Bulletin 09 20Jun 2014

Issue: 09
Date: 20 June 2014
REMINDER:
Tuesday 15 July:
- Classes Resume
- Year 10, and Boarders’
Years 7-9 Parent Teacher
Night
Inside this issue:
Principal’s Message
2-3
Social Justice News
3-4
From the Director of Welfare
4
2015 Term dates calendar
5
Grandparents/Godparents Day 6
From Dir Faith & Mission
7-8
St Vincent’s Day Tutor 20 news 8
From Dir Teaching & Learning 9
From the HSIE Department
10
Performing Arts News
10-12
From the English Department
13
From the Science Department
13
Careers News
14-15
Photographic & Digital Media
16
Join us in Mudgee
17
Fashion Parade 22 July
17-18
Gifted Education
19
Visual Arts & Design News
20
PD/H/PE & Sports Report
20-23
Recommended Reading
23-24
Development Office News
25
Social Media comp results
26
Spring Fair Photography Comp 27
P&F Association News
28
Important Dates:
17 July - Year 7 Parent Teacher Night
18-19-20 July - Boarders’ In Weekend
21 July - Year 8 Parent Teacher Night
and Subject Selection Evening
22 July - Patronal Feast of Mary
Aikenhead Ministries
23 July - Enrolment Tours
23 July - Year 9 Parent Teacher Night
25 July - Grandparents/Godparents
Day (see flyer inside)
Page: 2
Issue: 09
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents and Carers
As I‟m writing this I can reflect on a special term which has
just passed. It could be observed that every term of every
year is special at this College but in the last eight weeks
there have been many important events which support the
community.
In the pages of our Bulletins are celebrations of academic
achievement through the many academic competitions and
the exams of recent times for girls in Years 7-10. It was
the first formal high school exams for Year 7 girls and they
were mature and organised in their approach.
In the weeks leading up to the exams I was involved in
teaching the Study Skills program to the classes in English.
Having been an English teacher in another time and place,
I liked the opportunity to spend time with the girls in Year 7.
I find them engaging and energising. They all learned
something about their learning style and they were happy
to share with me their experiences and how they would use
this knowledge of learning style to support their study. I
hope that this program did assist them.
Last assembly was very full with so much to celebrate and
acknowledge, and I can‟t do it justice in these few
paragraphs. I sometimes find myself hoping that parents
could come and visit our assemblies just to see the
talented and confident young women who organise and run
the assembly, and listen to their confidence in speaking in
front of all of the community. Just as a snapshot from last
week:




There was a presentation of a donation to fund two
scholarships for next year. This money was made
possible by the Rotary Club of Kings Cross. This club
also helps us in sending girls to state and national
conferences in Science and Engineering as well as
leadership through their passionate support of the
youth of our community. The club meets weekly at the
Holiday Inn.
There was a report on the St Vincent‟s Day activities.
There was a wide variety of activities where the girls
worked for their immediate community of Kings Cross
and close by or they prepared packages for overseas
work, like the „Birthing Packs‟ for women in countries
such as PNG, so that they may have a safer and
cleaner experience of birthing.
be so successful for a „small‟ school, we fight above
our weight! I encourage girls to play sport as often as
they can so they can experience the feeling of being in
a team and working in that team.

We also farewelled the lovely girls who have been
visiting us from Offenburg in Germany. There were
about twenty girls who were billeted by our families,
and they also attended school and were very much a
part of our community. They left on Sunday morning
and I was able to be there for the farewells (many
tearful), and to thank our families for their generosity.
The final week of the term coincided with National Refugee
Week. This is an important time to be more aware of the
history in Australia of the contribution of refugees in earlier
times. It brings to mind the times when Australia welcomed
those who needed comfort and a safe place to call home.
As Catholic Christians we are called to offer help to the
poor and to open our doors and hearts to those who need
us. In our country, we have a great deal to be proud of and
so much to offer but too often we fail in being generous but
instead see those at our door as the “other” and that there
is no room for refugees. We are fortunate in our resources
and we should remember that we didn‟t „earn‟ these
resources, and neither have we as a nation done any
heroic or extraordinary acts to be wealthy with minerals
and other natural resources. This country has fought
foreign wars so as to protect the rights of the individual and
the democratic freedom of this beautiful land. This week
has brought to mind for us at the College that it is because
we are fortunate to be blessed with riches that we should
speak up loudly for those without a voice; to work for
justice for the refugee and never let us forget the riches
earlier refugees have given this country.
At a recent conference for Mary Aikenhead Ministries we
were listening to a Sister of Charity, Sr Dorothy Bayliss rsc
who works in Nauru and Christmas Island. She is a
wonderful example of the work done in the name of justice
and the name of Jesus Christ to bring justice to the poor
and lost. I will include a short message sent to us last
week. I hope that in the future we can do more to support
Sr Dorothy in her work along with the other members of the
Jesuit Refugee Services.
Over the break, we are hosting fifty girls who are attending
the Sisters of Charity Schools Street Retreat. It is an
annual event where girls with their teachers visit us and are
The Social Media contest for St Vincent‟s Day winners involved in the work of serving the poor in our Sydney
were announced. This was organised by Ms Moore
community. The experiences are varied and it helps the
who is our Marketing Director. It involved the tutor
girls experience firsthand the way in which their work can
groups making a small video clip for the website; a
make a difference in the lives of others.
post on Twitter or a Facebook post. It again
demonstrates our involvement in the community in its The girls and staff live in the boarding house and organise
their lunches and share the cooking of dinner and other
broadest sense. See the winners on our webpage.
duties when living in the community. The leader of this
Sport was celebrated with some good wins and almost experience is Ms McLean who is our Director of Faith and
wins in the recent finals. Congratulations to all the
Mission.
girls who have participated in sport last term. I try to
go to a few games but as you know they are spread all
over Sydney. I would like to thank Ms Jacobs for her
inspired leadership of sport which continues to see us
Page: 3
Issue: 09
Principal’s Message (cont)
Social Justice News
This year we have girls from St Columba‟s College,
Victoria; Bethlehem College, Ashfield; All Saints Girls
College, Liverpool and Mount Carmel College in Hobart,
along with our girls from Years 10/11. What a great
experience for the girls to get to share their school‟s story.
These schools are either currently Sisters of Charity/ Mary
Aikenhead Ministries owned schools or have had a close
relationship to the Sisters in their past stories. We all
connect this year as a way of continuing the work of the
Sisters.
St Vincent‟s Day was all in all a success. The day began
with a wonderful breakfast organized by the College
leaders. Plenty of freshly made bacon and egg rolls and
pancakes helped the girls brave the winter morning as they
chatted away and shared a breakfast with their peers. A
memorable liturgy organized by Lily Dunlop, Mrs Parker
and the liturgy committee framed the mindset of the
students for the services they were about to immerse
themselves into.
The Quarterly is part of this mail out to the community. I‟m
very pleased to share this with our parents and friends. It
has been written by leaders on the theme of COMMUNITY.
It goes into a deeper reflection on this topic and its impact
and importance to the growing St Vincent‟s College
community. We expect to continue to produce these as
part of our sharing of insights into current and future
focused themes. I look forward to your feedback.
I wish you all a peace filled holiday time with your
daughters. I know there are many classes being
conducted during the break for Year 12. I‟d like to thank
the teachers for their generosity.
The day gave the students the opportunity to put into action
the College‟s values of Generosity of Spirit, Hope, Justice
and Service to the Poor. All services that the students
participated in helped directly or indirectly those in the
community. The services the students were involved in
were quite varied and some experienced a different part of
Sydney as well. For example, students collected money
for the Sydney Children‟s Hospital, visited the elderly at
Elizabeth Lodge, assisted students at St Bakitar School at
Homebush Bay West, or set up housing facilities for the
Salvation Army at Dulwich Hill.
The day also gave many students the chance to learn
something about other people and the issues that they face
on a daily basis. Guest speakers from The Wayside
Words from Sr Dorothy Bayliss
Chapel, Youth Off the Street, Red Cross, St Vincent de
Paul, Jesuit Refugee Services and Edmund Rice Centre all
I returned home last Sunday night from my six weeks in
came to the College and informed our students about
Nauru...there are numerous needs especially for the only
issues relating to homelessness, troubled youth, refugees
Catholic school on the island as they now prepare to take
and asylum seekers. These are issues the students would
into the primary school several refugee children. Their
have heard about from the media, but it was a chance to
secondary school has been closed down due to the
deterioration of the building and they are struggling to raise clarify the misunderstanding that is sometimes portrayed in
funds, and so many other issues, like shortage of teachers, the media. Many students were surprised by what they
learned.
no updated library books, and an out of date RE
curriculum. I hope to be returning to Nauru towards the
end of this month...please continue to pray for the suffering I hope the students gained a better understanding of their
community after St Vincent‟s Day. It is now a day we can
as on Nauru they are having it tough and I mean tough.
build on with the services in which we participated.
Regards
Fay Gurr
Principal
In Sympathy
The College community offers its
condolences to the following who have lost a
loved one recently:
Madeleine van de Hoek (Year 8) Grandfather;
Gabriella Fagan (Year 9) Grandfather;
Such a day could not have happened without the following
people who helped me shaped the day. The creativeness,
invaluable time and effort of Nicole Baker (Red Cross), Luci
Keeley (Sydney Children‟s Hospital), Kaye Joyce (St
Vincent de Paul) and Bianca Orsini (Salvation Army). To
our passionate guest speakers who delivered memorable
and powerful presentations: Phil Glendenning (Edmund
Rice Centre), Marcus Ross (Wayside Chapel), Teresa Tree
(Youth off the Street), Emma McCarthy and Anna Griffith
(Red Cross Stakeholder Engagement Officer for Migration
Support Programs and National International Humanitarian
Law Officer), Oliver White (Jesuit Refugee Service) and
Paul (St Vincent de Paul). Thank you very much for your
participation in our St Vincent‟s Day.
To all the Principals of the schools we visited, (St Bakitar
School, Wairoa School, Lucas Garden, St Francis of Assisi,
Bronte, Randwick and Vaucluse Public Schools, and the
Directors of the aged care facilities (Weeroona Village,
Elizabeth Lodge, James Milson Village, St Joseph‟s Village
Auburn, and Lulworth House Aged Care). Thank you for
allowing us to be part of your community. I hope we will be
able to visit again in the near future.
Page: 4
Issue: 09
Social Justice News (cont)
To the Heads of Houses, I thank you for the time you
invested in organizing your House into the activities and
finalizing the details required for each. To all Tutors, thank
you for accompanying the students to their services,
without the part you played the day would not have been
possible. Lastly to
the College
leaders, thank you
for the thoughtful
and energetic way
you brought the
girls together. It
was honestly a
good way to start to
the day and it
emphasized the
importance of being
part of the St
Vincent‟s community.
Ms Jessica Lee
Social Justice Co-ordinator
focused therapy and involves addressing specific issues by
learning new skills, practicing those skills using homework
and in-session tasks then applying them to real life
situations to create lasting behaviour change. By using the
CBT approach, SWoS will focus on both thoughts and
expectations about the HSC year, as well as actual
behaviours, such as procrastination and study habits.
The Study Without Stress Program Covers the
Following Topics:

