Dear Parents, Students and Friends

A warm welcome to the 2024 school year and our first College newsletter for Term 1. Despite the absence of sunny days during the holidays, it was great to slow the pace and relax indoors. We certainly cannot complain about the rain! I hope your summer holidays were enjoyable and the festive season was celebrated with family and friends.

WELCOME

I extend a special welcome to our new families joining the college this year. It will be wonderful to get to know you and your child/ren over the coming months and years. To our returning existing families, welcome back! A great year awaits!

It is my pleasure to welcome the following new staff to Carroll this year. Welcome to Miss Montana Price, Mrs Suzzanne Gray, Mrs Karen Mahony, Miss Claudia Hannan and Mr Malaki Moreton. Mrs Mahony’s appointment is a recent one that will be news to you. Mrs Mahony is replacing Mrs Krys Wise in the Library Hub. She comes to us from Merici College in Canberra. Most recently, Mrs Mahony has taught Humanities, Religious Education, and has been involved in administering Spelling Mastery and Dibels assessments. Mrs Mahony’s expertise across these areas will be very valuable over time. At this stage, she is very happy to be able to assist us with oversight of the Hub operations. All other abovementioned colleagues were announced last year, and I know you’ll join me in making these newly appointed staff feel very welcome.

This year, Mr Brendan Ashby will join Mr Niall McPherson as a permanent part-time relieving teacher. Aboriginal Elder and Knowledge Holder, Ms Trish Ellis is picking up an additional day working Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Miss Jade Delaney is returning as Classroom Support Assistant. Miss Hallie Wignell is moving into the role of Art Assistant one day p/week and Classroom Support Assistant the other four days. Miss Faith Costigan is returning to cover Mondays and Tuesdays as College Counsellor alongside Miss Naomi Bee who will maintain Wednesday to Friday – fantastic news on all accounts!

We welcome back Mrs Victoria Nicholson from Maternity Leave this year. Mrs Nicholson will be working casually as she moves back into work after enjoying time off with her young family. It will be lovely to have her back teaching at Carroll.

CONGRATULATIONS

In other staffing news, I congratulate Mrs Elise Paull on her current studies. Mrs Paull is well into her teaching degree undertaking a Bachelor of Educational Studies that will lead into the Master of Education (Secondary) degree. This year, Mrs Paull will be teaching one of our VET courses – Certificate III in Business Services. Mrs Paull’s initiative to begin her degree has enabled her to step into this role. Congratulations, Mrs Paull!

Mrs Anna Smart is our new Religious Education Coordinator (REC) this year while Mrs Erica Drewsen takes a break from this role. I congratulate Mrs Smart on this significant appointment. REC is an important role and is integral to the life and culture of a Catholic school. Mrs Smart attended a New Leaders Induction Day and Welcome Dinner in Canberra before school commenced. She is pictured right with one of my colleagues, Mr Michael Lee. Click on the link for full details https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/nearly-50-new-catholic-education-leaders-take-up-roles-across-the-archdiocese/2

Mrs Smart will also continue in the role of Year 7 Humanities Coordinator. I wish Mrs Smart every success in her new role.

Mrs Drewsen will maintain one day p/week working Thursdays, along with additional relief days. She will be working closely with Mr Andrew Kenneally and the Curriculum Leadership Team. She will also continue as Catalyst Lead for the college and be teaching a couple of Humanities lessons for Mrs Barling.

LEADERSHIP

Mrs Kym Millikin has been successful in being selected for the ‘Emerging Leaders Program’ this year being offered through Catholic Education. Principals were asked to nominate a team member who exhibited strong leadership capacity and has demonstrated competence across varied positions. I congratulate Mrs Millikin on this achievement as only 20 teachers have been selected for this program. The course structure will include participants undertaking the Lifestyles Inventory, an external assessment of their current leadership style, modules that address the theological and biblical foundations of leadership in a Catholic school, improving student outcomes through the lenses of personal, relational, knowledge, and managerial capabilities as well as coaching and mentoring of a specific leadership challenge and/or project that applies the learning from each session. Mrs Millikin’s first session has been held this week in Canberra. We wish her well as she undertakes this valuable development program.

