Unity Day 2023

Oh Friday 23rd June is the Annual College Unity Day. This is that day that students get to celebrate their cultural heritage with the rest of the community. Students can dress in their cultural outfits and be part of the fashion parade. There will be a liturgy spoken in different languages, a smoking ceremony, cultural activities and a showcase of songs and dance from different cultures.

Keep your eye out for audition times for the showcase and watch for emails about choosing your cultural activity and being involved in the liturgy.

Hands off policy

St Andrews College has a strict hands-off policy. Tis policy and expectations is about respecting each other’s personal space. “We were just mucking around” is not an excuse for touch another student. We do not touch anyone, for any reason, be it in anger, affection or mucking around.

Breaching the hand off policy could result in an external suspension so be careful about touching others.

Uniform

All students should be in full winter uniform every day. As it gets colder students start to wear extra clothing. I suggest that thermal clothing that goes under the uniform be used. If a student wears non-St Andrews clothing they will be asked to remove it. If they wish to wear gloves or a scarf they must be navy or black.

All students are expected to have a College bag at school and to have it every day. Sports uniforms on a Thursday must be complete or they are to wear their winter uniform. No non-St Andrews track pants and leggings are to be worn to school.

If your child cannot wear a part of the uniform please notify the College either by phone or a written note. Students that come in the wrong uniform may be asked to do a detention, stay in the office or asked to go home to rectify their uniform.

Attendance

All students need to be mindful of how many days each they are absent. We understand that sometimes sickness and family issues affect attendance but sometimes we are ok to come to school but we stay at home. 

If a student displays symptoms of a cold or flu, please do a COVID test and get a negative result before they return to school. Please continue to notify the office and if they are sick please respond to the notification either via SMS or the compass app. 

If you need assistance with getting your child back into a normal attendance and school routine please contact the Leader of Wellbeing for your child year.

What’s in the Planner?

The key strengths to focus on are Optimism and hope. Being optimistic and hopeful helps you overcome challenges and give you a sense of purpose.

Negative thinkers have a fixed mindset; they always look for what is wrong and what they cannot do. People with a fixed mindset believe that they cannot get better at a task or make any improvement. The classic example is a person saying that they are no good at maths so they don’t try.

You need to have a growth mindset and believe that with hard work and help you can be good at whatever you do. If you work hard you can turn any situation around. Instead of saying, “I cannot do algebra” you say “I cannot do algebra –YET”

Using assertive language when dealing with situations is a great skill for the future. Say what concerns you, how you feel about I and what you would like to happen. Try not to be aggressive or too timid and never use SMS texts or emails to avoid personal contact. 

Being organised is essential in life and in work. Planning is an important part of being organised. At school, planning your work such as assessments will enable you to perform better. Everyone organises themselves in different ways. It is important to try different ways of organising to see which one works best for you.

Just a reminder that we should be exercising and eating healthy food if we want to flourish. Poor food choices and lack of exercise can have a negative impact on our wellbeing. 

Have you done the strengths survey yet? Go to http://www.viacharacter.org and fill in the survey to identify your strengths. To get bonus house points come and tell me your top 3 strengths.

Top character strengths to focus on is teamwork and curiosity.

God Bless

Mr. Nicholas Thrum

Assistant Principal

Principal’s Awards

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

Second Principal’s Awards

Congratulations to Sabrina Tomas from the Frances House who has received her second Principal’s Award:

Fourth Principal’s Awards

For the first time in the history of our St Andrews College Merit Award System, we have a student who has earned enough Merits to receive their fourth Principal’s Award. A big congratulations to Jav Calingao from the Bennelong House, who received his Fourth Principal’s Award at the last Senior Assembly. An outstanding achievement!

Mrs Sue Cooper

Leader of Wellbeing and Learning

scooper@parra.catholic.edu.au

Challenging A Fixed Mindset

What is a mindset?

A mindset is the ideas and attitudes that people have that shape the way they think about themselves and the world. Our mindset affects the way we behave, our outlook on life, and our attitude towards everything going on around us.

It’s important to understand that your mindset doesn’t have to be set in stone; you can shift your attitudes and beliefs any time you want.

Two different mindsets

There are two kinds of mindsets: growth mindsets and fixed mindsets.

Someone with a growth mindset is likely to:

• welcome challenges and new things
• learn from the people around them
• understand that in order to get what they want, they’ve got to work hard
• recognise failure as an opportunity to learn
• acknowledge their own weaknesses, and focus on improving them.

Someone with a fixed mindset is likely to:

• not deal very well with setbacks
• try to hide their mistakes
• believe that their abilities are limited to one area
• engage in negative self-talk by saying things like, ‘I can’t do it’
• avoid challenges.

