MSPC Newsletter - Term 1 Week 8, 18th March 2021
Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are bombarded with information whether it is from the TV, computer or phones. No previous generations have had to cope with this, having to wade through opinions and misinformation in order to find the truth. Many of our young people are accessing material that they are not prepared for or mature enough to handle. This is a large concern as they may make decisions based on the knowledge gleaned from these materials that could result in harm. How do we fix this? We cannot lock them away until we think they are ready. Therefore, we must give them the tools to be able to process information and make good decisions. Discernment is the term we would give this process. In order to discern, which is making time to examine the facts and to listen to your heart through prayer, about what is the right decision. To do this we need time and space. In a world that is hyper-stimulated, time and space are precious, so it needs to be a conscious decision to stop, to prioritise the art of being still. Lent is a time of renewal, finding 5 or 10 minutes a day to stop and review the last 24 hours and listen, could be a change that helps to change habits or create newer better habits. There is none amongst us who would not benefit from honest, caring, reflection and being still.
The following meditation is an opportunity to take time to reflect. It comes from Australian Catholics.
Meditation
- The earth is beset by violence, corrupt uses of power, wars without end and the destruction of whole ecosystems. My own life can be stressed, troubled and full of upheaval.
- I begin today’s meditation by taking time to consider a proverb – ‘it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.’ In the times I find myself in the midst of darkness lighting a candle can help me to remember the promise that light will overcome.
- I call to mind the ways my contributions can begin meaningful conversations, my love can open new possibilities, and my actions can form a world where people will flourish.
I consider my choices:
- to love courageously or to withdraw into my shell;
- to act in hope or to wallow in desperation;
- to give kindness to others or to turn away with bitterness;
- to listen to others or to close off my heart;
- to speak up for people or to stay quiet about injustice;
- to take up the responsibilities of service or to retire to my comforts;
- to care for our planet or to make peace with destroying it;
- to pray for insight or to rely on myself;
- to share the burden or to keep my own counsel;
- to notice the light or to despair of the dark.
My life is full of decisions which can light another candle.
Be the Good and God Bless.
Paul Reidy
Principal
Assistant Principal - Mission
A HAPPY HOMEROOM: 7 - 10 NAG M24 with Mr Weetman
MINISTRY
YEAR 10 RETREAT
Year 10 experienced a 3 day 2 night Retreat at Camp Bornhoffen last week, in two groups. Here are some of their reflections:
"The activities allowed major growth as individuals and of the bonds between us. It made me grateful for those who are part of my journey and it created new connections within the year group. The Retreat relieved past burdens, developed stronger relationships and made clearer the importance of our family members. Overall it was my favourite experience at MSPC so far."
"The Retreat gave Year 10 the opportunity to really get to know each other through various bonding activities. There was heaps of free time to do whatever you wanted, for example playing basketball on the half-court, playing footy on the fields or swimming in the pool. It was a much needed trip for Year 10 and a good time to get away before the dreaded assignments and exams begin."
"The views from Camp Bornhoffen were amazing. We woke up every morning to misty fog rolling over the mountains. There was a waterfall which was really nice to look at. There was an outdoor fireplace which was also nice to sit and talk at. There was a giant cross that sat on the hills above Camp Bornhoffen. Many of us were dying to walk to it. Unfortunately it is on another person’s property."
LEAD CONFERENCE 2021
Last Thursday 11th and Friday 12th March 26 year 11 and 12 students attended the LEAD conference at McAuley Catholic College in Grafton. LEAD is a student leadership conference that seeks to gather potential leaders who can be equipped in ministry and formed in faith. This overnight experience allowed students to build relationships with other students from the Lismore Diocese as well as building and strengthening relationships among their school peer group.
LEAD gave the students an opportunity to talk and share their faith journey with others. Upon returning to school the students are now encouraged to share their faith with their peers and become Youth Ministry leaders who will form the Senior Youth Ministry Team.
Here are some comments from the students who attended:
"I think LEAD was a great opportunity to reconnect with my faith, after not having a conference in 2020. It was a great opportunity to get some tips on what works and observe what a good leader is like" - Emma W
“LEAD was an experience I'll never forget! The key speakers were passionate about what they were saying and it made me want to continue my faith journey” - Emily S
“LEAD, was an experience that captivates the true meaning of Jesus and leadership. Throughout my time at McAuley I reflected on my own values and teaching when following Christ. I was guided to explore the inner connection I have with the Lord. I experienced prayer teams with the YMOs which had a great impact on me. I would recommend LEAD to anyone and everyone who wants to follow and go deeper into their relationship with Jesus.” - Bethany McTaggart
“LEAD was an amazing experience to connect with God, make new friendships and to dive deeper into my faith journey” - Emma L
YEAR 7
YEAR 7 TREE TOP CHALLENGE – GROUP 2
Year 7 recently participated in a Tree Top Challenge at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, where they forged new friendships and bonds with their fellow peers and teachers.
