Term 4 Week 3 - Thursday 26th October 2023
Notes from the Principal
As Year 12 students move into the end of their exam period and we say our final goodbyes to them, we are also preparing for a new cohort of students to enter Year 7 in 2024. Yesterday afternoon Catherine McAuley staff had the great joy of meeting and greeting our incoming Year 7 students and their parents during our transition interviews. It was wonderful to note the joy and exuberance of the young women who will join our school community next year, and to chat to their parents.
During these meetings, students coming to high school next year told us a little about themselves and the things they excel at. This helps us to prepare for them and to ensure their spiritual, emotional and academic journey is as successful as possible. We warmly welcome the new cohort of Year 7 students to Catherine McAuley as they prepare for their enrolment here.
Today I would also like to share with you the ‘tagline’ Fr Christian used in his homily at yesterday morning's Chapel Mass in Mercy Chapel. Fr Christian linked the gospel story of the day (Luke 12:39-48) to our contemporary lives by simplifying it to one important idea - that we live to love. To make it even more contemporary, he turned it into a hash tag: ‘#live to love’. It is a catchy hashtag which should be easy to gain momentum, and I encourage you to use it in your families.
Chapel Mass takes place every Wednesday morning at 8.00am. It is always shared with students and staff from Parramatta Marist High School, and alternates between Mercy Chapel and La Valla Chapel. All are welcome, even if students arrive after the 8.00am start.
On that note, I wish you a great week ahead, and one in which we #live to love.
Mary Refalo
Principal
News from the Assistant Principal
Cybersafety Seminar with Senior Constable Kellie Redwood
Last week Senior Constable Kellie Redwood from the Parramatta Youth Command led an interactive seminar with each year group on the importance of keeping safe online and the importance of ‘being you’. She highlighted that each student is unique and doesn’t need to portray themselves as something they are not to fit a stereotype portrayed by different social media platforms. In all communication online no matter the platform it is important to have a foundation of mutual respect and a non judgemental attitude.
With the students' assistance, in the form of a panel discussion, Senior Constable Kellie Redwood worked with each group on the positive and negative aspects of the different social media platforms such as Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube and Whats App to name a few.
The discussion highlighted the following points to keep students safe and avoid scams:
- Keep your personal information private — don’t give out your address, which school you go to, phone number or passwords.
- Check your privacy settings and talk about what to share — make your online accounts private and talk to your parents or trusted adult about the kinds of photos and information it is OK for you to share online.
- Cyberbullying — if you receive a mean message, or a message that is mean about someone else, do not respond and don’t forward it. Tell an adult you trust about it.
- If you see something online you don’t like — show parents or a trusted adult immediately.
- If someone you don’t know sends you a message or you receive a message that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe — tell your parents or an adult you trust straight away.
- Only ‘friend’ or add people you know in real life — remember that not everyone online is who they say they are, so don’t accept friend requests or followers you don’t know.
- Don’t meet up with online friends — it is best to keep ‘online friends’ online, so if you chat to other kids in online games don’t meet up with them in person.
Senior Constable Redwood also highlighted the importance of communicating respectfully whenever using social media and understanding the law associated with social media, specifically inappropriate images often referred to as ‘nudes’ appearing in social media accounts. Students were informed that they should not share any inappropriate images and if they receive an inappropriate image they should not share it but inform their parents or a trusted adult and delete the image.
Within Year groups this term the information presented in these seminars will be further discussed in Homeroom and Year Meetings led by the Leaders of Wellbeing.
We look forward to working with Senior Constable Redwood as we explore relevant topics with our students.
Senior Constable Kellie Redwood with Year 11 students.
Pope Francis invites everyone to a day of prayer, fasting and penance for peace on Friday, 27th October 2023.
Pope Francis has turned his thoughts to Palestine and Israel pleading that “everything possible be done to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.” Speaking at his weekly General Audience on Wednesday, 18th October the Holy Father also drew attention to the unsettling possibility of the conflict’s expansion. “The world already witnesses so many open war fronts,” he lamented. In light of these circumstances, he implored, “Lay down weapons and heed the cries for peace from the poor, the people and the innocent children.” “War solves no problems,” he said. “It only sows death and destruction, increases hatred, multiplies revenge. War erases the future, it erases the future.”
The Holy Father went on to urge all believers to take one side only: that of peace. “But not with words,” he continued, “with prayer and with total dedication.”
In this regard, Pope Francis invited everyone to a day of prayer, fasting and penance for peace on Friday, 27th October 2023. In response to this call for peace, students have been informed via their Compass News Feed of Pope Francis’ call to prayer. Throughout the day on Friday in the Mercy Chapel students can pray in the Presence of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for peace in Palestine and Israel.
By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
(Luke 1:78-79)
Debbie Grigson
Assistant Principal
Pray With Us
Need To Know
Upcoming Fortnight
Term 4 Week 4
- Year 10 Exams
- Year 9 Academy U Day
- STEM Day Activity
- School Morning Tour
Term 4 Week 5
- Year 12 2024 Modern History Excursion
- Year 10 Exams
- Year 7 2024 Orientation Day
- CAPTIVATE Arts Factor Music Secondary Learning Exhibition
- STEM MAD National Event
- School Morning Tour
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:
PDSSSC Cricket Grand Final a McAuley Team Event! Catherine McAuley has been the standout school this cricket season with both McAuley teams making the grand final with a Catherine McAuley vs Catherine McAuley event last week!
The Maroon Cricket Team defeated the Teal Cricket Team by 20 runs. Congratulations to all players and to the team coaches Ms Robson and Mr Taniane. The coaches said it was a fine season for all players in both teams.