MARY MAGDALENE FEAST DAY 

This week the College celebrated Saint Mary Magdalene’s Feast Day. However, due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, our commemoration and reflections on this day did not incorporate our typical Feast Day celebrations. We are extremely hopeful that we will still be able to have Feast Day activities later this term. 

The very nature of who Mary Magdalene was and what she represents is partly captured in Mr O’Neill’s column later in this newsletter, however, in Tuesday’s Split College Assemblies I spoke about the quality relationship that Mary Magdalene had with Jesus. 

In Joan Chittister’s The Friendship of Women (BlueBridge Books) she speaks not only about Mary Magdalene’s loyalty to Jesus but her exceptional connection with him. Chittister writes: “The Magdalene factor in friendship is the ability to know everything there is to know about a person, to celebrate their fortunes, to weather their straits, to chance their enemies, to accompany them in their pain and to be faithful to the end, whatever its glory, whatever its grief. The Magdalene factor is … that unshakeable immersion in the life of the other to the peak of ecstasy, to the depths of hell … about appreciation, affection, and warmth.” 

I shared with the College the connected idea of taking joy in one another’s achievements and successes. The English language is not always as complete as it needs to be, and so in this regard, we need to look at the German language to explore the idea of “freudenfreude” (pronounced = froy-den-froy-da) which translates as ‘genuinely rejoicing in another person's successes’. This idea is the direct opposite of “schadenfreude” which is when a human takes pleasure in the misery of others or even finds joy when their friends/acquaintances fail or make mistakes. 

Freudenfreude is currently being utilised in the world of psychology where it is being used by specialists such as Dr Catherine Chambliss who is noting that skilling people up in this area shows promising results in treating depression. Obviously, nothing is a silver bullet in the challenging world in which we live, but I do think this idea of showing genuine interest in another and enjoying others’ successes is worth emphasising and helpful in assisting our young people to build their own quality relationships. 

Reflection upon Mary Magdalene can therefore help us to reflect on our own nature.

SPIKE IN COVID-19 CASES 

No doubt you are keeping up with the media and reports of increased cases in COVID-19 in Western Sydney. There have been several staff and/or students who we are aware of who have had tests for the virus – but at this point (touch wood) there have been no positive cases of COVID-19 from this recent spike. 

I hate to state the obvious, but it remains critical that we all continue to play our part. While hand sanitiser is available in each room, students should have their own hand sanitiser and use this regularly. Physical distancing is not mandated, as per the NSW Government, but it is still recommended, and students should be mindful of where and how they gather in and outside of school. 

Due to this recent spike and comments from NSW Health, the College will continue to allow early pick of students in Years 7 to 9 (and, where relevant, siblings in other years).  

We will continue to provide clear and frequent communications as situations improve or otherwise. 

We will be in communication soon about our plans for End of Year events for Year 12.

COMMUNITY PRAISE 

Yet again, I was contacted during the week by a member of the public to praise our students. In this case, two of our students, came to the aid of an elderly member of the public. I don’t need to go into specifics here, but I am very proud of how our students continue to value and help community members and see their role as much larger than just themselves. This is pivotal to who we are and what we value as a community. It is the essence of being a student at Magdalene Catholic College.

PRAYER

See Mr O’Neill’s section below

This week on Wednesday 22nd July was our Patron Saint Mary Magdalene Feast Day.

The following passage is based on reflections by Pope Francis

By calling Mary Magdalene by name after his resurrection, Jesus shows us just how personal his relationship with humanity is. After this encounter, Mary then becomes an apostle of hope for the world, announcing the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Mary’s example is one of hope, because “at the time of tears and abandonment, she hears the Risen Jesus who calls us by name, and with a heart full of joy goes to announce: I have seen the Lord!”

“How beautiful to think that the first appearance of the Risen One took place in such a personal way! That there is someone who knows us, who sees our suffering and delusion, who is moved by us, and who calls us by name,” the Pope said.

As a College community we are blessed to have such a generous, courageous and significant saint as our patron, Mary Magdalene, the Apostle to the Apostles. 

During her life, Mary Magdalene and some other women provided  food and shelter to the travelling ministry of Jesus and the Apostles out of their own money.

Mary Magdalene was one of only a few women who were there at the Crucifixion, when most of the Apostles had run away. 

There can only be one first witness to the most amazing event in human history and that witness who saw the risen Jesus outside the tomb and then took that message to the doubtful Apostles, was our very own Mary Magdalene. 

We are indeed blessed to have such a wonderful patron and role model at our College.

