Newsletter Term 2 Week 4 - 14/5/21

From the Principal

Last week I had the privilege of meeting an inspiring woman and mother, Randa Habelrih, and her son Richard. Richard has Autism, and his mother came to the College to speak with students and the wider community. Their story is one of challenge, hope and achievement. Richard is a wonderful young man who is able to tell his story to all who will listen. Randa is an advocate for Richard and other autistic children and people in society. Their message of the importance of authentic inclusion and love was powerful. Thank you to Fr Peter and the Parent Assembly for bringing Richard and Randa to our community. Anyone who heard them speak at the Parent event last week would agree that it was a most valuable experience for all who attended.  

As I write this, our students in Years 7 and 9 are sitting their NAPLAN exams for 2021. As difficult as this process seems, the College does get valuable information which we use to help our students in the areas of need. The students have responded really well and I’m sure have tried their best to show what they can do. I would like to thank Mrs Jo Colville for all her work in setting up and running this nation wide test for our students. 

Next week will see the end of Semester 1 exams for all students in Years 7-10. The students will have received an exam timetable and are, I hope, busy revising and getting ready for these assessments. All students are encouraged to try hard and do your best. 

'Beef Day' is just around the corner and the College, like the rest of Casino, is gearing up for this amazing community event. Due to COVID-19, Beef Week was cancelled in 2020 but is back this year - bigger and better at the College. Students have been given a note which outlines the day here at the College. Please note that it is a compulsory school day and attendance will be expected to be as normal however, students will be allowed to start late (9.15am roll call in Homeroom) so they can join in with the community at the ‘Breakfast with the Butchers’ in town. Students will also be able to sign out at 1.15pm if they bring their signed permission note on the day. There will be supervision at the College for those students who need to remain. The bulk of the day will be spent doing various beef day activities and the students may dress up in their best ‘beef’ gear for the day. It is truly a wonderful day and students remember these days and activities with great fondness when they leave. 

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

• Our Year 7, 2022 Enrolment interviews will be held on Monday afternoon/evening (24 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 2022 who are yet to make an interview time or complete an enrolment form, please contact the College office at your earliest convenience.
• ‘Semester Two’ will commence in Week 6 for our Years 7 – 10 students with the conclusion of exams next week. Please monitor your children at home to ensure that they are commencing their new units of study with vigour from the outset.
• Primex - will be held May 20-22. Students in some of the Stage 5 and 6 Agricultural classes will have the opportunity to attend.
• The College will celebrate all things BEEF on Friday, 28 May. Students have been given information regarding this.
• A reminder that the Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday will be observed on Monday, 14 June.
• Our annual ‘Vinnies Winter Sleep out’ will be held at the College on Friday, 18 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.

Finally, Pope Francis has invited us to join with him in a worldwide marathon of prayer in this time of pandemic. He has asked all the faithful during the month of May, to unite in the recitation of the Holy Rosary and ask for the end of the pandemic and the resumption of social and work activities. As Australia is truly one of the lucky countries in terms of the impact of the Pandemic has had, please consider a prayer for people in other countries that are still suffering from COVID-19.

Finally, on behalf of the entire College community I would like to offer condolences to Sophie Flatley (Year 12) on the death of her Grandfather. May he rest in peace.

Tracy Robinson
Principal

Upcoming Dates

Week 5

Monday, 17 May to Friday, 21 May - NAPLAN - Year 7 and Year 9

Wednesday, 19 May - Year 10 Vaccinations

Thursday, 20 May - Len Diett Shield Rugby Rd 1 - Evans Head

Thursday, 20 May - Primex Field Day

Friday, 21 May - Diocesan Cross Country - Grafton

Week 6

Monday, 24 May to Wednesday, 26 May - Year 10 Minimum Standards testing

Monday, 24 May - Year 7 (2022) Enrolment Interviews

Tuesday, 25 May to Thursday, 27 May - Parent/Teacher Interviews

Thursday, 27 May - Beef Week Clash v Casino High School

Friday, 28 May - Beef Day at the College

Parish Mass Times

Weekend Mass

5pm (Sat) & 8am (Sun)

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

Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals

(Contact Parish office for details)

Country Mass

Sunday 23 May Mallanganee 10.30am

MASKS ARE RECOMMENDED

From the Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

New School Service Program

This week the College has reintroduced the position of Office Runner as a school service position. 