The challenge included 11 ziplines and numerous high -ropes activities and those who were brave enough even ziplined across the crocodile enclosure.
Teacher: Stephanie Carroll-Bennett
Mary-Anne McShane
Assistant Principal - Mission
Welfare
STUDENT WELLBEING
Last week, the Wellbeing lesson for Years 7 - 10 was around the dangers of vaping. The Wellbeing focus was on Health and Strengths, so the lesson was timely given Mr Reidy’s recent letter to parents and carers regarding vaping at the College.
This fortnight’s Wellbeing focus is Relationships and Empathy and so our lesson will focus on respectful relationships and the definition of consent. The lesson will be delivered to boys and girls separately, by our school psychologists and/or myself.
Below is a resource that as parents, may help us.
Louise Shields - Leader of Student Welfare
Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
DEAR
Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) is a literacy initiative designed to promote reading for enjoyment to the students of Mt St Patrick College. Each fortnight on Thursday in Period 3 students are asked to stop looking at screens, to be still and just read for enjoyment. Classes have also been rotated through our amazing Learning Hub where they can browse the shelves and find an interesting book. We are hoping that literacy levels will also increase through this program. Last Thursday I went for a Learning Walk throughout the College to witness the calmness of DEAR where every student and teacher were reading a book and taking a mind break. Congratulations to all the students who supported the initiative.
LYN SHARRATT - LEARNING COLLABORATIVE
Last week I participated in a professional learning opportunity along with a group of dedicated teachers: Paul Reidy, Narelle Chaffer, Joanne McDonald, Cassie Allen, Lauren Frankham and Simon Holder. The 2 day workshop was introducing the Lyn Sharratt - Learning Collaborative.
We were informed on how we can work collaboratively to improve the engagement and learning of every student. We were introduced to the 14 Parameters required to build a collaborative learning culture in the College ensuring that every student is known and catered for on their learning journey. The next step will be planning for the gradual introduction of these parameters into our learning community.
YEAR 12 MENTORING
A very successful initiative occurring at Mt St Patrick College is our year 12 mentoring program. Each teacher has nominated two Year 12 students to support on their learning journey towards the HSC. The teachers will meet with their mentee before the upcoming assessment block and again after their mid-course report to help with goal setting and suggesting strategies to help them progress towards achieving their goals. I hope both the teachers and students enjoy this experience and find it beneficial.
Narelle Sherrah
Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
Curriculum
ASSESSMENT
Students can access all information regarding their assessments via the Assessment Portal which is found on the MSPC Moodle Site: https://moodle.mursclism.catholic.edu.au/
Students are busily preparing for assessments across all year cohorts this week. It is important that students are proactive with their learning and seek guidance from their teachers to ensure they are well prepared in understanding the expectations for each of their assessment tasks.
Students should be familiar with the MSPC Assessment Rules which can be found on the first page of the Assessment Portal. Some important considerations that students should consider while preparing their assessments are:
Assessment Tasks Completed on Computers
To minimise issues with computers and printers around the time of the assessment due date, students should:
- save their work frequently as they progress;
- print draft copies as substantial additions are made to the assessment;
- have a backup copy of their assessment on their personal Google ‘My Drive’ and should email drafts of their assessment to themself via their school email periodically;
- Students who complete their assignments on computers at home should ensure:
- assessment is submitted as specified on the Assessment Task Notification;
- that any programs used are compatible with the College system.
Note that computers or printers that are not working will not be accepted as a valid reason for a late submission, or for an extension.
If relying on printing in the Wellbeing or Learning Hub, it is the student's responsibility to check that programs are compatible with the school system.
Hand in Submissions: Requirements
For all hand in assessment tasks, students are required to keep a digital copy of their assessment that
is time and date stamped. For example, the copy could be a PDF copy, a scanned copy, or a
photographic copy of the assessment task. The copy must display the date and time the assessment
was completed and should not be altered past the due date and time.
PLEASE NOTE: The following is an assessment overview for the next fortnight. Students should check their assessment calendar for accuracy and to ensure that changes have not been made since publishing this guide.
In order for students to submit their best work, it is important that they allow enough time to plan, draft, proofread and edit their responses. A helpful tip for students proof reading their own writing is to read their work aloud. This can help them detect grammatical problems if a sentence is not structured clearly. Proof reading is an important skill for students to develop and a key part of improving their writing and progressing their learning.
