Newsletter - T1W10 - 1/4/22

From the Principal

It is my sincere hope that this newsletter finds you all safe and well after a very turbulent and in some cases, devastating 5 weeks. The term ‘unprecedented’ has been used to describe many situations over the last 3 years but is the best way to describe what the community has been going through over and over again. It says a lot about our community that after bushfires (2019), the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 - 2022), and now a flooding event which is outside recorded history (2022), that we keep getting up and facing the challenges head on, looking towards the future with resilience and a ‘can do’ attitude.

I have personally born witness to the resilience of our community as my beautiful little town of Coraki was devastated in the natural disaster of 5 weeks ago. The outpouring of help and love from friends and strangers alike has been completely overwhelming and humbling. I am truly grateful and sincere in my thanks to all whom have reached out to me personally, and to others who have been impacted by the events of the last few weeks. My thanks to Nadine Connolly, Clare Axman and all of the staff who have stepped up and kept the College running so smoothly during my unexpected absence. 

For some students and families, the recent flooding event will have impacts which may be felt for significant periods of time. I encourage you to contact the College if you feel as though your child may need help to cope with the trauma that they may now have. 

I would like to finish with the following which I believe sums up the strength and resilience of our community: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Best wishes for a restful and rejuvenating Easter season.

Tracy Robinson
Principal

Upcoming Dates

Week 11
Tuesday, 5 April and Wednesday, 6 April - Brainstorm Productions
Wednesday, 6 April - Bill Turner Trophy (U15 Girls Soccer) - Rd 1: Away vs Casino High
Wednesday, 6 April - NSWCCC Swimming Championships
Friday, 8 April - White Card Training
Friday, 8 April - Last day of Term 1

Term 2 - Week 1
Monday, 25 April - ANZAC day - 5.30am Dawn Service at the Mafeking lamp
Tuesday, 25 April - ANZAC day - 10.15am ANZAC day march - meet at the Graham Place
Tuesday, 26 April - Student Free Day
Wednesday, 27 April - First day of Term 2 for students
Wednesday, 27 April to Friday, 29 April - Preliminary Exams
Wednesday, 27 April - ANZAC day liturgy
Wednesday, 27 April - Dio Football Trials (Open Boys/Girls)
Thursday, 28 April - Dio Tennis Championships
Friday, 29 April - Bill Turner Cup (U15 Boys Soccer) - Rd 1: Away vs Casino Christian

Parish Mass Times

Weekend Mass
6 pm (Sat) & 8 am (Sun)

Mass ONLINE

Weekdays
Monday 9.00am
Tuesday 8.00am
Wednesday  8.00am
Thursday 9.00am
Friday 9.00am
Saturday  9.00am

Reconciliation
Saturday 8.30 am - 9.00 am

Country Mass
Sunday, 3 April - Bonalbo 10.30am

From the Assistant Principal - Mission

This weekend, the second reading is something I think we can relate to. In Phil 3:14, Jesus says “I press on toward the goal”. For us today, coming to terms with another strong weather event, we must remind ourselves that we are always moving forward, whether we move by millimetres or by leaps and bounds. 

I want to thank everyone for the messages and support we as a College have received over the past month. I am truly grateful to be a member of this community.

Pastoral Care
As this term comes to an end, we want to ensure all students end this difficult term in the best way possible. We know that many in our community are struggling and as we walk this journey together, we need to remember the human face of each person we encounter, our students, our teachers, our staff, our parents, our families. 

Uniform
If your family is in need of donated uniforms, please don’t hesitate to contact me at the College. We are in a position to assist in sourcing uniforms if required. 

Haircuts
Over the holidays, many students will have the opportunity to get their haircut. Please be sure to have read the uniform rules found in the College planner regarding haircuts. Any student with an inappropriate haircut at the College will be sent home to have it corrected.

