Bulletin

Dear Parents and Carers

This week the world started to divide the disrupted from the devastated, the inconvenienced from the incapacitated and the indifferent from the inconsolable.  In such times of emergency, we need to find the common ground where humanity recognises there are no political, religious, gender or economic boundaries that can withstand Covid-19.  In fact, we are called to release ourselves from boundaries and fully commit to shared capacity to defeat the spread of the virus.  It is literally “in our hands“ to defeat this virus (both literally and figuratively).

The first phase of our Foxford program comes to an end this afternoon, and on Monday we will begin Stage 2 which will include Google Meetings between teachers and their classes.  I think this will be a more engaging way of maintaining the very vital sense of community during our time of physical distancing.  In the original Foxford program that the Sisters of Charity started in Ireland, they used a brass band to bring the community together, but I think, true to our times we will attempt a “Rave in the Pave” via Google Meet.  Watch out for the notification, turn your camera on and lets get ready to dance together!  If you would like to learn a little more about the original Foxford project, please use the link below

https://www.foxfordwoollenmills.com/pages/our-story

We have had a very small group of students here throughout the week, and it is amazing how the sound of laughter echoes in our now empty atrium.  It has been a small touch of normalcy in a week where we have all had to adapt to so many changes.  I can only counsel patience as we adopt new ways of being family, being teachers, being students, being colleagues.  I am sure many of you are also having to make changes to how you are working and therefore appreciate some of the teething difficulties that we are having to ‘problem solve’.  As many of the teachers are still working on-site, I have had the privilege of seeing many of the lessons in action.  Even in these unusual circumstances, the Vinnies’ spirit has come through in the humour, in the resourcefulness and in the care for each other.

Mrs Books has sent home suggestions for parents and an agreement for students in readiness for next week when Stage 2 of Foxford begins.  I hope you have had a chance to read them and if in doubt, please ring and talk to myself, Elizabeth Brooks (pastoral care); Jasmin Mano (curriculum); Maryanne O’Donoghue (Boarding).  All other teachers are available by email, and the finance team, ICT team, library and administration are all still on site and available to support you throughout this transition.

I am deeply aware that families are experiencing economic duress and uncertainty.  Please know the College understands and wishes to remain in communication with you to look at how we together find the responsible, ethical and sustainable way through this time.

As the weekend begins, please be vigilant and cautious as you go about your essential business.  For adolescents, their natural desire to socialise is very strong, but we all now have to adapt to the new circumstances.  I hope that you are thinking and planning ahead for the weekend and how you will now use that family time.  For many families so used to the structure of Saturday sport and having so many commitments, it will be quite new territory to have the weekend to spend together.  After the emotional turmoil of the week, I hope you enjoy some well deserved peace and relaxation.

Yours sincerely

Anne Fry
Principal

Below left:  Agile Learning - Mr Robert Graham

Below right:  Alyrah Harriott, Year 7

Condolences to Ms Michelle Smith on the death of her Father-in-law.  We are very conscious of the extra trauma for her partner, Jay, not being able to be with his family in England at this very sad time.

I took a pause yesterday to look back in my diary at what I was doing in the same week last year.  I thought it might centre me to look outside Covid-19 to be reminded of what I might be giving my attention to otherwise.  It happened to be a particularly busy week - really busy - I looked over the names of students and families with whom I met and reflected upon the challenges and joys of these privileged conversations - the worries and hopes of families, and most significantly the profound love parents have for their children.  And a year on, with circumstances that I could not have imagined a year ago, I see the same faces around me with the same capacity to hold onto love as that which will centre us with perspective and sensibility in the care of our families with the support of our communities.

The solutions to coronavirus are to be found through community - community care, community choice and community action.  We are asked to think beyond ourselves and do what is needed for the collective good.  This is most obvious in the hygiene and physical distancing protocols required of us.  But it is also evident in our desire to continue learning and maintain wellbeing and connectivity as we move to an online environment.  As a Mary Aikenhead Ministries community, we have chosen to draw inspiration from the story of Foxford.  Whilst the Sisters of Charity had intended to bring education to the poor during the potato famine, they soon realised that the local families needed income before they could clothe their children appropriately even to attend school.  Mother Arsenius (known as Mother Morrogh-Bernard) had both ingenuity and steely determination which saw her rally the local townspeople to action, innovate new possibilities from the wealth of the resources they had, and break ranks with the cultural norms of the day by daring to partner with a Protestant engineer to create a solution of prosperity in a woollen mill.  The mill itself has continued to thrive and offers us a symbol of hope; its name ‘Providence Woollen Mills’ testimony to an abundant trust in God whilst choosing to be extensively useful to better life for others.  You may like to read more of this Foxford story .

