Newsletter - T2W4 - 20/5/22

From the Principal

This has been a very busy fortnight for our junior students. As many of you are aware, our students in Years 7 and 9 sat their NAPLAN tests last week, and this week has had our students in Year 10 sit for their Minimum Standards tests in Reading, Writing and Numeracy. Our Semester 1 exams for our junior students have also occurred this week and will be ongoing into Monday next week. While all the testing is important to give the College and to parents information about how students are going with their learning, school is so much more than testing and marks.

A great example of this is the great day that the College is celebrating next Thursday - Beef Day. This has become one of the iconic days on the College calendar and is a highlight of the school year for teachers and students alike. The day has been moved to Thursday next week to ensure that the day does go ahead and so that the community spirit of St Mary’s can be felt by all who attend on the day. A note will be going home regarding the running of the day early next week. Essentially, students will be at school for the whole school day (starting at 8.45am, and finishing at 3.10pm), and will be involved in activities and events which celebrate all things BEEF! Please note that it is a compulsory school day, and attendance will be expected to be as normal. It is truly a wonderful day and students remember these days and activities with great fondness when they leave. 

I refer to the letter that I sent to all families on 16 May. This letter outlined the process for requesting fee relief for flood affected families in our community. This is the very least we can do to support families during these very trying times. As per the letter, the process for applying to the College for the fee relief is as follows: 

If you would like to request the fee relief, please email the College at cash@lism.catholic.edu.au 

Attention: Principal. We ask that you attach documentation indicating you are receiving the relevant Disaster Recovery payments when making your application. If you are applying for partial fee relief, please provide a short explanation based on the above criteria.

Fees that have already been paid can be refunded or carried forward as a credit for 2023. Please indicate
in your email which of these options you prefer. If you would prefer your fees to be refunded, then please provide your BSB and bank account details to allow this transaction to occur.

I encourage anyone who is eligible to receive this support to please apply.

There have also been meetings with NESA regarding the impact the flooding event has had on our HSC students. There is a lot of empathy for the students and the latest disruption to their learning. NESA has assured me that there will be support for all of our students who have been affected by this event. The CEO of NESA has written a letter to all of our schools, students and families assuring them that they will not be forgotten in this year's HSC. We will continue to work with NESA to ensure that this is the case. The letter may be found by clicking on this link.

There are many items of significance which are currently worthy of mention:

• Our Year 7, 2023 enrolment interviews will be held on Monday evening (23 May) and I would like to thank our Executive and Welfare teams for leading this process. If there are families with children due to commence High School in 2023 who are yet to make an interview time, please contact the College office at your earliest convenience to make a time to meet with me.
• ‘Semester Two’ will commence in Week 5 for our Years 7 – 10 students with the conclusion of exams next Monday. Please monitor your children at home to ensure that they are commencing their new units of study with vigour from the outset.
• The College will celebrate all things BEEF on Thursday, 26 May. Students have been given information regarding this.
• Our annual ‘Vinnies Winter Sleep Out’ will be held at the EARTH Centre on Thursday, 9 June. More information will be going home regarding this shortly. Please encourage your child to participate in an event which highlights the significant needs of others within our local and wider community.
• There will be a Pupil Free Day on Friday, 10 June.
• A reminder that the Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday will be observed on Monday, 13 June.
• College Social will be held on Wednesday, 15 June.

Next Thursday is also Sorry Day. I would like to share the following reflection and prayer with you which has been put together by the Sisters of Mercy:

This day is an opportunity to become more conscious of past harm done and the healing needed in relationships between Aboriginal and white Australians. In 1998, Australia stopped to recognise for the first time a National Sorry Day on 26 May, the eve of the commencement of National Reconciliation Week. Genuine reconciliation requires acknowledgement of the harm done by the perpetrators and beneficiaries of past policies so that healing can reach the whole community. This prayer invites us to pray together for such healing. 

Prayer
God, Mother of Mercy, stir within us compassion and a deep desire for reconciliation. 
On this National Sorry Day may this compassion and reconciliation be strong and true so that justice flows, action flourishes, a difference is made and peace is accomplished. 

