Start of Term 4

The first day of term 4, Monday 4th October is a pupil free day as the staff engages in Profession Learning. The first day for students is Tuesday 5th October.

Technology

Technology has changed many aspects of our lives. With lockdown we are using technology as the main tool for learning. Outside the classroom we are seeing an increased use of technology for other things in life.

Technology has created a complex world that our children need to navigate. Young people feel the need to be constantly connected, constantly entertained and to have a complex online identity. With the need to be online to maintain this we are finding that our children are becoming detached from the real world. 

While there are some benefits of technology, we must be mindful that this does not become an addiction. These include a preoccupation with gaming, secrecy around use, loss of interest in other activities, social withdrawal, defensiveness and anger when gaming time is restricted, and continued use despite negative consequences. 

The addiction to technology could include gaming, social media television etc.

Excessive gaming use is associated with mood disorders, poor impulsive control and substance use disorders, as well as problems at school or work, sleep deprivation, and family conflict.

Dealing with addiction to technology is not easy and the intervention of others agencies may be necessary. Changing habits can be very difficult and will cause conflict at the start. The intervention of help may provide support and direction in dealing with the addiction. The College is always available to offer assistance and suggest agencies to assist in the changing of habits. 

If there are any issues with your child and technology, please contact the College or the Leader of Learning – Wellbeing

What’s in the planner?

Walter Elliot was a Priest and Writer. He said

“perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another”

Perseverance is completing something even though it's difficult or there is a delay in seeing the results of what you are doing. Many aspects of our life can be a series of short races. Life, school, work etc can test our perseverance. Setting goals, both long and short term, can help you persevere when things get difficult and you find it hard to see the end of the task. 

We need perseverance in this time of online learning, it's hard to see the end and it can be a struggle. Perseveres, there is light at the end of the tunnel. We will be back to a new normal soon enough

Key strengths to focus on are positive emotions and gratitude. 

Enjoy the holidays.

God Bless

Mr. Nicholas Thrum

Assistant principal - Students

R U OK? Day was held on Thursday 9th September, and it is a day that inspires and empowers everyone to meaningfully connect with the people around them and start a conversation with those in their world who may be struggling with life.

At St Andrews College we know that this important message goes beyond just a day and our staff and students took lots of opportunities throughout the entire week to promote awareness of the day and create meaningful connections with each other.The SRC organised great initiatives such as a photo challenge to 'show us how you asked', Zoom conversation corners, Mental Health Checklists, a 'Go Yellow' day and more!

We know that there are lots of people who are struggling in our community during these challenging times, and we encourage everyone to reach out and "Are they really OK? Ask them today". Your conversation could change a life.

R U OK? is a harm prevention charity that encourages people to  stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives.Their work focuses on building the motivation, confidence and skills of the help-giver – the person who can have a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling with life. R U OK? contributes to suicide prevention efforts by encouraging  people to invest more time in their  personal relationships and building the capacity of informal support networks – friends, family and colleagues - to be alert to those around them, have a conversation if they identify signs of distress or difficulty and connect someone to appropriate support, long before they're in crisis.

You don't need to be an expert to reach out - just a good friend and a great listener. 

Use these four steps and have a conversation that could change a life:

1. Ask R U OK?
2. Listen
3. Encourage action
4. Check in

It is more important than ever to spread kindness and inspire meaningful connections when we are separated by lockdown!

Remember to check in on the people around you, because something as simple as a conversation could make a world of difference. But it goes beyond just a single day. Make today the beginning of ongoing conversations that you have with those around you, and most importantly, continue to check in.

Miss Emily Pett

Leader of Learning Wellbeing Year 11

We would like to congratulate the students who have their work featured in this term’s edition of St Andrews Artists, it is an outstanding achievement. 

Below I have included this week’s highlights from the website. Please visit https://standrewsartists.weebly.com/ 

for more amazing artworks by the students of St Andrews College.

I am continually impressed by the calibre of work submitted each term by our students. I encourage all our young artists to continue expressing themselves creatively.

Mrs Tiana Psaila

Visual Arts Teacher

Year 7 Visual Art Students have been exploring a range of artists and learning how they create art using the Frames. Recently, students have learnt about the Subjective Frame in particular, which refers to artworks that represent a person’s personal perspective or opinion, particular feelings, emotions, beliefs, dreams and desires. 

7VA1, 7VA2, 7VA4 & 7VA5 competed in a class competition to demonstrate their understanding of subjective art and be able to apply/transfer their knowledge in order to create their own ‘Subjective Frame’ artwork. We were amazed by all the creative submissions and would like to say a huge congratulations to our ‘Subjective Frame’ Art Competition winners.  

7VA1

1st Place Marcus Suarez

2nd Place Myron Nicolas

3rd Place Oliver Bres

7VA2

1st Place Catalina Gutierrez

2nd Place Elianah San Pedro

3rd Place Kyle Gonzales

7VA4

1st Place Clariz Dela Rosa

2nd Place Cryztle Espino

3rd Place Timothy Cheng

7VA5

1st Place Ethan Caraig

2nd Place Rex Chan

3rd Place Cayden Landrigan

Thank you to all who participated in this competition. We look forward to seeing your submissions in our next in-class art competition, where we focus on the 'Cultural Frame’. 

Shandel Mamuk - Visual Arts Teacher

Tiana Psaila - Visual Arts Teacher

Pauline Ryan - Leader of Learning Creative Arts

Recently, year 10 Japanese made digital children’s storybooks inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar. They had to use the language structures they have learnt to make a fun book in both Japanese and English with characters they created themselves.

The aim of this task was to create an enjoyable storybook for children in Japan and Australia. 

This task was unique as it allowed students to get creative during online school and was a new and different experience compared to usual activities. 

The storybooks were made in Google Slides and turned into audio books with each student making voice recordings.

Here are some examples and comments from students:

“I really enjoyed making this storybook. Although it was a bit of a challenge, it was a new and exciting task. It was also a clever way of combining fun, creativity and language skills revision into one task.”

- Catriona Forneste

“This task challenged my creativity and made me revisit structures that were buried in my brain and forgotten. I think many of us took the liberty to take more care in making it look visually appealing. Definitely recommend this task for future years to revise words and grammar points.”

- Ferdinand Cordoba

Lisa Yuen
Leader of Learning Languages (Acting)

ST ANDREWS WRITING COMPETITION FOR THE MONTHS OF JULY AND AUGUST 2021.

The July competition was quiet thanks to the pressures of the moment, but once everyone settled down to their routines August became a busier month and we received many entries from all the grades. The quality was high and I was especially impressed with the number of first-time entrants and the volume of classwork that was submitted to the competition. The winners and runners-up from July and August are below:

In July we had two winners:

Sakina Ganiwalla – Year 8.

Mackenzie Jones – Year 8.

In August:

Our Year 7 winner is – Nicole Gasendo.

Our Year 8 winner is – Irish Raymundo.

Our Year 9 winner is – Nicole Cabale.

Our Year 10 winner is – Shaniya Lal.

Our Year 12 winner is – Khushi Gupta.

Congratulations to all of the winners who each receive a $30 gift voucher.

Other writers deserve an honourable mention for their quality and efforts in July and August. Please congratulate:

Kathryn Baginski (7), Tristan Fegradoe (7), Monica Luong (7), Alessandra Bova (10), Priyansha Krishna (10).

Thank you to all of those students who entered. I look forward to the September entries. Some samples of our students’ talents are below:

The Potter and the Clay, Kathryn Baginski, Year 7.

God as a potter is an extremely valuable section of the bible for the people in our world today. We are all made of clay that God has sculpted to be what we are. For example, this metaphor can be a guiding light for us and we can be sure that we are in the safe hands of God. As we influence our path, God is right there beside us to help guide which way we go. If we follow the right path, then our future is bright. If we all keep this in mind when we make even the most simple decisions, such as whether to help do the dishes, then it will not only have a positive impact on our lives, but also on the lives of others. Therefore, God as a potter is a very valuable message that should be applied to everything we do in the present and future.

Extract from ‘Yusra Mardini - A hero, an Inspiration’, by Alysse Yates, Year 7.

Many people look up to Yusra as an inspiring refugee role model and a hero. When she is not training in the pool, she works as an inspirational ambassador for refugees who have had to go through a similar, life risking experience. She is a great swimmer and raced in both Rio and Tokyo olympics and all of her efforts are highly commended. She states that sports had saved her life, especially swimming, from drowning in the Aegean sea, along with many others. Yusra Mardini is a well honoured and brave Olympian who inspires many around the world.

Her inspirational words state; ‘The Idea of the Olympics is to bring us all together. For example, I am from Syria, I live in Germany and I represent The refugee Olympic team.’ Shows that it doesn't matter where we are from, we all are united as one and nothing should separate us. Nor background, religion, opinions or thoughts should come together as one and celebrate who we are and where we are from. 

Extract from ‘Imagine a Time’, Nikki Gasendo, Year 7.

Imagine a time when you’re all alone, your heart is scattered and shadows of your soul are haunting every move you make... no escape. 

Imagine a time where you’re allowed every equal right the person next to you has, no misjudgements and no misunderstandings— everyone is treated the same.

Imagine a time where all you can hear are the lost whispers of your sanity and the feeling of rage and indignation rising from the depths of your stomach. 

Imagine a time where Mother Earth is returned with the respect she has desired and longed for ever since.

Imagine a time where the sources of time we relied on all stopped ticking, everything…everyone was paused for eternity. 

Imagine a time where every human understood the diversity of the world and acclaimed each other’s contrasting differences. 

Imagine a time where you were invisible to all your loved ones, the person they knew was no longer you, but instead an echoing whisper in the dark. 

Imagine a time where everyone rose together, just like the moon, the sun and the certainty of the ocean’s tides.

Imagine a time where you had to survive with just half a heart, half the amount of beats, half the amount of pumping blood and half the amount of love to give. 

Imagine a time where we all planted the seeds to a happy life, one full of success, joy and laughter. 

‘The Dreamers’, Nicole Cabale, Year 9.

A toast to the dreamers.

Those who wish to shift realities

To journey onto one far greater than their current. 

Although their infatuation is bound to pages,

We should not disturb their dance alongside happiness

Or drain the pool of comfort that keeps them afloat.

Hear the ensemble of butterflies thumping in their chest,

And admire the light of their smile that casts out darkness

For that is the coexistence of reality and fiction,

A dreamer’s emotional attachment to an imaginary world.

One day when we see their nose buried deep in a book,

But notice the faint glint of hope in their eyes,

Will we finally understand why their candle of life continued to burn.

A toast to the dreamers.

For every story, you read,

May the words one day spell out why your own is not fiction. 

‘Till Death Do Us Apart, Irish Raymundo, Year 8.

Their love was meant to be, just maybe not in this world.

Love was something everyone needed, yet why couldn’t they have experienced it? Their love was strong. Even in the coldest of times, the only thing they needed was each other’s warmth. 

People knew them as the Angel and the Devil. 

She told them that he was not like that, not at all. Yet people did not believe in such stories.

She was a blank canvas, and he painted her with bright colours. 

In his rainy day was she the sun that took his problems away.

They worked so well together, like red and blue, but the world wasn’t ready to see purple yet.

They were perfect in each other's eyes. 

But what did the others see? It was forbidden.

They held onto each other, as tight as possible. Trying to fly away from all the problems. Yet heavy chains were tied onto them, and they could not fly far.

Their love was true. They wanted to spend their entire lives with each other. Although it felt so right, their love was at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

They did not let go of each other, even in the nick of time. 

“ ‘Till Death Do Us Apart. “

Extract from ‘The Solitary Red Rose’, Khushi Gupta, Year 12.

To me, the world seemed like a giant field of sweet-smelling lavenders, left alone to blossom all year round, swaying in unison with the mild current of the wind. Lavenders seemed to take my breath away, the way each one had their own unique stance and height, blooming with a pose of sophistication and self-worth, together radiating an earthy fragrance. Immediately, I took out my gardening tools and began digging the moist soil, creating rows of shallow holes for the lavender seeds. I planted the seeds and covered them with fresh soil, before watering them with fervent anticipation. 

Days passed, and the lavender seeds grew from young sprouts to seedlings to plants with buds. Today, the first set of flowers had grown, blanketing the back garden in a rich, heavenly fragrance. The scent still lingered in my senses as I grabbed a quick breakfast, and rushed out the door to my job. In the distance, I noticed an odd silhouette of a young woman dressed in deep red, staring blankly into space. She didn’t look like the rest of us. Her deep blue eyes, full of longing and ambition, shone like newly-mined gemstones against the darkness of the night. Wavy, blonde hair fell flawlessly beyond her shoulders, complimenting her heart-shaped face to utmost perfection. Her foreign beauty left us all in awe, but an unfamiliar aura emanated from her wherever she went, pricking us all back to reality. As she flitted across the street, one could imagine her sailing across the cosmos, as indifferent as the stars. Such poise and self-assurance didn’t belong in a world like ours. A world with a history of passive-aggressive conflicts and disagreements; inconsequential battles for dominance and fragile egos. It would be disconcerting at the very least, if someone were to challenge this and push the boundaries. To simply be oblivious. But there she was, doing exactly that. 

‘Pleasantly Surprised’, Shaniya Lal, Year 10.

Here we go again I thought. The older I get, the less sure I am about anything, but this surety I feel coursing through my veins right now, this will never change. I was bubbling with excitement like a can of shaken soft drink waiting to be opened. I almost couldn’t contain it as I stood on the balls of my feet, hands pressed against the glass shop window until they turned white, my eyes bulging out of their sockets. The shop owner inside chucked wryly as he saw me peer through, all too familiar with my eager behaviour. Today was the day I laid my hands on the new masterpiece that I had been waiting an eternity for, at least that’s what it seemed like, because it was only just yesterday that I had walked out of the shop empty handed much to my dismay; but with all that in the past, today was a new day. The door squeaked noisily on its hinges as it was pushed open, with the door sign flipped to ‘we are open’ and the blinds rolled up. I hesitantly stepped in, taking a deep breath and running forward, almost knocking over the book stand in front of me and earning a glare from the book keeper, though I could see the struggle he was putting up to suppress the winking grin from under his facade. Quickly locating the aisle, I scanned the rows upon rows of books, letting my fingers brush across each spine, savouring the feel of crisp paper and the smell of the lingering musky scent that wafted from the books. But it wasn’t soon after that my hand fell shortly by my side and my mouth opened to form an ‘o’ shape, releasing a gasp.

The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge was launched in 2001 to encourage a love of reading for pleasure and to enable students to experience quality literature.  It is not a competition but a challenge to every student to read more often and to read more widely.  The Challenge is open to all NSW students up to Year 9.

The NSW Reading Challenge is compulsory for Year 7 students attending St Andrews College.  It is open to all students up to Year 9 and students are encouraged to participate in this Challenge.

The number of students at St Andrews receiving Gold or Platinum certificates is increasing yearly.  A gold certificate is awarded to students who have successfully participated in the Reading Challenge for four years.

This year, 2020, a Gold certificate was awarded to the following students:

Congratulations to all these students.

“Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you.” - Louis L’Amour.

SHARE YOUR FLAIR 2021

Let's not forget our wonderful school spirit and continue to share the good news with the world. St Andrews College would like to share some of its finest student talents from across all year levels during the next few weeks. 
Why not upload your creative act and be in the running to receive prizes for your efforts? 

Time to SHARE your FLAIR

Creative videos will be shared and acknowledged during assembly and pastoral lessons over the next few weeks. Highlights will also be shared on our school facebook page.

We encourage you to  HAVE FUN , get involved and be creative from the comfort of your home. 

You have from NOW until school resumes to submit your entries via email to Mr.Chiappetta.

achiappetta@parra.catholic.edu.au  

Please take advantage of this opportunity to develop your ability to sing, be artistic, play an instrument, dance, create video content, collaborate online with friends, tell jokes, recite poetry or even perform magic. If this sounds of interest, then this is the initiative for you in semester 3, 2021 at St Andrews College..

We would love to hear from you and find a way to be able to share your talents with our school community.

CEDP, in conjunction with Deloitte, invited Stage 5 students that are interested in STEM to be part of a Hack Lab High School program. This program came into fruition after Deloitte had identified the area of Cyber Security as an area of particular need in the workforce moving forward and has noted the critical shortage of experienced personnel in this area.

Ten students across Years 9 and 10 participated in the event which ran over two days (Tuesday and Wednesday Week 10). Each day was divided into two sessions. The morning session hosted experts from Deloitte who spoke about various topics on Cyber Security and ethical hacking (hacking to improve security). 

They demonstrated various ways that hackers took advantage of weaknesses in computer systems and explained to students the ethical considerations related to white hat hacking. They also assisted students to become more aware of ways to protect themselves while online.

The afternoon session was allocated for students to undergo various challenges involved in Cyber Security, putting some of the skills that were demonstrated into practice. 

The Challenges will remain open until 14 October 2021 and students are able to complete the challenges until then. 

Australian Catholic University

ACU now offers Diploma courses which articulate into the second year of the corresponding degree.

Students need a minimum ATAR of 50. Applications are through UAC.

The Diplomas are Commonwealth Supported Places and are standalone qualifications.

Diplomas are offered in the following areas:

- Biomedical Science

- Business

- Educational Studies

- Exercise Science

- Information Technology

- Liberal Studies

- Nutrition

- Youth Work

Students who wish to study at ACU and have concerns about their ATAR might like to consider a Diploma course as a pathway to their chosen degree.

New UAC Timetable

This year, unlike other years, ATARs will be released before the HSC results. This is so offers can be made to meet university course enrolment requirements.

There are no charges to the Schools Recommendation Scheme. Offers will be released on the 12th of November.

Students will not receive ATAR-based offers in December.

The first ATAR-based offer round will be January Round 2 on the 26th of January 2022.

The new UAC dates are as follows:

• ATARs released on Thursday, 20 January 2022
• Change of Preference deadline is midnight Friday, 21 January 2022
• HSC results released on Monday, 24 January 2022
• UAC offers released on Wednesday, 26 January 2022 - this is the first ATAR based round

Students are reminded that Ms May will be working during January to assist any student who would like assistance with their course preferences during the UAC process or their career planning.

Western Sydney University Free HSC Study Sessions

Western Sydney University will be holding free HSC Study Sessions commencing Monday the 20th of September through to Friday the 24th of September.

These sessions are designed to help HCS students prepare for their HSC exams in the following subjects:

Biology

Business Studies

Chemistry

Community and Family Studies

Economics

English Advanced 

English Standard

Geography

Legal Studies

Mathematics Advanced 

Mathematics Standard

Modern History

PDHPE

Physics

The sessions are led by highly qualified HSC teachers and experienced educators who will demonstrate the skills and knowledge needed to maximise HSC results. 

Each session aims to develop a solid understanding of HSC exam techniques and subject knowledge. They are an invaluable addition to a student’s current HSC studies and exam preparation skills. 

Students can attend one subject session or multiple sessions throughout the week.

Students wishing to register are encouraged to visit this link

State Library of NSW HSC Help Day

The State Library of NSW will  be holding an HSC Help Day on Thursday the 23rd of September, commencing at 9.30am and concluding at 4pm.

The Zoom event will be a chance for students to gain some exam tips and have questions answered by expert teachers in English Standard; English Advanced; English Extension; Ancient History; Modern History; History Extension; and Society and Culture. 

The HSC Help Day will be structured so that students can drop-in to sessions throughout the day.

Students wishing to attend are encouraged to visit the link below to register.

State Library of NSW HSC Help Day