From the P&F Association
Beginning of Term Update
As we embark on a new term at Santa Sabina College, we are filled with anticipation for the opportunities that lie ahead. This newsletter will bring you updates on recent achievements and upcoming activities within our community. From the resounding success of our Mother’s Day week celebrations to the introduction of new members to the Parents and Friends (P&F) Association, we continue to witness the incredible spirit of collaboration and support that makes Santa Sabina such a special place. Join us as we reflect on these events and look forward to an exciting term of learning, growth, and community engagement.
Mother’s Day Week of Events
The week dedicated to Mother’s Day is one of the most bustling times on the P&F calendar at Santa Sabina College. This period features a variety of events, including the Mother’s Day Stall, Breakfast, Lunch, and Raffle. All of these events are the culmination of months of planning and hard work. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire P&F, school staff, volunteers and donors involved in orchestrating these events.
A special acknowledgment goes to the Mother’s Day Committee – Alex Cantali, Meaghan Aldridge-Chow, Tatiana Raffaele, Janelle Powter, Babitha Toal, Daniel Pace, and Ben Middleton – for their exceptional efforts in ensuring the week of events ran smoothly and successfully.
We also deeply appreciate our Mother’s Day Stall sub-committee, who played a crucial role in making the stall and gifts extraordinarily memorable. Special thanks to Meaghan Aldridge-Chow, Houda Taouk, Marie Gebrael, Christine Saade, Sai Zanon and all the volunteer gift wrappers. Your contributions truly enriched this special occasion for all involved. Thank you all for your hard work and commitment to making Mother’s Day week a tremendous success.
Special Mother’s Day Raffle Thank You
The Mother’s Day Raffle was a tremendous success, raising over $7500 thanks to the generous support of our community! The funds raised are dedicated to hosting beloved community events like the Mother’s and Father’s Day breakfasts, which play a crucial role in strengthening the bonds within our SSC community. Additionally, proceeds are also donated directly to the school, aiding in addressing immediate needs and enhancing the educational environment for our children.
Congratulations to all of the lucky raffle winners, be sure to collect your prizes if you haven’t already done so.
Lastly, We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who generously donated prizes for the Mother’s Day Raffle:
- Oliveto Restaurant and Bar
- Inner West Nutrition – Zugajev Family
- Formaggio Ocello – Ocello Family
- Adore Me – Ayoub Family
- The Dinner Ladies – Curran Family
- Boxed With Love – Gebrael Family
- Patrick Nader Fine Jewellery – Nader Family
- Crowne Plaza Hotels – Akkawi Family
- Pharmacy 4 Less Five Dock – Khawaja and Tadros Families
- Evolution Laser – Antwan Family
- Sulukojian Family
- Ghobrial Family
- D’amico Family
Parent and Family Catch Ups
We’ve had some delightful gatherings since the end of Term 1. On 7 April, our Prep families enjoyed a lovely catch-up at Jungle Buddies in Five Dock, where parents relaxed while the kids went bananas. Similarly, the Year 2 families came together on 6 April at the Canada Bay Club. These gatherings are a wonderful opportunity for families to connect, share experiences, and strengthen relationships within their respective year groups. We look forward to more of these enriching interactions throughout the year. See Parent Catch Ups below for upcoming gatherings and Past Events section below for photos.
Welcome to our new P&F members
We are thrilled to welcome Jumana Commisso as our new Communications Coordinator and Kate Kenniff as Assistant Communications Coordinator to the SSC P&F Association. Jumana and Kate bring a wealth of enthusiasm and expertise to their roles, and we are excited to see their contributions enhance our community communications. With backgrounds in Law (Jumana) and Marketing (Kate), this dynamic duo is sure to bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to our ongoing efforts to connect and engage with all SSC families. Thank you for volunteering and stepping as our newest P&F members.
Upcoming Events
SSC P&F Term 2 General Meeting
Santa Sabina College Parents and Friends are cordially invited to our Term 2 General Meeting:
🗓 Date: Wednesday 22 May 2024
⏰ Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
This meeting is a valuable opportunity to engage with the school community, discuss important topics, and share your insights. Your participation is crucial as we work together to support our students and the school.
Agenda Items: If you have any topics you would like to raise during the meeting, please email them to the P&F Secretary at secretary@ssc.nsw.edu.au.
Please mark your calendars! We look forward to seeing you there.
🎉 Save the Date: Primary School Disco! 🎉
Hey Santa Sabina families! Get ready to put on your dancing shoes for the upcoming Primary School Disco.
