2024 HSC Results

In  2024 our  HSC results were reflective of the hardwork and dedication of our students and their teachers. We had 27 students recognised as Distinguished Achievers with 44 Distinguished Achievements in total. 76.3% of our students achieved in the top 3 bands for their courses. Our accelerated students excelled in their courses with most students achieving a Band 6 or Band 5.  

Students in our Extension Courses achieved 7 E4’s and 17 E3’s. The 2024 students achieved 35 Band 6 results across the cohort. 10 students achieved an ATAR of 90 or above with Ishwinder Nijjar receiving the prestigious award of ATAR Dux with a Rank of 97.2, followed by Jeremy Delfino as Second Place Dux and Guntas Sandhu achieving Third Place Dux. The 2024 cohort also saw an impressive 43% increase in students achieving an ATAR rank of 80 and above and  67% of the courses studied achieved on or above state average results.

St Andrews College is committed to a culture of learning growth for every student in every year group. We are focused on ensuring that students receive the best possible feedback to improve their learning, and hope to see even more learning growth for all of the students in 2025.

Canvas Learning Update

As part of the College’s commitment to provide essential feedback for student learning growth and for parents to be able to track their child’s progress in their courses, the College is in its 2nd Year of our transition to Canvas as our Learning platform.

Canvas provides opportunities for students to receive feedback in various ways, not just written but verbal and visual feedback. We still have some courses who are preparing for full Canvas implementation which will be achieved in 2026.

We continue to provide our staff with ongoing professional development in their work in creating a Canvas course that best supports your child’s learning and appreciate your patience as staff continue their learning journey in this transition phase.

Student Information Hub

The College Student Information Hub is now live and has the most current Assessment information for your child. Please be sure to read through the assessment handbooks and make note of the assessment weeks allocated to each subject’s formal assessment tasks. In Year 7 to 10 these tasks are used with ongoing informal assessment to determine your child’s Mid-Semester and End of Year report grade. Please continue to communicate with your child’s class teacher if you have any concerns about your child’s learning progress or assessment.

Ms Josilin Kalifa 

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

Attendance

All schools in the Diocese have been set an attendance target of 94%. This means that during the school year, all students are expected to attend the College as much as possible to take advantage of all learning opportunities. It is expected that there will be times when some students will be sick and cannot attend school. An acceptable absence rate for a term will be around 3 days.

Parents will be contacted by their child’s learning advisor if the number of absent days exceeds this target rate.

Attendance Rate

There is a lot of potential damage to a student’s learning and progress the more time they take off from school. It is important that each student is at school as much as possible to take advantage of every learning opportunity.

A reminder to families: if your child is late or absent, they must provide a note written by the parent/guardian and signed by the parent/guardian or enter the details on the Compass App. You have 7 days to provide the note or Compass entry, or the absence or lateness will be recorded as unexplained. Please enter all absences on the Compass App.

If you have a planned absence, a written application must be submitted to the Principal before you are absent from school. With a change in legislation, there is more paperwork that must be completed for absences. Families are discouraged from having family holidays during term time; however, we are aware that there may be a few exceptions.

If there is a problem with attendance, the College will contact each family to develop an attendance plan to ensure classes are not being missed.

Lateness

As with absence, lateness to school has the potential to cause significant harm to the student’s learning. Parents are asked to ensure their children are at school on time every day. There will be times when lateness is unavoidable, but if a pattern of lateness becomes evident, the family will be asked to attend a lateness meeting to address the problem.

Uniform

Just a reminder about the College uniform. St Andrews has high expectations about the way each student wears the uniform. It is expected that each student is dressed according to the College's Uniform Policy (which is in the student’s planner).

The College uniform expectations were developed by the College community and represent what the parents, students, and College expect to see in a St Andrews student. I ask all families to work with their Learning Advisors and Leaders of Learning Wellbeing to maintain the standards set for the College uniform.

Each male student is expected to be clean-shaven every day. If facial hair is noticeable, they will be asked to shave it at school.

No male students are allowed to have earrings of any type, including clear plastic ones. Females are allowed to have 1 set of earrings in their lobes, which must be simple gold or silver sleepers or studs with a small jewel in them. All other earrings will need to be removed. No nose rings, tongue rings, or any other piercings are acceptable.

Hair should be one natural color and neat and tidy. Girls are to have their hair tied back at school. Boys are to have short hair according to the College policy (this is available in the planner). If a student’s hair is not acceptable, families will be contacted to have it rectified. No fad or extreme haircuts are acceptable (e.g., no mullets or Mohawks).

Communication

The first way to communicate with the College is through Compass and the College Student Planner. Teachers will use the Planner to communicate small concerns or praise. If you have any concerns, you can contact the student’s Learning Advisor, who oversees a small group of students during the year, or the class teacher of different subjects. If the matter is a major concern, you can call the College to speak to your child’s Leader of Learning – Wellbeing or Leader of Learning – KLA. Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher if you have any concerns about your child’s progress in class.

The College will be using the Compass App for all its notes and notifications.

