School of Leadership

News from the School of Leadership     

Dear Parents and Carers, 

As we stand at the close of another remarkable year, it is with both gratitude and pride that I reflect on the journey we’ve shared. Each student, family, and staff member has contributed to a year filled with learning, growth, and countless memories.

This year, we celebrated the unique talents and interests of our students through a variety of enriching experiences. Our Year 8 Camp was a highlight, filled with adventure, team-building, and resilience-building activities. Year 5 embraced the waves and learned valuable life skills at the Surf Lifesaving excursion, while our Year 6 students amazed us all with their “Become Me” showcase—a day that highlighted their aspirations and creativity.

Our school community shone in moments of compassion and leadership, particularly in the Kindergarten Buddy Program, where older students offered guidance and friendship to our youngest learners. The Year 7 Leadership Day and the Year 8 Medieval Excursion allowed students to step into new roles and explore the past in ways that brought history to life. Through programs like our Year 5 and Year 8 Peer Companions, we nurtured mentorship, encouraging students to support each other and grow together.

Our students’ academic achievements were on display during NAPLAN, where student efforts reflected dedication and growth. And throughout the year, our school was blessed with opportunities to come together as a faith community, sharing in liturgies, celebrations, and prayer as a source of strength and unity. The centrepiece of our Christmas celebration, our magnificent Christmas tree, was a symbol of hope and joy—an uplifting reminder of the values we cherish.

Looking ahead to 2025, our commitment to continuous improvement remains at the heart of our mission. We are excited to build on our achievements and further enhance our students’ educational experiences. Plans are in motion to develop new learning programs, enrich pastoral care, and strengthen pathways that ensure each student’s unique strengths are supported. We are also focusing on ways to deepen our commitment to faith, service, and leadership across all year levels.

I take this opportunity now, to communicate with the 2025 Leadership Team for the School of Leadership:

This week, students in Kindergarten to Year 5 participated in a 2025 Roll Up where they were able to go and see their learning space, meet their new classmates and in their new class teachers. To this end, I share the teaching team for 2025 Years 5 and 6:

Please note, teachers and leaders spent considerable time discerning class placements for the 1900 students across the College. Several factors were considered including but not limited to student need, physical space, patterns of behaviour, student achievement, classroom dynamic, resourcing, staffing

We understand that children may feel comfortable with particular teachers and peers, however, the new school year offers an opportunity to expand social networks and adjust to different classroom atmospheres.  As such, requests for changes to students' classes will not be accommodated. 

Thank you for being part of this incredible year and for supporting our shared mission. Wishing each of you a joyous Christmas and a restful holiday season. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2025 for another year of learning, growth, and community.

Many blessings for a happy and holy Christmas,

 Mrs Kate Kelly - Head of School, School of Leadership

A Note from The SOL Assistant Principal 

What a fantastic 2024 we have had. I always like to reflect at the end of the year, reflect on the things that I am proud of, the things achieved, the moments of challenge, and plan for an even better new year. That is the great thing about the season of Advent, it is a time of preparation, a time to pause and be reminded of the opportunity to prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus. It is a season to embrace hope and peace but also to remember how lucky we are to have the great opportunities living in this country, attending this school, and being part of the St.Luke’s community, affords us. Let us take this time to reflect, pray, and extend kindness to those around us, making room in our lives for the light of Christ to shine brightly. I encourage families to be present at their family gatherings and spend time with their families and children doing things together. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Inclusive hats

St. Luke’s Catholic College prides itself on the multicultural diversity of our community. We are an inclusive and welcoming schooling environment and we would love to share three different styles of hats that make our College hats more inclusive. These designs are an effortless way you can transform the College hat to be more inclusive of our Sikh boys. The pictures below showcase a quick and easy hack to allow our hats to fit over a Patka or Turban, ensuring maximum sun safety. We encourage our Sikh community to spend some time over the holidays completing a simple modification of the hat so that your son can be protected from the harmful rays of the sun in the new year.

All students need to have a College hat to access the Oval and Basketball courts as well as during sports in PE. Please ensure that your child has a College hat for 2025 that is clearly labeled with their name.

