Catherine McAuley Catholic College, Medowie in Medowie, New South Wales | Education
Catherine McAuley Catholic College, Medowie
Locality: Medowie, New South Wales
Address: 507 Medowie Road 2318 Medowie, NSW, Australia
Website: http://www.medowiecmcc.catholic.edu.au/
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24.01.2022 Its another busy week at CMCC! We were blown away by the response we received from our post school activities survey! 90 families have taken the time to respond and with the overwhelming positive response we are keen to explore the possibilities which exist. If you have not had the chance to complete the survey, its not too late! We would love to hear from you. Please be aware of the following events taking place this week at CMCC. ... Monday Email to families Re Enrolment Meetings Today families enrolled with CMCC in 2021 will receive an email explaining the simple process for booking an enrolment meeting. Families will have a choice of four meetings to log into via Zoom. Once registered, closer to the date we will email you the Zoom meeting link and password for your session. As we have previously stated we remind families who would prefer a one-on-one Zoom session to make contact with the College. Wednesday Release of myARC Wellbeing for Learning We will be releasing the Colleges Wellbeing for Learning framework myARC on Wednesday. It is a framework that we are very proud of and deeply reflects our Moral Imperative to empower a Mercy-inspired community of confident, agile and reflective learners. Friday The Nest On Friday the next edition of The Nest will be released. This edition has a heavy focus on wellbeing and podcasts
23.01.2022 Next week is a big week at CMCC, below is your guide to all the events! Monday- Families enroled in 2021 will receive an email with the link to Wednesday’s Orientation Zoom and an introduction to Compass, the College’s information and learning management system. Tuesday Families will be emailed unique log in details for Compass. ... Wednesday- 6pm our Orientation Zoom will be held. This will be a nuts and bolts information session detailing everything you need to know before starting at CMCC in 2021. Families will also get to meet the outstanding team of educational leaders who joined the CMCC team in Term 4. We look forward to touching base with you all next week!
22.01.2022 We would like to update all families about the current enrolment status for both Years 7 & 8, 2021 and Year 7, 2022. Year 7, 2021 We have reached our capacity of 180 students for Year 7, 2021. Any subsequent applications for enrolment in this cohort are subject to waitlist. If you are still considering Catherine McAuley as an option for your child in Year 7 next year, we encourage you to submit an application, as historical trends in our system note likely changes due to fam...ily circumstances which open up further vacancies. Year 8, 2021 We are nearing capacity and as of today, have 8 positions available. If you are considering Catherine McAuley for your child in Year 8 next year, we encourage you to contact us and submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Year 7, 2022 Currently we have received 50 Expressions of Interest from families who have indicated they would like their children to attend Catherine McAuley in 2022. We are thrilled to be able to offer an innovative and future focused learning community to families in the Port Stephens region. We look forward to meeting with all our families next week during our group Zoom enrolment meetings.
22.01.2022 Last week we had the opportunity to visit our campus and meet with the construction team to finalise furniture selections and around campus signage. Once again the team from Webber Architects have designed breathtaking spaces and the hard working people from North Construction and Building are well and truly delivering. We cant wait to welcome you in 2021!
21.01.2022 Don't forget, tonight at 6pm live from the McAuley Broadcast Centre (otherwise known as the room out the back), our Orientation Zoom will be beamed to your computers, TV's and phones. Please check your email for the zoom link sent to families on Monday. Tonight we will go over all the details you need to know about starting at CMCC in 2021 and you will get the chance to meet our Leaders of Learning and Head of House! ... See you tonight.
21.01.2022 The latest edition of The Nest is out now! In this edition College Principal Scott Donohoe introduces our shared values exploring the value of courage in detail. Assistant Principal Peter Antcliff looks at the issue of literacy development in the 2020s and "our unapologetic commitment to the development of both literacy and numeracy skills." ... Finally we take a look behind the fence at our campus. All this and more in this edition of The Nest!
21.01.2022 Only 49 days until we welcome our history making students to our beautiful campus! With time quickly ticking down and lots of moving parts still in motion we want to provide our community a detailed update before the Christmas break. On Thursday we will email all families the most up to date details of all the need to know things from the latest transport information, uniform update and planning for 3 February. ... Also, throughout January we will be providing updates so please be checking your inbox and ensure that you have accessed the College Compass portal. If you have any questions please give our office a call.
