Term 4 Week 1 - Thursday 16th October 2025
News From The Principal
The start of Term 4 has happened quickly, with students settling well into their learning and assessment routines, and with the Higher School Certificate Examinations beginning today. We wish all students a wonderful, inspiring and dynamic term. We wish all those in Year 12 the very best for exam success, and for the opportunity to showcase all they have learned throughout their schooling. We know we will be proud of their efforts.
Some thoughts on the value of reading for pleasure
Prior to the holidays, and before all holiday periods, I remind students to spend time over their break reading to keep their minds engaged, active and stimulated. I was overjoyed to hear, on day one of this term, that some Year 10 students had spent some of their holiday time reading. They let me know that they found relaxation in this activity, and they enjoyed it greatly.
As a former English teacher and literacy consultant, I always prioritise reading as a recreational activity. It has great power to enhance the minds of all people, young and old. Reading good quality literature, both fiction and non-fiction, promotes excellent language use. It models sound vocabulary and grammatical structures, and it engages us in the development of complex ideas. This promotes our ability to write cohesively and with precision, conveying meaning in a sophisticated way: a skill needed by young people and adults alike.
We are encouraged to read to and with infants and young children. This activity is important because it promotes the child’s active use of language and thinking. The talk that occurs between the adult reading and the child also promotes literacy development and secures a supportive and loving bond between both.
In addition to this, reading fiction stretches our thinking about our world and our place in it. Experiencing a story through literature develops our empathy, and this impacts on the way in which we engage with the world, helping us to contribute to it in useful and life-giving ways.
We know that infants, children, young adults and adults alike, benefit from strong language development. Language that includes an extensive vocabulary, the construction and development of sophisticated ideas, deep critical thinking, and the ability to reflect on complex ideas promotes cognitive development, and therefore intellect.
Upcoming social media restrictions
With my thoughts about reading in mind, I draw your attention today to the government’s upcoming restrictions on social media use. Heavy reliance on social media does not give the same benefits as reading quality literature. Social media limits critical thinking because the algorithms used to supply a user’s feed prevents a balance of opinion and promotes content that is surface level information and opinion, rather than content that is deep and thought provoking.
In terms of the restrictions for users under 16 years of age, I invite you to read this article from the eSafety Commissioner detailing the facts about this initiative. I encourage you to consider how you approach this as a family to ensure your daughters are compliant with the expectations.
Best wishes for a lovely (and literature filled) week everyone.
Mary Refalo
Principal
Pray With Us
Need To Know
Upcoming Fortnight
Term 4 Week 2
- Year 12 HSC Written Examinations Continue
- Year 7 2026 Information Evening - Wednesday 22nd October
- Year 8 Karis Ministries Mercy Values Seminar
- Year 7 Karis Ministries Mercy Values Seminar
- Futsal Gala Day
Term 4 Week 3
- Year 12 HSC Written Examinations Continue
- Year 11 Japanese Excusion
- Year 10 Exams
- Year 9 Dance Excursion
- Year 7 2026 Transition Interviews
- Parents & Carers Group Meeting 6pm for 6:30pm start - Tuesday 28th October
Our School on Social Media
Follow Catherine McAuley Westmead on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for regular updates. A recent post is shown below:
AROUND THE CLASSROOMS - Year 11 Design & Technology students with Mrs J. Mani were busy last term designing for a purpose - identifying gaps in the market and documenting their creative process in a detailed portfolio for their Assessment Task 2. 🧠📁
Innovative thinking in action!