As we conclude Week 5 of a new academic year at St Greg’s is always transformative, affecting the body, mind, and spirit. One moment life is relatively serene as you enjoy the last days of summer holidays, and next you find yourself amid what can feel like complete chaos. This sentiment holds true for students and staff alike. The experience of the new year is vastly different for each year level. Having attended Year 8 Camp during Week 2, it is a clear reminder of the growth our boys experience during their education at St Greg’s. 

Our Kindergarten classes began and are now firmly entrenched as St Greg’s students. Half days are over and the students, although tired, are doing so well. It was great to pop into the ‘Meet the Teacher’ afternoon on Wednesday and see just how much positive change and growth has already occurred with our youngest, special people.

Our Year 7s find themselves at the forefront of a radical change. Having ascended the ranks in primary school, they now face the challenges of starting anew, and they have risen to those challenges admirably. It was clear during our Commencement Mass that these boys have embraced St Gregory’s as a group.  A number of staff commented, and I witnessed, Year 7s singing with great pride the Sub Tuum and other hymns at our Opening Mass, before singing again at Camp. Enjoy the wonderful video here 

At the other end of the scale, our Year 12s are beginning their "long goodbye" to the College. Their return marked the final time they would come back to school from summer break, and throughout the year they will check off each school milestone as a last. It's a unique mix of emotions.

This also coupled with our Enrolment Information Nights for Kindergarten for 2025 and Year 7 2025/2026, which were held on Wednesday evening. Many families attended to hear from a number of members of the community, what is important to us as a Catholic, Marist community. It was a perfect lead into our College Open Day on Sunday 10 March.

Recent Events

The College has had a great start to the year. As well as some innovative teaching in class, there have been many opportunities to celebrate and come together as a community. These have included the 2023 High Achievers Assembly, Years 1-6 Meet the Teacher Evening, Art Attack Exhibition, the Senior School New Parent Welcome Evening, Year 10 and 11 Information Nights, Senior School Lunch on the Lawn, Year 9 launch of The Rite Journey, the Kangaroo Valley and Royal Canberra Shows, The Gordon Fetterplace Public Speaking Competition, Senior School Swimming Carnival and Junior School Swimming trials and Berg and Downie Shield Semi-Finals and Finals. All in a three-week period!

Primary School Visits

Over a two-week period, I was fortunate to attend 10 of our local Catholic primary schools to talk about the College and with some students, describe the opportunities available to students and families at the College. The students that attended with me, ranging from Years 8-10, were outstanding ambassadors for our community.

Cycle of Inquiry

In the coming months, the College will be undertaking a review, conducted by Marist Schools Australia. Parents, students, and staff will be asked to complete two surveys and there will be an opportunity for some families to be involved in meeting with the panel. This is an important process for the College and all of our community to take the time to acknowledge all the great things that we do, and to look at things we can get better at. I look forward with great interest to the findings and using them to develop a three-year strategic plan for 2025-2027, a period that includes our Centenary. More details to follow in the coming weeks.

May Mary Our Good Mother and St Marcellin continue to watch over our community.

Mr Matthew Brennan

College Principal K-12

Dear Members of the St Gregory’s College family,  

With the Boarders' Weekend upon us, I always find the middle of each term a great time to reflect on the first half, and a time to look forward to what is still yet to come. As the students pause for a short mid-term break, the staff will spend Friday at their Spirituality Day, followed by a Staff Professional Learning Day on Monday.

Student Leaders Assembly

One of the new changes we have made this year is to provide our Student Leaders with some autonomy over some of the assemblies, by showcasing what is happening within their leadership portfolios. This week, our seven leaders planned and executed a brilliant assembly by sharing with the community segments on Boarding, The Rite Journey programme, an Extension Maths and Wordle Challenge with Mrs Hackett and Ms Tansey, Junior Leaders Interviews, as well as a Marist and Co-curricular snapshot.

This group of leaders are set to make a real difference in their time at the College and to see the camaraderie, vision and leadership in these fine young men is an asset to them. As John Maxwell says, ‘a leader is the one who knows the way, shows the way, and goes the way’. 

The Gordon Fetterplace Public Speaking Evening

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of being witness to another wonderful evening of Public Speaking. As a K-12 College event, the students were able to stand alongside their peers and present their speeches in front of their parents and staff. Congratulations to all students who participated in this event, I loved being able to share in your celebrations of the evening. A huge thanks to Mr Bestulic and Mrs Limbrey for your organisation and leadership of the evening. 

One of the highlights as always is our Year 12 students' Impromptu speeches to finish off the evening. Congratulations to Joseph Limbrey for his successful ‘sell this pen’ speech. I must say that I will never look at the multi-colour pen the same again!

A few facts about Gordon Fetterplace, whom the Public Speaking Competition is named after:

• Gordon was the local member and Mayor of the Campbelltown Council from 1968 – 1992 (that is 7 terms as Mayor).
• Of his 10 children. . . all 7 boys went through St Greg's and were full-time Boarders.
• That means the Fetterplace family had a child here at St Greg's for 22 consecutive years.
• Gerard, Gordon’s youngest son, currently leads our Facilities, Maintenance and Property Team here at St Greg's.
• Gordon loved Public Speaking, but also had a real passion for Rugby League and served on the Wests League Club Board from 1994-1999.
• Gordon became a well-known personality in Campbelltown, volunteering his services in a variety of ways including to the local fire brigade and the Campbelltown Catholic Club.
• The local Campbelltown Pools are named the Gordon Fetterplace Aquatic Centre. 
• In 1994 Gordon was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to Campbelltown. 
• In 2000 he was awarded the National Medal. 
• The Wests Leagues Club Rugby Association awards a Gordon Fetterplace Medal. 
• Unfortunately, Gordon passed away in 2007 at the age of 74.

A Sign of Positive Culture

I believe that a sign of a positive culture with staff is the ‘lunchroom presence and laughter’. Now, I am sure that these staff are absolutely delighted that I took a photo of them during their lunch break, but as I entered the staff room this week, the laughter and presence of so many staff members was great to see. For me, it is important our community sees this happening. 

The second important sign for me is the dialogue that is happening at these tables. As you sit and listen, there is engagement and discussion around all things learning, and I am so grateful that we have a staff that is so engaged and connected to their vital roles in this community. Our College is in a great space with these staff at the helm and our students are all the better for it.

Celebrating Student Success 

As I did last year, through the newsletter I will draw your attention to some of the outstanding efforts, successes and ventures that our students achieve that we love to celebrate. Please email any success to me so we can continue to celebrate with your son or daughter to jweekes@stgregs.nsw.edu.au 

Events on the Horizon 

Week 6

• Monday 4 March
  • Pupil Free Day (Boarders' Free Weekend) / Staff PL Day
• Tuesday 5 March
  • Junior School Book Fair commences.
• Wednesday 6 March
  • Opening and Blessing of The Gregorian Centre
  • Year 7 Study Skills Evening with Pru Salter 6:30pm
• Friday 8 March
  • PDS Swimming
  • International Women’s Day
  • CSDA Public Speaking Zone Final
• Saturday 9 March
  • ISA Finals
  • Show Team Castle Hill and Moss Vale
• Sunday 10 March
  • College Open Day

Week 7

• Tuesday 12 March
  • Junior School Lunch on the Lawn
• Wednesday 13 March
  • ISA Swimming Carnival
  • NAPLAN Starts
• Thursday 14 March
  • Senior School Cross Country
• Friday 15 March
  • Year 7-9 Dance
  • Show Team – Camden
  • K-6 Assembly 2pm
• Saturday 16 March
  • ISA Finals Back Up
• Sunday 17 March
  • Musical Rehearsal

Have a lovely weekend and we look forward to seeing you all back for Week 6!  

As our St Gregory’s College motto states, ‘You will reap what you sow’.  

Mr Joel Weekes  

Assistant Principal/Head of Senior School 

HOW LONG IS A MINUTE?

Sometimes a minute can take forever, like when you are waiting for the kettle to boil, or you are on hold with an operator. At other times, a minute can fly by in the blink of an eye, like when you are running late for a bus or enjoying some time to yourself.

When we speak about a minute at school, every precious minute counts.

BEING JUST A FEW MINUTES LATE DOESN’T SEEM MUCH…

READING EVERY NIGHT...

WAITING FOR GATES TO OPEN

If your child is heading into the school gate 1, 2 or 5 minutes before 8:00am every morning, before a teacher comes out on duty, in that one minute, an accident could happen. Waiting the extra few minutes for a teacher to come out to duty can count when it comes to safety. 

 EVERY MINUTE COUNTS WHEN IT COMES TO STAYING SAFE

 Taking the extra one minute to walk to the pedestrian crossing can make the difference between safely arriving at your car or not. 

Taking the extra minute or two to drive up to the turning circle instead of doing a U-turn can make the difference between arriving home safely or causing a collision. 

There is nothing I love more than greeting the smiling faces of students and families in the morning at the school gate. It is the best part of my day. We are blessed to be on a private road where there is no public thoroughfare, and our community can pick up and drop off in a well organised and safe manner.

