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NEW LIFE
SPRING 2016
E THOLIC COLLEG A C IA R A M R E T MA
WALK IN NEW LIFE
COLLEGE u FRIENDS OF THE D AN rmaria.nsw.edu.a TS EN UD BSITE www.mate FOR PAST ST E IN 02 9997 6042 WE AZ ILE IM AG CS M FA L 44 A BIANNUA ONE 02 9997 70 STRALIA TELEPH
W 2102 AU WARRIEWOOD NS 5 FOREST ROAD
Building Program - Stage 2 Development It is with great anticipation and excitement that we announce that Mater Maria Catholic College is entering into a significant building program. This $7.5m project represents the next stage of development at the College and will enhance the way we support students in all aspects of learning, wellbeing and administration. The project builds on the Stage 1 development of the College - the Mater Maria Chapel, Marana Complex, Byrne Theatre and Fleming Building - that was opened in 2003 and reinforces the central axis of the College, expressed by the grand staircase that celebrates the link between hilltop and ocean. The beautiful Mater Maria Chapel remains at the peak and the new three level building will centralise the support functions of the College so that each student can have better access to teaching and support services to meet their learning and wellbeing needs into the future. This project provides a new administration and public reception, staff facilities and a digital learning centre that includes library services. The construction of this project enables approximately 950sqm of current area to be relocated for refurbished 21st century learning spaces. These new spaces will be open and flexible in nature, modelling in the design awareness of student collaborative learning for innovative and creative problem solving. This refurbishment will also facilitate the repackaging of existing departments and learning areas into certain areas of the College. A student cafeteria will be a major feature of an open air amphitheatre that will flow into the digital learning centre. The roof top of this centre will function as a recreation area similar to facilities seen in higher education campuses.
New Life is available digitally To subscribe visit www.matermaria.nsw.edu.au/new-life-subscription
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Marc Reicher (Principal) with Year 11 Duke of Edinburgh Silver award recipients
Welcome Welcome to the Spring 2016 edition of New Life. It was been a massive six months since we last made contact with you and I am thankful for the opportunity to reflect on all that has been accomplished. It is with much anticipation and excitement that we announce that the College will commence a significant building program. This is an exciting time in the development of the College as we construct a new administration and public reception, staff facilities and a digital learning centre that includes library services. Most excitingly, the new facilities and specifically the digital learning centre will provide new spaces that can foster 21st century learning skills for collaborative peer based learning. In this edition of New Life, we farewell Mr Mark Suters, the College’s Business Manager, and thank him for his significant contributions over the past fourteen years to the financial, property,
administrative, information technology and communications functions at the College. Especially I would like to acknowledge his contribution and attention to detail in preparing the College’s submission for further building works and am thankful for his assistance in the groundwork for this next stage of development. I wish Mark well in the next stage of his career and welcome Aaron Mumby who will take over this role from September 2016. During term 2, the College undertook a rigorous compliance and assurance School Review and Development process for registration and accreditation by the Catholic Schools Office on behalf of the NSW Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES). I can confirm that the College is compliant and thank the Leadership team and staff for their assistance in ensuring that we meet and exceed these requirements.
Farewell Mr Mark Suters In August the College farewelled Mr Mark Suters after fourteen years of dedicated and generous service to the Mater Maria Catholic College community. Mr Suters commenced employment in 2002 as the Communications Coordinator, became the Director of College Services in 2005 and then in 2011 was appointed as the Business Manager of the College. Mr Suters has delivered significant contributions to the financial, property, administrative, information technology and communications agendas at the College and has developed significant processes which have enhanced the non-teaching and support services of Mater Maria. Notably, Mr Suters has led a very successful facilities refurbishment program of the College ensuring that the learning and physical environment of Mater Maria is modern and technologically equipped to support contemporary learning. His attention to and eye for detail have enabled quality resourcing and many new opportunities in this community. Mark has accepted the position of Schools Accountant at the Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay and will be responsible for supporting fourteen Catholic Schools along the Northern Beaches. We wish him all the very best and thank him for his more than extensive generous contribution to the life of this community.
