Newsletter - T2, W6- 7/6/24
From the Principal
Beef Week
On Friday, 24 May 2024 the College held the annual Beef Day celebrations. There was a carnival atmosphere at the College and all students participated in the events with enthusiasm. The day was a great community building event and a high level of school spirit was on display. I would like to acknowledge and thank all the staff and students who were involved in the planning of the day.
Congratulations to the St Mary’s Beef Week Show Team who attained outstanding results in the LED Steer competition, thank you to all the staff and students who worked tirelessly in the lead up to Beef Week.
Examinations
Years 7-10 were busy with their examinations this week. I would like to acknowledge the manner in which students approached these examinations, taking accountability for their learning and behaviour.
Since my arrival at St Mary’s, I have been speaking consistently to students about the need to take accountability for their actions or inaction. This theme is starting to gain traction amongst the community, I will continue to drive this message throughout the year.
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) on School Students with Disability
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on school students with disabilities (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with a disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
- Year of schooling
- Category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
- Level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.
This information assists schools to:
- Formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
- Consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
- Develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities.
The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disabilities.
The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured.
All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy
(https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).
Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal
If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the College.
Have a great weekend.
Michael Campbell
Principal
Upcoming Dates
Week 7
Monday 10/6/24 - Kings Birthday Public Holiday
Wednesday 12/6/24 - Open Boys Rugby League, CCC Cup, Woodlawn
Friday 14/6/24 - Year 7, 2025 Closing Date for Offers
Friday 14/6/24 -Screen Futures, Lennox Head
Week 8
Wednesday 19/6/24 - DIO Junior Football Gala Day, Coffs Harbour
Thursday 20/6/24 - SMCC Athletics Carnival, QE Park
Parish Mass Times
Weekend Mass
Saturday 5.00pm
Sunday 8.00am
Weekdays
Monday 9.00am
Tuesday 8.00am
Wednesday 8.00am
Thursday 9.00 am
Friday 9.00 am
Saturday 9.00am
Adoration
Wednesday 5.00pm
Following 9.00 am Mass Saturday
Reconciliation
Saturday 8.30am - 9.00am
Anointing of the sick
First Saturday of each month
Country Mass
Sunday 9/6/24 - 10.30am Mallanganee
Mission Team
Tell Them From Me
I would like to thank all the families who completed the Tell Them From Me survey over the past fortnight. We look forward to reading the valuable feedback you have provided and we will share this information with you in due course as we formulate goals in response to the suggestions.
Family Mass
Our upcoming Family Mass will be on Saturday, 22 June 2024. We look forward to seeing you there!
Online Safety Essential Conversations - Image-Based Abuse
If someone distributes a nude image or video of your young person online, it constitutes image-based
abuse, and it is against the law. When teenagers under 18 take nude photographs or videos of
themselves, this material is classified as child pornography. Under federal law, it’s an offence for
anyone to access, transmit, possess, publish, control, supply or obtain child pornography.
When young people talk about ‘sending nudes’, it usually means sharing intimate photos or videos of
themselves with someone else using an online message or chat function, or a phone text service.
‘Sexting’ means sending a sexual message or text, with or without a photo or video.
‘Intimate images’ include nudes, partial nudes, fake nudes, naked selfies and upskirting, as well as
screenshots or screen recordings of private activity like having sex or going to the toilet.
eSafety provides the following advice to parents:
1. Where to start the conversation? Starting the conversation about these topics must be
grounded in your family's beliefs and values. Make sure you have early, regular and protective
conversations with your young person about the values you have as a family regarding respect and
care for others and the dignity of each human person.
2. Open the conversation with a real-life story from the media. Ask questions like ‘Do you think it
was right for them to share that photo after they broke up?’ Follow up by asking ‘Why?’, ‘Why not?’
or ‘Tell me more’ to help you understand more about what they’re thinking.
3. Explore what their friends think about sharing nudes. Ask your young person what they think
might happen if one of their friend’s nudes went viral and how they would get help.
