Caroline Chisholm College Newsletter

Term 1 Week 7 Issue 3 2020

FAITH COURAGE TOLERANCE

From the Principal

Dear Parents, Friends, Staff and Students of Caroline Chisholm College,

More than half of our students and every staff member were on hand on Monday night to share the college with approximately 900 visitors for our annual College Open Night. Our visitors were welcomed by enthusiastic tour guides who showed off our learning spaces and our spectacular new buildings whose walls have been graced with over 100 student artworks. One parent said that the college looks like an art gallery that doubles as a school. They met our girls demonstrating science experiments. They also met girls working on their long term projects in a number of subjects, as well as some of our furrier friends from agriculture! It is one of my favourite events in the College calendar because of the pride our students exude as they tell stories about their learning and their experience of being Chisholm girls. Our guests leave with a clear picture not only of the quality learning that happens here but also of the quality of relationships in this special place. Thanks to every member of the staff and the hundreds of students who contributed to such a wonderful celebration of Chisholm.

 

I want to invite you to our first Parent Forum for 2020. The topic of the forum is an exploration of learning in our new spaces and buildings. The event is going to be held in our new building called ‘Central’ at 6pm on Tuesday 24 March. There will be a brief presentation about how the girls experience learning in these student-centred spaces and then there is an opportunity to experience the spaces for yourself. The classrooms do not look like the classrooms from when I went to school, with 30 little desks facing a blackboard. Maybe your experience was similar. Come along and find out why girls really love learning in these spaces. RSVP to the Facebook event or email rwilson2@parra.catholic.edu.au.

 

Last Sunday was International Women’s Day. On this day, around the world, people stop to reflect on the sometimes concealed contributions of women in every community and to be critical of the structures and arrangements that prevent women from full participation and opportunity in some societies. I imagine you have chosen an all-girls’ school for your daughter because you want an environment that will specifically prepare her to thrive in a complex world. I am impressed every day by the confidence, resilience and skill of Chisholm girls and by the way that they build each other up. This doesn’t happen in all school environments, but it is a hallmark of Caroline Chisholm College. Graduates of the College leave with a clear sense of justice and with the courage to demand that justice for themselves and for other women and people who struggle to be heard and respected. This is also the message at the heart of the Gospel. Jesus came that we may have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10) regardless of our gender, sexual orientation, cultural background or financial status (Gal 3:28). In this college year of ‘Tolerance’ we are all challenged to chip away at anything that gets in the way of living a full and healthy life, things like greed, fear of those who are different or ignorance. As we celebrate and commemorate International Women’s Day, let us give thanks for the strong and determined women in our lives.

 

God of hope,

We pray for women and girls today,

that they will be all they can be.

Give us the courage to speak and work for equality and justice, until the earth is filled with righteousness and love.

 

We ask this in the name of the creator, the redeemer and the sanctifier,

Amen

 

Dr Greg Elliott - Principal

Open Night 2020

From the Leader of Religious Education

Lent
The Catholic Church encourages us to take the 40 days of Lent to do penance, to reflect on ways we can deepen our relationship with God and take up the challenge to be merciful and forgiving in our relationships with others. 

Each homeroom here at the college is involved in an initiative of advocacy and almsgiving, raising money for the Catholic aid agency Caritas who this year have taken the theme "Love Thy Neighbour”.

Lent enables us to more fully understand  and apply the Catholic Social Teachings of solidarity and subsidiarity. These are two of the teachings developed by the Catholic Church on matters of social justice, involving issues of poverty and wealth, economics, social organization and the role of the state. It explains why we raise money for those in areas of the world and within Australia who don’t have an equal share in the resources or economic success found in many affluent communities. 

I encourage all girls to participate in these homeroom initiatives and to walk in Caroline’s footsteps by being generous with their time and with their fundraising.

Remember this Lent that prayer, fasting (sacrifice) and almsgiving are ways in which we can deepen our relationship with God, focusing on loving God and loving our neighbour and taking the focus off ourselves. 


Prayer for Third Week of Lent

‘One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” Jn 9:25

Be Opened ...To See

God of the journey,

your word is a lamp for our feet

and a guiding light for our path.

Open our minds, enlighten our hearts,

that we may see you love’s glow 

in all we meet,

and that even in the dark,

we may trust your light to shine.

