St Andrews College Marayong eNewsletter Term 1 Week 6
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From the Principal
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From the Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning
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From the Assistant Principal Students
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Year 12 Visual Arts session with Johnny Romeo
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Draw it Competition
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Sydney 9‘s Rugby League Competition
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Project Compassion
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Careers
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Martial Arts Trial
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Important Dates
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ST ANDREWS COLLEGE LEADERSHIP TEAM 2021
Newsletter 3 2021
Dear Members of the St Andrews College Community,
As we move closer to Easter it is fitting that our Year 11 students enter a time of Retreat next week. It is a time to reflect on their relationship with God. I am looking forward to visiting the Retreat at Kiah Ridge to witness how the group is engaging with the program. I have been delighted with the work that I have been shown by staff in relation to our Year 7 learning. I am noticing an improved focus on learning, work ethic and expectation across the College. Keep up the good work everyone.
‘It’s All About Learning’
Lenten Reflection:
Glow With Easter Joy
In Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francis is quoted;
“There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter. I realize of course that joy is not expressed the same way at all times in life, especially at moments of great difficulty. Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved. I understand the grief of people who have to endure great suffering, yet slowly but surely we all have to let the joy of faith slowly revive as a quiet yet firm trust, even amid the greatest distress: “My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is…But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning".
Sometimes our lives can resemble Lent without Easter or for others Easter without Lent. Finding a balance between these two arms of the Paschal Mystery is important. Lent is a recognition that we often find ourselves doing selfish things, living in anger or fear or resentment or self-absorption.
Easter joy is being freed from our narrowness and self-absorption. Faith, hope and peace - the opposite of fear, despair and anxiety - is born as a flicker of light, a whispered voice which gives us a personal assurance that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved.
Lent isn’t about a prolonged time of spiritual mourning - a kind of self-obsessed journey into our interior darkness. Self-reflection is part of it, but not the whole of it. The point of Lent is that we become transfigured people, a resurrected people, and a people who live in the light rather than the darkness. The journey to our heart, our inner selves, is not meant to be soul destroying, but soul reviving.
Lent is not just a personal journey, but a communal one, a group gathered on the mountain and were, as a community, transfigured. We become transfigured people together, as community, as church, listening to the voice of Jesus, as we listen to his words, spoken to each and every one of us, into the individual circumstances of each of our lives today.
However we hear Jesus addressing our lives, he is calling all of us into transfiguration this Lent. Jesus is calling us to glow with Easter joy and hope through the grace and love God is offering us in this very moment.
Congratulations to our Boys First Grade Basketball Team:
Congratulations on being Minor Premiers in the Metropolitan Catholic Schools Competition and Runners-Up. The boys had a wonderful season also finishing Runners-Up in the PDSSSC Gala Day and are looking forward to the upcoming Combined Catholic Colleges Tournament. The boys played with great spirit, sportsmanship and pride. Thank you to Ms Pett and Mr Alata for coaching the team.
Public Speaking:
Congratulations to the students who were successful in the auditions process and represented the College this evening at the CSDA Public Speaking. At the time of printing we do not have the results. I look forward to listening to some interesting and diverse speeches.
Year 11 Geography Excursion:
Great to see our Geography students able to get the excursion experiences once again with the Biophysical Interactions Excursion to Forestville.
Sporting Successes:
- Congratulations to the Basketball and Volleyball Teams and the coaches in the PDSSSC Competition with a clean sweep of all six games v St Columba’s Springwood. To go with the win the coaches relayed to me that all students demonstrated a high degree of sportsmanship. Great to hear.
- We wish Cooper Ison (Year 9/SRC) all the best for the Combined Catholic Colleges Golf Competition next week at Macquarie Links Golf Club.
- Congratulations to John Paul Donevski (Year 11) on being the top try scorer for Penrith Panthers in the Harold Matthews Rugby League Cup.
