Dear parents, friends, staff and students,

This week is the sixth Sunday of Easter. It is the weekend before we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus. The readings show that Jesus knows that He will not physically be with the apostles for long. He gives them a clear message knowing that He will soon rise to heaven. He says: “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (John 14: 27). This message of peace resonates throughout the ages and continues to sit with us today. For the great majority of our community, there has been a settling in to a post-COVID world and, whilst there are stressors, these are being managed with support. There are still many however, who are struggling or have not yet found their ‘rhythm’. For these, the knowledge that God stands with us is important to remember and to give us comfort.

This week we finish our meetings for the Year 7, 2023 applicants. These meetings are conducted every year to enable us to meet our prospective students but just as importantly, they give us the opportunity to explain what is important to us and to our community. Every year, I am excited to gain the feedback from people around what they value in our college. They speak of the sense of community, the reputation of success and the Catholic nature of what we do. I find myself discussing with parents, expectations around behaviour, uniform, technology use and positive relationships. In these meetings, again and again it becomes apparent to me that what makes Mount Carmel special is in the totality of what we do. We are who we are because of all that we do and expect. It is not reasonable for students, parents or staff to decide which of these things are important and which are not. All of these things combine to form who we are. If your child is challenged to raise their standards or meet our expectations, please see this as a positive and remember why you have chosen us as the place to educate your child.

Today we had the College athletics carnival. This was a great opportunity to come together as a community and enjoy each other’s company and talents. These are always enjoyable days even though they can be quite draining. I thank Mrs Turnbull and the organising staff for their efforts and experience. I would also like to thank the students who attended for their participation and efforts. A congratulations to all students who may have achieved sporting excellence today in whatever form that may take.

Next Wednesday we are holding the Yr. 11 Parent/Teacher/Student meetings. These are an opportunity for students and parents to discuss with their teachers how they might improve and develop academic skills. I encourage all Year 11 parents to book interview spots and discuss your child’s progress.

Next Friday (May 27) is our published pupil free day as our staff will be travelling to Mittagong to participate in a staff development day (SDD) focussed on their own spirituality. This SDD is a valuable opportunity for staff to discern how we continue to grow as a Christ-centred community and how this may be enhanced through our personal spiritual development. I recognise that pupil free days disrupt parents’ normal routines, but they are an essential component of a healthy community. Thank you once again for your support.

A reminder that next Tuesday (May 24), we will be holding our next Parents and Friends’ meeting at the College. Mr Simon Huntly (Pastoral and Wellbeing Coordinator) will be the guest speaker at this meeting and will be explaining some of the Pastoral Care supports available at the College. We will also be outlining some of the options we are exploring for enhancing learning from 2023 including lesson lengths and how our senior school is arranged. We are still looking for a president and treasurer for 2022. The P&F is an extremely valuable consultative and supportive body essential to the effective running of a school. I encourage all parents to attend on this evening and look forward to you joining us.

Ite in Veritate

Mr Steve Lo Cascio