Director of Teaching and Learning P-12

Semester 1 Academic Awards

Congratulations to the Year 5- 10 Academic Awards recipients for their outstanding achievements across a range of classes. It was great to present these students with their certificates at the assembly this week.

Year 8 Information Session for Outdoor Education and Elective Subjects for 2023-24

These sessions have been recorded and placed on the students’ Year 8 Veritas Online pages. Students can sit with their parents and discuss options available. A decision needs to be made in preference for three elective courses. Each course is across two years so it is important to choose well. Later this week students will be sent a link to the online platform that needs to be completed by 12 August.

Year 12 HSC Trials and IB Practice Examination 

Year 12 HSC Trials and IB Practice Examinations

Starting with English yesterday the students were a little nervous but by the end of the exam it was great to see their smiles and to celebrate the first one completed. We wish them luck as they continue over the next two weeks. This will be followed closely with project submissions and Language, Drama and Music performances. 

Jacqueline Pugh
Director of Teaching and Learning P-12

Silver Lining at the International Ethics Olympiads 

Congratulations to our Ethics Olympiads Senior School Silver medallists who qualified for the International Ethics Olympiads Finals. They were one of 40 qualifying teams participating in the international final and were awarded the Silver medal at the international level.

The top three places for this event were awarded to

The Gold medal University of Toronto School Canada

The Silver Medal Santa Sabina College

The Bronze Medal John XXIII  College in Western Australia

The students engaged in impressive ethical discourse in big issues such as  ‘University Admission by Lottery’, ‘Anti-Natalism’, The Medical Brain Drain’  and ‘Killer art’ exploring ethical issues surrounding whether artists should ever create unethical , or even illegal artworks. The students addressed contentious questions such as ‘If a film or book leads a person to do something unethical should we hold the Artists responsible? In the case of ‘The medical brain drain’  questions discussed included ‘Should medical conditions be a reason for denying citizenship to otherwise qualified applicants’?

Students Ruby Bron, Ciara Burke, Rosanna Cartwright, Annika Moore, Ellie Ngyuen, Erin Blanchard and team researcher Olivia Nakhle developed sophisticated skills in respectful ethical discourse and are to be recognised for the commendable way they represented their school and country.

Students share their thoughts about the Ethics Olympiad

After placing second in the regional Ethics Olympiad earlier this year, our team was fortunate enough to progress through to the International Ethics Olympiad, which took place on 27 July. The competition was very enriching and involved 40 schools from across the world. This year, the competition was held via Zoom once again and our team overcame the challenge of discussing moral and ethical considerations online with ease. A notable ethics case we discussed was titled ‘Wholesome Discipline’, in which we considered the ethics surrounding restorative justice. The impromptu question posed was: 

Justice is all about people getting what they deserve. Can justice ever be served without punishment? 

In discussing this question, we evaluated the role of deservance as well as the changing nature of human behaviour. As the features of justice vary from one situation to another, we determined that true justice can take several forms, many of which do not necessarily involve punishment. For example, a crucial objective of justice is the prevention of future crimes, and often punishment does not achieve this. Instead, a combination of restorative justice, rehabilitation and education is more ethical from a utilitarian perspective and should be preferred. 

The Ethics Olympiad competition stimulates my passion for ethics as it encourages me to question the ethical implications of real life global scenarios and extend my knowledge of morality. Ultimately, this competition also broadens my international mindedness, enables me to consider different perspectives and enriches my critical thinking skills. Our team was delighted to have been awarded the silver medal in this competition and we hope to compete again next year. 

I have been involved in the Ethics Olympiad over the past four years and, each year, my experience and confidence has grown. I would like to extend sincere gratitude to our wonderful mentor Ms Rugiero, who has facilitated our training sessions and guided us throughout our ethics journey. 

Rosanna Cartwright
Year 11

Ethics Olympiad is arguably the most interesting cocurricular enrichment that I participate in. It is a competition that has helped me develop my skills in public speaking, communication, knowledge in philosophy and ultimately, critical thinking. Unlike the rest of my team who have been competing for a while, I only started competing last year. Despite this, I have had so much fun learning how to compete and everyone in my team has been so kind and forgiving when I made beginner mistakes. Last year, my team and I were lucky to get honourary mentions in the last international Ethics Olympiad so I am ecstatic that all of the work we put into training for this year has paid off! Of course we have had challenges thrown our way inside and outside of the competition and we’ve had many difficult rounds but it was  hard work and persistence that has got us this far. Considering that all of us are in year 11 now, I am not entirely sure whether I will be able to compete next year so really, thank you to Ms Rugiero for being an amazing coordinator and thank you to my amazing teammates! I’m truly grateful I have had this wonderful opportunity. 

Ellie Nguyen
Year 11

The Ethics Olympiad is quite a hard competition to explain. It’s a hybrid mix of debating, discussion, sport and research, with just a hint of performance anxiety and a hefty portion of collaborative teamwork! This year’s competition was particularly special to us; it might end up being our team’s last, despite having been together since year 8. We aren’t sure yet whether or not the pressure of our trials will get to us, so we decided to go into this round with everything we had. And we did just that! The case material ranged from cheating in the Paralympic games to potentially deadly displays of art, and we were equally amazed and terrified by the articulate, well-formulated answers of the teams we went up against. We had spent so much time preparing for this competition, however, I truly believe that the most educational part of this activity is the day itself; getting to hear the viewpoints of individuals who you know nothing about, with entirely different worldviews to you, is just one of the amazing benefits of the Olympiad. We ended up with a great result; second place! As amazing at hearing that news was, the absolute best part of the whole competition was having the ability to think critically, creatively and thoroughly about ideas you wouldn’t normally, with the help of some truly amazing people. I would recommend this competition to anyone who wants the ability to look at life a bit differently, a bit deeper, with high levels of both empathy and logic.

Ciara Burke
Year 11

Rachele Rugiero
Dean of Gifted Education

Madonna King L Platers

Thank you to our P&F Association for hosting Madonna King last week who shared insights with parents from her new book ‘L Platers’. She provided valuable advice on how to support our 16 – 18 year old girls on the road to adulthood.

Paulina Skerman and a number of our students were interviewed by Madonna for the book. When asked what advice she would give to her 16 year old self, Paulina is quoted as saying, ‘Don’t underestimate what you can achieve. I never imagined the life I’m living for myself. I came from a very different place. Take every opportunity and don’t underestimate your capacity, and everything will be okay. Trust yourself and just do it.”

The world is a very different place from two years ago. And the impact on our 16, 17 and 18 year old girls is huge.

At one of the most critical times in their development – an age when they’re ready to spread their wings and look to the future – they have had to deal with enormous disruption and dislocation, and come to terms with living life from their bedrooms. The long stints of remote learning and the anxiety of at-home exams has compounded with the ever-present pressure of the ATAR and worries around friendships and relationships, who they want to be, gender identity, alcohol, vaping, and sex, body image and mental health. Self-harm and eating disorders have risen dramatically. For school-leavers, the uncertainty around university study and the jobs market only adds to the heavy toll.

