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ֱ News Term 2 Week 8 : From the Principal

Champagnat Day

Today we celebrated the ideals and dreams of our Founder St Marcellin Champagnat and who we are as a Marist community. Right across the school today, from our Kindergarten to Year 6 to Year 12, we came to the table to celebrate who we are and our shared purpose. At the heart of our Gospel message is the notion that we can be faith-filled, we can be hope-filled and we do that by how we love one another. Marist education is premised on the notion that we can be present to each other, that we can form relationships and think of the other person, particularly that person most in need.

Congratulations to those Marist award winners in each year group in the Secondary school and those in the Primary who have won the Marist award every week. This award sets the exemplar of what we want for this community. A commitment to excellence, a commitment to service, a commitment to the other person. Congratulations also to those teachers for their Marist service awards.

The proceeds of funds raised today will go to Australian Marist Solidarity, the international agency for the aid and development work of the Marist Province of Australia, which supports those throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. Our fundraising today raises awareness of issues that afflict the minority, the marginalised, the person without a home, without food on the table or a country they can call their own. We need to ask ourselves the question – ‘what would we do if we had no home, had no country, no education?’ In our faith and learning community the people we become, the questions we ask and the actions we take will define our future.

We were indeed fortunate that the weather held. Students and staff participated in all events with great enthusiasm and joy. Further reports of the day can be found in other parts of this newsletter.

Opening and Blessing of the St John Henry ֱ Learning Hub, Tuesday 1 June

Thank you to all staff, students and members of our Community for ensuring that last week’s Opening and Blessing of the St John Henry ֱ Learning Hub was the great success it was.

This event not only showcased our beautiful new facility, but also provided an opportunity to celebrate our Vision for Learning Shine Through Discovery – Let your light shine…..

This new learning space was designed to animate staff and students to reflect our vision to be flexible, agile and innovative in their learning. The Hub reflects the pedagogical pillar, Collaborate, in our Vision for Learning that will enhance the skills of critical thinking, innovation and a culture of presentation for both students and staff.

We were indeed fortunate to have had special guests contribute to the formalities of the Opening, including:

  • The Most Reverend Timothy Costelloe, Archbishop of Perth
  • Br Peter Carroll, Provincial of the Marist Brothers and the Leader of the Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat
  • Dr Frank Malloy, National Director Marist Schools Australia (online)

Primary Schools Lifelink Launch

On Tuesday 2 June, ֱ was delighted to once again host the Archbishop of Perth’s Lifelink Launch for Primary Schools, the aim of which is to help raise funds for people in need in our community. We welcomed the following special guests to our College:

  • The Most Rev Timothy Costello, Archbishop of Perth
  • The Most Rev Donald Sproxton, Auxiliary Bishop of Perth
  • Dr Debra Sayce, Executive Director, CEWA
  • Br Peter Carroll, Provincial Leader of the Marist Brothers
  • Dr Frank Malloy, National Director Marist Schools Australia

Year 7 2024 Interviews

As indicated in last week’s Newsletter, the interview enrolment process for Year 7 2024 has commenced and continues over this weekend into next week. Members of the Senior Leadership Team have thoroughly enjoyed meeting prospective students who are showing so much enthusiasm for starting secondary school.

College Canteen Provision of Service

In recent months the College has undertaken a review of the canteen services provided at ֱ to evaluate the efficacy of resources and facilities. The outcome of this review indicated the need for consolidation of provisions across the College. As a result, several changes to the delivery of service will come into effect from the commencement of Term 3 2021. These include:

  • All food and drink will be provisioned through the Marcellin Canteen.
  • Canteen orders for recess and lunch will be delivered to the Marian and Lavalla campuses at the appropriate time. (This recess option for the Marian Campus is new.)
  • All Canteen orders, for both recess and lunch will now shift to the Flexischools online system. Walk up purchases will no longer be available at the Marian and Lavalla campuses.
  • Forgotten or missing lunches will now be reported to the relevant Student Administration where appropriate measures will be taken to support individual students.
  • Canteen services for Marcellin students remain unchanged.

Primary families would have received communication this week about how to access Flexischools and set up an account.

