Principal’s Message

As we near the halfway mark of Term 1, I look back on the many events already held at the College. It has certainly been a very busy 4 weeks.

Beginning Teachers Mass

On Wednesday 21 February, I was privileged to attend a very special mass at St Mary’s Cathedral with two of our new teaching staff, Evelyn and Dion. Archbishop Anthony Fisher celebrated this beautiful mass to bless and commission beginning teachers in Sydney Catholic Schools. It was a wonderful opportunity to recognise this new generation of teachers who have made a huge career choice that will shape and transform their lives and the lives of their students. 

To Evelyn and Dion, may your passion for education continue to ignite the spirit and may your dedication inspire generations to come. Here’s to a fulfilling and rewarding career ahead.

Primary School Visits

Over the last two weeks, we have been visiting the primary schools in the St George Network to connect with future students and showcase the unique features and benefits of our College. 

Students from Years 7 and 12 who were ex-students of the primary school also attended these visits and they have been excited to reconnect with their primary schools.

Year 7 2026 Enrolments – Now Open

We are currently accepting enrolment applications for Year 7 2026. If you have a daughter currently in Year 5 and are looking to enrol her at our College, please complete the online enrolment application via Compass. Applications for Year 7 2026 will close Friday 5 April 2024 and enrolment interviews will take place early next term.

College Open Day – Wednesday 6 March – 3.30 pm to 6.00 pm

Our College Open Day is this Wednesday and I am delighted that so many students have volunteered to assist with tours, displays and entertainment. You are also very welcome to come along and witness our vibrant community in action.

St Ursula’s Representative Council

The St Ursula’s Representative Council (STURC) which was formed in 2020 as a way of bringing together parents from across the year groups to facilitate community engagement. 

The four main goals of the STURC are: 

1. Provide a parent engagement forum;
2. Provide parent education opportunities;
3. Improve communication with the College;
4. Provide parent opportunities for involvement and events.

We held the first STURC meeting for 2024 in Week 3 and it was great to meet our parent representatives. Planning is now well underway for our first event, Mother-Daughter Movie Night, in Term 2. Keep an eye on Compass and the newsletter for more details.

If you are interested in joining the STURC, would you please email your expression of interest to leanne.masetto@syd.catholic.edu.au.

Farewell to a long-serving staff member – Laurie Horder

I take this opportunity to farewell Laurie Horder who commenced at the College in 2004 as PDHPE Coordinator. Laurie over the years has also coordinated the Sport program and coached many successful representative Oz tag, cricket, AFL, swimming and athletics teams.

I would like to thank him for his service and expertise but more importantly for his real care and respect for the girls.

Vivienne Awad

Principal

Fourth Sunday of Lent

To fully understand this week’s Gospel passage, it is important to take the first reading into consideration as well. The account from 2 Chronicles describes the way in which the people began to neglect their relationship with God. Despite prophets and messengers being sent to them, they turned their backs on God. At about this time the Israelites were conquered, the Temple in Jerusalem destroyed and the survivors taken into exile in Babylon. For many, this was seen as a punishment from God because of their neglectful and selfish behaviour. But the reading demonstrates God’s infinite patience with humankind. God gives the people another chance and calls on them to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. God is willing to wipe the slate clean and start afresh. 

It is in this context that we must understand the Gospel passage. In it we hear what is, perhaps, the most famous verse in the New Testament. From John’s third chapter of his Gospel we hear, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (John 3:16) In yet another attempt to demonstrate love and forgiveness, God’s only Son – the Word made Flesh – is sent into the world to lead the people from darkness to light. Despite the many, many attempts by God to demonstrate love and foster a relationship with humankind, the people have repeatedly rejected the relationship with God and preferred to live a life of selfishness and darkness. Yet we see through both of these readings the forgiving and loving nature of God who keeps giving humankind one more chance.

In our day to day relationships, we often seek to test the limits of the love that is expressed towards us. Young people in particular, often test the boundaries of their parents’ love and the boundaries of others who care for them. Sometimes even teachers! It is often a test to reassure themselves of this love – will you still love me, even if I do this? Sunday’s readings portray the people of God as adolescents constantly testing out the limits of God’s love. In a remarkable act, God’s own Son is sent into the world to die as a sign of the lengths to which God will go to assure humanity of the love that is theirs for the taking.

The Gospel passage tells us that God’s Son was not sent into the world to condemn it, but rather, ‘so that through him the world might be saved’. It also tells us that whoever refuses to believe ‘is already condemned’. God does not condemn the world, nor individuals within it. Indeed, God is absolutely determined to save the world. However, we do sometimes condemn ourselves. When we turn our back on love; when we hide from relationships; when we wallow in selfishness – we shut ourselves off from our relationship with God and condemn ourselves. We only have to open our eyes to see the alternative!

Our Gospel reading speaks about people and actions that are ‘of the darkness’ and ‘of the light’. What are some actions in our world today that are ‘of the darkness’ and ‘of the light’? I’m sure you can think of many. What are some actions ‘of the light’ that we can take on that would make a difference in other people’s lives? This is what Lent is about – not just giving something up but taking something up in the service of others. Being the light in the darkness. It is this spirit of giving and sacrifice that Jesus modelled and that brings us closer in relationship to Him.

