St Agnes Catholic High School

November Newsletter - Term 4, Week 10 2020

From the Principal

What a year 2020 has been! As the term draws to a close, student academic achievements were acknowledged through Presentation Assemblies last week and reports have been distributed. This year has certainly been a year like no other. It began with fires and then with the declaration of a Pandemic. It became a year where every aspect of our lives were impacted and a total reimagination of everything that we have always done. While the events have certainly been unprecedented, as I have shared with the students at assemblies, the year has enabled them to become stronger, more resilient and effective problem solvers. Despite the individual challenges each may have faced, their determination and perseverance shone through. They continued to face their own challenges while always looking to support others and seeking opportunities to make a positive difference to those in need. I am very proud of the St Agnes community which despite the challenges of 2020 stayed focused on living their faith and through this, has become even stronger. 

Staffing update: 

This year we farewell some very long standing members of staff. Mrs Aroona Naidoo and Mrs Janet Green are retiring. While wishing them both well, the school community is deeply indebted for their service, and we are truly grateful for the difference that they have made to so many throughout their career. I  know that they will continue to inspire those around them as they enter this next stage of their lives. 

We also farewell: Mr Greg Devine, Mrs Melissa Devine, Miss Linda Hicks and Mrs Nicole Tomich as they move onto other positions as well as Mrs Antoinette Meade (who moved into her new role in Week 7).  Their care for students and staff, passion for learning and dedication to the school are hallmarks of their time at St Agnes. They each leave an indelible mark on this community and we wish them continued success and happiness in their new roles. 

I thank Mr Gian Ison, Ms Chantelle Goodwin and Miss Jessica Bryson for the contribution to St Agnes Catholic High School as their contracted tenures conclude. 

I am grateful for and acknowledge the excellent work of Mr Geoffrey Kemmis who has taken on the responsibilities of Assistant Principal (Acting) while Mr Wolffe is on leave. 

As we journey through the season of Advent, may we take the time to anticipate and celebrate the coming of our Lord and Saviour. 

God of Love, 

Your son Jesus is the greatest gift to us.

He is a sign of your love. 

Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent, 

As we wait and prepare for His coming. 

We pray in the name of Jesus, our Saviour

Best wishes for a safe and holy Christmas, 

Lisa-Maree Browning

Principal

UPCOMING EVENTS

15 DecemberYear 7,8 and 9 reports distributed
16 DecemberParent/Teacher Interviews
17 DecemberStaff Development Day - Office closed
18 December

Staff Development Day

HSC Results released - Year 12 Brunch

21 - 26 JanuarySchool Holidays
15-27 JanuaryUniform Shop Open (Appointments Only) Code nt9bg
27 JanuaryStaff Development Day
28 JanuaryYear 7, 11 & 12 Commence
29 JanuaryYear 8 - 10 Commence
8 FebruaryYears 7,8 School Photos
9 FebruaryYears 9-12 School Photos
10 FebruaryOpening School Mass

From the Acting Assistant Principal

It is a fact that the 2020 Academic year is almost at a conclusion and staff and students have embraced the unique demands of the year with enthusiasm. We hope that life, at school and outside, will return to some semblance of normality, or perhaps “a new normal”.

Over the past term, most students have risen to the challenge of the school’s focus on the small things; such as uniform, hair, grooming, following instructions and positive interactions with each other and their teachers. At times, students do achieve this and on occasion, this does not occur. I do hope that over the Summer Vacation, students will be able to reflect on their approaches to following the requirements here at St Agnes and meet these with optimism in 2021.

Also, I do need to remind our community about the need for students to be at school everyday so that learning can occur effectively. We understand that some students place immense pressure on their parents to allow them to stay home on occasion, but we need your assistance in resisting this pressure and sending your child to school - each and every day. The “flexi-day” mentality that some students have developed is not going to help them when they leave school, with employers keen to find workers who are both reliable and hard-working. The patterns of absence that some students currently display at school would concern most employers as they look for someone who will turn up every day. Please have this discussion with your child so that they commence 2021 with a renewed sense of purpose and clear learning goals.

I do wish our entire St Agnes Community a very blessed Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.

