In this Issue:

Message from the Executive Director
Important Notices
Events
Sports News
Defence Club News
Sustainability News
Friends of Mother Teresa (FOMT) News
Community News

Message from the Executive Director

Executive Director End of Term 1 Message

Dear Colleagues, Parents and Friends of Catholic Education,

As we approach the end of Term 1, I would like to thank our Principals, teachers, and staff for their efforts to ensure students have had a positive and welcoming start to the year.

More families continue to choose a Catholic education. This year, for the first time, over 80,000 West Australian students are enrolled in a Catholic School. At a time where they have faced challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in the cost of living, the growth in enrolments is recognition of the excellent education offered in our schools.

We began the year by commissioning over 500 new staff at Eucharistic celebrations held in each of the four dioceses. This is a wonderful way for us, as a community of faith, to welcome our colleagues to Catholic Education WA.

The Catholic Education Commission (CECWA) also announced that Catholic Education WA has signed a new memorandum of understanding, ‘In Communion and Mission’, with the Bishops of WA and eight other governing bodies of the 164 Catholic schools operating in Western Australia. The commitment presents a strong, united voice for Catholic education in our state.

In February, we were joined by the Chair of CECWA, the Minister of Education and the Archbishop to mark the opening of our newest Catholic school, Emmaus Catholic Primary School in Dayton. Elsewhere, Bunbury Catholic College is celebrating its 50th anniversary, with members of the CEWA Executive joining Bishop Holohan, Principal Michael Pepper and other members of the school community to reflect on the contribution the school has made to the wider community over the last five decades. These two events are indicative of not just the enduring legacy of Catholic schools in our communities but of the future growth into new areas of our State.

These milestones and achievements are only made possible because of the dedication of our principals, teachers, and school and office-based staff. Following a challenging two years, I am encouraged by what the year ahead holds. More than 400 school and office leaders gathered for the annual Catholic Education Leaders’ Forum, where we reflected on Pope Francis’ ‘Go Forth – Towards a Community of Missionary Discipleship’ and the role of evangalisation within our school communities. On the day, leaders had the opportunity to come together to deepen our understanding of the mission as Catholic educators.

Following the Forum, I was joined by NCEC Executive Director, Hon Jacinta Collins and the Chair of CECWA, Eva Skira on a visit to several Perth schools, where we had the opportunity to hear firsthand from students and teachers about the great work occurring inside and outside the classroom.

Experiences like these reaffirm the importance of Catholic schools. who serve their communities and why so many families place their trust in a faith-based education.

As we enter Holy Week, I hope you have a joyous Easter and a peaceful break with family, friends and loved ones. I look forward to welcoming you back to a new term.

Yours sincerely

Dr Debra Sayce
Executive Director

Important Notices

SEQTA Communication

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Effective from the beginning of Term 2, communication to all of our Parents and Caregivers via SEQTA will be by email only and direct messages will cease. This will enable prompt communication to our families that will be delivered directly to your registered email accounts rather than as a direct message to the SEQTA app.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the College.

Project Compassion - Fifth Week of Lent

As we continue to reflect on the lives of people vulnerable to extreme poverty and injustice and how we can respond through supporting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion appeal.

Your generosity is the pebble that allows Caritas Australia to create the ripples that will improve the livelihoods of vulnerable communities, supporting them to flourish and create opportunities for future generations to live to their full potential. Thank you!

Please return all Project Compassion boxes and envelopes to the school office by Friday 26th May or donate online via the CaritasAustralia website at www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion

Administration Holiday Opening Hours (AMENDED)

Please be advised the Administration Holiday Opening Hours have been amended and the office will be closed on Tuesday 11 April.
The College Administration office will be open on:
Wednesday 12 - Friday 14 April (9.00am to 3.00pm)
Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 April (9.00 am to 3.00pm)

The office will be closed Wednesday 19 - Tuesday 25 April and will re-open on Wednesday 26 April at 8.00am.

Uniform Shop

Additional Opening Times
Wednesday 5 April
10.00am – 12.00pm & 12.30pm - 4.00pm

Wednesday 26, Thursday 27, Friday 28 April
8.00am – 12.00pm & 12.30pm – 4.00pm

School Holiday Opening Times
Appointments (New Students)
Tuesday 11, Wednesday 12, Thursday 13, Friday 14 April
8.00am – 12.00pm & 1.00pm – 4.00pm

General Sales
Thursday 20, Friday 21, Monday 24 April
8.00am – 12.00pm & 1.00pm – 4.00pm

Welcoming our new Aboriginal Education Assistant

We welcome Ms Renae Skelly to the College as our new Aboriginal Education Assistant. Renae is responsible for supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to enhance their learning outcomes within the College. She provides support to students, staff, and the wider community to increase the understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal people, histories, cultures, and spirituality.

Families are always welcome to reach out to Renae directly at ren.skelly@cewa.edu.au

Events

The Stations of the Cross

Today our Junior School and Secondary students participated in The Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross is a traditional Catholic devotion that commemorates the final hours of Jesus’ life on Earth. Each station represents a significant event that occurred during Jesus' journey to Calvary, and this year our students took part in this solemn ritual with great reverence and devotion.

