From the Principal

From the Assistant Principal

Executive Director’s HSC/VET Awards

Last Thursday evening, Mr Greenwell and I attended the Executive Director’s Excellence in HSC and VET Awards to celebrate those students who gained First Place in the Diocese in HSC courses, as well as achievement in VET courses.

Congratulations to the following recipients who received an award for achieving First Place in the Diocese:

College Winter Uniform

Please be reminded that when the girls return to school in Term 2 they will be expected to wear their full winter uniform. This includes the wearing of navy tights as well as the wearing of the College blazer while travelling to and from the College. Please use the holidays to ensure that following requirements are met prior to returning to the College. 

• MSCW kilt – length of kilt is to be below the knee

• MSCW College badge

• MSCW jumper

• MSCW blazer

• Shoes are to be black, lace up and able to be polished

• Navy tights (70/80 denier)

• MSCW tartan scarf (optional)

Dates for Term 2

Monday 24 April – Staff Development Day

Tuesday 25 April – Public Holiday – ANZAC Day

Wednesday 26 April – Students return to school (note school uniform details)

COMPASS Student Card

It is a College expectation that all students have their COMPASS student ID card with them everyday. The card is used in particular for students to tap in and out of the College for late arrival or early departure. I ask for the support of parents in ensuring that your daughter/s have this with them everyday.  If students have misplaced or lost their student ID card it is a requirement that the card is replaced. Please see below for how to order a new card online.

MSCW Parent Engagement 

Our MSCW Parent Engagement Model strives to build quality relationships across the College community.

Aims:

• A model of partnership with parent and families to increase parental engagement, belonging  and communication;
• An avenue for parents to be involved in the College community with parents of their daughter’s year group;
• Helping out and working with other parents in a service or social event;
• Providing a parental perspective to assist the Principal in decision making;
• Organising and running events that support the values and strategic directions of the College;

2023 Events:

• Year 9 Parent Engagement group will host the Mother’s Day Mass and supper on Wednesday 10 May.
• Year 10 parent engagement group will host the Father’s Day Mass and Breakfast (Term 3)
• Year 11 parent engagement group will host the Year 12 Graduation supper (Term 3)

Please email the College info@mscw.catholic.edu.au if you would like more information regarding involvement in your daughter/s parent engagement/s group.

Ms Melinda Alvarez, Assistant Principal

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

From the Religious Education Coordinator

In our Church……………

The Celebration Of Easter

This week the Church celebrates Easter and the 8-week Easter period.  In this newsletter we explore the development of this central festival in the Catholic Church.

Easter

By the second century the weekly assembly came to be complemented by an annual celebration of the paschal mystery.  At first this Christian Pasch was celebrated in accordance with the Jewish calendar for Passover, on the 14th day of the month of Nisan, which could be any day of the week. After much controversy it was decreed by the Council of Nicaea in 325 that the commemoration of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection should be held on Sunday rather than a weekday. 

The annual feast of Easter quickly carried over into a week of celebration which further developed into a season of fifty days.  Throughout this time the church rejoiced in the one great mystery of Jesus’ victory over sin and death.  It revelled in the new life of the Spirit.  But the integrity of this unified season was lost when the Ascension of the Lord began to be celebrated on the fortieth day, leaving ten days to be spent waiting for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Development of the Triduum

The Easter celebration itself took the form of a night-time vigil, preceded by days of strict fasting.  Once it was transferred to Sunday, the service began to focus more exclusively on the resurrection of the Lord.  Accordingly, the preceding days of fast developed an identity of their own.  Good Friday came to centre on Jesus’ death, Holy Saturday on his burial.  The once unified remembrance of the paschal mystery broke up into a series of separate observances.  Later developments led to the Vigil being celebrated on Holy Saturday morning, with the addition of Holy Thursday creating a new Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

The evolution of these rites was aided and abetted by widespread imitation of the liturgies of 4th century Jerusalem.  The Holy City had become a popular pilgrimage site.  Devout Christians who visited during Holy Week experienced a series of liturgical events at sites associated with Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection.  On return home they introduced some of these rituals to their local churches.  A number of them, such as the veneration of the cross, survive to this day.

All this enables the whole Christian community to be immersed in the whole saving mystery of Jesus Christ: his ministry, suffering, death and resurrection, glorification and sending of the Holy Spirit.  In this mystery the church becomes “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,” called out of darkness into God’s marvellous light in order to proclaim God’s mighty works (1 Pt 2:9).      Taken from: https://www.catholicaustralia.com.au/the-sacraments/lent.

In our Community……

Year 12 Retreat

Last week, the Year 12 students were extremely fortunate to be able to attend their Year 12 Retreat at The Hermitage at Mittagong. 

