The Vine Newsletter

Mrs Felicity Grima - Principal

The resilience and flexibility of the community has been tested again this week. While the challenges of COVID-19 continue for families in our community, the flooding rains have thrown us into another natural disaster. Thank you for the way you have adapted and adjusted to another period of changes.

COVID Reminders

The following requirements continue to be in place for families in relation to COVID-19.

COVID Symptoms
No one with COVID symptoms can attend the College, regardless of a negative COVID test. These include fever, headache, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell/taste, muscle/joint pains, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting, extreme tiredness, unexplained chest pain or conjunctivitis (eye infection).

If your child has a pre-existing condition with COVID-like symptoms, they must have a medical certificate from a Doctor confirming this.

RAHT Tests
Each student will be receiving an additional 6 RAHTs as soon as they arrive at the College. If your child has COVID symptoms (as listed above), they will need to have a RAHT. If a rapid antigen test is positive you/your child should isolate as someone who has tested positive to COVID-19.

If you cannot access a rapid antigen test, you can attend a PCR (nose and throat swab) testing clinic.

No one with COVID symptoms can attend the College, regardless of a negative COVID test.

Notification of positive COVID cases or close contacts
Please inform the College of a positive result or close contact via this link:  https://forms.office.com/r/8yNj6g2eHT

Household Contacts
Students who are household contacts of a confirmed positive COVID case are unable to attend the College for 7 days. Please do not send children who are household contact regardless of whether they are symptom-free or test negative on a RAHT until the 7 days have passed.

Advice and further resources are available on the NSW Health website including COVID-19 guidelines and fact sheets for People who tested positive or were exposed to COVID-19. Additional resources are also available on the NSW Government  website.

Staffing Updates

Resignations
Mr Chris Commerford has resigned from his position as Head of Visual Arts. Mr Commerford has been at the College for the past 17 years and has been a passionate advocate of the arts throughout his time at the College. We wish him every blessing as he begins a part-time role as a Visual Arts teacher at Catherine McAuley at Westmead on 21 March. We have commenced recruitment for a suitable replacement, and we are confident we will be able to announce the new Head of Visual Arts in the next Vine.

Mr Bradley Whale has resigned from his position as the Head of PDHPE. Mr Whale has been at the College for 10 years and has served as a PDHPE Teacher, Year Co-ordinator and as Head of PDHPE since 2015. He has accepted a role as the PDHPE KLA Co-ordinator at Australian Christian College, Marsden Park, so he can be closer to his home as he and his wife are expecting their 3rd child in May.  We wish him every success as he commences his new role at the beginning of Term 2. We have completed the recruitment of our next Head of PDHPE and we will announce that appointment in the next Vine.

Appointments
Mrs Sharon Moore has been appointed as the part-time Performing Arts Administration Assistant.

Miss Amelia (Millie) McMurray has been appointed as the part-time Visual Arts Aide.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Mrs Felicity Grima
Principal

We have all seen the devastating impact of the flood disaster on coastal communities in NSW. These areas are home to over 100 regional Independent schools and tens of thousands of students, who are part of our wider Independent schools community.

Many have experienced damage to their homes and have lost school equipment such as laptops, books and uniforms.

They need our support now. 

You can directly support affected students now by clicking on this link to donate to the Australian Independent Schools Fund’s (AISF) Flood Relief Appeal.

All donations over $2 are tax deductable and a receipt will be generated and emailed to you automatically.

The AISF has no administrative costs; every dollar donated will go directly to supporting flood-affected students and will be distributed to families within days.

The AISF was established in 2017 by the Association of Independent Schools of NSW to provide tax deductable financial donations directly to disadvantaged students, including those needing emergency relief due to natural disasters such as bushfires, floods and storms.

In 2020, the AISF distributed more than $600,000 directly within days to 176 families who had suffered catastrophe in the summer bushfires. A further $263,700 went directly to 76 families impacted by storms and floods the same year. This funding was delivered to affected families within days and their gratitude was overwhelming.

