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As we head towards the end of another successful term of learning, there is certainly no suggestion that we are winding down towards a break, particularly if the past week is any indication.
We have seen a range of important activities take place which are important for the ongoing spiritual, learning and wellbeing development of students. Diocesan Hockey and Volleyball Championships were held on Monday and Wednesday respectively, Year 12 State of Origin Social on Wednesday night. On Thursday; College catch-up Photos, Year 11 2025 Subject Marketplace and Year 7 TAS Smart Farmer Incursion. Today there was a Year 7 Science excursion to Western Sydney Zoo.
In Pastoral lessons earlier today, Year 8 were presented with some important information regarding the safe and appropriate use of Social Media, Year 9 took part in a Mental Fitness presentation courtesy of the Black Dog Institute, Year 10 engaged a presentation relating to Motivation and transition to Stage 6 as part of a follow-up to yesterday’s Subject Marketplace and Years 11 & 12 conducted activities with a focus on the remaining term of learning for their respective Preliminary and HSC courses.
A lot of time and energy goes into the preparation and presentation of these activities and I thank all staff and students for their contribution and cooperation over the course of the past week.
Next week will see Bishop Brian visit our SRC Leaders and Year 12 cohort on Wednesday and our Years 9 & 10 Child Studies classes will be attending an excursion to the University of Wollongong. Again, thanks to all staff and students in anticipation for the success of these various initiatives.
As next Friday will be PTS meetings, there will not be any classes conducted on this day as teachers will be involved in the meetings. As is our normal practice when we do not have classes on Friday, this will be the last newsletter for this term. Could I take this opportunity to wish all members of our community a peaceful break and again thank everyone for their ongoing support throughout the past term.
Mr Simon Huntly
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
First Reading: Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24;
Death is not of God’s doing.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 29:2. 4-6. 11-13. R. v.2
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:7. 9.13-15;
Abound in works of charity.
Gospel Acclamation: 2 Timothy 1:10
Alleluia, alleluia!
Our Saviour Jesus Christ has done away with death
and brought us life through his gospel.
Alleluia!
Gospel Mark 5:21-43
Jesus restores Jairus’ daughter to life.
Mrs Christine Meharg
Year 7 - 10 Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
& Semester 1 Report Distribution
Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences provide an opportunity for parents/carers and students to meet with class teachers to review academic progress and discuss areas for growth. This conversation provides an opportunity for valuable feedback and enables parents/carers to ask questions to support students as they progress through their secondary education.
Bookings are now open. The times and dates of the conferences in Week 10 are:
- Monday 1 July - 4-8pm at the College (Champagnat Centre)
- Thursday 4 July - 4-8pm at the College (Champagnat Centre)
- Friday 5 July - 8:30am -12:30pm via Zoom
To support the discussions at these meetings, Year 7 -10 Semester 1 Reports have been published today via Compass.
Year 11 2025 Course Selection
Subject Market
Students attended subject market opportunities on Thursday where expert teachers presented mini lessons on the various HSC subjects offered for next year. Students attended 8 different sessions throughout the day where they took notes and asked questions to help them discern their future pathways.
KLA Coordinator Conversations for Course approval
Where a student needs to seek approval from a KLA Coordinator for a course they wish to do, they must do this prior to the Subject Selection Interview on 7th August. Year 10 students are asked to check the Course Selection google classroom for the times that KLA Coordinators are available.
Course Selection Interview Bookings - 7 August
Bookings will open mid - Week 10 for the Year 11 2025 Subject Selection Interviews on 7 August. Parents and Students of Year 10, please ensure that you are available for this date. If you cannot attend on this date, please contact Ms Miller (millerc06@dow.catholic.edu.au) to organise an alternate meeting time.
HSC Trial Examination Timetable
Year 12 have received the HSC Trial Examination timetable. This timetable has each assessment notification hyperlinked to it, so that students can access these from one location.
In Week 1, Term 3 students will receive more information regarding their responsibilities and expectations during the Trial Examination period.
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TERM 2 |
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| Week 10 |
Year 12 01/07/2024: 12 PDHPE 01/07/2024: 12 Chemistry 01/07/2024: 12 Society and Culture 02/07/2024: 12 History Extension 04/07/2024: 12 IPT Year 11 01/07/2024: 11 Ancient History 03/07/2024: 11 Studies of Religion I 03/07/2024: 11 Studies of Religion |
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TERM 3 |
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| Week 1 |
22/07/2024: 12 Visual Arts 23/07/2024: 12 English Ext 2 |
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| Week 2 |
01/08/2024: 11 Society and Culture |
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Leader of Learning - Curriculum Pedagogy & Leader of Learning - Curriculum Administration
Trends Impacting Our Kids & Families
BELONGING AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING
- Data from the OECD and Australian surveys indicate a behaviour crisis in Australian classrooms.
- Raising healthy kids has become more complex, involving screen time and social media instead of just sleep, sports, and sensible diets.
- The Real Healthy Kids Report 2024 explores contemporary parenting in Australia, highlighting the importance of extracurricular activities.
- Almost 9 in 10 (85%) Aussie kids participate in at least one extracurricular activity, primarily physical activities (71%) and creative pursuits (42%).
- The cost of extracurricular activities has surged by 49% since 2017, with parents now spending $3,255 annually per child.
- A significant majority (92%) of parents believe extracurricular activities provide important social opportunities for their children and foster a sense of community belonging.
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese supports limiting children's social media access, with government actions including age verification trials and an accelerated review of the Online Safety Act.
- Jonathan Haidt's book, "The Anxious Generation," argues that Gen Z has been "rewired" by social media, leading to increased anxiety.
ATTENDANCE
- School attendance rates have declined, with only 88% of students in Years 1 to 10 attending regularly in 2023, down from 92% a decade earlier.
- 38% of students were chronically absent in 2023, missing more than 20 days of school.
- Emotional distress affecting school attendance can be linked to neurodiversity and mental health disorders.
- Legal action is a potential consequence for parents of children struggling with school attendance, according to the NSW Department of Education.
Technology, Social Media & Our Teens
The ever-evolving landscape of technology and social media presents new and unique challenges, many of which need more straightforward solutions. The Federal Government e-Safety Commissioner’s website is a reliable resource for students and family members seeking information on various issues arising from new technologies and services. Commonly asked questions include:
- How much screen time should my child have each day?
- How can I create a safe and secure social media environment for my child?
- What kinds of apps are available, and what do they do?
- What are the age of consent laws for using social media apps?
Please see an extract from the e-Safety Commissioner Website
How to manage your Screen Time
Using devices to stay connected online has become a big part of everyday life, so it’s important to make sure you know how to balance your time with it.
Online gaming is fun, social media is a great way to stay in touch, and there are always movies and TV shows to binge on. With so much available online whenever and wherever you want, it’s very easy to find yourself spending a lot of time in front of a screen.
If you feel the need to constantly refresh your apps or check your notifications, it’s probably time to take a break. Why? Because too much time online can make study, work and relationships more difficult, and even drag down your physical and mental health.
How much is too much?
Working out how much time online is ‘too much’ will vary from person to person. It’s important to think about all the types of online content or activities you are engaging with, as well as the quality and whether it’s a good addition to your everyday life.
Be aware of how your time online may have an impact on your mental and physical health, your work or study, and your relationships (including with friends and family). If you notice you’re being affected in your ‘offline life’ by what you see and do online – and it’s becoming a problem – it’s likely that you need to cut back on the amount of time you spend online. Start thinking about if you’ve had any of the following impacts.
- Impacts on your brain chemistry and mood: Our brains ‘reward’ us for ongoing attention with a rush of dopamine, a chemical that makes us feel good. Apps are designed to keep us using them, so the more we tap on notifications, get more likes on a post or level up in a game, the happier we feel. We may come to crave that feeling and spend more time online.
- Impacts on your body image: There are endless tutorials across websites and social media feeds that show us how to build muscle, put make up on or dress fashionably. Constant exposure to this kind of content might set unrealistic standards that may damage your self-image and mental health. It’s important to know that sometimes these posts are altered with photo editing apps or are chosen because of selective angles, good lighting and expensive photoshoots to present that person as their best selves.
- Impacts on your view on the world: Doomscrolling is when you constantly click on bad news, hurtful content or posts that make you envious of others – then feel sad, stressed or depressed because of it. Although staying informed can be healthy, spending a lot of time focusing on negative things online can dull experiences we normally enjoy, and even damage our mental and physical health. The more you click on the same kind of content, the more it’s served to you, so you may end up in a ‘filter bubble’ or ‘echo chamber’. This is when you only see the information or opinions that encourage the same beliefs, without having different perspectives to balance it out.
Some other signs that you may be spending too much time online include:
- having ongoing headaches, eye strain or sleep disturbance
- constantly talking about a particular app or activity, such as a gaming site
- withdrawing from your ‘real world’ friends and activities
- feeling your online activities and contacts are more important than anything else
- not performing to your usual level at work, study or school.
Finally, please check the expectations regarding uniforms and grooming in the College student diary before your child’s return to Term Three. Please assist us with ensuring that uniform and grooming standards are met at the commencement of the term.
Mrs Theresa Moore Miss Rebecca Toogood
Acting Pastoral Care & Wellbeing Coordinator
Week 9 also saw the conclusion of MISA for term 2 which was heavily impacted by rain over the last 9 weeks. We managed to secure the girls 11-12 years Netball trophy and won shared spoils of the 7-9 Mixed Frisbee championship in John Therry. We missed out on Rugby League based on for and against after a tough win against Magdalene. In addition, our girls 10-12 cricket team were successful, being undefeated MISA champions for 2024. Well done to all the students and staff involved in these teams. Next week we turn our eyes to term 3 with girls occurring for the following sports.
- 10-12 years boys indoor cricket
- 10-12 years girls softball
- Under 15 years boys league
- 10-12 years boys AFL
- 10-12 years girls AFL
- 9-10 years girls netball
- 7-8 years girls netball
- 7-9 years girls soccer
- 7-8 years boys soccer
- 9-10 years boys soccer
MISA
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Sport |
Result |
MVP | Short Report |
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Netball Years 11-12 Girls OCOB |
GRAND FINAL VS OPAC Win 35-16 |
Janita Leota-Brown | What a win! Despite being down ‘troops’ for a grand final match, the girls all played for each other and secured a convincing win against an Oran Park Anglican College team who got the victory against us in the round games. Janita and Krystal were solid in the shooting circle. Any missed shots were quickly followed up by a strong rebound or a turnover from the mid court players. Mia, Liesl and Rebecca were relentless in the defensive end, gathering up any loose passes and missed shots. Isabella and Layla put their hands over every pass and chased all over the court. Well done girls! A fantastic way to end your MISA netball career at Mount Carmel (for our Year 12 students anyways). Thanks again to Layla and Mia for filling in at the last minute. Your efforts are greatly appreciated by the team. Congratulations girls - 2024 Yr 11/12 MISA Netball Champions ….. yay!!! |
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Frisbee 7-9 Boys
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GRAND FINAL VS JTCC JTCC Forfeit MCCC Win |
Melanie Riordan & Samson Bricic |
