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TRANSCRIPT
Ex-Students and Staff Association NewsletterSeptember 2008
We are rapidly drawing closer to our Reunion Dinner in November, so please start calling your classmates and put a table together. Current and former staff members, please do likewise. You will find all the details about the function in this Newsletter and we are confident that this will be an occasion to remember.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few people who have kindly donated prizes for our annual raffle:
• Steve Lynch and Bennelo for a SkyDome • Joe Laws for a Tyrepower prize of 4 tyres • Paul Keating for a BBQ • Peter Mortimer for the Wests Tigers jersey, which we will auction on the night.
Thanks mates – your generosity is very much appreciated. Without you we would not be able to make a significant donation to the College.
I would also like to thank our hard-working Committee members and other behind-the-scenes personnel for their ongoing support.
Tickets for the 2008 Ex-Students’& Staff Association Dinner are already being snapped up by old boys who are very keen to renew old friendships with their classmates.
Congratulations to Steve Lynch, the key contact person for the Class of 1968 who is rallying his year group to celebrate their 40 year anniversary at the dinner. Already there are eighteen men booked in and many more committed to attending.
It is also wonderful that other years are feeling that it’s time to catch up. Twelve men from the Class of 83 have bought tickets also.
On the night we will have school ties for sale – now haven’t we all wanted an ‘Old
The Key Contact Persons for most year groups are researching for details of their classmates to try to gather as many as possible for a really successful reunion. If you can assist in any way, please forward details to [email protected]
Last week I had the privilege of attending the Year 12 Graduation Assembly at the College where I presented each of the graduates with an ‘Old Boys pin.’ The Assembly and the Graduation Dinner were both superb events. I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all of the students of 2008 the very best in their future endeavours. We hope to see you all soon at one our annual reunions.
November 14th should be a gala occasion in De La Salle Ashfield’s history and it would be wonderful to see as many ‘Old Boys’ of all years represented, together with past and present staff members.
I am really looking forward to greeting you all on that evening.
Graham LucasPresident, Ex-Students and Staff Association.
1961/63 Peter Calman: [email protected] Paul Couch: [email protected] Steve Lynch: [email protected] Gary Yum: [email protected] 1972 Peter Collins: [email protected] Chris Gray: [email protected] 1973 Michael Megna: [email protected] John Bova: [email protected] Gerard Evans: [email protected] Rick Gray: [email protected] Kevin Peters: [email protected] 1977 Henry Capra: [email protected] Rob Collins: [email protected] Robert Gullotta: [email protected]. Mike Mckeon: [email protected] Jim Bottalico: [email protected] Martin Peters: [email protected] Tony Ciancio: [email protected] Marc Mastro-Battista: [email protected] Darrin Redgate: [email protected] Sam Daidone: [email protected] Paul Price: [email protected] VACANT1985 Sam Boutros: [email protected]
1986 David Abood: [email protected] Damian McGovern: [email protected] Gino Craparotta: [email protected] John Sidoti: [email protected] William Hughes: [email protected] 1989 Gerard Abood: [email protected] Anthony Nobilia: [email protected] 1991 Stephen Leung: [email protected] Basil Karam: [email protected] David Civardi: [email protected] VACANT1994 Alan Nowfal: [email protected] Mario Bardella: [email protected] Daniel Da Silva: [email protected] Mathew Tse: [email protected] Cristean Yazbeck: [email protected] VACANT1999 Joe Codamo: [email protected] 2000 Mario Nowfal: [email protected]
Key Contact PersonsGeneral Correspondences: [email protected]
The return of an Old BoyIn February 2008 an Ex-Student of De La Salle Ashfield embarked on a pilgrimage back to Ashfield to remember his halcyon days with his old football club and re-visit his old neighbourhood and school. Fred Mullen attended De La Salle between 1939 and 1945.
Fred, who lives in Port Macquarie, was invited by Western Suburbs Leagues Club to join in the commemoration of their Centenary which was held in grand style at the club on Friday 22 February. Fred played for Wests between 1950 and 1954.
While in Ashfield Fred couldn’t resist visiting his old school and staff member Shirley Maguire took him on a tour of the College. He was pleased to see reminders of his schooldays but also excited that great advancements had been achieved with new buildings and modernizations. He sends his best wishes and said he was very happy to see his old school doing so well.
De La Salle College Wineand Glasses for sale at the Annual
Reunion Dinner.$25 pair of red and white or $15 each.
Glasses $25 pair.
The President’s Report
Acting Assistant Principal Robert Muscat and Graham Lucas present ‘Old Boys Pins’ to Graduating Year 12 Students.
Working with the College Leadership in Term 3, Mr Nick Brien, Assistant Principal, Ms Beverly Johnson, Secondary Consultant
for the CEO and Acting Principal Mr Pat O’Reilly
• Many of our talented musicians, singers and dancers performed for the masses at Barangaroo, Darling Harbour.
Staff Development Days have been held on 6 June and 5 September; the focus of these has been ICT and learning in June, and September ‘Cooperative Learning’. This latter approach is based on the work of Dr Spencer Kagan and was something that three staff undertook some work on/in at a Conference earlier this year.
