Marist College Kogarah eNewsletter

Principal’s Report

Dear MCK Community,

It has been a very busy few weeks around the College with our Open Afternoon, NAPLAN, Public Speaking, various representative sports and much more.

College Open Afternoon

The College Open Afternoon was held this past Wednesday 13th of March. It was a fantastic evening with many visitors including prospective parents, future and current students and alumni. Our current students were remarkable ambassadors for the College, with over 200 volunteering to assist as tour guides, musicians, participating in sports and demonstrating classroom learning activities. I express my gratitude to all involved, especially the College staff who did such a wonderful job organising the various activities around the College.

Applications for Year 7, 2026 close on Friday, 5 April 2024.

Project Compassion

A reminder that during Lent we raise money for Project Compassion, through Caritas Australia, to support people living in some of the most vulnerable communities in the world. Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday we hold a collection in Homerooms where students can donate to this wonderful cause. Our target is to raise a total of $5000, which is approximately $5 per student across the six-week period. Please consider supporting the important work of Caritas through Project Compassion by reminding students to bring in some money to donate on these days. More information regarding Caritas and Project Compassion can be found at

Click here to visit the Caritas website

Marist Basketball Carnival

On Sunday, 24 March, our senior basketball team who will be travelling to the Gold Coast for the 32^nd annual Marist Basketball Carnival. The Carnival is being hosted by Trinity College Beenleigh and brings together Marist schools from around Australia who share a common set of values and beliefs founded by the Marist Brothers. Doing your best and competing in the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play are Marist values defining the identity of all Marist schools. We wish our senior team the best of luck and I thank Mr Kazanis and Mr Kounnas for coaching the team.

College Tutor Program

Our after-school tutoring program is now in its third year of operation. We have recently added high performing students from the recent 2023 Higher School Certificate to our group of tutors. A reminder that the tutoring program operates from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and is free for all students. Senior students can book individual tutors to get extra assistance with specific subjects. Junior students can simply attend and ask tutors for help with their studies and homework. It is remarkable to see over 100 students each afternoon in the College Library work with high performing ex-students and I encourage all students to make use of this after school program to further support their learning.

A New Agricultural Garden

The refurbishment of the junior toilets and the development of our new science laboratory and timber workshop have been great additions to the College this year. We are currently in the process of developing an agricultural garden which will be used for Food Technology and Science. The new agricultural garden will be open for use soon and includes multiple garden beds and a greenhouse and it will certainly be another great resource for student learning. Over the course of 2024 we will be investigating the opportunity for more refurbishment of general classrooms and IT facilities.

Student Achievements

There are always many achievements of students at MCK to recognise and celebrate. Over the past few weeks, we have seen MCK students have success in academics, the arts, sports, public speaking and more. I offer my congratulations to all students for their attitude and engagement in learning this term. In particular, I would like to recognise Year 7, who have started their secondary school journey superbly and we are very proud of the way they have settled into the College. I would also like to congratulate all students who are representing MCK in the SCS summer sports competitions. I encourage you to follow our College Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up with the wonderful achievements of students.

May God bless all staff, students and families

Mr Simon Ghantous
College Principal

Assistant Principal’s Report

Respect

As we are just halfway through Term 1, I take this opportunity to remind all students of the College expectations regarding the Code of Conduct.

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

As always, the College's high expectations regarding engagement with others, learning, behaviour, and appearance apply. Students are reminded of the importance of respectful behaviour towards all in our community, wearing the uniform well, following College rules and guidelines as outlined in the Student Diary, punctuality to class, and continued engagement in class work.

Attendance at College Events

Students are required to attend all College events including but not limited to, excursions, swimming carnival, athletics carnival, reflection days, retreats, camps and community days. If your son is absent on any of these days, he will require a Doctor’s Certificate to explain his absence.

Subsequently, the College will acknowledge students with outstanding attendance each term. Leaders of Wellbeing will issue certificates to those students exhibiting outstanding attendance. A reminder that the Attendance Rewards Day, at Raging Waters will take place again this year, acknowledging outstanding attendance by students.

Not Present/Late to School

Just a reminder to parents, if you received a Not Present/Late to School letter last week, that you are required to add an Attendance Note in Compass providing reasons for these unexplained absences. Failure to do so will result in his attendance record reflecting unexplained absences. All unexplained absences will be recorded on your son’s semester reports.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs Catherine Roebuck
Assistant Principal

Religious Education Coordinator

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 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 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from Monday, 19 February to Wednesday, 27 March. Thank you in advance for your support of this great initiative.

