We have had a busy few weeks since our last edition. Ash Wednesday, Swimming Carnival, Open Day, Year 7 Camp, Year 10 Retreat, Parent Workshops and SRC Induction. Next week, we have Year 5 Workshops, International Women’s Day Breakfast, then the first Middle School Dance and the Emerald Gala Ball. I know all the staff involved in these activities are very active in ensuring all are informative, interesting and very worthwhile for the girls, parents and guests.

Open Day had one of our strongest registrations, with many families coming through to experience the culture and atmosphere at the College. The 200 girls who volunteered to be guides and participants at the displays were exceptional. Parents were very complimentary of the girls and the staff, who were all very accommodating and welcoming. If you have a Year 5 daughter or know of someone who may be considering St Patricks, please ensure you lodge the enrolment application over the next few weeks to avoid disappointment.

We hosted the Year 9 Parent Workshop on 23 February. Feedback from the participants included:

I love the way that all staff are on the same page about lifting the girls up to be strong, grounded and independent young women.

I thought it was very helpful.

I thought it was great.

Almost all those who attended would recommend it to other parents.

We have the Year 7 Parent Workshop on Thursday 30 March and the Year 8 Parent Workshop on Wednesday 17 May. Both start at 9.00am in the Benedict Centre. I warmly invite you to attend.

During the week, you would have received the letter from Paul Colyer, Chair of the St Patrick’s College Board, informing you of my retirement at the end of the year. Coming to the decision to finish at St Patrick’s was a very difficult one to make. Having been at the College for 16 years, I feel very much part of a community that is almost like family. Our girls, our parents and staff, and the wider community of friends have contributed to create a school that is in every sense of the word a Benedictine community. There have been challenges and difficulties over the years, but also great joy and celebration which are all typical of a community that is alive and connected. Leaving is going to be very difficult as the College has been a very large part of my life and, because of that, my life has been enriched and blessed. It is now time for me to make space for some new adventures and opportunities. In leaving, it means that another leader has the privilege to experience this very special place and grow as I have in their leadership and ability to make a positive difference in the lives of the people. I thank you for the many best wishes and I will savour every day to the end of the year.

I will leave you with a short quote from Izaak Walton:

‘God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart’

Blessings
Sue Lennox - Principal

During the liturgy, ashes are placed on each person’s forehead. The ashes symbolise the dust from which God made us. As the ashes are applied, these words can be spoken: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Alternatively, "Repent and believe in the Gospel" can be spoken. In this case, the ashes serve as a reminder of our grief, that we have sinned and caused division from God. We accept the ashes as a visible symbol of penance. Non-Christians are welcome to receive the ashes which are made from blessed palm branches, taken from the previous year's Palm Sunday Mass.

Lent is meant to be a “spiritual battle” for Catholics to assess their relationship with God and find ways to deepen this connection. As the third Lent in a row under the cloud of a pandemic, this is more important now than ever. Restrictions have impacted our routines and rituals and this Lent offers a more optimistic outlook as we head towards Easter. To experience a fruitful and spiritually rewarding Lent, Catholics are encouraged to go to Mass more often, attend confession, participate in Adoration of the Eucharist, pray the Rosary, pray for people in need, and read the Bible.

Each year Pope Francis gives a Lenten message on Ash Wednesday. Some key points from his message this year include:

• "Lent is a time of grace to the extent that we listen to him as he speaks to us. And how does he speak to us? First, in the word of God, which the Church offers us in the liturgy. May that word not fall on deaf ears".
• "Lent leads to Easter: the “retreat” is not an end in itself, but a means of preparing us to experience the Lord’s passion and cross with faith, hope and love, and thus to arrive at the resurrection".
• "While our ordinary commitments compel us to remain in our usual places and our often repetitive and sometimes boring routines,  during Lent we are invited to ascend “a high mountain” in the company of Jesus and to live a particular experience of spiritual discipline – ascesis– as God’s holy people".
• "Lenten penance is a commitment, sustained by grace, to overcoming our lack of faith and our resistance to following Jesus on the way of the cross".

