Newsletter - T1W8 - 18/3/22

From the Acting Principal

“Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future.” 
Luke 13:8-9

This week's scripture is about God being the gardener in our lives. The story this passage comes from is the Parable of the Fig Tree. A fig tree had been barren for three years and the owner of the vineyard wanted to cut it down - to cut his losses on the tree and get rid of it. But the gardener convinces the owner to give the tree another chance. He says to his master, leave the tree, I will cultivate it and fertilise it and it will bear fruit. 

There is a recognition from the gardener that maybe the tree is not flourishing because it has been forgotten by the vineyard owner; he has not watered it or loved it the way it needs to be loved. But with the proper care, it can be a beautiful and fruitful tree; one that could nourish the people who eat from it. All it needs is time and love.

Just like this tree, who has grown old and tired and feels neglected by its owner; sometimes we feel the same. It is easy, when things aren’t going well, to feel that we have been forgotten and left by God. It is easy to despair and think that we are all on our own and it is easy to feel like our soil is barren and we have lost the strength to nurture and strengthen the lives of those around us.

But just like this tree, we have a gardener (God) who believes we can renew, we have people around us that have faith; that with a little love and a little nurturing, we can come back, we can thrive again. 

In the dark times that we have experienced in the past few weeks, it is easy to feel that we have been left, like the Fig Tree, to wither and die. But all we really need to do is look around at the depth and the strength of our communities to know that there is enough love and enough hope to nurture even the most barren tree back to life. 

It has warmed my soul to see the lengths that members of our community have gone to help those around them. It says a lot about our community that we have numerous students out in flood affected communities helping families and businesses to survive through this time. In a year where we had barely managed to see the other side of COVID lock downs and mask mandates, we are tested once again with this disaster. And once again we proved that with a little time and a little love, our community can not just continue to live, but we can rebuild and we can thrive.

Flood Recovery
It has been a stressful 2 weeks for members of the SMCC community. Many of our staff and students have been impacted by the floods and yet more of our community are trying to find ways to help those in need.

Bishop Greg’s Appeal
The CSO is requesting that all donations be channelled through Bishop Greg's Diocese of Lismore 2022 Flood Appeal (https://www.lismorediocese.org/). It would be greatly appreciated that all fundraising efforts support this appeal.

• BSB: 037-889
• Account No: 1061 5829
• Account Name: DOL Flood Appeal

Transaction Details: If you wish your donation to go to a particular school, please include the school name in the transaction details (i.e. for St Joseph’s Primary, Woodburn). While offers of physical resources and equipment are appreciated, unfortunately they have nowhere to store, sort and distribute such forms of generosity.

Nadine Connolly
Acting principal

Upcoming Dates

Week 9
Monday, 21 March - Dio Individual Touch Trials - Open/U15 at Toormina
Thursday, 24 March and Friday, 25 March - NAPLAN Practice Tests

Week 10
Monday, 28 March - NRCC Netball (U14/U16) at Tweed Heads
Tuesday, 29 March - College Photo Day
Friday, 1 April - White Card Training Course

Parish Mass Times

Saturday Vigil - 6pm
Sunday - 8am

From the Assistant Principal - Mission

After a natural disaster, it can seem overwhelming to identify and prioritise a student's needs. The school's Student Wellbeing Team and entire community has been busy working to identify students and families who have been impacted and who may require support. To our families it is important to remember that: 

• It is normal for students to have some reaction and emotional response after a natural disaster whether they have been directly or indirectly impacted.  
• Students who have survived a natural disaster often feel a sense of grief and loss, but there are no 'right' or 'wrong' feelings and they can vary markedly from one student to another. These emotions can occur immediately, later, or even long after the disaster has passed. 
• Our College can help by providing a safe and supportive school environment. A priority is the normality of being in the class engaging in lessons to the best of their capacity.  

Flood Recovery
Thank you to all our families who have responded to the call in our community to Reach Out. It has been amazing hearing from our students all the ways in which they have been active in our community over the past three weeks. I particularly want to acknowledge the families who have donated uniforms and resources for other members of our community to allow them to return to the College with all they need.

If you know of any families who still require assistance, please let me know. We are able to source all items of uniform and resources to get our kids back in the classroom. 

RAT Kits
RAT Kits were distributed earlier this week. The NSW government has asked for a kit to be used when a student is symptomatic. As always, please record positive results on the NSW Health website and advise the College.

