Term 2 Issue 2 24 May 2018

In this Issue: 1. Principal’s Letter. 2. Assist Principal. 3. Religious education Coordinator 4. Head of school learning 5. School Fees 6. Pedagogical leader 7. Activities & events

Events in May Friday 25th CSDA Debating Round 4 Y11 Reflection Day

Events in June Friday 1st CSDA Debating Round 5 Wednesday 6th Yr12 Body of Work -evening 5pm-7pm Monday 11th Public Holiday– Queen’s Birthday Tuesday 12h Yr9 HSIE Excursion

Dear Delany Community, The month of May is a special time for us as Catholics to pay homage to our Blessed Mother Mary. Note I say we pay homage to her. Contrary to a misconception, we honour Mary and do not worship her. Mary has a unique role in salvation history as the Mother of God, conceived without sin, who by her own free will agreed to bring the “word made by flesh” our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into the world. Her life in the Gospel years was one of service and great devotion to Jesus, from the cradle in Bethlehem where she gave birth to Him, to Calvary in Jerusalem where she stood by His cross. While she has a somewhat low profile in the Gospel, her words there still resonate with us today and challenge us to follow her example of humility, obedience and service for God. To mark this month of Mary, Delany students and teachers have been invited to recite the rosary every lunchtime. We are also reminded to uphold our College motto of Love, Serve and Hope during this time of devotion.

The Magnificat

My soul magnifies the Lord And my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;

Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid; For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; Because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and

holy is His name; And His mercy is from generation to generation on those who

fear Him. He has shown might with His arm,

He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and has

exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has

sent away empty. He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of His mercy

Even as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity, forever. God bless, Robert Muscat Principal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL The Delany community There are a number of up-coming events to which I would like to extend an invitation:

Tell Them From Me survey - 21 May to 1 June. You should have received a letter home this week that explains this survey. The majority of students will complete this on Wednesday 23 May. We would also like parents to participate in this survey and provide valuable feedback to our College. You can access this survey at

College Athletics Carnival - Friday 22 June. Our Athletics carnivals are always great community days. Parents are very welcome to attend and watch the thrills and spills of championship races through to novelty events.

2018 Multicultural Day - Friday 29 June. Over the past two years this has become an annual event that is firmly planted on our calendar. During the afternoon of this day we will celebrate the amazing cultural diversity of this College through sharing food, learning about culture, and watching a number of cultural performances by our students. You can be involved by preparing and sending food for the day; helping your children find and prepare cultural dress and performance; attend and celebrate the day with us.

Parent/teacher/student interviews - Wednesday 27 June and Tuesday 3 July (3.30 - 6pm). We provide two separate evenings so that we cater for as many families as possible for students from years 7 to 11. Booking appointments will be available as these dates approach. In meantime, you are welcome to contact our teaching staff at any time.

The academic community The first half of Term 2 is a busy one for all students. It is a period in which they will have either or both projects due and mid-year examinations. Students in years 9 & 10 begin assessments next week, while years 7 & 8 follow the week after. If you would like to know what’s coming up for your children then ask them! “I’m not sure”, is not a valid excuse, because students receive assessment notifications for every task, and students in years 9 - 12 receive a yearly planner with their assessment dates published. If you would like a copy for yourself please contact the relevant mentor teacher.

On a related note, Year 12 mid-term reports were sent home at the end of last week. If you haven’t received this report please contact the College.

It is worth reminding ourselves that learning is not restricted to the syllabus subjects. There are a host of activities that, while not “marked and graded”, contribute significantly to the skills, competencies confidence and abilities of young men and women. One simple example is the Catholic Schools Debating Association’s Friday night debates. Standing together in a team of three, perparing a speech with only one hour’s preparation, and refuting your opposition’s arguements are invaluable skills. I was fortunate to attend last Friday’s Year 12 debate, against Bethlehem College, where the topic was “That the media is the new court of law”. A challenging topic that was enthusiastically and competently debated between the teams.

www.tellthemfromme.com/delanycollege

A further example is an online conference being held on Wednesday 23 May. Approximately 20 students will attend this conference that is being facilitated by NASA. It is an amazing opportunity for future scientists, engineers and, The Patrician community There are two related sayings: Charity begins at home, and Change begins at home. Both are relevant as the students and staff at Delany begin a new program of stewardship this week.

