Filter Content
- Principal's Report
- From The Assistant Principal
- From the REC
- Prayer Points
- Learning and Teaching at the College
- From the Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Coordinator
- Live Night
- Literacy Links
- College Sport
- Brother Clarence foundation for Education
- P & F AGM Meeting
- Second Hand Uniform Shop
- Uniform Shop
- Additional Busabout Service
Dear parents, friends, staff and students,
In this Sunday’s Gospel from the first Sunday in Lent (Luke 4: 1-13), we hear of the temptation of Jesus in the desert. The devil tries to tempt Jesus three times and offers to give Him riches. The devil then challenges Jesus to summon His angels to protect Him. In return the devil says that if Jesus will bow down to him, the devil will give Jesus power over the earth. One of the points from this story is the irony that the devil believes he has some power or greater glory than God Himself. The other point is that even Jesus was tempted. This story tells us clearly that whilst temptation is to some extent a normal part of life, the way that we respond to it is the critical thing. There will be times when temptation will be very strong but if we hold out against it and rely on the strength of Jesus, we will be in a better position to resist. As we move through the season of lent, we have an opportunity to practice our resistance to evil by self-regulation through fasting, abstinence and sacrifice. Whether it is not eating meat on Fridays, giving up technology or social media, or doing extra chores that we don’t like, the self-control that this reinforces can be used for good.
Last Monday evening, we hosted our Year 7, 2023 Information evening. It was a lovely opportunity for visitors to come onto the College site and have a look around at the things about which we are most proud. Visitors were able to look at subject displays and were treated to quality barista made coffee prepared by our hospitality students. They were then able to attend a presentation by members of the College Leadership Team. On the evening, parents were able to collect enrolment application packages. For those who were unable to attend on Monday, you are able to collect enrolment packages from the College office at any time 8am – 4pm. We will also give these to current students upon request to take home for siblings. Completed enrolment packages are due to be returned by 2pm on Friday April 8 (the last day of Term 1).
Last Wednesday was the Ash Wednesday ceremony to start the season of Lent. Lent leads to the most important event in the Christian calendar leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus. The ceremonies this year were broken into three groups with Year 7, 8 9 and 12 in the hall and Years 10 and 11 in other spaces. The ceremonies were very meaningful and the students participated very well especially given the length of time since we were last able to celebrate together. Thank you to our spirituality team for their work in organising these ceremonies.
Today we held the second of our half-college Opening Year Masses. At this mass, our Year 12 students, SRC and Year 10 leaders were badged. It was nice to finally have some parents onsite to celebrate our mass with us, if only in limited numbers. The mass was also attended by Mr Peter Hill, the Director of Education, Diocese of Wollongong, and he spent some time meeting with the College Leadership Team and staff and visited classrooms. I congratulate the students on receiving their symbols of leadership and look forward to working with them into the future.
Today we farewell two staff members who have decided to retire. Ms Kathryn Phibbs and Ms Patricia Mooney. Kath has been working at Mount Carmel for 29 years and has been the welcoming face in the front office reception for much of that time. Trish has been the Senior School Support Officer and over the last 12 months, undertook a role as PA to me and the Assistant Principal. Both of these ladies have been invaluable assets to the College, and I thank them for their work and devotion to the College and the students. On behalf of the College community, I wish both of them all our best as they move into a new phase in their lives.
This Friday, we will be holding our Term 1 Staff Development Day (Pupil Free). This day will be focusing on how we use data to improve student learning. The day fits in with our School Improvement goals for 2022 of determining how our mission can improve the supportive environment at Mount Carmel by providing differentiated learning. I thank parents for your understanding that staff professional development is essential for improved teaching.
Please be advised that the P&F AGM will be held on Tuesday March 8 (next week). This meeting will thank the outgoing P&F executive and elect the executive for 2022 and will then be followed by the first general meeting for 2022. I encourage parents to attend this meeting and to become involved in the Parents and Friends Association. The meeting will be onsite and begin at 7pm in Room I3 (the front of the College at the top of the turning circle).
Ite in Veritate
Mr Steve Lo Cascio
Principal
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of spending time with Senior Constable Allan Clapham who is our School Liaison Police Officer based at Campbelltown Police Station. Snr Constable Clapham spent some time in the playground meeting students and joined our College Captains for lunch to discuss a range of issues pertinent to the lives of young people in our broader community. We are in the process of organising a student Vs police basketball game for later in the term, as well as a number of presentations that Snr Constable Clapham gives to various year groups throughout the year. We sincerely thank him for his support and ongoing partnership with all of us here at the College.