Prayer for Lent

Let us pray that as we continue the season of Lent we embrace the opportunity to:

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.

Fast from anger and be filled with patience.

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

Fast from worries and have trust in God.

Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.

Fast from pressures and be prayerful.

Fast from bitterness and fill our hearts with joy.

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.

Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

Fast from words and be silent so we can listen.

We pray that our only desire and our one choice is to choose what better leads to the deepening of God’s life in us.

We ask the Lord to guide our actions and to bless the St Ursula’s Community with His peace, His joy, His love.

Amen

Julie Monk
Religious Education Coordinator

Assistant Principal’s Message

Some reminders

Our school processes are outlined in the College planner, however there are a number that I would like to bring to your attention:

Before school supervision

Staff are rostered to supervise the Piazza from 8.10am each morning

College Communication – Compass Portal

Most communication from the College will be shared via the Compass Portal. Please ensure you have access to Compass which will also be used for submitting absence notes, approving attendance at excursions and events, viewing your daughter’s profile, and accessing school reports. Please see Compass information here. As parents and students have different roles, they also have different access in Compass. We ask that you do not share your Compass password with your daughter.

Compass Guide link here.

Forgotten items

If your daughter forgets to bring something to school, it is not the end of the world! We ask that parents refrain from bringing forgotten items to school reception. It is very difficult to get these to students throughout the day. Instead your daughter should talk to her PC teacher or year coordinator and we can make arrangements.

Safe and respectful travel to and from school

The College would like to remind students that when they travel to and from school in uniform, they are representing the College. We want our students to be safe at all times, respectful of other passengers, and behave in a manner that is congruent with their family and school values. It would be appreciated if you could remind your daughter:

• To be respectful of other passengers when travelling on buses and trains. A condition of their free concession fare is that they give up their seat for full fee paying adults. The Code of Conduct for buses is listed elsewhere in the newsletter.
• Take care on train platforms. I had a report this week of students running close to the edge of the platform at Padstow Station. Students should stay behind the yellow line.
• It is very congested leaving school in the afternoon. Please take care crossing the roads in front of the College and on Kingsgrove Road. Use crossings and pedestrian lights.
• Be mindful of members of the public when walking to and from school – often students become engrossed in conversations with their friends and block the footpaths.

A REMINDER : CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS ON BUSES

It is every student’s responsibility to behave in a manner that ensures the safety and comfort of passengers and drivers. This includes:

Behaviour on buses:

• Use appropriate language not offensive or racist language.
• Fighting, spitting, feet on seats, throwing things in or from the bus is not permitted.
• No eating or drinking (other than water) – unless for medical reasons or the bus operator gives written permission.
• Offer seats to adults including people with a disability, elderly or expectant mothers.
• Do not touch, push or shove other people.
• Do not bully or harass other passengers or the driver. This includes photographing, making lewd or suggestive comments, acting in a manner or participating in activities that may be deemed inappropriate or of a sexual nature.
• Avoid attracting the attention of the driver except in the case of emergency.
• Do not play music at such volume that it may distract the bus driver or other passengers.

Safety on and near buses:

• Obey reasonable directions from the driver (e.g. where to sit or to remain in the bus).
• Remain in your seat – do not move around the bus unnecessarily.
• If standing, remain behind the front passenger seat and keep a secure hand hold at all times.
• Keep bags and other items clear of the aisle.
• Do not allow any part of your body to protrude out of the bus at any time.
• Wait for the bus in a quiet and orderly manner – including at bus interchanges
  Stand away from the roadside until the bus comes to a complete stop.
• Allow other passengers to leave the bus before stepping onto the bus in a single line.
• Wait until the bus stops before moving to get off the bus at your designated stop.
• Wait until the bus leaves the stop and you have clear vision before crossing the road.
• Cross the road where and when it’s safe to do so, use crossings/traffic lights where available.

Legal considerations on buses:

• Wear the seat belt properly adjusted and fastened, if one is available.
• Obey the law that bans smoking on buses.
• Ensure that buses are not vandalised – report any damage, e.g. graffiti and window etching, to the driver.
• Do not interfere with bus property, equipment and signage.
• Do not leave rubbish on the bus, or at bus stops or interchanges.

Using bus passes:

• Show travel passes or tickets to the driver on boarding and to Authorised Revenue Protection Officers, NSW Police Officers or bus company representative when requested.
• Use the travel pass only for its intended purpose – do not lend your pass to other students or borrow a pass from them.
• Swipe or ‘dip’ passes in ticket readers if available when boarding.
• If issued with a School Opal card, always tap on when boarding and tap off when leaving the bus.

Students must follow regulations when travelling between home and school using public transport. All students must behave in a manner that ensures both their comfort and safety and that of other passengers.

Disobeying these rules may lead to:

• the withdrawal of school travel passes.
• banning students from travelling on public transport.
• police prosecution and court action.