Understanding stress (including causes, symptoms
and the role of the stress response)

Goal setting

Managing expectations and beliefs about the HSC

Creating effective timetables

Learning how thoughts can affect performance

Challenging negative or unhelpful thinking patterns

Understanding perfectionism

Understanding procrastination

Tips to deal with work avoidance

Building good study habits

Procedures for problem solving.
Exam Preparation
Our College Counsellor, Ms Christina Galani, is trained in
delivering this program and has worked individually with
students in Years 11 and 12 on the program. We are now
offering to all Year 11 students the opportunity to
complete the program in a small group setting, with
2015 CALENDAR DATES
approximately five other Year 11 students. Ms Galani will
run the six sessions on every Friday Day 5 from 2.30pm to
Planning is well under way to develop the College
Calendar for 2015. Please find on the next page an outline 4pm, commencing on Friday 25 July. This is the time when
Year 11 would ordinarily go home early as part of the
of key term dates for 2015. This are also accessible from
flexible study program. Any student wishing to complete
the College website.
the course needs to commit to being present for each of
STUDY WITHOUT STRESS: A program for adolescents the six sessions. Interested students should email me at
[email protected] by Wednesday 23 July.
completing the HSC
From the Director of Welfare
The Study Without Stress Program is a psycho-educational
program that equips students with both knowledge and
practical tips on how to approach and overcome the stress
associated with exams in the final high school years. The
program uses Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
techniques to help participants get the most out of their
final year whilst keeping stress to a manageable level. The
program can be completed by students in 6 x 1.5 sessions
and is ideal for students already experiencing high stress
and anxiety levels. Each session is designed to provide
the basis for skills to be practiced and used outside of the
group. Students are encouraged to try the different skills
while they are involved in the program, both in session and
during the week, so as to seek help with implementation
and achieve a level of mastery.
What Is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and How Does It
Work?
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) assists individuals to
identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and replace
them through learning and implementing healthier skills
and habits. CBT is described as an active, solution-
Application Awards
Students in Years 7 to 10 have been nominated by their
teachers for application awards this semester. In the
House assemblies of Thursday 17 July students who
received nominations from four or more of their teachers
will be presented with their awards. Parents of these
students will be notified by mail and invited to attend the
assembly, which commences at 10.45am. The criteria for
the awards are: always completes class work/homework;
consistent effort throughout the semester; positive
involvement in class and group work; is punctual, reliable
and co-operative; and works to her potential.
I would like to wish all parents and students a restful and
safe term break.
Best wishes,
Marina Ugonotti
Director of Welfare
Page: 5
Issue: 09
2015 St Vincent’s College Term Dates
Issue: 09
Page: 6
Page: 7
Issue: 09
From the Director of Faith and Mission
I would like to thank all those in the community who held
me and my family in their prayers after the death of my
father in May. It has been comforting to return to work and
receive such a warm welcome from staff, students, parents
and our wider community. Dad was diagnosed with
advanced and aggressive prostate cancer in 2009 and our
family have been blessed to have been able to spend so
much time with him. Throughout his illness our family was
able to create more memories with him and reminisce
about those that had been made in the years before.
One area of Dad‟s life that I kept returning to in the weeks
after his death, was his quiet work for Social Justice that
began in Mudgee in the 1980‟s. It was at a time when
social justice as a concept hadn‟t garnered much traction in
the universal church, let alone in a small country town.
Dad worked with the Parish Pastoral Council to host guest
speakers, run prayer groups and later, petition local council
to partner with a small town in the newly developing nation
of Timor-Leste. While the town partnership didn‟t come to
fruition, Dad continued his quest to raise awareness for
those in poverty and encouraged his children to do the
same.
Only God can change people's hearts and systems I'd
appreciate the prayers of the girls as so many of their age
is also suffering and have a great desire to have a good
education which they have been denied for so long.
Have a good term break. Wishing you all Peace.
Dorothy
The power of prayer should not be underestimated. I invite
all members of our community to pray for those seeking
refuge, those grieving, those without homes and those
seeking compassion.
Prayer for Refugee week
Compassionate God,
No one is a stranger to you and no one is ever far from
your loving care.
Watch over those who are separated from their loved ones
and homeland;
those who fear persecution and hope for a better life in our
community.
May we reach out in welcome to all those who arrive as
refugees,
embracing one another so that together your hope O God
On my return to work I was overwhelmed by the generosity will be our future.
of spirit and energy that filled the College during our St
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Vincent’s Day celebrations. I would like to thank Mrs
Elizabeth Parker for the great work she has done as
College Immersions
Director of Faith and Mission during Terms 1 and 2. Her
wisdom, courage and passion for formation was evident in On Friday I met with Year 11 students to confirm with
them that the College will be running an Immersion to
all she did while I was acting in other roles and on leave.
Mrs Parker worked with Ms Jessica Lee our Social Justice Tanzania in December 2014. Interested students have
been invited to submit their applications on 16 July.
Coordinator and the Heads of House to create a
Interviews for students who have been shortlisted will occur
memorable and invigorating day of celebration, reflection
on 17 July with the Immersion team announced to our
and action for our community.
community on 18 July.
Refugee Week
Next Friday, 27 June at 4pm, the College will be holding
On the back of St Vincent‟s Day, the College launched into
the third annual Sisters of Charity College Street
Refugee Week where students and staff were encouraged
Retreat. Sr Anne and I will be co-facilitating this retreat
to pray, reflect and act on the national and global issues
which will run from the College boarding house. Please
facing those seeking refuge when their home becomes too
keep the following Year 10 students in your prayers as they
hostile and inhabitable.
embark on a Street Retreat with students from Mt Carmel
(Hobart), Bethlehem (Ashfield), All Saints (Liverpool) and
A woman whose ministry is working with those who have
St Columba‟s (Essendon).
been refused refuge is Sr Dorothy Bayliss. I have been
privileged to hear Sr Dorothy speak on two occasions now.
The first was at a Sisters of Charity Conversation held here
at the College last year, and the second was via a video
she made prior to her departure to Nauru where she has
recently returned. On 11 June Dorothy wrote to the
Trustees of Mary Aikenhead Ministries, and you can see
what she wrote at the end of the Principal‟s Message on
page 3 of this Bulletin.
Throughout the week I was able to connect with Sr Dorothy
and pledged the College‟s support of her work through
Jesuit Refugee Services (the community she works with on
Nauru). Sr Dorothy specifically asked the community to
engage in prayer…
Sofia Gonzalez-Metternicht
Bronte McIntyre
Rebecca Raeside
Hannah Condon
Lauren Anderson
Alexandra Whitehouse
Phillipa Gelland
Charlotte Robertson
Camille Hansen
Chloe Morrissey
Isabella Hunter
Alexandra Kelly
Jacqueline Luz
Sarah Blencowe
Isabel Holborow
Kate MacKenzie
Page: 8
Issue: 09
Director of Faith and Mission (cont)
The students will: engage in a Street Retreat visiting
significant sites of the early Sisters of Charity ministry in
Sydney; be running a picnic for students from Plunkett
Street Primary School; cook meals for victims of domestic
abuse and visit the Reconciliation Church in La Perouse.
The Retreat will conclude on Wednesday 2 July with a
Missioning Liturgy in the Chapel.
Three students were invited to Plunkett Street Primary
school on Thursday to meet the students there and
encourage them to attend the picnic. Here‟s what Chloe
Morrissey, Phillipa Gelland and Isabel Holborow in Year 10
thought:
The brief visit to Plunkett Street Primary School was an
amazing and enlightening experience. The kindergarten
and Year one students were ecstatic to see the students
from St Vincent's and play with us at recess. Some of the
kids played basketball with us and others tips, all the kids
were extremely cheerful and made the trip an enjoyable
one. Chloe
Chloe, Pip and I had an enjoyable time spending recess
with the children, playing games of tip, basketball and
skipping rope. The kids were delighted to show us the
games and it was a pleasure to be able to bring that sort of
cheer to their faces. The action was mutual though
because I definitely had a fantastic time being shown the
ropes of old-school games again, especially in the
company of the students. It was a heart-warming
experience and I am excited for the Street Retreat. Isabel
Given the joy these three students experienced in thirty
minutes with the students from Plunkett Street, I am
confident that the Sisters of Charity College Street Retreat
will be a rich and rewarding experience for the girls
involved.
I know that my passion for social justice was inspired and
informed by my parents, and I am grateful for the multitude
of opportunities they gave me through my formative years.
Sometimes as adolescents and young adults we forget to
say thank you to the people who are primarily responsible
for our moral, social and emotional development. On
behalf of all the students at the College; thank you to our
parents for the care and courage you have shown as we
grow and come to understand the world in which we live. I
hope that the great social justice ministry of this College
continues so that the students who leave this College
become women of action in our world.
Ms Rachel McLean
Director Faith Formation and Mission
St Vincent’s Day
Tutor 20 O’Brien
Visit to the Salvation Army Shelter
Tutor 20 decided to have the hands on approach to St
Vincent‟s Day. We visited a new Salvation Army facility
being made ready for families who need housing as a
result of domestic violence. The building in Dulwich Hill
has apartments
that families
could use for
accommodation,
but the rooms
needed cleaning
and lots of
donations of
clothes, bedding,
toys and
equipment
needed sorting.
Over a number of
hours, the girls of
Tutor 20 worked wonderfully in teams of six accomplishing
some of these tasks. The girls felt they had helped in the
process of readying this facility and further built the great
team spirit that exists in Tutor 20.
Ms Mary Crotty
Tutor 20
Mrs Penny Radford
Head of O’Brien House
Page: 9
Issue: 09
From the Director of Teaching and Learning
I was fortunate to see the Year 11 Drama students perform
their version of Mamma Mia last Saturday. Some years
ago I resisted the very tempting offer from my wife to go
and see it at the cinema and then again live at the theatre.
I thought that was something she could enjoy with her
friends, and she did. I am happy to say that I thoroughly
enjoyed the performance and can‟t imagine that what my
wife saw would have been as good. The students are very
talented and the script was well crafted and entertaining. I
always feel privileged to be witness to the wonderful talents
on show here at St Vincent‟s. I know that it is not just in
the Performing Arts but many areas where students are
provided opportunities and encouraged to be creative. In
this instance at least, I wish to convey congratulations to
Ms Johnson and her class.
interviews in week 3. Parents will receive a letter outlining
the online booking procedures using PTO. This letter will
be included with the Year 10 reports.
What can be gleaned from the article and the perspectives
of many in the education sector is that there is no one right
way of teaching. The effectiveness of teachers can be
different in different settings, in different classes and
indeed for different students within a class.
I take this opportunity to wish the St Vincent‟s Community a
safe and restful winter break.
Years 7-10 Reports
A reminder that the reports for Years 7-10 will be posted on
Monday 7 July in the last week of the school holidays. The
reports are reporting on two common assessment tasks
that have been completed in 2014 and provide a formative
review of what students have achieved and areas for
development.
Years 7-10 Parent Teacher Interviews Term 3
A letter will be sent to all parents and carers advising of the
Parent-Teacher Interviews that are scheduled for the start
of Term 3. The details are published on the College
Last Saturday I was also able to read the newspaper,
website and are as follow:
something that I haven‟t had a lot of time for recently.

