College Newsletter - 16 February 2024

Principal’s Report

A very warm welcome to all families to the 2024 school year, and a very special welcome to our new Year 7 students and their families. I hope that the Christmas break was a wonderful time for all families of the College.

As we begin the new school year, I take this time to reflect on 2023 and the remarkable achievements of the young men of our College. Whether that be in their academic performances, on the sporting fields or in the arts. I am very fortunate and grateful to be able to witness their incredible accomplishments each year.

At our Opening College Mass last week, I spoke to the students of the College about my high expectations of them and about always giving of their best. I firmly believe that through hard work and commitment, our students can achieve anything. My hope for 2024 is that all students will give of their best and achieve success in whatever it is they do.

Our Marist theme this year is First Light – Reveal the Spirit.

It is truly a beautiful theme which invites us to recognise the world as the place in which we discover God. God’s Spirit is in Creation and we can experience God’s Spirit through the beauty of our world – such as that first light each morning. I spoke to the students about each of them having that light within them and our responsibility to use the light given to us by God for good – following in the footsteps of Christ to show love and compassion for all.

I am very pleased with the manner in which students have returned and congratulate them for the way they have started the year. I would also like to thank parents and carers for your support of the College in ensuring that students have returned to school properly attired, well-groomed and ready to learn.

Celebration of 2023 HSC Success

On Friday we welcomed back our top performing 2023 HSC students and their families for our annual “Celebration of HSC Success”. Our 2023 equal Dux’s – Luca Colarusso and Brendan Mabbutt addressed the College and spoke about how they developed a love of learning, the hard work and sacrifices needed to succeed whilst acknowledging the incredible teachers and the support they received at MCK to achieve their results. 

We are very proud of our 2023 graduating class who performed brilliantly in last year’s Higher School Certificate. A brief summary of the results and highlights are as follows:

• MCK achieved the highest learning growth for systemic schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney.
• 97% of all courses were above state average (31 out of 32).
• The average ATAR was an astonishing 82.13.
• 23 courses had an examination average above 80%.
• There were 118 Band 6 results (90-100%). 
• Two students were “All Rounders” achieving a band 6 in every subject studied.
• 54 students were distinguished achievers - achieving at least one band 6 result (above 90% in a course).
• 95% of all results were in bands 4, 5 and 6 (70% and above).

Congratulations to the following students who achieved an ATAR above 90:

We wish all our 2023 graduates all the best for the future, and we pray they will continue to see joy and success in the next phase of their lives.

New Staff 2024

We welcome several new staff to the College in 2024 who have come from a variety of schools and experiences. Our new staff are:

• Mr Harry Beeksma (Maintenance)
• Mrs Clarissa Cranney (Diverse Learning)
• Miss Alannah Gebron (Mathematics)
• Mrs Nicole Martinez (Science Lab Technician)
• Mr Michael Steel (HSIE)

We warmly welcome our new staff to the MCK community!

Washington Street Drop Offs and Pick Ups

Student safety is always the priority of the College. In both the mornings and afternoons, Washington Street can become very busy with parents dropping off/picking up their sons. Due to the fact that Washington Street is a dead-end, many parents perform three-point turns outside the school gates which can put students, staff and other parents at risk. I would ask all parents not to perform a three-point turn near the College gates in Washington Street in the interest of safety of all students and staff.

A better alternative is for students to be dropped off/picked up on Dunmore Street or at Seaforth Park and walk the short distance to and from the College.

I ask all parents to please always consider the safety of our students and staff when dropping off and picking up your sons.

Attached is a flyer about school zone rules and penalties.

Partnerships with Parents

One of the key aspects of success for young men in secondary school is a strong relationship between home and school. Please take the time to talk about what is happening at school with your son(s) and discuss their learning at home. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the College.

Communication from the College

Compass is the main form of communication and it is essential for parents and carers to use Compass to keep up to date with important information from the College. Along with our fortnightly College Newsletter, parents and carers can keep up to date with all that is happening around the College through our Facebook and Instagram pages. We use these social media sites to celebrate and promote the wonderful achievements of students.