4. Discuss with them how to say ‘no’ when someone asks for an intimate image or video. You can
encourage them to be firm by suggesting a response such as: "Sorry, but that's not my vibe. I'm all about
respecting myself. Let's stick to chatting about things that actually matter."
5. What if you discover your young person is asking a peer for images? There are a number of
reasons why a young person might request images but the overwhelming reason they do it is peer
pressure. It is important that you have conversations with your young person about what is a
healthy relationship, how to show respect and affection for others appropriately and seek external
support if required.
6. Tell them they can always talk with you, no matter how worried or embarrassed they feel. Let
them know that you will help them work things out if they feel pressured to share an intimate image
or video of themselves or if they have shared an intimate image or video of someone else.
Read more at eSafety The hard-to-have conversations. If you have any concerns about your young
person please contact the school. It is important for the school to know any wellbeing issues that may
impact on learning and behaviour at school.
Clare Axman
Assistant Principal - Mission
Shine
The annual Shine event for all students in the Year 9 and Year 10 Ministry classes will be taking place on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 August in Coffs Harbour. A group of senior leaders will also be attending Shine to act as small group leaders across the two days.
Shine is a gathering of young people from across the diocese that combines elements of praise and worship, inspiring keynote speakers, student testimonies, small group discussion, interactive workshops, prayer and Mass.
We look forward to hearing experiences from all students later next term.
Festa Christi
The Festa Christi Retreat for 8 Year 8 students will be taking place in Week 3 next Term. Festa Christi is a two day overnight retreat which will involve activities that focus on ‘walking in another person's shoes,’ having the students overcoming their fears and gaining a greater awareness of social justice.
It was great to have a number of students in Year 8, both male and female express an interest in attending the retreat. However, we are only able to take four male and four female students. We would like to congratulate Harper Myers, Lizzie Carey, Macie Armfield, Emma Green, Xavier Opryszko, Jed Handford, Charlie Whitney-Poole and Ryan McDonald who have been chosen to represent the College. We look forward to hearing about their experience next term.
Kate Rowlands
Leader of School Evangelisation
Safe on Social
The team from Safe on Social have provided more useful tips for parents to make your child’s use of instagram saver:
Tips For Parents - Enhance Your Child's Instagram Safety with Hidden Words
Many parents are unaware that Instagram has a powerful built-in feature called "Hidden Words" that can significantly enhance online safety for our children. This feature automatically filters out offensive words, phrases, and emojis from comments and message requests. It's a tool that our online safety partners, Safe On Social, frequently recommends and it's incredibly effective for everyday use as well.
Here's how you can use it to protect your child's online experience.
How to Access and Use the Hidden Words Feature:
- Enable Hidden Comments: Open the Instagram app, go to your profile, access Settings and Privacy, navigate to Privacy, and tap on Hidden Words. Toggle on the "Hide comments" option to automatically filter out offensive comments.
- Advanced Comment Filtering: Enhance protection by enabling the "Advanced comment filtering" option under the same menu.
Custom Keywords: Add specific words, phrases, or emojis you want to filter out by tapping on “Manage custom words and phrases,” then enter your choices separated by commas. This will automatically hide these from your child's comments and message requests.
By using these features, you can help create a safer and more positive online environment for your children, ensuring they are shielded from harmful content without the need for additional third-party apps. For parents wanting more support on social media and cyber safely don’t forget to visit Safe On Social for free resources.
Michele McCaffery
Leader of Pastoral Care
The Family Connect Service: Introducing Jamie-Lee Farnham
My preferred name is Jimmy, and I have grown up in the Northern Rivers Region. Over the last 5 years, my journey has been working in the Out of Home Care sector, particularly within the Semi-Independent Living (SIL) program, working in the roles of a SIL coordinator and crisis youth mentor, guiding and supporting adolescents towards independence.
I have completed my Diploma of Community Services, as well as my Certificate IV in Community Services. Additionally, I've obtained certifications in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention and Applied Suicidal Intervention. These qualifications, and my experiences working as a frontline crisis youth worker, have greatly shaped my ability to support and empower families within our community.