May your light bring us clarity of vision,

peace of mind,

and courage to act justly in our world.

We ask this prayer through your Son, Jesus Christ,

Who is the light of the world.

Amen

College Value - Tolerance

As a community we have a charism of Caroline Chisholm. In this charism, we have articulated six core values (under the overarching value of service) and the scripture that underpins these values. These values will be explicitly taught, embedded and experienced across the curriculum and our community. This year we are focusing on the value of Tolerance The following is taken from our Values explained document. 

Tolerance is the capacity to embrace and celebrate diversity, especially as we encounter people who have a background, belief, appearance or ability that is different from our own.  

IN SCRIPTURE

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4: 2-3). St Paul calls on the Church to focus on those things which unite us in peace, by using the gifts of the spirit.

IN CAROLINE CHISHOLM’S LIFE

Caroline Chisholm sought to “serve all justly and impartially” (1841), and was determined to ensure that anyone in need, regardless of their religion, or their social status, was shown equal care and hospitality. She embraced everyone with the same love inspired by her faith in a loving God.

IN OUR COLLEGE

Caroline Chisholm College is a diverse community. We are multicultural and families from a broad spectrum of society choose Caroline Chisholm College for their daughters' education. The students represent a united ‘sisterhood’ that embraces all students. Our openness and warmth is an expression of our unity. Our tolerance extends to all people, so that everyone will feel welcomed and will come to belong to this community.

Ms Bernadette Murray - Leader of Religious Education

From the Assistant Principal Pastoral

Part time work
From Year 9 on many of our students start to look for part time jobs. There is research which talks about the many positive aspects of this, as well as the potential negative impact of part time work on schooling. Part time work can be a very positive thing - it develops independence and self-organisation. Students learn interpersonal and organisational skills, as well as skills in following directions. However, the study also shows that there are significant impacts on students' learning if they work more than 10 hours a week. The study showed that, on average, a Year 12 student loses half an ATAR percentage point for each hour per week worked above 10 hours. Unfortunately, many of our students work significantly more hours than this and parents and carers need to be having conversations with and putting limits on their daughters' paid work hours. If a workplace won't agree to limited hours, students would be better off not having the job at all. I am very concerned about students who work up to 20 hours – or even more. This is bordering on full time work and part time school. Additionally, parents need to be monitoring when their daughters are working and what responsibilities they are given, particularly those with responsibilities of late night lock ups. Hours of part time work should allow students to have the normal sleep patterns required of teenagers which should be 8-10 hours uninterrupted. Studies continue to show the serious impact that poor sleep patterns can have on adolescent wellbeing and academic performance.

 

Temporary bus route changes

We have been advised by Busways that due to work on The Northern Rd, there will be temporary changes (about 4-6 weeks) to the afternoon school buses 4592 and 4595. These changes will start next Monday 16 March. Students on those buses will be given a sheet outlining the changes. Please check to see if your daughter is affected.

 

No entry to the bus bay in the morning or afternoon

Below is detailed information about dropping students off at school. I would, though, like to emphasise the point that parents are not to enter the school bus bay area in the morning to drop off students. School buses use that area all morning. Please use the drop-off zone outside the school.  In regards to the drop-off zone, I would ask parents using it to move as far up to the western (exit) gate as possible before dropping off their daughter, even if this requires the student walking 30 metres back to the gate. There can be a very quick bank up back to the roundabout even in the short time it takes a student to get out of a car when cars stop just past the eastern (entrance) gate when there is nothing in front.

 

Wearing of blazers

Parents and students are reminded of the uniform requirements regarding what to wear to and from school on cooler days. At any time of the year, this must be a school blazer (or Year 12 cardigan), not a teal or blue jumper (or a sports jacket, which is only to worn on Wednesday, with sports uniform). In Terms 1 and 4 wearing the blazer (or Year 12 cardigan) is optional, to be worn if the weather is cooler. From the start of Term 2 (unless informed otherwise because of unseasonable hot weather) until at or near the end of Term 3 it will be compulsory for blazers (or Year 12 cardigans) to be worn to and from the college. If students have not yet ordered school blazers this should be done as soon as possible. Our college uniform requirements can now be purchased from Lowes in Penrith Plaza (although there are currently a couple of shortages due to supply issues caused by COVID-19).

