The Vine Newsletter

Mrs Felicity Grima, Principal

As we close 2025, we celebrate a year of growth, character development, and community across every stage of learning. From Kindergarten to Year 12, our students have shown that they are capable of extraordinary things, reminding us that education is not just about academics, but about shaping lives.

Thank you to our families for your trust and partnership, and to our staff for their unwavering dedication and care.

As we look ahead to 2026 - with exciting initiatives such as preparation for the House expansion, the Wizard of Oz musical, and the commencement of the new VAST Building (Visual Arts, Science and Technology) project, we remain committed to educating both the heart and the mind.

On behalf of Penrith Anglican College, I wish you and your loved ones a safe, joyful, and blessed Christmas. May this season bring peace to your homes and hope for the year ahead.

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

As we come together to celebrate the end of another incredible year, we want to share something very special with you. Throughout this year, we’ve seen God’s goodness and blessings in so many ways, and today’s presentation is a joyful reminder of that truth.

Year 6 Fun Day was an unforgettable celebration of the students’ final days of primary school. To mark the end of their journey, Year 6 spent the day with Motiv8, taking part in a huge range of high-energy, water-based activities that had everyone laughing and cheering. Students dodged water guns, raced through challenges, and got absolutely covered in water, paint and flour—creating memories (and mess!) they’ll never forget. It was the perfect way to celebrate their hard work, friendships, and the exciting adventures that lie ahead in Secondary School.

On Monday, 1 December, Year 10 came together to celebrate their fundraising efforts with the Year 10 Charity Ball. This is a longstanding tradition at the College where year 10 students choose a charity to support, this year it was Rare Cancers Australia, and spend the year fundraising for a common goal. This year students worked in collaboration on a variety of events like a cake stalls, BBQ and a supporters day, to exemplify one of the College values of compassion. They were able to present their final amount of $6,175 to Natalie Clancy from Rare Cancers Australia on the night. Students looked amazing and had an enjoyable night together.

Year 9 Visual Arts students recently embarked on an inspiring adventure to the Blue Mountains, immersing themselves in the breathtaking Australian landscape that will serve as the foundation for their first unit of work in 2026.

The excursion began at the spectacular Lincoln Rock lookout in Wentworth Falls, where students were captivated by sweeping views of the Jamison Valley. This setting provided the perfect opportunity to photograph the landscape and create small textural studies directly using the rock surfaces, encouraging close observation and creative engagement with the natural environment.

From there, students visited two local galleries to experience a diverse range of artistic approaches. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Kate Soady from Moontree and Geoff White from Lost Bear Gallery, who generously shared their time, insights, and expertise. Their conversations offered students a deeper understanding of the role of contemporary artists and the varied practices that shape the Australian art scene.

The highlight of the day was travelling across the Jamison Valley via the Scenic Skyway and Railway. Descending into the lush rainforest, students continued to gather inspiration, experiencing firsthand the interplay of light, texture, and atmosphere that will inform their creative projects.

We eagerly anticipate the artworks that will emerge in Term 1 next year, enriched by this unforgettable excursion. Special thanks go to Mr Lewis and Mrs McMurray for their thoughtful coordination of such a valuable and exciting learning experience.

On Monday, 10th November, 7 students from Year 9 participated in the Ethics Olympiad Middle School competition for the first time. The Ethics Olympiad is an international competition, which encourages students to think critically about complex ethical issues. Two teams from PAC competed against teams from NSW and the ACT, including many experienced schools over Zoom. Students were involved in 4 heats, one practice and 3 scored heats, the heats were scored upon the quality of their arguments for each case. Both teams are to be congratulated as one team finished 4th out of 15 teams and the other team received the medal for Most Improved Team on the day.

