With prayers and blessings,

Mrs Emma South, Principal

Nathan Beckett Assistant Principal (Wellbeing)

VINNIES WINTER APPEAL.

One of our Dominican Pillars at the College is SERVICE. An integral part of being a Catholic faith community is following the example of Jesus Christ in accepting and being at service for everyone, particularly those less well off.

At this time of year, we support the annual St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal.

This year, the theme is: NO ONE CHOOSES TO BE HOMELESS. Vinnies is focusing on addressing the issues of homelessness, highlighting the factors that lead to homelessness, and the support needed to recover and rebuild over the long-term from experiencing homelessness. 

• Today more than 122,000 people are currently experiencing homelessness in Australia, including 35,000 people in NSW – the most of any state or territory.  

• There’s no one face of homelessness with people of all ages and backgrounds affected.  

• Homelessness could affect a neighbour, a friend, a relative – it’s never a choice, but sometimes it’s the only option. 

•  Vinnies works with people experiencing and at risk of homelessness every day, providing individual assistance with food, clothing, household bills, counselling & housing.  

So, what can we do here at San Clemente Catholic College?

We are asking families to get involved in ‘Tinnies for Vinnies’ by gathering canned food donations to support our local Vinnies Conference. These donations help provide nutritious meals for people experiencing food insecurity this winter. To make it extra special, consider adding stickers with messages of encouragement to brighten someone's day. All donated food must be nonperishable, such as soups, beans, pasta sauces, or canned vegetables. All donated items are asked to be dropped off at Student Services. Thanking you in advance for your continuing support of this very worthwhile appeal.

Michael Fuller Ministry Coordinator

Sacramental Program Invitation

Term Two has been one of the most significant for Year 10 since they arrived at San Clemente Catholic College back in January 2022. Early in the term they attended Point Wolstoncroft for our Year 10 Getaway. We came together as a cohort to reflect on our journey together so far, which was especially poignant since we were last at “Pt Wolly” for the Year 7 camp. Students loved the opportunity to be active by paddleboarding, kayaking, biking and fishing. They were also granted plenty of time to “soak” with their friendship groups and deepen their social connections.

In 2022, at the Year 7 Camp, I had all students write a “Letter to Myself”, outlining the type of person they aspire to be in Year 10. One of the most rewarding moments I’ve had as a teacher was to present students with their letter at our Getaway. This moment of reflection was important at a time when students were being asked to curate their senior learning pathway. I’ll certainly cherish the two days that I was able to spend with our young people, and I look forward to walking beside them over the next two-and-a-half years, wherever they may be.

Since returning from our Getaway, students have chosen their Year 11 subjects, immersed themselves in the assessment period and are now receiving feedback on their work in Semester One. Whilst many should and will be proud of their achievements, some may find that their Semester One Report is not what they had hoped for. Next term we will work together to:

• Reflect on our results, understand their context and keep things in perspective
• Identify good academic behaviours, and work out how to incorporate them into a routine
• Plan how we will approach our next exam period in Semester Two

It will be important for Year 10 to continue leading the way to the end of Term 2, so I will be focusing on students ensuring they are doing the little things right. Thank you for your continued support of our young adults!

Michael Quinn Year 10 Leader of Wellbeing & Engagement

As Semester One draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to commend our Year 9 students on a term marked by growth, resilience, and a deepening sense of responsibility in their learning. This semester has been particularly significant, as our students completed their first experience of formal examinations — a milestone in their high school journey.

Sitting these exams was not only about academic achievement but also about learning to manage time, expectations, and nerves — all essential life skills. I am incredibly proud of how our students approached this challenge and the maturity many displayed during the assessment period.

With the release of Semester One reports, I would like to encourage families to take time together to reflect on what the reports reveal beyond the grades. These reports provide insights into each student’s effort, attitude, and progress across a range of subjects. This is an opportunity to celebrate successes and to identify areas where growth is still possible.

Might I suggest having a positive, open conversation at home — asking questions such as:

• What are you most proud of this semester?
• Were there any surprises in your report?
• What’s one goal you’d like to set for next term?

By reflecting on both strengths and challenges, students should be better equipped to set meaningful goals for Semester Two. At school, I will continue to support your children through targeted learning, wellbeing initiatives, and opportunities for personal development.

As we look ahead to the upcoming Semester One Awards ceremony next Thursday in Week 10, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my warmest congratulations in advance to our Year 9 students who may be recognised with a Principal’s Award or Diligence Award. These accolades are not simply handed out—they are earned through consistent effort, respectful conduct, and a strong commitment to learning. Whether they’ve gone above and beyond in their academic pursuits or demonstrated personal growth, responsibility, and perseverance, these awards stand as a reflection of your child’s dedication to becoming the very best version of themselves.

