Bulletin

Monday 24 August:  HSC Trial Examinations continue until Monday 31 August.

Tuesday 25 August:  Years 7, 8, 10, 11 - Resume face-to-face lessons. 

Friday 28 August:  Year 9 - Resume face-to-face lessons.

Tuesday 01 September:  Year 12 - Return to lessons.  

Friday 04 September:  7.45am-8.30am - Father's Day Liturgy - Google Meet.

Saturday 05 September:  Saturday Sport Resumes on a regional basis.  (see more details in Sport Report)

Sunday 06 September:  Father's Day.

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2021 Term Dates:  Link to the dates HERE

Dear Parents and Carers

As I sit this morning to write this piece, I am struck by the normalcy and calmness of the day.  The sun is shining, the spring bulbs planted in memory of Elisabeth Carey (Class of 2019) are in full bloom, the Year 12's are arriving for their Trials, the Boarders are skylarking around in the yard, staff are going about their myriad of duties and I am enjoying a pot of tea!  What a stark contrast to last Friday, and I want to thank each of you for playing your part in making sure the intervening days saw a quick return to home-based learning for most of our students.  Thank you for the home-based Vinnies' community that once again showed it is not where we are, it is who we are that defines our spirit.  Since last Thursday night when we were contacted by the Public Health authorities, the College became the interface between Government Health agencies, our families, staff, educational authorities, the media and local neighbours and business.  At the centre of all was a wonderful individual family who were living the nightmare that each of us has carried since we first heard of the COVID-19 virus.  I want to commend them for their openness, concern for all who had been impacted and disrupted, and their ability to manage the extraordinary circumstances they found, and continue to find themselves navigating.

There really is a truth in the old adage that a crisis can bring out the best and the worst in people.  I do want to acknowledge the distress caused to the family by the irresponsible 'trolling' of their family on social media platforms.  To seek to apportion blame to an individual family or individual for the transmission of a highly contagious virus in the midst of a global pandemic, is beyond unreasonable.  It is a whole new phenomenon driven by fear and ignorance that has seen restaurants, cafes, schools, aged care homes, hotels, families and individuals bombarded with hateful 'postings'.  I am disappointed that some of our students got caught up in this, but I am much more proud of the fine, courageous leadership many students showed in drowning out the negative and hateful comments with positiveness, empathy and genuine concern.  We are a community based on a belief that the light always breaks through the darkness.

There has been so much goodness practised this week.  The prayers of the Sisters of Charity, the prayers of the wide ministries of Mary Aikenhead, the flexibility and generosity of our students and staff, the resilience and focus of our Year 12 students, the gifts of thoughtfulness, flowers, chocolates, all sustained us, and the family most impacted.  For all these gestures large and small, I say a profound thank you.  These acts of human kindness defeated those who preferred to peddle untruths.  Perhaps they actually believed in their disordered thinking that our young people needed more to worry about?  Let them come out from the shadows, and stand illuminated by hope. 

I wanted to highlight an important opportunity for parents organised by the P&F.  In response to the unique circumstances of 2020 and how this is impacting on parenting an adolescent.  The P&F have arranged for very well known psychologist Dr Judith Locke, to present a webinar for our parents and staff.  Please see the article below 'Parent Webinar', regarding these seminars to be held on 2 and 9 September, 6.30pm-7.15pm.  The webinar will be delivered via Zoom and you will be sent the login details on the morning of the event.  Please register here or via the link (and in the article below).

Yours sincerely

Anne Fry
Principal 

Confident and Capable:  Developing Your Teen’s Resilience

With thanks to the P&F, the College is pleased to present a two-part webinar for our parents and carers by renowned expert, Dr Judith Locke.

Helping develop your teen’s resilience

This is a 90-minute session delivered over two webinars (each 45 minutes) to help parents encourage their teens’ confidence, resilience, and self-regulation in their schooling, in an era where many parents overdo assistance and care for their children, and the challenging time of COVID-19.

Wednesday 02 and 09 September - 6:30pm-7:15pm.

To register your attendance, please click HERE

The webinar will be delivered via Zoom and you will be sent the login details on the morning of the event.

About Judith Locke:  Dr Locke is a registered clinical psychologist, former teacher, school counsellor and workplace trainer.  She is the Director of Confident and Capable®, an organisation specialising in delivering psychological training solutions for parents, children, teachers and other employees.  Judith undertakes research investigating modern parenting, family wellbeing and academic environments.  Her psychological commentary features regularly in the media including a weekly parenting column for News Corp and she is a member of both The Australian Psychological Society (the APS) and the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.

