Dear Parents and Carers

Amazingly this week is Week 6. The time is moving quickly through the term and finally Autumn is in the air.  I hope and pray that the predicted rain arrives to give our parched and scorched country some healing.

This week I will be away from school at the annual Archdiocesan Principals’ Retreat and system days in Bowral.  Here, I will learn about the directions Catholic Education want us to take in 2020 and spend some time reflecting on what has been a busy start to the year.  We will be led this year by Professor Br David Hall (a Marist Brother) who no doubt will lead us meaningfully through the time of retreat.

As I get to know our students and families better I am often asked what my first impressions are of McAuley.  I say with confidence my first impressions are excellent.  Our students in all classes have been welcoming.  They are friendly and honest and not the least afraid of a chat to be sure I am comfortable and know what’s what!

The staff are outstanding models of hard work and care.  I conducted a survey in the first couple of weeks and was thrilled to learn that care and connection for students was an outstandingly high priority.  Without positive relationships a school will flounder, and I have every confidence that we have a professional and hardworking staff who feel strongly connected to this school and community.

I have had the chance to meet all the staff by now and last week met Cameron Ellison who is looking forward to finally being able to better enjoy some of his long service leave.  Cameron, like many of you, has been impacted by the fires and has spent a great deal of time in recovery of plant, fences and so on.  Like so many families I have dealt with I admire Cameron’s positive outlook and resilience and look forward to his return to McAuley.

I know that a large number of our families have experienced some trauma and loss due to the fires and I continue to implore you to take good care of your physical and mental health.  The school has access to support and counselling and it is easy to organise help if you or your family members need it.  Some of our students are beginning to show some signs of trauma and anxiety as time moves on.  Please be very aware of changes in behaviour and take the advice and care that is available. 

Last Friday I spoke to the Secondary students about good study habits, organisation and routines.  By now all students should be into a good pattern of daily homework, reading and assignment work.  Please encourage the use of planners, calendars and diaries.  There are some excellent apps also that will help your son or daughter be on top of their study load and feel organised and calm.  Please model good organisation in your home as this example is very helpful to our children.

I leave you with a reflection shared by Miss Mason (our REC) about Lent… it is an excellent reminder about approaching life in a positive way – to think about gain and not loss…

“Just remember that Lent is renewal. It allows you the opportunity to not be ‘weighed down’ by the burden of trying to maintain ‘what you gave up for Lent.’ However, it gives you the possibility to ‘take up’ something which will enable you to grow spiritually…”

Mary our Mother… Look after us.

Eamonn. 

Please claim the date for the Annual General Meeting of the McAuley Community Council - Thursday 19th March. 5pm in the Secondary Campus Staff room. All parents most welcome.

Please think about coming along, we need and value your input. 

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION (Yr 4) Sacramental Meeting 5pm, followed by Mass at 6pm - this Saturday night 7th March.

Please remember to sign and return the Yr 3-10 'Computer Facilities and External Networks - Acceptable use by Student' document which was sent home last week. 

Parents and students are required to sign the form (pages 7-10).

The full policy can be viewed at the link below:

COMPUTER ACCEPTABLE USE FORM YR 3-10

Year 10 student, Callum Keenan has signed up for a McAuley Catholic Central School Tumut, 'School-based Apprenticeship' with Trent Keenan Constructions.

School Based Apprenticeships allow students to commence an apprenticeship or complete a traineeship while at school. A SBA combines paid work, training and school; and as well as an industry recognised national qualification. The school community is proud to support Callum and his family in this exciting venture.

Callum and his proud parents are pictured, with Principal Eamonn Moore. 

Please refer to the attached note (link below) for full details on this engaging and interactive Mathematical Presentation for our K-6 students next Friday. 

Provision for our Reconciliation Retreat Year 3 students, will be made, to enable them to participate in their session. 

K-6 Mathematical Presentation

McAuley was proudly represented on Monday in Narooma by Joe Pearce, Chloe Pearce, Macy White, Aidan Turnbull, Isabella Oliver, Eric Bartlett, Ashton Ambrose and Ethan Buckley. 

