Tolle Lege

In a recent article Professor Geoff Masters (2023) identified two challenges for the reform of school education. Better preparing students for their future and ensuring every student learns successfully. His report details the need for ‘deep’ reforms and a willingness to ‘transform’ the external frameworks in which schools work.

Our educational reforms continue to focus on an economic model of schooling, with publicly accessible measures of performance, with NAPLAN, HSC and PISA fronting as the chief KPIs. Our high-water mark for narrow band high stakes testing was the call for Australia to be ranked fifth in PISA by 2025 (legislated in the Australian Education Act 2013). This clearly positions cognitive learning and testing as the key instrument of policy leverage. This has created a tension around the development of cognitive skills, pitted against a vision of education that attends to the culture of the learning environment, and its ability to promote wellbeing and moral development.

As an Augustinian school our model of learning places moral development at the centre of schooling, and we have the privilege to journey with our students as they learn the fabric of our values, whilst developing academic outcomes. The investment the College has made over the last 4 years in PERMA and its integration into our vocabulary, practice, and now posters in classrooms, underscore the fundamental role that emotion, sociality and moral awareness play in learning and development. Seven years of research involving 50 academic researchers, hundreds of schools and thousands of teachers, concluded that values education has the potential to enhance academic focus and academic diligence. Good practice pedagogy must be directed to the whole person, and relies upon the brain being stimulated in a morally ambient learning environment.

We want all children to emerge from school with valued skills, knowledge and understanding, which make their own lives and the lives of others better - and indeed more fulfilling, strengthening civic engagement and deliberative democracy. I have watched in growing concern discourse in the United States, and the blurring or even obfuscation of truth, and been reminded of how critical it is our young people develop with a clear moral and intellectual compass.

It takes dedicated and passionate educators, the ones you see helping our Primary students all the way to those supporting our HSC students. Staff willing to take additional classes during the holidays, the ones who coach teams after school and on weekends, the ones who take homework assistance classes after school, the ones who spend countless hours marking assignments on weekends, the ones who undertake Professional Development during the semester breaks, and the ones who take the time to develop relationships that sometimes endure well after the boys finish their schooling. We should be proud of the living evidence of the values in our school, and the role our teachers play in their promotion, the example they set as the teachers at St Augustine’s College.

Jonathan Byrne
Principal

Mother’s Day

The College wishes all mums, grandmothers, and the important women in the lives of the boys at St Augustine’s College, both past and present, a happy Mother’s Day this Sunday. The special celebration we hosted on Thursday morning commencing with scones, cream and jam and concluding with a liturgy, recognises the value that the College places on these foundational and pivotal relationships. As the first and foremost educators of your sons, we are immensely proud and humbled to be able to assist you in the holistic education of your boys. We also acknowledge all those special women who have gone before us and who still hold an incredibly special place in our hearts.

If we look at the relationship that Saint Augustine had with his mother, Monica, and that Jesus had with his mother, Mary, unconditional love is the enduring gift that mothers give to their children. Our boys feel supported by their mothers, fathers, and teachers, which gives them the confidence to be young men of heart, expressing their love to all of those who impact on their lives.

Importance of Reading

The evidence is clear, boys who read regularly and are read to regularly have better comprehension and more sophisticated writing skills, as both reading and writing are mutually beneficial. The teachers set reading as an activity for the boys to complete each night, and we ask for your support in achieving this objective by monitoring their reading behaviours and trying to read with them on a regular basis. The decisive factor is if you can discuss what you have just read and help the boys draw comparisons to their own lives or with other books they may have read. This simple strategy and a quick 1-minute recall of what has just been read are of great benefit. Unpacking unfamiliar vocabulary is also a useful reading technique.

Organisation

The Primary School theme for this term is ‘organisation.’ As parents, we all realise that being organised reduces stress and improves results in homework and assessments. Teaching the boys the skills to prioritise and manage their busy lives is essential. Setting goals and using diaries, calendars and timetables are organisational tools that assist in completing work on time and, incidentally, teach the importance of time management.

