Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to the midpoint of the term. Our focus has been on student engagement with their learning in these first weeks of term and I reiterated its importance at the recent College Assembly, as well as the value of developing strong, positive relationships amongst our student community as Year 7 settle into Mater Dei.

I hope that Year 7 families have found the Parent/Carer Transition Clips that were made available recently helpful in supporting their children’s learning at the College. The feedback opportunities provided through the upcoming Parent/Student Teacher interview offer an opportunity for personal conversations via ZOOM around the effort, achievement and progress of students.

200th Anniversary of Catholic Education in Australia

The Catholic Bishops have written a pastoral letter to school leaders, staff, students and families to mark the 200th anniversary of Catholic Education in Australia which was launched on 18 February 2021.

The letter, 200 Years Young, recognises the contribution of religious, clergy and lay people to the foundation of Catholic education, and the distinctive role Catholic schools play in educating and forming young people of faith and service in their communities.

Chair of the Bishops Commission for Catholic Education Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has called on all those involved in Catholic education to acknowledge this significant milestone in the life of the Church.

“From very humble beginnings with the opening of the first official Catholic school educating just 31 students located on Hunter Street in Parramatta, Catholic schools have grown to educate more than one in five Australian students, with many others attending Catholic pre-schools, colleges and universities,” Archbishop Anthony said in a media release.

“We are fortunate to have Catholic schools in most towns and suburbs, and university campuses in most capital cities, serving students from diverse backgrounds and beliefs. While they are no longer all from poorer families, as so many were in the first century-and-a-half of Catholic education, we continue to welcome and ensure our schools are accessible to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, refugees, those with disabilities and students who are financially disadvantaged."

“Alongside families and parishes, Catholic schools are the Church’s principal meeting point with young people, and are integral to the Church’s mission of transmitting the faith to the next generation and forming young people as future contributors to Australian society.

“I commend this pastoral letter to you and congratulate all those involved in Catholic education on this historic milestone in the life of the Church in Australia,” Archbishop Anthony said.

National Catholic Education Executive Director Jacinta Collins welcomed the pastoral letter and the ongoing commitment of the Bishops to provide a faith-based education for Australian families.

“We are in a unique position in Australia that we have the support of successive governments to the funding of Catholic and non-government schools. This support has enabled our schools to be accessible to families that seek a faith-based education for their children and ensures diversity in school choice,” Jacinta said.

“But it also relies on the commitment of Church leadership to actively support and foster the mission of Catholic schools and the work of many other Church agencies such as Catholic hospitals, social services and charities that contribute enormously to the social fabric of Australian society.”

The pastoral letter is available to download from the National Catholic Education Commission website.

Enrolling for Year 7 at Mater Dei for 2022

We welcomed a huge crowd of prospective students and their families to the Open Night on Tuesday this week. This is an exciting time for families and the College, and students and staff enjoyed showcasing all that is on offer at Mater Dei. Families saw learning in action across the curriculum – from Science practicals, to Religious Education, ConnecTED Learning, Wood and Metalwork, Music, Hospitality, Maths, English, STEAM, the Marian Centre and lots more.

As well as experiencing learning in action through the tour of the College, families were able to learn more about all facets of life at Mater Dei at the parent meeting in the Hall, including the following aspects:

Mater Dei is a Catholic College filled with rich Christian traditions;
We encourage a balanced approach to life that integrates the spiritual, academic, physical, cultural and community based spheres of the College;
We seek to build a learning community where all students feel a strong sense of belonging, know success or achievement in some aspect of College Life and feel acknowledged for it;
We want students to love learning and thoroughly enjoy their time at Mater Dei.
The College community insists on high standards of dress, behaviour, appearance, commitments and relationships, and makes no apologies in doing so; and,
We strive for academic growth and improvement through a sustained engagement in a stimulating teaching and learning program that is data and evidence informed so each student has a personalised approach to their learning;

~Click on images to enlarge~

The Open Night was an evening for seeing students engaged in learning across a range of subjects and experiencing first-hand the advantages of our excellent educational facilities, amidst the warmth and friendliness of the entire College community. It was also an opportunity to hear in more detail about the wonderful learning opportunities at the College in Year 7 and beyond.

The next step in the process is the online completion of the Enrolment Form. The link was provided in the enrolment brochure made available to Year 6 families and at the Open Night. The link is also available on the College website on the Enrolment page. Supporting documentation listed on the Enrolment Form must be copied and provided to the College to support the application for a place in 2022.

As explained in the last edition of the newsletter, with COVID restrictions in mind, Enrolment Interviews will not be scheduled this year. New families to Mater Dei who are seeking further information about the College are invited to contact the College to book a place at an optional morning tea meeting with a member of the Leadership Team.

These meetings will be held at 10am on Tuesday 9 March, Wednesday 10 March and Friday 12 March and are for parents/carers only as Year 6 students will be at school at this time. COVID group size restrictions mean that pre-booking of a place at one of the optional meetings is necessary. We look forward to welcoming any families who are new to secondary education and would like further information or reassurance about the learning journey ahead for their child.

Please encourage any prospective families you know to finalise their application. There is very strong interest for places for Year 7 in 2022, which will be formally offered at the end of Term 1.

College Council Annual General Meeting

The College Council AGM was held last Thursday evening. I would like to take this opportunity to again acknowledge the work of the Council Members in 2020 who supported me in my role as Principal. The Council provides a vital link with the parent body and I thank the following six parents who are members of the College Council in 2021:

Elected Members:

Mrs Lisa Simpson, Mr Andrew Leigh-Cooper, Mr Steve Bloomfield and Mrs Angela McGill.

Appointed Members:

Mrs Rhena Geraghty, Mr Andrew McIntosh and Mr Jason Jolley

Ex Officio Members:

Mrs Val Thomas (Principal) and Mr Vincent Powell (Bishop’s Representative)

Congratulations to Mrs Lisa Simpson, who has been elected Chair of the College Council for 2021 and Mrs Angela McGill, who is the Secretary.

Prayers Please

Please remember all our families in your prayers, especially those who are battling injury, illness and loss, we keep Mr Michael Ryan and his family in our prayers. The funeral of his father Terry was celebrated today. May God give them healing, strength and courage.

In this sacred season of Lent we pray that God prepares a place in our homes and hearts

for silence and solitude, so that we may rediscover the grace of a prayer filled life.

Mrs Val Thomas | Principal

College News