Other
Work Experience - Year 10
In the July school holidays, some of the Year 10 students participated in Work Experience.
I feel very fortunate to have participated in a week of work experience at Taronga Zoo.
I was given the opportunity to work within animal enclosures, assist with the presentation of animal shows and observe animal training techniques at the
institute of Taronga.
With the assistance of the staff at Taronga, I was able to appreciate and better understand the meaning of wildlife conservation and its importance. The Taronga Conservation Society Australia has a meaningful and urgent commitment to wildlife, our natural environment and the pursuit of excellence in conservation education and scientific endeavors.
As someone who shares their goal of being able to make significant contributions to the preservation of endangered species in Australia and overseas, I was extremely honoured to work with a team of such diligent people. It was an experience that has allowed me to consider what initiatives I can take in the present and future for the good of our wildlife.
Volleyball 2019
After many months of training on a Wednesday at lunchtime, the SMC Open Volleyball Squad were ready to take on teams from throughout the Diocese.
The team started the morning successfully with wins against St Benedicts, Holy Spirit, St Johns and St Joseph's coming top of the pool. In the semi- finals
they faced Mount Carmel for what was a tense and competitive challenge. St Maryâs won the first set and Mount Carmel the second set. In the third set
Mount Carmel served and won the first two points, the siren sounded to end the semi-final and those two extra points meant Mount Carmel went through
to the finals.
Well done to all players for their commitment to practice over the past two terms and their showcase of skills on the day. Thank you to Mr Bob Cooper for
coaching the team in the last few practice sessions which helped the team prepare for the day and also for umpiring on the day.
Squad members: Madison Mackay, Taylor Mackay, Emily Ellis, Annalise Chadwary, Luisa Kuihea, Jeddah Lilburn, Olivia Ladmore, Layla Elhage, Victoria Quest
and Jessica Adams.
UOW 2020 Summer Master Class applications are now open!
Please see the download section for further details.
Tennis Success
Congratulations to Tasmyn Renshaw from Year 8 who has been selected the NSW Indigenous Tennis Squad to compete at the Australian Indigenous Tennis Carnival in Darwin from 29 August until 1 September.
We wish Tasmyn all the best!
Science at SMC
Year 10 Science students
extracting DNA from
strawberries as part of their
Genetics studies
From the Principal
Dear Parents
I was delighted to join with fathers and daughters from the College at 7.30am on Thursday morning for our annual Father’s Day Breakfast. The turn up for this year’s breakfast was fantastic and it appeared to be our biggest gathering for this event to date. It was beautiful to see the way our girls looked after and related to their dad’s, demonstrating the love and the quality of relationships that exist between our fathers and daughters. I was particularly delighted by the number of Year 12 girls who attended with their dad’s to celebrate their last Father’s Day Breakfast at St Mary’s.
The importance of the relationship between girls and their dads is often underestimated. Fathers have tremendous influence over their daughters and we
often don’t recognise it. How we treat our daughters will shape the way they view themselves and how they expect to be treated by men throughout their
lives. Good dads work hard to be good men and good citizens. Love, availability and character are essential if we want to provide our girls with a
positive male role model. Girls need their dads to be consistent, to love them unconditionally, to be encouraging and be men that they can respect.
Our daughters need to be taught to be strong, independent and free and be encouraged to be anything they want. They also need to be able to spend time
with their dads as this is the only way to really build relationships. This might mean dad going shopping, taking their daughters to the footy or even
having the odd dad and daughter day watching a ‘rom com’ at the movies. As dad’s we are privileged to be able to love, influence and watch our daughters
grow into wonderful women filled with the knowledge that they can do anything. However, they need to know that we’ve got their back and we are with
them all of the way.
Good Samaritan Day was held this Friday, 30 August and it was a day of great celebration and fun for our community. We are delighted to welcome Emeritus
Bishop Peter Ingham back to the College to celebrate Mass with us and to be present as we recognises students and staff who have been seen as Good
Samaritans in our community over the past 12 months. From there we had surprise entertainment, food, stalls for our various clubs and finally House
Choirs. This was a fantastic day and one that allows us to celebrate our history, our heritage and our story as a Good Samaritan/Benedictine community.
