The Vine Newsletter

John Lambert Awards

Last week we had the great pleasure of presenting John Lambert awards across the Kindergarten to Year 12.

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 This led to the establishment of many new schools, including Penrith Anglican College. The John Lambert Award honours the work of Mr Lambert and his contribution to the foundation of Penrith Anglican College.

The award 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, achievement of a John Lambert Award signifies that a student is actively involved in the College's life, displays effort and perseverance, represents the College well, and demonstrates an attitude of service. One of the things I love 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 now receive their awards at a special Assembly held each term with their families present. We will highlight some aspects of the award with short presentations and performances.

Our students are amazing - incredibly talented in so many ways. We want to take every opportunity to share their talents with our community and recognise their achievements.

Students who achieve 5 or 10 in their time at the College will continue to receive their awards on Presentation Night.

Staffing

Appointments

We are delighted to announce the appointment of the following staff for 2023:

• Dr Felix Kobus has been appointed as the Director of Operations P-12 from 2023. Dr Kobus has held various positions at the College including Head of Science and most recently, Director of Studies.
• Dr Samuel Jackson has been appointed as the Director of Studies 7-12. Dr Jackson is a highly experienced educator who has most recently been the Head of History and Biblical Studies at Arndell Anglican College.
• Mr Anthony Kelshaw has been appointed Director of Students 7-9. Mr Kelshaw has a wealth of experience and expertise with his most recent experience as the Head of Middle School at St Peter’s Anglican Grammar at Campbelltown. 
• Mr Ben Andison has been appointed as the Head of Ridley House. Mr Andison is currently acting in this role and is a member of the PDHPE Department.
• Mrs Kate Tai has been appointed as the Primary Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator. Mrs Tai is a Primary Teacher at the College who is currently teaching Kindergarten.
• Mrs Angela Weaver has been appointed as the Head of Learning Support K-12. Mrs Weaver has vast experience in educating and supporting students with diverse leaning needs in the UK and Australia and comes to us from a Learning Support role at Blackwell Public School.

Resignations

It is with sadness that we announce the following resignations. We thank them all for their faithful service over the years and pray God continues to bless them in their future endeavours.

• Mr Steve Clark has resigned from his role as a part-time Music Teacher. He was previously the Head of Performing Arts. Mr Clark has accepted a role as a Music Teacher at the Korowal School in Hazelbrook.
• Miss Alicia Brace (Primary Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator and Year 1 Teacher). Miss Brace has accepted a role at MultiLit as a Presenter and Trainer.
• Miss Adele Crane (Director of Student Wellbeing 7-12) has been a member of the Executive team since 2016 as well as a Science Teacher. 
• Mr David Janzen (College Chaplain and Head of Christian Living) has served the College since October 2020. Mr Janzen will commence studying for his Master of Divinity. 
• Mrs Kaylie Thompson (Year 5 Teacher) has served the College as a Year 5 Teacher since 2020. Mrs Thompson will be moving to the Northern Territory to work at Nhulunbuy Christian College in Arnhem Land.
• Mrs Kathryn Clarke (Part-time PDHPE Teacher) has served the College for 15 years as a member of the PDHPE Department. She has also been the Director of Sport and most recently co-ordinated the Secondary G&T Programs. Mrs Clarke plans to spend more time with her young family and explore further professional opportunities.
• Mrs Bek Mann (Part-time PDHPE Teacher) has served the College for seven years and is taking up a new role at William Clarke College.
• Mrs Karina Chambers (Technologies Teacher) has served the College for the last eight years and leaves us to start a new role at Kuyper Christian School.

Thursday 1 December:

4.30pm  Pre-K Presentation

Wednesday 7 December: 

9am  Kindergarten - Year 2

11am  Years 3 - 6  

1.30pm  Years 7 - 11

Opal card data gathered by tapping on and tapping off is used to determine demand for bus services. If students don’t tap on and tap off every time, then bus services will appear underutilised. Without accurate data, the need for additional services to match demand will most likely be overlooked.

