Timetable 2023 (Update)

We now have all the required information to complete the 2023 timetable.

Staffing and class lists are being finalised and courses are mapped over the two-week cycle which is replicated throughout the year.

In each year group (Years 8-10) there will be one Enrichment Class created based on student performance in 2022 (Assessments and PAT-Tests). The other classes in each cohort will be created using a mixed-ability (sharing our gifts) approach. Leaders of Learning are also consulted regarding the creation of these classes. The Year 7 2023 Enrichment Class will be created based on ALLWELL Testing and other data collected during the Enrolment process.

Students will be able to view their 2023 Timetable on Compass by 24 January 2023.

Professional Learning for Staff in 2023

We are currently planning Professional Learning for staff aimed at enhancing our SPIRE Framework. This involves a series of after school meetings on Monday afternoons combined with Staff Development Days scheduled throughout the year.

A Reminder …

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to contact me by email pfinnerty@parra.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions regarding the information above which relates to my specific role as Assistant Principal – Systems, Data, and Professional Learning.

Thank you for your continued support

Patrick Finnerty
Assistant Principal – Systems, Data and Professional Learning

From the Assistant Principal - Students
Student expectations about Learning

In the final weeks of 2022 students are expected to be at school and working in every class. Holidays do not start until the end of the year and we expect that every student is in class and working to the best of their ability right up until the last lesson. 

If you feel that your child is not getting any work please contact the class teacher or the Learning Advisor and express your concerns. The College has the expectation that as a learning community we are making the most of every learning opportunity.

St Andrews Day

St Andrews Day has moved from Friday 2nd December to Wednesday 30th November. The change is due to the availability of the ride company on the Friday. 

Students will need to pay $15 for the rides and  this is payable to the company on the day. More information in regards to this day will be sent out next week.

Uniforms

Overall our students have been well presented at school. I ask parents to check the following items in regard to their uniforms.

1. the girls kilts must be down to the knees, some are too short
2. if a boy wishes to wear a tie, the shirts must be tucked in
3. sports uniform is to be worn on a Thursday and on a day they have PDHPE. The sports uniform must be a full sports uniform or summer uniform, no other trackpants etc.
4. a school bag is the only acceptable bag at the College
5. all girls hair is to be tied back at school
6. students should wear hard leather school shoes not black runners, this is a WHS requirement.

I ask parents to help ensure that the uniform is worn appropriately. If there is an issue with the uniform please contact the Leader of Learning for your Childs year group. Students who abuse the rules will be removed for classes until the uniform is rectified. 

Respect for Others

Last year I asked the students to consider a quote I heard:

“Good thoughts, Good words, Good deeds”

Over the last year how have we used this simple phrase? How have we used our thoughts, comments and actions in the playground, the classroom and online towards other people. We should never comment about others unless it is positive and we should always treat others the way we want to be treated ourselves.

It is very easy to neglect the way we treat others and the impact of negativity towards others can have a long-lasting effect on a person. We need to ask ourselves what type of person are we been seen as? Is it negative or positive? If its negative we need to consider what impact we are having on others and how we can change that to a positive.

I think it is important that we always ask ourselves before we do anything - What would Jesus do?

What's in the planner?

Dealing with bullies or people that make comments to you is difficult. As we get older, we realise that bullies are cowards who misuse or abuse their strengths. It is important that we develop respectful relationships and we do not tolerate anyone who abuses their strengths and target other people.  

One cause of online bullying is FOMO (fear of missing out). Engaging in activity and comments from trolls leads to the potential to be targeted online. Make and effort not to engage with people that are negative and bullies online.

The main character strengths are love of learning and Hope. Think about ways that we can develop these areas in our lives.

God Bless

Mr Nick Thrum
Assistant Principal - Students

 

Mrs Sue Cooper
Leader of Wellbeing and Learning

CAMP

Last week year 9 finally experienced a camp as a highschool student. Students in year 9 went to The Great Aussie Bushcamp from the 9th-11th of November. The goal for this camp was for the year 9 students to make stronger connections with students in their Learning Groups as these are students they see every morning, the hope for this was for them to talk to students who aren’t necessarily in their circle of friends and who they may not interact with. Students were also asked to challenge themselves and break out of their comfort zones to do things that they would not do in their everyday lives. Students were able to participate in activities such as abseiling, rock climbing, leap of faith, archery, high ropes and giant swing. It was great to see all the students participating in the activities, having fun, having a laugh and enjoying their time with their peers.

See all photos here

From some of our students:

During week 5 from the 9th of November to the 11th, our grade went to the great Aussie bush camp in Kincumber. This event challenged us to gain confidence, team-building/team spirit skills, problem-solving, and trust in one another. It was an experience that filled in the missing gap we had as a whole grade. The missing gap between working together and believing in each other,

Going to the great Aussie bush camp as a year group was a thrilling but never-racking experience for us. After being in lockdown in years 7 and 8, this was the first time we could go camping with our friends and our outstanding teachers.  Everyone was packed and excited to head to the campsite on our departing day. We had no idea how much fun was in store for us when we finally arrived. Rock climbing, power fan, mud run, raft-building, initiatives, commando night, huge swing, and many other activities were available for us to enjoy and learn from, As we slowly got out of our comfort zones, these activities gave us the opportunity to become closer to our peers, take a leap of faith and make friends with people we don’t frequently talk with.  Our instructors were quite friendly, and always showed an enthusiastic smile and cheerful attitude before starting off our day.

Year 9 camp was unlike anything I’d ever experienced in high school with my grade. It was the first time I realised how we as a year ground could truly collaborate to attain our common aim of relying on one another. This camp experience pushed many of us to step outside our comfort zones, try new things and learn not to be afraid of failing. The initiative's activities were one the activities which truly challenged each of us out of our safe place, by compelling us to communicate with our peers and learn to trust one another even when we don’t feel like it. These encouraging activities provide many of us with a sense of belonging to something larger than ourselves.  The most memorable aspect of this camp opportunity for me would be, the bonding experience we had as a year ground experience. And as well as genuinely feeling like I belong in my grade with my fellow teammates. I will forever christ the amounts we realised we are in this together and we need each other to flourish together as one big family at our college community. 

