Welcome back to the second term. I hope you had a restful Easter.

Through the week, I went for a walk at lunchtime to catch up with the girls and see what activities they were engaged in. I was astounded by the number of varied activities and the large number of girls who were in classrooms or specialist rooms busily participating and having fun. We had senior girls tutoring maths to a number of Year 7 girls in one room, in another past staff, grandparents and friends were helping at least 20 girls knit their squares for St Vincent de Paul blankets. Across the College the musical girls were busy rehearsing, guitar ensemble were strumming away, the debaters were practising in preparation for their first debates this Friday, chess club and K-Pop were meeting in the Library, meditation was happening in one of the rooms in A block and assistance to senior HSIE and SOR students plus language lifeboat were all on offer in the H block. It was very busy.

 In each activity there were several staff members supervising and activating the energy of the girls. These activities are not counted as part of their teaching load so each participate in these activities because they are passionate about the cause and they love to provide a broad experience for the girls.  These activities may not directly contribute to a Band 6 in the HSC, nor an ATAR over 90, however, they will broaden the girls' experience of learning, connect them to other girls at the College and will nurture their sense of belonging and self-confidence. These experiences are as vital as the programs in the lessons. I am very grateful that we have such generous and giving staff who model lifelong learning and show such dedication to your daughters. I encourage you to ask your daughter if she accessed any of these activities through the week and how she found them. If she isn’t involved, I would encourage her to have a go and see if there are some activities that she would find interesting. Perhaps she can take a friend and they both can try something different.

Next Tuesday, the College will host its AGM. The Members of the Company will come to the College to meet with myself and Directors of the Board to review the operations of 2020. Every second year we hold an assembly on this day which the Members attend. This year, the assembly will focus on ANZAC Day and a past student Brittany Lovett will speak to the girls about her experience in her multiple tours of duty in Afghanistan as a member of the Australian Defence Force. Brittany has spoken on a previous occasion and was exceptional. Dr Freelander will present an ANZAC Day certificate to the College and the Mayor George Brticevic will present a certificate to Abbey C who delivered the student address at the Campbelltown ANZAC Day ceremony last Sunday. It will be a wonderful assembly, once again showcasing the talents and qualities of the students at the College. I am sure the Members and our special guests will find it very informative and entertaining and I would like to acknowledge Mrs Musico Rullo for her work in preparing for the assembly.

I will leave you with a short reflection by Meister Eckhart on Gratitude.

Blessings

Sue Lennox - Principal

If the only prayer you say in your life is
"thank you" that would suffice.

Meister Eckhart

In doing this, questions do arise over the current trend within our churches today. It has been observed even by members of the clergy themselves that our churches have “become less and less inclusive…demanding a purity and exclusivity not demanded by Jesus in the Gospels”. Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser reminds us that to be “Catholic” means wide and universal and that we should not be narrow, exclusive and overly selective when defining our faith family.

The recent works of Chris Geraghty will inform our understanding and focus this term. He goes further to argue that Jesus is “the forgotten feminist”. Geraghty considers Jesus a “rebel. Outrider. A disturber of peace and good order…prepared to take on the leaders of the establishment”. His works emphasise how inclusive Jesus was as shown by who he associated with, how he treated them and engaged with them. These outsiders included women and they were very important to his mission and within the first Christian communities after Jesus’ death. According to Geraghty,

“Jesus’ primary message centred on a kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven – a kingdom that
was peopled by sinners, by the lost and the lame, the blind and the deaf, by children and by
women – a kingdom where everyone was equal and the first were last and the servant of all.
A vision in which people loved one another and in which it didn’t matter whether you were
black or white, Jew or Gentile, young or old, slave or free, male or female…A kingdom of
heaven on earth. In the life of Jesus and in his kingdom, women were front and centre –
female friends and companions; female admirers and camp-followers who worked with
him…He consistently treated them with dignity and respect…listened to them and
communicated directly with them. Not once did he condemn a woman…Jesus treated women
as friends and enjoyed their company…Women were accepted, without comment, as
followers of Jesus, as disciples…”

Our units of work this term will be influenced by this perspective as we cover the following areas:

• 7 Religious Studies: Sacred Scripture – the stories of women of the Old Testament and their important lessons
• 8 Religious Studies: Into the Likeness of Christ – the inclusivity of Jesus
• 9 Religious Studies: Sacraments of Healing – the healing mission of Jesus and the Kingdom
• 10 Religious Studies: The Gospels – the portraits of Jesus, is he “the forgotten feminist”?

