Secondary News

The final week of the term has arrived, and what a term it has been. Often we think of Term 3 as being a quieter term with no examinations and reports scheduled. This term, however, has been anything but quiet. We are so proud of the way our students have embraced the many opportunities that have been afforded to them. Many of our students have been consistently involved across many co-curricular areas and we thank them for their whole-hearted engagement, and for diligently juggling all their commitments.

What a wonderful privilege to walk in the knowledge of Isaiah 40:31: Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.

Our Last Assembly of the Term

Last week, we concluded our term with our final assembly centred around the theme of “Perseverance.” We showcased an inspiring video featuring renowned individuals who exemplified persistence in their respective fields, demonstrating that dedication and hard work ultimately lead to achieving one’s dreams.

Our students took the reins once again, skillfully leading the assembly from beginning to end. They also took this opportunity to share valuable feedback and insights from recent school events with the entire school community.

A highlight of our assembly was the performance by our school band, comprised of Year 6-9 students, who delivered a rendition of the musical item: “Pirates Cave”. We were all blown away by how far they have come in their musical journeys. This was a true testimony to the concept of perseverance and dedication.  Mrs Goetz,  we are very blessed to have you motivating and coaching our band towards excellence.

Year 12 Mock Exams:

As the time for our Year 12 students begins to draw to a close, we would really like to acknowledge these students for their commitment to our school community over their schooling careers. We wish our ATAR students all the best as they sit their Mock Examinations in the second week of the school holidays. Most exam sessions are three hours long and most students do five exams. Our prayers will be with you as you seek to demonstrate all you have learnt…

Chess:

In Week 8, our school chess team headed up to Mount Barker to play in the GSSSSA Chess Competition. Our chess team played several games against students from St Joseph’s, Mount Barker, NASHS, ASHS and Kojonup.

Overall, we had an amazing time and ended up placing 1st overall. Our team was awarded the GSSSSA trophy. Riley Nash was undefeated and we congratulate him on being placed first in the entire competition.

Pedal Prix:

On the 18th of August, our team of Pedal Prix riders participated in the Busselton 6 hour. This event is the largest race in the Western Australian series and doubled as the 5th race within the national series. The race included 47 trikes, with a number of teams having travelled from the eastern states to compete. The students represented our school well and were competitive within their individual categories.

Our all-female team achieved a well-earned podium position, finishing 6 laps behind second. This was an encouraging end to the girls’ first season as a team, showing strong growth from their previous event in Perth, and promising signs for 2025.

Despite having their number of riders reduced to three prior to the race, the participants in our senior boys team worked hard to keep their lap tally growing. With great perseverance and grit, the boys completed over 115 kilometres of distance during their 6 hours of racing. 

With all team members in their first season, our junior secondary boys team finished their race in fifth place in their category of 18 teams. For most of the race, the team matched it with the more experienced riders from Hale and Carey Baptist College, but fell heartbreakingly short of the podium by two laps.

The achievements and challenges from this event add to the continuing story of our Pedal Prix journey at ACC, building a legacy, and inspiring and motivating for next season.

A big thank you to our sponsors, Albany Printers, Albany Stationers, and Albany Signs for your support during this Pedal Prix season.                                   (Written by Mr Pitman)

Athletics Carnival

Each year, our students getting stronger as they compete against other schools in the

Associated and Catholics Colleges of WA Inter Schools Athletics Carnival. Although we continue to take approximately the same number of students up to Perth, our points continue to escalate.

Outdoor Education & Adventurous Journey Gallery

Adventurous Journey

This year's Adventurous Journey was one that our students will never forget. The planned hiking expedition from Peaceful Bay to Walpole was cut a day short due to flooded tents and wet clothes. Day 1 was 15km and included a few water crossings, shoes coming off to avoid blisters with each crossing. A steep hill and a full campsite at Giants Hut on the Bibbulmun track added to the challenges. But the weather was amazing on Day 1 and the scenery was breathtaking. Mafia was on the cards that night before a rough sleep on even ground in the best location we had available to us, too close to the long drop toilet for comfort. Day 2 wasn’t as lovely as Day 1 was with a light drizzle of rain that didn’t stop all day. We hiked past the Tree Top Walk and made it to the camp area on the Frankland River near Nornalup for a late lunch. To get out of the rain we set up our tents early but even with tents up most of the group were too social to stay confined to their tent. It wasn’t long until the Year 11 / 12 Outdoor Ed Kayaking Group joined us. Our group got to have a bit of a Kayak near camp. Some of us cooked our dinner under a tarp attached to our support vehicle and a tree. But as it got dark it became apparent that a few students in our group had pools of water in their tent and no dry clothes. After consultation, the decision was made to extract the group to avoid any of our students getting hyperthermia. The Kayaking group were able to stay so we bid our farewells and using the support vehicle made multiple trips to Nornalup where the bus was waiting for us. The group showed incredible endurance and were truly a pleasure to hike with.          (Written by Mr L. Wiseman)

Summer Uniform

Next term, our students return to their summer uniforms. The holidays will be a good time to check if your summer uniforms still fit, and place orders on any missing items. During Term 4, students can take advantage of the beautiful weather, but they will require a hat when they venture out to the playground. Should you need any uniform items, please remember to order through our school uniform shop.

Assessments for Term 4

As we approach the final term of the year, we would like to remind you of our end of year examinations. 

Please use the links below to see your child's assessment calendar.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Year 12

Sydney/Canberra

We look forward to hearing from our Year 9-11 students who embarked on the Sydney/Canberra trip. From what we have heard, this trip has been an exciting and fun-filled experience with an enormous variety of learning opportunities. We will hear more at our Week 2 assembly next term. 

Lunchtime Clubs

We are very proud of our Year 11 and 12 students who have managed to get a range of clubs up and running since the start of the term. We have found that this has been a wonderful initiative that has provided our students with an outlet, be it in a physical, spiritual, intellectual, or artistic manner. Currently, the following clubs are being held;

• Monday: Chess Club

• Tuesday: Cru Club

• Wednesday: Band

• Thursday: Creative Corner

• Friday: Fun and Games + Mountain Biking

Breakfast Club

Mrs Beeck and her wellbeing team have successfully got the Breakfast Club initiative up and running every Wednesday morning. Students have been getting delicious breakfasts of vegemite toast, spaghetti, baked beans, muffins, yoghurt, fruit, cereal and milo. With a full tummy, many of our younger students have then enjoyed each other's company on the basketball court, while our high school students have loved watching the Olympic highlights while playing a range of board games. This initiative has not only enabled our students to start off the morning with a good breakfast but has also allowed our students from various year groups to connect and get to know each other.

A Final Word

Thank you for taking the time to read through our newsletter. We are excited about the weeks ahead and look forward to seeing all the wonderful achievements our students will make. Here's to a term filled with learning, growth, and plenty of memorable moments!

Warm regards,

Di & Will