John Finneran
PRINCIPAL

 

ֱ News Term 2 Week 8: From the Leader of Mission and Catholic Identity

Lifelink

ֱ welcomed the Archbishop Timothy Costelloe and Bishop Donald Sproxton to launch the archdiocesan fundraiser Lifelink. Our Junior Dance Troupe opened the launch with an inspiring performance to “You Raise Me Up”. The challenge to the students was to consider “How is God calling us to be a Christ-centred Church in Australia that is a joyful, hope filled and servant community?”

It was a wonderful celebration and collaboration between all primary schools in the archdioeces. We look forward to supporting the lifelink agencies in 2021 with our annual fundraiser scheduled for Term 3. More information about Lifelink can be found .

Student Led Prayer 

Friday Week 9 our Faith and Liturgy Captains return to lead students in quiet prayers and reflection. All are welcome from 8.25am in the Champagnat Chapel every Friday.

Thursday morning Community Mass – 8.10am every Thursday

Thank you to Marcellin Guild and Year 6 students  hosted our Thursday morning community Mass in Week 7 and MacKillop Guild and Year 6 who hosted in Week 8. Romero Guild and Year 4 will be hosting in Week 9.

Our community Mass is the perfect way to start your day where students can gather with staff and their parents to begin the day. All parents are invited to attend with their students at least once a term.

ֱ News Term 2 Week 8: From the Deputy Principal Secondary

Highlights from the Past Two Weeks 

Maggie Dent: Real Kids in An Unreal World 

On Tuesday 8 June, Maggie Dent spoke to families in our community on Building Resilience and Self-esteem in Today’s Children. Resiliency is the capacity to bounce back from life’s setbacks and it is an essential component in healthy flourishing. Maggie shared her 10 resilience building blocks and while this model was developed for children aged 0 – 12 years, this step-by-step approach can be adapted and utilised by families to support adolescents to be happy, healthy, strong and kind. For more information on the 10 resilience building blocks, please visit

Senior School Exams

Congratulations to the Year 10, 11 and 12 students who have now completed their Semester One examinations. As students begin to receive their results and feedback, I encourage students to take this opportunity to reflect on the progress they have made so far and to set some new goals for the new semester.

Year 11 and 12 students who wish to make changes to their subjects, must see their Leader of Wellbeing as soon as possible.

Problem Solve It Immersion 2021

Well done to the  following students who have been successfully chosen to attend the Problem Solve It Immersion 2021

  • Jaydon Augustus (Yr 9)
  • Zoe Boss (Yr 9)
  • Oliver Chapman (Yr 9)
  • Lali Dimitriadis (Yr 9)
  • Caitlin Hawkins (Yr 10)
  • Charlotte Laurent (Yr 9)
  • Meg McAullay (Yr 10)
  • Christian Offenburg (Yr 10)
  • Keira Reynolds (Yr 9)
  • Austin Sickinghe (Yr 10)
  • Pippa Simpson (Yr 9)
  • Jordan Smith (Yr 9)
  • Riley Somers (Yr 10)
  • John Thompson (Yr 10)
  • Zoe Trovato (Yr 9)

This immersion program challenges students the opportunity to engage in authentic, creative and collaborative learning where the process is just as important as the outcome, building their capacity to be dynamic, reflective and resilient life-long learners, whilst concurrently preparing them for the future world they will inevitably enter. It also aims to further develop and promote the formation of critical thinking skills and the capacity to problem solve.

As part of this immersion a relationship was established with Singapore Republic Polytechnic, an institution of higher learning which was the first school system in Singapore to use a problem-based learning pedagogy for all its diploma programs. In 2019, 25 ֱ students and 4 staff travelled to Singapore in what would be our first international immersion. Not only did this allow our students to grow as informed global citizens by traveling internationally to the school, they also had the opportunity to experience another culture first hand. In 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 has seen the program pivot to adhere to the continuing travel restrictions.

In 2021, the immersion will take place between July 13th to July 16th and while tailored to our Gifted and Talented Education students.This will be a local 4-day immersion which not only sees the continuation of our relationship with Singapore Republic Polytechnic, but also incorporates a newly formed partnership with UWA and local branches of other large organisations. The students who attend the immersion become leaders, mentors and ambassadors in this space, supporting students, staff, parents and the wider community in understanding the methodology and benefits of problem-based learning.

