From the Principal
Message from the Principal
Mrs Felicity Grima - Principal
P&F Annual General Meeting
All parents and friends of the College are invited to attend the P&F Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 3 August at 7.30 pm in the Staff Common Room.
Mrs Grima will be addressing the meeting and the election of Committee members will take place for 2022/2023. Refreshments will be served.
It is a great way to meet other families and support our community.
New Staff Welcome
This term we welcome the following staff to the College:
- Miss Danielle Todd (Kindergarten) who replaces Mrs Joni Coleman who retired at the end of Term 2.
- Miss Sarah Ecladios (Year 3) who replaces Mrs Wheatley who will commence Maternity Leave shortly.
- Miss Emma West (Year 4) who replaces Mrs Tindall who will commence Maternity Leave shortly.
We would also like to welcome back Mrs Emily Heath (Assistant Chaplain) and Mrs Bek Mann (PDHPE Teacher) from Maternity Leave.
2023 Staffing
We have commenced the recruitment process for 2023 staff. We are experiencing continued, strong enrolment growth across the College as we increase the number of streams in Primary and Secondary. We will also farewell a number of staff at the end of the year as they retire after 30 to 40 years in the teaching profession.
We are currently recruiting the following positions:
Head of Learning Support (P-12) - Permanent Full Time, commencing Term 1, 2023 or sooner by negotiation.
HSIE Teacher: Business Studies, Economics, or Legal Studies with 7-10 Geography - Permanent Full Time commencing Term 1, 2023
Mathematics Teacher - Permanent Full Time commencing Term 1, 2023
2 x Primary Teachers - Permanent Full Time, commencing Term 1, 2023
1 x Primary Teacher - Maternity Leave Full Time, from Term 1, 2023 to Term 3, 2023
1 x Primary Teacher - Maternity Leave Full Time, from Term 1, 2023 to Term 4, 2023
Technologies Teacher: Information Processes Technology (IPT) and Software Design & Development (SDD) - Permanent Full Time commencing Term 1, 2023
Further information can be found on the website.
Child Safe Training
All College staff completed a range of professional development during the recent holidays including training in embedding literacy across the curriculum and CPR. We also completed training with the NSW Association of Independent Schools focused on creating safer schools through the understanding and implementation of the Child Safe Standards.
Topics covered included:
- The Child Safe Standards
- The NSW child protection legislative context
- Creating a culture of safety
- Professional Boundaries
- School review/self-assessment
If you would like more information about our Child Safe Policy, it can be found on our website.
If you ever have any concerns about the safety of children, please contact the Principal as soon as possible.
John Lambert Awards Assembly
This week we had the pleasure of hosting our first ‘in person’ John Lambert Awards Assembly. Over 120 students from Kindergarten to Year 12 received their award as part of an Assembly that showcased performances and presentations of various aspects of the Award.
The John Lambert Award is named after Mr John Lambert who made a significant contribution to education in NSW including as the founding President of the NSW Board of Studies, now known as NSW Educational Standards Authority. From 1994 to 2010, Mr Lambert took up a role with the Anglican Schools Corporation as a schools development officer, leading the site selection, establishment, and early years of school growth for a network of low-fee, Anglican schools in New South Wales including Penrith Anglican College.
The John Lambert Award honours the work of Mr Lambert in the foundation of Penrith Anglican College and is one of the most significant awards we present at the College.
It recognises the effort and achievement of students in a range of areas including:
- Academic studies
- Sport
- Performing Arts and other Co-curricular activities
- Community Service outside the College
- Citizenship and Fellowship
Last year we implemented a change in the John Lambert Award. Instead of resetting the points to 0 at the start of every year, students are able to continue to collect points until they have the required number for the award.
For some students, it may take a year for them to complete the award. For other students, it may take them several years. Regardless of the time taken, the achievement of a John Lambert Award signifies that a student is actively involved in the College's life, display effort and perseverance, represent the College well, and demonstrate an attitude of service. One of the best things about this award is that everyone can achieve it. The more involved you are and the more willing you are to participate and try new things, the more often you will achieve the John Lambert Award.
Students who achieve 5 or 10 John Lambert Awards during their time at the College will continue to receive these awards at the end of year Presentation event.
We congratulate all our award recipients.
For further information about the John Lambert Award, please refer to pages 6-7 in the Student Diaries.
