From the Principal

Congratulations to the Year 12 students on the way you have come back from the Trial HSC Examinations. The receiving of feedback from your teachers, then acting on this feedback through practice papers is critical to even greater success in the upcoming Higher School Certificate Examinations. It was great news to hear that the NSW Premier is allowing School Formals to proceed after the HSC Examinations have been completed. It will be a nice way to conclude the year after all that Year 12 have gone through. Thank you to Year 11 and the way they have entered into their Assessment Block. The feedback given from your teachers' will serve as a means to improve performance as well as reassess goals for Year 12 starting in Term 4.

‘It’s All About Learning’

Gospel Reflection:

Matthew 18:21-35. FORGIVENESS

Our text for this Sunday is about forgiveness. It is a difficult word to hear, because we find forgiveness difficult—both to receive and to give. However, it is also an urgent word, because receiving and giving forgiveness is central to our faith.

First, we received God’s forgiveness. We can pass on only that which we have received. Having experienced forgiveness at the hands of God and God’s people, we are then called to make it possible for others to experience it. Thus the circle of Christ’s love expands ever wider to encircle one more lost sheep—and another—and another.

This is not cheap grace. Jesus isn’t suggesting that we regard offenses as unimportant. Nor is he suggesting that we wink at sin. He is calling us to take sin seriously—and then to take forgiveness equally seriously.

Verses 15-20 tell us how seriously we are to take these violations. Verses 21-35 tell us how gracefully we are to deal with them.

New Leader of Faith Mission and Learning:
We welcomed Ms Josilin Kalifa to the College as part of the team. Mr Clarke as the Director of Faith Mission and Learning has already spoken highly of the many qualities Ms Kalifa is bringing to the team. Please make Ms Kalifa welcome.

Nomination for OnStage:
Congratulations to Chloe Leibeck who has had her individual performance nominated for possible inclusion in OnSTAGE. This is a great achievement and congratulations must also go to Mrs Deschamps, her teacher, for the work she has put in with Chloe to achieve this standard. Her performance is titled ‘The Bones of It.’ Congratulations once again to Chloe.

National Child Protection Week: Putting Children First
We all play a part in keeping children and young people safe and ensuring they can live and learn in a safe environment. This National Child Protection Week (6 to 12 September 2020), we pledge commitment to listening to the voices of children and young people and remaining vigilant to their safety and wellbeing.

In support of the National Child Protection Week theme, “Putting Children First”, and in line with the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta (CEDP) is committed to the establishment and implementation of child safe systems, policies and procedures. 

The aim is to have in place practices that are proactive and preventative in nature, providing children and young people with school environments where they are safe, informed, participate, and where the adult community, working together with children and young people, work towards making this happen. 

Recently, CEDP have moved from what was primarily Child Protection to Safeguarding, which requires us to do things differently, enabling a greater level of proactivity, children's voice and building all-round knowledge for what is safe behaviour when working with students and children. The CEDP Safeguarding team's role is to support the implementation of the Standards, to manage concerns raised about employees, Working With Children Checks (WWCC), and to provide training, education and support to the CEDP community. 

By providing the community with the knowledge, support and procedures to keep children and young people safe we are equipping everyone with the tools and skills needed to be ambassadors of child safety! Throughout 2020, CEDP's Safeguarding Team have been working on many projects to align with the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards. 

Check out www.parra.catholic.edu.au/About-Us/Building-Child-Safe-Communities​ - after all, what's more important than the knowledge to help keep children and young people safe!

Acceleration Science Program Year 9:
Congratulations to all the students who have been nominated for the acceleration program in Science for Year 9. This is an additional program added to the existing Mathematics Acceleration Program.

Debating:
The Semi Finals have now started with the 10A team participating last Friday. We wish them all the best and congratulate them on a fine season so far. 

Science Park Project:
Congratulations to all staff and students who have been participating in this wonderful research initiative. The projects will be presented to the Executives of the Western Sydney Science Park in the near future for assessment and feedback. There will hopefully be one or two of the projects that will be developed by the businesses.

Macquarie University Early Entry Offers:
Congratulations to the following students who have been accepted into Macquarie University next year on early acceptance.

Monalisa Rafiq - Bachelor of Business Analytics

Ayomikun Ajayi -Bachelor of Business Administration

Brandon Azari - Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Business Analytics

Joshua Hewitt - Bachelor of Applied Finance

Lance Despi - Bachelor of Science

Yared Girma - Bachelor of Commerce

Rubens Yu - Bachelor of Professional Accounting

We have four students who have been shortlisted for Macquarie University's final round of early offers which will be made in October. We wish these students all the very best.

Fidem in Christo

Stephen Kennaugh
Principal