Bulletin

• Monday 8th May: Year 9 Parent Teacher meetings, 3:30-7:30 pm, online on Google Meet. Correspondence has been sent to all Year 9 Parents/Carers
• Tuesday 9th May: Catch up on individual College photos, at 1:00 pm in the Hall
• Week 3 - Subject Selection guide for current Year 10 students entering into Year 11 (2024) will be released 
• 22nd May: Year 10 Subject Selection Information Evening
• Friday 12 May: Mother Daughter Liturgy - 7:45 am, College Chapel
• Friday 12 May: Mother Daughter Dinner (SOLD OUT) - 7:00 pm - 10:30 pm
• Monday 15th May: Year 11 Parent Teacher Meetings, 3:30-7:30, online on Google Meet. Correspondence has been sent to all Year 11 Parents/Carers
• Wednesday 24th May: College Athletics Carnival at E.S. Marks Field
• 5th June: Year 10 Parent Teacher meetings
• 17th July: Year 8 Parent Teacher meetings and Subject Selection Information Evening
• 24th July: Year 7 Parent Teacher meetings

The School That Hope Built Book Launch - 30th May, 7pm

We are very pleased to support Gemma Sissia, a St Vincent's Alumnae, and her team to launch their latest book 'The School that Hope Built' written by Madeleine Kelly. The book is a wonderful account of the 20 years Gemma has spent building The School of St Jude, a school that is changing the lives of some of the poorest children in Tanzania. Please join us to hear from Gemma, Madeleine and Enock about how St Jude's was started and has grown from Gemma's dream to the successful, multi-campus school it is today. The trio will also very generously hold a Q&A session along with a 'meet and greet' function afterwards. Light refreshments and canapés will be served.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT

Dear Parents and Carers,

I will be in Dubbo this week to represent the College at the Boarding Expo. It is always a privilege to be among the wider boarding community of NSW and see the high regard boarding schools are held in by regional, rural and remote communities. Each boarding school has its own story and uniqueness; our story is always such a good story to tell.  Founded in 1883 our boarding program was started by the Sisters of Charity on a very small scale to extend the mission of the College to families who could not easily access the Potts Point Campus. Public transport would have been so basic, and long before cars and sealed roads and footpaths, getting to Potts Points was difficult and time-consuming.  Boarding initially might have been an option for those families living only 5-10 miles away. Soon the scale of Boarding grew as a result of the reputation of the College and the accomplishments of its students. Boarders at times in the history of the College have been the majority of students and in general, it is the Boarders who have the deepest and most affectionate memories of the Sisters who not only taught them but also created a home-like environment for them for lengthy periods of time (going home might have only been once or twice a year!). Boarding has evolved over time to be a very different experience and important in supporting a wide variety of students from near and far in Sydney.  We are proud to say our catchment is Bourke to Bondi! The opportunity to feel at home in the city is a wonderful preparation for life our Boarders benefit from their education at St Vincent's College.

This weekend the Boarding Parent Association is hosting the Mothers' Weekend In Mudgee. Last year's trip was an outstanding success and I wish everyone well for a weekend of great rural hospitality and great conversation.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Anne Fry
Principal

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

India Barker - Grandmother

Ms Lock - Father

May he rest in peace.

I have always enjoyed Term 2 of the school year. The beginnings have happened, students, staff and parents are immersed into our hopes and routines, and so Term 2 offers the opportunity to consolidate and refine. The crispness of the cooler mornings coupled with warm days suggest a change as we seek to strengthen our commitment to our priorities and try new ways of doing what matters. We might say this is particularly true of Year 7s as they tick off that they have now fully transitioned to high school and their vertical Tutor groups or to Year 12 who look forward to consolidating good habits of learning, collaborating with peers and teachers and enjoy the fluidity of school life before the last very busy Term 3. But it equally applies to all year levels and to you as parents and carers. We look forward to Parent-Teacher conversations that enable your observations of your daughter’s learning journey and the opportunity to engage in your own learning as those who accompany and guide your precious children in the world they are navigating. Our 2023 focus on the value of ‘Justice’ invites us to consider what this means for all community members. This term I propose using this space to explore the idea of ‘just parenting’ in the context of both values and the contemporary world of adolescence.  

