The Vine Newsletter

Mrs Felicity Grima - Principal

As a College, one of our greatest strengths is the way we come together as a community. Whether in the classroom, at events, or in everyday interactions, the sense of connection and shared purpose is at the heart of who we are. As we reach the midpoint of the year, I have been encouraged by the many ways our College community has worked together to support one another and bring our shared Christian values to life.

Over recent weeks, the spirit of generosity and care has been seen through the work of our Parents and Friends Association. The Mother’s Day Stall was once again a joyful occasion, made possible through the thoughtful donations of families and the tireless efforts of our P&F volunteers. That same spirit of service continued at both the Primary and Secondary Athletics Carnivals, where the P&F, despite the cold and rainy days, showed up with warm smiles, running the canteen and preparing a sausage sizzle that brought comfort and joy to all. Their quiet, consistent acts of kindness are a powerful reminder that it is through service to one another that our community spirit is strengthened each day.

The Primary Book Parade was always a wonderful celebration of literature, creativity and community spirit. This year was no exception, with an array of colourful and imaginative costumes worn not only by our students and staff, but also by many younger siblings who joined in the fun. It was a delight to witness the excitement and enthusiasm across all ages. We celebrate literature as a gift that not only develops understanding and imagination but also reflects the creativity and beauty of God’s world.

Our House Charity Days are also a reminder to us of the importance of coming together in support of others in the wider community. This year Ryle House were supporting the work of Westmead Children’s Hospital. It was heartening to see Secondary students guiding and encouraging our younger Primary students during the lunchtime activities on Ryle House Charity Day. Moments like this help build a culture of compassion and integrity across year levels. We are also thankful for the ongoing support of the Orchard Hills Rural Fire Service and their collaboration with the College. Their presence at the Ryle House Charity Day reflects the wider network of community support that surrounds and strengthens us.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of our incredible staff. Each event, activity and learning experience are the result of thoughtful planning, creativity and compassion. Our staff consistently go above and beyond to ensure students are included, encouraged and supported. Their work behind the scenes and on the front line is a powerful example of service and leadership.

Mrs Melinda Richardson - Head of Primary

Facing the Fear: Supporting Your Child Through Maths Anxiety

For many children, maths can be a source of great excitement—but for others, it sparks worry, frustration, or even fear. This is known as maths anxiety, a genuine emotional response that can significantly affect how children learn and feel about mathematics. Well-known Australian educator Eddie Woo reminds us that maths anxiety isn’t a reflection of a child’s intelligence, but of their emotional response to the subject.

What is Maths Anxiety?

Research shows that even children as young as six can experience maths anxiety. Signs may include a reluctance to do maths homework, negative self-talk (“I’m not a maths person”), or even physical symptoms like stomach-aches before a test.

The AISNSW Numeracy Project has been guiding schools, including ours, towards teaching that focuses on deep understanding over rote procedures. Their research highlights that when students see maths as a meaningful and connected discipline, their confidence grows and anxiety decreases.

What Can Parents Do?

The good news is that parents play a crucial role in shaping their child’s attitude toward maths. Here are some strategies that align with current research and our approach:

1. Focus on Mathematical Thinking, Not Just the Answer - Encourage your child to explain how they solved a problem. This builds reasoning skills and helps them see that maths is about thinking, not just speed.
2. Embrace Mistakes as Learning Opportunities - Mistakes are a vital part of learning. Praise your child’s effort and perseverance rather than perfection.
3. Connect Maths to Everyday Life - Show how maths is all around us—when measuring ingredients, reading timetables, or estimating how many apples fit in a bag. Real-world maths makes learning relevant and less intimidating.
4. Be a Positive Role Model - Try to avoid saying things like “I was never good at maths.” Even casual comments like this can send powerful messages to children. Instead, model curiosity: “Let’s work it out together.”
5. Access Helpful Resources - Many schools also use hands-on tools and visual models to support understanding—ask your child to show you how they’re learning at school.

At PAC, we’re committed to evidence-based approaches that foster deep mathematical thinking. Through our work with the AISNSW Numeracy Project, we’re continually learning how to best support our students to become confident, capable mathematicians. With your support at home, we can turn maths anxiety into maths confidence, one step at a time. If you’re ever unsure how to support your child in maths, please reach out to your child’s teacher. 

Book Parade 

A big thank you to our amazing library staff for organising such a wonderful Book Parade on Wednesday! Your hard work and enthusiasm made the event a true celebration of reading. It was fantastic to see so many creative and imaginative costumes—our students really brought their favourite characters to life! We’d also like to acknowledge the fantastic support of our parents, whose time, effort, and creativity helped bring those costumes to life. Your involvement made a big difference and added to the colour and excitement of the day.

Events like these play such an important role in fostering a love for reading. They inspire our students to explore new stories, connect with characters, and experience the joy that books can bring.

On Wednesday 19 September, Year 1 students stepped back in time during their excursion to Rouse Hill Estate. As part of their History learning, students experienced what life was like on a 19th-century farm through a range of immersive, hands-on activities.

We were so blessed that, despite threatening skies, the rain held off for most of the day, allowing students to explore the historic property and participate fully in the outdoor activities.

Students visited the beautifully preserved stables and learned about the vital role of horses in farm life. Throughout the day, they polished saddles, shifted bags of chaff, fed the chickens and sheep, pumped water, and hung washing - just like children would have done in the late 1800s.

There was plenty of excitement as students dressed in period costumes, wrote on slate boards, and even tried their hand at sewing. Their enthusiasm for the experience was evident:

• Dom P: “I loved feeding the chickens.”
• Amelia R: “I liked pretending we were the olden day kids. We got to do sewing.”
• Mackenzie B: “My group got to dress up in costumes. We got to write on slate boards.”

It was a memorable and meaningful day that truly brought History to life for our young learners.

Mrs Carmen Etherington
Stage 1 Leader

Our Jump Off Day is next week, Friday 13 June!

So far we have raised $13,467 for the Heart Foundation!

Jump Rope for Heart is one of Australia’s best loved physical activity and fundraising programs. It’s designed to get students skipping to good health, while raising funds to help the Heart Foundation fight heart disease. This research investigates ways to keep our hearts healthy. Your child can ask you, grandparents, aunties, uncles and friends if they can donate some money online to see them skipping to save lives.

Did you know that many children and babies have heart operations and the money we raise helps researchers find the best ways to cure their little hearts? The money raised also helps fight heart disease in adults.

K-2 students will be participating in the Jump Off during either Period 1 or Period 2.

Students in Year 3-6 will be participating in the Jump Off in Period 3 and 4.

Pre-K students will also be participating, but Pre-K staff will let you know when that will take place.

At the end of each event, students will receive a Zooper Dooper, kindly donated by our P&F Committee.

To donate to the Penrith Anglican College Jump Off page, please visit: https://www.jumprope.org.au/fundraisers/penrith-anglican-college-2025/jump-rope-for-heart-2025.

Mr Anthony Kelshaw - Head of Secondary

Opportunities

Conducting school tours is part of the work we undertake here at the College. Many current families were first introduced to the College by undertaking a tour of the campus and getting a glimpse into who we are as a school and the aspirations we hold for our students. I particularly enjoy leading these tours alongside senior students who speak with parents about how their time at the College has shaped them as young adults. Many senior students speak fondly about the range of opportunities they have experienced during their time at Penrith Anglican College. 

Our CEP (Challenge/Explore/Prepare) programme was in full swing during Weeks 3 and 4 of this term. Year 9 CEP took part in a well-established programme in Kangaroo Valley. Whilst the programme may resemble some family holidays (camping, canoeing, bushwalking and exploring a country town), it is the self-management, community living, and willingness to embrace difficult challenges that allow our students to grow through this experience. There is real value in working together in a tent group to manage personal equipment and keep the inside of the tent dry while rain pours down outside. Students develop deep connections through these shared experiences. 

Year 10 CEP was a new programme for the College in 2025 and introduced our students to an urban environment rather than the natural environment traditionally associated with camps. Aiming to develop young men and women who can 'Serve Christ' competently and confidently in the world, students were divided into groups and presented with a number of challenges around the city. They worked collaboratively in teams to achieve these tasks by navigating, budgeting, and moving around the city. During this unfolding adventure, students visited Cockatoo Island and Haymarket, cooked food for people in need, visited the Australian Museum, and went on an evening harbour cruise. Thank you to Ms Angela Streeter and her team for leading the first Year 10 CEP Urban Challenge. Many students and parents have highlighted what a valuable experience it was for both personal growth and learning. 

Another thank you must go to Mr Anil Thomas and the Ryle team for the House Charity Day on Thursday. These days are a wonderful display of the student community we foster at PAC. It was heartening to see students from Ryle, along with those from other houses, seeking opportunities to serve. A fantastic day with tangible outcomes for the Children’s Hospital.

Week 4 was another demonstration of the positive student community at the College, through the annual Athletics Carnival. It provided an opportunity for students to engage in physical activity and strengthen connections within their House groups. I have always said that an Athletics Carnival is 50% athletics and 50% carnival – and it truly was an amazing display of colour, House spirit, and fun. Ms Amanda Houison plays a significant role in making this day possible. The support of teaching staff during some challenging weather conditions helped make the event the success that it was.

Mentor Reps in Secondary School have been meeting to discuss issues that are important to school culture. Recently these students who represent their own Mentor Group have met to contribute to our school's wellbeing initiative and also about how we can reduce racism in our school environment. Over the next few weeks, students from Years 8-10 will have the chance to apply to be a Mentor Rep for the next year.

Last weekend, from the 24th to the 25th of May, I had the opportunity to represent the Philippines along with my teammates, Aryan and Arni, at the Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA). We worked together to debate global issues, simulate diplomatic discussions, and collaborate with students from various schools in the Western Sydney area. Our team was primarily focused on addressing urgent and important international concerns such as climate change, sovereign rights, and peacekeeping endeavours.

It was a challenging yet rewarding experience as we debated multiple resolutions on both days, adopting our represented nation’s political stances, ideals, and culture. Through this, we gained valuable insights into international relations and had a taste of a real United Nations assembly, and together we bonded as a team to articulate convincing points. Along with this, we learnt more about economics, geography, and politics on a global level whilst improving our public speaking skills. The experience allowed us to grow as a team and enhanced our awareness of diplomacy and current global issues.

Daniella M
Year 11

This year our Book Parade was held in the gym and what an amazing array of characters we saw, celebrating the joy of reading and highlighting our favourite books!

The Library team (pictured below) dressed as characters from the Little People, Big Dreams series, and were delighted by the creativity on show from our College community.

Congratulations and thanks to all our Primary staff and students for their enthusiasm and efforts to make this a wonderful day focusing on the importance of stories.

After 3 players sustained injuries that put them out of the Basketball NSW Regional Tournament earlier in the month, the Open Boys’ team made the most of their wildcard entry to the State Championships (in Penrith Tuesday 27 – Wednesday 28 May).

Playing in the Division 3 competition the boys had a tough opening loss to Matraville Sports High School, with a tying three-pointer by Caelan Green on the buzzer disallowed. A strong 15-point win over East Hills Boys High School kept the boys in the race for a semi-final spot. A three-point win against St Philips Christian College in the final round was needed to qualify. The boys led all game with some great shooting by Cailen Acland and Caelan Green, as well as drives by Nick Godwin and Reuben Marshall, though their double-digit lead dwindled quickly from some late pressure by Saints. With a two-point lead and three seconds on the clock Sam Wright stepped up to make the qualifying free-throw and put the team into the semis.

