Mater Maria New Life Magazine - Autumn 2015

NEW LIFE

AUTUMN 2015

OLIC COLLEGE H T A C IA R A M R MATE

WALK IN NEW LIFE

LLEGE IENDS OF THE CO w.matermaria.nsw.edu.au FR D AN TS EN STUD 42 WEBSITE ww AZINE FOR PAST IMILE 02 9997 60 A BIANNUAL MAG STRALIA TELEPHONE 02 9997 7044 FACS

W 2102 AU WARRIEWOOD NS 5 FOREST ROAD

Opening of Student Recreation Space and Additional Parking The College is delighted to announce the completion and opening of our senior student recreation space and additional car parking area below the Administration Building.

In total, an additional seven parking spaces have been constructed and the existing courtyard area adjacent to the Byrne Theatre now opens through to the Ducker building. This space has become a natural entry and recreation area for students and leads into the lower areas of the College from the main staircase entry. The design of the project, in consultation with the College architect, Fulton Trotter, and the supervising engineer, Cardno, has ensured

that the College has been able to vision an outstanding addition to the learning and recreational facilities at the College. The stunning recreation area has magnificent bush and ocean views and is an impressive gathering space for students to enjoy their recess and lunch periods.

The College is encouraging students and staff to use the new recreation space as the preferred pedestrian access point into the western areas of the College rather than through the new parking area so to ensure increased safety for pedestrians. Works commenced in August 2014 and was completed in February 2015.

New Life is available digitally To subscribe visit www.matermaria.nsw.edu.au/new-life-subscription

The College was able to fund this project in part by contributions made to the Mater Maria Catholic College building fund during the years between 2003 and 2013. Thank you to families and friends of the College who supported appeals during this time.

Students and staff are looking forward to the many new opportunities this outstanding additional space will provide.

WALK IN NEW LIFE

NEW LIFE

Marc Reicher (Principal) and Jemma Shimeld & Dane Moltzen (College Captains)

Welcome Welcome to the Autumn 2015 edition of New Life. I am delighted to welcome you to this new academic year and the Year of the College value of Hospitality which will be the focus for our community of Mater Maria.

Since our last edition, I have had the pleasure to attend the installation of Bishop Peter Comsensoli as the third Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay in December. This, of course, followed the announcement made by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, on November 20. The College has also had the opportunity to open the new student recreation space and additional parking and launch the parent funded and managed ‘Bring Your Own Designated

Device’ BYODD iPad program for students in Years 7 and 9.

We were pleased by the success of the Class of 2014 who completed the Higher School Certificate last November. Twelve students achieved an ATAR of over 90 with Jasmine Bathie being awarded Dux of the College for 2014 with an ATAR of 98.0. Ingrid Baader-Irwin was named the recipient of the Mater Maria Catholic College Mission Award. Students achieved 61 distinguished achievers’ places for marks of 90 or above. On behalf of the College, I extend to the Class of 2014 every best wish and success for the future and welcome them to the mailing list of New Life with this edition.

I invite each past student and friend of Mater Maria to continue to stay connected to your College community and hope you may be able to join us for any of the events detailed in this publication. I am regularly reminded that our Mater graduates not only do well, they do good, making an impact in the world in ways that matter. Please remember to keep us informed of your story and be assured that you are always welcome at Mater Maria Catholic College.

With best wishes Marc Reicher Principal

Installation Mass for the Most Rev Peter Comensoli, Bishop of Broken Bay On Friday December 12, a representative group of staff and students including Lachlan Pidgeon and Anna Walding from Year 8, Marc Reicher, Catherine Rae, Nicola Chin, Mark Suters and Vicky McGahey had the great privilege of attending the Installation Mass of the Most Reverend Peter A Comensoli as the third Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay. It was a solemn mass that took place in Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in Waitara. Mater Maria students and staff were fortunate to view the mass from the Light of Christ Centre adjacent to the Cathedral. Following the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, Archbishop Paul Gallagher reading the Papal Bull in Latin and Chancellor of the Diocese, Anne Walker, reading it in an English translation,

02 NEW LIFE AUTUMN 2015

AUTUMN 2015

OLIC COLLEGE H T A C IA R A M R MATE

Supporting Teachers’ Professional Learning Of all the factors that impact on student learning outcomes, one of the most significant, and the one over which teachers have most control, is instructional quality. Because of this, Mater Maria invests significantly each year in providing access to the best available external professional learning for its teachers.

Additionally, programmes for all staff development days focus on exploring current and emerging thinking in curriculum, pastoral care and Catholic Mission so that the quality of classroom instruction is effective and the learning environment simultaneously challenging and nurturing. These initiatives are being

augmented during 2015 through the development by teachers of individual practitioner research projects.

