Term 1 - Week 9 - 29 March 2024
- From the Principal
- Learning & Teaching (AP)
- Mission and Wellbeing (AP)
- From the Classroom, Camps & Excursions
- Career News
- From the Youth Minister
- UPDATE - School Photos 2024
- Dates to Note for April
- Parent Partnership Information - From Parent Forum
- Cool Kids Program
- Canteen News
- Parent Support & Education
- Parish News
- Advertisements
Dear Parents and Carers, Staff and Students,
We have just commemorated the most important week of the Church year - Holy Week, which started with Palm Sunday and concluded with Easter Sunday celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In his Easter message, Pope Francis calls for peace throughout the world, through Jesus’ resurrection and forgiveness of sins, saying “ Jesus Christ is risen! He alone has the power to roll away the stones that block the path to life. He, the living One, is himself that path. He is the Way: the way that leads to life, the way of peace, reconciliation, and fraternity. He opens that path, humanly impossible, because he alone takes away the sin of the world and forgives us our sins.”
Our Director of Lismore Catholic Schools, Adam Spencer reminds us in his Easter message that “Holy Week calls us to embrace the transformative power of redemption and forgiveness. It reminds us that no matter how far we may have strayed, we are never beyond the reach of God's infinite compassion. Through his resurrection, Christ offers us the promise of new beginnings and the opportunity to reconcile with him and one another." He appealed to us, as educators to embody the spirit of Easter by extending kindness to all and fostering a culture of inclusivity and understanding.
I sincerely hope all our families had a happy, peaceful, safe and Holy Easter. And as we move forward in the season of Easter, we continue to draw inspiration from the selfless love of Christ, allowing his abiding presence to fill our hearts with peace, joy, and everlasting hope.
Easter Liturgy
Last Thursday the school community attended the Easter Liturgy, an important time in our school assembly calendar. 10.1 Ministry class, led by Mrs Nikita Robinson and assisted by our College Youth Minister Chelsea Brown, presented the Passion Story through the Stations of the Cross and Art. It was a powerful representation, especially seeing the white canvases transform into the hands, feet and face of the crucified Christ. Accompanying the Year 10 Ministry class was the Year 10 Music class, which did an outstanding job performing Were You There (when they crucified My Lord), an old African-American hymn, and No Limits, a modern Christian song by Wildfire (the Lismore Diocese band). Thank you to all the students involved and to the staff who prepared the students and managed lighting and sound.
Our Easter break usually coincides with our autumn school holidays; however, this year it has given us a mini break before the term ends. We have returned for weeks 10 and 11 and I ask that students attend for the next 9 days to complete their learning for the term and participate in the various events scheduled at this time, particularly the Cross Country Carnival (4th April) and school photos (5th April).
Parent Forum
Our recent Parent Forum theme was Parent Partnerships. Our guest speakers were Chrissie Morrison and Dianne McGowan. As the Parent Assembly Cluster Coordinator, Chrissie outlined what is available to parents and families through Parent Partnerships. Support and opportunities exist from the school level to Diocesan, State and National levels. These are outlined in the Family School Partnership section of the newsletter. The Parent Assembly Parent Conference is on again this year on the 15th of June at Opal Cove Resort. Bookings open on the 4th of April and you need to get in fast as places fill quickly!
Di McGowan recently attended the CSNSW Connected Catholic Communities Conference and provided feedback to the parent group from this event. We are always trying to improve and strengthen our parent partnerships and relationships. Therefore at our Parent - Teacher - Student interviews, we will be asking parents to complete a quick questionnaire via a QR code to provide us with feedback and suggestions.
Parent Teacher Students Interviews (Conferences)
Thank you to the many parents & carers who have booked interviews to discuss your child/ children’s progress. It is important that we work together to educate our young people. Questions you can ask your child's teacher are:
- What is my child learning?
- How is she or he doing?
- How do you know how he or she is doing?
- How can she or he improve?
