Term 2, Week 5 - 27 May - 2022
- From the Principal
- Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
- Pastoral Care News and Safe on Social Media
- Careers
- From the Classroom
- National Youth Science Forum
- Street Retreat - for interested Year 11 students
- Student Leadership News
- Parent Forum Term 2 - 31st May 2022
- Parent Education and Support
- COVID 19 - repeat from 10th May
- Prayer Time - From The Soul
- Parish News
- Bus safety awareness
- Birthdays
Dear Parents and Carers
Last Friday we were able to finally celebrate the retirement of two of our long-serving staff members - Rob Barselaar and Rosemary Cureton. This was an opportunity to acknowledge and thank Rose and Rob for their wonderful service and dedication to Catholic Education in Grafton, Rob since 1986 and Rose since 1978. We were joined by family members, friends and former colleagues and were given some insight into their long and distinguished teaching careers. I sincerely thank Rose and Rob for the contributions they have made to McAuley Catholic College and the schools that formed McAuley. They have made a difference to the lives of a countless number of students and we wish them all the very best as they enjoy their well-deserved retirement.
We welcome to the College this week Mr Jack Burton. Jack will be teaching in the Science & Maths faculties, replacing Mr Damian Bennie who is on leave. Over the last 12 weeks Mr Imeson, Miss Jansons, Mrs Marg Bertalli, Mr Jim Hand and I have taken additional classes to ensure students had continuity and consistency in the classroom, and I thank these staff for their efforts. Other staff members that have been on leave this term are Kathy Warby and Steve & Tracey Hartmann. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
In the last fortnight, we hosted LEAD, a faith formation experience for senior students facilitated by the SEAC team from the Catholic Schools Office. This was an amazing event with 200 young people immersed in the experience. A huge thank you to the TAS & VET staff and their many helpers from across the College for catering for this 2-day event. Hospitality, one of our Mercy values, was evident everywhere.
A number of sporting and curriculum excursions have been able to go ahead this term, including Diocesan Cross Country, Schools Cup / Daily Examiner Netball, BillTurner Soccer, Year 11 Biology rock platform study and Year 10 Future Pathways. Congratulations to all the students who were involved in these activities and represented the College with pride. Reports on these events should be in the next newsletter.
I invite all parents & carers to the Term 2 Parent Forum on Tuesday 31st May at 6 pm in the College Library. Topics to be discussed include Parent Assembly news, Principal report & Parent Education session, which will be on Safe on Social parent portal and School Improvement. A zoom option is available if you would like to participate from the comfort of your own home.
This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, a very important day in the Christian Church and is often referred to as the Birthday of the Church. Here is a reflection from Damian Coleridge “Our images of the Holy Spirit – wind, fire, breath – are meant to unsettle us, move us out of our locked rooms to begin the living out of God’s love. They draw us into a relationship with Christ, with the Father, with each other and with those we know as ‘them’ only to discover they too are us. We begin to reach out to strangers, the embattled, the broken-hearted and be with ‘them’, and through these relationships, we learn to be with one other and become ourselves. The self-giving of Jesus Christ, in his dying and being raised to endless life, models this way of living, giving as God gives, unceasingly. (2021)
All the best for the fortnight ahead,
Yours sincerely
Kate
Kate Thomson
Principal
“We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.” Catherine McAuley
National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week
On Thursday in our pastoral care lesson and during assembly we spent some time with our students reflecting on National Sorry Day and Reconciliation week.
National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’. It is a day where we acknowledged the strength of Stolen Generations’ Survivors and reflected on how we can all play a part in the healing process for our people and nation.
The National Reconciliation theme for 2022 ‘Be Brave. Make Change‘ is a challenge to all Australians, individuals, families, communities, organisations and governments to Be Brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so we can make a change for the benefit of all Australians.
I would like to acknowledge the work of our IEWs (Wil Bancroft and Ellee Munro) and the indigenous students who ran the assembly as well as Mr Imerson and Mr Monfod who always create contemporary, relevant and intersting sessions for the PC lessons.
