Term 3 - Week 3 - 9th August 2024
- From the Principal
- Learning & Teaching (AP)
- Mission and Wellbeing (AP)
- From the Classroom, Camps & Excursions
- Careers News
- From the Library
- VET News
- Tell Them From Me Parent Data 2024
- Father's Day Breakfast
- Semester 1 Academic Awards
- Vinnies School Sleepout
- CCTV at the College
- Attendance Policy Reminder
- Google Classroom Update for Parents/Guardians
- Dates to Note for August & September
- Parent Support & Education
- Flexischools App - Online Canteen Orders - Reminder
- Parish News
- Advertisements
Dear Parents and Carers, Staff and Students,
Jack Bailey
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the unexpected passing of Jack Bailey, a much-loved member of our school community who graduated in 2022. Jack had been bravely battling health challenges for many years, and despite his strength and the care he received, his passing has come as a shock to us all. Jack was an amazing young man who faced adversity with courage each day of his life. He showed us how to embrace life and live it to the full, no matter how difficult or complicated. Please keep Jack’s family, his mother Deb, father Darryl, and younger brother Harry, in your prayers. May they find strength and solace in the love and support of our community.
To help you support your children, we encourage you to visit the Grief and Loss section of our website. There, you will find a range of resources to help guide conversations about grief and provide comfort. Additionally, our school counsellors are available to offer further support to any students who may need it.
Thank You and Congratulations
Congratulations to all our 7 to 10 students who received certificates recognising their outstanding academic achievement and effort in Semester 1 at our Awards Assembly on Thursday, 1st August. Over 100 family members attended the special assembly and joined us for a celebratory morning tea. Unfortunately, some students didn’t receive their certificates, and I sincerely apologise for this oversight, which has now been corrected. Year 11 students will receive their certificates on Thursday, 15th August, and again, parents and carers are welcome to attend.
Thank you also to the many parents and carers who attended the Parent-Teacher-Student interviews in week 2, taking the opportunity to meet and discuss their child’s report from Semester 1.
Congratulations to our Debating Teams who attended the Regional competition in Port Macquarie last week and to Mrs Rouse & Mrs Gleeson for training and supervising the students. Our Year 10 team are now heading to Sydney for the next stage of the competition, and we wish them all the best.
Feast of St Mary of the Cross - 8th August
On Friday, 8th August, we acknowledged the Feast of St Mary of the Cross, our first Australian Saint, Mary MacKillop. Born in 1842 in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Mary was the founding sister and Mother Superior of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. An outstanding educator, she was considered in many ways ahead of her time, seeing teaching and learning as a reciprocal process instilling a culture of self-discipline through praise and encouragement rather than criticism. Her vision was to provide education for underprivileged children. Many Josephite Order schools existed in our diocese and celebrate this special feast day, living out Mary MacKillop's practice of “Never see a need without doing something about it'.
My recent work visit to Melbourne included a visit to where Mary was born in Fitzroy, viewing various statues of Mary in the city and exploring the Mary MacKillop Museum with Sr Rita.
Feast of the Assumption
On Thursday, 15th August, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption, a Holy Day of Obligation. The doctrine of Mary's Assumption into Heaven reflects the long insistence on Mary's importance in the Catholic Church. Our year 10.1 and 9.1 classes will attend Mass at St Patrick's Church, and all members of the community are welcome to attend.
Year 12
Year 12 is halfway through their Trial HSC examinations, and we continue to keep them in our prayers and thoughts. The week before the Trial exams, the Library had extended hours so Year 12 could remain at school to study either in groups or individually. The attendance was very pleasing, and therefore, we are offering extended library hours each Wednesday from week 5 through to week 9 this term.
Year 11 Retreat & Leadership 2024-25
Year 11 recently attended their 3-day retreat at Camp Drewe. I have heard such great reports about the students and their participation, attitude and behaviour. One aspect of the retreat was Leadership, as students from this year group are about to become the Leaders of the College. Leadership nominations have opened and will be coordinated by their Year Coordinator, Ms Sarah Nicholls.
