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Dear parents, friends, staff and students,
This Sunday’s Gospel (John 13:31-35) has one of the most widely quoted and understood statements that sums up the direction of Christianity.
“I give you a new commandment: love one another; just as I have loved you”.
The modelling of Jesus in His love for us was all encompassing and ultimately led to the sacrifice of His death and the joy of His resurrection. Our challenge is to consider how we might live this message out in our lives on a daily basis. How do we think of others, talk about others, or behave with others? Do our activities show a respect and a love for those around us even if we might not be their friends? Our community values the Marist characteristic of Family Spirit and this is essentially caring for and looking after those around us – or more simply – loving one another as Jesus loved us.
Last Monday, the College hosted our Mother’s Day Liturgy. We do this on the Monday to avoid any conflict with potential events at local primary schools. We had about 80 people attend including mums, grandparents, aunties and students. Our Hospitality students supplied a wonderful breakfast and then the Youth Mission Team ran a lovely liturgy. Thank you to all the students who assisted and to our staff for their thoughtful welcome and ceremony.
Earlier this week, I sent out a letter via Compass informing parents of a change in our uniform supplier. This was the result of a formal tender process that occurred involving the Catholic Education Office and a parent representative. Our new supplier will be Midford who replace Rainier. I welcome Midford to our community and sincerely thank Rainer for their 10-year association with the College supplying everything uniform. Our expectation is that there will not be any immediate changes to uniform supply or design. This does, however, give us an opportunity to review the current uniforms for appropriateness and design. At some point moving forward, we may begin a discussion and possible consultation around uniforms and I ask you to keep an eye out for this.
From today for the next six weeks, Mrs Meharg will be on leave. During her absence, Mrs Kristina Borg has been appointed as the Acting REC with Ms Jenny Nguyen as the Acting Assistant REC. Ms Macri will take up the role of Youth Ministry Coordinator. I congratulate each of these staff and thank them for accepting these important roles.
I will be away from the College next week at two principals’ conferences (Marist and Catholic Schools). Later this term (From Thursday Week 8 – June 19) until the start of week 2 next term (Monday July 28) I will also be on a short leave break. During these periods, Ms Giles will be Acting Principal and Mr Huntly Acting Assistant Principal. Please feel free to contact them with any concerns or congratulations that you feel worth noting. Again, I thank them for accepting these roles during my absence.
As stated in the last newsletter, in the next few weeks, the College will be undergoing some self-review and will be sending out a few surveys to ensure we get meaningful feedback. The students have been asked to complete PIVOT surveys on their classes and will be asked to complete Tell Them From Me (TTFM) on Monday. Parents have been invited to contribute via the TTFM platform and a reminder will be forwarded again this week. Thank you to those who have contributed as this is a fantastic way to get valuable feedback and evaluate whether we are fulfilling your expectations or need to review processes. I encourage you to participate in this anonymous survey if you have not already done so.
Advance notice that the next P&F meeting will be held on Tuesday May 27 (Week 5). These meetings start at 7pm in room I3 (at the front of the College). All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend to hear what is happening in the school and to provide feedback and discussion on the College direction.
Ite in Veritate
Mr Steve Lo Cascio
Champagnat Day
Friday 6 June
Champagnat Day is a special celebration held annually by schools and institutions associated with Marist Education. The day honours the life, mission, and values of Marcellin Champagnat, who dedicated his life to the education and care of young people, especially the most neglected.
Champagnat Day serves as a significant event in the college calendar. Is a reminder to students and staff to live out the values Champagnat exemplified: compassion, dedication to education, and a strong faith in God. It also strengthens the identity and unity of our college amongst Marist communities around the world.
Details
- Date: 6 June 2025
- Uniform: Full school winter academic unform
- Activities:
- Mass Service
- Champagnat Awards
- Market Stalls
- Concert
Champagnat Day Currency
The Champagnat Day currency is a special school currency that allows students to
purchase items at the market stalls and support the Marist Asia Pacific Solidarity
program. By students purchasing this special currency, proceeds that are donated to Marist Asia Pacific Solidarity go towards:
- supporting communities across the Asia Pacific region, making a difference on a global scale.
- contributing to the Marist programs that uplift and empower local communities.
- focusing on educational initiatives, providing access to quality learning opportunities for those in need.
Parents will receive information through COMPASS this coming week for how to pre-purchase currency amounts for their child to utilise on the day. Families who would prefer their young person to make currency purchases with eftpos facilities or cash, can do so as an alternative option in the week of Champagnat Day. More details to come.
Stay safe, keep well, go gently.
