Principal’s Message

WOW! What a busy end to a very busy Term 2 at St Ursula’s. 

Traditionally, in most schools, parent-teacher interviews for the junior years are scheduled at the end of Semester 1 as a way of summarising all that has been learned, all the skills that have been developed and all of the assessments that have been completed, as well as to provide feedback for the road ahead. Of course, it is a great way for parents to see the fruits of their daughter’s work. Has she worked consistently? Has she challenged herself? Has she excelled beyond her imagination? 

While the end of semester reporting process is one way of involving parents in their daughter’s learning, it is not the only way and, in fact, in the last two weeks, there have been multiple opportunities for parents and carers to really engage with their daughter’s learning.

We were treated to a masterful performance of Watermark by our Year 11 Drama class, showcasing the skills and talents of these young actresses. This play is set in the Northern Territory town of Katherine and, in one scene, the small audience laughed heartily at the notion of the town being entered in the Tidy Town competition when so much rubbish was strewn around as a result of the recent flood. The scene was so well delivered by an aspiring Year 11 actress, you could not help but see the sad irony of the situation. Equally, we were moved by the scene where a pregnant woman was recounting, almost in a matter-of-fact way, how she had lost her baby, no doubt masking her sorrow and grief. Both of these scenes – and there were many others during the performance – were very deliberately delivered with great skill and were a testimony to the learning in progress by these young actresses. 

We were treated to a TAS/CAPA Showcase evening and left mesmerised by the diversity of talent, skill and attributes across so many domains, including intricate sewing and design, clever work with pencil and charcoal and creative ways with colour, photography and lighting installations, all the while accompanied by performances by singers, musicians and actors. 

We feasted at the Year 10 family dinner which was prepared, cooked and served by our Year 10 Hospitality students. This dinner, in particular, allowed a number of opportunities for parents to see their daughters’ learning in action as it was presented as a restaurant with open kitchen on the night.

We also rallied behind our sportswomen as they competed in numerous competitions with great skill and sportsmanship. 

We were impressed by Year 7 students recalling their strengths and challenges through their considered use of JOLI blogs in readiness for their parent-teacher interviews. The parents with whom I spoke were impressed by their daughters’ confidence and ownership of the direction of their learning and their ability to set reasonable goals for the next semester of work ahead. 

We finished the term with Years 8 to 10 parent-teacher interviews as another way for parents to become more familiar with the nature and process of their daughter’s learning.

Parents and carers were also given the opportunity to provide feedback through the Tell Them From Me Survey (TTFM), however, despite the many reminders, including a video call from myself, we only received 198 parent responses. While this was disappointing as TTFM is a valuable way for parents and carers to engage in their daughter’s learning, the data will provide some feedback for us to consider.

The St Ursula’s Parent Representative Council has been looking at the Sydney Catholic Schools Parent Charter as a way of further supporting parents and carers to work collaboratively with the College. More information will be shared with you in Term 3. 

I want to thank you for actively engaging in your daughter’s learning, not only during the last two weeks but throughout Semester 1. My preference for liaison is always face-to-face as I find it more personable, but I do understand that it is not always convenient as we all lead such busy lives. 

The strength of a school is often measured by the involvement of parents and I want to remind you that when parents are a constructive, creative force within a school, it will only be of greater benefit to the students and their learning. 

I hope that you and your families are able to enjoy a little bit of time out of your busy schedules during this term break. 

Keep well and safe and I look forward to seeing you all as we begin Term 3 on Monday 17 July.

Mary Leask
Principal

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

In 1995, Israel ceded control of Bethlehem to the newly established Palestinian Authority in preparation for a two-state solution to their hostilities. It is a multi-faith city where believers live in relative harmony. 

We arrived here on Orthodox Good Friday and at 4:37 am I was woken by the call of prayer which happens here a number of times during the day, especially during the Muslim feast of Ramadan. In Bethlehem, the weekend is Friday and Saturday as the work week commences on a Sunday.

For me, this part of my pilgrimage was difficult. As we drove to our first stop, questions filled my head and a surge of unrest filled me. How can anyone drive past walls and images of assassinated people and be told by our guide about the identification card system and the transport passes, the tools of segregation for the Palestinian people, and not be troubled, in fact, angered? I didn’t realise how angry I was. 

I had been fed, or naively allowed myself to be fed, an easy-to-swallow stream of one-sided politics which favored the Israelis. But there was no disguising the reality of the treatment of the Palestinian people. The towering wall loomed large over everything like a prison wall and the irony did not escape me that we were in Bethlehem, the very place where Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was born. 

