Term 3 Week 4 - Thursday 11th August 2022
From The Principal
This week the students and staff elected the 2022 - 2023 School Captains. It is with great joy and anticipation that I announce Jasmine and Jacinta as the successful candidates for this very important leadership role.
As student leaders, Jasmine and Jacinta model the Catherine McAuley Mercy values every day in their words and actions. They are very active and engaged in all school activities, both in their academic studies and in their participation in extra-curricular activities. Both students spoke eloquently about their vision for service to the Catherine McAuley community during their leadership.
The Student Portfolio and House Leaders will be elected late this week and announced early next week.
There is a great deal of activity being reported in this Weekly Review; I hope you enjoy reading it.
Mary Refalo
Principal
News from the Religious Education Coordinator
As we approach the end of Week 4 in Term 3, the busy days and sometimes evenings continue at Catherine McAuley Westmead. Year 12 are nearing the completion of their Trial HSC Exams and the Year 11 Accelerated SORI and Mathematics students have accompanied them in this important preparation for their HSC Exams. Currently all HSC teachers are busy marking scripts and will provide valuable feedforward and helpful tips to assist with your daughter’s preparations for the HSC Exams.
For our Year 11 students, their Preliminary courses will conclude in readiness for them to begin their HSC studies in Term 4. In Weeks 8 and 9, it will be their turn to enter the examination centre for their yearly exams.
Year 10 has been very focussed on their Stage 6 subject selections. On Friday 5th August, the Fr David Scott Resource Centre was a hive of activity where Year 10, in the company of their parents/guardians, finalised their choices with KLA Assistant Coordinators, KLA Coordinators and the Leadership Team. On Friday 12th August, Year 10 will set time aside for their Reflection Day at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. This day will provide students with the opportunity to think about their relationship with God and how they as a young woman of Mercy can help to create a just world.
On Wednesday 10th August, Year 9 participated in their Careers Day. Students were challenged to recognise their interests and areas of strength, their gifts. One gift possessed by Year 9, is their ability to debate. On Friday 5th August the Year 9 Debating Team competed in the CSDA Grand Final. Although they were unsuccessful, it is a significant achievement to make it to the final debate of the year.
On Tuesday 9th August, students from all year groups represented Catherine McAuley Westmead at the PDSSSC Athletics Carnival. There was a particularly high number of the younger students from Years 7 and 8 participating in this carnival. It is wonderful to see that our students can again engage in a variety of curricular and extra curricular activities.
Perhaps what the school is most looking forward to is the return of a full celebration of Mercy Day. In fact there will be a Mercy Week. Much planning is currently underway and it will be wonderful to join together as a whole school community to celebrate our history, our traditions and the joy of being together with each other in person as a Mercy community.
This week, in the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church we have celebrated the life of three remarkable female saints. St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was a co-founder of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, an advocate for the poor and marginalised and our first Australian saint. St Teresa Benidcta of the Cross (Edith Stein) was a philosopher who was so inspired by St Teresa of Avila that she converted from Judaism to become a Carmelite nun. Despite her conversion and the Carmelites attempts to protect her, she died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz. St Clare of Assisi, was a contemporary of St Francis of Assisi. She rejected the material comforts of life to found a religious order, the Poor Clares and devoted her life to the service of others.
Next Monday, the 15th August is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is not only the first believer in Jesus but also the Mother of God. In 1950, Pope Pius XII stated “We pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.” For Mass times for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, please see your Parish website.
Genevieve Banks
Religious Education Coordinator
Pray With Us
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:
Olympian Matt Shirvington, Australia’s third fastest sprinter of all time and Channel 7 sports presenter gave a shout out to the Catherine McAuley students who were competing in the PDSSSC Athletics Carnival on Tuesday!!
In the words of Matt Shirvington, “Have fun!”
Need To Know
Upcoming Fortnight
Term 3 Week 5
- Year 12 Visual Arts Display
- Years 11 and 12 Vinnies Winter Sleepout
- Year 9 Commerce Market Day
- Years 8 and 9 Subject Selection Talks for 2023
Term 3 Week 6
- Sport, Music, Co-Curricular Photos
- Duke of Edinburgh Qualifying Journey
- Bishop of Parramatta Student Award for Excellence
- Year 12 Drama Practical Examination Marking
- Year 11 PDHPE / Fitness In-School Activity
- Year 10 Pastoral Seminar
- Year 9 Pastoral Seminar
- Year 9 Commerce Market Day
