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Dear Parents, Friends, Staff and Students of Mount Carmel,
“Christ will be glorified in my body”. Philippians 1:20
The above quote is the start of the first reading from this Sunday. It reminds me of the well-known quote from St Teresa of Avila;
“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”
In both of these quotes, we are reminded that God’s work on earth needs to be done by our hands. Each one of us has the opportunity and the tools to do good for others and to help to bring about the Kingdom of God at this present moment. This is a privilege but also a responsibility. It is easy to assume other people will make the decisions or do the hard work, but as long as we leave this to others, we are not using the gift we have been given to improve our world. If we are to do good in our actions and behaviours, we become the body of Christ and will glorify Him through our deeds and behaviours.
As our Year 12 students complete their formal secondary studies, they will move into a new phase where they can be the hands of God on earth. This coming week is the last of formal classes for our Year 12 cohort of 2020. These students have missed out on many final opportunities throughout this year and unfortunately, are also unable to have a final graduation. We will be having a final farewell assembly for these young women and men but unfortunately cannot have the usual celebrations or visitors. As they move out of this last phase of their schooling, I wish all these students the best wishes on behalf of the whole Mount Carmel Catholic College community. May God go with them as they move into their HSC exams and onward into their future.
As you would be aware from previous newsletters, one of our School Improvement objectives for our current four year cycle is to examine feedback, how we give it and how we receive it. Earlier this term, a number of staff voluntarily engaged with the Pivot program, where students were able to give teachers feedback on their delivery of lessons. This feedback has been appreciated and will be used for ongoing reflection. I have also had feedback given on my leadership via the survey opportunities that were sent out to parents (and staff) over the last few months. The next step in this feedback gathering will be a program called ‘Tell Them From Me’. Toward the start of next term, you will be given the opportunity to feedback your views on our College as a whole. This feedback will be used by the College Leadership Team and staff in general to review our practices, retain what is good and improve where we have these opportunities. I ask you to keep alert for this survey when it is sent and provide feedback, both positive and constructive.
Over the past few months, Bishop Brian had been celebrating Sunday Mass and livestreaming it. These Masses each Sunday and can be accessed here.
Mr Steve Lo Cascio
Principal
Earlier in the week, students in Year 10 brought home information regarding their immunisations that are scheduled for Thursday 15th October which is in Week 1 of Term 4. I ask all parents who wish to have their child immunised, to return these prior to the end of Term 3. This will allow us to process the forms and prepare them for the day. Should you submit these forms and for any reason wish to withdraw this consent, you may collect a Withdrawal of Consent Form from the College Office.
By now our families would be well aware of the range of measures and changes to routines that we have adopted in response to the pandemic and in an effort to support the safety and wellbeing of all within our community. The current measures, including restrictions on excursions, assemblies, sign in procedures, visitors to the College (to name just a few) will of course continue until the end of the current term. At some point early in Term 4, we are expecting NSW Health to provide a revised list of guidelines for all NSW schools. Whether these guidelines will see our restrictions eased, tightened or remain the same, will be dependent upon the health climate at the time. As a College we will continue to communicate any updates to students, staff and parents as they become available.
Finally, I once again take the opportunity to thank all members of the College community for your cooperation and support as we enforce the safety measures regarding student and staff wellbeing. I remind everyone that we are now mandated to send home students that present with flu-like symptoms, allowing them to return only once a negative COVID-19 test has been received and the relevant symptoms have ceased. Again I ask that if your son or daughter is tested, please remember to inform the College once the test has been administered, and again once the result is known.
Mr David Cloran
Assistant Principal
Catholic World
25th Sunday of Ordinary Time
First Reading Isaiah 55:6-9 Seek the Lord
Second Reading Phil 1:20-24,27 Both on life and death, Paul finds joy.
Gospel Matthew 20:1-16 Parable of the workers in the vineyard
REFLECTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE – by Lisa-Marie Calderone-Stewart
The parable of the vineyard owner and the workers doesn’t always play out in the real world as cleanly as we might wish it to. It often bothers us.
Would it bother you if you worked at a car wash or a bakery all day, and another young person who showed up an hour before closing time received the same pay as you did? Why or why not?
Would it bother you if you worked for a week typing up a wonderful English essay, and received an A for your work, and then you found out that someone else who scribbled their essay on scrap paper during the lunch break and handed it in late also received an A? Why or why not?
If we work hard and do well, why are we jealous if someone else does well also – especially if we think that they have not worked as hard as we have?
This parable is not exactly about an effective workplace or school policy. It’s really about the way God forgives. If we have a small sin, we are forgiven. If we have a really huge sin, we are forgiven just as much.
Mrs Christine Meharg
YEAR 11 EXAMINATIONS
Examinations finish Monday 21st September. If a student is sick they are NOT to attend an examination and MUST follow College Illness/Misadventure procedures.