As parents, we seek a world of justice for our children. We desire their right to good health, right to self-belief, right to make informed decisions, right to inclusion and safety, right not to be exploited by marketing and media. When we consider ourselves as parents living out the value of justice, we are also aware of our role as teachers of our children, showing them how to be people of justice, empowering them with the beliefs and dispositions to enable justice for themselves and others. So much of what we do as parents we can find ourselves dismissing away as ‘it’s all just a part of parenting’. Let’s pause and not diminish the notion of ‘just parenting’. Indeed, it is in the small ways every day that we impart our love and values that guide our children. Last Saturday I witnessed a parent walking back to their car with his two children, debriefing on the game just had. I smiled at the many memories I had of doing the same with my three after many a game of sport. It is in these moments of engaging with our children about how they respond to their world that invites opportunity to consider how we act as people of justice. For what and whom do we speak up? When do we take time to notice the moments of goodness happening around us? What do we consider fair, right and just? When do we affirm our children for the moments they respond to family members with respect and dignity? 

Our adolescence then navigate a world that is wider than ourselves. As parents and educators, we know young people are not content to just be told what to do, adolescence is the developmental stage to figure things out for oneself in the journey from childhood to adulthood. (And it is no surprise that their supposed ‘experts’ are often their peers. So let’s empower young people with the information they deserve and allow our conversations be those of belief in their health, capacity for wise decisions and contributing to cultures of goodness for themselves and others. 

This week I share with you some material to help you in parenting on the topic of Vaping. NSW Health offers some very helpful online material to support you in your information gathering, some of which I include below:

Vapes are not water. The main ingredient in vapes is propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine or glycerol. Vapes can contain the same harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and bug spray. They just don't put it on the pack.

Vapes come in a number of flavours such as blueberry or bubble gum that make them appealing. Many vapes also contain nicotine, the same highly addictive substance found in tobacco cigarettes.

Testing has shown that vapes labelled 'nicotine-free' can have high nicotine levels. People can think they are using nicotine-free vapes and can unknowingly quickly develop a nicotine addiction.

NSW Govt - Vaping Fact Sheet for Parents and Carers

Alcohol and Drug Foundation: Fact Sheet Vaping (e-cigarettes)

Three Alternative uses for Nail Polish Remover (19 seconds)

YouTube - Vaping- Respect Your Brain (49 seconds)

This week, it has been announced that The Australian government will ban the importation of non-prescription vaping products – including those that do not contain nicotine. Minimum quality standards for vapes will be introduced, including restricting flavours, colours and other ingredients.

ABC - Vapes to be banned for recreational use, 'pharmaceutical' packaging to be required under crackdown

Whilst we can predict that there will be work in the implementation and regulating of this – it is indeed encouraging news for the health and wellbeing of our young people. Importantly the adolescence themselves must still be engaged in the learning and decision-making for there to be a shift in culture. Young people are immersed in a world of social activity and social media, hence it is important that we look to the enticements and triggers that prompt young people to vape in the first place. Continual and broad education and conversation with and amongst your teens is critical. 

I recommend to you an upcoming webinar facilitated by a reputable educational organisation, Webinar presented by Safe on Social, Training and Education:

WEBINAR - Thursday 25 May 7.00pm to 7.45pm, cost of $27.50

WEBINAR - Clearing the Smoke: navigating teen vaping and social media

Our parenting and education need to be both preventative and responsive. The facts are that vaping has led to addictions and we need also consider the steps we need to take as parents to acknowledge the real health risk for both respiratory health, addictive behaviours and mood. Like any other medical condition, we need to seek the medical support to address the addiction rather than just hope the adolescent will simply decide to stop one day. Young people should see their General Practitioner for help to quit vaping as they are the experts who are seeing this presentation more and more. Parents may wish to also access the following services:

Quitline counsellors are available to answer any questions about vapes on 13 7848 (13 QUIT). Quitline is a telephone-based service offering information and advice. Quitline counsellors provide tips and strategies and help people to plan their quit attempts, based on their own needs and preferences. They can also help parents and carers think of ways to approach a conversation about vaping with young people.