21.01.2022 Only 21 days until we welcome our students to our beautiful Medowie campus! As promised, we are providing some updates throughout January and this morning we have emailed and sent through Compass our first update focused on transportation. This update contains very important information regarding bus services and vehicle movements on campus so please take a few moments to read the details provided. ... If you have not already, please activate your compass login as this becomes the primary method of communication used with families. We will be providing another update prior to students commencing. The countdown is on and we could not be more excited!
20.01.2022 We are pleased to release details of myARC, the Colleges bespoke Wellbeing for Learning Framework. myARC has its foundations in the Colleges Moral Imperative, to empower a Mercy inspired community of confident, agile, reflective learners. Our focus on wellbeing for learning strives to equip students with the skills and tools they need to be able to thrive in a dynamic, globally connected world. Underpinning our wellbeing practices is our common language of our six globa...l competencies of Character, Citizenship, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Communication. A focus on the 6Cs immunises and protects against social and emotional difficulties thus building positive mental health and resilience. In our community learning and wellbeing are treated as equal and synergising partners. Learning and wellbeing are intertwined, one supporting the other ensuring that CMCC students are good at learning and good at life. It takes a village to raise a child. CMCC will work in partnership with families and, where appropriate, allied health professionals to ensure that not only are the immediate needs of each child catered for, but the personal growth and nourishment of each individual is at the heart of learning. In the coming weeks we will be releasing further details and documentation about myARC and our True North personal learning and wellbeing program. We cant wait to share more with you as we continue to co-create our Wellbeing for Learning framework and seek input from our community.
19.01.2022 Today is another chance for the team to be working with our great friend Summer from The Eventful Learning Co. These sessions challenge our previous thinking, inspire new approaches and ensure that all our learners (both the staff and students) will together create learning environments where faith, purpose, fulfilment and joy are experienced by all.
18.01.2022 The latest edition of The Nest is out now! In this edition, Foundation Principal Scott Donohoe writes about what we expect from our staff as learners within our community. Scott also introduces both his and Peters blogs that have recently been launched. Assistant Principal Peter Antcliff, reflects on his own experience in Year 7 science and the need for education to focus on the application of skills and knowledge and not just the memorising of facts. ... All this and more in this edition of The Nest.
18.01.2022 Something very special coming soon.
17.01.2022 We hope you enjoyed learning about Louiza and Matthew yesterday, we can't wait for them to join the team in 2021. Today we will be telling you all about two outstanding educators who will be leading lights in HSIE, Religion and Languages education. This is our interstate crew with one joining us from Adelaide and another from Victoria. We will introduce you at 9am and 3pm. Also, the Raymond Terrace office will be closed today as the McAuley team participate in professional... development from Become.Me. Become.Me teaches young people the skills to explore, design and navigate their future. Critical skills in our rapidly changing world and provides guidance in careers. You can learn more about Become.Me at the link below. Liz will still be available via phone and email so don't be afraid to give her a call.
17.01.2022 We are passionate about music education and want an outstanding creative and innovative educator to help us build this culture from the ground up! So we thought we would enrol some help from Broadway to find the right person....
17.01.2022 The last edition of The Nest for 2020 is out now! It's been an amazing time and the CMCC team have offered their reflections on a unique and busy term! Enjoy our final edition of The Nest below.
16.01.2022 Did you crack the code on our banner image? Well done to those who shot through the decrypted message. It was not just a ramble of numbers but a secret message written in ASCII which reads "join a great team opportunities coming soon" We are looking forward to our next round of staff recruitment with great interest already shown by high quality educators! Positions will be advertised shortly!
16.01.2022 We can’t wait to see the finished product! The level of detail in both the design and craftsmanship of this build is astonishing.
15.01.2022 Have you seen what has emerged from behind the scaffold! North Construction & Building have worked tirelessly in delivering the stunning and iconic Webber Architects design! We cant wait to open with a full house of students and an amazing group of passionate educators who together will bring our shared Moral Imperative and Mission to life of empowering confident, agile and reflective learners.
