2 June 2023

Principal’s Report

Dear parents and carers,

It has been a busy past few weeks at the College with Semester One assessments and events such as our Athletics Carnival that was held at Sylvania last Monday. The Athletics Carnival was a fantastic event and I congratulate students for their participation, enthusiasm and exceptional conduct. There were a number of students who did not attend the day. I ask all parents and carers to support the College by ensuring your sons attend such events as sports carnivals, the walkathon and other community days. These days matter – they bring our community together and are part of the broader educational experience for students – and they are compulsory to attend.

Champagnat Day

Next week is a very important time for the College where we celebrate our history and the founder of the Marist Brothers, Marcellin Champagnat. The celebrations include our annual Champagnat Mass on Tuesday along with our talent show “Kogarah’s Got Talent”. The week will conclude with the College Walkathon on Friday which is our major fundraiser for the year. The money we raise will go to several Catholic charitable organisations including:

• Marist Solidarity for their work in building a new school in Timor-Leste;
• Marist 180 for their work with young people at risk;
• St Vincent De Paul who provide food, clothing and emergency accommodation for the homeless and needy and
• The Catholic Education Foundation who support families in need and to ensure opportunities are provided for all students to enjoy the benefits of a Catholic education in Sydney.

An important part of every Catholic school is educating students in Catholic Social Teachings - providing a challenge for living responsibly and the building of a just society. For us here at MCK, that includes teaching students about the plight of others in our world and how we can act to support others in need. I ask all students and families to respond to the call to engage in the Walkathon as we raise money for these important charitable organisations who provide vital support for people in need.

I am very much looking forward to the wonderful celebrations of Champagnat Day and the Walkathon next week and I encourage all students to get involved.

Alumni BBQ

Over the course of the past year the College has been developing our Alumni project where we aim to build connections with ex-students and hold events to give opportunities to bring our vast network of ex-students together. Over the course of the year, we have had groups of Alumni from various graduating years visit the College after hours and last Saturday we held an Alumni BBQ for ex-students to return to the College. It was a fantastic day with ex-students from many graduating years in attendance from 1954 through to 2022 – 68 years of graduates. There were amazing stories of MCK glory and interesting conversations about the similarities and differences of schooling today compared to yesteryear. I thank all those involved in the organisation of the day and our current staff and student leaders who attended and helped out. For our next Alumni event we are planning an ex-student mass at the College later in the year.

Parent Survey

The Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Parent Survey is now open. This survey invites parents and carers to provide feedback on your experience of our College. As we truly 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 with you in partnership and continue to improve student learning and wellbeing at the College. The survey is open until Friday, 16 June and a link to the survey can be found here and on Compass.

Mr Simon Ghantous
College Principal

Assistant Principal’s Report

College Walkathon

As part of the Champagnat Day celebrations, on Friday, 9 June 2023 the College will once again be holding its major fundraiser for the year - the College Walkathon. Details regarding raising sponsorship and student participation on the actual day are outlined below.

Fundraising

This year we will be using an online donation system called trybooking. Please click on this link to access the online donation system. Families will be able to access trybooking from Thursday, 25 May until Wednesday, 7 June 2023.

Each student is encouraged to raise a minimum of $25. There will be a 5km "dash" (running the Walkathon course) to start the day. Students wishing to compete in this event will be required to raise a minimum of $50. Students will enter into a super raffle which will be drawn at the end of Term 2.

When using trybooking PLEASE ENSURE all donations are listed under your son/s name. For example, if your son is Joe Black, please enter First Name as Joe and Last Name as Black.  If you have more than one son, enter First Name as Joe and Josh and Last Name as Black. If you are unable to use this system, sponsorship cards will be available from Student Services.

Walkathon Details

What to Bring:  Students are required to wear an appropriate hat and sunscreen and bring a water bottle. Bags are not to be brought on the day. A barbeque lunch will be provided at Peter Depena Reserve.

Dismissal:  At the conclusion of the Walkathon and barbeque, students will be permitted to depart from Peter Depena Reserve, provided consent has been given via Compass by Wednesday, 7 June 2023. Students who do not have permission to leave from the reserve will be transported by bus back to the College.