Discipleship events
Unfortunately, Transitus has been cancelled for 2022. The College will endeavour to provide an experience for these students later in the year. 

The LEAD Conference has been postponed until 19-20 May. New permission notes will be distributed in the coming week. 

Clare Axman
Assistant Principal - Mission

From the Leader of Pedagogy

Stage 6 Study Skills 
Mr Michael Woerner and I met with the Year 11 students in Week 4 to run through some learning strategies for their Stage 6 studies and equip them with resources for study. We encourage parents and carers to look through the Stage 6 Assessment Handbooks which can be found on our College website and on Student Hub with their HSC students to ensure there is a clear understanding of the NESA and College requirements for Senior Studies. 

Our College Intranet has a Stage 6 page on the Student Hub dedicated to helping our Senior students navigate their final years of learning. This page includes some key dates, links to NESA rules, tips and advice for looking after mental health during HSC studies and links to some very valuable study websites. After all, it is only seven months until their first HSC exams for 2022.

Please find below a list of online study and HSC sites which may assist all of you - HSC students and parents -  on the HSC journey. 

• NESA HSC key-dates-exam-timetables
• artofsmart.com.au/hsc-resources
• edrolo.com.au
• atomi blog
• SMH HSC Study Guide 2021

And one specifically for parents of HSC students:

• Australian Catholic University - Surviving the HSC for parents

SRC Breakfast Club - We’re Back
The Student Representative Council have had Breakfast Club up and running all week to support their fellow students who have been heavily impacted by the floods. In fact, they have extended it to include a ‘Lunch Club’ this week too.

The SRC would like to thank all of the students and staff who have volunteered to help out bright and early each morning making cheese toasties and the Catholic Faith in Action students who have made and distributed lunches.

Bully, No Way! National Day of Action Against Bullying
#KindnessCulture
Today, Friday 18 March is the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. This day is an important opportunity to come together and demonstrate #KindnessCulture for bullying prevention for Australian school communities. #BullyingNoWay #2022NDA 

In Homeroom this morning, all of our students received an orange ribbon to stand in solidarity with other Australian schools in raising awareness about the impact of bullying and they had the opportunity to complete a Bullying Survey to give them a chance to address any concerns they may have about bullying. Every year the survey provides valuable information to staff so that any issues can be identified and followed up.

At lunchtime today, the SRC ran conversation starters on ‘Kindness Culture’ through creating an affirmation chain and loudly proclaiming that Bullying is not OK. Kindness Culture promotes inclusiveness, respect and community belonging. Our 2022 theme offers an opportunity to learn about kindness and demonstrate kind behaviour. Kindness plays an important role in bullying prevention.

Together we can make a change. Everyone has a role to play in bullying prevention. The NDA promotes school, parent and community partnerships to build safe and supportive learning environments.

Dana Barnsley
Leader of Pedagogy

From the Leader of Pastoral Care

Brainstorm Productions will be presenting their student wellbeing performance ‘Verbal Combat’  for students in Years 7-10 in Week 11 this Term. The performance will be attended by students from Years 7 and 8 on Tuesday, 5 April and Year 9 and 10 students Wednesday, 6 April. 

Verbal Combat is a live theatre experience that addresses the consequences of (cyber) bullying, harassment and unhealthy friendship groups. This performance highlights the importance of empathy, respect and compassion, and raises important questions about responsibility, group dynamics and the role of bystanders at school and online. The issues are unpacked in a post-performance Q&A and ccn be explored further in the classroom.

Brainstorm Productions is one of Australia’s largest and most respected theatre in education companies. They are endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a trusted eSafety provider. 

We have not been able to book these shows over the last few years so we are excited for our students to enjoy the performance before the end of Term 1.

There is no cost to the students and the performance compliments BULLYING NO WAY DAY held here at the College today and works in partnership with R U OK? initiatives.

Michele McCaffery
Leader of Pastoral Care

From the Leader of Careers

Hello students and families of St Mary’s. I hope all of you have been keeping safe and well in these challenging times.

I have been receiving lots of emails from recruitment companies like Spinifex Recruiting and Keys Human Resources as they are looking for people to assist with the flood clean up. There is minimal to no experience necessary and the work is paid. Oftentimes a White Card is requested, as well as a reliable vehicle and PPE (work boots, etc.), however, all other training is provided.