 Mr. G. Kemmis

Acting Assistant Principal

From the Head of Mission

Follow the star to Bethlehem….

 What a year it has been! As we are in the season of Advent, we have also begun the new Church’s calendar. It is with so much anticipation as we continue with our St Agnes tradition of our Road to Bethlehem production as our special gift to the community. Although we have had to reimagine the production this year (without our dear animals), the students involved continue to do us so proud by their enthusiasm in playing their characters with such generous spirits.

 

A very big thank you to our wonderful Road to Bethlehem Cast for 2020 and the singers and musicians led by Ms Juarez and Mr Mangion. These students were the heart of the entire experience as their enthusiasm to be a part of this story was shown through the wonderful role, they all played.

 

 

Character

Played By

Mary

Bianca Fragomeli

Joseph

William Palaki

Archangel Gabriel

Eliana Frendo

Angels

Maryam Marjana

Kanha Eng

Montana Saric

Ritika Prasad

Jasmin Kalifh

Helenna Soriano

Anne

Angelica Prasad

Joachim

Jon Timbol

Elizabeth

Elissa Elbacha

Zechariah

David Miguel

Soldiers

Randall De Leon

Brynon Murphy

Liam Nash

Gabriel Matocinos

King Herod

Rylee Heinemann-Jones

Shepherd's

Joleanne Magallanes

Ema Manas

Larissa Mitchell

3 Wise Men

James Que

Lilah Bagro

Farida Zaheer

Inn Keeper

Christian Ramos

Narrators

Aarya Metha

Mary-Rose Ahad

Melos Kebede

Mr Giancarlo Ison

Townspeople

Vonzelle Acuesta-Lowe

Martha Nucup

Liturgy leaders

Samantha McGrath

Teresa Bouchmouni

Aaliyah Kennedy

 

The Road to Bethlehem Production would not have been possible for the many staff members involved. It goes without saying that Bethlehem would not be possible without the staff Bethlehem team. It was truly a community effort. A special thank you goes to Mrs Janet Green, the creative wisdom and maker of all the Bethlehem costumes. Not only that, every school Mass is touched with the work of Janet, who brings my vision to life and does all things with so much grace and humbleness. She has left St Agnes with a beautiful legacy and it’s because of her work in delicately designing and fitting every single costume on every student every year is really where the heart of Bethlehem is. On behalf of the entire St Agnes community, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Please join in saying a prayer as we journey to the star, to meet God face to face as one of us: 

Lord Jesus, we remember

that you were born into this world

on the first Christmas day.

 

Help us to remember,

that you were born in a stable

and cradled in a manger,

and so keep us from coveting wealth

and comfort and ease and luxury

which you never enjoyed.

 

Help us to remember,

that there was no room for you

in the inn,

and grant that our lives

may never become so crowded

that there is no room in them

for you.

 

Help us to remember,

that to you there came the shepherds

and the wise men,

and grant that learned and simple,

high and humble,

great and small,

may be joined in worshipping you

and loving you.

 

Help us to remember,

that you grew up in an ordinary home,

and went to school

and worked in a carpenter’s shop;

and so grant that we may think

task too humble and too common

our hands to touch,

when you, the Lord of Glory,

lived among the common things.

This we ask, for your love’s sake.

 

It is for this reason we at St Agnes have chosen to break open the covers of the Christmas story so that the story of the birth of the Son of God will we written on our mind so that Jesus can be reborn this Christmas in the cradle of our hearts.

 

May our loving Father bless us all as we follow the star and begin the road to Bethlehem this Christmas. May peace, joy and hope live in our homes and in our hearts.

Pace e bene,

Mrs Mary Reyes

Head of Mission

 

From the Head of Learning

Semester 2 Reports

By Tuesday 15th December, all students in Years 7 to 10 will be in receipt of their final academic report for 2020. This outlines clearly how the student has performed in each subject area and the Learning Advisor has also provided a holistic comment on their view of each student’s performance. I encourage all parents and students to read through the report carefully and reflect upon the learning attained.

Please remember that the opportunity is available to partake in a Student Led Conference with your child’s Learning Advisor on Wednesday 16th December from 8.30am until 12.30pm. Thank you to the parents who have already made these bookings; please consult your email and the SkoolBag app as to the steps required.