I acknowledge that each student’s journey is unique, and to be considered for such honours is a testament to their character, resilience, and focus throughout Semester One. In the spirit of our College values and the teachings of the Catholic faith, your accomplishments remind us all of the importance of striving for excellence, showing integrity, and supporting one another. May these awards serve not just as recognition of past efforts, but as motivation to continue growing in knowledge, confidence, and compassion. Well done – I, as your Leader of Wellbeing & Engagement, could not be more proud of your success this semester.

Beyond the classroom, Year 9 students have embraced a wide range of opportunities that have helped shape their development as learners and as young people. From involvement in representative sporting competitions, liturgical celebrations, musical initiatives like Battle of the Bands, to excursions that connected classroom learning to real-world experiences—our students have continued to demonstrate curiosity, teamwork, and leadership.

As we conclude Semester One, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Year 9 students and their families for the partnership, trust, and support that have made this term so rich with growth, learning, and community spirit.

This mid-year break provides a chance to rest, reflect, and reconnect—with ourselves, with each other, and with God. In the business of school life, we can sometimes forget the importance of stillness and presence. The holidays offer a sacred space to slow down and give thanks for all that we have experienced and achieved in the first half of the year.

As a Catholic community, we are reminded of the words from Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” I want to encourage all families to use this time to nurture not just the body and mind, but also the heart and spirit. Whether it is through prayer, family time, acts of kindness, or quiet reflection, I hope the holidays offer your family opportunities to draw closer to God’s presence in your lives.

This term, our Year 9 students have continued to grow in their identity as young people who live out the Gospel values of compassion, service, respect, and integrity. Their involvement in learning, social justice, leadership, and extra-curricular opportunities has been a testament to their potential and to the strong foundations of faith and to the community that support them.

As you and your children enjoy this well-earned rest, I pray for safe travels, meaningful moments with loved ones, and God’s blessing upon your household. May this be a time of peace, renewal, and grace.

I am already looking forward to welcoming students back in Term 3 - ready to embrace new opportunities with courage, hope, and a deepened commitment to living out the values of our Catholic faith.

A final thought on the importance of faith when it comes to learning and growth;

“Faith is taking the first step even when you cannot see the entire staircase”

Families, thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, I look forward to building on the momentum of this semester and helping your children flourish throughout the rest of the year.

Families, as always, should you wish to discuss an issue concerning your child please do not hesitate to call The Office on 40147300 or email me directly - mitch.allan@mn.catholic.edu.au

Warm Regards,

Mitch Allan – Leader of Wellbeing and Engagement Year 9

“When you awake in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”

Marcus Aurelius

As Term 2 draws to a close, it’s a timely opportunity to reflect on the importance of perspective and how gratitude can shape the way we approach both challenges and achievements. Last week during our Mentor Sessions, Year 8 students explored the concept of gratitude and paused to acknowledge we can be thankful for in our lives and how this can shift our mindset to improve our overall wellbeing. It’s normal for energy to wane and focus to drift. But by grounding ourselves in gratitude, we can rediscover motivation and a renewed sense of purpose. Encouraging our students to reflect on what they can do, rather than what feels difficult, empowers them to success; academically, socially, and emotionally. I invite you to continue these conversations at home. Ask your child: What’s one thing you’re grateful for today? Who made your day better? What made you smile? These simple questions can build powerful habits.

Reports will be released soon, I encourage both students and families to view them not just as a summary of marks, but as a personal profile, a snapshot of each student’s effort, attitude, and engagement throughout the term. While academic results are important, what matters just as much is a student’s willingness to try their best, seek feedback, and grow. This is a time for celebration, but also for honest reflection: What am I doing well? Where can I improve? I also want to remind our Year 8 students, the game is often won in the second half, meaning there is still so much opportunity ahead to reset, refocus, and finish the year with pride and purpose.

Year 8 Shout Outs:

• Congratulations to the Year 8 students involved in Dio Sounds and performed at the Civic Theatre.
• Bravo to Dante Spadari who made it to the final of the Diocesan Tennis Championships.
• Congratulations to Jensen Robinson who has been selected as a member of the New South Wales 13 and under Ice Hockey Team.
• Well done to Sophie Connell and Matilda Laffrey who both received Bronze Awards.

Any questions or queries please feel free to email me on Meredith.macdonald@mn.catholic.edu.au or call on 40147300.

