Year 12 HSC 

Last Friday, was the last day of HSC examinations for our Year 12 students. Over the last four weeks, they have attended both morning/afternoon examinations for their respective subjects. We wish them all the very best as they now prepare to celebrate their formal next Thursday.  The next month will be an opportunity for a well-earned break, and perhaps a Christmas holiday job as they wait for their results before starting their respective courses and jobs next year. I congratulate them on the highly respectful way they have graduated from St Francis. They have left a legacy for many others to follow. 

All Saints Day:

Last week the Catholic Church celebrated the solemnity of All Saints. A time when we honour the many saints, known or unknown, who modelled their lives on Jesus and his great commandment of love. It is also a time when we are each asked to consider our attitudes towards our neighbours – to show understanding, forgiveness and compassion. As Principal, I have the privilege of regularly witnessing practical examples of how our community reaches out in solidarity with those in need. Whether it be through fundraising for a range of charitable organisations like Caritas or the Catholic Missions, or through students and staff volunteering their time to engage in social justice initiatives. Our community demonstrates a genuine level of care and empathy for others within our society.

Pope Francis has previously stated that, “Being a saint is not a privilege of the few … The path that leads to holiness has a name and has a face; it’s the face of Jesus Christ; He teaches us to become saints.”

I would also like to congratulate Bishop Brian Mascord who celebrated his 30th Anniversary of faith-filled service to the Catholic Church this week. Bishop Brian is a great supporter of Catholic education and a wonderful friend to our community. 

May God continue to bless you.

Mr Simon Abernethy
College Principal

CHRISTMAS STORY ART EXHIBITION 2022

‘The gift for all of us is the insight and inspiration we receive through the window of the students' eyes, catching a glimpse of their spirituality.' – Jo Kenny, Head of Service, Catholic Life, Education and Mission

The Christmas Story Art Exhibition and Competition is an initiative of the Catholic Education Offices in Wollongong and Sydney, designed to celebrate and explore children’s creative and artistic ability in illustrating the Christmas story. This exhibition and competition provide the opportunity for Years 5 and 6 students to share with the wider community a greater awareness of the role of the arts in Religious Education. Children can develop deeper appreciation for their talents and recognise the value of the arts in expressing understanding of the Catholic faith. All students in Year 5 & 6 entered their artworks and written reflections depicting the story of the birth of Jesus and the nativity story. These were worked on in their Creative Arts and supported in Religious Education classes during Term 3. Students reflected on the scripture reading which they used for inspiration, how they could relate to the story and how it brought them closer to God. They also wrote about the technical aspects of their artwork, explaining why they chose the media, the colours, and symbol used.

Congratulations to Jessica and Saira from Year 6 Blue on their successful entries into the Christmas Story Art Exhibition and Competition. The top 40 artworks were chosen from those entered into the competition to be exhibited at the Wollongong Art Gallery. This exhibition will remain open till the 25th of November.

To view the digital exhibition of the Top 40 artworks, please go to https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/students/christmas-story-art-competition/resources/2022-christmas-story-art-exhibition/ 

Well done Jessica and Saira!!!

During the month of October, we celebrate World Mission Month, a month dedicated to the life-giving work of missionaries around the world. In support of this, our college community will band together to help build brighter futures for communities in Ethiopia.

How?

Students (K-11) are asked to wear their craziest pair of socks to school and give a gold coin donation on November 18.

Optional 

Students (K-11) are encouraged to make a ‘sock ball’ out of recycled materials. Watch the video for instructions! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPLnuvW7XFo

Students who make sock balls can bring these into school and use them to participate in games, like a soccer shootout!

When?

Friday, November 18th, 2022.

Many thanks for your continued support of the REIM team,

Mrs. Mediati & Mrs. Crescini 

Live was a great event to be involved in. It was so much fun attending and finding a lot about my true self and God. Small groups were very pleasant and we got to speak about ourselves and realise who we are in the eyes of God and among the Catholic community. The food was great and everyone was open minded about everything which really added to the fun factor. This LIVE, we had students from years 7-11 attending. Next year, we want to invite more people to attend LIVE as it is completely worth it and if you have the time, just come. You won't regret it. It is absolutely amazing and with us, you can find your true self and become the best person you can be.

Hari - Year 10

On Wednesday the 19th October, our two Year 12 HSC Standard English classes attended a live theatre performance in the city of their prescribed text for the HSC, Past the Shallows.  The performance was a co-production with Archipelago Productions, Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP), which presented its world premiere of the play adaptation of Pavel Farrett’s novel at The Rebel Theatre only on 13 October 2022. The play had a modern minimalist setting and only three actors who played a range of characters, including sometimes the same character at the same time.
The brand new Rebel Theatre is located on Dawe’s Point right in the city, a beautiful renovated wharf premise which is the new home of the ATYP theatre company, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Bell Shakespeare Company.  The weather on the day was superb and we enjoyed a beautiful walk to and from the theatre and Circular Quay along the harbour, as well as lunch in the city before heading home. 
The students are to be commended on their enthusiastic participation in the excursion and we are sure the live performance will be a big asset to their studies of this text as they commence their HSC course work this term.

Miss Randall & Mrs Spencer

On Friday 28th October, Mrs Inzitari and four year 10 5.3 students ventured across to Bicentennial Park for a Mathematics in Surveying Excursion. The day was run by volunteer surveyors and students from the University of NSW. It allowed to students to gain an insight into the profession of surveying and the many avenues available for them to study and work. The day began with a brief history of surveying followed by a demonstration of a lawn-mower looking apparatus called a Ground Penetrating Radar. The boys were able to trial this piece of $30 000 equipment in order to see if there were any pipes or wires under the ground. We were all very impressed with how mathematicians have created this technology for use in today’s fast paced world. Other activities included using trigonometry to find the bearing of a bushfire from a viewing tower, and finding the exact heights of structures using different types of surveying equipment and lots of mathematics. Overall, the students appreciated the chance to be part of this day, as it brought their mathematics lessons to life and gave them a pathway to exploring surveying as a career option after school. A special thanks to the boys for being so well presented and involved on the day. The head surveyer and organiser was very impressed with the high quality of students representing St Francis Catholic College.

On Wednesday, October 19 the Boys Years 7-9 MISA Cricket team traveled to Thomas Dalton Park in Wollongong to compete in the Diocesan Cricket Gala Day. Well done to the following boys who represented St Francis Catholic College on the day:

Lavent D
Amon K
Sreehari R
Yuvraj K
Rayan N
Ojas G
Jayden N
Evan D
Jeevan R
Pritish A 

The boys came up against some strong competition against schools from both the Macarthur and Wollongong areas and competed hard all day. Unfortunately, the team just missed out on making the finals, however, all boys on the team showcased some excellent skills in regard to their batting, bowling and fielding as well as demonstrating exemplary sportsmanship at all times.

Mr Baker

Tea Ceremony (Sadou)

How do you have your cuppa in the morning? With sugar and milk, or a hot cup of green tea?

茶道 (Sadou) literally translates from Japanese as “the way of tea” and is a Japanese tradition steeped in history. It is a ceremonial way of preparing and drinking green tea, and it is typically performed in a traditional tearoom with a 畳 (tatami) floor. It is often performed using 抹茶 (matcha) which is a powdered form of green tea, however, it can also be performed using 煎茶 (sencha) which is a form of leaf green tea. Other than serving and enjoying Japanese Green Tea, one of the main purposes of a tea ceremony is for the guests to enjoy Japanese-style hospitality and take a break from the rush and business of everyday life.

Tea was first introduced to Japan in the 8th Century from China, and, like Wasabi, was originally used for medicinal purposes. Traditional Tea Ceremonies have Zen-inspired origins and an emphasis on spirituality. Today’s Tea Ceremonies have become a popular hobby, and there are many places in Japan where tourists can experience an authentic tea ceremony for themselves. 京都 (Kyoto) and 宇治 (Uji) are among some of the best cities in Japan to enjoy their authentic tea culture. 

The Japanese Club participated in a Tea Ceremony Workshop during Week 2 of Term 4. Students were taught key phrases to use during the tea ceremony and proper tea ceremony etiquette. The students had to enter the room and sit in a 正座 (seiza) position on the floor, by placing their legs underneath their thighs and resting on their heels. They also had to bow before the host (Ms. Tooby) places the materials for the ceremony in front of them, which for the Japanese Club students were Japanese sweets and green tea.

A Japanese sweet is served before drinking the tea. The Japanese Club students were able to try Japanese 羊羹 (youkan) which is a jelly made out of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. After eating the sweets, the students were then able to taste the green tea. The tea was placed in a cup in front of the students, with the front of the cup facing them. Students were instructed to pick up the cup in their right hand and place it in their left palm. They were then told to turn the cup with their right hand in a clockwise motion so that the front of the cup was no longer facing them. Students were then to drink the tea by sipping it. They finished their portion of the tea ceremony by bowing to express their gratitude. 

The Japanese Club students thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into traditional Japanese cultural practices. Why not try slowing down this week by enjoying a peaceful cup of Japanese green tea?

Kind regards,
Ms Tooby
Classroom Teacher

Yesterday, a group of Year 4, 5 and 6 students attended a Talented Mathematicians Workshop titled ‘Out of the Box’ at Sackville Street Public School. The day was run by 'Inquisitive Minds', a Sydney based educational business which focuses on creating positive mathematical experiences for students. The students were taught some strategic problem solving techniques and given the opportunity to work with like-minded students from other schools on a series of engaging, original and hands-on maths problems. Our students showed outstanding problem solving skills and perseverance throughout the day and were a credit to themselves, their families and our College Community. A special congratulations to Aidan T who received a special medallion for his achievements and team work during one of the challenges on the day.

Over the year we have accumulated numerous objects such as glasses, headphones, earphones, watches, keys, and other miscellaneous items. If your child/ren has lost an item please collect them from College Reception. If remained unclaimed they will be thrown away.