From the Acting Principal

Last Wednesday the College held our 2019 Valedictory Mass and Dinner — a very special day for our Year 12 students and their families. 

The Mass, celebrated by Fr John Sherman, OMI was held at St Patrick’s Cathedral, with the Valedictory dinner held later that evening at the Sofitel.

In reflecting on the evening it is to clear to me the importance of family, friends and school life in the formation of our young men. When a student joins De La Salle, it is not just he that becomes part of the traditions and history of our College, but his parents and family. This is at the core of what De La Salle College is about. We are a community. A community that celebrates together and struggles together. A community that embraces the Lasallian principles “together and by association”. 

As our Year 12 students, their parents, College staff and special guests gathered “together and by association” as one, we were able to farewell and congratulate the graduating Class of 2019. Farewells are often tinged with sadness, but also with the excitement of moving on to something new and different. This was very much the case again this year. Another group of exceptional young men are leaving the College. For many, it will be the last time they put on their blue and gold blazer. They depart sharing a place in the rich history of this great College. They leave as young men well prepared to face the challenges of their final exams and ready to make a difference to our world through their future endeavours. Vale the Class of 2019.

The House Sporting Carnivals are highlights of the year and much-anticipated events for students and staff. Unfortunately, due to localised, erratic and dangerous weather conditions that developed during the Swimming Carnival on Friday 25 October, we took the decision to abandon the Carnival at 10:40 am. 

We have had a good run over recent years with the weather at our Carnivals and we were certainly unlucky this year. Despite our hope that the weather would blow over, the decision to abandon the event prematurely was based on safety concerns, balancing our own risk assessment, the Carnegie Pool safety requirements and the impact of the rain earlier in the morning on students and staff. 

It was particularly disappointing for Peter Larsen and Geordie Nagle who had spent many hours preparing for the Carnival along with the College staff and Student Leaders. Thank you to parents for understanding with this and our apology for any disruption this may have caused for you on the day.

World Teachers’ Day occurred on 25 October. This day celebrates and acknowledges the work of all teachers not just on one day of the year but every day. We are blessed to have an outstanding group of teachers working at De La Salle. Their skill, patience, generosity and commitment to our young people is greatly appreciated by all in our community.

Finally, the College will stop at 11:00 am on November 11 to mark Remembrance Day. During this significant and solemn event, we pause to honour and remember those men and women who have served our country in the Armed Services.

Mr Tom Ryan
Acting Principal

Vale Class of 2019

Year 12 Final Days at De La Salle

On Monday, 21 October the 2019 Year 12 cohort celebrated their year with much fun and excitement at the Sidetracked entertainment venue. In keeping with the light-hearted theme for the day, many students took the opportunity to attend in fancy dress. Without a doubt, the go-karts and laser tag were the most popular! The students thoroughly enjoyed their time together and the opportunity to share in some fun and laughter with their House Coordinators and other staff.

On Wednesday, 23 October the graduating Year 12 cohort and their families attended the Valedictory Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral. Following the Mass, families made their way to the Sofitel where the Valedictory Dinner was held in the Grand Ballroom. There were a number of significant speeches and awards presented throughout the evening. 

Valedictory Mass and Dinner 2019 Photo Gallery

The following Year 12 students received recognition at the Valedictory Dinner for their outstanding contribution to the College.

Award	Recipient
Br James Taylor De La Salle Old Collegians Football Club Sportsman of the Year For achievement by a student in ACC sports combined with a positive approach to his studies.	Joe Lloyd
Fr Les Troy Award In recognition of a student who has demonstrated service to the Community, the College, local and beyond.	Will Hogan
Hilary Hayes Outstanding Student Award For outstanding academic results, service to the College and beyond, a significant involvement in College life, a positive role model to his peers and the younger students at De La Salle.	Dominic Gehrig
Br Gerard Rummery Arts Award For outstanding contribution to the life of the College through involvement in the Visual, Musical or Performing Arts.	Oliver Barr
St John Baptist de La Salle Senior Lasallian Award To a student who has shown a Christian concern for his fellow students; made De La Salle a better place by his commitment to its ideals; and developed his own talents to the best of his ability and for the welfare of others.	Michael Fabian

The following Student Awards were presented at the Year 12 Final Assembly on 18 October.

