Catherine McAuley Westmead eNewsletter

News from the Principal

Catherine McAuley Students Excel
The school is always a hive of industry and activity, with many wonderful opportunities for students to strive for higher things. Of note this week, I draw your attention to the Mini Showcase and the CSDA Debating Competition.

Mini Showcase
Last night we were delighted to be entertained by the students of Creative Arts, Performing Arts and Technologies who exhibited their works and performed for the audience at the Mini Showcase.

The evening was a wonderful demonstration of excellence in student achievement in these areas, and also a great testament to their teachers who prepared them and expertly guided them to fulfill their potential.

A warm congratulations to all involved.

CSDA Debating Competition
The Catholic Schools Debating Competition has been running throughout this term, and the six teams have had great success in this competition to date. The Years 7, 9 and 12 teams will complete early next term in the quarter finals. We look forward to hearing about their progress through to the end of this competition.

I would like to commend all the students who have been involved in this competition, and I’d also like to thank their teachers who have spent countless Friday evenings feeding and caring for students and adjudicating their debates.

Student Semester 1 Reports
Student reports were distributed to students in Years 7 - 10 this week through the Compass Portal. The reports are a valuable source of feedback on your daughter’s progress in each of her subjects, reflecting her academic progress as well as her engagement with school life through the reporting of her attendance, her participation in extra-curricular activities and her approach to her classes.

Students who have contributed significant effort in these areas are awarded Principal’s Awards to acknowledge their work throughout the semester. These are in the form of a gold sticker on the front page of the report. The awards were given to students during yesterday’s Year Assemblies.

Each of these areas are significant indicators of her overall performance and success. We know that students who are fully engaged in these aspects of school life are successful, and they are happy at school. Participation and engagement contribute to a person’s overall wellbeing and happiness, and they also offer opportunities for challenge; all important factors in keeping your daughters healthy.

The opportunity for further feedback is available next Thursday afternoon and Friday during the Parent / Teacher / Student interviews. These are in a virtual format to enable more of you to attend. Students should attend the virtual meeting with you, dressed in her school uniform. I urge you make a time with your daughter’s teachers so that both you and your daughter can understand how she can further improve.

Assistant Principal Roles
In the past twelve months we have trialled a model in which the Assistant Principals, Mr Skinner and Ms Grigson, shared responsibility for both the learning and pastoral care of students by taking key responsibility for particular year groups.

We have found that the trial has not always worked seamlessly, however, so we have returned to a model in which:

Mr Skinner will oversee the learning and academic aspects of your daughter’s education, and will work specifically with the classroom teachers and Key Learning Area (KLA) Coordinators
Ms Grigson will oversee the pastoral care and wellbeing aspects of your daughter’s education, and will work more closely with the homeroom teachers and Year Coordinators.

First Point of Contact
There are times when you have the need to communicate with the school about your daughter’s progress or about an incident that has occurred at school. You are, of course, invited to contact us at any time, and we encourage you to do this in a timely manner so that matters are resolved quickly and efficiently.

For matters to do with your daughter’s learning, most things are quickly sorted by communicating firstly with your daughter’s classroom teacher. The classroom teacher will consult with the relevant KLA Coordinator if the matter cannot be resolved easily, and the KLA Coordinator will then refer a more complex matter to the Assistant Principal, Mr Skinner, when necessary.

Matters concerning your daughter’s social or emotional development can be referred to her homeroom teacher in the first instance, who will refer to the Year Coordinator when necessary, or to the Assistant Principal, Ms Grigson, when matters are more complex.

Staff Formation Day Tomorrow
The Staff Formation Day is taking place tomorrow. Our focus for this year’s Formation Day is the role of the Catholic teacher, and we will participate in workshops led by teachers from Catherine McAuley, Mr Nguyen and Mrs Gribble, Sisters of Mercy, Sr Helen Stannard and Sr Caroline Ryan, and theologians Gerard More and Anthony Gooley from the Broken Bay Institute.

Tomorrow is a pupil free day for students.

Other Matters
I will be taking some long service leave next week and in Weeks 1 and 2 next term, returning to school on August 1, 2022.

In my absence:

Ms Grigson will take the role of Acting Principal
Miss Brincat will be the Acting Assistant Principal
Mrs Howlett will step in as Acting Director of Studies.

I wish you all the best for the break and look forward to seeing you on my return from leave next term.

Ms Mary Refalo
Principal

Pray With Us

Prayer for the Forgotten

News Articles

This Week on Social Media

Follow Catherine McAuley Westmead on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for regular updates. One of the posts from this week is shown below:

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS - Year 10 History students on Friday last week had the opportunity to listen to Mr Vin and Mrs Nancy Cosgrove, representatives from the St Mary’s Vietnam Veterans Association, speak about Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

Students were able to gain further knowledge and insight into this period of history and learn directly from a Vietnam Veteran.

Need To Know

Blog Post - Social Media Detox: Why Taking a Break Helps Your Mental Health

Upcoming Fortnight

Please see school calendar in sidebar for dates and details.

Term 2 Week 10

Years 7 - 10 Parent/Student/ Teacher Meetings
Pupil Free Day (Friday, 1st July)
Year 12 Fitness and Hospitality Work Placements
Year 11 2023 Subject Selection Talks
Year 10 STEM In-school Activity

Term 3 Week 1