School Drop-off and Pick-up Zone

For the safety of all our community I ask you to be aware of the following rules when dropping off or picking up your daughter from school. Sadly, I often see very poor behaviour from parents or others picking up students after school.

Our College in Bayside Council uses No Parking areas, signed as ‘Drop-off / Pick-up Zones’, ‘Kiss and Ride’, or ‘Kiss and Drop Zones’.

• These areas are always on the school side of the road and are designated by ‘No Parking’ signs.
• They provide a safe spot for parents and carers to drop off and collect their children from school by car. Drivers may drop off and pick up passengers legally within a two-minute timeframe. You cannot double park in this area.

No Parking signs

• You can only stop in a ‘No Parking Zone’ while picking up or setting down passengers or goods.
• You have a maximum of 2 minutes from the time you stop and must stay within 3 metres of your vehicle at all times.
• If times of operation are shown on the sign, the restriction applies only at those times.
• This is not a waiting area.
• Fines Exceed $187 + 2 Demerit Points.

Bus Zones

• A ‘Bus Zone’ is a ‘No Stopping Zone’ for vehicles other than buses. If times of operation are shown on the sign, the restriction applies only at those times.
• You must not park your vehicle less than 20 metres before or 10 metres after a bus stop.
• Fines Exceed $337 + 2 Demerit Points

U-turns

• Performing U-turns or three-point turns in School Zones is extremely dangerous.
• Performing U-turns across unbroken centre lines is illegal and is particularly dangerous around schools.
• Fine Exceeds $337 + 3 Demerit Points.

Double parking

• Do not double park at any time.
• Double parking is illegal and dangerous, especially around schools.
• It reduces visibility and blocks the road for other motorists.
• Fines Exceed $337 + 2 Demerit Points.

Driveways and footpaths

• When exiting or entering a driveway, a vehicle must give way to pedestrians on the footpath.
• Driveways are not playgrounds.
• Be aware that children can go unnoticed in front and behind your vehicle.
• Do not solely rely on reverse sensors or cameras in your vehicle.
• It is illegal to park in or across any driveway or to block a footpath at any time.
• Fines Exceed $337 + 2 Demerit Points.

Visitor car park

• Please do not block the driveway or park in the College visitor car park when dropping off or picking up your daughter.
• This car park is for visitors who have appointments at the College only.

Some safer options for you and your family

• Why not ask your daughter to meet you at Dowsett Park or in an adjoining street, away from the Bus Zones and crossings.
• The College library is open until 4:00 pm Monday to Thursday. If you are able to delay picking up your daughter until after the buses leave, your daughter could complete homework while waiting for you.
• If you do need to pick her up at the front of the College from 3:00 pm, please obey the parking signs and traffic rules.

I appreciate your support with these matters. If we can work together, all of our community will benefit.

Kind regards

Janet Cairncross

Assistant Principal

Archbishop Fisher’s Newsletter

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

Religious Education in Years 7-10

At a time when society is becoming increasingly secular, and some people even question the existence of God, there is an even greater need for young people to benefit from a high quality Religious Education curriculum.

Students in Years 7-10 are invited into a deeper and more intimate relationship with God through their exploration of the Scriptures, their participation in personal and communal prayer and their living out of Catholic social and moral teaching. All students enrolled in Sydney Catholic Schools are required to study Religious Education.

The Religious Education Curriculum contains five broad content strands, each containing content modules, for specific year groups.

Five content modules, one drawn from each of the strands are allocated to each year of study. Each of the content modules will be studied for 20 hours and will on their own comprise the Religious Education course throughout Years 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Strands

A statement for each strand encapsulates the Catholic theological understandings to be explored and developed with students throughout their years of Catholic education. The strands while separate are interconnected.

Strand A – Scriptures and Jesus

Strand B – Church and Community

Strand C – God, Religion and Life

Strand D – Prayer, Liturgy and the Sacraments

Strand E – Morality and Justice

Strand A – Scriptures and Jesus

God’s revelation is freely and lovingly communicated through: the natural world; the tradition of the people of Israel; the early Christian Church; and most particularly through Jesus Christ. The Scriptures are texts of faith, mediating this interaction. 

Christians engage with the Bible as the living Word of God in human words, giving meaning to their lives. They also use it in liturgy and ritual, and pray with it as a means of encounter with Jesus Christ (link to Prayer, Liturgy and Sacrament). Texts of other traditions are appreciated in the light of the relationship that Christians have with the Bible (link to God, Religion and Life). This content area grapples with the questions, ‘How can I know God? What does God ask of me?’

Strand B – Church and Community

Church is the community of Jesus’ disciples, united in and through the Word of God as expressed in Scripture and the living Tradition (link to Scripture and Jesus). The Word of God  continues to be encountered, celebrated and lived out in the Church. The mission of the Church  is to build up the common life of believers and to reach out in dialogue and shared action for the common good (link to God, Religion and Life). Each generation of the Church discerns the message of the Word of God for the contemporary context (link to Morality and Justice). This  content area grapples with the questions, ‘Where do I belong? How can I make a difference?’

