Other
Editorial
Drawing closer to the end of the Term, the College is experiencing a surge of life! With the weather getting warmer, the junior girls having completed their assessments and the 2021 Leadership Team have begun to introduce a number of fun activities each week. With a boost of energy around the College before the school holidays, an encouraging and uplifting environment is being created, ensuring an excited return in 2021!
In addition, we had the opportunity last week to formally farewell the class of 2020 with their Graduation Ceremony and Achievement Assembly. With great commitment and determination from the staff, all students joined Year 12 to celebrate their six years of schooling at St Mary’s. The class of 2020 have been a resilient Year group, which we should all inspire to be like.
This week Year 8 enjoyed their Reflection Day on Monday. On Tuesday, Year 11 attended their Achievement Assembly followed by a delicious morning tea in the undercover area. Wednesday was a hive of energy as the College hosted Year 7, 2021 Orientation Day. We are all looking forward to our Achievement Assemblies for Years 7-10 in the last week of Term.
With Christmas creeping up on us, the St Mary's girls are beginning to transform the school with lots of decorations and trees. Despite the events of 2020, we can’t wait to come together, as a community in Week 7 for our first School Assembly since the beginning of the year!
Jennifer Clark and Ashley Todorovski
Stewardship Captains 2021
Prayer
Annelise Semaan and Helena Halios-Lewis
Sullivan and Hayes Year 9 Leaders
Ungunmerr-Baumann House Report
Whilst it has been a roller-coaster of a year, UB girls have remained positive and happy around the halls of B block. This Term has flown by so quickly and with all our assessments flooding in, the next four weeks will fly by very fast.
Over the last couple of weeks Year 8 have been very brave stepping up for the challenge of becoming Year 9 Leaders for 2021. I am very proud of each candidate. Congratulations to Scarlett McEwan for being elected Year 9 UB House Captain for 2021. A big thank you to Lexi Jones, the current Year 9 Leader for all her hard work during 2020. Lexi has been a wonderful role model for the younger girls.
Mr Selby has been the UB House Coordinator for the six years that the House structure has existed. Mrs Selby established a positive House with strong traditions and has led the House in such a fun and positive way.
Sadly, at the end of this year, Mr Selby has decided that he will step down from being the UB House Coordinator. We will definitely miss the great vibe Mr Selby brings and we wish him all the best for his future endeavours.
UB House Captain 2021
Bashir House Report
As we approach the end of a year consumed with uncertainty, the whispers of November Christmas carols have begun to fill the hallways, heightening the excitement in the College.
I would first like to congratulate all of the Year 8’s who applied for the role as Bashir Middle School Leader for 2021. I am so excited to work alongside Maya Chrostowski who was elected Bashir Leader for 2021.
In other news, the wellbeing app ‘Pulse’ has been introduced to the College. As a House, Bashir students are feeling relatively positive, despite frantically completing their final assessments for the Term. Thanks for all your hard work this Term girls!
For the last three weeks, the comfort of Bashir’s Tutor Group space in the D300’s has been occupied by the Year 12 students undertaking the HSC exams. Bashir Tutor Groups have been moved to the undercover area. What may appear as another challenge for the girls, having to trek to the opposite side of the school, the girls have quickly adapted and made the most of the sunshine and fresh air!
Sadly, last week we said our final farewells to Year 12 students and 2020 Bashir House Captain, Tenaya Hegarty, I feel so privileged to take on the challenge of following in Tenaya’s footsteps. We wish these girls luck as they journey into the world beyond the halls of St Mary’s. Despite this, the Year 11’s didn’t waste time saying their goodbyes, as they eagerly lined up to collect their senior jerseys on Friday.
Although this year has been one which none of us expected, our brilliant Bashir girls took on the challenge with a big, bright smile. I am eager to witness another exciting year full of laughter and new memories together as a Bashir family, whilst conquering all the new challenges 2021 throws our way.
Adysen O’Brien
Bashir House Captain 2021
Caritas Club
Every year we have the opportunity to receive presents and fill our Christmas list with exciting new things. But imagine not being able to have access to basic human necessities, and people in need are wishing for significant elements that help us persevere. While we here in Australia have full access to human essentials and at Christmas we are wishing for things that we want but don’t necessarily need. So instead this Christmas, let's think about the wider global community and take into consideration what we could do to make a difference in somebody else's life.