There will be tougher times to come, and these will be visible in the ordinary family moments.  Please be assured that teachers are reviewing and refining the procedures now articulated in our Foxford Program to maintain the learning and connectivity without overloading the students.  Worry and an uncertain future can take its toll on all of us - children and adolescents, adults included.  I encourage you to read the linked article which prepares parents for the possible responses of our children and our responses to theirs - as time moves forward from this novel week of new routines.  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-25/coronavirus-home-schooling-children-pandemic-causes-anxiety/12086566.  As parents and carers, remember to take time to care for you, to calm the mind so that you find your own well of hope.  Take time for stillness and reflection, be it meditation https://help.headspace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360026490113-What-is-Everybody-Headspace- or prayer https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/how-can-i-pray/.  St Ignatius gifted us with the Examen - a way of praying that invites us to recognise God in our present, past and future.  In this way, the prayer always ends in hope.  Thomas Aquinas defined hope as ‘the stretching forth of our desire towards a future good, even if that good is difficult to attain.  In other words, hope means choosing to act in ways that lead me closer to what is good and loving, even though the future is often unknown and beyond my control'.  https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/the-examen-always-ends-with-hope/

I imagine what I will be doing in a year from now.  I hope it will be seeing every student and teacher embrace the opportunity for camps and retreats; it will be the parents of the Class of 2020 proudly watching their daughters commence new pathways into University and work; it will be the squeals of girls outside my office window dodging the pesty mynah when they should have hats on their heads - ordinary and sacred.  I pray we will be back to our ‘norm’ but with a new-found appreciation of the freedoms afforded in our everyday blessings of living and learning with our families and communities.  I give thanks to be part of this community steeped in courage and compassion.  Thank you parents for the encouragement and support you have given this community; know that we are here to support you in this time that requires both strength and gentility, and always hope.

Mrs Elizabeth Brooks
Deputy Principal, Pastoral Care

Resources and Support - Coronavirus

The Office of eSafety:  COVID-19: an online safety kit for parents and carers

Keeping children educated and entertained during COVID-19 crisis…It’s easy as ABC

http://about.abc.net.au/press-releases/keeping-children-educated-and-entertained-during-covid-19-crisis-its-easy-as-abc/

Mindspot

https://mindspot.org.au/assets/pdf/10_Tips_for_Coping_with_Infectious_Diseases.pdf

Beyond Blue

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak

Headspace

https://headspace.org.au/young-people/how-to-cope-with-stress-related-to-covid-19/

ReachOut Youth discussion forums

https://forums.au.reachout.com/

The Brave Program

https://www.brave-online.com/beating-stress-and-worries-about-coronavirus-covid-19/

If you or anyone you know needs help:

●      Lifeline on 13 11 14

●      beyondblue on 1300 224 636

●      MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978

●      Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

●      Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800

●      Headspace on 1800 650 890

●      QLife on 1800 184 527

Government agencies

NSW Department of Health

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/alerts/Pages/coronavirus-faqs.aspx

NSW Department of Education

https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/school-safety/novel-coronavirus.html

National Coronavirus Health Information Line 1800 020 080 operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Mrs Elizabeth Brooks
Deputy Principal, Pastoral Care

above:  Foxford Woollen Mill

We hope that all of you in our Vinnies community are doing well, and for the students, balancing your schoolwork as well as your relaxing time at home.  We are honestly missing seeing all your abundant smiles and laughter echoing throughout the College as we walk around and have lunch together, however, we are determined to find a way to have a chat with you all soon and are looking forward to hearing about your experiences during this time. 

For the students, although this current situation involves many challenges, both physical and mental, we wanted to share a list of ‘pros’ that can be taken out of this rare challenge we are all facing together:  

Spending more time with family - Although this can sometimes feel like a con (sorry Mum and Dad!), we think this extra time at home can be used as a great opportunity to spend more time with family - eating lunch with them, sharing or teaching what you’ve learnt in your lessons to consolidate your learning, or doing something fun like playing a board game.

Having all your needed resources in one space - Being at home means you have all of your books and notes in one space, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to bring something to class!

No movement between classes - Usually at school between classes, we could spend a good 5 minutes walking to class, but now at home you can use this spare time to stretch and be on time for your next lesson…or even time for a small house chore to help your parental guardian (we’re sure they would appreciate that).

More time in the morning - Now that you don’t have to spend a large amount of time in the morning getting public transport to school, you can use this extra time to do something productive with your morning.  This could be getting a little bit more sleep for greater productivity, an at-home workout, yoga, reading a book or doing some extra work.  We should all try to stick to our regular routine of getting up early so we aren’t completely shocked when we get back to school.

