Last week I attended the presentation by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard titled ‘Not Now, Not Ever’. It coincided with the anniversary of the address she made in Parliament about her experience of misogyny from the Leader of the Opposition. It was inspiring to hear from world leaders that night who referenced her address as one that will go down through history as a strong argument for the respectful treatment of women no matter the role or position they hold in society.

I have found it can be risky to advocate for women. Some believe that if a person advocates for women, it means they hate men. Nothing could be further from the truth. Some believe when one advocates for women, it is a reflection of their sexuality. Nothing could be further from the truth. The advocation of women is the simple desire that women are treated and respected the same as men. It is about all people being treated equally irrespective of gender. I have two sons and two daughters and I believe they should be treated equally as individuals irrespective of their gender.

At St Patrick’s, we nurture the girls to grow their independence and believe in themselves as young people. They have access to lots of different opportunities and witness strong women who make positive contributions to society because of who they are. It is not about having winners and losers in society but about everyone being a winner. Ex-students would say that their education at St Patrick’s gave them the courage to speak in workplaces and voice their opinion because they believed in themselves. This can only be a good thing in our communities.

The first women to model this independence and advocacy were the Sisters of the Good Samaritan at the College. They ran the school, engaged the community, built the College and faced adversity with courage and determination. They were not meek or mild by any stretch of the imagination. They had gumption and this culture has continued through the years. We are grateful for the foundation they have laid. One of our previous Principals, Sr Catherine Slattery sgs, was recently awarded the Brother Kelvin Canavan Award for Educational Leadership. This is a highly prestigious award that recognises her service to education over many years. This would have required her to be fearless and committed for a sustained period of time to Catholic Education. We are very proud of and grateful for the contributions Sr Catherine has made to our College and Good Samaritan Education over time.

Finally, please keep in your prayers our Year 12 girls who are well and truly into their exams and also our Year 10 girls who will be experiencing their first full block of exams beginning next week. Next Monday is the celebration of Diwali. Diwali is the Indian 'Festival of lights' and a significant celebration. We wish all our Indian families a Happy Diwali. I will leave you with a Diwali prayer.

Blessings

Sue Lennox - Principal

May the divine light of Diwali
Shine with peace, prosperity, happiness and 
good health in all our lives.
I pray to God Almighty to shower
the celestial blessings and 
propriety on all alike. 

Some may question what this has to do with Catholicism and see it as a commercialised sugar fest based on paganism. There are in fact many links that can be made between Halloween and our Catholic faith. In 2016, Bishop Peter Ingham wrote a letter about this very topic and conveyed how Halloween can be understood and appreciated as a “Godly” event. Some of the key points he addressed concerned the meaning of the event. Halloween is observed on the "een" or "eve" of All Hallows Day (All Saints Day) on 1 November. The word “hallow” means holy as made clear when it occurs in the Lord's Prayer – "hallowed be thy name" (may God's name be held holy). All Saints Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven. Bishop Ingham explained in his letter that Catholics can celebrate Halloween but they need to ensure that they make connections between what they are doing on Halloween and All Saints Day. He argued that “to celebrate Halloween without connecting it to All Saints Day would be like celebrating Christmas Eve without a Christmas Day”. It is also important to remember All Souls Day as a holy day celebrated on 2 November to remember and pray for all of those who have died.

Some suggestions made by Bishop Ingham, who referenced Father William Bausch, of ways to make these connections include:

• before going out “trick or treating,” gather the family to offer a prayer for deceased members and friends, people of our past who meant something to us and whose influence is still with us
• bring out the family album for the triduum of Halloween, All Saints and All Souls; put it on the coffee table with a little lit candle in front of it. This makes a statement that we all come from a long line of people who loved us and that Halloween is a sacred time as well as a fun time, that we are part of their journey, as they are of ours
• on All Saints Day, possibly around the dinner table, have family members research the saint after whom they are named and tell everyone something about him or her
• bring some of the things you may get by going around tricking or treating to a nursing home or send to the St Vincent de Paul Society

Louise Barry - Religious Studies Coordinator

Essentially, immersion experiences give participants the opportunity to see first hand what life is like for people in other parts of the world. On Wednesday 12 October, Sr Anne Dixon hosted a Zoom link up between the various Good Samaritan Colleges in Australia with the Kinder School in the Philippines, giving our Year 11 girls a direct insight into the daily life of the work done in the Philippines by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.

