Welcome Back

Welcome back (and/or welcome to families of new students) to Magdalene Catholic College for the 2022 school year. There has certainly been a degree of uncertainty during the vacation period about the nature of the school year, but it is great that we can start the year together in a face-to-face manner.

Students have definitely had impacted schooling over the past two years, so it would be lovely to think that 2022 will be back to greater normality and students will have a full year, complete with a range of activities (sporting, spiritual and cultural).

HSC RESULTS

I would like to commend all of our Year 12 students of 2021 for their efforts during a highly disrupted HSC year. In spite of the challenges, there was a broad range of impressive HSC results, a record number of Early Entry Offers into tertiary institutions, many employment offers and even some scholarships. 

In the coming weeks the College will be inviting our High Achievers back to the College to celebrate their achievements.

In the next newsletter, related to this return of our High Achievers to the College, there will be detail provided on our impressive HSC results of 2021.

COVID RESTRICTIONS

With case numbers remaining high across New South Wales, I thank families for collecting their RAT test kits and ensuring that your children are testing at least TWICE per week for the first four weeks. While we recommend testing on Monday and Wednesday there are no set days as such.

Any positive cases must be communicated to the College and entered into the Service NSW app.

More details will be supplied about the next delivery of RAT test kits. In all, each family will be supplied with 4 RAT test kits for Weeks 1 and 2 (already done) and then another pack of 4 for Weeks 3 and 4 – these will be made available in due course.

Students (unless they have a medical exemption) continue to be required to wear masks indoors. While hand sanitiser is available in every classroom, the College continues to encourage students to bring their own supply.

To date, the College is aware of a hand-full of cases of COVID in our College. When we become aware of a case a letter will be sent out to the relevant Year Group.

Cohorting of Year Groups is continuing in the College at the moment – although in a different manner than in 2021.

NEW STAFF

We have a number of new staff joining our College in 2022. We are delighted that they can join the Magdalene community and we look forward to formally welcoming them into our College at our upcoming Opening College Mass (date TBC).

Therefore, we welcome the following:

• Mrs Belinda Booth – PDHPE (commencing February 28th, 2022)
• Mrs Katerina Cordina – HSIE / English
• Ms Kerryn Doherty – English (commenced Week 5 Term 4 2021)
• Mr Angelo Ezequiel – HSIE/English (replacing Carolyn Said during Maternity Leave)
• Miss Danica Duval – TAS (commenced Week 6 Term 4 2021) 
• Mr Tim Godbee – AS 19 – IT
• Miss Olivia Liberale – SSO
• Mrs Catherine McLaren – Drama / English
• Mrs Vanessa Mesic-Lee – Music / English
• Ms Debbie Noy – SSO
• Mrs Katherine Power – English / RE
• Mr Bailey Wray – Science /RE

We also welcome back to the College:

• Mrs Nicole Hulme – Science
• Mrs Joanne McMahon – Literacy Instructional Coach

THANK YOU AND A REMINDER ABOUT COMMUNICATION

Thank you to all of our College families for your support at the start of this academic year. I remind all parents/carers that if you have any queries, about any school-related matter at all, please contact the College Office and they will direct you to the relevant person to assist you with your enquiry.

We wish you a wonderful year ahead!

PRAYER FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR:

Blessed are You, Lord God, 

Creator of body and mind and heart.

You have sent the spirit of wisdom and knowledge to guide Your people in all their ways. 

At the beginning of this new school year we implore Your mercy.

Bless the students, teachers, and staff of Magdalene Catholic College 

that together we may grow in faith, hope, and love 

as we learn from You and each other as to how to follow Your son Jesus. 

Expand the horizons of our minds, 

that we may grow in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.

Deepen our commitment to seek the truth of Your ways; 

and enliven our faith to reach out to those in need. 

Glory and praise to you, Lord God, 

in the Church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever. 

Saint Mary Magdalene Pray for us.

- Amen

{Prayer adapted from catholiccurrent.org}

Please be aware that students must arrive after 7:30 each morning, with supervision of students commencing at 7.45am in the Top Quad. After school - students should be collected no later than 3.30pm from the student pick up area . Students should not be on the College grounds outside of these times.

Year 9 Dance Elective

In CAPA, we are excited to start a Year 9 dance elective for the 2022 school year! In the dance elective, students experience, understand, value and enjoy dance as an artform through the interrelated study of performance, composition and appreciation of dance.

In the first week of dance, students were introduced to the course, the elements of dance and participated in their first technique lesson. The elements of dance are Space, Time and Dynamics. They are intrinsic to dance performance as the dancer moves through time and space with dynamics at all times. They are the tools that are employed by the dance composer to communicate ideas and feelings through dance.

Technique is an important part of dance in all styles, as it is through technique that dancers move with correct alignment and maintain their bodies to limit injuries. On Thursday, students participated in a technique class consisting of a cardiovascular warm up, lengthening full body movements, strength and flexibility exercises, barre work and centre work. The exercises were focused around classical ballet and modern dance movements. 

I look forward to working with the dancers as the term progresses and see their success in dance.

MISA Dance Audition

I am calling out all dancers through year 7 to year 12 both boys and girls to sign up for the MISA Dance audition which will be taking place on the following days.

