Bulletin

Monday 01 March:   Year 7 PT Interviews.

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Monday 08 March:  International Women's Day

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Friday 12, Saturday 13, Sunday 14 March:  Boarders' IN Weekend

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Tuesday 16 March:  Year 7 Vaccination program commences - see Mr Anderson's letter to Year 7 parents (emailed 19 February). 

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Please see 'Community Notices' later in this issue - From the Uniform Shop:  Time to start thinking about winter uniform orders.

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Please see the Sport and Health Report article in this issue for training and competition dates/timings. 
Information is also on the College website in Sport

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REMINDER:  Masks are compulsory on public transport for students over 12 years - and all students must have a valid OPAL card to travel on buses and trains.

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Dear Parents and Carers

There is much hope this week that the momentum for change in how we educate and advocate for respect is gaining wide support.  Hope, of course, has to be accompanied by anger at the ways things are, and courage to make them the way they ought to be.  If these are not the companions of hope, then hopes soon wither.  I am proud of the hope, anger and courage shown this week by our current and ex-students.  Our commitment needs to be for the long haul.  Sadly, we know these critical issues will not be immediately solved, but what instead we celebrate amidst the anger is the courage of those who have started the conversation - those talking and those listening.  I see my role as listening, and I applaud the initiative of those who have come to talk with me.  I am very committed to listening and distilling from what I hear, what the students are wanting from the school and what is 'doable' now, medium and more long term.  The Year 12 students today showed great leadership in leading conversations with their younger peers around RESPECT.  I am grateful for their willingness to use their experiences and perspectives to help open up these important conversations.

Next Wednesday, students from Years 10-12 will be invited into a seminar facilitated by a female detective who has extensive experience in the area of sexual assault.  She will be able to give insight and clarity around issues of what happens once an allegation of sexual assault is made, how and what happens when referrals are made to specialised Sexual Assault Units.  Our speaker has in other years spoken to our Year 12 students closer to graduation but in the context of the debate we thought it important to bring it forward and invite a broader range of ages.

For our Years 7-9 students another way of engaging them is being designed.  While age appropriate, it will be an invitational conversation to the concepts of RESPECT and CONSENT (which of course is much broader than sexuality).  They are foundational definitions for young people as they establish their independence and identity.

I sincerely hope that the listening and learning continues in the corridors of parliament, corporate corridors and of course our own College corridors.

Yours sincerely

Anne Fry
Principal 

The College community offers its condolences to the following who has lost a loved one recently:

Alessia Lopane (Year 8) - Uncle. 

May he rest in peace.

One of the privileges of being an educator in schools is accompanying young people as they determine their need and direction for learning. As a school community our strength lies in our established relationships of trust, open to conversation so that in moments of challenge we can do our best learning. The spotlight that has been shone this week on the experiences of sexual assault and the issue of consent has invited opportunity for these relationships and dialogue to galvanise as opportunity for support.  Had such a spotlight not been shone, there may not have been the dinner table and loungeroom conversations amongst adolescents and their parents and carers that have likely held our attention; at schools we may not have looked as closely at our educative programs to seek opportunities to build upon what we do. We are granted an opportunity to place the voice of youth alongside the wisdom of their trusted adults so that we together identify responses that will be well considered, deliberate and seek to grant the safety and respect that each individual deserves.

Be assured we as teachers and leaders continue to look at the best placing for educational opportunities and peer dialogue within our broad curriculum and are redoubling our efforts in seeking opportunities for conversations that center on the core value of Respect.

I offer here some points of reflection from our Tutor session with Years 8 and 9 this morning. You may like to extend this dialogue at home.

·        Who is a person in my family that shows great respect for others?

·        How do I know when my friends and family respect me?

·        How do I show my friends and peers that I respect them?

·        What does respect look like in social gatherings with both girls and boys?

·        When was a time that someone did something that really impacted positively on my feeling of being respected?

·        Why is it important to feel respected?

Our senior Student Leaders have been impressive in their own dialogue recognising the complexity and sensitivity of speaking about the experience of sexual assault. Their commitment of care has indeed been one of generosity – seeking to break a culture of silence so that young people will feel more informed and empowered, whilst recognising the dispirate experiences of our students across Years 7-12. We appreciate that our senior students carry significant influence as the ears and voice of their younger peers. We thus broaden a presentation we have normally facilitated with Year 12 as an invitation to all of Years 10, 11, 12 for next Wednesday 3 March. A Senior Police Constable experienced in responding to victims of sexual assault, also a mother within our own community, will present on the laws and processes in regard to Sexual Assault and Consent. We want for our students to be informed and be prepared to seek appropriate supports for oneself or another person with full understanding of one’s rights and the law. Our presenter is experienced and has received very positive feedback in the last four years of doing this presentation at our school. She is aware that there may be the possibility of some persons feeling sensitive to the content and she manages her material and message with great respect for the young women who will sit before her. We have communicated this invitation with Years 10, 11 and 12 - as parents and carers know that we have arrangements in place for any student to not be in this space if she so chooses. As a community committed to the education of young women, we wish to educate and not stigmatise, and to continue to accompany our students in relationships of care.

