MARIAN CATHOLIC COLLEGE 185 Wakaden Street GRIFFITH Phone: 69692400 Fax: 69625597 Email: [email protected] Web: www.mccww.catholic.edu.au HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS "Since parents have given children their life, they are bound by a most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognised as the primary and principal educators…" Pope Paul VI October 28 1965 2 Welcome to the Marian Family Marian Catholic College prides itself on being a ‘community school’ where each individual is valued and their contribution is recognised and appreciated. It is, therefore, with great pleasure, that I formally welcome you as new members to this community. I hope that you will be surrounded by this community which has great love and care for its students. I am confident that our motto “ The Way, The Truth, The Life” will be fulfilled daily, as together, we give expression to Christ’s love and example by striving to fulfill our potential. The College’s student support and welfare programs are designed to ensure a safe, caring and supportive environment in which all students have the opportunity to achieve their best. We are proud of our College and of its students. The students work very hard and they achieve very good results both in the classroom and in extra-curricular activities. Some of these include Tournament of Minds, Music, Drama, Public Speaking, Art Club, Duke of Edinburgh Award, MUNA and representative sport. The main thing that teachers at Marian want to do is to support students’ learning. We will help students to build upon their strengths as well as to try to overcome their weaknesses. If students work hard in their lessons and with their homework, if they take up the wide variety of opportunities in front of them, they have every chance to find great success at Marian. I look forward to working closely with you and your child over the years to come. We will strive together to provide a learning environment that will allow your child to grow and develop as an individual and to reach his or her full potential. Mr Alan Le Brocque Principal 3 MARIAN CATHOLIC COLLEGE Our Purpose At Marian Catholic College, Griffith, we value a faith-centred approach to life, offering to all people in our diverse community a Catholic Education which reflects our belief and trust in God. Our College spirit comes from Gospel values and emphasises prayerful reflection and the development of the whole person - their uniqueness, integrity and dignity. We prize a caring environment where there is equity and justice, and where talents, responsibilities and resources are shared. We believe that everyone should reach their full potential. Education in Faith As the philosophy of Marian Catholic College is based on growth in spirituality, Religious Education is a compulsory study, as is a positive and active participation in retreats, religious ceremonies, liturgies, worship and community service which are part of the everyday life of the College. There is daily prayer during Homeroom and assemblies begin with prayer. Our History, Crest and Motto Mother M. Dominic, Sisters Benedict and Dorothea came to Griffith in 1921, to take over St Patrick’s, then a small, struggling school. The new school opened on September 4, with a roll call which included names still common at the school. In 1950, four Marist Brothers, Brothers Oliver, Francis, Richard and Phillip came to Griffith and opened St Brendan’s School for boys in the old Griffith Hospital building. In 1970 St Brendan’s School and the secondary department of St Patrick’s School combined to become Catholic High School at the current site, initially a Year 7-10 school, with Brother Clement Terry as founding Principal and Sr Rita Savage Assistant Principal. The school was extended to include Years 11 and 12 with the first Higher School Certificate class in 1984. From 1991, when the Marist Brothers left Griffith, until 2006, the Sisters of Mercy continued to appoint Sisters to the position of Principal. On the departure of the Sisters of Mercy in 2007, the first lay principal was appointed. The College’s crest features the chi-rho, the first two letters of the Greek word Kristos (Christ), our Saviour who brings us into the Life of God. Rays of light reach from Christ to the world at his feet. As Christ came to the world to bring life, we too are to carry the Life of Christ to the world. The star beside the chi-rho represents Mary, the patroness of both religious Congregations, under whose protection the College has been placed. In 2006 to recognise her patronage, “Marian” has been added to the school name. “College” has been adopted because we have students from Years 7 to 12, in keeping with our sister colleges in the Wagga Diocese. 