The students unpacked the theme of integrity with a focus on vulnerability, trust and courage. They were challenged to explore these themes through a variety of activities that pushed them out of their comfort zone. The Year 12 students were also challenged to recognise the worries and struggles they have been facing this year with a focus on overcoming these challenges through guidance, support, and the presence of God in their life. We had a wonderful time and the weather and scenery were beautiful. The Year 12 students were also able to relax, taking time out of their busy lives and reconnect with themselves.

I would like to thank Mrs Rebecca Bombaci, Ms Angela Bowland, Ms Brooke Cleggett, Mrs Carolyn Criss, Mr Andy D’Archy, Mrs Michelle Johns, Mrs Maria Del Moro, Mr David Greenwell, Ms Leoni Hopkins, Mrs Joc Kemp, Ms Emma Pracey, Ms Grace Spurr and Ms Jenny Vu for their time and experience in helping and leading the students through the Retreat. A huge thank you to Ms Samantha Ison for running the second retreat and I would also like to thank Father Brian and Father Aliki from the Holy Name of Mary Parish who celebrated mass at The Hermitage. 

Staff Spirituality Day

On Monday the Marist Sisters’ College staff gathered together at The Hermitage Mittagong for our Staff Spirituality Day. 

Staff had an opportunity to deepen their knowledge and engagement with the Catholic faith and tradition with a focus on the theme ‘Created and Called: A revolution of Love and Tenderness.’ Throughout the sessions we were able to build on our faith by looking at Mary and the qualities we see in her: humility, tenderness and concern for others. To end our Spirituality Day, we had the opportunity to have small group discussions looking at issues around: Beauty, Joy and Wellbeing,  Peace and Simplicity, Ecology, Leadership and Solidarity. Thank you to Ms Samantha Ison, Mr Andrew d’Archy, Mrs Rebecca Bombaci, Mr Daniel El-Hage and Mr Travis Desborough for leading the small group sessions.

A huge thank you to Mr John Hickey from The Mission and Life Formation Team at The Marist Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat for running the Staff Spirituality Day.

Stage 3 Faith Formation Retreat

Students from Marist Sisters were invited to participate and assist in a retreat day with the Stage 3 students from St Therese’s Catholic Primary School Denistone. Amy Davis and Katelyn Kessecker attended this special day which was held at St. Joseph’s Baulkham Hills.. They supported the teachers in enhancing the Stage 3 students’ faith and deepening their relationship with God. 

Our Marist students were encouraged to share how they relate and connect to the rich teachings from the Parable of the Good Samaritan to support the Stage 3 students. They were asked to make connections from the Parable of the Good Samaritan to their Marist charism and what is expected of them as a student in a Marist school. Amy and Katelyn were able to showcase Witness.

Mr Justin Salar, the Religious Education Coordinator at St Therese’s Catholic Primary School

Denistone congratulated both Amy and Katelyn on being very respectful and fully engaged in the student faith formation experience. They co-led reverently with the Marist College, Eastwood secondary students in prayerful experiences. Congratulations Amy and Katelyn for being Marist Women of Action.

SAVE THE DATE

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

From the Leader of Learning and Curriculum

IMPROVING HANDWRITING

Most tests and examinations still require students to handwrite. To improve your handwriting, first, consider how healthy you are in the four elements of legible handwriting:

• letter formation
• sizing
• alignment on the line and spacing between words.

Then use the steps below to start to improve your handwriting:

FIND THE BEST PEN FOR YOU: Experiment with different pens to see which is the easiest to write with and which one gives you the neatest handwriting. Use the same pen all the time.

GOOD GRIP: Hold the pen/pencil gently and do not grip too tightly or push too hard on the paper.

USE ARM MUSCLES: Always write with your forearm and shoulder, NOT your fingers or wrist. This way your strokes will flow much better. It may take you some time to retrain your arm and hand but be aware of these movements when you practise. The muscles in your forearm and shoulder tire less easily than your fingers.

BEGIN WITH LARGE STROKES: Practice initially on a whiteboard (or even tracing letters in the air) using large strokes until you feel comfortable with using your forearm and shoulder muscles. When you feel you have conquered this, it is time to begin practising on paper. Keep using large strokes, gradually reducing them in size as your control of the muscles increases. Once you have accomplished this, begin practising forming normal-sized letters in your exercise book.

POSTURE: Ensure you practise your handwriting skills at a desk or table. Sit up straight using a good chair.

RULED LINED BOOK: Buy a ruled exercise book (like a primary cursive pad) for practice use. Always write on lined paper and take note of how you are writing and how your work looks on the page.

COPY STYLE: Look for an example of a handwriting style that you like and can use to copy from. Keep this in front of you at all times to inspire you to improve your style.

