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Dear Parents/Guardians and students,

As we come to the end of Week 7 of Term 4, I can hardly believe that there are only a few weeks left of the school year. After my Long Service Leave in Term 2, then a stint at Nowra and then Term 3 and part of this Term in remote learning, the year has absolutely raced away. 

I hope that all families are preparing for Advent and the holiday season where we will see some normality in travelling and catching up with friends and family. 

Advent commences on Sunday 28th November and is a season of waiting and preparation, for the birth of the saviour. There are four Sundays in Advent and each has a special candle that is lit at mass. 

• The first candle symbolizes hope and is called the "Prophet’s Candle." The prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, waited in hope for the Messiah’s arrival. The purple color symbolizes royalty, repentance, and fasting. 
• The second candle represents faith and is called "Bethlehem’s Candle." Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, which is also the birthplace of King David. The second candle is also purple to symbolism preparation for the coming king.
• The third candle symbolizes joy and is called the "Shepherd’s Candle." To the shepherd’s great joy, the angels announced that Jesus came for humble, unimportant people like them, too. In liturgy, the colour rose signifies joy. This candle is coloured pink to represent joyfulness and rejoicing.
• The fourth candle represents peace and is called the "Angel’s Candle." The angels announced that Jesus came to bring peace--He came to bring people close to God and to each other again. This colour is also purple to represent the culmination of love through the Messiah.
• The (optional) fifth candle represents light and purity and is called "Christ’s candle." It is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day. This candle is white to represent pure light and victory.
• Traditionally, Advent is a time for prayer, penance and sacrifice.

HSC EXAMS

After the delays forced upon the Year 12 students because of the covid pandemic, we have successfully commenced the HSC exams to the relief of all. I thank the supervisors and Staff involved for the work to ensure health and safety for the students. The exams conclude on Friday 3rd December and in the following week we will be celebrating with the students at their Graduation and Formal. 

Year 7, 2022 Information Night

This will occur on Thursday of next week via zoom. If you have friends who are enrolled to attend in Year 7 next year please remind them of this event. 

OPTION OF PAYING SCHOOL FEES BY INSTALMENT

During last year our school migrated to a new accounting program. This system provides the opportunity to generate regular instalments with due dates, rather than having an annual bill which is due for payment, in full, 30 days after invoicing. If you would like to pay school fees by instalments in 2022, please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on the school’s website or from the school’s administration office. On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at the school office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your school fee account during the process of invoicing 2022 school fees.

Your school fee statement will provide a list of scheduled payments and their due date depending on the frequency you have chosen eg Fortnightly, Monthly, etc.
IMPORTANT: Please note that if you currently have a child or children at another school in the Diocese and you are paying by instalments at this location, you will not need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment. The instalment request carries over from school to school with the same frequency of payment eg Weekly, fortnightly, etc.

Week 7

Swimming - It was great to see the weather clear for the Year 7 girls to attend their swimming session at the pool. Everyone involved had a great time with students learning basic swim safety skills and gaining confidence in the water. 

Year 7 & 8 students will be involved in the compulsory swimming program that the school will be conducting at Bradbury Pools in week 6-9 of Term 4. There is a Compass note with more information that needs to be completed and submitted on the Parent Portal ASAP. 

This is being run during the students normal Sport time within a 4 week rotation, with the aim of encouraging confidence and improved skills in the water. Students will attend ONE session only. 

Students will be participate in the program as follows:

• Week 6 - Year 7 Boys - 9/11/2021 ✅
• Week 7 - Year 7 Girls - 16/11/2021 ✅
• Week 8 - Year 8 Boys - 23/11/2021
• Week 9 - Year 8 Girls - 30/11/2021

This opportunity cannot be found in the school environment and there are  water safety aspects within the PDHPE curriculum that are required, including satisfying the outcome of “demonstrates ways to enhance safety in physical activity”. Students will complete activities focused around Royal Life Saving Swim and Survive Awards and general stroke correction.

John Therry Catholic College has a strong sporting culture and heritage and we look to include all students in our sporting pursuits and opportunities. John Therry Catholic College aims to foster a healthy culture of physical activity and ensure our sporting and activities programs are for ALL, regardless of the student’s experience and skill level. Our different programs aim to increase and enhance student’s skills and abilities across a wide variety of physical activity pursuits and sports in order to assist students to develop a positive attitude towards lifelong physical activity and healthy habits. 

A reminder that if students are involved in any of the following examples of negative incidents during sport, they will be at risk of being withdrawn from sport:

• Deliberately missing the bus
• Truanting
• Lateness 
• Not giving consent prior to activities (Eg. swimming sessions)
• Disrespectful behaviour on charter buses 
• Disruptive or disrespectful behaviour during sport
• Poor uniform standards
• Disruptive behaviour during sports detention
• Poor participation
• Not following COVID guidelines 

At the beginning of the year, all students and their parents/carers gave consent on an electronic permission note stating that they understood that exemplary behaviour is required whilst participating in sport and physical activity opportunities. There are only 4 weeks of our regular Tuesday Sport left, we hope students can enjoy themselves and behave properly in these final few weeks. If some students do not improve their behaviour this term, they are at risk of being withdrawn from Sport for a period of time or withdrawn completely during Term 4. 

The 24th Annual CDF Sports Awards was a virtual presentation on Friday 12th November. 

Despite a year interrupted by COVID-19, making it challenging for students to train and compete, 2021 has been a remarkable time for sporting achievement in the diocese. We had a number of students who received awards.  Below are some photos from the Hilton Family, who streamed the event at home with family to celebrate Coby’s sporting achievements. 

 Congratulations to the following students who received a Secondary Sports Council Medallion:

• Ryan Connors - Golf 
• Francesco Gerace - Golf 
• Xavier Martin - Football 
• Riley Oitmann - Rugby League 
• Patrick Picot - Football 
• Ethan Ross - Swimming 

 And to the following student who received a Secondary Sports Council Blue: COBY HILTON .

These students will receive their medallions at the John Therry Sports Assembly in Week 10. 

Macarthur Football Association - U16 PLAYERS OPPORTUNITIES

The MFA are looking for Goalkeepers and Outfield Players to Compete in the  boys association youth league. 

EMAIL  SIA AT CONVENOR@MACARTHURFOOTBALL.COM.AU TO EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST

Annual Sports Assembly  Location and presentation method: TBC Date: Tuesday 7th December Time 1:00- 2:30 Jack Crawford 2021 Date: Tuesday 14th December  Time: All day  More information will be available on the Compass Event - permission to be given via the Parent Portal

The Sports Assembly is coming up later this term, where we celebrate the sporting achievements of our students throughout 2021. More details to follow throughout the term.We are looking to present the Sports Assembly in some sort of virtual format instead of a full school assembly depending on COVID restrictions. . Further details will be presented as they come about - stay tuned to Compass and the weekly newsletter for updates.

*If you have any sporting news and achievements, please contact Ms Georgia Leach at leachg01@dow.catholic.edu.au 

Regards,

Ms Leach