College Newsletter - 8 November 2024
Principal’s Report
Welcome to the latest edition of our College Newsletter. As always, our latest newsletter is full of information about all that is happening around the College and celebrates the wonderful achievements of students.
Final Assessments
Next week, students in Years 7-10 commence their final assessments for the 2024 school year. I encourage all students to give their best efforts leading to their final assessments with a sound study routine. When speaking to students, I often refer to our college motto, “The End Crowns The Work” to remind students that success, in any field, comes from consistency of hard work and dedication.
A reminder that the College Tutor program is available after school on Mondays to Wednesdays from 3.00 pm-5.00 pm to support students in their studies.
HSC Examinations
Congratulations to our Year 12 students who have now completed their HSC Examinations. Over the course of the last four weeks, they have sat many different exams and after months of hard work, they can now spend some time relaxing. We are very proud of our Year 12 students who now have a nervous wait for their results which will be released on the 18th of December and we will welcome them back to the College for a BBQ on that day. I recognise and thank the teachers at the College for their hard work and dedicated support of students leading to the Higher School Certificate.
All Saints and All Souls Day
Our Year 11 cohort gathered in the College Chapel on Wednesday morning to celebrate mass for the Solemnity of All Saints and All Souls Day which were on the 1st and 2nd of November. It was a beautiful mass where we remembered and celebrated those who led extraordinarily holy lives on earth and that the Church has canonized as saints. We also remembered those who are no longer with us on earth and prayed that they are resting in peace with Christ. I thank Ms Abihanna and Mr Ward for organising and our Parish Priest, Fr Yacub, for celebrating the mass with us.
Term 4 Sports
Congratulations to all students who are representing the College in the Sydney Catholic Schools Sports competition in Term 4. We have seen some remarkable performances in Volleyball, Cricket, Oz Tag and all abilities Tee Ball. The sports report later in this newsletter has all the details of the past weeks results.
Parent Charter
Sydney Catholic Schools have recently revised the Parent Charter. This document outlines how Catholic schools and parents work together in partnership to help build school communities based on the enduring values of faith, hope and love. The Parent Charter is an important document which outlines for parents the principles and expectations that underpin the partnership between parents and schools. I encourage all parents to access the Charter at the Sydney Catholic Schools website.
May God bless all College families.
Mr Simon Ghantous
College Principal
Assistant Principal’s Report
College Tutor Program
With Year 7 - 10 Assessments taking place next week, and Year 11 beginning their HSC Assessments, I would encourage all students to do their very best. A reminder, that if students are seeking support with preparation or study, the College Tutor Program is available Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm in the College Library. A reminder that Year 11 students are able to book tutors.
I would ask parents/carers to ensure suitable arrangements are made for your son to get home after the library closes at 5.00 pm.
Student Expectations
Students are to be neat and presentable at all times. They should be reminded of the College’s regulations around hair and grooming. The College Uniform guidelines on haircuts is very clear as stated on page 24 of the Student Diary. Any use of a blade number lower than “2” is unacceptable. All haircuts must be blended and uniform in appearance, therefore any excess style trend will not be tolerated including skin fades. Students who present with haircuts that do not comply with the College Policy may be sent home until it is rectified. Older students are expected to attend the College clean shaven.
Mrs Catherine Roebuck
Assistant Principal
Religious Education Coordinator
All Saints Day
All Saints' Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on November 1. The day is dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven.
This is a significant day in our Church's calendar and Year 11 was fortunate enough to celebrate mass in the College Chapel with Fr Yacub.
Almighty ever-living God,
by whose gift we venerate in one celebration
the merits of all the Saints,
bestow on us, we pray,
through the prayers of so many intercessors,
an abundance of the reconciliation with you
for which we earnestly long.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Mary, Our Good Mother, pray for us.
St Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us.
And let us remember, to pray for one another. Amen
All Souls’ Day
November 2 is All Souls' Day, also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed and the Day of the Dead, is a day of prayer and remembrance for the souls of those who have died, which is observed by Latin Catholics and other Christian denominations annually.
