‘Enlivened by the Spirit’

Anzac Road Menai NSW 2234 Phone 9543 0188 Facsimile 9541 0398

info@aquinasmenai.catholic.edu.au www.aquinasmenai.catholic.edu.au

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

AQUINAS CATHOLIC COLLEGE MENAI

18th May, 2015 Vol.23.No.13

I have been delighted with the popularity of the ‘Homework Club’ initiative that Mrs Lennon has been leading in the College Resource Centre. Upwards of 30 students have been availing themselves of valuable study time and teacher availability outside of class each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. I would also like to acknowledge the generosity of the staff in giving their time to make this project run so well. With a week until exams remember,

“There is no such thing as good luck in exams, only good preparation!”

As a way of preparing our Year 10s for senior exam blocks, managing time and giving them some responsibility they are being given the opportunity to only attend school when they are sitting exams in Week 6. They also have the opportunity to study in the Resource Centre if they would prefer. A letter for Year 10 parents and students has outlined College expectations for this privilege and I have personally reminded Year 10 about the absolute imperative of travelling directly to and from school and not congregating at shopping centres or transport hubs. I came across the following study tips and thought they might be useful to share or to use as a conversation starter at home; Lessons for students preparing for end-of-year exams Just going over and over your material is not enough. You must of course do the reading and revision but you also have to spend time setting yourself tests.

Focus on your exam notifications to understand what will be examined and what will not.

Write down questions and then write down your answers.

Then check your answers from your revision material & texts. Write down the correct answers and read them again.

When you are away from your books, ask yourself questions and think hard to retrieve the right answers.

Focus on retrieving your knowledge as much as storing it.

Acknowledgement: “Exams Measure What We Know, But They’re Also One of the Best Ways to Learn” by Benedict Carey, author of How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where and Why It Happens (Random House, 2014); The New York Times Magazine, September 7, 2014

In an initiative suggested by our current student leaders and Pastoral Care Team of Year Coordinators has seen students in Years 7 – 10 recently elect House Representatives in each year group. Our aim is to build house spirit across the College to underpin the nature of the charisms and purpose of our House Patrons and system. Often school houses are sidelined as only ‘sports’ houses and the richer diversity of school life is seen as separate to students’ house membership. As this initiative unfolds it will also serve to give our junior students a more formal voice in the life of the College and develop leadership skills. At this point we envisage different representatives being elected each year to broaden the experience of each year cohort. Congratulations to the following students on their appointment as the first group of junior house representatives;

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La Salle MacKillop Year 7 Chloe Cosgrove and Peter Medakovic Year 7 Olivia Gaydon and Jason Camilleri Year 8 Caitlyn Aranjo and Jye Studdon Year 8 Georgia Wiltshire and Jayden Donoghue Year 9 Mikayla Ebb and Bailey Pimentel Year 9 Sarah Murray and Thomas Church Year 10 Chelsea Cryer and Matthew Mulligan Year 10 Lauren Ward and Alec Towner Nagle Rice Year 7 Tayla Azar and Jarrod Coupland Year 7 Sophie Walker and Alex Zinnato Year 8 Keziah Netto and Liam Barton Year 8 Caprice Jee and Benjamin Capovilla Year 9 Sophie Callaghan and Samuel Coupland Year 9 Alexandra Bolton and Jackson Roca Year 10 Jemma Dutton and Jeremy Iskandar Year 10 Kiara Heyward and Nicholas Capovilla Congratulations and best wishes also to our Cross Country runners who were successful at the recent Southern Sydney CCC event and who will now compete at the NSWCCC Championships later this term; Thomas Allen, Alec Cotterill, Keziah Netto, Mackenzie Selmon [Year 8], Jack Sipek [Year 10], and Sophie Maxwell [Year 12]. As we approach the great celebration of Pentecost, the birthday of the church, I came across this prayer and offer it for all of our young people in Year 6 who are making, or soon to make, their Confirmation;

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful

And kindle in them the fire of Your love

V: Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created

R: And You shall renew the face of the earth

Let us Pray:

O God, Who instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit,

Grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation.