Strand C – God, Religion and Life

Human beings seek meaning, value, and happiness in life, both individually and in relationships  with others. Many religious traditions propose that this search is met and responded to by a  transcendent power. From this encounter with the transcendent come worldviews, rituals and ethical norms that characterise a religious tradition (link to Prayer, Liturgy and Sacrament).  Christians recognise this transcendent other in the relational Trinitarian God (link to Scripture and Jesus) who is both the source and fulfilment of the human quest for unity, truth, beauty and  goodness (link to Morality and Justice). This content area grapples with the questions, ‘What is  life? How do I find meaning?’

Strand D – Prayer, Liturgy and the Sacraments

Public rituals and personal prayer practices are central to many religious traditions, which  express the human quest for spiritual union (link to God, Religion and Life). Catholics understand sacraments as the mediation of divine grace through rituals, of the supernatural through the natural, where the sacred is encountered in the everyday. As the source and summit, the Eucharist leads members more deeply into the communal life of the Church (link to  Church and Community) and the mystery of Christ’s life, death and resurrection, providing  nourishment for Christian living (link to Scripture and Jesus). Prayer and sacraments promote an inner, personal response and a commitment to the Church’s mission in the world (link to  Morality and Justice). This content area grapples with the questions, ‘Where is God? In whom do I trust?’

Strand E – Morality and Justice

In the light of the Scriptures, the human person is understood to be created ‘in the image and  likeness of God’ (Gen 1: 26) and called into a new existence through Christ (link to Jesus and  Scripture). This call gives rise to the unique freedom, dignity, and responsibility of human  beings. It requires a process of moral discernment that holds together our nature as humans  and the Christian vision of freedom and dignity in all areas of life: personal and relational integrity, economic and political participation, technological and ecological responsibility. Christians cooperate with all people to foster human flourishing, right relationship and the common good (link to God, Religion and Life). This content area grapples with the questions, ‘Who ought I be? How must I respond?’

What does this look like for each year group?

Each year group will study the following units of work – not necessarily in the order shown. For example, it makes sense to start the Year 7 curriculum with the Unit “What it means to be Catholic” as it provides a transition for our students who have not studied religion before, have come from non-Catholic feeder schools, or may not be practising Catholics. 

Religious Education in Sydney Catholic Schools brings faith into dialogue with life and has the capacity to be a source of wisdom, a stimulus to lifelong learning, a means to personal transformation and a call to missionary discipleship.

Religious Education is a scholastic discipline with the same systemic demands and the same rigour as other disciplines. Each year group will have 3 school based assessment tasks. Further, the students in Years 8 and 10 will sit the Archdiocesan RE Test in Term 4 which assesses their knowledge in stage 4 and stage 5 Religious Education respectively. 

The curriculum develops deep knowledge, understanding and skills of the faith, in light of Jesus and the Gospel. It fosters capacities and skills of discerning, interpreting, thinking critically, seeking truth and making meaning.

The Religious Education Curriculum of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, administered by Sydney Catholic Schools, and St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove, as authorised by His Grace, Anthony Fisher OP, the Archbishop of Sydney.

Julie Monk
Religious Education Coordinator

Calling our Ursuline Community

Ursuline Academy of Wilmington (Delaware, USA) and St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove (Sydney, Australia) are partnering together to create a cookbook with recipes from across our Global network. We were awarded a grant from the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools to support the implementation of a community kitchen at Mother of Peace, a school in Battambang, Cambodia founded by Ursuline Sisters in 2018. This community kitchen will bring together women from the school community to share the space, connect with one another, and benefit from the economic opportunities they are able to generate. Read more about the project here.

In celebration of this project, we will be formatting their recipes as the very first entries to an Ursuline Global Cookbook. All members of our global community are invited to submit recipes as well. We hope to have strong representation from across the world to showcase the beautiful cultural diversity in our  vast Ursuline network. Once complete, this cookbook will be sold across our Australian and American communities with all proceeds going back into the kitchen to support the amazing Cambodian women who have joined this team.

While physical books will be sold in the USA and Australia, an electronic file of the cookbook will also be available. This file can be shared with the different Ursuline provinces around the globe for printing and distribution in their respective communities.

We encourage any Ursuline sisters, students, family members, faculty/staff, and alumni to submit a recipe by filling out this form by March 15, 2024. We would also appreciate your help in spreading the word about this endeavour. If you would be able to share the recipe submission form and project concept with those in your communities, we would be most grateful.

We hope you and your Ursuline communities will take part in this opportunity, and we thank you for your consideration!

Antoinette Nader
Assistant REC & Youth Ministry Coordinator

Pastoral Care 2024 – Scope and Sequence

At the heart of every thriving educational community lies a robust system of pastoral care – a supportive network dedicated to nurturing the holistic wellbeing of each student.

Pastoral care extends beyond academic achievement to encompass the emotional, social, and personal development of every individual within our school community. Here at St Ursula’s, we understand that our students are more than just learners; they are unique individuals with diverse needs, aspirations, and challenges.

So, what exactly does pastoral care entail, and why is it so crucial in our educational journey?

