St Andrews College Marayong eNewsletter Term 2 Week 8

Dear Members of the St Andrews College Community,

We find ourselves in very exciting times as we move into our interviews for Year 7 2021, as well as start planning for our Building Master Plan. I had Ms McQuade Jones our Learning Leader at the College the other day discussing our implementation of Inquiry Based Learning into the College and we had a walk around the College. I was so proud to see every single student engaged in their learning, able to articulate their goal and targets for the lesson, and thoroughly enjoying the experience. This is our aim. It was the last lesson of the day as well which is sometimes a greater challenge in terms of concentration, but not this day. Keep up the wonderful work staff and students.

‘It’s All About Learning’

Reflection:

The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and above all, her virginal love for God the Father, her maternal love for her son Jesus, and her compassionate love for all persons.  Two elements are essential to the devotion, Mary’s interior life and the beauties of her soul, and Mary’s virginal body.  According to Roman Catholic theology, soul and body are necessary to the constitution of man.  It was in 1855, that the Mass of the Most Pure Heart of Mary formally became a part of the Catholic practice.  Traditionally, the heart of Mary in artwork is depicted with seven wounds or swords, in homage to the seven sorrows of Mary.  Also, roses or another type of flower may be wrapped around the heart.  

Veneration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary generally coincides with the worship of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.  However, there is a difference that explains the Roman Catholic devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is especially directed to the “Divine Heart”, as overflowing with love for humanity.  In the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, on the other hand, the attraction is the love of her Immaculate Heart for Jesus and for God.  

A second difference is the nature of the devotion itself.  In devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Roman Catholic venerates in a sense of love, responding to love.  In devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, love is formed from study and imitation of Mary’s yes to God as the mother of Jesus.  In this devotion, love is more the result, than the “object” of the devotion; the object being rather to love God and Jesus by uniting one’s self to Mary for this purpose and by imitating her virtues, to help one achieve this.  

History of the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is connected in many ways to that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Christians were drawn to the love and virtues of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and this paved the devotion from the beginning.  Early Christians had compassion for the Virgin Mary, and the Gospels recount prophecy delivered to her at Jesus’ presentation in the temple, and that her heart would be pierced with a sword.  The image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with the pierced heart is the most popular representation.  St. John’s Gospel further invites us to the attention of Mary’s heart with its depiction of Mary at the foot of the cross at Jesus’ crucifixion.  St. Augustine tells us that Mary was more blessed in having born Christ in her heart, than in having conceived him in the flesh. 

Our Athletics Carnival is going ahead as a whole school event:

Due to the lift in Covid-19 restrictions our Athletics Carnival will be going ahead on Thursday 2nd July on the Junior Campus Athletics Track. It is an opportunity for all the community to come together, to cheer, to participate, and to enjoy our school spirit. I am looking forward to another wonderful day.

CAN 2020:

With the number of students planning and rehearsing their acts, the anticipation is starting to build. I have really enjoyed seeing the joy and enthusiasm in the eyes of the students who I have spoken to. We are all looking forward to another great event.

Positive Education Schools Association:

Linking with our SPIRE Framework is a philosophy relating to the development of the whole person, or a eudaimonic approach to learning and wellbeing in a modern sense. We are proud to be members of the Positive Education Schools Association, a cross sectoral group of like minded schools who believe in the same philosophy. Our membership gives us rights to resources for our wellbeing and learning initiatives, evidence-based research, conferences and networking opportunities, and ideas that we can implement into our initiatives in the context of our community and its needs. I would be happy to discuss the partnership with any parent if they wish. 

Fidem in Christo

Stephen Kennaugh
Principal

Safety with COVID 19

As we see restrictions settle and life start to return to normal, we must not be complacent with some basic practices. Please ensure that where possible students follow some basic rules:

• Where possible maintain a 1.5m social distance.
• Wash your hands with soap regularly
• Use hand sanitiser that is provided at school
• Wipe down your desk at the beginning and end of each lesson
• No contact sport permitted at present
• Do not share food or drinks
• Do not gather in groups outside school, e.g. Quakers Court
• Be mindful of distancing on public transport
• Do not spit at school

As the Government eases restrictions, the College will make the necessary changes to the school environment.

Remember this is not just about your safety but every member of our community. Follow the current rules.

Student’s safety while travelling to and from school.

It is important that all students are safe while they travel to and from school. We have had cases of students running across Quakers Road, students riding to school without helmets and other behaviour that puts them at risk.