Through Christ, our Lord. Amen

St Mary of the Cross Pray for Us St Thomas Aquinas Pray for Us

James Corcoran Principal

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Assistant Principal

Robert Nastasi

Assistant Principal

Key Dates

Week 5(A) Term 1

Week 6 (B) Term 2

Monday 25th May Hospitality Work Placement week

Year 11 Construction Work Placement week

NSWCCC Soccer at Blacktown

Our Lady Mary Help of Christian's Feast Day

Year 7-10 Exam week

Tuesday 26th May Year 7-10 Exam week

NSWCCC Soccer at Blacktown

Wednesday 27th May Year 7-10 Exam week

Round 5 Debating

Year 9 Evangelisation Day at Fairfield Pat. Bros

Thursday 28th May Year 7-10 Exam week

Year 12 Drama Excursion

Year 12 Advanced English Symposium

Friday 29th May Year 7-10 Exam week

Year 11 and 12 Study Skills Workshop - Year 11 Periods 1-3 and Year 12 during sport

Sport

Monday 18th May Hospitality Work Placement week

Year 7-10 Excursion free week

Tuesday 19th May NSWCCC Rugby Union at Eastwood

ICAS Digital Technologies test

WYD16 Information Night 5.30pm to 6.30pm in Rooms 5&6

Wednesday 20th May Year 9 Parish Mass at 8.20am

NSWCCC Rugby Union at Eastwood

Cronulla Sharks Rugby League boys knockout carnival for U/13’s; U/14’s and U/15’s

Debating Round 4

Thursday 21st May Favourite Jersey/Mufti day to raise money for Mary Help of Christians (Patroness of

Australia)-$2 coin donation and short liturgy. No thongs/sandals; short shorts; offensive

clothing to be worn

Round 2 Opens CCC Soccer vs Freeman at 1.30pm at Aquinas

Science competition for select classes

Sydney Writers Festival incursion in library- select students

Friday 22nd May Evacuation/lockdown drill during morning Pastoral

Steve Angrisano concert

Pentecostal Statement launch

Sport

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Students are to keep

updated and check the

notice board on the Nagle

Paved

Youth Ministry @ Aquinas: Everyday Saints

MAY – ‘THE MONTH OF MARY’ –

May Devotions to the Blessed Virgin-Mary refers to special Marian devotions held in the Catholic

Church during the month of May honoring the Virgin Mary as

"the Queen of May". Reciting the Rosary and prayer

intentions

When: During the month of May – Every Tuesday @ lunchtime.

Where: Room 15

All staff and students are welcome.

Any questions please see Miss Kilzi

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“UPDATE: YOUTH MINISTRY@AQUINAS”

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2016 - INFORMATION NIGHT @ AQUINAS

In August, 2013, 350 students and staff from Sydney Catholic Schools journeyed to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to celebrate World Youth Day (WYD) with Pope Francis. These students and teachers joined with millions of other pilgrims from all over the world in a week of prayer, catechesis and festivity. As is always the case with WYD, this event proved life changing for many of the pilgrims and was a once in a lifetime experience in our universal faith.

A number of students from our school have expressed interest in attending the next World Youth Day planned for Krakow, Poland, in July 2016. As part of our school’s preparation for this pilgrimage I wish to invite parents and students to an Information Night hosted in collaboration with a member of the Youth Ministry Team from the Catholic Education Office, Sydney, to be held at Aquinas Catholic College on 19th May 2015 commencing at 5.30pm in Rooms 5 & 6. The Information Night will cover the following matters:

