Happy Mother’s Day to all of our mothers and those in mothering roles in their family or community. Last Saturday, we hosted the Mother Daughter High Tea and again it was a wonderful event. Over 300 girls and their mums, grandmothers, aunties and special women in their lives attended and enjoyed the beautiful food and the opportunity to talk and enjoy each other’s company. I would like to express my appreciation to the new P&F committee, under the leadership of Mrs Erin de Rooy as President, who worked to ensure we all had a lovely afternoon. Thank you also to Mr Julian Nash who once again took photos of everyone across the afternoon so that we have a lasting memory and to Mrs Susan Sciffer who did much of the work behind the scenes.

Throughout this edition, you will read about the many activities that girls participated in last week which offered them opportunities to grow and experience excellence. Many of these activities and opportunities require significant planning and preparation weeks in advance. In fact, preparation for some of the activities begins 12 months in advance with the evaluations from the previous year group’s experience.

Unless you live with a teacher or have a teacher in your family, you may not be fully aware of the time and energy that is invested in planning, reflecting and preparing. Whilst most of the role is in face-to-face lessons, a significant amount of teaching time is working with colleagues in the planning and review. Colleagues create a shared vision for the activity, they gather the evidence and data that will assist in making informed decisions, establish the program and the resources that will need to be acquired, they decide on the roles of the staff attending the activities and then imagine the experience of the students so that they are confident they will achieve the outcomes that form the goals of the activities. Further to this, a risk assessment is created with action identified that will mitigate any risk of injury or harm. When staff collaborate together, we know the outcomes for the girls will be optimised. The planning will occur in school time or non-term time when there is often more space and time for good discussion. I am grateful for the work our staff invest in the many activities we give the girls so that they will be the beneficiaries. So as you read of the great things that happened over last week, the weeks ahead and all the weeks in every term, please consider the passion and care that went into the event by staff.

Last week, we sent best wishes to Mrs Claudine Bella who began her parental leave as she awaits the birth of her first baby. We wish her the very best as she begins this new journey in her life. With that, we welcome Mrs Natalie Guelfo who will be the replacement teacher for the new 12 months. Mrs Guelfo is a very experienced English teacher who will bring a lot of wisdom and support to the team. I am sure your daughters will find her to be very capable. We wish her a warm welcome to our community.

Finally, I will leave you with a reflection on Mary as the ultimate model of mother.

Blessings

Sue Lennox - College Principal

Holy Mother,

You have been blessed and favoured by God.

You became not only the Mother of the Redeemer

but the Mother of the redeemed as well.

We come to you today as your loving children,

watch over us and take care of us.

As you held the child Jesus in your loving arms, so take us in your arms.

Be a mother ready at every moment to help us.

Help those in need, give strength to the weak and comfort the sorrowful.

Mary, may all who seek your help experience your unfailing protection.

Amen.

So, who was the historical Mary? Like most notable women of ancient times, we have very little evidence in the written historical record. This is due to the fact that men have been the authors of history and narratives of the oppressed have only recently been considered historiographically. Based on what we know of women in her society at the time and the Gospels here are some interesting points about the historical Mary:

• she was a Jewish peasant woman approximately 13 years of age
• her name was Miriam after the sister of Moses
• she lived in a backwater province of the Roman Empire
• she spoken Aramaic with a Galilean accent but would have been familiar with Latin, Greek and Hebrew
• she would have had features like those of Jewish and Palestinian women today, most likely with dark hair and dark eyes
• in belonging to the peasant class (as did 90% of the population) she had a difficult life
• life was difficult because:
  • they had to combine farming with a craft such as carpentry (the occupation of both Joseph and Jesus) to survive
  • they bore the burden of supporting the state and the small privileged class, with a triple tax burden: to Rome, to Herod the Great and to the temple (to which, traditionally, they owed 10 percent of the harvest)
  • Artisans, who made up about 5 percent of the population, had an even lower median income than those who worked the land full time
• she probably lived in an extended family unit, where three or four houses of one or two rooms each were built around an open courtyard, in which relatives shared an oven, a cistern and a millstone for grinding grain, and where domestic animals also lived
• she most likely spent, on the average, 10 hours a day on domestic chores like carrying water from a nearby well or stream, gathering wood for the fire, cooking meals and washing utensils and clothes
• she probably didn’t know how to read or write, since literacy was extremely rare among women of the time. The culture was highly oral, with public reading of the Scriptures, the telling of stories, the recitation of poems and the singing of songs.