Year 12 2020

Our first Yr 12 cohort are anxiously awaiting their HSC results. The results will be released on the 18th December 2020 (6am). These will also be sent to the students’ NESA Online Account. It is strongly recommended that students download these results and get a hard copy for future reference. They should also update their email address in the Personal Details section to a non-school email that they can easily access. You can also download your free eRecord and/or RoSA/HSC/VET credential PDF in the eRecords/Certificates section.

Step Up into Year 11

This occurred for Year 10 students from Wednesday 2nd December to Friday 4th December. The aim of the programme was for each student to experience a number of lessons of their chosen subjects for Year 11. By all accounts, the students thoroughly enjoyed what the teachers presented and the learning opportunities they experienced. It was also very pleasing to receive feedback from the students and they suggested what we could do to the programme next year.

Academic Awards

Congratulations to our students who received an acknowledgement of their effort and success at our recent award ceremony. Our awards recognised:

●      First in course (Year 11 only).

●      Highly Commended - Academic Achievement. This first award is for students who regularly achieve consistent results in not only assessment tasks, but also, class tasks. The award is mutually decided upon by the respective class teacher and the Leader of Learning.

●      Highly Commended - Sustained Effort. This award is for students whose effort is consistent and does not waver. They regularly complete the set work, homework and when or where possible, seek teacher feedback. This award is mutually decided upon by the Learning Advisor, Learning Mentor and the Leader of Learning Pathways.

 

Study Skills Tip for December – SWOT ANALYSIS

 Reflection on Triumphs and Tribulations

 With the end of the year fast approaching it is a good time to reflect on your approach to school this year and what you have learnt from the challenges you faced. So as the holidays approach, take a moment to do a short SWOT analysis on your personal approach to school and learning. You may also like to discuss these questions with a teacher, parent or friend.

STRENGTHS:

●      What did you do well at school this year?

●      What subjects or topics were you good at?

●      What worked for you in your approach to learning?

●      What are you proud of achieving?

●      What new skills did you develop?

WEAKNESSES:

●      What were your greatest challenges in achieving your personal best at school?

●      What did you find difficult this year?

●      What skills do you feel need more work?

●      What areas of your approach did you struggle with?

●      When did you feel not confident about your ability to succeed?

 OPPORTUNITIES:

●      What could you do to build your strengths and deal with your weaknesses?

●      Who did you encounter this year that might be able to help you on this journey?

●      What will be different about next year that will create opportunities to change?

●      What could you personally do differently in your approach to school next year?

●      What one thing could you change that would make the biggest difference to you being a more effective learner?

 THREATS:

●      What are the biggest obstacles to you making changes in your approach?

●      Are there other students you sit with who make learning difficult?

●      What is stopping you from achieving the top marks you are capable of achieving?

●      What challenges do you face in staying motivated to do your work for school?

●      What challenges do you face in managing distractions and procrastination?

A note to Parents: In these school holidays it is important for students to have a decent break, recharge and spend time with friends and family doing things they enjoy. Certainly, if students are weak in areas such as literacy or numeracy, some practice on a regular basis over the holidays would not go astray. It is essential however that Year 11 students allocate some time these school holidays consolidating the work from this ter,, ensuring study notes are up to date and they are organised and prepared for the challenges ahead in Year 12. All students may find it useful to complete some of the study skills units over the holidays, particularly on their areas of weakness.

 Learn more at www.studyskillshandbook.com.au.

Our school’s subscription details are -

Username: stagnes

Password: 24success

 Mr G Kemmis

Head of Learning

Around the Classrooms

Winners of the PDSSSC Virtual Dance competition

St Agnes won the PDSSSC Virtual Dance competition! The results were published and St Agnes came first in the Cultural performance and Junior Soloist category (Congratulations Chloe!).

St Agnes also received the Champion School Award which is an amazing effort! St Agnes pride was in full flight when the students had the opportunity to use the new Alverna performance space. Such a special time for our students! This year's cultural performance was led by Selena Fuimaono who came in after her graduation to coordinate the dance for the students.

