Dear Parents, Students and Staff

As we conclude Term 2, I would like to offer my congratulations to the many students who have made consistent and ongoing efforts both in their studies and in their sporting and cultural endeavours over this ten-week duration.  The academic achievements of our students have been noted in the reports that have been prepared this term for all students in Years 7 – 12.  I hope that all students receive results that they are proud of and that reflect the time and effort that they have put into their studies.  For any students who received results that need improving, they have the second half of the year to make some adjustments to their application and commitment to their studies to ensure a more positive outcome at the end of the year. 

Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Sunday 

On Sunday, 7 July, we gather as one church community to honour and celebrate the rich cultural heritage and contributions of our First Nations Peoples to our Australian Catholic Church. 

The Gospel Reading for 7 July, from Mark 6:1-6, tells the story of Jesus returning to His hometown, only to be met with scepticism and disbelief.  Despite His teachings and miracles, those who knew Him best failed to recognise His divine wisdom and power. 

This passage resonates deeply with the experiences of many First Australians, as they can often find that their voices go unheard, and their contributions not always embraced. 

As Pope Francis reminds us, we are called to be a Church that goes forth, embracing all cultures and peoples.  Let us open our hearts to the wisdom and spirituality of our First Nations Peoples, recognizing the presence of Christ in their stories and traditions.  May this celebration be a moment of grace, healing, and transformation for all. 

St Clare’s Athletics Carnival 

Our third attempt to hold our Athletics Carnival for 2024 was again thwarted by wet weather and ground closures.  We will make a 4^th and final attempt to hold this carnival on Tuesday, 30 July (Week 2 of Term 3).  More details will be provided closer to the date. 

Vinnies Winter Appeal 

A very big thank you to staff and students who made contributions to our Vinnies Winter Appeal this year.  Our fundraising and awareness raising efforts included BBQ breakfasts, BBQ lunches, a Comfy Clothes Mufti Day, guest presentations at school assemblies and donations of goods to support Taree Community Kitchen.  Together we were able to provide some much-needed funds and supplies to help our local community throughout Winter.  A special thank you to Tanille Gardner, Denise Ryan and Deacon Vince Ryan for their drive and organisation of our efforts. 

 Left to Right:  Jeremy Hobbes, Eloise Thomas, Denise Ryan, Sandy Basile & Jane Polson

Start to Term 3

A reminder that all staff will be involved in a Professional Learning Day on Monday, 22 July.  We will join with Primary School staff from St Joseph’s Taree, St Joseph’s Wingham, St Joseph’s Bulahdelah, Holy Name Forster and St Joseph’s Gloucester for a combined Staff Day focussing on Indigenous Cultural Awareness.  The first day of Term 3 for students will therefore be Tuesday, 23 July. 

God bless and best wishes for a relaxing an enjoyable holiday break.

Tony McCudden
Principal

Mass Times

Forster-Tuncurry Catholic Parish

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

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

Taree Catholic Parish

Saturday

5:30 pm Our Lady of the Rosary, Taree:  Mass

Sunday

9:30 am Our Lady of the Rosary, Taree:  Mass
7:30 am every 1^st and 3^rd Sunday of the month Our Lady of Fatima, Old Bar:  Mass
7:30 am every 2^nd Sunday of the month St Therese, Lansdowne:  Mass
7:30 am every 4^th and 5^th Sunday of the month Star of the Sea, Harrington:  Mass
4:45 pm Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Wingham:  Mass

Further updates can be viewed on the Taree Parish Website:

Year 9 students from our school will undertake an education tour of the National Capital in early August.  Students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy. 

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the National Capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education.  To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government is contributing funding of $45 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs.  The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Phillip Carney
Canberra/Snowy Excursion Coordinator

The students in Year 7-10 will be required to bring either their sports uniform or other sports attire to change into for PDHPE Practical lessons throughout Term 3.  We encourage the students to leave their additional bag in the Leader of Wellbeing office or a locker to save them carrying it around with them. 

A few amendments have been made to make the PE lessons run smoothly: 

1. Students that have a PE practical lesson period 5 or 6 may be permitted to remain in their full sport uniform for the remainder of the day.
2. If students are concerned about getting changed in the main toilets, they are welcome to use the toilet near the administration office. 

If a student does not bring a change of clothes the following will occur: 

1^st offense: The teacher will record this as a Uniform Observation via Compass, and they will be required to sit by themselves to complete a sport booklet prepared for them.
2^nd offense: The teacher will record this as a Low Zone and the student will be required to complete a detention in Room 112 for Lunch 1 on either Tuesday or Thursday.
3^rd Offense: The student will be placed on a Medium zone where they will be required to complete a full lunch time detention in Room 112 on either Monday, Wednesday or Friday. 

If a student has a medical condition or is injured preventing their participation in physical activity, an explanatory note (via email or hard copy) from a parent/guardian or a doctor’s certificate must be supplied so the individual may be exempt from participation without penalty. 

If you have any concerns regarding this information, please feel free to contact Marian Parvin (Assistant Principal) or Karina Hogan (PDHPE Leader of Learning). 

Karina Hogan
Leader of Learning - PDHPE 

This term at St Clare's High School, we have undertaken various initiatives to raise funds for our Vinnies Winter Appeal to support Vinnies in Taree, who help those in need within our community.  We have held multiple BBQs, sold cans of drinks, and hosted our 'Out of Uniform Winter Woollies Day’ to highlight the challenges many face during the cold winter months.  These events not only provided a fun way for students to get involved but also raised significant contributions for the worthy cause.  Our commitment to these initiatives is deeply rooted in our Josephite values, inspired by the teaching, "never see a need without doing something about it."  By actively participating in these fundraising efforts, we are not only supporting Vinnies but also fulfilling our school's vision:  "Together with Christ, we serve our community."  This vision guides us in making a tangible difference and reinforcing the importance of community service within our school ethos.  Through these collective efforts, the St Clare's High School community continues to demonstrate its dedication to helping those in need and living out our values in meaningful ways.

The success of these activities was greatly aided by the dedication and hard work of many staff who volunteered, alongside the enthusiastic student volunteers who dedicated their time and effort.  Thanks to everyone in our community we have raised $1,666.75 for Vinnies in Taree.  Great work St Clare’s! 

Tanille Gardner
Leaders of Learning – Religious Education

As a school community, St Clare's High School has undertaken a remarkable initiative to support the Taree Catholic Care Community Kitchen by collecting food items for their pantry.  This term, we witnessed an extraordinary effort from our students, particularly Year 7, who contributed more than 1,000 containers to aid the kitchen in serving meals to those in need.  Alongside these containers, our community generously donated numerous bags of rice, pasta, and sauces, essential ingredients that will be used to prepare nourishing meals for others.

