Term 2 Week 2 - Thursday 8th May 2025
Note from the Principal
As we settle into Term 2, it is pleasing to see the commitment and participation students are showing towards school life and their studies. Walking around the school and the yard, students’ efforts to complete their best work is evident, as is their involvement in the range of activities that take place during morning tea and lunchtime.
Students’ attendance has also been pleasing at this early stage of the term, and I thank you for your support in ensuring that this remains high. As I have often reported to you, attendance has a very direct correlation to your daughter’s success at school, academically, socially and emotionally. Strong attendance ensures that she is learning and that she has opportunities to connect to her peers and her school environment. I look forward to seeing the current good attendance rates being sustained throughout the term.
Support for the Parramatta Women’s Shelter in Term 2
During this term, Catherine McAuley’s social mission focus is the Parramatta Women’s Shelter. Already, awareness and fundraising activities have been taking place. Last Friday Ms Julie Fleming spoke to Year 10 students about the value of the shelter in providing respite for women and children in urgent need. Year 10 students have been working on developing their own awareness campaigns for the Women’s Shelter. In addition, Ryan and Mercedes Houses ran a Mother’s Day Stall in Mercy Square to raise important funds for the shelter.
This is an important charity, and as a girls’ school, it is important that we support other women through the awareness raising and fundraising that will take place this term. Thank you in anticipation for supporting us to support others.
Ryan and Mercedes Houses ran a Mother’s Day Stall on Tuesday.
Year 12 Academic Achievement
Year 12 students will soon receive their Semester 1 reports. Many students are working very well towards achieving their best HSC, and they are to be congratulated on their efforts. Students have received feedback for assessments completed last term, and this feedback, as well their reports, provides them with information about how to improve their performance in future assessments.
As they continue to work towards their HSC, I remind students to aim high in everything they are doing in their classes, and to apply the feedback provided by their teachers. Students who are completing major works should be at a stage where they are almost complete in the next few weeks. To maintain consistency in the completion of major works, students are expected to be taking every opportunity their teachers provide to work on their major projects, even if those opportunities are in addition to class time. Please talk to your daughter about her progress in all of her subjects so that you are aware of any additional support she may need.
Please keep Wednesday, 4th June 3.45pm - 7.00pm free for Years 11 and 12 Parent / Teacher / Student meetings: this is an ideal time to talk to your daughter’s teachers about her progress. We expect that all families will be represented at these important opportunities for feedback.
Mother’s Day
Lastly, we at Catherine McAuley wish the very best to all mothers and mother figures in our school community. You are raising lovely, gracious daughters, and we know they love you very much.
Have a wonderful week ahead, everyone.
Mary Refalo
Principal
News from the Assistant Principal
In the month of May, Catherine McAuley Westmead acknowledges the importance of Mary the mother of Jesus as a role model for women. We celebrate her significance by praying the Angelus each day at 12 noon and gathering on Friday at lunchtime to pray the rosary led by our student leaders. It is fitting that the Parramatta Women’s Shelter is the focus of our social justice initiatives for Term 2. This annual initiative aims to raise awareness of domestic and family violence and coercive control, highlight the support services available, and send a clear message that violence in our communities will not be tolerated.
Mary the mother of Jesus is a role model for how both as a community and individuals we need to care with compassion and commitment, treating all people with respect and dignity. Mary was the woman who believed and willingly accepted the will of God, enabling her to play a significant role in the saving work of Christ and therefore upholding the dignity of each person who is made in the image of God. We too today must also be enablers to ensure each person is treated with dignity and respect.
Walk The Talk Respectful Relationships Education Program
Last Friday, Year 10 students participated in the Walk The Talk Respectful Relationships Education Program. The workshop was delivered by Dannielle Miller OAM, Director of Education, Women’s Community Shelters and CEO Enlighten Education (www.enlighteneducation.com). Dannielle Miller is an ex-student of Catherine McAuley (Class of 1987) and has worked closely with the Parramatta Sisters of Mercy in supporting women in Western Sydney. The program educates students about the elements of healthy relationships and the nature and characteristics of relationship abuse and coercive control. The program informed students how to handle disclosures of abuse and how to seek help. It provided clear and specific instruction about consent and empowering students to challenge and respond to damaging and dangerous gender-based stereotypes.