Ms Jane Palin
Community and Alumnae Relations Manager

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

Jazlyn Leslie (Year 11) - Great-Grandmother.

Lilas-Mae Njoo (Year 10) and Tilda Njoo (Class of 2019) - Grandfather.

Constance King (Year 10) - Grandfather.

Ms Jenny McCarthy (staff) - beloved Mother.

Ms Maxine Byrom (staff) - beloved Aunt.

As a class teacher of a Year 7 English, I have delighted in the desire to keep the momentum of learning and connected relationships driving our on-line Foxford experience this week. It has been good to reflect with colleagues upon the refinements we have implemented since our experience in March to May as a result of teacher reflection in response to student and parent feedback and the professional learning and collaboration of teachers, particularly immersed in the neuroscience of learning. It has also sharpened our empathy for what our Victorian schools must be experiencing as my class saw our week of Foxford Learning as a novel mid-term break to learn differently knowing we are back face to face next week. The technological skills of our youngest students, along with readiness to pop into small group Google Meet within a lesson, process ideas through journaling and share samples of work has been nothing short of impressive. I share this experience as I know it reflects the commitment to learning of our many students and teachers. Thank you to you the parents and carers for enabling effective working environments at home to keep this momentum going. A huge shout-out to our HSC cohort - their lift off to Trial HSC Examinations has been nothing short of their proven 2020 beat - a can do attitude where they care for and support and lift each other with equal measure of perspective and good humour.

I have often included in my Bulletin articles resources from two leading psychologists to assist you as parents and carers in supporting your children during their adolescence and in the context of our time.  I join Mrs Fry in encouraging you to take up the opportunity to join Dr Judith Locke’s two-part webinar Confident and Capable: Developing your teen’s resilience (details and booking information are in 'Parent Webinar' just below Mrs Fry's article in this issue).  I have heard Judith present to parents and is incredibly well received.  I too thank the P&F for their care of our community in supporting this education. To complement this, Dr Danielle Einstein is providing an online Parent Bootcamp Chilled and Considerate Parent Bootcamp designed to help parents understand how to grasp their natural response to uncertainty, and turn it around for a better outcome. This course will provide the practical strategies to understand what is happening in terms of thoughts and emotions and learn to change a few habits that indicate less healthy ways of managing your worries. As the College is already engaging with this Chilled and Considerate initiative, we have accessed a reduced cost per family to use the Bootcamp. Please follow the link (valid until 12 September) to enrol ($AU35 incl GST)

St Vincent's College Chilled and Considerate Parent Bootcamp

Both psychologists talk the same language. I would encourage you to participate in Judith’s webinar to hear what it is we can be more attentive to in understanding and responding to adolescents as parents and then as follow up, participate in Danielle’s online Parent Bootcamp to develop strategies and language to put in practice in our parenting and support of adolescent children. As they say - ‘it takes a community to raise a child’ and so as community we support each other.

Mrs Elizabeth Brooks
Deputy Principal, Pastoral Care

Last week Mother Church celebrated the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August.  The Assumption has been part of our Catholic tradition for nearly 1500 years.  The conception of this great patronal feast lies in a pre-scientific cosmology that explained the universe as a three tiered affair with a flat earth, a firmament above that held back the blue waters of the heavens and stars through which the light of Heaven shone from beyond the firmament.  They also provided an opening for rain to fall through if God so willed it.  This cosmology allows ideas of a great flood to be possible and an Ascension narrative to also make sense.  If Heaven is just beyond the firmament, then to rise up would be the way to get there.  We no longer have this pre-scientific cosmology.  But there is far more to this Patronal feast than cosmology.

The Assumption, as it is shown in art work and in the Religious imagination, doesn’t sit well with 21st Century ideas of Heaven, of body and soul.  The celebration of Our Lady leaving this earthly realm and rising up body and soul into heaven, makes a great target for skeptical literalists who, quite rightly, would suggest the impossibility of this idea, given that to rise ‘up’ is would not result in Heaven, but instead orbit.

The Feast of the Assumption has little to do with the physicality of Heaven.  It has everything to do with the depth of love and trust that human beings have in God’s goodness and forgiveness.

The feast began in response to the feelings of the people in first 500 years of so after Jesus’ death and resurrection.  There’s very little information about Mary written in the scriptures.  An understanding of who Mary is had to come from the human experience of mothering and family, of expectation and desire, of trust and confidence.

