As the term draws to a close, the one word that comes to mind (other than WOW – what a busy term!) is Gratitude.

Gratitude for the opportunity to be in Australia and to be able to participate in the education of young women.

Gratitude for the varied learning opportunities that have been made available to every girl in the College – opportunities that have lived up to St Benedict’s message that the “… strong will have something to strive for and the weak nothing to run from …” (Rule of Benedict 64:9).

Gratitude for the sense of community so evident in the many events we have had in this busy term.

Gratitude for the commitment of staff to enliven the audacious legacy of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.

Gratitude for the many clubs that exist which welcome every girl to try something new or to further her interests. Gratitude too, for the many teachers who give of their time to support these clubs.

Gratitude for the parents and alumni groups – as part of this welcoming community – wanting to build even stronger bonds between home, school and beyond school.

Gratitude for the creativity of the staff as they plan and program to implement new syllabus.

Gratitude for the excitement of prospective students and families.

Gratitude for the collegiality of the whole staff.

Gratitude.

What a term!

I also take this opportunity to congratulate the many students who received (or will be receiving) letters of individual recognition for the efforts that they have made towards their learning this term. They have begun the year with determination and shown perseverance and resilience – two important skills, not only in learning but in life.

As we end Term 2, we also farewell Mrs Orfali as Ms Bella returns from her leave. We thank Mrs Orfali for her generous work with each of her classes during Term 1.

We also wish Mrs Wright all the best as she takes some leave and congratulate Ms Randell who will be replacing her in the role of Acting Assistant Principal Students.

We also prepare to farewell Mrs Parsons as she begins the final weeks before the birth of her baby and we congratulate Ms Abbey Stapley for accepting the position of Acting Science Coordinator while Mrs Parsons is on leave.

As you can appreciate, these changes to staffing will result in a new timetable being issued before the end of term. Fortunately, in a time of significant teacher shortage, we have been able to recruit staff to cover all of our classes.

Let me leave you with this beautiful prayer that students and staff shared this morning to commemorate the Annunciation (celebrated on 8 May).

God of goodness,

God of surprises

Send angels of inspiration to guide and enlighten us as you did Mary

Awaken us again to our true calling, our true mission: to walk with you on the paths laid out for us.

Teach us to listen for you in every corner of our lives and to await your messengers in the most unexpected situations and conditions.

Amen

May the holidays be a time of refreshment and reconnecting with family and friends. Keep safe and well.

God bless.

Mary Leask - College Principal

The first session saw staff revisiting the beautiful charisms that our College embodies. We focused on how St Patrick, St Benedict, the Good Samaritan Sisters and Jesus all lived an audacious life. We closely examined the encounter Jesus had with the Woman at the Well and how he saw her for who she was and how he audaciously loved her. Staff then had the opportunity to break off into small groups and further explore one of our charisms and focus on just how audaciously they lived their life and tried to lead others to God.

Our middle session gave staff the opportunity to explore the lives of some of the Good Samaritan Sisters. In small groups again, staff were able to read about the audacious lives these incredibly inspiring women led and how we could be more like them. Groups shared with the larger group, allowing everyone to hear the stories of these audacious women.

Our final session allowed staff to stop and reflect on what it is that they would like to commit to the girls of the college and to each other. We finished the day with a liturgy that helped staff to connect with each other and with God.

We also had the opportunity to break bread with one another and interact with each other in a different setting, allowing relationships to blossom and be strengthened.

Joel Duval - Mission Coordinator

Iftar, the fast-breaking meal eaten after sunset at the completion of the period of Ramadan, is an Islamic tradition. Fasting is one of the main pillars of Ramadan, which in turn is one of the core aspects of Islam, as it is the most sacred month of the year. Those religiously observing the holiday do not consume any food or drink between sunrise and sunset, making it a celebration of faith and devotion. Breaking the fast is often accomplished as a community, with Muslim people gathering to break their fast together. Ramadan is a time of spiritual discipline, deep contemplation of one's relationship with God (Allah), prayer, increased charity and generosity.

