For my final message of 2022, please watch the latest episode of The Lamp Post, which wraps up Term 4, especially the achievements of our students whom we honoured at Speech Night (Gioia House and Secondary Years) and Speech Day (Primary Years):
Paulina Skerman
College Principal
The Season of Advent – ‘For the Lord is a God of Justice: happy are all who wait for him.’
Isaiah 30:18
In September Pope Francis visited Kazakhstan and during the seventh Congress of world and traditional religions, called for increased religious freedom and appealed for peace. He reminded us that God’s response to the spread of evil in the world was that He ‘gave us Jesus, who drew near to us in a way we could never have imagined.’ Each year during Advent as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus we, as Christians, are marking the nativity but we are also choosing to celebrate the reception of Jesus in our heart as believers. We welcome the ‘drawing near’ of Jesus.
In our closing Liturgy for Year 7-12, we focused on the message of justice and dignity contained in the homily delivered on 21 December 1511 by Antonio de Montesinos. It was the fourth Sunday of Advent, and this humble Spanish Dominican friar on the island of Hispaniola (now the Dominican Republic and Haiti), with the backing of his Dominican community at Santo Domingo, preached against the enslavement and harsh treatment of the Indigenous peoples of the island. He was the first exponent of the rights of the Indians in the New World and criticised the practices of the Spanish colonial encomienda system. What an inspiring Advent message. Our liturgy challenged our students and staff to consider the impact such a message of dignity and justice might have in relation to First Nations Peoples, refugees and oppressed peoples around the world. As our student ministers noted, ‘this Advent season, may the light of Montesinos’ homily touch our hearts and allow us to consider how we can grow in honesty and integrity, for we know that many suffer immensely due to the greed and selfishness of others.’
At the close of this academic year, may the Blessings of Advent and Christmas be abundant for all our Santa Sabina families and may the heart of our Catholic Dominican community continue to beat as we take our summer break; refreshing and rejuvenating us all in readiness for 2023.
Father, this Advent, we eagerly await Jesus drawing near to us again. In a world that can feel overcome by the sins of violence, poverty and injustice, we pray that we can be instruments of peace and healing in Your name.
https://hallow.com/blog/advent-prayers-catholic-meditations/
Amen
Melanie van der Meer
Deputy Principal Mission and Pastoral Care
As the year draws to a close, it is timely to reflect on the many learning experiences both in and outside the classroom. Just today, I celebrated with the Year 10 students their showcase from the Creative Innovation for Sustainable Futures Bootcamp. In collaboration with UTS, the students presented their final solutions to industry representatives and academics. It was an outstanding achievement where the students also experienced university life. This is just one of the opportunities that has been facilitated by the staff at Santa. As we navigated the post-COVID world, teachers appreciated the benefits of face-to-face learning, incursions and excursions and the importance it plays on learning.
We are lucky at Santa to have dedicated staff who have challenged the students to think critically and creatively, taught them new skills and opened their minds to different points of view. This year I have visited many classrooms as we work with teachers to develop and reflect on their professional practice and it has been exciting to experience the learning first hand. I congratulate the following teachers for achieving their Independent Schools Teacher Accreditation Authority Experienced Teacher accreditation:
Angela Bunquin
Sarah-Jane Cartwright
Alex Connolly
Annette Janssen
Matthew Mountford
Alec Robertson.
This is a rigorous 18-month program where teachers reflect and evaluate their practice based on the professional teaching standards.
Teachers have now reported on the students’ achievements in Semester 2. We will continue to work with the students next year to use this information to reflect on their learning, what they have accomplished and the recommendations for improving. These are now available to parents on Veritas Online.
We look forward to celebrating the achievements of the HSC on 15 December and the IBDP on 3 January.
The summer holidays are an ideal time for students to take the opportunity to rest but for some who might like to find a new passion, these opportunities are available:
Science without Borders® Challenge – International Student Art ContestLiving Oceans Foundation
As I conclude my first year at Santa Sabina, I would like to sincerely thank the students, parents, teachers and leadership team for their support. I have enjoyed working with you all and am looking forward to seeing what 2023 brings. I wish you all a happy and safe Christmas.
Jacqueline Pugh
Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning
Santa Sabina is place of many moving parts. In my role at the College, I get to see an overview of how these parts work together to provide many opportunities to our children. Tutors, coaches, parent volunteers, community members, teaching staff, administration staff and services staff all work together with the common purpose of providing an excellent education for the students at the College. The Christmas period gives all these wonderful people the opportunity to have a well-earned rest before returning invigorated for 2023.
The College will still be a hive of activity with many important projects being conducted that cannot occur while students are on site. Over the holiday period, the College will change its Student Information System to TASS. This will have minimal impact on parents, however, it will mean that approving student excursions, updating medical details and updating student information will be easier using the new Parent Lounge.
To ensure that the necessary technical work can be done, Veritas Online, the College App and the Community Portal will be shut down on 16 January 2023 to enable our IT team to conduct important work on ensuring that these are ready to go without any glitches. The system will return to normal service on 24 January. Parents will receive an email prior to this date on how to connect to Veritas Online, the College App and the new Parent Lounge.
The College Calendar is being constantly updated with new events and dates for 2023. The calendar can be accessed by clicking the Calendar tab on Veritas Online and for Google users, we will make the link for the Santa Sabina Google Calendar available to Parents in the College Information section of Veritas Online.
The start of the year is always busy at schools, particularly for the students who have a new Apple device that they have purchased for their studies. This usually involves a trip to the IT department at school in the first week to onboard the device. In 2023, students will be able to onboard their device from the comfort of their homes, meaning that they will be not missing out on classes in the first days while they wait to be onboarded. Students and parents will be emailed a how-to sheet on how to onboard their new computer to the Santa Sabina IT network.
At the start of each year, I am always asked the question on when timetables will be released so students can check their classes. The timetables will go live to students on the 27 January, which will enable students to bring the correct equipment to the first day of school. All students with new electives in 2023 have already received emails confirming the classes that they have chosen to enable the purchase of the correct textbooks.
I would like to wish all families a very merry Christmas and hope that all families travelling during the holiday period stay safe.
John Gilmore
Deputy Principal Operations
We welcomed Parent Volunteers to the College before the P&F AGM on Monday 28 November to say thank you to those Parents who have supported us this year at a number of events, in the classroom and in the community. We appreciate all your support and thank you for your generosity. We also thank those members of the P&F who stepped down from their roles this year and welcome the new committee members. We look forward to working with you in 2023 to provide wonderful opportunities for our students and our community.
It has been a great pleasure to have welcomed members of the College community to a number of events in recent days, as we celebrated the end of a successful year for our students. Please enjoy these video highlights of Speech Night (Years 5-12) and Speech Day (K-Year 4). Remember that we also share photos, videos and news on our social media: Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.
Over the summer break, our traditional ‘Santa Summer Series’, focused on Year 12 results and some special performances for Christmas, will be published on Facebook and Instagram, well worth a look!
Yvette Graniero
Director of Community Relations
As another successful and extremely busy academic year comes to a close, we look forward to enjoying a very well-earned break. Every year presents us with challenges and opportunities, and we take this time to reflect on what is important in our lives. We have much to celebrate and to be grateful for – friendships, families…God.
On Tuesday, we celebrated Gioia House Thanksgiving Liturgy and acknowledged the Year 6 students and their time in Gioia House. It was a very moving occasion and an opportunity to give thanks to God for the friendships we formed, the challenges we faced and the knowledge we gained. In Matthew’s reading, we learnt about treasure and the attitude we should hold towards the most valued and precious things in our lives. We were reminded about the graces and gifts we have been given and to use them accordingly.
After the liturgy, students and families enjoyed a picnic on our stunning school grounds. It was a wonderful community occasion to connect and enjoy food. I thank families for providing food and creating a true sense of community.
