M e r c e d e s C o l l e g e

Coming Events 5 December Term 4 Ends – Dismissal 12:30pm 29 January 09 Term 1 Commences Term Dates for 2009: Term 1 Thurs 29/1/09 to 9/4/09 Term 2 27/4/09 to 3/7/09 Term 3 20/7/09 to 25/9/09 Term 4 12/10/09 to 4/12/09 Good Friday 10 April

From the Principal Issue No 19 – 5 December, 2008

Dear Parents, Staff, Students and Friends of the Mercedes College Community

Thank you for a wonderful year I take this opportunity to thank all members of the Mercedes Community for helping to make this such a wonderful year. We have experienced some great achievements in 2008. Students have excelled in their studies, in sporting pursuits and in their acts of service to others. The young people of this College are a credit to themselves, their parents and their teachers. Once again over the last two weeks we have celebrated the strong partnership that exists between home, school and each student in a variety of ways. Our Year 12 students and their families had a grand time at the Graduation Ball held at the Convention Centre; the Year 10 students proudly displayed their Personal Projects in the new Lecture Theatre; the Year 8 students displayed their many talents in the production of Bugsy Malone; the Year 5 students displayed their Research Project as part of the PYP Graduation Ceremony, and all year levels displayed their artistic abilities in the annual Art Exhibition. At each event there was a real sense of family spirit and a satisfying feeling of a job well done by all. Congratulations to all the students, staff and families who have made these occasions so memorable. Staff News As usual we will be losing some staff members at the end of the year. Teaching is an unusual career because to be an ongoing learner and develop your skills there is sometimes a need to move on to new horizons. We wish the following staff every success as they move on to new endeavours. Michael Ebert has been appointed Head of Middle School at St John’s Grammar Belair; Jane Omond has been appointed Head of Middle School at Loreto College; Samantha Reynolds is relocating with her family to Queensland; Emily Logan will moving overseas; Amanda Smith has been appointed Year 6/7 Coordinator at Loreto College; Maria Wong and Judy Ormsby are retiring. Also leaving are Sue Hill, Natalie Gidley, Fernando Leon, Sue Lindholm and Tania Wood. Pat Kontozis will be on maternity leave in 2009. Carmel O’Reilly will be on long service leave for Semester 1 and Margaret Green and Ros Stoner will be taking long service leave in Term 1. Stephanie Ray, Lisa Hooper, Alex Penhall and Carol Thomas will all be returning to the College from maternity leave. The following staff will be joining us in 2009: Ken Woof from Scotch College has been appointed on contract as Physics/Maths/Science teacher; Lauren Vilanova from Marymount College has been appointed as a Music/Middle Years teacher; Mr Ian Hamilton from St Columba College

has been appointed as Middle School REC and Senior English teacher; Tamara Smith from Marymount College has been appointed to the Middle School; Jackie Kerr from St Jospeh’s School, Murray Bridge has been appointed as a Middle School teacher; Jason De Luca from St John’s Grammar has been appointed to the Middle School; Teresa Pepicelli from St Gabriel’s Primary School has been appointed as a Reception teacher and James Reichstein from Christian Brothers College will join us as a teacher of Business subjects. Lucy Cardone from an International School in Hong Kong has been appointed to a replacement Maths teaching position for 2009 and Sarah Beven, who is currently teaching in London, will join us as a replacement Humanities teacher for Term 1. We have also appointed Sue Shipov and Sonia Alexander to our ESO staff. I am pleased to announce that Luisa Stocco and Mishka Amman who joined us on exchange this year will both stay at Mercedes on a permanent basis whilst Sarah Siakew, John Saltans, Kathleen Kildare, Jessica Zotti, Roxanne Lomax and Jarrad McCabe have gained permanency at the College. Congratulations to Luisa Stocco Year 10, Ellen Bailey Year 9 and Martin Richards Year 6, who will be taking on Year Level Coordination duties in 2009. I congratulate and welcome these staff and look forward to their contribution to the life of Mercedes. I also congratulate Adam Hooper and his wife Lauren on the arrival of their first child, Angus John. We wish them much joy as a family. In conclusion, I thank you all for your support of the College this year. It has been an exciting year with many new initiatives and many fine achievements. I wish you all a very happy and holy Christmas and a successful new year. Please stay safe over the break and I look forward to seeing you all again in 2009.

Peter Daw Principal

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A Friday thought…

We farewelled Sister Mary last week. Led by Archbishop Faulkner and the Sisters of Mercy who were her companions on life’s journey, we recalled a wonderful lady who offered so much in a simple, self-effacing manner. True to the image of Mary of Nazareth after whom she was named, Sister Mary Marra was ‘hidden and unknown’, not gaining the limelight and public attention but gaining the love and affection of so many whom she served in a life of complete dedication.

During her 101 years, Sister Mary gave her time to different Mercy school communities in South Australia. Her longest stay was within our own community at Mercedes, first in the foundation years, and then for a further 32 years, up to 1996. Always positive in her outlook and interested in everything taking place, Sister Mary was at the heart of the Mercedes community. Her quiet presence and the example of her commitment was an inspiration to we lesser mortals to do likewise.

Being reminded of the example of Sister Mary’s li fe is a wonderfully concrete way for us to find greater depth of meaning in the feast of Christmas for which we are preparing. Away from the rampant commercialism, away from the pressures of the planning and ensuring that everything is ‘just right’ for the big day, there is a quite simple message, all too easily obscured in the freneticism. The message is of the humility and love of a God who takes on frail humanity for our sake. The message is also the example of uncluttered and self-effacing living at the centre of real happiness and purpose, the message which Sister Mary and others around us inspire us to emulate. The message is of unselfish self-giving at the centre of a really purposeful and meaning-filled life.

At last year’s Christmas Midnight Mass at St Peter’s in Rome, Pope Benedict reminded us that

the message of Christmas makes us recognise the darkness of a closed world, and thereby no doubt illustrates a reality that we see daily. Yet it also tells us that God does not allow himself to be shut out. He finds a space, even if it means entering through the stable; there are people who see his light and pass it on. The light and its message call us to set out, to leave the narrow circle of our desires and interests, to go out to meet the Lord and worship him. We worship him by opening the world to truth, to good, to Christ, to the service of those who are marginalised and in whom he awaits us.

