From the Assistant Principal - Students

It has been a big couple of weeks for our Year 12 students. They are finishing their HSC Trial Examinations. Thanks to the students for all their efforts during this time and to the teachers for their work and support of these students.

Year 11 will have their end of Preliminary Course Examination in week 8. We wish them the best of luck during this time. 

Online behaviour- What do you “like”?

While using social media many people scroll through and like pages without having any understanding of what they are liking. The companies that control the sites use that information to make suggestions and build your profile, which is then linked to advertising.

There can be a negative impact of pressing like without knowing what it is. When people see your profile and what you like it can potentially be a negative impression of you as a person.

At school students sometimes like pages of other students without looking at what the page is about. Sometimes the posts and pictures that are liked are negative pages and sometimes cyber bullying. If a student likes a page that is bullying or negative it's telling the College that they support the bullying or negative behaviour. If there is a problem online students must tell a parent or teacher so the problem can be rectified.

The following web address is from the Office of e-safety and has resources and areas that you can get help.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/

What’s in the Planner?

This week’s focus is on Forgiveness and apologising. By being prepared to apologise and forgive others and yourself, you will untie emotional knots in theirs and your heart to benefit everyone’s wellbeing.

It takes a lot of emotional energy to hold a grudge, so instead use it to be positive. Forgiving is not excusing what happened, but rather getting on with your life. Saying sorry and asking for forgiveness from others, also relieves theirs and your feelings. Forgiveness has been shown to benefit both your physical and mental wellbeing. 

Key strengths- Meaning and Purpose.

God Bless

Mr Nick Thrum
Assistant Principal - Students

From our Priest - Fr Kevin

In the Gospel for this Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary time Jesus declares that he has not come to bring peace on earth, but division. He has come to bring fire to the earth. Considering some of the other statements and actions of Jesus in the Gospels, this message almost seems contradictory but I believe that it is not because Jesus is challenging his listeners, challenging you and I to recognise what happens when we become his disciples, when we say yes to God in our lives.

We all understand that when we say yes to something, we are automatically saying no to other things. Those of us who have said yes to God, know what a difference that yes has made in our lives and presumably we know how fortunate we are because we look at the world from the perspective of faith. But that faith perspective means that we may not always share the same opinion about matters as does society, our work colleagues or even our families.

With topics such as Refugees, Marriage, outreach to the poor and disadvantaged, even prayer and the importance of attending mass and so many more, believers can find ourselves holding an unpopular perspective because we look at things through the prism of faith and not just formulating our ideas because they enjoy majority support.

In a healthy society, people can respectfully articulate different ideas and opinions so that proper debate can be undertaken to allow good decisions and policy directions to be determined. The danger is that powerful voices try and silence opinions different from what they have already decided is what is going to happen.

The danger is that there is almost a peer pressure to not have a different opinion, to not go against the flow. This may even be found within families, even though our families are where we are to be our most honest, because there is love, acceptance and tolerance.

Jesus warns us that a result of following him will be division and conflict, even within our families. Rather than watering down our opinions or not witnessing to our faith we are being invited to stand up for the truth, for what is right, so that we might be good disciples.

Fr. Kevin Redmond SM

From the Director of Faith, Mission & Learning

Father’s Day Breakfast & Mass - Thursday 1 September

The College will be hosting a Father's Day Breakfast and Mass on Thursday 1 September on the Senior Campus, 50 Breakfast Road Marayong. This College Breakfast and Mass is open to all fathers. carers, grandfathers and significant men in our lives.

Students will also attend with their father/carer/grandfather/uncle/significant person.

This invitation on behalf of our College Principal, Dr Stephen Kennaugh, is for all College families in Years 7 to 12. There is no charge for this event but pre-registration is required to assist with catering please on this Google Form. Registrations close on Tuesday, 30 August 2022.

Breakfast: 8am for 8:15am service (Senior Campus Hall)

Mass: 9am (St Andrew’s Parish Church)

Any enquiries to fclarke@para.catholic.edu.au 

Year 12 Retreat - 17-19 August

Please keep our Year 12 Students and their families in your prayers as they enter their final school retreat from Wednesday to Friday next week. All students will be at the one venue with their friends and teachers as they consider Jesus’ words from Matthew’s Gospel, “You are the Light of the World!”

World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 - Catholic Youth Parramatta Launch Event

Bishop Vincent, the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta (CEDP) and Catholic Youth Parramatta (CYP) invites students to the LIFTED Live WYD23 Launch on Thursday 18 August at St. John XXIII Catholic College, Stanhope Gardens. This event will gather teachers and Stage 5 students from our Diocese who may be interested in learning more about World Youth Day in Portugal, August 2023.

The WYD23 launch is a COVID-smart event which offers a combination of music, testimony, discussion and prayer led by highly-acclaimed Catholic singer, songwriter and priest Fr Rob Galea. Students will have the opportunity to meet other students from across our Diocese and experience a World Youth Day-style formation event.

Date: Thursday 18 August 2022

Venue: St John XXIII Catholic College, 160 Perfection Avenue, Stanhope Gardens

Time:

Session 1: 5:00-7:00 pm Formation session led by CEDP Mission Partners for students and

their teachers. Students who attend the 5pm student session will have a pizza

dinner and water provided.

Session 2: 7:00 - 9:30pm Diocesan LIFTED Live with Fr Rob Galea and WYD23 Launch.

Parents and other family members are welcome to join the students from 7pm.

Transport: by parents to and from the event

Dress: Students are invited to wear casual clothes.

If you have any questions regarding this event please contact fclarke@parra.catholic.edu.au

With Faith in Christ,

Frank Clarke
Director of Faith, Mission & Learning

Brainstorm Productions - Sticks & Stones

Over the next few weeks, all students in Year 7, 8 and 9 will see the Brainstorm Productions play “Sticks and Stones”. This play explores different forms of bullying and aggression, and encourages respect, assertiveness and conflict resolution at school, at home and online. Students will be able to discuss the issues raised further in upcoming Wellbeing lessons. 