The Cancer Institute NSW iCanQuit website provides information on quitting methods, links to support groups and top tips to help young people quit.

As parents and educators, we are reminded that our children do look to us as trusted adults who can guide and support their decision making, values and actions – even when it sounds like they do not. Knowing that we take the time to know more of the world in which they are navigating this decision-making and are prepared to initiate some challenging and encouraging conversations says to adolescents that they are worth the fuss. If this is all part of ‘just being parents’ it certainly makes the pursuit of parents motivated by a love that desires just outcomes for each child.

Finally, I take the opportunity to welcome Mr Michael Harvey to the role of Head of Cater House. Michael has joined us this term as a member of the Religious Education team and is excited to now add the leadership of the mighty purple Cater House. He will enjoy a robust immersion into the role with the House activities coming up this term – Athletics Carnival, St Vincent’s Day and House Dance.

I am looking forward to this evening’s Year 11 Social here at school, a casual affair that fits well between the Year 10 and Year 12 Formals. I commend the work of the Student Committee and Ms Newbond who have created a great ambience with a food truck on the courtyard and the theme of 2000s. I am looking forward to the costumes and music to take me back to my kind of a Friday night. It is moments such as these that we see students stepping up into leadership of school culture, nurturing a spirit of openness, connection and good old-fashioned fun. I hope the same for the Mother's Weekend in Mudgee, which no doubt will offer opportunity to savour relationships and create new connections of support as we help each other being the ‘just’ parents we want to be.

Mrs Elizabeth Brooks
Deputy Principal

 The partnership between school and home is critical in supporting and guiding learning. As parents and primary carers, you have been integral in your daughter’s learning every day since birth and she owes a significant proportion of her knowledge and skills to your guidance, modelling and instruction. By comparison, St Vincent’s is a relatively new influence on your daughter’s learning journey, albeit one that can often dominate in a busy schedule of lessons, co-curricular commitments, homework and assessments. But none of what we offer during the day would be possible without the support and commitment that you bring to your daughter, even if that partnership hasn’t been in explicit communication. Your presence and influence are evident in your efforts to get a sleepy teenager out the door on time, providing words of encouragement as she completes challenging tasks, or your presence in the evening as your daughter works to put the finishing touches on her latest assessment. 

Term 2 is characterised by events that make the partnership between home and school more apparent, with a range of opportunities to connect home, school and student in open dialogue and collaborative planning. The primary occasion for these conversations will be the number of Parent Teacher meetings scheduled this term and into early next term. I would encourage you, where possible, to join your daughter’s teachers in discussing her progress to date and working together to set new goals and direction for the year. As the primary agent and focus of our learning endeavours, I hope that your daughter will be an active member in these conversations. In the spirit of our Learning Framework which articulates our desire to empower our students to be ‘independent in thought and confident to act’, the ability to step into a conversation where your daughter can articulate her learning achievements, contribute to her future learning plans and connect home and school is critical.

The other important shared experience will be the process of subject selection that both our current Year 8 and Year 10 students will undertake. You will be standing alongside your daughters as they develop informed opinions about their preferences and explore new opportunities that choosing subjects affords. These conversations will occur throughout Term 2 and 3 and more detail about the handbooks, information evenings and other structures to support the decision making will be communicated in due course. 

I welcome these opportunities to bring our partnership to the fore and to work alongside one another in guiding your daughter as she sets new goals for her learning, explores new subject offerings and shapes the learning that will occur for the remainder of 2023 and be foundational to 2024 and beyond.

