Cohort News

Year 7 Pastoral Care

Welcome back for our final term of the year! It is hard to believe we are heading into Term 4, it feels like this year has just flown by. I hope that you all managed to get some downtime over the break. 

As we commence this term it is a wonderful opportunity for our community to reflect on the growth your daughters have made throughout the year. It has been a very different year in many respects but their ability to remain agile and to continue to show up each and every day, in-person and online,  with a positive attitude and willingness to learn, has been a sight to behold. 

Year 7 Achievements

One particular achievement I want to highlight is the creative artwork created by Daisy Herr, which has won the Mercy Youth Awards 2021. The artwork expresses the everyday things we can do to improve our Mental Health and Wellbeing and in viewing the artwork I can see a lot of the amazing strategies we have incorporated as part of our Pastoral Program. Well done Daisy!

Additionally, Pastoral Care Coordinator Awards continue to come through to me and this shows the commitment of some of our girls to their studies at Brigidine College. I would like to congratulate Sienna Simons as a recent recipient towards the end of the last term. Congratulations Sienna!

Pastoral Care Initiatives

To start the term off with some motivation we are setting with Year 7 a short term SMART goal for Term 4 and enabling the students to use the strengths they identified right at the beginning of the year to support the achievement of the short term goal. We hope by setting up this motivational strategy, the girl’s will learn how to motivate themselves with their learning and other aspects of their lives. Self-regulation is like a muscle, with regular practice and training we can see vast improvements in students ability to use it on a regular basis. 

Additionally, we aim to continue to connect students with their peers on a regular basis, in the best way we can achieve this, in our current climate. The Pastoral Care classes in the mornings continue to amaze me with their various creative activities to develop this communication and I thank all of my Pastoral Care staff who work hard to engage their classes during Remote Learning. 

Wellbeing Tips - Remote Learning and beyond

Related to the Pastoral Care initiatives above, it would be wonderful if you could check in with your daughters about the short term goal they have set for themselves and discuss some of the strengths that they have identified to meet this short term goal. Do not underestimate the impact of your interest in their motivations and in discussing their strengths as it can be highly self-validating for them as it increases their ability to use their strengths to overcome challenges in meeting their goals. 

“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” 

Francis of Assisi

Take Care, 

Brenton Fletcher 

Year 7 Pastoral Care Coordinator

Year 8 Pastoral Care

Term 3 was such a busy term for Year 8.  After our assessments were over, our Pastoral Care Teachers organised some fun activities to keep us motivated as we headed towards the holidays. These included:

Paint our nails Tuesday - even Mr Campbell soaked his cuticles!

 Fun Hat Friday 

Regina Mundi celebrated Spring by uploading images of what they felt represented Spring. There were photos of lovely beach sunsets, gorgeous flowers, our local park, lush green gardens and rainbows on rainy days. We wanted to keep it upbeat and fun because we were all stuck at home.  8 Regina Mundi loves Spring!

Leading into Father’s Day, Year 8 were asked to come up with a fun idea to create playlists for all those amazing Dad's and male role models out there. These playlists are filled with their favourite songs. Our Dads are SO helpful, caring, kind, and loyal people, so this playlist is just a small token of love from their daughter’s (along with some presents!). 

Here are some examples of the amazing Father's Day playlists:

Still, on Father’s Day - we were asked to send Mrs Gordon some Dad Jokes - here is what Winifred came up with:

• What did the police officer say to his belly button? You’re under a vest.
• What do you call it when a group of apes starts a company? Monkey business.
• What’s brown and sticky? A stick.
• How do you get a country girl’s attention? A tractor
• My wife asked me to go get 6 cans of Sprite from the grocery store. I realised when I got home that I had picked 7 Up.
• Why do bees have sticky hair? Because they use a honeycomb.
• Why do some couples go to the gym? Because they want their relationship to work out.

RUOK? Week  

We participated in R U OK activities in Week 9. We had discussions in the morning homeroom around the question of what to do if a very close friend responds by saying they are not ok and what to do if someone is struggling. 

Some ideas that students shared included:

• Listening and asking their friend why they are feeling like this.
• Seeking help from an adult such as a parent, older sibling, other trusted adult, teacher.
• Maybe more difficult in times like lockdown so reaching out to online services such as Beyond Blue, Kids Helpline, Headspace and many more.