The guest speaker was a scholar who majored in Islamic culture and religion. She discussed that one of the main core values in Islamic culture was charity, being able to give instead of receive and that the little things can go a long way. Being generous and compassionate are key principles that Islam educates us on; the acts of selflessness and remaining humble are key traits of ideal character in Islam, crucial to raising awareness and creating a more loving community.

The night also involved reflective and collaborative conversations about initiatives our school ran regarding social justice, fundraising and volunteer work. We got to discuss our successful Period Poverty drive and how this helped our community, which left many other students quite impressed and even inspired to introduce such an initiative at their school. Such feedback and the fact St Pats could inspire other schools to assist the many women suffering from Period Poverty in other areas was incredible and very rewarding.

Additionally, we delved into our past endeavours such as the coin line competition in support of the Philippines, Project Compassion, and the community service projects undertaken by students in Years 10 and 11. These discussions allowed us to learn from the initiatives of other schools, with one student commenting on how their school does immersions frequently, such as going to the Sydney CBD to help homeless people both on the street and lending a hand in soup kitchens. Such initiatives like this provided valuable insights and inspiration, and we aim to implement such endeavours at St. Pat's in the future.

Moreover, we were able to discuss some future initiatives we would love to establish at our school with the common theme being initiatives that deal more with direct assistance such as volunteer work such as in homeless shelters and visiting rural communities, as well as taking our social justice international and assisting countries currently suffering from poverty, war, natural disasters, and other challenges, such as Palestine. The Iftar dinner provided us with a valuable opportunity to establish connections with the other schools in attendance such as Amity College & Edmund Rice, with one teacher suggesting that in the future those in attendance come together as a collective to carry out an initiative for greater outreach.

We then moved on to floor reflections, where everyone in attendance, teachers and students alike, commented on how welcoming and enriching the experience was. All agreed it was an incredible opportunity to get to talk to other schools from a variety of religious backgrounds and hear of all the amazing causes and initiatives their school runs, as well as talk about issues around the world and learn more about our culture's similarities and differences. Amity College ran an amazing night and guided us through these spiritual discussions and reflections perfectly and helped to foster a supportive and educational environment.

During the dinner, there was a beautiful display of music, performed by Amity College students and staff members. This musical performance began with a range of instruments being played, such as piano, bass guitar, electric guitar, drums and an Arabic instrument called ‘Quanun’. Following this was a performance with the same ensemble accompanying a spectacular vocalist, a Year 8 student from Amity College. These performances were absolutely astounding, leaving a room full of attendees amazed.

As Iftar is the fast breaking, the most important thing of the night was the food! The event displayed a buffet of traditional Iftar food including a variety of assorted meats, pastries, salads and rice dishes. As well as this was an array of entrees located on the individual tables, including the traditional date fruit which, in Islamic tradition, was to be eaten before any other dish, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad and the Abrahamic tradition.
The 2024 Iftar Dinner was an amazing and enlightening experience that provided an wonderful opportunity to network with students from across Sydney, with delicious food as an added bonus!

Holly B, Claire P, Maddison P, Grace Q, Isabelle S and Addison N - Year 11 Mission Council

The Diocese of Wollongong came together and shared in the deeply spiritual experience of the celebration of the Eucharist. The Bishop in his Homily spoke about the Mission of God, emphasising the importance of spreading love as the people of the Good Samaritan, as well as spreading compassion in our communities. The Bishop also highlighted the significance of evangelism and how we should spread the Gospel with our words and actions through the act of love.

During the Mass, each parish was presented with the sacred Chrism oil, brought all the way from the Holy Land. This oil, symbolising the blessing and strength of God, will be used in the sacraments throughout the upcoming year. The Mass was made even more beautiful through the voices of the choir which filled the church with angelic singing, creating a sense of unity and harmony among all present. 

Mission Council

All College uniform items, with the exception of school shoes, are to be purchased from the College Uniform Shop. Opening Hours are listed in the newsletter. 

