Term 3 Week 10 - Wednesday 21st September 2022

News from the Principal

Congratulations To Year 12 Students
Year 12 students have completed their formal education this week, and this was celebrated in a number of very special events. The graduating class is to be congratulated on their dedication to their school education over 13 years, and their commitment to striving for higher things. We have been very proud of them, and we have enjoyed serving them, in close collaboration with their parents, carers and families.

Year 12 students still have to complete their Higher School Certificate examinations, which begin on 12 October. In the meantime, some of them will attend practice exams held on the school site during the break and in early Term 4. They will also need to remain committed to their study schedules, ensuring they are as prepared for these exams as possible. 

We look forward to hearing further about their HSC successes.

Improvements In IT Infrastructure At Catherine McAuley
Throughout Term 3 significant improvements have been made to the IT infrastructure at Catherine McAuley. The works were completed by CEDP, and included the replacement of all wireless access points and cabling throughout the school. The number of wireless access points were also increased.

These works have concluded, and the feedback we have collected indicates that IT services are working much more efficiently and reliably.

Best Wishes For The Break
As this will be the final Weekly Review this term, I would like to thank you for your constant support and collaboration as, together, we educate your daughters. Students have remained consistent to their studies and to ensuring their achievement across a range of areas is high. In addition, they have had multiple opportunities to be involved in school life and to build school spirit, making the school a happier place and one in which students feel that they belong.

I would like to thank the staff at Catherine McAuley for making so many wonderful opportunities available to your daughters.

Over the holiday break, encourage your daughters to do something to: 

• develop their minds
• activate their bodies
• nurture their spirits.

School resumes for all students on Monday, 10 October, 2022.

Mary Refalo
Principal

News from the School Captains

School Captains Farewell Speech - Given at the Year 12 Farewell Assembly on Thursday, 15th September 2022

Victoria: At the end of last year, when our badges were still new and shiny, together with the very talented Angelina, we wrote a parody to Taylor Swift’s ‘All Too Well’ and so instead of quoting someone famous, we’re going to start this speech by quoting ourselves. We sang to the Class of 2022 (literally sang):

“Can't wait to see you next year, get ready 2022 -
'cause we're leaving a legacy
Ms Beadman, us and you
We’ll make the most of this
Want to remember it all too well”

Zara:  And we most certainly did make the most of it. We’d like to start off with saying a massive thank you to you, the McAuley community for giving us the opportunity to be your school captains. It has been an absolute honour and privilege to serve and represent this community that we hold so close to our hearts. With that, we ask that you graciously continue both the traditions we have upheld and our very own theme of ‘Grow in Unity’. It has been incredible seeing you all unite over this past year but as George Washington once said a legacy is “planting seeds in a garden you don't get to see” so although we may be gone we hope that our message still remains.

Victoria: This ongoing theme of ‘growth’ has been embedded in our cohort from the very start. Created by Mrs Beadman at the beginning of Year 7, we have cherished and nurtured our metaphorical tree. It represents the importance of unity and showing the growth we were bound to undergo together. In Year 7, we focused on the roots (our mercy values) and the trunk (mercy itself which is solid and strong). As we have grown together, so has the fullness of the tree. In Years 8-10 we used a new theme each term to strengthen the tree; kindness, courage, empathy, compassion, forgiveness, respect and many more. We were taught to embrace these words not only as values but as actions that we could live out in our everyday life here at school.

Zara: Now, the tree continues to represent the growth of each individual student, as well as our collective success as a form - moving together and being considerate of what ingredients keep us thriving and what destroys our progress. In keeping with this theme, the Year 12 gift to the school is the re-development of the garden area beside the BM stairs. Over the coming months, the growth of our metaphorical tree will become physically rooted in the school grounds for the last time. 

Victoria: On behalf of Year 12 we have some very important thank yous to make. To the teachers at Catherine McAuley, thank you for believing in us. Your ongoing effort and support has not only allowed us to enjoy every day but ultimately created the people that we are today. 

Zara: Words cannot describe how fundamental you all have been to our high school experience. Thank you to our incredible staff in Student Reception for all the work you do behind the scenes, especially signing out almost our entire grade every Thursday afternoon - our fingers are crossed that the kiosk starts working properly for you in the future. Year 12 has given us the opportunity to truly realise how much each and every staff member does for us and for that we are forever grateful. 

Victoria: To the IT Team, thank you for setting up our assemblies time and time again, for the live streams that made it possible for our parents to watch us get inducted as leaders and for your support of our Teachers vs Students Competition - setting up family feud, trivia and Just Dance. We can't forget to thank Mrs Hamilton for working so closely with us to document our journey through photos, videos, articles and posts that continue to allow us to cherish our memories. 

Zara: To the 2021-2022 Leadership and SRC Team, you are the girls that make everything run. You all work so hard behind the scenes and have brought to life our theme this year. We could not have picked a better group of people to work with. Thank you for bringing the CMAC Girls Instagram to life, for choosing our Mercy Day theme, for working so hard on building House and community spirit, for constantly being there to support us and for sacrificing your time and energy to serve the school community.

Victoria: We quite literally would not be here in front of you all without standing on the shoulders of A). The executive leadership team and B). All those that have come before us. Ms Refalo - from your very first address, talking about the beautiful rose bushes our school has, you fit right in with our grade and our ongoing nature metaphor. Thank you for listening to our big ideas and for always being so welcoming towards us.

Zara: Ms Grigson - the greatest example of ‘not all heroes wear capes’. You are the utmost legendary person and we are so grateful for you and appreciate all of your hard work in keeping our school running smoothly. Mr Skinner - thank you for always looking out for us, for randomly showing up in our classes to give us something and for always keeping things lighthearted. 

Victoria: Ms Brincat and Ms Howlett - for your roles as the Directors of Studies. We would never have gotten through senior school without you. 

Zara: Ms Banks - for the beautifully run masses and liturgies we have been so lucky to witness and participate in over the years. Thank you.

Victoria: And now the person who held it all together since day one...Mrs Beadman! You were the first face that we saw on our Orientation Day all the way back in 2016, the first name we learnt and the most important one for us to remember. You have been our in-school mum; comforting us when we cried and discipling us when it was needed. You have taught us what it means to grow through your amazing tree metaphor and now we stand here, at the end of our season, looking back at a phenomenal six years and looking forward to a future filled with more fruits and flowers for our own personal trees.

Zara: You impressively learned all of our names within a month and our relationship with you has only become stronger and stronger. On behalf of the grade, we apologise for the times we did not listen to you, because every time we ended up regretting it. To every other grade, trust in your Year Coordinator - as mother Gothel from Tangled says, “mother knows best”. On a more personal note, from us, thank you for the incredible support you have shown towards Victoria and I. For always looking out for us, keeping us in the loop and not only being a mentor but an incredible friend throughout our leadership journey. There is so much you do behind the scenes and we are eternally grateful. 

 Victoria: Now to the students of our community, as we come to the end of our high school journey, we would like to share some words of advice. 

Zara: Year 7 -  Your journey at McAuley has only just begun. Whenever you feel stuck or alone, know that there is so much more to come throughout the next five years. You will undeniably become a better version of yourself and your relationships will only grow stronger with both your grade and teachers. Involve yourself in extracurricular activities. One of my biggest regrets is not signing up for things in junior years because I was scared, but today I tell you to do things scared. Everyone out there is just as nervous as you. Public speaking and debating? Scary. Try out anyway. Playing soccer? Scary. Still give it a go. It's time for you to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. 

Victoria: Year 8 - Forget about how other people look at you and start thinking about how you see yourself. Do you like who you are? Are you proud of how you act and treat others? If you said no, it's okay because you have the capacity to change this. Be someone you respect, someone you’d like to be friends with. Finding the best version of yourself is the most rewarding experience because nobody can ever take this away from you.

Zara: Year 9 - A teacher once told me that Year 9 is her favourite grade because they absorb things like sponges and are the most willing to learn, and build a strong foundation for their future schooling. Continue to prove her right. Keep demonstrating your passion for learning new things while also taking opportunities to find what you're good at. 

Victoria: Year 10 - As you move into Year 11 the part you play as role models for the junior girls of our school becomes even more important. Be strong and kind. Be opinionated but also learn to really listen. Strive to succeed in your school work whilst learning how to take a break. Now's the time to make mistakes and trust us, you will make them. But that’s how we learn. You might lose friends or fail assessments but you will also make new friends and improve your results if you put in the time and effort.

Zara: Year 11- You've almost made it! Year 12 will be the most interesting rollercoaster ride of your life. Although you will reach some very low points, trust in knowing that the highs of Year 12 are absolutely amazing and something you will cherish for the rest of your life. Have confidence in yourself, try your best and you are bound to be satisfied with everything that you will learn along the way. Our advice to you is to be patient with yourself, everyone is rooting for you and you are all in this together. Don’t let any regrets subject wise and social wise hold you back from focusing on the present or stop you from truly enjoying your Year 12 journey. We wish you the absolute best for your final year at McAuley. 

Victoria: To Jacinta and Jasmine, newly elected school captains - A massive congratulations to you both on your election. We are so proud to see the incredible leaders that you have become throughout Year 11 and are so excited to see what you achieve in the coming year. Use every opportunity you have to continue the invaluable tradition we have here at McAuley. Take everything you love about our school and teach the rest of the community to love it too. We have heaps more advice but we’ll save that for off stage. And to the leadership team of 2022-2023 we congratulate you and wish you the best of luck, never forget to stick together and support each other, you’ll need this the most.  

Zara: Year 12 - We finally made it. To say that we are proud of every single one of you is an understatement. Thank you for being the most legendary grade that we could ask for. We have gone above and beyond in every aspect of our experience; from our lip sync battles, to our banner and the running of our form assemblies over the years. Our high school journey together is something that we will forever cherish. Getting to know all of you has been an absolute pleasure. Together we have grown from the little people that we once were, drowning in our long skirts with high side ponytails, into young women who are ready to face the world out there. 

Victoria: To every single one of you, congratulations on getting through this year. We know how hard you all work and hope you can take the time to appreciate everything you’ve done to get yourself to this point. Over the next week, don’t forget to live in the moment. Feel all the joy and sadness, the pain and elation and leave no regrets behind so that you can look back on it all and really believe that you did it all too well.

Zara:  And that's a wrap on our last captain's address! 

Victoria: McAuley, from the bottom of our heart, we love you so much and although we may be leaving, we will always continue to be a part of the Circle of Mercy in spirit. 

Zara: As they say…you can take the girl out of McAuley but you can never take the McAuley out of a girl. Thank you.  

Pray With Us

Mercy Day Prayer

News Articles

• Class of 2022 Graduation Mass
• Year 12 Class of 2022 Graduate

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:

On Tuesday, 13th September, our Year 8 Geographers trekked out to Penrith Lakes as part of their unit of study on 'Water in the World'. Mrs Noud, HSIE-Social Science Coordinator has written the following: 

The students tested the water quality at different lakes, looked at water management strategies used as part of the Penrith Lakes scheme, and learned about how water-sensitive urban design practices have converted what was once an agricultural and mining area into a much cleaner and environmentally sustainable place to live and play. 

It was a great day and the girls were fantastic and hands-on in all that was asked of them throughout the day.

Need To Know

• Year 7 Vaccination Clinic
• Catherine McAuley Term 4 Parents & Friends Meeting and AGM - SAVE THE DATE

Upcoming Fortnight

Term 4 Week 1

• HSC Written Exams commence
• Qualifying Duke of Edinburgh Camp
• Year 7 Vaccination Clinic (catch up clinic for Years 8 and 10 students)

Term 4 Week 2

• Senior Retreat
• Year 9 English In-School Activity