This position is given to Year 8 students - a different student everyday, going through the alphabet. Students are out of class for 1 day to help in the front office and to assist with finding students and delivering messages around the College.

This position is a great opportunity for students to;

• Better familiarise themselves with the school
• Interact with teachers and learn who they all are
• Provide a service to the school community
• Learn new skills 

It is hoped that all Year 8 students will get an opportunity to participate in this invaluable new program.

Uniform Items

Nail Polish

There has been a recent increase in the variety of colours that are being seen on students’ nails. Some of these colours are not appropriate for school and are not a part of the school uniform. Nails should be painted as clear or in a French polish style.

While we understand that once false nails are completed, it is difficult to remove the colour, students need to make sure that they are getting colours that adhere to the school uniform.

Can all parents make sure that nails are done in the correct colours when students go back to the nail salon to have their nails redone.

Winter Uniform

As the weather gets colder and students move into the winter uniform, please take note of the following:

• Female students are able to wear navy blue stockings with navy blue socks over the top to keep their feet warm. Only navy blue socks will be permitted with stockings.
• The school has ordered some samples of girls’ long pants. We are waiting for them to arrive - there have been delays due to COVID-19. Once they have arrived, girls will be able to order long pants to wear as part of their uniform.

The school has also ordered sample sizes for girls skorts (a combination of a skirt and shorts). Once they arrive we will be trialling them for suitability and will hopefully be integrating them into the uniform shortly.

Nadine Connolly
Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

From the Assistant Principal - Mission

Pentecost Sunday is next weekend. Pentecost is the birthday of the Christian Church, the day the apostles gathered in the upper room and they received the Holy Spirit. It is on Pentecost we are gifted with the Holy Spirit. In our College, we see the gifts of the Holy Spirit every day. The gifts of knowledge, wisdom and counsel benefit our students. It is inspiring to see our students grow in courage to do what is right and allow the Spirit to support them in their journey.  As Christians, Pentecost reminds us we are called to 'go out' in service of others. We are a Mission Church. We are experiencing the extraordinary everyday. 

We have a few Diocesean sponsored events coming up this term. Ignite Conference is held in the September holidays in Brisbane. There are a few thousand young people in attendance. It is a couple of days of fun, faith and festivities. Ignite applications will be due shortly - see our YMOs for more information. Street Retreat (Year 11 students) is a fantastic opportunity to be of service to the marginalised. If you are interested, please contact Theo and Dan (YMO's). 

We welcome back our Transitus students this week after their Retreat experience last week. It was so lovely to see them all sharing the joy of the experience together. We look forward to their sharing dinner in a few weeks. 

During May, we place a special focus on the life and vocation of Mary. Mary, as our Mother, is our strength and our support. Students will have the opportunity to pray the Rosary and learn about Mary in more detail in their Religious Education classes.

Clare Axman
Assistant Principal - Mission

From the Leader of Curriculum

Assessment Tasks

Year 7 - 10

• Week 5 is Semester 1 Exam Week. The link below is to the Year  7 - 10 Exam Timetables.