Ms Alison Boyd-Boland
Director of Teaching and Learning

We ran out of everything!  Chocolate, milk, ice, banana bread, butter and then… coffee beans.  It was the biggest morning for Coffee Queens ever.  I’d like to be able to tell you that we took it all in our stride, but actually, we panicked.  The line to order coffee was way too long, and Ms Butter was developing that glint in her eye, something like a sniper waiting for the perfect shot.  What a challenge!  We got through it and made excellent profits for the Jesuit Refugee Service.  Our Coffee Queens team continues to grow and we are at the point where a roster is imperative.  Today we ran out of cups.  I’ll order more this afternoon and try to find the most eco-friendly version on the market.  I’m so proud of our wonderful girls who serve with a smile - and even the ones who forget to put on their apron and end up looking like Augustus from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Tomorrow night is our first Father-Daughter Night Patrol.  I’m so excited.  We have three brave dads and 3 super daughters ready to serve the homeless a sandwich and a cuppa.  It will be a cool night tomorrow, so a cup-a-soup is sure to be popular.  I should have some nice photos to show you next week if they are not too busy to take them.  I’m sure Grace Kenny will take some nice shots.   If you’d like to be part of the fun, do consider signing up for the Father-Daughter Night Patrol Project.  Take the plunge and click on the link.  What better way for dads and daughters to teach each other about justice and love than to feed the homeless?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xeHIRTccWknam4q3d2zaBzMNqx-leE3-7gqOEnSfNYI/edit?usp=sharing

Cupcakes for St Canice’s is back up and building momentum. We had 6 boxes of cakes yesterday and they produced the usual glee on delivery.  I want to acknowledge all the dads and mums who are left with the washing up on Wednesday nights after cupcake masterchef.  We do cheer on our Vinnie’s chefs for their extraordinary creations, but I am left wondering if perhaps sometimes their perfect cakes are not matched by perfect washing up and putting away afterwards.  Let’s all try harder to be courageous women of washing up.

We had the busiest afternoon ever on Wednesday at Matt Talbot.  Eliza, Teagan and Saidie were swamped by customers as soon as we opened the Kiosk window.  We didn’t even know we served sausage rolls and had multiple orders for them!  We had a great chat to one fellow about his ‘collection’.  He keeps treasures in a suitcase; some he’s bought, some he’s found, some that are desired rather than reality, all in hope that one day he will be able to sell them for ‘thousands’.  The girls and I had a chat about it afterwards.  We decided that it doesn’t matter what is actually in the suitcase, or even if there is in fact a suitcase; what matters is the excitement of this one young man’s dream to achieve something, to be perceived as successful and to be a ‘winner’ in life. We hope he is there next time and we can continue the conversation.  

It’s time we got cracking again on our Wetpacks for Matt Talbot.  If you would like to contribute to our efforts to give homeless men who are sleeping rough a little dignity, please buy a ticket or two on humanitix for Matt Talbot Wetpacks.  We supply body wash, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion for exhausted feet that have been ‘moved on’ all day.  If you’d like to help out with funds for Wet Packs for Matt Talbot, here is a link to Humanitix.

https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-matt-talbot-wet-pack-support-2023

Our Mother's Day Liturgy will be celebrated on Friday morning in our beautiful chapel at 7.45am.  The choir will sing for us and there will be a couple of soloists that will set you up for the whole day. Our guest speaker will share her joys and challenges of being a mum and we are sure to have a giggle on the way, in between our prayer and pride in our daughters.

Don’t forget there’s breakfast afterwards and our Coffee Queens will be on hand to make the best coffee in Potts Point.  

I’ll see you there.

Mrs Jo Kenderes
Director of Faith and Mission

Did you know that E-waste makes up 70% of our overall toxic waste and only 12.5% of E-Waste is recycled per year? In fact, 85% of our E-Waste is sent to landfills and incinerators where they are burned, releasing harmful toxins into the air! That is why the Environment Committee has set up E-waste recycling bins. E-waste such as old keyboards, printer cartridges, mice, cables, chargers and batteries can be recycled. This E-waste is taken by staff and students to places such as Reverse Garbage, Officeworks and even Aldi to be recycled and created into new products. Do you have any old, unused or broken electronic appliances? If so, our E-waste recycling bins can be found in the LRC! Bring in your E-waste from home and let's save the planet one piece of E-waste at a time.

Career News

Congratulations to Yumi van der Woude on another great achievement. Yumi’s piano skills have recently won her first place in the senior division of the Brisbane International Youth Music Competition. She has been invited to Germany in December to perform as part of the combined Festival and Youth German Orchestra, conducted by Stafan Kebler. During her trip, Yumi will be given the opportunity to attend master classes, workshops and lessons with renowned musicians in Europe. We look forward to hearing about more of Yumi’s achievements.

