marist catholic college...marist catholic college penshurst friday 6 july - number 10 one school •...

MARIST CATHOLIC COLLEGE PENSHURST

Friday 6 July - Number 10

one school • one family • one communityTelephone: 9579 6188 Fax: 9579 6668 www.maristpenshurst.catholic.edu.au

FROM THE PRINCIPAL This week the 2017 School Magazine was distributed to families. It beautifully encapsulates our College’s journey last year. I would encourage all families to take time to read through the magazine, enjoy the many activities and events that make up a school year and reflect on the many achievements of our the College and its students. I would like to thank all students and staff who contributed to the magazine and to the editorial team of Mr Brian Vane-Tempest and Mrs Carol Bresnahan. Also published this week on the College website and available from the College Office is the 2017 Annual Report to the Community.

Our approach to education is embodied in the College motto: Agnoscere et Diligere – To Know And To Love. Our motto calls us to know deeply and to love intimately: God, oneself and other people, as well as wisdom, learning and personal growth. This term there has been many opportunities to experience the faith dimension…….

● Our Year 12 students attending a three-day retreat at the Marist Brothers’ Retreat Centre in Mittagong. It aimed to reinforce a positive self-image, to reflect on significant relationships and life experiences, and to explore the presence of God in one’s life. The retreat was a perfect opportunity for students to build friendship bonds and remove themselves from their fast-paced world. The program consisted of large group input, small group discussions and personal reflection time. Liturgies also provided valuable prayer experiences. The Year 12 Retreat is invaluable in assisting participants to reflect on deeper issues at this important point in their lives.

● A group of Year 7 & 8 students attended a wonderful Eucharistic celebration with all secondary Sydney Catholic Schools at St Mary’s Cathedral to celebrate the Feast Day of Mary Help of Christians. This day is important to Christians in Australia as Mary Help of Christians was chosen by the Australian Bishops to be the Patroness of Australia.

● Aaron Borg and Edward El-Jalkh, represented MCCP at the Archbishop’s Year of Youth Luncheon. This was an opportunity for young students across Catholic schools in Sydney to meet the Archbishop face to face and discuss opportunities and challenges facing young Catholic people in Australia. The students shared a meal with the Archbishop Anthony Fisher and Bishop Anthony Umbers and then engaged in a discussion with these Church leaders about the issues

● We celebrated Champagnat Day with a special liturgy and acknowledgement of our 2018 Champagnat Award Winners. The liturgy commenced with a reflection from Br Tony Butler who challenged us to be like Saint Marcellin Champagnat by keeping in mind his simplicity, his perseverance, his compassion, his deep love of Mary and his deeper love of Jesus Christ. Br Tony emphasised the importance of relationships and to always remember - love one another.

Our motto calls us to provide the best learning environment for the students in our care. In responding to this challenge, the focus for staff Professional Development this term has been in the area of quality assessment. It is based around the research of many past and current educational academics, in particular the work of psychologist Lev Vygotsky who believes the role of the teacher is crucial to student performance. Teachers who know their learners are able to create quality learning opportunities for a range of students, meaning students who struggle are provided with a range of supports and students who have a high level of competence are further extended. Vygotsky suggests good teaching can place a student in the ‘zone of proximal development’ ensuring that they are achieving and are challenged to their ability. On the Staff Development Day staff discussed what makes a quality formative and summative assessment, how to ensure validity and reliability in assessment and also had the opportunity to develop layered assessment tasks in their Key Learning Areas.

2one school • one family • one community

Agnoscere Et Diligere - To Know and To Love

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FROM THE PRINCIPAL ContinuedAs the term progressed you may have noticed that your child received hand-in / practical tasks with various access and entry points (i.e. options) in which to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills. This style of assessment recognises students as being individuals who learn at different rates and in different ways. Task differentiation ensures all students engage in assessments that will appropriately challenge and cater for their individual ability, readiness, background and/or disability. Teachers have been guiding students to choose the most appropriate task option best suited to their current level of understanding as observed and demonstrated in the classroom. This ensures all students reach their academic potential and achieve new learning.