Wishing students all the very best with their assessment preparation.
Jo McDonald - Leader of Curriculum
Faculty News
FROM THE SPORTS DESK
2021 STREETSMART AUSSIE RULES Q SCHOOLS CUP
JUNIOR BOYS
On Tuesday 2nd March, twelve months after our last successful outing to the Cavanbah Centre, and the first College sporting trip since COVID-19 locked us down, we went on the road again to defend our title as Northern Rivers champions in the AFL Q Schools Cup. In a day of highs and lows, and in 30+ degree heat, the boys came away with the title once again, eventually defeating rivals Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar by 8 points in a nail-biting Final.
The outing began on a positive note with a comprehensive 30 point win over Xavier Catholic College, ballina. Our captain, Deacon Streader, stood tall throughout the match, appearing to win the ball all over the ground and kicking two important major scores despite suffering a calf injury late in the match.
We lost our next two games against Lindisfarne (by just 2 points after they kicked a goal right on the final siren) and to Kingscliff High School (by 13 points). Despite losing these two pool games, however, we had a strong enough margin from our first win to take us into the Grand Final.
It was an exciting game played under the blistering midday sun, with the lead changing throughout the first half. Will Malloy kicked two brilliant goals to fill the boys with confidence coming into the main break. The boys battled hard throughout the final term, with the defence - led admirably all day by Year 8 gun Matt Ryan - holding up to restrict the team from Terranora’s scoring. Ty Lockwood took two game-saving intercept marks off centre half-back throughout that term to cement our win.
The whole team played courageously and selflessly throughout the day, Ethan Johnson was once again tireless in the ruck and kicked multiple goals over the course of the day. Angus Lindsay and Taylor Barton anchored the forward line and kept scores ticking over. Jai Brennan’s courageous marking was another highlight as he shifted positions throughout the day to go where the boys needed him most. Will Molloy walked away from the competition with his head held high as he was awarded the coach’s ‘player of the day’ for his tireless attack on the footy and accountability of his opponents. All the boys are to be commended on their commitment, positive attitude and good behaviour throughout the day.
Congratulations boys, we can now look forward to a trip to Springfield to play winners from the Darling Downs region on Friday, 23rd July.
AFL Junior Boys team: Deacon Streader (c), Will Malloy, Emmett Stepto, Harrison Bugg, Jaxon Booth, Finlay Purnell, Nathan Johnson, Taylor Barton, Jai Brennan, Ethan Johnson, Angus Lindsay, Ty Lockwood, Jaxon McAuliffe, Matthew Ryan, Jed Ryan, Harrison Daley, Sam Daley, Van Johnson, Fin Kelly, Oscar Stevens, Dougall Hughes, Tobias Neilson, Ben Williams.
Coach: Simon Holder
JUNIOR GIRLS
What an enthusiastic bunch these were! Despite not all the girls having played together before, some had not even played aussie rules before, I was very impressed with the effort the team gave. We continued to learn and improve as the day went on. Billi Hutton and Lucy Grant lead the team well and were supportive of all giving valuable tips to those inexperienced players. Although not as successful as the boys on the day of the carnival, all walked away from the day’s games with a smile on their face.
Coach: Michelle Boyle
SENIOR BOYS
On Friday 5th March, 20 senior boys travelled to Byron Bay to compete in the Northern Rivers Region 2021 AFL Queensland Schools Cup. Being their first hit out for the year and having a cricket pitch “no go zone” (there is a first for everything) made the first game against Banora Point interesting to say the least. The greasy surface resulted in this game being extremely congested and physical. With the slippery conditions making it difficult for the boys to link together a series of clean disposals, we would have gone down if it wasn’t for Tom Gresham kicking the only goal of the game early in the second half.
By the second game, the surface had dried up under the baking sun to produce conditions suited to our highly skilled team. In this game they really showed the competition that they were a serious contender, taking down Maclean High School quite convincingly with goals to Tommy Littlewood, Riley Ryder and Tom Gresham.
The third and last of the pool games was against Xavier. With only two players on the bench, the third game was about playing a defensive brand of footy and conserving energy. The midfield of Connor Foreman-Keenan, Travis Lavender and Max Salisbury had worked tirelessly to this point and it was time to give them a break on the bench and in the forward line. The forward line functioned extremely well with some real highlights when the ball was moved down the wings and delivered lace out to leading forwards. Ryder Johnson roamed up the wings from his half-forward position adding to this connection between midfield and forward line. The boys notched up their third straight win with goals to Tommy Littlewood, Aidan Laybutt and Max Salisbury. This win saw us progress to the Final against Lindisfarne.