- What supports can I provide and can you provide if she or he is struggling? When can we check in again?
(from Clarity - What Matters Most in Learning, Teaching, and Leading by Lyn Sharratt, 2019)
OPEN night - Tuesday 9th April
We are very excited to be hosting our Open night next week. I invite all interested people to come along and explore the College facilities and speak to staff & students about what we offer at MCC. The evening will start at 4.00 and finish at 6.30pm. We will have a brief welcome at 5.45 in the hall. This opportunity is for both prospective and current families. Throughout the day in the lead-up to visitors arriving radio station Loving Life 103.1 will be doing a live broadcast from the College, so tune in between 11 and 3 to listen to what the students and staff have to say about the College.
YEAR 7 ENROLMENTS 2025
We are now accepting applications for Year 7 2025. We recently visited our Catholic Primary schools with former students of each school. It is always great to visit our Primary schools to talk to the students about McAuley and answer a range of questions. Enrolment information and the application form can be found on the College Website.
ANZAC Day 2024
Attending ANZAC Day Marches throughout the Clarence Valley is an important part of community service for our students. We will have representatives at numerous marches. Students are requested to attend in full school uniform when representing the College.
Enjoy the fortnight ahead
Kind regards,
Kate
Kate Thomson
Principal
“We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.”
Catherine McAuley
7-11 Parent Teacher Student Conference
By now, many of you have secured a session for our first Parent Teacher Student Conference of the year. These conferences are a pivotal platform for students, teachers, and parents to engage in meaningful dialogue about academic progress, achievements, and well-being. It is an invaluable opportunity to forge connections with your child's educators and gain insight into their learning approach.
We highly encourage the presence of both parents and students during these sessions. When students actively participate in conversations about their learning, they develop essential skills that will serve them well into the future. We understand that circumstances may arise preventing attendance; if this is the case, we urge families to prioritise these discussions and communicate with teachers to maximise student engagement.
For those who have booked a conference but cannot attend, please contact the College via phone or email to reschedule or express concerns.
Year 12 Semester 1 Reports
The half-yearly reports for year 12 will be published before the end of the term. These reports offer a comprehensive overview of student progress and achievements thus far. These reports provide invaluable insights into each student's strengths, areas for improvement, and overall readiness for the challenges ahead, particularly as they approach their Trial and final HSC examinations.
Academic Support Initiatives
At McAuley, we are committed to providing comprehensive support to ensure our students thrive academically. As part of this commitment, we have extended the hours of our school library after school from Monday to Thursday until 4:30 PM. This initiative aims to assist our senior students in effectively managing their coursework demands.
Additionally, our Learning Hub remains available during the second half of lunch, offering students guidance from teachers on various subjects. Seeing the Learning Hub bustling with activity last week was heartening, especially during these intense assessment periods.
Parent Involvement in Education
I recently had the privilege of attending the 2024 Connected Catholic Communities Conference hosted by Catholic Schools NSW. The insights gleaned from this event underscore the profound impact of parental involvement on children's learning outcomes.
McAuley Catholic College's 2024 Annual Improvement Goal for Family and School Partnerships is “to strengthen school-family-community bonds to enhance our students' educational experience”. During the upcoming Parent-Teacher-Student Conference, we will invite parents to provide feedback on their experience at McAuley High School through an online survey. Your input is invaluable in guiding our efforts to better serve your needs and enhance our students' educational experience.
We have included the survey link for those unable to attend the parent-teacher-student conference or if your child is in Year 12 and thus not expected to attend.
Your active participation and feedback are integral to our ongoing commitment to excellence in education. Together, we can foster a nurturing environment where every student can flourish.
Di McGowan
Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
Catholic Education Week
Our school will join with more than 45 schools across the Lismore Diocese to celebrate Catholic Education Week (CEW). This will take place in Week 11, Term 1 from April 8-12.
This year’s theme is “Innovation and Faith’. The transforming power of innovation and faith working in unison to ensure our students experience the fullness of life (John 10:10).
For many of the great innovators throughout history, their faith motivated them to explore and understand the wonders of the universe. Our Catholic schools walk alongside clergy, parishioners and families to prepare and nurture our future innovators and faith leaders on their journey.
I would like to extend a warm invitation for you to participate in our Catholic Education Week events and faith celebrations. Please take the opportunity with members of our parish and wider community, to experience innovation and faith in our Catholic school.
Below is a schedule of events for the week that you are invited to attend:
- Open Night 9th April
- Mass Wednesday 10th April for Students in 7.4RE, 9.1RE and 10.1RE
- CEW Liturgy - College Assembly Thursday 11th April (11.45am)
Thank you for your ongoing support. I look forward to seeing you during our celebrations for Catholic Education Week in 2024.
Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Survey
Early next term (in Weeks 2 - 4), our school will be taking part in the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) survey. The survey will provide us with valuable feedback on what our students think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. The survey is run by an independent research company, The Learning Bar, which specialises in school-based surveys.
Find our more about The Learning Bar and the TTFM survey here.
In addition to the student survey, parents and carers and teaching staff will have the opportunity to participate in the TTFM survey. The TTFM student survey is confidential, and staff in schools will not be able to identify individual students from their responses. To ensure confidentiality, participating students will receive a unique username and password. All information will be handled according to relevant privacy legislation. Students’ personal information will not be disclosed by the school to any other person or body other than as required by law. Individual students will not be identified in any publications. The survey is conducted online, takes 15 to 30 minutes, and will take place at school during school hours.
We will receive a report on our school’s survey results shortly after our students complete the survey. The school will share with parents and carers key aspects of the survey results in a timely manner. Participating in the survey is voluntary. If any survey questions make your child uncomfortable, your child can skip the question or can choose to stop the survey at any time.
If you do not want your child/children to take part in the survey, please respond to the letter that has been emailed to all parents last week.
Holy Week and Easter
The College joined together last week to acknowledge the importance of Holy Week and Easter. The Year 10 Ministry class performed a dramatic representation of the Stations of the Cross and the Year 10 music class performed a Wildfire song, “No Limits” as we were prompted to contemplate the importance of Christ’s rising and overcoming death.
Pope Francis presided over Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday before giving the traditional blessing in the presence of approximately 60,000 people. He stated, “A new path leads through that empty tomb: the path that none of us but God alone could open: the path of life in the midst of death, the path of peace in the midst of war, the path of reconciliation in the midst of hatred, the path of fraternity in the midst of hostility.”
Pope Francis prayed for peace in Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, and other parts of the world suffering from war and violence. “Only the Risen Christ, by granting us the forgiveness of our sins, opens the way for a renewed world,” the Pope added. This Easter let us consider the Pope's words “May the light of the Resurrection illuminate our minds and convert our hearts, and make us aware of the value of every human life, which must be welcomed, protected, and loved. A happy Easter to all!”
School Photos
Individual School Photos will be Friday 5th April for students in Years 7 - 12. Year group photos will be taken on Tuesday 30th April, along with catch-up individual student photos (to accommodate the students on the European Tour). All students must be in Full School uniform for the photo days, either the new uniform or the old as per guidelines sent home earlier this year.
- New students to the College are required to wear the new uniform.
- Current students in years 8, 9, 10 & 12 may wear the old uniform
- Students in year 11 are to wear the new shirts.
As this is a transition year we are aware that students will be in either uniform. No student is to wear their sports uniform for College photos.
Please ensure that students are wearing appropriate uniform items. We ask for your support to ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the College photos. Other reminders include:
- Polished black leather lace-up shoes
- Hair must be neat and tidy. Hair below the collar must be tied up
- Boys to be clean-shaven
- Jewellery must be limited as per uniform guidelines set out in the student diary
Cross Country
The annual Cross Country will be held this Thursday 4th April. This is a compulsory school day and it is expected all students will be participating. The day will begin with Homeroom and Periods 1 and 2. Students will then move to the oval where they will participate in the Cross Country and House activities. We are looking forward to a great afternoon of participation and house spirit.