THANK YOU

So much goes on behind the scenes when school closes for the Christmas break. Thank you to Mr Daryl Hanson, Mr Glyn Bromige-Avery and Mrs Dalys Whipp for their work over the past month in coordinating college upgrades. The new awnings are almost complete. A small section needed to be finished on the western side of the girls’ toilets and the large one between B and D blocks to cover the next rollout of student lockers for Year 7. These will be installed shortly. Another storage shed is in progress near the hall. This is all over and above the usual maintenance of equipment, full cleaning of carpets, desks and rooms, servicing of air conditioners, pest inspections, mowing… and more mowing! The college looks fabulous!

You may not be aware that the Carroll Staff takes care of Rose, Harley and Arthur (our pet pigs!) during the holidays. They require daily care so staff volunteer to assist on a rotating roster. The pigs will relocate to their new home once it is completed behind the maintenance sheds as our new TAS building project commences in the coming months. Special thanks to our committed team!

CLASSROOM MASTERY

As you are aware, our three K-12 Catholic schools on the Coast have been selected in the first wave of schools to participate in Classroom Mastery Professional Learning. Our three schools were chosen recognising the importance of a common approach for the K-12 Pathway.

Dr Tim McDonald has introduced us to three behaviour routines that we have focused on as a staff since we began last week. The three routines include:

Cue to Start
Student Entry Routine
Student Exit Routine

Students are presenting more calmly and respectfully which is truly remarkable in such a short time. Coupled with our decision to remove mobile phones, the staff and I have experienced an obvious change in the level of student interaction. Conversations are abuzz and it’s wonderful to see greater engagement across the college. Well done to all our students!

CATALYST

We have seven participants approved to take part this year in the Teach Well ‘In Action’ Professional Learning. Mr Charlton Fogarty, Mrs Cathy Fryer, Mrs Kym Millikin, Mr Nick Collins, Mrs Izabela Rudol, Mr Ryan Bissell and Mr Matt King will be trained this year in High Impact Teaching Practices. I wish them well for this training.

K-12 SCIENCE & STEM ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

This year we are offering all Year 6 students from St Bernard’s and St Mary’s the opportunity to be part of a Science & STEM Enrichment Program at Carroll College. Each group will run for 6 weeks with approximately 8 students in the group. The outline will be as follows:

5 groups of students (approx. 16 students from St Mary’s and St Bernard’s)
6 weeks of enrichment lessons per group with 3 Science and 3 STEM lessons
Every Tuesday at Carroll College from 12.30pm – 1.30pm
Odd numbered weeks – Science with Danielle Ciuffetelli
Even numbered weeks – STEM with Andrew Kenneally

The program will begin in Week 5.

UMBARRA

Families of children in Years 8-12 (eldest child) will have received a copy of the College's 2023 Yearbook this week. Enjoy this beautiful memento of the year that's been. It has been expertly created by Mrs Sandra Harris and I thank her for her creative planning and preparation of this publication.

I wish all students a very happy and productive term. We have a full calendar of events scheduled. Please refer to Sentral regularly for information. I look forward to seeing everyone at Moruya Pool tomorrow for our Annual Carroll College Swimming Carnival. A reminder that this is a compulsory school day.

With respect and encouragement to you.

Jacqueline Heffernan
Principal

‘Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’ (John 8:12)


Mrs Anna Smart	Mr Stephen Knight	Mrs Karen Ashby	Mr Wayne Foster
Religious Education	English	Mathematics	Inclusive Education

Mr Tim Hodges and Mrs Janette Soper	Mrs Ros Maher and Ms Lizette Richards
Science	Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA)


Mrs Linda Dwyer	Mrs Emma Mullins	Mr Jon Brady
Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE)	Technical and Applied Studies (TAS)	Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)

Mrs Cathy Fryer and Mr Jason Szkwarek

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Mr Charlton Fogarty and Miss Ellisha Large

Sport


Mrs Belle Barling	Mrs Michelle Katuke
Faith Formation	Indigenous

Please keep the following students and their families in your prayers. Will (Year 11), Nate (Year 9), Cooper (Year 9), and Oscar (Year 7) on the passing of their Grandmother.

2024 College Theme

A very warm welcome to the 2024 school year. I truly hope that you each had the most wonderful, blessed Christmas and enjoyed spending time with your loved ones. Each year the College selects a religious theme to frame our focus for the year ahead. In December 2023, our Senior Leadership Team came together with new student leaders from St Bernard’s and St Mary’s Primary Schools.