Please ensure you have provided consent for your son to attend the Walkathon and indicated your son’s dismissal point. Once again, the College is extremely grateful for your continued support.

Washington Street Traffic Management

As you would be aware, the area outside the College gate in Washington Street is extremely congested at drop-off and pick-up times. The College does not have any dedicated drive by drop-off or pick-up zones in this area. This is extremely dangerous for all members of our community in the morning and afternoon.

Parents/carers are strongly encouraged to have their sons use the bus services available to and from the College or other public transport. As Washington Street is a dead-end street, parents are encouraged and reminded of the dangers of performing a U-turn outside the College gates and are encouraged to travel further down Washington Street to perform a U-turn or Three-point turn. Parents are asked not to double park or obstruct our neighbours’ driveways in Washington Street. We have a number of elderly residents, who need to be able to use their driveways at all hours. Parents are asked not to call their sons to cross Washington Street at the front gates to enter their car, on the opposite side of the road. The crossing at the end of Washington Street is a safer option for all students, when crossing. Alternatively, parents are asked to meet their sons in Dunmore Street, or closer to Seaforth Park. For the safety of all entering and leaving the College, I would ask parents to adhere to these safety measures.

Happy Feast Day of Saint Marcellin Champagnat!

Mrs Catherine Roebuck
Assistant Principal

Religious Education Coordinator

Marist Solidarity

As we begin our preparations for our annual Walkathon in celebration of the Feast of Saint Marcellin Champagnat, students are reminded of the communities that greatly benefit from their generous donations.

2023 is a very special year for Marists in our region, as it is the first year of the new Star of the Sea Province. This brings together Marist Brothers and lay people from 11 countries into one large and diverse unit in our global Marist family.

Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) is the agency for the aid and development work of the Marist Province of Australia throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. AMS works with the people in this region on a combination of long-term and short-term development projects. These projects aim to develop, or support, locally sustained education opportunities for the young people in these regions.

In order to achieve this, we facilitate partnerships with communities focused on overseas aid, education and community development activities of the Australian Marist Brothers. To better fulfil this role, and to maintain the highest standard of transparency, AMS became a signatory organisation to the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) Code of Conduct in 2008.

Through the extensive network of Marist Schools around Australia, AMS is supported by current and former students and their parents, associates and the wider Marist community. Through this network AMS presents a national forum for awareness and fundraising campaigns for the development work we support.

Next week, students will be provided with snap shots of these special communities to raise awareness around their needs and show further support of this great initiative.

MARIST SOLIDARITY PRAYER

Always to have your ears open
To hear another’s cry of pain
And to listen to their call for help….
That is solidarity.
Always to have your eyes open
Sweeping over the sea
Looking for a ship in danger…
That is solidarity.
To feel as your own the suffering
Of a brother or sister, whether near or far;
To make your own the anguish of the poor….
That is solidarity.
To be the voice of the humble,
to uncover injustice and evil,
to denounce the unjust and evil person…
that is solidarity.
To let yourself be transported by a message
charged with hope, love and peace,
until you clasp your brother and sister by the hand…..
that is solidarity….
Mary, Our Good Mother, pray for us.
St Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us.
And let us remember, to pray for one another.
Amen

Year 8 Reflection Day

On Friday, 19 May, Year 8 students participated in their annual Reflection Day. The day was facilitated by the SCS Church Engagement Team, Vinnies and some of our staff. The students engaged in meaningful activities that involved teamwork and group discussions around self-image, self-perception, respect and their own relationship with God. 

An enjoyable day was had by all!

National Mass for the Feast of Mary Help of Christians and Australia’s Bicentenary of Catholic Education

On 24 May we celebrated the Solemnity of Mary, Help of Christians. Mary is the patron of our country. We look to Mary for her help, protection and guidance. We celebrate the many gifts God gives us here in Australia - the diversity of our people, the beauty of this land, the values of freedom and peace that we treasure.

On Wednesday, students from all Secondary Schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney, attended a national mass at St Mary’s Cathedral, celebrated by His Grace, the Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher OP. The mass also recognised the occasion of Australia's Bicentenary of Catholic Education.

On this special Feast of the Patron of this Archdiocese and of Australia, we remember Mary, our mother, as a constant source of inspiration and help to us all.