Tuesday 15 July - all boarders in Years 7-10 and
There was an article about teachers and ATARs. Some
Year 10 day students
time ago there was talk of the ATAR being raised for
entrance into education courses. The author of the article, 
Thursday 17 July - Year 7
Jim Bright, made the point that a high ATAR does not

Monday 21 July - Year 8 (this also doubles as
necessarily guarantee quality teaching. Jim Bright makes
subject selection information evening)
the point equally that there are many other qualities that

Wednesday 23 July - Year 9.
make up a good teacher that are not measured by the HSC
Online bookings will be available from Sunday 6 July and
and therefore represented in an ATAR. Professor John
close at midnight the day preceding the interview date.
Hattie‟s research suggest that relationships is a key
Letters have been posted detailing this information.
element in affecting positive student outcomes. After all,
there are many students who achieve a high ATAR that do
Year 8 Subject Selection for Year 9, 2015
not possess the qualities and skills to form the types of
Year 8 students have received information booklets in the
relationships necessary to get the best from others.
final week of Term 2 detailing the subjects that are on offer
I would however like to provide a caveat to Mr Bright‟s
as electives for Year 9, 2015. The booklets are to be used
article. He refers to a website that rates teachers. This
between now and the Subject Selection evening on
came onto the scene close to ten years ago and a recent
Monday 21 July, to promote discussion between parents
look at the site suggests that it is rarely used now by
and others about choice of subjects for study in Years 9
students with very few entries being posted in the last four and 10 over the next two years. A letter has been sent to
years. The point Mr Bright made is that students rated
parents and carers detailing the process and the
teachers based on some measures such as “being nice” or importance of making appropriate decisions. Details are
“being funny”. True, some fun is important in any
also on the College website.
classroom, but what we are aiming for here at St Vincent‟s
are deep learning experiences. The popularity of a teacher Year 12 Trial Examinations
can be rightfully high because they are able to get the best Year 12 students were issued with an examination
out of students, while others might be popular because
schedule. The students were advised that the venue for
they don‟t expect high standards or are relaxed about
the examinations will be in Tarmons (T401/T402) rather
protocols and procedures. I have always believed that if
than in the Hall for acclimatisation purposes, since the HSC
students are enjoying their class then they have an
is likely to be conducted in those rooms during building
increased chance of learning, but there always needs to be works that are likely to have commenced by October. The
a measure of whether there is added value when providing advantage of the Tarmons venue is that there will be less
any learning experience.
noise associated with other classes in the vicinity.
Year 10 Subject Selection for Year 11, 2015
Year 10 students have now completed their initial
preferences and this now allows me to construct a grid for
the timetabling and staffing. This is completed by the end
of week 1 next term. The final stage in the process is the
Mr Robert Graham
Director of Teaching and Learning
Page: 10
Issue: 09
From the HSIE Department
SEMESTER 2
Next term HSIE students begin new areas of study. I ask
that your daughter is prepared with the appropriate
textbook and equipment. Please refer to the list below and
do not hesitate to contact me or her classroom teacher if
you require further information.
Year 7: Geography Geoactive Stage 4 3rd Edition, Paine
Year 8: History Experience World History, Mason
Year 9: History Cambridge History 9 NSW Syllabus for the
Australian Curriculum and Workbook
Year 10: Geography Geography Focus 2 Stage 5, Van
Zuylen
Legal Studies Incursion
This Thursday, our Year 11 Legal Studies students were
privileged to attend an inservice organised by our UNSW
practicum teacher, Catriona Debelle. They listened to a
lecture prepared by Bruce Debelle AO, QC, who has had a
distinguished career in law. He served as an Acting
Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW and as a Royal
Commissioner. Our students asked questions in relation to
their current topic of study. They benefited immensely from
this learning experience.
History HSC Study Day - University of Sydney
Early on Saturday morning 17 June I accompanied some of
our Year 12 students to the University of Sydney. They
attended several lectures of their choice with students from
across NSW. This was an incredible experience as they
listened and took notes to support their learning in Modern,
Ancient and Extension History as well as meeting
thousands of other HSC candidates.
Refugee Week
Refugee Week is Australia's
peak annual activity to inform
the public about refugees
and celebrate positive
contributions made by
refugees to Australian
society. In our HSIE classes
this week we focused on this
important issue. Students
raised awareness by preparing iMovies and mini
presentations for the cohort.
This class project was constructed to facilitate the learning
of Elements of Production in a practical way - Costume,
Lighting, Sound, Stage Management, Producing, Front of
House, Directing and Promotion and Publicity. Many
people learn by doing; the hands on approach often
consolidates a concept and ensures all types of learners
understand and remember. Attached to the project is a
hand in component about Theatre Design, the roles of the
practitioners and an analysis of the students own work.
In previous years the Year 11 Drama class produced Alice
in Wonderland, Narnia and The Grinch. What was so very
exciting about this Year group‟s project was that a student
wrote it. So, not only did the class pitch, produce and
perform their play they also created the concept and script.
This is a very brave undertaking especially in seven weeks.
Students who have been in College Productions or have
had me as a teacher know how much I love plays within
plays and literary and theatrical references, so it is not
surprising how delighted I was by their wonderful concept
and script. Each character within the play had a "dream
scene" as the writer and co-director Gabrielle Stapleton
has named them and these scenes were based on wellknown plays and musicals. Theatrical references anchored
much of the humour allowing both adults and students to
enjoy the funny moments.
I was proud of the depth and breadth of their theatrical
jokes ranging from The Lion King‟s liberal use of
Shakespeare‟s Hamlet, through to Glee‟s pop referencing
of Tennessee William‟s A Street Car Named Desire, and
industry jokes about actresses who play for an award such as an Oscar rather than for the good of the play.
This year‟s Year 11 Drama class were also incredibly
resourceful gaining sponsorship from Bourke Street Bakery
and Sydney Dance Company. This allowed them to
purchase seven LED theatre lights along with the DMX
controller board that controls it to use for the show, but will
now benefit all Drama classes from now on. I think this
group of students should be incredibly proud of
themselves, I certainly am. Please see some of the great
photos of the production.
Ms Laura Wilson
Head of HSIE
Performing Arts News
Mamma Mia like you've never seen it before was on at
7pm 12 June and Saturday 14 June at 2pm and 7pm. The
opening night, Thursday, was completely sold out and we
sold standing room! Saturday was not as busy but the
performers were just as excited and professional.
Ms Catherine Johnson
Head of Performing Arts
Issue: 09
Page: 11
Page: 12
Issue: 09
Performing Arts News
All sizes of ballet, jazz and chorus
shoes needed for Dance
performances. All donations can be
handed to Ms Santi in the Performing
Arts staffroom.
Year 12 Dance
The class are well into the HSC course this term and have
been preparing for their HSC trials on Monday 16 June.
This year we have the majority of students selecting a
Ms Alana Santi
major in performance and one students majoring in
Dance Teacher
Composition. The composition major, choreographed by
Keianne Mackey, explores the issues of manipulation.
Keianne has selected to use two students in the Year 11
dance class to perform her work. Harriet Benjamin and
Miranda Cross have given up their time to learn the
More…!
choreography for this work and have been doing a fabulous
job. Ally Barron, Lydia Ayto, Dominique Cooper, Emily
Morgan and Kathleen Ebbs have also been selected by the
other year 12 students for their core composition dance.
Being involved in the HSC process in advanced is great
experience leading into the Year 12 course and provide
valuable time to adjust to the demands of the course.
We wish the Year 12 students and their dancers all the
very best for Monday. Good Luck!
Year 11 Dance
The Year 11 Dance students have been working on their
next core unit, composition. The class has used a
newspaper article of their choice as a stimulus to create
movement for their work. This year the girls have very
unique themes including dances about a spider, loss of a
loved one, beating of the heart, loss of a leg, hope, and the
effects of a tsunami. These unique ideas have been
transformed into wonderful and creative movement which
explores the compositional process. Composition tasks
are a major component of the HSC course, so this has
equipped the class with very valuable skills in preparation
for next year. Some of these works will hopefully be
displayed at Dance Night in Term 4!
DANCE SHOES WANTED
Do you have dance shoes that are too small for you?
Page: 13
Issue: 09
From the English Department
Years 7-10 Examinations
For the Department it has been a busy term which has
included setting and marking English examinations for
Years 7-10. I am pleased to say that all students were able
to demonstrate what they knew and could do in their
English papers and that all achieved some level of success