After some fruitful discussion, the religious theme for 2024 was chosen: “Whoever follows me out of the darkness will never be alone, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

These words come from the Gospel of John, and highlight the importance of faith in God, along with faith in ourselves and each other. So that all students are familiar with the theme, every RE class has undergone a study of the Scripture itself and discussed practical ways in which we can put these words into action. Students will have further discussion of how we can put our faith into action, through engagement with Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion Appeal.

Youth Ministry

Each year, students in Year 9 are offered the opportunity to be involved in our Pathways Sacramental Retreats, Formation Days and Mass and Prayer Services. Interested students were given information regarding these opportunities during class on Monday. Please encourage your child to check their emails in the coming days so that they can access further important information about applying for this initiative. The first of these days, (the Year 3 Reconciliation Retreat) will be held on Friday the 1st March, with a training and preparation day on Thursday 29 February.

Anna Smart
Religious Education Coordinator

Welcome to all our students and their families especially those who are new to the college. We hope everyone has had a relaxing break. Over the first week, the positive energy and smiles from the students were great to see as they returned to learning, greeting their teachers, and reconnecting with friends. We hope this year continues to be a successful one for learning and building positive relationships.

Pastoral Team

Along with the Homeroom and Class teachers, the Pastoral Coordinators and extended Pastoral Team are ready each day to support our Carroll College community.


Mrs Corrinne Dell	Mr Greg McAteer	Mrs Karen Lyttle
Chisholm	MacKillop	Xavier


Ms Elle Boller	Mrs Danielle Ciufettelli	Mrs Margaret Croese
Wellbeing Coordinator	Pastoral Care Assistant	Student Welfare Officer
		(Tuesdays and Thursdays)

Homeroom

At this point in the year, it is timely to remind everyone of the importance for students to arrive on time for Homeroom. The daily routine of Homeroom allows students to build strong relationships with their peers across Years 7-12, their Homeroom teacher, and Pastoral Coordinator. It is in this Homeroom time that the whole school joins in daily prayer and students familiarise themselves with important notices.

College Counsellors

As part of the pastoral care for students, Carroll College has access to a Student and Family Counselling service provided by CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn (CCG). CCG is contracted by Carroll College to provide a counselling service to students and their families on-site. There is no fee to access this service.

We are very pleased to announce that our Counselling service has increased to five days for 2024. We warmly welcome Faith Costigan to the team. Faith will be in the college on Mondays and Tuesdays each week. Naomi Bee will be continuing to support our students on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays each week.

The role of the counsellor is to focus on the emotional, social and educational well-being of the students. Counsellors welcome contact with students having difficulty with some part of their life, whether or not it affects their school work. The problem does not have to be a big one. It is better to seek help sooner than later.

Some typical concerns that counsellors work with include: anger, anxiety, behavioural problems, depression, eating problems, family breakdown and family conflict, grief and loss, learning and educational challenges, parenting challenges, peer and other social relationships, school avoidance, stress and study skills. As well as individual sessions with students, counsellors can run groups, do family work, consult with parents and teachers and make referrals to other services and supports.

Student and Family Counsellors subscribe to a set of professional ethics that include duty of care and respect for the individual rights to privacy and confidentiality. The counsellors’ obligation is to ensure the safety, wellbeing and confidentiality of the student they are working with. All counsellors are mandated to report any disclosure or sign of abuse or neglect to the Department of Communities and Justice. Outside of our mandated requirements, all counselling sessions are confidential and the details will not be discussed with other parties unless written consent is given by the client.

Parent consent is required for all students under 14 years of age. Consent will be sought and provided via email. Referrals to the service can be made by contacting the pastoral team or speaking with the counsellor directly. Students can also use the QR code found on posters around the college to contact the counsellor.

Carroll College's Student and Family Counsellor has an office located in the HUB and can be contacted on 44 715600.


Faith Costigan	Naomi Bee
Monday and Tuesday	Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Academic Care Period

For students to reach their full potential it is vital that they attend school every day of the academic year. By building a strong sense of connection school is viewed as a positive place of learning, opportunities, and support. A place they want to be at. In 2024 the College will continue to deliver an Academic Care lesson every fortnight. Academic Care is a blend of two significant components of a student’s school life. Focus will be given to the skills and information that build capacity for academic success as learners as well as increasing a sense of personal well-being.

