St Mary's Cathedral College Newsletter: Term 2, Week 3

From the College Principal

Mother's Day

There’s an old Jewish proverb that states, “God could not be everywhere, so He made mothers.” 

In our earthly experience, they are the first to offer us complete care in the midst of our complete helplessness: they cradle us in their arms, they ease our crying with their soothing voices. They are the first to teach and instruct us: they show us how to walk and talk, they teach us how to play well with others, and they make sure we know how to take care of ourselves. They are the first to admonish us when we fail, but also the first to forgive us. They are the first to lavish an abundance of attention and warmth upon us: they care for us when we are hurt and celebrate with us when we succeed. They are the first to suffer for us: they endure the discomfort of childbearing and the pain of childbirth, they go through all those sleepless nights to make sure that we are fed and safe, and they agonise when we fall sick. They are the first to love us unconditionally, even if it seems that no one else does. In short, mothers are the first people in our lives to show us Who God is – how God acts and how God loves evidenced daily in the lives of these special people we call our mothers.

God gave us mothers so that we could learn how to love and how to be loved. As Mother’s Day approaches we give God thanks for the gift of all mothers. We pray for our mothers and we ask that God strengthen them in mercy and in love. 

We thank all our Mother’s, Grandmothers and significant others for joining us this morning for our very special Mother’s Day service, followed by morning tea to celebrate you and all that you do. We will continue to share images captured on the day.

Pilgrimage

During the Term 1 break I was honoured to travel alongside over 30 Sydney Catholic Schools Principals and Assistant Principals on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Jordan and Rome, led by Archbishop Anthony Fisher.

The pilgrimage was a life changing and life giving experience. I was blessed with the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and of those who continued his most significant message of hope. As I stood in the most Holy of places, as the scriptures were brought to life before me I had the opportunity to pause and reflect upon my faith and indeed the significance of the catholic school and a catholic education.  In 2009 his Holiness Pope Benedict also undertook a similar pilgrimage and his words resonated with me. He said, we are invited “to embrace with gratitude not only God's mighty works in the past, but also to look with faith and hope to the future which he holds out to us and to our world.” Over two thousand years have passed since the greatest of teachers first began to spread the message of truth, beauty and love, to make known God’s mighty works.  Since then Christianity has spread from Jerusalem to every corner of the globe. It is a legacy that lives on in our school, in the strong belief that education is the foundation for success, and a catholic education the foundation for the fullness of life. My experience has reminded me that even in moments of challenge we are called to serve with joy, we are called to be witnesses of our faith, and we are called to love one another. It is a privilege for me to be able to bring this message of hope back to the college and I will continue to unpack its significance throughout the term. 

SMCC Parent Social Event - Friday, 26 May 2023

St Mary’s Cathedral College are hosting a mid-term Parent Social event on Friday, 26 May 2023 from 5.30pm - 7.30pm.
If you are able to attend could you kindly complete the RSVP Form HERE by midday on Friday, 19 May for catering purposes. We hope you can join us for celebratory drinks & canapés at the College.

Kerrie McDiarmid, College Principal

From the Dean of Senior Years

Dear Parents, Carers, Staff and Students,

Welcome back to Term 2. I hope that everyone managed to enjoy a restful break. The term is already in full swing with many events and learning initiatives underway to engage our students. I would like to congratulate all our students on the reverence and respect they demonstrated during our moving ANZAC observance assembly held on Wednesday, 26 April.  Week two also saw our school gather for Edmund Rice Day. This was a most enjoyable community celebration.

I commend the majority of our students on their transition to the winter uniform. Just a reminder that the college rain jacket is not to be worn without the blazer. All students are required to wear their blazer to and from school. The blazer is the first barrier to the cold in the winter months and the rain jacket is only worn during inclement weather. There are some students who still need to ensure their hair follows the College guidelines. The Leaders of Wellbeing have been reminding students and consequences will prevail for continual breaches of the guidelines. Parental support in these uniform matters is kindly appreciated. 

Our Year 12 students are currently reflecting on their feedback from their half-yearly assessments and reports, and students are being reminded of adopting a growth mindset. A growth mindset framework is based on the work of Canadian psychologist Carol Dweck.  Dweck’s work focuses on the notion that intelligence and ingenuity are not static. Her research demonstrates that with particular focus on effort, collaboration and hard work, individuals are able to shape their intelligence and skills. We continue to highlight to year 12 that we are seeking to move from a feedback model to a feedforward framework to achieve academic growth. I would like to invite parents to encourage their sons to attend our Academic tutoring program each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The boys are provided with a booking schedule each week and the feedback from those attending has been most positive. 

The introduction of new collaborative furniture in Rooms 442/443 has enabled team teaching to be further expanded. All three HSC Standard English classes utilize this space each lesson to engage deeply in their learning with the support of their teachers. Providing flexible learning environments allows for differentiated pedagogy as well as opportunities for teachers to embed a liberal arts pedagogical approach to their lessons.  

Year 10 will move into an important phase of their schooling this term with a focus on their HSC pathways and course selection. SMCC bespoke psychology course has been preparing the boys for this process. The Teaching and Learning Team are preparing a number of workshops and information sessions to prepare the students for this important milestone.

Later this term Year 9 will embark on their annual camp. This is an opportunity for the boys to build relationships among their peers and develop resilience skills. We wish all Year 9 the best for their experience on camp.

Chris Maoudis, Dean of Senior Years

From the Dean of Middle Years

Welcome back to Term 2. Our Years 3 to 8 students have been involved in many school initiatives since returning, including Edmund Rice Day, Mother’s Day Mass, Year 7 Camp, the Year 8 Geography Excursion to Olympic Park, Debating, and Representative Sport.

The boys have begun their lessons with a renewed enthusiasm and engagement levels in lessons are high. Rehearsal for our Annual Concert in the Town Hall has begun and we are all looking forward to a spectacular evening.

Years 3 to 6 continue to be involved in completion of  Projects as we move towards a more integrated learning environment in Semester 2. It is great to see the passion the boys are bringing to their learning through their prior knowledge and experiences to support new knowledge and experiences. By doing this, students are able to draw on their skills and apply them to new experiences at a more complex level.

As we move towards Mother’s Day weekend, it is an opportunity to be grateful for and reflect on our mothers and other significant women in our lives who have mothering roles in our lives. We remember women, named and nameless, who through the ages have used the power and the gifts which they have been given to change the world. We refer to these mothers who went before us to help us discover in ourselves this power, and how to use it in such a way that we help to advance a kingdom of justice and peace.

Be Faithful. Be Kind. Be Engaged.

David Timillero, Dean of Middle Years

From the Dean of Mission

Edmund Rice Day

On Friday, 5 May,  we celebrated Edmund Rice Day. Led by Fr Roberto Keryakos (Class of 2008), Fr Lewi Barakat (the Archbishop’s MC) and College students in the Cathedral choir we started the day with Mass. Former staff member John Iffland delivered the Blessed Edmund Rice Address. He reminded us how the faith and values of Edmund Rice live on through those who seek to give others opportunities to thrive amidst difficulties and challenges. Our College principal, Mrs Kerrie McDiarmid, also reminded us that just as she had recently walked in the footsteps of Christ during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land, we are also called to follow Christ as a community of excellence and compassion as Edmund Rice intended. 

Mary and the Month of May 

It is a centuries old tradition to focus on Mary during the month of May. This is likely due to May being associated with signs of new life emerging among flora and fauna in the Northern Hemisphere, and the association with Mary bringing the new life of Christ into the world. In later years two significant feasts of Mary are celebrated in the life of the Church. The feast days of Our Lady of Fátima (13 May) and Mary Help of Christians (24 May). Our Lady of Fátima has special significance for members of our school communities this year, as students and staff travel to Portugal, the country of Fatima, for World Youth Day. Our Lady of Fatima reminds us that everyone is significant and has an important spiritual life. 

Mary Help of Christians is considered the patroness of Australia. Our own Cathedral is officially known as the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians. Students from across the Archdiocese, including a select few students from SMCC, will come together to celebrate this feast at the Cathedral on 24 May. 

The Archdiocese is holding the following two events to celebrate the two Marian feast days, and all are welcome to attend.

