Delany College - Granville

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Firstly, I hope that you and your family are safe and well. At this time, safety and the wellbeing of all members of our college community must be our first priority. We understand this has many components, from personal safety to maintaining effective learning for your children.

As you would be aware, there is a lot of information coming from multiple sources on a very regular basis. It is important that we all keep up to date with the latest health advice and abide by the government restrictions and recommendations. At this stage it is important that we minimise movement within the community and stay at home where possible. The college is open but we have minimal staff and services onsite.  As the NSW Premier announced on Wednesday 14 July 2021, the lockdown and remote schooling arrangements will continue until at least Friday 30 July 2021. 

We will continue to provide regular updates on the impact on your child’s schooling and learning arrangements via our Skoolbag app. Please download this app and access the Delany College channel ASAP if you have not already done so. We will also continue to post major updates on our Facebook page and the college website.

Monday 12 July, Mr Blomfield and myself presented two parent information webinars - one for parents/carers of students in Years 7 -10 and one for students in Years 11 and 12. This outlined the remote learning requirements and expectations for students. If you did not get the chance to see the webinar or wish to revisit either of them with your child, the links are provided below:

• Year 7 to 10 Parent Information - https://youtu.be/edfPZPg4sPU 

• Year 11 to 12 Parent Information - https://youtu.be/g_1vnTGP7DU

One of the key messages from the webinars was the importance of working together to support your child’s learning and the critical role of parents in this process. While our teachers are working extremely hard to support learning with resources, content and feedback, it is essential that parents assist with reinforcing routines and strategies at home. This is outlined in the webinars and if you require support please do not hesitate to contact your child’s house coordinator.

There will be another webinar for parents this Friday, 16 July 2021 at 2.00 pm to provide updates and answer any questions in relation to the first week of remote learning. The link will be shared with parents via the Skoolbag app and the session recorded for you to view at a later time if you are unable to view it live.

I would like to thank the staff of the college for their dedication and quick response to support remote learning this week. We are very conscious of the challenges of working remotely for students and staff have worked hard to adapt activities, tasks and assessments to provide students with meaningful learning and feedback. The majority of our staff are working from home but we do have minimal staff onsite to provide supervision for those students of essential workers that require their child to be onsite at the college. If you need to access this assistance please register when your child needs to attend using the following link so we can ensure we have adequate staff to facilitate this:  link below

Teachers are in constant communication with your child not only to see and give feedback on work but also to check in on your child’s progress and wellbeing. Please assist with ensuring your son or daughter is regularly checking their emails. The majority of activities are still running although they are being done in a different format.  For example small group music tuition is still being run by Captivate - tutors have emailed students directly to outline the process for participation. There have been some staff changes over the break and changes to class groups in Year 7 and 8. Again, students have been notified by email of these changes.

There is important information outlined in this newsletter in relation to learning and attendance protocols. Please take the opportunity to read through it with your child. It is important that we all work together to make this remote learning experience as successful as possible. We are very aware of the impact on our Year 12 students and we are working with them to minimise the impact on their final days at school and preparation for the HSC exams and final assessments.

Lastly, if you are experiencing any difficulties in relation to financial issues please do not hesitate to contact our office. It is a hallmark of our community, our parish and our diocese that we support one another, particularly in difficult times. We are in this together.

God bless.

Paul Easton

Principal

From Monday 31 May, and three weeks following, we will be inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole school evaluation and planning process.

We would like to invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) survey. We value the role of parents and carers within our school community and greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to continue and strengthen the school/family partnership that further improves student learning and wellbeing at Delany College.

The survey is anonymous and will take a maximum of 20 minutes to complete. You will be able to access the parent survey on your computer or mobile device. Once the survey is activated we will send you the URL log in address via Skoolbag and Compass.

All students will also be invited to complete this survey. Participation by students is voluntary.  If you would like more information, or if you do not want your child to respond to this anonymous survey, please use this hyperlink for an explanation of the survey and an opt-out note that can be returned to the school.

NAIDOC Week 2021 was held from Sunday 4 July to Sunday 11 July the theme to ‘ Heal Country”

The NAIDOC 2021 theme – Heal Country! – calls for all of us to continue to seek greater protections for Indigenous lands, waters, sacred sites and cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction. Country that is more than a place and inherent to Indigenous identity, it sustains their lives in every aspect - spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially, and culturally.

NAIDOC 2021 invites the nation to embrace First Nations’ cultural knowledge and understanding of Country as part of Australia's national heritage and equally respect the culture and values of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders as they do the cultures and values of all Australians. It is an opportunity for all Australians to come together to celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the oldest continuing cultures on the planet.

This year, the Staff Formation theme has been inspired by the NAIDOC theme for 2021. As a staff group, we have been focusing on the theme of healing from the perspective of community, Catholicism and Reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters. The last Staff Formation session looked specifically at the healing process of Indigenous people through film, music and correspondence with the Church. It is our hope and dream that in learning more about the richness of the Indigenous Culture that we can impart to our students a deeper understanding of the history of our shared nation. 

In celebration of NAIDOC Week 2021,  I encourage you to listen to the following poem by Jasmine Williams. Jasmine Williams is a poet and mental health worker in Wagga and a proud Wirdajuri woman, she was announced as the winner of the Naomi Williams Wiradjuri Poetry Prize, which supports First Nations writers from that part of NSW. https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/friday-poem-jasmine-williams-reads-wiradjuri-yinaa/13438656 

Mrs Karina Stow

Religious Education Coordinator 

We ask all parents/carers to be mindful and considerate of our neighbours when dropping off and/or picking up students. Please DO NOT park across anyone's driveway. Fines can apply.

Thank you 

Delany College

School fees for Term 2 have now been issued and are due by 26 May 2021.

Thank you to those Parents/Caregivers who have paid or who have made arrangements with us to pay off their school fees.

For Parents/Caregivers who have any queries regarding their account, payment arrangements or wish to discuss their fees further, please contact Christine on 86338107 or send an email to

deln-grnvlfees@parra.catholic.edu.au  

Christine Marji  

Senior Finance Officer

Study Skills

We find ourselves remote learning once more! Although this is not the beginning to Term 3 that we would have hoped for, we are fortunate that with Google Classroom and Zoom we can continue to teach our students and support their learning.

Stay connected

Keep in touch with your teacher and classmates during this challenging time. Reach out to your parents, carer or teacher if you need additional help.

Set up your workspace

Work in a quiet area, at a desk or table and try to limit distractions.

Your normal routine

Eat breakfast, brush your teeth and get dressed in the morning.

Ask questions

If you don’t understand something, ask your teacher or classmates.

Take breaks

Take breaks away from your work. Move around and try not to sit down all day.

Learning online

If you’re on a call with your teacher, stay focused on the call. Avoid reading notifications or looking at other tabs.

Ms Megan Cook

Curriculum Leader

I acknowledge that we find ourselves once again adjusting to the impacts of COVID, and as an office we are using our experiences from last year to ensure we continue to serve in the best interests of children and young people.

As NSW prepares for home learning next week, I am reaching out to you to remind you of ACYP’s Digital Lunchbreak website.  

Last year, in response to COVID-19, ACYP launched a website called Digital Lunchbreak . Digital Lunchbreak assists children and young people with finding online resources and activities to do at home in their lunch break, around learning hours and on weekends. We continue to update this site with activities and resources of benefit to children and young people.

Children and young people can learn, create and discover through digital workshops, learning materials, virtual excursions and more. Visit the Digital Lunchbreak website by clicking here www.digitallunchbreak.nsw.gov.au.

We hope that this a resource that you, your colleagues and the children and young people in your networks find helpful in providing entertaining and educational activities for the children and young people in your lives.

If there is any content or information you would like added to the website or if you have feedback, please let us know via the feedback section of the website.