15.01.2022 Excitement is building! Great article in today's Newcastle Herald.
15.01.2022 We are pleased to announce that with the relaxing of Covid restrictions, our uniform provider Ranier, will be operating an Onsite Uniform Exchange from Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 January. Families will be able to exchange and collect new items as needed. We understand that ordering online can be hard, so offering an onsite exchange will assist many families. Further communication and details from Ranier have been emailed to families.
15.01.2022 College Principal Scott Donohoe is pleased to announce that Alicia Dibben has been appointed to the position of Leader of Learning English & HSIE at CMCC commencing Term 4 2020. Alicia is currently Head Teacher English / History at NSWs largest central school, Jindabyne Central. Prior to this she was Head Teacher English / History at Narooma High School. Alicia is originally from Newcastle, completing her schooling at St. Marys Gateshead and St. Francis Xaviers College, ...Hamilton. She was awarded a Bachelor of Teaching / Bachelor of Arts with honours from the University of Newcastle before seeking teaching experiences in rural NSW. Alicia is an experienced, passionate and dedicated educator whose leadership has been recognised by teachers and educational systems across NSW. She has led state wide initiatives within the Department of Education, developed networks across local schools to improve teaching and learning, as well as coordinating and leading professional development in preparation for curriculum changes and forming teams to support Teacher Accreditation. Alicia has a proven record of using student data to identify and address the needs of students she serves. She demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to teaching which is reflected in her commitment to professional development, educational research and implementing best practice strategies. She is an engaging educator who strives to spark student interest, continually exploring and considering future focused learning opportunities. Importantly, Alicia brings a passion for the development of the literacy of all students across the College. She has deep knowledge and experience in developing whole school approaches and initiatives to benefit all students. Alicia shares the Colleges non-negotiable attitude towards quality literacy development for all students and will play a leading role in the development and implementation of a high-quality college wide literacy approach. Alicia has high expectations as a classroom practitioner and educational leader which is supported by the quality professional relationships she develops with her peers, students and their families. She brings a record of empowering her students to grow as confident learners through engaging programs, effective assessment and reflective practice. Supporting her application for this position were highly supportive professional referees that unanimously attested to Alicias professionalism, leadership qualities and ability to build teacher capacity and develop each child as a person and learner. Alicia is excited to be joining the McAuley family in term 4 saying I am thrilled to be part of such an innovative, dynamic community and am looking forward to empowering students throughout their educational journey." I am sure that you will join us in welcoming Alicia to the CMCC family.
14.01.2022 Calling all passionate educators! We have been busy establishing our teacher requirements for 2021 and look forward to formally advertising these opportunities in the coming weeks!! In the meantime, talented and motivated educators with a desire to re-imagine education are encouraged to check out the employment section of our website. Here you will learn more about the CMCC approach to education and the learning structures of the College. ... So if youre a future focused educator with the desire to help build an amazing learning community, CMCC might just be the place for you!
14.01.2022 Families will today receive important email correspondence regarding the finalisation of the enrolment process for 2021. Please check your inbox this evening, as this correspondence outlines the critical next step in securing your place at Catherine McAuley Catholic College in 2021.
14.01.2022 For the past two days we have been engaged in outstanding professional development with Maths Pathway. CMCC will be adopting the Maths Pathway model that envision a world where every student experiences growth and success in maths. No matter their current level, or their background. We and Maths Pathway believe the way to achieve this is to support teachers to have an even greater impact in the classroom and thats exactly what this model does. We were also thrilled to be joined by Luke Kelleher who will be starting with us next term as our Leader of Learning in Science, Maths and TAS. We cant wait to tell you more about the Maths Pathway model and the value it will add to our community.
13.01.2022 Did you see the excellent report on 730 last night about education in Australia by 2025? If not, weve got you covered. The link below will take you to the story. The slow death of the ATAR, the rise of Micro-credentialing, the importance of our key competencies! Great validation for the CMCC approach. ... Enjoy!