I wish all students and College families a joyful and prosperous 2024.

May God bless all in our College community.

Mr Simon Ghantous 
College Principal

Assistant Principal’s Report

Welcome to the 2024 School Year

It was lovely to see the students return to the College after the holiday break.  A special welcome to those students and families who are joining the MCK community for the first time in 2024. I trust you are looking forward to the year ahead.

As always, the College's high expectations regarding engagement in learning, behaviour, and appearance apply.

Students are reminder of the importance of:

• wearing the full College Summer Uniform,
• follow all hair and grooming guidelines,
• attendance and punctuality to class,
• continued engagement in class work, and
• respectful behaviour towards all in our community.

The College is committed to providing a quality learning environment for all students that will encourage successful and active participants in our world.

I would commend the students for the way they have presented themselves, both the way they have worn their uniform and their grooming. A reminder that bracelets of any type (apart from medical bracelets), are not to be worn to school. Whilst we acknowledge that some of the bracelets being worn have religious significance, they are still not to be worn. Please refer to the uniform guidelines that are located in your diary in case of any uncertainty.

In 2024, we are invited by our Marist theme – First Light to recognise the world as the place in which we discover God. God’s Spirit is in Creation. The first words of God were “Let there be light” (Gen 1:3), and with that our world dawned into existence. We can recognise and experience God’s Spirit through the beauty and goodness of everything that the world holds and reveals. Saint Marcellin Champagnat believed that God’s Spirit was always present and at work in the world, inspiring his mission and giving strength to his purpose. We pray that the Holy Spirit illuminates our minds and hearts to recognise and know God’s presence in the breath-taking and ordinary encounters of our life. We pray that our lives will be transformed by God’s Spirit, making known the presence of God in the world.

Student Diary

All students received their College diary last week. I would encourage all students to familiarise themselves with the policies and procedures contained in the diary.

RESPECT - Code of Conduct

It is our expectation that all students adhere to the following Code of Conduct.

• Respect for our Faith
• Respect for Others
• Respect for Self
• Respect for Learning
• Respect for the College

Attendance

The regular attendance of students at school is important to ensure students achieve their full potential. Research has shown that academic success, employment and social outcomes are linked to the regular attendance of students at school. It is important that parents/carers work with the College to ensure a shared understanding of the importance of regular student attendance.  A student that is absent from school two days a term, will equate to eight days a year and one hundred and four days (approximately two terms) over their thirteen years of schooling.

Consequently, the College will acknowledge students with outstanding attendance each term. Leaders of Wellbeing will issue certificates to those students exhibiting excellence in attendance.

A reminder that the Attendance Rewards Day, at Raging Waters will take place again at the end of the year, acknowledging outstanding attendance by students.

Mobile Phone Policy

Students are reminded to ensure they are familiar with the College Mobile phone Policy. Students are permitted to bring mobile phones to the College. However, they are to remain off and out of sight from the time a student enters the College grounds until departure. Any student who uses a mobile phone will automatically receive an Assistant Principal Detention.

In the event of an emergency or should parents/carers need to contact their son during the school day, they are asked to contact the College Office who will ensure a message is passed on to your son. If a student needs to contact their parent/carer during the day, he is asked to go to the College Office to make the call.

Compass Checklist for Parents

As you are aware, the College uses the Compass platform.  A significant feature of this platform is the monitoring of student attendance between the hours of 8.45 am to 3.00 pm.

In order to assist the College maintain accurate student attendance records, parents/carers are requested to log in to Compass regularly and attend to the following matters:

1. Check for any unexplained absences for your son/s and add an Attendance Note for each absence.
2. Should your son be late to school due to attending an appointment, parents/carers are requested to add an Attendance Note.
3. If your son is absent for the whole day, an Attendance Note - stating the reason – must be entered by a parent/carer. If this is done at the beginning of the school day parents/carers will not receive a non-attendance SMS.
4. If a parent/carer receives an SMS regarding an absence, please add an Attendance Note by clicking on the link sent in the text message.

