McAuley Catholic College Tumut eNewsletter

Dear McAuley Families

This week we welcomed Mr Tim Smith, Ms Trazel Scott and Ms Brenda Foley from CECG to undertake school registration as a K-12 College. The panel spent time concentrating mostly on our Year 11 and 12 course documentation as well as spending time with staff and students in Stage 6. The early feedback is very positive. The panel went away deeply impressed with our processes and results so far. This is a testament to our Stage 6 Coordinator (Sarah Lu) and the teaching team. Our work is leading the way for many other schools and providing awesome opportunities for our students. Grateful thanks to all involved in this massive shift into senior schooling.

We also have early indications that our NAPLAN results are of the highest calibre. Again, this is reflective of the strong learning and teaching that is happening through our Primary Programs which prepare our boys and girls for success in secondary school. These are exciting times for our school and for our community.

Again, I need to let you know that we are reaching capacity in most year levels across the school. Wait lists are being opened in Years K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 in 2024. As places become available, we will contact families in line with the priority of enrolment. Please refer any questions to Trish Marsh - our enrolment officer.

It was exciting to meet the Harmer family over the last few days who were in town preparing for their family relocation to Tumut in December. Mark will be a terrific asset to our College and Leadership Team and has already commented on our fantastic hospitality and welcome.

Mrs Bathgate is enjoying shopping for playground equipment and various resources after the fantastic fundraising efforts for our Colour Run. We are all looking forward to seeing the results of the hard work our students did in raising money for our terrific school.

I refer you to Linda Stade’s Blog which offers “4 gentle messages about our teens.”

She encourages this “soft” advice for our boys and girls as they grow and learn about themselves and others.

Get rid of ‘shoulds’… I should be thin/popular/happy/friends…. And so on. These ideas cause us stress and anxiety.
Be brave enough to be you. Be authentic. Let the world see your weirdness!
Write your own narrative. Look at adults who do things differently. Listen to their stories.
Shine light on others. You don’t lose light when you shine it on others.

I know I often refer to Linda’s work and I encourage you to subscribe to her blog as part of your parent education.

Mary our mother, Look after us.

Eamonn Moore

Principal

Last Wednesday was the feast of All Saints. The Church celebrates a certain number of Saints whose lives provide a glimpse of God for the rest of the Church. But there are many, many more saints whose glimpse of God was only ever experienced by their family, friends and those with whom they worked. We all know people whose lives were steeped in genuine holiness. The feast of All Saints is an opportunity to remember, reflect and celebrate on the lives of all the baptised who have gone before us and whose lives were virtuous.

Thursday was the Feast of All Souls. This is not a feast of sadness, but one of great hope and confidence because we know that those who have died are in God’s care. God loves them and like a good shepherd God will lead them to peace.

Archbishop Christopher Prowse asked that we respond to Pope Francis' invitation for a Day of Prayer for World Peace on Friday 27th October.

Pope Francis said recently, "Silence the weapons, Listen to the cry of the poor, the people, the children, for peace."

To support this day, during Pastoral, students individually wrote a prayer for World Peace inside a dove outline. These were then displayed around the Pastoral Class and will remain for the rest of the year.

Our school leaders lead staff and students in a World Peace Liturgy followed by a minutes silence.

Prayer for Peace

Loving God,

we pray for the gift of peace in our world.

Help us to be peacemakers in our communities.

May our actions and words reflect your love, and may we work together to build a world where all can live in harmony.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen

McAuley held a whole school Remembrance Day ceremony today at 11am.

Congratulations to the Year 3 students who received the Sacrament of Reconciliation at a beautiful Mass on Thursday November 9.

A big thank you to Ms Mason and Father Joe for preparing the students.

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

STUDENT OF THE WEEK

RESILIENCE AWARD

Congratulations to David Kingma in Year 6 who entered the New South Wales Young Scientist competition. David received a Distinction for his Radio Controlled Model Aeroplane Material Testing project.

and congratulations also to Billy Bathgate on winning the Western Region Public Speaking.

The Leadership process for 2023/24 will follow these guidelines.

Students in Year 9 and Year 5 have nominated leadership positions.
Mr Moore has read and accepted all nominations
Students who nominated have been told they have been accepted
Secondary Speeches: Wednesday 8^th November.
Primary Elections and voting: Today Friday 10^th November.

Announcement of leaders via Compass 4pm Friday 8^th December.

Primary leaders x 2
Primary Vice-leaders x 2
Chisholm House Captain x 1(secondary)
Chisholm House Vice- Captain x 1(primary)
MacKillop House Captain x 1(secondary)
MacKillop House Vice- Captain x 1(primary)
Therry House Captain x 1(secondary)
Therry House Vice- Captain x 1(primary)

Leaders will be commissioned and their badges presented at the Opening College Mass in 2024.

