St Andrews College Marayong eNewsletter Term 4 Week 10
- From the Principal
- From the Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning
- From the Assistant Principal Students
- From the Director of Faith, Mission & Learning
- HSC Visual Arts Showcase
- College Basketball Program
- Japanese News
- ST ANDREWS WRITING COMPETITION
- From the Business Manager
- Careers
- Important Dates
- ST ANDREWS COLLEGE LEADERSHIP TEAM 2021
Newsletter 20 2021
Dear Members of the St Andrews College Community,
As we move into the Christmas holiday break I wish to thank the community for their resilience, their support, and their focus during Term 4. It has been a Term where the goal posts constantly changed, yet we again showed remarkable adaptability. I am looking forward to our final event for the year in the Year 7-11 Liturgy and Academic Awards Assembly on Monday. In a year where we have had to cancel or postpone many events due to COVID restrictions it will be a blessing to finish the year in this way. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe holiday. I am looking forward to greeting you all in the new year.
‘It’s All About Learning’
Advent Reflection: A Time to Repent
Second Sunday of Advent (Year A)
John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:1–2
John the Baptist is truly the greatest of the prophets. He had the unique role of being the immediate precursor to the Savior of the World. Many pious traditions state that John was sanctified within the womb of his mother at the moment of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when our Blessed Mother who was pregnant with Jesus visited Elizabeth who was pregnant with John. Upon Mary’s greeting, John leaped in the womb for joy. Additionally, Jesus says that no one born of woman was greater than John. That’s an incredible statement and is reason enough for us to listen to the words of John.
Regarding the preaching of John, note first that John did his preaching in the desert of Judea. He did not sit on a royal throne or enjoy the honors of the Jewish leaders. Instead, he was poor, simple, prayerful, regularly engaged in penance, remained in the desert and invited many people to come to him. And when they came, he preached bold words to all.
Among those who came to John in the desert were the Pharisees and Sadducees. They did not come because they were sincere but because of their jealousy and envy. But when they came, John said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.” John then went on to preach that someone much mightier than he was coming after him and that he was not worthy to even untie His sandal straps. John explained that the one coming would become the source of salvation for many, but for others, they “…will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Though much more could be said about John the Baptist, it’s essential that we regularly consider his strong words of preaching and allow those words to shake us to the core. In what ways do you need to hear John’s message of repentance? In what ways are you like the Pharisees and Sadducees? In what ways are you self-centered, envious, jealous, prideful and the like? If you think you are much better than the Pharisees and Sadducees who were addressed with these harsh words by John, then you may actually be fooling yourself more than you realize. The humble soul will also see the sin in their soul and will always allow the powerful words spoken by John and by our Lord to lead them to deeper repentance.
Reflect, today, upon the unerring truth that you need to repent. You do. The only person who doesn’t need to daily repent is the one who lives perpetually in a state of perfect communion with the Most Holy Trinity. But these holy souls are rare. Don’t be offended by this truth but rejoice in it. Give thanks to God for the strong words of Saint John the Baptist, spoken to the Pharisees and Sadducees, and allow yourself to hear those words yourself, as if they were spoken just for you. Receive them with humility and rejoicing, and allow them to prepare you more fully to receive our Divine Lord more deeply into your soul this Advent season.
My powerful Lord, You sent Saint John the Baptist before You, so as to prepare many hearts to receive You and Your transforming truth. Please humble me, dear Lord, so that I will listen to the words spoken by John and will indeed continually repent of all of my sin with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
HSC Major Works Nominations:
Congratulations to Jonah Sailago for his performance of Morning Rush being nominated for ENCORE. Congratulations also is extended to Angelo Marasignan and Olivia Saad who were nominated for the Textstyle in InTech Exhibition. Your hard work paid off and we are very proud of you all.
