EASTER PERIOD

We return to second term during the fifty days of Easter, following Easter Sunday and culminating in the Feast of Pentecost. During this time we look at events in the church’s life, the sacraments, the accounts of the resurrection and the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to discover their meaning and what they tell us about how we as a community are to live the life of the Risen Lord. Like the two who walked the Emmaus road with Jesus, we can know Christ in the sharing of the word and in the breaking of bread at the Eucharist. Each time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, we say these words: We proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

MONTH OF MAY

May is marked by the Church in its dedication of the month to Mary. As we celebrate the month of May, we reflect on the remarkable role Mary plays in salvation history. Mary offers us three essential pathways for living our faith.

Mary shows us how to listen. Mary was a young girl living in a culture where she could have been stoned to death for having a child out-of-wedlock.  She knew the cultural and societal consequences of her “yes.”  She knew what could happen if Joseph didn’t understand.  She had reason to fear her parents’ reactions.  When the angel appeared to Mary, we read in scripture how she was deeply troubled.  Somewhere deep within she found the courage, inner strength, and grace to respond with full assent, “Let it be done to me according to your word.”  Mary shows us what it means to listen with full intensity to what God is asking, God’s invitations may very well demand everything of us.  Deep pondering, heart-centred attentiveness, and courageous listening are required of us, too.

Mary shows us how God’s word must be shared with others.  When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, they did not simply exchange a simple greeting, but one of deep faith.  God’s word is meant to be shared.  It cannot be contained within us if we are to be filled with the life it offers.  We must share it with others.  We are invited to ponder the word of God so that we might share it joyfully with others.

Mary shows us how to live in God’s word.  Mary lived moments of profound joy as well as profound sorrow.  From losing Jesus in the Temple to the journey to Calvary, Mary lived these sorrows and anguished deeply.  Mary formed and raised Jesus from the simplicity of her daily life.  She was a person in conversation with God, with the Word of God, and also with the events through which God spoke to her.  From the Annunciation to Pentecost, Mary appears as someone whose freedom is completely open to God’s will and shows us how to live in God’s word.

In this month of May, may we turn to Mary in our times of joy and sorrow and ask her to continue to show us the way to her Son.  As we strive to grow in faith and live more fully in God’s word, may we, like Mary, bring Christ to others. We offer the May Rosary at the College during lunchtime.

ANZAC DAY

Recently we once again commemorated ANZAC Day. I thank the students and the families and the staff members who represented the College with great pride at the ceremonies at Campbelltown, Camden and Picton. ANZAC Day is perhaps at its most meaningful when it asks us what we are willing to do for love - what hardships we might face, what barriers might we reach out across, what friendships might we seek to make, what people might we seek to welcome?

On Wednesday 27 April, the College held an ANZAC Commemoration Assembly. I wish to share with you the following comments that I made during an address to mark this significant occasion:

Our ANZAC commemoration this morning is about remembering always the service and sacrifice of all those who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. During our service we reflect on the spirit of the ANZAC, and what it means for Australia. Significantly, we remember the sacrifices of the fallen and honour those who gave their life that we might live. That our land and our lifestyle and our liberties might be protected.  And not just those that have lost their lives or were injured, but also those greatly affected by the devastating impacts of war. Many have made great sacrifices to uphold our freedoms.

The deepest meaning of ANZAC is not about the number of victories or the outcome of the conflict, it is about the qualities that shone from the most amazing and inspirational people. The diggers from the first ANZAC Day symbolise the qualities that Australians value and what have become known as the Anzac Spirit – mateship, tenacity, sacrifice, community spirit, and a healthy respect for others. These are the qualities that have been adopted by people as defining the Australian character. They have been demonstrated many times, especially in times of crisis and hardship.

Mateship is at the very heart of the Anzac tradition and spirit. Mateship means watching out for and taking care of your friends. A commitment to helping out those less fortunate. Mateship is going above and beyond the call of duty to help another without regard to the personal cost involved. There is another characteristic that is also synonymous with the ANZAC spirit – courage. It was courage that determined collective success and individual survival. The courage to be undaunted by the odds; the courage to persevere no matter how bleak the prospects, and most importantly, it was the courage to stand and fight when every instinct compelled one to do otherwise.

The commitment of the ANZAC diggers is a similar commitment that also drives so many people who work tirelessly and voluntarily for charity and community groups. It is in times of need, pain and suffering as well as in times of joy that Australians who have previously had nothing in common, band together to achieve a common goal for the good of other people and the good of their country.

This morning, I would like to acknowledge the many Old Boys, staff and the parents and carers from St Gregory’s College who have served or continue to serve their country in the Army, Navy and air force. We commend them for their decision to serve our country and keep our life peaceful. May God bless them always and keep them safe. When we talk about the St Gregory’s family, let us ensure that the spirit of the Anzacs are reflected in our actions towards each other. Let’s use the great examples of our past history to ensure our mateship, courage, resilience and community-minded spirit are truly lived values in each of us. We have a responsibility to those who came before us and those who will follow us in the future.

In the Junior School, our Writing Workshops and explicit lessons have been a huge success. We have boy and girls who have differentiated practice in these lessons to focus on the explicit skill sets that they need to work on that particular week. We have teachers across the Senior School that have an explicit agenda to raise the standards of the boys writing, reading, grammar and punctuation. As a school, St Gregory’s College is really doing some great things around literacy development in our boys and girls. But, moving forward as a part of being a Learning Centred community, we do have (and rightly so) literacy development high on our change agenda.

This week, we had a number of K-12 staff (some not in this photo, unfortunately) attend an initial meeting to start a conversation about running a Literary Festival at St Gregory’s College in 2023. The ‘Think Tank’ provided staff to outline a number of creative ideas about engaging our local community through a love of literature. We look forward to building upon these ideas in the coming months.

At St Gregory’s College, our students are creative, imaginative and many have some wonderful stories to tell. With the proper encouragement and guidance, they can learn to become better writers and have the mindset of being a writer. For our students to perform and be engaged in writing, they are often drawn to alternative forms, it is important for them to write about topics of interest to them in order to stay engaged.