Warm regards

Meredith MacDonald Year 8 Leader of Wellbeing and Engagement 

Kate Tolfree Leader of Wellbeing & Engagement Year 7

Unlocking Future Pathways: Career Opportunities for Our SCCC Students

We are committed to equipping every student at San Clemente Catholic College with the tools and experiences they need to confidently explore their vocational aspirations. All students in Years 7 to Year 10, have access to BEYOND, a free online careers platform designed to help them discover their passions and plan their career journeys.

BEYOND offers a wide range of features, including:

Personalised career profiles where students can log their interests, skills, and achievements.

Career, personality, and global challenge tests to help identify strengths and suitable career paths.

Academic support for HSC preparation, including past papers, study guides, sample answers, and live webinars with industry experts.

Future Pathways Hub with detailed course search tools for both Higher Education and VET options.

Over 1,000 entry-level job and apprenticeship listings, updated regularly and searchable by region and industry.

We encourage all parents to explore BEYOND with their children and take advantage of this incredible resource to support informed decision-making about their futures. They just need to register/sign-on with their school email address.

Recent Career Events and Student Highlights

NSW Mining Dinner - Mrs Kelly, along with Bailey, Meen, Jack, and Georgina in Year 10, and their families, attended the annual NSW Mining Dinner at the NEX Club. This event offered a unique opportunity to connect with professionals from across the mining sector and learn about career pathways, including apprenticeships, cadetships, and university sponsorship programs.

RIEP: Introduction to Real Estate Course - Through the Regional Industry Education Partnership (RIEP) initiative, Lucia in Year 10 participated in a 3-day course introducing her to the world of real estate. She explored,  

• The fundamentals of the industry, market trends and opportunity identification, communication and negotiation skills, career pathways and required certifications.

Lucia took part in the first session, and Elle is set to join the second session in August.

Float Your Boat Program - Year 10 student Jack is participating in the ‘Float Your Boat’ mentoring program, which explores careers in the boating and marine sector. This year-long RIEP initiative includes visits to local and Sydney-based venues such as a tour of the Navy base, the NSW Water Police Headquarters, Steber Boat Building and Port of Newcastle tours, as well as both the Sydney Boat Show and the Sydney International Boat Show. The program offers potential SBAT and apprenticeship opportunities in areas such as boat building, marina services, tourism, and marine rescue.

St Nicholas Immersion Program – Erica Wilkinson, from the St Nicholas Pathways program, recently visited San Clemente to discuss the upcoming 4-week St Nicholas Early Learning Immersion program at the Newcastle West centre. Seven students are involved in the program, and we look forward to sharing news of their experiences in upcoming Veritas editions.

TAFE YES Programs – Tavian, Ellie, Mick, Sienna, Lucia, Elle, Mia, Heidi, Alli and Xavier are actively involved in various TAFE YES programs, gaining hands-on experience in fields like Dental Assisting, Cabinet Making, Early Childhood Education, Fitness, Film & Television, Game Design, and Real Estate.

Stay Connected

Parents and students are reminded to regularly check the MS Teams Careers site, as all students from Years 7–10 have access. It’s the best place to stay updated on upcoming opportunities, events, and resources.

Students in Years 7–10 can easily book a meeting with me via the Careers Team on Microsoft Teams. I encourage them to reach out with any questions. I also warmly welcome the opportunity to meet with parents and carers. If you’d like to discuss your child’s options or seek advice, I’m available for meetings before or after school. Please don’t hesitate to contact me via the email address provided below to arrange a time.

Anne-Marie Kelly | M. Ed | Leader of Learning - Vocational Education and Training (VET) | Careers Coordinator

E Anne-Marie.Kelly@mn.catholic.edu.au

San Clemente and St Dominic’s Shines at DioSounds!
San Clemente students recently took to the stage for DioSounds, an exciting evening showcasing musical talent from schools across the diocese. Our students performed with skill, spirit, and heart, representing our College with pride and passion. The energy, camaraderie, and commitment they brought to the stage were nothing short of inspiring.

Sharing the stage with students from St Dominic’s College, our young musicians demonstrated not only talent but also the power of collaboration through music. We are so proud of the way they carried themselves and supported each other throughout the experience.

San Clemente Catholic College hosted the Exciting Battle of the Bands showcasing the incredible musical talent of our students. The atmosphere was electric as students from various year groups took to the stage to perform a diverse range of songs demonstrating their passion and dedication to music.

The competition was fierce, with each band giving their all, clear that the students' hard work and creativity paid off. Our talented performers gave an unforgettable show, impressing both their peers and teachers alike with their energy, skill, and musicality. Congratulations to all the performers for their outstanding efforts, and a special congratulations to the winning band- “MiNDBLaNK” featuring Alex Hatherall, Luke Heath, Ezra Hoschke, Jonah Lamont, Finn McArthur, Micah Pacquing, Archie Penfold and Alex Tang.

