Newsletter T2W2 - 6/5/22

From the Principal

Welcome back to Term 2. Our annual Open Evening held on Monday was another great night with hundreds of prospective parents and students taking the formal opportunity to ‘check out’ our school community. I was particularly impressed, as always, with the number of current students who remained behind to help assist staff with the various displays and tours. Our students and staff made our College proud. These events do not just come together and I need to especially thank our front office staff, our caterers and our groundsmen - Mr Paul Lyons and Mr Matthew Short for their behind the scenes contribution to this night. Should you know anyone with a child entering Year 7 in 2023 who has yet to make an interview time, please encourage them to contact us and we will forward information to them ASAP. 

I remind all parents and students of our Winter Uniform guidelines, which are clearly outlined in the College Planner. Senior boys wear formal uniform, including ties, for the months of June, July and August. ALL students must also ensure that they are wearing a College cardigan (girls only) or College jacket (unisex). Senior students also have the option of their Senior Jersey. These are the only winter uniform items permitted and students who wear alternate items will be asked to remove them. I thank you, in advance, for your cooperation here.

In curriculum news, our Senior students started the HSC component of their respective courses on Monday, having completed their end of Preliminary exams last week. Students in Years 7-10 will also be busy in class preparing for their end of Semester 1 exams in Week 4. There seems to be no end to the busyness of the school year.

Upcoming Events

• NAPLAN - Week 3 and Week 4. This involves all students in Year 7 and 9
• PRIMEX - at the end of Week 4. Our Year 9 and 10 Agriculture Elective students will be attending and representing our College at this iconic event.
• Exams - for all students in Years 7-10. These will be held during Week 4 - from Monday, 16 May.
• The Beef Cup - This has become a tradition on Beef Week Thursday (26 May) for St Mary’s to play Casino High School in various events. Go the Saints.
• Beef Day - 27 May. This is a whole school day dedicated to all things Beef. Students will be involved in alternative activities and will be allowed to sign out at lunchtime as has been the customary practice over the last few years.  There will be a note going home regarding Beef Week activities shortly.

One of the more contentious of the above events is NAPLAN which will be held at the College, and across the nation, during Week 3 and Week 4. While this external testing does give the College valuable information which helps us identify areas of excellence and for improvement, it does not show the whole picture of a students learning and educational experience. Unfortunately some students may feel some level of anxiety or concern going into these tests. I can only say that Naplan does not assess all of what makes each student exceptional and unique. My advice to all is to go into the exam with a positive attitude, try your best, and trust in yourselves. 

Finally, on behalf of the entire College community I would like to offer condolences to Jacob Toohey (Year 12) on the death of his Grandmother. May she rest in peace.

Best wishes for the next fortnight

Tracy Robinson
Principal

Upcoming Dates

Week 3
Monday, 9 May - Year 7 (2023) Enrolment Forms due
Tuesday, 10 May - Friday, 20 May - NAPLAN window
Thursday, 12 May - SMCC Cross Country
Friday, 13 May - Bill Turner Cup - U15 Boys Rd 2
Friday, 13 May - Bill Turner Trophy - U15 Girls Rd 2
Friday, 13 may - Kyogle Writers Festival Excursion

Week 4
Monday, 16 May - Friday, 20 May - NAPLAN Window
Monday, 16 May - Friday, 20 May - Year 7-10 Exams
Monday, 16 May - Friday, 20 May - Minimum Standards Window
Thursday, 19 May - Friday, 20 May - LEAD Conference
Friday, 20 May - Dio Cross Country
Friday, 20 May - Primex Field Day

Parish Mass Times

WEEKEND MASS
5 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 8.30am - 9.00am

COUNTRY MASS
10.30am Tabulam (8 May)

Masks are recommended in the Church

From the Assistant Principal - Mission

In the Church readings this weekend, the “disciples are filled with joy and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52) as they spread to the Gospel across many lands. This week we are reminded that as disciples ourselves, we too are filled with joy of the Gospel and this is shared to everyone we encounter. At St Mary’s, we strive for all students to find joy in their activities. Joy through their learning, sporting endeavours and friendships. 

We thank all the students who attended the Anzac Day ceremonies in our region last week. We had a strong representation at both the Dawn Service as well as the 10am Commemoration. All students who attended will be awarded House Points.

It was fantastic to see the joy on the faces of our students as they welcomed parents and visitors to the College on Monday evening for Open Night. It was a great community event which we look forward to repeating once the new building is open. 

Senior Retreat Day
Our senior students had a fantastic day at Windara this week. They were able to spend some time together building friendships and strengthening the House family. 

Mothers Day
This weekend we celebrate and give thanks for all the women who gave us life. Mother’s Day is an opportunity for us to remember and honour our mothers for their kindness, selflessness and generosity. As we celebrate these women, we pray together as a faith community and acknowledge this gift that God has given to us. All year 8 students attended our Parish Mass today in honour of our mothers, aunts, grandmothers and all significant women in their lives. 

