2008: Term 3

Jump Rope for Heart

Professional trainer Michelle Bridges from the hit television show The Biggest Loser offered advice and words of encouragement to the Year 8 students who jumped rope for heart recently.

The event was organised by the Year 9 students as part of their Physical Activities and Sport Studies (PASS) assessment. The students worked collaboratively for the past term to create an educational and interactive day for their younger counterparts.

Students also prepared healthy hamburgers for lunch. The day concluded with students creating an interactive board game.

Workplacement Awards

Two Year 12 students have received Awards of Excellence in the inaugural Inner Western Sydney Business Enterprise Partnership (IWSBEP).

One student was acknowledged as an exemplary student of Business Services. She was commended for her demonstration of outstanding natural ability and generosity in assisting others. Her skills, work ethic, initiative and personal qualities were said to have made her an asset in the Business Services industry.

The recipient of the Award for the Certificate III Entertainment Frameworks course was acknowledged for her outstanding leadership and organisational skills, particularly evident in her capacity to run production meetings. She was also said to be a student who is able to take responsibility, motivate other students and give generously of her time.

UNICEF Day

Santa Sabina student leaders attended the UNICEF J-RAP Forum. This involved the United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF hosting a Junior Roundtable on the Asia Pacific, centred on child rights.

One hundred students from schools around the state gathered at NSW Parliament House to engage in meaningful discussion concerning the rights and issues of youth against the backdrop of the Forum’s focus question “If you could make just one change in Australia to support young people, what would it be and why?” The profound message projected throughout the day was that many Australian teenagers are in a position of great power, and hold the responsibility of empowering others.

Mathletics

Year 6 has just embarked upon an exciting new program. Called “Mathletics”, it’s an on-line learning resource designed to assist students enjoy mathematics and improve their results. Developed in Australia, Mathletics captivates and challenges students in a stimulating and interactive environment while addressing the primary and secondary curriculum. Students are able to work at their own pace to consolidate their mathematical understandings and are assisted by an on-line support centre. Other features of the program are that it provides immediate feedback to students and allows for instant communication between home and school. The students have been trained in the features of the resource and are enjoying playing against students from around the world.

Baby Proms Concert

Kindergarten students and the children from Mary Bailey House were treated to a magical music experience under the baton of Director of Music Mr James Long and the College Orchestra. Members of the orchestra introduced their instruments to their younger counterparts. Priscilla the Percussions, Bernice the Bass, Colin the Cello, Thomas the Trumpet, Toby the Tuba, Victor the Violin and Flo the Flut received delighted claps from the excited young audience. These were used to skillfully play the tunes of Star Wars, Bananas in Pyjamas and Incey Wincey Spider (just to name a few). Some lucky children even had the opportunity to conduct the orchestra!

Festival of Speech

Twenty-eight Independent Girls’ Schools from around NSW gathered for the AHIGS Festival of Speech which was co-hosted by Santa Sabina with Meriden. Santa Sabina entered all eleven sections of the competition which aims to equip young women with the confidence and ability to speak with conviction, passion and reasoned argument. Much time and energy was given by the entrants and their coaches as they prepared for what was a challenging and engaging competition. The festival provided an opportunity for our students to mix with students from varying schools as well as being an occasion for them to show their pride in their own College. The festival was a wonderful experience for all involved.

HSC Exhibition

Congratulations to the Year 12 Design and Technology, Visual Arts and Visual Design students. Their major projects were displayed at the College’s annual exhibition. The exhibition was officially launched by acclaimed jewellery designer Stefano Canturi. He spoke of his journey since leaving school and provided words of encouragement and inspiration to the young artists and design students, encouraging them to pursue their creative endeavours and sharing his own experience, saying “ How fantastic it is to be doing something I love everyday!” All the projects were completed to a very high standard demonstrating great creativity, innovation and showcasing skills using a diverse range of mediums and technologies.

Primary School Community Day

The Primary School Campus, Santa Maria del Monte, celebrated its annual Community Day with an environmental theme. ‘Go Green! Reuse, Renew, Recycle’ was inspired by The Year of the Planet. A performance by musical group the Jitterbugs started the day which was followed by a day of environmental activities.  Some groups mulched trees, others participated in walks to collect natural items and used these to create artworks while others listened to stories and then used recycled objects to create environmental messages. Parents participated in a green cleaning workshop facilitated by  Environmental Officers from Strathfield Council.

