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Dear parents, friends, staff and students,
“I will bring them back from the land of the North and gather them from the far ends of the earth… a great company returning here”. Jer 31:7 – 9
Often we hear readings from Mass and they hold a special message that was certainly never intended by the writers. This weekend in the first reading from Jeremiah, we see the phrase above. Whilst thousands of years ago, this would not have been written for our students who are coming back onsite next Monday, the idea that they are ‘returning here’ together is nonetheless very relevant to our current context. For our students returning on Monday, it is not just a change from where they study or how they study, but it is a return to community, to friends and to the safety of routines and the familiar. When they return, there will be trepidation for some and excitement for others. For some, these feelings, either positive or negative, will last for weeks or months whilst for others they will be fleeting. Regardless of their feelings about return, the one common factor is that they return to a community which has Christ at the centre and will offer opportunities for excellence. As always, the challenge for students is to take these opportunities and build on the strengths or repair the shortfalls they bring with them from the remote learning period.
With this in mind, Mr Cloran and myself have listed many things in the past few newsletters that will help to ensure a safe return. Students will be given instructions around year group spaces, break times and mask wearing inside. Windows and doors will be open for ventilation and air conditioners have been cleaned and tested and will have gel pad inserts that will help to kill germs. In all, the specific directives from NSW Health and Catholic Education in Wollongong have been followed and will remain in place until advised otherwise. I thank students and parents in anticipation of your assistance in helping us to keep our community safe.
A reminder that under the current directives, canteen facilities can only be accessed by one cohort at a time. As stated in last week’s newsletter, please be advised that there will be NO CANTEEN FACILITIES when your child returns to school. Needless to say, that due to restrictions to people coming onsite and the obvious health concerns, as is our normal policy, students are not permitted to book food delivery services.
As things are starting to open up, it is with great pleasure that we see the return to Sunday Masses. As parishes are opening up in different ways, please follow this link to find when your parish is opening.
At the end of last term, we began the recruitment process to appoint a new Leader of Learning - Curriculum - Pedagogy following the resignation in the middle of the year of Ms Tolomeo. At the same time, we decided to also appoint a Leader of Learning – Curriculum – Administration to assist in this area. I have the pleasure of announcing that Ms Chardonnay Miller has been appointed to the substantive pedagogy role and Mrs Kripal has accepted the Administration role in addition to her Administration Coordinator role. I thank both Ms Millar and Mrs Kripal for accepting these important positions supporting learning within the College.
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
There is a sense of great anticipation as we prepare for the return of all year groups from remote learning this coming Monday 25 October. Over the past couple of weeks, I have taken the opportunity to communicate the broad range of COVID-safe measures that we have implemented in preparation for the resumption of face-to-face learning. Earlier this week, Mr Huntly and our team of Year Coordinators circulated a range of student-specific details to all of our students so that they are aware of these measures and, importantly, aware of their responsibilities when it comes to keeping our school community safe. I certainly encourage all parents to spend a few moments with your sons/daughters this weekend to review these documents so that our return to school is a successful one. As a College, we would much prefer our undivided attention be directed towards supporting our students transition back to the classroom as opposed to policing compliance with the public health orders that govern our return to school. We certainly remain grateful for the support that we have received from students and parents throughout the pandemic to date.
Perhaps one of the greatest adjustments that will take some getting used to from next week is the mask mandate that is imposed in all secondary school settings. Earlier this week, the rules around mask wearing were relaxed somewhat so that students and staff do not have to wear them while outdoors. They are, however, compulsory in all indoor settings on school grounds, unless medical documentation is supplied. For students with such documentation, please forward to the respective Year Coordinator upon their return to school.
A reminder that students who have class Period 6 in an odd numbered classroom in Week A of our College timetable, will leave their rooms at 3:05pm each afternoon. In Week B, it will be even numbered classrooms that conclude at this time. Please note that next week is a Week B on the College timetable. Students who are being picked up by parents will be asked to move directly to their waiting car, while students who are walking home will be asked to leave the College grounds as efficiently as possible. For those catching a bus, separate waiting areas have been designated for each year group and there will be further reminders about this on Monday. As I mentioned in previous newsletters, College bus services resumed this week and will continue into next week and beyond.
