Dear Staff, Parents, Carers and Chisholm friends,
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the entire Chisholm community for your warm embrace as I commence at the College as the new incoming Principal Leader. Since starting officially last week, I have been inundated with greetings and introductions from staff, students and parents which is testament to the wonderful energy and enthusiasm of this community.
Our 2021 Presentation ceremonies have now been rescheduled for the following dates and times:
Thursday 17/2/22
Periods 1-2 Year 12 (Year 11 2021) https://youtu.be/VMB4Vi9qtXY
Periods 3-4 Year 9 (Year 8 2021) https://youtu.be/GxH47NsFRxM
Periods 5-6 Year 11 (Year 10 2021) https://youtu.be/xXXwtHqYYN4
Friday 18/2/22
Periods 3-4 Year 10 (Year 9 2021) https://youtu.be/Qiki29Bld2M
Periods 5-6 Year 8 (Year 7 2021) https://youtu.be/ToKXC0KsE_w
These will be Livestreamed due to the current limitations due to COVID Safety Plan preventing us from allowing parents on the college site for whole school events. We hope that this will soon change and parents will be able to attend these important occasions celebrating the achievements of your child.
During the first few weeks of Term 1, I am delighted that we will be able to have a school assembly to celebrate our HSC High Achievers 2021 on Friday 11 February at the college. This is an important occasion where we acknowledge the achievements of all HSC students for their outstanding results. In particular, we will recognise those students who have demonstrated an exceptional level of HSC achievement in any course, across a number of courses or a high level ATAR result. The students of 2021 HSC cohort were all successful in their own right having prevailed during the last two years of the extended COVID pandemic remote learning and other associated difficulties managing this important phase of their educational journey. As the staff of the college, we feel an enormous sense of pride knowing that your daughters have been resilient and persevered through this hardship and proven to themselves (and the world) that they are capable of pushing through even the most challenging situations in life. I feel confident that this will allow them to not only survive any challenge that lies ahead for them, but to thrive and flourish!
Some key points of celebration and success for our community are the following:
ATAR-Dux
Congratulations to Christine Muscat who is the College ATAR Dux for 2021. Christine achieved outstanding results across all of her subjects including Studies of Religion II (2020), English Extension, English Advanced, Mathematics Extension, Mathematics Advanced, Biology and Chemistry. Christine will address the college community at the assembly next week offering her thoughts about how to succeed, flourish and grow as a learner.
All-round Achievers List
Congratulations also to Maddison McCarry who was included on the All-round Achievers List which includes students who have received the highest band possible in at least 10 units of HSC study.
Top Achievers List
Outstanding results in Mathematics were achieved by Lara Roser who placed 9th in the State for Mathematics Standard 2 and Shae Healey who placed 10th in the State for Mathematics Standard 2 - congratulations to both students.
Distinguished Achievers List
27 students (Year 12) were included on Distinguished Achievers List for achieving the highest possible band in at least one subject
3 students (Year 11) in our Year 11 Accelerated class were included on the Distinguished Achievers List for achieving the highest possible band in SOR II.
University Offers and early entry
In 2021, 104 Year 12 students of a cohort of 142 at Caroline Chisholm College applied to attend university. That is, 73.2% of Year 12 students at Caroline Chisholm wished to follow a university pathway.
Of the 104 students who applied for entry to a university degree, 95 received unconditional early offers to courses prior the release of the ATARs and for the majority, before sitting the HSC examinations. 91.3% of students who applied for university received confirmed offers without an ATAR. These offers have been made based on a variety of factors including Year 11 academic results, contribution to their local community and demonstrated leadership.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all students for their successful completion of the award of the HSC. In saying that, I recognise that this achievement is very much a team effort and would like to acknowledge the passionate and highly dedicated staff who work in partnership with you as the parents. Their professionalism and high standards enable the young women of Caroline Chisholm to achieve their goals for their future. It is obvious that the staff love their work at Chisholm and constantly go over and above to ensure the needs of the students are met effectively. Your role as parent can often be quite tricky throughout the Stage 6 journey, not always knowing how to best support and guide your daughter. By simply being a stable,loving, constant person who reassures them and builds their self-confidence at the times when they doubt their ability is the amazing support your daughter needs in order to be successful in her right. Thank you sincerely for the steadfast love, support and guidance that you have given your daughter that has allowed her to thrive in the complex contemporary world of today. The students who graduated from Caroline Chisholm College should feel a sense of pride and be confident to face any challenges that may come before them. They have a moral compass grounded in the values of Caroline Chisholm guiding them to be women of faith, tolerance and courage that forms their choices, decisions and their actions making a difference in the complex and challenging world in which they live.
