Welcome to the 2020 school year.
We are looking forward to a year of great achievements and participation for all students at Catherine McAuley as they take up the many opportunities that are offered them this year.
Already, since last week, we have welcomed 207 Year 7 students and 25 students in Years 8 - 12. It is always a great joy to welcome new students and their families into the school community.
As always, we value your contributions and look forward to seeing you at school events. We also invite you to make contact if you need to speak to someone at school about your daughter’s progress. The first point of contact would usually be your daughter’s Homeroom teacher, although for more serious personal matters you should contact her Year Coordinator. Anything that is related to a specific subject should be directed to the subject teacher.
Welcome back to the new school year! In December last year, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the Australian National University conference - Beyond Year 12. The conference was highly informative with a strong focus on what the future for our current students will look like as they move beyond secondary and tertiary education, as well as what skills are important for students to develop to help maximise their success post schooling. At Catherine McAuley, we are very committed to providing the best possible education for your daughters and we will be working with them to ensure they develop the skills they need to best equip them for their future.
Some interesting insights and statistics that were shared with us during the conference include;
A Deloitte Study has revealed that 80% of the jobs being created between now and 2030 are for knowledge thinkers. The skills of creative and critical thinking, problem solving and analysis are very important skills to be developed to meet the needs of the types of jobs being created.Their latest ground-breaking research tells us that human skills, rather than occupations or qualifications, are the job currency of the future. The skills found to be most in undersupply include knowledge skills of coding, programming and human skills of customer service, sales, communication and resolving conflict. If you would like to read their full report it can be accessed here.
A combination of a University degree and VET qualification will reduce one’s chance of being jobless by half. Employability skills and the ability to articulate these are what sets a student apart from everyone else.
Six universities across Australia now have TAFE on their campuses and are looking to work more collaboratively with other TAFE institutions to meet the needs of students.
A National Curriculum review will commence in 2020. Peter Shergold is leading a review as to what education should look like. Some of the questions he is investigating include: Should we be relying on ATAR as the single defining factor that determines what tertiary education one should do? Should a student’s final credential state what employment/training/participation as a volunteer be included to recognise what has been achieved through sport, music, drama etc… Future employers are claiming that it is important for future employees to demonstrate their preparedness to be engaged.
Universities are recognising that students need to learn how to work through their failures. How will they learn strategies to deal with the inevitable setbacks that life will present them if they are set up for success all the time?
Whilst there is much to be considered, it is a very exciting future that lies ahead and we are looking forward to working with you to prepare your daughters for this future.
Ms Silvana Rossetti
Assistant Principal (Learning and Teaching)
On behalf of the Pastoral Team I welcome to Catherine McAuley Year 7 students and their families. I also welcome any new students and their families to the Catherine McAuley Community.
We welcome all new and returning students to Catherine McAuley Westmead for the 2020 academic year. The 2020 Religious Education Team at Catherine McAuley Westmead consists of the following members of staff: Ms Genevieve Banks (Religious Education Coordinator), Mr Daniel Nguyen (Assistant Religious Education Coordinator), Ms Debbie Grigson, Mrs Teresa Wilson, Ms Leah Morrison, Mrs Cheryl Pietrantonio, Miss Adele McGlone, Miss Kate Hogan, Mrs Aneta Brennan, Mrs Elizabeth Lowrencev, Mrs Christina Van Domburg, Ms Leonie King, Miss Kaitlyn Tyszkiewicz, Miss Leanne Catto, Miss Piera Goh, Miss Indira Fernandes and Miss Dervila Breen.
At the conclusion of 2019, we were delighted to learn about the achievements of our Higher School Certificate Studies of Religion candidates. 132 candidates completed the one unit course. 19% of the candidates received a band six and 48% of the candidature received a band five. Overall in the one unit course, 94% of the students received a band four or higher.
The two unit course results were also pleasing, three students gained a band six with 65% of the students receiving a band five or higher. Overall in the two unit course, 88% of the students received a band four or higher. I would like to congratulate the 2019 graduants on their success in Studies of Religion and thank the staff who supported and guided these students.
The students have made an impressive start to the new school year. Please find below a table which outlines the units of work for Term 1 which your daughter/s will study in Religious Education.
Well done to those senior students who have volunteered to be Vinnies Van Night Patrol volunteers. Our first group of students (Victoria F., Sophia F., Rachel C. and Ann B.) went out during the school holidays on Wednesday, 22nd January and our second group (shown in photo from left: Cassandra S., Erika L., Holli S., Tara C. and Tram N. with Ms Sandra Vassallo) went out on Tuesday, 4th February.
Our school has representatives go out with the Vinnies Van on the first Tuesday of each month and provide food and drinks to the homeless in the area.
“You can take the girl out of McAuley but they cannot take the McAuley out of the girl”
The 2019 School Dux, Rebekah Nehme, addressed the school community at the 2019 High Achievers Assembly and gave each Year group some valuable advice.
Click on the link to read the Dux 2019 speech: Rebekah Nehme Dux 2019 High Achievers Assembly Speech
Did anyone hear recently on ABC Local Radio (702) former student Vanessa Moss who was the expert speaking to Richard Glover as part of Self Improvement Wednesday? Dr Vanessa Moss is now a CSIRO astronomer and is from our Class of 2004.
Vanessa is a postdoctoral researcher in astronomy, working at the University of Sydney as part of CAASTRO: ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics. Her research uses the innovative Australian SKA Pathfinder radio telescope to study hydrogen fuel in galaxies billions of light years away, and she specialises in visualising, analysing and interacting with large datasets using novel approaches…!!
McAuley girls certainly do do amazing things!
A big welcome to our new families and welcome back to our returning students for the 2020 academic year. The library team is looking forward to helping your daughters achieve their personal best this year and as assessment tasks inevitably begin rolling out we are asking parents to encourage their daughters to visit the library if they need assistance.
Signs your daughter needs to visit the school library:
Adapted from Studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au, 7 Signs Your Child Needs Help From Their School Library Flyer.
Ms Janine Sabeh and Mrs Kirra Lorenzutta
Teacher Librarians