Louise Barry - Religious Studies Coordinator

Year 7 Reflection day was embraced by all year 7 students. There were connective and individual activities that brought us together and helped us to understand what it means to be Catholic and believe in God. We played games that involved teamwork so that we could learn how to work with each other. There were activities that expanded our knowledge on who God is and what He has sacrificed for us. This day really involved everyone and got them to come out of their comfort zones, be more open and connect with others. 

Each year 7 student was put into a small group of people they were not familiar with, to get us to open up and share our opinions. Whether you were of the Christian beliefs or not did not matter. We studied the parable of the Good Samaritan and how this is used in our everyday lives. This really brought us together to learn about our religion and connect as a group.

By Year 7 Students

UPCOMING MISSION EVENTS
9 -10 March - Mission Leaders Conference 
17 March - Whole School St Patrick’s Day Mass at OLHC Rosemeadow. Families and Friends, welcome.
23 - 24 March - Two staff on Good Samaritan Pilgrimage around Sydney
5 April - Whole School Holy Week Liturgy. Families and Friends, welcome.

Joel Duval - Mission Coordinator

All St Patrick’s College students are invited to join CASE Junior Space School (students in Year 7, 8 or 9 in 2024) or CASE Senior Space School (students in Years 10, 11 or 12 in 2024) and visit NASA in the USA!

We are partnering with the California Association for STEAM Education (CASE) and Actura to offer students a unique opportunity to participate in this exceptional STEAM learning experience.

This is a wonderful opportunity for all students to learn beyond the classroom and be inspired by the opportunities that lie ahead!

Space School Information Evening

Thursday 27 April 2023 – via ZOOM
Years 7-8 2023: 6:00pm
Years 9-11 2023: 7:30pm

MORE DETAILS ON HOW TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST LANDING SOON!

https://actura.com.au/case-space-school/

Jessica Thomas - STEM Integrator and Teacher Science Faculty

Students from Business Services chatted with the future students of St Pat's and their parents about their subject and why they enjoy studying this course. The Business Services centre was open for everyone to experience what a real life office environment is like. Visitors were given the opportunity to partake in an actual typing test to display their skills and talents.

The Hospitality girls were invited to wear their new chefs uniforms for the first time. They showcased the skills they have learned over the past few weeks. They enjoyed showing the future St Pat's girls and their parents the excellent facilities available to them as well as preparing, cooking and serving delicious food throughout the day.

Maree Durrington  - VET Coordinator

Student Workshops - Period 4, Monday 20 March 2023 (Year 7 and 8)

In Period 4, Monday 20 March, Year 7 and 8 students will attend Elevate's Study Skills - Kick Start Program. These seminars are facilitated by Elevate Education. Elevate workshops are presented by university students who have recently faced and aced high school themselves. Presenters are energetic, speak the same language as your students, and get them thinking about study skills from a fellow student's perspective.

The kick-start workshop breaks down the transition process from primary to secondary education, introducing students to the fundamental skills that they need to be using over the coming years. 

Skills covered:
Dynamic reading
How to read a text and pull out the key points, not just summarise every sentence.
Note taking
How to get those ideas the students have extracted from their readings into an organised set of notes that will facilitate effective learning.
Conceptual learning skills
Teaching students how to break the information into its relevant parts as opposed to simply rote-learning the material.
Independent learning
What independent learning means and how to get it done.

Each student who attends a study skills seminar will receive access to Elevate’s online student portal. Portal access provides students with a wide range of resources to help them navigate through high school and consolidate the lessons from their seminars.

