The Lion's Roar - 26 October 2022

GRAND FINAL WINNERS

Congratulations to St Mark's students Evie (Year 8), Wendy (Year 7) and Mackenzie (Year 8) who recently celebrated their Under 15s netball grand final win for Hamersley.

Well done, girls!

During Term 3, the students of Year 5 Hummerston produced poems in response to an array of animals that are on the brink of extinction.

During their weekly Visual Art lesson, students produced drawings with water-soluble oil pastels depicting their animal’s natural habitats. Students transferred their knowledge gained in class to utilise accurate colour depictions and also responded emotively to their animal’s fragile existence.

Part of the stimuli for this project was the emotive story The Dream of the Thylacine by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks. The magnificent artwork of Margaret Wild features heavily in this picture book and shows the Australian landscape in its raw, beautiful and unchanged way.

This formed wonderful inspiration for our students, and we are sure you will agree they have done a magnificent job.

Last week marked the end-of-school celebrations for our Class of 2022 as part of their rite of passage. No more maroon blazer, no more House time, no more assemblies and no more cheesies from the Cafeteria.

Wednesday saw the entire School come out to form a guard of honour to wish our Year 12s well for their future endeavours. On their way to their final Chapel Service, the cohort weaved their way through the campus to high fives, cheers, clapping and a few tears. Our littlest members of the School even threw rose petals over them!

Friday was our last chance to come together with the Year 12s as an entire year group. The morning was full of celebration and activities, with the farewells culminating at the Valedictory for a memorable evening. Our evening began with the Class of 2022 processing to the beautiful voices of our Take Note Choir singing 'Si Si Ni Moja'. With the formalities underway, our Head Prefects, Libby Giles and Joe McMahon spoke on behalf of the Year 12s, sharing their memories from their time at St Mark's and hopes for the future. We were also treated to wonderful musical interludes from Year 12 students Olivia Paterson and James Bradfield. As the evening came to a close, Principal Mr Davies thanked the families for their support and wished our Class of 2022 well as they leave the gates of St Mark's.

Some of our students will now head into their ATAR exams, whilst others have concluded their education at St Mark's. It has been an honour to be a part of our Year 12s journey, and we are grateful for all the times we have shared.

As our leavers of 2022, we wish you all the best for the exciting next chapter in your lives.

To view the Walk of Honour, click here.

To view Friday's celebrations, click here.

Year 9 and 10 Creative Computing and Engineering, and Automation and Security students attended an excursion to ECU Joondalup last Thursday. This was designed to explore cybersecurity techniques and dispel misconceptions about what cybersecurity entails and the kinds of people working in this field.

Students learned about investigation techniques and ways in which we can obtain information, and simple security methods. The day started with workshops designed to build their skills in obtaining intelligence through various techniques such as online intelligence gathering, profile creation and attention to detail. In the afternoon, students put their newly acquired skills to the test to uncover and disrupt a sinister plot.

They clearly worked up an appetite as the students demolished 32 Pizzas for lunch, resulting in an empty Leaning Tower of Pizza.

Feedback from students was positive; they found it interesting and informative, and a couple of students really impressed the ECU staff.

Thank you to Mrs Chomiak for organising, and Mr Blair and Mrs Murphy for assisting with this excursion, and Dr Michelle Ellis and her team of cyber legends at ECU for hosting an informative and fun day.

Do you need some support to get homework done or need some help with assessments, study skills and organisation?

Supervised Homework Club

• Years 6 - 9
• Tuesday 3.30pm - 4.30pm
• Library Glass Room

We will start the term by checking all the assessments are in the diary and recorded on the term planner as well as checking in on our organisation for each subject.

If there is something, in particular, you would like us to support your child with, please don’t hesitate to contact us. rrourke@stmarks.wa.edu.au, kswan@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Mrs Rourke and Mrs Swan

The Girls Programming Network is for high school girls and gender-diverse students in Years 7-12 who are interested in learning how to program or improve their coding skills. GPN is a unique opportunity to make friends, meet people with similar interests, and learn about Perth's tech community.

The Term 4 workshop is fast approaching on 19 November so book your spot today! Local technologists and teachers host the free, full-day programming workshop.

Head to the booking link HERE to book your spot.

Are you in Years 6 - 12?
Do you want to learn HTML and CSS?

Learn how to write web pages in HTML and CSS while you compete with students from around the world!
Web.Comp (Beginners) is designed for students with no prior experience in web development and covers everything necessary to get started building real websites. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!

Along the way, we'll also cover many of the techniques behind good web design so your sites are both easy to use and beautiful to look at.

An intermediate level is also available for more experienced web legends.

• Open to all students Y6 - Y12
• The competition starts on October 24th 2022.
• It runs over five weeks
• Do it in your own time, or come along to Computer Club on Tuesdays after school for support.

