From the Principal

Year 7 2022 Orientation

HSC Exams – 1 week to go!

Welcome back to all!

Gala Day is in the air

Year 12 Graduation and farewells

On Monday, 13 December we will celebrate the Graduation of our Year 12 students from Marist Sisters’ College Woolwich. Year 12 students and parents will gather at St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill for their Graduation Mass and Awards Ceremony. The rest of the College community will take part in this significant event via livestreaming. In the afternoon, Year 12 students will make their way to the College to celebrate with their Houses and Tutor Groups. These events are an important way for Houses and Tutor Groups to farewell their ‘sisters’ who have been with them for the past six years. In Houses and Tutor Groups, special memories are shared and thanks are given to Year 12 students for their significant contributions. As a highlight of the year, this farewell in Houses and Tutor Groups is a day that no Marist student wants to miss. Evidence of this is that we always seem to have 100% attendance! This reinforces the girls’ desire to recognise the remarkable family bonds that have been nurtured over six years. Monday, 13 December is also the final attendance day of the 2021 school year.

From the Assistant Principal

The College staff are looking forward to welcoming all students back onsite in Week 9 for face-to-face learning.

Hygiene measures

To ensure that the safety of both staff and students is maintained, the following processes are in place:

• Each classroom has hand sanitiser and antibacterial spray and wipes. Students are encouraged to sanitise their hands and wipe down their desks during lesson time.
• Our cleaners continue to sanitise frequently touched surfaces daily.

Once again we encourage our students to continue to practise good hygiene and to frequently wash their hands while at school, particularly before and after eating and after going to the toilet. Likewise, students are reminded to cough and sneeze into their elbow, dispose of tissues and use alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

As a community, we will be monitoring student health and we ask that parents keep their daughters at home if they are even slightly unwell. If students present with any signs of cold or flu-like symptoms while at the College, we will be in touch and ask that you come and collect your daughter.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to colds and flu and include:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Tiredness
• Difficulty breathing.

A reminder that if your daughter presents with these symptoms, a COVID-19 test is required and results are to be sent to attendance (mscw-attendance@syd.catholic.edu.au) prior to her returning to school. Please note that a Rapid Antigen Test is not a recognised test result for return to school.

Masks are required indoors for all staff and students. It is strongly recommended they are worn outdoors when on-site. Masks are also mandatory on public transport. This applies to students aged 12 years and over when travelling to and from school by public transport.

Uniform

A reminder that each student is expected to wear the College uniform proudly. The College believes that the wearing of our uniform gives students a sense of belonging and fosters our College identity. It is imperative that parents and carers support the College in promoting a positive image for our school.

The College hat is always compulsory when the summer uniform is worn when travelling to and from school.

Students are also reminded of our College expectations with regard to piercings and jewellery. A student may wear one small plain gold or silver earring in each earlobe. No other jewellery is to be worn, apart from a wristwatch. Students are permitted to wear a small religious icon or cross on a thin chain worn inside the uniform and sitting below the uniform’s collar or top button.

College uniform code

Years 7 to 10: Summer, Terms 1 and 4

• MSCW dress – length of the dress should be so that the bottom of the hem touches the ground when the student is kneeling
• MSCW College badge
• MSCW blazer
• MSCW short navy socks
• Shoes: these are to be black, lace-up and able to be polished
• MSCW hat
• MSCW navy tote bag

Years 11 to 12: Summer, Terms 1 and 4

• MSCW kilt – length of kilt should be so that the bottom of the hem touches the ground when the student is kneeling
• MSCW short-sleeved white shirt
• MSCW College badge
• MSCW blazer
• MSCW short navy socks
• Shoes: these are to be black, lace-up and able to be polished
• MSCW hat

As the end of the school year approaches, the College congratulates a large number of our students for their tremendous success in their academic, cultural and sporting endeavours throughout the year. Many students are achieving results that will be recognised at our end of the year Award Presentations, where students will be congratulated for their efforts. It is important at the end of each year that some reflection of results via student reports is done, so as to provide new goals for next year. I encourage both students and their parents to meaningfully engage in reviewing the end of year reports with the view of setting achievable targets for 2022.

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

From the Religious Education Coordinator

Celebrating Advent

On Sunday we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent and then begins the first week of Advent. Advent means ‘coming’. We are invited to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ. We mark each week by lighting one of five candles, the final one being lit on Christmas Day, representing Christ as the light of the world. 