in their endeavours.
different animals and plants around the creeks and bush
land. The day was extremely useful not only for gaining a
greater understanding of the syllabus we are studying, but
was great fun, and gave us a tangible appreciation of our
local environment that we may not have noticed without the
excursion. Our tiny, but mighty E&E class would like to
thank Ms Lee for taking us to Bantry Bay and Dr Reynolds
for organizing such a worthwhile excursion, which I am
sure everyone would agree on saying was a great day out.
Markus Zusak
It is with great pleasure that I announce that Markus Zusak,
Lydia Ayto, Year 11
author of The Book Thief, is coming back to St Vincent‟s to
speak to Year 10 and Year 11 Extension English students
on Thursday 7 August. We are so lucky to have him come
to the College and we really look forward to his visit each
year. There will be a letter to parents in due course
providing details of this incursion.
Markus Zusak with Year 10 students in 2013
Year 12 parents
I have placed a number of practice Trial examination
papers and past exemplar sample answers on OLiV for
Year 12 students to use to support their preparation for the
Trials next term. English teachers will advise their classes
how best to use these resources over the holidays.
Ms Deborah Quigley
Head of English
From the Science Department
Year 11 Earth and Environmental Science
Field Trip to Long Reef
Our small Year 11 Earth and Environmental Science class
went to Bantry Bay for an interesting excursion for our topic
on the local environment. Our group leader, Don, took us
bushwalking where we found whole eco-systems in tiny
ponds, discovered the human impact on the creeks leading
to the bay, and even found centuries old aboriginal rock
carvings.
We also partook in experiments such as measuring the pH
of water and soil, measuring turbidity and discovering
Page: 14
Issue: 09
Careers News
EducationUSA
US Consulate General Sydney
Level 10, MLC Centre, 19-29 Martin Place
NSW 2000
[email protected] ph 9373-9230
2014 | July Information sessions
Following is a list of
the information
sessions EducationUSA will be holding during the July
school holidays. RSVP is essential at
www.trybooking.com/89936 (copy and paste to your
browser). All sessions will be held at the US Consulate
address above. Details are as follows:
1. US Undergraduate Information Session plus Sport
Scholarship Information Session
Date: Wednesday July 2 Time: 1:30pm for 2pm-4pm
Intended Audience: High school students aiming to
compete in NCAA college sport, plus parents.
Other Information: A free general information session on
the US undergraduate application process and NCAA
eligibility process. RSVP is essential by Friday 27 June
(places may be filled before the RSVP deadline).
NCAA sponsored sports are listed under the sports tab at:
http://www.ncaa.com/. Please note: Men‟s rowing is not
an NCAA designated sport.
- Photo ID is required for entry to the Consulate.
physics readiness and enrichment program in preparation
for the Science Olympiad Physics exam and for university
Physics combining lectures, tutorials and labs.
Wednesday 9 July 2014 - school holidays - A Day @
UNSW. This full day activity is designed to give you your
first taste of university life. Participate in four hands on
activities and discover more about what is available to you
at UNSW.
For any or all of these events go to www.unsw.edu.au or
call phone 9385 8379.
Laing+Simmons real estate agents are running their
scholarship program for Year 12 students wishing to enter
the real estate industry. Three scholarships will be offered
in 2015 and will comprise of: Enrolment in the Real Estate
Certificate of Registration Course with course fees paid by
L+S; continued mentoring by a senior L+S representative;
and one of the scholarship winners will be guaranteed a full
time position with the Laing+Simmons group.
Applicants for the scholarships are requested to write in
one hundred words why they would like to pursue a career
in the real estate industry. Thirty six applicants are then
selected to participate in one week‟s work experience in
their local L+S office. Fifteen applicants will be short listed
and interviewed, with three successful candidates being
selected for the scholarships.
Scholarship applications are now open and will close 29
August 2014. For further assistance contact Sonia Merciai
at L+S, phone 9291 7000 or email
[email protected]; or see Ms Marshall at the
College.
2. US Undergraduate Information Session
Date: Monday July 7 Time: 1:30pm for 2pm-3pm
Intended Audience: High school students, plus parents
interested in studying in the US.
Other Information: A free general information session on
the US undergraduate application process. RSVP essential
Visit by Cambridge Tutor: Professor Murray Milgate will
by Wednesday 2 July (places may be filled before the
be visiting Sydney for a chat session at Cranbrook.
RSVP deadline).
Monday 8 September 2014 at 4.00pm, register for a
- Photo ID is required for entry to the Consulate.
4.30pm start; and at approximately 5.00pm will be Q & A
session. Professor Milgate will talk about the secrets of
3. US Undergraduate Information Session plus Sport
applying to Oxbridge - Cambridge specifically - and what is
Scholarship Information Session
needed from a candidate.
Date: Friday July 11 Time: 1:30pm for 2pm-4pm
Registrations are essential: David Berridge - Careers
Intended Audience: High school students aiming to
Counsellor, Cranbrook, 5 Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill.
compete in NCAA college sport, plus parents.
Phone 9327 9439 Fax 9327 9537.
Other Information: A free general information session on
email: [email protected]
the US undergraduate application process and NCAA
www cranbrook.nsw.edu.au
eligibility process. RSVP essential by Tuesday 8 July
(places may be filled before the RSVP deadline).
UTS Science Schools Recommendation Scholarship:
NCAA sponsored sports are listed under the sports tab at:
An aptitude based scholarship aimed at encouraging high
http://www.ncaa.com/. Please note: Men‟s rowing is not
school students with a keen interest in science and
an NCAA designated sport.
mathematics to take the next step to study at UTS Science,
- Photo ID is required for entry to the Consulate.
and experience applications of science and mathematics.
Read more at http://www.uts.edu.au/futureUNSW
students/scholarships/0000021319 .
Tuesday 24 June 2014 - Scholarships Information
University of Sydney Scholarships Information
Evening.
Open to Years 11 and 12 students and their parents. This Evening: Thursday 26 June at Camperdown campus. To
evening provides details about the range of scholarships at register or for further information go to
http://sydney.edu.au/future-students/high-schoolUNSW with a focus on the application process.
students/scholarships-information-evening/index.shtml .
Monday 30 June 2014 - Physics PREP course - a
Page: 15
Issue: 09
Careers News (cont)
Bond University
Students from St Vincent‟s College are invited to attend the
Bond University Investing in your Future - Information
Seminar. This seminar is free of charge and gives Year 12
students and their families the chance to learn more about:
Fast tracking success at Bond; Bond University
Scholarships; fees and costs; FEE-HELP loan.
Date: Wednesday 25 June 2014 Time: 6.30pm-8.30pm
Location: State Library of New South Wales
(coffee, tea and light refreshments served at this event).
Registrations: www.bond.edu.au/experience
For further information contact Annabelle Cottee on 07
5595 1067.
and cultures to convert a spoken or signed language into
another spoken or signed language, usually within a limited
timeframe and in the presence of the participants who need
to communicate.
UTS - Engineering Undergraduate Courses and
Scholarships Information Evening
Date: 25 June at 5.00pm.
Go to www.uts.edu.au/future-students/informationtechnology for registration and details.
Years 11 and 12 students are encouraged to attend these
information evenings to find out about courses and how to
apply for UTS scholarships and the BIT Co-op Program.
Students will meet and interact with professional engineers
employed by government, private companies, researchers
and academics in a wide range of engineering disciplines.
They will gain valuable insight into career opportunities
available to men and women in engineering.
Macquarie University - Parent Information Evening
Date: 25 June 2014
Where: Macquarie University Theatre (Building W2.4A)
Time: 6.00pm-8.00pm.
Parent information evening provides an opportunity for
parents and students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to learn about
Macquarie‟s degrees, unique learning experiences, bonus
point schemes, scholarships and the transition from high
school to university. You will also have the opportunity to
speak with staff and current students. This is a free event
however registration is essential.
http://www.mq.edu.au/future_students/undergraduate/
parent_information/parent_information_evening/
University of Newcastle
Schools Visit Day: This year both Year 11 and Year 12
students are invited to attend. The day is a great
opportunity to give students a taste of university life
through campus tours and presentations.
16 July 2014 at Newcastle University campus. To register
and more information go to www.newcastle.edu.au (follow
the links in the “What‟s on” section).
Open Days and Information Evening
University of Newcastle Central Coast Campus: Saturday
16 August 2014
Times: 10.00am-3.00pm.
Chittaway Road, Ourimbah.
University of Newcastle: Saturday 23 August 2014
University Drive, Callaghan.
This is a great opportunity to chat to staff and students
from every faculty, tour the facilities and attend a
presentation. www.newcastle.edu.au/openday
The Honeywell Engineering Summer School brings
together 100 Year 11 students from NSW and ACT, each
with the desire to pursue engineering as their future career.
To attend HESS students must be entering Year 12 in
2015 with the ambition to enter university in 2016. HESS is
