Dear Parents/Carers & Friends of St Clare’s

Welcome to Term 2 2022.

I hope our first newsletter of the term finds you and your family fit and well.  Many thanks to Mr Phil Gibney for his wonderful work as St Clare’s Principal during my absence and to the executive team of Theresa Avery, Marian Parvin, Jason Koenig and all our staff for their persistence and resilience during very trying times.  My thanks also to parents and students for their continued support of the school as we work through the disruptions the COVID pandemic continues to inflict on our community.

ANZAC Day occupies a special place in Australian History and I was delighted to see strong support from our school community at the Taree march on 25 April.  The support of our students was much appreciated and I thank parents who made the time to drive their sons and daughters to Taree so they could participate in the march.

The 25 April celebration was followed by a whole school assembly on Wednesday, 27 April when students and teachers gathered to acknowledge the many thousands of men and women who have served in the Australian Armed Forces since 1900.  The Assembly was organised and chaired by the St Clare’s Year 11 Modern History class who did an outstanding job in welcoming our guests and presenting the story of ANZAC to the school.

My thanks to members of the RSL Taree sub-Branch Charles Fisher, Ted Hill, Dulcie Balderstone & Darcy Elbourne for their attendance and participation in the ceremony and to Marian Parvin and her class for their fine work on behalf of the school community.

Charles Fisher, Medinah Wells, Charles Pitt, Ted Hill, Dulcie Balderstone, Darcy Elbourne & Peter Nicholls

On Tuesday, 26 April St Clare’s attended a Staff Spirituality Day in Forster led by Mr Adam Frost from the Diocesan Offices.  The theme of the day revolved around how well our work at St Clare’s reflects the inclusiveness and compassion that Jesus showed as he served his ministry so many years ago.  The day gave further expression to the St Clare’s Vision and Mission Statement (published last year) and to the CLARE student framework which continues to develop in scope and depth throughout the school.

My thanks to Adam Frost and to Jason Koenig, Ministry Coordinator and his team for the organisation of a most successful day.

As you will notice from the newsletter, lessons are back in full swing and staff and students are continuing to engage in excursions, competitions and community engagement.  We do so in the full knowledge that our area continues to be disrupted by the COVID virus.  St Clare’s is not immune from this disruption.  Parents, staff and students would prefer that the usual day-to-day timetable remains operational, we must also recognise that with winter approaching and COVID continuing to exert a significant impact in our country, we should also be prepared to “pivot” to a changed learning environment at short notice.

To help avoid any disruption to the usual school timetable, please continue to keep your sons and daughters home even if they are slightly unwell and please continue not to send them to school until they have fully recovered.

Staff are continuing to encourage students to use hand sanitiser and staff and students are welcome to wear a mask.

Thank you to all for your support of each other as we work together to ensure the best outcomes for the young people in our care.

God Bless

Peter Nicholls
Principal

Enrolments are now open for Year 7 2023.  Enrolment forms can be collected from the Office.

Enrolment forms to be returned by 6 May.

Mass Times

Forster-Tuncurry Catholic Parish 

Our current Mass times are Saturday 5 pm, Sunday 8 am and 10 am.

To join our 8am Sunday Mass live stream, please send us your email address to receive the link.

Further updates can be viewed on the Forster-Tuncurry Parish Website:

Taree Catholic Parish

Saturday, 7 May

4:30 pm – Rosary at Star of the Sea Harrington
5:00 pm - SCAE at Star of the Sea Harrington
4:45 pm - Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church Wingham
6:15 pm - Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Church Taree

Sunday, 8 May
4^th Sunday of Easter

7:00 am - Old Bar Rosary
7:30 am – SCAE at Our Lady of Fatima Church Old Bar
7:30 am – Mass at Lansdowne
9:30 am - Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Church Taree

Changes to Mass Times - Parishes of Taree & Wingham Weekend Masses

Please note the following changes to Weekend Mass Schedule in Taree and Wingham Parishes commencing from the weekend – 7/8 May 2022

Every Saturday at 4:45 pm - Wingham Mass
Every Saturday at 6:15 pm - Taree Mass
Every Sunday at 9:30 am - Taree Mass
1^st and 3^rd Sunday at 7:30 am - Old Bar Mass
2^nd Sunday at 7:30 am - Lansdowne Mass
4^th and 5^th Sunday at 7:30 am - Harrington Mass

Further updates can be viewed on the Taree Parish Website: 

Youth Mass – Sunday, 1 May Our Lady of the Rosary Church Taree

I would like to thank everyone involved with the Youth Mass last Sunday.  As usual the music was wonderful.  Thank you to Mrs Carmel Brown and Mrs Jenny McKendry who support the Youth with the music, Cornell Estibeiro, Year 8 for singing and playing the violin and Makayla Boere, Year 11 for singing.