Remember - every dollar you give will go to affected students within days of their needs being identified.

We have more opportunities coming up for prospective families to visit the campus and find out more about the College. Please invite friends, family and neighbours. There are also information sessions designed for both current and prospective parents for Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Year 7 2023.

Registrations are still open but filling up fast.  To book a tour or information session click here.

Tours
Tuesday 8 March, 2022
Whole College Pre-K to Year 12 at 4:00pm-4:45pm
Whole College Pre-K to Year 12 at 5:00pm-5:45pm
Secondary Tour at 6:00pm-6:45pm

Year 7 2023 Information Evening
Tuesday 8 March, 2022 at 7:00pm- 8:00pm
Join us for a Year 7 information session for current and prospective parents of Year 6 students.

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten 2023 Information Evening
Tuesday 15 March, 2022 (please note this has been changed from 17 March) at 7:00pm-8:00pm.
Join us for an information session for current and prospective parents of children starting Pre-K or Kindergarten in 2023.

Pre-Kindergarten 2023 Taster Morning
Thursday 24 March, 2022 at 9:00am-10:00am.
Parents interested in Pre-Kindergarten for 2023 are invited to bring their child for an open morning to get a 'taste' of the Pre-Kindergarten program. 

Twilight Tour
Wednesday 30 March, 2022 at 6:00pm-7:00pm. 

Kindergarten to Year 12 Information Evening
Wednesday 30 March, 2022 at 7:00pm-8:00pm

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ."
Galatians 6:2 NIV

 Please pray for: 

Those College families experiencing times of hardship and stress.
The situation in the Ukraine.
Those members of the College community being impacted by Covid.

 Praise God for:

The resilience of our College community – students, staff and parents.
The many potential new families who toured the campus on Saturday.
Our Pre K students settling into their first year of learning at the College.

Miss Adele Crane - Director of Student Wellbeing

Volunteering – A win, win situation

Volunteering is something that ‘runs in my blood’. My Father worked in a local bush regeneration team at the bottom of our street for years and he was the club secretary for our Orienteering Club for over a decade. My Mother serves with her local ‘Meals on Wheels’ service and has done so for over 30 years as well as volunteering at Ronald McDonald House connected with Westmead Hospital for over 25 years. Both my parents found things they were passionate about – the bushland environment and helping others – and happily invested their time and skills in these areas. Not only did they enjoy this service, they also modelled a wonderful way of valuing others.

Much research has shown that volunteer work provides benefits to society in the contributions of others and also to those who volunteer. An article by the University of Sydney stated benefits experienced by volunteers included:

-        An increased life satisfaction

-        Having higher levels of neurotransmitters resulting in being happier

-        Being healthier due to things like having lower blood pressure

-        Developing stronger social networks and feeling a sense of belonging

These benefits do not include other benefits that we can gain from volunteering such as gaining new skills, potentially increasing physical and mental fitness, and learning about others.

The College has compassion as one of its key values and our motto is To Serve Christ. Service opportunities for our students are an important part of our community. Things such as Dusty Boot trips for our senior students are highly regarded by both students and staff. Investing a block of time to learn and use skills in a regional community is understandably a prized event by many.

This year, our Year 10 students are commencing a Certificate I Course in Active Volunteering. Throughout 2022, students will be working towards obtaining this nationally recognised qualification. It will help students to develop many useful skills that could assist with future academic and employment opportunities. This course gives much scope for our students to serve and contribute to the local community and gain first-hand knowledge of the value of volunteering. We can’t wait to help our students learn ways to serve others and grow in the knowledge of the positive impact they can have around them.

Miss Adele Crane
Director of Student Wellbeing

Each year, the College's Year 10 students work together to support a charity. This year, the group has chosen Motor Neurone Disease NSW as their charity.

As part of their fundraising efforts, Primary students can buy Zooper Doopers for 90 cents via Flexischools next Friday 11 March 2022.