During week 5 of term 4, Year 9 had the amazing opportunity to go to the Great Aussie Bush camp at Kincumber on Central Coast. The three days spent there were filled with a rollercoaster of many unforgettable emotions. From the moment buses arrived smiles were across all faces. During all activities, learning groups worked together as a team. 

I believe the best part of camp was how everyone in the learning group had come together, building new friendships with those who didn't already. We had each other's back by pulling ropes, supporting each other during their journey… even if one of us spent 25 minutes doing the tree climbing activity. 

Overall, Year 9 Camp 2022 is definitely one to remember.

 

 

The 2022 year 9 camp was one of the best experiences that I have had in my time as a student here at St. Andrew's College. As it was our first camp, we as a year group were able to finally bond with each other in a way that we never had the opportunity to do as a result of the pandemic. The Great Aussie Bush Camp provided us with the opportunity to participate in various activities such as The Power Fan, Giant Swing, Mud Run, Leap of Faith, Tree Climb, Initiative Activities, High Ropes, Abseiling, and much more. The activities brought us closer together, both as a homeroom and a year group and were extremely exciting. The best thing about camp was the participation and enthusiasm that all students had throughout the whole experience. Every single student tried their hardest to participate in all activities, even attempting to step out of their comfort zone. Since it was our first camp at this college, the experience was unreal and I will forever keep the memories we have built as a cohort, where we all shared our smiles and stories with one another as we moved on to a new activity. 

STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Congratulations to the students who have been voted into a leadership position at St Andrews College for 2023. I know you will all do a great job in your role as a leader and role model for your peers and younger students. 

Congratulations to the year 9 girls who are part of the Intermediate Girls Basketball team who played their semi final yesterday. 

Mr Kharl Carlos
Leader of Wellbeing - Year 9

From the Director of Faith, Mission & Learning

Our College has been faith life has been in overdrive with an energy of passionate activity these past weeks. From the Year 12 Class of 2023 Retreat through to the Diocesan Catechist’s Mass through to Faith Fridays there is a wonderful sense of the Mission bringing Jesus Christ alive in our College.

Catechist’s Mass
Our 20 student Special Religious Education/Catechists travelled to the annual Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta where they were recognised in their efforts teaching Scripture to students at local public schools. We thank these students and the teachers who accompanied them weekly, Mr Giancarlo Ison, Mrs Theresa Ciantar, Mr Antony Culbert, Ms Christella Bade and Mr Andrew Hoare.

Frank Clarke
Director of Faith, Mission & Learning

From the Leader of Faith, Mission & Learning

Year 12 Retreat - Class of 2023

The 2023 Year 12 students experienced three days of prayer, faith, reflection, fun and friends during the Year 12 retreat at the Collaroy Centre, on the 2nd to the 4th November 2022. The students reflected on the gospel theme “You are the Light of the World,” as they considered who has shone light on them, how God brings light to their lives, and how they shine their light on others as disciples of Jesus.

 

Some of the day 1 highlights were, students decorating a candle with symbols that represent who they are and their faith journey, before lighting the candle and embarking upon a night beachwalk and gospel meditation. Day 2 the students placed Fr Kevin the hot seat as we held an interview with God session, where Fr Kevin attempted to answer the big picture questions students would ask God if given the opportunity, before engaging in a scripture marketplace, where students experienced scripture through prayer, drama and music. The afternoon walk to the beach and swim in the rock pools allowed everyone some relaxation and fun, before returning that night for an opportunity to go to reconciliation, and then celebrating Mass with Fr Kevin Redmond which was a prayerful and meaningful experience for many. 

“Faith Fridays”

Day 3 saw many tears of joy as the students affirmed each other both publicly in their House groups, and through private messages placed in their affirmation envelopes. The joy the students experienced over the three days was made evident at the end of day 3, when the students came together to sing the school song and how Great is our God, which was an experience that many will take with them. Thank you to Mr Clarke for leading us all through the meaningful prayer and meditation experience that the retreat was. Mr Frankham for his leadership and care as Year 12 leader of Wellbeing. Special mention and thanks to all the teachers who gave up their time to guide and care for the students as small group leaders, to allow the students to have this opportunity.

There was standing room only at St Andrew’s first Faith Friday youth group which was a roaring success. The students, led by Miss Tan, engaged in fellowship, ice breaker games, listened to music, ate pizza and discussed the question, “Why is Faith important”? Thank you to all the students who participated along with Miss Tan, Mr Ison, and Mr Hoare who provided pizza.

Faith Fridays will continue each Friday till the end of term, at lunchtime in the Drama room. 

Our youth group has also begun on the Senior Campus, on Wednesday’s at recess in the hall.

All are welcome.

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

On Tuesday the 18th of October- Mr Ison , Mr Clarke, Makoi, Youssef, Alexandra and Irish participated in the official school launch of the Australian Catholics Bishops Conference Social Justice statement. The level of respect and gratitude that these students showed on the day of the conference and how they represented our college should be commended. The Social Justice statement is called Respect. The following is the transcript from the assembly. 

Makoi:
Alexandra, Youssef and I had the opportunity to be a part of the Catholic Bishops Conference - Social Statement Launch in the JNR conference room. We were joined by other catholic schools via zoom such as St Pauls Catholic College, St John Paul II Catholic College, Catherine McAuley and St  Columba's to name a few. Every year the Australian Catholic Bishops release a statement that reflects the current social, economic, and ecological issues and encourage school communities to turn this into actions. This year's statement mainly focused on understanding that domestic violence and abuse is not only a one-person matter but also a social justice issue. It challenged us to educate ourselves about domestic abuse, and ways we can bring awareness inside our own community. 

