Delany College - Granville

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome to the College for 2021. For those of you who are returning to the College, you will notice some significant changes this year both in terms of learning programs and spaces, and for those new to the College, we are looking forward to sharing the educational journey with you and your child. There are very exciting programs in place for 2021 and we are so pleased to see our students back at school.

Firstly, I would like to introduce to you and welcome new staff to the College for 2021:

Ms Amirah Al-Zahab - English/RE/HSIE

Miss Hannah Raffoul - HSIE

Miss Lucy Boyd - Mathematics and Diversity

Mr Nathan Economou - Mathematics and PDHPE

Miss Siobhan Clark - PDHPE

It is a pleasure to welcome these new staff members to our community as they join the talented team of teachers that are working to support your child’s learning and development throughout the year. 

Secondly, I would like to announce and congratulate our College Dux for 2020, Mr Charbel Younan. We also congratulate our second and third place getters, Miss Toaila Liutai and Mr Charbel El Khoueiry.

Well done to you and all our 2020 Year 12 students and your performance in your HSC exams.  We wish you all the best for your future studies, success at work and future careers.  We will celebrate your efforts at our High Achievers Assembly on Wednesday, 3 February, 2021.

Thirdly, I would like to invite all parents and caregivers to participate in our Parent Information Evenings that will be conducted online (via Zoom) as follows:

Stage 4 (Years 7 and 8) - Tuesday, 9 February 2021at 5.30 pm

Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10) - Wednesday, 10 February, 2021 at 5.30 pm

Stage 6 (Years 11 and 12) - Wednesday, 10 February, 2021 at 6.30 pm.

These evenings are very important as we work together to develop learning pathways and opportunities for your child to succeed. It is an opportunity for you to meet our new House Coordinators, who along with every teacher, play a critical role in your child’s journey at Delany College.  Mr Blomfield provides a further introduction and outline of their role later in this newsletter.

Finally, I will finish by echoing the words Bishop Vincent at our recent System Leaders day.  Bishop Vincent called us to remember that as we emerge from a post-COVID world, there is a new normal - there is no return to ‘business as usual’. We must abandon the old framework of self-interest and that no one is saved alone. As we work together to educate and equip people for the challenge of the 21st century, our role as educators is to generate hope and promote transformation on the journey to wholeness. Bishop Vincent’s words encapsulate our mission here at Delany College as we strive to make our community a place of stability, warmth, care and a place of harmony and learning.

God Bless

Paul Easton   

Principal

Welcome back to all our families from 2020 and a big welcome to our new families to the school in 2021. 

The beginning of the year gives us an opportunity to map out the road ahead. Much like Jesus as He stood before the twelve in Galilee before making His way to Jerusalem; the beginning of each year should be a time where we,with conviction, recommit ourselves to our values and goals. As we listen to the words of Saint Mark in our Gospel readings this year, we consider the values which Jesus models for us. Sunday’s Gospel reading states that the people listening to the teachings of Jesus were “so astonished that they started asking one another what it all meant, saying, 'Here is a teaching that is new, and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.” This year we listen to the authority in the words of Christ and, with the guidance of God, strive to emulate those words in our actions. 

At Delany College we pride ourselves in being people of the Gospel; aspiring to live lives filled with love, service and hope. Each and every member of our community has a unique and important role to play. Saint Paul wrote eloquently of the need for us to function as many parts of the Body of Christ. In using the metaphor of the body Saint Paul says “ if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.” Our Delany community is no exception to this apt analogy of community. We all play a vital role in forming our intentional faith community here at the College. This year, we encourage students to embrace the call to be a member of our community. There are a number of initiatives run by the College which allow students to live out their faith daily including but not limited to participation in Mass, social justice forums, student reflection days and fundraising for charity organisations. It is by immersing oneself in the opportunities offered that we help build the type of community that Saint Paul suggests. 