These contributions reflect our school’s commitment to showing love and compassion, embodying our core values in tangible ways.  The overwhelming support from students, staff, and families underscores our continued dedication to the Taree Community Kitchen, ensuring they have the resources needed to help those in need.  Through these actions, St Clare's High School demonstrates not only our solidarity with the Taree community but also our unwavering resolve to make a positive impact. 

Tanille Gardner
Leaders of Learning – Religious Education

Taree Community Kitchen – Student Volunteers

For nearly a decade, students from St Clare's have regularly volunteered at the Taree Catholic Care Community Kitchen, embodying the school's Catholic Mission and living out its vision:  "Together with Christ we serve our community."  Through their dedicated service, they fulfill the Josephite Charism by providing hospitality and support to those in need.  This longstanding tradition of volunteerism reflects the compassionate spirit encouraged at St Clare's.  As they prepare and serve meals, creating a welcoming environment for all, their commitment to helping others not only strengthens their faith but also fosters a sense of unity and purpose within the community.  We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the many teachers and students who have contributed their time and effort, and a special thanks to Denise Ryan for her unwavering commitment to organising these invaluable service opportunities. 

Tanille Gardner
Leaders of Learning – Religious Education

Reflection on the past years of commitment

As far as the teachers who accompany the students - there is always a line-up to volunteer.  If I was to name each one from over the years, I would of course forget someone, so I’ll just say about 40 staff give or take a few.  Many staff have gone many times and when they ‘retire’ from the Kitchen there are always others who are very keen to take their place.  They always comment on the students’ and how wonderful they are:  so enthusiastic, happily moving into new experiences and treating each other and those they ‘work for’ with such respect.  Incidentally, the only injury we’ve had has been suffered by a teacher whose injury was as deep as a paper cut, but he didn’t think so!!   

There have been some funny/extraordinary ‘gems’ from the students:  “My mother doesn’t let me near the kitchen”…  “I don’t know how to wash up, wipe-up or sweep the floor…” 

It has been such a wonderful experience over the years.  I’m sure the Kitchen has given more to St Clare’s than we have to the Kitchen.  It’s a credit to everyone that it’s always such a great day of joy with an incredible sense of having contributed to the community. 

It’s been a huge financial commitment from St Clare’s that has supported the Kitchen and the Principals’ involved have never shied away from making our involvement possible.  It’s fitting to thank them for that. 

Who to thank?  Carol Healey has always made it possible for us to participate.  It is wonderful to watch her welcome us and then gently lead us to an experience that answers our own needs as well as others.  Carol has always been a gift to the St Clare’s community in her many roles.  We have been greatly blessed to have someone so faith-filled and passionate about justice and the goodness of people to lead us. 

To all those we continue to serve:

“May almighty God bless you
May God look upon you with the eyes of mercy and grant you peace
Here on earth may God pour forth graces on you abundantly
And in heaven, may God place you among the saints”

Denise Ryan
Religious Studies Teacher

Feedback from the Students

From the students:

“… we served a total of 135 nutritious meals to the less fortunate in Taree.  A highlight of the day was being able to help many friendly faces in our community and seeing them light up when we were able to assist.  The experience was one I will remember forever.  We were so lucky to be involved in ‘the Kitchen’…” 

“…I struggled with the whole aspect of seeing people who are homeless put their kids first, for example a man came in to get meals for his three kids. He said not to worry about him, but to worry about his kids instead. We ended up getting him enough food for him and his children…” 

“….it was nice to chat to them as everyone had different stories about their life, it made my day helping them and seeing them smile. I felt honoured to be there to represent my school and if another chance presents itself for me to go again, I would do it in a heartbeat….”

St Clare’s students practice their faith in a practical manner – serving others 

Pope Francis once said, “young people, put your talents at the service of the Gospel, with creativity and boundless charity.”  This is an important message to the youth of today as they grow up in a society where commercialism and self-centeredness is considered to be in the way of life.  The students and teachers of St Clare’s High School Taree have met this challenge by becoming part of the volunteer run CatholicCare Community Kitchen.  Once a month the Year 10 students and a teacher together with a CatholicCare volunteer prepare and serve a nutritious meal to the needy in the Taree community.  The people that come to the kitchen have varied backgrounds but have one thing in common they need to feel that someone cares.  For the students this experience gives them an opportunity to move outside their comfort zone and help those who are in need.  The experience is a reality check for the students as not everyone in the community is as lucky as they are, a roof over their heads and enough food and clothes to live a comfortable life.  The diners at the kitchen enjoy having the students serving them.  One client said, “It is so good to have the students at the kitchen as their cheery smiles and happy dispositions make me forget my problems.” 

The students also treat the diners in a non-judgemental manner and go the extra mile to bring joy to the diners.  At Christmas time they made cards for all the diners and dressed up in Santa hats all contributing to showing these people that they important. 

For the students they learn practical hospitality skills and a sense of self-worth having been involved in such a worthwhile program.  The students and teachers are to be commended on their initiative and taking the opportunity to be the face of Jesus in the local community.

Mrs Carol Healey
Community Kitchen Volunteer 

Year 12 VET Construction students have been busy over the past few months completing their course competency of “Undertaking a Construction Project”.  To meet the requirements of the competency, the students constructed two outdoor tables that have been installed at the Taree Community Kitchen.  After MidCoast Council deemed the only existing table on their site as too unsafe, the call came from the kitchen volunteers seeking assistance from our VET Construction students.

 The Problem

The project was a perfect fit for the student’s course programme as the students were ready to commence the Construction Project competency. 

Liaising with Michelle Robinson, Food Programs Coordinator and Meg Norling, Volunteer Coordinator, both from CatholicCare Social Services, Hunter-Manning, allowed the project to be realised and the second of the two tables were delivered last week. 

The students, Alfie Gibbin, Mason Polidano and Alex Tobin were responsible for creating the design, choosing, costing and ordering the materials and constructing and finishing the tables.  In addition to the satisfaction of constructing the tables, the students were able to experience the satisfaction of reaching out and helping those in need and supporting a valuable charitable cause in the local community. 

The Solution.  The new tables in place at the Community Kitchen outdoor area 

The tables have been gratefully received by the Taree Community Kitchen where patrons now have a comfortable alfresco dining space overlooking Queen Victoria Park and the Manning River. 

Alfie Gibbin, Mr O’Neill and Mason Polidano on delivery day.  Absent, Alex Tobin
Under construction at the school’s Trade Training Centre 

Mark O’Neill
TAS Teacher

Year 11 and 12 Studies of Religion II students recently visited the Nan Tien Temple to enhance their understanding of Buddhism, a key component of their SOR II curriculum.  The excursion offered a comprehensive learning experience, allowing students to immerse themselves in various aspects of Buddhist practice and teachings.