Congratulations again to our HSC graduates 2021 for all you have achieved and will continue to as lifelong learners. We look forward to hearing about your stories of success in the coming weeks and months.
Thank you to everyone for your warm welcome
I would like to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to staff, students and parents for your beautiful warm welcome to the Caroline Chisholm community since commencing here at the start of the year. I have taken the time to address each year group and introduce myself to the students and encouraged all of them to come forward and introduce themselves to me during Term 1 to assist me in my transition to this fine college. I have been very impressed with the high standards of presentation by the girls across all year groups, along with their commitment to learning and community service in helping others in our community that are vulnerable. During Term 1, we will be focusing our fundraising efforts on Project Compassion and St Vincent De Paul with a variety of COVID safe initiatives that will be developed.
SOME COLLEGE EVENTS WILL NEED TO BE POSTPONED DUE TO COVID
As a Senior Leadership Team, we discussed the upcoming college events and the feasibility of continuing with these under the current circumstances. Our key concern is the safety of both staff and students in allowing the events to continue as previously planned. We are mindful that some of these events are overnight, which pose significant COVID safety risks and challenges for both students and staff.
With this in mind, we have decided the following in relation to each of the college events for Term 1 2022:
- Year 7 Camp (16-18 March): postponed due to COVID and looking at an alternative date later in the year
- Year 10 Urban challenge (3-4 March): postponed due to COVID and looking at an alternative date later in the year
- Caroline Chisholm Day (25 Feb): The Opening Mass will proceed, followed by normal classes for periods 3-6. A celebration for Caroline Chisholm Day will be moved to a later date in the year to be decided.
- The Staff Professional Learning Conference 2022 (14-15 March): postponed until later in the year and normal school will be scheduled for these days. College
- Open Night for enrolments 2023 (7-9 March, 3:30-6:30pm): This evening is intended to proceed in a similar format to 2021 with small tour groups spaced over the 3 nights listed above.
These will be updated on our college calendar.
Tania Cairns
Principal Leader
Subject changes for 2022
Year 11
Year 11 students will be given an opportunity to change to their courses at the end of next week. We ask students to discuss proposed changes with their parents/carers before discussing these with Ms Scollard. Unfortunately, not all changes will be possible due to timetable and class size constraints.
Year 8
Year 8 students will be given an opportunity to change elective courses during week 3 of this term after they have had the opportunity to experience their chosen electives. We will do our best to accommodate requests for changes but unfortunately, not all changes will be possible due to timetable and class size constraints.
Year 11 Information Evening - February 15 6.00pm
Parents and students of Year 11 are warmly invited to our Year 11 Information Session for 2021 which will be presented via Zoom and Facebook on Tuesday 15 February at 6.00pm. A link will be sent closer to the date.
This session will present information and advice about being successful during the HSC years, including the regulations about assessment and exams. Please join us so that your daughter has every chance to flourish at Caroline Chisholm College in this important stage of her learning.
Year 11 and 12 Study Leave Permission Form
Year 11 and 12 students have allocated study periods as part of their timetable. Students whose response to work and study commitments is satisfactory may be given permission to leave school, if they have study. Please note that in Year 11, the study leave privilege only operates on Wednesdays.