 

Uniforms Generally

Following on from the last point, there are a number of students whose skirts are too short and either they need to have their hems let down or a new skirt purchased. We have not been pushing the issue at the start of the year as we understand the difficulties in purchasing as we changed suppliers. Now, however, it is very straightforward to purchase these items at Lowes and we would expect all students to have skirts that reach to the bottom of the knees – and are worn to that length.

 

Parent/Student Contact During the Day

Parents are reminded not to contact students directly by mobile, other than for simple domestic arrangements. In situations of illness or serious information that might impact on a student emotionally, it is important that this information goes through the channels at school. It is important for our capacity to carry out our duty of care to our students to be aware of illness or potentially upsetting situations. We continue to find students coming down to the office because arrangements to leave school have been made directly and on the spot between parents and students. Students who need to leave school unexpectedly through illness or the like need to go to the front office for the school to make contact with parents. When it is known a student needs to leave school early, please send a note to the school to be given to the student’s homeroom teacher. You will see below that this is a college policy which is part of today’s annual reminder of various college policies. Your co-operation in doing this will be appreciated and help us care for students better.

 

“Doing the Right Thing Awards”

Students who help with clean up and litter are eligible for a “Doing the Right Thing Award”.  Congratulations to Evie Gibbs (7 Jackson), Mikayla Castillo (8 Macarthur), Jessica Dray (10 Macarthur) and Hannah Gotzmann (12 Jackson) who receive vouchers for the canteen for being the students drawn from the box.  All students who put in award slips will have points credited to their house.

 

Appreciation of Honesty

Students at Caroline Chisholm College regularly display outstanding honesty in returning items they find on the college grounds. Often these can be of quite substantial value. Students handing in found items receive a certificate of appreciation. I would like to congratulate the following students who have handing items in over the last fortnight: Alyssa Turner (7 Gilmore), Manpreet Kaur (7 Gilmore), Tahlia Rando (11 Jackson), Karnvir Kaur (8 Kenny), Maheen Zaheer (9 Jackson), Isabella Comber (9Macarthur), April Monteleone (9 Kenny), Kristen Palfreeman (11 Wright), Brianna Vassallo (11 Wright), Fatimah Abid (7 Macarthur), Taliah I'Anson (10 Kenny), Lily Loughland Larsen (10 Jackson), Anjleina Khouri (7 Gilmore), Manmeet Kaur (7 Gilmore) and Emily Bielby  (7 MacKillop)

 

College Policies

From time to time we will highlight in the newsletter aspects of college policies which we are required to remind parents of. Today we will highlight:

 1. Supervision and dropping off and picking up students 

Caroline Chisholm College provides supervision of students in designated areas in the playground from 8.00 am in the morning, through recess and lunch breaks and until 3.00 pm. From 3.00 pm to 3.15 pm, supervision is provided at the front of the school only for the last scheduled buses.

Parents are to use the drop-off zone outside the college in accordance with the signage. No cars, other than staff cars, are to enter or leave the school grounds between 8.00 and 8.25 am. Please note that the No Stopping signs between the driveways means you cannot even stop momentarily to let a student out. You may be booked for stopping even momentarily. No cars are to enter or leave the school grounds between 2.40 pm and 3.00 pm.

Students walking home and crossing to the north side of The Lakes Drive are to do so at the pedestrian crossing outside the college.

Students needing to leave school early must have a note signed by a parent and presented to the homeroom teacher in the morning for signing. They will be met and signed out by a parent or authorised person at the appointed time. Students who become ill during the day are to have their diary signed by a teacher before proceeding to the student office and being admitted to sick bay. An office staff member will contact the student’s parent/carer and arrange for the student to be taken home. Students are not to phone parents directly to arrange for collection when sick.

2. Corporal Punishment
Any form of corporal punishment is explicitly and without reservation banned as part of any student management at the college.

3. Procedural Fairness 
Caroline Chisholm College is committed to ensuring procedural fairness in all situations. Procedural fairness refers to what are sometimes described as the ‘hearing rule’ and the ‘right to an unbiased decision’.

