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Dear parents, friends, staff and students,
On December 4 we welcomed Bishop Brian Mascord, Mr Peter Hill (director of
Education at Catholic Education, Wollongong, Mr Nathan Hagarty (State Member of Leppington) and around 15 other special guests for the Blessing and Opening of our STEM building and major College refurbishments. The ceremony was full of formality and pride and enabled us to showcase our facilities with enthusiasm.
obvious that the students were very proud of their school. Thank you to all the staff and students who were involved in the ceremony and to our guests who took time out of their day to celebrate with us.
Earlier this week, Mount Carmel has been named as the champion MISA school for 2024. This means that we are the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Champion school, which reflects the high standard of representation of our students and the way that they strive for excellence. One of the defining factors is that our students won one category and were second or third in every other category. This reflects consistency and shared responsibility for efforts. Given that MISA involves sport, performance and cultural activities such as chess and debating, the Champion School award shows the all-round nature of our students. Congratulations to all our MISA students and coaches and an excited “well done” for the College community.
This week and next we recognise our high achieving Year 7 – 10 students in academics and sport. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our students for their high levels of success and effort. Congratulations to each of the students who are named and also to those who contributed consistent effort throughout the year.
As this is the last newsletter of the year, I would like to thank all our parents, students and staff for your contributions and efforts during 2024. Our vision of being a ‘Christ-centred community providing opportunities for excellence’, is only possible with a combined community effort. I wish all members of the Mount Carmel family a restful and rejuvenating break and encourage the students to ensure that your parents also get a calm and restful break over Christmas. School will resume at the end of January, and I encourage all students to return with a new energy and positive approach for your studies.
Ite in Veritate
Mr Steve Lo Cascio
Dear parents and students
The following details are provided to assist with clarity around the expectations for the end of school next week and the recommencement of school in 2025.
End of Year Events
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Date |
Event |
Expectations |
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Monday 16 December |
Last day of full timetabled lessons |
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Tuesday 17 December |
End of Year Mass and Academic Awards
Last day of school for students |
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Wednesday 18 December |
Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews via zoom |
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Return to School 2025
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Date |
Event |
Expectations |
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Monday 3 February |
Year 7 and Year 12 return to school |
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Tuesday 4 February |
Year 8, 9, 10 and 11 return to school
NO SPORT TODAY |
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Uniform & Grooming Expectations
There is a continued emphasis with students regarding uniform and grooming expectations as we finish this year and enter next year. To provide further clarity please refer below to what is not permitted:
Mount Carmel Catholic College greatly values the respect and pride that our students bring to our college uniform and culture. Thank you for your continued support throughout 2024 in working in partnership with our staff to maintain these high expectations.
Ms Samantha Giles
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Third Sunday of Advent Year C Mass of day with Lectionary & Missal Texts of Sunday Advent 3 Yr C First Reading Zephaniah 3:14-18 Shout for joy, sing joyfully Second Reading Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice, the Lord is near. Gospel Luke 3:10-18 John announces the coming of the Messiah. |
 Christmas Services in the Macathur area, please follow this link. |
Mrs Christine Meharg
Semester 2 Academic Awards
Next Tuesday at the College Celebration of Learning we will recognise a number of students for their Academic achievements. There are 3 categories and the criteria for these are as follows:
| Academic Effort |
This award recognises students who have consistently applied themselves with diligence to their learning and have demonstrated a high level of application to their learning across their subjects. |
| Academic Achievement |
This award recognises students who have consistently performed to a high academic standard across all of their subjects in some circumstances achieving an A grade in all subjects. |
| Academic Excellence |
This award acknowledges those students who have achieved both consistently high academic effort and high academic achievement this semester. |
Congratulations in advance to all students who will receive recognition for their academic achievements.
Year 7- 10 Semester 2 Academic Reports
Today all students in Years 7 - 10 will have electronic access to their Semester 2 Academic Report via Compass. This report is a record of the progress students have made in each course throughout the last two terms of 2024.
For each subject there is a course grade, which is an overall judgement on the progress of the student in that subject. The common grade scale located on the first page of the report provides some basic information on what each grade represents. This grade scale can also be applied to each of the outcomes listed for each subject.
