College Newsletter - 10 May 2024
Principal’s Report
Welcome to the latest edition of our College newsletter which features information on what has been happening in our community over the past fortnight.
Term 2 is an important time for students with assessment tasks, Semester One reports and parent/ teacher interviews. I encourage all parents and carers to have regular discussions with your sons about their effort and application and encourage them to always work hard to improve their academic results.
It is a very special time at the College during Term 2 as we celebrate our Founder St Marcellin Champagnat with our Founders Day Mass and the annual College Walkathon. Term 2 also sees the commencement of a new representative sporting season in Football, Rugby League and All Abilities Oz-Tag along with the 2024 Debating season and a new representative Chess competition. I congratulate all students who are wearing the Red and White and representing the College and wish them the best of luck in the competitions this term.
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is such a special time where we show our appreciation and love for our mothers, grandmothers and other significant mother figures. I wish all the mothers in our community a very happy Mother’s Day for this Sunday. The Mother’s Day Mass and morning tea was a wonderful celebration of motherhood and I thank those who attended this special occasion.
After School Martial Arts Program
During Term 2, MCK is hosting a Sydney Catholic Schools after school Martial Arts program in partnership with the Australian Martial Arts Academy for students in Years 4 to 9. The program runs for 5 weeks commencing on Wednesday, 29 May in the Marist Centre. Students from Years 7,8 and 9 from the College are invited to register.
The details are as follows:
Date: Wednesdays (Term 2 - Weeks 5 - 9) 29 May, 5 June, 12 June, 19 June, 26 June
Venue: Marist College Kogarah – Marist Centre
Time: 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Cost : $50
Registration for this program close on Thursday, 16 May.
For detailed information and to secure a spot click on this link.
Parent Survey
Later this term we will be inviting parents and carers to provide feedback on their experience of our College through the annual online survey called Tell Them From Me (TTFM). The survey is an important part of our whole school evaluation and planning processes for the future. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community, we would greatly appreciate your feedback by completing the survey. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to continue to improve student learning and wellbeing at the College. More information will be coming through Compass and the newsletter later in the term.
Timor-Leste Immersion
On Tuesday evening students and parents of Year 10 and 11 attended an information session for our 2024 Immersion to Timor-Leste. Thank you to those students who have shown an interest in such an exciting opportunity. The Immersion will take place in the September/October school holidays and will involve both students and staff visiting communities and seeing the great work of Australian Marist Solidarity in Timor-Leste and how MCK has contributed through fundraising to the development of local schools. The immersion aims to provide students with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Catholic Social Teachings and Marist charism and experience the work of the Marist community in Timor-Leste.
May God bless all staff, students and families.
Mr Simon Ghantous
College Principal
Assistant Principal’s Report
I hope that all families enjoyed the school holiday period. I congratulate students on the wonderful start to Term 2. We began the term with our ANZAC Day Ceremony led by the College leaders. The students were extremely respectful.
Term 2 is an important time in the College calendar. Assessment tasks, Semester One reports and Parent/Teacher interviews all take place during this term. Assessment Booklets are located on Compass under the “Community” tab, “School Documentation”. Students and parents/careers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the respective Assessment Booklets.
Lockdown/Evacuation Drill
This term, the College will be participating in a Lockdown/Evacuation Drill in accordance with the Sydney Catholic Schools Work Health and Safety Review. Students have been briefed on what to do in the event of a Lockdown/Evacuation and the expectations required of them.
Not Present/Late to School
Just a reminder to parents, that if your son is going to be late to school or is absent from school you are required to add an Attendance Note in Compass to explain this absence/lateness. This week, the College emailed those parents whose sons have had unexplained absences this year. Those parents 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.
Tutor Program
The College Tutor program resumed this week. It is available for all students to access on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons in the College Library from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm.
Students in Years 7 -10 are not required to book a tutor and should arrive at the library at 3.00 pm if they wish to seek help from a tutor. Students in Years 11 and 12 may book a tutor. The Tutor Roster was shared with them in Week 1. Please encourage your sons to access this support.
A reminder to all parents to make suitable arrangements for your sons to get home after the Library closes at 5.00 pm. There is no supervision at the College from 5.00 pm and students are not to remain on the premises after this time.