Archbishop Anthony Fisher is promoting a Rosary Crusade starting on 15 May as a spiritual exercise that is:

A lay-led initiative to have 100,000 Catholics praying the Holy Rosary for the conversion and consecration of Australia … It is an ambitious target but with God, anything is possible and we need to aim high in our love for the Lord, His Mother and our country. (Archbishop Fisher)

The Archbishop invites us to join the 'Rosary Crusade.' by signing up online here: https://tally.so/r/woEXRM.  

Mother’s Day

What makes Mary so special for us is her motherhood of Jesus. Motherhood is expressed in so many ways by mothers, grandmothers and mother figures who have made such significant contributions to the lives of others. Often these good deeds go unnoticed and are hidden as our mothers, grandmothers and mother figures rise above challenges and achieve so much. It is an important custom at SMCC to recognise and pray for our mothers, grandmothers and mother figures at Mass and morning tea. Here is a blessing for these special people:

From the Youth Ministry Coordinator

World Youth Day 2023 Raffle Winners

On Friday, 5 May, Sydney Catholic Schools celebrated 100 days out from WYD 2023. The raffle that was being held over the past few weeks was a huge success, with many of our students being directly supported by this event. The final total of sales were just over $112,000 with a strong surge in the final few days.

Congratulations to the following prize winners:

1st PRIZE
Gary Margetson
Ticket Number: #11962

2nd PRIZE
Lina Castelli
Ticket Number: #3490

3rd PRIZE
Joanne Tannous
Ticket Number: #20303

Thank you to all those who supported this raffle. 

Thomas Rodriguez, Youth Minstry Coordinator

From Curriculum

Navigating google classroom with your son

I have created this short video (link button below) explaining how you can navigate google classroom with your son. Teachers at the College are not mandated to use this platform, and there is variety in the way different faculties and staff within those faculties use Google Classroom. However, I also appreciate that many parents would like to learn more about this platform to help their sons form positive study habits in those subjects that use it regularly.

Academic Malpractice 

The College goes to great lengths to inform the boys of its academic expectations through extensive dissemination of assessment documentation and the All My Own Work programme for Yr 10. Ignorance, innocent or otherwise, is never taken as a legitimate excuse. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the words and work of others have been appropriately acknowledged in their work. 

As always, the boys are advised to consult with their teachers if they are unsure of whether elements of their work will constitute plagiarism or any other form of malpractice, as outlined in the College’s Assessment Policy.  

Using ChatGPT and other AI tools is relatively easy to detect as its capabilities in responding to the tasks set by teachers at the College are limited. 

Year 7, 11, &12 Parent-Teacher Interviews  

The meetings will occur on Tuesday, 16 May 2023, between 2.00-7.00 pm online via ZOOM. During this time, your son’s teachers will be available to discuss their progress thus far and develop goals and strategies to enhance their academic success further. Students are required to attend interviews with their parents/carer in their full school uniform.

Your son must log on at the scheduled time, booked via the Compass Parent portal, to their teacher’s Zoom link, which can be  located via Staff Zoom Links below. They will then be redirected to the teacher's waiting room. The teacher will accept the student into their Zoom meeting and conduct the interview online. Each interview slot has been allocated 5 minutes. 

Please note that all students will be dismissed at 12.40 pm on this day to ensure they can get home in time for their interviews.

Bookings on the Compass parent portal will close at 3.00 pm on Monday, 15 May 2023.

Primary, Year 8, 9, & 10 Parent Teacher Interviews will take place on the first day of Term 3, Monday, 17 July. 

2023 HSC

Year 12 Mid-Course Reports were uploaded to Compass on Wednesday afternoon. 

The 2023 HSC Written Examination Timetable is now available online.

The 2023 HSC examination timetable is now available as a PDF and on the NESA website. Year 12  students can view their personal timetable via their Students Online account. It is expected that Year 12 students have checked that they can effectively access Students Online and their examination timetable to ensure that all their examinations appear correctly. Any student with a concern regarding either their online access or their HSC Timetable must notify me promptly. 

2023 HSC: What the Markers said!

Marking feedback from the 2022 HSC marking centres is now available for every examination paper via the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) website. 

