St Clare's Catholic High School
Hassall Grove
11 June, 2018
Praise God by Your Life
To provide excellence in education:
- through quality teaching and learning
- by providing a safe and creative learning environment
- by challenging students to strive for academic excellence
- by being a place where faith and values are enriched and shared within the Catholic tradition.
Principal's Message - Mr Morris
Gospel Reflection for 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
As I reflected on the the Gospel reading from MARK 3:20–35 today, I was drawn to the following commentary from Kevin Saunders, who is a Catholic Bible teacher in Phoenix, Arizona.
Jesus says that whoever does the will of God is his mother, his brother, his sister. How can we know when we are doing the will of God? How can we be sure? Our Jewish brothers and sisters offer us a unique insight into this challenge, which will be the subject of our contemplation this week.
For a Jewish person the challenge of finding the will of God is not tied up in trying to discover what God wants you to do. That is already clearly revealed in the Bible. The will of God is not a mystery to be solved. The question the Jewish person asks themselves is whether they will do the will of God, or not.
The prophet Micah (6:8) reveals what the will of God is for every person of faith. “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you”—here comes God’s will—“but to do justice, and to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God.”
That’s it! That is the will of God for you in every circumstance of your life. Now that you know what the will of God is the next question becomes: will you do it? Will you live in these Micah principles?
Ask yourself, “How can I be more just this week?” “How can I reveal God’s tender mercy, God’s kindness to others?” “How can I walk humbly with God this week?”
In this new spiritual mindset we let go and allow God to direct our way. We place our God-given gifts and talents at the disposal of the Holy Spirit. These reflections will serve us all well in the days to come.
Dear St Clare’s community,
I hope that all families are enjoying the long weekend despite the rain. I am sure it was a good mid-term break for one and all.
As we move into week seven, we continue to celebrate the work of our students and teachers. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the year 7 and teachers at camp Yarramundi. It was fascinating to watch the year 7 students, as they stepped outside of their comfort zone and tried their hand at kayaking, rock climbing and various activities that required team work, strong communication and problem solving skills.
Thank you to Mr Collimore and all the eight teachers who attended the camp - your committments away from your own families was very much appreciated. I wish to acknowledge all the teachers and staff who continued to keep the school moving along over the three days. Thank you to all the parents who supported their child's attendance at the camp.
I would also like to acknowledge the ongoing hard work of our students preparing for 'Bring It On' dance competition and our school musical 'Back to the 80's'.
Make sure you watch the launch video for 'Bring it On Dance 2018' showcasing the talents of our students. Here is the link - make sure you save the date and get your tickets.
Many thanks to the staff who have been involved in the musical have been giving up their time along with the students to rehearse during the weeks and over numerous weekends. In our next newsletter, we will have an update from the school musical team. Stay tuned!
Senior Inquiry Hub - Year 11 2019
Additional Information for parents, student and teachers
Preparation of spaces for commencement of refurbishments.
As you are aware, both the San Damiano Centre and 'B Block' will need to be prepared to ensure the refurbishments of our new Inquiry Hubs can commence. We will be working to ensure these spaces are vacated by the end of the holidays prior to builders occupy the site. It is anticipated that the builders will need to set up their site early Term 3, with works starting shortly afterwards. I will update the community of this information when timings are firmed up with the project team.
As part of these works, the Library and IT services will also be re-located to a suitable space and we are currently determining their location so we can continue 'business/leanring as usual. We will also be creating a sacred space in the interim period to ensure our community can still participate in personal/class prayer with teachers and to participate in reconciliation with Fr Vincy/Fr Joshy. I would like to highlight that we have substantial space to accommodate these interim arrangements.
I would like to confirm that St Clare's now and into the future will have a library which will be incorporated as part of the "Knowledge Hub" which is part of the Master Plan for our school. In the interim, students and community will still have access to resources to support teaching and leanring and we will provide ongoing opportunities to access the space for study, research and for other planned activities.