Compulsory Winter Items:

🔹 Year 7-9 - College navy trousers or a College pinafore 

🔹 Year 10-12 - College navy trousers or a College plaid skirt

🔹 White blouse

🔹 Blazer

🔹 Black stockings

🔹 Hat

🔹 Backpack

🔹 Black leather lace up shoes (standard school variety with no buckles or coloured stitching).

Optional Winter Items:

🔹 The College Jumper and a College scarf are optional items.
However, the jumper cannot be worn outside the College unless it is covered by the blazer.

If you have any questions about the uniform requirements, please contact your daughter’s pastoral advisor or Year Coordinator.

Karen Wright - Assistant Principal, Students

On the 17th of April, the University of Technology Sydney will be offering FREE workshops on constructing robotic arms, motorsports, sound design or autonomous vehicles. To register your interest with UTS, please use the following link https://forms.office.com/r/TCnEQ15ThN.

Please be aware, that these workshops are run externally to the College, so teachers will not be present and transportation should be organised independently.

Christine Lahood - Gifted and Talented Coordinator

Manga Drawing Competition

Draw your own manga character for your chance to win! Simply submit your drawing to any Campbelltown City Library branch to enter. Prizes will be awarded for 'First Place', 'Second Place' and 'Highly Commended'. Competition opens Monday 8 April and closes on Sunday 21 April. 

For more information and competition rules, visit Council's Library website here.

37th Youth Delegation | Trip to Japan

In the upcoming September holiday break from 29 September to 12 October, Campbelltown City Council will select 15 students aged between 14 and 18 to travel to Koshigaya, Japan for a life changing experience.

To be eligible to apply, students must:

1. Live in the Campbelltown City Council local government area.

2. Be aged 14 to 18 and still at school at the time the delegation departs Sydney.

Students don’t need to be learning Japanese to apply for and go on the trip. Students should have a desire to travel to experience a new culture, have an interest in Japan and a desire to be a great ambassador for Campbelltown.

The information and application form can be found at the Student Delegation to Japan 2024 link at www.cksca.org.au

Applications to join the trip close on 22 May. 

Chanlina Lam - Languages Coordinator

Students will have many chances to meet the HSC minimum standard from Year 10 until a few years after completing Year 12, but their Higher School Certificate will not be awarded until the minimum standards have been met. 

Students will demonstrate they have achieved the minimum standards by completing three online tests to a Level 3 standard. These online tests are 45-minutes long each, and include: 

• a multiple choice test for reading;
• a multiple choice test for numeracy;
• a test for writing based on a written or visual prompt.

The first opportunity for Year 10 to complete these tests will be held during Term 2, Week 1 (Friday 3 May) at St Patrick’s College. Please follow this link to further information about the Minimum Standards test. Further information is also available on the NESA website - https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/hsc/minimum-standard.

If you have any queries, please contact Dr Debra Bourne, Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching. 

To bring their projects into the real world the students are working with local theatre company, Rehearsal Room and their upcoming production of Singing in the Rain. Angela Cascarino is a NIDA trained designer who ran an incursion tailor made for our students. They looked at how to develop a design driven garment, industry professional rendering skills and how to incorporate inspiration into design.

In Term 2 students will have the opportunity to go backstage at the local Campbelltown Theatre and immerse themselves in all areas of a production. This includes lighting, staging, makeup, wigs and front of house. As they watch the final dress rehearsal they will be able to learn about the booming industry. Select students will have their works displayed in the auditorium of the theatre showcasing their talents and commitment to the course.

Jacqueline Flint - TAS Teacher

This provided students with an opportunity to view and engage with a range of projects, which involved a variety of design needs and opportunities. They listened intently to an experienced project marker who gave some valuable reminders about the portfolio content and presentation. The girls participated in a seminar with designer Angus Bean who spoke about his extensive experience in the design industry and how he uses the design process. The girls were impressed that he received 1st in the state for the HSC Design and Technology course.

