Year 9 Pastoral News

It's fantastic to see Year 9 students thriving and meeting the year theme of ‘Activate, Elevate, Replicate’ by activating their curiosity and elevating their skills for success.

Already, we're witnessing the fruits of their hard work and dedication in their academics, extracurricular activities and personal growth. Last week we saw many students receive year coordinator awards aligned to our College Values of Discipleship and Service, Quality Relationships, Personal Best and Love of Learning in their Pastoral Care Classes. We also had the pleasure of listening to Dylan Teuma at the College Open Evening where he demonstrated his enthusiasm and passion for the College and spoke from the perspective of a Year 9 student to our future students and families of Magdalene Catholic College. Well done Dylan!

Last week we saw Year 9 students travel alongside their peers to Wollongong to partake in the Dioceasan Touch Football Day. I commend Kaitlyn Cronin, Giselle McCarthy, Charlie Noble and Aliyah Plummer for representing the College and coming away with first on the day, remaining undefeated. I especially want to congratulate Charlie Noble who was selected for the NSWCCC Touch Football Championships. Well done to all girls !

Well done to the 25 Year 9 students who attended the Cross Country Carnival last week. They all represented the year group tremendously and braved the heat which is a credit to their determination and effort on the day. Well done to those students who were successful in moving on to the next round. On Wednesday, a group of Year 9 students travelled to compete in the Dioceasan Swimming Carnival. Well done to Lucas Bentham, Laura Macdonald, Sienna Micallef and Zakariah See on your achievements in the pool. A special mention to Kara Hocking who placed 2nd overall 14 Year Girl Age Champion and will now progress to the next level. This result is a testament to the rigorous training and commitment she has for the sport. Congratulations Kara.

As we approach the Easter season, we have launched special initiatives within the College community aimed at supporting Project Compassion, an organisation dedicated to helping those in need within our global community. On Thursday we saw many Year 9 students donate items such as cupcakes, biscuits and other baked goods for our Bake Sale in the hope of achieving our goal to support those who need it most. I personally thank everyone who donated and the students who offered their time at recess and lunch alongside Year 12 students to help sell and distribute the items to the College community.

Year 9 Camp is fast approaching and organisation is well and truly underway. Soon you will receive notification via the compass portal and it is important to provide consent and to answer the questions accordingly to adequately prepare for the event. This activity has been provided as an exciting addition to your child’s Pastoral Care at Magdalene. If you have any queries about the Year 9 Camp experience, please contact me via the College Office. 

Next week our Year 9 students will sit NAPLAN which is a series of literacy and numeracy tests. It is normal for students to feel nervous or overwhelmed with these tests but it is important they are reminded that these tests are a measure of how they are progressing with their schooling and they do not define where they are going. I offer some handy tips to prepare and support your child:

1. Have a positive and encouraging conversation about it.
2. Eat well and rest well.
3. Be active and limit screen time. 
4. Avoid last-minute cramming. 
5. Celebrate the effort, not the outcome. 

Thank you,

Miss Tahlia Cupillari