Teachers and support staff of the Kinder School spoke to Year 11 via Zoom, informing us of the day to day routines the school’s staff and students undertake. It was noted that there is plenty of joy on the faces of both staff and students alike, even though the facilities and resources available to them are nothing like what we have at St Pat’s.

The teachers spoke of the school’s experiences of lockdown and isolation during the time of restrictions due to COVID. Due to many families not being able to afford the technology, many students could not learn from home as we were able to here in Australia. They were indeed isolated. However, there recently has been much joy for the fact that they are slowly returning to face-to-face learning and reconnection with each other and their formal education. Each year on St Benedict’s Day, our Year 7s raise money which is earmarked by the Good Samaritan Foundation to be sent to the Kinder School.

Another initiative established and run by the Good Sam Sisters is the Outreach Centre in Bacolod. The Boulevard in Bacolod is a congested, polluted, and impoverished part of the area where the poorest families live in cramped conditions in houses made from scraps of materials such as cardboard, corrugated iron, and bamboo. On Benedict Day each year, our Year 11s raise money which is earmarked for the Outreach Centre.

During the Q and A session, our Year 11 girls were interested in knowing how we at St Pat’s may be able to offer practical support remotely to the Kinder School. One way we can do this is by sending everyday school supplies such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other stationery. Of course, we can also always offer our prayerful support, especially to the Sisters and staff who continue to do an amazing job at keeping things running smoothly.

The Year 11 cohort is to be praised for the way they entered into the Virtual Immersion experience by being attentive, empathetic, and fully engaged in the whole process. Overall, it was a most valuable encounter between St Pat’s and the Philippines.

For most courses, these examinations will finalise the formal assessment program for the Stage 5 courses that our Year 10 cohort began in 2021 as Year 9 students.

Further information about each task is included in the Year 10 Handbook (https://library.saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au/assessment/year10) and on the formal task notifications. If you are unsure, reach out to your class teacher for guidance.

Apart from NAPLAN in Year 9, this will be students’ first experience of examination block assessments and processes. The exams run for three days during Week 3 from Monday to Wednesday.

Examinations provide an opportunity for students to show what they know. It’s an opportunity to learn about their own skills – what things they are good at and what things they do well. It is also a chance for students to work out what areas they need to work on to improve as they begin the transition to Stage 6 courses - the final chapter of their school journey.

It not uncommon for people to feel anxious about examinations. These feelings may come from not feeling confident about how to prepare effectively for examinations and this exam block is the time to begin to build confidence in examination technique and preparation.

Setting a schedule is important. Exam preparation should involve developing a schedule for the next few weeks that includes studying, exercising, eating and sleeping. Psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg says that productive study is undertaken in 50-minute stints, broken up by 15-minute breaks. This gives the brain and body a rest. He also says that adolescents often underestimate the amount of sleep they need, and that sleep is key to successful study practice. Follow this link to further advice from Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.

A copy of the Year 10 Examination Schedule is available on the Year 10 Assessment web-page https://library.saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au/assessmen... .If you have any questions about your examinations, speak to your class teacher. If you have questions about the examination schedule or the exams generally, don't hesitate to contact me.

All the very best to our Year 10 cohort for their final assessments for the year.

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching

Image Credit: Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash.

NSW Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said the Class of 2022 have worked hard to get to this point and should be proud of their accomplishments.

 “My message to HSC students is to celebrate all that you have already achieved as you approach the finish line of your schooling,” Ms Mitchell said.

 “Too much stress will work against you, so don’t be afraid to reach out if you need support.

 “The HSC might mark the end of your school career but it is only the beginning of the rest of your life.”

