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Welcome back to Term 3.
I hope you are all well and staying safe in this ever-changing and extra challenging time.
Firstly, I would like to thank Jen Foldes (Acting Principal), Ivana Forner (Acting Assistant Principal) and Steph Phillips (Acting Pastoral Care Coordinator) who all stepped up in during my absence for the last two weeks of Term Two.
Secondly, as for the start of this term I would like to thank our staff and our College Executive for being so adaptive and positive in embracing Remote Learning 2.0. While the College did provide successful remote learning in 2020 – the College has certainly learnt much and will be continuing to support our students and families going forward.
Thirdly, I would like to commend our students and our community for being so supportive of directives and limiting the numbers of students at the College during lockdown. Obviously, the looming deadlines for Year 12 Major Works makes things challenging and we have put in place separate arrangements for these students.
Fourthly, please note staffing changes for Term 3 and beyond:
STAFFING UPDATE:
- Welcome back Mrs Helen Said who returns from Maternity Leave. Mrs Helen Said will be taking over the classes of Ms Jaclyn Pettitt.
- We wish Mrs Alyce-Maree Mamone all the very best on her maternity leave. Ms Jaclyn Pettitt will be taking over Mrs Mamone’s Learning Support role for the remainder of the year.
- Welcome back Mrs Lauren Broady from Maternity Leave. Mrs Broady will be working with Mr Ha’s classes in a Job Share capacity for the remainder of this year.
- Welcome back Mr Michael Mae who will be gradually transitioning back into Magdalene across this term.
- It is with great sadness that I announce the resignation of Mrs Jacinta Abernethy. Mrs Abernethy has been a part of the Magdalene community for 16 years and has been a highly valued class teacher and a quality staff member. We wish her every success in her new teaching role which commences in Week 3.
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP
Earlier today I shared a joint communication between myself and our Director Mr Peter Hill regarding an opportunity for parents/carers to apply for a deferment of their school fees. As we gain more certainty, information from our finance Office will be provided about remaining camps, retreats and excursions over the coming Semester. Our great hope is that the majority of these will still occur – albeit with revised dates. Finally, as always, if you are experiencing financial hardship (either caused or exacerbated by COVID-19 or due to other circumstances), please note that you can apply for assistance via an Application for Fee Concession with supporting documentation. Please contact the College Office if you require further information.
COMMUNICATION
In this ever-changing environment I would ask parents/carers/students to stay up to date with various communications from the College.
Please ensure you have the COMPASS app downloaded on your smartphone. If unsure about access, please contact the College Office; [NB: the College Office will remain open throughout this Lockdown Phase].
IT – INTERNET ACCESS AND LAPTOPS
The College’s IT Department remains open during this Lockdown. If your daughter/son is having any difficulty with their home internet connection or laptop – please contact the College Office and we will explore possible ways to support you during Remote Learning.
MAGDALENE FEAST DAY
Obviously, with the extended Lockdown, our Feast Day (next Thursday) will not be celebrated in our traditional manner.
Students will have a remote opportunity to pray on the day of Mary Magdalene’s Feast Day (Thursday 22nd July), however, the rides, festivities and activities which are normally associated with the day have been postponed. A new date will be set – and it is hoped this will occur in late Term 3 – thereby allowing our Year 12 students to be involved.
PRAYER
As our attention turns again to the coronavirus epidemic, may our thoughts and prayers be with all families and individuals who have been impacted by recent outbreaks.
The following prayer (from Pope Francis) entreats Our Lady to help us seek solace and strength in this challenging COVID-19 environment in which we live.
The P&F Meeting will be held (via Zoom) on Tuesday 27 July at 7pm. Please keep an eye on Compass for the Zoom information.
Congratulations to our Performing Arts students for their outstanding performances in Magdalene Shines.
It was a pleasure to coordinate this important event for Magdalene after the year that was in 2020, when we were unable to present any live performing arts events.
The diversity of talent amongst our student body was clearly evident across Years 7-12.
Special mention to our MC's from Year 12, Matthew Dransfield and Marissa Williams, and our supportive stage and technical crew of students from Years 10, 11 and 12.
The generosity of the Magdalene staff supporting ‘Shines’ was greatly appreciated. It was particularly rewarding to be able to contribute to St Patrick’s Brewarrina with the money raised from the BBQ and silent auction.
Finally, thank you to Miss Cupillari, Miss Slender and Miss Jenkins for their expertise and professionalism in assisting the students to present a wonderful evening of Music and Dance.
Mrs Lisa Stevens
Acting LOL - Drama and Music
As we begin remote learning please see the below letter to Students regarding Guidelines for remote learning as posted on the Parent Portal.
A Reflection for Covid
Is this a time to focus on the beautiful moments of each day, to live in the present, to trust in the love of God and our love for one another?
Two days after Mary Magdalene watched Jesus suffer and die on the cross, she was back to his tomb to help with the Jewish rituals of death and mourning. It was probably the worst week of her life and yet she got up, got ready and went to the tomb. The devastation she faced after watching Jesus die must have been immense. Mary would have also felt the pain of all the other companions of Jesus: The Apostles, Mary the mother of Jesus and the other disciples. No one would have blamed her for sleeping in. But no, she was up and ready to get on with life, to show compassion for the dead and for those who were mourning. As we know, the story took a very different turn, because Jesus had risen from the dead and appeared to Mary Magdalene with a message to go and tell the Apostles. From the depths of depression and despair to the heights of joy and exultation. Does any of this ring true in our own lives? The Risen Christ lives in our hearts and calls us to a relationship of deep love, a love that is stronger than all of the problems we face, a love that is larger than we can possibly imagine.