Parent Forum - Informing the Senior Experience for Year 11 2019
Our first Parent Forum will take place on Wednesday 13 June, commencing at 7pm-8.15pm. If you wish to attend and shape the future learning pathways for your son or daughter as Senior students at St Clare's - it all starts here. I strongly encourage parents to join with us to work in partnership to plan this exciting phase of our school. We encourage parents who have a child at St Clare's in year 7-10 or enrolling in 2019 to attend. Your input and involvement in shaping the ‘Senior Experience’ is both exciting and pioneering for our school community. At present we have six parents who have indicated their attendance. Please RSVP your attendance here.
We will gather in the staff lunchroom and will commence at 7pm and conclude at 8.15pm. Tea/Coffee will be available upon your arrival and parking can be accessed via the staff front car park. I look forward to seeing on Wednesday evening. Should you require any further information please contact me via 9830 2400 or via smorris@parra.catholic.edu.au
Assistant Principal, Teaching & Learning - Mr Hulme
As the term unfolds all students at the school have deeply engaged in the Semester One assessment cycle. Years 7 - 10 completed their assessment period in Weeks 5. The assessment and reporting cycle then continues and culminates in the Student / Parent / Teacher interviews that follow for Years 7 - 10 in Week 10.
As we approach the midpoint in the year our students should have been well and truly in the routine of learning and preparing for their assessments with an obligation to hard work. It is our hope that all students reflect on their endeavours and are open in learning from their experiences.
In appraising results in a mid-year context it can be worthwhile to reflect on this with your sons and daughters using ‘verbal prods’ like:
What mark did you expect?
What mark did you get?
Why the difference? [whether it be a positive or a negative], and crucially,
What are you going to do about it?
Year 7 - 10 Student / Parent / Teacher Interviews
Tuesday, 3rd July from 3pm to 8pm
Information regarding booking online will be sent home to all parents when bookings open on Monday 25th June and will close on Monday 2nd July at 8pm.
To make a booking after 25th June go to
Click on ‘make a booking’ and enter the code 36rna
Semester One Reports
This year the school has been part of a pilot project for a new Information Management System for the Diocese. At the end of Term One we successfully rolled out Interim Reports.
At the end of Semester One we will be running our first reporting period in the new system. Currently we are on track to deliver the student academic reports before the parent teacher interviews. As you would understand with any new system, there may be some data errors and we will correct them if and when they arise. We thank all parents/carers in advance for your understanding in regard to any errors or confusion if it is experienced. We will keep parents informed by Facebook/Newsletter if there are any delays.
The new Information Management System will be rolled out to parents and students in the term ahead. This connection to parents will assist in the timely reporting of all data. This includes attendance, reporting and everyday communication.
We would ask all parents to make sure we have up to date contacts especially email and mobile numbers. It would be worth checking that our school number has not been blocked as unfortunately we have discovered some parents were unaware of the challenges we have had in contacting parents.
Year 11 information Evening - HSC Class of 2020
We thank all parents who attended the Year 11 Information Evening. The Year 10 students are currently busy submitting their subject preferences for Year 11. This is an extremely exciting time for all members of the community as we all prepare for outstanding learning success for the HSC class of 2020.
Education Perfect Maths Championships - June 12 - Tuesday June 19
Be in the running to win some of the $10,000 worth of prizes up for grabs. Every attempt earns points. EVERY student has access to this wonderful online learning resource.
The maths competition in preparation for the NAPLAN was completed with great success. The Award Winners are below:
Year 7 Numeracy Winners (First 20 place winners)
The Global Humanities Competition Winners from our school were:
Assistant Principal, Wellbeing & Learning - Ms Deschamps
LATE TO SCHOOL
Being consistently late to school has major repercussions to a students learning. Students repeatedly late to school will decrease in status from bronze to yellow. This is a major setback for students in our new Positive Behaviours for Learning model where we encourage students to rise through each status in order to achieve significant recognition and rewards.
Disrupted Routines
One of the most important aspects of school is that it is organised, scheduled and predictable. Students depend on the structure of the day. They know where they have to be and when. They know the main purpose for being in school is to learn and that routines are in place precisely to help them focus on that learning. When students are repeatedly late, these routines are disrupted. Children who are often late have trouble settling in and mastering routines. Lateness can throw off their whole morning or even their day, especially if the late commute to school was stressful.