In 2024, the pastoral care and wellbeing program is being enhanced through the implementation of the resources of Wellio. On Day 2 of professional development last week, all staff experienced a one-hour tutorial to ensure they were confident with the resources and best practice in delivering them. Through this digital platform, we will deliver a bespoke scope and sequence, with engaging and resourced wellbeing lessons with the added bonus of being able to measure their impact.

In your child’s Academic Care lesson, they will be working with two teachers to cover material that is relevant to their stage of life and learning. By delivering this program the college is increasing the network of care and support that surrounds our students from Years 7 to 12.

Driving

Our senior students are now either interested in learning to drive or already have their licenses. If your son or daughter intends to drive to school or be a passenger in a car driven by another student then they need to ensure that they have completed the correct documentation which is signed by parents/carers and students and then handed in at the Front Office for final approval before any driving begins. Year 12 student drivers can apply for permission to leave the College at the end of Period 4 if they do not have timetabled classes in Periods 5 and 6. The permission form for this privilege can be collected, completed, and returned to the Front Office. Early leave begins in Week 3 for Year 12.

In Week 10 of Term 1 (11 April) all Year 11 students will be attending the Rotary Young Driver Awareness (RYDA) program which offers invaluable information about how to keep young drivers safe on our local roads. More information about this program will be shared closer to the event.

Uniform

Toward the end of the holidays, all families received an email outlining the College expectations across a range of areas including uniforms and the uniform policy. Overall, our students have returned well-presented. We are very proud that the College is well respected in the local area and know that the way our students present in their uniforms and their behaviour plays a major role in this. We are committed to maintaining this high standard and ask that parents support the college staff by checking uniform compliance before students come to school each day.

Lockers

Our Year 8 and 9 students are continuing to use the lockers they were allocated in Year 7. Overall, we are very impressed with the responsibility students have shown in not only keeping their lockers clean and tidy but also being organised for each lesson. The new lockers for Year 7 2024 were due for delivery at the end of the last year. Unfortunately, the lockers have been delayed. We have been told they will arrive in February. Once the lockers are set up they will be allocated and we will assist the Year 7 students in finding their locker, mastering the combination lock, and their daily organisation. We thank our families for their understanding of a situation that has been beyond our control.

Year 7 / 11 Peer Support Camp

Our Year 7/11 Peer Support camp is being held at Lake Tabourie in 2024. The camp is a highlight for both groups of students. The experience is a great way for our new Year 7’s to get to know each other and for the Year 11 Peer Support Leaders to exercise their leadership skills in a fun setting. In the coming days, Ms Boller will meet with the students to go through the plan for the camp and answer student questions. Year 7 and 11 are certainly looking forward to this event as are the staff.

If you have any concerns about your child or have information that will help us to better meet their needs, can you please contact the College and ask to speak to their Pastoral Coordinator or Ms Boller.

International Safe Internet Day

International Safe Internet Day was celebrated on 6 February. Below is some information from the eSafety Commissioners website that contains an explanation of the day and some helpful ideas. All families are encouraged to visit www.esafety.gov.au to explore the resources, FAQ and links to webinars.

This global event brings together communities, families, schools and organisations from more than 200 countries to help create safer online spaces.

Technology has evolved dramatically in the past two decades and the benefits have been huge. These developments have also exposed us to many risks with real-world impacts, making online safety awareness even more important.

That's why we are calling on Australians to Connect. Reflect. Protect.

Connect safely and with purpose – by keeping apps and devices secure and using social media in positive ways.

Reflect before we act – by taking a moment to consider how what we do and say online may affect others.

Protect ourselves and others by taking action – by telling family, friends or colleagues about eSafety and how we can help.

By doing these simple things, we can work towards making every day a Safer Internet Day.

I look forward to working with our students and families throughout 2024.

Mrs Louise Ibbett
Assistant Principal – Pastoral Care

Dear Carroll Community,

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome back all our students and families for an exciting and productive year ahead. Last week at the whole school assembly I focused my address on three main themes:

1/ Ready to learn every day, every lesson

2/ Assessment at Carroll College

3/ Learning for Life (Effort equals success)

Ready to learn every day, every lesson is a focus for all our students. This year the college is implementing “Classroom Mastery” and “HITP” to ensure our learners are successful in their pursuit for knowledge and understanding. Academic Care this week for Years 9-12 allowed students to explore their strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities. This self-reflection will assist students in identifying what they would like to achieve this year both academically and in their personal life. It is a great time to look back and decide what worked, and what didn’t and then look forward to what new approaches they will try. Students will benefit from the opportunity to self-reflect and then set meaningful goals for 2024.

