Tolle Lege

During the recent break we had the good fortune to have nearly 100 students undertaking experiential learning as part of tours. Our Drama team lead students to New York and Chicago, our Footballers traveled to Spain and the UK and our Italian team immersed themselves in language and culture in Italy for two weeks. Each of these young people now has a great perspective on life, faith and the wider world, and a reference point that will enable them to demonstrate how grateful they are for staff giving them the opportunity, to their parents for supporting the chance financially, and a sense of appreciation for where they live and go to school.

Our Term started with a celebration of ANZAC day with our Yr 10 History students leading the College through a reflection of the ANZAC spirit and how young men apply this in their lives. Strength of character, resilience, challenging wrong and taking a stand, were all clear themes. Somewhat less emphasised was the larrikin aspect of the ANZAC, however, we know that in our school context this aspect is present, and founded on the strength of relationships and our ability to have fun with each other.

A slightly less fun start to the Term was discovered by 3 senior Houses, who returned to immaculately clean lockers. In fact so clean, that anything left in them over the break had been cleaned out. A review of CCTV footage has shown a monumental misinterpretation by our new cleaners. ‘Please clean the outdoor locker doors’ has resulted in hundreds of exercise books from inside the lockers being thrown out. The cleaners were exceptionally thorough and indeed left the lockers very clean. The Company has already undertaken to replace the exercise books and we are in the process of working out a viable way for notes to be copied and shared with the affected boys.

Jonathan Byrne
Principal

College Photo Day – Friday 16 June 2023

Please note our College Photo Day in your calendars. You may wish to check your son’s hair length, uniform and general grooming in the weeks leading up.

Please see ordering instructions and general information from Advanced Life below. This information will also be issued to all families via the SAC App.

• Online orders only - Envelopes are not required. Group and portrait photographs can be purchased by following the link: www.advancedlife.com.au and enter online order code: 4CF 5BX 4C8
• Sibling Photos - Don’t forget to pre-order your sibling photos online up to 24 hours before photo day. We provide your school with a list of sibling orders right up to the day of photography, so no one misses out. If you miss the online order deadline, you can submit a completed sibling order envelope first thing in the morning of the day of photography (envelopes can be collected from College Reception), so your school is aware you want the photo taken and can bring your children together in time for it. Sibling photographs only apply to children enrolled at your school.
• Late fees - a late fee will be applied to each package purchased after photo day due to the additional cost of producing these packages separately.
• Package delivery - School photographs will be returned approximately 6 weeks after the day of photography. Please note this delivery timeframe is dependent on proofing and additional photography days at your school.
• Previous Years’ photos - Past years’ photographs including sports, co-curricular and representative groups are also available to order under the 'previous years or group photo' tabs at your school’s advancedorder site when you click on the 'Order School Photos Here' button above. You can also order past packages, portrait images and gifts from your child’s unique, individual and secure advancedyou image archive site using the unique 9 digit image code found on packages you have ordered in the past
• advancedlife would like to express our appreciation to St Augustine's College - Sydney for placing your trust in us. Please remember we offer a 100% money back guarantee on our products to ensure your peace of mind. We would also love to receive your feedback or resolve any issues you may experience as fast as possible, to ensure your satisfaction. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your advancedlife experience please contact us at: www.advancedlife.com.au/contact
  

Student HSC Readiness Check for Year 10 into Year 11

The College has developed a Student HSC Readiness Check for boys in Year 10 going into Year 11. The aim of the Readiness check is to help teachers understand and support the boys as they prepare for the HSC. In saying this, we also acknowledge that boys in these senior years, have many options on how they wish to pursue a career pathway.

The Readiness Check has been discussed with Year 10 boys at their Year Group meeting and a parent/guardian letter with detailed information was issued this week via the SAC App. It was also shared with the Parents & Friends Association where it received very positive feedback. The first of the checks has commenced this week and will continue into next week.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact your son’s Head of House.

Kate Earle

Deputy Principal - Students

Welcome back to all Primary School families from what I hope was a time to relax, reconnect, and for those fortunate enough, to travel. The boys looked very smart (and grown-up) in their blazers and long pants. From my conversations with them before school they were happy to be back with their mates and more than ready for the term ahead.