YEAR 12 HSC Preparation Holiday Classes
Holiday classes will be offered once again to support Yr 12 students in preparation for their HSC Examinations. A Schedule will be shared with Yr 12 Students in the coming week. These sessions are not compulsory, however, all students are encouraged to attend.
7-9 Ability Testing
Ability Testing will occur next term for all students in Year 7-9. These tests provide data that is used as part of a process to recognise students areas of strength / weakness and to ensure all students are placed in the correct learning groups to support their individual learning needs.
HSC 2021 Launch
Planning has begun to ensure this occurs, which means at this stage due to current restrictions, the format will be via a remote platform. The launch will include the 2021 HSC Assessment Handbook as well as critical information regarding NESA processes and procedures, College processes and procedures, and student expectations. Specific details will be published and shared next week.
HSC
Key dates and deadlines 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.
https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/covid-19/coronavirus-advice/hsc
TERM 4:
- 20th October - HSC Exams commence
- 11th November - HSC exams finish
- 18th December - HSC results released (ATAR release date TBC)
HSC Examination Timetable available on NESA website
https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/key-dates-exam- timetables/hsc-written-exam-timetable
Goodluck to our Spanish Extension students completing the HSC Oral Examination this Saturday
Ms Judith Tolomeo
Curriculum Coordinator
Good afternoon everyone,
As we are about to embark on our last week of term and say our goodbyes to Year 12 after nearly 13 years of formal education, it is important that we continue to provide a range of learning and wellbeing initiatives and activities for all cohorts. Today’s Assemblies revolved significantly around the presentation of the Champagnat Day video put together by our seniors and a quick survey of student understanding of our Marist Characteristics. These presentations were accompanied by a range of Year specific in initiatives which are outlined below:
Year 7 - Infographic competition relating to the presentation.
Year 8 - Gender based “relationships” presentation to the girls (boys will be doing one next term).
Year 9 - Careers program with a focus on Resume building.
Year 10 - Research on meningococcal disease in preparation for next term’s immunisations.
Year 11 - Preliminary Exams
Year 12 - Trivia and other reflective activities for their final pastoral get together.
Thanks to each of the respective Year teams for their work during the week and for Pastoral this morning.
Last week of winter uniform
A reminder that next term we will revert back to our summer uniform. High standards regarding the wearing of our winter uniform will remain in place until the end of next week.
Mr Simon Huntly
Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Coordinator
Term 4 MISA Sport Cancelled
With the current restrictions in place, we received the news this week that term 4 MISA has been cancelled.
Physical Activity Guidelines
Sport is an opportunity for students to participate in physical activities through a range of contexts. Participation in physical activity is fundamental to the acquisition of movement skills. Having the opportunity to move and be active is an absolute privilege along with providing an opportunity for students to accumulate physical activity minutes daily. Please see the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Young People (5 to 17 years) below and consider strategies that could be implement to meet and/or exceed the guidelines.
Source: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/
Recreational Sport
The sport schedule is pinned to the Compass dashboard each week in which students and staff have access to. Adjustments have had to occur for some groups as we are not yet using buses to travel off-site for sport. The cross country track has been mowed and will be utilised for cardiorespiratory activities during sport. This week we saw Year 12 students complete a final lap of the cross country course. Thank you to the teachers involved in supervising this event.
Non-Participation
Students are reminded that College Sport is a compulsory requirement of enrolment at Mount Carmel Catholic College.
- If a student is unable to participate in sport on any given Tuesday they must provide a note signed by their parent/guardian to the Sports Coordinator at recess on the day that they cannot participate.
CEDoW Directives relating to sport
- Contact sports remain suspended.
- Students must remain within their relevant cohort (class, year group, or stage) to limit the mixing of students between cohort groups.
- External providers essential to the delivery of the sport or physical activity are permitted.
- The use of local external venues and facilities (including external sporting grounds, pools, recreational facilities and community facilities) where the school has exclusive use are permitted in line with venue protocols and COVID safety plans.
In addition to the requirements above, sporting equipment continues to regularly be cleaned before and after Tuesday activities. Students are encouraged to continue utilising the hand-sanitizer stations found around the College both before and after activity. Students are to continue respecting social distancing between themselves and adults (teachers / instructors that support the College’s sport program).
- 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
- NSWCCC / CSNSW SPORT NEWS
Higher level MacKillop and CCC trials and events status can be monitored at https://csnsw.sport/news/events-suspended
- SCHOOL SPORT AUSTRALIA SPORT NEWS
More School Sport Australia information can be found at School Sport Australia - Education through school sport.
Miss Sarah Bowen
(Acting College Sport Coordinator - bowens01@dow.catholic.edu.au)
The Second Hand Uniform Shop is open from 2.30pm - 4pm on the following days.
Term 4
- 12 October
- 2 November
- 7 December