• Providing a Safe and Supportive Environment
• Fostering Emotional Resilience 
• Encouraging Personal Growth
• Building Positive Relationships
• Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing

Through our comprehensive pastoral care framework, we strive to create a supportive community where every student feels empowered to pursue their passions, overcome obstacles, and embrace their unique journey of growth and discovery.

Our Pastoral Care Program for 2024 is outlined below. We encourage you to discuss with your daughter some of the areas she will be exploring in her Pastoral Care this year.

2024 Pastoral Care Scope and Sequence

The Pastoral Care program is sequential and developmental in nature, designed to support students’ socio-emotional learning. The key focus areas across our PC programs, Years 7 to 12  are:

• Focus on Year group value
• Student Leadership/Voice
• Positive relationships
• Respectful relationships
• Developing a Growth mindset
• Self-care
• Careers
• Links to Supplementary programs
• Preparing for post school life

Anne Sukkar
Leader of Wellbeing

Welcome from the Diverse Learning Team

The Diverse Learning Team at St Ursula’s welcomes you to the 2024 school year and would like to introduce you to our team.

Diverse Learning Teachers:

• Years 7 & 8 – Mrs Valerie Valacas (M,T,W,F)
• Years 9 & 10 – Mrs Louisa Stanford (M,T,W,T)
• Years 11 & 12 – Ms Margaret Kelly (F/T)

Along with our Diverse Learning Teachers, the team has a very experienced and dedicated group of Learning Support Officers working across Years 7-12. They are:

• Mrs Angela Soldatos (M,T,T,F)
• Mrs Mariam Daoud (M,T,T,F)
• Mrs Noha Hage (F/T)

The Diverse Learning teachers of each year group will be in contact with you this term to introduce themselves and invite you to a Personalised Learning Plan (PLP) Meeting.

If you have immediate concerns and/or questions and would like to speak with us, please contact the college.

Thank you,

Mrs Lara Summersford
Leader of Inclusive Education

Year 7 reflect on their journey so far

I wish to commend all the newest members of our community who have successfully transitioned into Year 7 and College life. Every student brings different talents and uniqueness and our goal this year is to unite together, to accept and celebrate each other’s success and to support each other through this first year of their high school journey.

Thank you to the following students, Arianna and Sarah, who have shared their experiences at the College so far. 

Diana Chronopoulos 

Year 7 Coordinator

Transitioning to high school was very exciting and nerve-racking. It’s like starting a new chapter in a book you have been reading your whole life. Let’s rewind to our first day. On Thursday morning, Brescia Hall buzzed with excitement as we were eagerly waiting for Mrs Chronopoulos to kick off our high school journey. This was the start of an exciting beginning for us!

Our first Monday was a wonderful day! We had our Amadeus incursion! The Hot Potato Band was showcasing all the instruments we could play. The instrument I’m playing every Thursday afternoon is… the clarinet! I’m so happy to be part of this program!

The Opening School Mass was great because we got to be with our Year 12 big sisters! The week after we had our Ash Wednesday Liturgy to celebrate the start of Lent!

Let’s not forget the ultimate highlight so far – THE SWIMMING CARNIVAL! A day full of races and fun! Whether you were racing, playing volleyball or enjoying the indoor pool, it was a blast!

It’s been 3 weeks and this is only some of the amazing things we have done! I wonder what’s going to happen next?

Arianna Tahhan

Starting a new journey into high school can feel like a roller coaster of emotions. You’re excited and nervous at the same time. It feels like I’m back in kindergarten not knowing where everything is and feeling like the odd one out. But St Ursula’s made me feel welcome and it felt like I belonged. I am delighted to be sharing my experience as I started a new journey into high school at St Ursula’s College.

My first day of high school was a little bit nerve-wracking for me but I was comforted to know that I wasn’t alone. We all met in our PC classes in Brescia Gym and our year coordinator talked and introduced a few new things to us. Something that I enjoyed about my first weeks of high school was that I was taken around to my classes and after every period we would meet in the same spot and our teachers would take us to our next class. This also gave us a chance to remember what classrooms we were in. Finding your way around a new and big school can be daunting but as you know everyone around you is in the same boat, so there was nothing to worry about. 

All the teachers at St Ursula’s are really friendly and willing to help you no matter what. I am very grateful for that. Especially because sometimes we would get lost around the school. The teachers are always inclined to give us a helping hand. 

I have enjoyed having a big sister in Year 12. I think that this program is great as we do lots of fun and entertaining activities together and I have a buddy to help me around. My big sister is super kind and has taught me lots of new things and given me some good advice. 

I have enjoyed the wide variety of opportunities and a range of clubs. Some interschool competitive sports include netball, oz tag ( two of my favourite sports ) basketball and soccer. Even if you don’t get into these teams there are always PE lessons on a Thursday which teach you various skills. I am currently doing extreme martial arts which has been pretty good so far. 

Not only that, St Ursula’s offers the Amadeus Music Program which goes for two years. We play on a Thursday afternoon. We had a Hot Potato band, which was super amusing, to come to our school and play a whole heap of different instruments. I am currently playing the viola which I am very excited to learn more about in the coming years. 