In retrospect, these images were to remain with me for the rest of my pilgrimage experience.  

Of course, there was also so much to celebrate. Our first visit for the day was to the Holy Child Program in Bethlehem which serves as a sanctuary of safety for the families of the region. The program facilitates learning and developing new skills, recovery and rehabilitation from trauma among the children. It is a small school which could accommodate many more but there is no space. I felt guilty about the wonderful facilities we have at St Ursula’s and at any school in Australia. A converted rented house is their school. What were once bedrooms and a lounge room are now classrooms where the children happily chatted to us about what they were learning and then very successfully beat us in a game of soccer – a universal language – and we laughed and cheered. Fr Lewi demonstrated some spectacular ball skills even though he was in his cassock. Truly, a pocket of hopefulness. 

From here, we went to Bethlehem University where we visited the Chapel of the Divine Child Jesus which is the only chapel dedicated to the adolescent Jesus. We don’t often even consider that Jesus was an adolescent! Around this church, there were images of children martyrs from every place on earth. This a reminder that having faith and dying for one’s faith is not the preserve of adults. I found myself envying them for the conviction of their faith. Would that I could be that brave? 

Bethlehem University is the only Catholic university in Palestine and was opened by the Lasallian Brothers in 1973. The student population is made up of 80% Muslim and 20% Christian students, the majority of whom are Orthodox. It also boasts a higher-than-average female population. The day we arrived was a holiday for the university so it was like a peaceful oasis, green and lush in the midst of the stark reminders of the dissent which we had driven through to get here. We met Palestinian students studying here who spoke of their aspirations. They feel that the world sees them as terrorists because they are Palestinian. They spoke about the restrictions imposed on them because of their nationality and spoke openly to us that not obeying could result in death. 

The next stop was a visit to a local cave at Shepherd’s Field which commemorates the appearance of the angels to the shepherds on that first Christmas night (Lk 2:8–16). Although commercialism is now part and parcel of this location, there was a brief opportunity to sit and take in the landscape. We were there on a very hot day and, as I sat, I wondered what it would have looked like on that cold winter’s night when the angels appeared to the shepherds. Snow-covered perhaps, a clear, black sky undimmed by city light, just glistening with stars and one star in particular.

Our next stop for the day was at the much anticipated Church of the Nativity. We entered the church through the Door of Humility – a narrow short doorway designed to force people to be bowed humbly as they entered. I could boast that, as I am so short, I didn’t have to bow so much but that definitely didn’t mean that I was not humbled and in awe of where I was about to be. To my amazement, a Greek Orthodox celebration of the death of Jesus was taking place. Mournful music, chanting and incense rose in the air. I was a bit confused. Where was the birthplace of Jesus?

Our group was instructed to walk to one side of the church to a side passage and to descend to what opened up into a dimly lit grotto. The Grotto of the Holy Manger. It is a beautifully kept area, reverently attended to, and where our silence was insisted upon and easily given. Today, a  silver star on the floor marks the spot where Christ was born. Each of us knelt and wanted to touch the spot, not just in some production line movement, but because we were moved to do so, in reverence and awe. 

I found myself looking at some of the pilgrims as they knelt. Some were visibly moved, some weighed down by their backpacks, who could barely get up, but kneel they did. We all did. This was, and will always be, the spot where God became flesh for the whole of humanity for all time by being born into the human family as a small, fragile and defenceless baby. The implication of that event still causes me to be filled with amazement and wonder; wonder at our God who expressed the enormity of His love for us that He chose to be born so humbly. 

We celebrated Mass in the Grotto of St Jerome that afternoon. This grotto is where Jerome spent a lot of time translating the Bible from Hebrew to Latin. I recalled that I had used St Jerome’s biblical commentary for many of my studies in Biblical Studies and Religious Education and now I had a little bit of a story to go with the name. The altar here is hewn out of stone and an intricate mosaic adorns the wall behind. We were a group of 39 pilgrims and we only just squeezed into this space and our singing during the mass attracted other visitors who were passing by the Grotto. 

During our time in Bethlehem, we also had the privilege of hearing the stories of two people, one Jewish and one Palestinian, both of whom had lost a loved one as a result of the ongoing hostilities between these two nations. We met Gili and Leila, members of The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF). This is a group that offers support to families both Jewish and Palestinian who have lost loved ones as a result of the ongoing conflict. Gili’s brother was in the army and died as a result of the fighting and Leila lost a young son as she wasn’t able to cross the Israeli roadblocks to get him urgent medical care. 