People felt that it made sense that Mary, the mother of Jesus, would have gone straight to Heaven at the end of her life.  It still makes sense.  It made sense to the people of the 6th Century that a mother who had enjoyed such closeness to her son would have shared in his glory.  That means that the Assumption as we understand it today, a glorification of Mary in every part of her being, is a celebration of the spiritual and the physical, a celebration of longing, of desire and relationship.  Mary was and is totally acceptable to God, in her physicality as woman and her role as wife and mother.  There’s solidarity in that.

We celebrate the Feast of the Assumption because we know that we, like Mary, can and will be completely acceptable to God.  Mary has shown us the way.  “She treasured all these things in her heart,” we are told in Luke’s Gospel.  These days we are more aware than ever of what we treasure in our hearts.  Family and safety is more important than ever and Mary is an example to us of the difficulties of parenting teenagers who want to make their own decisions, and want to go it alone.

Mary was completely acceptable to God.  So are we.  Every part of us as human beings, as God’s loving creation, will enter into God’s complete loving embrace.  That’s a relief. 

Mary Aikenhead’s prayer on 15 August was:

May our ever-blessed dear mother the Glorious Virgin Mary bestow her tender blessings on each and every one around you.

Mrs Jo Kenderes
Director of Faith and Mission

It has been an unusual week with the Boarders being the only ones on site during a school day…along with the HSC Trial students of course.  A huge shout out to Mr Hekeik and Mr Graham for their supervision at break times of the Boarders, and encouraging the soccer games - even if they were quite robust at times, but they had lots of fun!  This last week has been a roller coaster for all involved.  The Boarders have trusted the Leadership Team and Boarding staff to provide them with the right amount of safety and security.  This could not have been done without a team.  This team consists of all Boarding staff, our fabulous casual Boarding staff, Boarder parents and the College Leadership Team - particularly Mrs Kenderes and Mrs Brooks, who came into Boarding to help out - so a personal thank you.

We have been making masks for the last few weeks in preparation for a time when they are worn more often, and we think they have turned out pretty well.  I know the Boarders have received many compliments on their masks when they are out and about, as have I.  If they didn’t take so long to make we could make a profit!!!

There have been lots of activities at night this week to give the juniors a break from their laptops.  Thankfully they missed the storm on Wednesday night and have some great photos to show for it.  Any time off from their screens is always valuable, so all life lessons they learn are going to be good ones.  If you have any ideas for activities please let me know, it is always good to have a stash of ideas ready to go.

Please stay safe, take care, be healthy and look after each other.

Yours in Boarding

Ms Maryanne O'Donoghue
Director of Boarding

The library congratulates:

The Premier's Reading Challenge award winners 2019:

Gold award - Ornella Fox, Year 10

Premier's Reading Challenge Medal - Francesca Oaten and Carla Rizzi Kelly, both Year 10

Mrs Jody McDonnell
Head of Library and e Learning

Last Saturday saw the start of the Language HSC Oral exams, and we as a community had Jiawei D’Arcy in our thoughts as she completed her Chinese speaking exam.  Jiawei has studied Chinese via the NSW School of Languages throughout Year 11 and Year 12.  We congratulate her on her commitment to Language study via a distance education course.

This Saturday our Year 12 French Continuers class:  Hannah Cookson, Ella Eizenberg, Emily Mackay, Shakar Merrillees-Steel, Niamh O’Sullivan, Alexandra Schacht and Hannah Thomas, will complete their French speaking exam.  We wish our class bonne chance! as they complete the first part of their HSC.  They have shown a wonderful commitment and dedication to their Language study throughout all their high school years and we are very proud of them.

Also completing her speaking exam for Spanish Continuers this Saturday is Marnie Gomes.  Marnie has studied Spanish with the NSW School of Languages over the past four years.  We also congratulate her on her commitment to Language study and wish her well.  Buena suerte!

Ms Maria Manitta
Head of Department Languages

This week (August 15-23) is Science Week!  Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology and thousands of individuals across the country get involved in lots of events.  The theme for this year’s event is Deep Blue:  Innovations for the Future of our Oceans which is particularly interested in championing the sustainability of our oceans.

This week some of our Science Week events have had to be postponed, but that just means there is more fun to look forward to when we are back on campus!  In Tutor Group Google Meetings this week, the students have been completing quizzes with questions having a general theme relating to oceans, but without forgetting to add in a couple of questions about St Vincent’s College Science staff.

