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Dear parents, friends, staff and students,
Over the last few days I have been attending a Professional Development event encouraged by the Catholic Education Office. One of the presenters was Rev Dr Richard Leonard who is a world renowned Australian Jesuit priest. Fr Leonard made reference to this weekend’s first reading which is the Genesis story where Adam and Eve eat the apple in the Garden of Eden. He pointed out that the main focus of this story was that Adam and Eve ate the apple because they believed that it would enable them to be God’s equal. The idea that we can be in complete control of everything that occurs around us and to us is a dangerous perspective. Whilst our thinking and actions will certainly have an impact, we must be prepared to accept that there is a greater force at play that we must sometimes accept even though we may not understand. This is not to suggest that we believe anything is fate or predetermined. We each have free will to make decisions but we cannot control others or events. Sometimes our biggest mistake is believing that we can, rather than working toward a compromise or changing our own actions or perspective. We might benefit by considering in situations whether we are ‘eating the apple’ in an attempt to ‘be God’ or we are willing to accept parameters and work within them.
Today was the College Champagnat Day celebration following the feast day of St Marcellin yesterday (June 6). Each year, the College celebrates the two major charisms that contribute to who we are, namely St Marcellin and Our Lady of Mount Carmel (early next term). The days are a way of building community but also reflecting on what is important to us as a Catholic community. The invocation of saints or of Mary our good mother, enables us to feel a relationship with God that includes others. In the Catholic tradition, our relationship is personal and communal. We build our connection with God but do this practically as well by building relationships with those around us. The Marist charism builds on five characteristics that I would hope the students have heard, understood and reflected upon. They are; Presence, In the way of Mary, Family Spirit, Simplicity and Love of our work. Each of these ensures that we can guide our decisions and behaviours in a way that helps us to lead toward God. When we approach Our Lady of Mount Carmel day, I will outline the Carmelite charism and how that is present in our community. For now, I thank all the staff and students who were involved in making Champagnat Day a wonderful celebration. A special thanks to Mrs Borg, Mrs Meharg and Ms Toogood for their organisation of the day.
Next Wednesday we have two events on the College calendar that are worth note. The first is the College captains zoom with Bishop Brian Mascord. This is a regular event and builds on the Captains leadership day that occurred late last year. Bishop Brian talks with the captains of each of our schools and gives encouragement and guidance. The second is the Information and Communication Learning Technology (ICLT) evening. This will take place in the College library starting at 7pm and is open to all parents. This evening follows a request from parents earlier in the year and adds toward our college goal of building a sense of belonging and welcome. There is no expectation that parents attend but a warm welcome is extended to all.
Over the last few months we have been reflecting on the way that parents and staff communicate. One of the things that has become evident in our modern world is the frequency that emails are used and the improvements in communication that this supports. I am conscious however that like all individuals, our staff do need their own down time and time with their families. Whilst I encourage staff and parents to communicate via phone calls and emails, I ask parents to be realistic when it comes to expecting a response. I do not expect staff to answer emails after hours or on weekends. Whilst I ask them to try to respond within 1 business day, this may initially be an acknowledgement that they have received your email. Many issues may take significantly longer to address and I ask parents to be aware of this and understand the realities of our situation. As always, I am happy to take feedback on our processes.
Ite in Veritate
Mr Steve Lo Cascio
Our celebration of Champagnat Day, inclusive of inadvertent weather, was an opportunity to reflect on the life of our founder and the contribution that he and other significant people throughout Christian and subsequent Catholic history have played in shaping not only our College but much of the world. My recent pilgrimage with members of our Australian Marist family provided me with the opportunity to make some strong connections with the work that St. John the Evangelist, St. Paul and Mary, Our Good Mother, performed to establish the early church. Their contributions as role models for future generations have ensured that the “First Light” of Christ still burns vividly, particularly here at Mount Carmel, courtesy of the establishment of the Marist Brothers by Marcellin Champagnat 207 years ago.
