Wellbeing
Social Cohesion and Physical Activity
I will take this opportunity to talk about the pleasing sights during lunch times at St Patrick College where our students access the back ovals for physical activity time. The Australian Guidelines for Physical Activity recommend children and young people complete at least 60 minutes each day of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Here at SPC, between PDHPE lessons, co-curricular opportunities, and access to oval spaces during break times, our young men are afforded the chance to extend well beyond the recommended minutes. Access to the back ovals is an initiative that began in 2022 and we are proud to see the number of students taking the opportunity to participate in physical activity each and every day.
Given the nature of sharing space on the ovals with different year groups, there is a distinct opportunity to build social cohesion, an aspect we are keen to continue to foster and develop in our young men over the coming terms. Social cohesion is based around the building of shared values enabling our students to have a sense that they are engaged in common interests, and that they are members of the same community. Spending time interacting in “free play” on the back ovals allows them to flourish in many different ways:
- Opportunity to develop communication, empathy and collaboration which are critical in the 21st century workforce
- Social confidence
- Interacting with diverse cultures, promoting inclusivity
- Engaging in problem solving, becoming adaptive and engaging in decision making using a combination of input from various perspectives/teams
- Promoting desire, motivation, and mastery mindset.
As such, we are continually working with our young men at St Patrick’s College to foster social cohesion during unstructured physical activity times where the promotion of free play has such beneficial impacts on physical, emotional, and social well-being.
Founder’s Day Parent Volunteers 9 June 2023
Founders Day is fast approaching and more information to the community will follow. As such, in 2023 we are seeking assistance from parents/carers to serve lunch which will be supplied for our students and staff. Any parent/carer who can volunteer their assistance for this event would be greatly appreciated.
We are seeking approximately eight volunteers from each house. This year it will be one shift (rather than two) as students will be receiving their lunch between 10:45 AM- 11.30 AM or so. Parent volunteers would need to make themselves available between 8:45 AM – 1:30 PM for set-up, preparation and pack-up.
In order to volunteer at our College on Founder's Day, you will need to complete and sign the Volunteer Agreement Form below:
In doing so, you will be asked to:
- Complete the Child Safeguarding Declaration
- Provide your Working with Children Check (WWCC)** number and date of birth so that the College can verify your WWCC clearance
- Complete the COVID-19 Vaccination Privacy Collection Notice.
** In accordance with Child Protection legislation, all people engaged in child-related work, including Volunteers, must obtain a Working with Children Check clearance prior to their engagement at the College. For information on the NSW Working with Children Check, please click here.
The Volunteer Agreement Form is an editable PDF that can be submitted back to the College electronically via email. Please attach to your email a copy of your photo ID for identification purposes.
Once submitted, please provide a PDF copy of your vaccination certificate directly to our Principal, Dr Vittoria Lavorato vittoria.lavorato@spc.nsw.edu.au as soon as possible following completion of the Volunteer Agreement Form. Please note in your email correspondence that you will be volunteering for Founder’s Day.
When all responses have been received and checked, there will be email confirmation and further instructions provided.
We really appreciate your help on this most special day at the College.
Active Supervision Hours
A reminder to all families that active supervision of areas at the College before the first period bell begins at 8:15 AM for all students in Years 5-12. Junior school student supervision is available in Westcourt Library, the Junior Yard and Junior Ovals. Senior School students are only permitted to sit either in the Year 12 Yard including oval seats or outside of the Robson Auditorium. Students are aware of the areas that they must go to upon arrival at the College.
In the afternoons, any students waiting for parents/carers at Kiss and Drop after 3:45 PM will be asked to move back into the College and directed to the McGlade Library. Supervision is available there.
Alexandros Sinadinos
Acting Director of Wellbeing