If you are interested, you need to:

• email Mrs Chomiak or Mr Blair
• or attend Computer Club on Tuesdays 3:30-4:30pm in B2

Mock exam results are out, so now is the time to get a spot in the ATAR Exam Boost Workshops.

These one-day targeted exam preparation workshops will help students answer different exam questions. Students will practise exam-style questions and receive feedback on their answers from an experienced ATAR teacher with insight into what examiners are looking for in students’ responses.

To view the flyer and timetable click here

Our Junior School Ensemble Concert is being held this year on Thursday 3 November, inside the PAC!
Starting at 6.30 pm, Sforzando Strings, Primo Strings, Junior School Percussion Ensemble, Junior Classical Guitar Ensemble, Beginner Band, and our Year 5 Rock Band will be performing on the night and are very excited to show you what they have been working on throughout the year.

To secure your free tickets, please visit www.trybooking.com/CDMUQ, and we look forward to seeing you all there!

On Thursday evening, we held a very popular (free) Artist-workshop event for our parents, staff and students with our artist in residence for 2022, Aidan Weichard, who spent the week creating artworks in his pop-up studio in the Art Dept.

It was a brilliant night, and everyone came away so surprised with the quality of their work. Thank you to the P&F Association for their continued support of our Arts.

We look forward to holding an event like this again next year so keep your eyes posted for our next artist in residence in 2023.

Our Music Department were delighted when Telethon contacted us directly to invite us to perform a special song at the opening of the Telethon Ball. This VIP event is invite-only and includes dignitaries such as the Prime Minister and WA Premier in the audience!

Our two auditioned choirs, Viva Ritmo (Primary) and True Voices (Secondary), have been hard at work since last term preparing this performance and loved being up on stage in such an incredible venue.

We hope we can be involved with Telethon again in the future!

Download their full performance HERE.

For the fourth consecutive year, St Mark’s has participated in the A Cappella Exposure Day at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School.

This youth barbershop, a cappella initiative brings together Perth schools for a day of learning and connecting, working on two songs as a combined chorus. The day then culminates in a wonderful concert, showcasing each school as well as guest performers, and finishing with the combined chorus of approximately 120 students performing ‘Royals’ and ‘Yesterday’.

St Mark’s Secondary Choir, True Voices Vocal Ensemble and Descant Get Enough all enjoyed performing on stage to an appreciative audience of parents, friends and other schools.

Morris Gleitzman, the famous Australian children’s author is visiting St Mark’s on Wednesday 2 November (Year 6 and 7.2 English class) and Thursday 3 November (Year 5). Morris has written over 40 books.

To quote his website, “His books explore serious and sometimes confronting subjects in humourous and unexpected ways. His titles include Two Weeks With The Queen, Grace, Doubting Thomas, Bumface, Give Peas A Chance, Extra Time, Loyal Creatures, Digging Up Dad and the series Once, Then, After, Soon, Maybe, Now and Always.”

We know the students are going to love listening to and being entertained by Morris so expect them to come home with stories, having been inspired by his visit. To learn more about the Australian Children’s Laureate, check out his website…yes even you big kids, otherwise known as adults! https://www.morrisgleitzman.com/

Monday 14 November is a Student Free Day.

Staff will be utilising this day for Curriculum Planning and therefore students should not attend school on this day.

All family accounts must be finalised by this month. Many thanks to those families who have already settled their account in full.

If you have overlooked the payment of your final instalment, please pay immediately or contact familyaccounts@stmarks.wa.edu.au to make alternative arrangements.

Our Year 10s are hoping you are all still collecting your plastic bread tags!

The tags are recycled locally, raising funds to buy wheelchairs for needy children and adults, mainly in South Africa. Click here to learn more about this great cause.

Collection points are in the Library and at all School Receptions - ELC, Primary , Middle, Secondary and Main Reception.

For more information regarding our Bread Tag Collection please download the FLYER HERE.

We are fast approaching the cold and flu season, so now is a timely reminder to stay home if you are sick.

Please be reminded that students with any symptoms should not be sent to school regardless of a negative RAT test. If your child presents to the Wellness Centre with any cold or flu symptoms, we will have to call you to come and collect them. For information regarding the latest rulings relating to COVID cases, please click here.

Unfortunately, there are still lots of other viruses in the community, and we need to protect our staff and students.

If your child is sick with any illness, please keep them at home.

Thank you for your understanding.

Wellness Centre Team

Please return all St Mark's Team Sports Uniforms to the PE office. We are still missing a lot of them and with no team sports at the moment there is no need for students to keep them.

Please remember not to park in bays clearly marked for school staff or school departments. There is parking available for parents and visitors near the main administration building and at the PAC.