Youssef:
As Makoi has stated, domestic violence is not an individual matter, but more so a social justice issue. Domestic violence can come in the forms of emotional, spiritual, financial or even physical violence and can affect anyone. Women and children are the most common victims of domestic violence, as every 1 in 4 women is assumed to be suffering some sort of domestic violence. These statistics aren't just to say men do not suffer as well though, as for every 6 males, 1 of them is assumed to be going through some form of domestic violence. 

Alexandra:
Building on from what Youssef has stated, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men is a pretty low number, meaning that people right here within our St. Andrew’s Community could be going through Domestic Violence and we wouldn’t even be aware. Moving Forward from this conference, we encourage you all to speak out about the problem and raise awareness throughout the college community about Domestic Violence as us as staff and students should have the right to feel safe within our community. We would also like everyone here to know that we are able to emotionally support you and are able to talk to anyone here about any problems you may have with domestic violence, whether it be our school counsellor, teachers, peers, or even us. As mentioned in the conference, we should all be treating one another with love and respect.

Andrew Hoare
Leader of Faith, Mission & Learning.

From the Leader of Faith & Mission

 

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

As a College community, we commit these weeks leading up to Christmas to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal, helping struggling families in our community. This year's Vinnies Christmas Appeal will be running from Weeks 6-7 ending on the 25th of November in Term 4. 

 

Similar to last year's Christmas Appeal, we will be asking for Prepaid Gift Card donations. 

There are some important points to note for this year's collection:

• Prepaid Gift Cards for general use: As many marginalised individuals and families in our community have diverse needs, please purchase gift cards that can be accepted in various stores and for a variety of goods. Please see below for links to Woolworths and Coles online options:
• Woolworths Gift Cards
• Coles Gift Cards
• ALDI Gift Vouchers
• Gift cards collections: 
• Please collect any donated gift cards during Learning Group daily and record details on the document provided with the promotional material.
• Collected gift cards will then need to be sent to the Office in the provided envelope with the LG roll bag at the end of Learning Group each day to record amounts and tally totals.
•  Students are welcome to purchase these cards as a Learning Group, smaller friendship groups or as individuals. 

 

Thank you again for your ongoing support in this space. If you have any questions, please let me know!

Mr Giancarlo Ison
Leader of Faith & Mission

PDSSSC Thursday Representative Sport

Congratulations and well done to our 4 Oztag teams who have now concluded their season.

Thank you to Miss Rivera, Miss Nikitovic, Miss Malonzo and Mr Dowers for the time that you have devoted to training your teams and preparing them for games.

All the best to our Representative Cricket team who have one more game to be played this season. Please see below for a report from Mr Carlos, our junior girls Basketball coach about the semi-final 

On the 17th November 2022, both our Junior and Intermediate Girls basketball teams played their semi final games, both teams were very pleased with making it this far as the junior girls awaited their placing in the semis until all round games were played to finish 4th in the standings and the inter girls after losing their first few games, were able to make a run and secure 4th spot in their competition. Unfortunately both teams were unsuccessful in the semi finals and did not progress through to the Grand Final games. 

The Junior Girls played against St Patrick's Marist who finished in 1st place in the standings. The girls were very confident in this game as we had only lost to them by 6 two weeks prior. This game was a nail biter throughout as both teams were playing great defence and great offence. With St Andrews being down 18-10 with 2 minutes to go, Nikki Gasendo was able to score 6 straight points to bring us to within 2. With 30 seconds left and a technical issue which caused the game clock to not stop and give Mr Carlos a time out. We unfortunately turned the ball over and could not get a shot off to have a chance to tie or win the game. The final score 18-16.

The Intermediate Girls had a tough task playing against a very strong St John Paul 2 team which consisted of representative basketball and netball players. The last time these two teams played was in the first round, and as it was our girls' first game of the season and had not played much beforehand, St John Paul 2 ran away with the game quite comfortably. Today's game saw St John Paul 2 show why they were the number 1 team in the competition as it seemed as though they could not miss a shot in the first half. Our girls played very hard defensively and made their opponents work for their shots, St John Paul 2 were just too good. St Andrews was able to make a run in the second half with multiple baskets being made, however with such a big lead and continual scoring from the opponent, we went down 40-26. 

Although we did not get the results we wanted, both teams should be very proud of the way they played today and all season. Mr Carlos, Mr Alata and Mr Cetinic are all very proud of what you did this season. Continue playing and training to be ready for a strong 2023 season. 

PDSSSC Diocesan Representative Team trials for 2023

Another reminder regarding the trials for each of the respective sports and teams. This is not Thursday Representative sport but for students who play at a representative level outside of school and may wish to trial for the Parramatta Diocesan team which is comprised of students from a combination of secondary schools in our Diocese.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries.

 

Boys Softball - No PDSSSC Trial. Boys must nominate on the CSNSW Sport portal, and will be advised if they are successful. If selected, they also play at Stanhope Gardens on Tuesday 28th March, 2023.

2023 PDSSSC Student Registration Form

Registrations are now open for the following teams for students to nominate themselves for. Specific sports have specific closing dates, and these will be adhered to. Nominations for a particular sport may not close, as the form is generic, however registrations received after the closing date for a particular sport will not be accepted. Players and sports coordinators will receive an email when a student from their school has registered. This is not Thursday Representative sport but for students who play at a representative level outside of school and may wish to trial for the Parramatta Diocesan team which is comprised of students from a combination of secondary schools in our Diocese.

Sports include:

• Girls Netball

• Girls and boys Soccer

• Girls and Boys Rugby League

 

Here is the link to the registration form.

2023 PDSSSC Registration Form

Mrs Kayla Brogan
Leader of Learning- Sport

Year 12 Visual Arts - Body of Work in a Day Workshop

On Wednesday 9th November, our SAC Year 12 2023 students had their follow up Workshop Day (after their HSC Mentoring night) with artist Johnny Romeo. In my absence, Mrs Kemal facilitated the class by starting with individual discussions about their conceptual ideas. By recess, students were fully engaged in making a mini version of their Body of Work, exploring the different possibilities their chosen materials offered. Mrs Kemal indicated that the “Lead artists of SAC were heads down in the zone from start to finish, building upon their conceptual/material practice through back and forth constructive feedback which was adapted to solidify ideas for their Body of Work.”