As we approach into International Women’s Day on 8 March with the theme of #Choose to Challenge, we are all called to consider what it is we may like to challenge in ourselves, others, society, so that we nourish rather than diminish the opportunity for dignity and respect. Our student leaders will lead this dialogue with our students. Perhaps it is one you can share at home with your children and for them to hear the trusted adults in their lives sharing your considered views on how we may achieve desired change.

Know that we embrace opportunities to be in conversation with students and parents/carers as we continually reflect to discern the needs of our students as they navigate their world. Our commitment to nurturing the development of character, compassionate of heart with courage to act, is evident in the dialogue and interactions I witness every day amongst students and staff. It is our trust to accompany each other in good relationship and conversation that instills in our adolescents the hope that they will garner the collective supports to bring about the desired respect for women in all arenas of their life. 

Mrs Elizabeth Brooks
Deputy Principal

We are one week into Lent.  Usually, it is at this point that our good intentions of giving up chocolate start to come under some pressure.  I will always be grateful for the year I gave up sugar in my tea.  I can’t imagine drinking tea with sugar in it these days, and I love tea.  I can’t imagine life without tea.

In a Christianity that hopes for a thinking faith, we are encouraged to ‘take up’ rather than ‘give up’, or we prefer to make changes in our lives that are about relationships with others; helping form them into more positive experiences and more life-giving encounters.  Last year I ‘took up’ being more patient, and not whinging about the inadequacies of others.  I lasted until Recess on Ash Wednesday.  It was debilitating.  But it did help me recognize that the inadequacies I am so ready find in those around me are very obvious in myself.  This year I’m working on a couple of those inadequacies. 

Our liturgy on Ash Wednesday focused on four ideas:

·       the generosity of the earth and how we respond with sustainable choices. 

·       the generous choice to remain silent instead of threatening another’s reputation with gossip and accusation. 

·       the generous action of listening.

·       the generosity of spirit that reveals itself in kindness and outreach to those in need.

Lenten Challenge for this week:

How can I commit in the coming week to make sustainable choices? 

Can I waste less, recycle more, reduce my impact on the environment?

Fun Lenten Fact:

We all know that Lent has 40 days in it, but if you check on the calendar you will notice that in fact there are 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.  Does this mean we need more mathematicians in the Vatican?  No.  It simply means that Sundays are not counted.  Choosing to binge eat chocolate on Sundays may seem favourable in this light - but may not be useful in the long term....I leave that to you. 

What’s on?

Years 11 and 12 have been invited to a series of Reflection afternoons - Mondays in March.

We will gather, have some afternoon tea, consider some good ideas from great philosophers and movers and shakers, share our own ideas and do some meditation and journaling.  It promises to be a worthwhile experience.

Monday 08 March: 3.15pm-5.00pm

Monday 15 March: 3.15pm-5.00pm

Monday 22 March: 3.15pm-5.00pm.

The Ponytail Project is moving from strength to strength.  We have already broken through our money raising goal.  You can sponsor a student who has signed up for the chop by clicking on the link below.

https://www.ponytailproject.com.au/fundraisers/StVincentsCollege!

Our friends at St Vincent de Paul are re-launching their Brekky Van initiative from the Lewisham Centre.  If you would like to give an expression of interest in being part of the 'A Team' for brekky - click on the link HERE , fill in your details and I’ll be in touch.

Night Patrol is coming back too!  It is only available to over 18's at this stage, but is something the staff at SVC work on together.  More on that closer to the date. 

Mrs Jo Kenderes
Director of Faith and Mission

360 Degree Virtual Tours

University of Sydney

Enjoy looking across all parts of the University of Sydney’s campus. Look at what university life is like across the lecture rooms, activities, research labs, sport and much more here.

University of Wollongong 

Use the link here to begin your tour of UWollongong’s main campus and the South Western Sydney campus.

UNSW

Tour through UNSW on your mobile or PC. Explore the different departments and see what University life is like. Some of the greatest things happening on this planet are being developed in the labs and study rooms at UNSW. Check it out here.

Guided Visits 

ACU

Register to join one of ACU’S experienced Student Ambassadors for a Guided Visit. Walk through the nursing labs, moot courts, classrooms and more on the NSW campuses. Spots are limited due to social distancing requirements so register now here.