‘This excursion sparked inspiration to integrate well-constructed designs into our Major Design Project’ - Year 12 DT students. The girls appreciated the time to reflect on their own Major Design Projects and are motivated to continue their own design process

Tanya Robertson - TAS Teacher

The TEXStyle HSC Exhibition is an annual event which has been held for over 15 years, designed to showcase excellence and promote Textiles and Design in both the education and wider communities. It provides opportunities for students and teachers to engage with exemplary work samples and deepen teaching practice to drive improved student outcomes.

The Major Textiles Projects on display ranged from apparel garments, homewares to costume design where the methods used to apply design to textiles combined the traditional such as embroidery, needle work, and fabric manipulation with the new modern technologies and techniques such as dye sublimation and laser cut motifs.

The Gallery76 is run by the NSW Embroiderers Guild who volunteer their time, expertise and wisdom. Our students were gifted with new knowledge in how to achieve a high level of finish quality in their projects and what the markers are looking for in the supporting documentation.

The girls completed a detailed analysis of a range of Major Textile Projects and gained inspiration for their own major work. Students were given the opportunity to network with the NSW Embroiderers Guild as they offer mentorship programs that opens them to contact experts for specific advice and guidance for their major projects.

Christina Silvano - TAS Coordinator

The incursion was led by Karen Davis, from Shibori, an Australian textile and design company based in Sydney.  Karen is a world renowned Shibori artist who has spent several years studying in Japan perfecting her art form. This is the second year we have run this incursion and the students were completely immersed in the Shibori artform.

They will use these techniques and their own design thinking to create a modern Kimono. This first assessment task is all about learning how to take a traditional artform and mix it with contemporary influences.

Jacqueline Flint - TAS Teacher

They had begun studying a unit on the Mediterranean World, focusing on Ancient Egypt. Last year, the Australian Museum announced that they would be hosting an exhibition on Ramses II, one of the greatest and most famous Egyptian pharaohs of all time, who left an indelible mark on the ancient world.

On Thursday 4 April, escorted by nine brave teachers, all of Year 8 travelled on the College buses into the city to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity, viewing Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs.

Despite some slight drizzle upon their arrival, our Year 8 historians had morning tea and walked down to the Australian Museum. They patiently waited among other visiting schools in anticipation of seeing over 180 ancient treasures of the great pharaoh Ramses II. The students broke off into small groups and began their journey to see firsthand some priceless historical artifacts. The exhibition included “sarcophagi, animal mummified remains, magnificent jewelry, spectacular royal masks, exquisite amulets, and ornate golden treasures of the tomb, showcasing the superb workmanship of Egyptian artisans” (source: Australian Museum, accessed 9/04/2024).

The students will use their many photos as part of their next assessment task, where they will highlight five of their favorite artifacts to create their own digital museum booklet on the famous pharaoh.

A huge thank you to all our staff and the Australian Museum for making this such a memorable experience for our students. The girls represented the college with pride and learned so much about the life and times of Ramses the Great.

Jason Muller - HSIE Teacher

St Patrick's launched our inaugural Mock Trial campaign with great enthusiasm, visiting Broughton Anglican College to compete against their team. Our first competition involved a civil case where the defendant (St Patrick's), Horses for Courses Limited, was sued for negligence by the plaintiff (Broughton Anglican College). The trial allowed us to develop an understanding of Section 5B of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW).

Two weeks prior to the event, the participants received a script, and the St Pat's team has been meeting multiple times a week to prepare for the competition. We were also fortunate to have been supported by College Alumni Anastasia Socorro, who is a practicing lawyer and who provided us with a number of strategies to prepare our defense.

The morning of the competition was described as a "melting pot of emotions" by Navya, one of our team members. Nervous anticipation filled the air as we reviewed our notes, addressed final queries, and conducted our own run-through before facing the opposing team. The day was a success. The trial itself was engaging and kept us captivated throughout. While we encountered several challenges, our team emerged victorious. Magistrate Amy Douglas-Baker graciously provided feedback and guidance, contributing to a smooth and enriching experience.

A special thank you goes to Ms Pedder and Mr White for their invaluable support in refining our skills within a short timeframe. This first round was a resounding success, marking our girls' triumphant start to the season. We are grateful for this opportunity and eagerly anticipate the upcoming second round.