Award	Recipient
Br Damien Harvey Award In recognition of leadership and service as College Captain.	Liam Jenkins
Leadership Award College Vice-Captain. For leadership and service as Vice-Captain.	Amedeo Perri
Leadership Award College Vice-Captain. For leadership and service as Vice-Captain.	Morgan Morffew
The Anthony Molan Athlete of the Year Award For leadership in the sporting arena combined with excellence in academia Sponsored by David Stinear. In memory of Anthony Molan Class of 1997, who was an exceptional sportsman.	Liam Jenkins
Australian Defence Force Award for Leadership In recognition of a student who has shown excellent leadership skills throughout his time in Year 12 plus ($500) Sponsored by Australian Defence Force.	Jack Barnard
Caltex Best All-Rounder Award A student who has displayed scholastic achievement across a range of subjects; shown a willingness to assist others; made selfless contributions and has been committed to excellence in all activities. Sponsored by Caltex.	Joel May
Outstanding contribution to the life of the College Awarded for his involvement in the Performing Arts.	Eli Te Moni
John Lloyd Trophy for outstanding contribution to the life of the College Awarded for his involvement in Music.	Ben Gibson
Outstanding Contribution to the life of the College Awarded for his involvement in Visual Arts.	Stephen Maglis

Congratulations to all award winners. 

We wish all the Year 12 students the very best as they embark on their final exams over the coming weeks.

Mr Shane Mackintosh
Director of Students — Senior Years

Faith and Mission

Year 12 Valedictory Celebration 

Our Valedictory for the Graduating Class of 2019 took place on the evening of Wednesday 23 October, with a breathtaking evening sun streaming through the stained glass windows of St Patrick’s Cathedral. 

Nothing was more exceptional than the example of our fine Year 12 students having their graduation certificates presented as they made their way forward to the altar for the first time as Old Collegians of De La Salle College. The presence of De La Salle Brothers enhances our celebrations and certainly, having Br Visitor David Hawke FSC and Br Peter Smyth FSC enriched the occasion. 

Reverend Fr John Sherman OMI, who we are fortunate to have as one of our regional College Chaplains and dedicated to celebrating our Valedictory Mass each year, reflected in his Homily on the deep meaning of Jesus’ Beatitudes. He spoke of the deep faith and love we are challenged and called to go out and have as Lasallians, and of the importance we ought to find in influencing and shaping the world as Christians as we embark on life after school. 

My wish for the class of 2019 is that they flourish with the love and life God offers. May they live with the love of Jesus and the zeal of St John Baptist de La Salle in their hearts forever!

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Year 12 Papua New Guinea Immersion 

Earlier this year the decision was made to postpone the Yaluwo Immersion to Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday bombings. In light of security warnings from the Department Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Australian High Commission in Colombo, Smart Traveller and College travel insurers, the College felt that it was in the best interest of student safety to put the Yaluwo Immersion on hold for 2019. 

Through the support of the Brothers in Papua New Guinea at De La Salle College Bomana and we now have an alternative Immersion opportunity for the Year 12 group which is just as exciting. In 2019, will be venturing to Bomana, Papua New Guinea for the Year 12 Immersion Experience.

De La Salle Secondary School Bomana was originally established as a boys’ boarding school in 1964, and it is one of the oldest schools in the country. It became a boys’ day school in 2009. There are about 1200 male students attending De La Salle Bomana, which is situated on the outskirts of Port Moresby.

The Year 12 Group from De La Salle College Malvern has the opportunity to travel to Papua New Guinea to do some very worthwhile work for a community that is equally in need. Given that we already have a long-standing history and relationship with the community at Bomana from past travels and connections, this will enable us to further enhance the relationships and camaraderie. 

Most of the students live in poor, nearby settlement communities which have no access to basic amenities such as electricity and running water. Many come from broken families and difficult circumstances. Over the years, the school has been working to improve student behaviour and morale. Their efforts have resulted in an increasing number of graduates continuing on to university and college courses.

Good luck to the 2019 Papua New Guinea Immersion Group who will be travelling to Bomana at the conclusion of the VCE Examinations in November. 

Mrs Rana Brogan
Deputy Principal – Faith and Mission 

Students

Farewells and New Beginnings

Healthy transitions

Transitions are best described as change: a period where we must adapt to new circumstances, expectations, people, environments or routines. Transition happens over time, both before and after what we think of as the ‘big’ day. How quickly children and young people adjust varies. 

The end of the educational year brings changes, both big and small, for children, young people and adults. Some find it exciting, some find it stressful, some hardly notice it happened.

Adults use their experience and existing knowledge to predict what changes may be like, and how it may affect them and can develop strategies to help them adjust and cope. With limited prior knowledge or experience to draw on, children and young people often find change difficult and challenging.

When thinking about types of transitions for children and young people we might consider:

• their first transition from home to an early learning service 
• the first year of school
• moving from primary to secondary school 
• finishing secondary school and moving to the next stage of study or work.

However, small transitions are happening every day for children and young people: saying goodbye to family in the morning, stopping one thing and starting something new, moving from one room or building to another. 

Transitions also occur in home life: moving house, going on holiday, the birth of a sibling, family changes, separations or bereavements. These early years’ experiences can influence how we approach and cope with transitions throughout life.

