Filter Content
Dear parents, friends, staff and students,
“I love the Lord for he has heard the cry of my appeal; for he turned his ear to me in the day when I called him”. Ps 114: 1-6
Above is the first Responsorial Psalm from this weekend. The psalms were written as songs of praise and wonder and were a way of passing on the symbolism and message of people during the Old Testament period. This message always pointed to the strength of God but some, such as this, showed a more compassionate and supportive view of God. Over the past few weeks, I have been speaking with many staff and parents and a common theme is the tiredness of people as we move toward the end of the term. Whilst remote learning and community lockdown is our current normal, it places us in an unnatural state of potential isolation and stress. Over many years at Mount Carmel I have continually referred to our community as one of faith based on hope. Over the past week, I have heard numerous people speak of the gratitude they have for the staff and the community who aim to be supportive in this difficult time. It draws me back to the idea in the psalm above. When we call for God’s assistance, He is there for us. His support may often take the form of someone around us, but He, nevertheless, is there.
This week our Year 11 students began their final Preliminary Course exams. As with Year 12, these are being completed in a remote setting with tasks reduced in length. The reason for continuing with these assessment tasks is to ensure that students have continued opportunity to show what they can do and to be rewarded for the continued effort during remote leaning. As of this morning, we have been informed that the HSC exams will be completed during November and early December. This is also an opportunity for those students to show what they can do. As we get further details from NESA and Catholic Education, Diocese of Wollongong, we will outline this detail to HSC students and their parents.
Early next week parents of students in Years 7 and 9 will receive your child’s NAPLAN results from earlier this year. We have only received these results this week and intend to complete some detailed analysis over the coming weeks. At first look, these results have shown a solid improvement in student results and reinforce the good work that is being completed by our staff in the junior years. I also congratulate the students who have made some strong gains in spite of the difficulties last year.
Thank you to those parents who have contacted the College over the last week to congratulate the staff on their hard work. Your acknowledgements are appreciated and a welcome support to the hard work the staff contribute for your children. Please feel free to continue to contact the staff with your thoughts.
As always, a very big thank you to the staff, students and parents for your flexibility and ongoing support during remote learning.
Ite in VeritateMr Steve Lo Cascio
Principal
With the extension of the lockdown stretching into the new term, a number of key events that normally hold pride of place on our College calendar have had to be postponed or in some cases, cancelled. In the week ahead, we would have ‘normally’ been looking forward to proudly celebrating the achievements of our graduating Year 12 cohort, however, our current realities mean that this will not be possible whilst we remain in lockdown. We are still eager to explore what options may be available once we resume face to face teaching with Year 12 from October 25, and given that NESA released the final HSC timetable earlier today, we now look forward to advancing some of these arrangements.
The extended lockdown has also resulted in the 2021 Senior Retreat being postponed from early next term. This is particularly regrettable as this unique opportunity so often assists our new senior cohort in galvanising as a group at the start of what is the most significant year of their educational journey so far. We are currently looking to hold this in the new year, pending the health advice at the time.
Throughout Term 4, events such as excursions and interschool sporting competitions that are impacted due to the lockdown or the restrictions placed on schools once we resume face-to-face learning will be communicated as soon as they are known. I once again thank all the families and friends of the College who continue to understand and support the challenges and responses that we take towards the current situation.
Finally, in consideration of the number of COVID cases that are active in our community at present, I take the opportunity to remind families to please continue following our COVID recording procedures, which include:
- Informing the school immediately if your child is self-isolating or undergoing testing, and informing us of the result as soon as possible.
- Following sickness with flu-like symptoms, ensuring your child is free of symptoms and can present a negative COVID-19 test, before attending the College site for any reason.
All the best for the week ahead.
David Cloran
Assistant Principal
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME B
The first Reading is 50:5-9 The Lord stands with his prophet during opposition.
Second Reading Jas 2:14 - 18 Faith without action is useless.
Gospel Mk 8:27-35 A follower of Christ must take up the cross.
Scriptural context – Sandwich technique
The Gospel of Mark is famous for a technique of ‘sandwiching’ stories or sections between two related events to bring what is sandwiched into greater focus.
This gospel passage falls within a significant sandwich that runs from 8:22 (the healing of a blind man at Bethsaida) to 10:52 (the healing of blind Bartimaeus).