in its fifteenth session and the aim of the summer school is
to give NSW and ACT high school students a better
understanding of what engineering is and how it works in
everyday life.
Successful applicants will spend six days living at Dunmore
Lang College (DLS). During HESS, students will attend
lectures/demonstrations at the following universities:
University of New South Wales, University of Sydney,
University of Technology, University of Western Sydney
and University of Wollongong.
Sunday 7 December to Friday 12 December 2014.
Cost: $725.00.
Students must be studying 2 units (or more) of
Mathematics and Physics and/or chemistry to be able to
apply. For more information visit
www.engineersaustralia.org.au/hess or phone 9410 5612
or email [email protected] .
University of Notre Dame
Young Achievers Early Offer Program
The program gives students the opportunity to join the
Notre Dame community before they even sit their Year 12
examinations. Students can apply under one of the
following four categories:
1.
commitment to community and/or church
2.
Commitment and excellence in cultural pursuits
3.
Commitment and excellence in sporting
achievements, or
4.
Academic excellence.
Application forms and program details are available via our
website: www.nd.edu.au/nav-future-students/youngachievers-early-offer-program .
Applications for the program are due on Monday 01
September.
Those not successful in securing an offer through the
program do not need to reapply for the main round of offers
as their application will automatically be rolled over. For
any further queries contact [email protected] or phone
8204 4404.
Ms Helen Marshall
Jobs of the Future
Careers Adviser
Interpreter: Interpreters use their knowledge of languages
Issue: 09
Photographic and Digital Media News
Page: 16
Page: 17
Issue: 09
From Textiles and Design
Recycle, refashion, reuse !!!!
Tuesday 22 July 2014 at 6.00pm
Please donate any unwanted clothing items and
accessories to earn points for your House.
1 item = 1 point !!!!
We need men/women garments and accessories
- any age range will be accepted.
Closing date for donations is Friday 18 July.
Please bring your donations to TAS 2 between 12.45pm - 1.00pm any
lunchtime on 15, 16, 17 and 18 July at the beginning of Term 3.
A Year 9 Textiles student will register your donation and allocate House
points. Your House team will then put together a fashion collection from
your donations, which will be modelled on the night of the fashion parade.
Donated items will then be given to the Wayside Chapel.
Issue: 09
From Textiles and Design
Page: 18
Page: 19
Issue: 09
Gifted Education
As we finish a busy term the focus for Gifted Education is
on the first few weeks of Term 3. Years 7 and 8
Enrichment will continue with their enrichment sessions,
developing their critical thinking skills and their ability to
articulate a rational argument. From these Year groups
and Years 9 and 10, a small team of students will be
chosen to represent the College at the annual Philosothon
to be held at Cranbrook at the beginning of Term 4.
One of the highlights of Term 3 for Gifted Education will be
the GATSTA Philosophy Cluster Day which will be hosted
at the College on the Friday of Week 2. Eighty students
from ten different schools will attend the College to
participate in a day of philosophical discussion and concept
exploration with sixteen students from St Vincent‟s College.
The guest speaker is Dr Luke Russell from Sydney
University who is currently exploring and writing about the
idea of forgiveness. Dr Russell is also well known as the
convener of the Mind and Morality Course at Sydney
University, which is offered to students who wish to
complete a university level course while still attending
secondary school. Students who are attending the
Philosophy Day will receive permission notes before the
beginning of next term.
travels the world and has a particular interest in improving
the state of health services in rural Australia, as well as in
places like Canada, Alaska and indigenous communities
around the world. Overall it was an inspiring day and it has
motivated us to take action as leaders. The Elevate Youth
Leadership Forum was amazing and we cannot wait for
day 2 next term!
Written by Isabella Beare, Isabella Taliano and
Madeline Pryke
L to R: Isabella Taliano, Madeline Pryke, Isabella Beare
Those of you with a daughter in Year 10 will have had the
opportunity to attend the Subject Selection Evening on
Monday 16 June. At that evening I presented information
Ms Cheryl McArthur
about the many courses at various universities, available to Gifted Education Coordinator
Years 11 and 12 students who wish to complete a
[email protected]
university level course while still at the College. If you were
unable to attend and would like the information in electronic
form, please email me at the address at the end of this
article.
To conclude this term‟s Bulletin article, I will leave you with
a report written by three very enthusiastic Year 11 students
who have been given the opportunity to attend the Elevate
Youth Leadership Forum at Wollongong University. I look
forward to the next two installments:
On 2 June my textiles class was taken on an excursion to
The Whitehouse Institute of Design located in Surry Hills.
It was an early start to the first day of three of the Elevate
It was a very inspirational experience and I am positive that
Youth Leadership Forum at the University of Wollongong.
I‟m not the only one who felt as if I had gained lots of
As we arrived we were gathered together with the Student knowledge.
Representative Council members from eighty different
schools. We split into separate groups of approximately
During this excursion our class was given information on
nine students each from different schools. In these groups fashion illustration by a couple of outgoing teachers who
we participated in games to get to know each other and
worked there. They were very generous and told us that
new friendships were started. We were also involved in
by the end of the day one student would win a scholarship
creative activities and discussed the importance of
for a course during the holidays!
leadership and the qualities of what makes a good leader.
We then headed into the auditorium to hear from our first
At the beginning of the workshop we were taught how to
guest speaker who is CEO of the Top Blokes Foundation,
sketch the figure of a person using measurements to give it
Melissa Abu-Gazaleh. She taught us the importance of
the right proportions. We were then shown how to draw
perseverance when you find the thing you are most
clothes on the figure, and shade the items using simple
passionate about. We spent our lunch break socializing
techniques to define it. The teachers then gave us a quick
and had the opportunity to talk to other students who were tour of the place showing us the classrooms, design rooms,
there. They were fascinated by the location of our school
and even a runway. We were also able to see current
in Potts Point (being next to Kings Cross), as they were all students in action.
from down south. After lunch we had our final speaker for
the day, Shannon Nott, who is an inspiring doctor who
From Textiles and Design
Page: 20
Issue: 09
From Textiles and Design (cont)
From the PD/H/PE Department
To finish it all off, our class was shown how to shade
different clothing items with colours to make it look more
realistic, and we were shown some of the teacher‟s
drawings - and they were amazing! By the end of the day,
we were all feeling inspired but very sad to leave. There
was still one thing left to do - find out who won the
scholarship. I was extremely happy to hear my name
called out. I won the scholarship! I am very grateful to
have this opportunity, and I can't wait to go back for the
program.
We‟re at the halfway point in the year, and first of all a big
congratulations to all the girls in Years 7-10 for their efforts
in the recent exams.
By Kristen Higgins, Year 9
We saw lots of excellent PD/H/PE study notes as well as
some outstanding results across all Years. Since the
exams, students have been finishing off their current topics
ready for a fresh start in Semester Two. Topics to be
studied in Term 3 PD/H/PE are as follows:
TERM 3
Year
PDH
PE
Cultural Dance
9
Adolescence and
Health
Being Me - Body
Image
Sexual Health
10
Active for Life
Movement Composition Dance
7
8
Invasion Games
Minor Games
Year 9 PASS
As part of their unit on Enhancing Performance, the Year 9
PASS class have been going on excursions to Moore Park
Golf Club to work on their golf skills. The girls have been
filming their performances and analysing their swing in
order to investigate how technology can be used to
improve athletic performance. Whilst there has been some
interesting techniques involved in the swinging of clubs at
times, it has been pleasing to see the improvements that
have been made thanks to the very helpful resident
professionals at the club, (I‟ve even been lucky enough to
pick a few tips on my own swing!).
The Year 10 class have also been very busy organising
their gala day as part of the Event Management unit they
have been doing….but more of that to come in future
Bulletins!
Have a safe (and healthy) holiday.
Mr Ben Doyle
Head of PD/H/PE
Page: 21
Issue: 09
Sports Report
Website details: www.stvincents.nsw.edu.au
For all draw and venue information please visit this
website.
Basketball
TERM 2 SPORTS
Football
The College has enjoyed a busy and successful term with
seven teams participating in the IGGSA football
competition. Results were pleasing with all teams reaching
the play offs. The second XI just missed out on a place in
the final losing their final game to Abbotsleigh who
eventually won the competition. Teams 3 and 4 had mixed
results but approached each game with enthusiasm. Our
junior first team improved as the season progressed and
won their final game 2-0. „Old girl‟, Liz Grey, passed on her
footballing knowledge to team 6, who managed to draw
their last game of the season after narrowly losing their
group games. The Year 7 team were competitive in every
