Term 1 Week 3 - Thursday 20th February 2025
Note from the Principal
We were thrilled yesterday to honour the students in the HSC class of 2024 who were named as our high achievers, attaining an ATAR of 90 or over in their HSC last year. The students, all 19 of them, and their families were invited to the special assembly and then they joined for morning tea afterwards.
The students are inspirational in their determination to succeed throughout their high school education, and they continue to inspire us with their plans for future study. I have added my assembly address here so that you may read about our hopes and praise for all students.
Our first Parents and Carers Group meeting was also held this week. The attendance was very strong, with many parents and carers of Year 7 students joining us to hear about the range of things going on at school this term. I was pleased to hear from them how settled the transition from primary school has been for Year 7 students, and look forward to a long relationship with each of them.
Next Wednesday afternoon we will host the annual Year 7 Welcome Afternoon for families of Year 7 students. It is a lovely opportunity to meet parents and carers of Year 7 students again, and for their daughters to show them around their new school. We are looking forward to this event.
Following that, on Friday, our school Swimming Carnival will be held at Parramatta Pool. This compulsory school event offers both competitive and non-competitive opportunities for all students to get involved. It is a wonderful day for the entire school community, and we are looking forward to it. Information about this event has already been sent to families.
Finally, I would like to commend students on their participation in school learning and other activities so far this term. As I enter classrooms throughout the day, I notice students working hard and being challenged by rigorous content and high standards. Attendance levels remain strong at this early stage of the term. As always, thank you for your continued support of us and of your daughters.
Mary Refalo
Principal
News from the Assistant Principal
In 2025 our Wellbeing focus is to continue to build resilience in order to improve social behaviours to support learning. Wellbeing refers to a positive sense of self and belonging, as well as the capacity to make positive and healthy choices for ourselves and in our relationships. Wellbeing refers to the experience of using one’s gifts to flourish in all aspects of life and for those gifts to be available for the service of others. Student wellbeing is inextricably connected to learning in a reciprocal relationship. Good learning is necessary for wellbeing and good wellbeing is necessary for learning. In this Year of Jubilee Pope Francis calls us to be “Pilgrims of Hope”. With this in mind our mantra is to establish a consistent approach to all we do so we can build connections with others and ultimately build community.
Study Skills Handbook (online resource for students and parents / carers)
Our school is a subscriber to the study skills website www.studyskillshandbook.com.au including the Study Samurai video library. The information regarding this site was advertised in the Need to Know section of the newsletter in Week 1.
Leaders of Learning Wellbeing refer to this website regularly. At Form Meetings, Leaders of Learning Wellbeing highlight the importance of a positive mindset and how to change negative thoughts.
When you change your negative thinking, you look more for the good in your life. Your communication becomes more positive and your focus is on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. With a better positive state, not only do you learn quicker and easier, but your relationships and other areas of your life improve. Parents of Years 9 and 11 students were notified of the upcoming Study Skills Seminar to be held on Tuesday, 25th February with the focus on being organised and mastering strategies for developing study plans and notes.
I recommend this resource to you. To access the handbook, go to www.studyskillshandbook.com.au and login with these details:
username: mcauley
password: 189results
Communication of Events and Activities
Last week via the Compass Parent Portal, parents received notification of the whole school events and activities. Accompanying this information was a Google Form to be completed acknowledging this information and requesting permission for a range of activities. This form of communication was a direct result of parents requesting a note at the beginning of the year providing permission for school events and activities including learning based excursions, sport and co curricular based activities. The details of these events will be posted on the Compass Parent Portal closer to the date of the event.
If you have not completed the Whole School Permission Note sent as a Google Form last week, I would ask you to attend to this as soon as possible. If you have any questions please contact your daughter’s Leader of Learning Wellbeing.
Public Transport Concerns
The majority of complaints the school receives from members of the public are regarding our students not standing on trains and buses for passengers, placing their school bag on the seat and speaking loudly or yelling to one another. We know at times the girls offer their seats and adults say no. Regardless of the adult’s response students have been instructed to stand whenever there is an adult standing. When students are using earbuds or earphones/airpods they speak louder than required. The school continues to remind the students at school assemblies, Form assemblies and via student notices of appropriate behaviour when in public, including crossing the road safely.
In the past two weeks the school has been advised by members of the public that students are not considerate of others when travelling, particularly on the buses travelling to and from Parramatta in both the morning and the afternoon. From a school point of view this behaviour and lack of consideration for others is very disappointing as this does not reflect the behaviour of all Catherine McAuley students. At Wednesday’s assembly students travelling on public transport were reminded of their behaviour and use of appropriate language at all times, especially when in public. I would also ask parents to discuss with their daughter appropriate and respectful behaviour when travelling to and from school.
Debbie Grigson
Assistant Principal
Pray With Us
Need To Know
- School Photos - Friday 7th March 2025
- Canteen Online Ordering Is Coming!
- Important Updates on Vehicle and Pedestrian Access for the Westmead Catholic Community Site
- Term 1 2025 Significant Dates
- Be Bus Aware - Bus Safety Week (17th – 23rd February)
- The Role of Routine in Mental Health - Information from the Study Skills Handbook
- From 'To Do' To 'Done': Task Prioritisation - Information from the Study Skills Handbook
Upcoming Fortnight
Term 1 Week 4
- Years 11 and 12 Ancient History Excursion
- Years 11 and 9 Study Skills Seminar
- Year 7 Parents' Welcome Afternoon
- School Swimming Carnival
- Project Compassion Launch
- CSDA Public Speaking Competition Round 1
Term 1 Week 5
- Ash Wednesday
- School Photos
- PDSSSC Swimming Carnival
- School Morning Tour
- International Women's Day
News Articles
Our School on Social Media
Follow Catherine McAuley Westmead on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for regular updates. A recent post is shown below:
Year 8 Clare Tokens of Friendship - This week Year 8 Clare participated in an optional activity with the aim of reunifying them in friendship for the school year. Students were randomly allocated to another participating student and were simply asked to create 'a token of friendship.' Homeroom Teacher Ms Spelman said the students really enjoyed the opportunity to create and gift an item to another student in their Homeroom. “It was a great experience shared by all,” Ms Spelman said.