Mrs Felicity Grima
Principal
John Lambert Award Recipients
Congratulations to the following students who received their John Lambert Awards on Wednesday 27 July:
Ojas | Mankotia | Kindergarten |
Benji | Nicholson | Kindergarten |
Kingsley | Bunting | Year 1 |
Amelia | Kurian | Year 1 |
Amelia | Sultana | Year 1 |
Annika | Aguilar | Year 2 |
Laura | Broad | Year 2 |
Evie | Casha | Year 2 |
Zayn | De Souza | Year 2 |
Airlie | Howard | Year 2 |
Monica | Kairouz | Year 2 |
Madison | Lindsay | Year 2 |
Tyler | McKenzie | Year 2 |
Joseph | McWhirter | Year 2 |
Charlotte | Nicholls | Year 2 |
Brody | Ralphs | Year 2 |
Jake | Spiteri | Year 2 |
Wang | Wan Yi | Year 2 |
Blake | Weller | Year 2 |
Chelsea | Balandra | Year 3 |
Eli | Ingerson | Year 3 |
Noah | Kurniadi | Year 3 |
Alice | Marshall | Year 3 |
Lilyana | Peikos | Year 3 |
Sophia | Rouggos | Year 3 |
Darcy | Bernuetz | Year 4 |
Alice | Braga | Year 4 |
Levi | Casha | Year 4 |
Hannah | Crawley | Year 4 |
Jack | Greentree | Year 4 |
Nathaniel | Grima | Year 4 |
Aaleyah | Hassan | Year 4 |
Max | Maloney | Year 4 |
Kelsey | Maurer | Year 4 |
Jack | Milnes | Year 4 |
Riley | Nicholson | Year 4 |
Sirat | Sidhu | Year 4 |
Jacob | Williams | Year 4 |
Rueben | Bleasdale | Year 5 |
Mia | Borger | Year 5 |
Benji | Brard | Year 5 |
Izaak | Casha | Year 5 |
Jacob | Cruzado | Year 5 |
Layla | Davidson | Year 5 |
Caitlin | Davies | Year 5 |
Nimrat Kaur | Dhillon | Year 5 |
Piper | Luscombe | Year 5 |
Ayra | Mahmood | Year 5 |
Trent | Martin | Year 5 |
Grace | Nicholls | Year 5 |
Sienna | Ovington | Year 5 |
Jadon | Shenouda | Year 5 |
Chloe | Still | Year 5 |
Ruby | Sutcliffe | Year 5 |
Finley | Gange | Year 6 |
Sophia | Hutton | Year 6 |
Aditi | Angrish | Year 7 |
Evie | Atkinson | Year 7 |
Ryan | Babaii Rizvandi | Year 7 |
Mahli | Bunting | Year 7 |
Imogen | Corliss | Year 7 |
Hannah | Danyal | Year 7 |
Sarah | Dowding | Year 7 |
Katelyn | Ferguson | Year 7 |
Amali | Galea | Year 7 |
Chloe | Georgijevic | Year 7 |
Jashan | Gill | Year 7 |
Emily | Hardiman | Year 7 |
Abigail | Jones | Year 7 |
Zane | Lee | Year 7 |
Ava | Maurer | Year 7 |
Siaola | Ofa | Year 7 |
Hunter | Phippen | Year 7 |
Lily | Regan | Year 7 |
Penelope | Robson | Year 7 |
Akshaj | Sharma | Year 7 |
Brahmjeet | Singh Johal | Year 7 |
Mitchell | Thomson | Year 7 |
Bailey | Wright | Year 7 |
Matthew | Braga | Year 8 |
Sari | Currier | Year 8 |
Madeline | Deane | Year 8 |
Tia | Green | Year 8 |
Rebecca | Hall | Year 8 |
Matthew | Jones | Year 8 |
Jacob | Lucas | Year 8 |
Maeve | Luscombe | Year 8 |
Aleksandar | Mansell | Year 8 |
Emma | Martin | Year 8 |
Zackary | Parkes | Year 8 |
Dominic | Sultana | Year 8 |
Nihar | Suthar | Year 8 |
Madalyn | Wilde | Year 8 |
Arni | Mankotia | Year 9 |
Ellisa | Patterson | Year 9 |
Samuel | Stoneham | Year 9 |
Aaron | Vella | Year 9 |
Toby | Gange | Year 10 |
Ava | Kobus | Year 10 |
Tahlia | Mayo | Year 10 |
Brianna | Nott | Year 10 |
Anne | Oliver | Year 10 |
Erin | O'Shannessy | Year 10 |
Vanshika | Rathore | Year 10 |
Isabella | Stewart | Year 10 |
William | Tupper | Year 10 |
Mackenzie | Capili | Year 11 |
Alex | Doyle | Year 11 |
Oliver | Jenkins | Year 11 |
Henry | Ramsay | Year 11 |
Spencer | Ruggeri | Year 11 |
Alexander | Wright | Year 11 |
Hamish | Dillon | Year 12 |
Mason | Maenzanise | Year 12 |
Prayer and Praise
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."
