From the Principal
Dear Parents and Friends of St Patrick’s College
I hope you had an enjoyable break and that the time with your daughter was pleasant. We have returned to the College with the building work in full swing. There are jack hammers working above the reception block and there is sun streaming through the rear of the building, which before was a maze of corridors and offices. We had our first tour of the site at the last building meeting, this week. With hard hat on and enclosed shoes on our feet, we walked through the open spaces that will become beautiful learning spaces and revitalised traffic areas in 6 months time. Our expected completion date is the end of this school year, so all things going well, we will be able to move in before Christmas and the girls and staff will have access to the facilities for the start of 2017.
During the first week of the holidays, I accompanied five Year 11 students to Good Samaritan Ministry Outreach. Whilst it was a busy week, it was a very rewarding one as we assisted in various outreach programs and service sites. The girls, Paris, Georgia, Nadine, Lauryn and Hannah, were exemplary. They were generous with their support of the people and workers at the sites and very mature and responsible as we lived in the boarding facility at Glebe for the week with students from the other Good Samaritan Colleges. They represented their families and Colleges with absolute integrity and were a credit to the Campbelltown community.
During the staff PD week, staff participated in two days of training in new database programs, child protection training and spent time updating programs and assessments. The last day was a spirituality day, where we participated in some workshops and finished by travelling to the Cataract Dam, which is the site where Aboriginal men, women and children were massacred 200 years ago. It was very moving to pay our respects to the lives lost there and remember that this is our history which we need to own and work to reconcile. Thank you for the support you gave to the College during this week. It is highly valuable time as staff return refreshed from their two week break to invest time in preparing and planning for the girls.
Since returning this term, a number of girls have been busy representing the College in a variety of events. I am sure you will read of their achievements and successes through this edition. As you receive this edition of the Inside Out, we will be celebrating our NAIDOC assembly. I will leave you with a short prayer developed for NAIDOC 2016
Make us strong as we seek your help and guidance.
Teach us to love all people regardless of race or colour or belief.
May we listen with great care to the heartbeat of this land and to its people who cared for it so well and for so long.
May the peace these people and their land have always enjoyed continue to be strengthened and preserved by all who wish to come and be part of this country and its ‘Ancient Dreaming’.
Glory to you, God of Life, Creating, nurturing, reconciling. Glory to you forever.
Elizabeth Pike. http://www.natsicc.org.au/resources_liturgy.php. Used with permission.
Blessings
Sue Lennox
Learning and Teaching
HSC Japanese Continuers Holiday Workshop
During the first week of the holidays, the HSC Japanese Continuers class travelled to Sydney University for a two day intensive workshop in order to prepare them for the HSC.
Students were able to speak and listen to experienced HSC teachers and examiners to help refine their examination techniques as they broke down each linguistic skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
The Speaking Exams for all languages are conducted in August or September, before the HSC written exams. The HSC Japanese Speaking Exam will be held on Saturday 6 August and speaking exams for Spanish Beginners, Continuers and Extension, as well as Tamil Continuers and Croatian Continuers, that students are studying through the Open High School, will be held in August and September.
The College hopes these students give their best and that all their hard work pays off. We wish them the best of luck as they prepare and perform in their speaking exams.
Julian Nash, LOTE Coordinator
Language Lifeboat
English help is available every Wednesday at lunch time in Room LH1.
Bring your assessment tasks, homework, class notes or questions. Dedicated English teachers are available to help. All students from Years 7 to 12 are welcome.
Literature Club
Come along to Room LH1 on Wednesdays at lunch time. If you love reading and are ready for a challenge, launch into the world of the classics and join the Literature Club. All students from Years 7 to 12 are welcome to join. Drop in next Wednesday and ask our mentors for a starter pack.
From The Maths Faculty
A reminder that Maths Help runs each Monday at lunch time in Room 33. All students from Years 7 to 12 are welcome to come along with any Maths problems and to bring their lunch.
All are welcome to join us for "The Pi Club" every Friday at lunch time in Room 33.
Co-curricular
Welcome students from Shonan Shirayuri Gakuen - ようこそ
On Tuesday 26 July, 14 students from our sister Japanese school, Shonan Shirayuri Gakuen, arrived for a two week stay at the College.
During their stay, the students will participate in English classes and attend mainstream classes. They will also be going on excursions to the Blue Mountains, Featherdale Wildlife Park and the Muru Mittigar Aboriginal Centre.
The students' visit is a very valuable experience for everyone at the College. It is a great opportunity to share our culture and broaden our global understanding.
The students are hosted by families within our College community. I would like to express my gratitude to these families in opening up their homes to these exchange students.