After the trip through the walled city of Bethlehem, to the uplifting heights of the Holy Manger, to reflection in Shepherd’s Field, to the sorrowful story of these two people, this was certainly an experience of stark, sometimes confronting, contrasts. Violence and peace, love and hate, compassion and neglect, reverence and poverty, sorrow and joy, and God was everywhere.

Mary Leask
Principal

Offering acts of loving kindness

The Gospel for this Sunday can be a difficult one to hear. It calls us to place our discipleship before our loyalty to family and even before our own life. It is important to place this passage in the broader context of not only the chapter in which it sits, but also within the Gospel as a whole.

Today’s passage appears at the conclusion of Chapter 10 in the Gospel of Matthew. The entire chapter deals with the commissioning and sending out of the disciples to “proclaim the Gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy and drive out demons.” (Mt 10:8) The previous chapter concludes with the words, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field” (Mt 9:37-38). Chapter 10 is a response to this call. Jesus sends the disciples to “work the harvest” through proclamation, healing and exorcism.

At the end of the chapter, having spelled out all the difficulties a disciple must face, Jesus assures them that even the smallest act of welcoming the disciple will be rewarded.

It’s also important to understand that the Jewish audience of the Gospel of Matthew found themselves under increasing persecution and there was often division within families between those holding to orthodox Jewish beliefs and those following the new teachings of Jesus, known initially as “The Way”. For some early Christians, there was a very real choice to be made between following their faith and remaining loyal to family. The Gospel of Matthew repeatedly affirms Jesus as the promised Jewish Messiah; as the fulfilment of Jewish prophecy. For early followers of the Christian Way, this difficult message about being a follower was in the context of an affirmation that the message of Jesus was deeply grounded in their Jewish faith.

Jesus says, “If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water” to a disciple spreading the Gospel, then their ultimate reward is assured. To give “a cup of cold water” or “a cold drink” to another person was the most basic act of hospitality or service. It is a metaphor for doing the absolute least service to another. This was not a new concept in Jewish society. Gemilut Chasadim, or “acts of loving kindness”, is an ethical teaching that predates Christianity and the stories of Abraham, the patriarch of the Jewish faith, speak of his hospitality to strangers. Jesus is saying that even the most trivial act of service that recognises the work of the disciple will be welcomed and acknowledged. It suggests that “practical loving kindness” is both the test and the result of discipleship. 

Having spelled out the difficulties of discipleship throughout Chapter 10, the Gospel writer has Jesus reassuring the disciples that anyone who welcomes them welcomes Him. There are echoes here of other parts of the Gospel of Matthew: the Beatitudes, with its blessings on the poor and humble of heart; the welcome of children, the “little ones” of the kingdom; and the Last Judgment (Mt 24), that reminds us that whatever we do for the least in the world we do for Jesus. Jesus even describes the disciples as “little ones” – a reminder both to them and to those who welcome them.

I take this opportunity to thank our staff, students and parents for a very busy term and wish them a safe and restful break. I hope you get a chance to do the things you love with the people you love and find some time for relaxation and reflection. Take care!

Julie Monk
Religious Education Coordinator

First place, second place and a perfect score: NSW Titration Competition

Young chemists from St Ursula’s College have taken out the top two spots at the Royal Australian Chemical Institute’s 2023 NSW Titration Competition. In addition, Jaytita Sawatdipruksa achieved a personal score of zero, an extremely rare perfect score in this academically rigorous event.

Rosemary Goncalves, Althea Manigsaca and Rhiarna Antoun earned the top spot on the day. Second place went to Jennifer Costan, Jacqueline Keir and Jaytita Sawatdipruksa. 

The Titration Competition challenges students to conduct a series of acid base titrations to calculate the concentration of an unknown solution. Teams are given 90 minutes to undertake the tasks individually and then use their results to determine the final concentration as a team. 

It is the second year these girls have participated in the RACI Titration event. Rosemary said they returned in 2023 fired up to beat their previous results.

“Our team strengths are definitely resilience and persistence!” she said.

“The first time we entered the competition, our results were not as good as we wanted. However, we encouraged each other and kept going and decided to give it another go this year. We attended more training sessions, worked hard, supported each other and we made it!”

She said the time pressure added another level of complexity to the challenge.

“Within a 90-minute time limit, we had to do at least four titrates and perform the correct calculations. As titration requires a lot of concentration and accuracy, we could not afford for our nerves to get the best of us!” Rosemary said.

