Focus Newsletter - Term 4 Issue 3 - 2024

Acting Principal Leader

Dear Parents, Carers, Staff and Students,

The last fortnight has been a busy time at Patrician Brothers’ Blacktown with the conclusion of the HSC Examinations and Year 9 Examinations being the most notable events. Our Year 12 students acquitted themselves admirably throughout the HSC block and the general sense among them as they completed their respective examination commitments was that they had done their best in terms of preparation and effort. Some students have been fortunate to receive early entry into various tertiary courses, however, many face a nervous wait over the coming weeks for HSC and ATAR scores, or interviews for a variety of apprenticeships and careers. We certainly wish them all the best as they take their first exciting steps into the next stage of their lives.

Tongan Rugby League Team
We were also fortunate to host the Tongan Rugby League team for a training session as they prepared for the final of the Pacific Championships. Interestingly, what started as part of a major sporting event, transformed into a celebration of Western Sydney and cultural connections within our own community, and it is fair to say that we felt immense pride in the two former students who were members of this team. As several staff members commented, the result of the game almost became irrelevant compared to the tremendous community spirit the event generated.  

Investiture Assembly
This week our College Assembly featured the Investiture of our 2025 Student Leadership Team. The new team has already undertaken extensive training, at school and with the other Patrician-linked schools from across Sydney, and they will commence their roles with tremendous faith, enthusiasm and ideas for value-adding to our school community during the next 12 months. Fr Wim Hoekstra, recently appointed as Parish Priest at Mary Queen of the Family at Blacktown, was kind enough to celebrate this important event with our staff, students and parents of the new leaders. 

Year 7 2025
Next week we will host two major events for our Year 7 2025 students and parents – namely the Parent Information Evening on Monday 25 November and the Orientation Day on Friday 29 November. Both events are crucial elements in welcoming the newest members of our community, who will become our next generation of Patties boys, and our graduates in 2030.

St Patrick – Pray for us.

Brian Edmonds
Acting Principal Leader

Acting Assistant Principal - Pastoral Care

Last week we held the Investiture of our 2025 Student Leadership Team. It was a wonderful event with the leaders and their parents. I would like to say thank you to Fr Wim for attending and providing a blessing over the new students leaders.

Over the next coming weeks, we will start to collect for our Vinnies Christmas Appeal. More information will be coming out soon.

Attendance
I want to stress the importance of attendance and the correct procedure to sign into school late. If a student attends school late, they must go straight to student services and sign in using their student ID card. If a student has lost their card, they must arrange to purchase a new student card at their own expense. Students who repeatedly sign in without a student card will be issued with a lunch detention.

Personal Presentation
A reminder that hair must be neat and tidy. Hair must be of natural colour. Extremes of length or fashion are not acceptable. Student hairstyles that are not acceptable include – mullets, shaved sides, long or swept fringes, shaved lines, rat tails and all large tufts. Boys’ hair should be no longer than collar length and the fringe must be above the eyes. The school reserves the right to make rulings on the acceptability of any student hairstyles. It is expected that boys will be clean-shaven at all times. Students who do not comply with these guidelines may be sent home to rectify the problem.

Early Leave 
A reminder to all students and parents about procedures for students who need to sign out early on school days. If your son needs to leave school early on any particular day, parents or carers need to write a note in their son’s diary indicating the reason for early sign-out from school and the exact time of departure. This note must be shown to the relevant Student Formation Leader who will co-sign the note to give approval. If there is no note and/or it has not been approved by the SFL, the student administration office staff will not allow the student to leave school. The only exception to this procedure will be students whose parents have been contacted by the office staff for other reasons, such as illness or injury.

Finally, students need to attend school in correct uniform every day. A student who is out of the correct uniform and does not have an acceptable note from home will be issued with a lunch time detention.

Victor Hunt
Acting Assistant Principal - Pastoral Care

Assistant Principal - Learning, Teaching and Innovation

Premier’s Reading Challenge
The Premier’s Reading Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more, and to read more widely. The 2024 Challenge began on 26 February and concluded on 23 August. Students who successfully completed the Challenge were required to read a minimum of 20 books. Congratulations to the following students that completed the 2024 Challenge.


