STUDENT FREE DAY - FRIDAY 20TH MARCH

This coming Friday (20th March) will see all staff involved in a curriculum Professional Learning Day. Please note that this will be a PUPIL FREE DAY and that the Office will be closed.

The range of topics covered on this day for staff will include key College focal areas for 2020 - topics which range from differentiation, the effective use of agile spaces, Compass, Universal Design for Education, numeracy and literacy initiatives.

ENROLMENT APPLICATIONS

Enrolment applications for Year 7 2021 are now open.

Interested families/students need to submit applications by April 6, 2020. This includes siblings of current students. Please ensure applications are submitted on time.

Do not hesitate to contact the College Office if you have any queries about the process. Interviews are currently being scheduled for early May.

F1 IN SCHOOLS

I would like to commend our year 12 students involved in the F1 in Schools National Championships in Melbourne. At the time of me writing this newsletter we are still awaiting confirmation of final results; however, it is clear that our students have competed extremely well. I know the team would like to thank the various sponsors, including our P & F Association, and I would particularly like to thank Mr Ian Gorrie who has been driving this programme, generous with his time and thorough in his preparation. Congratulations.

COLLEGE OPEN AFTERNOON AND EVENING

Monday’s Open Night was a fantastic event. Close to 1000 people attended and had the opportunity to both see a range of displays and be taken on tours by our generous students - including a visit to our new classrooms.

I would like to thank our staff for their generosity and contribution during the evening. From TAS and hospitality offerings to practical experiments in Science to environmental food solutions in Geography the whole College was a buzz with activity. Our PE staff were able to utilise our new courts as well as show off a range of practical and physical activities. Our CAPA subjects were able to show off Music, Drama and Visual Arts displays, not to mention our dance team in action. In fact, every faculty including English and Maths had displays and/or presentation. And this of course was added to by Social Justice and Mercy, Library and Duke of Edinburgh Displays.

It’s always so impressive to know that our students are so proud of their College. To have over 200 students volunteer their time on the night says much about them as it does about our College.

Indeed, to have our Mary Magdalene-inspired vision shared on the evening is always exciting as we were able to share the commitment which our staff and students have towards discipleship and service and giving back to the local community. I thank everyone for their attendance during the evening and we encourage all interested parties to submit applications for their children for Year 7 2021.

THE MARY MACKILLOP CENTRE OF LEARNING

This week the very first lessons in our new classrooms were held.

The new classrooms are contained in “The Mary MacKillop Centre of Learning”, abuilding named after Saint Mary MacKillop; the woman so critical in the formation of Catholic Education in Australia in the 19^th Century. Mary MacKillop is also the Patron Saint of one of our College Houses – Bruchhauser.

The building itself is a state-of-the-art facility allowing a range of different pedagogies to occur. Staff and students alike are very excited about the new space and it takes a good deal of pressure off our existing rooming timetable.

Over the coming weeks our Year 7 and Year 12 students will be moving their Pastoral Classes into this new space. The classrooms themselves have a range of different furniture set ups which lend themselves to a range of different learning styles. I have included a couple of photographs here.

The Official Opening and Blessing of this facility will occur later in the year. Also note that, in the future, as the College continues to grow, additional classrooms in the under-croft space have been planned.

PRAYER

In honour of Catholic Schools Week, which was celebrated last week across NSW, we put forward the following prayer:

Dear Lord,

Catholic Schools Week is a special time in the year when we celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our Catholic schools.

It is a time to give thanks for the wonderful teaching and learning that takes place each day in every classroom. We acknowledge and thank all who work in the service of Catholic Education to create the opportunities for students that allow them to grow and thrive.

We thank you for the wisdom and understanding of teachers, the enthusiasm and energy of students, the leadership team of the College, the skill, care and commitment of administrative and support staff, the guidance of our priests and the support and partnership of parents/carers and local communities.

We pray that each student’s learning journey be inspired by a search for Your wisdom and truth. We pray that we never take for granted the learning opportunities that we have all been given, and that we use the gifts of learning wisely and responsibly. We ask that we use what we have learnt to create a better world for all people, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen