NSW All Schools Champions – 1st XI & NSW CCC Basketball Champions

It has been a highly successful week for our Open Cricket Team and our Intermediate Basketball Teams. 

Our 1st XI Cricket finished their week with a NSW Championship under their belt. This team of fine young men took out the NSW Championship on Wednesday with a hard-fought win over the Cranbrook School on Tuesday in the Semi Finals and backed this up with a win the Final over The Kings School in North Parramatta on Wednesday. A big thanks to the gentlemen on this team for their attitudes and a huge congratulations to their coach and manager Mr Luke Morrissey and Mrs Jenny Tansey.

Our Intermediate Basketball Team (Years 9 and 10) are also NSW Champions by winning the final of the NSW CCC Championships over Xavier in ALbury, with a 24-15 point win in the Championship Final. A huge congratulations to this group of young men who played so well, and to their coaches in Mr Limbrey and Mr Tyler.

2024 is coming...

Tomorrow we have the pleasure of hosting a Year 7 Orientation Day for the incoming students to our College in 2024. Over the past weeks, the staff and teachers have been preparing for their arrival and look forward to welcoming the new students to this wonderful College. 

For our new Year 7 Boarders, they are having a sleepover this evening to experience life in the Boarding Houses. I am sure that these boys will have a ball! The families have their Parent Information Evening tonight followed by the Orientation Day tomorrow.

We look forward to welcoming all new families to our College in 2024!

Celebrating Student Success 

I am sure as you now know, we love to celebrate the successes of our students in both the Junior and Senior Schools. At morning ‘line up’ on a Monday morning, in Year Meetings or at assemblies, it is always special to be able to celebrate these successes in one way or another.

If your son or daughter has achieved something that we can help them celebrate and praise, please let us know at the College. Simply contact me at the College, jweekes@stgregs.nsw.edu.au as I would love to share this celebration with them and with our community.

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

Mr Joel Weekes 

Assistant Principal/Head of Senior School 

According to Andrew Oberthur, there are five reasons why parents engage with schools:

1. To share information: Communication is the cornerstone of the parent-teacher partnership. Parents often engage with schools to share vital information about their child's needs, interests, and experiences.

2. To understand history or context: Asking questions helps parents comprehend their child's progress and provides insights into the learning process, allowing them to better support their child's development.

3. To get advice: Seeking advice from teachers can be a valuable resource for parents. Teachers' expertise and insights into effective learning strategies can be instrumental in shaping a child's academic journey.

4. To find a solution to a problem: Problems are an inevitable part of a child's educational path. When parents encounter challenges, they turn to teachers for guidance in finding solutions that benefit the child's growth.

5. To offer suggestions: Parents also engage with schools to provide feedback or suggestions for improvement. Their input can be invaluable in gaining understanding about the child.

We can learn a great deal from each other, through clear, respectful communication. Throughout your child’s schooling, there may be encounters where parents or teachers may not have a clear picture of what has occurred. During these times it is imperative that we are on the same page.

The three key responses parents should give their children

To establish a relationship built on trust and collaboration, parents should adopt these three key responses when their children share their experiences:

1. “I’m listening to you:” By actively listening, parents convey their genuine interest in their child's thoughts and feelings.

2. “I’m hearing you:” Acknowledging what the child is saying validates their emotions and experiences, fostering open communication.

3. “I need to get the school’s perspective on this issue:” This response highlights the importance of seeking a balanced view. By considering the school's perspective, parents ensure that they have a more comprehensive understanding of the situation.

This approach helps parents in gaining a complete picture of the child's experience, acknowledging that the truth often lies somewhere in the middle ground.

Considering Requests to Teachers

When reaching out to teachers, parents should assess the realism, reasonableness, and sustainability of their requests. Understanding the school's capabilities and limitations is crucial in forming constructive partnerships. It ensures that requests align with the school's resources and the child's best interests.

When parents and teachers work together, the child reaps the benefits of a holistic and supportive education. 

You will reap what you sow.

Mrs Diana Ivancic

Head of Junior School

Happy Campers

Part of our pastoral care program at St Gregory’s is the experiences provided through camps and overnight trips. Over the past two weeks, Years 3 & 4 attended Sport & Recreation Camps for 3 days/2 nights.