During their visit, students participated in meditation and mindfulness sessions, practiced Tai Chi, and took part in a bell ceremony.  They also witnessed several Buddhist rituals and engaged in a traditional tea ceremony, gaining first-hand experience of Buddhist cultural practices.  The students learned from Buddhist nuns, who provided insightful talks on Buddhist teachings and philosophies.  This enriching experience was made possible by the dedicated efforts of Ms Gardner, Ms Northam and Mr Rowe, as well as Dru from Newcombe's Bus Company, who facilitated the trip. 

Tanille Gardner
Leaders of Learning – Religious Education

Year 11 Semester I Awards – 2024

Charlotte Anderson
EXCELLENCE IN TEXTILES & DESIGN

George Andrawes
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED 

Ailey Boere
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS EXTENSION 1
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS STUDIES 

Nicholas Boere
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I
EXCELLENCE IN JAPANESE CONTINUERS
MERIT IN DRAMA 

Jonathan Botros
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS EXTENSION 1
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED
MERIT IN CHEMISTRY 

Ashlee Brabant
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I
EXCELLENCE IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS STUDIES 

Ava Brudar
MERIT IN WORK STUDIES 

Eadie Byrne
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I
EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL STUDIES
EXCELLENCE IN ANCIENT HISTORY
EXCELLENCE IN MODERN HISTORY
EXCELLENCE IN CERTIFICATE II IN COOKERY
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD

Rory Byrne
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH ADVANCED
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED
EXCELLENCE IN CHEMISTRY
EXCELLENCE IN BIOLOGY
EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL STUDIES
EXCELLENCE IN MODERN HISTORY
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS EXTENSION I
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

Hamish Cassidy
EXCELLENCE IN VISUAL ARTS
EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (TIMBER)

Rory Clarke
EXCELLENCE IN CERTIFICATE III IN SPORT COACHING 

River Colliar
EXCELLENCE IN MODERN HISTORY 

Kobi Critchley
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS STUDIES 

Isabel Deal
EXCELLENCE IN ANCIENT HISTORY
EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES

Levi Dickie
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD
EXCELLENCE IN JAPANESE CONTINUERS
EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (TIMBER)

Claire Downie
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH EXTENSION
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I
EXCELLENCE IN DRAMA
EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (TIMBER)
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD

Elise Duckett
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD
EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL STUDIES
EXCELLENCE IN SOCIETY & CULTURE

Gemma Eady-Muxlow
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH ADVANCED
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS EXTENSION 1
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I
EXCELLENCE IN CHEMISTRY
EXCELLENCE IN DRAMA
MERIT IN BIOLOGY

Sammael Fisher
MERIT IN CERTIFICATE II IN CONSTRUCTION PATHWAYS

Jessica Foley
EXCELLENCE IN SOCIETY & CULTURE
MERIT IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Riley Ford
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH STANDARD
EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (METAL)

Kody Gittins
MERIT IN STUDIES IN CATHOLIC THOUGHT

Kaeden Gonzalez
EXCELLENCE IN JAPANESE CONTINUERS
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS EXTENSION 1

Thalia Harmston-Howard
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH EXTENSION
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH ADVANCED
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I
EXCELLENCE IN BIOLOGY
EXCELLENCE IN MODERN HISTORY
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED
MERIT IN CHEMISTRY

Samuel Jackman
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH STANDARD
EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (METAL)

Hunter Jennens
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES IN CATHOLIC THOUGHT
MERIT IN WORK STUDIES

Kantinan Kityanyong
EXCELLENCE IN CERTIFICATE III IN SPORT COACHING

Shae-Lee Lacey
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH STANDARD
EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL STUDIES
EXCELLENCE IN TEXTILES & DESIGN

Maya Ljumanovic
EXCELLENCE IN ANCIENT HISTORY
EXCELLENCE IN VISUAL ARTS
EXCELLENCE IN TEXTILES & DESIGN
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

William Lott
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH STUDIES

Jocelin Martinez-Leeson
EXCELLENCE IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Liam McGreal
MERIT IN CERTIFICATE II IN COOKERY
MERIT IN CERTIFICATE II IN CONSTRUCTION PATHWAYS

Charli McLane
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES IN CATHOLIC THOUGHT
MERIT IN VISUAL ARTS
MERIT IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES

Lily Mitchell
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD

Xavier Morris
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH ADVANCED
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II
EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING STUDIES

Emma O’Byrne
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

Lindsay Payne
EXCELLENCE IN EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
MERIT IN CERTIFICATE II IN COOKERY

Elka Petersen
EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES
EXCELLENCE IN WORK STUDIES

Taran Phirangi
EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING STUDIES

Daniel Pratten
MERIT IN CERTIFICATE II IN CONSTRUCTION PATHWAYS

Sophie Pratten
EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES
MERIT IN BIOLOGY
MERIT IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Tanisha Reddy
MERIT IN STUDIES IN CATHOLIC THOUGHT

Island Rosamond
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD

Rufus Rowe
EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING STUDIES
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II

Alexander Saville
EXCELLENCE IN DRAMA

Riley Sawyer
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II

Taniya Shijo Jose
EXCELLENCE IN SOCIETY & CULTURE

Leo Small
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES IN CATHOLIC THOUGHT
EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL STUDIES
EXCELLENCE IN ANCIENT HISTORY

Nyoka Syron
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH STANDARD
EXCELLENCE IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS STUDIES
MERIT IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES

Katie Tiedeman
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH STUDIES

Lily Vandermark
EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL STUDIES

Caid Van Wyk
EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (METAL)
EXCELLENCE IN CERTIFICATE III IN SPORT COACHING

Jack Ward
EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED
EXCELLENCE IN CHEMISTRY
EXCELLENCE IN BIOLOGY

Daniel Yan
EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH STANDARD
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II

Poppy Yates
MERIT IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION
MERIT IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES
MERIT IN CERTIFICATE II IN COOKERY

Elise Zammit
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I
EXCELLENCE IN VISUAL ARTS
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED
MERIT IN BIOLOGY

Oliver Zarate
EXCELLENCE IN STUDIES IN CATHOLIC THOUGHT
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD

Year 12 Semester I Awards – 2024

Sienna Agnew
EQUAL 2^ND IN ENGLISH STANDARD
3^RD IN BUSINESS STUDIES

Charlotte Bushell
1^ST IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II
1^ST IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES
1^ST IN BUSINESS STUDIES
MERIT IN ENGLISH ADVANCED
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD 2

Drew Cini
3^RD IN CHEMISTRY
MERIT IN ENGLISH STANDARD

 Jade Coe
1^ST IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD 2
2^ND IN EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
EQUAL 3^RD IN BIOLOGY

Quinlan Collins
1^ST IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED
1^ST IN MODERN HISTORY
EQUAL 2^ND IN ENGLISH STANDARD
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II