They can be part of a lunch order or on their own. They will be delivered to the lunch order areas.

Orders MUST BE ORDERED THROUGH FLEXISCHOOLS. No cash on the day.

Motor Neurone Disease NSW provides information, support and education for people living with motor neurone disease, their families, friends and carers in NSW, ACT and NT. They also provide information and education about motor neurone disease for health, community and residential care professionals.

When Grace Nicholls (Year 5) and Charlotte Nicholls (Year 2) aren't busy with schoolwork and chores, the sisters are making big splashes in the pool while helping to bring joy to sick children.  

The selfless pair are no strangers to doing good deeds - last year both girls raised $1405 for Batyr’s ‘Splash the Stigma’, a mental health charity.

This year, Grace and Charlotte swam over 10km during the month of February to raise funds for the Starlight Children's Foundation. 

It is wonderful to see how our students are serving others in the community. If you would like to show your support, donations can be made via www.superswim.org.au/nichollsgirls.

Read more about the Nicholls sisters in the Western Weekender on 23 February 2022.

(Photo credit: Western Weekender)

Albert Soren Sojib

Albert is 15 years old and lives in Bangladesh with his parents. There are two children in the family. His father works occasionally and his mother maintains the home.

Albert’s favourite activities are cricket, art, drawing and going to church. At home he helps by caring for children, washing clothes and doing kitchen chores.

Albert has been sponsored by the current Year 10 cohort since they were in Kindergarten but is now sponsored by Latimer.

Some information about where Albert lives: Albert lives in a small community which is home to approximately 2500 residents. Houses are constructed of dirt floors, mud walls and thatched roofs. The regional diet consists of rice, potatoes, vegetables and fish. Common health problems in this area include malnutrition, fevers and skin diseases. Half of the adults in this community are unemployed but some work as day labourers and earn the equivalent $117 per month!

Our sponsorship provides Albert with nutritious food, medical treatment, hygiene and health education, special celebrations, tuition, tutoring, uniforms and shoes. Wow, what a difference the small amount we give makes in the life of Albert! He is healthy, educated and living with the hope of a great future!

We were delighted to share laughs and stories with dynamic author Nat Amoore as she put a smile on everyone’s face under gloomy skies and heavy rain this week. 

Nat’s Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire was the number one bestselling debut children’s novel in 2019 and The Power of Positive Pranking won the 2021 Environment Award for Children’s Literature. Her latest novel The Right Way to Rock is on the notables list for the CBCA 2022 Awards in the Younger Readers category and she will appear at the Sydney Writers Festival in May. 

Nat delighted our Year 3-6 students with her positive message that we can all make a difference and have fun at the same time. She shared from her books, answered lots of questions and cheered us all up with her refreshing humour and approach to challenges. 

If you would like to purchase Nat's books please click here.

Mr Mark Pullen
Head of Library Services

Alumnus Jack Braga (Class of 2021) was recently interviewed as part of an article of interviews with last year's College Duxes in the Daily Telegraph.

Jack's first reaction to hearing that he was the College Dux was thankfulness. “It was the culmination of a lot of hard work. For me personally, my first reaction was to praise God for my teachers and that he’s blessed me with the ability to do well in this test.”

Jack had some advice for those who are facing the HSC this year. “Take hold of your own learning. It’s not your parents' or teachers' HSC, it’s yours. Use all your resources, put the hard work in and be assured in your efforts paying off” he said.

The 18-year-old, who scored an impressive ATAR of 96.65, has started studying Actuarial Studies and Computer Science at UNSW.

Now that HSC is over, Jack plans to serve the Church by running kids church on Sunday, bible study and serving people in other congregations as well as his own.

Excerpt of interview taken from  https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/2021-hsc-school-duxes-reveal-future-plans/news-story/ec6eda1409dd5ae0ec79dde06538f131

Congratulations to Year 12 students, Daena Madon and Benjamin Mallin, for their exceptional performances on Sunday 20 February, as they contested with students from other local highschools to represent Lions Club Emu Plains in the 'Youth of the Year' Program. 