Year 4 stayed at the Broken Bay Sport & Recreation Camp. The students had a wonderful time participating in activities such as archery, water activities and campfire cooking. The staff who attended included Mrs Mackay, Mr Edwards, Mrs Limbrey & Mr Gannon. All came home exhausted but with lots of stories to share.

This week, Year 3 stayed at Teen Ranch, Cobbity. Being their first overnight stay, there was some apprehension and nervousness as they prepared to board the bus. Once there, this disappeared, with lots of fun activities including the giant swing and rock climbing. The students were supported on camp by Miss Slattery, Mrs McPherson, Mr Howe & Mr Gannon. I’m not sure who had more fun – the students or the teachers.

Next week, Year 5 will head off on a three-day trip to Canberra, where they will visit sites including Parliament House, Questacon, The Australian War Memorial and the Museum of Democracy. This trip is filled with lots of rich learning opportunities. Mrs Burton, Mr Hayes, Mr Howe and I will take the Year 5 students on this trip.

Our students are privileged to be provided with these opportunities to develop skills in independence, confidence, resilience and organisation. It is made possible by the staff who are willing to take time away from their families, many with young children. I thank them for the effort it takes to organise their home and family life, to spend three days away without a break, always alert for the safety and wellbeing of the children. 

I am also very grateful to their partners who are often left to pick up extra after school activities, meal preparation and home tasks and organise their own work in order to make this happen.

We are very blessed to have these wonderful experiences.

With similar reasoning, as part of their faith formation journey, the Year 9 boys participated in a Rite Journey session on awe and wonder. 

The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders. Psalm 65:8

They were encouraged to take some time in silence and contemplate a flower and all its intricacies. Congratulations to the boys who entered into this reflection. Following on for the Abyss, many of our Year 9 men are demonstrating incredible growth and maturity in this area. A loud call out of thanks to the maintenance staff who were able to gather flowers from around the College to support this activity.

In the lead up to Advent we launch the St Vincent de Paul Hamper Appeal and invite families to donate gifts which will be distributed to the needy families of our local communities for Christmas and to the young people of Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre. All students should have received their letters about this.

Over the next few weeks, our newly elected leader of Mission and Marist Solidarity, Joseph Jose, will be recruiting students to train and act as altar servers for College Masses. Jospeh has served at every College Mass since he began in Year 7 and is keen to see many new faces join him before his Graduation. If you son has an interest in joining this ministry, please encourage him to take up the opportunity by contacting Joseph via email.

A reminder to Year 10 and 11 parents that if your son is interested in applying to participate in an immersion experience in 2024, either to Timor Leste or Fiji, expressions of interest should be received by the end of the calendar year.

December 6 is the final Mass of the year for our College community. All families are very welcome to attend.

Mrs Cathie Clarke

Director of Mission

A Mentor evening was held earlier in the year, with guest speakers including Rugby League legend Anthony Minichello, where Senior Students could sit with a specific mentor to discuss future pathways, careers and industry requirements. Some of these sessions provided students with offers for future employment. 

These initiatives have not only supported the students at the College, but they have also cemented community partnerships, industry connections, and highlighted the importance of the St Greg’s Old Boys Foundation. 

In recent weeks, Michael has organised and facilitated the “Future Ready Workshops” for all students in Year 10. These workshops follow an in-depth subject selection process with students’ heading into the next step in their journey for stage 6 studies and beyond. The College ran a 2-lesson workshop designed specifically to enable the students to focus on their future career(s).

The Future Ready program was a fantastic exploration of the students talents and future hopes grounded in real world career trends and opportunities. 

The students were slowly scaffolded through a well thought out worksheet which discussed Ikigai (finding a greater purpose to their life), job clusters (where they may fit with their unique skillsets) and finally designing a future career plan (mapping out steps to achieve that career goal).

The objective of these sessions was for the students to be given  'thinking space' to be immersed in all things careers and the valuable time to future orientate themselves. The boys took the opportunity with both hands, so much so that we added another session during the pastoral care time on Friday to continue the researching, thinking and planning. 

Ms Judith Tolomeo

Director of Teaching and Learning 

Year 7-9 Dance at St. Pat's: A Night of Fun and Respectful Interactions

Last week, our students in Years 7-9 had the opportunity to attend a dance at St. Patrick's School. We are delighted to report that our students displayed excellent behaviour and represented St. Gregory's College with distinction. They danced, enjoyed the music, and built new friendships in a fun and safe environment. We are proud of their responsible and respectful conduct, both at the dance and when leaving the venue. It's a testament to the values we install in our students and the exemplary character they exhibit.