Louise East - Religious Studies Coordinator

Our prayer focused on remembering and celebrating the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, Jesus’ death on the Cross on Good Friday, and Jesus rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. In commemorating the Last Supper, we gave thanks to God for the abiding gift of the Eucharist which is for us Jesus’ eternal presence. In celebrating Good Friday, we proclaim the death of Jesus on the Cross as gaining for us fullness of life.

It is interesting to consider why Good Friday is a “good” day? There are many good parts to this day. Jesus is a good person. His followers are good people. It is good that Jesus offers forgiveness to those who nailed him to the Cross. Despite the circumstances Jesus faced (that is, his own death even though he was innocent) it is good that Jesus still trusted in God, his Father, and had faith that God the Father would turn this tragedy into something good.

The “something good” is the resurrection of Jesus and the gift of eternal life that the rising of Jesus from the dead promises us. We are now into the fourth week of Easter, the season of celebration and the sounding out of “Alleluia” which is the Christian proclamation of praise, joy, triumph, and overwhelming happiness. Let our “Alleluias” be an emphatic and genuine expression of our belief in the unconditional love of God and in the gift of eternal life.

Angelo Gattone - Mission Coordinator

Year 8 students have been enjoying their study of Ancient Egypt, and have been learning about Egyptian hieroglyphics. At the end of the term, we got hands-on and created a cartouche (an Egyptian inscription with an oval surrounding it indicating a royal family member's name). See below for these fabulous artworks as the girls became royalty for a day!

Year 10 Museum visit by Roisin H

What I found interesting when we went to the Sydney Jewish Museum was the opportunity to speak with the Holocaust survivor. I found this experience very humbling to be able to be the last generation to share the experience of a Holocaust survivor. I learned a lot of new information about the Holocaust so it was a very educational experience. The Children's Memorial Centre was a sad moment during my time at the museum. To view children who have passed and haven't reached the age of 5 was quite heartbreaking. Peter the Holocaust survivor, his testimony and his life story were very interesting. Overall this was a wonderful experience I'd urge everyone to do one day.

Reflections from a Year 11 student on a Geography Fieldwork excursion to Kurnell by Sophie E

Booking Interviews

Interviews are booked through the Parent Portal. Information on accessing the Portal and booking interviews is available on the College Website https://www.saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au/parent-and-student-portal. Bookings will open on Monday 3 May.  Problems related to Portal access can be directed to  elearning@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au. 

Once bookings are completed, an interview timetable will be emailed to parents/carers. For Week 4 bookings (11 May), the Zoom link for each teacher is included. 

If you have any further questions about the Interview sessions, do not hesitate to contact Dr Debra Bourne (dbourne@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au). We look forward to seeing you at the Parent/Student/Teacher interviews.

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching

To support our students, St Patrick’s College has some resources and information which might be useful to families. To help students prepare and achieve their best results, we have a Canvas page in the Literacy course which contains a lot of very useful links. An announcement was sent to students late in Term 1 reminding them about this resource.

The pages are set up under three main headings, so students can prepare for their tests in a way that suits their needs. 

NAPLAN Online Sample Literacy Tests contains sample tests to ensure that their device is set up for the exams and will help them assess if their device is ready for NAPLAN. (While they have completed the NAPLAN readiness tests at school, this can still be a useful backup tool). These tests also allow students to have a look at the format and prepare for how the test will look on the day. This page is great for relieving the stress surrounding the test because it shows students what the test will be like. This page also contains practice writing prompts and a self-marking Language Conventions test. The features on this page can be explored in a few minutes, or a few hours, depending on the time they have.

