As I was driving into school this week, I listened to an interview of the new Women’s Safety Commissioner. This is a new position created in the NSW Government and comes out of the significant harm and risk women face through violence perpetrated by family and intimate partners. Dr Hannah Tonkin is the inaugural Women’s Safety Commissioner in the State. Her focus will be to provide leadership and oversight of policy and programs on domestic, family and sexual violence which affect women.

On average, one women is murdered each week by her current or former partner. It is the greatest health risk for women in the ages between 25 to 44. An estimated one in six women aged 18 and over have experienced violence by a partner since the age of 15. The statistics would suggest that as our girls grow and establish relationships, almost 17% of them will be faced with some form of violence from their partner. This is a shocking picture for women in New South Wales. We have all seen this reflected in our news repeatedly and mourned for the families broken and traumatised as a result of the violence.

We work with the girls at the College to try and build their confidence and self-respect so that they recognise healthy respectful relationships that are constructive and nurturing. I welcome the role of the new Women’s Safety Commissioner and appreciate the urgency the Government has given to this risk for women. Like you, I hope that our girls will disclose to you or a trusted source when their relationships are not positive so that the appropriate guidance and advice can be given.

This is the final week for the HSC. It is wonderful to see the girls finally complete their exams and now they wait for their results. We have a wonderful networking event on Friday evening in the newly refurbished COLA where current HSC girls can mingle with alumni to explore their future options. Thanks to Mrs McGillicuddy for organising such a great opportunity and thank you to all the alumni who will be joining the girls. Hosting the middle school dance at the same time in the MSC will see the College site abuzz with activity and excitement on Friday evening. My thanks to all staff who will be supporting both events for the girls. I ask parents to be patient as they drop off their daughter for the events as traffic may be a little congested at the start.

As today is 2 November, I will leave you with a prayer for All Souls Day.

Blessings,

Sue Lennox - College Principal

Merciful Father,

On this day, we are called to remember those who have died,
Particularly those who have died in the past year,
And pray for their joyful reunion with you, their loving creator.
As your son taught us to call the stranger
neighbour, our fallen are many—

Names we will never know,
Voices we have never heard,
In lands we may never visit,
Yet brothers and sisters all.

Lord, as you command, we reach out to the fallen.
We call on you on behalf of those we could not reach this year.
You raised your son from the dead
that all may share in his joyful resurrection.

In Jesus' name, we pray.

(taken from Catholic Relief Services)

It is expected that the Purpose Conference will attract around 2500 participants so register and book your tickets now so you don't miss out.

Joel Duval - Mission Coordinator

The 2024 CAPA Council would like to invite students, their family and friends to the College's annual Creative and Performing Arts Night on Wednesday 29th November. This event showcases the talents of students from 7 to 11 over all areas of CAPA. Come and see what our co-curricular groups, core classes and elective classes have been up to throughout our exciting year of learning. We will have many performances across Drama, Dance and Music as well as displays of the Art and Photography projects that have been ongoing throughout the year. This will be a wonderful opportunity to come and support the girls who will be showcasing their talents. This is an evening of entertainment that will be enjoyed by all ages. 

For organisational purposes please register your intention to attend here: https://www.trybooking.com/CMOXT

Kind regards

2024 Student CAPA Council

Activities they have been completing are: weeding, harvesting, watering and feeding our produce. The students love being out in the fresh air learning about the cycle of food. Not long before the lettuce will be picked and placed on their healthy burger.

Dale Reader - TAS Coordinator

They are all doing an amazing job, learning how to collaborate with the equipment and not rushing to finish first. The Teachers are looking for the quality of the timber finish not who finishes first. We are all proud of our students and how they work in Year 8 Technology.

Dale Reader, Tanya Robertson, Alicia Pollicina - TAS Department

The project was entirely student driven, primarily by the Year 11 members of History Club, with the aims to:

1. Educate their peers beyond the classroom about the Vietnam War.

2. Create a website that recognises Campbelltown’s contribution to the Vietnam War to be used as a classroom learning tool and ultimately become publicly available for all in our community.