4 THE FOUR COLLEGE HOUSES McAuley House is named for the venerable Catherine McAuley, who founded the Sisters of Mercy Congregation in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. The McAuley House banner has the cross of the Sisters of Mercy, who started a Catholic school in the new town of Griffith in 1921. The background to the banner is blue, one of the traditional colours associated with Our Lady. The feast of Our Lady of Mercy is September 24. Patrick House is named for St Patrick’s School, which the Sisters of Mercy established in 1921 in Griffith. The Patrick House banner has the logo of St Patrick’s School. It features a celtic cross, the symbol of Irish Catholicism. St Patrick worked in Ireland during the 5th century to bring the good news of Christ. The cross has a circle: some see this as a representation of eternity. It is also another way of drawing the Chi-rho, which is also shown in the Marian Catholic College logo. The background to the banner is green, the traditional colour associated with St Patrick and Ireland, the ‘Emerald Isle’. The feast of St Patrick is March 17. Marcellin House is named for Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a Marist Father, who founded a Congregation of teaching Marist Brothers, in Lavalla in France in 1817. The Marcellin House banner carries the logo of the Marist Brothers, who in 1950 began a separate school for boys in Griffith. The logo is a made from the letter M, the first letter of Mary. Above the symbol are a circle of twelve stars which also represent Mary. The background to the banner is red. Red and gold are the two Marian Catholic College colours. The feast of Saint Marcellin is June 6. Brendan House is named for St Brendan’s, the school begun by the Marist Brothers in Griffith in 1950. The Brendan House banner features a ship’s steering wheel. St Brendan, called ‘the Voyager’, was a 5th century Irish priest who spent more than sixty years in Ireland and Wales teaching the Gospel and setting up monastic communities. Legend has it that he set out by ship in search of a Land of Promise in the oceans west of Ireland, hence his symbol of the ship’s wheel. He is a reminder of the pioneering spirit of the religious Sisters and Brothers who came across the world to minister to Australian Catholics. The background to the banner is gold. The feast of St Brendan is May 16. 5 MARIAN CATHOLIC COLLEGE STAFF 2013 Principal: Mr Alan Le Brocque Assistant Principal-Learning & Teaching: Mrs Frances Robertson Religious Education Coordinator: Mrs Lucia Dickie Liturgy Coordinator: Mr Bernie Maginnity Director of Administration: Mr Mel Blanco Business Manager: Mrs Joanne Smith Pastoral Coordinators: Year 7 – Miss Louisa Raso Year 8 – Mr Andrew Holloway Year 9 - Mrs Lora Segrave Year 10 – Mr Damien Herb Year 11- Mrs Toni Griffiths Year 12 - Mr Bernie Maginnity Other Coordinators: English – Ms Rebecca Kroek Mathematics - Mrs Evelina Blanco Science - Mr Sunil Prasad CA/LOTE – Mr Matt Segrave HSIE - Ms Clare Thorpe PDHPE – Mrs Giulia Calabro TAS - Mrs Maureen Shannon Careers – Mrs Betsy Farrugia VET – Mrs Libby Trembath ICTL – Mr Lee Summerville Sport – Mr Andrew Holloway College Counsellor- Mrs Tracey Febo OTHER TEACHING STAFF SUPPORT STAFF Mrs Belinda AVENTI Mr Simon AVENTI Ms Kelly BANNISTER Mrs Gisella BARBER Mr Peter BAKER Mr Warren BOCK Ms Petra BORN Mrs Maureen BURLEY Ms Joanne BURTON Mrs Elda CAPPELLO Mr Zillur CHOWDURY Mrs Raeleen CECCATO Mrs Rosanna COX Mrs Grace CODOGNOTTO Ms Lisa DAVIS Mrs Balinder DHANOA Ms Evelyn CUNIAL Ms Lara CALABIA Mrs Tracey DAVIDSON Mr Christopher DOYLE Mrs Betsy FARRUGIA Mrs Esther DUMBLETON Mrs Rina FISHER Mrs Julie DUNCAN Mrs Nicole FORREST Mr Jamie GIBBS Mrs Sue HONE Mr Rick GOOCH Mrs Tori McINTOSH Mr Don HILLAM Mr Vinnay JATAN Mrs Julieanne O’KEEFFE Miss Sarah KEANE Mrs Yvette PASTRO Mr Aaron LAWLER Mrs Sonya PRIEST Mr Ivan MASON Mrs Michelle QUADE Mr Heath NEVILLE Mr Garry ROBERTSON Mrs Wendy OLSEN Mrs Gerry ROHAN Mrs Belinda PANEBIANCO Mrs Jenny SARTOR Mrs Joanne ROBB Mrs Alison SEXTON Mr Kevin SALTAN Mr Rishan WICKRAMASURIYA Mrs Renae SAVAGE Miss Nadine SCARFONE Mr John SEERS Miss Kathy SPARKES Mrs Patricia STAR Mr Malakai TAWAKE Mrs Rose TURUNEN Ms Laura VARDANEGA 6 Proposed Term Dates for 2014 Term 1 Tuesday 28-1-14 to Friday 11-4-14 Term 2 Monday 28-4-14 to Friday 27-6-14 Term 3 Monday 14-7-14 to Friday 19-9-14 Term 4 Tuesday 7-10-14 to Friday 18-12-14 Professional learning days for staff do not have scheduled lessons for students and these dates will be available on the College’s website. PREPARING FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL One of the most pivotal stages of schooling is the transition from primary school to the more complex and challenging world of secondary school.