Year 10
Year 10 has a busy schedule this term. Last week, the group participated in their Reflection Day, led by Michael Fitzpatrick, a skilled retreat leader who is able to bring out the best in Year 10 students and so quickly and easily breaks down barriers and hesitation and helps the students navigate the decision and issues students face at this stage of school and life. Planning for 2025 is well underway for year 10, and all students and their parents are expected to attend Future Pathway interviews in week 5. This is an opportunity to discuss careers, subjects, and post-school options to ensure students make informed and well-researched decisions. Other events for year 10 in the next weeks include Shine (10.1 and 9.1) and RYDA.
Year 8
Year 8 also had a number of activities in their calendar schedule, including Catch The Wave reflection day and Camp at Coffs Harbour. The staff reports were very positive, and I thank the students for representing the school so well.
Paris Olympics
Over the last two weeks, we have had the opportunity to see some amazing feats by Australian athletes. Many stories have been shared, highlighting the journey of these young (and not-so-young) competitors. Australia performed well above expectations, and we should all be proud of the Paris team. I watched a lot of different sports over the fortnight, including swimming, athletics, cycling, hockey, basketball, beach volleyball, tennis, golf, diving, rock climbing, and even skateboarding! I loved the gold, silver and bronze moments but particularly loved the stories behind the medals and of those who didn’t make it to the podium. These athletes showed how much dedication and hard work they put into their individual disciplines, as well as how resilient they were in overcoming adversity and devastation when things didn’t always go right. There is much we can learn about life from some of these people.
Take care in the fortnight ahead
Kind regards,
Kate
Kate Thomson
Principal
“We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.”
Catherine McAuley
Year 12 News
Library Study Sessions
The Trial Exams are still on during week 4, and many students have been positive about the preparation they completed leading into the trial period. Seeing so many Year 12 students utilise the library during the week leading up to the trials was wonderful.
Our dedicated staff have expressed their desire to provide additional support to Year 12 students with a structured study venue on Wednesdays in weeks 5, 6, 8, and 9. This extension of the Year 12 pre-trial study sessions aims to ease the HSC preparation stress and ensure our students feel supported.
- Wednesday: 21st and 28th Aug
- Wednesday 11th, and 18th Sept
These sessions will run after school until 6 pm, and light snacks will be provided. I thank the staff who volunteered to work with our students during these sessions for their time and expertise.
HSC Major Works showcase
Save the date - Wednesday, September 4th, 4—6 pm. More information will be available in the next newsletter.
Year 11 Focus
With just seven weeks remaining in the Preliminary HSC Course, Year 11 students are reminded to focus on preparing for upcoming assessments. These assessments are significant milestones in their academic journey, offering opportunities to hone essential skills like effective study habits, time management, and revision techniques—all key to their success.
Taking the time to prepare for assessments thoroughly allows students to identify their strengths and address areas that need improvement. Students are encouraged to proactively engage in preparation as part of their regular homework and study routine. Doing so will boost their confidence and enrich their learning experience, setting them up for success in their studies.
Year 10 Future Pathways
The Year 10 subject selection process for Stage 6 will continue this term, with our Future Pathways interviews on Tuesday, August 20th. Information has gone out to parents via Compass regarding the compulsory meeting with each Year 10 student/parent, please see the PDF Link below for a copy of the letter. The interview aims to set each child up for success. It will involve reviewing their study pattern, meeting specialist teachers, and receiving specific answers to any questions they may have. Students not intending to return to McAuley are also expected to attend. They will be directed to meet with our careers adviser or Pastoral Care team to support their transition to work or other educational options. Please contact the college office if you have any questions about booking interviews.
Year 7-8 Semester 2 Interventions
As we dive into Term 3, we're excited to kick off our Semester 2 intervention programs designed to support our students' learning journey. One key initiative is the Peer Reading Program, a powerful tool that enhances students' reading fluency, comprehension, and accuracy. This program, which takes place during the first 15 minutes of Period 3 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, provides a unique opportunity for Year 7 students to read aloud to Year 10 mentors in a quiet learning environment. Simultaneously, all junior students participate in Drop Everything and Read (DEAR), a school-wide sustained silent reading activity.
We are also continuing with the MacqLit Literacy Levels Intervention and the Leveled Reading Intervention (LLI), which involve small groups of Year 7 or Year 8 students working on phonics or reading comprehension with the guidance of an expert teacher. We thank Ms. McLennan and the intervention teachers for their dedication and support in these important areas.
Dianne McGowan
Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
The Resilience Project is committed to teaching positive mental health strategies to prevent mental ill-health and build young people’s capacity to deal with adversity.