Assessment at Carroll College is the combination of both formative and summative assessment. Put simply “Everything” counts. All the work students do counts towards their overall grade each semester. Summative assessment schedules will be available soon and it’s important to note the tasks and timing on your child's personal calendar and be prepared for them. Students will receive assessment notifications at least 2 weeks prior to the due date, outlining the task and the marking guidelines.

Year 7 and 11 Information Night

This evening will serve as a comprehensive guide to what lies ahead for your child in Year 7/11. Whether they're transitioning from primary to secondary school or advancing within the secondary curriculum, this event will provide invaluable insights into the academic, extracurricular, and support structures available to ensure their success.

We encourage all parents to attend this event to ensure a smooth transition and a successful start to the academic year. Your participation is integral to your child's success, and we look forward to partnering with you every step of the way.

Learning for Life (Effort equals success)

Usain Bolt once said, “I trained 4 years to run 9 seconds and if people don’t see results in 2 months they give up”.

Our teachers are very similar to Usain Bolt. They may not be able to run 100 m in 9 seconds, but they know what is required to set goals, which includes time, effort, sacrifice and hard work. It is important we surround ourselves with successful learners. Teachers have committed at least 4 years to full time study to be able to teach their classes. Draw from their experience and advice as they know what is required to be successful leaners.

Home Learning at Carroll College

Carroll College is a place of authentic learning where students find meaning and purpose in their life through the integration of faith and culture. Our Catholic community has a responsibility to ensure all students find meaning and purpose in their life through experiencing continual growth in faith and improvement in learning. Home Learning at Carroll College is defined as all school-related preparation, tasks and study with which students engage, and attempt to complete outside of normal learning lessons. Informed by current educational research, home learning that leads to learning is:

Purposeful and relevant to student needs
Appropriate to the capacity and phase of learning of the students
Encouraging of student independence as learners
Varied, challenging and clearly related to learning
Both aware and allowing of students’ commitment to recreational, employment, family, religious and cultural activities

Objectives

Home learning has the potential to:

Provides the opportunity to link knowledge and understanding through reinforcing learning experiences at both school and home
Foster good study habits and promote lifelong learning
Help develop self-discipline and concentration
Provide training for students in research skills, planning and time management
Help develop a range of skills in identifying and using information sources
Provides parents/carers with the opportunity to see the progress of their child

There is also evidence to show that home learning completion can serve to improve the achievement of socially and educationally disadvantaged students as well as provide challenges and stimulus to gifted and talented students.

Types of Home Learning

At Carroll College, there are usually five types of home learning:

Set work – completion of set home learning for the next learning session at school
Formative/Summative Assessment Tasks – ongoing completion of, or preparation for, assessment tasks that are due or set which all count towards student reports (remember all work is assessable and everything counts)
Study – revision and learning by way of such methods as re-reading and highlighting of key words; executive summaries and/or note-making in forms such as mind-maps, study book, cluster diagrams; traditional headings/subheadings and related points; learning of work completed that day and/or in prior lessons; practising of problem solving, essay introductions/conclusions; correction and learning of correct spelling/glossary key concepts, punctuation and grammar; learning of theorems, equations, formulae and definitions
Reading – additional research and/or individual interest
A combination of two or more of the above

Recording of and communicating about Home Learning

The student laptop is the primary means of recording and communicating about home learning. If there is no “Set Work” for the next lesson, students are still expected to enter the word “Study”. This is to remind them that there are probably other types of home learning for subjects which need to be addressed or completed.
Students are expected to note the due or set date of any home learning, assessment task, class tests or examinations in the student personal calendars. Communication to students and parents regarding summative assessment tasks and examinations is also by way of one or more of the following:
Assessment Handbook for each Year group
School Assessment Task Notification Form
School Website
School Newsletter

Time on Home Learning

An examination of International and National practices and many individual NSW school home learning policy statements reveal that there are some notional minimum and maximum hours most schools use as guidelines.

At Carroll College, suggested daily home learning hours reflect the research and are as follows:

Year 11-12	2-3 hours (but dependent on individual patterns of study)
Year 9-10	1 ½ - 2 hours
Year 7-8	1 – 1 ½ hours

Suggested home learning hours may fluctuate depending on such things as the nature of the courses being studied; pending examinations; and times when assignments and assessment tasks are set or due. Various scenarios may require some hours to be assigned to the completion of home learning on weekends or school holidays.