Student Equipment
A reminder to parents that students should attend school with all required equipment for that day. Please ensure your son brings a fully charged laptop to school, as the College chargers have not been returned and are consequently no longer available to students.
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is a special time where we give thanks for our mothers in our lives and show appreciation for all they have done for us. The Mother’s Day Mass was held today at 9.30 am in the Marist Centre. It was wonderful to see so many mothers celebrating with their sons.
I look forward to working with you and your son this term.
Mrs Catherine Roebuck
Assistant Principal
Religious Education Coordinator
ANZAC Ceremony
On Monday, 29 April the College Community remembered the soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the ANZACS, who landed and fought on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey early on the morning of 25 April 1915 during the First World War.
Marist College Kogarah, in its earlier days, had a long tradition of Army Cadets. Jake Steel, Filipp Guerrieri and Emmanuel Raptis of Year 10 formed part of the Catafalque Party. A very special thank you to Captain Hook without whom, this procession of cadets, would not have been possible.
We remember with gratitude all men and women who have fought and died in all wars. May their sacrifice never be forgotten, and may we continue to cherish the freedom that they fought so hard to secure. May leaders everywhere work for lasting peace, true justice, tolerance and understanding among all people. May they come to know that true peace is the peace of Christ. We remember them.
Kogarah RSL - ANZAC Ceremony
On Thursday, 25 April students from MCK represented the College at the annual Kogarah RSL ANZAC commemorative service. Students were accompanied by Mr Ghantous and Mr Kalodikis, Year 12 Leader of Wellbeing, they marched in the procession and laid a wreath to commemorate all men and women who have fought and died in all wars.
Year 10 Reflection Day
On Friday, 3 May Year 10 students and staff participated in the Year 10 Reflection Day at Stanwell Tops Conference Centre. The students participated in some team building activities in the great outdoors and then took some time to service the wider community through an indoor sess. Facilitated by SCS Church Engagement Team and Special Guest Speaker Chris Lee, Director Secretariat for Clergy for the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay. Students discussed important issues around decision making.
Many thanks to Mr Kazanis, the Year 10 Leader of Wellbeing, Mrs Roebuck, Mr Ward, Mr Ziegenfusz, Ms Gebron, Mr Lauria, Ms Kirk, Ms Trist, Mr Kounnas, Mr Athanaseris and Mr Saludo that accompanied us on the day. A great day was had by all!
Night Patrol @ MCK
On Tuesday, 30 April Jayden Lim, Nikolas Giitsidis and William Cohen 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 O’Brien, Mr Rodriguez and Mrs Danzey 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.
YMC Events
Please see below a flyer for an upcoming Youth Night that will be run at St Declan's Parish in Penshurst.
If you would like any further details or would like to attend please see Mr Ward in Room 17.
Walk with Christ
Feast of Our Lady of Fatima
Ms Lauren Abihanna
Religious Education Coordinator
Leader of Teaching and Learning
Year 7 Elevate Program
On Wednesday, 8 May students completed the second workshop of three organised for Year 7 this year. The program in conjunction with student’s teachers plays a role in helping students transition smoothly to high school, fostering study skills and building resilience and confidence. This week's workshop focused on time management and its importance in managing high school assessments. The workshop looked at developing the skills of how to create a study routine, prioritising tasks and creating study timetables. Year 7 will be currently receiving their first assessment tasks in high school which can be challenging for students as they transition to more formal assessment. The program aims to support students to manage these challenges. I encourage parents to make contact with their son’s teachers if they have any concerns.
Elevate Education - Parent Webinars
This year the College has partnered with Elevate Education to offer learning opportunities for parents on how to support their son’s learning. 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 2 along with the link on where to register. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any further questions.
Debating
This week the College hosted the first week of the debating competition. The school's debating teams showcased their skills and passion for persuasive argumentation. The opening round required students to debate relevant contemporary issues. Students demonstrated impressive knowledge and delivered compelling arguments with confidence and conviction. Congratulations to our Year 7 team who won their first round!