Our mottto challenges the students to explore personal growth and be involved. In this area the College experienced another most successful term with some highlights being:

• Having our Year 7 and Senior Debating Teams compete in the finals of the Regional Catholic Schools Debating Competition. Our Year 7 team debated against De La Salle, Revesby on the topic “That girls have it tougher than boys” and our Senior Team debated against Bethany College, Hurstville on the topic “That we should break the rules”. We were delighted that our Senior Team were able to end their high school debating careers as number 1. It is wonderful to see so many students giving generously of their time to represent in our debating teams.

• Seeing students in Year 7 Music transformed from being individuals in instrumental classes to become an ensemble of Brass, Woodwind and Percussion. You could see the enjoyment in the student’s faces playing as a larger group and experiencing what it was like to play as part of a Concert Band. Then last week our School Concert Band was given the opportunity to perform in BandFest; a festival that welcomes over 4,000 young musicians to perform as members of over 130 bands. Our band was recorded and adjudicated by a professional who provided them with expert advice and encouragement. It was wonderful for us to be part of this festival and receive a silver trophy.

• Last week saw our Dance Squad have a very successful day at the SCC Dance Competition. It was wonderful to see the hard work of Ms Samantha Rothwell and the young ladies in our dance squad, be rewarded. Ms Rothwell has shared an article and photos of the day further into this newsletter.

Finally, I would like to thank the parent and carers for your ongoing support in the first half of this year. I wish all families an enjoyable break over the next two weeks.

Mr Ray Martin - College Principal

Fri 27 Jul College Athletics Carnival Sylvania Waters Athletics Track

Tues 31 Jul College Photo Day Full College Uniform to be worn

Wed 1 Aug P & F Meeting 6-6.45pm Penshurst Parents 7-8pm

Mon 6 Aug - Year 12 HSC Trial ExaminationsFri 17 Aug

UPCOMING DATES

Fri 6 Jul End of Term 2

Mon 23 Jul Term 3 Commences Full Winter Uniform

Wed 25 Jul Mathematics Olympiad



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FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALSir Winston Churchill was one of the most widely revered and iconic leaders in world history. He was a wartime Prime Minister and his passion and courage quite literally altered the course of history. He once stated, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.” This quote is important for all students to consider as they reflect upon their Semester 1 Reports.

For many students the year commenced with great enthusiasm and focus on their studies. However, as the year progressed the novelty of being back at school slowly diminished and a deterioration in their commitment to their studies slowly eventuated.

The key to becoming an effective learner is mastering how to study smarter, not harder. This becomes more and more important as students advance through their education. An hour or two of studying a day is usually sufficient to make it through junior years with satisfactory grades. However, as students advance towards the senior years they will require more than one hour and will need to develop smarter studying skills which assist them in completing the complexities and rigor of the senior curriculum.

We are aware that there are some students who are able to breeze through school with minimal effort. However, this is very much the exception. The vast majority of successful students achieve their success by developing and applying effective study habits. It is important that study habits become routine in your son/daughter’s daily lives. By establishing strong study habits your son/daughter can become successful, and not be overwhelmed by workloads, due dates, major assignments and exams.

In the last newsletter I spoke about the benefits of having a growth mindset, where students believe their abilities are not fixed but can be improved through dedication and hard work. This is the mindset we would like to foster within our students at Marist Penshurst. It is our firm belief that intelligence is not static, and all our students are lifelong learners who have the capabilities and capacity to grow as learners.

As a College community we continue to set high expectations of our students, affirming them as learners and helping them to establish goals that focus on improvement and success.

College PhotosThis year College photographs will be held on Tuesday 31 July. All students will receive information at the beginning of Term 3. The information package will include the options, prices and details of how to order your photographs. Please be advised that ALL students are required to wear their full winter school uniform on that day.