Make your own lunches - Since you're all at home and have access to a kitchen - during your lunch breaks you can get creative and make your favourite meals for lunch or even bake something you’ve always wanted to.  You could do this with a family member/s and use it as fun bonding time with family. 

Save your pocket money - The elimination of travelling to school in the morning means that the temptation of places like the beloved 'Melted Monster' is not possible, so you can save your money, and if you are missing your daily Melted fix, just remember it won’t be too long until you’ll be back getting your $3 toast.  

Although all of these things combined don’t come close to physically being at school and seeing your friends and teachers every day, we think we can all as a whole school community try to shift our perspective on this unique situation.  In our usual lives, we can be constantly busy and on the go.  Planning for what we can give our attention to allows us to obtain a positive outlook and utilise this current time to do activities we never really get the chance to do.  It is an opportunity to take time to reflect on ourselves and the world around us.

When I left home this morning at precisely the same time I had last Friday, I jumped in my car and headed off to work pondering the stark difference between the two Fridays.  Yes the mechanics of my process of getting to work was the same, but the reality of what I was driving towards had changed profoundly.  I sat at my office desk and at precisely 7.45am and began to teach my class on Google Classroom.  No sooner had I opened the lesson with a ‘Good morning, we all here?’ Was I delighted with the responses.  Thus the lesson was underway and like all English teachers often muse - the lesson ended way too soon. 

The continuum of learning in an unprecedented time was alive and breathing and I couldn't have been more chuffed to be present with my Extension English girls, deliberating and problem-solving the bigger conceptual questions that underpin their course.  I was in my element.  Similarly, did I take much joy in opening my Google Classroom this morning to find a homework activity completed and sent to Google Classroom as per the images below.

All week I have witnessed my colleagues wholeheartedly committing to embracing the Foxford Program (our agile learning space), to ensure that our students still know that we care deeply for them and value enormously the continuity of our academic and pastoral relationships with them in a starkly changed social reality.  Next week we transition from Google Classroom to include the addition of Google Meet and we will maintain this agile learning framework as our modus operandi until and if the government changes our status.  We thank you for your feedback thus far regarding our agile learning and we are taking the feedback on board to adapt our pedagogy, as we gain more familiarity in delivering our teaching and learning programs to our students' homes. 

YEARS 11 AND 12 ASSESSMENT                                              

Mrs Fry and I continue to liaise closely with NESA regarding the advice for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Years 11 and 12 students and we will continue to brief you as more information comes to hand.  Today, Mrs Fry and I took a very reassuring call from NESA to guide us forward in our Terms 2/3 preparation. The message was calm, clear and compassionate.  As none of us have a crystal ball to predict the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, likewise none of us have all the answers just yet.  The message from NESA was simple and reassuring. 

Year 11 will remain unchanged in their assessment program for 2020 yet we will alter modes of assessment to suit the evolving nature of agile learning. Year 12 will be looked after in a trusted relationship between the College and NESA themselves.  Based on this green light from NESA, the Heads of Department and I have been planning and discussing via Google Meet as we practice safe social distancing, possible solutions for Terms 2 and 3 to ensure the least disruption to the continuum of learning and assessment.  We remain however realistic and cognisant that we will not be teaching in quite the same way as ever before.  As a College Leadership Team we have agreed that ‘the common approach’ will be consistent across the College for all Year 12 students, yet nuanced to meet the course requirements of each key learning area; such as practical and creative courses.  Our Year 12 students need this consistency in their inconsistent reality.  We thank you for the trust you have already placed in us and we thank you in advance for this continued trusted partnership with us as a College.  In all we do and plan to do, we have the faces of your daughters in our minds.  As our assessments in our published assessment calendar take on different more adaptable forms, advised by NESA, we will of course formally notify students and the availability of our Illness/Misadventure processes, for those affected students, our HSC provisions for students with a disability and other features of our Assessment Policy will be maintained. 

I pray that this weekend that as we spend time with our precious families isolating, we appreciate the possible ‘reset’ this pandemic is bringing into the homes of many.  To my own family this weekend, I have suggested some binge watching of our favourite TV shows and a ‘competitive’ game  of Monopoly.  I hope that amongst all the unknowns and new ‘norms’ in our present social context, that your family home is a sanctuary of hope and love this weekend. 

Mrs Jasmin Mano
Director of Teaching and Learning

Pope Francis has released a special video message this morning asking for prayers for the sick and the suffering while thanking all those who have been and continue to pray for those affected by COVID-19.  To view the video please CLICK HERE .

There has been a lot of changes of the past few weeks, but one thing remains:  The commitment from our Year 7 students who continue to actively develop their coding skills!