My approach is about empowerment and strength-based methodologies. I thrive on building strong rapport and connections, firmly believing in the power of collaboration. Whether it's working directly with families or coordinating with appropriate services, my aim is to ensure that families and young people receive the best possible support.
Jamie-Lee Farnham
Family Connect Worker - Social Futures
Learning & Teaching Team
Beef Week Led Steer
Recently St Mary's Catholic College students had the opportunity to participate in the annual Beef Week Led Steer competition. All students represented our College with pride and demonstrated a commendable level of skill while showing for the College.
Students had the opportunity of showing three hereford steers purchased from the Leven family. Unfortunately, with such strong competition the College didn’t win any ribbons on this occassion.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank all students and staff involved.
Aaron Kennedy
Leader of Student Wellbeing - McAuley
Sports News
Newsflash: U13 and U15 Boys qualify for area finals of Country Cup Rugby League at Ballina on Tuesday, 18 June 2024. A full roundup will be in the next newsletter.
Upcoming SMCC Sporting events:
- Phil Tobins Cup Open Boys Rugby League - Woodlawn, Wednesday, 12 June 2024
- U13 & U15 Boys Country Cup Rugby League area finals - Ballina, Tuesday, 18 June 2024
- Yr 7-10 Boys and Yr 7-9 Girls Soccer Gala Day - Coffs Harbour, Wednesday, 19 June 2024
- SMCC Athletics Carnival - QEP, Thursday, 20 June 2024
- U14 Cochrane Cup Rugby League Regional Finals - Coffs Harbour, Tuesday, 25 June 2024
- U13 & U15 Boys Len Diett Rugby Union - Woodlawn, Wednesday, 26 June 2024 .
- NRCC Girls and Boys Netball, Yr 7-8, Yr 9-10, Yr 11-12 - Tweed Heads, Wednesday, 03 July 2024 .
- U14, U16 & Open Boys and Girls Rugby Union 7’s ‘Alex Gibbon Cup’, Thursday, 25 July 2024.
To check upcoming CCC events and registrations
Link to Catholic Sport NSW
Sport Search (½ way down page) → Step 1 (click on CCC) → Step 2 (select sport). Registration & Calendar is also there.
Beef Cup Results and Reports
Beef Cup v Casino High, Thursday 23 May 2024
The weather has played a large part in sports this school year with gala days, carnivals, and annual events such as Beef Cup being rescheduled or at worst cancelled altogether. The latter looked the case in the week leading up to Beef Week Cup against Casino High but all parties were determined to hold off cancelling and with the wonderful help and cooperation from local clubs such as Casino Cougars Rugby League Club, Casino Cobras Soccer Club, and the Richmond Valley Council, all games went ahead as planned. In the end, Congratulations go to Casino High who came out winners 7 games to 4 and therefore took back the Beef Cup. All matches were highly entertaining, well-contested, and played in great spirit.
Craig Beare
Sports Coordinator
Year 7-8 Netball
A hard-fought victory by the SMCC girls. It was very close at half time 10-9 but the girls played exceptionally well with strong combinations to run away with it in the last quarter. Final score 26-10. Josie Ryan, Makenzie Pearce & Elly Graham were standouts in a great team effort.
Lauren Cameron (Coach)
Year 9-12 Netball
Demonstrating exceptional teamwork and skill, the team secured a final score of 41 - 14. Congratulations to all the girls on their hard work and efforts on the day, you should be extremely proud of your performance!
Emma Northam (Coach)
Year 7-9 Girls League ‘Tag’
The 7-9 league tag match against Casino High was a nail-biter from the start. Our girls took to the field, determined to give their all. The first half was a closely contested affair, with Casino High holding a slender one-try advantage at halftime. However, the match took an unexpected turn when our multi-talented athletes had to depart early to represent the school in netball. Despite our valiant efforts, Casino High proved to be a formidable opponent, surging ahead with a commanding 32-8 lead by the final whistle. Kayla patch was a standout with a positive attitude and great efforts in defense.
