Newsletter - T2W10 - 25/6/21

From the Principal

It was very pleasing to see so many parents and students at our parent/teacher/student interview nights held this week. As a teacher it is great to touch base with parents and have a constructive conversation regarding the education of the students in your class. As a parent, I realise the importance of developing positive relationships with the teachers who are putting so much effort into your child’s education. These are nights about forging positive relationships between the parents and the College. These relationships are about the child, and are focused on helping our students in ‘achieving the fullness of life’. Thank you for entrusting us with this mission. If anyone was unable to see a particular teacher or couldn’t make it on the night, please contact the College office to arrange a time for a phone call or a meeting with teachers regarding your students progress.

The College also had the opportunity to celebrate NAIDOC week with a liturgy on Monday. The Welcome to Country was beautifully presented by Aunty Leila and we were fortunate enough to have a very special guest - Cody Walker - from the South Sydney Rabbitohs here to speak with our students. Cody was an amazing speaker. He shared his story with our students and spoke about growing up in Casino and how he got to where he is today. I believe our students were able to relate to a lot of what he spoke about. He was certainly very popular when the students were given the opportunity to have a photo taken with him. We will be organising for students to get these photos next term. Thank you to Dane Walker, all the Goori students and all others who played a part in organising Cody and the NAIDOC assembly.

I would like to congratulate MacKillop house for taking out the trophy for the Athletics carnival this year. The day was held with great spirit and sportsmanship. Teachers and students had lots of positive comments of the day. Thank you to Mr Bartlett and Mr Ryan for putting on such a successful carnival.

Upcoming Events:

• Term 3 will begin on Tuesday, 13 July

• SETP (Secondary Education & Training Plan) interviews will be held on Tuesday, 20 July (Week 2 of Term 3) for all students in Year 10. 

Best wishes to our Open Netball team as they head to Nissan Arena in Brisbane to compete in the QISSN (Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Netball) competition. Our College is the only school from NSW who competes in this competition and the standard is very high. Good Luck girls.

I would like finish with a prayer for all our Goori students, families and communities:

God of all creation, as we journey together in this Great Southern Land, 
We pray for healing, forgiveness, and unity, 
Creating a path of good will, with justice and compassion. 

Jesus, through the power of your love, 
You have given us the courage, wisdom, and strength 
To share our gifts and talents in humility. 

In peace and understanding we reconcile with each other. 

Creator Spirit, we come together in prayer and thanksgiving for the many blessings we have received. Allow your Spirit to wash over us and give us strength to walk together as one.

(Aboriginal Elders and Reconciliation Church staff members, 2014)

Finally, on behalf of the entire College community I would like to offer condolences to Louise Formaggin and Anthony Formaggin on the death of their Grandmother/Great Grandmother and also to Kate Rowlands on the death of her Grandmother. May they both rest in peace.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday.

Tracy Robinson
Principal

Upcoming Dates

School Holidays

Sunday, 27 June to Friday, 2 July - QISSN Netball - Brisbane

Term 4 - Week 1

Monday, 12 July - Student Free Day

Tuesday, 13 July - First day of Term 3 - Day 7

Tuesday, 13 July - Year 11 (2022) Subject Selction Google Form closes at 4pm

Wednesday, 14 July - Lismore Art Gallery Tour - Year 10 Photography

Thursday, 15 July - The FUSE Cup Competition #2 - Mario Cart 2021

Term 4 - Week 2

Tuesday, 20 July - SETP Interviews - Current Year 10 Students (Pupil Free Day Year 10 only)

Tuesday, 20 July - Future Options Careers Expo - Year 11 and 12

Wednesday, 21 July - Dio Touch @ Ballina (U15/Opens)

Wednesday, 21 July - Student Support Parent Workshop - 6pm

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, 27 June - 10.30am - Mallanganee

MASKS ARE RECOMMENDED 

From the Assistant Principal - Mission

Thank you to all students for an amazing term.

This term we have had a huge range of activities for students to really show their diversity. eSports tournaments, Cross Country, Athletics Carnival, Apostoli Sessions, Beef Week Cup, Writing Competitions, Winter Sleepout and the list goes on. It is a joy to work with our young people and allow them opportunities to showcase their talents. We love journeying with our young people as they explore their ideas and interests, and grow into amazing young adults.

NAIDOC Week
This week we celebrated Naidoc Week within the school with a very special guest, Cody Walker of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. It was wonderful to hear the questions students put to Cody. Over the holidays, there will be a range of activities within our community to celebrate Naidoc Week. Please keep an eye on your local news for things our young people can do. 

Uniform
A gentle reminder to utilise the holiday period to check that hems of shorts and skirts are appropriate. Many students have had a growth spurt since the beginning of the year and now may need to practice their sewing skills on the hem of their trousers or skirts. 