I also want to take this opportunity to offer my sincere thanks to all parents, students and staff for their determination, hard work and support for each other as we navigated throughout the year. We look forward to welcoming students and parents in January. I trust that the holiday period will be a joyous time for all, an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends and to re-set for 2023, to which we look with great hope and anticipation of another great year of learning at Gioia House.
I will write to parents about the commencement of the 2023 school year for the Gioia House students in more detail in the second part of the summer holidays.
I wish each community member a very happy, healthy, and safe summer break. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Best regards
Stella Azizian
Head of Gioia House
Gioia House students demonstrated compassion, kindness and service in reaching out to those who struggle in Burwood community. We thank families for their generous donations to St Paul’s Parish Pantry. Your donations will feed the disadvantaged during Christmas.
Wow what a big year it has been! I am so very excited about 2023. We have some fabulous initiatives and experiences planned already for the children. Next year is going to be amazing! First, let’s reflect on 2022.
This year, on the Primary campus, we chose the theme of Joy. Joy in our learning, joy in our relationships, joy in the service of others, joy in our experiences, joy in community events.
First and foremost, the opportunity to work with the Primary students brings me joy each and every day. When I am asked if I have children, and I get asked this question often, I happily reply, ‘Yes I sure do, I have 350 of them!’
My dream for each and every one of them is to ensure that they come to know and love Jesus and have the opportunity to reach their full potential, flourish, and contribute positively to society and our world.
On the Primary campus, we aim to provide our students with hands-on, purposeful, real-world approaches to their learning with an ever-increasing variety of opportunities to allow them to find what sparks joy for them! This has led to the expansion of our curriculum including our co-curricular program. We are excited that we now offer digital tech and Italian to all students on the campus including Prep.
Our Music Program here at Santa Sabina is something that we are rightly very proud of. This year they have performed at the Sydney Town Hall at the Gala concert, The Conservatorium, and most recently at the Carols evening which fills us with so much joy.
This year we increased the co-curricular activities for the students to be involved in before, during, and after school. These offerings have given our students the opportunity to engage in a range of activities some of these include music tuition, basketball, dance, young engineers, speech, and drama, motiv8te sports, Mandarin, chess, and even crystal growing just to name a few… *not to mention, it has the added bonus of limiting parents time in Sydney’s traffic.
This brings me to joy in the service of others, this calls on the wise words of Gandhi:
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
I am passionate that the children reach out to others in service as I believe that education is about the development of the whole child not just academically but socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Most importantly, they love and care for others.
At Santa Sabina College, one of our Dominican Pillars is service. St Mary MacKillop, Australia’s Patron Saint, called on us ‘to never see a need without doing something about it’. This can be in gestures both great and small.
On the Primary Campus, we also took up St Mary MacKillop’s call to help another Catholic community. We reached out in service to assist St Joseph’s at Woodburn, which is in the Lismore diocese. St Joseph’s was devastated by floods this year and, tragically, lost its beautiful school. In addition to losing their school, half of the school families also lost their homes, businesses, and everything they owned.
It is important that students are able to use real-life experiences to learn and inquire. Our Year 1 class used the St Joseph’s service initiative as inspiration for their entry into the Mathematical Association of New South Wales Incorporated (MANSW) competition. Impressively, they were awarded first place in both the NSW competition and the National Competition. Our Year 3 class also were awarded Highly Commended in the NSW competition.
This year we had a strong focus on Literacy as we commenced implementing the new English K-2 Syllabus. Literacy skills in the early years are essential foundations for later success at school.
We introduced the IntialLit reading program in Kindergarten and Year 1 – an evidenced-based program supported by over 20 years of research on how students best learn literacy skills. We already have seen great gains in our reading results this year and we will expand the program in 2023.
Thank you again to the many parents who helped us cover countless resources (over 1000 to be exact)! We couldn’t have been able to commence this initiative so quickly without your support.
This strong, explicit literacy and numeracy focus will be coupled with a continued focus on building curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking fostered with a global perspective through inquiry learning which we hold dear on the campus. The combination of explicit numeracy and literacy teaching with our already instilled inquiry approach will ensure that our students are learners who are problem-solvers and critical thinkers who inquire about their world. Some might say we will have the best of both worlds.
There has been much joy this year with the reintroduction of our Parent Helper Programs and P&F events. We are so grateful for the time, commitment, and support shown by these volunteers to support our students. Thank you to our parents for entrusting your beautiful children to us.
I would like to acknowledge and thank our College Principal Ms Skerman for her leadership and guidance this year. Her vision for the College is based on providing an education that is tailored to suit every single child’s individual needs and offering a holistic environment with academic excellence at its core.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our teachers and staff for their tireless commitment to ensuring our students have the most relevant and engaging learning experiences.
I wish all in our community the joy and blessings of the Christmas season. May we take this break to recharge and remind ourselves of our blessings and how lucky we are. I know I will be reflecting on the privilege that it is to be the Head of the Primary at Santa Sabina and be blessed to work with our gorgeous children.
With this in mind, I will conclude with some words from Dr Suess that remind us to be joyous, and thankful because we are lucky. So in the words of Dr. Suess…
Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky!
Joanne Giannini
Head of Primary P-4
NSW Education has announced that the Before and After School Care (BASC) Voucher program has re-opened for parent claims and will remain open until 31 January 2023.
BASC vouchers can be claimed via the Service NSW app or via the Service NSW website: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-basc-voucher.
Once a BASC voucher has been claimed from NSW Education it needs to be presented to us at OOSH by 31 January 2023 to be scanned and redeemed.
The value of a BASC Voucher is $500 per child. It can be used to pay for Before School Care, After School Care and Vacation Care until the $500 is exhausted. Families have until 30 June 2023 to spend the $500.
The NSW BASC Voucher is used to pay for the balance of OOSH fees once Child Care Subsidy (CCS) has been applied. Together, the BASC Voucher and CCS can make the payment of OOSH fees for several weeks very possible. Eligible families can register for CCS via the My Gov app or via the My Gov website https://my.gov.au/
If you have any questions about the NSW BASC Voucher Program or CCS, please do not hesitate to contact Frances Windon at ooshmail@ssc.nsw.edu.au. We are here to support families to balance their work and family practices.
Our summer program begins Thursday 8 December and operates until Friday 16 December 2022. OOSH then closes for three weeks. OOSH re-opens on Monday 9 January 2023, for the second half of the summer vacation care program. The focus of vacation care is on fun and leisure activities. It has an incursion and excursion program and an activity program. If you would like to book your child into vacation care, please contact Jessica Azzi at ooshmail@ssc.nsw.edu.au .
Jackie Baxter
Director of Mary Bailey House
In November, a group of College prefects participated in the Archbishop’s Student Leadership forum. This is an annual event that the Archbishop hosts to hear the voice and questions of our young leaders within the high schools of the Sydney Archdiocese. The Archbishop challenged the students to discern how young people could be more engaged in our Church, and this event was an excellent opportunity to work with St Patrick’s leaders. We hope to work closely together with them in the future.
Ryan Reyes
Dean of Mission
On Thursday 1 December, Year 9 Commerce classes had the opportunity to utilise their study of innovation and entrepreneurship to produce Christmas products to sell to the Santa Sabina community. This project required students to apply their understanding of the factors involved in running a small business such as a market stall. Students needed to work collaboratively to allocate human resources, apply organisational logistics, design marketing strategies and manage finance. The Commerce Christmas Market raised over $2500 for the women of Kopanang. Mrs Vikki Cummins and Mr Richard Crittenden must be acknowledged for their support and guidance of Year 9 Commerce students and the success of this project.
Brigida Zagora
Head of HSIE (History)
The Christmas Market Day was such an exciting experience. As Commerce students we were eager to put our new knowledge of business tactics towards helping a good cause to support the women of Kopanang. Each group was determined to raise as much money as possible. We sold Christmas ornaments, hot chocolate, bracelets, and much more. My group sold festive mugs with instant hot chocolate, marshmallows, candy canes, and instructions on how to make the product inside. In class, we learned about increasing the value of a product by coupling it with other resources. We did this with our product design. We also printed stickers with our group’s name and logo on them and handed these out to our first 12 buyers. In Commerce we had examined the importance of advertising, and as a result of handing out these stickers, we attracted more buyers. We were very successful and sold out of our product within half an hour! This year’s Christmas Market day gave us a practical insight into Commerce skills, so we are prepared for next year with new skills and some merry experiences.