Molly P - Year 11

After the performance, many students made enquiries about how they can join the ensemble.

We welcome new players and we are always ready for more to join. Rehearsals are on Tuesday morning from 7.45am in the MSC. Come along and see if it is right for you. 

Elizabeth Samiya - CAPA Teacher

Through engaging activities such as script readings, improvisation techniques and theatrical performances, in Drama, we focus on developing not only acting skills but also gaining a deeper understanding of storytelling, empathy, and effective communication between our role onstage and our audience. Drama classes here at the College promote a supportive environment that encourages students to step out of their comfort zones, building confidence and resilience to have a fun and engaging experience. Additionally, the class promotes collaboration and companionship as students work together to bring characters and narratives to life. Beyond the spotlight, drama classes highlight valuable life skills and produce performances that involve conflicts, emotions, and the portrayal of human experiences through dialogue and action. Students develop meaning in their roles as dramatists, actors, and viewers. 

In the preliminary course, students needed to focus on improvisation, play-building and acting. This study of Drama enables the students to learn about the importance of elements of drama and for our first unit, the viewpoints of shape and time. Our first assessment task was to elevate our ability to use viewpoints and create dramatic meaning in our group performance and to record our process in our log books. 

With the options of the stimulus topics given to us, Group 1 chose Ticket No. 214 from the stimulus and created the idea and focus of identity. Everyone has a number that represents their identity…until someone loses their ticket. They journey all over the galaxy to find themselves a name and identity and leave it on a cliffhanger wondering where their home is and what is home? Group 1 accomplished an engaging, humourous and clear performance by using the viewpoints and elements of drama. Each student expressed their character and showcased the drama skills that were developed through this course. 

Group 2 created a performance from the stimulus topic of Vanishing Point and created the story of disharmony and metaphorical characters. Disharmony in the Muse world is now affecting the human world. When the sister of Love goes missing, can the Muses journey to restore peace? Group 2 created an interesting and fascinating performance highlighting the skills of each student and enhancing their characters. 

Overall Year 11 did a successful job with the first assessment task and highlighted the skills through the course rubric. 

The journey Year 10 Drama has undergone while exploring the topic of Documentary Drama has been truly memorable. We have studied a variety of Brechtian techniques, and how they can be utilised to increase the engagement of our audience. While investigating Documentary Drama, we have learnt that the purpose of this style of performance is to allow your audience to become aware of real issues in society, and reflect on these topics. Documentary drama has provided a space for Year 10 to research different issues of today, and ways they can be displayed creatively in a performative environment. The three groups of 10 Drama represented these issues: women’s vulnerability, the attitude towards mental health facilities and the negative side of social media. These three very different, but very important issues were researched throughout this term, and have been represented in a truly impactful way through engaging acting and performance elements. By using the elements of drama and different Brechtian techniques, Year 10 Drama have been able to show their audience the reality of these issues, and spark discussion over these topics through this didactic form of theatre.

Sta O and Ebony P - CAPA Students

Elizabeth Samiya - CAPA Teacher

Olivia was outstanding in the Diocesan trials and was one of the first girls selected even though she is playing an age up. Olivia will now travel to Wagga to play in a selection trial where she hopes to gain selection in the NSW Southern Country rugby league team.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

Year 10/11/12 Oz Tag - 2nd Place

Charlie C, Keesha D, Mirae Q, Charlie H, Scarlett N, Amelia C, Charlize F, Ella D, Mia L, Abby D, Mariah A, Cora W, Ava S and Eva L.
Coach Mr Baca. Assistant Jada Q.

Year 7/8/9 Volleyball - 2nd Place

Patressa A, Olivia L, Fiona S, Benyapa N, Indianah, Ana M, Amelia T, Stevie J and Emily C.
Coach Ms Cornett. Assistant Jasmine A.