Camp Kokoda - Year 9
Notes for Year 9 Camp were distributed at the end of last term. Please ensure notes are returned as soon as possible. It is a fantastic opportunity for our young people. The feedback following Kokoda is always overwhelmingly positive.

Beef Week
In the next few days, students will be bringing home notes for Beef Day. This is a fun day held at the College which celebrates our community spirit and brings us altogether. Students will have the option to participate in fun, free events as well paying to be able to have some fun in sideshow alley.

Clare Axman
Assistant Principal - Mission

From the Leader of Pedagogy

Studiosity
In 2022, our Year 10 and HSC students will have free access to the study support platform, Studiosity, with thanks to University of Sydney Schools Program. Studiosity is homework and study help, after school hours, from subject specialists. There are two core services students can use:

• Writing Feedback: Students can upload any written document or draft assignment, and receive feedback that helps them think about and review their own work.
• Connect Live: Students can ask a question or draw a diagram and get immediate help via live chat with a qualified Subject Specialist, across all core subjects (English, Maths, Science, and more). 

Students also have access to over 750 practice tests and downloadable worksheets within their Studiosity accounts. 

This resource has shown to improve students’ confidence and self-efficacy, and I strongly urge all parents to remind students that Studiosity’s on-demand assistance is available to them for help outside of school hours this year.

Students log in free at: studiosity.com/access

SMCC Staff site tour
On the first day back this term, together with Term 2 planning and undertaking online Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training with Your Mob, staff had the opportunity to have their first peek inside the new school building. Under the guidance of site foreman Michael O’Connor, small groups undertook a tour. 

Staff are really excited at the opportunities for learning and teaching the new site will offer our students. Wet labs, stand up labs, a depth study room for Science, Learning Commons, outdoor learning areas, learning stairs and booths are just the beginning. And the taste of what is in store onsite last Tuesday has just made us even more excited for the building’s completion.

Dana Barnsley
Leader of Pedagogy

From the Leader of Pastoral Care

Teens and smartphones: Finding the balance
Our College staff and parents have been invited to join a webinar featuring Dr. Jean Twenge, the author of iGen and Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University on 19 May.

The presentation will feature a variety of academics, artists and authors, all with the same common goals as the College and parents, to highlight the benefits of phone-free spaces, so we can all ‘Be Here Now’. 

If you are interested you can register by clicking on the link below.

Click this link to register

Tip sheets for Term 2
We have certainly had an interesting start to our school year with the events of Term 1. Included in this first newsletter for Term 2 are some tip sheets developed by the Catholic Schools Office in collaboration with the Family Partnership team which might help you with assisting your child with a smooth start to this new term.

Michele McCaffery
Leader of Pastoral Care

From the Leader of Library and Resources

Parent Collection of Library Books
The P&F have put together a fabulous collection of books on parenting to support this very rewarding and often very challenging time in our lives. Books from the Parent Collection are available for loan through the College Front Office.

One of our new books The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers by Gary Chapman, continues the philosophy of all his books in the series, where 5 preferences for giving and receiving love have been identified, and tips for using these as a basis to build relationships have been identified. 

The five languages identified include; words of affirmation, physical touch, quality time, acts of service and gifts. The book helps parents identify one’s primary love language in order to support relationships between a parent and their teenage children. The book also gives insight into the emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual development of a teenageer and the importance of parental love at this time. Strategies for connection and support, listening, managing anger and a teenagers desire for independence have been explored in the book along with tips for a variety of families.

If you are interested in this book or others from the collection, please borrow through the College Office. 

Bev Champion
Leader of Library and Resources

From the Literacy Coach and The Leader of Learning - Numeracy

NAPLAN - Years 7 and 9 
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment of literacy and numeracy skills. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual tests in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. All NSW schools will sit NAPLAN online in 2022.

Our school will be participating in NAPLAN between 10 and 20 May 2022. 

In preparation for NAPLAN, our school participated in practice tests on Thursday, 24 March 2022. The practise test were a trial run and a key preparation activity for NAPLAN in Week 3. It is was an opportunity for students to familiarise themselves with the platform and the tools they can engage with to do their best.

In preparing for NAPLAN students can use the public demonstration site (https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site) to familiarise themselves with the types of questions and tools available in NAPLAN.  They can also read more outside the classroom and complete Education Perfect activities that have been set for them.

It is important that students bring with them a pen/pencil, a reading book and most importantly a set of headphones that plug in, the Lockdown Browser that is used to secure the NAPLAN tests does not allow bluetooth headphones.  Headphones (that plug in) are an essential item needed to complete the Conventions of Language test in particular, but are very useful for all the tests.  Lastly, students will need a positive attitude to do their best.