Year 11 Study Leave Permission
Year 12 Study Leave Permisison
Notes sent to families this week
The following notes have been sent to families via our Compass email system or Skoolbag App:
20220131 Letter to community
Letter from Premier to parents and carers
How do I self isolate
Year 11 Study Leave Permission Form
Year 12 Study Leave Permission Form
COVID Update: RATs
Students are reminded to do their Rapid Antigen Test twice a week, on Monday and Wednesday. Notify the college if there is a positive result. Do not notify negative results.
COVID Update: Masks
NSW Health has directed staff and students in schools NOT to wear cloth masks. Please make sure you have a supply of disposable masks for your daughter.
Canteen app
During the period of cohort separation, only food ordered from the canteen is available. Orders must be placed by 8.00 am on the day of the order. If you have not already done so, you will need to Download the Flexischools App from the App Store or from Google Playd and register for it. Open the Flexischools App and click 'Like to register?', enter your email address and click 'Register'. Once your account is set up, login to the Flexischools App, select the Profile icon on the grey navigation bar, select Student and 'Add a student', search for the school name, Caroline Chisholm College 90-98 The Lakes Drive Glenmore Park (there are similarly named schools so check). From there you can set up your account and make your order.
Compass
Compass is the main database used by schools in Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta. More information and functions are being added to this application all the time. We have recently created parent portal logins for parents to access information about their daughters. You should have already received login details by an email to the address registered with the college. If you did not receive one, please contact Luisa Wood at the college office.
Uniform
We are a uniform school and it is the strong wish of the parent body that we enforce our uniform requirements. All students and parents, on enrolling at the college, also signed an agreement to abide by the college’s uniform expectations.
If you are ever in any doubt if an item conforms to the college expectations, particularly if there is a cost involved, such as school shoes, please check with me or your daughter’s Year Leader. The college uniform requirements are clearly spelt out on the college website.
I would like to remind students and parents that the uniform requirements regarding makeup are no makeup for junior students and minimal makeup for senior students. The makeup rules cover eyelash extensions which we don’t consider acceptable for junior or senior students. In the case of senior students, we would consider eyelash extensions go beyond “minimal” makeup.
Students should have all their equipment, including uniform items, clearly labelled. Students at the College are very honest and many lost items are handed in. It is very frustrating when the owner cannot be traced because there is no name on the item.
All students in Years 7-9 are required to have their hair tied back. Senior students, only, may have their hair out, but they must tie it back in classes with WHS requirements.
Any parent whose daughter has a problem meeting the uniform requirements immediately needs to contact her Year Leader or me to talk over the issues. Where there is an issue of genuine hardship and a uniform item cannot be purchased, parents and carers are asked to contact Mrs Cairns or me, confidentially.
Parent/Student Contact During the Day
As students should not have mobile phones on in class time, I would ask that any communication between parents and daughters happen in break time. I understand that there may be times when simple messages regarding domestic arrangements are sent this way. Students are required to have mobile phones in their bags during class time unless a teacher requires them to be used for a learning task.
However, in the case of a student needing to leave school unexpectedly or a potentially upsetting message needing to be conveyed, parents must use the school office as the channel of communication. If you need to take your daughter from school unexpectedly, contact the school rather than your daughter directly. Similarly, if a girl becomes ill during the day she should notify her class teacher who will send her to the sick bay. The office staff will contact the parent and organise for the girl to speak to the parent if this is necessary and make arrangements for her to be picked up. Girls should not be contacting parents directly to ask to be picked up when they are ill. It is part of our duty of care that we are informed immediately a student feels unwell or needs to go home. We need to liaise with parents to make the best arrangements for the student’s welfare.
Absences
Attendance at school every day is essential for your daughter to achieve her educational best and increase her career and life options. The correlation between attendance and performance is very clear. Punctuality in the mornings and a high level of attendance will again be a focus of the Pastoral Care team this year. When unavoidable absences occur we would ask for your assistance in providing an explanation sending an explanation of absence as soon as possible or by requesting approved leave beforehand where possible. For leave of five days or more, a request form is available on the college website. Phone calls on the day of absence are appreciated but not mandatory and still need to be accompanied by a written or texted explanation. Any absence will require students to ensure that they have caught up on all work missed and collected all information provided in those lessons. As we monitor attendance we will endeavour to address any issues as early as possible. Students in Years 11 and 12 need an attendance rate of at least 90% to have study leave privileges. This is regardless of whether the absences are explained or unexplained. Generally, all students need an attendance rate of at least 90% to have opportunities to represent the College at sporting and cultural events as well as in leadership positions.