Intermediate Theatresports Challenge

On Thursday evening Sage Croft, Emily Emmett, Leila Spies, Tara Sukumaran and Eva Travers represented the College in the first round of the Intermediate Theatresports Challenge. The afternoon commenced with a fun skill-building workshop followed by the competition. Each team must compete in 4 rounds and the points are added together to decide who goes on to compete in the semi-finals. I am very proud to say that in their first Theatresport Challenge, our team has been successful and will again represent the College at Meriden on Tuesday 23 May.  

Congratulations to the girls and their tutor, Georgia.

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

Head of Volleyball and Touch:  Ms Elyse Harmanis - 0434 610 870 elyse.harmanis@stvincents.nsw.edu.au 
Head of Football:  Mr Nick Schroeder - 0431 117 565
Head of Hockey:  Mr Paul Tssijen - 0406 941 205

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

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

IGSA Spawtz:  https://igsasport.spawtz.com/  

TERM 2 SPORT

Welcome to Term 2 Sport and what we hope will be another successful term! The two big highlights of the Term will be the IGSA Cross Country Carnival at Frensham on Friday, May 12 and the Interhouse Athletics Carnival at E S Marks Field on Wednesday, May 24

Training commenced last week for all teams and games commenced last Saturday. Please check the College website for all teams and draw information. If you have any questions please email your Head Coach.

READ MORE BY CLICKING "SHOW MORE"

The School That Hope Built Book Launch 30th May

We are very pleased to support Gemma Sissia, a St Vincent's Alumnae, and her team to launch their latest book 'The School that Hope Built' written by Madeleine Kelly. The book is a wonderful account of the 20 years Gemma has spent building The School of St Jude, a school that is changing the lives of some of the poorest children in Tanzania. Please join us to hear from Gemma, Madeleine and Enock about how St Jude's was started and has grown from Gemma's dream to the successful, multi-campus school it is today. The trio will also very generously hold a Q&A session along with a 'meet and greet' function afterwards. Light refreshments and canapés will be served. RESERVE YOUR SEAT

Mother Daughter Dinner Friday 12th May

For any current parents who are also ex-students of the college and are attending the dinner, we would love to have a group photo with all the ‘Alumnae Mums’ and their daughters. The photo will be scheduled for approximately 9:00 pm. Edwina Heiler will make an announcement in the evening on where to congregate. If you would like to take part, please listen out for Edwina’s announcement on the night.

St Vincent’s College Ex Student Union – 165th Reunion Dinner

Just a reminder to all of our ex-students of the invitation extended to you all to attend the 165th Reunion Dinner being held on 16th June. Early bird tickets are currently available here.

The Ex-Student’s Union is also looking for some support for the night by way of raffle prizes. If you would like to contribute, please contact me at heilere@stvincents.nsw.edu.au or the Union directly at stvincentsexstudents@gmail.com

Studying for the HSC?

Woollahra Libraries is inviting St Vincent's HSC students to attend their HSC events. They have subject experts, university lecturers, HSC markers and free tutors to help students succeed at a range of upcoming events, as well as opportunities to destress during study periods!

FIND OUT MORE

The unique event has been conducted at St Mary's North for over 25 years. It is an evening when women, who come from diverse backgrounds, share aspects of the spiritual dimensions of their lives - what gets them up in the morning, what gives them joy, and hope and how they deal with life's knock-backs and adversities.

Join us for an uplifting evening

Tuesday 16 May 2023 | 7pm | St Mary's North Sydney

for more information please email communications@northsydneycatholics.com

 Students MUST bring their Student Card with them when purchasing from the canteen.  NO CARD/NO PURCHASE. 

• Our canteen uses a cashless system so it is imperative that students have credit on their cards.  We are unable to provide service to students who do not have credit available to spend. 
• You need to refill money onto your card AT LEAST ONE HOUR BEFORE you intend to use the card (as it takes one hour to generate funds onto the card).
• It is also critical students DO NOT provide their ID card and password to other students.
• ONLINE ORDERING is also available.
• GLUTEN FREE products are available - only when purchased through online ordering. 

TO ORDER A NEW STUDENT ID CARD please click the link HERE.  Please note that students MUST use their College login to sign into the form.

CANTEEN MENU SPECIALS