Jeremiah 32:17
Please pray for:
Those members of the College community experiencing times of hardship and stress,
Our fabulous Year 12 students who are in the thick of finalising Major Works, and sit their Trial HSC Examinations in Week 4.
Year 7 Camp next week.
Praise God for:
Our outgoing and incoming Student Leadership Teams.
Being able to celebrate our students with parents onsite!
The impact of the Dusty Boots Trip on the students and staff who went, and on the community of Wellington.
Teaching and Learning
Message from the Director of Student Wellbeing
Miss Adele Crane - Director of Student Wellbeing
Free Parent Information Seminar on Drug Education
Our children are growing up in a society that is in some ways very different to the time when we grew up. It can be challenging for young people to know what to do with the many choices they face, particularly when friends might think differently to them. And therefore, it can be challenging for us to know how to advise our children and equip them for things they might face in life.
Equipping ourselves with the most up to date information along with learning from experts about ways that can best guide our children are wise and helpful methods for us to employ.
One area that we need to consider to understand is drugs, everything from alcohol to vaping. Of the wide variety of drugs available, alcohol is the most commonly used drug in Australia, particularly by young people. The 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey found that 66% of 14–17 year olds have never had a full serve of alcohol. This survey also found 2.8% of 14–17 year olds drink weekly (this figure increases to 27.9% for 18-24 year olds).
Alcohol may be something we are more familiar with; however, vaping is a drug you may not be. Knowledge of how vapes are designed to appeal to young people and their lack of regulation is both concerning and helpful to know.
To help parents in their important role, the College has invited Tom Reynolds to share with us about the current trends of alcohol and drug use among young people including vaping, so that you can consider how to best handle challenging conversations with your child. Tom Reynolds is the Founder of Independent Drug Education Australia (IDEA), working with over 150 school communities across Australia, and is passionate about providing evidence-based information to the community, as well as young people to ensure they can keep one another safe. IDEA teaches proactive and responsive skills and strategies that students can use to protect themselves and their friends in all alcohol and drug related situations.
This parent session will look at the most recent research, data and trends on alcohol and other drug (AOD) use among young people, how to handle challenging situations, and importantly, key messages as to how parents can tell their children about AODs. Tom will also cover the more common issues/questions and some current topical issues such as vaping.
Tom will be speaking with our Year 10 students later this term, so this seminar may be of particular interest to our parents of this cohort so they know the sorts of things he will cover with them although please note this is open to all interested parents.
Please see the flyer attached. Details of this Parent Information Seminar are:
Seminar – Keeping your child safe
Speaker – Tom Reynolds of IDEA (https://inddea.com.au/)
When - Wednesday 31 August at 7pm
Where – LHT
Cost – book your free ticket at https://www.trybooking.com/CBJSG
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Miss Adele Crane at [email protected]
Keeping your child safe will be a highly worthwhile parent information seminar that will help you to understand the current trends of alcohol and drug use among young people including vaping and be able to handle challenging conversations with your child about alcohol and drug use.
Miss Adele Crane
Director of Student Wellbeing
Volunteer Exam Readers and Writers Needed
We need your help!
Several times during the year we require the assistance of people who are willing to act as readers and writers in assessments and examinations. This is a role which is coordinated by our Learning Support Department and requires sitting with a student and assisting them by reading an examination or assessment paper to them or writing their responses on the paper. It is an incredibly helpful role for students.
If you choose to be involved, your name and contact details will be stored in a database and you will be contacted each time a need arises. You will be free to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to each opportunity according to your availability.
To be involved, you will need to have a current WWCC number for volunteers which can be applied for online and is free of charge. You would also need to be at least double vaccinated for COVID.
Training will be provided.
