Term 2 - Week 5 - 26 May 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

Parent Forum postponed

The scheduled Parent Forum gathering for Tuesday 30th May has been postponed. One of the topics for the evening was to be the revised uniform and I hoped to display samples for feedback; however, these are not yet available (but shouldn’t be far off). In addition, there are a number of events coming up in the next few weeks that I hope parents will be attending which include McAuley Fest on Thursday 8th June and Yr 8 and 10 Subject Information Evening on Tuesday 13th June. I also encourage parents and carers to join in the upcoming webinar from Choicezmedia organised by Parent Assembly. More information will be shared soon. 

Dr Lyn Sharrat International researcher & author - at McAuley 

In week 4 Dr Lyn Sharratt visited the College and held a workshop for around 30 people from schools in our Diocese and staff from the Catholic Schools Office, including our Director Adam Spencer. As I said in our previous newsletter, we have been working with Lyn Sharratt since 2021 through an initiative from the Catholic Schools Office, Lismore, to improve literacy in our school as well as the learning and teaching experience across the College, using a learning framework based around 14 Parameters. We gave a presentation to the gathering, outlining our journey over the last 2 years and posed an inquiry question to Lyn and the group which was: Has the staff Professional Learning transferred to the classroom? Has it made an impact? We visited 12 classrooms during the morning to briefly observe the learning and teaching and to talk to the students about their learning using 5 questions from Lyn Sharratt - What are you Learning and why? How are you going? How do you know? - What feedback have you received? How can you improve? and Where do you go for help?

Lyn spent time unpacking what we saw and heard on our Learning Walks and Talks and was then able to provide us with suggestions on where we go next with our implementation of the learning framework and 14 parameters. It was a great privilege to have Lyn Sharratt at our College. The feedback we received was very positive, affirming and encouraging, and the answer to our question was yes! This is what we will unpack with staff in more detail. In addition to seeing our great school, Lyn was able to view a mob of kangaroos moving through the paddocks at the back of the school. A great thrill for our visitor from Canada! 

Congratulations to all students and staff involved in a range of activities over the last fortnight

In the last fortnight, we have had many students involved in a range of activities both sporting and curriculum. These included Bill Turner Soccer (girls and boys), Netball NSW Cup, Surfing, Diocesan Cross Country and Yr 10 Future Pathways talks. Congratulations to all involved.

Year 7 2024 Enrolment Interviews 

Last week we began our interviews for year 7 students for 2024, which is an important part of the enrolment process. A number of staff are assisting with the interviews and they are enjoying meeting students and parents. We have received more applications than we have ever received before. Offers of acceptance will be sent at the end of the term. 

National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week 

Friday 26th May was National Sorry Day, which is followed by National Reconciliation Week. We have been acknowledging these important days with the Reconciliation Prayer. Our Assembly and Pastroal Care lesson will focus on Sorry Day and Reconciliation, as we continue to commemorate the Stolen Generations and work towards reconciliation and Closing the Gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.  

Kathy Warby, Assistant Principal Mission and Wellbeing

Kathy is taking leave from the 5th June until the 14th August. Kath will be replaced by an acting Assitant Principal. This process will be finalised by the end of the week. We wish Kathy all the best as she enjoys her time being a grandmother!

Upcoming Events

McAuley Fest - Thursday 8th June. Please come along for a great night of entertainment. Many talented students and staff of McAuley will be performing; Subject information night on Tuesday 13th June for Year 8 and 10 students and parents in preparation for subject selections for 2024.

Pentecost

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 Michael A Kelly CSsR (© Majellan Media 2023) In the Acts of the Apostles, we hear that devout Jews from every nation had gathered in Jerusalem for the feast of Shavuot which commemorated the most important event in Israel’s history, the giving of the Torah to Moses at Mt Sinai. It was originally a harvest festival when the Jewish people came to Jerusalem to thank God for the fruits of the wheat harvest. It also became known among the Greek-speaking Jews as Pentecost as it came fifty days (pentekoste) after the feast of Passover.

The feast is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter which is also fifty days after Easter, hence the name. For Christians, the feast of Pentecost concludes the Easter season. The fifty days from Jesus’ resurrection to Pentecost, are marked in a particular way by the presence of the Holy Spirit who is in fact the ultimate Easter gift. The Creator Spirit constantly brings about new things. Sunday’s readings show us two of these new things. In the first reading, the Spirit makes of the disciples a new people; in the Gospel, she creates in the disciples a new heart.