Year 12 Graduation Mass, Awards & Formal:
We had a wonderful day of celebration and acknowledgement last Monday. Thank you to all the staff and students who played a part in setting up the Hall as well as participating in the Graduation Mass. Thank you to Fr Kevin Medilo who celebrated Mass. We then moved into the Awards Ceremony. Thank you to all the staff who assisted in setting up Awards and assisting in handing them out to such worthy recipients. The Formal was a wonderful evening where both students and staff had the opportunity to celebrate one last time together. The day was a fitting end to thirteen years of schooling for a great group of young men and women.
Year 7 2022 Orientation Day:
The day was a chance to meet and greet fellow classmates for 2022. It started with some testing in order to best meet student needs in the classroom then moved onto Peer Support activities to get to know the school and their future peers. Thank you to Mr Leaves (Year 7 Leader of Wellbeing 2022) and the Year 7 Learning Advisors for their support on the day as well as Mrs Dechamps for organising the testing and Mrs Cooper for the Peer Support Training and presence. The fact that we had over seventy Year 9 students volunteer for the Peer Support Program as well as come into school during their work from home day speaks wonders of the type of young person we have at St Andrews College.
Year 7-11 Awards Ceremony:
I am very much looking forward to the awards ceremony on Monday. It is not only the culmination of the scholastic year, but an acknowledgment of all the hard work that has been done both inside and outside of the classroom. I hope the awards ceremony gives you the impetus to keep working hard or to work even harder to reach your goals.
Staff Moving On From the College:
We wish the following staff all the best in their future and thank them for their service at St Andrews College.
Mrs Deschamps - Principal St Raphael’s Cowra , Mrs Healy - Principal O’Connor College Armidale, Mrs Simmonds - Jarrara Education Unit CEDP, Mr Gillogly - Pius X College, Mrs DeGuzman - St Agnes, Mrs Ryan - St Marks, Mr Loyola - Oakhill College, Mrs Niass - retirement & Mr Miller - not disclosed. Best wishes for the future.
Building Works:
We are installing over the holiday period 2 new synthetic Volleyball Courts on the Junior Campus near the Long Jump Pit.
We are also hoping to refurbish the Toilet Block on the Senior Campus.
Enrolment for Year 7 and 11 2023
NOW OPEN
Fidem in Christo
Dr Stephen Kennaugh
Principal
It is a Wrap:
from Michelle Deschamps
I wish every family and our students a joyous and blessed Christmas and New Year. During my time at St Andrews I have been privileged to be a large part of, and work alongside the most dedicated staff who are focused on consistent professional learning in order to continually improve their own professional capacity, to affect student growth and in turn enable every student to achieve their highest potential.
Having said that, it has been necessary to change the learning culture from one focused on grades and marks, to one focused on feedback for improvement. Therefore, student capacity to continually improve and develop a growth mindset to enable them to be change agents in the world, is every teacher’s goal. Staff want students to develop into independent, interdependent and autonomous learners, whereby feedback is their friend and learning from mistakes is key to learning.
I acknowledge my own growth whilst at St Andrews, and my learning is continual despite 32 years of teaching. The message here is that we are all learners, no matter what pathway we pursue in our lives. The importance of being in a Catholic community is that we are empowered to be change agents in our world, therefore our focus on being a person for others and going beyond is fundamental since we all have the ability to affect change. So every family, student and staff member at St Andrews is reminded they are on a learning journey at any point in time, therefore everything we do, think and say matters. Our challenge is to make the most of every moment, opportunity and challenge.
I wish the St Andrews community - families, staff and students every success into the future. I am blessed to have been a part of a fantastic community, and I know my experience will set me in great stead as Principal at St Rapheal’s Catholic School, Cowra. God Bless.
What Makes a Good Learner @ St Andrews
The following are more responses from our student survey - What Makes a Good Learner at St Andrews. The collective student responses give us great insight into our wonderful student voice.
There is a good representation across Year levels:
What makes a good learner great?
Year 7
- What makes a good learner great is their want to keep going. Their motivation to continue with whatever they are learning.
- Listening
- A good learner can become great by listening to others, respecting their opinions and be able to teach others.
- The fact that they are able to interpret this knowledge we gain.
- Doing things better than you normally would, always trying to be better and learn better
- Helping others when they are struggling
- Their ability to achieve great things by motivation.
- A good learner is honest, caring and will take time away from running and playing games in his or her recess and lunch just to help other children. They are also good role models for younger students at this school.
Year 8
- A good learner is someone who is willing to ask for feedback on their learning, so that they may improve in their learning. They also manage time effectively in different ways, such as scheduling homework during free weekends or taking short breaks in between study sessions.
- Always being ready to learn.
- A good learner is great as they show the ability to take ideas and explore things making them wiser by the day.
- You need to participate
- Good learners then become great when they’re organised and on top of every single task, submitting and getting good grades.
- They are good listeners and they take their time to learn new things
Year 9
- A good learner is someone who is always achieve for their best and is willing to dedicate their time and effort into school and in every class. They are great because they have the ability to show a sense of proof through their hard work and efforts.
- a good learner needs discipline, the ability to control the extent of learning they give themsleves. they understand that its ok to not get what they want and they take it as motivation to become better.
- Someone who understands the work, not just memorises it
- In my opinion practicing your subjects and your reading is what makes a good learner.
- A good learner is one who can work well in a group, encourage others, and produce useful results. A excellent student possesses the qualities of being optimistic, helpful, cooperative, and pleasant. When these youngsters grow up, they become excellent team players and leaders.
Year 10
- attending school everyday and not missing school and listening to my teachers
- Asking questions in class when you are unsure about something is what makes a good learner great.
- A great learner is an individual who can apply their knowledge to different areas outside of the prescribed subject
- They are always trying there hardest and never give up.
- A good learner becomes great when they demonstrate their learning and understanding in other aspects. For example, students at St Andrews become great learners through using their creative writing skills in English class and applying them to writing competitions promoted by Mr Dewar throughout the year. Good learners become great when they can apply their knowledge and skills to other areas of their learning.
Year 11
- Things that make a good learner great include being able to listen, having communication skills and being able to actually learn from mistakes rather than being upset or caught up on it.
- The ability to not only learn but apply the knowledge in real world scenarios.
What type of feedback is important for learning?
Year 7
- Constructive feedback. This feedback is important as the student can focus on their weaknesses and improve them and they are aware of their mistakes.
- The errors you make should be the feedback you receive as you know what to do next time.
- Verbal feedback
- Never giving up on listening and trying to apply feedback
- Constructive feedback. Telling what should change and what is good in our work will be both complimenting us and telling us how to fix our work to make it better.
Year 8
- Feed forward so I know what I need to do to improve in my next work
- Formative assessments are important as feedback, since it helps students understand what they've succeeded or need to improve in a particular subject. This helps to improve their learning in that particular subject, which later helps them better prepare for summative assessments such as oral presentations or exams.
- Critical feedback is important for learning as without it it becomes much harder to improve and pick up on our own mistakes.
- Constructive feedback as not only does it encourage you to work harder but let's you know what exactly to work on.
- The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning.
- i believe formative Feedback is important for learning because it checks where the students are at with their learning.
Year 9
- Critical feedbacks personally inspire me to do better, I usually like to learn things i can’t do so that i can grow as a well rounded student.
- Feedback is assuring and it presents a sense of guidance for the student to grow and improve in that certain area of knowledge. Good feedback always has something the student is good at or was able to achieve and also what they could work on for future matters.
- Feedback that doesn’t diminish someone’s work, but doesn’t praise someone’s work is crucial for learning as diminishing someone may lead them to not do it better as they think they can’t improve. However, praise would let them think they’re at their peak, that they’re can’t improve anymore. A perfect balance (via constructive criticism) is a good balance between making someone try while not being tired of it (or themselves).
Year 10
- good quality feedback because the teachers can help me improve things in my learning
- Feedback that is important for learning is how to improve your work and where/how you can improve your work
- In most cases I’d rather hear negative feedback over positive feedback, negative feedback really targets the issues, positive feedback just provides reassurance.
- Feedback that highlights what you did wrong plus which direction you need to look at within your progress.
From the Assistant Principal-Students
End of 2021 school year
2021 has been an unusual year at St Andrews College. Although much of the year was affected by Covid, we still enjoyed many activities and engaged in different types of learning which has helped our community grow. Each person in our community needs to be thanked for making this a wonderfully successful year.
The College provides many activities for student to get involved in and this is because the teachers give their time and experience to make them happen. Thanks to all the teachers and the work they have done this year.
Thank you to many families and their support throughout the year, we are blessed to have wonderful caring families that support their children and the College. Without the parents efforts many events would not take place.
A big thanks need to go out to our fantastic students at the College. Your enthusiasm and kindness helps make St Andrews College a wonderful place.
Thanks to everyone for your continual support of the College and I look forward to a fantastic 2022.
Reminder about uniform on the first day back
While on holidays, many students grow their hair, put in earrings etc. Just a reminder that when students return in 2022, all College Summer uniform policies are in place.
Please ensure the students uniforms fit and are worn appropriately, their hair styles are in accordance with the College policy and that jewelry is worn according to policy. The girl’s kilts must be to the knees and the boy’s pants to their shoes.
It is important that every student is dressed ready to learn as of day 1 2022.
Please remember that all uniforms are ordered online and can be picked up from the College office.
Enjoy Christmas and your holiday.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all members of the St Andrews community a Holy Christmas and a safe and relaxing holiday. May God bless you all and keep you safe. I look forward to you all returning in 2022 refreshed and ready to learn
Students return in 2022
Year 7, 10, 11 and 12 return Tuesday 1st February 2022
Year 8 and 9 return Wednesday 2nd February 2022
Student ID photos Wednesday 2nd February 2022
School Swimming Carnival Friday 4th February 2022
Opening mass and High achievers assembly Friday 11th February 2022
God Bless
Mr. Nicholas Thrum
Assistant principal - Students
One of the most famous Christmas songs is ‘O Holy Night.’ We have a number of famous chart topping renditions from Mraiah Carey through to John Groban and everyone else. If you go down the slippery slope of renditions you will even find heavy metal versions...go figure, right?
O Holy Night was originally written in French and has a deep and storied history. There is something about the music and lyrics that rouses our souls - for God so loved the world that he gave his only son (Jn 3:16) on that O so Holy of nights .
Fighting in World War I was temporarily ceased while French troops sang the song to their opponents on Christmas Eve - in the midst of terrible darkness of war remained an everlasting hope and longing for families at Christmas.
In Fallujah, Iraq in December 2004, to convey a message of love from home, the Rev. Ron Camarda, a Catholic priest and Marine Reserve major, sang “O Holy Night” at the bedside of a dying American Marine, wounded on a military mission.
To this day, “O Holy Night” is sung at Christian churches of all denominations around the world and it remains a much-anticipated high point of the Christmas celebration. Its power lies not only within its elegant lyricism but also within the music of the piece itself. The main melody is one that continually rises and falls, imitating Christ’s descent to earth in the form of an innocent child; a simple act of divine power.
Christmas presents an opportunity each year to truly reflect upon what is most important in people’s lives. Family, friends, food and gifts are all joyful and important parts of the season, but O Holy Night speaks of something deeper that an explicitly Christian holiday is such a stronghold of the world’s cultural celebrations. What Jesus brought on Christmas transcends words, but “O Holy Night,” in its beauty, puts to music what words cannot do justice.
Our HSC, Visual Arts students have worked incredibly hard despite many challenges in the development and execution of their Bodies of work. Their work is able to be viewed through the ARTiculate website below.
The Articulate showcase 2021 celebrates the efforts of both our students and their teachers across the diocese by including an inspiring collection encompassing all expressive forms. We invite you to explore the gallery and appreciate the courage and determination of our young artists.
This year St Andrews had a very successful and eventful year with its Basketball Program.
The First Grade Senior Basketball team competed across three different competitions this year. In the MCS Boys Basketball competition, our First Grade team came first in their seeding group and were runners up in their MCS divisions final. This was the first time our First Grade Senior Basketball team had reached the final.
The First Grade team also made the final of the PDSSSC Open boys gala day only losing to St Clare.
The First Grade team went on to qualify for the NSWCCC Open Boys Basketball Championships that were held in June Term 2 of this year. It was a new challenge for the boys, a challenge they accepted and did quite well.
Our Intermediate Boys and Junior Boys basketball teams also have a very successful season. Both teams made the PDSSSC basketball finals in term 2.
The success and achievements of our college basketball teams is a testament to our College Basketball program which cannot happen without a wonderful and dedicated basketball coaching staff. A big thank you to Mrs Carlos, Mr Alatta, Miss Pett and Mr Fellows in coaching and guiding our basketball players.
On top of the success of the First Grade Basketball Team, Elijah Barret’s persistence and hard work paid off by being offered a scholarship to play Basketball at the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. This is an excellent achievement to Elijah who also helped his team in the Western Sydney Basketball Association and Basketball New South Wales Youth League Championships.
Year 8 Japanese
To finish off the year, students in Year 8 Japanese learnt about how people in Japan celebrate Christmas and New Year. They made Christmas cards for staff members at the college to express their appreciation and gratitude for 2021.
Year 9 Elective Japanese
Year 9 Japanese elective classes have been working very hard all term and have produced a number of excellent work. Students utilised the language they have learned and created Manga stories and looked at the difference and similarities of school events in Japan and St Andrews.
“Although we have been through some challenges this year due to the lockdown, our Japanese lessons continued to be enjoyable. Online lessons were treated normally where we had lessons through Zoom, and as soon as we came back from the lockdown we continued learning through a variety of activities and games. Japanese class is always a fun experience — starting the lesson with Kahoot revisions, doing group activities, etc. — while still learning so much.
Learning Japanese has been so much fun, and there is so much to learn and gain from all of our lessons. Hopefully one day we will be able to go to Japan and experience many things.”
Cate Astillo, Jericho De Leon — 9JA2
Year 10 Elective Japanese
In Week 9, Year 10 Japanese elective students had their last lesson - concluding a total of 3 years of Japanese study. Some students have chosen to continue their studies in Japanese over on the senior campus and some have not. Nonetheless, all students should be proud of their achievements and they were presented with a certificate of completion in their last lesson.
I hope that all students are able to see how much they have learned and grown in their Japanese language skills and knowledge of Japanese culture. I encourage all students to continue to let their curiosity for learning grow and continue to embrace Japanese culture and language in their everyday lives.
Ms L. Yuen
Acting Leader of Learning - Languages
For the past three years, I have taken Japanese as an elective and have wholeheartedly enjoyed every moment of it. Learning a language is slightly different from other classes such as maths and science, and involves getting to know terms and structures that we then need to apply to speech and writing. From the beginning, we started by familiarising ourselves with hiragana which is the equivalent to our alphabet and then started learning by units. Each unit had its own vocabulary, structures, several Kanji and even some cultural background based on an aspect of language. Some examples include: first time greetings, counting numbers, hobbies, weather and ordering food. Going up by different categories allows us to be exposed to different types of conversation structures and therefore helps us learn to speak, describe, tell and respond in Japanese on a daily basis. I personally will be choosing Japanese again as my senior subjects for the next two years as I would like to continue studying and expanding my vocabulary, as well as because of the warm atmosphere created by teachers and students that I have already experienced.
Theresia Purwadi - 10JA21
Japanese Karuta Game
Origami and Japanese Hangman
Vocabulary Guessing Game
Upcoming Events in Sydney
Matsuri Japan Festival in Chatswood 2021
The Japan Club of Sydney is organising the Matsuri Japan in Chatswood. It is a great opportunity to participate in some Japanese culture.
Japan Foundation Sydney Upcoming Holiday Events
The Japan Foundation, Sydney
Level 4, Central Park
28 Broadway, Chippendale NSW 2008
(access via lifts)
Happy New Year 2022! みなさま、あけましておめどうございます。
Hatsumōde refers to the first visit in the new year to a shrine or temple to wish for good health, wealth and other forms of happiness. We wish that the library continues to serve your cultural wellbeing in 2022. On the library’s first opening day in the new year, special activities will be running throughout the day and you and your family are invited to join us!
A tatami space will be set up in the seminar room for playing Japanese party games. These activities are free.
Please check the link below for more information
https://jpf.org.au/events/hatsumode/
This has been a very busy year for the St Andrews writing competition. This year we have been fortunate enough to see a high standard in writing across the year groups. In total we have handed out $1290 in vouchers to our worthy winners AND 620 house points. I have also been privileged to read many fantastic poems, stories, songs, raps, and non–fiction pieces. I would like to thank all the students who supported the completion during 2021 and took a chance by entering and developing their writing skills.
The final winners for the 2021 competition are for the month of October and November.
October:
Year 7 Samantha Xavier.
Year 8 Mackenzie Jones.
Year 9 Jennifer Assi.
Year 10 Shaniya Lal.
November:
Year 7 Tristan Fegradoe.
Year 8 Arya Sawhney.
Year 10 John Trinh.
Congratulations to the winners for October and November. I look forward to reading many entries next year. Below are some examples of writing from October and November.
Mr Dewar.
Extract from John Trinh, Year 10.
“Happy Conquerors Day!” is the first thing I hear as I wake up to an extremely hot morning, drenched in sweat. I get up and wipe myself dry with a cloth as ragged as a welcome mat, grab some Imperium Standardised shorts, pull them on hastily, and round the door into the living room. The first thing I see is my mum, dad and sister all around the small yore wood table. Each occupant of a chair has a box just about the same size as a small vase, embossed with a patch woven from a high-quality fabric evidently from the Capitol.
“Happy Conquerors Day, Citizens!”
-Antares Imperial Government
My parents beckon me over to the table, gesturing for me to join them where the empty chair is, with another identical box.
“Alright, dear! Are you ready to open your governmental prize? I know you’ve worked hard in the mines, so they’ll probably reward you with something good this year!”
“Mum… Anything from the government is good enough for me!”
I say this, knowing that I need to keep the people behind the cameras happy and the Imperial guard off my back. Ever since we installed those cameras, the imperialists had tapped in to watch our every move, making sure that we don’t say anything behind their back and making sure we don’t brew up any trouble along the lines of rebellion or another chaos organisation.
Extract from Jennifer Assi, Year 9.
The man in the corner of my room sat there and examined me like a toy. I detached myself from society. I was in the blink of insanity. having him peer over my shoulder watching my every move and yet look back and no one’s there. A faint presence that haunted me. I was tearing myself apart over it. My everyday emotions were a joke. Hiding my pain and who I am always came at ease, no one ever has to know the loathsome truth. It was like his little whispers were telling me something but I chose to block them out and reassure myself. My whole life was a joke. No one ever knows the real me. As much as the invisible figure haunted me it comforted me. So many opinions down my throat, “the after life” “living for a purpose” it kept me uneasy. This mystery thing gave me comfort. Every little part of my life burned down right in front of my eyes and each time my hope got torn into a hundred pieces. More and more of me burned down with it. I became the worst version of myself, smiling so , laughing so hiding the most disingenuous unstable person there was. The man in the corner almost brushed into my mind and leaked into my thoughts. I started to accept the fact that I'm losing myself. I liked it.
“Online Friends” by Mackenzie Jones, Year 8.
I’ve never met the people who saved me
Never face to face
We only ever spoke online
And it became a day to day routine
Their real names I do not know
Nor who they are away from the screen
But their identities online
Are what saved me
Samantha Xavier, Year 7.
An endowment so precious, so paramount… HOPE.
~
To each of our forlorn selves,
You appear uniquely,
To the great ship - a lighthouse,
To the soldier - a yearn for peace,
But, nothing imperative is ever uncovered in pathetic desperation,
So this is why I say;
Drink the pleasures of the sunlight,
Ever so loyal, peering through the creases of your curtain
Let it in, I say!
Attain peace of mind with the passing of the seasons,
So constant, yet overlooked by the naked eye.
Resign yourself to the influences of each forgotten blossom,
And gaze at the pinprick lanterns above,
Pondering your life as such,
Like stars emblazoned forevermore in the course of history,
Or a winding, luscious path,
That you only dare tread.
For hope shall always be found if we bid to seek,
In the weatherworn trunk of a tree,
Or a morning dewdrop dripping down a leaf,
Present in nature’s constancy,
An endowment so precious, so paramount,
In the abounds of our restless spirit.
~
Extract from Cast Away by Shania Lal, Year 10.
It was like a relic of a gem. Winking in the sun’s blinding beams that hung low against the dense ribbon of azure spread throughout the heavens, the glass bottle flashed its kaleidoscope of hues against the blanket of sand. Intrigued, I stood up and brashly dusted off the stray grains that clung heavily to my skin, tanned after sitting so long under the golden circle. My seafoam green eyes quirked up in curiosity, fixated upon the object as my chestnut curls bounced behind me in a wild mane. I sprinted across the sand in search of the jewel that had just caught my attention.
I frantically scoured the beach in search of the mysterious item as time resolved to tick against me in a bid to bring with it the day’s close. Halting to an abrupt stop I decide to steal a few moments to admire the striking display of colour seeping in to light up the evening sky. The sunset breeze continued to creep in as I deeply inhaled the last few tendrils of sweet earth, the air growing thick with the impending darkness, carrying with it a sweetness like the last spoonful of honey from a secretly stashed supply. The horizon bubbled with a pink tinged glow, casting the soft light over gently sloping hills. Closing my eyes deep in pure bliss I hear waves pounding against rock somewhere off to the distance, sending an impressive onslaught of sea spray coming my way.
Suddenly, something tugged at my feet. Opening my eyes and bending over; I peer at the thing that had rippled my pool of peace. Upon closer inspection the ‘thing’ happened to be a bottle, and as realisation hit me like a bus I remembered my neglected mission. Gasping with surprise I piece two and two together, was this the object that had called to me? Up close the bottle looked less remarkable. The bottle itself was grimy and cracked, containing some suspicious looking entities. What appeared to be a yellowed piece of paper was partially submerged in a puddle of seawater inside the bottle. Brimming with excitement, I reached for the bottle by its neck. I had always dreamed of being a detective, and it seemed like my wishes were finally coming true. I could never have imagined coming across an old bottle with an even older message strewn on the beach, it was just like in the detective shows.
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 on both the Junior and Senior Campus
Student Envelopes will be distributed to all students on Monday 29th November 2021
Dear Parents,
School photographs are scheduled to be taken by advancedlife. Whilst an envelope and flyer will be distributed shortly, if possible it is our preference that ordering be completed online to reduce administration and potential security issues related
to the return of cash and envelopes on photo day.
Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please contact us at www.advancedlife.com.au/
Qkr! mobile phone app
St Andrews College is now offering an online payment service through Qkr! by Mastercard. The College uniform supplier Oz Fashions is already using Qkr for school uniforms.Qkr! (pronounced ‘quicker’) is designed for busy parents and carers, this easy-to-use mobile phone application is suitable for both iPhone and Android Smartphones. This service is currently available for all non-school fee payments. Communications will be distributed as new events and products become available for purchase.
How to get started with Qkr!:
- Install the Qkr! app on your smartphone.
- 2. Use the magnifying glass to search for St Andrews College
Touch the school name to select.
sample name only
- Select Add Profile and create a profile for each student at the school.
- 4. Once you have created a profile, you may view available items and purchase them.
UNIFORM ORDERS
Dear Parents/ Guardians,
Due to Covid-19 there will be no uniform fittings for students starting school in 2022. St Andrews College Uniform Shop is run online by Oz Fashions. Orders are to be placed on the ‘QKR’ app by MasterCard.
Please follow all instructions on the attached flyer to download the app and set up your account.
No phone orders or messages will be accepted!
Delivery to the school is every Monday and Wednesday during the school term. Orders must be placed by 4:00pm Friday for delivery on Monday and 4:00pm Monday for Wednesday delivery. Please refer to the delivery dates on the QKR app before ordering for any changes.
We have also added a home delivery option and reduced the cost from $15.00 to $10.00 for parents who wish to use this option. (We strongly recommend this option as parents are not able to attend the school with the current restrictions).
For any parent who is wishing to pick up their order from Oz Fashions warehouse you must email Elle to organise pick up prior to going to Oz Fashions Granville.
Please choose carefully as we do not refund if you simply change your mind or make a wrong selection, however, we gladly exchange within 14 days.
Returned merchandise MUST be in its original condition with all tags still attached and accompanied by proof of purchase otherwise the exchange will not be honoured. Any item that has been worn will not be exchanged.
Please email all exchanges to elle@ozfashions.com.au
Please note that Oz Fashions warehouse in Granville DOES NOT sell the St Andrews College Uniform in store.
If you have any enquiries please contact Elle elle@ozfashions.com.au or 0421 216 414
Please place your uniform order as soon as possible to ensure you will be able to exchange uniform sizing if necessary and to guarantee students receive a uniform to start school. Please note: all orders for 2022 new students need to be placed before Monday 22nd November 2021 to ensure delivery before the end of the school year. The last delivery for St Andrews College uniform orders is Wednesday 8th December 2021.
Please see size guide attached for an approximate sizing of uniform items as well as a recommended list of uniform items your child requires to start school.
The following can also be found in the announcements section on our website here.
Careers
HIA Business Administration Traineeships
Housing Industry Association has a 12 month Junior Traineeships available. Trainees will gain a Certificate III in Business Administration. There are multiple positions across Sydney.
The role will expose trainees to all areas of business administration including: supporting with customer inquiries; filing; phone and email correspondence.
Duties will include:
- Collaborating Information
- Preparing files, briefs and documentation
- Filing, faxing, photocopying, answering phones
- Data Entry
- Correspondence
- Co-ordinate appointments and meetings
- Working with general public
The successful trainee will be able to demonstrate they have the following:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- A demonstrated ability to use Microsoft Office programs
- An eye for detail
- Ability to work effectively in and contribute positively to a team
- Ability to operate under pressure and to prioritise tasks
- Willingness to learn
- Able to face the work day with a positive attitude
- Solid organisation skills
- Must have driver’s licence and own vehicle
Interested applicants need to complete the online application form and submit their resume.
Blacktown City Rewinds
Blacktown City Rewinds is looking for a young person who is interested in the mechanical and/or electrical fields. Blacktown City Rewinds repairs engines and pumps.
Students who are good at working with their hands and are not sure if they wish to pursue an electrical or mechanical career may like to begin their career with Blacktown City Rewinds.
Interested students are asked to contact Richard on 0419 631 391.
Soft Skills needed for all careers
Soft Skills are attributes that enable us to engage in meaningful interactions with others. For success in the workplace, and in life, it is important to possess soft skills.
Grandshake has developed eight 30 minute on-demand up-skilling micro programs to assist students sharpen their soft skills. These programs consist of short videos, activities and quizzes and cover the following areas:
- Fundamentals of Communication
- Effective Communication for Young Professionals
- Problem Solving
- Building Your Work Ethic
- Fundamentals of Self-awareness
- Introduction to Critical Thinking
- The Art of Creative Thinking
- The Power of Planning and Organisation
On completion of these micro programs students will receive a digital badge. Each digital badge can be added to resumes or professional platforms like LinkedIn.
| Last Day of Term 4 | 10th December |
| Year 7-11 Awards Ceremony - Award winners only. | 13th December |
|
Return to School 2022: |
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| Year 7, 10, 11, 12 | 1st February 2022 |
|
Year 8, 9 |
2nd February 2022 |
College Leadership Team
| Principal | Dr 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 |
| Administration Operations Manager | Ms Simone McKechnie |
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 (Acting) | Ms Lisa Yuen |
| Leader of Learning TAS | Mr Bill Robson |
| Assistant Leader of Learning TAS | Mrs Cassandra Carlos |
| 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 |