Nose Piercings
A reminder to parents that nose piercings are not included in the College uniform and grooming policy. If a student gets a piercing, they will not be able to wear it to school. We also understand piercings take 6 weeks to heal, it is for this reason, if a student gets this piercing, we recommend they do it over the Summer holidays, not the two week break between terms. 

I pray you have a blessed, holy and safe holiday at the end of week 11. 

Clare Axman
Assistant Principal - Mission

From the Leader of Curriculum

Assessment Tasks at SMCC
Formal assessment provides opportunities to gather evidence about student achievement of syllabus outcomes, whilst also allowing feedback to students to improve their learning. Assessment is an important component of any school’s learning and teaching cycle.

Year 11 & 12 (Stage 6)
Whilst the recent floods have resulted in the College having to abandon most of the assessment tasks for Term 1, Preliminary exams will still be held in Week 1 of Term 2. These exams are important for Stage 6 students to ensure:

• practice in sitting for formal exams that last more than one hour
• testing in a formal setting that safeguards the reliability and validity of the data acquired.

Any Stage 6 student that knows in advance that they will be away for any of the exams in Week 1 will need to complete a Variation of Assessment form. This needs to be signed by a parent/guardian and accompanied by a Medical Certificate or other valid documentation explaining any absence in line with NESA rules. Please note that this is only an application and does not guarantee that an 'extension' will be granted. They may collect these forms directly from me.

If a student is unexpectedly absent on the day of an exam, the College office needs to be notified so that arrangements can be made for catching up. All students are expected to catch up on any missed exams immediately upon their return to school.

An exam timetable will be made available by Monday, 4 April.

Year 7 - 10
Similarly to the Stage 6 assessment program changes, students in Year 7 - 10 will have missed out on some key assessment tasks in Term 1. Whilst each teacher has endeavoured to gather data on students’ progress and provide them with feedback, we will need to return to formal assessment tasks next term.  Semester 1 Exams will be held in Week 4, Term 2, for many junior subjects. An exam timetable will be provided by Week 3 of next Term.

Absences from these exams are to be treated the same as for Stage 6 students (see above).

Stage 6 Transition to HSC course
The events of this term have had a significant impact on our young people, not least their learning and teaching.  A particular concern of mine, as the Leader of Curriculum, is the negative impact on the Preliminary courses and how this might make itself felt in the HSC courses. In order to move forward together and best support our students,  I would like to highlight the following:

• For most subjects, the content and skills covered in the Preliminary HSC courses are prerequisites for the HSC equivalent.
• As a consequence, the skills and knowledge covered in Preliminary courses are assumed knowledge for the HSC and in some cases can be examined directly in this year’s HSC exams e.g. in Mathematics Advanced.
• The loss of teaching time due to interruptions means that it is even more important for students to engage with tasks that are not formally assessed. I am referring to tasks such as practice essays, practice write-ups in the Sciences or answering HSC style questions for homework and submitting ALL of these tasks for feedback from the teacher. A failure to do this will lead to poorer school marks and HSC exam results which in turn will ensure a year with a bad start will actualise into one with a bad ending as well. It does not have to be this way. With the support of one another we can bring our students home strong.

Late in Term 3, all schools have to submit their marks for every student in their various subjects to NESA. Ultimately,  it is not the students’ marks that NESA are primarily concerned with,  but rather their RANKS. As a consequence, EVERY student must ensure they try their very best to get the highest rank possible in their school based assessments, and up to and including their Trial HSC exams in Week 6 of Term 3. However, once that final mark is set, students should give their all to ensure that a cohort’s average mark is as high as possible in the HSC exam. This can be achieved through collaboration with each other e.g. a more knowledgeable student explaining a difficult concept to a student that has been struggling.

