From the College Counsellors

Congratulations on getting through another challenging term! It has not been easy and everyone deserves a big pat on the back for making the most of such a difficult time, with so many unknowns and situations beyond our control. We wish you all a very safe and relaxing break.

We thought we’d share a list of fun ideas and activities that teens or the whole family can try these holidays:

• Now is a great time to share the load and master some life skills (if not already mastered) like cooking.
• Try bringing an old piece of furniture back to life by sanding, painting and oiling it.
• Do a home manicure and paint your nails or the nails of someone in your household.
• Take time out for a home spa with face masks, exfoliators and body scrubs.
• Learn calligraphy.
• Do a crossword or sudoku puzzle.
• Macrame is trending. From making your own keyrings and wall hangings to indoor tents and outdoor porch swings, the inspiration is out there!
• Sew a garment or reversible bag – check online for a pattern.
• Learn a language.
• Curate a Spotify playlist if you haven’t tried it already.
• Start a virtual book club.
• It’s never too late to learn a musical instrument and many teachers are offering virtual lessons.
• Invent new ways to play in your backyard or outdoor space, like skipping, family dodge ball, tennis against a wall or create an obstacle course.
• Have a picnic in your yard, complete with blanket, thermos and picnic food. You could also try this indoors if the weather is wet.
• Camp in your backyard – pitch a tent, build a campfire (if permitted), cook damper and toast marshmallows.
• Plant a garden. If you only have a windowsill, herbs like mint, chives, thyme and rosemary are easy to grow and take up little space.
• Wash the car – have fun getting soaked.
• Is it too early to start Christmas baking? 
• Keep a gratitude diary or take photos to record your gratitude moments. 
• A treasure trove of online games and puzzles can be accessed at Crazy Games.
• Bring the universe to you with NASA at Home.
• Take a virtual tour of The National Gallery in London. 
• For a fee, you can stream your favourite hits from Broadway HD. 
• Podcasts – there are infinite choices, history, science, TV shows.
• Create your own family trivia or Kahoot! competition.
• Encourage teens to unplug from devices and stay safe!

Need help?

• Relationships Australia can help individuals and families improve their relationships and overall wellbeing. Contact Relationships Counselling on 1300 364 277.
• Parent Line can provide confidential and non-judgmental advice and support for parents, carers or professionals living in NSW, seven days a week. Contact Parent Line counsellors on 1300 1300 52.

Gifted and Talented Report

I recently came across an excellent article on gifted students called Introversion: The often forgotten factor impacting the gifted by Burruss & Kaenzig.

In this environment of social distancing and remote learning, I wonder what impact the increased isolation might be having on those who are introverted. 

Firstly, it is important to note that being an introvert is a personality trait. They have a preference for independent work, privacy and a small group of friends, and this suits them perfectly. According to Henjum (1982), introverts can be self-sufficient, confident, hardworking, self-actualizing, reserved, hold firm goals, and prefer activities that involve inner experience and introspection. Unfortunately, constant criticism about being ‘shy’ or ‘antisocial’ can be harmful and the individual can start to feel misunderstood. They don’t need other people all the time, they get their energy from themselves.

Like we see in traits of perfectionism, a little is beneficial but too much is harmful. 

When to be concerned:

• When the individual has no friends and spends all their time alone… but not by choice. 
• When the individual is depressed about having no friends. 
• When the individual refuses to work with others for any reason.

In this time of remote learning, they might be thriving in their learning – independent work suits them perfectly and they are away from the noise and hustle and bustle of school. Socially however, perhaps remote learning has meant they are feeling excluded and they may not have the confidence to reach out to others.

Since they are considered quiet, perhaps their peers have forgotten to include them. In this situation, try and help your child formulate an email or text message where she initiates a conversation. You can even go one step further and help her set up a Zoom or Facetime with friends. They may be unsure of what to write, so help your child compose the message and be there as she sends it to show your support.

If you do have concerns, external support may be needed through counsellors. Social skills programs can also be utilised to help gain confidence in making and maintaining connections with peers.