Charles Sturt University

Campus tours are running (with COVID safe precautions) on all CSU campuses.  Students and/or parents can tour labs, classrooms, accommodation and more, guided by a current student.  Book a tour here.

Students can also book in personalised study consultations with the CSU Future Students team to discuss course options here

Scholarships 

ANU Tuckwell Scholarship 

One of the most prestigious scholarships in Australia is the Tuckwell Scholarship. The Tuckwell program has a focus on giving back to Australia and is the only one of its kind that nurtures Scholars to fulfil their broader community ambitions over and above the pursuit of an undergraduate degree.Please use the link here to join the Tuckwell Scholarship mailing list.

University of Melbourne

The Hansen Scholarship Program 

Twenty exceptional students from around Australia will be chosen for University of Melbourne's generous Hansen scholarship program.  Successful Hansen scholars must start their undergraduate studies at Melbourne in 2022 and applications close on 11 March 2021.

The Hansen program brings together an unrivalled package of benefits for high-achieving students who may otherwise struggle financially to access higher education.The Scholarship offers free accommodation, living allowances, funds for an international exchange, internship or voluntary opportunities, plus a tailored development program including academic orientation, study skills, mentoring and cultural activities. For more information and to find out if you are eligible use the attached link.

Ms Helen Marshall
Careers Adviser

Sport Staff Contacts for Term 1 2021:

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 Harmanis:  0434 610 870   
Head of Water Polo:  Ms Hayley Boatswain:  0404 267 554
Head of Swimming/Cross Country:  Ms Jacinta Jacobs:  0418 416 663.

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

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

TERM 1 SPORT

TOUCH

We have had rainy days again this week and some students have gone home without checking; presuming training isn’t on.  However, training is always on as we do fitness in the College gym - so please make sure that all players still attend their training sessions.

The best place to check for Wet Weather Information is the Easts Touch Association website or Facebook page for any last minute changes.  Please remember that COVID-safety measures will still be enforced, such as no sharing of equipment and no hand-shaking.  Spectators will be allowed at this competition this weekend but are still encouraged to watch from afar and not mingle on the sidelines with the players.

-  Easts website.  

Ms Elyse Harmanis
Head Touch Coach

Below:   Year 7A Touch

Below:   SVC 11 Touch

Below:   Junior Touch

SANTA SABINA VOLLEYBALL

Congratulations to all teams who played some exciting matches last weekend!

Spectators are allowed at Santa Sabina this term, however, no dogs are permitted.  There will also be a coffee cart available.

All team information can be found on the College website and the draw has now been finalised.  All players should now be aware of their training times and must let the head coach Elyse know if they cannot attend for any reason.  Full Sports uniform is to be worn to all training sessions and matches. 

Please note that Santa Sabina wet weather information is tweeted on:  https://twitter.com/santasports .

Ms Elyse Harmanis
Head Volleyball Coach 

IGSSA SATURDAY AND TILDESLEY TENNIS

Congratulations to all six teams who had some great matches last weekend.  SVC 1 and SVC 5 are currently coming second with SVC 4 on top of the IGSSA ladder.

Training for the Tildesley Shield (which will be held at Pennant Hills on 17-18 March), will be held on Monday 7.15am-8.25am and Wednesday afternoons from 3.15pm-4.30pm, on the College courts.  All girls are to let their coach Therese or Tonya know if they cannot make a session.  With only a couple of weeks until this prestigious competition is underway, it is imperative that all players are at all training sessions.  Practice matches are still being held against some very enthusiastic teachers on the courts at lunchtimes.  Any players keen to take on this challenge are to email Tildesley Captain, Ruby Spies.  All players are to collect a Permission Note from Ms Jacobs in the Sports office by next week.

Ms Therese Taylor
Head Tennis Coach

Below:   SVC 5 Tennis

Below:   Ruby Spies in action

WATER POLO

Please check the College website or the Sports noticeboard for training times and the finalised draw.  Water polo does usually still go ahead regardless of weather.  It may only be cancelled if there is lightning or a problem at the venue.  Please make sure that you arrive at the venue 20 minutes prior to start time for sign on and warm up.  COVID-safety measures will be used at all venues, such as no sharing of equipment and no hand-shaking.  Spectators are permitted at most venues, however, they must check in with the QR code with the convenor.  