Textiles 4 Change was a new Term 4, 2025 initiative, as part of the Tuesday Afternoon Program, that used textiles to spread joy during the Christmas season. Year 7, 8 and 9 students designed and created fabric Christmas ornaments, festive banners and 120 linen dinner napkins, each screen printed with personalised gold Christmas motifs. To conclude the project, students visited Newmarch Nursing Home to sing carols and personally deliver their handmade gifts to the residents. The lounge quickly filled with music as residents joined in, requesting their favourite carols and even singing and dancing along to the students’ much-loved “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey. Throughout the experience, students demonstrated leadership, initiative, and empathy, and many reflected on how wholesome and rewarding the journey had been. They returned to school filled with gratitude, having seen firsthand how their creativity and skills in Textiles could make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Library staff would like to wish our entire community a peaceful and blessed Christmas and a healthy and happy 2026. 2025 has been a busy and rewarding year in Library. We enjoyed author visits, Book Parade, our Book Fair, successful completion of the Premier’s Reading Challenge by more than 250 students and much more. 

We look forward to continuing to encourage and challenge students next year to engage with the written word for their inspiration, education and relaxation. 

Congratulations to Jacob K (Year 4) who competed at the Sporting Schools Australia Athletics Championships recently.

On the first day of the competition, Jacob ran a PB of 4:39 and placed 3rd overall in the 8-10 Years Boys 1500m.

The second day Jacob ran a comfortable 800m race, qualifying for the 800m Final on the Saturday. In very windy conditions he placed 3rd in his event. What a superstar effort! Penrith Anglican College is so proud of your efforts.

We are excited to share that Luca K (Year 4) has recently represented Australia at an international Futsal Tournament, where he and his team achieved an extraordinary result.

Luca’s Australian side went on to win the tournament, making history as the first Australian team to ever claim this title.

Luca also earned the prestigious Goalkeeper of the Tournament award, recognising his talent, dedication, and outstanding performance throughout the competition.

Congratulations, Luca, what an incredible accomplishment! 

Congratulations to Gauravie R (Year 7) who represented PAC in the CIS 15s Girls Cricket team at last week’s NSW All Schools Championships.

Gauravie had a successful three days at this championship, making new friends and developing her skills. Being selected in the CIS team as a Year 7 student is an amazing achievement, and the PAC community looks forward to following Gauravie’s cricket journey in the coming years!

Extended Term 1 Trading hours 2026 

Monday 12th - Friday 16th January 

Monday 19th - Friday 23rd January 

Tuesday 27th - Friday 30th January 

Opening 9.00 am - 4.00 pm 

Opening 9.00 am - 4.00 pm 

Opening 8.00 am - 4.00 pm 

The uniform shop will resume normal hours on Tuesday 3rd February 2026 

Tuesday & Friday 8:00 am - 12:00 pm 

Wednesday & Thursday 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm 

Our school community is warmly invited to join Lower Mountains Anglican Church in celebrating the Christmas season. A number of special services and family-friendly events will be held across Blaxland and Glenbrook in the lead-up to Christmas, including carols and Christmas Day services.

To learn more about times and locations, please visit LMAP.org.au.

The NSW RFS is the world's largest volunteer fire service, made up of over 70,000 dedicated volunteers across NSW. To ensure this service continues to develop within our community, the Orchard Hills Brigade runs a cadet program for individuals between the age of 12 - 16years.

We currently have availability in this program and are reaching out to you for assistance in sharing our Cadet flyer to your greater school community. We are not expecting or requesting you to do anything other than sharing the flyer whether it be on your social media, on a student noticeboard, in a school newsletter or any other way you deem appropriate.

The program is a great opportunity for your students to learn new and valuable skills, be part of a community organisation as well as meeting people they normally wouldn’t meet. Training occurs on a Sunday morning between the hours of 9am - 12pm and only operates during NSW government school terms.

If you would like to discuss the program in further detail or require more information, please do not hesitate to contact

Paul Bridgman

Deputy Captain / Cadet Co-ordinator

0428 481 305

Please see the attached Term Dates for 2026 for your reference.