Parent Workshop - Monday 20 March 5:30 pm St Patrick's College Design Centre

The Parent Workshop aims to empower parents to reinforce study skills at home. Presenters share Elevate's key research, skills, and answers to questions so parents can help their children navigate their early secondary years of school. The Parent seminar covers:
-They key points from the seminars their children have attended
-Strategies for how the skills can be reinforced at home
-Question/answer session

Details about the seminar can be found here – https://au.elevateeducation.com/programs/parent

To register, please complete this sign-up form: https://forms.gle/LEAoGFRbWNtJyRwu8

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching

From 2023, NAPLAN is moving to Term 1 and will take place from Wednesday 15 March to Monday 27 March. The reason for this change is so that results can be returned to schools earlier in the year which will support teachers to understand the learning needs of their students and plan accordingly.

NAPLAN tests are just one part of our school learning assessment program and questions are primarily based on knowledge, understanding and skills gained from the prior year of schooling.

In preparation for NAPLAN 2023, our school will undertake activities to help students to become familiar with the format and functionality of the online tests. These activities are not an assessment of student ability and will not be marked.

Students and parents can access the public demonstration site (https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site) to familiarise themselves with NAPLAN and the types of questions and tools available. Excessive preparation for NAPLAN is not required nor recommended.

The 2023 NAPLAN test window is from the 15 to the 27 March 2023. The dates for testing at St Patrick’s College are as follows:

Week 6: Thursday 9 and Friday 10 March – Practice NAPLAN tests (Locked down browser, audio and laptop testing).

Week 7: Thursday 16 March - NAPLAN Day 1. P2 Yr 9 Writing. P3 Yr7 Writing.

Week 8: Monday 20 March – NAPLAN Day 2: P1 Yr 9 Reading; P2 Yr 7 Reading.

Week 8: Tuesday 21 March – NAPLAN Day 3: P1 Yr 9 Conventions of Language; P2 Yr 7 Conventions of Language.

Week 8: Wednesday 22 March – NAPLAN Day 4: P1 Yr 7 Numeracy; P2 Yr 9 Numeracy.

Student participation

All students in Years 7 and 9 are expected to sit the NAPLAN tests and they must be present at school on the designated testing days. If students do not sit the tests because they were not present at school when the test was administered, then they are withdrawn from class or other school activities to complete the tests within the NAPLAN test window.

If for any reason, parents anticipate the absence of a student, please let the College know as soon as possible (absences@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au) so that alternative arrangements can be organised.

Equipment

For each examination, students must have

• a fully charged laptop computer
• earphones or headphones
• NAPLAN Locked Down Browser installed (Students have been emailed instructions on how to install the NAPLAN Locked Down Browser and the IT team will check in with students next week).

Please contact the College if problems with students having correct equipment are anticipated.

Further information

Student Information sheet

Parent Information sheet

If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact Dr Bourne (dbourne@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au).

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching

Thanks to all of those involved in the latest performances at Ash Wednesday's Liturgy and Open Day. Students give so much of their time and talents to St Pat's and the CAPA team would like to thank you all. 

Elizabeth Samyia - Music Teacher, Ensemble and Choir Director

Our co-curricular groups have been busily preparing for Term 1 events. We thank our Liturgy Band for their beautiful gifts and for leading us in song at our Ash Wednesday Liturgy last week. 

We have the Gala Ball just around the corner where some of our dance and music students will be performing and welcoming guests into the event. We look forward to sharing these performances with our wider community. 

It was great to see some of our long serving co-curricular students recognised on stage at our recent assembly and awarded with their Choir and Band badges.

St Pat’s Ensemble badges were awarded to:
Valentina V
Isabelle S

Choir badges were awarded to:
Sta O
Evie H
Paige G
Skyla S
Laticia M
Lily K
Sarah G
Victoria S
Hannah M
Libby Mc
Maddison E
Emmalyn D
Zarah-Jane A
Diadem A
Hannah L

Congratulations to all the students who received these badges. 

At our recent assembly we also introduced our Year 12 CAPA Council:
Yukiko W -Art/Co-Curricular 
Kaitlyn H -Art
Sarah W -Co-Curricular
Hannah W -Drama
Sophia S-Music
Charley L -Music
Eden G -Dance
Jeanne-Lee R -Drama

Thank you to our Year 12 girls for their work in serving the College and supporting CAPA events and initiatives. 

