Term 3 is always special as it is the time we celebrate the feast day of St Dominic. “Dom’s Day” this year is on Friday 3 August, and we look forward to the Dominican Sisters joining us for a liturgical celebration, followed by morning tea. Our Year 12 College Captain and Vice-Captain have their chance to “crown” the statue of St Dominic following morning tea. This privilege used to be enjoyed only by the boarders, when Santa Sabina was both a boarding and day school.
Dominic de Guzman (1173-1221) founded the Order of Preachers in response to both pastoral and practical concerns of his times. His vision was to bring the Gospel message to those people who were disaffected with aspects of the established Church of the time. Rather than being enclosed in a monastic order, Dominic engaged with the people around him. Hence the meaning of the Order of Preachers. Dominic committed the Order to redressing the scandals of the Church, and to restoring a prayerful, faithful community. He did not attack the Church but rather he developed a model of respect and right relationships in the Christian community based on the life and teachings of Jesus. While Dominic left no writings, he left a tradition that has spread around the world, and that is lively and dynamic in response to the needs and signs of the times. As members of the Santa Sabina community, we are all inheritors of this tradition, “united by faith and our heritage”.
This term has also begun with spectacular successes and achievements. Fourteen students from Years 7-9 participated in the NASA space excursion to Houston, USA during the holidays. Ms Rachele Rugiero accompanied the girls, and from all accounts on their blog (available to view on the in our latest news), the trip was very worthwhile.
The following Year 10 students: Phoebe Trainor, Bridget Clark, Bridget Crick, Grace Campbell, Elle Carmichael and Solange Shina represented the College at the biennial student Common Ground conference. The students were accompanied by Ms Samantha Newbond, and Mrs Kate Blake. This conference is an opportunity for students from a range of Dominican schools to come together, exchange information about each other’s schools, learn more about the Dominican tradition, and generate ideas to bring back to their respective schools. I look forward to meeting the girls and hearing what they have in store for Santa.
It seems the Santa Sabina Science Department is on fire. They can’t stop winning. Our Santa team consisting of Gabrielle Younes, Rachel Lee and Emily Mattar have made it to the National Finals of the Titration competition following their success in June at the NSW Titration Competition for Schools held at Kambala. How exciting! This is what happens when a great team works together. Ms Grace Li and Ms Natasha Kempers have worked so well with these students. Following their success at the Science and Engineering Challenge where Santa Sabina achieved first place, our students are going on to the next level: the NSW Super Challenge for Science and Engineering. This will be on 28 August in Newcastle. Congratulations girls on this exceptional result, and congratulations to Ms Rugiero as well for her unfailing support and mentoring. On the Primary campus, Eve Blanchard’s short film video, All creatures great and small, has been selected as a Highly Commended entry in the 2018 Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize – Primary. Congratulations Eve on this wonderful achievement! The Science Department has been running Science lessons with our Del Monte students as part of their Unit of Inquiry for some time now. On Monday 6 August we will have our very excited Kindergarten students coming to the Senior campus to participate in a lesson based on the central idea, “People discover new things when they test ideas”. This cross-campus collaboration is one of the key benefits of a P-12 school.
The Year 9 Debating team – Clara Elias, Rachel Frecker, Sophia Juarez, Elissa Baker, Francine Geronimo, and Sarah George – were successful in last Friday night’s debating semi-final. We wish them every success in the forthcoming final on Friday 3 August to be held at Bede Polding College.
Australian Music Day was held at the College on Monday and Tuesday of this week. It is a composition day organised and led by Richard Gill AO, and with the support of host of professional musicians, to enhance the music composition skills of school students. A range of schools, as well as Santa Sabina, were represented at this two-day event. We were sorry to learn that Richard Gill was not well enough to be there this year, but he had ensured that James Humberstone, Australian composer and musician from the Conservatorium of Music was able to step in. We wish Richard the best and are very appreciative of his constant advancement of music education generally, and of Santa Sabina particularly.
Year 10 students interested in applying for leadership positions are currently undertaking the “Pillars” program over a series of days after school. They have had input from guests including ex-students and our Rhodes Scholar, Ashleigh Barnes. The students engage with various aspects of leadership within their Dominican context of the four pillars – Prayer, Service, Study and Community. The students make a commitment to attend all five sessions, to be well prepared, participate fully, and to reflect on each session. I congratulate students who have stepped up to this challenge, and am confident that their learning will be significant whether or not they attain a particular leadership position.
Dance is increasingly popular at Santa Sabina, and I acknowledge Ms Rachel Ludowici’s great leadership in this area. I am looking forward to the chance to see our Del Monte dance students perform at the Senior Assembly. I’ve been watching rehearsals in the Del Monte hall, and am very impressed by the talent and teamwork on display. All of the Santa Sabina College dance groups competed at the Ultimate Dance Challenge in Dural last Sunday with spectacular results.
While the members of our infants team were not fazed by their first performance they showed great potential. The Primary team, Senior Jazz and Contemporary teams all received highly commended awards for their routines. The Senior Tap team received third place in a very competitive field, and the Senior Hip Hop team brought the house down and were awarded First place. Olivia Ayoub from Year 10 has successfully auditioned for a place in the CaSPA (Catholic Schools Performing Arts Sydney) 2018 Touring Works Ensemble. The Touring Works production this year is a show that combines singing, dancing and acting into one performance. Talented students from the Archdiocese have been selected to develop a show that will performed throughout Sydney Catholic Schools in Term 3. Well done, Olivia!
The Santa Sabina College Senior Futsal team – Bella Sanzari, Jessica Cirignano, Lara Bosnich, Olivia Butt, Kaitlin Kiparizov, Ailish McDonagh, Chloe Harman, Claudia Cicco – successfully defended their state title and were crowned state champions for the second year running. Renee Lewis, Alexandra Kalamvokis, Kate and Annie Farres attended the All Schools Cross Country Championships. Both Renee, who placed fifth, and Alexandra, who placed sixth, have been selected for the national championship to be held on the Gold Coast later in August. This is a wonderful achievement for the students.
Our first ever AFL team played in the CGSSSA Championship and won three out of the four matches. A very good debut for our Senior team. Students are continuing in their Saturday sports and approaching the semi-finals. Half our teams will be eligible to play in the finals series.
Finally, our prayers and best wishes for Year 12 students who begin their trial HSC exams on Monday. At the same time, the final HSC exams begin also this term in the performance and project-based subjects. The Textiles Exhibition on display last week in the foyer of the Thomas Aquinas Centre was testament to the quality of project work undertaken by our senior students.
A Dominican thought:
“EXPLORING the future of the Dominican charism in the church … of the 21st century, I am reminded of the description of fidelity to tradition attributed to Picasso: It doesn’t mean wearing your grandfather’s hat; it means having a baby! Loyalty to the heritage of Dominic and Catherine and all who have gone before us in this family called Dominican demands our own unique response – at once creative and courageous. The Second Vatican Council sent religious orders back to the spirit of their founders – not to the times of their founders, not even to the essential elements of the life as developed in its foundation, but to the ‘original inspiration behind a given community’.”
– Mary Catherine Hilkert OP “Dominican Charism: A Living Tradition of God’s Grace”
Dr Maree Herrett