• 7 - 10 Exam Timetables

Year 10 Subject Selections for 2022

Subject selections for 2022 will begin in Week 6 of this term & will be supported by various sessions for both students and their parents. The timeline below will help with planning for specific dates in this process:

• Session 1 — Term 2, Week 6 during Science lessons
• Student Information on Compressed Curriculum, HSC, ATAR & VET
• Lines sheet issued for discussion and to be completed by Session 2
• Session 2 — Monday, 31 May, 7pm (Term 2, Week 7)
• Parent Information on Compressed Curriculum, HSC, ATAR & VET as well as English & Religious Education
• Session 3 ~ Monday, 19 July, Period 1 - 2 (Term 3, Week 2)
• Students discuss choices & have them signed off by relevant LOLs
• Session 4 ~ Monday - Thursday (Term 3, Week 4)
• SETP Interviews

Please note that the ~ for sessions 3 and 4 indicate that these are approximate dates at this point.

Furthermore, the St. Mary’s Stage 6 Subjects site is live and contains information about all the subjects available at the College. Please ensure that students visit it and inform themselves about any subjects they are interested in enrolling in for Year 11 and 12.

Year 11 - 12

Students have now officially commenced their HSC courses and as a consequence they need to focus on maximising their marks for ALL assessment tasks. This in turn can only be achieved by the following:

• Regular attendance
• Engaging with ALL the work and resources provided
• Submitting any practice essays or similar work to allow the teacher to provide quality AND timely feedback
• Making use of the school’s Assessment Calendar (Google Calendars) to ensure that students are always aware of when a task is due and can therefore plan and prepare for it
• Seek assistance from their teacher before there is a problem that could lead to a Zero Letter

Michael Woerner
Leader of Curriculum

From the Leader of VET, Careers and Resources

VET

A huge congratulations to Kaitlin Walker for her nomination as a  finalist in the NSW Training Awards North Coast and Mid-North Coast School Based Apprentice/Trainee of the Year 2021. Kaitlin will attend an interview next month before State finalists will be decided.

Kaitlin commenced her School Based Traineeship in Retail with McDonalds in Year 10 and completed the Certificate II at the end of Year 11. This is an outstanding achievement and is testament to Kailtin’s excellent time management and organisational skills.

On another note, students in Manufacturing and Engineering as well as Automotive have just returned from their first Work Placement. Many students have been able to explore the workplace and gain an understanding of what working in that particular industry could look like.

Careers

Next week is National Careers Week - 17- 19 May.

As part of this week, Year 13 are running another online Expo. Last year’s was very successful giving students a chance to chat with a range of employers, industry specialists and education providers. Year 13’s mission is to empower young people and is Australia’s largest Careers Online Expo. Live sessions are available from 4pm daily. While students in Yrs 9-12 have been emailed a link to register, all students may like to engage. Please click on this link to register. 

Bev Champion

SMCC Sport

Important Dates
Week 5
Thursday, 20 May - Len Diett Shield Rugby Rd 1 (Open Boys) @ Evans Head
Friday, 21 May - Diocesan Cross Country @ Grafton
Week 6
Thursday, 27 May - Beef Week Clash vs Casino High School

Bill Turner Cup (U15 Boys Soccer) - Mr Andy Fitness

In an absolute knockout clash against our local rivals, Casino High School, St Mary’s under 15s boys soccer team came out on top with an obliterating 6-0 victory. A dominant defensive showing from our backline allowed for outstanding performances from our midfield and attackers, notably Riley Grant and Brody Hoare, scoring 4 goals and 2 goals respectively. With this victory we now face Casino Christian College in the next round of the Bill Turner Cup.

Bill Turner Trophy (U15 Girls Soccer) - Mr Aaron Kennedy

SMCC’s Bill Turner Trophy squad travelled to Kyogle High School for a much anticipated match. Unfortunately, the girls lost 3-2. We conceded two unlucky goals early on although the girls recovered well, but unfortunately we couldn't get there in the end. There were a number of standout performances on the day. Erica Richards played well up front scoring both of our goals. Chelsea Campbell and Estella McCarthy were dominant in the midfield with excellent defensive performances by Jesslyn Cox and Samara Leven in the backs.

Cochrane Cup (U14 Boys Rugby League) - Mr Paul McCaffery

Our Under 14's journeyed to Woodlawn to compete in the annual Cochrane Cup event on Friday, 7 May, where our  hosts were our first opponent.