Fuji

Claudia Lee in Year 8 has composed two poems that demonstrate her connection to family and culture. The way we express our deepest emotions to those who are closest to us can come in many forms. Claudia has captured the way acts of service denote these feelings perfectly in her carefully crafted compositions.
Angela Bunquin
Head of English

In my family, we don’t say ‘I love you’. Instead, the three words are transposed into silent acts of service. My mum’s love manifests in my life in the form of apple slices that are perfectly cut and peeled. My grandmother’s love for us comes in the form of ‘kimchi day’ where she shares foreign instructions and silently helps us salt the cabbage. My love for them comes in the form of typed words on blank pages. As expected, I too struggle to express my love for them, and my poems show and do what I cannot. In this way, poetry not only allows me to capture the love given to me by my mum and grandmother but also acts as a reminder that love exists even in silence.

Fuji
From the kitchen comes
a white plate serving
perfect pieces of Fuji.
Remnants of red removed,
leaving only skinless whites –
my way.
Each slice carved by
a precise blade
in soft hands –
maternal artisanship.
My tongue celebrates,
sour sweetness
hidden in a crisp bite.
They appear unrequested
next to unruly homework
next to unfolded clothes
next to high-spirited cousins.
A few pieces left on the plate,
fallen yellow slices
jaundiced and bruised.
No longer perfect;
No longer white.
Unknowingly
an evening feast for my mother.

The Korean Companion
Served in a small white bowl
you are present at every meal;
never the main, instead your role:
a permanent companion.
Painted by grounded chilli flakes
The white cabbage leaves are wilted
yet vibrant with new colour and purpose –
incarnadine.
A sour battle between chilli paste and
garlic
ensues on my tongue
opposing flavours
fermented into cohesion.
Embarrassingly pungent,
an intrusive concoction of
fishiness, soy, pepper –
the smell of home.
Imperfectly shaped,
your folds reflect my grandma’s wrinkled
hands
and the awkwardness of my mother’s
learning process.
You were birthed in aged onggi
in the Three Kingdoms;
Birthed again in grandma’s backyard
savoured in our Samsung fridge.
The ultimate Korean companion
from 2000 years prior to
everlasting
comfort. Kimchi.

Santa Fest

Santa Fest is our annual week of fun activities which raise funds for the work of the Dominican Sisters in South Africa and the Solomon Islands. Activities take place before school, at recess and lunchtime. The students this year, as always were generous in their support.

Careers Spotlight @ SSC

Term 3 is always a busy time in the school year. It is a time when Year 12 will make some important decisions around their pathways for next year. University early entry applications are open as are scholarship opportunities and most tertiary providers will hold face to face open days this term. I encourage all students to consider these opportunities and to speak with me should they require more information. Below are some highlights from the past few weeks as well as the upcoming opportunities and events.

Work experience

Over the Term 2 holidays, 15 students embarked on work experience with a variety of different providers. Students worked in industries such as health, finance, creative arts, animal science and event management. Congratulations to all students for demonstrating initiative, resilience and responsibility whilst carrying out the duties of their work experience programs. I invite students in Years 10-12 to contact me should they be interested in similar work experience opportunities. Below are some reflections from students who went on work experience.

Alwyn Rehabilitation Hospital
I undertook work experience at Alwyn Rehabilitation Hospital, Strathfield for four days in the school holidays.

For the first two days I shadowed a nurse on the floor, gaining an insight into the daily tasks and duties of a nurse. This included changing patients’ dressings, checking creams or treatments and helping them with basic tasks. In addition, I learnt protocols and requirements for administering medicines and how this is done to ensure a patient’s safety. I also observed an ECG scan, checking patients for potential heart conditions and specific wound care procedures, checking blood pressure and sugar levels. On the last two days of my work experience I spent time observing the hydrotherapy pools with physiotherapists, whereby they run sessions to increase mobility for patients post operation. I also observed patients’ gym sessions, whereby I saw the connection between a patient’s condition and physiotherapy exercises given. I gained an insight into the need for patience and cooperation in these fields, being able to communicate with a patient and understand their needs. In addition to this, I have witnessed the interconnectedness of these fields and the importance of their cooperation in order to effectively improve a patient’s overall health outcomes. 

Stephanie Scalia
Year 11

JANA Investment Advisers
Through the one week of work experience in JANA Investment Advisers, we learned that financial work requires not only professional knowledge but also good response capabilities and teamwork skills. It was a rewarding experience, as we were able to gain valuable knowledge that will benefit us as we pursue our interest in finance. We really appreciated our time with JANA as we were given the opportunity to work and communicate with leading professionals in their own respective fields. In addition, the company’s team culture and professionalism made our work experience even more enjoyable, where we gained many important insights from our discussions with other workers. In our week of work experience with JANA, we have strengthened our understanding of both our school subjects and our passion for financial studies. Thanks to our coordinators, we were encouraged to

participate in many meetings alongside working on a project. From observing and listening to the sessions, we’ve learnt to format presentations effectively and understand new investment-related terminologies and theories that we believe will be beneficial in assisting us with our studies at school and future endeavours.

One thing we both found interesting was the different types of asset classes and the risk that comes with them. On the first day, our coordinator gave us a quick overview of the asset classes and the criteria consultants need to consider before investing and reporting with their clients based on their needs. We also learnt the interconnectedness of finance, investment, and sustainability, where JANA takes into consideration how investment affects the physical and social environment. Moreover, we were given a project that explored workplace gender equality; it allowed us to discover the role of women in companies that JANA works with. From the project, we learnt how females are viewed in the financial sector. Therefore, we truly believe these are just the beginning steps toward our growing interest in finance, and we look forward to undertaking new opportunities that can inspire us in the future.

Sarah Tan and Angelina Lam
Year 11

Academy of Interactive Entertainment
At the Academy of Interactive Entertainment, we learnt how to game design and the basics of game programming through Unreal Engine & Model using Autodesk Maya. I (Ashley) created a game where in each level, you must find a specific item and bring it back to the ‘WinZone’ to progress throughout the game. As you progress through the game, each level becomes harder.

I (Neve) created an adventure game where to reach the next level, you must complete a series of puzzles.  We made shapes through Unreal using the tools provided and rendered them in Maya to not only clean up these shapes but also add colour and texture. Unreal Engine uses a visual programming language called Blueprints, using a node-based interface to create gameplay elements. By connecting graphics through a drag and drop method, we were able to learn the basics of visual programming to create a functional game. Through Unreal, we were also able to learn how to apply the different types of lighting such as Directional, Point, Spot, and Sky,  to set a specific mood and enhance the gameplay. 

By attending this work experience, we were able to expand our skills and knowledge in the design, programming and overall IT field. 
Ashley Stanton and Neve Trainor
Year 12

Sydney Good Food & Wine Show
Gabriella and I volunteered at the Good Food & Wine Show in the city. I (Alyssa) really enjoyed the experience I gained from work placement as I got to work with new people, celebrity chefs and work with people of different ages. I learnt so many skills that can not only help with my TAFE course but real-life situations. I also enjoyed seeing behind the scenes how events are managed and set up. I learnt how to stay calm and organised under pressure and how to adapt to changes and bounce back when something doesn’t go to plan. Overall, work placement was a great experience to develop independence and maturity whilst gaining exposure to what working in the event management industry is like. This helped me gain self-confidence and has increased my motivation to continue my course and pursue further work placement opportunities. 