Thank you.

We increasingly hearing from members of the general public with concerning information regarding St Mark's students riding e-scooters. Please remind your children to be careful and obey the road rules.

The below information is taken from the Department of Transport's website, and we expect our students/staff/families to adhere to the rules below:

The maximum speed for ERDs on bike and shared paths and local roads has been set at 25km/h, which is consistent with regulations in Queensland, the ACT and New Zealand, and is the same speed at which the power output on electric bikes cuts out.

The speed limit on footpaths and in pedestrian areas, however, is much lower at 10km/h reflecting the speed differential between different path user groups.

Riders are required to give way to pedestrians and keep to the left of oncoming bicycle riders or other ERD users. They are not permitted to travel on a separated footpath designated for the use of pedestrians.

Other new rules for ERDs and their users include:

• Riders of higher-powered electric rideable devices must be at least 16 years of age;
• Riders must wear an approved helmet, use lights and reflectors at night and have a working warning device; and
• The same mobile phone and drink and drug driving rules apply as for motor vehicle drivers.

Under existing Western Australian rules, children under the age of 16 years are permitted to use motorised scooters that have a maximum power output of 200w and a maximum speed of 10 km/h.

Please see the WA Government for further rules around E-Ride-ons.

To ensure emails to the Student Services team are dealt with promptly, please address future emails to each sub-school reception, rather than the staff member, as follows:

• Early Learning Centre – elcreception@stmarks.wa.edu.au
• Junior School Reception – jnrschool@stmarks.wa.edu.au
• Middle School Reception - midschool@stmarks.wa.edu.au
• Senior School Reception – snrschool@stmarks.wa.edu.au
• Parent Reception – parentreception@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Teenage gatherings provide young people with important opportunities to interact and build on their social skills and experiences. Celebrations, partying and socialising are a fundamental rite of passage and one of the most important aspects of a young person’s life. However, it is possible for the best young person to get carried away with their peers and the euphoria of the moment.

For parents and caregivers, keeping your young person safe can, at times, feel daunting and is often a compromise and a challenge. Most teenagers try to do the right thing most of the time, but your leadership as a role model is crucial. Your child may appear to be physically large and mature, but their emotional maturity and responsibility do not necessarily match this in behaviour.

Every party has the potential to get out of hand, as sometimes it’s hard for young partygoers to make good decisions. Communication and regular discussions are vital, particularly because young people often face peer pressure to do things they prefer not to engage in. Hosting a celebration at home or a venue can be a fun and memorable event. Still, it is important to agree on the ground rules well before your event is announced to ensure there are no misunderstandings later.

If hosting an event, you owe your guests a ‘duty of care’ and should ensure all reasonable steps are taken to keep partygoers safe. This Special Report provides caregivers with a list of things to consider when planning a celebration. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the well-being of your child; please seek medical or professional help.

Click here for the link to the special report.

Teen vaping: An update for parents
Monday, 14 November 2022
7.00-8.30pm (AEDT)

Vaping (the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or 'vapes') continues to be an issue that attracts a great deal of attention and debate across the country. Vaping is a new phenomenon, with the first e-cigarette invented in 2003. As a result, many parents have little or no experience with the issue, as the devices simply weren't around when they were in their teens.

This session will examine what we currently know about the use of e-cigarettes and vaping amongst Australian school-based young people. This area is constantly changing, and parents attempting to make sense of the information provided by the 'pro-vaping' and 'anti-vaping' lobbies may find it challenging to navigate. As we move towards the end of the school year, parents are likely to need as much assistance as possible.

Cost: $25 plus GST

This event will be live-streamed, but for those unable to attend live, a recording of the event will also be made available for a period following the event's conclusion.

To register for the event, please go to the following link.

The AVCAT scholarships, including the Long Tan Bursary, are tertiary scholarships for the children and grandchildren of Australian ex-serving veterans. Scholarships are $4000–$6000 per year for three years.

Applications open on 18 August 2022, Vietnam Veterans' Day, and close at midnight AEDT on 31 October 2022.

Apply online at avcat.org.au

City of Joondalup Youth Awards 2023 are now OPEN and close on Sunday 13 November 2022.

The City of Joondalup is committed to developing young people in the community and in addition to a range of youth services and events, makes available the City of Joondalup Youth Awards.

These awards recognise and reward young people in the City by encouraging them to commit to further studies. Students in Year 10 can apply for an amount of $1000 to assist them in completing their ATAR, general or alternate studies.

For full eligibility requirements and to apply visit http://www.y-lounge.com.au/school-awards/ or access the flyer below and download the application kit here.

Applications for the Christian Leaders Scholarship are now open and will close on Sunday 20 Nov 2022. It is open to applicants between 17 to 20 years of age.

