Dear Parents, Students and Friends

I hope the recent break provided opportunity for some family time and relaxation. It’s quite unbelievable that we are in the final term of 2024! I hope students feel refreshed and enthusiastic about Term 4 and all that it offers. It’s always an exciting time in the lead up to Christmas and the special events that mark the coming months.

‘Laudato Si’ is the name of Pope Francis' encyclical on caring for our common home — planet earth. The letter is addressed to "every person living on this planet" and calls for a global dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet through our daily actions and decisions. 

Last week, we began Term 4 with whole staff spirituality input. The Spirituality Day was guided by the "Head, Heart, and Hands" framework, inviting staff to engage deeply with their intellect, emotions and actions while being guided by the Holy Spirit. The focus was on exploring Laudato Si', integral ecology and the Catholic Social Teaching of caring for our common home. As part of this journey, the goal is to develop a Laudato Si' Action Plan, providing us with a concrete roadmap to actively care for creation and live out our commitment to stewardship. I thank Mrs Anna Smart for leading our spirituality session and for her preparation. 

STAFFING NEWS

We welcomed Mr and Mrs Ashby back to work last week following long service leave last term. They enjoyed a wonderful time away. I thank Mrs Kym Millikin for her leadership as Maths Coordinator in Mrs Ashby’s absence.

Mr Tim Hodges suffered an Achilles injury last term while playing netball in a staff vs Year 12 match. He is recovering well and is expected back at work in Week 4. I’m sure you will join with me in wishing Mr Hodges a full recovery. Mr Tim Lyttle and Mrs Melanie Price will be supporting Mr Hodges classes while he is off work.

The following teachers will be taking long service leave during Term 4:

• Mrs Belle Barling – Weeks 6, 7 & 8
• Mrs Karen Lyttle – Weeks 7 & 8
• Mrs Miriam Shilling – Week 7
• Mr Stephen Knight – Week 8

CONGRATULATIONS

Following a panel selection process, I would like to congratulate Mrs Erin Blackman on her successful appointment to the permanent position of Leader of Inclusive Education. Mrs Blackman has been acting in the role this year and has been outstanding in her leadership in this position. Congratulations Erin!

ANNUAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

One of the key priorities this term will be finalising our 2025 Annual Improvement Plan (AIP). Our targets will be informed by data analysed throughout the year, to ensure accuracy and an informed approach moving forward. Our Strategic Plan and feedback from ‘Tell Them From Me’ survey results will also be used to align with Catalyst and college goals.

FAREWELL FR LOI

Fr Loi will be moving on at the end of this year to take up his new role as Parish Priest at Weston Creek, Canberra. While he will be greatly missed, we are very appreciative of the support, care and leadership he has provided throughout his time in the St Bernard’s Parish and at the college. His presence has been a blessing and we wish him all the best in his new parish. We are also pleased to announce that Fr Joshy Kurien has been appointed as the new Parish Priest of St Bernard’s, starting next year. We look forward to welcoming him into our community.

CATALYST

The 8 big ideas of Catalyst were presented to staff last term. The summary below reflects the importance of structured, research-based approaches to teaching and learning. Carroll College is committed to implementing best practice pedagogies.

8 Big Ideas of Catalyst

• School is where we learn biologically secondary information. This is based upon David Geary’s distinction between biologically primary knowledge and biologically secondary knowledge.
• Learning is a change in long-term memory. This is a fundamental tenet of cognitive load theory, the principal theoretical base for the Science of Learning. Cognitive load theory was developed by John Sweller and Paul Kirschner.
• Knowledge matters, it’s what we think with. There is no such thing as generic critical thinking skills. Critical and creative thinking are domain and discipline-specific. The origin of this idea is from the Science of Learning and cognitive science.
• The most efficient way to teach knowledge is to teach explicitly. Explicit teaching is Teacher-led, involves breaking knowledge down into the right size chunks, building on prior knowledge and teaching clearly until a high success rate is achieved by the class. This is a core idea from the Science of Learning and from Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction.
• Reading is essential for students to acquire knowledge. After explicit teaching, reading is a critical and efficient way for students to gain access to the knowledge and vocabulary they require to thrive academically. The origin of this idea is the Science of Reading.
• Curriculum should be ambitious, coherent, sequential and cumulative. We need to be desperately efficient with the time students have in classrooms. This means being purposeful in the planning and teaching of core content and ensuring the curriculum, resources and instructional materials are knowledge-rich.
• High quality, whole-class instruction will help all students. High Impact Teaching Practice, with frequent checks for understanding, present opportunities for teachers to more effectively respond to students requiring additional support, scaffolds or more formal intervention.
• Teaching is a profession that should be informed by the evidence. As teachers, we are professionals who hold ourselves to the evidence and best available research. We should demonstrate how our teaching practice and approach to learning is aligned to the evidence.