Thank you, Sister Mary, for pointing the way toward real Christmas living. Thank you for inspiring us to take the simplicity and humanity of the crib and the stable to our world. Thank you for showing us that amidst the tinsel and the wrapping paper there is a profound but quite simple and life-centring message that love is the essence

A very happy Christmas to you and yours. Peter Williams

Director of Mission

Children's Advent Activity Day Friday 19 December, 9:30am to 2:30pm

Sebastian Centre, The Monastery

Our Activity Day will focus upon the story of Jesus’ birth. Morning tea and lunch will be provided. Come dressed for a fun day of music, craft and activities. Remember to bring a hat, and a drink bottle. Cost: $5 per child or $10 per family. Registration/Medical forms available from www.stpauls.m x.com.au (parish site, children’s activities). Please return registration forms by Monday 15 December to: Pauline Crocker, The Monastery 15 Cross Road, Glen Osmond, 5064 Enquiries: Pauline Crocker 0407 404 556

Christmas Youth Group Mass

6 December 2008 – Mass at 6:00pm St Therese Colonel Light Gardens Followed by a BBQ in the school grounds Movie and games night follows the BBQ Contact David Kilmartin for further details: 0422 912 697

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From the Junior School

Year 5 IBPYP Exhibition and Graduation

What an amazing night this was! I was astounded to witness the passion of our Year 5 students as they discussed their knowledge and understandings about their central idea Climate change presents environmental and economic challenges. Each group put in an enormous amount of work, going through a process of asking questions, finding and sorting information,

answering questions, inquiring further and finding possible solutions that might decelerate the effects of global warming. The range of modes of presentations only added to the night as students, parents, families and staff engaged in intellectual conversations about this significant world issue.

I would like to acknowledge the Junior School Staff for their dedication, commitment and passion to the learning and well being of each of our Year 5 students over the years. They are wonderful role models who clearly live out the Mercy Keys and strive to develop globally minded students with a social and ethical conscience. In particular, I would like to thank the Year 5 team, Mrs Melissa Buske, Mr Ryan Stor and Mr Shane Murphy for their outstanding work with our Year 5 students.

At the formal Graduation the Year 5 students were presented with a certificate, badge and banner as memoirs of their learning journey and for their contributions to the Junior School. Congratulations to the following worthy recipients of the Year 5 Awards.

Spirit Award: for displaying the characteristics of the PYP Learner Profile and the Mercy Keys Molly Lloyd 5MS, Tessa Gaynor 5MB Graduation Award: for espousing the principles of the PYP and actively pursuing a love of learning Amelia Carter 5MS, Lily Davis and Victoria Lindholm 5MB Prix d’Excellence: for showing enthusiasm for learning the French language Ruby Schutz 5MS, Christopher Garrand 5MB

Junior School End of Year Mass This was a joyous experience as we reflected and thanked God for the 2008 school year. During this Christmas season I hope all families experience and model what Jesus asks of us, to ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ Thank you to Mrs Irena Hollis and staff for their continued dedication in preparing this beautiful celebration.

Changes to Classroom Locations A number of Junior School teachers will be moving to different classroom locations for 2009. As the Year 6 Classrooms for 2009 will be closer to the Middle School, the Junior School has been fortunate to obtain use of the three Pepper Trees classrooms. We have ensured each year level is situated together to further promote collaboration and the opportunity, where appropriate, to work together. It was also important to ensure all Early Years Classrooms (Reception-Yr 2) were situated in close proximity. The addition of more classrooms has enabled the Junior School to have a designated French Room, Art Room and Multi-purpose space. Staff are

very excited about the learning opportunities this presents for our students in 2009. All students were informed by their current Class teacher(s) this week about the location of their classroom for 2009.

Lost Property The Year 5 SRC students sorted and returned all lost property on Thursday. Unnamed items in good condition have been placed in the Second Hand Uniform Shop. We discovered again that there were a number of items unnamed. Please use the holidays to check your child’s clothing and other school items are clearly labelled.

Are you concerned about your child’s weight? If you would like to join a free Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University programme to find out about how your child and family co uld benefit from an individualised, home-based programme, please contact Liz Lowe on 804 8917 or email elizabeth.lowe@health.sa.gov.au for more information. The programme is suitable for children aged 4-11 years.

Thank you On a final note I would like to sincerely thank all Junior School staff for their dedication and commitment to all our students in what has been an amazingly busy year. Our students are fortunate to experience a range of learning opportunities, sporting and music events, excursions, camps, guest speakers, and a range of programmes to further cater for individual needs and enrichment.

I would like to thank Mrs Carmel O’Reilly for her work here at Mercedes College, and to wish her well as she commences long service leave. I am sure she will enjoy the many sunny days Queensland has to offer.

To students and families who are leaving the Junior School, thank you for your support and contributions. We have enjoyed the opportunity to work in partnership with you. For a number of students I am sure the Middle School will appreciate the many things you have to offer. For families setting off to new pastures, I hope you take many fond memories of this wonderful community. On behalf of the Junior School staff, I hope you have a joyous and holy Christmas, and a happy and safe holiday with your wonderful children. I look forward to seeing you in 2009.

Julie Hann Assistant Principal Head of Junior School

PYP Awards Congratulations to the following students who received PYP Awards at last Friday’s Junior School Assembly. Action – Cameron Cook Balanced – Mia Maric Caring – Daniela Jaud, Polly Shaw Commitment – Terry Koumi Communicator – Toby Plate, Shelly Sampson, Sebastian Howell, Harrison Ielasi, Sarah Barry-Lewis, Isabella Raphael Co-operation – Nicholas Filosi Confidence – Daniella Chiarolli, Jordan Dekens Creativity – Christopher Ho Enthusiasm – Sophie Smith Inquirer – Aidan Banks, Ainsleigh Howard, Ned Hannam Knowledgeable – Connor Patterson Principled – Jordan Loechel Risk-Takers – Isabella Mennillo, Katya Longo

Shane Murphy PYP Coordinator

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From the Middle School

Leadership Conference Our 2009 Middle School Leaders (Joyce Rabbah, Alice O’Connell, James D’Alessandro and Nicholas Goggin) attended a Leadership Conference last Thursday and Friday with the Senior School Leaders in preparation for their roles next year. James and Nicholas have provided the following review of the activities and preparations that they were involved in:

We started the conference, of around 40 students at St Paul’s Retreat, with a prayer about our journey and the people who helped us on the journey we have taken so far in our lives. We then got stuck in and began to talk about what skills and qualities make us leaders.