Students will find each subject is well-supported by NESA resources, including the 2022 HSC examination paper, marking guidelines and marking feedback. Each subject examination pack is a valuable study resource for the current cohort of HSC students preparing for the 2023 examinations. The feedback also includes an overview of the features of the top responses.

Karen Fahey, Acting Leader of Learnig - Curriculum

Year 11 Drama Excursion

On 28 April, Year 11 Drama students visited the Roslyn Packer theatre to watch ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ by Shake and Stir Theatre and presented by Sydney Theatre Company. 

The production was phenomenal, utilising screen projection, set, costume and sound design to capture the unique directorial vision of the adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic story. The illusion of magical realism takes hold, expanding time and location through fictional worlds, captivating the audience the entire time. 

Students were invigorated and inspired by the performance and had the following to say about the experience: 

‘I saw the importance of staging and making sure the audience always has something to look at without losing the focus of the scene’

‘It has helped me by showing me creative ways to use a stage’

‘The production was very visually striking, using many effects with projection to provide an immersive experience as well as the sloped stage.’

‘I thought that it was very well executed and the use of background setting and projections made it very interesting and interactive.’

‘The show has helped me to understand why the choice of set and costume is important’

‘Regarding Staging ideas and designs, it has expanded my knowledge of how to build a set.’

‘Watching the show enabled me to unravel my creative thinking skills which could be implemented into future projects.’

‘Placement and the use of voice made me think about how I should be using my whole body to show emotion.’

‘Watching the show has helped me grow as a Drama student by showing interesting staging that can be adapted in my own work’

‘It allowed me to see the importance of production value in a theatrical performance’

‘The show really helped me extend my view and changed my narrow perspective as a Drama student’

This was a valuable day for our drama students as they work towards producing their own production this term. We look forward to many more opportunities to experience live theatre.

Drama For Wellbeing

The Power of Youth Arts- What the research tells us about the benefits of performing arts participation for children and young people. 

A resource by Patternmakers and ATYP. Read the full report here: https://atyp.com.au/national-youth-arts-sector/the-power-of-youth-arts/ 

Year 11 Biology Excursion

On Wednesday, 3 May, Year 11 Biology was taken on an excursion to the mangroves and saltmarsh in Bicentennial Park, Homebush. The excursion consisted of engaging activities and experiments which allowed us students to observe a wide range of plants and animals which is going to help us in completing our upcoming biology assessment task. We were assigned different tasks to complete, such as measuring the salinity levels of the water and soil, identifying various plant and animal species, and examining the interactions between them. Overall the day was really enjoyable and we were able to gain a unique firsthand experience and develop our scientific skills and knowledge. Thank you to Mrs Getley and Miss Donnelly for their work during the day and Ms. Ung for her organisation of the excursion.

Jack Avis (11.515)

Junior School News

ANZAC Memorial Visit

On the first day of this term to commemorate ANZAC Day, students visited the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park. Students were amazed by the structure that is described as both a piece of architecture and a work of art. They acknowledged the different parts of the armed forces and Sydney that can be represented in this memorial. 

Creative Arts in Primary

Last term the boys in stage 3 were studying Paul Cezanne looking at various forms of still life with a focus on fruit. They experimented with different art mediums and finished the term creating fruit sculptures.  

In Drama, the boys this term are looking at various ways they can represent fairy tales. They will be exploring Pinocchio (Year 6) and Jack and the Beanstalk (Year 3-5). Students are reading about some of the stories in class and will perform scenes adding their own creative additions. We will share more in our assemblies and future newsletters. 

Yours in faith and learning,

Magdalene Mattson, Primary Coordinator

MUSIC NEWS

ANZAC Day Dawn Service

On Tuesday, 25 April, our SMCC Brass Ensemble were invited to participate in the annual commemoration by the RSL Arncliffe Sub-Branch in Arncliffe Park at the Cenotaph. This year marked the 70th Anniversary of the Arncliffe RSL and included dignitaries Hon.Linda Burney - Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians and councillors from the Bayside Electorate.

