Welcome back to a new term. 

Uniforms

Some students would have had a growth spurt and their uniform is a little small. Please check the length of the boys pants which should go down to the shoes and the length of the girls kilt which should go down to the knees.

Some students had pierced their ears and some their nose. Just to remind students and families the only piercing accepted at the College is for the girls only. One silver or gold sleeper or stud or a small jewel in each ear. No nose, lip or any other facial piercing is acceptable. No plastic piercings should be worn and no band-aids covering a piercing. Students will be asked to remove any piercings while at school- this is not negotiable.

No student should be wearing makeup or fake eye lashes. 

Students are expected to have the College bag every day while at school. If there is a problem with the bag a note must be presented to the Learning advisor.

Students are to ensure their hairstyle conforms to the following: 

Boys

• Hair should be neatly cut, and always maintained
• Undercut, burst fades, drop fades, skin fades are not acceptable, nor are tracks, lines, or designs
• Hair on the sides and the back should be blended in (Number 2 is the shortest acceptable length)
• Long hair is not acceptable; hair must not touch the collar, cover the face or be worn in a bun/ponytail
• Hair should not be overly styled by use of hair products 
• No facial hair; must be always clean shaven

Girls

• Girls’ hair must be completely tied back at all times; pony tail, high/low bun, plait or braided.
• Hair must not cover the face
• Hair must be tied with a scrunchie or hair tie; navy or black hair ties/scrunchies only.
• Headbands or ribbons may be used; must be black, white, or navy in colour.
• Claw clips may be used; must be black, white, or navy in colour.
• Unnatural or multiple hair colouring is not allowed. Hair must be your natural hair colour

Cyber safety

Social media is part of all of our lives. There are some real positive aspects of social media but there are also some real problems with social media. 

There are age limits on social media for safety reasons but also because immature young people can misuse social media. It is very easy for people to write mean and inappropriate things online because they fell safe behind a computer screen. Many comments are made to people that would never be said face to face. On line bullying can occur because the person thinks that they are anonymous. 

The person who pays the bills for the phone and the internet is the person responsible for what happens on the registered device. A parent or guardian should be aware of all online activity of anyone using their device or internet. Regular checks of content and social media use are essential to prevent harm online. 

The College has information available to help families deal with online behaviour and if they contact their Leader of Learning- Pastoral for the child’s year group, they can assist in helping with issues. 

Blocking sites

The Government support site esafety.gov.au has some helpful tips for blocking sites and safety on line

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/taming-technology

What is in the Planner?

When we are with others, we need to use CARE

C= Communication: be open and honest

A= Achieve: aim for win-win conversations

R= Respect: believe and show others matter

E= Expect: give more of yourself to grow

It is important to take every opportunity that is presented to you. Positive engagement in life is a key to building your identity.  It is a risk sometimes to take on a new challenge and sometimes your challenges may not be successful but the most important thing is to give it a go. 

One key characteristic of a leader is GRIT.  Grit is the long-term persistence to achieve something and make a positive difference. We should believe others matter and so do their opinions, they follow through with what they say and that actions are better than intentions.

Character strength: Perseverance Positive engagement and GRIT are the key to perseverance

God bless

Mr Nick Thrum

Assistant Principal

Fostering Critical Thinking Through Inquiry-Based Learning

Inquiry-based learning is a teaching method that encourages students to be curious, ask questions, and actively explore topics. It is like a journey where students learn by asking and investigating the topics set by the teacher.  This approach helps students think more deeply about core curriculum content and make connections between different ideas and perspectives.

In this type of learning, students not only gain knowledge in different subjects but also develop strong thinking and problem-solving skills. These skills are not only useful in their schoolwork but also in their future as lifelong learners. It's about preparing our children to be great thinkers, readers, and problem-solvers, which are skills they'll need for life.

Reading widely is also a way to foster critical thinking.

Encouraging students to read a variety of books and materials is vital for enhancing their critical thinking skills. Reading widely exposes students to different ideas, perspectives, and situations, which helps them become better at analysing and understanding complex topics. The more a student reads, the sharper their critical thinking abilities become, making them more prepared for the challenges of their academic journey and the world beyond the classroom.

Examples of Inquiry Learning and critical thinking in my own Year 10 Catholic Studies class.

The inquiry question for my lesson was based on the ways that the New Testament inspires people in our world today. Students were asked to create a social media post with the purpose of sharing a scripture quote that has inspired them. I hope that these posts will inspire you as well.

Josilin Kalifa

Assistant Principal - Teaching, Learning and Wellbeing 

Wellbeing

I was fortunate to be able to attend the 2023 PESA Conference recently. One of the keynote speakers, Dr Michelle McQuaid, spoke about some ‘Wellbeing Truths’ that were very interesting. She said that it is normal & healthy for our levels of Wellbeing to ebb and flow. To have good days and bad days. She said that we all have times when life is hard and everything seems like a struggle. And we all have times when life is fantastic and we are thriving. And this is normal. That is why resilience is so important - to help us to bounce back when we are going through a tough time. Our focus then, should be learning how to care for ourselves - not trying to be happy every day. Knowing what helps you when you are finding things difficult. Knowing who you can talk to. And using your character strengths to focus on what you are good at, what you enjoy and what makes you feel good. 

Leadership 

A big thank you to the students who have been involved in the leadership process for 2024. I have now met with all students who have been nominated, and students are now completing their Leadership Reflections as part of our process. Students and staff will vote next week. Elected students will receive their badges on St Andrews Day. Good luck to all students.

Principal’s Awards - Junior Campus

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

Here are photos of Principal’s Awards recipients who were acknowledged in the last Newsletter:

Mrs Sue Cooper

Leader of Wellbeing and Learning

scooper@parra.catholic.edu.au

Welcome back to another term, 

It was really good to see everyone again and I am excited for you to complete your first full year of high school. Time has gone by so quickly from Day 1 of Term 1, I can say that I am proud of how you are all travelling thus far however there is much more that you need to do to continue your growth as a whole person. 

Goals for this term:

ACADEMIC GOAL: I want everyone this term to focus on improving their effort and learning in the classroom, no missed homework or assessments. Term 4 is not a time to slack off, it is a time to continually improve and prepare for year 8. 

WELLBEING GOAL: Be grateful for the people and opportunities you have at SAC. Be kind to one another as kindness goes a long way. It doesn’t take much to be a nice and grateful human being. 

Quote of the week:

“You will continue to struggle if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. If words control you, that means everyone else can control you” 

Remember, it is your mind, your brain, your body. Do not let others affect how you are feeling. Develop your emotional resilience and you will begin to be more happier with your day-to-day lives. 

Mr Kharl Carlos

Leader of Wellbeing Year 7

St Andrews students had the opportunity to support Catholic Youth Parramatta (CYP) during their "LIFTED Live" event  as a way of entering into the first ever Diocesan Synod. It was a wonderful evening in support of Bishop Vincent, and our students performed admirably. Our music students accompanied by Mr Alata wooed the crowd with stellar performances of songs such as Locked out of Heaven, and Dua Lipa’s Levitating. Thank you to Suwanthi, Sharlene, Dominic, Julio and Jobella for showcasing their immense talent. Mr Ison then kickstarted a lively performance from  the St Andrews dance crew Dragon Breakers, headed by Raine, Dante, Eidrian, Ethan who demonstrated their electrifying moves. The grace of God was present throughout the night and was evident in the joy on the faces of all present, as they had the opportunity to sing, pray and be present to the Lord in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Thank you to Miss Tan, Mr Alata and Mr Ison for their work preparing the students and for Mr Farah for taking the photos and being present with our students.

Bishops Social Justice statement launch

St Andrews Year 9 students were invited to be present during Bishop Vincent’s Social Justice statement launch on Wednesday 18th October at Our Lady of Lourdes parish. Our students worked in small groups with other participating schools to create an action plan in response to the Bishop’s call to Listen, learn and love. Particularly to “ Listen to the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”The student’s proposals will be put into action over the next year at St Andrews as they come together as our Junior Social Justice Society. Thank you to Ana, Kaydence, Oli, Matthew, Gian, Kathryn and Rhianna from Year 9 for participating on the day. 

Let us join our students and Bishop Vincent to become a community that listens and learns from our Indigenous brother and sisters, and work to Close the gap on injustice following in the way of love of Jesus.

Vinnies Van

Our Vinnie Van volunteers were back in action this week. Congratulations and thanks to our Year 11 students Euleila, Jericho, Cate, Patricia and  who volunteered as new Vinnies Van recruits. On the 16th October along with Mr Hoare and Miss Tan, our recruits went out to meet those less fortunate in our community, and the students are to be commended for how they served and interacted with them.

Andrew Hoare

Director of Faith, Mission and Learning.

Welcome back to Term 4!

Welcome back to our SAC artists to an exciting Term 4! 

With the completion of 2023 HSC Visual Arts written examinations, our new Year 12s (Year 11 2023) will be starting their HSC journey shortly. Students are working closely with Mrs Kemal and will begin their Body of Work development process soon.

We look forward to showcasing our students’ achievements with an end of year art exhibition. Details will be published in the coming weeks.

Operation Art - Touring 50 - Congratulations to Ahlai Jesudoss 10G10

Ahlai Jesudoss’ artwork “Like Me” has been selected as one of the "Touring 50". These are artworks that are exhibited at the Art Gallery of NSW and then travels to selected regional galleries on tour. After the tour, the artworks will become a part of the Children's Hospital's permanent collection.

This is a wonderful achievement by Ahlai. The 2023 Operation Art Exhibition will be on display at the Sydney Olympic Park Armory Gallery until Sunday 29th October. Congratulations Ahlai!

Like You

Digital Drawing

Ahlai Jesudoss

Year 9 - Access Artist Workshop

Year 9 students participated in their final Access Artist Workshop with artist Rebecca Verpoorten-Laws on Friday 20th October. During the three part program, students have had the opportunity to work hands on with Rebecca, who is a practising artist and expert in the ceramics field. In their final workshop, students learnt about surface treatment to their ceramic artworks. They had the opportunity to work with iron oxide and a variety of underglazes and glazes in order to finalise their artworks for the unit of studies “Poetic Landscapes”. After the completion of the surface treatment process, the students’ artworks will be fired for a final time. We can’t wait to see the finished artworks and how these turn out!

Thank you to Rebecca and Year 9 Visual Arts teachers, Mrs Kemal and Mrs Psaila for your guidance and expertise in supporting our Year 9 artists.

Mrs Claudia Harris

Leader of Learning Visual Arts

College Leadership Team

Leaders of Learning - Wellbeing

College Leaders of Learning - KLA

College Leaders of Learning