School of Leadership

Dear Parents and Carers, 

The essence of our school lies in the nurturing of a supportive and inclusive community, where every student is known, seen and  valued, and every staff member is dedicated to their growth and success. Since the College’s opening year, we have strived to create an environment that fosters a sense of belonging and encourages collaboration, and the recent House Launch Day has demonstrated just how far we have come.

The House Launch, which aimed to create smaller communities within our large K-12 school, has exceeded our expectations in every way. It has allowed our students to form meaningful connections with their peers across different year levels and schools, forging friendships that will last beyond the breezeway gates of St Luke’s. Through various activities, competitions, and events, our students have discovered new talents, developed leadership skills, and learned the value of teamwork.

I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the leaders who have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of our house launch. The Leader of Wellbeing, Growth and Development, our House Coordinators, teachers, and staff members have dedicated countless hours of planning, organising, and executing this initiative. Their commitment and passion for our students' well-being are truly remarkable, and I am deeply grateful for their unwavering support.

Moreover, I want to acknowledge the enthusiasm and spirit demonstrated by our students throughout this journey. Their active participation, creativity, and camaraderie have been the driving force behind this initiative's success. Witnessing their growth and the positive impact the house system has had on their overall development fills me with immense pride.

As we continue to embrace the house system, I encourage all members of our school community to fully engage and embrace the opportunities it presents. Let us celebrate our unique identities while also appreciating the strength we derive from working together as one cohesive unit. By fostering a sense of belonging and unity, we will empower our students to achieve their full potential and cultivate a supportive and inclusive environment where every member feels valued, respected, and empowered.

Reminder!

Mrs Kate Kelly - Head of School, School of Leadership

A Note from The SOL Assistant Principal 

Dear Parents and Carers,

Soccer Tournament

We have some exciting things planned for the School of Leadership. Starting next week we are facilitating an in-school soccer competition. These games will occur during designated lunch sessions. In order to register, students will need to have a minimum of 5 players and a maximum of 7 players per team. Students registering MUST be in years 5-8. We will be having some students in Years 9 and 10 as our referees. This competition will be a great way to build school spirit and also support the positive playing of soccer on our beautiful oval. 

Upcoming English Incursion - Year 8

On Monday we have our Bell Shakespeare in-school performance with Year 8 which I am very excited about. This will occur in the middle session on Monday the 5th of June. The players from the Bell Shakespeare company will be coming to visit to perform Such Sweet Sorrow. The performance will explore an ancient grudge, one lifechanging connection, and one society forever changed. The performance is based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a rollercoaster ride of passion and violence, and a tale that, generations on, we continue returning to. 

Parent Learning Walk

On Wednesday 31st of June several parents joined us for a Parent Learning Walk in the SOL learning spaces. Our Student Ambassadors were very confident in sharing their learning experiences, from all things Maths Pathways, to how the flipped and consolidated learning works to how the agile classroom spaces are used. These students, as always, made us very proud and authenitically captured their learning at St.Luke’s. A huge thank you to our Student Ambassadors:

Stage 3 - Zoe, Devansh, Riyana, Garima and Rushi

Year 7 - Amelia and Sierra

Year 8 - Kavreet, Antonio, Sophie

Toilet Cubicles

On Thursday we spoke to students in stage 4 about the consequences of being in a toilet cubicle with anyone other than themselves. Engaging in such behaviour is risky given that teachers are not able to supervise students when they are placing themselves in this situation. As such, moving forward, any students caught using a toilet cubicle with anyone other than themselves will receive an external suspension. Please discuss this with your child so that they do not find themselves in this predicament.

Grooming - haircuts and facial hair

We have recently seen many male students coming to school with a haircut that is not in line with College expectations. If your son attends school with a hair cut that is not appropriate, he will receive a uniform infringement. Your support with this is greatly appreciated. This also includes facial hair. While I understand the challenge of not having your young teenage son start shaving too early, unfortunately, all boys must be clean shaven. College expectations are:

• Hair is to be tidy and neither grown nor groomed in an extreme or exaggerated fashion.
• Shaved heads, lines, steps, undercuts and exaggerated layering are not accepted.
• Hair should not obscure the face.
• Hair should not extend beyond the top of the collar at the back, beyond eyebrows at the front or past the top of the ears. 
• Hair is to appear to be of a natural colour with no contrast
• No rat-tails or ponytails will be accepted.
• Boys are to have clean-shaved faces.