Jaytita agreed that keeping calm and working well as a team were essential to success. Given her perfect score, she’s demonstrated her ability to think clearly under pressure. 

“My result feels surreal and it is an amazing achievement that I did not expect,” she said.

“The most important skill was definitely keeping a steady mind. I made sure to remain calm, even when the experiments weren’t going smoothly, and tried to focus my full concentration on what I was doing in the current moment. The thing I most enjoyed was working in a team; it definitely made the day more memorable. My teammates helped take away the pressure of the competition as we were there to support each other and enjoy the fun experience!” Jaytita said.

Rosemary, Althea and Rhiarna are looking forward to competing at the next level – the national event. Jennifer, Jacqueline and Jaytita may yet qualify for this event, too. A three-hour and more complex task than the one they just conquered awaits them!

Ava treads the boards in Finding Nemo Jr

Year 11 student, Ava Faros, has earned the role of Gill in the Rockdale Musical Society’s production of Finding Nemo Jr! Three other St Ursula’s girls will also be on stage: Year 8 student, Dimitra Thomas, is a member of the Ensemble, while Olive Madden, Year 8, and Anabel McNamara, Year 9, are Featured Dancers. 

This musical is the second major theatre production Ava has played in; last year, she was part of the ensemble in the RMS stage show Frozen, and she has also performed in a range of productions at St Ursula’s.

Ava said she was looking forward to the curtain rising on Finding Nemo Jr. 

“I’m thrilled to have earned a character role!” Ava said.

“I really enjoy working with the cast. They are all really nice and very talented. There are three other St Ursula’s students who are part of the production too, so it is nice that we get to do this together.”

Until the show’s opening night in August, Ava, Dimitra, Olive and Anabel will spend their Sundays, as well as Monday and Wednesday evenings, rehearsing.

Ava said she gets to have a lot of fun with her character.

“Gill is a great character because he is moody and the boss in the fish tank! I hope to bring a sense of humour to the role, because there are lots of great, jokey lines.”

Finding Nemo Jr will run from 17 to 20 August at Rockdale Town Hall. More information and tickets are available on the Rockdale Musical Society website.

We wish all our students involved in the production the very best.

Our Hip Hop Troupe’s got the moves!

Our Hip Hop troupe recently participated in the renowned Sydney Eisteddfod and achieved a remarkable third-place finish. Among tough competition, their electrifying performance captivated the audience and impressed the judges.

The competition included students from 13 other schools from across NSW, mostly private schools. The troupe’s flawless synchronisation, impeccable technique and powerful stage presence showcased their dedication and talent. This achievement highlights their hard work, teamwork and the guidance of their exceptional choreographer, Year 12 student Arianna Markas.

We congratulate our Hip Hop troupe and eagerly anticipate their future successes in the world of dance.

Gemma Baldwin
CAPA Coordinator 

Parents and staff enjoy three-course dinner event

On Friday, 16 June 2023, the Year 10 Hospitality students hosted a three-course dinner event at the College for parents and staff to complete a practical assessment task. The theme of the evening was “Feast the Med” and guests enjoyed an array of delicious Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as kataifi prawns with smoked aioli, bolognese arancini, slow cooked lamb, house made dips and pita, mocha eclairs and chocolate brulee spoons.

Sound and lighting were provided by the Entertainment students and guests were entertained by the very talented Music Department, including Miss Josifovski, who shared her lovely singing voice with us. Parents enjoyed the “kitchen table” style event with live action all evening watching the girls hard at work in the kitchens.

Emma Smith
VET/TAS Teacher

NAIDOC Week is coming to St Ursula’s in Week 1 of Term 3!

The 2023 theme is For Our Elders and St Ursula’s is fortunate to be hosting elders Aunty Emma Peel, Aunty Therese Aldridge and Uncle Frank McLeod and they will be working with our Aboriginal students to create two new panels for the mural on display in the Indigenous Garden. They will also be available to advise other students on Aboriginal painting styles during a lunchtime activity of painting river stones. Students will be offered a red, yellow and black wool bracelet to wear all week as a sign of their support of NAIDOC Week. Other activities to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and languages that week will be the opportunity to participate in a traditional Water Ceremony, play marngrook, dance with Move It Mob Style and, everybody’s favourite, eat pancakes spread with rosella, finger lime and quandong Indigenous jams. Donations of pancake mix will be gratefully accepted!