Year 12 University Entrance
Students who are interested in this pathway will need to be proactive in staying up to date with information. Mr Paton, often has a section in the newsletter and students are also able to access the McAuley Careers Website through the school portal. Parents are welcome to make an appointment through the office should they need extra support with careers counselling.
Uniform
Our College is a wonderful school, however, we can only achieve this in strong partnership with parents and the community. It is really important that you are able to articulate and discuss with your child why they are being sent to McAuley. We have been very clear regarding school expectations. Crucially, each child should understand that you have signed a contract on their behalf agreeing to basic standards such as behaviour and uniform.
As outlined in a previous newsletter, we are aware that there are still issues with some supply of aspects of the uniform. If you have something on order please make a note in your child’s diary so that the school is aware of what item is missing and so that your child will not be placed in uniform detention for being out of uniform.
A few reminders regarding our current uniform policy.
All students are expected to:
- Wear the correct school uniform each day with pride.
- Wear Sports uniform on Thursdays.
- Wear formal uniform on Wednesdays.
- Label all uniform items with the student's name.
- Keep uniform items, including hats, free of graffiti or paint.
- All junior and senior boys are required to wear ties in Terms 2 and 3.
- As the weather cools, jumpers must be a Maroon ‘Gotcha’ with a monogram, Para Sport Jacket or Maroon Woollen College-Style Jumper.
COVID intensive support
The COVID Learning Support program for year 7 Numeracy will start week 6 with selected students partaking in an intervention facilitated by Mrs Jones. Parents of selected students will receive more information in the coming weeks.
Study Skills - Structures for Learning at Home
Many students come home from school and end up just waiting until they might ‘feel’ like doing schoolwork. Or else they drag everything out over the whole night. A much better way is each night to set allocated times for home learning. Many students find that learning in 20-30 minute blocks works well for them. During this time students should do homework first, then work on any assignments or upcoming tests, then use the rest of the time allocated for schoolwork to complete independent learning activities such as reviewing work they find difficult, making study notes or doing practice questions to build their skills.
Elevate will provide another free parent zoom next week. This webinar held on Wednesday 1st June @ 7pm (AEDT), and will be covering how to improve your child’s memory.
How to improve your child’s memory will focus on the following areas:
- How they can set up their child’s study space to maximise attention;
- The best techniques for improving memory;
- The 7 most common mistakes which actually reduce memory retention.
Should you have questions or would like to contact Elevate directly, their details are listed below.
1300 667 945
auaucoaching@elevateeducation.com
Last term all parents/carers were emailed an invitation to access the free Safe on Social Parents Toolkit. The toolkit is a complete A-Z, self-paced online safety course that will see you go from spending late nights worrying about your child online to transforming social media and online activities into positive, enriching and worry-free experiences for both you and your children. It’s your digital ‘survival kit’ of everything you need to know to keep your kids safe online.
Access to this toolkit is by computer only at this stage. Please follow the instructions below.
Log in URL: https://www.safeonsocialtoolkit.com/courses/the-safe-on-social-parents-toolkit-gift
Custom School Code: mcauleycatholiccollege2022
Make sure you are using the URL and special code above which will provide you with a 100% discount code.
Click on Buy and then simply apply the code at check out and it will default to $0.
Once the code is applied you are not required to enter any payment details as this is a gift to you on behalf of us.
The Devious Device: An Important Listen for all Educators & Parents
The Devious Device: A Conversation with Kirra Pendergast, explores a range of cyber safety topics that are an absolute must-listen for all Educators and Parents.
Within a short 18 minutes, you will have a plethora of information that will assist you in conversations around:
- Airdropping & cyber flashing
- Check your privacy settings
- What not to do when a child reports an incident
- Talk to your kids proactively
- Turn it off, move away & talk to someone
- Sextortion (combination of sexual & extortion)
- Check-in regularly with your kids & their social account
You can listen to Kirra Pendergast’s episode with Dr Justin Coulson below…
Year 10 Subject Information Night
Our online Year 10 Subject Information Night is all about supporting current Year 10 students to choose their senior school subjects! The event will be held online on Wednesday 1 June from 6.30pm – 7:15pm. During the session students will:
- Get tips on Year 11 and 12 subject selection
- Hear from our Future Moves team
- Take part in immersive activities
- Get answers to any questions they have about preparing for uni!
