The Vine Newsletter

After careful consideration, we are pleased to announce the names of the students who have been appointed as College Leaders for 2025/2026.

At Penrith Anglican College, student leadership is not just a title or badge, it is a responsibility and an opportunity to serve others. Each year, we are witness to the development of our student leaders as they grow into their roles with maturity, commitment and a deep sense of purpose.

At the start of Term 3, we will have our annual Student Leaders Investiture where we will formally recognised the appointment of the Leaders as well as thank the 2024/2025 Leadership Team for all they have contributed to the College over the past 12 months.

Please join me in praying for our new leaders, that they will carry out their positions with wisdom, courage, compassion and humility.

In the afternoon of 27th of May 2025, Primary School Leaders from around Penrith met together in Panthers for a civics reception congratulating them. There were many different schools that attended such as Blackwell Public School and Claremont Meadows Public School. A leader would get their name called, followed by the other leader of the school (if the school had two leaders). They would be presented with their certificate, then shake the mayor of Penrith, Todd Carney, then take their photo with him. There was a big photo with all the schools together at the end. We even knew some of the students from other schools that attended. This was a wonderful opportunity for us and many other student leaders from the Penrith region.

By Scarlett S and James H – Primary School Captains

Jump Off Day

Our Primary School took part in the Heart Foundation Jump Rope for Heart Jump Off Day on June 13th.

Students in 5W had lots of fun demonstrating the skipping skills for each station. Pre-K students also participated in their own Jump Off Day.

The Primary students have been skipping enthusiastically for months in PE lessons and also during recess and lunch. Skipping is a great way to keep fit and healthy.

The Heart Foundation raises money for research to fight heart disease and this is a fantastic way for them to raise much needed funds to make this possible. Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in Australia so researching can help reduce the numbers of people affected by this crippling disease.

Our Primary School has participated in the Jump Off on a regular basis since 2007. Prior to this year’s fundraising efforts, we had raised $184K for the Heart Foundation.

This year so far we have raised $21,474 which places us as the highest fundraising school in Australia! This also brings our overall fundraising total to over $200K. Wow, what an awesome effort from our PAC families!

Our fundraising will remain open until Friday 27 June so if you haven’t yet donated, there is still time to do so.

Prizes will not arrive from the Heart Foundation until the middle of next term, at which time they will be distributed to qualifying students.

Thank you for your amazing support!
Mrs Sue Munce

UNSW Engineering Work Experience Program

Every year, UNSW offers a selected number of students from various schools to attend the five-day engineering program. Adam H in Year 10 was accepted this year and had an amazing time experiencing all aspects of engineering. Here is Adams reflection of his experience.

I was able to travel the city and explore different construction sites and research labs. The main fields of engineering I got to see during the week were chemical, environmental, geotechnical, mining, and structural engineering, with each day focusing on a different type of engineering.

The first day involved a visit to the Central Park water recycling plant, where I learned all about the processes behind the treatment of sewer water and how it gets processed into water clean enough to be used for things like watering the garden or flushing the toilet. The afternoon was filled with a tour of the UNSW science building and group challenges.

The following day, we visited the UNSW water research lab and saw many scale models of dams and other locations around Australia. We also learned how engineers design structures to reinforce and protect coastlines and other aspects.

We also looked at construction sites, observing the structures behind large city buildings and how they work. We travelled down the south coast to Stanwell Tops, on the Seacliff Bridge. I was able to learn all about the reasons behind why the bridge was built. It was interesting to hear about the process behind the bridge and the techniques used to build it.

The final day was focused on structural engineering and bridges. I spent the entire day working with five other students to build a bridge out of paper straws and masking tape. These bridges needed to be able to support 5kg of weight in the form of a toy truck driving across.

Another added bonus of this program was getting to know what university life would be like. Having to catch the train and light rail every morning, finding your way around the large campus, and making sure you made it to places on time. All of which were challenges at first but eventually became easy.

I would highly recommend this program for any students who are in Year 10 in the coming years, as it helped me get a better understanding of many different fields of engineering.