Santa Sabina Celebrates Science Week

The Santa Sabina Solar Solutions Project was officially launched in conjunction with the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, Engineering UNSW and Industry Partner, Delta Electricity. Dr.Richard Corkish UNSW supervised the project carried out by fourth year thesis student Mr Wally Nguyen who worked with Mrs Irene Holt from the Science Department at Santa Sabina. The project involved the installation of a photovoltaic model to create awareness in the community of the need for clean energy resources. Year 9, Year 11 and Year 12 students demonstrated to our guests the relevance of the model to the curriculum.

McDonald’s Performing Arts Challenge

Four of the College’s Primary dance groups competed in the McDonald’s Performing Arts Challenge at the Sydney Opera House. This was their second year in this competition and all the girls and boys were very excited to be dancing at the Opera House. This competition attracts primary schools from all over NSW to enter their dance groups. The groups did exceptionally well, with the adjudicator commenting in particular on their impressive costumes and the fact that the children were enjoying themselves so much on stage!

Festival of Ideas

Year 10 students were recently joined by their contemporaries from a number of other schools for the annual Festival of Ideas. Students had a unique opportunity to hear presentations on issues such as the significance of Kevin Rudd’s apology to Indigenous Australians. An Oxfam presentation took students from the couch to changing their world as they examined issues of sustainability and justice on a local, national and international level. Students learned to identify their Carbon Footprint,and were particularly engaged in a forum, which involved a panel of students from each school being asked a series of hypothetical questions in a session titled 'Dare to Dream'.

Year 4 Camp

The Year 4 students have recently attended camp at Tallong Campus, Santa Sabina’s Outdoor Education & Retreat Centre. The students took up the challenge of climbing ladders and learnt about maps and navigation during the Highland Explorer activity. They were introduced to camping equipment during problem solving activities and immersed themselves in the Australian bush during their bushwalking and drawing component. This experience is the first phase of the College’s Sequential Outdoor Education Program, which culminates in the Yr 10 Outdoor Education Leader program.

Santa Students Hitting the Radio Waves

Students from Yrs 4-11 recently conducted a live broadcast on radio station 2RDJ 88.1FM.
In addition to speaking about various activities in which they participate at school, the students presented the traffic and weather and participated in a trivia game. The College is very proud of their articulate representation of Santa Sabina College on the radio.

Central Australia Immersion 2008

In the Term 2 school holidays, a group of nineteen students and four staff members travelled to Central Australia for an Immersion Experience. The group spent nine days experiencing the richness of the Anangu Elders’ and community’s traditional life, lore, culture, land, spirituality and beliefs. Santa Sabina College supports Immersion experiences as part of our commitment to Social Justice Education. Groups of students have also travelled to the Solomon Islands, The Philippines, East Timor and South Africa.

Primary School Students Achieve Merit Award in Mathematics Competition

A Kindergarten and Year 2 class have received a Merit Award for their participation in the Mathematical Association of NSW' Investigating Mathematics for 2008. Kindergarten’s theme was how to create a class cafe while Year2 worked around the Mathematics concepts they explored during their Year 2 Museum project. The students enjoyed the challenge of participating in a statewide competition and engaging in a range of experiments and tasks as a class group. "The students have greater confidence in Mathematics and a real sense of achievement when solving questions and problems", said Kindergarten Teacher Mrs McAulay.

The Write Stuff

A Year 10 student is one step closer to attaining the coveted title of Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year.

The student has been selected as the South Western Sydney Regional winner of the competition and is now a finalist in the state competition. Her story “Repairing Wings” was selected for its originality, fluency and expression, structure and purpose. For the next phase, she has to compose another two stories, a short biography and a questionnaire. The winner will be announced at the 2008 Young Writer of the Year Award Luncheon on Friday 19 September.

Honours for High Achiever Laura Ferraro

Recently Laura Ferraro (Year 12 2007) received an award from the Economic Society of Australia for her outstanding achievement in Economics in the HSC. Earlier in the year Laura attended the 16th Ceremony for Excellence in HSC Italian. She was one of 13 students who were recognised for their achievements. Laura received the Co As It prize, a round trip to Italy and a scholarship for a full course at Perugia’s Universita per Stranieri.