How to ditch a fixed mindset

If you want to be open to learning new things in life, to embrace challenges head-on and to treat setbacks as learning experiences, you need to have a growth mindset. Here are some suggestions for changing the way you look at things:

1. I can’t do it … yet. The way we talk to ourselves impacts what we actually achieve. If you tell yourself that you can do something, chances are that you will, even if you don’t accomplish it straightaway.
2. Challenge accepted. Next time someone throws an unfamiliar or tricky task your way – embrace it. Even if you make mistakes along the way, you can be sure that you’ll do better the next time.
3. Do some hard work. You’re unlikely to reach your goals if you don’t put in the effort to match. Work hard, even a small bit at a time, and you’ll be able to enjoy the rewards.
4. There is no such thing as perfect. Don’t let the idea of perfection get in the way of getting things done. Remember: perfection is an illusion. What matters most is your effort.
5. Be open to new ways of doing things. You can never be sure of how something is going to pan out if you’ve never tried it before. Before assuming that something will never work, ask yourself: ‘What do I have to do to make this work?’
6. Don’t let setbacks get you down. Setbacks don’t mean you’ve failed, they just that you need to try a different approach. Take feedback from the experience on board, and make changes accordingly. You can learn just as much from a mistake as you can from success.

What if I’m really struggling?

If you’re having issues changing your mindset, have a chat with someone you trust about it, such as a friend, teacher or school counsellor. They may be able to help you understand what’s going on and figure out how to improve things.

Mrs Andrea Utoikamanu

Leader of Wellbeing & Learning — Senior Campus

Leader of Wellbeing — Year 11

Hello Year 7, 

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in last Friday’s Reflection Day. It was really good to see you all getting involved, showing great enthusiasm and supporting one another. The theme for the day was Come follow me. What I hope you got out of this day was to understand and think about your lives in the presence of God. What are you willing to do if you were called to follow God and live out the Gospel? A lot of you are willing to follow celebrities and follow each other, however our challenge is to try and follow God. 

Conflict Resolution

Last newsletter I spoke about resilience. Part of being resilient is to also understand what conflict resolution is about. 

Conflict resolution refers to the process of peacefully resolving disagreements, conflicts, or disputes between individuals or groups. It involves finding mutually acceptable solutions and fostering understanding and compromise. Conflict resolution skills are essential for maintaining healthy relationships, promoting cooperation, and creating harmonious environments. Here are some key aspects of conflict resolution:

1. Active Listening: Listening is a crucial component of conflict resolution. Each party should have an opportunity to express their concerns, feelings, and perspectives without interruption. Active listening involves giving full attention, maintaining eye contact, and showing empathy towards the other person's viewpoint.
2. Effective Communication: Clear and respectful communication is essential during conflict resolution. It is important to use "I" statements to express feelings and avoid blaming or accusing the other person. Open and honest communication helps in understanding each other's needs, finding common ground, and exploring possible solutions.
3. Empathy and Understanding: Conflict resolution requires understanding the other person's perspective and showing empathy towards their feelings and experiences. Empathy helps create a safe and supportive environment, allowing parties to find shared understanding and work towards mutually beneficial outcomes.
4. Finding Common Ground: Identifying shared interests and goals can help bridge differences during conflict resolution. By focusing on common ground, parties can discover solutions that meet their needs and address underlying concerns. This collaborative approach fosters cooperation and reduces adversarial dynamics.
5. Brainstorming and Problem-Solving: Encouraging creative thinking and generating multiple options can lead to innovative solutions. Parties involved in the conflict can engage in brainstorming sessions to explore different approaches, evaluate pros and cons, and identify win-win outcomes. Problem-solving techniques such as negotiation, compromise, or finding alternative solutions can be employed.
6. Mediation and Third-Party Involvement: In more complex or escalated conflicts, involving a neutral third party, such as a mediator or counselor, can be beneficial. Mediators facilitate communication, help parties explore perspectives, and guide them towards finding mutually acceptable resolutions. Their role is to ensure fairness, impartiality, and a constructive process.
7. Respect and Emotional Control: Maintaining respect and emotional control is essential during conflict resolution. It is important to address the issue at hand rather than attacking or belittling the other person. Managing emotions, staying calm, and using assertive communication techniques can contribute to a more productive and respectful resolution process.

Conflict resolution is a great skill that students, including Year 7 students should learn, it equips you with valuable tools for navigating disagreements throughout your lives. By promoting understanding, respect, and open communication, conflict resolution fosters a cooperative and peaceful approach to resolving conflicts.

Mr Kharl Carlos

Leader of Wellbeing Year 7

Year 10 Industrial Technology Timber students have been working on constructing a Bar Stool as part of their course work. Using Hoop Pine and Meranti in this project, students have used a variety of machinery, hand tools and a domino joint to further develop their skills in Timber. 

Well done Year 10!

Ms Alicia Harwood 

Leader of Wellbeing Year 9/TAS Teacher 

The Junior CAPA Night was an extraordinary showcase of talent, creativity, and passion, leaving the audience spellbound and inspired. This spectacular event
celebrated the remarkable achievements of the young artists and performers who took centre stage, leaving a mark on the hearts and minds of all who
attended.

From the moment the first note reverberated through the junior campus learning centre, the power of music captured everyone's attention. The young
musicians displayed a mastery of their instruments, drawing the audience into a world of harmonies and melodies that stirred emotions and sparked joy. The
energy and enthusiasm radiating from the performers ignited a contagious atmosphere of celebration and appreciation for the arts.