Subject outcomes are a summary of the specific knowledge, skills and attitudes (what a student can do) devised or endorsed by NESA for each subject. The level achieved for each outcome area reflects a particular teacher’s assessment of the student’s level of development in that outcome area at the time of the report. It is a measure of all the work completed in class and through formal assessment tasks that contribute to achieving that outcome grade.
The learning profile section outlines how well a student has applied themselves to their studies and should provide an indication of their commitment to learning during the second semester. Each teacher has also provided a comment that highlights what your child is doing well and identifies a targeted area for growth and improvement.
This Semester 2 report should provide feedback and allow students to reflect on their learning and explore ways of improving in 2025.
Year 7-11 Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews
Bookings Close 17 December
Interviews for Years 7-11 2024 are being held on Wednesday December 18 via Zoom. There will be 3 sessions across the day. Interview sessions can be booked online through the Compass Parent Portal. In some cases, teachers may be unavailable for these Parent/Teacher/Student interviews and in these circumstances, the respective teachers may make contact with you regarding how you can obtain additional feedback about your child’s academic progress.
Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews provide an opportunity for parents and students to meet with their class teachers to review academic progress and discuss areas for growth. This conversation provides valuable feedback and enables the opportunity to ask questions to support students as they progress through their secondary education.
If you have any questions regarding the upcoming interviews, please do not hesitate to contact the College via an email to info@mcccdow.catholic.edu.au or a phone call to (02) 9603 3000.
Upcoming Assessment TasksTERM 4 |
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| Week 10 |
HSC 2025 16/12/2024 - Physics 16/12/2024 - Society and Culture 16/12/2024 - Mathematics Ext 1 |
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Leader of Learning - Curriculum Pedagogy & Leader of Learning - Curriculum Administration
As the school year draws to a close, we reflect on the journey that has been 2024. At Mount Carmel Catholic College, our commitment to pastoral care and the holistic wellbeing of our students has remained at the heart of everything we do. This year has been filled with challenges, achievements, and opportunities for growth, and we are deeply grateful for your ongoing support as we strive to nurture each student in our care.
We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to you—our parents and guardians—for your unwavering support. The partnership between home and school is vital in shaping a nurturing environment where students can thrive.
As we transition into the Christmas holiday period, we encourage families to prioritise rest, reconnection, and reflection. Simple practices such as shared family meals, open conversations, and time spent outdoors can work wonders in supporting wellbeing.
Mental Health Resources
As we say farewell to the academic year of 2024, as has been the pattern over the past couple of years, some members of our community find some aspects of school holiday life to be a challenge. When on site, there is a range of support structures that students have access to - friends, teachers, Year Coordinators and Catholic Care Counselling Staff. The Catholic Education Office of Wollongong with Catholic Care, and Headspace, have provided valuable resources should students, families or someone they know require some support over the break.
CEDoW and Catholic Care School Holiday Survival Plan
Headspace Holiday Survival Guide
Uniform & Grooming 2025
Upon our return to school in 2025 we would expect all students to be wearing the full correct uniform for both summer and winter, as well as meeting standards regarding grooming (hair, jewellery, make-up etc). This information will be reiterated several times between now and the return to classes next year. Please refer to the image below regarding these expectations. Year Coordinators will also send this information out to parents via Compass with their letter and also the equipment/ resource lists for 2025. Please note that any non-compliance with the uniform and grooming policy will require parents to collect their child from the College front office to have the matter resolved before the student can return to classes.
On behalf of the entire Pastoral Care and Wellbeing team, we wish you a joyful and blessed Christmas season. May the new year bring peace, health, and happiness to your family and we look forward to continuing our partnership in 2025.
Mr Simon Huntly & Mrs Theresa Moore
Pastoral Care & Wellbeing Coordinators
Around the Grounds
Welcome to the final newsletter edition of 2024.
On 13 December, we proudly hosted the 2024 Mount Carmel Annual Sports Awards, a spectacular event celebrating the exceptional achievements of our athletes. This year's event was hosted by the 2024 Mount Carmel Sports Captains, Laylah and Harry, alongside College Captain Sophie and our Academic Captains, Jessica and Isaac. Together, they brought their leadership and enthusiasm to this special occasion.