Thanks to all who attended our wonderful Mass and Awards ceremony this morning, where we again came together as a faith community to share the Eucharist and recognise those staff and students who have made significant contributions to Marist Education and our College Community. We were able to acknowledge years of service to Marist Education for nine staff. These being:
- 10 years - Mrs Candice Hills, Ms Diane Poulton, Mr David Teuma and Ms Rebecca Toogood
- 20 years - Mrs Rosetta Fitzgerald and Mr Simon Huntly
- 25 years - Mrs Therona Govender
- 30 years - Mrs Christine Meharg
- 40 years - Mrs Clare Murphy
In excess of 90 students in Years 8-12 were then presented with Champagnat Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards for their contributions to upholding the Marist Pillars of:
- In the way of Mary
- Love of Work
- Family Spirit
- Presence, and
- Simplicity
A special mention must go to Alexander Dutfield in Year 12 who was presented with a prestigious Platinum Award in recognition for his achievement of being nominated by staff for a Champagnat Award for each of his 5 years of eligibility. An outstanding achievement by Alexander and congratulations and thanks to all students for being recognised as living in the true spirit of Marcellin.
The Mass and Awards were then followed by fundraising revolving around stalls for food and activities conducted by Pastoral Classes and our Student Representative Council to raise valuable funds for charitable organisations. The day concluded with a whole school concrete where we were able to see the amazing creative talent of a number of our students. A huge thanks to all staff, students, families and carers for their planning, preparation and support of this wonderful day.
Reminder: Your Choicez Parent Night Webinar
Tuesday 18 June 6.45pm to 8pm
Mark your calendars for the BRAVE Parenting Web Event, brought to you in partnership with Your Choicez, Tuesday 18th June 6:45pm. Led by David Kobler, an expert in youth development, this event is not to be missed!
David and the Your Choicez team are passionate about helping young people to reach their full potential. This web event will empower parents to help their kids navigate a hypersexualised society and make great choices, stand strong to their convictions, and experience happy healthy, safe relationships.
Join us for an engaging discussion on pressing issues such as the harmful effects of pornography and sexting, expert advice on nurturing positive friendships, mastering the art of discussing taboo topics with your kids, and guiding them to develop a healthy sexual ethic in today's culture.
Gain valuable insights into navigating the challenges of raising children in a hypersexualized society. Learn practical strategies for setting boundaries with technology and social media, and empower your child to make wise choices in their relationships.
Seize the opportunity to shape your child's future—register now!
As always, thank you for your ongoing support with the Learning, Wellbeing and Faith development of our students. Please do not hesitate to contact the Office or your son or daughters respective Pastoral Advisor or Year Coordinator should you have any questions or require support.
Mr Simon Huntly
Pope Francis: Prayer Intentions for June
Every month the Holy Father, provides us with a focus for our prayers.
June is for
For migrants fleeing their homes; We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.
Mrs Christine Meharg
Learning & Teaching at the College
Year 11 2025 Course Selection Information Evening - Reminder
Parents and students of Year 10 a reminder that the Year 11 2025 Course Selection Information Evening is coming up on Wednesday 19 June 2024. From 6:30pm, KLA Coordinators and specialist teachers will be available to answer questions regarding the courses that they have on offer, this will occur in the new STEM Building. At 7:00pm, in the Champagnat Centre members of the College Leadership Team will present information on patterns of study (ATAR/non-ATAR), HSC expectations and the process of selecting courses for 2025. Students will also receive their personalised Course Eligibility Letter and package of information.
Students are encouraged to speak with their class teachers or KLA Coordinators if they have course specific questions and begin considering the learning pathway they wish to pursue for Year 11 and 12. Mr Daniels (Transition and Pathways Coordinator) is also a valuable resource for advice on TAFE, university and career pathways. Mr Clark (VET Coordinator) can also assist in answering any questions about School-Based Apprenticeships and TAFE VET courses, which students may wish to study in conjunction with courses at the College. For any questions regarding the Course Selection process or HSC pathways, please contact Ms Miller or Mr Teuma.
Year 7 - 10 Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
& Semester 1 Report Distribution
Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences provide an opportunity for parents/carers and students to meet with class teachers to review academic progress and discuss areas for growth. This conversation provides an opportunity for valuable feedback and enables parents/carers to ask questions to support students as they progress through their secondary education.