The ‘hearing rule’ includes the right of the person against whom an allegation has been made to:

  • know the allegations related to a specific matter and any other information which will be taken into account in considering the matter
  • know the process by which the matter will be considered 
  • respond to the allegations
  • know how to seek a review of the decision made in response to the allegations.

 

The ‘right to an unbiased decision’ includes the right to:

  •  impartiality in an investigation and decision-making
  • an absence of bias by a decision-maker.

 

Procedural fairness includes making available to students and parents or caregivers the policies and procedures under which disciplinary action is taken. At Caroline Chisholm College, these policies are contained in the Student Diary, Information Handbooks issued to students and their parents/carers and on the college website.

Mr Greg King - Assistant Principal

From Assistant Principal Learning

NAPLAN Online 2020 – test dates

Students in Years 7 and 9 will sit the NAPLAN online tests between Tuesday 12 May and Friday 22 May 2020. Tests will be scheduled at Caroline Chisholm in the first week of testing, allowing time for any missed tests to be completed in the second week of testing. The online test schedule at Caroline Chisholm is as follows: 

Tuesday 12 May 2020

Wednesday 13 May

Thursday 14 May

Thursday 14 May

Reading

Writing

Conventions of language

Numeracy

65 minutes

42 minutes

45 minutes

65 minutes

Catch up sessions will be run throughout this week and the second week of the testing period to enable students who are absent to sit the tests.

 

Practice tests – 23 March 2020

Students will have an opportunity to complete two practice online tests in the lead up to the online testing. The practice tests include an Omnibus test (combining Reading, Conventions of Language and numeracy) and a Writing test. The practice tests are scheduled for 23 March, 2020. This will allow students the opportunity to become familiar with the online test environment.

 

Equipment and preparation for the tests

Students will download the secure NAP Lockdown Browser in the next week, preparing their devices for the tests.

All students will require a set of headphones for the tests.

These tests should not be a source of concern for students or parents. Please be assured that the teachers are working with your daughter to ensure she is developing the necessary skills to complete these tests successfully. A copy of the NAPLAN Online information for parents and carers is included below. Parents may wish to access the Public Demonstration Tests by clicking this link:
https://nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site.  If you have any questions about special provisions for the tests please contact Mrs O’Brien; if you have any other questions about the NAPLAN tests, please contact Mrs Smith at the College.


Study skills tip for March - Top tips for memorising notes

Many students find it difficult to cope with the memorisation that can be needed for tests and exams. Of course you can’t just rote learn and regurgitate, you need to be able to apply the skills of what you have learnt. However there is also a certain amount of memorisation of content, formulas and definitions, for example, that will be necessary. So how can students make this process easier?

  1. Make your notes as brain-friendly as possible, point form, tables, diagrams and no big long sentences or paragraphs.
  2. Start the memorisation process of your notes early; don’t wait until just before the test or examination.
  3. Memorisation involves testing yourself over and over and over and over. So read a section, then see what you can say or write down without looking. Then go back and see what you got wrong or didn’t know.  Put a pencil mark next to these bits.
  4. Now focus on the bits you didn’t know. Say them out loud, repeat them to yourself, write them down a few times.
  5. Then test yourself on those bits again and see if you remembered more this time.
  6. Do this over and over and over again. Then do it one more time again.
  7. Make flashcards or use a flashcard app on your phone to create flashcards on the parts you find hard to remember. Review these every day before the test.
  8. Make a list of the key concepts you find hard to learn and each night read through them just before you go to sleep and first thing when you wake up as these are powerful memory times.
  9. Do lots of practice questions without looking at your notes or the answers to see if you can a) remember and b) apply the information. Review the things you did not remember again.
  10. Your job is to keep testing yourself in order to find out which bits have not stuck in your memory yet so you can review these until they do.

 

Learn more this year about how to improve your results and be more efficient and effective with your schoolwork by working through the units on www.studyskillshandbook.com.au .

 

Our school’s access details are:

USERNAME: forccconly

PASSWORD: 55results


Ms Deborah Scollard - Assistant Principal Learning

Naplan Online Information Brochure

Download

Naplan - Snapshot in time

Download

What is in Those Naplan Test Questions

Download

From the Student Learning Committee

How do you like to learn?