The drama presentations transported the audience to different realms and narratives, skillfully portraying a range of emotions and characters. The young
performers captivated with their delivery, drawing laughter, tears, and a profound sense of empathy from the crowd. Each scene was a testament to the
dedication and talent of these budding actors and actresses, leaving an unforgettable impression on all who witnessed their performances.

The visual arts exhibits brightened up the room, showcasing a kaleidoscope of colours, textures, and perspectives. The creations of these young artists were a
testament to their creativity and ability to express themselves through various mediums. The art works transformed the space into a gallery of imagination,
inviting attendees to contemplate and appreciate the power of visual storytelling.

The success of the Junior CAPA Night was a testament to the dedication and talent of these young artists and performers. It served as a reminder that
creativity knows no boundaries, and that the arts have the power to inspire, uplift, and unite. This remarkable event will undoubtedly be remembered as a
milestone in the journey of these emerging talents, paving the way for a future bright with artistic possibilities.

Mr Antonio Chiappetta
Director of Performance
St Andrews College, Marayong.

Year 12 Investigating Science

This term, Year 12 Investigating Science students have been studying the ‘Fact or Fallacy’ module which involves analysing and evaluating what and how science is portrayed to society, and whether data has been manipulated or selected in a way to mislead the public. Students have had the opportunity to design and carry out investigations to test claims made by specific brands to make sure that we as the public are not being misled. The claims tested in our laboratory included:

• Does Coke No Sugar actually have no sugar?
• Does Panadol Rapid actually dissolve faster than other Panadol tablets?
• Does Nesquik actually have less sugar than other chocolate powder brands?
• Do Stayfree pads actually hold in all of the moisture?
• Does hand sanitiser actually get rid of 99.9% of germs?

Each investigation was researched and designed by students, and in all of the cases, students did find the claims to be accurate - to the dismay of some students hoping to present their research to a courtroom.

Year 10 Chemistry

Students in Year 10 have been studying chemistry this term, in particular the different types of chemical reactions and how they are applicable to everyday life. This term, students have been able to engage in some practical tasks investigating and observing chemical reactions such as endothermic and exothermic reactions, the law of conservation of mass, acids and bases (neutralisation), and will continue the term with reactions such as metals and acids, acids and carbonates, precipitation, decomposition and combustion reactions. 

Year 9 Physics

This term, Year 9 students have been investigating electricity. Students have been learning about series and parallel circuits, as well as both collaboratively and independently building electrical circuits under the guidance and supervision of our Science teachers. It has been great to see students using their skills to build circuits and exercising their critical thinking skills when trying to solve problems, such as trying to build a circuit where three light globes have their own switch independent of the other switches.

Year 8 Ecology

Year 8 students have been learning about food chains and webs, and how delicate ecosystems are if any change occurs. In particular, students have been investigating how the excess use of plastic is negatively impacting various ecosystems, and collaboratively creating presentations such as 3D posters, dioramas, models and reenactments of these negative impacts on different ecosystems. This task is due in Week 7, so we are excited to see the final products of the various presentations students have been working on - keep an eye out for the next newsletter for some examples!

Year 7 Chemistry

Students in Year 7 have been learning about chemistry in terms of solutions, mixtures, and types of separation techniques. Year 7 have conducted some practical investigations as they practised separating mixtures by decantation and filtration. Lately however, students have been focusing their time on solving a problem - if a diamond ring was flushed down the toilet, where is the most likely place it could be found? Year 7 students have been creating a presentation explaining the different processes involved in sewage treatment, relating to the separation techniques they have studied in class, and collaboratively coming to a conclusion as to where this diamond ring may be.

Overall students at St Andrews have been busy in Science using their problem solving and critical thinking skills, while working in highly collaborative environments. We hope that our students continue to be curious about the world around them, and recognise that science is everywhere!

Mrs Carmela Hollero

Assistant Leader of Learning Science

On Monday 22nd May, students in Year 9 Food Technology participated in a cake decorating incursion. Students learnt how to decorate cupcakes using fondant. This is a valuable skill and they will use this in their upcoming assessment task for Food Technology. 

Students spent the day learning how to shape fondant to create a cake topper and made cupcake designs in the form of a circus tent, lion, tiger and elephant. Some other designs included flowers and a rabbit. 

We have been very blessed to have Rosemary from Cake Decorating Solutions, Arndell Park who has been delivering this workshop to us for many years at our College. We thank her for sharing her gifts, talents, tips and tricks to ensure we are able to achieve our Personal Best for our assessment task. 

We also would like to thank Mrs Van Der Werf who helped organise and set up all our resources for this event as well as Ms Harwood and Mrs Akkoumi who continue to help us strive for our personal best in every lesson.

During recess today, the staff of St Andrews held the Biggest Morning Tea which raises money for Cancer research. Thank you to all staff for their support and generosity. We have raised $1590.

Thank you to the following businesses for supporting our Fundraising efforts by donating prizes for the raffle.