2024 Year 7 Orientation Day: Excitement Build

On Friday, we will welcome the 2024 Year 7 students to St. Gregory's College for their Orientation Day. We are excited to meet the new additions to our school community and provide them with awarm welcome. Orientation Day is an opportunity for students to become familiar with the school, meet their teachers, and begin forming new friendships.

Protecting Our Teens: Understanding the Dangers of Discord

In the age of digital communication, the way we connect with one another has evolved significantly. One of the platforms that has gained immense popularity, especially among teenagers, is Discord. 

While Discord has its advantages, it's crucial for parents, educators, and caregivers to be aware of the potential dangers associated with its use. In this newsletter article, we'll explore the risks of Discord and offer guidance on how to ensure your teenagers use the platform safely.

Understanding Discord

Discord is a communication platform primarily designed for gamers, but it has expanded to serve various communities and interest groups. It offers features like text and voice chat, file sharing, and private messaging. Discord's versatile interface and user-friendly design make it appealing to teenagers and young adults. However, this accessibility can also lead to a host of concerns.

Potential Danger

1. Cyberbullying: Discord is not immune to the issue of cyberbullying, which can have devastating effects on teenagers' mental and emotional well-being. Teens may encounter hurtful comments, harassment, or online threats from peers or strangers.

2. Inappropriate Content: The platform allows users to create or join servers (chat rooms) where content can range from harmless to explicit and offensive. Teens can easily access inappropriate materials, including graphic images, discussions, or links.

3. Privacy Concerns: Discord often requires users to share personal information, such as email addresses or even phone numbers. This information can be misused or exploited by cybercriminals, putting your teenager at risk.

4. Grooming and Predatory Behaviours: Discord's openness and accessibility can attract individuals with harmful intentions. Strangers can attempt to befriend teenagers and manipulate them into sharing personal information or engaging in inappropriate conversations.

5. Time Management: Excessive use of Discord can lead to addiction and negatively impact your teenager's academic performance, sleep schedule, and overall well-being.

Tips for Parents and Guardians

1. Open Communication: Maintain an open and non-judgmental dialogue with your teenagers about their online activities. Encourage them to share their experiences and any concerns they may have.

2. Set Boundaries: Establish rules regarding screen time, usage hours, and the types of servers or channels they can access. Regularly check and discuss their Discord friend list.

3. Privacy Settings: Help your teenager configure their Discord account's privacy settings to limit interactions with strangers. Ensure that they are not sharing personal information publicly.

4. Educate Them: Teach your teenagers about online safety, the potential dangers of disclosing personal information, and the importance of reporting inappropriate behaviour.

5. Monitor Usage: Be aware of how much time your teenager spends on Discord. Consider using parental control software to track and manage their online activities.

6. Report Abusive Content: Encourage your teenager to report any abusive or inappropriate content they encounter on Discord.

Discord can be a valuable platform for social interaction and community-building, but it is not without its risks, especially for teenagers. As parents, guardians, and educators, it's our responsibility to guide our young users to make safe and responsible choices online. By staying informed about the potential dangers and taking proactive steps, we can help ensure that Discord remains a positive and constructive tool for our teens' online experience.

Let's work together to create a safer digital environment for our St. Gregory's College community.

Please read the Safe on Social resource below to help parents better protect their children when on Discord.

Sincerely,

Mr Baldino Vetrano

Director of Students

HSC 2024 Information Evening

This event will be online and will begin at 7.00pm on Wednesday November 15. This will be a compulsory event for all Year 12 2024 students. Parents and students have been emailed the link and the Year 12 2024 Academic Handbook.  

Year 7 – 10 Semester 2 Exams

From November 15 to November 22, Year 7 – 10 students will complete their Semester 2 Examinations.

These exams will be a great opportunity for our students to showcase the skills and understanding they have developed during the semester, to practice responding in timed conditions and build their skills in preparing for exams. Not all subjects will have exams and students are encouraged to find out more about each assessment in their Assessment Notifications.

Normal classes will occur where there are no exams scheduled so students will need to bring their normal school materials. 

Parents, carers and students have already been sent a document containing an exam timetable and instructions. If your son is absent from school on the day of an exam, please forward an email and a medical certificate to the Academic Care Leader (Year 7 – 9). In Year 10, please forward a Student Assessment Form and Medical Certificate to SAF@stgregs.nsw.edu.au (these forms can be found on Sentral Portal).