We remember all those in our community who have lost loved ones recently or their anniversaries occur at this time.
We also remember all those in need, torn by conflict that they will find eternal love in heaven.
Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord,
and, as our faith in your Son,
raised from the dead, is deepened,
so may our hope of resurrection for your departed servants
also find new strength.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Mary, Our Good Mother, pray for us.
St Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us.
And let us remember, to pray for one another. Amen
Night Patrol @ MCK
The College engaged with the St Vincent de Paul Society’s Night Patrol initiative last year after many years of not being able to, with great success. If your son is 16 years old or more and is interested in this social justice initiative, please read the information below and either contact myself or Mr Ward for signing up information.
What is the Vinnies Van?
Vinnies Van is a Special Work of the St Vincent de Paul Society. It is a service that visits people in need. Some of the people who visit the van are homeless, at risk of homelessness or they may not be homeless at all. Vinnies will provide assistance to anyone who approaches.
The aim of the Vinnies Van service is to provide food, drink and friendship to people on the streets. We do this remembering to respect the dignity of every person that we meet.
Anyone who would like to volunteer on the Vinnies Van service must be aged 16 years and over or in Year 11.
How will my Child benefit from Vinnies Van?
Vinnies Van is an amazing experience to meet people who may be in different circumstances than our own, where they are at. The Vinnies Van service travels to 3 fixed sites in Eastlakes and meets people in these locations. Many people find Vinnies Van a very rewarding and challenging experience.
What are some of the challenges of Vinnies Van?
There may be times where some people might feel uncomfortable with scenarios that we may come across including possibly seeing people affected by drugs or alcohol or may have a mental illness. Training is provided for all volunteers of Vinnies Van before they go out on the service. The chance to talk about anything that is confronting to any of our volunteers is also made available. Students will only go out for a shift when there are 2 trained teachers available.
General details of the Vinnies Bayside Night Patrol Van service:
- Dates/Times: 5.10 pm to 8.00 pm
- Meeting Venue: 1d Thomas St, Maria Gordon House, Lewisham (The Van Base)
- Locations:00 pm to 6.30 pm @ Namatjira Pl Chifley then 6.45 pm to 7.15 pm South Coogee Basketball Court
- Volunteers: 3-5 students and 2 teachers
Christmas Appeal 2024
The College will once again be engaging in both the Vinnies Christmas Appeal and Catholic Care’s Gift of Goodness Campaign.
This will be launched to all students in Week 6 with more information to come.
Family Mass – Sunday, December 1
Each term MCK participates in a Family Mass at St Joseph’s Parish Rockdale, together with students from St Joseph's Catholic Primary School. This term the mass will take place on Sunday December 1 at 10:30 am followed by a sausage sizzle. All families are most welcome to attend and celebrate mass on this day.
YMC Events - Upcoming Parish Nights
Alternate parish night also available:
Date: Friday, 15 November
Location: All Saints Catholic Church, Liverpool
48 George St, Liverpool NSW 2170
Time: 5.30 pm - 8.30 pm
If interested, please see Mr Ward in the RE office or alternatively email: mitchell.ward001@syd.catholic.edu.au
Ms Lauren Abihanna
Religious Education Coordinator
Leader of Teaching and Learning
Staff Development Day
The NSW government is introducing over 30 new syllabus documents over the next four years aiming to align the curriculum with current educational needs and practices. These new syllabuses allow opportunity for educators to adapt teaching practices to positively impact student learning.
On our recent Professional Development Day, staff at the College engaged in workshops centred on the review of these new Curriculum Reform syllabus documents. It was an opportunity for staff to begin thoughtful planning and programming that will shape classroom practice over coming years. Each session provided time for collaboration, where staff shared insights and reviewed approaches that would best serve our student’s diverse needs.
A focus on the day was the review of Rosenshine’s principles of instruction which underline explicit teaching methods fostering a deep understanding. These principles which emphasise explicit practices such as clear modelling, guided practice and importance of questioning, aim to actively reduce cognitive load enabling students to process new information without feeling overwhelmed.
