Welcome to Term 2 2023. This week we hosted our AGM. As an independent college which operates as a company, we are required to have an AGM to report to the Company Members on the operations of the previous year. My thanks go to our Directors and our Company Members who continue to show great loyalty and support for the College and the difference it makes to the lives of all in our community. We were able to showcase some of the abundant student talent we have at the College in an assembly on the day and had a very constructive and informative meeting discussing the 2022 year.

Over the course of the week, you will receive an overview of the results of the AIS Perspectives survey that was conducted in September 2022. Overall, the results were very strong, showing a positive College culture and community that is working together for the good of the girls. As in all surveys, there are areas of strengths and areas that have been highlighted that we will continue to develop over this year. For many of these, we have made some headway and we will continue to work on improving our processes and opportunities for you and the girls. Thank you again for your contribution to the survey. The parent responses were very strong and very affirming of the staff and the College.

This week we had photo day. This is always a very important day for the girls and invariably there is preparation prior to them having their photo taken. This year, the photographers only took individual photos and will digitally bring them together to recreate the full class and even year group images for our records. In the past, photo day often brought some difficult conversations with girls as teachers debate the evidence of thick makeup, eyeliner etc that look far from natural. One year, I even had a conversation with an interstate father debating whether his daughter’s exceedingly long lashes were in fact natural or fake. The irony of the whole experience is that the artificial adornments and touch-ups detract from the natural beauty of the girls.

It is concerning that for many girls they feel they are not good enough. If they watch the clips on Facebook and the images on Instagram and Tiktok, they are constantly told they are not good enough. They are bombarded with messages on how to improve their complexion, how to improve their eyes, how to improve their lips, how to reduce this or increase that. Multimillion dollar industries have profited on making our girls feel they are not good enough. Yet, you as their parents and our staff know they are more than good enough. How do we get that message across?

During the break I listened to a Madonna King podcast on Raising Girls. She made some very good points. Boys are rarely told they look handsome or affirmed for their physical presentation but will be affirmed for the job they did or the skill they acquired. Girls on the other hand are more regularly affirmed for their beauty or their physical presentation and not so much for their completion of a difficult task or the competency of a skill. Her suggestion is not to affirm girls purely on their beauty or presentation but on intellect and capabilities.

I have seen ample evidence of girls being good enough across just one term here at the College. Our Year 10 competitors in the J.A Thompson History Debate were good enough when they won the state championship, Abigail was good enough to be the state runner up in the Catholic Schools Public Speaking Competition, Caitlin was good enough when she gave the student address at the recent Anzac Day ceremony in Campbelltown, all of our MISA grand finalists last term, Charlie and Vivienne who won awards at the Rotary Youth Excellence Awards this week, and every girl who worked hard and improved on her results over Term 1. Our girls, your daughters, ARE good enough and we need to constantly reassert that message to them so they have permission to be confident with the gifts and the talents that they have.

I will leave you with a short poem on Beauty Tips from Audrey Hepburn.

Blessings,

Sue Lennox - College Principal

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anybody.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows.
And the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.

Author: Audrey Hepburn

Catholics hold Mary in a unique place as Mother of God and Mother of the Church. Throughout the ages, more poems, hymns, statues, icons and paintings have been produced of Mary than any other woman in human history. Parishes and families often celebrate with special pilgrimages, devotions, or placing a crown on a statue of Mary, traditionally called a “May Crowning”.

May devotions to Mary began in the 13th century, but there is little information to know how it was celebrated. In its present form, the practice of May devotions to Mary originated within the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in the 18th century under Father Latomia of their Roman College. Shortly afterwards, devotions were adopted at the Jesuit’s mother church in Rome, the Church of the Gesù, and then began to spread throughout other area churches to the entire globe.

One reason the devotion has come to extend over the entire month is the abundance of Marian feast days in May: Mary Queen of Apostles (Saturday before Pentecost – 14 May this year), Our Lady of Fatima (13 May), Mary Help of Christians (24 May), and the Visitation (31 May).

Louise Barry - Religious Studies Coordinator

The Rosary is a meditative prayer that can transform hearts and change lives. The Rosary is our prayer to God. Through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, it can offer us peace of mind. As we meditate on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, be it the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, or Luminous mysteries, we reflect on Scripture and enter key moments of the life of Jesus Christ. The closer we dwell on the love of God for us, the more our own faith, hope, love for, and trust in God increases.