To prepare for Advent, you are invited to consider using the Jesse Tree resource, which invites families to count down the days until Christmas, drawing upon Old Testament figures through to Jesus.

World Youth Day Lisbon 2023

World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 has been launched in Years 8 and 9 Religious Education classes. World Youth Day is an event for young people organised by the Catholic Church that was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. Keep up to date with the preparations for World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 on the World Youth Day site.

A Day of Peace and Quiet

Please see below for information regarding a Day of Peace and Quiet at Holy Name of Mary Parish Hunters Hill.

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

From the Leader of Learning and Curriculum

Year 11 

Year 11 students will be receiving a booklet produced by NESA, which details the 2022 HSC Rules and Regulations. It is important that both students and parents/carers engage with this information to ensure there is a clear understanding of NESA HSC expectations.

Learning expectations

As we near the end of the HSC Examinations and return to face-to-face learning, I would like to thank both staff and students for their continued support of the Year 12 cohort. While it may feel like the end of the academic year with many formal assessment tasks coming to a close, students are reminded about the importance of engaging and participating in lessons in a meaningful and respectful manner. 

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

From the Leader of Wellbeing

‘Sisterly’ connections are deeply embedded within our College values. As we approach the end of Term 4, the Year 9 cohort had the opportunity to not only exercise their leadership skills in preparing for next year but equally, reflect on what it means to be a ‘big sister’ for our incoming Year 7 students in 2022.

The Amica Peer Support Program is an initiative that the College has implemented with the aim of providing support and connection for our ‘little sisters’. It assists in easing the transition from primary school into secondary school. We all acknowledge that starting secondary school can have its challenges for many young people – new procedures, expectations, subjects, friends and routines can all be overwhelming. By having an experienced and empathetic role model, our expectation is that it will provide our Year 7 students with a supportive and connected transition experience. 

What is the Amica Peer Support Program?

• This evidence-based program provides students with a supportive, fun and engaging environment through which they can develop understanding, skills, attitudes and strategies to improve their mental, social and emotional wellbeing.

• It also fosters an opportunity for the Amica Peer Support Leaders to provide mentoring and support for a small group of Year 7 students.

• It is a point of connection whereby each Year 7 student will have an older student with whom they will meet regularly.

The invitation is therefore extended to all Year 9 students to be trained as Amica Peer Support Leaders for 2022. The program builds the capacity, skills and confidence of every student to run the program with another co-leader within their group. More information will be forwarded to interested parties regarding the content once the numbers are confirmed. After the training, students can apply to become Amica Leaders for 2022 and will be asked to complete the Amica Leaders Application Form and return to Gemma.Muller@syd.catholic.edu.au (Assistant Leader of Wellbeing).

We look forward to working together to create a greater sense of belonging and connection within our Marist Sisters’ College community.

#sistersforlife 

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

From the College Counsellors

Share the care with the school

Changes in a young person’s physical or mental health can affect their schooling and relationships. Support is available for MSCW students experiencing either mental health or physical health concerns.

Please let us know here at MSCW if your child has presented at or been admitted to a hospital or emergency service for any physical or mental health concern so that we can discuss further support with you. 

You or an advocate can speak with the Principal, Assistant Principal, House Coordinators, Leader of Wellbeing or College Counsellors to develop a plan together.

Ask us for help with:

• Keeping your child safe
• Returning to school following a physical or mental health incident
• Identifying school staff your child can talk to
• Developing an individual support plan to help stay connected with school during tough times  
• Accessing support from the school and external agencies

We know that looking after your children is your number one priority. It’s ours too. 

For counselling or to arrange support, contact the College Counsellors through the House Coordinators, Leader of Wellbeing or directly via:

• Louise Scuderi – louise.scuderi@syd.catholic.edu.au
• Monica Rogenmoser – monica.rogenmoser@syd.catholic.edu.au
• (02) 9816 2041

Visual Arts News – 2021 HSC Visual Arts Exhibition

Congratulations to the Year 12 HSC Visual Arts students on reaching this penultimate stage in their studies. The Body of Work is a significant part of their HSC Visual Arts course and the culmination of their ideas and aspirations.

Each student experienced setbacks, dilemmas, frustrations and struggles to get to this point. Yet, they also showed perseverance, resilience, passion and a depth of creativity. These are all qualities that their case study artists would empathise with and embody. 

