Dear members of the St Greg’s family,

We are indeed blessed as a community of St Greg’s. On reflection of events of the past few weeks since the last newsletter, I marvel at the opportunities for our students and families from Kindergarten to Year 12. A number of our staff have also been recognised in the broader community or been involved and provided chances for students to shine.

These include:

• Staff Spirituality Day and Professional Development Day 
• Junior School Book Fair
• Opening and Blessing of The Gregorian Centre. Gregorian Opening and Blessing 
• Year 7 Students and Parents Study Skills Evening
• CSDA Public Speaking Competition at Marcellin College Randwick and OLMC Parramatta
• Show Team at Castle Hill, Moss Vale, Canberra, Camden, and Sydney Royal Easter Shows
• College Open Day (K-12)
• Junior School Open Classrooms
• NAPLAN Testing
• ISA Swimming Carnival
• VET Awards at Campbelltown Catholic Club
• PDS Boys Open Boys Basketball Gala
• Year 5 Excursion to Centennial Park and the Banksy Exhibition.
• Rugby in Goulburn
• Year 8 Students and Parents Study Skills
• IPSO, PDS and ISA Sporting opportunities
• Harmony Day Assembly Today and the Junior School Hispanic Festival this afternoon!
• Not to forget behind the scenes work with the Musical rehearsal

We also send our best wishes to the Senior Basketball Team and their coaches as they fly to the Gold Coast for the Marist Basketball Carnival this weekend.

This list, whilst not exhaustive, shows the vast number of opportunities offered to our students, only through the generosity of our incredible staff. I would encourage you, whenever you get the chance, to thank the wonderful staff for all the things they are doing to make this community the special one that it is.

Australian Catholic University report

I was saddened to read this morning’s released report from ACU titled Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey, a national survey of 2300 school leaders. We need to ensure that our community continues to work together to raise and educate our young people together. It is never okay or acceptable for parents to behave in a threatening manner. Again, as mentioned above, we are very lucky (because we work together) that these issues are not part of our community.

ACU Survey article 

Cybersafety Webinar

Please see an invitation to a Term 1 eSafety Commissioner Cybersafety talk for parents, put on by the Council of Catholic School Parents. This session is called ‘Understanding Parental Controls to Safeguard your Child’ and is suitable for parents of primary school students.

To register, please click here.

School Cycle of Review surveys

Today you will receive a link to two surveys I am requesting that all parents complete these. Staff and students from Year 5-12 will also be completing them and the results will be shared later in the year. This is a school wide process that will also include interviews and other feedback opportunities with the ultimate outcomes enabling the college clear sight into priorities for the next three years. Thank you in anticipation for your important and valued input into this process.

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

Matthew Brennan

College Principal K-12

Dear Members of the St Gregory’s College family,  

I must say that I do love this time of the year. The weather is starting to cool a little which makes the days much more manageable for our students with their outdoor pursuits. Like always, there has been plenty on the agenda at St Gregory’s College over the past weeks and so much for us all to the proud of. As we rapidly move towards the Easter Break, I want to wish all families the best as they enjoy a long weekend and then the ‘downhill run’ to the end of Term 1.

Marist Schools Improvement Framework

This year is a pilot year for some of our Marist Schools to participate in a new ‘Marist School Improvement Framework’. As a part of piloting this framework, St Gregory’s College will be involved in a ‘cyclic inquiry’.  The aim of this process is to gain an understanding from our community around faith, learning and culture at St Gregory’s College. This will form a vital component of the College’s new Strategic Plan that will be developed in 2024.

As a part of this process, our students, staff and parents of our community will be asked to complete two surveys that will provide data about these two critical areas of school life. The first is a DISA survey which is a holistic survey about school life. The second is a Leuven Survey which is a Marist Charism survey. In the coming days, all parents will receive an email from me with the instructions for the two surveys. Having completed the survey’s myself now, they take about 10 minutes each and will provide the College with some essential information moving forward.