Could all students and parents be mindful of their safety as they come to and from school.

It would help if students

• use all road rules correctly and are mindful of traffic on the way home.
• Wear appropriate safety devises while riding a bike.
• Sit while travelling on public transport
• Travel straight to school and straight home at the end of the day.
• Follow COVID 19 rules for social distancing

Parents if you drop off and pick up your child please follow some basic safety rules.

• DO NOT enter the College grounds to pick up or drop off students unless you have made arrangements with the College.
• Use Quakers Rd or Berella Cr for the Junior Campus or Breakfast Rd for the Senior Campus.
• Do not speed around the school zones as children are unpredictable and may not look for you in traffic.

If you have any concerns about students and travel please contact me during College hours.

What’s in the Planner?

The main focus this week is learning to work collaboratively. There are many great opportunities to learn when we work with others. We learn to share, learn from, appreciate others and value their input. It is an opportunity to combine your strengths with others strengths.

When working in groups the team needs to take on different roles. These roles include

Organiser- creates the framework so all are involved

Starter- gets things started

Recorder- collects relevant information

Verifier- Checks for accuracy

Listener- thinks about the learning happening

Timer- keeps everyone on track

Coordinator- ties everything together

Finisher- presents the task in a stylish fashion

Energiser- encourages everyone to push on

Critic- provides honest feedback on the learning process

The different roles should be allocated by persons’ strengths. Together the combined strengths create a strong team capable of great learning.

Time targets

Setting time targets to complete tasks is a way to elevate stress and help develop your academic abilities.

To develop good habits with time targets we use the Five “E’s” of learning- engage, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate.

Engage- record dates, brainstorm ideas about the task, get assessment criteria. Plan your task

Explore- locates resources, collect information, begin research

Explain- develops sentences then paragraphs. Develop your draft and ask teacher to look at it

Elaborate- analyse the comments from your draft, improve phrasing and vocabulary. Discuss interpretation with family or friends

Evaluate- assess feedback and complete final task

God Bless

Nicholas Thrum
Assistant Principal Students

Students in Year 10 have been busy selecting their Year 11 Subjects for 2021 this week. Students need to keep a print out of their subject choices. 

Parents have also received an email highlighting the opening of the subject selection portal and the subject selection interview process for Week 10 -  30th June and 1st July, 3pm-6pm. 

Parents are asked to nominate availability for the interviews as well as their preferred method of interview: either zoom or telephone. 

Procedure for Subject Selection Interviews

• • • • • • Parents who have elected to have a Zoom session, will receive an email invitation to join the Zoom meeting. Please clink on the link a few minutes before your allocated interview. The interviewers will allow you into the meeting. Please ensure the student is also present with a copy of their nominated subject choices. 
          • Parents who have elected a phone interview, will receive a call at the nominated interview time. Make sure the phone is on a loudspeaker. Please ensure the student is present with a copy of their nominated subject choices. 
          • Your interviewers will check your subject choices with the student and parent(s) to ensure every student has the most appropriate subject choices.

Home Study Plans

Over the last weeks, a number of conversations with students have demonstrated that students have not devised a home study plan. In particular, Year 11 and 12 have received their Examination Timetables requiring regular attention to study at home in preparation. 

It is important to remember that homework is not study, however homework and assessment task work is equally as important as study. Therefore there must be a balance in a student's home study plan addressing each of these areas.  

Also a number of students have indicated that they go home and sleep, watch movies, play on their phones or play video games. Whilst leisure activities and sleep is important, again a balance needs to be realised and appropriate focus on school work is essential. 

The following study tips are important:

• Get organised and set a schedule! Make a realistic study plan and make sure you stick to it. If you have trouble making a plan, ask your teachers or Leader of Learning Wellbeing. 
• Divide your work up. For example when studying for a subject you might study in topics or if approaching an assessment task you might break it down into manageable chunks, so you are progressing the development of the task consistently. 
• SLEEP...is essential! Do not underestimate the value of sleep. This will help sharpen your thinking and ideas. 
• Take notes during class, so you do not forget important information and have the notes to refer back to
• Ask questions - from your teachers. 
• Go to Wednesday's study centre. Your teachers give you their time willingly and want to help you.
• Manage your study space. Make sure it is clear of distractions and well organised to support your focus and aptitude to study. 