Clare Axman
Assistant Principal - Mission

From the Leader of Curriculum

Subject Selections for Year 10 Going Into Year 11 - SETP Interviews
I have spent the last few days interviewing all Year 10 students (who were not absent) about their subject choices and was very pleasantly surprised by how many were able to recall their choices without their sheet to refer to.

I have also been impressed with how many students have started to look at what they will want to do when they finish school.

As highlighted in the previous Newsletter, we will have the SETP (Secondary Education & Training Plan) interviews on Tuesday, 20 July i.e. Week 2 of Term 3 and this day is a pupil free day for all Year 10 students (only).

The day will consist of 15 minute time slots during which parents/guardians & their Year 10 student sit down with a member of the School Leadership Team to discuss and sign off their subject choices.

The time slots will be booked through School Interviews (just like Parent/Teacher/Student interviews). Details about this subject selection day and how to book the interviews will be provided in a letter to parents/guardians during Week 1 of Term 2.

• A reminder of the link to the Stage 6 Subject Site which contains information about all of the subjects St. Mary’s offers
• The Subject Selection Form for which there is a link on the above site went live this week  & will close at 4pm on Tuesday, 13 July.
• The form is editable i.e. students are able to change their choices right up to the above stated deadline and it must be completed regardless of a student’s intentions post Year 10.
• Students & their parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to engage with the information on that site & direct any questions they may have to their teachers, the Leaders of Learning or myself.

Procedure for Being Absent on the Day of an Assessment Task OR the 'Day before'
This is a reminder of what is required in case a student is away on the day of a task. The school needs to be contacted by 9am on the day informing us of that student’s absence.

• IF the student is in Years 10 - 12, a medical certificate needs to be provided upon returning to school
• It is the responsibility of the student to organise a catch-up time for the missed task with their classroom teacher immediately upon their return to school
• The school’s assessment policy also explains the requirement for students in Year 10 - 12 to attend school the 'day before'. This could include the Friday before the Monday a task is due. The reason for this rule is to ensure that the remaining students are not disadvantaged by a student who remains at home and continues to work on a task.

Please note that all of the above is outlined at the bottom of every Assessment Notification that is either handed out as a hard copy or posted on Google Classroom.

Michael Woerner
Leader of Curriculum

From the Leader of Pedagogy

SRC - The Push-Up Challenge
To kick off the Athletics Carnival, the SRC adapted the idea of the Push-Up Challenge to warm up students for their big events. The Push-up Challenge is an initiative to engage people in Mental Health awareness. The challenge is to perform 3,318 push-ups in total, representing the number of people who died by suicide in Australia in 2019. This challenge has been running over the month of June in conjunction with Head Space, and some staff and students registered to support Head Space by raising both awareness and funds. Some of you may even have registered as an individual or team.

The SRC wanted to attempt to achieve the total number of push-ups in one day, with every House and every student in every House completing 10 push-ups each. Lead by their House Captains and Heads of House, we completed approximately 3860 push-ups. Congratulations SMCC. The SRC would like to thank all staff and students who ‘pushed’ themselves for this worthy cause.

Dana Barnsley
Leader of Pedagogy

From the Leaders of VET, Careers and Resources

So much information on various careers from a range of sources. Please see below. 

Also a reminder for Year 11 and 12 students to ensure their permission notes are returned for next term's Future Options Expo.

As always, please contact me if you have any questions.

University of Newcastle Jobs of the Future: Computing and IT
Tuesday, 20 July - 5.30pm-6.30pm – Zoom Webinar

Want to know more about the jobs of the future and the role of computer scientists and information technology (IT) professionals in tackling the world’s biggest problems? Register now to hear the insights of Dr Alex Mendes, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Software Engineering and Associate Professor Karen Blackmore in Information Technology, on the changing world of work and the skills you’ll need to thrive in it.

https://www.newcastle.edu.au/events/future-students/jobs-of-the-future-webinar-series

UTS Virtual Reality Health Department Tour
https://vimeo.com/236559108

Traineeships
Essential Energy Apprenticeship and Traineeship Program is Open. Closes 30 June. See both links below.
https://www.essentialenergy.com.au/careers/apprenticeships

Register here for 2022 Intake:
https://enno.fa.ap1.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1001/requisitions/preview/1201

Defence Force
Women for the Defence Forces

Across every one of our 200+ roles, the ADF offers excellent career opportunities for women. We champion equality and provide a uniquely supportive and inclusive workplace.
https://www.defencejobs.gov.au/about-the-adf/women-in-the-adf/

 A Guide to Joining the Defence Forces Aptitude Testing
This guide though a little dated, seeks to provide you with an overview of the psychological testing process that you will undertake when applying to join the ADF. The ADF psychological testing process includes:

• A General Ability Test;

Depending on the role applied for, you may also be required to sit additional testing, such as:

• Testing for Officer entry;
• Testing for Aircrew and Aviation related roles; and
• Testing for Other Specialist Occupations.