A notification will be sent via Compass, once the bookings are open. In preparation for this, please note the times and dates of the conferences in Week 10:
- Monday 1 July - 4-8pm at the College (Champagnat Centre)
- Thursday 4 June - 4-8pm at the College (Champagnat Centre)
- Friday 5 June - 8:30am -12:30pm via Zoom
To support the discussions at these meetings, Year 7 -10 Semester 1 Reports will be available via Compass on the afternoon of Friday 28 June (Week 9).
TERM 2 |
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Week 7 |
Year 12 11/6/2024: 12 Work Studies 11/6/2024: 12 English Advanced 11/6/2024: 12 English Standard 11/6/2024: 12 English Studies 13/6/2024: 12 Business Studies 13/6/2024: 12 Modern History Year 11 12/6/2024: 11 Work Studies (2 unit) 13/6/2024: 11 Investigating Science 14/6/2024: 11 Mathematics Extension 1 14/6/2024: 11 Community and Family Studies Year 10 12/6/2024: 10 Mathematics 5.1 12/6/2024: 10 Mathematics 5.2 12/6/2024: 10 Mathematics 5.3 Year 9 Year 9 Industrial Technology Timber - See Assessment Notification for specific dates Year 8 Year 8 Catholic Studies - See Assessment Notification for specific dates |
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Week 8 |
Year 12 18/6/2024: 12 English Ext 1 19/6/2024: 12 Physics 19/6/2024: 12 SOR2 21/6/2024: 12 Mathematics Ext 2 Year 11 18/6/2024: 11 English Advanced 18/6/2024: 11 English Standard 18/6/2024: 11 English Studies 19/6/2024: 11 Physics 19/6/2024: 11 Mathematics Standard 2 19/6/2024: 11 Mathematics Standard 1 19/6/2024: 11 Studies in Catholic Thought 20/6/2024: 11 PDHPE 20/6/2024: 11 SLR2 20/6/2024: 11 Music |
Leader of Learning - Curriculum Pedagogy & Leader of Learning - Curriculum Administration
Acting Pastoral Care & Wellbeing Coordinator
There are always challenges with finding that balance between freedom and boundaries with teens. Over the years, the College has noticed an increasing trend of students on social media during late hours. These early mornings have significant impacts on their behaviour and mental health which is presented at school.
According to CCN, a new study has possibly captured that objectively, finding that for teens diagnosed with internet addiction, signalling between brain regions important for controlling attention, working memory and more were disrupted. The findings are from a review, published Tuesday in the journal PLOS Mental Health, of 12 neuroimaging studies of a few hundred adolescents ages 10 to 19 between 2013 and 2022.
When participants clinically diagnosed with internet addiction engaged in activities governed by the brain’s executive function network — behaviours requiring attention, planning, decision-making and impulse control — those brain regions showed substantial disruption in their ability to work together, compared to those in peers without internet addiction. The authors think such signalling changes could suggest these behaviours can become more difficult to perform, potentially influencing development and well-being. If you’re wondering if your teen struggles with internet addiction or is trending towards this concern, behaviours such as withdrawing from relationships are a telltale sign.
The middle ground approach is an approach that a growing number of experts say is the most realistic and effective way of teaching children about social media: Rather than an outright ban or allowing free reign, they recommend a slow, deliberate onboarding that gives children the tools and information they need to navigate a world in which places like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are almost impossible to escape.
We strongly recommend that students of younger grades be limited access to social media applications as well as devices after an appointed hour in your family's nighttime routine. Students have been quite sneaky in being able to access these applications through various platforms not limited to their laptops and mobile phones but also gaming devices. We also recommend a sweep of their devices, be aware of what your child is using on their devices.
One such popular application, Snapchat has a tool where users can add random strangers to their account and communicate with them without knowing anything about them, the risks of such settings are obvious to us as adults but not considered by students. Please see below an easy way to remove this from the settings, if you are allowing use of this application at all. It is strongly advised that all applications are set to private where students are only communicating with friends they have given permission to.
The SRC and Cultural students have been working towards bringing an inclusive element of Champagnat Day with Marcellin’s Table. This is an opportunity for students to prepare and share traditional food/drink items for sale on Champagnat Day. These students remained at the College on Thursday evening to prepare these items ready for the day. Well done to these students and to all the students who contributed to the set-up and running of Champagnat Day.