EUROBODALLA MAYOR’S WRITING COMPETITION 2024

Congratulations to Maya Birks, Reis Gaspari-Nicholls, Bridie Irving and Kate Patyus who were finalists in this year’s Mayor’s Writing Competition. A fantastic achievement!

PRAYERS
We pray for all members of our community needing our prayers at this time. Mrs Louise Ibbett’s father passed away during the holidays. I extend our heartfelt condolences to Mrs Ibbett and her family. Mrs Ibbett has returned to work this week.

The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, one of the best known of all Catholic devotions. October includes the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and the best way to celebrate the month is to pray the Rosary.

We continue to keep our Year 12 students in our thoughts and prayers as they undertake their HSC exams.

With respect and encouragement to you.

Mrs Jacqueline Heffernan
Principal

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

2024 NSW Youth Council Conference - Our Diversity Unites Us

On the last weekend of the school holidays two of our amazing Year 8 Youth Council representatives, Elsie Hanns and Erica Shalders were part of a five member team who tavelled to Sydney to represent our local council area at the 2024 NSW Youth Council Conference - Our Diversity Unites Us. Elsie and Erica represented the Eurobodalla youth on many topics including: mental health, diversity, disability, leadership and advocacy and social storytelling. During the weekend they also attended a South West Foodies Trivia Night, a block party and many more engaging activities which allowed them to network with the representatives from other local council areas across the state. Taking up this opportunity has allowed both girls to grow in confidence and develop a range of new skills.

“I’m really grateful that I got the opportunity to go to the conference. I feel it improved my skills in things such as: confidence, leadership, independence and my overall view of other people's perspectives. It was amazing to see how many passionate, like-minded young people are out there. Through the conference I have formed many lifelong friendships, with people of all ages, which I hope to maintain through future conferences. I highly recommend participating in the Youth Council and immersing yourself in as many opportunities as possible.” – Elsie

If your child is interested in joining the student group who participate in the Eurobodalla Youth Committee then please encourage them to speak with Erica or Elsie, or see Mrs Ibbett.

Batemans Bay Youth Foundation Scholarship REMINDER

Attention All Year 12 Students

If you intend to study at University, TAFE, a Tertiary Institution or take up an Apprenticeship or Traineeship in 2025, you need to consider a Batemans Bay Youth Foundation Grant?

Grants of up to $3,500 are available to help you with the cost of commencing your tertiary studies. 

Applications close 30 November 2024.

If you have a Year 12 child, please encourage them to submit an application by going to the following link https://bbyf.org.au/

Headspace

Headspace is a valuable resource for youth in our region offering mental health and wellbeing services to help them navigate life's challenges. We now have offices located in Batemans Bay and Narooma. Attached is a flyer advertising some of the activities Headspace are offering our youth.

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Day for Daniel

Day for Daniel is Australia's largest child safety awareness and education day. On this day parents, carers and educators are encouraged to start a conversation with children and young people about personal safety. Through our support the foundation can continue to develop free resources and programs to teach children how to stay safe and to support young victims of crime. Thank you to Mrs Ciuffetelli for her organisation of this important day.

 World Teachers’ Day

Teaching young people is more than a job it is a vocation. Beyond teaching our subject content, teachers are very significant adults in the lives of our students. At Carroll College our staff are dedicated to providing an environment where the mental health and wellbeing of our students is a priority so they can thrive and reach their potential. On World Teachers' Day I would like to thank all our teachers for the wonderful work they do each and every day in the best interests of our students.