Mrs Josephine Camilleri - Assistant Principal, School of Leadership

Stage 3 Stories… 

Stage 3 Lukan Film Festival

In Term 1, Students from Stage 3 were tasked with creating a short film in small groups, relating to the ways that we live the sacraments in day to day life, utilizing specific camera angles to present various aspects of these events. After voting on the best films in separate classes, the two finalists from each room were then put forward and presented in the marketplace on Monday of Week 4! Accompanied by some snacks, students settled themselves in to view the great works their peers had worked on so hard in the previous term, and enjoyed the viewing experience! Each group had the opportunity to discuss the ‘look fors’ in their group's presentation, to keep the audience’s attention on point! We look forward to further opportunities for Stage 3 to show off their movie making skills from Term 2 onwards.

Italian Immersion

How can we feel more confident in a language if we do not speak it?

That is why we started speaking Italian in Stage 3! How Favoloso!

Students were given a small introduction scaffold that they had to use including their own information, adding more questions/answers and making a conversation of it with their classmate. 

Students were very motivated to speak and present their introduction in pairs in front of the class. They started practicing their pronunciation in Italiano!

It is important to make students confident from early years so they can carry on the positive attitude and resilience towards their academic path.

Si impara da piccoli, we learn from early years. 

Specialist Science 

This term in Science students have been exploring the design process and how they can create a durable, purposeful and sustainable fidget toy for a stage 3 student. Students have spent time exploring the sustainability of different materials, before beginning the prototyping of their product. 

From Year 7…

Mathematics 

Year 7 have been partaking in the unit Rates & Ratios. The assessment for this unit involves a dear friend of the Maths team: Skittles. 

Each student will receive a packet of Skittles (don’t worry, it’s only a small one); and they form their own ratios and questions from their unique packet. 

Stay tuned, as we await their arrival to St Lukes. 

Science

This term, Year 7 have been exploring the “secret stories of the Earth.” Students have explored the layers of the earth, types of rocks, the rock cycle and the processes creating and restructuring rock landforms.  They are now beginning their research on the formation of a famous Australian rock form where they have to act as a tourist guide for their particular site. Students have had the opportunity to look at a multitude of different rocks and model the rock cycle using starburst lollies to continue developing their practical skills. 

Alannah Rees 

From Year 8…

Orbisapce

Week 5 saw the first incursion for the 6 girls participating in the Orbispace initiative. This program aims to empower the next generation of Australian female innovators and focuses on women in STEM. The first workshop saw us explore the underrepresentation of women in STEM before working on developing verbal and non-verbal communication skills to effectively pitch a product. The girls are looking forward to their first excursion to the Sydney Startup Hub where they will have the opportunity to network with other students their age as well as female professionals working in the STEM industry. 

Miss Alannah Rees 

PDHPE

Year 8 have now concluded their Athletics unit in PDHPE. To celebrate their learnings, classes got to participate in a ‘Mini-Olympics’ which challenged the students to collaborate with one another as well as produce their best effort in a range of events such as discus, sprinting, relays and some enjoyable novelty games. This means that students will now transition into Health lessons for Weeks 6-10 and investigate how they can create and promote positive relationships in their lives. Students will not be required to wear PE uniform for these lessons. 

Congratulations to Team #3 from 8 Teal who won the challenge - Alessandra, Aenya, Angelica, Anna, Adriana, Allegra, Celine and Taylor. 

Life Design

Year 8 has been navigating their way through various career clusters so far this term. Students partake in activities or challenges that are designed to provide a brief simulation of a potential job within the cluster. 

These are then researched in some more depth and each student reflects on the cluster and how well they feel it aligns with their own strengths, interests and motivations (SIM). These results are converted into a personal ‘cluster leaderboard’ from which students will choose a cluster to explore a particular career in some detail to see how well it might ‘fit’ them.

Below are some students engaging in exploration of the architecture and construction cluster through room/house design or model construction.

