Term 3, Week 7 - 3 September - 2020
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From the Principal
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Assistant Principal
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Latest COVID 19 Information for Schools
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Curriculum
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KLA in Focus - PDHPE
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Careers
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STEM and Digital Technologies
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CSYMA
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Prayer Time and Resources
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MCC Gardening Program
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Celebrating 30 Years
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Student Study Tips
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Player Profile - Achievers from the Athletics Carnival
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Student Leadership News
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Parent Assembly Webinars
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NSW Council of Catholic Schools - Parent Newsletter
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Parish News
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Food for Thought / Stories as Told by Mr Ogg
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Birthdays
Dear Parents and Carers,
At this time in Term 3 there is a focus on student leadership, as it is a period of transition, with our Year 12 leaders coming to the end of their tenure and Year 11 students putting themselves forward to be considered for leadership roles for the next 12 months. In preparation for this succession, Year 11 would normally attend a three day retreat with a focus on faith development and leadership. In COVID times this retreat experience was reduced to a one day event. The feedback on the day from the students was very positive, as they found it an affirming experience, as well as an opportunity to come together as a year group in preparation for their final year at the College. Each student made a pledge acknowledging what they would like to contribute to the year group and to the College as a whole. I was invited to address the group on leadership - to talk about my leadership experience and to express my expectations of Student Leaders of the College and my commitment to their role and their development. Student leadership is important to me and I consciously give time to it each week.
Year 11 Leadership Process
The Leadership nomination and election process has provided me with the opportunity to get to know our senior students a little more, which I have enjoyed. Students were asked to nominate for the position they were interested in standing for by completing a form and answering a series of questions. Each student then attended an interview with me and Mr Bellamy, and the 17 students we interviewed were well prepared and impressive. I was very proud of each student who presented to us and it highlighted (again) that we have many students who take pride in their College and have a desire to give back to the community that has helped form them. The parents & carers of all these students should also be very proud of their children no matter what the result of the election currently. The 10 students who were nominated for Captain & Vice Captain positions gave well prepared speeches to their year group. Also notable was the respect and support the year group gave their peers as they presented their speeches. Students who have been nominated for House Captains will address their House next week and voting will follow this. All Leadership positions should be known by the end of week 8.
Year 12
Year 12 students have returned to normal classes after completing 2 weeks of Trial HSC exams. The examinations were very well conducted and I thank Mrs Lee for coordinating this process. I also thank the students for the way they conducted themselves during the exam period. Over the next few weeks Year 12 will receive a lot of feedback from their exams and students are strongly encouraged to take this feedback onboard, reflect and ask for help and clarification in preparation for their HSC.
To assist our Year 12’s to finish well Mrs Robinson has prepared a Wellbeing Day and all students are expected to attend. There is variety in the day and opportunities to participate in practical activities that focus on physical and mental health as well as performing some community service in the College.
This week a letter went home to Yearr 12 students and their parents regarding the arrangements being made for the annual Year 12 Liturgy and Awards Presentation day, which will be held on Thursday 24th September. We are working hard to make the day (and the week) a memorable time, but unfortunately, due to COVID 19 restrictions, parents, carers, family, friends and community members are unable to attend.
Congratulations to our Year 12 students who have completed their practical projects. So far this is the Industrial Technology - Timber and Textiles classes. Thank you to their teachers, Mr Bancroft and Mrs Bartholomew, and the staff who have mentored and assisted the students over the course of the year to ensure they were able to complete their projects and overcome obstacles such as COVID19 restrictions (and the closure of schools in term 1 & 2).
Lock down
This week the College community participated in a Lockdown Drill. It is imperative that we have a safe environment and practising drills such as Lockdown and Evacuation are completed each year in case the need arises for them to be enacted. After each drill an evaluation is carried out and improvements made.
R U OK Day 10th September
Our R U OK Day is being organised by Yr 10 PDHPE which is a great initiative of the PDHPE department. Students are asked to wear a yellow accessory on the day to support the initiative and highlight the importance of checking in with people each day.