It is important for students to view writing as a part of their everyday lives. Technology and visual literacy should be used to help students throughout the writing process. Telling stories through multimedia, pictures, diagrams and video clips, helps them focus their imaginations and fosters ideas that they can build into a story. No matter what subject your son or daughter is learning, the written component all contributes to becoming a ‘writer’. As a society, teachers and parents in partnership is what is needed to make a real difference in changing a few mindsets of our students about the art of writing.

Many parents are busy – running from one activity to the next as personal taxi drivers, but personally I have found that finding the 10 minutes or so to sit down to enjoy some writing with your child is really important. I don’t exclude myself from this crazy busy world we love in, I sat down for the first time in many weeks with my son to write over the weekend and was amazed to see the difference in his writing over the past weeks. The fun of writing with a parent from a young age is something that I know I treasure.  Around literacy when there is a collective effort, Let’s make writing a positive thing – lets help our boys and girls keep this positive mindset, and the results will follow.

To all our mothers and carers in our community, I wish you all a lovely Mother’s Day this Sunday.

Mr Joel Weekes

Acting Deputy Principal

Spanish Classes for Parents and Carers

It’s finally happening – the Spanish Classes for Parents/Carers!! After a long wait, Mrs Paula Grados would like to invite Parents and Carers who are interested in learning some basic words that their child is learning, to come and learn. The classes will be casual and fun. No pre-requisites, just an open mind to learning.

Classes will be held weekly on Tuesday mornings from 8:00am – 8:25am.

Classes will begin Week 3 - 10 May

We love toddlers, but we ask that this be a parent-only class so that you are fully engaged and not distracted.

Although you are not required to attend every week, it would be useful to have an indication of numbers so that we can provide adequate space.

Please RVSP via the following link https://forms.gle/CRLgcrD218WDcdi69  by Monday 9 May.

Mathematics workshops for Parents and Carers

As you are aware, the school has committed to a two-year focus on Mathematics. As such, the staff have been participating in professional development with Professor Catherine Attard.

We know how important it is to work in partnership with home and help parents and carers develop an understanding of what their child is learning at school and how. Professor Catherine Attard will present a one-hour parent workshop on Monday 16 May from 6:30pm – 7:30pm. This will be a practical workshop, so you are invited to come along and have fun.

In order to cater for space and materials, it is important that you please RSVP your attendance using the following link https://forms.gle/472NQ4q2nWi4NHrP9.  We ask that no children or toddlers attend, as you will require full attention!

Children Have Voice and Agency

Part of the PYP is encouraging students to have voice, choice and agency. During Units of Inquiry, students are encouraged to think about what they are learning and how they can apply their new knowledge and skills to make bring about change.

In Year 3 last term, the students inquired into how interdependent relationships exist in creation and held a mini-exhibition for their parents and students from other grades. They shared their knowledge and understandings from research into living things and the impact of human interaction.

Josiah Pereira was inspired to act, independently. Below is the letter he wrote to the Prime Minister. Mr Scott Morrison was obviously very impressed and took the time to respond to Josiah.  How encouraging to have young people in our midst who have the desire to bring about change. Well done, Josiah.

Storytime Launches in the Junior School Library

This year, Mrs Cheryl Dodson joined the Junior School staff as our Library Assistant. Already, Cheryl has shared her passion for books with the students and teachers. Many families may recognise Cheryl from the Camden Library, where she worked prior to St Gregory’s – how blessed we are to have her now working with us.

Cheryl will launch the Library Storytime this week, and all students are invited to join Cheryl as she mesmerises us with her gift of reading and telling stories.

A message from Mrs Dodson:

“Before I joined St Greg’s I was a children’s librarian for ‘gulp’ 23 years. Most recently I worked at Narellan Library. The best part of my job there was sharing my favourite books with families at Storytime. I am super-excited to start Storytime sessions here in our wonderful library at St Greg’s. Our first session will be on Wednesday 3 May during break one. We will read books from my two of my favourite authors Mo Willems and David Walliams.”

Storytime – every Wednesday at Break 1 in the library.

Congratulations to Terri from OOSH

At the end of last term, Terri, one of our lovely OOSH teachers won the top prize in recognition of Vocational Excellence, by Gregory Hills Rotary Club. We would like to congratulate and recognise Terri for the dedication she gives to the students and family at before and after school care throughout the term and holidays.

In 2022 the College supported two groups within our Marist family. The bulk of our fundraising will be sent to Timor Leste to assist in the building of the new Marist school. The mufti day and GoFundMe page raised over $6000 to help the rebuilding of Trinity College, which was devastated by flood. Thank you to the many families who supported these College initiatives.

We have now entered into the Easter Season, the most significant time in its calendar, following the celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Our faith is strongly planted in this reality of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As a College community, we explored the events of Holy Week and the significance of the last days of Jesus’ life for us as Christians in very moving liturgies.  I trust that the message of hope and joy was felt in all our families.

On ANZAC day we were proudly represented at marches and services at Picton, Campbelltown and Camden, honouring those who had served Australia and us at war and on peacekeeping missions.  On our return to school, the commemoration of ANZAC was the focus of our College gathering. Anzac Day always occurs close to Easter, and we acknowledged the Easter symbolism which permeates all of Anzac Day. At the centre of Easter is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Jesus replied,

“Now the hour has come

for the Chosen One to be glorified.

The truth of the matter is,

unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies,

it remains only a single grain;

but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.”

In the Gospel reading from John chosen for the assembly, Jesus encourages us to see beyond death to the glory which follows. While he is talking about his own death, and his glorification as the Chosen One, the Messiah, it can be applied to all of us as we look back on the death and destruction of war and forward to a time of hope and community.

We were also able to pray in community at the Year 7 camp on Tuesday evening. Our Year 11 leaders worked with the boys all day and then lead the liturgy in the evening.  Through prayer, reflection, singing and chanting, they helped to pass on the traditions of the College, particularly teaching the younger students the significance of the Sub Tuum.