Writing, spelling and language conventions has lots of great links and ideas to help develop their skills in writing, spelling and language conventions. This is great to help build their skills for the tests and for learning at school in general.  

Reading is full of programs and supports that can help prepare students for the reading paper, including information about our DEARS cup and information about PEEL and CUBES. 

Finally, students have access to Read Theory https://readtheory.org/auth/login to help complete some multiple choice reading tests. These only take a few minutes and are marked immediately to help students recognise their strengths and weaknesses. They should have all accessed this resource in school time, but if they have lost or forgotten their logins, they can see their English Teacher or contact Sarah Hilder shilder@saintpatricks.nsw.ed.au .

Thank you for your time and support as we prepare our students for NAPLAN.

Sarah Hilder - English Teacher

Year 10 students are asked to select a program of study that is going to realise their long-term goals. The College is accredited to offer courses developed by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) as well as Vocational Education and Training (VET) curriculum frameworks. The College also has programs where students can combine NESA, Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and paid work through a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship. The workforce of the future will require a range of skills and people with different types of qualifications. Year 10 students are encouraged to pursue excellence and follow their passions and interests when selecting their subjects for Years 11 and 12.

Stage 6 is typically a two-year program of study in Years 11 and 12 where students complete a Preliminary and HSC Course in each subject they study. At St Patrick’s College, the Preliminary courses are taught in the first three terms of Year 11 and the HSC courses commence in Term 4 of Year 11. The various accrediting authorities (NESA, VET and Universities) have rules and requirements associated with various study programs. A booklet has been prepared to support students and families navigate the subject selection process.

It is impossible for Year 10 students to know exactly what they are going to do with the rest of their life, but they should have some ideas about what they are interested in. At this stage, Year 10 students should know what their options are and what they need to do to pursue those options. University is a good option for many students, however, it is not the only way. There are excellent colleges that offer very good courses and students are encouraged to thoroughly research options available.

There are many professions where an undergraduate degree is required, and a commonly travelled pathway involves an application through the University Admissions Centre (UAC) which calculates an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) for each student. Universities set an ATAR cut-off for various courses and then offer students, who meet the minimum ATAR, a place in a course at their institutions.

The ATAR is not the only pathway to university. An increasing number of students are using the Certificate IV at TAFE as an entry to University or study undergraduate degrees at TAFE. Some courses offer Portfolio Entry and various University Preparation Programs are another avenue.  It is important that students thoroughly research all options available.

Students must begin their research by establishing career goals. They can change their mind, but it is important to know what they want and be committed to doing whatever it takes to get there.

A career aim:

1. Gives a sense of certainty about the future.
2. Relieves the pressure of thinking about what they are going to do.
3. Allows students to make future plans.
4. Provides a target score to aim at.

Mr Williams, the Careers Advisor, is supporting students in their research of career options. There are a number of websites designed for young people that have careers and pathways information. In addition, most institutions offer information sessions for school students.

The Stage 6 Course Application Process begins now:    

1. Term 2 Week 2 - Students are issued with their course selection booklet and the course selection process is presented.
2. Term 2 Week 3 - Students complete a course selection survey to submit expressions of interest in particular Year 11 courses. Together with student achievement data, this provides a starting point for academic counselling sessions later in the term.
3. Term 2 Week 5 - Course selection talks provide opportunities for students to attend information sessions and speak with teachers about course selection.
4. Term 2 Week 7 - 2022 Year 11 Course Information Evening for students, parents and carers. This event provides additional information about HSC and ATAR eligibility requirements and the College Course Application Process. Families have the opportunity to ask questions about course content, expectations and programs of study.
5. In Week 7, the formal Course Application Process begins.
6. T2 Week 9 to 10 - Year 10 students participate in one-on-one academic counselling sessions. Their career and post-school study aspirations are discussed, and course preferences are reviewed and finalised. Students and parents/carers endorse course choices by signing the course selection forms.
7. Early Term 3 - Students receive a confirmation of acceptance and the official notification of courses they have been placed into for their 2022 Year 11 Preliminary courses.

