Week 2 Term 3 2023

From the Principal

Dear Parents, Staff and Students,

Welcome back to Term 3! The College has been a hive of activity over the past fortnight as this Newsletter highlights. Having proofread the Home Group comments on our Years 7 – 10 Semester One Reports during the week, I am really impressed by the number of students whose co-curricular involvement has been acknowledged and celebrated. We can be particularly proud of our Creative Arts Faculty, especially those Senior students whose work in Dance, Drama, Photography and Visual Art was showcased on Wednesday evening as part of our annual ‘Lights Up’ programme. Please encourage your daughters and sons to really make the most of their time at Woodlawn and join in one or more of the MANY activities that our staff most generously run for them.

In staffing news, we welcome Mr Leonard Moran as our Indigenous Education Worker. Mr Moran is a highly experienced IEW, with his most recent appointments being in our feeder Primary schools in Coraki and Woodburn, so he is already well known by many of our students and families. On behalf of all members of the Woodlawn community, I welcome Mr Moran to the College and ensure him of our ongoing support within this important role. 

Our Year 11 students were addressed this afternoon about the Student Leadership process which will be used to discern our Student Leadership Team for 2024. While each student has been given a hard copy of this information, Mrs Colman has also emailed this letter to all families, so please take the time to discuss this with your daughters/sons and encourage them to consider putting themselves forward for one of these important roles in our community.

With the traditional cold and flu season now upon us, we offer a gentle reminder to families to ensure that students who are displaying signs of illness remain at home until these symptoms have eased. The College still has a small supply of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) available to students (with Expiry Dates of July, 2023). If you require these, please collect via SSO.

As this fortnight’s reflection, I share the following thoughts for your perusal:

In addressing students at Monday’s Assembly, I used a simple quote taken from M. Scott Peck’s book, ‘The Road Less Travelled’. This was a text I first used as a young teacher of Studies of Religion back in Queensland in the late 1990s. The final unit our Year 12 students covered at the time was called ‘The Search for Meaning’. Given students were coming to the end of their educational journeys, this was both appropriate and relevant. The opening sentence in this text simply reads: ‘Life is difficult’. It’s nearly laughable thinking back on that time now, that any of us thought that anything we faced was even remotely difficult, given what we have endured since this time. But we did. And the point remains: life is difficult. So, we should take the time to celebrate the little victories, the small wins which help sustain us through the difficult times. One of the hallmarks of a Woodlawn education is its inclusivity. The ethic of service it instils. Of putting others before self. So, my challenge to all students this Term is to go out of your way to see that you are doing your part to uphold these core values of our community. Not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s ‘the Woodlawn way’…    

On behalf of all members of the Woodlawn family, we extend our condolences to Callum Richardson (Year 11) on the recent loss of his Grandfather. May he rest in peace.

Finally, we extend our best wishes to Mrs Annette Reen, Mrs Fiona Fennamore, Mr Craig Saad and Ms Abbey Pignat who travel to Hunters Hill next week for the Marist Immersion. This is the first time that this special programme has run since 2019, so we ask that you take our love and best wishes from all at Woodlawn to Fr Pidcock, Br Kevin and members of the Marist community.

With best wishes for the Term ahead, especially our Seniors as they complete their HSC Trial Exams over the coming fortnight.

Sincerely

Aaron Beach
Principal

Census Collection Notice

The Australian Government Department of Education (the department) would like to advise all staff, parents and guardians that it will collect certain information about your school, its staff and student body as part of the 2023 Non-Government School Census collection (the Census). 

Please see the attached Information Sheet for further information on 2023 Non-Government School Census collection (the Census). 

From the Assistant Principal - Mission

We are called to be hope for the marginalised, the poor and for all those we encounter. The photo below was taken of a young Cambodian family whose lives are dictated by poverty and the inaction of the government to care for those with a disability. I was introduced to the girls in these photos in 2017 after they had been found in a rural village in a shed with no food, sanitation, health care or education. The Marist Brothers at La Valla School were alerted to the plight of this family through their educational outreach program. The girls came to board at La Valla and were provided with dignity and hope. Our Immersion program and fundraising initiatives this Term are dedicated to supporting the work of this vital organisation. I am often asked by students and parents, how can we help? This Term there are two major community and fundraising opportunities for everyone to be involved in. The first of these is the 'Spring Fling' which is being reborn after a hiatus due to COVID. This evening is a casual gathering of families, friends, and students with live entertainment, raffles, and dancing. We are grateful to our P&F who are supporting the licensing of the event. Please check out the flyer, organise a table with your friends and family, and join us. Tickets are available from the College Office. Bookings of tables of 8 or 10 is recommended.