I would encourage all parents to complete the surveys for the benefit of our community to make St Gregory’s College the best place it can be and to target the areas of need in our new Strategic Plan. 

In anticipation, I thank you all for your contributions to this confidential survey. 

Camden Show Results 

Congratulations to Ms Hayley Mahoney

On Saturday afternoon our very own Head of Agriculture, Ms Hayley Mahoney won the ‘Recognition of the Camden Show Excellence in Agriculture Award’ for 2024 for her contributions to Agriculture Education and beyond.

We all thank Ms Mahoney for her passion for Agriculture at St Gregory’s College and how fitting for this award to be presented to Ms Mahoney and take place at the local show in Camden!

Congratulations to Mrs Sandra Hackett

The Camden Show has another staff member who has taken out some of the awards. Congratulations to our very own Mrs Sandra Hackett who has two awards that she was presented with at the Camden Show this year.

• 1st Place for Long Cucumbers
• 2nd Place for Carrots

In the amateur photographer section, Mrs Sandra Hackett also received a highly commended in Reptiles.

Plenty of talent at St Gregory’s College, not only with our students but with our staff also.

Student Success at the Camden Show

Photography: There has once again been some great success at the 2024 Camden Show with our amazing photography student Oliver Bishop. 

Oliver is predominantly a landscape photographer with a first and second in his age group and a highly commended in opens (up against adults) he also explored flora and fauna this year receiving multiple awards. He received best overall exhibit and now moves onto the Royal Easter Show. 

• Highly Commended Opens - Landscapes, Seascapes and Sunsets
• First Youth (16-21) - Landscapes
• Second Youth (16-21) - Landscapes
• Second Youth (16-21) - Plants and Flowers
• Highly Commended youth (16-21) - Study of Birds
• First Youth (16-21) - Study of Animals
• Highly Commended youth (16-21) - any other subject 

  Congratulations to Oliver.

Art

Three of our students were recognised for their artworks at this year's Camden Show with ten submissions from the College which was fantastic. Congratulations to:

• Connor Rose Year 10 – 1st prize 
• Levi Kidd Year 7 – Highly Commended  
• Boen Brincat Year 7 – Highly Commended 

Sydney Royal Easter Show 

The Sydney Royal Easter Show has now kicked off and it is going to be a big show for St Greg’s. Already we have success at the show with Year 5 student, Patrick Ursino’s Ram winning school Champion! 

Developing Grit 

There is a line of thinking that children today are not ‘tough’ like the generation before them. The foundation for this is, that in previous generations, children were expected to do more around the house and there was a ‘hands off’ mentality by parents in relation to their children and what happened to them. This meant that children learned to solve their own problems and sort out disputes with their peers. The same people who espouse this line of thinking talk about ‘helicopter parents’ who constantly intervene whenever a child has a problem. Or one that I heard this week the ‘lawn mower parent’ who creates the path for their child.

Whilst there are elements of truth to what is said when you think back to what childhood was like for many people in previous generations, there aren’t too many reasons to get misty eyed. The old idea of toughness was related to being able to hide your emotions and to ignore the many unpleasant things that people would do to each other.  These unpleasant things were seen by some as ‘character building’, which really meant putting up with callousness and not saying anything.

If you think about a resilient person, they are not necessarily tough in a traditional sense, but they are resolute. For someone to be resilient or resolute they cannot do this in isolation. People are not resilient for resilience sake, they are resilient because they are committed to a cause, ideal or relationship. 

An amazing Australian model of grit and resilience that you may have heard of is Turia Pitt.  After being caught in a fire while running an ultramarathon in 2011, her life changed in devastating ways.  Not only did Turia bounce back from near death, but she is now a humanitarian and passionate about helping burns victims in less fortunate countries. Turia has also gone on to achieve athletic feats most of us wouldn’t even dream of.