We said an R U OK Prayer together and thought about ways we could help ourselves to be OK.  These included:

• Try and take some time for yourself
• Read a book
• Eat healthy food
• Have a cuppa
• Do some exercise
• Wear sunscreen outside

We also got to wear Yellow on Thursday and listened to the song 'Yellow' by Coldplay.

On Wednesday the 15th of August, the 'Write a Book in a Day Competition' was held. The Year 8 students who participated were Kyna Darragh and Bianca Smith. We were given some prompts (characters, random words and setting) and we had to write 5000 words or less book. The prompts we were given included things like a pineapple, a blue bottle and the character was a bricklayer. The event ran from 8:40 am to around 6:00 pm although going to 8:00 pm was allowed. Everyone worked together in an inclusive team to help create an entire book in just a few hours and it was an exciting experience for everyone. It was really interesting to see how we could solve problems and get around the limitations that were set in place to create a wonderful and sweet storyline. We all had a great experience and we’ll be sure to do it again next year.

Year 8 will be one member down as we said farewell to our friend Holiday at the end of Term 3. Her family has moved to Newcastle and Holiday will start at her new school next term. We all wrote a goodbye message on a card and wished her all the best. 

We finished the term with a Year Meeting where Mrs Gordon congratulated us on our efforts and resilience in Term 3 under such changing circumstances.  She also encouraged us to take some time off devices in the holidays and enjoy the Spring weather. 

Year 8 students each wrote an email of gratitude to a teacher thanking them for the care and support they showed us in Term 3.  We look forward to seeing the teachers again in Term 4, hopefully (and eventually) in person.

Written by Alice Monks, Isabelle Menere and Kyna Darragh - Regina Mundi

Jodie Gordon

Year 8 Pastoral Care Coordinator

Year 9 Pastoral Care

Welcome back to Term 4, and I hope that you were all able to have some rest over the holidays. Year 9 have started Term 4 very confidently, and are now well into the swing of online learning. No doubt, most will be happy to return to onsite learning shortly to re-engage with their friends and teachers in person.

There are some upcoming events for Year 9 parents and students, which are as follows:

On Wednesday, 13 October, there will be a Stage 5 Parent Information Evening. This will commence at 5:30pm. The zoom link is:

https://scscatholic.zoom.us/j/63177036133

Parent-Teacher Student Conferences will be held for Year 9 on Thursday, 21st October from 2:00pm to 6:00pm. The bookings for these are now open on Compass, and Mrs Norman has sent out the Zoom links for each of the teachers. I strongly recommend that you make these bookings sooner rather than later, as there are only limited times available for each teacher.

In Term 4, the students will continue to engage with the Positive Education Enhanced Curriculum (PEEC) in the Period 5 Thursday lesson (Week A). This term our focus will be on resilience, character building, gratitude and physical wellbeing. One of the areas of focus in the unit on physical well being will be sleep hygiene. Whilst this may sound like how often you should bathe and wash the sheets, it is actually more about getting into good routines around bedtime. Some great advice that we will share with the students will include:

1. Have a set bedtime;
2. No screens in the bedroom - leave phones or other devices in a common area of the house so that there is no distraction;
3. Have a set waking time in the morning;
4. Try not to go to bed angry;
5. Limit caffeine after 3:00pm.

During these long weeks of lockdown, some of these good habits have fallen by the wayside, so this will serve as a good reminder for the students for their eventual return to onsite learning.

As the Pastoral Care team for Year 9, we are continuing to encourage the students to stay safe, stay sane and ensure that they get some fresh air every day. We also want the students to come out the other side of this, wiser for their experiences in a pandemic. We are also continuing to encourage the students to practise gratitude whenever and wherever they can. In our PEEC lesson on this, we will also share some hints and tips, such as:

1. Thank yourself. Gratitude doesn’t always need to be focused on what other people have done for you! Make sure you give yourself a thank-you for the healthy habits you’ve cultivated in your own life, such as eating plenty of veggies or giving yourself enough time for rest each night.
2. Cherish the good moments. If you notice you’re feeling happy, stop what you’re doing and pay attention for a few minutes. Notice exactly how you feel, including the sensations in your body and the thoughts you’re having. Later, when you’re trying to inspire gratitude, you can remember this moment and experience the benefits all over again.
3. Check for silver linings. Even the most difficult life challenges come with some benefits - you just have to look to find them. Being sick draws the compassion of friends. Making a mistake teaches you a lesson. When things feel hard, ask yourself: What’s good here?
4. Change your perspective. If you struggle to come up with something to feel grateful for, put yourself in the shoes of someone who is experiencing misfortunes greater than your own. Recalling a colleague who has a debilitating physical condition, for example, will inspire gratitude for your own healthy body, which you may have taken for granted otherwise.

