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Dear parents, friends, staff and students,
On Thursday, the world recognised Remembrance Day. Remembrance Day is certainly not a celebration of war or simply a symbol of the past. It is a way of acknowledging the sacrifice that all people have made for beliefs and values that they hold as basic and essential to their way of life. This particular day obviously focuses on the sacrifices made during times of war. These times impact all peoples and whilst this impact may vary greatly in severity or longevity, the impact is nonetheless difficult. In our Christian faith, we are often faced with the seemingly difficult decisions of when to stand up for what is right and when to ‘turn the other cheek’. The decision should always be based on what values we follow, how these fit with the teachings of Jesus Christ and what course of action we take to support them. Since the return of students to face to face learning, we have had most come back with an energy and eagerness that has enabled them to grasp the opportunities presented at Mount Carmel. A small number have struggled with return to routine. This morning I spoke with two Year Groups about stepping up to their friends in an appropriate way when they saw injustices occurring. This does not mean fighting or being nasty to others, but it may mean something as simple as telling their friends when their behaviour is inappropriate or unacceptable. I spoke of the Mount Carmel way and the standards that apply throughout our community. Whilst this is not the purpose of something as important as Remembrance Day, the underlying concept of standing up for things that are important, is. In our community, I encourage students to uphold our values in themselves and their friends in an appropriate manner.
This week our HSC students began their final examinations. These started with the first English paper on Monday where after an extended five-week Stuvac and almost 20 weeks offsite, our students arrived as a group to complete their last requirements for the HSC. The students were nervous but all very prepared for these final tests. As I have said on a number of previous occasions, we recognise this group has missed many opportunities and we are extremely disappointed for them. They have approached the HSC with maturity and courage and we will be holding a special pizza and ice cream lunch with them on the last day of their HSC exam in early December. Please keep these students in your prayers as they participate in their final examinations.
Last Tuesday we held via zoom our final Parents and Friends’ meeting for the year. Once again we had a small but dedicated group of parents who attended to hear what is happening around the College and the latest news regarding the building program and events leading to the end of the year. I took the opportunity to thank the P&F executive for their support during a difficult year and thank the parents who attended for their valuable contributions and comments that assist in the various decisions made around the College.
As always, a very big thank you to the staff, students and parents for your flexibility and ongoing support during this year.
Ite in VeritateMr Steve Lo Cascio
Principal
As the week draws to a close, I begin this week by acknowledging our graduating class of 2021 who have finally commenced their High School Certificate examinations after months of uncertainty. In the days and weeks ahead, these exams will conclude and we hope that each and every one of these students will look back with a great sense of achievement, satisfaction and pride for how well they have overcome the challenges they have faced. As a College, we are extremely proud of their individual efforts and remain grateful for the support they’ve received from families throughout their Year 12 journey.
Whilst vaccination rates remain high in the community, NSW Health have extended an invitation to school students to voluntarily receive a Pfizer vaccination through school-based clinics. NSW Health will be visiting the College this coming Friday 19 November for students who wish to be vaccinated and who have the consent of their parent/carer. A second dose appointment has been made for Friday 10 December. Students may pick up a COVID-19 consent form from the College office from Monday next week, and return by Wednesday 17 November to be included in this program. I stress that this opportunity will only be extended to students that receive parental consent on the official NSW Health consent forms that will be available from Student Services from Monday. Students who have already had their first Pfizer shot can have their second if they produce evidence of their first dose and parental consent for a second at the College. A further schedule for the day will be distributed once numbers have been confirmed.
Finally, I once 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
THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
First Reading Dn 12:1-3 At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince.
Second Reading Heb 10:11-14, 18 Jesus has made one offering for all our sins.
Gospel Mk 13:24-32 Watch for the signs of the coming of the kingdom.
World Toilet Day - 19 November
Last Sunday was Mission Sunday. An opportunity to support the Mission of the Church to help those who are in dire need of support. The reason I bring the World Toilet Day to your attention is that 2.3 billion people do not have access to safe sanitation, and this creates much illness in the world. One of the projects that Catholic Mission groups undertake is to help provide safe sanitation.
REC Coordinator
The College continues to keep Year 12 in their prayers as they prepare for the 2nd week of HSC Exams. Students are reminded to check their HSC timetable and know the location of their exams, have all of the required equipment for each exam and to follow the NESA Covid Safe Exam Protocol especially in regards to wearing a face mask both inside and outside of the exam room, social distancing and hand sanitisation.
Year 11 (Yr 12 2022) have received their 2022 HSC Rules and Procedures booklet from NESA. Students are required to read this document and be familiar with their responsibilities. Students are reminded to also ensure that they follow the College Assessment Policies and Procedures for their upcoming assessment task this term.
Year 10 are finalising their assessments and requirements for their ROSA. Students are encouraged to focus on working with their class teachers to ensure that they are continuing the development of their skills that will be carried into Stage 6. Students who have not yet met Minimum Standards for writing, reading and numeracy, will have the opportunity to sit these tests over the coming weeks. These students will be emailed instructions as to how to download the lockdown browser and their allocated times to sit the tests will appear on their Compass timetable.
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 end the third week of our return to school and prepare for the second half of Term Four, it is important that our attention to detail regarding wellbeing, teaching and learning is our focus for the remaining five or so weeks. For our junior years, most formal assessments have been completed and teachers are in the process of finalising grades and comments for Semester Two reports. Year 11 are about to undertake their first battery of HSC tasks. Whilst the year has been disruptive at times, it is important that our time at school is put to effective use to make up for any lost ground due to our remote learning experience. Now is the time to consolidate the skills of learning that have been developed throughout the year and to reflect on areas of individual strength and weakness, particularly with regards to those areas that may be of most benefit for the new year ahead.