The second chapter in our workbook, ‘Leadership Styles and Group Dynamics’, contained many chapters that would help us work out what type of leader we were. We used the answers from questionnaires to find out how we could build and make the group we were, in our case ‘Middle School Leaders’ stronger and much more effective. This session was run by Father Brendan Connell. He was very involved within the group. Later we were put into groups of ones or twos for a task called ‘Lost at Sea’. In this task we had to choose the most important items to take on a rubber dinghy which was stranded in the middle of the ocean. Students in Group One were doing the part of the task where they had to choose what they would take with them. Students in Group Two had to go outside and then we were asked to give some feedback to a person who we had chosen. We had to give feedback on how they performed in the task and what they could have done better.

After afternoon tea we did a public speaking task and that helped us to feel confident and helped us to be able to write different types of speeches. We continued through the day participating in different activities, which showed us the way we can help others and the way that we can use our skills to better the group.

The next day we came back to the retreat and we were joined by all the Sports Leaders. The start of the second day was about ‘Meeting Protocol’. How to run meetings, and the dos and don’ts of formal meetings

We then participated in another task similar to ‘Lost at Sea’ but instead we were in a bomb shelter with limited food supply. We had to choose who had to leave the bomb shelter. We discussed why and why not the person in question should be thrown out.

The day continued and we met up with Mr Wadsworth and Ms Lomax for a Middle School meeting and we discussed events in the ‘Middle School Calendar’ for 2009. We practiced our own Middle School Meeting which was run by us to give us experience on meetings.

The whole retreat was really helpful and we learned a lot on how we could be better leaders.

James D’Alessandro and Nicholas Goggin Middle School Leaders 2009

SkyWatch Astronomy Mirror Dome The Year 7s recently enjoyed a unique experience inside a blow up mirror dome. They viewed the constellations and other objects from our Solar System and beyond, complementing their recent Science work on Astronomy. Harry Baulderstone (7CJ) describes the experience below:

A Day in the Dome On 1 December the three Year 7 classes were privileged to experience a 3D virtual reality blow up dome which displayed pictures portraying outer space. We were shown our entire Solar System, planets, stars and sun

patterns on a screen that covered the entire inside of the dome. We were also shown a video of three humans observing a solar eclipse from the moon, and were able to watch as the shadow engulfed the earth. The video also informed us of how the earth was formed and how a fireball hitting the earth destroyed the dinosaurs. We then found ourselves gazing into a volcano, plummeting down a river of lava, then flowing down a rough sea. All of this was shown on the 3D screen. All in all it was a marveling experience from which we learnt a lot. Many thanks to Dean (from SkyWatch), who explained everything so perfectly that even I was able to understand every word, and to Mr Russell for organising this wonderful experience.

End of year During the week the Middle School students have been involved in various “End of Year” celebrations. On Monday the Year 9s enjoyed a leisurely walk up to the Mount Lofty summit, as it said on the permission slip, “to end the year on a high”, and the Year 6 cohort took advantage of the warmer weather with a dip at Burnside Swimming Pool. On Wednesday the Year 7 students enjoyed some surf safety instruction and a picnic at Somerton Beach and the Year 8 cohort got out their dancing shoes and kicked up their heels at their social, as well as spending a day at the movies. These fun activities help mark the end of another successful academic year for the staff and students of the Middle School.

I would like to thank the parents of the College for their support this year, as well as thanking the students for their enthusiastic and successful involvement in the academic, spiritual and sporting pursuits in which they were involved.

Thanks also to the wonderfully dedicated and supportive staff who have given their all for their students during 2008.

On behalf of the Middle School I would like to wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all again at the beginning of the new school year.

Paul Wadsworth Assistant Principal Head of Middle School

French students: Attention! Mercedes- Rochebelle Exchange Whilst we are still busy finalising details for the 4th cycle of the Quebec Exchange and Paris visit, our colleague at Rochebelle, Mario Lamontagne, already has 40 students signed up for the next cycle! Their visit is scheduled for 2010 at the usual time of the year, late February, early March.

Expressions of interest are invited from current (2008) Year 8, 9 and 10 students. This would entail hosting a Quebec student for approximately two weeks with Mercedes students leaving after Christmas 2010 to go to Paris and then to Quebec to stay with their “twin”. This trip would take most of January 2011. This year’s group leaves on 28 December with an exciting visit to Paris before heading to the snows of Quebec on 4 January 2009.

Please email expressions of interest to ldavies@mercedes.adl.catholic.edu.au with name and year level of student and any queries you may have.

Lesley Davies Coordinator Languages

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From the Senior School

The last week has been a period of opposite emotion. It really began on the morning of Thursday 27 November when I had the privilege of attending our annual LAP Mass (what a wonderful job Penny and Cathy do). To witness not just the Primary students but the large number of Year 12 students who had given up at least one lesson a week was a wonderful experience. Despite their busyness in Year 12 they still found the time to assist with the wonderful LAP Programme. The contrast came in the afternoon when Peter Williams and I attended the funeral of one of our previous residents, Sister Mary Marra. Sister Mary lived 101 years and devoted her life to the Order of Mercy. I can still remember her beautiful smile when I first met her and Sister Monica in 1989. I was also privileged to meet one of our past principals, Sister Deirdre O’Connor who embarrassed me by informing me she reads every newsletter and has promised me a surprise in the near future because of my last sentence in each article. This emotional rollercoaster continued on from Friday 21 November when we had the third and final rite of passage for our Year 12 students. When I began at Mercedes our Graduation Ball had 200 parents, teachers and students attending in Gleeson Hall, whereas on Friday 21 November we had a total of 516 at the Convention Centre. A wonderful night was had by all and I thank Ms Samantha Reynolds, Mr Michael Francis, Mr Bill Deegan, Mrs Jill Leahy and Miss Jessica Zotti for all their efforts. The following week I attended and thoroughly enjoyed the Middle School production of Bugsy Malone. Mrs Alessandra Miles put together a fantastic exhibition of the Year 10 Middle School Personal Projects; an exhibition ranging from cars, surfboards, fashion to wedding settings. We are truly blessed with such talented students and teachers. Our Year 10 students had a further highlight as they formally graduated from the MYP at an excellent assembly organised by the MYP Coordinator, Mr Ian de Boar. Our special guest, Mr John Gibson, was the visionary and inspiration behind initiating the IB Programme at Mercedes 20 years ago. John took us through the journey of the IB at Mercedes. He recalled that when it began in 1989 we were one of only 4 schools in Australia teaching the programme, and when it covered all the years from Reception to Year 12 we were the only school in the southern hemisphere. They were indeed pioneering days.