If you are interested in being involved, please contact Mrs Ling, the Head of Learning Support at the College on (02) 4736 8100 or [email protected]
Message from the Deputy Principal (Primary)
Mrs Ljubica Mansell - Deputy Principal (Primary)
Dear Families
Welcome back to the College for the start of Term 3. We trust and pray that all our families have enjoyed the opportunity to rest, relax and recharge over the holiday break.
Term 3 will offer many wonderful opportunities for our students to stretch themselves in a range of skills academically, creatively and physically.
This week, the Primary teachers sent out Welcome to Term 3 letters that outline all the learning taking place across the term as well as events that are specific to each grade. Please contact your child’s core class teacher, if you have any questions.
Primary Staffing
This term we welcome new teachers to the Primary School:
- Miss Danielle Todd in Kindergarten
- Miss Sarah Ecladios in Year 3
- Miss Emma West in Year 4
Miss Todd, Miss Ecladios and Miss West have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and teaching the students this week as they settle into their new roles at the Collend Mrs Tindall will be commencing their maternity leave in a couple of weeks. May God continue to bless them both and their families as they await the arrival of their bundles of joy.
PSSA Sports Term 3
Recently, members of the PSSA executive attended a meeting at Penrith City Council to discuss matters regarding field availabilities and bookings. The decision has been made to amend this Winter Season by cancelling the weekly PSSA competition and moving to a Gala Day model this term.
We have currently been in contact with other independent schools to organise weekly friendly matches.
Further details will come once confirmations and dates are made with the council and relayed onto families. We assure you that we are doing all we can to provide students an opportunity to participate in competitive sport this term.
Primary Disco
On Friday 12 August, all students in Pre-K to Year 6 are invited to attend the Primary Disco.
Pre-K 5.00pm-6.15pm Pre-K Classrooms
Years K-2 5.00pm-6.45pm College Gymnasium
Years 3-6 7.00pm-9.00pm College Gymnasium
You can purchase tickets, glow items and snacks via the Flexischools app. Glow items will be delivered to your child’s classroom the day before the disco.
Compassion Week
Week 5 is Compassion Week. Students are encouraged to give a gold coin from their pocket money or canteen money so they take ownership of this program and for the care of the child their grade is sponsoring. It also demonstrates how little they go without to make such a big difference in the lives of those less fortunate.
Here are the details of the K-6 students we are sponsoring:
- Pre K: Beka a boy aged 4 from Ethiopia
- Kindergarten: Doreen Akello who is a girl aged 5 from Uganda.
- Year 1: Pedro Guilherme Oliveira Sampaio who is a boy aged 6 and lives in Brazil.
- Year 2: Jhon Carlos Sanchez Branez who is a 7 year old boy and lives in Bolivia.
- Year 3: Justin Gonzalez Alcazar who is an 8 year old boy and lives in Mexico.
- Year 4: Salvador Caballero Perez who is a 9 year old boy and lives in Mexico
- Year 5: Felix Solidad who is an 11 year old boy and lives in the Philippines.
- Year 6: Ingrid Maria Santana De Oliveira who is an 11 year old girl and lives in Brazil.
Father’s Day Stall and Celebrations
We will be holding our Father’s Day stall on Tuesday 30 August and Thursday 1 September. On Monday 5 September all Primary School dads are invited to spend the morning at the College. They will enjoy an early breakfast and enjoy chapel presented by the Primary students. More information will be shared with families in the coming weeks including links to Flexischools. We look forward to welcoming dads to the College that day.
Stage Three Camps
Years 5 and 6 - Wednesday 31 August- Friday 2 September.
Students from Stage 3 will travel to Waterslea to engage in a range of outdoor education activities run by Youthworks. These activities are designed to encourage students to step out of their comfort zone, learn new skills and build their team building. Additionally, students will take part in Christian Education lessons where they will grow in their understanding of the Gospel.
Stage Two Camps
Year 3 Day Camp- Thursday 8 September 2022.
Year 4 Camp- Thursday 8 September-Friday 9 September 2022
Students in Years 3 will travel to Port Hacking for their one-day camp. This will be a fantastic opportunity for Year 3 to experience some wonderful outdoor activities.
Year 4 will head to Port Hacking for their two-day camp. This is a great opportunity for our students to experience outdoor activities and one night away. If your child has not previously spent a night away from home now is a good opportunity for you to organise a night away, maybe with grandparents, other family members or a friend.
More information about the camps will be sent to families in the coming weeks.
Granting Permission for Events
Many of the events above will require parent’s/carer’s permission for students to attend. Please remember to keep an eye on the Parent Portal for upcoming events. Permission needs to be granted for all events prior to the day of the event.
College Uniform
Students return to the College for Term 3 in full Winter uniform.
From Monday 5 September (Week 7), students will have the option of wearing full Summer uniform or full Winter uniform, not a combination of both. Monday 5 September is the day after Father’s Day.
Daily Times
The College daily times remain unchanged. Supervision is provided from 8.00am until 3.45pm.
- Pre-K to Year 2 8.30am - 3.00pm
- Years 3 and 4 8.30am - 3.10pm
- Years 5 to 12 8.30am - 3.25pm
Afternoon kiss and run will be in operation as normal. We do ask that all families have their car park passes clearly visible in the afternoon. Alternatively, families are welcome to park their cars in the car park and collect their child/ren from the Assembly Areas. Parking is not permitted in the Primary Kiss and Run zones. We ask that families collect their children from the Primary Assembly area at the designated times.
Wishing you all a lovely start to Term 3 and I look forward to sharing more about Primary school in upcoming editions of the Vine.
Warm regards and God Bless,
Mrs Ljubica Mansell
P&F Primary Disco
100 Days of Kindergarten
On Wednesday 27 July, students in Kindergarten celebrated 100 days of learning. Students and teachers dressed for the occasion and had a wonderful day exploring the number 100 through a range of different activities and even had some celebratory cake at lunch time.
We will continue celebrating each day of learning and the opportunities we are blessed with each and every day.
Compassion Child Sponsorship 2022
Primary Compassion Competition will take place during Week 5: 22 - 26 August.
Hockey NSW State Championships
Fresh from their success at the Hockey NSW Championships for U15 Boys, during the school holidays Xavier Canning (Year 5) played for the Nepean Representative squad at the U13 Hockey NSW Championships in Wyong, where the team won the Championships, and Xavier conceded no goals during the tournament. Congratulations Xavier - what an incredible achievement!
Library
Look Inside the Library
Book Week 2022
We are excited to be preparing for Book Week 2022 and look forward to the upcoming announcement of winners in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards on Friday 19 August.
This year’s theme, Dreaming With Eyes Open encourages us as readers to let our imaginations take us away from the ordinary through the power of words.
To check out the shortlists in all categories, visit the official website https://www.cbca.org.au/
PRC Reminder
NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge closes for 2022 on Friday 19 August as well, so don’t forget to log all books read by that date. To login to the Challenge site use this link https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html
Secondary School
Message from the Deputy Principal (Secondary)
Mr Leighton Corr - Deputy Principal (Secondary)
On Thursday July 28 the College held our annual Secondary Leaders Investiture Service to formally induct our Secondary student leaders for 2022-2023.
It was a wonderful service, where the students were encouraged by Bishop Gary Koo to be people who looked to serve and not use their position to hold power and authority. The outgoing Captains, Benjamin Mallin and Hannah Stanford spoke brilliantly as they acknowledged the work of their leadership team and also and wished the incoming leaders well.
The Primary Captains then delivered some encouragement to the new leaders and thanked them for being great role models before Samuel Lucas and Francesca Pereira spoke on behalf of the new team about their excitement about serving the College community and working with their peers to be part of this team.
It was great to have parents and students join us in the Lighthouse Theatre for the event and we wish our leaders all the best in their roles in the next 12 months. The team is listed below with some photos from the event.
College Captains
Francesca Pereira and Samuel Lucas
College Vice-Captains
Isabella Degei and Oliver Jenkins
Prefects
Tanisha Aggarwal
Charlotte Bradford
Molly Carter
Hayley Metcalfe
Caitlin Mu
Monique Tierney
Alexander Wright
Aled Young
House Captains
Cranmer
Ashley Jackson and Kalan Copeland
Latimer
Amelia Forti and Arnav Shrestha
Ridley
Alex Doyle and Spencer Hinchliffe
Ryle
Isabelle Luscombe and Hayden Comber
Mr Leighton Corr
Deputy Principal (Secondary)
Year 11 2022 Dusty Boots
From 1-8 July, 38 students and 10 members of staff headed out to Mumbil, near Wellington NSW to serve the local community. They stayed at Ridgecrest, a campsite on the ridge above Lake Burrendong, and enjoyed great meals, the jumping pillow and basketball court and hanging out together. During their week away, the team cleared many gardens and garages, tore down and rebuilt a fence, ran two trivia afternoons, helped in a church service, entertained people musically, painted renovations and fed many! Some members of the team also helped out at the PCYC, assisting in running a Netball Clinic and an Arts and Sports Day for local children.