There are a number of special events upcoming at the College in Term 1. The first  is our Ash Wednesday Mass which will couple as our opening school Mass. Unfortunately, with current Covid restrictions, we are unable to invite members of our broader parents community to join us for this important marker on our Church Calendar , however, we trust that you will be with us in prayer. As always, Ash Wednesday will also launch our Caritas Project Compassion Appeal. The Lenten appeal, which calls us to give alms,  is a way in which we can stand in solidarity with our Christian brothers and sisters in places where opportunity and comfort are far less than our own. 

On March 17 we celebrate St Patrick’s Day. This is an auspicious day in our school where we pay tribute to Saint Patrick and our Patrician heritage. We look forward to being able to pay respects to the brothers on whom this school was built and carry forward with us the Patrician spirit which they imbue in all their work. 

I encourage you to continue to read the College Newsletter for the most recent updates in regards to religious events at our College. We look forward to celebrating these events with you over the coming year. Best wishes to all our students as they begin the next stage of their academic journey. May Christ walk beside you always. 

God Bless,

Mrs Karina Stow

Religious Education Coordinator 

Can we please ask that all parents be mindful when picking up students not to park over anyone's driveways.

Thank you 

Delany College

Fee relief is available to support families who are experiencing significant financial hardship or as a result of COVID-19. There are three ways that parents/carers can apply for fee relief with the process made as simple as possible. Information is available via this link https://www.parra.catholic.edu.au/Our-Schools/School-Fees/Fee-Relief

The page includes a list of ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.  

We're here to help so please contact us if you require assistance in relation to fees.

If you have any difficulties or would like to discuss payment options, please contact us on 8633 8107.

School Support Officer

If Something happens to your child,

We need to be able to contact you.

Please make sure all details are update,

if your not sure please do not hesitate to contact our

wonderful ladies in our Administration 02 8633 8100

The Uniform Store every Tuesday.

Uniform orders can also be placed  on Line via the Delany College Web Store

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

Orders will be available for collection on the next trading day (Tuesday’s 8am – 2pm ) or for a small fee be delivered to your home address

Thank you 

Uniform Shop

School travel application endorsements

It is not uncommon for applicants completing the online form to make mistakes, particularly entering their name or date of birth instead of the students. This may be due to an auto-fill function on a device or just human error. We ask that school administrators be cautious of this and do not endorse applications with incorrect information.

If you are aware of or see an obvious error, you can amend the first name, date of birth or grade of a student’s travel application by clicking in the relevant row on the portal. Please ensure you have confirmed the information before making any changes. Refer to page 16 of the School Portal User Guide for further instructions. The latest version of the user guide is accessible within the School Portal by clicking the arrow next to your username.

If a student’s details cannot be confirmed or they are not yet enrolled, please do not endorse the application. By selecting ‘no’ the application will be rejected and the applicant will be informed. They will then need to submit a new application.

In the event that school administrators endorse an application in error, it would be appreciated if you could advise our SSTS team as soon as possible so the application can be intercepted before an Opal card or travel pass is issued.

To contact us about an endorsement error, please go to: https://transportnsw.info/contact-us/feedback/passes-concessions-feedback and select feedback about: ‘school student transport scheme’ and then select ‘application updates’.

If school administrators require access to the School Portal, please request an account at https://appln.transport.nsw.gov.au/portal/requests/account/school

If you have staff that have left the school recently and had access to the school portal, please let us know at https://transportnsw.info/contact-us/feedback/passes-concessions-feedback and select ‘school/operator portal’ and then ‘remove existing user access’ so their access can be removed.

New Concession Entitlement Cards

You can now order the new Transport Concession Entitlement Cards (TCEC) through the Transport for NSW School Portal.

The Transport Concession Entitlement Card will replace the following cards:

·       Senior Secondary Student Concession Card (16 years and over) – also used by Mature Secondary Students (18 years and over), Distance Education Students and Home School Students

·       Proof of Age card (when a student under 16 years of age looks older)

·       Boarder Rail Pass.

Refer to the information pack provided by email on 21 September 2020 for guidance and frequently asked questions. If you have any issues please contact us.