Year 7 - Osborn Chen, Marcus De Villa and Jay Pandaya

Year 8 - Charan Datla and Sai Shailesh

Year 9 - Ediz Gurbuz, Maulik Mishra and Darcy Said

Middle Leaders Professional Development Programs 2024
In recent weeks our Middle Leaders Professional Development Programs for 2024 came to a conclusion. The first of these programs was run by the Patrician Brothers’ and focused on Aspiring Leaders. The program covered themes such as Leadership Foundations, Leadership of Self, Leadership of Others and Leadership for the Common Good. The second program, Leaders of Learning Accelerate Program, focused on building leadership capacity for our first cohort of Leaders of Learning. It covered issues such as developing collective teacher efficacy to facilitate student achievement, understanding explicit teaching, ways to construct a positive learning environment, developing a subject learning framework and strengthening each participant individually and collectively as instructional leaders.

Congratulations to Ms Zorica Bicanic, Ms Danielle Bracci, Ms Charmaine Castellino, Mr Noah Meares, Mr Jake Webster and Mr Stephen Zahra for completing these programs.

Heath Borg
Assistant Principal 
Learning, Teaching and Innovation

Religious Education and Mission

Thursday Morning Mass
We continue to celebrate Thursday Morning Mass at the College Chapel each week at 8:15am. With the season of Advent commencing on December 1, attending Thursday Mass is a great opportunity to prepare for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ. We welcome any students, parents and carers who wish to attend Mass.

Breakfast Club
Each Wednesday and Friday the College hosts Breakfast Club for the community. It is run by our Faith in Action Team, led by Ms Ellen Lombo with the support of many staff and students. This is an opportunity for students of all year groups to work together in service for our community. Breakfast is served in the Senior Cafe from 8:00 - 8:30am.

Special Religious Education Training (SRE) Update
We thank our Year 10 SRE Students for their outstanding contribution to teaching Religious Education to the students at Blacktown South Primary School this year. The last SRE lesson for 2024 will be on Thursday November 21.

On Friday November 22, they will attend a Mass of Thanksgiving at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, with Mr Greg Beacroft.  The College will also receive an award at the Mass for many years of service to the SRE program.

Vinnies Christmas Appeal
With Christmas just around the corner, this is a time to think about all the blessings we have received throughout the year, and how special the Christmas period is for us and our families. As a College community, we have the opportunity to give back to our broader community by donating what we can to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal.

We officially launched the Vinnies Christmas Appeal at our College Assembly last Tuesday. Starting Monday 25 November, students are asked to bring in items to their Homerooms. Collections will take place on Tuesday and Friday each week for the next three weeks.

Anthony Pope
Acting Leader of Learning Religious Education

Dean of Knowledge Management and Analytics

As we approach the summer school holidays, it doesn't mean the doors to learning have to close. In fact, the break from classes can be a golden opportunity for students to explore new horizons, delve into passions, and cultivate skills beyond the traditional classroom setting.

The school holidays are the perfect time for students to embark on a journey of self-discovery and intellectual growth. Instead of viewing the break as a pause in education, let's celebrate it as an extended classroom where the boundaries of learning are limitless.

1. Discover the World Beyond Textbooks
Encourage students to step outside their comfort zones and explore topics that intrigue them. Whether it's science experiments in the kitchen, exploring local history, or learning about diverse cultures, the holidays offer a chance to broaden their knowledge in an interactive and enjoyable way.

2. Ignite the Creative Spark
Creativity knows no bounds, and the holidays provide ample time for students to express themselves artistically. From painting and writing to music and drama, students can tap into their creative sides, fostering skills that are equally essential for personal development.

3. Embrace Technology as a Learning Tool
In an era dominated by technology, the holidays are an excellent time for students to leverage educational apps, online courses, and virtual experiences. Platforms like Khan Academy, Duolingo, and Coursera offer a plethora of courses that cater to diverse interests and learning styles.

4. Cultivate Lifelong Reading Habits
There's no better companion during the holidays than a good book. Encourage students to create a reading list that spans various genres and topics. A journey through literature not only enhances language skills but also fosters empathy and a deeper understanding of the world.

5. Connect Learning with Real-World Experiences
Learning isn't confined to textbooks; it's a dynamic process that unfolds in the world around us. Encourage students to engage in community service, internships, or even job shadowing during the holidays. These experiences provide valuable insights and practical skills that extend beyond the classroom.

6. Family Learning Adventures
Make learning a family affair. Whether it's a trip to the museum, a nature hike, or a cooking challenge at home, involving the whole family in educational activities makes learning enjoyable and strengthens family bonds.