It is a requirement of bus travel that your child has a valid Student Opal card and that they tap on and off each time they use the school bus or route bus service. This is outlined in the TfNSW Code of Conduct as follows:

“It is a condition of the School Pass Terms and the Student Codes of Conduct when travelling, that students in possession of the School Opal card must tap on and tap off every time when using public transport to travel to and from school. Per section 3.2 of the Opal Privacy Policy, Transport for NSW collects information from taps on and tap offs to support coordination, planning and policy development for transport, transport services and transport infrastructure.”

It’s been noted that students from our school using the bus services have not been tapping on or off.  In Term 4, there will be a strong focus on getting students back into good habits of tapping on and tapping off with their student Opal card.

We’re requesting your help to restore the tap on and tap off numbers to match the school bus travelling numbers to benefit the students, parents, school, and bus operator.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, 
it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;
it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

Please pray for:

Year 10 who are out on Work Experience next week.

Families in the College community experiencing hardship and stress.

Families coming to the College for tours and Orientation Days. 
Please pray they feel welcomed and are looking forward to becoming part of our community.

Praise God for:

The final HSC exam being over!

The special scenes involving students and parents from many parts of the College
when our Year 12 students ring the bell on the completion of their final HSC exam.

Our beautiful grounds.

Miss Adele Crane - Director of Student Wellbeing

Helpful and Unhelpful Stress

As we are in the middle of exams for our Secondary Students this week, it is good to reflect on stress and the impact it can have on us. Often people think that all stress is bad however the impact that stress can have on us can be sometimes helpful.

A small amount of stress can be very helpful. It can motivate us to start something or continue working on a task. It can also focus our thinking and efforts resulting in us being effective and productive in our work. I can remember that during some of my university studies I avoided doing essays, leaving them to the last day or two. Once this time had arrived, I found that I could plan my remaining time, organise my thoughts and get writing. As frustrating as I was to my family in my avoidance and procrastination, when I got started, the stress I experienced was helpful and enabled me to complete each task.

When someone is experiencing some stress, it also shows that they care for whatever it is they need to do. If there is an absence of stress, there is usually an absence of value on what it is they are required to do. The linked emotion demonstrates the value held by that person towards the situation.

On the other hand, a large amount of stress can be destructive. Also, ongoing, chronic stress is often linked to problems with a person’s mental health, a decrease in joy and sometimes a deterioration in a person’s relationships. It can lead to medical problems such as headaches, high blood pressure and difficulty sleeping. When a person feels under threat due to high levels of stress, their hormone levels for hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol can be activated in unhelpful ways. In some instances, particularly for ongoing stress, we recommend that you seek professional help; start with a visit to your GP.

What can we do to help our students with managing their stress levels during events such as exam times? Helping them to normalise what they are feeling and understand that some stress is natural. Teach them that stress can help motivate us to work and shows that we care about the task at hand. And importantly, help young people to break up stressful events with rest, recovery and regeneration. This could be through using exercise between exams, joining our child on a walk or jog during assessment task times in the early morning or evening. It could be through helping them to be disciplined so that they get enough sleep, eat healthily and know techniques such as deep breathing before an exam.

At different points in our lives, we will face events that we cannot control that will result in us feeling stressed. Learning how to best manage and navigate through these times is something we can all benefit from and continue to work on. 

Miss Adele Crane
Director of Student Wellbeing

Mrs Ljubica Mansell - Deputy Principal (Primary)

Dear Families

The Primary school has been buzzing over the past two weeks with so many exciting events taking place. As you read through this edition of the Vine, you will be amazed by the incredible achievements, efforts, and initiatives of our students.

Pre-K and Kindergarten 2023 Orientation Days

This week, we began the first of many orientation days for 2023. We began with an Orientation Information session for Pre-K and Kindergarten parents on Monday evening sharing some useful information about how to prepare for the first few days of school. This then followed into our Orientation Day program on Tuesday morning, where students were involved in a range of activities designed to prepare them for their first days of school while parents had the chance to meet one another at our Building Connections Morning Tea in the Hospitality Space.

Starting school is such a big experience and for some it can be overwhelming in parts as it’s a new routine, new structure, and new environment, so the orientation days help to support students and their families transition into school. 