Our student musicians received a warm reception as they accompanied the community choirs for the Hymns Abide with Me, The Recessional and the Australian National Anthem and New Zealand Anthem. The service was well attended by the wider community and our rendition of the Last Post, Reveille was a valued contribution.

A note of appreciation is given to the parents, families and friends that braved the chilly morning dew to support our musicians for this prestigious opportunity. The boys performed at a high standard and represented the College with pride. Their efforts and dedication was appreciated.

SMCC Brass Ensemble on the day:

Erik Qi - trombone
Xavier Lovi - trombone
Noah Preobrajensky - tuba
Jeffrey Wang - trumpet
Skyler Gacho - trumpet
Alvan Chen - trumpet
Joel Ruz - trumpet

Alison Hunter, Leader of Learning Music

The Life of a Composer & Studio Musician Explored
Year 10 Church St Studios immersion

Our Year 10 Elective Music students are currently exploring the life of a professional musician and composer in the real world global context. Our class was invited to the Church St Studios in Camperdown to discover the intricacies of how professional musicians design, compose and record music for film. Acclaimed Australian composer, Guy Gross, took students on a tour of the facilities and demonstrated the process of recording instruments in a professional studio. With their curiosity piqued, students were fascinated to discover and experiment with various synthesised instruments that closely approximate traditional instruments such as the piano, guitar, and even the human voice. This process highlighted the behind the scenes workings of the creative process used when composing music for film.

Mr Gross contrasted this with a tour of his extensive instrument library that features unusual and rarely seen instruments from around the world. Deepening their understanding of instrument combinations and blends, Mr Gross shared the final edits for his music with  our students. Guy Gross has a number of film and television scores that he has composed, including Blinky Bill, Farscape, East West 101, and Frauds. Students connected the learning  links with their classroom discussions with Dr Hopkins as Mr Gross reinforced many of the classroom learning experiences of our music curriculum, focussing on the use of pitch, duration and texture to evoke a desired emotional response from the listener. This was especially evident when he demonstrated his approach to creating tension and release in a climactic, action packed episode of East West 101.

This excursion was invaluable for the students in introducing them to our topic for the term, Film Music. Since then, students have already begun using this experience to provide direction and inspiration for their film score projects, where each student is composing music for a short film using the latest music technology available.

Evan Hopkins, Music Teacher

The Lunchtime Concert Series

This week saw the first Wednesday Lunchtime Concert for Term 2 at SMCC. We were privileged to listen to a wonderful and very highly polished recital program from James Hou of Year 9 on the magnificent Steinway concert grand piano in Chapter Hall. James enthralled us in a program of demanding musical works by J. S. Bach, Kozeluch, Chopin and the Australian composer, Ross Edwards.

James’ highly polished and refined performance and interpretation of his chosen works demonstrated rhythmic precision and drive, effortless execution and fluency; crisp, spirited and energised playing. His rendition of the Chopin Nocturne and Edwards’ Frangipani were highly impressive with heightened musical sensitivity, delicacy, nuanced tone colours and dynamic touches evocative of the night and the Australian landscape.

Congratulations to James on such a successful recital program performance! James will be presenting his program for his Eighth Grade piano examination this weekend. Such a high-level examination demands a mammoth amount of and many years of dedicated, consistent and committed practice and lessons. We wish James the very best in his examination!

The SMCC Festival of the Clarinet

The SMCC Festival of the Clarinet in Chapter Hall on the evening of Tuesday, 9 May,  provided the opportunity for our student musicians to hear students form the Studio of Mr Owen Torr. Students from SMCC, Clovelly Primary School, St Clare's, Brigidine's Randwick, International Grammar School and SCEGGS are to be commended on their performances on the evening. The student musicians were accompanied by Miss Joesaphine Allan and Mr Torr.

JOSEPHINE ALLAN, Australian pianist, is much in demand for her chamber  music and ensemble playing, and regularly collaborates with leading professional singers and instrumentalists, as well as the younger members of the musical community. Jo spent 15 years as the Sydney Symphony’s Principal Pianist and has worked with most of Australia’s  prominent orchestras and choirs. In addition, she is active as a  teacher both privately and at  Wenona School in North Sydney,  and is dedicated to ensuring that  our beginner musicians receive the  best possible education. 