Alyssa Walsh & Gabriella Gatto
Year 11

Russell Investment Group
These past holidays, Sienna and I undertook work experience at the financial firm, Russell Investments Group. Throughout the course of 4 days, we learnt invaluable skills and were introduced to many inspirational leaders in their respective fields. Each day of our experience looked different, with one day comprising of many meetings with people in different positions within Russell Investment Group and the others focusing on us gaining transferable skills, such as presentation and communication techniques. The week saw us creating and presenting to members of Russell about superannuation, as well as participating in workshops on excel and LinkedIn. Overall, our time at Russell Investment Investment Group was invaluable and enabled us to be immersed in many aspects of the field of finance.  
Sophie Way and Sienna Chan
Year 11

Sydney Youth Orchestras
During the last week of term, Eloise Dahm and I completed work experience with Sydney Youth Orchestras. The eight days of service involved three full rehearsal days supporting the operations teams with their numerous duties, and five office days where we shifted throughout the organisation helping out with the online database, advertising for the forthcoming concerts and organising inventory. The end of the week concluded with SYO’s Winter Showcase, where, after our performances, Eloise and I participated in stage management. Work Experience with SYO truly showed us the other side of the music industry and gave us insight into what it takes to coordinate large scale performances. It was an invaluable experience that we will cherish for years to come! 
Elise Armour & Eloise Dahm
Year 10

Below is a blog post written by Anna and Tamanna outlining their work experience with Cache which was posted in Cache’s monthly newsletter:

Cache
During the holidays, we got the fantastic opportunity of work experience with a fintech investment company called Cache organised by F3, Future Females in Finance. 

Our first day began with an “all hands” team meeting, during which the whole team congregates and provides status updates on various business-related topics. After that, the CEO, Caleb Gibbins, and the Head of Partnerships, Daniel Headford, asked us to go for coffee and gave us a rundown of the business’ operations. As a result, we started creating Cache merchandise to raise brand recognition. In order to do this, things have to be made and then styled with the brand’s colours and logo. To wrap out the day, we attended a team strategy meeting, which gave us a glimpse into Cache’s inner workings. It was an excellent first day of the work experience, we learnt a lot while getting a good insight into the inner workings of the company. 

We sat with Ted and Daniel on day 2 and learned about trading and foreign exchange. We saw the creation, sale, and trading of investments. Additionally, we were able to see the effects of a change in interest rates implemented by the RBA on the trading market. After that, we had a chance to talk with Danny, the head of funds management, about many facets of Cache as well as his professional background.

The focus of Day 3 was familiarising ourselves with Cache’s legal aspects. Henry provided us with real samples of legal papers, such as a PDS (Product Disclosure Statement) and FSG (Financial Services Guide), which gave us a great solid understanding of how they appear. He also spoke with us about his experience in law school and the development of his profession. The marketing review procedure was the last thing we learned. We had a chance to put this into practice when we offered input after examining several possible advertisements for compliance with the Cache Marketing and Communications Guide. It was interesting to observe how this function of Cache operates. Finally, we sat in on a product design meeting where the administrative portal’s user interface was being considered.

On day 4, it was  Tech Time, the emphasis was on learning about the technological side of Cache’s operations. We had the opportunity to work with Saurabh Arya, who gave us some insight into what an IT job entails. The IT group is in charge of creating the software that underpins micro-investing apps and translating business goals into technical solutions. Then, we made an avatar for Cache that could be utilised on its tech platform and a new website. Cache’s Flaming Fintech Flamingo was developed by us. Given that Cache has an interest in building and discovering, we believe that this fits with their personality. We had a wonderful day since we got to use our creative skills and design this icon for Cache. 

Our final day was dedicated to summarising this week and all that we have experienced and discovered. Overall, we were able to expand our expertise through a fantastic and unforgettable work experience. This work experience opportunity gave us the chance to explore real-world job settings. We want to express our gratitude to Cache and F3 for organising this event since we will carry these newly acquired skills with us. 

Anna Fitzharris & Tamanna Anand
Year 11

Career Womens’ Network Roundtable Breakfasts

Over the past two weeks, we have held the Medicine and Economics Roundtable Breakfasts as follow-up events from the Career Womens’ Network Breakfast. Thank you to all of the mentors and panel members who attended to inspire our students with their insights from their own career journeys. Feedback from students has been very positive and we hope to host similar events in the future. Thank you also to Community Relations for overseeing the coordination of these events. Please see the Community Relations report for photos from these events.

Upcoming events and opportunities

Accounting Cadetship – Work full time at a boutique accounting firm whilst studying an accounting degree part time. Applications for Year 12 close 31 August. More information and apply here.

The Drop Bears Robotics Team – Expressions of Interest to join 2023 Robotics Team Competition for Years 8-12 here.

Surveying Work Experience – Express interest under the students section if you are interested in gaining work experience in surveying.

Projects Abroad – Volunteer abroad during the holidays in a range of experiences including medicine, childcare, environment, cultural immersion. More information here.

Discover Western Webinars – various dates. Register here.

ACU Open Day – various dates in August. Register here.

UAC Teaching Webinar with current teaching students – 4 August 6pm. Register here.

Wollongong University Open Day – 6 August 10am-3pm. Register here.

Whitehouse Institute of Design Illustration & Portfolio Workshop – 6 August 10am-12pm. Register here.

ICMS Open Day – 7 August 10am-2.30pm. Register here.

Camp America Online Info Session – 9 August 7pm. Register here.

ANU Ask Us Anything Arts & Humanities Online Q&A Session – 11 August 8pm. Register here. 

Macquarie University Open Day – 13 August 10am-4pm. Register here.

Western Sydney University Open Day – 14 August 10am-4pm. Register here. 

TAFE Virtual Open Days – 24-26 August. Register here.

UTS Open Day – 27 August 9am-3pm on campus and online. Register here.

USYD Open Day – 27 August. Register here.

Notre Dame Open Day – 27 August 10am-3pm. Register here.

Newcastle University Open Day – 27 August 9am-3pm. Register here.

USYD Engineering Webinar – 31 August 4pm. Register here.

USYD Life of a Mathematician Webinar – 31 August 5pm. Register here.

UNSW Open Day – 3 September 9am-4pm. Register here.

ANU Open Day – 3 September. More information here.

AIE Film Production Workshop – 3 September 10am-4pm. Register here.

National Art School Open Day – 3 September 10am-4pm. Register here.

Become an Au Pair Information Session – 8 September 7pm. Register here.

USYD Project Management Spring Camp (Yr 10-12) – Interactive one day camp for aspiring project managers on 30 September. Applications close 9 September here.

ACU HSC Revision Webinars 5-13 September – Register here.

For more open day dates and early entry programs, please refer to the respective guides on Veritas Online under University.

Interesting reading

SMH HSC Study Guide

3 busted myths about working in construction

11 ways to help you decide which subjects are right for you

So you completed work experience, what next?