Beef Bullion Butchers  

8 Carmen Drive

Carlingford NSW 2118

(02) 9871 7164

COS: Office Supplies 

25 Nyrang Street

Lidcombe NSW 2141

1300 882 244

Essence Patisserie Rouse Hill 

5/16 Adelphi Street

Rouse Hill NSW 2155

(02) 8814 5940

Fresh World Penrith

Shop 46 Centro Nepean

10/45 Station Street

Penrith NSW 2750

(02) 4721 5139

Shop 46 Centro Nepean, 10/45 Station Street, Penrith NSW 2750

(02) 4721 513

Michel's Patisserie 

Shop 7, Quakers Court Shopping Centre

Corner Falmouth & Quakers Road

Marayong NSW 2148

(02) 9837 4386

Mick’s Delicatessan

Quakers Court Shopping Centre

76 Falmouth Road

Marayong NSW 2148

(02) 9626 0251

Our Bakery Werrington County

Werrington County Shopping Centre

Dunheved Road 

Werrington County NSW 2747

Teachers  Health                          Teachers  Health                               

35 Reservoir Street                     60 Phillip Street 

Surry Hills NSW 2010                 Parramatta NSW 2750

(02) 8346 2255                           (02) 9407 2626

Terry White Chemmart                   

Shop 20/260 Jersey Road 

Plumpton NSW 2761

(02) 9832 1308 

We are excited to share with you the latest news from our Year 7 Technology classes! Over the past few weeks, some of our students have been working on a Materials unit, where they have been learning how to use a variety of hand tools to construct their own wooden projects to take home. 

For their first formative task, students worked on constructing a wooden door stop. This allowed them to gain knowledge about various woodworking tools, how they are used and why we use them. 

Our Year 7 students have now been translating those same skills to create a wooden storage box. This task is more challenging than the door stop project as it requires a higher level of precision, design, and craftsmanship. The students have additionally been learning about the importance of planning and designing their projects before starting the construction process, which has been a valuable lesson for them to learn. 

Throughout this unit, our students have been enthusiastic, engaged, and willing to take on new challenges. They have been proud of their achievements and have enjoyed showing off their completed door stops to their peers and teachers. We have already seen our students approach the wooden storage box task with the same enthusiasm and determination. 

The Materials unit has been a great opportunity for our Year 7 students to develop a range of skills and knowledge that will be valuable to them in their future studies and beyond. We look forward to seeing their completed wooden storage boxes and celebrating their successes in the coming weeks.

Miss Mifsud

On Monday 22nd of May students of the Year 11 Japanese Beginners course took a trip to the city to the Japan Foundation. After a quick breakfast we made our way through an elevator to the Foundation. We met Akahane sensei and learnt a new side of Japanese culture. We learnt how to put on a Yukata (a Summer Kimono) and the  festivals of Japan. We also learnt many different games that are played at such festivals. They included picking up as many balls with a paddle, using a hook to pick up a ball, ring throwing, getting the ball in a box and also taking your fortune, known as Omikuji. There are several types of fortunes from No Luck to Huge Fortune and if you do not desire to take your fortune then you could simply leave it.

After learning the festive culture of Japan, we ended up leaving for lunch where we went to Ippudo, a Japanese noodle restaurant and everyone had ramen. Mine was very hot but very delicious. After lunch, we explored the city a bit with the time we had and we went to Kinokunya, a Japanese bookshop where we had the opportunity to buy some books and resources. After the book store we walked back to the train station and headed back to Marayong.

It was a fantastic day!

Zac Edwards - Year 11

A group of exceptional students from Years 7 to 10 have been participating in the Grok Web Competition during our Thursday Sport time over the past few weeks. 

This fantastic opportunity will enable our students to demonstrate their coding prowess, problem-solving abilities, and collaborative skills. The Grok Web Competition is a national event that challenges young minds to create and design innovative web applications using their coding knowledge. 

It provides a platform for students to explore the world of web development, build practical skills, and foster creativity. Our students will have the opportunity to collaborate with peers, apply their coding expertise, and push their boundaries to develop unique and engaging web applications. 

The Grok Web Competition not only encourages creativity and innovation but also fosters a sense of healthy competition among the participants. It is an excellent opportunity for our students to learn from their peers, share their ideas, and grow as budding technologists. Through this experience, they will gain a deeper understanding of coding principles, web development concepts, and the significance of teamwork in accomplishing ambitious projects. 

We look forward to witnessing the remarkable achievements of our young innovators and wish them the best of luck in the competition. 

Stay tuned for future Grok Coding Competitions if you want to participate too!

Shanai Mifsud 

TAS Teacher

Patience; Collaboration; Communication and a Willingness to Learn - Gold in the Workplace!

It is with immense pleasure that I am able to recognise three people for whom I have great admiration for. Amongst them is a young man who has excelled well beyond any expectation I might have had.

During the Senior Campus Assembly, held on Friday the 2nd of June,  I welcomed to St Andrews College Kathleen Latham, from Australian Training Company. Sadly Lisa Angeleski, from Sydney Gymnastics and Aquatic Centre, West HQ was unable to be with us.

Kathleen and Lisa have been a vital part in the partnership I am very proud to be a part of on behalf of the students of St Andrews College. Their guidance and patience in developing the students who commit to the Sport and Recreation School Based Traineeships is to be commended.

Joshua not only completed his traineeship studies and work hours six months before the end of his training plan contract he also gained a Beginners Coaching Accreditation and an Intermediate Men’s Gymnastics Judging Accreditation. In November 2022 Joshua was a judge at the NSW Junior State Championships. Also in 2022 Joshua won the SGAC  “Rising Star” award. In recognition of his exceptional work performance, commitment and dedication to SGAC Lisa offered Joshua a position to become a member of her coaching team. Joshua began his employment as a gymnastics coach at SGAC on Monday of this week.

Earlier this year Joshua was nominated for the School Based Trainee of the Year Award. It is with great pleasure that I inform you that Joshua is a finalist for the Greater Western Sydney Training Awards. 

It was my honour to invite Joshua Sammut to the stage to receive his Traineeship Certificate III in Sport and Recreation (Gymnastics Coaching) from the Australian Training Company.

Congratulations Joshua on your amazing achievement. All three communities wish you all the very best on Friday the 30th of June at the Greater Western Sydney Training Awards.

Therese May

College Future Pathways Leader

Year 10 Food Technology

As the chill continues to remind us that winter is fast approaching our Year 10 Food technology students have been making some delicious heartwarming soups! Potato and Leek was on the menu recently and they did such a fantastic job. We are currently studying Food product development and food trends, in this lesson we discuss why certain recipes and ingredients come out at different times of the year and how consumer demand and convenience directly impacts this.

Well done Year 10 keep it up!

Regards,

Miss Valdivia

On the 3rd May Mrs Anzellotti’s Year 10 Information Software and Technology Class participated in the Adobe Pro Tips for students - Photoshop event. This event is aimed for students 15+ and focussed on enhancing skills with Adobe's professional creativity tools.

Students attended a Youtube live stream presented by Dr Tim Kitchen (Adobe’s Senior Education Specialist) and Abigail Nelson (Adobe Customer Success Manager) from the comfort of B7.

They were shown how to use the camera raw filter which provides tools to repair images by automatically adjusting exposure, colour, granularity, vignetting, optics sharpness, white balance, red-eye, spot remove and geometry. With a click of a button they were able to take a photo from iPhone 3 quality to enhance it so it looked like it was taken on an iPhone 14.

The second tool that they used was the straightening tool. This hidden tool which can be found in the options bar once the crop tool was selected allowed them to straighten the image by drawing a line along where they wanted the horizon to be. Adobe Photoshop then used the angle of the line to automatically rotate and straighten the image.

The image students were given to use featured two young girls playing on the beach. They were asked to remove these individuals and were shown how to use Adobe Sensei’s content aware-fill  (the built in artificial intelligence features) to make them disappear. They then used the clone stamp tool to copy the pixels from the water and the edge of the water to remove unwanted splashes and shadows.

The final part of the live event before saving was to replace the sky. In the past, replacing the sky required multiple steps and careful fine tuning in order to achieve a seamless look. Adobe Sensei did the masking and blending for the students with two or three steps. All they had to do was access the sky replacement and choose a new sky. Most students were happy with the result but some chose to adjust the sliders to modify the sky and blend the foreground with the background.

All that was left was to save. Students were asked to consider what they were going to do with the image. If they were using it for a website then they saved it for the web which they learned would reduce the file size. If they wanted a hard copy then they were encouraged to export it for print.

Examples of some of the student edits can be seen in the images that feature the beach.

Following on from this learning experience students were challenged to apply what they learned to a Photoshop challenge. They were asked to find a free cityscape image and enhance it using the camera raw filter. They replaced the sky, rearranged the buildings and used content aware fill. They used the clone stamp and spot healing brush tools to make the skyline look realistic.

Examples of some of the student edits can be seen in the images that are city skylines.

CAPA Junior Showcase

St Andrews' annual Creative and Performing Arts showcase was a great success this year, with an incredible display of artworks, ranging from Years 7 to 10 throughout the past two terms. The event was held within the Junior Learning Centre on the 22nd of May and started at 6pm with guests, including students, parents, and teachers, enjoying light refreshments while viewing the fantastic series of artworks put on display. The exhibition featured units from "The Archibald Prize", “Cubism”,  "Suburbia" and many more. 

As a fellow artist who participated in this amazing art exhibition and event, it was an exciting opportunity to showcase my creativity and to see my work alongside my peers. I and alongside many of the artists felt a sense of pride and accomplishment in seeing our hard work come to full display and be appreciated by others in the community. Altogether, it was truly an evening to remember!

Lorraine Layug 10B5

Year 8 Artist Presentation - Johnny Romeo

Our student artists at SAC are no strangers to renowned Australian artist Johnny Romeo. On Wednesday Week 5, our Year 8 students enjoyed a presentation by Johnny, who spoke to them about his career as a practising artist as well as his influences and his current artmaking practice. Johnny who was an art educator prior to his successful career as an artist, gave insight into his work ethic and provided advice to our young artists. After the presentation, students had the opportunity to ask questions.

It was an engaging experience for our Year 8s. Due to our limited time, not all students were able to present their questions to Johnny. This showed the level of enthusiasm from our students and we were blown away by their thoughtful questions. 

Congratulations to Nahum Pathak (8B2) who was the winner of an open edition print from Johnny for his insightful question of "How do you suppress your inner critic when creating art?". 

HSC Work in Progress Night

Year 12 students presented their Body of Work in progress for feedback during our annual HSC ‘WIP’ Night. Working with resident artist Johnny Romeo, students prepared for the evening by considering their working titles as well as their material and conceptual practice. In addition to our families and friends for the HSC class, Year 11 students were in attendance in order to become familiar with the process, as they will be embarking on this journey from Term 4. Students received instant feedback from external markers on how they can further improve their Body of Work. Students will now work towards finalising their works before submission to NESA for the HSC. We will have a HSC Showcase in Term 3 to display their finished artworks.

SAC Art Teachers - Professional Development

We are incredibly blessed to have art teachers at St Andrews who come from a diverse background when it comes to their artmaking. Recently we decided to make changes to our Stage 4 and 5 teaching programs to include the interests of our students based on their unit evaluations and feedback. In order to expose students to a range of artmaking mediums as well as working in 3 dimensional forms; Year 8 and 9 students will also be working with clay this year. 

We made use of our time away from face to face teaching last Friday and got together for a ceramic workshop. Led by Mrs Kemal and Mrs Psaila, they both shared their knowledge of working with clay and demonstrated different ways they approach this medium with their classes. After discussing the learning intention and success criteria for our students, we made work samples for our classes all whilst improving our own ceramic techniques prior to introducing this to our students. 

We are looking forward to using clay with Year 8s and 10s this term and Year 9s in Term 3/4. Watch this space for their creations!

Mrs Claudia Harris

Leader of Learning Visual Arts

Year 7 - World Heritage Site Animal Artworks

Year 7 artists have been exploring World Heritage Sites such as the Great Barrier Reef and The Daintree Rainforest. Students then explored an animal of choice that lives in one of these sites. After researching their animal, students practised a range of oil pastel techniques such as feathering, stippling and blending. Students were then asked to create a large scale oil pastel artwork focusing on demonstrating accurate colours and textures applying appropriate oil pastel techniques. 

Year 8 - Mombasa inspired Artworks in Progress

Year 8 artists have been studying the practice of artist Reg Mombassa. Mombassa's artworks tend to have a unique style in the way he conveys his messages to his audience. Students selected an Australian Issue or Australian stereotype to depict in their artwork composed in a similar style to Mombassa’s, demonstrating a cartoon-like style, shadow-work, bold outlines and text. See artworks in progress attached. 

Year 9 - Portrait paintings

Year 9 artists have recently learnt how to draw a face using proportional methods, shading/rendering of features and how to refine an artwork to level of completion using Goal strategies - working on project/time management skills. This assessment task asked students to interview a sitter of their choice, which would then help them develop layers of meaning to reveal the identity of their sitter to the audience. Some of the ways their identity was revealed include, use of colour palette, symbolism, body language and appropriation. 

Year 9 - Richard Hamilton Inspired Collage Artworks

Year 9 students have been introduced to our next unit, Popular Culture. Pop Art challenged art critics and movements that came before as it focused on mundane subject matter, blurring the line between ‘high’ and ‘low’ art. One of the first artists we are introduced to is ‘Richard Hamilton’, a Pop Artist who utilised American magazine cutouts to construct artworks (collage method). As a way of understanding the practice of Richard Hamilton, students were asked to construct a living space inspired by Hamilton commenting on today’s popular culture. 

Year 11 - Art as Social Commentary - in progress

Year 11 artists have been exploring methods and approaches various artists such as Xu Bing and Ai Wei Wei have used to create ‘Art as Social Commentary’. After gathering information from the world around them to inspire their artmaking and experimenting with potential mediums/expressive forms, students decided on their final direction. Artists are currently working on these artworks, attached are some photographs of their works in progress.

Mrs Shandel Kemal

Visual Arts Teacher

Year 10 Reflection Day

The Year 10 reflection Day on the 19th May was a significant event for Year 10 students, as they paused to consider what it is to live faith in everyday life.

Students started the day with a session led by Fr Chris Del Rosario from the Vocations centre, who spoke to the students about discerning their vocation, and who they were created to be. After recess the students undertook workshop sessions to gain an understanding of faith as a part of their everyday life. Students in their House groups participated in acts of social justice, being led by the St Andrews senior students from the Social Justice Group, they also participated in community service by visiting the residents at the Holy Family Nursing Home. The students participated in a Hearing God’s voice session run by SAC FAM youth, and Mr And Mrs Carlos led them in a Faith in Sport workshop, to allow the students to develop an understanding of the qualities of collaboration, cooperation and unity that are present while participating in sport. 

The sessions gave the students a holistic view of faith as being a part of all aspects of life.  The students are to be commended for the way they conducted themselves on the day, which allowed everyone to participate and enjoy themselves. Thank you to Miss Tan, Mr and Mrs Carlos, Mrs Braisby, Miss Owusu, Miss O’Connor and the students from the Social Justice Society Cooper Shield, Keya Pandya, Caitlyn Dela Cruz and Rediet Deresegn who helped to organise and run the sessions on the day.

Year 7 Reflection Day

The Year 7 Reflection Day was a day of Faith, fun and music for our Year 7 students, as they embarked upon a day that encouraged them to consider what it means to belong to St Andrews as an Intentional Faith Community. The day began with much excitement, as members of the CYP band led the students in song and dance which encouraged a sense of camaraderie  and community among the students. Qwayne Guevara, manager of Catholic Youth Parramatta, led the students in a fruitful gospel reflection that will be used as a part of the Parramatta Diocesan Synod. Mr Hoare encouraged the students to consider who it is they follow in their lives, and how it can form a part of their identity, and how St Andrews College derives its identity from our patron saint St Andrew who was the first follower of Christ. Miss Tan led the students in a session of collaboration and supportive teamwork, as the students completed a Fortnite dance off, and Mr Chiapetta introduced the students to our school song, in a session where the students were in great voice. The day finished with a question and answer walk around St Andrew’s Parish Church, before the students participated in Mass led by Fr Kevin Redmond. Thank you to Mr Chiapetta, Mr Alata, Fr Kevin, and the team from CYP who provided a memorable experience for our Year 7 students.

Andrew Hoare

Director of Faith Mission and Learning.

Year 11 Community and Family Studies excursion

Year 11 Community and Family Studies recently embarked on an Amazing Race/treasure hunt excursion around the Sydney CBD.

Planning, communication, organisation, decision-making and independence were integral concepts of our learning in class and as such, this excursion provided  a great way to engage in real world learning.

Thanks very much to Elyssa Bassili and Nywere Majak who kindly put together this reflection about the day which I hope you will enjoy reading.

Year 11 Community and Family Studies students went on a great tour around the city last week, which was a huge success. In keeping with their current unit on "Individuals and Groups," students were given the chance to put together their own groups for the day, encouraging teamwork and collaboration. Mrs. Brogan and Mr. Houseman met the students at Hyde Park exactly at 9:00 a.m. to begin their journey.

One of the main objectives of the excursion was to allow the students to navigate public transportation independently with their groups. Accordingly, they took charge of catching the train to the city, gaining valuable firsthand experience of utilising public resources and understanding how they function.

Students began on an exciting search of applying clues along their journey, guided by a resource sheet specifically prepared to lead them to various locations around the city. This resource assisted them with achieving various tasks and eventually led each group to meet our teachers at specific locations.

The excursion proved to be an excellent opportunity for experiential learning, giving students firsthand knowledge of the interaction of individuals and organisations within a community. They were able to more adequately understand the concepts they had been studying in class by putting themselves in real-world settings.

The success of this excursion would not have been possible without the dedication and guidance of Mrs. Brogan and Mr. Houseman.Their dedication to providing an informative and fun experience for students is admirable. The students express their greatest appreciation for their efforts in making this trip enduring.

The Year 11 Community and Family Studies excursion was a huge success. Students had a fantastic day of learning, working together, and problem-solving. This not only enhanced their learning but also contributed to their personal development. It is clear that the skills and information gained during this excursion will surely help the students succeed in their assessments and beyond.

Year 12 PDHPE Big Day out excursion

On the 22nd of May the Year 12 PDHPE students attended the HSC Big Day Out Lecture Excursion. This excursion brought together industry experts and world renowned athletes to discuss experiences relating to their specific fields, with the aim of providing information relevant to the Stage 6 PDHPE Syllabus. The speakers at this event included Sports Coach John Quinn who spoke about the Core 2 unit factors Affecting Performance and his experiences as an elite coach, along with representatives from the Cancer Council, The Heart Foundation and Dementia Australia who spoke to us about our Core 1 unit Health Priorities in Australia. This lecture provided extensive insight regarding the leading health issues in Australia, and how they can be improved. The special guest for the day was Australian Cricket Player, Nathan Lyon who gave us an overview into the factors that affect his performance which included psychological aspects and nutrition. To end the lecture Sports Medicine Dr Tom Cross delivered an informative presentation pertaining to the prevention and treatment of common sports injuries, in conjunction with his experiences dealing with professional athletes. Overall, the day was extremely informative and a great way the PDHPE class can extend their learning for the HSC. On behalf of our PDHPE class, we would also like to thank Mrs Brogan for organising this event along with Mr Carlos and Miss Nikitovic for providing us with the opportunity to attend the event and extend our knowledge in the lead up to the HSC examinations. 

“This excursion was a great opportunity for me to learn more about the syllabus and content that we are required to know for the HSC. The speakers were all informative and it was pretty engaging.”  - Kritika Aryal, Year 12 PDHPE 

“The BigDayOut PDHPE excursion was a great way to gain a further understanding from those who have worked closely with professional athletes and the cricketer himself to gain a further understanding of their lives and their everyday lifestyle.” - Nicholas Boustani, Year 12 PDHPE

By Alessandra Bova and Hannah Johnston

POWs will help you build your logical, creative and mathematical thinking.  When submitting your entries, show us ‘how’ you think!  Explain how you executed the problem solving strategy you used or when you can, show more than one way of solving the problem!

Week 4 Money spent, money lost! (O8N4) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcvyLOkdWTY'

Method 1:  Working Backwards

Since $4 is 1/3 of what she had left after losing money, then $12 is 3/3 of what she had left after spending money.  More simply, $12 is what she had left after spending money.  But $12 is 1/3 of what she had to begin with.  Therefore, $36 is the whole amount she had at the start.

Method 2:  Bar Model Method

Make a diagram showing the transactions.  

Method 3:  Representation

Let M be the amount of money the woman had left.

2M is the amount of money lost.

6M is the amount of money the woman spent.

∴ 9 M is the amount of money that the woman had at the start.

Since M = 4, 9M =36.

Week 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09OSfaHluNQ

You can access the POW's for Term 2 

here:https://sites.google.com/parra.catholic.edu.au/numeracy/term-2

Dear Parents/guardians, 

Some very exciting news from the soccer field. Our Year 11 students Amponsah Antwi has successfully been chosen to play in the NSW CCC football team. This is great news to have a St Andrews College student a part of the NSW team. We wish Amponsah the very best and very excited to share with you how he goes. 

A big Congratulations to the Age Champions from our College Athletics Carnival, 12 years- 1st place- Jasper Dela Rosa, 1st place- Analise Gregorio, 2nd place- Sarah-Jane Noori. 13 years- 1st place- Sahas Shergill, 2nd place- Joshua Ghattas, 3rd place- Ronan Davis,  1st place- Ameilia Farag, 2nd place- Isabella Godinez, 3rd place- Izabella Zabek. 14 years- 1st place- Hayden Howley, 2nd place- Neil Raval, 3rd place- Samien Seimon, 1st place- Kiara Bartley , 2nd place- Kristen Cruz, 3rd place- Shanae Furner. 15 years-  2nd place- Myles Voodoomootoo, 3rd place- Kushal Maragudi, 1st place- Amelia Manks. 16 years- 3rd place- Ryan Ferrer, 1st place- Alexandria Marasignian, 2nd place- Elizabeth Kwiatowski, 3rd place- Leila Kefu. 17 years- 1st place- Nicholas Boustani, 2nd place- John Lukudu, 3rd place- Jordan Biledo,  1st place- Holly Braiser, 2nd place- Sabrina Thomas, 3rd place- Jade Kember. 

I look forward to sharing the successes of our students who will be competing at the PDSSSC Athletics carnival on the 28th August at Sydney Olympic Park. 

Thank you, 

Ivana Nikitovic 

Sport Coordinator

University Open Days

Australian Catholic University

Blacktown Campus 29 July

North Sydney Campus 5 August

Strathfield Campus 9 September

International College of Management Sydney 6 August

Macquarie University 12 August

The University of Notre Dame 26 August

The University of Sydney 26 August

Torrens University 12 August

University of Canberra 16 September

University of Newcastle Central Coast Campus 29 July

Newcastle Campus 26 August

University Technology Sydney 26 August

University of Wollongong Wollongong Campus 29 July

South Western Sydney Campus 26 August

University of NSW Randwick 2 September

Canberra (ADFA) 19 August

Western Sydney University 2 July

National Electrical Communication Association Training and Apprenticeships

NECA Electrical Apprenticeships is a not-for-profit Group Training Company that employs over 750 apprentices in NSW, QLD and the ACT. NECA provides apprentices with the full range of work available in the electrical industry. This ensures that apprentices receive the broad experience needed to complete their trade and pursue careers that align with their areas of interest. NECA Electrical Apprenticeships is part of a national network of NECA businesses that supports the electrical industry in all Australian states and territories.

Applications are now open for apprenticeships in Electrical and Data Telecommunication.  

Students wishing to apply for Electrical Apprenticeship are encouraged to complete the Electrical online application form

Students wishing to apply for Data Communication Apprenticeship are encouraged to complete the Data Communication online application form

Dear St Andrews community,

Two lovers, torn apart by outside forces, stand at a crossroads; to embrace the path that society has laid out for them, or to set forth on a new, uncharted road. Yet, both roads come with hardship. As Lysander famously says in the opening scene;

“The course of true love never did run smooth.”

As we approach the beginning of winter, our students continue to develop their understanding of the play that we are crafting. From memorising their lines, to refining their character’s mannerisms, to playing around with stage spacing, the students are developing beyond our expectations. When I look at these young actors and actresses, I do not see just talent, but also the steady, and diligent hard work that they are willing to put in. Success on the stage is not dictated by natural talent, but instead by consistent work ethic and resilience. The temperature may be dropping, but our students are rising to the occasion. 

Behind the scenes, our Year 11 cohort has engaged with their second assessment task for the Preliminary course. The unit of study for this term is ‘Elements of Production in Performance’, where we look into what goes into a production beyond acting. This year, these Year 11 students have been given the opportunity to present forth their design concepts for our production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ranging from costume design to set design to promotion design, our students have been given the opportunity to present their skills in a real, tangible way. These students have been given the chance to see how various stages of the production process work and how their design skills can come to life on the stage.

While there is still some time to go, keep your eye on this space for further updates. Including, when tickets go on sale, as well as exclusive interviews with the cast and crew.

Warm regards,

Mr Lewandowski
Drama Teacher

College Leadership Team

Leaders of Learning - Wellbeing

College Leaders of Learning - KLA

College Leaders of Learning