Our Saints team sent shockwaves through the Woodlawn camp, scoring first and then converting the try. Woodlawn then drew level before halftime only to see Saints score again straight after the break. Woodlawn scored 2 unconverted tries to win in the end by 14-10.

Our Saints were in good form in the first game but seemed to lack belief in themselves in the next game against Mt St Patrick College Murwillumbah going down 22-0.

However our last game of the day against Trinity Catholic College Lismore gave us some satisfaction as we ‘rolled’ them 20-0.

Our best and most consistent players on the day were Hayden Sivewright, Tom Ainsworth and Colby Leeson who were effective in attack and dour in defence. Special mention also goes to Rory McInnes, Billy McGrath, Angus Lawler and Toby Hannah who all showed lots of energy and promise. Max Hale and Cooper Armfield learnt a lot on the day too and got us going forward and should be happy with themselves.

NRCC Netball (U14 and U16 Girls) - Mrs Michele McCaffery

Year 7 - Our Year 7 team played consistently well throughout the day developing some good combinations in both attack and defence. They remained undefeated by the end of the day. What was most impressive was the way they conducted themselves, playing in a wonderful spirit of fairness and determination. They were also happy to assist with umpiring duties which always helps. 

Year 8 - The Year 8 team had a great day of netball. The girls were a delight to coach. For a team that hasn’t played together before, they performed exceptionally well. There was some tough competition and overall we came 2nd. We lost 1 game and drew another. Seven games were played on the day. 

Year 9/10 - The girls played well, playing against a lot of challenging and well drilled teams. Despite losing a player on the day due to illness and having limited defenders, the girls played in a range of positions and came away with 1 win, 1 draw and 5 losses. 

Congratulations to all of the girls for the way in which they conducted themselves throughout the day.

Special thanks to our umpires Kaitlin Walker and Poppy Lynes who accompanied the teams.

Player's Player Points

Student Achievements

Hayden Comerford (Year 8) - Swimming

Congratulations to Hayden Comerford who competed in the NSWCCC Swimming Championships, held at Homebush at the end of last term, alongside a number of other SMCC students. Hayden placed second in the final of the 14yrs Boys 50m Breaststroke. This qualifies Hayden as a member of the NSWCCC Swimming Team who will return to Homebush on Friday, 28 May to compete in the NSW All Schools Championships. Well done Hayden.

Kali Ainsworth (Year 10) - Rugby Union

Following on from her selection in the Mid North Coast team, Kali played in the Country Championships in Kiama recently and was chosen in the NSW Country U16 Girls Team. Congratulations Kali.

Mike Ryan
Sports Coordinator

SMCC Ministry Corner

Ministry at the College continues to push into even more areas and we are excited to share what’s been going on. 

Transitus

Last Thursday and Friday, ten Year 7 students and two Year 10 students took off to Evans Head for Transitus and here’s what they had to say.

Tyler Winters (Year 7) While at transitus, I learned that God is always walking beside us in the best time of our lives, then in the worst part of our lives he carries us. At Transius I became closer to God and made friends with others who were learning about our faith.

Harrison Thompson (Year 10 Leader) - Transitus is a great camp to attend to bond with fellow students from different schools. Transitus is all about meeting new people and becoming close friends. From my point of view as a Year 10 leader, I would recommend attending this camp. It's not just all about religion and masses, it's about bonding and putting yourself out there.

Blokes Get Real

We held our first 'Blokes Get Real' last fortnight and we had a great turnout. The boys enjoyed some pizza while the Melbourne Storm had a huge win over the Cronulla Sharks. Our next session will be on Friday, 21 May to watch the New Zealand Warriors take on the Wests Tigers. Anyone interested in attending is encouraged to see Dan or Theo for a permission note.

