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- Principal's Report
- From The Assistant Principal
- From the REC
- Learning and Teaching at the College
- From the Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Coordinator
- College Sport at Mount Carmel
- Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
- Second Hand Uniform Shop
- Mount Carmel Netball Club
Dear parents, friends, staff and students,
“And people were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as a person with authority”. Mark 1:22
In this quote from last Sunday’s Gospel according to Mark, we are given a message about life. In this portion of the Gospel, we are never actually told what Jesus was teaching about and this is probably because it is not overly relevant to the message. The focus of the quote is around the notion that Jesus teaches with ‘authority’. We often interpret the notion of authority as synonymous with ‘power’. Authority in this context however, may rather be interpreted in the context that people believed and accepted his teaching because they saw the enormous value in it. The value lay not in the words but in the fact that Jesus backed up His message with action. The consistent message that He gave was reinforced by what He did and how He did it. From this Gospel, we get the simple but treasured message that to be Christ-like, means to hold high standards of values and ensure that when we deal with others, we live what we say.
On Friday we held our annual High Achiever’s ceremony which recognises the many achievements of the HSC class from the previous year. This year we celebrated with 15 of our high achievers and some parents. Unfortunately due to COVID safety considerations, we were only able to invite one parent from each family. It was a great pleasure to be able to host all of these guests even in such limited numbers. At the assembly I spoke of Pope Francis’ call at the 2016 World Youth Day vigil for young people to get off the couch and get into the game. His open invitation for people (especially young people) to actively participate in the world around them and their own futures is counter-cultural given so many people are obsessed with their personal technological devices. The call to be active with those around us speaks to the Marist characteristic of ‘presence’. For our High Achievers, and all our students past and present, who gain from their time at Mount Carmel, I congratulate and thank them for making a difference to their own futures and to the world around them by making the decision to actively participate.
Next Wednesday evening (February 10) we will be hosting our Year 7 Meet and Greet evening beginning at 7pm. A letter was given to each student and sent to each parent earlier this week. This is a great opportunity for parents to meet the Pastoral Advisors and other key staff members so that you can recognise those directly responsible with supporting your child. It will also assist in the building of strong communication channels between home and the College. Again, due to current COVID safety requirements, only one parent will be able to attend and the evening will be conducted in a different way from previous years.
At this point in time we still intend on holding our Year 7, 2022 Information Evening on Monday March 1 in some form. The specific format for this evening will be communicated as the date draws nearer, however, I ask anyone who may be considering enrolling children at Mount Carmel in Year 7 next year, to keep this evening free and potentially join us. The final format of this evening will obviously be determined by COVID safety considerations at the time. Please circulate this date to any friends whom you know may also be interested in enrolling.
Unfortunately, we have had to make the difficult decision to change the format of the College Swimming Carnival this year to a competitors only event. Our advice is clear that spectators are not permitted and singing and chanting is also banned. This means that sending Year 7 and 12 students who would normally attend as a community building event, will not be possible. Parents will be permitted only if assisting as carnival officials. Ms Bowen will outline what is required closer to the event. Our aim is to make sure community building occurs in subsequent events through the year.
Mr Steve Lo Cascio
Principal
As the community is now well aware, all students over the age of 12 are required to wear masks on school bus services of a morning and afternoon, as well as on any sport or excursion bus that the College operates. While it is not the responsibility of the College or bus companies to enforce this mandate, we continue to remind students of the importance of adhering to this current health order and remind students that Police are authorised to issue on-the-spot fines of $200 for anyone who is required to wear a mask and is not doing so. I urge parents to speak with their children about this and ensure that they have a mask each day for travel to and from school and on transport to events such as Tuesday afternoon sport.
Earlier this week I reminded parents of students in Year 8 and 10 that their immunisations will be taking place this coming Wednesday 10 February. Students in Year 10 were given an information kit that needs to be returned by Tuesday 9 February while students in Year 8 will be receiving a follow up injection so their documentation is already with NSW Health. Students are reminded to wear their sports uniform on the day and to ensure that they eat a suitable breakfast on Wednesday morning.
Given the increased number of parents that choose to drop their children off and pick them up in these early days of the school year, I take the opportunity to once again remind parents to exercise patience and caution in the bottom car park of a morning and afternoon. For safety reasons, it is essential that students are not dropped off or collected from the top carpark and turning circle at these times. I thank you in advance for your cooperation in this regard.