With Johnny and Mrs Kemal’s guidance, students had to articulate their intentions and demonstrate that they are able to work with their chosen materials. At the end of the day, students presented their work from the day and had the opportunity to engage in another feedback session which provided them with another chance to reflect on their own artmaking.

The completed artworks are to be submitted along with their first Year 12 Assessment Task as a part of the VAPD proposal presentation process. Students are now required to consolidate their ideas and make strong links to selected focus influencing artists in order to move forward in their Body of Works. This is an arduous process, however we look forward to them confidently being able to begin their actual Body of Work by the end of this term. 

Visual Arts Junior Showcase

Watch this space! Our next Visual Arts Showcase is coming soon and we will be transforming the Visual Arts Room into a gallery to showcase our students’ work from this year. Save the date for Week 8, Tuesday 29th November 4-5pm.

Mrs Claudia Harris
Leader of Learning Visual Arts

Year 7 Where the Land Meets the Sea

Over the past couple of lessons, Year 7 have been tasked with selecting one artmaking project where they were to choose from three different art making options with the end result of creating a Mulga inspired artwork. These included creating a A5 sized postcard, an A4 sized poster or if they wanted to challenge themselves, to create a Slurpee cup all of which are in Mulga’s artmaking style. The next couple of lessons will allow students to create their final design onto the chosen surface of either colour paper or cup. Can’t wait to see their final products!

Year 8 Telling Tales

Year 8 students have been working on creating a Reg Mombassa inspired artwork with a mixed media approach. Students explored a range of issues concerning Australia in their artworks which were reflected in a Surrealist manner. Experimentation and research were a vital aspect of their artmaking process as well as seeking feedback into how to incorporate the style of another, into their own work. As we are approaching the end of this artmaking task, students have produced a range of colourful and interesting artworks. Fabulous work Year 8!

This is my final newsletter article for Visual Arts for 2022. It has been a pleasure working alongside my fellow Visual Arts colleagues; Mrs Claudia Harris and Mrs Shandel Kemal. I thank them for their hard work and dedication to our department and to our St Andrews students. 

Miss Leezah Rivera
Visual Arts Teacher

Linking Formative Assessment and Improved Student Learning

In line with the College’s ongoing commitment to extend the learning of all our students in Years 7 to 12, St Andrews College teachers are utilising highly effective, data-informed models of tracking student learning progress.

This practice is aligned to our commitment to providing effective continuous formative assessment in order to generate learning gains that exceed expectations. In terms of process, there is little to distinguish an effective formative assessment tool from an effective learning task. Quite often they are one-and-the-same. The key to practising highly effective formative assessment is to structure learning programs in such a way that the learning tasks become the assessment items. 

St Andrews teachers are highly proficient at incorporating these strategies into their learning and assessment programs. It is in this way that we achieve assessment as learning and assessment for learning. If we can measure it, we can improve it.

By adopting sophisticated learning analytics based on observed student outcomes, we are able to better personalise the learning experience for every student. Continual formative assessment provides students and teachers with continual feedback. This type of data is highly effective feedback and it is this feedback that guides progress in learning.

The dedicated teaching staff at St Andrews are experts in utilising the range of available student learning data so that they are best placed to extend the learning of every student attending the College.

Paul Haras
Leader of Pedagogy and Practice

The October Writing Competition has just concluded with yet another high-quality round of writing. Classwork continues to make up the majority of entries across the various subject areas. The quality of writing is of a high standard. As the month of October includes Halloween, students were free to use that as a theme. Hence, we received a lot of ‘scary’ stories. With that in mind, the winners in the month of August are:

Year 7: Aishriya Lal.

Year 8: Kathryn Baginski.

Year 9: Sakina Ganiwalla.

Year 10: Ivan Farkas.

Year 11: Sabrina Tomas.

Each winner receives a $30 Teen gift voucher.

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

Teghbir Khehra (7), Aanvi Rao (7), Kaitlyn Hall (7), Ruby Ison (8), Danny Yazbek (11), Mishthi Sharma (11). 

Below are some samples of writing from October. 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 November 30th. 

Kaitlyn Hall, Year 7 - What Now?

A fix needs to happen to Earth,

We need to give it a rebirth.

All we do is make new people,

Sadly, America made abortions illegal.

We continuously multiply our homes,

As we find more land across the world we roam.

Grow, grow, grow the population,

More kids need an education.

Almost 3 years have passed, can’t face corona,

And all these teens only care about their persona.

Let’s help Earth persevere,

And watch Earth look even younger each year.

Humans caused it to have a stroke,

And now with money, people are going broke.

What has happened to us all,

We have caused humanity to fall.

The deaths are increasing each day,

But there is always a better way.

Can someone show me how,

We can fix the Earth now.

Richard Tannous, Year 7 – Extract from: Rise of the Dratatoe.

A scary, tall dragon-like figure emerges from the shadows pushing me onto the floor. His ominous robotic red eyes beamed with violence as it reflected my fear in his eyes, the figure's bird-like mouth opened wide in position ready to blast me out of existence, ZING!

I woke up with my eyes slightly blurry. From what I could see I saw the figure‘s silhouette like the one in my dreams. In disbelief I walked up to the spot of the creature blindly walking whilst extending my arms. Clank. I felt a rustic, metallic figure. The moon was a light and cleared my sight as I spotted the monster of my dreams. I frantically rubbed my eyes trying to look the other way until my vision was fixed, however, when I looked back it was morning. In the same old bed, in the same old house, dreaming up the same old nightmare. My bedroom was dark and uncomfortable, the walls were made from oak wood with a tiled flooring. The lamp side was dusty and the grey lamp didn’t even work, a cupboard filled one side of the room with the door adjacent.