Night Patrol @ MCK

On Tuesday, 5 March, Matais Socca, Marcus Edwards, Harry Koralis and Kosta Marangos of Year 11 took part in night patrol, an initiative that proved to be a truly enriching experience. Venturing beyond the familiar confines of their academic pursuits, these students embraced the opportunity to connect with the broader community. Throughout the night, they encountered a diverse array of individuals from various walks of life, each interaction providing a unique perspective and deepening their understanding of the world around them. The night patrol experience not only bolstered our students' commitment to community service but also underscored the importance of empathy, tolerance, and open-mindedness. As they shared stories, offered assistance, and built connections with fellow community members, our students found that the rewards of this endeavour were not just in ensuring safety but in fostering a stronger, more interconnected community. Thank you to Mr Kounnas, Ms Diakanastasis and Mrs Rowe for accompanying the students.

If your son is 16 years old or more and is interested in this social justice initiative please either contact myself or Mr Ward for signing up information.

Archbishop Student Leadership Luncheon

On Tuesday 7 March, Thomas Rudder and Raphael Dokos, The College Ministry Prefects represented the College at a student leadership luncheon with the Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP. The event provided an opportunity for fellowship and discussion and, in particular, leadership without virtue is nothing. Students had a most enjoyable day.

Meeting the Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher OP was a profound and enlightening experience. We were called upon to deeply reflect on the role of prayer within our personal leadership roles and to consider avenues for its deeper integration in both our schools and personal life as Christians. The Archbishop challenged us to explore innovative ways to make prayer a pivotal part of our educational environment as well as how prayer can impact the lives of others, seen in the Gospels and especially relevant for the turbulence of the contemporary world as instructed by Pope Francis. The opportunity to engage with him directly, asking questions about the various challenges to our faith in today's world, was insightful and impactful. It was a moment of both spiritual reflection and practical guidance that left a lasting impact on how we perceive the role of prayer in education, faith and community.

Thomas Rudder and Raphael Dokos
Ministry Prefects

Year 7 and Marist Mates Mass

On Wednesday morning, 6 March, Fr Yacub our Parish Priest celebrated the Eucharist with the Year 7 Homeroom Teachers, the Year 7 cohort and their Marist Mates. Each fortnight every cohort will have the opportunity to celebrate mass in the College Chapel at 8:10am on a Wednesday, however all students are welcome to attend any service. Thank you again to Fr Yacub for always being available to our College Community and for being a model for staff and students. It was a lovely way to start the day especially during this season on Lent.

Year 7 Q&A with Fr Yacub

On Friday 8th March Fr Yacub visited 7REL1 and 7REL4 to discuss our current unit "What it means to be Catholic". Father spoke about his life journey as a Priest and answered many questions from a very enthusiastic audience! Some of the questions Father answered included "Why do people turn away from God?"; "What challenges do Priests face?" and “How can I follow in the footsteps of Jesus?" Father spoke of his love of teaching young people and how much he enjoys visiting MCK classes. We are so appreciative of Father giving of his time and look forward to having him in class next term as we explore Sacred Scripture..

Mrs Joanne Danzey
Religious Education Teacher

Interested in becoming a Catholic?

We extend a warm invitation to families who are interested in exploring the Catholic faith or participating in the sacraments (Reconciliation, Confirmation, Holy Communion). If you or your family members wish to learn more about Catholicism or express a desire to engage in the sacraments, we encourage you to reach out to either myself or Mr. Ward. We will then pass your names to Father Yacub who will be able to support you in the St Joseph’s Parish, Rockdale.

Easter Mass Times

Please see below the Easter mass times for the parishes of St Mary MacKillop's Parish, Rockdale City and St Gabriel's Parish, Bexley.

Ms Lauren Abihanna
Religious Education Coordinator

Leader of Teaching and Learning

NAPLAN Examinations

All Year 7 and 9 students commenced their NAPLAN exams this week. The exams went smoothly, and the boys should be commended for their commitment and striving to do their best. These exams will continue into Week 7 as per the schedule that can be found on Compass. Students are reminded that they must have a charged laptop, wired headphones (NO wireless earpods). Students need to bring their equipment for their other classes that they have on these days.

NAPLAN data is part of a variety of assessment opportunities that the College uses to:

provide information to help teachers better understand our student’s performance on literacy and numeracy measures.
assist our teachers with information to identify the learning needs of our students and design lessons that target their learning gaps.

It has been a very busy start for all students this year with the examinations being held earlier in the year now.

