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Dear parents, friends, staff and students,
In reflecting on the readings from this coming Sunday, I am struck by a few images that present some food for thought. In the first reading (1 Kings 19:4-8), Elijah uses the phrase “Lord… I have had enough”. Jesus then says in the Gospel. (John 6:41-51) “I am the bread of life”. This carries on the theme from last week where Jesus explains that He is the nourishment that we need to reach eternal life. The theme is simple, but the practice may not be so clear. We know that when we are tired and drained, we might look to Jesus for energy, but how does this result in us gaining nourishment? The second reading (Ephesians 4:30 – 5:2) provides the link. It states what we need to do to get back our direction or focus. “Never have grudges against others or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ”. When we do these things, we restore calmness in our lives and can then re-energise to move forward.
Yesterday was the Feast of St Mary of the Cross McKillop. St Mary is important as the first Australian saint and was foundational in the evolution of Catholic education in Australia. St Mary made many meaningful and philosophical quotes, but I would leave you with one of my favourites: “Do all you can with the means at your disposal, and calmly leave the rest to God”.
With the above in mind, or Year 12 students have been undergoing their Trial HSC examinations. I have said to the students in the past that I do not wish them good luck before exams because their results are not determined by luck but are decided by preparation. When they do all that they can, they are in the best position to produce work of a high standard. Once the preparation and performance are complete, they can ‘calmly leave the rest to God’.
On Wednesday evening, our Year 10 students and their parents attended the Year 11, 2025 subject selection meetings. These are the next stage in their subject choices that are aimed at ensuring they choose subjects that are appropriate to their interests, ability, and future direction. These have proven to be valuable in helping to get students into the correct courses. Thank you to the students and parents who attended but especially to the many middle leaders who gave up their evening to assist and to Mr Teuma and Ms Miller for their organisation.
On Thursday and Friday, our Year 11 students attended their Leadership Days. These days are designed to assist the students in their thinking of what leadership is and how it works and helps them in contributing to the process of determining the SRC for 2025. At the conclusion of the day, the students and staff were asked to vote for students who will progress to the next round of the leadership process. Thanks to Ms Pearce and the staff who ensure that this process is clear and well-organised.
On Sunday, our College Captains and I will attend the annual Campbelltown Catholic Club Mass which this year will be held at Mary Immaculate parish, Eagle Vale. The Catholic Club has been a long-term supporter of Catholic education in the MacArthur and specifically to our own College. They have made a significant financial contribution to the upgrade of our college canteen that we hope will occur before the end of this year. I thank the club for their support and will be proud for us to be represented at their annual Mass.
In week 5, Tuesday Aug 20, we will be holding our Term 3 Parents & Friends meeting. As always, all parents are invited to attend this meeting and if time permits, we will visit our latest refurbished buildings. The meeting, as always, will start in I3 at 7pm.
Ite in Veritate
Mr Steve Lo Cascio
The past couple of weeks has seen some rapid progress being made on our renovations to a number of areas around the College. Major concrete pours have taken place to our new entrance area which once hosted G and H-Blocks, adjacent to the Bus drop-off and pick-up area. The next couple of weeks will see the installation of a weatherproof covering and seating which will be a fantastic addition to our passive recreation areas. The transformation of the old TAS classrooms in A-Block is almost complete, which will see 8 new general teaching spaces. In J-Block, the new Gym and Art Room are quickly taking shape which will allow specialised areas for PDHPE and Visual Arts, complete with updated furniture, equipment and technology. Although the past 18 months have been somewhat disrupted, the final products will no doubt provide spaces that will be conducive to the learning and wellbeing of all students. We thank all students and staff for their patience with the changes to rooming and thoroughfares throughout the duration of these works.
Thanks to all involved last week with the HSC Trial exams, Year 9 YAM and Year 11 Studies of Religion and Leadership days. Again, these are important activities that are integrated into our normal day to day teaching and learning to further enhance the work that occurs in the classroom. Next week will see the HSC Trial exams continue and Year 7 Vaccinations take place on Wednesday. Please refer to the section below for Vaccination registration.