13.01.2022 It is hard to believe that we have arrived at the last school day before the doors of our campus open for the first time! We want to take this opportunity to offer our sincere thanks to the community who have supported us throughout this journey. We have appreciated the commitment that our families have made to us through the challenging times of 2020. Circumstances have required us to move established practices such as information nights and uniform purchasing online. The w...illingness of our families to support and connect with the College in a manner new to us all has been greatly appreciated. The great success that 2020 has been for the College is only due to the support and commitment of the community we serve. Finally, we want to offer our deep thanks in particular to the Raymond Terrace community where we have been based throughout 2020. From the moment we established our office on Sturgeon Street we have felt nothing but welcome from each person we have met along the way. While we are very excited to be opening the doors at Medowie, we are sad to be leaving Raymond Terrace and the people who have made this year very special. Merry Christmas and thank you.
13.01.2022 Coming very, very soon!
13.01.2022 Behind the scenes of the Orientation Zoom. Thanks so much to all our families who tuned in and we hope you enjoyed meeting this wonderful collection of educational leaders. Later today we will email all our families a summary of last nights meeting along with the equipment list for 2021. A reminder to get your uniform requirements in ASAP.
12.01.2022 We have been very lucky to forge strong partnerships with leading educators in Australia, they challenge, support and work with us in designing the learning experiences that our students will encounter at CMCC. This morning we had another meeting with Summer Howarth from Eventful Learning co. We love talking to Summer, we end every zoom call excited and inspired! Recently Summer was included on The Educator magazines Hot List of the leading educators in the country.... Summer is working with us to construct our Design Thinking courses at CMCC as well as preparing the process for our students to receive "mirco-credentials" as they complete units and demonstrate competencies. We are committed to ensuring that our students experience a future focused education that is supported by innovative practice at the leading edge of education.
12.01.2022 Make sure to check your inbox as we have just emailed out the link to our Orientation Zoom for Wednesday night. Along with this email you will also find information regarding Compass, our student information management system, which each family will have access to. Please take the time to read this important communication and do not hesitate to call our office if you have any questions.
11.01.2022 As you may be aware Scott and Peter have their own blogs that form part off their reflective practice as well as connecting them to professional networks of educators around Australia and internationally. We are looking forward to our new staff engaging in a similar practice as a commitment to lifelong learning. Over the weekend Peter posted about innovation in education and the need to stay true to our communitys Moral Imperative, commenting that "Nothing is bolted on to our learning structures, no distractions from the main game, it either directly reflects our Moral Imperative or it does not go ahead." We hope you find this James Bond inspired read informative.
10.01.2022 Our office will be closed today from 12:30. We will be visiting the campus and cant wait to share some images of our new home with you.
10.01.2022 Time for your daily brain exercise. Once in a career opportunities coming soon.
10.01.2022 There were some powerful reports regarding education in the weekend media. This one in particular is very important for not only schools but families as well. One in 5 Year 9 boys are testing below the minimum writing standard. While we have our criticism of NAPLAN, the trend of data which has come from this examination is consistent. A lot of boys are struggling. As the article points out, the greatest predictor of writing skills is gender. Importantly, the key element of... this decline is the decrease in time spent reading, often associated with an increased use of technology e.g gaming. CMCC has a non-negotiable attitude towards literacy and numeracy development. Literacy in particular is central to our learning structures as it is the gateway to all other learning. In the coming weeks we will release our homework policy which in Year 7 and 8 has three focus areas 1) Literacy Development 2) Numeracy Development 3) Physical Activity. Please take the time to read this short but powerful article. We look forward to working with our families in 2021 to reverse this worrying trend in Australian society.
09.01.2022 Our neighbors and colleagues at St Nicholas Early Education Medowie are almost ready to open in their brand new home right next to ours! Welcome to the neighborhood!
08.01.2022 The latest edition of the nest is out now! In this edition College Principal Scott Donohoe explores the need for schools to offer students a variety of ways to demonstrate their learning and offers an update on our conversations with the University of Newcastle and Professor John Fischetti. Assistant Principal Peter Antcliff tells the story of basketball greats Kobe Bryant and Gordon Hayward and the act of humility that millions watched but almost no one noticed. Peter also... explores the role that character development will play at CMCC. Finally, we introduce our latest staffing appointments and introduce you to the 2021 Aspire audition process. All this and more in this edition of The Nest!
