Off to a Flying Start
Our annual Arts Festival kicks off this week with our Choral Concert, Artery and Jazz by the River followed by the ATC Actor’s Studio production of SE Hinton’s The Outsiders next week.
There is a tragic move away from valuing the Arts in education in Australia, primarily driven by the economic environment, perceptions about employment, the cost of tertiary study and the skewing of scaling in ATAR scoring. The Arts play a pivotal role in society with all of us engaging with one domain of creative expression in one way or another on a daily basis. The promotion of the Arts in schools is vital.
The Arts play a pivotal role in the formation of young people and in the balance and mental health benefits of engagement, process, creative expression and collaboration with peers. The Arts play a pivotal role in shaping and informing critical thinking skills, analysis and problem solving. ATC are blessed to have the most wonderful staff leading and facilitating our music, media arts, art and drama classes and co-curricular programs. One of the things I always say when enrolling students is that we love an all-rounder at ATC. Our Arts' students make our school smarter, healthier, happier and enrich our community with their gifts. Please come along and support our Arts Festival and celebrate 10 years of ATC.
ArtFest
Join me this Wednesday evening at ARTfest where I will be presenting the Principal's Art Awards and where you can view the exhibition of all student artworks from across the year. Our Art staff are also offering a free Printmaking Workshop from 5pm. CLICK HERE to register your attendance for the workshop and the ARTfest evening, to assist with catering and art material preparation.
Pink Day
An ATC tradition that stems from Nudgee Junior College days is our annual Pink Day in support of Breast Cancer research. This year, our guest speaker for College Assembly to facilitate some education about this important topic is Professor Stacey Edwards. She leads the Functional Cancer Genomics team in the Cancer Research Program at QIMR Berghofer.
Professor Edwards completed her PhD in molecular biology at the University of Queensland (UQ, 2002). Her postdoctoral training was carried out at UQ and the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre in London, funded by an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship. She was recruited to QIMR Berghofer in 2013, where she established a multidisciplinary group focused on understanding how genetic variation contributes to cancer risk and progression. Her laboratory is particularly interested in translating the findings of cancer GWAS, including identification of functional risk variants, connecting these variants to their target genes and understanding how these genes contribute to cancer phenotypes. Her research integrates genetics, chromatin and transcriptome profiling, computational genomics and molecular studies to unravel the complexity of cancer development. Her discoveries have accelerated progress from genetic studies to biological knowledge that may ultimately guide preventative and therapeutic measures.
We look forward to our annual Pink Day this Friday which is always wholeheartedly supported by students and staff alike.
Staff News
Congratulations to our Head of Pathways, Ms Michelle Kath who has shared with us her intention to retire at the end of 2025. Ms Kath has enjoyed 37 years of rich experience in Catholic education in a wide variety of settings and contexts. In Edmund Rice schools, Michelle is a trailblazer for women in senior leadership, a highly respected colleague and dedicated mentor and teacher. Michelle has been a fabulous touchstone for our Senior School students and parents in her role as Head of Pathways as her wisdom and compassion have shone in shepherding our students towards their post school pathway. We thank and celebrate Michelle and congratulate her on an outstanding professional vocation.
AIC Track and Field Championships
Congratulations to our athletes and coaching staff on a committed performance at the AIC athletics carnival held on Friday. There were many brave efforts and a special congratulations to James Schinard, Year 11 for winning the Year 11 1500 metres.
Thank you to our Year 9 and 11 students who chose the Stronger Together path and attended in the grandstand to support their peers. Their contribution and spirit was greatly valued and appreciated by their peers on the track and in the field.
2020 Class Reunion
It was great to gather with our second group of Seniors on Saturday afternoon for their five-year reunion. This group copped the worst of the first phase of COVID restrictions including 5 weeks of learning at home in their second Term of Year 12. It is always a joy that young people are eager to connect with their friends, staff and their school. They were very impressed with the new Waterford building! Most importantly, it is great to see the warmth and sincerity of connection between students, and with staff both current and former. Former staff wishing to attend and connect is a very special element of these occasions and I thank the organising committee of the past students, Senior of 2020 and all staff who came along for a most enjoyable occasion.
God bless,
Chris Ryan
