School of Leadership

News from the School of Leadership     

A Note from the School of Leadership Head of School

Dear Parents and Carers, 

As we approach the middle of the term, your children will have learnt much content across a variety of learning areas and will be working on class and assessment tasks. What is important to note is that your child must have clear study routines in place to ensure academic success. Just like practicing the piano or passing the ball in basketball or hitting the ball in cricket, refinement of skills takes practice. You do not get to become the best soccer player overnight. It takes a lot of time and effort to ensure that you keep improving.

The same applies to your child’s learning. Staying up the night before quizzes or pracs or due dates, and trying to complete an assessment task or studying for a test only the night before does not lead your child to do their best. Study skills take time to perfect and setting up good routines is critical.

It is important that you sit down with your children and work through their weekly routine. The middle years of schooling is a crucial time of development, maturity and a key time for the establishing of habits and processes that will serve students well during their studies at St Luke’s and beyond. This routine needs to involve time for family and friends and co-curricular. Importantly, study and homework must be part of this routine. Often, we hear our young people say to their parents: “I have no homework; I finished it in class.”  This is where they need to take time to do some study. They need to go over what they have done in class or start their assessment task that is due in the coming weeks. 

Importantly, study and homework must be free of distractions. Mobile phones should not be next to them. If possible, it should be done in an area where you can monitor from a distance as it is too easy for them to flick their computer screens to the latest episode of the series they are watching on Netflix.

As the world continues to evolve, one thing stays the same, that is, in order to succeed, our young people must work hard, and the setting up of good routines and processes will ensure that the continued practice of their academic skills will then lead to success.

Celebrating St Luke’s - Who we are What we do

Open Day 2025 was a remarkable success and I take this opportunity to applaud the great many School of Leadership students who attended the night, serving as College Ambassadors and leading tours of our impressive campus, supporting teachers in Key Learning Area showcases and acting as Subject Matter Experts in answering parent questions. 

Well done to these students who actively look for opportunities to serve and to lead. 

 Mrs Kate Kelly - Head of School, School of Leadership

A Note from The SOL Assistant Principal 

The middle years of your child’s life can be a scary time to navigate given the increasing pressure our children can experience from school life and academics, social media, and peer pressure. According to the Kids Research Institute of Australia, “one in seven (13.9%) 4-17 year-olds were assessed as having mental disorders in the previous 12 months. This is equivalent to 560,000 Australian children and adolescents”. These statistics are alarming and there are some things as a parent or carer that you can do to care for the mental health of your child.

• Lock in regular time to spend with your son or daughter so that you can converse with them about their day, their worries, and their small wins.
• Set clear expectations about homework and ensure they switch off from their devices and do something physical. Suggest going for a walk with them or to the park to kick a ball together.
• Make sure they have a nutritious breakfast before they go to school.
• Ensure they get enough sleep. Preteens need about 9–12 hours of sleep each night.
• Store devices such as laptops, ipads, and mobile phones in a common space in the family home (not in bedrooms where they can be accessed late at night).
• Meet your child’s friends.
• Set specific chores and tasks to complete at home such as washing the dishes, sorting the laundry, changing the sheets, or taking the bins out.

If your child is experiencing some difficulties with their mental health, reach out to the College and ask to speak to me, your child’s teacher, or coordinator. If we do not know about the challenges your child is experiencing, we cannot put in place measures to ensure they are safe at school. If getting your child out of bed and to school is becoming increasingly difficult, let us know. If your child has experienced symptoms of depression or anxiety, reach out to us for support. Regular conversations with key leaders from the college can help you to share some of the burden that having a teen or preteen with mental health difficulties. If your child is struggling with their school work, know that we have Study Centre available to them every Tuesday from 2:45pm to 3:45pm in the Hub. Thursday Breakfast Club from 8am might be another way your child can start the day off with some toast and conversation with their friends.

Whatever the concern, talking about it is the best place to start.

Escooters

Did you know that In NSW, it is illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter on roads or road-related areas, including footpaths, shared paths, cycle ways and cycle paths? St.Luke’s bans the use of escooters to or from school as this is illegal. St.Luke’s does not take any responsibility for these scooters if they are brought to school and stolen or damaged. Escooters are very dangerous and should your child come off, they could be seriously injured. If your child is caught riding an escooter they can be fined up to $136 and an additional $410 for not wearing a helmet. Escooters are only permitted on private property. Your support with this is greatly appreciated.