SOL Tournaments and Spelling Bees

Lunchtime tournaments have been a great way to provide break-time activities for our students in a structured and competitive environment. I have really loved facilitating these competitions. Our SOL Basketball Tournament has recently concluded where we ran two separate competitions in Years 5/6 and then in 7/8. Thank you to Mr Dela Paz who assisted in running this competition… I will be at a loss with his departure at the end of 2024. Thank you to our referees who have also made this competition possible including:

Mikayla Arevalo (Year 8)

Vihaan Vemula (Year 9)

Ochen Anyau  (Year 9)

Ranvansh Brar  (Year 9)

Ceefah Lemiri  (Year 9)

Isaiah Dela Cruz (Year 11)

Cohen Bradley (Year 11).

They have demonstrated commitment in generously giving up their lunch times to officiate the competition that stretched across two terms.

Congratulations to our winning teams:

From Year 6 - Le Sunshine:

Reece Warren

Aiden Laidlaw

Miguel Padilla

Alcen Maria  

Harlie Em 

Reuben Tiwiri

Pranav Uprety

Joel Williams

From Year 7 and 8 - PD Elite

Ali Ali

Miguel Manalili

Nixon Baduria

Johan Johnson

Allano Castro

Chrysjon Ablaza

Kiaan Sharmabelbase

Jashan Saini

Congratulations to our runners-up teams:

From Year 5 - Our House 2

Cameron Cefai

Emmanuel Abwi

Megan Meneses

Felix Diaz

Anthony Francis

Stepi Siric 

Issac Lim

From Year 7 and 8 - Sky Walker Elite

Yuvraj Singh

Sebastian Cortes

Caiden Em

Nathan Leonardo

Alexander De Castro

Zachary Lingat

Nikolas Pagtakhan

Manmeet Mann

Well done to all students who participated in the competition. Bring on our 2025 tournaments!

Riding Bikes and Scooters to school

If your child rides a scooter or bicycle to school, they MUST wear a NSW safety-approved helmet with the strap tightened beneath their chin. Too many times I have been in the Bus Bay area in the morning and have observed students riding to school without a helmet, which is a requirement by law. If the police catch a student riding without a helmet, they can face on-the-spot fines of $344. I have also personally had a student in the past get involved in a terrible accident riding his bicycle to school. The long-term impact of this trauma was saddening. Please ensure your child has a helmet if they wish to ride to school.

Arriving at the College prior to 8am

Many students are dropped off at the College before 8am. Our College staff commence supervision on the playground at 8 am. There is no supervision of students in the college carpark or out in front of the Breezeway, where many students congregate. Please be reminded that you are responsible for the safety of your children when in this space. Students are not permitted to play handball out the front of the college as this poses a safety risk. We have recently had a near miss of a younger student who chased a handball into oncoming traffic. Dropping your child off at 7am means they will be unsupervised for an hour. Please keep this in mind for 2025.

Mrs Josephine Camilleri - Assistant Principal, School of Leadership

Stage 3 Stories… 

Become Me - Brayden A

Become Me was a fantastic experience. We looked into the future and delved deeper into our dream job. You could be a professional sports player, a person that saves lives or anyone else! In this lengthy task, we got the opportunity to present in front of many people. For this task, I chose to become a cartoon artist. In which I drew for the entertainment of other people. I was able to develop my drawing skills, while learning about the job I love. Become Me was a great experience for me so you should have fun too.

Celebration of Learning

Written by Diaz Li & Irene U (Riley)

On Wednesday, our class, Year 6 Riley had our celebration of learning when we showcased all the learning we did throughout the term. We were given a set of slides from the teachers and we had to do the rest by ourselves. We were assigned roles which included speaking, showing our work, editing slides and teacher reporters. Some of our classmates did some behind the scenes work while others spoke about their work. We talked a bit about Riley, achievements some of our classmates received, fun customs which include legend of the week and wellbeing minutes, showcased a piece of work for each subject and a brain break in the middle which engaged the audience. Parents of many of our classmates were also there to support us and watch what we did throughout the term along with the head of schools who’ve come to see our growth. It took a lot of time and effort which included several weeks of practice and editing to get the final product. Everyone enjoyed making it especially since it was our last celebration of learning. 

Jiya D - Freeman

Both of these artworks were done by me and recently featured in an art exhibition and with the help of my art teacher. I use Google and find something to draw/paint,it’s not really from my own imagination but I try to change something from the photo to make it my own.