As a community we should all look out for each other. Show respect, patience and kindness. For the safety of all concerned please remember:

• No U-turns on Keiran Geaney Drive across double lines
• Always use one of the two pedestrian crossings
• Indicate before pulling out onto the road
• Do not drop children off at the top or bottom gate before 8:00am and leave them unattended

We are all time poor; we all have places to be and things to do. 

It is important that we organise ourselves to ensure our children are at school on time, every time.

Please take a minute to think about it.

Mrs Diana Ivancic

God calls you to new life. Have courage and be faithful to the Gospel.

Productive start to the year as we place spirituality at the centre of all we do. Our Year 7s were welcomed with a new program aimed at initiating them into what it means to be a Greg’s man. This included an informative session in the College Chapel, a meeting with their Big Brothers, singing practice and participation in the College Opening Mass. There have been many opportunities for our young people to engage in prayer – both the Year 7s and Year 8s joined respectfully and in full voce at their camp liturgies, and the whole College came together in class groups to celebrate Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season.

This Season will last up to Easter. It is a time when we are conscious that we are not perfect and we try to make ourselves better people. During the forty days of Lent we are invited to reflect on our relationship with God and with others. We do this in three ways:

1. One way is Prayer During the Season of Lent, we are all encouraged to spend time in the chapel, praying alone, or joining community prayer times like Friday Mass.
2. Another way is Fasting so  you can fast from foods such as chocolate or meat or you can fast from selfishness and feast on sharing hope and compassion. There are guidelines about exactly what the Church teaches about fasting during Lent.
3. The third way is by Almsgiving and Good Works and during Lent staff and students are encouraged to support our Lenten appeal by donating, or giving of their time and energy to run a fundraising activity.

Our theme for this year, First Light, reminds us that as Christians we should begin each day with new hope. 

The image chosen to accompany the theme is Standley Chasm, an important cultural place of indigenous Australia, sacred to Women's Dreaming of the Arrernte people. This 3-metre wide, 80-metre-tall gorge is in the West MacDonnell Ranges, just outside of Alice Springs.

The ashes that we wore on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday should not only be a reminder of this Lenten season but also a commitment to them. May we recognise  the first light, the light of the Holy Spirit which has been gifted to each one of us. May we recognise, and be willing to share through our words and actions, the goodness and the beauty in ourselves and then recognise the same in each other. 

Just as Christ is recognised as the light of the world, we should let our light shine before others. 

All parents and friends are invited to join us for the Senior School Easter liturgy which will be held in the College Hall on Wednesday 27 March at 9am.

 Mrs Cathie Clarke

Director of Mission

Creating a culture of feedback happens when we are prepared to listen to every voice within the school community. 

A teaching and learning focus for 2024 and beyond is to create a culture of feedback to improve teaching and learning practices, to improve student learning outcomes.

Creating a culture of feedback can lead to transformative dialogue at all levels of a school. A culture of feedback aims to make both staff and students valued and engaged, leading to a happier, more productive, and more successful school environment. 

So how will we establish a culture of feedback? The College will be using a survey platform that has been developed for educational purposes and used by many schools throughout NSW and Australia. Pivot provides evidence-based survey tools that empower educators with insight, inspire conversations, and generate shared ideas for change. 

The survey platform is aligned to the AITSIL teaching standards, which allows students to provide their teachers with feedback on observable teaching practices. The survey has been designed to help activate student voice, develop whole school cultures of feedback and to support teacher professional development. 

Why ask students for feedback? Research shows that student feedback is one of the most reliable and effective strategies for improving outcomes. When we engage students feedback processes we promote active classroom participation, stronger engagement in learning, and improve teacher-student relationships. 

Feedback will be used to visibly drive whole school and classroom improvement. When staff and students see change happening based on feedback they have given, they will see that their voices really do have an impact. 

The Student Survey on Teaching helps schools to measure student engagement and the impact of teaching practice. 

Ms Judith Tolomeo

Director Teaching and Learning

Dear College community,

As we delve into the second month of the academic year, I want to take a moment to address the vital topic of student wellbeing. Student mental, emotional, and physical health are paramount to your success and happiness both inside and outside the classroom. We hope all students have settled into the school year and are finding it easy to reach out to staff and other students if they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Our counselling team is happy to engage with students if required. Not to mention our staff who would be happy to engage with students if necessary.

Launch of the Rite Journey Program for Year 9

The Calling and the Departure

I am thrilled to announce the successful launch of the Rite Journey program with our Year 9 students. This transformative journey aims to guide and support our young individuals as they transition into adulthood. Through self-discovery, reflection, and mentorship, this program promises to cultivate resilience, empathy, and self-awareness among our students.

A special mention to all the families and Year 9 team who were present at the launch. The interactions witnessed by families, students and mentors was amazing. The program has been running for several years and has been gaining solid momentum. 

Ash Wednesday Liturgy

The College recently held an inspiring Ash Wednesday liturgy that resonated deeply with our community. It was heartening to witness our senior leaders take charge and lead the liturgy with grace and reverence. Such events not only strengthen our spiritual bond but also remind us of the importance of faith, compassion, and unity. Our Year 12 students lead small groups of younger students through the liturgy it was wonderful to witness the event.

St Gregory’s College Senior Swimming Carnival

The recent swimming carnival at Bradbury Pools was a resounding success. Congratulations to all participants for showcasing their talents and sportsmanship. Beyond the thrill of competition, events like these foster camaraderie, teamwork, and a healthy lifestyle. Let's continue to encourage each other to stay active and embrace the spirit of sportsmanship. Our Year 12 students lead the chanting and created an atmosphere at the pools that was traditionally a standout to our community. I was very happy to see the students, staff and parents enjoying a wonderful day of swimming.

Social Media Safety 

In today's digital age, it's essential to prioritise your safety on social media platforms. Remember to think critically before sharing personal information online and to be mindful of your digital footprint. 

A recent article on AI has been added to this newsletter as we feel parents need to be with the current risks associated with AI technologies like deepfakes and account impersonation, there are significant threats. Even when parents or guardians take on the responsibility of managing these accounts, they often find themselves navigating uncharted waters without adequate, up-to-date training.

The lack of up-to-date education can leave both the young athletes and their parents/guardians/managers vulnerable to sophisticated cyber threats, leaving the young persons Instagram or TikTok personas very exposed.

Protecting young, sponsored athletes in the age of GenAI has never been more critical, encompassing everything from education on digital literacy to implementing robust verification processes and legal protections.

A multi-layered approach is essential for safeguarding their online presence and their personal and professional reputations. "Set and forget" apps do not work in these instances. Private messages can not be checked and can only be blocked and deleted after they have been received. This is where most of the abuse happens.

What the risk may look like:

• GenAI technology has advanced to the point where creating deepfakes—hyper-realistic video and audio recordings that can make it appear as if someone is saying or doing something they are not, and would never..........are increasingly accessible. Young athletes, through online visibility and association with major brands, can become prime targets. These manipulated images or videos can be used to damage reputations, manipulate fans, or even engage in sextortion attempts toward another young person. The online personas of these young athletes, built around their sponsorships and online interactions, can be easily mimicked.
  
  
• Cybercriminals can create convincing fake accounts using the athlete's images and likeness to deceive fans or engage in sextortion a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share private and sensitive material if their demands (often for money or sexual Favors) are not met. This not only endangers the young athlete but can also harm unsuspecting young individuals who believe they are interacting with a real person. We recently saw this happen when a young female athlete's Instagram account was copied, and the only difference was an underscore at the end of her name. After months of chatting in private messages and thinking the young female teen athlete had a crush on him, a young male teen shared a nude with her; it was sextortion, and there was a demand for a large amount of money and a threat that if he didn't pay up, the photos would be shared in a group chat that he had added her to. They made good on the threat and started circulating the image. Thankfully, he knew it was safe to speak up (even though he had produced an illegal image of himself) and contacted his local police, who counselled him to make sure he knew everything would be ok, and then the Police went after the perpetrators.

Strategies to mitigate risks:

• One of the first steps in protecting young, sponsored athletes is education. Parents need to be kept up to date with the potential risks when their child’s image is being used for marketing purposes in exchange for sponsorship and how to spot suspicious activities online. Understanding the basics of digital literacy, such as the mechanisms of deepfakes and the signs of account impersonation, is crucial.
• Social media platforms often offer verification badges to notable individuals, including athletes. Ensuring that a young athlete's account is verified can help followers distinguish between the authentic account and potential impersonators. Brands should assist in this verification process as part of their sponsorship agreement.
•  Maintain strict privacy settings on their personal and professional accounts. Regularly reviewing privacy settings, being cautious about the information shared online, even the angles at which photos are taken, and understanding the importance of digital hygiene can significantly reduce the risk of personal content being misused.
• Implementing digital watermarks on images and videos shared by the athlete can deter misuse and make it easier to identify original content from deepfaked material. These watermarks can be subtle but should be difficult to remove without damaging the integrity of the content.
• Brands should ensure that their contracts with young athletes include provisions for legal support in cases of digital impersonation or harassment. Knowing that they have legal recourse can provide a safety net for the athletes and deter potential offenders.
• Brands should monitor the online presence of sponsored athletes. Early detection of deepfakes, impersonation attempts, or unauthorized use of their likeness can be critical in mitigating damage. Quick response teams should be ready to act to take down harmful content and address any issues as they arise.

