This week we hosted the graduation ceremonies for Year 12. It was such a delight to be able to follow our previously normal routine of significant ceremonies without the added burden and stress of government regulations or the pandemic. It was a wonderful send off to an exceptional year group. We wish them the best in their exams and a bright future as they leave the College. Below are the award recipients for the cohort. 

Waratah Award for Rugby League -MADISON M

Ampol Best All Rounder Award – TARA G

Lions Club Community Service Award - CHARLOTTE F

Reuben F Scarf Award - SANDRINE M

ADF Youth Leadership and Teamwork Award - MADISON M

ADF Future Innovators Award - GRACE K

Most Outstanding Academic Achievement Award - GRACE K

The College Spirit Award - OLIVIA L

The Prize of Honour - GRACE K

The Principal’s Award -  TAVARA S

Congratulations to all girls in the class of 2022!

As we make our way to the end of the year, we have some staff who will be leaving to take up positions at other schools.

We sadly will say farewell to Ms Kate Lefever, Science Coordinator, who has been at the College for nine years. She has had a significant impact on the growth and improvement in science since taking on the role at St Patrick's College. We will also say farewell to Mr Josh Combes from St Patrick’s. Mr Combes has been at the College for seven years and has led the CAPA faculty in achieving its most prestigious results during that time. Both of these highly capable and professional leaders will be missed but we wish them well and know they will continue to nurture success and improvement in their new communities.

Next term, we have a new Community Engagement Coordinator, Susan Sciffer, starting at the College. Susan has extensive experience in Community Engagement and is also an ex-student who will be a wonderful asset to the College. I am confident you will begin to see her posting some of the wonderful things that are happening at the College from the beginning of the new term. In welcoming Susan to the role, I would like to acknowledge the new executive of the Alumni. They have made a splash into their new roles by hosting a breakfast for the Year 12 girls and presenting at their graduation dinner. I am aware that we have a number of alumni as parents in our community and I encourage you to make contact with Monique Keogh or Erin de Rooy if you would like to get involved in some way with the College. Your contributions will be very much appreciated.

As we go to the break, I wish you some time where you will find peace and restoration.  I leave you with a brief reflection on the holiday break.

Blessings

Sue Lennox - Principal

Loving Lord,
we pray that during this holiday,
we will enjoy both spiritual and physical renewal,
and find rejuvenating rest for our mind and spirit
as well as enjoy relaxation
and respite for our bodies as well.
Thank You, Father,
in Jesus' name,
Amen

Since Year 7, these students have been undertaking Religious Studies from a Catholic perspective but with an attitude towards embracing interfaith dialogue. They began their journey learning what it means to be Catholic, which for several was something quite new to them given our increasingly secular society. The students were exposed to the Parable of the Good Samaritan for the first time on their Reflection Day and they began to ponder what “loving your neighbour” means. Their visit to the Buddhist Nan Tien Temple was invaluable in their examination of spirituality in different cultures.

In Years 8 and 9 they delved deeper into the topics of Christian Living, Church History and Religious Truth. Many opportunities for spiritual growth were offered in terms of prayer, liturgy and reflection days. Once Senior School years commenced in Year 10, the key topics included Gospel studies, Church History and Moral Decision Making. Connections have been made between their learning in other KLAs and the Benedictine Values.

During Years 11 and 12, all students at St Patrick’s undertake Studies of Religion. In addition to Christianity, our students examine the religious traditions of Islam and Judaism (if completing the 2 Unit course). It is through this study that our students truly come to understand their “neighbour”. We feel that this best prepares St Patrick’s students for their place in a multicultural and multifaith society. Mosque and Synagogue tours open opportunities for dialogue and increased understanding rather than being deceived by common misconceptions and fear. It is hoped that the barriers to dialogue and understanding come down and commonalities become apparent. 

Louise Barry - Religious Studies Coordinator

Our St Patrick’s community was honoured and blessed to have had the Most Reverend Brian Mascord, Bishop of Wollongong, as the principal celebrant of the Mass. We were also blessed with the presence of Fr Feleki, Assistant Priest at St John the Evangelist Parish Campbelltown, who concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Brian.