Once again, for Sister Deirdre O’Connor’s amusement, I invite you to contact me at any time over issues of which you may have concerns. Have a happy and Holy Christmas and until we meet again, God bless.

Tony O’Doherty Assistant Principal Head of Senior School

Careers and Subject Counselling

Year 12 Students The final date for submission of University preferences to be guaranteed equal consideration is Friday 5 December, 2008 and according to my records, there are only 7 students who have not applied because they are not intending to go to University next year. If those students wish to change their mind they must do so by Friday 5 December. Those students who have recorded preferences should have a letter from SATAC confirming their preferences at this point. Changes of course can still be made right up until 7 January 2009. I would advise all students to keep their letter from SATAC in an accessible spot so they have their University Reference Number handy – this is needed to be able to change preferences. A quick call to SATAC or to me if you have lost it will ensure you have the details you need. I encourage students in Year 12 to keep reading the newspaper for details of change of preference Information Sessions run by each of the Universities. If there are questions or concerns, students and parents can contact me on the mobile. I would also like to outline that we have been given an Information Package for Senior students from Chandler MacLeod regarding Career Testing, directions and services. These services are particularly aimed at students of 16 years and above and may be very useful for Year 12 students who may still be looking to clarify their options for the future. Brochures are available form the front desk in Strathspey for any student and/or parent who may be interested. Year 11 students have all finalised their subject choices for Year 12 in 2009 and have been mature and diligent in their approach to researching all the necessary information regarding prerequisites for University entry into courses they may wish to pursue. I have encouraged all SACE students to access the SACE Board website to look up past examination papers and copies of full curriculum statements and assessment reports for the subjects they have chosen. This will ensure that they are fully informed. The recent Transition morning was also a valuable experience which enabled students to meet their subject teacher and classmates and to find out some specific details about their chosen subjects. Mr Michael Francis, the Year 12 Coordinator, has organised another transition morning for 2009 which will give students a further opportunity to ‘settle’ in for the year ahead. Year 10 students have been out on Work Experience in this final week and there have been many positive reports from employers about their skills, abilities and attitude. I commend all students for their organisation and diligence. Finally, I would like to wish all students a safe and happy holiday and wish the Year 12 students the best of success with their results and with their aims and aspirations for the future. I will be available on the mobile phone for any students from any of the year levels who have any questions or concerns.

Bill Deegan Careers & Subject Advisor

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Changes to the Day Schedule 2009 Following a review of the Growth and Personal Skills (GPS) Programme introduced this year, staff have indicated their preference for a fixed lesson rather than a rotating lesson. In order for this to be achieved, we will introduce a GPS session following an extended home group period on Fridays. A GPS session following the extended home group period allows for more diverse opportunities for assemblies, guest speakers etc to support the GPS programme. As a consequence of this change, the day schedule for 2009 will be different to this year. Friday lessons will be slightly shorter than those of other days. Wednesdays will now revert to a standard day. Unfortunately, this change has occurred after documents such as the College Handbook went to press with the existing schedule. Monday to Thursday will now be identical: 8.35am Home Group and Prayer 8.55am Lesson 1 9.40am Lesson 2 10.25am Lesson 3 11.10am Recess 11.30am Lesson 4 12.15pm Lesson 5 12.55pm Lunch 1.40pm Lesson 6 2.25pm Lesson 7 3.20pm Afternoon Admin (Yrs 6-10);

Dismissal (R-2, 11-12) 3.25 pm Dismissal (Yrs 3-10) Friday will now incorporate a GPS session and has required a re-arrangement of the day. Please note the different recess time with only 2 lessons before recess. 8.35am Extended Home Group and Prayer 9.05am GPS 9.40am Lesson 1 10.20am Lesson 2 11.00am Recess 11.20am Lesson 3 12.00am Lesson 4 12.40pm Lesson 5 1.20 pm Lunch 2.00pm Lesson 6 2.40pm Lesson 7 3.20pm Afternoon Admin (Yrs 6-10);

Dismissal (R-2, 11-12) 3.25pm Dismissal (Yrs 3-10)

Adrian Chiarolli Director of Curriculum and Learning

email: achiarolli@mercedes.adl.catholic.edu.au tel: 8372 3253

Family Matters It really is hard to believe that we have reached the end of another school year and are rapidly heading toward the Christmas and New Year season and all that comes with this special time of the year. The Christmas and New Year season is marked in Australia with social gatherings for family, friends and work colleagues and it is fitting we celebrate the year that has been. Typically we celebrate this season with alcohol and, not surprisingly, this is the time of year when alcohol consumption increases and when the greatest number of alcohol related incidents and road accidents occur. We have recently seen the launch of the Commonwealth Government’s television campaign to raise awareness of the increasing incidence of binge drinking among young people. We have also seen the Smith Family campaign about the influence of parent’s drinking habits on shaping the drinking behaviour of their children and the way this happens over generations. There has been much debate about the efficacy and effectiveness of such campaigns, as well as some conjecture as to whether binge drinking among young people has in fact changed over the years, with some seeing this as a “right of passage” in our culture. The 2007 National Drug Household Survey research data revealed that while alcohol consumption per se is not changing within Australia, there has been a shift in consumption within the 18-25 year old age group. Of the young people in this age group who do drink alcohol, there is evidence that they begin drinking at an earlier age and they drink more alcohol, more often. In particular, the 15-19 year old age group records the highest number of acute hospitalisations for alcohol related issues and the numbers for female admissions are doubling. At this time of the year, it is important that we monitor the behaviour of our sons and daughters, as well as our own. Responsible drinking behaviour can be successfully modelled by parents and significant family members. It is also a time when we can revisit with our young people, the safety strategies that we know can make a difference, including the use of taxis, not getting into the car with a driver who has been drinking, staying with friends who have had too much to drink and calling for an ambulance if there are signs of uncontrolled vomiting or loss of consciousness. Alcohol is a part of our culture, but it is a drug and it needs to be used responsibly. I truly hope that all Mercedes College families enjoy a peaceful, holy and safe holiday time and I look forward to renewing contact in 2009.