Year 7/8/9 Indoor Cricket - 3rd Place

Ivy M, Isabella F, Jasmin S, Matilda G, Emily J, Hannah J, Emma R, Alana S, Lily S, Eliza T, Ruby F and Alexis M.
Coach Ms Wallin.

Year 10/11/12 Basketball 5th Place

Annalise E, Skyla S, Chloe C, Isabella K, Mia A, Valentina S, Hope M, Mahlia L, Phoebe H, Mia F, Jacqueline C and Siena B.
Coach Miss Young

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

Hannah competed at the NSW Junior Athletics Championships:
* 4th place in the 100m Final
* 5th place in the 200m Final - achieving a personal best time 

Hannah also competed at the Little Athletics State Championships:
* 2nd place in the 100m Final
* 2nd place in the 200m Final

Hannah will be representing NSW at the Australian Championships to be held in Adelaide.

Charlie competed at the NSW Junior Athletics Championships:
* 1st place in the High Jump - achieving a personal best jump of 1.72m

Charlie will be representing NSW at the Australian Championships to be held in Adelaide.

Charlie has also been selected in the ‘WORLD CUP’ Women’s Open Team for Touch Football, representing Lebanon. This event will be held in Nottingham in the UK in July. Charlie is also the youngest player to be selected for the tournament.

Congratulations Hannah and Charlie, we wish you all the best and can't wait to hear about your achievements.

Scott Ashcroft - Sports and Activities Coordinator

The program is designed to develop and refine the athlete's skills in their current sport of choice; including rock climbing, basketball and soccer.

Please be aware, that these clinics are run externally to the College, so teachers will not be present and transportation should be organised independently.

Christine Lahood - Gifted and Talented Coordinator

From its roots in Japan, this cartoon form is now a worldwide phenomenem.

Here at St Patrick's, our Anime club has been running since the onset of clubs in the library, and has proven to be one of the more popular clubs. Anime runs every Friday during lunch in D24 and traditionally has an enrolment in excess of 30 students, with around 20 attending on any given Friday.

Movies, games quizzes: all of these are carefully chosen and executed by the facilitators of Anime; Simra, Heidi and Hannah. These three leaders are passionate about Anime and share their passion with the Anime cohort.

If you love Anime or are curious to learn more, please join us.

Last Wednesday, a large contingent of students expressed interest in participating in the Library’s Easter Makerspace.

Snowglobes with an Easter feel were on the menu, with the students free to tap into their own creativity. A lot of fun was had by all and it was lovely to see the girls offering help to each other.

A special thank you goes out to Victoria S and Katelyn S who volunteered as helpers for the session.

Our students are curious and always ready to learn about the wonderful opportunities available to them beyond school. If you, a family member or friend is in a position to share some wisdom or experience with our students, I would love to hear from you.

We have a range of programs and upcoming events planned for the rest of this year, including:

Voluntary Work Experience Placements

Seminars, lunch sessions and Q&A forums

Careers and Job Expos

Incursions and Excursions 

Employment and Recruitment Advice

If you would like to share your story or learn more about how you can partner with us for the benefit of our girls, please email cmcgillicuddy@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au and I will be in touch with you.

Claire McGillicuddy - Careers and Pathways Adviser

Students who would like to represent the College need to get a permission note from the School Office or from Mrs Musico Rullo - fmusicorullo@saintpatricks.nsw.edu.au

Campbelltown March - please meet at 8.10am outside the entrance to Campbelltown Mall. The march will commence at 8.30am and continue down Queen Street and students will attend the service in Mawson Park. The service normally concludes by 10.30am

Camden march - please meet at 10.00am in Elizabeth Street (towards the Argyle Street end). The march will commence at 10.30am with students marching down Argyle Street and assembling for the service in Camden Bicentennial Park. The service normally concludes by approximately 12.30pm.

Uniforms: Summer uniform with hat and blazer is required.

Service Medals: Students may wear the service medals of family members. Please ensure these are worn on the RIGHT side of their blazer.

Our Nurses: We would love to have some of our students dress in our historic Australian military nurse uniforms!

Please contact me for further information.

Fran Musico Rullo - History Club Coordinator