Walk with Christ

On the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney invites all Catholics to unite and honour the real presence by attending the Walk with Christ Eucharistic Procession through the Sydney CBD.

The Walk with Christ annual Eucharistic Procession through the streets of Sydney exists to make a joyful public proclamation and act of worship towards the person of Jesus Christ (as King), and to invoke His blessing upon the city.

The presence of Eucharist in this joyful liturgical act invokes the benevolent spiritual blessings of Christ onto the city and all who live there. The blessing is derived from He who has been “anointed to proclaim the good news to the poor …to proclaim freedom for prisoners and sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” It is in this way that the Walk with Christ is part of the spiritual and civic life of the city and Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.

When: Sunday, 11 June with a festival beginning at 1:00 pm in Martin Place.

The procession begins at 2:30 pm sharp from the corner of Martin Place and Pitt Street.

Ms Lauren Abihanna
Religious Education Coordinator

Leader of Teaching and Learning

Supporting Year 12 students to thrive

Year 12 students are rapidly moving towards their last two internal school assessments before the external Higher School Certificate examination. Staying motivated and utilising all the opportunities and support offered both from classroom teachers and programs offered at the College will allow students to collectively work together to reach their goals and aspirations. My advice to all students is know what you want to achieve and take ownership of your study program.

Intervention Programs

The College offers a variety of opportunities for our Year 12 students to achieve their learning potential.  At the College we are committed to improving our student’s literacy and numeracy skills offering many targeted intervention programs allowing all Year 12 students the opportunity to reach their potential. Our Year 12 Intervention study groups continue to provide our Year 12 students with small group support and individual feedback by our intervention teaching staff. Intervention staff also visit a variety of curriculum areas preparing and supporting students for their upcoming assessments as well as their Trial and Higher School Certificate examinations. College data from internal and external assessments reflects the remarkable student growth and improvement of student performance. These interventions help foster students’ academic development, however, also aim to support the emotional well-being of our students at a stressful time in their lives. It is important students embrace these opportunities to continue to thrive and reach their learning potential.

College Tutor Program

The College Tutor Program allows students to work collaboratively with our tutors in small groups to consolidate their understanding and seek support in areas they feel require improvement.  Students are encouraged to utilise this invaluable opportunity on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and can book in for a tutor.

Masterclass opportunities

SCS has developed a series of student Masterclasses as a revision tool for different HSC subjects. These are located on CANVAS for online, on-demand access.

These Masterclasses have been created by experienced teachers and subject experts as well as SCS HSC Specialists.

Masterclass sessions are available across 22 HSC Subjects and these Masterclasses are available to all students including accompanying worksheets, slides and other materials.

With more being added, students are encouraged to check back regularly to see what is available.

Students can access via MC CANVAS

Click here for the guide to accessing Masterclasses in 4 easy steps. 

Mrs Gina Stavropoulos
Acting Leader of Teaching and Learning

Leader of Student Wellbeing

Adequate Sleep

The modern world brings challenges for students that many of us as parents didn’t have to manage during adolescence. Sleep routines, use of social media and gaming are problematic for teenagers today.

Our students at Marist College Kogarah are fantastic young men that achieve so much. That said, there are most certainly areas that students can improve so that they can have a greater chance of reaching their potential and having an overall greater level of wellbeing.

Adequate sleep is one such area that is of concern which leads to a range of negative outcomes that we are seeing on a daily basis at school. Students’ energy levels and capacity to learn is severely compromised by a lack of sleep. This combined with not eating breakfast as a result of not having sufficient time in the morning exacerbates the problem. Whilst learning is compromised, students that are lacking adequate sleep also have their decision-making capacity negatively impacted which leads to poor choices when faced with adversity or when under pressure.

In 2022 a wellbeing survey was conducted across all year groups which highlighted concerns with habits regarding sleep. The following table provides a summary of student responses from the survey:

Of great concern is that on average 21% of our students across all year groups are getting 6 hours or less of sleep on weekdays.