Future of work: Graduate employment and Australia’s booming industries

Job spotlight – how to become an anaesthetist

Job spotlight – how to become a surveyor

Eva Guirguis
Careers Counsellor

Gioia House updates

We welcomed our students back to Term 3 with a hope that the term is positive and joyful. Our students have ‘hit the ground running’ with their learning and are enjoying new challenges including poetry, art and drama.

The Gioia House community has come together to support each other through a time that is difficult to understand, but our faith, our team spirit and our Gioia girls keep us united in joy and sadness. We send our continued love and prayers to Stella Azizian and her family in this difficult time, and thank you for the outpouring of support and care.

Santa Fest week

This week the students participated in a number of Santa Fest activities to celebrate our Dominican heritage. The students engaged in a variety of activities during their lunch break each day to raise money for the work of the Dominican Sisters. The students also participated in Community time activities to learn more about our Dominican Heritage.

The Gioia House bake sale was a huge success and raised $1736.20 for the Dominican Sisters. A big thank you to all the students and parents for donating some amazing baked goods for the Gioia bake sale. Thank you to the Gioia House leaders and Year 6 students for running the cake stall during your recess and lunch breaks.

On Friday, we came together as a College to celebrate St Dominic’s feast day for the first time in three years. The Gioia House students joined the Choir and Orchestra and sang beautifully as part of this very special College Mass. We also enjoyed watching the excitement of the Year 12 students crowning St Dominic, followed by a concert showcasing the amazing talent from a variety of students, including Julie and Estelle from Year 5 and India from Year 6. The ‘Holyroods’ Teachers Band also performed and entertained the Santa Sabina community. There was much to celebrate this week and we acknowledge the rich Dominican heritage which we are part of at Santa Sabina College.

Wellbeing

This term, the Gioia House students will continue to focus on a variety of wellbeing lessons and activities through our extensive Pastoral Program. The students will continue to focus on their physical and mental wellbeing through the Rock and Water sessions, PDH Programs and Be Active sessions.

Register for the eSafety Live Webinar Parent Guide to Popular Apps

It is important to keep up to date with the eSafety guidelines on apps such as Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. The eSafety Commissioner is offering online webinars for parents and carers of young children aged 8 – 13 to learn more about popular online apps to ensure we have the knowledge and skills to support our young people. You can choose to attend one of the online webinars on Tuesday 16 August at 7:30pm or Thursday 25 August at 12:30pm. If you would like to join this eSafety live webinar please use this link to register. We look forward to another exciting and busy term where we continue to learn, support and grow together in partnership with the
students, teachers, parents and wider community.

Marisa Maks
Assistant Head of Gioia House

Magnetic Poetry Year 6

As part of our English lessons this week, Year 6 created magnetic poetry using single
words, which students arranged in any order they liked to create a poem with distinct
topics and themes. Magnetic poems are often found on refrigerators and for these
poems, students used single words that they had to cut out and arrange in a poem.

We have been learning and writing about poetry. We have learned about the structure of

poems, different types of poems, and the way poems are used in our lives. We completed

blackout poems, shape poems and magnetic poems. Blackout poems are when you choose

a page from a book and you select words that stand out to you, and you go over the rest of

the page with black marker (only the words you’re not using), your words should be in order

to make a poem. Shape poems are where you draw a shape, item or object and you have to

make that shape using your poem you have made. Magnetic poems are when you get given

a word bank, and you have to choose words from the word bank and can’t add any words or

letters of your own. This term we have had a lot of fun, creating and learning about poetry.

Alessia R and Natalie B

Be Active

This term the Year 6 leaders are running the Be Active program which involves all Gioia House classes getting together to take part in some physical wellbeing activities. During Semester 1, Be Active was led by the teachers, who have now handed over the organisation to the Year 6 students at the end of Term 2.

Every fortnight we play a variety of games and have fun activities to keep everyone connected, healthy and active. My favourite thing about Be Active is that everyone gets to be involved and we all enjoy this time together.

Mikayla T
Gioia House Sports Leader

Year 6 Drama

Year 6 are involved in Drama this semester and we are looking at the topic: Page to Stage.
This topic is about choosing a fairytale and acting out the villains or other characters’
perspectives. Last lesson, we got put into groups and started to create a play of the other
characters’ perspectives of the story. My group are working with the fairytale Snow White.
So far, it has been really fun and I am really excited to make and to perform our creation in
front of the class.

Daniela B

St Dominic’s Story

In the first week of school Mrs Nicotina came to visit the Gioia House girls to teach us about the story of St Dominic using the Dominican dolls made by the women from Kopanang in South Africa. Using these dolls we could see the people in St Dominic’s life. This helped us understand his story. The dolls were brought from Del Monte to Gioia House and Mrs Nicotina showed us her slideshow that had the story of St Dominic. It also had pictures of the dolls and the women who made them. She also showed us how the dolls were made. Some of the Dominican Sisters from Santa Sabina went to South Africa to meet the women who made them. The Sisters helped the women by giving them resources and the women made us the dolls.

We were able to see the dolls in their early stages and the process of the making of the dolls. This was a fun experience learning about St Dominic, seeing the dolls, how the sisters helped and how the dolls were made. We are so grateful that Mrs Nicotina came to teach us the story of St Dominic.

Ciara D & Bianca M

Year 5 Science Lab

During Science, we have been looking at the PH scales, mixtures and solutions. One of my favourite experiments was making sugar crystals. In this experiment we tried two different methods. One cup (which we put the sugar crystals in) was covered with foil over the top and the other cup was uncovered to see the different results. I really enjoyed Science last semester and it was fun to learn about mixtures,
solutions and PH scales.
Olivia

In Science, we have been looking at mixtures and solutions. We also made sugar crystals to understand more about this subject. Whilst making the crystals we put foil over one of the cups to compare the difference and to dissolve what would happen if the liquid could not evaporate.
Aria

The Science program was about discovering solutes and solvents. We made sugar crystals as well as smaller projects to learn about this subject. When we did this we changed one variable which was putting foil over one of the cups.
Zoe

IPSHA Debating Round 4

Santa Sabina IPSHA Debaters welcomed Tara Anglican school to our campus on Friday 22 July for an exciting face-to-face debate. The topic was ‘That graffiti should be legal’ and all teams gave thought-provoking and well rounded arguments. Our debaters spoke well and with enthusiasm. We look forward to continuing learning new debating skills and were very grateful for the feedback provided by our
guest adjudicator Mrs Roberts.

Year 6 STEM

During Term 2, and the beginning of Term 3, the Year 6 students participated in rigorous STEM lessons, under the guidance of Mrs Ivancsik – Leader of Learning Technology P-6. During the course of their learning, students worked through the design thinking process comprising five phases: empathise, define, ideate, prototype and test. Throughout this learning experience, students were provided with opportunities to work in groups to design and code an online video game to meet the needs of their target audience. After working to code their games, students had the opportunity to review others games and provide constructive feedback. This experience enabled the students to acquire essential programming skills necessary for future learning.

Eamonn Dunphy
6AD Teacher

Year 4 Tech Girls

The Tech Girls Movement inspires young women to solve important community problems with technology skills and business acumen through the Search for the Next Tech Girl Superhero Competition. In teams, students are challenged to build a business plan and mobile app that will address a community problem. Students are encouraged to consider an app solution that fits with one of the United Nations Development Goals such as Poverty, Health, Education, Environment, Peace and Equality.