We need to remind ourselves, however, that praying the Rosary need not be limited to those occasions when we are facing challenges and difficulties in our journey of faith. It truly is a beautiful, daily encounter with the Lord.

All of us need to step back to retreat from the busyness and distractions of our day, switch off the phone, and social media, and quiet our minds. Take a moment each day this month to pray the Rosary. Offer it for a friend or family member, for peace of mind, for peace in the world.

Praying the Rosary allows us to encounter Mary and to enter the mysteries of Jesus Christ. From his Incarnation, to the Cross, to the Resurrection, we come to understand that God has revealed himself and saved us. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, continue to inspire us to a life of discipleship.

Here is a link on how to prayer The Rosary

Joel Duval - Mission Coordinator

The Year 9 Camp is designed to be a complete outdoor education experience run by an external company OEG, where students are completely immersed in the outdoor environment at Bileola in the Southern Highlands for three days. While not as luxurious as the Year 8 Camp, the camp focuses on presenting challenges in a different environment, where students and teachers can appreciate their connection to the outdoors and the beauty of our natural environment. Whilst at camp, the students learn to develop resilience and skills in teamwork. New connections with peers are fostered as their small groups navigate a variety of fun and challenging activities.

Although students were a little apprehensive to begin with we left St Patrick's with nervous excitement in the air. We arrived to perfect weather in the Southern Highlands where students met their Group Leaders and learned to effectively pack their belongings into their hiking packs. The students then hiked to the destination of their first activity and then to their campsite or cabin for the night. Students learned about building a campsite and camp cooking and worked together to prepare and cook all of their meals. This was a highlight for many as were the marshmallows around the campfire at night time whilst appreciating the constellations in the clear night sky. 

On day two, students woke to cold air and as the sun became warmer, they packed up their belongings into their packs and embarked on a day of hiking, resting and eating amongst the other fun activities organised for them such as abseiling, canoeing, mountain biking, and using the flying fox, as well as learning skills of raft building with the joyous moment of testing them in the river. By the end of the day, the students prepared their group meals, enjoyed stories by the campfire and slept in their tents or cabins exhausted from a big day. 

Day three brought with it the enthusiasm of the home stretch. A final activity and an adventurous hike, or for some, a part bike ride out of Biloela. Groups stopped for a traditional shared OEG ‘bucket lunch’ on the way to the staging area where all of the groups would reconvene with relief and excitement and our buses would eventually be waiting. 

The Year 9 camp experience was definitely an outdoor adventure that presented numerous ‘firsts’ for our students. In addition to being in a foreign environment, way out in the bush, navigating challenges such as no running water or comfortable beds, tables, chairs and phone service encouraged us all to return with a growing appreciation for the comforts we have and take for granted back home. 

I would like to thank our Year 9 Pastoral Team Mr Ashcroft, Mrs Samyia, Mr Quigley, Mrs Dadd, Mr Robson and camp associates Miss Young and Mrs Wilson who volunteered their time to allow our Year 9 students to experience this wonderful opportunity. 

Tarna Tannous - Year 9 Coordinator

Year 9 Camp Student Reflection by Rebecca M

"Year 9 Camp was a memorable experience, to say the least. I think for a lot of us, we went into camp fearing the worst and to be fair, we had reasonable cause for our hesitancy, however, I do believe for the most part, everyone enjoyed themselves. Do I dare say we all even had fun? For me, personally, this camp most definitely put me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow as a person; for that, I am extremely appreciative. I tried new things, built stronger friendships and laughed a lot! I mean a lot! I would like to thank all those involved in the organization process and all those in attendance, staff and students alike and I strongly urge all younger years to go to Year 9 Camp when the opportunity arises. You most definitely will not forget it!"

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.

The Stage 6 Course Application Process begins in Term 2 Week 3 for Year 10 students. Students, parents and carers are offered subject specific information in preparation for the Stage 6 Course Application Process:

1. Term 2 Week 3 – Subject Selection Launch - Students are issued with their course selection booklet and the course selection process is presented.
2. Term 2 Week 3 - Course selection talks by our Subject Coordinators provide opportunities for students to attend information sessions and speak with teachers about course selection.
3. Term 2 Weeks 4-5 - 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 and this information is used to form the 2024 Year 11 lines.
4. Term 2 Week 7 - 2024 Year 11 Course Information Evening for students, parents, and carers (Monday 5 June; 6:30pm. MSC). 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. Term 2 Weeks 9-10 - 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. Term 3 - Students receive a confirmation of acceptance and the official notification of courses they have been placed into for their 2024 Year 11 Preliminary courses.