I share with you our 2021 HSC Virtual Art Exhibition presentation.

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

Visual Arts News – SWAP Art Prize

We received some wonderful news this week advising us that students from Year 10 Visual Arts have been selected for the Sustainable Waste 2 Art Prize (SWAP) Exhibition facilitated by the City of Ryde Council.

Congratulations to the following Year 10 Visual Arts students for their recycled art wearables that have been selected for the SWAP 2021 Exhibition at Brush Farm House (19 Lawson Street, Eastwood). This is a professionally curated exhibition in which our selected students are included as part of the YEP | Youth Environment Prize category, which is open to young people aged 14 to 17 years.

Well done to Olivia Browne, Madelaine Britt, Mia Piccolo, Charlotte Parisi, Jacie Tran and Aleighya Galeb.

We are proud of our students and their achievements. Our planet is very important to us and we must do everything we can to protect it. The Year 10 Program for Visual Arts teaches students how crucial it is to recycle. Students not only have to find the correct recyclable materials for this unit of work but they also have to come up with a wearable design that works as an appropriation of a famous artwork. This stretches their thinking and creating capabilities, enabling students to think outside the box.

Best wishes to the selected students. Let us hope we bring some winners home!

View a short presentation on the selected artworks here.

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

Performing Arts – Lockdown Arts Festival

We are excited to share with our Marist Sisters’ College Woolwich community the winners of the Sydney Catholic Schools’ Lockdown Arts Festival. Themed ‘Looking Outwards From a Life in Lockdown’, the Performing and Creative Arts festival celebrated the joy, creativity, optimism and resilience of Sydney Catholic Schools’ students, families and staff, during the pandemic. 

More than 900 creative works were submitted to the festival. Impressively, two Marist Sisters’ College Woolwich students, Megan Lam (Year 7) and Isabella Allsopp (Year 9), were acknowledged among the winners. 

Megan was the recipient of two prizes – First Prize in the area of Drama: Monologue/Duologue – Lower Secondary for her wonderful Les Misérables Cosette monologue and Highly Commended in the area of Music: Performance – Lower Secondary for her exemplar solo cello performance of Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85 – Part of Movement: 

Isabella was Highly Commended in the Contemporary Dance – Lower Secondary section with her expressive Angel’s Dance film, which she choreographed and performed in.

To quote Isabella:

We commend Megan and Isabella for entering this festival and for their impressive placings. Thank you so much for sharing your Drama, Music and Dance gifts.

Jarnosse News

Year 10 and HSC: All My Own Work

NESA requires every Year 10 student in NSW to complete a program about academic honesty called HSC: All My Own Work before they can be enrolled in their Year 11 subjects. At MSCW, students show their understanding and competence by doing the program online and then passing any one of five assessment opportunities offered to them over Weeks 4 to 8. This week is the fifth and final assessment opportunity and it is open until Sunday 28 November at 10.00 pm.

Please ask your daughter whether she has passed an assessment yet. If she has passed she will have received an email notifying her of her results. If she hasn’t yet passed, encourage her to attempt this final assessment. Any students who have not passed an assessment after the final assessment opportunity will be required to attend school, in uniform, on Wednesday 15 December from 9.00 am -11.00 am. This will be for a seminar to assist them in gaining an understanding of the content NESA requires and a final assessment.

If your daughter has problems or questions, she should email Mrs Nelson well before the close of the final assessment on Sunday night.

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

Year 7 2024 Applications

Clothing Pool News

The Marist Sisters’ College Woolwich Clothing Pool is seeking your unwanted school uniforms.

Now is a great time to clean out the wardrobe and unburden yourself of school uniforms that you no longer need.

It is also a great way to support your College community. All proceeds from the sale of Clothing Pool donations go back into projects across the College, which benefit the whole College community.

Donations can be handed into the General Administration Office any time during school hours.

Should you wish to place an order with the Clothing Pool, please visit: www.flexischools.com.au

Thank you for your support.

Reunion News

Members of the Class of 1979 and HSC Class of 1981 cohort are warmly invited to celebrate 40 years since their Year 12 Graduation.

Event details:

• Saturday, 26 February 2022
• 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Deckhouse, Clarke Road, Woolwich
• Cost: $135 for canapés and drinks

Contact Miriam Berlage (Wallace) for more details miriam.berlage@gmail.com