For more parent and schooling tips, visit here. For more information, please see this excellent journal article, which I have referred to in this article.

This article on College life meets The Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools – Charter #2 & #6

STEM News

From the Principal

The Archbishop of Sydney Award for Student Excellence: Congratulations to Arielle Bonserio

The Archbishop of Sydney’s Awards for Student Excellence, an annual award ceremony involving 50 Catholic secondary schools, was held on Friday, 3 September. Due to our COVID-19 environment, this ceremony was held via Zoom.

This prestigious annual award, sponsored by the Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher OP, recognises the outstanding young women and men in Catholic schools across Sydney. It is an important way of profiling the very positive contribution that young people make to their schools and local communities to change and improve the world. It is also an affirmation of the support that families offer their children, and public acclaim for the commitment and dedication of their teachers. It is always such a lovely occasion and students were praised highly and thanked warmly by the Archbishop, sending the message that our Church of the future is in good hands. This hope-filled message was reiterated by SCS Executive Director, Tony Farley, in his address to the students. It was very uplifting to see the number of our young people across Sydney who are active in positive ways within their communities.

Our very worthy College recipient for 2021 is Year 12 student, Arielle Bonserio. As an MSCW community, we are very proud of Arielle. I share with you Arielle’s citation, outlining the wonderful ways she has been active at MSCW and in her Parish.

The End of a Challenging Term

Tomorrow, as the school holidays begin, I wish all families, and particularly our Marist girls, a well-earned break. My strong recommendation for the holidays is to stay off your screens. Take the time to read at least one book, keep up your exercise routine, catch-up on sleep and eat – maybe cooking for the family some great, nutritious meals and treats. You should be very proud of yourselves and what you have achieved in this lockdown period of remote learning. 

I have been inspired by your daily resolve to stay positive and take a pragmatic stance when things were hard. I thank you for looking after each other as ‘sisters’, reaching out when you knew someone needed that gentle reassurance or just to connect. Thank you also for looking after your teachers and for those who regularly said ‘thank you’. These two small words mean a lot.

I applaud our staff, both teaching and support, for their ability to be so flexible, adapt quickly and, like you, choose the positive path when things at times were overwhelming.

I have missed you all this term, as well as the normal ‘buzz’ of school life. Marist Sisters’ College needs you for the College to thrive. Empty schools were never meant to be. I look forward to your return next term. In the meantime, enjoy a well-earned break. Stay safe and well.

From the Assistant Principal

As Term 3 comes to an end, after 10 weeks of uncertainty, media overload and screen fatigue, both staff and students can look forward to school holidays and a break from formal learning. I would like to congratulate all our students and show appreciation to our College staff for their adaptability in these challenging times. I encourage all students and staff to take time over this break for themselves – to appreciate their surroundings, family, friends and their environment.

Although this term has been vastly different to any other we have experienced, it has brought out the best in all of us. This includes, resilience, flexibility and adaptability to change. It has also presented new innovative ways to learn, more frequent collaborative learning experiences and more time spent with our families.

I would like to wish all students and staff a restful and enjoyable break over the next two weeks.

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

From the Religious Education Coordinator

The G20 Interfaith Forum

In his greeting at the G20 Interfaith Forum, which was was held in Bologna, Italy from 12-14 September, Pope Francis told participants that “true religiosity consists in adoring God and loving one’s neighbour… We are called to show the paternal presence of the God of Heaven through our harmony on earth.”

The forum provides its commitment to the process of building peace between adherents of different faiths. As we acknowledged the 20 year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks this week, Pope Francis stated at the forum that “the capacity to fight evil does not lie in proclamations, but in prayer; not in revenge, but in concord; not in shortcuts dictated by the use of force, but in the patient and constructive force of solidarity. Because only this is truly worthy of man. And because God is not the God of war, but of peace.”

We pray that we will be examples of solidarity in our daily lives.