In conjunction with the State Government’s Return and Earn pro-gram, all members of our community will be challenged to return their aluminium cans and plastic bottles to special collection points around the College. Plastic, in particular, is an environmen-tal catastrophe that will not disappear any time in the near future. The NSW Government introduce a Container Deposit Scheme which rewards the return of undamaged cans and plastic bottles for a 10c refund.

Each term this program will focus on raising money for various causes. Our Term 2 focus is on our own community. We under-stand there are families who find it difficult to purchase new uni-forms, equipment and other goods. This money raised will be used to assist families in need.

I encourage you to contribute to our collections. If you use bottles or cans at home, these can be brought to the College by your son or daughter and deposited in our collection bins. In doing so you are assisting both our immediate community and the wider envi-ronmental community.

School Uniform

Winter was slow to arrive this year, but the cold mornings are now here. The College’s winter uniform requires all students to wear a College blazer to and from school. Sports jackets, either the school one or any other variety, are not permitted. Non-College jumpers or “hoodies” cannot be worn underneath school shirts, jumpers or blazers. Please support the College by ensuring your children leave home with the correct uniform. The Uniform shop is open every Wednesday during Term 2.

Attendance at school, and what to do when absent

A key focus of 2018 is ensuring all of our students attend school regularly. Students are, of course, sick and injured from time to time. Our focus is really on those students who decide it’s too hot, too wet or generally too difficult to get out of bed and attend school. When it comes to learning, every day counts.

If your child is sick, or for some other reason is unable to attend, there are several ways in which you can let us know. You can leave a message by phone (8633 8100) at any stage of the day or night (using voice mail); you can email a message to administra-tion, the Student Learning Leader or mentor teacher; you can write a note and have your child deliver it the following day; or you can use the ‘absence slips’ in the back of the student diary.

St Patrick, pray for us.

Mr Anthony Blomfield Assistant Principal

FROM THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COORDINATOR Mother’s Day Mass Dear parents, carers and students of Delany College, I hope that this article finds you well. On Monday 14 May, our school held its annual Mother’s Day Morning Tea, following Fr Andrew Bass’ 9:15 am celebration of Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. With numerous mothers, grandmothers and aunts in attendance, this gathering was another testament to the wonderful sense of community that fills Delany College. And, with this sentiment in mind, I thank Miss Sarah Guillaume, Mrs Cheryl Sayhoun and the numerous Year 11 students, who worked together to make this event so special.

Pentecost Then, last Sunday, our church celebrated the Feast of Pen-tecost. On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus’ apostles and disciples, who gathered in Jerusalem, following Jesus’ ascension into Heaven. Moreover, Pentecost Sunday marks the beginning of Christianity, and, on this day, our church reminds us of the inextricable connection between the gifts of peace and forgiveness and the action of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, at Pentecost, Jesus commissioned his followers to continue his work, captured best within St John’s gospel (John 20:21): “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Wishing you and your families the very best for the fort-night ahead, with the peace of the Holy Spirit.

Mr. Derek Wales Religious Education Coordinator

Head of School Learning On Wednesday 27th June and 3rd July, from 3:30pm – 6:30pm, the college will hold its Yr7-11 Teacher/Parent/Student interviews. This year the College is providing two dates for you to choose from to cater for parents and students that have commitments after school. Bookings will be done online via the www.schoolinterviews.com.au website. Please see the Skool Bag app for more details. At the interviews, you child will also receive their 1st Semester report. The aim of having the conference and giving out the reports on the same day is to help develop the educational relationship between your children’s teachers and you. Good parent/teacher/student communication is essential for a child's success in school. Recent studies indicate that the more actively involved a parent is in their child's school life, the more the child excels. When parents and teachers work together, a child has a team of adults who are committed to bringing out their best. We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 27th June or 3rd July, from 3:30pm – 6:30pm.