The team earnt a hard fought two-point victory against St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar in the semi-final to earn a birth in the Grand Final, with some impressive work around the hoop by Cooper Thomson and some good contributing minutes by Damien Tomarchio and Mitchell Thomson. They lost to a very good Killarney Heights High, whose intensity and State Representative player were a little too much. Well done to all the boys, and particularly to the Year 12s (including Ethan Jack) who have persevered and helped develop the team through some less successful tournaments the past few years.

Dr Samuel Jackson
Director of Studies 7-12

On Thursday 8th May students from the Primary School competed at the CASA Cross-Country event at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. All students ran well throughout their races. PAC had two podium finishes with Pippa A in Year 4 who came 2nd in the 10 Years Girls event and Jacob K in Year 4 who won the 10 Years Boys event. A big congratulations to Lincoln B, Maddison C, Bailey C, Liam C, Airlie H, Emily H, Landon M, Audrey M, Levi O, Charlotte O, Hugo P, Allegra T and Jack W who have also qualified to represent CASA at the CIS Championships.

Congratulations to Sienna A, Year 9, who competed in the UTA11 (Ultra-Trail Australia) on Thursday 15 May. Sienna improved on last year's result by 2 minutes which was an amazing effort while managing this year's wet, slippery, and muddy terrain.

14 of the top 20 finishers were under 18 years old, most from the upper and lower Blue Mountains area.

Well done on an amazing result, Sienna!

Ms Amanda Houison
Head of Sport 7-12

Athletics Carnival Sausage Sizzles

Our thanks to the College for inviting the P&F to have a presence at the Secondary and Primary Athletics Carnivals this month! This was a first for us, and it was our absolute pleasure to provide a sausage sizzle and snack station for the students, staff and families to enjoy. A big thank you to the invaluable Mr McMurray for all of your support helping us set up, pack up and transporting the BBQ and trestle tables. Our little hub was a buzz with hungry customers stopping by for a hot sausage on a chilly day and to refuel and hydrate. Thank you to all the students and families for supporting our snack station and a massive thank you to all the P&F volunteers who pitched in to help shop, set up, pack up, transport, staff, cook and serve - this snack station was not possible without all of you amazing people! We’ll be there to do it all over again at the Pre K – Year 2 Athletics Carnival on Friday 4 July.

Volunteers are welcome to join in the fun. All you need is a current WWCC and to complete the PAC Volunteer Induction training session. Reach out to us at [email protected] for more information.

General Meeting

Our next General Meeting will be held Monday 2 June at 7:00pm in the Staff Common Room. All are always welcome!

P&F Term 3 Dates to Remember

• Primary Disco - Friday 15 August
• Father’s Day Stall - Wednesday 3 & Thursday 4 September
• Annual General Meeting - Monday 22 September

Mrs Emily Ray
P&F President

As part of Year 10 fundraising for Rare Cancers Australia, they will be holding a cake stall at recess and lunch on Wednesday 4th June. The stall will be outside between E block and B block at recess and lunch (if not sold out) with prices ranging from 50 cents to $3. Cash and Eftpos are accepted.

The College invites you to the 2025 Semester One Visual Arts Exhibition, Wednesday 18 June, 4:00-5:00pm.

We are showcasing selected students' artwork from Years 3-11 in the B Block Gallery and E3.

The official welcome and award for Years 7-11 will commence at 4:30pm.

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating our students' creativity!

As part of the College’s Enrichment Program, students have the opportunity to participate in one or all of the ICAS English, Mathematics and Science tests.

ICAS is an independent, skills-based assessment which recognises and rewards student academic achievement and requires students to think beyond the classroom. Each test is sat at the College and is invigilated by teachers under normal examination conditions.

The tests will be held within the following dates. The exact dates are to be confirmed.

• English: 11-15 August 2025
• Science: 18-22 August 2025
• Mathematics: 25-29 August 2025

Participation in English, Mathematics and Science test costs $19.95 including GST per test. The tests are open to students from Years 3 to 10.

For further information about registering for the ICAS assessments, please refer to the letter that was sent home in the April holidays.