Dear McAuley Families

Welcome back to Term 4 after a restful break from the routines of school. I know many families and staff took the chance to get away and spend some time together.  This remains the most interrupted and incredible year and I am so proud of the way this community continues to support each other through the challenges and uncertainties we continue to face.

Term 4 always flies - often because there is so much to do! Unbelievably we are beginning to plan for 2021 in terms of staffing, allocations and budgets. These conversations will continue throughout the term as things become clearer. Teachers will be busy completing final testing, grading of assessments and report writing.  Please assist your sons and daughters by helping them plan and map what work items are due and when. Good study routines lower stress and increase optimism – a perfect recipe for good results!

This week Kerrin Henderson formally announced her resignation as Assistant Principal at McAuley.  Kerrin has given long and stellar service to the school and community and I am grateful for her personal advice and support to me this year.  Catholic Education are currently advertising for an Assistant Principal to begin in 2021 and a panel will select a worthy applicant.  On your behalf we will thank Kerrin more formally as a staff and wish her and her family every success in their move to Canberra.

Our Year 7 and Kinder Orientations are able to go ahead and we are busy planning for exciting and helpful days to best prepare our new students for the years ahead. Teachers will write to all new enrolments to introduce themselves and let people know dates and times when events are happening at school. Orientation Days and times will be advertised here and on our Facebook page so please keep an eye as dates have changed due to COVID regulations.

Our COVID Plan for Year 10 Mass and Presentation has been approved by Catholic education.  Staff will meet this week to fine tune the arrangements for the event. We will be in touch with final details and arrangements as soon as we are able. We continue to work to plan as many events as we can as regulations continue to relax.

I welcome any feedback any families might have on our two initiatives this term.  The new Student Welfare Policy (SWP) has begun well with students being very aware of the processes and expectations.  Uniform and behaviour has been excellent and the term has started well.  Secondary students are on time for PC/DEAR at 9.00am and I urge them to continue to do this as we work to align times on both campuses.

Special prayers for those of us who have Year 12 boys and girls undergoing HSC exams or final assessments.  What a year it has been for our graduating classes of 2020.  My reading tells me that this group will be the most resilient group of school leavers we will see in our lifetimes.  They will have learnt to deal with uncertainty and disappointment first hand.  They will have experienced deep loss and disappointment and they will have experienced the greatest and most rapid changes in education for centuries.  Future Life and study looks very different for them already and they may also be the first school leavers for some time who have been encouraged to focus so clearly on their own mental health and life journey. This beautiful prayer was shared this week by the Marist Association and I invite you to support all our leaving students in this prayer.

Prayers also for our First Eucharist candidates as they celebrate this special sacrament this week at Mass.  Thanks to the Year 4 teachers and especially Miss Mason for their preparation and work for our boys and girls. Thanks also to our families for your support and preparation at home.  This brings an end to the Sacramental program for this year and we hope to return to a more community based program with much richer celebrations in 2021.

Mary our Mother… Look After Us.

Eamonn Moore

Principal

Year 4 McAuley students enjoyed a great Retreat Day last week in preparation for their First Holy Communion which was celebrated last night. 

This was a very special day in their lives as they received their First Holy Communion (Eucharist). Pope Francis refers to the Eucharist as a gift.  He reminds us about how important the Eucharist is to our faith journey and encourages us to receive the Eucharist as a family as often as possible if we are so disposed and in the state of grace.

Special thanks to all the teachers, relatives, and friends of these children who have helped prepare them for their First Holy Communion, and who will assist them in their future growth in faith through their prayers and actions. We especially thank the parents who are the primary educators of the children in the ways of the faith.

Lord Jesus Christ, in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. You left us the outstanding manifestation of your limitless love for us. Thank you for giving our students the opportunity to experience this love in receiving the Sacrament for the first time. May your Eucharist presence, enrich their faith. Amen. 

Miss Mason. Religious Education Coordinator. 

On Friday 30th of October McAuley will be celebrating A Day of Many Colours. As we adjust to these times of uncertainty, we are reminded how closely we are connected to each other across God’s world. A Day of Many Colours is to raise the awareness of our students as well as pray for children who are living in poverty around the world. 

The day is based around the 5 colours of the Mission Rosary, with each colour representing a different continent. Green represents Africa, red is for the Americas, white represents Europe, blue stands for Oceania and yellow represents Asia.

During the day the students will learn about the missionary works and the needs of our worldwide Church. 

On Friday 30th the students are invited to come dressed in one of these colours or ALL of the colours!!! 