Please read the well known Gospel passage below about leaning into God instead of being caught up in all out worries about life and the future:
Matthew 6
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Mr Steve O’Neill
Religious Education Coordinator
Sport - Term Two
The final weeks of sport in Term Two saw some great performances by the students at the College. It was a very successful term in a variety of sporting events including Diocesan Carnivals, MISA competition, CCC Representation and other state-wide competitions. Congratulations to all students for their hard work and commitment to the sporting opportunities provided at the College over the term.
Bill Turner Trophy
Bill Turner Cup School Football Competition
The Boys Bill Turner Football team have progressed to Round Four of the competition where they will play Thomas Hassall Anglican College. Arrangements will be confirmed later in Term Three.
Sport in Term 3
With the recent restrictions and lockdown in Greater Sydney, all current and upcoming sporting events at the College are postponed or cancelled, with further information to be provided as it becomes available. Information is provided below about Diocesan, CCC and NSW All School Events scheduled for Term Three.
Diocesan Events
As of Term Three Week One, the following applies to upcoming Diocesan events:
- Secondary Netball Championships on 19th July - CANCELLED
- Primary Soccer Gala Day on 23rd July (where some students would have been referees) - POSTPONED
- Diocesan Athletic Carnival 23rd July - This event will not be held and further details will be provided when other arrangements are made.
Further information and updates can be found at https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/sport/diocesan-sport-news/term-3/
CCC Events
As of Term Three Week One, the following applies to upcoming CCC and NSW All Schools Events:
- The following events have been postponed.
- NSW All School Cross Country - 16 July
- NSW All Schools Opens Hockey Tri-Series - 19 July
Further information and updates can be found at:
Please contact Mrs Andruschko if there are any questions or information about Sport at the College. The sport email is mcc-sport-list@dow.catholic.edu.au
Below is the link to the updated Sport News Letter on the Parent Compass Portal
Stay in touch with National Careers news
The National Careers Institute is responsible for many things:
- delivered YourCareer.gov.au to give people access to authoritative careers information and support
- delivers the School Leavers Information Kit and School Leavers Information Service
- promotes Australian Apprenticeships and Vocational Education and Training (VET) via the VET Information Strategy
They also administer the Training.gov.au website and the My Skills websites
There are several webinars that may be of interest:
https://nci.dese.gov.au/nci-webinars
Taking to the sky
Toward the end of last term, Susanah Ndaira was accepted into the Australian Defence Force work experience program with the Airforce and had access to the flying squadron located at RAAF Richmond.
She participated in a variety of activities that demonstrated the different roles of the Units and the variety of careers that were available in the Air Force. These included flying roles as well as ground support roles, military working dogs, engineering, maintenance, logistics, air traffic control, PTI’s, medical and fire & rescue.
Still got questions about Year 10 Subject Selection??
A recommendation to read this article Alan Finkel’s (Australian Chief Scientist) advice to Julie in Year 10.
NESA’s advice for students choosing HSC courses and the Student Pathways Plan
UAC Subject Compass - This will assist students when choosing subjects for senior study. This app encourages students to look at what they like and what they’re good at and how this should form one option to support choosing what they’re going to study. Read tips and information about how the Subject Compass works, as well as ATAR eligibility before you start your quiz.
Some other resources:
Universities Year 10 Subject Selection information
Lots of universities provide information about Year 10 subject selection and pathways to uni, here are a few. Most of this information may be geared towards getting you into a course at that particular uni, so it’s probably worth checking prerequisites and advice available for specific courses and institutions you have in mind
- The University of Queensland’s Year 10 Subject Selection Guide
- The University of Sydney’s Year 10 Guide 2022
- Deakin’s Guide to University for Year 10 Students
- ACU’s Year 10 Study Guide
- Charles Sturt Uni’s Year 10 Student page includes a careers quiz and information about how to choose your future career
- UWA’s Guide for Year 9, 10 and 11 Students
- UOW - Year 10 students get prepared for Uni. Find all the UOW brochures here.
Senior School Parent Guide
How you can help!
Find this guide attached below.
HSC TRIAL EXAMINATIONS 2021 Monday July 26th - Monday AUGUST 9th
Do you have flexible hours during the school day? An interest in the "behind the scenes" workings of the Higher School Certificate?
Magdalene Catholic College are reaching out to our community for volunteers to join us as supervisors throughout the 2021 HSC Trial Examinations.
Your role is 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 weeks.
No experience is necessary, just a genuine desire to support our students during a stressful time and assist in the smooth delivery of this important exam. A current Working With Children Clearance ( WWCC) is required for supervising and if you have a student at the College, they cannot be completing their HSC this year. All training, tea, coffee and Tim Tams will be provided. Exam supervision is a role readily suited to a vast range of community members. Life experience and patience are the most essential qualifications.
There will be two exam sessions run each day over an 11 day period
Morning Session : 8.00am - *12.00 pm
Afternoon Session : 12.30pm -* 4.30pm
*The finish time of each exam can vary according to the subject. If you can only give a few hours, but would still like to volunteer, there will be an exam to suit you. We welcome your commitment to one or more sessions.
If this is a volunteer role that sounds interesting to you, please don't hesitate to make contact. You will find it a deeply rewarding experience, offering an insight into the HSC exam process and your contribution to the final journey of our Magdalene Year 12, 2021 students is remembered and appreciated by staff and students alike.
Please direct all initial enquiries to:
Michelle Cornett Email: cornettm02@dow.catholic.edu.au