2025 Timetable Update

Thank you to our Year 10 students and Parent/Carers for their assistance in completing the Year 11 2025 Subject Selection Interviews. Over 200 students were interviewed during the two afternoons last week which provided an opportunity to discuss individual pathways moving into Year 11. Thank you also to Ms Harwood, Ms Kalifa, Ms May and the many Leaders of Learning and teachers who assisted in this important process.

Year 9 2025 (Year 8 2024) have selected their electives and a confirmation will be given to students in Week 5.

Early in Term 4, we will begin to create class lists for Years 7-10. Year 7 will have two enrichment classes which will be created based on ALLWELL Testing. Year 8 will have two enrichment classes which will be created based on their performance in 2024. Years 9 and 10 will have one enrichment class (each) created based on their performance in 2024. 

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 or feedback 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

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

Year 11 will have their end of Preliminary Course Examination in week 7, We wish them the best of luck during this time. 

Online behaviour- What do you “like”?

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

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

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

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

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

What’s in the Planner?

This week’s focus is on fun and wellbeing. It is important to be socially connected to people and having fun with them is essential for this. Humour is a great strength because it brings people so many positive emotions. Laughter and connection can release the good feel chemicals in the brain that make us feel good. 

When we use humour, it should always be positive and funny. Humour should never be at the expense of others and should never put others down. All people should laugh.

Key strengths - Prudence and honesty.

God Bless

Mr. Nick Thrum

Assistant Principal- Students

Principal’s Awards 

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

Congratulations to the following student who received their second Principal’s Award:

Mrs Sue Cooper

Leader of Wellbeing and Learning

scooper@parra.catholic.edu.au

Year 10 Reflection Day

On the 26th of July, Year 10 students participated in their reflection day where they considered the theme “I am the Hands of Christ.” The day began with a Vocations panel headed by Father Kevin and Sister Christina, where the students were able to ask questions about Vocations, and what it is like to live life in a religious order. Mr Hoare and Miss Tan were also a part of the panel and responded to questions regarding Vocations to marriage and to single life. The students then engaged in a discernment activity where they considered their dreams and desires, and how God has graced them with those desires to assist them to discern their vocation in life. After recess, the students contemplated the gifts that God has given them and participated in a fruit Blender session to discover how God amplifies what we bring to the altar in abundance. Next, the students participated in a Hearing God’s Voice group session, where blindfolded students had to make their way through an obstacle course to highlight the importance of listening to God, in a world where there is so much noise and distractions.

The session after Lunch was an occasion of Praise and worship, it began with a powerful testimony by one of our Peer Ministry students Rhianna Bartlett, who shared her story of her faith journey. The School Choir and musicians, led the students in worship through song as they prayed for one another on our prayer tree, in a session that many students found quite moving.

Thank you to all the teachers who assisted Mrs Anthony, Miss Tan and I on the day, and special thank you to the musicians, Fr Kevin and Sr Christina for making time to make it a memorable day for our year 10 students.

Andrew Hoare

Director of Faith Mission and Learning

Year 12 News

Year 12 are coming to the end of their Trial HSC Exams. While this can be a stressful time for all of the students it has been great to see the students put their heads down and do their best.

It has also been reassuring to see the students making use of the library to conduct either private study or group revision of coursework.

Once results start coming in, students are encouraged to look at their feedback as a learning experience and use this to shape the direction of their preparation for their final exams in October.

Meanwhile, the busy term continues as we are getting ready for the Year 12 Retreat in Week 6, the final time that we will come together in this environment. During the retreat we will be able to reflect on our faith and look at our lives - both where we have come from over the past 12 years, as well as where we are headed to in the future. 

Below are some photos of the students preparing for their exams.

Mr Andrew Houseman

Leader of Wellbeing - Year 12

Dear Parents/Carers and Students of Year 10, 

As we approach the middle of Term 3, students will be focusing on their classwork and upcoming assessment tasks. With the success of the Subject Selection Interviews, our students know what they must do to continue to develop their skills for senior study. 

Year 11 2025 Subject Selection Interviews 

The Year 11 2025 Subject Selection Interviews took place on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th of August. I would like to thank Dr Kennaugh, Ms Kalifa, Mr Finnerty and all the College staff who assisted with the interviews for their help over the two evenings. Thank you,  Parents/carers and students who were able to attend the subject selection interviews. It was wonderful to have those conversations with many parents about your child's learning and pathways for their senior studies. Year 10,  I was very impressed with your engagement in the Subject Selection process and you should be proud.  

Uniform 

As always, a reminder of uniform expectations. If you need a reminder of what the uniform

expectations are, look in your Learning Planner.

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

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

Ms Alicia Harwood 

Leader of Wellbeing - Year 10 

As we reach the halfway point of Term 3, I want to take a moment to express how incredibly proud I am of every one of our Year 7 Students. The transition from primary to secondary school is no small feat, and I have been so impressed by the resilience, enthusiasm, and growth you’ve all demonstrated.

Watching you adapt to new challenges, forge friendships, and embrace the opportunities that high school has to offer has been a true joy. You’ve risen to the occasion and shown what a wonderful cohort you are and I’m confident you will continue to flourish as the year progresses.

As some of you may already know, I will be taking leave for the remainder of 2024 to step into a new and exciting role—being a stay-at-home dad. My wife will be returning to her career, and I will be taking this precious time to care for our beautiful baby girl. It’s a big change for our family, and I am looking forward to all the special moments that lie ahead.

While I am sad to step away from such a fantastic group of students, I am thrilled Ms Ivana Nikitovic will be taking over in my absence. Ms Nikitovic is a dedicated and passionate teacher, and I do not doubt that she will do an exceptional job guiding and supporting you all through the remainder of the year. I know you will make her feel as welcome and supported as you have made me.

I want to thank you all—students, parents, and staff—for your support, dedication, and kindness throughout the first half of this year. It has been an absolute privilege to be part of your journey, and I wish you all the best for the rest of 2024. 

Keep up the great work, continue to support one another, and make the most of every opportunity.

Until next year,

Mr Jarryd Leaves

Leader of Wellbeing - Year 7

At St Andrews College, our Year 10 Youth Ministry Leaders have been undergoing a formation program facilitated by Qwayne Guevara, Eleanor Bonwick and Sebastian Duhau from Catholic Youth Parramatta. These students have attended ongoing formation sessions since the beginning of last term, and are using their new skills and talents to serve their school community in the context of peer-to-peer youth ministry. Our Year 10 Youth Ministry Leaders have learned how to facilitate small groups and lead discussions, give personal testimonies, run icebreaker activities, and use their personal talents (e.g. musical skills). They have shown these skills at Year 7, Year 8 and Year 10 Reflection Days, and will now be going to the St Andrews Primary School to assist Eleanor and Sebastian in facilitating the Year 6 Reflection Day.

Our Year 10 Youth Ministry leaders have also started to take a lead role in running SAC YOUTH sessions, which is our student-led youth group on the junior campus. Last week’s session was led by Nikki and Isabella who used the current events of the Olympics as a theme for understanding and using our God-given talents.

We are so proud of the ongoing efforts of our Year 10 Youth Ministry leaders, and the growth they have experienced in not just their ministry skills, but their own personal relationships with God. We are looking forward to giving them more opportunities to serve our school community in different ways.

Miss Olivia Tan

Faith in Action Teacher (FIAT) Coordinator 

During the past term, the Year 10 Commerce students have been diligently studying the unit 'Running a Business' On the 31st of July 2024, they had the opportunity to apply their acquired knowledge and skills to a Business Simulation operating their own businesses.

Five enterprises were launched on the day: Cookie Vault, PlenTea Boba, Sugar Rush Brownies, DIY Ramen, and Fry Fusion.

The students undertook comprehensive planning, budgeting, organisation, marketing campaigns, and business operations, all of which demanded several months of preparation. 

Their exceptional efforts are worthy of high commendation. Collectively, these five businesses generated $1,600 in revenue, resulting in a profit of $1,018.78 which St Andrews will be generously donating to the St Vincent's Christmas Appeal.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all staff members for their unwavering support, presence, and patronage during this year's Business Simulation.

Ms Monika Ramzy

Assistant Leader of Learning - HSIE

I am excited to share that our Year 10B Debating Team has won their grand final held last Friday at ACU Strathfield. The team delivered an exceptional performance against St Patrick's Strathfield, securing a tight win based on their method. 

A special thank you goes to all the teachers who attended the event, offering their unwavering support and encouragement. Your presence made a significant difference and was greatly appreciated by the team. 

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr Finnerty for driving the bus and ensuring that our students arrived safely and on time. 

This win is not just a victory for the 10B team but a celebration for our entire College. The success of our debaters reflects the strength of our community and the spirit of collaboration that defines St Andrews. I am incredibly proud of the Year 10B team for their outstanding achievement and look forward to many more successes in the future.

Congratulations, Year 10B!

Miss Mickaella Douglas

Leader of Public Speaking and Debating

This term, we are excited to welcome two students from our sister school, Isahaya Commercial High School in Japan. They arrived in Sydney on 27 July and will stay with us for eight weeks as part of our homestay program, which has been designed by St Andrews College with the help of Isahaya Commercial High School.

Hosting these students gives our school community a great chance to learn about Japanese culture and make new friends. We hope this experience will be enjoyable and educational for everyone involved.

We are also pleased to offer our students the opportunity to participate in a similar exchange program. Students enrolled in our elective Japanese course can visit Japan for eight weeks. This program began last year, and we are happy to see it continuing to grow.

Next term, one of our Japanese Continuers course students will travel to Japan. He will stay at Isahaya Commercial High School until 2 February 2025. We are sure this will be a fantastic experience for him to learn more about the Japanese language and culture.

Programs like these help enrich our students’ learning and strengthen our sister school's relationship with Isahaya Commercial High School. We look forward to continuing this exchange in the future and offering more students the chance to be part of it.

Let’s make our sister school students feel at home during their stay with us! We hope they have a wonderful experience here in Australia. 

Warm regards, 

Mariko Suzuki

Leader of Learning - Languages

St Andrew's College students had a wonderful time with Seinan Gakuin HS student

In Week 3 of Term 3 St Andrews College students had a wonderful time with Seinan Gakuin HS students from Fukuoka, Japan. Seinan Gakuin HS students had joined various classes to have intercultural lessons including cooking lessons and arts lessons. Both our students and Seinan Gakuin HS students had an opportunity to make Anzac biscuits together. Seinan Gakuin students also had the opportunity to take fantastic art lessons to learn about Australian animals.

Both Year 9 and Year 10 Japanese classes had an opportunity to have an intercultural lesson with Seinan Gakuin HS. Our students planned many intercultural activities to accommodate Japanese students. I could see many happy faces from both Japanese and our students during the lessons. I have also received so much positive feedback about the lessons from both Japanese and our students after.

On the last day at our school, Dr Kennaugh gave special gifts to Japanese students and supervisors of the Seinan Gakuin HS students. They all loved their gifts so much! 

Also, thank you to the students who helped Japanese students as a buddy for a week. Without your support, they could not have had such a memorable and valuable experience at our school.

Sincerely, 

Miss Miho Matsufuji

Japanese Teacher

Students’ feedback:

Intercultural Lesson with Seinan Gakuin High School Students

On Wednesday the 7th of August, the Seinan Gakuin High School students joined our Year 10 Japanese class for an intercultural lesson. We were able to share our cultures with each other through many fun activities such as a Kahoot challenge and playing Australian games eg. bullrush, and musical chairs. Through these activities, we were able to enjoy the similarities and differences between Australian and Japanese cultures. 

My group was in charge of the free drawing activity. Using a variety of markers and crayons, the Japanese students shared their culture with us, as we did the same. Many Japanese students drew popular characters such as Doraemon and Totoro that my friends and I recognised. They also drew Australian animals such as koalas and kangaroos that many of them saw at the zoo when they had gone with their host families on the weekend. I was surprised with how good the students were at drawing and had fun talking with them about how they had enjoyed their trip so far. At the end of each rotation, we took a group photo with everyone as the Japanese students held up the paper, displaying their drawings. 

For the second activity, my group played Pictionary. As the Australian team, we faced the Japanese students in guessing as many drawings as possible to earn points. The words we received were written in Japanese. We had to draw the word the best we could on the whiteboard, to help our teammates guess the word in Japanese. Some words that we received were たこやき（takoyaki), しんかんせん (bullet train) and オムライス (omelette rice). However, the Japanese students received and guessed the words in English.  Some of the words they received were emu, koala and fairy bread. The games got quite heated as the timer came closer to finishing, although it made everyone just as eager to guess and earn more points. It was very interesting to see what everyone drew and hear the funny guesses that were made.

The Intercultural lesson with the Seinan Gakuin High School students was a very fun class. Through the activities, I was able to meet and talk to many Japanese students who had similar interests as me, allowing me to make some new friends with some of them. This lesson was a great experience for both our Year 10 Japanese class and the students of Seinan Gakuin High School in experiencing and sharing our different cultures with each other.

- Micaela Sibucao Year 10 Japanese

On Tuesday the 6th of August, the Japanese class of Year 9 had an extremely fun, interactive and informative learning experience through the arrival of students from Seinan Gakuin High School, a high school in Fukuoka, Japan. 

This lesson involved fun, Australian-themed activities like “Pin the tail on the kangaroo” and exciting presentations that informed the Japanese students all about Australian life and culture. Both classes of our school and Senian Gakuin had a wonderful time learning about life in Japan and Australia, but also the surprising amount of similarities that are present between both countries. This lesson was a one-in-a-lifetime experience for the kids involved, enriching not only their knowledge of Japan but also themselves and Australia. 

The students had lots of fun talking to each other and testing their knowledge of languages through the activities. The lesson was fantastically rounded off with the serving of an all-time classic Australian dish; Fairy Bread! The lesson was an amazing display of proof that no language barrier, nor nation is disconnected from human companionship and friendship. All students conducted themselves with poise, politeness, and welcoming arms. The tour guides of Seinan Gakuin High School who supervised the Japanese students were incredibly pleased with the way students from St Andrew’s conducted themselves with care and professionalism.

All students involved played a huge part in allowing the Japanese students to ease into Australian life and coordinated every activity that took place. I would like to formally thank the students of the Year 9 Japanese class for their continued support and effort when participating in these intercultural lessons.

- Zayne Bayrich Year 9 Japanese 

Year 10 Child Studies

Year 10 Child Studies students have been learning about food and nutrition for babies and young children. In particular, they have been inquiring into concepts such as weaning and the difference between home-prepared and commercially prepared foods.

As part of their learning, students engaged in a ‘baby food party’ where they were required to guess what they were eating. Students then ranked various foods, both sweet and savoury, according to their nutritional value and had to justify whether or not they would feed each item to their child, considering the ingredients and recommended dietary guidelines for infants. They also rated each food according to taste, smell, packaging and texture and thoroughly enjoyed this learning experience.

We hope you enjoy these photos.

Year 10 PDHPE

Year 10 will attend Be Street Smart on Wednesday 21st August at Qudos Bank Arena. This excursion focuses on road safety and educating young people about the importance of being safe road users and includes a real-life simulated crash scene. This valuable learning experience aligns with our unit of study this term on road safety, titled ‘Arrive alive.’

All students must have permission to attend via the Compass event. We ask that all parents/guardians ensure this has been provided for their child. Please get in touch with the College office if you have issues accessing Compass.

Mrs Kayla Brogan.

Leader of Learning - PDHPE and Child Studies teacher.

Year 9 Design and Technology students at St Andrews College have been tasked with an exciting project: to redesign two spaces within the school—one interior room and one outdoor area. As part of their assessment, students must create detailed floor plans that adhere to or strive toward architectural industry standards. This task challenges them to think critically about space, functionality, and aesthetics while developing essential skills in architectural communication. Through this hands-on project, students are gaining valuable experience in design principles and technical drawing, setting a solid foundation for their future endeavours in architecture and design.

The last two weeks have been an exploration of Architectural Design. Inspired by their own favourite Interior or Architectural Designers, Year 9 should be commended for their efforts in their creation of beautifully refined floor plans that will provide the foundation for their CAD models. 

Miss Catalina Valdivia

TAS Teacher

Indoor sports is an amazing opportunity for students to engage with learning about sport or honouring sport. This week Year 7 Chang House not only went to self-defence lessons but also had the opportunity to get creative! 7C8 and 7C9 made some wonderful sculptures out of tinfoil to honour their favourite sports. They all started with one A4 size sheet of foil and learnt how to make incisions in the sheet to make the base of their athlete. From here they could shape the malleable foil by squeezing it and twisting it to show their foil human engaging in Olympic events or the sports that students play as hobbies with clubs on the weekends or with friends at recess and lunch. 

As seen in the photos below, they all did such an amazing job and the smiles on their faces were a testament to how important sports are to not only enrich us physically, but mentally through practising mindfulness in this craft activity. Many students shared their creations to the class with a lot of pride and loved sharing their own experiences of playing this sport to their friends. 

Swimming	Diving	Surfing	Canoeing and Rowing	Squats
Javelin	Tennis	Gymnastics	Ballet	Volleyball
Shotput	Could this kangaroo be the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games mascot?	Soccer	Soccer	Basketball

Well done, Year 7!

Miss Jasmine Webb

College Leadership Team

Leaders of Learning - Wellbeing

College Leaders of Learning - KLA

College Leaders of Learning