Mr Steve O’Neill - Religious Education Coordinator

The College Prayer:

Jesus, you chose Mary Magdalene to be the first witness to your resurrection.

Help us to be filled with the power of your Spirit.

May we become witnesses to your love and healing, both within and beyond this community.

Saint Mary Magdalene

Pray for us.

Recently there has been an increasing concern about the growing number of teenagers using e-cigarettes, or what is more commonly known amongst teenagers as “vaping”.

E-cigarettes are devices that deliver an aerosol by heating a solution that users breath in.  They are battery-operated and may look like cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or memory sticks.  Teenagers are often of the belief that ‘vaping’ is not harmful, and they are influenced by big tobacco companies who are marketing fruit flavoured e-cigarettes with popular social media images.  The truth of the matter is that vaping hasn’t been around long enough for us to know how it affects the body over time.  Scientists are still learning about e-cigarettes and they cannot be considered safe.  

Hazardous substances have been found in e-cigarette liquids and in the aerosol produced by e-cigarettes, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein, which are known to cause cancer.

There are complex regulations regarding the purchasing of e-cigarettes in Australia In NSW, it is illegal for e-cigarettes or any accessories to be sold to people under that age of 18.  However, teenagers are still able to find ways of purchasing e-cigarettes, whether it be over the internet or from a third party.

What are the warning signs of teenagers vaping?

1. Sweet smells – e-cigarettes often have sweet smells of fruit, lollies or bubble gum
2. Bloodshot eyes - When it comes to vaping, there aren’t very many physical signs to look out for. However, bloodshot eyes can be an indication that your child has been vaping.
3. Irritability - Irritable or anxious behaviours can be a sign your child is experiencing withdrawals from nicotine. 
4. Excessive thirst – dehydration is often a sign of excessive vaping.
5. Unfamiliar devices batteries and chargers – if you find that your child has interesting shaped batteries or chargers it is important to investigate it further.

What should you do if you catch your child vaping?

It is important to remain calm and have an open conversation about the impact of vaping on their health.  Ask your child questions, for example where did they purchase the e-cigarette,  and listen to their answers. 

While there should be consequences for vaping, the delivery of these consequences need to come from a calm rational place. Work with your child to assess whether or not they have an addiction and how to access help.

The College's approach to students bringing in e-cigarettes and/or vaping is in line with our approach to students bringing cigarettes and/or alcohol to the College. Obviously, if such cases occurred, we would be in contact with parents/carers and take the matter seriously.

More information can be found on the following websites:

https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/smoking-and-tobacco/about-smoking-and-tobacco/about-e-cigarettes

https://www.school-news.com.au/news/staving-off-the-teen-vaping-epidemic/

https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/concerns-about-rising-popularity-of-e-cigarettes-a

What's happening in Art this term?

At the end of Term Two, students were busy constructing their Pop Art everyday food objects from clay. These sculptures were inspired by Pop Artists such as Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg. Majority of these have now been fired in the kiln and are ready for glazing.

Stage 1 - Constructing the sculptures. The students use either a slab, coil or pinch pot method to build the sculptures.

Stage 2 - The clay sculptures need to completely dry before they can be fired, this is called bone dry. Once they are bone dry they are ready for their first firing in the Kiln. This is called a Bisque firing.

Stage 3 - Glazing the sculptures. Glaze is the official word for 'painting' when working in ceramics. Once the sculptural forms are glazed they are placed back into the Kiln for their final firing. This is called a glaze firing.

Sport has resumed for Term 3 with details outlined in the letter sent to parents via  Compass on Monday 20 July. A summary of this information can be found below.

Magdalene students are provided with the sport rotations for Terms 3 and 4 outlined in the table.

Details for each of the above sport rotations can be found in the letter on Compass. For students who have been selected in a MISA team for Term Three, this will be their weekly sport.

Current Physical Activity and Sport Guidelines

The Department of Education has released the following guide reflecting the health order changes announced on 1 July 2020. From 1 July, updated health advice and changes to state and national restrictions on children’s sport and community competitions come into effect. However, with the recent developments over the last week, the following applies to school sport in weeks 1 and 2 of Term 3 as directed by Catholic Education Wollongong.

• Interactions between staff from different schools will be minimised where possible. Students visiting external venues will remain in their school groups at all times under the supervision of the teacher.
• Contact sports will remain suspended for the first two weeks of Term 3. We will continue to monitor the situation and public health advice and review this decision in the following weeks of the term.