Additionally, I want to emphasise the importance of responsible mobile phone usage at school. Phones should never be used during class time, and adherence to this rule ensures a conducive learning environment for everyone.

Attendance and Classroom Expectations

Lastly, I'd like to remind all students of the significance of regular attendance and active participation in the classroom. Your presence and engagement contribute not only to your own academic growth but also to the collective learning experience of your peers. Let's uphold a standard of respect, diligence, and curiosity in all our academic endeavours.

In closing, I encourage each of you to prioritise your wellbeing and to seek support whenever needed. Together, we can foster a nurturing environment where every individual thrives.

Warm regards,

Mr Baldino Vetrano
Director of Students

Dear Parents and Friends,

The whirlwind that is Term 1 has been frantic and thoroughly enjoyable for all involved over the last 5 weeks. After the positive start to the year we had, welcoming 33 new students and families into our boarding community, it has been pleasing to see how quickly our new boys have settled into life at the College. This year’s cohort comes to us from all over Australia including Queensland, ACT, Regional New South Wales, and Metropolitan Sydney. Despite the obvious challenge of familiarising themselves with a new school, living arrangements, routines, and being away from family, these boys are doing a remarkable job. Sincere thanks to all parents, friends, and boarding staff for helping these boys adjust so well over the last few weeks. This is a special place that will not only provide tremendous opportunities for your son in assisting his transition from boy to man, but will allow you the opportunity to meet some wonderful people and enjoy some fantastic experiences as you join your son on this journey. Welcome to St Gregory’s College!

There has been plenty of activity over the first few weeks or so with numerous onsite and offsite activities. A whole school trip to Gunnamatta Bay was enjoyed by all on the first Sunday of the year, which was a good opportunity for the boys to relax after a busy first week. There was plenty of eating, wrestling in the water and spending hours jumping off the pier. We have had Year 7 and 8 camp, our New Parent Cocktail Party, the commencement of the Lent season with Shrove Tuesday (‘Pancake Day!!!!’ from an unnamed Year 7 boarder) and Ash Wednesday, the Year 10 and 11 Information evenings, Lunch on the Lawn, and the High Achievers Assembly. 

The College Sports Program has been in full swing with Parramatta Diocese Sport (PDS) and Independent Schools Association (ISA) competitions being successfully run in Cricket, Basketball, and Touch Football, and our Vertical team’s competition was launched, with a Touch Football Competition the first order of business. Additionally, the gym and pool have been busy, Rugby League and Rugby Union training has commenced in preparation for our Winter competitions, and it is wonderful to be celebrating our weekly mass and hearing the boy’s sing. Your sons have been very busy, and I promise there has been plenty of schoolwork every day as well!

STAFFING

It gives me great pleasure to welcome three new boarding supervisors to our team in 2024. Mr. Jack Rule, Mr. Blake Truman, and Mr. Lachlan Finch. Jack and Blake have a connection with the College as Old Boys, while Lachlan has joined us as a GAP student from England. These gentlemen will be fine additions to our boarding staff. 

As indicated in my welcome letter this year, I remind you that our management structure for 2024 involves Tevita Halaifonua, looking after our Years 7 to 9 students, and Prateek Kripal looking after our Years 10 to 12 students. Please ensure you have their contact details, as they manage your sons daily. Could I also remind you to keep an eye out for communication from Danielle Sherd, and ensure that any changes to your personal details are communicated to us as quickly as possible. 

BOARDERS HANDBOOK

Our handbook has been updated with all our procedures and policies for 2024. Hard copies of these were provided to all families on your son's return to the College. For families that did not receive this, we have posted out your copy. Please contact Danielle Sherd if this has not arrived.

ISA SPORT

The summer sports program is reaching the pointy end of the season with teams in basketball, touch football, and cricket all making it into the finals. The details for this are as follows:

MOVIE STARS

A group of 20 boys had the opportunity to participate as extras in an upcoming movie about Rugby League. Our First Nations Liaison, Mr Shaun Humphries, sourced this amazing opportunity which included working with Rugby League Immortal Andrew Johns. The feedback from the stunt manager was exemplary, and I look forward to sharing photos when we have clearance to do so.

THE RITE JOURNEY

Thank you to the 24 boarding families of our Year 9 boarders who made the trip to support their son in the recent ‘Departure Ceremony’ of our Boys to Men Program – The Rite Journey. It was wonderful to see so many of our families engaging in this emotional event. We all look forward to watching the growth of the boys over the next 12 months.