Kathy Warby
Assistant Principal - Mission and Wellbeing
Year 11 Legal Studies Courthouse Visit
Students in Year 11 Legal Studies attended the Grafton Local Court on Monday 18th March as part 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.
Media For Milennials Mash Up
On Thursday 21st March, Year 11 Business Studies and Year 9 Commerce students were fortunate enough to participate in a workshop called Media For Millennials Mash Up. This was a free workshop sponsored by Regional Industry Education Partnerships.
The interactive workshop gave participating students real life skills to prepare them for the workforce and teach them how to carve out their own work opportunities. Students were taught how to build their own brand, pitch and network themselves to future employers. They were also given a thorough understanding of the impacts social media can have on their "personal brand" and how it can help or hinder their chances of getting hired. Students were taught how to use Social Media in a positive way to showcase their best, professional self.
A heartfelt thank you to Stephanie Aceglav who ran this fascinating workshop for Year 11 Business Studies and Year 9 Commerce students focused on Personal Branding. As part of the workshop, an industry person was invited in to provide real world context to the delivery. Thank you to Briony Paine from Complete Staff Solutions for your insights into applying for a job and the helpful interview tips.
Year 9 Geography Tea Tree Farm Visit
During Week 8, students in Year 9 Geography completed their Fieldwork studies at the Tea Tree Farm in Clarenza to develop their geographical skills and enhance their studies of Sustainable Biomes. Students listened to a presentation by Tony Dougherty and recorded data on the change of the natural biome and the establishment, operation and management of the Farm. Students observed the natural environment and human alterations and were guided through the agriculture, harvest and production of the Tea Tree including sustainable practices implemented. Thank you to Tony for sharing his time, expertise and knowledge in the field.
Year 7 English
Students in 7.1 English were excited to all receive acceptance letters to attend Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The acceptance letters were a fun way to introduce our second novel for the year, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone."
Students showed a lot of excitement to start reading the novel. Following the Easter break, students will be sorted into one of Hogwarts' four houses – Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin.
Year 9 Food Technology
Year 9 students were excited to make and decorate some vibrant and delicious cupcakes in recent classes
Year 10 Future Fest Clarence Valley
Year 10 students from MCC have been invited to attend an exciting Grafton-focused event for students on Thursday 11th April. The Future Fest Clarence Valley will showcase opportunities in the valley.
Students will break into groups to:
- Participate in hands-on activities at Industry Skills Stations (Health, Construction, Media & Creative Industries, Engineering etc)
- Listen to 10-minute preselected Career Spotlight Talks
- Take the time to look around the whole space and explore a range of careers and industries
There will also be a FREE sausage sizzle for students mid-morning.
Free transport to the event will be funded by RegionaI Industry Educational Partnerships. We thank them and Jill McCall for their generosity and also for inviting MCC.
The University of Sydney
Upcoming Webinars
Join us for our entry scheme webinars on 9 April to discover how you can enter your dream degree at the University of Sydney.
The Regional and Remote Entry Scheme webinar is for students residing in regional or remote areas or attending a regional or remote school. The MySydney Entry and Scholarship Scheme webinar is for students residing in low socio-economic areas. You may wish to join both webinars if you think you may be eligible for both schemes.
Find out what you need to know about the great benefits offered, including entry on a reduced ATAR, eligibility criteria, how to apply, scholarships for regional students and more!
MySydney Entry and Scholarship Scheme webinar
Date: Tuesday 9 April
Time: 5 – 6 pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Eligibility: For students residing in low socio-economic areas
Regional and Remote Entry Scheme webinar
Date: Tuesday 9 April
Time: 6 – 7 pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Eligibility: For students residing in regional and remote areas or attending a regional school.