At the College we are committed to continually reviewing evidence-based strategies as an essential part of programming for the implementation of new curriculum. It is important to equip students not only with academic knowledge but with the skills and adaptability required to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
Years 7-10 Assessments/Semester 2 Examinations
Years 7-10 Assessment Block commences Week 5 Monday, 11 November and continues until the end of week 6. All students have received via Compass the examination schedules. These exams will assess student understanding and skills of relevant learning for each subject. Students would have all received notifications for each assessment and a schedule outlining days and times of each examination.
Please ask your son to speak to their respective class teachers or Leader of Wellbeing if there are any questions. We encourage all students to continue to prepare for their exams following a study routine. Teachers and support staff are available to answer any questions, provide additional guidance and feedback as students prepare for these final assessments. Students are reminded our Tutor Program is available after school every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to support students.
Please ensure if students are unwell, parents are to follow the procedure as per the College assessment guidelines.
Mrs Gina Stavropoulos
Leader of Teaching and Learning
Sport Report
Let’s get an update on how our Volleyball, OzTag, Cricket and TeeBall teams are going so far in Term 4 Representative sport.
Junior OzTag
The Junior Oztag team showed their dominance with 2 wins in rounds 2 and 3 despite missing captain Leo Nadira. In round 2 Samuel and Filip worked together to draw, and pass resulting in multiple tries and ultimately resulting in an 11 to 3 win against De La Salle Revesby. In round 3 the boys worked well as a team to put Luke and Jayden through gaps to run the length of the field and score on multiple occasions. This teamwork saw the boys take a 10 to 6 win against St John Bosco Engadine.
Mr Chris Raptis and Mr Steven Gorscak
Coaches
Intermediate OzTag
The MCK Intermediate Oztag team put in a determined effort over their recent matches, facing strong competition but showcasing grit throughout. The team is made of a large number of year 8 students who weekly punch above their weight. In week 3 the boys encountered a formidable Revesby side, ultimately falling to a 10-3 loss. Despite the scoreline, there were standout performances, with Justin Liu and Isaac Moustafa both being Kogarah’s best with their relentless energy on the field with and without the ball. The second match saw a closer contest against Bosco, with Kogarah putting up a strong fight before narrowly missing out, ending in a 10-8 defeat. The see-sawing match could have gone either way and Xander Bouzianis earned the Man of the Match for his outstanding display, demonstrating skillful agility and making multiple try saving tags. Despite back-to-back losses the team’s talent is evident, and with each game they continue to improve and build a stronger bond on the field.
Mr Jake Gallagher and Mr Kevin Pham
Coaches
Senior OzTag
The Senior OzTag team faced a strong De La Salle Revesby side in round 2 whilst still finalising team selections and went down 8-3. In round 3 the team played against Bosco College, Engadine and with a full complement for the first time the boys ran out 9-6 victors! A special mention to Jake Batten and Anthony Jubian for combining for several tries and leading the team to victory. With their first win on the board, the team can hopefully build on the result coming into the middle of the season.
Mr Ryan Ziegenfusz
Coach
Junior Volleyball
The Junior Volleyball team almost caused a shock upset by taking the 1st set off the much fancied Revesby team. Unfortunately, they were convincing losers in the next two sets. Our serving really let us down in the final 2 sets and we will work hard on this at training before next week's game. Nathan and Jaiden had strong games, and both were awarded players medals. Well done gentlemen.
Mr Paul O’Brien
Coach
Intermediate Volleyball
The MCK Intermediate Volleyball side played a thrilling match against De La Salle Revesby in round 2. After smashing Revesby in the first set, the boys got complacent and dropped the second which set up a nail-biting final set. Up 6-5 with a few minutes left the boys had control however a few crucial errors resulted in a 9-7 loss. Blake Koralis earnt man of the match.
The boys put their round two loss behind them when they tackled St John Bosco Engadine out at Hurstville in round 3. Blake Koralis again led from the front with a number of massive spikes, the boys coming away with a dominant 2-0 victory!