If you or someone who you know (friend, relative, older sibling, ex-student or recently graduated) is interested in this type of work, please contact the companies mentioned above or feel free to email me and I can forward any emails that come to me: michelle.went@lism.catholic.edu.au

There is also an excellent opportunity for a Trainee Salesperson with Northern Rivers Meats:

We are searching for aspiring Salespeople, who have a drive to challenge themselves and would like to learn the ropes of the meat trade industry.

Northern Rivers Meats is part of the wider Casino Food Co-op Group and works in conjunction with the Casino and Booyong production facilities to deliver high quality meat products to its customers. 

Northern Rivers Meats has an exciting opportunity for a driven individual to learn the ropes of the business as a Trainee Salesperson. The role is a permanent, full-time position that will report to the General Manager – Northern Rivers Meats. Ideally, we are looking for an enthusiastic individual who has a passion for Sales and would like to take the first steps in their Sales career. The role will involve building relationships with customers and growing the business as you learn about meat products and the meat industry. Although helpful, knowledge of the meat industry is not necessary, provided you are willing to learn and take this in your stride.  

The main duties and responsibilities of this role will include: 

• Provide exceptional customer service – Answering calls and responding to sales enquiries in a timely manner

• Data entry and maintaining current records in Company databases 

• General administration duties and sales order processing

• Promptly resolving customer concerns and escalating issues as required

• Developing a strong knowledge of the products offered through Northern Rivers Meats

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• A friendly demeanour, well-developed interpersonal skills and the ability to engage with customers

• A keen interest in Sales or Meat Processing

• Willingness to obtain AUS-MEAT qualifications

• Sound computer skills and the ability to learn new systems

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• An enthusiastic attitude and a willingness to learn and challenge yourself

To apply for this exciting and rewarding opportunity, please apply online through SEEK or e-mail your resume and cover letter to recruitment@cassino.com.au

Applications close Friday, 8 April 2022

If I can assist with writing a resume and cover letter, please let me know.

Michelle Went
Leader of Careers

From the Leader of Library and Resources

Blind Date with a Book
We have just finished running Blind Date with a Book for another year. Students chose books where they could not see the cover only a brief description. Some students found they were reading genres that were new to them and enjoying them. This was lovely to see.

Premiers Reading Challenge
As outlined in the previous Newsletter, Premiers Reading Challenge for 2022 has now commenced.

This is an excellent opportunity for students who enjoy reading to explore a range of books and expand their reading repertoire. We have 100’s of books from the Premiers Reading Challenge list to choose from. If you have a son/daughter who is in Years 7-10 and does enjoy reading, please encourage them to have a go and challenge themselves, even if they don’t ‘finish’. As T.S. Eliot once stated; It’s the Journey and not the destination that matters... much will be gained along the way.

Happy Reading.

Bev Champion
Leader of Library and Resources

From the Literacy Coach and The Leader of Learning - Numeracy

As mentioned in the Week 5 Newsletter, all Year 7 and 9 students will participate in NAPLAN practice on the 24 and 25 March to prepare the students for the formal NAPLAN tests in May.  These practice tests are a valuable opportunity for students to experience the online platform and in particular this year to experience new changes to the online platform.

Traditionally the College would host a Parent Evening to outline what NAPLAN is, the importance of the testing and a brief overview of the online NAPLAN platform tailored testing component.  Due to the devastating impact of the recent natural disaster on our communities, we will communicate similar information via the Newsletter, the Skoolbag App and email.  If anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the College to speak with either Kelly Winters (Literacy Coach) or Mark Chivers (Leader of Learning - Numeracy) as we will be organising the NAPLAN testing.

NAPLAN tests the sorts of skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life, such as:

• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Grammar and
• Numeracy

It is very important to remember that NAPLAN is not about passing or failing, but about assessing learning progress.  This valuable information allows for additional intervention if necessary to ensure your child progresses at a rate where they can fully participate in all aspects of the curriculum.

The online nature of NAPLAN allows the students greater engagement with assessment. Tailored testing gives students questions better suited to their achievement level, resulting in better assessment and more precise results.  This also means results should be available within weeks, rather than months.  Accessing results faster allows teachers to identify learning priorities earlier and tailor teaching more specifically to students’ needs.

