Other
Editorial
We hope this newsletter finds you well as we begin to enjoy the warmer weather the season of Spring is providing. We have had some beautiful warm days at the College, particularly if you can find a sunny spot out of the breeze to sit and enjoy the sunshine. St Mary’s is a beautiful school at any time of the year, however, early Spring seems to show off the College at its best.
Springtime is seen as a time of growth, renewal, new life being born and of the cycle of life starting again. Nature’s source of renewal is endless. This is the season where we can easily feel the warmth of the sun on our skin and the hope of new growth.
We are fast approaching the end of Term 3 with only two weeks of school remaining. During this time we will part ways with Year 12 students. With the turbulent year to date, we are still working on the final stages of our farewells. However, we know that it will be one of the most special times of our lives. This is a moment of growth and regeneration for our Year 12 students; with the closing of old doors and the opening of new doors, we are entering into adulthood. We welcome the brand new day and a brand new you.
“Celebrate endings, for they precede new beginnings.”- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
While all this is happening, Year 11 students are working hard to complete their Preliminary Exams before commencing Year 12 in Term 4. This is a new beginning for Year 11 as they prepare themselves for the new year. Our advice for these girls is “Do not to be afraid of something new, because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know”.
In the junior years, students are undertaking assessment tasks and completing projects. We hope the beautiful weather allows these girls to take a breath of fresh air to relieve any stress they may be feeling. We ask that whenever you are feeling stressed or bogged down by work or life in general, that you reflect on Osho’s words, “Don’t try to force anything. Let life be a deep let-go. God opens millions of flowers every day without forcing their buds.”
We pray that with the new beginnings that Spring carries, you blossom and bloom into the most spectacular version of yourself.
Darcy Cullen and Kiara Bazaz
Stewardship Captains
Prayer - For our schools, teachers and students
Heavenly Father,
Father, our world is broken, and we are more aware of that than ever in these trying and difficult times. We long for that day when every tear will be wiped away, when death will be no more; and there will be no more grief or pain. But we know we are not there yet, and we pray that you might enable us to live as your light in the midst of this darkness.
Especially, we pray for those involved in education and training. As our schools seek to continue their important work in stressful and difficult circumstances, would you please keep teachers and students safe and help them to care for each other.
We pray for those who are facing critical points in their education, particularly those preparing for their final exams and assessments towards their HSC. We ask for diligence in study that is surrounded at every point by a calm confidence in you and your provision.
Father, all our hope is in you. We trust your promises and look forward to the day when the Lord Jesus will return to bring all your purposes to their fulfilment.
It is in his name that we pray. Amen
Charlotte Mettam
Kelly House Captain
Liturgy Report
The theme of the College’s Liturgical year for 2020 has been ‘On the Road’, and what a road it has been!
For most of us the ‘Road’ we had planned for this year looks nothing like the ‘Road’ we are on. As Liturgy Captains, we had many plans surrounding the regular Liturgies and Masses that usually take place throughout the year, but due to current restrictions many of these events could not take place. However, we were able to begin the year with the celebration of the Opening Mass; where we welcomed our new Principal, Mr Tony Fitzgerald and the Year 7 students into the St Mary’s community.
Fortunately, we have been able to find new ways to unite and connect with many of the girls through our Liturgy Instagram account @smcliturgy. In this space we have shared various reflections, activities and prayers.
This term we have re-opened the Chapel, holding liturgies for students and staff. We held a prayer service for Lebanon in early August following the devastating Beirut explosions. We also held a Liturgy for Year 12 students before their Trial Exams commenced - one of our final responsibilities as Liturgy Captains for 2020.
We would like to wish the Year 12 girls well in their final weeks of high school and congratulate them on their achievements over the past six years!
Monica Kusters and Olivia De Battista
Liturgy Captains
Conservation Club
The Conservation Club aims to educate, inform and promote sustainability in our world. This year, we made some delicious no-bake treats for school lunchboxes; minimizing individually plastic wrapped snack bars. We also created and posted some penguin jumpers for our feathery friends who have been caught up in oil spills. The jumpers stop them from preening and ingesting the oil.
We set ourselves sustainability challenges (and encourage you to do the same) - little things we can all do to reduce our waste. For example, we made our own cups and containers out of paper. Why buy a plastic bottle when you are out and about when you can make your own and it's recyclable.
Although our meetings may be on pause at the moment, it hasn’t stopped us from doing our best to model sustainable living and be environmentally conscious citizens. Rest assured, we have big plans for next year!
When our club is up and running again, come and see us on Day 6 at Lunch time in F305.
Don’t forget to check out our Instagram account smcconservationclub.
Ms Nerida Brown
Mentor
Music Club
The Music Club is great place to experience playing instruments and singing for beginners and skilled musicians.
Our club is very informal and student led; we meet every Tuesday and Thursday at lunch time in F202 and the Green Room. There are a variety of instruments to utilise even if you don't have any past experience. Our skilled musicians are more than happy to teach you how to play any instrument.
Why not join us....you may have a hidden talent!