During May we pray the Rosary in the Chapel each Monday at lunchtime. As a Marist College, our devotion to Mary is important and all students are invited to join us for this time of prayer.

Upcoming Mission Events:          

• The Homecoming, Year 10 – 19 May
• Feast of Saint Marcellin Champagnat Mass – 6 June
• Champagnat Day Activities – 9 June 

Mrs Cathie Clarke

Director of Mission

On Wednesday 27 April, all teaching staff from both the Junior and Senior Schools gathered in the Marian Centre for the College K-12 staff meeting. Professional learning and engagement being the focus of this meeting, with John De Courcy engaged to facilitate. Most people may recognise this name as it is synonymous with HSC results and the analysis of such. John is a Mathematician and has been a principal in a number of schools. He developed the “De Courcy” analysis for HSC results and data analysis many years ago, with all schools in NSW using this data set as part of their HSC results analysis for school improvement purposes.

The Learning Intention for this meeting was that all staff would leave with an understanding that data is not just numbers, the need for a common approach to data and that a learning gain focus is highly valuable. Too often schools and the wider community focus on achievement data; Band 6’s in the HSC, NAPLAN ranks, state average comparisons. However, we recognise that it is better to focus on learning gain; how much has the student learned? Identification of those students underperforming to ensure support mechanisms are in place for student improvement.

The second part of the meeting looked at “So what builds the learning?” In other words, what are the underpinnings of Learning Gain. Notably, there are a number of factors including: knowledge of subject; skills in writing, research, problem solving and social skills; as well as engagement, future focus, wellbeing, resilience, self-concept, and growth mindset.

So where to now? Staff spent time at the conclusion of the meeting to provide feedback for the sessions. Two particular areas were highlighted for future exploration with staff.

• Resilience as an underpinning of achievement
• The impact of collective efficacy

John De Courcy will return to the College later this term to facilitate learning and leadership sessions with all Middle Leaders. The College is fortunate to have a partnership with an educator such as John as we continue to build the capacity of all our teaching staff to ensure student achievement is a priority.

Ms Judith Tolomeo

Director of Teaching and Learning

Students have returned with a calm sense of normality; face masks are not compulsory; students do not need to sit with their cohort and student attendance has resumed to a satisfactory level.

The College building works are almost complete, with the basketball and futsal courts in their final stages of completion, students cannot wait to try out the new courts and be able to stretch their legs at recess and lunch.

College Giant Chess Board

The College is very excited to announce the arrival of a giant size Chess Board. The Chess Game is located outside Student Services, and it has taken the interest of many students over the last week.

It is always extremely pleasing to see students engaging in extracurricular activities, especially during recess and lunch. A special mention and thank you to Mrs Hackett and Ms Khoury for voicing their support in bringing this project to life. The students are forever grateful.

ANZAC Assembly

Anzac Assembly 2022 was held in the first week back to term 2. It was amazing to witness the respect and understanding our students displayed during this memorable Assembly. The College embraced the sense of occasion and both staff and students were reflective in acknowledgment.

A special mention to our College Choir who were outstanding.

Student Wellbeing News

Gambling and young people

In recent years, many schools have reported a spike when dealing with students who are gambling on laptops and devices during the school day.

In a recent report,

Children start gambling as young as 11, often with the help of their parents

Children as young as 11 are gambling for money and playing video games and apps that simulate betting – and parents are most often funding and enabling them.

About 40 percent of NSW children aged 12 to 17 are playing video games and apps with features that look and feel like gambling, according to major research commissioned for the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling. It surveyed 551 young people and held a range of focus groups.

Although underage gambling is illegal, about 30 percent of the young people surveyed had bet for money in the past year. The most popular gambling activity was commercial gambling such as bingo, sports betting online and off, scratchies and lottery tickets, followed by informal betting such as poker, often played at school or TAFE.

The director of NSW’s Office of Responsible Gambling Natalie Wright said the results showed that gambling among young people was more prevalent than ever.

The increasing convergence of gaming and gambling was increasing the potential for gambling harm. Many video games and apps encourage children to spend real or virtual money to open loot boxes, digital grab bags that may include skins (costumes for characters) and weapons.

“Games are exposing young children to gambling at a much earlier age. And parents are the biggest enablers,” she said. “These games which mimic real gambling are potential gateways to traditional gambling for young people,” Ms Wright said.

It found parents and advertising were the two key factors influencing young people to gamble.

Nearly 54 percent of those gambling with money were doing so with a parent or a guardian, and 20 percent with grandparents. About 58 percent of those who gambled came from homes where adults did so too.

The most common way young people accessed online gambling was by using a parent’s account with their permission, the survey found. Parents often gave children money specifically to gamble.

Increased exposure to advertising was also associated with increased problem gambling, with about 46 percent of young people reporting that they had noticed ads on television at least weekly during sports and racing broadcasts.

Like the tobacco industry in the past, the gambling industry was targeting young people to “get them hooked on gambling as early as possible, making it appear to be a normal part of life”.

Mr Baldino Vetrano

Director of Students

Upcoming events

Monday 9 May                  HSC Minimum Standards Tests (Year 10)                Br Luke Hall

Tuesday 10 May -             NAPLAN Testing (Year 3, 5, 7, 9)                            Br Luke Hall
Monday 16 May

Friday 12 May                  Year 12 Semester 1 Reports Published

Friday 20 May &               Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews                        Br Luke Hall
Sunday 22 May

Friday 27 May                 Year 12 Semester 1 Awards Assembly                     Br Luke Hall

Thursday 26 May -           Year 7 – 10 Semester 1 Examinations
Thursday 2 June

HSC Minimum Standards Tests (Year 10)

Students in Year 10 will sit for HSC Minimum Standards tests in Reading, Writing and Numeracy on Monday 9 May. These tests are completed on computer and students across the state will complete the same tests. This will be the first attempt for all Year 10 students.