The common messaging during our weekly Primary School Assemblies regarding organisation includes-

1. Read your timetable the night before and pack all that you need the night before. This includes knowing when your PE lesson occurs each week.
2. Ensure that you have all the resources and equipment you need the night before i.e. pen, pencil, eraser, ruler, and that you have a fully charged laptop.
3. Set up a homework schedule listing all the outside school events that impact your daily routines. This means setting aside time for homework each night.
4. Put your hand up and ask if you do not understand something.
5. Set realistic and timely goals for the term and list strategies on how you intend to achieve them.

Sport

I have had the pleasure of watching a variety of sports this year, including water polo, basketball, cricket, AFL, and rugby. I will also get around the grounds to watch our Primary School football (soccer) in the coming weeks. When watching these games from the sideline, I was once again reminded of the wonderful community we have at Saints. The conversations I had on the sideline with many of the parents from the respective teams, were very affirming of their sons’ teachers and of the College. The good sportsmanship shown by the boys in their games and by the parents on the sideline supports the favourable reputation we enjoy in the wider community.

Merit Awards

Quote for the week

‘Bear Love in your heart, nothing but good can spring from that source’ (Saint Augustine)

Terry Walsh
Head of Primary School

As a student at an Augustinian school, when do you feel most Augustinian? What do you value most in being in an Augustinian school?

I feel most Augustinian when my school displays its unique Augustinian community. When reflecting on Psalm 150:8, Augustine writes, “In an orchestra there are many different instruments. But all are tuned so carefully and played in harmony that the audience only hears one melody. This must be our ideal: to be one orchestra for the Lord”. As I have ventured through High School and observed my school in comparison to others on the Northern Beaches, I have grown to appreciate the unique Augustinian community that my school offers. I have grown to appreciate being a part of a school that stresses having a united voice.

Being in an Augustinian school, the thing I value most is the opportunity that the school provides for students to come together as a group, whether it be in a Tutor Group, as a House, as a Year Group, or even as a whole school. The lens of which this aligns with most is community. I feel that it is in these times where I feel most Augustinian. These times, we as students, who may not interact much with one another in our day-to-day lives, can come together and represent our Augustinian community as something bigger than ourselves. Today whether students realise it or not, our community directs us on a path to finding Jesus and how we depend on Him in our lives.

At the end of Year 11, it is tradition at my school for each House to go on ‘Senior Retreat’, a two-night trip with the other boys in our House/Year. On this retreat, we engage in a number of activities that allow us to communicate with one another. We played games, had discussion, broke into small groups for more activities. I heard stories and reflections from boys in my group that were deeper and more emotional than anything I would have ever spoken to them about. I heard the death of another’s family friend and one boy’s struggle with social situations.

It gave me a new perspective, a new meaning to the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover”. But most of all, it gave me a sense of gratitude towards God. I’ve always been grateful for my friends, my family and living on the Northern Beaches but having such meaningful conversations with my classmates made me incredibly grateful for our Augustinian faith, which gave us the opportunity to direct ourselves towards Jesus, through listening and reflecting together as an Augustinian community.

Daniel Mills

We arrived in Milan after a long trip across the globe in the morning on 8 April. We had a quick tour of Milan, seeing a castle and of course the big cathedral which was amazing. Then we hopped on the bus again and headed off to Venice.

Venice was really cool. It was our first real sight of the classical narrow alleyways of Italy and of course the waterways in Venice were something completely different to what we are used to. We stayed in cosy little rooms with 3-4 people. Our first experiences in the hotel with our friends are very memorable. In Venice, we visited a couple museums and went to the glass making island, Murano. The museums were cool, every room had gold and paintings all over the roof and we even got to go down into the dungeons at one stage. In Murano we had a big lunch as it was Easter Sunday and then we got to watch a glass making demonstration. I personally was fascinated, it was so cool how the man heated the glass, spun it, and stretched it into different shapes. We all bought many things in Venice, from glass to caps and t-shirts and other touristy stuff.