Street Retreat 2021

Street Retreat is currently being offered to our Year 11 students. This Retreat is designed to expose students to social injustice, and equip, form and empower students to return to their Parish communities with a passion for social justice; awakening a greater sense of the call of Jesus Christ to serve the poor. St Mary’s is able to send four students to this incredible opportunity meaning there is an application process. Applications have started to be handed out and are due in Week 5. Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to see Dan or Theo for an application.

2021 SMCC Vinnies Winter Sleepout

The 2021 SMCC Vinnies Winter Sleepout is right around the corner being held on Friday, 18 June. In previous years it has been held at the EARTH Centre, although we are changing it up this year and it will be held at the College. The SMCC Vinnies Winter Sleepout is an evening for students in Years 7-12 to experience what it is like to be homeless. This is done through learning, experiencing and hearing about homelessness. We hope that by providing students with this opportunity, we may create a greater sense of gratitude and social justice in the College community. Anyone interested in getting involved is encouraged to see Dan or Theo for a permission note.

Ignite Conference 2021 - Unleash

The annual IGNITE Conference which takes place at Mueller College in Brisbane is going ahead after being cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. We are more excited than ever to be taking students up to this wonderful event. The Conference this year will be held in the Term 3 holidays from Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 of September. IGNITE Conference is one of the largest Catholic Youth events of it’s kind in Australia and hosts over 2000 young people from Australia and beyond. The conference involves live music from Emmanuel Worship, inspirational keynote speakers as well as informative and engaging workshops covering a range of topics so there is something for everyone. The theme for IGNITE Conference this year is Unleash. IGNITE is open to all students from Years 7-12 and there is no limit on spaces. The CSO funds part of the cost to make it accessible for all and the total cost includes, bus, accommodation, food and entry into the conference. Anyone interested in attending is encouraged to see Dan, Theo or Mrs Axman to get more information and a permission note. 

More information about IGNITE Conference can be found on their website: https://igniteconference.com.au/

Dan and Theo
Youth Ministry Officers

From the IEW, Student Support Services and TAS

Recently, our Goori students participated in A Taste of the Bush cooking experience. This opportunity introduced students to native foods such as Bush tomato, Lemon myrtle, Wattleseed and Mountain pepper to name a few. Students learnt about the availability of these foods and how they could use them in their own food preparation and cooking. Of course, sampling of these foods and natural herbs and spices was key, with delicious chicken and prawn dishes on offer. Mr Lollback made sure there were no leftovers, with the help of some students. Thank you to Jill Richardson for this very enjoyable visit.

Indonesian Corner

Selamat Hari Kartini - Happy Kartini Day

Year 8 Indonesian classes have investigated several celebration days of our neighbouring country. A recent example is Kartini Day. On this day Indonesians celebrate the life of a teenager who lived in the early part of the 20th century and pushed for incredible educational changes. Kartini promoted reading and wrote many letters pushing for a school for girls. Before the end of her short life, she achieved her goal of setting up the first of many schools for girls on the Island of Java which at the time was colonised by the Dutch. She is an inspiration for many, showing that one person can create great positive change. On Kartini Day we read books, wrote letters about education and wore traditional Indonesian costume - as you can see the Year 8 students look great dressed up in batik and kebayas, traditional dress. 

Katie Coughlan
Indonesian Teacher

Beef Week Writing Competition

Beef Week Writing Competition 2021 Guidelines

We invite all students to write a short story that embraces the theme of ‘Community Heroes’.  This is a great opportunity to acknowledge all the local heroes that have supported our communities through fires, floods, drought and the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition is open to students from all schools in Casino. Please see the below flyer for further details.

Year 10 Vaccinations

The Year 10 Vaccinations will be held at the College next Wednesday, 19 May. 

Parent Information Kits that include an information sheet, consent form and privacy statement have been sent home to parents/guardians earlier this week. 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.

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.

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.

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.

Year 10 Minimum Standards

Please see the below flyer for details about Minimum Standards that will be held in Week 6 for Year 10 students.

NCCD

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