We look forward to the next two Kindergarten orientation sessions coming up in Week 5 and 6 this term.

Child Safety

As we continue having the conversations about child safety, the eSafety Commissioner has created incredible resources that allow families to have conversations about child safety.

Below is some information about the mighty heroes Wanda the echidna, River the sugar glider, Dusty the frilled neck lizard and Billie the bilby as they share their online super powers.

Online safety mighty heroes

Our heroes are here to help you talk with your children about how to protect themselves online.

This series of four short video chapters is designed for children aged 5 to 8 years old. Each chapter features a mighty hero and their online safety superpower:

• Wanda the echidna: I am responsible – I protect my personal information.
• River the sugar glider: I show respect – I am kind and caring to others.
• Dusty the frilled neck lizard: I trust my feelings – I ask for help when something doesn’t feel right.
• Billie the bilby: I investigate – I question what I see, hear and do online. 

Watch the compilation video, which includes all four character chapters, or watch each chapter separately.

After watching one or all of the video chapters, use the conversation starters to talk with your child and encourage them to reflect on the online safety messages from each chapter.

Use this link to start the conversation around your dinner table tonight https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/resources/mighty-heroes

Staffing Updates

Today we farewell Miss Brace as she begins her new role as School Partnership Consultant at MultiLit. We are very excited for Miss Brace she begins this new chapter in her career and thank her for all of her contributions as class teacher, Stage 2 Co-Ordinator in 2021 and Primary Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator in 2022. May our Lord continue to guide and bless her in all her future endeavours.

We are pleased to welcome Mr Adam Condi who will be replacing Miss Brace in her classroom teaching role from Week 5 until the end of the year. Mr Condi has been working at our school as a casual teacher throughout 2022 and is known by the students.

Mrs Kate Tai has been appointed the Primary Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator and will continue with the incredible work that Miss Brace has been doing in the Primary school. Mrs Tai’s outstanding knowledge in curriculum will support the Primary school and teachers as we begin to implement new syllabus documents in 2023 as well as provide additional opportunities for students to learn best at school. We are excited to welcome Mrs Tai to the Primary Leadership team.

Caring for our Environment- Environment Protectors

I had the privilege to meet some students who put forward a special project proposal about encouraging more conversation about the environment in our playgrounds.

Scarlett, Elodie and Mehreen in Year 3, presented their proposal about how to engage the younger students in K-2 about the environment and start the conversations about protecting the environment around us. The students will hear some interesting facts at morning assemblies from Week 6 and also have the chance to have conversations and engage in environmentally friendly activities during lunch times on the farm.

Thank you to Scarlett, Elodie and Mehreen for your determination in building student and community awareness and I look forward to sharing their reflections in the vine over the coming weeks and into the new school year.

Celebrating Success

As you continue reading through the Vine, you will see the extraordinary achievements of our students both in and out of the school environment. We are very proud of all of our students on their efforts, and we look forward to continuing sharing everyone’s achievements in the future.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend ahead and I look forward to sharing more about the amazing highlights of our Primary school in the next edition of the Vine.

Warm Regards and God Bless,
Mrs Ljubica Mansell
Deputy Principal (Primary)

Pre K Red students have been enjoying learning Soccer skills for Sport this Term.

Cristhian Flores Ramos

Cristhian is 13 years old and lives in Peru with his father, mother and one sibling. His father occasionally works as a farmer. Due to their very low income, Cristhian’s family struggles to survive.

Cristhian’s favourite subject is Art. His jobs at home are to care for the animals. He likes to play marbles and go to Bible class and church.

Cristhian was sponsored by the current Year 8 since they entered the Primary School in PreK but is now sponsored by Ryle.  

The country of Peru hosts many treasures including the Amazon Jungle, the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu and palatial Spanish cathedrals. Typical houses in this area are constructed of dirt floors, adobe walls and tin roofs. The spoken language is Spanish. The regional diet consists of maize, beans, chicken, bread, rice and potatoes. Common health problems in this area include respiratory infections, pneumonia, diarrhoea, anaemia, tuberculosis, parasites, malnutrition and lead poisoning. Most adults work as street vendors and earn $75 per month!