Mr. Mark Robinson Head of school Learning

School Fees A huge thank you to those who have contacted me regarding payment arrangements and returning any required paperwork for fee assistance. A statement for the second instalment of school fees should have been received by now. If you have not paid term one fees please do so now or contact me regarding an arrangement. A reminder that fees can be paid by: direct debit, Bpay, billpay, Centrelink payments, Eftpos, credit card, cheque or cash. We are willing to support families who require more time to pay off the school fees. If you are experiencing financial difficulty or would like to organise an alternate payment plan please contact me directly Ph 8633 8107. Just a reminder of the Diocesan policy regarding a student leaving the College during the year that a Terms notice (10 school weeks) in writing must be given to the Principal before the removal of a student or a full Term’s Fees will be payable

Mrs Sheryl Temu Senior Finance Officer

FROM THE PEDAGOGICAL LEADER

On Tuesday 22nd May, Delany College held the first parent forum for term two. The guest speaker was one of the many talented presenters from Elevate Education. As mentioned in a previous newsletter the student, teacher and parent relationship is vital to improving student learning outcomes and Delany College certainly encourages this dialogue at every opportunity possible. To assist students with their learning, Delany College has provided most cohorts with the opportunity to participate in a variety of seminars conducted by Elevate Education. The forum was attended by approximately 20 very keen and involved parents who were able to gain insight from a senior presenter regarding key research to assist in students navigate their time at school. Topics included:

Study Skills Time Management Technology Using a common language

If you require any additional information please feel free to contact myself or visit the Elevate Education website https://au.elevateeducation.com/.

Mrs Sharon McManus

Delany College would like to congratulate Mase Swalah Mcdahrou on placing first for the second year in a row, at the 2018 Cross Country Carnival!!!! Well done!

Cross Country 2018

Ms Daniella Karim

Excursion to the Nicholson Museum Year 7's

On Monday 7th May, Year 7 History and Year 12 Ancient History went on an excursion to the Nicholson Museum at Sydney University. The day was a big success, with students eagerly viewing Ancient Egyptian Mummies and other interesting artefacts. Students respectfully occupied the space, sharing it with members of the public and positive feedback was received by the staff at the museum and the bus company.

Miss Emily Biddle

Year 12's

On Thursday 10th May , Yr12 Visual Design students stud-ying ancient forms of jewellery and body adornment, visit-ed Sydney University and the Nicholson Museum of An-tiques. They marvelled at the jewels, ceramics and glass-ware. Of particular interest was the Mummified Cat.

Ms Louise Broué

STEM NEWS

NASA Webinar

On Wednesday 23rd March a number of our students were given the opportunity to be a part of a teleconference with Paolo Youn-se, an engineer that works for NASA as a robotics engineer work-ing on the Mars Rovers. Paolo designs new types of robots for future NASA missions and is currently helping develop the next rover that will travel to Mars, Mars 2020, as well as the proposed NeMO orbiter to fly to Mars in 2024 to retrieve and return Mar-tian rock samples to Earth. Delany was one of only 5 other schools to participate in the con-ference where Paolo showcased and demonstrated the various rovers and design elements of them. Students were then able to discuss and ask questions.

Year 8 STEM Students in year 8 STEM will be completing Mythbuster activi-ties. Each student has created their own avatar which will re-ceive points for each activity – or myth that they bust. At the end of every week, work will be checked and points will be allo-cated for their work. At the end of last week we had two stu-dents complete a challenge and are the first two off the mark! Well done Mark Bou Francis and Elias Issa, keep up the good work.

Mrs. Marian Lennon