INDIVIDUAL LETTERS: Begin with individual letters and practise writing at least one letter per day concentrating on the four elements of legible handwriting.

WHOLE WORDS: Once you have worked your way through individual letters in the alphabet practise writing whole words. Be aware of the flow from one letter to the next as well as the spacing between each word.

TEST SENTENCE: Choose a test sentence for yourself and write it at the top of your first practice page. Write this sentence at the top of a new page each week to check for improvement in your writing.

SPECIAL SENTENCE: Frequently practise writing the sentence ‘the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog’ in small and capital letters. This sentence contains all the letters in the alphabet and gives you good overall practice with each letter.

WRITE SLOWLY TO START: Write slowly when practising until you are happy with the quality of your handwriting. Then increase the speed.

REALISTIC GOALS: Don’t set impractical goals for improvement. Improvement will take time and is a matter of persistence – it all comes down to practice, practice and then more practice!

LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO WRITE: Try and handwrite whenever possible.

Once your handwriting style has improved, you can focus on improving your handwriting speed. Every day, practise writing at speed. Choose a particular passage and write it out neatly. Time yourself. The next day write it out neatly again but try and speed up a bit and time yourself again. The goal is to get to the point where you can write the passage out quickly but still maintain neat handwriting. 

You can also try writing with a pen that is weighted on the end to build up the muscles in your hand used for writing. When you get to the exams, take the weight off the end and feel the benefits of a lighter pen! And for people with serious handwriting issues, check out the special pens available on the market.

Mr Justin Hodges, Leader of Learning

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

News from the College Counsellors

During Community Time last week, Year 8 heard Police Constables/Youth Officers Sophie Gould and Matt Aldridge from Ryde Police Area Command speak about cyberbullying, the law and other issues affecting young people in schools in our district. 

The message was clear – if someone is threatening, bullying or harassing you online, police want to know about it and can help. Police will investigate any reports of bullying, intimidation and harassment of a young person and can take action. While this process may seem daunting, the officers emphasised that, to begin with, young people should always inform a trusted adult and look at next steps together. 

Do you know the age you are legally responsible for what you do online?

You may be surprised to find out that in Australia, you can be charged for breaking the law at the age of 10. It is illegal to use a carriage service to menace, harass or offend. Students learnt that a carriage service is anything from Instagram, TikTok, Dodo, Optus, Vodafone, Telstra, to gaming platforms. 

This week, students were shown a short video on the age of legal responsibility and online behaviours and had the opportunity to discuss it in their homeroom. You may like to ask your daughter about what they learnt and watch the link together – you will find this posted on their COMPASS Dashboard.

Bullying. No way! has information to help young people and families understand what bullying is, what to do if someone is being bullied and who students can turn to for help.

The eSafety Commissioner has a range of topics for young people to explore for guidance around staying safe online.  

Reporting cyberbullying

Keep a record

Young people are encouraged to keep a record, take screenshots or photos of any cyberbullying content and note the webpage addresses or social media services where the content has been shared. 

Report and block

Report the cyberbullying to the platform where it took place. The eSafety Guide has reporting links for social media services, apps, games and websites. 

Make a complaint

If you are under 18 and the social media service does not respond to your complaint within 48 hours, you can report seriously threatening, intimidating, harassing or humiliating online behaviour to the eSafety Commissioner. 

If you would like to discuss any of the above or have wellbeing concerns related to your daughter, please contact the Leader of Wellbeing, House Coordinators or College Counsellors on (02) 9816 2041. You may also email carly.boaler@syd.catholic.edu.au or louise.scuderi@syd.catholic.edu.au 

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

Perroton House Mass

On Monday 6 March, our house mass. Fr Aliki from Holy Name of Mary Parish Hunters Hill joined us to celebrate the Eucharist in what was a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community. Our mass allowed our parents and families to develop their  understanding of our Patron Marie Francoise Perroton, and her courageous journey to the South Pacific. How a seemingly ordinary woman came to embody Marian simplicity, quietly living a life of service, despite great hardship and isolation. A reminder to Perrotonians here at the College, that their courage is often found in the small daily activities, and yet when everyone acts with courage to live “goodness above all” we empower others to live courageously as well.  

I was simply overwhelmed by how creatively and passionately all our Perroton students went about assisting with the planning and execution of our very first Mass. We were blessed with students who volunteered to assist with set up decoration, music, reading, altar serving, and singing. I extend special thanks to our Co-Captain’s Nina Gomez-Niewolik, Grace Murphy and Liturgy Captain Bianca Trunzo.