Kindness Week

Kindness Week was held last week in Week 3. Thank you and congratulations to our Student Leaders for their excellent work in organising the activities, in particular the Yr 11 SRC who took the lead, while our Yr 12 Leaders were absent sitting their Trial HSC exams. The Yr 10 Leaders have organised a video on Kindness Week which will be shown at the next Junior Assembly.

Student Leadership Retreat

Next week, our newly elected leaders on the Senior Campus will spend a two day Leadership Retreat at Gerringong. During this time students will build on their leadership skills and start planning for the year ahead. We wish them well.

Principal’s Awards

Congratulations to the following students who have received Principal’s Awards:

Mrs Sue Cooper
Leader of Wellbeing and Learning

scooper@parra.catholic.edu.au

I would like to thank Year 8 for such a positive start to the term. It has been wonderful to see all the effort and hard work they are putting into their learning. It has been amazing to see students get involved in the many extra-curricular activities that we have on offer at St Andrews College. 

Learning Group Leaders 

Congratulations to the following students on becoming Learning Group Leaders. These students will assist their Learning Advisors for semester 2. 

B3 - Joshua Tjhen, Alexis Bigeni

B7 - Clariz Dela Rosa, Vera-Jane Lawson

C1- Nithin Gudur, Cassandra -Alison Caraig

C3 - Heidi Kan, Alexandra Iskander

F1 - Airabelle quiazon, Anson varghese

F2 - Mary Arshilo, Timothy Cheng

G5- Liam Tabone, Dier Majak 

G16 - Andrei Cabael, Barak Gok 

Uniform Expectations

As always, a reminder of uniform expectations. If you need a reminder of what the uniform expectations are, look in your Learning Planner on pages 15A and 16A.

We wish to remind everyone again that the following needs to be done at all times or a red card will be issued:

• Blazers should be worn into Learning Group until their Learning Advisor sees them
• Blazers should be worn after period 6 and when leaving the College
• Non-St Andrews items such as beanies and hoodies SHOULD NOT be worn to school. 
• If a student cannot wear their sports uniform, they are required to wear their normal school uniform
• School jumpers cannot be worn over sports uniforms. A school sports jacket is required.
• Boys must have their facial hair shaved
• Hair must be above the collar
• No nail polish or eyelash extensions. 

We understand with the weather getting a lot colder students may want to keep extra warm. However, you need to comply with the school policy and not bring any hoodies or beanies. A black or navy scarf and gloves can be worn.

Off-campus/School Events Permission Slip

Just a reminder, you need to return this note to the office or myself ASAP. If you need another note, please see me in B1. 

Ms Alicia Harwood 
Leader of Wellbeing Year 8  

Our junior and intermediate boys Soccer teams were given the opportunity to engage in a friendly training match against Patrician Brothers, Blacktown recently. This was a wonderful opportunity for these teams as Patrician Brothers is not normally in our tier and therefore our school would not otherwise have the opportunity to compete against them.

The juniors boys drew nil all and the Intermediate boys defeated Patrician Brothers 1-0.

We hope to continue our relationship with Patrician Brothers and provide our students with more opportunities like this for our 2023 season.

PDSSSC Athletics

On Tuesday 9th August, we sent a team of 37 students to the PDSSSC Athletics Carnival. After a few years of this event not running, it was wonderful to be able to provide this opportunity to our students.

Below are some fantastic results from our students:

• Nicholas Boustani 16 yr boys: 1st 200m- 24.03 Successfully qualified for the NSWCCC Athletics Carnival.
• Esther Peter 16 yr girls- 2nd 200m-  27.95 and 100m- 1st 13.92 and 400m 1st 1.01 Successfully qualified for the NSWCCC Athletics Carnival.
• Myles Vadamootoo- 14 yr boys- 1st Long Jump- 5.00m Successfully qualified for the NSWCCC Athletics Carnival.
• Malak Malki- 15 year old boys 3rd 200m- 27.03
• Reece Crescenzio- 14 yr old boys- 200m- 25.03
• Leila Crisafulli- Kefu 15 yr girls- high jump 3rd 1.30m
• Taufui Afu- 13 yr boys - 2nd shot put 11m
• Ameilia Farag 12 girls- 200m 3rd 32.08
• Dominic- 14 yr boys- 1st Discuss 35m and 1st shot put 14.54m Successfully qualified for the NSWCCC Athletics Carnival.
• Julio- 14 boys- discuss 2nd 34m and 2nd shot put- 13.50 Successfully qualified for the NSWCCC Athletics Carnival.
• John Lukudu- 16 boys- high jump- 1.82 and 1st long jump 6.22 Successfully qualified for the NSWCCC Athletics Carnival.

Congratulations and well done to all students who competed!

In particular, congratulations to the students who qualified for the NSWCCC Athletics Carnival.

Thank you to Mr McGill, Miss Breeze and Miss Nikitovic for your support of our St Andrews Athletics team at the carnival.

Upcoming sporting events:

• Oztag Gala Day. Wednesday 7th September.  A reminder to all students who were successful in being selected for this team that compulsory training begins in Week 5 (17/8) and continues into Weeks 6 and 7 (24/8 and 31/8). Training for our senior girls and boys teams begins in Week 6

• 7-10 Basketball Gala Days: Boys Friday 2nd September Girls Friday 16th September. Compulsory training for this event will be on Wednesday 31st August and Wednesday 7th and 14th September from 2.45-4pm (GIRLS) and Compulsory training for this event will be on Wednesday 17th, 24th and 31st August from 2.45-4pm (BOYS).

Kayla Brogan
Leader of Learning Sport

SACART WEEK 4

Year 9 and 10 - The Archibald Prize Excursion

On Friday 29th July, Mrs Kemal, Mr Chiapetta and I had the pleasure of taking our Year 9 and 10 Elective Visual Arts students to the Art Gallery of NSW. We were booked in to see the Archibald Competition, as well as the permanent collection and selected artworks from the Biennale of Sydney during our visit.

One of the things that stood out to our students was the size of the artworks as they were far bigger in real life. Students were fascinated to see the application of paint and textures shown on artworks. As we walked through the Sulman Prize, students were greeted by a series of postmodern artworks. It was interesting to read about students’ thoughts after our return as they were asked to consider “What did you find interesting?” and “What would you like to ask the artist?”.

