Bulletin

Upcoming Events Reminders:

Thursday 28 February:
6.00pm-7.00pm:  Year 7 2021 Information Night - in the College Hall (enter via Victoria Street).  Learn more about College life from current students, senior and specialist staff.

Friday 01 March: 7.45am - House Mass - O'Brien and Williams.

Monday 04 March:  Year 7 Parents - 'Meet the Tutor' at 3.15pm in House Groups. 
Year 7 Parent Teacher Interviews 3.40pm-7.30pm.
(Parent/Teacher Appointment Bookings open in PTO the parent portal, from Monday 25 February at 8.30am - parents were emailed on 15 February).

Thursday 07 March:  SVC International Women's Day Symposium - 5.30pm-7.30pm in the College Hall.  (see the flyer in this Bulletin)

Please register your attendance via the following link to this FREE event:  REGISTER HERE

Wednesday 20 March:  OPEN AFTERNOON.

Dear Parents and Carers

This week all students have been issued with Assessment Handbooks.  I hope your daughter has shared it with you and left it in an accessible part of the home so you too might have a high level of awareness of how, why and when we schedule assessment activities throughout the year. 

Assessment and Feedback are major major focus areas for all Year groups this year as we work towards a shared responsibility model for our learning culture.  Every Year group participated in a seminar on Wednesday morning during assembly time, in which the new assessment processes were explained at each appropriate stage.  Parents and carers have an important role to play in this assessment process as students receive feedback, reflect and respond.  This is a perfect opportunity for parents to have purposeful conversations with their daughters about what they are learning, their strengths, challenges and goals.  Mrs Mano has emailed home a copy of all the relevant documentation.

On Wednesday night the College Board convened for their first meeting of the year.  Two new Directors were appointed - Mrs Mary Ronzani and Ms Kate Robinson.  They join our current Directors:

Ms Kate Clancy
Ms Fiona O'Loughlin
Sr Elizabeth Dodds rsc
Mr John Carroll
Dr Michael Bezzina
Mr John Williams
Ms Melissa Webber
Ms Sarah Jane Brazil.

I thank all the Directors as they embark upon another full year of governance.  Ms Clancy has announced her resignation as Chair of our Board and this will take effect later in the semester.

The P&F Association also held their first meeting for 2019 in the College library.  The meeting was held there so as to showcase the new furniture paid for from 2018 allocation of P&F funds.  The P&F is such an important asset to this community in both their capacities of community building and fundraising.  Recent fundraising projects have included the Caritas Christi Courtyard, improvement to student change rooms, recreational equipment for the Boarding House, formation seminars for parents and laser printers for TAS.  I look forward to working with the P&F again this year, and our new Community and Alumni Manager, Ms Jane Palin, will also be a very important part of the team.  I know she has some interesting initiatives planned for 2019.  One such is a revamped Women's Symposium, to be held on the eve of International Women's Day.  This will be a great night as three distinguished ex-students of the College reflect on the importance of Respect.

Mrs Anne Fry
Principal

This week the College focussed on ensuring that all of our young women were informed of and engaged with our learning goals for 2019 - assessment and feedback.  The College is committed to promoting a learning culture that supports knowing each of our learners and nurturing their ability to achieve their fullest academic potential.  Our targeted focus this year is on consistent assessment practices that provide fair, yet challenging opportunity for students to demonstrate what they know and robust and explicit feedback from teachers to inform the students ‘how they knew it’ and ‘where they still need togrow it’.  Each time an assessment is returned to students after marking, students will immediately engage in a reflective practice that demands they identify areas still needing consolidation and set goals to achieve them.  The students have received a clear message this week that academic success comes from the reciprocal and respectful partnership between teacher and student, as well as, the hard work and commitment each learner needs to execute outside of the classroom.  Students should be in regular study routines at home that also include sports training, recreational pursuits, mindfulness and relaxation.  Balance is key to the longevity of study routines and enhances adolescent wellbeing.

Feedback, both formally (summative) and informally (formative*) is powerful in learning and our new Common Assessment Template empowers the learner by:

• Informing each student of the outcomes they have achieved on each assessment activity
• Transforming the students’ learning through concrete, skills-specific advice about how to improve on areas of weakness
• Empowering our students to reflect on and action their teacher’s feedback to set their own new goals for learning growth.