Anne Way College Psychologist

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Sacred Moments – LAP 08 It took a while to light them all! But the effect of more than 50 LAP volunteers carrying their candles in red and gold holders down the aisle of St Paul of the Cross Church and standing in a group on the altar was an amazing and very emotional experience. We all look forward to the Annual LAP Mass. It is the one occasion we can all be together in one place at the same time. This year was no exception and the Church was almost filled with students, volunteers, staff, parents, grandparents and friends of LAP. One of our School of the Air students and her family travelled to Adelaide to join us. As people arrived at the Church, they had the opportunity to sit quietly and listen to the beautiful sounds of the Mercedes College Chamber Players. The bus delivered the children safely and a large contingent of our Year 12 students suddenly arrived. It was a little hectic as all the volunteers found their special LAP friends. The Mass began with the screening of a movie entitled “Sacred Moments”. It took 10 minutes to glimpse just a few seconds of the 110 students and their volunteers together in LAP this year. This showed just how many special moments have been shared every week in the LAP Room. Father Brendan celebrated Mass, and students and volunteers took part through readings, prayers, bringing gifts to the altar and responding to Father Brendan’s questions during the homily. Beautiful World Youth Day images, produced by Peter Kenmore, and the magnificent song, “Receive the Power”, was a special reflection. Every year, Cathy and I say we will not cry. But we had the tissues just in case – and we needed them. We felt very moved as we watched our special people share their love with God and each other. We left the Church to the sounds of “Angels Brought Me Here” and noticed a few other people had tissues in their hands as well! We would like to say a very special thank you to Father Brendan for celebrating Mass with us. We also thank all our

LAP angels, our children and volunteers, who bring life, laughter and love to us in the LAP Room at the College every week. We wish all our LAP and College families a joyous Christmas.

Penny Penhall Cathy Cronin

LAP Management Team

Music News from Strathspey and Beyond Congratulations to Andrew Heuzenroeder who won the ASME Young Composers Award for Section D, Composition for a student in Year 12. Andrew submitted his piece ‘Fantasy Number 1’ which is scored for the Orchestra. The Adelaide Youth Sinfonia will perform ‘Fantasy Number 1’ at their

Christmas concert on 7 December at Walford College. What a great honour! Below are the results of the latest AMEB results for piano and theory students. I apologise if I have missed some. Piano Exam Results of Students of Mrs Joanne Barac Amielia Ebbs – Preliminary A Alyssa Peters – First Grade A Jane Cameron – First Grade A Adam Siwek – First Grade A Thomas Miller – First Grade B+ James D’Alessandro – Second Grade B Eloise Grover – Second Grade A Joyce Rabbah – Second Grade B Mark Vieceli – Fourth Grade B+ Alice O’Connell – Fifth Grade B Georgina Watson – Sixth Grade B Jessica Gore – Seventh Grade B Theory Results James Venn – High Distinction Alice O’Connell – Honours Marc Vieceli – Credit James D’Alessandro – Credit Other Piano Results Ruby Schutz – First Grade A Katrina Cao – Second Grade A+ William Twizell – Second Grade B+ Charlotte Twizell – Sixth Grade Flute Pass To all these students who followed their dreams, practised and received these results – congratulations. The guitar exams were held this week and results will be recorded next year. Well done to Mr Robin Pratt and all the solo guitarists and ensembles for providing a great night of entertainment for us in the Drama Room this week. It is great to see such a diverse range and mix of talent and ages. The Music staff would like to say thank you to the Peripatetic Music staff who have worked so diligently and competently behind the scenes to ensure your students get their individual lessons each week. Next year the fees will be $25 per lesson. Notes regarding the sizing of the Year 3 Strings and choices for the Year 3 and 5 students for 2009 have gone home this week. I hope we have been able to satisfy all the students’ wishes. We farewell and thank Miss Emily Logan from our Music Faculty as she leaves Mercedes to get married and enjoy married life in another country. Thanks Emily for all you have done for the Music students here – you will be missed. Mr Adam Hooper finished the year with great excitement and joy with his wife presenting him with a beautiful son Angus John Hooper. Congratulations to you both on such a wonderful occasion. To all our Mercedes Community we would like to wish you a happy and joyous Christmas and holiday time.

Celine Beaton-Smith Music Coordinator

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Out of School Hours Care We couldn’t let the year come to a close without thanking all our parents for entrusting their children to our care in our busy OSHC Programme. I know I speak on behalf of all staff members when I say that we love working and playing with the children and feel it is a real privilege to be able to provide a home away from home atmosphere, as our charges discard bags and books and settle down for a relaxing afternoon. There is nothing better than seeing happy, smiling faces holding up medals that have been won at a Sports Day or as a result of a successful reading challenge and being the first to congratulate them at the end of their school day. On the other hand we sometimes see long, sad faces when the day has not gone according to plan which then gives us the opportunity to offer words of encouragement and reassurance, or to just lend an ear for a moment or two. It feels as though the year has slipped by in the blink of an eye, but we have certainly enjoyed a variety of activities and excursions through out the year, providing what we hope is a well balanced programme. We take pride in offering nutritious snacks and meals and cooking is a big part of our days. Children love to help with cooking and we are busy gathering our favourite recipes which we hope to put into a book next year. At the end of Term 3 we presented our OSHC Newsletter and we felt very proud of our first offering. We hope to produce two newsletters a year featuring children’s art and stories as well as lots of photos. Hopefully one of our recipes will also find its way into the colourful offering! This year we have tried to take an interest in community activities and to this end we took part in some fundraising projects on behalf of prostate awareness, the RSPCA and the Girl Guides. We also invited children to speak to the group about interests they have outside of school and most recently three students talked to us about their scout group and the fun activities with which they are involved. 2008 saw the introduction of a brand new Active After School Communities programme. This programme, sponsored by the Australian Sports Commission has funded such activities as Taekwondo, Aerobics, Circus Skills, Soccer, Netball, Dance, Lawn Bowls and Volleyball this year. We look forward to a brand new start with this project next year and more exciting experiences for our children. As each season arrives, we love to paint something special on our lovely big window. Guided by Amelia, a dedicated group have worked together to produce a masterpiece for all our community to enjoy as they walk into school. All our carers bring their own special gifts and enjoy sharing them with the children. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful team and I thank them for their dedication. I very much appreciate all the support that we receive from everyone in the College community, whether from people in the Finance department, the Ground staff, Junior and Middle School teachers, College Shop staff…the list goes on. It makes our life very easy. We have shared our room with

