Filter Content
YEAR 12 GRADUATION AND MAJOR AWARDS
It was wonderful to finally be able to hold an event in person with our Year 12s! And what an incredibly significant event it was for our Year 12s who were able to have a small prayer liturgy led by Father Michael, hear from peers and key staff and receive Graduation Certificates, various other certificates and, for a number of Year 12s, awards – both major and minor.
I commend our Year 12s on their mammoth efforts throughout this incredibly challenging and disjointed year. In both my speech and Mr Dowdell’s, Year 12 Coordinator, the emphasis was upon, not only thanks to parents/carers, but also the development of resilience that has occurred this year and the need to put the many skills and characteristics they have learnt over the years into their immediate and long term futures beyond school.
I look forward to hearing about the many opportunities provided to our Year 12 students in the short and long term.
COLLEGE UNIFORM (also see the link later in this newsletter)
Please ensure you have seen recent updates about our new College Uniform – especially current Year 9 and 10 families.
As has been communicated over the past 2 years – uniform changes for Year 7 2021, and Years 10 and 11, 2021 (our current Year 9 and 10 students) will come into force from the beginning of next year.
It’s great to know that over 100 fitting appointments have already been made, but if you have any queries please contact the College.
Layby Schemes do exist, and, as per our arrangements for College Fees, if families are experiencing financial challenges and need to have a private conversation with myself then please arrange a time with me through the College Office.
TELL THEM FROM ME SURVEY
I would like to thank all parents/carers, students and staff who recently completed a “Tell them from me Survey” for our College.
Our College Executive has just been provided with a report covering the various comments, feedback and suggestions. We are reading and exploring these in earnest and will more thoroughly explore ratings and comments over the coming fortnight.
My preliminary analysis is that there is certainly an overwhelming satisfaction with the College and praise for many of our programmes, initiatives and our staff (teaching, administration and leadership). It is clear, however, that COVID-19 has certainly impacted upon the extra-curricular offerings and some aspects of both teaching and communication between the College and home. For example, the use of the College Diary this year has not been as effective due to concerns around hygiene.
With communication noted as an area for enhancement, I am therefore pleased to announce that I have commissioned a company to redesign and create a new website for the College – this will aim to improve upon the current site we use – and will be launched early in Term One next year.
Other common suggestions and patterns in the survey will be analysed and considered in the coming weeks. The College remains committed to listening and responding to feedback.
BISHOP’S STUDENT EXCELLENCE AWARD
This is the third year that the Bishop’s Student Excellence Award has been run. The successful recipients are students in each Diocesan Secondary School who are presented with the most prestigious award that can go to a Year 12 student at their school.
As such, by virtue of Jemma Abernethy receiving our ‘Alan McManus Award for All-Round Excellence’, Jemma was the College’s nominee for being recognised at a ceremony in Wollongong.
Like so many of our Year 12 students, Jemma has been very generous with her time and volunteered across a very broad range of areas. Equally she has demonstrated great commitment to her studies and has excelled in student leadership roles and various external programs. She was a most worthy recipient. We congratulate Jemma and wish her every success in her future.
PRAYER
Following on from last fortnight’s newsletter I include here the National Prayer celebrating 200 years of Catholic Education:
200 YEARS - FAITH IN THE FUTURE OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA
Almighty and all-loving God, with gratitude for the endeavours of Catholic education in the past, with confidence in our Catholic pre-schools, schools and universities today, and with faith in their continuing contribution in the future, we celebrate 200 years of Catholic education in this Great South Land.
As our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your providential care for your children in this land in inspiring priests, religious and lay people to found and staff our schools in ages past. Through them the Good News of your Son was brought to the young even in colonial times – and ever since.
As Christ the Teacher, you grace the staff and leaders of Catholic education today. As they build on the achievements of their predecessors direct them in their present efforts to ensure that every young Australian has the opportunity for an excellent education and formation in faith.
As our Inspiring Spirit, you lead us into the future. In the century ahead grant those teaching and learning in our schools, those planning and leading, and the families and community that entrust their young people to us, a love of learning and a willingness to be the face of Christ in the world of tomorrow.
Pour out your abundant blessings upon all involved in the ministry of Catholic education.
- Amen.