A golden rule is that whether home learning has been formally set by the class teacher, there is always some other work that can be attempted, for at least some of the suggested time, from one of the other types of home learning outlined above (Types of home learning). Furthermore, as stated earlier, some home learning done at regular intervals is better than none at all.

Home Learning and Time Management

The amount of time spent on any one specific type or combination of types of home learning may vary from one day to the next. This will be determined by several factors but does require effective time management.

Effective time management is a major challenge for most students throughout their schooling and post-school life. Students at all levels require regular, sometimes daily assistance from both teachers and parents/carers in the development of this skill.

Parental involvement in the completion of Home Learning

Research indicates that most parents expect schools to set home learning. Positive parental involvement in home learning is beneficial to students and is associated with higher levels of student achievement.

The nature of parental involvement in home learning may take a variety of forms that can have beneficial impacts on student achievement. Parents and carers can demonstrate positive involvement in home learning by:

creating a home learning environment that provides appropriate conditions for learning and encouraging their children to complete home learning tasks
adopting supportive approaches that help to improve students’ attitudes towards home learning and reduce home learning-related family conflict
taking an active interest in the child’s home learning - research shows that interactive approaches to homework completion, particularly in the early years of primary and secondary schooling, have a significant positive impact on student levels of achievement
supporting your child in setting aside time each day for home learning
providing a dedicated place for home learning and study if possible
assisting teachers to monitor home learning by signing completed work if requested
regularly observing home learning entries and learning teacher comments on Sentral
being aware of the amount of home learning set and due dates
communicating with teachers any concerns about the nature of home learning or their child’s approach to home learning
encouraging their child to read and take an interest in current events
alerting the school to any domestic circumstances or extra-curricular activities that may need to be taken into consideration when home learning is being set or marked.

Finally, I wish all students every success as they enter the term and I’ll leave you with one final quote from the fastest man alive.

“Train hard, turn up, run your best and the rest will take care of itself”

Warm regards

Andrew Kenneally
Assistant Principal – Curriculum, Learning and Innovation

Hi, I’m Macy Follett, I am your College Captain!

I applied for College Captain because I value community and I am passionate about building and strengthening my fellow students’ school experience. I understand that school isn’t for everyone and the SLT and I have been brainstorming ways that we can include a wider variety of activities that involve more student interest. My ultimate goal as your college captain in the coming 12 months is to be an approachable senior that students see as non-threatening and fun. I am not here to be scary so please approach me, Liam or any other SLT member and have a chat. A couple of fun facts about me:

I love the colour blue and baby purple,
My favourite TV show is Friends… I have watched it from start to finish 3 times,
I love to sing… but I would really like to learn how to play guitar one day
I usually choose lollies over chocolates,
And I generally sit outside D block and my friends will tell you that if you can’t see me, you can usually hear me… speaking or laughing.

Hello everyone, my name is Liam Walsh and I’m one of your College Captains!

I only enrolled at Carroll last year and already I’ve been warmly welcomed by this college. The Carroll College community has given me so much and I decided I needed to give back, so I applied to be College Captain. My role here is to make your lives happier, easier, and more fulfilling so that when I leave school, the college is even better than it was before. No matter what circumstance, I’ll always be a listening ear to any and all of your problems and from there, Macy and I, and the SLT, can make positive changes to the school. Here are some facts about me:

My favourite movie is, and always will be, Lord of the Rings (I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it)
My favourite animal is definitely Chickens, I’ve got 6 of them.
I’ve got a strong interest in blacksmithing, which is something I’m definitely going to learn soon.
I love football and my favourite team is probably Manchester United.
And believe it or not, I live in Milton and travel 1 hour to school each day!

Feel free to approach me with any questions, thoughts, or basically anything at all! I’m usually outside D block too, but you can also email me whenever you need to.

Welcome to the 2024 school year. A special welcome to the new students and families who have joined us this year and welcome back to everyone else. The Admin Updates section of the newsletter will provide families with important dates for the term and exam timetables.

Sentral App for Parents

We are excited to introduce the Sentral for Parents App, providing a convenient gateway to the Sentral Parent Portal. It simplifies access to important information like student timetables, daily notices, and school reports. Additionally, parents can now effortlessly submit absence notes directly to the school via the app.

Download the app today!