Attempting the tests 

Year 10 students will complete their tests in the Hall. Students will need the following items for each of their tests: 

• Laptop – fully charged the night before. 
• Pen/Pencil for working out. 
• No calculator will be necessary – there is a calculator built into the numeracy test. 
• BRAG Novel – to read when they have completed their test.

Preparing for the tests 

Students are given revision-type activities as part of their normal classwork. All students should familiarise themselves with the test format by visiting the NESA HSC Minimum Standards website and revising with the “Demonstration Tests”: https://hscliteracynumeracy.nesa.nsw.edu.au/ ) 

Exam conditions apply – silence is an expectation and students will need to make sure smart phones or other devices are stored safely away before the beginning of the session.

Absence – if a student is absent on the day of the tests, they will complete the tests during the next test window at the end of Term 2.

Learning Support – students who qualify will also be provided with learning support. This will be based on current learning needs. Students will be notified before the exam about their support.

Results – NESA will email students’ results to them and results will also be available on the NESA Students Online Portal.

HSC Minimum Standards – further information can be found at this link: https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/hsc-minimum-standard/online-tests .

NAPLAN (Years 3, 5, 7 & 9)

Our school will be participating in NAPLAN between 10 and 16 May 2022.

NAPLAN Practice Tests - the NAPLAN practice tests conducted on Thursday 24 March and Friday 25 March were successful and all students who were present were able to complete practice activities designed to make them more familiar with the NAPLAN test layout.

NAPLAN Test Timetable

The following timetable outlines when each group will attempt their tests:

Catch-up tests

Staff will conduct catch-up tests on the day that students return to school where possible. Catch-up testing may also take place on Friday 13 May and Tuesday 17 May – Thursday 19 May for Year 7 and Year 9, and on Monday 16 – Thursday 19 for Year 3 and Year 5. Tests will be done in order of the timetable except for Years 7 – 9 where Writing will take priority.

If your child will be absent from a NAPLAN test, please call or email Mrs. Cosentino (Year 3 – 5), Mrs Ursino (Year 7) or Mr. Duggan (Year 9) on the morning of the task.

Equipment required for NAPLAN Tests

Students in Year 7 and Year 9 will need to bring their laptop fully charged. Students should check that their laptop is charging the night before each test. For Year 3 and Year 5 students, laptops are already stored at school.

Students must bring a pair of earphones that connect to their laptop. For Year 3 and Year 5 students, these should be corded headphones. Year 7 and Year 9 students should test to make sure their headphones are able to connect with their laptop.  If students forget their headphones, the College will supply a pair at a cost of $5 (charged to the student’s account).

Learning Support

Students who are already provided with Learning Support for assessments and who qualify for NESA Provisions will be granted support similar to the assistance they are normally provided. The Learning Enrichment team has already emailed parents/carers a consent form that must be returned to the Learning Enrichment team at the end of this week (Friday, 29 April).

NAPLAN Tests

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment of literacy and numeracy skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual NAPLAN tests in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. All NSW schools will sit NAPLAN online in 2022.

The NSW Educational Standards Authority recommends that:

• Excessive preparation for NAPLAN is not recommended.
• Students do not need to be able to touch type to complete NAPLAN as the tests are not about keyboard skills (just as the paper test is not about handwriting skills).

Students can use the public demonstration site to familiarise themselves with the types of questions and tools available in NAPLAN.

Additional resources:

Farewell

Sadly, we farewelled Ms Jaime Underwood from the College last Friday. Jaime has served the College, and particularly the boarding community, for twelve years. Her knowledge, care, dedication, compassion, and service have been exemplary. It was wonderful for our Year 12 leaders and community to be able to say farewell. It will be a difficult job to replace Jaime, but we wish her well on her new adventures, and look forward to seeing her around the College as a parent. Thankyou Jaime!

Family Weekend

All families will have received a letter from me in relation to our upcoming family weekend on Friday 20 May to Sunday 22 May. Please ensure you have RSVP to Danielle Sherd for your attendance, particularly for the Saturday evening events. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in contact with me.

Show Team Success – Sydney Royal Easter Show

Congratulations to Pat Davis (Harden) on being named ASA National Junior Merino Judges Champion. An amazing achievement.

Congratulations also to Tom Andersen (Yass) on being named Reserve Champion “Meat and Dual Purpose Sheep Judging”.

Sport Wrap

Congratulations to the all the students that were selected in the 2022 1st XIII Rugby League Squad. This is a tremendous honour, steeped in tradition. In particular I would like to congratulate the ten boarding community members that have been selected:

Jack Burrows (Wollongong), Charlie Guymer (Temora), Pat Cleary (Ryde), Tom Fletcher (Coonamble), Ben Kelly (Wagga), Harrison Quinn (Dubbo), Tyrell Adams (Mt Druitt), Clancy Nott (Bourke), Trae Fitzpatrick (Kelso), and Cooper Cross (Boorowa). 

Further, we congratulate Charlie Guymer on being named Captain of this team.

NSW City v Country Selection

Congratulation to Archie Duncombe (Year 10 – Crookwell) for being named in the U/16 NSW Country Team, and Charlie Guymer for being named in the U/18 City Team, for upcoming representative fixtures. Well done boys.

1st XIII Mentor

It was wonderful to see Tim Sheens (School Captain 1968) and current Director of Football for the West Tigers back at the College working with our players and coaches on Wednesday. Time and fellow West Tigers coaches, Shannon Gallant, and John Skandalis, put students through their paces. Tim then sat with our coaching staff for 2 hours discussing tactics, which our staff found extremely helpful. Tim, through the West Tigers, will continue to work with the squad, and we look forward to more West Tigers players being involved in the development of our players. 

Art Attack

After six postponements due to COVID restrictions, the College was able to hold a the Art Attack evening last Wednesday in the College Hall. All the boarding students were able to witness the talent that was on display from our students. Particualrly mention to David Gallagher (Mittagong) and Jesse Lamont (Mystery Bay) who won awards on the evening for their artworks. 