In the Final Matteo McDermott continued to have a significant positive impact in the ruck but the midfield who were exhausted couldn’t quite match the spread and ball movement of the opposition. Nick Ratcliff played another great game for the College where he was again asked to play on a much taller opposition CHF. He managed to nullify his opponent but was unable to have his usual impact of intercepting and rebounding off the half-back. Our forward line was lacking its usual fire power with some key personnel suffering from injuries such as Tommy Littlewood who was hampered by a toe injury, however, these injured players still managed to stay out on the park. We ended up going down by two goals in the Final. A disappointing result in the end after having such high hopes.
A special mention to Remi Dolan who, with a borrowed pair of boots and very little football experience went close to being our most valuable player for the tournament. He put his body on the line in the ruck and provided a strong target for us up forward all day. Well done boys!
Coach: Patrick Weetman
SENIOR GIRLS
On Friday 5th March our senior squad of AFL players travelled to the Cavanbah Sports Centre in Byron Bay to compete in the Q Schools AFL Competition.
The team included an experienced group of Year 10, 11 and 12 and there was great feeling of anticipation as the girls prepared for these matches in their sport afternoon training sessions. We were placed in Pool B and we were determined to finish on top to qualify for the final game against the winner of Pool A. Our first game was against Banora Point and we played a field of only 12 players, winning convincingly. Scoring was made easy by the clearance efforts from the midfielders and the forwards created many scoring opportunities throughout.
The next two games were against Maclean and Xavier and again we had convincing wins. Leading goal scorers included: Abbie Bevan, Lily Van Den Driest, Beth McTaggart and Ruby Cummins.
The team made it to the Final on the big field against Lindisfarne. The girls fought hard, displaying awesome defensive play and relentless tackling throughout the midfield and back line.
Special mentions go to the full back Mahli Johnson and Centre Half Back Lily Van Den Driest for their gutsy efforts and to key forwards Abbie Bevan and Ruby Van Den Driest for their work on field and goal scoring. Asha Pearson and Lana Lee-Johnson are to be commended for their consistent contributions as rovers as well as good ruck performances from Jemima Forsyth and Ruby Cummins. Well done to the captain Beth McTaggart and Vice-Captain Abbie Bevan for their motivational speeches and encouragement to their team members.
Big commendations go out to all the girls for their attitude and commitment. All the girls were a credit to the College and a pleasure to manage and coach. They played as a team, encouraging each other throughout the day. Looking forward to the next round of the competition in Queensland.
Coach: Sher Millward
DIOCESAN SWIMMING
On Thursday 5th March our College was proudly represented by a number of very capable swimmers. They are to be applauded on their enthusiasm, energy and commendable behavior on the day. In particular, congratulations on the great swimming that was on display.
Congratulations to the College swim team :
Willa Hoffman, Keira Hair, Kieran Forsyth, Annabelle O’Grady, Amity Page, Alexander Wellm, Jack Bourke, Billi Hutton, Sophie Forsyth, Ava Browning, Olive Jacobs, Zayne Chisolm, Wyatt Gradisnik, Sashi Wills, Nicholas Ratcliff, Sean Carney, Alexis Pelikan, Jack French, Stephanie Mayne, Charlize Green. Isiah Doevendans, Felix Morin-Graue, Jacob Lanyon, Alyssa Carney, Darcy Wills, Amity Page, Grace Farrell.
A number of swimmers placed in the top 3 of their respective events. An additional congratulations to Willa Hoffman (2nd 50m Freestyle, 2nd 50m Butterfly, 1st 50m backstroke), Alexander Wellm (3rd 50m Freestyle, 1st 50m Breaststroke, 3rd 50m Backstroke), Sashi Wills (3rd 50m freestyle, 2nd 50m Butterfly, 2nd 200m Freestyle, 2nd 100m Backstroke,2nd 400m Freestyle, 3rd 50m Breaststroke, 2nd 100m Freestyle, 2nd 50m Backstrokec, 3rd 200m IM, 2nd 100m Butterfly, 2nd 100m Breastroke ), Nicholas Ratcliff (3rd 50m Butterfly), Jack French (3rd 200m freestyle), Kieran Forsyth (1st 50m Breaststroke, 1st 50m Backstroke), Darcy Wills (3rd 50m Breaststroke), Zayne Chisolm (3rd 100m Freestyle), Alyssa Carney (3rd 100m Breaststoke)
Willa Hoffman, Kieran Forsyth and Sashi Wills were all rewarded for their wonderful achievements by being awarded Runner-Up Age Champions for their respective age groups. Well done!