3. Engage with our local Vietnam Veteran community and video personal accounts of the Vietnam War for posterity.

To achieve these aims, the following projects were undertaken:

1 Anzac Day School Assembly - ‘Remembering the Vietnam War’  This was a student driven multimedia assembly to educate peers about the causes, nature and impact of the Vietnam War on Australia and our local community of Campbelltown. The students paid tribute to the five local men killed in Vietnam, particularly, Kevin ‘Dasher’ Wheatley, the first Victoria Cross recipient in Vietnam. Students also looked at the anti-Vietnam protests in Australia by discussing a Campbelltown woman, Nadine Jensen, who threw red paint on the 1st Battalion whilst marching in Sydney in 1966.

2. Interviewing Vietnam Veterans from Campbelltown – After writing a letter of request to our local RSL sub branch, students staged two sessions interviewing and video recording veterans. Questions ranged from experiences at Nui Dat, combat, entertainers in Vietnam, American soldiers and returning home and PTSD. The wife of a veteran was also interviewed to get the perspective of a woman of the time. The Local Studies Team of Campbelltown Library was also involved as these interviews will be donated to its oral history collection for posterity. We were fortunate to interview veterans Denis Wass, Ray Ezzy and Colin Noonan and the wife of a veteran, Mrs Elaine Monkcom to get a women's perspective.

3. Creation of a website ‘The Vietnam War in Campbelltown’  – A Google Drive Folder was created and students were allocated a topic relating to the service of people from Campbelltown. Students researched online primary sources from the Australian War Memorial, Anzac Portal and digitised newspapers through Trove. The videoed interviews were also an important  part of this research. Each student was responsible for a page of the website and researched this for two months.

4. Campbelltown and Camden Anzac Day Marches 2023.

We held a small gathering on the 23 October at lunchtime where Dr Freelander presented the award and certificates to each of the Year 11 students involved. Dr Freelander also presented certificates to our veterans Ray Ezzy, Colin Noonan and Denis Wass for being part of this project, and Elaine Monkcom, ex staff member and wife of a veteran, for being interviewed. Certificates of thanks were also issued to Andrew Allen and Michael Sullivan of the Local Studies Team, Campbelltown Library.

We also thank Mr Iain Richard-Evan, President of Camden RSL sub branch for attending.

The $3000 prize money will be re-invested into the History Club aiming to have more historical costumes made including World War I VADs, and nurse uniforms from World War II and the Vietnam War.

Fran Musico Rullo - History Club Coordinator

The students sang and played a variety of music, from Classical to Popular. All proceeds from the concert go to support the Music Therapy Program at Sydney Childrens Hospital, Westmead. The concert raised over $35000 and the students would like to thank their families and friends for attending and supporting the cause. Victoria S and Charley L compered the event and Charley also sang a solo "Kindergarten Boyfriend" from her HSC performance repertoire. 

Elizabeth Samiya - Music Teacher

1. Go to the Library catalogue.
2. Click 'login' at the top of the page, then click on the blue bar
3. Click on 'My Stuff'
4. Choose 'Checkouts' to view items currently on loan (due dates are presented in MM/DD/YY format).

All library items not returned by final day of the HSC exams will be subject to replacement costs. 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.

Some of the latest ePlatform titles include:
The Next New Syrian Girl
A Darkness of Dragons
A Tragic Kind of Wonderful
Unnecessary Drama, and 
The Secret Science of Magic
The latest axis 360 titles include:
Social Queue
Only a Monster
The Jasmine Project
The Agathas, and 
When Our Worlds Collided. 

Instructions on how to login and borrow eBooks and Audiobooks can be found here on the Library website. As always, the Library Team is here to help or recommend a student's next great read. 

The focus of this event is to raise funds that will provide financial assistance to families facing difficult circumstances. 

Together we can be a community taking action; advocating, supporting, sharing and providing. 

We can create a path of opportunity, let’s come together and change lives through education.  A fantastic night with fusion dining, captivating entertainment and a chance to dance the night away, all while contributing to a worthy cause. 

Tickets will be available in November. Save Saturday 9 March in your calendars. 

The Gala Ball is an excellent opportunity for local businesses and individuals to get involved;

- become a sponsor, donate an auction item or raffle prize.

- help us make this night a success.  Our goal is to raise $100,000. 

Please reach out to us @ galaball@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au

We are proud to share that Walker has partnered with the College for a third year in a row as Event Partner. This is a wonderful contribution to our scholarship fund, Thank you Walker.