Our Year 12 girls have completed the trial HSC and many of them have commenced the practical aspects of the HSC. Hopefully our Year 12 students will be
able to have a little break to recover before the graduation festivities commence. Year 11 students will shortly begin their preliminary exams and
they will take up their roles as leaders of the College at the beginning of Term 4 when they commence their HSC year.
I wish you all a peace filled weekend and I wish all of our fathers a very happy Father’s Day on Sunday.
Diocesan Netball Carnival
The St Maryâs Netball Squads have been training over the past two terms for the Diocesan Netball Carnival. On Wednesday, 31 July, our Netball Squad arrived at Berkeley Netball Centre ready for an action packed day!
Each of the six teams played a variety of schools from across the Diocese, with St Maryâs students displaying skillful netball and excellent sportsmanship over the course of the day.
The teams and results are as follows:
Junior A Team: 3rd Place
Sophie Yates, Alannah Curtis, Gemma Starcic, Genevieve Bosker, Gabby Eaton, Larissa Jovanovski, Lily Riolo, Lilly Merrick, Jenna Chiodo and Maddie Simpson
Junior B Team: 2nd Place
Charlie Doyle, Ava Gunning, Summer Austin, Charlotte Hall, Olivia Sheridan, Nieve Campbell, Georgia Edwards, Lily Edgar and Charli Garbutt
Junior Netball - coached by Ms Goodman
Intermediate A Team: Overall Winners
Claudia McGoldrick (captain), Zoe Smith (vice captain), Georgia Chrystal-Foy , Mia Evans, Riahnna Ricardo, Natalie Tomasiello, Dakota Hudson, Adysen O'Brien and Selene Chadrawy
Intermediate B Team: Overall Winners
Hannah Hegarty (captain), Kirsten Jovanovski (vice captain), Zarah Andraos, Meah Spralja, Tahlia Morris, Sabrina Giraldi, Neave Ferguson, Sophie Ryder, Ruby Brannon and Eva Loncar
Intermediate netball- Coached by Ms Fearon
Senior A Team: 2nd Placed
Lara Chiodo, Victoria Guest, Emily Stewart, Erin Body, Tenaya Hegarty, Sian Bourke, Chloe Bourke, Matilda Moate, Amy McHugh and Annalise Chadrawy
Senior B Team: Overall Winners
Molly west, Kiara Kriss, Luisa Kaihea, Charlotte Mettham, Olivia Cooper, Jamie Mayes, Caitlin Doherty, Hayley Reeves and Olivia Hauser
Senior netball - Coached by Ms Kent
Diocesan Athletics Carnival Report
St Mary’s Athletics team were very strong contenders at the Diocesan Carnival held at Campbelltown on Friday, 16 August.
I’d like to commend each and every member of our team on their effort, enthusiasm, achievements and good sportsmanship. A BIG thank you to the girls who stepped up to fill events where other girls had withdrawn – their dedication went a long way to helping the success of our team!
St Mary’s were crowned Girls Champions with 644 points, followed by Holy Spirit College, Bellambi in second place on 475 points and in third place was St Patrick’s College, Campbelltown on 371 points.
Congratulations to the girls who featured in the Age Champion places:
12 Yrs Champion: Brielle Masters (44) Runner Up: Montana Doubell (36)
15 Yrs Champion: Paris Bamford (46)
17+Yrs Second place - Hannah Crinnion (32) and Third place - Janna Hadaya (28)
Congratulations to Hannah Crinnion on breaking the 17+ Long Jump record with a jump of 5.15m
Our relay teams were outstanding! All three teams performed brilliantly to win with smooth changes thanks to the coaching efforts of Mrs Christine Thomas.