ֱ comes third at STEM Challenge Day

The STEM Challenge Day was a very educational experience that took place on the 20h of May and taught the Year 10 participants a lot about how to approach a problem and solve it with an appropriate plan. Held at Claremont showground, competing with eight schools ֱ finished third overall, coming first in bridge building, hovercrafts, grasping at straws and future power, and second in activities such as water turbines and many others. The day taught us about what a future in STEM career would look like and how the skills we learn in school can be applied to solve real world problems. We worked collaboratively and approached each problem with a growth mindset, which lead us to many successes, and sometimes a failure, but with failure comes learning. Overall, the day was a success and a wonderful learning experience for everyone. – Mackenzie Boekhoorn Year 10.

“Grasping straws proved to be a fun challenge in which we had to build a robotic hand using limited and unique materials. Future power was a very interesting task where we had to choose different power generators to re-route energy to different sectors.” – Luke Hollett. Luke’s team also included Ethan Nguyen and Aaron Hutchinson. The team came first in both Grasping at Straws and Future Power.

“The wind turbine was an event in which as a group we constructed a turbine out of our limited resources (3 foam trays, 10 popsicle sticks and tape) along with a metal rod. The aim of this challenge was to create an efficient turbine that spins as many times as possible in 20 seconds while water is projected onto the wheel.” – Eliza Swain. Eliza’s team included Caitlin Kojundzich, Sinead Murray and Mackenzie Boekhoorn. The team were close to beating one of the challenges records in the Turbine challenge.

A special mention also goes to the winning team of the Hover Frenzy challenge. Maud Buchanan, Rose Carlino, Sarah Johnston and Christian Offenburg who not only designed a functional, fast and agile hovercraft but they also considered the design and aesthetic of their craft naming it ‘Biscuit’ for the day.

Lastly, the Bridge building team Corey McFadgen, Jacob Rivett and Christian Wearmouth narrowly missed out on first place for their incredibly strong bridge.

Thank you to the following students who were also involved in the day and contributed to our third overall placing: Meg McAullay, Bethany Avins, Lincoln Patterson, Michael Pethick, Ben Giumelli, Isaac Nolan, Cooper Stevens, James Hart, Austin Sickinghe, Noah Cowan, Ben Borgas, Reuben Keane, Blake Arto, Daniel Bulakovski and Kai Kazmer.

Thank you to Mr Bartlett and Mrs Ognenis for assisting in the organisation of the day.

Important Information For Next Two Weeks 

Guild Activities

Students on the Marcellin Campus will be participating in a Guild activities on Wednesday 16 June.  Students are required to wear their Guild uniform on this day.

NAS Finals 

Good luck to all NAS teams who have progressed to the finals during Week 9. We look forward to celebrating their success during the Principal’s Assembly in Week 11.

Year 6 & 12 Student Leaders Gathering 

Year 6 and Year 12 student leaders met this week and discussed the opportunities and challenges that leadership can present. As part of their leadership development, the students will participate in a number of leadership formation workshops throughout the year. These workshops will aim to grow our student leaders and support them in overcoming some of the challenges they have identified. Our first workshop will take place on Friday 25 June at 7:30am in the Heritage Room on the Marcellin Campus. Students will be provided with breakfast.

Careers and Pathways Update

Contact details:

Justin Farley
Pathways  Coordinator 
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Tel. 9204 9457

Alastair MacNeill
VET Coordinator
vet@newman.wa.edu.au
Tel. 9204 9415

Year 10, 11 and 12

ֱ Careers Expo

The ֱ Careers Expo will be held on Monday 21 June (Week 10) after school in the Marist Auditorium. There will be a wide variety of exhibits, including:

  • All Universities: UWA, Curtin, Notre Dame, ECU, Murdoch
  • TAFE
  • Defence Force
  • Private VET providers
  • SAE Creative Media Institute
  • Apprenticeships and traineeships
  • Disability Support

3.30pm to 4.30pm: Year 11/12 students attending

5.00pm to 5.45pm: Year 10 students attending

5.45pm: Year 10 parent information evening

Year 10 

Subject Selection for Year 11, 2022

Please see below the timeline for subject selection for Year 11, 2022.