More Careers Information Sessions:
Rod Paton
Careers Adviser
LEAD
On Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd of March, McAuley was the host of our Diocesan annual Student Discipleship event LEAD, drawing approximately 165 senior students from across the Lismore Diocese together. This year's LEAD gathering embodied a vibrant community of young Christian leaders committed to making a positive impact in their school and Parish communities. The theme of this year's gathering was ‘Rise’. The theme was inspired by scripture to emphasise the empowerment of young people as leaders within their communities.
Over the two days, we heard from keynote speakers and heard testimonies, participated in Mass and Adoration as well as games, activities, and music from Wildfire. One of the keynote speakers Tash spoke about how when people are born, they start as an original but can end up as a photocopy, from this we learnt of the importance of living our extraordinary lives and doing what we love.
Thank you to the TAS team and all staff who helped out, it was a team effort and all of the support is appreciated. Thank you for showing our Mercy value of Hospitality through all that you do.
View the flyer below to read the LEAD article from CSO:
Project Compassion
During Lent, we have had some great initiatives happening throughout the school; each of the Year 8 Religion classes have been selling lolly bags and food during lunch, the Lenten Fish Fry and our Easter Raffle as well as each homeroom Project Compassion box. A big thank you to all of you who have been supporting Project Compassion during Lent this year. All your support, fundraising and contributions have not gone unnoticed and are deeply appreciated.
Lenten Fish Fry
On Friday the 8th of March, we held our annual Lenten Fish Fry where we raised money for Project Compassion through the selling of fish and chips at lunchtime. The day was a success and we were able to raise over $400 towards Project Compassion. A big thank you to the TAS department, Mission, the Senior Leadership Team and Ms Organ's Year 12 Hospitality class who helped to cook and serve.
Easter Raffle
During Lent this year, raffle tickets were being sold with the help of the Senior Leadership Team, for the chance to win a basket of Easter eggs. We sold tickets for $1 each and all the proceeds went straight to Project Compassion. During our Easter Liturgy on Holy Thursday, we drew our winners. A big congratulations to Julie Power, Jasmine Organ, Ruby Iredale and Di McGowan on winning a basket of eggs. A big thank you to all who supported and helped with this initiative.
Easter Liturgy
On Holy Thursday, the Year 10 Ministry class led the Easter Liturgy in the College hall. The Year 10 class re-enacted the Stations of the Cross by dramatically retelling the story of the days leading up to, and including, Jesus’ death and resurrection. The students did an excellent job and should be proud of their efforts.
Chelsea Brown
College Youth Minister
Term 1: Friday, 5th April 2024 (Yr 7-12 Individual Photos Only)
Term 2: Tuesday, 30th April 2024 (Yr 7-12 Group Photos, Staff & Catch Ups)
If you're unsure of your login details, please contact the school for assistance.
Click here to get started!
Once you've logged in, you'll need to follow a few easy steps!
Click here for our simple, online ordering guide.
Once you have placed your Individual Photo order you can place your Sibling photo order, these MUST be ordered before midnight prior to photo day.
Please remind your child that they are having their photos taken. If they are having a sibling photo, all siblings will need to be ready for their photo at the allocated time set by the school.
Please note that after 9/05/2024 an archive fee of $15.00 will apply.
If you have any questions regarding the photography service or packages available for purchase, please contact our friendly team on 02 6583 1968 or by email northcoast@msp.com.au
Get your smiles ready!