A website (microsite) is in preparation to support Year 10 students – careers.saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au. It is updated regularly and has links to important information related to subject selection and careers.

It is natural for students and families to have questions about subject selection. Questions related to subject content and expectations can be directed to KLA Coordinators. Their details are in the Preliminary and HSC Course Selection Guidelines issued to students this week. 

Non-KLA contacts related to the Course Application Process:

We wish Year 10 students and their families every blessing as they start on their HSC journey.

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching

Campbelltown 

This year in Campbelltown, the Anzac Day march was solely restricted to veterans, however, the College was actively involved in the 9am service in Mawson Park. I was joined by Ms Lennox, Ms Roa and Mr Nash (who took wonderful photos)  and students Abbey C, Amadee T, Bianca R, Monique R, Jordana N and Annabella F. Our College Captain, Amadee T presented a wreath on behalf of the students and staff of the College. Abbey C of Year 10 was given the honour of giving the student address at the service. Abbey spoke about the importance of honouring the service of those who have fallen no matter the distance of time and spoke of the service of her great-great uncle Paddy Bugden VC. The following is her speech:

 ‘We are going into the firing line tomorrow. If by chance anything happens, I feel that I shall gain a place of happiness, for I have never done a deed in my life that I am ashamed of, so I fear nothing. 

These brave words were written by a young man, 20 years of age, in a letter to his mother in World War I on the Western Front.  This soldier was later awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross, in recognition of his bravery and valour displayed during the war. 

Acts of bravery and courage are everyday occurrences in war. There are thousands of other young Australian men and women who served their country undertaking courageous acts and were never awarded medals.  The bravery and sacrifice of these Australians simply cannot be overlooked. If these Australians were willing to die for us, then the least we can do is share their stories and honour their memories.

For a young person, the stories of war can seem far away and difficult to connect to, but for me, that is not the case. Everyday I pass by the old Congregational cemetery next to my school, and catch a glimpse of the three memorial tablets and one grave of Campbelltown men who served on the Western Front. The memorial tablets are the most poignant. Campbelltown families erected these to the memory of their sons on their family headstones, in this case,  Stephen Longhurst, James Roughley Longhurst and Frank Jenner Nicol. This was their act of grief, their place of mourning as they would never visit their sons’ final resting places in France. For the two Longhurst boys, their bodies were never recovered and there was no final resting place to ever visit.  The one World War I grave in that cemetery belongs to Herbert Harry Kitching who fought on the Western Front, was gassed in 1917 and then recuperated. However, like many of those who returned, his lungs were badly affected and he died in 1920.  Casualties of war do not end when war ends. 

Seeing these commemorative graves every day gives me the chance to reflect on the sacrifice of both those at the battle front and those on the homefront in war. In World War I,  the rural village of Campbelltown had a population of just over 2000 people. It sent 250 to war with 42 killed in action.  We, as a community, gave so much, and banded together in this time of great difficulty and this was the same for so many Australian towns. Every family was affected and everyone knew a family who had lost someone. So many stories of shared grief have been passed down through families over the years.

It is through this process of passing down stories that I came across the man whose quote I read at the beginning of my speech. This man's name was Patrick Bugden, and he was my great, great uncle.

Patrick, who was known to his friends and family as Paddy, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his bravery and valour during battle. The official citation of his Victoria Cross states that “On two occasions, when held up by intense fire from machine-guns, he led small parties to silence the enemy posts. Five times he rescued wounded men trapped by intense shelling and machine-gun fire. Once, seeing that an Australian corporal had been taken prisoner, he single-handedly rushed to his comrade's aid, shooting and bayoneting the enemy. He kept fighting until he was killed.”

After he died, he was awarded the Victoria Cross on 23 November 1917. The Victoria Cross is one of the highest medals of valour an Australian can receive. King George the fifth personally wrote a letter to Paddy’s mother, speaking highly of her son's bravery, and expressing deep regret for her loss. 