Ms Samantha Giles
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Fith Sunday of Easter Year C - Sunday 18 May First Reading: Act of the Apostles 14:21-27 Paul and Barnabas journey extensively, returning to Antioch. Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-5 John sees a new Jerusalem. Gospel: John 13:31-35 Jesus issues a new commandment, love one another. |
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Sixth Sunday of Easter Year C Sunday 25 May First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 15:1-2. 22-29 The Aposltes decide not to burden the Gentiles unnecessarily. Second Reading: Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23 An angel shows John the new Jersusalem. Gospel: John 14:23-29 Jesus leaves peace as his farewell. |
Pope Leo XIV
The below quote was from the first time Pope Leo spoke to the Church. It gives us a sense of his passion and direction.
“Peace be with you”
“We have to look together
how [sic] to be a missionary Church,
building bridges, dialogue,
always open to receiving with open arms for everyone,
like this square, open to all.”
We look forward to being on this journey together.
Our Legacy - Living the Marist Characteristics.
At the core of a marist education are the five characteristics. St Marcellin Champagnat, lived these, modelled these to others and wrote effortlessly about them. As the College leads up to Champagnat day, each of these characteristics are centre of our Friday reflection and prayer. The Youth Ministry Leaders are planning and presenting the reflection about each characteristic as we approach our significant Community celebration day.
Below is an overview what each of the characteristics mean.
Presence
We develop a way of being, loving and doing. We seek to establish positive relationships with all members of the community, founded on love, which create a climate for learning in an educational setting, for passing on values, and for personal growth. We deepen our experience of the loving presence of God within others and ourselves. This presence of God is a profound experience of being personally loved by God, and the conviction that He is close to us in our daily human experiences.
Family Spirit
Father Champagnat’s great desire and legacy is that we relate to each other as the members of a loving family. Our family spirit’s foundation is the love that Jesus has for all his brothers and sisters – all of humanity. Acceptance and belonging should prevail where everyone in our family has a sense of being valued and believed in, where we are ready to trust each other, forgive each other and reconcile with each other. Our relationships are genuine and caring.
Simplicity
As members of a community, we strive to be persons of integrity – truthful, openhearted and transparent in all our relationships. Humility and modesty are linked to simplicity. Such simplicity is the fruit of a unity of mind and heart, of character and action that derives ultimately from our being honest with ourselves and before our God. We all need to value others and ourselves for who we are without pretense or dishonesty.
In the Way of Mary
Mary is for us the perfect model of the Marist educator, as she was for Marcellin. Mary’s was a journey of faith, just like ours. She urges us to do whatever Jesus tells us. Mary has continued to carry out her mission of mother and educator within the Christian community, giving witness to God’s solidarity with people in their needs and sufferings. All members of our community are inspired to imitate her tenderness, strength, and devotion in faith.
Love of Work
Marcellin Champagnat was a man of work, a sworn enemy of laziness. Marcellin, the builder, shows us the importance of being ready to “roll up our sleeves”. We follow his example in being generous of heart and constant and persevering in our daily work as well as in the efforts we undertake for our own ongoing learning. Young people learn that work is a powerful means of self-fulfillment, of giving purpose and meaning to life, and of contributing to the general economic, social and cultural wellbeing of the society in which they live.
YEAR 11 Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews - Wednesday 29 May
Year 11 Parents and Carers are encouraged to book interviews with your child’s teachers to discuss their progress and determine strategies to prepare for the second half of their preliminary HSC year. Interviews are being held on Wednesday May 28 between 4pm and 8pm in the STEM Building.
Bookings close on Tuesday 27 May at 3.00pm.
A guide on how to make a booking can be seen here. If you are experiencing any issues with logging into Compass or making any appointments, please contact Mrs Rina Domingo via an email to domingor01@dow.catholic.edu.au.
Year 11 Half Yearly Academic Reports will be available via Compass on Friday 23 May.
Year 11 2026 Course Selection
Year 10 will commence the Year 11 2026 Course Selection Process in the coming weeks. Please be aware there are two significant events in the process that involve parent/carer and student attendance:
Wednesday 18 June 2025; Term 2, Week 8 - Course Selection Information Evening
Wednesday 6 August 2025; Term 3, Week 3 - Course Selection Interviews
The Course Selection Handbook will be available electronically in Week 5. This booklet will outline each course that the College will offer for students to consider in developing their preferences for course selection.
In Week 5, Year 10 students will receive some introductory documents for Year 11 2026 Course Selection via google classroom. Students are encouraged to read these documents with their parents/carers.