This term, Year 7 immersed themselves in the world of coding, working collaboratively to program our brand-new Lego EV3 Robots.  Students have learnt to build and code their robot in preparation for completing a series of robotics challenges, inspired by NASA’s Artemis Mission.  These challenges aim to encourage computational thinking and promote the development of essential coding skills.  The Lego EV3 Robots, generously donated by our College's P&F Association, have allowed our Year 7 students to actively learn how hardware and software work hand in hand to develop simple and complex design solutions.

Although we have had to put the robots aside for now, while agile learning takes place, we are keen to get back into the workshop to continue coding for our robotics challenges.

At this stage, our Year 7’s are still actively learning how to develop their coding skills by producing games through the online platform, Scratch.  We cannot wait to show you what they come up with!

Mrs Priscilla Laliotis
TAS Teacher

University News

UTS Sydney

UTS Nursing and Midwifery

Read more here about Nursing and Midwifery at UTS.  These degrees are consistently ranked as the best in NSW.  

UTS

Bachelor of Accounting and Co-op Scholarship

UTS’s prestigious Accounting and Information Technology co-op scholarship degrees have opened.  To access an application form and to find out more about these scholarships use the links provided or email carin.alberts@uts.edu.au . 

Southern Cross University

New degree:  Students will be able to study speech pathology at Southern Cross University’s Coffs Harbour campus from 2021.  SCU speech pathology degree is a hands on degree that helps people across their lifespan in the growing field of allied health.  For more information contact: tstudentrecruitment@scu.edu.au .  

Cadetships

Business Cadetships

Applications are now open for the Business Cadetships Program.  Applications close on 13 May 2020, by which time both the Student Application Form and School Assessment are due.  Cadets are placed at UBS in a range of business areas including Group Technology.  More information can be sourced here.

Online Events

PSAT Practice Test  

Internationally Educated will be hosting an online practice PSAT test on 16 May.  Open to all students from Year 9, the test will provide insight and practice for the official SAT required for admission to American universities.  The online practice test will be invigilated by Internationally Educated and scores immediately available.  Registration is essential here . 

AIE Online Experience Day

On 28 March 2020 at 12.00pm, online AIE will hold their Online Experience Day.  Course overview sessions will be running on the range of online courses in 3D animation, game art, game programming and game design offered by AIE.  Attendees will get to participate in workshops, hear guest speakers, ask questions and more.  Contact:  AIE Online Campus: 9541 8760 to register.

Ms Helen Marshall
Careers Adviser

TERM 1 SPORT

As students no longer have scheduled training sessions, I suggest you do some work on your fitness at home.  Use this time to go for a walk or a jog in the fresh air and get some sunshine which will improve your immunity to any viruses.  It is a time for us all to slow down and breathe a little more and to spend time with family and friends.  Allow yourself some time to yourself, to meditate or do yoga, walk the dog or listen to music.  Let’s find a positive during this ‘unique’ time and focus on doing our bit to help with the 'flattening of the curve' of this pandemic.  Stay safe and healthy, wash your hands and give everyone some room to breathe.  There are some training programs on the College website (and links are also provided below) to help you keep fit until we are back at school.

Strength and Core Fitness Circuit Program

St Vincent's Fitness Program

Tidesley Tennis

IGSSA has also had to cancel this prestigious tennis event because of COVID-19 but are hoping to reschedule the event in Term 3, possibly in Week 6.  All players are asked to try and keep fit over the holidays, and once we know more we will structure some more training sessions next term.  Thank you for your understanding in these difficult times.  Please see the Fitness Programs on the website (or click on the links above) under Learning/Sport/Athletic/Cross Country to help you with ideas for core and strength.

TERM 2 SPORT

The latest information regarding Term 2 Sport:

• IGSSA basketball and football have been cancelled for the whole of Term 2.
• We are still waiting for confirmation if the local competitions of SEHA hockey and St Catherine's netball will go ahead.
• Year 7 netball skills development:  At present this will still be running at the College as this is a small group, and all health and safety precautions will be taken.
• Alternative fitness classes will be organized by the coaches and will be run at the College. 

above:  Fitness planks

FITNESS TRAINING AND TERM 2 CROSS COUNTRY

There is now a Fitness/Cross Country Program on the College website for all girls to help keep their fitness up over the holidays.  The IGSSA Cross Country carnival has been postponed until further notice. 

above:   Fitness Training at SVC

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 Charlie Bennett, Year 9, who has been selected in the IGSSA swimming team for the 14 years 200m freestyle.  Unfortunately, the NSWCIS carnival has been cancelled, however, it is still a great honour to have been selected in the team.

Ms Jacinta Jacobs
Co-Ordinator of Sport