Each year, the College works in consultation with NSW Health to support our state-wide vaccination program for HPV and whooping cough (Year 7) and meningococcal (Year 10). Over the next week, students in Year 7 will be receiving their immunisation packages which outlines the details of this vaccination program and includes the consent details which are required to be completed and returned for any student to be vaccinated. Please note that this program does not include access to any COVID-19 vaccination.
As you may be aware through our Compass calendar, the first Pupil Free Day for 2022 is taking place this coming Friday 11 March. I thank in advance, the parents who are required to make alternative supervision arrangements on this day so that staff are able to engage in these worthwhile opportunities.
Last week I informed our parents that we were anticipating a further delivery of rapid antigen tests to assist with our response to COVID-19. The use of these tests will be at the discretion of students/parents as opposed to the twice weekly testing that was in place for the first four weeks of term. We are expecting delivery of these tests in the week ahead and will distribute them and notify parents as soon as they arrive.
Finally, as has been stated previously, I request that families inform the College immediately should any student test positive to COVID-19 and again stress that should this occur, the student must isolate for a minimum of 7 days, along with any sibling from the same household. Finally, I would also ask that students who are displaying any type of flu-like symptoms stay at home until such symptoms have ceased.
Kind regards,
David Cloran
Assistant Principal
LEARNING and LENT
During Lent we are encouraged to undertake fasting, go without something and recommit to our faith. Students often suggest that they will “give up homework” for Lent. While somewhat in the spirit of Lent, this suggestion does not serve to enhance a students learning experience or progression. An alternate way to approach learning during Lent may be to commit to trying a new strategy that will help them to improve. As Lent coincides with our entry into the second half of Term 1, it is an opportune time for students to commit to a goal or try a new strategy that will make them a better learner. This commitment might be completing homework in a specific subject or using their diary everyday, or asking for clarification in class or acting on feedback provided by their teacher. During Lent we are also challenged to consider what we can offer to others. This may manifest in students developing a study group or providing peer feedback or revising collaboratively with friends. Lent is a time of reflection and preparation. Students are encouraged to extend their lenten commitments to aspects of their learning so that they continue to develop as reflective and prepared learners. As students learn about the experience of others through Project Compassion initiatives, they may also reflect with gratitude on the learning opportunities they are provided with at Mount Carmel.
Ms Chardy Miller
Leader of Learning - Curriculum Pedagogy
PLANNED ABSENCES AND REPRESENTATIVE SPORT
With a number of students representing the College for external sport in coming weeks, please remember that all hand in tasks must be submitted by the due time. If students miss an in-class task, they are expected to pre-organise a change of date to complete the task during the first available opportunity. This can be organised well in advance following the Request to Reschedule a Task process. Any impacted students should visit the Leader of Learning - Curriculum Administration (Mrs Kripal’s) office to commence this process ahead of time.
DUE DATES FOR UPCOMING FORMAL ASSESSMENT TASKS
Week 6
08/03/2022: 12 English Ext. 1 Task
08/03/2022: 12 Maths Ext. 2 Task
09/03/2022: 11 SLR (2 Unit) Task
09/03/2022: 9 Maths 5.2 and 5.3 Task
10/03/2022: 11 Investigating Science Task
Week 7
15/03/2022: 11 Biology Task
15/03/2022: 11 English Extension Task
15/03/2022: 12 Maths Advanced Task
15/03/2022: 12 Maths Standard 1 & 2 Task
16/03/2022: 11 Work Studies (2 Unit) Task
16/03/2022: 12 Food Technology Task
17/03/2022: 12 English Advanced Task
17/03/2022: 12 English Standard Task
17/03/2022: 12 Music 1 Task
17/03/2022: 12 SLR Task
17/03/2022: 10 PASS Task
18/03/2022: 12 Work Studies Task
Mrs Alison Kripal
Leader of Learning - Curriculum Administration
Good afternoon everyone,
As we enter the midpoint of the term and with most year groups receiving notifications for upcoming assessment tasks, it is important that students maintain a balanced approach to their learning and wellbeing. The establishment of a regular pattern of study each night to keep on top of homework and assessments, finding time to exercise, maintaining a healthy diet and ensuring that they are getting adequate sleep are a few key points that should be considered when managing and prioritising time. The SEEEDSS plan, contained in the student diaries, provides some useful tips and strategies for students to refer to as a guide for navigating their way through the demands of high school life.