Michael Woerner
Leader of Curriculum

From the Leader of Pedagogy

SRC news - National Day of Action against Bullying
Friday, 18 March saw St Mary’s Catholic College Casino come together to promote awareness around Bullying and promote a culture of kindness. The SRC provided students with the opportunity to write affirmations that were then put in a paper chain and displayed in the College throughout Week 9. The College bully mascot, Frank, who has only come out of his shell since 2018 on Bullying, No Way! Day made an appearance and provided photo opportunities. The Captains’ Council then hosted the College assembly on Wednesday with a theme of kindness. Students were presented with two videos encouraging them to Be Kind Online, and on anonymous accounts and cyberbullying. The College is proud to join with hundreds of other schools across the country as part of the National Day of Action against bullying and violence. Thank you to all students and staff who took part on the day, or in assembly, and who work to spread a #KindnessCulture. 

My New Gallery

Co-teaching at SMCC
As our College prepares for the opening of our new state of the art building, many of our staff are embracing opportunities to try different pedagogies to allow St Mary’s Catholic College students learning that achieves the critical skills in education: communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. Mathematics, PDHPE, Religious Education and HSIE have many staff co-teaching, where two or more teachers bring together their classes to allow students learning opportunities with two experts in the room, and to create a culture of learning with their peers. I have had the pleasure of working with Mr Bailey Veitch with 7N and 7W HSIE, and in the images below students can be seen using Oreos to learn about the processes of plate tectonics in Mr Veitch’s lesson.

Dana Barnsley
Leader of Pedagogy

From the Leader of Careers

I hope you have all been keeping safe, dry & well in these continued troubling times. Despite the challenges in our region, there continues to be opportunities for work, particularly for our young people.

I have emailed information directly to students about the following positions but here is a quick list of links if any of these opportunities may be suitable to your child.

Apprentice mechanics - Frizelle Sunshine Automotive (Lismore & Ballina)
https://au.jora.com/job/Apprentice-Mechanic-fb07c1bbf2d4d1f80f1d00b68a066d38?alert_id=email-alert-daily-27485253-20220330&qd=eyJxIjoiQXBwcmVudGljZXNoaXAiLCJsIjoiTGlzbW9yZSBOU1ciLCJsaWQiOm51bGx9&sp=alert&sponsored=false&sr=1&alid=FZYo6Gbhc3Mn8uXT8nDH&hu=1&recommended_only=false&utm_campaign=job_alerts&utm_medium=email&utm_source=jobseeker_emails

Legal Receptionist - Hannigans Solicitors, Casino
https://au.jora.com/job/Legal-Receptionist-0197bf78db30a5a5328d62f5c2090d16?from_url=https%3A%2F%2Fau.jora.com%2Fj%3Fl%3DCasino%2BNSW%26q%3DHannigans%26sp%3Dhomepage&sl=Casino+NSW&sol_srt=cc2ce569-9bc4-4c92-8d3a-aeed2c38af9d&sp=serp&sponsored=false&sq=Hannigans&sr=1&tk=2wnHRiEG3Cxr7PLF3GhU-G0e3krH4BUjysjz_huLT

Tyre fitter - Tyrepower Lismore
https://au.jora.com/job/Tyre-Fitter-6b56469e181eeb28be51bc9f1cb2823d?from_url=https%3A%2F%2Fau.jora.com%2Fj%3Fl%3DLismore%2BNSW%26q%3DTyrepower%26sp%3Djobs&sl=Lismore+NSW&sol_srt=e4223305-a311-4c85-8466-dbdb1cc9462f&sp=serp&sponsored=false&sq=Tyrepower&sr=1&tk=1CQQSjkQjvvJIsdKzAXx-KNWReNiFNvW6SZLiyW0D

Chris Burley Constructions - various apprenticeships / roles
️POSITION AVAILABLE️
The team at Chris Burley Constructions is looking to expand.

We are flexible on the role that the applicant may fill, depending on your level of experience and what you can provide to our team. 

Applicants must show dedication and enthusiasm in further developing their career in the trade. We are looking for a worker who is punctual, reliable, able to work in a fast paced environment and eager to learn new things to best fit in with and compliment our team in providing the best building services. 