On another matter, it has come to our attention that some students are taking shifts in their part-time jobs when they should be at school (in online learning). Whilst we encourage the students to get a part-time job, their participation in the workforce should not be conflicting with online learning. The most common time that this seems to be occurring is a Thursday afternoon. We have lessons until 3:05pm on Thursday Week A (Weeks 1, 3, 5, 9) and they are dismissed at lunchtime (1:20pm) on Thursday Week B (Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10). Please ensure that your daughter is not accepting shifts for work in school time.

I hope that you all have a wonderful first few weeks of Term 4. I personally can’t wait to be back on campus and see all of our beautiful Brigidine girls in person again.  As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out should you need anything.

Patrice Andersen

Year 9 Pastoral Care Coordinator (Acting)

Year 10 Pastoral Care

Dear Parents and Carers,

I would like to warmly welcome you to the start of Term 4. It is with much anticipation and enthusiasm that we look forward to returning to a new normal in the next few weeks.

With our return to school this term, we, as a College, strive to meet each student’s pastoral and academic needs as we aim to develop a true commitment to the development of each student holistically. As parents and carers, you have played a vital role in providing structure and emotional support and as a community, we have highlighted the importance of resilience in facing the challenges of COVID 19. 

Last term, Year Ten displayed an overall understanding and empathy of the struggles faced by humanity. Many families may have found themselves in uncharted territory, yet it is paramount to remember to prioritise work/life commitments and it is finding this balance that is truly the key to success. These last few months have provided time for families for personal reflection, to manage and balance work/school life and most significantly to spend some quality time together with their families.

These are some reminders for Term 4:

• Pastoral Care - in the morning is a vital check in with your daughter’s Pastoral Care teacher. Prior to 8:40am, students should have had some routine- physical exercise, meditation, reflection time and breakfast.
• Some form of exercise prior to the start of the day improves cognitive function, elevates mood and improves overall learning.
• Organised study space with good lighting and open space.
• The organisation with calendars, wall charts and a checklist prioritising tasks.
• Participate in Zoom lessons and be proactive in these lessons.
• Open communication with Subject Teachers, Pastoral Care Teachers/Coordinators. If there are any issues, students need to be proactive in expressing their concerns.
• Mindfulness can develop effective strategies for personal reflection and personal fulfilment.
• Diet and Nutrition- Diet can have a direct effect on brain development and on learning and academic outcomes.
• Good sleep patterns and habits: all devices need to be turned off at night at a reasonable hour.
• Positive relationships with Peers. Students need to keep being connected with their friends. This is vital for their own sense of identity.
• Developing the skills in promoting independence, resilience and acceptance of the challenges that need to be addressed are key factors in a students’ academic and personal development. These are the themes that Year Ten will be investigating in the PEEC program this term as they will assist them in finding flexible means of coping with the last term of Year Ten.
• Please contact the College office if your daughter is not well on the day of their absence as attendance is crucial for every student at the College. Each student will be working towards achieving a Record of School Achievement - ROSA grade which includes the completion of all assessment tasks and attendance which needs to be of a high standard.
• Reaching out to help are our Pastoral Care team and College Counsellor who are readily available to assist your daughter.

I wish every family in our community every happiness for this term and remember to always keep encouraging your daughters to work consistently and reach their potential as Brigidine students embody our motto  with “Strength and Gentleness.”

Warm regards,

Adriana Parsons

Year 10 Pastoral Care Coordinator

Year 11 Pastoral Care

Can you believe we are at the start of Term 4 and the end of the Year 11 journey? Wow! Where has the time gone? Last term threw us into the online learning world once again and with this, Year 11 were asked to dig deep into their reserves of resilience and perseverance. I am so proud of the way the girls have overcome the challenges thus far and warmly congratulate each on their engagement and completion of tasks during the Year 11 assessment block. 