Once you have downloaded the app, search for Carroll College and log in using your Sentral username and password.

We hope you find it an easy way to access your portal information.

Helpful links

Getting started with the Sentral for Parents App

Frequently asked questions

Term 1 Important Dates

Friday 9 February – College Swimming Carnival at Moruya

Monday 12 February - Gurubangamba Mentoring Day

Wednesday 14 February – Ash Wednesday

Wednesday 14 February – Year 12 UOW Discovery Day

Monday 19 February – Year 7 Welcome and Information Evening

Monday 19 February – Year 11 Information Evening

Tuesday 20 February – Year 11 VET Induction Day

Wednesday 21 to Friday 23 February – Year 12 Retreat

Wednesday 6 to Friday 8 March – Year 7 and 11 Peer Support camp

Tuesday 12 March – Parent-Teacher Evening

Wednesday 13 March – Year 7 and 9 NAPLAN begins until 25 March

Friday 29 March – Good Friday

Monday 1 April – Easter Monday

Thursday 4 April to Friday 5 April – Senior Art Excursion

Tuesday 9 April – Year 7 Pastoral Day

Friday 12 April – Xavier day

You can find more 2024 college events on the Sentral Calendar.

School Photos – late orders

School photo day was held on Tuesday 6 February. Parents can use the online ordering system to purchase photos after photo day. Simply visit The School Photographer website https://www.theschoolphotographer.com.au. There is no need to return the envelope if you order online after photo day. ALL students are photographed on the day so families will not miss out. If orders are made within 3 weeks of photo day, the photos will be delivered to the College with the school's main delivery. After this time, it will become a 'late order' and be delivered at a later date. Orders placed more than 30 days after photo day will incur a late order handling fee.

Umbarra – 2023 Yearbook

I am thrilled to announce the arrival of the 2023 Yearbook, Umbarra. The eldest member in each family has received their copy during homeroom this week. For 2023 Year 12 students, your copy will arrive at your doorstep via mail or with a sibling.

Umbarra is filled with memories and highlights from 2023. I hope you enjoy flipping through the pages and reading about many of the events that occurred in 2023.

Sandra Harris
Administration Coordinator

School Fees

School Fee statements will be issued shortly.

For information regarding your school fee account, you are able to log in via your Compass Portal on a desktop to view all transactions and charges after the statements have been issued.

Fees are preferred to be paid via BPay. You can also make payments via Cash, Eftpos at the Front Office or the Compass Portal.

Should you require any fee assistance for 2024 please make urgent contact with our Business Manager Dalys Whipp via email finance.ccb@cg.catholic.edu.au

Welcome to another year of sport at Carroll College for those returning students and I would like to offer a warm welcome to all our Year 7 students and new enrolments. Sports plays an integral role in college life and not only helps promote an active lifestyle but also helps foster and develop relationships with fellow peers and staff. I am excited for the year ahead!

For those students commencing in Year 7 and for all students new to the college in other year levels, we have a wide range of sporting opportunities that occur throughout the year. From our swimming, cross country and athletics carnivals to local school-based sporting competitions, the opportunities are numerous and participation is always encouraged. Representation can occur through Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese level or Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC) as an individual or part of a team.

The majority of our sporting events are already on the College Calendar which can be accessed on the Sentral Portal https://sentral.ccb.nsw.edu.au/webcal/calendar/2. All other events that may come up during the year will be announced on the student notices via Sentral. Staff running the event will put a sign-up sheet on the student notice board and it will be the students' responsibility to read the Sentral notices and sign up for teams or events.

All Archdiocesan events can be found on the following link: https://www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/calendar.

Parents who wish to register their child for any Archdiocesan or Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC) event must do so via the website which can be found at https://csnsw.sport/ (many parents of students from St. Mary’s or St. Bernards will already have done so and you may use the same account at CCB). It is the parent responsibility to ensure their child is registered for any events.

In regards to student registrations for Secondary Canberra Goulburn/Southern Country trials the following are open:

Sport Nominations OPEN

Southern Country U15’s Boys AFL Trials – Note attached
Canberra Goulburn U15’s Boys and Girls Touch Football – Expression of Interest – Note Attached
Canberra Goulburn U18’s Boys and Girls Touch Football – Note Attached
Canberra Goulburn Opens Football (Soccer) Trials – Note Attached
Southern Country U18’s Girls Rugby League Trials – Note Attached as well as the Pathway Flowchart.