What Is Bullying?

Bullying consists of behaviors intended to deliberately hurt, threaten, frighten, or exclude someone by physical and non-physical means over extended periods of time. An individual or group may direct these behaviors towards another individual or group.

Someone is bullying another person when:

• They repeatedly verbally abuse a person or group by calling them unpleasant names, writing them nasty notes and/or messages, or using unpleasant gestures.
• They repeatedly physically harm a person or group or physically intimidate them by threatening physical harm or by destroying/taking their belongings without permission.
• They repeatedly encourage their friends or people they know to verbally or physically threaten a person or group or ask them to harass, embarrass, ignore, or exclude that person or group from activities.

Bullying may take one, two, or all of these forms. "Repeatedly" means they do these things to that person or group the majority of the time they talk about them, see them, or spend time around them.

Research has shown that bullying has negative, long-term consequences for all involved.

Such consequences include:

• For victims: constant feelings of rejection, low self-regard, fear, an inability to solve problems with others in acceptable ways, relationship difficulties, and problems with achieving their full potential academically and socially.
• For bullies: an increased risk of criminal behavior.

As such, bullying behaviors have no place at this College.

What do we do if it happens to you or someone you know?

If you are being bullied at school or online, or you know of someone who is being bullied, you must make a positive move to stop the bullying. St Andrews has a zero-tolerance rule for bullying, but if you don’t tell us, we cannot help.

Step 1: Talk to someone about what is happening. If you know the person and you are comfortable, approach them and ask them to stop.

Step 2: Approach your parents or the school to help you sort out the issue. You have your Learning Advisor or your Leaders of Learning who are there to support you. They might give you strategies to help deal with the situation, or they might intervene; this is up to you.

Step 3: If you are able to sort things out and move forward in a positive way, that's great! If not, speak to another person or approach someone you trust to help you. At the end of the day, we want all students to be safe and learning, so we will assist any student to make that happen. Don’t be afraid to come and see a teacher; it is our job to assist you.

St Andrews has a zero-tolerance policy on bullying. If you have any concerns, please see your Learning Advisor, your teachers, your Leader of Wellbeing, or myself. The quicker you see us, the quicker it will be resolved.

What’s in the Student Planner this week?

Over the last two weeks, students have been focusing on understanding their strength profile and what it means. Students have completed the VIA Character Strength test to identify their strengths and then learn how to use them.

Make an effort to use your strengths to set some goals. Write them down and make a plan to achieve them. Thinking about goals is not always enough; put your plan into action.

Ways to change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset:

• Focus on what is working – We need to understand and work with our strengths. When we identify our strengths, we start to understand the areas we need help with.
• Set realistic goals – Setting goals helps us focus on moving forward in a positive way. Setting goals based on our strengths is easy, and if we use similar goals and strategies for our weaker areas, we will see success.
• Be patient – All success takes time. We might see improvement in our areas of strength, but sometimes, other areas take more time. Be patient, and it will happen.
• Have grit – Be persistent in your work, and don’t give up when it gets hard. The work is meant to be hard so you grow, and your weaknesses become strengths.
• Always use your resources – All students have resources to help them succeed: your families, your teachers, staff at the College, and other people who have expertise in learning. Never be afraid to ask for help; this is a sign of strength.
• Take action – As Nike says, “Just do it.” Don’t procrastinate; set your goals and take action.
• Never use the term “I can’t do it”; use the term “I can’t do it yet.” Change the way you think; be positive and solution-focused.

Mr. Nick Thrum
Assistant Principal - Students

Principal’s Awards

It was wonderful presenting so many Principal’s Awards at the first Assembly of the year. Congratulations to the following students who have received Principal’s Awards:

House Cup Points Update

The House Cup Competition runs from Term 4 through to Term 3 every year. The updated points for the 2025 competition are:

Bennelong 20, 480

Chang 20, 680

Frances 21, 185

Gould 14, 840

Mrs Sue Cooper

Leader of Wellbeing and Learning

scooper@parra.catholic.edu.au

Yesterday our College Leaders joined Bishop Vincent for the Lifted Leaders 2025 with CYP.

It was a wonderful opportunity for our leaders to meet and hear from Bishop Vincent, to continue to be formed as student leaders in our Catholic faith community, connect with other leaders from across the Diocese and share some of their own team leadership goals and initiatives for 2025. Bishop Vincent led the day with an inspiring reflection on the gospel.

You are loved by others, by God. You can make a difference, you are entrusted with a mission in the world, measured by your kindness, love and acts of service. In Matthew 10:42, it reads And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not be forgotten in the kingdom and eyes of God. Simple acts of kindness and love are often underestimated as a powerful reflection of God's love in the world. We often believe that we need to do big things to serve the Lord and serve the other. St Therese the little flower proclaimed that we should “never miss a single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.” These acts of love are something that Bishop Vincent states should be something we all should strive towards and are capable of as we embark upon the Jubilee year as Pilgrims of Hope. 

We look forward to our Leaders sharing their experiences at Lifted Leaders, and inspiring others in our Catholic Community to take up the Lord’s command to love others as we journey through 2025.

Youth Ministry Equipping School Canberra.

Our Peer to Peer Ministry students have made the trip to Canberra with Miss Tan this week, to further their training and formation at the Youth Ministry Equipping School from 27 Feb to 2 March. The intensive formation experience aims to develop senior students in leadership for youth ministry in their schools. The students will experience opportunities to deepen their own spiritual understanding and personal faith, and Build their Youth Ministry Skills: to equip them with practical tools to organise, promote, and facilitate youth ministry programs as they have been doing over the last year at the college with great enthusiasm and success.. We hope this experience will empower our students to inspire and guide others in their spiritual and personal growth.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Sale

Shrove Tuesday is next Tuesday 4th March 2025.

St Andrews College will be selling Pancakes in support of Project Compassion.

Pancakes cost will be 1 pancake for $2 or 3 Pancakes for $5 this includes toppings of your choice.

Pancakes will be available to collect at Recess on both Junior and Senior Campus.'

The QKR app is NOW OPEN for you to purchase your pancakes so don't miss out.

The QR code is below.

Thank you for your support.

International Women's Day Breakfast 

The St Andrew's annual International Women's Day Breakfast is  on 

Friday 7th March at 7.30 in the Senior Hall

This Year’s theme is #Accelerate Action for gender equality.

We are looking forward to a rigorous discussion in support of our them led by the Year 12 SRC.

Senior Campus students along with all College parents and College Staff are most welcome to attend.

Andrew, Karina and Olivia.

The Mission Team

Year 10: A Strong Start to 2025

As we embark on this new school year, we are reminded of the strength that comes from trusting in God’s path for us. Through faith, perseverance, and a commitment to our College values, Year 10 has made a strong and positive start to 2025. The dedication and enthusiasm displayed by our cohort have been evident in many ways, demonstrating our commitment to the College's values and expectations.

One of the first signs of this commitment has been the high standard of uniform presentation. The way you wear your uniform is more than just about appearance—it reflects your belief in the College’s values. By following these expectations, students send a clear message of respect not only for themselves but also for the wider school community.

Beyond uniform, Year 10 has shown outstanding participation in College events, including our Opening Mass, Swimming Carnival, and the recent Public Speaking trials. These occasions are vital in fostering our school spirit and unity, and it has been wonderful to see so many students getting involved.

A special mention must go to our House Captains, who have embraced their leadership roles during their first carnival. They showcased their skills by leading war cries, organising relay teams, and actively participating in numerous events. Additionally, they have taken on the responsibility of running lunchtime activities for the new Year 7 students, helping to make their transition to high school smoother. This initiative is still a work in progress; however, it has already made a positive impact. We look forward to its continued growth in Term 2, with potential inter-house lunchtime competitions on the horizon—stay tuned for more updates!

Another exciting development is the welcoming of the 2025 Learning Group Leaders into the Year 10 Leadership Team. These students have stepped up to be the voice of their peers, and it was a pleasure to present them with their badges last week. Their role is essential in fostering a supportive and collaborative year group, Ms Breeze and I look forward to seeing their leadership in action.

Our Student Representative Council (SRC) has also taken a proactive role in leading Year Group meetings, emphasising that Year 10 is truly in control of its own learning journey. One of the key initiatives this term is the upcoming Project Compassion campaign, where the SRC will collaborate with each Learning Group to organise fundraising activities that make meaningful contributions in support of those in need. Additionally, the SRC has launched a Peer Tutoring Program, where Year 10 students will collaborate to improve their academic performance. This initiative will focus on subject-specific revision, general learning strategies, and time management skills, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Year 10 is a cohort full of talent, drive, and capacity. As we progress through 2025, Ms Breeze and I are excited to see each student take steps toward achieving their true potential. 

Finally, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the parent community for your unwavering support and partnership in nurturing the holistic development of our students. I understand that at times, things can be challenging; however, your involvement and encouragement play a vital role in shaping the culture of our College, a culture of hope, resilience, and excellence. Let us continue to build on this fantastic start, guided by faith, and make this year one of growth, leadership, and success!

With warm regards,

Mr Nathan Weaver
Acting Leader of Wellbeing- Year 10

A Fantastic Start to the Year for Year 8

As we move further into Term 1, I continue to be impressed by the enthusiasm, dedication, and positive attitude of our Year 8 students. Whether in the classroom, on the sporting field, or in co-curricular activities, they are making the most of the opportunities available to them and representing St Andrews College with pride.

Gymnastics Program – Bennelong & Chang Houses

A special highlight of the term so far has been the outstanding participation of Bennelong and Chang House students in the gymnastics program. Each week, our students have been pushing themselves to develop new skills, improve their coordination, and build their confidence in a fun and supportive environment.

Their commitment and effort have not gone unnoticed! The venue has been incredibly complimentary about the behaviour, respect, and enthusiasm shown by our students, which is a credit to them and the culture we continue to foster at St Andrews. It has been fantastic to see so many students getting involved, encouraging one another, and making the most of this great opportunity.

