Semester 2, Week 9 – Friday 6 December 2019

Mercy Messenger

Christmas Message from the Principal The ancients were far more perceptive observers of the night sky than the present city dwellers shrouded in light pollution. In this day and age, it would be hard to visually follow a star. Still, it’s quite a romantic notion and a powerful Christmas mental image of the classic scene of the three Magi gazing out on the landscape illuminated by a spectacular star. One theory has it that the star was in actual fact the planet Jupiter appearing to pause in its westward journey across the night sky. Certainly it is a brilliant object when rising on the opposite horizon to the setting sun. This year we have an even more brilliant Venus on the western horizon and Mars on Christmas Day on the eastern morning horizon. Jupiter, unfortunately is visually too close to the setting sun for a rerun of biblical times. The ancients saw the various arrangements of the planets as prophetic while the moderns remain completely unaware. This Christmas look on the night sky and wonder at the magnificence of creation. Maybe, just maybe our fortune is in the stars. Happy Christmas

Mr Jim Ford | Principal

Fri 6 Dec ............................................ LAST DAY TERM 4 Fri 13 Dec .................................................. Office Closes

Mon 13 Jan .................................. College Office Opens Tues 28 Jan ... First Day Year 7 & new 8, 9, 10 students Wed 29 Jan ............................. All Students Commence

2020 Starting Dates & Term Dates

Tuesday 28 January – Year 7’s only with the new Year 8, 9 & 10’s Wednesday 29 January – All year levels

Semester 1 Term 1: 10 Weeks Tue 28 January - Fri 3 April

Semester 1 Term 2: 10 Weeks Mon 20 April - Fri 26 June

Semester 2 Term 3: 10 Weeks Mon 13 July - Fri 18 September

Semester 2 Term 4: 9 Weeks Tue 6 October - Fri 4 December

Christmas, the all year celebration This Christmas will be somewhat different for myself and my immediate family. Usually we all sit around the Christmas tree and take turns to offer our gifts to each other, with our beloved dog even receiving his gift. However, this year I won’t have my children home on Christmas day as both are working away. Additionally, my husband, for the first time in our 32 years of marriage, will be working on Christmas day. We can have our Christmas celebration and feast just a little later this year and that’s ok because Christmas should continue to be lived throughout the whole year. This Christmas and always may you:

make time to be

hear the laughter of children

hear what your soul is saying

hear beyond schedules and meetings, noise and busyness

hear the whisper of your God’s love deep within you

fall in love with the gentle waves of the ocean

fall in love with the music that touches you

slow down and be still; be still with a cuppa, novel, sunset or silence and be content

slow down so you can truly see the beauty around and within you

slow down and allow wonder and awe, magic and mischief to be born again

see how blessed you are

see things in perspective

see what is truly important

see what is just ‘waffle’

be gentle

be creative

be adventurous

be forgiving

be loving

be there for yourself and for loved ones

open your heart to the stranger

open your mind to the different and to the challenging

open your hands in trust

open your eyes to see the wonder

open your eyes to see things differently

give of yourself to those dearest to you

give to the poor and the broken

allow yourself to be loved

allow yourself to play and wonder

allow yourself just to be

Almighty God, grant us the light of Christmas, which is faith; The warmth of Christmas, which is purity;

The righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; The belief in Christmas, which is truth;

The all of Christmas, which is Christ. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen

Mrs Jeanette Refalo | Assistant Principal Mission

Science Quiz

Questions

1. Which of the following is the longest distance? Is it a) from the centre of the Sun to its edge, b) the centre of Earth to the Moon, or c) the centre of Saturn to the edge of its main rings?

2. What is a peachick? Is it a) a type of bean, b) a type of bird, c) a type of money, or d) a type of microscope?

3. Which of the following weighs more? Is it a) a bucket of gravel, b) a bucket of sand, or c) a bucket of mixed sand and gravel?

4. Only one of the following metals is on the periodic table, but which one? Is it a) steel, b) zinc, c) bronze, or d) brass?

5. Which of these big cat species is the heaviest? Is it a) the tiger, b) the lion, c) the jaguar, or d) the leopard?

Answers

1. a) It’s almost 700 000 kilometres from the centre of the Sun to its edge. The Moon orbits about 380 000 kilometres

from Earth, and Saturn’s rings reach about 140 000 kilometres from its centre.

2. b) A peachick is a young peacock or peahen.

3. c) A mixture of different sized particles is typically denser than ones that are the same size.

4. b) Zinc is element number 30 and has the symbol Zn. The other metals include more than one element.

5. a) The largest wild cat ever measured was a Bengal tiger, which weighed approximately 389 kilograms.

Photo viewing and sales will be held in Rm D01 on Friday 6 December from 3:30 – 6:00pm. Entry via Juliet Street.

All enquiries to Nikki Hay: 0417 611 798.

Gingerbread Biscuits

3 cups all-purpose flour 1½ tsp baking powder ¾ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt 1 Tbsp ground ginger 1½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves 6 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened ¾ cup brown sugar 1 large egg ½ cup molasses 2 tsp vanilla extract

To make the dough: In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves until well blended. In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar and egg on medium speed until well blended. Add molasses and vanilla. With your mixer on low speed, gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth. Gather dough with your hands into a ball and divide dough in half. Shape each half into a round disk and wrap each half in plastic. Refrigerate up to 4 days. Let dough come to room temperature before using.

To roll and bake: When ready to bake, preheat oven to 190˚C. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll each portion of dough 1/4-inch thick between two sheets of waxed paper. Cut out shapes with cookie cutter. Remove excess dough from around the cookies (as best you can), and transfer wax paper sheet to the freezer. Freeze for 10 minutes, then remove shapes to your lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. This makes transferring the cookies while keeping their shape SO much easier! Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-9 minutes. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Once cookies are completely cool, decorate as desired.

To decorate with royal icing: 1½ cups (240g) pure icing sugar, 1 egg white ½ tsp lemon juice Sift the icing sugar through a very fine sieve. Lightly beat egg white in a small bowl with a wooden spoon; add icing sugar, a heaped tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. When icing reaches the desired consistency, add juice; beat well. Cover surface of icing tightly with plastic wrap while not using to prevent crust developing. Icing will harden considerably on standing. Decorate however you want and add food colouring for a touch of colour.

May the simple joys of Christmas warm your heart, fill your home

and last a lifetime.

Merry Christmas to you all