On the Road

It will be a busy term on the road recruiting new families and visiting existing families. Some of the events we have organised are listed below. It would be fantastic to see as many “Past, Present, and Future Families” attend these events as possible. Our existing families are our biggest marketing tool and ask that you spread the word amongst your networks for interested families to attend these events this term.

• 13 - 14 May Dubbo Boarding Schools Expo
• 25 May Wollongong Information Evening – Wollongong Golf Club
• 26 May Southern Highlands Information Evening – Berida Hotel
• 1 June Cronulla Information Evening – Highfield Caringbah
• 2 June Cootamundra (TBC)
• 3 - 4 June Wagga Wagga Boarding Schools Expo
• 3 June Wagga Wagga Dinner (TBC)

Sunday Community Mass

Our Sunday Community mass is held every Sunday at 6:00 pm in the College Chapel. All community members are invited to join our boarding community for our weekly celebration. We are back to full celebrations of the mass, with singing throughout.

Communication and Social Media

The Australian Boarding Schools Association produces a quarterly magazine called ‘Lights Out’. It is a wonderful resource that has lots of interesting stories relative to Boarding. The e-version of this resource can be accessed on the ABSA website - https://www.boarding.org.au/our-community/lights-out-journal. You can also sign up to the website to receive notifications. It is a wonderful resource, and I would encourage all of our boarding families to make use of it.

A reminder about our Facebook and Instagram accounts. These sites are live so please make sure you get onto them if you have accounts. If it is your first foray into social media, (I do not blame you) perhaps your sons can assist you!

The wonderful boarding coordinators have also set up blogs you can follow showcasing what your son is up to while in boarding. These blogs can be accessed here:

• Years 10 to 12 – pkripal.wixsite.com
• Years 7 to 9 - https://thalaifonua.wixsite.com/juniorboarding2022

Ad Jesus Per Mariam

Mr Luke Morrissey

PDS Sports Reports

PDS Basketball - Semi Finals

PDS Basketball - Grand Final

Senior School Cross Country

The Senior School successfully held our Competitor’s Only Cross-Country event on Thursday 28th April. The course was modified to the hard surfaces around the college to cater for the poor weather we have been experiencing.

Once again, our students will have two opportunities to represent the College in 2022, through our pathway event at Parramatta Diocesan Carnival (13 May)  and at the ISA Carnival (25 May). The Junior age groups (12, 13, 14 and 15’s) competed on a 3km course around the junior and senior campuses while the senior students (16, 17 and Open’s) competed a 4.5km course on similar grounds. The boys were enthusiastic to compete, and this was demonstrated by their efforts on the course.

Congratulations to the following Age Champions and Runner’s Up

• 12 Years Age Champion – Seth Obereigner. Runner Up – Avanindra Sikarwar
• 13 Years Age Champion – Cooper Clugston. Runner Up – Nile Bushby
• 14 Years Age Champion – Max Anastasio. Runner Up – Nathan Salter
• 15 Years Age Champion – Archie Nott. Runner Up – Jake Simmons
• 16 Years Age Champion – Mason Hunter. Runner Up – Hayden Ciguenza
• 17 Years Age Champion – Joel Offord. Runner Up – Elliot Power
• Opens Age Champion – Lucas Bucca. Runner Up – Blake Ciscato

Carnival Results

• 1st Place - Donovan     427 points
• 2nd Place – Kilian        425points
• 3rd Place - Molloy        400 points
• 4th Place - Laurentian    372 points

Congratulations to Donovan House, our 2022 Cross Country Age Champions and our Pathway representatives!

Bill Turner Cup - Round 1

After a successful 2021 Bill Turner campaign where St Greg’s was defeated by Westfields in the regional final, the 2022 squad were ready to rip into the new year’s competition. After 2 postponements due to wet weather, the team finally got on the pitch on the first day back at school in Term 2. After numerous opportunities to trial, a talented team was selected to play John Therry in the round 1 fixture.

The team consists of Matthew Fitzgerald, Jett Jeffress, Chase Parker, Matthew Parkin, Yianni Pavlakis, Declan Malone, Max Anastasio, Luka Mandalinic, Mervyn Stone, Lachlan Suffell, Xavier Dalpra, Chewe Kamifusa, Levi Tuioti, Sebastian Francois, Aiden Richards, and Finn Miller.

The team is to be credited for the instructions they received before the game and how they executed these instructions throughout the game. They pressed their opposition and forced numerous turnovers that allowed the St Greg’s team to dominate possession and frequently attack the goal. After 18 minutes of teasing the goal net, Xavier Dalpra finally hit the back of the net after combining nicely with Lachlan Suffell on the top of the 18-yard box.  Six minutes later, Mervyn Stone sailed a ball into the top corner of the net to take a 2 – 0 lead into the break.

More recitation of instructions allowed the boys to fine-tune their play and this led to a goal by Luka Mandalinic off a corner, then a tap in by Finn Miller after the keeper saved a Xavier Dalpra rocket at close range.

The team is to be commended on their efforts, their sportsmanship and the pride in representing the College. We wait for further results before our Round 2 game vs Mt Carmel or John Edmondson.

Mr Jamie Cook

2022 College Football Representatives

Congratulations to the following students on their selection into college teams for the upcoming Winter PDS competitions.

1st Grade Football

2nd Grade Football

Year 10

Year 9

Year 8A

Year 8B

Year 7A

Rugby League teams to be announced after Week 2 trials.

Upcoming Sport Competitions

Information regarding the upcoming trials for winter sports has already been emailed and will be advertised on Daily Notices to the community.

A reminder to students to ensure they attend meetings and trial sessions to increase their chances of selection.

PDS Tennis Championships:

• Gala Day – To be rescheduled.
• PDS Teams Event - Monday 9 May

Representative Pathway Events:

• Cross Country
• PDS Cross Country Championships Sydney Equestrian Centre - Friday 13 May
• ISA Cross Country Championships Sydney Equestrian Centre - Wednesday 25 May

Powerlifting News

Carlos Adina of Year 11 recently competed in the NSW CAPO (Council of Australia Powerlifting Organisation) State Championships. Carlos achieved some fantastic results in his first-ever competition.