The main event was the Archibald Prize and students busily used their phone cameras to capture images of the paintings as they completed the scavenger hunt activity. We were able to move through the exhibition slowly, giving plenty of time to read the artist statements and citations as well as to consider the different techniques used by different artists.

In addition to the focus of our day, we also had the opportunity to see the finalists of the Wynne Prize and the Aquilizan Studio, where artists Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan will be using the cardboard homes made by audiences into an installation artwork.  

The Archibald Prize Excursion by Lorraine Layug 9B5

On the 29th of July, years 9 and 10 indulge themselves in visiting the Art Gallery of New South Wales in the city, accompanied by Mrs Harris, Mrs Kemal, and Mr Chiappetta. We began our trip by leaving the Junior Campus at 9 am, expecting to arrive by the gallery around 10 am. Once we got there we had a small break for recess, which allowed us to enjoy the sunny weather that day. 

Soon after, we headed into the building to view the main event, the ‘Archibald Prize'. The Archibald Prize is awarded annually to the best portrait, 'preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in art, letters, science or politics, painted by any artist resident in Australasia’. The Archibald Prize was a topic studied by year 9s as their first unit during Terms one and start of Term two. It was so mesmerising that we were able to see all the artwork in real life and read some of the stories behind it. It allowed us to get a better understanding of all walks of life, from famous faces to local heroes and helped us to recognise stories of our times. The Archibald Prize 2022 showcase was also accompanied by the ‘Young Archies’, ‘Wynne Prize 2022’ and ‘Sulman Prizes 2022’.

After the main exhibition we walked around and viewed some of the permanent collections around the gallery, which gave us a little glimpse of art throughout history. To end the day we all ate at a cafe under the warm sun and cool breeze. 

Year 9 Visual Arts

Year 9 Visual Arts students are preparing to finalise their next artmaking task; a Body of Work in a medium of their choice which references their study of a Pop Art artist. In their artworks, students researched current popular culture and considered how media, fashion and food play a role in our society today. It is wonderful to see their choice of themes and use of material as they independently navigate their artmaking practice. I look forward to sharing their finished artworks with our community shortly!

Mrs Claudia Harris
Leader of Learning Visual Arts

Year 7 ‘Where the Land Meets the Sea’

Year 7s have begun their exciting new unit ‘Where the Land meets the Sea’ centralised upon the natural environment, specifically the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforests located right here in our very own backyard, Australia. Students learnt about the World Heritage Sites and UNESCO allowing students to discuss human impact and natural forces that threaten the sites. As part of their artmaking, students researched sea creatures and animals from the two environments and will be creating a large scale oil pastel artwork in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned!

Year 8 ‘Telling Tales’

Year 8 have begun their new unit ‘Telling Tales’ focusing on social and current issues where they investigate artists who explore this in their artmaking - notably Reg Mombassa. As Surrealism is explored by Mombassa throughout his works, students called upon their prior knowledge of this art movement from last term - How does Mombassa utilise Surrealism in his artmaking?. Students brainstormed and analyse the impact of issues such as pollution, climate change, global warming, racism and discrimination as part of what is currently occuring in our world today. Reflection allowed students to think about the impacts of these issues on society and the environment as well as sharing ideas into possible solutions that could minimise these issues - Can these issues be 100% eliminated or only minimised? Would we ever live in a world where these issues wouldn’t exist anymore? As part of Year 8s artmaking, students went back-to-basics with acrylic painting, learning about colour theory and the colour wheel. Extension challenges as part of their painting activities were to create ‘Black’ using the primary colours and paint swatching which definitely kept Year 8s on their toes. Keep an eye out for artworks in the making!

Miss Leezah Rivera
Visual Arts Teacher

Over the past 3 terms, St Andrews College has been competing in the 2022 CSDA Debating Competition. It has been a phenomenal season with our debaters going above and beyond by giving up their Friday nights to debate both in person and over Zoom and compete in multiple rounds of the competition. Our debating season culminated in great success with our 7A team winning their Grand Final and taking home the trophy for the Year 7 division of the competition.

Debating uses the skills of argument to debate and discuss important issues about our beliefs, government policies and proposals on how to improve the world or face up to problems in society. Debating builds a unique set of skills, helping students to analyse problems, think critically, synthesize arguments and present these ideas in a clear and convincing manner. Most importantly, it is a fun and enjoyable experience for all students involved!

Our debaters have shown tremendous skill and dedication throughout the competition and they are all to be commended on a wonderful season of debating.

The 2022 Debating Teams consisted of the following students:

7A – Georgia Nash, Aishriya Lal, Nina Iskaov

7B – Ellie Sibir, Mehgan Bartlett, Gabriella Azar

8A – Samuel Thoms, Ana Donjerkovic, Gowri Madhisetty

8B – Archisha Thumma, Aaron Geevarghese, Aarshia Saheba

9A – Elyscia Barret, Alexandra Marasigan, Isabelle Metcalfe 

9B – Aditya Rawal, Raphaella Thimiopolos-Wilson, Alexandra Iskander

10A – Jericho De Leon, Joshua Sammut, Euleila Barret

10B – Jeda Osorio, Nicole Cabale, Alastair Pineda

11A – Caitlyn Dela Cruz, Dorothy Anzoa, Ada Domingo

11B – Yashika Sharma, Theresia Purwadi, Kritika Aryal, Keya Pandya

Senior Opens A – Hayley O’Connor, Wasim Farah, Angela Abouchaaya

Senior Opens B – Aditi Pal, Viktoria Vidovic, Chegutdit Deng

Every single team debated to the best of their ability and it was fantastic to see them all improve each week. It was a very successful season for the College with the 7A, 9A, 9B, 11B and Senior Opens A debating teams making it through to the Elimination rounds. Our debating season culminated in great success with our 7A team winning their Grand Final and taking home the trophy for the Year 7 division of the competition.

During the season St Andrews College hosted 4 rounds of the debating competition and it was amazing to see so many students volunteer their time to act as chairpersons and timekeepers. Thank you so much to every single student who was involved and offered their assistance – particularly those students who helped out all 4 times! Also I would like to thank Mrs Melissa Welsh for providing the catering for each of these rounds.

