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- PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
- FROM THE REC
- AWARDS WEEK 6 AND 7
- FATHER'S DAY STALL
- NSWPSSA RUGBY UNION CHAMPIONSHIPS
- ARCHDIOCESAN ATHLETICS
- KINDER MATHS
- WESTERN REGION PUBLIC SPEAKING
- VISIT TO SIMPLY WHOLESOME
- KAPOOKA ARMY BAND
- BOOK WEEK 2022
- YEAR 1 PUBLISHING
- 3D OBJECTS
- TEACHER AIDE APPRECIATION WEEK
- GARDENING DONATION
- BOUND FOR BIG SCHOOL
- RADIO NEWS
- KINDER SPORT
- YEAR 2 SPORT
- SCHOOL CROSSING SUPERVISOR TUMUT
Dear McAuley Families
The term is certainly moving on with more rain predicted unbelievably. We are certainly busy keeping things on track whilst beginning to recruit, plan and prepare for 2023.
In the Year 11 space, there is a great deal happening:
- This week we are conducting staffing interviews for Stage 6 English and General Teaching position/s.
- Students have indicated their preferred subjects/pathways for Year 11 and 12
- We are meeting to finalise subject offerings for 2023 (both face to face and virtually). Also the TAFE and VET courses we may be able to offer in the coming years.
- Finalising costing for student laptops and fee discounts.
- Organising leasing and provision of laptops to staff to begin in 2023
- Working with CE to obtain portable buildings for an extension of our learning spaces whilst finalising our Facilities and Building Master Plans.
We aim to keep you informed as much as possible as we progress into this exciting space in the future of Catholic Education in our local area.
There is also time to meet and consult with the current Year 10 students, staff and families to begin a consultation process about other future needs and plans. We met and discussed questions and suggestions about:
- Year 11 and 12 uniform – a Graduating Class of XXIV shirt being designed and looking to order
- Leadership models and roles for Years 10-12
- Study/learning/social spaces
- Timetabling (K-12)
- Camps, excursions and formals
As a school we are keen to get parent input into many of these ideas, plans and suggestions. Right now we have more questions than answers but look forward to many robust and rewarding discussions in the coming weeks. As I have said regularly we have the chance to offer a tailored package to our students who will be excellently resourced, carefully guided and cared for in a small and well supervised cohort.
Secondary students this week have been reminded of our school expectations in regard to uniforms and mobile phones. As previously advised, we are refining the additions to our uniform policy in terms of hair, nails and jewellery expectations. At the base of these refinements is the need for safety. Many hooped earrings, necklaces, rings and bangles can present a risk in terms of certain sports, lessons and activities and need to be removed or not worn at all. This guideline is similar for long hair which is a safety risk in labs, practical experiments and kitchens.
Students were also reminded that mobile phones are to be kept in bags or classroom pockets during the school day. If a student has a need to use a phone during the day they are to use it in the front office. The sharing of photos or videos without consent is a serious offence and may be referred to Police. Students who are using phones at incorrect times will be asked to bring the device to the office for collection in the afternoon.
The school expects your support in these matters, understanding that as parents we all want our children to be safe, well and comfortably dressed, active and engaged without the distractions of devices, jewellery or hair choices.
Our Community Council spent a great deal of time and effort in revising our uniform options and it is pleasing to know that we are well ahead of many other schools in terms of a uniform that allows for comfort and activity, as well as being non-gender specific.
It seems that many COVID restrictions continue to ease. So far we have had a small impact on staff and student absences (certainly not what was predicted) and hope to reinstate many of our community and family events in Term 4.
I will be attending the National Catholic Education Conference (NCEC) in Melbourne from Sunday to Wednesday next week, along with leaders from our Archdiocese and others Australia wide. It will be a great opportunity to learn how the face of education has changed (and will continue to) due to the impacts of COVID and the predicted teaching shortages. I look forward to feeding back some great ideas as we plan for an exciting future at McAuley.
Please remind your friends and neighbours that we are enrolling for 2023 and have places available in Kindergarten, Years 7 and 11 for those seeking a faith based education anchored in science of learning principles with strong, literacy, numeracy and social skilling programs in place.
Happy Father’s Day to those fathers and father figures in our lives for Sunday. Our Dad’s occupy a special place in our hearts. I know I will remember my own Dad with love not only for his quick Irish temper, but his fierce loyalty and love. God bless.
Mary our Mother… Look after us.
Eamonn Moore
Principal
The Staff's Twilight meeting on Tuesday 23rd August was looking at Christian Meditation and how to implement it into McAuley. One of the directives from the Archbishop, Christopher Prowse, is that Christian Meditation is to be practiced within each Archdiocesan class/school.
“In Christian meditation we are actually allowing Jesus to speak in us, in our heart,” Archbishop Christopher Prowse.
Meditation is a universal spiritual wisdom. It is a practice found at the core of all the great religious traditions. In Christianity, this contemplative dimension of faith and prayer is rooted in the Gospel teaching of Jesus and the Christian mystical tradition. Over the past 40 years, there has been renewed interest in Christian meditation, largely led by The World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM). Schools in approximately 30 countries have now introduced the practice.
The twilight was facilitated by Helen Bramanathan, who is a Religious Education & Faith Formation Officer in CE. Helen Bramanathan has been awarded The Archbishop’s Evangelisation Award for 2020. This award recognised her work in promoting Christian Meditation. Helen is deeply committed to providing opportunities for the children in Archdiocese schools to experience God’s love through this form of contemplative prayer. Helen has been working with many teachers and students across the Archdiocese, providing support as they look to implement Christian Meditation into their classrooms.
The staff were excited to be able to learn more about Christian meditation and the benefits it can have on student wellbeing. Scientific research shows that practising meditation offers many potential benefits to children. These include clinical improvements in mental and physical health as well as strengthening emotional and behavioural regulation, stress management and concentration. While effect sizes vary, particularly for interventions offered universally in schools, there is now consistent evidence across studies that meditation in schools… …
A huge thank you to Narissa Watts and her band of helpers, Alicia Welsh, Wendy Webb, Lauren Masters, Alana Farquharson and Talea McGuffie.
Another Successful Father's Day stall, an amazing $1500.00 was raised.
Thank you also to generous families for donating gifts.
Congratulations to Jack Corbett on his representation in the MacKillop team at the NSWPSSA Rugby Championship that was held last week.
On Sunday we arrived in Mudgee and had a 3 hour training session with the team. After that we went and found the place we were staying at. It was pretty cool.
The next morning the coaches said to meet them at a place called "Crossfit Mudgee". We had a gym session for an hour. Then we had a trial match against Riverina.
On Tuesday morning we played Western and beat them by 48 to nil. Next we played CIS in the hail and they beat us, 27 to 10.
Wednesday, we lost our first game to Sydney North, 17 to 5. But won against Sydney West 26 to 14.
On Thursday we played CIS again for 3rd place, but were beaten 26 to 19.
-By Jack Corbett (Year 6)
Eight brave Primary students from McAuley represented the Western Region at the Archdiocesan Athletics Carnival at the AIS on the 23rd of August. The conditions were far from ideal as the temperature dropped and rain poured down for most of the day. This didn't stop our McAuley athletes doing their very best. We thank the parents who provided transport and also had to sit out in the horrible conditions to cheer on our team. Results for our students were:
Chloe Pearce: 100m - 10th, 200m - 11th, 800m - 2nd, High Jump - 5th, Long Jump 6th
Paige Kelly: 100m - 12th, 200m - 7th
Joey Parry: 100m - 5th, 200m - 8th, High Jump - 5th, Long Jump - 4th
Hunter Watts: 100m - 10th
Gavin Olivier: 200m - 10th
Angus Watts: Long Jump - 3rd
Brad Beaven: Shot Putt - 2nd
Jimmy O'Connell: Discus - 3rd
From this carnival, both Chloe Pearce and Brad Beavan, have qualified for the Archdiocesan team and will now compete at the Mackillop Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park in Week 10. We wish these two athletes all the best at the next level of competition.
In Kindergarten Maths we have been learning about equal and unequal groups and used different items to make different sized groups. The Kinder students enjoyed experimenting and creating using their hands and different classroom items.
Our speakers were amazing! On Tuesday we had two students each from Years 3-6 present their public speaking at St. Patricks Catholic Primary School in Gundagai. They did McAuley proud, presenting "About The Next Prime Ministers", "People I Would Like o To Speak To", "Silly Family Stories" and "Why Being a Child is Great". Zoe Bathgate and Zoe McKay represented Year 6 and received participation awards. Gracie Massey and Olivia Forsyth presented for Year 5 and gained participation awards. Year 4 students were Catrielle Tinoyan and Adeline Hartshorne with Adeline receiving first place. In Year 3, Alfie Carney was a runner up and Claire Kingma won first place with her presentation. Claire and Adeline will present at Western Region public speaking in September. Good luck to them and well done to all students.
Year 1 and 2 classes visited Simply Wholesome as part of their Religion unit about being environmental stewards and reducing waste. Leanne spoke to the classes about how her shop works towards this by refilling containers from bulk supplies to reduce plastic and other recycling and reuse strategies.
K-2 students were entertained by the Australian Army Band Kapooka on Monday 29th August.
Students were enthralled with the live music, dancing in their seats to many ensembles such as Footloose, Waltzing Matilda, Bruno Mars, Billy Joel hits and the theme song from Toy Story "You've Got A Friend In Me ".
Thank you to the many families for sending in your gold coin donation that was generously donated by the Kapooka Army Band to Tumut Region Foundation which benefits so many events and families in our own township and surounding areas.
Year 1PD editing with a buddy and enjoying each others stories before publishing . Year 1 have enjoyed retelling some traditional tales or creating their own imaginative narratives. Budding young authors.
Liz Place Class Teacher
Last week McAuley Staff celebrated Teacher Aide Appreciation Week. We had a special morning tea in both staff rooms to thank our very dedicated Classroom Support Assistants.
Our McAuley classroom assistants go over and beyond on a daily basis to support students, teachers and parents in our community. This appreciation week is a great opportunity for us to show our thanks to these classroom heroes. Your hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed. Thank you!!!
Tumut Newsagency have very kindly donated some gardening equipment to help us keep our garden looking good. We will use these in our vegetable garden. The carrots, celery, and onions are almost ready! Big thanks to the Mayburys and Tumut Newsagency for helping us!
Our preschool friends joined the kindergarten class on Tuesday August 23rd and had some classroom fun. Children read the story 'The Big Fish' by Pamela Allen and painted fish using sponges, played interactive fish number games and completed fish cut and paste activities. We had a great time sharing our classroom with our special friends.
