Magdalene Catholic High School
Newsletter Vol 20 Term: 2 Week 3 - 18 May 2018
Principal's Blog
This week our Year 7 and Year 9 students participated in NAPLAN testing.
Much is written each year about the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy and, indeed, there are many different views about its merit.
While Magdalene does not support the rankings or league tables of schools based on a narrow range of standardised tests, it is important to note that the School does use the data from NAPLAN in a measured and logical fashion.
The tests provide useful diagnostic data on our students’ various abilities and strengths and provides us with an opportunity to both: (i) provide teaching and learning catered towards our students’ needs, and (ii) to recognise gaps or areas for potential growth in our students.
With the uncoupling of Year 9 NAPLAN results with NESA HSC minimum requirements, there is less pressure on students to perform and this is a good thing.
Literacy and Numeracy tests in Year 10, however, will need to be completed as the first opportunity for students to meet HSC requirements. More details about this will be distributed across the year.
Our current Year 10s are the only students who (if they met Band 8 across reading, writing and numeracy in 2017) can use NAPLAN as a way of demonstrating they have met minimum literacy and numeracy requirements for the HSC.
As the School continues to build its learning culture, increasingly, we want our students to crave feedback. It can be challenging to be told that there are areas which need improvement BUT by openly wanting and then reflecting on feedback, students can recognise ways in which they can better themselves and therefore build a mentality of wishing to improve and striving towards one’s personal best.
20th Year Dinner
At the time of writing this newsletter, our 20th Year Dinner is but only hours away. I am very much looking forward to greeting past students and staff (and of course celebrating with our current community) and I would like to thank all staff involved in the Dinner.
I would especially like to thank all members of our Dinner Committee and especially Donna Corbett and Michelle Cornett – who have done exceptional work in organising, preparing, planning etc…
I look forward to sharing photos in a future newsletter.
PRAYER:
Following on from last Sunday’s Mothers’ Day I thought it appropriate to choose a prayer in which Mary the mother of Jesus is featured:
Dedication of a Community
Jesus,
our brother and our Lord,
you have come to save us
because God loves us with a deep and unending love.
You have given us Mary, your mother,
to be our mother too,
and invite us to follow her example.
On earth she was a woman of faith and prayer,
of obedience to God's will,
always ready to serve in any way.
In heaven she continues to pray for us,
so that we may serve God faithfully in our daily living.
Jesus,
help us to ponder in our hearts
over the many ways you show your love in our lives,
and lead us to walk with your mother
as we follow you each day.
Jesus, we praise you,
for you are our Lord and our God
for ever and ever.
Amen!
Principal
From Tiny to the Toxic - Science
Students in both Year 7 and Year 12 Physics look at the tiny particles that make up our universe.
Year 7 have been studying the phases of matter (Solid, Liquid & Gas). The students of 7SCI.5 have made models of these states using Plasticine to show how the tiny atoms are arranged in each Phase.
Not to be outdone by Year 7, students in Year 12 Physics investigated how particles can act as both waves and particles using the Crooke’s “Maltese Cross” and “Paddle Wheel”.
Year 8 class 8SCI.1 looked at how technology can help remove the mountains of rubbish that now collect in our beautiful oceans.
The Year 11 Physics students have spent the last fortnight on their Dynamic Depth Study projects. Students have been designing and conducting experiments to analyse the interaction of objects inelastic collisions.
What’s the GO in Science?
· Year 7 are studying the States of Matter
· Year 8 are studying Body Systems
· Year 9 are studying Energy
· Year 10 are studying Biology or Chemistry
Subject selection talks are happening in Year 10 to present students with the options for Year 11, clearly identifying requirements for selection.
Mr Doepel
Assistant Science Coordinator
Write4Fun - English
Write4Fun is a Writing Competition encouraging students in the areas of poetry and short stories. We are pleased to hear that a number of our students have progressed past the initial judging of the 2018 School Writing Competition. There were over 10,000 entries received and Magdalene Catholic High School has been recognised for its outstanding writing, with less than 10% of schools being identified in this bracket. Winners are announced at the end of May.
Congratulations to the students who have had their texts progress through first round judging:
Holly Lollback, The Fog (Year 7)
Indianna Weastell, Mist (Year 7)
Tara Small, The Fierce Storm (Year 7)
Emily Wilson, Café De Flore (Year 8)
Elana Richardson, Old Memories, New Beginnings (Year 8)
Jemma Elliott-Ollerton, The Place and the Creature (Year 8)
Sean McGreal, The Repetition of Sadness (Year 10)
Joshua Nies, Night Light (Year 10)
Ciaran Bone-Wright, The Time War (Year 11)
Gemma Nelson, Verglas Film (Year 11)
We wish our submitted writers well!