Karen Horder
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Support Teacher

Students create YES! referendum display

Up Club members (Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!) have created a display in the College Library featuring the Uluru Statement from the Heart so all students can get educated about the request from Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be included in the constitution. All students are welcome to join the Up Club to learn more and to spread the word to vote Yes in the upcoming referendum. 

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference endorsed the Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2021 and, in a May 2023 statement, said the Constitution’s lack of reference to Indigenous people having custodianship of the land was “an omission which needs to be rectified”. 

The Library offers many works by Indigenous authors and all students are encouraged to read about the cultures, histories and experiences of our First Nations Australians so they can be advocates for reconciliation in our land.

Karen Horder
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Support Teacher

Celebrating student success in the arts and design

We are delighted to share the resounding success of the recent TAS/CAPA Showcase held in the Merici Centre on Monday, 19 June 2023. The event was a remarkable celebration of our students’ talents and creativity, featuring an array of captivating performances and exceptional quality works in various artistic disciplines in art and design. 

The showcased projects were a snapshot of the hard work and dedication our students have put into their studies throughout the first semester. We congratulate all students from Years 7 to 11 on their remarkable achievements and the outstanding display of their talents. Their commitment to their respective disciplines and the incredible results they have achieved are a testament to their passion and drive. We look forward to witnessing the continued growth and success of our students in the arts and design fields and are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.

We would like to express our gratitude to all the parents, guardians, and friends who attended the TAS/CAPA Showcase and showed their unwavering support for our talented students. 

Congratulations once again to all the students involved in the TAS/CAPA Showcase. Your achievements are truly remarkable, and we are incredibly proud of your accomplishments.

Claire Moroney & Gemma Baldwin
TAS Coordinator & CAPA Coordinator 

Year 7 Poetry Slam finals

On Friday, 16 June 2023, all Year 7 students gathered excitedly in Brescia Gym to witness the Slam Poetry Final. The atmosphere was electric as the finalists representing their English classes performed a two-minute original poem on the topic, “What is something that the St Ursula’s community needs to hear?”

Finalists were judged on a number of criteria including content, memorization, eye contact and verbal and non-verbal presentation. All performances were outstanding which made things very difficult for the judging panel, which was made up of Mrs Lansdown, Mrs Jesuadian and Mrs Watson. 

The finalists were:

Congratulations to runner up Laura Mogan and competition winners Cassandra Peiris and Ivy Rogers.

Helen McCarthy
English Coordinator

Celebrating diversity in Year 7 PDHPE

This term in PDHPE, Year 7 students have been immersed in learning about “The World Around Us”. This topic saw us exploring multiculturalism and diversity: we were able to enjoy different cultures in our classroom, the community and around the world! We engaged in activities that allowed us to uncover our immigration story, share cultural food and celebrate dance.  

One of the most exciting events of the term was definitely Multicultural Food Day. It was a fun way to connect with our classmates and learn more about cultural traditions. In preparation for our Multicultural Food Day, each student created a recipe card that was to be included in our class cookbook. There was a lot of variety in the food shared, whether it was sweet or savoury, crunchy or soft, and the class celebrations were filled with festivity and fun!

Throughout the topic, we looked deeply into diverse cultures in unique ways. Before we began, I didn’t realise dance was such an important art in terms of expression and connection to culture. Working in groups, we each selected different traditional dances to choreograph and perform. It was fantastic to see the variety of performances including traditional Irish dancing, Hawaiian hula dancing, Greek dancing, Chinese fan dancing and many more styles. Everyone put in so much effort and the traditional accessories and costumes worn by the groups were stunning and added to the authenticity of each dance. 

The activities we have engaged in this term have allowed us to gain an appreciation of the uniqueness of our peers and the diversity within our classroom.

Lucia Corniola
Year 7 Student 

Girls reflect on Year 9 Camp experience

On Thursday, 15 June 2023, Year 9 students went to the Collaroy Centre for camp. We spent two days at the camp, completing fun activities and spending time together. When we arrived, we enjoyed morning tea and were sent off to our first activity. The groups (10 groups altogether, each led by a teacher) enjoyed the giant swing, bubble soccer, the drop pole, orienteering, abseiling, vertical challenge, laser tag, tree tops and archery. After each activity, we were served a nice warm meal or a snack to keep our energy up for the next activity. After three activities, we were taken to our cabins to prepare for dinner and the surprise night-time disco. After a night of fun, we went back to our cabins for some rest and relaxation. The next morning, we packed up our belongings and went to the dining hall for a lovely breakfast before heading to our last two activities. We were served lunch and sent on our way back home.