In addition to this, when attending external venues, the following may apply:

• Students may be asked to have their temperature taken and recorded via a non-contact method (eg – forehead) prior to entry.
• Students may be asked if they are currently unwell or experiencing any flu-like symptoms.
• Students may also be asked to verify if they have attended any current COVID-19 case locations as listed on the NSW Health website (https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates)

The procedures outlined below will continue for Tuesday Afternoon Sport:

• Hand sanitiser will be provided for students and teachers to use before and after sport and physical activity.
• Students need to fill, clearly label and use their own water bottle and towel for all activities.
• Shared equipment will be wiped down and cleaned where appropriate.
• Physical distancing and use of equipment will be taken into account where possible. This includes attempting to keep a physical distance of 1.5m between students where possible.

Reminders

All students are reminded to ensure they are prepared for participation in sport by having appropriate footwear, College hat, water bottle. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they have their own asthma medication, Epipen and/or other necessary medication to participate in Sport. If a student does not have this, they will not be able to leave College grounds and participate in Tuesday Afternoon Sport.

 If a student is unable to participate in Tuesday Sport due to illness or injury, a note must be handed to Mrs Andruschko on Tuesday morning in the top quad from 7.45am to 8.15am. Students who are unable to participate in Tuesday afternoon sport due to injury or medical conditions will be supervised completing individual, silent work during this time.

MISA Golf Tournament

The MISA Golf Tournament will be held later this term on Wednesday 2nd September at Camden Lakeside Golf Club. Some details of the event are listed below and please see Mrs Andruschko by the end of this week for further information.

This year, there will be two competitions:

• The M.I.S.A. Cup Event: for those students who have a Golf Link handicap. This event will be played off Scratch and Nett scores, with winners in age groups and gender.
• The M.I.S.A. Plate Event: for those students who do not have a handicap. This event will be played off scratch score only, with winners in age groups and gender.  Students MUST have golf experience to participate.

Diocesan and NSW Sport

Further information for Diocesan and NSW Sport can be found using the links below:

https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/sport/events-secondary/

https://csnsw.sport/

If there are any questions about Tuesday Sport, please contact Mrs Andruschko via the College Office.

The College has received a request for consideration from Barnardos Australia.  Please read the following:

Dear Parents and Carers,

Barnardos Australia is a leading, non-government organisation which provides foster care for children. Due to an increase in the numbers of referrals for children needing care in the South West Sydney region our agency urgently needs short term foster carers.

To meet this demand, we are seeking to recruit people from the local community to become temporary foster carers for children aged 0-12 years for between six months to two years at a time. As such, we have approached Magdalene Catholic College, who have kindly agreed to display some of our promotional materials at your office.

If you think you might have room in your heart and home for a foster child, please feel free to take a brochure from the front office or contact us on 1800 663 441 to speak to a member of our team.

We look forward to speaking to you soon!

The Barnardos Temporary Foster Care

Foster Recruitment Team

Uniform Information

As indicated in Newsletters dating back to late 2019, the compulsory wearing of our new uniform will be for Year 7 2021 as well as Year 10 2021 and Year 11 2021. The wearing of this uniform in other years is possible but totally optional. The only caveat for students choosing to wear the new uniform in Years 8, 9 and 12 is that students wear it in its entirety.

Lowes at Narellan Town Centre currently have limited uniform stock remaining at a discounted price, with some items up to 50% off.

Our second-hand Uniform Shop will be open Fridays 7:50 - 8:15am. Payment can be made by cash or EFTPOS.

School bags that display the old school crest can now be purchased at the College Office for the reduced price of $35.

Parents, carers and friends of our Magdalene community are warmly invited to consider volunteering a few hours throughout the 2020, HSC Trial Examinations. 

Your role would be to assist in the supervision and administration of this important schedule of exams and provide a warm and welcoming environment to our students during these important days.

No experience is necessary, just a genuine desire to assist our students and ensure the smooth delivery of this important exam itinerary. All training will be provided and exam supervision is a role readily suited to a vast range of Magdalene family and friends.

There will be two exam sessions run each day over an 11 day period.

Morning Session : 8.30am - 11.30 am

Afternoon Session : 1.00pm- 4.00 pm.

If this is a volunteer role that sounds interesting to you, please don't hesitate to make contact. You will find it an incredibly rewarding experience, meet new people and make a real difference in the final journey of our Magdalene Year 12, 2020 cohort.

Please direct all initial enquiries to  Michelle Cornett Email: cornettm02@dow.catholic.edu.au Presiding Officer HSC, Magdalene Catholic College.