Carlos was named 1st Place in the Teen category and set three national records for Raw 75kg Teen Male category

1. Squat Record 170kg
2. Deadlift Record 225kg
3. Total Record 500kg

 Well done to Carlos as he now competes in Australian titles in August in Adelaide.

Latest Sport Information - 2022 NSW CCC Calendar Dates

To ensure you remain up to date with the latest sport news, please use the following link to access the Catholic Schools NSW Sport website. They are also on Facebook – might be worth following.

Trial dates for several sports are already confirmed for 2022 and I would recommend you investigate the dates and venues for your respective sports.

Student registrations for some events are closing shortly. Please act now.

CSNSW website - https://csnsw.sport/

PDSSSC website- https://www.secondarysportparra.catholic.edu.au/

Yours in Sport

Mr Jamie Cook

Leader of Sport and Co-Curricular

Jamie.Cook@stgregs.nsw.edu.au

State and National Sheep Judging Finals (for entrants up to 25 years of age);

• Patrick Davis - National Champion Merino Sheep Judge!
• Thomas Andersen - Reserve State Champion Meat and Dual-Purpose Sheep Judge!
• Adam Fordham - 3rd in state Merino Sheep Judge!

Sheep Handling Competition Finals;

• Adam Fordham - 2nd place
• Zane Weston - 5th place

Corriedale Judging (sheep judging competition between industry studs);

• Grand Champion Corriedale Ewe
• Champion Corriedale Group
• Champion Corriedale Ram Pair
• Best Headed Corriedale Ram of Show
• Most Successful Corriedale Exhibitor of the Show!

Schools Sheep Judging (sheep judging competition between schools);

• Reserve Champion Schools Ram
• Reserve Champion Schools Ewe
• Most Successful School of the Show!

The students (and sheep!) have certainly done the College proud!

Many thanks must go to the Agriculture Faculty staff, the Maintenance staff, and the staff and parents who supported us at the show. It is a huge team effort and I greatly appreciate it!

Mr Edward Stefanski

Junior Handlers Competition

Under 15 years competition;

• 1st - Angus Pursehouse (at his first sheep show!)
• 2nd - Max Gorey (also his first sheep show!)
• 3rd - Zane Weston

Over 15 years competition;

• 1st - Thomas Andersen
• 2nd - Owen Jones

Corriedale Judging – Most Notable Results;

• Champion Ewe
• Reserve Champion Ewe
• Reserve Champion Ram
• Champion Group
• Reserve Champion Group
• Supreme Corriedale of the Show
• Overall Best Corriedale Exhibitor!

Congratulations to the following students who represented the College so well!

• Thomas Andersen (Team Leader)
• Owen Jones
• Joseph Jose
• Blair MacDonald
• Alex Gorey
• Max Gorey
• Justin Crisp
• Benjamin Harrison
• Angus Pursehouse

Many thanks must also go to Miss Skye Baxter and Mr Gerard Fetterplace for their assistance at the show, and to the Agriculture faculty for their ongoing work with the sheep and the students.

Mr Edward Stefanski

The Year 7 evening was scheduled early in Term One, to accommodate the specific needs of our youngest Senior school students. We find that this transitional stage is very challenging, and we look to Dr Salter and her presentation to bridge the gap from Junior school practices to Senior ones. As such, Dr Salter focused this year on organisation, managing workload and homework and how to avoid the ever-present distractions.

The Year 8 event occurred a week later and is considered the second in a two-part series. The Year 8 session was much more practical and was scheduled to take place just before the first round of assessments are due for submission. Dr Salter allowed students to engage in the process of note-taking and making, and she drilled down into the research behind the practice of studying and revising. A very important distinction between the Year 7 and 8 presentations was that Dr Salter addressed the difference between mandated learning (homework and assessment work) and independent learning (preparing study notes, revisiting content etc). This vital discussion was met with feigned looks of horror as the students realised that their parents just heard that they may have to do “even more work”!

As with all parent engagement opportunities, it is vital that we, as an organisation, garner feedback to ensure the quality of our events is maintained and suitable. Without fail, the feedback we receive following Dr Salter’s events is overwhelmingly positive. We have included one of the responses from our parent community below (names changed).

My wife and I both attended The Year 7 event along with Dan. He found it very useful, as well as motivating. He was encouraged by elements he recognized he was already putting in place, such as using his diary for homework etc., but was also inspired by new ideas such as making his workspace conducive to study AND understanding how much time to allocate each day and each week to different components of study.

It was particularly good for us, as parents, to understand the time commitments of a Year 7 St Greg’s student and discuss and negotiate these with Dan. We were pleased with the emphasis on balance and how not to set up unrealistic expectations.

Thanks for providing this opportunity for us!

Mrs Lee Ursino

Academic Care LeaderStage 4 (Years 7 & 8)

Sydney Royal 2022 was AMAZING. The results we achieved demonstrated the hard work, passion and dedication of many students and staff.

We took eight steers; Three Angus, one Square meater, two trades, one Santa Gertruidis and one Simmental. Four were kindly gifted by old boys of the College, the Luff family and Pisciuneri family, and by breeders RB Simmentals in Wagga Wagga and Keigho stud in Gunnedah. We also had two home-bred steers; one a trade Limo x Shorthorn and a purebred Angus from Br Luke's herd. We also had one steer from Palmerston and one from VMI enterprises. We can not thank these breeders enough for their generosity and for allowing us to prepare and work with their fantastic stock.