members of the Junior School Art department this year and we have enjoyed their company, especially at morning tea! Thanks to them for sharing ideas and materials too. In the last few months we have been working towards our second validation visit from a representative of the National Childcare Accreditation Council. More than likely this will take place early in the New Y ear. We will also see changes in the way Child Care Benefit information is reported to the government and allocated to parents. We will never be bored! So, we hope Christmas 2008 is a happy time for one and all and we see our families back safe and sound ready for a wonderful new year.

Debbie Goss Director Out of School Hours Care

From The Finance Office We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mercedes College families for their support and commitment throughout the year. The College is heavily reliant upon families paying their fees when and as they fall due, to ensure that delivery of educational and pastoral care programmes are not compromised. If you have overlooked forwarding payment in clearance of 2008 fees please attend to the remittance as a matter of urgency. For families who meet their fee commitment by direct debit, payments will continue to be processed electronically during the holiday break if the authority does not have an expiry date. Alternatively please ensure periodic payments clear the account balance by 31 December 2008. Please contact the College immediately if you are unable to clear the fee account by close of business on 19 December 2008. Where families face genuine difficulty, the College has a very limited capacity to enter into arrangements to allow extra time for payment. Fee payment agreements n eed to be fair and equitable to the entire Mercedes College community and are required to be set over a reasonable period of time to be kept within the guidelines of our Fees Policy. Thank you to the families who have arranged in advance periodic payments for 2009 fees. The Finance Office will be closed from the 19 December 2008 to 9 January 2009. Staff will be available at any other time during the holiday break. We wish all the Mercedes College Community a safe and happy Festive Season and best wishes for the New Year.

Heather Burns On behalf of:

Mercedes College Finance Staff School Fee Accounts Heather Burns 8372 3221 hburns@mercedes.adl.catholic.edu.au Accountant: Craig Tilbrook 8372 3226 ctilbrook@mercedes.adl.catholic.edu.au Business Manager: Steve Bowley 8372 3222 sbowley@mercedes.adl.catholic.edu.au

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The Arts For the first time in the history of the College we included work from Reception to Year 5 students in our Art Exhibition making it a whole school Exhibition. The aim was for every student who took part in an art/design/film class in 2008 had at least one item on exhibit. I would like to thank our sponsors: Jeff Tolcher from Art Domain, Clive Mungovan from Premier Art Supplies and Dean McCarthy from Eckersley’s Arts and Crafts, for their continuing support of the visual arts at Mercedes College. My thanks also to the incredible visual art teachers: Ms Luisa Stocco, Miss Coral Winterbourn, Mrs Sam Reynolds, Ms Mishka Ammann, Mr Ian de Boar, Miss Esther Lamb, Mr Ryan Stor and Mr Fernando Leon. Their dedication and high standards were easily recognisable when you saw the quality of work on display. The R-12 Art Exhibition was opened by renowned artist and old scholar Samone Turnbull, who came to Mercedes College as a boarder for 5 years, specifically to have an opportunity to experience art in her schooling. Her stories of Mercedes enthralled the audience who attended the official opening and really set the tone for a wonderful evening. The following are our visual art award winners for 2008. Visual Art Awards 2008 Art Awards: Year 12: Nadja Maher IB Yr 12: Michael Lawless IB Yr 11: Valerie Thompson Yr 11: Alexandra O’Sullivan Year 10: Laura Stewart Year 9: Jenna McDonald Year 8: Roshni Kalampattel Year 7: Emma Matthews Year 6: Grace Ryan

Design Awards: Year 12: Pierre Sobarzo Year 11: Claire Soeffky Year 10: Toni-Rose Withall Year 9: Joshua Weber Year 8: James D’Alessandro Year 7: Victor Bergamin Year 6: Sarah Carter

Film Awards: Year 9: Erin Murray Year 10: Marcus Doherty

Art Domain Mavis McBride Visual Art Prize: Bridget Slaven

Principal’s Award: Michael Lawless and Katy Castley Bugsy Malone, our Year 8 Musical for 2008, was a roaring success. A semester of blood, sweat and tears culminated in a week in Gleeson Hall with two very memorable night performances, the last of which seeing the hall converted into a 1920s ‘speak-easy’. Our actors and musicians did a fantastic job, a real credit to the amazing work produced by the Art, Design and

Technical Theatre classes leading up to and during this week. A very big thank you to our Director Pam O’Grady, Assistant Director Mishka Ammann, Stage Manager Esther Lamb, Musical Director Emily Logan, Art teachers/set builders Luisa Stocco and Coral Winterbourn, Design teacher/ publicity Ian de Boar, Arts ESO Erica McNicol, make-up artist Elaine Grottick, guest stars Paul Wadsworth and Fergus Grant, Richard Waddington and Sam Arnold for their time, expertise and skills, and to all of you who came and supported this incredible event. A parent of one of our young stars told me they were expecting it to be good, but their family was totally blown away by the whole production; it really was a credit to the young people and their teachers who produced such a professional event. There is great anticipation for next year’s musical already building after the runaway success of the return of the Year 8 Musical in 2008. Please note that DVDs of the production are available from The College Shop. Sadly we farewell a much loved staff member in Samantha Reynolds as she moves with her family to the Gold Coast. Sam has taught Design at the College for four years and has not only achieved stunning results, but has inspired many students over the years to follow their dreams. Sam will be sorely missed and our loss is certainly their gain. This has been an extremely busy year for the Arts Faculty, however, it has been an outstanding one.