07.01.2022 We had a fantastic call this morning with Max Drummy the Global Capacity Building Facilitator for NPDL and our highly valued friend Summer Howarth of The Eventful Learning Co. Max joined in from the west coast of the USA, Summer from locked-downed Melbourne and us from sunny Raymond Terrace. We had a fantastic discussion about ensuring that CMCC students experience a globally connected education grounded in thoughtfully considered design thinking practices. Working collaboratively with Max and Summer we are designing engaging learning experiences that have direct line of sight to our Moral Imperative of empowering a Mercy inspired community of confident, agile and reflective learners.
06.01.2022 We are proud to release myARC, CMCCs Wellbeing for Learning Framework. From the beginning we have been passionate about creating a Wellbeing for Learning Framework that not only meets the needs of our community, but also is unique to CMCC. myARC authentically reflects the College Moral Imperative and Mission to empower an Agile, Reflective and Confident learning community where faith, purpose, fulfilment and joy is experienced by all. ... We are also excited to release details of the Polaris Program that aims to support community members in following their passions and find their direction. We invite you to explore myARC and we look forward to talking with you in person about it soon.
06.01.2022 It was great to meet with so many families yesterday during our Zoom sessions. We do it all again on Wednesday with another four sessions taking place. We will email out the link and password for these meetings today. Thanks again to all our families for taking the time to connect with us.
05.01.2022 The latest edition of The Nest is out now! In this edition, Scott writes passionately about our Wellbeing for Learning Framework and the foundation it will provide for our students. Peter draws inspiration from Kurt Fearnley and explores the truth of the old saying "it takes a village to raise a child"... All this and more in The Nest. Enjoy.
04.01.2022 After 6 online enrolment meeting sessions so far we are finally starting to understand which camera we are supposed to be looking at! Just two more sessions to go this evening (6pm for Year 7 and 7pm for Year 8). We will open each session 15 minutes prior to start to allow anyone new to Zoom to get set up. Thank you to everyone for taking the time out and meeting with us online.
04.01.2022 Have you seen the latest article about our community, this time in the Aurora? A great article penned by our Foundation Principal Scott Donohoe reflecting on the power of a foundation learning community. This edition of the Aurora was included within the weekend Newcastle Herald and is available online at https://issuu.com/diomn/docs/aurora_november_2020 ... .. also great to see a photo of the new recruits, it's a great team!
04.01.2022 Scott and Peter had an excellent meeting today with Professor John Fischetti, Professor Peter Twining and Dr. Rachel Buchanan from the School of Education University of Newcastle. The meeting focused on the learning structures that will be adopted at the College and the design of the student curated Digital Portfolio. The University of Newcastle, like many others, is actively broadening their entry requirements acknowledging the limitations that traditional pathways, such as the ATAR, poses. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to present our learning structures and discuss the latest in educational research. The positive feedback we received was very affirming and we are excited to continue to foster this relationship to ensure that our graduates are well supported and are life and career ready.
04.01.2022 More media attention today as the concern about student literacy levels (especially boys) grows. The ability to write clear sentences and express complex ideas is essential in order for a student to fully demonstrate their learning. We spoke about the importance of literacy in our last newsletter, The Nest, which was released on Friday. As much as we love emerging trends in education, one thing we make no apologies for is our non-negotiable stance on literacy and numeracy development. You can read more about it in the Sydney Morning Herald article below and in the latest edition of The Nest.
03.01.2022 Early in our time planning for CMCC we considered the role which before / after school activities or clubs could play in our community to serve our families and meet the needs of our students. A growing area of concern for many is the idle time students spend between the end of the school day and when parents and carers are able to return home from work. This often unsupervised time can lead to unhealthy habits such as a lack of physical activity, excessive screen time or po...or diet choices, all of which can negatively impact on an individuals wellbeing. As a college, we are exploring the possibility of organising either before or after school activities or clubs that our students can take advantage of and use this otherwise wasted time for a purposeful and meaningful activity. Today we have sent our families a very brief survey (should literally take 2 minutes to complete!) to gauge your interest in such activities. Could you please check your inbox and tell us your thoughts! We are very excited to be exploring non-traditional structures to meet the needs of our community. Your input will help guide our discussions and inform the decisions we take.
