From the Principal
Secondary Leaders 2024-2025
After careful consideration we are pleased to announce the Secondary Leaders for 2024-2025. This is the highest leadership honour we can bestow on students at the College.
We often think of leaders as those who are charismatic, confident, and have all the right qualities on the outside. But true leadership isn't just about appearances. The most important qualities of a leader lie within a leader’s heart or as we often talk about at the College, the most important qualities of a leader are the strength of their character.
Please pray for our new leaders, that they will carry out their positions with wisdom and godliness.
Mrs Felicity Grima
Principal
Mrs Felicity Grima - Principal
P&F Colour Run
The Penrith Anglican College Parents and Friends’ Association (P&F) will be hosting its rescheduled Colour Run fundraiser on Tuesday 2 July 2024. The event will commence shortly after 11am for students in Years 3-6, followed by Pre-K to Year 2 students from 12pm.
Students participating in the Colour Run are required to pay a $20 entry fee.
If you have already purchased a ticket for the previous date, it is still valid.
This fee can be paid via Flexischools or cash at College Reception.
Parents and younger siblings can join for a $20 family entry fee and will be allowed to enter the course during the first half of lunchtime (12:55 to1:16pm).
What to wear: house colours mufti-day with a white shirt. (with usual College dress code)
The coloured powder is safe (cornflour based) and the colour washes out easily, however we recommend students do not wear good clothes or shoes.
All participants will be issued with a pair of bright coloured sunglasses to protect their eyes and will be rewarded with a frozen ice block at the completion of the course.
Parents, family and friends are encouraged to attend on the day to cheer on students and join their children for a BYO Picnic lunch on The Farm following the event.
Students can be signed out at the completion of their event.
Supervision will be provided for all students who remain at the College until the normal finishing time. Written permission will be required for a child to go home with someone else.
Thank you to our generous sponsors.
Enrolments
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Production
There are still three performances to come for our Wonkalicious musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Be quick and you might be able to grab a last minute ticket to a Friday 21 June evening or Saturday 22 June matinee and evening. Book here: https://www.trybooking.com/1201855
Musical Sponsor - Ample Air
Please support our Silver Sponsor Ample Air.
Ridley House Charity Day 28 June
On Friday Week 9, Ridley House will be having a sausage sizzle, a cake stall and running games at lunch in support of Convoy of Hope. Convoy of Hope is a Christian non profit with a passion to feed the world through children's feeding initiatives, community outreach, and disaster response. Preorders for sausage, drinks and tokens for games are available via Flexischools and close at 2pm on Wednesday 26 June. Students in Ridley House are invited to wear their sports uniform on the day.
Prayer and Praise
From the Deputy Principal (Primary)
Mrs Melinda Richardson - Deputy Principal (Primary)
As many of you are likely aware, our Primary teachers have been working with new curriculum documents in relation to English and Mathematics. Both of these syllabus documents have been reviewed and rewritten to focus on how our students learn best. Part of this is focused on explicit teaching of skills. We have no idea what the future will hold, and as continued innovations through AI crop up, we need to really consider what education actually means for our children. The development of skills is transferrable across many aspects of learning. It also helps students develop independence and confidence in their own ability. In the busy lives we lead, unfortunately the explicit teaching of skills can fall to the wayside. It can often be quicker, and easier, to tie your child's shoelaces for them, to pack their school bag or even tidy their rooms. Our children, our learners, are capable of great things, and with time (and patience) to provide them the opportunity to learn these skills, they will continue to flourish.
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and commend the incredible efforts of our Primary teachers. They have dedicated themselves to participating in professional development to deepen their understanding of the new curriculum and have continuously reflected upon and innovated our teaching programs in English and Mathematics in particular, to ensure our students are appropriately challenged and engaged in their learning.
All other syllabus documents are now under review, including Geography, History, Science, PDHPE and Creative Arts. Again, there is a focus on explicit skills, but also making meaningful connections across the disciplines and acknowledging the importance of English as the foundation for all learning. We anticipate these to be finalised in DRAFT form by the end of the year, with a required implementation in schools by 2027.
Primary Reports
We are in the final stages of preparing our Semester One reports. These will be made available to families on Monday 1 July, through email. All families should have received a letter from our Primary Teaching & Learning Coordinator, Mrs Bronwen Knebel, outlining changes made to these documents in support of the new syllabus changes, and providing more detailed information about student achievement.
On Wednesday 31 July (Term 3, Week 1), we will hold Parent / Teacher Interviews, where families can meet with the class teacher to further discuss this report. If you have any urgent questions, you are welcome to make an appointment with your child's teacher before the end of term.
Home Learning
Our Home Learning program will conclude for Term 2 on Thursday 27 June, with the exception of daily reading. Students will also continue to have access to digital programs, such as Mathletics, for continued revision.
Save the date
We have a number of exciting events happening in Term 3, with the first being our much-loved Grandparents Day. Further information will be provided, however, please save Friday 9 August in calendars.
Colour Run
A letter was sent home yesterday, outlining some new times for this event within Primary. Our Years 3 - 6 students will start the course just after recess, followed by P - 2.
We would love all families to join us for a BYO Picnic on The Farm / The Paddock. You are welcome to bring a picnic to share with your children, and a rug and / or chairs. Students have permission to leave after the event on this day, please see your child's teacher, or the teacher on duty, to sign out. Those going home with other parents must have written permission provided to the College.
Mrs Melinda Richardson
Deputy Principal (Primary)
Year 4 Compassion Lolly Stall Fundraiser
We extend our sincere gratitude to all the parents and students who participated in our Year 4 Compassion Lolly Stall fundraiser. Your generous contributions and active involvement were instrumental in raising an impressive $1787.48 for our compassion children. This event would not have been the success it was without the hard work and dedication of our Year 4 students and the overwhelming support from our College community.
Every donation has made a significant impact, and we deeply appreciate your commitment to fostering compassion and kindness. Thank you for your unwavering support.
Library
Dahl-icious Library spaces
We have Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fever in the library this week with our spaces dedicated to Roald Dahl, Charlie and all things choc-tastic!
We’re excited to report that our Roald Dahl books are racing out the door with a new generation of readers being inspired to read Matilda, the BFG, Danny the Champion of the World, the Witches, and more.
Our favourite quotes from the master story-teller:
Secondary School
From the Deputy Principal (Secondary)
Mr Leighton Corr - Deputy Principal (Secondary)
I am sure that the Musical will be mentioned throughout the Vine today and in future weeks, but it is hard not to focus on an event that highlights so much about what we celebrate as a College.
Sports
NWSRC Draw
North-West Schools Rugby Competition (NWSRC)
