Head of Primary P-6
As we come to the end of yet another bustling school term, it’s time to take a step back and reflect on the remarkable efforts and accomplishments of our students over the past nine weeks. Santa Sabina College is a unique place where students immerse themselves in rich academic, pastoral, and co-curricular experiences.
Congratulations to all students for their unyielding commitment to learning and enthusiastic participation in a range of sports, music, and co-curricular programs within and outside of the College. Our spirits soared witnessing our students come alive on stage during the College Gala concert this week. It was more than just a concert, it was a symphony of world-class performances, where every student stepped into the spotlight. The air was filled with the harmonious chords of instruments, the melodic echoes of singing, and the rhythmic sway of dancing. With numerous Del Monte and Gioia House students taking part in multiple performances throughout the night, the Gala was an exemplary display of the collective talent of our students and music faculty, serving as a source of immense joy for everyone.
Safety on Carrington Avenue
Ms Skerman and I have repeatedly written to our families to request your cooperation in respecting the private properties around our school, including not using the neighbouring Uniting Church car park or parking in private driveways. Unfortunately, we continue to witness instances where families disregard traffic rules on Carrington Avenue, such as making illegal turns and blocking walkways. Such practices compromise the safety of our students.
For everyone’s safety, please use the designated crossing on Carrington Avenue. It is crucial to remember that our children are observing and learning from our actions; adhering to these guidelines sets a positive example and teaches them the importance of safety.
We acknowledge that many families have children participating in after-school activities at the Community Halls, such as Kumon and dance classes. Parents of students enrolled in these activities are permitted to park in the church car park. To facilitate coordination between the Uniting Church and the College, we ask these families to obtain a parking sticker from the Del Monte Reception. Please display this sticker on your family’s Kiss and Ride sign to be allowed parking access during after-school activities.
We have also contacted Strathfield Council to request that rangers be dispatched to ensure the safety of our students on Carrington Avenue during drop-off and pick-up hours. Please be aware that any parent who parks illegally or violates traffic regulations risks receiving a fine or having their vehicle towed.
We appreciate your ongoing cooperation and support in maintaining a safe environment for our students.
Gioia House Junior Ethics Olympiad
Our young philosophers recently took part in the Junior Ethics Olympiad. This unique platform provided our students with an excellent opportunity to navigate the challenging yet fascinating world of ethical dilemmas. It was a great experience for the participants, as they exercised their critical thinking skills, embraced collaborative discussions, and explored varied ethical perspectives. The passion and diligence demonstrated by our students were truly remarkable, making it a day of valuable learning and intellectual growth. We congratulate all participants for their commitment to lunchtime training and commendable performance, and we look forward to more such enriching experiences in the future. I also want to acknowledge all the hard work of the Senior student coaches, Kate Pitman-Fernandez, Emily Hirschhorn, and Eve Ardagna who generously shared their time and expertise with the Gioia House teams.
Congratulations to the Ethic Olympiad Blue Team for achieving second place and Black Team receiving an honourable mention from the judges.
Blue Team
Michelle Ho, Jorja Matthews, Sophie Ash, Rachel Michael and Elizabeth Saade.
Black Team
Valentina Dal Pra, Alannah Jabbour, Isabella Grasso, Alexandra Nakhle, Lillian Mackey and Petra Lam.
Semester 1 Academic Reports
Semester 1 Academic Reports will be made available to parents on Wednesday 26 June. You will notice the improvement we have made to the reports, designed to provide parents with more comprehensive information about how their child is achieving specific learning outcomes. Semester reports allow us to honour students’ learning journeys. We invite you to read the teachers’ observations and celebrate your child’s accomplishments. Furthermore, we encourage a collaborative approach towards any proposed recommendations to further enhance your child’s progress. A huge amount of time goes into writing each student’s report. I thank each teacher for the considerable out of hours time put into these reports. Our commitment to your child’s learning goes beyond the academic reports. Our teachers will continue to reach out to you directly if there are any concerns or updates regarding your child’s progress in the classroom.
We hope the recent parent-teacher-student interviews have given you further insights into your child’s progress. Additionally, Year 3 and 5 parents will receive their child’s NAPLAN Individual Student Report at the beginning of Term 3.
Del Monte Semester 1 Dominican Awards
Congratulations to all our students for their dedication and commitment, whether in the classroom, on the sports field, or on the performing stage. We celebrate every achievement, big and small, and are immensely proud of the progress each student has made. A special congratulations goes out to the recipients of the Dominican Award for Semester 1.