Steer Competition

• School Parader: Third place – Massimo Pisciuneri

F002 (State Parader):

• First place – Thomas Anderson
• Third place – Riley Keogh
• Fourth place- Macs Rubain

Simmental Youth Parader:

• 11-14yr- 1st place and Champion – Massimo Pisciuneri, 3rd place – Jake Gotts (Junior school show team member)
• 15-16yrs – 3rd place- Joel Offord, 4th place – Adam Fordham, 6th place- Vincent Pisciuneri
• 17-18yrs – 5th place – Riley Keogh

Steer Hoof class: Highly commended Reiland Bushwacker- led my Massimo Pisciuneri

Hook results:

• 1st place virtual taste testing – Angus, Br Lukes herd
• 1st place virtual taste testing – Square Meater from Palmerston, Gloucester
• 3rd place virtual taste testing – Angus from VMI enterprises, Moss Vale
• Bronze Medal – Trade steer- Shorthorn x Limo, our herd
• Silver Medal- Angus from Reiland Stud- Luff Family, Nangus
• Silver Medal – Square Meater from Palmerston, Gloucester
• 3rd place Stanhill Memorial Trophy - Square Meater from Palmerston, Gloucester
• CHAMPION Trade Carcass- Shorthorn x Limo, born and bred by us!

The steer team consisted of Thomas Ferro, Riley Keogh, Joel Offord, Adam Fordham, Macs Rubain, Vincent Pisciuneri, Massimo Pisciuneri, Marc Vaccaro, Vince Vaccaro, Sam Batten, Toby Drinnan, Thomas Anderson and Angus Pursehouse. The days were long, often 18 hrs, but the boys consistently worked hard, with the beds being consistently clean and the steers well presented.

It was fantastic to have parents, other College students, staff members and steer owners all come along to support the team. Thank you to old boys Josh Fenech who sorted our curtain issue and Nic Hreszczuk for fitting the steers. It really is lovely, and greatly appreciated, to have old boys assist us.  A huge thank you needs to go to Mr Kenny Singh for spending the week with us. Your time, effort and support were very much appreciated.

Junior Judging

• Fruit and Veg- 3rd place – Sam Batten, 5th place – Adam Fordham
• Merino Sheep- 1st place, State Champion and NATIONAL Champion – Patrick Davis , 3rd place- Adam Fordham
• Meat Sheep – 2nd place and RESERVE Champion – Thomas Anderson
• Dairy – 5th place – Toby Drinnan

A huge thank you to Mrs Sandra Hackett who organised the Junior Judging events.

Other events

• Dairy Parading- 4th place- Macs Rubain
• Young Farmers Challenge- 2nd place – Lachlan Bush
• Poultry – Our Blue Australorp hen and cockerel came 3rd place
• Fleece- 2nd and 3rd places

Sheep

• Sheep Handling Competition Finals
• Adam Fordham - 2nd place
• Zane Weston - 5th place

Corriedale Judging (sheep judging competition between industry studs):

• Grand Champion Corriedale Ewe
• Champion Corriedale Group
• Champion Corriedale Ram Pair
• Best Headed Corriedale Ram of Show
• Most Successful Corriedale Exhibitor of the Show!

Schools Sheep Judging (sheep judging competition between schools):

• Reserve Champion Schools Ram
• Reserve Champion Schools Ewe
• Most Successful School of the Show!
  
  

The sheep Show Team consisted of: Adam Fordham, Max Gorey, Alex Gorey, Justin Crisp, Owen Jones, Harrison Bond, Jacob Malvern, Blair McDonald, Benjamin Harrison, Nathan Salter, Zane Weston, Elliot Power, Drew Aurisch and Owen Seyechell.

A huge Thank you to all the students and Mr Stefanski, who gave up their Easter Weekend to represent the College. Fantastic results. It was also lovely to see staff members and many parents supporting the sheep team.

Thank you also needs to go to the farm and maintenance staff for all their support and assistance with preparation and transport.

These results do not come easily, and a huge amount of time, preparation and planning has taken place prior and during the show. Mr Stefanski and I are so very proud of the student’s achievements.

Bring on Sydney Royal 2023!

Miss Hayley Mahoney 

Leader of Learning - Agriculture

Research shows that educational experiences that are active, social, contextual, engaging, and student-owned lead to deeper learning. The benefits of collaborative learning include:

• development of higher-level thinking, oral communication, self-management, and leadership skills
• promotion of student-teacher interaction
• increase in student retention, self-esteem, and responsibility
• exposure to and an increase in understanding of diverse perspectives
• preparation for real life social and employment situations.

Not only does collaboration promote skill development that goes beyond the classroom, but it also allows students to be different kinds of learners within the same lesson…risk-takers, caring, open-minded and communicators. These are not just some of the attributes of the PYP Learner Profile, but qualities we would love our students to develop and improve throughout their lives. Lifelong learners ask questions, debate issues and are willing to dig deeper where knowledge and understanding is sought and fostered which will hopefully lead to more questions and more knowledge gained.

Learning across Year 4 is encouraged and is a priority for the teachers and students. The students are only limited by their imaginations and their willingness to share their learning journey with peers and the wider community. We can’t wait to discover what is possible with our learning in 2022 and beyond.

Mr Dominic Smith and Mr Simon Edwards

Year 4 Teachers

Our focus this year will be to link Spanish lessons to class inquiry topics so that we can all make connections to subjects within classrooms. Some of these included, ‘The solar system’, ‘Ten commandments’, family members and things that make us unique.

We believe that making organic links has sped up the way students have learnt a new language. The purpose of the Spanish lessons taught are not only to teach basic language skills, but to also explore the customs and influential people of Spanish-speaking countries.

This term we will also be inviting parents to learn Spanish! Children were going home each week singing and speaking in Spanish so why not allow the rest of our school community the same amount of fun…

I look forward to exciting new Spanish adventures this term and for the rest of the school year.

Mrs Paula Grados

Junior School Spanish Teacher

Here we were treated to a step back in time and students experienced firsthand, what it would have been like to go to school in the 1880’s. This excursion complemented our PYP unit, “Where We Are in Place and Time” and helped us to form opinions and conclusions around the central idea, “Knowing about the past helps us to understand the way people live today.” Here are some of the students’ thoughts from the day.

