and 

Ian Mergard

Director of Studies

Supporting Learning Through Clear Expectations: Classroom Concerns Process

At Hennessy, we are committed to fostering a positive and productive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive. To ensure that our classrooms remain focused and respectful spaces for learning, we have established clear processes for addressing student disengagement.

What Does "Disengagement" Look Like?

Disengagement can take many forms, including:

• Refusing to begin or complete learning tasks
• Repeated off-task behavior
• Distracting others from their learning
• Non-compliance with reasonable teacher instructions

We understand that all students have different learning needs, and we approach disengagement with empathy and support. However, maintaining a consistent approach is essential for fairness and accountability.

Our Step-by-Step Sanctions Process

1. Verbal Redirection
   Teachers begin by using quiet redirection to guide the student back on task. This may include a reminder of expectations or an encouragement to refocus.
2. Warning and Choice
   If disengagement continues or disruption to teaching and learning, a clear warning is given, alongside a choice: the student can choose to re-engage or receive a consequence. This step reinforces responsibility and provides an opportunity for the student to make a positive change.
3. In-Class Consequence
   Should the behavior persist, an appropriate in-class consequence may be applied. This could include moving seats, a brief time-out, or loss of privileges. Teachers may also log the behavior to track patterns and inform future support. Contact home will be made by the classroom teacher either by phone or email. This will then be logged as a classroom concern and be visible via compass.
4. Referral to Director of Student Growth
   Continued non-engagement or more serious incidents will result in a referral to the Director of Student Growth Ms Elaine Zukauskas. A reflective conversation will occur, and a more formal sanction may be applied (e.g., detention, learning support session).  This will then be logged as a classroom concern and be visible via compass. Level 3 Parents or carers will be contacted at this stage.
5. Ongoing Support and Communication
   For students who are regularly disengaged, we implement support plans which may include:

• Academic mentoring via KLA coordinators 
• Pastoral care involvement via Pastoral teachers and House Leaders
• Parent meetings to build strategies together
• Learning adjustments or referrals to specialist staff if required

Working in Partnership

We believe that a strong partnership between home and school is key to student success. If your child is finding it hard to engage, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can identify the underlying causes and build a path forward.

By maintaining high expectations and providing structured support, we aim to help all students develop responsibility, resilience, and respect for learning.

The Classroom concerns process is summarised in a flow chart below.

Hi All, 

Welcome back to this week's leadership lounge written by your Gallagher House Captains Izabelle and Ed.

The highlight of this week is some of our year 11 and 12 students off to Cambodia. After an early 2am start on Sunday, they have already visited bomb sniffing rats, traditional Cambodian cooking lessons, the circus and donated old laptops and clothing thanks to Young Lions Soccer Club to village communities. We can’t wait to hear even more amazing stories after they return on Tuesday next week. 

The year 7s have kept busy during the breaks over the past couple of weeks eagerly participating in a handball competition. Congratulations to Harlee Cartwright taking out last weeks competition. 

Congratulations to everyone who performed at Hennessy's annual Variety Night. Performances were amazing and all participants should be proud of themselves for their dedication and enthusiasm. We thank Mrs Riordan for her time and consistent effort that goes into organising events like this. 

In footy news, our Opens girls league were successful at the Rachel Pearson shield winning the day and progressing to the next stage held in September. The Open Boys league also had a great day, however falling short in the Grand final.

Our boys and girls rugby union teams also had a great day playing at Canberra last week. We thank Mrs Dunk, Mr Croese, Mrs McInerney, Miss Coffee, Mrs Cass and Mr Prindable for organising these amazing opportunities.

Thank you for reading this week's leadership lounge!

We wish everyone a great holiday!

       

Izabelle Cartwright and Ed Maloney 

Hennessy House Cup -  Term 2 Wrap-Up

This term, our students have continued to bring colour, energy, and heart to the House competition through participation in a wide range of events and activities. From marching with pride on Anzac Day, demonstrating academic excellence and teamwork at the Da Vinci Decathlon and Science & Engineering Challenge Day, and supporting our Mother’s Day Mass, to representing the College in Rugby 7s, Soccer or Dance, the spirit of Hennessy has been on full display.