As the competition progresses, we wish all the boys representing the College success. Thank you to Ms Plummer, Mr Pentecost, Ms Gomes, Ms Heeson, Mr Steel and Mr Chantler for coaching the teams and adjudicating. Also, a big thank you to Ms Adamson for her coordination of the competition.
College Debating Teams:
Year 7 | Matteo Colarusso |
Year 8 | Dominic Galvan |
Year 9 | William Sozomenou |
Year 10 | Alexander Theofilopoulos |
Senior Teams | Anantan Pilakkot Ryan Morton |
Year 12 Parent/Teacher Night
Year 12 parents will have an opportunity next Tuesday, 14 May, to discuss their son’s progress with their teachers. These interviews are a great way for parents to meet their son’s teachers and have important conversations about their learning. This will allow parents to raise concerns or queries regarding the progress of their son in this important HSC year moving towards Trial Examinations in Term 3.
The partnerships we foster between school and home are key in ensuring we provide each student the opportunity to reach their full potential. I encourage parents to ask questions and seek clarity around the learning intentions and goals of your son’s. Our teachers are passionate about their specialist subjects and care about each of their students. The College offers a variety of Intervention Programs at school along with our Tutor Program after school to support all boys to reach their learning goals and aspirations. By building positive relationships we can create a partnership to help support all students to reach their potential in this challenging HSC year.
Mrs Gina Stavropoulos
Leader of Teaching and Learning
Leader of Student Wellbeing
An Evening with Jason Evert
The Sydney Catholic Schools Family Wellbeing and Education team invites parents and staff to attend the Parenting for Life and Love presentation “Raising respectful kids in a highly sexualised world”.
The guest presenter is the internationally acclaimed and best-selling author Jason Evert.
This free event will be Jason's only talk for teachers and parents in Sydney, so don’t miss out. Please register your attendance here.
Date: Monday, 20 May 2024
Time: 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm
Location: Canterbury Leagues Club, 26 Bridge Road, Belmore
Arrival: Light supper served from 6.15 pm – 7.00 pm
Online Safety
As parents and carers, we encourage you to play an active role in your child’s online life. Having conversations, being curious and getting involved can help anticipate when they might need support and advice. Among the many concerns regarding being safe online is maintaining the privacy of personal information, online photos and social media identity. The E Safety Commissioner website provides some outstanding advice on a range of matters regarding online issues. Please see the link below to access the information specific to maintaining online privacy.
Mr Shane Duff
Leader of Student Wellbeing
Sport Report
Sydney Catholic Schools Representative Sport is underway for Term 2. In Week 1 of the Term we had our Junior, Intermediate and Senior A Football teams begin their seasons, whilst our other representative teams completed their final trials. Let’s see how our three Football A teams went in Round 1.
Football (Soccer)
Senior A Team
The MCK Senior team had a positive start to their season. The first half was a game where both teams had a number of chances to take the lead but did not find the target. The last 10 minutes of the half the keepers from both teams pulled off good saves. Lucas Elek pulled off a great save late in the half from a long range shot that was bound for the top corner of the net.
The second half we started well, having the majority share of possession for a long period. A great team passing move with Jake Laskovski setting off on a fantastic run beating 2 players and taking the ball into the box only to be tripped over. Penalty awarded to us which Jake confidently took himself 1-0 up. The half continued with both teams having a few more chances. However, with just a minute left on the clock, Revesby on the attack, we failed to clear the ball from defence. With many players from both teams crowded in our goal area a shot from Revesby was deflected and looped into the net. The whistle blew soon after with the game finishing 1-1.
Mr Simon Fisher
Coach
Intermediate A Team
The MCK Intermediate team had a really good first hit out against Revesby. Their game was away at Playford Park. The score was nil all at half time, but we were more dominant and passing the ball well. In the second half we got a free kick on the edge of the box which Peter Samos took beautifully, he slotted it around the wall and into the left corner of the goal, which the keeper could not save. They had a few chances which hit the woodwork in the last 10 minutes, but we managed to hold on for a solid one nil win in our first game. We still have lots of improvement in us in the next few games. I look forward to the next few games, building momentum and having a big run into the finals again this year.