When we return, I invite all students to visit the Learning Resource Centre to check out the Science Week display that students from the Elisabeth Carey STEM Club have been preparing for a few weeks, and get involved with the virtual reality under the water game.  As well as this, look out for some Science Week activities in junior Science classes including a classroom-friendly escape room challenge!  There are also lots of activities that can be done online this year - check out the Sydney Science Trail website:  https://www.sydneysciencetrail.net.au/

Ms Gemma Thompson
Science Teacher

Creative Writing in the Year 8 English Classroom

Last term, Year 8 explored the topic of narrative writing.  As part of this unit, we were encouraged to think deeply about the writing process of a narrative. We were given an assessment which required us to write a short story inspired by a novel we had been studying in class called ‘A Waltz for Matilda’.  There were three parts to our assignment, all focusing on different stages of creating a narrative that not only taught us how to develop a story with a word limit but also how to work with time management.

For the first section of our assessment, we were required to create a short story of 500 words aimed at SVC Year 8 students.  When creating this narrative, we also learnt about the different ingredients needed and how they work together to create a unique story.  These elements included the structure, characterisation, themes and settings of our stories.  We also studied why these techniques are so essential to construct an effective narrative.  As a result, there were many diverse stories and approaches to this assessment.  All the stories were well thought out and creative.

“I think the criteria of only writing a 500-word story was one of the most difficult requirements and was definitely a task that the whole Year group was challenged by, however, I felt that this also helped us to understand that every word must have a purpose in the story.”  Polly G

Part B of the assessment was something new for all of us.  For this part, we were required to submit a reflection to explain, justify and reflect on the ideas and writing choices of our narratives.  We were also encouraged to reflect on our personal growth throughout the topic and take it into account.  This helped us grow our writing skills and learn about new techniques and their effects in a story.

“I found that the scaffolds and mini-deadlines pointed us in the right direction in terms of developing our narrative.”  Frankie D

For the last section of the assessment, we were required to keep a ‘writer’s journal/notebook’ and submit evidence of our writing process at mini checkpoints along the way.  In these journals we had to include handwritten notes/drafts, diagrams, mind-maps, character profiles, objects and extracts from professional texts.  We also used these journals to layout ideas, plan, draft, edit and re-redraft our narratives.

“I think that journalling made my imagination take charge and it allowed me to think outside the box when it came to story writing”.  Clementine P

In summary, this assessment stretched our creative juices and talents as young writers.  Regardless of the results, our cohort made us proud!  A lot of time was invested by many, far beyond our obsession with Netflix or social media!

By Chelsy Loder, Mia Palmer and Gemma Vinciguerra, Year 8

Student Alliance Networking Group 

Hey everyone! I’m a member of the Student Alliance Networking Group, otherwise known as SANG.  This is a group for Year 10 students that have a passion for, and love to talk about women’s issues here in Australia and around the world.  The program aims to bring young women together and inspire change in our nation's social, political and economic behaviour.  Once a term, all the SANG teams from about every private girl school you could think of here in Sydney, gather together at the Women’s College campus for some great afternoon tea and lively discussion.  Every term, one school is chosen to host the assembly, creating a presentation on a women’s issue of their choosing, sparking conversation amongst the crowd.  This term, it was St Vincent’s turn to host the assembly and we had a lot of fun doing so.

Last week our SANG team, Annabelle Arnott-Young, Emeline Kwok-Valevale, Mia Richter-Weinstein, Amity Carr, Phoebe Roach, Grace Gracia, Halle McGree, Gabrielle Umbrazunas and I, hosted the Term 3 assembly over a zoom call between all the schools on Women’s Safety.  We covered sexual harassment in co-ed and single-sex schools, domestic violence during COVID-19 and the threats of travelling in public at night - and I think it’s safe to say that the presentation was a hit.  Wrapping things up at 6.00pm on the dot, we all made sure we each got home safe, and we grew closer together as a team. 

That being said, this wasn’t the only change we’ve had to our assembly formats.  Term 1 was full on - afternoon tea, socialising, table groups, big presentation boards - it was fantastic!  We made it work despite the restrictions in place at the time - even with the long bus ride to campus causing a little bit of anxiety amongst the group at the beginning of the COVID crisis. I personally made a lot of new friends that day that I still keep in touch with. But when Term 2 came around, everyone was in the midst of lockdown and we couldn’t attend.  The event was officially cancelled, much to all of our disappointment.

This is why we were so happy that St Vincent's was the school chosen to bring the assembly back into action for Term 3.  Our SANG team worked really hard over this past month to create an amazing two hour presentation and I think we really did a fantastic job.  I’d love to have the opportunity to thank everyone on the team for their commitment and contributions to the presentation, and for banding together despite the difficulties. 

With that being said, if you’re in Year 9 and are passionate about women’s issues and feminism, I would highly recommend you sign up for SANG next year. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and engage in dialogue that can cause real change.  Thanks girls!

By Scarlett Huxley, Year 10  

Poets? We Know It!

“When all at once I saw a crowd, a host, of golden daffodils”. 

Over the course of Term 2, Year 10 studied poetry and all that it entails, exploring how Romantic, Australian and First Nations poets represent ideas about our relationship with the environment.  This is extremely relevant in terms of today’s increasing activism about awareness and reduction of climate change, and the part that everyone can play in looking after our natural environment.

It was interesting to learn about the Romantic period and its influence which spanned across many creative forms including art, music and literature.  The movement heavily explored the beauty of the natural world as opposed to the rise of machinery, and sparked a shift in thinking away from the traditional social and political norms and ignited a rebellion in response to urbanisation and industrialisation.  Romanticism emphasised the emotion of the person, the innocence of children, imagination and freedom.  One such person who explored such ideas and is considered to be a pioneer of Romanticism, was English poet, William Wordsworth.  We studied one of his most famous poems “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”, or as we more commonly referred to it “Daffodils”. The poem explored the healing properties that nature can lend to the human spirit and how the mere thought of it can bring us a sense of joy and contentment.

Two other poets we studied were Judith Wright, an Australian poet, and Oodgeroo Noonuccal, a First Nations poet.  Judith Wright was born in rural NSW, and her poetry explores how her pastoral context shaped her relationship with nature and her view of the world, helping her to deepen her understanding of herself.  However, as she grew older Wright began to learn about the wrongdoings that had been done to our First Nation’s people and began her journey of activism for Indigenous rights.  It was fascinating to see how this was reflected in her poetry, especially in her poem “South of My Days”.  It was on this journey that she met Oodgeroo Noonuccal, and the two became good friends and even stronger activists.  We studied Noonuccal’s poem “Municipal Gum”, a poem highlighting the displacement and mistreatment of Aboriginal people and the innate bond that humans, particularly Indigenous Australians, share with the land.  The message struck a chord within many of us, the visceral descriptions painfully exposing the truth; “Municipal gum, it is dolorous to see you thus, set in your black grass of bitumen - O fellow citizen, what have they done to us?”

Towards the end of the term we were very briefly able to look at a few of the works of Kate Tempest, a contemporary English poet and social activist who combines poetry with music.  She performed her poems with an intense vigour and deep emotion which could be seen on her face and heard in her tone. This, combined with the rap-like quality of her pieces, helped us to connect with her poetry on a deeper and more meaningful level, allowing us to truly feel the messages, such as ongoing climate change and the younger generation’s fight against it. 

With all this emphasis on emotion and what nature evokes within us, our teachers made a point of encouraging us to explore our own ideas about our relationship with nature through journaling.  Using various prompts and images we wrote down our own thoughts and feelings about nature, and (if we were daring enough) our own poetry.

All in all, I really enjoyed the poetry unit.  I found that having to analyse poetry so thoroughly pried my mind open to different meanings that can be taken from a text, and how context or techniques such as metaphors or tone can shape meaning.  The time we took to reflect on and interpret themes of nature helped me to gain a deeper understanding, as well as an appreciation for the life and peace that the nature around us provides. 

Some of the students have volunteered their work and opinions below about what they learnt and enjoyed in our poetry unit, showcasing how they understand nature and our relationship with it.

By Kyria Lambropoulos

“I thoroughly enjoyed the unit as it enabled us to gain insight into a wide variety of literary works, which broadened our knowledge of language and how it can be used to convey ideas.  My favourite poem that we studied was Wordsworth’s ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’, as I found that we were able to create our own personal connections to the poem that all of us could relate to.”  Bonnie Joseph

“I really enjoyed the poetry unit and exploring the ways our relationships with nature can manifest.  I particularly enjoyed learning about the Romantic views and analysing Wordsworth’s poem ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’.  It felt personally relevant learning Australian poets such as Judith Wright and Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s eye opening ‘Municipal Gum’.  With climate change being a significant issue in 21st century context, it helped me view nature in a new light and further analyse the importance of the environment.”  Emeline Kwok-Valevale

“I liked that we explored different poets and the context for them, we went beyond the poem itself.  I also liked that we were given the freedom to almost pick and choose which particular poems we wanted to focus on and that we studied a diverse range of poets, and that the poems themselves were stylistically diverse.”  Francesca Oaten

“Wide flat earth and tall reaching skies,
A land of struggle, work and satisfaction,
All sounds paired with the buzz of flies,
Sounds of rest and sounds of action.