Our Year 4 team, Pup Power, has been working very hard to enter their business and App idea into the 2022 Tech Girls Competition. The team is made up of 5 Year 4 girls: Annabelle Wong, Elizabeth Saade, Jorja Matthews, Pheodora Jayaseelan and Sabrina Ferrerosa Jurado. The team, our industry mentor and I, have met once a week to complete the 12-week STEM Entrepreneurship curriculum. Over the course of the competition, the girls have shown empathy, commitment and maturity beyond their years to develop their app ‘Pets & Paws.’

The team’s App, Pets & Paws, aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Goal 15: Life on Land. Their app ‘Pets & Paws’ is designed to assist people find the perfect pooch for them. Firstly the app will take you to the home screen where it has a bit of information about what our app does. Next, you will visit the ‘Pick your Pooch’ page where you will answer a few questions about yourself. Finally, you will be provided with two options to choose from after analysing the data. In addition to this, there is some information about our potential partnerships.

The girls have worked incredibly hard, giving up their lunchtimes, as well as time in the holidays, to put together their business plan, record their pitch video and code their App. We wish them all the best as we await judging.

Alana Ivanscsik
Leader of Learning Technology P-6

PYP updates

Collaboration

Collaboration is a key feature across the College and connects directly with the IB Mission of creating a better and more peaceful world as members of the school community learn to work together in respectful collaborative relationships. Collaboration is supported between teachers, teachers and students, students, as well as with families and the wider community.

Collaboration demonstrates a commitment to the common goal of supporting and reflecting on a transdisciplinary learning experience and improving student outcomes. Teachers are continually inquiring into and reflecting on learning and teaching as they collaborate with each other and with their students (Claxton, Chambers, Powell, Lucas 2011). A collaborative approach involving sustained dialogue and reflection helps teachers to grow as professionals. They reach deeper levels of understanding together as they inquire, reflect on and make decisions about the process of learning.

This collaborative approach is apparent at a school-wide level as well as in day-to-day and moment-to-moment learning and teaching. The learning community collaborates in policy development, resource planning and allocation, learning space design and culture-building. Collaboration may vary in response to the local context and the needs of the learning community.

At Del Monte, we support collaboration within our community by:

• providing time for teachers to work together on planning, teaching and assessing learning
• making connections with specialist subject areas in units of inquiry
• structuring opportunities for students to work collaboratively with partners or small groups
• explicitly teaching our students how to work collaboratively
• responding to students’ interests, curiosity and preferences when planning for learning
• engaging in conversations with families about learning
• reflecting on the effectiveness of our learning programs and making decisions together in order to continually improve these.

Our current Units of Inquiry

This term, our students in all grade levels began new current units of inquiry. For more detailed information about how our students are engaging in these units of inquiry, please visit our grade pages on Veritas Online.

Our Year 4 students were inquiring into ‘What makes us happy?’ They thought about what we need to keep us physically, mentally and socially happy and categorised their ideas.

Our Year 3 students examined a range of structures and decided if each one was a Beauty or a Beast. They justified their opinion with evidence.

Our Year 2 students investigated some images of a range of environments that had been impacted by natural events or human actions. They observed the changes in the environment and formed hypotheses about what had happened to make this change.

Karen Campbell
Curriculum (PYP) Coordinator

Religious Education

St Dominic’s Day

Last Friday our College community including the Dominican sisters, students, staff, parents and ex-students came together to celebrate St Dominic’s Day. During the liturgy, our Year 3 students helped to retell the story of St Dominic. We gathered in celebration of all that has shaped our school and our proud history and reflected on what we are being called to do.

Our students have spent the last week retelling the story of St Dominic using our beautiful Dominican dolls designed and created by the women of Kopanang. Sister Sheila and Sister Judy were instrumental in the development of the Kopanang Community Trust to help women in South Africa. Some other symbols that represent St Dominic de Guzman are sunflowers and oranges.

St Mary of the Cross – Mackillop Feast Day 8 August

Mary MacKillop was born 15 January, 1842, in Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Melbourne. With the support and spiritual guidance of Fr Julian Tenison Woods the Parish Priest of the South-East of South Australia, she opened the first St Joseph’s school in Penola in 1866. It was in an old stable. Her brother helped her make it habitable for a school room.

Mary MacKillop had a deep connection to God, whom she loves so much in the person of Jesus. Even in times of intense hardship, disappointment, loss of friendship and even betrayal, Mary MacKillop always welcomed the movement and wisdom of the Holy Spirit within her.

Mary was beatified on 19 January 1995 at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, in a Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II. She was canonised as Saint Mary of the Cross at a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican on 17 October 2010.

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY FEAST DAY 15 AUGUST

Feast of the Assumption of Mary Feast Day 15 August

The Feast of the Assumption of Mary is a special Feast Day of the Catholic Church. God chose Mary to be the loving mother of God’s son, Jesus. On this day, we specifically remember that Mary is the mother of Jesus, that she believed in Jesus and was one of his faithful followers and believers. She was the first disciple. From the very first moment of her life, Mary loved God. Mary said ‘Yes’ to everything that God asked her to do. On this day, the Church acknowledges that Mary, the mother of Jesus, has a special place in the life of the Catholic Church as the Mother of God. Today we celebrate the holy day when, at the end of her life, Mary was taken to heaven, by God, to be with her son, Jesus.

Holy Mary,

help those in need,

give strength to the weak,

comfort the sorrowful,

pray for God’s people,

assist the clergy,

intercede for religious.

Mary all who seek your help

experience your unfailing protection.

Amen.

Tina Nicotina
Acting Religious Education Coordinator P-6 Pastoral Care Coordinator P-4

NSW Premier’s reading challenge

The Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge closing date is fast approaching. Students still have time to complete their challenge and record all books read by midnight on Friday, 19 August, when the challenge closes. Please feel free to contact the Del Monte library staff should you have any concerns. 

Congratulations to those students who have already completed their challenge. These students will be celebrating the joy of reading when they receive their certificates from the Premier of New South Wales, Mr Dominic Perrottet later in the year.

Christina Higgins
Teacher Librarian

Director of Sport & Co-curricular Activities

Over the past number of weeks our students have been challenging themselves on the stage, courts,
fields, tracks, water and fairways just to name a few. I have previously said and I’ll keep saying how
impressed we all are for those students who strive for excellence, overcoming adversity, represent
their school and clubs to be the best they can be. The following are but a few of those who have
impressed over these past few weeks.

Our Dance teams have come a long way over the past three years under the leadership of Ms Bryony
Williams. Watching them perform at the Ryde Eisteddfod gave me goose bumps with pride. I was so
impressed with their level of skill and execution and I urge all our community to take a moment to
watch these students perform. Congratulations to all our teams from our primary members to our
leaders, you are representing the College with pride.