Important information regarding NAPLAN can also be found on the attached Flyer.

Minimum Standards - Year 10
The HSC Minimum Standard has been introduced to ensure students have the reading, writing and numeracy skills needed for everyday life, work and further study.

Students need to meet the HSC Miniumum Standard to receive the HSC.  To show they meet this standard, students need to achieve Level 3 in short online reading, writing and numeracy tests.  Students will get four chances a year to sit each test, from Year 10 up to five years after starting their HSC course.  Only students who meet the HSC Minimum Standard will receive a HSC testamur, they will, however, still be eligible to receive a ROSA, until they have met the Minimum Standards.

Year 10 students will be sitting for their first attempt at the three Minimum Standards test during Week 4 this term.  It is important that students bring with them a pen/pencil, a reading book and most importantly a set of headphones that plug in, the Lockdown Browser that is used to secure the Minimum Standards tests does not allow bluetooth headphones. Lastly, students will need a positive attitude to do their best.

All year 7, 9 and 10 students will need to keep a close eye on the daily notices for important messages and updates and their emails as a timetable for the tests will be emailed shortly.

We wish all the students good luck and ask that they do their best.

If you have any questions about NAPLAN or Minimum Standards, please contact Kelly Winters or Mark Chivers via the College office.

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

From the Sports Coordinator - External

Upcoming Dates
Term 2 Week 3
Thursday, 12 May - SMCC Cross Country
Friday, 13 May - Bill Turner Trophy - Rd 2: Home vs Summerland Christian College
Friday, 13 May - Bill Turner Cup - Rd 2: Home vs Richmond River High

Term 2 Week 4
Friday, 20 May - Dio Cross Country (Grafton)

Term 2 Week 5
Wednesday, 25 May - Netball NSW Cup (Grafton)
Thursday, 26 May - Beef Week Clash vs Casino High

NSWCCC Swimming Results 
Four SMCC students travelled to Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC) in the final week of Term 1 to compete in the NSWCCC Swimming Championships. Congratulations to Hayden Griffin, Sarah Green, Elle Hannigan and Clay Wilkinson who were all terrific representatives of not only St Mary’s but the entire Lismore Diocese.

A number of College records were broken at the meet:

* Hayden Griffin

• • 13yrs Boys 50m Freestyle
  • 12-14yrs Boys 100m Backstroke
  • 12-14yrs Boys 200m Freestyle

* Elle Hannigan

• • 15yrs Girls 50m Backstroke
  • 15-16yrs Girls 100m Backstroke

* Clay Wilkinson

• • 16yrs Boys 50m Freestyle
  • 16yrs Boys 100m Freestyle
  • 15-16yrs Boys 200m Freestyle
  • 15-16yrs Boys 400m Freestyle
  • 16yrs Boys 50m Breaststroke

For a full list of results, please click the following link: NSWCCC Swimming Results

NSWCCC Girls Rugby 7’s Trials
Congratulations to Kali Ainsworth who was recently selected in the NSWCCC U18 Girls Rugby 7’s Team. Having only recently turned 16, this is an incredible achievement for Kali as she continues to impress on the rugby field. Kali will now attend a three day camp in Narrabeen at the end of next week before competing as part of the NSWCCC Team to play against the NSWCHS Team next Sunday, 15 May. 

Dio Tennis
Last Thursday, six SMCC boys got up early to travel to Tweed Heads with Ms Day and Jacob, one of our wonderful YMO’s, for the 2022 Lismore Diocesan Tennis Championships.

There were 70 students from across the Diocese competing on the day. The competition was tough and it was great for the boys to have the opportunity to represent St Mary’s after so many sports have been cancelled in recent times due to the ongoing weather.

The junior boys pairing of Cooper Monaghan and Miller Scully had a good day out, winning 3 of their 5 matches to finish 3rd overall.

The open boys team of four, made up of doubles pairings Connor Turner and Ben George, and Ryan Monaghan and Jayden De La Cruz had a very competitive day, winning 10 of their 14 matches to finish runners up for the second consecutive year and take home the silver medals.

Thank you to Ms Day and Jacob for giving up their time and supporting us. The boys are looking forward to returning next year to go one better and bring home the gold.

Bill Turner Cup - Round 1 Win vs Casino Christian School
Last Friday, the U15 Boys Soccer Team played their Round 1 match of the Bill Turner Cup against Casino Christian School.

As we arrived, we were surprised to see an obvious downhill slope and a cricket pitch right in the middle of the field. They didn’t let this worry them and quickly focused on the task at hand, having lost 6-nil to the same team last year, they were keen for revenge.

The game began and it was clear to see that we were in with a great chance as our passes were hitting the mark and our defence was strong, lead by Hayden Sivewright and Gus Summers who continued to shut down any attacking threats. 