Year 8 Shines in Public Speaking

Another area where our students have excelled is in public speaking. It was inspiring to see such a strong level of interest from Year 8, with so many students putting their hands up to take part in the selection process. Public speaking requires courage, preparation, and the ability to articulate ideas clearly—and our students have certainly risen to the challenge!

Not only was it wonderful to see so many keen participants, but it was also fantastic to have a strong number of Year 8 students chosen to represent the College. This speaks volumes about their talent, confidence, and willingness to step outside their comfort zone. I have no doubt they will make us proud in the competitions ahead!

A big congratulations to the following, who will represent our school and year group in the coming weeks. 

Avnet Kaur 

Josh Reyes 

Courtney Banares

Jasmine Ghazal

As always, I encourage all Year 8 students to keep embracing new challenges, supporting one another, and making the most of their time here at St Andrews College. Keep up the fantastic work, Year 8—I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of the term brings!

Mr. Jarryd Leaves
Leader of Wellbeing – Year 8

We welcome the St Andrews community to Week 4 of 2025. 

This is the year our year 12’s embark on the HSC journey. This year will surely be filled with stressful moments and times of self-doubt. However, we wanted to remind our year 12 cohort that this is our last year of high school. We recently had our last Swimming Carnival, and we will soon have our last Athletics Carnival, Unity Day and so on. So whilst we are all studying as much as we can and striving for our absolute best, we also want to encourage everyone to make the most of this year, and remember how far we have come, as well as how far we will go. 

For the year 11’s, this year will be your time of trialling for your HSC year, so we strongly encourage you to give it your all and make the most of the opportunities provided for you. Year 11 is a time for learning, growing and preparing yourselves for what comes ahead. The effort that you put in this year will ensure the journey to year 12 isn't as daunting and is more smooth sailing. 

Yesterday, we were fortunate enough to attend Lifted Leaders, an event hosted by CSPD. We were lucky enough to hear Bishop Vincent speak, and we would like to share some of his inspiring words regarding leadership.

Bishop Vincent stated: You are loved by others, by God. You can make a difference, you are entrusted with a mission in the world, measured by your kindness, love and acts of service. In Matthew 10:42, it reads And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not be forgotten in the kingdom and eyes of God.

The simple act of kindness and positivity is a powerful reflection of God's love in the world and something we should strive towards. 

We were also fortunate enough to hear from Deacon Adrian Gomez, who enlightened us on hope demonstrated by a holocaust survivor, Corrie Ten Boom. Corrie was a Christian during the holocaust and helped hide Jews from arrest which later led to her arrest. During this trying time, she followed this quote. “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” As we celebrate the 2025 Holy Year of Jubilee, we are encouraged to engage this year's spiritual theme of being Pilgrims' hope. Deacon Adrian explained that this is what hope is, hope is trusting an unknown future to a known God. 

So while we are all awaiting the challenges that this school year is sure to bring, I want us all to remember to trust in God, as he has a plan for us all even through trying times when we don't know what may be ahead of us.

Thank you and God Bless.

Tewodros Worku and Leila Crisafulli-Kefu

College Vice Captains

Friday 21st February - Art Gallery of New South Wales

On the 21st of February, Visual Arts students from Year 11, like myself and Year 12 were given an opportunity to visit The Art Gallery of New South Wales. Here, we were able to view Cao Fei: My City is Yours, as well as the yearly ArtExpress exhibition. Upon arriving at Cao Fei’s exhibition, her sense of energy of the contemporary metropolis filled the room. As a group, we entered the exhibition via a replica of a 1960s Beijing Foyer and exited through the infamous Marigold Sydney Yum Cha restaurant. It was an immersive wonderland of both the past and the future cities. It featured the daily lives of Chinese people and China’s rapid economic growth and urbanisation. Neon-lit installations punctuated through Cao Fei’s virtual worlds, and the interactive nature of the exhibition connected us more deeply to her work. In the exhibition, we jumped into foam pits, listened and watched documentaries and sci-fi films, and played VR games and vintage arcade machines. It was truly a work of art, as she integrated aspects of her city, Beijing and took it into a level of her own perspective to feature their culture across multiple cities. 

After visiting Cao Fei’s exhibition, we were able to walk our way back to the gallery’s South Building and view the annual ArtExpress exhibition. This was primarily focused for the Year 11’s as a source for the artmaking and development of work component of the HSC examination in Visual Arts. Outstanding artworks were shown and one of the artworks that really stood out for me is Oscar Hartley’s ‘Connection Unavailable’. I found that he is able to address a contemporary issue, with the rising growth of technology into the lives of people. Where he is able to capture the “pervasive disconnect between humanity and nature that underscores our digital age.” When viewed closely, the Hex code can be seen from the glitch he reflected in his artwork, which I found to be really interesting. Overall, visiting the Art Gallery of New South Wales was such an insightful experience as we were able to immerse ourselves through Cao Fei’s cityscape, filled with interactive elements of the world of neon, street dance and pop music. As well as cultivating ideas from the outstanding artwork of the 2024 HSC Visual Arts students.

• Sofia Manbutas Year 11

The excursion to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where Year 11 & 12 Visual Arts students were given the opportunity to visit the Cao Fei exhibition and Art Express, was an insightful and immersive experience. The Cao Fei exhibition was filled with really unique installations that were interactive and engaging through the exploration of futuristic and contemporary concepts, and the Art Express exhibiting past HSC body of works was very inspiring and introduced a range of new ideas that could potentially be incorporated within my own artmaking practice.

• Catharina Purwadi Year 11

On our excursion to the Art Gallery of NSW, we were able to fully immerse ourselves in the surreal humour and cyber futurism of Cao Fei's art. We also had the opportunity to see artworks displayed in the 2025 art express exhibit to get some inspiration for our own HSC Body of works. 

• Micaela Sibucao Year 11

Year 7 - Popular Culture & Pop Art

Year 7 students have started 2025 by getting to know each other through art, creating self-portraits that showcase their interests, likes, and dislikes. This has been a fun and engaging way for them to connect with their peers while also showcasing/ developing their practical skills.

Building on this, students are now diving into Popular Culture/Pop Art - discovering its impact on society today and comparing it to popular trends from past decades. As part of this exploration, students have been introduced to influential pop artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Claes Oldenburg and analysed their methods and meanings behind their practice. 

Over the next few weeks, they will create their own Pop Art inspired artworks, using packaged food as their subject. Students will implement the newly learnt grid method technique to transfer images as well as a range of photography techniques to capture their own reference image. 

Stay tuned for some exciting and colourful creations!

Year 8 - Surrealist Ceramic Mugs in Progress

Year 8 students have recently been introduced to the art movement Surrealism, exploring key artists, distinctive characteristics, and concepts such as the subconscious mind, juxtaposition, and scale. Building on this foundation, students have looked at contemporary Australian artist Reg Mombassa, whose work is influenced by Surrealism, as inspiration for their ceramic mug designs.

In 8VISAJ, students have now completed the design and construction phase of their ceramic mugs. Using techniques such as coiling, pinch pot, or slab construction, they have successfully transformed their 2D designs into unique 3D artworks. We are now looking forward to the next exciting stage - adding colour and detail through underglazing!

Year 9 - Introduction to Portraiture

Year 9 students have been exploring the art of portraiture, learning how artists use portraits to express individual, community, cultural, and national identity throughout history. Alongside this, they have developed key practical skills, including understanding head proportions, drawing facial features, and using graphite pencils to create tonal variation through the value scale. They have also practiced the grid method to accurately transfer imagery.

Students have applied these skills to create their own self-portraits. For many, this was their first time attempting a detailed/realistic portrait, and we are incredibly impressed with their results!

Year 11 - Prehistoric Art & beginning our Collection of Works. 

Our senior Visual Arts students have been actively revisiting the foundations of the course, refining their understanding of subject-specific terminology and the three core content areas. To deepen their appreciation of art history, they have explored prehistoric art, examining the world of early artists, their creative methods, and the purpose behind their works.

Students have now begun creating the first piece for their Collection of Works—a sculpture made from recycled cardboard. Inspired by their chosen object, they will experiment with various techniques to capture unique characteristics, textures, and surface qualities. This piece will be part of their final Collection of Works, which is set for completion early next term.

A big thank you to the SAC community for donating cardboard to support the sculptural aspect of this task. 

Mrs Shandel Kemal

Visual Arts Teacher

Dear parents/guardians, 

It is a big and exciting term in regards to sports. 

It has been great to see our Gymnastics program well underway again for year 8. This means that during Term 1, Bennelong and Chang have the opportunity to attend Sydney Gymnastics Aquatic Centre - Rooty Hill led by talented instructors. It is a program that will run over the course of 8 weeks. This is a great opportunity for students to get involved in a Gymnastics program! In Term 2, it will be Frances and Goulds opportunity to attend the 8 week Gymnastics program. 

Our Year 10 students have been successfully participating in our venue sports: one555 gym, flip out, rock climbing and AMF bowling. 

We also had the college swimming carnival on the 14th February, held at Charlie Lowles Leisure Centre Emerton. Congratulations to the following students who have progressed through the PDSSSC swimming championships- Gabriella Azar, Lana Barrameda, Ava Bylsma, Sage Cheng, Isabella Dabit, Analise Gregoriou, Kaiden Halagao, Dawson Jia, Piper Kriess, Sabina La, Micah Makari, ALi Miraei, Caleb Palafox, Jeremiah Paul, Kevin Pham, Sharlene San Pedro, Marko Vidovic, Chloe Wilson. Good luck to our swimmers participating next Frida,y 7th March at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. 

In softball news, Amelia Manks had a great day at the NSWCCC trials. Amelia played 2 games and was then selected to play in the final decider. After this game the NSWCCC softball team was announced. Amelia was successful at gaining a position in the NSWCCC team! 