Welcome back also to our fantastic staff who also enjoyed a well-deserved break over the Easter holidays. I would like to take this opportunity to formally welcome Patrick Vidot, Year 5 class teacher and new Assistant Head of Primary School. Patrick comes to St Augustine’s from St Aloysius and has already made a positive impression on the boys and staff. He has already written to his class parents and invited them for an informal gathering next Monday 1 May at 5:00 pm in his classroom. Details have been sent from Megan Cashman, so please check your emails.

Interim reports

I hope that you had the opportunity to discuss the Interim Reports with your sons. These reports recognise learning behaviours that assist in the mastery of content and skills which have a direct impact on values and attitudes. Based on these reports, the boys, in collaboration with parents and teachers, should set goals for further improvement in the term ahead. I have read most of the Term 1 goals that the boys have set on SEQTA, and encourage those who did not commit to these goals to revisit them and make them a priority for Term 2.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the boys who achieved an overall rating of ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Commendable’ on their Interim reports. To the boys whose learning behaviours were regarded as ‘Acceptable’ or ‘Improvement Required’, you have the rest of this term and the year to grow these attributes and develop them as a character strength. The message from the Primary School teachers is this, ‘hard work beats talent every time’ and through hard work, effort, grit, and tenacity, improvements will eventually follow.

Away

I will be taking leave from next Wednesday 3 May to Wednesday 10 May for some minor surgery. In my absence Patrick Vidot, Assistant Head of Primary, will be acting in my position. If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to your son’s class teacher in the first instance, and then to Patrick if you require further assistance.

Social Media and Digital Citizenship

It is always a useful reminder to check your son’s online presence, particularly on chat rooms. Many platforms such as Snapchat, Tik Tok or even chatrooms set up on What’s App have language and sentiment of an unacceptable nature. The Primary School has a deliberate and designated Digital Citizenship program to assist the boys in making sensible online choices, but more importantly to have the courage to ‘call out’ inappropriate online behaviour and comments. The Primary School theme for this term is ‘Integrity’, and it is hoped that all boys have the courage to do the right thing when no one is watching and be brave enough to be an upstander.

Writing Focus

This year the Primary School staff will complete the re-writing of the English Programs and Scope and Sequences to reflect the new syllabus requirements. A particularly important component of this syllabus is a strong emphasis on writing (Creating Written Texts is the official syllabus content area). As such, staff have been formulating a writing framework which is evidenced based, and proven to improve the boys’ ability to communicate effectively and efficiently in the written mode. Much of the research we have been reading reflects our current practise. The explicit teaching of vocabulary, phonics and grammar is once again seen as an essential element in the writing process, as is scaffolding, deconstructing, and constructing texts. Handwriting and Spelling are also seen as integral in the development of effective written expression.

Quote for the week

‘People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do’ Isaac Asimov

Terry Walsh
Head of Primary School

Access Reports through the navigation panel on the left-hand side of Seqta home page.

Seqta can be accessed through Saints Online from the College Website.

If you experience any difficulties accessing reports, please contact helpdesk@saintaug.nsw.edu.au

Notifications of reports will be managed through the St Augustine’s College App. We encourage you to download this App.

Parent/Teacher/Student Interview information will be placed on the College App and emailed to parents from the Academic Office

• Please note change of date for Years 5, 6 and 8*
• Booking information will be available approximately 5 days prior to the interview date
• Interviews for students in Years 5 to 8 will be face to face
• Students are expected to attend the interviews in full College winter uniform
• Interviews for students in Years 9 to 12 will be via Zoom.

• Year 11 2024 Subject Selection information evening - Monday 31 July
• Year 9 2024 Subject Selection information evening - Monday 28 August
• Year 12 2024 information evening - Monday 9 October

Further information will be provided closer to the dates.

Our conversations around the Restless Search for Truth and wellbeing continue with your sons this term. Guest speaker Brent Sanders will be presenting a session to Year 9 specifically designed to address some of the issues confronting young men. To include you in the conversation, I have detailed his reflection on this upcoming session below:

‘The main focus behind Life Choices for Young Men is to deliver a frank, open and down-to-earth presentation to the boys which examine critical issues such as peer pressure, decision making, self-discipline, respect, motivation, and essential keys required for success.