At the end of Term One, Year 8 students created a replica of an Ancient Egyptian artefact. This was their first assessment task in History and required them to research and replicate an artefact and prepare it for display in a museum. History teachers were amazed at the level of detail and creativity shown! A small selection of the students’ work was on display in the G Block library and appreciated by students from Years 3 – 12. Many thanks to the Library staff who facilitated the display.

Last Friday we joined Year 9, Year 10 and Year 12 Drama for a lesson to focus on collaboration and the Element of Drama – Movement. During this lesson students participated in a warm-up, followed by a playbuilding activity where students were required to work in groups to create a small piece of theatre about the theme of Ambition. The piece needed to include a musical moment, a physical moment and unison. At the end of the lesson students were able to perform their piece for their peers and were required to complete a written task reflecting on the performances. This was an enjoyable lesson where students worked with students from different year groups and developed new skills.

On Thursday 5 June 2025, Year 7 and Year 9 students were treated to an engaging incursion by the Australian Shakespeare Company. Designed to enhance our students’ understanding of Shakespeare as a playwright, the performance brought several iconic scenes to life, followed by insightful deconstructions that unpacked language, character, and dramatic techniques.

A highlight of the day was the high level of student involvement. Whether stepping into roles, discussing interpretations, or reacting to dramatic moments, students were active participants in the experience. This was clearly both educational and enjoyable.

"Our favourite part of the show was when some people got to be fairies. We learnt that Macbeth is very violent and we noticed that the actors put on good accents. We wondered how many scripts they had to memorise, and we thought that they have a lot of experience doing Shakespeare”. Lilly F and Aaliyah S, Year 7

"I absolutely loved the energy the actors brought to the performance!  It was fascinating to see how they interpreted Shakespeare’s writing in such a lively way. I learned that even centuries later, his stories still resonate with us, and I couldn’t help but wonder how he would react to our modern interpretations. Watching them, I thought about how important it is to keep these classic tales alive!” Chris C Year 7

"My favourite part of the play was the fight scene between Mercutio, Tybalt, and Romeo. Through this incursion, specifically in the time to ask questions afterwards, I learned that Mercutio is related to the Prince of Verona. I noticed that Shakespeare uses dramatic techniques to convey emotion, which is enhanced by the character's actions and expressions. The actors also improvised or altered their language to make the play more appealing to the audience of Year 9 students.” Finley G Year 9

As Shakespeare himself wrote, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” On this day, our students stepped into the world of Shakespeare and embraced the roles with curiosity, humour, and enthusiasm.

Last week, all high school drama classes were given the opportunity to participate in a wonderful physical theatre class by SWOOP Physical Theatre. It was a really interesting and engaging workshop that was highly enjoyable, we learnt how to physically display ideas and images for pieces in many unique ways. It was great to find new ways to perform for future projects.

By Josephine B.

Whilst many sporting codes are squarely in the middle of their competitions, our library is powering through reading season here at the College!

After celebrating National Simultaneous Storytime and Book Parade, we now look towards our Grand Final - the completion of the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge 2025. 78 amazing students have crossed the finish line so far and we have hundreds more busily reading towards their goal.

The final siren sounds on Friday 19 September, so head to the official website for help or more information

Premier’s Reading Challenge 2025.

Anglican Schools Choral Festival

On Thursday June 5 the Crotchet Crew, one of our three college choirs, travelled to Thomas Hassall Anglican College to participate in the annual Anglican Schools Choral Festival. Students in the choir benefited from vocal workshops with guest conductors and participated in a combined massed choir item. The Crotchet Crew, directed by Mrs Melinda Richardson, also performed an individual item, representing PAC proudly as they brought the entertaining phrases of The Ear Worm by Mark Burrows to life on stage. Congratulations to the Crotchet Crew and thank you to Mrs Melinda Richardson and Mr Joseph Lisk for accompanying the choir to the Festival.

Inaugural Music Showcase Concert – Wednesday September 24

Please save the date for our inaugural Music Showcase Concert which will be held in the evening of Wednesday September 24 in the Lighthouse Theatre. This concert will feature all music ensembles at the college and will also include some solo individual items, which will be auditioned closer to the date. Further information will be provided to families of students in music ensembles and to the broader college community in Term 3.

