In last Sunday’s Gospel reading, we heard about how Jesus overturned the tables of the merchants and money changers in the Temple at Jerusalem. This act is interpreted as Jesus purifying the temple of all that was contrary to God’s will. Importantly, after clearing the temple, Jesus then predicted his death and Resurrection in front of those who had gathered. This holds extra significance for us in this time of Lent, as we too participate in experiences of prayer, fasting and almsgiving as our own source of purification as we await our participation in the passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus this Easter. 

Earlier this week, Magdalene had the great privilege of hosting well over 1000 visitors to the College for our Open Day for Year 7, 2025. This event gave the College the opportunity to showcase its offerings to prospective families as they make a significant decision in the coming months with regards to their sons or daughters secondary education. I thank all the families who were able to join us on the afternoon and to the staff who organised various displays around the College across the evening. I particularly thank and acknowledge the current students who volunteered to spend the evening with us running tours or assisting with faculty displays. To have over 200 students so eager to give up their Monday night to support our potential new students was wonderful to see and a shining example of the community that exists here at Magdalene. I also thank and acknowledge the work of the fantastic Magdalene P&F Association and the many parents who volunteered to cook the BBQ on the night. Their support at this event and similar College gatherings is so valuable and certainly appreciated. 

As you may be aware, the enrolment process for all schools in the Wollongong Diocese has moved entirely online this year. Families with children in Year 6 who are interested in applying at Magdalene for entry in 2024 or 2025, can visit the College website and complete the online application form. This portal allows families to upload all the necessary documentation as part of the process. Please visit the website to determine what documentation is required for your particular circumstance. Applications for Year 7 2025 close on Friday 5th April at 3pm. 

A reminder that students in Years 7 and 9 will commence their NAPLAN examinations from next Wednesday. Information regarding these exams was circulated earlier this week. In a busy fortnight for our new Year 7 cohort, these exams will be followed by their Year 7 Camp which will take place in Week 7 at Teen Ranch. We wish all Year 7 students and our supervising camp staff all the very best as they participate in what is usually one of the highlights on the Year 7 calendar. 

Best wishes for the week ahead,

David Cloran

Principal

As we move through Lent this year let us ask ourselves how we are traveling. Will we be closer to God and the people in our lives by Easter Sunday? God is always close to us - Muhammad said that God is closer than our neck. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit dwells within us through Baptism.

Perhaps we can do something kind for someone. Even the act of being aware of the suffering in our world and holding those people up to God in prayer as an act of kindness. 

On National Women’s Day, can we think of the wonderful women in our lives, without whom we would not even exist or survive?

This week, Year 12 Studies of Religion 2 made diagrams of specific aspects of the Muslim Hajj Pilgrimage, connecting rituals to beliefs and other Islamic concepts, as part of their understanding of Islam for the HSC. 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, the God of Abraham who is founder of Judaism and the spiritual Ancestor of Christianity and Islam, we pray for peace for those women waiting for the kidnaped loved ones in Israel and for those women in Palestine and Gaza who have suffered the cruelty of losing a child to senseless violence.

We pray in Jesus’ name for Peace in the Middle East and in our World.

Mary Magdalene,

Pray for us

Congratulations to the Year 7 students who have received Year Coordinators awards this week recognising their hard work and excellent behaviour as they settle into life at the College. We had the opportunity to celebrate the success of these students at a Year Meeting on Tuesday with many more awards to come! Keep up the fantastic work Year 7.

Isabella Licina - The Dance Apprentice

Year 8 student, Isabella Licina, has secured an exciting opportunity to extend her assistant dance teacher training through The Dance Apprentice. This is a teacher training course that educates dance and cheerleading/tumbling teachers by providing them with the tools and knowledge required to become pro-active, independent, knowledgeable and quality leaders in their classrooms. We wish Isabella all the best as she undertakes this course.

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

Meet our 2024 MISA Debating Team!

After the success of our vibrant debaters in 2023, we are incredibly excited to introduce to our Magdalene community our 2024 MISA Debating Teams who will undoubtedly represent our school articulately, with pride, and tenacity. 

During tryouts, all the speeches presented were of a high calibre and showcased our students’ passion and interest in debating. A special mention to our enthusiastic Year 7 debaters who rose up to the challenge of speaking in front of their peers, only a few weeks after starting high school. 

In Term 1 and 2, our talented Year 9 and 10 debaters will represent our school across five rounds against independent schools in the Macarthur District. They are given their topics one week prior to their debate, and during this time they conduct extensive research, formulate provoking arguments, and practice their speaking manner. 

Below are our debating teams for Year 7 and 10. We are looking forward to introducing our Year 8 and 9 teams in the next newsletter, and we will continue to update our College community with the progress of our teams!

Year 10 MISA Debating Team 

• Isibeal Abbey 
• Lachlan Campbell 
• Melina Richardson 
• Sienna Beller 

Year 7 MISA Debating Team 

• Adam Hawkins
• Ava Stewart 
• Blake Dixon
• Caitlin Dowdell 
• Ethan Lynch 
• Jack Raban 
• Jack Simpson
• Lucy Katon 
• Owen Clifford 
• Ryan White 
• Victoria Hillis

Assessment Schedules

The Mathematics Resource Centre (available through Compass) provides Assessment Schedules for all Mathematics courses. While students will receive Assessment Notifications for formal Assessment Tasks via Google Classroom, reviewing the Assessment Schedule in advance can help students to begin preparing for their tasks earlier and allow them to have more time to identify areas where they may need additional study or practice.