When examining the historical Mary, it becomes apparent that she was quite typical but one circumstance made her far from the ideal mother of her time and society. This is because she became pregnant as a single young woman. This was extremely dangerous as the punishment for this was death by stoning. I wonder why God chose to do this and not create a safe pathway for his son. Regardless, God put Mary in a very dangerous situation, and she would have been looked down upon by those in her society. She had the strength to carry on which is something we can look to as inspiration. Despite her young age, we should not think of her as fragile. When she became pregnant at 13 years of age this was very normal for her time and society. She was strong and handled a difficult life as outlined above.

Another story from the Gospel that comes to mind is the time that Mary and Joseph returned home from Jerusalem and realised they had lost their son who was learning and discussing with leaders at the synagogue. Mary clearly was no helicopter parent! Mary was concerned and Jesus held accountable, but he must have felt confident to be who he was intended to be. It dawns on me that Mary was parenting a very unusual, different, and challenging child. He would have been noticeably different and yet she raised him with love.

It is also noteworthy that despite a lack of explicit detail in the Gospels, we know that Jesus challenged the norms of the time in relation to women, their role and status. He associated and travelled with as well as being financed by a group of women who supported his mission. These were his female disciples. We know that this would have been viewed very negatively by those in his society. Even to talk to the woman at the well was a huge risk. Mary must have been formative in Jesus’ views towards women and others excluded from an equal place in society. We should look towards her as a model of raising a son who viewed women as equals and deserving of so much more.

Finally, we know that Mary loses her son and must witness his suffering. In this regard the historical Mary offers us the example of love and strength, but we mustn’t discount how difficult this must have been. Jesus was viewed as a criminal and she would have had to bear the burden of that as his mother. She also then went on to be a significant member of the early Christian community. She believed in her son and worked hard to carry on his mission in times that continued to be very dangerous for the early Christians. This is the Mary we can relate to and know that God was challenging the norms of the time of Jesus. Perhaps God would want us to challenge the norms of our time too.

Louise Barry - Religious Studies Coordinator

Many activities that we participated in included writing each other affirmations, one on one interviews with another student which caused us all to be vulnerable and connect with each other on a new level. We also participated in numerous ice breaker activities that always made us laugh, even though we have already been together for 6 years, it was at this retreat that we all got closer then we have ever been.

Our second day we were blessed with a visit from Father James, a newly ordained young priest who offered us his own insight into reconciliation and what his meaning of I am loved is. We were all offered the chance to receive the sacrament of reconciliation or a blessing or just a chat with Father James. We were also given the chance to walk around the room and shake hands or hug people who we sought forgiveness from, from year 7 through to now. It was one of the most heartwarming moments from all of high school, where we all saw many friendships healed or forgiven. 

For all of us in year 12 this retreat nourished us spiritually as it allowed us to reconcile within ourselves and others, it allowed us to draw closer to God and to reflect within ourselves that we are all loved. Year 12 loved our retreat and it was made even more special as it is our last one at the College.

Cara McMahon - Benedict Captain

The day began with an introduction and hands on exploration of ancient artefacts. Our tour was led by Karen who has had experience in the field and spoke to us about the importance of the work in archaeology. The students then had their own opportunity to explore an artefact of their choosing from the vast collections in the room. They were able to become an archaeologist themselves drawing and recording what they saw and felt.  

Over the last term our students have been studying preserved human remains with a specific look into Egyptian mummification and the use of technology in research. The mummies in the ‘Mummy Room’ were on display with their own 3D scans. 