Isabelle Law – Year 9
Congratulations to our fourth Santa Sabina Diploma cohort on completing their final exams. They are to be commended on their positive attitude towards both their studies and exams.
IB results will be released on 3 January 2023 at 10:00am.
On Friday 2 December, the Year 9 cohort experienced Santa Sabina’s second D-Cubed Day (Discover Diploma Day). The Year 11 Diploma cohort together with their teachers prepared IB taster lessons. These lessons then ran over the six periods throughout the day – see the schedule below. The Year 9 students selected which subjects were of interest to them via a Google survey. Congratulations to the Year 11s and their teachers for hosting the day and to the Year 9s who embraced it with such enthusiasm.
Julie Harris
Dean of IB
In response to Sr Sheila Flynn’s presentation about the history of racism and apartheid and the abuse of power and control in South Africa, Calliope and Charlize have composed this inspiring poetic reimagining of ‘Nightfall in Soweto’.
Sarah-Jane Cartwright
Year 8 English Teacher
In Year 8 Italian this week, the students showed their most artistic side by creating some wonderful Christmas concrete poems in Italian.
Using words and images they associate with Christmas, some beautiful pieces were made.
Anna Formosa
Italian Language Teacher
Students from Years 7, 8 and 9 competed in the 2022 Middle School Ethics Olympiad on 22 November. Santa Sabina entered two hard-working teams who have been in training since the beginning of Term 3. With the guidance of their senior student coaches, both teams were able to engage in robust ethical discussions with teams from other schools. The red team won the regional competition to take home a Gold medal, they have been invited to participate in the International Middle School Ethics finals in March of 2023.
Some student reflections of the day are provided below:
Last week, we were given the privilege to compete against other schools in the Ethics Olympiad. With the support and mentorship of our coaches, we were able to place 1st! Through this experience, we have been able to grow in our understanding of the ethical theories, while developing our discussion skills that are applicable in all subjects. I was able to learn so much and hope to participate again next year!
Isabel
The Ethics Olympiad was a fantastic experience, and it was a major highlight to place 1st! It has helped me so much in improving communication skills and inclusion of interesting ideas and viewpoints in my thinking. We were taught by our three fantastic coaches (Olivia, Annie and Ruby) to include ethical theories and strengthen our previous skills. Overall, it was an incredible journey that has improved my academics vastly.
Edith
The Ethics Olympiad has been a significant way for me to broaden my perspective on philosophy as well as my thoughts and questions about the world. I’ve improved my ability to see the small details and the big picture in many real-life situations, which I believe I’ve learned from studying ethical cases. With the incredible support we received, my team and I have made a great achievement this year and I hope to continue with our success in the future.
Mia
The Ethics Olympiad competition is one of the best experiences I’ve been given the opportunity to have at Santa. This was my first year trying it out and I had the most incredible time. Thanks to my amazing team and our coaches I learnt so much and we were even able to come first in the competition thanks to all of the support we received. It was such an incredible chance to meet new people and learn new things, and I can’t wait to continue this all at the international competition next year!
Emily
Matthew Mountford
Science Teacher
A group of Year 9 and 12 students travelled to Mt Druitt recently to spend a day of service at the Ignite Food Store and Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation.
One group helped restock the shelves and organise the donations from Foodbank, Harris Farm and Catholic schools in Sydney. The second group met the Aboriginal elders of Baabayn, learnt about the various programs offered to the community and helped decorate the space for an upcoming event.
We hope this service immersion experience gave the students a greater understanding of the challenges faced by communities in Western Sydney and inspired them to be agents of change.
If you would like to help the two organisations during this Advent Season, visit https://jss.org.au/westernsydney/ or donate to Mary Bailey House’s Christmas appeal which will be going to Baabayn.
Ryan Reyes
Dean of Mission
This fortnight students in Mundawora have been decorating their Homerooms in preparation for Christmas as well as to win points for the Mundawora House Cup. It was great to see all of the groups get together to share the festive spirit. Congratulations to Julia Gomez and Emma Wheadon, the Mundawora House Captains who led this initiative as well as to Ms Walker and HRM7 who took out the prize for the best decorations.
Merry Christmas!
Kate Blake
Head of Mundawora House
On our second fitness Friday of the term, the student leadership team hosted our very own world cup soccer game in light of the FIFA world cup happening right now. This was our first Year 12 charity fundraiser and all money raised went to the Mark Huges Foundation.
As the teachers and students stepped onto the field the atmosphere was there. Students from all years surrounded the field and cheered as zooper doopers went around and music was playing.
The game was close, teachers scoring the very first goal putting pressure on the students. But before we knew it two quick goals from the students bought victory to the student team, putting the very first tally on the student side in our soon-to-come teacher vs student tournament.
This event was a great way to showcase the talents of both the students and the teachers and saw our community gather together to be physical and support the world cup and the great cause of the Year 12 charity.
The prefect team would also like to congratulate everyone on an amazing year of spectacular events and that brought our community so much closer together! We would also like to thank all of the staff, students and the College community for all of their efforts in making this year as wonderful as it was and hope that next year is full of excitement for everyone at the College. We want to wish you all very Happy Holidays and New Year’s, we can’t wait to see you all next year!
The Student Leadership Team
As we near the end of this year, I reflect on all the wonderful opportunities and sense of community we have in Gioia House. I think about the events and programs that have taken place this year and I am proud of the personal growth the students have shown.
There is a special sense of community within Gioia House and the students and teachers work collaboratively to ensure we have an inclusive and supportive educational environment where our goal is to make sure each student thrives in a holistic way. Pastoral programs such as Rock and Water, Community, Homeroom Pastoral and Community time have had a positive impact on the students and given them strategies to think about ways to respond to different situations in life.
Earlier this term, we surveyed the students to gain some insight and feedback from the students to evaluate our Pastoral programs, as we are always looking at ways we can continue to improve the opportunities provided for the Gioia House students. It was pleasing to see that many students commented on the Rock and Water Pastoral program and the different ways they have used some of the strategies to deal with everyday situations. It has been wonderful to see students develop their self-confidence and look for opportunities to help others and form new connections.
Congratulations to our final Action Girl Award recipients for the year. The following students have received their awards for being kind, caring and compassionate students. They have also demonstrated a positive mindset and commitment to their learning.
Year 5 students:
Emilia Srdanovic
Chloe Sarkis
Annabelle Geagea
Natalie Chidiac
Year 6 students:
Sofia Livolsi
Eryll Pacquing
Elyssa Jeitani
I hope this holiday break allows you to spend quality time with the people you love and do things for yourself that bring you joy. Try to limit screen time, spend more time outdoors, admire nature, draw, write, plant some flowers or read a few good books. I hope you prioritise your own wellbeing.
Wishing you and your families a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.
Marisa Maks
Assistant Head of Gioia House
Sr Sheila, one of our Dominican Sisters, came and visited us talking about Advent and why it is special. We learnt about the reality of the Nativity story and how it was very difficult for Mary and Joseph . During the visit of Sister Sheila we all made our own creative artworks featuring Christmas symbols such as, reindeers, christmas trees or stars. Learning about the lives of refugees and asylum seekers made us realise how lucky we are to have a happy Christmas with our families. Overall it was a fun and creative lesson and we really enjoyed learning more about Advent.