Mrs Connie Frino - Assistant Principal

ST VINCENT de PAUL WINTER APPEALThis term MCCP has been collecting donations for the annual Vinnies Winter Appeal and we have been overwhelmed with the support shown by our community. If you went past the Ministry Room during the recent Parent-Teacher Interviews you would have seen the massive pile of collected food and goods waiting to be delivered – and this is only half of what was collected. The donations will be delivered to St Vincent de Paul’s Night Patrol headquarters at Lewisham where it will be distributed to the Night Patrol services which go out every night, 365 days a year to serve the homeless on the streets of Sydney. Some of the donations will also go to the Marion Refuge which serves women and children fleeing from domestic violence or who are at risk of homelessness. Thank you to all the Year 11 volunteers for their assistance with this appeal. The College would also like to extend on behalf of St Vincent de Paul our heartfelt thanks to the MCCP community for their generosity in supporting this wonderful cause.

Mr Jon Cullerton – Leader of Wellbeing

The end of a semester is a great time for students to reflect on the goals they set for themselves at the start of the year. At MCCP we help students to set goals to inspire them to Dream More, Do More, Learn More and Become More. This is the basis of our Vision for Learning. Students are helped to set one or more goals from these three domains. See diagram A.

Underpinning this, is developing in our students a ‘growth mindset’. The main ideas and thinking processes of growth mindset are outlined in diagram B.

DIAGRAM A



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A TIME TO REFLECT

DIAGRAM B

Students who develop a growth mindset learn from mistakes and are focused on improvement. Students who develop a fixed mindset however, tend to only care about results and how others perform in comparison. They give up or become anxious if their performance is not what they wanted. It is important then to encourage students to keep on trying their personal best, to seek feedback, act on it and review their goals and the strategies they are using to achieve those goals. If they have chosen academic goals, these holidays are an ideal time, with feedback from Parent-Teacher night and their reports, to engage in this valuable reflection. I ask parents where ever possible to discuss your child’s goals with them and encourage the development of a mindset that will facilitate success in all areas of their lives including their wellbeing.

I wish all our families a wonderful safe and relaxing holiday time.Mrs Angela D’Angelo - Director of Wellbeing

On Friday 22 June, Marist Catholic College Penshurst was invited to attend the Marist ‘Super Connect’ in Eastwood. Travis Giannarakis, Aaron Borg, James Jovanovski and Mark Czajka are the young men that represented our school at the ‘Super Connect’ event. Marist Connect is a once-a-term event where Year 11 and 12 students from Marist Schools gather in community and take part in opportunities of faith formation and social justice. This event was an excellent opportunity for Young Marists to continue their connection with the Marist world until long after school has finished. The evening was filled with laughter, games and other social opportunities but the most memorable moment was hearing about Genna Radnan’s story. Marist Connect’s special guest, Genna Radnan from Generosity Abroad, spoke about her projects in Kenya and the reality faced by many people suffering in poverty and having little to no access to resources such as education and medical care. Genna’s story inspired all in the room by reminding these young men and women about the importance of setting goals and having vision. The event was a success and the young men are eager to attend the next ‘Super Connect’.

Ms Chloe Nasr - Religion Education Teacher

MARIST CONNECT EASTWOOD

CONGRATULATIONSJamie Lawler has been selected in the NSWCCC Open Boys Touch Football team to play in the National Touch League Championships on the Sunshine Coast in September. Well done and good luck Jamie.



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YEAR 11 BIOLOGYOn Wednesday 13 June, Year 11 Biology students visited the Towra Point Nature Reserve to investigate the fascinating wetland ecosystem. With amusing grimaces on their faces, students tasted the salty leaves of the coastal marshes to gain an unforgettable understanding of salt regulation within these plants. Students gained valuable insight into ecological sampling techniques by identifying the different plant species along a transect line and counting the holes left by elusive crabs within a quadrat. At the conclusion of the day, several brave students ventured into the murky estuarine waters, catching interesting species of fish as well as a sea cucumber that releases a vivid purple ink to ward off predators. Needless to say, this ink was no match for the formidable group of Year 11 students.