He was not the only one who wrote to Paddy’s mother. Many friends and other soldiers who had served with him also wrote to her, and these letters express the deep love, admiration and respect that they had for Paddy. 

The Mullumbimby Star, when reporting of his death and Victoria Cross, said “The late Paddy was one, who by his manly and gentlemanly demeanour, not only won the respect, but love of all who knew him. At school he was a general favourite, and had a brilliant career, both in the school and on the sports field. He was a noted footballer and cricketer, and had many medals showing his prowess as an athlete. He always played the game.” Patrick Bugden, despite being young and afraid, displayed selflessness, courage and determination, and I consider it an honour to be his great great niece.

Six young men from Paddy’s family went off to war. Out of these six young men, only one came back. Such sacrifice and grief was experienced by so many Australian families. 

Over 100,000 Australian men and women have paid the ultimate sacrifice in all conflicts. When creating the Australian War Memorial, Charles Bean, wrote its aim, which is essentially what we are  doing here today :

  ‘Here is their spirit, in the heart of the land they loved; and here we guard the record which they themselves made.’ 

 Lest We Forget’

Camden Anzac Day

A march was held in Camden this year and each school was permitted a limited number of students. Our contingent proudly marched with the school banner around Camden Showground and over Cawdor Rd to the RSL Rose Garden where the service was held. Students involved were Olivia L, Amelia C, Abbie H, Lily K, Annabelle M, Ava M, Annalise S and Mia W and all the students presented a wreath on behalf of the students and staff.

I wish to thank Mr Williams, Mrs Durrington, Mrs Pollicina, Mrs Pereira and Mrs Samyia for also attending and supporting the students.

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher

Katarina S, Marjorie T and Irine M of Year 11 Hospitality represented St Patrick's at this event and worked with Michael Everrett from MWLP and other students from local high schools to prepare, cook and present a range of food items that were served on the night. The girls did a fabulous job, working with precision on all tasks and were wonderful ambassadors for our school. 

Alisha Pollicina - TAS Teacher

As barristers on the prosecution team, Molly M and Amelia M strongly argued their version of events and did well to establish a strong case against the accused. They were expertly instructed by solicitor Bianca R. Our witnesses Olivia L and Monique R relayed their witness statements clearly in their examinations-in-chief and delivered confident responses during cross-examination. Layla E assisted the court proceedings as a magistrate’s clerk and performed her duties with care and diligence.

Although we did not win this round, the team performed exceptionally well on the day and are now feeling more confident in preparing for the next round of the competition.

Other members of the Mock Trial team who assisted on the day include:

• Chelsea P
• Leah A
• Tara G
• Tavara S
• Grace J
• Isabella W
• Aisling F
• Hayley M
• Caitlin O

Cassandra Iler - HSIE Teacher

Year 10,11, 12 Basketball – 1^st Place

Christabelle A, Piper A, Tara G, Amelia M, Hannah P, Katarina S, Evana S, Tavara S, Ilori P and Nimrath D. Coach Mrs Nash.

Year 10, 11, 12 Oztag – 1^st Place

Sophie A, Darcy E, Eden G, Carrera K, Amelia P, Olivia Z, Amelia B, Grace G, Olivia H, Kria K, Sarah P, Madison M and Sophia S. Coach Mr Ashkar.

Year 7,8, 9 Volleyball – 2^nd Place

Lofia A, Isabella K, Nyala R, Meghan W, Sienna T, Fale’ofa A, Fatima A, Gabrielle V and Charlie C. Coach Mrs Periera.

Year 7,8,9 Indoor Cricket – 5^th Place

Isabelle S, Shreya M, Jordana N, Laura Z, Amelia C, Mackenzie H, Gabriella A, Sophie V and Piper M. Coaches Mr Baca & Mr Lord.