Miss Stephanie Phillips
Acting English Coordinator
Literacy Teacher
Year 7 Incursion
On Monday 14th May, Year 7 students attended a Brainstorm ‘Cyberia’ Production to learn about the appropriate use of social media. This production is part of the Year 7 Pastoral Care program aiming to strengthen the understanding of students on the topics of relationships, how to use social media, and the negative social and emotional implications of using social media in an incorrect manner. This engaging production also educates students on the laws associated with social media use.
About the performance: Powerful, compelling, Cyberia is an unflinching live theatre experience about cyberbullying and its devastating repercussions. Cyberia depicts two teen characters that are increasingly using texting, tweeting, online gaming, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, MSN and (embarrassing) selfies to express themselves. In time this takes a nasty twist leading to cyberbullying and the spreading of hurtful rumours online. The characters suddenly realise they can't just press the "undo" button to save their relationships, reputation or their dignity. Cyberia will encourage students to think carefully before they ‘post’, ‘tweet’ or ‘snap’ and to stop, think and reboot.
Cyberia is part of our student wellbeing curriculum and the program has been developed in consultation with teachers, psychologists, as well as real-life student experiences. The methodology of the program is safe, supportive and nonjudgmental and designed to provide students with positive and useful tools that they can use in their everyday lives.
Mr Tim Manns
Year 7 Coordinator
Intergenerational Study
Recently we had a lively troupe of Meals on Wheels Camden, clients visit with our year 11 Society and Culture students. The point of the exercise was twofold. One was for our seniors to have a venue where they could share their stories and interact with young members of our community and for Magdalene students, they were learning to make use of a valuable community resource. This was achieved over fresh scones and many cups of tea that aided continuous warm conversations via focus groups.
This was an ideal way to conduct a cross-generational study which enriched our students’ study and understanding of research methods, use of a primary source and reflection on findings. We are very grateful to Robyn Hartley from Meals on Wheels for her organisation which lives up to its motto of “being more than a meal.”
Maths News!
It was fantastic to see 60 students enrol to attend the Maths holiday classes. It was so pleasing to see so many students take this initiative in both Mathematics and General Mathematics. I am also grateful to the four teachers who gave up their time to help the students, including the Diocese Education Officer who was able to provide the students with some challenging tasks. The teachers commented the students were very engaged and immersed and happy to be there.
During these sessions, students showed enthusiasm and a willingness to improve. They also showed a willingness to share what they learned by uploading their solutions on Google Classroom. If your child would like to access these resources please ask them to see their teacher for the code.
Year 7-10 are currently completing their second examination in weeks 4-5. They have been sent notifications via email with the content covered. Please help us by making sure your child is spending time revising their notes and practising questions within the topics.
If you ever have any questions, I would like to encourage you to speak to your child's teacher. We are always happy to help.
Sport News
DIO Open Soccer Girls
Coach: Kevin Wright.
DIO Open Soccer Boys
It was an enjoyable day at Ocean Park, which in the end we left thinking what might have been. Having been placed in a tight group with evenly matched teams throughout, we were competitive in all our matches with good results against St Benedict’s and St Joseph’s, with Adam Farkas scoring a cracking freekick against Joey’s and Josh O’Reilly stopping everyone in his path in defence.
Going into the last game we had only lost one match to eventual winners St Johns Nowra, meaning we needed a victory against perennial favourites Edmund Rice to make it through to the semi-finals. Unfortunately, after a back and forth game, we pushed forward chasing the win and subsequently left ourselves open at the back, allowing Edmund Rice to get the winner.
Overall the young men should be very proud of their performance, and on another day the luck of the ball may have gone our way. Well done gentlemen! Special mention must go to Tim Stewart who was exceptional throughout the tournament and was selected in the Wollongong Diocesan Representative team.
Coach: Mr Arzapitian
Jaylen Berroa (10S), Elliot Birrell (11H), Nikita Boguslavskis (12H), Judd Cosio (12W), Adam Farkas (10S), Albert Haidar (12W), Dylan Haslam (12H), Aiden Kumutat (10H), Flynn O'Keeffe (10M), Joshua O'Reilly (11B), Christopher Pernia (10W), Benjamin Ponting (10D), Zachary Ponting (10D), Aiden Shaw (10D), Timothy Stewart (12H)
DIO Soccer U13 Girls
The U/13 Girls Dio Soccer team travelled to Nowra on Wednesday, May 9th to compete against Catholic schools from the Macarthur and Wollongong regions. Well done to the girls on representing Magdalene and demonstrating excellent sportsmanship. I was very proud of their effort, determination and resilience when results weren’t going their way. The day ended with two draws and two defeats. Each player should hold their head high knowing they did an amazing job to not only make the in-demand representative team but because they participated with maximum effort. A special mention to Jayla Li On Wing for being the top goal scorer, Lorraine Pernia for her versatility in midfield and Jessica Maher for her strong defence.
Congratulations girls.