The Lions Club 'Youth of the Year' Program fosters student leadership during the final years of school, and recognises the achievements of young people in Australian communities in education, sports, community service and public speaking.

With several judging categories including on-the-spot interview questions like "Why do you think 18-29 year olds are refusing to take the booster shot?", "What do you think the effect of electric cars will be on the environment in 20 years?" and "How have Australian industries reacted to the breakdown in trade relations with China?", both students handled the pressure with great aplomb. 

At the conclusion of the event, Benjamin Mallin was awarded Club Finalist, and will proceed to the Area Final at Windsor on Sunday 13 March.

Click here to read Ben's speech "The Importance of Helping Others in a Self-Consumed World".

Extra support is available at the Mathematics Club after school on Tuesdays in F4.

Students in Years 7-12 can attend every week or as needed.

The Mathematics Club is run by teachers and Mathematics Extension students.

For more information see attached flyer, or contact Mrs Nimmi Martin, Head of Mathematics. 

Rehearsals for the 2022 College Production are happening every week. Keep an eye out for more rehearsal photos and ticket information over the next few months!

Kindergarten have been exploring materials to illustrate poems. 

The poem this week was about cats sleeping anywhere. Students sketched a curled up cat sleeping.  They coloured with pencils and combined with Tempora paints in the background.

Mrs Annette Carter

Flower drawing - Students sketched a vase of flowers and coloured with water colour pencils.  They then used water to paint the colours and transform their drawings into paintings.

Mrs Carter's Year 7 and 8 Art classes have been using different materials to investigate Still Life.

The first artwork to begin the year, students sketched and coloured with pencils a decorative fruit bowl and combined a graphic design in the background.

They also have begun experimenting with palette knives and acrylic paints.

The NSW Government has launched the BASC voucher program which provides families with a $500 voucher per child to contribute towards the cost of Before School Care, After School Care and Vacation Care. You can apply for a voucher from 28 February to 30 September 2022. The voucher can be used at any Camp Australia’s (CA) before and after school care – Your OSHC and vacation care - Rocketeers service in NSW.  For more information, please refer to this flyer.

The College wishes to notify parents and guardians that if you are NOT WILLING to allow the College to use images of your child and academic results or other achievements in various media published in the public domain in 2022, please complete this form to withdraw permission and return it to the College. 

If you ARE willing to allow the College to use images of your child and/or academic results you need take no further action.  

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.

Congratulations to all our swimmers who attended the NASSA Swimming Carnival on 1 March. Our Junior Girls relay team finished in First place and our Junior Boys relay team finished in Second place. A special mention also goes to our Best of the Best relay team consisting of Jack Greentree, Grace Nicholls, Alexandra Hall and Sophia Hutton finishing in second place to start the carnival off strongly. Penrith Anglican College came Third overall.

Well done to Charlotte Nicholls, Harper Egglestone, Ava Hutton, Grace Nicholls, Alexandra Hall, Jack Greentree, Levi Holden, Scarlett Sturt, Adelaide Grima, Ellyse Bayada, Owen Morris and Jacob Williams who will be competing at the upcoming CIS carnival.

Mr Christopher Hall
Primary Sports Coordinator

As you are aware, it has been quite a week of rain in the Penrith region, along with other areas of the metropolitan region. Considering the weather warnings, along with many families facing major flood warnings, the decision was made to cancel NASSA Swimming Championship for 2022.

For students who wish to be considered for AICES, our PAC Carnival times can be submitted to NASSA, and any students who meet the qualification requirements (top 3 places) will be able to attend as a NASSA representative. More details about this process will be communicated to students and parents.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mrs Amanda Houison
Director of Sport

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected for PAC’s CIS Football Cup Team for 2022:

Congratulations to the following students who have been named as members of the 2022 PAC Tennis Teams: