Principal

Final Assembly for 2022

How has the school year been for you so far? Without doubt, this is a special year that has presented us with many challenges. 

After a COVID-19 impacted 2020 and 2021, we found ourselves having what is a “normal” school year. Sport was back on. Parents were back on site. Our musical went ahead.

Parent/Student/Interviews were back and conducted in person.

I, for one, will never take being at school for granted again. Yes – you can learn effectively online. But it is lonely and isolating. What we appreciate is the human interaction.

It became obvious to your teachers that after two years of “going it alone” at home meant that it was a challenge to be back in the classroom in front of teachers again.

• No, you couldn’t go to the bathroom when you felt like it.
   
• No, you could not look at your phone, a habit that was clearly developed during lockdowns.
   
• No, you couldn’t decide to do classwork and homework when you felt like it. Once again, teachers made demands of you and many of you struggled to respect authority.
   
• No, you couldn’t turn up to school with a beard and casual clothes. Once again, uniform and grooming codes became a challenge after bad habits were formed.
   
• No, you couldn’t trash-talk your friends on social media in the same way as you do in the playground. In person, your tone of voice and body language make it clear when something is in jest; this is much harder to interpret online. Same jokes, same lines had terrible consequences for your friends.
   
• Technology has made cultivating relationships easier, but also shallower. Emotionally, strong friendships offer us unwavering support that can lift us up when we feel down, they can give us advice when we're facing difficult decisions, be an ongoing source of inspiration and they can provide us with a safe place to be ourselves. Sadly, not every boy in this assembly today has experienced such friendship in 2022, and for that, I am regretful.

My last message to you at a formal assembly is to call for us to remember the three “Rs”. 

The first ‘R’ stands for Rejoice. How do we do it? You can start by counting your blessings throughout the year. The word “Thanksgiving” appears everywhere in the Bible as with these two Bible verses:

“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.” (Psa 95:2)

“And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoicing.” (Psa 107:22)

You can thank God for the nice weather, for your supportive parents, for passing your exams, for having caring teachers and classmates, for having a summer vacation that allows you to take a break from school and do whatever you want to do. In fact, you can thank Him for everything.

Doing something year after year without reflection is absurd and this leads to the second ‘R’, Reflect. 

Seize the time to reflect upon everything you did in the year and the following questions may guide you through self-reflection. 

1. How’s my academic performance this year? How did I perform in lessons?
2. Was my learning attitude positive?
3. How’s my relationship with family members, classmates and friends? 
4. How’s my attitude towards life? 
5. Have I connected with my classmates and showed my care for them? Have I used words of encouragement to them on some occasions? 

This brings us to the final ‘R’ – Restart. Reflection may trigger sad emotions as it reveals what you have or haven’t achieved. But like what Apostle Paul said, 

“but one thing I do, letting go those things which are past, and stretching out to the things which are before me.” (Philippians 3:13).

You’re advised to keep on reflecting as this restarts the cycle of learning and planning. 

During your summer break, why don’t you set goals for yourself, do some preparatory work for the coming school year and equip yourself with knowledge and skills that can help improve your learning.

Realising the importance of restarting is crucial to us. I have been a bit anxious now and then about some individuals’ academic performance. 

While you need to make good use of the summertime, don’t forget to hit the restart button before the new academic year begins. This is especially true of Year 12 (2023) students.

I hope that all of you can make use of the three Rs – Rejoice, Reflect and Restart – to help you cope with challenges in your lives. I look forward to seeing you at our Christmas liturgy next week and ask that you make the most of each day together that we have left. Our beloved Archer Gray’s loss has been devastating for the College and his family. His hour came way too early but a lesson we can all learn is the importance of making each second count and to be kind to one another, friends, and teachers.

Live Jesus in our Hearts. Forever.

Principal Awards 2022

In our last formal assembly for the year, it was a great delight to recognise the students who have made a consistent effort all year. Congratulations boys!

Perspectives: School Survey Reuslts 

Thanks to all those who took the time to complete the online surveys. They were created by The Evidence Institute at AISNSW and the data collected will support evidence informed decision making at the College.  