In recent weeks, we have received the College photos that were taken towards the end of Term 2, just days prior to us entering lockdown. For the many families who have ordered copies, these packages will be sent home towards the middle of the coming week.
Finally, I again take the opportunity to remind families to please continue following our COVID recording procedures that have been in place for most of the pandemic, 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.
With thanks for your continued support,
David Cloran
Assistant Principal
THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
First Reading Jer 31:7-9 The Lord declares himself a father to Israel.
Second Reading Heb 5:1-6 The Lord himself calls those who are to serve.
Gospel Mk 10:46-53 Jesus gives sight to Bartimaeus.
Have you thought? On the side of the road ...
When Jesus encounters Bartimaeus he is sitting by the side of the road – a reject of society sitting off to the side as the world passes him by. There are times in all of our lives when we feel like this: hurt; ashamed; unloved; rejected; cast aside. It is at these moments in our lives that Jesus really wants to ‘break through’ into our experience. If we allow ourselves to hear his voice calling us to him, then we too can ‘throw off our cloak’ – our old life – and join him on the road.
Church is open and waiting to see you!
Not sure of the mass times for you parish or other news go to this link. It has links to the different parishes in the Wollongong diocese.Mrs Christine Meharg
REC Coordinator
We are looking forward to welcoming back Years 7-11 on Monday 25 October to the College. It is important that students are preparing for their return to the physical classroom. To assist in a smooth transition back to school students are reminded to be organised with their books, College diary, pencil case and laptop. Teachers are focused on planning for students to return to the College and developing learning experiences that will assist with this transition. Students in Years 7-11 are encouraged to look at the return to face to face learning as an opportunity for them to reset and refocus on ending the year in a positive way, making the most of the learning experiences that are before them and setting strong foundations for 2022.
Year 11 have transitioned into their HSC courses and should be working on establishing learning goals for the HSC year and preparing for the rigour and expectations of their courses. The Change of Course process is open for eligible students, with the aim for finalising any changes by the end of Week 4. Students are reminded to contact me (millerc06@dow.catholic.edu.au) if they have any questions about the HSC and patterns of study.
Year 12 will continue to be able to access support from their teachers face to face, during their regular timetabled lessons. Students are encouraged to continue to seek feedback and revision as they finalise their preparations for the HSC exams.
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,
As we prepare ourselves for a full return to face to face teaching from Monday for Years 7 to 11, a number of communications have been made over the past few weeks by Mr Lo Cascio, Year Coordinators and Pastoral Advisors outlining key in formation. Please find an outline of the key points relating to our safe return to school below and links to specific documents.
- Masks are to be worn at all times indoors except in the following circumstances: Masks or face coverings are not required to be worn by a staff member or student who has a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, that makes wearing a mask unsuitable.
- Physical distancing to be maintained where possible
- Staggered times for departure from classes
- no games involving contact or sharing of equipment are permitted.
- The Canteen will NOT be open upon the return to school. Students will be required to bring their own food each day.
- Cohort areas before school and after breaks will be those areas that groups will be allocated for 2022.
- Year 7 - Quad
- Year 8 - Breezeway
- Year 9 - Area between Library and Science Block
- Year 10 - Current Year 11 Annexe
- Year 11 - Year 12 Area
- Each year group has also been allocated an outdoor space for their use.
- Students without a hat are allowed in their designated oval/court areas, however, they must be in a shaded area.
- No sport until further notice.
For specific details, please click on the following link Student Covid safe return to school.
Uniform and Grooming Expectations
In addition to being Covid safe and Academically prepared for our return, please consider the uniform and grooming expectations to enable a smooth resumption of face to face learning.
Reminder of Uniform and Grooming Expectations. Some key elements are listed below and a link to a more detailed outline is located below
Mount Carmel Catholic College Uniform and Grooming expectations 2021
- Boys hair is to be no shorter than a 2 blade. Hair should be blended (no lines or steps) and not be styled/cut in a way that invites comment.
