China Town Excursions

Following our exciting trip to China in the holidays, the Year 8 and Year 9 Chinese classes had the wonderful opportunity to visit Chinatown in Week 2 this term. It was a fantastic way to continue immersing ourselves in the Chinese language and culture right here at home.

The Year 8 students focused on practical communication skills by learning how to ask about prices and describe different items in an Asian grocery store. They enjoyed exploring a variety of shops, observing the unique products, and practising their Chinese in a real-world setting.

The Year 9 class was treated to a special bubble tea '珍珠奶茶'excursion. Students used the vocabulary and sentence structures they had learned in class to order drinks in Chinese. The most popular choice of the day was mango milk tea with half sugar, half ice, and extra pearls. It was a delicious way to apply their language skills and experience a popular aspect of modern Chinese culture.

Week 2 was a fun and engaging time for our Chinese language students, filled with learning, laughter, and plenty of fun. The hands-on experiences not only brought the language to life but also helped deepen their cultural understanding.

Ms Wen Ben – Head of Learning: Languages

Adelaide Careers Expo

On May 9th, the Year 10 cohort attended the Adelaide Careers and Employment Expo, where students had the opportunity to explore a wide range of career pathways, training options, and future employment opportunities. The event featured representatives from over 200 exhibitors, including universities, TAFE, RTOs, industry groups, and employers across various sectors.

Students engaged in hands-on activities, spoke with industry professionals, and gathered valuable information to help guide their subject selections and career planning. The excursion was a great chance for students to broaden their understanding of post-school options and start thinking more deeply about their pathways after Year 12, as well as assisting students to complete their Exploring Identities and Future (EIF) assessment tasks as they explore their interest areas.

Barista Course

Over the last two weeks, selected students completed a pilot four-day Hospitality Course through Queensford College. Throughout the action-packed days, the boys took part in a hands-on barista and hospitality training program designed to equip them with essential skills for the food and beverage industry. The program combined practical experience with nationally recognised certification to give students a strong foundation in customer service and the food and beverage industry.

Students learned how to operate commercial coffee machines and mastered the techniques involved in making a variety of coffees and hot drinks, including espresso, cappuccino, latte, and flat white. They practised grinding beans and steaming milk. They also learned how to make a range of soft drinks, smoothies and milkshakes. Day 3 saw the students complete professional training in food service standards within a fine dining setting. Students were taught how to set tables formally, take and deliver orders, serve food and beverages with proper etiquette, and interact with guests in a confident manner. On the final day, the students completed the nationally accredited Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training. This certification enables them to legally serve alcohol in hospitality venues and includes understanding the legal and ethical responsibilities of alcohol service and managing difficult situations.

By the end of the program, students not only developed valuable practical skills but also gained a sense of professionalism, teamwork, and confidence in a fast-paced customer service environment. With their RSA certificate and hands-on experience in a mock café and restaurant setting, they are now well-prepared to take on entry-level roles in the hospitality industry as baristas and front-of-house staff.

A big thank you to Queensford College for accommodating our students throughout this training. We will be running similar courses in the future for interested students!

Ms Tia Milohis – Careers Counsellor / Head of SACE

Brain Bee

The Australian Brain Bee Challenge (ABBC) is a competition for high school students in year 10 to learn about the brain and its functions, learn about neuroscience research, find out about careers in neuroscience and dispel misconceptions about neurological and mental illnesses.

The program was started in Australia in 2006 to address a number of deficiencies in the public's perception of science in general, and neuroscience in particular.

Round 1 of the 2025 Australia-New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge (ABBC) was a great success, with nearly 3,000 students across Australia and New Zealand participating.  Within South Australia, we had over 130 students participate.

Christian Brothers College has had exceptional success at this event over the past several years, having had our very own year 12 student, Andrew Krashos, winning the State competition 2 years ago, and last year Nikos Plew placing 4th in the state. The 2025 edition is off to a phenomenal start with 7 of our students making it to round 2. Can you please all join me in congratulating the following students on successful progression to the next stage: Geon Ryu, Lam Duong, Sahil Nair, Jax Yip, Alvin Le, Jas Stewart, and James Vu.

Parent/Teacher Interviews – Common Feedback

At our recent Parent-Teacher Interviews, a recurring theme that emerged in many of the conversations between staff and families was the noticeable disconnect between some students’ achievements in assignment-based work and their results in tests and exams. This is not a new observation, and it’s certainly not one we’re ignoring. As a college, we’ve already begun addressing this disconnect by helping our students develop the specific skills needed to perform consistently across different assessment types.

The first key message we continue to share with students is that cramming the night before an exam is not effective. Research on the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve clearly demonstrates that information is rapidly forgotten when it isn’t regularly reviewed. Instead of cramming, students should be engaging in short, consistent study sessions over a longer period of time, allowing knowledge to be stored more permanently. To help illustrate this, I have included an image of the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve to understand the theory behind it. We encourage families to take a moment to look at it together and discuss how this approach could be used at home.

Secondly, we must acknowledge that many students don't know how to study effectively. A common misconception is that 'studying' means simply reading through notes or textbook chapters. Without a clear understanding of how to revise (through summarising, self-quizzing, teaching others, or using active recall), students may think they’re preparing well, when in reality, they’re not engaging deeply with the material. We are working with students to break this assumption and replace it with meaningful strategies.

Lastly, we’re encouraging our students to go beyond surface-level understanding. Success in exams and topic tests often comes from being able to analyse, critique, and apply knowledge in new contexts. This takes deliberate practice and confidence. I still remember one conversation with my Italian professor at university, a quirky and insightful Roman man, when I was struggling with fluency. He told me, 'You need to speak the language every day. Start by speaking with your family.' I explained that my family worked late and I often studied alone. He paused, raised an eyebrow, and asked, 'Do you have a dog?' When I said yes, he smiled and said, 'Then speak to her.'

And that’s exactly what I did. My German Shepherd became my conversation partner. Commands, questions, small talk, everything in Italian. To her credit, she picked up a few tricks. But more importantly, I found myself speaking more fluently, remembering vocabulary faster, and gaining real confidence. The point is not that students should start speaking to their pets (although it might help!), but that consolidating learning in creative, low-stakes ways (repetition, retrieval, and reflection) is vital for real understanding.

As a college, we’re committed to helping students strengthen these core skills so they can thrive in every learning context. We thank our families for the ongoing support and the constructive feedback that continues to shape our teaching and learning.

Mr David Salamone-Violi
Director of Teaching and Learning