Amelia and the NSWCCC team will compete in the NSW All Schools State Championship held at Blacktown International Sportspark on 10th March. We wish Amelia all the very best of luck! 

I look forward to sharing all our student successes across all sports that are happening this term. 

Miss Ivana Nikitovic 

Leader of Wellbeing- Sport

A huge thank you to Miss Le for organizing and accompanying our Year 12 Music students to the HSC 2024 Encore Performance at the Sydney Opera House!

On Monday 24th of February, Our Year 12 Music students had a fantastic day experiencing the exceptional standard of last year’s HSC Music performances. Seeing the dedication and talent of past students first hand was both inspiring and motivating. It provided valuable insight into the expectations and possibilities for their own major works, and they are excited to apply what they learned to their own performances and compositions.

We appreciate Miss Le’s dedication to enriching our students’ musical education and providing them with opportunities to excel.

Thank you, Miss Le, for making this experience possible!

Kind Regards,

Mr Jason Alata 

Leader of Learning - Music

Engaging Students Through a Contemporary Issues Gallery Walk

Last week, our Year 11 Society and Culture students took part in an interactive and thought-provoking Gallery Walk, where they researched and analysed contemporary social issues through a conceptual lens. This engaging lesson encouraged students to think critically about real-world challenges and articulate their insights in a creative and meaningful way.

Students chose to research a variety of contemporary issues, from celebrity activism, ‘The Pink Tax’, modest clothing, cancel culture, ‘The Lazy Girl Job Trend’, gender pay gap, and the impact of vaping. They applied key Society and Culture concepts, such as Identity, Power & Authority, and Social and Cultural Change, to deepen their understanding and analysis. Each group presented their findings in a visually engaging format, including digital slideshows.

The Gallery Walk format allowed students to rotate around the room, exploring their peers’ presentations while actively engaging in discussions. Students found this method particularly dynamic and insightful as it encouraged them to consider multiple perspectives on complex social issues. Many reported that they gained new insights from their classmates’ work and were able to connect different concepts across topics.

The Gallery Walk was a resounding success, demonstrating the power of active, student-led learning. It not only enhanced students' analytical skills but also fostered a sense of curiosity and engagement with the world around them. We look forward to implementing similar hands-on learning experiences in the future!

Mrs Emily Parker

Society & Culture Teacher

In Year 10 Mathematics, students are now approaching the end of their first unit, Algebraic Techniques. Students in 10MATHP1 shared this spreadsheet, which required them to correctly input the correct factorisation of each expression, with working out to be modelled in their books. Each correct answer would reveal a colour that would complete the image. Students also engaged in friendly competition to see who could complete their illustrations first. This task was successful in ending the unit on a fun note, consolidating their learning and serving as revision for their upcoming topic test. 

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Reijl Dela Paz

Mathematics Teacher

Exploring Japanese Traditions at the Japan Foundation

On Week 4 Tuesday 25 February, the Year 10 Japanese Elective Course students embarked on an exciting excursion to the Japan Foundation, Sydney, immersing themselves in authentic Japanese culture.

The students had the incredible opportunity to learn about traditional Japanese costumes, including home visiting manners, the proper way to wear a Yukata, and the movements of the traditional Tanko Odori dance. This hands-on experience provided them with a deeper appreciation and understanding of Japan’s rich cultural heritage.

During the excursion, students also enjoyed an authentic Japanese Omusubi Obento Box. They had the choice of two delicious omusubi fillings, such as salted grilled salmon, teriyaki chicken, beef shigure (marinated minced beef) and so on. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their obento, making the cultural experience even more memorable.

The students had a fantastic time and left with newfound knowledge and enthusiasm for their Japanese studies.

Stay tuned for more cultural experiences throughout the year!

Ms Miho Matsufuji

Japanese Teacher

Moses Badelles recently completed his 8-week homestay program in Japan. This special exchange program is offered by our sister schools, Isahaya Commercial High School and St. Andrews College.

This opportunity allows our students to experience life in Japan as exchange students for eight weeks. Moses was the first student to participate in this program and visit our sister school. He shared his experience in a speech at the school assembly in Week 3.

For those who missed it, here is his report.

If you are interested in this program, please contact me. I will provide details about the program and its eligibility criteria.

I hope you enjoy reading Moses’s report!

Ms Mariko Suzuki

Leader of Learning - Languages

Homestay Experience In Japan

I’m Moses Badelles from the graduating class of 2024, and I studied Japanese for 5 years, from Year 8 to Year 12, at St Andrews College. This summer holiday, with the wonderful help and support from the school, I was able to participate in a homestay program in Japan with our sister school, Isahaya Commercial High School. This homestay program lasted for 2 months in Nagasaki, Japan, whilst I experienced Japanese school life, home life, and Japanese culture all together. This was a marvelous experience, and I’d do it all over if I had the choice too in less than a heartbeat.