As I changed my clothes I realised my body was covered in sweat. The sunlight dashing through my room flooded as fast as a Melbourne cup horse racing in first place. It was the next lovely morning and I was still emotionally and mentally damaged from what had just happened. My parents could tell from the state of shock I was in once I got into my clothes that something was wrong. Due to this, once I asked if I could stay home they said yes without asking a question.

The first thing I do once I step out of my mischievous house is go book an appointment at a popular new therapy centre. I decided to walk through the park to clear my mind before reaching the therapist centre. At the park the joyful, life filled cheers helped me calm down as I knew that many were around me. As I strolled around the park I heard a rustling in a pus, I wasn’t to disturbed by it at first so I continued to walk. Again it rustled louder than last time which made me feel concerned, I went to check it out and I thumped on the ground, it was scary! 

Aishriya Lal, Year 7: Extract from - Short Story.

The tin sky, painted with a single shade of menacing grey, fumed with rage - a cellar, black as a

devil’s soul. Forked strips of bold lightning hissed; trembling with madness from being first shackled.

Ominous clouds sentencing doom, churned with malice and outrage.

Beyond the horrors of the skies, rasp callings could be painingly heard. Their cries grew more

thunderous; they were near.

Their wispy black robes were tattered, dancing maliciously, despite the silenced winds. Abandoned

fragments of straggly cloth cascaded towards the grounds, pirouetting with ease, with the intent of

cursing the Grey Earth.

Beneath the tortured robes lay fleshless, bony arms stretching outwards with curling claws, pointed

and tapering - willing to slaughter.

Their thin masks were frayed, some fluttering - unveiling translucent flesh. Others were tight, on the

verge of being torn, revealing the outline of gruesome, jagged bones.

Beyond the shabby slits were two vicious eyes glinting with greed, piercingly red with a merciless

thirst for blood.

Their sinister grin uncovered a ghastly array of translucent teeth, oozing with shredded flesh, curdling

my blood. They were The Masked Devils.

The resonant beating of my heart drummed against my chest in utter disbelief. The threatened hairs

concealed upon my trembling spine stood tall - unaware.

I was living my nightmare. In the very same bedroom, I was living the very same nightmare. More

cries erupted. Heat stinged my ashen cheeks. They were after me. And they wouldn’t stop until I was

found. They could sense my flesh.

I sunk to the floor. My mind was a blank haze.

Ruby Ison, Year 8: Poem. 

I am always just waiting. Waiting for the day you will come back and say “how was your day” but it is never that way. The days are growing longer and I’m not growing stronger, the pain in the way I have to look at myself every day. still seeing your reflection but not feeling that connection. The pain inside just eats me alive and I don’t know where to go. Struggling to breathe and trying not to grieve because I have to be strong but yet it has been so long. You are everywhere and yet nowhere. Searching around but you are not to be found and yet deep in the ground there you are. I can’t hear your voice and I have no choice but to live on like me. I never really looked at life until I lost the main part of my family.

Kathryn Baginski, Year 7: Extract from - Modern King David (1 Samuel 17).

I thought about his words. How fitting, that passage of the Bible:

The army of David - All of humanity. Doctors, scientists, businessman, mathematicians, and teachers like me. Everyone united under a common cause - and, more importantly, the word of the Lord.

Then, the army of Goliath - Covid. Armed with the spears of uncertainty, covered by the armour of the unknown, and shielded by the limits of human knowledge. Yet, it was a single figure when compared to the army of David.

If we won, we’d wind our freedom and happiness. If Goliath won, we’d all be gone.

There was no question as to who needed to win. While everyone said it was dangerous, and feared for coming into contact with the virus, we were all fighting.

Still, the government and those wiser than us rebuked us for our courage - we mortals could not possibly win, we had to play it safe. To which all of us responded with the words of David from 1 Samuel 17:36, “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.”

God, who has rescued humanity from countless tragedies, would protect us from the clutches of COVID-19.

And thus, we were all brought together in this war, and we were ready to fight the Goliath.

We clothed ourselves in the armour of lockdown. But staying in lockdown would not help us forever, and so, we were brave enough to leave the protection of isolation stood in the front lines and faced the Goliath. 

Doctors and nurses helped the sick in hospitals. I, as a teacher, helped the young adjust to the new school environment. All who able enough worked on a solution. 

In our shepherd’s bag, humanity held the vaccine. In our hand, humanity held the sling of determination.

We had faith.

Elyscia Barret, Year 10: Untitled.

He laid there in unbearable pain and continued to croak out the words that scraped at his throat. I pleaded for him to stop through ugly sobs. I couldn’t stand the sight of him in pain, but he kept praising how beautiful I looked at that moment. I was furious at him and the cancer that consumed him, but I bit my tongue.  Although tubes laced through his skin and his eyes were deadshot, he still smiled so brightly. His beanie sat lopsided on his head, revealing the same pale features I met years ago. My eyes were peeled back. Tears rapidly falling. My body ached, threatened to fall. I just wanted to hold him. I just wanted to scream and curse the heavens for taking him away from me. No God I knew would be so cruel. But what right did I have? 

He looked so tired. 

So painfully tired of fighting. 

It was beautiful outside. 

But my sun died.

And it was peaceful at least, right? 

I hope so.

Sakina Ganiwalla, Year 9: Extract from - Spider Skin 2022.

Huff huff huff

I panted as my eyes flew open, looking at the ceiling. My body being covered with mere summer pyjamas, and no quilt. No light could be seen through the window, and no noises of cars or people were within earshot. It was dead silent, with the faintest sounds of crickets. My eyes managed to adjust to the darkness of the room within a few seconds, and my breathing got steadier. It was so hot, yet so cold. My forehead was burning, yet my arms and legs had goosebumps. I was sweating, yet I was shivering. I couldn’t think straight. My thoughts went from side to side, but I was able to make out the end results of what I was thinking. 

I reached down to grab my blanket from the floor. Expecting a soft, fluffy feeling of wool and cotton, my face turned into confusion when feeling the blanket more stiff than usual. It didn’t matter. All I needed was the blanket, which I managed to haul up and place on my sweaty, yet trembling body. 

I tried to find the ending of the blanket to cover my whole body. As I twisted and turned, I noticed the blanket’s shape was different. Instead of a rectangle, it had long strips with one small rectangle in the middle holding it together. The amount of strips? I couldn’t tell. 

I stood up on the bed and tried to balance my weight. I looked down at the blanket, trying to make out what I saw.

I screamed.

Mishthi Sharma, Year 11: Extract from - All Summer in a Day Rewritten.

William wanted to see the glimpse of the sun now. Not soon, now. In fact, he wanted to be the

only one who got to immerse in that luxury. He wanted to be able to boast about the bright

yellow ball in the sky radiating its warmth and light. William wanted everyone to be envious

of him. He wanted to cherish what the girl with yellow hair had already seen.

Margot was a shy, quiet girl. At times her presence would go unnoticed by the class, and

sometimes it was the only one observed. She had been fortunate enough to be able to flourish

under the yellow dandelion-like bloom. She woke up to it. Had a life under it. Where the

people of Venus would only experience 22 hours of the sun’s warmth, their entire days

breathing, she had already experienced it for 1606 days. For that, she stood in solitude. Her

presence was as lonely as a ghost. The moment Margot’s parents decided they were leaving

Earth, Margot felt herself shift in a way a five year old shouldn’t. The day she moved to

Venus. There was a cloud above her head. She was stuck in a maze, the walls were made of

rain. Oh, how deeply she missed the warmth of the rays. She missed how the sun welcomed

her, and now the kids here shunned her. She had nothing in common with these kids she was

supposed to call her friends, truth be told, nobody wanted to be her friend.

Especially William. It was at the moment their class teacher had introduced Margot, William

had decided he did not like her nor he ever will. William didn’t want her company, nor did he

need it. He had friends, lots of them. They made him laugh and kept him company, yet deep

down he felt an abyss of affinity.

Ivan Farkas, Year 10: Untitled Poem.

You don't belong here

Like a lost puppy you roam 

You reap the lands for their material 

Like a scythe in a field of hay 

You kill those who stand in your way 

Like a maniacal tyrant who failed 

You fight for equality only when you are lesser than equal 

Like a hypocrite who never learns 

You undermine those more powerful than you 

Like a manipulator who always tried 

You call me alien, but you are the one on my land 

Like a pawn in a game of chess 

You are the alien,

I will never change 

You don't belong here,

I do

You never did, 

You never will

Hannah Ajayi, Year 11: Extract from - One Wish (also a rewrite of All Summer in a Day).

The warmth of the sun curled up on my skin, this was a constant reminder that I was safe, hidden

away from all the hurtful words that were projected at me every school morning. The sun was

my only escape, it ignited a jocund glow inside of me that made me feel almost normal. The sun

saw past my supernatural abilities, it embraced it unlike the school kids who bullied me for being

different. The constant flashbacks of being locked in the closet shattered my delicate heart.

Everytime I tried to stick up for myself, I was held back by my uncontrollable tears. With the sun

it was different, only I had the privilege of its beauty. It was a glowing medallion in the sky

calling my name, this is what it feels like to be home. As I heard the alarming school bell my

heart sank with devastation, “back to reality I guess”.

“I’ll be back soon”, I whispered. “I promise”.

I walked into the school hall with caution, hesitating to take another step as the bullies could be

right around the corner. My face stayed planted on the ground, afraid of what consequence may

arise if I dared to lift my head, even the slightest bit. The echoing of the children's laughter filled

the halls, it was a sound of a normal highschool experience. My heart was filled with sadness as

that was something I would never experience. I quickly hurried into the classroom and was

gracefully welcomed by the rude remarks made by the students, clenching my jaw trying to stay

calm, I made my way to my seat.

After hours of endless torture the home bell rang, it was music to my ears as it revealed a sense

of relief in my heart. As I made my way to the door urging to escape from this hell I’m suddenly

unable to move.

Danny Yazbek, Year 11: Extract from - Rise of Spartacus Gladiator. 

The screams of the innocent reigns over the laughter of the wicked. Blood flowing in rivers as the fires

blazed amongst the highest mountains, with its heat scorching the skin of the loyal soldiers whose heart

lives and dies for their King, Spartacus. The trees which had once roamed the land, came tumbling down, blackened of its drained life. Shattering into its countless pieces of ashes as the flickering flames arose once again to continue its terrorizing cycle. Julius Caesar stood along the flame with his soldiers, having had the fires of hell establish a greater and increasing terrorizing reign upon the village, with the spirits of the innocent weeping as they descend upon the realm of resting. Clenching the rough wood which microscopically pierced the skin of the Spartan soldiers, with their eyes bleeding in the blood of their enemies as they breathed heavily, hearts beating too rapidly for the human body to maintain.

Watching as Emperor Caesar had raised his fist, with the drips of sweat racing down palms of his hands as he progressively opened his hand, feeling the tremor within his grasp fade away whilst standing on the stairs leading to his palace. A troublesome woman as well as a frightened child are ravenously dragged from within the flames and Spartacus’s face dropped at a rapid rate before watching as his wife and son are brutally brought down to their knees. “No....no...no...no, stop this...now!” Spartacus said infuriated, uncertain of how the gods will act on his plea.

Caesar smirked with his arms laced around his back as he said “shall you wish for your family to live, you must withdraw your weapons and accept defeat”. Spartacus, enraged, “I would rather die than accept defeat to anyone, especially that of a coward like you.” Spartacus is soon to realize that it is the lives of the ones he treasures most on the line. Watching the fear and terror in the eyes of his wife and son, who had been mustered in the concentrate of blood and dust, as their tears began to add upon this mixture.

“So be it”....

Sabrina Tomas, Year 11: Extract from – The Sun’s Rays (A rewrite of All Summer in a Day).

I miss waking up to the rays of sunlight shining through the cracks in my blinds. I long for the warmth

of the sun heating my bedroom window. I yearn to hear the birds chirp and sing outside my window. I

crave the excitement of welcoming the start of a new day. Viewing the magnificent stream of light, as

it beckons me to open the blinds and gaze at the rising sun.

Now I wake up to the drowning sound of rain.

Pitter-patter,

pitter-patter.

The raindrops echo off our tin roof. My 6am alarm drowns out the sound of the rain, a never-ending

reminder of my new life here. I turn off my alarm and sit up, staring at the bright red marker circling

today’s date. That’s when it hit me, the sun was coming. Anxiously, patiently waiting. The sun was

coming. I start getting ready for school, my mind replaying all my favourite, fading memories of my

life on earth. I’ve waited years to see the sun again, to feel the sun's heat on my pale skin.

My parents uprooted my whole family to Venus 12 years ago. I was only 4 years old when we moved

here. My parents never thought how great a toll it puts on a child, to grow up without the sun, having

no friends and close family. It’s been 5 years since I’ve seen the sun and all my memories of it are

starting to fade. I reminisce looking through old albums of my last visit to Ohio. Every day stepping

outside and staring at the dull, grey, gloomy sky, my mood drops in an instant. The rain washes away

every inch of happiness in my body. Every day is the same.

Rain, rain, rain.

St Andrews is Making Everyday Count!  Each day, the students at St Andrews answer 3 or 5 Maths questions to build their numeracy skills.  This is important not only to improve their NAPLAN and PAT-M scores or pass their Minimum Standard Test but also for them to develop confidence and skills to use maths to solve problems in everyday life.  

As parents and carers, we play a significant role in setting expectations, nurturing curiosity and encouraging a love for learning.  We can help them build their numeracy by being positive about their numeracy experiences and recognise their effort and perseverance.  We need to let them know that they can be successful, and if they did not get it at first try, that they keep trying and learn from their mistakes.  So the next time that you go to the shops or decide what deals to take, get your child involved in the decision making process and talk aloud when working out the problem.  

Here are other ways when Numeracy is at work in our day-to-day life.

source: nationalnumeracy.org.uk

If your child missed any of the previous day’s questions, here they are and you are most welcome to support your child as they attempt the questions.

YEAR 7 Questions

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
1	10/10 W1 Monday Y7	11/10 W1 Tuesday Y7	12/10 W1 Wednesday Y7	13/10 W1 Thursday	14/10 W1 Friday Y7
2	17/10 W2 Monday Y7	18/10 W2 Tuesday Y7	19/20 W2 WednesdaY7	20/10 W2 Thursday Y7	21/10 W2 Friday Y7
3	24/10 W3 Monday Y7	25/10 W3 Tuesday Y7	26/10 W3 Wednesday Y7	27/10 W3 Thursday Y7	28/10 W3 Friday Y7
4	31/10 W4 Monday Y7	01/11 W4 Tuesday Y7	02/11 W4 Wednesday Y7	03/11 W4 Thursday Y7	04/11 W4 Friday Y7
5	07/11 W5 Monday Y7	08/11 W5 Tuesday Y7	09/11 W5 Tuesday Y7	10/11 W5 Thursday Y7	11/11 W5 Friday Y7
6	14/11 W6 Monday Y7	15/11 W6 Tuesday Y7	16/11 W6 Wednesday Y7	17/11 W6 Thursday Y7	18/11 W6 Friday Y7

YEAR 8-10 QUESTIONS

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
1	10/10 W1 Monday Y810	11/10 W1 Tuesday Y810	12/10 W1 Wednesday Y810	13/10 W1 Thursday Y810	14/10 W1 Friday Y810
2	17/10 W2 Monday Y810	18/10 W2 Tuesday Y810	19/10 W2 Wednesday	20/10 W2 Thursday	21/10 W2 Friday Y810
3	24/10 W3 Monday Y810	25/10 W3 Tuesday Y810	26/10 W3 Wednesday Y810	27/10 W3 Thursday Y810	28/10 W3 Friday Y810
4	31/10 W4 Monday Y810	01/11 W4 Tuesday Y810	02/11 W4 Wednesday Y810	03/11 W4 Thursday Y810	04/11 W4 Friday Y810
5	07/11 W5 Monday Y810	08/11 W5 Tuesday Y810	09/11 W5 Wednesday Y810
6	14/11 W6 Monday Y810	15/11 W6 Tuesday Y810	16/11 W6 Wednesday Y810	17/11 W6 Thursday Y810	18/11 W6 Friday Y810

Gilda De Guzman
Leader of Learning Numeracy

On the 18/11/2022, students in year 9 were able to experience the program: Olympics Unleashed.

The Olympics Unleashed program sees athletes travelling to classrooms throughout the State to inspire and motivate students to unleash their passion. Presented interactively and engagingly, these ordinary people doing extraordinary things will share how they have: set goals. overcome challenges

The students were blessed with the presence of Suzy Balogh, a gold medal winning trap shooter. Suzy was able to share her Olympic journey, how to build resilience, the importance of setting goals and how to find what you are passionate about. Students were able to take away from the presentation about how to overcome challenges to compete in their chosen sport at the very highest level, and how some lessons they’ve learned in sport can help students to be the best they can be – whether that’s in school, at home, on the sporting field or with friends.

It was great to see the students ask her questions about challenges and overcoming these challenges. The students were able to hold and feel a 2004 Athens Gold medal. I am sure this may have made the students feel inspired and possibly try and achieve this feat.

The year 9 students are grateful to have heard Suzy’s story. Thank you to Suzy for her time and sharing her story and thank you to Suzy for leaving us with a clay disc. I know that every time the year 9 students walk past this, they will remember to put in the work and the hours to achieve their goals.

On Wednesday the 2nd of November the Year 12 class of 2023 came together for a three-day retreat. The experience allowed us to interact and build upon our connections with one another. Whether it be forming new ones or strengthening old ones. The opportunity was perfect for winding down and focusing on ourselves as well as one another, especially as things begin to become chaotic as our end of year studies progress.

In essence, the experience was about creating life-long memories, and I’m sure we did just that! We often become so wrapped up in our busy lives that we forget to appreciate the small moments for what they are, and to acknowledge the value the people in our lives have.

Whether it be playing musical chairs, hosting a makeshift formal, collectively singing the school song, reflecting with night prayers by the beach or attempting to draw on candles, retreat allowed us to consider our past, present and future selves.

On behalf of the Year 12 cohort, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Kennaugh, Mr Clarke and Mr Frankham, the attending staff, and to the Collaroy team for taking the time to organise what will go down as one of our core experiences as class of 2023.

Shaniya Lal
Year 12 SRC - Publicity Portfolio

A few year 12 reviews:

‘It was a relaxing experience that was much needed to prepare for an intense year to come. Everyone got to connect with each other and focus on making memories.’ - Thereisa Purwadi

‘Year 12 was a great time to reflect on my high school journey with my friends.’ - Cooper Shield

‘Year 12 retreat was a refreshing experience where I was able to connect with peers and teachers on a spiritual level.’ - Loudonald Go

‘Being on the retreat made me feel incredibly connected with our grade.’ - Caitlyn dela Cruz

**Please click on the Google Drive folder below to access the photo attachments**

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WoeyngU3gAZ7VKamzBQl_xqbu1HA9QJU?usp=sharing

On Friday 4th November, sixteen Year 9 Fast Forward students, Mr Carlos and myself, spent a wonderful day at Western Sydney University.

The Fast Forward Program provides an opportunity for students to increase their knowledge and awareness of higher education. The day encouraged students’ future educational and career aspirations by providing practical information and insights into university life.

The morning was spent learning about Gardeners Multiple Intelligences. Students discovered their dominant intelligence and learned how this could be helpful in exploring possible future careers. 

The Intelligence types the students looked at were: 

Musical; Visual; Linguistic-Verbal; Naturalistic; Logical-Mathematical; Bodily-Kinesthetic; Interpersonal; and Intrapersonal

After lunch the students were given the opportunity to explore and become familiar with the Parramatta South Campus. Before descending on the campus students were informed that there had been a cyber attack on the campus and they were to collect clues to identify the villain. Students were given a printed map to find each location. Students learnt a little about what happens inside each building. At each location students participated in a group activity and were given clues; one of the clues was to help find the next location, the remaining clues were to assist with finding the cyber attack culprit. Once back in the lecture hall students had to work together through their clues to identify who committed the cyber attack on the University Campus.

As always our students were wonderful ambassadors of St Andrews College and they are to be congratulated on their participation on the day.

I would like to congratulate the following students for representing the College at the 2022 Year 9 Fast Forward University Campus Visit, particularly as the 4th of November was a pupil free day.

Jakob Arnaldo

Jeralin Arnaldo

Raedan De Guzman

Schoenel De La Cruz

Jack Eagleston

Suwanthi Edirisinghe

Maxine Gesilva

Leila Kefu

Angelina Khalil

Priscilla Kubik

Rhea Kumar

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski 

Adem Numan

Faith Peters

Isa Sarmed

Julio Tatupu

I would also like to thank Mr Carlos for his assistance on the day and for taking the videos and photos.

Ms Therese May
Careers Counsellor

On Tuesday 15th November 2022 the following Year 12 Food Technology students participated in a behind the scenes tour of the Sydney Fish Markets which allowed our students to see the operations of an organisation in the Australian Food Industry which directly links to our area of study this term. 

• Fabio Andrade Sa
• Jordan Billedo 
• Esther Brown 
• Joshua Del Rosa
• Julie Malki 
• Gwyneth Nanta

As the sun was rising we departed at 5:30am from St Andrew College Senior campus.

 

We arrived at the markets and started with a tour onto the Auction Floor. We learnt about how the catches of the day arrive at the fish markets with fishermen starting their day at 1am in the morning.  This product is then inspected by the buyers and is sold using the Dutch Auction System. This efficient and effective  process has three auctions that run at the same time, selling over 1000 crates of seafood every hour.

 

We were able to walk the Auction floor and see the very fresh produce up close. Being able to feel and touch the produce allows us to discuss the freshness. 

 

Here are some key learnings from our excursion today:

• We learnt about how the Sydney Fish Market operates and works from the fisherman to the auction floor and to the distribution of produce local and international. It allowed us to make connections to our theory work in class and see it all in action, in the real world.
• Learning about the wide variety of seafood
• Cloudy eyes don’t always determine the freshness of the fish. This can be caused by the ice touching the eye causing freezer burn.

• The Sydney fish market is the only fishery in the world that uses a Dutch auction system to sell produce. 

• How easy and quickly the Dutch Auction System works ensures the product is sold quickly while achieving premium prices.
• Amazed how the Dutch clock auction is a silent auction which begins at the highest price and drops until a bid is made.
• The dutch auctions start at 5:30am

• Tuna has to reach a certain grade prior to being accepted for sashimi preparation

• Learning how to determine how much meat is in a mud crab by how flexible the shell is. If the shell is dense then there is a lot of meat!

• How to grade a mud crab by the firmness of the shell & leftover fish are used as fertilizer to avoid wastage

• Sydney Fish Markets also works with the CSIRO and Oceanwatch Australia to help with sustainability.
• Sydney Fish Markets is a sustainable and environmentally friendly organisation by recycling styrofoam boxes which get broken down and remade to form new boxes.

 

We were feeling very tired by the time we returned back to school but are very grateful for the wonderful experience. We would like to thank our parents who dropped us off to school very early to go on this fantastic excursion. We would also like to thank Mr Robson for accompanying us on today's excursion! Until our next foodie adventure...

Mrs Cassandra Carlos
Assistant Leader of Learning Technologies