Teachers and students will engage in weekly lessons and activities during our Pastoral Care lessons around the key principles of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness (GEM) and Emotional Literacy to build resilience.
Check out their website for more information: The Resilience Project
And check out TRP@HOME; a place filled with inspiration and activities for the whole family, to help improve your wellbeing and build resilience.
Feast of the Assumption
The Feast of the Assumption is celebrated this Thursday, August 15th. This holy day marks the occasion of the Virgin Mary’s bodily ascent to heaven at the end of her life.
Students in the Ministry classes in Years 9 and 10 will attend the Parish mass at St Patrick's Catholic Church South Grafton at 9:30 a.m. Our College will be joined by students from St Jospehs Primary School. Parents and families are welcome to attend.
This week is Bullying No Way: National Week of Action. Thousands of schools and supporters across the country are making a commitment to Bullying No Way Week. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to bullying prevention and connect with students, staff, and school communities to implement workable solutions to prevent bullying.
The theme for this year's campaign is Everyone Belongs. This theme highlights the importance of creating a sense of belonging and inclusion for students. We recognise bullying often thrives in environments where individuals feel marginalised or excluded, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that every student feels valued and respected.
“Positive school climates that value diversity and inclusion can foster a sense of belonging and provide a protective factor against negative peer relationships and reduce bullying.” (Australian Education Research Organisation 2023).
During the week, we will engage students in meaningful discussions and activities aimed at promoting empathy, understanding, and respect for diversity. By working collaboratively within our community, we can collectively help reduce bullying.
Parents and carers play an important role in helping your child understand bullying and know how to respond to it.
If your child tells you about things at school, or you observe something in public that involves conflict or bullying, take the opportunity to talk about what bullying is. Questions you could ask include:
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What do you think bullying is?
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Have you seen it? How did you feel?
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Have you ever felt scared at school because of bullying?
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As well as me, who are the other adults you would talk to when it comes to things like bullying?
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Have you or your friends left other kids out on purpose? Do you think that was bullying? Why or why not?
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Have you ever tried to help someone who is being bullied? What happened? What would you do if it happened again?
Remind your child that bullying is never okay and discuss how they can respond safely if they experience or witness it. Encourage them to seek help from a trusted adult and keep seeking support if needed. By promoting open communication, we empower children to stand up against bullying and create a safer environment where everyone can feel that they belong.
If you have concerns that your child is being bullied, please contact your child’s Year Coordinator first. In our College, students can also report bullying by undertaking the Confidential Student Survey on Bullying Behaviours on the Student Intranet Site.
If you believe the behaviour constitutes a crime, or is a serious incident of cyberbullying, please refer to the Bullying No Way website for information on how to report to other authorities and access wellbeing help.
Students can also report online bullying at https://www.esafety.gov.au/report/forms
Students do not have to face bullying alone—there are people here to help them and make sure they feel safe and supported in school.
Kathy Warby
Assistant Principal - Mission and Wellbeing
Year 11 Retreat
On Wednesday, July 31st, 75 Year 11 students travelled to Lennox Head for their Year 11 Retreat. We were impressed with Camp Drewe's location, just north of Lake Ainsworth and right near a stunning beach setting. After dropping all our gear into the rooms, we met up in the main hall to get started.
Led capably by Kathy Warby and supported by Chelsea Brown, the teachers led small groups through an amazing array of fun, tricky, thought-provoking activities centred around leadership. Superb teamwork was evident from the start. Journals gave students the opportunity to think deeply on a number of topics and record their ideas and thoughts.
The food at Camp Drewe was excellent and there was lots of it! Our chef was Craig who could not speak highly enough of the students. We even sang him a special version of our Grace to say thank you, led by the musical talent of Mr Day. Craig told the teachers he had rarely seen a group of such polite students, some of whom stepped up to help serve when they saw the need.
We would like to thank the teachers who attended retreat, leaving behind their families and classes back at school - Mrs Warby, Chelsea Brown, Mr Howard, Ms Joe, Brett Bowling, Mrs Green, Mr Doyle and Mr Day. I would also like to thank our year group for their initiative, honesty, openness, sense of fun & adventure and leadership.
Sarah Nicholls
Year 11 Coordinator
Debating
On Tuesday, August 6th, thirteen intrepid debaters travelled to St Joseph’s Regional College, Port Macquarie, to compete in a debate competition.