Community Radio Chat
We have continued our Friday morning chat with Damo at 103.1FM Loving Life. Alana Madden (Yr 11) and Matilda Sheehan (Yr 10) from the Student Leadership Team had the experience of going to the studio to talk on behalf of the students about the College and this week Mr Bellamy and some Year 11 students will chat about the Leadership process.
Parent Assembly Initiatives
There are a number of initiatives being developed by Parent Assembly including support materials and webinars for parents. Please check them out here in the newsletter and support these events.
Parent Forum Zoom meeting
As I mentioned in the previous newsletter the Parent Forum / Parent Gathering will reform this month via Zoom. The meeting is set for Tuesday 15th September at 5.30pm. The details are recorded below and parents and carers are asked to register to participate in the meeting. If you have any suggestions for the meeting or future meetings please let me know via email.
Parent Forum - Parent Gathering 15th September at 5.30pm Zoom meeting registration link: https://lismcatholic.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpdO-urzgiE9d2bstt1dxg9rYbCiXKv48a |
COVID update
A letter to parents and carers was sent out last week, outlining the latest COVID safety restrictions and requirements. A copy has been included in the COVID19 section of the newsletter. Students and staff are to stay home and be tested if they are unwell, even if they are showing only mild flu / COVID 19 symptoms. They should not return to school until they receive a negative test for COVID 19, which needs to be provided to the school. Thank you to our families who have been following this advice.
McAuley Day has been postponed until term 4 in the hope COVID 19 restrictions will be eased. Stay tuned for more information.
To all in our community - take care.
Yours sincerely,
Kate
Kate Thomson
Principal
“We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.” Catherine McAuley
Webinar sessions - eSafety’s parent guide to popular apps
Join one of the eSafety webinars for parents and carers, at no cost.
These live webinars explore the latest research and they are a great way to learn how you can help your child develop the skills to be safer online.
All sessions are delivered by eSafety expert educators.
In the 1 hour webinar, take a look at TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube
The webinar will cover:
- popular apps used by young people
- case studies, research, and targeted advice
- where to find help and support.
Dates
- Tuesday 8 September 12:30 pm
- Wednesday 9 September 7:30 pm
- Thursday 10 September 12:30 pm
The eSafety commissioner also has great information for parents and advice on how to help your child deal with online issues. The issues included are listed here. For valuable and informative information go the parent tab at the eSafety commissioner. https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/big-issues
Safe on Social Media Cheat Sheet - Age Recommendation Guidelines and the Law
New Google Technology Toolkit for families
Google has published resources to support families in understanding the technology students are using in schools. There are videos available for families that demonstrate accessibility, security, Google classroom and a general overview for the G suite.
View the video introductions and further resources here.
Yr 11 Retreat
Yr 11 and 12 Study and Mental Health resources
Please find attached a letter from the Director with updated COVID-19 Information.
Please find find attached a copy of the letter from the Principal sent to all families on 24th August.
Stage 6 Subjects 2021
Year 10 students have been provided with their subject lines for 2021 and can now make their final selections. The students have been asked to complete both an online form and a hard copy of the form, signed by a parent/carer. Students have been encouraged to discuss with me their final choices if they have any questions or concerns.
Stage 5 Electives - 2021
Students in Year 8 have now received their elective lines for Stage 5. Students have been asked to complete both the online form and a hard copy with their parent/carer signature. Students have also been encouraged to make their selections in a timely manner as some courses may fill to capacity and alternative choices will need to be made.
Year 12
Year 12 students have recently concluded their Trial HSC Examinations. They are to be congratulated for their conduct and participation in these exams. Students are encouraged to continue to work consistently and effectively in the coming weeks as they prepare for their HSC Examinations.
Many Year 12 students have completed, or are finalising their major projects, works, and performances for the HSC. These students must be congratulated on their finished products. Many, many hours have gone into the projects and both students and their teachers have done an amazing job.
Year 12 Textbooks
This week information was given to Year 11 students outlining the procedure for purchasing new textbooks for students going into Year 12 in Term 4. The College uses the online store Campion Books and they have provided an excellent service over the many years we have dealt with them.