St Dominic's Day Celebrations

In celebration of the College's annual St Dominic’s Feast Day the College community gathered around St Dominic's Plot for liturgy, the Year 12 crowning of St Dominic and finally a student talent concert. It was a great celebration of our values as a Dominican learning community.

Olympic Fever at SSC

As the world’s athletes quest for Gold in Beijing, here at Santa Sabina our students have been inspired both to get fit and involved, and to apply some of our athletes’ qualities of perseverance and striving to achieve one’s best to their own lives. A group of students enjoyed an inspirational visit by Elka Graham, one of Australia’s international swimming stars and dual Olympian. Meanwhile, over 100 students are participating in the NIKE+Challenge, an initiative to encourage secondary school students from across Australia and New Zealand to get active. Students also have the opportunity to watch live coverage of the games during lunchtimes.

Year 9 Justice Day

Year 9 students participated in a day of justice awareness. Students listened to various guest speakers discuss issues such as the rights of aged people in the community and what difference individuals can make in the world. Students participated in workshops conducted by the Catholic Mission team on wealth distribution, poverty and the stories of street kids. Students were also inspired to action by their viewing of the documentary, ‘Paper Clips’ which told the story of students from Whitwell Middle School Tennessee who created a monument for the Holocaust victims in Nazi Germany.

Year 5 Fair Trade Cafe

Students recently invited the Primary School community to their Year 5 Café which sold Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate.  Cakes and other sweet treats baked by the students were on sale. “Buying fair trade is important to us because it means that people are being paid fairly and this helps their families. This means there will be less poverty in the world. Fair trade is trying to make the world a better place and this is important to Year 5 because it is showing love and care towards others”, said the students.

Ryde Eisteddfod

The Senior Vocal Ensemble recently competed in the Ryde Eisteddfod in an Open Chamber Choir Section. The group had been rehearsing for this event for some time and had worked particularly hard to learn and perform without scores, two demanding pieces. The ensemble received a 'Highly Commended' Award for their efforts and some truly excellent feedback from the adjudicator. The students are congratulated for representing Santa Sabina with such a high standard of performance. 

Santa Sabina Students Talk It Up

Heated discussions may be common amongst many families, but for the Year 7 debating team, it is a passion. The team claimed the Year 7 trophy at the Catholic Schools’ Debating Association (CSDA) Grand Finals. The group crafted an articulate debate on the topic “that creativity is more important than knowledge”, arguing that you can’t use knowledge without the creativity to apply it.

The Year 8 team were runners up in their division at the Grand Finals, also a wonderful achievement. Santa Sabina has a long tradition and strong commitment K-12 to nurturing skills of debating and public speaking so that our students can take their place in the world as articulate and well educated young people.

Top of her University Class

For the second consecutive year, a Year 11 student has been placed first in one of the University courses offered to Gifted & Talented students. This year Lauren Moses has been placed equal first in the Macquarie University Critical Thinking Course offered by the Department of Philosophy. Lauren received a High Distinction. The course is a skills based course where students analyse and deconstruct arguments and are challenged to think and learn independently. Lauren’s course will also count towards a degree should she choose to go to Macquarie University.

World Youth Day 2008

Santa Sabina College hosted WYD08 pilgrims from South Africa, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Dominican schools from Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne and pilgrim groups from Tamworth, Melbourne, the USA, Canada and Spain. During the Dominican Welcome days, the pilgrims participated in activities such as an inter-faith workshop, a social justice workshop, Christian meditation, welcoming the WYD Cross and icon, celebration of the Eucharist and a concert.

Throughout the WYD08 week, pilgrims attended the Opening Mass, catechesis sessions, the arrival and welcome of Pope Benedict XVI, the Stations of the Cross, Youth Festival events and finally the night Vigil and WYD08 Mass at Randwick.

College Principal Ms Kate Clancy, Head of the Secondary School Ms Elizabeth Bennett and three students represented the College at the Mass for the dedication of the altar at St Mary’s Cathedral.

Forty-nine students and six staff attended the night Vigil and WYD08 Mass at Randwick. It was a time of prayer, reflection, dancing and singing that was filled with much laughter and joy in union with other pilgrims.

The Dominican Welcome and WYD08 were celebrations of faith that enabled the opportunity to share with pilgrims from Australia and around the world.