Year 10-12 Girls League ‘Tag’
The 10-12 league tag team took the field against Casino High with high hopes. Despite their best efforts, our girls found themselves on the wrong end of a 20-4 scoreline in what proved to be a tough-fought friendly match. A few untimely injuries and some bouts of bad luck prevented what could have been a much tighter contest. Samara Leven was a standout in this game, great tags and attempts in gaining metres in attack.
Keely Maguire (Coach)
U16 Soccer
We had a young and diverse team of skill levels, however, with school spirit the team put up a strong fight against Casino High. We got the first goal from a dot shot, which was scored by Gus Summers. Casino then got two goals, one in the first half and one in the second half. A shout-out to the two center-backs, Charlotte Wright and Rosalie Abnett. The girls stepped up to play against U16 boys. Another special shout out to the team's captain Charlie Falls, he managed the field and his players like a true leader. Overall, the team played fantastically and we should be very proud of their willpower and determination.
Zoe Hughes (Coach)
Yr 10-12 Boys Futsal
The Boy's Futsal team played an outstanding match during Beef Week, defeating Casino High 10-6. The team was led by Brody Hoare, with 6 goals and 2 assists, and Archie Creighton with 4 goals and 3 assists. Congratulations on a great game!
Brian Lang (Coach)
U13 Boys Rugby League
In a great clash against our local rivals, St Mary’s U13's came away with a 24-12 win. The boys played well together, scoring some awesome tries and defending well. Some standout performances were from Jackson Gay who repeatedly broke the line with his strong runs, Riley Formaggin who also ran the ball well and bagged two tries, and Campbell Stuart at fullback. Overall, the boys who participated should be proud of themselves and their efforts on the day.
Dean Coggan (Coach)
U15 Boys Rugby League
In a spirited display of determination and teamwork, the under-15's rugby league team left everything on the field but ultimately fell short of securing a win. Despite facing a formidable opponent, the young squad showcased their grit with a series of impressive tackles and relentless efforts to break through the defense. Their perseverance was evident as they pushed forward time and again, narrowly missing out on several scoring opportunities. The final whistle saw them on the wrong side of the scoreboard, but their tenacity and commitment to the game earned them admiration and valuable experience for future matches.
Shannon Beaumont (Coach)
Open Boys Rugby League
The Open Boys rugby league team played their first game together and lost to a classy Casino High School side with plenty of pace out wide. Despite having only one reserve, Ryan Greenwood getting injured, and a few boys playing their first rugby league game, our boys performed admirably. For their first hit out, all of the boys played well and should be proud of their efforts. Special mention goes to Max Hale, Alex Robinson, Tom Ainsworth, Riley Grant, and Noah Batchelor. I’d like to wish Ryan Greenwood a speedy recovery.
Dean Coggan (Coach)
Open Girls Volleyball
The girl's volleyball team played a very close match with Casino High. They won the first game, lost the second, and then had to have a tiebreak in the third round, which was very close going up to match point. In the end, Casino High won out in the end. All the girls tried their best on the day, represented the college well, and held their heads high.
Christine King (Coach)
Open Boys Volleyball
The Senior boys's Volleyball team played a really strong first game, not making a lot of mistakes and capitalising on Casino High's errors. Game one saw St Mary’s win 21 / 15. Game two was extremely close with each serve being fought for, with some great rallies. Game two ended with a Casino High win 21 / 19.
So with both teams having won a game each we went to game three. Good start by both teams, with St Mary’s trying for a comeback, but left their run too late, with Casino High pulling away and winning the final game 21 / 16.
Daniel Sekulic (Coach)
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.
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 3.00pm to 4.15pm
Thursdays 1.30pm to 4.15pm
The Uniform Shop service is a cashless service. Methods of payment are by EFTPOS or online ordering via Flexischools. No fees are charged to families for using the Flexischools service.
Please note the following information for orders made via this service:
Tuesday Orders
- Cut off time is 12 noon on Monday
- Pick up available from the College office on Tuesday afternoon from 3.30pm - 4.15.00pm
Thursday Orders
- Cut off time is 12 noon on Wednesday
- Pick up available from the College office on Thursday afternoon from 3.30pm - 4.15pm.
Orders not collected will be given to the student 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.
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.