A huge thank you to all the teachers who acted as NAPLAN Test Administrators and the respective year groups Leaders of Wellbeing Ms Lloyd and Ms Gomes for all their help organizing and supporting all the students.

Year 12 Assessment Block

Next week Year 12 commences their Assessment block; the timetable for these assessments can be found on Compass. Year 12 can be a challenging year for students, and it is natural for them to feel nervous. It is important for students to maintain a positive mindset and believe all their hard work and perseverance will allow them to achieve their own personal success.

As I stated in the last Newsletter, breaking down study sessions into manageable chunks to avoid feeling overwhelmed can help support students' stress. One of the most effective ways students can prepare for exams is practicing past papers to help identify where they may need to focus revision. All students can access past papers on NESA websites along with papers provided with the guidance of their teachers. Also, this year all students have access to ATOMI online platform for relevant subjects which can also be useful for revising concepts and completing online quizzes and exams.

Most importantly students need to believe in themselves and their hard work approaching their assessments with confidence. Students are particularly encouraged to seek the guidance of their teachers if they require any assistance. The school community wishes all students all the best!

Elevate Parent Webinars

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.

Mrs Gina Stavropoulos
Leader of Teaching and Learning

CSDA Public Speaking

Last Friday, 8 March, Year 7 student Matteo Colarusso attended the Zone Final for The CSDA Public Speaking Competition at Aquinas College in Menai.

The competition was fierce with each of the 12 students present having learned their speech off by heart and delivering it with passion, enthusiasm and humour.

Matteo represented the College brilliantly with his intelligent insight on the topic 'Stop, listen' where he employed the analogies of the Titanic sinking because the captain failed to 'Stop, [and] Listen' to the warnings about the iceberg - and the brilliant mind of Einstein, after having the apple falling on his head, having 'Stop[ped], [and] Listen[ed] to his curiosity rather than 'simply eating the apple'. Brilliantly interweaving the idea that world crises being averted if leaders would only 'Stop, Listen' to each other; disasters being avoidable 'the unsinkable became the unthinkable'; and genius being based on listening to one's curiosity, Matteo impressed the adjudicator and made it through to the Grand Final this coming week at OLMC Parramatta!

All students who represented the College are to be commended for their speeches. Joseph Minns presented a polished and confident speech which was an original take on the changes to the way we consume media. Year 7 had the best speech delivery in Sven Da Silva's clever take on 'Stop Look Listen' using M.Scott Peck's concept of 'serendipity', and Dominic Galvan was first runner up in the Year 8 group with his inspirational and charming exhortation to never give up. Particular mention needs to go to Ryan Morton who was competitively swimming from the crack of dawn and delivered a funny and brilliant speech that fell microscopically short of making it through.

I would also like to extend a huge thanks to Mr Ghantous, Mr Pentecost and Ms Plummer for their support on the night; Ms Hesson and Ms Davies for their coaching assistance to the boys, and of course our wonderful adjudicator Mr Chantler.

Our best wishes go to Matteo on Friday - we are all very proud of you!

Ms Tracey Adamson
Assistant Leader of Learning - English

The Great Outdoors

On Friday, 8 March, The Great Outdoors students from Years 9 and 10 attended their first excursion since the subject's inception in 2023.

It was both an educational and challenging experience for all students involved.

Under professional climbers' expert guidance, the students learnt how to assist their peers while climbing, bouldering and caving safely.

They accepted the challenge with both hands and pushed each other to overcome the physical and psychological barriers they encountered.

These authentic experiences allow the students to broaden their horizons and lay the foundations for a lifetime of health and well-being.

As we continue to facilitate the curriculum throughout the semester, all boys are excited for the adventures that await them in the coming months.

Mr Frank Azar and Mr Chris Raptis

SCS Portrait Prize – Virtual Exhibition

The Virtual Gallery for the Sydney Catholic Schools 2024 Portrait Prize is now open on the Artsteps website. The gallery showcases unique portraits created last year by students across Sydney Catholic Schools, including Taylin Hubbard (Year 8), Everett Su (Year 8) and Samuel Dimovski (Year 12). Students were asked to create a portrait of a person who is special to them, and who plays a significant role in their life.

Taylin Hubbard

The Frustrated Brother

“I have drawn a portrait of my brother, to show his frustrated side. He loves drawing, mostly drawing deadpool. I have used graphite pencils and an Artline to outline some areas and also to create texture to the art. I’ve drawn him because he loves drawing like me. We have a special and strong bond and he's the only person to be funny, weird and crazy in a good way to be my brother.”