To apply, please email: cburleyconstructions@hotmail.com

Trainee Refrigeration Engine Drivers / Boiler Operators (Casino Food Co-op)
https://au.jora.com/job/Trainee-Refrigeration-Engine-Driver-65c8489546531534f68bf9e3e637f555?from_url=https%3A%2F%2Fau.jora.com%2Fj%3Fl%3DCasino%2BNSW%26q%3DTrainee%2Brefrigeration%26sp%3Djobs&sl=Casino+NSW&sol_srt=be9cbc78-dff9-4f2b-a182-0ac1bdc1991c&sp=serp&sponsored=false&sq=Trainee+refrigeration&sr=1&tk=b9kn_putqOj175wMLpIV-zYhotO5sBWnqOTN8iTxR

Cert III Early Childhood Traineeship (Friends Childcare, St Vincent’s Hospital, Lismore)
https://au.jora.com/job/Certificate-III-Early-Childhood-Education-Traineeship-f79e73ce32a73d06d11e8a78abba0618?from_url=https%3A%2F%2Fau.jora.com%2Fj%3Fl%3DLismore%2BNSW%26q%3DTrainee%2Bchildcare%26sp%3Djobs&sl=Lismore+NSW&sol_srt=7ae3879c-fd65-4ad8-89a3-232092e47390&sp=serp&sponsored=false&sq=Trainee+childcare&sr=1&tk=X2YD9RDMsC0PvnCXcP_h-jTw_Qc4NxvPsxya_v1o5

 I am always happy to assist any student in their application for a suitable position. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or require further assistance: michelle.went@lism.catholic.edu.au

Michelle Went
Leader of Careers

From the Leader of Learning - Inclusion and Diversity

A webinar focussing on supporting children, young people and adults impacted by the floods is being offered by headspace Schools for parents and carers living in areas of Northern NSW.

Kristen Douglas, National Manager and Head of headspace Schools, will provide parents and carers with practical skills for understanding typical stress responses, how to respond and tips for self-care. 

There is no cost to attend the webinar. Further information is available via the attached flyer.

Please stay safe and take care at this time.

Kelly Scurr
Leader of Learning - Inclusion and Diversity

From the Sports Coordinator - External

Upcoming Dates
Term 1 Week 11
Wednesday, 6 April - Bill Turner Trophy (U15 Girls Soccer) - Rd 1: Away vs Casino High
Wednesday, 6 April - NSWCCC Swimming Championships

Term 2 Week 1
Wednesday, 27 April - Dio Football Trials (Open Boys/Girls)
Thursday, 28 April - Dio Tennis Championships
Friday, 29 April - Bill Turner Cup (U15 Boys Soccer) - Rd 1: Away vs Casino Christian

Term 2 Week 2
Thursday, 5 May - NRCC Rugby League (U14/U16 Boys)

Diocesan Swimming Carnival Results
In last fortnight’s newsletter, I mentioned that we had a number of outstanding results at the recent Dio Swimming Carnival, however I was awaiting the official results before I published them. Please see the attached file for a full list of our students’ results.

Dio Swimming Results 2022

A whopping nineteen College records were set at the meet. Clay Wilkinson (Year 10) had an exceptional day out, setting a new College record in each of the ten events he competed in. A truly remarkable achievement.

I am pleased to announce that Hayden Griffin (Year 7) was crowned the U13 Boys Age Champion. Elle Hannigan (Year 9) and Clay Wilkinson were each runners up in their respective age championships.

We wish Clay, Elle and Hayden all the best as they head off to the NSWCCC Swimming Championships at SOPAC next week.

Student Achievements
Kali Ainsworth - Rugby
Congratulations to Kali Ainsworth (Year 11) who was recently selected in the Queensland Reds U18 Youth Women's Rugby Union Team. Having only recently turned 16, this is a true testament to Kali’s ability. She will now compete against the NSW Waratahs and ACT Brumbies U18 sides in the coming weeks. 