The following students have excelled in their chosen sporting discipline;
Annika Ingwersen (Cross Country), Faith Ata (Rugby Sevens), Amani Jamerson (Water Polo), Peter
Domingo (Tennis, who was selected to compete in Monaco recently), Honey Kim (Golf), Lily
Stewart (Athletics), Emma Wheadon (Athletics), Sophia Gerakas (Snowsports) All these students
along with other sporting teams such as our Futsal team, our Representative Volleyball teams, as well
as our Senior Tennis team of Cara Cuzzocrea, Rosanna Cartwright, Heer Arora and Angelique
Holtham who came so close to winning the gold medal in the CCC Tennis championship only going
down in the final set by one point.

Term 3 sports have started and will continue for the rest of this term. Last week I tried to watch sports
across a number of venues which I enjoy each Saturday. What I did not enjoy though was the number
of students who turned up late or who just did not turn up at all. There is nothing more frustrating for
our teams when a team member lets their team down by not arriving at their scheduled match, or turns
up as the match is about to start. If you register for a sport I urge you to consider your team and
ensure you turn up to training, arrive at your matches early and enjoy the sport with your teammates
win, lose or draw.

Our Netball season is coming to the pointy end of the season with a good number of our teams now in
contention for the finals. It is now that I would like to see an increase in the tempo towards training
and matches so that we all end our seasons on a high. I wish all our teams the very best and no matter
the results we are always gracious in both winning and defeat. Positive on and off the court is the
minimum we expect from all our community. I am looking forward to watching our students in the
next few weeks.

Term 4 sports registrations have been out for a week and these registrations will be closing shortly.
Please sign up for the sport you are interested in competing in so that you will not be disappointed
once these are closed.

Wishing our students all the best in the coming weeks including our Representative Athletics team
who will be picked to compete at the CGSSSA Championship on 12 August.

George Ayoub
Director of Sport & Cocurricular Activities

Our dazzling dancers kicked off the Eisteddfod season

After two years of not being able to compete, our SSC Representative Dancers could not wait to commence their eisteddfod season which kicked off on Saturday 23 July at the Ryde Eisteddfod. Their energy both on stage and in the audience was truly exceptional and they represented the College beautifully. The dancers placed in every section they entered which was an amazing achievement! The results were as follows:

Infants Dance Team: 1st Place
Primary White Dance Team (Yr 3-4): 1st place
Primary Black Dance Team (Yr 5-6): Highly Commended
Senior Jazz Team: 3rd PlaceSenior Contemporary Team: 3rd Place
Senior Tap Team: 3rd Place
Senior Hip Hop Team: 1st place

Our representative dancers did not stop there as the following weekend they took to the stage at one of their biggest eisteddfods for the season, Sydney Eisteddfod. Our senior contemporary, jazz and hip hop teams performed at The Concourse, Chatswood on Saturday where they showed great improvement in their routines and were competing in some very large and tough sections. All our teams scored highly and our Senior Hip Hop Team received an amazing result of 3rd Place!

Our junior teams on Sunday then had the incredible experience of competing at the Sydney Opera House where they represented the college so well. Again, scoring very highly and for the first time competing, our Primary Hip Hop Team was awarded 2nd place!

It has been a great start to the eisteddfod season for our SSC Representative Dancers and we cannot wait for the competition season to continue this term. I would like to thank our dance community including our parents, coaches and dancers for the commitment and enthusiasm they have to the program. Go SSC DANCE!

Bryony Williams
Dance Coordinator

IPSHA boys football

With only one game remaining for the Term 2-3 competition, the IPSHA boys football team have enjoyed the challenge of seven-a-side football this term. Some players are experiencing their first ever season of football, whilst others are seasoned players in the 4B grade. The players have all learnt a lot about the game and their skills have improved this season. A big thank you to Lara Vanaris for coaching the team over the two terms.

Helen Page
Sports Coordinator

IGSA Term 3 Football

This term Santa1 and Santa 2 have only managed to play one game this term, with week one being washed out. Many of the players have continued on from the term 2 competition, with some students taking the opportunity to experience other sports. Santa1 won their 2nd round match, whilst Santa 2 were narrowly defeated by one goal. Many thanks to Riley Tranh and Sam Francis for coaching the footballers this term.

This year I have taken part in IGSA soccer which has been a lot of fun and has helped build my confidence both on and off the field.The opportunity to meet new teammates as well as playing with some of my friends has proved to be a really positive experience. By playing in a sporting team I am continually learning that while individuals bring their own skills and personalities, it is exciting to develop as a team to experience everything the sport has to offer. As a result we have had fun both on and off the field, learning the true meaning of teamwork along the way.  Playing soccer has become a highlight of the year for me and something I would recommend to the rest of the College community.

Lily Vincent, Year 9

Helen Page
Sports Coordinator

IGSA Term 3 Basketball

With Santa Sabina represented by five basketball teams this term, there have been a few ups and downs over the first two weeks of the season. Currently after two rounds, Santa 1, 2 and 5 are undefeated, Santa 4 has only played and won one game due to a washed out first round. Santa 3 are restructuring and have scored some hard fought baskets. Our talented basketball coaches consist of Josh Hovilai, Dominique Shina, Jess Cheong and Loui Katsinas.

My experience doing basketball for the school, this term and last term has been very pleasant and enjoyable. Although this was my first time playing basketball in a competitive setting, I have managed to pick up the sport and learn to work together as a team alongside our supportive coach (Dom). Choosing basketball this year as one of my school sports has taught me some very important and valuable skills that are beneficial beyond sport. Some of the many skills that basketball has taught me is good communication, time management, team work, leadership, commitment and good sportsmanship. Selecting basketball for Duke of Ed has supported me in both teamwork and basketball skills. The Duke of Ed shared many values that influenced my motivation for the sport. Yet it also aided me in having strong relationships and team bonding with my team, where we all created great memories and friendships. When looking back over the season, I’ve felt that I’ve made a massive improvement in my Physical Activity that has benefited me. Overall, my experience playing basketball at school has not only allowed me to learn a new sport but also taught me various life long lessons. 

Valantia Antonakopoulos, Year 9

Helen Page
Sports Coordinator

Water Polo

We currently have a senior and junior team playing in the MLC competition on Friday nights. The beginning of the competition has been a little tough, however the players are looking to peak at the right end of the season. Players have been working on their skills and developing their fitness which should help them to prepare for the IGSA competition in Term 4. The coaches for the Water Polo this term include Stephanie Macmillan and Sienna Walker. Thank you for all your hard work thus far this season.

Helen Page
Sports Coordinator

Netball

We are heading towards the end of our season with some teams having their final round game this weekend and others progressing through to finals. The dates for the remainder of the season are below.

Saturday 6 August: Week 14 (last round game)

Saturday 13 August: Semi-Finals (last round game Year 4 teams and SSC 9, SSC 10)

Saturday 20 August: Prelim Final (last round game Year 3 team)

Saturday 27 August: Grand Final

Saturday 5 September: Spare weekend should a finals weekend be washed out

There are no finals for Years 3 and 4 teams. 

SSC 9 and SSC 10

Your last round game will be on Saturday 13 August, as there are there six teams in the grade and you play three rounds, then you go into finals as below. 