The choice of subjects for Years 11 and 12 can seem quite daunting to many students. Some know exactly where their lives are headed and others have a vague idea. Term 2 continues the Year 10 Careers program where post-school options are discussed and students are orientated to the subject selection process.

Further information will be available in the coming weeks.

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching

Students were guided throughout the Museum by guides who are mostly children of Holocaust survivors. Guides explained the exhibits, students were particularly confronted by artefacts from the concentration camps, including a blanket made of human hair which Olga Horak wore when liberated from Bergen Belsen. Students saw authentic striped uniforms worn in the camps, as well as, the yellow stars of David Jews were forced to wear on their clothing. Also, students were particularly saddened by the Children's Memorial.

The highlight of the day was listening to the talks given by Holocaust survivors. One group listened to John Grushka, who was originally from Czechoslovakia. His parents sent him to relatives in England before the Nazi occupation which saved his life. John recalled having to travel through Nazi Germany and being tormented by the Nazi's. His mother stayed behind in Czechslovakia to look after her elderly mother and was rounded up and perished in Auschwitz. Other students listened to Hungarian child survivor, Andrew Rosenberg. He shared his family story, his time in a orphanage during the war and his mother's experience in Ravensbruck camp.

A group of students and I were fortunate by chance to come across Holocaust survivor, Jack Meister, who was walking around the Museum. Jack is a survivor of  Auschwitz and Buchenwald camps. Despite all the adversity of his life, he had a beaming smile and spoke beautifully to the girls. He recalled the photo taken of him when the Americans liberated Buchenwald and the chocolate the Americans had given him. 

One student, Simra B, reflected ' The Jewish Museum was a once in a lifetime experience, it gave us a whole new experience and point of view of the holocaust. We learned many things and experienced new feelings while talking to actual survivors! Even when we saw actual artifacts from the camps it was confronting.  What they endured, whether they were in the camps or even trying to escape all of it would have been very scary. Something that I really enjoyed was meeting survivor John Grushka  and being able to interact and talk to him. Later on I met another survivor, Jack Meister. It was an ultimate pleasure to meet these wonderful people and go to the museum. I definitely would love to go again'.

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher

Our team's case revolved around a complex definition of peace. They suggested that peace is an ever-evolving concept and that its definition can change depending on the context, culture and time period. This allowed our team to prove that, even if a culture's definition of peace doesn't fit contemporary ethical standards, history can always be made for peace in the context of that time, as that culture understands it.

First speaker Ava M proved this argument through an analysis of a number of case studies thoughout time, including Ancient Egyptians whose recordings defined peace through the concept of Maat, Aboriginal peoples whose oral histories defined peace through an absence of conflict, Ancient Historians whose writings made criticisms of war, and the Christian Crusaders whose first person accounts defined peace through the lens of their own spiritual wellbeing.

Second Speaker Olivia M further developed her teams' case through an analaysis of a cultural shift within the 20th Century, arguing that it was during this time that our world's definition of peace became more universal, and more focused around 'peace for all'. She proved this through an analysis of trends within the discipline of historical study such as 'History From Below' and historical revisionism.

Third speaker Meghan W was able to defend against the affirmative teams' assertion that peace must be defined solely as an absence of disorder - reaffirming through rebuttal and summary that history can be made for peace, because the past has always been studied for the purpose of promoting peace as it is understood in that context. She was also able to prove that her team had a stronger reading of the topic itself, clarifying that the topic required them to debate the intent of history as opposed to the impact of it.

Our team advisor (also known as a silent fourth speaker) Holly B supported the team through her construction of our complex definitions, and her well supported rebuttals.

We are pleased to share that in a unanimous vote by the panel of adjudicators, our team won the debate and have been crowned Grand Champions of the 2022 season. Congratulations to the whole team.

We would also like to acknowledge team members Orlaith B, Oreoluwa A, and Molly P, who have provided support to the team throughout the whole season. They are congratulated on their contributions to the team.

We would also like to thank all the St Patrick's College staff who have supported team thoughout their journey, including their previous history debating coach Miss Brown and history teachers Mr Duncan, Ms Aboud and Ms Barry.

Laura Bryannie - Public Speaking and Debating Coordinator

The Campbelltown march started at 8.30am with the students marching down Queen Street to the service in Mawson Park. We were fortunate to have our History Club nurses leading the march. It was wonderful to see our students who are army or airforce cadets also involved in the service, particularly Kiara M who played a major role. 

We were particularly honoured by the RSL to have one of our students give the commemorative address at the service. Caitlin R of Year 11 spoke about the sacrifice Campbelltown made to World War I, particularly the 42 who were killed. She discussed the family memorials in the Congregational Cemetery next door to the College and how they revealed much about the grief of local families. She then talked about her great-grandfather, H.J. Daley who served in World War II and was a POW in the Changi camp. H.J.Daley made a significant contribution to local government in this area and Campbelltown Library is named in his honour. I wish to thank Mrs Lennox, Mrs Conti and Mrs Pulham for their assistance at Campbelltown. A special thank you to Mr Nash who each year takes photographs of the girls at the march.

The Camden march was particularly large this year and began at 10.30am and marched down Argyle Street to the service in the Bicentennial Park. We were honoured to have Year 9 student Felicity O's father, Commander Michael O’Keefe, a serving member of  the Royal Australian Navy and Mr Roy Corlett, grandfather of Georgia D and Isabella D, who is a Vietnam veteran, lead our College contingent. Our History Club nurses raced from the Campbelltown service to also lead the Camden march. 

I would particularly like to thank those students  and ‘nurses’ who attended both the Campbelltown and Camden marches -  History Club nurses Lillian M, Isabelle S, Gabrielle V  and Laura Z  and Bronwyn Z for representing the Australian Army Cadets. A special mention to Chelsey-Rae H of Year 12 who has been doing both marches for many years.I wish to thank Mrs Pollicina, Mrs Wagstaff, Mrs Durrington, Mrs Pereira for their assistance at Camden on the day.

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher and History Club Coordinator

Eleven of our History CLub members attended: Abigail B, Ava C, Jorja G, Karli G, Emily M, Lillian M, Isabelle S, Gabrielle V, Bianca W, Bronwyn Z and Laura Z. 

Our students wore replica and authentic military nursing costumes ranging from World War I to the 1980s. Emily M, Laura Z, Gabrielle V, Ava C and Isabelle S read out prayers and Bronwyn Z did the commemorative address. Bronwyn spoke about the history of Camden's contribution to World War I and the role of war nurses.

The students had the opportunity to also look at the historic Carrington buildings which were established in 1890. We were fortunate to be allowed inside the main building to look at historic photos of Carrington over its history including viewing the sculpture of William Henry Paling (of music publishing fame) who generously donated the land for Carrington.

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher and History Club Coordinator

Tickets are available from https://www.trybooking.com/CHWIA and bookings will open at 10am on 5 May.

We hope you will come along to the magical world of Oz to see what our Munchkins and Ozians have been up to, along with their new friends Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tingirl and Lion! 

We wish our production team the best of luck as they finalise preparations for the show.

Catherine McLaren - CAPA Coordinator

On 5 April, the St Patrick’s College Mock Trial team participated in the first round of the competition against St Paul’s Catholic College in Booragul. The afternoon sessions, the recess and lunch meetings, all culminated in the proceedings that took place that day.

The St Patrick’s team did very well in the proceedings by maintaining their professionalism and integrity throughout. Whilst this case was extremely difficult, the members of the team performed strongly by clearly articulating their version of events and legal arguments. 

As the prosecution team, we were required to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused obstructed a railway by deliberately positioning a tree over a train line in the Southern Highlands. During the examination-in-chief and cross-examinations of each witness, the barristers and the solicitor worked hard to ensure that all the objections called were correct. 

Mbali J and Ellie F were our barristers for this round, and with assistance from Karli G, our solicitor, worked hard to establish a case against the accused, using supporting evidence from the two witnesses, played by Jamie M and Salome S. Sam S upheld court proceedings through her role as Magistrate’s Clerk, and performed her duties with care. 

Thank you to the following students who assisted on the day: 
Dakoda L 
Kiara M
Caitlin R 
Renae L 
Maddie M 
Steph E
Emma M

The poor internet connection was challenging to navigate and caused many repeated questions and statements, but we overcame the issues caused and did very well in this first round. 

Unfortunately, we lost the case and were not able to effectively prove our case. Regardless of this loss, this is being used as an opportunity to learn and further develop our skills and the way that we present our future cases. 

Well done to St Paul’s College for winning the case as the defence team. We wish you well for future rounds of the competition.

The students are currently preparing for Round 2 of the Competition which is a civil case involving negligence.