I am so grateful for all the girls I have met in my grade and classes and we have all come from different primary schools. Moving to different classes after every period and having new teachers for every lesson is such a change from primary school that I enjoy. 

My favourite thing about St Ursula’s so far has been the SWIMMING CARNIVAL!!!  It was such a fun-filled day, competing in lots of races and having fun in the free swim and the indoor pool. Not only that, but the volleyball net was super entertaining. Much different from our years at primary school. It was also a great chance to meet some girls in my grade.

So far, for me, high school has been a delightful experience and I look forward to the coming years filled with great fun, joy and learning. 

Sarah Shidiak

Orchestra, Amadeus and More!

The Urshies Orchestra started last week. This orchestra is made up of Woodwind, Brass, Percussion and Strings! We have started to prepare for the SCS eisteddfod! We rehearse 7.45 am – 8.40 am in D block (music rooms) on a Tuesday. New members are always welcome.

If you would like to join any of our ensembles, such as choir, stage band (advanced players) please click here to sign up using the google form.

Our Year 7 students have all started the Amadeus Program at St Ursula’s College. Every student has the opportunity to take home an instrument! Students will be having small group instrumental tuition and large ensemble (such as concert band or orchestra) rehearsals once a week during their music class time and during Thursday afternoon period 5. If your daughter is involved please make sure she brings her instrument each Thursday to this wonderful opportunity!

Sarah Olsen
Music Educator and Amadeus Coordinator

Peaceful Kids Program

We will be running the ‘Peaceful Kids’ Program with Year 7 students in Terms 1 & 2. Please let your daughter’s Year Coordinator know if you are interested in this program for your child.

The ‘Peaceful Kids’ program is a Mindfulness and Positive Psychology based program to lessen anxiety and stress and increase resilience in children. This program helps children to build their emotional resilience, so they are better equipped to deal with the day-to-day stresses that life brings them. The program also involves parental involvement and commitment to supporting the strategies at home.

Please see the website for more information: 

The aims of Peaceful Kids include:

• To minimise the symptoms of anxiety and stress.
• To build emotional resilience.
• To empower children to self-manage their anxiety.
• To teach children mindfulness exercises they can use for life.
• To build a reservoir of ‘strength’ to enable children to cope with life more effectively.
• To minimise anxiety symptoms occurring in the future.
• To teach children to use a range of effective coping strategies.
• To teach children to self-calm.
• To develop emotional intelligence skills.
• To teach children life-long skills to manage stress and prevent stress build up.
• To support children so that they know they are not alone suffering from anxiety.

Program structure:

Peaceful Kids is an 8 week program for a small group of primary or secondary aged children.
A group of selected children participate each week.
Sessions are for approximately 1 hour each week.
Sessions include learning a range of mindfulness strategies, mediations and positive psychology exercises.
The group works effectively with approximately 6-8 kids participating.

Children learn about:

• Basic theory on mindfulness and how it affects the brain and lessens stress and anxiety.
• The different ways to practice mindfulness and integrate it into their lives.
• Their feelings and how this relates to anxiety and stress levels.
• Understanding anxiety and how it relates personally to them.
• Understanding triggers for stress and how to calm down when feeling stressed.
• Physical symptoms of stress and anxiety and learning to identify when they need to take time out to calm themselves.
• Worrying and how it affects their happiness.
• Different types of thinking that increase or lessen anxiety.
• Noticing their own self-talk and how this affects worrying and stress levels.
• Creating a balanced lifestyle including chill out time and being in the flow.

Georgina Watney
College Counsellor

Year 9 Reflect on Sister Mary Mother of the Cross Production

Liana Kazzi and Keira Yazbeck

“On Wednesday, our Year 9 cohort shared an exciting experience while watching a captivating dramatisation of the life of St Mary MacKillop. This incursion gave us insight into the life of St Mary of the Cross and devolved into her inspiring journey as well as all the setbacks she faced. The actors made the play not only entertaining but engaging, even getting our peers involved, and because of this, we all learnt so much! We gained a deeper understanding of her life and how the Sisters of St Joseph were established, seamlessly connecting with the broader topic we have been studying in Catholic Studies – the Church in Australia. The performance offered us valuable insights into the struggles and successes of St Mark MacKillop and we will take the information we learnt and apply it in our current topic. Overall, we had so much fun, which made this an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.”

Logno Halsona

“The St. Mary MacKillop incursion was both enjoyable and educational because it successfully held our attention with humour and interactive activities throughout the play. It also gave us insight into Mary Mackillop’s struggles and demonstrated how her life’s work influenced the growth of the Australian Catholic Church.” 

Tiara Lie

“The play on Mary Mackillop’s life we watched in Brescia gave us a visual and interactive understanding of her life and how she has impacted the Catholic Church. This topic connects to our Year 9 religion classes as we have been learning about The Catholic Church in Australia where Mary Mackillop the first Australian Saint left a significant impact by establishing schools as her vision was to provide education for underprivileged children.” 