St Andrews College would not be able to enter the Debating competition if it wasn’t for the wonderful staff at the College who gave up their time each week to

support the students. Thank you to all the staff who came to support our students at various times throughout the season. Another integral part of the debating process, and a part that the students most value is the time that staff members have taken to adjudicate debates throughout the season and act as a source of support and guidance. For this, I would like to thank Mr Duncan Dewar, Ms Simone McKechnie, Miss Cherry Malonzo, Miss Christina Rujicia, Mr Danny Cetinic, Mrs Frances Kramer, Ms Edwards and Miss Douglas. 

I would also like to thank Lachlan Sibir, Patrick Sheehan and Rachael Khalil who are past students of the College and whose love of debating had them volunteering to come back and adjudicate for the College.

Finally, I would like to thank Dr Kennaugh for his continuous support of the Debating Competition; all teams appreciate and value his support and guidance across the season.

Thank you once again to all students, staff members and parents for your support of the 2022 CSDA Debating Competition. It has been a wonderful season and I am immensely proud of the entire St Andrews College community.

Mrs Emily Parker
Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator

On Thursday the 11th of August 98 students decided to step outside their comfort zone and in defiance of their alarm clocks to write a book in a day. The competition is organised by the Kid’s Cancer Project to raise money for cancer research into children’s cancers. Each team is able to raise money, but also commits to spending 12 hours at school with teachers to plan, write and illustrate a story that will be added to a library that children with cancer can access from hospitals all over the country. These books are designed to give sick children a distraction from the world they find themselves in, and our students were excited and eager to take on the challenge this year.

Our day began early and it was clear from bloodshot eyes which students were unaccustomed to rising before sunrise. Some arrived armed with an array of Snuggies and snacks ready to tackle a long day of typing and talking. Planning began in the first hour as ideas bounced around the walls. Thirteen teams spread themselves around the Senior Campus all wondering how a book can be completed in 12 hours. 

Hours 1-2 were frantic as ideas were scribbled on boards and written into Google platforms. Stories began to take shape and teams looked over the rules and regulations. Groups were assigning roles and illustrators began the long day of random scribbles that magically transformed into imagery that astounded the assisting teachers.

Hours 3-7 were a cacophony of tap-tap-tap sounds. Stories were taking shape and teams were separating into spaces that they could work in without distractions. The new teams were more focused than the ‘old hands’ in their third year. With more experience comes more confidence; they were excited and they were filling up with sugar to keep the focus. 

Hours 8-10 are the ‘silly hours’. The early start and the tiredness creeps in. Teams are most distracted at the time and their minds wander to the shoes they want to buy or who is wanting to see which film at the cinema. Tapping keyboards take a backseat to chattering voices and the teams are encouraged to take a break and refresh the mind for the final haul to the 12 hour mark. 

Hours 11-12 resemble the collapse of civilisation as we know it. Teams scramble to ensure that they have the compulsory elements of the book and other sections they may wish to include. Word counts are frantic with each book needing to be 3500 - 5000 words long, including any acknowledgements and credits. The calmness of early morning is contrasted with the hurleyburley of the closing moments. Finally, at the 12 hour mark, all books are written, illustrated and complete. The teams sigh with relief before collapsing into the cars on the way home. 

It truly is a fun day as teams negotiate, laugh, eat and write. What is more important is the effort that students make to bring some joy to the lives of those less fortunate. At time of publishing, the teams have raised $5200.  I thank you all and your parents or guardians for letting you take part on the day. I look forward to seeing you next year.

The following students took part in the competition:

Cooper’s Angels. Ava Alley Diana Park Hannah Johnstone Nicola Gerardis Holly Brazier Jade Kember Alyssa Hallatt Cooper Shield Laura O’Neill
Kard-asians. Braedon Monteiro Gabrielle Gonzales Ada Ding Giancarlo Samuel Madelin La Cateleen Pardillo
The Sunshines. Raphaella Thimiopoulos-Wilson Rachel Laycock Jobella Delacruz Elyscia Barrett Matilda Adamecki Angelina Khalil  Maxine Gesilva Suwanthi Edirisinghe
Heliotropes. Aaron Geevarghese  Philip Park Kyle Lo  Kathryn Baginski Akshiya Vaikunthavel  Aarshia Saheba  Samantha Xavier  Antonia Gregoriou  Samuel Thoms  Zachary Saliba
St Andrews Team 5. Nikki Gasendo Monica Luong Catharina Purwadi Elianah San Pedro Jaliyah Casipit Isabella Cardino
St Andrews Team 6. Jacob Dela Cruz Kushal Mariguddi Daniel Zhang  Thomas Valentine Jabez Loteria Moses Leveni
Loona. Rayna Rao  Mikayla Balobalo  Chloe Canlas Andrea Leo Chloe Garcia Alyssa Guillermo Frienczel Espino Jenille Calingao Jelaine Magayaga Jeda Osorio
Book Lovers. Angelina Chamoun Amik Marok Brianna Faorlin Ava Bylsma Lily Bayrich Mackenzie Jones Isa Sarmed
Scribblers. Jovan Dominic Garry Singh Arthus Klauth Sean Park Alexandra Marasigan Sakina Ganiwalla Youssef Tannous
The Main Six. Vesna Kenny Elizabeth Kwiatkowski Danielle Amabile Jayda Amabile Selina Joshi Simone Pathak
The Novelty Pickles   Bianca Infante Vy Tong Ada Domingo Theresia Purwadi Loudonald Go Caitlyn Dela Cruz Sabrina Tomas
The Kaylas.   Dominique Grepo Alysha Pillay Kristina Manay Amelie Sen Francesca Calaquian Nathania Perera
The Novelists.   Jillyza Aldana  Euleila Barret Jericho DeLeon Emma Croser Joshua Sammut Jade Lumayno  Cate Astillo Marcia Chua Athieu Majok Nicole Felipe

On Tuesday 3rd August, all of year 10 had the opportunity to attend the Be street smart excursion. Please enjoy reading through this recap of the day writing by Patricia Tuazon and Euleila Barret.