🗓 Date: Thursday 14 June
📍 Location: To be announced
🪩Disco Times:
- 🕔 5:00pm to 5:45pm – Prep, Kindergarten, and Year 1
- 🕕 6:00pm to 7:00pm – Year 2, Year 3, and Year 4
- 🕖 7:15pm to 8:30pm – Gioia House
Dust off those dance moves and prepare for an evening of fun, music, and dancing! More details and the Trybooking link for tickets will be sent out soon. Make sure to keep an eye out so you can join the fun!
Looking forward to a fantastic disco night with our amazing little dancers! 🎶🕺💃
Parent Catch Ups
Year 7 Family Night Out
Hello Year 7 families! Join us for a fun-filled family night out at The Home Grounds in Five Dock.
🗓 Date: Friday 3 May
⏰ Time: 6:30pm
📍 Location: The Home Grounds, Five Dock
📅 RSVP by: 24 May
🍽 Cost: Purchase your own meals and drinks at the bistro upon arrival.
It’s a great opportunity to relax, enjoy some delicious food, and get to know other families in our Year 7 community. Don’t miss out on this evening of casual dining and friendly conversation!
Click here to RSVP via TryBooking. Looking forward to seeing all of you there! 🎉
🌟 Save the Date: Year 12 Parent Lunch! 🌟
Hello Year 12 parents! Mark your calendars for a special lunch event just for you.
🗓 Date: Friday 2 August 2024
⏰ Time: To be announced
📍 Location: Strathfield Golf Club
Join us for a delightful afternoon where you can unwind and connect with other Year 12 parents as we celebrate our students’ final year at Santa Sabina.
Details on how to RSVP and more information will follow soon. We look forward to seeing you there for a memorable gathering!
Past Events
Mother’s Day Gift Wrappers🎁
A special thank you to all the parents who volunteered to gift wrap for the Mother’s Day stall. It was a monumental task and your efforts made a Mother’s Day extra special for our primary school mums, aunts, grandmas and mother figures.
P&F Mother’s Day Stall! 🌷
Thank you dearly to our Mother’s Day Stall sub-committee who helped make Mother’s Day extra special. Shout out to Meaghan Aldridge-Chow, Houda Taouk, Marie Gebrael, Christine Saade and Sia Zanon.
Mother’s Day Breakfast🌸
On behalf of all the SSC Families and the P&F, a big thank you to all those who volunteered to help make the Mother’s Day Breakfast a huge success. These events don’t happen on their own and we couldn’t have done it without you!
Mother’s Day Lunch and Raffle🌷
The Mother’s Day Lunch and Raffle was a huge success. A special thank you to all the donors, Oliveto Restaurant and Bar, and the Mother’s Day Committee. The lunch and raffle was a perfect ending to cap off an amazing week of appreciation for mother’s and mother figures in our community!
Prep Family Catch Up
The Prep families had a fantastic time getting to know each other at Jungle Buddies in Five Dock.
Year 2 Family Catch Up
The Year 2 Families had a blast at the Canada Bay Club, they were thrilled that the amazing and talented photographer Giovanni Portelli managed to take and be in the photo 😂!
Parent Education
‘You be You’ by Debra Brodowski
As parents and caregivers we want the best for our young people. We spend endless hours ferrying them around to different activities/sports/music rehearsals, give them numerous opportunities to try new things, and support exploring their different interests. Why do we do this? Well, I’d like to think that we do this because we want our young people to grow up to be their best version of themselves, whatever that might look like for them. My daughters roll their eyes when they hear me remark how ‘I never had such amazing opportunities available to me when I was their age’.
Aside from the activities, parents and caregivers can also support their young people in being curious in the world; exploring different areas of interests through reading, visiting different areas, and having different experiences.
These experiences are all helpful for self-exploration and positive development. Thinking about this more closely, what does this mean for their future? Through these experiences, your young person can be supported in the following ways:
- Finding their passion (or passions) and charting a course where their life might begin outside of Santa Sabina
- Finding their own voice in what is important to them
- Realising that a starting point post Santa Sabina is just a part of the next chapter of life, and not the conclusion
Having ongoing conversations with our young people about:
- What do you love doing? Why?
- What is important to you? Why?
- What do you love learning about? Why?
… can all give clues about where their next step outside of Santa Sabina might look like for them.
These conversations also don’t need to start in the later high school years, exploring interests and passions and what brings joy to your day and your learning can start early.
If I could speak to my younger self, I would say ‘don’t pretend to be something you’re not, leverage your unique skills and be you, so that, to paraphrase Mahatma Ghandi, “you can shake the world”‘.