  •  Term 2, Week 9
    Year 10 Semester 1 reports available to students and families.
  • Term 2, Week 10
    Monday 21 June
    5.00pm to 5.45pm: Year 10 Careers Exo
    5.45pm:Year 10 Parent Evening
    Tuesday 22 June
    Subject selections will open (online) for students and families.
  • Term 2, Week 11
    Friday 2 July: Final date for Year 11 subject selections to be entered online.
  • Term 3, Week 1-2
    College staff will contact families on an as-needed basis to discuss concerns or questions.
  • Term 3, Week 3
    Information about enrolling in Onsite (work experience) and TAFE will be provided to students and families.

Year 12

University applications open (TISC)

As of 19 April, Year 12s can apply for a place at University in 2022. In Term 3, all Year 12s will be provided with detailed information on how to apply via TISC.

There is no rush to apply and students will not miss out on a place at University. It is better to take your time and think carefully about the right course for you.

Closing dates are 30 September (for Medicine/Dentistry) and 21 December (all other courses).

University Early Offers

Western Australian universities are publishing their Early Offer programs for students entering university in 2022. Please see below for details:

  • Curtin University

    Offer conditional on attaining the necessary ATAR for that course.
  • Edith Cowan University (ECU)

    Offer conditional on attaining the necessary ATAR for that course.
  • Murdoch University

    Unconditional offer even if you don’t achieve the necessary ATAR for that course. However, students must meet any subject prerequisites.
  • Notre Dame University

    Unconditional offer but also includes an interview and consideration of non-academic achievements.
  • University of Western Australia (UWA)

    Unconditional offer if students have a high enough predicted ATAR (predicted ATAR +3 for courses below 92 and +1 for courses above 92). Otherwise the offer is conditional on attaining the required ATAR for that course.


Thinking of studying Medicine or Dentistry next year?

If you are in Year 12 and thinking of studying Medicine or Dentistry next year (either at Curtin, or via direct pathway to UWA) you must sit the Undergraduate Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) this year.

The dates for UCAT testing 2021 are:

  • 1 July: Testing begins
  • 11 August: Last test date

You can find out more about the UCAT at or you are welcome to book an appointment to talk to me. There are many different ways into Medicine and Dentistry so come and ask if unsure.

Students and parents might also find useful.

Upcoming Careers Events

  • Parent Information Webinar
    UWA (online)
  • ֱ Careers Expo
    21 June ֱ Auditorium
    Expected attendance for Year 11-12 students (3.30pm to 4.30pm).
    Compulsory for Year 10 students (5.00pm to 5.45pm)
  • Year 10 Parent Information Evening
    21 June ֱ Auditorium
    Compulsory for Year 10 students (5.45pm to 6.30pm)
  • Admission Pathways Evening
    16 June and 15 September Murdoch University
  • A Day at UWA (Year 12)
    16 July UWA
  • Murdoch University Open Day
    18 July Murdoch University
  • Notre Dame Open Day
    1 August Notre Dame
  • Nursing and Midwifery Evening
    13 August ECU Joondalup
  • Skills West Careers and Employment Expo
    26-28 August Perth Convention Centre
  • Admissions Pathways Open Evening
    15 September Murdoch University
  • A Day at UWA (Year 10)
    30 September UWA
  • A Day at UWA (Year 11)
    7 October UWA
  • ECU Open Evening – Admissions
    20 October ECU Joondalup
  • Engineering and Technology Evening
    8 November ECU Joondalup

ֱ News Term 2 Week 8: From the Leader of Primary

On Tuesday evening of this week, ֱ hosted parenting expert Maggie Dent who gave a presentation on building children’s resilience. As is her way, Maggie presented in her typically good humoured fashion, connecting with many families over the challenges we see in raising children today. One of the things she spoke about that really stuck with me is that there is no parenting book written about your child. Each child is so unique and so different in their own way, that there is never really a solution or approach that works for all children. The message I took from this is that as parents, we need to be kind to ourselves. It is so easy to draw comparisons between our own child and others; it is so easy to look at the achievements of one child and have concern or worry for why our child is not doing the same. If there is one thing I have learned in my years in education, it’s that it all balances out in the end.