Luckily, Caritas is granting us the opportunity to be able to make this difference and this difference is simply going to be made through three global gift cards by following three simple steps. Firstly, you select the life changing gifts which consist of the gift of water, the gift of food and the gift of sustainable livelihoods. Secondly, select your gift price and then select the desired amount that you would like to donate from the given options. Last but not least, you will then send through your donation that has officially brought joy to someone's life.
Every dollar goes a long way! Be an angel to a family in need this Christmas.
Here is the link that will begin your process: https://www.globalgifts.org.au/
The Caritas Club community appreciates every donation someone gives.
Together we go further!
Continue to make these differences leave positive impacts on those in need, by joining the Caritas Club. We meet every Monday Day 1 during lunchtime in B310.
Lydia Antunovich-Bozinoska, Charlotte Agnew and Zoe Veljanovska
Caritas Club
Sportswoman of the Week - Lily Wroblewski
Year 10, Lily Wroblewski is a hardworking and high achieving basketball player. At only 16 years of age, Lily had attended the U18’s NSW State squad trials at the end of October, and has been successful in gaining selection into the squad.
This has been a major goal of Lily’s so far in her basketball career. She had never trialed for the NSW U18’s team before so this was a major accomplishment for her.
Not only has Lily been successful in gaining selection in the NSW team, she has also made the U18 Country Girls D League team, which involves travelling around NSW for four rounds playing against Metro teams and the U18 Country Hoops Fest team which will take place next year.
Lily continues to train hard and is looking forward to her next trials at the end of January and from there travelling to Victoria to compete agaisnt other States in Australia.
Keep up the awesome work Lily !
What achievement are you most proud of?
At the moment I am so proud of my accomplishment to have made it into a State squad, having never made one before and this being my first trial to go to in my years playing basketball, I'm very proud.
Who is your inspiration?
This will sound very cliché however, I'm sure all basketball players can relate to the fact that Michael Jordan is a very inspirational man, who in many ways has shaped the mindset of the player I am today. I have also been reminded of him and his positive attitude by one of my coaches who really helped me develop as a player and will always look up to him as an inspirational figure in my life and especially through my sport.
Why do you love basketball so much?
Basketball is a great way for me to be active. I have played for six years and really enjoy the sport. I have tried many and this is truly one that I love! I can meet new people and travel around NSW. It's always fun to train and to get better and better throughout the years.
What's your pump-up song?
Honestly, anything by Kanye West especially his song Homecoming puts me in the mood to play and pumps me up.
Any advice for young athletes?
I would say that don't let other people and especially coaches tell you that you aren't good enough, just work hard yourself and worry about your individual growth. Never focus on the negatives in a game, just keep playing and if you don't love it for the right reasons it's okay to stop playing.
Claudia McGoldrick and Macey Hawkesby
Yr 12 Sports Captains 2021
Principal's Awards - Morning Tea Celebration
Congratulations to all the students who received a Principal's Award on Thursday morning. The girls were presented with their Certificates and enjoyed a morning tea in the garden with Mr Fitzgerald and Ms Magill.
Year 11 VET Students Work Placement
Over the past two weeks, Year 11 VET students have been out and about completing their mandatory work placement across a range of businesses in the Illawarra. From all accounts, the girls enjoyed their placements and found the experience to be eye opening to the world of full-time employment.
Congratulations to all the girls who completed their placements.
Three testimonials follow from our Hospitality and Business Services students:
In Week four, the majority of the Year 11 Hospitality students attended their work placement. I attended the Coffee Club in Wollongong and I loved the experience of working in the kitchen. Being able to cook all week and understand how a hospitality organisation works was extremely insightful. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and has definitely planted a seed of thought in my head about future careers. Hannah Feldhausen (Yr 11 Hospitality)
As a Year 11 VET Business Services student, I had the opportunity to complete my work placement at MCCI in Wollongong. MCCI is a multicultural not-for-profit organisation. Throughout the week of work placement, I had the opportunity to complete multiple projects and enhance my business services skills. The type of tasks that I completed were: filing, photocopying, photo calendars, answering the phone, youth conference organisation, corporate profiles and emails. Overall, I truly did enjoy my experience at work placement and it gave me a further insight of the working world. I definitely would recommend the VET courses for future students as it teaches many skills and qualities that are necessary for the future. Mia Begic (Yr 11 Business Services)
I was fortunate enough to go the The Lagoon Seafood Restaurant for my work placement and had the opportunity to work in their administration office. I was able to apply my skills and knowledge of Work Health and Safety, sustainability and customer service completing a range of tasks. I loved every minute of it, an amazing experience! Soraya McCann (Yr 11 Business Services)
Miss Cassandra Iannella
VET Coordinator
Illawarra Schools Excellence in Vocational Education and Training Award
Left to Right: Holly Severn, Chloe Ragnoli, Alannah Scipione, Layla Eren, Chandra Singh and Darcy Cullen
On 12 November, the results for the Illawarra Schools Excellence in Vocational Education and Training Awards were announced by Workplace Learning Illawarra. The Illawarra Schools Excellence in Vocational Education and Training Awards have been held for more than 20 years. The Awards recognise the fantastic efforts and great achievement of young people completing VET courses as part of the HSC. This year, over 1200 students completed a VET course in the Illawarra as part of the HSC.