game and their positive results demonstrated the talent St
Vincent‟s College possesses at junior level.
Football Firsts
The 1st XI football team had a positive season, winning
three and drawing two of their group matches. The girls
played SCEGGS Darlinghurst in the final, and despite
being a goal down at half time, came back strong in the
second half to take a 2-1 lead courtesy of a Nyari Morales
strike. Isabella Bradaric pulled off a couple of outstanding
saves to help maintain our slender advantage but
SCEGGS did not give up and scored towards the end of
the game to make it 2-2. The game went into extra time
and our girls could not find a way to unlock the SCEGGS
defense. In the first half of extra time SCEGGS scored the
decisive goal and won an exhilarating encounter 3-2.
Mr Mark Bradley
Head of Football
Basketball
Congratulations to all girls who played basketball this term.
We had a successful season with three of the twelve teams
qualifying for the finals. Well done to Team 3, coached by
Lauren Rugless, who won their final against Frensham with
great St Vincent‟s spirit!
Hockey
This term has been a good practice for the girls going in to
the IGSSA competition next term. Our three teams will be
training at Daceyville on Wednesday afternoons 4.00pm5.00pm next term. The bus leaves at 3.30pm sharp, and
all girls not picked up from the venue by 5.00pm must
return to College on the bus.
Page: 22
Issue: 09
Sports Report (cont)
...more hockey action
Please see the Garcia Sports noticeboard. Training times
are listed on noticeboard plus the netball page of the
College website.
Training: As the first game is on Saturday 19 July, the
netball season starts the very first day back of Term 3 for
SVC 17/18/19/20, who all have training at 7.00am-8.15am
on the first day 15 July. Also, SVC 1/2/3/4 have training
on the Tuesday 15 July from 3.30pm-4.45pm.
Please girls, no missing this first day of training. Coaches
and I will be there. If you are a no show at training, you are
letting down your team and coach. Wear full PE uniform
and bring a water bottle.
The Draw: Will be listed on the netball page of the SVC
website and on the Garcia noticeboard. IGSSA should
confirm the Draw soon, so in the school holidays please
check the netball page of the College website.
Venues For Games: Will be listed on the website netball page.
Year 7 extra training: Year 7 teams SVC 25/26/27;
Please attend a training session on Friday 18 July at
3.30pm-4.30pm, so Ms McGrath can ensure you are ready
for your first game.
Netball
CONGRATULATIONS TO PREMIERES OF THE ST
CATHERINE’S TERM 2 NETBALL COMPETITION
Senior SVC 1, played a highly skilled game against
Ascham on Wednesday 18 June and won 15/9.
Year 7 SVC 3, also
played an exciting
grand final. They lost
only by one point to
Ascham. Well done
Year 7.
Senior team
SVC 2, the junior
team, made it to the
semi finals, only to be
beaten in the last
quarter by three
goals.
Congratulations to all
teams and thank you
very much to parents
for their support and
providing transport for
the boarders.
Year 7 Minor Premieres
IGSSA NETBALL SEASON KICKS OFF SATURDAY 19
JULY
Teams: For 2014 IGSSA netball, SVC has entered twenty
seven teams and some team changes have been made.
Ms Kat McGrath
Head Coach Netball
Athletics Team
The St Vincent‟s athletics squad has been training at E S
Marks field on Wednesday afternoons from 4.00pm5.00pm and also at Rushcutters Bay on Mondays 3.30pm5.00pm. All girls in the team should be attending at least
one of these sessions for the first five weeks of next term.
Next term, Friday night competitions commence on the
second week back, on 25 July - not 18 July as was
previously advertised. I will be taking the College bus to
Homebush and officiating, however, help from any parents
who are available would be very much appreciated. I
would like all girls in the team to come to at least two of
these lead up carnivals; Year 12 - the final one would be
substantial.
All athletes should continue their training during the
holidays. The IGSSA Athletics Carnival will be held on
Friday 22 August, with the 800m and hurdles heats being
held the afternoon before, at 4.00pm at Homebush.
Page: 23
Issue: 09
Sports Report (cont)
Recommended Reading
Athletics Age Champions
TERM 3 SPORTS
The IGSSA netball and hockey competitions will begin the
first Saturday of Term 3, 19 July. Students are to check
the Sports noticeboards to confirm teams and training
times etc.
A reminder that students must provide a “Request for
Absence from Sport” application if they know they will miss
a training or game. Notes must be given to the Sports
Department when students are ill or injured.
Students are required to wear their full College Sports
uniform to both training and matches. Safety equipment
must be worn where appropriate. Sunscreen and hats
should also be worn when necessary.
Sports Stars:
This section is to make the College
community aware of some of the
exceptional athletes we have in the
College. If your daughter has
represented her state or country recently
in her chosen sport please send us any
results, photos or blurbs on her
performance. Please send to
[email protected]
Well done Shea Donohoe, Year 7, who
competed very well at the CIS Carnival
at Eastern Creek on 12 June. She
placed 13th in a very strong field of over
fifty girls and ran a personal best time for
the 3km.
Ms Jacinta Jacobs
Co-ordinator of Sport
Shea Donohoe
The first enchanting aspect of this novel is its title: The
Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window
and Disappeared . The second is its good humour.
Jonas Jonasson has written a romp set in rural
Sweden - and the rest of the world. Waiting for his
hundredth birthday celebrations to begin, Allan
Karlsson decides to leave his room and escape
the unwanted attention. He might be just about to
turn one hundred but Allan is spry and resourceful.
All his long life, he has learned to be quick thinking. What
a life! Time in an asylum for the deranged, followed by
travel, adventures and meeting the famous. People such
as Stalin, Mao Tse-tung, most American presidents since
1945 and Winston Churchill have met and worked with him.
He had travelled to all sorts of places from a Stalinist gulag
to a perfect beach in Bali. He is a calm and unassuming
man whose peaceful views and simple beliefs give him the
moral strength to endure another journey, fighting with
unpleasant and dangerous criminals, a highly educated hot
-dog stand owner, a red-haired woman who swears
brilliantly and an elephant called Sonya. The book is
delightfully picaresque and funny, giving us a Swedish view
of the twentieth century, a view that is revealed to be wry
and wise.
The Astronauts Wives Club by Lily Koppel is a non-fiction
account of the lives of two generations of women
whose husbands were the first astronauts in the
United States. An official photograph of the
wives in pastel and demure dresses, with the
exception of one rebel wearing a cleaning sheath
dress, appears on the front cover of this
interesting book. Most of the women were
distressed by the final photograph because they
were all shown as wearing bright red lipstick which was a
shade a “good wife” in 1959 never wore. Just as American
society began to change so did the lives of these women.
The first President the men who went into space met was
Eisenhower, and their wives spent time with his wife,
Mamie, who had parts of the White House painted Mamie
Pink. The change of presidents meant many changes not
the least for the wives was meeting Jackie Kennedy, who
was so chic that nothing was pink. The wives lost their
privacy: each family had a journalist from Life magazine
living with them, recording events in their lives and taking
endless photographs. In this way, the picture perfect
women were shown to be human and flawed. They had
endured huge separations from their husbands who had
been fighter pilots in the Second and Korean Wars. They
followed their men from air force base to dreary air force
base with their children. Their husbands new positions
meant wealth but many marriages were threatened and
broke down as the astronauts became glamorous public
figures. When America became enmeshed in the horror of
the Vietnam War, NASA pushed the men to take the
country‟s attention away from a losing war to winning the
space race. There were costs: five of the women became
widows because of launching mishaps. For ancients such
as your reviewer who remembers these times, this book is
gripping.
Page: 24
Issue: 09
Recommended Reading
I will freely admit to being an avid reader of all the genres
in which Jackie French writes: I even downloaded
Diary of a Wombat for the children of the
Himalayas. As they had never met a wombat and,
despite my award-deserving representation of
one, they were neither amused by my expressive
wombat interpretation or the book. As ever, I
digress. The Road to Gundagai is the latest in her Matildas
series and I gobbled it up. The setting is the early years of
the Great Depression in a shabby little circus that ambles
from small country town to tinier country town, giving the
inhabitants a brief respite from grim reality. Bluebell is
sixteen and believes herself to be a monster. She has
been scarred in a fire that has destroyed her house. Her
parents and younger brother have drowned at sea. Her
great-aunts care for her but she is not recovering either
physically or mentally. She escapes to the little circus and
learns a great deal about life outside the cocoon of
privilege. She also falls in love with Sheba, the ageing
elephant. And a handsome young medical student. As
well as the romance and frivolity, there is excellent
Australian historical background. This is an excellent book
for reading pleasure for all students.
Destroying the Joint by Susan Johnson who has written
a wickedly satiric short story about a Stepford wife
 Beyond Jeering by Danielle Miller who is the CEO of
Enlighten Education and who presents a very popular
programme at the College.
However, these are only my preferences. The book is in
the library. Borrow, read and shake your fist!

