Dear McAuley Families

The autumn weather is beautiful and the place looks a picture. Thanks for your efforts to have your sons and daughters in correct winter uniform. As stated previously, the Uniform Committee are meeting to be sure of supply and clarify directions as we prepare for Term 4 and Summer Uniform. Please continue to purchase the stock Swans have available for now.

I was very proud to represent our School over the weekend at various ANZAC Ceremonies. Last Friday we welcomed Commodore Rachel Durbin to speak at our McAuley Service. She gave a great example to our students of how successful a person with vision and who works hard can become in their chosen career. She was most impressed with the reverence and conduct of all our students at the ceremony and offered many compliments. Our student leaders proudly participated in the Dawn Service, Town March and 10.30 Services also. Thanks to Callum Dean, Ruby Carr, Taian Dutton, Hannah Hood and Franz Moreno who were outstanding representatives of our community. Thanks too for the support by a great number of students in the March in Tumut. I know others represented various community groups they are attached to, including Josh Smith in Talbingo. Thank you all. A photo gallery is included further in the Newsletter and on Facebook. 

Building Program: Works continue to be smooth on the Primary Campus for our Building Program. We held a very successful site meeting with the Architectural, Building Teams and CE Representatives last week. All is on track, barring supply issues which many trades are having currently. The plan remains that once the works on the Primary Campus are complete more will continue in the Secondary School with a number of classrooms being renovated. Exciting times!

Community Council Meeting: Our next community Council Meeting will be held in the Secondary Staffroom Thursday 6 May at 5.00pm for all interested parties. Please let us know in advance any Agenda items you might wish raised. Grateful thanks to those who were able to assist at the recent Rodeo Canteen which was an excellent fundraising opportunity for Community Council.

Australian Early Development Census: Kindergarten parents will receive a letter informing them of their child’s participation in the AEDC. This census occurs every three years and collects data on early literacy and numeracy progress at school. Please contact Mrs Crane or myself if you have any questions.

NAPLAN: National testing in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 takes place in May. Last year’s NAPLAN testing did not go ahead due to COVID 19. Parents should have received (via email) information on the tests and how and when they will be administered at McAuley. Please make sure your sons and daughters are well fed and well rested as the testing takes place so they can do their best. This testing provides us with important “point in time” data on a number of areas. Teachers are working to prepare students with a range of activities that rehearse the types of questions and answers required in the online tests.

Wellbeing Week: We continue to promote one week a term for Staff and Student Wellbeing. This term Wellbeing Week is in Week 7. Please keep an eye out for an excellent mental health parent workshop we are currently arranging to support the great work of our families.

I refer you to Linda Stade’s blog (lindastade.com) where she recently wrote about working with our kids and friendship issues. She writes really well about the power of stepping away from the “friendship fire”. That means encouraging our sons and daughters to avoid the mean text or social media comment, not choose sides and work to diffuse “moments of meanness”. Our Student Welfare Policy rewards those students who work to support and enhance our Mercy Values and continue to build a positive school culture. As parents too we can work on these same principles and focus on positive friendships and daily events rather than adding “fuel to the fire”.

Mary our Mother… Look after us.