CAPA: Dance

On Sunday 28th May, St Luke's Bollywood Dance Troupe Bollywood Bliss performed at St Bernadette's Parish Castle Hill for their annual Pentecost Food Fiesta. 

It was a wonderful community event celebrating the diverse backgrounds of our community with food stalls, cultural clothes, live music and dance. 

Bollywood Bliss had fourteen dancers commit to this weekend event with students ranging from Years 7-11. 

The troupe are an enthusiastic, committed group of students who rehearse multiple recess and lunch times each week. 

Congratulations girls on your first community performance outside of school.  

Mrs Sneha Sampath-SawtellCAPA Teacher 

Wellbeing in the School of Leadership

House Launch Day at St. Luke's College: A Resounding Success Marked in History

St. Luke's College recently celebrated a momentous event that will forever be etched in its history - the highly successful House Launch Day. Students from all grade levels came together to participate in a range of team-building activities, challenges, and novelty events. The highlight of the day was the unveiling of the house crests and mottos, which symbolize the values and aspirations of each house: Einstein, MacKillop, DaVinci, Curie, King, and Teresa. The House Launch Day left an indelible mark on St. Luke's College as an event filled with camaraderie, spirit, and excitement.

The House Launch Day at St. Luke's College was designed to foster unity and camaraderie among the students through various team-building activities. Students were divided into their respective houses, allowing them to interact with peers from different grade levels and form new friendships. These activities were carefully curated to promote collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills among the students.

The challenges ranged from physical activities such as relay races and tug-of-war to intellectually stimulating “minute to win it” challenges. Students displayed remarkable teamwork and competitive spirit, engaging in healthy rivalries while also cheering for their housemates. These activities not only encouraged active participation but also instilled a sense of belonging and pride in their respective houses.

To add an extra element of fun and excitement, St. Luke's College incorporated novelty events into the House Launch Day. Students indulged in face painting, and other delightful surprises, which added a festive atmosphere to the day's proceedings. These activities allowed the students to express their creativity and individuality, creating a sense of unity among the diverse student body.

A defining moment of the House Launch Day was the grand reveal of the house crests and mottos. Each house was represented by a distinct crest, capturing the essence of their respective namesakes. The crests incorporated symbols and imagery that reflected the accomplishments and values associated with great personalities such as Albert Einstein, Mary MacKillop, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother Teresa.

Accompanying the crests were inspiring mottos that encapsulated the core principles each house aimed to uphold. These mottos served as a constant reminder to students of their shared values and aspirations, promoting a strong sense of identity and purpose within each house community.

The House Launch Day at St. Luke's College will undoubtedly go down as a historic event in the institution's history. The overwhelming enthusiasm, active participation, and display of teamwork by the students showcased the vibrant spirit of the college community. The event successfully fostered a sense of belonging, friendship, and healthy competition among the students, strengthening the overall fabric of the college.

The House Launch Day at St. Luke's College was an outstanding success, leaving an indelible mark in the college's history. Through engaging team-building activities, challenges, novelty events, and the unveiling of the house crests and mottos, students were able to forge lasting connections, discover their strengths, and develop essential life skills. The event celebrated unity, spirit, and the unique qualities of each house, instilling a sense of pride in the students. St. Luke's College can look back on this momentous day as a testament to its commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive educational environment.

Mr Chris Bettiol

Leader of Wellbeing, Growth and Development

From the House Coordinators

The House Coordinators were thrilled to see how enthusiastic our students were in celebrating the House Launch on Friday. Behind the scenes, the House spirit has been building since our very first day this year and it was extremely rewarding to see it come together. We hope through this event that all students feel a genuine sense of belonging to a number of communities - their mentor group, House, cohort and the wider St Luke’s community. All students from all Houses are to be commended for their keen participation in each and every event - from cheering and chanting, to Motiv8, to sporting and novelty challenges and Minute To Win It (including some karaoke!). Most of all, we are proud of how our students chose to represent their House colours on the day. We encourage all students to continue showing pride in their House by striving to live the values modeled by their House patron. Congratulations to our ‘Best Dressed’ award recipients, including a staff member cameo for Einstein!