Newsletter

I would like to welcome back Mrs Carol Bloomfield. Mrs Bloomfield will take up the position of Chanel House Coordinator while Mrs Bombaci is on maternity leave. Congratulations to Mrs Bombaci and her husband Dan on the safe arrival of their new born son, Orelio Piraino Bombaci, born 27 April.

I also welcome to the College community Ms Katie White who will cover Mrs Bombaci’s classes. Katie introduces herself later in this Newsletter.

Mr Matthew Iskander will cover Ms Smith’s classes while she is on maternity leave.

Mrs Kathryn Della Vedova will cover Mrs Dowdall’s classes while she is on carer’s leave. Please continue to keep the Dowdall family in your prayers as 3 year old Harper continues radiation treatment.

In week 5, we welcome back Mrs Carly La Rossa from maternity leave to continue in a job-share capacity with Mrs Rosario Poli. We will therefore farewell Mrs Leonie Powrie.

Our refurbishment of the top floor of the Chanel building continues to progress. In the holidays, fire hydrants were re-located to allow ramp access into the building. We are pleased that the jack-hammering has now ceased and roof construction is being prepared off-site.

On the bracelet were symbols of a ‘girl, key and padlock’. Sr Lilibeth said the symbols were used so that students would be reminded that through positive relationships and the support of others, they would be empowered to unlock their padlock to develop their gifts and reach their future dreams. Our Marist Compass and its dimensions have certainly resonated with our Marist family in the Philippines.

The Balay Banaag Project is one of the Marist Projects, which we at Marist Sisters’ College have supported financially, through our House fundraising. Sr Lilibeth spoke to the students and staff to explain where funds had been used and what we as a College community can do to continue to support the project. Below is a photo of the bracelet and some of the photos that Sr Lilibeth shared at the Assembly.

During the holidays, we stopped to remember the significant sacrifices made by Australians and New Zealanders during times of war. These sacrifices were all for the sake of our freedom. Last week, we had our College Anzac Day Commemoration to show our respect and gratitude to the men and women who served in wartime. Many hours of preparation and research were put in to this event and I thank the Year 10 History Students, Mr Nally, Mrs Marsh and Mr Richardson for their significant work for this event.

As we approach the weekend I wish every Mum a wonderful Mothers’ Day on Sunday! May it be a day filled with love, happiness and appreciation for all you do for us and all you are to us!

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools - Charter #5 & 11

Throughout Lent, students gave generously to our Lenten Fundraising and the College raised $4,198.10 for Project Compassion. This tremendous amount will go far to spread the Easter message of hope to many thousands of people around the world through the wonderful work of Caritas Australia.

This term we were welcomed back to school with Social Justice Week, which consists of four days dedicated to raising awareness of different inequities faced by groups of individuals within our society. This year we specifically focused on women affected by domestic violence living in shelters as well as the homeless.

On behalf of all the students who are a part of our Marist In Action group, we wanted to say a big thank you to all the girls who donated clothing and toiletries. These donations were put into care packages at lunch on Monday 6 May, to be sent to either the Vinnies Winter Appeal or the Vinnies Women’s Shelters for women who have faced domestic violence. A small act of charity can go a very long way.

The College supports participation in Social Justice Week through student involvement in a variety activities held throughout the school and the generous donations collected have truly been an embodiment of our Marist Compass dimension, Empower for Life. We hope this week, through empowering the students and staff, we are able to go out and empower others in the community.

For any students interested, we also run our Marist In Action & Faith In Action meetings every Monday at lunch where we focus on different issues and how we, as a school community, can help make a difference. All are welcome and encouraged.

Gemma O’Grady and Kate Plummer, Social Justice Co-Captains

Next Wednesday, 15 May, we will hold our Year 10 Year Group Mass at St Peter Chanel Church, Woolwich. Mass will begin at 9.10am and all parents are warmly invited. If any parent is interested in reading or helping with the distribution of the Eucharist then please contact me via Reception.

Mr Daniel Ronchetti, Acting Religious Education Coordinator

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools - Charter #1, #2, #5, #8 & #11

All students is Years 7 and 9 will sit their NAPLAN tests online at the College during Weeks 3 & 4.  NAPLAN tests skills in literacy and numeracy that are developed throughout the whole school curriculum.