Special mention to our Year 12 swimmers Sashi Wills, Alyssa Carney and Nicholas Ratcliff who had their final swims for MSPC at the Diocese Carnival after a number of years of very competitive swimming. Their leadership and talent will be missed at future swimming carnivals.
The full results will be able to be found on the Lismore Diocese Sport website in the near future.
Thank you to all swimmers for their efforts on the day, and to the support and encouragement of parents and guardians. Good luck to those swimmers who will progress to the next level representing Lismore Diocese at the NSW CCC Championships at Homebush.
Mrs Kyllie Bevan Mr Tim Whitney Miss Shakyra Gillard
Team Manager Sports Coordinator Sports Trainee
DIOCESAN TENNIS
GIRLS REPORT
Last Tuesday 9th March out Junior and Senior Girls Tennis Teams competed in the Diocesan Tennis Competition at Arkinstall Park, Tweed Heads. The day got off to a cold start with black clouds looming and the threat of rain. The girls’ teams were set for a big day with match time being a total of 90 minutes or first to nine games. Both our senior girls’ teams A and B got off to a strong start, winning their first matches. Our Junior Girls Team, Sarah-Jane Forbes and Tara O’Donnell fought hard all day but were sadly defeated after a good fight and some great rounds of tennis. Both Sarah and Tara are to be congratulated for their great effort, especially in the heat, which hit about midday. A huge congratulations goes to our Senior A team consisting of Meisha Dwyer and Chloe Martin and our Senior B team, Alexis Pelikan and Ciara Dwyer for winning all their games on the day and being crowned the overall winners of the girls senior competition. Both teams played extremely well, with some hard, tough rounds at times. The Senior Girls Teams now progress to Bathurst for the next round. We wish our girls all the best of luck. They certainly had one very proud coach!
Coach: Grace Molloy
BOYS REPORT
A fantastic day of high quality tennis was held at the Arkinstall Park complex on Tuesday 9th March. Our open boys’ teams consisted of the pairings of Lincoln Taylor and Ben Wilson (Open A), Norm Fraser and Jordan Scanlon (Open B). The junior boys were Arlo Kirk and Lachlan Tuckwell.
It was an outstanding effort by all 6 boys involved. They played exceptional tennis and were unlucky to miss out on medals. The highlight of the day for me was watching our junior boys play their game against Casino. We lost the match but it included a game which went to 12 Duece points. (that’s a game which lasted around 15min.) It was thrilling to watch and our boys showed true grit and determination and then outstanding sportsmanship in defeat as they acknowledged their opponents, who also, knew they were in one hell of a tight contest.
DIOCESAN SOCCER TEAMS ANNOUNCED
Congratulations to Darcy Wills, Elizabeth Warne and Asha Pearson who were all successful and made the Lismore Open Boys and Girls Football Teams. These teams now play the NSWCCC Championships in Sydney May 24th – 26th. We wish them the best of luck at that event.
GIRLS LEAGUE TAG
Unfortunately, the event last week had to be postponed on the day of the event due rain. A new date will be announced shortly and new electronic notes sent to parents to complete.
EQUESTRIAN
TAMWORTH INTERNATIONAL EVENTING (TIE) CCI-S ODE - 13 & 14 March, 2021
I was totally THRILLED for Ducky and I to place 8th (out of 32 competitors) at the weekend in my first event at EvA80 level. The event was an International Qualifier for the star riders, and was run by Equestrian Australia, Eventing NSW and AELEC Tamworth. I was riding also for Interschools QLD and my school, Mt St Patrick College, Murwillumbah NSW. It is an absolute honour for me as a 12 year old, to be amongst the top 10 in this class of mostly 15/16 year olds.
Ducky, my horse (aka Yagoneya Mega Tech) is a true champion. He is as new to this sport as I am and always gives everything a ‘red hot go’ with his big, beautiful heart. He takes care of me in true Australian stockhorse spirit with willingness that I completely trust.
Saturday 13th March – we produced a lovely 74.17% dressage test, which sat us 10th. This result included a 2 point penalty for carrying my dressage whip because I like to learn the hard way just to ensure I never make the same mistake again!!! I was still stoked! Cross country on Saturday was mentally very challenging, however we produced a double clear which pushed us up to 6th!
Sunday 14th March – with all focus on a clear showjumping round, I took a rail on the second and a 4 point penalty, which in the end slid us back to 8th overall!