Junior Audition - Years 7, 8 and 9: Tuesday, 8th February Week 3

Senior Audition - Years 10, 11 and 12: Tuesday, 15th February Week 4

If you are interested in auditioning please put your name down on the MISA sign up sheet near the staffroom if you are in Year 7 and if you are in Years 8-12 please fill in the google form that was sent out on Wednesday morning through compass and your email.

I am looking forward to the year ahead in both dance elective and MISA dance. Look out for more information as to where you can see our Magdalene dancers perform as the year progresses.

Thank you,

Miss Tahlia Cupillari 

Dance Teacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

In the interests of transparency and forward planning I write the following:

Financially, parents/carers need to be aware that all Year 12 School Fee Accounts or the Year 12 portion of the School Fee Account (if you have additional siblings attending Magdalene Catholic College) will need to be finalised by the end of Term 3, Friday, 23 September 2022, (this includes any Outstanding Fees for that student from previous years), unless alternate arrangements are made with the Principal, Mr McMahon. If you feel that you will have difficulty in paying this account and require an extension of the due date, please make contact with the Finance Office to make alternative arrangements as soon as possible in 2022.

If you have an existing Direct Debit in place or commence a Request to pay by Instalment form for 2022, continue payments as per normal. 

While we want students to finish the year as well as possible, we do like to provide the reminder that students will not be permitted to pay for Formal tickets or receive College documentation until all financial matters and clearance forms have been settled.

For any further enquiries, please contact the Finance Office, Monday to Friday 

7.30am-2.45pm.

Mr Matt Bubb, The Year 12 Coordinator for 2022 will be in regular contact with you about matters pertaining to Pastoral Care and Critical HSC Information.

Yours sincerely,

Louise Mckenna

Bursar - Finance Office

2022 SCHOOL FEE INFORMATION

School fees for 2022 have now been invoiced and statements will be issued by the end of Week Two with annual or first instalment payment due on 28 February 2022.  You may view school fees in the Compass Parent Portal.

We would also like to advise you of the following important information in relation to school fees and the rollout of new administrative systems.  All primary, secondary and K-12 schools have now been transferred to the package which includes Compass and Technology One.  This has provided the Catholic Education Office with the ability to perform centralised functions relating to school fee accounts on behalf of our schools.

Please ensure your email is current with the College.

WHAT CENTRALISATION OF FUNCTIONS MEANS FOR FAMILIES

The invoicing of school fees and the distribution of school fee statements each month, is now a function carried out by the Catholic Education Office.  Payment of fees, whether as an annual payment or payment by instalments is due on the date/s provided on your school fee statement. 

Please note that if an adjustment is made to your school fee account eg your child changes subjects in a secondary school, etc., we will email a new school fee statement.  If you are paying by instalments, they may need to be regenerated and a change may occur in your payments.  If this is the case, a new schedule of payments and due dates will appear on the last page of your statement.

REMINDERS FOR LATE PAYMENTS

In 2021, the issue of reminders for late payment via email was introduced and later in 2022 the ability to send SMS messages will be added to the system.  These reminders are automatically generated by the software based on the number of days a payment is overdue and are distributed by the Catholic Education Office.  For those families that may have difficulty in paying their school fees, these reminders may cause some distress. This is not our intention.  Our intention is to manage the collection of school fee accounts with new technology and in so doing, alleviate some of the administrative work of our schools.

SCHOOL FEE ACCOUNT ENQUIRIES

Please note, despite the centralisation of various functions, your school/s will always be your point of contact for matters pertaining to fees.  If you wish to discuss your school fee account, please contact your school office.  The role of the Catholic Education Office is to action centralised tasks on behalf of schools.

IF YOU WISH TO PAY BY INSTALMENTS

Many families have already elected to pay their school fees by instalments.  If you wish to avail yourself of this option please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on your school’s website or at your school’s office.  On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at your school’s office.  Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your account and a schedule of payments and due dates will be provided on your next school fee statement.  Please note it is only necessary to complete this form once during the period of child/children’s enrolment, unless you wish to amend your payment frequency.

DIFFICULTY WITH PAYMENT

If you are experiencing financial difficulty, we encourage you to contact the school in which your child/children are enrolled to discuss an arrangement that will assist you meet your commitments.  This may include the completion of a Diocesan Application for Fee Concession which is available from the administration office of each school.  Be reassured that your situation will be treated with strict confidentiality and respect for your circumstances.  

For those families that received a Fee Concession in 2021, you will receive an email prior to your annual review date attaching a further Application for Fee Concession.  If you wish to submit the application, please do so at your child’s school.  Please note, if you have children in more than one school, it will only be necessary to submit one application. 

For further information regarding school fees, please access the Diocesan School Fee Management Policy and Frequently Asked Questions which is available on the College website.

Aaron Leopardi in Year 8 will be playing the lead roll of Pugsley Addams in the upcoming  'The Addam's Family Musical' with the Campbelltown Theatre Group.

The first P & F Meeting for 2022 will be the AGM, held via Zoom on Tuesday 15 February at 7pm. A zoom link will be sent out closer to the date.

The remaining P & F meetings will be held on the following dates:

Tuesday 10 May 7pm

Tuesday 2 August 7pm

Tuesday 25 October 7pm

Canteen Roster

The Canteen is in need of volunteers. If you are able to assist once a week, once a month, or even once a term, please contact the College Office on (02) 4631 3300