Years 8 and 10 RE Tests 2021

The College has been advised by Sydney Catholic Schools that the 2021 RE Tests have been cancelled. Anthony Cleary, Director Missions and Identity Directorate, said that this decision was taken in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

Plenary Council Assembly

As noted in the previous newsletter, the first Plenary Council Assembly will be held from 3 to 10 October, 2021. All are invited to pray for the members.

Further details on the Plenary Council can be found here.

This article on College life meets The Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools – Charter #1, #2

From the Leader of Wellbeing

As we conclude Term 3, there is no question that staff, students and parents have faced challenges over the course of the term.

You may have noticed in particular, that your child and other family members are experiencing higher levels of tiredness or a deep weariness. Some psychologists refer to this as ‘COVID fatigue’. This tiredness generates a certain level of negativity. In fact, staying positive has been more challenging for us now, than during the initial crisis this time last year.

To help overcome this mindset, we as staff and parents need to ensure that we create an environment where we stay positive and energised in what we hope are the last stages of lockdown. Whilst we may not be able to change the outer world just yet, there are certainly things that we can do to help boost our collective mindset.

Practicing Gratitude

Focusing on gratitude is part of positive psychology, which is the field of science that forms the foundations of our Wellbeing Programs here at the College. Many studies show how positive psychology can help us get through times when things aren’t going right, and the COVID-19 crisis is that kind of time. According to a global study, the onset of the COVID-19 crisis correlated to a sharp rise in gratitude. In fact, gratitude has coexisted alongside grief, alleviating distress and helping us maintain personal connections.

Keeping your focus on the positives, even during a pandemic, is said to boost your emotional stamina. Gratitude can help you maintain hope, remain as happy as possible under the circumstances and keep your perspective clear.

How to Maintain Psychological Wellbeing Through Gratitude

Things that we can be appreciative of are all around us, in the good times and the bad. When life gets stressful and overwhelmingly challenging, our perspective can become skewed as we start seeing things through a negative lens.

Gratitude is about bringing your perspective back into balance. When we know how to see the good in our lives, it helps put the negatives into perspective – during the pandemic and non-pandemic times. It might not be easy to feel gratitude, but it can become a lifelong source of inner strength for our young people, if they can develop this life skill during this specific period in their lives.

The R U OK? campaign was launched this week by our Student Leaders and will continue well into next term, as we move into October which is also recognised as the Mental Health Month in the calendar. Our MSCW community recognises the importance of continuing to keep the conversation alive and prevalent throughout all points of the year. Given that our Seniors were invested in their Preliminary Examinations over the course of the last fortnight, we are committed to ensuring that we continue to focus on how best to look out for ourselves and that of others next term.

To support the initiative, as a whole staff we connected for remote morning tea in Zoom break out rooms, as a way of staying connected, checking-in with one another and sharing a few laughs! Stay tuned for more activities next term.

Research suggests that raising the awareness of such an initiative contributes to increased statistics of those seeking help by two to three times, compared to those who were not exposed to the campaign. Did you know that campaign participants were six times more likely to reach out to someone who might be experiencing personal difficulties?

Wellbeing Wednesdays at MSCW

This was another successful initiative that supported the wellbeing of our staff and students, with the opportunity to step away from hourly Zooms to ‘recharge, reflect and relax’. Thank you for your positive feedback in supporting our young people to exercise greater self-awareness by recognising their needs according to their body clues and triggers. The purpose of our wellbeing days is to exercise self-compassion by giving back to ourselves. Without these opportunities to focus on wellbeing, people are more at risk of burnout and increased absenteeism, as well as being more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety and avoidance.

Year 12 Community Time and Connection

With Term 3 sadly concluding for our Year 12 cohort, and with many of their events postponed until next term, our hope this week has been to provide our students with a variety of opportunities to stay connected and be in each other’s company. The Wellbeing Team designed a range of activities that we each led at various points throughout the week. It was wonderful to see so many of the girls join in, contribute and engage in moments of laughter and fun, with plenty of friendly banter!

We look forward to Term 4 and reconnecting amongst all the Year Groups in Community Time.

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