These individual research projects will bring together the School Improvement goal of improving student learning outcomes through rigorous use of data, and the imperative for teachers to achieve accreditation under the Australian National Professional Teaching Standards. By formally embedding professional learning into the everyday practice of teachers, Mater Maria recognises teachers as experts who bring a high level of professional judgement and reflection to their work, and whose key focus is the delivery of high quality teaching and learning within the classroom.

To facilitate this important work, four staff meeting times per term that were traditionally administrative in nature, have been allocated for professional conversations around teachers’ individual research projects. In the Mater context, this formal internal process will enable teachers to work collaboratively with student data to assess student learning needs and gains, and enhance their own ongoing professional learning.

Brenda Timp Assistant Principal

Archbishop Gallagher and Archbishop Fisher escorted Bishop Comensoli to the cathedra, his Chair of Office as Bishop of Broken Bay. In his homily, Bishop Comensoli spoke about Juan Diego, a local indigenous Indian, who came across the Blessed Virgin Mary in early December 1531 at the Hill of Tepeyac, near Mexico City. Speaking about evangelisation, Bishop Comensoli said ‘evangelising is nothing more - or less - than me telling someone the story of the value and significance of my friendship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour’.

After the mass a reception took place at the Light of Christ Centre. It was a very special occasion and we wish Bishop Peter well in his ministry as Bishop of our Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay.

AUTUMN 2015 NEW LIFE 03

WALK IN NEW LIFE

NEW LIFE

Hospitality - Are We Neighbour to Compassion?

In 2015, each member of the Mater Maria community has been invited to be neighbour to the College value of Hospitality. At the Opening Year Mass, Principal, Marc Reicher, offered the following words to the congregation of students, parents and staff - inviting everyone to have an open heart and a renewed emphasis on living for others and not themselves. Mr Reicher asked the community to share the tender touch of God through their own talents so to shine a grace-filled light of justice and compassion.

Welcome students, staff and especially our guests to this our Opening Year Mass for 2015.

Today you received a gift from the College, your Hospitality badge, to remind us that in 2015 we will be focusing on the College value of Hospitality.

As our Religious Education Coordinator, Catherine Rae, mentioned in our first College assembly this year, Hospitality is our call to freely contribute to the life of this community and by this community we not only mean our school community but the wider community as well. We are called to open

our minds, to open our hearts and to open our talents, to others.

emotion that can be present in our lives even in the challenging times.

Pope Francis, in his Apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, has set us the challenge to practice our faith with joy and to share that joy with others.

Displaying the College value of Hospitality is exactly this - it is all about coming together as a community and making a conscious effort to bring joy into the lives of others. Jesus has shown us the importance of living our lives with peace and to display love and understanding with all those we encounter.

In 2015, let us focus on joyfully opening our minds, our hearts and our talents to everyone we meet whether it be at school, at home, in our parishes or when we are just out and about in the wider community.

We are challenged to ….

• Be grateful for what we have - showing gratitude and appreciation to those around us for their deeds and their talents • Be compassionate - showing a deep respect for the dignity of everyone we encounter • Be selfless - showing others that we care for their wellbeing In our busy lives, happiness can come and go from day to day and sometimes even hour to hour but a sense of true joy is a deeper emotion that comes from the heart as well as from our mind. It is an

iPad Program Launched for Years 7 and 9 students This year’s return to school has seen new opportunities for students of Years 7 and 9 through the launch and implementation of the parent funded and managed, ‘Bring Your Own Designated Device’ - BYODD iPad program.

The new school year has started well for students in Years 7 and 9 with the introduction of the one to one iPad program. The introduction of the iPad ensures that this learning resource is available for use when it is needed. It sits alongside the more traditional exercise books, pens and pencils and ensures that students use technology effectively to develop skills of creativity, critical thinking, 04 NEW LIFE AUTUMN 2015

collaboration and communication.

“A personal mobile device assists with time management and organisation, something many adolescents struggle with,” Mr Reicher commented.

The College chose iPads over other tablets because of the high-quality educational apps available, because students and staff were already familiar with iPads and because of the long battery life and inbuilt camera, he said. Introducing technology across the College takes time. There have been information evenings for parents and numerous presentations to students. One question parents ask is: how does the

iPad help learning? “By using apps to assess students and provide data on their progress and our teaching in a timely fashion,” Mr Reicher said. “Also, it increases accessibility to information from ebooks and the internet, students can creatively present work in a variety of engaging formats and the built-in camera can record science experiments, drama and music performances and speeches to allow for quality feedback.”