This creative bunch has earned the opportunity to represent the College at the upcoming Diocesan Battle of the Bands on Wednesday 2nd July, where they will showcase their musical talents on a larger stage, competing with schools from across the region. We look forward to cheering them on and know they’ll do the College proud! 

Kate James Leader of Learning CAPA/LOTE

2025 New Procedure – Library Daily Loan Device

The San Clemente Catholic College Library daily loan device is available to all students who are experiencing issues with their own device. As this is a BYOD College it is an expectation that students have a fully charged laptop with them each day. The loan devices are available to any student with a legitimate reason, as a temporary measure. The Library only has a small number of devices in reserve. A student who forgets their device on any day or forgets to charge their computer does not constitute an emergency and they will not be permitted to borrow. Parents/carers may be contacted by the College to enquire after the progression of the computer repair/new purchase.

If your child needs a Library daily loan device they should:

• Step 1: Inform the Library staff and explain the reason for the loan
• Step 2: The Library staff will email the parents/carers via Compass for their consent
• Step 3: When consent has been agreed to by parents the student will be permitted to borrow and must present to the Library before school or during Mentor 

Library loan devices are for students who do not have a working device – it is broken and in repair. They are whole day loans.
We generally have more borrowers than we have laptops to loan, so we cannot lend them to students who simply don’t bring their own, forget to bring them, or neglect to charge them. 

1. Students need to come to the Library to borrow a device either before school or during Mentor period with their Mentor’s permission
2. Laptops are not issued during the day
3. Students need to return the laptop during final break (if not needed in last period) or immediately before home bell.  
4. On Fridays they need to be returned at lunch time

Thank you in advance for your assistance and cooperation.

Mr Dallas Collins - Leader of Learning/Digital Innovation 

Mrs Lynette van Zeeland – Teacher Librarian lynette.vanzeeland@mn.catholic.edu.au

Mrs Kristy Hüber – Librarian kristy.huber@mn.catholic.edu.au

Greetings San Clemente Community,

Beyond the Gates is an inclusive program that aims to support students and their families who may require additional or more versatile support services. The program has a flexible eligibility criterion, meaning referrals are made and prioritised in partnership between the school wellbeing team and Beyond the Gates staff member. Student and family engagement in our program is entirely voluntary. The service is provided by the school to recognise and address developmental and life challenges that can sometimes create barriers to student wellbeing and achievement.

This program can address issues impacting on students’ achieving their full potential, including areas such as school attendance, family difficulties, trauma, anxiety, mental and physical ill-health, and any other struggles that impact wellbeing. The program works alongside the schools’ wellbeing, learning support, and counselling teams to support families in need through case management or case coordination.

Through case management, a support plan is developed in collaboration with the students and their families that work towards desired goals. As part of the process, the caseworker liaises with the school and other agencies or supports involved, aiming to bridge the gap between the school and families to ensure holistic and consistent support is provided.

Learn more about Beyond the Gates - YouTube

We have two Beyond the Gates Caseworkers based at San Clemente Catholic College.

Kalisi Ma’afu – Monday to Friday.

John Sandy – Every Tuesday.

If you would like to know more about the Beyond the Gates program or discuss support, contact Kalisi, John, or the wellbeing team.

Kalisi – kalisi.maafu@catholiccare.org.au

John – john.sandy@catholiccare.org.au  

Learn more about Beyond the Gates - YouTube

KALISI MA'AFU -  KMaafu@catholiccare.org.au
CC BEYOND THE GATES CASEWORKER CATHOLIC CARE SOCIAL SERVICES HUNTER-MANNING

FINANCE OFFICE                                   

Office Hours 

MONDAY - FRIDAY 

8am - 3pm

Fee statements will continue to be emailed 1^st week of every month.

If you are not receiving these statements, please contact the school Finance Office asap.

Fees:

Payments can be made via Bpay, direct debit, Compass or credit card (over the phone).

Payments can be made weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Payments of school fees must commence by 31 March 2025 and be finalised by 30 November 2025. 

If you elected to pay your fees annually, then these fees need to be finalised by 30 June 2025.

For families experiencing financial hardship, or wishing to discuss other payment arrangements, please contact the Finance Office.

Julie Doherty & Kerrie Nolan (Fridays)

Canteen Lunch Orders:

Student lunches can be ordered online using the QKR! App. All orders must be received before 8.30am on the day it's required.

Purchases can also be made at Canteen using cash or physical card.

Thank you for supporting San Clemente Canteen.