On the 1st of August, Year 10 went to QudosBank arena to experience the Be street smart excursion. Along with many other schools in Sydney, we had the opportunity to be educated about road safety. We watched a car crash scenario that depicted the dangers of driving. Whether you were a driver, a passenger or even a bystander, we learnt that it is important to make the right decisions with driving and drugs and that passengers have the right to speak up about their safety. We also got to listen to many victims' stories while driving. We saw the point of views of passengers, drivers and even the mother of a perpetrator to understand that making the right decision can not only change your life, but the life of everyone around you. We watched videos about the impact crashes have if you are not sitting safely. That is even if you are wearing a seatbelt incorrectly, or if your chair is not positioned in a safe way. 

"As many year 10s are starting to receive their L’s, this was the perfect excursion to open up our eyes to how important road safety is. We would like to thank Mrs Brogan and all the supervising teachers on the day for organising such an educational and essential excursion. Year 10 was so excited after many cancellations of excursions since Covid and this was the perfect experience where we enjoyed our time and also learnt valuable information."

-Patricia Tuazon 

“The excursion was actually really fun, I learnt a lot of important information that I probably should’ve learnt earlier. I’m glad I went. It was a great environment, super realistic, and I never lost my attention when listening to the stories.”
-Dante Carbone 

“As I have just recently received my driver’s licence, this experience not only made me aware of the many different accidents and dangers on the road but also the effect it has on not only the people involved in these accidents but also their families and friends. This excursion helped me to realise that there are more difficulties following in the aftermath of serious crashes/accidents and I learnt this through stories such as Tristian, Heidi Hayd and Melissa McGuinness, all who had single experiences which changed the course of their entire life and important advice to share. At times it was difficult to imagine myself in their shoes but it made me even more grateful and appreciative that I have never nor anyone close to me been in a serious car crash/accident. I came out always keeping the mindset that wherever I am a driver on the road (or even a passenger on the road) I am not only responsible for my health and safety but for other road users too.”
-Euleila Barret

Thank you to the PDHPE staff and Mrs Utoikamanu who attended on the day.

Mrs Kayla Brogan
Leader of Learning- PDHPE (Junior Campus) 

In Week 10 Term 2, Year 10 Japanese went on an excursion to the Japan Foundation in the city. We did activities such as calligraphy, playing games and dressing up in traditional Japanese clothing. Everyone at the foundation was very nice and welcoming and I learned a lot about Japanese culture. For lunch, we had our choice of 2 rice balls with some chicken and a salad. It was very delicious and I enjoyed it. My favourite part was wearing the yukatas because it was unlike anything we’ve done before and it was interesting to learn about the different ways you can tie one up and to what occasions Japanese people wear them. The excursion was a really great experience and it allowed us to have fun and learn about Japanese culture. 

Ava Mulroney
10JA1

Isahaya Commercial High School Cultural Exchange Zoom 

In Week 8 of Term 2 Year 10 Japanese classes had an opportunity to have a Zoom with our sister school in Japan, Isahaya Commercial High School. Isahaya Commercial High School made presentations about Japanese culture and Nagasaki, where the school is located. Our students presented about St Andrews College and daily life. At the end of the presentations, there was a Q & A session and students were able to ask questions about student life and gain lots of insights into what it’s like to be a teenager in Japan and Australia.

It was a fantastic experience for both our students and theirs to be able to make connections and apply what they have learned in class. 

WRITING COMPETITION RESULTS FOR JUNE.

The June Writing Competition concluded a short time ago with yet another high-quality round of writing. Unlike last year, where original compositions were the majority of entries, classwork is being submitted across the various subject areas. The quality of writing is once again at a high standard. With that in mind, the winners in the month of June are:

Year 7: Kaitlyn Hall.

Year 8: Samantha Xavier.

Year 9: Youssef Tannous.

Year 10: Aleina Hartono.

Year 11: Shaniya Lal.

Each winner receives a $30 Teen gift voucher.

Our Honourable Mentions with quality submissions in the month of June are:

Aishriya Lal (7), Sean Christian (7), Archisha Thumma (8), Tristan Fegradoe (8), Maxine Gesilva (9), Suwanthi Edirisinghe (9), Nicole Cabale (10), Jiselle Batu (10). Zaira Chowdhury (10).

Below are some samples of writing from June. Fonts have not been altered to preserve the intentions and originality of the student work. Thank you to those who entered. I look forward to receiving your submissions for the next competition ending on August 31st. 

Extract from: A Discursive Piece by Euleila Barret (10).

This generation, no matter where we are, our phones are always with us - 24/7. Our phones become one with us and it becomes a mask, our digital selves slowly consuming our real selves. This comes to the point where we are an edited profile picture, a make believe bio and a staged instagram post; this is our identity. Because we have the power and control with what we want to expose to others. How are we without our phones? A quiet question quite difficult to answer. What are we without the multiple social media platforms that piece together what we define our identity? We are too caught up on the idea of making an image that is seemingly something that is appealing to others that the fictional story starts to become our real selves. What’s wrong with this?, to place a mask onto us with the representation of what we want our peers to see. I’ll tell you, we begin to lose our self expression and we lose the ability to make a true opinion about how we perceive daily things in life without the interference of what others might think about us. We become sheep. We follow and do what everyone else is doing; we forget that we have the capability to do what feels right to us and makes us trapped in a cycle of becoming something people would accept instead of accepting yourself.

An untitled poem by Sean Christian (7).

When you see deforestation

Or litter down the streets;

Do what you can 

And keep it all neat.

How can you not hate 

Seeing all the pollution;

But wait a minute

There's a solution.

How can you not dislike

The rubbish in the green.

Let's do what we can

To keep it all clean.

You see all the contamination

The plastic, the rubbish.

The lifeless monsters

I hope it all goes,that's my wish.

Oh no theres more

The immortal cans.

They just don't see

And cant understand.

Do what you can 

And show that you care

Do it today 

Let's do our share

But if you don't...

Nature hides away

Pollution rears its ugly head

You will not see nature

That's the end. 

The Nature of Cancel Culture in Relation to Catholic teachings on judgement by Samantha Xavier (8).