The team served beautifully and respectfully, enjoying the opportunity to get to know Wellington locals and hearing their stories. It was a privilege to spend a week with the team.
Reflection from Harry Ramsay
Dusty Boots was an immensely impactful trip for me. My friends and I were able to help and serve those who needed it most. It really hit me hard seeing many of the older folk being able to come out of their shell to join us at our trivia afternoons that we had run. Seeing them being able to socialise and have a fun time was a highlight for me. Another highlight was the bonding that took place. I was able to talk and have real conversations with people I would have never expected, and I made some true friends on a trip I'll never forget.
Reflection from Aneeq Mahmood
Dusty Boots was an amazing trip. Ever since my sister went on it three years ago, I'd been excited to go and experience it myself, and I wasn't disappointed. While the cost and label of a 'service' trip might scare some people away, the work barely feels like service and the time you spend working is far outweighed by the fun you have while working. The trip itself is a good time to form stronger connections with your friends, and really opens your eyes to the ways in which other people live and how even a small amount of help can mean a world of difference to others.
Year 12 English – Craft of Writing examples
Last term Year 12 Advanced and Standard English students studied Module C: The Craft of Writing. Their assessment task was a Writing Portfolio where they crafted three pieces of writing, each in a different style, and a Viva Voce where students reflected on their writing process their choices and inspiration.
The English Faculty thoroughly enjoyed reading these compositions and wanted to share three more examples of student work with you.
An imaginative piece of writing by Hannah Stanford
Each step forward was two steps into the past. They became heavier as the girl followed the icy riverbank. Snowflakes gently fell around her feet, twirling like little ballerinas. In her yellow jacket she stood out like a sore thumb, clashing with the black, slick water and white pavements marked with footprints. As she came closer to her destination, her heartbeat quickened, drowning out the sound of the gurgling slush below. “You need to do this,” she reminded herself. She lifted her chin and fought back the sting in her eyes.
Towering over her was a part of history frozen in time. The only building left standing after the nuclear bomb hit. Each crack within the walls seemed to wallow in pain. The empty windows were like gaping voids sucking life from the outside world. She wanted to scream but found herself voiceless. Broken, she fell to her knees. She knew she wasn’t strong enough to go through with it. She let her arms drop, completely forgetting the black case in her hand. The edge hit the ground and popped open, spilling out the contents. She found a shiny silver flute smiling back at her.
7 years ago, that same flute was held by her Mother. Even in bed with tubes attached to her wrists, her Mum played the sweetest melodies that made the trees blossom outside her window. The girl’s breathing steadied as she thought back to the memory. She could still hear her Mother’s quiet voice saying, “You can heal the world, Mei.”
That was all she needed. Mustering all her remaining strength, the girl gripped the cool metal in her hands and rose to her feet. 45 years ago, thousands of people died in Hiroshima, and thousands followed years later. The world lost its voice, and she was here to give it back.
With a deep breath and a gentle blow, the girl created music. The playful melody danced and bounced and weaved through the air like a figure skater on ice. A crowd began to form, transfixed by the music. Each turn and twist was an old memory unlocked, a baby’s first word, a long-awaited hug. For a moment everything felt right, but it couldn’t stay like that forever. Suddenly the music transformed into fast, screeching, descending arpeggios, like daggers falling from the sky. The girl shut her eyes, her body moving ferociously with the sound of destruction. The music cut through the air, through the crowd, stopping everything in its tracks. Even the river appeared to stop flowing. At last, the noise came to an end and the girl let her tears fall to the ground. The melody grew sombre, so precious it could break at any moment. It quivered as she joined the sobs echoing from within the crowd. But this wasn’t the end. Steadying herself, she played a sound of hope and peace and passion and loss. She opened her eyes and saw smiles on the faces of the hurting, on the weak, on the broken. Rays of sun rose above the clouds and the once falling snowflakes hovered in the air, weightless. Many were recording the 13-year-old girl with the yellow jacket. The world needed to hear their story. To feel what they felt. The girl’s flute was the only way how.
A persuasive piece of writing by Anna Smith
Is dancing a sport? Many people consider activities such as netball, soccer, football, hockey, and track to be a sport. Notably not mentioned on this list is a dance. Countless people tend to believe that dance is not a sport because it doesn't involve two individuals/teams competing directly against each other, and as a dancer myself, I agree with them.