Public Demonstration Site - provides students with the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the types of questions and related functionalities available in the online NAPLAN assessment.  We encourage all students to use this resource in preparation for both the practice and formal tests.

NAPLAN Practice Tests
When: Thursday, 24 & Friday, 25 March 2022
Who: All Year 7 & Year 9
What: 45 min Omnibus Test and 42 Min Writing Test
- The Omnibus test is a combination of reading, conventions of language and numeracy 
questions
- Students MUST bring headphones, a pen or pencil and a reading book to each test
Why: Students to familiarise themselves with the online platform
Students who have previously experienced the online platform will experience the new 
changes

For more information about NAPLAN:

• See also Parent/Carer Support
• NAPLAN Frequently asked questions
• Subscribe to ACARA’s monthly e-newsletter, Parent Update
• Video Clip: Understanding NAPLAN Online
• Contact Kelly Winters or Mark Chivers at the College

More information is to come in the following weeks.

Kelly Winters & Mark Chivers
Literacy Coach & Leader of Learning - Numeracy

From the Leader of Learning - Inclusion & Diversity

Goori Careers Action Plans - GCAP
Our ATSI students are working on these plans. The Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Office is committed to improving the educational outcomes of  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. It is important that staff, parents/carers and students work together to identify and support the individual and cultural needs of students.  

The Personal Learning Plan (PLP) has been renamed as the Goori Careers Action Plan (GCAP) and aligns with National Education recommendations from the Alice Springs Mparntwe Education Declaration. 

The GCAP is a requirement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and aims to be  inclusive of all students, whether on or off country. It is hoped the new format encourages positive partnerships between the student, the families and the school, acknowledging the importance of each student’s story. 

Disability Provisions – HSC Examinations
HSC 2022 Parents and Students 
This information is for students in Year 11 and 12 who will be sitting HSC exams in 2022.

Disability provisions in the HSC are practical arrangements designed to help students who couldn't otherwise make a fair attempt to show what they know in an exam room.

The provisions granted are solely determined by how the student’s exam performance is affected by their diagnosed disability. Provisions may include braille papers, large-print papers, use of a reader and/or writer, or rest breaks.

The College would like to lodge student applications with the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) by the end of this term. To start this process, please obtain a ‘Disability Provisions - HSC Examinations 2022 form’ from the College Office. Due to the recent events, the date for the form to be returned has been extended to the end of Term 1. 

When this information is provided the next step is to determine what evidence will be required for the application. This could involve a reading and spelling assessment, a letter from a doctor and/or sample essays. It is the parent’s responsibility to provide medical reports for disabilities such as Anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Further information can be found at: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/disability-provisions

Once NESA has made a decision about which provisions are approved or declined, a decision letter is provided to the College. The college will provide the family with a copy of the letter. Many families request extra time for their child. Please note that for disabilities such as Anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorder the students may receive separate supervision and time to rest, not extra time to complete the exam. During this rest time the student must turn over or close their examination questions and answers booklet, must not read, write or make notes, may stretch, move, rest or refocus in their seat. During the rest break, the timing of the examination stops and then restarts when they continue with the exam. Further information about rest breaks can be found at:
http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/disability-provisions/provisions/rest-breaks 

If your child is approved to access a reader or writer for their examination please note that it is a student in Year 10 who will be their support person.

For further information please contact Kelly Scurr, Leader of Learning Inclusion and Diversity.

Kelly Scurr
Leader of Learning - Inclusion & Diversity

From the Sports Coordinator - External

Upcoming Dates
Week 9
Monday, 21 March - Dio Touch Football Trials (U15/Open) at Toormina

Week 10
Monday, 28 March - NRCC Netball (U14/U16) at Tweed Heads

Week 11
Wednesday, 6 April - Bill Turner Cup (U15 Boys Soccer) - Rd 1: Away vs Casino Christian College

Wednesday, 6 April -  NSWCCC Swimming Championships

Diocesan Swimming Carnival
Twelve students represented SMCC at the Lismore Diocesan Swimming Carnival held in Coffs Harbour on Tuesday. Having not been able to hold our College Swimming Carnival due to the flood, we relied on only the serious competitors to self-nominate by submitting their recent times for consideration. For this reason, we did not have the number of students attend the Dio Carnival that we have seen in previous years, however the twelve that did compete were outstanding representatives of our College.

