Term 3 Week 3 - Thursday 7th August 2025
Note from the Principal
These past few weeks have been very busy times in your daughters’ academic programs, particularly for those in Years 8, 9, 10 and 12. Year 12 students began their Trial HSC Exams on Monday, and students in Years 8, 9 and 10 have been selecting their elective subjects for 2026. In their participation in these relevant activities, students have been asked to demonstrate high levels of resilience in their learning and in their decision making. Miss Brincat has written more about exams and subject selection in her section of this Weekly Review.
This week the Strong Sisters are leading our participation in NAIDOC Week activities at school. With the actual dates for NAIDOC Week occurring over the last school holiday break, it is important that we acknowledge this significant week during school time. In the Mercy tradition of showing solidarity through integrity and hospitality, our engagement in NAIDOC Week activities builds our intercultural competency, increasing our awareness that we all have a perspective that shapes our world and how we live in it.
The Strong Sisters are a group of First Nations students from Years 7 to 12, and their friends. They meet weekly to experience cultural perspectives and to deepen their understanding of First Nation history and practice. The Strong Sisters, under the leadership of Mrs Sandeman, are acknowledging country over the school PA each morning during homeroom, as well as running weaving and painting workshops at lunch time in Mercy Square all week. The activities have been very well supported by many students in Years 7 to 12.
Weaving and painting workshops in Mercy Square
Weaving and painting workshops in Mercy Square
On Tuesday night the Parents and Carers met for the Term 3 meeting. At the beginning of the meeting the Chair of the Parents and Carers group, Michelle McCann, told the story of a friendship that has been made between her daughter and another student in a different year group. The friendship started because the students, both in their school uniforms, started a conversation in a local shopping centre. Since that meeting, they have looked out for one another and maintained a friendship.
As Michelle said when she recounted the story, the sense of community at Catherine McAuley extends beyond the school gates. In this example, it is found in the local shopping centre, but can also be found in many other places. It is a special thing, and one that I hope students recognise and cherish.
During the meeting I presented my report of the many and varied learning experiences and activities that have taken place at school over the past term. It is always a great celebration to present this report to the parents and carers gathered here for these meetings. Your daughters are involved, happy and committed to their school and their learning. I thank you for your support and trust in us as we educate them.
Mary Refalo
Principal
News from the Acting Assistant Principal
This week Catherine McAuley Year 12 students started their trial exams. These exams see the students complete their last official school based assessment of school. With the support of their teachers, students have been preparing well for these exams. Many came into school for study days over the holidays and have been using the library before and after school to study independently and with their peers. This Saturday also sees the start of the HSC Language oral examinations. Over the next four Saturdays students complete the Chinese Continuers, Japanese Continuers, Tamil Continuers, French Continuers and Italian Continuers oral exams. We wish all students completing their trial exams and their HSC oral exams the best of luck over the coming weeks.
Students in Years 8, 9 and 11 are in the midst of choosing elective subjects for next year. For all students, these are important decisions to be made. We always advise students to make choices that reflect their interests, as well as subjects in which they perform well. Sometimes it is tempting for them to make choices based on the views of others, but they should be clear that the choices they make are their own. I am sure that you have been speaking to her about making sound decisions about her pattern of study next year, and I encourage you to do this. Talking about complex problems and questions, and having clarity in decision-making, are demonstrations of resilience and integrity, and should be commended.
During the Professional Learning days at the start of this term, staff reflected on the effective use of feedback in our classrooms and how we are using feedback. Feedback, according to John Hattie “is among the most powerful influences on achievement”. Feedback helps students to understand what they are doing well and what they need to improve, it helps to close the gap between where students are at and where they need to be.
There are many effective feedback processes that are taking place in the classrooms at Catherine McAuley. Teacher feedback, peer feedback and self reflection are all evident in the learning environment. We encourage students to seek and use feedback from their teachers and peers to improve their learning outcomes. Feedback isn’t useful if it’s ignored. Students should revisit their work and revise based on the feedback and apply what they have learnt to their next piece of work or assessment. Effective feedback is linked to the learning intentions and success criteria and students should use the feedback to change what they do to address the learning goals more effectively by asking themselves one or more of the following questions: Where am I going? How am I going? Where to next?
Sharon Brincat
Acting Assistant Principal
Pray with Us
Need to Know
Upcoming Fortnight
Term 3 Week 4
- Trial HSC Examinations
- PDSSSC Tennis Teams Championships
- Year 10 Reflection Day - Tuesday 12th August
- Year 8 French Food Incursion
- Year 7 English Incursion
- Year 7 Science Excursion
Term 3 Week 5
- Trial HSC Examinations
- Year 11 2026 Subject Selection Interviews - Monday 18th August
- Music, Sport, Co Curricular Photos
- CAPA HSC Showcase Night
- Year 12 Study Skills Session
- Years 9 & 11 Music Excursion
- Year 9 Commerce Market Days
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:
MAKING FRIENDS - The students visiting from Iida Girls School, Japan have made lots of new friends in Australia! The students will stay with us until today, Thursday 7th August.