The 2024 sporting year at Mount Carmel has been a testament to the College’s spirit of competition and community. These awards celebrated not only victories on the field but also the dedication, discipline, and passion our athletes have shown throughout the year. Students were recognized for their achievements in MISA, Diocesan events, and selections for state and national teams. It was heartening to see so many students acknowledged, a reflection of the outstanding sporting culture at Mount Carmel, grounded in a Catholic perspective.
This year, Mount Carmel was locked in a fierce three-school race for the MISA Champion Trophy. After a very successful year, we are thrilled to announce that our college has retained the Championship School status for the third consecutive year.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the parents, staff, and students for their unwavering support and contributions throughout the 2024 calendar year. Your dedication has been instrumental in fostering such a vibrant and successful sporting environment.
As we close the chapter on 2024, we look forward to building on this success in 2025. Here’s to another incredible year ahead!
Term 4 MISA Results
Final Roundup
|
Sport |
Result |
MVP | Short Report |
|
Indoor Cricket Years 7-9 Boys SULLJ |
vs BAC 3rd Place Playoff |
Chase Finn | It was not a great end for the MCCC boys. In missing out on the grand final by the barest of margins the previous week, the third place playoff against Broughton was a game to forget. The boys batted first and almost all of our batters displayed very uncharacteristic mistakes throughout the innings. In the end, MCCC were all out for 17. Broughton were able to reach this target quite comfortably in the end. Despite it not being a great end to the season, overall it was a brilliant effort by the boys who showed that at their very best, they were almost an unbeatable side in this competition. In the lead up to the grand final, all of the big, match-defining moments seemed to go in the favour of the opposition. However, that is sport as they say. Congratulations to the boys on displaying some brilliant and exciting cricket over the last few weeks and also to Chase Finn who was our co-captain and overall MVP, who played every single game with integrity and tremendous skill. |
|
Volleyball Years 10-12 OCOB |
vs JTCC GRAND FINAL Loss 2-1 |
Whole Team | The boys fought hard until the end but were unfortunately outclassed by a strong John Therry side. Taking the first set the boys struggled in the second but managed to bring the score back to 20-22 after trailing by more than 10 points. Unfortunately John Therry continued their momentum and were crowned MISA Volleyball Champions. Onto next year. |
|
Volleyball Years 10-12 Girls NIMM |
vs SPT GRAND FINAL Loss 2-1 |
Isabelle Villena |
A tough end to a solid season. The match against St Pats was a seesaw battle that could have gone either way. Both teams had periods of time in the lead and demonstrated solid skill and teamwork. The first set saw MCCC take the lead deep in the set and hold on with some good serving that St Pats had difficulty in returning. However, the second set saw the opposition come out strong with several unanswered points to take the lead. The MCCC girls rallied and managed to come back, leading briefly before St Pats took the lead and the set. In the third set the teams went point for point with both teams taking turns in front, however, St Pats proved too strong to clinch the match. Congratulations to all for a great season. |
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Softball Years 7-9 Girls PONT
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vs JTCC 5th Place Playoff Win 3-1 |
Lyla Grech |
What a way to finish the season! The girls were on fire today in the field and went up to bat. Lyla not only pitched well but also out played her opposition getting three out and topping it off with a massive home run getting not only herself home but also getting Penny back over the home plate. Ava and Malia were also sharp on both 2nd and 3rd base claiming the last two outs of the match. Thank you to all of the girls for their willingness to learn and play each week and a huge thank you to our base coach and team assistant Jaiden whose encouragement and expertise did not go unnoticed each and every week. Such a great group of students to work with and we hope to see them back next year for another season of softball. Well done. |
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AFL Years 7-9 Boys KAWA
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vs THAC 3rd Place Playoff |
Finished 3rd - THAC forfeited |
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AFL Years 7-9 Girls ABRN
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vs MAG 3rd Place Playoff Loss 53-2 |
Makeilah Langhi |
The AFL team has worked very hard this season especially in developing our younger players. My Senior girls, Emily, Makeilah, Miyah, and Fua have really stepped up to lead the way for our younger members. Although we came away with a loss today, the girls have enjoyed their season and have learnt some valuable skills to implement in the 2025 MISA competition for next year. Great effort team! |