House and College Leadership
As part of our second Opening School Mass today, our College Student Representative Council and Year 10 House Leaders were announced and presented with their badges. Congratulations to all College leaders, House Captains and Vice Captains for their willingness to be part of this opportunity to work collaboratively as a team, to develop presentation skills and promote College and House spirit. We wish them every success for the upcoming year.
Upcoming Pastoral Activities
Year 8 Connections “Who we are”: Mon March 7 Lessons 1 & 2
Year 9 PDHPE Alcohol Education Presentation: Thursday March 10 Pastoral and Lesson 1
Year 7 Camp: March 16-18
Year 8 Elevate Study Skills: March 18 Lesson 1
Information regarding each of these activities will be communicated to students and carers leading up to the event. Please contact your son or daughter’s Year Coordinator if you have any questions.
Elevate EducationNext Parent Webinar – Wednesday 9 March @ 7pm (AEDT)Time Management & Beating ProcrastinationHere’s what they will be covering in this session:
The webinar is run live online from 7-8pm (AEDT) 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. Should you have questions or would like to contact Elevate directly, their details are listed below. Phone 1300 667 945 |
Mr Simon Huntly
Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Coordinator
LIVE is a unique initiative of Catholic Youth Ministry Wollongong (CYMW) which targets secondary school aged youth. LIVE nights occur within the broader LIVE framework and are at the forefront of the Youth Ministry Plan in the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong. The selected program for each event will offer scenarios that encourage students to Encounter Christ, grow in their Knowledge of Christ, develop a sense of Ownership of their faith, and discover opportunities for Broader Engagement/Mission/Service. Each event involves live music, relationship and community building activities, video and spoken presentations. Each event consists of a lunchtime concert (LIVE lunchtime) followed by a twilight retreat (LIVE night) for Years 7-12. LIVE nights consist of a three hour program that is held onsite at Mount Carmel Catholic College. The program begins shortly after the school day has finished at 3:30pm and finishes by 7:00pm.
Mr Bernard O'Connell
Youth Ministry Coordinator
Educators across all curriculum areas recognise the importance of students’ engagement with and enjoyment of a wide range of texts. As teachers, we aim for our students to become accomplished, focused and determined readers, receptive to the kinds of satisfactions, pleasures, and rewards that can flow from an immersion in texts. Yet research suggests that as little as 3% of all secondary school classroom experience is spent on reading – and an even smaller percentage of this on reading for pleasure.
At the heart of achievement in reading is the ability of the reader to create meaningful connections between the words on the page and his or her lived, constructed, or imagined world of experience. The struggling reader often requires added teaching support in the ‘engagement’ phase of this process. Building both interest and confidence is essential to improving the performance of secondary school readers. Teacher expectations play an important role in student success.
I was fortunate recently to visit the Year 7 Opal English class at a time when the students were engaging with Morris Gleitzman’s novel Two Weeks with the Queen. I took the opportunity of reading a chapter out aloud – an activity I enjoy immensely. After my reading, I asked the class to write a brief response to some association that came to mind when listening. As they were writing their responses, I wrote my own on the board for them to read. When sharing our writing, it was fascinating to see the connections we were able to make in our engagement with the story. Associations ranged from Queen Elizabeth battling COVID, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the uncanny similarity of the main character’s aunt and uncle to Harry Potter’s Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. It was then a very natural extension to focus the students’ attention on the way the author managed to draw us into the world of the book at the same time as turning our minds to the outside world. An enthusiastic discussion followed where we spoke about Gleitzman’s more recent books which explore young people’s experience of friendship, conflict, and trauma.This encounter with Year 7 and Two Weeks with the Queen reminded me of the very powerful part stories play in our lives and in our thinking and learning. Learning to read is an ongoing cognitive need for all students. The overwhelming majority of young people struggling with reading do so because of factors other than their own inability to attain the necessary skills to succeed. When teachers communicate to students a belief that reading competence is achievable, immerse them in a range of rich and engaging texts, and model effective reading practices themselves, students can become capable and confident readers. The development of a community of readers is crucial here.