After an amazing time in Venice, we moved on to Florence. There we spent a day exploring and going to more famous museums before meeting our host families the next day, whom we would spend the next week with. Everyone had a great experience at homestay, all the families were extremely nice. At school, it was hard to follow the fast-speaking teachers and so some of us decided to explore a bit. School was a great experience for us as the Italian school system is very, very different. I had a memorable time with my host family, we went out, played games, did homework, and cooked pizza. It was in Florence where we were really immersed into the Italian culture, not just being tourists. We also did a day trip to Siena and San Gimignano while in Florence. In Siena, we got to climb the tower and see the amazing view of the Italian landscape and in San Gimignano I had a great pizza.

After a sad goodbye to our new friends/families who had kindly hosted us for a week, we travelled to Rome via Orvieto. Orvieto is a town on a hill with many old underground caves where citizens used to work. We had a tour of these fascinating caves and got to go on a cable car/train type thing to get up and down. In Rome, we went on a sightseeing bus to look around before going to the Vatican and then the Colosseum. The Colosseum was amazing, it was hard to believe that we actually were in the Colosseum. We also went to the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the Piazza Navona.

Overall, the Italy Study Tour was an amazing experience. We ate a lot, especially gelato. We all made new friends and got to see Italy in a really fun way. We all (some more than others) learnt some new Italian words, phrases and sentences. We will have many lifelong memories of this trip. We did so much in the space of two weeks. Thank you to the school, Mrs D’Arcangeli, Mrs Rawlinson, Mr Bataille and all staff involved in making this trip an awesome experience for us boys.

Grazie mille per un viaggio fantastico!

By Oliver Sollberger (Year 9)

It was wonderful to see the Quad filled with mums, grandmothers, and sons yesterday morning and to celebrate a liturgy together. We hope you have a blessed Mother’s Day with your families.

Community Mass Schedule – Students from these Tutor Groups are asked to attend Mass in the Chapel at 8.10am
Wednesday 17 May: 7CRA1 and 7CRA2
Wednesday 24 May: 7GOO1, 7GOO2

Important Upcoming Events

• Sunday 14 May: Mother’s Day
• Friday 19 May: Shine Leadership Conference, St Peter’s Tuggerah.
• Sunday 21 May: SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD
• Wednesday 24 May: OUR LADY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS
• 27 May – 3 June: Reconciliation Week
• Sunday 28 May: PENTECOST SUNDAY – Youth Mass at St Kieran’s Manly Vale 6pm

Liturgy and Retreats

Last fortnight, for the first time, we welcomed the Youth Mission Team into our Reflection Day program, as they facilitated a day for our Year 8s on the theme of ‘Relationships’. From their website:

“Imagine a group of gifted young people in the current generation who pursue a call to serve young people who are lacking in self-belief, hope, and faith in a love that surpasses everything else. Imagine a community of people rallying around these selfless young people year after year, enabling them to reach 16,000 teenagers annually.

Imagine high school students around the country walking into a reflection day defensive and despondent, only to walk away having made a commitment to open up to Christ. This has been the vision of Youth Mission Team Australia since 1986 and it has been fulfilled in reality since then each year.”

This was certainly the case for our Year 8 students, who engaged beautifully with the message of the day, giving Christ a chance to enter their lives in an unintrusive way. We look forward to welcoming YMT back for our Year 10 Reflection Day in Term 4.

I would like to make a quick note to thank St Kieran’s Parish Manly Vale, who have generously offered their spaces for our Reflection Days this year to cater for our growing numbers. It is a wonderful connection to build between the College and our Augustinian Parish.

Please note the regular Youth Mass which usually falls on the 2^nd Sunday of the month has been moved this month to the 4^th Sunday (28 May) to celebrate Pentecost. Next month’s Youth Mass will be cancelled due to the King’s Birthday Long weekend.

Michael Paton
Leader of Liturgy and Retreats

The Illicit Project is a neuroscience-based alcohol and drug harm reduction program targeted at adolescents in Years 10 to 12.

The program upskills young people in strategies to reduce the harms of alcohol and drug use and leverages positive psychology and neuroscience to engage adolescents in health promotion.