Isobel Thomas and Mikayla Tadros
On 21 November, class 6AD visited the Dadirri Prayer Space under the expert guidance of Sr Sheila. She shared her vision, her knowledge and her wealth of experience. I really enjoyed our lesson with Sr Sheila in the Dadirri Prayer Space. I felt touched, knowing the meaning behind each of the glass windows she designed using Indigenous dot painting. We were asked our interpretation of each window before she shared her intention behind the design. I understood the way Sr Sheila designed the windows knowing the experiences and past of the Indigenous people. I was sympathetic, knowing that the sculpture signified the hands of a past Santa student who had passed.
Scarlett Chidiac
The Dadirri visit was a lovely experience. There were many things that I enjoyed, such as the explanation of the cross on the wall. I loved the window artworks and their significance to Sr Sheila. My favourite artwork would have to be GROWTH, as it reminded me that I am safe. Sr Sheila’s passion for her work was incredible and I really enjoyed listening to her.
Alessia Mastroianni
As soon as I stepped into the Dadirri Prayer Space, I felt a connection to God and I felt present with him. The space was calming and meaningful. The window artworks were carefully selected and I could interpret every one of them. The artworks reflected Indigenous history and acknowledged our First Nations peoples. Overall, I saw this visit as a time to reflect on how grateful we should be that we have such beautiful creations all around us. Thank you to Sr Sheila for sharing her beautiful artworks and thoughts.
Mia Sorial
I learnt that the Dadirri Prayer Space is a room of deep thinking. Dadirri also means living in the moment. After being in this room, I felt refreshed, like I was really living its meaning. Since the visit, I have been more open minded and insightful to nature, realising my journey as a human being.
Hayley Wong
In continued support of the Gioia House Christmas Giving Appeal to St Paul’s Church, Burwood, the Kitchen Garden Club sold homegrown Sunflower seedlings to the Santa community.
Through the participation of the Gioia House staff and students, as well as the Senior School staff, an additional $140 was raised.
A special thank you to the KGC girls for their tireless effort and enthusiasm.
Eamonn Dunphy
Gioia House Teacher
A task our class completed was a Found Poem activity. Students were required to select inspirational quotes that resonated with them and then, using the phrases, rearrange the words to create a poem. We hope you enjoy a selection of our poems.
Raise up your voice and be who you are,
Keep fighting and don’t give up,
If everyone had the chance not all would succeed,
So raise your voice not to shout, but to help those who no one can hear
Be yourself and don’t change,
It won’t matter, because you are not them
If you were to die tomorrow, would you give up?
Would you fight even if there was the slightest chance you could succeed?
Because to fight is to live, and to do nothing is to be taken
Taken by those who didn’t believe
Annie Cordony-Jones
The question.
You know not what you may be.
Yet one person has made a world of you,
You that is blinded by knowing yourself to be a fool although your wisdom contains the answer to the question.
To be.
True to yourself so there is no false.
Gifted with the understanding of what is useful and no need for what is not.
You have done no one wrong, trusted few and had a unique love for all.
All while following the words “those who stand for nothing fall for everything”.
To be more than just one person to the world.
Or not to be
The fool that thinks to be wise and chooses to fear the man who has practised 10,000 kicks once,
but to be no fool and know to be fearful of the man who has practised one kick 10,000 times.
For the way you perceive it, you must endure the rain to witness the rainbow.
The question. To be. Or not to be.
Emilia Fara
Work for a cause because great things take time.
Never give up after your failures. Learn from them and start again because you can’t cross the sea by merely standing and staring at the water.
Live life to express and enjoy the little things, instead of to impress.
Do not be embarrassed by what stays, let it stay.
Whatever comes let it come and what goes, let it go
You are enough.
Remember, Life is a mountain. Your goal is to find your path, not to reach the top.
Hasika Bansal
First, you try then you succeed
The only way to quit is to stop trying
Failure is your only chance to try again
This time with more success
Just keep swimming through your failures
Never quit
You never know how close you are to success
Catherine Sialepis
The braver you believe you are,
The stronger you seem,
The smarter you teach, the smarter you think,
The more that you dream.
The rainbows only come,
When you put up with the rain,
The stronger you are,
The less the pain.
Everyone has beauty,
You just need to find it,
Not everyone believes it,
But you will love it.
Natalia Gardiner
When the world is silent
we realise the importance of our voices
When we are silenced
one voice becomes powerful
The voices of women are stronger
If women were silenced
nothing would change
The voices of women are stronger
Our hearts, souls and voices
can create global peace
Amelia Abi Abdallah
You will face many defeats in life,
But You have to keep moving
Never let yourself be defeated.
You have to keep your balance,
Life is like riding a bicycle.
You are the author of your own story,
You have to try.
You have to write your own story,
You have to write about your own happiness.
Live your best
Think your best
Act your best
Because there may be no tomorrow
Charlize Saade
Queen Victoria
The possibility of defeat is not on our minds
Nor an outcome we come to
For it does not exist
The way that failure is not a result that arrives
Only success and new learning
Come from our work
Queen Elizabeth II
The price we pray for our deep love
Is the feeling of grief once it’s left
When the hard life comes, most will accept defeat
But the few who fight for our future
Are the ones celebrating their courage
Asha Millward
It always seems Impossible,
until you BELIEVE,
You were given a mind that CAN achieve,
A heart that Forgives and LOVES the worst,
A soul built with hopes and DREAMS,
Live each day like there’s no tomorrows,
Act your BEST and never lose hope,
You are STRONG enough to Live Through Today,
It’s not what I have been through that DEFINES who I am,
The first step is to say that I CAN
Amelia Hone
This term the Year 5 students were learning about forces. The students completed a design and make project where they were required to design and build a maze which would make a ping-pong ball roll the slowest down a maze. In Week 8 all groups tested their mazes. Students were given two trial runs, then were allowed to make adjustments and run their final maze. We were impressed with the variety of Maze designs and the strategies used to slow down the ping-pong ball. Congratulations to all the Year 5 students for your collaboration and amazing maze designs.
At the start of the term,in Science we started making a maze. The goal was not to go fast, but to go slow. It was called ‘Slow Maze Runners’. My group and I changed our design a lot of times and came up with a design with a record time of 6 seconds. When we were making the design, we had to make adjustments along the way to make it slower. When we first tried it, it went for 3 seconds, so we had to make changes to slow it down. On testing day I became very stressed because ours started to break. We had so much fun making this maze.
Lily D
This term in Science we have been focusing on making a slow maze runner using our knowledge of friction. The goal of this task was to make a slow mase run so that our ball takes that maximum time to finish. My group started to brainstorm different ideas that would take up lots of time. Our ideas contained a funnel, a board with spikes and a tunnel with things sticking out of the sides. Once we made all of the pieces we assembled our mase and gave it a test. For the remainder of that lesson we made adjustments to make it as long and as slow as possible. My group’s slowest time recorded was 5 seconds and 47 milliseconds which made us the third highest time in our class.
Alegra C
At the start of the term for our Science lessons, year 5 created ‘Slow Maze Runners’ (ball runs). The aim was to create the slowest ball run using different techniques. My group added a funnel, a board with bits of paper on it to slow down the ball, ramps with twists and turns and more. This was a fun task and our group ended up coming third, with a time of 5.47(5 seconds and 47 milliseconds). This task helped me with my thinking skills, collaboration skills and being able to slow down an object by using different steps/methods combined(this task gives a deeper understanding of gravity).
Sienna P
This term the students were developing their coding and creative skills. Students were required to design a game, then build the game. Once the game was built, students used the Makey Makey to code and allow their game boards to become interactive.
Throughout the year we’ve participated in STEM lessons where we’ve learnt about a variety of digital topics including coding, input and output devices, binary numbers and this term Makey Makeys. In small groups we’ve made board games and attached Makey Makeys that we’ve coded to be controlled by our laptop. This task has taught us skills of problem solving, creativity, teamwork and of course how to use a Makey Makey. From not knowing what a Makey Makey was to coding sounds onto it; it is clear that we’ve all learnt something new during this experience.