During his homily, Bishop Brian emphasised that we all possess God-given giftedness. He also spoke about the work of the Holy Spirit in leading us to know our gifts and how to share them with the world. This related to the gospel reading used in our Mass of Thanksgiving for the Graduating Class of 2022. “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14-16) , the gospel proclaims, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Later in the Mass, Grace K, College Vice Captain as Benedict Leader, offered her reflections on the Scripture readings. In reference to the gospel reading, Grace commented that, “Though I may often underestimate the impact I can have on the world, I can confidently say that, when I share my gifts with others, I am changing the world. As mentioned in today’s gospel reading, after lighting a lamp, you put it on a lampstand and it will light the whole house.”

During the Mass, the Year 12 Class of 2022 also recited a Life Pledge, part of which states that “life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I hold for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” The Year 12 Graduating Class of 2022 certainly is brim with giftedness and they display a willingness and a joy in wanting to use their gifts in the service of others.

Angelo Gattone - Mission Coordinator

Year 12 2022 are a particularly talented cohort that put together a very special assembly for the College community to enjoy. They shared their favourite memories of their six years through dramatic, humorous skits, a wonderfully edited video reflection put together by Olivia L and Hayley N, and an encore 'Flashlight' performance by the Year 12 winners of the 2022 Talent Quest. The Year 12 students were very appreciative of their time at St Pat's and had gifts prepared for their teachers, faculties, Pastoral Advisors and the College community. 

This was concluded by a wonderful send-off by the younger grades with a Guard of Honour as they exited the Mary Sheil Centre and journeyed towards St Patrick's gates for their last official school day. 

Thank you Year 12 for a wonderful celebration of your time at St Patrick's. We thank you for your contribution over the last six years and will miss you. 

Continue to work hard and good luck in your HSC examinations. 

Tarna Tannous - Year 12 Coordinator

It was lovely to see all of the Year 12 families come together to enjoy the evening with their daughters celebrating the large milestone that they have achieved. 

During the dinner, it was lovely to see the students presented with their Graduation Certificates, Academic Achievement Awards and Gold Principal Awards. Students who received large awards were able to share this moment intimately with their parents/carers. A special moment was watching as the parents/carers were invited to share a special wish that they had for their daughter's future.

Congratulations to our graduating Year 12 class of 2022. We are all very proud of what you have achieved and the kind, thoughtful young women you have become. 

Tarna Tannous - Year 12 Coordinator

After an explanation of aerodynamics and the background of indoor skydiving, we got suited up in a jumpsuit, received goggles, earbuds and a helmet and we were taught how to position ourselves in flight. In the flying tube, we had to spread our arms and legs and keep our heads up to stay afloat. The more surface area we had the better we floated, some of us even did the high flight which was approximately 13 metres.

Georgina V - Year 9 Student

We have had the opportunity to taste test different foods items that have hit the supermarket shelves recently and evaluated the products with sensory testing of our own. Part of our work has included a case study of Arnott’s. The assessment task the girls completed invited them to design a new biscuit line extension concept for Arnott’s. The girls did an exceptional job planning, evaluating, collaborating and creating, working over two practical lessons to produce their biscuit and present it in their re-branded packaging.

Some of the exciting new flavours created and sampled by the classes:

Cosmic Brownie Tim Tam
Caramel and white chocolate Wagon Wheel
Coconut Monte Carlo
Matcha Green Tee-Vee Snacks
Peppermint Crisp Tim Tam
Rocky Road Tim Tam
Mars Bar Shortbread cream

Congratulations to all the wonderful Year 9 students for their efforts and planning for their projects. You should all be very proud of your efforts. 

Alicia Pollicina - TAS Teacher

The students utilised CAD software from the Adobe Suite and laser cut their designs to produce small-scaled prototypes and their final lantern design. The girls are looking forward to finding a special place to display their work at home. 

Tanya Robertson - TAS Teacher

Charlotte D and Georgia D looked at the causes and consequences of the fall of the Romanovs and reflected:

 ‘We became involved with the National History Challenge as we wanted something that would expand our knowledge. This year's topic was Causes and Consequences. We first heard of the Romanov story in our History Elective class, and were drawn into the consequences that this event had on Russia. We could not believe that the remains of a family took more than a century to uncover and could have such an impact on a country and the entire world, so we decided to investigate further. 

The National History Challenge is a research based competition for students across Australia, with a different theme each year. Students have the choice of researching any topic providing it falls under the theme. Prizes are handed out for best in the grade across state and national levels, along with special categories which include winners across the state and country.