In the competition, students are given one hour to prepare for a debate on a topic. The topics presented ranged from ‘that climate change is the greatest threat to humanity’ to 'that all students should learn a musical instrument’ and ‘that zoos should be banned’, to name a few. The students then have to present persuasive, cohesive arguments on their topic. This is very good for teamwork, lateral thinking, and, of course, public speaking.
The teams consisted of:
| Year 7 | Alys Trevillian, Autumn Enns, Libby Wrigley, Tinotenda Makava |
| Year 8 | Tilly Flindall, Imogen Myers, Maya Conaghan |
| Year 9 | Nina Bibby Judy Irwin, Ahlia Hartley, Paisley Padayachee |
| Year 10 | Avnee Singh, Emily Newman, Aayliah Scarlett Roach |
Many from across the teams had never debated before and had completed a crash course in debating in weeks one and two this term. The teams all gelled well and demonstrated exemplary speaking skills.
Well done to the Year 7 team who won two out of three of their debates and Year 8 and 9 teams who won one out of two of their debates.
Particular congratulations go to the Year 10 students who were successful in winning both of their debates, which means they won the Year 10 division and are now representing New South Wales, Northern Region, in the competition in Sydney. Of particular note, Maya Conaghan of Year 8 had to compete in the Year 10 division as the team were short a candidate due to illness. This was a major achievement for her to compete two years above her stage and then for the team to place in the State Competition. Special thanks to Imogen Myers and Autumn Enns for stepping up to the competition regardless of gaps in the Year 8 team.
Thank you to all of the students for their commitment and enthusiasm, and thank you to Mr Aspinall for driving us.
Maria Rouse & Linda Gleeson
Debating Coaches
Last Wednesday, August 7th, Year 10 had their Reflection Day, which was facilitated by Michael Fitzpatrick, who has a wealth of experience leading these days.
Michael led Year 10 through discussions and activities that asked them to reflect on where they are at and how they want to move forward into the senior years of McAuley. They were challenged to consider how they want to be remembered when they graduate, how they are tracking, and what needs to change to ensure they accomplish this.
Year 10 showed maturity and sincerity when addressing these questions and activities. Their positive and optimistic approach to the day made it a huge success and a good sign of things to come for this cohort. It was a pleasure to accompany them on this day and to witness such powerful conversations.
Nikita Robinson
Year 10 Coordinator
Year 11 Visual Arts: Art in Architecture
In Term 2, Year 11 Visual Arts students engaged in an exploration of architecture’s significant role and impact on society. This unit focused on the contributions of key architects, including Australian Harry Seidler and American Frank Lloyd Wright.
Students investigated how architecture can shape and influence societies, approaching it as a dynamic form of artistic expression. They explored the complexities of 21st-century architectural practice and examined architectural masterpieces from diverse cultures, such as the Hagia Sophia in Turkey, considering their societal influences.
The unit culminated in the creation of a three-dimensional architectural sculpture. Students employed problem-solving strategies, mathematical skills, and spatial awareness in the development of their sculptures.
The final sculptures will be exhibited in the MCC Library during weeks 3 and 4 of this term.
Keep an eye out for Term 3, when we will dive into the next chapter of art exploration with a practical assessment centred around the theme of ‘Water’.
Nardia Hill & Tony Ellis
Year 11 Visual Art Teachers
Art Enrichment
Term 3:
Wow, we’ve had a busy start to Term 3 in Art Enrichment. We’ve glazed some of our ceramic projects from Term 2 and started to investigate, explore and gain skills in Printmaking using our easy carve blocks. Our Unit of inspiration for our artwork this Semester is Nature.
Some of our students have made some really interesting prints that were inspired by nature. We can use our skills gained from our term 2 unit of Elements of Art to look for patterns, texture and colour in nature and the objects that inspire our artworks. We’ve used watercolour techniques to paint interesting landscapes and Solar etching on cyanotype paper to make some really interesting solar prints of natural objects we found at school, like interesting leaves, flowers and some images of creatures.
We will continue to explore nature through the many art projects we have planned, including a look at some of the amazing bird life we have here on campus with wire and modelling clay sculptures we plan to create.
We are also continuing to explore and discuss the topics of positive self-talk and resiliency this term, with the students making positive self-talk posters with positive mantras they can say to themselves and tips on building their resilience. I’m looking forward to the rest of the term with our Art Enrichment students and witnessing their process of creation and the amazing pieces of art they will make.