A Division with six teams plays three rounds and do not play semi-finals: 

i. The team with the highest points plays in the Grand Final. 

ii. The final shall be played between 2 v 3 

iii. The Grand Final shall be played between the team with the highest points and the winner of 2 v 3 

The finals format times may be different to round games. The updated finals times can be found on the Netball tile on VO

Semi-final

1st v 2nd (Winner goes straight to the Grand Final loser plays in Prelim Final against winner of 3rd v 4th)

3rd v 4th (Winner plays in Prelim Final against loser of 1st v 2nd, loser is out and their season has ended)

Prelim final

The winner in the Prelim Final will then play in the Grand Final against the Semi Final winner of 1st v 2nd.

Finals updated draws will be on VO and sent out on the school App.

​​​​​​​We wish all our teams the very best.​​​​​​​​​

2023 ERNA Representative Program

The purpose of the ERNA Junior Representative Program is to provide a training environment for junior players to access quality development opportunities. This program is a pathway to future representative opportunities in netball.

Please read through the representative information document prior to nominating. This document can also be found under the Representative tab on the ERNA website or on the Netball tile of VO.

Nominations close at 4:00pm on the Thursday prior to the trial date for that age group.

Phase 1 trial dates

12 years (born 2011)

Phase 1 – SUNDAY 14 August 2022

Player sign on from 7:45am

Clinic 8:00am-11:00am

Successful players will be announced on Facebook by Wednesday 17 Aug after 3:00pm.

13 years, 14 years, 15 years

Phase 1 – SUNDAY 21 August 2022

Player sign on from 7:45am

Clinic 8:00am-11:00am

Successful players will be announced on Facebook by Wednesday 24 August after 3:00pm.

Beginner Netball players

Eastwood Ryde Netball Association are running a Woolworths NetSetGO ‘Come & Try Netball’ program for beginner netballers (boys and girls) aged 6-9 years (born 2013 – 2016)  on Mondays 22 and 29 August from 4:00pm-6:00pm at Meadowbank Park.

Thanks to a City of Ryde community grant along with ERNA, the cost is only $10 to participate – registration and payment link: https://www.playhq.com/netball-australia/register/daa5a7

Natalie Avellino
Sports Coordinator

Term 4 Sport Opportunities – Primary and Secondary

Registrations are open for Term 4 Sports, including after school activities and Saturday sports.

Please read through the information available on each registration link and ensure that you can meet the required commitment.

All registrations will close Friday August 19 to meet competition registration deadlines.

Invitationals Volleyball at SSC (7-12)

Students have an opportunity to play with friends in this competition which is played at Santa Sabina College each Saturday in Term 4. Matches may be scheduled between 8:00am and 1:00pm. Teams will play at the same time slot each week and it is a great opportunity to try this sport with an eye on selection into the Representative Volleyball Program in 2023. 

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Invitational Basketball at SSC (7-12)

Students have an opportunity to play with friends in this competition which is played at Santa Sabina College each Saturday in Term 4. Matches may be scheduled between 8:00am and 1:00pm. Teams will play at the same time slot each week.

 PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

IGSA Tennis

During Term 4 students will be playing Tennis against other Independent schools in Sydney. Students will be expected to train each week either before or after school on the College Tennis courts and play on Saturday mornings between 7:30am and 12:00 noon. Mr Magee, Head of SSC Tennis, and his coaches organise training and team selections dependent on the number of students registered. Please read carefully and if you register for Tennis it is your intention to play that sport for the entire season. Training sessions and matches will be compulsory.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

IGSA Touch Football (7-12)

During Term 4 students will be playing Touch Football against other Independent schools in Sydney. Students will be expected to train each week either before or after school on the College main field and play on Saturday mornings between 7:30am and 12:00 noon. Training and team selections will be dependent on the number of students who register to play. Please read carefully and if you register for Touch Football it is your intention to play that sport for the entire season. Training sessions and matches will be compulsory.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

IGSA Water Polo (7-12)

During Term 4 students will be playing Water Polo against other Independent schools in Sydney. Students will be expected to train each week either before or after school in the College pool and play on Saturday mornings between 7:30am – 12:00pm.  Training and team selections will be dependent on the number of students who register to play. Please read carefully and if you register for Water Polo it is your intention to play that sport for the entire season. Training sessions and matches will be compulsory.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Rugby Sevens (7-12)

During Term 4 students compete at the Barker Invitational Sevens rugby competition against other independent and club teams. Students will be expected to train at the College either before or after school, play matches on Monday afternoon/evening at Barker College and attend a number of gala days throughout the term. Please read carefully and if you register for Rugby Sevens it is your intention to play that sport for the entire season. Training sessions and matches will be compulsory.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Swimming Club (5-12)

Students have an opportunity to be involved in the College Swimming Club which will train twice a week in the College pool. These times will be organised with the assistance of the Swimming Coach and students will be notified. The proposed times are Monday after school and Thursday morning before school but this may change depending on coaching. Please read carefully and if you register for Swimming Club it is your intention to play that sport for the entire season. Training sessions will be compulsory.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Recreational Dance (K-12)

Students have an opportunity to be involved in the College Recreational Dance program during Term 4 with an eye on joining the Representative Dance program in 2023. Training times will be organised with the assistance of the head of the Dance program, Ms Williams, and students will be notified. Please read carefully and if you register for Recreational Dance it is your intention to be part of this program for the entire season. Training sessions will be compulsory.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Boxing for Senior Years (10-12)

Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 are provided with an opportunity to be part of Boxing fitness on Friday morning before school in Term 4, dependent on sufficient registrations.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Fit Club (7-12)

Students in Years 7-12 are provided with an opportunity to be part of Fit Club on Wednesday after school in Term 4, dependent on sufficient registrations.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Run Club (5-12)

Students in Years 5-12 are provided with an opportunity to be part of Run Club on Wednesdays before school in Term 4, dependent on sufficient registrations.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Boys Basketball (3-4)

Students have an opportunity to play Basketball for the College each Saturday in Term 4. Matches may be scheduled between 8:00am through to 12:00pm. The IPSHA competition is played against other independent schools. If you register for this sport it is your intention to commit to training and matches each week. Training days and times to be communicated once we have registrations.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Girls Basketball (3-6)

Students have an opportunity to play Basketball for the College each Saturday in Term 4. Matches may be scheduled between 8:00am through to 12:00pm. The IPSHA competition is played against other independent schools. If you register for this sport it is your intention to commit to training and matches each week. Training days and times to be communicated once we have registrations.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Girls Tennis (3-6)

Students have an opportunity to play Tennis for the College each Saturday in Term 4. Matches may be scheduled between 8:00am through to 12:00pm. The IPSHA competition is played against other independent schools. If you register for this sport it is your intention to commit to training and matches each week. Training days and times will be communicated once we have registrations.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Please contact the Sports office if you require further information relating to the sports on offer in Term 4

Sport@ssc.nsw.edu.au

Snowsports

During the July Holidays, Santa Sabina’s resident Snowsports representative, Sophia Gerakas, Year 9, travelled to Perisher resort to represent the College at the Sydney Regional Snowsports Championships.

