Dear Parents, Students and Friends 

“Experience has taught me that what comes from the heart, lands on the heart” (Warrell, 2013). These beautiful words resonated with me yesterday at our combined K-12 executive meeting. Part of the meeting focused on a reflection from Dr Margie Warrell entitled, ‘Lead From The Heart, Then The Head: A Lesson From Pope Francis’. As we prepare for Christmas, it is an opportune time to reflect on life’s bigger questions. What is our purpose? What motivates us to action? How do we lead our lives with greater integrity, more courage and deeper compassion? Our Catholic school aims to inspire every child to be more courageous and act with compassion. I hope you have seen your children flourish this year in ways that have stopped you in your tracks; an empathetic comment, a genuine act of kindness, or putting the interests of others ahead of their own. Building character is nurtured daily at Carroll College and as 2022 draws to a close, I congratulate all students on a successful year. They have grown in so many ways. Take time to acknowledge and celebrate their achievements this holiday period.

Celebrating Success

Congratulations to Cooper Lasscock who has been selected to attend the 2023 Walanga Muru's Camp Aspire at Macquarie University. Camp Aspire is a three-day all inclusive residential camp for Indigenous students that are in Years 11 and 12 in 2023. Cooper has secured a place in the Faculty of Science and Engineering stream. The camp runs from 17-19 January 2023. Well done, Cooper!

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following Year 9 and 10 students who have been accepted into the University of Wollongong (UOW) Regional Indigenous Summer Camp that runs from 13-16 December 2022. 

From top left: Cooper Lassock, Robert Slockee, Eshlee Connolly-Scott, Amarlie McPherson, Marlee Bennett, Sarmaya Te-Kowhai, Rhianna Brierley, Marli-Anne Dennis and Annaliese Nye-Smith. 

UOW’s Regional Indigenous Summer Camp provides Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander high school students with an opportunity to experience what it is like to study and live on campus at the University of Wollongong. 

Participants will: 

• Be mentored by current Indigenous students 
• Have the opportunity to engage in taster sessions and meet dedicated UOW staff who can help identify areas of interest 
• Discover pathways available to gain entry to UOW 
• Build their aspirations to make informed decisions about their future and to confidently navigate their post-school options 
• Engage in cultural workshops and learn local dreamings 
• Visit local areas of cultural significance 
• Explore the Wollongong region 
• Learn how to surf 

This program provides access to experiences of university life at UOW and exposure to what Wollongong has to offer. 

Orientation Day for Year 7 Students 2023

Orientation Day last Friday was enjoyed by all! Our new cohort of ‘soon to be’ Year 7 students loved their introduction to high school and can’t wait to begin!   

Families are still enrolling for 2023. Please be in touch if you would like enrolment details or know of a family wishing to make application to Carroll College. We have limited places remaining for Year 7. Families can email Nadine Cooper at
E: Nadine.cooper@cg.catholic.edu.au

Staffing Update

Staffing plans are close to being finalised for next year. I am pleased to announce that Mr Paul Graziani will be joining the teaching staff permanently from 2023. Mr Graziani is no stranger to Carroll College, and I warmly welcome him to the team. He has extensive experience across a number of Key Learning Areas and will be teaching Religious Education and PDHPE next year.

Congratulations also to Mr Brendan Ashby who will be replacing Mrs Stacey Donoghue as Mathematics Teacher in 2023 as Mrs Donoghue embarks on a year’s travel around Australia. We hope her and her husband have a fabulous trip! Mrs Donoghue will return for the 2024 academic year. Like Mr Graziani, Mr Ashby is well known to our students and works in the college regularly. Mr Ashby’s areas of expertise are Mathematics and Religious Education.

Mr Jason Szkwarek will be sharing the role of TAS Coordinator with Mrs Emma Mullins next year. Mrs Mullins is reducing her teaching days to 4 days p/week for 2023 only. I welcome Mr Szkwarek to the Curriculum Leadership Team and know his level of experience and expertise will be greatly valued.

Mrs Rita Cremerius will be teaching Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways next year, along with her role in Learning Support. We are excited to be offering this new course as an additional VET subject. We are continuing to increase VET course offerings at the college to provide greater choice and pathway options for our senior students.

I also congratulate Mr Michael Thane who will begin on a twelve-month contract next year following a highly successful practicum this term. Mr Thane is a new graduate and teaches HSIE and PDHPE. I wish Mr Thane every success in his first year of teaching and welcome him to the Carroll team.

To accommodate Mrs Rhonda Forner’s absence in the Business Manager’s role, I have made some appointments for Term 1, 2023. Mr Chris Pymont will remain in the role one day p/week and Mrs Dalys Whipp will share this position four days p/week. Ms Julie Davis will be Fees & Finance Officer (Acting) three days p/week. Ms Davis holds a Master of Law & Legal Practice (Honours) from the University of Technology, Sydney and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of NSW, majoring in Marketing and Accounting. I welcome Ms Davis to this role and know she’ll be a great asset in the finance team.

Farewell and best wishes…

We farewell a number of families this year with their youngest child having finished Year 12. Our sincere thanks and best wishes go to the Bath, Camp, Canham, Du Field, Ethell, Fafie, Goodliffe, Harris, Hill, Jeffery, Jones, Kefalas, Kew, Lole-Ngarima, McCarthy, Mitchell, Moses, Motyka, Norman, Norris, Rankin, Reid, Stanley, Tilbrook, Turner, Usher, and Whittaker families. 

Thank you

I thank the members of the Carroll College Community Council (CCCC), in particular Mr Paul Penberthy, Council Chair and Ms Jeni McCarthy, Deputy Chair for their support and commitment to developing a shared vision for the College. Mrs Karen Motyka will be stepping away from the Council now with her youngest boys completing Year 12. I sincerely thank Karen for her support and advocacy of the college and K-12 pathways for Catholic education on the coast. After six years, Mr Tim Hodges will also be finishing on the Council. Tim has contributed significantly as a staff representative and I thank him sincerely for sharing his expertise. He will now give another colleague the opportunity to be elected in the new year.

I take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank and acknowledge the staff for their work this year. It hasn’t been an easy year in the shadow of COVID-19. Their support of one another and tenacity has been commendable. In particular, I acknowlege the work of Mrs Erica Drewsen and Mrs Sandra Harris who have held the position of Assistant Principal, Curriculum since Mr John O’Neill became unwell. They have achieved so much and contributed significantly to the success of the college. It is great news that Mr O’Neill is doing much better and will move into retirement to enjoy time with his family.

As previously communicated, we are losing three outstanding teachers as they relocate out of area for personal reasons. To Miss Lauren Herbert, Ms Naomi Gill, and Mr Todd Dubois. We wish them well for the future. Miss Herbert is getting married next year and I extend our warmest congratulations to her and her fiance, Hayden as they begin this next chapter in their lives. Mr Dubois is heading overseas to travel for the next two years, and Ms Gill is moving to Canberra to pursue opportunities. The Carroll community will miss them! They always know they are welcome to return should circumstances bring them back to the coast.

A full staff list will be published before the end of term.

In closing for 2022, I thank all families for their ongoing support as we give thanks for the academic year. It continues to be my absolute privilege to lead Carroll College. We are always working towards new goals to enhance the learning environment for the students. Best practice pedagogies will continue to be our focus in 2023 to improve student outcomes. Building relationships and connecting with our young people is so rewarding.

May the blessings of Christmas fill your homes and hearts. From all at Carroll College, I wish your family a safe and joyous Christmas. Enjoy a special holiday period this year.