From St Mary's six girls were nominated by their VET trainers, Cassandra Iannella (Business Services), Abigail Newton (Hospitality - Kitchen Operations), Lisa Lockett (Entertainment) and Christina Fraser (Information Digital Media & Technology). The following students were successful in receiving an Excellence Award in their VET framework:
Leyla Eren - Certificate of Excellence in Business Services
Alanah Scipione - Certificate of Excellence in Business Services
Chloe Ragnoli - Certificate of Excellence in Entertainment
Holly Severn - Certificate of Excellence in Entertainment
Chandra Singh - Certificate of Excellence in Hospitality (Kitchen Operations)
Darcy Cullen - Certificate of Excellence in Information Digital Media & Technology
From the Certificate of Excellence recipients, Industry Award Category winners were chosen. For the first time, from the four frameworks offered at St Marys, all four students achieved awards for Student of the Year which is an outstanding accomplishment. These students were:
Alanah Scipione - Student of the Year in Business Services
Chloe Ragnoli - Student of the Year in Entertainment
Chandra Singh - Student of the Year in Hospitality (Kitchen Operations)
Darcy Cullen - Student of the Year in Information Digital Media & Technology
This is a tremendous achievement. Congratulations to the girls! We wish them all the best for their future endeavours in their chosen pathways. Thank you to the VET staff for nominating the students for the awards.
Miss Cassandra Iannella
VET Coordinator
St Mary's student recognised by medical profession for her teacher's guide to juvenile arthritis
In the last edition of 'Higher Things' Mrs Christine Rutherford, Personal Project Coordinator, reported on the success of Year 10 student, Sophia Gordon, for the recognition by the medical profession for her Personal Project, 'A Teacher’s Guide to Juvenile Arthritis'.
So impressive was the achievement of Sophia's initiative she has been interviewed by The Illawarra Mercury. Please click on the link to read more.
Year 11 Achievement Assembly and Morning Tea
Year 12 Graduation Ceremony and Achievement Assembly
Year 12 Graduation Dinner
Share the Joy, Give a Toy’ Christmas appeal for Bacolod
A Christmas fundraising campaign by the Good Samaritan Foundation hopes to put a smile on the faces of struggling children and families who have been hard-hit by the COVID-19 crisis.
The foundation’s fundraising will support the Bacolod Good Samaritan Outreach Centre’s ‘Share the Joy, Give a Toy’ campaign. The goal is to raise $A6000 by December 15, 2020.
A gift of $A30 will purchase a Christmas food pack for a family and gifts for the children, delivered with love by the Sisters and their partners at the Outreach Centre in the Philippines.
The campaign is hoping to fill a gap in donations this year caused by the lack of school immersion groups visiting the Sisters’ centre.
Good Samaritan Sisters Anne Dixon and Grace Marcelo are based in Bacolod. “With Christmas around the corner, and our old and new needy families struggling more than usual, we are very keenly aware that we have had no school immersion groups this year,” Anne said.
“These groups would usually buy gifts for the children or leave cash to specifically help us at Christmas.”
Anne said in a normal year, they would have a number of immersion groups, including a couple of schools with students and staff, and another group of Good Samaritan Education staff, which comes every three years.
Benefactors from Japan usually visit each year as well as family and friends from Australia. Due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, none of those groups have visited this year.
“These groups all leave us either with gifts already bought, or cash to buy what we need,” Anne said. “But because of the COVID-19 situation, which is not changing here much at all, we have been looking at alternative ways of getting support. Now, with Christmas approaching, this is our priority.”
The Sisters have launched a local Toy Drive campaign in Bacolod, building on the support they received when they launched a foodbank earlier this year to help people through the pandemic.