For more tips and advice on staying healthy throughout the exam period, visit the Stay Healthy HSC hub.

HSC Fact sheet

(Source: 2022 HSC students overview)

• A total of 75,493 students studying one or more HSC courses in 2022.
• The majority are studying for the HSC at schools in major cities.
• It is compulsory to study an English course for the HSC with 90% of the total cohort are enrolled in at least one of seven English courses.
• 78% of the total cohort are enrolled in at least one HSC Mathematics course.
• 43% of the total cohort are enrolled in at least one HSC Science course.
• 25% of the total cohort are enrolled in at least one HSC Vocational Educational and Training (VET) course.
• Business Studies is the fourth most popular subject. English, Maths and Biology are the first, second and third most popular courses.
• Studies of Religion is the sixth most popular subject.
• Mathematics and Legal Studies are the first and second most popular courses at St Patrick’s College after English and Studies of Religion.
• Japanese is the most popular language.
• Of all females completing HSC exams across the state, Olivia is the most popular name.
• Of all students completing HSC exams at St Patrick’s, Olivia is the most popular name
• 815 sets of twins and 14 sets of triplets are sitting the 2022 examinations.

All the very best for the remaining examinations.

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching

St Patrick’s College did not move to the current site until 1970. Prior to that, the current site known as ‘Westview’ (after the original homestead purchased by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan in 1888) was a primary boarding school for boys known as St John’s Preparatory School. The Sisters conducted the school until 1969 when enrolments declined.

The CAPA building is the oldest existing building on site and was opened on 3 August 1922. It originally contained  the dormitories for the boys, ablutions block, the school chapel (now the drama room), a parlour and a piano room. An extension to the building opened in 1954, which is now the administration area and the H Block. 

The History Club members spent the last two months gathering material from the School Archives and selected items which they felt would tell the story of the boys’ school. They laminated all items and chose the display order. They also reenacted some old photos to show what the area in the photo looks like today.

Recently an ex-St John’s student visited the College who graduated in 1951 and he was very interested in the display and passed on his appreciation to the History Club members.

The History Club will be involved in unveiling a  plaque to commemorate the 100th anniversary in the near future.

Well done History Club members on another fine display.

Fran Musico-Rullo - HSIE Teacher

At the NSWCCC Athletics Championships Hannah, finished 1^st in the 13 years 200m and 2^nd in the 100m and 400m. These results saw Hannah named the 13 years NSWCCC Age Champion. Charlie was also very successful, winning the gold medal in the 13 years high jump.

At the NSW All Schools Championships Hannah achieved a bronze medal in the 100m and 200m. Charlie excelled in this event to jump a new personal best of 1.60m which saw her take home the gold medal as well as the title as the best 13 years high jumper in NSW.

As a result of these outstanding performances, both girls have now qualified as part of the NSW Athletics team that will compete at the Australian All Schools Championships in Adelaide in December. We wish both girls the best of luck.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

The Junior team had a very tough first game against St Mary’s Star of the Sea, who went on to win the tournament. In the next four games the girls were able to dominate and win the rest of their pool games. They came second in their pool and played for 3^rd and 4^th places against John Therry. This final game was a seesawing event, with John Therry taking a slight lead in the first half. In the second half, the St Pat’s Junior team started to settle into their natural game and came back to take the lead in the last minute. With only three seconds to go, St Pat's had the lead by two points. In the girls attempt to stop the last shot from the John Therry team, we unfortunately fouled a player who was shooting. Their shot went in and, due to the foul, John Therry was given one free throw shot. They made this basket and won the game by one point.

The Senior Team dominated the first of their pool games, winning the first four games and losing their final game to Holy Spirit College. This set them up to play off for 3^rd and 4^th places. In the final, they came up against Mt Carmel. The girls took the lead in the first half with solid defence and creative offense. It was only late in the second half that Mt Carmel were able to take a small lead which they held to win the game.

Both teams represented the College with pride and supported each other during a very long and physical competition. Well done girls and we are very proud of you all.