Thank you also to our readers, Ailey Boere Year 9, Nicholas Boere, Year 9 and Emily Boere, Year 7 and to Leonel Senson, Year 7 who Alter Served (as he does every Mass he attends).

The next Youth Mass with music provided by the Youth Team will be the 1^st Sunday in August, however, Mrs Jenny McKendry has an exceptional group of musicians and singers including Cornell Estibeiro and Amalin Baijush who will be providing the music at this time as they do on the 2^nd Sunday of every month.

Please contact Mrs Bernadette Boere or Mrs Laura Boere if you would like to take part in the Youth Mass as a reader or Alter Server.

Thank you
Bernadette Boere

Catholic Parishes of Taree and Wingham Sacraments of Initiation

All parents and carers of children who would like to make their Sacraments of Initiation in 2022 are invited to attend an information night on Thursday, 12 May at 6 pm in Our Lady of the Rosary Church Taree.  There will be preparation for the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Holy Communion during the year for children turning 8 years of age or above in 2022 and they can make all or some of these Sacraments.  Those parents of children enrolled in the Sacramental program in 2021 are also invited and any fees already paid will stand for this year.  Thank you from the RCIC Committee.

St Clare’s were honoured to be joined by members of the Taree RSL sub-Branch for our ANZAC day ceremony.

With great reverence, students joined together to reflect on over a century of service and sacrifice, encompassing all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australia and New Zealand have been involved.

Australia’s experience of war, especially in the first and second world war, helped shape our sense of ourselves as a nation, and as a community with a distinctive ethos and way of life. The men and women who served in World War One gave birth to the ANZAC tradition, a tradition of courage, bravery in the face of adversity, strength, and mateship.

During Mr Nicholl’s address he focused on the need for us as a community to continue to look after each other. To continue to do what’s best for all through our interactions with each other in a manner similar to that exhibited by the ANZACs.

In particular, he highlighted the great forgiveness shown by Australians at the conclusion of conflict, in order to move forward as a nation focussed on peace.

The St Clare’s community took time to honour and remember those who, in all theatres of war, have been prepared to sacrifice themselves for our country and the lifestyle we have all come to enjoy. We took time to reflect. We took time to thank them and we took time to pray for peace. 

Congratulations to our wonderful musicians and Mrs Amanda Brooks for their most reverent performances.  And a very big thank you to our Year 11 Modern History class for all the organisation to create such a respectful and moving service.

Marian Parvin
History Teacher

On Tuesday 22 students from Years 9 and 10 participated in the Science and Engineering Challenge hosted by RYSTEM Rotary. 

Students worked through a series of activities including robot block coding, creating a moving hand, building a water tower that can hold weight and withstand shaking, bottle rockets, hang gliders and creating a bridge. 

Students enjoyed the day developing their communication, design, and problem-solving skills. 

Congratulations to Oliver Mitchell from Year 10 who got the hang gliders to fly for 26 seconds!  This is the longest the group has seen from any school.

Isabella Devetak
Science Teacher

Sora Sweet Reads Challenge

Sora, our school e-reading app, which provides free 24/7 access to eBooks and audiobooks is running a Diocesan wide reading challenge from 4 May - 17 August 2022, called the Sora Sweet Reads Challenge.

Accepting the challenge will mean that each month between May and August, the Secondary School with the highest percentage of borrowers using SORA will be identified as the 'winner' for the month, with this announced in the Director's Bulletin.  The overall top schools will be determined when the SORA Sweet Reads challenge ends in August.

This program will offer a collection of Juvenile and Young Adult titles that will be prominently displayed in Sora for quick and easy unlimited access. If you want to be part of the challenge and already have the SORA App check out some of the titles that can you can read at the link below:

If you want to be part of the challenge

Get Sora and start reading today!

Download the app for free from your app store, or go to:

When you download the app you need to select ACEN (Australian Catholic Education Network) as your school.

Mr Hobbes
Librarian

Pacific Palms Youth Art Competition

The Pacific Palms Art Festival Committee are looking for entries into the 2022 Youth Art Exhibition.  The exhibition will be held on the June Long Weekend, 4 and 5 June, at the Pacific Palms Public School Hall.

This event is open to students from ages 5 through to 16 years of age across three age categories including Infants, Primary and High School.  The exhibition will be judged and prizes awarded to the overall winner in 1^st, 2^nd placings and the People’s Choice Winner.  There is also a major prize for the overall winner to showcase on the #onesquaregalley, Blueys Beach Outdoor Street Art in the Pacific Palms shopping village.

Artworks must be two dimensional and be in any of the following forms:

• Oil or acrylic – on board or canvas
• Watercolour
• Pastels
• Photography
• Pen/pencil/Ink
• Aboriginal Art

If you are creative and interested in submitting and exhibiting an artwork in this prize, either speak to your Visual Arts teacher or see Mrs Huett in the staffroom recess or lunch for further details.