Thank you to EVERYONE involved at @aelectamworth for running another amazing event. Thank you to the sponsor for my EvA 80 class - @furneysstockfeeds .Also a huge heartfelt thank you to my amazing vet, Dr Rhian from @goldcoastequineclinic for getting Ducky right again and especially for calling us over the weekend to check in to see how he was. Your care and follow up means the world.
All going well, our next stop is TEG @tamborineequestriangroup at the weekend for more training with Eventing QLD’s Brett Cantle and David Finch! Then onto Fig Tree Pocket Equestrian for the CCN ODE on the 27th and 28th March, 2021.
My training and competing outcomes this year are to achieve EvA 95 level and selection in the Equestrian QLD State Eventing Squad! I have loads of work to do!
Willow Fletcher – Year 7
TERM 2 SPORTS
During Term 2 our Year 7 & 8 students will be competing in the Jubilee Cup. In his competition, House Groups will compete against each other in soccer, touch football, volleyball and Basketball. Winning teams will gain points and the tallies will be accumulated to find an eventual winner.
Students in Years 9 – 11 will need to select a sport from the list below to participate in for the duration of the Term. Some fees have a cost and this cost will be billed to your school fees. Please discuss the option that your child will select. Not all costs have been finalised and may vary slightly
UPCOMING EVENTS
Week 9
Diocesan Soccer Northern Competition Tuesday 23rd March
Diocesan Open Basketball 25th March (leaving 24th at 2pm)
Week 10
Bill Turner Trophy Rd 1 v Kingscliff HS 29th March
NSW All Schools Triathlon 30th & 31st March
NSW CCC Touch Football 31st March Nelsons Bay
Term 2
Week 1
College Cross Country 20th April
Tim Whitney – Sports Co-ordinator
RE
YEAR 7 RE
This term, students in Year 7 RE are studying a unit called Who Is The Church? Students in Year 8 RE are learning about the Sacraments of Initiation. As part of these units, they have had the opportunity to visit our Sacred Heart church where Miss Barbara Grant and Father Anthony Lemon have shared their depth of knowledge and passion for teaching about the church. Students were able to see important symbols up close including the baptismal font, tabernacle and altar and had the opportunity to ask some great questions of Father Anthony (like what his favourite colour vestments are!) We thank Father Anthony and Miss Grant for their wealth of wisdom and for making this such a valuable learning experience for the students.
Stephanie Anderson - RE teacher
VISUAL ARTS
Pop along to the Town Library to view a selection of artworks completed in 2020 by Year 8, 10 and 11 Visual Art students.
This exhibition will be on show until Monday 26 April, 2021.
PDHPE
100 HOUR CHILD STUDIES VISIT TO UNITING PRESCHOOL
Over the past three weeks, the Year 9 and 10 Child Studies students have had the opportunity to visit, observe and engage with the young people across the road at the Uniting Care Preschool. During class this term students have been learning about the Growth and Development of Children aged 0-5 years, with a focus on Developmental Milestones and the importance of “Play as Learning”.
The students were excited to have the opportunity to visit the preschool and to see real world examples of what they had been learning in the classroom. Sharon and her staff were so welcoming and supportive of having the students observe and engage with the young children. From all reports, both students, young people and staff were happy for the opportunity to engage and experience the world of preschools. Moving forward we hope to foster and develop the working relationship between the Uniting Preschool and MSPC, to enhance the learning of our Child Studies students.
Cassie Allen & Susan Waters (Child Studies Teachers)
Below are some comments and pictures from some of the students involved:
“I really enjoyed the experience. I loved interacting with the kids and to see who were natural leaders or followers.” - Layla Hurst
“It was a good experience to meet and get to play and interact with all of the children. I really enjoyed it.” - Sadie Glynn
ENGLISH
VISUAL LITERACY WORKSHOP
Year 7 students fuelled their creativity in Week 6 by participating in Visual Literacy workshops, exploring the narrative world of picture books. Guided by artists Tina Wilson and Lisa Tiffen, each English class developed insights into the narrative process, exploring how images and words work together in one creation.