Enjoy the fortnight ahead,

Sincerely

Kate

Kate Thomson

Principal

“We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.”

Catherine McAuley

 International researcher & author - Dr Lyn Sharratt at McAuley 

I hope this newsletter finds you well. I am excited to share with you the results of the school visit of Dr Lyn Sharratt last week. As Kate mentioned in the week three newsletter, Dr Sharratt is working with schools throughout the Lismore Diocese to improve literacy and learning and teaching in schools. Dr. Sharratt and several senior educators from throughout the diocese visited our classes and were able to see the work that our staff and students have done in terms of supporting the professional development focus we have at our school. This focus centres around the educational research of Lyn Sharratt and her book "Clarity: What Matters Most in Learning and Teaching." In addition, on the day, we emphasised the importance of setting high expectations for our student's growth and achievement using Lyn Sharratt’s Assessment Waterfall Chart.

Our primary goal is to ensure our students are actively engaged in their learning journey. At McAuley Catholic College, we strongly believe in creating an environment that fosters active student participation and collaboration.

In today’s newsletter, I aim to cover two essential approaches for our school's next steps in implementing the Assessment Waterfall Chart. Encouraging our students to embrace: peer assessment and group work.

Peer Assessment:

We encourage students to assess the work of their peers, as it not only develops their critical thinking skills but also enhances their understanding of the subject matter. By engaging in peer assessment, students actively analyse and provide constructive feedback on their classmates' assignments, presentations, and projects. This process benefits both the assessors and the students being assessed.

Here are a few ways our students can make the most of peer assessment:

1. Constructive Feedback: We encourage students to provide specific feedback that focuses on strengths and areas for improvement. Emphasising the importance of offering suggestions and examples helps their peers enhance their work effectively.
2. Clear Criteria: It is essential for students to have a clear understanding of the assessment criteria. We provide rubrics or guidelines that outline the expectations, enabling students to provide objective feedback based on predefined standards. This clarity ensures the effectiveness of the peer assessment process.
3. Reflection and Self-Assessment: Peer assessment allows students to reflect on their work by comparing it with their peers. Students can analyse the feedback they receive and identify areas where they can improve their learning journey.

Working in Groups:

Collaborative learning is another crucial aspect of our professional development focus. Working in groups allows students to learn from one another, build social skills, and develop a sense of responsibility toward shared goals. Through group projects and activities, students can deepen their understanding of concepts while developing communication and teamwork skills.

At McAuley College, these approaches foster a supportive learning community where students are actively engaged in their own growth and development. We encourage you to discuss these strategies with your children and support their participation in peer assessment and group work activities.

You can discover more about Lyn on her website lynsharratt.com, and various social media platforms:

Twitter: @LynSharratt,

Instagram: lyn_sharratt,

Elevate Education works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, well-being, and exam preparation. The next Elevate webinar this term is on Wednesday, 7th June. The focus will be exclusively on Exam Preparation and how you, as parents, can help your children prepare for tests and exams.

MCC Women’s Football World Cup!

To celebrate the 2023 Women’s World Cup, hosted by Australia and New Zealand, McAuley will be conducting its very own soccer world cup tournament to coincide with this spectacular event. Beginning Monday the 12th of June (Week 8), matches will take place during lunch on the school field where 4 teams from each McAuley House will battle it out to secure a place in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and grand final which will be held in Week 9. House captains will be coordinating teams for this event, whereby the top 16 women’s national teams will be “auctioned off”. The teams hotly contested include Australia’s Matildas, Brazil, USA, and many more. This is a great opportunity for students of all-year groups to get involved and support their house teams. The grand final winner of the tournament will receive house points and bragging rights!

For those who wish to participate, more information regarding nominations will be available soon. If you have any questions, please reach out to your house captains or the SLT. 

McAuley Fest 

McAuley Fest is returning for its third time in just a couple of weeks. McAuley Fest is a Student Leadership Team initiative that has been created to bring the school community together to enjoy and celebrate the immense talent that McAuley students have. The festival is taking place on Thursday 8th June (Week 7) from 5:30PM to 9:00PM with a large program of musical performances, soon to be announced. MCC Fest not only showcases the musical talents of our school, it also features an art exhibition organised by Mrs. Cassandra-lyn Palmer and a wide range of foods that will be cooked up by our senior hospitality students and teachers. 