If you are a dancer, I hope you don't consider me a snake in the grass just yet. So many of you are probably reading this ready to argue that dance is just as gruelling as any other sport and requires countless hours of practice. This is something I definitely do not need to be convinced of; I have done my time spending 20 hours of my week in a dance studio, spending every extra second of my life seeing if I can do six turns instead of five. However, this does not mean dance is a sport. It is simply so much more than that.
Dance is a fully-fledged art form, speaking to people subconsciously and making us feel deeply. It communicates messages and feelings that can't always be described in words but are felt undeniably and shared among communities. With many parallels between dance and verbal communication, it is indisputable that dance is a form of language.
Consider my following theory, dance steps can be seen as words, and threading them into a sequence may work as a sentence. The choreography of these sequences mirrors how thought is composed, and the quality of the dancer's movements mirrors the tone of voice. For beings who are non-verbal, dance can be used as an implement to express themselves freely. Rather than using words in their place, dancers can use movement to share their feelings and thoughts. Words aren't necessary! Dancers can tell stories and transfer emotions, feelings, and ideas, ultimately communicating in a way that is meaningful to them.
Don't dancers require similar skill sets to those of athletes? Sure they do; they are physically strong and competitive, but it is what they use those skills for that makes the two different. They use their strength and stamina to carry themselves gracefully across the stage, telling the story of their dance without falling to the ground of exhaustion. What do football players use their strength for? To smash the opposing players and slam the ball down for several extra points. Where is the emotion in that? You'd have to be painfully unaware not to notice the difference.
Dance moves people, speaking to their souls and conveying emotions they can only feel. The sport tells us which side has the better team. I hope that now to my fellow dancers, I am no longer a snake in the grass but yet a real straight shooter.
How can I be so sure? I'm a dancer who has tried every sport out there. I couldn't be more educated on the topic if I tried. Dance, in general, requires so much more than any sport, and that is because it is more. It is not a sport; it's art.
A discursive piece of writing by Eliza Marshall
Have you ever thought about words? Like how they are used and the true meanings behind them? How some people think of words with a totally different meaning or connotation to you? The life words live and create?
Double meanings! There are so many times I have completely misunderstood someone just because words can mean something else. There have been countless times when a friend will say that they’re so hot. And I have thought they were saying they were good looking, but they were actually saying that they were hot in temperature. So simple and yet so easily mixed up! And then there are words like orange. The fruit or the colour. Which is where context really comes in. And then the words associated to colour can be so, so different. Like a lot of people see red as a symbol of hate and anger but it can also mean love and romance.
Then there are words that seem to have a written meaning sown into them. Orphan, refugee, victim. These words carry so much baggage and weight. I don’t know about you but whenever I see, hear, or even think about these words my heart just aches.
In a point in my life, I would say things like ‘you’re so retarded’ as a joke. I just didn’t think anything of it. But one day I went on a music excursion to a disability home and my eyes were opened. From then on, I never used the word ‘retarded’… especially not as a joke. But other people still do, and they don’t have the same connotations to the word as me.
But it’s kind of funny how words mean something so completely different all because of context and experience. The other words surrounding one singular word creates the meaning. It’s kind of like a house. You’re walking down the street and you stop directly in front of a house. You see the door and windows and bricks along with the outline of the house. But then you walk a few meters up the street and see the depth it has. Which can be kind of ironic in a way. I mean when you write or read words on a page, they are two-dimensional. Ink on a page. But it’s your own brain that forms the few letters before you into a meaning and a way to communicate and feel, making words three-dimensional.
And then some words can be used metaphorically. Like the word literally which should really stay literal. When I hear people say something like ‘I am literally dying right now’ but they literally aren’t. They literally have no clue what the word literally means! And then there’s idioms. ‘Beat around the bush’, ‘piece of cake’, ‘storm in a teacup’ ‘two birds with one stone’, ‘stabbed in the back’, and the list goes on. There was one time when me and my friends tried to discuss ‘up the creek without a paddle in a literal sense – did not go well. Some idioms, most idioms, are best left for the metaphorical world to paint a picture for our literal one.
Words create a form of life and it’s kind of cool to think about the life singular words live and the journeys they go on.