These young swimmers all participated strongly with many PB's recorded on the day. Congratulations on your great efforts!

Five of our year 5 boys Archie Webb, Oliver Henderson, Ian Kelly, Zach Brown and Sam Buckley travelled to Canberra for the Archdiocese Soccer Trials during the last couple of weeks.

Whilst not making it through to the next level, all boys enjoyed the 'big-stage' experience and competition and all reported a great day!

Adjunct Professor Kaye Lowe visited McAuley recently, to help further support the enjoyment of READING!

Dr. Kaye Lowe is an Associate Professor (Adjunct) at the University of Canberra and Director of Read4Success. She has had a life-long passion for literacy learning and supporting struggling readers. Since completing a PhD at Indiana University, she has taken up academic positions at the University of Kentucky, James Madison University (Virginia), University of Western Sydney and Charles Darwin University. She has been Associate Dean (UWS) and Research Fellow at CDU where she evaluated literacy practices in remote Indigenous communities.

She was the Chief Investigator and Evaluator of Reading First in Kentucky. This was an 89 million dollar project aimed at improving literacy standards in Grades K-3. It involved more than 2000 teachers, 174 schools and more than 200 field officers. While in Kentucky, she also received a grant to design and produce an online program to support struggling adult readers using voice recognition technology, screen readers and interactive activities.

Kaye has worked in many learning contexts including K-12, parent education, adult education, jails and juvenile justice. She aspires to make the journey of the reader fun and easy. Her research interests include supporting struggling readers, supporting Indigenous learners, parent education, the impact of technology on literacy learning, boys’ education, adult literacy education, and inspiring reluctant writers. She has written four books and numerous articles on the teaching of reading and writing.

We have had a busy start to the year in the Ag department. Our baby chickens arrived last week and Year 9 and Year 10 Ag students have been weighing them daily and working out the amount of food they are eating.

In week 10, they will take 2 male and 2 female chickens to Sydney to participate in the Sydney Royal School Meat Bird Pairs Competition. Until then, the students will continue to collect data on the growth of the birds and produce a slideshow on the meat bird industry in Australia and on how they have raised their chickens.

Year 7 Mandatory Technology has started the year looking into vegetable production. They have planted out their garden beds and are watching their growth, learning about requirements for germination and observing the growth phases. They have also enjoyed being close to the new chickens!

We still have our three ewes and had to mark their lambs a few weeks ago. Year 10 Ag students handled that job with ease. Hopefully, we receive a bit of rain this week to help with a bit of pasture growth.

- Belinda Schirmer, Agriculture Teacher. 

Secondary students continue to enjoy our planned Friday afternoon activities.

It's wonderful that our students are able to try something new or gain a new skill in the more relaxed program.

It is hoped the activities offered, can assist in improving social skills, overall coordination, a 'sense-of-self' and enhance relationships with teachers and peers. 

Our Year 7's are pictured enjoying free-painting last Friday. 

Year 9 and 10 students are all enrolled in Education Perfect for English.

Students have completed a diagnostic comprehension test, which has highlighted the areas they need to work on; identifying detail, language features, vocabulary, or inferring detail.

Each student has been assigned tasks relating specifically to the areas they need to work on. Students should be completing some of these every night to improve their comprehension skills which will benefit them in all KLA'S. I would appreciate your support in reminding your child to be completing some of these tasks. Please remember if you have any questions regarding Stage 5 English don't hesitate to contact me. 

- Fran Clarke, English Teacher 

fran.clarke@cg.catholic.edu.au 

Come along to the Tumut Show this weekend and see our beautiful McAuley School Display. 

It carries the theme "THANKS EMERGENCY SERVICES - HOPE & REGROWTH".

Last week we received some Gift Vouchers which have been donated by staff and students from another Mercy School, St Anthony's in Girraween ACT. These vouchers will be passed on to support our families who have lost so much in the recent fires.

School Captains Gabby, Coleby, Ella and Charlie have written a letter of thanks. 

We have received a lovely letter from the Tumut Basketball Association thanking us for the use of our McAuley Hall whilst the Australian Defence Force were using the Town Basketball Stadium. It was a pleasure to be able to support the wider community during and after the recent bush-fires. 

Tumut Basketball currently have three teams in the K/Year 1 girls division and are seeking more players to make another side, to enable this age group competition to go ahead.

If you are interested please contact Jason direct on 0418 430 905.

The Snowy Valleys Council have provided the following information regarding Recovery Assistance Points, locations and dates for families affected by the recent fire disaster:

• Batlow – Literary Institute - Saturdays and Wednesdays 10am – 4pm - Starting Saturday 15 February
• Tumbarumba – RSL Memorial Hall – Tuesdays 10am – 4pm – Starting Tuesday 18 February
• Talbingo – Talbingo Mountain Retreat - Thursdays 10am – 4pm – Starting Thursday 20 February
• Adelong – Adelong S&C Club – Fridays 10am – 4pm – Starting Friday 21 February

At these points there will be Red Cross, Murrumbidgee Local Health and other organisations able to assist with recovery needs.

For more details phone: Ph: 1300 ASK SVC Fax: 02 6941 2678

People impacted by bushfires are encouraged to call Service NSW on 13 77 88, see a Service NSW team member in a Disaster Recovery Assistance Point, visit a Service NSW Centre or Mobile Service Centre, or go to www.service.nsw.gov.au

Career Information for Parents and Students

St Ann’s College provides student accommodation in a safe, inspiring environment for those who are completing their University degree, TAFE course or Foundation Studies in Adelaide. Our mission is to provide a secure collegiate environment that promotes the highest standards of academic achievement and personal development for the benefit of the individual and the wider community. Our students are largely made up of people from regional South Australia, with approximately 20% from interstate and overseas.

Each student has their own bedroom equipped with a bed, desk, chair, wardrobe, fridge, split system air-conditioner and FREE unlimited Wi-Fi. All rooms are cleaned weekly with rubbish taken out daily by our cleaning staff. Our kitchen staff provide students with three delicious healthy meals per day and are accommodating of specific dietary requirements.

I would like to extend an invitation to you and your students to come to the College and take a personal tour with one of our students to see our facilities and grounds for yourself. If you are not able to attend the College as a group, I strongly advise your students to attend the College for an individual tour at a time that suits them best. This can be arranged by calling the office on 08 8267 1478.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact St Ann's direct. Phone +61 8 8267 1478

E: denise.vonwald@stannscollege.edu.au

The 29th annual 2 day Tumut Easter Markets is a non-profit event, which is shaping up to be another successful Market with approximately 60 stalls inside the hall and outside sites available.

Held at the Tumut Boys Club Hall, 76 Fitzroy Street, next to the Ambulance Station on the Snowy Mountains Highway on Good Friday (10 April) and Easter Saturday (11 April); 2020. Trading from 9am to 4pm both days with free entry.

Stalls will be selling a great variety, such as; craft, pottery, antiques, collectables, old records, CD’S, DVD’s, rugs, model cars and trains, super heroes, wind spinners, sun-dream catchers, TV products, footy signs, leather belts, hats, gemstones, jewellery, handbags, cement ornaments and statues, plants, air brushing tattoos, lead light, wind chimes, lavender products, toys, hand knitted baby wear, children’s and ladies clothing, socks, table linen, soy candles, kitchenware, wooden toys, sunglasses, tools, seashells and marine collectables, animal wardrobe, ugh© boots, shoes, pictures, books, dolls clothes, vegetables, apples, honey, jams, pickles, cakes, slices, soft serve ice cream, oysters, food van, drinks, coffee van and lots, lots more.

Proceeds will be donated to Tumut Riding for the Disabled. Thank you and we hope to see you at the Tumut Easter Markets.