This guide will provide you with an idea of what to expect during psychological testing, and hints and tips to help prepare you for this testing.
file:///C:/Users/garyg/Downloads/Guide-to-ADF-Aptitude-Testing.pdf 

Your ultimate step-by-step guide to successful selection into the Australian Defence Force
Following the COVID-19 Pandemic, Defence Recruiting have switched to running a Virtual YOU Session. At Defence Ready, we are primarily focussed on getting you up to speed on the tougher aspects of the aptitude tests you will face during this process. The Defence Exam Mastery System is your personal guide for the best practice possible leading up to your selection tests and exams. This ground breaking system will get you rapidly up to speed in the most challenging aspects of ADF selection.

We're here to help you along throughout your entire testing process. From your initial Virtual YOU assessment day through to additional officer selection boards and additional testing days (including pilot testing). You will get the exact preparation you need to achieve your goals. You will get instant access to hundreds of sample test questions, detailed explanations and lessons, training strategies, tips and techniques. This is the most comprehensive guide available to prepare you for the rigours of ADF recruit selection.

https://www.defenceready.com.au/adf-exam-prep/

VET
A huge congratulations to Kaitlin Walker for being one of three finalists in the 2021 NSW Training Awards for School Based Trainee of the Year.

Kaitlin completed her School Based Traineeship with McDonalds, commencing in Year 10 and sat for her HSC exam in Retail in 2020 when in Year 11. Kaitlin has achieved much through her School-Based Traineeship which has opened up career options.

Bev Champion
Leader of VET, Careers and Resources

SMCC Sport

Important Dates

Holidays
Sunday, 27 June - Friday 2nd July - QLD Independent Secondary Schools Netball Competition @ Brisbane 

Wk 2
Wednesday, 21 July - Dio Touch Football Championships (U15/Opens) @ Ballina

SMCC Athletics Carnival
The 2021 Athletics Carnival was held on Thursday, 17 June (Term 2, Week 9) at Queen Elizabeth Park. The day was extremely successful with a great showing of attendance and good numbers participating in events throughout the day.

Congratulations to MacKillop for retaining the Scroope Cup (Athletics House Champion) for a fifth straight year, as well as all age champions on their outstanding efforts. We also had two long standing records broken on the day by Che Garred and Lascelle Hayward. An overview of the results can be found below.

Thank you to all staff for their efforts on the day and particularly Mr Andrew Bartlett for his tireless work in the lead up to the Carnival.

Students who placed in the top two of each event have qualified for the Diocesan Athletics Carnival to be held in Coffs Harbour in Week 5 of Term 3. A list of these students can be found on the sports noticeboard. More information on the Dio Carnival will be distributed after the holidays.

Mike Ryan
Sports Coordinator

Compressed Curriculum - Agriculture Excursion

This week, Mr Kennedy’s Compressed Curriculum Agriculture class travelled to the Casino Food Co-op. This excursion formed part of the unit 'Farm Product Study' where students had to complete an in-depth research task regarding a local agricultural industry. The students completed a holistic approach and observed and participated in all aspects of the business.

The day started with students asking relevant questions to Mr Craig King, the farm manager of the business. Students took this opportunity to discuss current research and sustainable agricultural practices used on the several properties owned and managed by the Co-op.

The students were then treated to a tour of the processing and production side of the business. Students were kitted with the appropriate PPE and completed a guided tour of all the facilities. The staff at Casino Food Co-op answered questions regarding animal welfare, marketing and government influence on the industry. The day finished off with students having a brief meeting with the Chief Executive Officer Mr Simon Stahl. This was another opportunity to follow up and discuss relevant questions. I would also like to thank the General Manager of Operations Corey Aleckson for organising the day and the hospitality of all staff involved in the day. 

Students gained valuable insight into the beef industry and were educated on the  several career opportunities that are present in our local community.

Mr Aaron Kennedy
Agriculture Teacher

Student Achievement

On Sunday, 20 June, proud teachers Mr Veitch, Mr Fitness and Ms McDougall travelled to Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast to support St Mary’s Catholic College student Ashton Harley play in the Under 17’s Gold Coast Titans (Northern Rivers) team.

The team played against the Under 16’s Junior Titans System contracted team. The purpose for this match was to showcase the development teams and to give the under 17’s a taste of what’s to come if they are successful in getting contracted for the Junior Titans System at the end of the year. The result of the game was a draw at 28-28, the first time a draw has occurred between the two teams.

This was Ashton’s first time playing at Cbus Super Stadium and he says “It was an amazing experience. I am happy with how I played and I am hopeful that I will make it through the selections at the end of the year and hopefully one day be playing in the NRL”. Ashton was scouted by the Under 17’s Gold Coast Titans (Northern Rivers) side while playing with his local team the Kyogle Turkey’s and mentioned that he’s “pretty happy to have been given this opportunity”.

If you see Ashton around the College, make sure to give him a big congratulations and wish him the best of luck as he continues to pursue a potential professional Rugby League career.

Che McDougall, Bailey Veitch & Andy Fitness
Teachers

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.

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