MACE
On Thursday 6th of June, students of Year 10 went to the Macarthur Careers Expo. The Macarthur Careers Expo 2024 took place on Thursday, June 6, 2024, at Club Menangle Trackside. This event was designed for students, particularly those in Year 10, to explore various career paths, gather information about different professions, and interact with representatives from a range of industries and educational institutions. The expo provided valuable insights into career planning and opportunities for future study and employment.
The event was an important opportunity for students to engage with career advisors and industry professionals, which can significantly aid in their career decision-making processes. The expo typically features a variety of exhibitors, including universities, TAFE institutions, apprenticeship providers, and employers, offering students a comprehensive overview of the possibilities available to them post-graduation.
Upcoming Incursion:
Interactive Theatre Experience "Wired" for Year 7 & 8 Students
We are excited to announce that our Year 7 and 8 students will soon have the opportunity to participate in "Wired," an innovative and interactive theatre experience designed to address some of the pressing issues faced by Australian students today. Scheduled to take place on Friday June 14th, this engaging program promises to be both enlightening and supportive for our young learners.
"Wired" is a dynamic and thought-provoking performance that tackles critical topics such as social isolation, bullying, online safety, school-related stress, family dynamics, and the pressures exerted by social media. Through its immersive approach, the program not only highlights these significant issues but also promotes essential strategies for resilience, problem-solving, goal-setting, and maintaining positive mental health.
Developed in consultation with a clinical psychologist and grounded in contemporary research, "Wired" is meticulously designed to stimulate meaningful discussions among students. It serves as an excellent complement to our College’s existing wellbeing, (cyber)bullying, and mental health initiatives, reinforcing our commitment to fostering a supportive and proactive environment for our students.
The interactive nature of "Wired" ensures that students are not mere spectators but active participants in the narrative, allowing them to understand better and navigate the challenges they may face in their daily lives. By addressing the barriers to seeking help and promoting a culture of openness and support, this program aims to empower our students with the tools they need to thrive both personally and academically.
We encourage all parents to discuss the themes of "Wired" with their children and to support them in applying the strategies they will learn during this experience. By working together, we can help our students build a stronger, more resilient community. We look forward to this exciting event and the positive influence it will have on our students' wellbeing.
Mrs Theresa Moore Miss Rebecca Toogood
Acting Pastoral Care & Wellbeing Coordinator
In last week’s Literacy Links, I discussed a recent episode of the ABC radio program The Minefield which explored the moral consequences of artificial intelligence in social, cultural, and educational contexts. Hosted by Scott Stephens and Waleed Aly, the program called for an intelligent response to applications such as ChatGPT, advocating a greater focus on critical thinking and academic rigour. In this episode, Scott Stephens referred to a 1954 short story written by prolific British writer Roald Dahl. Seventy years ago, Dahl predicted the rise of ChatGPT in his story ‘The Great Automatic Grammatizator’. This short story is a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of prioritising ease and profit over the human capacity for thinking and creativity. I shared this story with my Year 9 English class this week and Dahl’s message was keenly evident to all.
‘The Great Automatic Grammatizator’ is an unsettling story which centres on two very flawed characters, Adolph Knipe and John Bohlen. Knipe is a genius in the computing field who aspires to be a famous writer of fiction. Although very successful in his professional work, Knipe is deeply frustrated by his own artistic limitations. Bohlen is the head of Knipe’s electrical engineering firm. The two men participate in a venture which sees the creation of a machine which generates stories at the press of a button at very little cost. Knipe concludes that ‘an engine built along the lines of the electric computer could be adjusted to arrange words in their right order according to the rules of grammar. Give it the verbs, the nouns, the adjectives, the pronouns, store them in the memory section as a vocabulary, and arrange them to be extracted as required. Then feed it with plots and leave it to write the sentences.’
While Knipe’s motivation for creating this machine appears to be fuelled by bitterness and resentment, he promotes the idea to Bohlen by emphasising how profitable it could be. ‘The quality may be inferior, but that doesn’t matter. It’s the cost of production that counts. And stories – well – they’re just another product’. Both Knipe and Bohlen attach their names to the stories generated, and gain reputations as prolific writers. But critical acclaim is not enough, and Knipe sets out to buy the ‘brands’ of famous writers, seeking permission to use their names and writing styles, replacing them entirely with the machine. Knipe makes the decision to concentrate only on the mediocre writers as the better writers are ‘not quite so easy to seduce’.
