Middle Years

The Sacred Garden Year 8 Excursion

On Thursday 4 April, the Year 8 Christian Living classes went on an excursion to the Sacred Garden at The Monastery. This Garden is an area dedicated to peace and tranquillity for reflection and prayer. 

The excursion had two aims.  Firstly, the students were able to imitate the final journey of Christ, as reflected through the Stations of the Cross. This provided great preparation liturgically for the start of ‘Holy Week’.  Secondly, it was an opportunity to enrich classroom based learning.  This term students have been studying ‘The life of Christ’.  Each station provided students with a visual representation of Jesus’ last journey.  While standing at the last station, students were able to comprehend the powerful meaning behind words such as sacrifice and salvation. At the final station, students were faced with the question of ‘What next?’.

As the students walked ‘the way of the cross’ their learning took the form of a critical and creative thinking task.  After pausing at each station, students were asked to consider questions such as: What is happening?  Who can they see? How were these people feeling? Why was this happening? The experience of being away from the regular school environment, learning about the life of Jesus in a more visual way, encouraged the students to think more deeply about our unit. This excursion also provided a great link to next term’s study, when students will be encouraged to contemplate the question ‘Did Jesus have to die?’ 

Year 7 Family Picnic

It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying the Year 7 Family Picnic on Thursday 28 March.

More than 200 people from 55 families, together with Year 7 teachers and other staff, connected over food, games and conversation in a relaxed picnic setting.

This annual event provides a great opportunity for families to get to know each other and their child’s friends and family.  It is also a great way to build relationships that will continue over the next six years of secondary schooling.  Thank you to all the students, families and staff who participated in the evening, sharing food and company.  A special thanks to our Canteen Manager, Andrea O’Donnell, who supplied the spectacular food on the night.

Middle Years Leaders Reconnecting with Connected Schools

Over the last few weeks, the Connected Schools collective created an ideal opportunity for our students to show leadership by assisting our Connected primary schools at their Sports Days which were all held on Friday 5 April.

Endeavour students scored, measured and assisted at sporting stations, for example, long kick, shot put, hurdles and relays. During their time, they encouraged the younger students, cheered for their teams and reflected with thankfulness on their primary school years.  Our students embraced the chance to reconnect with their primary schools, showing just another example of the partnerships we have as Connected Schools.