Saskia Belanszky, Year 8
Sports Report
Being your 2020 Sports Captains has been such a rewarding and unforgettable experience. This year has been a year like no other, as I am sure you are all aware. However, the school spirit at St Mary’s never tired; with the girl's enthusiasm flooding through the hallways. The sporting culture at St Mary’s is one that allows students to explore their sporting talents in both individual and team environments. There is a diverse range of opportunities when it comes to sporting endeavours, encouraging girls to live out their potential and work hard to reach their goals.
At the beginning of the year the Swimming Carnival was a wonderful event in the warm weather, with competitors and spectators stretching down the sides of Corrimal pool cheering on their peers; it was true St Mary’s morale. Although this was one of the few traditional sporting events that still went ahead, the girls attended with great House spirit dressed head to toe in their House colours making it a memorable day. Towards the end of Term 2, we were fortunate enough to hold the Cross Country, once again the presence of House spirit was overwhelming and participation by students brought high levels of enjoyment, excitement and friendly rivalry. The infectious smiles, chatter and laughter reminded the captains and teachers of the fun we can still have as a community in a challenging year.
Although the restrictions of COVID-19 have dampened the school year with the loss of the Athletics Carnival and higher levels of competition, it has also provoked new traditions. As the Sports Captains, we were fortunate enough to be a part of the new student featured newsletter where we introduced the Sportswoman of the Week. This has not only opened our eyes to the amazing sporting talent in our community but has enabled us to acknowledge the hours of hard work the girls take on to reach their goals.
We are so honored and privileged to have been given the opportunity to be your Sports Captains for 2020 and we will always remember this extraordinary year. Special thanks to Mrs Sparks who is consistently doing her best to facilitate St Mary’s students with a wide variety of sporting opportunities both competitively and leisurely. Her passion and love for sport is truly infectious and visible through all she does. And lastly, to our fellow students, thank you for continuing to amaze us with your talent, determination and passion. You make us proud!
Sian and Chloe Bourke
Sports Captains
Major Textiles Project – 2020
Students who undertake Textiles in Design in Year 12 are required to complete a Major Textiles Project. The Major Textiles Project has two components: textile item(s) relating to a selected focus area and 12 x A3 pages of supporting documentation detailing design inspiration, visual design development, manufacturing specification and investigation, experimentation and evaluation. The focus areas which the students can select from are: apparel, furnishings, costume, textile arts and non-apparel.
This years Year 12 Textiles and Design students: Taylah Boese, Sophie Jordan, Monisha Kumar, Grace Martin, Lily Maruff, Kesara McLaurin, Savanah Santiago-Ruiz and Ivy Sucur have submitted their Major Textile Projects. They have been marked and are now on display in the PLC.
Congratulations girls on your exceptional works!
Thank you to their teacher Mrs Anne Keyte for her ongoing support of the girls.
There’s dumpling you should know!
Year 9 Food Technology have been exploring migration and the evolution of food eaten in Australia. During Week 8, Year 9 focused on the influence of China on the foodscape here in Australia and prepared chicken and lemongrass dumplings and pork, chive and spinach dumplings.
The dumplings were delicious and enjoyed by all! Other cuisine the girls have prepared this semester include: Kangaroo Burgers, Damper, Anzac Biscuits with native ingredients such as wattle seed and macadamia and a classic British/Irish Shepherd’s Pie. Next on the menu – Italian!
Ms Allison Pace
TAS Coordinator
Interact News
Each year the Rotary International President issues awards to Rotary Districts, Clubs and Interact and Rotaract Clubs for achieving certain milestones. These awards are Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.
We have just learnt that the St Mary’s Interact Club has been awarded a Platinum Presidental Citation for the Rotary Year 2019-2020.
This is to acknowledge the great work that the members of this club have undertaken and the success of their diverse projects which help many people in the wider community. In the period mentioned, the girls have collected box loads of oral hygiene products to be used by struggling communities in the Philippines. They also organised a Bake Sale which contributed to an overall collection of $2000; this was sent to Bush-fire affected communities on the South Coast. In all the projects, the club has been strongly supported by the Illawarra Sunrise Rotary Club.
We thank the girls for their enthusiasm, good organisational skills, support of each other and generosity in time and energy.
Congratulations to our 2019-2020 Interact Club for being recognised with this outstanding citation.
Mrs Liz Davis and Ms Jenelle Pearce
Mentors
Book Reviewer of the Month is back!
Have you read a great book lately?
The PLC would love to hear about it.
Each month a $15 book voucher is awarded to the "PLC Book Reviewer of the Month"
Simply complete the form by clicking on the link below to submit your review.
Mrs Christine Rutherford
Teacher Librarian
Science Week
The Competition Winner - Ellie Stokes, Year 7
National Science Week was held during 15 to 23 August. The theme for this year was "Deep Blue: Innovations for the future of our oceans". We celebrated in a number of different ways including:
Our ocean themed school bells were a bit hit! (especially the whale song in between Period 3 and 4).
Year 7 students learnt about waste in our oceans and new technologies and initiatives to minimise the damage caused to the marine environment.