David Cloran
Assistant Principal
REFLECTION by Fr Michael Tate
The mother-in-law of Simon (Peter) was sick in bed with a raging fever. When Jesus learned about her distressed state, he ‘took her by the hand and helped her up’. He broke the taboo about physical contact with a woman not his relative because he wanted to holistically heal her dis-ease.
Simon’s mother-in-law didn’t need an aspirin and a cup of tea. She felt quarantined, isolated, and needed a hand reassuring her of sociable relationships. Jesus overcame her fever and her dis-ease with the world.
At every Mass we exchange a physical gesture at the greeting of Peace. This quite often overcomes being ill-at-ease with a family member or just with the neighbour in the pew. We need to take that symbolic action into the world. For somebody, it may be the most touching thing we ever do.
We could pause for a moment to identify that person who needs us to reach out, to take their hand and help them up.
Special Days and People
8th St Josephine Bakhita - Patron Saint of Nigeria
10th St Scholastica
11th Our Lady of Lourdes
- 26 February - Staff PD day (Curriculum / Pastoral)
- 1 March – Year 7 2022 Open Night
- 26 March – Year 12 Academic Reports Available to parents (COMPASS)
- 31 March – Year 12 PTS Interviews
- 1 April – Years 7-10 Tracking Reports Available to parents (COMPASS)
Year 12 2020 HSC High Achievers Assembly
The College today acknowledged those students who attained an ATAR of 90 or above. We again congratulate:
|
Jones |
Emma |
99.05 |
|
Andrawis |
Mina-Michael |
98.75 |
|
Asuit |
Mia |
98.45 |
|
Atkins |
Lincoln |
97.85 |
|
Martin |
Joel |
97.65 |
|
Clarke |
Tamsyn |
97.2 |
|
Fathallah |
Christopher |
96.45 |
|
Legaspi |
Jaden |
95.45 |
|
Hatton |
Lara |
95.25 |
|
Bennett |
Beyonce |
95.05 |
|
Alivio |
Jireh |
94.75 |
|
Del Castillo |
Frances |
94.1 |
|
Abadilla |
Alyanna Kayla |
92.4 |
|
Frost |
Jessica |
91 |
|
Kedari |
Pranali |
90.65 |
Year 11 2021 Information Evening
Year 11 students have access to the information presentations and the College Assessment Handbook. It is important that all parents / carers view this presentation with their son / daughter and ensure that the College Assessment Handbook is read and understood.
Class Groupings 2021 – Year 7-10
Flexible ability groups
In 2021 we will CLUSTER groups of students in ability groups. This is a broader concept than streaming because students are not placed into groups purely on performance but taking into account their intellectual ability. The groups are flexible because we will constantly monitor student progress and will move the learning environment appropriately. Realistically in our educational setting, this will occur at two points in a year.
We create homogenous groups of students grouped together based on identified learning needs. In these groups like learners have the opportunity to learn together in an appropriate learning environment. Students are placed into a learning environment that will best support their learning needs so that they achieve their full potential.
This grouping practice also allows teachers to explicitly focus on addressing learning needs.
A focus on PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN will allow teachers to adjust the learning environment, teaching instruction and content organization; each of these explicit approaches should enable students to achieve in the full range of achievement in the Common Grade Scale.
PROCESS of GROUPING STUDENTS
- After enrolment and placement testing the Curriculum Coordinator and specialist practitioners review diagnostic test data for individual students (AGAT, NAPLAN, PAT). This data provides information about the ways students learn and their capacity.
- Students are placed into a learning environment that will best support the identified student learning needs so that they achieve their potential.
- They will be clustered into three learning groups:
STUDENTS REQUIRING EXTENSION OR CHALLENGE in their LEARNING |
CORE LEARNING |
STUDENTS REQUIRING STRUCTURE in their LEARNING |
|
Students working at or beyond the stage who suit a faster pace or complexity in learning. Included in this group would be the majority of students identified as gifted and/or highly capable learners. Explicit teaching is focused on pre- assessment and subsequent curriculum compacting to allow extension and enrichment activities to occur, engaging with higher order thinking processes. |
Students working successfully within the stage who require a steady pace of learning and some explicit metacognitive planning for complexity in learning. This group has a stronger focus on the explicit teaching of language and communication skills. |
Students working within or below the stage who require a slower paced and more explicit teaching model. The aim would be a structured approach to move towards complexity with more modelling and scaffolding. This group would include the majority of students identified as having learning deficits. (Support from Learning Support Team) |
TEACHERS ORGANISATION OF LEARNING - Differentiation
In any one year all students follow the same program of work, studying essential content and working towards the achievement of syllabus outcomes.