Mrs Josephine Camilleri - Assistant Principal, School of Leadership

Stage 3 Stories… 

Science and Technology

Students have started to investigate forces and how they are applied to bridges around the world. Both Year 5 and Year 6 have built models to simulate how forces need to be either strengthened or weakened to allow a bridge to operate properly. The photos below demonstrate students creating their models in preparation for their Benchmark 1 assessment task.

Faith in Action initiative

This term, Stage 3 students have been given the opportunity to volunteer to show faith in action at Marsden Park Care Community, embracing the core values of our current Religion unit - hope, love, and mercy. Through this initiative, 30 students across the stage will attend the Care Community on alternating weeks to actively support the residents by tending to their beautiful gardens, helping grow a variety of fruits and vegetables, and most importantly, sharing meaningful time together. 

Our first visits took place in Weeks 5 and 6, and all students walked away feeling affirmed in the meaningful impact they are making. The joy and gratitude expressed by both the residents and students reinforced the importance of these connections, inspiring students to continue giving their time and energy with enthusiasm. Some of the students’ thoughts are captured below:

“During the time I was at the nursing home I realised how we think they are and who they actually are, they are like us but with more experience. They are funny and can be a bundle of joy. This helped me deepen my understanding because I realised that they need the same things as everyone of us, love and hope to help them through times where they may not see as many people” - Ianna from Riley

“My time there was very fun and I enjoyed it very much. I really liked that we kind of got to know the residents more and I look forward to that very much. It really did help me understand how to be an example of love, hope and mercy because I showed not just my love for the residents but for their environment since you really do have to be careful but show mercy.” - Romeo from Riley

“My experience was really good because I enjoyed meeting the residents. They were really funny and nice. I also liked when we played mini golf with them as well. Thankyou for this wonderful time!” - Darcy from Riley

As the program continues, students will not only assist in maintaining the gardens but will also engage in conversations, listen to the residents’ stories and build connections. To mark the culmination of this initiative, all Stage 3 students will create symbolic artworks, each carrying a personal message of love and hope. These designs will be carefully painted onto flat river rocks and gifted to the Care Community, finding a permanent place in the gardens as lasting reminders of connection, love and hope.

We would also like to thank all who are assisting in making this wonderful opportunity possible, especially our wonderful Assistant Principal, Mrs Camilleri who is volunteering her Tuesday afternoons to make multiple trips driving the students on our new school mini bus! We are incredibly proud of our students for embracing this opportunity with open hearts and for the positive impact they continue to make.

Lauren O’Halloran and Maddie Tucker

Stage 3 Teachers

Stage 3 Choir update

Our Stage 3 choir for 2025 officially launched on Thursday in Week 5! Our students have been working so hard to learn and prepare the songs for our Ash Wednesday Liturgy, where they will have the special role of leading our school community in singing.

This year, rehearsals will take place every Thursday afternoon from 2:30 to 3:30 pm and students will need to be collected from the Breezeway Gates at the end of the rehearsal. If your child has alternative travel arrangements, please let the school know in advance so we can make sure they get home safely.

Further to this, a gentle reminder that only students who are part of the choir and have provided explicit consent via Compass or email are able to attend. As there is no supervision available, siblings of choir members are not able to stay for the session.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. We look forward to another fantastic year of singing together in the Stage 3 choir! 

Term 1 Stage 3 Celebration of Learning - Riley

Riley will be presenting their learning from Term 1 on the 3rd of April at 1:30pm. Please find below an invitation to join us for this event. 

From Year 7…

Students have been settling into the School of Leadership with ease and much support. Year 7 have now settled into their learning spaces and have become familiar with their class routines. A reminder that the following Wellbeing initiatives take place in the first 30 minutes of each day so as to provide consistency and support for each of our students at the beginning of each day. 

Year 7 students engaged in the morning Wellbeing initiatives

Ms Villarosa- Year 7 Wellbeing Coordinator

From Year 8… Focused and taking action!