The present world is plagued by the transparency of social media and the growing influence of the Internet. Out of this mass of conflicting opinions has given rise to ‘cancel culture’, a phrase we have come to associate with a form of ostracism.  A person is thrust out of societal circles and  after seemingly making a mistake, or coinciding with something that society deems wrong -  simply ‘cancelled’ from society.  When we see this through the lense of Christian teachings, we see a gossamer of cracked morals and values. The Christian faith is founded under a supreme teaching that states that, “For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” 1 Corinthians 8:6. Humanity cowers under the cardinal being of God, who is perfect, made of all things good and holy. We are his flawed subjects, born out of original sin who are prey to the influence of wrongdoing. We have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Therefore, it is understandable that only God holds the right of judging sin, for he is perfect! But now cancel culture has blurred this revelation, and through an inflated ego we now believe we can judge ourselves with  God-like talent, justifying ostracism in all its forms. Shouldn’t love judge us, not sin? The most recent instance has occurred at the 2022 Oscars celebration when actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock. He apologised immediately but was not given a second thought for people had already deemed his action wrong, a crime. It was a symbol of moral progress and regret but cancel culture discourages such progress, quick to judge the act as it was. God’s teachings state that for one to be accepted into the kingdom of Heaven, thus living a life of love, they must have the ability to forgive and to accept the mistakes of others. Cancel culture has made the world quick to judge and resistant to any forms of pardon, hardening the hearts of people. To move forwards and evolve better as a people we first must realise that a life without love (forgiveness)  is life not worth living. 

Extract from: Gender inequality speech by Suwanthi Edirisinghe (9)

When you think of the words ‘gender inequality’ usually the word women instantly pops up. Although most of the problems regarding gender inequality are related to females it is not right for men to be excluded. Females face discrimination much more frequently as religiously and historically they have been portrayed as inferior to men. Take the creation story in the Bible, Eve is created by one of Adams’ ribs connoting that women rely on men. Taking on this perspective, it is evident that females struggle with being treated fairly simply because of their gender. But this shouldn’t be a reason to take men out of the equation. The topic of gender inequality is also corresponded with ‘female empowerment and don’t get me wrong although this makes sense there are others including men and those who do not identify as their assigned sex at birth, who are often minorities to this topic of protest. Isn’t it ironic that this issue is only focused on with the fixated mindset of females being victims and men the villains? So this being said, maintaining equality within this TED Talk itself probably helps, doesn’t it?

Now that the housekeeping point is out of the way let's get down to the real business. Imagine this, from your workplace you and one of your male counterparts have a chance to win a trip to Hawaii where the ocean waves sing to your ears, where the everlasting sun doesn’t set and where the skies are bluer than blue if your performance rate increases by more than 5%. Wait, what do singing ocean waves and cool sunsets have to do with gender equality? This is where it escalates. Both you (in this case a female worker) and the male worker increase in performance by 6% tying for the position but is given to the male simply because well, he’s a male. Blue skies and pretty beaches, all gone. That was just one example of the gender pay/bonus gap present around the world, a serious issue as women are getting paid less for the exact same job, where the company predetermines their choices without even knowing them. Something as simple as getting car insurance is also prone to gender inequality. The insurance company will ask for your race, gender and age, comparing them to some big “statistic” and judge whether or not to give it out. We know this is a recurring issue and although in some countries it has drastically improved, more must be done. All the time we hear comments like “Men are a million times more privileged” or “Oh women are put on a pedestal now” when in reality EVERYONE is still being ignored. So really have we even made progress?

Extract from: ‘Wildflower’ by Zaira Chowdhury (10).

Sorrow dripped into her soul, grasped-all-along a firm hold of a tragedy. It seemed as though the more she wished to speak, she had kept locked in her head - memories of forever, to be lost in the landscape of her mind than anywhere else. 

As she fell into the darkness of the world, I - the very essence of death awaited to catch her. It hadn't started in all darkness as it ended in, Catharine like many other teenagers had awaited for the train. Somewhere in her mind - between subtly counting the coins that were weighing her blazer down and yelling colourful words of rebellion at those nations blamed for the third world war - did her train arrive. Snapping her thoughts in half as if they were those carrots sticks with some bland dip- you were told to eat for better eyesight as a kid. After All that ceased to exist , the world had completely hung itself in annihilation of nuclear warfare. Technology had been brought down due to the wide destruction of power plants hence, the world had abandoned their modern solutions - looking at the past - practically galloping on horses rather than cars.Although, trains and buses were running - they were severely crowded and were prone to many malfunctions. 

All that remained was: a corrupted government system -hanging onto the threads of the wealthier nations for life support, the dying economy as money weighed feathers and the dehumanisation of life itself. For as long as I roamed the earth, I thought that humans bathed in their fear of me but worshipped in their love for each other but I was mistaken, they took to me on the streets with a mere nod - a sort of mundane poignancy. The great Death was nothing but a limp scumbag. These Governments had left the streets with bloodshed- dirtying their hands with gamble and these people had no choice but to abandon their morals. The lifeless bodies in the streets had begged me to take them.

Extract from: ‘Her’ by Shaniya Lal (11).

The rain fell in turrets. 

Water slices through the air as I shuffle along the paved path, boots sloshing with water and gunk as droplets stick to my hair like dew.

Hurriedly, I rush towards the sweet haven I know best. The scent of honeyed tea and warm hearths drawing me in. Rounding the corner I reach the coffee house, bursting through in a wild and dishevelled state, my drenched clothes clinging clumsily to damp skin. Treading the floorboards with loud resounding footsteps I make my way to the seat by the window.

Staring out at the dreary skies I wait with my hands clasped tightly under my chin, counting the minutes away one by one in a sluggish sort of chant. It's on the third count when I hear a flutter of skirts and a soft “good afternoon”’ that I look away from the window to greet an all too familiar pair of blue orbs and a well-painted face. 

I barely register faint scribbles on the pad or her cheerful “What can I get you?”, when I reply with the usual earl grey tea with two buttered scones. But it's not this question that gets me the look, it's the one where she asks me if I’m expecting to meet someone and I reply with a plain “Of course” like it were the most obvious thing in the world. And it takes good practice to recognise the perplexing scrunching of nose or raising of eyebrows before she flounces away, but I recognise it all the same.