If you decide to use this service by Friday, 11th September, then you will receive a 10% discount, reduced postage costs and orders will be available for collection at the College Library in Week 1 of Term 4. Books can still be ordered after this date but will be delivered to your home address and you will not receive the discount.
If your subject is not listed on the website then it means the course has other arrangements for textbooks or course notes.
Of course you do not have to use this service. Other options could be purchasing them from previous Year 12 students or other bookstores. If you do buy secondhand textbooks make sure they are the current edition as many courses have changed over the last few years.
Tiffany Lee
Curriculum Coordinator
Since we have returned to school from Blended Learning/lockdown, students at McAuley have been embracing physical activity in their PDHPE practical lessons. We returned to five weeks straight, of practical lessons in which most students enjoyed, however parents may not have appreciated the increased washing of uniforms.
In Term 3 our games based approach to lessons has had more of an outdoor theme with lots of kicking games, invasion games and world games. Students have thoroughly enjoyed the fresh air, interaction and fun of the units being taught.
Year 10 were very fortunate to experience a variety of new games and equipment in their “Be Active Everyday” unit. Some of the new sports were Spike-ball and Kin-ball (shown in pictures). They are currently eagerly awaiting their chance to perform their much anticipated “Movement Composition” group assessment task in Week 7. This is an annual event and the highlight of our PDHPE program calendar. The performances each year are excellent, and we are sure that they will be once again. Students have been working hard in class and even using their own lunch-time to perfect their rhythm/timing.
Craig Nipperess
Leader of PDHPE
CUC (Country Universities Centre)
The Country Universities Centre is a not-for-profit organisation, established with the aim of making higher education more accessible for regional and remote communities in NSW.
A CUC has been established in Grafton (Clarence Valley). The Centre is based on a model which delivers supported learning to students, providing them with access to campus-level technology, facilities, tutors and a network of fellow students.
Any student, studying any course at any Australian University, can use the facilities free of charge. CUC's vision is to improve equity in higher educational opportunities for rural and remote students.
The Country Universities Centre Clarence Valley is located at 146 Pound St, Grafton, directly beside the Clarence Regional Library. It is accessible from 6am to midnight.
CUC Clarence Valley Centre Manager Melanie Lamb is there to guide and support students with their tertiary decisions and challenges. I am pleased to announce that Melanie will be speaking to our Year 12 students about all that the CUC has to offer in the coming weeks.
Year 11 Qld Uni Tour
ADF
The Careers Department continues to provide many and varied opportunities for our students to explore their future career pathway. Last week the Australian Defence Forces gave a presentation via Zoom on the numerous career options available for students in Years 10, 11 or 12.
Year 12 Important Dates
Rod Paton
Careers Adviser
In Week 5, teachers from the TAS faculty engaged with the Catholic Schools Office and Using Technology Better to participate in professional development specific to Digital Technologies across the TAS Curriculum. The purpose of the day was to support teacher understanding of effective teaching strategies that provide enhanced learning experiences with technology. Teachers worked collaboratively to plan for the selection of relevant and meaningful content, skills and strategies to enable technology integration in the classroom.
A key focus of the day was an introduction to the Cospaces platform that can be used across the curriculum and supports the development of skills in creativity, design and coding. Other key platforms used on the day included chrome extensions such as Jamboard, Keep and Learning Journal templates.
A big thank you to JJ Purton-Jones (Digital Technologies for Learning Consultant, Learning Services CSO) and Paul Hamilton (Using Technologies Better) for their time and expertise.
In July of this year, the Proclaim Lismore band, Wildfire, launched a new music video for one of their latest songs, Without You. The band called upon the staff and students from across the Lismore Diocese to create and contribute a piece of art that has been inspired by the song. Once the artwork was completed they asked that it be submitted, so it could be used to create a background for the music video.