Term 2 Recap:
A number of our students had entries in the Art Exhibition/competition of McAuley Fest. One of our Art Enrichment students, Wyatt Bullen, was the overall winner of the competition which we were all very excited about.
We also investigated the Elements of Art, including pattern making, use of line, and colour exploration. Students learnt skills in Portraiture and drawing facial features/expressions, lino carving, and printing. We explored the medium of spray paint and learned about street art and stencils.
Students also learnt about ceramic techniques and made a number of different ceramic pieces. We explored colour, pattern and shape learning through lantern making and journeyed and discussed resilience and ways we can be resilient through realistic and useful thoughts and how we can use these when we’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious. What a great term it was, and it has always been a pleasure to work with our students in the Art Enrichment Program.
Zoe Rodda
Art Enrichment Teacher
Year 9 Food Technology
In recent weeks, Year 9 Students explored a multitude of cultural cuisines and healthy meal planning by making taco bowls, frittatas, fish burgers with chips, high-protein burgers and cauliflower rice with chicken.
Jasmine Organ
Food Technology & Hospitality Teacher
Queensland Year 12 students can start their QTAC Application and they can register for their ATAR in the ATAR Portal from 1 August and should be reminded to do so with their personal email address not a school one!
QTAC Remind Me is a service run by QTAC that enables adults interested in study, students preparing to study and their parents, guardians and teachers; to opt-in to receive timely reminders regarding ATAR release, application reminders, upcoming key dates and important admissions information. Subscribers of Remind Me benefit from receiving reminders via both SMS and email, beginning in mid-July, and finishing in February, with a break in between for Year 12 students during the block-out period for exams. Sign up now!
We know that getting to campus can be tricky if you live outside Sydney. If you can't make it to Open Day, you can still get an inside look at studying your degree and life at the University of Sydney by joining us at our online Open Night on Thursday 19 September from 5pm-6.30pm AEST.
Why Open Night?
Designed for Domestic students residing in regional areas, interstate and overseas, Open Night is your opportunity to:
- chat with academic staff from your chosen study area, as well as our admissions, accommodation and student experience teams via dedicated breakout rooms
- connect with current students who have moved to Sydney to study and get their tips for life on campus
- learn about our single scholarship application process and explore your eligibility for support while your study
- have your questions answered so you can navigate the path to uni with confidence.
Registrations are now open, so get in quick to secure your place!
For any questions related to this event, please contact us at schools.outreach@sydney.
Rod Paton
Careers Advisor
Book Week is Coming
Reading is Magic is the theme for the 2024 Book Week celebrations.
Book Week is the key event for the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) to celebrate the best in Australian children’s literature and the announcement of the national award winners. Libraries, book shops and schools across Australia will be celebrating the event with related literacy activities.
At McAuley we love a fun dress-up day and we will be hosting the event on Friday, August 30. In the past staff and students have come in a variety of dress ups always with a huge sense of humour and creativity. Last year we saw everything from a pack of very blue smurfs, several Dr Whos, a Wiggles cast complete with a car, and, my favourite, a very hungry caterpillar. I can’t wait to see the range of costumes this year.
Keep telling your students to watch out for a variety of activities and competitions during Book Week.
Take a look at the video to see how the Library interprets the theme of Reading is Magic!
Linda Gleeson
Librarian
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Sam Brophy
Clay Cook
Molly Dick
Ruby Egen
Nash Falls
Olivia Graham
Max Haig
Peter Hammond
Taj Hextall
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Dexta Jones
Kate Morgan
Cruz Sewell
Archie Steel
Jai Teasdale
Frazer Vanagas
Abigail Woods
Barney Wratten
Sonny Watts
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Isaac Day
Leader of Vocational Education & Training
Tell Them From Me Data 2024 - Parent Data
Celebrations:
- 60 parents completed the Tell Them From Me survey this year, an increase since we started surveying parents related to School and Improvement.
- The survey provides feedback to schools about the extent to which parents feel the school supports learning and positive behaviour and promotes a safe and inclusive environment.
- The survey includes seven separate measures, which were scored on a ten-point scale. The scores for the Likert-format questions (i.e., strongly agree to strongly disagree) have been converted to a 10-point scale, then averaged and reported by question and by topic. A score of 0 indicates strong disagreement; 10 indicates strong agreement; 5 is a neutral position (neither agree nor disagree).