Social Criticism
The social experience has a powerful impact on a student's feelings about school and his or her ability to be academically successful. When a child continuously shows up late to class, other students are distracted. Attention is drawn away from the teacher or task and toward the student who has just arrived. Over time, classmates may begin to criticize this student, affecting how they feel about themselves in school. During adolescence, students are especially conscious of fitting in and being accepted by peers. If your child is repeatedly late, they may become a target or outcast over time, and negative peer interactions can hurt their ability to concentrate on learning.
Low Achievement
Perform Well, a nonprofit policy research and educational organization, reports that frequent tardiness is associated with lower grades and achievement. It is also linked to low graduation rates. In addition, students who are routinely late in years 7-10 are more likely to achieve poorly in senior school -- or even drop out.
Responsibility
Part of your child's education is learning to be responsible. The school experience teaches children how to meet expectations. They learn to follow schedules, follow rules, complete tasks and keep track of their materials. Learning responsibility in school is a precursor to functioning in the working world.
Attendance is one of the ways students show they can meet their obligations. In many cases, a student's attendance depends on his parents' ability to help him be on time. Parents can teach their children organizational techniques that will help them get out of the house faster, such as packing their bags and laying out their clothes the night before school. But parents who drive their children must also remember to be punctual and responsible. After all, you are the primary role model.
Leader of Wellbeing & Learning - Ms Nielsen
The School Garden Update
The Gardening and Sustainability group have been working collaboratively over the past few weeks. Under the direction of Ms Riad, the group have been maintaining and improving the garden. At the moment there are celery, snow peas and cauliflower growing and the finger lime tree has an abundance of fruit. The group have also been investigating sustainable and biodegradable pots. Well done to the team for all of their hard work, as a school, we look forward to your winter harvest!
Uniform Requirements
Thank you to all the students who consistently wear their school uniform impeccably. One of our core pillars is Pride. In the Student Planner Pride is defined as:
Treat other peers and the school with respect by treating yourself with respect by wearing the correct uniform each day.
Engage in all learning opportunities.
Build strong learning relationships with teachers and others in the community.
Take responsibility for our own actions both in and out of the classroom.
Help to contribute to the needs of the community.
Respect your own values, beliefs and morals- do what you know is the right, just or moral action.
Honour God’s creation by Praising God By Our Life!
See God in all of his creations.
As a School community, we strive to be the best we can and celebrating our successes. There have been a significant decrease in students out of uniform over the past few weeks. However, all students are requested to be in full school uniform each day. Below, I have included an excerpt from the Semester 1 Student Planner.
There are many exciting initiatives coming up in the area of student wellbeing. The Positive Behaviour for Learning team teachers have been working collaboratively to create short lessons which will be conducted next term to build a deeper understanding across the student body of the four pillars: Peacemaker, Pride, Persistence and Passion for Learning. As a team, we have worked closely with the Student Leaders to plan the lessons. This was an exciting opportunity for the Student Leaders to not only collaborate with the teachers in planning the lessons, but also create resources. There will also be a focus group of students across the school who will give feedback and inform the process. Thank you to the students who have already contributed to this important initiative.
Religious Education Coordinator - Ms Cassar
Celebrating the Year the Youth - Steve Angrisano Concert
Last year, many students from St Clare’s Catholic High School attended the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF). It was a national gathering of Catholic young people established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. At this festival, Steve Angrisano, an international Catholic musician, played a key role in building the spirit of the event. Steve Angrisano is an incredible musician, storyteller and worship leader and has an special way of engaging students. He leaves young people feeling inspired and energised with a renewed confidence that they are loved by God and are called to go out to the world and make a difference .
Last Monday, on the 28th May, we had the wonderful opportunity to take 40 Yr 10 students to attend the Steve Angrisano Concert at St John Paul II College in Schofields. The Diocese of Parramatta held this event to celebrate the Year of Youth, which was an exciting opportunity for our students, especially after ACYF. Steve Angrisano inspired our students with many entertaining stories and led them to prayer through his music. He encouraged all the young people to “Go and make a difference in this world”!