The data was collected from important stakeholder groups – students, teachers, parents/guardians, school leaders, non-teaching staff and Council members – across five domains on a six-point Likert scale. Response rates were as follows: 

The figure below provides a high-level aggregate score, combining all responses for items across all five domains and for all stakeholders. St Patrick’s College, Strathfield’s score is in light blue whilst the comparative data set – featuring the combined data of over eighty schools from NSW and South Australia surveyed in 201, 2020, 2021 and 2022 – is in dark blue. 

The results for the five domains are as follows: 

With a Likert scale, anything with an average of 4 or greater is considered a strong, positive result and I am pleased to see our results are all, on average, above 4. But we want to do even better! 

What can we learn from these results for our planning? 

• Our College’s performance across the domain of School Environment is very close to that of the other schools who are included in the survey’s aggregate dataset. For 2023, we need to explore ways to sustain the strong positive sentiments seen in the Religion and Faith dimension.  
   
• The mean for Teaching and Learning indicates scope for further exploration of related data. In 2023, our appointment of a new Professional Growth Coach will assist teachers, especially early career teachers, to design learning, implement quality pedagogical practices, differentiation for all learners and have quality professional learning for teachers on-site. 
   
• Our College’s performance across the domain of Student Wellbeing is very close to that of the other schools in survey’s aggregate data set. In 2023, there will be a strong focus on building respectful relationships. 
   
• Our College’s performance across the domain of Leadership is close but lower than the aggregate of like schools. We have made positive improvement in the area of student leadership practices and voice however we need to support the leadership practices of our College Middle Leaders. 
   
• Our College’s performance across the domain of Community is above average, with higher means in Student Community Engagement. In 2023, we will explore ways to sustain the strengths in this dimension. 

Sally Sitou: Member for Reid Friendship Awards 

At the assembly, we were honoured to host the Honourable Sally Sitou, Member for Reid.

The Reid electorate, which the suburb of Strathfield falls within, is one of Australia’s most culturally diverse electorates. Ms Sitou was chosen to join the House of Representatives for Reid earlier this year and one of her main goals is to ensure that there is greater investment in education, local infrastructure and community spaces. 

Ms Sitou generously gave of her time to be with us at our College assembly to present two special awards named in her honour.

The Sally Sitou ‘Friendship Awards’ were established to be given to students across the Reid electoral division who consistently demonstrated the following criteria: 

• Friendship and care for others 
• Participation in community activities 
• Civic responsibility. 

We were pleased to announce that we have two students, one boy from the Junior School and one boy from the Senior School, who were specifically chosen to receive this award. Ms Sitou presented these significant awards to the two boys.

Firstly, the student chosen from the Junior School is a boy who demonstrates a genuine and authentic care towards others through his interactions with staff and students. He is a kind, thoughtful and inclusive young man. This student’s SOL Service participation has seen him volunteer to help out with a fete in his local parish. A number of teachers have also commented that his warm and caring nature is endearing and that he is a true friend to others. This student will often assist his peers in their learning or help them as needed beyond the classroom environment.

The Junior School ‘Friendship Award’ recipient from Year 5, Andre Grasso. 

The student chosen from the Senior School is a boy who is always friendly and kind towards others. He is a polite, respectful, and courteous student, who is always happy to offer help or support to anyone who may be in need.

The Senior School ‘Friendship Award’ recipient is from Year 8, Daniel Basile. 

Community News 

• Congratulations to Mr Calavassy and to Mrs El-Edelbi on the safe arrival of their baby daughters this week. 
   
• Congratulations to Mr James Shore (JS) on his engagement to his fiancé Alice. 

In Memoriam

Filippo Previte (Year 5) recently suffered the loss of his grandfather, Bill Minglis who passed away on 18 October. Father to Filippo’s mother, Despina, he was also a father of an Old Boy, Eros Minglis.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. 

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, 

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Dr Vittoria Lavorato

Principal

SPC boys can do anything!

**except divide by zero