WORLD TEACHER’S DAY - 28 October

Today is a day to thank and celebrate teachers (and all who work in schools) for everything that they do to help our young people.

In a recent statement by UNESCO Directors, the importance of teachers, and how they should be recognised for the critical work that they do was highlighted: "Today, on World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the critical role of teachers in transforming learners’ potential by ensuring they have the tools they need to take responsibility for themselves, for others and for the planet. We call on countries to ensure that teachers are trusted and recognized as knowledge producers, reflective practitioners, and policy partners." (Joint Message from UNESCO and UNICEF Directors - Education International for World Teachers’ Day, 5 October 2022)

As such, I wish to extend my thanks to all teachers in our Diocese and to our Magdalene staff in particular for everything they do and continue to offer our Magdalene students.

MS JENNIFER FOLDES

You would have recently read in a Compass notice about the resignation of Ms Foldes from the end of 2022. Ms Foldes will be taking up the role of Deputy Principal of Mater Dei School, Camden in 2023.

Ms Foldes joined the Wollongong Diocese in 2015 as an Education Officer within the Catholic Life, Education and Mission service area before being appointed as Assistant Principal at our College in 2016.

In her time at Magdalene, she has worked as a highly effective member of the College Leadership Team and served as Acting Principal for short stints in 2019 and 2021 respectively. She has also worked very closely in the Pastoral Care realm and helped to support students - working effectively and closely with staff and parents/carers. 

I take this opportunity to congratulate her on this appointment and thank her for her dedicated leadership and service to the Magdalene community and the Diocese of Wollongong.

PRAYER

In light of World Teacher’s Day, today, Friday 28 October, we keep all of our teachers (and College staff members) in our prayers:

2022 SCHOOL FEES

2022 SCHOOL FEES FINAL PAYMENT DATE

• 2022 School Fees for Years 7 – 11 need to be finalised by Friday, 2nd December 2022. If your fees are paid in full you can continue to make payments into your School Fee Account and these credits will be processed against your 2023 School Fee Invoice. 

2023 SCHOOL FEES

OPTION FOR PAYING SCHOOL FEES BY INSTALMENT 

This information is only relevant if you do not have a Pay By Instalment Form in place currently

Our Finance System provides the opportunity to generate regular instalments with due dates, rather than having an annual bill which is due for payment, in full, 30 days after invoicing. If you would like to pay school fees by instalments in 2023, please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on the school’s website or from the school’s administration office. 

On completion of the request please email the form to:  instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au 

Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your school fee account during the process of invoicing 2023 school fees.

Your school fee statement will provide a list of scheduled payments and their due date depending on the frequency you have chosen eg Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly, etc.

IMPORTANT: Please note that if you currently have a child or children at another school in the Diocese and you are paying by instalments at this location, you will not need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment. The instalment request carries over from school to school with the same frequency of payment eg Weekly, fortnightly, etc.

PLEASE NOTE:  If you do not complete and submit the Instalment Form you will be required to pay your School Fees in full 30 days after Invoicing. Forms are due to be submitted no later than Friday 2nd December 2022.

P&F Meeting

On Thursday 13th October Year 11 completed the Drive 2 Stay alive programl.

This program is presented by a number of different organisations including the Camden Highway Patrol, Camden Council, Youth Solutions, Next Gear driver training and Cawdor Haulage.   Presentations included wearing “beer goggles” to see how alcohol can impede your motor skills and perceptions and the opportunity to see what a large semi trailer can and cannot see when on the road (and how much space is needed for them to manoeuvre on our roads)

Year 11 definitely found this program very informative, some comments from students follow:

“The sessions were informative and engaging. They provided valuable information about the effects of speed, intoxicants (alcohol, drugs, etc.), reckless behaviour, etc. It was invaluable for the police presenters to give us the opportunity to speak freely without judgement. The truck presenter was also an experience that gave us all insight into the dangers faced by us as drivers, and the truckies themselves to keep everyone safe. Overall, the day was invaluable.”