Wed 14th August - Year 7 Vaccinations and 8-10 follow ups
Please click on the image or the link to register with NSW Health through the Service NSW Portal.
Mr Simon Huntly
NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
Mass of day with Lectionary and Missal texts of Sunday Ord Time 19 Yr B
Did you know that Mt Horeb and Mt Sinai are the same - and this is where Moses received the 10 Commandments.
Mrs Christine Meharg
Year 12 Trial Examinations continue this week
The College wishes Year 12 all the best as they continue their final school based assessments. The examinations will take place on Monday 5th August - Monday 19 August. Year 12 will resume regular lessons on Wednesday 21 August, following their Retreat Reconnector Day on Tuesday 20 August.
Students are reminded to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start time of their exams. If students have morning and afternoon examinations they are not permitted to leave the College between examinations. Students are welcome to stay after an examination to study in the Library or arrive earlier in the day to study before an afternoon examination. In these instances students will be required to sign in at the Library and remain in this space to study. On days students do not have a scheduled examination they are also welcome to attend the Library to study. A reminder that they can only sign in and out of the Library once during the school day.
To also assist students with their preparations and study, the College Library will be open on additional evenings (3:30-6:30pm) during Week 3 and 4. A schedule of these times has been shared with Year 12 students. Please note that the additional evenings are only for Year 12 students. Yr 10 and 11 students continue to be welcome to attend Senior Study on Tuesdays.
If, for any reason, students are ill or cannot attend the examination because of an accident or misadventure, you must contact the College to inform Mrs Harpley, Mr Lozelle, Ms Miller and Mr Teuma as soon as possible. The general rule is that the student is to attend the examination if possible, unless there is significant medical advice not to do so. If a student does miss an examination, they must follow the College Illness/Misadventure process. Mr Teuma or Ms Miller will be in contact with students to make arrangements for missed examinations.
Year 11 2025 Course Selection
Course Selection Interviews
Thank you to the students of Year 10 and parents for their participation in the Yr 11 2025 Course Selection process. Now that selections have been entered, we are now able to begin generating the timetable lines for next year. Students will receive their final confirmation of courses in early Term 4.
Stage 5 2025 Elective Course Selection
All information regarding elective selection will be communicated to students via the Stage 5 Electives Selections Google Classroom. All students currently in Yr 8 and 9 should ensure that they have joined this Google Classroom.
The following are key dates for the Stage 5 Electives Selection process:
- 14 August 2024: Elective Handbook Distributed
Students will receive the Stage 5 2023 Elective Selection Handbook via Google Classroom, explaining the electives on offer and the options available. Students are encouraged to seek advice from KLA Coordinators and subject specialists if they have any questions regarding any of the electives.
- 21 August 2024: Stage 5 2025 Information Night
From 6:30pm, KLA Coordinators and specialist teachers will be available to answer questions regarding the electives that they have on offer. At 7:00pm, members of the College Leadership Team will present information regarding the process of selecting electives for 2025. For students who are currently in Year 8, attendance at the Information Night is fundamental to ensuring that an informed decision is made when nominating their elective selections for 2025. Students in Year 9 are encouraged to attend however given their familiarity with the process (having completed it in Year 8 2023), attendance is not required. Students are expected to attend the information night in their full College winter uniform.
- 22 August 2024: Elective Form Opens
At approximately 4:00pm, students will be emailed a link and instructions on how to make their selections. A video will also be released explaining this process.
- 2 September 2024: Selections close at 9:00am
If you have any questions regarding any of the above dates or events, please contact the College via an email to info@mcccdow.catholic.edu.au or a phone call to (02) 9603 3000.