From Year 7…

As our Year 7 hive buzzes into the next chapter of their journey, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible growth and experiences we've shared this year. Like a hive working together, this cohort has learned to navigate the sweetness of new friendships, the sting of challenges, and the importance of collaboration in achieving great things. From the excitement of Orientation Day to the teamwork displayed during our leadership challenges, and the meaningful moments in mentor sessions, Year 7 has truly embodied what it means to be part of a flourishing community.

To my busy bees: you have worked hard, supported one another, and shown resilience and kindness in all you do. Keep carrying your positive energy and commitment to being upstanders as you continue to grow. Thank you for the joy, laughter, and inspiration you have brought to our hive. It has been an absolute privilege to be your coordinator this year, and I can't wait to see all the honey-sweet successes that await you. Fly high, Year 7!

Miss Rowena Chand- Year 7 Wellbeing Coordinator

English

In English, 7 Teal has focused on Drama and improvisation as an extension to our unit Fractured Fairytales. The class played "Hot Seat" where students had to assume the role of a fairy tale or nursery rhyme character for 1.30 minutes and answer questions from the audience. This challenge seemed to be hard at first, but when we performed, it felt so easy to finish and easy to act. Theatre sports continued with "Thank God You're Here" where groups were given a bag of random costumes and props and performers needed to create a scene and problem. The unsuspecting performer had to walk into a scene and completely improvise their part. Mrs Bear and I were the judges and congratulate the following groups on their performances. 1st Place: The Royal Family, 2nd Place: The Stupid Doctor and 3rd Place: The Boomerang Problem.

Written by Deepjot K

Technologies

This is the best time of the year for Technologies, as students are proud to take home a project that they have worked on for the duration of the term. Here are a range of projects that showcase a variety of skills, tools and techniques that students have achieved.

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Year 7:

Year 7 students are creating artworks that explore how Catholic vision and incarnational spirituality address personal issues. By reflecting on meaningful themes and expressing their insights creatively, they are deepening their understanding of faith in action. 

Creative Arts - Art and Music 

Visual Arts

Students have been working hard on their celebrity text portraits. To quote the old man who repairs Woody in Toy Story 2, “You can't rush art!” Indeed, students’ patience and determination were put to the test in the process. Different tones were created by the arrangement of text in multiple font sizes.

HSIE

Students have been learning about different aspects of ancient Egyptian society.  One of the aspects that has been most fascinating, is the beliefs and rituals the ancient Egyptians held about the afterlife.  Recently, students in 7 Teal were asked to create an artifact that represented an aspect of their learning which they found most interesting.  In response, our talented students created cartoons, artworks, poems and songs.  

Egyptian Book of the Dead

By Ann and Kanishkao

Cartoon by Kiaj and Rafa

The AfterLife

By Arav and Nirav

In the land where the Nile flows wide,

Pharaohs reign with eternal pride.

Pyramids rise to touch the sky,

In the afterlife, we never say goodbye.

In sacred halls, the rituals unfold,

With oils and linen, the story unfolds.

Preserving the body, a journey to start,

For the soul to ascend, it plays its part.

With canopic jars, the organs preserved,

In the tomb's embrace, the spirit is served.

A final farewell, as the wrappings entwine,

In the afterlife’s embrace, forever divine.

Through the sands, a journey begins,

 With Anubis guiding, where the tale spins.

The Duat awaits, a realm of night,

Facing trials, embracing the fight.

Crocodiles lurking, shadows that creep,

With the Book of the Dead, our spells to keep.

A heart on the scale, weighed against a feather,

To find our fate in this timeless tether.

If light as air, in the Field of Reeds,

Eternal life, where the spirit feeds.

Feasting with gods, basking in light,

In the afterlife, our souls take flight.

But if heavy the heart, a different tale,

Devoured by Ammit, lost in the veil.

Yet, honor the gods, and you shall find,

In the realm of the dead, your spirit is entwined.

Italian

Ciao, ciao!

This term, students are learning and exploring the culture of Italy.

They presented the city they are promoting as a tourist attraction, stating where this city is located, describing what it looks like, its main monuments, the city’s climate throughout the year and when tourists should visit it. Students also talked about the main traditions and important festivities that are celebrated in this city.

From Napoli to Rome, students chose a variety of different cities to talk about!

Here is the city of Venezia’s (Venice) tourist attractions chosen by a student.

Gli alunni (students) are also learning about the most important festivity and tradition of Italy: IL CARNEVALE! A CARNEVALE OGNI SCHERZO VALE!