Junior Team:
Petressa A, Olivia L, Isabella K, Mahalia L, Deziah P, Zarah N, Jordana N and Nyala R. 

Senior Team:
Fale'ofa A, Siena B, Jacqueline C, Charlie C, Sianna F, Breanna R, Amelia M, Ilori P, Helen T and Amy Y.

Julian Nash and Paula Nash - Basketball Coaches

Year 10/11 Division 1 Volleyball
Fale’ofa A, Abigail B, Charlie C, Olivia H, Maraneta L, Helen T, Gabrielle V, Megan W, Amy Y and Bronwyn Z. Coach Mrs Nash.

Year 7/8/9 Division 1 Oz Tag
Olivia L, Charlie H, Deziah P, Mariah A, Charlize F, Darcy E, Ella D, Nyala R, Cora W, Miabella M, Kiah G and Scarlett N. Coach Mr Ashkar.

Year 7/8/9 Division 2 Oz Tag
Alanna S, Scarlett D, Olivia J, Trinity B, Sienna T, Amelia K, Abbie H, Sophie P, Hannah W, Amelia C, Ava S and Lily K. Coach Mrs Pereira

Year 7/8/9 Division 1 Softball
Valentina V, Lexi V, Eve F, Mackenzie Q, Latiah B, Isabelle S, Shreya M, Charlize V, Jemma S, Chloe C, Mahlia L, Eliza T, Gabriella V and Ashley Z. Coach Mrs Lawrence.

Year 7/8/9 AFL
Hannah M, Anastasia M, Jordana N, Skyla S, Amelia T, Veniana M, Evie R, Jiselle P, Phoebe H, Angelina C, Lilliana A, Stephanie B, Mererewiti J, Grace O, Annabelle L and Grace F. Coach Mr Baca and Ms Wallin.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

What is Mindfulness?

Headspace (www.headspace.com) defines mindfulness as “the intention to be present in the here and now, fully engaged in whatever is happening, free from distraction or judgement, with a soft and open mind”. 

 What is Meditation?

Meditation is a way of transforming the mind, making it calm and silent.  According to the Australian Teachers of Meditation Association, meditation is a discipline that involves turning the mind and attention inward and focusing on a single thought, image, object or feeling. 

How does meditation and practising mindfulness help you with your schoolwork?

1. Reduces anxiety and risk of depression - By becoming mindful, a person stops judging themselves and those around them and recognises that every situation “is what it is”.  When you stop judging and comparing, you are able to reduce anxiety.
2. Increases resilience -resilience is the ability to experience something bad but to not internalise it and to be able to move on, still gaining benefit even from a negative experience.  Practising mindfulness and meditation quietens the mind and enables acceptance without judgement, which is key for achieving resilience.
3. Improves ability to learn and recall information - research by the University of Miami has shown that practising mindfulness for 12 minutes a day improved attention and memory.
4. Improves concentration -regular practice of meditation may help improve concentration by enabling the brain to focus more accurately and to filter out unwanted or unhelpful messages.
5. Improves creativity - practising mindfulness and meditation has the potential to allow the brain to unlock and unleash creativity.  Creativity is of benefit to all students, not just in terms of artistic talents but also in relation to problem solving.
6. Helps manage exam stress -meditation can help you calm and focus your mind which helps to manage stress related to exams.  This tool can be used in the lead up to exams and also during exams if stress levels begin to rise.
7. Leads to better sleep - getting enough sleep is crucial to ensure students have the mental and physical energy to learn.  However, as academic and social pressures increase, this can lead to students having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.  By reducing anxiety and stress, you can ultimately sleep better and longer.

The Library has a designated wall of Well-Being material. We also have a vast collection of jigsaw puzzles which are a community effort. There is a wall of honour displaying photographs of some of the completed puzzles. There are Yoga mats available for anyone wishing to' Zen Out'. We also have Mindfulness colouring books. Sometimes a chat is all that is needed to reset your headspace. Whatever you need, the library are always available to assist.

The College Library