Please see below for the dates and times of testing for Year 7 and 9:

Year 7

Writing                                           14 May Period 3 & 4

Reading                                          15 May Period 1 & 2

Language Conventions            20 May Period 1 & 2

Numeracy                                       22 May Period 3 & 4

Year 9

Writing                                            15 May Period 3 & 4

Reading                                           17 May Period 3 & 4

Language Conventions             20 May Period 3 & 4

Numeracy                                       23 May Period 1 & 2

All Year 10 students will sit the Minimum Standards Test online in Week 3. Please see below for dates and times of tests.

Year 10

Reading                                13 May Period 1 & 2

Numeracy                            16 May Period 1 & 2

Writing                                  17 May Period 1 & 2

Mrs Melinda Alvarez, Leader of Learning and Curriculum 

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools - Charter #2 & #8

This term our Year 8 -10 students had been invited to attend the St Ignatius’, Riverview dances towards the end of this month. These opportunities allow our students to connect on a social level and build the capacity of establishing greater friendships within our broader community.

Please be mindful that all MSCW students that attend are effectively representing our College and that our expectation is that they will conduct themselves in a courteous and respectful manner at all times on the premises. These social dances are certainly well received and of which we hear lots of positive feedback. We hope that students attending do not let the upcoming occasion(s) be hindered by poor standards or disrespectful behaviour, as this would be most disappointing and not a true reflection of our proud Marist values.

Our Learning Enrichment team is continuing to provide extraordinary support to a number of our students that need assistance in various areas of literacy and numeracy. To effectively maximise their time with students, it would be greatly appreciated that all work presented to the Learning Enrichment team is primarily curriculum based work from school and not from tutoring. The purpose of Learning Enrichment is to establish a closer collaborative connection between the targeted learning in the various curriculum subjects. Teachers often align their classwork with the Learning Enrichment team to assist in the process. This needs to be our priority to ensure that active and engaged learning is at the centre of each lesson.

Mrs Sia Mastro, Leader of Wellbeing

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools - Charter #6 & #8

On behalf of the student’s and myself, I would like to thank Mr Powell, Mr Hodges, Mrs Bradley, Mrs Kalmus, Mr Fuda, Ms Askew, Mrs George, Ms Robinson, Mr Walker, Mr Naicker and Mr Keller for giving of their time to come away with Year 7 on camp at the Tops Conference Center, Stanwell Park. Their enthusiasm, humour, support and energy was so greatly appreciated and made for a very enjoyable experience for all.

Please find some student reports below.

Mrs Felicity Gray, Wellbeing Coordinator

Finally, the thing that all Year 7 girls look forward to came around...CAMP!

Camp was one of my BEST experiences since we had so many different activities to do as well as being able to have our own comfy beds and great food. One of the highlights of my camp experience was the GIANT SWING! You were strapped into a harness and slingshotted into the air which gave you an amazing view of the ocean. This was just one of the four incredible activities I got to participate in. My second highlight of the camp was getting to show our talents to Dr Ireland and Mr Powell. There were singing, rapping, tricks and comedy acts all round. And then, when you think camp can’t get any better Mrs Gray was able to pull together prises for girls who were selected by their group's leader. These prizes were award for a variety of reasons, great effort, supporting other team mates, overcoming fears and encouraging others, just to name a few. The teachers had put in so much effort to make us have the best time, and it worked. Thank you to all the teachers for letting us have the time of our lives.

Ella Appathurai, Year 7 Student

Camp was a great time. It was an opportunity that helped everyone to become great team players and to face our fears on some of the challenges. A couple of things that I have learnt from this camp are the importance of teamwork and giving everyone in the group the opportunity to contribute. The outdoor activities helped me to face my fears and get out of my comfort zone; which I am so glad I did because it was so much fun! My favourite activities were archery, survivor games and the giant swing.

I also really liked all of the prizes that Mrs Gray put together to reward the Most Valuable Player Awards after each activity.

If I had to pick one favourite memory it would be challenging my fears and going 26 meters high on a giant swing, it was a great, once in a lifetime experience. 

Camp was excellent and so much fun, Thank you so much to everyone who helped make it happen!

Isabel Dooley, Year 7 Student

Year 7 and Year 10 students continue to participate in the Amica Peer Support Program.

Session 3  - Healthy vs Unhealthy Relationships

In our last session at the end of Term 1, the Year 10 Amicas facilitated activities with Year 7 that focused on understanding the qualities of a healthy friendship. Students identified and discussed the qualities that they admire and value in their friendships and explored ways to promote these. 