* ‘When the cook tastes the soup, that’s formative. When the customer tastes the soup, that’s summative’.

On Wednesday morning at Year Assemblies, students were led by myself and the Heads of Department, together with all of the College Leadership Team and teaching community, to unpack their 2019 Assessment Handbook, Assessment Schedules and our newly launched Common Assessment Template, designed to enhance continuity across your daughter’s curriculum.  A copy of this morning’s presentation to students, the Assessment Handbook for the 2019 academic year and the Assessment Schedules for 2019 detailing every formal Assessment Activity were emailed to parents/carers on Wednesday.  The College’s Assessment Policy is found in each student’s handbook for your reference and hers, with specific advice about our Illness/Misadventure Policy.  I invite you to take a look at our new Common Assessment Template and the learning tools mentioned above in our new website in ‘Learning’ here, designed to ensure a consistent approach to your daughter’s assessment and feedback provisions, across all of her subjects.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any specific questions about your daughter’s assessment or our feedback processes at the College.  I look forward to continuing to partner with you in the academic care of your daughter in this our Year of Respectful learning through the lens of assessment and feedback. 

MRS JASMIN MANO
DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

Finding One’s Voice

Today I am joining women and men from around Australia at Stirring the Waters, a Colloquium hosted by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.  I am not sure what to expect; I hope there will be listening with a commitment to action that results in full membership and participation in a Catholic Church that has love as its modus operandi.  I hope that connections will be made between those in attendance and those they represent in their home parishes, organisations and communities and that these connections are the foundations of a new way of being Catholic.  I hope that you will partner with St Vincent’s through our Liturgies, Religious Education and Social Justice Advocacy as we model all the ways in which we endeavour to be a listening and responsive Church.

Today I also invite parents and friends of the College to contribute to St Vincent’s College’s Plenary Council Submission.  Please complete the survey here. Students and staff are being invited to respond next week.  I will be facilitating Conversation Circles on the Plenary Council at the College with interested students next week; if you would like your daughter to be involved please email me (mcleanr@stvincents.nsw.edu.au).  

This week, I invite you to listen anew; to hear who is calling your name and how you will respond to their call.  I have found the ruminations of Fr Noel Connolly SSC useful as I listen to the prophets of today and discern how I will live my tomorrow:

Listening is key to discernment for Francis. “We need to practice the art of listening, which is more than simply hearing. Listening, in communication, is an openness of heart which makes possible that closeness without which genuine spiritual encounter cannot occur.” [EG 171] In his message on World Communications Day 2014, he challenges us to “be people of depth, attentive to what is happening around us and spiritually alert.”

Rachel McLean
Director Faith and Mission

This week, students in Years 8-12 were invited to sign up for a number of social justice experiences through the Social Justice Google Classroom.  All details have been in Admin Notices.  Please encourage your daughter to consider the following activities which take place at the times indicated below:

• Vincentian House – Years 11 and 12 Students:  Monday afternoons 3:15pm-5:30pm
• Matt Talbot – Years 11 and 12 Students:  Wednesday afternoons 3:30pm-5:30pm
• Vinnies Night Patrol for students over 18:  One Tuesday evening a month 6.00pm-10.00pm
• Red Cross Calling – Students over 14 years of age:  22 March 3.00pm-6.00pm
• Vinnies Buddies Day - Years 11 and 12 students:  3 March 8.00am-3.00pm
• Student2Student reading program – Years 8-12 students:  Commencing Term 2.

For more information please email me mcleanr@stvincents.nsw.edu.au

Student Action

By Hannah Cookson, Year 11

I have made the decision to make a difference by cutting and donating my hair to be made into a wig for someone who has lost their hair due to a medical condition or cancer.  I'll be chopping off 35.5cm on Saturday 27 April 2019 at Meanwhile Salon in Potts Point.

Wigs cost families up to $6,000, lasting just 1-2 years, meaning families can spend tens of thousands of dollars on the purchase of wigs throughout a child’s youth.  By making a donation to Variety - the Children's Charity, you can help provide a wig or other vital equipment to a child in need.  Thank you for helping kids in need.  If you would like to help, find out more here.

