Newsletter 6 2021

Dear Members of the St Andrews College Community,

Welcome back to Term 2. I hope you had a wonderful Easter. It has been a very positive start to the Term. The College has been busy with a number of learning opportunities as well as building works to enhance the learning environment. We are close to completing the renovations of the Music Room on the Senior Campus as well as the Hall. We have scheduled work to renovate the Art Room on the Senior Campus for the Term 2 School Holidays and the rest of the Hall upgrades will be completed by then. We are in very exciting times at the College with interest in the College increasing at an amazing rate. 

‘It’s All About Learning’

Easter Season Reflection:

The readings we hear during Eastertide bring words such as blind grief, unconscious action, unseeing eyes, disorientated discourse and might prompt us to consider how these words paint the image we feel when we too experience the loss of a loved or not so loved person.

The overpowering emotions that can heighten certain behaviours may also trigger the automatic pilot that gets us through the initial shock, despair, trauma and the myriad of other emotions we experience and I expect the friends of Jesus were feeling the same, as we read their stories in this period following His death and resurrection.

Seeing but not seeing is sadly the way many of us meander through our lives. I thought through the pandemic that I would find ways to stop and slow down, to really appreciate and be grateful for all that I have in my life, in my family members' lives and of course compared to the rest of the world I really could ‘see’ how fortunate I was and it was not difficult to be grateful for this.

But I find myself wondering now whether I truly saw anything differently. Was I any ‘more grateful or was I like the apostles; ‘seeing but not seeing’ because I did not actually slow down, I didn’t actually sit with the new vision, I didn’t allow myself to ‘be’. I have in all honestly been in auto-pilot mode reacting and responding but not actually connecting fully with the enormity of the life changing event this pandemic has been for me personally but also the whole world.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the pandemic may seem to be worlds apart but for every individual whose family was ripped apart by the pandemic there is much similarity. The deaths of loved ones overseas, or in care where the intimate goodbyes could not take place, the mass burials that had to take place without the faith traditions and rituals that are part of the transition from life to new life for all of us. The isolation of the marginalised, the aged, the homeless and the unseen became ever greater because of the pandemic; these people who fall directly into the groups that are regularly seen but unseen, the people we walk by because we have no time to stop, no time to speak up for their status, those in care with no eyes watching out for their dignity that is so often not a priority to those tasked to care for them; the person inside the body presented in a state of brokenness, dirty, bare-foot and shoeless who begs on the street.

We do see but we are all in the post resurrection mindset of seeing but not seeing, most of the time, overwhelmed by life, disorientated by the discourse on vaccines, lock-down, masks, travel restrictions the new traumas added to the usual financial status, education and health worries of our pre-pandemic mindsets. 

Instead of failing to take in the big picture we might follow the advice from Richard Rohr shared in his reflection, “Seeing no Stranger”:

“When I get overwhelmed, I ask: What is my role in this moment? I remember that I only have to shine my light in my corner of sky.”

If we could all focus for the 50 days of Easter on shining our Easter light on our personal “corner of sky”, we might begin to see the unseen, making the change with small loving steps, as Mother Theresa of Calcutta said “Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do….I want you to find the poor here, right in your own home first. And begin love there.” (Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech [December 11th, 1979] ).

May we open our hearts, ears and eyes as we continue the Easter joy and celebration as we say: “He is Risen; Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!”

Congratulations Ava Alley:

Congratulations Ava on winning the Blacktown Student Art Prize for the work based on the novel Throne of Glass. The character is Aelin Galathynius. The character is a strong, independent leader who always fights for what she believes in and never gives up.

Congratulations to our Year 12 Art students:

On Wednesday evening all students presented their major projects to an expert panel to receive feedback to further enhance their performance. The students presented their themes and method and received the feedback very well. Congratulations to Ms Mamuk who organised the evening and thank you to Mrs Ryan for her support.  

DOING MORE GOING BEYOND-Issabella Narayan:

Issabella Narayan has officially finished her Laps For Life fundraising. She set a goal of 80km and swam a total of 106.43km throughout the month of March and raised a massive total of $3000 which will go directly to the Reach Out Foundation. We are so very proud of you Issabella.

CAN Cinema Night:

Congratulations to Mr Chiapetta, Mr Alata, Mrs Cooper and Ms Breeze for all the work  that went into the CAN Cinema Night on Tuesday. It was a very enjoyable evening. The feedback I received from parents and students was very positive. Thank you to all staff who assisted with the evening by way of supervision, attendance, and support. Special mentions must go to Ms McKechnie and Mrs Welch for all the work behind the scenes.

Year 11 2022 Interviews:

Thank you to Mrs Deschamps, Mr Thrum, Mrs Healy, and Ms May for all the interviews that have been conducted to date. The students have entered into this first phase of discernment with an excellent attitude and focus.

United Nations Youth NSW Digital Diplomacy Summit:

Congratulations go to Chegutdit Deng, Wasim Rahmin and Charisse De Mesa who have registered to participate in the UN Youth NSW Digital Diplomacy Summit. As well as this Wasim has been shortlisted to represent NSW at the UN Ecosoc Youth Forum for the 2021 Young Diplomats Tour. This demonstrates initiative and leadership. We are very proud of you.

CSDA Debating and Volunteers:

After yet another very successful Public Speaking season we move into Debating starting Term 2. At present we are able to have live debates. This will help to allow the many student volunteers we have at the College be part of the Debating program at the College.. There is no other  school I have experienced that have such a willingness to support their school and their peers. It makes me very proud and thankful. Thank you to all students who tried out for teams. We are the most represented school in the Diocese in Debating  and it shows in our performances. I look forward to seeing all teams compete throughout the season ahead.

Sporting Successes:

Congratulations to the students who competed in the PDSSSC Cross Country event. 

From Year 7 : Briana Brown, Ana Donjerkovic, Philip Park, Savior Yosia Edward

From Year 8 : Hamish Seymon, Gennina Espino 

From Year 9 : Amponsah Antwi, Katie Bassili, Marley Kozak, Ava Mulroney 

From Year 11 : Jake Parkes, Issa Massimino, Raphael Jimmy

From Year 12 : Tohan Fadlalla, Andrei Figueroa, Abiatara Peter, Mercy Yosia Edward

The following students have subsequently qualified for the CCC Cross Country Carnival.

Jake Parkes, Amponsah Antwi, Briana Brown, and Abiatara Peter. 

Mercy Yosia Edward, Tohan Fadlalla and Savior Yosia Edward are reserves.

At the time of publication we did not have the results of the PDSSSC Soccer Gala Day. We wish the students all the best.

Enrolment for Year 7 and 11 2023 

NOW OPEN