It covers the following areas:
Module 1: Alcohol & the Growing Brain
Module 2: Cannabis, Ecstasy & Harm Reduction
Module 3: Mental Health & Wellbeing

Specifically, the program aims to:

• Upskill young people in strategies to reduce the short- and long-term harms of alcohol and drugs.

• Build understanding about stages of brain development during adolescence and young adulthood.

• Empower young people to protect and respect their brains during key developmental stages.

• Engage young people through peer role modelling so they can better navigate complex social situations.

The program was co-designed with young people, and a team of neuroscientists, mental health and substance use and public health experts at the Matilda Centre.

We were also excited to welcome back the guys from Tomorrowman to lead their ‘Breaking the Man Code’ session with our Year 10 students. Once again, it garnered positive feedback from our students.

The session allowed students to:

• Explore the impact of rigid masculine gender stereotypes and expectations.

• Learn a variety of tools and skills to improve the state of man, and build stronger connections between one another, their peers, and those they care about.

Ilona Welch
Leader of Student Wellbeing

We are very excited to announce our annual jazz night Saints Swing, where we celebrate the school’s Jazz Ensembles and Big Bands. We are very excited to have special guest performances by Brigidine College St Ives Stage Band and jazz resident artist for Saints Swing week Andrew Dickeson’s band Soul Station. All welcome. Andrew will also work with the Co-Curricular and Elective Music students during Saints Swing week to direct a series of jazz pedagogy workshops.

Below are important dates for Term 2

Rehearsal Schedule 2023

Kelvin Anderson
Teacher in Charge of Co-Curricular Music

Year 11 “Australian Identity” mini exhibition

Our Year 11 Visual Art students displayed their Term 1 artworks with the theme “Australian Identity” at a lunchtime exhibition in one of our art studios. Staff and students. came along to view the artworks and vote for their favourite. There was a wide variety of forms, materials and techniques used (as can be seen in the following images) which demonstrates students’ critical and creative thinking.

William Rogers won the People’s Choice vote with his highly detailed portrait painting, an appropriation of Nathaniel Dance’s “Captain James Cook”, with Will changing the face to feature Jessica Watson, the youngest person to sail around the world, solo and unassisted at age 16. Will wins a $50 Eckerley’s voucher for him to use on art supplies.

Robyn Larbalestier
Head of Visual Arts

This year we had sixteen St Augustine’s College students selected to represent ISA at the NSWCIS Swimming Championships.

The swimmers raced at SOPAC, Homebush over two days, 1^st, and 2^nd May.

In addition to our swimmers, our College hosted the carnival, so we took Year 11 students as timekeepers.

All swimmers performed to the best of their ability amongst very strong competition. Special mention goes to two swimmers who have progressed to the next level, NSW All schools swimming championships:

1) College swim captain, Harrison Rothwell (Year 12) who finished with the following results:
Bronze 18 years 50m butterfly (26.35), Bronze 18 years 200m butterfly (2:11.53), Silver 18 years 50 m backstroke (28.92) and silver 18 years 100m butterfly (57.42)

2) Zachary Morgan (Year 7) who won gold in the 12 years 50m breastroke (38.54)

Special mention to the Senior boy’s 4 X 50m freestyle relay team made up of:

Dylan King, Year 12 (25.97), Xander Bailey, Year 11 (25.99), Mack McInnes Year 12 (25.26) and Harrison Rothwell Year 12 (24.31).

This team is not only made up of strong swimmers (demonstrated by the times listed above) but is a credit to our College. The boys have been proud members of the swim team for many years and the Year 12 members will be missed in the years to come.

Many thanks to Sue Gostelow who assisted me with ISA team manager and uniform duties over the two days.

Anita Renwick
ISA Swim Team Manager

Last night we held our Winter Badge Dinner at Manly Golf Club to signal the start of the ISA Tennis season for 2023. A great night was had by all. David Gerrie was recognised for his contributions to Tennis at the College. Congratulations again David and thank you for your support!

Round 2 of ISA Tennis resulted in 3 of the 5 teams securing convincing wins, and the other two teams were unlucky to record a loss. They fought well and maintained good focus and grit.

