Is your child currently in Reception - Year 9 and enrolled in private music lessons? Then don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to see them perform in our R-9 Sunday Soirée!
The St Aloysius Music Department are delighted to announce that we will be hosting three concerts on Sunday June 25, at 10am, 12:30pm and 3pm. The concerts will feature various instrumental and singing performances from a selection of our private music tuition students. If your child is currently enrolled in private music lessons and is interested in performing at one of the concerts on the day, please discuss this with your child’s music tutor or contact the Music Department at [email protected]
Acknowledgement of Country
From the Acting Principal
This week some members of the Leadership Team and I participated in the annual Mercy Education Ltd Leadership Seminar in Melbourne. This brought together Mercy leaders and directors from across the nation to engage with thought-provoking sessions on the role that Mercy Education schools have in the mission of the Catholic Church that is Synodal.
Synod derives from two Greek words and means ‘walking together’, and Pope Francis explains synodality as “a way of being the Church today according to the will of God, in a dynamic of discerning and listening together to the voice of the Holy Spirit”. For this, “we need content, means, and structures that can facilitate dialogue and interaction within the People of God”, and that means connecting Priests, the clergy and the laity.
Mr Nick Tattoli, Ms Jacqui Mcilroy, Bishop Shane Mackinlay DD (Bishop of Sandhurst) & Mr Steve Andrews at the
Mercy Education Ltd Leadership Seminar in Melbourne
The overriding messages to come together, to listen, to participate and to act always rings true with the work that happens in Catholic schools, and leads to both visible and underlying actions at St Aloysius, undoubtedly connecting to our Mercy values, with courage, justice, service, compassion and respect at the forefront. Some examples of this include our busy preparations for two key missions later in the year, in a trip to the remote Pipalyatjara community in Term 4 and another group travelling to the Tiwi Islands to support the missionary work of Sr Anne Gardiner in Term 3. These are not your usual school trips!
While yes there is sight-seeing, cultural immersion and learning experiences like all excursions, these two journeys in particular allow our students to tangibly contribute to the mission of the Church to provide support, care, empathy and compassion to these communities. The founder of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley, was always determined to right the inequities of the lack of access to education and poverty for young people. Despite the considerable odds, she broke through the impossibilities of her day. It is with full hearts in the spirit of Catherine that our girls see an opportunity to truly make a difference in these communities. Undoubtedly they will gain as much as they give, and we wish them well as they prepare for their journeys.
There are everyday examples of ‘walking together’, and then there is the extraordinary story of our JAM (Justice and Mercy) Coordinator and old scholar, Madeleine Kelly. Over the next month, Maddie is touring Australia to promote the book that she authored, The School that Hope Built, which details the incredible story of The School of St Jude in Tanzania and the work of so many to provide free, quality education to children living in poverty. While Maddie’s book celebrates the work of others, I want to celebrate her – she is a shining example of how the values of Mercy run deep in our students and to have her overseeing the JAM program that impacted her so greatly when she was a student is such a privilege for us and an opportunity for our girls.
The School of St Jude Founding Director Gemma Sisia and one of their earliest alumni Enock are coming to Australia next week to join Maddie and promote the book that she authored.
Three of our Year 7 classes have enjoyed their time in Canberra this week. Flying out on Monday and arriving back in Adelaide tonight, the students have certainly enjoyed their time in our capital and visiting some famous landmarks. I extend my thanks to the accompanying staff who in providing care for our students this week, do leave their own families at home. Thanks also to our Year 7 Coordinator, Tenielle Nuske, for the organisation and smooth running of the Canberra trip this week, and then backing this up with the remaining two classes next week. Read more about their experience in this week's Newsletter feature article.
Mr Nick Tattoli
From the Careers Department
Careers & VET Coordinator
Careers Week at SAC
It was a fantastic Careers Week at SAC which fittingly started with old scholars supporting senior students at the Alumni Breakfast and ended with exploration activities for reception and Year 1 students. We enjoyed watching each year level engage with age-appropriate activities and were fortunate to welcome wonderful parents for careers show and tell, employers and external education and training providers at our Careers Expo, old scholars at our Alumni Breakfast and, of course, Adelady as part of our whole school celebrations.
National Careers Week is an initiative of the Career Industry Council of Australia and aims to celebrate careers and career development services while promoting the economic, social and personal benefits of career development for all Australians. It assists students to have a greater understanding about options and pathways, and to relate these to what they know about themselves. Thank you to everyone involved!