Catalyst for Renewal

You are invited to a dinner where you join others of like-minds to Seek renewal through conversation.  The next Catalyst for Renewal Dinner is hosting Mark Scott AO, who will speak on “Education for a Changing World”.  Mark Scott AO is Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, which is the largest education system in Australia operating 2,200 public schools for almost 800,000 students.  Mr Scott's career began as a teacher in Sydney  and he held a number of senior editorial roles at Fairfax, including Education Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and Editor-in-Chief of metropolitan, regional and community newspapers.  From 2006 to 2016, Mark was Managing Director of the ABC and led the organisation’s transformation to be a public broadcaster in the digital era.  Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma of Education and a Master of Arts from the University of Sydney and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.  Mark Scott was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2011.

When:  Friday 8 March 2019

Where:  Villa Maria Parish Hall, Corner Mary Street and Gladesville Road, Hunters Hill

Time:   7.00pm for 7.30pm

Cost:   $60 per person for a two course meal; BYO drinks

RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL - RSVP by Thursday 28 February 2019.

Email: catalyst-for-renewal@tpg.com.au      www.catalystforrenewal.org.au        

Catalyst for Renewal Inc is a not-for-profit group seeking through conversation to encourage renewal in the Church and wider society.

Y-FACTOR “SEND ME” 2019!

The Sydney Catholic Youth Staff and Youth Leaders from all over the Sydney Archdiocese have been working for months to make this year’s Y-Factor camp even better than 2018!  If you are currently in Years 7-12, then come have the time of your life these Easter school holidays with tons of friends you haven’t met yet!  You’ll be allocated to a WESTERN or an EASTERN Y-Factor camp based on where you live or go to school (we’ll join forces throughout the four days too).  There’ll be heaps of time for games, activities, talks, discussion, prayer and a chance to grow in your faith and relationship with God.  This camp is so big we can only run it once a year so get on board now or miss out!

Check out 2018’s camp wrap-up video here!

Who:  Y-Factor is for teens in Years 7 to 12, hosted by Sydney Catholic Youth in collaboration with Youth Ministry Coordinators from across the Sydney Archdiocese.  All leaders will hold a current Working with Children Check and have many years of experience in youth ministry.  We’ll be using a wide variety of mediums including music, activities, multimedia, drama and testimony to communicate to young people the awesomeness of their faith, and how they can apply it to their lives daily.

When:  9:30am, Saturday 13 April - 2:00pm - Tuesday 16 April 2019.

Where:  Benedict XVI Retreat Centre, Grose Vale NSW.

Two camps:  Our youth leaders from local parishes, movements and schools are working together to host two camps at the one venue.  This means that teens will join a camp based on where you live and/or go to school in the Archdiocese of Sydney.  Once registration is completed, participants will receive an email informing them of whether they will join the Western or Eastern areas.  There will definitely be times both camps will join forces throughout the four days too!  We are striving to build community so that we can journey with our brothers and sisters who are near us after the camp!

Transport:  A chartered bus will depart from St Joachim’s Lidcombe Parish at 8:30am on Saturday 13 April.  Please arrive at 8:00am so we can get away on time.  The bus will return to the same location on Tuesday 16 April by 3:00pm.

Cost:  The camp will cost $260 - with a discount offered when multiple siblings are attending.  The cost covers accommodation, transport, meals and activities.  If finance is an issue, please contact Sydney Catholic Youth on 9307 8152 to discuss, in strictest confidence.

Child Protection and Safety:  The Archdiocese of Sydney believes that genuine concern for the safety of all participants on our camp is of the utmost importance.  All staff and volunteers have undergone child protection checks and careful screening.

Questions:  Email info@sydneycatholicyouth.org  or call Sydney Catholic Youth on 9307 8152.

Registrations:  Needs to be received by 22 March 2019.  Tickets available here.

MS RACHEL MCLEAN
DIRECTOR FAITH AND MISSION

Holiday Workshop

CASE 2019

Cochlear Autumn School of Engineering (CASE) will be held from 15 to 18 April. The Autumn School of Engineering is a four day program for 100 x Years 11 and 12 school students - studying Maths, Science and Engineering.  Enjoy workshops at USYD, UTS, UNSW and Macquarie; see behind the scenes at RAAF Richmond, ANSTO and Cochlear.  Meet current young engineers at the Careers Night.  $330 per student / email: nswregistration@engineersaustralia.org.au or phone 9410 5652 for more information.

The Hotel School

The Hotel School is offering interested students  a Saturday workshop where students have an opportunity to work with hotel managers and see behind the scenes of the Inter-Continental Sydney.  If interested, use the following link:  ‘Insights’ to find out more.

University News

The University of Sydney

Year 10 Information Evenings 2019

The University of Sydney is hosting a series of evenings for Year 10 students and registrations are now open.  Topics covered on the night include: Learn about making the most out of HSC subject choices, scaling and ATARs.  This is a great opportunity for parents and students to hear from USyd academics and current students to help them make informed choices about their future study. All sessions are free and book out quickly, register now: www.sydney.edu.au/yr10-info-evening

University of Melbourne

Hansen Scholarship Program

Applications for the Hansen Scholarship Program, the University of Melbourne’s new flagship equity scholarship, open on 1 March.  Provided by benefactors Jane Hansen and Paul Little, the program brings together a package of benefits for high-achieving domestic students who may otherwise struggle financially to access higher education.  To find out more:  https://scholarships.unimelb.edu.au/awards/hansen-scholarship

Studying in the USA

Information Evening

The following USA Division 1 Universities:  Indiana University; University of Delaware; University of Akron and University of Vermont (TBC) will be hosting an Evening Information Session for students and their families on 4 March from 5:30pm-6:30pm at NYU Sydney campus, 157-161 Gloucester Street, The Rocks.  Please use the following link to register your interest:  https://usuniversityevening.eventbrite.com.au

Resources

Study Medicine - New information added on how to study medicine:  Frequently Asked Questions and the AMA.

This free resource provides detailed information to questions such as:  How do I increase my chances to get into medical school?  What's Plan B if I don't get into medicine? Please go to: https://www.studymedicine.com.au/ama/ for more information

MS HELEN MARSHALL
CAREERS ADVISER

Theatresports students have already had a wonderful start to the year with the legendary and talented Lyn Pierse coming to the College as our celebrity judge, on 18 February in the College Hall.  Theatresports is a lively and fun way to get students thinking, speaking and acting on their feet. Learning to be spontaneous, confident and creative is extremely challenging and these brave young women are to be congratulated just for getting up on the stage.  Monday afternoon Theatresports included coaching and games.  Our teams were in true Vinnies Performing Arts style and included students from all Year groups.  In fact the winning team included a Year 8, 9 and 12!  The student who won 'woman of the match' with the winning line was Ella Humphreys.  Congratulations Ella - wonderful, creative, collaborative performance work and funny too! (Ella is pictured below)

The College Production commenced last year with auditions occurring in Term 3 and rehearsals commencing Term 4 every Tuesday and Thursday.  'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' is certainly a challenge for our students, but with much hard work and dedication the play is really coming together with some stand out performances in the making.  Keep an eye out for ticket sales for these performances at the beginning of May.

A reminder to all students that enrolments for this year’s Drama and Music ensembles close this coming Wednesday 27 February.  Ensembles run for the year and are therefore a one year commitment, we try to engender respect for learning Performing Arts skills and being part of an ensemble, so attendance for the whole year is required and expected.  Ensembles are fun, but also come with a responsibility to the group and the ensemble leader.  Pocket authorities are awarded for eighty percent attendance.  This is calculated based on attendance at every rehearsal and performance opportunity provided by the College.  We have some students who have one hundred percent attendance for rehearsals and performances, and we congratulate them and hope that others can aspire to their dedication.  If you are unable to attend any ensemble rehearsal you are required to email your ensemble leader to explain your absence.

A quick reminder of when all the ensembles are on in the College:

Ukulele Ensemble – Monday Lunch

Ballet Ensemble – Tuesday before school

Theatresports – Tuesday Lunch

Jazz Dance Ensemble – Tuesday after school

College Production – Tuesday after school

Choir – Wednesday before school

Rock Band – Wednesday Lunch

Theatresports – Wednesday Lunch

Jazz Dance Ensemble – Wednesday after school

Orchestra – Thursday before school

Ballet Ensemble – Thursday before school

College Production Dancers – Thursday lunch

Jazz Dance Ensemble – Thursday after school

College Production – Thursday after school

Jazz Dance Ensemble – Friday after school.

I hope all our Performing Arts students are organised and enjoying their new activities here at the College.

