Faith Formation

The faith formation of the students and staff at Irene McCormack Catholic College is central to the life at the College. While recognising the primary role of parents in their child's faith development the College will prioritise student awareness of the teachings, values and attitudes of the Catholic faith.

Our faith formation will follow an interrelated concept of ‘Head, Heart and Hands'. The Head refers to challenging the students' minds in our Religious Education program. The Heart relates to our Liturgical program of worship, reflection and communication with God. Opportunities for mass, paraliturgies, retreats and prayer meetings will be offered to students, staff and parents. The Hands will bring our beliefs into practice as we endeavour through our Community Service program to assist those in need.

Acceptance of enrolment at Irene McCormack Catholic College implies, on behalf of the students and the parents, a commitment to a positive involvement in and support of the Faith Formation program.

Christian Service

Library

The focus of the library is to foster a love for reading, develop students’ research and information literacy skills and encourage their potential as independent learners. The library is a welcoming and vibrant space with scenic views of the College. We have areas for reading, teaching, collaboration and study and provide a range of resources to support learning and teaching throughout the school. Our library has:

• An extensive collection of fiction and non-fiction books, magazines, audiobooks and DVDs
• Wheelers ePlatform Digital Library providing staff and students with access to over 2000 eBook and audiobook titles
• Printing and photocopying facilities
• Wireless internet access
• Access to desktop computers
• Encyclopaedia Britannica online
• ClickView digital video library
• Library catalogue search

The library is open Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm. 

Online Resources

Students and staff can access our Library Catalogue and homepage from school, home or any internet browser.

At School:  Click here to access the Library Catalogue

Outside school:  Click here to access the Library Catalogue

Encouraging students to read for enjoyment as often as possible, is a critical element of improving literacy for all students. 

Our library has partnered with Wheelers ePlatform Digital Library to provide students with access to over 2000 eBook and audiobook titles. ePlatform is a secure library lending system designed to make the borrowing and reading of eBooks simple and enjoyable.

All students and staff can now access eBooks and audiobooks anywhere, anytime, on multiple devices by following these simple steps: 

1. Download the ePlatform app from the Apple, Google Play or Windows app stores  OR  go to the website: http://imcc.eplatform.co/

2. Sign in:

• If prompted, find and select our school name 'Irene McCormack Catholic College'
• Enter your school username e.g. jdoe1 or jcitizen
• Enter a password. This will be the letter 'W' (capital), followed by your four-digit school print code e.g. W1234

ClickView is an online digital video service that allows teachers and students to access curriculum related video material to assist with teaching and learning.

Click on the logo or the link below to access ClickView at home, school or any internet browser. You will be prompted to enter your school email address, after which you need to select our school from the drop-down menu.

Click here to access ClickView 

Britannica School is an online information resource containing encyclopedia articles, multimedia, primary sources, games and other learning resources that support student research. 

Britannica School can be accessed both at school and at home, using two different methods:

• Students can access Britannica at home or outside of school by logging into SEQTA. From the homepage, select 'Irene McCormack Catholic College' from the menu, then 'Britannica Resource'.

• To access Britannica at school, click the following link:  Britannica School

Access important school information including timetables, lessons, resources, homework, assessments and more. 

Log in to SEQTA

Performing Arts

The College has a proud history of excellence and achievement in Dance, Drama and Music, consistently winning awards in the annual Catholic Performing Arts Festival.  All students have an array of extra-curricular opportunities available to them.

Dance

Dance at the College holds a strong presence with two main performance events including the annual Dance Night and Catholic Performing Arts. The Cheerleading team, Hurricanes, are involved in numerous competitions and have placed many times. Extra-curricular options include Junior Dance Team, Lyrical Dance Team, Senior Dance Team, Hurricanes Cheerleading Team and Twisters Dance Team.

Drama

Every two years the College performs a musical production, showcasing students’ talent, commitment and community spirit for what is a whole College event. Previous productions have included Hairspray, Peter Pan, Wonderland, Beauty & The Beast, High School Musical, Back to the 80s. Drama Club is available as an extra-curricular option.

Music

Music plays a central role at the College, with performances at many events such as Masses, Exhibitions, College celebrations and festivals, including the Catholic Performing Arts Festival. The music department also hosts four main concerts a year including Sounds at Sunset (Term 1), Recital Night (Term 2), Soundscape (Term 3) and Sounds at Sunset (Term 4).

The College has three full Instrumental Scholarships (one Vocal and two from flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and trombone) on offer to students entering the College at Year 7.  Scholarships cover students’ instrumental or vocal tuition for six years.

The Specialist Music Course is available to students from Year 8, providing students with an excellent foundation with which to succeed in upper school.

Extra-curricular music ensembles include:

Barbershop Ensemble, Flute Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble Jazz Ensemble, Mass Band, Rock Bands for each year group, Swing Band and Wind Ensembles. The Swing Band also plays music live for the College Production every two years.

Visual Arts

Visual Arts and Photography are offered to students in both lower and upper school at the College.

In Visual Arts, students are exposed to varied mediums and thematic projects, by which they create a final art work using the knowledge and skills accumulated during the semester. Each project commences with drawing and is followed by the inclusion of a particular artist’s technique. Using the artist as inspiration, students are able to learn sculpture, ceramics, painting, printmaking or mixed media techniques. Creativity is encouraged through a design process, where students are challenged to create a suitable composition that fits the brief. In Year 10, Specialist Art is an additional subject option for those that have a passion and talent for art. These students usually go on to pursue ATAR Visual Art in senior school. Upper school courses offers are General and ATAR Visual Art, where both courses respond to thematic units and students build on their analysis skills and artistic understanding.

Photography courses at the College seek to teach students how to operate digital and DSLR cameras, the best way to compose photos and how to edit them accordingly using Adobe Lightroom. Students also learn how to manipulate their photos in Photoshop and design products based on the brief given. In upper school, the General Design Photography course is offered which combines the three areas of Photography, Graphics and Design. This course extends from what is taught in lower school and pushes students to creatively photograph, edit and design a suitable product. Adobe Indesign is used by students to create a digital portfolio that documents their design process. All the software used is industry standard and seeks to give students a strong skills set in design using the Adobe suite.

Sport

Irene McCormack Catholic College has well established Football and Soccer Academies for girls and boys. The program is for all Year levels 7 - 12.  For further information visit College Football and Soccer Academies

Communication with Home

CONEQT FOR PARENTS: (SEQTA)

https://parents.imcc.wa.edu.au

IMCC Parent Seqta Guide

CONEQT FOR STUDENTS: (SEQTA)

https://students.imcc.wa.edu.au

HANDBOOK PLANNER

This must be sighted and signed weekly by parents as a way to monitor your child's organisation and performance. This planner also contains specific slips for communication between parents and teachers. The planner must have no graffiti or decoration, either on the outside or inside, or a new one will need to be purchased. The planner is for school use only.

ABSENT/SICK

If a student is absent, then parents need to contact the school absentee line on 9562 2431 before 8.30 a.m. (this is a 24 hour line).

It is vital that parents follow up all absences with a note or email to their child's Care Group Teacher.

TELEPHONE

Parents should feel free to phone the school to clarify issues. The College Receptionist is your first point of contact and will assist you in connecting to other members of staff.

NEWSLETTER

The school issues a newsletter (The McCormack Messenger) via e-mail. This may be used by student and parent groups to communicate to the community.

STUDENT REPORTS

Our intent is to issue an interim report at the end of the first term of the Academic year. A semester report will be issued at the end of Semester One and Semester Two. Year 12 students will receive a Statement of Results at the conclusion of their school year. 

School Organisation

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

Students enrolled at the College are expected to participate in all activities in the calendar including retreats, camps, excursions, sport days and special celebrations. Attendance at these events is recorded and failure to attend on these College days will affect a student's Good Standing within the College. Parents should be aware that no Student Free Days occur other than when officially notified by the College.

STUDENT ILLNESS AT SCHOOL

Where students become ill at school the Office staff will supervise quiet rest for approximately 15-30 minutes. If at the end of that time the student is not fit to return to class the parents will be phoned and asked to collect the student. Should a student need to take medicine during the school day, please read the Medication Policy for the correct procedure (this can be found on the school website).

NO MEDICATION APART FROM AN ASTHMA INHALER OR AN EPIPEN IS TO BE KEPT ON A STUDENT'S PERSON OR ANY PLACE OTHER THAN THE SCHOOL OFFICE.

LATE ARRIVAL/EARLY DEPARTURE

Students who arrive late for school:

1.   before 8.45, students go straight to Care Group and ensure their name is registered
2.   after 8.45 am, or if Care Group is finished, need to sign in directly at the Front Office.

Parents should write a note in the student's diary when he/she is required to leave the school before the end of the day. The note must be signed by the CARER and the student must sign the ‘SIGN OUT REGISTER' in the SCHOOL OFFICE before leaving. Persistent lateness will result in a detention.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

Students at the College are given leadership opportunities. Student mentoring, tutoring, policy creation, organising of events, initiating projects, public speaking, Christian Service commitments are all examples of students actively leading. It is expected that all students will contribute to the establishment of a caring learning culture.

UNIFORM SHOP

The uniform shop will be open each:

TUESDAY afternoon - 12.00 pm – 4.00 pm
THURSDAY morning - 8.00 am – 10.00 am 

General Behaviour

• Polite behaviour towards staff and other students is required at all times.
• Bullying in any form will not be tolerated. (Please refer to the Bullying Policy on the school website).
• Students are not allowed into classrooms without a teacher being present. When waiting for a teacher, students should line up in an orderly fashion outside the classroom.
• Rough play, e.g. punching, pushing and tackling can cause injury or damage to clothes. For these reasons, it is not permitted.
• No food is to be eaten in classrooms. Water in a clear bottle is permitted.
• Chewing gum and bubble gum are prohibited in the school.
• Running is not permitted except on the College Oval and BB court. All ball games are to be located on the oval, not in the quadrangle area.
• No glass bottles or energy drinks are to be brought to the College e.g caffeine or guarana drinks. Such items will be confiscated.
• Public displays of affection are inappropriate and unacceptable within the College.
• Offensive and demeaning language is not acceptable.
• No student has the right to disrupt any class.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

It is the obligation of all parents to see that their children are dressed in the full school uniform. Uniform items can be purchased from the College Uniform Shop. All items to be clearly marked.

UNIFORM REGULATIONS

GENERAL

When dressed in the College uniform each student literally represents the school. It is therefore expected that students are neatly and properly dressed at all times especially when travelling to and from school. 

SHIRTS

• To be tucked in at all times.
• All undergarments to be plain white with no motif.
• When worn with tie the top button is to be done up with the tie knot covering it. 

TROUSERS/SHORTS

• Trousers to be worn correctly belted around the waist.
• Shorts should be worn no lower than knee level, and above the hip.
• Belts are to be the plain black school belt with non-descript buckle. 

DRESS/SKIRT 

• To be worn knee-length or longer. 

SOCKS 

• Bands on the girls' socks should be clearly visible all the way around.
• Sports socks to be worn with sports uniform only.
• Summer socks for boys are marle socks. Winter socks are grey.

BLAZER 

• The blazer is to be worn to and from school and must be worn in Care Group. It may be worn in the classroom.
• The blazer is a compulsory part of the winter uniform for all year levels.
• Blazers are to be worn to College assemblies and Masses.