Parents/carers should be aware that any unexplained absences will appear on your son’s school reports.

2024 Update to Medical Action Plans

A reminder that parents are required to notify the College in writing of any changes to their son’s Medical Action Plan.

In addition, it is the responsibility of Parents/Carers to ensure that they are aware of the expiry date of any medication provided to the College.

2024 Media Consent Form/Student Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement

Your 2024 Media Consent Form / Student Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement is now available in Compass Insights. You will see an invitation to complete an Insights Cycle when you log into Compass. Click on the blue link to open the cycle, select your responses and ‘save’ - you will receive a ‘Thank you’ when completed. If you can’t see the link, go to the ‘More’ icon on the bottom right of your home page and then select ‘Insights’.

Only one parent from each family is required to complete the cycle and when finished the alert will disappear for the family. 

We look forward to an enjoyable year ahead.

Mrs Catherine Roebuck
Assistant Principal

Religious Education Coordinator

2024 College Theme 

The 2024 Marist theme FIRST LIGHT invites us to recognise the world as the place in which we discover and know God.  God’s Spirit is revealed through creation.  The first words of God in the Genesis story in the Bible were “Let there be light”, and with that we understand that the universe came into being. 

 As a member of this Marist school community, you are invited to recognise and experience God’s Holy Spirit through the beauty and goodness of everything that the world holds and reveals.

At times God’s Spirit can appear in dramatic bursts of light – through the brilliance of an electric sunrise that makes you fall momentarily still – when you recognise that the earth is indeed ‘charged’ with the glory of God! Sometimes it may be revealed in the darkest night when the weight of the world feels heaviest. Even the smallest light within us can shine brightest in the darkest times. God is revealed uniquely to each of us, just as the light falls on each rock in this 80- metre chasm, so too the Holy Spirit illuminates and reveals God’s presence to us – in the world and in each one of us.

Saint Marcellin Champagnat believed that God’s Spirit was always present and at work in the world, inspiring his mission and giving strength to his purpose.  It is this gift of the Spirit that we, as Marists, want to share with others, bringing people into the joy and freedom of the Light of Christ, the Source of all Light.

We pray that the Holy Spirit illuminates our minds and hearts to recognise and know God’s presence in the breath-taking and the ordinary encounters of our life.  We pray that our lives will be transformed by God’s Spirit, making known the presence of God in the world and within us.

2024 Opening School Mass

On Wednesday, 7 February the College came together to celebrate the Opening School Mass with our Parish Priest Fr Yacub Barakat. The celebration centred around the 2024 College Theme. 

Our students participated well and it highlighted the rich Marist Tradition that is present at the College, at MCK we celebrate well and together

It was a joyous way to start the new school year as we celebrated 115 Years of Marist College Kogarah!

Project Compassion 2024

Caritas Australia’s annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal is an extraordinary, ongoing demonstration of the faith, love and generosity of the Catholic congregation and caring supporters throughout Australia to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

The theme of Project Compassion 2024 is ‘For All Future Generations’. 

This year, the theme For All Future Generations is inspired by the story of the burning bush in the book of Exodus (Exodus 3:1–20). In this story, God tells Moses that he has heard the cry of the people. God responds to injustice and chooses Moses to speak to Pharaoh. 

Though Moses is afraid, God promises to be with him. Thus, God says, ‘By this name I shall be invoked for all future generations.’ As God called Moses, so now God calls us to work for all future generations.

For more over 55 years, Caritas Australia has worked together with many communities in Australia and around the world. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long term solutions to global issues.    

Starting on Monday, 19 February, we at MCK are sharing stories from many communities around the world to spread awareness on how Caritas aims to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable communities, supporting them to flourish and create opportunities for future generations to live to their full potential and thrive.