Mr Reicher is aware the ongoing support of the technology in the College is vital. “The College has an eSmart committee of staff, students and parents

AUTUMN 2015

OLIC COLLEGE H T A C IA R A M R MATE

2014 HSC Results Our Class of Year 12, 2014 achieved 61 distinguished achievers’ places for marks of 90 and above in the following courses - Ancient History, Business Studies, Design and Technology, Drama, Earth and Environmental Science, English Advanced, English Extension 1, English Extension 2, Industrial Technology, Information Processes and Technology, Legal Studies, Mathematics (General), Mathematics, Mathematics Extension 1, Mathematics Extension 2, Music 1, Society and Culture, Studies of Religion 1, Studies of Religion 2, Textiles and Design and Visual Arts. 76 per cent of two unit results were placed in the top three performance bands. 42 per cent of results in the same courses were either Band 5 or Band 6. Our HSC students achieved 192 Band 5 results and 204 Band 4 results.

We are delighted to announce that twelve students achieved an ATAR over 90 with Jasmine Bathie, Sophia Berry, Madeline Hislop, Katrina Millner, Alexander Norris, Ingrid Baader-Irwin, Troy Poulter, Georgina Humphries, Nicholas Monk, Elizabeth Brice and John Cleaves achieving our highest ATARs. Particular congratulations are extended to Jasmine who achieved an ATAR of 98.0.

Congratulations are extended to Alexander Norris whose Industrial Technology major project was selected for display at InTECH; to Estelle Fleming whose Design and Technology major project was selected for display at DesignTECH; to Madeline Hislop whose Visual Arts Body of Work was nominated for Art Express and to Nathan Judges and Sam Power whose Industrial Technology major projects were nominated for display at InTECH. Ingrid Baader-Irwin was the recipient of the 2014 College Mission Award for embracing the opportunities encompassed in the Mission Statement of the College.

Students of Year 12 2014 have actively contributed to all areas of College and community life. They have exercised outstanding service through social justice campaigns, attended the combined Catholic Parish of Pittwater and College Cambodia house building trip, were publicly recognised in the arts, were elite athletes and have actively mentored and guided our younger students. They have displayed excellence and service in leadership of our student body. They are young people of hope who have all, individually, achieved success in the 2014 HSC.

who ensure the policies, procedures and educational programs are in place to reduce the risk of inappropriate use of technology,� he said.

The program will be progressively introduced across each stage of learning at the College over future years.

ENROL NOW!

At Mater Maria, our co-educational learning community provides opportunities for the full human development of each student. We are focused on quality learning and positive wellbeing that affords each student an opportunity to accomplish meaning so that they can make an impact on the world in ways that matter.

We invite your child to embrace this spirit of freshness, innovation, community and wonder. Please visit the College website or contact our Enrolment Registrar, Deborah Fitzgerald, for a prospectus, Application for Enrolment or to register for a College tour.

Enrolment Applications for Year 7, 2017 close on April 1, 2015 at 4.00pm Enrolment Applications for Year 7, 2016 have closed waiting list applications only

AUTUMN 2015 NEW LIFE 05

WALK IN NEW LIFE

NEW LIFE hope to work towards a better Mater Maria Catholic College.

Brooke Ferro and Jake De Kort College Vice Captains ARTS As College Prefects - Arts of 2015, our goals and aspirations for the year ahead are to connect and involve all years in their creativity. As students of Drama, we wish to bring our enthusiastic energy and confidence to push others to get involved and do their best. We are honoured to have been appointed in this role and will do everything we can to fulfil our duty.

Rachael Spiteri and Luke Smith College Prefects - Arts

COMMUNITY We are the College Prefects - Community of 2015.

The Community ministry at Mater Maria is heavily focused on being an active member of the community and working together as one. Our goal is to improve the Mater community by creating a positive learning environment for both students and teachers. As the new College Prefects - Community, we hope to achieve a sense of cohesiveness amongst not only the Year 12 cohort of 2015 but amongst the entire body of the College.

Monique Johnson and Nathaniel Cross College Prefects - Community

Student Leadership It is our great pleasure to introduce the College Prefects of 2015. Each of our College Prefects is responsible for a specific ministry in which they can share their gifts and talents, contribute to the College in a significant way and make a difference. These students are support by a teacher or group of teachers. We profile each of the ministries below: COLLEGE CAPTAIN As the College Captains for 2015, we will strive to continue enhancing and embracing our College values whilst serving the wider community. Along with the College Prefect team we aim to encourage students to participate and make the most of the fantastic opportunities on offer at Mater Maria. We will lead and motivate everyone to try their very best

06 NEW LIFE AUTUMN 2015

and to reach their full potential and we hope to create an enjoyable and memorable final year for the Year 12 students.