Today was significant as it was the first opportunity for Year groups to assemble in one location. This allowed the Coordinators of Years 8 and 9 to address their respective year groups regarding expectations, the need for consistency and finishing the year off in a positive manner. Particular areas of conversation were related to uniform and grooming, application to learning, relationships and responsibilities. Years 7 and 10 will have similar Assemblies on Monday and Wednesday respectively. Please refer to the College Student Diary for clarification of student expectations pertaining to these matters.
We also continue to wish our Year 12 students every success as they enter the second week of their long awaited HSC exams.
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Elevate Education Elevate Education has continued to provide parents of Mount Carmel Catholic College exclusive access to their Parent Webinar Series for Term 4, 2021. To reserve your spot for the remaining sessions, register for free below: The webinars run live online from 7pm – 8pm where the presenter will share Elevate’s key research and skills, and will conduct a live Q&A so you can ask them questions directly. The remaining two sessions scheduled for this term are outlined below.
Should you have questions or would like to contact Elevate directly, their details are listed below. Pnone 1300 667 945 |
Regards
Mr Simon Huntly
Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Coordinator
Ernest Hemingway once said that ‘There is no friend as loyal as a book.’ Another American writer Eudora Welty stated that ‘I cannot remember a time when I was not in love with them – with the books themselves, cover and binding and the paper they were printed on, with their smell and their weight and with their possession in my arms, captured and carried off to myself.’
Research and scholarship highlight the accrued benefits of reading for pleasure. Reading for pleasure matters because it supports literacy and learning in school; it enables young people to develop their own, informed perspective on life; it is a safe, inexpensive, pleasurable way to spend time; it allows young readers to understand and empathise with those in different situations, times, and cultures; and it improves educational outcomes and employment prospects. Yet, the challenges we face today in engaging in purposeful and deep reading experiences, are substantial.
Sadly, reading for pleasure tends to decline as students move through adolescence. The social and private worlds of many are increasingly framed and negotiated through language that is instantaneous, often fragmented, and typically conveyed as direct speech transferred through a digital platform. Text messaging, Instagram, Twitter, and other forms of social media have become the normal channels for constructing identity, forming relationships and interacting with others. A commitment to deep reading requires unhurried time and quiet spaces for immersion in exploring, thinking, wondering and understanding. In the noise, distraction, and complexity of our modern world, this continues to be an important and worthwhile challenge.
Recently, I asked the English teachers at Mount Carmel to nominate their recommendations for Christmas reading. Mrs Monique Young’s and Mrs Madeleine Maulguet’s suggestions are included below.
Years 7 and 8 - Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah
I remember reading this novel for the first time so vividly. I was in Year 6 and I remember how intensely I felt simultaneously both frustrated and heartbroken for Adeline. This may have been where my love of life writing started. It has a beautiful message about resilience, belonging and identity that I think is perfect for Stage 4.
Years 9 and 10 - To Kill and Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The message of this novel is like no other, transcending its context, warning audiences about the danger of falling victim to prejudice and forcing readers to consider experiences outside of their own - as Atticus so perfectly puts it, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
Years 11 and 12 - The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
I picked up this book in an airport in America and couldn't put it down. It is an historical fiction novel which positions readers amongst the incomprehensible evil that was the reality of daily life in Auschwitz. A truly harrowing read - Lale's story will stay with you.
And for parents - Five Bells by Gail Jones
The clever crafting of characters’ lives and experiences, interweaved so seamlessly, and the immersive descriptions of Sydney, are just some of the things you’ll love about this novel.
Mrs Monique Young
Year 7
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (fantasy appropriation of The Jungle Book)
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (classic children's science fiction)
Year 8
Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman (first in a wonderful fantasy series)
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (beautiful, heart-wrenching historical fiction)
Year 9
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna (powerful high fantasy adventure that deals with some very topical real world themes)
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal (young adult fantasy romance)
Year 10
Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden (Australian coming of age romance with wonderful diverse representation)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (decadent magic realism told across multiple perspectives and timelines)
Year 11
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (literary fiction that explores identity, race and privilege)
The Last Migration by Charlotte McConaghy (a story of desperation, loss and hope against the backdrop of climate change)
Year 12
Girl, Woman Other by Bernadine Evaristo (follows the lives of twelve women and explores the complex realities of what it means to be a woman)
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (mythological retelling of Achilles and Patroclus)
For Parents
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (historical fiction set to the backdrop of old Hollywood)
Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction by David Sheff (a memoir that examines the illness of addiction and its impact on a family unit)
Mrs Clare Murphy
English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach
Tuesday Recreational Sport
Sport will continue to take place on a Tuesday afternoon. Students are to continue monitoring Compass for the sport schedule each week. During Week 6 students in Years 7 and 8 will be dismissed 10 minutes early (2:35PM) on Tuesday.
2022 Recreational Tuesday Sport
This morning pastoral students had the opportunity to nominate their sport preferences for 2022. Years 7 and 8 students will follow a set schedule of activities whilst Years 9, 10 and 11 have the opportunity to elect their preferred sports. Please note that whilst every effort will be made to accommodate for student preferences that a student may not always receive their preferred sports option. Each option provides a range of sporting opportunities that take place both on and off-site and with the support of instructors/teachers. In addition to recreational sport, students are also able to trial to a MISA representative team. Trials for 2022 Term 1 MISA sports will occur during Week 1. 2022 Sport permission notes will also be distributed to the whole school and will need to be returned to each student's pastoral advisor.
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:
https://csnsw.sport/covid-19/2021-full-list-of-cancelled/-postponed-events-due-to-covid-19
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