We took this on as a creative project for our Years 9 and 10 CSYMA classes, we listened and prayed with the song, unpacking the significant meaning of the lyrics. Then, using the lyrics as inspiration the students were able to create a number of individual artworks, each with their own take on the powerful message of the song. Once completed we gathered the artworks and submitted them to Wildfire. A number of these were selected and have been brought to life in the video clip for Without You, which can be seen below.
A massive thank you to the staff and students of 9.1, 9.2 & 10.1 for their hard work and creativity.
Alex Montford
CSYMA Teacher
Last newsletter we included some resources from The Soul. If you would like to receive this weekly newsletter, register as an additional reader to The Soul mailing list using this form
The Soul Newsletter Registration form
Here are some resources from The Soul Edition 25 which had a focus on Worship - a simple prayer card and some music to help us connect with our Faith and with Jesus our Saviour.
Each week two small groups of Years 7 and 8 boys spend time with our resident agriculture expert, Brett Bowling, establishing and maintaining our school vegetable garden.
These students and Mr Bowling have constructed raised timber beds and planted a variety of vegetables such as beetroot, potatoes, onions, sugar snap peas and lettuce. The boys have also built a trellis to grow chokos and other climbing vegetables. Harvest time is particularly rewarding and the boys have shown great joy in sharing their produce with school staff and their families.
From left to right: Lachlan Johnson, Elijah Cheney, Phoenix Higgins, Bailey Chivers-Smith, Hayden Riley
Since the beginning of the Year 12 Trials, the Years 10 and 11 Students Leaders have had to step into some of the Year 12 roles. This experience has helped the Year 11 Leaders in particular, as they begin to decide about their future as Leaders at the end of 2020, and into 2021.
The Year 11 Reflection day took place on Thursday, 20th August, and the theme was Leadership. The year group was able to come together as a cohort and grasp what it may be like to work as a cooperative team in Year 12. This day was a guide and preparation for what their roles may involve.
Thursday Lunch sport is continuing each week to bring some of the school community together with the Student Leadership Team. There are a range of sports played to suit everyone’s liking.
On Friday, 21st September, Student Leader’s Alana Madden and Matilda Sheehan had the opportunity to speak on Loving Life Radio (103.1 FM). They were asked questions about how the SLT has had to be innovative since the tightening of COVID-19 restrictions to keep our peers engaged in school. They answered questions about some of the events that are taking place within their year groups such as the Year 11 Reflection Day and the Year 10 Science project based learning.
To find out more and register for the FREE webinar go to: https://butterfly.org.au/
The latest edition of the NSW Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP) newsletter contains many helpful resources and links to assist parents to support their own and their children's wellbeing during the continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is the link to their latest newsletter: https://ccsp.
Please find attached the latest Parish Bulletin from Clarence Valley Parish and a link for the St Mary’s, Casino Mass YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/
FOOD FOR THOUGHT 10
The Jewish nation at the time of Christ believed that there were 4 miracles that only He could do that would demonstrate His credentials as the Prophet that Moses and Isaiah (See Chapter 53), spoke about the very Son of God.
These were: To heal a leper of their disease
To give sight to a person born blind
To heal a deaf and mute person
To raise someone from the dead after 4 days.
It’s interesting that Christ Jesus did all of these miracles and often told the recipients of their healing to go and show the religious leaders of their new condition in accordance to the commandments of Moses. In fact the writer of John’s Gospel said that Christ did many miracles not written in his book and that if they were recorded he doubted the world could contain the books!
Christ came as a man, from humble earthly beginnings, from a backward town in a foreign occupied country to seek and save the lost.
His Mission: Seek and save the Lost
His Ministry: Prophet, Priest and King
His Motivation: Love of the Father.
He, time and time again demonstrated by His words, actions and miracles who He claimed to be and yet He was rejected, blasphemed, spat upon, whipped and eventually killed for His claims.
He just didn’t fit the religious beliefs of the time as to how He should act, speak and lead.
People today are still rejecting God’s Son - despite the evidence.
Makes you wonder what it would take for some to believe in Him.
Maybe a miracle?
Makes you think. Blessings (David Ogg)