From the Principal

Newsletter 18 2022

Dear Members of the St Andrews College Community,

Having just had St Andrews Day on Wednesday it is timely to reflect on what we have achieved as a community this year both inside and outside of the classrooms as learners on a journey. We have excelled in many domains, we have battled on some, yet we have persevered throughout. I was so proud of our Year 12 students who played such an important role in the St Andrews Parish Fundraising Event last weekend. Both the Music and Entertainment VET students committed themselves to the Parish event on their weekend and received excellent reviews. I believe that perseverance is our greatest asset. As I stated during my St Andrews Day Address “presence is most important - we show up”. Keep the focus in these last few weeks as we should always be looking to grow. Make the little things count.

‘It’s All About Learning’

Advent Reflection: 

When I was a child, I cannot honestly say I was even aware of the Advent Season. It probably was incorporated into the Sunday Mass celebration, but I have no real recollection of the advent coloured candles or a Christmas tree and decorations that adorn our Parish churches today. The crib however is still very prominent in my mind and this for me was the addition to the Sunday Mass that told me it was the beginning of something special coming and very soon. There would be new shoes, a new coat and everything that you wore under that coat was new and worn on Christmas Day, for Jesus birthday!

The preparation for Christmas was all in our home. It would begin with the Christmas card string prepared and waiting for the cards we hoped would come. The smell of mince pies that would start filling our home, as we waited hopefully for the visitors that would arrive in the weeks leading to Christmas Day with gifts and stories to tell. The Christmas tree and tinsel were next, erected the week before Christmas and the Crib without baby Jesus would go underneath – the greatest gift we all hope for with expectation. Looking back, all of these rituals were preparing our homes but also preparing our hearts for Christmas.

Advent is the season of hopeful waiting. The word Advent means 'coming' and refers to the coming of Christ, who will bring many gifts – peace, justice, happiness, joy, love and hope. During Advent, we have opportunities to get ready for the birth of Jesus and like all births, there is an element of fear. Just as an expectant mother, whose fear and elation are mixed before the birth of her child, Mary, Mother of Jesus would have felt it before the birth of Jesus.

During Advent Jesus comes to us through the hands of others, the holy ones in our lives. Those who reach into our pain and help us up, who are there for us in the good times and the not so good, in the acts and actions of supporting the poor, the homeless, the domestic violence sufferers, and all those who fall into our beautiful prayer of The Beatitudes.

During this Advent Season, the face of God will come and go and we may miss it in the busyness of the Christmas festivities. The face of God, seen in the child that seeks some more attention, the friend who needs to talk, the neighbour whose husband has died, an invitation to share a casual meal, or the sun setting in your back yard. The face of God comes and goes quickly in our lives. We long to see Christ for longer than a glimpse but if we are not watching and ready, the face will be gone, and we will miss it, over and over again.

This Advent, why not seek out the face of Jesus, in the faces of children, the unemployed, the sick, the poor, the homeless, the refugee, the person a long way from home, the grieving and the lonely, and maybe even in the faces of our nearest and dearest. If we open our eyes to be alert to those around us, we will not miss Jesus this Advent.

Chifley Young Woman of the Year presented to Cheguit Deng:

Congratulations to Chegudit Deng (Class of 2022) who was awarded the Chifley Young Woman of the Year Award for her work with the young Sudanese community at the College and from surrounding Primary Schools. Every Tuesday Chegudit would organise a variety of learning and leisure activities for the students to encourage aspiration and growth. It was an honour to be part of the award ceremony last Friday and witness this accolade for Chegudit.

St Andrews Day:

Thank you to Fr Kevin, Mr Clarke, Mr Hoare, Mr Alata, Mr Chiapetta, Ms Breeze and the musicians, Mr McGloghan and Mr Maura, Ms McKechnie for a beautiful Mass. The presence of our special guests, parents, and the participation of the community was wonderful to see. The Mass was a real highlight, and the way the students engaged in the Mass was excellent. The induction of our 2023 Captains and Student Leaders is always a highlight of the day as well. I had many comments from the Carnival Staff at how polite and respectful our students were. 

Building Works:

At present we have the new portable classrooms being totally gutted and renovated on the Junior Campus. That will be followed by the older portable classrooms being totally gutted and renovated.

We also have the toilet block on the Senior Campus being totally gutted and renovated. All projects are due to be completed by the end of 2022.

Enrolment for Year 11 2023 NOW OPEN

Year 7 2023 still has a significant waiting list

We are accepting applications for 2024 now

Fidem in Christo

Dr Stephen Kennaugh
Principal