Three key elements addressed in the presentation are:

1. Taking responsibility for yourself and your actions

2. Life is all about choice

3. The importance of respect and self-discipline

The course also includes an in-depth discussion around sexual assault, indecent assault, consent and respect within relationships. All of the key elements of the presentation are wrapped up in powerful, hard-hitting real-life stories and analogies.’

We continue to invite Brent back to the College as his sessions always garner positive feedback from our students. If you wanted to experience the content and delivery of this session, please click on this link to view an interview recently given by Brent for the popular podcast: Driven Young.

Additionally, Year 10 students will be participating in a ‘Breaking the Man Code’ session on Friday 5 May. It is a two-hour experiential workshop that aims to disrupt old-school male stereotypes and redefine a more positive version of masculinity to live by. This session is particularly powerful in building empathy for peers. If you wanted to experience the content and delivery of this session, please click on this link to view an engaging introduction to Tomorrowman and their purpose.

A key part of our AWE Wellbeing Framework at the College is the reflection and evaluation of its effectiveness. Please feel free to share any feedback which will assist us to shape the program in the future.

Ilona Welch
Head of Student Wellbeing

Community Mass Schedule – Students from these Tutor Groups are asked to attend. 8.10am in the College Chapel.

TERM 2
Week 2 Wednesday 3 May Year 10-12 Reville 1, 2 and 3
Week 3 Wednesday 10 May Year 10-12 Reville 4, 5 and 6

Liturgy and Retreats

I hope each of you and your families were able to take some time these holidays to celebrate the greatest event of history! A recent Entrance Antiphon sums up the beauty of this most sacred feast:

“The Good Shepherd has risen, who laid down his life for his sheep and willingly died for his flock, alleluia.”

Alleluia indeed!

Michael Paton
Head of Liturgy and Retreats

Dear Parents and Students

I would like to congratulate all Co-Curricular Music Ensembles for a great start to the term. The students have started the term running and continue to thrive under the guidance of their conductors. This term has many performance opportunities for each ensemble, and I am sure each ensemble will rise to the occasion.

Rehearsal Schedule 2023

Below are important dates for Term 2

Kelvin Anderson
TIC Co-Curricular Music

Last weekend, twenty players from our U12 squad attended the 2023 TASRC, and Armidale didn't disappoint. The boys had a great time on and off the field. Over 40 teams from around NSW, ACT and QLD attended this year's carnival and the atmosphere was great. We played matches against Port Macquarie, Waverley College, The Kings School, Tamworth JRUFC and Marist College Canberra ending with 3 wins, a draw and just one narrow loss which came only from the bounce of the ball going the other way! The weekend was a great preparation for the start of this week’s IPSHA season and the boys are ready to go....

James Scholtens
Sportsmaster

The weather for Thursday's NBCPS Cross Country event at North Narrabeen Reserve could not have been better. A 19-runner squad took part in the carnival in 10, 11, 12, and 13 years age groups, with no less than thirteen of that squad making it through to next month's Broken Bay Cross-Country Carnival to be held at Fagan Park. All six of our 11 and 12 years runners progressed, along with our lone 13 years runner and two of our 10 years runners.

Congratulations to Tasman V (11yrs), Jake W (12yrs) and Max H (13yrs) who won their respective age groups and lead St Augustines to a 3^rd place finish overall – a great achievement considering we do not have the younger age groups or female athletes to help with our points tally. Well done, boys! Watch this space for news from the Broken Bay Carnival!

James Scholtens
Sportsmaster

Champion Lakes is a purpose-built international regatta centre developed on the southern edge of Perth City in 2009. It relies on water from the Wungong River and is on the country of the Whadjak Noongar people. This was the home of Saints rowing for the 2023 Australian Rowing Championships (ARC).