STEM has given us the opportunity to expand our imagination and knowledge through fun activities like this which with the skills we’ve learnt will benefit our academic journey here at Santa Sabina. A big thank you goes out to our wonderful STEM teacher Mrs Ivancsik who has given us an understanding of how to use a Makey Makey and has guided us through our STEM journey throughout the entire year educating us on all the above as well as how to improve in this amazing learning experience!
5 Kostakis
This term in STEM we used a Makey Makey set to make a board game.Something that I enjoyed at STEM was when my group and I collaborated well together and our board game worked!
Cadence W
We designed a board game using Makey Makey coding to make it more interactive. Something I enjoyed about making the STEM game was joining with other classes and making new friends and forming new connections by getting into new groups. We had a lot of fun brainstorming and making it. Our original idea was to make a Game Of Life but we had 30 minutes to change our idea. We ended up making a game called ‘ActiveO’ which was our idea. I overall had a lot of fun.
Charlotte H
During Term 4, our class engaged in a range of exciting experiments to help us learn more about our changing planet and dynamic natural disasters. Under the guidance of our Science teacher Ms Dao, we investigated the layers of the earth, different types of tectonic plate movement, how a seismometer works and convection currents. Here are some of our reflections.
In Science, we have learnt important information about natural disasters, how they work and what causes them. We created a seismometer for earthquakes, using a box, a pen, a cup and string. This activity shows us how everything is recorded to ensure we are safe and we are organised and alerted when an earthquake hits. We have also been taught about the different layers of the Earth and we created an Earth model out of playdough. Another activity we participated in was learning about the different tectonic movements using biscuits and shaving cream. We learn about convection currents by lighting tea bags on fire and using heat to see how the tea leaves move.It was a very fun experience and my knowledge about natural disasters has definitely improved. Learning about these disasters was very fun and also very messy at the same time.
Charlize Saade
We made a working seismometer and investigated convection currents and plate tectonics. In our last lesson we used a lit empty tea bag to test that cold things go down and warm things rise. I enjoyed the prac lessons that we completed.
Phoebe Cunneen
Science was enjoyable and learning about the layers of the earth was great. Building and using the seismometer was entertaining as well as fun. The convection current experiment made me learn new things that made me wonder things as well.
Arabella Loibner
This semester I’ve enjoyed the experiments we tested and the investigation of things we gained knowledge about. These were like the model and crust of the earth, seismometers and how they contribute to natural disasters, and how different technology assists with natural disasters.
Lucia Winters
We have learnt so much in a hands-on way. We have done countless experiments relating to natural disasters. Our lessons are fun and exciting and we always leave the Science labs with new knowledge.
Annie Cordony-Jones
In this unit in Science, I enjoyed learning about natural disasters. It was enjoyable to participate in experiments such as using the crackers and the whipped cream for the tectonic plates, the flying tea bag, the rotating tea leaves in hot water and playdough representing the layers of earth. This unit was very fun and I discovered many new things about the earth and its natural disasters.
Catherine Sialepis
During Science, I enjoyed constructing a playdough model of the Earth’s layers. We were able to build a to-scale model of the Earth’s layers that included: the crust, mantle, outer core and the inner core.
Ilaria Musca
What I enjoyed about Science this term was building a seismometer. It was interesting to understand how they work and how to calculate how big an earthquake is.
Francesca Placanica
In Science, I enjoyed learning about convection currents. The best part was lighting the empty tea bag casing on fire and watching it fly up into the air and then slowly come back down due to the hot and cold convection currents. I also enjoyed making a seismometer and competing with the other teams.
Emilia Fara
We learnt about the layers of the earth and natural disasters caused by tectonic plate movement. I enjoyed the seismometer task where we had to create a seismometer with cardboard, paper, a cup and a pen. My seismometer was successful.
Amelia Abi Abdallah
During Science we have looked at models of the earth’s crust, demonstrated how tectonic plates move during an earthquake and learnt more about convection currents. My favourite part during Science this term was convection currents as we learnt more about what happens underneath the earth’s crust.
Hasika Bansal
In Year 6 Gioia House, in STEM in groups of two to four, we were instructed to design an app to help people and animals. We had to choose one of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals to match with our app. We started this challenge in Term 3 and we have just finished in Week 7 Term 4.
We are all learning to be great coders and all of the students in Year 6 have gone through ups and downs while making these apps. We would never have come this far without our amazing STEM teacher Mrs Ivancsik who has taught us how to code and how to make our app designs all come to life. It has been an amazing journey working together and thinking about how we can make this amazing app. We also got to see and feel what other people do for their job.
Layla Antico and Allegra Parisi
Faith Ata (Year 5) was recognised for her incredible sporting achievements at the Sydney Catholic Schools Sports Awards on Wednesday 7 December. She received a representative sport award. Faith has been very successful in all her rugby achievements this year and we are very proud to celebrate this achievement also.
Advent is the first day of a new Liturgical (or church) calendar and begins a four-week period of preparation in anticipation of the nativity of Jesus at Christmas.
The season of Advent is all about reflecting on how we can prepare our hearts and homes for Christ’s birth in the world as it is today. It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, special music, and good deeds what the true meaning of Jesus’ birth is. There are many different traditions associated with the four weeks of Advent. The Advent season invites us to step away from what can be a frenzied time of parties and shopping to consider how we commemorate the birth of Jesus, one of the holiest times in Christian faith. It is also a time to reflect on the triumphant return of Jesus at the second coming. May this year’s Advent season be one of hope, renewal and anticipation as we await the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Last Wednesday we celebrated our end-of-year Thanksgiving Mass and farewell to our Year 4 students. The boys continued the much-loved tradition of dancing on Dom’s plot followed by a morning tea with all Year 4 parents.
Thank you to all the families that attended our final Mass, as always, the Chapel was filled with much joy and prayer and reflection on such a wonderful year together.
Christian meditation is the process of deliberately focusing on specific thoughts and reflecting on their meaning in the context of the love of God. Christian meditation aims to heighten the personal relationship based on the love of God that marks Christian communion.
This year, our Year 3 students with the help of Sr Jill have been involved in meditation sessions in their classroom and as part of the Friday morning College meditation program.
We would like to thank Sr Jill for the time she has given to the students on the Primary Campus. Sr Jill visited classes each week and led the children through a short meditation.
As part of our Outreach activities this year we have collected non-perishable items for the House of Welcome at Granville, a community service supporting refugees and their families who are not permitted to work while they wait for their visas to be processed. We wanted to say a big ‘Thank you’ for your support with this worthwhile appeal. Your generosity has helped bring joy and comfort to our community this Christmas.
Finally, as we enter the holiday period, I just wanted to thank all our families for their support over the year. I hope that the holidays provide an opportunity for rest, rejuvenation and connection and I look forward to a wonderful 2023.
Tina Nicotina
Religious Education Coordinator, P-6 Pastoral Care Coordinator P-4
This week our students from Prep to Year 4 completed their final units of inquiry. We place students at the centre of learning and supports the development of knowledge and skills that will enable them to be successful learners throughout their lives.
Student reflections provide important information that enables a school to refine and develop their programme of inquiry. Here are some reflections that have been collected from our students:
We learned that not everybody wants the same things. We didn’t always get what we wanted and we had to agree on things. Everybody has to be included when we make decisions.
We learned to take notes and interview people. We used knowledge from our research to present to the class. We researched ecosystems and biomes, endangered animals, cultures and places, Australian history, architecture.
We can show what we have learned by writing and drawing. We made a website. We built a model of a community. We made designs. We created artworks. We did presentations.
We learned about reducing, reusing and recycling. We learned about endangered animals and how human action can make animals endangered. We learned about the balance in biomes. We learned about looking after oceans and being guardians of the planet.
The exhibition was a great opportunity to learn new and different things that I probably wouldn’t have learned about otherwise. My thinking really changed. For example, before the exhibition, I would walk into a pharmacy and think everything was fine but after it, I would walk into that same pharmacy and know that many of the products would have been tested on animals. This made me feel concerned and I wanted to spread awareness of animal testing.
