Dear McAuley Families

I write with pride our first newsletter officially as McAuley Catholic College Tumut.  This year is a historic one as we realise the long-held ambition of becoming a K-12 College.  Our students have returned, and the community is demonstrating its confidence in us with strong enrolments across the College.  We are at capacity in ALL year levels with wait lists in some.

Your children will come home and talk to you about our new crest.  The symbols on our crest are representative of our Mercy values and origins as well as the beautiful natural landscape we are blessed with. 

Our Community Council are working with Wendellie to sort new embroidery and logos.  We are happy to wait till this is done well and I know they will advise you when stitching can be completed. We are also working to re-brand our signs, website and online presence as quickly as we can.

I was proud to pray with our staff at our Commissioning Liturgy last Wednesday.  We welcome seven new teachers to the College in both Primary and Secondary positions for this year.  Welcome to our new staff:

Mark Harmer (Assistant Principal – Primary)

Erin Kingwill

Michelle Hillier

Judy Sarton

Robyn Ryan

Katie Campbell

Katie Haley

Our enrolment this week is around 460 students K-12.  Welcome especially to our new families from Kindergarten right through to Year 12.  I know that your sons and daughters will thrive here as one of us and will experience first class academic and pastoral care.

Last week, the staff undertook professional learning around high impact teaching strategies, behaviour expectations (curriculum) as well as administration and planning.  We look forward to a productive and exciting year.

During the break we worked to have 4 new modular classrooms installed behind the McAuley Hall.  Ramps and decking and path connections are complete.  We hope to have ICT and power fully connected by mid next week.  I apologise for the delay.  We had worked right through January to be ready but supply issues and timings went against us. 

Due to the heat, we will not be timetabling classes into these areas until they are fully operational.

Please always remember that education is a partnership between home and family.  Our values, customs, expectations and practices align to nurture and encourage our sons and daughters to be the best possible versions of themselves.

I will refer often to our college Motto – Believe, Strive and Achieve.  These key verbs give us powerful actions on which to build our goals and to make excellent progress as we embark on a truly historical year in the history of the College.

Please take the time to get to know your children’s teachers and share in the excitement of the adventure that lies ahead.

Our boys and girls will be weary these next few days.  Please allow some good time to settle.  Encourage good organisation, get to know timetables and set routines.  All these actions will lower anxiety and help us all feel organised, safe and exited about what is to come.

Please be sure that your details are correct in Compass so that you will receive notifications about events, excursions and camps that are coming soon.

Mary our mother, look after us.

Eamonn Moore

Principal