Aiden Collison
EQUAL 2^ND IN DRAMA
EQUAL 3^RD IN BIOLOGY
EQUAL 3^RD IN ANCIENT HISTORY
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD 2
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II

Elena Daher
MERIT IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Hannah Dignam
2^ND IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION
EQUAL 3^RD IN EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

Booyong Dykshoorn
1^ST IN CHEMISTRY
1^ST IN MUSIC 1
2^ND IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II
3^RD IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED
MERIT IN BIOLOGY

Blake Fishwick-Rosewarn
MERIT IN WORK STUDIES

Pippa Guppy
1^ST IN ENGLISH STUDIES
1^ST IN STUDIES IN CATHOLIC THOUGHT

Lachlan Guymer
3^RD IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

Phoebe Hinchliffe
1^ST IN EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
2^ND IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD 2
2^ND IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I
2^ND IN ANCIENT HISTORY
EQUAL 3^RD IN ENGLISH ADVANCED
EQUAL 3^RD IN BIOLOGY

Jemma Holley
1^ST IN MATHEMATICS EXTENSION 1
2^ND IN ENGLISH ADVANCED
2^ND IN MODERN HISTORY
EQUAL 3^RD IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

Isabelle Homewood
3^RD IN STUDIES OF RELIGION II
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD 2
MERIT IN BIOLOGY

Lucinda Kern
3^RD IN STUDIES IN CATHOLIC THOUGHT

Amber Kunzli
2^ND IN SOCIETY & CULTURE
EQUAL 3^RD IN ANCIENT HISTORY
MERIT IN BIOLOGY

Aliviah Lewis
MERIT IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES

William Maslen
EQUAL 3^RD IN MODERN HISTORY

Elise Miles
1^ST IN ENGLISH ADVANCED
2^ND IN MATHEMATICS ADVANCED
2^ND IN MUSIC 1
EQUAL 2^ND IN DRAMA
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

Savannah Murray
1^ST IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
2^ND IN LEGAL STUDIES
MERIT IN ENGLISH ADVANCED

Fynn Oades
1^ST IN PHYSICS
1^ST IN ENGINEERING STUDIES
MERIT IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

Jaynie O'Neal
MERIT IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION
MERIT IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES

Madison Paine
1^ST IN BIOLOGY
1^ST IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION
2^ND IN CHEMISTRY
EQUAL 3^RD IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

Ruby Parker
3^RD IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

Natalie Payne
EQUAL 3^RD IN SOCIETY & CULTURE

Jena Perram
2^ND IN BIOLOGY
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD 2

Isabella Phillips
1^ST IN SOCIETY & CULTURE
1^ST IN VISUAL ARTS
EQUAL 3^RD IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

Megan Pieschel
2^ND IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

Ruby Plummer
1^ST IN ENGLISH STANDARD

Mason Polidano
3^RD IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD 2
EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION

Ava Schilt
2^ND IN COMMUNITY & FAMILY STUDIES

Jackson Shoesmith
MERIT IN ENGLISH STUDIES
MERIT IN WORK STUDIES

Olivia Simshauser
MERIT IN ENGLISH STANDARD

Alannah Sortwell
EQUAL 3^RD IN EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Connor Stace
3^RD IN LEGAL STUDIES
EQUAL 3^RD IN MODERN HISTORY
MERIT IN ENGLISH STANDARD

Samuel Tilley
1^ST IN DRAMA
2^ND IN STUDIES IN CATHOLIC THOUGHT

Alex Tobin
MERIT IN CERTIFICATE III IN SPORT COACHING

Abbey Vella
3^RD IN VISUAL ARTS
EQUAL 3^RD IN SOCIETY & CULTURE
MERIT IN ENGLISH ADVANCED
MERIT IN MATHEMATICS STANDARD 2
MERIT IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I

Keagan Wallis
2^ND IN PHYSICS

Trinity Waterhouse
1^ST IN ENGLISH EXTENSION
1^ST IN STUDIES OF RELIGION I
1^ST IN ANCIENT HISTORY
2^ND IN VISUAL ARTS
2^ND IN BUSINESS STUDIES
EQUAL 3^RD IN ENGLISH ADVANCED

Jack Yi
1^ST IN LEGAL STUDIES
3^RD IN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Year 12 Business Studies enjoyed a busy business day out in the local community.  Thanks to the following businesses: 

Scott and the team at Jamestrong Precision Packaging for a tour and talk about their factory and the business of making aerosol cans.

 Jamestrong

Debra from Steber International for her passionate talk and detailed tour of the factory where the big boats are constructed in Taree. 

Steber International

Darren for his very experienced talk about being in business and for the tour of the shed where the famous Olympic Croker Oars are made.  We wish Darren all the best with his oars in the Paris Olympics in a few weeks.

 Croker Oars

Nick for stepping in at the last minute to talk about Greenpatch Organic Seeds and for showing us how seeds can be harvested from plants.  We were blessed to have sunshine in the afternoon when we went to Greenpatch but it was very muddy underfoot. 

Greenpatch Organic Seeds

The various businesses provided students with real life examples of business theory in practice.

Mrs Tilbrook
Business Studies Teacher

St Clare’s music students attended the annual adventure to DioSounds again on Friday 14 June.  It was an early start with a group of both junior and senior music students on board the bus before the sun had even risen to destination DioSounds! 

Arriving at 8:30 am at the Civic Theatre in Newcastle, students went straight on stage for their sound checks.  No sooner had they completed these and they were ready for the Matinee Show at 10:30 in front of an enthusiastic audience of fellow performers and Diocesan primary school students. 

The final concert commenced at 6:30 pm where the students again performed in front of family, friends and music lovers alike. 

Our music students presented two outstanding items in our bracket. 

Photograph – Ed Sheeran

Booyong Dykshoorn Year 12 (Piano)
Cornell Estibeiro Year 10 (Lead Vocals and Violin)
Chloe Hicks Year 10 (Lead Vocals)
Elise Miles Year 12 (Backing Vocals)
Isabelle Homewood Year 12 (Backing Vocals)
Amiel Camphuis Year 7 (Backing Vocals)
Samuel Mitchell Year 7 (Backing Vocals)
Evelyn Eyles Year 7 (Backing Vocals)
Shayla Potts Year 7 (Backing Vocals) 

Addicted To You – Aviici

Booyong Dykshoorn Year 12 (Electric Guitar and Footstomp)
Cornell Estibeiro Year 10 (Violin)
Elise Miles Year 12 (Lead Vocals)
Samuel Mitchell Year 7 (Lead Vocals)
Chloe Hicks Year 10 (Lead Vocals)
Isabelle Homewood Year12 (Backing Vocals and Tambourine)
Amiel Camphuis Year 7 (Backing Vocals)
Evelyn Eyles Year 7 (Backing Vocals)
Shayla Potts Year 7 (Backing Vocals)

The students showcased their talent and performed with over 400 music students from across the diocese.  Their performances were truly outstanding, demonstrating great skill, musical diversity and confidence on the stage.  Congratulations to all who took part in DioSounds.  Their commitment to preparation was admirable. 