Victoria A Pandis

“Our first unit in Year 9 Catholic studies mainly centres on the history of the Catholic Church within Australia. Such is why the play about Mary Mackillop that we watched on the 28th of February 2024, was extremely interesting and extended our understanding of such an important figure of Australia’s history. The play started with foreshadowing Mackillop’s death, and recounted the events of her life starting with her vows for becoming a nun at the age of twenty-three to her death much later. A troupe of just two (one playing Mary Mackillop, the other every other character) and a stage with only three standing blocks counterintuitively managed to engross us. It was nothing over the top, not with a hint of grandiose, and yet with their acting alone, were we able to imagine what they wanted the setting to look like. They even managed to conjure audience participation by inviting some of us to enter the “stage”, acting as specific (albeit made up) characters. If these spontaneous actors managed to hold in their laughter for their situation, they could sometimes deliver their lines to move the plot along. A very commendable way for an audience to have fun during a play. The only criticism that I have for this play was their partial censorship of Mary Mackillop’s excommunication, instead portraying the excommunicator (Bishop Sheil) as an egoist threatened by Mackillop’s refusal of obedience and not a man incorrectly punishing a nun for her reporting a fellow priest’s deplorable crimes. An interesting touch indeed. Regardless, the play was an enjoyable hour both educational and entertaining that all of us would recommend for year groups to follow.”

Peggy Hammond

“On Wednesday my year group had the privilege of viewing a play about the life of Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop. The play strongly portrayed the incredible life of Mary MacKillop, showing her hardships and determination to fight for justice and education. It also highlighted how hard it must have been for St Mary MacKillop to take on a leadership role in a Church that was solely governed by men, as a young woman. It was inspiring to see how she overcame challenges with unwavering faith and perseverance. The performance displayed to me the importance of standing up for what is right and never losing hope in the face of adversity.”

Budding Graphic Designers

Our Stage 5 designers were treated to a wonderful graphic design incursion led by Ms Blake. The students were engaged in hands-on activities, learning about how to use mood boards and collages to inspire their designs before creating their own logos and engaging in activities for Girls’ Night In! You will see their signage, posters and packaging soon!

Here’s what some of our Year 9 students had to say about their experience:

This incursion really helped me open my eyes on what it’s like being a graphic designer. In this incursion, we learnt what and how to make a mood board, how our quick and simple ideas can create a cool logo and how to plan and make a poster. We learnt how to make our posters and logos attractive by using different colours that match and contrast, by using the hierarchy method on posters and lots of other interactive and hands-on activities.

Joliene Cerin 

It was great to learn graphic design with Ms Blake! She explained everything so simply, including how certain elements, like colours, can really bring a design to life. She helped me learn how to create amazing visuals and to experiment with various digital tools. I learned from Ms. Blake that graphic design is about more than simply making things seem good; it’s also about making them function. I’m now really eager to continue discovering and creating new things! Thank you to Ms Mann and Ms Blake for a wonderful incursion.

Kristy Chalhoub 

I had a great time exploring and learning about the field of graphic design. Particularly when we were asked to make our own mood board. Inspired by Ms Blake’s amazing work she showed us, I then designed my own logo using just my initials. It was really fun and I enjoyed it very much. Thank you Ms Mann and Ms Blake 

Olivia Gois

In this session, we began by introducing the concept of mood boards and their role in visual storytelling. We then explored the importance of logos as powerful symbols of identity and branding. Finally, we applied our understanding by creating personalised logos and designing posters for the upcoming ‘Girls’ Night In’ event.

Alessia Stumpo

Year 10 “Women of Action

What an incredible Friday it was on 1 March, as our Year 10 students dove headfirst into the Clean Up Australia School Clean Up initiative! The enthusiasm and dedication displayed by many girls truly embodied our Year 10 Goal of Women of Action.

A group of energetic students, fuelled by a passion for community service, took to the task of cleaning up our school environment. It wasn’t just about picking up litter; it was a hands-on lesson in the impact of rubbish on our local surroundings.
The Clean Up Australia at School initiative served as a reminder to everyone about the real consequences of neglecting our environment. But beyond that, it was a celebration of our Year 10 Goal – Women of Action. The collective effort was not just about tidying up; it was a powerful example of teamwork, shared responsibility, and a commitment to making a positive impact

Year 10 students, true Women of Action, making a difference one clean-up at a time!

Mrs Ashleigh O’Neill
Year 10 Coordinator

Aboriginal Cultural Excursion

A fun and educational day out! Although we missed our Tribal Warrior experience due to engine trouble, we made the most of the day by going to the MCA and Australian Museum instead. We learnt about Kevin Gilbert’s role in the Tent Embassy and saw his artwork in text about the massacre at Kiakatoo, NSW. We also admired some bark paintings showing giant kangaroos.

At the museum Audrey found the traditional lands of the Dharawal people on the map and Jasmine admired a bark canoe which will feature in her Design and Technology Major Work. We all learnt about the relationship between flora and fauna that Aboriginal people used on the interactive weather calendar – for instance when the cicadas are calling in December it means the prawns will be running. Crowd favourite was the animated video of Gurangatch explaining the creation of the Jenolan Caves.

Hopefully, we will be able to report on our Walk on Country later this year.