Assistance with delivery of the items to the event can be organised with Mrs Huett.

Entries close 27 May 2022.

Mrs Rebecca Huett
Creative Arts Leader of Learning

Calling All Artists…Lets Hang It! 2022

The University of New England School Acquisitive Art Prize (UNESAP) is held annually with the purpose of encouraging talented young artists in regional New South Wales.

Artworks must be two dimensional and be in any of the following forms:

• Digital art
• Photography
• Mixed media
• Assemblage or collage
• Painting (acrylic, oil or watercolour)
• Graphic work
• 2D relief sculpture
• Jewellery
• Textile work

The maximum size of the artwork is to be 60 x 80cm.

Please note that this is an acquisitive art prize, therefore the four winning works will remain at the University of New England as part of the UNE Art Collection.

So if you are creative and interested in submitting one of your artworks in this prize, either speak to your Visual Arts teacher or see Mrs Huett in the staffroom recess or lunch for further details.

Entries close 20 May 2022.

Mrs Rebecca Huett
Creative Arts Leader of Learning

Careers Corner

We are back into Term 2 and it’s full-steam-ahead!

The Year 12 VET students are, and will be going on Work Placement over the next couple of weeks.  The Year 12 Construction class have been out this week (2 – 6 May). Thanks to Mid Coast Connect and the many employers for allowing this to happen.  This is an excellent opportunity for the students to learn more of the world of work and often results in job opportunities for each of the students.

The Year 12 Hospitality class are flying to the Gold Coast and will be working at Sea World from Monday, 16 May till Thursday, 20 May inclusive.  Once again this is an excellent opportunity for the students to learn about and experience first-hand the many different aspects of the Hospitality industry.

Year 12 students who are interested in a university pathway post school are reminded to check each university’s website for early application and scholarship information.  UAC has opened and it is great to see some names already in the SRS (School Recommendation Scheme) portal which can assist with early entry.  I will be talking about UAC in our Careers session with Year 12 this week.

Please note that other states do not have their applications open yet (QTAC, VTAC, SATAC) and will open at various stages over the coming months.

Each of the students will receive their UAC guide very soon.  As soon as they arrive at school they will be distributed to the students.  There is a great deal of information in this booklet which can also be accessed from the UAC site:

Job Jump also has a great deal of information with regard to this, so don’t forget to check out the chapters in our Careers Team OneNote.

Students in Year 12 who might be considering careers in medicine or dentistry post school need to register for the “UCAT” (University Clinical Aptitude Test ANZ).

Important UCAT ANZ 2022 Dates

Candidates taking the UCAT ANZ in 2022 for entry to universities in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 should note these key dates (deadline times are in AEST - Australian Eastern Standard Time): 

Please log on to the UCAT website for specific information.  There are free practice tests on this website to assist with preparation:

Year 10 are coming up to “subject selection” time for 2023. The mentoring process for these students will begin in the last couple of weeks of this term all going well. Small groups of students are usually mentored by the co-ordinators. Information will be given about the various available subjects, closer to the end of this term.

There is a great deal of information from many of the universities for Year 10 students and their parents and as this comes to hand, I will place it in the Year 10 Team Careers OneNote.

As information comes to hand, I will email the relevant students and I will be putting all information in each Year Group Careers OneNote.  This will relate to apprenticeships, traineeships, job vacancies, university information and open days, TAFE information and scholarships.  There is a tab in the Careers section titled Job Jump which has a great deal of up-to-date information in all things careers.  All the students in Years 10, 11 and 12 have, or will have, access to this.

I would also like to keep encouraging the students to have a draft ‘Cover Letter’ and resume which can be tailored for job applications both part-time and fulltime.  This can be saved in the OneNote and accessed/changed at any time.

This week the Year 11 PDHPE and Year 11 Sports Coaching students completed their Provide First Aid course with Warren Keegan from Coastal First Aid.  This is a very valuable qualification to have, and the students were wonderful as usual.  They will now be able to feel confident when assisting in many different First Aid situations.

Last Friday we were very lucky to have Mr Daniel Trudgeon from Local Land Services come in to talk to Year 12 about career pathways in his organisation.  Thanks very much Daniel, for the very informative and interesting presentation.

If any student is interested in Work Experience, please come and collect the necessary paperwork from me.  The Catholic Schools Office has set guidelines for Work Experience.  Year 9 and Year 10 students have to complete this during school hours, however, Year 11 and Year 12 students can do Work Experience during holiday time or on the weekend.

Karen McCann
Careers/VET Adviser

Term 2 2022

School Zones

A reminder to all our parents that school zones remain in place for the safety of our children and families.  School zones operate on all gazetted school days, which are all days the school is open, even pupil free days.  School zones for our school will end on Friday, 1 July and resume on Monday, 18 July 2022.

Complaints Resolution for Parents and Carers