Dear McAuley Families

Welcome back to Term 4. Our final term has started very busily as the calendar is already jam packed for the rest of the year!  Our first year 12 began their HSC exams this week.  Our community is united in praying for their support and success.

We held a number of occasions to farewell our graduating class last term which were significant and emotional occasions.  It was a pleasure to farewell our first group of Year 12 graduates.  It was particularly pleasing to recognise our first 4 students who had been at McAuley for all 13 years of their education.

As you are aware we are well into the primary BGA project with demolition now complete and the foundations and pipe work happening for construction.  So far, we are on time and on budget.  Budget for this project is some $5.65 million.

We are also continuing with our beautification and landscaping projects on the secondary campus.  We have approval for 3 more modular classrooms to be installed at the rear of the gymnasium with decking and earthworks to connect these spaces. Anticipated cost for this project will be around $950,000 which has been offered as a donation from CECG.  The college will be responsible for furniture and fit out.  I spoke with Ross Fox last week and thanked him on your behalf for the many millions of dollars that CECG have expended on the college in my time here.

Our enrolment this week is 452 K-12.  We are opening some extra places in Years 5 & 6, 2025 to ensure good enrolments in our Secondary School into the future.  We remain at capacity across most year levels.

We are recruiting for staff and are able to say we are fully staffed in the Primary school for next year.  With our growing numbers we have been allocated more staff in the secondary school. With some long-term leave and retirements, we continue to recruit for specialist secondary staff.  I am working closely with CECG to recruit and retain quality secondary teachers for next year.

As announced via Compass yesterday, I will be on study leave for the latter part of this term to undertake a Churchill Fellowship in New Zealand and the United States. Mr David Turnbull will be acting College Principal in my absence.  Other leadership positions will be filled internally and announced as soon as we are able.

Next week we look forward to our now annual Year 12 retreat.  These days are much anticipated by our students and an excellent chance to set the scene for their senior year.

Mary our mother look after us.

Eamonn Moore

Principal