Open Day was a huge success for our CAPA team. What a pleasure it was to showcase our talented students and impressive learning spaces. Thanks to all involved. 

With assessments in progress, the music tutor program in full swing, various rehearsals throughout the week (including Musical rehearsals) and the preparation for upcoming events such as the St Patrick’s Day Mass and assembly, we just want to say a huge thank you to our teachers and students for serving the College with your gifts. Your efforts are greatly appreciated! 

Catherine McLaren - CAPA Coordinator

The College swimming carnival continues to be an inclusive and community focused event that provides the opportunity for every student to be engaged and participate, regardless of skill and ability. It is no wonder why it is such a popular event with students and staff alike.

While the event has a very ‘social’ and ‘fun’ feel to it, the level of competition in the pool was extremely high and it never ceases to amaze me, the wealth of talent that is unveiled each year.

Our top performing students (Age Champions) on the day were:
12 Years – Ava M (Gilmore)
13 Years – Chloe P (Lyons)
14 Years - Alexandra N (Chisholm)
15 Years – Olivia K (Kenny)
16 Years – Caitlin R (Lyons)
17+ Years – Ava H (Gilmore)
Overall Age Champion – Alexandra N (Chisholm)

The 2023 aquathon was hotly contested with sisters Emma and Caitlin R going head-to-head in a titanic tussle. In the end, younger sister Emma finished in 1^st place with older sister Caitlin finishing in 2^nd place and Chloe F of Year 7 finishing in 3^rd place. Congratulations to all girls that took part in the event.

As much as I hate to say it, Lyons house absolutely dominate the swimming carnival this year and nearly doubled the points of their closest rivals. This dominant performance should sound the alarm bells for Gilmore, Chisholm and Kenny who will need to lift their game to avoid another dominant performance from Lyons in 2024.

A massive thank you to all staff, student and spectators for your involvement and engagement throughout the day.

Scott Ashcroft - Sport and Activities Coordinator

Year 7/8/9 Indoor Cricket
Lily S, Isabella F, Jasmin S, Adele L, Ava S, Hannah W, Hannah M, Eliza T, Amelia C and Abbie H.
Coach Mrs Lawrence.

Year 7/8/9 Volleyball
Isabella K, Olivia L, Mahlia L, Valentina S and Patressa A, Yui N, Fiona S, Jemma S, Sanjana V and
Vivianne M. Coach Ms Cornett.

Year 10/11/12 Oz Tag Division 1
Amelia P, Sophie A, Keesha D, Eden G, Olivia H, Mirae Q, Mia F, Ava H, Scarlet N, Dakoda L, Eva La, Charlie C, Grace G, Abbie D and Mia L. Coach Mr Baca.

Year 10/11/12 Basketball
Amelia M, Helen T, Ilori P, Jacqueline C, Siena B, Hannah Y, Alana C, Zarah N and Jordana N.
Coach Mr Nash

Scott Ashcroft - Sport and Activities Coordinator

The team consisted of Maryia D (Year 8), Ashley S (Year 8), Victoria S (Year 8) and Lillyana M (Year 9).

Unfortunately the girls went down in the opening round to a very strong Holy Spirit team who went on to play in the final against eventual tournament winners St Mary’s.

This then placed the girls into the repechage draw where they were narrowly defeated by St Johns Nowra.

Our tennis team is still only very young and performed exceptionally well considering the level of competition.

A big thank you to Mr White who managed the team on the day and did a fantastic job.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

There was an overwhelming interest from students, in participating in the Premier's Reading Challenge this year. On Thursday 23 February, students met in the library for a welcome and to receive their welcome packs. 

The girls will soon receive an email with their personal login. This will enable each participant to peruse the Challenge website and enter their reading log electronically. In the meantime, each participant has been given a paper log to keep track of their reading.

Check out the 2023 Premier’s Reading Challenge guide on the College Library page. This includes the rules of the challenge, important dates, and all of the relevant challenge booklists.