“With this campaign, we have posted on Facebook a call for new or pre-loved toys and we are also doing door-to-door campaigning around City Heights, with the aim of providing toys for about 600 families,” Grace said.
The Good Samaritan Foundation appeal, to be run in Australia, will support that local campaign by asking for cash donations, which will be used to buy toys and Christmas food packs.
“We already realise we cannot have our usual Christmas celebrations – COVID-19 restrictions as well as money restrictions, prevent this,” Grace said. “But we really appreciate any donations that can help buy gifts and food hampers for the families to enjoy.”
To make a donation to the ‘Share the Joy, Give a Toy’ campaign, click here. Donations over $2 are tax deductible in Australia.
The Good Samaritan Foundation was established in 1999 to provide ongoing finances and resources to the work established by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.
On-line TASS Parent Lounge Access and Fee Statements
The College has made a number of improvements to the on-line TASS Parent Lounge, 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.
Login details and instructions have previously been provided to you via email on the 28 October. Should you have any issues accessing the Parent Lounge, please email our ICT Department via helpdesk@stmarys.nsw.edu.au
You can still make BPay transactions via your financial institution, alternatively contact the College to establish a regular Direct Debit arrangement.
Tuition Fee Update
A friendly reminder that Term 4 Tuition Fees are due for payment so please ensure that regular instalments are being paid according to your agreed payment arrangement.
As advised by the Principal in previous correspondence, a credit for Resources and the Year 8 Camp due to COVID-19 has now been applied to your account.
If your account has been paid or you are already on an instalment arrangement, please login to the Parent Lounge to confirm your balance.
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.
Rosina Dowsett
Fees Coordinator
From the Principal
Dear Parents and Carers
Last week we were able to celebrate, as a whole College community, the graduation of our Year 12 girls. After a year of uncertainty and disappointment, the graduation last Thursday combined a poignant and beautiful liturgy followed by an Achievement Assembly that quite appropriately recognised the achievements of every individual girl. These are such important occasions in the life of our College which is why, in the absence of such occasions, 2020 has been so challenging. The Year 12 graduation is important partly because it marks a significant rite of passage in the lives of the girls and their families and partly because it is the culmination of six years of nurturing, formation and holistic education in our community. As a community, we have much to be thankful for for the leadership and example of our graduating class. They accepted the disappointments of 2020 with humility and grace and forged ahead regardless in a spirit of optimism and good humor. Perhaps that is the gift of youth. There was no complaining, no wishing for something different but rather a mature acceptance of the reality of the circumstances of COVID-19 and a commitment to ‘get on with life’. Thank you especially to our College Captain Mila Lancaster and the leadership group of 2020. I know that our whole community joins with me in thanking our graduating class for their example and their leadership in 2020.They leave St Mary’s knowing that they will always, always be fondly remembered by their teachers and that they will remain members of the College community forever. Our prayers and affection go with them and their families as they embark on the next exciting part of their life journey, beyond the gates of St Mary Star of the Sea.
I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the College P&F for their generous support of the Year 12 Graduation and Formal.
The only disappointment of what was otherwise a wonderful community day, was that 197 girls were absent from school on the day. Our average daily absentee total is approximately 60 girls. Of course, there are always legitimate, important and reasonable explanations as to why girls are absent from school on any given day, including last Thursday. However, it is difficult to understand that the number should reach 197 from a daily average of 60. On the day after the graduation, the total number of absences across the College was 67. I will have more to share about the importance of these community days early next year. Suffice to say at this point that they are a high priority for me because of the significant contribution such days make to the life and culture of the College. In the short term, I look forward to all girls presenting for school in the final weeks of term, including and especially on the days of the respective Year Achievement Assemblies and social days.
Last week I wrote to families outlining the significant dates in the weeks ahead. Let us hope that 2021 affords us more opportunity to engage in the life of the College across the year in the way that has been traditional.
Mr Tony Fitzgerald
Principal
SMC Noticeboard
23 November - Year 9 Reflection Day
26 November - Year 7 Reflection Day
27 November - Twilight Activity Evening Years 8 and 9, 5:30 – 8:00pm
30 November - Years 7, 8 and 9 Achievement Assemblies
1 December - Year 10 Achievement Assembly
2 December - End of Year Liturgy
4 December - Last Day of Term
7 December - Years 7 to 11 Parent/Teacher Interviews via MS Teams 10.00am to 6.00pm
Downloads
Update Details
To review and update your daughter’s details including important medical data please visit https://tass.stmarys.nsw.edu.au/parentlounge/login.cfm