In the exhibition of 2022, I worked with a fabulous partner and we investigated diseases and how dogs detect them. It was interesting and it extended my learning. Having the opportunity to do an Exhibition meant that my thinking went beyond where it would normally be. I was challenged to go further. I loved being able to share my learning with the community.
Karen Campbell
IBDP Coordinator
It has been a productive year and it has been lovely to have all students back on our Primary campus. Our Gifted and High potential students have had many opportunities to think critically and creatively. They have dived deep, explored, discovered and questioned.
Engineering: The engineering design process: asking, imagining, planning, creating, testing and improving was explored.Infants explored via the magical world of fairytale and students in the upper grades explored via series of practical activities. All students had to think like engineers to problem solve to design and create solutions.
Poetry: Students entered the Nature Writing Competition- ‘Poem Forest’ by Red Room Poetry, in partnership with The Australian Botanic Garden. This competition “breathes life back into the natural world that sustains us and invites students to use their words to make positive climate action. For every nature poem received a tree is planted to help heal habitats and create a POEM FOREST for future generations.” Students enjoyed creating poems on a variety of topics that connected with nature such as waterfalls, Koalas and other unique animals.
Inventions: Students learned about: what an inventor does, the process of inventing and explored various inventions. They thought about real-world problems that either: they, their family, communities or society on a global level experience, that could be solved by an invention. Their invention could assist the problem by making it more efficient, faster, stronger or safer. Students were encouraged to believe in their imagination and to think creatively
Maths Problem Solving: In infants, students were explicitly taught the stages of the problem solving process and developed a ‘tool box’ of problem solving skills. In the upper grades students completed challenging tasks that foster sustained thinking, decision making, persistence and risk taking. Students experienced robust learning whereby they connected ideas, reasoned, explained, justified and formulated strategies to solve problems.
Caddie Ruster
Gifted and Talented Coordinator P-4
Mathematics is all around us, therefore, we need to ensure students are able to understand the world around them. Beginning in Term Two, the Mathematics Intervention Program was implemented to support targeted students’ understanding of the various mathematical concepts, foster students’ growth, development and deeper thinking of mathematical knowledge,as well as promoting the joy of learning.
The intervention was adapted from the Top Ten Maths Programs, which are research based programs developed by Mathematics leaders. Our Mathematics Intervention Program enabled students to explore the concepts of Whole Number, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, and Patterns and Algebra through purposeful, real-life, open-ended mathematics tasks.
To cater to students’ learning needs, the program incorporated an integrated approach of teaching, learning and assessment. Throughout the program, students engaged in hands-on experiences of assessment for learning and assessment of learning to provide evidence about student achievement, monitor progress and plan for future learning. The data collected indicated significant improvements in students’ results from the beginning of the program. We are incredibly proud of all the students’ hard work and dedication to their learning throughout the intervention program.
Fortunately, the implementation of the program was supported by wonderful parent helpers. The parents were provided with information sessions and interactive workshops, to equip them with the skills to assist with the delivery of the program. In addition to this, the program was also supported by an ex-student completing her professional experience. We sincerely thank our parent helpers and ex-student for the time dedicated to the Mathematics Intervention Program.
Joanne Giannini
Head of Primary P-4
In November Speech & Drama students participated in their ASCA Exams. These exams promote and assist in the development of oral communication, drama, poetry, reading and listening skills in a formal performance setting.
We thank our hardworking examiners Dr Paul March and Carolyn Mackenzie who assessed and gave encouraging feedback to the students. The students gave entertaining poetry and drama performances, speech presentations and book readings.
Thank you also to the audience of parents and visitors who attended and took part by asking questions or commenting at the appropriate times, these impromptu exchanges aid in the development of realistic and natural communication which benefits the speaker.
Our aims of the Speech & Drama program include building students’ confidence and self-esteem through drama, promoting an enjoyment of language in all its forms, developing vocal and physical skills of students, whose speech is clear, colourful and individual, and developing fluency and clarity of speech for effective oral communication. Articulation, voice, pronunciation and rhythm of speech skills are extended and developed.
In addition we promote and foster an enjoyment of reading, an understanding of communication skills, as well as nurturing creativity and thinking skills.
Thank you to our Speech & Drama teachers, Emily Pollard & Charlotte Hazzard, who teach the students and have done a fantastic job preparing the students!
Joanne Giannini
Head of Primary P-4
This week we celebrated our Kindergarten Christmas liturgy. This event inspires us to reflect on the many joys of Christmas and the coming of our saviour, Jesus Christ. The Kindergarten children certainly were the bright shining stars of the day. Their performance was just amazing. Our sincere thanks to Ms Evans and Ms Napper for preparing the children.
Tina Nicotina
Religious Education Coordinator P-6, Pastoral Care Coordinator P-4
The Year 4 students have celebrated this final week with a ‘Big Day In’ run by Motiva8sports, a wonderful sausage sizzle prepared by parents, a sweet treat, and a refreshing ice block to end their special day. A big thank you to the parent helpers who volunteered their time on the day to cook and serve the BBQ lunch.
As our Year 4 students move on to the senior campus or to new primary schools, we would like to congratulate them on all their wonderful achievements during their time on the Primary Campus.
Year 4 students and teachers
Congratulations to our amazing swimming superstars for their efforts and achievements at the Kindergarten to Year 2 Splash and Dash. Thank you to Mr Ayoub (Director of Sport) for overseeing the carnival to ensure everything ran smoothly.
Joanne Giannini
Head of Primary P-4
At our Thanksgiving Mass we heard reflections from the parents of our School Captains.
Below is the speech shared with the community by Hoda Nikolaou (mother of George Nikolaou, Year 4 2022).
As I reflect over the last seven years I can happily say that del Monte has provided my children with the experiences and opportunities to set them up for the next stages of their education.
From maths investigations to speaking in an open forum, representing the school on the sporting fields through to playing music on the big stage – these are experiences that have helped shape them into the rounded, courageous, and confident young boys and girls that they are today, and for this I am grateful.
With these experiences, I warmly reflect on the various friendships that have been forged over the years. These have become life lessons, be it in the classroom or on the basketball courts, that have allowed the students to be tested, to grow, be resilient and ready to handle all kinds of situations that may arise outside of the classroom in the years to come.
My advice to all the students is to be brave, give things a go and always do your best! Most importantly be kind and have fun along the way.
Thank you.
Hoda Nikolaou
On the Santa Sabina Primary campus we will offer a variety of co-curricular experiences for our students before, during and after school throughout 2023. External providers have been secured for Art on Canvas, Bricks 4 Kidz, Chess, Little Boomers Basketball, Motiv8Sports, Speech and Drama, Super Sports and Young Engineers. Below is the list of offerings for Term 1 for you to discuss with your child/ren.
Registration links will be emailed home soon. Please note that each activity has a maximum number of availability and bookings are on a first-in basis. If there is an activity not listed below that you would like to see in 2023, your suggestions for co-curricular experiences are always welcome.
Grades: Year 3 to Year 4
The College offers private music tuition in most instruments and musicianship. A reminder that if your child is to be learning a string instrument as part of the Instrumental Program, they are required to have private music tuition on their instrument to support their learning from Year 3.
Many opportunities are offered to extend and develop students in the ensemble setting. While learning privately is an essential way of introducing specific skills and knowledge, the best learning occurs when the musician also has the opportunity to play and learn with others. There are many ensemble and performance opportunities.
Vocal Ensembles
Grades: Year 1 – Year 4
There are two choirs for our Primary Years students. Year 1 and 2 Singers and the Siena Singers (for Years 3 and 4 students).
Contact: Del Monte Office c.shone@ssc.nsw.edu.au
Primary Years Chamber String Ensemble
Grades: Year 3 – Year 4
Aimed at developing both ensemble and solo playing skills, this ensemble offers an opportunity to extend our advanced players.