Some reflections from our students on what they enjoyed about the museum visit:

“Our Year 9 History Elective Excursion to the University of Sydney was a wonderful experience that for a number of us will be a fond memory for many years to come. When we pulled into the campus, all you heard was gasps as we saw Sydney Uni’s famous site ‘The Quadrangle’ (well-regarded as an exquisite piece of architecture, with similarities to Hogwarts). After we took a stroll and took a copious amount of photos, we started our tour of the Chau Chak Wing Museum. We were given the opportunity to participate in an interactive session where we examined and formed theories about several artifacts. We then began our tour where we visited several exhibits relating to Ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome as well as others devoted to art and other time periods. Overall, it was a fun and educational excursion that I will be reminiscing about for years.”  Rebecca M

‘I found the Greek statues and pottery to be extremely intriguing and I wanted to see more of them. I also enjoyed the art and I would have liked to have learned the meanings behind them.’ Lyla F

‘It was fascinating to realize that there were other civilizations with their own complex society and lifestyle that contrasts our own.’ Natalie S 

‘A thing that I liked  about the excursion was the lego model of Pompeii and all the hidden gems found in it like a miniature  ‘Indiana Jones’ Gissenia C

‘Something that I enjoyed was the Egyptian section of the museum because I found it really cool being able to see canopic jars, mummies and human remains in person. I enjoyed the whole excursion and it will definitely be an unforgettable experience. We also got to see many other things such as a Lego Pompeii, taxidermied animals and Sydney Uni which some of us thought looked like a castle.’ Olivia K 

‘The best part of the Year 9 Excursion for me was when we got to look at and hold the artifacts. I really enjoyed learning about the artifacts, not only in front of me, but also hearing about what my classmates had found about their artifacts. I also loved seeing the mummies and being able to look inside using CT scanning. This excursion was a wonderful experience that should be repeated for the future years.’ Hailey B

‘The thing I liked about the excursion was being able to see the mummies and coffins. I also enjoyed learning about the history of the artifacts that we looked at’. Janae B

‘I liked the stuffed animals that were on display, the bus ride and the croissants from  the university cafe!’ Lily B

‘I liked the mummy exhibition and and taking photos of the stuffed animals in the natural history display’ Claire S

‘This excursion was a wonderful experience. I got some time with my friends and classmates where we got to laugh and enjoy the exhibits. I enjoyed looking at the interesting pots, bugs and learned the history of certain mummies and got to look at many things’ Hannah B

Aisha Aboud - HSIE Teacher

We started the course with students who had some knowledge of the keyboard, helping others to get a grasp of the basics. They worked on finding the correct notes and how to best place your hands. Attached is a photo of 7.4 on their first day of keyboard playing and 7.6 working hard using a combination of video and booklet.  

Elizabeth Samiya - CAPA Teacher

Year 11 Design and Technology students were given a design brief to re-design a board game considering current social needs and trends for use by children or teenagers. Themes included Debating, Frank Green bottles, Harry Potter, Formula 1, and Pop Culture. Many students used this opportunity to become more familiar with some of the technology available in our Print Create space in the Design Centre, including the laser cutter and 3D printers for game tokens. Students surveyed the target market and documented their process in a design portfolio. 

Year 10 Design and Technology students have been designing and producing an array of interesting products for the home. They researched an interior design style, such as Hamptons, and designed a home deco product inspired by that style. Students developed many production skills such as concreting, resin pouring, and timber construction.

Year 9 Design and Technology first project focussed on food technologies where the students designed an Easter themed cookie cutter and fondant stamp. They developed skills in the use of Tinkercad to design and were introduced to the 3D printers to manufacture their design. Design and Technology students collaborated with year 9 Food Technology classes to produce delicious Easter cookies using the 3D printed final products. The students have enjoyed the process of designing and making their ideas come to life. 

Tanya Robertson - Design and Technology Teacher

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 next part of the process for Year 10 includes opportunities through our Careers program to continue to explore their future options. We have organised for Year 10 students to attend the South West Sydney Careers Hub at Ottimo House on the 14 June that showcases career pathways aligned with particular industries.