Some reflections from Year 7 students:
"The workshop was very helpful and fun, and gave me some great ideas for my English assessment. I learnt different drawing techniques about space, and placement of the images on the page to create more, or less dominant features." - Alexander Wellm
"The workshop helped me to realise how much thought actually goes into writing a picture book. I got to practise being creative and drawing facial expressions." - Amelia Andrews
"I enjoyed all the fun activities that helped us to create ideas and imagery using simple methods, such as the emoji activity and creating an image out of just a scribble. I also enjoyed the task where we took unnecessary words out of sentences because the image showed it rather than the words." - Simon Smith
"I really liked the workshop, especially the activity where we came up with the funny characters like the banana playing soccer. I'll definitely take into account the things they said when making my picture book." - Max Gommers
"I loved going to the picture book workshop! Not only was it engaging and fun, it also gave us all new ideas and techniques to include in our English assignments. It was very inspiring to hear from two successful picture book authors, as a real life example that these easy-to-master skills can transform anyone into the next big writer." - Keesia Close
HSIE
CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA
Members of the College Environment Group met recently to participate in the “Schools Clean Up Australia” campaign. Apart from cleaning up the College grounds, the group also inspected the new “Subpods” and discussed ideas for waste management. “Subpods” are a locally made worm farm and raised garden combination which can help reduce food waste that goes to landfill at the same time as growing herbs and vegetables for the canteen. A circular waste system!
A big thank you to the Clean Up Australia volunteers who were:
Year 12 – Olivia Flannery, Kiara McCarthy, Maya Guz, Morgan Burgess, Isabella Grigalius, Jordan Osmetti, Hannah Black, Phoebe Hockley, Breanna Yabsley.
Year 11 – Amelie Ogg, Zatalia Gumm.
Year 10 – Morgan O’Connor, Elizabeth Warne, Grace Kelly.
New members are welcome to join the Environment Group – watch the Daily Bulletin for details.
THE AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHY COMPETITION
The Geography competition will be held in the last week of March. Please see your Geography teacher and/or Mr Core to enrol, and to borrow past papers. There are limited places, so get in early! https://www.geographycompetition.org.au/practice-questions
THE AUSTRALIAN HISTORY COMPETITION
Registrations for the Australian History competition close at the end of March. Please see your History teacher and/or Mr Core for details. More information can be found at https://australianhistorycompetition.org.au/
MUSIC
College News
NAPLAN
NAPLAN ONLINE COORDINATED PRACTICE TEST
All Catholic schools in NSW are required to participate in a coordinated practice test for NAPLAN Online on Thursday 25th March. The test is a ‘practice run’ for schools to assess their technology ahead of NAPLAN Online, and the ability of the network overall to support the large numbers of students participating across the state. The practice test is not an assessment of student ability. The practice test allows schools to:
- become familiar with the administration of the NAPLAN Online test format and processes;
- check whether they have the technical capacity, rooms and devices to administer NAPLAN Online;
- provide students in NAPLAN years 3, 5, 7 and 9 with the opportunity to experience the online test question types and format by completing a practice NAPLAN online test.
Students are required to have a fully charged laptop and headphones on Thursday 25th March.
NAPLAN ONLINE
All students in Years 7 and 9 will sit NAPLAN Online tests in Week 4 of Term 2. The attachment below provides information about the NAPLAN Online tests. Parents or carers with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact Simon Holder or Kyllie Bevan at their earliest convenience.
HSC MINIMUM STANDARDS TESTS
All students are required to meet minimum standards in literacy and numeracy in order to be eligible for their HSC at the end of Year 12. Starting when they are in Year 10, students have four opportunities each year in which to meet these minimum standards through online tests in reading, writing and numeracy.
The first round of tests for 2020 will take place early in Term 2. Further information will be emailed to parents of Year 10 students closer to the date.
Mr Simon Holder - Literacy Co-ordinator simon.holder@lism.catholic.edu.au
Ms Kyllie Bevan - Numeracy Co-ordinator kyllie.bevan@lism.catholic.edu.au
PARENTS AND FRIEND'S ASSOCIATION
Thank you to those parents and teachers who were able to attend our first face-to-face meeting since Covid last week. It was lovely to share a glass of wine and some cheese in addition to our excellent discussions.
We were very lucky to hear from Louise Shields who gave us a detailed explanation of the new school wellbeing diary and the programme that is being run alongside it.
We also discussed our Mother's Day breakfast, which, thanks to easing restrictions, we will be able to hold again this year. We are also organising a trivia and games night. Watch this space for details!
If you would like to attend a meeting, everyone is welcome. It's a relaxed atmosphere and an opportunity to hear from Mr Reidy and other teachers, as well as contribute to the school. Our next meeting will be in Term Two.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Simone Wong
0439 937 449
(on behalf of the Mt St Patrick College Parents and Friend's Association)
Puzzle Corner
Clock A was correct at midnight but began to lose 2 minutes per hour from that moment. It stopped 2 hours ago, showing the time on clock B. The clock runs for less than 24 hours.
What is the correct time now?
Can you solve this puzzle?
If you think you have the solution, please see Mrs Bevan. The first 10 correct answers will receive a prize.