The nature of the WYD pilgrimage

Pilgrimage options

Mission work

WYD week schedule

Post-WYD retreat

Accommodation

Student safety and supervision

Process for payment, dates for payment, confirmation of interest forms

Fundraising options

Passport, visa, vaccination information

WYD portal

Collaboration with the Archdiocese ‘One Year Out’ event Parents and students will also be encouraged to ask any questions they may have concerning any aspect of the WYD16 experience. I encourage all parents and students who have expressed an interest in attending WYD in 2016 and any others who may still be thinking of doing so to attend this Information Night. I look forward to seeing you then. Yours sincerely Catherine Kilzi Youth Ministry Coordinator

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Event coming soon

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LEARNING AND CURRICULUM MATTERS

This Week's Assessment Tasks

Year 7 - 10 Exam Block Week 6 Preparation for these examinations should now be well under way. Homework tasks for this week will have a focus on examination preparation as will class lessons. As this week is also a heavy assessment week for students in Years 7-9, they will have an opportunity to study in class in Week 6 when they do not have examinations. All students should ensure that they have checked with their teachers how to spend this time effectively before the end of this week. Year 10 students are only required to be at school for their examinations. Parents are reminded that examinations are compulsory and that all appointments should be made outside of examination times. Year 12 Library Study Students who are looking for an opportunity to make good on promises made at the recent parent/teacher meetings to work harder/study more effectively and away from distractions or better utilize your time will be thrilled about the opportunity to study in the College library until 6.30pm on Tuesday night. Stop promising yourselves that you will get serious about your study ‘next week’ and start tomorrow. Yes, we will challenge you to put away your phones and to shut down Facebook for just a couple of hours, but I bet you can rise to the challenge. Come on…I dare you to join us. Lisa Mirabello Leader of Teaching and Learning

Year Subject Date

12 Advanced and Standard English Speeches 18.05.15

12 Drama 18.05.15

8 Technology Mandatory This week

7 Technology Mandatory This week

7 PDHPE This week

7 Visual Arts This week

12 General Maths 2 19.05.15

8 PDHPE 19.05.15

12 Geography 20.05.15

9 Multi Media 20.05.15

11 Chemistry 21.05.15

12 PDHPE 22.05.15

11 Biology 22.05.15

12 Visual Arts 22.05.15

JERSEY DAY

THURSDAY 21 MAY

To celebrate the Feast of Mary Help of Christians-Patroness of Australia we hold a Mufti/Favourite Jersey day.

That will take place this Thursday 21st May

Appropriate mufti dress with a team jersey

(NO THONGS/SANDALS;NO SHORT SHORTS; NO OFFENSIVE CLOTHING).

There will be a $2.00 donation from each student during Pastoral that morning that goes to charity.

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DEBATING

Round 3 results from the Regional Catholic Schools Debating Competition Last Wednesday 13

th May, teams from Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 competed against De La Salle and OLMC in Round 3

of the Regional Schools Debating Competition. The topics were based upon technology and social media and were approached confidently by all students, with all teams winning their debates. Well done to all teams! The teams are as follows: Year 7: Michael Kerle Joel Johnson Emily Lane Nicholas Katsiris Keeley Lennon (Apologies that Keeley was not previously included on this list, but has debated the last three rounds Year 8: Joshua Lane Charlotte Knoke Benjamin Capovilla James Selas Year 9: Michael Monk Samantha Kerle Georgia Turner Isabella Katsiris Elisabeth Krstanovski Year 10: Leah Anderson Kiara Heyward Daniel Ferraro Lachlan Bowmer

Thank you to Anadelia Samarasinha (Year 10), Olivia Lavidis (Year 10), Jack Harris (Year 8), Benjamin Ferraro (Year 8) and Kieran Bowmer (Year 8) for being Chairpersons/Timekeepers during rounds 2 and 3. Thank you to Mrs Lennon, Mrs Capovilla, Mrs Dickinson, Mrs Buttling, Mrs Fensom and Miss Wilson for their time and help in hosting rounds 2 and 3, coaching the students and adjudicating the debates. Miss Cooper

Each week Maths Recall is included in the newsletter to encourage junior students to regularly focus on non calculator skills. Please show your answers to your maths teacher during your next lesson, as it shows interest and excitement about mathematical skills.