Anita Mason, Religious Education Coordinator.

This week's blog (click below) gives a practical approach to guiding your kids through those big yucky feelings that feel so overwhelming…for them and us!

RAISING WHOLE HUMANS

Even though we want to protect our children from disappointment, anger, hurt and frustration, we can't. So, let's guide them through it in a way that makes them feel connected and supported.  This approach is psychology-based and effective. It's how we grow great humans!

Year 8 students are in the process of choosing their elective classes for 2021. The link below takes you to a McAuley site that details all of the important information about Stage 5 schooling at McAuley, as well as the relevant New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) curriculum regulations.

https://sites.google.com/cg.catholic.edu.au/stage5information2021/home

Students are asked to return their initial elective choices to school by Friday 23^rd October.

If anyone has any questions, please contact Mr David Turnbull at school. david.turnbull@cg.catholic.edu.au

A huge thank you to local business PRD and Jed Masters for their generous donation of a shade-structure this week. This will be put to good use over many years. How lucky we are to have such a supportive community.

Pictured are Cooper and Georgie (Primary Leaders) with Jed, Jenny and Sports Coordinator Lyn Bathgate.

THANK YOU JED!

Year 5 and Year 9 students have been invited to consider nominating for a leadership position in 2021. Mr Moore has talked to students regarding the expectations and responsibilities of a student leader.

Interested students are reminded, the Leadership Nomination Form is to be returned by Thursday 29th October. All nominations need to be seconded by a student and a teacher. 

Year 6 students are very excited as we have finally been given permission to go ahead with Peer Support this term. Yr 6 leaders will focus on resilience and will lead individual groups of K-6 students through the topic of "Moving On". 

Primary Canteen Roster is quite depleted of volunteers. New babies, employment and recent restrictions have left the roster quite sad!

We are in need of some volunteers to help keep this vital little shop open for our Primary students. We only require 35 mintues of your time once a month. 12:55pm till 1:30pm - Monday, Wednesday or Fridays.

You will notice (highlighted) below, we have the first 3 Mondays of the months requiring urgent assistance. 

PLEASE contact us if you would like to be involved. No lunch preparation - just over the counter sales. 

McAULEY CATHOLIC CENTRAL SCHOOL TUMUT

KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION DAYS

McAuley Catholic Central School will hold Orientation Days for enrolled Kinder 2021 students:

Wednesday 4^th November

Thursday 12^th November

Tuesday 17^th November

9:30am to 3:00pm.

YEAR 7 ORIENTATION DAY 2

McAuley Catholic Central School will hold an Orientation Day for enrolled Year 7 2021 students :

Friday 27^th November.

9am to 3:15am.

COVID-19 restrictions will apply to all days.

 Please contact the school office on 69472000 or email office.mcauley@cg.catholic.edu.au for more information.

 Limited places still available for 2021.

 Believe, Strive, Achieve!

Elective students have recently made delicious chocolate eclairs during Food Technology. How good do they look?

The last day of Term 3 was a special occasion for Billy, Bobby, Brianna and Jasper in Year 1. These four students completed the second level of the MiniLit program they have been working on since Term One. During the 80 lessons in the program they have shown a great determination and a constant application to complete their work.

To mark the occasion Mr Moore presented the four students with a special certificate and book. After the presentation Mr Moore stayed and we all joined in a celebratory party!

CONGRATULATIONS – BILLY, BOBBY, BRIANNA AND JASPER YOU ARE ALL AWESOME!

Kindergarten to Year 10 students were recognised for application and effort during Term 3. Congratulations to all students who received recognition - your positive example and hard work is most appreciated. 

Awards were presented for the Secondary University of NSW, ICAS Exams for English and Science. There were some pleasing results with many students receiving Merits, Credits and three students receiving Distinctions - Hunter Stiles (Science) and Jessica Kelly and Lauren Hannig (English).

Some secondary students also received recognition for their participation in the Education Perfect Science Competition. McAuley performed very well against many schools both in Australia and abroad. 

Due to COVID restrictions, the 2020 Marian Procession will take place online. Led by our ethnic communities, the event is an opportunity to pray the Rosary together as a community.

Find out more information and register for notifications at https://hozana.org/en/community/9352-marian-procession

Murrumbidgee Local Health District would like to share a free new support program with Fathers, Dads to be or Co-Parents called Focus on New Fathers. The Focus on New Fathers Program provides a free text message based service called SMS4dads by providing free tips, tools and links directly to dad’s phone.

For full details please call Program Coordinator, Melissa on 0439441540.