We look forward to staying connected with you so that we can continue to support and hear from you during this time. Please feel free to get in touch by contacting the ACYP office on 02 9248 0970 or at acyp@acyp.nsw.gov.au.

Students of Year 8 have spent the last semester considering human body proportion making both 3D and 2D artworks. They developed Giacometti sculptures and as a final task created Keith Haring inspired collaborative pavement artworks during the final week of Semester 1. These stylistic figures were fun to do and a great way to finish the term. 

Ms Louise Broue

Creative Emergence & Design Leader

Teachers from St Marks and St Pauls along with Delany Staff and our artist in residence Mr Johnny Romeo gave feedback for the HSC Art students. Of course, things have progressed considerably since then.

Art work by

Nicole Croombes

Each year the Catholic Tribunal Office, Diocese of Parramatta and Catholic Care present an Information Session to help people understand the process of Annulments in the Catholic Church. 

Questions are answered in detail on all aspects of the Annulment process.  The event will be held online via Zoom.  

Date: Wednesday 21st July Time: 7pm -9pm 

Registration is Essential and will be handled by the Tribunal Office: For further details and to register, please call the Tribunal Office PH: 8838 3480 or email tribunal@parracatholic.org  

YEAR 7 - Friday 28 May

YEAR 10 - Thursday 19 August

YEAR 7 - 2nd Dose - Tuesday 7 December 

Please make sure all consent forms have been signed and return to the front office.

If you require a consent from please ask our front office administration ladies.

Thank you

Delany College

If something happens to your child,

we need to be able to contact you.

Please make sure all your details are updated, if you're

not sure please do not hesitate to contact our Administration

Office on 8633 8100.

The College winter uniform is to be worn during Term 2 and 3 of the school year.

The College blazer is compulsory for students in Years 10-12 and optional for students in Years 7-9. Junior students have the option of wearing the College soft shell jacket or the blazer. The College jumper may be worn under the blazer or soft shell jacket in winter, however it does not replace the blazer or soft shell jacket.

Girls Winter Uniform:

Skirt                      College skirt with green check

Trousers              College issued grey trousers only

Junior blouse      College white blouse

Senior blouse     College blue blouse

College blazer     Y10-12 - compulsory

                               Y7-9 - optional

Soft shell jacket   Y7-9 students only

Jumper or cardigan   College blue wool blend V neck jumper or cardigan, both are optional. If worn, it must be under the blazer

or soft shell jacket.

Scarf            College scarf or plain navy blue scarf - optional

Socks           Navy opaque stockings with skirt 

                      Dark grey or black socks with trousers

Shoes          Standard black leather lace-up school shoes. No 

platform heel or coloured thread is permitted. 

Bag             College bag for Years 7-12

Cap             College cap - optional

Boys Winter Uniform:

Trousers            College issued grey trousers

Belt                     Black belt with an appropriate buckle

Junior shirt        College short or long sleeve white shirt

Senior shirt       College short or long sleeve blue shirt

Junior tie            College green tie with crest

Senior tie           College blue tie with crest

College blazer       Y10-12 - compulsory

                                Y7-9 - optional

Soft shell jacket    Y7-9 students only

Jumper                  College blue wool blend V neck jumper, optional. If

worn, it must be under the blazer or soft shell jacket.

Scarf                      College scarf or plain navy blue scarf - optional

Socks                     Dark grey or black socks

Shoes                    Standard black leather lace-up school shoes. No 

boots or coloured thread is permitted. 

Bag                        College bag for Years 7-12

Cap                        College cap - optional

SPORTS UNIFORM / PE

The sports uniform is not to be worn to school other than Thursday as it is sport day. At times, there may be exceptions for carnivals or gala days however it will be communicated to students and parents/caregivers prior to the event.

The Uniform Shop is currently closed for trade but you are still able to purchase items online at the link below.

www.noone.com.au/school/delany-college/shop

Thank you 

Uniform Shop