- Hair is to be one colour. No streaks/foils.
- No false nails or eyelashes/eyelash extensions are to be worn.
- Girls are permitted one set of plain stud or hoop earrings in the lobe.
- School shoes are to be black, leather lace-ups with a slight heel (no skate shoes).
- Girls' tunics are to sit below the knee.
- Sports shoe expectations - students are required to wear: Appropriate runners or cross-training sports shoes with arch support must be worn with the College sports uniform. Students are not permitted to wear canvas or leather shoes with a flat sole (eg. Converse or Volleys), skate-shoes and/or slip-on shoes.
- Summer Uniform is to be worn
Thanks for your ongoing support and we look forward to a safe return to school on Monday.
Mr Simon Huntly
Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Coordinator
This is a kind reminder to all the families leaving Mount Carmel Catholic College at the end of 2021. Please ensure any outstanding school fees are finalised by 12 November 2021.
If you are experiencing difficulty finalising your account balance please contact the Finance Team immediately via mccc-finance@dow.catholic.edu.
2022 FEES OPTION OF PAYING BY INSTALMENT
Our finance new system provides the opportunity to generate regular instalments with due dates, rather than having an annual bill which is due for payment, in full, 30 days after invoicing. If you would like to pay school fees by instalments in 2022, please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available here. On completion of the request please email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.
IMPORTANT: Please note that if you currently have a child or children at another school in the Diocese and you are paying by instalments at this location, you will not need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment. The instalment request carries over from school to school.
As we approach the resumption of face-to-face teaching next week, following a term of remote learning, I am reminded of the words of Charles Dickens in the opening sentence of his novel, A Tale of Two Cities: ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…’ The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extended period of online learning that has accompanied it, have indeed posed significant challenges for students, parents, and teachers. Learning has been disrupted for many students who have also been affected negatively by the social isolation and uncertainty of lockdown. On a positive note, it has allowed opportunities for some to learn how to navigate their way through difficult and uncertain times. Teachers are enthusiastically preparing for the commencement of classroom lessons on Monday with fresh ideas, achievable goals and enormous energy and passion to best support students in their learning. With literacy, language, and love of learning as our focus, teachers will be encouraging students to consider the following questions: Where am I going? How do I get there? Where to next? I have included below some reflections expressed by Years 7, 10 and 12 English students regarding ‘the best of times and the worst of times’ of the COVID-19 lockdown.
This year, my learning experience in English has been lively! I have enjoyed exploring the fantasy unit, especially the mythical creatures, diverse realms and detailed descriptions of individual characters. I was able to extend myself further in this unit by engaging in the class’ daily expressive writing. This assisted me in broadening my vocabulary and my understanding of different writing forms. In addition, during the lockdown period, I enjoyed having the ability to contact my teacher any time during class, along with being able to thoroughly edit and reread my work at my own pace. Overall, my learning experience for English this year has been interesting and memorable.
Isabelle Villena – 7 English Emerald
On the first day of high school, I remember walking from Science to English. English wasn’t my strongest subject, so I was terrified. I feared making mistakes and wondered how I would learn. After a few minutes inside the classroom, the teacher introduced herself and explained what we would be doing during the year. I looked around the room. It was colourful and a wonderful room to walk into. It felt calm and refreshing. Weeks later, I learnt how to participate in class and to be comfortable with my classmates. When I first walked into class, I didn’t know the person I sat next to would become one of my closest friends. This year, I have faced many challenges. And a significant one was the long lockdown. The work that we were supposed to do in our English class was now changed to online learning. In my experience, learning English during online classes was very intimidating. I didn’t know what other students were writing or what their thoughts were on the activities we had to complete. Instead of asking questions in front of a class, I had to ask questions through Gmail and Google classroom. Online school forced me to ask questions directly to the teacher. If I was at school and I had questions, I would ask the people around me if they knew the answer. Human interaction wasn’t really a thing during lockdown. Feedback from my work was given through Google Classroom or Docs instead of being written in my English book. I had to get used to this routine and I’m proud to say that I have successfully done so over time. I’m going to be clichéd and say that this lockdown period has changed the way I work. I hope that’s a good thing!
