Over the course of the past week we have witnessed the ongoing developments that the Coronavirus situation has had on our society. As these developments continue, so has the response that the College has undertaken on many fronts. I extend my thanks and gratitude to the students who have so enthusiastically embraced the new opportunities that their virtual learning environments have provided. I thank the parents who have had to adapt so quickly to the challenges that remote learning has had on the home environment. And finally, I thank the teachers and staff at Mount Carmel for the extraordinary amount of work that I have witnessed being undertaken in order to provide access to an education, pastoral care and spiritual nourishment for all our students in these most unprecedented times. 

From all reports, indications would suggest that we are closer to the beginning of this situation than we are to the end of it. That being said, I would like to emphasise our intention to continually evaluate and adjust a range of processes that are currently in operation at the College. These include our approach to lesson delivery, student attendance and engagement tracking, access to counselling and other pastoral care services just to name a few. As we undertake these refinements, I would welcome and encourage feedback from both students and parents regarding the experiences in each of these areas so that our responses encompass the perspectives of all members of our College community. 

With this in mind, I would remind families of a number of key contacts that may be of service at this time:

• For assistance with remote learning, contact our Learning Technologies Team at: icltsupport@mcchsdow.catholic.edu.au
• For assistance with Compass including access and troubleshooting issues, contact our Compass Team at: kripala01@dow.catholic.edu.au
• For subject enquiries, the first point of contact should normally be the subject teacher who is accessible through each student's Compass profile. 
• For access to our Pastoral Care services, including access to Catholic Care Counselors, please contact your child’s Year Coordinator via direct email.
• For any updates on the Catholic Education Office Wollongong’s response to the COVID-19 situation, please visit the CEO’s COVID-19 Information Centre Website 

Wishing all our parents, students and the broader Mount Carmel community the very best as we enter into Holy Week in preparation for our Easter celebrations next weekend. 

Mr David Cloran

Assistant Principal

Learning and Teaching at the College…

Next week has been deemed a pupil free week. So, what does that mean?? 

- No online learning and teaching

- No zooms

- No assessment tasks 

If students had an assessment task scheduled for next week it will be rescheduled to a time in Term 2. Students will receive notification regarding these changes today. 

Students are encouraged to take some time to consolidate work from Term 1, whilst also taking some time to connect with family, and refresh physically, emotionally and spiritually. 

Advice from NESA for HSC students: Current as 2 April 2020 

Higher School Certificate

The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is going ahead in 2020.

A COVID-19 Response Committee is addressing developing issues as a matter of urgency.

A Technical Advisory Committee of assessment experts and stakeholders is working on a fair and equitable way to calculate a mark for cancelled components of the HSC.

Key dates and deadlines currently listed on the NESA website are subject to change due to the COVID-19 outbreak. NESA will continue to update you with exceptions and changes to relevant deadlines. 

Advice to students

• Keep learning, do your assessments, make progress on your major projects.
• Look after yourself, whether you are at school or at home.
• Reach out to family, friends and your teachers if you need to.
• Go to UAC COVID-19 updatesfor information about entering university in 2021.

School-based HSC assessment

Schools must follow social distancing requirements when planning or undertaking school-based assessment tasks.

NESA has given principals and system authorities the power to determine the number, type and weighting of tasks for HSC and Year 11 school-based assessment.

NESA’s principles of assessment continue to apply. Wherever possible, school-based assessment should continue to be:

• based on a wide range of syllabus outcomes
• based on multiple measures made throughout the HSC course
• informed by the components identified in the assessment and reporting documents for each of the syllabuses
• be inclusive of and accessible for all students.

Processes, procedures and policies

Schools should continue to implement their assessment policy where possible, including administrative arrangements for illness/misadventure and substitute tasks.

Given that most schools will make some changes to their assessment program, they should continue to ensure that students have adequate written notice of any changes to the school’s assessment program or policy, and are aware of the details of the school’s arrangements for illness/misadventure and substitute tasks.  

HSC exam projects, submitted works and performances

The mandatory group performance exam in Drama and the mandatory ensemble performance exam in Music Extension have been cancelled for 2020.

Detailed advice about cancellation of these components will be available on the NESA website soon.

Other performance exams will be modified if they breach mandatory social distancing requirements.

The next meeting of the COVID-19 Response Committee will focus on major projects for Visual Arts, Design and Technology, Industrial Technology, Textiles and Design, English Ext 2 and Society and Culture.

Mandatory work placement in VET

Students are no longer required to undertake NESA-mandated VET work placements.

HSC disability provisions

NESA advises schools to continue submitting disability provisions applications for the 2020 HSC exams.

Disability provisions for school-based assessments and exams remain school decisions.