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I am also delighted to welcome back our World Youth Day pilgrims who attended the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day celebrations in Krakow, Poland and look forward to each of them sharing their experiences and faith experience with us. 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. 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
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A celebration of Our Lady 54th Anniversary Mass The Mater Maria community gathered in the Marana Complex to celebrate the community’s Anniversary Mass on Tuesday May 24, the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians. The College was delighted to welcome Fr George Kolodziej sds from our Catholic Parish of Pittwater to celebrate this special occasion which was joy-filled and acknowledged the abundant blessings that continue to be bestowed on the community. This year marks the 54th anniversary since the Good Samaritan Sisters established Mater Maria Catholic College, initially as a girls’ school. From 1962 until 1990, twenty-five Good Samaritan Sisters stewarded the College with faithful dedication. In 1979 the College became co-educational and in 1980 the Sisters donated the land of the College in perpetuity. Responsibility for the College was later handed to
the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay and in 1990 the first lay principal was appointed. The guest of honour for the Mass was Ms Dorothy Talty. Ms Talty commenced at the College in 1984 as a teacher of Religious Education with extensive experience. She had previously served as a Presentation Sister and worked in primary and secondary schools both in the country and the city. Over the next twenty-three years, Ms Talty held various leadership roles including Pastoral Care Coordinator, Religious Education Coordinator and Acting Assistant Principal. She worked under six principals including Sister Therese Fleming and Sister
Therese Duffy. Ms Talty was inspiring with her words to the students and reminded everyone just how fortunate we are to belong to a community with such a wonderful reputation. She acknowledged beautifully that this reputation is largely supported by generations of students living by the charism of the ‘Good Sams’.
Introducing our New Business Manager We are delighted to welcome Mr Aaron Mumby to the College in the role of Business Manager. Mr Mumby has had significant finance and operations experience as a School Business Manager both in the UK and Australia. Most recently Mr Mumby has held the Finance Manager role at Oakhill College, Castle Hill and prior to that was the Business Manager at LaSalle Catholic College, Bankstown. Aaron is highly versed in finance and ICT management and we look forward to him playing a key role in the leadership and management of non-teaching services at the College
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School Review and Development Process It is with great pride that we share the results of the recent compliance and assurance School Review and Development process for registration and accreditation. During term 2, the school review and development process involved various external audits to ensure compliance with the requirements set by the NSW Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES), the Commonwealth Government and the Catholic Schools Office of Broken Bay. The process involved a review of school documentation and interviews with members of the College’s leadership team to determine the College’s status of compliance with the requirements of registration and accreditation. The College was audited and assessed as fully compliant and was commended on the quality of its documentation in all areas including curriculum; staff accreditation; work, health and safety; premises, buildings and facilities; safe and supportive environment; risk management; student attendance; and the management and operation of the school.
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The quality assurance component of the school review is a thorough process that provides external validation and critique of the College’s self-evaluation report and future strategic directions. All staff undertook a process of self-evaluation to identify the following school strengths: Mission • Strong relationship with neighbouring Parishes • Comprehensive and inclusive Youth Ministry program and social justice initiatives • Provision of opportunities for spiritual formation of students at the College Teaching and Learning • Student centred structures and systems to support learning through data analysis and quality learning spaces • Targeted professional learning focusing on identified student needs • Improved culture of learning
Pastoral Care • Students at the College have a sense of belonging and inclusion • Positive and effective prevention and intervention practices to improve students’ wellbeing and learning • A welcoming, nurturing and safe school community On June 14 and 15 the final component of the process was completed which involved thorough analysis of evidence and interviews of students, parents, staff and other community members including our Catholic Parish of Pittwater Parish Priest, Fr George Kolodziej sds. The external panel of principals and educational leaders validated all of the identified strengths and provided the College with feedback to shape the strategic direction of the next School Improvement Plan for 2017-2019. This plan will be developed over the next six months in consultation with students, staff and the community via our College Advisory Board and P&F.
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Putting heart and soul into The Committed! In April a talented ensemble of drama students and musicians presented The Committed, a musical adaption of the Irish classic, The Commitments. The students delivered toe-tapping songs in their version of Michael Rulli’s film version of Roddy Doyle’s book, The Commitments, which he had rewrote for a younger audience. The College’s production was set on the Northern Beaches, not Dublin, and followed manager Jimmy as he attempted to form a soul band. Jimmy strived to bring soul back to Sydney and throughout the extravaganza the question was whether the soul band would follow in the footsteps of the Irish classic! The production involved a cast of forty-five Years 9, 10 and 11 students, including the production crew working behind the scenes. Visual Arts students created the posters and tickets and designed the tee shirts. The band featured our talented student musicians and a big brass section. The production was a loud, rollicking, comic spectacular and the audiences thoroughly enjoyed it. Congratulations to all the students and staff involved.
JOIN US FOR OPEN DAY! Sunday March 12, 2017 11.00am - 2.00pm At Mater Maria, the Catholic tradition in which our students are educated provides them with gifts that enable them to make contributions to others in unique ways. Our co-educational community is focused on learning, collaboration and rich and positive relationships. Our young men and women are called to nurture curiosity and be globally focused, ready to make an impact on the world in ways that matter. We invite your child to embrace our spirit of freshness, innovation, community and wonder.