Our Lady of the Southern Cross – pray for us.
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Patron of Catholic Education in Australia – pray for us.
As a community we have an opportunity to live out our core value of discipleship as we head towards a Christmas like no other. We have an opportunity to bring hope to many in our local community who need it after a challenging year by supporting the work of the St Vincent de Paul society.
We have two ways to give hope this year:
- Donate goods to our Christmas Hampers at the College from next week.
- Participate in our Virtual Christmas Sleep Out by sleeping ‘rough’ at home and watching our LIVE Stream broadcast on Friday 4th December and donating online at https://my.fundraise.vinniesnsw.org.au/fundraise-your-way/magdalene-christmas-appeal-and-virtual-summer-sleep-out
Soliloquy:
Ay me! Oh what a wretched twist of fate!
This day has been conjured by the devil,
Skulking, slinking, stalking, he lay in wait,
For the time to strike us with this evil.
If these events, on paper were relayed,
I fear the page would burn and turn to ash,
From all the pain and fury in the words.
It is as if the stars forgot to shine,
Leaving us in the dark with no lifeline.
By far the greatest tragedy,
To curse this Earth today,
Was the passing of our beloved Mercutio.
Witty insanity!
Reckless love!
Mercutio was such a brilliant soul.
The mischievous sparkle in his eye,
Indeed shamed the radiance of the sun.
Have mercy on us glorious Heavens!
Grace the Earth again,
With the light of kind Mercutio!
But alas! I see it is too late!
For he was too good for us and now,
He must serve among the angels.
But, dare my mutinous thoughts betray me,
I fear that in the deepest shadows of my mind,
A vile thought has begun to prosper.
For I believe that the smallest section of my soul,
Sought some degree of comfort,
At the avengement of my dear friend’s death,
In the form of the passing of Tybalt Capulet.
Though I would never dare admit it to a mortal soul!
My conscience already bears the crushing weight,
Of this thought alone.
Oh Holy Father! Forgive me my sinful thoughts!
If I am feeling the bitter remorse for merely supporting this deed,
I truly cannot bear to imagine,
What must be going through the mind,
Of poor Romeo of Montague.
And forever banished from Verona’s walls,
A free pass to the outside world,
With no hope of return in sight.
Though I suppose it is a small mercy,
Compared to the death punishment,
Which he narrowly escaped!
But I fear it is not every very wise,
To let fury and rage guide one’s actions.
For in this case it has resulted in,
Romeo’s exile from Verona’s walls.
Ay! But then I fear I too,
Should meet the same end for encouraging this deed.
Oh, what tangled truths! Immoral justice!
There is just one question I can’t quite shake,
It has been blooming from within my mind,
Like a patiently unfurling blossom.
For I cannot fathom why,
Romeo would not fight the King Of Cats.
Though peace in Verona is all I wish,
I do not believe the Romeo I know,
To hold the same values true.
And yet he spoke of family and peace,
As if he had a motive to respect,
The notorious Tybalt Capulet.
But alas! I fear only time can tell!
Now I must cease my dismal lamenting,
For never once did a good thing come from,
Wasting away in one’s own self pity!
Reflection:
The aim of my soliloquy was to inform the reader of Benvolio’s characterisation and provide insight into his innermost thoughts and emotions. To achieve this I have presented Benvolio as a well-rounded and moral character. In this text, I was engaging with the dramatic genre.
The primary influence for my piece of writing was Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. I have successfully integrated iambic pentameter in my soliloquy to highlight Benvolio’s indecision and conflicting emotions. In the quote “But dare my mutinous thoughts betray me, I fear that in the deepest shadows of my mind, a vile thought has begun to prosper.” I have effectively utilised iambic pentameter to reinforce the immoral nature of Benvolio’s thoughts. This allows the audience to empathise with his circumstances and provides insight into his moral nature. Consistent allusions to the themes of fate and religion have been skillfully implemented throughout my response to provide a link to the societal norms of Elizabethan England. This is evident in the quote “This day has been conjured by the devil,”. The quote illuminates how tragic the events of the day were, by referring to the devil, whom most believed to be the cause of all pain and suffering.