SPORTS UNIFORM 

• Runners/joggers/track shoes are to be appropriate and predominately white.
• Casual canvas shoes, Dunlop Volleys, casual shoes and basketball shoes are not permitted.
• Students will not participate in the PE program with incorrect footwear.
• Sports shirts should have at least the lower button done up.
• Shorts are not to be rolled up and shirts are to be untucked.

SHOES 

• Regular heeled (3cm or below in height) shoes to be worn with plain black laces.
• Polished standard black, leather lace-up shoes required (not casual or sportswear).
• No buckle up shoes are permitted.
• Shoes must be fully enclosed and laces need to be done up for safety reasons.
• No other style of shoe e.g. ballet flats, are acceptable.

HAIR ACCESSORIES 

• Only yellow, purple, black or white scrunchies or hair ties.
• No decorative headbands. They must be plain white, purple, yellow or black.
• Bobby pins or plain silver clips only to be used for clipping hair back.

HAT 

• College issued caps or bucket hats are to be worn when outdoors in Term Summer and Term Spring.

SCARVES 

• College scarves may be worn during Terms Autumn and Winter.
• Ties must be worn if a College scarf is being worn.
• No other scarves are permissible.

DANCE STUDENTS

• Students in years 9-12 must wear Dance uniform.
• Year 7 & 8 students to wear Sports uniform to Dance classes.

UNIFORM

• Continued uniform infringements could lead to a loss of Good Standing in the College.

SUNSCREEN

• Suncreen should be worn when participating in PE, OED, BCN  & Excursions when in the sun.

Grooming & Appearance

In keeping with the uniform regulations at the College it is necessary for presentation and health reasons to establish some degree of uniformity when considering hairstyles. The College emphasizes that the appropriateness of hairstyles is very much an individual opinion and each style must be considered on its merits. The Principal will have the final say on the issue. Nevertheless, the following guidelines may prove helpful for staff and parents when determining what is acceptable at Irene McCormack Catholic College.

HAIR

• Girls’ hair longer than collar length must be securely tied back.
• Boys’ hair length needs to be above the collar.
• Any hair which falls in or around the eyes or face is not permitted. This includes sporting and PE sessions when the students may be required to swim or exercise, therefore, hair must be pinned or tied back.
• Styling of hair to make an obvious statement is not permitted. A number 3 cut is the minimum length permitted.
• Unruly or untidy hair of any description is unacceptable. Hair should also be clean.
• A small amount of hair gel may be used to keep hair neat. Excessive gel used to sculpt hair is not permitted. Students will be asked to wash out excess gel.
• Extreme hairstyles are not permitted.  This includes extreme colour, beaded hair, dreadlocks, undercuts, layering, long sweep, Mohawks, rat’s tails, no pony tails for boys etc.
• Boys should be clean shaven and will be required to shave in Administration if this does not occur. Side-burns are permitted to halfway down the ear.

Whenever a student's hair is considered inappropriate, he/she will be asked to have it altered and a timeline will be negotiated. If the timeline is not met, the student will be required to stay at home until the change has occurred.

JEWELLERY

• A student may wear one small plain, gold or silver stud in the lower lobe of each ear. No other form of ear jewellery is acceptable.
• No other jewellery is permitted and this includes any form of facial or body piercing.
• Tattoos are not acceptable.
• Wrist watches are permitted.
• Protective sunglasses (as opposed to decorative) can be worn at lunch and recess.
• Jewellery will be confiscated and will be available to be collected from the Front office by parents or by the student at the end of term.

NAIL POLISH/MAKEUP

• Artificial fingernails or nail polish is not permitted.
• Makeup is not to be worn.

SEASONS

Summer uniform is to be worn in Terms Spring and Summer.

Winter uniform is to be worn in the Terms Autumn and Winter.

Canteen Menu

The canteen opens at 8am to 8.30am. Orders are to be placed where possible during this time. If a student has dietary requirements, please do not hesitate to inform us when ordering. I will produce a new menu for terms 3 and 4.