Mr Stephen McGufficke
Coach
Senior Volleyball
MCK Senior Volleyball travelled out to Revesby to play DLS at home. The team set the pace early with a 21-15 win in the first set, but then stumbled the second set with a 21-13 loss. Much controversy ensued with “time running out” to downgrade the third set from a win to a draw.
After this robbery, the team were hungry for a win and faced off against BOSCO at Hurstville. The opposition were up for the challenge, with MCK narrowly winning the first set 21-19 and then losing the second set narrowly 21-19. Haunted by the draw from the previous round, MCK got to work and won the third set 15-9.
Strong skills and great leadership earned Harrison Lehmann the Man of the Match for both rounds.
Mr Robert Almeida and Mrs Rebecca Davies
Coaches
Junior Cricket
The past fortnight has seen the Junior cricket team put in some high-quality performances, convincingly winning games against Rosebank College and Marcellin College Randwick. Round 2 v Rosebank was a demolition job, bowling them all out for 44 and chasing the runs inside 5 overs. Campbell Hosemans and John Middleton took 2 wickets each while Chris Whatson smashed 32 not out in reply. Similar scenes last week after winning the toss and bowling first, Marcellin were restricted to 7/79 off 20 overs with some very tight bowling and fielding. Fabio Di Paolo took 2/14 while Oliver Scotti-Clark scored the team’s first half century of the season (51 not out) to secure the win in 12 overs.
Mr James Stirton
Coach
Senior Cricket
The Senior boys dominated their Marcellin College Randwick opponents in an impressive all-round display. Randwick batted first and was restricted to just 63 for the loss of 8 wickets from their 20 overs. All bowlers made contributions with Alex Karanastasis the pick finishing with 2-4 from his 3 overs. The bowlers were well supported by an excellent fielding performance with Oscar Clarke’s direct hit run out being the highlight. In response, Jack Blades (27*) and Captain Elio Fornasier (32*) made light work of the run chase passing Randwick’s total in the 8th over, securing the 10 wicket win for MCK.
Mr Shane Duff
Coach
All Abilities TeeBall
The MCK TeeBall team faced Aquinas Menai in their second-round clash and unfortunately were outclassed by the opposition losing 16-1. Having worked on their fielding and batting skills in the week off, the boys then tackled Good Samaritan and came away 12-3 winners! Alex Candelario was a standout in the field with sharp reflexes at shortstop. Alessandro Tilocca was a gazelle in the outfield chasing the day and using his rocket arm to get the ball back. Aidan O’Kane, Stefan O’Halloran and James Touhy were great with the bat!
Mr James Drahalivas and Mrs Clarissa Cranney
Coaches
Career Corner
J.P. Morgan Traineeship Program
This is a great 2-year full-time paid Traineeship Program in Sydney for those who are interested in embarking on a full-time career journey instead of pursuing further study.
- J.P Morgan have two streams available – Operations Traineeship or Finance and Business Management Traineeship. Students are welcome to apply to both streams.
- Current Year 12 students with HSC qualification by early 2025 are welcome to apply to either or both programs, please refer to the program details and requirements below.
- All applicants will require to complete an online application form with their CV, as well as video interviews as part of the application.
- Application deadline: Friday, 22 November 2024. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, thus early applications are encouraged.
Master Builders Association
Master Builders Association of NSW is here to help School Leavers become an Apprentice or Trainee. The 3-week entry level pre-apprenticeship training program provides an introduction into both the industry and a carpentry trade prior to commencing an apprenticeship. For further information click here.
Let Master Builders Help Become the Best Apprentice or Trainee
With Master Builders, apprentices can be assured that they are fully supported every step of the way. Be placed with a fully screened host employer; paid weekly and be provided with a dedicated field officer. With an Apprenticeship, gain a nationally recognised qualification and no student loans. Visit website for more information.
Careers Newsletter
Mr Peter Fitzpatrick
Careers/VET Leader of Learning
Community Announcements
SCS Rowing Program 2025
International Sports Camps