Enrolment Applications for Year 7, 2019 close on April 5, 2017.
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Blessed are the Merciful World Youth Day 2016 It was a tremendous celebration of our Catholic faith as we journeyed with Bishop Peter Comensoli, the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay and Society of Divine Saviour “Salvatorian” pilgrims to World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. We joined with the 2500 strong contingent of Australian pilgrims who travelled through the Holy Land, Greece and Italy to Krakow to meet Pope Francis and 2.5 million young people from all over the world. For some pilgrims, the time away commenced in Rome where they wandered the spectacular city visiting St Mary’s, St Paul’s, St John’s and St Peter’s basilicas. There were many opportunities for liturgy, prayer, cultural tours and espressos. For others they arrived in Athens, took a cruise to the mountainous islands of Mykonos and visited Patmos, known as the Jerusalem of the Aegean. They continued in the footsteps of St Paul to Corinth and back to the Acropolis and Areopagus. In the Holy Land, pilgrims visited the baptismal site of Jesus at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The experiences continued on to Poland, and the host city, Krakow, for the long awaited meeting with the young of the world. The public display of Christian devotion, the vast crowds of people and their flags, the drumming, chanting, prayer and singing were the constants of the week long celebrations in the city where Saint John Paul II had spent his youth and years as parish priest and bishop. Each pilgrim was filled with the Holy Spirit and energised by the series of masses, catechesis, concerts and moments of faith during that spectacular and faith filled experience. The final days before returning home were enjoyed in Warsaw or Zakopane as our pilgrims marvelled at the scenic surroundings and reflected on the extraordinary moments which had ignited a powerful celebration of Catholic community and our call to share our faith with the world.
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Building Program Stage 2 Development We are delighted to announce that Avium Pty Limited with CPL Architecture have been appointed to complete this next stage of development following the tender process. This tender was based on the considerations of a final design that incorporated the construction of an administration, staff and digital learning facility. The brief also articulated improved pedestrian circulation around the College campus, improved recreation and gathering spaces and addressing accessibility requirements for mobility access. This project provides a new administration and public reception, staff facilities and a digital learning centre that includes library services. The construction of this project enables approximately 950sqm of current area to be relocated for refurbished 21st century learning spaces. These new spaces will be open and flexible in nature, modelling in the design awareness of student collaborative learning for innovative and creative problem solving. This refurbishment will also facilitate the repackaging of existing departments and learning areas into certain areas of the College. A student cafeteria will be a major feature of an open air amphitheatre that will flow into the digital learning centre. The roof top of this centre will function as a recreation area similar to facilities seen in higher education campuses. This announcement is an exciting time in the development of the College, though it is also a time to reflect on the College’s foundation. The development requires the demolition of the current Administration building and the former Convent home of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan who stewarded our community from 1962 to 1990. As the old will make way for the new there will be an understandable sense of nostalgia as we physically farewell this central facility of those early years of the College. May we give thanks to the Sisters of the Good Samaritan for their pioneering contributions and for all in which we hold dear at Mater Maria today. The anticipated completion date is January 2018. SPRING 2016 NEW LIFE 07
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Mater Maria Festival The 2016 Mater Maria Festival was once again a vibrant opportunity to celebrate the community of Mater Maria Catholic College. It was a wonderful evening under the stars for wandering the market stalls, eating and being merry! This year the festival welcomed a number of retail stalls to enhance the offering for students, parents and the wider community. Entertainment was once again a huge focus and the abundance of student talent meant that the tunes continued on into the night providing a spectacular time for all in attendance to enjoy the wide range of repertoire. Those attending could also eat their way ‘around the world’ with a variety of foods Wok, Curries, Nachos, Pizzas & the Aussie barbecue, Tombola, Cakes & Home Baked Goodies, Gourmet Foods, Espresso Coffee & Cold Drinks. It was a smorgasbord of delectable treats! Our thanks are extended to the community for their support of Festival Night Under the Stars. We congratulate our wonderful parent volunteers and our hospitality students, musicians and College Prefects who contributed so greatly to this fundraising opportunity. We are also most grateful for the parents who attended to bag the lollies, bundle the chocolates, wrap the hampers and sort the recycled clothes and books in the lead up to the festival. In 2016, the Maria Festival raised $15,000.00 which will contribute to a replacement College bus that will be purchased later in 2016. In 2017, the Festival will undertake a year of hiatus due to the building works. We look forward to it returning in the future as a special opportunity to celebrate the unique community spirit of our College.