Of course, the evening would not have been the success it was without the assistance from Ms Angela Bowland, Ms Antonina Arcidiacono, and all our Perroton Tutors, who work diligently in support of the girls in Perroton. We ended the evening with a lovely supper on Cerdon Plaza, generously provided by MSCW’s VET Hospitality students under the guidance of Ms Erin Healey, VET Coordinator. This was a fabulous way to celebrate our connection as a House and as a family. 

Year 8 History

Year 8 History had the exciting privilege of viewing and participating in a Medieval History incursion. Students were treated to realistic recreations of weapons, armour and clothing, and were taught about fighting techniques, relationships between different groups in Medieval society, and crime & punishment in Medieval Europe. Students love the hands-on nature of the incursion and the opportunity to dress up in Medieval costume and armour. 

Visual Arts News

The Creative Arts department took the Visual Arts students in years 10, 11 and 12 for an excursion to the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The day began with a teacher-guided tour through the South Building. Students particularly enjoyed the classical works found in the Grand Courts and the incredible ArtExpress Bodies of Work from 2022. The afternoon was spent in the newly opened North Building where students engaged in an interactive, collaborative contemporary installation and had many interesting discussions about the various works they had the chance to view. The day gave students an invaluable opportunity to find first hand inspiration and be exposed to a wide variety of both classical and contemporary artists, concepts and artmaking style.

Year 12 Legal Studies

On Tuesday 4 April, Year 12 Legal Studies went on an excursion to the Downing Centre Local and District Court. During our time there, we had the opportunity to observe a number of different cases and experience what it’s like for all parties involved. We had the chance to ask questions and view various cases to learn about how courts proceed and deal with crime. Overall, it was an amazing experience.

Eva Varipatis and Hannah Randall, Year 12 Students

Raising funds for the WSU

The WSU thanks Mrs Melissa Carson and her English class for raising funds for the WSU. 

Mrs Carson and her class brainstormed a way of both raising money and helping the environment. The class made and marketed durable reusable cotton tote bags which were then sold during Term 4 2022 and Term 1 2023.

Pictured here are the WSU Co-Captains Charlotte and Clare with Ancela Macrae and Alex Wagener who presented a check on behalf of the class to help fund future WSU initiatives.

Public Speaking News

On Tuesday, Students from Year 11 and Year 12 traveled to St Kevin’s Primary School Eastwood. MSCWs Public Speaking Captain Gabriella Michalopoulos was accompanied by some of our Year 11 Public Speakers and Debaters to adjudicate St Kevin’s annual public speaking competition. 

2023 School Photos

Post School Pathways News

Information on holiday courses, open days, lectures and workshops can be found below by clicking on the following link: 

Post-school Pathways News

Ms Leonie Clarke, Post-School Pathways Coordinator 

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

Sports News

MSCW SWIMMING

The MSCW Swimming team competed at the Sydney Catholic Schools Swimming
Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on Monday 27 March.
MSCW dominated from the first race and took home the Championship Trophy.
Sydney Championships Results 2023
A fantastic achievement.

MSCW Swimming Team 2023

Melissa Bridge
Chloe Yam
Olivia Treadwell
Sienna Glavin
Emma Ward
Maya Ostapenko
Evie Lange
Angela Lakic
Maddison Tannous
Amy Linssen
Ziani Viola
Ava Gibson
Georgia Sherry
Sienna Brown
Mary Mulvey
Jessica Turri
Natasha Payne
Sophie-Mitchell Cook
Zara Chand
Sofia Watts
Emma Websdale 
Ashleigh Britt
Michaela Ibrahim

Twelve MSCW students represented Sydney Catholic Schools Representative
Swimming Team at the NSW CCC Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic
Centre on Friday 31 March. The standard of Swimming from students across NSW
Catholic System was outstanding and MSCW gave their best against extremely strong competition.

Melissa Bridge
Chloe Yam
Olivia Treadwell
Emma Ward
Maya Ostapenko
Evie Lange
Angela Lakic
Maddison Tannous
Amy LinssenZiani Viola
Ava Gibson
Georgia Sherry
Sienna Brown
Zara Chand
Michaela Ibrahim
Emma Websdale
Chloe Websdale

Congratulations to the Junior medley relay team who placed first place and now will
compete at the NSW All Schools Championships.

SCS/ NSW CCC Rep Touch Football 

Congratulations to the following MSCW students who represented Sydney Catholic
Schools Representative Touch Football Team at the annual NSWCCC Touch Football
Championships in Wagga Wagga: Ellie Barnett, Georgia Southcombe, Brianna Kelly,
Leah Russell and Amelie Fehir. All students had a successful tournament.
Well done!

Mr Daniel Watts, Sports Coordinator

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

Sports Results

Round 8

MVP

Round 9

MVP

Mr Daniel Watts, Sports Coordinator

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

Canteen News

Calling on volunteers

2023 Year 11 and HSC Students Only