Term 1 Week 8 - Thursday 27th March 2025
Note from the Principal
During this week and next week, Year 12 students are in the midst of their half yearly assessment block. They are to be commended on their preparation for these assessments and on the way they have participated in them to date.
Whilst the Year 12 half yearly assessment block is in full swing, students in Years 7 - 11 are also in the midst of a busy assessment period. They, too, are working diligently to demonstrate their very best achievement across their classes, and are also to be congratulated on their progress.
Please remind your daughters to ensure they exercise and look after themselves during the busy and stressful periods. These periods are intense, but they pass, and with good organisation and mindfulness about combining diligence with self-care, they are managed successfully. As assessment is both about measuring progress as well as understanding how to improve, it is also worth talking to your daughter about how she is using the feedback she has received from all tasks she completes, whether it is formal or informal assessment.
On another note, this term, as you know, we are focussed on supporting the work of Caritas Australia through their Project Compassion drive. Students and families have been generous in contributing to the dignity drive during which donations of hygiene products were made to JRS. There have also been a range of fundraising initiatives to support our donation to Project Compassion, and these will continue to the end of the term. The school is taking donations via the QKR app or students may bring in money for the Homeroom collection boxes.
At Catherine McAuley we are working towards being cashless, however your daughter may use her bank EFTPOS cards if she has one, or she is able to purchase Mercy Money to use for school organised fundraising opportunities. Information about purchasing Mercy Money has been included later in this Weekly Review.
On behalf of JRS and Caritas Australia, I would like to thank each of you and your daughters for supporting these important organisations whose work towards equality shows us how to ‘strive for higher things’ for our sisters and brothers around the world.
Mary Refalo
Principal
Year 8 Clare keychain and lanyard stall for
Project Compassion.
Year 8 students dropped of hygiene products to
JRS this week.
News from the Assistant Principal
Feedback is a critical factor in ensuring all students have at least one year’s growth each academic year. Quality feedback contributes to academic growth according to a number of research studies.
Feedback is usually given by the teacher to the student. Sometimes students give each other feedback. For this to be useful the students need to co-construct the marking criteria or rubric. Teachers can receive feedback from students to check in to see how the learning is going.
At the end of the term all students will have the opportunity to provide feedback to some of their teachers. The schedule is for Year 12 to provide feedback to their RE and English teachers. This will be the same for Year 11. Year 10 students will provide feedback to their Mathematics and History / Geography teachers. Year 9 will provide feedback to their Science and PDHPE teachers and Year 8 will provide feedback to their TAS, Language and Visual Arts / Music teacher.
The questions the students will be asked focus on the teaching standards and aspects of explicit teaching, for example, “my teacher’s feedback helps me to improve.”
There is solid research that supports students giving feedback to their teachers. Students need to own their learning. This is one way students can develop their voice in the learning cycle and for teachers to reflect on their practice.
Please talk about these feedback forms with your daughter/s before the end of the term.
As always please contact your daughter’s teacher/s if you have any questions or concerns.
Michael Hall
Assistant Principal
Pray With Us
Need To Know
Upcoming Fortnight
Term 1 Week 9
- Year 12 Half Yearly Assessment Block
- Year 11 Geography Field Trip
- CSDA Debating Competition Round 1
Term 1 Week 10
- Athletics Carnival
- Eco Justice Retreat Day
- Lenten Liturgy
- Year 11 Italian Excursion
- Year 12 PDHPE Excursion
- Term 1 Ends
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:
LAW IN ACTION - On Tuesday, Mrs Nicolson and Ms Spelman took Year 12 Legal Studies students to visit the Downing Centre Local Court Complex and NSW Supreme Court. Students were able to see law in action and observed a variety of interesting cases that were a reflection of the content they have been learning so far in the Year 12 course.
Students also had the opportunity to meet one to one with a Local Court Magistrate and a Supreme Court Judge. The students were able to put their knowledge to the test asking highly valuable questions about the criminal trial system as well as learn about the life and career pathway of a legal professional.