It wasn’t long before we were on the board with Jayden De La Cruz finding the back of the net within the first 5 minutes. Our form and dominance in the midfield continued throughout the first half seeing our midfield pairing of Brody Hoare and Ben George both finding the back of the net after some silky footwork, taking us into the half 3-0 up.

Our second half began strong with a dominance of possession leading to Jayden scoring his second goal of the game. With 4 goals to the good, we got caught off guard from some tired and overconfident play, quickly conceding 2 goals, the second of which was 3 minutes before the end of the game.

There was no way we were going to end on a bad note after a fantastic game and this was quickly proven after a superb left-footed corner was whipped in from Hayden, finding Viv Solomon who headed home our 5th and final goal, right before the full time whistle. Leaving us 5-2 victors over Casino Christian College.

Thank you to Mr Fitness for giving up his time to coach. The boys are now looking forward to playing Richmond River High next Friday and hope to get the win to progress deeper in this competition.

Bill Turner Trophy - Round 1 Win vs Casino High School
Last Friday afternoon, the U15 Girls Soccer Team played their Round 1 match of the Bill Turner Trophy Competition. They faced cross-town rivals, Casino High School, on the neutral grounds of Colley Park. With most girls having previously played in this competition as younger students, they were excited to see how we would go this year. 

From the opening whistle, we were dominant in possession having many attacking opportunities in the first half. Tatiana Simpson scored the opening goal 10 minutes into the match giving us a handy 1-0 lead. It wasn’t long before we were able to score our second, with Tati putting her second goal in the back of their net, seeing us enter half time with a 2-0 lead.

The second half was much the same, with Maddy Aleckson and Angel Codrington solid in defence, St Mary’s was never threatened by the lacklustre attack of Casino High. Tati notched up her hat-trick and Grace Eyles scored a brilliant individual goal as we ran away with a convincing 4-0 win.

Thank you to Mr Kennedy for training the girls in the lead up to the match and to Ms Maguire for coaching on the day with Mr Kennedy away. The girls are now looking forward to playing Summerland Christian College next Friday in Round 2 and hope to come away with another win. 

Student Achievement - Oliver Shields - Softball
Congratulations to Oliver Shields who recently represented NSW in the U16 Australian Softball Championships. Oliver’s NSW team were the eventual winners of the tournament and hold the title of Australian Champions. It has been a long journey to get to this point and I would like to congratulate Oliver and his teammates on their success.

Mike Ryan
Sports Coordinator - External

From the Ministry Corner

Anzac Day Liturgy
We commemorated Anzac Day when students returned to school on Wednesday, 27 April. It was wonderful to gather as a school community to pay our respect and to acknowledge  the sacrifices of the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country today. As a school community we gathered for prayer to give thanks to those who have provided us with the privileges of citizenship. Students were reminded of the importance to continue to work wholeheartedly for justice and peace in our world. 

Mothers Day Mass
The year 8 students joined the Parish Mass on today to celebrate the significant females in their lives. It was fantastic to gather with our parish community to honour the mothers, carers, grandmothers and our significant female role models in our students' lives.

Lead
The Lead Conference will be held on the 19 and 20 May this year at McAuley College, Grafton. There will be a commissioning mass for the students going on Sunday, 15 at 8am. This will be a wonderful opportunity to gather together as a parish community to wish our students all this best as they prepare for this fantastic discipleship event.  

St Vincent de Paul
The Liverpool Vinnies Van is still in the Northern Rivers and some of our students, YMOs and teachers have been involved in this volunteer initiative. It is a wonderful opportunity to reach out and serve those in our community. The Vinnies Van will be at St Mary’s Catholic Church on the 15 May to serve refreshments after mass. It would be wonderful to see some students in attendance. 

Mahaila Day
Leader of School Evangelisation

MUNA

In October of 1945, following the devastating World War Two, the United Nations formed with the purpose of preserving world peace and preventing another destructive war with a massive scale. Today, the UN is renowned for its principles and actions in peacekeeping and international law. It has become a vital component of the current world order. Each year, competitions run in many nations which are modelled after the UN and place students in the roles of diplomats and ambassadors. This competition is known as the Model United Nations Assembly or simply MUNA. On the 30 April this year, three students from the College participated in the Tweed Heads MUNA. Josh Anderson, Josh Macdonald and Courtney Boyle selected the Netherlands as their nation to represent and they did so with great pride and dedication. With 21 Nations in attendance including North Korea, China, Germany, Russia and many more, and five UN resolutions to amend and pass, or reject, the day was long but rewarding. 

The energy and focus of all the students created a vibrant atmosphere with creativity and diplomacy ruling the day. The Rotary Clubs responsible for the MUNA at Tweed Heads were more than welcoming and provided an excellent platform for students who were perhaps aspiring politicians or ambassadors. 

Ashleigh Bailey
Teacher

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.

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