Amen

Tracy Robinson
Principal

Upcoming Dates

Week 5
Monday, 23 May - Year 7 (2023) enrolment interview
Tuesday, 24 May - Bill Turner Round 2 (U15 Boys and Girls Soccer)
Wednesday, 25 May - Year 7 Vaccinations (1st dose)
Wednesday, 25 May - Netball NSW Schools Cup (Yr 7/8 Girls, Yr 9/10 Girls, Yr 9/10 Boys)
Thursday, 26 May - Beef Day at the College
Thursday, 26 May - Dio eSports Competition - Mario Kart
Thursday, 26 May - Sorry Day

Week 6
Monday, 30 May - Reconciliation Day
Tuesday, 31 May - Stage 6 Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
Thursday, 2 June - Cochrane Cup (U14 Boys Rugby League)
Friday, 3 June - FNC Girls Rugby 7'S (U15, U17)

Parish Mass Times

Mass Times
5pm (Sat) & 8am (Sun)

Mass ONLINE

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

Reconciliation
Saturday 8.30 am - 9.00 am

Country Mass
10.30am  Bonalbo - 22 May

Masks are recommended in the Church

From the Assistant Principal - Mission

The Gospel this weekend is regarding the concept of peace, as given by the Holy Spirit. Jesus often used the concept of peace in his greetings and his farewells, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27) Peace is a commodity we often need in our world, and unfortunately, it is absent for too many in our modern world. Jesus reminds us that we are never alone, and he even says “do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” because it is the state of peace we are seeking.

LEAD Conference
This week, some of our senior students attended the LEAD Conference held in Grafton. This is always a fantastic event and allows our students to develop their leadership skills and build a strong team together. 

Street Retreat
Applications for Street Retreat are currently open. If you are a Year 11 student and would like to be considered to represent SMCC at Street Retreat, please complete the application and have a conversation with Ms Day or myself.

Beef Day
Next week is our Beef Day which will be held on Thursday. This is a fun event the whole community can get involved in. We look forward to having a fun day together and celebrating our wider community of Casino. 

Uniform
This week at assembly, I spoke with students about their uniform. I reminded students that when they are wearing their uniform, they are expressing our shared values as a community. A uniform is a great device to provide equality among all students. It is something we are proud of, and by wearing it with pride we show others we are proud of ourselves, our families and our community. 

Clare Axman
Assistant Principal - Mission

From the Leader of Pastoral Care

Teens and Smartphones Webinar
As you read this newsletter you may have experienced the free webinar for our staff and parents featuring Dr. Jean Twenge, the author of iGen and Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University which was advertised in our last newsletter and was held on Thursday, 19 May. I do hope those of you who were able to join the presentation found it beneficial in understanding the importance of finding that balance of teens and their use of smartphones. 

Here at the College we understand the importance of finding that balance so that our students can maximise their learning in the classroom and their social interaction in the playground. Since the implementation of the Yondr Pouch Program we have seen improved engagement of students in the classroom as well as more physical activity in the playground with students also playing and talking with each other.

This is a good time to remind parents of our mobile phone policy. Students are expected to have their Yondr pouches in their bags at all times and regardless of whether they bring their mobile phones to school. Mobile phones need to be turned off and placed into their pouch which is locked as students enter the school grounds. When leaving the school grounds, students unlock their pouch and may use their phones. 

Game Aware Presentation For Students
St Mary’s Catholic College will be offering a Game Aware presentation by Andrew Kinch for our students. Parents may remember Andrew’s Parent Game Aware Webinar organised by the Catholic Schools Parent Assembly in 2020 and the student zoom presentation held here at the College in the same year focusing on healthy and unhealthy gaming habits.

We have reached out to Andrew again and will be offering an opportunity for our students to participate in a zoom presentation this term focusing on Esports and problem gaming. 

We are asking for expressions of interest for this presentation so if you feel your child would benefit from this presentation please indicate by completing the google form link.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16UzjPcfC9h_WR3BwFEhAXvtqrxJezXazg5gwcCVn0k8/edit 

For more information on GameAware click on the link: https://www.gameaware.com.au/about-us/

Michele McCaffery
Leader of Pastoral Care

From the Leader of Careers

Term 2 has been a busy one on the careers front - and we are not even halfway through the term.

It’s been wonderful to see so many students approach me for a range of things, from writing their first resume so they can apply for a part time job, or perhaps seek out some Work Experience, to asking about patterns of study including SBATs, TAFE & University. 

I subscribe to Job Jora and have noticed a big influx in job opportunities, particularly in and around Lismore. I always forward positions that I think are best suitable for our students in Years 10, 11 & 12, but I would encourage students to sign up on job sites (such as Job Jora or Seek) so they are on the front foot when it comes to locating job opportunities that work for them. 