The following week on Thursday 21 June, Year 11 Biology used the skills that they had learnt at Towra Point to conduct an ecological field study of Oatley Park. Students used various instruments to measure the abiotic factors of temperature, salinity, light intensity and soil pH across a designated section of bushland. In small groups, the students setup transect lines across the area, observing the distribution of plant species. Unfortunately, our efforts were hindered by heavy rain and wind. Despite these circumstances, the students were able to collect important data in preparation for their Depth Study assessment task.

Ms Jessica Khalaf - Biology Teacher

YEAR 9 ELECTIVE DANCEOn Wednesday June 20, Year 9 Elective Dance travelled to the Sydney Opera House to view the latest production from Bangara Dance Company, Dark Emu. Based on the book of the same title, Dark Emu is a dramatic and evocative dance response to the assault on land, people and spirit and is a celebration of the sharing of knowledge, the heritage of careful custodianship and explores the Aboriginal peoples reciprocal and interconnected relationship with the environment. Year 9 viewed the production as part of their curriculum study of cultural dance and it forms part of their realisation of dance as an artform. The girls had a great outing and thoroughly enjoyed the performance.

Miss Samantha Rothwell - Dance Teacher

YEAR 11 CAREERSOn Friday 29 June, Year 11 students attended the Western Sydney Careers Expo at Sydney Olympic Park. The Expo drew students from many secondary colleges and provided information about future study options and career pathways.

Our students had the opportunity to visit a diverse range of information booths.

Resources and advice included:● HSC study skills ● University, TAFE and training courses● Career and future employment advice● Apprenticeship and traineeship advice● Information about GAP years and overseas study

Mrs Jennifer Guy - Careers Advisor



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SCC DANCE COMPETITIONSCC DANCE SUCCESS!

On Monday of Week 9, the Marist Dance Squads travelled to All Saints Catholic College, Liverpool to compete in the 2018 SCC Dance competition. This year was our largest ever presence at the competition, with around 40 girls competing. All students put their best foot forward, displaying the true Marist spirit, representing our school with pride. I could not be more pleased with the true dedication, talent and school spirit displayed by all our dance squads on the day. This year I am absolutely honoured to announce the amazing results achieved by our girls. Our Macedonian dancers unfortunately did not place in their very competitive section, our Intermediate Jazz Squad placed 3rd, our Junior Jazz Squad placed 1st, our Hip Hop Squad placed 1st and our Contemporary Squad also placed 1st. This year is our first time ever receiving top place in any of the sections and the girls took out not only one section, but three!

Due to this amazing success, Marist Catholic College placed 3rd overall in the SCC Dance competition out of 10 schools, just narrowly missing out on 2nd place. A big congratulations to all dancers who participated on the day, and good luck for your next eisteddfod early next term.

Miss Samantha Rothwell - Dance Teacher and Coach



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MCCP TALENT QUESTCongratulations to all our musicans who performed in the talent quest. A special thanks to Mrs Catherine de Andrade and Mr Matthew Smith for perparing this event. The winners will be announced in our next newsletter.



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SCC NETBALLThe Junior and Intermediate SCC Netball teams played their semi-finals on Thursday 28 June at Deverall Park after both finishing second overall in their respective competitions. The Junior team played against Rosebank College and the Intermediate team played Bethany College.

They were supported by many parents, teachers, and the Senior SCC Netball and Soccer teams. Both teams put up a strong fight, contending with an imminent storm and injured and missing players, but were unfortunately unsuccessful. While the result was heartbreaking for our students and coaches, it was wonderful to see the sportsmanship demonstrated by all our players and the mature way they faced defeat. Congratulations to all players across the three teams for an enjoyable and successful season. Thank you to Ms Anna Le and Mrs Nicole Katrib for their support in coaching.