- The overall results are indicated below in the "spider-web" graph across the seven areas of
- School supports learning
- Parents support learning at home
- Parents are informed
- Parents feel welcome
- Inclusive school
- Safety at school
- School supports positive behaviour
- School supports learning
- We are always working towards improving our practices, especially in terms of parent engagement and involvement, and we can improve in all these areas. However, we were almost equal to the region mean in the areas of:
- School supports learning
- Parents support learning at home
- School supports positive behaviour
McAuley Fathers, Grandfathers, and Carers are invited to a Father's Day Breakfast on Thursday, 29th August, from 7.45 to 8.40 a.m. at Catherine's Cafe (near the College Hall). Please come along (with your child/children) and enjoy a light snack of bacon & egg rolls and various fruits with tea or coffee.
Please RSVP via the Google Form before 1pm, Tuesday 20th August.
We hope to see you all there!
It has been an absolute joy to recognise so many of our outstanding students during assemblies and to celebrate their achievements, dedication, and hard work across various areas. The catch-up Academic Awards Assembly for Year 11 Students was no exception.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the parents, caregivers, and grandparents who attended this momentous occasion at the College on Thursday, 15th August. Your presence made the event even more meaningful for the students and our school community.
Congratulations to all the students who received certificates for their exceptional academic performance and commitment to our College Expectations during Semester 1.
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SAVE THE DATE
We're also calling out to our generous MCC community to help the Vinnies Winter Sleepout for Homelessness. Read all about it and make a contribution here to support this incredible movement.
Dear Parents and Carers
I am writing to inform you the school will be installing CCTV surveillance over the next six weeks. We have introduced these surveillance measures to:
- Maintain a safe environment for members of our school community
- Ensure the welfare of students, staff, volunteers and visitors
- Deter criminal acts against persons and property
- Assist in identifying persons who have committed an offence
We will be installing CCTV in strategic playground areas and around the perimeter of the school grounds. We would like to reassure you that all overt surveillance on the school site will be clearly signposted. The school does not condone the use of covert surveillance when monitoring the school’s staff, students, volunteers, and visitors. Surveillance in classrooms, change rooms, locker rooms, toilets, and other facilities located within the college grounds is strictly prohibited.
Data protection
As a college, we strive to be transparent about how we use and store data. We recognise that recording images of identifiable individuals constitutes as processing personal information; therefore, we will ensure our surveillance is undertaken in line with data protection principles in the Privacy Act Cth (1988), the Surveillance Devices Act NSW (2007). Should you need to, you can submit a freedom of information request and/or a subject access request, as permitted by the relevant legislation – including the Freedom of Information Act 1989.
For further information about how to do this, please contact the school at grafs@lism.catholic.edu.au. All surveillance footage taken of the school site will be kept for two months for security purposes and stored in accordance with the school’s Data Protection Policy. Any footage that is no longer required for security purposes will be destroyed in line with the relevant Acts.
Kind Regards,
Nicholas Littlewood
Business Manager
McAuley Catholic College would like to remind parents of the attendance requirements and the recording of students' absences or arriving late to school. McAuley Catholic College is required by the Education Act 1990 (s 24) to maintain an attendance register (roll). The attendance roll is managed by our student system, Compass.
Students Arriving Late to School
While we understand that students may occasionally be late, it's important to note that late arrivals without an explanation from a parent/guardian (written or verbal communication to the College) will now trigger an automated 'absentee' notification to appear on your Compass Dashboard. This will prompt parents to provide an explanation note via Compass for their child's late arrival.
Student Absences
Again, students are sometimes away from school for a variety of reasons. However, absent students will again trigger an absentee notification as an SMS message. Parents will be required to acknowledge the absence through the Compass portal. This is important for the school to manage our attendance expectations and records management.
Compass Portal
Parents and carers must submit the attendance note via Compass within seven days. After this period, if the note has not been submitted, contact with the College office will need to be made via the College email. Please note that this is the only acceptable contact method after the seven-day period.
Please see the video below with an easy step-by-step guide of how to enter an attendance note via Compass or click here to read to the Compass Support Guide.
The College wishes to advise parents and guardians of an update to Google Classroom functions provided in an article in the latest Digital Technologies Newsletter.