- The University of Notre Dame Australia Tuesday 21 June | 6:00-8:00 PM Join on campus to find out more about Notre Dame's Young Achievers Early Offer Program, including selection criteria, the application process, important dates, benefits and more. Students will also hear from current students and have the opportunity to chat 1:1 with academics. Register now: https://events.nd.edu.au/
earlyoffersyd2022. - Education Services Australia (myfuture) FREE MYFUTURE WEBINAR – WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE – SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD’S CAREER IN THE POST-PANDEMIC WORLD: Careers expert Professor Tristram Hooley provides a framework for thinking about the impact of COVID on young people and how parents and carers can help them build resilience to the changing employment environment. Find out more and register: https://attendee.
gotowebinar.com/register/ 6301931581477965327. - LifeJourney and the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) will deliver 2 free webinars for Australian secondary students in June to help build awareness about the exciting and rewarding opportunities available in the field of cyber security. The webinars will feature cyber professionals as well as information on pathways and resources. Register: https://bit.ly/
39Ew0Hl. - Academy of Interactive Entertainment Courses in Games & Film, Online Campus Day at Academy of Interactive Entertainment Saturday 28th May! Want to study games or film development online? Discover AIE’s courses in Game Art & Animation, Programming and Game Design. Learn about entry requirements and career pathways. Livestream starting at 1pm AEST, Rego required. RSVP: https://aie.edu.au/aie_
event/online-campus-day/. - CQUniversity I Parents and Year 12s Webinar (Tuesday, 14 June) Join CQUniversity at this informative webinar and be guided through each step to transition from high school to further study. This webinar will provide helpful resources for making a career choice. Plus, learn where to look for information on courses, find entry requirements and get detailed information about how to apply. Register to attend at cqu.edu.au/events.
- Charles Sturt University Year 10 Subject Information Evening: Come to Charles Sturt online Year 10 Subject Information Night on Wednesday 1 June at 6.30pm. Students will get tips on subject selection, hear from the Future Moves team and have their questions answered. Parents and Career Advisers are welcome, book here: https://bit.ly/
Year10InfoNight. - Teach NSW The NSW Department of Education offers fantastic scholarship opportunities for HSC students who are planning to study an initial teacher education course in 2023. Applications for the 2022 scholarship intake open soon, subscribe to be notified. tinyurl.com/scholarshipalerts
- William Angliss Institute Don't miss out on the chance to apply for scholarships valued at up to $4,000 at William Angliss to help support students through your educational journey. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of both academic merit, or financial need. Applications close 29 of May 2022. If you have any questions, feel free to contact William Angliss Institute via email melanie.makornphan@angliss.
edu.au.
All the best for the fortnight ahead
Rod Paton
Careers Adviser
Food Technology
Are you a Year 11 student passionate about science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)? Do you want to meet like-minded young people from across Australia? Do you want to learn more about your study and career options? Look no further than the 2023 National Youth Science Forum Year 12 Program #NYSFoz! Applications are open now: https://www.nysf.edu.au/programs/year-12-program/
Key dates
- Early bird applications ($25 application fee) close 24th July 2022
- Full fee applications ($65 application fee) close 14th August 2022
- Selection interviews later in the year.
Interested Year 11 students are invited to apply for a place at Street Retreat, an amazing Social Justice experience in Brisbane, conducted by the Diocese of Lismore.
The Student Leadership Team is working hard throughout Term 2 to bring some exciting initiatives to McAuley.
The much loved McAuley Fest is currently in the works for its return this year. You can expect to see many talented students and teachers performing in bands; food and drinks; some spectacular dance moves and more! Stay tuned for more information coming soon.
We are continuing our lunch-time game initiatives every Thursday this term. It has proved to be a lot of fun for the students and a great way to establish a sense of community and school spirit within MCC, particularly when we have a large crowd! Recently we have hosted a game of trivia for Years 7 and 8, and an electrifying game of senior girls vs boys netball. This is a great way to get involved with the school and have some fun with your mates at lunch.