Dahl’s story ends on an alarming note. He writes in the persona of a writer who refuses to yield, warning, ‘And worse is yet to come’. He goes on to say, ‘And all the time the screw turns tighter for those who hesitate to sign their names. This very moment, as I sit here listening to the howling of my nine starving children, I can feel my own hand creeping closer and closer to that golden contract that lies on the other side of the desk.’ The closing line of the tale is a particularly chilling prayer: ‘Give us the strength, Oh Lord, to let our children starve.’
Clare Murphy
English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach
What a week for Mount Carmel! A lot of sports activities took place over the past week, and there's much more on the horizon. Our Girls Bill Turner Trophy team had some success, and our competitors performed well at the NSWCCC Cross Country event. The rain stayed away, allowing Round 4 of MISA to occur with some very solid results. Our Year's Boys 10-12 Cricket team and 10-12 Boys Rugby League team remains undefeated. We look forward to more success as we approach the finals.
NSWCCC Cross Country
On Wednesday, June 5 Mount Carmel had three students compete as part of the Diocesan Of Wollongong Cross Country team. We had very impressive results with both Ethan Littlewood and Daniel Lill making it to NSW All Schools later this year. We were also very unlucky with both Petar Spyropolous and Zoe Bruce finishing 11th only one place outside of the cut to represent the NSWCCC team. Well done to these amazing runners and we look forward to hearing how they go at their upcoming events.
Bill Turner Trophy
On Monday, June 2, the Mount Carmel Bill Turner Trophy team took on the strong Freeman Catholic College team. The girls were fighting for a place in the Sydney South-West area final after winning their first four rounds. They started strong but went down 1-0 in the first half. The girls fought back to equalise, only to fall behind again. With just minutes to go, they managed to score and bring the game to 2-2, taking it to extra time. Outstanding defensive work kept the game level, leading to a penalty shootout. The girls held their nerve and scored all five penalties, while Freeman missed one, sending our team through to the area final. Well done! We are very proud of such an amazing achievement and wish them all the best in the final.
MISA Term 2; Round 5
Sport |
Result |
MVP | Short Report |
Hockey 7-9 Boys ELID
|
VS SBCC Win 1-0 |
Diego Martinez | Our team was dominant in a 1-0 win against St. Benedict's. Although, we only had 11 players the team worked as a unit and were aggressive in defence with relentless pressing and forcing the opposition into mistakes. The boy's were rewarded when Diego made a great run down the wing to assist Brayden Croke to score a well deserved goal. The team has improved throughout the season and has already secured their place in the Division 1 Grand Final. Congratulations to every member of the team. |
Indoor Cricket Years 10-12 Girls OCOB
|
VS MAS Win 60-50 |
Jorja Lewis |
The MCCC girls came into today’s matchup keen to keep the winning streak going and make it five from five wins. The opponent was an extremely skilled Macarthur Anglican team who were on equal points on the the top of the ladder. The girls were sent into bat first and were confronted with a barrage of exceptional bowling from the MAS side and were kept to a total of 60 runs. There was some excellent batting from Jorja Lewis and Mikaela Simpson. It would take some outstanding bowling and fielding from MCCC to keep the opponent to under 60 runs. Alisha Philip opened the attack and got some important quick wickets to put the pressure on MAS immediately. There was some fantastic fielding by Jorja Lewis close to the wicket and some great bowling by each member of the team. MCCC were able to keep MAS to 50 runs and secured another win. Congratulation to the girls on another great win. |
Frisbee Years 7-9 Mixed MARP |
VS JTCC Loss 10-5 |
A first loss for our mixed frisbee team up against a well drilled John Therry side. Our team started slow, letting in 8 points in the first half. Missing a few key players the Mount Carmel side managed to crawl back winning the second half but unable to close the significant gap. Well done to John Therry. | |
Softball Years 10-12 Boys KING |
VS BAC Loss 6-1 |