If it is true that young people today are less resilient, then maybe it is that they lack purpose. We need to ensure that our young people are idealistic to a cause and committed to some worldview that puts temporary pain in the context of a wider hope. As parents and teachers, it is our responsibility to create and envision a ‘sense of purpose’ for the young people in our care. Let’s continue to work together to ensure that our students develop grit.

Celebrating Student Success 

This week our ‘Bloke of the Week’ is Sri Aitipamula. Sri helped Greg’s win 7/87 vs 23. Sri took 3/3 off 3 overs including a hat trick. What an amazing effort and great to share this with our community – well done Sri!

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 9

Monday 25 March

• 32nd Marist Basketball Carnival Gold Coast
• Year 10 NSW Health Vaccination Clinic
• Royal Easter Show Team

Wednesday 27 March

• JS Cross Country
• Senior School Easter Liturgy @ 9am
• Hackathon and DaVinci Excursion

Thursday 28 March

• Junior School Easter Liturgy in the Br Luke Hall @ 9am
• Easter Hat Parade 1:45 pm
• Music Excursion Sydney Lyric Theatre

Week 10

Tuesday 2 April

• Easter Show Continues

Wednesday 3 April

• Year 6 Camp – Point Wolstencroft
• Year 10 Minimum Standards Tests

Thursday 4 April

• Year 7 - 11 Progress Reports Published

Friday 5 April

• Year 9 Game Changers Retreat Day

Saturday 6 April

• ISA Rugby Union Trial v St Edmunds College @ St Gregs

Have a lovely weekend and we look forward to seeing you all back for Week 9!  

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

Mr Joel Weekes  

Assistant Principal/Head of Senior School 

Dear Parents and Carers,

The term is progressing well, and we have seen a great deal of learning take place in just eight weeks of school. This week Year 3 & 5 students completed NAPLAN, one test that the media love to focus on each year. It is important to remind ourselves that although this is a good indicator of student performance nationally, our own child’s progress is what matters.

The reading wars continue in Australia over the best means of teaching students to read. Teaching literacy has been the focus at St Gregory’s Junior School since we began and continues to be so. We prioritise continuing to upskill our staff in evidence-based methods to best teach reading. And I believe we are in a great place.

The Grattan Institute recently released a107-page document titled The Reading Guarantee: How to give every child the best chance of success, with a great deal of evidence-based research and findings. I have taken some key points to share with you. 

The evidence on how to teach reading is clear:

• There should be a strong focus on phonics-based decoding skills in the early years. Students also need a knowledge-rich curriculum to build the vocabulary and background knowledge that are critical for successful reading comprehension all through school.
  • At St Greg’s we follow the Little Learners Love Literacy reading program, which is phonics-based and evidence based. Our PYP framework also provides a knowledge-rich curriculum that integrates literacy across all subjects.
• While learning difficulties or home factors can slow a student’s learning to read, almost all students can achieve success if they are provided with enough high-quality teaching and support.
  • St Greg’s ensures that around 9 hours of literacy is timetabled each week. Students experiencing difficulties with reading may receive intervention through specific programs.
• Evidence-informed reading instruction involves teaching students how to decode words in the early years of primary school.
  • The decodable reading program used from K-2 (or beyond if required) focuses on the explicit teaching of decoding words.

• A ‘structured literacy’ approach to teaching reading is best. Because learning to read is not a natural process, students should be explicitly taught how to read.
  • Teachers deliver explicit, structured spelling and reading programs. Little Learners Love Literacy from K-2 and Ants in the Apple from 3-6.

• Children need to master the foundational mechanics of reading in the early years of school so they can sound out unfamiliar words they see on the page and, over time, store these in their long-term memory for increasingly fluent reading. 
  • Familiar texts are sent home to practice in the early years. These may seem easy or repetitive and they should be.

• The use of ‘decodable’ texts or books can help students to practice their phonics skills. Decodable texts are like training wheels on a bike, and by the end of Year 2 most students should no longer need them. Getting instruction in these early years right is crucial because many students who struggle with reading have difficulties with decoding when they encounter unfamiliar words. 
  • Over the past two years we have spent a great deal of money to build up resources – decodable texts and teacher training.

Teaching reading does not just happen at school

Whilst teaching students how to read happens at school, a child will not become a competent and confident reader if that is the only time they pick up a book. Reading is a life-long skill that needs to be continually built up. When you learn to drive, you do not receive driving lessons from an instructor alone and expect to be competent. It takes practice in your own time as well – many hours of it!

Some tips for home reading

• Establish a home reading routine. Read aloud with your children every day. 10 -15 minutes for each child around a book of their choice. Talk about the illustrations and contribute where you can. Share your excitement for reading.
  • At St Greg’s we call this part of homework a “non-negotiable”. 

• During home reading time, turn off electronic devices and give each child your undivided attention. 
  • Page time should precede screen time.
• Before you read a book, set your child up for success. Reading is not a test! Reading time is only 10-15 minutes so do some of the following: Keep the introduction short – one minute is enough. Talk about the illustrations and the title. Read the blurb and talk about the author, talk about any unusual words, read a page here and there as your child flicks through the book, discuss the characters. This is a short introduction, not an interrogation. If the book is already a familiar one, then this step is unnecessary.
  • Please speak to your child’s teacher if you’d like some tips on how to help your child with reading at home.
• If reading time is stressful, move the reading to a new location. Instead of sitting at the kitchen bench, move to the lounge room floor, or go outside and sit under a tree or take the books to the local coffee shop.
• Find a reading time that works for your family. Limit the time and set the timer if reading in the past has always been difficult. It is better to have an enjoyable 10 minutes than a laborious 30 minutes where everyone is left feeling frustrated.
• Encourage your child to read independently. A bedside light is one of the best enticements for your child to read before going to sleep. After the 10 minutes of reading with you, the child can elect to continue reading independently.

Taken from Primary English Teaching Association Australia 

Parent’s Guide to helping children with Reading and writing at home – Kaye Lowe

Mrs Diana Ivancic

Head of Junior School

On Tuesday night, Mr Mark Gannon presented an information evening about the PYP (Primary Years Programme) and what this looks like at St Greg’s. It was a very informative night which outlined:

• What makes a PYP school different
• The key elements of a PYP school
• What this looks like in the classroom
• How this framework caters for all students
• The language of the PYP

Thank you to the parents who attended and asked great questions! If you would like to know more about it, feel free to contact Mr Gannon.

Mrs Diana Ivancic

There is no argument that we are in a digital world and that most of what we do now, happens online. As such, since last year, our school communication has gone totally parent portal based for notes, reports etc. We understand this can sometimes be challenging however, like any other company, this is the process we are using.

All notes including excursions, camps, sporting events require permission to be filled in online. Please assist our staff by doing this in a timely manner. We too have deadlines, and it makes it very difficult if we need to chase parents individually for:

• Absentee emails
• Excursion permission slips
• Google forms for events
• Medication updates
• Afternoon pick up arrangements

There have been occasions where office staff have sent five reminders to parents to complete forms. I will be enforcing deadlines which are placed on notes. Our office staff need to ensure that all 480 of our students’ needs are met whether it be with administering medication, ensuring they are registered for sporting events, excursions are booked and absences are registered accurately. Many of these become legal documents for us as a school. 

Please be respectful when communicating with our staff; they are doing their job. When we forget to do something, it should not become someone else’s problem.

Mrs Diana Ivancic

This year we have introduced Open Classrooms as an alternative to Lunch on the Lawn two terms out of the four.

We opened our classroom doors to parents, carers and other family members on Tuesday 12 March. It was wonderful to see the buzz as parents and children participated in classroom activities together, including art, maths and technology. The students are so proud to bring family into their learning spaces.

In a community where some schools are still not opening doors to parents to come on site, we are truly blessed to have so many parents and carers who come and share the joy of learning with us, as partners.