“Children these days seem to be going to bed later and later. Distractions such as TV, computer games, internet, texting friends and social media are all having a negative impact on a child’s sleep time. Sleep is vital to a child’s wellbeing. When children sleep well, they are more settled, happier and ready for school the next day. Sleep also strengthens their immune systems, supports overall development and their ability to function properly on a daily basis. Children who do not get enough sleep show increased levels of aggressive behaviour, are less attentive and are much less active. Trying to catch up on sleep on weekends is not the answer and can still lead to severe sleep deprivation. Recent studies have shown than many children, especially teenagers, are missing out on vital REM sleep, which is particularly important for memory and learning.” (School TV)

Please click this link for the school TV edition for parents on sleep.

Mr Shane Duff
Leader of Student Wellbeing

Year 12 Geography

A Geographical Investigation of Ecosystems at Risk- Coastal Dunes

On Thursday, 18 May, our Year 12 Geography students visited the coastal dunes of Bate Bay. The focus of this study was a geographical investigation of an ecosystem at risk, with our case study being coastal dunes.

The investigation explored locations such as: 

• Wanda Beach
• North Cronulla 
• South Cronulla

At each location, students observed and analysed the natural processes along with the importance of the vegetation in the area. Students also analysed both the negative and positive human impacts on the ecosystem, as well as the management strategies being implemented to differing degrees of success.

The day was a great success in which the students could learn authentically about a dynamic ecosystem which they were able to deepen their understanding of the HSC content and practise the important skill of synthesising and evaluating fieldwork data. 

A special thank you to Mrs Tarabay who assisted us throughout the day. 

Mr Daniel Azzi
Assistant HSIE Coordinator

Year 9 The Science of Space

As part of the Year 9 Elective course The Science of Space, students designed and constructed miniature Mars rovers as part of the topic The Martian (Mission to Mars). 

The rovers were tested against a rugged Martian landscape where students had to negotiate a number of challenging obstacles including ice sheets, sand and rocks. Each rover was unique in design and each had their own strengths and weaknesses. The challenge was for the rovers to transport a load over a set distance with the goal being to complete the obstacle course in the quickest time possible. Only the strongest rovers survived and the others were left stranded in the Martian dust but it was a learning experience that was out of this world.

Mr Christian Zilich

Sport Report

Term 2 Sydney Catholic Schools Representative Competitions are coming to an end of their regular seasons with just 2 rounds left to go. Our 6 Football (Soccer) sides have played 5 matches each and our Rugby League teams 3 matches and a bye. The finals fortnight for the SCS All Abilities OzTag competition isn’t far away, our Cross-Country team has just competed in the SCS Cross Country Gala Day, and our College has just celebrated its 82nd Annual Athletics Carnival. Here are the latest updates.

Football (Soccer)

Senior A Team

The Senior A side put their foot down in Week 4 claiming a 4-2 win over Cronulla after starting the season with a couple of draws. After being down 2 players before even stepping onto the bus, the squad were hard at work during lunchtime becoming scouts within the Year 11 and 12 yards. A big thank you to Samuel Dimovski and Christian Pavlovski who put their hands up to fill in for the injured players with Christian even earning a penalty throughout the match which resulted in a goal! George Korakis of Year 11 was strong once again scoring a hattrick and Nicholas Dogias went close on two occasions hitting the crossbar on both efforts. 

Mr Simon Fisher
Coach

Senior B Team

The Senior B side has unfortunately suffered two losses in a row since their 10-0 win over Cronulla in Round 3. Late injuries have been an issue throughout the side within the previous fortnight and an opportunity of making the finals in a few weeks’ time is now looking unlikely. Mentions to Anthony Vitale and Noah Blundell for their goals against Menai in our recent 4-2 loss. Fingers crossed for the two weeks ahead.

Mr Peter Russo
Coach

Intermediate A Team

In Round 4 the team had a humbling loss 5-0 to Caringbah who were very physical and aggressive. They had a 2-0 lead at halftime hitting us on the counterattack twice and continued to put their chances away in the 2nd half. We failed to play to our strengths and pull the trigger around the penalty box.