Our AUG 1, 2 and 3 teams travelled to Cammeray to play Redlands on a bright, brisk Saturday morning. They had trained well during the week and there were many fabulous rallies and shots played.

Our AUG 4 and 5 teams played at home against St Spyridon College. Again, the matches were close and hard fought.

Round 3 fixtures are:

• AUG 1 v SACS 1 (Sydney Boys High School)
• AUG 2 v SACS 1 (Wakehurst Tennis centre)
• AUG 3 V SACS 5 (Wakehurst Tennis Centre)
• AUG 4 V CHEV 3 (Chevalier College)
• AUG 5 V SACS 12 (Forfeit)

Rose Papalia
TIC Tennis

All students and parents now have the option of signing up to the www.saintaugcareers.com website. Year 11 and 12 students should already have access to this site, having used it in the Year 10 PDHPE course. The site provides access to a wide range of information related to career and study pathways. Whilst accessible by all students, Year 10 students will be using the site as a resource in their PDHPE Career Unit studied later this year.

Universities

• UTS | Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Engineering

May 15, 2023

Discover how electrical and electronic engineers combine a range of technologies to underpin the ongoing transformation of how humans commute, stay connected and consume energy.

Find out more

• WSU | Discover Western – Exploring Western, Early Offer Programs, Pathways & More

May 16, 2023

Hear from Western staff and current students about our HSC True Reward Early Offer program, alternate pathways, Adjustment Factors, Schools Recommendation Scheme and other entry programs.

Find out more

• UTS | Introduction to Bachelor of Information Systems

May 16, 2023

Understand complex information systems such as Systems Analytics, Service Innovation, Smart Infrastructure, and Sustainable Enterprises.

Find out more

• UOW | Southern Sydney Parents & Students Info Evening

May 16, 2023

Find out about our courses, Early Admission, ATAR and selection rank, important dates, scholarships, accommodation, upcoming events, student life and more at one of our Year 12 information evenings.

You will also have the opportunity to get your questions answered by course experts and our current students who are studying right now!

Find out more

• UTS College | Mid-Year Information Session

May 16, 2023

Fast track your way into second year UTS.

If you want to study at UTS but need another way in, UTS College can help. Enrol in a UTS College diploma this June and you could start second year at UTS in 2024!

Want to learn more? Come join our information session!

Find out more

• WSU | Unlocking Careers in Sport and Health

May 19, 2023

This on campus event for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander High School students raises knowledge and aspiration for Careers in Sport and Health.

Students will participate in a range of practical workshops, a Q&A Yarn Up with Indigenous industry professionals to gain insights into their work, their education journey and pathways leading them to their career.

attendees will receive a free WSU Sport and Health Pack.

Find out more

Scholarships and Internships

Colleges and Institutes

• NAS | Autumn Weekend Workshops

May 13 to May 14, 2023

Experience the National Art School’s studio-based arts education with hands-on tuition, technical and conceptual approaches to learning. Join us for a full weekend of creativity and intensive art-making.

Find out more

• AIE | Open Day

May 13, 2023

Discover the courses designed to get you started in game development, 3D animation, film and visual effects at the AIE Open Day on Sat 13 May 2023. This event will be held at AIE Campuses in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide from 10am to 3pm.

AIE’s Open Day is a great opportunity to meet our teachers, staff and students. The day will cover everything you need to know about the:

• careers in games and VFX that we train students for;

• studios and industries that we work with;

• courses we offer – from beginners to professional mastery, and;

• the software, skills and knowledge we teach.

AIE’s Open Day will also include presentations on entry requirements and how to apply. Find out how AIE can get you into a creative career.

Find out more

• AIM | Sydney Info Evening

May 16, 2023

Your career in music starts at AIM. Join us on campus for our Sydney Info Evening to explore your potential with one of Australia’s leading music schools.

This is your opportunity to go behind the scenes at AIM. You’ll get to experience our state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, get one-on-one advice from teachers, listen in on course info sessions, watch live performances, learn about careers in music, and meet our talented students and alumni.