I have effectively utilised first person narrative voice in my soliloquy to provide the reader with deeper insight into the thoughts and mindset of Benvolio. This allows the audience to connect with the character and better empathise with his situation. The narrative voice also proved to be the best form for the soliloquy format. The quote “My conscience already bears the crushing weight,” highlights the extent to which Benvolio’s thoughts have affected him, thus, reinforcing the morality of his character.
I have successfully integrated a rhyming couplet to create pace and tension within my text. This is evident in the quote “It is as if the stars forgot to shine, leaving us in the dark with no lifeline.” This quote emphasises how isolated Benvolio is feeling due to the dreadful accumulation of events. It also reveals how he feels that the stars and the Heavens have abandoned him. I have skillfully integrated the use of dramatic irony in my soliloquy to realise the extent of Benvolio’s oblivion. It also evokes a sense of frustration from the reader. The quote “For I cannot fathom why, Romeo would not fight the King Of Cats.” effectively demonstrates this.
In conclusion, my soliloquy evocatively highlights certain aspects of Benvolio’s characterisation by providing a detailed and highly personal insight into his thoughts and emotions.
MISA Sport
The MISA competition has continued for Round 2 and Round 3 with the results outlined below. It has been a great start to the season and keep up the good efforts!
Round 2 - 3rd November (vs SBCC)
|
Sport |
Result |
Comment |
|
Oz Tag - Boys Years 7-8 Mr Manns |
8 - 4 (Loss) |
A great effort by the boys. Plenty of room for improvement. MVP - Cody Wooden. |
|
Oz Tag - Girls Years 7-8 Mrs McAllister |
6 - 3 (Win) |
Great game girls. MVP - Elanor Ward |
|
AFL - Boys Years 7-8 Mr Bubb |
107 - 3 (Win) |
Excellent performance by the boys. It was great to see the development from last week. Player of the match - Kobey Rowley |
|
AFL - Girls Years 7-8 Mrs Hort |
20 - 15 (Win) |
Well done - what a great game. It was a very even game between both teams until the last goal was scored with only seconds to go. Player of the match - Sienna Toweel |
|
Softball - Girls Years 7-8 Miss Angelopoulos |
12 - 1 (Win) |
Students played outstandingly! In the first innings, we were up 7-1. The second innings resulted in Caitlin Demeary at first base making three fantastic catches in a row. Well done Magdalene! |
|
Indoor Cricket - Boys Years 9-10 Mr Ferry |
122 - 9 (Loss) |
Quick and accurate bowling from Curtis Simon. Overall, a difficult opposition to counter, with hard-hitting batters. Improved batting partnerships from Ryan Gill and Brock Favelle. |
|
Volleyball - Boys Years 9-10 Mr Morrison |
2 - 1 (Loss) |
MVP - Nathan Secheny |
|
Volleyball - Girls Years 9-10 Miss Cupillari |
3 - 0 (Win) |
The girls really came together during all three sets. Good games ladies! MVP - Paige Holdsworth |
|
Ultimate Frisbee - Mixed Team Years 9-10 Mr Wakeling |
20 - 5 (Win) |
A much better team performance. Some good defensive pressure gave us some great possession that we converted into points. A real roll on towards the end of the first half that we continued to build on. |
Round 3 - 10th November (vs OPAC or SFCC)
|
Sport |
Result |
Comment |
|
Oz Tag - Boys Years 7-8 Mr Manns |
9 - 4 (win) |
Great win by the boys. Excellent first half. MVP - Thomas Bertie. |
|
Oz Tag - Girls Years 7-8 Mrs McAllister |
12 - 1 (win) vs SFCC |
Great game girls. Inez and Zoe both scored 4 tries each. MVP - Olivia Cook and Kaitlyn Kyle. |
|
AFL - Boys Years 7-8 Mr Bubb |
100 - 7 (win) |
Great intensity throughout the game. It is great to see the significant improvement week to week and positive results are showing. Player of the match - Jesse Fream and Travis Danswan. |
|
AFL - Girls Years 7-8 Mrs Hort |
14 - 12 (win) |