Full details are available on their website.

We are chasing eight volunteers to assist with sausage sizzle duties on Friday 8 November from 11.30am - 2.30pm.

The sausage sizzle is for our new and current students heading into Year 6 in 2023.

If you are available to assist please sign up here.

Our Science Department has a Parent Volunteer opportunity for those still needing to fulfil their Parent Commitment Hours.

We are urgently chasing volunteers to assist on:

• Tuesday 1 November between 8.30am - 3pm to assist with cleaning classrooms/labs

If you are unable to help on 1 November, we also have the dates below available:

• Week of 7-11 November between 8.30am - 3pm to assist with cleaning classrooms/labs

If you are available all day or even part of the day, please help us out! If you can assist or would like more information, please contact our Lab Tech.

The St Mark's Parents and Friends’ Association (“P&F”) continually provide a high level of support to the School. The P&F generously supports the School by funding projects that are not essential for education, but have a positive effect on our School community. The P&F is inviting staff, parents and students to submit project proposals for funding in 2023.

Criteria for Project Funding

Project ideas are being sought from the School community. Funding applications and projects will be assessed against criteria set by the P&F in conjunction with the School Executive. As a general guide, projects should:

• have a positive impact on our School community (this may include parents and the broader School community, not just students);
• not be for normal classroom resources, substitutional for, or incremental to, School budgets;
• benefit a large number of families and preferably not restricted to an individual year group or subject;
• should be considered appropriate by the School Executive (among other things, in keeping with the School’s values, manageable and maintainable); and
• should be non-recurrent in nature so that the P&F input is not spread too thinly or committed for many years.

If you have ideas that meet these criteria, please:

• research the idea;
• obtain indicative costs if possible;
• talk the ideas through with your Department Head (or similar); and
• email a letter of request, together with supporting documentation outlining the project details and costs, to treasurer.pf@stmarks.wa.edu.au by Tuesday 22 November 2022.

The Parents Prayer Group (PPG) meet fortnightly to pray for the students, staff and school community.

We will meet every second Friday 9am, starting 21 October, at the Home Coffee Bar, Ocean Reef.

All are welcome.

Please share any prayer requests by emailing parentsunitedforprayer@gmail.com or call Wing Shattock on 0433 002 151

Dads and Father Figures, the POSTMEN annual campout is JUST DAYS AWAY!

Kids of any age at St Mark’s can come on down and spend a day and a night bonding with Dad and creating memories that last a lifetime.

Opening from 10 am on the Saturday for people to come and peg out a site and pitch their tent, we’ll be kicking off some planned activities from 1pm including a dodge ball tournament and Dads vs Kids Capture the Flag (last year was a draw, so there are bragging rights to be won!).

You don’t have to be a hardcore camper to weather this one, we’ll be putting on dinner in the evening with hot dogs and burgers and helping you get going in the morning with bacon and egg rolls, cereal and fruit. We will definitely also invite our friends from the local coffee van to come and help us open our eyes Sunday morning.

We can’t guarantee a good night's sleep, but we definitely guarantee fun.

You can choose to go all in for activities or just enjoy kicking a footy or throwing a frisbee on the oval with your kids whilst meeting a few of the other dads at the school.

Book for the whole experience, or just the afternoon and dinner or just come along for the activities.

When: Saturday 5 (open for entry at 10am, activities start at 1pm) - Sunday 6 November (pack down and exit for 10:30am)

Where: St Mark’s Anglican Community School

Tickets: Full Family Ticket $30 (includes Dad/Father Figure and all kids, all activities, cooked dinner and cooked breakfast)

• Saturday Ticket $20 (includes Dad/Father Figure and all kids, all activities and cooked dinner)
• Afternoon Ticket FREE (includes Dad/Father Figure and all kids) – please register still via the booking link

Bookings at: www.trybooking.com/CCPJK

Queries to Josh Newton (0403 466 132 / josh.newton@r-group.com.au).

See you there POSTMEN!

Our Old Scholars' Association Little Lions Playgroup is on for Term 4!

Our Little Lions Playgroup is a community-based group and is run in conjunction with Playgroup WA.

It is held every Friday during term time from 8.45am - 10.30am, and caters for children up to school age.

For more information and to book your spot, please email us, osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au or join our Facebook group HERE.

Everyone is welcome - you do not need to be an Old Scholar (former student) of St Mark's to attend.

Parents, kickstart your fitness journey this November at Craigie Leisure Centre! TriActive is a six-week, two sessions per week group fitness program for adults. Take on the challenge and increase your fitness by swimming and cycling with like-minded beginners! This triathlon program commencing Sunday, 6 November, is suitable for all abilities and fitness levels. Spots are limited, so find out more and register today – don’t wait!