Ms Judith Tolomeo

Curriculum Coordinator

Good afternoon everybody,

As we conclude Week 2 of our Remote Learning program, it is fair  to say that there has been a considerable change regarding how we are monitoring the Pastoral Care and Wellbeing at Mount Carmel. In last week’s newsletter item I suggest that we would be undertaking a number of ways to connect with students and families as a means of checking-in. This has taken place and even as late as this morning all year groups undertook a variety of techniques such as Zoom meeting, Google surveys and Video trivia competitions as a means of communicating and getting feedback from students in these rather challenging circumstances. A massive thanks to all students, families and staff for the work and support that has gone on over the past 2 weeks as we try and maintain “business as usual” in times that present unusual business that we are actually dealing with.

The coming week of Professional Learning will allow staff to evaluate, reflect and refine the practices and processes that we have put into place over the past fortnight so that upon our return in Term 2, we will continue to provide a high level of learning and care for the wellbeing of all students and families within our community. In the meantime, should you or your son/daughter have any concerns, please email or phone the College and you will be put through to a staff member who will be able to provide the support that you require. 

On Thursday morning a Remote Learning reminder was forwarded to all staff and students. Here is a link for you to access Remote Learning Reminder - April 2 2020. 

Regards

Mr Simon Huntly

Pastoral Care and wellbeing Coordinator

Gospel Reflection by Fr Michael Tate

Gospel Matthew 26:14 - 27:66 The Passion

Lowly Prince of Peace

Jesus entered Jerusalem, not as a warrior in the tradition of King David as many had hoped for, but riding simply on a donkey. The disciples and the crowd applauded him, but they proved fickle in their support.

On the other hand, Jesus remained steadfast in his commitment to non-violent revolutionary change of the religious and political systems so as to establish the reign of God. 

Why did he renounce marshalling human and angelic warriors to further his cause?

First, Jesus embodied God-for-us, and God does not want the destruction of those he has created out of love. Second, Jesus had a premonition that an armed revolt would lead to the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersal of the Jewish people (as occurred in 70AD).

Third, another Gospel (Luke) recounts that as Jesus laboured up Mount Calvary he turned to some wailing women and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, weep rather for yourselves and for your children.’ He knew that they suffer grievously in armed uprising. This is seen in barbaric reality in our own time with women being tortured and raped in campaigns of terror, trafficked into sexual slavery, suffering the loss of sons, husband and lovers.

We could take a moment to pray that the Church of the 21st century, successor of the pacifist Church of the first three centuries, may enter on a new period of reflection on these issues, grappling with the desire to protect the innocent, yet always challenged by the man on a donkey, Divine Prince of Peace.

© Fr Michael Tate; mtate@bigpond.com

Rev Prof Michael Tate graduated in Law from the University of Tasmania in 1968, and in Theology from Oxford University in 1971. He lectured at the University of Tasmania from 1972-78, being Dean of the Faculty of Law in 1977-78. He was a Senator for Tasmania from 1978-93, being Federal Minister for Justice from 1987-93. He served as Ambassador to The Hague and the Holy See from 1993-96. He then returned to Australia and was ordained in May 2000 and has been a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Hobart since then. He is currently Vicar General in the Archdiocese and is an Honorary Professor of Law at the University of Tasmania where he lectures in International Humanitarian Law.

Remote Learning Tools

There are three main tools being used by teachers to communicate with students at this time.

Compass will continue to be an important method of communication between teachers, students and parents so it is important to ensure that you have access to your Compass account. If there is any issue please contact Mrs Kripal via her email on kripala01@dow.catholic.edu.au 

Zoom is an online video conferencing tool that is widely used across a multitude of industries and has been incorporated into teaching and learning for the current climate. Students have access to Zoom through their dowstu accounts and at times will be invited too Zoom meetings by their teachers as a means of explaining key content or to promote discussion. Students have been advised of appropriate procedures for these conferences but we thought it important to share these with parents. During Zoom conferences students need to ensure that are following the following protocols.

1. Students should be in appropriate setting. This is preferably not in their bedrooms, however, we understand that sometimes this is the only quiet space so their background needs to be appropriate.
2. Students need to use their real name, this can include full name or school username. 
3. If using a profile picture rather than video, students need to choose an appropriate picture.
4. Students need to behave appropriately within the Zoom. This is a Learning space and as such the actions of students should reflect this. If student behaviour is a distraction for others then the teacher may be forced to remove the student from the conference, which they will be unable to re enter and contact you in regards to this matter.

Google Classroom continues to be the most common platform for teachers to share work.

Within this tool Teachers are able to post daily lessons, messages and create assignments which may have due dates for students to upload and submit work.