Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Caregivers

WELCOME TO THE 2024 SCHOOL YEAR.

I particularly would like to extend a warm welcome to our new (for the very first time in the history of the College) Year 7 and also to our new Year 11 cohort and their families to St Aloysius College. We trust that your years associated with the College will be both enjoyable and rewarding.

I am pleased to report, here in the second week of the term, how impressed the College staff are with the smooth start we have had to the year. Students have engaged very quickly into the classroom with staff.

I hope that 2024 will be marked by a spirit of generosity and goodwill in our College community as we work together to nurture and educate your sons and daughters on their HSC journey and individual pathways.

I highlighted the following four key messages to students when speaking to them:

• Engage in the college life of our school.
• St Aloysius’ students will always compete in everything we do…no excuses.
• Staff at our College always seek to care and support you. 
• The Five Core LaSallian Principles underpin all that we do.

A few further tips from me for the beginning of the year:

1. Begin your time at St Aloysius with good (study) habits
2. Use the College’s Learning Centre/Library
3. Collaborate with friends in times of study
4. Have effective study notes - not sure how? See any of our College staff
5. Seek feedback - know what you’re doing right...but know areas to improve
6. For senior students complete HSC practice papers - submit to College staff. Repeat.
7. Look after yourself - mentally and physically. Never be ashamed to ask for assistance.
8. Do the little things right…be on time to school/class - it's about routines.
9. Have a sense of pride in wearing the new College uniform - it says a lot about you.
10. Foster good relations with the College staff - it’s about relationships.

“Maturity doesn’t come with age; it comes with acceptance of responsibility.”

 John C. Maxwell

St Aloysius College Open Day - Tuesday, 27 February 2024 

Principal’s address - 6.00pm

We are thrilled once again to open our College to the community on Tuesday, 27 February. We look forward to welcoming as many visitors as possible to help with enrolment questions/advice for Year 7 2026 and also to students from Year 10 at OLM and De La Salle Caringbah enrolling in Year 11 2025. 

Commencement Mass/HSC Assembly

We celebrated our Commencement Mass / 2023 HSC Assembly at St Aloysius Parish at Cronulla on Wednesday, 7 February. A big thank you to Fr James for a wonderful opening Liturgy for our College and his welcome to our new Years 7 and 11 students. (Please see our Facebook page for further details and photos.)

I provide below my Principal’s address to our 2023 HSC cohort, and also a very impressive Dux address from Laura Erceg delivered at the assembly directly after Mass. 

Principal's Address

Dux Address: Laura Erceg 2023 HSC Dux

Year 7 and 11 Parent Meet and Greet Evening

We warmly invite all of our Year 7 and Year 11 parents/carers to an evening to meet with our College staff on Thursday, 15 February from 5.00pm - 7.30pm at Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club - Ballroom and Purcell Rooms. 

Please click the link to RSVP by Friday, 9 February: Meet and Greet RSVP

Year 11 Parent/Student Information Night 

A letter concerning the information night was sent to parents/carers earlier this week. We look forward to seeing you on Monday, 19 February at 6.00pm in Carmody Hall. 

Could parents please rsvp as soon as possible: Yr 11 Parent/Student Information Night RSVP

College Swimming Carnival

Parents are most welcome to attend our swimming carnival being held at Caringbah Pool on Friday, 23 February. Specific details of the day have been sent to parents via Compass.

Staff Development Day

On Monday, 4 March (week 5) all staff will be engaged in a Professional Development Day at the College focusing on student wellbeing. No classes will occur on this day.

Please contact the College Office on Ph: 8522 1500 if you need supervision provided for your son/daughter. 

Year 7 Parent Information Night - Monday, 11 March 6.00pm - 7.00pm

We look forward to seeing all Year 7 parents at the information night that will be held in the College Library. A note with full details will soon follow.

2023 HSC Results

(As reported at the end of last year)

Congratulations to the Year 12 Class for 2023 on their excellent results.

A snapshot of our results:

• 52 Students appeared on the Distinguished Achievers list
• 440, Band 5 and 6’s awarded
• 90% of all student results were Band 4, 5 or 6.
• 80% courses were above state average 
• 126th ranked school in NSW (up 29 places from last year)
• College Dux: Laura Erceg ATAR: 99.55

ATAR 90+

The following students are being recognised for achieving ATARs of 90 and above, an outstanding achievement! This achievement demonstrates a high level of dedication to all subject areas and a consistent commitment to personal study and academic growth.