In Round 5 we were hit hard by injuries with 7 players from our squad of 17 unavailable to play. The rest of the team lifted brilliantly for our clash with De La Salle Revesby. We were outstanding from the opening whistle. Our quick passing, effort to win the 50/50 balls, increased talk and our quality finishing were the highlights of the game. Congratulations to Nicholas Theofilopoulos for scoring 3 goals in the opening half and winning the opposition players player medal. The final score was 3-0 and we were unlucky not to score another 3 or 4 in the second half. Special thanks to Chris Ligdas and Angelo Andrikopoulos for filling in for our team at such short notice and doing a really good job.

Mr Paul O’Brien
Coach

Intermediate B Team

An upward swing for the Kogarah Intermediate B team. Round 4 had the team out at Padstow Park to face De La Salle Revesby. The boys dominated the entire game but were unlucky in finishing off the opposition. Instead, we settled for a 0-0 draw. Player of the match went to Adam Kotb on the left wing for absolutely dominating the other team’s defence. 

Round 5 saw the team travel out to Arncliffe Park to face Aquinas Menai. A must win game to stay in finals contention, the team delivered. Adam Kotb picked up on a mistake from the keeper to find the net and Alexander Bertuzzi cracked one from just outside the 18-yard box. However, it was the keeper, Louis Bitas, who made some amazing saves to keep the score at 2-0 and earned himself the Player of the Match. 

Mr Robert Almeida
Coach

Junior A Team

Another two good performances for the Junior Football A side has them sitting top of the ladder with two rounds to go. After a hard-fought draw against Marist Penshurst, the boys were back to winning ways with wins over De La Caringbah (2-0) with goals to Daniel Vitale and Julian Catanzariti and De La Revesby Heights (3-1) with goals to Daniel Vitale, AlessandroTilocca and Jaxon Dimanoski. 

Mr Ryan Ziegenfusz
Coach

Junior B Team

The Junior B team has been on a remarkable journey of improvement, steadily raising their game with each passing week. It's been a series of small victories that have fuelled their progress. But it was the match against De La Salle Revesby that truly ignited their spirit, as Sam Gregoriou delivered our first goal of the season. Despite ultimately succumbing to a 6-1 defeat, the mere act of breaking through the opposition's defence provided a tremendous boost. It was a powerful reminder that perseverance pays off, and the team knew that if they kept knocking, the door would eventually swing wide open.

And swing open it did, with resounding force, when we faced off against Aquinas Menai. The atmosphere at McCarthy Reserve, our home turf, was electric with positivity. With the wind at our backs, we charged ahead and claimed a commanding 1-0 lead at halftime. But as fate would have it, our missed opportunities came back to haunt us early in the second half, as we conceded a soft goal from a corner. However, the boys tapped into their newfound resilience and launched a relentless counterattack. Where Matheus Garcia seized the moment, delivering the winning goal that sealed our first victory of the season. The triumph is a testament to the boy’s determination and their refusal to never back down in the face of adversity!

Mr Luke Rodriguez
Coach

Rugby League

Open’s Team

Round 2 vs Bosco

Another successful match from MCK winning 56-6 over St John Bosco. MCK showed tremendous toughness leading 40-6 at half time and secured the victory 10 mins into the second half. A dominant performance from Lewis Mabey (Year 12) who led the charge on the wing and moved into centre in the second half scoring two more tries.

Round 3 vs Menai

A tougher opponent than other weeks, MCK was held to nil all for the first 15 minutes. With a few players missing to injury and a slightly reshuffled pack, new combinations were made, and our boys seized their opportunity. Bronson Reuben and Sandro Pirrello on the left edge with Jordan Faraguna and Jake Mrencevski securing the right side, MCK were opening up their opponent’s defence with some brilliant follow up play from William Pappas and Elias Kazzi.

MCK 40 - Aquinas 6.

Mr Marc Vassallo, Mr Angelo Scali and Mr Stephen McGufficke
Coaches

Under 15’s Team

Round 2 - vs St John Bosco Engadine

Round 2 against St John Bosco was an even contest from the kick-off. With scores locked 0-0 for the first 10 minutes both sides defended very well. MCK showed great determination to go up and lead at halftime 12-0. Adam Galimi was unlucky not to make it a third before halftime with his length of the field effort stopped short just before the try line. This was undone with a big momentum shift to start the second half and three quick tries from Bosco to make it 16-10. The boys showed great spirit to come back with only minutes remaining, thanks to two very important tries from Lewis Yaxley to win 22-16.