As another school term draws to a close, let's not forget that the spirit of learning never takes a vacation. The school holidays are a canvas waiting to be painted with the colors of curiosity, creativity, and exploration. Let's inspire our students to make the most of this time and return to school, not just rested, but enriched with new knowledge and experiences.

Mark Robinson
Dean of Knowledge and Analytics

Pathways & Partnership Update

Excursion to Melonba Education Campus
Earlier this term, students from the Year 11 Engineering Studies class, as well as some Year 10 students who will be studying Engineering Studies next year, had the privilege of visiting the Melonba Education Campus construction site. In a joint program run by Richard Crookes Construction, UNSW and RIEP (Regional Industry Education Partnerships), students were able to learn about the construction industry and various career pathways, hear from recent UNSW graduates working with Richard Crookes, as well as undertake a site tour.

With their hardhats and hi-vis vests on, the students explored the huge site where a primary school for 1000 students and a secondary school for 2000 students are currently being constructed. It was fantastic to see and hear our Engineering Studies teacher, Mr Zahra, drawing links between the construction site and content taught in the Engineering Studies syllabus.

Excursions are a fantastic opportunity for students to connect their learning with the real world, as well as build their knowledge of the labour market and world of work.

We look forward to offering our students more opportunities related to careers and partnerships in the future.

If you or your son have any questions relating to career pathways and partnerships, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at mlane1@parra.catholic.edu.au or by phone on 02 8811 0316.

Marie Lane
Pathways and Partnerships Leader

Sports Report

PDSSC Badminton Championship
On Monday, 11^th November 2024, eleven young men from our College participated in the inaugural PDSSSC Badminton championship. For those that are not familiar with the sport of badminton, as Aamir Khan famously quoted “badminton is like ballet dancing. It requires a lot of control, strength, mind play and measured movement".  With this in mind, our young men hit the courts in Auburn with enthusiasm and vigour and were ready to let the shuttlecocks fly.

To start the tournament, our young men were placed in groups and were involved in a series of round-robin matches that required them to keep their own score and call their own lines. All of our boys should be proud of the manner in which they conducted themselves as they played with intensity, precision, skill and fairness. Throughout the day, all competitors respected the game and there were never any disagreements about the calls that were made.

In the Junior competition we were fortunate to have two students qualify for the semi-finals. Unfortunately, Kirti Kadiressane and Adhrit Anjay were drawn to play against each other. In a very competitive semi-final, Kirti Kadiressane ended up victorious and moved to the championship match. Kirti was involved in a tough first game in the final with him and his opponent engaged in an enthralling match. However, Kirti’s control was too good, and he won the first game 21-19. The second game was a different story. Kirti was in complete control from the outset, displaying a shot selection that left his opponent bewildered. Kirti Kadiressane was crowned the first male Junior PDSSSC badminton champion, winning the final 21-19, 21-5.

To win the Senior championship our young men needed to first qualify for the quarter finals. Our College qualified 5 out of the 8 competitors. This resulted in three competitors from our College, Aarron Joseph, Jaidev Singh and Alby Bento qualifying for the semi-finals.  Jaidev Singh and Alby Bento were drawn against each other with Jaidev Singh eventually getting the win after a gruelling match. Aaron Joseph comfortably won his semi-final. The result being an all-Patrician Brothers' Blacktown Senior male championship match.

The anticipation for the final was high as both players had been building nicely as the tournament progressed. Both players hit the court knowing they could win if they played their best controlled, measured and determined badminton. However, as can happen with badminton, Aaron Joseph seized the initial control of the match and was relentless with his precision and accuracy, playing as if he had the shuttlecock on a string. Whilst Jaidev tried to adapt and adjust his court play to counteract the moves of his opponent, Aaron was not going to allow his opponent back in the match. Aaron was crowned the first male Senior PDSSSC badminton champion, winning the final 21-11, 21-9.

All competitors from our College should be congratulated for the sportsmanship shown and their willingness to be involved, even after being eliminated after the round-robin matches. Our young men volunteered to umpire matches and, when given the opportunity, continued to fine tune their game against competitors from other schools that were also unlucky to make the finals.

Finally, a big thank you to Mr. Meares from myself and all the young men who trialled, for allowing us the opportunity to play the tactical, meticulous and at times powerful game of Badminton.

Stephen Zahra
Coach