- If a student is away from school, she must provide an acceptable written explanation signed by her parent or carer or a doctor’s certificate within five school days (one week) of her return to school after absence. Parents can also explain absences by sending a reply text to the SMS notification that is sent when a student is not in Homeroom.
- If a note is not returned by that date she will officially be recorded as “Absence is not explained or justified”. Even if a note subsequently comes in, the official recording will remain “Absence is not explained or justified” and appear that way on the semester report, although the note will be stored in the student’s file.
- Parents need to apply for leave from the principal if their daughter will be absent for more or five days or more (other than for illness). This application must be done using the form on the college website (in the news and events section). This is a NSW government regulation.
- If a student is not in a homeroom at 8.23 am she will be marked absent. Students arriving after this time must sign in at the front office and have their late note signed by a parent or carer. Students on a late bus still need to sign in as the roll will have been taken in their homeroom. However, a late bus arrival will not be recorded as a partial absence.
Detentions
While relatively few students receive afternoon detentions, detentions are an important part of the college student management structure. All students and parents, on enrolling at the college, signed an agreement to abide by and support the college’s student management policies, including possible afternoon detentions. The normal detention is for one hour. This may be for a serious offence or for an accumulation of 6 diary warnings for minor infringements. (Students receive a lunch detention after 3 warnings.) Any student who does not attend a scheduled afternoon detention without a valid reason will receive a two hour detention at the next available opportunity. This will comprise a one hour detention for the original offence and an additional hour for failing to attend without a reason. Notice of afternoon detentions is always emailed to the parent/carer and requires a response. Please note that after school detentions will be held on Wednesdays (from 2.45 pm to 3.45 pm.).
Buses
For the first few weeks of school there could be disruptions to the timetabled services to and from school caused by the larger than normal numbers of students utilising these services during the "grace period" - that is, all students are allowed to access the buses without having to produce their Opal card (either a Student Opal free travel card, an Opal Term Pass, or a Youth Opal card). The increase in students travelling can impact on services, causing them to run later than scheduled or to appear to be overloaded. During that period, Busways will monitor their services while things settle down and students get into established routines for travelling to school.
Opal Cards
Student Opal Cards must be used on all trips students make to and from school. They must tap on and off each time. This is a small price for free travel, in my view. The data from Opal Cards is also critical for the bus companies to lobby the government for extra services. If students aren’t tapping on and off, there is no data that a particular route is overcrowded.
Traffic Arrangements
A drop off zone on The Lakes Drive enables students to be dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoon outside the College gates. Due to the high pedestrian and bus activity in the mornings and afternoons parents are not to enter the college grounds to drop off or pick up their daughters at these times. There is no access for non-staff vehicles into the College grounds between 8.00am and 8.30 am or between 2.30pm and 3.00pm. Vehicles already on the premises may not exit between 2.30pm and 3.00pm.
Parents and students are advised that the speed hump outside the front western gate is not a pedestrian crossing. There is a pedestrian crossing and safety zone for crossing near the roundabout. Students are to enter the college grounds only through the pedestrian gate, not either of the vehicular entrances. The rear gate of the College is opened for pedestrian access only in the afternoon for students walking home and should not be a collection point for vehicles. Parents are also reminded of a number of no stopping areas outside the college, particularly near the driveways. You are not permitted to stop in these areas at all, even momentarily, to let a student out of the car. Parents using the drop off zone are requested to move as far along as they can before allowing their daughters to leave the car. This significantly alleviates traffic problems from cars blocking the driveway and other traffic while they wait for cars in the drop off zone.
Mr Greg King - Assistant Principal