1. Evaluate –5 + (-5)

2. Evaluate –5 ÷ (-5)

3. Evaluate the sum of the first 3 multiples of 4

4. Write the product of the prime factors of 48

5. Evaluate (-1)3

Mrs Catherine Fensom Assistant Mathematics Coordinator

MATHS DEPARTMENT RECALL CORNER

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LEGAL STUDIES

On 14th May, 45 Year 11 Legal Studies students went to the Downing Centre Courts on Liverpool Street in the City.

The day helped provide a practical experience in seeing the courts first hand, after previously studying the court structure.

After an hour trip into the city, and a quick security check, we made it into the courts. There was a wide variety of cases to

choose from on several levels, ranging from civil matters to

various criminal matters eg. drug trials.

Many people were attracted to cases where the offender

thought they could defend themselves, coming up against a

very skilled lawyer, which didn’t go down very well.

One case we witnessed was a drug trial, in which the man

was locked in a glass safety box! As you can guess he didn’t

get off.

Overall it was a great experience, and many thanks to

Mrs Hecimovic and Mr Tsambalas for their work.

Jenna Lennon and Joshua Swan

Southern Sydney Combined Catholic Colleges Cross Country Championships

A small but committed team represented Aquinas Catholic College at the annual Cross Country event held at Waratah Oval. All runners covered themselves in glory by trying their best in what turned out to be harsh conditions. A hot morning followed by a gusty afternoon for the youngest of the group.

Sophie Maxwell started the cross country season off with a win in the Under 18 girls. The rest of the season looks promising. Jerome Etteridge also managed a first place in his event. At the other end of the age bracket was Ruperto Tommaso from Year 7 who managed a second in the boys under 12 race. Another outstanding result was Mackenzie Selmon's fourth in the very competitive under 13 girls race.

A host of runners other runners also qualified to represent the school at the prestigious NSWCCC Cross Country Championships at Eastern creek on the 12th of June. Remember to register online to complete in this event.

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UNIFORM SHOP (Located next to Canteen)

THURSDAY 21 May 8:00am—9:00am

Please note the Uniform Shop

only sells Sports Uniforms

and School bags

The Uniform Shop does not ac-

cept Eftpos or Credit cards

College caps and sports socks can be

purchased from the College Office

Answers:

MATHS CHALLENGE

Maths Department

1. -10

2. +1

3. 4 + 8 + 12 = 24

4. 3 x 24 = 3 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2

5. -1 x –1 x –1 = -1

CANTEEN ROSTER TERM 2

TIME: MONDAY-THURSDAY 10:00-1:35, FRIDAY 9:30-12:45

MONDAY 18/5 TIFFANY KUNZE, JACQUELINE HARB

TUESDAY 19/5 JO O’HARA, NICOLE KRAUSE

WEDNESDAY 20/5 DIANE FIRTKO

THURSDAY 21/5 JANE LEGHISSA, CAROLINE RAMSAY, CATHY FULTON

FRIDAY 22/5 SARINIA PANTAZIS, JULIE CUPITT, ANNE MAREE SIPEK, KATHY STEPHENS

MONDAY 25/5 GEOFF RAYMOND, JACKIE LORENZATTO, ANITA MORTON

TUESDAY 26/5 MICHELLE MCNABB, MELISSA TOWNSEND-CRYER

WEDNESDAY 27/5 JULIANNE LANE, MEGAN BERGHOLD, KAREN BRADSHAW

THURSDAY 28/5 MELINDA HUMPHRY, LEANNE CARPENTER, KARINA MICHAEL

FRIDAY 29/5 JENNY KNOKE, VERONIQUE THIBAULT, LOUISE BRYANT, REBECCA HARRIS,

SONIA BOGARD, JULIE BELLE