I would like to congratulate and thank our students who did a wonderful job of representing St Clare’s High School and also thank you to our parents who picked up and dropped off their sons/daughters in the early hours of Friday morning and late in the evening. 

Boarding the bus at the Civic Theatre at 7:30 pm we arrived back at St Clare’s at 10 pm.  The curtains had closed for our 2024 DioSounds, but it was amazing.  A day when memories were made, incredible life experiences had and a truly spectacular delivery of music to the DioSounds stage occurred. 

It was a privilege to accompany such a wonderful group of students to a very busy, exhausting and rewarding excursion. 

Viva La Musica 

Mrs Amanda Brooks
Music Teacher

On Friday 14 June, the St Clare’s Environmental Group held a mufti day to celebrate World Environment Day (we couldn’t hold it on the actual day because there were exams that day).  The aim was to raise funds to help us adopt Trevor the Koala for another year.  Students donated a total of $109 dollars, which will mean we can adopt Trevor again this year.  It was a great day and I thank all the students for their generosity. 

Trevor

Niko Campbell-Ellis
Environmental Group Coordinator

Year 8 students had the task of making a body system during class. 

The students worked cooperatively in small groups and came up with some fantastic works of science. 

The systems the students made were the digestive system, the respiratory system, the nervous system and the circulatory system. 

Roxanne Dunn
Science Teacher

Year 10 Hospitality have been extremely busy the past few weeks. 

Students had to create their own decorations on cupcakes to serve in their workplace. 

The cupcakes displayed were of a high standard and the decorations they produced were amazing. 

Take a look below at our fabulous cupcakes. 

Well done Year Hospitality. 

Laurent Gonfond
Food Technology & Hospitality Teacher

Today our indigenous girls were fortunate to experience a Weaving Workshop guided by Biripi artist Joedie Lawler.  They made a great effort weaving stingrays in a variety of colours shapes and patterns. 

Robin Davies
Aboriginal Education Worker

Mathematics Workshop and Homework Support takes place on Tuesdays at lunchtime in Room 115.  Students have the opportunity to have support for homework or be in a space with a mathematics teacher present to complete more challenging work or preparing for tasks.  This is available to all year groups. 

Michael Morson
Leader of Learning, Mathematics

NSWCCC Cross Country

On Wednesday, 5 June, five St Clare's students travelled to the NSWCCC Cross Country held at Horsley Park in Sydney to represent the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese.  All five competed with great results. 

• Carter Cox competed in the U/13 boys 3km event and produced a PB with 11 minutes 46 seconds.
• Zarlie McDermott competed in the U/13 girls 3km and finished 39^th.
• Matthew Clements competed in the U/15 boys 4km and finished 22^nd.
• Miley Cox competed in the U/16 girls 4km.
• Gemma Eady-Muxlow competed in the U/17 girls 4km and finished 7^th and has been selected in the NSWCCC Team to compete at the NSW All Schools State Championships to be held on Wednesday 24 July 2024. Congratulations Gemma. 

Matthew Clements, Carter Cox, Miley Cox & Gemma Eady-Muxlow

Luke Rowe
Leader of Learning - Sport

NSW All Schools Swimming Championships

On Thursday 30 May and Friday 31 May Sophie Scislo, Year 9 was part of the NSWCCC swimming team that competed at the NSW All Schools Swimming Championships held at Homebush in Sydney.  Sophie qualified in the 50m Butterfly and 100m Butterfly and placed 8^th and 7^th respectively at the event.  Congratulations, Sophie, a great achievement. 

Luke Rowe
Leader of Learning - Sport

Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence 

Of the five school-age award categories in the 2024 Newcastle Permanent Lower North Coast Surf Life Saving Branch Awards of Excellence, four awards went to students attending St Clare’s.  From the six branch clubs along our coastline from Crowdy Head to Seal Rocks, St Clare’s recipients were: 

• Youth Athlete of the Year – Miley Cox (Year 10) Black Head SLSC
• Youth Volunteer Award 15-21 years – Gemma Eady-Muxlow (Year 11) Crowdy Head SLSC
• Youth Lifesaver of the Year 15-21 years - Gemma Eady-Muxlow (Year 11) Crowdy Head SLSC
• Junior Life Savers of the Year – Calista Elmer (Year 9) and Blake Stewart (Year 8) Crowdy Head SLSC

Gemma Eady-Muxlow
Back Row:  Miley Cox & Abby Moelker
Front Row:  Gemma Eady-Muxlow & Calista Elmer 

The branch awards were held on Saturday, 22 June 2024 at Sporties Tuncurry where one of the function room staff was St Clare’s student, Abby Moelker (Year 9). 

Ian Evans
St Clare’s Casual Teacher

Year 7/8 Girls All Schools Touch 

Congratulations to our Year 7/8 Girls and Boys Touch Football teams for their impressive showing at the Mid North Coast All Schools Touch Tournament in Port Macquarie.  Both teams exhibited exemplary behaviour, strong sportsmanship, and unwavering team spirit throughout the event.  Their efforts and representation of our school were nothing short of excellent, and they deserve high praise for their achievements. 

St Clare’s Year 7/8 girls kicked off with a strong performance against Great Lakes College.  Dominating field position from the start, the girls secured a 3-1 victory, setting a positive tone for the day. 

Building on their initial success, St Clare’s faced Camden Haven in the second round.  The girls continued their dominant form, winning 4-1, showcasing their excellent teamwork and strategic play. 

In the third match, St Clare’s took on Woolgoolga.  Despite a tough challenge, the girls emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, maintaining their unbeaten streak and demonstrating their ability to handle pressure. 

St Clare’s faced perennial heavyweights MacKillop in the fourth round. The girls tightened up their ball handling and created numerous scoring opportunities, resulting in a hard-fought 2-1 victory.  Their strong defensive efforts were crucial in securing the win. 

In a nail-biting fifth round, St Clare’s encountered Gloucester.  Despite a valiant effort and a closely contested match, the girls narrowly lost 3-4.  The game highlighted their fighting spirit and determination. 

Qualifying for the semi-finals, St Clare’s went head-to-head with Hastings Secondary College.  The girls displayed exceptional skill and teamwork, securing a dominant 5-2 victory and advancing to the grand final. 

In a thrilling grand final, St Clare’s faced MacKillop once again.  The girls delivered a stellar come from behind performance, winning 4-2 and claiming the championship title.  The St Clare’s girls should be proud of their amazing efforts throughout the day and have now qualified for the State Finals to be held in Sydney later in the year.  Well done girls! 