Muted tones of green and brown,
And dusty red that coats your boots,
And spreads across the ground,
As you clamber over fig-tree roots”.

By Lilas-Mae Njoo, Year 10

Ms Monica Jarman
Head of Department English

University Open Days

UTS Open Day 

UTS is hosting it's biggest event of the year on 29 August 2020 from 9.00am-4.00pm.  With over 200 talks, tours and activities on offer.  It's your chance to get a taste of life at UTS.  Register your interest here.

UTS Open Week

From 31 August-05 September, UTS will host a virtual open week.  Students will be able to explore their course and career options.  There will be more than 200 information sessions to choose from, and virtual tours and digital workshops on offer.  Registrations are essential by using the link found here

Southern Cross University 

Southern Cross University Open Day is a month-long event which started on 17 August.  It’s a program of over 30 live online events that connect participants with academics, 360-degree virtual campus tours, on-demand videos and live chat with advisers, Register here.

ANU Virtual Open Week 

From 22-28 August, The Australian National University (ANU) invites you to attend ANU Virtual Open Week.  The week-long event will include live webinars, interactive sessions with ANU students and academics, virtual tours of the campus and accommodation.  For more information and to register for this event, go here 

The University of Sydney 

USyd will be hosting two open nights on 9-10 September.  Receive course advice, chat to current students and attend a range of webinars at one of the University of Sydney's online Open Nights.  For more information go here.

The University of Newcastle 

The University of Newcastle invites you to join  Open Week Online from 14 to 18 September 2020.  There will be access to over 40 degree webinars, live information webinars including sessions with the admissions, pathways and scholarships teams, live tours and loads more.  Register your interest here.

TAFE NSW 

TAFE NSW Virtual Open Day 2020 is on from 9-10 September.  Participants will have access to information and expert advice.For more information go here.

Skills and Thrills Digital Showcase

SkillsOne has launched The Skills and Thrills Parents Showcase in a digital format.  Access a free video to learn about:  Apprenticeships and Traineeships; TAFE/ Private Training Providers; Industry trends; Covid-19 impacts on industry; Funding options available (Smart and Skilled); Vocational Education and Training (VET) Options:  School-delivered VET, SBATs and EVET; where to find information; Resources and support services.  Content only available from 10 August to 4 September 2020.  Register interest to receive viewing information and updates here .

SkillsOne Facebook

There will be a live Q&A panel discussion on 26 August from 6.00pm-7.00pm on SkillsOne Facebook.  Parents can pre-submit any questions to do with careers/industry to info@skillsone.com.au .

Workforce of the Future

The Department of Education, Skills and Employment is running a free webinar ‘Workforce of the future’ on 28 August from 12.00pm-1.00pm.  The webinar will consider:  What Australia’s workforce of the future will look like?  What kinds of jobs will be around after the COVID-19 pandemic?  What skills and training do school leavers need to make sure they can find meaningful, long-term employment?  Three of Australia’s leading business leaders from across the Mining, Digital and Human Services sectors will be on hand to discuss the future of Australia’s workforce.  Attendees will have the chance to ask questions and learn about the skills employers are looking for to build the workforce of the future.  Registrations are essential, please use the link provided here 

Creative Opportunities

Sydney Film School

Applications to Sydney Film School are now open for the 2021 January intake.  Hollywood based Variety Magazine has awarded Sydney Film School its top film schools for 2020 accolade.  Sydney Film School teaches the essential film-making ‘tools’ necessary for a career in the global film industry.  Visit the Sydney Film School websiteto find out more.

Sydney Actors School

Applications to Sydney Actors School are now open for the January 2021 intake.  The school is about provides hands-on practical training in acting.  Find out more here 

Sydney Design School 

Is hosting an information session on Wednesday 2 September at 6.00pm.  Join in to find out more about a future in interior design.  This presentation will go for approximately 40 minutes, covering everything you need to know about their accredited courses and flexible learning options.  Register online here.

Ms Helen Marshall
Careers Adviser

Term 3 Sports Staff Contacts:

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

Hockey:  Ms Laura Wiggins:  0418 329 929
Athletics:   Ms Jacinta Jacobs:  0418 416 663
Netball:  Ms Elyse Harmanis:  0434 610 870   
Five-a-Side Soccer:  Mr Hugo Forlico:  0411 615 031.      