Year 7,8,9 Hockey – 2^nd Place

Lillian M, Georgia O, Valentina V, Mia F, Siena B, Maiya C, Jordanne M, Sianna F, Peta D, Tamanna M, Myah B, Stephanie E, Angelina B, Sarah M and Hannah Y. Coach Mrs Lawrence.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

The girls were super successful and achieved the following outstanding results. This will now see Abbie, Hannah and Olivia go onto to represent NSWCCC at the NSW All Schools Championships being held in Term 2.

Hannah W – 17^th 50m Breaststroke

Olivia K – 2^nd 50m Butterfly

Abbie H – 2^nd 50m Breaststroke, 100m Breaststroke and 3^rd 200m Individual Medley

Hannah P (Multiclass C9) – 1^st 50m Freestyle, 1^st 100m Freestyle, 1^st 50m Breaststroke and 1^st 50m Backstroke.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

While the team was relatively small, the performances from the girl were outstanding, with many students going above and beyond to ensure St Pat’s was represented in every race. As well as the outstanding team performances, there were a number of girls who stood out individually, but most notable was Abbie H who broke multiple Diocesan records and was named Overall Age Champion. We now have four girls, Abbie H, Hannah W, Olivia K and Hannah P, going on to represent the College as part of the Wollongong Diocesan Swim Team to contest the NSWCCC Championships to be held in Homebush. The College swim team consisted of Ava B, Olivia K, Sophie P, Hannah W, Isabelle S, Yuhan W, Sianna F, Ava H, Caitlin R, Laura Z, Annalise D, Ilori P, Amy Y, Sandrine M, Abbie H, Cara P and Hannah P.

Finally, a big thank you to Mr Lord for managing the team on the day and the numerous parents who came and supported the girls.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

Wollongong Diocesan Open Touch Football

We started the day off in fine form and began the carnival with a win over St Benedict’s. This gave the girls a great deal of confidence and allowed us to follow up this initial win with plenty more throughout the day. There were some really strong teams in the competition but we held our own and really surprised a number of these stronger schools. On top of this, even in the games we did lose, there was only 1 or 2 tries separating both teams. Thanks to Mr Ashkar for coaching and guiding us to a third-place finish overall. Congratulations to Darcy E and Piper A for being selected as shadows for the Diocesan team that will contest the CCC Touch Championships. Despite the heat, we managed to stay enthusiastic as a team, and the effort of every girl lead us ultimately to a very fun and successful day. The team consisted of Piper A, Darcy E, Eden G, Olivia H, Lara M, Ella F, Sophie A, Chantal S, Amy Y, Olivia Z, Sophia S, Madison M and Tahlia M.

Report written by: Lara M, Ella , Tahlia M

Wollongong Diocesan 15 Years Touch Football

The Diocesan touch carnival was a very hot and dry day but nonetheless it was a great day full of fun, competition and laughter. Everyone demonstrated great sportsmanship and supported each other all day. Everyone was very encouraging as we pushed each other to try our very best. Even though it was a relatively new team, everyone accepted each other and made everyone feel a sense of belonging which is a great St Pat’s trait. By the end of the day everyone was sweaty, dehydrated and exhausted. Unfortunately, we didn't get the result we were hoping for and finished in 4^th place overall. I would just like to say a huge thank you to Mr Baca as he was a great coach and gave great advice and encouragement. Thank you very much, we appreciate your time and effort. Overall, it was a great day and I am already looking forward to next year’s event. Finally, congratulations to Aaliyah B who was selected as a shadow in the Wollongong Diocesan Rep side.

The team consisted of Keesha D, Stevie F, Mia F, Aaliyah B, Lilliana A, Scarlett N, Paige R, Lucy G, Mirae Q, Kiah G, Ava H and Sianna F.

Report written by Lilliana A

Wollongong Diocesan 13 Years Touch Football

It was once again my pleasure to be part of the Wollongong Diocesan Touch Championships as coach of the 13 Years Touch team. The squad consisted of a group of very talented young ladies and they played exceptionally well as a team all day. The girls went through the entire day undefeated except for one game against the eventual champion school in the 13 years division - Corpus Christi. Well done to all girls on the sportsmanship you displayed and the St Pat’s spirit you showed and I look forward to coaching you all again soon.