These documents include:
- Understanding Key Concepts which explains information relating to Stage 6 studies including the requirements to receive an ATAR.
- Process Timeline with key dates that are significant in your subject selection process.
- Entry Requirements for automatic eligibility in courses on offer. As explained at the beginning of 2025, Semester 1 grades will be used to determine the courses which students are automatically eligible for.
- Course Information Handbook which will contain descriptions of the courses that will be offered as well as requirements of Year 11 and 12 patterns of study.
Students are encouraged to speak with their class teachers or KLA Coordinators if they have course specific questions and begin considering the learning pathway they wish to pursue for Year 11 and 12. Mr Daniels (Transition and Pathways Coordinator) is also a valuable resource for advice on TAFE, university and career pathways. Mr Clark (Vocational Education (VET) Coordinator) can also assist in answering any questions about School-Based Apprenticeships (SBAT), TAFE VET (TVET) or External VET (EVET) courses, which students may wish to study in conjunction with courses at the College. For any questions regarding the Course Selection process or HSC pathways, please contact Ms Miller.
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TERM 2 |
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| Week 4 |
Year 11 21/05/2025 Work Studies (1 unit) Year 7 History - See assessment notification for specific date |
| Week 5 |
Year 10 29/05/2025 Mathematics Core and Paths Year 9 History - See assessment notification for specific date Music - See assessment notification for specific date |
| Week 6 |
Year 12 04/06/2025 VET:Construction 04/06/2025 VET:Hospitality 04/06/2025 Investigating Science 04/06/2025 Legal Studies 05/06/2025 SLR2 Year 11 03/06/2025 Biology 04/06/2025 Photography, Video & Digital Imaging (1 unit) 05/06/2025 Visual Arts Year 9 Mathematics Core and Paths - See assessment notification for specific date Year 7 Catholic Studies - See assessment notification for specific date Music - See assessment notification for specific date |
Ms Chardy Miller & Mr Jay Hagan
Leader of Learning - Curriculum Pedagogy & Leader of Learning - Curriculum Administration
Winter Uniform Reminders
In Terms 2 and 3, students are required to wear the Winter Academic Uniform. This includes wearing the College blazer to and from school each day. Students are reminded to take the required measures to make sure they adhere to the expectations of the uniform and grooming policies. These policies can be found in the student diary on pages 17 -19.
Key points include:
College blazer is worn to and from school each day.
Girls - skirt/tunic at a modest length to the knee. Mount Carmel long navy socks or black tights. Trouser option with long sleeve blouse tucked in, and Mount Carmel girls' tie.
Boys - Mount Carmel grey trouser with long sleeved shirt tucked in. Mount Carmel tie. Black plain buckle belt and Mount Carmel grey ankle socks.
Mount Carmel sports jacket can only be worn on sports days or with the sports uniform. The Mount Carmel sports jacket MUST not be worn with the College Academic Uniform.
If a student is cold, they must wear the Mount Carmel College Blazer, with the Mount Carmel vest or pullover under the blazer. Any NON-COLLEGE clothing MUST not be worn to school and will be confiscated.
Reminders relating to behaviour, learning, uniform and wellbeing often need to be explicitly addressed as a means of ensuring we are meeting the high expectations, building strong routines, and continually encouraging accountability, responsibilities, positive relationships and safety for all our students.
Mr Simon Huntly & Mrs Theresa Moore
Pastoral Care & Wellbeing Coordinators
Free Parent Webinar: Helping Your Child Prepare for Exams
Dear Parents,
We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting a free webinar for our parents on exam preparation on Wednesday 21st May.Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.
Sign up for the session below to learn how you can help your child to get ready for their assessments and walk into the exam hall feeling confident and prepared.
Live Parent Webinar: How You Can Help Your Child Prepare for Exams
Wednesday 21st May 6:30-7:30pm (AEST)
- Prioritise your child’s high-impact work to maximise marks
- Improve your child’s time management to avoid last-minute preparation
- Help your child study effectively using past papers
We hope to see you there!
Year 10 Vaccinations - Thursday May 22.Please register through NSW Health. A compass notification was sent out to parents earlier this week. Year 7 Vaccinations will take place on 21 August Click on the image below to take you to the NSW Health link. 
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Tell Them From Me
TTFM information has been sent out to parents via Compass. Please click on the parent link to complete. The surveys close on May 30.
It is a condition of the use of a School Opal card that students must tap on and tap off every trip at an Opal Card Reader, when they travel to and from school. Please refer to the Transport for NSW website for further details. We encourage you to talk to your child and remind them to comply with the Transport NSW requirements.