Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers

Our Year 12 students have concluded their Trial HSC examinations. It is very important that as a College community we do all we can to support students during the time now until their Higher School Certificate (beginning on Tuesday, 15 October), ensuring students get sufficient sleep, healthy food, exercise and our praise and encouragement for their effort. 

The trial examinations are a practice for the HSC and must be seen as such. I am very impressed by our Year 12 students, their commitment and dedication to supporting each other to achieve collective success. 

It is important for the last few weeks of their schooling, to focus on a number of key areas as they move closer to the HSC examinations.

1. 50% of the HSC assessment is still to come via completing the HSC examinations in October/November. Now is the time to seek improvement from the Trials in preparation for the HSC
2. Use (and seek) the feedback from the Trials from each of your subjects. Know the weaknesses and make them your areas of focus.
3. Plan your study schedule ahead of time.
4. Use practice papers - submit to your subject teacher and seek feedback.
5. Team up with friends and study in collaboration
6. Use the Learning Centre at our College  

It will be stressed to all students that there will be no lowering of standards or lessening of expectations in the final weeks of school, especially in terms of attendance, uniform, and maintaining our high standards. I ask for the support of all parents at this time in order to finish the year safely and in a positive fashion.

Any student who fails to maintain the College standards to the end of the term may jeopardise their participation in Graduation events, the issue of a reference, or even his/her HSC. This is the last thing anyone wants to attend to at this time. The focus should be on an incremental growth in performance from trial to HSC (surrounded in a positive environment.)

Graduation Events

Please see the full details here

WEDNESDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER

1. Farewell Assembly and Presentation - Carmody Hall commencing at 10:00am.  

Year 12 to be in Homeroom at 9.00am to prepare for assembly. Presentation of the following awards will be:

• Medal for First Place in the HSC assessment Program
• Medal for Commitment to Academic Studies for 2024 
• The Bronze Certificates for completion of 10 hours of community service
• The Silver Medal for completion of 20 hours of community service 
• Certificate for Participation in the Catechist program
• Graduation Certificates  - this will be presented to all Year 12 students

2. Graduation Mass – St Aloysius Church, Cronulla commencing at 6:00pm.

Students are to arrive at 5:30pm and assemble at St Aloysius Primary playground. 

This is a most significant event as it provides the final opportunity for Year 12 students and their families to join the rest of the College community in celebrating their graduation with a sharing of the Eucharist. At the conclusion of Mass will be the presentation of the following: 

• Major Award winners only (as indicated above, Graduation certificates will be presented to students at the Year 12 Farewell Assembly at 10.00am in Carmody Hall)  

 All students are expected to attend in full College uniform including blazers. 

* Families are asked to keep the numbers attending to 3 people maximum due to the limitations of seating at the Church. There will be limited parking available on the night.

FRIDAY, 15 NOVEMBER

3. Year 12 Graduation Formal

Doltone House Darling Island, Pyrmont commencing at 6.30pm

St Aloysius College - Sydney Catholic Schools - Inquiry and Review Process

Tuesday 22 October - Wednesday 23 October

What is Inquiry & Review?

The Inquiry & Review  process is an opportunity for our College as a self-reviewing, self-improving effective Catholic school to review its learning improvement journey and to be supported and challenged in this activity with an external Review Team from Sydney Catholic Schools. 

This Review, occurring once in a five-year cycle, will focus on two main parts:

Looking back: (particularly at evidence during our transition to a Year 7-12 College in 2024)

Where are we now in our learning improvement journey, how did we arrive here and what is our evidence?

Looking forward:

What are some future directions for our improvement journey during 2025-2029, how might we get there and how will we know?

Attendance

I share the following information to parents/carers to assist in the understanding on how important attending and arriving on time to all of your classes should be a priority.

Benefits Of Attendance:

• You will be involved in your own learning and gain knowledge to assist you to achieve your Learning/HSC goals.
• You will interact with other students and learn from each other.
• You will get assistance directly from our staff who have HSC expertise in their subject areas to help you achieve your goals.
• You will be part of challenging and motivating learning environments where you are the priority.

Losses Due To Non-Attendance:

• Missing vital HSC/Assessment/class information, skills and knowledge delivered in a dynamic classroom environment.
• Having to gain information ‘second-hand’.
• Missing the vital discussion and interaction that occurs in all classrooms.
• Missing the opportunity to receive assistance from your teachers and their HSC expertise.
• Having to do work missed in class in your own time – adding to your workload.

Tell Them From Survey

I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank the 60 parents/carers who completed the ‘Tell Them From Survey’. Your feedback is very important to us and we will be looking at these responses carefully together with students and teachers responses to continue to improve areas across the College.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. 

As we head into the NRL finals series as always …UP UP Cronulla !!!

Stephen Mahoney

Principal