Year 5 Primary School Visits:
At the time of printing I have visited Year 5 at St Andrews Primary School, Our Lady of Lourdes Seven Hills and St Bernadette's Lalor Park. I take a couple of ex students to talk about their experiences at St Andrews College. I really enjoy hearing the way our student representatives speak about their experience at the College. They do us proud in this, and many ways. I will be visiting St Patrick’s Blacktown, St John Vianney’s Doonside, St Michael’s Blacktown, St Francis of Assisi Glendenning, Mary Immaculate Quakers Hills, and Good Shepherd Plumpton in the coming weeks. We still have some places available for Year 7 and 11 2022, and we are open now for enrolments for Year 7 and 11 2023.
Enrolment for Year 7 and 11 2022 and 2023 NOW OPEN
If you have a friend or family member looking to enrol for Year 7 and 11 2022 and 2023 (students currently in Year 5 and 6) please contact the Office ASAP for an enrolment pack to avoid disappointment. We do not have many positions left for Year 7 2022 at present so please be quick to enrol.
Fidem in Christo
Stephen Kennaugh
Principal
FOR THE LOVE OF LEARNING
St Andrews staff engaged in important collaborative learning in order to implement our new assessment and feedback policies and procedures. We are truly blessed at St Andrews to have a staff committed and dedicated to ensure every student is focused and supported to improve in their learning, for every ability level.
Staff collaboration is a fundamental element to our assessment and feedback model whereby staff engage in consistent pilot marking of formative and summative assessment to ensure every student receives quality feedback so they can improve as well as enabling parents to have consistent subject feedback. In Years 7 to 10, students will receive feedback aligned to the Steps in Learning. It is important to understand that students are striving to achieve stage outcomes aligned to Meeting,in the Steps in Learning. Meeting is 1 years growth. This is a great outcome for students. Once a student achieves Meeting, they will receive feedback to progress to Exceeding beyond stage outcomes.











St Andrews staff are committed to every students achieving their best throughout their education.
St Andrews Learners 2021
Visible learners
- Can be their own teacher
- Can articulate what they are learning and why
- Can talk about how they are learning—the strategies they are using
to learn
- Can articulate their next learning steps
- Can use self-regulation strategies
- Seek, are resilient, and aspire to challenge
- Can set mastery goals
- See errors as opportunities and are comfortable saying that they
don’t know and/or need help
- Positively supports peers’ learning
- Know what to do when they don’t know what to do
- Actively seek feedback
- Have metacognitive skills and can talk about these skills
St Andrews goal - to make learning visible to every student
‘Feedback is information with which a learner can confirm, add to, overwrite, tune, or restructure information in memory’.
(Winne & Butler as cited in Hattie & Timperley, 2007, p.82)
Areas to consider when seeking feedback
- Feedback on the gap between current and desired learning
- Feedback on their understanding
- Feedback to self on progress
- Feedback student to student on progress
- Focuses teacher feedback
Instructional Strategies aligned to each stage of the St Andrews Inquiry Model
The following are strategies students can use in Home Learning and at school in each level of our Inquiry Model for learning.
Assessment Capable Learners at St Andrews
- I know where I’m going
Students understand their current performance and how it relates to the learning intention and success criteria.
- I have the tools for the journey.
Students understand that they can select from a range of strategies to move their learning forward, especially when progress is interrupted.
- I monitor my progress.
Students seek and respond to feed- back from others, including peers and teachers, as they assess their own performance. Students know that making mistakes is expected in learning and indicates an opportunity for further learning.
- I recognize when I’m ready for what’s next.
Students interpret their data in light of the learning intention and success criteria of the lessons as well as the overall learning progression to identify when they are ready to move on.
- I know what to do next.
Knowing what to do when you do not know what to do is surely the mark of the educated person. It is the difference between knowing how to persist and simply giving up when faced with an early challenge. It is the essence of being a lifelong learner, one who knows how to research, orga- nize information, and continue his or her own learning.
HSC MINIMUM STANDARDS REMINDER
Year 10 will complete HSc Minimum Standards Tests over the following weeks.
All the information for HSC Minimum Standards can be found in the Year 10 Assessment Site.