Alyssa Scullino, Jayla Li On Wing, Chloe Wright, Maddison Wright, Lorraine Pernia, Angelique Patricio, Karina Zapata, Seanna Arruzza, Georgia Finianos, Paige Holdsworth
Jasmine McAllister, Audrey Andjic, Sienna Moss, Kyna Kelly, Jessica Maher
It was a pleasure to be the coach of this team.
Mr Tim Manns
DIO Soccer U15 Girls
Overall as a coach, I could not be more proud of their attitudes and behaviour for the day. Well done girls.
Mrs Durrant
Mackenzie Young (8H), Lisa Iacono (8S), Charlotte Bartolo (8W), Gabriella Versace (8W), Siena Fedele (9B), Jaimee Kitchener (9B), Jessica Kourembes (9B), Lauren Scullino (9B), Eden Gruar (9S), Liana Kotevski (9S), Kaitlyn Myers (9S), Amalia Plummer (9S), Kira Jenkins (9W), Maddison Sanchez-Young (9W), Payten Wiltshire (9W)
DIO Soccer U15 Boys
Last Thursday, the boys played in a Diocesan Soccer gala day. After playing in four games, the team was placed second in 'Pool B'. After an unfortunate loss in the Semi-final and a tight finish in the final, our team was placed 4th out of the ten teams that competed. The team played well and fought hard in each 20-minute match-up. It was excellent to see some players demonstrating their skills, showing a willingness to play out of position to help the team and to motivate each other both on and off the field. The day was a testament to the team's hard work and it was very encouraging to see. The team was a pleasure to coach and I look forward to seeing what the team members accomplish in soccer.
Coach: Mr Vincent Iacono
Vince Arcadi (9M), Joseph Bampton (9S), Brady Cottle (9B), Benjamin Georgievski (8H), Emilio Gonzalez (9S), Jack Johnson (9H), Jayden McCallum (8H), Baden Miller (8B), Michael Newton (8M), Andrew Rixon (9H), Troy Seniuk (9H), Beau Severin (9W), Jacob Simpson (9S), Joel Tyler (8W), Jye Versteeg (8W), Albert Wojcik (9H), Isaac Zerafa (9B), Claudio Zimmatore (9S)
DIO Cross Country
Congratulations to the following students placed in their age groups and received a medal/trophy:
Koby King 1st place Under 12
Amalia Plummer 2nd place Under 14
Blair Hopkins 3rd place Under 15
Congratulations to the following students have made top 6 and will be heading to the next level held at Eastern Creek on June 15th, along with our medal/trophy winners:
Karley McVittie U/17 (4th)
Elisabeth Kelly U/17 (5th)
Timothy Stewart U/18 (5th)
Congratulations to Luke Small who will be representing the Diocese at NSWCCC for the second consecutive year.
Mrs Tahlia Cupillari
Aboriginal Community Engagement Officer Information
This is just a friendly reminder to our Parents and Carers that our School has the services of an Aboriginal Community Engagement Officer.
Sharynne Freeman has worked with Catholic Education for five years and is only too happy for Parents and Carers to contact her with queries and requests for information in the Macarthur and Southern Highland areas.
Sharynne also sends out information to Careers Advisors in our Secondary Schools for career opportunities that students can access, as well as information relevant to Primary Schools.
Sharynne’s email address is freemans01@dow.catholic.edu.au or she can be contacted on 0409 359 041 or 02 4253 0822 between 8.00am and 3.30pm.
2018 School Fees
The 2018 School fee statements were sent home recently via email. As per the Wollongong Diocesan School Fee Management policy, school fees are generally due 30 days after invoicing, however, a variety of methods of payment and frequency are offered to provide families with the flexibility to meet their commitments. We refer you to the School’s website for full details https://goo.gl/ctxKp2
If families wish to enter into a payment plan, a Diocesan School Fee Agreement form is available on the school website and must be completed and returned to the school within 30 days of the School Fee statement being issued. We wish to extend our apologies for the delay in issuing your School Fee statement. Any queries regarding your account, please call the School’s Finance Team on 46313300 or email finance@mchsdow.catholic.edu.au
Yours sincerely
Magdalene's Finance Team
Catholic Care
Catholic Care National Families Week 15-21 May 2018
Community News
THE PARISH MY GROUP PRESENTS
Starting on Friday night, 11th May in term 2.
For young people in Yr 7, Yr 8 & Yr 9
This is an opportunity to come and share a meal, watch an interactive film and explore life’s big questions.
We believe that everyone should have the chance to ask questions and share their point of view.
SO, BE BOLD AND TRY SOMETHING NEW, Complete a permission form and return to the parish office or email it to wrightk01@dow.catholic.edu.au or phone the parish office at 46482226
NOTICEBOARD
Magdalene Catholic High School
Email: info@mchsdow.catholic.edu.au
Website: mchsdow.catholic.edu.au
Location: Smeaton Grange, New South Wales, Australia
Phone: 02 4631 3300
Facebook: facebook.com/magdalenecatholichigh
Twitter: @mchsnarellan