The first station, "Jesus is condemned to death," signifies Jesus' trial and conviction by the Jewish leaders and the Roman governor.
The second station, "Jesus takes up his cross," represents Jesus carrying his cross on the way to Calvary.
The third station, "Jesus falls the first time," shows Jesus' physical exhaustion and the weight of the cross he carries.
The fourth station, "Jesus meets his mother," symbolises the love and support of Mary, Jesus' mother, who watched her son suffer on the way to his death.
The fifth station, "Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his cross," portrays the kindness of Simon, who was forced by the Romans to help Jesus carry the cross.
The sixth station, "Veronica wipes the face of Jesus," shows the compassion of a woman who used her veil to wipe the blood and sweat from Jesus' face.
The seventh station, "Jesus falls the second time," represents Jesus' humanity and the physical toll of his journey.
The eighth station, "Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem," symbolises the sadness of the women who mourned for Jesus as he carried his cross.
The ninth station, "Jesus falls the third time," highlights the immense suffering Jesus endured on his journey.
The tenth station, "Jesus is stripped of his garments," represents the humiliation and shame Jesus experienced as he was stripped of his clothing before his crucifixion.
The eleventh station, "Jesus is nailed to the cross," depicts the brutal and painful act of Jesus' crucifixion.
The twelfth station, "Jesus dies on the cross," signifies the moment when Jesus breathed his last breath and died for our sins.
The thirteenth station, "Jesus is taken down from the cross," represents the removal of Jesus' body from the cross and his burial.
The fourteenth and final station, "Jesus is laid in the tomb," marks the end of Jesus' physical presence on earth, but also represents the hope and promise of his resurrection.

We are proud of our student’s participation in this significant event and their deepening understanding of the passion and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We hope this experience has helped them grow in their faith and become more compassionate and empathetic members of our community. A special thank you to Mr. Cox for helping to make wooden crosses for the various stations.

Sports News

ACC Swimming Carnival Results

Previously, we announced the ACC Carnival results and gave recognition to the Under 13 Boys Champion - Jackson Clifford (Year 7). The full list of results have since been released and we are pleased to announce Isaac Conroy (Year 8) as the Under 14 Boys Champion. We also had a number of students who finished in the Top 5 of their age groups. Congratulations to the following students:

2023 ACC H Division | HBF Stadium
Wednesday, 15 March 2023

Individual Female U13 Top 5 Champions
3 - Sophie Skates (Year 7)

Individual Female U14 Top 5 Champions
3 - Olivia Atkinson (Year 8)

Individual Female U15 Top 5 Champions
2 - Emily Millward (Year 9)

Individual Male U13 Top 5 Champions
1 - Jackson Clifford (Year 7)

Individual Male U14 Top 5 Champions
1 - Isaac Conroy (Year 8)

Individual Male U15 Top 5 Champions
4 - Kaie Ratanjee (Year 9)

Individual Male U19 Top 5 Champions
5 - Ashton Herd (Year 10)

PSSA Interschool Swimming Carnival

On Tuesday 4 April, Junior School students from Years 4-6 competed in the Division B PSSA Interschool Swimming Carnival held at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre. We are very pleased to announce that Mother Teresa Catholic College placed 2nd overall, competing against Mandurah Catholic College, Frederick Irwin Anglican School and Austin Cove Baptist College. Our students were excellent role models for the College throughout the day and showed the Spirit of Jesus by cheering on their teammates. Well done team!

Peel Region Carnival

Last Friday, teams of Secondary students competed in the Peel Region Carnival. Our students played very well and showed great sportsmanship!

Our final placements were:

Volleyball girls - 5th overall
Volleyball boys - 6th overall
AFL Team 1 - 3rd overall
AFL Team 2 - 3rd overall
Cricket - Equal 1st but 2nd on a count back

Well done everyone!

Defence Club News

ANZAC Wreath Making

Junior School Defence Club has been a hive of activity since restarting with Mrs. Esler on board. The students have enjoyed games, LEGO, and most recently, creating wreaths for our ANZAC Day Service to be held on Wednesday 26 April. Defence Club is held on Mondays at lunch time in the Covered Area.

ANZAC Garden

This week we welcomed the Bunnings Community Engagement Team to the College to commence work on the ANZAC Garden. We wish to thank Bunnings for donating their time and resources for this project. Students enjoyed mulching, planting and preparing morning tea for the team. Work on the garden is nearing completion and we look forward to officially opening the garden later in the year.

Sustainability News

Thank you to everyone who supported the Sustainability Market Stall this week. The Green Team did an amazing job selling the produce and working out the change needed for different items. Thank you to Mrs Hodgson for making the delicious apple slinkies. We raised $225 which will go towards buying seedlings and seeds for the students to plant next term as well as some hay for the chickens.

Please keep and collect your bread bags (any variety) during the school holidays so we can add them to the “Wonder Recycling Rewards” program. The more bread bags we collect, the more points we can earn to redeem sports equipment for the College. This is a great way to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill.

Friends of Mother Teresa (FOMT) News

Easter Raffle

Thank you to our College community for generously buying tickets for our annual FOMT Easter raffle.
We are pleased to announce the following major prize winners:

Charlie Muggeridge (Year 11)
Oliver Putland (Year 4W)
Millie Truscott (Year 2D)
Hazel Robson (Year 2K)
Max Bond (Year 10)
Lucy Dytianquin (PPD)
Jack Tingley (PPD)

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Mass Times:

Masses

Tuesday - Friday: 9.00am
Saturdays: 6.00pm
Sundays: 9.30am & 5.00pm
1st Friday of each month: Adoration (following 9am Mass)
Benediction 10.15am

Reconciliation

Saturday: 5.30 - 5.50pm (prior to Mass)

Community News

Rockingham Youth Centre School Holiday Program

Date: Tuesday 11 April - Friday 21 April
Time: Between 9am - 7pm (program times vary)
Various Locations: Rockingham Youth Centre, Anniversary Park, Port Kennedy Skate Park, Online
Cost: Free
Contact: 9528 0333 or customer@rockingham.wa.gov.au

Activities for 12 - 24 years will include a movie night, sports afternoon, senior first aid, video gaming day, creative writing workshop and more. Register here

Online Community

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E-News