The healings of blindness that surround the sandwich reflect the lack of ‘sight’ that the disciples have.
The ‘meat’ of the sandwich is all about the disciples not really understanding Jesus’ mission and what it means to truly be a disciple.
Read the whole section from 8:22 – 10:52 and see how it works.
What a thought to end the last week of term on!
Sometime this week - make a mental note of these wide range of people - not only who you work with; but the uber eats driver, the postie, even the doctors receptionist! And give thanks.
Year 12 PTS Interviews (Thurs 16 and Friday 17 September)
At this stage of Yr 12 the PTS interviews provide a valuable opportunity for teachers to provide feedback, advice and strategies to assist students in making their final preparations for the HSC. Interviews will be conducted via Zoom. Bookings for these interviews can be made via the parent Compass portal. Yr 12 Reports will be made available via Compass on Thursday 16th Sept.
NAPLAN RESULTS
NAPLAN is a point-in-time assessment that allows parents/caregivers, teachers and students to see how a student is progressing in literacy and numeracy against the national standard and compared with their peers throughout Australia. At the classroom level, NAPLAN provides additional information to support teachers’ professional judgement about student progress. Parents/caregivers of students in Years 7 and 9 will be receiving NAPLAN results via mail over the coming week. These results provide a snapshot of the level of skill and competency that students have demonstrated in the areas of Reading, Writing, Language Conventions and Numeracy.
NESA COVID Advice and HSC Exam Timetable updates
The advice from NESA is frequently updated on their website: https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/covid-19/coronavirus-advice
Ms Chardy Miller
Acting Curriculum Coordinator
Good afternoon everyone,
Yesterday was RUOK? Day for 2021. Our Year group activities this morning addressed the need to check in on our friends and monitor our own levels of Mental Health in a variety of ways. Resources courtesy of RUOK? Will be used over the coming weeks to provide time and space for staff and students to ensure that support for one another during remote learning is something that is kept in the forefront of our daily consciousness. Below are some links to resources that provide an overview of some of the key elements of this year’s campaign. Click on the image or the link to access the resources.
RUOK? Day Message for Secondary Schools youtube
As we enter the final week of a full term of remote learning, on behalf of the Pastoral Care and Wellbeing team can I thank all families and carers for their patience, support and cooperation throughout has been a challenging time. We look forward to some return to normality at some stage next term, but in the meantime, please contact the College if you require any support with your son or daughter's learning or wellbeing.
Mr Simon Huntly
Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Coordinator
Earlier this week the NSW Education Authority (NESA) launched its anthology Young Writers Showcase, a collection of works that celebrates the impressive talents of HSC English Extension 2 students from across the State. This year’s 20th edition showcases the extraordinary works of eighteen students selected from more than 1,385 young people who studied HSC English Extension 2 in 2020. This collection of writing includes short fiction, creative non-fiction, critical responses, poetry, podcasts, and a script. Emma Jones – a Mount Carmel student from the 2020 HSC class – had her creative nonfiction work selected for inclusion in this highly-acclaimed anthology.
Emma is now a published author. As Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell stated, “For many of the students whose work is published here, this is just the beginning of their wonderful journey into creativity, storytelling and production.” I have included below NESA’s description of Emma’s composition that formed part of this week’s Young Writers Showcase media release. Next week I will share with you an outline of the English Extension 2 course which allows our students to do what Emma has done. It is a marvellous course which provides students with the opportunity to craft language in critical and creative ways.
Emma Jones: Mount Carmel Catholic College
Hidden
Creative non-fiction
Emma Jones, author of creative non-fiction Hidden, says that much of her inspiration as a creative writer comes from a deep sensitivity to the world around her, and an appreciation for listening and stillness.
Her major work Hidden follows the interwoven stories of three different characters as it explores the ways in which we define ourselves as individuals and how we come to the sense that we ‘know’ who we are. Throughout the piece she interrogates the public frameworks we use to find names and meanings for ourselves, as well as the often illusory nature of self-knowledge.
The piece was inspired by an educational trip to Germany in 2019, where Emma spent time visiting places with strong historical significance to the Nazi era and the Third Reich. This, in turn, lent Emma to thinking about identity and its relationship to place and history.
Emma is undertaking a Bachelor of Arts and Advanced Studies (Media and Communications) at the University of Sydney and says that she is focusing on developing herself personally, hopefully finding herself professionally along the way.