If your child isn’t yet in the habit, please encourage them to check their school emails daily as that’s where I send positions that I feel are suitable for them.

On Friday, 6 May we sent 20 students in Year 10 on their first day to Wollongbar TAFE for the Yes Program. This is a 7 week program that gives students the opportunity to taste test various industries (plumbing, electrical, droning, beauty and hospitality, just to name a few). By all accounts, the students are enjoying this opportunity and I look forward to hearing more stories from their Friday's out at TAFE.

In the second week of this term, Year 10 student Libby Walker undertook a week of Work Experience at St Vincent’s Private Hospital with their Physiotherapy unit. Libby was treated to an amazing week of on the job experience and we sincerely thank Jill Tibbey and her team out at the hospital for welcoming Libby and offering her the chance to experience her dream job.

Even though Covid 19 and now the devastating floods of our region have prevented us from offering Work Experience as a set block for all students in Year 10, I’d like to remind families that students can undertake Work Experience, just like Libby has done. All your child needs to do is to contact an employer who is willing to take them on and then collect the required paperwork from me and we can have them on their way.

And finally, we’d like to congratulate Sophie-Rose Hastie in Year 12 who is one of the three finalists in the School Based Trainee of the Year. Sophie-Rose will attend the awards dinner at Opal Cove Coffs Harbour on 1 July and we wish her all the best and hope that she takes out the award.

As a final reminder, if a parent/carer wishes to contact me, the best form of communication at this time is email: michelle.went@lism.catholic.edu.au 

Michelle Went
Leader of Careers

From the Literacy Coach and The Leader of Learning - Numeracy

During Weeks 3 and 4, students in Year 7 and Year 9 have participated in NAPLAN testing and Year 10 students in Minimum Standards testing.  We like to thank each student for giving their best effort. This data will allow teachers and students to identify their strengths and weaknesses to prioritise areas for student growth.  Each piece of data contributes to the overall jigsaw puzzle to improve student growth.  For Yr 10 in particular these tests have a significant impact on them attaining their HSC certificate, so again we thank them for their best effort.

Once again, the College would like to welcome parents and carers back onsite for Parent Workshops.  To best cater to your needs, we ask that you complete a short Google Form giving suggestions for what you would like the workshops to be on, what areas of the College would you like to deeper your knowledge and understanding of to best support your student's educational journey.

Expression of Interest for Parent Workshops 2022 

If you have any questions please let me know

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

From the Sports Coordinator - Internal

Weekly School Sport
Preparation for Term 3 weekly sport for Years 7-10 are underway. Students will be given the opportunity to choose their preferences for Term 3 sport in Week 6 this term. In the next newsletter, all sports will be confirmed giving you the opportunity to speak with your child about options they would like to choose. The options that the students choose will be for the entirety of the term so it is imperative the student is aware of the needs of that sport such as the cost, if necessary.

Homeroom Footy Tipping update
To help enhance our College community spirit, for the duration of the NRL season, each Homeroom class is participating in a ‘Homeroom Footy Tipping Competition’. There are loads of house points up for grabs as well as a pizza party for the winning homeroom. We are just over a third of the way through the season and this is how the table is shaping up thus far:

Andrew Fitness
Sports Coordinator - Internal

From the Ministry Corner

Vinnies Sleep Out
The Vinnies School Sleepout will be held at the College on Thursday, 9 June. The sleepout allows students and volunteers to connect on a personal level with the issue of homelessness by sleeping out as a school community, whilst raising awareness and funds to support the work of the St Vincent de Paul Society. This is a major fundraising event for St Vincent de Paul and the event provides just a glimpse into what life is like for people facing homelessness in Australia. Friday, 10 June is already a pupil free day so students will be able to spend the day recovering from braving the cold. There is a $5 cost involved to participate which goes towards food and also a donation to Vinnies. If your son or daughter is interested in participating please encourage them to collect a permission note from Ms Day.

Street Retreat
In 2022, four Year 11 students from our school will join students from each of the other parish secondary schools in attending the Street Retreat experience in Brisbane. This experience will form, equip and empower students to return to their parish communities with a passion for social justice and greater sense of the call of Jesus Christ to serve the poor.

Participants in the Street Retreat will spend from Thursday night 23 June to Sunday lunch 26 June working with a range of social justice initiatives in Brisbane. Their participation may make a small contribution to those being served – but the event is first and foremost an exercise in discipleship formation.  