Our other major fundraiser this Term is the ‘Walk A Mile in My Shoes’ campaign. Students are encouraged to gain sponsors for our Walk of Justice. Year 7 students will also have an afternoon learning about the project, the people, and looking towards a time when they too may join an Immersion group. Sign-up for this will begin in Week 4. 

The mist was rising as we set up for our Kennedy House Breakfast last Friday. We really appreciate everyone who ensured that this event was about making connections with families and providing our House leaders with the chance to model servant leadership. 

We are keeping our Year 12 students and their families in our prayers as their Trial Examinations begin next week. Please contact our team if you need any assistance or would simply like to touch base about the welfare of your student.

Annette Reen
Assistant Principal - Mission
annette.reen@lism.catholic.edu.au

From the Acting Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

Trial HSC
Next week, our Year 12 students will begin their Trial HSC Examinations. These examinations will run until August 14 and are the final internal assessment in Year 12. It is also the best simulation of the HSC Exam itself. Students only need to attend school on the days that they have an examination. Many students have been preparing for the exams by answering questions from past HSC papers and submitting them for feedback, which is by far the best form of preparation in the final weeks before an exam. Once students have their notes ordered, summarised and condensed into trigger words, they should pick an exam question, prepare for it and then write a response under closed-book, timed conditions. There is simply no substitute for simulating exam conditions. We wish our Year 12 students all the best during this time.

Year 10 into 11 Subject Selection
It was great to see so many families at the Year 11 Subject Selection Evening in Week 1. We are finalising the lines based on student expressions of interest and will distribute these shortly. Discussions with teachers, using the Libguide and completing the Senior Education Study Plan Booklet remain the best sources of information on our Stage 6 subjects. Students should continue to use these resources to finalise their booklet. Completed booklets must be returned on Monday, 14 August, during the Parent/Student/Teacher interviews, where students will make their final selections. Regular classes will not run for Year 10 on this day. Mr Bailey will issue booking information via Compass as the date approaches. 

Years 7-10 Reports
Semester One Academic Reports are now available for all students in Years 7 to 10. They can be viewed via the student profile in Compass. All reports are sent electronically, so you will not get a physical copy in the mail. Please review your child's report with them, and encourage them to reflect on their Semester One achievements and challenges. This Report, in conjunction with feedback from the recent Parent-Teacher Interviews, assists students in setting academic goals for Semester Two.

Reading at Home
Literacy is key to success in secondary school. We support readers of all levels and encourage all students to be reading for pleasure at home. At school, we continue to focus on spelling and reading in Semester 2. Year 8 students are a particular area of focus with this term’s Book Expo in English. The Book Expo requires students to choose their own novel, become an expert on it, and present their knowledge in an expo-style presentation in Week 9. Regardless of their age and stage, it is excellent practice to have your child read aloud to you from time to time. See our Teacher-Librarian’s comments below on ways to support your teen’s reading.

Parental Involvement
Secondary school can be alienating for parents as their child moves into adolescence. At Woodlawn, we value parents as the first educators and we encourage you to maintain a strong presence in your child’s school life. It has been wonderful to see so many parents at our House Breakfasts, Curriculum Information Evenings, Creative Arts shows and other community events this year. This article, although a little American-centric, is an easy read on some of the key ideas around parental involvement in your child’s school life.

Year 11 Study Skills Seminar
This week, all students in Year 11 attended a Study Skills Seminar. The Seminar was presented by Elevate Education, who have over 20 years experience in coaching and motivating school students. The Elevate team ran our students through workshops on study techniques, time management, exam technique and motivation. As part of the package, the student portal is accessible to everyone who attended the seminar. There are also parent webinars on how you can support your child in their studies. You can register for the Term 3 seminars here.

Keeping the Balance
As always, balance is key to happiness at high school. The College continues to offer an extraordinary array of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that support our students' lives in faith, sport, the arts, personal growth and the workplace. We encourage students to take up these opportunities throughout the Semester. An example of a challenging opportunity was the recent Kokoda Challenge. On the final weekend of the holidays, Woodlawn sent two teams to the Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge. One team attacked the 48km course, finishing in 10 hours, 42 minutes; the other tackled the enormous task of the 96km course, finishing in 28 hours. It was an outstanding achievement for both teams. Woodlawn congratulates the eight students who participated, and thanks the many parents and staff involved. Special thanks to Mr Ruben Garcia for organising and overseeing Woodlawn’s teams. 