RUGBY LEAGUE UPDATES

The Western U16’s Girl’s Rugby League Registrations are now OPEN.

Registration is via Google Form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGR_KNA8Yboz4zygpv-hTRsOGU67nBOLKip5aCmsR1GN17ww/viewform?usp=sf_link

Trials are being held in Canberra on 12th March for girls turning 15 or 16 in 2024 and are from schools within the Canberra Goulburn, Wagga Wagga and Bathurst Diocese.

The Southern Country U18’s Girl’s Rugby League Registrations are now OPEN - Please find attached note (a few changes from the handbook)

Registration is through the CSNSW Website.

Trials are being held in Canberra on 12 March after the U16’s Western trials for girls turning 17 or 18 in 2024 and are from schools within the Canberra Goulburn, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst and Wollongong Diocese.

Registrations for both close on 4 March.

NSW CCC information - 2024

There is a NSWCCC representative pathway sports selection for individual entry sports early in Term 1. The closing dates for registrations are very soon after returning to school. Please note all close dates are firm dates. No registrations will be permitted after the close dates.

All individual sports registrations are completed on the CSNSW.SPORT website. Parents must have an account and add their child to have access. (Sport Registration HELP available on sports info page)

More details are available on the csnsw.sport website

NSWCCC Tennis Selections - close date 22 February 2024 - Selection date - Monday, 4 March at North Parramatta Tennis Courts - More information https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc-secondary/tennis

NSWCCC Golf Selections - close date 29 February 2024 - Selection date Monday, 11 March at Belmont Golf Club - More information https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc-secondary/golf

In 2024, 3 new pathways will be introduced. NSWCCC will be opening an Expression of Interest registration for these next week to assist in conducting selections to finalise NSWCCC teams -

15 Years & Under Cricket - boys & girls
15 Years & Under Volleyball - boys & girls https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc-secondary/volleyball
18 Years & Under Bowls - boys & girls

If you have any questions regarding sport at Carroll College, please do not hesitate to contact me at charlton.fogarty@cg.catholic.edu.au

Kind regards

Charlton Fogarty
Sports Coordinator

UOW Discovery Day 2024 - REGISTER NOW!

Wednesday 14 February 2024

Year 12 students are invited to participate in the University of Wollongong’s annual Discovery Day at UOW’s Wollongong campus.

Discovery Day aims to give Year 12 students the opportunity to experience firsthand what a day at university is like. Whether they’re planning to study at uni after Year 12 or not, all students are invited to participate in this fun, informative and free day!

To attend UOW Discovery Day 2024, students should visit the link below to register and build their timetable for the day https://www.uow.edu.au/study/high-school/discovery-days/?authuser=0

Expected travel: Depart 5.30am and return 6.30pm

For more information about the opportunities listed above or for any assistance please contact;

Careers Office at the College or Mrs Dalgleish amy.dalgleish@cg.catholic.edu.au

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Year 11 VET students have been fitted with subject specific uniforms and these have now been ordered by the supplier. Uniforms can be paid for on Compass.

Year 12 students needing to complete work placement hours have been asked for employers they would like to be placed with as they will be going out Week 8 (18 to 22 March).

VET numbers are increasing at the College with 61% of Year 11 students and 48% of Year 12 students completing at least one VET subject.

All Year 11 VET students including EVET and SBAT students will be involved in a Workplace Induction course at the College on Tuesday 20 February 2024.

This year the VET Coordinator role is a job share between Mrs Cathy Fryer and Mr Jason Szwarek.

Meet the VET team:


Cathy Fryer	Elise Paull	Jason Szkwarek	Matthew King
Active Volunteering	Business Services and VET Administration	Construction	Entertainment


Amy Dalgleish	Joel Coates	Ellisha Large	Belinda Whiteman
Hospitality	Sport Coaching	Sport Coaching	Hospitality/TAS Assistant

Year 12 Chemistry students have been studying acid and base reactions as part of the HSC course. For one part of their depth study, they made an indicator from a natural material, in order to generate a pH scale. They used this scale to predict and determine the pH of other substances based on the colour observed. The natural products that students chose to select included hibiscus leaves, cherries, berries, turmeric, indigo, geranium, beetroot and grape juice. All students were successful in observing a colour difference for acidic and alkaline solutions. They then tested the pH of various household substances to determine the pH based on their indicator scale. Well done Year 12 Chemistry!