Some of the Carnevale characters were introduced to them, like Colombina, Arlecchino, Pulcinella, Pantalone… each Carnevale character has different traits and personalities. Based on these traits and personalities, students have to choose one of the characters and in groups make up a scenario that they will perform as a role play in class! Quanto è divertente! How funny!

Here are Arlecchino (Harlequin), Dottor Balanzone (Doctor Balanzone) and Pulcinella’s characters performed by students!

And here we have Arlecchino, Pierrot, il Dottore and finally…Pantalone!

From Year 8…

Life Design

A big last week for year 8 as they present their draft purpose statements to external panellists in their Capstone Presentations! All students have been completing a series of activities to discover their unique purpose and exploring what that could look like in their future. 

Capstone will take place on Monday 9th Dec & Tuesday 10th Dec, 2024 with 40+ industry guests to St Luke’s.

Parents are encouraged to get their child to present to them at home as each student's learning has been wonderful to see develop and their confidence grow throughout this term.

PDHPE

Congratulations to all Year 8 classes on planning and delivering their Health Expo for their peers in Year 7. Students should be commended on how engaging their displays were, and most importantly the detailed research that was undertaken to ensure the information being shared was recent, reliable, credible and accurate. Thank you to the classes and teachers who visited the displays and provided feedback. 

Anushka, Martina, Tara & Hannah - Road Safety

Kat, Hayley, Mia & Estelle (absent) - Energy drinks 

Nickas, Vidhit, Hunter, Kaizer, Khubaib - Alcohol 

Year 8 are now enjoying a unit on Team Sports to end the year, demonstrating their ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with one another across a variety of sports. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Year 8 for their engagement in all units of work throughout the year. We have thoroughly enjoyed teaching you and wish you all the best as you transition into SOE in 2025. Always remember to make positive choices - if you don’t know what you stand for, you will fall for anything! 

Mrs Roach, Mr Zaccaria, Mrs Sluiter & Mr Holloway 

Technology

Micro:bit Innovation Showcase:

The 8TECH1A students recently engaged on an exciting journey of creativity and problem-solving with their Micro:bit coding project. The goal was simple yet impactful: to design a program that could solve a daily-life challenge or improve a task.

The project saw students brainstorming, coding, and testing their ideas over several weeks. The outcomes were as diverse as they were innovative. Some students created simple timers for managing study breaks, while others designed weather alert systems to help decide if carrying an umbrella was necessary. One particularly creative group even developed a "reflexes game" that tests your reaction speed using light patterns and controls.

After completing their projects, the students presented their work to their peers. Each presentation included a demonstration of their code in action, a discussion of the problem it addressed, and the rationale behind their design choices. The presentations fostered a collaborative environment as students provided constructive feedback and offered suggestions for further improvement.

This peer-review element added an extra layer of learning, encouraging students to refine their coding and presentation skills. It also highlighted the value of sharing ideas and learning from others, reinforcing the importance of teamwork in problem-solving.

The Year 8 Micro:bit project not only strengthened students' technical skills but also demonstrated how technology can have a meaningful impact on everyday life. It was a proud moment for the young coders as they celebrated their accomplishments and inspired each other with their ingenuity.

-Mr Gutierrez and Ms Kaur

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Year 8:

Our Year 8 students are crafting "Peace Packs" featuring Christmas cards, stories, and/or poems that embody the theme of peace. Through creative design and vivid storytelling, they integrated symbols, Scripture, Sacraments, and Catholic teachings to share powerful messages of peace inspired by faith and everyday life. Here are some samples:

HSIE

This term in HSIE, Year 8 have been learning about Shogunate Japan. Students have looked at similarities and differences between Shogunate Japan and Medieval Europe which they studied last term. For an area of study with a wide variety of topics and areas of interest, students have worked in pairs to create a historical source, either digitally or physically to assist in undertaking the unit’s driving question, ‘How can I appropriately educate my generation about life in Shogunate Japan?’

Working in pairs, students were allocated one of many different areas of Shogunate Japan to research and create a secondary source. This led to a class based exhibition where students were required to teach their peers about their chosen topic. This task showcased a lot of determination, research and investigation skills as well as highlighting how our students became mini experts in their chosen area as students were able to experience a museum gallery walk on a variety of topics and interesting facts. 

Many students developed physical artefacts and others lent their digital skills to design and discuss their research. Year 8 should be commended for their investigation, implementation and their ability to educate their peers about Shogunate Japan.