Ms Julie Stephenson
Careers & VET Coordinator
SOUTH AUSTRALIA SPACE SCHOOL
During the school holidays, Year 11 students Olivia and Alexis were lucky enough to be able to attend the annual South Australian Space School. Running for four days, the students experienced career opportunities in the space sector.
"On the first day, we visited the Space Discovery Centre and Adelaide University. Through these experiences, we learnt a lot about technology in space, the research behind it and the opportunities we have to work in a career in space. On the second day we looked at careers in space through the defence industry, getting the chance to visit DSTG (Defence, Science and Technology group) up in Edinburgh. This was an amazing experience to learn about not just careers in the defence industry, but also about the research being conducted at DSTG. Some of this research included night vision goggles, huge telescopes and shoebox-sized satellites. On days 3 and 4 we spent time at Hamilton Secondary College where we got to experience their planetarium facility, and "Mission to Mars" simulation. Swapping between mission control and being an astronaut on Mars, everyone got to do both parts of the mission and consider the challenges of exploring the planet, from solar radiation to violent storms! Overall, the experience made for some great memories and opportunities to make new friends, it really opened our eyes to what's out there." Olivia and Alexis (Year 11 Students)
Following on from the Careers Expo, this week all Year 11 and Year 12 students heard from UniSA to explore post school opportunities. Over the coming weeks we will also welcome the University of Adelaide and Flinders University.
- Monday 29 May – University of Adelaide presentation
- Monday 5 June – Flinders University presentation
- SATAC applications for Year 12 students will open early August.
2023 ICHM Discovery Day INFORMATION:
Every Brilliant Thing
BY DUNCAN MACMILLAN
Recently the Year 10 Drama classes visited the Space theatre to see a production of Every Brilliant Thing. In the play a young boy attempts to help relieve his mother's depression by making her a list of every brilliant thing in the world. Decades pass, the list grows and what was once a game eventually becomes a new way of looking at the world – a world where there is joy to be found in every corner of our world, if we can open ourselves to the possibility. Duncan Macmillan’s acclaimed interactive comedy about family, love, loss and hope has delighted and moved audiences across the globe and it delighted our students too!
Students reflected on the show:
“Jimi (the actor) was so raw and genuine; it was like nothing I had seen before.” Michaelle
“Jimi was an amazing actor- he nailed it! I feel lucy to have seen this show.” Alexa
“It was brilliant, the actor Jimmy was so emotional he’s an amazing actor it's very fun.” Phoebe
“For a one man show it was really good and he portrayed the character really well and relayed a really good message.” Chloe
Mr Tom Coultas
Canberra: A Meeting Place for Learning and Exploration
Mercy Light: Learning
Did you know that the first Australian-made currency was crafted by a convict of Spanish coins? Or that the name 'Canberra' means 'meeting place' in Ngunnawal language?
These are just two interesting facts that some of our Year 7 students have enjoyed discovering during the week visiting Australia's capital city.
The Year 7 visit to Canberra has been a highly anticipated experience in the calendar at SAC for many years, but due to the pandemic, this has been the first time since 2019 that a group from the College has been able to visit.
The itinerary for the week is filled with engaging curriculum-based and exploratory activities that deepen students’ understanding of Australia’s rich and varied cultural history. During their time in Canberra, students visit historical landmarks including Parliament House, the Museum of Australian Democracy, National Gallery of Australia, Royal Australian Mint, the National Australian Museum and the Australian War Memorial.
Students enhance their STEM skills through participation in cutting-edge educational programs at the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex, the CSIRO Discovery Centre, Questacon and have the chance to see beyond our planet at the Mount Stromlo Observatory.
The trip is also peppered with leisurely activities such as a visit to the National Zoo and Aquarium, a tour of the Australian National Botanic Gardens, and a movie night at Canberra Park. These activities help the students to debrief with each other about what they’ve seen and learnt, and to connect and have fun with one another.
For Year 7 student, Isabella, a visit to Parliament House on day one of the trip did not disappoint:
“I was most excited for Parliament House, I couldn’t wait to see where laws are made. I learnt about the proper way to vote in Australian elections and now I know not to tick the boxes [on the voting ballot] when it asks for numbers!”
Learning about citizenship is a pillar of the Australian curriculum and is underpinned by three components: civil rights and responsibilities, political participation and representation and the importance of our diversity and shared values which support social cohesion and democracy.
Australians enjoy living in a democracy, and many students who return from Canberra express feelings of gratitude for this, and for having had the chance to learn about Australia’s political systems and history in their first year of secondary education.