Congratulations!!

FROM THE LIBRARY STAFF:

2020 has been a very busy year for all students having to do lots of Zoom lessons and not having access to many books for the first half of the year. We are happy to be able to offer online reading and borrowing through the following Online platforms: SORA and Wheelers. They can also access library Google classroom page for instructions   the code is: jzxl7qu .

We have purchased new novels to fill our shelves for 2021 and we are excited about meeting the Year 7’s and helping them choose from our various Genres which include: Adventure, Mystery, Sports, Comedy and of course MANGA, which is very popular.

We wish You and Your families a Blessed and Holy Christmas and a safe holiday.

From the Library Staff: Mrs Berman and Miss Brogan

 

Year 7 Technology Mandatory Apron Project

Work and Community Life Skills

The Year 12 Work and Community Life Skills class have been learning about what skills and personal qualities are important for the workplace. They put together a really comprehensive list of these skills and personal qualities, which they then used to create the colourful Work Skills Tree that is now on display in CH3B. In order to complete this activity, they demonstrated outstanding communication, collaboration, creativity and team-work.

Great work, Talafaiva, Angelina and James

Mrs Walters

From the Careers Advisor

Murama Leadership Program

Murama Indigenous Youth Summit is a resilience-based cultural intervention program which is based on the strengths of Aboriginal culture that aims to heal our communities.
The program focuses on belonging, kinship and traditional values as the stepping stones in a right of passage to reweave the cultural connectedness between individuals, families, and the community.
This year we had a huge turnup of passionate students who could have chosen to stay home for a pupil free day but decided that meeting as school leaders of their culture was more worthwhile than a day off. We had a fabulous day learning from elders far and wide. They connected with other students across the CEDP and with each other in the St Agnes community and gained knowledge that they will use to lead our school and community towards deeper cultural understanding and appreciation.
I was extremely proud of how the students engaged and went above and beyond to be apart of the day. The students involved were Amira and Jewel Osborne, Aiden Priestley and Bailey Wright, Alkira Field, Ebony Kendrigan, Grace Valades, Jordana Jacobs and Aaron Flaherty.
I would also like to thank Bianca Fragomelli for attending and being such great support during the day.

 Health and Fitness Program at Richmond TAFE (Youth Engagement Strategy - YES)
On Friday 4th December our Year 10 students had a graduation ceremony at Richmond TAFE. Starting in October students attended TAFE on Thursdays and Fridays where they were given an introduction into Health & Fitness courses and a pathway into a career in Fitness helping people live their best lives. Practical sessions and exploring topics such as fitness testing, training principles, anatomy and nutrition were on the agenda. Students were given opportunities to challenge each other through beep tests and creating and running instructional coaching sessions. Students came together and showed camaraderie as they explored new concepts in an area that they are passionate about and considering for their future pathways.
Congratulations to the following students who have received a Statement of participation in the YES TAFE Health and Fitness Course: Liam Gungab, Baraka Dili, Josephine Lotovale, Alannah Martin, Sean Ashby, Benedict Talione, Ila Fuimaono,Dwayne Tukala

Noticeboard

Message from Samantha - Family School Liaison Officer

As we are reaching the end of term, it is important to take the time for self care. The information attached has strategies for students and parents/carers. 

There is also information on emergency contacts which includes my contact details. I am contactable during school term within school hours. Please find attached further information about the additional support offered at St Agnes Catholic High School. 

If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please do not hesitate to contact me on 0427 068 429 or follow the link to self refer for assistance https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezSQgWqjZGCw3i0RtKY2RMW65i9nsaQPEgGcEvbqs-S5dwFQ/viewform

Anglicare is offering assistance with christmas hamper and food voucher Anglicare are providing food parcels and food vouchers. Food vouchers are emailed to families and food parcel will be delivered for free. Anglicare adheres to COVID safe requirements, as items are pre-packed rather than choosing your own items from assorted goods. Drivers will be wearing masks and adhere to sanitizing and social distancing requirements in line with NSW Health requirements.You can contact them on 1300 111 272. As it is a busy time of year, it is recommended to call early!! 

Samantha Padovani

Family School Liaison Officer

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