The Lord measures our perfection neither by the multitude nor the magnitude of our deeds, but by the manner in which we perform them.  St. John of the Cross

St John of the Cross offers some words that resonate with our College Assembly this week. We asked the students to think about their construct of mateship and pride, and teacher, Phillip Nicotra spoke to them about being environmental stewards. The students were asked to think about their actions, to be proud of their achievements and to feel a sense of responsibility to the care of each other and the environment in which they live.

Perfection is not about how much time or how often we spend in devotion or study, rather it is measured by the quality of what is done. As Year 12 students prepare for their Mid Course Examinations over the next two weeks, there are many remarkably simple needs that we must all fulfil, one of these is sleep. When examinations are bearing down on you it is oh-so-tempting to stay up late to cram in as much information as you possibly can. Most of the time, this is a rather poor strategy to use as it offers diminishing returns.

How Much Sleep Do We Need?  

• Babies under 1: 14-18 hours throughout the day and night
• Toddlers: 12-14 hours per 24-hour period
• Primary school: 10-12 hours per day
• High school: 9-11 hours per day
• Adults: 7-9 hours per day

Sleep research suggests that a teenager needs between nine and 10 hours of sleep every night. This is more than the amount a child or an adult need. Yet most adolescents only get about seven or eight hours. Many are getting less.  

On Thursday night, the College will be hosting Dr Prue Salter from Enhanced Learning Educational Services (ELES). She will be working to build a pattern of application, technique and insights into preparing for the success of a senior student. As this is a compulsory College event, all Year 11 students are to attend. Parents are encouraged to attend with their son. Please see flyer included in this edition of Tolle Lege.  

Three Reasons Why Busy Students Should Skip Late Night Study Sessions:  

1. You’ll Be More Productive By going to sleep at an appropriate time you’ll wake up the next morning feeling fresh and ready for a new day of studying.
2. You’ll Have Less Stress If you stay up late and wake up early you won’t be getting enough sleep. Studies have shown that individuals who get long amounts of unbroken sleep will have decreased amounts of cortisol, the stress hormone. The less stressed you are the more you’ll be able to concentrate and perform under pressure – something very handy for exams.
3. You’ll Feel Better Feeling great feels…well great! If you have a two-week exam period and you start pulling crazy hours the week before that’s almost a month where you will feel miserable. We know that exams are a difficult time but you shouldn’t need to put in eighteen-plus hour days each day. If you’re doing that we can’t help but question the effectiveness of your study habits. 

Jonathan Byrne
Principal    

Joshua Papalia, Prefect and Murray House Captain  

Lenten Appeal

St Augustine’s College has always been involved in Social Justice and each year we have a Lenten Appeal. In the past, each Tutor Group has run activities to raise money for the SEA Program which has been a very worthwhile cause. However, this year’s new group of Student Leaders has decided to move toward more Community-based activities that not only help the College, but also the broader local community.  

As part of the College’s theme “LOVE AND THEN DO WHAT YOU WILL” (Saint Augustine Sermon 7:8), Tutor Groups were asked to show love in a practical way.  

Some of the initiatives include:  

• Car washing;
• Senior students helping the Primary boys with their homework;
• Cleaning up local beaches including North Curl Curl and Collaroy;
• Care packages for families in need;
• Senior students helping Primary students construct St Augustine ‘spinners’. The spinner creates an optical illusion to combine the symbols of the flaming heart, book and arrow from the College crest;
• Gardening and general light maintenance at the Manly Warringah Women’s Resource Centre;
• Donating stationery to The School for Life Foundation for students in Uganda.

It is so exciting to see how each Tutor Group wants to “pay it forward” and we anticipate a diverse and collaborative approach by the Tutor Groups as they engage with our theme.