Contact: Mrs Cecilia Pensini (Head of Strings P-4) c.pensini@ssc.nsw.edu.au
Taiko Ensembles (Japanese Drumming)
Grades: Year 3 – Year 4
There is one Taiko ensemble offered in the Primary Years. There is a cost, registrations are limited and done via Trybooking.
Contact: Mrs Suzanna Touma s.touma@ssc.nsw.edu.au
Grades: Kindergarten – Year 4
Art on Canvas for Kids aims to unleash children’s creativity and allow them to express themselves. Students from Kindergarten to Year 4 will have the opportunity to tap into their creativity while being guided by art-loving staff.
Grades: Students from Kindergarten – Year 4
Students from Kindergarten to Year 4 will have the opportunity to participate in Bricks 4 Kidz in Term 1.
BRICKS 4 KIDZ after school workshops build on the universal popularity of LEGO® bricks to deliver a high quality of educational play. Each workshop is a fun, enriching experience for your child. Kids build a new project each week using the classic bricks loved by generations of children.
Chess club caters to players of all levels (beginners to advanced). Each week the Chess club runs a lesson to teach a new skill that is appropriate to the level of the children attending. Beginners will learn how to play and all of the rules of chess, progressing to learn some basic checkmates and strategies later on. Intermediate and Advanced players will learn about opening theories, tactics, strategies and endgames improving their game and expanding the calculation skills and foresight that they have already been developing. Children will also be given time to play friendly and competitive games against each other and to solve simulated chess puzzles.
Grades: Students Kindergarten – Year 4
The Little Boomers program was developed by Sports and Exercise Scientists from the University of Technology Sydney. The program is designed for complete beginners, as well as for children who already know how to play Basketball and will be offered to students from Kindergarten to Year 4.
The program helps develop more challenging gross-motor movements through shooting drills and other skills such as a lay-up. Every week, facilitators implement the program ‘CAPTAINS’ during a basketball game, for those who display good sportspersonship.
Please note that Little Boomers Basketball accepts Active Kids vouchers.
At the conclusion of the sessions, students can be collected from the Carrington Avenue Kiss and Ride gate at 4:30pm.
Grades: Students Prep – Year 4
Students from Prep to Year 4 will have the opportunity to participate in Motiv8sports.
Our Sports and Activities Clinics are designed to motivate, encourage, build resilience and inspire children to be successful. We focus on effort and attitude, rather than ability. Over the course of the program, your child will experience many of our trademark hybrid (non-contact) sports, enjoy our creative challenges and games, along with many other awesome activities.
Every child new to Motiv8sports will receive a FREE Motiv8sports jersey and hat.
Grades: Kindergarten – Year 4
Students from Kindergarten to Year 4 will have the opportunity to participate in Speech and Drama. Speech and Drama classes provide the opportunity for students to grow, develop and become empowered with effective communication skills. This occurs in a variety of ways. Students learn about a variety of aspects of communication and therefore increase their ability to be more involved in class discussions. They learn techniques and skills to develop their communicative skills.
Their voices develop as they understand how to use their voice to convey meaning, mood and atmosphere of a variety of texts. These range from poems, to prose pieces, character monologues, speeches, reading aloud etc. Students learn to speak in a variety of different forums, e.g formally, informally and as leaders.
Speech and Drama offerings will include small group and individual lessons with Ms Charlotte Hazzard or Ms Emily Pollard, as well as afternoon group sessions with Sydney Performance Academy.
Private and Small Group Lessons
Private lessons and small group lessons are available for students from Kindergarten to Year 4. Please note that students will not be withdrawn from the morning Literacy block or Specialist lessons.
Monday and Thursday: Ms Charlotte Hazzard
Wednesday: Ms Emily Pollard
Monday and Thursday: Sydney Performance Academy
Grades: Students from Kindergarten – Year 2
Super Sports will be delivering the ‘Physio Play’ program during Term 4.
Physio Play’s functional movement program is designed and delivered by Physiotherapists. This program will assist children to develop the necessary strength, control, cognitive skill and coordination to achieve age-appropriate developmental milestones which prepare them for future life.
Students will participate in a range of activities in order to develop fundamental movement skills required in a variety of sports. Students will also have the opportunity to develop important teamwork skills through participation in a range of modified team games. Maximum Registration Numbers: 20 students (please note: a minimum of 10 students is required for the program to go ahead)
Students from Prep to Year 4 will have the opportunity to participate in Tennis lessons.
Please contact Mr Jarrad Magee at tennis@ssc.nsw.edu.au or via phone: 0410 342 255.
Grades: Students from Year 1 – Year 4
Students from Year 1 to Year 4 will have the opportunity to participate in Young Engineers co-curricular. Young Engineers offers STEM programs where children can learn critical skills for the digital age as well as have fun. All equipment including tablets and electronics needed for the lesson are supplied.
Two programs will be available:
Bricks Challenge BASIC STEM and Build: Ideals for students of Grades 1 and 2 Bricks Challenge ADVANCE STEM & Build: Ideal for students of Grades 3 and 4.
Joanne Giannini
Head of Primary P-4
Last week we invited our families to come along for the last Learning Walks for 2022. The themes for our Learning Walks were:
It was fantastic to have so many family members come and share in the students learning.
Joanne Giannini
Head of Primary P-4
As this will be the final report for the year, I would like to thank all our students this year who have been willing to wear the school colours each Saturday to play sport for the College.
After the past two years of the COVID pandemic which saw sport take a back seat across the country, our students have signed up to play the many sports that are on offer throughout the year, and none more so than the Term 4 Volleyball and Basketball invitational held at Santa each Saturday. Other schools have been so complimentary of our competitions. With over 150 Volleyball teams and 50 Basketball teams, the proof is in the pudding that we must be doing something right. Thank you to the sports team for their outstanding work in providing our students with these opportunities.
I write this final report from the Gold Coast where our Representative Volleyball squad is here to play in the Australian Volleyball Schools Cup (AVSC). Santa Sabina has returned to this championship as they have done for the past 20 years, with five teams ranging from Years 7-12. The first day of the competition was a steep learning curve for all teams but more so for our Year 7 and Year 8 teams who are competing for the first time at this level. We are so proud of the way they handled themselves, their competitiveness, their resilience, and their pride in playing in our school colours. I, we look forward to what lies ahead for our teams as we head towards the finals later in the week.
I welcome to the sports department as new Director of Sport, Mr Luiz Romahlo, who begins in this role midway through January. I am sure you will all welcome Luiz to the College, and I am equally sure he will make a very positive contribution to sport at SSC.
To my sports staff – Danielle Larkin, Rachael Simmons, Helen Page, Joanne Gocher, Ryan Dunlop, and our Tennis convenor Jarrad Magee, Volleyball convenor Lewis Jupp, and finally our Dance convenor Bryony Williams – who are all so dedicated and willing to go the extra mile to ensure our students receive the best sporting experience. I, and I am sure the students, cannot thank them enough.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, safe holiday and we look forward to seeing you all in 2023.
George Ayoub
Director of Sport and Co-curriular
Due to the CGSSSA Championship Competition being held on 5 April 2023, more than three weeks prior to the start of the ERNA competition, we will now be holding trials for Junior, Intermediate and Senior players for the chance to represent the school at the CGSSSA Championships.
If selected, the three representative teams will train three-four weeks prior to the carnival. This is the only commitment required and should not interfere with any external club training. Therefore, students who play in the ERNA competition and students who play with external clubs/associations are welcome to try out if you meet the eligibility criteria listed below.
With regard to the ERNA competition, grading will be compulsory for Year 7 to accommodate all new students to the College, and will take place after CGSSSA grading.
All other year groups/students will remain in the same team as last year unless a player specifically requests to be regraded or wishes to change teams.If this is the case, please email me directly with your request.
Any students new to the College (or the ERNA competition) in year groups other than Year 7, are invited to be assessed during the CGSSSA trials or will be placed into a team based on their ability and experience.
Ex-students or Year 12 students who are new to the ERNA competition are welcome to form their own teams or will be placed into a team based on their ability and experience.