Year 8 students are well into the term, actively engaging with their learning and assessment tasks across all subjects. As they navigate this busy period, they are developing important skills to help them manage their workload effectively.

In Learn to Learn, students have been focusing on time management strategies to reduce procrastination and take more purposeful action. Through practical activities and discussions, they are learning how to prioritise tasks, set realistic goals, and use their time wisely. These skills support their current studies and set them up for success in the years ahead.

We encourage parents and caregivers to continue these conversations at home—simple strategies like using a study planner, breaking tasks into smaller steps, using the Eisenhower Matrix and setting clear deadlines can make a big difference. By fostering these habits now, students will be better equipped to stay on top of their responsibilities and approach their learning with confidence.

We look forward to seeing the ongoing growth and progress of our Year 8 students as they put their learning into action!

Mrs Zorzo - Year 8 Wellbeing Coordinator

Learning Showcase

Technologies

Students in Technology have made a great start to various courses. Year 7 students are learning coding using a microbit processor or designing and making jewellery or designing and making a model car in the downforce racer project. By the end of year 7 all students will have completed all three projects. In year 8 students are making sawdust and wooden products in the workshop or cooking up a storm in the kitchen. In year 9 students are working with mixed materials to make a poseable robot toy or working in VET Hospitality, working towards meeting competencies and a path to a future job in the industry. Year 10s are all becoming young designers through designing and making a prototype of a household product in the accelerated Preliminary Design and Technology course. This will allow them to continue with the HSC course next year and complete that a year ahead of their other HSC courses. Meanwhile Year 11 students have commenced Preliminary courses in Software Engineering, Industrial Technology Multimedia, Enterprise computing and Engineering studies. Our year 12 students are continuing with the HSC in Industrial Multimedia.

All teachers are happy with the enthusiasm and application that students have started their year with.

Simon Holloway- Technology Pedagogy Coach

Italiano

Ciao ciao a tutti! Hello everyone!

In Italian, we are learning about the days of the week, numbers, months so we can finally be able to write the date in Italian! We have built our Italian vocabulary list by learning the Italian alphabet! We are also learning about introducing ourselves and greeting each other in a new language! We can interact with each other in Italian, asking each other’s names, age, birthday and nationality! We can also say in which city we live, abito a Sydney!

Our daily routine is starting the lesson with the prayer Ave Maria, the Hail Mary. Quanto è piacevole! How peaceful! 

Our class is small so we all get to connect with each other, sharing our cultures, backgrounds and another language we may speak! We will soon learn about our hobbies in Italian, expressing our feelings if we love, like or don’t like certain  activities, mi piace o non mi piace!

English

This term in Year 8 English class, students are primarily focusing on learning about the power of persuasive language in the media. This topic has seen them develop critical thinking and analytical skills while understanding how the use of rhetoric language can control meaning within a text. Whether it was looking at the use of language in a speech, or a newspaper article, students have been able to observe how authority and argument is present in a text, through the use of powerful literary devices.

Students considered how newspapers and other media platforms can manipulate our perception of the truth through language. They were given the opportunity to create their own Fake News Article as a way of showcasing how they can construct and control meaning. 

Life Design

Year 8 Life Design students have been working on learning ideation strategies as they explore the concept of FLOW. Flow is where people experience deep focus and enjoyment while mastering new skills and challenges. Students will challenge themselves to come up with challenges that they can engage in as they attempt to enter the Flow State. 

Science

Our Year 7 students have started their Science journey with an exciting focus on scientific skills. They are learning how to think and work like real scientists—making careful observations, recording results accurately, and working safely in the lab.

A highlight has been learning how to safely light the Bunsen burner!  Students have been taught how to set up and use the burner correctly, identifying different flame types and understanding when and why each is used. This hands-on experience helps grow their in confidence and prepares them for future experiments.

Year 7 Creative Arts

In the music classroom, students actively engage in musical activities that develop their understanding of rhythm and note values. They apply their knowledge in practice and create rhythmic patterns within musical time signatures.

Following their learning of rhythm, students will progress to the basics of pitch and note recognition. This will significantly enhance their ability to transfer their knowledge into actively learning and performing musical works on their chosen instrument.