HICES Music Festival Success

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected after a competitive audition process to participate in the upcoming Heads of Independent Co-Educational Schools (HICES) music festival and concert. The three-day camp (August 17-20) and final concert held in Sydney Town Hall will be an outstanding educational opportunity and I look forward to witnessing the growth in these musicians over this intensive period of development. Congratulations to Zoe Chang (Year 8), Isaac Chia (Year 9), Rachel Dawes (Year 10), Agrima Gautam (Year 7), Keira Gurney (Year 10), Neo Hardman-Komoder (Year 9), Oliver Johnson (Year 7), Vivienne Martin (Year 7), Mitchell Pap (Year 7), Elliot Watson (Year 8), and Gavinu Wijayarathna (Year 7).

Our senior boys’ and girls’ soccer teams proudly represented Penrith Anglican College at the Wanderer’s Cup 5-a-side Gala Day. The teams displayed incredible teamwork and determination throughout the day, competing against schools from across the region.

A special congratulations to one of our senior girls' team, who were undefeated in their pool and are now advancing to the next stage of the competition! We are so proud of their hard work and success!

Thank you to all players, coaches and supporters who encouraged and cheered on our teams throughout the day.

Congratulations to Pippa A, 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 and Jacob K who represented CASA at the Primary CIS Cross-Country Carnival at Sydney Equestrian Centre on 12th June. The conditions of the day were perfect for running. These students ran extremely well. Congratulations to Jacob K who placed 1st in the 10 Years Boys age group, running 2km in a PB time of 6:59. He will now compete at the NSWPSSA Cross-Country Championships in July.

On Tuesday 10th June our Junior and Senior Boys and Girls competed in the NSW Primary Futsal Schools Championships at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre. The students enjoyed the new challenge of the shorter format and quicker gameplay. The competition on display was of a high standard and our students performed well on the day, showcasing their skills. Our Senior Boys A went down in the Semi Finals and our Junior Boys A and B teams faced off in the Semi Finals with our Junior Boys A eventually falling short in the Grand Final. Our Senior Girls A team were also runners up on the day which is a fantastic achievement.

Jayden B (Year 12) recently went to the National Touch League Championships as a referee. It was his first time at his new badge level to be able to referee a national senior competition, with some of the best referees in the country. It’s known as the Premier Touch Competition in Australia.

After refereeing 9 high quality round games, Jayden was unexpectedly selected to referee a Men’s 30s Semi Final on the final day of the tournament. Despite challenging weather conditions and a very muddy field, he delivered a very strong performance.

Well done Jayden!

The Parents & Friends are excited to bring our sausage sizzle and snack station to the Pre K – 2 Athletics Carnival on Friday, 4 July. Families and little athletes are welcome to stop by to refuel, hydrate and warm up with a hot chocolate and a sausage sizzle! Pre-orders are available for a sausage sizzle (including a veggie option and gluten free bread) and drinks on Flexischools – last orders midday, 3 July. Cash and card payment will be accepted on the day. Volunteers are welcome to join in the fun, all you need is a current WWCC and complete the PAC Volunteer Induction training session! Reach out to us at [email protected]

Save the Date! The Parents & Friends Primary Disco will be on Friday, 15 August. The theme for 2025 is come dressed in your “fluro” best! Families are welcome to stay and mingle in the Primary Assembly area whilst the groovers dance the night away.  We will have live music for your enjoyment, the Year 10’s will be cooking up sausages on the BBQ raising funds for the Rare Cancers Australia charity and the P&F will host a snack and beverage stall for families and disco dancers to enjoy. Of course, none of this is possible without the support from our amazing volunteers, so dust off your dancing shoes, grab your current WWCC and complete the PAC Volunteer Induction training session to help us out at this event. Reach out to us via email to [email protected]

Our next General Meeting will be held Monday, 30 June at 7:00pm in the College Staff Room. All are always welcome!

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.