Over the next fortnight in Mathematics, our students will be studying:

Year 7 - Indices

Year 8 - Data Collection, Representation and Analysis 

Year 9 -  Algebraic Techniques 

Year 10 (5.1) - Numbers of any Magnitude 

Year 10 (5.2) - Algebraic Techniques 

Year 10 (5.3) - Surds and Algebraic Techniques 

Year 11 Numeracy - Data in the World 

Year 11 Standard - Units of Measurement

Year 11 Advanced - Functions
Year 11 Extension 1 - Polynomials

Year 12 Numeracy - Life After School

Year 12 Standard 2 - Investments and Loans

Year 12 Advanced - Integral Calculus

Year 12 Extension 1 - Applications of Calculus

Year 12 Extension 2 - Using Complex Numbers

MATHS MARVEL:

The term "googol" refers to the number 10 raised to the power of 100, or 1 followed by 100 zeros.

MATHS MYSTERY - Course: Year 11 Mathematics Standard

Families are encouraged to tackle this problem together. 

David's reaction time to hit the brakes when driving is 1.3 seconds. If he is travelling at a constant speed of 72 kilometres per hour, how many metres does his car travel during his reaction time before he starts to brake? Assume his vehicle travels at a constant speed before the brakes are applied.

Students and Staff can enter their response here.

The first 20 correct student entries will receive a merit.

Stay tuned for the next edition to reveal the answer to this Maths Mystery. 

Answer from the previous MATHS MYSTERY - 96 different ways

Mrs Broady

Leader of Learning - Mathematics

National Anthem Volunteers

Our Creative and Performing Arts Councillors for 2024 Emilia Leopardi and Myah Donohue currently alternate the duties of leading the singing of the National Anthem at official school functions. Myah recently led the vocals for our High Achievers Ceremony. However, all students at the College are invited to lead the singing at College events and any inspired vocalists are asked to register their interests with Ms Curtis.

ENCORE 2024 - Sydney Opera House

On Monday 04 March our Year 11 and 12 Music students accompanied by Ms Slender and Ms Curtis attended the 2024 Encore Showcase at Sydney Opera House. The annual event recognises outstanding musicianship of HSC students from NSW schools as singers, instrumentalists and composers. Presented by the NSW Education Standards Authority, Encore was an exciting opportunity for our senior music students and teachers to see and hear a selection of exemplary works presented for the 2023 Higher School Certificate Music examinations.   

The concert featured a variety of performances from all three HSC Music courses across a variety of styles, genres and musical periods. Outstanding solo, ensemble, vocal and instrumental works were on display – from classics to jazz and contemporary music. Senior Music students appreciated the dedication and technical expertise as displayed by the exemplary HSC performances and compositions. 

Magdalene Catholic College - Open Day

Students from our Year 9 and 10 Elective Music classes literally ‘held the fort’ under the guidance of Ms Neasy whilst senior music students and staff attended the ‘Encore’ concert at the Sydney Opera House. Solo and ensemble student performances across a variety of styles and genres entertained potential new enrolment families from 3.00pm until after 7.30pm. Ms Slender and Ms Curtis would like to thank all musicians who assisted with the setting up of music rooms, equipment and for sharing their gifts and talents with our visitors. Special thanks to the Yr 12 Music students who returned to the College late in the evening to perform after their Music Excursion.

Ms Cheryl Curtis

Leader of Learning - Performing Arts

Magdalene dominates at the Girls Diocesan Touch Football once again!

Our Under 13s team were coached by Mrs Laura Hayden and came 2nd overall. It was impressive to see the girls perform so well at their first Diocesan Carnival for the year. Well done juniors!

Our Under 15s team were coached by Mrs Cordina. The girls played exceptionally well and not a single try was scored against them all day. Congratulations on coming 1st overall!!

Our Opens team were coached by Mr Manns and the girls finished 5th overall. Up against strong competition, the girls displayed a high level of skill and worked together up until the final whistle.

We are also pleased to announce that the following students were selected for the NSWCCC Touch Football Championships: - Olivia Attard - Charlie Noble - Tahlia Tabone - Isabella James - Gypsy Plummer Shadows: Matilda Anderson and Brianna Richards Congratulations on these exceptional results girls! Thank you to our refs: Luke Severin, Nathan Sorbilli and Tom Hedge. You did a fantastic job!

Information for parents and families - Parent Talk newsletter

Parent Talk newsletter aims to provide parents and carers with relevant and timely information about parenting, education, wellbeing, upcoming Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP) events and webinars for parents, and significant Catholic news and events.

The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT represents all parents and carers of students in our Catholic schools. We value and promote the critical role that parents play in the education of their children, and provide leadership, advocacy and support for parents and carers of children in almost 600 Catholic schools. Parents and carers are invited to subscribe to CCSP’s Parent Talk newsletter to receive future editions keep up to date with how our Council supports Catholic school parents to support their children’s wellbeing, faith journey and academic outcomes. Click here to subscribe.

Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT

The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT is conducting a survey to gauge parental involvement in their child's school including their learning. They are looking to receive feedback on areas that are really important to parents. Participants have the option to receive a 2024 Faith Diary as a token of appreciation by providing their name, address, and mobile phone number at the end of the survey.

The survey link is provided: CCSP Survey.