Students will always grow and develop at different rates, and where one child shows strength or talent, another may do so in something completely different. I think the parents of our community should know that it’s ok to be kind to ourselves (in fact I strongly encourage it!)  – to actually stop and pause and reflect on the great things we have done as parents and as families, rather than be hard on ourselves for any perceived deficiencies. Celebrate the beautiful young person your child is becoming! Being a parent is hard – there’s no manual on how to get it done, and we learn on the job as we go. I hope that as we move towards the conclusion of this term, families can take some time to reflect on the great things that have occurred for them and their children this year and celebrate that in some special or meaningful way. Remember, no matter how we might feel about ourselves some days, our children love us just the way we are 😊

Incidentally, Maggie’s website is packed with information covering all sorts of topics from helping children with anxiety, to connecting with grandparents who live far away, to how to plan for a road trip minus screen time. I would encourage all families if they are interested to check out some of her resources and take advantage of here years of wisdom. You can find all of her materials.

Highlights from Past Two Weeks

Year 6 Parliament House 

Last Monday our year 6 students took a trip to Parliament House to explore our local state government and how it works. Students were able to learn about how bills are debated and passed through parliament, as well as gain an understanding of the roles of some of the different members of the Legislative Assembly. Students also had the chance to visit the Electoral Education Centre as part of their trip learning about how our preferential voting system works within a democracy. Thank you to our Year 6 teachers for organising this event, as well as the parent volunteers from our Year 6 families who were able to attend in support.

Year 6 Tinkering Day 

Last Thursday, students from Year 6 took part in a ‘Tinkering Day’ as part of their Digital and Design Technologies curriculum. Students worked with their parents and grandparents to take apart an old electronic device or gadget, which was then repurposed into a device that would warn others of an impending natural disaster. The hall was alive with lots of noise and discussion as students worked together to complete their devices. A personal highlight for me was watching Mr Hunt teach his students about tape cassettes – something I thought I would never see! It was a great day, and we are so grateful to the large numbers of parents (especially Dads) who were able to come down and support.

Homework Club & Coder Dojo  

It has been wonderful to see so many of our families take advantage of the offerings of our Homework Club and Coder Dojo this term. Families should note the following for the remainder of this term:

  • Coder Dojo has now finished for Term 2 and will recommence early in Term 3. Families will be advised of the date of commencement in Term 3 in future newsletters.
  • Homework Club will continue to run until Week 10 of this term each Monday from 3.30pm to 4.30pm. All students are welcome to attend.

Important Information For The Next Two Weeks

There are several important events coming up in the calendar over the next few weeks. These include:

  • Wednesday 16 June – Year 4 Unit mass (9.00am in the Chapel)
  • Thursday 17 June – Year 6 IPSHA Interschool carnival (to be held at John XXIII)
  • Thursday 24 June – Speak Up Awards Finals
  • Friday 25 June – Lavalla Cross Country Carnival
  • Friday 25 June – Student Leaders breakfast
  • Friday 2 July – Semester One reports released

UWA Research Project

The University of Western Australia (UWA) has an exciting opportunity for ֱ to participate in research.

The overall aim of the research project is to examine first impressions towards children with and without autism to better understand the social experiences of children and help understand the stigma towards children on the autism spectrum. Experiencing social rejection at an early age can be very difficult for children, and research suggests that one factor that may impact children’s social lives are first impressions.

First impressions can influence how we respond to unfamiliar people, and so understanding the factors that impact how first impressions are formed can be very valuable information in developing programs that foster social inclusivity. This study also investigates how adults form impressions of children because adults who work with children, such as parents and teachers, can have great influence on children’s social decisions.

The project encourages children to learn about first impressions with the message of inclusivity and acceptance of other children’s differences.

At this stage, they are inviting parents and their children aged 6-11 years to participate in this study and would appreciate any help from ֱ families on this project. The results of this current study will be used to inform the design of a later study involving children who are on the autism spectrum.

If you and your child are interested in participating, please follow this link to provide your consent and answer some questions regarding your child’s development:

The link will also provide you with further information and guidance on how you and your child may participate in this exciting project.

ֱ News Term 2 Week 8: From the Leader of Early Childhood

Highlights from Past Two Weeks 

Champagnat Day

The students enjoyed a lovely Champagnat Buddy Day today, where they had the opportunity to celebrate a mass in the morning around the founder of the Marist Brother, St Marcellin Champagnat.
The students then engaged in Buddy activities across the morning, before enjoying a sausage sizzle lunch and some exciting afternoon activities.