OWEN TORR has been teaching clarinet for over thirty seven years. He  completed a Bachelor of Music Education as a clarinetist, and is qualified  to teach classroom music K-12. Owen later took up the harp and has had  a thirty year career performing as guest principal harpist with the  Sydney Symphony, The Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, The West  Australian, Tasmanian, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Singapore Symphony  Orchestras.

Alison Hunter, Leader of Learning Music

Upcoming Music Events

Band Camp 2023
Week 4, Friday 19 May, 2023

Studio Concert #1
Week 5 Tuesday 23 May 2023 @ 5:30pm in the Chapter Hall
All Student musicians should speak directly with their instrumental teacher and register their performance. We would love to hear you perform.

The Annual College Concert
Week 9, Friday 23 June, 2023 @ the Sydney Town Hall.

Sport

SCS Football & Rugby League

 Round 1 

Round 2

NSWCCC Swim Team

Last newsletter I reported that we didn’t have any students earn a spot in the NSWCCC Swim Team. We did in fact have three students make the team! Congratulations to Tom Nicoletti, Oliver Low and Mark Gifford. We wish those boys the best of luck competing in the NSW All Schools Swimming Championships in June.

SCS Basketball

The Junior Basketball team won the Conference 1 championship and progressed to the SCS Championships in Week 10 last term, where they competed against the winners from the other three conferences.. This was a remarkable achievement considering the team finished the regular season in fourth place. In the SCS Semi Final, SMCC were pitted against Clancy Catholic College, and pulled out a nail biting 36-33 win. The Grand Final matchup was against Trinity Catholic College. It was a seasoring game, but down the stretch our team maintained their composure and won a hard fought battle, 36-33, and were crowned SCS Champions for 2023. Congratulations to Mr Davidson and the Junior Basketball team on an incredibly impressive season. 

Simon Shaw, Sport Coordinator

Conference 1 Table Tennis

The SCS Conference 1 Table Tennis tournament was held last week at Hurstville Aquatic Centre.

On  the 2nd of  May our Table tennis went to the first conference for the Sydney Catholic schools competition for table tennis. We came in with a strong set of teams with 3 junior duos, 3 intermediate duos and 2 senior duos (16 in total from years 7-12). It was a great day and the students definitely enjoyed themselves and the challenge. Out of the 8 teams, 5 of our teams made it into the semi finals: 3 junior teams, 1 intermediate and 1 senior team. Out of the finals we won:

BRONZE: 

Juniors: Gary Song (7) and Stephan Peiris (8)
Intermediate: Vincent Yap and Evan Zafiropoulos (10)

GOLD:

Seniors: Zhijie Yang and Immanuel Huynh (11) 

Juniors: Ronald Gunawan (8) and Vivan Shetty (7)!

Our GOLD senior and junior teams will now go on to represent SMCC at the next stage of competition. 

Kaylee Donnelly, SMCC Table Tennis Coach

Library News

Premier's Reading Challenge

Students at the College have participated in the Premier's Reading Challenge for many years, improving their vocabulary, their comprehension, and their general understanding while also satiating their competitive instincts. All students from Years 3-9 have a username and login (unchanged for students who participated in the past); any issues or problems should be referred to Mr Edward Hawkins. 

Community News

Tell them From Me Survey

Dear Parents and Carers,
As we continue to focus on school effectiveness, we are excited to announce that our school will be participating in theTell Them From Me® (TTFM®) online survey. This survey aims to gather valuable feedback from parents, staff, and students about school life, engagement levels, and staff interactions.

The survey has been used by schools in Australia and around the world to improve their practices. We encourage all staff, parents, and students to take the time to participate in this survey, which will be available over the next few weeks.

Students from Years 4 to 12 will complete the survey during regular school hours. All participants will be provided with a random username and password to ensure complete anonymity. The survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.

While participation in the survey is voluntary, we believe that it will provide us with important data to improve our practices and ensure that we work together as a thriving Catholic community. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your School Coordinator or Principal.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in our school community.

Parent Engagement Evening

Term 2 Upcoming Events