On day two, a visit to the National Gallery of Australia allowed space and time for students to interpret some of our country’s greatest works of art and the artists who created them.
Students appreciated learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and the culture of the artists. Harper enjoyed “learning that art doesn’t always take the form of a painting and can take many different forms.”
“My favourite artwork was Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock because I could see the emotion in his work. It’s a great experience to have and I have loved learning new things along the way,” Harper said.
A visit to the Australian War Memorial on the final day of the trip was a time of deep reflection for the Year 7s, when they paused to consider the contributions of Australia’s armed forces in serving the people of their country. It’s a poignant reminder of the sacrifices that others have made so that Australians today can be, “one and free”, as our National Anthem reminds us.
The trip to Canberra plants seeds of knowledge and curiosity in the hearts and minds of Year 7s. These will help them to bloom as people of courage, service, creativity and innovation, and to become a generation of strong leaders.
Ms Maddie Kelly
Marketing & Communications Team
HASS History Week!
Year 12 Business Innovation - students love the opportunity this subject provides for creativity, decision-making and connections with the real world. In the above photos, they are working on their business plans.
May is traditionally History Month, and while our students are constantly immersed in History within the HASS framework, it is timely to draw attention to the importance of history in our daily lives.
It is fascinating to think that an individual living today, following their family heritage back 10 generations, would have over 4,000 ancestors who have contributed their genes and history to that individual’s life.
So, it’s time to reflect on and celebrate the nature of history and its impact, especially on a nation like Australia with its rich heritage of indigenous peoples and migrants.
During History Week, students were invited to reignite their passion for History and HASS, took a daily quiz, looked at the Britannia website ‘Today in History’ and participated in the History Challenge by following prompts around the school. In class, students continued to engage in a variety of tasks within their HASS studies.
Ms Carolyne Williams
Humanities & Social Sciences Coordinator
Poetry Presentation by John Kelly
A poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language. ~ W. H. Auden
John Kelly is such a person. My Year 11 English class was fortunate to hear Adelaide-born poet, John, read from his most recent poetry collection, A Schoolbag Full. In his discussion about the poems, John’s love of language and literature was paramount, nor was it lost on his audience.
"I really enjoyed listening to John’s poetry presentation. I liked listening to him read his poetry out aloud to us and I also enjoyed listening to the backstory and meaning behind the poems he wrote about his family and childhood." Lucy
"Listening to John Kelly read his poems and speak about poetry, was a truly valuable experience, which opened me to a new perspective on poetry and broadened my understanding of the power of literature." Layla
In his presentation, John read poems on a similar theme, comparing the writing and language choices he made. This has been of great benefit to my students who will do the same in their discussion of the poems they select for their next assessment task.
Ms Elizabeth Boylan
Stage 1 English Teacher
From the Secondary Sport Coordinator
Secondary Sport Coordinator
It was an absolutely relentless effort from our senior knockout Australian rules football team last Tuesday, winning both games to progress through to the next round of the SA statewide school’s competition. The girls battled through some slippery conditions with patches of downpour throughout the day but were still able to play clean footy, winning a lot of the contest and taking plenty of shots on goal. Final scores for the first game against Walford were 75 – 13. The girls backed this up with a 32 points win against St Mary’s.
Goal scorers on the day: Macy Philpott, Lola Herrmann, Georgia Robertson, Lily Hickingbotham, Jessica Dalwood, Niamh Keane, Tatum McLean, Olivia Howie, Mariah Bennett, Hannah Kearins, Amy Peterson and Gracie Sim.
We congratulate the girls on an all-round team effort and a special mention goes out to this year’s new recruits, who really rose to the occasion. We are very excited to see how this group progresses this year – stay tuned for updates from round 2 in Week 6!
Ms Meg Henderson
Secondary Sport Coordinator
The Zoo Snooze Sleepover Adventure!
The Year 2 students are always excited to attend the Zoo Snooze sleepover adventure! After writing information reports about animals in class, students enjoyed exploring the Adelaide Zoo to learn more about endangered species and exotic wildlife. Walking in the dark when no one else was around, was surely one of the main highlights of this unique educational experience!
School Camp at Narnu Farm!
The Year 3 students were blessed with mostly sunny days at Narnu Farm in Hindmarsh Island last week! The students enjoyed participating in many farm activities including feeding the animals, holding baby chickens, learning how to make butter, making billy-carts and learning about historical farm equipment. A big thank you to all the teachers who supported our students in this memorable excursion!