Ashley Coats Coordinator, The Arts R - 12

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Mercedes Parents and Friends Association (MP&FA) The MP&FA held its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 5 November in Strathspey. On behalf of the College I sincerely thank the committee who have worked so loyally and well during the past year. We appreciate the friend-raising and fundraising of all concerned. In particular, may we thank our Chairperson Tony Adey who has so calmly and effici ently steered us through 2008, together with Vice Chair, Liz Watson, Secretary Fiona Ayres and Treasurer Helen Scanlon. At this stage we do not have a Chairperson for 2009 so please let us know if you may be interested. This should not be an arduous task and there is a great support network. Class Parties for Term 1 2009 are as follows: More details next year. Parties are held on Friday evenings from 8:00pm for parents only. Year 3/4/5 13 February Karen and Ian Ross

13 Rentoul Avenue, Netherby Year 8 20 February Mary and Desmond Quirk Year R/1/2 27 February Peter Penglis and Taryn Cowain Year 11/12 13 March Marie and James Reichstein Year 9/10 20 March Kate and Gary Wood Year 6/7 27 February Linda and Nicholas Carter Thanks to those who supported the Wine Offer, it will be distributed in the coming weeks. Many thanks to Bernadette Davey for her hard work. Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and holiday s eason.

Suzanne Moorhead Director of Marketing and Development

Contact: smoorhead@mercedes.adl.catholic.edu.au From the Sports Desk Swimmers, volleyball players and athletes are preparing to leave for interstate competition this week with five students travelling to Sydney for the Pacific School Games: William Twizell (Swimming), Galance Badibanga, Eleanor Wardleworth, Brendan Browne and Taneesha Jordan (Athletics) travel to Sydney. The U15 Boys and U17 Girls travel to Melbourne for the Australian Schools Volleyball Championships which commence on Monday 8 December. On Thursday 11 December, the Knockout athletes compete at Olympic Park in the Plate against representative schools from other states around Australia.

There are over 40 students and six staff (Mr Peter Thornton, Mr Gary Zeuner, Ms Belinda Reed, Ms Emily Logan, Ms Carol Guirguis and Mr Bill Gaynor) accompanying these groups and we are most grateful to these staff for their generous contributions once again. On 6 January starting at 10:00am, Mercedes 1st XI Cricket team is playing Westlake Boys High School from New Zealand at Waite Oval in a 45 over match against their Year 10 and 11 Development Squad. This is a school that operates a Sports Academy within the campus and caters for 2100 boys on the north shore of Auckland. The team comprises:

1. Paul O’Callaghan (Captain) (bat) 2. Matthew Crocker (Vice captain) (all rounder) 3. Kane Chapman (bat) 4. Ross Pickering (w/keeper) (bat) 5. Henry Jones (all rounder) 6. Tom Humphreys (all rounder) 7. Alex Borghesan (bat) 8. Steve Miller (bat) 9. Patrick McArthur (bowl) 10. James Venn (bowl) 11. Luke Crocker (bowl) 12. Reece Vieraitis (bowl)

We wish the team well as they prepare to enter Group 1 Cricket in the ISSA Competition for the first time in 2009. Thank you to Mr Jarrad McCabe for his great support with this initiative. A reminder about some important dates for 2009. These include: 5 February: 4-7 Swimming at Payneham Pool 6 February: 8-12 Swimming at Payneham Pool 11 Feb: (Wed) ISSA mid week carnivals commence 3 March: SASSSA Boys Swimming 6 March: 8-12 Sports Day at Santos Stadium

Schools State Relay Swimming Championships at AAC

23 March: Co-ed Athletics at Santos Stadium 7 April: Primary (4-7) Athletics Carnival at

Mercedes 8 April: SASSSA A1 Athletics at Santos Stadium I would like to thank parents, staff and sporting participants for their outstanding contributions in 2008. It has been a great year for sport generally and a fine tribute to the commitment of all of those involved. Sport Coordinators wish all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Bill Gaynor Sport Coordinator

8-12 Girls Sport Senior Play Off Round Beach Volleyball Tuesday Senior A Mercedes 2 def Villes 1 (3-0) – 1st Mercedes 1 def Mary MacK illop (3-0) – 3rd Tuesday Senior B Mercedes 2 lost to Pulteney 1 (0-3) – 4th Mercedes 1 lost to Villes 2 (1-2) – 6th

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From the Sports Desk (cont) Wednesday Senior B Mercedes 3 def Loreto 5 (3-0) – 1st St Aloysius 3 def Mercedes 1 (1-2) – 4th Marryatville def Mercedes 2 (1-2) – 6th The Senior A Mercedes 2 team was undefeated all term and continued with a 3-0 win over Villes 1. With the likes of Claire Soeffky, Natalie Nemer, Elly Gannon, and Sofia Pennino, there is a lot of depth in the team and I predict more success in 2009. Senior A Mercedes 1 won as a result of a forfeit from Mary MacKillop. The girls have had a great season and have played well together. Some strong serving by Alex Woodland and Rebecca Brooks and a consistent performance by Joanna Ward have been the highlight. Senior B teams had two losses on Tuesday; however, they performed well and did give their opposition a run for their money. Many of the girls had not experienced Beach Volleyball before and are commended for their dedication and enthusiasm throughout the season. It was great to see a fantastic performance by the Wednesday girls, with Mercedes 3 defeating Loreto to claim the flag. We commend all the girls for their ongoing commitment to the game. Coaches Stephen Soeffky and Andrew Mackenzie are proud of the progress all seven teams have made this term. We look forward to an even more successful 2009. Junior Play-off Round Last Saturday was play off round for teams representing the College in Junior Softball, Basketball and Volleyball. Softball Pulteney 2 def Mercedes (18-6) – 4th The Junior Girls Softball team has had a strong season finishing 4th after a well fought play-off game against Pulteney. Coach Pip Ward has brought the team a long way with many of the girls never having played before, and some playing only their second term of Softball. Some excellent pitching by Ellen Williams and catching by Madeleine D’Angelo allowed the girls to stay with Pulteney for most of the game. It was only the last innings which proved to be the decider. Basketball Loreto def Mercedes (14-19) – 2nd The Mercedes girls have come a long way under the guidance of Brian Thomas. The team started off with 12 players, only to lose many of them over the weeks for various reasons. This allowed more game time for all the dedicated girls who made it to every training session. Brian was extremely proud of the girls’ efforts this season and has commended their improved skills. Some standout efforts were seen by Millie Fox, Naomi Francis and Eleanor Wardleworth. Congratulations on a fantastic season girls!