On Saturday 16 March, one of our students, Malia Behn, decided to stand up and do something about an issue she feels strongly about. Malia cut off 50cm of her hair for Shave for a Cure. As a community, are deeply touched by the action displayed by such a young girl. I thought I would share Malia’s speech she delivered at our assembly last Friday. This year, so far, Malia has raised over $3700. We are so proud of you Malia.

Good afternoon everyone, my name is Malia.

Four years ago, our family friend Rocco was diagnosed with leukaemia which is blood cancer. Not only was this the most scariest time for his family, but it was a time where I learnt a lot about cancer and about some of the horrific side-effects that patients go through. One side-effect of the life saving cancer treatment that patients receive; is hair loss.

I cannot imagine what it must be like to be so unwell, scared, and to loose parts of you that significantly identifies who you are. This is when I learnt about Shave for a cure. The week before the first covid lockdown, I cut off 55 cm of my hair and raised $3500 for the leukaemia foundations shave for a cure.

Not only did every penny raised help provide families with practical and emotional support to get them through the many challenges faced but it also goes to funding critical research. As for my hair it was fashioned into a wig and given to a child who lost their hair whilst battling cancer

Well years have passed and after an intense battle, I'm pleased to say that my friend Rocco has beaten Leukaemia. I am honoured that Rocco's mother will be the one cutting my hair off this time and I'm hoping I can donate just as much hair and raise as much money and awareness as I did before.

So many beautiful families have shared their cancer stories with my Mum and I, which is incredibly brave. People keep telling me that what I'm doing is a selfless act but that's just not true. The people who are battling cancer are brave. I am simply just helping out in a little way that I know how.

We all agree that cancer isn't very nice: so... when my hair grows long again, perhaps you could all join me by signing Up to the leukaemia foundations shave for cure challenge. Our community is a formidable force and with your support it could bring the Leukaemia Foundation closer to our goal of zero lives lost to blood cancer by 2035.

Thank you for listening and your support. 

On Wednesday March 6 we celebrated the Blessing and Opening of The Gregorian Centre by the Most Reverend Brian Mascord, Bishop of Wollongong, and Mr Greg Warren, MP, Member for Campbelltown. 

What began as an idea in 2019 has resulted in a Multipurpose building which will greatly enhance the teaching and learning possibilities for our community here at Greg’s. It includes a 200-seat theatre, a band room, 3 music classrooms, 7 music tuition/practice rooms, a food technology classroom, 2 general classrooms, an open plan learning space, outdoor amphitheatre, outdoor gym area, storage, toilets and changerooms. The architects, Simon Goold and Vanessa Lacey from Bow Goold Architects, took inspiration from the external wall of the College Chapel, mirroring the curves and the red brick.

Much of the project was funded from savings by the College as well as a grant from the NSW State Government. In his address Dr Frank Malloy spoke of education being a generational responsibility. The current families of the College are most grateful to the parents and families who preceded them who have raised these funds for the project. 

We welcomed many official guests representing The Marist Brothers, Marist Schools Australia, state and local governments, Campbelltown Catholic Club, Wests Leagues Club, and various College Boards. Being such a special event in the story of our College, all of Year 12 and a representative from each grade, K – 11, joined the many guests in prayer and song. 

There were many highlights of the Blessing and Opening, showcasing our young people and the amazing staff we have who work so hard to allow our young people to excel in using their gifts. Congratulations to Mr Humphries and Year 11 students Deklin, Gene and Kaylan for their acknowledgement of country, Mrs Limbrey and the Junior School choir who sang their school song, and Mr Malaesilia and Mr Malone who prepared the Senior School choir to sing the Sub Tuum in the style of Gregorian chant. It was hauntingly beautiful! Finally, we were blessed to hear from Bishop Brian who encouraged us to let our light shine as we use the facilities and our personal gifts. 