Blessed Jane of Aza Award
Kindergarten Isabelle Ghobrial
Year 1 Mansoura Taouk
Year 2 Melody Caesar Cho
Year 3 Mark Khawaja
Year 4 Dohhyun Park
Blessed Fra Angelico Award
Kindergarten Olivia Tang
Year 1 Lucas Nguyen
Year 2 Chanel Nasr
Year 3 Alicia Wu
Year 4 Daphne Nguyen
St Thomas Aquinas Award
Kindergarten Braydon Zhang
Year 1 Serena Dong
Year 2 Gabriella Abbonizio
Year 3 Irene Jung
Year 4 Scarlett Ghossein
St Martin De Porres Award
Kindergarten Madison Maralit
Year 1 Chanel Seely
Year 2 Samuel Van Hore
Year 3 Esther Sophia Ghobrial
Year 4 Alexandra Polycarpou
St Albert the Great Award
Kindergarten Leo Deng
Year 1 Sooah Cho
Year 2 Oscar Kochman
Year 3 Isabelle Lee
Year 4 Elijah Au
St Catherine of Siena Award
Kindergarten Matthew Korb-Wells
Year 1 Chloe Nguyen
Year 2 Aria Serafin
Year 3 Chloe Cruz
Year 4 Alexandra Manconi
St Dominic Award
Kindergarten Oliver Ghobrial
Year 1 Darren Chang
Year 2 Ollie Bezzina
Year 3 Yousseff Taouk
Year 4 Riha Han
Gioia House Semester 1 Academic Awards
We look forward to acknowledging the Gioia House Award recipients on Tuesday 23 July at 10:30am in the College Hall. Parents of students receiving awards will receive an invitation to join us at this special assembly to celebrate their children’s achievements.
Term 3 key events
St Dominic’s Day
On Friday 2 August, the College will gather as a community to celebrate the Feast of St Dominic, marking a special moment in our community and our shared heritage.
St Dominic founded the Order of Preachers in the 13th century, choosing the motto Veritas – Truth for his new religious order of friars and sisters. Dominic preached as Jesus had done and studied to be well informed about the world.
This year is particularly momentous as we also celebrate 130 years of Santa Sabina College and honour the pioneering Dominican Sisters who established the first Dominican foundation in Australia from Ireland. We are pleased to have our Archbishop, Most Reverend Anthony Fisher OP, presiding over our Mass.
Event details:
- Date: Friday 2 August
- Time: Mass begins at 9:30am
- Location: Gather at Dom’s Plot, Secondary Campus
- Dress Code: Students in K-6 are required to wear their full winter uniform, including the College hat. Prep students should wear their Prep uniform.
Schedule:
- Students should arrive at school at the usual time and will walk to the Secondary Campus for the Mass accompanied by their teachers.
- Post-Mass, students from P-4 will return to Del Monte for class activities.
- Students from Gioia House will participate in Dom’s Day celebrations on the Senior Campus.
- Early Dismissal: Del Monte and Gioia House students will be dismissed at 12:30pm. Usual dismissal procedures will be followed at Kiss and Ride and Warami for Del Monte, and from The Boulevarde and Jersey Road for Gioia House.
Transportation and parking:
- Please avoid parking on Carrington Ave in the Kiss and Ride Zone to keep the area clear.
- College buses will depart from Carrington Ave at 12:45pm.
- The College OOSH service will be available from 12:30pm. Please book in advance.
Morning tea and lunch:
- There will be no lunch orders available on this day. Students must bring their morning tea and drink bottles. Children attending OOSH should bring their lunch.
On this special day, we celebrate as a community but also remember the wider community to which we belong. This year, we are asking students to bring a donation to the Dominican Sisters.
Grandparents Day – Tuesday 6 August
Pope Francis has chosen the theme ‘In old age do not forsake me’ from Psalm 71 for the 2024 celebration of the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
We are excited to invite grandparents to celebrate Grandparents Day with an open invitation to explore our classrooms on Tuesday 6 August.
Due to the large number of expected grandparents visiting, we ask that only grandparents attend this event unless they need to be assisted. We will hold two sessions for grandparents to enjoy a presentation from their grandchildren and visit their classrooms. During the lunch break and class visits, all grandparents from both sessions are welcome to join us for tea and coffee and visit our library to purchase a book.