Juniors: Caitlin Jones, Allegra Fock, Ellie Veerhuis and Keira Rejske
Intermediates: Lily Riolo, Claudia Decker, Neave Ferguson and Paris Bamford
Special mention to the Senior team who broke the Diocesan Record in a time of 50.14 secs: Hannah Crinnion, Janna Hadaya, Emer Spiers and Elena Delaveris
Congratulations to the following girls who finished first in their event or second in the 100 or 200m to gain selection in the Diocesan Athletics team
to compete at the NSW CCC Carnival later this term:
Paris Bamford 15 Yrs: 100m, 200m and 400m
Genevieve Bosker 14 Yrs: High Jump
Annalise Chadrawy 17 Yrs: Shot Put and Discus
Selene Chadrawy 16 Yrs: Shot Put
Hannah Crinnion 17 Yrs: Long Jump and 200m
Claudia Decker 15 Yrs: High Jump
Elena Delaveris 17 Yrs: 100m
Montana Doubell 12 Yrs: 400m, 800m and 1500m
Janna Hadaya 17 Yrs: Javelin
Chelsey-Rose Jackson 16 Yrs: 100m and Hurdles
Sarah Locke 15 Yrs: 800m and 1500m
Brielle Masters 12 Yrs: Discus and Javelin
Keira Rejske 12 Yrs: 100m and 200m
Lily Riolo 14 Yrs: 200m
Champion of Champions Oztag
St Mary's achieved a fabulous result in the NSW Champion of Champions Oztag tournament held at Werrington, Penrith over the two day event on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 August.
Both teams earned their spot in this tournament after their success in the Wollongong regional qualifier held in April. Regional tournaments were held across the state followed by this two day carnival where the strongest teams came together, representing their respective regions.
The players passed, tagged, kicked and scored tries to defeat all the opposition regional winners and runners up before reaching the final on day two. The Years 7/8 team won their pool games comfortably and progressed through their quarter and semi finals to face Warilla High School in the grand final, the only other south coast school that qualified. Unfortunately, they lost in the final 4-1 but displayed great team play and support for one another. They improved in their skills in the second half showing grit and determination.
The Years 9/10 team went through their five pool games undefeated and finished first out of 17 teams. After making it through the quarter final and semi final, they faced off against Erina High School in the grand final. Scores were tied at half time but with an unfortunate rebound and an unlucky mistake on the line, both leading to tries, they went down 4-2 in the final.
Both the 7/8 and 9/10 teams finished with silver medals, both placed second out of 17 teams from across the state. An amazing achievement for our College and all students should be very proud of their performance over the two days.
Congratulations to Lily Riolo, Evie Mc Grath, Lilly Merrick and Gabby Eaton for being selected in the Years 7/8 NSW Merit Team. Congratulations also to Selene Chadrawy, Lilli O'Dea, Olivia Colquhoun and Neave Ferguson for being selected in the Years 9/10 NSW Merit Team.
Many thanks to Mrs Christine Thomas, Ms Stacey Walsh, Ms Katie Fitzgerald and Ms Brooke Cavanagh for their organisation with the teams.
Please see the downloads section for the Merit Teams listing.
Building the Resilience & Wellbeing of Young People
Edmund Rice Centre
Tuesday, 10 September
6.00 - 8.30pm
Please see the flyer in the downloads section for more details
Are your daughter's details up to date?
To review and update your daughterâs details including important medical data please visit https://tass.stmarys.nsw.edu.au/parentlounge/login.cfm
âYear 12 2019 - HSC Textbook Returns
The last day for returning HSC textbooks to the PLC will be Monday, 11 November 2019.
Please return textbooks promptly as they are needed for the incoming Year 12 students.
Prior to this, Year 12 students will be emailed a list of their current loans which gives them a chance to make sure they can clear up any queries before they leave.
Students will not receive their $100 textbook deposit unless ALL books are returned. (Textbook deposit refund cheques will be issued in Term 1, 2020)
Please contact the PLC on 4228 6011 or plc@stmarys.nsw.edu.au if you wish to make an enquiry.
Vocational Education & Training (VET) NATIONAL SKILLS WEEK August 26th – September 1st
Australia will celebrate National Skills Week the week of August 26 – September 1. This is
an exciting opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the relevance and importance of Vocational Education and Training (VET) for young people and for
our nation.
At St Mary’s, our girls have the opportunity to study a number of VET courses as part of their HSC pattern of study. We offer VET Courses that provide
entry level qualifications into an Industry of choice and can also count towards their ATAR. Working in the real world in a variety of industries can
be quite high pressured and that is why studying a vocational course here at St Mary’s College can prove to be a beneficial choice as it allows our
students the time to learn essential industry skills in a controlled environment. VET Courses are focussed heavily on industry specific skills and
the development of employability skills. All assessment tasks undertaken are a combination of practical industry specific-skills and theoretical knowledge.