Money for Project Compassion will be collected in homerooms on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, from Monday, 19 February to Wednesday, 27 March. Thank you in advance for your support of this great initiative. 

Pancake Tuesday

On Tuesday 13 February, the College commenced its annual Caritas Lenten fundraising appeal, Project Compassion with a pancake morning. Traditionally on the day before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of the Lenten Liturgical season), people would gather all their rich food ingredients such as eggs, butter and sugar to make pancakes as Lent was associated as a season of fasting.

Students were encouraged to make a $2 donation for a delicious pancake, or $4 with a hot beverage, with all proceeds going towards the extraordinary work of Caritas overseas in the Asia-Pacific regions and at home in Australia. 

We raised $835.95 an exceptional amount demonstrating the College’s support for solidarity.

On behalf of the College community, I would like to thank all the families, teachers and students involved in this fundraiser!

Ms Lauren Abihanna
Religious Education Coordinator

Ash Wednesday 

On 14 February, the College celebrated Ash Wednesday. We began the season of Lent with Mass in the College Chapel at 8.00am.  Father Yacub commissioned the Year 12 students to facilitate the distribution of ashes in liturgies in all homerooms. 

The Year 12 students were outstanding. They were reverent and wonderful examples of faith filled young men.

Ash Wednesday began the season of Lent. During this time in the Church’s Liturgical Calendar, we are called to pray, fast and give alms. The Church encourages us at this time, to reflect on our attitudes, values and actions.  Lent is a time of the year wherein we prepare ourselves spiritually for Holy Week and commemorate the death of Jesus and celebrate His resurrection.

Ms Lauren Abihanna
Religious Education Coordinator

Leader of Teaching and Learning

Welcome back to all Students

As we embark on a new academic year filled with opportunities for growth, discovery, and achievement, we extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you. This year, our focus remains as always one of fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive and reach their fullest potential. We believe that education is not only about acquiring knowledge but also about nurturing curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and empathy – skills that are essential for success in our rapidly evolving world.

We hope everyone has a fantastic school year filled with opportunities for learning, exploration, and discovery!

Atomi - Senior Students Access

Last year the College in Term 4 was involved in a trial of Atomi, an online learning platform to support our students' learning. Due to the overwhelming positive response from our senior students and staff last year the College will be offering access to this online platform to our senior students in 2024.

This online platform offers a wide range of educational materials, including video lessons, practice questions, and interactive content, designed to reinforce and expand upon the topics covered in class. Students may like to utilize this resource to review and reinforce key concepts covered in their courses. The platform's video lessons and practice questions can also help solidify their understanding of material being studied in class. Some students may like to prepare for classes by reviewing material prior to class to enhance their understanding of syllabus content and key concepts  under the guidance of their teachers.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be speaking to our senior students in their Year meetings regarding how to maximize the use of this platform to support their senior studies. We encourage all students to make use of this platform to support their study routine and revision for assessments.

Elevate Education - Parent Webinars

This Year at the College we are excited to announce our participation in the Elevate Education Program. Elevate Education offers free parent webinars for parents every fortnight focusing on a different topic each time. These free 60-minute webinar series focus on strategies for study skills, motivation, well-being and exam preparation. By tuning into these webinars, you can help support your sons at home by reinforcing skills they are learning at school. Please find the schedule for the Elevate Education Parent Webinars Term 1. Please follow the link in the flyer to register. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any further questions.                                         

Mrs Gina Stavropoulos
Leader of Teaching and Learning

Leader of Student Wellbeing

Marist Mates

Year 7 have made a fantastic start to their journey at MCK. Transitioning to secondary school can pose many challenges for students. Among the range of things in place to assist with this transition, is the Peer Support program that we have named “Marist Mates”. The role of the Marist Mate is to show the younger boys the MCK way as well as providing them with an older peer that can support them when needed. Last Monday was the 1st of 5 sessions scheduled in Term 1 and all went extremely well!