During transitions, children and young people often communicate their feelings through behaviour. They rely on the adults around them to understand, acknowledge and interpret their behaviour, and provide a safe, secure, predictable space for them. 

Transitions are successful when children and young people feel confident, secure and included – and these are all important protective factors for children’s mental health and wellbeing.

Source: Beyond Blue – BeYou

Supporting transitions and building resilience

We build resilience by learning and developing social and emotional skills – including coping skills. With these skills, we manage life stressors, grow confidence and willingness to try new things, and seek and accept help when required. 

During transitions, things we can do that provide the most positive experience for children and young people, maintain and grow relationships, and reduce routine disruption and stress include: 

• Plan and prepare for transitions through a supportive orientation process.
• Have consistent communication with everyone — including the children, young people, their families and educators. 
• Develop strategies that include planning for and respecting diversity and individual needs.
• Be flexible when the unexpected happens.
• Establish routines as soon as possible to develop a sense of predictability in the new environment.

As we move through a time of change, SchoolTV can help with building young people’s resilience.

This month on SchoolTV — Resilience 

Resilience is one of those skills that all kids need and should have. It refers to their ability to cope and adapt in situations when confronted with challenges such as adversity, trauma, tragedy, or even stress. It is essential to their mental health and wellbeing as part of their journey to adulthood. It is a skill that can be learned from an early age through the support of an adult role model.

However, being resilient does not mean your child won’t experience any difficulties, but it will better equip them to manage those situations. Over-protective parenting can be viewed as being unhelpful towards the building of resilience. Although this may be a natural instinct, potentially experiencing failure is all part of the process. Encouraging children to take healthy risks will help them trust their capacity to deal with uncomfortable situations and increase their capacity for courage.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will gain an understanding of how to support their child’s brave behaviour to help them adapt and build resilience. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Click here to explore this month’s edition of SchoolTV. 

Ms Jessica Alger
Deputy Principal — Students

Tiverton Campus News

Years 5 – 8: Key Focus 

Respect for Other People

Throughout 2019 students on the Tiverton Campus have been focusing on the key Lasallian value of Respect. As the school year draws to a close we have been focusing on the notion of respect for other people. 

We want all De La Salle students to use their thinking part of their brain, instead of their emotional part of their brain, and treat people of difference with respect. We want people of all race, sex, ethnicity, mental and physical abilities, old and young to have a sense of belonging in the De La Salle community at all times. We want our classrooms and playgrounds to be inclusive, collaborative and welcoming. We want respect for the individual and we will continue to educate our students on this core principle to make them better men. 

This week two Year 8 students focused on the topic of racism and the importance in our community. They discussed that they had learnt that “we have to include and respect people for who they really are, no matter what the colour of their skin is, or no matter what they believe or even their culture”. They also discussed that in order to stop racism “people have to put themselves in the victim’s shoes. People quite often don’t understand how bad they make the victim feel when they are being racist”.

Racism is something that we do not tolerate at De La Salle College in any form and it is viewed as a Level 4 violation of the De La Salle Principles. As a consequence, offending students participate in an internal suspension where they will research and learn about racism through the Library Guides on Ollie. This will also be on the students’ permanent record in the College. 

The Tiverton Wellbeing team will farewell the Year 8 students from the Tiverton campus in a few weeks’ time and we will continue to work with the other Year levels in the next few years, and so we would like to end the year with this poem by David Harris.

Respect

If we can not respect another

How can we expect them to respect us

If we can not respect someone’s beliefs

How can we expect them to respect ours

If we can not respect another’s race

How can we expect that race to respect us

If we can not respect others

How can we expect respect in return

Everyone expects respect

No matter who they are

The only way to gain it

Is to start treating everyone

As a friend, a brother, a sister

As part of our extended family

No matter what colour or creed they are

Only then you will start to get

The respect you so clearly crave

David Harris

Mr Martin Gibbs
Director of Students — Tiverton Campus

Parent Network News

Parent Network Executive Committee for 2020

The annual Parent Network General Meeting was held on Monday 21 October 2019. 

We are pleased to announce the Executive Committee of the DLS Parent Network for 2020 is:

President	Meagan Selkirk
Secretary	Letecya Stacey
Treasurer	Sonya Ryan
General Committee Members	Linda Curnow
	Kym Gardiner
	Sharon Herdman
	Mary Martin
	Melinda Rowe

We wish to thank Nick Drossos, Maria La Torre, Anthony Muir, Anest Nicolaou and Cate Robertson who have retired from the Committee after contributing many years between them to the Parent Network.

2020 Year Level Representatives

We are very excited to have a great group of parents who have volunteered to take on the important roles of Year Level Representatives for 2020. 