Year 11 Academic Awards

On Friday 27 October, we celebrated the academic achievements of our Year 11 students. The following students are to be commended for their achievements.

Academic Course Achievements

Academic Effort and Consistency

Academic Achievement (Top 10) Award

Major Awards

Homework Club

We would encourage Year 7 – 11 students to attend Homework Club on Monday afternoons in the lead-up to exams. Homework Club is a chance for students to spend time studying, completing assessments and finishing homework in the inviting environment of the Marian Centre. There are subject and learning support teachers on hand to help students (a different faculty attends each week) and the afternoons are overseen by our Academic Care Leaders. The afternoons begin at 3.15pm and conclude at 4.30pm. 

Homework Club will occur on the following Mondays:

Term 4

Week 6 (13.11)

Week 7 (20.11)

HSC Minimum Standards Catch-up Session

Before the holidays, students in Year 10 – 12 had another chance to meet HSC Minimum Standards. While the vast majority of our students have now passed all three standards (Reading, Writing and Numeracy), there are several students who have yet to meet the standards. All students have been sent emails about their progress in these tests and there will be another opportunity to complete the tests in Week 5 of this term.

HSC Results and Celebration Breakfast

HSC Results will be available for students on Thursday 14 December. Students will access their HSC results on NESA Students Online and their ATAR results from the UAC Website. In preparation for this, we advise all students to have their Student Number and their access codes stored so that they can find out their results and download their testamurs. Students can also indicate on the NESA Students Online whether they would like results to be sent to them via SMS.

On Thursday 14 December, the College will also host our annual HSC Celebration Breakfast. This will be a time where our HSC students can come together at the College to share their results and debrief with fellow students and their Year 12 teachers. All Year 12 students are welcome at this event.

Study Skills Tip

In the Boarding houses Mr Humphries has been working with all the boys in the Valens house to help them all come up with a design they collaboratively put together to share their experience boarding at St Gregs. Mr Humphries said “it was great to see all the boys come together form different backgrounds to share their experience of boarding and then work with the First Nations boys in the house to come up with a design they wanted to put onto the tree” The tree, is in the process of being scarred and the boys are learning how to use both traditional symbolism to tell a story and also learn the techniques to transition the story into where there Coolamon was cut from earlier this year. Mr Humphries said “whilst working through the design process with the boys from Valens house, many of them reflected on the activity they were doing and were aware that in 10, 20 or 30 years they will be able to return and continue to share this story of their experience with their families, and they also acknowledged the importance of being able to share their experience of their first 12 months here in boarding with the next cohort who will soon begin their journey in Valens.”

Junior Basketball 

Score 

SGC 8 - 30 SPAS 

Special Mention

• Hayden Grill for his dribbling skills  

• Tyler Cummins for creating space in attack

• Harrison Oldfield for his impressive effort and determination on debut

Junior Oz Tag 

Score 

SGC 21 - 1 SPAS

Special Mention

• Cleo Lane for great moves in attack and some try saving defence. 

• Noah Jardine for numerous whole-field tries.

• Jayk Jedryhowski for some great attacking runs and some try saving tagging.

Junior Cricket

Score 

SGC: 1/74  -  SPAS: 4/72

Special Mention

• Alphonse Philip for excellent bowling and batting.

• Marcello Torcaso for a vital 14 runs, including 1 six

• James Dash for crucial wickets and runs.

Junior Girls Soccer 

Score 

SGC  5 - 0 SPAS

Special Mention

• Chloe Jones for her focused, solid kicks and excellent attempt at goal. 

• Amelie Vella for her honesty, sportsmanship and 2 incredible goals.

• Charlotte Sutton for her unwavering defence.

Senior Basketball 

Score 

SGC 38 - 20 SPAS 

Special Mention

• Addison Day for her effective passes 

• Audrey Oldfield for creating space in attack and sinking an impressive basket

• Hudson Buckley for his accuracy when shooting in the first quarter.

Senior Oztag 

Score 

SGC 18  -  5 SPAS 

Special Mention

• Finn Dumnesy for innumerable line breaks in attack and guiding his team well in defence. 

• Nate Millar for strong defensive play and many great line breaks leading to points. 

• Lila Richards for a massive length of the field line break. 