Miss Analise Emmerick - Intermediate Netball CoachCBSA JUNIOR SOCCER2018 PREMIERS!

The Junior CBSA Soccer team travelled to Fraser Park last Thursday to compete in the final against Rosebank College Five Dock, hoping to retain the trophy won last year.

The Rosebank opposition were very talented and knocked the ball around very well from the kickoff and had the early ascendency. Rosebank scored the first goal of the match and Penshurst could have found themselves down 3 or 4 nil but for the efforts of our defence and keeper. At half-time we were behind 1 nil.

The half-time break allowed us to compose ourselves and focus on playing to our strengths and the team were able to do this in the second half. Their attacking efforts combined with some excellent defensive scrambling in front of our own goal were the key features of our 2-1 victory at full-time.

Thankyou to all members of the team for the effort over the season in representing the College with distinction. Congratulations.

Mr Michael Young - Coach



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SPORT VENUE TRAVEL DISMISSALCBSA AFL Olds Park Walk 3pm at venue

CBSA Futsal Golden Goal Soccer Centre, Strathfield Bus 3pm at school

SCC Soccer Marco Reserve, Panania Bus 3.30pm at schoolSCC Basketball Bankstown Basketball Stadium Bus 3.30pm at schoolSCC Dance School N/A 2.20pm at school

Yr 11 Boxfit/Spin Hurstville Aquatic Centre Walk 2.20pm at venue

Yr 11 Gym Hurstville Aquatic Centre Walk 2.20pm at venue

Yr 11 Sport Games Olds Park Walk 2.20pm at venueYr 7 Indoor Sport Games Hurstville Aquatic Centre Walk 2.20pm at venueYr 7 Get Active Games Hurstville Aquatic Centre Walk 2.20pm at venueYr 7 Watersports Hurstville Aquatic Centre Walk 2.20pm at venueYr 7 Oztag Penshurst Park Walk 2.20pm at venueYr 7 Soccer Penshurst Park Walk 2.20pm at venueYr 7 Netball Penshurst Park Walk 2.20pm at venueYrs 8/9/10 M/F Frisbee Renown Park Walk 2.20pm at venueYr 8/9/10 M/F Tennis Roberts Rd Tennis Courts Bus 2.20pm at schoolYrs 9/10 M/F Crossfit Crossfit Hurstville Bus 2.20pm at schoolYrs 8/9/10 M/F Indoor Basketball Hurstville Aquatic Centre Walk 2.20pm at venueYrs 8/9/10 M/F Oztag Renown Park Walk 2.20pm at venueYrs 8/9/10 M/F Park Soccer Gifford Park Walk 2.20pm at venueYrs 8/9/10 M/F Ten Pin Bowling AMF Bowling Sylvania Bus 2.20pm at school

Yrs 9/10 Male Gym Punchys Gym, Oatley Walk 2.20pm at venue

Yrs 8/9/10 Female Pilates Punchys Gym, Oatley Walk 2.20pm at venueYrs 8/9/10 Male Indoor Sports Sportsworld Indoor, Peakhurst Bus 2.20pm at schoolYrs 8/9/10 Female Powerwalking Renown Park & Moores Reserve Walk 2.20pm at venueYrs 8/9/10 M/F Table Tennis Hurstville Aquatic Centre Walk 2.20pm at venueYr 12 Study School N/A 2.20pm at school

* Students who are transported by bus to an Internal Sport venue must return to school by that bus. They cannot be dismissed from the venue. * Thursday sport is compulsory, therefore, appointments should not be made during this time. * Students who are injured or sick and unable to attend sport should stay at school and attend non- sport.

