Cardijn Connect W7, T3 2023

During Week 6, Cardijn College Marian Campus recognised Asia Week. The primary objective behind this celebration was to foster a deeper understanding of Asian societies and cultures.

This vibrant week was brought to life through a series of engaging activities and events including paper crane crafting sessions, a K-pop party, a sushi-making class, an array of Asian food market stalls, and entertaining performances showcasing Indonesian dance.

Thank you to the staff and students who took time from their week to assist in the festivities! 

In a showcase of cultural exchange, Galilee's Indonesian choir performed Indonesian songs they have been learning at St John the Apostle Parish School. This was made possible through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) and the Indonesian Embassy last year.

The MoU, an acknowledgement of shared educational objectives, involves Cardijn College's dedicated support for Southern Vales Primary Schools and the commitment to strengthen partnerships aimed at enhancing the Indonesian language program.

During this special event, students from Galilee were also provided with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in Indonesian culture by participating in a workshop hosted at St John's.

Over the past few weeks, Marian Campus held a series of five Year 8 Reflection Days. To enhance the experience for our students, the Year 8 cohort was divided into smaller groups. This approach allowed us to connect with all students and delve deeper into our chosen theme.

The Year 8 Reflection Day program serves a significant purpose, offering our students a unique opportunity to explore the impact of judgment in various contexts. During this event, we explored the positive and negative effects of judgment, examining how it influences our own lives, the lives of others, and the broader world.

The word “judge” can often be misunderstood due to the overuse of this term in a negative context. One of the primary objectives of this day was to unpack this misconception and discuss the importance of making positive judgments for the greater good. 

Throughout these reflection days, we engaged in a diverse range of activities aimed at exploring the concept of judgment. Our schedule started with an obstacle course, followed by a thought-provoking Q&A panel, critical thinking games and a heart-warming affirmation exercise to conclude the day.

Thank you to all Year 8 students for helping make this such a wonderful experience.

Last week the Year 10 and 11 Italian students spent a day immersed in Italian culture. The day began at Mercato, an Italian grocery shop filled with all things Italian. They then visited the Fogolar Furlan in Felixstow, a regional Italian club. 

Students were shown around the club by the club manager Giovanni Freschi, a recent migrant from Udine, who explained the importance of the club for migrants who came from the region of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia in the 1950s and how it provided them with a support network that upheld the Friulani language and culture. 

Giovanni also taught them how to play Bocce which was a lot of fun! After lunch at the club, the day concluded at Gelato Bello, with a gelato!

Marian Campus students have been exploring and exercising industry practices in their Year 11 Food class. Over a two week period the class had to foster collegiality and use collaboration skills to work collectively as a class team to create a production line of dumplings and arancini. 

The class had to be meticulous in their assembly line, ensuring each item was the same weight, shape, colour and consistency and ensuring they could make batches worthy of a formal event.

Students also developed knowledge of multicultural flavours and cooking techniques, addressing contemporary flavour combinations and presentation methods. They had a lot of fun and truly learned the value of ‘family spirit’ through coming together to achieve something on a large scale! 

Our Year 3 and 4 Magic Harvesters watched the Magic Harvest Garden Club play and learnt about the importance of soil. Did you know – billions of tiny creatures live in healthy soil? Students created their own seed packets filled with parsley seeds to take home and plant. 

We are excited to share that our Book Week Initiative has raised a grand total of $1,607.70 for The Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

In addition to our guessing game of the identities of the Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2 at Galilee, we held a staff auction across campuses where we auctioned prizes from local businesses. We'd like to acknowledge and thank the local businesses that kindly donated to our fundraiser to make this all possible.

This week the Year 11 students at Marcellin Campus have had the invaluable opportunity to participate in work experience, a program designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning, trade training and the professional world. This initiative not only equips students with practical skills but also helps them explore potential career paths and develop a deeper understanding of the workforce.

Additionally, work experience helps students develop essential soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving and time management. These skills are crucial for success in any profession and are often best learned through real-world application.

We are delighted to share that Cardijn College has been named as a finalist in two categories in the 2023 South Australian Training Awards.

RTO Training Manager Justin Mamo has been named amongst the finalists in the VET Teacher or Trainer of the Year. This award recognises innovation and excellence by a trainer or teacher providing nationally accredited training to students at a registered training organisation (RTO), or in partnership with an RTO. There is an opportunity to vote for Justin in the Voters' Choice category and we encourage our Cardijn community to get behind Justin by casting a vote. 

The College is equally thrilled to be recognised in the VET Innovation for Schools category. This award recognises excellence in schools that are developing innovative and new mechanisms for encouraging VET pathways in their schools so that their models and programs can be publicised and shared with schools across the state.

The winners will be announced at the Awards Gala Dinner on 21 September.