Principal's Report 

Dear students, parents and carers,

Thank you for your work and support for McCarthy Catholic College to this point in 2021. Please take a moment to read our Annual Improvement Plan, which details improvement goals flagged in our last newsletter. 

McCarthy Catholic College Annual Improvement Plan

Improved teacher practice and coherence are the biggest levers in school improvement. You can see in the document a focus on three key areas:

1. Improving student care and connection to school through the implementation Living Well, Learning Well.
2. Improving instructional coherence and teaching of writing. An instructional framework ensures that lessons are meaningful and makes clear what students can expect from a worthwhile lesson. Here is a framework graphic detailing elements of an effective lesson (or series of lessons), and supportive conditions for effective lessons.  Improving teacher capability as teachers of writing in the subject areas ensures that students are given consistent support to improve their writing. It is arguably the most influential team strategy schools can employ to improve student learning outcomes. 
3. Building stronger staff leadership, middle leader, teaching and support staff teams to better address the complex educational problems implicit in school improvement.

You can see that our first step as an evidence of impact is that students experience meaningful learning and authentic care in calm, collaborative settings. We continue to make this a first focus. Thank you to those working hard in this area. Everyone agrees that this goal is key to students experiencing five meaningful lessons each day. I regularly remind students that this is their right and is essential to them experiencing a full year of learning growth in 2021. Please ring me if this is not happening on a regular basis.  

Thank you to those parents and carers who have contacted me and others in a spirit of partnership to ensure we are doing the best for the children and young people in our care. Thank you as well to students who regularly identify an area for improvement or an idea for consideration. We must increase student voice in a school that seeks greater student connection and participation, and conversations about education and school in the home greatly assists this.

This year we celebrate 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia. Here is 200 Years Young, a pastoral letter from the Bishops of Australia to all involved in Catholic education. There was lots of excitement at McCarthy to see the photo of our 2020 captains on page 3. 

Thanks to all involved in the preparation and realisation of the Year 7 Camp, particularly in the light of a Covid-restricted 2020 and Year 6 for many of our students.  

All the best as we enter the second half of Term 1, continuing our Lenten season preparation for Easter, the pinnacle of our Church year.

Mr Rod Whelan - Principal