Senior Cricket

Score 

SGC 3/66  -  SPAS 5/30

Special Mention

• Charlie Farias for hitting four 6s in the first 5 balls, retiring with 24 n.o.

• Samuel Brown for a great catch in the field.

• Ryan Delaney for an impressive wicket maiden when bowling. 

Senior Girls Soccer 

Score 

SGC 9 - 0 SPAS 

Special Mention

• Ivy Smith for her outstanding sportsmanship!

• Mikayla Faro for her brace (2 goals)

• The defensive line for keeping a clean sheet and moving the ball upfield.

IPSSO Results Week 4

On Wednesday, 1 November 2023, our teams competed against Oran Park College.

A big thank you to our Year 3 students who filled in while Year 4 was on camp!!

Junior Basketball 

Score 

SGC 14 - 8 OPAC 

Special Mention

• Tiana Eva for her strong defensive efforts that led to points 

• Alexander Sheedy for his energy and determination to do well on debut

• Clara Romeo for creating space in offence.

Junior Oz Tag 

Score 

SGC 7 - 13 OPAC

Special Mention

• Beau Stephens for his blinding runs and strong defence. 

• Stella Jensen for her support in attack. 

• Harrison Fuser for his mammoth defensive efforts. 

Junior Cricket

Score 

SGC 79 -  90 OPAC 

Special Mention

• Marcello Torcaso for his excellent display of power hitting.

• Ethan Patterson for taking two vital wickets in his over. 

• Lucas Hayes for his strong performance with both bat and ball. 

Junior Girls Soccer 

Score 

SGC 1  - 1 OPAC  

Special Mention

• Alessia Siracusa for her excellent leadership as captain while the year 4s were away.

• Harper Stassen for her defensive skills and ability to thwart opponents’ attacks. 

• Sophia Murialdo for her adaptability and versatility in the goalie position, making her an asset to the team,

Senior Basketball 

Score 

SGC 57 - 37 OPAC  

Special Mention

• Sabah Paki for her shooting accuracy

• Noah Forsyth for his impressive defensive efforts that led to turnovers

• Eli Piaud for his rebounds and his defensive pressure on debut. 

Senior Oz Tag 

Score 

SGC 10  - 11 OPAC 

Special Mention

• Zane Mallinson for utilising his speed and scoring a hat trick of tries. 

• Finn Dumesny for some try saving tags and his vision leading to him scoring four tries.  

• Ivy Bushby for her determination and never-give-up attitude. 

Senior Cricket

Score 

SGC 3/82 -  OPAC 1/67

Special Mention

• Lawson Sutton for his constant encouragement and positive attitude.

• Humza Khan for his patience and craftiness with the bat.

• Lucas Spragg for his composure whilst bowling the final over. 

Senior Girls Soccer 

Score 

SGC 7  - 1 OPAC 

Special Mention

• Cara Jones for her determination all over the park

• Eva Luximon for her confident reads as goalkeeper

• Kiera Howe for her defensive clearances

IPSSO Results Week 5

On Wednesday, 8 November 2023, our teams had a bye.

Wollongong Diocese Sport

Good luck to Coby Ornowski and Rhys Hodson, who will be trialling for the Wollongong Basketball on Tuesday, 14 November. Wollongong will communicate to Mr Howe soon on whose nominations they have accepted for the Cricket Trial. 

Congratulations and good luck to Charlize Potts, Finn Dumesny, Keira Eagles, Sabah Paki and Ivy Smith, as they attend the Wollongong CDF Sports Awards Night tonight.

Swimming Carnival 2024

Thank you to the Year 2-5 families that have completed the Google form. The deadline for the Google form to be completed is Tuesday, 14 November.

Horse Riding Competition at Berry

Congratulations to Ava Langham in Year 6 and her horse Leo, on their achievements representing the College at the Berry Riding Club Interschool Equestrian Championships last month. 

Well done to Ava and Leo on the following outstanding achievements.

• 1st Best Presented horse and rider, Novice Year 6

• 3rd Handler, Novice Year 6 

• 4th Rider Class, Novice Year 6

• 1st Ridden Galloway Hack Novice Primary

• 3rd Best Educated novice Mount not exceeding 15h Primary

Mark Taylor Shield 

Good luck to our Mark Taylor Shield Cricket Team and Mr Hayes when they play their semi-final game on Tuesday, November 14, against Holy Cross Glenwood.

Mr Darryl Howe 

PDHPE Teacher/Sports Coordinator