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

The Term 3 netball, soccer, basketball and hockey seasons have had a fair share of disruptions due to Covid-19.  Due to government restrictions we are now changing to a regionalized draw and will play all remaining games in the east. This may mean that we will be playing other Vinnies teams in some cases, especially in netball.  There are no games for SVC teams this Saturday 22 August, we will re-enter the competitions on Saturday 29 August.

Thank you to all the students and parents who have adjusted to the Covid-19 rules this term.  Please note, that even if there is a fenced off field we cannot congregate and spectate from behind that area either.  Please be vigilant with sanitizing of hands and social distancing as much as possible.  Leave all venues as soon as you have finished playing. 

The Importance of Sleep

Here’s a few tips on how to increase your immune system during this pandemic:

Most people have experienced the effects of a good night’s sleep on your body’s ability to fight a sickness.  When it comes to your health, sleep is your armour.  Research shows that people who are sleep deprived or consistently miss out on quality sleep are not only more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, but their bodies take longer to recover when they’re hit with an illness.

While stocking up on sleep can’t always prevent you from getting sick, it’s a key way to ensure your body is armed and ready to defend against what comes its way.  If you’re looking to give your immune system some extra support then monitoring your sleep is a good way to give it a boost.

Often we write off sleep as expendable.  According to current estimates, anywhere from as much as two-thirds of all adults in developed nations aren’t getting enough sleep.  However, one of the many consequences of losing out on sleep is a weakened immune system.  Research shows that individuals sleeping six hours or less a night were more than four times more likely to catch a cold compared to those who were logging 7+ hours of sleep. With every hour of sleep lost, the risk of catching a cold continued to rise.

Skipping out on sleep has also been shown to impact the effectiveness of one of the most important illness prevention techniques we have:  Vaccines. Studies show that people who slept fewer than six hours, on average were far less likely to show the antibody response a vaccine is designed to trigger. Sleep deprived individuals were more likely to be left unprotected by the vaccine than people who were getting 7+ hours of sleep.

As sleep and immunity research continues to grow, it’s become clear that sleep deprivation puts your body at a disadvantage.  When you get quality sleep, you empower your body to use every part of your immune system to battle any incoming or present threat.  Don’t let your body head to the battlefield unprepared.

Although your immune system functions throughout the day, night time represents a unique opportunity for it to act while you aren’t interrupting it with meals, movement or tasks.  Your immune system requires a lot of energy to power its activities so it takes advantage of reduced demands from the rest of your body during sleep.  As your immune system ramps up its nightly activity to defend your body, all that fighting releases chemicals, some of which cause inflammation.  As a result, you tend to experience stronger symptoms - including fever, congestion, body aches or sore throat - when your immune system is hard at work.  Sometimes feeling worse at night or first thing in the morning after all this activity is a sign that your body is working harder to help you get better.

Even if you do start feeling under the weather, you will be able to bounce back faster if your body is well-rested.  You can also support your immune system by being mindful of your daily routine and giving it the fuel it needs to be prepared to take on any threat.

• Stay hydrated
• Stock up on immune-boosting nutrients (Zinc, Vitamin C etc)
• Avoid alcohol
• Eat a well-balanced diet
• Make time for hobbies that reduce stress
• Keep active.

The beginning of flu season or the presence of a new illness may be out of your control, but by preparing your body to take on any looming threats you are already a few steps ahead.  Prioritizing sleep is key and those 7+ hours can make all the difference in the battles your immune system fights for you. Stay strong everyone!

Reference: Imeri, L, & Opp, M R (2009). How (and why) the immune system makes us sleep. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(3), 199-210.

IGSSA NETBALL

There are no games for St Vincent's College teams this Saturday 22 August.  Training will recommence on Tuesday 25 August.  Can I please remind everyone that training is compulsory.  Morning sessions are held from 7.25am-8.25am, and afternoon sessions are held from 3.15pm-4.30pm.  All players must attend!  Even if it is raining, training is still on in the gym - 2.32.  SVC teams will re-enter the competition on Saturday 29 August.

The official IGSSA competition has now been abandoned due to Covid-19 and we have changed to a regional competition.  Unfortunately, a large number of schools in the East have withdrawn or are already playing in the RNA competition.  The majority of the remaining games will be held at our home venue at Tempe and may be against other Vinnies' teams because we have so many in the IGSSA competition.  We will ensure to do our best to make sure that all teams get at least three, if not four more games of netball.  