Ms Hayley Boatswain
Head Water Polo Coach 

SWIMMING TRAINING AND IGSSA SWIMMING CARNIVAL

Congratulations to following students who have been selected in the College Swim Team:

CGSSSA SWIM SQUAD 2021

Juniors

Caitlin Hoggett
Lily Rowbotham
Zahli Daly
Ruby Thompson
Annika Wende-Dunstan
Ruby Siemsen
Asher Thompson
Charlie Bennett
Isabella Cotroneo
Frankie Dyke-Miller
Sybella Daly
Georgina Porteus
Ali Green
Ruby Smith

Intermediates

Gabrielle Austin
Siara Ortolani
Ruby Etherington
Evie Ellis
Charlie Bennett
Emilie King
Noa Sexton 

Seniors

Molly Whitely
Alexis Graham
Maddison Neill
Mia Glasel
Taffy O'Neill
Samantha Jeffs

This year we will  be competing in the CGSSSA Swimming Carnival (Catholic Girls Secondary Sports Schools Association) instead of IGSSA.  The CGSSSA Carnival is being held on Tuesday 9 March at Ryde Aquatic Centre, 8.30am-3.00pm.  All swimmers are to return their Permission Note to Ms Jacobs AS SOON AS POSSIBLE indicating if they require the bus or not.

FITNESS AND CROSS COUNTRY

Fitness training with Tash is on every Monday and Wednesday afternoon 3.15pm-4.30pm, as we prepare for the IGSSA Cross Country Carnival at Frensham on Friday 7 May, in Term 2.  We are allowed to enter up to ten competitors in each age group and this acts as the St Vincent’s Cross Country Championships.  The first competitor in from each age group will be awarded SVC Age Champion.  We would like to have a minimum of three per age group for the relay point scores, so we are looking for more competitors.  12 and 13 years only run 3km, with all other girls doing 4km except 18 years who have to run 6km.

All levels of fitness will be catered for at the training sessions and are not just for those wanting to do cross country.  Any students wishing to improve their fitness are invited to come to one or both days.  Meet outside the change rooms at 3.15pm and the sessions are finished by 4.30pm.  There is no additional cost.  Please email Ms Jacobs if you would like to sign up.

TERM 2 SPORT REGISTRATIONS

Registrations are for Term 2 Sport are now closed.  Trials will be held in Weeks 7 and 8.  Please keep an eye on the student admin notices for more details. All students who registered must attend trials or they will not be placed in a team. 

SPORTS STARS OF THE WEEK

This section is to make the College community aware of some of the exceptional athletes we have in the College.  If your daughter has represented her state or country recently in her chosen Sport, please send us any results, photos or blurbs on her performance to jacobsj@stvincents.nsw.edu.au

Congratulations to all girls who competed at the State Nippers last weekend.  Sybella Daly, Year 7, came 3rd in the U12 girls surf race and 2nd in the U12 girls board relay.  Congratulations to Ruby Smith, Year 8, who placed 3rd in the U14 years beach flags.  Well done girls!

Congratulations also to Kate Johnson, Year 10, who has qualified to compete in the SLSA (Surf Life Saving Australia) National Championships in Queensland in April.  She will compete in the U17's women’s individual sprints and flags and in the U17 women’s relay.  Good luck Kate!

Ms Jacinta Jacobs
Co-ordinator of Sport

Now is the time to check that you have all your winter uniform items for Terms 2 and 3. 

Appointments are not required.

Please encourage your daughter to visit me in the uniform shop or use your summer uniform sizing as a guide to purchase online. 

I am happy to answer any questions you may have so please call me on 8324 6622 or email me at svc@noone.com.au.

Juliet Medland
St Vincent’s College Uniform Shop Manager

Rockwall Crescent, Potts Point NSW 2011

Phone: 02 8324 6622

Uniform Shop Hours: Monday and Friday 8.00am-2.00pm; Wednesday 12.00pm-5.00pm. 

Email:   svc@noone.com.au

Website:  www.noone.com.au

CANTEEN REMINDER:   NO CARD - NO PURCHASE 

-  Students MUST bring their card to the canteen to purchase - putting your student number in only is not accepted.

-  Remember that ONLINE ORDERING IS AVAILABLE. 

-  GLUTEN FREE products are available only when purchased through online ordering. 

-  You need to refill money onto your cardat least 1 (one) hour BEFORE using it (as it takes that long to generate onto the card).

 View next week's CANTEEN SPECIALS: 08-12 March 2021  HERE

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2021 P&F Meeting dates - via Zoom.

Tuesdays - 11 May; 03 August; 02 November - time to be confirmed.

Mrs Jane Palin
Community and Alumnae Relations Manager

A warm welcome to our new and returning families for 2021.

The St Vincent’s College Business Directory is a community initiative created to connect families, staff, alumni and supporters of the College in a practical and mutually beneficial way.  Our hope is that our community chooses to support other College families when doing business.

If you have not yet registered your business and would like to do so, please register here 

Jane Palin
Community and Alumnae Relations Manager