N Award Process - Reminder

Students are reminded that NESA requires every student to satisfy the following requirements in order to satisfactorily complete each course:

• • • • • • • • follow the course developed or endorsed by the NSW Education Standards Authority 
              • apply yourself with diligence and sustained effort to the set tasks provided in the course by the school
              • achieve some or all of the outcomes of the course

If a student receives an N Award, the student must still complete the task or class work. This is a NESA requirement. 

Assessment Tasks alone will not enable you to pass a course. You must apply yourself to all aspects of every course. 

Students who are having difficulties completing set tasks should liaise with their Teacher, KLA Leader of Learning, Wellbeing Leader of Learning or Mrs Deschamps, Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning. 

Year 8 Elective Subject Selections for Year 9 2021

Due to restrictions related to COVID 19, students in Year 8 will receive a link to the Year 9 Elective Subject Selection Site, in order to select their electives for 2021. Parents will also receive the subject selection information. 

Students are encouraged to make informed decisions about their electives. 

Students and parents are encouraged to consider the following elective information. 

Early in Term 3, Year 8 students will receive an email containing information about how to select their Year 9 electives.

Michelle Deschamps

Assistant Principal Teaching & Learning

Teamwork Week! 

In Week 6, Year 8 had great fun by being involved in activities that strengthened relationships in their Learning Groups and within their Families. During the Wellbeing lesson in both Week 6 and 8, students learnt the importance of Teamwork.

It states in Ecclesiastes Chapter 4, verses 9 - 10 the following about Teamwork;

“ Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one, for the results can be much better. If one falls, the other pulls him up; but if a man falls when he is alone; he is in trouble.”  

Over the past fortnight, students considered everyone’s ideas when completing their set activities, they helped each other to achieve their goals and the projects utilized individual skills. 

The Challenges were as follows:

• Monday - students had to upload a picture of what their Sporting House meant to them.
• Tuesday - students took part in a photo scavenger hunt.
• Wednesday - students needed to get into a team and create a dance or song or skit.
• Thursday - students had to write down or draw some family activities during Covid 19.
• Friday - students had to write down or draw something that they were proud of and grateful for in being a member of a Team.

I would like to thank Mrs Cooper for organising the Week 6 activities. Also the wonderful Year 8 Learning Advisors who always encourage their students to do their very best and go beyond. 

B4: Ms Desira and Mrs Borg

B8: Miss Chang

C6: Mr Zammit

C10: Mrs Suzuki and Mrs Kelly

F7: Mrs Serish

F8: Miss Mamuk and Mr Lopez

G8: Mrs Kramer

G9: Mr Silva

It has been a difficult time for all but we are slowly returning to our normal lives. I think TEAMWORK WEEK came at the right time! 

I also remember this saying;

“There is no “I” in Team”  

Melissa Blackwell
Leader of Learning Wellbeing - Year 8  

From the Bennelong House …

We are successful as a team if…

• We complete our tasks together
• We respect each other fully
• We cooperate in unison
• We communicate with each other successfully  
• We work in an efficient manner
• We solve each other's problems 
• We hear each other out
• We build relationships with our team
• We put each other first
• We can trust each other
• Encourage each other 

Teams we are proud and grateful for?

• B4 Learning Group
• Our Family
• Our Friends
• SRC Team
• St Andrews Community
• Year 8 Cohort
• BENNELONG House 

From the Chang House …

What I have learnt from Teamwork Week 

Jennifer - Teamwork is important

Edrick - Teamwork is important because it helps you work with other people 

Kairo - Teamwork is good

Karan - Teamwork is easier than working individually

Zach - Teamwork requires communication with each other 

Jillyza - Teamwork requires collaboration 

Abuk - Teamwork requires for there to be a goal to be achieved 

Patricia - A team that I am really proud to be a part of is this year's SRC team. We have grown to be great friends and have learnt to be a team that gives great service to our fellow classmates' needs. We have gotten along and have gotten to know our differences and I am very proud to be in a great community.

From the Gould House …

Cubism
Cubism was a revolutionary new approach to representing reality invented in around 1907–08 by artists Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. They brought different views of subjects (usually objects or figures) together in the same picture, resulting in paintings that appear fragmented and abstracted.

Surrealism
A twentieth-century literary, philosophical and artistic movement that explored the workings of the mind, championing the irrational, the poetic and the revolutionary. Surrealism was a means of reuniting conscious and unconscious realms of experience so completely that the world of dream and fantasy would be joined to the everyday rational world in “an absolute reality, a surreality.”

In my artwork, I’ve used multiple perspectives and facial features with a variety of art/shading techniques. I have also included tone within certain areas in my artwork and composed a complex arrangement of geometric shapes. While creating my cubist self-portrait, I have learnt many different art techniques I could use in my future artworks. I enjoyed being able to draw myself, something I’ve never done before. Cubism was something new to me and I like to try new things.

Chelsea-Nicole Caraig

While making this artwork, I learnt how to draw faces more realistically and how to shade faces to give them more depth and form. The thing I enjoyed most about making this artwork was I got to step out of my comfort zone and draw things I wouldn’t usually draw.

Erin Blanch

Techniques I have learnt and used from these artworks are shading techniques such as stippling, cross hatching and more, and techniques such as blending colours and contrasting different colours. Things I have enjoyed during the process were that I felt greatly challenged in creating a unique drawing and when incorporating my imagination, I felt very proud and accomplished when looking back at how much I learnt and achieved along the artmaking practice.

Jericho DeLeon

For the cubism artwork, I used a variety of techniques, such as shading techniques; stippling, cross hatching and hatching to create detail and demonstrate texture. I have learnt a lot of skills and techniques to create this artwork such as drawing from different views/positions, structure of facial features and shading techniques. Art truly is something of passion and reflection, I have enjoyed portraying my emotion and stepping outside my comfort zone for this artwork. 

For the name creature artwork (surrealism). I have used a variety of techniques such as: blending, texture, contrast, harmony and repetition of patterns. The skills/ techniques I have learnt whilst creating this artwork are mirroring the image and symmetry. I have especially enjoyed drawing patterns and mirroring it because it brought me tranquillity.

Zaira Chowdhury

The art movement of my artwork is called surrealism. The skills and techniques I have learnt and demonstrated are texture, repetitive pattern, detail and blending techniques.

I enjoyed making the artwork itself because it was a creative concept of mixing reality and fantasy. I also enjoyed exploring surrealism since this art movement uses different materials and techniques.

Alyssa Guillermo

The art movement that I have done is cubism artwork. I have learnt how to properly shade certain parts of my face to make them look more realistic. I loved drawing specific parts like my eyes and my braces were a personal favourite to draw. I loved completing this artwork and I would definitely do it again.

Ava Mulroney

The skills and techniques I developed when drawing these two Art Pieces were, being able to shade different gradients of colours (Name Creature). I was able to use different drawing techniques such as blending, shading and cross hatching for both my chosen pieces. What I enjoyed while creating these art pieces was being able to experiment with creativity and colours, to explore depths of pencil art and shading techniques. To be able to view the colour wheel and create something that represents you using your own imagination.

Athieu Majok

The style of the cubism movement is based around geometric shapes, each containing features (such as facial features). I learnt many new techniques that I had never heard of or used before. One of the most important techniques that I learnt over the creation of my artwork was how to properly incorporate shadows, highlights and tonal variation within my drawing. Shading was crucial to this artwork because without it, the final product would lack the realism.  I enjoyed many aspects of my cubism artwork, but the part I enjoyed the most was looking at the end result with pride. It was challenging trying to draw my exaggerated facial features and trying to make the shading look realistic, but it is satisfying to look at the final product.

Angelo Sayas

I have learnt many different artistic techniques, for my cubism artwork I used a lead pencil and learnt shading techniques which included stippling, hatching, Cross-hatching, blending and tonal variation. For surrealism, I used coloured pencils and used techniques including blending, contrast, repetition and pattern. Even though this was an assessment I really enjoyed myself because I got to use my own imagination to create artworks from scratch and used a variety of techniques to help enhance them to their full potential.

Nicholas Limpiado

My surrealism portrait drawing is about how I love sports and have a passion for it. My favourite sports are basketball, soccer and golf. I feel I expressed my love of sports really well through my creative mixture of my favourite sports as well as the specific placement of them which are in relation to human facial features. Through this experience I learnt how to use tone, textures and how to merge your favourite interests through a surrealist drawing and overall to become a better artist.

Dominic Watson

Cubism is a form of art where there are different dimensions and viewpoints such as front, side and back. When creating cubism art we need to include contrasting shapes, slices and distinctive sizes. Cubism is changing the reality of a person, object or place. This is what makes cubism unique compared to other techniques.  My Cubism experience of drawing tones, textures and perspectives of different objects was quite interesting as it helped me detect the shadows and shading of an object or face.