Diversity of responses was noted to reinforce that we are all unique and look for and value different qualities in others. Discussing diversity deepens understanding about accepting and embracing different views and different people. Understanding our own expectations of friendships allows us to become better friends to others. 

Cyber safety was also explored and students discussed the importance of behaving responsibly and respectfully online. They used skills such as empathy to consider how posts or texts might make another person feel. Cyber communication can seem faceless but have a dramatic effect on another person. 

Session 4 - My View

The focus of next week's session is strengthening our connections. Students will explore the importance of being encouraging, thankful and looking for opportunities to exercise kindness in everyday relationships. Students are led in discussion about behaving in a friendly  manner and towards others while not having to be friends with everyone. Research supports the development of these important skills in building strong young people and thereby minimising unkind or bullying behaviours. 

Students will also look at the influence that Bystanders and Upstanders can have on unkind or bullying behaviour. 

Mrs Felicity Gray, Wellbeing Coordinator

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools - Charter #6

Can you feel the change in the air? For many, this season is associated with happy things like crisp weather, warm beverages, and the autumn colours. But for others, the change in weather indicates a downturn in mood and energy that leaves them feeling sad, lethargic, and fatigued. Along with the shift to spending more time indoors, the gradually shorter days of autumn and winter can trigger some physiological changes in the brain that can affect mood.

When we ask ourselves what makes us happy, we often think of the circumstances, possessions, or people in our lives. In reality, happiness is largely a chemical experience. This is actually great news. It means even when circumstances, possessions, or people in our lives aren't exactly as we'd like them to be, there are simple ways we can increase our “happy brain chemicals” and alter our moods.

Our “happy brain chemicals” help facilitate sustained and deep sleep, maintaining a balanced mood, self-confidence, social engagement, and a healthy appetite. Additionally, they help decrease our worries and concerns and is associated with improved learning and memory.

When these “happy brain chemicals” are too low you’re more likely to become irritable, anxious, and perceive the world as unfriendly. You may feel depressed, pessimistic, and have irregular appetite and sleep. So let’s consider what you can do to help increase your “happy brain” chemicals below:

1. Endorphins

Endorphins are released after both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. In one study, as little as 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill for 10 days in a row was sufficient to produce a significant reduction in depression among clinically depressed subjects.

2. Serotonin

Serotonin may be the best-known happiness chemical because it's the one that antidepressant medication primarily addresses. Exposure to bright light, especially sunshine, is one way to increase serotonin. Exercise and happy thoughts also stimulate production of this chemical. Some research has found that a higher intake of tryptophan-heavy foods, relative to other foods in the diet, may do the trick as well, leafy greens/spinach, eggs, poultry, salmon, seeds, sweet potato, carrots, blueberries, probiotic yoghurt.

3. Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter often referred to as the "chemical of reward." When you score a goal, hit a target, or accomplish a task, you receive a pleasurable hit of dopamine in your brain that tells you you’ve done a good job. But you can also get a natural dose of dopamine when you perform acts of kindness toward others. Just thinking kind thoughts can be helpful.

4. Oxytocin

The hormone produced in abundance during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It's also the high behind MDMA, a popular party drug, which releases oxytocin in the brain. Oxytocin is primarily associated with loving touch and close relationships. This hormone provides a multiple whammy of warm fuzzies, by stimulating dopamine and serotonin, while reducing anxiety. To get your hit of oxytocin without popping ecstasy, give someone you love a cuddle. A pet will do or a favourite teddy!

If you have any mental health concerns about your daughter please feel free to contact the College Counsellor, Becky Salter via rebecca.salter@syd.catholic.edu.au or ph: 0435 659 694.

Ms Becky Salter, College Counsellor

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools -Charter #8

In the coming weeks we will be inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole school evaluation and planning process.

As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community we would greatly appreciate your feedback and invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing at the College.

The parent/carers’ survey is anonymous and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. You will be able to access the parent survey on your computer or mobile device by using the URL which will be sent in Week 3 via a Skoolbag notification.

Mr Justin Hodges, Leader of Governance and Communication

 This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools - Charter #8

Thank you for your support throughout Lent of Project Compassion. As well as raising money the Social Justice Group worked on raising awareness by holding different initiatives at lunch. 