Clare Murphy
English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach
2022 College Carnival Dates
|
What |
When |
|
Cross Country Carnival |
Term 1, Week 10 - Friday |
|
Athletics Carnival |
Term 2, Week 4 - Friday |
Term 1 MISA
Round 3 - 1st March RESULTS
|
Sport |
Division |
Gender |
Versus |
Score |
Win/Loss |
|
Indoor Cricket |
Years 7-9 |
Female |
John Therry |
54-52 |
Win |
|
Softball |
Years 7-9 |
Male |
Broughton |
Washout |
- |
|
Volleyball |
Years 7-9 |
Female |
Macarthur Anglican |
0-2 |
Loss |
|
Hockey |
Years 7-9 |
Female |
Broughton |
Washout |
- |
|
Basketball |
Years 10-12 |
Female |
John Therry |
56-4 |
Win |
|
Oz Tag |
Years 10-12 |
Female |
Broughton BYE |
Washout |
- |
|
Sport |
Division |
Gender |
Versus |
Location |
|
Indoor Cricket |
Years 7-9 |
Female |
Macarthur Anglican |
All Sports |
|
Softball |
Years 7-9 |
Male |
Macarthur Anglican |
Cowpasture |
|
Volleyball |
Years 7-9 |
Female |
Macarthur Anglican |
Macarthur Anglican |
|
Hockey |
Years 7-9 |
Female |
Wollondilly Angilcan |
Narellan |
|
Basketball |
Years 10-12 |
Female |
Macarthur Anglican |
Michael Clarke |
|
Oz Tag |
Years 10-12 |
Female |
Macarthur Anglican |
Victoria |
Diocesan Sport
2022 Diocesan Swimming Carnival
The Diocesan Swimming Championships will be held at Corrimal Pools on 11 March 2022. Students who have successfully gained selection into the College team (based on results at the College Swimming Carnival) will be given a permission note through their pastoral roll.
Diocesan Touch Football
Unfortunately, both our boys and girls Touch football days scheduled for this week were cancelled. Students were asked to nominate to attend trials for this event and a paper trial was held to shortlist students invited to attend trials. We wish all our successful shortlisted students the best of luck in gaining selection into the team. The girls will only be a paper trial (no attendance at a trial needed) and the boys trial date is TBA.
Diocesan Football (Soccer)
Trials will be held over the coming weeks for a number of our junior and intermediate teams. Please nominate your interest via the google form on Compass titled ‘Diocesan Sport Term 1’. Details of trials are below:
|
Team |
Trial Information |
|
U13’s Girls (PEAC) |
AFTER College sport 2:45pm - 3:30pm (Oval steps) POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER. New Date TBA. |
|
7-9 Girls Pathway Team (TOOR) |
|
|
U13’s Boys (BARM) |
AFTER College sport 2:45pm - 3:30pm (Oval steps) |
|
7-10 Boys Pathway Team (OCOB) |
AFTER school 2:45pm - 3:30pm (Oval steps) |
Diocesan Rugby League
Thank you to those students who nominated for the Diocesan Rugby League Trials. Successful shortlisted students will be contacted this week inviting you to the trials. All details will be on the permission note.
*Please note that a new event for girls Rugby League will be held later in the year and will be communicated with students on compass and in the newsletter.
Communication regarding sport
Students are reminded to continue checking the Compass dashboard for key information relating to sport during 2022. Key information will also be communicated to parents via the College Newsletter and notes sent home. Information will also be provided to staff who will communicate key messages with students during Pastoral Care in the morning.
Sporting Success
Congratulations to Zoe Bruce (Year 8) who took home silver at the Husky Triathlon over the weekend. Best of luck at the upcoming NSWCCC Individual and Team triathlon event which Zoe, along with a number of other Mount Carmel students have entered into.
Some more sporting success was seen over the weekend with Monique Jakovljevic (Year 11) who competed at Homebush in the NSW Junior Athletics Championships. Monique finished 3rd in the 3km event which qualifies her for Nationals. A well earned result for a very deserving young athlete!
If your child or someone as part of our school community (past or present) experiences any sporting success. We would love to know about it. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any Sporting Success so we can recognise those achievements of our community.
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 Nominations for Term 1 Diocesan sports now open via google form on Compass.
- NSWCCC/CSNSW Sport News Higher level CCC trials and events status can be monitored at https://csnsw.sport/news/events-suspended Information on NSWCCC events for 2022 available via Compass. See Mrs Jones for nomination procedure.
- SCHOOL SPORT AUSTRALIA SPORT NEWS More School Sport Australia information can be found at http://www.schoolsportaustralia.edu.au/
Sports Coordinator
Please note that the P & F AGM Meeting is on Tuesday, 8 March
at 7pm in I3.
The Second Hand Uniform Shop is open on the following days from 2pm - 4pm.
Term 1 2022
Monday 7 March
Monday 21 March
Monday 4 April
Term 2 2022
Monday 2 May
Monday 6 June
Term 3 2022
Monday 1 August
Monday 5 September
Term 4 2022
Monday 7 November
Monday 5 December