This competition taught us how to seek out important information and determine how important primary sources can be in an investigation. It also opened our eyes to how brutal the past century has been for Russia, especially from the 74 years that the USSR lasted for.’

Kaitlyn A and Laiba F focused their research on the local 1816 Appin Massacre. The students interviewed Sr Kerry Macdermott OLN and Mandy Edwards earlier in the year to assist them in this project. The girls reflected:

We entered the National History Competition because it was a new experience and we wanted to learn more in-depth about our Aboriginal history. The topic for this year was causes and consequences, so we chose to do the Appin Massacre. The Appin Massacre (1816) was the first government-sanctioned massacre of First Nations people (the Dharawal) in Australia. We chose this topic because our school is on Dharawal Land and is located not far from the massacre site. This event has clear causes, and its consequences are still felt by our local community. 

This competition showed us the importance of teamwork and finding the right sources and knowing when and where to put information. It also taught us that you are not going to find answers from just one search; it may take a couple of searches, and even rewording the question might give you a more relevant answer. After doing this competition, we feel that we can easily find the right information.’

We wish the students well in the competition!

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher

While it was a mixed day for our Year 7/8 and Year 9/10 teams, our Year 11/12 team excelled and came within a single point of making the grand final play off game which would have given them the opportunity to be named the best senior netball team in NSW. Unfortunately, the ball didn’t roll our way and the girls finished in 3^rd place overall. Still an amazing achievement and a great way to send off our long serving Year 12 netballers.

Congratulations and thank you to all the students and staff who were involved in the event and I look forward to our teams being back bigger, better and stronger next year.

The students who represented the College at the NSWCCC Netball Championships were:

Year 7/8 Team
Isabella K, Lily W, Olivia J, Sophie P, Matilda G, Chloe C, Adele L, Deziah P, Olivia L, Mahlia L and Alannah S. Coach Olivia Joachim.

Year 9/10 Team
Nyala R, Mirae Q, Lexi V, Hannah Y, Breanna R, Charlie C, Mackenzie Q, Keesha D and Lofia A. Coach Miss Brown.

Year 11/12 Team
Katarina S, Ilori P, Lucy G, Madison M, Lucy O, Annalise D, Olivia Z, Charlotte F, Amy Y, Helen T and Krisa K. Coach Mrs Peirera.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

Katarina recently completed at the NSW All Schools Netball Championships as part of the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges team. Kat had an amazing tournament and played every quarter of each game. So impressive were Kat’s performances, she was selected in the NSW All Schools Open Merit Team. This is an outstanding achievement and confirms Kat as one of the best 10 netball players in NSW. Congratulations Katarina.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

The Year 12 cohort were invited to a morning tea hosted by the Library Team last week, to wish them a fond farewell as they round out their journey at St Pat's. It was a chance to come together and let Year 12 know the College Library supports them on the eve of, and during, their HSC examinations.

We wish Year 12 the very best of luck not only for the weeks ahead, but for their furture endeavours in 2023 and beyond. It has been wonderful watching them grow over the years to become the lovely young women they are today, and we've loved the opportunity to provide both academic assistance and the occassional check-in chat during their study periods in the Library.  We know they will do themselves, their families and St Pat's very proud.

Lisa Robertson - College Library

Even if you are stuck at home, you can still enjoy that holiday feeling by taking a virtual tour. Choose your destination - from the tropical islands of Bora Bora to the magnificent Niagara Falls, beautiful Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia to the city of Paris, there are many destinations to discover. Will you be like Mrs Robertson, virtually walking the streets of Copenhagen? Or virtually roaming amongst the ruins of the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu like Mrs Harradine?

In our DIY craft and activities tab you will find out how to make your own stickers, keychains, scrunchies and much more. If you are making a gift for a friend, you can also learn how to make your own gift bag. Perhaps you dream of creating your own video game? If so, there is a great article explaining everything you need to know about video game script writing.

There's sure to be plenty of time for a movie or two during the holidays and we have a great selection of movies that you can watch again and again, all you need to do is BYO popcorn!

You will also find a selection of podcasts to enjoy, instructions for accessing our two eBook and audiobook platforms, some fantastic meditation and wellbeing resources and some colouring sheets which you can print at home.

Thank you to the students who helped us put this guide together - Annabel J and Sophia S.

We hope you enjoy the activities in the School Holiday Fun guide and have a relaxing break.

The College Library