With undergraduate and postgraduate courses in music performance, composition, audio, music theatre, musicology, and arts and entertainment management, we offer specialisations to match a variety of passions.

Find out everything you need to know about studying at AIM.

Find out more

• Sydney Design School | Open Day

May 20, 2023

Join us for our biggest day of the year! Our Director Amanda Grace will take you through our flexible course options. Meet our passionate Educators and get creative with colour and fabrics by making a mood board!

Find out more

• JMC Academy | May Open Day, Sydney

May 20, 2023

Register for our Free Open Day! This is your chance to see our multi-million dollar world-class facilities.

Things to do at Open Day:

• Tour our world-class facilities and tech

• Explore your creative future in our hands-on workshops

• Meet our current students and industry expert lecturers

• Check out live student performances

• See creativity come to life with course demonstrations

• Build your creative network

Find out more

Apprenticeships

• Allambie Marble Craft

Apprenticeship opportunity for a student to work in a company that has grown to be the largest Marble & Granite business in the area and has built a strong reputation for professional and reliable service. AMC offers you custom made stonework and specialises in the supply of Marble, Granite, Travertine as well as reconstituted materials. If you are interested in working for AMC please contact info@allambiemarble.com.au

Miscellaneous

• ADF | Army Reserve Base Open Day, Dee Why

May 13, 2023

Consider serving locally in the Army Reserve. You will be part of something exciting, challenging and rewarding all while learning new skills and giving back to the community – and tax-free pay!

To find out more about the rewarding challenges and experiences on offer join us at the upcoming Army Reserve Open Day.

On the day you will have the chance to check out:

• Static displays

• Interactive displays

• Military equipment

• Military personnel to speak to and have your questions answered

Find out more

• ADF | Trade Careers Information Session, Sydney

May 16, 2023

Apply your existing trade skills or receive world-class training in order to work with formidable military assets and enjoy the many benefits of a career in the Australian Defence Force.

To find out more about available trade roles, come along to an info session and speak with current serving personnel.

Find out more

• HSC and Careers Expo 2023

June 1 to June 3, 2023

HSC and Careers Expo celebrates its 15th year in 2023!

There will be a variety of organisations to chat with:

• universities, TAFE colleges and training providers

• providers of HSC resources, information and services

• organisations with apprenticeship information and opportunities

• organisations with employment opportunities

• organisations with cadetship opportunities

• career advisers and student support services

• providers of tutoring services, lecture and study skills programs

• providers of international exchange and gap year programs

• providers of youth services and programs

Find out more

Further information on any of the above is available from Dave Gale at the College.

David Gale
Career Advisor

The College Foundation will host the Career Networking Information Night on Monday 19 June from 6.30 pm to 8.00 pm – Goold Level 4

This event is open to all Year 10, 11 and 12 senior students. Further information will be sent to students and parents in coming weeks. Please note this is a changed date due to the Villanova tour.

The Careers represented on the night will include:

For all St Augustine’s College Foundation and community enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact:

Rod Loneragan
Community Coordinator
rloneragan@saintaug.nsw.edu.au |Tel: 9938 8292

Saturday 19 August - Saints Gala Dinner at the newly renovated Manly Pacific – Pacific Ballroom

In partnership with the P&F we are planning a great night with live and silent auctions and a live band.

Please note the venue capacity at the Pacific Ballroom is 350 people.

For all St Augustine’s College Foundation and community enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact:

Rod Loneragan
Community Coordinator
rloneragan@saintaug.nsw.edu.au | Tel: 9938 8292

Tuesday 24 October – Saints Community Golf Day and Lunch at the superb Cromer Golf Club

It will be another great day at Cromer Golf Club later this year. Players of all levels welcome!

For all St Augustine’s College Foundation and community enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact:

Rod Loneragan
Community Coordinator
rloneragan@saintaug.nsw.edu.au Tel: 9938 8292

Images of various College events, which may include images of College students (2015 to 2023) are available in Pixevity. To access Pixevity follow the Parent User Guide .

If assistance is required please contact Les Bobis lbobis@saintaug.nsw.edu.au