Shortly, students will be asked to complete an Expressions of Interest for particular subjects. This process begins the design of the curriculum that will be offered to our 2024 Year 11 cohort. Following on, students then apply for a specific program of study by compleing an application form and an online Web Preferences form. In Week 7, our Parent & Student Information Night consolidates information about subject selection and provides an opportunity for parents to engage with subject coordinators, the Careers and Pathways Coordinator, the Year Coordinator, our Learning Enhancement Coordinator and members of the Leadership team. And finally, each and every Year 10 student is offered one-on-one academic counselling related to their applications for a program of study.

The Stage 6 Course Application Process is as follows:

Term 2 Week 3 – Subject Selection Launch - Students are issued with their course selection booklet and the course selection process is presented.
Term 2 Week 3 - Course selection talks by our Subject Coordinators provide specific information about the content and structure of Stage 6 courses. 
Term 2 Weeks 4-5 - Students complete a course selection survey to submit expressions of interest in particular Year 11 courses. This information identifies popular subjects and lines are then designed. Lines are fixed groupings of subjects from which students then select subjects from. Together with student achievement data, this provides a starting point for academic counselling sessions later in the term. 
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.
In Week 7, the formal Course Application Process begins.
Term 2 Weeks 9-10 - Year 10 students participate in one-on-one academic counselling sessions. Their areas of interest, career and post-school aspirations are discussed, and course preferences are reviewed and finalised. Students and parents/carers endorse course choices by signing the course selection forms.
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.

If any students or families have questions or would like to further discuss the subject selection process, please do not hesitate to contact Dr Debra Bourne (dbourne@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au).

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching

Earlier this term, Year 10 students participated in the HSC Minimum Standards Tests at the College. The test results are now available and an email was sent last week that outlined the level of achievement in each of the domains of reading, writing and numberacy.

The report for specific levels of achievement in each of the three domains is available for download through NESA's Students Online account. Students are able to access the reports should they wish to print a copy for their records. For more information regarding the HSC Minimum Standards, please visit the NESA website: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/hsc-minimum-standard.

If students did not meet the minimum standard in any of the domains, they will be offered additional opportunities to meet each standard this year and, if required, can continue future testing into Year 11 or 12. Mr Tim Stevens will be providing individual support to all students and he will contact your daughter to assist her with future testing.

Should you have any questions about the HSC Minimum Standards tests, please don't hesitate to contact me on 4629 2999 or email Dr D Bourne - Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching (dbourne@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au).

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching

Students meet each Thursday lunchtime to learn how to knit squares which are then joined to make blankets. These are then distributed through the St. Vincent de Paul Society to go to welfare cases in our local community. We are fortunate to have an eager band of ex-staff and friends of the College who volunteer their time to teach the girls to knit as well as assemble the blankets.

If you would like to knit for us we would really appreciate squares - cast on 50 stitches in garter stitch. For more information contact me at fmusicorullo@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher and Knitting Group Coordinator

We are looking forward to welcoming you and your guests to St Patrick's College on June 16-17 to experience the magic that is The Wizard of Oz.

Our Kansas town folk, Munchkins, Jitterbugs and Ozians can't wait to blow you away as you step onto the Yellow Brick Road for the journey of a lifetime!

Purchase your tickets at: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1052064 

Catherine McLaren - CAPA Coordinator

MTC Opportunity Hub provides Aboriginal young people with the skills, confidence and support necessary to successfully transition from secondary school into further education or work. They can also connect students with employers, educational institutions and employment providers.

Students were given an array of information from various departments such as the NSW Police Force, The Australian Army, Sydney Zoo, Energy Australia and many more. They thoroughly enjoyed the day. I want the thank Millie, Kaleena, Merinda (Year 12), Tamika (Year 11), Charlotte, Beth, Olivia, Latiah (Year 10), Mahlia and Charlize (Year 9) for being respectful, engaged, and perfect representatives for the College.