Hayden Griffin - Swimming
Congratulations to Hayden Griffin (Year 7) who recently competed at the NSW Junior State Age Swimming Championships at SOPAC. Hayden had three events, recording a PB and finishing inside the top 20 in each of them.

NSWCCC Trials
A reminder to all students and parents to check the CSNSW Sport portal (https://csnsw.sport/) if you have any interest in nominating for a NSWCCC trial. Sports with upcoming closing dates that may be of interest are:

• AFL (U15 Boys/Girls) - Nominations close Friday 22 April, 2022
• Basketball (Open Boys/Girls) - Nominations close Friday 22 April, 2022
• Football (U16 Boys) - Nominations close Tuesday 26 April, 2022
• Netball (U15/U18 Girls) - Nominations close Friday 22 April, 2022
• Rugby 7’s (U18 Girls) - Nominations close Friday 8 April, 2022
• Rugby Union (U16/U18 Boys) - Nominations close Friday 8 April, 2022

Please be aware that these are NSWCCC trials with students nominating individually to trial against other students within the Catholic school system from across NSW. Parents are responsible for organising all travel and accommodation arrangements for NSWCCC trials.

Mike Ryan
Sports Coordinator - External

From the Sports Coordinator - Internal

Thursday sport for term 2 will continue to consist of Stage 4 students having sport in the morning during periods 1 and 2, whilst Stage 5 students will have sport in the afternoons during periods 5 and 6.

Next week, students will have the opportunity to elect which sporting activity they would like to participate in for the duration of term 2. 

Upon venue confirmations, some planned sports for term 2 (as per the last newsletter) have changed.

Please see the details below regarding the sports available for selection in term 2, for each year group:

Year 7 & 8
Archery
Where: Queen Elizabeth Park
Cost: $4 per week

Lawn Bowls
Where: RSM
Cost: $2 per week

Tennis
Where: Casino Tennis Courts
Cost: $4 per week

Basketball
Where: SMCC Relihan Centre
Cost: Nil

AFL
Where: Colley Park
Cost: Nil

Netball
Where: SMCC 
Cost: Nil

Rugby
Where: Colley Park
Cost: Nil 

Table Tennis
Where: SMCC Parish Hall
Cost: Nil

Year 9 & 10

Gym
Where: Casino Health Clubs
Cost: $5 per week

Tennis
Where: Casino Tennis Courts
Cost: $4 per week

Rugby
Where: Colley Park
Cost: Nil

Basketball
Where: SMCC Relihan Centre
Cost: Nil

Pilates/Yoga
Where: SMCC
Cost: Nil 

Netball
Where: SMCC 
Cost: Nil

League Tag
Where: Colley Park 
Cost: Nil

Table Tennis
Where: SMCC Parish Hall
Cost: Nil

If you have any questions, please speak to Mr Fitness.

Andrew Fitness
Sports Coordinator - Internal

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.

Mental Health First Aid Support course for 14-18yr olds

Vanessa Mitchell will present a free course specifically for this age group on Wednesday, 11 May from 4.00p.m. to 9.00pm at Casino Scout Hall, 34 Pratt St., Casino. Vanessa is a highly experienced presenter who can relate very effectively to teenagers. She is also a stand-up comedian professionally and able to use humour to lighten difficult subjects.

The stresses of the last two years, including bushfires, the pandemic and recent flooding, have impacted everyone. Mental health first aid is a means by which we can offer support to those who are struggling. It provides the skills to recognise the symptoms and guides to support services.

This course is provided under the Commonwealth Government’s Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience program. Casino Scout Group was successful in receiving a grant to offer the course free to participants, who can be any young people from the Richmond Valley local government area. It is presented in the informal setting of the Scout Hall, with dinner and refreshments provided. Resources will be included. There is a limit of 20 participants.