The assessment tasks provide opportunities for the girls to practice and develop competency in a variety of employability skills. The training the
girls receive occurs in industry standard simulated environments and the learning experiences allow enough time for the skills to be practiced and
acquired prior to going out into an industry placement.
I recently read this article published
by Foundations for young Australians. It details how the days of having a job or two in a single career are in
the past. The world of employment is a lot more fluid and so will be the way our young people experience the world of work. The article describes how
we should be moving away from a perspective of a linear pathway or single career because it no longer reflects the reality of our future. McCrindle
has provided research that highlights young people are expected to have 17 jobs over five careers throughout their work life.
I would encourage you to read this very brief article, it provides food for thought while presenting the concept of job clusters relating to skills
and how these clusters may help young Australians obtain a job.
Last week we shared a short video at our assembly which provided insight from some of our current VET students about the nature of studying a VET course as part of their HSC pathway.
Below you can read some of the insights shared by senior students who are currently studying a VET Course here at the College.
I am currently completing my Certificate II in Business Services and I am enjoying every moment of the course because of the vast array of learning experiences we are exposed to. I particularly like that we complete 70 hours of Work Placement across the course which has provided me with real life learning experiences and has taught me a range of skills which I can now carry into my future in the business services industry. I like VET courses because they are different to other subjects. The assessments are more adapted to real life because you are allowed to practice and refine your skills and you get more than one chance to get things right, you receive mentoring and help so you can achieve your best.
Alexia Lara, Year 11 Business
VET is my favourite subject 100% and I wish I could do more than one, it is great to have a subject that makes you feel excited and keen to learn rather
than feeling worried about excessive study notes. VET is extremely beneficial outside of school as employers value industry experience and certificate
qualifications much more than just simple knowledge out of a text book. VET gives you a leg up amongst those who have only studied content and knowledge
without gaining any actual experience. I also love that “Failing” is not a thing. We are given the opportunity to practice our skills before being
assessed. I feel no real stress in this class as there is so much support given by teachers and students. VET is a subject that I feel 100% confident
in, I can have fun whilst knowing I’ll be just fine in my exams. The hands on experience we gain within the school is always fun and exciting and I
really enjoy how the content is delivered, with much more discussion and team work. Simply, a VET course cannot be compared to any other general HSC
course as it just so much better!
Tiana Zakoc, Year 11 Entertainment
Studying a VET course is different to other subjects as it is skill based and at the end of the two year course you gain a nationally accredited certificate
as well as your HSC which can be beneficial for getting a job after school and going to University. In addition, I really like that there are no grades
or rankings within VET courses because you are working to a national standard so you are either competent or not yet-competent. If you are not yet
competent you have three chances to practice and refine your skills to become competent. It is also different as you get to experience what it is like
to participate within the hospitality industry through 70 hours of mandatory work placement.
Ella Dickson, Year 11 Hospitality
Studying a VET course during school hours is a valuable experience as you can apply your knowledge and skills through practical tasks and when working
collaboratively without leaving school premises. Collaborative work is often encouraged among people who you normally wouldn’t work with as in a real
business environment, you don’t get to choose your co-workers. A VET course can offer a range of possibilities and new avenues; creating new friendships
among your peers, achieving a nationally accredited qualification, expanding your knowledge about real-life situations in the workplace and gaining
employability skills for your future career.
Leyla Eren, Year 11 Business
I would like to take this opportunity to offer my heartfelt thanks to our current VET Teachers for their continued commitment and passion towards the teaching
and development of the students in their care.
Mr Stephen Goldrick (Certificate III Live Production Services - Entertainment)
Ms Cassandra Iannella (Certificate II Business Services)
Ms Abigail Kelly (Certificate II Hospitality Kitchen Operations)
Mrs Lisa Lockett (Certificate III Live Production Services - Entertainment)
Mrs Louise Markwell (Certificate II Business Services & Certificate II Hospitality Kitchen Operations)
Mrs Dianna Menegazzo (Certificate II Hospitality Kitchen Operations)