Over 50% of the children currently in hospital around the world are there simply because they don’t have access to clean water. They don’t have taps in their houses, or even in their villages – some have to walk up to 7km each day just to find clean water. Every day they are challenged to find clean water.

At lunch during Lent, the College held a Woolwich Water Challenge, which raised awareness of this important issue. Students had to carry large buckets of water across the Plaza and back that was a much smaller distance than what many children experience on a daily basis.  

The Social Justice Group also gathered student volunteers who were willing to share their wonderful hair braiding skills for a gold coin donation to Project Compassion. Thanks to those students who shared their talents and those who took part!

Mrs Adriana Hunter, Assistant Religious Education Coordinator

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools -Charter #5

All MSCW students were invited  to attend Carnevale comes to MSCW during lunchtime on Friday 1 March to commemorate and celebrate the Carnival of Venice.  A record number of students attended the cultural enrichment event, where the students created and decorated eye masks, face masks or fans. Lots of feathers, glitter, sparkle, laughter and happy chatter along with Vivaldi’s music in the background truly created the Venetian ‘Carnevale’ atmosphere.

Students had the option to enter their mask into a competition. The masks were displayed at the Campus Experience Evening in the languages display room where MSCW students, staff and the guests visiting the school could vote for their favourite mask.

The winning entries are:

First prize -  Isabella Speranza, Year 12 Student (Two  Events cinema movie tickets)

Second Prize - Chloe Metzker, Year 8 Student ($20 iTunes card) 

Third Prize - Clara Nguyen, Year 8 Student (Baci chocolates) 

Mrs Adelina Boray, LOTE Coordinator 

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools -Charter #2, #6 & #8

Year 11 Visual Art class was lucky enough to have an Art incursion recently, led by Krista Brennan an illustrator and watercolour artist. Krista taught and demonstrated how to used different methods and mediums (materials used to make art such as paint) to create art such as in life drawings, the use of charcoal and watercolour. Krista demonstrated how we can use everyday objects as inspiration in our art and practised in our art books. We also learnt how to use charcoal as a medium as we recreated artist John Singer Sargent's artwork, Mrs Charles Hunter. However, the best part of the incursion was learning Krista's preferred art medium watercolour. Krista showed the class how she uses watercolour and how we can use it in our artwork. By the end of the day, we gained new knowledge on how we can use charcoal and watercolour along with how we can practice our art. Krista greatly inspired us to used new techniques and mediums in our artworks for the future. 

Emily Hansen, Year 11 Visual Arts student

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools -Charter #2

During Term 1 the Junior and Open Touch Football team competed in the MCCS competition at Doyle Park.

The Junior team consisted of both Year 7 and 8 students, with an influx of talented Year 7 students coming through the ranks. MSCW was by far the strongest in the competition, beating the opposition considerably each week. After a few wet weather weeks, they made it to the Grand Final and beat a valiant Bethlehem side. Congratulations to the team for consistently applying skill, strategy and teamwork week in and out. 

The Open team consisted of strong Year 9 and 10 Touch players. Throughout the round games the team were undefeated and came up against a strong St Patrick’s side in the Grand Final. After beating them comfortably throughout the round games, unfortunately MSCW went down 4-1 to a hard fighting St Pat’s. Well done to the team for never giving up and giving their all right until the bell sounded.

Miss Kelsey Robinson, Sports Teacher

This article on College life meets The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools -Charter #6

Congratulation to the Marist Dragons on their recent success at the National Dragon Boat Championships in Canberra last month.

The team consisting of Genevieve Benn (Captain), Olivia Cicciari, Sharnae Thiele, Bianca Camroux, Angie Allen, Alana Doornbos, Bridget Dwyer, Caitlin Bartier and Madeleine Benn on bringing home a number of medals.

Bronze – U18 500m Mixed 10s

Silver – U18 2km Mixed 10s

Gold – U18 200 Mixed 10s

A special congratulations to Genevieve Benn who received a Bronze medal in the U18s 500m, Junior Women's 10s Boat.

Awesome effort!

Mr Daniel Watts, Sports Coordinator

Week 3

Wednesday 15 May & Thursday 16 May

Penne Pasta with napolitana sauce with parmesan                                                 $6.00

Week 4

Wednesday 22 May & Thursday 23 May

Butter Chicken & Rice                                                                                                         $6.00