The team consisted of Gabbi A, Darcy E, Mariah A, Jiselle P, Charlize F, Charlie H, Mackenzie H, Amelia C, Deziah P, Ava B, Ava S, Hannah W and Nyala R.

Report written by Julia Paparo (Ex-student – Class of 2019)

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

After some great racing, the results from the 2021 College Cross Country were as follows.

12 Years Age Champion – Chloe C

13 Years Age Champion – Hannah W

14 Years Age Champion – Siena B

15 Years Age Champion – Mia L

16 Years Age Champion – Amelia P

17+ Years Age Champion – Hannah P

Our Overall Age Champion for 2021 was Hannah P.

A big thank you to all the staff and students who assisted with the running of the two events.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

This achievement was a result of her intensive preparation and participation in two qualification events which culminated with a final State qualification event in the Shoalhaven. Congratulations Vivianne.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

Last term the Junior Book Club students read one of two books: '500 Minutes of Danger' by Jack Heath, and 'Love & Gelato' by Jenna Evans Welch. This term, students were paired and chose a book for each other from the Library's collection. It was wonderful to see students interact with each other and chat about their favourite books and genres, and be so thoughtful about the titles they were choosing for their fellow book club members. 

Junior book club is always happy to include new members. Interested students are encouraged to contact Mrs Robertson in the College Library for more information.

The College Library

In a previous edition of Inside Out, Gabrielle was commended for the publication of her book review of 'Instant Karma' in 'SpineOut', the digital magazine for young adults.

St Patrick's College Library received word this week that Gabrielle's book review has now also been published in the print publication Good Reading Magazine. This magazine is read by thousands of Australians every month, and we are so excited that Gabrielle's excellent book review has found an extended audience. Well done Gabrielle!

The College Library

We will be looking at some ways we can all live more sustainably at home and at school, how we can help the oceans, reduce food waste and improve our environment. It’s important to realise that changing the world won’t happen in a day and you don’t have to do everything at once. But we can all make a few little changes to live more sustainably and help save the planet. To learn more come in to the Library to see our display. We will be adding to it each week during the term. You can also test your knowledge each week in our Sustainability quiz located on the Library home page.

The College Library

The new returns chute is located in the entrance to the Library – it’s big, it’s bright, it’s a large orange cube – you can’t miss it!

The College Library

Why read graphic novels?

Did you know graphic novels have many benefits for literacy. They are one of the best solutions to encourage reluctant and struggling readers into the world of reading, as they are known for being engaging and feature age-appropriate reading materials. They cater for diversity and feature multiple literacies including written language, visuals, body and facial language, spatial layout and symbolic visuals. The more image-based aesthetic of the graphic novel can make it a less intimidating read for reluctant, beginner or English as a second language readers.

A struggling reader will benefit from the image association to help decode the narrative and the lesser amount of written text. The advanced reader will benefit from the complex relationships between composition, layout, panels and the concise writing needed in graphic novels.

The Library has created a resource guide for Graphic novels which includes information for students, teachers and parents.

To find the resource guide go to the Library homepage:

https://library.saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au/

Click on the Your Next Great Read button, then click on the Graphic Novels tab.

The Library has a growing collection of Graphic novels which are available for students to borrow. Come in to the Library and one of the friendly Library staff will help you find one.

The College Library

A reminder that work experience is available to all students in the Senior School. To organise a placement, please contact me at the College.

For those students in Year 10 who are interested in a School Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship as a part of their HSC subject package they need to start getting this organised. Finding a prospective employer can at times be difficult so it is time to start approaching them now.

Year 12 students have received their UAC booklets for university entry next year. I urge students to investigate all entry pathways and entry schemes that are available. Students are able to book in to see me through the Calandy app link that was sent earlier. If parents want to be part of this meeting, I am more than willing to organise a time that suits you.

Please read the attached CAREERS NEWSLETTER for more detailed information.

Damien Williams - Careers Advisor