Ms Catherine Johnson
Head of Performing Arts

Co-ordinator of Sport: Ms Jacinta Jacobs: 0418 416 663 / jacobsj@stvincents.nsw.edu.au

Head of Tennis  -  Ms Therese Taylor    0408 711 881
Head of Touch  -  Ms Elyse Hermanis   0434 610 870
Head of Water polo  -  Ms Steph El Safty    0419 950 164
Head of Swimming/Cross Country - Ms Jacinta Jacobs   0418 416 663.

SPORTS DRAW:  For all draw and venue information go to: www.stvincents.nsw.edu.au/sport/weekly-sports-draw/  

Website details: www.stvincents.nsw.edu.au/sport . 

TERM 1 SPORT 

IGSSA SATURDAY and TILDESLEY TENNIS

Round 2 IGSSA is now done and dusted so, onto Round 3. Well done to our teams who won last weekend, keep up the commitment girls.  It’s important to ensure you get to training and communicate with your team mates, there is no “I” in “team”.  IGSSA tennis only lasts for seven rounds (plus two extra weeks if your team makes it into the finals). So, there are literally only five weeks to go - please put in an effort every week.

If you are new to playing matches, I would like you to consider couple of points that will assist in the timely completion of your matches.

• When it’s your serving game, always start each point with two balls, therefore, if your first serve is a fault you are ready to serve your second serve.  Saves a lot of time and helps with your momentum, plain and simple.

• If you are the receiving team, after each point return all balls to the servers end, preferably along the ground rolling balls under the net; this is good etiquette and helps with timely play.

• The server keeps score, but if you don’t agree with what the server says, stop play immediately and discuss the flow of the game until both teams agree with the score.  

Our Tildesley team is continuing with weekly training.  Please girls, make sure you are attending each session.  Your application to and attendance at training is the only way we are going to raise our rankings.  Looking forward to seeing everyone at training.  And remember St Vincent’s girls are amazing, keep up the good work.

Ms Therese Taylor
Head Tennis Coach

TOUCH

All training and draw information can be found on the College website under Sport/Touch.  Students are reminded that they must attend training.  If you are sick or absent for any reason on your training day please send Ms Jacobs an email and try to attend another session during the week.  We have had several players not show up to matches on Saturdays which has left teams short of players and puts a lot of pressure on the girls who are there.  Please do the right thing and email Ms Jacobs if you cannot attend and try to find a substitute to take your place if possible.  Good luck to all teams for this weekend.

Ms Elyse Hermanis
Head Coach of Touch

WATER POLO

The new UNSW competition has some very high standard teams and we had some challenging games in our first week. All teams are training hard and we should see some excellent progression throughout the season.  The missed games from week one due to pool closures will now be played in Week 7 and finals will be pushed back to 30 March and 6 April.  Good luck to all teams for their matches this weekend!

Ms Steph El Safty
Head Water polo Coach

SWIMMING TRAINING AND IGSSA SWIMMING CARNIVAL

The IGSSA Carnival is being held on Friday 22 March at Homebush Aquatic Centre, and there will be a meeting/relay session for all squad members at lunchtime on Wednesday, 13 and 20 March.  

Permission notes will be given to all swimmers at a full team meeting on Monday 25 February at the beginning of lunch. 

Jesse and Dene, our new swimming coaches, are running sessions on Tuesday (not Monday anymore), Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 6.30am-7.30am or 7.00am-8.00am for any keen swimmers.  The enrolment form can be found on the College website under Sport/Swimming.  All levels are catered for and you can come to one or all sessions.  IGSSA squad members must be coming to at least two sessions/week unless they are already in a squad outside of school.

TERM 2 SPORT TRIALS

Sport Registrations have been extended until Monday 25 February at 3.00pm.  Late registrations will NOT be accepted after this date.  All trials will be held in the next few weeks - please diarise these dates.

Basketball Trials - SVC Courts

Year 7:  Monday 4 March - 3.15pm-4.30pm

Juniors (Years 8 and 9):  Wednesday 6 March - 7.15am-8.30am

Senior (Years 10, 11 and 12):  Wednesday 6 March - 3.15pm-4.30pm.

Hockey Trials - David Phillips Field - Daceyville

All Teams – Wednesday 13 March - 4.00pm – 5.00pm (bus leaves at 3.15pm).

Football Trials - Rushcutters Bay

Juniors (Years 7, 8 and 9):  Monday 11 March - 3.30-4.30pm (walk down at 3.15pm)

Seniors (Years 10, 11 and 12):  Wednesday 6 March - 3.30pm-4.30pm (walk down at 3.15pm).

