or sleeping quarters. The students were not permitted to bring their phones or data storing devices in the hope that they could immerse themselves in each other and their surroundings.

Students worked together to overcome their fear of heights by climbing and abseiling up and down a 22m wall, developed their team-building with the initiative games and enjoyed a scenic bush-walk. There were the customary hilarious experiences in canoeing where the staff and students decided that they were not wet enough and showered – or should I say ‘dunked’ – each other into the water.

There was little down-time as the students had a very full program with extra activities such as the ‘Mini Olympics’, ‘Make your own games’, a camp fire and who could forget the teacher sprint-off and the celebration after it!! Mr Tony and Mr Paul – I am still feeling the effects!

We were also blessed by the presence of Fr Peter on the Tuesday evening where he spoke to the students and delivered an important message about being the best person that they could.

I would like to commend the behaviour of the College’s students as they were polite and courteous toward their instructors and camp staff throughout their two-and-a-half days away.

It is important to note that the camp would not be able to run without the participation and support of the teachers. A special thanks to Ms Sandra Mlikota, Ms Mariam Saad, Mr Tony Mlikota, Mr John Saad and Mr Paul Di Lizia. The camp would not have been anywhere near as successful without their tireless work and dedication toward the students.

As I reflect on this experience, I believe that the students that participated mostly came away with a greater sense of unity and strength after testing their limits in activities they had never attempted before.

Well done everyone!

Mr Evan Kasapis

SMCOC New Outdoor Basketball Court!

We are delighted to share some exciting news with you regarding our College's latest addition - an outdoor basketball court! This state-of-the-art facility is now open for our students to enjoy and reap the many benefits it has to offer.

The basketball court has been meticulously designed to provide a spacious and safe environment for our students to engage in physical activities and foster their love for sports. Equipped with top-quality flooring and a range of unique features, this court is sure to enhance their basketball skills and overall athletic abilities.

Not only does our new basketball court promote physical fitness, but it also encourages teamwork, discipline, and healthy competition among our students. It is a space where they can work together, learn from each other, and build strong bonds through shared experiences.

We were thrilled to inaugurate this fantastic facility with great enthusiasm, and it was a delight to see our students' excitement and gratitude. Moving forward, we look forward to utilising the basketball court for various activities, including inter-school matches, friendly tournaments, and other recreational events.

At SMCOC, we are committed to providing a well-rounded education that nurtures the physical, mental, and emotional development of our students. The addition of this outdoor basketball court aligns perfectly with this vision, further enriching our College community.

College Canteen

Dear College Community,

We would like to take a moment to express our gratitude and appreciation for the amazing individuals who work tirelessly in our College canteen to provide healthy and affordable food options for our students and staff.

SMCOC's canteen team takes pride in offering affordable meal options, making it accessible to students and staff with various budget constraints. They understand that a healthy diet should not be a luxury but a right for everyone, and they strive to provide quality meals at the cheapest possible prices.

We encourage all students and staff to support the College canteen by choosing nutritious meals and spreading the word about the incredible work done by these amazing individuals. By supporting the canteen, we not only nourish our bodies but also show our appreciation for their efforts.

In conclusion, we extend our deepest gratitude to the exceptional team in our College canteen who work diligently to provide healthy and affordable food options for our College community. Their commitment to our well-being is truly commendable, and we are fortunate to have them as a part of our College community.

Stay healthy, stay nourished, and let's continue to support our College canteen!

‘Hands on Science’ Incursion

The Year 2 students attended an incursion at the College run by ‘Hands on Science’ about Life Cycles on Wednesday 8th November. This relates to their Science topic for Term 4, Watch It Grow! The program provides opportunities for students to explore the growth of a range of living things and the processes of growth and change, reproduction and death that applies to all animals. Through hands-on activities and investigations, students compare the growth of living things under different conditions. The Life Cycle incursion offers students the chance to set up a variety of mini-greenhouses to further explore growth and change over time. Tall students and teachers had a lot of fun!

Year 4 Camp

On the 4^th of October, the Year 4 students were filled with excitement as they embarked in their camp to Portsea Campsite. Their faces lit up with anticipation, and they could hardly contain their enthusiasm for the upcoming activities, including a night campfire with marshmallows, a thrilling high ropes course, engaging team building exercises, learning survival skills, experiencing the rush of the giant swing and flying fox, building sandcastles by the beach and capping off the day with a fun movie night.

All students were attentive and respectful towards all staff members and displayed remarkable teamwork, helping and supporting each other throughout the camp. It was a memorable experience for both the students and staff.