Thank you to parents for their flexibility in the amended drop-off and pick-up procedures for the day.


St John Henry ֱ Learning Hub – Official Opening and Blessing 

Last week saw the blessing and official opening of the St John Henry ֱ Learning Hub. There were 20 Marian students who were invited to participate in the Liturgical Celebration, led by Archbishop Timothy Costello.

These students were excellent representatives of our Marian Campus, and certainly enjoyed the attention of the older students. A special thank you is extended to Ella Jones, for her beautiful reading and Sicily Moschopolous and Jack Truscott for their involvement in the entry procession.

Year 2 Blue Assembly

There are certainly some budding Scientists in 2 Blue! Last Friday’s assembly was showstopping, with multiple science experiments performed, including a bubbling volcano, slime and a lava lamp. It was wonderful to hear about the student’s depth of learning and understanding from the Science unit they have been undertaking in class.

Thank you to Mrs Young and 2 Blue for the educational and entertaining assembly.

Important Information For The Next Two Weeks

School Reports 

As the time for school reports approaches, I think it is important to consider what success looks like? In an age where everything is measured and summarised, we can often fall into the trap of measuring our success and our worth (or that of our students) based on a number or a grade.

However, it is important to remember that success looks different for everyone. Our College’s Vision for Learning “Shine through Discovery” strives to encompass this mentality. Each child is unique, and with that brings different strengths and gifts. A “D” grade in English might be a huge success for a student who has been working super hard behind the scenes to learn how to decode and read books, while a student who achieves a fantastic comment about their caring attitude and respectful nature, is also another celebration of success.

Please remember as you receive your child’s report, that teachers are meeting each child where they are at and striving to maximise each child’s potential. They are each on their own journey and success looks different for every individual.

This fantastic infographic also provides some context to the SCSA reporting system and reminds us that a ‘C’ grade is exactly where we expect students to be performing for their year level.  

Reports will be released via SEQTA at 4.00pm on Friday 2 July.

UWA Research Project

The University of Western Australia (UWA) has an exciting opportunity for ֱ to participate in research.

The overall aim of the research project is to examine first impressions towards children with and without autism to better understand the social experiences of children and help understand the stigma towards children on the autism spectrum. Experiencing social rejection at an early age can be very difficult for children, and research suggests that one factor that may impact children’s social lives are first impressions.

First impressions can influence how we respond to unfamiliar people, and so understanding the factors that impact how first impressions are formed can be very valuable information in developing programs that foster social inclusivity. This study also investigates how adults form impressions of children because adults who work with children, such as parents and teachers, can have great influence on children’s social decisions.

The project encourages children to learn about first impressions with the message of inclusivity and acceptance of other children’s differences.

At this stage, they are inviting parents and their children aged 6-11 years to participate in this study and would appreciate any help from ֱ families on this project. The results of this current study will be used to inform the design of a later study involving children who are on the autism spectrum.

If you and your child are interested in participating, please follow this link to provide your consent and answer some questions regarding your child’s development:

The link will also provide you with further information and guidance on how you and your child may participate in this exciting project.

Happy Families – Dr Justin Coulson 

Imagine if you could hack your happiness neurotransmitters to make yourself and your family happier. You can! This week, boost your sense of reward (dopamine – the happy high chemical) with your children by:

  • Playing together
  • Experiencing (and celebrating) tiny wins
  • Completing a task together (music always helps)
  • Trying a new treat in the kitchen

Boost your sense of peace, harmony, and calm (serotonin) with your children by:

  • Breathing deep
  • Spending some time in nature
  • Going for a walk
  • Listening to a meditation playlist
  • Reading a calm story before bed

Boost your sense of superhuman strength (endorphins) by:

  • Running, jumping on the trampoline, or dancing to loud music
  • Watching something funny together
  • Creating a laughing club
  • Doing pretty much anything energetic

And boost your sense of connection (oxytocin) by

  • Touching or holding hands
  • Hugging
  • Saying nice things about each other
  • Counting blessings together

The above is an extract from a recent Justin Coulson ‘Happy Families’ email. ֱ families are eligible for Justin’s online subscription, which is fully-funded by the College.
I encourage you to utilise this great resource.

Families can sign up for a Happy Families subscription via the following