The article advises that guardian email summaries will now include links that let guardians preview their students' Classwork pages, including assigned work and attachments provided by the teacher. With this update, guardians can stay up-to-date with what their students are learning. Guardians will not be able to see their students' grades or submissions, class communication, or other students’ work. Guardians can easily access this page directly from the Classroom email summaries or from the link shared by teachers.
These official feeds from the Google Workspace team provides essential information about new features and improvements for Google Workspace customers:
Enabling guardians to preview assigned classwork within Google Classroom
August
15th: Feast of the Assumption
20th: Yr 10 Future Pathways Night
NRCC - U16s Boys & Girls AFL
21st: Yr 12 Wellbeing Day
HEAL Cultural Walk
Yr 9 PASS Touch Football Gala Day
22nd: NRCC - U14s Boys & Girls AFL
22nd-23rd: SHINE
23rd: Yr 10 RYDA Day, Yamba
26th: NRCC - U14s & U16s Boys & Girls Volleyball
26th-30th: McAuley Book Week
Yr 11 Work Placement Week 1
27th: U18s CCC Netball - Netball Central SOP
29th: Yr 9 & 10 Brainstorm Productions
U14s & U16s Boys and U16s Girls Rugby 7s, Coffs Harbour
30th: Yr 7 & 8 Brainstorm Productions
McAuley Medal Applications Close
McAuley Book Week - Dress Up Day
September
2nd: Dio Athletics, Coffs Harbour
2nd-6th: Yr 11 Work Placement Week 2
3rd: Yr 8 Medieval Day
4th: HEAL Muggera Workshop
6th: McAuley Day
9th: Yr 9 Love Bites
10th: NRCC - U15s & Opens Boys & Girls Touch Football, Sth Grafton
11th: Yr 7 & 10 Catch Up Vaccinations Clinic
13th: Vinnies School Sleepout
16th-20th: Yr 11 Exams
18th-20th: Yr 9 Camp
19th: NRCC - Boys & Girls Rugby Union
19th-22nd: IGNITE
25th: Yr 12 Graduation Ceremony
26th: Last Day of Term 3
27th: Staff Development Day - Pupil Free Day
Online Safety - Essential Conversations
The Catholic Schools Office of the Lismore Diocese has provided essential information regarding children's safety online and resources for parents and guardians in a recent communication article sent to schools across the Diocese. We will be including a topic item from this article in each Newsletter from Term 3, Week 3 - Term 4, Week 9
Item 1
Online Safety Essential Conversations: Consent for Sharing Photos and Videos
Teaching young people about the importance of consent when sharing images is crucial in today's digital age. It's essential for them to understand that sharing someone else's images without their consent is not only disrespectful but also potentially harmful.
Start by discussing the concept of consent in general, emphasising that it applies to all aspects of life, including digital interactions. Explain that just as they need permission before entering another person's personal space, they also need consent before sharing someone else's image online.
Encourage open and honest conversations about the potential consequences of sharing images without consent, including legal ramifications and damage to relationships. Emphasise the importance of respecting others' privacy and boundaries, both online and offline.
Provide practical tips for obtaining consent before sharing images, such as asking for permission directly from the person in the photo or video and respecting their decision if they decline. Remind them that it's always better to err on the side of caution and respect others' wishes regarding their personal information. You can also model respectful practices within your own family by asking your child’s permission before posting pictures of them online.
Important tips to discuss with your young person from eSafety:
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Always ask before taking a photo or video.
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Always ask before sharing photos or videos of people.
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Always check and follow any special rules set by your school, sports team or other groups you’re involved with when using social media.
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If someone asks you to remove a photo or video of them, do it.
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Call out bullying or other abusive behaviour online. If you’ve seen someone post a photo or video to humiliate or make fun of another person, you can choose to support the person being bullied – this makes you an upstander.
Read more at eSafety Consent for sharing photos and videos
If you have any concerns about your young person, please contact the school. It is important for the school to know any wellbeing issues that may impact learning and behaviour at school.
School-Link Grafton: Latest Newsletter
Busways Toolkit for Children Starting School in 2025
As mentioned in our previous newsletters over the last few weeks, the College offers lunch orders online through the Flexischools app. Please see the attached flyer to get started.
Please find attached the latest Parish Bulletins from Clarence Valley Parish