Round 3 - vs Aquinas Catholic College Menai

Aquinas was a very tough challenge for the U/15’s in round 3. The boys came up against a very well drilled side that got out to a quick start and nearly went the length of the field from the kick-off. Despite defending back-to-back sets for what seemed to be most of the first half, the boys did well to only be down by a couple of tries at halftime. Eventually, fatigue and errors got the better of MCK in the second half with Aquinas piling on a number of tries in quick succession to see the game out 34-6. Well done to Angus Tsougranis who got Kogarah off the scoreboard in the second half with the team unlucky not to get another two or three. 

Mr Jake Gallagher
Coach

Under 13’s Team

Round 2 - Vs St John Bosco Engadine

A tough round 2 game against Bosco began with a lot of errors and Bosco running away with an early 8-0 lead. However, Kogarah was able to climb back into control of the game, leading 12-8 at half time and eventually winning 24-20. Max Bazouni was very crafty, scoring a long range try from a grubber kick behind the line and Jayden Tuione converted 4/4 goals with a couple of tough kicks from the sideline. 

Round 3 - Vs Aquinas Catholic College Menai 

A dominant display by the Junior Rugby League team with a 58-12 win over Aquinas led by a formidable forward pack. Matthew Beretin captained the team for the first time and led from the front along with Damien Taufateau. Special mentions to the rest of the forward pack including Lukas Kazzi, Jonah Selui, Curtis McKenzie, Isaac Batista and Isaac Andrade for some powerful go forward and crunching defence. This allowed the backs to do their thing and a rack up a large win. 

Mr Chris Raptis
Coach

All Abilities OzTag 

Our all abilities OzTag team put up another gutsy effort in Week 5 but fell short against Aquinas Catholic College Menai going down 10-7 in their first game of the afternoon and 10-6 in their second game. All students have been improving immensely and will look to claim their first win within the next couple of weeks!

Mr James Drahalivas and Mrs Aspasia Trajcevski

Sydney Catholic Schools Cross Country

The Marist College Kogarah Cross Country Team travelled out to Eastern Creek to compete in the SCS Cross Country Gala Day at Sydney Motorsports Park on Tuesday, 23 May. The squad of 38 students represented the College in all age groups (under 12’s - Under 18’s) throughout the day and ran distances ranging from 3 km-8 km depending on their ages. Whilst we didn’t come away with the success that we have been used to in the past with Cross Country, special mentions need to go to the following boys:

• Adam Kotb (5th in Conference 3 Under 15’s)
• Jacob Fong (5th in Conference 3 Under 17’s)
• George Korakis (6th in Conference 3 Under 17’s)
• Jack Pereira (8th in Conference 3 Under 17’s)
• Cameron Turner (5th in Conference 3 18’s +)

Mr Paul O’Brien and Mr Angelo Scali
Coaches

MCK Athletics Carnival

The College celebrated its 82nd Annual Athletics Carnival on Monday, 22 May at Sylvania Waters Athletics Track. Students who were present on the day displayed true Marist Spirit, participating in all events and earning points for their respective House Groups. The battle on the scoreboard for overall points was tight throughout the duration of the carnival but it was the Gonzaga House who finished on top claiming the number one spot. Congratulations to Mr James Stirton and Darcy Flood of Year 12 for their victory along with every House Coordinator and Captain for their preparation leading up to the day!

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Mr Jason Booth
Sports Coordinator

Career Corner

2023 Tertiary Open Days

Attending open days is an important step towards making decisions about your future education and training. Open days allow you to find out about an institution’s courses and programs, explore campus facilities and speak with current students about their experience.

This year institutions are offering a mix of virtual and on-campus experiences. Do your research for specific details and dates and register so you don’t miss out!

Click here to view the Open Days.

Careers Newsletter

HSC and Careers Expo 2023

The HSC and Careers Expo celebrates its 15^th year in 2023. The Expo will conclude this Saturday, 3 June at 3.00pm at Royal Randwick Racecourse.

Further information and to purchase tickets can be found here.

Mr Peter Fitzpatrick
Careers/VET Leader of Learning