True Johnson and Violet Parmagos (Year 8)

Kaileigh Nascimento, Maya Robinson, Bridget Tink, Emily Tink (Year 10)

Audrey Heiss, Jasmine Lattouf, Jessie-Marie Rifkin (Year 12)

Beyond the HSC

This year we will explore the post-school journey of a number of students from our graduating class of 2023.

After completing her HSC in 2023, Arianna has been accepted into the NSW Government Infrastructure Traineeship Program. In this 2-year program, she will gain experience across different sectors like government, industry and consultancy. 

Having project management skills is highly regarded in all industries. The ability to lead, plan, and execute projects to stringent deadlines and budgets is a primary skill in all areas of work. Arianna will do tasks such as supporting large projects, collecting and analysing business data, organising and holding meetings with stakeholders and many other business related tasks across a number of projects within her traineeship. The program will conclude with earning a Cert IV in Project management.

We congratulate Arianna on this wonderful opportunity!

Heather Jesuadian
Leader of Teaching & Learning Innovation/IB Coordinator

NAPLAN Online

In preparation for NAPLAN Online in March 2024, Year 7 and 9 students will participate in the NAPLAN Online Tests during weeks 6,7 and 8 of term 1. A letter has been sent to parents of Year 7 and 9 regarding the details of this test via Compass, however, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of the benefits of NAPLAN moving from paper to online testing.

NAPLAN Online uses a tailored test design that automatically adapts to a student’s test performance and asks questions that match the student’s achievement level. Students in each year level start with the same set of questions which can then branch into a different set of questions based on their responses to the first set of questions.

Tailored testing also allows students to demonstrate what they know and encourages students to stay engaged with the test. Research suggests that students are far more engaged with electronic testing and that they try harder and persist longer thus providing a more accurate assessment of their skills. Hence, tailored testing provides teachers and schools access to more targeted and detailed information on students’ performance.

Results from NAPLAN Online will have a much faster turnaround time and as a result teachers will be able to tailor their teaching to your daughter’s needs much earlier than they have been able to before. Ultimately, NAPLAN Online will provide you, your daughter and her teachers with a more precise insight into her literacy and numeracy skills.

If you and your daughter are interested in familiarising yourselves with the NAPLAN Online format you can access the NAPLAN Online demonstration site that includes sample tests for each NAPLAN year. Use this link for more information.

Amy Bosnich
Leader of Curriculum

Thursday Sport

Open Day 2024

The College will be holding it’s annual Open Day on 6 March. Campus Tours will be held on Thursday 7 March and Friday 8 March between 9:00am-10:30am.

Registration for Open Day and Campus Tours are essential. Please see the below flyer.

Second Hand Uniform Shop

We have received many donations of good, clean second-hand uniforms over the past few weeks and we are pleased to advise that the second-hand uniform shop will be OPEN from 1.30 pm to 2.00 pm on Wednesday 13 March and if stocks last, at the same time on Friday 22 March.

Please come to the College office at 1.30 pm and if you would like your daughter to try on a uniform please ask her to meet you at Student Services at the start of lunch.

College socks

We are pleased to advise that Taleb Australia is offering to St Ursula’s families a special $3.00 discount on a 4-pack of College socks. So if you need to stock up on College socks please contact Taleb directly.

Girls Night In – SAVE THE DATE

How You Can Make Technology an Ally

We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting their next parent webinar on technology and focus on 13 March 2024.

Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school. 

Sign up for the session below to learn how you can turn technology from a distraction into an incentive to study.  

How You Can Make Technology an Ally (& Not the Enemy!)

Wednesday 13t March 6:30-7:30pm (AEDT)

Click here to register for free 

Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:  

 Reducing your child’s dependence on technology  

 Using apps to prevent your child procrastinating  

 Using technology to enhance your child’s learning 

 
We hope to see you there! 

Click here to register for free 

Heather Jesuadian

Leader of Teaching & Learning Innovation/IB Coordinator

Student information collected by Australian Government

Please read this notice from the Australian Government which explains that the Department of Education has requested that your child’s school provides your residential address and other information.

You are not required to do anything except ensure your details recorded with the College are up-to-date and correct. You can update your email address and telephone number through the Compass parent portal, however, any changes to your residential address must be sent in writing to the College. Please email info@stursulakingsgrove.catholic.edu.au.

If you have any concerns or queries regarding the collection, please contact the Australian Government using the contact details provided in the notice.

SCS Interschool Sport and School Holiday Camps

Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) is providing a number of exciting opportunities for students to participate in the upcoming Term 1 holiday period. Please click here to see our flyer. Further opportunities during the holiday period can be found on the SCS Sport website.

In addition to our holiday program please see our SCS website for our interschool sport program.

Jaclyn Mott
Sports Plus Coordinator

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Members of the school community are invited to follow St Ursula’s on Facebook and on Instagram. If you know anyone considering high schools for their daughter, you may also like to share our accounts with them. 

Our social media platforms feature photos and videos of our students’ many achievements and learning experiences, latest events and other exciting news from around the school.

Our handle on both Facebook and Instagram is @stursulascollegekingsgrove.