Cassandra Conti - Year 12 Coordinator|HSIE Teacher

During the break a number of students competed at the National Athletics Championships held in Brisbane.

Congratulations to Charlie H (Year 9) competing in her pet event the High Jump, and achieving a jump of 1.64m earning her the bronze medal.

Congratulations to Hannah S (Year 8) for her fantastic results in the track events:
200m - 5th place - 25.43
100m 10th place – 12.57
Hannah was selected, based on her results at the meet, to run in the under 16 relay for the 200m event. This was an outstanding achievement as Hannah is in the under 15 age group and their 4 x 200m relay team placed 2nd.

Fantastic achievements from both girls. 

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

A quick but important message from the College Library - students with Library books that were due for return during Term 1 will be charged a replacement fee if not returned by Week 3 of this term.

Due dates and student library records can be accessed via the Library catalogue.
1. Click 'login' at the top of the page, then click on the blue bar
2. Click on 'My Stuff'
3. Choose 'Checkouts' to view items currently on loan

Note: Due dates are presented in MM/DD/YY format.

We encourage students to contact the Library if they have any concerns or questions. Students can return items in the chute located outside the Library.

The College Library

FIND THE BEST PEN FOR YOU: Experiment with different pens to see which is the easiest to write with and which one gives you the neatest handwriting. Use the same pen all the time.

GOOD GRIP: Hold the pen/pencil gently and do not grip too tightly or push too hard on the paper.

USE ARM MUSCLES: Always write with your forearm and shoulder NOT with your fingers or wrist. This way your strokes will flow much better. It may take you some time to retrain your arm and hand but be aware of these movements when you practise. The muscles in your forearm and shoulder tire less easily than your fingers.

BEGIN WITH LARGE STROKES: practice firstly on a whiteboard (or even tracing letters in the air) using large strokes until you feel comfortable with using your forearm and shoulder muscles. When you feel you have conquered this, it is time to begin practicing on paper. Keep using large strokes, gradually reducing them in size as your control of the muscles increases. Once you have accomplished this it is time to begin practicing in your exercise book forming normal sized letters.

POSTURE: Ensure you practice your handwriting skills at a desk or table. Sit up straight using a good chair.

RULED LINED BOOK: Buy a ruled exercise book for practice use. Always write on lined paper and take note of how you are writing and how your work looks on the page.

COPY STYLE: Look for an example of a handwriting style that you like and can use to copy from. Keep this in front of you at all times to inspire you towards improving your style.

INDIVIDUAL LETTERS: Begin with individual letters and practice writing at least one letter per day concentrating on the four elements of legible handwriting.

WHOLE WORDS: Once you have worked your way through individual letters in the alphabet practice writing whole words. Be aware of the flow from one letter to the next as well as spacing between words.

TEST SENTENCE: Choose a test sentence for yourself and write it at the top of your first practice page. Each week write this sentence at the top of a new page to check for improvement in your writing.

SPECIAL SENTENCE: Practice writing the sentence ‘the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog’ in small and capital letters. This sentence contains all the letters in the alphabet and gives you good overall practice of each letter.

WRITE SLOWLY TO START: Write slowly when practicing until you are happy with the quality of your handwriting. Then increase the speed. 

REALISTIC GOALS: Don’t set impractical goals for improvement. Improvement will take time and is a matter for persistence – it all comes down to practice, practice, practice!

LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO WRITE: Try and handwrite whenever possible.

Once your handwriting style has improved, you can then focus on improving your speed. Doing this for just 5 minutes every day will really help you to improve your handwriting. If your cursive (running) writing is really bad, you may find it easier to learn to print really fast in exams rather than focus on improving your cursive style.

You can also try writing with a pen that is weighted on the end to build up the muscles in your hand used for writing. When you get to the exams take the weight off the end and feel the benefits of a lighter pen! 

The Library will be hosting a Mother's Day Makerspace. There will be 4 separate lunchtime sessions. Sessions commenced this week and will continue on Wednesday 10 May, and Thursday 11 May. Please indicate your interest for a specific session via the Google form link below. Numbers are limited to 20 participants per session and you may only attend one session. Participants will be notified if their application is successful.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KuXis60hBgpMe_PVO-Fj9tJoM8O5yv-_5jvQfrHfnD0/edit

Sue Harradine - Library

St Gregory's College Careers Expo - Wednesday 10 May 3-6pm

The Year 7-9 Dance will be held at St Patrick's College on Friday 2 June from 6-9pm.

Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased via https://www.trybooking.com/CHZPY