When I first arrived at Isahaya Commercial High School, I was struck by how respectful and disciplined the students were. Every day, we began with a greeting, and the focus on mutual respect between students and teachers was notable. But what stood out the most was everyone's kindness and welcomingness. Even though I was a foreigner, they treated me with the same respect as everyone else. There wasn’t a day that went by without someone saying a full of joy good morning with a broad smile. Everyone is very willing to chat and will often approach you to get to know you better. 

In Japan, almost every student is involved in a club, and the variety of clubs available is incredible. I had the chance to experience almost every club the school could offer, from sports clubs like badminton and soccer to more traditional activities like calligraphy and the tea ceremony. I loved all the clubs I attended, as they all had a unique set of characters excited for me to try out what they were doing. These didn’t seem like just another extracurricular activity but a great way schools build community whilst building values beyond the skill itself, patience, discipline, respect, and teamwork. No matter your club, it’s a chance to build lasting relationships and develop essential life skills beyond just the activity.

And, of course, one of the most heartwarming aspects of my trip was experiencing Japanese home life. I stayed with a wonderful host family who welcomed me as one of their own. Every day, we would share meals, and I was amazed by their importance on family and tradition. In my host family’s home, it wasn’t just about living together. It was about supporting each other, sharing experiences, and creating a harmonious environment. From helping prepare dinner to participating in their daily routines, I felt a sense of belonging that deepened my understanding of the culture. Japanese home life teaches you the value of connection, gratitude, and creating bonds with those around you.

My favourite factor among all these activities was the people. Japanese people are the kindest people I’ve ever met, and I have learnt so much from everyone regardless of age. Saying goodbye to everyone for the last time was such an upsetting time for me as the bonds I built with everyone were so strong even though it was only a 2-month trip. I’m pleased to keep them all in contact through Instagram and LINE, and I look forward to keeping them as my friends and meeting them again in the future. This homestay program in Japan changed my life, and I’ll forever treasure these memories.

Moses Badelles - Year 12 Japanse Continuers, Class of 2024

Speech from Moses:

Good morning, Dr Kennaugh, staff and students, 

Let me introduce myself a little bit. I’m Moses Badelles from the graduating class of 2024 and I had taken Japanese throughout year 8 until the end of year 12 at St Andrews Collge. This Summer holiday, with the wonderful help and support from our school, I was able to participate in a homestay program in Japan with our sister school Isahaya Commercial High School. This homestay program lasted for 2 months in Nagasaki, Japan, whilst I experienced Japanese school life, home life, and Japanese culture altogether. This was a marvelous experience, and I’d do it all over if I had the choice too in less than a heartbeat.

Let me start by talking about how learning Japanese influenced my school life in Japan. Upon arriving at Isahaya Commercial High School, I was initially overwhelmed by how respectful and disciplined the students were. However, because I had studied the language for several years, I was able to communicate and engage with everyone in a way that helped me feel welcomed. The ability to speak Japanese allowed me to form stronger connections, whether it was through daily greetings, classroom discussions, or simply chatting with classmates between classes. One of the most notable parts of Japanese school life was the emphasis on respect, not only between students and teachers but also among peers. My language skills made me feel like I was part of the community from the very beginning. Not only was I able to meet so many wonderful Japanese students, I experienced so many differences between Japanese and Australian schools, and even though I knew most of these things from Japanese class, seeing and living these differences was one of my favourite things about being in Japan.

One of the biggest differences, the club activities. In Japan, almost every student is involved in a club, and the variety of clubs available is incredible. I had the chance to experience almost every club the school could offer, from sports clubs like badminton and soccer to more traditional activities like calligraphy and the tea ceremony. I loved all the clubs that I attended, as they all had a unique set of characters excited for me to try out what they were doing. These didn’t seem just like another extracurricular activity, but instead a great way schools build community whilst building values beyond the skill itself, patience, discipline, respect, and teamwork. No matter what club you’re in, it’s a chance to build lasting relationships and develop important life skills that go way beyond just the activity. These were a great way to meet new people from within the school, and try out so many new things that I’d never get to experience ever.

And of course, one of the most heartwarming aspects of my trip was experiencing Japanese home life. I stayed with a wonderful host family who welcomed me as one of their own. Every day, we would share meals together, and I was amazed by the importance they placed on family and tradition. In my host family’s home, it wasn’t just about living together, it was about supporting each other, sharing in each other’s experiences, and creating a strong, harmonious environment. From helping prepare dinner to participating in their daily routines, I felt a sense of belonging that truly deepened my understanding of the culture. Japanese home life teaches you the value of connection, gratitude, and creating bonds with those around you.

Above all, what truly stood out to me were the people. The kindness and warmth of the Japanese people left a lasting impact on me. Learning Japanese not only gave me the tools to communicate but also allowed me to connect with others on a deeper level. I was able to form meaningful friendships despite only spending two months there, and I’m grateful for the lasting bonds that I’ve built. Saying goodbye was one of the hardest moments of my trip, as I had truly become attached to everyone I met. Thanks to the language, I can stay in touch with my friends through Instagram and LINE, and I look forward to the day when I can reunite with them.