If you wish to learn more about MTC Opportunity Hub, please see their website https://www.mtcaustralia.com.au/youth/opportunity-hub/

Michelle Lemeki - Aboriginal Education Support

Cadets from the College performed the catafalque party, Bronwyn Z of the Australian Army Cadets and Emily B, Kiara M and Niskha N of the Australian Air Force Cadets.

Gabrielle V began the assembly and provided context to the College involvement in Anzac Day. Caitlin R gave her speech that she delivered at the Anzac Day service in Mawson Park reflecting on the importance of Anzac Day and paying tribute to the World War I Memorials in the COngregational Cemetery and her own grandfather, H.J.Daley who was a POW in Changi.

The College then watched a video documenting the College’s involvement in the Carrington Care Anzac Day service and the marches on Anzac Day in Campbelltown and Camden.

The rest of the assembly was dedicated to educating the students about Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Ava C talked about why Australia was involved and the fear of the ‘domino theory’ during the Cold War. Isabelle S explained how combat was very different in Vietnam to previous wars in terms of the jungle conditions and guerilla warfare. Emily M discussed the Vietcong tunnels and the role of helicopters in Vietnam. Karli G gave the history of the use of Agent Orange and napalm and their long term consequences. Abigael O recalled the history of the Battle of Long Tan. Students then watched a video of footage from the Vietnam War paying tribute the nurses who served in the war.

The next part of the assembly moved towards the Australian homefront during the Vietnam War. Alessandra R talked about conscription and the birthday lottery. Bianca W discussed how Vietnam was the ‘TV War’ and how public opinion was affected by the news coverage of the war. Charlotte D recalled the treatment of soldiers on their return to Australian and how it was not until 1987 that there was a ‘coming home’ parade for veterans. Abigail B and Laura Z  paid tribute to the 523 Australians killed in Vietnam, including the 5 from our local area, Kevin ‘Dasher’ Wheatley VC,  Christopher Clark, Bryant Hansen and Raymond McGuire.

Fran Musico-Rullo - HSIE Teacher and History Club Coordinator

Bound Together is a College Library reading initiative where students and parents/caregivers read the same book at the same time. Research shows that recreational reading has a significant, positive impact on wellbeing, as well as, enhanced learning outcomes. The Bound Together program is a wonderful way to support this. Reading and discussing the same book is also a great way for parents/carers and their child to engage in conversation and share ideas. It also helps that the College Library has some real page-turners to borrow that we know you will love!

The Bound Together program is available to students in Year 7 - Year 10. If you are interested, please complete this form and the Library team will choose a novel for you and your daughter(s) to loan based on your preferences. We'll then issue a Bound Together pack to your daughter to take home. Happy reading :)

Lisa Robertson - Senior Library Technician

Weeks 2 and 3 saw four individual sessions of Makerspace, where the only limitations were imagination and artistic flair.

The girls created Mother's Day Snowglobes, and thouroughly enjoyed unleashing their creativity. The results were beautiful, one-of-a-kind creations which I'm sure were appreciated by the recipients.

There will be another different set of Makerspace sessions during weeks 7 and 8. Watch for daily notices announcing further details.

College Library

The current Library Clubs schedule is as follows:

Chess Club every Monday
Makerspace Club on Wednesday during Weeks 3, 4, 7 and 9 of each term
Book Chat for Years 7-9 on Wednesday during Week 5 
Book Chat for Years 10-12 on Wednesday during Week 9
Movie Club every Thursday
K-Pop Club and Anime Club alternatively every Friday

Club notifications and locations will be announced in the Daily Notices during Homeroom, and students are more than welcome to chat with the Library team for more information.

Lisa Robertson - Senior Library Technician

The uniform shop is open from 2-4pm on Tuesday and Thursday each week. Orders can be emailed to the Uniform Shop uniform@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au

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

Let your friends and family know that we would love for them to join our Community.

Fee Concession Scholarship applications still available.

Any further questions, please contact Virginia Diomis, our College Registrar enrolments@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au