The Vine Newsletter

Mrs Felicity Grima - Principal

End of Year Celebrations

In a year like no other, we will be celebrating the achievements of students, as well as the completion of important milestones in different ways in 2021. With regard to the restrictions and regulations in place for schools, all end of year events will be livestreamed and available to be viewed by families and the broader community.

Wednesday 1 December     
2021/2022 College Leadership Investiture*
Year 10 Charity Ball, Crowne Plaza Windsor

Thursday 2 December
Year 6 Graduation*
Year 6 Celebration Dinner

Friday 3 December
College Christmas Chapel
Pre-K Graduation – completely online

Tuesday 7 December
Year 12 Graduation Service*
Year 12 Valedictory Dinner

Wednesday 8 December
K-6 Presentation Morning at 9am*
7-12 Presentation Afternoon at 1.30pm*

* Where events are for specific year groups only, two parents are invited to attend in person, but they must be fully vaccinated and show proof as they arrive.

We look forward to returning to face-to-face events with families in 2022.

John Lambert Awards

This week I have had the pleasure of presenting John Lambert Awards to students across Kindergarten to Year 12.

The award is presented to students who have accumulated points for effort and achievement in academia, sports, creative and performing arts, community service, citizenship and fellowship. We have implemented a change during 2020 and 2021. Instead of resetting to zero points at the start of each year, students continue to collect points until they receive the required number. It may take some students a year to achieve the award while others may take two or three.

Regardless of the time taken, receiving a John Lambert Award signals that a student is actively involved in the life of the College, represents the College well and displays effort and an attitude of service.

We were not able to have a ‘live’ presentation of these awards so we have taken a photo of each child receiving their award and these will be printed and given to families as a record of this excellent achievement. We congratulate all the students who have been presented with their John Lambert Award in Term 4.

Mrs Felicity Grima
Principal

Psalm 100:4-5 NIV

Please pray for:

 Our Year 12 students currently undertaking their HSC exams.

Members of the College community who are experiencing times of hardship and stress.

Those planning end of year events.

Praise God for:

 The stunning grounds of the College and the amount of space we have.

Students who are inclusive and kind to others.

The opportunity to spend time as a College community honouring those who serve and those who have fallen on Remembrance Day. 

Thursday 11 November 2021 marks 103 years since peace settled over the battlefields of WW1. As a community we want to pause and honour the sacrifices of the 63,000 Australians who gave their lives in that terrible war, and also the thousands of Aussies in the wars since who have laid down their lives to serve and defend our nation.

Given the significance of this day to many in our community, and the opportunity to reach them with the Gospel through celebrating Remembrance Day, a whole College service was live-streamed on Thursday, and we held our minute's silence at 11am.

We will remember them.

Mr David Janzen
College Chaplain

Mr Mitchell Clarke - Director of Teaching and Learning

Isn’t it great to have students back on campus? Have you ever seen students (or parents and teachers, for that matter) so excited for their return to a school setting? I know I speak on behalf of all College staff when I say it is truly great to hear the voices, running footsteps and laughter of so many students at the College once again.

As the College’s Director of Teaching & Learning, I want to applaud our College community for the way in which we were all able to adapt and respond to the 2021 iteration of the COVID lockdown. As we are all aware, this effective closure of the College campus saw students, teachers and parents being asked to make significant sacrifices to ensure the continuity of learning.

Working from home, students were required to become more resourceful and active learners focused on completing learning activities to the best of their ability. This involved extending themselves to ask questions when they were uncertain, as well as seeking regular feedback to improve the quality of their work.

So too, did this process demonstrate the strength of our teachers, asked to adapt their teaching processes, master new technologies, find new ways to conduct teaching as well as continually promote the importance of student wellbeing.

Our courageous parents also bounced between the role of teacher and student, with many parents learning on the run, doing their best to support students with their online learning; an understandably daunting task for many parents.

I wanted to commend the sense of College spirit and resilience our students, teachers and parents have once again demonstrated, continuing to support and encourage each other during a difficult, but nonetheless triumphant season of the College.

In an uncertain world, I can not know what 2022 will bring; but I do know two things. The first, that whatever happens, our College community has already demonstrated an incredible ability to respond to whatever comes our way; and the second, that our heavenly Father still is and always will be in control.

Mr Mitchell Clarke
Director of Teaching and Learning

Please be advised the 2022 stationery lists for Years 3-12 are are now available on the College website.

Peripatetic Music Lessons

Private lessons can resume onsite at the College now for Piano, Drums, Violin, Cello & Guitar.

Strict Covid regulations will be adhered to.

Parents can contact the music tutors directly to arrange times. For more information contact Mrs Karen Jones (Music Assistant) at [email protected]

Well done to the Year 5 students whose designs for the Blue Mountains Gazette ‘Design an Ad’ competition were sent off for judging this week. Students were given the task of designing an ad for a Blue Mountains business which incorporated elements of what the business does as well as information for customers.

Goodluck to Year 5 students Sophie Jack, Sienna Aguilar, Lilijana Cavka, Navneet Kajal, Noah Peikos, Finley Gange, Adelaide Grima and Ava Borger on the judging of the competition.

Mrs Katie Dunn
Visual Arts Teacher

REMINDER:  Our one and only Compassion competition for this term is being held during Week 7 (15-19 November 2021)!

Every day during Week 7, students will be able to place gold coins in their grade-labelled transparent containers.

• K-2 containers will be in the area in which they play before school each morning.
• Years 3-6 containers will be on the stage in the assembly area.

Each day students will be able to watch their coin levels rise in their containers.