Kind regards

Mrs Louise Ibbett
Assistant Principal - Pastoral Care

Dear Carroll Community,

I would like to take this opportunity to discuss what learning looks like at Carroll College in 2024. We have been on an exciting learning journey for both staff and students with our Catalyst initiative focusing on the implementation of High Impact Teaching practices, as well as Classroom Mastery this year.

Firstly, this year we introduced Classroom Mastery which has instilled positive – nonpunitive strategies to build belonging, responsibility and generosity. We are creating calm and ordered classrooms where learning takes priority and engages students in learning and gives them the freedom to focus without disruption. I want to acknowledge the constant improvement we are observing in routines such as cue to start, entry routines, exit routines and student voices.

As we continue our journey to provide the best possible learning environment for our students, I'd like to celebrate the positive impact that Catalyst and particularly Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction are having here at Carroll College.

Catalyst provides a research-backed framework that enhances the quality of teaching and learning in our classrooms. These principles, grounded in cognitive science, emphasise a structured approach to instruction that focuses on maximising student understanding and engagement.

One of the core ideas we’ve embraced over the last few years is the importance of daily review. By revisiting key concepts regularly, students strengthen their retention, making it easier for them to build on previous knowledge. We’ve seen how this practice supports students in developing deeper comprehension over time.

We’ve also been prioritizing clear and guided instruction. Teachers are breaking down new material into manageable steps, which ensures that students don’t feel overwhelmed. This scaffolding approach allows all students, regardless of their starting point, to feel confident in tackling complex topics.

Another area we’ve been focusing on is checking for understanding. Our teachers are using frequent, low-stakes assessments and questioning strategies to gauge where students are, allowing them to address misconceptions quickly and ensure that no one is left behind. This constant feedback loop between teachers and students creates a culture where learning is seen as a shared journey.

One of the most significant shifts has been in the way we approach independent practice. We’ve seen the value of giving students more opportunities to apply what they’ve learned, with a gradual release of responsibility from teacher to student. This encourages autonomy, critical thinking and ownership of their learning.

All of these changes, whether through full participation tactics, reviewing, questioning, scaffolding or independent practice, are making our lessons more interactive, student-centered and ultimately, more effective.

I want to thank our teachers and staff for their dedication to these practices and for their commitment to continually improving the way we teach at Carroll College.

I am confident that as we continue to implement Catalyst and Classroom Mastery principles, our students will not only improve in their academic outcomes but also grow as lifelong learners.

Thank you all for your continued support, and together, let’s keep building on this momentum for even greater success!

Mr Andrew Kenneally
Assistant Principal - Curriculum, Learning and Innovation

Welcome back to Term 4! It’s hard to believe we’ve already reached the final term of the school year. We have an exciting and busy term ahead, with highlights including World Mission Month, the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal, Year 7 and Year 9 Formation Days, and the Giving Mass.

World Mission Month

World Mission Month 2024 aims to foster global solidarity and support for mission work by raising awareness about the Church's outreach to vulnerable communities. This year's theme emphasises living the call to service, focusing on empowering local churches and communities worldwide to share the Gospel and promote social justice, peace and integral human development. Through prayer, education and fundraising, the initiative encourages people to engage in acts of compassion and to contribute toward creating a more just and compassionate world, especially for those in need. We decided to take the theme rather literally this year, and are holding a ‘banquet’ (otherwise known as a bake sale) on Wednesday the 30th of October. A range of cakes and sweets will be sold for $1 each at AM and PM break.

Stay Connected with Sentral and Compass

At Carroll College, we use two important student management systems to keep communication and administration smooth: Sentral and Compass. Here’s a quick reminder of how each one helps you stay informed and up to date.

Sentral is our main system, used for:

• Attendance explanations
• Parent-teacher interview bookings
• Accessing student reports, timetables, and daily notices

For everything related to student progress and daily updates, Sentral is your go-to tool.

Meanwhile, Compass is used specifically for:

• Excursions permission and payment

Both Sentral and Compass can be downloaded from the App Store. If you need assistance with resetting your passwords or accessing the systems, feel free to contact me at the college via email.

Stay connected and engaged with our school community through Sentral and Compass!