The SLT is putting a focus on livening up our school assemblies this term. We have brought back the much-missed joke of the week, delivered by one of our Year 12 leaders. We are also spreading as much awareness and promotion of the SLT within the school as possible, mainly through an update given by a representative of our group each week. As the voice of the school, we are trying to emphasise our role as approachable students who will listen to any feedback or ideas students may have.
This update was sent to parents on the 10th May
- They must notify the school if they are intending to return under this provision.
- They should conduct a daily rapid antigen test (RAT) and return a negative result each morning before attending school for 5 school days.
- Secondary school students must wear a mask indoors (except when eating or exercising).
- No student or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps.
- No apprentices, trainees or students on placement or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to attend settings identified as high risk by NSW Health (healthcare, aged care, disability care or correctional facilities)
- Any visitor to a school site who is a close contact is required to advise the school that they are a close contact before they come on site. These visitors should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result before attending. They must also wear a mask indoors at all times. Schools should consider if the visit can be conducted virtually.
- Staff and students cannot attend school if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19.
- If symptoms occur at any time, students should not attend school and should undertake a rapid antigen test (RAT).
- The RATs can be used for symptomatic testing or for daily testing as part of the close contact requirements.
- Note - that students and staff in specialist centres or support classes or who utilise assisted transport who are identified as close contacts must not attend school and learn from home.
- record the positive RAT result through the Service NSW website or Service NSW app – please add details of your child’s school when prompted
- notify the school of the positive RAT or PCR test result as soon as possible
- follow NSW Health advice to isolate for 7 days.
- Masks are not mandatory for staff and students in high schools.
- Staff and students will be supported to wear a mask if they choose to do so.
- Mask wearing is mandatory for staff and high school students returning to school as close contacts for 5 school days
- Where students or staff are unable to wear a mask, they will be supported to learn or work remotely.
- This applies to students aged 12 years and older, and staff when travelling to and from school and during school excursions by public transport or by chartered transport services.
- Fresh air is the most effective form of ventilation to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
- As we move into the colder months, heating will be used in conjunction with windows and doors remaining slightly open to continue to allow natural ventilation.
POSSIBILITY
The Oxford Dictionary defines possibility as a thing that may happen or be true; the fact that something might happen or be true, but is not certain. It is the uncertainty, the ‘may’ and the ‘might’, the element of doubt, the ‘this way’ or ‘that’ and the choices that are presented to us, that have the power to light a fire or to extinguish a spark within each of us. St Catherine of Siena, a doctor of the church once wrote, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” Here was a woman who understood potential and possibility. The potential each of us has when we open ourselves to the power of possibility, given to us by God the Creator.
Imagine a world without possibility: inventors wouldn’t have invented, dreamers wouldn’t have dreamt and artists wouldn’t have created. If Benjamin Franklin didn’t believe in the power of possibility we would not have electricity. If Alexander Fleming didn’t wonder at the possibilities science could offer, we would be without penicillin and if Michelangelo didn’t see possibility in a block of marble, we wouldn’t have the statue of David. Here, we have three famous examples of people who set the world on fire, who dared to imagine that something was possible and proved it to be so.
Jesus dwelt in possibility. He shows us that all things are possible with God. When Jesus challenged the people of his time, he was also challenging us to think beyond the scope of who and what we are, to who and what we can become. He challenges us to think about what might happen or what may happen, when we step into a place of uncertainty and fan the spark into a flame.
Prayer
Please find attached the latest Parish Bulletins from Clarence Valley Parish.
Key Message for families – Safe Bus Travel
Families have an important part to play in keeping children safe around roads.
- Never drop off or meet your child on the opposite side of the road to the bus stop or call them across the road. Always drop them off or meet them on the same side of the road as the bus stop.
- Remind your children to always wait until the bus has gone before choosing a safe place to cross the road.
For more information about bus safety for families go to: https://roadsafety.