All information regarding the new draw, training times and team lists etc can be found on the netball page on the College website under sport. www.stvincents.nsw.edu.au/learning/sport/netball

Let’s all try and enjoy the remaining games of the season and be grateful that we can indeed play sport at all.

Ms Elyse Harmanis
Head Netball Coach - elyse.harmanis@gmail.com

IGSSA HOCKEY

There are no games for SVC teams this Saturday 22 August.  Training will resume on Wednesday 26 August.  I am still waiting for confirmation if this will be at David Phillips field (if we are allowed to catch buses) or whether it will be fitness and skills at school.  This will be emailed to the players on Monday 24 August.  SVC teams will re-enter the competition on Saturday 29 August.

The official IGSSA competition has now been abandoned due to Covid-19 and we have changed to a regional competition.  Unfortunately, a large number of schools in the East have withdrawn. The majority of the remaining games will be held at our home venue at David Phillips or Steyne Park in Double Bay and may also be against other SVC teams.  We will ensure to do our best to make sure that all teams get at least three, if not four more games of hockey.

Let’s all try and enjoy the remaining games of the season and be grateful that we can indeed play sport at all.

Ms Laura Wiggins
Head Hockey Coach

below:  Hockey at Homebush

ASCHAM 5-A-SIDE SOCCER

Due to Covid-19 government restrictions, the 5-a-Side games will continue at Moore Park with only Eastern Suburbs schools.  The draw has been modified and will be updated on the website as soon as it is finalized.  SVC teams will re-enter the competition on Saturday 29 August.  We will ensure to do our best to make sure that all teams get at least three, if not four more games of soccer.

All soccer games are on the Synthetic Fields so should always be on unless there is lightning.  All players are to arrive 30 minutes before their game to have a light training session.  Full Sports uniform is to be worn with SVC long socks, shin pads and boots (no metal studs).

above:  Year 7

Mr Hugo Forlico
Head Soccer Coach

BASKETBALL

Due to Covid-19 government restrictions the basketball games will continue with only Eastern Suburbs schools.  The games will be played at Sydney University or Kincoppal Rose Bay.  The draw has been modified and will be updated on the website as soon as it is finalized.

Training will start back on Tuesday 25 August.  The SVC team will re-enter the competition on Saturday 29 August.  We will ensure to do our best to make sure that all teams get at least three, if not four more games of basketball.  Let’s all try and enjoy the remaining games of the season and be grateful that we can indeed play sport at all.

below:   Basketball

Ms Elyse Harmanis 
Head Netball Coach - elyse.harmanis@gmail.com

TERM 4 SPORT TRIALS

Trials for Term 4 Sports will be held in Week 7 if required, so please keep an eye on the Sports noticeboard and the College website for more details. We are hoping to select these teams on paper and then only run small trials for the higher teams if necessary.  Please speak to Ms Jacobs if you have any questions or concerns in regard to this.

below:  Volleyball

IGSSA ATHLETICS CARNIVAL and CROSS COUNTRY

Unfortunately, due to updated Covid-19 restrictions, the IGSSA Athletics and Cross-Country Carnivals have now been cancelled this term.  If they can run a more regionalized-style carnival safely, IGSSA will endeavour to do so next term.

below:  Athletics training

Sports Stars of the Week

Congratulations to all of our 32 St Vincent's College Sports teams who have been so patient and understanding the past two weeks, missing out on their much-loved sport!  We will be back next Saturday with true Vinnies spirit.  Stay healthy and strong everyone. 

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

Ms Jacinta Jacobs
Co-ordinator of Sport

Please see below:  AHIGS COVID-19 Protocols for IGSSA NSW Sport - Updated 20 August 2020.

It was this time a year ago that I had my emergency heart operation.  As fortune would have it, God decided He could do without me for now.  What He did reveal to me was the great gift I had in being part of the St Vincent's community.  The concern for me was underpinned by love and compassion.  Hospital visits and gifts, reading material, prayers, messages, cards and caring wishes from my Tutor Group and classes, staff and parents enveloped me in healing.  I have no doubt this generosity of spirit has been a large contributor to my ability to return to the vocation I love. 

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve this community and have been privileged to bear witness to the Vinnies spirit in action.

Ms Jenny McCarthy
HSIE Teacher

AISNSW (Association of Independent Schools) Resource

https://www.aisnsw.edu.au/learning-from-home/wellbeing#parents.

Greater Good Science Centre: COVID-19 parent wellbeing resources and activities

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 Parent discussion forum

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

ReachOut Youth discussion forums

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

ReachOut.com One-on-One Support 

The Brave Program

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

FACE COVID ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)

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.