Dear McAuley Families

We are enduring yet another unusual finish to the school year.  The wet weather is making our cohorting arrangements difficult, but we are doing our very best.  I am very grateful for the resilience and flexibility of our students who are really getting used to things changing at the last minute whist remaining positive and busy.

Teachers are working very hard in assessment and reporting and keeping to timelines as we race to the last days of school.  Thanks to them for their endurance and continued care as we work to navigate the ever changing regulations and restrictions.  I have been advised that we will remain at Level 3 restrictions for the rest of this school year.  That means end of year assemblies and presentations will go ahead without parents’ onsite and in cohort groups.  Our Year 10 Graduation will be split into two parts – a Mass and Presentation in the Church followed by a social dinner at the Golf Club.  Requirements and arrangements are being sent home as we are able to be certain we are following correct protocols.

Please see below for a summary of current restrictions:

• All volunteers and those helping or working at school must show proof of vaccination.
• Masks must be worn indoors by all staff and students in Year 7 and above.
• Masks must be worn correctly covering nose and mouth.
• Teachers will enforce correct mask wearing in all classes and activities held indoors.
• Masks are strongly recommended for Primary students – but not enforced.
• We continue to have the students separated in cohorts as best we can and encourage good hand hygiene and physical distancing where we need to.

Staffing 2022: We are almost at the final stages of arranging staffing and loads for teachers in 2022 and will advise what is planned when we are able to confirm things as set.

Congratulations to the following staff who have accepted offers to work at McAuley next year in either Primary or Secondary classes: Bethany Bruce, Cat Dawson, Brie Groves, Ros Piper, Julie Piper, Veronica Thake and Belinda Schirmer.

Congratulations also to Mrs Helen Mullholland who has accepted appointment as REC at St Bede’s. Braidwood.  Helen has worked as a casual at our local schools this year and is currently doing a fine job in 2M covering Janeanne’s leave.

We are very fortunate to have such high quality teachers keen to work at our school as many in NSW (and indeed Australia) are really struggling with recruitment at the present time.

Year 11/12 Planning:  We continue to hold regular meetings and planning sessions with CE and a number of interested parties in the hope of providing access to Stage 6 and more VET options for McAuley students from 2023.  We hope to have more concrete directions and plans as the year comes to a close.  I would encourage any parents who would like to know more to please contact me for a chat.

Student Leaders 2022:  Nominations and elections for our student leaders for next year have taken place.  An email will go home early next week announcing our Leadership Team for 2022.  Thank you to those many students who put themselves forward for leadership positions.  Leadership holds both enormous challenges and many rewards.  We look forward to being able to re-invigorate our leadership teams next year and provide them with many more opportunities to represent our school and the student body.

Day Excursions:  Our Year 5/6 and Year 10 students are looking forward to their day excursions which are now possible under the current guidelines.  Please watch your Compass app for emails and announcements for any events that are being made possible. The Primary Swim Program has been very smooth, despite the wet days, and I know it holds many benefits for our boys and girls in building their confidence and skills.

Community Council CE Representative:  Congratulations to Natalie Bartlett who has been selected to represent our Community Council in working with Catholic Education to build and improve the operations of School Boards and Community Councils through a consultation process.  Natalie is highly involved and very supportive of our school and I am grateful for her continued positive service and time.  I am sure Natalie will be seeking questions, suggestions and advice from our families into 2022.

Compass App:  There are still a number of families who have not accessed or downloaded the Compass app.  Compass is the main means of communication being used by the school now.  End of year reports will be released through Compass and families need to be able to access their accounts as other programs are phased out.

When installing please be sure to search for “McAuley Catholic Central School – Tumut” so you are directed to the correct school.  Please contact the school office if you encounter any difficulty or contact the CE helpdesk on 1300 232 448.

Kinder/Year 7 2022 Orientation Day/s: It has been so lovely to have our Kindergarten class of 2022 on site for two days now.  They are already shaping up to be a friendly and happy team.  I spoke to their parents last week and welcomed the graduating class of 2032 (!!) It was terrific to see them met their Year 5 buddies yesterday as part of their orientation to school.

Please note change of date to Year 7, 2022 Orientation Day to Friday 3 December. Information on timings and requirements will be communicated.

Mary our Mother… Look after us.

Eamonn Moore

Principal

The Liturgical season of Advent begins this weekend. 

Advent always begins four Sundays before Christmas, on the Sunday closest to the feast of St Andrew the Apostle (November 30th). Advent is the beginning of the liturgical calendar year and has been since the 900’s. The word Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means coming. It’s a time for preparation and anticipation of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

FROM PETER KEARNEY 

In recent years, I have produced five videos about walking. All five will be shared over coming weeks, via Zoom. After greetings and introductory remarks, I will ‘share screen’ (ie. share video) to take participants on a virtual walk (70-80 mins). Each journey will be vividly conveyed by photographs, accompanied by my carefully scripted narration and appropriate music. There will be opportunity for Q&A at interval and at conclusion.

I’ll follow with info about the first video presentations, both of which have connections to pilgrimage:

1. LE CHEMIN DE ST JACQUES - A CAMINO IN FRANCE:
Starting in Le Puy-en-Velay, a 700+km walk through beautiful regions of France, including Conques, a famous pilgrimage town. The journey concludes at St. Jean Pied-de-Port in the Pyrenees, near the Spanish border. This path is walked by fewer people compared to the Camino in Spain, yet it is just as ancient, interesting and beautiful.  
       Thursday November 25^th from 7.00pm. OR
       Sunday November 28^th from 2.00pm

2. WALKING IN IRELAND – THE KERRY WAY:
The Kerry Way is probably Ireland’s most famous national waymarked trail. A 10-day walk around the Iveragh Peninsula in the west of Ireland, passing through small coastal villages and beautiful, wild mountain landscapes. The journey includes an excursion to Skellig Michael, an amazing steep rocky island with a well-preserved monastic village on its peak - a UNESCO world heritage site.
       Wednesday December 1^st from 7.30pm. OR
       Saturday December 4^th from 9.30am

BOOKINGS: The sessions above are now available for booking via my website at: https://peterkearneysongs.com.au/zoom-walks-with-peter. Cost is $12 per session. After payment you’ll be able to download a pdf file with the zoom-link for your session(s). I will also confirm via email.

Other coming presentations – ‘Walking the Camino’ (Spain), ‘Surprising Ireland, Deeper Home’ and ‘Side Tracks of the Southern Highlands’ will happen during December. They are not yet available for booking, but, in a couple of weeks, more information and booking details will be provided.

Parent Communication:

Prepare reflectively for Christmas using the free online Walking Together Advent resource. Created by families for families, this home-grown Archdiocesan program will be made available in 4 instalments - one each week - including a 10 minute video and downloadable discussion/reflection questions. Use it whenever suits you, alone or in a small group. Or join a weekly zoom discussion group. 

Watch a 3 minute trailer: https://youtu.be/0eaQJFCNxLI

Explore the resource: www.cgcatholic.org.au/ADVENT

Join a zoom discussion group this Sunday 4pm or this Tuesday 10am

Zoom link:               https://zoom.us/j/96186839540

Meeting ID:            961 8683 9540

                   Enquiries lara.kirk@cg.org.au 0429 192 869

 ‘Engaging Adolescents’ program will be delivered online via TEAMS on 6^th and 10^th December 2021 at 10.00am. 

Referral form for participants to complete and return to parentingriverina@missionaustralia.com.au

Please ensure that you provide an email address when booking to allow  the link to the meeting to be sent to you.