A number of History and Geography teachers have, as a follow up to a History Conference in January, been developing materials for the classroom with a technology focus. Two of these staff, Paula Stott who attended the Canberra conference and has been sharing her insights with colleagues, and Nick Manganas, have been invited to present a workshop at an upcoming Technology in Education conference based on this work. Please visit the CEO website to read the full story: http://www.ceosyd.catholic.edu.au/cms/Jahia/pid/3700 Given World Youth Day and associated preparations, Founders Day was marked and celebrated a little later this year. Friday August 29 was a great day of two halves! Fr Michael Walsh cm, Parish Priest at St Vincent’s Ashfield, assisted by ex-student Fr Gerry Scott cm, lead us thoughtfully and prayerfully in our Founders Day Eucharist. We were delighted to have join us for the celebration 5 De La Salle Brothers: Brothers Martin Blattman, Luke Coyle, Colin Griffin, Michael Lynch and Gary Wilson. It was great to have the President of the Ex-Students and Staff Association, Mr Graham Lucas, with us; we gratefully received from the Association a $250 gift voucher that was one of the major prizes for the Walkathon. We were further grateful that a number of ex-Staff members could be present – Mr John Channells, Mr Joe Fernandez and Mr Mr Brian Ogle. As the founding of the College was celebrated for the 92nd time, God blessed us with sun between the clouds and the Walkathon got underway. Many students did a great job in their fundraising and their participation in the College Walkathon.
THE PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
A busy few months in the time since the May Association Newsletter. A brief word of introduction: Michael Barrington is on sabbatical/long service leave for Term III. I am very grateful for this opportunity to be Acting Principal at De La Salle this term; I am otherwise Assistant Principal at Marist College, Kogarah. Prior to that I was Assistant Principal at Bethlehem College – Ashfield is thus familiar, if different from the other side of the fence!
World Youth Day/Week was an enormous undertaking and experience from so many points of view. There were some 380 on the De La Salle site, and some 980 all up across the three schools (St Vincent’s Primary school, Bethlehem College). On each of the three mornings Catechesis took place in the multipurpose Hall (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) there were approximately 1200 for catechesis (and some 1500 on the day an American Bishop lead the gathering!). The staff response was fantastic – both at the College and with student pilgrims, staff were generous and very accommodating.
Pilgrims were on site for longer than expected, and in particular in the Hall, up to two days after the Mass on the Sunday at Randwick. In what was an amazing week, several particular experiences are worthy of highlighting:
• As mentioned in the previous Association Newsletter, the presence of Alfio Stutto (HSC 1999) in the role of Jesus in the very moving Stations of the Cross on the Friday.
• Later that day, College Vice Captain Bol Bol met with Pope Benedict XVI at a gathering at Sacred Heart Darlinghurst.
The College has been the beneficiary of Federal Government Grant money via the ‘Investing in Our Schools Program. We received some $23,000 which went towards Air Conditioning in some technology focused rooms, as well as the purchase and installation of 3 more interactive white boards in various parts of the College.
The College has been selected to be part of a trial looking at a Carbon Audit process for schools. In this environmentally conscious era, we will be one of 6 Sydney Catholic schools participating in this process commencing Term 3 2008. The longer term goal is reduced emissions and energy usage within and across schools generally and De La Salle specifically.
Our U/15 MCC Rugby team made it through to the Semi-Finals of the MCC Competition. They were narrowly beaten by Marist College Pagewood 17-10 in blustery conditions. For the MCC U/13 Rugby Team, the MCC Athletics team, the MCC Golf and Tennis teams who all competed this past term excellent participation and effort were on offer; the other teams and athletes were that bit better on the day.
Term IV sees two big events in particular – the Ex-Students and Staff Dinner and Annual Reunion, well publicised elsewhere in this Newsletter; and the Opening and Blessing of the Multipurpose Hall on Sunday 23 November.
Patrick O’ReillyActing Principal.
Cost: $60
[email protected] 97973200
Acting Principal Mr Pat O’Reilly
Jesus speaks to Year 12 Actor and former student Alfio Stuto (class of 1999) returned to the College for the first time since his own graduation to address Year 12 students, parents and staff at this year’s Year 12 Graduation. Alfio recently received international acclaim for his portrayal of Jesus in the World Youth Day re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross in Sydney.
Also present at this year’s Graduation Dinner were David Herman and Sharon Saad who presented the award which bears their father’s name. Lew Herman, an old boy of the College was also twice Lord Mayor of Ashfield Council. The ‘Lew Herman Award for Citizenship’ was presented, this year, to Anthony Ayoub for his contributions to the community throughout his time at the College. Every year Lew and his wife Cecily attended the Year 12 Graduation Dinner to present the award. Unfortunately both Lew and Cecily passed away before the 2007 Graduation. The College will always remember them through the annual presentation of this award.
Year 10 students undergo a History field study using MP3 players and pod-casts.
De La Salle students performing for the World Youth DayAssembly at Barangaroo. Father Michael Walsh and former student Father Gerry Scott
celebrate Founders’ Day Mass at the College.
Students of De La Salle prepare to depart for the ‘Pilgrim walk’during World Youth Day celebrations.