Keep Calm and Attend Mathematics Homework Club
NSW Country Tennis Championships Success
Congratulations to Sandra Stojanovic (Year 9) for her recent success at the 2022 Priceline Country Closed Championships Open in Forster. Sandra won the 18s and Under Girls singles in 3 sets, 6-4, 3-6, 10-8! Sandra then continued her week in style, racking up the following results:
- Winner of 16s/18s mixed doubles, with her training partner
- Runner-up in the 16s girls doubles
- Runner-up in the 15s girls singles
All of these achievements were in ONE WEEK of tennis!
Mrs Amanda Houison
Director of Sport
Performing Arts
2022 Performing Arts HSC Showcase
Our Performing Arts students are busy in the final stages of their major works for the HSC.
On Friday 5 August at 7pm we have a showcase to present selected works from Dance, Drama and Music.
This event will be held in the Tiered Learning Centre (TLC) with a house band, professional lighting and sound. It is sure to be a fabulous event!
All are welcome, please book a ticket at the Trybooking link: https://www.trybooking.com/CBGXR and support our wonderful Year 12 students.
Mr Nick Lane
Head of Performing Arts
Community Notices
Upcoming Events
Monday, 1 August 2022 | Year 7 CEP Camp | |
HSC Rehearsal | ||
World Music Ensemble | ||
Tuesday, 2 August 2022 | Primary Junior Mixed Advanced Football program | |
Year 10 BStreet Smart | ||
Quaver Crew (Choir) | ||
Wednesday, 3 August 2022 | Primary Senior Boys Advanced Football Program | |
Senior Choir | ||
TASC Choral Festival | ||
ANVDC Junior Debating Competition Yr 7 Round 1 | ||
Dance Ensemble | ||
Year 12 D and T After School Workshop | ||
Thursday, 4 August 2022 | NASSA 8-9B and 10-11B F'ball Gala Day - CANCELLED | |
Development Band | ||
College Tours | ||
Crotchet Crew (Choir) | ||
Concert Band | ||
Primary Football Development Program 3-6 | ||
Cadets | ||
Friday, 5 August 2022 | NASSA 7B, 7-8 G & 9-11G F'ball Gala - CANCELLED | |
Primary Senior Girls Adv Football Program | ||
Senior Showcase | ||
Saturday, 6 August 2022 | World Principals Day | |
Monday, 8 August 2022 | World Music Ensemble | |
7-10 Parent Teacher Interviews | ||
Tuesday, 9 August 2022 | Primary Junior Mixed Advanced Football program | |
Quaver Crew (Choir) | ||
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 | CIS Girls Rugby League Trials | |
Primary Senior Boys Advanced Football Program | ||
Gateway8 Year 9 and 10 | ||
Senior Choir | ||
ANVDC Junior Debating Competition Yr 8 Round 2 | ||
Dance Ensemble | ||
7-10 Parent Teacher Interviews | ||
Council Meeting | ||
Thursday, 11 August 2022 | Major Works Showcase | |
Development Band | ||
Gateway8 Year 5 and 6 | ||
Pre K Taster Morning | ||
Crotchet Crew (Choir) | ||
Concert Band | ||
Primary Football Development Program 3-6 | ||
Cadets | ||
Friday, 12 August 2022 | Primary Senior Girls Adv Football Program | |
Gateway8 Year 7 and 8 | ||
Maths in Surveying Schools Excursion | ||
NASSA Primary Athletics | ||
Primary Disco |
Commonwealth School Data Collection Notice
The Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment (the department) would like to advise all parents and guardians that it collects certain information about your child’s school, its staff, and student body. For more details, a copy of the 2022 Census Privacy Notice is available here. It explains what we collect in Census, why we collect it and how we can use the data.
Glenmore Phantoms Softball Club
Parent Series Webinar - Online sexual harassment and image-based abuse
Parent Series Webinar - Popular Apps
Community Business Directory
The latest version of our Community Business Directory is now available for download.
The Community Business Directory acts as a link for business and families to support each other. This initiative has been created by the Parents & Friends Association for businesses of Penrith Anglican College families rather than a general advertising site to assist our College Community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each business in the Directory has a direct link with a College family.
Please note, the Parents & Friends Association, Penrith Anglican College and their staff will not be liable for any interactions or transactions that occur between any parties connected through this P&F Initiative. The Parents & Friends Association has not vetted the information, products or offerings provided by these businesses.
We will continue to update this document and post a link to the updated version on the website and the College App. If you would like your business to participate in the Community Business Directory, please fill out the form via this link. There is no cost involved.
We are excited to be able to support our College families in this way, and hope you find this Directory helpful.