Mr Paul O’Brien
Coach
Junior A Team
The Junior A Football team had a really good first game against Revesby. Their game was away at Playford park. The score 9-0 with MCK leading 6-0 at half time. A special shoutout to Gabriel Danil who scored a first half hat trick and ensured the result never looked in doubt. Despite the large win there is still room for improvement, and this will come throughout the season as combinations develop and skills refined. I look forward to seeing what this competition has in store for the boys.
Mr Ryan Ziegenfusz
Coach
Table Tennis Gala Day
Marist College Kogarah had 18 students participate in the SCS Conference 3 Table Tennis Gala Day on Wednesday, 8 May. This consisted of two Junior teams plus two reserves, three Intermediate teams and two Senior teams plus two reserves. Great skill and sportsmanship were displayed from all students throughout the day and by the end of the round games we had 4 of our teams qualify for the semi-finals (John Chronis and Declan Utomo in the Juniors, Jacob Milloy and Daniel Carino in the Intermediates, Harry Zhao and Oliver Sarar in the Intermediates, Benjamin Jaja and Jonathan Lamproglou in the Seniors).
Benjamin and Jonathan put their best foot forward in their semi-final but unfortunately went down 3 sets to 1 against St Patricks and then lost to De La Salle Revesby 3 sets to 2 in their battle for 3rd place.
Harry and Oliver went down 3-2 in a nail biter against De La Salle Caringbah in their semi-final but then managed to claim 3rd place in the Intermediates beating Caringbah’s other side 3-2.
Jacob and Daniel won their semi-final against Caringbah 3 sets to 2 but then unfortunately were outclassed by the other Caringbah side in the Final. The boys claimed second place.
The highlight of the day was watching Declan and John in the Junior boys semi-final making light work of Marist Penshurst 3-1 to then go on and retain the Junior Boys Table Tennis Conference 3 Championship with a 3-1 win against St Patricks.
Well done to all involved on the day and a congratulations to all placegetters.
Declan Utomo, John Chronis, Jacob Milloy and Daniel Carino will now progress to the SCS Table Tennis Championships which will take place in Week 6 this term.
Mr Jason Booth
Sports Coordinator
Career Corner
Information Evenings
The University of Sydney Year 12 Information Evening 22 May 4-7pm On Campus, 23 May 6-7:30pm Online Explore the iconic campus and learn about university entry, scholarships, study options and more at the information evening for Year 12 students and their caregivers. The event includes a tour, course advice exhibition and information sessions. Can’t make it in person? Join the online session on the 23 May. Visit this link.
The University of Sydney Music and Sydney College of the Arts Portfolio Evening Encourage students to get advice regarding portfolios for Music and Visual Arts degrees at The University of Sydney. For more information regarding the online Music portfolio evening, visit this link
Western Sydney University at Careers Expos The Future Student Engagement team are at major expos over the coming months, answering questions, providing advice about courses, highlighting early offer programs and pathways, and more. Upcoming Careers Expos: Illawarra 7–8 May, Sutherland 9 May, GWS: 22-23 May, HSC and Careers Expo: 30 May–1 June, Macarthur: 6 June and Western Sydney Careers Expo: 27-29 June.
HSC and Careers Expo 2024
30 May, 31 May, 1 June
Winx Stand, Royal Randwick Racecourse
Exhibitors include:
- universities, TAFE colleges and training providers
- providers of HSC resources, information and services
- organisations with apprenticeship information and opportunities
- organisations with employment opportunities
- organisations with cadetship opportunities
- career advisers and student support services
- providers of tutoring services, lecture and study skills programs
- providers of international exchange and GAP year programs
- providers of youth services and programs
Click here for more information.
Western Sydney Careers Expo 2024
27, 28, 29 June
The Dome, Sydney Showground
Our exhibitors are:
- universities, TAFE colleges and training providers
- providers of VCE resources, information and services
- organisations with apprenticeship information and opportunities
- organisations with employment opportunities
- organisations with cadetship opportunities
- career advisers and student support services
- providers of tutoring services, lecture and study skills programs
- providers of international exchange and GAP year programs
- providers of youth services and programs
Careers Newsletter
Mr Peter Fitzpatrick
Careers/VET Leader of Learning
Community Announcements
Lowes 3 Day Sale
