As you think about Lent this year, you might talk as a family about our relationship with the environment, and how we can be good stewards of God’s creation. You could read Pope Francis’ encyclical called Laudato Si (an encyclical on the environment), or take the “Lenten Carbon Fast” attached below.

“You are called to care for creation not only as responsible citizens, but also as followers of Christ” (Pope Francis)

Many of our students are “eco-warriors” and their passion for the environment is a very contemporary expression of Gospel values and our Dominican identity.

While the Winter Olympics might be dominating the wider world of sport, Santa students have been achieving some exceptional results of their own. Year 11 student, Olivia Porter, has been named in the NSW CCC Cricket team, and will play in the NSW All Schools Cricket Championships to be held in Bathurst from 6-8 March. Megan Miranda is hoping to be selected into the NSW Institute of Sport program for Water Polo. The NSWIS Water Polo Program will provide world-class coaching, training and competition, facilities and support services to improve athlete development with a view to supporting daily training needs of athletes competing at International and National level. We wish Megan all the very best in this attempt, and also congratulate her on designing the new College Water Polo swimming costume.

Two students – Stephanie Muirhead (Volleyball) and Olivia Porter (Cricket)  were recognised for their exceptional talent by being awarded their Blues at the annual Combined Catholic Colleges awards night held on Monday 12 February at St Paul’s College Manly. This is an outstanding achievement for our two students and a wonderful achievement for the College. Our Primary Representative Swimming team has competed very well in the Cook Cluster swimming carnival, with several students selected to participate in the next level of competition. Finally, the following Year 8 girls – Luisa Uzelac, Brooke Henness and Jasmine Ristovski – have just been selected for the Sydney Metro Team to compete in the NSW Under 15 Volleyball Championships in Sydney from 13-15 April. Congratulations to all of these students on their outstanding efforts.

The participation of students in sport and other co-curricular activities is such an important component of their education. It facilitates new friendship groupings beyond the immediate year group, allows students to pursue a personal passion and therefore to be acknowledged for contributions and achievements beyond the formal curriculum. The College student leaders organised a great Co-curricular Expo last week on the 6-12 campus, and there was so much on offer for students to choose from – including Chess Club, Writing Club, Maths, Science, Sport, Music, Art, Drama, and a Prayer Group led by Ms Armen every Thursday at Lunchtime in the beautiful prayer room, Daddiri. Please check with your children and ask which co-curricular activity they signed up for. Similarly Primary Years students have been leading the way in their celebration of Lunar New Year, recognising our international-mindedness as an IB World School.

As a College, it is our intent that we know our students holistically – their academic and co-curricular profile, but also their interests beyond school. The first weeks of school, have involved individual interviews between homeroom teachers (Years 6-12) and each student in homeroom. I was able to observe Year 7 students this week, scattered right across the heart of the school – in the sculpture, the new amphitheatre, the grounds, the cloisters of the 1927 building, sitting in conversation with their Homeroom teachers. These “learning” conversations also help students to become more aware of themselves as learners – their strengths, possible weaknesses, preferred approaches to study. The more that students understand what works for them, the more successful they will be. It is important also to realise that “success” is not a narrow measure of grades and ranks. As parents and teachers, we want our children to “fly” – to be self-motivated, have a sense of agency and control over their lives, and to be thoughtful, kind and respectful people. That bigger picture of “success” can sometimes be lost in the pressure to get homework completed, major works organised, or indeed in their disappointment at a report grade. Professor Andrew Martin (UNSW) with whom we continue to partner in research argues that motivation is fostered when students have a learning focus. That is, when students are really engaged by their learning and persistent in their study, even in the face of dips and disappointments. This learning focus stands in contrast to what he describes as a “performance” focus, where the drive for results is. We can encourage a “learning focus” by supporting students to understand how they learn, rather than compare themselves with others. For our Year 7s their outdoor education experience this week at Tallong will help them build their resilience and confidence while perhaps out of their comfort zone.

On the Primary campus close observations occur in every lesson and particularly for our Kindergarten students in the “Bright Start” program. From observing our youngest students in Assembly, and also in their first experience of the Santa Sabina Chapel for our Ash Wednesday Mass, they appear to be adjusting to “big school” very well. I had a wonderful conversation with one of our Kindergarten girls who was not at all impressed by the idea of the black ashes going on her forehead because her favourite colour was actually pink. Unfortunately that preference couldn’t be accommodated on this occasion, but I suggested that once she got home, she could try a little pink on her forehead (sorry, Mum).

Finally our Prep students have begun the year with a Unit of Inquiry entitled “All living things go through change”. They are constructing Vegepods as part of their inquiry. Learning at its best!