MCK - School TV

As parenting doesn’t come with instructions, School TV is a wellbeing resource that can support you in the challenges relating to modern-day parenting.

This award-winning resource helps build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It can assist in starting conversations on topics that are sometimes awkward or difficult to tackle.

Here is the link to MCK School TV

Getaway

On Tuesdays and Fridays, the College runs “Getaway”. It is simply a place for students to go at recess and lunch to have a break from the hectic nature of the yard. Students can come to play board games, chess, Uno amongst other games.

Mr Shane Duff
Leader of Student Wellbeing

Welcome Year 7

There was a buzz of excitement as the new Year 7 students began their first day of Secondary education on Thursday, 1 February. They were greeted by our Student Leadership team, an energetic Year 7 Homeroom team, and staff who were as excited to meet them as they started their high school journey. The first day was a fabulous opportunity for the boys to ease their way into the routine and expectations of high school. With all their new books and school bag in tow, they returned with the rest of the College on Friday for a busy full day of lessons.

Since then, we have enjoyed our first afternoon of House Sport at Scarborough Park, singing practice with Year 12, Opening School Mass, Pancake Tuesday and a myriad of lessons. Each boy has coped exceptionally well and has shown resilience and impeccable organisation. Next week, Year 7 will attend Camp where they will have opportunities to build connections with their peers and participate in a range of activities from damper making to kayaking. 

I congratulate Year 7 on the amazing start to Year 7 and I look forward to watching them grow into Marist Men who strive for success in all that they do. 

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Ms Rebecca Lloyd
Year 7 Leader of Wellbeing

Visual Arts Success

Art Rules 2023/24

Over the Christmas break, the annual Art Rules exhibition was held at Hazelhurst Gallery Gymea. This year's exhibition showcased works by 20 talented local artists from high schools across St George and Sutherland Shire, including 2023 MCK graduate Darcy Duncan. Drawing from his own background as a theatre technician and designer, Darcy’s work ”Production”, explores the multiple experiences of theatre. His monochromatic photographs and video invite the viewer to encounter a range of unique perspectives, drawing attention to the often overlooked and unseen sides of production. Furthering his passion and career for theatre, Darcy is currently starting a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Technical Theatre and Stage Management at NIDA (The National Institute of Dramatic Art).

ARTEXPRESS 2024

Last Wednesday evening, the opening of ARTEXPRESS 2024 was held at the Art Gallery of NSW. Each year, NESA celebrates outstanding artworks developed for the art-making component of the HSC exam with the ARTEXPRESS series of exhibitions; the Art Gallery of NSW being the principal venue since 1989.​ Cristian Varvakis, MCK graduate of 2023, was honoured to have his work “Whispers of Light and Noise" selected in the showcase of just 50 works, chosen from the 8,660 Visual Arts major works submitted last year. Cristian, who is starting a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication at the University of Technology Sydney, used his graphic design and filmmaking skills to convey the beauty within the disorientation of the rare neurological condition of Visual Snow Syndrome. The free exhibition will be running at the gallery until 21 April 2024.

Mrs Katrina Appleyard
Visual Arts Teacher

Career Corner

TAFE NSW HSC & Tertiary Preparation Course

Many students come and see me that may be doing a Non-ATAR pathway in Years 11 and 12 but decide that they need an ATAR for their future career pathways.

TAFE NSW now have a HSC & Tertiary Preparation course at TAFE. No ATAR is required.

The nationally accredited Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation will prepare students for Diploma level and university study or entry into the Australian Defence Force. Recognised by educators and employers as an alternative pathway to Year 12, you will develop the technical, social and academic skills needed to perform at the next level of study.

Completing this course will provide you with:

• A nationally recognised qualification at a Certificate IV level
• A Tertiary Entrance Score (TES)
• A year 12 equivalent qualification

You can continue on your education journey with:

• Admission to university
• Entry to the Australian Defence Force
• Diploma or above qualifications

Click here for more information

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