We had a number of outstanding results, with three students qualifying for the NSWCCC Swimming Championships at Homebush on Wednesday, 6 April. Congratulations to:

• Hayden Griffin - Year 7
• Elle Hannigan - Year 9
• Clayton Wilkinson - Year 10

A full list of our students' results will be published once they become available.

Thank you to all parents who organised transport and assisted with timekeeping on the day.

Mike Ryan
Sports Coordinator - External

From the Sports Coordinator - Internal

Term 1 Weekly School Sport
Weekly school sport has had some ups and downs this Term with a lot of inconsistency due to the weather. Unfortunately due to the recent floods, the Casino Indoor Sports Stadium will be out of action for the remainder of the term. This means that students in Years 8, 9 and 10 that chose futsal or basketball will be required to participate in an alternative sport, at no cost, for the rest of the Term. All other weekly school sports will operate as normal, dependent on the weather and the condition of Colley Park.

Term 2 Weekly School Sport
Preparation for Thursday sport for Term 2 is currently underway, awaiting the outcome of the Casino Indoor Stadium’s availability due to flood damage and confirmation of prices from vendors.

As it stands, the sports that will be on offer for students to choose next Term are:

Year 7 & Year 8

• Golf 
• Lawn Bowls 
• Tennis 
• Archery
• AFL 
• Netball 
• Soccer 
• Walking 

Year 9 & Year 10

• Gym
• Basketball
• European Handball
• Tennis
• Rugby
• Netball
• League Tag
• Walking

Students will be asked to fill out a google form to select their top four preferences once vendors have confirmed in the next couple of weeks.

Andrew Fitness
Sports Coordinator - Internal

Lions Youth of the Year

Congratulations to Nick Carey (Year 11) for winning the Public Speaking section of the Regional Youth of the Year competition held in Ballina last Saturday afternoon.

Nick completed a 30 minute interview with three judges in the morning. In the afternoon he had to respond to two impromptu questions (two minute response time) and present his 5 minute prepared speech on ‘Critical Thinking’ before an audience of 50 people.

Stephen Humphrys
Teacher

Vaccinations

New dates have been arranged for the school vaccination program.

Year 7 (1st dose) - Wednesday, 25 May
Year 10 - Wednesday, 8 June
Year 7 (2nd dose) - Wednesday, 30 November

Canteen

Volunteers
We are looking for volunteers to assist in the Canteen. Please contact the Canteen via the College office if you are available at any time to help.

Flexischools
Flexischools is a well-established organisation allowing you to easily place all your canteen orders online at any time.

Download the Flexischools app from the App store or Google Play. Click here for details on how to set up your account. 

Once registered, you can start placing orders immediately.

Please note that sushi orders will need to be placed before Tuesday afternoon at 1pm as Sushi will only be available for Wednesday orders.

There is a charge of $0.29 per order for using this service.

If you have any questions, please contact the Flexischools Customer Service Team via their website contact page.

The normal process of ordering from the canteen (cash, eftpos, morning lunch orders) is still available.

Uniform Shop

Uniform Shop Opening Hours
Tuesdays         3.15pm to 5.00pm
Thursdays        2.00pm to 5.00pm

Payments of cash, cheque or EFTPOS are welcome.

Orders can also be placed via the Flexischools service. No fees are charged to families for using this service.

Please note the following information for orders made via this service:

Tuesday Orders
- Cut off time is 12noon on Monday
- Pick up available from the College office on Tuesday afternoon from 3.30pm - 5.00pm

Thursday Orders
- Cut off time is 12noon on Wednesday 
- Pick up available from the College office on Thursday afternoon from 3.30pm - 5.00pm.

Orders not collected will be given to the student the following day to take home.

Whilst all care will be taken to ensure that stock availability is correct at the time of ordering, there may be some items that are not in stock at the time of packing the online orders. In this case, you will be contacted to advise of an estimated time of arrival for new stock of that item or given the option of a refund processed through Flexischools.

All uniform shop order enquiries can be emailed to: cash-uniform@lism.catholic.edu.au

Second Hand Uniforms

Sustainable School Shop is an online shop dedicated to buying and selling of second hand uniforms. For more information ring 1300683337 or visit www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au.

 Please note that this facility is available for use with the new College uniforms only.