Sophia raced in the Year 9/10 division in the Alpine and Ski Cross races against almost 100 other girls from schools around Sydney. After a lot of time off the snow and limited training opportunities in the last 2 years, Sophia did in an incredible job, placing 30th in the Alpine event, just four seconds off the fastest skier and 36th in the Ski Cross. Congratulations to Sophia for representing the College proudly.

For anyone who may be interested in competing in the future, please keep an eye on the Snowsports page on VO.

Rachael Simmons
Sports Coordinator

CSDA Debating Grand Final

Congratulations to the Year 11A Debating Team who have progressed through to the Catholic Schools Debating Association (CSDA) Grand Final this Friday 5 August. The team has made the final two out of 82 Year 11 teams across Sydney. Tilly Hannan, Francesca Bavaro and Hannah Giles will debate against All Saints Catholic College at OLMC Parramatta from 6pm. Spectators are welcome.

We wish Tilly, Francesca and Hannah all the best for the Grand Final and congratulate them
on their success thus far!

Rachael Simmons
Debating Coordinator

Artistic Director

Australian Composition Day

On Monday 25 July,  Years 9-11 Music Elective classes were joined by other music students from across Sydney for Australian Composition Day – big thanks to Ensemble Offspring and their Artistic Director Claire Edwardes, feature composers Brenda Gifford (First Nations Composer) and Elizabeth Younan (Class of 2011) and presenter Damian Barbeler. A great day of music-making and collaboration!

Santa Sabina has been the convenor and host of this annual event promoting Australian music and composers since 2014. Fifteen works by our students were selected to be workshopped on the day, as well as an in-depth study of two set works by our guest composers. No student works were submitted from the eight visiting schools that attended the day-long event. This is a testament to the work of our music teachers and composition tutor Elizabeth Younan. The creativity and standard of composition at Santa Sabina are outstanding, and our students are extremely fortunate to have such a rich and nurturing environment to grow as musicians. Thank you once again to Mrs Suzanna Touma, Music Administrator 5-12, for her tireless work in the background for making such a big day (and all music department events) run so smoothly.

Australian Composition Day report

Cordelia Highfield
Year 11

On 25 July, Years 9 – 11 elective music students were treated to the annual Australian Composition Day (ACD) hosted at Santa Sabina. The day is designed to allow students to hear the pieces they wrote themselves played and workshopped by professionals in the field. This particular ACD is fortunate enough to have Ensemble Offspring come and play student works. 

Ensemble Offspring specialise in playing contemporary Australian works with living composers. Through this, they aim to push the boundaries and landscape of new music and create an immersive sensory experience. With their exceeding level of expertise in this specialised niche, it was an enriching opportunity and honour for us as students to hear our own works in real life. Also in attendance on the day was Damian Barbeler, the event’s compère. Mr Barbeler has a wealth of knowledge regarding contemporary composition and works closely with high school students. His ability to make constructive critiques and suggestions to our own pieces exposed students to new ways of thinking and a variety of ways to approach composition, an area of music that can often seem daunting for young musicians. 

As one of the fortunate students to be chosen to have my composition heard, it was an incredible experience. It is one thing to hear the electronic version of your own piece, but a different one to hear it performed live. Getting the chance to hear my work performed live and receiving direct feedback from the musicians is an opportunity that cannot be surpassed. The musicians talked in depth about how important it is to have open lines of communication between the composer and the musicians and how when both parties work together, it creates a more cohesive and satisfactory performance. Receiving live feedback meant that students could work with Ensemble Offspring to discuss what their own works could be improved upon to make the piece clearer for the performers. 

There were opportunities throughout the day to hear Ensemble Offspring play works from Brenda Gifford and Santa Sabina’s own composer in residence, Elizabeth Younan (class of 2011). Ms Giffords piece ‘Plover Bird’ reflects her own childhood as an Indigenous Australian with a deep-rooted connection to nature and country. Ensemble Offspring performed the work whilst Ms Gifford detailed her own compositional approach and how she incorporates unique flair into her own works. Miss Younan’s piece ‘Electors of Middlemarch’ played with ideas of spoken text working in tandem with percussive instruments. The piece was performed by Ensemble Offspring’s esteemed leader Claire Edwardes OAM, who masterfully performed the piece in its various sections whilst Miss Younan provided commentary on what emotion she was attempting to project through the mixture of the vocal line and the percussive line. Both works, whilst completely contrasting each other, were exemplary examples of contemporary music within Australia. Both ‘Plover Bird’ and ‘Electors of Middlemarch’ provided insight into the vast spectrum of styles of music being written today, showcasing to the students that there is no one right way to compose and that each piece written is unique to the composer and their own style and approach. 

Overall, ACD was an excellent day. Exposing young musicians, like myself, to industry-level professionals was an opportunity we are all grateful for. It was a highly beneficial, insightful experience and one that all attendees thoroughly enjoyed. 

Music ensembles and private tuition

It is not too late to join our ensembles or start private tuition. For more information regarding the Music Program, including choirs, bands and orchestras, please visit https://veritasonline.ssc.nsw.edu.au/homepage/62

Semester 2 Private Instrumental Tuition – Register and Pay

Mary Bailey House, Prep-Year 4 Semester Two Private Music Tuition –https://www.trybooking.com/CANWR

Year 5 – Year 12 Semester Two Private Music Tuition

https://www.trybooking.com/CANWO

Semester 2 Taiko – Register and Pay

Primary Years Taiko Club (Years 3-4 students)

https://www.trybooking.com/CAPXK

Junior Taiko Ensemble (Years 5-6 students)

https://www.trybooking.com/CAPXM

Senior Taiko Ensemble (Years 7-12 students)

https://www.trybooking.com/CAPXP

Timothy Chung
Artistic Director P-12

The life-changing experience of immersion

Our students who come back from immersion experiences – to Central Australia, Solomon Islands or South Africa – often talk about it being a life-changing experience. 

For at least one of our ex-students who went to South Africa, it certainly was. Stephanie Vaccher, of the Class of 2010 was inspired into a research career in microbiology because she saw first hand the devastating effects of HIV-AIDS on the communities she visited on immersion. We hardly hear anything about AIDS anymore; it has become a manageable disease – in the West. But in poor, developing countries where people cannot afford the anti-retroviral medication it is still a different story.  

Stephanie has recently completed her doctoral studies and for the last 18 months, has been working for the Health Department in Papua New Guinea, on childhood vaccination programs.

Recently, Stephanie spent two weeks in Solomon Islands, on similar work, and was able to catch up with the Dominican sisters. In 2018, Stephanie  was awarded a fellowship by the Ex-Students’ Association to live and work in Solomons Islands for six weeks. Last week, she visited the Dominican Sisters in Honiara and will meet up with Sr Marie Tora in Gizo and Sr Loretta in Auki as she travels from island to island.  

She is pictured here with Prudence, who is exploring life as a sister, with Sisters Anastasia, Dora, Teresa and Catherine. 

Jane Sulis
Outreach Coordinator

Catholic School Parents Australia

Catholic Schools Parents Australia are conducting a survey on student wellbeing and learning. You are invited to fill out this confidential survey and the results will be reported to the Federal Government and Catholic education on existing and emerging concerns. The survey should take 10-15 mins. Survey outcomes will also be made available the the Council of Catholic School Parents

Survey Link