TERM 3 |
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| Week 4 |
Year 12 Trial Exams continue Year 11 14/08/2024: 11 Food Technology Year 10 14/08/24: Catholic Studies
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| Week 5 |
Year 12 Monday - Year 12 Trial Exams conclude 20/8/24: 12 Work Studies Year 10 19/8/2024: 10 Drama 21/8/2024: 10 D&T 100hr Year 9 D&T - See assessment notification for specific date Year 7 Catholic Studies - See assessment notification for specific date |
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Leader of Learning - Curriculum Pedagogy & Leader of Learning - Curriculum Administration
Year 11 Leadership Days
Year 11 students recently embarked on an exciting two-day leadership retreat, beginning at Teen Ranch in Cobbity. Students challenged themselves with horse riding, giant swings, bush skills, and a challenging course, all designed to push them outside their comfort zones. Through these activities, they learned the importance of encouragement and teamwork.
The second day was spent at school, where students reflected on their leadership qualities and values. They discussed various leadership styles, including servant, autocratic, transactional, and transformative leadership. This reflection helped students understand different approaches to leadership and how they can apply them within the College community.
This retreat marked the commencement of the leadership process for Year 11 students at the College. It was an invaluable experience, helping students grow both as individuals and as leaders, ready to take on future challenges with confidence and compassion.
Coping with exam stress
During exam and assessment periods, students can sometimes feel stressed and overwhelmed.
Here are some tips for young people and parents/carers to work together to manage stress and build coping strategies.
Uniform Reminder
- Only College caps are permitted to be worn to, from and at school.
- School shoes should be polished, plain black leather lace up (with a slightly raised heel). Variations of leather, canvas or athletic type shoes are not part of the uniform.
- Only MCCC school or sports socks are to be worn.
- Sports jackets are to be worn on Tuesday for sport or designated practical days for PDHPE, SLR or PASS only.
- Refer to pages 17-20 of the student diary for further information regarding uniform expectations.
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Staff Development / Pupil Free Day Week 5 - Friday August 23 |
As always, thank you very much for your ongoing support. Should you require any assistance with your child’s learning or wellbeing, please do not hesitate to contact the College or the appropriate Classroom Teacher, Pastoral Advisor or Year Coordinator.
Mrs Theresa Moore Miss Rebecca Toogood
Acting Pastoral Care & Wellbeing Coordinator
American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, is a compelling read which speaks passionately to parents, teachers and politicians about the serious issues confronting our young people today. Haidt argues that the loss of a play-based childhood and its replacement with a phone-based childhood is the source of increased mental distress among teenagers. He contends that children thrive when they are immersed in real-world communities, not in disembodied virtual networks characterised by anxiety, isolation, and loneliness.
Haidt began writing The Anxious Generation with the intention of focusing on social media’s damaging impact on American democracy. His intention was to begin with a chapter on the impact of social media on Gen Z, showing how it disrupted their social lives and caused a surge in mental illness. The remainder of the book would then analyse how social media had disrupted society more broadly, by fragmenting public conversation, government, journalism, universities, and other democratic institutions. When Haidt had finished writing the first chapter of his book, he realised that the adolescent mental health story was so much bigger than he had anticipated. He also realised that it wasn’t simply an American story. It was a story prevalent in many Western nations. And it wasn’t just about social media. It was about the radical transformation of childhood into ‘something inhuman: a phone-based existence’.
As a social scientist, a teacher, and a father of two teenagers, Haidt suggests four foundational reforms to combat the negative effects of a phone-based childhood. These include no smartphones before high school, no social media before the age of sixteen, phone-free schools and far more unsupervised play and childhood independence. These reforms are said to be foundational because they solve multiple collective action problems. Each parent who acts makes it easier for other parents in the community to do the same. Each school that goes truly phone-free liberates all students to be more present with each other. Haidt believes that if a community enacts all four reforms, they are likely to see substantial improvements in child and adolescent mental health. This is certainly food for thought for parents, educators and administrators.
Clare Murphy
English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach
On Friday 2 August 2024, Mount Carmel sent 58 students to compete at the Diocesan Athletics Carnival held at Campbelltown Stadium. Overall, Mount Carmel performed well, finishing in 5th place, which is a great reflection of the results recorded over the day. There were several standout performances from our students, which are listed below. The strength of our students was on full display over the programme of events with some notable performances. We had one of our brightest young talents, Ashton Taeiloa, break the discus record with a staggering 47.35 metres throw. Our star runner, Ethan Littlewood, broke the records for the 1500m (4.21.58) and 800m (2.03.54) track events. Overall, the day was a success, with several students being selected to compete at the NSWCCC Carnival. Thank you for a great day.