Mr Paul Burg - Director of Sport

TERM 3 SPORT

HOUSE POINTS UPDATEWhat a busy two terms we have had! Students, staff and parents are looking forward to a well-deserved break. This term has been exceedingly busy with regards to House Point rewards. At the end of Term 1, Dunstan was ahead on points with a total of 2540 points, followed closely by More, Salvius and Leopold. Now, at the end of Term 2, when academic points, cross-country points and dance/music/ debating/volunteering points have been tallied, there has been a significant change in the totals.

DUNSTAN MORE SALVIUS LEOPOLD4770 4310 3508 3384

The Athletics Carnival is on in Week 1 Term 3. This carnival can have a significant impact on the totals. Last year, for example, Salvius earned approximately 800 points more than Dunstan, who are winning at present. So, students need to enter every race possible for their House and try to increase their tally. Term 3 is the last term that counts towards the House Cup, when we have a ‘changing of the guard’ with our new House captains being elected at the end of Term 3. I am calling on all House captains to rally their troops and get as many of your students as possible to participate in the Athletics Carnival.

Mrs Anne Collins - SRC Coordinator



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PENSHURST PARENTS A forum for partnership, communication & information

‘Digital Citizenship’

with Special Guest

MR CHRIS MORRIS Wednesday 1 August 7pm

Dear Parents & Friends,

You are warmly invited to the first Penshurst Parents for 2018. All parents and carers are welcome to attend this informative evening on ‘Digital Citizenship’. It will be especially beneficial to those parents and carers of our Year 7 and Year 8 students. Mr Chris Morris, Educational Technology Specialist - Sydney Catholic Schools and Ms Louise Beard, Year 7 Leader of Wellbeing, will present an interactive presentation with practical tips and use of social media, gaming and cyberbullying.

On the evening:

6 – 6.45pm P&F meeting will be held (all interested are welcome to attend),

6.45 – 7pm Light refreshments will be served.

7 – 8pm Digital Citizenship Presentation.

To help us prepare for the evening, please click here to RSVP your attendance and number attending by Friday 27 July 2018.

We look forward to you joining us on the evening.

please click here to RSVP

https://goo.gl/DCyAew



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South Western Sydney/Macarthur

apprenticeship & Traineeship

Date: Thursday, 30 August 2018

Time: 3:00pm - 8:00pm

Venue: Whitlam Leisure Centre

90 Memorial Ave, Liverpool NSW

Cost: FREE

Contact: MWLP (02) 4625 1863

FREE onsite parking

Bring Your

Resume

DETAILS

Over 100 Exhibitors, Employers,

Group Training Organisation,

Industry Associations, Government

Departments and more.

Find out all you need to know about

Apprenticeships, Traineeships,

Pre-Apprenticeship courses and

School Based Apprenticeships &

Traineeships.

Many industries will be represented

on the night. Young people and

parents can find out all about

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

and how to apply for positions.

APPLY ON THE DAY

Expo



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THE SACREDBALANCING ACT

Lisa Hendey

Today’s families are busier and more in need of the graces of the Church and the promise of the Gospel than ever before. The Sacred Balancing Act delivers a model for busy families partnering with their parish, school and communities, providing tools to more efficiently form the faith of their children. The presentation will also discuss how to relate lovingly with teenage, young adult or adult children, who separate themselves from Church.

Lisa Hendey is the founder and editor of CatholicMom.com, a renowned author of several books including The Grace of Yes and The Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion, and has extensive public speaking and media experience.

Register at www.maristassociation.org.au

WEDNESDAY 15 AUGUST 201811am - 12.30pm

(Morning Tea served from 10.30am)

You are also welcome to join us for Mass to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption at 1pm.

St Patrick’s Crypt20 Grosvenor St, The Rocks NSW

(entry via the courtyard)

BUSY LIVES ANDFAMILY SPIRITUALITY

marist catholic college...marist catholic college penshurst friday 6 july - number 10 one school •...

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