The first part of the title of this excellent memoir, False
Start, describes three different attempts by Mark O‟Flynn to
decide what to do with his life. The subtitle. A Memoir of
Things Best Forgotten, is not so accurate because
O‟Flynn‟s memories are worth the keeping. When he
graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, he spent too
much time sleeping in and watching daytime television.
His irritated father forced him to take a job in a
mining community in Far North Queensland.
He was supposed to test the unearthed rocks
to ensure they would make suitable road
material for a highway that was to give access
to a mine. The skill required was to put
selected rocks in an electric frypan, grind them
up and enter the results in a ledger. His job
When I began to read Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer was as alien to him as were his companions, hard-drinking
truck drivers and workers who were deeply suspicious of
Littman, I told one of my newly converted Year 8 readers
the author‟s habit of reading. Naturally, he lasted only a
that I thought I was reading her next book.
few months at the isolated bush camp but came away with
However, I will have to disappoint her because
a suitcase full of money and a desire to write plays. After
this chilling novel is not for any student. Fourteen
another degree, he joined an acting company based in a
year old Abby is nervous about starting high
country town he calls Woop-Woop. He does find lasting
school despite the support of her best friend,
love in the company and improves his writing skills. From
Faith. As Abby feared, she breaks all kinds of
the description of his first full-length play, this was a
peer rules and feels alone and miserable,
necessary development. The final section of his memoir
especially as Faith has made new friends while in the
school drama production. This loneliness makes her more concerns the mission he and his beloved were given by his
wife‟s father: to pick up some large statues of Mary in
vulnerable to Luke, a man she meets online. There are
times as her grooming proceeds that you want to reach into Fatima and take one statue to Ireland and the other to
Australia. It is at the end of this section that he writes
the book and shout at Abby to warn her about Luke. Her
reflectively about how all these experiences have shaped
previously high grades plummet, she pulls further and
him. It is this section that would make an excellent Related
further away from her friends and family. Finally,
convinced that she and Luke are in love, she runs away to Text for Area of Study, 2015, and beyond: Discovery. For
those of us not sitting for the HSC in 2015, this is a most
meet him. The meeting is not the romantic idyll she has
imagined but she is still furious when she is rescued by the interesting and cheering book.
FBI. In some ways, the most interesting part of the book is
what happens when she returns to school. This is NOT a
Ms Suzanne O‟Connor
book for students but it could well be read by all adults who English Teacher
know teenagers with internet access. It may mean
afterwards that all laptops are relocated to the living room
or the kitchen table.
In reaction to an infamous radio commentator, a group of
women produced a book, edited by Jane Caro,
called Destroying the Joint. The book is made up of
various kinds of writing on the subject of women in
Australia. For me, the most interesting pieces
were:
 Girl Talk by Lily Edelstein who is seventeen and very
aware of the sexism contained in most advertisements.
 History’s Footnote by Melissa Lucashenko, an
indigenous writer, who proves once more that history is
written by victorious men
Page: 25
Issue: 09
From the Development and Foundation Office - 2014 Annual Giving
There is no greater gift, than the
gift of education
Thank you to those who have already generously
supported 2104 Annual Giving.
on the College website

Or, download the 2014 Annual Giving form from the
College website and return to the college

Or, telephone Lyn O‟Neill in the development office on
9358 5398.
Each year we ask all within our community to simply, make All gifts received by 30 June will be processed for the end
of 2014 financial year.
one gift, no matter the size. This gift plays a vital role in
maintaining our tradition of excellence in education.
You can direct your gift if you choose to, either to the
building fund or to the scholarship fund. Gifts made to both
Why do we ask?
are tax deductible. In 2014 our imperatives are building a
We ask, as your daughter today benefits from the foresight stronger scholarship and bursary program, to ensure
and generous philanthropic support of those gone before.
ongoing opportunities and hope to students who might not
Today more so than ever we need to look to building a
otherwise be able to attend St Vincent‟s College, and to
future that will benefit your daughter and students still to
provide assistance to families as financial crises arise.
come.
The other imperative is the realisation of the College
This is an important ask…
Masterplan, it is hoped that the next stage of building works
We understand many families make sacrifices to pay
will commence later this year, however the support of our
College fees, however, these fees do not and cannot
community is required. Gifts made to the building fund will
provide all the funds needed to maintain current facilities
be directed to this.
and for new capital works. Nor does it provide for
Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18
scholarships and funds for bursary assistance, which is
equally important as it provides opportunities for students
College Fees Draw: The winner for Term 2 is Gabrielle
who might not otherwise be able to attend St Vincent‟s
Klopper, Year 10. Congratulations!
College.
Ms Lyn O‟Neill
Each day we witness philanthropy in action through your
daughters, for example supporting Caritas Christi initiatives Development and Foundation Office
and raising money through various activities for good
causes. Earlier this year the
community witnessed Charly
May, a Year 12 student, shave
her hair to raise funds for
CANTEEN in support of a close
friend, another fellow Year 12
student, a true testament of the
„power of giving‟.
As the end of the financial year
quickly comes to a close, please
join with me in making a gift to
our 2014 Annual Giving.
To make a gift:
 Visit the Make a Gift page
Page: 26
Issue: 09
Social Media Competition
Get Social for St Vincent’s Day
St Vincent‟s College has held its
first social media competition.
Tutor groups submitted posts for
our Facebook page, and tweets.
As part of our St Vincent’s Day celebrations. Well done
and thanks to all who entered and well done to the winners.
Please visit our Facebook page and ’like’ us!
Best Tweet - Winner
TUTOR 20 - O’Brien 200 pts
@SVCPottsPoint working hard or
hardly working
Best Facebook Post Winner
TUTOR 9 - AIKENHEAD - 200 pts
Happy Saint Vincent's Day for Friday!
Last Friday in Tutor 9 (a tutor group is like a school family
with 2 girls from every Year) at St Vincent's College, we
had a great day celebrating our patron saint, St Vincent,
and his legacy of service to the poor and suffering. We left
school and visited Elizabeth Bay Aged Care Facility. We
enjoyed lunch and played trivia with the residents and we
had fun brightening their day. After that we spent some
quality tutor time together with ice-cream from Messina!
From all of us in Tutor 9
Best Facebook Post - High
Commendations
TUTORS 26 and 27 CATER - 75 pts
Tutor 20, O’Brien
Best Tweet - High
Commendations
TUTORS 11 and 25
Aikenhead - 75pts
@SVCPottsPoint packing
gifts for homeless on St
Vincent's Day
Even though we are living in oppression, we still have
DIGNITY
Best Video - Winner
TUTOR 20 O’Brien - 75 pts
- “O’Brien”
TUTOR 18 - Cater 200pts
Page: 27
Issue: 09
Photography Competition
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Issue: 09
Page: 28
P&F Association News
Happy holidays to all SVC families. During the break,
please spare a thought for the Spring Fair, which takes
place on Sunday 24 August 2014. We will be holding the
usual second-hand stalls for books, DVDs, CDs, clothing
and accessories. If you are having a clean-out during the
holidays, please put any such items aside and bring them
in when convenient (or call for pick up! Elizabeth 9619
6308 or 9398 1667). The Spring Fair is organised by
parents, not just as a fundraising activity but to build our
College community, so please play your part either by
donating something, working on a stall or just coming along
to enjoy the day.
and we especially welcome donations of books, CDs and
DVDs, or good quality second hand clothing or accessories
to sell in our stalls. Thank you to the parents who have
already brought in items!
The Fair is a whole College event and a way of St
Vincent‟s engaging with the local community. We have
established a Fair committee to manage the different
planning tasks. Year groups will be in
charge of the following stalls:
Year 7: Cakes, Chocolate Wheel
Year 8: BBQ and Cold Drinks; Herbs and
Plants
If you read our last Bulletin article you would have seen a
Year 9: Second-hand Clothes; Gelato;
list of some of the assets the P&F funds have been
Wine tasting
towards for the College. It is very exciting and rewarding to Year 10: Chicken Sandwiches and
see the funds that parents have contributed being used in
Champagne; Devonshire Teas; Popcorn
practical and new ways to enhance the College‟s
Year 11: Jams, Preserves, Craft; Tea
educational facilities. As I noted in the last Bulletin, the
towels/Cookbooks
College puts forth a wishlist identifying good projects or
Year 12: Second-hand books; Raffle.
assets, large or small, in which to apply the P&F funds.
(enquiries to
Parents may also like to make suggestions of good ideas
for investing the P&F funds in something for the College; if [email protected] or
that‟s you - please come forward. Your ideas are always
[email protected])
welcome, whether by email to
Next P&F Meeting
[email protected] or by attending the next
P&F meeting (Tuesday 5 August).
The next meeting of the St Vincent‟s College P&F
Association will be on Tuesday 5 August 2014, starting at
Regards
7.15pm. We are very pleased to advise that this meeting
will include a presentation by Ms Jacinta Jacobs of the
Elizabeth Roydhouse
Sports Department, speaking on Sport and teamwork.
2014 P&F President
Storage King: The P&F is very lucky to have once again
been offered support by Storage King, Woolloomooloo,
who will be providing us with locked storage for the months
leading up to the Fair, as there is no room for items to be
stored at the College. Storage King have been a fantastic
sponsor of our Fair in the past. They are a business that
really believes in supporting the local community. (If you
have the opportunity please “Like” them on Facebook as
this helps them a little in return).
If you have items to donate already, please contact me
(see more details on the Fair below) so we can arrange a
pick up, or call into Storage King (Palmer Street,
Woolloomooloo) and see Kara.
Year 11 Performance - well done! Congratulations to all
the performers and crew of Mamma Mia!, the Year 11
production held on 12 and 14 June.
Photo Competition at the Fair - Get Snapping!
Attention all aspiring photographers! Now is your
opportunity to show your skills and compete for exciting
cash prizes. There will be a photography competition at
this year‟s Spring Fair and all students are eligible to enter.
This year‟s theme is “Winter at my place” (see the flyer in
this Bulletin).
Fair - Sunday 24 August
We have our Spring Fair coming up in only ten weeks time,
Canteen Duty - Volunteers Always Welcome: Would
you like to help out in the College canteen? Please call
Reception on 9368 1611 #3 and ask for Vicky in the
Canteen. Canteen volunteers who use the Kings Cross
Parking Station are eligible for a special rate - please call
into Reception on the day of your canteen duty to have
your ticket validated.
Year Group Parent Coordinators: Each Year group has
one or more designated volunteers to keep parents
informed particularly on College P&F events such as the
Fair or Year events for families in your Year group. You
may remember filling out a P&F form at time of enrolment.
You can opt to have your details included in the class
contact list. Please contact: Felicity Ratcliffe
([email protected]) Sally Ayto
([email protected]), or your Year group coordinator their details are on the College website.
2014 P&F Executive:
President: Elizabeth Roydhouse 0416 107 029
[email protected]
Vice President: Robert Goldrick 0422 259 364
Treasurer: Chris Dunn
Secretary: Sally Ayto [email protected] or
[email protected]
Assistant Secretary: Felicity Ratcliffe
[email protected]