The Naming of the Centre

Thomas Donovan, the original owner of the land on which the College is built, had a particular affection for the Benedictine order to which Gregory I belonged. It was Donovan’s wish that an agricultural boarding school be established, under the patronage of Gregory I, alongside St Marcellin Champagnat as founder of the Marist Brothers, who enabled Donovan’s wish to become a reality.

Gregory I, commonly known as Pope Saint Gregory the Great, was born in Rome in 540 to an affluent and influential family, He was well educated, learning grammar, rhetoric, the sciences, literature, and law. Gregory 1 became a monk of the Benedictine order in 575 and was later appointed as a deacon of Rome and then Bishop of Rome from 590 until his death in 604. He valued learning and is recognised for his passion for education and knowledge, encouragement of missionary work and the founding of monasteries, strong leadership and courage. He has been referred to as St Gregory the Dialogist, having written many books on leadership, pastoral care, spiritualty and morals during his lifetime.  

Also known as the Father of Christian Worship, he became very involved in liturgical reform. The particular style of music which he introduced is known as Gregorian chant and was first collected and codified during his papacy. 

Pope Saint Gregory the Great, is recognised as patron saint of teachers and students, patron saint of musicians and singers, and patron of St Gregory’s College. Given the nature of the work that will be conducted in the new facility, particularly Music and Drama, the naming of the facility as The Gregorian Centre is most fitting.

It was also most appropriate that during the blessing of The Gregorian Centre we heard the Sub Tuum, one of the oldest known Marian prayers still in use today, and sung by Marist communities all around the world, sung in the style of Gregorian chant.

Mrs Cathie Clarke

Director of Mission

Professional Learning Groups (PLGs), also known as Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), are collaborative groups of educators who come together to engage in ongoing learning and professional development. These groups are formed within schools or educational institutions and are focused on improving teaching practices, enhancing student learning outcomes, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

PLGs typically consist of teachers, administrators, and sometimes other school staff who share a common goal of enhancing their professional practice. They meet regularly to discuss and reflect on their teaching practices, share insights and strategies, and collaboratively solve problems related to teaching and learning.

One of the key features of PLGs is their focus on collaboration and shared responsibility. Members work together to set goals, plan activities, and assess their progress. They also engage in reflective practice, critically examining their own teaching practices and beliefs, and are open to feedback and suggestions from their colleagues.

The College’s Strategic Plan for Teaching and Learning includes supporting all staff to engage in Professional Learning and Development. PLG provides an opportunity for staff to engage in cross KLA dialogue and to share teaching practices and experiences. PLG time has been used to complete feedback for the Inclusive Education faculty for student Individual Plans and to review student IP’s and student data as staff continue to utilise Universal Design for Learning in all curriculum development and planning. 

All teaching staff are currently completing an online NESA Accredited PD course “Engaging Boys in Writing” in PLG. This course aims to get boys writing about what matters to them. The course provides practical examples, using the latest research into inspiring boys to write and translates it into action. This includes: 8 ways boys learn best, 7 needs boys have to write well, 13 strategies to help boys write better, and 23 specific writing tasks designed to make boys excel.

Overall, PLGs play a crucial role in supporting the professional growth and development of educators. By providing a forum for collaboration, reflection, and continuous learning, PLGs help teachers improve their instructional practices, enhance student learning outcomes, and contribute to a culture of excellence in education.

Ms Judith Tolomeo

Director of Teaching and Learning

Upcoming Events

Tuesday 26 March VET Online Information Evening

Wednesday 3 April HSC Minimum Standards Year 10 Tests

Thursday 4 April HSC Minimum Standards Year 11-12 Catch-up Tests

Thursday 4 April Year 7 – 11 Progress Reports Published

NAPLAN Testing

Congratulations to all students in Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9 on the completion of their NAPLAN tests. In all, over 1900 tests in Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy were completed by over 500 students across the year groups. Results for these tests will be mailed to parents mid-way through next term.