No Compassion donations were able to be given in Term 3 for our sponsor children and this is our only competition this term.

Let’s make it count and and help our sponsor children as best we can!

Mrs Sue Munce
Compassion Child Co-ordinator

Our Book Club guru Mrs Brown has had a few questions about how to purchase books as gifts from the latest Scholastic catalogue. Here’s a quick guide!

Check out Issue 7 and get your Christmas shopping sorted!

Scholastic Book Club is a great way to support the College Library as well – your purchase earns us points to spend on new library books for our wonderful students!

On 29 October, the school celebrated World Teacher’s Day. This day was devoted to recognising and celebrating the incredible contributions the teachers and staff of Penrith Anglican College have made to the school community. It was also a day for students to have the chance to express their thanks and gratitude to their teachers.

The student leadership team of 2021-2022 was assigned with their first task of organising World Teacher’s Day. Throughout the first week back on campus, the team completed a variety of tasks leading up to the special day. For Primary School, a video was made of students sharing what they loved most about their teachers. Students also had the opportunity to colour in a pair of glasses shaped like apples, which have long been used as a symbol of education. The student leadership team also went around to each learning department in Secondary School and took photos with the teachers wearing sunglasses. A video for Secondary School was made using these photos along with a few clips of our mentor representatives expressing their thanks. The Secondary School also had a chance to write their own personalised letter to their favourite teacher, which the student leadership team sorted and handed out to the teachers on World Teacher’s Day with music in the background and sunglasses on.

For the past 2 years, our teachers have had to show incredible resilience, leadership, and adaptability throughout the Covid pandemic. Teachers have adapted their learning environments, supported their students and school community, and continued to share their knowledge and wisdom with their students. World Teacher’s Day was an opportunity for students thank their teachers and staff for all they have done and for the impact they have had on their lives. Penrith Anglican College is looking to continue celebrating World Teacher’s Day in the years ahead.

Hannah Stanford
College Captain 2021-2022

Australian Geography Competition 2021

At the beginning of the year, 18 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:

• High Distinction: Christopher Oliver (Year 7), Liam Ruan (Year 7).

• Distinction: Colby Carroll (Year 8), Ava Kobus (Year 9), Ava Toland (Year 9), Tanisha Aggarwal (Year 10).

• Credit: Adam Badesha (Year 7), Mira Hallani (Year 7), Aahana Saha (Year 8), Ashley Jackson (Year 10), Francesca Pereira (Year 10).

Australian History Competition 2021

The Australian History Competition was cancelled for 2020 due to the COVID-19 situation, so it was good fortune that Penrith Anglican College were able to participate in the competition in Term 2 this year, before COVID-19 moved our learning off campus again. 18 students from Years 7-10 tested their historical knowledge and skills in a 45 minute competition with the most outstanding results listed below:

High Distinction: Edison Noakes (Year 8), Francesca Pereira (Year 10).

Distinction: Daniella Muscat (Year 7), Christopher Oliver (Year 7), Aryan Patial (Year 7), Elizabeth Godwin (Year 8), Toby Gange (Year 9), Ava Kobus (Year 9), Erin O’Shannessy (Year 9), Aneeq Mahmood (Year 10).

Credit: Jack McGarity (Year 7), Liam Ruan (Year 7), Brianna Campbell (Year 8), Aahana Saha (Year 8), Timothy Batcheldor (Year 9).

Congratulations to all students who participated in these competitions this year.

Mrs Kathryn Clarke
Secondary Gifted & Talented Co-ordinator

ear 9 Food Tech students got creative designing and decorating cakes for their Celebration Cakes Unit, learning a variety of skills including making buttercream, piping, drip icing and other decorative techniques. They look amazing...and delicious!

Year 10 students have the opportunity to participate in a week-long work experience placement each year. Due to the fluid nature of Covid restrictions during Term 3, the decision was made to cancel the Work Experience Program.  However, students who had already organised a placement, and whose employers were still happy to supervise them, were given the chance to participate.  Here are just a few of the students' experiences:

Recently 10W students studied the slam poetry of Indigenous poet and playwright, Stephen Oliver. Students analysed his message, the effectiveness of his language choices and the impact of his performance. Students were then tasked with composing their own slam poems on an issue of their choice and performing their compositions in a class slam poetry competition. It was encouraging to see students reflect on issues close to them, experiment with words and rhythm, and share their work with their peers.

Miss Lauren Kenny
Head of English

Here are some examples:

TOYS ‘n’ TUCKER 2021

Last day for donations is Monday 29 November.     

The College is proudly continuing its long involvement in Anglicare’s Toys’n’Tucker Appeal and we would love your help! 

Anglicare has need of both NEW Christmas gifts for children up to teenagers and small items of food, especially Christmas items.

Suggestions for Gifts include:

Sporting equipment, games, books, toiletries especially for teenage boys and GIFT CARDS. Please do not wrap the gifts, parents are given wrapping paper to do this.

Food items need to be small packets not bulk packs as they are too large to fit into the gift boxes.

Christmas items such as puddings, long-life custard, nuts, nibbles, crackers, juice, sweets and canned hams are especially welcome.

Staples such as pasta,rice,  tea, coffee and jams are needed as are rolls of gift wrap and sticky tape.

Where:         

Pre K to Year 6 – please give to your Core Class teacher.

Years 7 – 12 – please give to your Mentor Group teacher.                      

Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2022 can apply now. A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for a school travel pass for the first time, or if they are requesting an additional travel entitlement as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation.

Please see the attached letter from Transport NSW for more details.

Please see the attached notice containing details for the P & F Gingerbread House Fundraiser.

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.