The small amount we go without to support Cristhian makes an eternal difference in his life.

Term 4 Primary Compassion Competition is on everyday next week (Week 5).

This is our only fundraising effort for this term and it would be great if students could bring in 4 gold coins to cover the 4 months of October, November, December and January!

Please help us help our sponsor children!

Mrs Sue Munce
Primary Compassion Coordinator

The Science Department has set up a tropical fish tank in the display cabinet in the main corridor.

There are balloon mollies,  a bristle nose catfish (an algae eater) and many guppies. The male guppies are very colourful.

Mrs Mu from administration donated the guppies including many baby fish. Last Term, the balloon mollies gave birth to several babies and are expected to have some more babies this term.

The fish tank is kept clean by a sponge filter and the plants (some supplied by Year 11 student Hayden Comber) take up the nitrates as fertiliser. The fish tank is a beautiful self-contained ecosystem only needing the fish to be fed. Many students have enjoyed feeding the fish every day.

Mr Mark Latham
Science Teacher

Our Hospitality and Food Tech students are making a mark here at the College! On Grandparents' Day, Year 12 Hospitality students prepared Scones with Jam & Cream, as well as Cheese, Bacon and Corn Mini Muffins for our guests to enjoy. They also served tea and coffee along with Sausage Rolls, Oaty Coconut Slice, Chocolate Slice, and Mini Berry Muffins prepared by Year 10 Food Tech students. We hope our College families had a great time at the event.

Congratulations to Alana Jackson (Year 6) who was called up to compete in the 12 Years Girls Shotput at the NSWPSSA Athletics Championships on 20 October. Even though the weather was not ideal for athletics, Alana tried extremely hard in tough conditions. Well done Alana on this amazing achievement.

Earlier this year in March, Jacob Raphael (Year 5) travelled attended the Melbourne International Judo Open in the Junior Boy U38kg division, where he won a Gold medal. Then in April, he was crowned Junior Boy U38kg State Champion after finishing first at the NSW State Championships. In June, Jacob went to compete at the Australian National Championships on the Gold Coast where he secured a Bronze. A very big congratulations Jacob.

Mr Chris Hall
Primary Sports Coordinator

Click on the link https://share.gingerbreadfolk.com.au/PenrithAnglicanCollegePandF to place your order by 30 November.

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.

This year, 15 students from across Years 7-10 participated in the Australian Geography Competition. Students tested their geographical skills and knowledge with the most outstanding results listed below:

Top 1%: Abhinav Maliakal (Year 7)

High Distinction: Christopher Oliver (Year 8), Aryan Patial (Year 8), Elizabeth Godwin (Year 9), Toby Gange (Year 10), Isabella Stewart (Year 10)

Distinction: Joyce He (Year 7), Daniel Istafanos (Year 8)

Credit: Rachel Mills (Year 8), Daniella Muscat (Year 8), Matilda Middleton (Year 10)

Congratulations to all students who participated in this competition this year.

Mrs Kathryn Clarke
Secondary Gifted & Talented Coordinator

Students in the Secondary College once again took part in the Australasian Problem-Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) throughout this year. APSMO consists of a series of five separate contests, one per month from March to September, with the purpose to foster creativity and ingenuity and strengthen intuition through Mathematics.

We had 29 students in the Secondary College in Years 7-8 participate in these competitions.

Through taking part in each of the five contests, students were introduced to important mathematical concepts, taught major strategies that aimed to develop flexibility for problem solving, fostered creativity, ingenuity and strengthened intuition. Whilst all students involved took part to the best of their abilities, special mention must be made to the following participants:

Highest Score for PAC: Joyce He

Achieved a score in the Top 10% of individual scores: Joyce He, Christopher Oliver, Liam Ruan

Achieved a score in the Top 25% of individual scores: Matthew Braga, Oliver Clark, Gurshan Kehal, Jack McGarity, Asef Rahman, Mahsilan Shantharajah

Special Achievement Awards: Joshua Wright

Congratulations to all students who took part this year. We look forward to participating in this competition in 2023.

Mrs Kathryn Clarke
Secondary Gifted & Talented Coordinator