CGSSSA Eligibility
Junior Year 7 & 8, minimum B grade/division 2 with 3 years playing experience
Intermediate Year 9 & 10, minimum B grade/division 2 with 4 years playing experience
Senior Year 11 & 12, minimum B grade/division 2 with 5 years playing experience
Please register your interest via this form. Trial dates will be advised in due course.
Joanne Gocher
Sports Administrator
Head Netball Coach, Coordinator and ERNA Selector
Congratulations to ensembles P-12 for a fantastic return to live music performance this year. You have all been inspiring, from the Town Hall Gala Concert to the Celebration of Music Concert at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Chamber Music Recital in the Chapel, PY Speech Day, Friday Recitals and the Advent Festival of Readings and Carols, and all the other special events across the school year. Never underestimate your impact on listeners who hear you for the first time.
Thank you to Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra and Brass Ensemble for a hectic year with the numerous Discovery Days for prospective families, 5-12 Speech Night, Weekly Assemblies, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day Masses and multiple special liturgies on top of everything you do. You have been excellent ambassadors for the school.
A special thank you to Chamber Choir for performing with Consort 8 last Saturday at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Burwood. Audience members were thrilled and moved by your singing, and the positive feedback was immense. One member said he was ‘feeling very down that week, but your singing made him feel life was all fine again’. Another said, ‘if she had a choir like ours when she was at school, she would have joined’, and had tears in her eyes when she told me. Another said he had ‘tears in his eyes’ when he heard the Angel’s Carol. People travelled from Melbourne, Canberra, Newcastle, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and the Southern Highlands to attend the concert.
What a great year we have had! Your children have come a long way with their ensemble playing this year, and we are very proud of what they have achieved.
In January, there is an opportunity for those students who would like to continue practising their ensemble playing skills – whether you are continuing at Del Monte, over at Gioia House and Senior School or moving on! The Sydney Youth Orchestra’s Summer camp, a weeklong program, will be held here at Santa Sabina from January 16-21.
All levels are welcome (ages 5-18), and this week is a great way to make new friends, enjoy musical activities and kickstart another great year of learning.
Thank you for a fantastic year of Private Music Tuition. I trust your lessons have gone smoothly, despite a busy school environment and that you have made excellent progress this year. I hope to see all students continue with tuition and setting some performance goals such as taking AMEB exams (Australian Music Examinations Board) or performing in a Friday Recital or Assembly. I also encourage you, if not already, to join the ensemble program of choirs, bands and orchestras in 2023.
To continue your Private Music Tuition and/or take on new instruments, please register and pay for lessons for Semester 1, 2023, using the Try Booking links below:
PREP – YEAR 4 AND MARY BAILEY HOUSE STUDENTS
Register and Pay here: https://www.trybooking.com/CEAWI
YEAR 5 – YEAR 12 STUDENTS
Register and Pay here: https://www.trybooking.com/CEAVK
CESSATION OF LESSONS
Four weeks’ written notice should be given should a student wish to discontinue lessons through the College. Four weeks before the start of Term 1 is Monday 2 January 2023. Notification must be emailed to:
1. Instrumental Tutor
2. Music Administrator: Cathy Shone (P-4) or Suzanna Touma (Year 5-12)
3. Artistic Director P-12: Tim Chung
Primary Music Administrator: Cathy Shone c.shone@ssc.nsw.edu.au
Year 5-12 Music Administrator: Suzanna Touma s.touma@ssc.nsw.edu.au
Artistic Director P-12: Tim Chung t.chung@ssc.nsw.edu.au
Thank you for your continued commitment to your musical journey at the College.
You may think banging a drum for a 45-minute class would be a workout for your arms, but playing the taiko takes much more than solid biceps. You’ll also use your shoulders, core, legs, glutes and especially your back muscles. And because playing the taiko is as much about the beauty of the movement as it is about the sound you make, you need to develop strength, endurance, memory, balance and flexibility to play well.
Please visit the links below to register and pay for Taiko ensembles:
2023 SENIOR TAIKO ENSEMBLE YR 7-12 – SEMESTER 1 –https://www.trybooking.com/CEUCA
2023 JUNIOR TAIKO ENSEMBLE YR 5-6 – SEMESTER 1 https://www.trybooking.com/CEUCG
2023 PRIMARY YEARS TAIKO CLUB YR 3-4 – SEMESTER 1 –https://www.trybooking.com/CEUCI
One of the most anticipated music events every year is Sydney Town Hall, filled with voices singing the Hallelujah Chorus as part of the performance of Handel’s Messiah. Now, after an absence of two years, Hallelujahs will be sung again!
Come and hear more than 200 voices, the pipe organ, orchestra led by Mrs Victoria Jacono-Gilmovic, Head of Strings 5-12, and Cecilia Pensini Head of Strings P-4 and outstanding soloists, all conducted by our Tim Chung. It is an essential part of Christmas in the city.
Performances will be held on Saturday 17 December and Sunday 18 December 3.00pm-5:30 in the Sydney Town Hall.
For more information about the Radio Community Chest (Registered Charity) Messiah Performances, please visit: https://www.classikon.com/sydneys-town-hall-messiah-continues-supports-charities/?fbclid=IwAR1SbEylxN6wLfbwiwcR6eThCGhaxii3JgK25s_T-A1S9sIbE9ocP-o_XR8
TICKETS: https://tickets.cityrecitalhall.com/6432 NB: the City Recital Hall Box Office sells tickets on behalf of the Sydney Town Hall.
The music department wishes you all the best for a safe and happy festive season.
Timothy Chung
Artistic Director
Advancing learning and providing opportunities which challenge our gifted and high potential students are fundamental concerns at Santa Sabina College. Our strong record of high achievement in enrichment activities, such as our students’ recent gold medals in the Middle School and Senior Ethics Olympiads of 2022, is just one of the outcomes of our stellar Gifted Ed programs for scientists, engineers, philosophers and artists.
Our new Dean of Gifted Education, Matthew Mountford, is well known to secondary students as their teacher of junior Science and senior Biology. He is a champion of STEM but is also looking forward to working with the gifted students in other areas, including the arts, especially given that at school he himself loved English and History, while excelling in the sciences. He plans to continue expanding the Gifted program in future years to include all different avenues of learning to help bolster the many areas of giftedness manifest by our students.
Matthew studied Science at the University of Sydney where he specialised in Biology. This led to an early career as a technician in a Histology lab where he assisted doctors in diagnosing cancer. As the son and brother of scientists, family tradition played a large part in setting him on this path. But he soon realised that he was better suited to teaching Science, and undertook his teacher training at the University of Technology, Sydney then commenced on the career he really loved 10 years ago.
‘It’s very rewarding being in the classroom’, he says.
‘I really enjoy teaching and helping students get the most out of their learning.’
Conveying the importance of the study of Biology, Matthew says, ‘it underpins so many of the things around us’.
‘Careers in the giving sector such as nursing and medicine require the study of Biology to understand the human body, the environment and how everything is connected. The skills you learn in Biology are also applicable beyond scientific careers. Problem solving, pattern recognition, the ability to communicate, how to undertake research and use the scientific methods – scientists can pursue many career paths.’
Matthew’s interest in Biology continues beyond the classroom as he is a keen gardener on the weekends. And he is currently reading a science fiction novel recommended to him by one of his Year 9 students.
‘Knowing what the kids are reading and what media they are consuming is a lovely way to stay connected’, he says.
Victoria Harper
Publications and Marketing Officer
Susan Lombardo
Head of Library
Join us this school holiday break as we explore the musical Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim. It will be an unforgettable journey into the woods! This musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel-all tied together by an original story and incredible soundtrack.
Scan the QR code with your phone or contact Rachel Hennessy via email r.hennessy@ssc.nsw.edu.au
ENROLMENTS CLOSE MONDAY 5 DECEMBER.
Rachel Hennessy
Speech and Drama