Back Row (L-R):  Calli Hammond, Lanae Rutledge, Eva De Bono, Eva Sansom, Jarrah Ingram & Ruby Marriott
Back Row (L-R): Beth Harris, Brooklyn Williams & Zarlie McDermott

Matthew Collier
Year 7/8 Girls Touch Coordinator

Year 7/8 Boys All Schools Touch

The Year 7/8 Boys tournament began with a challenging opening match against MacKillop College.  Despite their best efforts, St Clare’s faced a strong opponent and fell to a 4-0 defeat.  This initial setback served as a valuable learning experience for the team. 

Bouncing back in the second round, St Clare’s showcased their resilience and skill with an impressive 6-1 victory over Great Lakes College.  The team’s coordinated play and strategic manoeuvres were on full display, marking a significant turnaround from their first match. 

Building on their momentum, St Clare’s delivered a dominating performance against Heritage Christian School in their third match.  With an outstanding 11-4 win, the boys demonstrated their offensive prowess and cohesive teamwork, firmly establishing themselves as strong contenders in the tournament. 

Continuing their winning streak, St Clare’s faced Gloucester High School in the fourth round.  The boys secured an 8-2 victory, further showcasing their improvement and growing confidence.  Their ability to capitalise on scoring opportunities and maintain solid defence was evident throughout the match. 

Qualifying for the semi-finals, St Clare’s faced the eventual champions, St Joseph’s Regional College.  Despite a valiant effort and matching their opponents early on, the boys were unable to overcome St Joseph’s, resulting in a 3-1 loss.

Back Row (L-R): Jaxon Whyte-Butler, Lachlan Polson, Arlie Atchison, Hamish Anderson, Kobi Egan & Koen Paff
Back Row (L-R): Eli Saville, Ashton Robertson & Finn McNeil 

Finally, we want to express our sincere appreciation to Mrs. Parvin, as well as Sara Harris, Pyper Cross, and Hayden Robertson, for their significant contributions as referees. Their commitment, dedication, and support in training, coaching, and assisting our team were essential. Without their exceptional and tireless efforts, events like this would not have been possible. 

Matthew Collier
Year 7/8 Boys Touch Coordinator

Year 9/10 Boys All Schools Touch

It was a wonderful day out for the Year 9/10 All Schools Touch Football at Port Macquarie. 

The Year 9/10 boys (with some Year 7 and 8 legends filling in) were chomping at the bit to get on the field and show their skills. 

The first game started off a bit slowly where they were fortunate to claim victory over Great Lakes College.  It was lovely to see the sportsmanship between them and some of their friends who attend Great Lakes. 

Their second game was against Woolgoolga and though they were intimidated by the professional warmup displayed by Woolgoolga; they were able to dominate them and render them scoreless by winning 3-0. 

Riding high on the tide of victory; they started their second game well to beat Hastings Secondary College by 5-1.  Their opposition were much larger in body but not stronger in spirit or touch skill.  There were some fine displays of touch football attack and defence.  Their final round game was a demolition of St Columba Anglican School with our boys winning 9-1.  This put them at the top of their pool which meant they had to play Taree High in the final.  Our hopes of victory were crushed as we failed to capitalise on our skill and made some silly errors which proved costly, and we unfortunately lost.  With hopes dashed, and some reflections based on the benefit of hindsight, we soldiered on prepared to cheer on the girls in their grand final.  However, Taree High decided to leave and relinquish their spot in the grand final; so we volunteered to step in and play St Joseph’s Regional for a shot to head off to Penrith.  We tried hard, but the opposition were too strong and we went down by 8-1 in the grand final.  I was very proud of the team; they never stopped trying and their display of sportsmanship throughout the games was excellent.  Lochie Polson in Year 8 received a Man of the Match Award for the grand final and was presented this by the St Joseph's Regional winning team.  We wish them all the best of luck as they progress to the next stage of the competition. 

Jane Polson
Year 9/10 Boys Touch Coordinator

Year 9/10 Girls All Schools Touch

The girls had a wonderful day at the All-Schools Touch Tournament in Port Macquarie.  We had a very skilled team which was also boosted by some younger Year 7 and 8 girls. 

Our first game was against another local school - Manning Valley Anglican College who we were able to defeat 4-1.  We made good use of our width and our wingers were able to score some good tries.  Our next match was against MacKillop which was a hard tussle.  We played hard and defended strongly against some tough competition but were unable to hold our lead and we lost 2-3.  The next three games we dominated in attack and defence and there was not a try scored against us.  It was a credit to the girls; their sportsmanship and skills made it a joy to watch.  They won 7-0 against Hastings Secondary College, 9-0 against Great Lakes and 11-0 against Woolgoolga.  This placed us at the top of the table and it was a local derby against Taree High.  This game was filled with lots of spirit and fire as all the girls are friends with each other.  The game was a display of skill; with some solid defence allowing us to claim victory.  It went down to the wire and we all celebrated the win!  This placed us into the grand final against Mackillop whom we had already played.  We were unable to defeat them; going down 1 -0.  It was an amazing day for the girls; they played so well and like a team the entire day which explains why they were so successful.  It was a wonderful day out; and I am sure the girls will cherish this day.

Jane Polson
Year 9/10 Girls Touch Coordinator

Careers Corner

This will be the last chapter of Careers Corner for this term. 

The end of Term 2 is fast approaching and there is a great deal of information available on the many different post school pathways.  The Year 12 students are hopefully looking at their post school options and are being urged to complete resumes and cover letters as well as applying for as many different courses as possible. 

I have recently attended an information day on tertiary pathways.  I will be placing all the information from this day on each Year Groups’ Careers Team OneNote. 

I would like to encourage students and parents to check the relevant Year Group Careers Team OneNote each week for updated information on Apprenticeships, Traineeships, Scholarships and University Open days. 

The Job Jump section has a wealth of information about all things Careers as well.  Please make it a regular weekly occurrence to check the information here. 

Job Jump is and continues to be a great source of Careers information for students and parents and it is with great sorrow that we were informed of the passing last week of Gary Grant who began Job Jump many years ago.  Up until quite recently Gary has been at the forefront of this platform.  We will keep Gary, his family, friends and colleagues in our prayers. 

I will be bombarding students with emails.  So PLEASE check your emails carefully so that you don’t miss out on an opportunity if and when it becomes available.  I am constantly being made aware of job vacancies in many different areas and email these out to the students as soon as I receive them. 

There is currently an opportunity at a local dentist for a fulltime trainee receptionist/assistant.  I am asking if anyone is interested to come and see me. 

On Thursday this week, 60 Year 11 and Year 12 students travelled to Newcastle to take part in a Newcastle University Open Day.  The students all registered for several sessions throughout the day and were given a great deal of information about the courses running at Newcastle University plus scholarship and accommodation information. 

It was an early start but certainly worth the trip down and back. There will be some photos and more information in Careers Corner next term. 