“The incursion was a real wake up to reality, with the stories told and the critical evidence and data given from all sessions.”

“All presentations were incredibly valuable and moving. It was so powerful to hear from those directly impacted by unsafe road behaviour and I learned many important things particularly from the truck talk.”

Mrs Denise Phillips

Year 11 Coordinator

On Wednesday 19th October Year 10 Drama students had the privilege to head to St Clare's Primary school to perform Children's Theatre performances to students in K-2. It was a successful morning where the group presented three separate sessions to infants students. Year 10 were met with smiles, encouraging words and requests for high fives. It was such a fun and fabulous morning!

This event was a wonderful service learning opportunity for our Year 10 Drama students and gave them an opportunity to present their work to their target audience for their Children's Theatre practical assessment. The class had been working towards these performances for about 8 weeks and the groups put a huge amount of thought and effort into their piece through thoughtful costumes, props and the application of a range of dramatic and performance elements. 

Our first group made up of Emma Burrows, Amy Dransfield, Olivia Kosiak, Andraya Liebrand and Olivia Young presented an engaging and highly physical recreation of Aladdin. The piece featured the lovable Aladdin and the other characters from Agrabah including Jasmine, the King, Jafar, Genie and a few cameos from Abo in the form of a Peppa Pig doll! The group received rave reviews from their audience and the children said the best part was the physical comedy presented when the fight scenes took place. A real effort was made by the students to create a chaotic atmosphere though well choreographed movement that highlighted the conflict between the characters. The group even included a Q&A style moment in their performance which had students reaching their arms as high as they could hoping to share their answers. Great job ladies!

Our second group, Olivia Cimino, Myah Donohue, Zoe Gill, Lara Kumar and Chloe Rice presented a dramatic representation of the much loved children’s book The Gruffalo. The piece incorporated incredible costumes and lots of fun props that transformed the St Clare’s school hall into a forest where a tense atmosphere was created as the Little Brown Mouse made his way through the forest convincing the animals that he was having lunch with a Gruffalo. It was so lovely to hear the uncontrollable giggles of our audience as our skilled actors took on the shapes and personality traits of the characters in their own unique way. The audience noted that their favourite part was making the animal noises and creating a soundscape when each character entered the stage. The group made a big effort to involve the audience in the performance which engaged the infant students immensely. Thank you for your work ladies!

Well done to our Year 10 Drama students on their excellent work preparing these performances for their live, infant audience! The students and teachers from St Clare’s really appreciated their presence and energy on the day. We thank the students for their service learning and sharing their skills in Drama in this unique way.

Mrs McLaren

Drama Teacher

After a very long 2 years due to COVID, St Clare’s Catholic Primary School will be holding their Annual Fair on Saturday, 5 November 2022 from 9.00am – 3.00pm on the school premises at 59 Holdsworth Drive, Narellan Vale.

There will be plenty of stalls including the chocolate wheel, homebake, Devonshire tea, BBQ, books and many more plus plenty of rides and activities for the kids!

Hopefully the sun will be shining and the school can provide the community with a wonderful event.

For more information, please see St. Clare's Facebook event pages “St Clare’s Fair” -

Camden Council is hosting an Apprenticeship and Traineeship Information Evening as part of the ‘Camden Joblink Program’ and coinciding with Small Business Month. This evening will provide information on the opportunities involved with traineeships and apprenticeships to young people and their parents. The event will be an exhibition style, so attendees can engage with services and businesses specific to apprenticeships and traineeships.

 When: Tuesday 1 November 4pm-8pm

Where: Julia Reserve Youth Community Centre, Oran Park

Cost: Free , register interest here

Who: Young people considering leaving school or exploring apprenticeship/traineeship options

 Exhibitors include:

• My Gateway
• Apprenticeship Careers Australia
• Skills Road
• McDonald’s
• Camden Council
• TAFE NSW
• Clintons Toyota
• Neca
• 1300 Apprentice
• Academy Green Learning  
• Australian Business College
• Defence Force Australia
• Floor Covering Institute of Australia
• Summit Services