Students from our College who have attended in previous years report this retreat as a life changing program. Any Year 11 students who are interested in applying to attend Street Retreat are invited to see Ms Day for an application form. 

ThreeSixTeen
ThreeSixTeen is an initiative by the Year 9 and 10 ministry classes and YMOs. This is a youth group for  students at SMP in Years 3-6 run by teens from our school. The program is focused on bringing students together for food, fun and understanding about God in their lives. Last Friday evening we held our very first ThreeSixTeen session and had a massive turnout, we had 40 students from SMP, five Year 11 volunteers and members from the parish community. It was a fantastic afternoon of faith formation where we played games, ate food and made flower pots. 

IGNITE
We will be taking a group of students to the Ignite Conference will be held in Brisbane at St Laurence's College from Thursday, 22 September to Sunday, 25 September. It is about gathering with other young people for a common experience – encountering Jesus Christ and the Church, experiencing dynamic faith, being equipped for ministry and living the Christian life, and empowered to impact the Church and the world. This event is organised  and subsidised by the CSO to make it more affordable and accessible. Student participants will be asked to make a co-contribution of $245.00. This contribution will go towards the registration cost. Transport and accommodation are fully subsidized. The CSO will be organising a trip which is open to students from Years 7-12. 

To secure your registration for Ignite, students will need to collect a form from Ms Day and return it by Friday, 10  June. Please include $245.00 (non-refundable) payment with permission note and return to the school office. Registration online using the coupon code provided on the permission note is required as part of the application.

Mahaila Day
Leader of School Evangelisation

Kyogle Writers' Festival

Last Friday a group of Year 10 students along with Mr Bonomini travelled to the Kyogle Writers’ Festival. It was a day filled with interesting anecdotes about different authors and their lives. The first half of the day we listened to the teen activist Jean Hinchcliff, who started the School Strike for Climate movement in Australia. She told us about what made her decide to be an activist and how we could help make change in our school and wider community.  The second speaker was ex paramedic Ben Gilmour. He told us about his experience being a paramedic around the world and read excerpts from his book “Paramedico.” We had a lunch break after Ben's talk before going back into the hall for the third and final talk from Melaina Feranda. She told us about her experience going from a posh Sydney school to a country town school where there were almost no rules. After entertaining us, she asked us about what made her story interesting and how we can incorporate different techniques into our writing at school. We finished the day by walking downtown and getting treats from the bakery before hopping on the bus and heading back to school. All in all it was a fun day that was not only informative but entertaining and engaging. 

By Alexis Quantrill

Year 7 Vaccinations

NSW School Vaccination Program
Each year NSW Health works in partnership with schools to offer the vaccines recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for adolescents as part of the school vaccination program.

In 2022 the following vaccines will be offered:

Parent Information Kits that include an information sheet, consent form and privacy statement will be sent home to parents/guardians. To consent to the vaccination of their child, parents/guardians are advised to:

• read all the information provided
• complete the consent form, including signing their name next to the vaccine/s they would like their child to receive
• return the completed consent form to their child’s school
• ensure their child eats breakfast on the day of the school vaccination clinic.

Please note that, to improve vaccination completion, students will be opportunistically offered any missed doses during Year 7 and catch up into Year 8 (for HPV and dTpa vaccination) and during Year 10 and catch up into Year 11 (for Meningococcal ACWY vaccination) or consent signed in 2021.

Parents/guardians who wish to withdraw their consent for any reason may do so by writing to the school Principal or phoning the school. The Procedure for Withdrawal of Consent is available on the NSW Health website at www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/ Pages/withdraw_consent.aspx.

A Record of Vaccination will be provided to each student vaccinated at each clinic either as a physical card or a text message sent to the mobile number recorded on the consent form. Details about vaccinations given at school will also be uploaded to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) to support complete vaccination histories.

Year 7 vaccinations for the 1st dose are scheduled for next Wednesday, 25 may. Consent forms have been sent home with year 7 students this week. Spare forms can be collected for the College office.

Open Night

Headspace

Social groups for young people are running in Casino. Headspace and Social Futures are inviting young people to free monthly groups in a relaxed social environment, including snacks, games, creative activities and more. All young people are welcome, regardless of whether they already see someone at headspace or Social Futures. Information for each group is in the flyers.

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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