Pastoral Care Update and the start of the HSC

This term, Year 11 will be commencing the HSC course (remotely). In an effort to demystify this process and to best prepare the girls for individual and academic success they will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of workshops in Pastoral Care. These will include:

• The Rules of the Game: a workshop that will introduce the girls to NESA requirements and teach them how to navigate key learning portals and how to access standards materials including band descriptors, past papers and sample responses. 
• A Cheat Sheet to Deconstructing the HSC:a workshop that will highlight similar keywords (or NESA glossary terms) used in examination questions across the different subjects they are studying. This workshop will emphasise the need to understand the glossary terms and how this understanding can impact the way students answer HSC questions.
• Feedback for Improvement: a workshop that will focus on how to receive and best use feedback to improve individual learning gain. This workshop will expose students to the various forms of feedback they can access, along with the idea that they have to do the right kind of practice, to get the right advice in order to move forward.
• Study skills: a workshop delivered by Elevate Education that will help the girls improve their study techniques, increase motivation, build confidence and lift exam performance.
• Prioritising good sleep: a workshop focused on unpacking the importance of sleep and highlighting the connection between good sleep, hygiene and academic performance.

Year 11 will also continue their engagement with the Positive Education Enhanced Curriculum (PEEC) with a focus on positive accomplishment and positive health this term. 

At Home Support 

The transition to Year 12 can be challenging for some. It is also not uncommon for students to feel an enormous amount of pressure about the HSC. As parents/guardians, it is important to recognise that you play a pivotal role in supporting and providing stability for your daughter to cope with their final year of high school. It is equally important that you are also aware of strategies that can be implemented at home to reduce stress and build academic confidence. 

Below are a number of resources containing strategies that you as parents/guardians can draw upon to support your daughter in her final HSC year:

• https://education.nsw.gov.au/student-wellbeing/stay-healthy-hsc/resources/tips-to-support-your-kids
• https://www.uac.edu.au/media-centre/news/5-steps-to-managing-hsc-stress
• https://www.inlightpsychology.com.au/post/hscexams

I cannot wait to hit the ground running this term and look forward to welcoming the girls back on site (later this term) to reconnect as a community and recommence face-to-face learning. 

Please know that the Year 11 Pastoral Care team is here to support you and your daughter. So, as always, please be sure to reach out if additional support or assistance is required this term.

Amy Borg

Year 11 Pastoral Care Coordinator

Year 12 Pastoral Care

The impact of the pandemic on everything we take for granted has meant that we have experienced unprecedented challenges at every level. Where we would normally be graduating, we are currently preparing for the postponed HSC. Having finished their Trial Examinations in Week 8 of Term 3, Year 12 returned to normal classes which continue until early this term. While this situation isn’t ideal when preparing for such an important stage in their learning journey, the response of our girls demonstrates both resilience and perseverance that comes from having a good foundation and support network both at school and especially at home. I would like to acknowledge the way in which Year 12 have handled this challenge and how they continue to approach their learning in the face of this adversity and for their ongoing support of one another and their teachers. You could be forgiven for stressing about this uncertainty but it is to your credit that you show up and continue to try your best every day. I would also like to acknowledge the work of their teachers and the College Executive team for their constant support in the background. 

Graduation

This important milestone has not been forgotten. Monday 6 December will see our Year 12 students celebrate as a cohort their Graduation Mass and Ceremony.  The Year 12 Graduation events will culminate with the Formal on Tuesday 7 December at the Australian Turf Club in Randwick. We look forward to being able to come together and celebrate this important milestone with you. 

HSC Preparation

As you continue in your preparation, take the advice of your experienced teachers to assist you with the next goal which is your HSC examinations. Prepare yourselves to the best of your ability. Make the most of this challenging situation and take the opportunity that these circumstances have given you, which is extra time to study and focus. Ensure that you are working on your study preparation; have a study timetable set up, and that you are looking at your revision strategies specific to each subject. I have included some useful links to help you with your preparation below.

I wish you the best of luck. Please be reminded that your teachers and I continue to be here to support you.

Regards, 

Tony Munguia

Year 12 Pastoral Care Coordinator