02.01.2022 Vale Sir. Ken Robinson. We were saddened to hear of the passing of Sir. Ken Robinson following a short battle with cancer. Sir Ken was a heavyweight in the world of education, his 2006 TED talk about schools killing creativity remains the most watched TED talk ever with 10s of millions of views. Through this, his many writings and activism for change in education, he became one of the most respected and celebrated people in education. ... Sir Ken was (and will continue to be) an inspiration to teachers, schools and learners around the world. His legacy will live on.
01.01.2022 College Principal Scott Donohoe is pleased to announce that Sarah Watson has been appointed to the position of Leader of Learning Religion & Ministry at CMCC commencing Term 4 2020. Sarah is currently Ministry Coordinator at St. Pius X High School, Adamstown and along with her family are members of the All Saints Blackbutt Parish. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Design Technology degree and has been awarded a Master of Theology from the University of Newcastle.... Sarah has a proven ability to develop a positive rapport with her students and values the power of relationships. She strives to ensure her students feel accepted, challenged and supported to succeed in all aspects of their lives. Sarah is passionate about working with children to discover and nurture their passions and interests. She is commitment to working with students to use their God given talents to develop confidence and find fulfilment and joy in their achievements. Sarah has been excited by our Colleges Moral Imperative and Mission to empower a Mercy Inspired community of confident, agile and reflective learners which has led to her seeking an opportunity to join the CMCC community. Sarah has active and deep prayer life both within her role as a Ministry Coordinator, a teacher of Religious Studies and as a practicing Catholic. She is deeply committed to social justice and living out her faith life through action and care for others. Her professional referees attest to her character and commitment to be an example of Gospel values to her students and colleagues. Sarah endeavours to demonstrate fairness and compassion to all within the school community and actively model this through community events and school wide liturgies. Along with her educational qualifications Sarah also has a passion for health and wellbeing and holds qualifications in Yoga and Fitness training. Sarah is excited to be joining the McAuley family in term 4 saying I am committed to building a harmonious school community where all can share their faith through learning, reflection, celebration and prayer. Like Catherine McAuley, I believe compassion for others is most important and I look forward to fostering partnerships and supporting families in the education and faith formation of their children. I am sure that you will join us in welcoming Sarah to the CMCC family.
01.01.2022 It is with great pleasure that College Foundation Principal Scott Donohoe announces the appointment of Penny Sear to the College as a lead learner (teacher) in Languages. Penny is currently a Languages and Humanities educator at Galen Catholic College Wangaratta. She holds a Master of Teaching from La Trobe University, a Diploma of Viticulture and a Bachelor of Environmental Science from the University of Newcastle. Penny is an experienced Languages teacher comfortable with... a variety of languages including Japanese, Italian, Indonesian and French. She has extensive experience in the management and use of the Education Perfect platform that supports the teaching of Languages and will be adopted at Catherine McAuley Catholic College in 2021. Penny understands the importance of relationships and goes about building professional, respectful and positive connections with students, peers and the wider community. She works diligently to ensure that students feel a strong sense of belonging and self-esteem. She supports students to reflect upon their learning and identify the next steps for improvement and growth. Penny designs learning experiences that meet each child at their point of challenge and frequently communicates with parents regarding their child’s progress. Penny’s application to join CMCC was strongly supported by her professional referees who attested to her dedication to her students, passion for Languages and commitment to school life. Away from education Penny has extensive experience as a wine maker having worked in Australia, Italy and France. This experience combined with her qualifications in Environmental Science, mean Penny will be able to offer a breadth of experience and knowledge to the College community. Penny gives of herself to the community she serves. She works closely with her colleagues to develop resources and teaching practices that meet the needs of individual students. She thrives on teamwork and collaboration and regularly volunteers to support all aspects of school life. Penny is exited to be joining the CMCC community saying I can't wait to meet our first intake of students and I look forward to sharing the positive and forward moving energy that students, their families and staff will undoubtedly bring to learning at CMCC. We are sure that you will join us in congratulating and welcoming Penny to the Catherine McAuley Catholic College community.