Netball Trials - SVC Courts

Year 7:  No trials.  First session will be the first Thursday back in Term 2.

Junior (Years 8 and 9):  Monday 1 April - 3.15pm-4.45pm

Senior (Years 10, 11 and 12):  Wednesday 27 March - 3.15pm-4.45pm.

To register you need to go onto the College website  http://www.stvincents.nsw.edu.au, Click on Sport, then Term 2 Sport Registrations.  You will need to know your student ID and email address. If you have any problems doing this please contact the Sports Department immediately.

SPORT STARS

Please keep the Sport staff informed of any good sporting results held outside of the College.  Information and photos can be emailed to jacobsj@stvincents.nsw.edu.au

Congratulations to Emily Smith, Year 7, who represented South's Junior Rabbits U13 and the team won gold at the Oz Tag State Championships recently. Well done, Emily!

MS JACINTA JACOBS
CO-ORDINATOR OF SPORT

St Vincent's College
Year 7 2021 Information Night

Thursday 28 February 2019
6:00pm-7:00pm in the College Hall  

 Learn more about College life from current students, 
senior and specialist staff. 


Rockwall Crescent, Potts Point

 www.stvincents.nsw.edu.au

Telephone:  02 9368 1611

This week in Caritas we have been extremely busy. On Wednesday 20 February we acknowledged and celebrated the World Day of Social Justice.  This year the theme is “If You Want Peace and Development, Work for Social Justice.  Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous co-existence within and among nations.”  Each of the different advocacy groups in Caritas:  Women, refugees, First Nations issues, domestic violence, environment, education and poverty produced a piece of media to educate others about these issues.  The purpose of the World Day of Social Justice is to focus on the plight of social injustice throughout the world and to press for improvements and solutions.

Our next big event within the Caritas group is “Clean up Australia Day” which falls on Sunday 3 March.  The aim of this day is to inspire and empower communities to clean up, fix up and conserve the environment.  Clean Up Australia works nationally to empower communities, businesses, schools and youth groups to remove rubbish from the environment to conserve it for future generations.

There are plenty of opportunities for involvement in social justice in the College.  The locations and times of the meetings for the various groups are included below.  I would like to encourage any students with an interest in social justice to join us.

Caritas Christi - Day 6 - A2.32

Environment Committee - Day 8 - Lab V4.09

Vinnies @SVC – V5.04 - Day 4

Hannah Gabriel
Caritas Christi Member

Uniform Shop Update

Noone Imagewear has taken over as the College’s uniform supplier.  The new shop will open for business from Monday, 25 February 2019.

Hours during term time are:

Monday:  8:00am-2:00pm

Wednesday:  12:00pm-5:00pm

Friday:  8:00am-2:00pm.

(Additional trading hours during school holidays to be advertised)

Please note that online orders will be available from 11 March 2019.  Details to follow closer to the date.

Payment Options:   Cash / EFTPOS / credit card (Visa or Mastercardonly).

(Our intrepid Book Reviewer, Ms Suzanne O'Connor, is now living in Timor Leste working in a volunteer capacity with the Loreto Sisters).

A Tale of Two Memoirs

There is no doubt that my reading rate has slowed down.  This is partly because of the heat which means early nights.  Until I next go to Dili and buy a reading lamp, I read under a harsh fluorescent light.  So, like so many aspects of life here, I am making adjustments.  As well, I had some tetchy words with the two separate entities Amazon.com and Amazon.com.au, when I was downloading in Woolloomooloo in preparation for staying in a country without a book shop.  I am still unsure whether an actual human works at either company.

I was attracted to From India with Love by Latika Bourke because of the trigger word “India”, and because I recognised the author’s name as a frequent by-line in the Sydney Morning Herald.  Despite these positive auguries I was disappointed in this memoir.  The factual story is quite gripping:  Bourke was born to a fourteen-year old mother in Bihar, one of India’s poorest states.  Her mother came with family members to hand over the baby for adoption, because a single mother even in the late twentieth century in India is simply not acceptable and the illegitimate child would suffer horribly.  This baby was one of the last to be adopted by a non-Indian couple, the Bourke's of Ballarat, who had five biological children and three adopted children from India.