The College Library

Some students can find it difficult to be motivated for school.

Having a core reason, identifying your WHY, can help transform not only a person’s individual motivation, but also that of a school or workplace.

Often we are caught up in what we need to do and how we need to do it. Both what and how questions are important. However, to discover your purpose, your belief, your inner motivation you need to ask “Why is this important”?

When you discover your WHY; that is your reasons for why school or a subject is important - those answers increase your inner motivation and drive. So rather than waking in the morning and dread going to school, you wake in the morning and remind yourself why this is important to you and your learning.

Once you have your WHY (your reason), you can set small goals using the WOOP method.

The usual loan period for borrowing library books for recreational reading is 3 weeks, textbook loan periods vary from subject to subject, and the Library HSC collection has a 3 day loan period. Students receive notifications to alert them as to when books are due for return, and when books are overdue.

Every Friday – ‘due date is pending’ notifications emailed to students
Every Monday – overdue notifications emailed to students

Once or twice a term, we also provide students with hardcopy slips listing very overdue books that are about to be charged to school accounts. Fiction books need to be replaced in a timely manner to ensure the collection remains relevant, however textbooks need to be replaced more urgently – it is vital we have the correct quantity of textbooks to loan out to the next class / cohort studying the text.

Students can view their current library loans via Destiny Discover. Once logged in, choose My Stuff and then Checkouts to view all books currently on loan, and the dates for return.

As always, Library staff are happy to answer any questions or concerns students may have regarding their loans.

The College Library

During Week 4, students in Years 7-11 were invited to express their interest in becoming Student Library Assistants. Successful candidates in Years 7-9 will be Junior Student Library Assistants, and students in Years 10–11 had the opportunity to request to be either an Assistant Leader or an Assistant Supervisor. Responsibilities will include circulation, shelving, library promotions and assisting with activities and events, among others. 

We look forward to sharing more about our successful candidates throughout the year.

The College Library

Clubs are a great way for students to meet new friends and spend time with like-minded peers.

The Library is running the following clubs during lunch. Students just need to turn up to the club on the day and bring their lunch.

Board Games & Chess – every Thursday during Lunch in the Library
Movie Club – every Friday during Lunch in the Library
K-Pop Club – Day 5 (Friday) during Lunch in room D24
Anime Club – Day 10 (Friday) during Lunch in room D24

The Library will also be conducting specially themed Makerspace sessions once a term, with details provided in the Daily Notices. Keep an eye out for our Easter-themed Makerspace session towards the end of Term 1.

The College Library

Major Event Partner - Walker Corporation for more information about Walker Corporation, please click here

Silver Partner - Campbelltown Catholic Club and Cowyn Building Group

Bronze Partners - Alleanza Architecture, Catholic Development Fund, Macarthur Engineering, Macarthur United Real Estate, Marsdens Law Group, TRN Group, Wakeling Automotive.

DATE - Thursday 9 March 2023

Hear from our guest speakers, College Alumni Esther Adeyinka and Monique Keogh.

TIME - 7.00am - 8.15am
BOOK - Please reserve your place by Sunday 5 March 2023

Date - Friday 10 March 2023
Time - 6.00pm-9.00pm
Dress Code - Smart Casual
Cost - $10 per student

Tickets available from - https://www.trybooking.com/CGKNI

Susan Sciffer - Community Engagement Coordinator

DATE - Wednesday 15 March 2023
TIME - 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start
BOOK - Please reserve your place by Sunday 5 March 2023

Providing a wonderful opportunity for new parents to get together in a social setting to get to know each other, meet some of the teachers and hear information relevant to their child's school year.
A two course sit down dinner will be served.

Susan Sciffer - Community Engagement Coordinator

This year we have added a fresh new colour burst section to the course but don’t worry, you can detour around it if you want to try beat your personal best. There will also be some health and wellness stalls this year – chiropractor, massages and more.

Online entries are now open via Council’s website at a cost of $18 per entry. Cashless late registrations will also be available on the morning of the event between 6.30am -7.30am at a cost of $28.