Teachers of classes will vary (differentiate) the learning activities to support students in learning content, and these activities will support the different learning needs of the Core, Structured and Extended learning groups. This will mean that periodically classes will engage in different activities in order to learn the same content.
2021 Class Groupings
|
Year 7 |
Year 8 |
Year 9 |
Year 10 |
|
|
Extended |
E, R |
E, R |
E |
E |
|
Core |
D, J, O, S, T |
D, J, O, S, T |
D, J, O, R, S, T |
D, J, O, R, S, T |
|
Structured |
P |
P |
P |
P |
Additional Information:
YEAR 10: RCS NOT E/C/S (Coded as D, E, J, O, P, R, S, T) due to grouping with Electives
YEAR 9: RCS NOT E/C/S (Coded as D, E,J , O, P, R, S, T) due to grouping with Electives
YEAR 8 : HSIE/TEC/VAR – NOT E/C/S due to TAS grouping
R, S, T, P / D, E, J, O. Half Blocks
YEAR 7 : RCS/TEC/PHP – NOT E/C/S due to TAS grouping
R, S, T, P / D, E, J, O. Half Blocks. (Maths and English)
Maths
|
Year 9 |
Year 10 |
|
|
Extended 5.3 |
D, E, J, |
D, E |
|
Core 5.2 |
O, R, S, T |
J, O, R, S, T |
|
Structured 5.1 |
P |
P |
Ms Judith Tolomeo
Curriculum Coordinator
Good afternoon everyone,
Last week I made reference to part of our Pastoral and Wellbeing program called SEEEDSS, which will be central to the development of wellbeing skills for our students. The program is centred around the components of health and wellbeing that promote a balanced approach to school life. It provides the opportunity through Pastoral Class and Year Meetings for students to gain an understanding of the need to develop and maintain balance in their life and assists with the acquisition of personal skills such as goal setting, self-reflection, resilience. For more information relating to SEEEDSS, it can be found on pages 25 to 29 of the Student Diary.
Elevate Education
Another part of our Pastoral Care initiatives will involve Elevate Education, who will present programs to Years 8 and 11 this year relating to study skills, goal-setting and time management. In collaboration with these presentations, Elevate has provided access to a range of webinars throughout the year for parents and carers. Dates for the initial webinars are listed below.
- February 10 - Motivation and the role of parental praise and goals.
- February 24 - Time Management techniques to align the family expectations on homework and school-life balance.
- March 10 - Technology devices and self-regulation strategies.
- March 24 - Note taking skills to help your child deepen their revision.
Each seminar commences at 6pm. Registration is essential and free for parents of Mount Carmel Catholic College. You can register by clicking here.
Each webinar runs live on-line for an hour where the presenter will share Elevate’s key research and skills, and will conduct a live Q&A so you can ask them questions directly. Should you have any questions or would like to contact Elevate directly, their details are listed below.
Mr Simon Huntly
Pastoral Care and Wellbeing Coordinator
Sport Permission Notes
This week all students in Years 8 - 11 received their sport permission note. It is essential that this note is returned by Monday 8 February. This note details that students may be required to travel to venues off-site for sport throughout the year. Should your child’s medical conditions/injury status change throughout the year it is important that the College is notified.
Bus Travel Week 3 - Tuesday 9 February
Next week we will commence bus travel for College sport. All students and staff MUST wear a face mask when travelling on the bus to sport.
Communication regarding sport
Students are reminded to continue checking the Compass dashboard for key information relating to sport during 2021. Key information will also be communicated to parents via the College Newsletter and notes sent home. Information will also be provided to staff who will communicate key messages with students during Pastoral Care in the morning.
MISA Sport
This week MISA trials were conducted for various sporting teams. All teams have been shortlisted. The students that have been shortlisted will attend a second phase of trial next week during Tuesday sport. Congratulations to these students. I would like to thank all students for their involvement and participation in the MISA trials. There were incredibly high numbers at each trial which made for a very tough selection from our coaches.
Term 1 MISA Phase II Trials will be held during 3 Tuesday Sport 1:05pm- 2:45pm.
|
Sport |
Division |
Gender |
Meeting Time |
Meeting Location |
|
Indoor Cricket |
Years 7-9 |
Female |
1:05PM |
School |
|
Softball |
Years 7-9 |
Male |
1:05PM |
Oval steps |
|
Volleyball |
Years 7-9 |
Female & Male |
1:05PM |
Champagnat Centre |
|
Hockey |
Years 7-9 |
Female |
1:05PM |
Oval steps |
|
Basketball |
Years 10-12 |
Female & Male |
1:05PM |
Basketball courts |
|
Oz Tag |
Years 10-12 |
Female & Male |
1:05PM |
Oval steps |
Understandably, there will be many students who are disappointed and did not progress to the second phase of trials. I would like to congratulate these students for getting involved in the trials and to look for other opportunities in which they can be involved in sport throughout the year.
College Swimming Carnival
|
Date |
|
|
Venue |
|
|
Attendees |
In light of a number of CEDoW directives, the decision has been made that only competitive swimmers will be able to attend the carnival this year. Competitors are encouraged to collect a note from the Sports Office next week. |
|
Parent helpers |
There is an opportunity for a small number of parent helpers to attend on the day of the carnival. If you are interested in offering your skills in assisting at the carnival please email bowens01@dow.catholic.edu.au by COB Friday 12 February. Thank you in advance to those parents who are willing the be involved. |
NSWCCC Sport Registrations
NSWCCC Sport Registrations 2021 for pathway sports opened on 1 February.
|
For instructions on how to register go to - https://csnsw.sport/help/help-guide-for-parents
Term One Individual Nominations Sport Registrations
- Cricket – 19s Boys - 9 & 10 February – Close 3 February
- Cricket - 15 Years Girls - 15 February – Close 10 February
- Softball – Boys & Girls - 22 February – Close 12 February
- Tennis - Boys & Girls - 1 March – Close 22 February
- Cricket – U16 Boys – 1 March – Close 18 February
- Baseball – Boys – 3 March – Close 26 February
- Golf – Boys & Girls – 8 March – Close 25 February
- Volleyball – Boys & Girls – 10 March - Close 5 March
- Water Polo – Boys & Girls – 15 March – Close 11 March
- Hockey – Open Boys & Girls, 16s Girls – 22 March – Close 15 March
- Diving – Boys & Girls – 29 March – Close 19 March
Swimming and Touch Football registrations are through the Diocesan/Association pathways.
For further information visit https://csnsw.sport/
Upcoming Diocesan Events and Trial Information
Trials for the following Diocesan Events will be held during Week 3. Students are to nominate their interest in attending trials via completing the relevant Google Form shared on Compass.
|
Event Name |
Diocesan Tennis - Girls and Boys 7-11 |
|
Event Date |
Thursday 18 February, 2021 |
|
Event Location |
Beaton Park, Wollongong Aces, Figtree |
|
Trial Information |
|
|
Event Name |
Diocesan Touch Football (Boys) - 13’s, 15’s and Opens |
|
Event Date |
Monday 15 February, 2021 |
|
Event Location |
Thomas Dalton Park, Fairy Meadow |
|
Trial Information |
|
|
Event Name |
Diocesan Touch Football (Girls) - 13’s, 15’s and Opens |
|
Event Date |
Monday 1 March, 2021 |
|
Event Location |
Thomas Dalton Park, Fairy Meadow |
|
Trial Information |
|
|
What |
When |
|
|
College Swimming Carnival |
Friday 19 February (Term 1, Week 4) |
Competitors only |
|
College Cross Country |
Thursday 1 April (Term 1, Week 10) |
All students |
|
College Athletics Carnival |
Friday 21 May (Term 2, Week 5) |
All students |
*details regarding the College Swimming Carnival will be published next week
Sporting Achievement - Paula Zaballero (Year 11)
Congratulations to Paula Zaballero of Year 11 who gained successful selection into the U17’s Australian Women’s Softball team, (known as the Aussie Diamonds). This is a clear reflection of many years of dedication, effort, time management and of course an exceptional level of skill. Paula will attend an intense training camp and will compete in an invitational tournament in July, 2021.
Representative Pathways
- MISA Website https://www.misaonline.org.au/
- 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
http://www.schoolsportaustralia.edu.au/
Miss Sarah Bowen
(Acting College Sport Coordinator - bowens01@dow.catholic.edu.au)
The Second Hand Uniform Shop is open on the following days.
Term 1 2021
- Monday 1 March - 2.30pm - 4pm
- Monday 29 March 2.30pm - 4pm