Jemma Shimeld and Dane Moltzen 2015 College Captains VICE CAPTAINS We are privileged to serve as the 2015 College Vice Captains. We see our main role as continuing to build community, not only for our year group, but the whole College. We hope to bring everyone together and make an hospitable environment. In this year we hope to achieve the College values and to develop the College needs. As Vice Captains we commit ourselves to supporting the students and staff and

HOUSE As the College Prefects of the House ministry we are involved in the promotion and encouragement of all activities that promote the ambitions of each House group. The College Prefects - House work to enhance initiatives that allow us to further develop and enhance the Inter-House cup system; thus creating a stronger integrated system between students, teachers and the College.

Charlotte Cliff and Kane Wilson College Prefects - House LITURGY As College Prefects - Liturgy, we will strive towards upholding the College values, whilst working toward enhancing the College’s faith. We hope to find ways in which we will assist students to use their faith to guide them in their journey. Also, we will endeavour to provide ways to live our faith that is relevant to the contemporary lives of students.

Grace Harrison and Donald Amir College Prefects - Liturgy

AUTUMN 2015

OLIC COLLEGE H T A C IA R A M R MATE

SOCIAL JUSTICE In the role of College Prefects - Social Justice our goals for the upcoming year are to raise awareness and participation in social justice issues affecting our local community, as well as issues in our wider world. This year we aim to put an emphasis on increasing students’ knowledge on issues affecting our society. We will be extremely welcoming and encourage anyone to approach us with new ideas or enthusiasm.

Hannah Broad-Dent and Sophie Renouf College Prefects - Social Justice

SPORT We feel very privileged to represent the College as the College Prefects - Sport. Throughout our years at the College we have both actively participated in the sporting opportunities that the College has offered including the European Sporting Tour and representing the College at Broken Bay and Combined Catholic Colleges levels. During this year ahead, we will strive to further develop our College’s participation in sporting carnivals and inter school competitions, encouraging all students to have a go and work as a team.

Rebecca Smith and Zac McSwiney College Prefects - Sport STEWARDSHIP In the Stewardship ministry we hope to increase the recognition of this College value. We plan to do this by implementing new environmental initiatives such as awareness and fundraising events as well as focusing on the more personal aspect of the value such as being stewards of our reputation and our wellbeing. As well as being the College Vice Captains, we plan to make this ministry a responsibility of the entire College Prefect body, allowing it to be integrated into all aspects of the College.

Brooke Ferro and Jake De Kort College Prefects - Stewardship

Byrne Theatre Refurbishment We are delighted to announce the completion of the Byrne Theatre refurbishment which has been funded in part from monies raised form the Mater Maria Festival and College walkathon in 2013 and 2014.

The refurbishment has included new carpet and wall fabric and upholstered seating which has increased the seating capacity from 123 to 170 people. A significant upgrade of the audio and stage lighting has also been completed. This includes touch screen controls for simple gathering requirements and a more advanced digital mixer console for musical and dramatic requirements to satisfy performance needs. The College has also upgraded the stage lighting infrastructure to allow for LED fittings.

Our thanks are extended to the students and their families for their support of these important fundraising events which assist in enhancing the educational opportunities provided at Mater Maria Catholic College.

AUTUMN 2015 NEW LIFE 07

NEW LIFE WALK IN NEW LIFE

Combined Parish & College Cambodia House Building Trip During November, thirty-one parishioners, students, past students and staff from the Catholic Parish of Pittwater and Mater Maria Catholic College had the privileged opportunity to travel to Cambodia. The combined Parish and School house building trip was an extraordinary experience to serve families who have experienced utter poverty and was our opportunity in ministry to be house builders and supporters at local orphanages. It was an incredibly grounding experience and was possible, in part to the generosity of the $50,000 raised in our parish and College communities prior to travelling.

For some participants, it was their second or third opportunity to take up the challenge as house builders. The families we built for had participated in a unique family savings program arranged by the Tabitha Foundation, a program that invites the poor to overcome despair and contribute to their own future. Each family must contribute US$25.00 to the project which usually takes a couple of years to save. In this particular community, some of the locals had reached the position of returning regular income through the farming of chickens, pigs and oxen after previous saving cycles that had seen them build a house.

Our group successfully constructed twenty-eight houses in two days.

The ‘houses’ were a simple structure on raised footings (to accommodate the wet season). Our job was to hammer the floorboards into place and sheet the exterior in corrugated sheets. It was hot sweaty work that was tremendously rewarding.

As well as building we explored the stunning natural beauty of Cambodia.

The group visited the majestic Angkor Wat, the twelfth century Hindu temple in Siem Reap and came to better understand the tormented history of a country that survived the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. We visited the hideous torture cells of the Tuol Sleng prison (a former school house) that today is a genocide museum. We also took a guided tour of the killing fields - another sobering reality of the regime’s insidious control during those years.

AUTUMN 2015

OLIC COLLEGE H T A C IA R A M R MATE