Silver Awards

Our first Silver Awards for 2025 have been awarded to Azalea Sullivan and Jack Willis, recognising their exceptional contributions across all three pillars of the House Cup.

Azalea has earned 35 House Points through her involvement in sport, liturgies, leadership, and volunteering. She represented Hennessy in netball, beach volleyball, tennis, cross country, and touch football, and was runner-up in the 16 Years Girls at the Athletics Carnival. Azalea also serves as a CYSMA leader, musician, and Mass helper, and supports initiatives like the Young North Food Van and Caritas fundraising. 

Jack has earned 33 House Points and has represented the College in rugby league, netball, beach volleyball, cross country, touch football, athletics, and chess. He placed second in the 15 Years Boys at Cross Country and competed in nine events at the Athletics Carnival. Jack also volunteers at the Young North Food Van, plays music at Masses, and supports College and parish events with humility and commitment.

Bronze Awards

Congratulations to the following students who have achieved a Bronze Award by earning at least two points in each area and a total of 15 or more House Points:

Year 7:
Charlie Beal, Lexie McGovern, Primrose Bloor, Scarlett Woods
Year 8:
Daisy van Leeuwen, Eli Terry
Year 9:
Bonny Bromham, Chloe Eastlake, Ruby Holt, Sybella Murphy, Sofia Minehan, George Presser, Jack Willis, Kate Faelden
Year 10:
Sophia Hackett, Jemima Mergard, Liam Payne, Talia McKay, Malayah Anesbury, Harjot Singh Sohi
Year 11:
Lucy Eastwood, Lachlan Li, Ashlee Peacey, Joshua Reeves, Riley Noakes, John Bromham
Year 12:
Lachlan Bailey, Izabelle Cartwright, Joshua Cameron, Callum Holt, Madison James, Edward Maloney, Elizabeth Reeves, Angelic Sutherland, Eliza Taylor

House Awards

We also celebrate the many students who achieved a House Award over the last 10 weeks by earning at least one point in each of the three categories:

Year 7:
Annabel Bailey, Jacob Bailey, Charlie Beal, Primrose Bloor, Rory Brodbeck, Chloe Buck, Zara Caldwell, Thomas Corbett, TJ Eastlake, Bill Gibbons, Jayda Holt, Lachlan Holt, Ruby Lucas, Archie McIntosh, Raene Hemara, Kathryn Robinson, Daisy Sullivan, Scarlett Woods, Freya Silk, Marcus Sutherland

Year 8:
Malayah Anesbury, Zander Ashton, Colby Maggs, Somer Oldfield, Eli Terry, Sierra Hampton, Nate Hennock, Edie Shea, Isaac Wright, Harry Robinson, Zac Reid, Tom Coble, Evelyn Sinclair, Nicholas Frascella, Ellie Wright-Downs, Layla Wright, Bria Owen, Maisie Jones, Annalisse Reynolds

Year 9:
Cole Bloor, George Boda, Grace McCaffery, Matthew Cartwright, Emma Karsten, Henry Hill, Ruby Holt, Phoebe Murphy, Stephanie Manchester, Imogen Smith, George Presser, Monica Taylor, Thomas Edwards, Ryan Jewitt, Beatrice Lucas, Ruby Schofield, Diesel Hardy, Benjamin Sweaney, Chloe Eastlake

Year 10:
Pheobe Apps, Cady Aiken, Thomas Butt, Harry Coddington, Molly Daniels, Grace Orr, Harjot Singh Sohi, Oliver Miller, Evie Stinson, Monique Van Der Merwe, Matilda Thackeray, Josephine Challen

Year 11:
Isaac Brown, Brody Bourne, Chaz Cooper, Levi French, Callum Hewitt, Sean O’Brien, Caitlin Taber, Sidney van Leeuwen, Nellie Ward, Lillie Gunning, Molly Smithers, Harrison Shorrock, Hallie Kelly, Noah Block

