This week marks the beginning of the new liturgical year, commencing with the season of Advent, which is the four-week period leading up to the celebration of Christmas. The season of Advent reminds us of the importance of Christ in our lives, while preparing us to celebrate His birth at Christmas. A symbol of Advent, the Advent wreath, consists of 1 pink and 3 purple candles that are arranged in a circular pattern and represent each of the four Sundays during Advent. The first candle, the Prophet’s candle, signals the coming of Jesus. The second candle, the Bethlehem candle, celebrates our faith and reminds us of the journey that Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem. The third candle, the Shepherds candle, is the only pink candle and is lit on Gaudete Sunday to celebrate Mary as the mother of Jesus. The fourth candle, the Angels candle, symbolises peace and is lit the Sunday before Christmas. While specific Advent traditions can vary among Christian denominations, its central message remains consistent to all - to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Christ.

As the year begins to draw to a close, I would like to take the opportunity to welcome all parents and friends of the College to join us for our End of Year Mass which will be held in the Alan McManus Hall at 9:30am on Tuesday 12th December. We are also delighted to be inviting parents of award recipients to join us at our Sports Awards Ceremony at 12:30pm on Tuesday 12th December and to our Presentation Day Ceremony on Wednesday 13th December commencing at 9:30am. Invitations to these award ceremonies were sent out during the week and we hope to see as many parents and families at these events as possible. 

As this newsletter is circulated, the final touches are being made in preparation for our MACFEST celebration here at the College tonight. Hundreds of young people from across the Diocese will be gathering here at Magdalene for an evening with Fr Rob Galea of X-Factor fame. This event has been a student-led initiative from representatives from a number of schools, however, I particularly thank Mr Peter Collins and Miss Sarah Neasy for their coordination of such a significant event.

Last week we hosted our students who will join our College community next year as members of our Year 7 cohort, across two orientation days. It is hoped that this opportunity to explore the College and participate in a range of activities and classes that they will engage in from next year, will support their transition from primary school into high school. I thank, and once again welcome, our new and returning families to Magdalene next year and thank Mr Bubb, Miss Azzopardi and Mrs Bell for their coordination of these days. 

Wishing all members of our community all the best as we continue to prepare for Christmas and enter into our final week of the school year. 

David Cloran

Principal

The final two rounds of the Year 7 House Challenge Cup took place in weeks 7 and 9, with wet weather spoling round 8. In week 7 for the girls, we had Dunne and Moore play Touch Football. In a high scoring affair, Moore won the game 11-5. Chisholm and Hogan competed in a game of Soccer, with Chisholm winning emphatically 6-0. In the final girls game of the round, we had Patrician and Sedgewick play off in Netball. In a tightly contested match, both teams came away with points in a 15-all draw. 

VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED FOR YEAR 10 CAREERS DAY 2024

On the 22nd March, 2024 Year 10 students will be involved in their Careers Day at the College. This will include having a number of external presenters discuss various aspects of Career Development with the students, as well as offering Year 10 a variety of practical opportunities, such as mock interviews.

To offer these very important opportunities, the College requires volunteers who can assist from as little as 1 hour to as many as 4 hours to interview and then assess/offer feedback to students in the area of interview skills. If you or someone you know may be able to assist the College on this day, could you please ring Mrs Dallene Jones at the College or email her at jonesd02@dow.catholic.edu.au. to register your assistance. Thank you.

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As we come closer to the release of the HSC and ATAR results, it may be time for parents and caregivers to consider how to best support those students who may be disappointed with their results. 

Helping Your Teen Manage Exam Result Disappointment: Source-Work, Study, Grow.

As a parent or carer, it’s completely normal if you’re also feeling some intense emotions in the period leading up to your child’s exam results. After all, we worry about our young people – how they’ll cope if things don’t go well, what their future holds, and so much more. We’re also invested in the outcomes because we love them, want the best for them, and we’ve gone through all their educational ups and downs alongside them.

You’ll no doubt have witnessed your child invest countless hours studying, preparing, and feeling the weight of expectations. Anticipation, nervousness, and sometimes disappointment could be some of the feelings that you’re both experiencing.

But the fact is, exam results do not define anyone’s entire future. So as guardians you can continue to support your children, especially if the results aren’t as expected. You can help them to see that these results do not dictate the rest of their life and their ultimate success. If you’re not sure how, we have some tips you can use to help your teen manage exam result disappointment.

Understanding and supporting disappointment

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

It’s natural for young individuals to feel upset or disappointed if their results don’t align with their expectations or aspirations. Let them know that is OK – as a parent, being empathetic and understanding is key. Then you can help them to work through those emotions and find alternative pathways and a new focus.

Here are some tips to help your teen manage exam result disappointment:

1. Let it go: Just listen. Be open and non-judgmental while your teen expresses their feelings, processes all that emotion, and then starts to move on.
2. Explore together: Helping your child to look at different options and find new pathways could help them to change their perspective, bring new hope, and even spark joy. Sometimes, a setback can open new doors that were previously unseen.
3. Find the positives: Remind your child that everyone experiences disappointment; in fact, it’s often how we grow and build resilience. Success is rarely a linear path, and resilience in the face of challenges is a crucial life skill.
4. Find their why: Knowing their core values and knowing their “why” can provide direction and focus. This can be particularly helpful when everything seems unknown or uncertain and provides some confidence to move forward.
5. Write down their new goals: People who set goals, write them down, and check in on them are often more successful. Your job could be to ask them if you can help by checking in on their progress and helping them to remember their goals.
6. Ask for help: There are so many people aside from parents, carers, friends, and family who are well placed to help. Careers advisors, future student teams, and recruitment specialists are just a few. And if feelings become overwhelming, there are professionals who can help them work through that too.

Rethinking success beyond exam results

It’s important to remind both yourself and your child that exam results, while significant, are not the sole predictors of future success. Perhaps you could start a conversation about what success looks like to them and talk about the many, different ways they could be successful.

Exam results can be important, but they are just one chapter in a book filled with many opportunities and paths. Ultimately, the mark of true success is not a grade, but in the resilience, adaptability, and determination to achieve their goals – even if they change down the track.