Staring out at the gathering of grey clouds I wait for her, and as I do my tea turns cold and my scones remain untouched. It's when I begin to tap my foot impatiently against the beamed floor that I hear the door jingle open, turning in my seat and knocking over the now stale tea in the process. 

Tentatively I resume looking out the window as she makes her way towards me, hesitantly pulling out the plush couch as it scrapes across the floor. She sits down, eyes downcast, biting her nail down to the stub until she can no longer avoid my piercing scrutiny. Anxiously she clears her throat shifting uncomfortably in her seat, her breath shaky. 

Year 9 Multimedia have begun learning about animation as a part of their Video Production unit. Over the past 2 weeks, students have looked at the different types of animation, how they are made and the different techniques utilised in animation. 

As part of their formative task, Year 9 Multimedia produced a flipbook which needed to demonstrate their understanding of the 12 principles of animation. Each student was given approx 24 index cards (or were able to do this digitally) to draw each frame for their flip book on, which represented the average frame rate for films. 

The class was able to gain an appreciation for traditional animators and the skill and patience required in order to produce a film length animation as early animators were able to. While the students only created approximately 1-2 seconds of animation, the comment “This takes forever!” was said quite a bit, only 4 drawings in!

Year 9 will be translating these skills into upcoming animation projects this term. We look forward to seeing what they come up with!

Shanai Mifsud

Technologies Teacher

Year 8 Textiles learnt about colouration techniques this week - tie-dying, marbling as well as the use of inktense pencils and shiva oil sticks.

We spent the week getting creative (and messy!) by testing these techniques and started to think about how to utilise these techniques in the design of our pyjama shorts project. 

Shanai Mifsud
Technologies Teacher

Year 10 Food Technology 

Year 10 Food Technology, are continuing their Food Service and Catering unit.  In this unit students will examine food service and catering ventures and their operations across a variety of settings and investigate employment opportunities. Food service and catering are important areas of the food Industry and account for a large amount of employment in our industry.  This week students have made Chicken and Spinach Cannelloni.

Mrs Cassandra Carlos
Assistant Leader of Learning Technological and Applied Studies

Learning is the driving force behind all that we do here at St Andrews College. Learning, by its very nature, is enduring, evolving and challenging. Learning requires growth and innovation, for it is only when change occurs that evidence of learning can be observed. Learning is not confined to the individual: it also applies to communities and to organisations, where collective efforts manifest as new ways of thinking, new paradigms and improved lives for those who make up the community.

An area of growing interest within the educational field is the role Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitally-enabled teaching applications might play in the perennial drive to find improved teaching and learning methods and practices. Teachers have today a wide range of digital tools designed to make the learning process more effective, more enjoyable and more relevant for students of the 21st Century, tools which just one generation ago were little more than science-fiction, hardly capable of transforming the world and how educators approach the practice of teaching students in their classrooms.

The Covid-19 pandemic provided every parent with a glimpse of just how much ‘school’ has changed since the 1980’s and 1990’s. Winessing live-stream classes via Zoom could never have been imagined as little as 20 years ago, whereas now we can “zoom” easily, almost at will, connecting with anyone, at any place at any time. Students submit work via Google Classroom or might even email it to their teacher. Forget about recycling an older sibling’s essay on Shakespeare, as Turn-It-In now scans all written texts to detect even the slightest degree of plagiarism.

Rapid advances in AI and digital technologies have created great opportunities for innovative pedagogies to re-shape traditional, or ‘old-school’ constructs that dominated schools in the past. Increasingly intuitive machines are capable of adapting to the real-time needs of learners, offering feedback and guidance that supports the role of the modern teacher as well as contemporary students. The challenge for teachers today is to create opportunities in their own practice that take advantage of advancing digital technology as an integral part of the learning process.

Time needs to be given to this as part of our ongoing professional conversations as it is not an “either/or” scenario. New ideas and methods will continually be introduced at schools and inside classrooms. It is up to the teachers to ensure those innovations are achieving the learning outcomes desired for each student and that learning gains are optimised as a result. 

Mr Paul Haras
Leader of Pedagogy and Practice 

The Senior Learning Centre continues to be a space for students to apply themselves to their studies and develop their academic abilities. 

Senior students have been utilising the extended opening hours to complete course work and assessment tasks, prepare for exams and work towards various traineeship and vocational qualifications. 

Teachers are available to support students and equip them with skills and techniques that foster growth and success.

All senior students are encouraged to ‘Do more and go beyond’ by

attending Learning Centre and applying the effective study practises

that are promoted by the College.  

The Learning Centre offers:

•   A dedicated space for individual or collaborative study 
•   Resources to support student learning and engagement
•   Teacher instruction, support and guidance
•   Personalised study support via 
  • study timetable creation
  • goal setting and monitoring 
  • study technique instruction
  • written, visual and digital literacy support
  • assessment task support
•   Subject specialist teachers 

Parents or students are invited to email Mrs Bernadette Bradford (bbradford@parra.catholic.edu.au) or phone 9626 4000 to discuss a student’s individual study arrangements/needs/goals.

Online Books and Magazines

Did you know..??  Students can access free digital books and magazines using their school log on details.

Visit ACEN (Australian Catholic Education Network) on the St Andrews College Library website (https://soraapp.com/library/cenetau) for thousands of fiction books and current and past issues of hundreds of magazines.

Mrs Thompson            Mrs Bradford
Librarian                    Senior Study Facilitator

Tuesday August 30th, Week 7 from 5.30-9pm

Auditions - Tuesday, August 16th, 3pm on the senior campus 

Tickets - This year, you will need to purchase your CAN tickets via the Qkr app on a mobile device. https://apps.apple.com/au/app/qkr/id589799471

Simply download the app, select St Andrews College, Marayong, then select Tickets and purchase the desired amount. 

All wristbands (your ticket on the night) can be collected from the office during week 6 but only once they have been purchased via Qkr. 

Wristbands will need to be worn to gain entry on the night.

Food trucks will be available on the night for you to purchase food and beverages.

Fireworks will conclude the event. It has been 3 years since our last CAN festival so we hope to see you there on Tuesday the 30th. 

HSC Free Study Sessions

Western Sydney University will be hosting free HSC Study Sessions during the first week of the September/October Holidays.