Congratulations to: Robert Shepard, Jethro Leedman, Zac Landrigan, Jack Grofski, Josh Hodge (96km team); Eliza Lamas, Emily Eyre, Alex Fletcher, Olly Mason (48km team).

Christopher Mason
Acting Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
christopher.mason@lism.catholic.edu.au

Student Wellbeing

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Body Kind Families
Having a positive body image helps people to feel good about themselves and supports mental health and wellbeing.  But the world we live in today can sometimes make that hard, particularly for teenagers.  Whilst it might not always feel like it, parents of teens can still have a really positive influence on the way a child thinks, feels and behaves when it comes to their body and appearance.  Body Kind Families (part of the Butterfly Foundation) is about helping the teen in your life grow up happy, healthy and body confident. 

Body Kind Families is about providing information and resources to help parents/caregivers connect with the teens in their lives on important topics related to body image and eating and exercise behaviours.  

It includes practical help with:

If you are interested, you can sign up now.

eSafety Commissioner - Parent Webinar 
The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT, in partnership with the eSafety Commissioner, is offering all parents and caregivers an opportunity to join a free 30 minute webinar.

This will cover:

• The impact of sharing nude images without consent;
• practical suggestions for starting the chat about respectful relationships, consent and pressure to send nudes;
• Where to get support for a young person who has experienced abuse;
• The impact of sharing nude images without consent.

Webinar details: Tuesday, 15 August, 7.30pm – 8.00pm
To attend, register here.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me on 6626267 or via email.

Fiona Fennamore
Leader of Student Welfare
fiona.fennamore@lism.catholic.edu.au.

Humanities News

There are a number of events coming up this Term for our Stage 4 and Stage 5 Humanities students.

Year 7 Geography Fieldwork at Woodlawn
On 23 August, all Year 7 students will be conducting fieldwork around the grounds of the College related to their current unit of study: Water in the World. Fieldwork is a mandatory component of the NSW Geography curriculum. Students will complete a range of activities including field sketches of the surroundings, including the river. 

Year 9 Geography Fieldwork at Shaws Bay
On 28 August, all Year 9 students will be conducting fieldwork around Shaws Bay in Ballina, using the area as a case study for their current unit: Environmental Change and Management. It will give students the opportunity to put their learning into practice, identifying the various effects on the environment and gaining an understanding of the way that various stakeholders try to manage the changes. Anyone wishing to drop-off and/or pick-up their child MUST communicate this with their classroom teacher by 18 August.

Year 10 History Presentation
As part of their upcoming unit, Changing Rights and Freedoms, all Year 10 students will be viewing a presentation at the College on 1 September. The aim of this presentation is to give students an introduction to the 1967 Referendum, the years preceding the vote and those that followed and the continuing evolution of the civil rights movement. 

These events are all on Compass if you require further information. Please ensure you give consent for your child to be involved in these worthwhile learning opportunities. Any other questions about these events can be answered by classroom teachers or myself. 

Stefanie Darke
Acting Leader of Humanities
stefanie.darke@lism.catholic.edu.au

Sports News

Mitchell Medal Nominations
The Mitchell Medal is a memorial to Father Syd Mitchell, SM (1918-1984), ex-student and Rector of St John’s College, who had a great love of sport and, for the many years he worked in Marist Colleges throughout Australia, greatly encouraged students to give their best in sport. 

The Award will be presented to any sportsperson from the College in recognition of an outstanding sporting achievement either for the College or external sporting achievements. Winners of previous medals in the same sport are ineligible. Nominees should include as many details as possible – number of competitors, competition levels etc. This is the only award that considers sporting achievements from outside the College. 

Normally students who make State teams or place at State Championships would be highly considered. 

Nomination forms are in the Sports Coordinator's office and close Friday, 18 August.

Simon Andrews
Sports Coordinator
simon.andrews@lism.catholic.edu.au

Attendance

Daily Procedures
Following Home Group each morning from 8:55am - 9:10am, lessons commence at 9:10am and conclude at 3:15pm. 

Student Attendance
All students should be in attendance at school each day unless sick, attending only necessary events (e.g. funeral, medical appointment etc) which cannot be scheduled outside school hours. 

Absent from School
If we have not heard from you, via the Compass App, phone or email, you will receive an SMS generated by Compass at 10am. Please respond by clicking on the link in the SMS (the link is active for 7 days but can only be used once). In the case of shared care of a student, both parents will receive an SMS but we ask the parent who has the child in their care that morning to respond. A Medical Certificate is required if your child is absent for three or more consecutive days due to illness.