Years 7 – 10 Exams

The Years 7 – 10 Examinations will be held in Weeks 4, 5, and 6. Students should prepare for their examinations by revising the year/semester’s work and other study material set by their class teacher. If students have questions regarding their exams, they are encouraged to talk to their class teachers.

Please see below for a copy of the Examination Timetable.

This week's reminders:

• HSC exams continue to take place during Weeks 3 and 4
• We will holding a Mission Day cake stall at AM break on Wednesday 30 October.
• Year 11 will participate in the Love Bites program on Thursday 31 October.
• On Friday 1 November, the Year 7 Formation day take place at Broulee Surf Club.

Mrs Sandra Harris
Administration Coordinator

The Welcome address to the college from our new Captains and Vice Captains at our recent assembly.

Erin: Being our first official term in a leadership position, we are all super excited to embrace this position with gratitude and confidence. We hope to be a team that works together effectively to bring forward new ideas and visions for the school whilst also being a welcoming body to any students wishing to reach out for some advice, study tips or simply someone to chat with. Regarding what is coming up on the college calendar, don’t forget, that next Friday is World Teachers' Day so remember to show your teachers some extra love and support for all their efforts!

On Friday the 18th October the newly elected Year 11/12 Student Leadership team along with the 7-10 Student Representative Council engaged in the yLead School Program. The program was facilitated by Cealè and Jon who traveled from Queensland to lead the program and support us in understanding what it means to be elected into a leadership position.

The program was thoroughly enjoyable and highly useful in helping us recognise our strengths and how to use them in real-life scenarios. We worked in team groups to test our creative and critical thinking in solving problems to win practical challenges. We stepped outside our comfort zones by sharing our ideas with people outside our typical friendship groups. Overall, the yLead Day was a huge success and helped us grow closer as a leadership team who are ready to undertake the role of our respective leadership positions.  

Erin Drewsen
Vice College Captain

Exciting Activities in Food Technology, Agriculture, Timber and Technology Classes

Here are some highlights from the end of last term! The term was filled with creativity and hands-on learning across all courses in TAS. From delicious pizzas to innovative Co2 racing cars, students have been engaging in exciting projects that showcase their skills and teamwork.

Stage 4 Technology Students - Race CO2 Cars and Mousetrap Racers

In Stage 4 Technology, students had an exhilarating time racing their CO2 cars and mousetrap racers. This hands-on project allowed them to apply principles of physics and engineering while having fun competing against each other. The excitement was palpable as students cheered for their classmates and celebrated each successful race. Congratulations to Dusty Irving from T2 and Memphis Retallick in T3, for being the overall winners!

Stage 4 - Food Technology

Students were able to create tasty dumplings using new techniques learned during the term. The smell was divine with aromas of ginger and herbs, and the buzz in the kitchens was electric as the students worked collaboratively.

Stage 5 - Food Technology

In the Food Technology class, students had a fantastic time making pizzas with a variety of toppings. Each student was encouraged to explore their culinary creativity, resulting in a delightful array of flavours and presentations. Some students even took it a step further by creating presentations about their unique pizza creations, sharing insights into their topping choices and cooking techniques. The classroom was filled with the delicious aroma of freshly baked pizzas, making it a memorable experience for everyone involved.

Stage 5 - Agriculture

Our Agriculture students have been busy enhancing the school’s farm facilities by working on hanging more gates. This project not only improves accessibility but also teaches students valuable skills in farm management. Recently, they enjoyed the spoils of their hard work: fresh carrots that they grew themselves! The satisfaction of harvesting and tasting their produce added an extra layer of enjoyment to their hard work.

Stage 5 - Timber Continuing

The Timber class has been hard at work creating stunning grazing tables, which showcase their woodworking skills. Each table was embellished with unique laser-cut designs crafted by the students themselves. These tables not only serve as functional pieces but also highlight the creativity and craftsmanship of our Timber students.

Overall, the term was filled with learning, creativity and fun across all classes. It’s inspiring to see our students engage in such diverse activities while developing essential skills for their future endeavours. We look forward to more exciting projects to share with you during this final term! 

Mrs Emma Mullins
TAS Coordinator