A screenshot of Dannielle Miller's Instagram post
This input was followed by a practical workshop led by Julia Fleming, Education Officer for Women’s Community Shelters, reflecting the Gospel value of Faith in Action. Year 10 students are exploring ways to address the needs of their local community by supporting the Parramatta Women’s Shelter in a practical way. Students will work in collaboration with their Homeroom to devise an awareness raising campaign for Parramatta Women’s Shelter, the Catherine McAuley Westmead social justice focus for Term 2. Our Mother’s Day Stall was held on Tuesday and raised over $1300 for the shelter. I encourage you to donate if you are able to the Parramatta’s Women's Shelter via our the schools QKR app.
Julia Fleming on left and Dannielle Miller OAM on right with Year 10 students.
The House Patrons and Student House Leaders of Mercedes and Ryan Houses will take the lead this term in promoting events and raising awareness associated with the Parramatta’s Women Shelter. By supporting Parramatta Women’s Shelter and raising awareness and discussing the issues associated with domestic and family violence, we as a Mercy community, are carrying on the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy and Catherine McAuley. We are following in the footsteps of the ‘walking nuns’ who went out to the disadvantaged, firstly in Dublin then in Parramatta, to bring practical support and hope. We have the chance to help change the lives of Parramatta’s most vulnerable women and children.
"No work of charity can be more productive of good to society
than the careful instruction of women,"
Catherine McAuley
Debbie Grigson
Assistant Principal
Dannielle Miller OAM and Julia Fleming, from Women’s Community Shelters, with Year 10 students and staff.
From the School Counsellor
Introducing Leanne Brown, Catherine McAuley Wellbeing Counsellor
Leanne Brown, a registered psychologist, brings extensive experience working with children and adolescents. Leanne has worked as a psychologist in private practices supporting NDIS, and Medicare, not for profit clinics, as well as in private and public school settings.
Leanne is knowledgeable in the areas of academic learning, cognitive and neurodivergence psychometric assessment, in addition to her skills in individual intervention in counselling therapy.
Leanne is passionate about promoting well-being in educational settings, and is especially committed to supporting the mental health and development of young women in schools. Leanne has a long standing connection with Catholic schools in Western Sydney where she herself was educated, she also attended a Mercy high school, which adds a depth to her knowledge of the Catherine McAuley culture and values.
The Catherine McAuley Counselling Team consists of Mrs Leanne Brown (Monday - Friday) and Ms Kathryn Rogers (Wednesday - Friday). If you have any concerns about your daughter’s mental health feel free to contact the counsellors on 9849 9100 during school hours.
Leanne Brown
Wellbeing Counsellor
Pray With Us
Prayer for the College of Cardinals and for the Conclave to Elect a New Pope
Need To Know
Upcoming Fortnight
Term 2 Week 3
- Lifted Rise
- Lifted Unleashed
- CSDA Debating Competition Round 5
- Parent and Carers Group Meeting
Term 2 Week 4
- Year 9 Reflection Day
- School Morning Tour
- CSDA Debating Competition Round 6
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:
LEADERSHIP - Four Year 12 Catherine McAuley students have spent the last year participating in a leadership program through the University of Sydney.
Each holiday period the students attended the USYD campus and completed a variety of leadership workshops aimed to develop their leadership skills. As part of the program the students were assigned to a group with students from other schools and were asked to create a presentation answering the focus question, "How will you utilise leadership for good in the next 12 months to ‘make things happen’?".
The students presented to all the students in the program and finished with a graduation ceremony which took place over the most recent holidays. Well done to Emily G., Niamh M., Kaitlin C. and Ann C. on completing this program.