Solution to the puzzle from the last Newsletter: 154 Candles
Congratulations to: T. Banbury, S. Anderson, Y. Purser & D.Hannah
Awards
CO-ORDINATOR'S, PRINCIPAL'S AND COLLEGE AWARDS
LISIEUX CO-ORDINATOR'S AWARDS
Year 7 – Amelia Andrews, Annie Butt, Lucy Grant, Samuel Hynes, Sam Teeling.
Year 8 – Samuel Acret, Ella Cracknell, Tobias Glazebrook, Flynn Jones.
Year 9 – Phonika Gumm, Annaliese Schmechtig, Lilly Wolfe, Hannah Millar.
Year 11 – Zatalia Gumm, Lucy Jones.
LISIEUX PRINCIPAL'S AWARDS
Year 8 – Ella Cracknell
Year 11 – Zatalia Gumm
LORETO CO-ORDINATOR'S AWARDS
Year 7 – Grace Farrell (3), Mahlia Goldsworthy, Elissa Hawkins.
Year 8 – Ava Every, Lonnie Maher, Payten Nash, Jaxon Thomas.
Year 9 – Ochre Barnden-Panton, Heather Pickett, Gabrielle Stella, Ruby Trueman.
Year 11 – Abbey Bevan, Darcie Bevis, Wren Dunbar, Halle McClymont.
LORETO PRINCIPAL'S AWARDS
Year 7 – Grace Farrell
Year 8 – Payten Nash
Year 9 – Heather Pickett, Ruby Trueman.
LUCAN CO-ORDINATOR'S AWARDS
Year 7 – Max Gommers, Arielle O’Leary-Hume, Ivy Piticco, Menzie Tucker.
Year 8 – Deia Aggebrink-Jones, Jai Brennan, Amelia Carr, Jade Folkers, Ameliah Houghton, Judah Jeffs, Rhys Johnston, Matilda Leeson, Isabelle Levings, Lachlan May, Angus Miller, Ava Mutton, Zade Spratt, Oscar Stevens, Stella Taylor.
Year 9 – Kai Broomfield, Sophie Haywood, Keira Lesleighter, Harrison Lever, Caitlyn Moore, Brooke Ryan, Abbie Thomas.
Year 10 – Elsie Biles, Logan Heath, Elijah Kirk, Mackenzie Lyndon, Nathan Pryke, Lily Robinson, Lily Van Den Driest, Ruby Van Den Driest, Mischa Zabala.
Year 11 – Samuel Brown, Ruby Wilson, Rory Flynn.
LUCAN PRINCIPAL'S AWARDS
Year 8 – Deia Aggebrink-Jones, Ava Mutton, Zade Spratt.
Year 9 – Kai Broomfield
Year 10 – Mischa Zabala
Year 11 – Rory Flynn
LUCAN COLLEGE AWARDS
Year 9 – Kai Broomfield
NAGLE CO-ORDINATOR'S AWARDS
Year 7 – Marley Ferguson, Abigail Gilson, Jack Peters, Taleisha Robinson, Ky Scott, Simon Smith, Alfred Bond, Sean Farrelly, Haylen Fox-Duong, Tien Hogan, Charlotte Macdonald, Shaylee Minahan, Jack Murray, Isabella Ouwerling, Ryan York.
Year 8 – Denzel Browning, Claudia Larkin, Marley Loveridge, Felix Morin-Graue, Marni Simmonds, Nitchanan Siripiboon, Martin Smith, Crystal Vernon, Skye Waters, Jackson Annarino, Louie Banbury, Marly Kuramochi, Ty Loughman, Christina Mathews, Ava McCabe, Indiana Wadley.
Year 9 – Jali Fletcher, Will Malloy, Kiah McCarthy, Jessica Minahan, Jasmine Roberts, Kiana Tyack, Ava Browning, Lachlan Darby, Jack Gardner, Theodore Parsons, Savarna Wheatley.
Year 10 – Louis Dolan, Aleece Hunt, Michael Lack, Katie Macdonald, Mason McInerney, Dylan Bath-Dunne, Leo Molinari, Geordie Render.
Year 11 – Eric Edmonds, Bryce Matlock.
NAGLE PRINCIPAL'S AWARDS
Year 8 – Claudia Larkin, Sean Farrelly, Haylen Fox-Duong, Ty Loughman, Ava McCabe.
Year 9 – Jali Fletcher, Will Malloy, Jessica Minahan, Lachlan Darby.
Year 10 – Aleece Hunt, Mason McInerney, Dylan Bath-Dunne.
Canteen Roster
Community News