Year 7 Science task

Students are doing a problem solving exercise designing, making and testing a protection cover for an egg.

What a day! We think Last Friday has been the best day of Kinder this year! We have been to the adventure playground and zoo at the Botanical Gardens in Wagga and then on the 'Possum Magic' at the theatre. Hopefully we don't all become invisible on our way home.... thanks to our wonderful families and Ms Blundell for their support too.

Metals Course has been run by TAFE and funded by RIEP. the students are doing different metal skills and will be going out to see various local industries that are involved with the metal trade.

Animal Studies and Cafe Skills in a 4 week program where students get a taster at a possible career path.

The aim is to learn new skills that they can utilise

Congratulations to Ruan for achieving a Certificate II in Animation, after successfully completing his course.

Year 7 2024 had their final Orientation Day on Friday 3rd November. Students got a taste of secondary schooling.

Thanks to Ms Roche and Year 10 for organising the hot dogs.

Kindergarten 2024 joined us again this Wednesday for more 'big school' fun. We read about 'The Magic Lunchbox' and explored healthy foods and discussed the foods we love to eat (Miss Groves was hungry all day!). We visited the primary vegetable garden and the chickens and listed all the food we grow at our houses. Playdough food was fun too! We look forward to the final orientation day, next Thursday November 9th with a special reminder of the kinder parent information night on Wednesday November 8th. Thanks families for sharing your little people!

The year 7/8 Girls, Lilly Day, Rory Caffery, Alex Crowe, Alliena Roddy, Cybella Roddy, Sierra Roddy, Rubi O’Sullivan Vicki Doon and Sophie Webb and year 7/8 boys, Archie Webb, Beau Rossiter, Ryan Beavan, Billy Crib-Kelly, Hunter Watts, Will Crampton, Wil Vickery, Zachary Brown and Aidan Turnbull played in Sydney this week at the NSWCCC Basketball Championships representing the CG Diocese and our school. Nakia Morris, Anna Stubbs and Mr Turnbull supported our volunteer coaches Gina Roddy, Stephanie James and Todd Beavan over the two days.

Some strong and physical competition our students came up against.

The girls finished in their pool in 3rd place, going into the quarter finals against St John XXIII Catholic College they played with heart and soul but were unsuccessful in getting the win.

The boys came 4th in their pool, going into the quarter finals against St Pius X High School, Adamstown. The boys gave it their all and played to the final whistle but couldn't quite secure the win to progress to semifinals.

Final placing still to be posted. But both teams finished top 8 in the state. Well done McAuley ?

We could not be prouder of these students they played and represented the diocese and our school with such respect and sportsmanship.

Hat found in the Secondary office and two pair of prescription glasses found on the blacktop.

There is also a huge pile of jumpers and jackets in lost property in both the secondary and primary offices.

If you have any excess plastic shopping bags, could you please drop them into either office.

On Friday 27th October McAuley held our annual Socktober Day. Students were invited to come to school dressed in casual clothes and colourful socks and give a gold coin donation. $363.90 was raised and will be donated to Catholic Mission.

The Songs For Sam Annual Scholarship is open to students aged 15 and over. This scholarship is designed to assist them financially in pursuing their hobby or passion.

Each year the committee awards up to $1000 to a member of our community between the ages of 15-25. The application process is online & simple to navigate. Applicants must provide a letter from a referee. They must also demonstrate how they will give back to our local community.

http://www.songsforsam.org

Applications close on Monday 27th November 2023

Past successful applicants:

2022 Eddie Dodds (swimming)

2021 Grace Whyte (netball) and Rory Phillips (music)

2020 Jacob Ambrose (swimming)

2019 Kade Knight (swimming)

2018 Maddy Hibbert (guitar) and Dominic Erbacher (volunteering abroad)

2017 Zac Maher (design artist)

2016 Piper Duck (basketball) and Zara Burgess (Photography)

2015 Jack Bundy (DJ course)

2014 Jaimee McQuellin (Riding for the Disabled)

Successful Futures

Local Jobs aiming at people 15 to 25 years

A new website has been created to allow 15 to 25 year olds an opportunity to find jobs and other resources in our local area.

https://successfulfutures.com.au/

It is not only a site for job seekers but employers seeking employees, other community organisations that have opportunities to benefit the 15 to 25 year olds in this area, such as free courses, expos etc.

There are opportunities for employers and community organisations to contribute to this site.