Last year's event had over 250 attendees and we can’t wait to see you there this year. Tickets will be available via Compass soon with more details to be given to students this week. Friends and family members of the college community are welcome to come and enjoy this wonderful event.

The Sporty Library  

It may seem like a contradiction in terms, but the Mercy Library is probably the most hotly contested sporting space in the whole of the McAuley College grounds.

Every recess and lunch, students face down their combatants in social and competitive matches on their elected court spaces. 

While the students may not be raising a sweat, they are developing their mental agility, stamina and accuracy as they play chess, cards and a variety of other games.  

The Mercy Library has recently updated its games and the students are enjoying the opportunity to play with the new chess sets, cards and the odd exploding kitten.

While all students enjoy the engaging library spaces during their breaks, the seniors are becoming increasingly aware of their looming assessment schedule. The seniors are able to increase their studying efficacy by taking advantage of the variety of spaces within the library to suit their study needs. 

Year 11 Construction

Year 7 Metalwork

Year 11 Legal Studies

Students in Year 11 Legal Studies attended the Grafton Local Court on Monday 8th May for a real-world application of their studies in The Legal System. Students observed the procedures, processes, and role of personnel in a courtroom and the types of cases heard in the Magistrate’s Court. Thank you to NSW Communities and Justice for providing students with this experience.

Year 10 Sushi and Rice Paper Rolls

Bill Turner Soccer Cup - Round 3

On Friday, May 19th, eight students represented McAuley Catholic College at the Far North Coast High School State Titles at Lennox Head.  The students were up early to arrive at Lennox at 7am and all divisions were filled with keen surfers in the Junior (U16s) and Senior (U19s) age groups.  The event was a tag-team format, requiring the surfers to catch their best wave and then "tag" the other team member by putting both arms up, whereby, the second surfer then paddled out.  It was a challenging format with only twenty minutes total for the two surfers, but it was a great experience for the school to have representation for the first time ever.  Out of eleven teams (from nine schools spanning from Woolgoolga to Banora Point), McAuley finished 4th overall.  It was a great day, and the students were especially grateful to Ms. Thomson for the opportunity to attend, Mr. Butcher for the teacher/surfer support, and Le-Ba Boardriders for putting on the event. 

While all the students were excited and competent surfers, most had never competed in a tag-team event, and it was great to have the students support one another on the day.  Well done to Will Pattison, Hudson Daley-Hadi (Senior Boys), Duke Orr and Miles Jack (Junior Boys), Madora Barton and Milla Zvatora (Senior Girls), and Serena Jack and Heidi van Leest (Junior Girls) for having a go! 

Please note COVID-19 is still present in our community. Rapid Antigen Tests are still available at the College. If you require additional tests please contact the College Office.

Please be reminded that students and staff CANNOT attend school if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19. 

Students who are unwell

If a student is unwell, displaying any COVID-19 or cold and flu-like symptoms at any time, they CANNOT attend school and should undertake a rapid antigen test. 

If the rapid antigen test is positive and the student is unwell and/or experiencing any symptoms, they CANNOT attend school.

If the rapid antigen test is positive and the student is not feeling unwell and not displaying or experiencing any symptoms, they CAN attend school under the following conditions:

• the school office is informed of the positive test result, AND
• the student (over 12 years old) wears a mask for a period of 7 days in all indoor settings.

Praying with Music

• thank you - LJ the Messenger (feat. Sara Damon and melo) - How often do we forget to say ‘thank You’ to God when our prayers are answered? This groovy song reminds us to worship God for the many blessings God has given us.

• Be Like You - Jonathan Ogden (feat. Darla Baltazar)  - Be Like You is a song about the journey of transformation, worship and discipleship. "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." 2 Corinthians 3:18.

        As we behold the Lord, we're being transformed to be more like Him.

Wildfire

• Wildfire Announcement Video

Since the end of last year, Wildfire has been intentionally writing and creating something really special for your school and parish community. Watch this video to learn what this exciting new project is, and stay tuned for more details on the release date.