Schedule
Session One P-1: 12:00 noon – 1:00pm
Prep, Kindergarten and Year 1 presentation in the Del Monte Hall, followed by a visit to classrooms
Lunch Break: 1:00pm – 1:40pm
Sandwiches, coffee and tea are available to all grandparents
Session Two Years 2 – 4: 1:45pm – 2:45pm
Years 2, 3 and 4 presentations in the Del Monte Hall, followed by a visit to classrooms
We kindly ask that grandparents arrive at the allocated time. Grandparents are welcome to stay for alternative time slots if they have grandchildren in more than one grade.
Please fill out the booking form below before Monday 29 July.
100 Days of Kindergarten
On Thursday 8 August, we will celebrate ‘100 Days of Kindergarten,’ under the theme, ‘100 Days Brighter.’ This theme highlights the remarkable growth our Kindergarten students have experienced in their first 100 days at school. It signifies how they have brightened our community with their curiosity, joy and knowledge. To symbolise this theme of and progress, we invite students to come to school dressed in vibrant, colourful clothing.
Parents are warmly invited to join us for this occasion, which marks a significant milestone in our youngest learners’ educational journeys. The celebration will begin with a Liturgy, followed by a Morning Tea, providing an opportunity for families to connect and share in the achievements of their children. Throughout the day, students will participate in various fun and educational activities that not only reflect their learning but also look forward to the continued growth and brightness they will bring to our community.
We will send more detailed information and a schedule of events as the date approaches.
We look forward to concluding the term with our Primary Athletics Carnival this Friday. This event is more than just a display of sportsmanship, it’s a vibrant celebration that brings joy to students as they have fun and connect on the sporting field.
I want to take this moment to express my deep appreciation to the P&F Association and all the parent volunteers. Your unwavering commitment creates a dynamic community atmosphere and supports the College events. Special thanks also to the parents involved in supporting our outdoor education programs, excursions, and classroom activities.
Wishing all our families a wonderful holiday break filled with joy and relaxation.
‘Lord, we thank You for the blessings of this day and the promise of tomorrow.
May our hearts overflow with gratitude for Your endless generosity and love.‘
Stella Azizian
Head of Primary P-6
Term 3 Co-curricular Activities
Calendar events
For detailed information about upcoming college events, please refer to the communications sent directly to families via email.
Important dates for Del Monte:
- Thursday 27 June – Academic Reports released to parents
- Wednesday 24 July – St Dominic the Adventurer Year 4: First Aid for Kids 3:20pm-4:15pm
- Friday 26 July – Year 1 Vaucluse House Excursion
- Friday 2 August – St Dominic’s Day
- Tuesday 6 August – Grandparents Day
- Wednesday 7 August – St Dominic the Adventurer Year 3: Rock Climbing 3:00pm-5:30pm
- Thursday 8 August – 100 Days of Kindergarten
- Tuesday 13 August – P&F Father’s Day Stall Wrapping and Author Visit
- Wednesday 14 August – St Dominic the Adventurer Year 4: Tree ID 3:20pm-4:00pm
- Wednesday 21 August – St Dominic the Adventurer Year 3: Clean Up and Make Art 3:20pm-4:00pm
- Friday 23 – Friday 30 August – Book Week
- Friday 23 August – Character Parade 9:15am-10:00am
- Tuesday 27 August – Father’s Day Stall
- Thursday 29 August – Father’s Day Breakfast/Mass
Important dates for Gioia House:
- Thursday 27 June – Academic Reports released to parents
- Friday 28 June – K-6 Athletics Carnival at SSC
- Friday 28 June – Term 2 concludes
- Tuesday 23 July – Term 3 commences for students
- Tuesday 23 July – Semester 1 Academic Awards
- Monday 29 July – Friday 2 August – Santa Fest
- Wednesday 31 July – Sydney Catholic Schools Mixed Oztag Gala Day
- Friday 2 August – St Dominic’s Day: students dismissed at 12:30pm
- Friday 16 August – National Science Week
- Tuesday 17 – Monday 23 August – Book Week
- Monday 26 August – Father’s Day Stall
- Thursday 29 August – Father’s Day Mass/Breakfast
- Wednesday 4 September – STEM DAY with St Pat’s
- Tuesday 17 – Friday 20 September – Year 6 OEE & Canberra Visit
Stella Azizian
Head of Primary P-6