Year Level	Representatives
Primary	Michelle Peterson and Louise Harris
Year 7	Bron Kenworthy
Year 8	Franca Cafici, Amanda Grace and Katie Saunders
Year 9	Kirsten Bell and James McEniry
Year 10	Linda Curnow
Year 11	Trish Van Buynder
Year 12	Vacant

If you are interested in becoming involved with our great team of Year Level Representatives or filling our vacancy for Year 12, please email your details to parentnetwork@delasalle.vic.edu.au.

Mrs Meagan Selkirk
President, Parent Network Committee

Valedictory 2019 Gallery

Valedictory Mass, St Patrick’s Cathedral

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Valedictory Dinner, Sofitel on Collins

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If your son attended the Valedictory and is not featured in the gallery, please email duce@delasalle.vic.edu.au with your son’s full name and House to request your son’s photograph. Please note that while every effort is made to capture the event in full, on occasion we may not have a photograph of an individual student.

Important News

Mink and Sam — Opens Tonight!

Mink and Sam is a rollicking good, fun show featuring Year 7 and 8 students of De La Salle College and Sacré Cœur. 

Two young beings find themselves adrift in their lives and need some help. They meet each other under strange circumstances and the rest… you’ll have to come along and find out!

Come and be awed by the fabulous choreography, amazing costumes and marvellous performers! 

Two shows only! Thursday 31 October, 7:30pm and Friday 1 November, 7:30pm. No door sales — please book before you arrive! TryBooking.com/BFRPF.

Mr Andrew Murrell
Drama Coordinator

Fee Payment

2019 Tuition Fees

Families paying 2019 tuition fees are required to pay them in full by 30 November 2019, as per the College Fee policy. To review your current balance, please refer to the parent portal. If you have not provided a payment option form for the payment of your College annual tuition fees, please do so by 30 November 2019 to ensure that you are on an approved payment plan for 2020.

2020 Tuition Fees

The College Board will be ratifying a new College Fee Policy applicable from 2020 so please note billings for 2020 tuition fees will now take place in January 2020. The major change within the policy is the timing of the billings and any discount for payment in full by the end of December is no longer applicable. All families are required to be on a payment plan if they choose not to pay their account in full by 28 February 2020 (discount applies per student). The 2020 annual tuition fees and the updated College Fee Policy will be published on the College website by mid-November 2020.

For any enquires or further assistance, please contact Ms Ellenor Harris in Family Accounts or email familyaccounts@delasalle.vic.edu.au.

Thunderstorm Asthma Warning

Respiratory experts are warning people to be prepared as we enter thunderstorm asthma season — you do not need to have asthma to be affected.

Respiratory Specialists advise people to look out for wheezing, chest tightness, coughing and shortness of breath. If you have reliever medication (asthma puffer) you should take it. It is also safe to use someone else’s reliever puffer in an emergency if you don’t have one. 

Respiratory Specialists advise people should stay indoors, where possible, during spring thunderstorms, particularly when the cool change hits. 

People with asthma or hayfever should see their doctor for medication to prevent and treat any potential attacks. People with mild asthma, or who have never experienced an asthma attack, are often most affected because they are not actively taking treatment or have management plans. This is a reminder to mild asthmatics that their condition could suddenly become severe, therefore a current action plan and medication is required.

Asthma Australia urges people to be aware of asthma symptoms.

What is Thunderstorm Asthma?

It is the phenomenon of rye grass pollen being swept up into springtime thunderstorms and ruptured by the pressure of the rain into smaller pollen grains. Cold thunderstorm outflow winds then push the particles down to ground level where they can be inhaled deeply into the lungs and trigger asthma epidemics.

Symptoms to look out for

Wheezing, chest tightness, coughing and shortness of breath. Take particular care if you have asthma or are prone to hayfever.

How can I prevent it?

If you have ever had asthma talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect yourself from the risk of thunderstorm asthma this pollen season. Remember taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.

If you have hayfever – see your Doctor for a hayfever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer.

Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms through November and December – especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Close your doors and windows. If you have your air-conditioning on, turn it onto recirculate.

Respiratory Specialists advise that if you need to go to Hospital during one of these events, try to go by private transport rather than wait for an Ambulance.

Please ensure your son’s asthma and hayfever action plans are up to date with De La Salle Health Centre. If your son suffers from hayfever, please administer antihistamine at home. We have a limited supply of antihistamines at the Health Centre as emergency medication. Your son is not to attend the Health Centre for his daily antihistamine during hayfever season.

Your son’s medical file can be accessed by the community portal or contacting Ms Kylie Upton, Health Centre on 9508 2144 if you require any further information.

Useful Apps and Websites

• melbournepollen.com.au/ – website and smartphone app with daily pollen counts and warnings
• Deakin AIRWATCH
• VicEmergency App – State Government app, which issues thunderstorm warnings

Mrs Kylie Upton
Health Centre

Important Dates

Important upcoming dates in the College calendar.