“My favourite part of camp was feeding the animals because I liked to give them the food they like to eat!” Samantha Nelson
“I liked it when we got to hold the cute animals and when we played on the playground – it was fun!” Sarah Mahsoomi
“I really liked feeding the animals. When they ate from my hand it tickled!” Jesinta Stabile
“I liked sleeping in bunk beds and the food was good. I also liked touching the animals and feeding them.” Mary Helen Nunez Perez
From the Catherine McAuley Library
Teacher‑Librarian & Information Services
National Simultaneous Storytime - 'The Speedy Sloth'
National Simultaneous Storytime is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association. It is an opportunity for children all around Australia to share the same story at the same time – in many different places! This year, Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie’s engaging book, The Speedy Sloth, was performed with colour and confidence by 1EG. Our junior primary students loved 1EG’s rendition of the excitement of the race and the way Spike the Sloth never gave up until she achieved what she’d dreamed of and worked hard towards.
Book Clubs immersion
Our primary classes have been busy in library sessions over the past few weeks. Year 4 and 5 students are currently immersed in Book Clubs, sharing a novel in small groups together. This gives them an opportunity to read together and discuss ideas from the text in a supportive group of friends. Book Clubs are a positive setting in which our students can be accountable to their group members for their reading yet supported through shared discussion. This exchange of ideas develops students’ reading comprehension and critical thinking skills, extends their vocabulary and reading repertoire, and gives them a chance to experience a deeper engagement with the story. Our collection of titles has grown significantly over the last few years, and it is wonderful to see our students so excited about selecting and receiving their novel to share in this context. Happy reading, Year 4 and 5’s!
SAC ‘Wear It Yellow’ Day - Friday 2 June 2
As part of our National Reconciliation Week this year, on Friday 2 June, we are encouraging all students and teachers to take part in a yellow-themed accessory day to raise funds for a First Nations organisation, Children’s Ground. The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2023 is ‘Be a voice for generations.’ This theme encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and play. That is why our school has chosen to participate in Children’s Ground’s ‘Wear It Yellow’ day. As part of ‘Wear It Yellow Day’, students will engage with National Reconciliation Week learning materials and have vibrant discussions about First Nations culture and history. Students are asked to wear normal uniform, but for a gold coin donation, can purchase a yellow ribbon or wear yellow accessories to school on Friday Week 5.
Practical work in Year 11 Chemistry!
The past weeks were full of practical work in Year 11 Chemistry! The students are investigating the Periodic Table of Elements in great depth. There was even a fiery episode with some sodium. These photos show metal reactivity experiments and bench demonstrations. It’s great to see our secondary students enjoying their time in the lab!
Amelia, Olivia and Abbie enjoy trying to solve the practical problem of which metal is most reactive.
The Middle School ‘Blankets of Love’ Initiative
The Middle School ‘Blankets of Love’ initiative is back and in full swing this term! All skill levels have been welcomed and our keen students are enjoying working together on their knitting techniques alongside the many teachers involved! 🧶💜 This year, completed beanies are welcome as donations from everyone in our community. All beanies and blankets will be distributed to Catherine House, Moore Street Day Centre and the Mercy House of Welcome.
Laudato Si’ Week - Care for Our Common Home
Year 9 students celebrate God’s abundant gift of creation with colour and creativity
In Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home, Pope Francis asks us to hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. In Religious Education, Year 9 students engage with some of the key ideas in the Pope’s encyclical about sustainability and ecological conversion as well as celebrating God’s abundant gift of creation. These artworks below, created by Year 9 students, reflect some of the key messages in the Pope Francis’ Encyclical.
Green JAM Activity
During Laudato Si’ week, Green JAM students put their green thumbs to action and filled our planter boxes with nutritious veggies and herbs that will grow throughout winter. Once harvested, the veggies will be delivered to Adelaide Day Centre, who will use them to prepare delicious meals for their clients. ☘️🌿🌱🍃
‘STOP, LOOK, LISTEN and THINK’.
Reception students had a fantastic time visiting the Road Safety Centre located at the Thebarton Police barracks. Police Officer Dave taught the students all about passenger and pedestrian safety. Following this, students chose a bike and practised their skills around the mock roadway. It was a wonderful experience for all!
From the SAC Uniform Shop
We currently have a huge range of secondhand uniforms available instore. Get in quick before it disappears!
St Aloysius College is proud to only work with suppliers who adhere to the Modern Slavery Act (anti-slavery), ensuring only ethical and sustainable products are available to purchase. We strive to recycle textiles where possible in order to reduce land fill.