We had a lunch time viewing of the Octonauts! (The Octonauts are a dynamic eight-member team of quirky and courageous adventure heroes who dive into action whenever there is trouble under the sea).
Years 7 and 8 had the opportunity to participate in a Science Week Colouring Competition. Our Science Coordinator, Mr Quinn had the difficult task of selecting a winner from the many amazing entries.
Congratulations to the winner - Ellie Stokes in Year 7.
A big thank you to all who participated in the activities for 2020!
Language News
During Term 3, Languages students in Years 7-10 participated in the Regional Languages Championships organised by Education Perfect (EP). EP is an on-line learning platform that we use at St Mary’s in the Languages faculty to consolidate language learning in a fun and engaging manner that leads to increased learning outcomes. Our girls love EP!
All three Languages; French, Indonesian and Italian entered this competition and I am very pleased to announce that our College was placed in the top three for all Languages.
French placed 3rd
Italian placed 3rd
And special CONGRATULATIONS to Indonesian which was ranked 1st
The following students received awards for their individual academic ability and participation achieving an impressive rank on the scoreboard.
Gold Awards - Chelsea Zaffonato and Hannah Makotsvana
Silver Awards - Anneke Bradshaw-Wett, Bianca Tasevski and Ava Hamilton
Bronze Awards - Charlotte McLeod, Sara Tubbal and Matilda Sherwood
Congratulations to all students who participated with such gusto and enthusiasm and also to the teachers who revelled in some friendly faculty competition.
On-line Parent Lounge and Statements
The College has made a number of improvements to the on-line Parent Lounge Portal, including the transition to online statements that will make it easier for you to manage your tuition fee account. The Parent Lounge now provides your current balance, regular Term statements and the ability to make credit card payments.
You can still make BPay transactions via your financial institution. Alternatively contact the College to establish a regular Direct Debit arrangement.
Login details and instructions have previously been provided but if you have any issues or questions please email our ICT Department via helpdesk@stmarys.nsw.edu.au
Tuition Fee Update
A friendly reminder that Term 3 Tuition Fees are due for payment so please ensure that regular instalments are being paid according to your agreed payment arrangement. If you intend to pay via lump sum instalments you must complete and return the School Fee Agreement as soon as possible.
A ‘School Fee Calculator’ is available on the College website to assist families in calculating their regular payment amount.
For further clarification on tuition fees please refer to the Fee Management Policy on the College website, alternatively contact the Fees Coordinator on 4253 5230.
Mrs Rosina Dowsett
Fees Coordinator
From the Principal
Dear Parents and Carers
Sometimes, things do not go as planned. That has been the story of 2020.
Bringing tasks to completion often requires clear and comprehensive planning and yet even then, the best plans do not necessarily yield the results we envision. For the early followers of Christ, nothing would have prepared them for what they finally encountered in his death. And so, what is the lesson that we are presented with? Simply, that nothing comes without a cost or sacrifice and that we should be prepared to accept the challenges that life presents with good grace, humility and optimism. At times, this appears to be a message lost on younger generations because they have been trained in their thinking to believe that things that require time, effort, perseverance, tolerance and patience, including relationships, are hardly worth the effort. That has not been my experience of encounter with the girls at St Mary’s and especially our graduating class of 2020. Rather, I have found them to be young women of grace and humility, of intellect and compassion and with an optimism and vitality for life that makes one feel very privileged to be a part of their community and their lives at the College.
As we move towards the end of Term 3, we are concentrating on organising a ceremony and ritual for our Year 12 girls that honors the contribution that they have made to our community and that recognises and dignifies the loving support of their families. At the same time, we continue with the myriad of other activities that make up the daily life of the College.
In a world that appears to be increasingly diminished by poor leadership, inequity, discrimination, violence, intolerance and a lack of urgency about our collective care of the planet, the optimism and vitality of your daughters is both comforting and reassuring.
The following is a prayer by Michael Leunig that is a timely reminder about the importance of seeking peace and simplicity in an increasingly complex world:
Dear God,
We give thanks for places of simplicity and peace.
Let us find such a place within ourselves.
We give thanks for places of refuge and beauty.
Let us find such a place within ourselves.
We give thanks for places of nature’s truth and freedom, of joy, inspiration and renewal, places where all creatures may find acceptance and belonging.
Let us search for these places: in the world, in ourselves and in others.
Let us restore them.
Let us strengthen and protect them and let us create them.
May we mend this outer world according to the truth of our inner life and may our souls be shaped and nourished by nature’s eternal wisdom.
AMEN.
From: A Common Prayer – a cartoonist talks to God, Leunig
Mr Tony Fitzgerald
Principal
SMC Noticeboard
14 September - Yr 11 Prelims continue all week
14 September - UOW Interschool Debating
15 September - P&F AGM and General Meeting
22 September - Yr 11 Return to class
25 September - Yr 12 Graduation
25 September - Last Day of Term
28 Sept - 9 Oct - School Holidays
Downloads
Update Details
To review and update your daughter’s details including important medical data, please click on this LINK