Over the week there are 26 sessions across 14 key HSC subject areas. These sessions will include content analysis, tips and strategies to support students in their preparation for the HSC Examinations.

The study sessions will commence on Monday the 26 of September and conclude on Friday the 30th of September. Year 12 Students are encouraged to click here to register.

ACU Year 12 Revision Webinars

ACU will be holding revision webinar sessions to assist Year 12 students with their HSC Examinations.

These revision webinars will be run by experienced Year 12 assessors and exam markers who will guide students through the revision process and assist students to respond to example exam questions. During the session students will gain some study tips and tricks and have an opportunity to participate in a 30 minute question and answer session.

The ACU Revision Webinar timetable is as follows:

Monday 5 September, 7 – 8.30pm

English Standard – Module C: The Craft of Writing

Tuesday 6 September, 7 – 8.30pm

English Advanced – Module C: The Craft of Writing

Wednesday 7 September, 7 – 8.30pm

Mathematics Standard 2 – Topics 1 and 2: Algebra and Measurement

Thursday 8 September, 7 – 8.30pm

Studies of Religion (1 unit) – One unit topic: Religion and Belief Systems in Australia

Monday 12 September, 7 – 8.30pm

Business Studies – Topics 3 and 4: Finance and Human Resources

Tuesday 13 September, 7 – 8.30pm

Legal Studies – Core 1 and 2: Crime and Human Rights

Click here to register for the ACU Revision Webinars.

Traineeships

The Australian Training Company is seeking Year 12 students who wish to pursue a Traineeship after completing their HSC. The traineeships are in the following areas:

Administration Officer - Certificate III in Financial Services

This traineeship is with a Credit Union located in Surry Hills and offers a wide range of financial products and services to its members. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to secure a permanent position and grow within the business.

Duties include:

• Manager member enquiries
• Develop strong business relations with key customers and members
• Process loans, mortgages and memberships
• Maintain database information

Marketing Administration Assistant Certificate III in Business 

This traineeship is with a Government Department and assists a dynamic team using your social media and graphic design skills. The team manages funding for education and training programs across NSW.

Duties include:

• Responding efficiently to telephone enquiries and email enquiries
• Efficient and accurate date entry
• Assisting with social media
• Providing a full range of administrative and clerical support services to the Marketing Team
• Performing other related duties and required

Warehouse - Store Person Certificate III in Supply Chain Operations

This traineeship is with the peak body organisation for water safety in NSW offering high quality training in CPR, First Aid and Aquatics.

Duties Include:

• Co-ordinating course materials for delivery
• Managing stock
• Efficient and accurate data entry
• Dispatch
• Customer Service

Students interested in applying for these traineeships are asked to send their resume and cover letter to Kathleen Latham at klatham@austrg.com.au

Students who need help with their application are encouraged to see Ms May.

UTS Scholarships

Applications are now open for the UTS Bachelor of Information Technology (Co-op) Scholarship and the Women in Engineering and IT Scholarship.

Scholarship applications will close on the 4th of September.

Click here to find out more information about the application process for the Bachelor of Information Technology (Co-op) Scholarship.

Click here to find out more information and the application process for the Women in Engineering and IT Scholarship.

The University of Sydney Future Innovators Awards

The University of Sydney Future Innovators Awards recognise and reward high achieving Year 12 students for their innovativeness, critical thinking and interest in business studies.

The Future Innovators Awards aim to recognise the visionary influencers of the future. Submit your business idea with local impact for a chance to receive a cash voucher and award from the University of Sydney.

Future Innovators Awards winners who commence their studies at the University of Sydney Business School in 2023 will also be considered for a Sydney Scholars Award valued at $6,000.

Applications close on September 30.

Click here for more information and the application process.

The University of Sydney Portfolio Admission

The portfolio submission is a potential way for students to gain entry into architecture and design computing degrees. 

The portfolio admission process allows students to show their design skills and creativity. Students who are expecting to achieve an ATAR five points lower than the published ATAR are encouraged to submit a portfolio.

Applications close on September 15.

Click here for more information and the application process.

ADFA Open Day

The Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) will be holding an Open Day on campus in Canberra and virtual for those who can not visit Canberra. 

 When: Saturday 20 August

 Time: 9am to 4pm

 Where: ADFA Campus, Northcott Drive, Campbell, ACT

At ADFA, students can kick-start their careers with the Australian Defence Force and gain a fully paid, world-class degree from the University of New South Wales. Students will receive military training, plus earn a salary while they study. Upon graduation, students walk straight into a job - HECS-HELP debt-free.

UNSW Defence Degrees are in the following areas:

• Business
• Science
• Engineering & IT
• Humanities and Social Sciences

Interested students are encouraged to click here for Open Day information and here for Virtual Open Day and to register for Defence information.

Australian Institute of Music

Australian Institute of Music (AIM) invites students to attend their Open Day on Saturday the 27th of August commencing at 10am and concluding at 3pm. Open Day is a great opportunity to get a taste of what studying at the Australian Institute of Music will be like.

At Open Day students will be able to:

• Check out our world-class campus and studio facilities - they’re a must-visit
• Chat with our network of industry experts, from label reps to artist managers
• Attend masterclasses by award-winning producers and musicians
• Watch our triple-threat Music Theatre students prepare for a show

AIM offers the following Music courses:

Bachelor of Music (Contemporary)

Bachelor of Music (Composition and Production)

Bachelor of Music (Audio)

Bachelor of Music (Music Theatre)

Bachelor of Music (Classical)

AIM offers an Early Entry Program. Applications close 31st August.

Interested students are encouraged to click here to register for Open Day. Students wishing to apply for the Early Entry Program are encouraged to click here 

Excelsia College

Excelsia College invites students to ‘A Day in the Life’ of an Excelsia College student at their next Open Day to be held on the 27th of August. 

The day will run from 10am to 3pm, featuring information on courses, panel discussions, delicious food, and live performances.

Excelsia College offers courses in the following areas:

• Dramatic Art
• Music              
• Screen Productions Programs
• Early Childhood Education

The Open Day will be an opportunity to meet the lecturers, current students and join in campus tours.

Click here to register your interest in attending the ‘A Day in the Life’ of an Excelsia College student event.