Consent forms for the use of digital images

Policies and processes have changed at Catholic Education Wollongong which now requires consent forms for ALL images used. This will have a very big impact on the images used in the College Diary and the College Yearbook.

While obviously we completely respect anyone’s right to opt-out of photos used, we suspect there are numerous families that have simply not returned their consent forms yet. So, if you want us to be able to include Yearbook photos - and this includes class and Year photos - please get these forms back in ASAP.

Vietnam Immersion

I am pleased to confirm that Magdalene students will again return to Vietnam in 2020. The 2018 Vietnam Immersion was incredibly successful; therefore, our students will return to the Belem Orphanage to continue our connections with the children there (many with severe disabilities), continue construction work around their buildings and their playground and also continue to build our relationship with the incredible nuns who operate this facility in Hue. Ms Stephanie Phillips will be the lead organiser and facilitator of this trip; and we thank her for her work.

Interviews for students in Year 11 2020 will commence in the coming weeks and already we are incredibly impressed by the quality of students. I am also pleased to confirm that Father Joseph Nguyen, despite leaving Camden Parish in the next fortnight, has confirmed that he will be able to attend. Thank you, Father Joe, and thank you as well for your great work in recent years at Camden, for your warmth, support and the genuine connections you have made with our students and their families. We wish you every success and please know you will always be welcome at Magdalene.

New Director for Catholic Education Wollongong

Following the announcement earlier in the year of the retirement of the Director of Schools, Mr Peter Turner, a new Director of Schools has been announced. Mr Peter Hill, currently working in a significant role in Brisbane Catholic Education, has been named to commence in 2020 and brings a broad range of experience with him. I have included Bishop Brian Mascord’s announcement letter about this appointment in this newsletter. I look forward to meeting him and having him visit our community in the new year.

In the meanwhile, I would like to thank and commend Mr Peter Turner for his exceptional work over the past 13 years. Mr Turner has shown a deep commitment to bettering the educational outcomes of students in our Diocese and he has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of the education, facilities and leadership provided in our schools. Personally, I will miss Mr Turner, but I know he and his wife Yvonne deserve a wonderful retirement together. We wish you all the very best!

Mr Matthew McMahon

Principal