Next term on Thursday, 1 August, there will be a “Careers Quip” here in Taree at Fotheringham Park.  I am in the process of organising for Years 10, 11 and 12 to attend.  There will be many different exhibitors at this event, all with post school employment information.  Last year was excellent.  Details will be forthcoming in the first few weeks of Term 3. 

Several universities are now open for early entry and several of these universities have their early entry separate from UAC.  UNE, Southern Cross and Charles Sturt have various pathways and are worth considering.  Newcastle University has just opened its Early Entry pathway and I have emailed the information to the students as well as placing this in our Careers Team OneNote.  Please make sure that you have a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C! 

There is also an information booklet and a PowerPoint with information about this in the Year 12 Careers OneNote with a summary of Early Entry 2025 for Year 12 2024 students. 

University scholarships will begin to open up over the coming months and some have already, so if you want to choose that pathway it is very important to keep checking university websites. 

APPLY, APPLY APPLY! 

Many scholarships go “untaken”.  You have to be in it to win it and have nothing to lose by applying. 

UAC DATES 

Key dates for 2024 to 2025
Dates are correct as of 2 April 2024 but subject to change.  Times indicated are based on Sydney time. 

Application dates 

Monday, 30 September 2024 - Early bird processing charge deadline (pay for and submit your application by this date to avoid the higher processing charge.)
Friday 7 February 2025 - Applications close for Semester 1, 2025.
Some courses have early closing dates set by the institutions.  Check the course descriptions on UAC’s website at uac.edu.au/search. 

Processing charges 

Early bird standard
Wednesday 3 April to 11.59pm Monday 30 September 2024 $80 Tuesday 1 October 2024 to Friday 7 February 2025 $215
All fees and charges are in Australian dollars, not refundable under any circumstances (except as required by law) and subject to change after 30 June 2024. 

Year 12 results and ATAR dates

All dates determined by external organisations are subject to change.

2024 NSW HSC students 2024 ACT Year 12 students

Wednesday 18 December 2024
HSC results released by NESA from 6 am
ATARs released on UAC website from 9 am
Wednesday 18 December 2024
Statement (including ATAR) issued by ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies.  ATARs released on UAC website from 9 am

International Baccalaureate (IB) students 

Tuesday 17 December 2024
Results released by IB Cardiff, UK

Offer dates

All dates are subject to change. For the latest information, check uac.edu.au/key-dates. 

Undergraduate 

Institutions decide when they will make offers to their courses.  There may be a significant amount of time between when you apply for a course and when the institution makes offers to that course.  Most offers to 2025 Semester 1 courses will be made in December and January. 

SRS Information from UAC 

Students may receive one unconditional Offer per SRS offer round. 

November Round 1 released 8 November

• 8 November students may receive one unconditional offer
• 8 November students may receive several conditional
  November Round 2 – may receive one unconditional offer
  December Round 1 - may receive one unconditional offer
• Conditional Offers released by email only
• Unconditional Offers released through the UAC system and via email 

There are also quite a few TAFE scholarships available in different areas.  I can’t stress enough the importance of looking on the appropriate websites. 

Those who have registered for the UCAT can access practice papers either on the UCAT website or other websites such as NIE.  Be aware that most of these other websites charge money for the papers and workshops. 

If anyone needs assistance with this, please come and see me. 

I would also like to encourage those Year 12 students who are applying for University to register with UAC ($80 before 30 September and $215 after this date).  Once you have done this you can apply for SRS (Schools Recommendation Scheme) (There are several students who have already done this).  As students of St Clare’s, you automatically get the EAS consideration for being a student at a disadvantaged school and don’t have to apply for this particular part of EAS.  There are also various other forms of disadvantage so if you think you qualify for any of these come and see me and we will go through the application process. 

Year 10 Subject Selection Process

Year 10 students will be beginning their subject selection process soon and have been given access to their Year 10 Careers OneNote through their Year 10 Team.  It is very important that each student look at their strengths, passions and what they like when considering subject choices and to this end work through the booklet which they will be given a hard copy of during their Period 1 mentoring sessions each week.  This booklet will also be in the Content Library of the OneNote.  Students can copy this into their own section of the OneNote and fill it in or keep using the hard copy.  There will also be a UAC guide in the Content Library which shows various university courses and their requirements as well as a link to a “subject compass” to help in making choices for Year 11. 

Information about TAFE and other pathways will also be provided.  If any student is unable to access this OneNote, please come and see me or email me. 

There will be an information evening for the students and parents regarding 2025 and beyond which will be held on Wednesday, 31 July at 6:30 pm. 

TVET Course 

If any Year 10 student would like to do a “TVET” course throughout 2025 and 2026, they will need to come and see me to get an expression of interest form once I have received these from TAFE.  This should happen within the next couple of weeks.  Next year TAFE are offering several online TVET subjects, and I will be providing more information regarding this in the coming weeks.  I will put a booklet in the Team OneNote which outlines the courses available for next year.  Students attend TAFE one day a week and school four days a week.  Each student is responsible for making their own way to TAFE and home on their nominated day.  This usually occurs on a Friday, however over the past couple of years Electrotechnology has run on a Wednesday. 

There is a cost associated with these courses. 

Some funding is made available to schools to support the provision of these courses.  The funding agreement is based on the ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) Tier rating of the school.  Based on the Tier rating of our school, families are asked to make a contribution towards the cost of these courses which does not exceed 16% of the qualification cost, capped at $1200.  The remainder of the course costs are covered by funds contributed by the government and the Catholic Schools Office. 

Things to remember when thinking about TVET/VET 

1. Some EVET courses are 4 units x 1 year. This means there is a bigger workload over the year and a parent contribution of up to $1200 for the year.
2. Some courses have the option of an HSC Exam, others don’t. This is written on the information sheets available for each course.
3. Work missed at school must be caught up.
4. Compulsory Work Placement means a week out of school (35 hrs per year) each year for each 2 units. If the first year is missed, then the 70 hours have to be made up in the second year. If the course is 4 units x 1 Year, then 70 hours of Work Placement is necessary within that year.
5. If a student does an EVET course and a VET course that means 70 hrs per year Work Placement

CAA Latest News

The latest news from the CAA is as follows:

Information Sessions for Students & Parents 

Academy of Interactive Technology (AIT) Open Day - 13 July 2024 Join AIT on Campus in Sydney or Melbourne for Open Day. Attend workshops and watch live demonstrations. Take a Campus Tour. Experience the Post Production Studio and Green Screen Room. Chat with course advisers, educators and current students, and have all questions answered. Register here:

TAFE NSW | Bradfield Senior College Open Days For HSC students interested in preparation for the creative industries - filmmaking, a career in design or visual arts, production or performance, Bradfield’s project-based learning in Year 11 can build specialisations and industry connections. Find out more at an upcoming Open Day on 2 July, 30 July or 20 August.