Euleila Barret

During this semester we learnt about the different techniques that are used when making cubism artworks. Some of these techniques include tone, texture, perspective and two dimensional shapes. After becoming familiar with these techniques, we started drawing our cubism self portraits. We drew three perspectives of our face onto our portraits. These perspectives include front view, side view and three quarter view. I really enjoyed being able to experiment with tones and texture on my artwork. Cubism enabled me to express my knowledge of art without worrying about making mistakes or making my artwork perfect. I really enjoyed this style of art.

Frienczel Espino

Pauline Ryan
Leader of Learning Creative Arts

Engineering Your Future
Engineers Australia is hosting an online program to support high school students to learn more about the opportunities in engineering. Engineering Your Future will be held during the July school holidays. Attendees will have access to a range of information sessions across engineering disciplines, including live Q&A with Engineers working from multiple sites on various projects from Civil and Structural to Nuclear. 

Students will learn about current engineering projects and what a day in the life of an engineer looks like. Students will also hear from university students and academics about accredited engineering courses and about alternative pathways.  

Click here to register.

Engineering Your Future Holiday Program

Monday 13 July
10.00–10.20am
Welcome to Engineering your Future!
Dr Bronwyn Evans, CEO Engineers Australia 
Why Engineering? The Future of Engineering 

10.45–11.45am
Dolby Australia Visit Opal Lab – a fully integrated home/office (incl Dolby surround sound!) Areas of engineering: Electrical; Sound; Software; Data Signal Processing 

2.00–4.00pm Engineering Expo (See below) 

Tuesday 14 July
10.00–11.00am
A Tunnel Project - Areas of engineering: Specialist Civil, Structural, Geomechanical, Geotechnical Engineers, plus Design; Materials; Project & Risk Engineers and more! 

12.00–1.00pm
Australian Centre for Field Robotics Research, development and application of autonomous and intelligent robots and systems. Areas of engineering: Mechanical; Mechatronics; Electrical; Electronics; Design; Software

2.00–4.00pm Engineering Expo (See below)

Wednesday 15 July
10.00–11.00am
UGL - Areas of engineering: Electrical; Mechanical; Systems; Project Management

12.00–1.00pm
Sydney Metro West - Areas of engineering: Civil; Structural; Electrical; Mechanical; Systems; Project Management

1.30–3.00pm Smart Cities Workshop

2.00–4.00pm Engineering Expo (See below)

Thursday 16 July 
10.00–11.00am SMEC – Snowy Hydro 2.0  - Areas of engineering: Electrical, BIM,
Construction; Civil; Tunnels; Structural; Risk & Project Controls; Design; Geomechanical; Geotechnical 

12.00–1.00pm
ANSTO - Learn about the OPAL multi-purpose reactor, the Synchrotron, the Centre for Accelerator Science, and the Centre for Neutron Scattering

2.00–4.00pm Engineering Expo (See below)

Friday 17 July 
10.30am–12.00pm
Cochlear: The Cochlear story, how hearing works, product portfolio, engineering and working at Cochlear. Areas of engineering: Electrical; Mechanical; Systems; Mechatronics; Process; Software & more 

12.15–1.30pm
Engineering at Uni Live Q&A session with University students studying various Engineering degrees

1.30pm Close

Visit the Engineering Expo Stands (manned 2–4pm Monday–Thursday) to gather all the information you need in one place and chat about Engineering courses! Leave your questions at any time and they will be answered by text, or make an appointment. 

The Engineering Expo will include: University of Sydney; University of NSW; University of Technology Sydney; Macquarie University; Western Sydney University; University of Wollongong; University of Newcastle; Charles Sturt University; Australian National University; TAFENSW; Transport for NSW; University Admissions Centre; and Defence Force Recruiting.

Therese May
Careers Counsellor

Monday 22 June to Friday 26 June
Year 7 2021 Interviews

Tuesday 30 June & Wednesday 1 July
Year 10 into 11 2021 Subject Selection Interviews

Thursday 2 July
College Athletics Carnival

Friday 3 July
Last Day of Term

Monday 6 July - Friday 17 July
School Holidays

Monday 20 July
Staff Professional Learning  - Pupil Free Day

Tuesday 21 July
All Students Return to school

Wednesday 29 July
Year 7 & 10 Vaccinations