Cassandra Tuyor – 7 English Emerald
English, a subject that I am incredibly passionate about, truly tested my perseverance last term due to the isolation of the online learning environment. There came many, what I would deem, negative features to learning a Shakespeare unit at home. Still, as Year 10 were exploring Macbeth – a tragedy which peels the walls of the human condition to reveal the sickly, venomous traits that proceed power, exposing the hamartia of Macbeth – a vehicle for self-introspection was opened. In Act 5 Scene 7 of Macbeth – the final Acts encompass the violent tragedy of war and peaking conflict – the line "They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, / But, bear-like, I must fight the course" spoke to me. The animal imagery of birds, which relate to freedom – something we lacked in lockdown – contrasted with the persevering symbolism of a brave bear, readily reminded me that "I must fight the course" of this lockdown. Shakespearean tragedies all include a harmatia: the fatal character flaw of the tragic hero. Macbeth’s vaulting ambition seemed to contrast with my lack of motivation directly. My fatal flaw was my myopic perspective of online learning. Classes were dissolving into one another, and my life became a constant scramble to catch up on previous work. The line "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in its petty pace from day to day" was the perfect summary of my life. As someone who has always enjoyed learning about Shakespeare, I began to ask myself why this time around it was such a burden and source of anxiety. I quickly learnt that Shakespeare is best taught with a bustling class full of conflicting opinions, teenagers who cry "I don't know why we are still studying this guy", and dramatic readings performed with friends. Shakespeare is undoubtedly enjoyable when shared with a community. The lockdown has thoroughly challenged me and allowed (not so fatal) flaws to surface so that I can tackle them head-on, ‘Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.’
Emma Searle – Year 10
Learning through COVID has, no doubt, been a very difficult experience. A lack of face-to-face learning has decreased motivation, focus and understanding, but for English, we have been given a chance to engage more freely and more intently with what the subject offers more than ever before. I have been able to think in a wider capacity, not just about the texts I am reading but also about the world around us, permitting me to formulate a deeper personal understanding with each text. Because of this, I, as an individual, have begun to think about worldly situations in a wider scope, consider opposing ideas, understand human reactions and engage with the world in a greater light. The solitude that we have been 'gifted' in this COVID-affected learning has allowed me to grow internally, for which I am grateful. I am glad that out of this difficult, dark experience, came some light.
Charmaine Martinez – Year 12
I find that in this day and age, we are bombarded with so much content and information that it feels almost uncomfortable to be alone in silence. I believe learning in lockdown has offered a kind of stillness that we have lost or perhaps over-looked in our society. The pandemic, and online learning in particular, have given me the opportunity to reflect more meaningfully in the imposed solitude, and to take a step back and look at things through a new lens. Doing so has taught me valuable lessons about myself that I may not have learnt if it weren’t for this isolation. I think one of the greatest gifts of this pandemic and English alike, was acquiring the ability to learn more about myself, others, and the world through literature. I believe that we can only know others as much as we know ourselves, and literature, coupled with the lockdown, has given me the necessary tools to do so. I know who I am. I am a writer!
Laura Alivio – Year 12
Week 4 Sport
The current Term 3 directives state a ban on all sports, with the exception of some PDHPE activities. For this reason, students will follow an alternative program for sport on a Tuesday afternoon which will involve the following:
- Year 7 and 8 - Indoor/outdoor rotation
- Year 9 - Careers Program
- Year 10 - Study/Assessment preparation
- Year 11 - Study (in stone groups)
Students are to refer to the sport schedule that will be posted to Compass which will include room locations and teachers that will supervise their group. In most cases, students will be with their pastoral advisor for sport. Thank you to students for their understanding and cooperation during this time.
Term 4 Sport Bell Times
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TUESDAY |
|
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LUNCH |
1:00pm - 1:30pm |
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MOVEMENT |
1:30pm - 1:35pm |
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PERIOD 5 |
1:35pm - 2:45pm (Study/Catch Up) |
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