|
Oz Tag Years 7-9 Boys KING
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vs THAC 3rd Place Playoff Win 14-6 |
Ryder Faiai |
The boys wrapped up the season in impressive style, delivering a dominant performance to defeat Thomas Hassall Anglican College 14 tries to 6. Unfortunately, last week's semi-final was cancelled due to the extreme heat policy, resulting in a playoff for third place. This was disappointing, as the team had been building strong momentum with consistent wins in recent games. Despite this, the boys showed great enthusiasm and secured a well-deserved victory. Outstanding contributions came from Ryder Faiai with five tries and doubles from both Kayde Hughes and Kobe Hutchinson. Congratulations on an excellent season, boys! |
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Ultimate Frisbee Years 7-8 Boys MARP
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MCC vs MAS GRAND FINAL Loss 11-10 |
Brodie Cutajar |
Hard pill to swallow. Was a very intense affair against Macarthur Anglican but MCCC started strongly getting across the line twice in the first few exchanges giving us a 4-2 advantage. MAS started to work their way into the game, consistently scoring points. The wind made it a difficult affair with both teams only scoring with the wind. Thankfully for MAS they managed to keep the game tight despite having less possession. With 2 minutes to go Mount Carmel took the lead but sadly in the final exchanges MAS scored gaining two points and crowning them the MISA champions of 10-11 Mixed Frisbee. Congratulations to everyone for a solid season. |
As always, students are encouraged to sign up and trial for representative teams. Below you will find registration links for both our DIO and NSWCCC events. If you require any further information please visit the Diocese of Wollongong sports here.
Representative Pathways
| MISA Website | https:/wwwwmisaonlineeorgg.au/ |
| Diocesan Sport News | Updates and news on Wollongong Diocese sport events and trials can be viewed here |
| NSW CCC/CSNSW Sport News | Higher level CCC trials and events status can be monitored here. |
| School Sport Australia Sport News | More School Sport Australia information can be found here |
On Thursday 12th of December, the Year 8 Drama group performed at St John the Evangelist Primary School, Campbelltown to an audience of excited Year 1 students. The 17 Year 8 Mount Carmel students involved are pictured.
In this performance, Year 1 were taught about the components of the human voice: pitch, pace, volume, diction, tone and pause. A dramatic reading from the children’s book, The Gruffalo, was also presented as well as interactive group work sessions with the Year 1 students themselves. The performance showcased what the Year 8 students have learnt in a 12 week program that aims to sharpen the skills of public speaking through Drama.
Many thanks to Mr Paul Moroney, the Principal at St Johns for the opportunity to visit and perform for Year 1. Thank you, as well, to the Year 1 teachers who found the time in their busy schedule for our performance and to Mr Lozelle for accompanying us to the performance.
This type of activity forms important connections with our feeder schools and the benefits are clearly twofold. The Year 8 students are to be congratulated on their exemplary behaviour and their fine performance!
Mrs Rosetta Fitzgerald
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The College office will close on Thursday 19 December at 3pm and reopen on Tuesday 28 January 2025.
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| From the College office team, we wish our parent's, carer's and student's a safe and happy holiday season. See you in 2025! |
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The P&F Clothing Pool will be open in January the following dates and times:
School student travel information for parents and students
School Travel Passes
Applications are now open for 2025 School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) travel.
Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their School Opal card at their nominated postal address from mid-January 2025.
Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass but have not yet applied need to apply or update their details as soon as possible.
In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.
Students living in rural and regional areas will receive their travel pass from their nominated transport operator. It may be issued via their school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some rural and regional operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.
It is a condition of the use of a School Opal card that students must tap on and tap off every trip at an Opal Card Reader, when they travel to and from school. Please refer to the Transport for NSW website for further details. We encourage you to talk to your child and remind them to comply with the Transport NSW requirements.