English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach
The latest school fee statements have been forwarded to families via email from the Catholic Education Office. Attached to this email was information from the CEO regarding Deferred Payment Option and Fee Concession Applications in the case that families are experiencing difficulty due to COVID19.
The college asks that you do not ignore your current school fee statement. The college fully understands that in the current climate families are under financial pressure, please remember we are here to help. The college is here to assist, you just need to communicate this. Please email the school via mccc-finance@dow.catholic.edu.
Kindly note that all fee credits related to cancelled events and sports are being processed and will be reflected on your school fee statements in due course.
Get Active at Home
The Office of Sport has compiled resources to help you find suitable ways to safely exercise in and around your home during the COVID-19 outbreak. The following page will be updated regularly with new information to keep you and your family active: https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/sector-covid-19-resources-library/get-active-at-home
Tuesday Recreational Sport - Reminder
During remote learning, students are reminded to ensure that they access the Sport Memo that is posted to Compass each Tuesday morning. This will include a range of physical activity options that will be important in supporting student wellbeing during this time.
TERM 4 SPORT CANCELLATIONS
Due to the impact of COVID-19 across New South Wales, the School Sport Unit and CSNSW Sport has regrettably made the decision to cancel all NSWCCC, MacKillop, Polding, NSWPSSA, and NSW All Schools events on the revised term four calendar:
CANCELLED
- NSW All Schools Secondary Triathlon on Monday 25 October at Penrith
- NSWCPS Golf 18 Hole & 9 Hole Tournaments @ Blackheath
POSTPONED
- NSWCCC Girls Cricket 2022 Selections Wednesday 24 November @ Riverwood
Diocesan Sport - Postponed and Cancelled Events
All cancellations and postponements are announcements on the following site https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/sport/diocesan-sport-news/
NSWCCC Sport - Postponed and Cancelled Events
All cancellations and postponements are announcements on the following site https://csnsw.sport/covid-19/21-sport-cancellations-update
Due to the extended lockdown and the ever changing COVID-19 situation further events will continue to be monitored and updates will be provided via the College Newsletter.
NSWCCC Sport Registrations
A reminder that students and their parents are responsible for monitoring the closing dates of NSWCCC Sport Registrations. Information regarding upcoming events can be accessed via https://csnsw.sport/events
NSWCCC is a pathway suitable for students playing a representative level of their sport outside of school. For instructions on how to register go to - https://csnsw.sport/help/help-guide-for-parents
NSWCCC Sport Registrations 2021:
- Individual Registrations for the following sports to attend a NSWCCC Selection - AFL, Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Diving, Golf, Hockey, Netball, Rugby, Softball, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo
- Registrations for the following sports is through a Diocesan/Association Selection - Athletics, Cross Country, Football, Swimming, Touch, Rugby League
Representative Pathways
- MISA Website https://www.misaonline.org.au/
- Diocesan Sport News - Updates and news on Wollongong Diocese sport events and trials can be viewed at https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/sport/diocesan-sport-news/?ref=quicklinks
- NSWCCC/CSNSW Sport News - Higher level MacKillop and CCC trials and events status can be monitored at https://csnsw.sport/news
- SCHOOL SPORT AUSTRALIA SPORT NEWS
Ms Sarah Bowen
Acting Sports Coordinator
bowens01@dow.catholic.edu.au
Following the current NSW Health guidelines and compliance to COVID-19 rules and restrictions, the school uniform shop will remain closed until further notice.
Our priority has been and will remain, the health and wellbeing of the students, parents and our employees. Hence, we are unable to provide personal fittings at this time.
During these challenging times, parents can shop safely with us online. We recommend that parents rely on the sizing guides for each garment and for additional guidance, they can watch the body measurement guide videos (www.ranier.com.au/measure). For any incorrect sizes, parents can rest assured that all uniform orders are entitled to free size exchanges.
It is important to note that all online orders will be processed and despatched when the uniform shop can resume operations. Personal fittings will also resume when conditions permit.
Amidst the lockdown, our office is still operating, so should parents require any assistance they can contact our customer service team at custservice@ranier.com.au.
Ranier will follow the latest government health advice and we are here to support the school, parents and students in any way we can. We thank our schools and parents for their understanding.