Volleyball Junior A St Ignatius 1 def Mercedes 1 (3-0) – 4th Mercedes 2 (no game) – 5th Junior B St Dominc’s def Mercedes 3 (4-0) – 4th Mercedes 4 def St Ignatius (5-0) – 5th

Loreto def Mercedes 5 (0-3) – 2nd Mercedes 6 def OLSH (2-2/76-68) – 5th To say that all Girls’ Junior Volleyball teams have improved would be an understatement. All players have been diligent in their training sessions and have listened and responded to their coaches, Alex Trinca, Tom Putland, and Phil White. Many of the girls had not played volleyball before and it was great to see their skills develop so much over the eight week competition. Some standout efforts were Jessie Lee, Alice O’Connell, Rachel Brooks, Emma Rajic, Emma Cormack, Sarah Donovan, Aisha De Barros Lopes and Tania Barone. I think it would be safe to say that all the girls had a great time and learnt so much about the sport. I am also pleased to announce the South Australian Catholic Secondary School Girls Sports Association is now including Volleyball for all Year 8-12 girls in Term 1, as Term 4 Volleyball has been such a success. All Year 8-12 girls will receive a letter in the mail in the next week allowing them to change their 2009 nominations. If you have any queries please contact me at cguirguis@mercedes.adl.catholic.edu.au. Looking forward to more success in 2009.

Carol Guirguis 8-12 Girls Sport Coordinator

Interschool Athletics Students in Years 4 to 7 were selected, following morning training sessions, to represent the school at the Catholic Schools Athletic Carnival on Monday 24 November at SANTOS Stadium. Mercedes had a large team of 81 athletes who participated in events throughout the day. There were many individual highlights and personal best performances in throws, jumps, sprints and distance races, along with some smooth relay changes. Overall the team gave their best, persevering when the going was tough, with many strong finishers across the line. The U12 Girls’ team won the Pennant for most points achieved in an age group and Taneesha Jordan won the Girls’ Pentathlon Medal for highest score over 5 events. Congratulations to these girls and all athletes who acquitted themselves well against some strong opposition. The girls finished in 3rd place and the boys in 6th place. Many thanks to the coaches for all their efforts with the team and thanks to the staff working with the team; Ms Belinda Reed, Mrs Ellen Bailey, Mr Gary Zeuner and Mr Peter Thornton.

Peter Thornton Knockout Athletics Interschool Athletics for Years 8 to 12 has seen a very successful year, with a clean sweep of all four Age Group Shields at the Catholic Co-educational Athletic Carnival. They won the boys team shield in A2 and the girls team moved up four places in A1 to finish 6th in the SASSSA Carnival.

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T 08 8372 3200 F 08 8379 9540 E mercedes@mercedes.adl.catholic.edu.au W www.mercedes.adl.catholic.edu.auABN 93 414 320 696 CRICOS Provider 00365D Catholic Church Endowment Society Inc. operating as Mercedes College

540 Ful larton Road Springfield South Austral ia 5062

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From the Sports Desk (cont) The College competed in all four teams of the Knockout Athletic State Finals with both Junior teams (12 to 15 years) finishing in 5th place, and both Senior teams finishing in 3rd place by only a few points to 2nd place getters. As a result of these excellent performances, Athletics Australia invited both the Senior Girls’ Knockout team and the Senior Boys’ Knockout team to contest the National Championships of the Knockout Plate in Melbourne on 11 December. The athletes in the teams are: Girls Team: Francesca Biello, Rhiannon Meuris-Palfrey, Amy Hoile, Jennifer Quirke, Madeline Wardleworth, Eleanor Wardleworth, Brigid Symes, Natalie Hughes, Anisa Mackenzie, Ruby Opozda-Westley. Boys Team: Amos Gill, Ben Gazzola, Patrick Anastassiadis, Luke Berry, Cameron Clark, Dominic Davis, Matthew Crocker, Oliver Putland, Liam Sambrook, Brendan Browne. Staff coaching and managing the team in Melbourne are Ms Belinda Reed, Mr Gary Zeuner , Mrs Cheryl Zeuner, and Mr Peter Thornton. Congratulations to the athletes on your achievement, and we wish you every success at the Nationals in Melbourne.

Mr Peter Thornton Primary Sport Report It has been a busy few weeks around Mercedes College. A few weeks ago we had the Reception to Year 5 Athletics/Novelty Day to celebrate Health and Physical Education Week. The weather treated us to perfect conditions and the students were terrific. Each class rotated through a mixture of events in both the morning and middle learning sessions. Some activities were individually based from Track and Field, while in other activities students worked in house groups to participate in events such as Tug of War, Sack Races, Egg and Spoon, and Mr Simon Munn’s favourite ... the Hoop, Loop and Scoop. It was great to watch so many active students and lots of colour with students wearing house colours rather than school uniform for the day. For the record, points were tallied and Fitzpatrick won the Carnival narrowly from Dalton. A special thank you to staff, Year 7 Sport Captains and Mr Jeff Wray’s Year 10 PE class who all assisted with the officiating of the events. This week will bring about the close of interschool sport for another year. This term has flown by and already we are preparing for 2009. On 9 November we had four teams compete in the Softball Carnival organised by Sturt Softball Club at West Beach. This is a superb event where the girls really get the opportunity to develop their skills in a quick playing environment. Congratulations to our Year 5 team who won their division.

This term we started a Tee-Ball programme for Year 2 students to promote softball skills to students who may wish to take up Softball next year. This programme was a huge success. Many thanks to three Year 9 students who devoted an hour each Friday afternoon to coaching: Chloe Skrlj, Claire Castree and Laura Hoile. All three did a fantastic job and hopefully will coach sporting teams for Mercedes College in the years to come. A big thank you to all the coaches, coordinators and parents who have been involved and assisted the Primary Sport Programme in 2008. As the saying goes, ‘Many hands make light work’.

Jeff Wray Junior Sport Coordinator