If you do not advise the reason for your child’s absence, you will receive a letter from the school requesting an explanation, which we ask you to return within 7 days of your child’s absence so that we can update your child’s attendance records. 

Late Arrival
Students arriving after 8.55am, need to enter the College via the Student Services Office. Please submit late arrivals via the Compass App.

Early Departure
Please use Compass to notify of an early departure. The Student Services Office cannot guarantee your student to be ready for an early departure without adequate notification. 

Instructions for entering details into Compass to submit absence/ late arrival/ early departure (alternatively see attached pdf for instructions):

• Log into your Compass account
• Click on the +Shortcuts symbol at the bottom of the page
• Select Submit Absence Note
• Select Reason
• Add Details/Comments
• Select the date and time that your child will be collected or absent
• Select the End date as the date or time you child will be returning to school (or 3.15pm if they are not returning to school that day)
• Select Potentially Affected Sessions
• Hit Add Attendance Note at the bottom of the page.

If you cannot access Compass, check you are using the correct username and password - each parent has their own unique access. If you need further assistance, please contact the College Office.

NOTE: A Compass update occurred last term. Iphones users may be unable to enter a Compass Absence through the shortcut feature. Please open in the Browser - Add Attendance Note and submit your student absence. Compass is currently rectifying the issue. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Absence due to holiday/family event:
If your student is absent for less than 10 days: Please notify the school that your student will be absent via Compass, email or phoning SSO.
If your student is absent for more than 10 days: Complete Form 01 Extended Leave Notification.

Absence due to Elite Sport, Elite Arts, Employment in the Entertainment Industry:
Accredited Elite Sports programs include national and international organisations that run camps for athletes and national sports squads in which students have been selected to participate. They also include talented identification programs run by the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation.
Complete Form 05 Exemption from Attendance General.

Accredited Elite Arts programs are defined as an opportunity for a student to participate in an event or program that is beyond the gifted and talented opportunities that the Diocese offers.
Complete Form 05 Exemption from Attendance General.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Zone
A reminder that the drop-off and pick-up zone is located between the College and the Ovals at the rear of the College. Please do not collect your student from the front entrance due to safety reasons.

Messages
Please phone the Student Services Office PRIOR to 2.45pm to advise of any changes to afternoon arrangements. This will provide Office staff with the best chance of ensuring that your child receives the message. Last minute phone calls at this busy time of the school day are not ideal and we cannot guarantee that late messages will be received. We all experience emergencies from time to time and that is understood and accepted.

Administering Non-Prescription Medication (eg. Paracetamol) to Students
A reminder to parents that when a student presents to Sick Bay, a member of staff will contact their parent or guardian seeking permission to administer non-prescription pain relief (eg. paracetamol) if required. 

Any previous permission to give non-prescription pain relief no longer applies. You will receive a phone call each time your child presents to Sick Bay seeking consent.

Lost Property
The Lost Property is located outside the Student Services Office. Please clearly label all items that are brought or worn to school.

Student Services Office
Direct phone: 02 6626 2629
lisjc-studentservices@lism.catholic.edu.au

Community News

Canteen News

Flexischools orders has a cut-off time of 9.00am.

The cash free way to pay! - REGISTER NOW
Paying for lunches is now safer and hassle free. With cashless cards there's no need for students to bring cash to school.

The College has Flexischools to allow students to pay at the Canteen using their existing student ID card. Paying for lunches and items at recess or lunch is now safer and hassle free. With cashless cards there's no need for students to bring cash to school. Parents can set daily spending limits and view transactions online. Parents can also top-up funds at any time.

The Canteen has introduced a Fast-Track line for students who have pre-ordered to collect their lunches, making it much easier and quicker for students.

We encourage all students to register. This will allow for those days when your student may have forgotten their homemade lunches.

Please follow the link below to register now:

Uniform Shop

The Woodlawn Uniform Shop is proudly managed by P&C Uniforms.
To ensure you have an easy and pleasant experience while ordering uniforms, we encourage you to order online ahead of time for easy click-and-collect in store.

Uniform Shop Opening Hours:
Time: Monday 8.00am - 9.30am & Wednesday 11.00am - 2.00pm
Where: Colin Centre
Order Online: www.sjcwuniformshop.com.au 
Book a fitting: www.sjcwuniformshop.com.au/bts-appointments

Second Hand Uniform Shop Opening Hours:
Time: 11.00am - 2.00pm
When: Every Wednesday
Where: Colin Centre 

Leanne Copeland
Uniform Shop Convenor
0407 739 237