This week, the team faced many challenges with numerous players absent, necessitating replacements. Unfortunately, they were simply outmatched and unable to compete with Broughton Anglican College, who showcased some very strong hitters throughout the game. Harry Peeters, stepping in as catcher, is to be commended on his performance, contributing to several run outs at first base. Although the team has started the competition with three losses, they are continuously learning and improving each. | |
Rugby League U16's ABRN |
VS MAG Loss 11-3 |
Olivia Lau’i | Magdalene proved to be too good for our girls today. They ran through, around and straight past our girls. Our defence was non existent, so it is back to the basics of tackling, holding our line and communication. A loss can be a positive as it can highlight our weakness so we can improve. Next week we will come back with a new game plan. |
Rugby League Year 10-12 Boys HARK |
VS THAC Win 26-0 |
Barukh Semaia & Liam Searle |
We had a slow start to the game but once we settled in we started to score tries. The boys all worked hard for each other and began to play to the conditions in attack. While it was good to see us scoring tries it was more important that we were able to keep the opposition to nil. MVPs for today were Barukh Semaia for his efforts in keeping the attack direct and Liam Searle for tireless defence in the middle to go with some strong runs and quick play the balls. |
Football Years 11-12 Boys KAWR |
VS JTCC Loss 4-0 |
Abdul Khan |
The boys played with great intent to not concede early this week. The boys kept a very skilled side on JT scoreless at the halftime interval however JT broke the deadlock shortly after halftime and they boys went on committing numbers forward to chase the game which ultimately led to more goals conceded. Congratulations to all the boys involved. Onto next week. |
Football Years 10-12 Girls HEAS |
VS JTCC Win 3-0 |
Lara Underwood |
The girls had a great 3-0 win today with only 9 players against John Terry. The girls displayed great composure in front of goals and a strong defence to not concede with only 9 players. |
BYE Basketball 7-9 Boys & 7-9 Girls Netball Years 11-12 |
14 June: Diocesan Netball Championships
17 June: College Athletics Carnival
19th June: Knockout Soccer NSWCCC
24th June: Diocesan Hockey Championships
25th June: MISA Dance Festival
26th June: Diocesan Volleyball Championships
As always, students are encouraged to sign up and trial for representative teams. Below you will find registration links for both our DIO and NSWCCC events. If you require any further information please visit the Diocese of Wollongong sports here.
Representative Pathways
MISA Website | https:/wwwwmisaonlineeorgg.au/ |
Diocesan Sport News | Updates and news on Wollongong Diocese sport events and trials can be viewed here |
NSW CCC/CSNSW Sport News | Higher level CCC trials and events status can be monitored here. |
School Sport Australia Sport News | More School Sport Australia information can be found here |
MCCC & Community Service Announcements
On Wednesday 12th June 2024, at 7pm, Mount Carmel Catholic College will be holding an ICLT evening for Parents. The purpose of this evening is to give parents the opportunity to use some of the iclt tools that students are using at MCCC. This evening will focus on the use of iMovie.
Parents will need to bring their child’s device for the evening.
A Notification will be sent out in Compass for parents to RSVP
Wednesday 14 August 2024
Year 7 will have their immunisations on Wednesday August 14 (Week 4 Term 3). Final catch up immunisations for Yrs 7, 8, 10 & 11 will be held on Tuesday Nov 26 (Week 7 Term 4). As was the case in 2023, registration for Immunisations occurs through the Services NSW website or App. Please click on the following link for instructions on how to complete this process - Parent information for Immunisations. Consent is required through Service NSW electronically prior to this date and a list will be provided on the day. Please visit this link to provide electronic consent if not already completed. It is recommended all students requring a vaccination to please be in sports uniform.
Mount Carmel School Bus Routes
Transit Systems (formerly Interline) school bus route timetable is available via this 2024_Transit_Bus_Timetable.pdf. Contact phone number is 8118 7102. This timetable now in includes the Willowdale transit routes.
Enrolments 2024 Onwards
The CEDoW has transitioned to a new online enrolment platform, called Funnel, removing the use of all paper forms. Please take note, particularly for sibling applications. The online application form is accessible from the College website.
Social Media – Facebook & Instagram
Coming soon! Watch this space!
Rainer School Wear
Winter uniforms orders now available. Please click here.