On the 28th of May, we as a school visited St John Paul II College, to have a special concert from Steve Angrisano. He taught us songs that not only got us involved by doing actions but it got us thinking about the message behind the lyrics. He also told us two stories which will stay with me forever because of how powerful they were. The first story had a message that we did not fail God because as long as we are trying we are one step closer to God. The second story talked about a girl who lost her mum in an car accident and she felt the presence of God with her at that exact moment which let me know that God is with us when we need him the most. This concert will forever have an impact on my life as well as those who were also blessed to witness it. Reflection by Nicola Prescott, Year 10
Leader of Learning TAS - Mr Chhabra
In Technology Applied Studies, for the last 2 weeks most classes are working on assessment, that involves practical and written work. In Year 7 Multimedia Technology classes, students produced a two minutes video about themselves showcasing their life, talent and/or love to nature/ animals. Students were required to incorporate Text, Images and audio. There were many amazing videos, that involves many ICT skills such as video editing, image adjusting, and use of many softwares.
In Technology Mandatory (Food), students were required to come up with a signature recipe, incorporating all food group to create/ modify a recipe. There were many amazing and delicious treats.
Year 9 Food Technology class, students made and decorated a cake for children birthday party.
Year 9 Industrial Technology (Timber) students showcasing a range of cheese boards created from softwood and recycled hardwood.
Desk lamps on display - created by Year 10 Industrial Technology (Timber) students.
Leader of Learning HSIE - Mr Ahern
Congratulations to all students who completed their HSIE exams in week 6. It was great to see so many students studying hard to be successful and achieve their best.
Year 9 History
Year 9 have spent the term studying the many areas of WW1 and Australia’s involvement during this war. This has then led onto this week where students have started to look at WW2 and the various causes of the war.
As part of our investigation we explicitly looked at the treaty of Versailles and the impact this had on Germany which in some ways led to the rise of Hitler.
As a part of this learning students were given the key causes of the war and they had to rank them according to how important they were to causing WW2 in their own opinion. This was a great chance for students to analyse and evaluate the various causes.
Leader of Learning CAPA - Mr Smolen
Art and Writing
When writing about artworks students are encouraged to observe and considerer the world around them, look at details and make connections. Looking carefully at art helps us to develop our observation skills.
Art encourages us to slow down, look closely and reflect on what we see, with this, we are rewarded with new thoughts and perspectives. These ideas and insights provide rich material for writing.
SAILSS Supporting Arts Integrated Learning for Student Success P.Klos & D. McNeely
Often visually literacy is overlooked and sometimes not given the recognition it deserves. Looking at an artwork can be a great inspiration and foundation for building on a variety of writing skills from narrative to poetry. Students can make personal connections through the interpretation of metaphors or inform an audience through an artist statement.
As we move towards stage 6 students will be making even greater connections to art concepts and develop a deeper level of writing skills through their investigations of case studies.
I encourage students to look more deeply at an artwork and immerse themselves in all aspects of the work, perhaps write a poem or create a story and be inspired.
Congratulations to the Year 9 Elective Visual Arts students for making great progress with their ‘Appropriation’ portrait painting. This group of artists have been inspired by some of the great portrait painters throughout art history, which they have previously researched in class. The students are selecting colour combinations and creating tones to change the meaning of the work.
Thank you for your ongoing support with the Creative and Performing Arts.
Leader of Year 7 - Mr Collimore
During Week 6, from Monday to Wednesday (4th-6th June), Year 7 students attended camp at YMCA Yarramundi.
Students participated in the following eight activities over the three days at camp:
Alpine rescue - a ground level obstacle course with a series of challenges and scenarios
Artificial cave maze - a series of obstacles in an artificial caving system
Kayaking - paddling downstream learning basic strokes and techniques
Flying fox - a 10m high wall and flying 100m through the surrounding bush
Giant swing - a 20m high harnessed swing
Initiatives - team activities involving problem solving, creative thinking, teamwork and communication
Low ropes - a series of challenges, ropes and obstacles
Rock climbing - 10 metre artificial climbing wall
I just wanted to say a big thank you to all students who attended camp and really challenged themselves with new experiences. It was fantastic to see so many students working together as a team in so many of the activities.