There was an old-fashioned school bell, not like the music we hear in the mornings. Aria 1M

We were given new names and they were different to the types of names we have today. Alivia 1M

 

We got to sew. In the old days everyone had to make their own clothes. Now we just go to the shops. Jude 1M

 

The toys were different to our toys. They were made from wood. Patrick 1M

 

In the olden days when they learned about Science, they couldn’t look it up on the computer so they showed us creatures in jars. Harrison 1B

 

I learned that children in the olden days played different games than us. They didn’t have soccer goals or computer games. Oliver 1B

 

People in the olden days wore different clothes to school. They had to sew their own clothes. Emily 1B

Mrs Louise Limbrey
Kindergarten Teacher/K-2 Team Leader

Independent Primary Schools Sporting Organisation (IPSSO)

Winter IPSSO

This week our Winter IPSSO sports selections were finalised. On behalf of our IPSSO Winter coaches, I would like to thank all students that participated in the trials. Congratulations to our coaches and students on their selection:

Senior Netball

• Amelia Howe
• Anjelica Shields
• Tayah Bowen
• Geena Hokayem
• Ruby Isbister
• Elisa Maxwell
• Claire Murray
• Mikaela Shaw
• Lucy Stewart
• Rose Webb

Junior Netball

• Ivy Bushby
• Addison Day
• Stella Herbert
• Kiera Howe
• Cara Jones
• Taylah Kenney
• Piper Lane
• Lila Richards
• Olivia Sheedy
• Evie Simpson

Senior AFL

• Jennifer Bartlett
• Sienna Caruana
• Finn Dumesny
• Keira Eagles
• Daniel McMullen
• Sabah Paki
• Isabella Palumbo
• Charlize Potts
• Ivy Smith
• Charlize Anastasio
• Jarryd Currell
• Harrison McInerney
• Baxter Snushall
• Thomas Stephens
• Denham Tsagalas

Junior AFL

• Hunter Clark
• Taylor Masterson
• Chloe Sewell
• Jake Stephens
• Georgie Wilson
• Jacob Gordon
• Emma Gotts
• Eva Luximon
• Audrey Oldfield
• Coby Ornowski
• Evangeline Palumbo
• Armando Traino
• Jhett Tsagalas
• Indiana Vaccaro
• Zane Wagstaff

Senior Boys Soccer

• Anthony Issa
• Humza Khan
• Zane Mallinson
• Rylan Miller
• Lucas Spragg
• Lawson Sutton
• Braxton Woolford
• Isaac Haddad
• Oliver Halkyard
• Mitchel Harding
• Joseph Issa
• Lachlan Lettieri
• Mateo  Parcio
• Lenny  Ursino

Junior Boys Soccer

• James Dash
• Johan  Jackson
• Patrick Males
• Ryan   Reynolds
• Patrick Ursino
• Ryan Delaney
• Thomas Foley
• Kye Harding
• Bryce Krol
• Jackson Lane
• Eli Piaud
• Joshua Suffell
• Michelangelo Torcaso

Volleyball

• Nuala Fashoyin
• Sofia Ferro
• Noah Forsyth
• Ruby Harrison
• Nicola Blyton
• Zara Cruze
• Sean Hindmarch
• Annie Jacob
• Liam McGettigan
• Noah Mckinnon
• Jayke Romeo
• Mason Ruiters
• Oliver Trevitt

Newcombe Ball

• Cleo Lane
• Lia Solylo
• Mia Stevens
• Siena Austin
• Mitchell Hayes
• Rhys Hodson
• Max Miguelez
• Georgia Murialdo
• Ava Salvatore
• Charlie Underwood
• Noah Woods
• Gabriel Yousseph

Wollongong Pathway Representative Sport

Over the past few weeks, we have had talented students representing the Wollongong Diocese and Mackillop in several sports. Congratulations to the following students on their achievements:

• Ivy Smith, who represented Mackillop at the NSWPSSA Swimming Championships at Homebush on Monday 4 April and Tuesday 5 April
• Sabah Paki and Charlize Potts on their selection in the Mackillop AFL Girls Team
• Oliver Trevitt, Denham Tsagalas, Orlando Siller, Thomas Stephens and Kingston Nifo on their selection in the Wollongong Rugby Union Team.

We look forward to hearing how Denham Tsagalas, Kingston Nifo, Braxton Woolford, Thomas Stephens, Noah McKinnon and Sean Hindmarch went in the Rugby League Mackillop Trials held on Friday, 6 May.

Rugby Union

On Friday, 29 April, our Junior School Rugby Union Team competed in the Wollongong Rugby Union Knockout held at the College. This event is held to determine the school representing the Diocese of Wollongong at the NSWCPS Final series. We versed St Columbkille’s, Corrimal, in a very closely contested knockout match, exciting and coming right down to the game’s final minute. Both teams played with spirit and passion in a very competitive match.

We won the knockout match scoring 3 tries (15 points) to 2 tries (10 points), sealing the victory in the final seconds of the game. Congratulations to the boys on a high-quality match, and the spirit the game was played in. The team will now advance to compete in the NSWCPS Final series, held later in the year at St Joseph’s Hunters Hill.

Congratulations to the following boys who competed in this knockout:

• Hudson Buckley
• Finn Dumesny
• Daniel McMullen
• Nate Millar
• Jack Morrison
• Lawson Sutton
• Sean Hindmarch
• Harrison McInerney
• Noah Mckinnon
• Kingston Nifo
• Orlando Siller
• Thomas Stephens
• Oliver  Trevitt
• Denham Tsagalas

Athletics Carnival

We are looking forward to our athletics carnival held in Week 7 Tuesday 7 June. To assist with the running of the carnival, there will be trials and results of certain events in the weeks leading up to the carnival. These events will be:

• 800m
• Shot Put
• Discus
• Long Jump

The trials/results will be done in PE lessons for students in Years 2-6. If students are away during this process, they will be followed up before the results are finalised. Students in Year 2 that are turning 8 this year, will be allowed to compete in these events in the upcoming weeks. These events are not in age categories. They are categorised into Juniors (8,9, and 10 Years), 11 Years and Seniors (12 and 13 Years)

Mr Darryl Howe

PDHPE Teacher/Sports Coordinator