It was a dramatic end to a fantastic season. Mount Carmel went into the game the underdogs, but did not let the occasion get to them. We stuck to our strategy, got the basics right, and had John Therry on the ropes. It was tense. The lead had changed five times but with 5 minutes to go, JT were up 6-4. Mount Carmel was on the ascendency, however we were failing to convert our final passes. That was until Samson, Ace, and Melanie combined to convert a fantastic play down the left hand edge to level the game 6-6 with minutes to spare. Mount Carmel was on a high, the game was ours to win. We were all over them. Time ran out and Mount Carmel was getting ready for the 5 minutes added time required by MISA. Unfortunately, the John Therry team refused to complete the game because they needed to catch their bus to make it back to school on time. Mount Carmel offered to play 2 minutes of added time, and if it was a draw, the title would have gone to John Therry as they finished the season in first place. But John Therry was adamant they could not continue, and as a result forfeited the game. Consequently, the Mount Carmel 7-9 frisbee team was able to retain the trophy for the second year in a row. Congratulations, and thank you to all the players and helpers. |
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Softball Years 10-12 Boys
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VS SBCC Won 3-0 |
Joshua Dennis | Finally! The boys got the win after a difficult season of softball that was heavily impacted by weather. We had a string of new players yet again who were all very enthusiastic and managed to steal multiple bases. Their intelligent base running helped us win our final game. Well done boys. |
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Rugby League Years 10-12 Boys |
VS MAG Win 8-4 |
Jerome Taateo |
Today we got a tough win over Magdalene, giving us a season where we did not lose a game. Finishing second on for and against. The game was played out with us having about 30% possession through lots of penalties and dropped balls. The boys had to keep aiming up in defence and almost kept the opposition to nil. While we can’t help but think if we had better discipline and ball control today we would have won by more, we will use this to learn from and be better next time. I congratulate all of our year 12’s Jerome, Brody and Vili and wish them all the best in the HSC studies. |
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Football Years 11-12 Girls |
GRAND FINAL VS MAG Loss 3-0 |
Unfortunately the girls were defeated 3-0 in the grand final against Magdalene. There was a great defensive effort displayed by all the girls until the final 10 minutes. The girls had a number of shots on target throughout the game but unfortunately were unable to slot one away. A great effort by all the girls to make it to the grand final considering every game was played with less than 11 players. Congratulations to Charlotte on your final MISA football game! |
As always, students are encouraged to sign up and trial for representative teams. Below you will find registration links for both our DIO and NSWCCC events. If you require any further information please visit the Diocese of Wollongong sports here.
Representative Pathways
| MISA Website | https:/wwwwmisaonlineeorgg.au/ |
| Diocesan Sport News | Updates and news on Wollongong Diocese sport events and trials can be viewed here |
| NSW CCC/CSNSW Sport News | Higher level CCC trials and events status can be monitored here. |
| School Sport Australia Sport News | More School Sport Australia information can be found here |
Wednesday 14 August 2024
Year 7 will have their immunisations on Wednesday August 14 (Week 4 Term 3). Final catch up immunisations for Yrs 7, 8, 10 & 11 will be held on Tuesday Nov 26 (Week 7 Term 4). As was the case in 2023, registration for Immunisations occurs through the Services NSW website or App. Please click on the following link for instructions on how to complete this process - Parent information for Immunisations. Consent is required through Service NSW electronically prior to this date and a list will be provided on the day. Please visit this link to provide electronic consent if not already completed. It is recommended all students requring a vaccination to please be in sports uniform.
Mount Carmel School Bus Routes
Transit Systems (formerly Interline) school bus route timetable is available via this 2024_Transit_Bus_Timetable.pdf. Contact phone number is 8118 7102. This timetable now in includes the Willowdale transit routes.
Enrolments 2024 Onwards
The CEDoW has transitioned to a new online enrolment platform, called Funnel, removing the use of all paper forms. Please take note, particularly for sibling applications. The online application form is accessible from the College website.
Social Media – Facebook & Instagram
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Coming soon! Watch this space!
Ranier School Wear
The Ranier uniform shop will only be open Wednesdays and Thursday until 2 August. Please see attahed flyer for new training times and July holiday trading days.