Laura              Erceg

Zachary          O'Hara

Matthew        Nunn

Aliya                Cheun

Sienna            Salvato

Nicola             Bova

William           Morrison

Olivia              Kelly

Georgia          Kent

Charlie            Hallam

Joshua            Vanderlaan

Ruby               Cafe

Dennis            Cheng

Anastasia        Mileka

Annabelle      Eadie

Elwin               Joshy

Jack                 O'Connor

Piper               Hannington

Taj                   Beesley

Brayden         Henniker

Julian              Hughes

Max                 Lehmann

Abby               Kayes

Demi               Bresnahan

Ryan                Kay

Koby               Hedges

Kira                 Hensley

Jessica            Little

Daniella          Vassallo

1ST PLACE IN HSC COURSE

VET AWARDS

HIGH ACHIEVERS

ALL ROUNDER

This award recognises students who achieved a Band 6 (or 90+) in every subject examination. Congratulations to the following students:

Aliya Cheun

Laura Erceg

Zachary O’Hara

Staff changes for 2024

With our College moving to a Years 7-12 coeducational school I am pleased to share with you our Leadership/Middle Leadership roles and the staff taking the College forward during this transition.

New Staff - 2024

We also welcome the following new staff to the College…

• Mrs Shannon Gee: Instructional Leader: English & Literacy 7-12
• Ms Rebecca Hines: Instructional Leader: Wellbeing Year 7
• Mrs Catherine Parker: Teacher of Mathematics 
• Mrs Robyn Mabon: Senior Bursar (Office staff)

All of the following staff come to our College with significant years of experience within Catholic Education and I wish them well in their new positions at our College.

Communication and contact

 To access/gain information from the College:

• St Aloysius College website
• Compass portal - link available via the College website
• Facebook - St Aloysius College Facebook Page
• Phone - 8522-1500
• Email - info@stalscronulla.catholic.edu.au
• Instagram - St Aloysius College Instagram page

To assist parents and students with concerns, or in need of clarification of an issue the following guidelines may assist you.

Compass

All parents need to have a COMPASS login - as this is the main administration system of the College. All of the school letters/reporting/ class teacher communication occurs through this system. Please telephone the College office on 8522-1500 for assistance with login or if your password has expired.

If I need assistance from the College…

• Email the College on  info@stalscronulla.catholic.edu.au or 
• phone the College on 8522-1500.

Who do I direct my email/phone call to:

Subject related (classwork/homework/application in class etc.)

• The subject/class teacher should be contacted. (Please consult your sons/daughters timetable for relevant teachers names via compass)

Wellbeing/Pastoral Issue (attendance/friendship issues/change of family circumstances at home/Social Media concerns/Covid related issues etc.)

• the Head of Year 7 Wellbeing - Mrs Rebecca Hines
• the Head of Year 11 Wellbeing - Mr Peter Robertson
• the Head of Year 12 Wellbeing -Mrs Rachel O’Connor

More serious wellbeing issues can be directed to the Dean of College - Mr Jon Cullerton.

Counselling Assistance

• For general Counselling advice and assistance to students/follow up of external Psychologists the College Counsellor should be contacted: 
• Ms Olivia Dawson (Mon, Tues, Wed and Fri) - olivia.dawson001@syd.catholic.edu.au

Curriculum Issues 

If seeking more specific detailed advice on academic issues relating to a certain subject (after discussion with subject teacher) or more serious subject concern refer to the:

• Dean of Mission (Religious Education): Mrs Therese Hughes
• Instructional Leader: Creative Arts (Visual Arts, Music, Drama): Mr Byron Hurst
• Instructional Leader: Diverse Learning: Mrs Emma Heffernan
• Instructional Leader: English: Mrs Shannon Gee
• Instructional Leader: Human Society & Its Environment: Mr David Callendar
• Instructional Leader: Mathematics: Mr Luke David
• Instructional Leader: PDHPE: Ms Sarah Fox
• Instructional Leader: Science: Mrs Jennifer Ming
• Instructional Leader: Technologies: Mrs Lisa McColl (Mrs Michelle Morrison Acting term 1, 2024)
• Instructional Leader: Pathways & Partnerships: Mrs Yvette Kennedy
• Instructional Leader: Vocational Education: Mr Andrew Christoforidis
• Instructional Leader: Sport & Co-Curricula programs Mr Nathan Smith

If your more complex Curriculum issues regarding Teaching & Learning, Assessment, Reporting, HSC policy procedures, change of subject. 

• The Leader of Learning should be contacted - Ms Lynne Slater

If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us here at the College and please follow us on Facebook and St Aloysius College Instagram page  as we constantly try to provide you with many of the events/happenings of the College.

I look forward to seeing our Year 7 & Year 11 parents on Thursday, 15 February at Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club.

Stephen Mahoney

Principal