This experience in Japan has truly transformed my life. The language opened so many doors and allowed me to experience things I never would have otherwise. I’ll forever treasure these memories, and I will continue to appreciate the power of language in bridging cultures and forming lasting connections.

If you are doing Japanese now in year 8, and you are doing well in it, I strongly recommend taking a step further and choose it for year 9 and 10. Even if you don’t plan on going on this homestay, it really enhances how you live life through learning about culture from a different country. And to those in year 9 and 10 now, I advise you to really consider this program, as not only was it life changing, it improved my fluency in speaking Japanese by at least three times more than before, and there is so much potential to improve your Japanese skill. Experiencing a homestay and attending a different country’s high school is something you can only do during these years of your life, and I couldn’t thank Dr Kennagh enough for offering such an enriching opportunity. There is so much to experience and learn in Japan, and the Japanese lifestyle. And when I say “so much” it’s an enormous understatement.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please speak to Ms Suzuki. She designed and organised this program for us.

We are thrilled to share the wonderful experience our Year 9 Japanese Elective Course students had with their calligraphy incursion on Week 3, Thursday 20 February 2025. We were honored to welcome staff from the Consulate-General of Japan, who led an engaging and insightful session on the art of Japanese calligraphy.

The session began with an introduction to the history and significance of calligraphy in Japanese culture. Students learned about the origins of Kanji characters and the traditional tools used in calligraphy, including the brush (fude), ink (bokuju) and paper (hanshi). Our guest instructors demonstrated various techniques, allowing students to observe the precision and artistry involved in writing each character.

After the demonstration, students had the opportunity to put their skills to the test. They practiced different brush strokes, focusing on technique and balance, before creating their very own calligraphy masterpiece. It was truly inspiring to see their enthusiasm and dedication as they worked on their final pieces.

The incursion was a fantastic hands-on learning experience, deepening students’ appreciation for Japanese culture while refining their artistic skills. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the session, and we are grateful to the Consulate-General of Japan for making this experience possible.

We look forward to more cultural activities in the future and thank you for your ongoing support in enriching our students’ learning journeys.

Ms Miho Matsufuji 

Japanese Teacher

Year 8 Food Technology 

Our Year 8 Food Technology students are excited to commence Food Technology this year. We have learnt all about the crucial role of safety in the kitchen and were able to start cooking in the kitchen. This week our students learnt about the importance of Low GI foods. GI stands for Glycaemic index and this is related to how our bodies release blood sugar in our bodies.  Low GI carbohydrates break down more slowly thus making you feel fuller for longer. 

Low GI Brownies are a healthier alternative and they taste delicious too. We are looking forward to seeing what else our Year 8 students will create. 

‘Foods with Low GI help you feel full for longer as it takes longer for our bodies to break them down. Working in the kitchen taught us about proper food preparation and hygiene, making sure that our brownies were made safely. Low-GI foods help maintain stable blood sugar levels, reducing energy crashes and cravings.’ - A.V 

Year 9 Food Technology 

Our Year 9 Food technology students have started studying their chosen elective for the next two years. Our first unit we are investigating is Food in Australia, in this unit Students will learn about how migration has had a dramatic effect on Australian cuisine, while investigating and exploring different types of Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Isander foods. Over the 10 weeks students plan and prepare safe foods, which reflect the eclectic nature of Australian cuisine and develop knowledge of cultural protocols associated with food and its preparation.

Our students have been busy making Lemon Myrtle Shortbread and Traditional vs Contemporary Damper. 

Year 10 Food Technology 

Students have continued their studies from last year in Food Technology. This year our students are looking at Food for Specific needs. In this unit there is an emphasis on how nutrition can suit a variety of needs for our changing society. 

Over the past two weeks our students have been creating dishes that suit these needs such as Butter Chicken and Stir Fry Tofu. We are looking forward to seeing the nutritional goods Year 10 will make this term. 

Assistant Leader of Learning Technologies 

To the St Andrews community,

It is with great pleasure that both Mr Hazell and I are once again at the helm of Junior Learning Centre for 2025 - a kind thank you to all returning students who have made an effort to attend in the beginning weeks of this Term.

For those who are unfamiliar, Junior Campus Learning Centre is an after school activity that we run from 3pm to 4pm every Tuesday and Wednesday in the Sister Tulia Learning Centre. Between the both of us, we offer specialised assistance in completing homework, finishing any incomplete classwork as well as studying for assessment tasks across English, Mathematics, HSIE, Music and IT. Studying for other subjects is more than welcome! 

For first time attendees, parental permission is required before showing up. A sign-in sheet must be completed each day you attend (found on our Google Classroom).

Google Classroom Code: qodtoa5

Your continued support of the Junior Learning Centre is appreciated - thank you to all who get involved!

Mr Ethan Cheung

College Leadership Team

Leaders of Learning - Wellbeing

College Leaders of Learning - KLA

College Leaders of Learning