Online Entries close Wednesday 8 March.

For more details including how to register, head on over to our website: Campbelltown Challenge Walk 2022 - Campbelltown City Council (nsw.gov.au)

Spread the word, we would love to see you there!

Campbelltown Council Events Team

P: 02 4645 4926
E: events@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au

W: www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au

The following is an article about Phyllis taken from The Flame in 2018:

During 1934, Phyllis Baxter entered the gates of St Patrick’s Convent (later changed to St Patrick’s College) aged nine. Her sister was twelve months older and also attended. They were both boarders and from Appin, a quaint country village very different to what it looks like today.

“My parents owned a General Store in Appin. We were quite fortunate that they wanted us to have a good education. The choice was either going to school all the way in Liverpool, but it meant we would be leaving at 7am in the morning and returning at 7pm at night. Mum wasn’t keen on that, so they thought St Patrick’s would be best.”

Even though Phyllis was part of the Church of England Congregation, she acknowledged how inclusive and welcoming the nuns were, despite the Sisters of the Good Samaritan being Catholic. She was never made to attend the Chapel or Church throughout the week, however, Sunday Mass was compulsory. Phyllis struggled a little with the idea of being a boarder, whilst her sister thrived in the all-girls environment and being there every day.

“I missed home terribly. We were lucky though that we had the good fortune of having mum and dad pick us up every weekend to take us back home and be with them, as you were only allowed visitors every second weekend - this would have been hard for those with families living far away. Sometimes if mum and dad couldn’t take us home, they would always pick us up and spend the day together having a picnic. Dad and Mum even invited the nuns to come along sometimes too - it was a real treat for them. What I remember well and sometimes thought it was odd that the nuns were never allowed to eat in front of us, even in the Convent, they had their very own dining space. I never really knew why!”

Phyllis and the friends she made did have many great times during their time at St Patrick’s as boarders. There was a basketball court and tennis was always a popular activity. An educator in Physical Culture by the name of Grahame Burrows would travel from Sydney every fortnight to teach the girls all about physical education culture.

Music was something of importance back then, there were pianos everywhere and it was important to learn an instrument.

“There were pianos every where - Mother Veronica, the Superior (head nun) always said, she could tell if one piano wasn’t being played. I learnt the violin and we practised in the wash room (the bathroom) because the older you were in age, the earlier you had to get up to practice your music lessons, however, it was recommended we do this in the wash room to not wake up the little ones."

The Convent was run by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. They had a real passion and enthusiasm for girls being educated and did what they could to make a difference. As at most convents and schools, some nuns were much nicer than others recalls Phyllis.

“Mother Veronica was the Head of the Convent and our music teacher. She was very passionate about music. There were a few nuns that were cranky, strict and didn’t like the idea of making activities or study fun. Sister Filomena was truly lovely and the best Sister was probably Sister Feica - she taught the younger ones, she was warm and always out for a bit of fun and a laugh. The nuns lived in very little rooms, they were modest of course and they were known as ‘cells’ and Mother Veronica’s room was always known as ‘The Parlour.’
Our Dormitory was upstairs and as we got older, we always had more study before bedtime. There was only one wash room (the bathroom) in the entire Dormitory, which meant we only showered once a week. Later on in the years, they built another wash room for the seniors. Warming the cold wash rooms was always difficult, but we would collect pine cones off the pine trees and use them for the heating. We had a day-time uniform that was a three-boxed pleat tunic with a long sleeve navy blue blouse and on Sundays we wore a different kind of tunic and the blouse had a white collar.'

Some time in 1939, Phyllis travelled to Camden at aged 14 to complete her Intermediate Certificate. After this, she would catch a train to Sydney, working at an advertising firm, returning home usually at 7pm. As War World II broke out, the advertising firm was liquidated and Phyllis returned home to work at her parent’s General Store in Appin. There were lots of soldiers and camps at this time and this kept her busy until she turned 18 and was ready to work in Sydney again, this time at the Post Office.

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher