Term 4 Week 7 - Thursday 23rd November 2023

Notes from the Principal

This week we saw inspirational participation and excellence of Catherine McAuley students in the performing and visual arts. 

• Two dance troupes, the Junior Jazz and Hip Hop Troupes, were selected to perform at the annual Captivate Showcase after being selected from diocesan schools at performances throughout the year.
• The Rock Band competed in the Captivate Battle of the Bands Competition, in which they were commended for their performance.
• Two Year 11 students were selected to participate in the National Art School HSC Intensive Studio Practice Course in the areas of life drawings and ceramics.
• Two Year 12 students have been offered places to study at the National Art School and the University of Technology, Sydney, based on strong portfolios.
• The Catherine McAuley Annual Creative Arts Showcase was held yesterday afternoon to an audience of students and families of the performers. It was a truly wonderful celebration of the students’ talents, and was a joy to watch.

You will be able to read more about these achievements in this Weekly Review as well as in future editions of the Weekly Review.

I’d like to thank all students who participated in these events, and in other performing and visual arts opportunities, for their generosity in sharing their skill with others, and for aiming for excellence in this area. I would also like to thank the teachers who have worked with the students in this way. Their generosity of time and skill makes it possible for all students to ‘strive for higher things’. 

Mary Refalo
Principal

News from the Assistant Principal

In my last article I wrote about the need for students to own their learning. Following on from this I would like to share an idea for the upcoming Parent/Student/Teacher meetings that will be held on Tuesday, 12th December (face to face) and Wednesday, 13th December (via zoom).

I will be asking my Year 10 RE class to prepare a response to the following three questions.

Question 1 - Which piece of work are you most proud of? Why? What does this say about you as a learner?
Question 2 - What still remains a challenge for you in this course?
Question 3 - How do you intend to meet this challenge in 2024?

These three questions will require the students to reflect on themselves. They will need to identify where they are in their learning, where they are heading and how to get there. These are the foundations for assessment as learning.

I will be encouraging other teachers to share my ideas with their classes.

The meetings on the 12th and 13th are only scheduled for five minutes but it will be well worthwhile for your daughter to begin the meeting with a response to these questions. The majority of the time will be taken up by the teacher clarifying or adding to the students response and for questions from you, the parent.

Wishing all families a blessed Christmas.

Michael Hall
Assistant Principal

From the School Counsellor

Youth Development Scholarships 2024
Over the past six years, the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) has helped over 6152 students since 2017. They are continuing to offer $1000 scholarships to students enrolled in education (Years 10-12) or training in 2024. The eligibility criteria include living in public or community housing, supported accommodation, being on the NSW Housing Register, or receiving private rental assistance from DCJ.

Each successful student will receive $1000.00 to help with school expenses and secondary support services. Applications are now open until Friday 16th of February at 5:00pm. Visit the website  dcjnsw.info/scholarships for more information on how to apply. If you have any further questions contact the Scholarships Team on (02) 8753 8673 or email education@dcj.nsw.gov.au.

Also, as the school term ends for this year, it is important to reflect on your daughter’s achievement and accomplishment and the importance of enjoying the summer break to relax and recharge. If you daughter needs mental health support over the summer holiday, do not hesitate to reach out to the services listed below:

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Lifeline: 131114
Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
Headspace: 1800650 890
Parent Line:  1300 1300 52
Dial 000 in a life-threatening emergency.

Susan Boulattouf
School Counsellor

Pray With Us

Need To Know

Upcoming Fortnight

Term 4 Week 8

• Year 12 2024 Music Excursion
• Year 12 2024 Geography Fieldtrip
• Year 10 PASS Excursion
• Year 10 Accelerated SOR In-School Activity
• Year 10 Preparing for Senior Studies
• Year 9 Peer Mentoring
  
• Yar 9 English Incursion
• Year 9 STEM Excursion
• Year 7 PDHPE Excursion
  

Term 4 Week 9

• Years 7 - 11 Academic Awards Ceremony
• Year 11 Legal Studies Excursion
• Year 9 English Incursion

News Articles

• Catherine McAuley Performing Arts Students Showcase Their Talents

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:

JRS FUNDRAISING - Fundraising for JRS continues with a snow cone stall held this week and next week it is Santa photos! Students should remember to bring a gold coin on Monday or Tuesday next week so that they can have a photo taken with Santa! Photos will be taken in the Drama room at lunchtime on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th November.