The Student Learning Committee are undertaking a research project to find out how the students at Caroline Chisholm like to learn. At the last committee meeting the girls worked in groups to brainstorm a list of activities they enjoy using in class and find useful to their learning. This list will be further developed and refined at future meetings and the results will be shared with the teaching staff and with parents. All students are welcome to attend the next meeting on Monday 16 March at lunch in C204 to give their input to this research project.


Food For Thought

 Answer to last week's question:

The ball costs 5 cents. Since the ball costs 5 cents, the bat would cost  $1.05, making a total of $1.10!

 

Congratulations to Alyssa Dunworth, Isabella Nardi, Evie Gibbs, Tammin Danby and Chelsea Tran for being the first 5 to get the correct answer

 

A frog falls down a hole that is 27 metres deep. Every day he manages to hop 4 metres up the wall, but every night he slips 3 metres back down. How many days does it take for the frog to get out of the hole?

 

Answer revealed in the next newsletter!

 

Email your thoughts/ answers to:

Paige Colgate: pcolgate@parrastu.catholic.edu.au

Lorilei Knight: lknight5@parrastu.catholic.edu.au

Leaders of the Learning Committee 

Playwright - Alison Rooke

Recently, eight other aspiring artists and myself were invited to meet with playwright, Alison Rooke. Alison let us in on her journey and spoke about all of the work she’s had in the industry. She gave us tips and suggestions on how to pursue our dream career and how to juggle multiple professions. I can confidently say every girl in that room walked out excited, with quite a bit of new knowledge. Time management and dedication were some of my favourite things Alison spoke about and I believe meeting with her was another step in the right direction.

Written by Amy Graham, Year 10

ENROLMENTS FOR 2021

Enrolling now for 2020

We are accepting applications for Year 6 students now for enrolments for Year 7 2021.

Applications close Friday 3 April 2020. Letters of Offer will be sent to successful applicants by Wednesday 8 April 2020.

 

Distribution of 2019 College Yearbook

2019 College Yearbooks have been distributed to students in Years 8-12. Parents/Carer’s please be advised that if your daughter was absent on the official College Photo Day in 2019 her individual photo will not appear on the year group photo page.

SCHOOL FEES

The Catholic Education Office at Parramatta facilitates the billing of all school fees and levies. School Fees have now been posted and will be due on the 18th March 2020. 

 A number of parents use one of the means available to make part payments or automatic deduction.

 If you are experiencing difficulty in making this payment please contact Mrs Wendy Slaughter, School Fees Officer, on 4737 5520 to make an arrangement.

Diary Dates

Friday 13 March

International Women's Day Breakfast, Penrith RSL
Year 11 DAT Shape Seminar and Exhibition Excursion
CSDA Public Speaking - Zone Finals - Marist College Eastwood

Monday 16 March
STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY POSTPONED - NORMAL CLASSES

Tuesday 17 March
College Athletics Carnival
PDSSSC Touch Gala Day, Kingsway, St Marys

Wednesday 18 March
NSW OzTag Secondary Championships
PDSSSC Swimming Carnival, Homebush
Year 7 Camp, Narrabeen

Thursday 19 March 
Year 7 Camp, Narrabeen
Year 10 Theatre Performance, The Crucible

Friday 20 March
Year 7 Camp, Narrabeen
CSDA Public Speaking - Final - Venue: TBA

Tuesday 24 March
Parent Forum (Learning in Agile Spaces)

Friday 27 March
Year 9-12 PRI and AGR Jersey Hiefer Competition, Camden Excursion

Monday 30 March
Year 11 PVDI Penrith CBD Excursion

Tuesday 31 March
NSWCCC Swimming Championships - SOPAC

Encounter Kiribati with Palms

Opal Card

CONTACTING THE COLLEGE VIA EMAIL

Caroline Chisholm College recognises that email is a fast and convenient way to communicate with your child’s teacher. We wish to remind you that teachers read their emails at various times throughout the school day. Further, teachers are generally not expected to respond to emails from parents and students outside of normal working hours. In the case of a genuine emergency please contact the school office during business hours on carolinechisholm@parra.catholic.edu.au or phone 02 4737 5500. We appreciate your assistance and understanding. If you have any questions about the above please feel free to contact the college.
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