Dear McAuley Families

It was a sea of green and gold as we prepared for the Matilda’s match on Wednesday night.  It is also excellent to see the rise of interest and passion for women’s’ sport.  Our staff and students have really taken on the World Cup fever. Thanks to all for your enthusiasm.

At last week’s Community Council, we progressed the planning of our Walkathon & Colour Run for later in the term.  This will be a great event and a chance to re-invigorate our community fundraising for various projects on the Primary and Secondary campuses.  The Community Council are seeking donations of prizes and goods from local businesses and would welcome your support. Please reach out to our Council Chair Lyndal McKay or email the Community Council on mcauley.cc@cg.catholic.edu.au. Our CC are keen to build interest and support as we move forward from a difficult couple of years.

We were also excited to announce the upcoming name change of our school to McAuley Catholic College Tumut at the beginning of 2024.

The process of re-registering our name with business, finance and education authorities has begun. 

We are also consulting with CE Marketing to look at a process of re-branding and contemporising our crests and collateral to reflect our growth to a K-12 College.

Enrolments continue to be high as we begin interviews and acceptance for 2024.  Demand is high for our entry points of Kindergarten, Year 7 and Year 11, 2024.  Please remind friends and family to get applications in online for consideration of entry to our wonderful community next year.

Next week I will be proud to attend, along with some McAuley staff, the 2023 Catholic Education Recognition Awards.  It is very pleasing to announce that Ms Heidi Stubbs, Mrs Belinda Schirmer and Mrs Jeanette Dumbrell have all been successful in being awarded “The Teaching & Learning Secondary Teacher Award” in recognition of the innovative work they have been leading in Virtual Learning for students from McAuley and other schools. This is a great testament to the best practice teaching and learning that is happening here at McAuley.  The ground-breaking work that is happening in Stage 6, along with the high-level results we are obtaining in literacy and numeracy in the Primary School stand us among the leaders in the Riverina and Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese.

Throughout this year we have been participating in “The Resilience Project” with classes from K-11 working through the themes and materials.  The growing importance of good mental health is well known to us and as a staff we are committed to assisting our students build their emotional literacy skills along with their curriculum knowledge. In conjunction with our Resilience Project sessions, we have been practicing Christian Meditation and working to make this a part of our weekly timetable.  Studies are clear that mindfulness and meditation are powerful tools for our mental health, lower our stress, anxiety, and support good relationships.

A combination of practice of mindfulness and meditation provide benefits such as:

• Stress relief
• Feeling happier and more focussed
• Increasing energy
• Boosting immune system
• Improved connections with self and others

Please see www.thereslienceproject.com.au for more information and support.

Mary our Mother, Look after us.

Eamonn Moore