A come from behind win in the last third of the game. It just proves that if you stay positive, great things can happen. MVP - Olivia and Alexia Bankowski |
|
Softball - Girls Years 7-8 Miss Angelopoulos |
10 - 0 (win) |
Great game girls. Player of the match is Jasmine Lucas for extraordinary pitching. |
|
Indoor Cricket - Boys Years 9-10 Mr Ferry |
69 - 19 (win) |
Ben won the toss and we bowled - pivotal move. Sharp catches from Kyle and Brock and fast, accurate bowling from Will and Curtis. Clever spin bowling from Blake. Top partnerships 22 runs (not out) - Ryan and Brock and 22 runs (not out) - Blake and Curtis. |
|
Volleyball - Boys Years 9-10 Mr Morrison |
3 - 0 (loss) |
Much improved effort by the boys. Player of the match - Nathan Secheny. |
|
Volleyball - Girls Years 9-10 Miss Cupillari |
3 - 0 (win) |
The girls continued to work as a team and support each other. There were some great rallies and commitment to play throughout. Good job girls! MVP - Mia Warby |
|
Ultimate Frisbee - Mixed Team Years 9-10 Mr Wakeling |
16 - 14 (loss) |
A slow start to the game gave OPAC a good solid lead. We chipped away at the lead throughout the game but our intensity was never at the required level. Player of the match - Bailey Ferns |
Upcoming Matches
Further information about the current MISA season can be found at the MISA website https://www.misaonline.org.au/. Upcoming matches are listed below:
Round 4 (17th November) vs Mt Carmel Catholic College
Round 5 (24th November) vs St Patrick’s College (Girls) and St Francis Catholic College (Boys)
School Sport
The Year 7 House Sport Challenge has continued throughout this term. Congratulations to Year 7 on their efforts throughout the two weeks.
Week 5 - 10th November
|
Sport |
Result |
Players of the Match |
|
Girls (Touch Football) Bruchhauser vs Dunne |
||
|
Girls (Netball) Hogan vs Sedgwick |
Sedgwick 4 - Hogan 2 |
Ameriah Sanchez Brooke Cooper |
|
Girls (Newcombe Ball) Moore vs Patrician |
Win - Moore |
Hunter Fisher Amy Lollback |
|
Boys (Soccer) Bruchhauser vs Dunne |
Bruchhauser 4 - Dunne 0 |
Thomas Brooks Elias Elazzi |
|
Boys (Basketball) Hogan vs Sedgwick |
Sedgewick 11 - Hogan 2 |
Andrew Liu Jonathon Dawood Luke Joliffe |
|
Boys (Newcombe Ball) Moore vs Patrician |
||
|
Chisholm (Paddle Tennis) Bye |
Overall Points Table
|
|
Bruchhauser |
Chisholm |
Dunne |
Hogan |
Moore |
Sedgwick |
Patrician |
|
Round 1 (13/10) |
4 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
Bye (2) |
2 |
|
Round 2 (20/10) |
3 |
Bye (2) |
5 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
|
Round 3 (27/10) |
WASHED OUT |
WASHED OUT |
WASHED OUT |
WASHED OUT |
WASHED OUT |
WASHED OUT |
WASHED OUT |
|
Round 5 (10/11 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
|
TOTAL POINTS |
12 |
7 |
11 |
11 |
14 |
10 |
9 |
Upcoming Sporting Events 2021
This year has seen the majority of sporting events cancelled due to COVID-19. As restrictions continue to ease, planning for 2021 has commenced for various sporting events at school, interschool (MISA), Diocesan and NSWCCC levels. Information will be provided in upcoming newsletters with the following website detailing some events for next year:
CSNSW Sport - https://csnsw.sport/
Please contact Mrs Andruschko via the College Office if there are any questions about sport at the College.
Early pickup will cease at the end of this week Friday 13 November. Students will be required to remain at school until the last bell at 2.35pm.
When your child is absent, you can add an attendance note in your Compass Profile.
| Monday 16 November | B Stratton |
| Tuesday 17 November | V Battley |
| Wednesday 18 November | M Abbey |
| Thursday 19 November | C & A Reynolds |
| Friday 20 November | L Street & M Sincek |
| Monday 23 November | VOLUNTEER(S) NEEDED |
| Tuesday 24 November | V Battley |
| Wednesday 25 November | H Smolinski & S Montague |
| Thursday 26 November | A Williams & K Moroney |
| Friday 27 November | B Kiss & N Riley |