NAPLAN PRACTICE TESTS
The following schedule indicates NAPLAN Practice Tests to be conducted on March 24 and 25 in order for students to practice with the online test tools and to feel confident using the tool. The marks are not recorded but students are encouraged to try their best so they are confident for the actual tests in May.
24th March |
25th March |
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P1 and P2 |
9SC5. 9SC6. 9PD1. 9EN3. 9PD2. 9EN4. |
9EN5 9EN6 9HS1 9PD3 9HS2 9PD4 |
P3 and P4 |
7RE6. 7HS5. 7RE3. 7RE7. 7RE4. 7MA2. 7MA1. |
7PD6 7EN5 7PD3 7EN7 7SC4 7HS2 7HS1 |
Mobile phones and other devices are dominating our time. We have become reliant on our devices for many aspects of our day to day living. Many devices track your daily usage and send notification about the time you are on your phone. What is an good amount of time to be on your device?
Before phones and computers television was a concern because of the amount of tine spent watching shows. It was suggested that more than 1 hour a day is a distraction from life and learning. I would suggest that more than 1 hour a day on non-learning activities is becoming excessive.
I put this checklist in the newsletter last year to help identify if your phone usage is a problem. Have a look at it again and see where you are identified in the checklist.
9 WAYS TO KNOW YOUR SMART-PHONE IS A PROBLEM.
- Is your smart-phone always within reaching distance?
- Is checking your smart phone the first thing in the morning and last thing you do at night?
- Do you check your smart phone when you are in a face-to-face conversation with someone?
- Do you use your smart phone when watching TV or eating meals?
- Do you panic when you realise the battery is running low and you don’t have a charger on you?
- Do you start sweating when you think you left your smart phone at home?
- Do you reply to texts or social media while driving and stopped at red lights?
- Do you lose time while on your smart phone?
- Do you obsessively check for emails, texts, social media posts etc?
If you answered yes to 5 or more of these questions you may have a problem with your connection to your smart phone.
STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR SMART PHONE USE.
Reconnect to the real world for more time and freedom Smart phones are designed to be addictive. Breaking the habit/addiction is difficult and will take time. Reflect on what your time is worth and what is important to you. Refer back to each of these steps regularly.
- Place a reminder on your lock screen. Something that will remind you to consider whether you really want to disappear into your phone.
- Download a screen-time tracking app. This will help you monitor how much time you waste on your phone and what apps are your weakness. Use the app to block or limit your time on apps that you feel are wasting your time.
- Consider deleting social media from your phone. If you only look at it on a computer at home you will be more aware of when you are engaged.
- Put your phone away at least two hours before you go to bed and don’t touch it for at least 1 hour after you wake in the morning.
- Consider deleting all Health apps like step counters from your phone (unless they were recommended by a doctor). Research shows that they do not work.
- Turn off all notifications for all apps. Beeps and bells just distract you from the ‘real’ world. They are also one of the ways the designers use to get you addicted.
- Don’t have your phone in your bedroom (ever). It will interrupt your sleep patterns.
- Buy an ‘old-school’ flip phone with no internet access. Set times/days when you will use it exclusively (on weekends and/or evenings). Then put your smart phone away and be set free.
- Get ready for lots more spare time. You might have to start a new hobby or catch up with friends (in person)!
AUDIENCE
When we talk about bullying, we always think of the bully and the victim and not the people that are making things worse.
Audience are the people who get involved in problems not to help but to look on. They are the people that yell “fight, fight:” to spur on a problem or get online and like or comment on a drama between others. They are the people who tell others about what others are doing just to upset them.
Many situations of bullying are made worse because people stick their noses into other people’s business and try to upset the people having a problem.
At St Andrews we do not tolerate bullying of any form and that includes Audience. Students need to report bullying or harassment to a teacher and let the school help the students find a solution to their problem.
WHAT’S IN THE PLANNER
What’s the difference between a fixed and growth mindset?
Fixed mindsets are about proving, they only look at performance not effort, you feel that there is nothing you can do to change your ability.
Hard work and effort = lack of ability
Growth mindsets rely on efforts being made and you trying different things and learning.
Hard work and effort = achievement
As learners we need to learn to Prioritise. Making a list of MUSTS and OPTIONS helps us prioritise what needs to happen in our life. Must might be school work or family obligations; option might be social media and TV.
Getting balance in your life is important to your overall wellbeing. Four things that help with this are healthy eating, daily exercise, adequate sleep and having a positive attitude. Have a look at ways you can develop these areas in your planner.
The key character strength for people to focus on is SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE to others and PERSPECTIVE.
In the planner each week there is a section on “What went well this week” and “How I feel this week”. I encourage students and families to fill these out every week and discuss the results of these together.
God bless
Nick Thrum
Assistant Principal- Students
In year 12 our Visual Artists are currently developing their Body of Work. A selection of one or more works is made at the conclusion of the course and is submitted as evidence of what students know and can do in the practice of artmaking. Students can demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and critical judgement acquired through experience, in turn creating autonomous artists in practice. Works produced over time provide the possibility for students to establish their intentions as artists and to develop courses of action for their own practice.
Miss Mamuk’s HSC Visual Art students were privileged to experience a private studio session with international artist, Johnny Romeo. Romeo is an Australian born painter, and his work conveys a visual type of poetic and rhythmic blending of word, symbol and image which communicates his perspective of contemporary society. Romeo spent individual time discussing how to build upon each artist's strength, limit any possible pitfalls and suggested ways to improve weaknesses. Authentic artist advice on artmaking practices was thoroughly advised throughout the entire session.
“I’m very excited to come back to St Andrews College to work alongside such talented students and a teacher I have previously taught and mentored, Shandel Mamuk. Fantastic school, talented students and passionate teacher” – Johnny Romeo
We cannot wait to showcase the students' work at the St Andrews College Work in Progress Night on the 28th of April. The MC of this special event will be Johnny Romeo.
Blacktown City Library’s annual Young Adults Summer Reading Program, Draw It Competition, invites young people aged 13 – 18 years to submit a piece of artwork that is based on a theme, cover or character from a book that they love.
Ava Alley of Year 10 entered her Year 9 Pop Art painting she created in Visual Arts class. Ava’s artwork was Inspired by the book “Throne of Glass” and is Artwork Number 9.
The library would like you to help decide who will be the winners of this year’s Draw it competition for 2021.
All you need to do is 'LIKE' your favourite artwork. The artist who receives the most likes will be announced and awarded.
Link: https://www.facebook.com/1506632372895979/posts/3491027204456476/?d=n
Voting will close on Sunday 7 March 2021. Ava’s artwork is on display in Blacktown City Library.
Saturday the 20th of February Sydney hosted the 2021 Sydney cup 9s where 16 international men’s teams played for the Sydney cup 9s trophy and 6 women's teams battled it out for the women's Sydney cup 9s trophy.
The day is a great day of multiculturalism and pride. You really see a difference in how the players play when they run out onto the field representing their heritage, it’s almost like they are preparing for battle. I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to represent Lebanon and what a feeling it was. Running onto that field to the sound of the drums gives you goosebumps and an indescribable adrenaline rush. Our first game was against Malta and the pressure was on as we had a special guest watching us play. The Lebanese boys put on a show and we defeated Malta 14-10.
At 12:05 we kicked off our second game vs city. It was a tough game and we were definitely the underdogs as City had 5 Ex NRL players playing for them. It was a tough game and Lebanon managed to pull through and take the win 18-14. Our 3rd game and our most important game of the day we played the extremely tough side Niue. The winner of this game advanced to the final. It was a tough battle. Unfortunately we lost the game in the last few minutes when Niue scored a try to win the game 10-8. That ended the day for us Lebanese boys.
It was a great experience representing my heritage again and one I’ll never forget as I was fortunate enough to be able to play in the first grade men’s side. Playing in the men’s and getting the opportunity to play with and against some ex nrl and current NRL players was a breathtaking experience and one I have definitely learnt a lot from. It is definitely a big step up from playing in the Junior league. I’m looking forward to playing in the tournament next year and hopefully playing in a few test matches again later in the year. A quick congratulations to the cook islanders who ended up winning the men’s tournament. Also a quick shout out and congratulations to our Lebanese women's team who won the tournament undefeated.
Zaine Nassar
Applications are now open for the Australian Defence Force Gap Year
An Australian Defence Force Gap Year is a unique opportunity for students to experience life in the Navy, Army or Air Force, without needing to make a long-term commitment. The skills obtained through the ADF Gap Year program will provide valuable work and life experience and are completely transferable to careers outside the Australian Defence Force. The ADF Gap Year will enable students to develop the confidence for their next endeavour.
Students who take part in the ADF Gap Year program:
- Gain valuable skills and work experience
- Enjoy a great salary package plus free healthcare
- Live a varied, active and healthy lifestyle
- Make friends with like-minded people
- Have the opportunity to see more of Australia
There are a variety of roles from which to select that will provide young Australians valuable life skills. These roles include experiences as an officer, in management, engineering, logistics and warehousing, combat and security, and administration.
For more information visit the link below.
10th March
Touch Football Gala Day
17th March
St Patrick's Day
Mufti Day
2nd April
Good Friday
4th April
Easter Sunday
5th April
School Holidays
College Leadership Team
Principal | Mr Stephen Kennaugh |
Assistant Principal Staff and Innovation (Acting) | Mrs Clare Healy |
Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning | Ms Michelle Deschamps |
Assistant Principal Students | Mr Nick Thrum |
Director Faith, Mission and Learning | Mr Frank Clarke |
Business Manager | Mrs Melissa Welch |
Principal's Secretary and College Registrar | Mrs Julie Sabine |
College Leaders of Learning - KLA
Leader of Learning English | Mrs Marsha Edwards |
Assistant Leader of Learning English | Mr Travis Kolek |
Leader of Learning Music and Performance | Mr Antonio Chiappetta |
Leader of Learning Creative Arts | Mrs Pauline Ryan |
Leader of Learning HSIE | Mr Daniel Camilleri |
Assistant Leader of Learning HSIE | Mr Jarryd Leaves |
Leader of Learning Languages | Mrs Mariko Suzuki |
Leader of Learning TAS | Mr Bill Robson |
Assistant Leader of Learning TAS | Mr Scott Drennan |
Leader of Learning Science (Acting) | Mr Rohan Isaac |
Assistant Leader of Learning Science (Acting) | Mrs Grace Flaihan |
College Leaders of Learning
Leader of Learning Diversity | Mrs Pauline Xuereb |
Leader Faith, Mission and Learning | Ms Josilin Kalifa |
Leader of Learning Literacy | Mr Duncan Dewar |
Leader of Learning Technologies | Mrs Sarah Anzellotti |
Leader of Learning Faith in Mission | Mr Ralph San-Pedro Loyola |
Leader of Learning Sport | Mr Alexander Dunaeff |
Leader of Learning Pedagogy & Practice | Mr Paul Haras |
Leader of Learning Reading | Ms Linda Hicks |
Senior Campus Leaders of Learning - KLA
Leader of Learning Mathematics | Ms Tracey Thomson |
Leader of Learning PDHPE | Ms Claudine Desira |
Junior Campus Leaders of Learning - KLA
Leader of Learning Mathematics | Mrs Gilda De Guzman |
Leader of Learning PDHPE | Mr Nathan Weaver |
Leaders of Learning - Wellbeing
Leader of Wellbeing | Mrs Sue Cooper |
Leader of Learning Wellbeing Year 7 | Ms Lyndal Simmonds |
Leader of Learning Wellbeing Year 8 | Ms Melissa Blackwell |
Leader of Learning Wellbeing Year 9 | Mrs Andrea Utoikamanu |
Leader of Learning Wellbeing Year 10 | Mr David Frankham |
Leader of Learning Wellbeing Year 11 | Ms Emily Pett |
Leader of Learning WellbeingYear 12 | Mr Martin Gillogly |
School Counsellor |
Ms Kerrie Castle |
School Counsellor |
Sr Cristina Ramada |
Careers Counsellor | Ms Therese May |
College Administration Coordinator | Ms Simone McKechnie |