Year 12:
Gilbert Barrett, Riley Butcher, William Murphy, Abigail Smith, Emily Gash, Emma Simmons, Millie Davidson, Isabella Harrison, Tyler Lacey, Jai Willoughby, Lily Northey, Mia Northey, Lucas Moloney, Oliver Karsten, Mackenzie Gale, Sophie Barnes, Charlotte Hardy, Ayon Peiris, Sophie Manchester, Kaelan Dal Molin, Suzanne Tuckfield, Callum Hewitt, Mitchell Apps, Harper Cronin, Harry Boxsell, Elizabeth Reeves

House Cup:

Congratulations to McAuley 6, currently our top-performing PC group, and to Nagle House, who lead the Term 2 House Points Tally.

We look forward to Term 3 as the House Cup continues to celebrate the spirit, talent, and contribution of Hennessy students.

In Year 9/10 FoodTech, given the cooler temperatures, we decided to cook warm soups, a winner at this time of the year.

Also tying in with our unit, Food Selection and Health, we made a healthy chicken wonton soup with healthy greens, and the winning factor was making chicken stock from scratch, under the expert guidance of Mrs Moncrieff.

A few students were hesitant with the process of deboning the raw chicken and preparing it for stock, but all declared it's a far tastier and healthier option than the store bought variety!  

We are pleased to inform you that Dental Care NSW will be visiting Hennessy Catholic College in August to offer a Mobile Dental Health Program for our students. Appointments will be scheduled during the school day, and the clinic will be located onsite.

Students aged 2–18 years who are eligible under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) through Medicare can access dental treatment at no cost (up to $1095 over two years). Dental Care NSW will check Medicare eligibility and notify parents of their child’s status.

For students not covered by CDBS, the following paid options are available:

• Option 1: Oral examination, scale/clean and fluoride – $99
• Option 2: Oral examination, scale/clean, fluoride and up to 4 fissure sealants – $179

Please note: Payment must be made prior to treatment. Dental Care NSW will contact you to confirm payment.

To participate, please complete the consent form at the link below:

https://dentalcarensw.com/online-consent-form/

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the College.

This terms Year 7 sewing class used potatoes to print designs on their tea towels. Here are some of the results;

Staff from Hennessy Catholic College, along with Year 11 students from Studies of Religion and Studies in Catholic Thought classes, had the valuable opportunity to visit the Young Mosque and engage with the local Imam. The presentation offered a thoughtful and informative exploration of what it means to be a Muslim and how faith is lived out in everyday life.

For Studies of Religion students, the session provided meaningful insight into the principal beliefs of Islam, directly enriching their current unit of study. Additionally, both Studies in Catholic Thought and Studies of Religion students gained a deeper appreciation for diverse religious perspectives and the vital role of interfaith dialogue in promoting understanding and respect within a multicultural society. The excursion concluded with a generous lunch provided by Tripolian Bakehouse, followed by a guided tour of the new Mosque, which is scheduled for completion in November this year. Sincere thanks to the Young Mosque community for their warm hospitality and the opportunity to learn firsthand about Islamic faith and practice.

As part of their study of ancient human remains, History Elective students researched what ancient remains can tell us about the lives of the past - their health, culture, beliefs and daily life. As part of their presentation, students created replicas of their ancient remains which included the Siberian Ice Maiden, plaster casts from Pompeii, Tutankhamen, Tollund Man, Otzi, Old Croghan Man, Mungo Man and Yde Girl.  The class also discussed the ethical questions around excavation and display, as well as the importance of respecting cultural heritage.

Year 7 students have been exploring the ancient city of Pompeii and the impact of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius as part of their History studies. They consolidated their understanding by creating plaster cast victims, replicating the archaeological discoveries made at the site.

Over 60 Hennessy students from 7-10 attended the Science and Engineering Challege held at PCYC and run by Rotary and the University of Newcastle. They all had a fantastic day challenging themselves to use their STEM skills to come up with solutions for a range of hands on science and engineering problems. 

Here are a few pictures of our senior students currently enjoying the Cambodia Immersion!