Under 17s

A big call was made after the State Championships to back the U17M8+ crew. This cohort of rowers had not had an ideal start to rowing with the COVID-19 years seeing Year 11 have no rowers. This therefore would be the first Nationals regatta for 9 rowers from Years 8, 9 and 10. Reports on this crew over the season were to watch them, as they were showing much promise and improvement when well and conditions favourable, with some competitive times and a win to finish the season over east. Translating this promise was going to be an exciting journey, and besides lots of training the crew were doing the other thing that helps in rowing at this stage, growing. The U17 category at the ARC is sparse with singles, double sculls, Quad and 8+ boat classes on offer. The quad (U174x+) was Will Dawson, Myles Nicholas, Bill Pender, Max Tancred and Cox: Henry Goldsworthy; who trained when they could in windy conditions early in the week and made it through to the semi. With 30 crews entered, this is one of the most competitive boat classes and a 2nd in heat and 3rd in semi-final just saw them miss the final in what is a fast progression cut.

The early part of the week is mostly preparation, which on the tight Champions Lake course, means an early row before racing starts at 8am, then potentially a late afternoon row after racing. The U17M8+ was Jay Taylor, Jason Cao, Hamish Wise, Myles Nicholas, Will Dawson, Max Tancred, Bill Pender, Josh Arundel, Cox: Henry Goldsworthy. The heats finally were scheduled for Friday 31 March, to then be delayed as the wind came up and there was a pause in racing. Rescheduled for early Saturday the conditions were improving but still windy at the start. Saint’s finished fourth in the heat and moved to repechage as only the winner progressed direct to the A Final. Potentially a good thing, with an extra race welcomed after limited opportunity to train. The repechage later Saturday afternoon saw the crew race well and finish 2nd to make the A final, all set for a showdown on Sunday morning. The conditions on Sunday were forecast to be the fairest of the week. An even start from the six crews with Saints in 3^rd. The windiest part of the course is the first 1,000m by which mark Saints had moved to 2^nd, and then need to hold off Scots and Brighton who are pushing hard to take a place. By the 1,500m the clean technique and fitness required for a third race kicked in and a 5 second gap opened between 2^nd and 3rd place, and by the finish Saint’s had held off a fast-finishing Scots College. A well-earned Silver medal (6:23) from a genuine Year 9 and 10 crew, against a classy U17 crew from Joeys, great result, and the difference in the point score, well done.

There are 6 Year 12 rowers and Cox: Ryder Taylor. There are no triples or threes in rowing, so the Coxed 4+ has been the focus for the season with the occasional composite crew to race an 8+. Tom Magee and Cody Kearney entered the Schoolboy single scull event with 40 competitors requiring 5 races from heats through repechage, quarter, semi-finals and then finals. Tom made the C final and Cody the D final, solid results in this field in windy conditions. They also paired up in a Club Coxless 4- and an U19M 8+ with Canberra Grammar and Lake Macquarie crew for some great composite racing.

The Coxed 4+ (Cox: Ryder Taylor, Doogal McKenzie, Joe Lynch, Tane Potts, Oscar St Pierre) entered in both the U19 (7:38) and Schoolboy (6:34) class, in which they remained unbeaten for two Gold medals, progressing through heats, semi-finals and A final. A great performance in classy fields. The opportunity arose to join with 4 Wesley College (VIC) rowers to race the U19M8+ and the crew gelled well after a short warm-up and progressed unbeaten in 3 races through heat, semi and A final to again win the Gold medal (6:06). So a triple for Saints after all. Doogal and Joe / Tane and Oscar also raced as pairs early in the week: heats, (Repechage Joe/Doogal), semis and both crews made the A final to finish in Bronze Doogal / Joe (7:43) and 5^th position Tane / Oscar (7:53) in some challenging windy conditions.

As Saints were sharing tents and boats with UTS for some races, 5 Saints rowers and Cox raced the Club Men’s 8+ for a Bronze medal finish in a very fast race to finish the week (6:04).

Many thanks and congratulations to the coaches Judith, Matt and Bjarne Ungemach. The three Gold, Silver and Bronze medals tallied up to 4.5 medals for the point score and secured a back-to-back Points Score Trophy for Schoolboy Rowing. Thanks to the support from parents with organisation of bookings, catering, vehicles, tent procurement, and driving including trailers over West and back East.

Go Saints!

Stephen Lynch