Overall, Year 9 camp was enjoyed by both students and teachers. After learning to work together and unite as a cohort, we returned home tired and content. 

Olivia Curto & Georgia Vogiatzis
Year 9 Students 

Enjoying Yuldea at the Sydney Opera House

Our excursion to attend Bangarra Dance Theatre’s performance of Yuldea was fantastic. We were in the front row and joined Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from all over NSW – some had travelled from as far as Muswellbrook to be there! The story traces time from the supernova to Federation and concentrates on the impact of nuclear testing on the mobs living around Yuldea (Ooldea) Soak and the nearby missions. At the end, the dancers were in a semi-circle behind a rope curtain, symbolising the continuing devastation of the environmental impact. 

During the Q and A afterwards, the performers explained the meaning of their costumes. One spectacular dress was made to represent the red mallee tree and how its roots contain hidden water which Aboriginal people use to survive in the desert lands. We highly recommend everyone see this show.

Kacey: “The light motions were awesome!”

Kaileigh: “When the dancers told us the story was based on the Maralinga nuclear trials, I was amazed. We just read about that in our English class.”

Emily: “I loved the dancing.”

Audrey: “The elaborate costuming and choreography was good.”

Jessie: “I met a woman from my mob for the first time, I am very happy.”

Violet: “I liked the music.”

True: “I liked the set design.”

Jasmine: “The set design and use of lighting were out of this world. I am truly grateful for the experience.”

Karen Horder
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Support Teacher

Another close round for the Mock Trial Team

Steven Baker
Mock Trial Coach 

Thursday Sport results

Jaclyn Mott
Sport Coordinator

Merici wins Athletics House Champion trophy

Congratulations to the students in Merici – the overall College Athletics House Champions!

Congratulations also to the following Athletics Carnival Age Champions. 

Age Champions are the students from each age group who won the most points for their house colour throughout the day competing in races and field events. 

Under 12 Years Girls
Lauren Griffiths

Under 13 Years Girls
Molly O’Donoghue

Under 14 Years Girls
Sibella Harm Nam

Under 15 Years Girls
Sienna Smith

Under 16 Years Girls
Siena Mace

Open Girls
Monika ‘Otai

The Conference Carnival is scheduled for Wednesday, 23 August 2023 at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush. More details about specific events and those selected to represent the College will be forthcoming.

Jaclyn Mott
Sport Coordinator

Runners’ Club: Back by popular demand

Gymnastics Team celebrate SCS Competition win!

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award offers high school students a transformative journey of self-discovery and personal growth. The program challenges participants to develop new skills, engage in community service and explore the outdoors through expeditions. It empowers young individuals to build resilience, leadership and character while making a positive impact on their communities. 

The following students have achieved a bronze or silver award through the program and should be congratulated for their effort. 

Bronze Award

• Marisa Lew
• Siena Taouk
• Carol Zhong
• Valarie Le

Silver Award

• Tia Georgy
• Elizabeth Sarkis
• Stephanie Avgoustou
• Olivia Dabboussey
• Melissa Danelutti
• Isabella Nehme
• Deanna Vasiliou
• Imogen Muldoon
• Caitlin Shields
• Alessia Briscas
• Chrystalla Kospetas

Congratulations to the above students and good luck as you strive to achieve the next award of the program.

Jaclyn Mott
Sport Coordinator

MyStrengths Parenting package

Members of the St Ursula’s community have been granted full access to the MyStrengths Parenting resource. The online portal provides short parenting courses, workshops and resources which offer simple, practical guidance, drawing on a strengths-based approach to parenting.

The resources are free when accessed through this link: https://stursulas.mystrengths.com.au. 

Simply click the button that says “Access this course today” and create your own login.

We encourage you to explore the support the site offers.

Anne Sukkar
Leader of Wellbeing

Sydney Catholic Schools privacy notices

SCS will be taking part in the August Census on Friday, 4 August 2023. We would like to notify you of the following Census requirements.

Please click the following links to view the 2023 Census Privacy Notice, SCS Privacy Policy and Standard Collection Notice. These documents can also be found on the Sydney Catholic Schools public website.

This is a good time to visit the Compass Parent Portal to check your personal details and update them if required. Please note, a change of residential address needs to be provided to the College in writing.

Info Session: Notre Dame Uni

Games night at Rockdale Library

Archbishop Anthony Fisher’s Newsletter

To view the latest edition of Connect, please click here.