The following students have been selected for the Wollongong Diocesan Team for the following events:
- Patrick Grant - 1st Javelin, 1st Long Jump, 1st Shot Put (Age Champion)
- Izach Saalea-Morgan - 1st Discus, 1st Javelin, 1st Shot Put (Age Champion)
- Ethan Littlewood - 1st 1500m (Record), 1st 800m (Record), 1st 400m (Age Champion)
- Daniel Lill - 3rd 100m MC, 2nd Discus, 2nd Shot Put, 3rd Long Jump (Age Champion)
- Ashton Taeiloa - 1st Discus (Record), 1st Shot Put
- Shou Ye - 2nd 200m, 1st 400m
- Deric Abraham - 2nd 200m, 2nd High Jump
- Jayden Kurniwan - 2nd 100m, 3rd 400m
The following students performed extremely well on the day and were unfortunate to miss out on selection for the Wollongong Diocesan Team:
- Zoe Bruce - 3rd 1500m, 3rd 800m
- Petar Spryopolous - 3rd 1500m
- Cale Grech - 2nd Triple Jump
- Braxton O'Donoghue - 3rd Shot Put
- Adriel Fajardo - 2nd Long Jump
- Lyla Grech - 2nd High Jump
- Christian Kassiotes - 2nd Javelin
- 14/15 Boys Relay Team - 3rd place
Age Champions
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Daniel Lill Miulti Class 16 Years  |
Ethan Littlewood 16 Years Boys  |
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Patrick Grant 15 Years Boys  |
Izach Saalea-Morgan 13 Years Boys  |
MISA
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Sport |
Result |
MVP | Short Report |
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Indoor Cricket Years 10-12 Boys OCOB |
vs MAS Loss 120-23 |
Owen Webb |
The boys came into the match without some strong year 12 players who were unfortunately absent due to trial exams. There was some quick recruiting happening pre game but the team was able to field 7 players for the match. The boys won the toss and elected to bat. There was some fast paced bowling from MAS which made it hard to score many runs. Owen Webb was able to break through and score some boundaries to get some runs on the board. After a difficult batting innings MCCC went into bowl and were able to contain MAS to 120 runs. A tough loss but next week should see a resurgence in our performance. |
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AFL Years 10-12 Boys MARP |
vs MAG Win 53-16 |
Rydan Chom | Phenomenal performance from all the boys this week. We controlled the game right around the park. Jerome had their attack in his pocket, Monty and Josh dominated the ruck, Zak and Brody played the flank perfectly, but the stand out of the day was Rydan Chom. He caught everything we could kick to him and scored more goals than we could count. Absolutely brilliant. The boys had a lot of fun out there and didn’t shy away from a bit of biff. Preston got in their heads, and copped a couple of late shots because of it. Mount Carmel didn’t back down though, with Mateo, Seirasa, and Mitchell keeping Magdalene in line. The sound of Mitchell’s footsteps scared a Magdalene player so much that he kicked an own goal from 30 metres out. Overall a fantastic performance, thanks boys. |
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AFL Years 10-12 Girls ABRN |
vs STP Loss 54-21 |
Liesl Hopoate |
A tough game for our girls today but with Gemma and Bella in the mids putting pressure on the opposition, we were able to put some points on the board. Liesl’s experience with rugby league was invaluable and she was our main point scorer of the game. My forwards were aggressive and my backs didn’t give up. Improvement with our kicking and catching will be our game plan for next week. Great work girls. |
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Rugby League U15's Boys HARK |
VS MAG Loss 22-6 |
Ashton McMillan & Hunter Burton |
After a start to forget where the opposition scored two tries in 3 minutes to put us on the back foot, with some defensive position changes we fought hard to steady the ship and had our chances but we could not put the polish on the end of our sets. With a few bounces going against us we were not able to get on the board and unfortunately on the back of giving a seven tackle set we were scored on again. We came out in the second half and defended better as a team and while attacking the line we put in a great attacking kick but couldn’t capitalise and after a dropped ball the opposition ran away for a 100m try. We did not drop out heads and once again kept the pressure on to the final whistle. The effort finally paid off and we had Caleb put his head through the line and get the final try of the match. We have training next Tuesday and I look forward to being able to work with the team to make further improvements. |
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Netball Years 7-8 Girls PONT |
vs JTCC Win 11-3 |
Maliya Pupke-Hona |
All of the girls put together an impressive team performance. Every third of the court was strong, skilful and consistent. Our defensive end was unstoppable with Maliya and Eva pressuring every single pass that came near them. Ella did not stop in the centre court always offering and reoffering as well as feeding into the shooters with ease. Lose and Penny worked brilliantly as a shooting pair getting rebounds and shooting at a high percentage. Emma, Sherlyn and Annalise were a great asset in the centre third and Georgia and Avah did not let a ball pass them in defence. Well done girls. Looking forward to watching you grow as a team again next week. |
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Netball Years 9-10 Girls BELT |
vs JTCC Loss 13-6 |
Isabella Nakasenh |
Another unfortunate loss this week, however there was a vast improvement in the girls’ game against John Therry. We were able to maintain possession for most of the game, with many intercepts being taken in every third of the court. The final result reflects the sheer grit and determination of all the girls in how close the score was compared to last week. Our MVP this week is Isabella Nakasenh, a true team |
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Softball Years 10-12 Girls HOBR
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VS MAS Win 10-8 |
Emily Skipper |
The MISA Senior Girls Softball team was brimming with excitement as they took on Macarthur Anglican School. They secured a thrilling 10-8 victory, showcasing impressive teamwork throughout the game. Emily Skipper earned the MVP award for her unwavering commitment as pitcher. With such a strong performance, the team is eagerly looking forward to next week’s game. |
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Football Years 7-9 Girls HEAS |
VS MA G Win 6-2 |
Charlee Yule & Oliviya Carr |
Great performance by the girls to win 6-2 against Magdalene. There was great skill and attacking plays displayed by all players but congratulations to Charlee for coming away with 3 goals. Additionally, Oliviya displayed great defensive efforts throughout the whole game to keep scoring opportunities to a minimum. Looking forward to next week! |
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Football Years 7-8 Boys KING |
Vs MAG Loss 5-3 |
Izral Marmont | A tough first game for the boys after having a bye in round 1. The boys came out strong and went ahead early but conceded shortly after. It was a tough day in defence with the pace of Magdalene causing big issues for our defence. We managed to take the lead 3 times but mistakes at the back cost the boys going down 3-5. |
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Football Years 9-10 Boys BERB |
vs MAG Win 3-2 |
Vincent Brancati | What a game! The boys came out fired up after not capitalising on our performance last week. There was such a high level of energy and intensity and you could immediately tell the boys were hungry for a win. Despite going down 1-0 to what some could only describe as a strange and elusive goal, a 1-1 scoreline was the halftime result after a stunning shot from Baxter Bastoli outside the box. The second half started much like the first, and with persistence and grit the team had a well worked move through the middle of the park after pressing high and winning the ball. Sebastian Ratajczak converted well with a placed shot at the bottom right corner of the goal. However, with about 2 mins left of the match, we gave away a silly free kick near the box and coupled with poor defending left the goal wide open and the ball to float into the back of the net. I honestly thought the game was done and dusted. If it's one thing I learned today, it's never to write these boys off, because they had some fire in their bellies and did whatever they could to use the remaining time to get a goal, and they did. After Vincent Brancati received a well placed through ball into the wide areas, many players made excellent forward runs into the box and in the end it was Chad Locke who managed to get a header onto the ball to win the match in the dying moments. Certainly a well-deserved win, but I sincerely hope this kind of result continues with less drama in the scoring department. Well done boys, onto next week ? |
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.
Transit Systems
Please see letter regarding School Opal Card use and the importance of tapping on and off every time.
Transit Systems school bus route timetable is available via this link. 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!