TAFE NSW Information Sessions Offered online or at a participating campus, Information Sessions allow students to discover how TAFE NSW can help them to get the skills they need for the careers they want. Register here:

CQUniversity | Open Day Online Chat Session - Thursday, 25 July 3pm (AEST) CQU's Open Day Online Chat Session is a great opportunity to chat directly with expert staff about courses, student support services, scholarships, pathways, or anything else about studying with CQUniversity. Have questions about future study options whether it's TAFE or university, register at:

Save the Dates for ACU Open Day Save the dates to attend Open Day at ACU Blacktown Campus on 27 July, Strathfield Campus on 17 August, North Sydney Campus on 7 September, or Canberra Campus on 14 September. Students can get information about studying at ACU, tour campuses and chat to  staff about ACU courses. Learn more:

CreAIT High School Competition 2024 CreAIT is a competition for high school aged students to showcase their creativity. Theme: Into the Future. Put them in the running to win a Wacom to start animating today. To ensure they are in the running, submit their application and original artwork by 5pm on Friday 2 August. More information and the entry form can be found at:

Western's School of Law - 2024 Kirby Cup Western Sydney University Competition Western's School of Law invites high schools in Western Sydney to participate in the 2024 Kirby Cup Western Sydney University Competition. This year’s theme is Law and Diversity and asks teams to reflect on the varied experiences with the law by people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. Teams to submit their entries by Friday 27 September 2024:

Projects Abroad Overseas Medical Experience - Webinar Year 10-12 students interested in further studies in healthcare subjects can learn about clinical experience programs run by Projects Abroad in countries such as Cambodia and Nepal. The programs are two weeks long and run in the holidays, students can join as individuals or with friends. The webinar recording is available at

Personalised Swiss Luxury Business Hotel and French Culinary Schools Sessions Swiss Hotel Schools now offer courses in Hotel, Events, Luxury Goods, Real Estate, Wealth Management plus more. Register at:

if students or parents would like to book in a 15-30 min personalised Zoom meeting. If interested in business, hospitality or don't know what to do yet, if students ski or are adventurous or just want a gap year project, then contact Don at 0422766730.

Courses & Workshops for Students

Academy of Interactive Technology (AIT) Workshops Book a 60 minute workshop in: 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Film or Game Design. A representative from AIT will facilitate the workshop at school or at the Ultimo Campus. If located in a Sydney metro school, a representative from AIT will come visit, so no travel is required. Book today: Samantha Montaos to discuss further 0426 534 779 or email samantha.montaos@ait.edu.au.

The Interior Design Institute - Study Interior Design Start an exciting new hobby or career in interior design. The comprehensive program covers everything from fundamentals to advanced techniques. Enrol now to start the journey in creating beautiful, functional spaces. Visit:

SAE | Create for a Day  SAE University College is opening its doors this July for a one-day program, designed to expand skills and work on inspiring creative projects in the fields of Animation, Audio, Design, Film, Games or Electronic Music Production. When: Saturday 6 July, 2024 | 10:00am – 4:00pm (local time) | Sydney, Byron Bay. Register now at:

July HSC Holiday Preparation Workshops at Macquarie University A series of HSC subject-specific workshops are being held at Macquarie University in the July Holidays (8 to 12 July). Hear from HSC teachers in the following subjects: English (Advanced and Standard), Mathematics (Advanced and Standard 2), Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry and PDHPE. Learn more at:

New Date Released | Designer for a Day Workshop 10 July Missed out on 11 July event? Join Sydney Design School for an insight into their creative world. Get hands on and develop own interior space, create a mood board, play with colour and materials, and visualise a space in 3D using the latest computer software. Designer for a Day Workshop for high school students 10 July, $99 per person. Book a place at:

UCAT NIE: Free Webinar – Pathways into Medicine, and all about UCAT On 25 July 2024 the National Institute of Education will be presenting a webinar about UCAT, Interviews, Pathways into Medicine and Dentistry. The session is packed with invaluable information. Register here:

NIE | Early Medical School Entry Interview Preparation Years 11-12 students considering a career in Medicine or Dentistry? If so, then start medical interview preparation early. NIE August workshop dates are nearly full. To register please visit:

For further enquiries please contact NIE at enquiries@nie.edu.au or call (02) 4367 0404 / 0404 197 178 /

Careers in Medicine, Engineering, Business, Creative Writing, Psychology, Veterinary Studies with NIE National Institute of Education Careers has a unique opportunity to experience 11 Days of Residential Career Program, 5 – 15 January 2025 at the University of Sydney, for students 13 - 18 years of age. TEL. 1300 974 187 or 0412 439 115 enquiries@nie.edu.au Details via:

Jobs & Work Experience  

UNSW School of Chemical Engineering Work Experience Program The UNSW School of Chemical Engineering is delivering Work Experience Week, from October 14 – 18. Perfect for high school students passionate about chemical engineering, this immersive program offers a unique glimpse into university life and potential career paths. Secure a spot today. Visit:

Master Builders Association of NSW is Taking Applications for Apprenticeship Opportunities Master Builders Association is taking applications now for apprenticeship opportunities in the Northern Beaches and Northern Sydney area. Master Builders have opportunities within multiple trades for all ages and entry levels. Suitable for those who have the commitment and drive to commence and complete an apprenticeship in the building industry. For more information email careers@mbansw.asn.au.

Resources for Students  

Western's Free HSC Study Sessions Western's annual free HSC Study Sessions are being offered again this year from Monday 30 September to Friday 4 October. Year 12 students are invited to register now for the free HSC Study Sessions. Students can choose from a range of 24 free sessions across 15 key HSC subject areas. Find out more and register:

Other Information  

Announcement: Western Sydney University | World #1 Topping the World’s Leading University Sustainability Ranking Three Years in a Row Western Sydney University has been named number one in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings topping the world’s leading university sustainability ranking three years in a row.

Last Friday we had the pleasure of a visit from Hugh Hayden from Koolah Park Highlands.  He spoke to the Year 12 students about what he and his partner have created and the importance of taking an opportunity when it arises.  He also spoke about the fact that there are many different options and pathways and sometimes you change direction.  Mrs Nicole Lovern was very impressed – the Highland Cattle were beautiful!  Once again, a big thanks to Erin Lute from RIEP for organising these visits and presentations for the Year 12 students.  We have been asked to complete a survey and hopefully most of the students will have completed this.

A reminder to those students who might be interested in Work Experience to come and see me and collect the necessary paperwork. 

I am happy to meet with anyone who has questions regarding Careers and/or TVET.  The students can write their names in one of the “white spaces” on the timetable on my office door and I can be contacted by phone (6552 3300) or email karen.mccann@mn.catholic.edu.au.

Karen McCann
Careers/VET Adviser

Term 3