Kind Regards,
April
2nd: Yr 7-11 Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences
3rd - 27th: European Tour 2024
3rd: Open Girls Football (Soccer), Lismore
4th: MCC Cross Country
4th - 5th: Transitus (Yr 7)
5th: School Photos Yr 7-10
Diocesan Netball U15s & U18s Trials, Sport Central Coffs Harbour
NCSS Rugby 10s Finals, South Grafton
8th - 10th: CCC Touch Football, Central Coast Regional Sporting & Recreation Complex
8th-12th: Catholic Education Week
9th: MCC Open Night
Yr 9 Commerce Retail Layout and Marketing Excursion
10th: Yr 12 Biology Solitary Islands Aquarium Excursion
2025 Enrolment Applications Open
11th: Yr 10 Careers Future Fest, Grafton TAFE
12th: Last day of Term 1
Yr 10 Commerce Retail Layout and Marketing Excursion
15th - 26th: School Holidays
25th: ANZAC Day
29th: First Day of Term 2
30th: School Photos Yr 11-12, Staff and Catch-ups
School Parent Representative Bodies
All schools in the Diocese are required to have a parent representative body to ensure active and authentic parent voice at a school level.
During 2023 and 2024 all schools have been undergoing a renewal process and by the end of this year will have transitioned to either of the two models of parent representation that have been approved by the Board of the DLCSL.
The purpose of this group is to:
- Support the Mission of Catholic schools
- Provide opportunities for authentic consultation and parent voice
- Be a place of welcome and inclusion for all families
- Focus efforts on parent engagement in school life
Diocesan Parent Organisation
The Catholic Schools Parent Assembly is the diocesan parent organisation. Volunteer parent representatives are nominated by each school to represent their school on the Parent Assembly.
The parent representatives are supported by the Family Partnership team to provide parent voice on key policies and parent engagement initiatives including annual parent conferences, workshops and retreats.
At a school level, they consult with parents and school leaders regarding how to make use of an annual $1000 grant to strengthen parent education, faith formation or engagement in learning initiatives within their school community.
Family Partnerships in the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools
System Level Support
- The Family Partnership Team is available to work with schools to develop initiatives that support parent engagement. This should align with the School Annual Improvement Plan.
- Family Connect is a partnership service with a local non-government organisation, Social Futures. This service operates onsite in 26 schools and remotely in 19 schools. Social Futures provides a Family Connect worker who can support families experiencing challenges and complexity to connect with a wide range of community services.
State Parent Organisation
Catholic Schools Parents are represented by The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT
National Parent Organisation
Catholic School Parents Australia
From the Canteen
We are proud of our canteen menu and work hard to offer nutritious meals; many being made fresh in-house daily. We also cater for special dietary requirements (please ask).
We work with our suppliers to purchase goods at the best possible prices, but unfortunately, prices on certain lines have increased and we have had to pass on some of these increases.
On offer daily are a variety of freshly made sandwiches, rolls, wraps and salad bowls along with our regular pie warmer staples.
- On Mondays, we offer Lasagna, hotdogs and pizza;
- Tuesday - beef burgers and crispy chicken wraps;
- Wednesday - sushi and other Asian delights, and meatball subs
- Thursday - chicken burgers and nachos;
- Friday - butter chicken, fisherman’s basket, nuggets & chips, oven-fried chicken & chips, chicken schnitzel on Turkish
Breakfast is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 am and features bacon and egg muffins, pancakes, croissants, toast, hot chocolate and hash browns when available.
The fridge is full of canteen-approved drinks including no-sugar mineral water, kombucha, milk, and juice to name a few. We also have frozen icy poles and ice creams.
EFTPOS facilities are available (except for American Express) and lunch orders can be placed before 9 am. Our menu is available on the school website and on the canteen window. The College also offers lunch orders online through the Flexischools app. Please see the attached flyer to get started.
Canteen Menu 2024
Tracey, Cheryl and Kim
Clear Minds, Healthy Lives: Choose Vape Free
Parent Information: More on the Health Impacts of Vaping
With the increasing prevalence of vaping in society, a growing body of research and information has emerged, shedding light on the effects and health impacts associated with this practice. The Cancer Institute of NSW has released a new campaign that has been based on new evidence about the harms of vaping.
Watch the 15 second video below to hear from experts about the impacts:
This video of young people who have experienced some of the negative effects of using e-cigarettes might be helpful to watch with your child:
Please find attached the latest Parish Bulletins from Clarence Valley Parish