Everett Su

The Rainbow Girl

“This is a colourful picture that I have drawn of my sister, Maplelyn. I drew her because she is a kind and caring person. I named this picture the Rainbow Girl because my sister loves the rainbow and the rainbow suits her personality. What inspired me the most was the colour rainbow as this colour represents my sister's personality pretty well. My sister is a fun person too, she will always do the funny weirdest thing at home. She is the best sister ever.”

Samuel Dimovski

My Grandfather

“I decided to draw my Grandfather who recently passed away from dementia. His name is Dedo Georgi and his life began on the 20th of November 1941, born into a family of ten in Gorno Orizari Bitola, Macedonia. In 1966, he made the courageous decision to seek a better life for his family in Australia. The portrait is important to me because it serves as a reminder of the sacrifices he made for his family and how his lasting memories were stolen from him by this incurable disease. The portrait demonstrates this as he gazes into the distance.”

Ms Katrina Appleyard
Visual Arts Teacher

Leader of Student Wellbeing

Student Attendance

“Every day counts and there is no ‘safe’ threshold for absences” – Hancock et al., 2013

Student attendance since the Covid lockdown has been slowly recovering to levels that give students the best chance of success both academically and socially. Student attendance builds connectedness (why community events hold significant importance) to the school, facilitating improved learning and academic success. The current rate of attendance this term at MCK is 94.7% Our target is 95% and above.

There is an abundance of research on the topic of student attendance and its impact on achievement:

“...Irrespective of the reasons, the evidence is clear – non-attendance affects student outcomes in profound and significant ways. The effects of non-attendance are cumulative and if they begin in the early years of schooling, they persist into future years… In particular, unauthorised absences are strongly associated with compounding declines in achievement and engagement.” (AITSL)

“Teacher quality is the single most important in-school factor influencing student achievement (Hattie, 2009). However, the relationship between teacher quality and student achievement is mediated by the amount of time students spend in the classroom. Irrespective of the reasons for absences, non-attendance affects student outcomes.” (AITSL)

Student attendance is a high priority for MCK given the research around the impact on student achievement and connectedness. We are monitoring attendance closely and those with the highest rates will be rewarded with a day out at “Raging Waters” in Term 4.

Hancock, K. J., Shepherd, C. C. J., Lawrence, D., & Zubrick, S. R. (2013). Student attendance and educational outcomes: Every day counts. Report for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Canberra. https://doi. org/10.13140/2.1.4956.6728

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of 800+ meta-analyses on achievement. London: Routledge.

Mr Shane Duff
Leader of Student Wellbeing

Sports Report

SCS Conference 3 Representative Sports have reached the halfway mark of their seasons in Touch Football, Basketball and European Handball. Our MCK Swim squad recently represented the College at the SCS Conference 3 Swimming Carnival and the whole school participated in our annual College swimming carnival.

Touch Football

Senior Team

Round 3 - Cancelled due to extreme heat.

Round 4 saw the senior touch team travel to Carss Park looking to keep their undefeated streak going. A solid defensive effort again was something the boys could be proud of as they managed to defeat a scoreless Saint Aloysius Cronulla 9-0. The senior squad have shown that they can be silky in attack yet committed in defence which is a pleasure to see as a coach. Sam Duncombe took out man of the match after a selfless game in both attack and defence which exemplifies the sides talent. It is exciting to picture how the side will progress through the season in an attempt to remain undefeated and become conference champions.

Mr Jake Gallagher and Mrs Helen Tarabay
Coaches

Intermediate Team

Round 3 - Cancelled due to extreme heat.

Round 4 - BYE

Mr Luke Rodriguez
Coach

Junior Team

Round 3 - Cancelled due to extreme heat.

Round 4 of the Junior Touch Football Competition saw Marist College Kogarah take on Saint Aloysius Cronulla. This was the first time this season where Marist College Kogarah were able to field a full-strength junior team. Positions in the junior team were tightly contested and the starting team of Jayden Taylor, Adrian, Alex, Jayden Tuione, Jarryd and Samuel got off to a flyer with Adrian scoring some early tries. Led through the middle by Jayden Tuione driving the team down the field and into try scoring positions. The boys on the bench continued the roll on with Jonah Selui scoring a double. Kogarah ran out 13-2 winners. Special mention to Michael Pappas who in the previous game played on despite having a fractured finger. Also, Tyler Parnell dislocated his thumb against Saint Aloysius. We hope to have these boys back in the team before the end of the season.

Mr Chris Raptis
Coach