We hope the students from Shonan Shirayuri Gakuen enjoy their short stay and I look forward to reporting on the success of their visit in our next newsletter.
Julian Nash, Japanese Language Teacher
Legacy South West Public Speaking Final
On 26 July, Angelina (Year 7) and Ellie (Year 8) competed along with 16 other students from a range of schools in the South-West region in the Legacy Public Speaking Competition.
This competition involved a six minute prepared and two minute impromptu speech. The impromptu topic, “Dancing with the Devil”, was a challenging one. Both Ellie and Angelina performed extremely well in each section and Angelina will now progress to the Sydney Finals in August.
Congratulations girls, we are very proud of you.
Marguerite Pulham, Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator
CSDA Quarter Finals
On 24 June, last term, we welcomed 160 guests from ten schools across greater Sydney for the Catholic Schools’ Debating Association Quarter Final.
Our Year 7 Debaters, Chantelle, Siana and Amadee challenged hard against their opponents, Catherine McAuley School, Westmead. They were narrowly defeated but learned a great deal from the experience. Thank you to the many St Pat’s girls who generously gave their time to chair, timekeep and usher. Thank you to Mrs Ibbett for her presence and assistance on the night, along with Ms Renshaw and the maintenance team who ensured that we were the hostesses with the mostesses.
Marguerite Pulham, Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator
Knitting Group Presentation to St Vincent de Paul Association
The St Patrick's Knitting Group has once again made a substantial donation of handmade blankets to the local St Vincent de Paul Association.
Mrs Maureen McCann and Mrs Anne Kearney
Mrs Jenny Brown, from the St Vincent de Paul Society at Macquarie Fields, was presented 30 blankets made by the Knitting Group. She said that they would all find good homes as there was a growing need for such items amongst the vulnerable in the local community. Mrs Brown told the group about families she had recently helped including women who had fled domestic violence and had no household items. These blankets would mean a lot to these people as they had been made with such care and thoughtfulness.
The Knitting Group is particularly grateful to our ex-staff volunteers Mrs Maxine Evans, Ms Lorraine St John, Mrs Shirley Mills and Mrs Janine McLeod who help the students each week and make many of the blankets. Many thanks also goes to current staff members Mrs Maureen McCann who helps coordinate the group and Mrs Maureen O'Brien.
We would also like to pay tribute to Mrs Anne Kearney who passed away recently. Anne was a staff member at the school until her retirement in 2012. Up until her passing, she often attended Knitting Group and contributed to our blankets. We will miss her wisdom, friendship and passion for helping those less fortunate. Vale Anne.
Knitting Group is still continuing until the end of Term 4 and we would greatly appreciate donations of knitted squares and wool.
Fran Musico Rullo, HSIE Teacher
Community News
Save the Date! Family Violence Awareness Dinner
Students Using Opal Cards
Important notice from Busabout.
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Free Community Forum
Important Dates
What's On.......
29 July - NADIOC Assembly, National Tree Planting Day
2 August - ICAS English Competition
3 August - Year 10 Italian Excursion
4 - 5 August - Year 11 2017 Subject Selection Interviews
1 - 15 August - Year 12 Trial Examinations
11 - 12 August - Year 11 Leaders Camp
15 August - Start of National Science Week
16 August - Sports Assembly, Year 7,8,9 Parent/Teacher/Student Night, Maths Competition
17 August - MISA Debating Round 6, Dio Athletics
18 August - Year 11 SLR Recreation Day, Year 10 Citizenship Excursion
19 August - College Assembly, Aboriginal Education Excursion
23 August - Middle School Parent Forum (9am and 7pm)
24 August - Year 8 Italian Excursion, Dio Hockey and Volleyball
25 August - Year 9 Reflection Day
26 August - G Day, Multicultural Day
29 August - Start of Literacy Numeracy Week
30 August - Senior School Parent Forum (9am and 7pm)
31 August - HSC Projects Showcase 6.30pm to 8.30pm
1 September - MISA Debating Round 7, Elevate Young Leaders Forum
8 September - Year 12 Chemistry Excursion
9 September - Father Daughter Dinner Dance
12 - 16 September - Year 11 Preliminary Exams
13 September - Year 9 and 10 Drama Excursion
16 September - Aboriginal Education Excursion
20 September - Year 12 Assembly, Year 12 Graduation Dinner
21 September - Year 12 Graduation Mass
22 September - Year 12 Formal
23 September - STAFF AND STUDENTS FINISH FOR TERM 3
10 October - STAFF AND STUDENTS RETURN FOR TERM 4