St Dominic's Priory College eNewsletter

PRINCIPAL'S WELCOME

Dear Families,

Welcome to Term 2, and our new digital Newsletter, which we hope you will find engaging.

The College is very pleased to celebrate the opening of the new Adams Mayo Building. The first two weeks of the term have seen students embrace their new space; enjoying its splendour and beauty whilst appreciating the study nooks, light and brightness. It has been a joy to watch the girls enjoying the playing fields and the staff enjoying their new staff room.

The formal opening and blessing of the new Adams Mayo Building and St Mary's Redevelopment takes place this evening, and we look forward to sharing photos in the coming days. We are very grateful to our invited guests who will join us in celebration, including former members of the College Board; Mr John Evans, Mr Jim Howard, and Ms Lina Martino as ribbon cutters, and appreciate the contribution of the students and staff who are supporting the event's proceedings. There will be opportunities throughout the year where College families will be invited to visit these exciting new facilities; in the meantime we hope you enjoy the above video, featuring our students' first experiences in this reclaimed space.

In other news we are busy getting ready for our first Twilight Sports Day. We are looking forward to the new format and hope that parents will be able to join us from 2:00 pm. The marching practise is in full swing and I congratulate the Sports Captains and Sports Prefects for their leadership, enthusiasm and commitment.

Parents and students in Years 3 to 6 attended the Cybersafety Information Session on Wednesday evening. This was the first time we have hosted a presentation where parents and daughters learn together. I thank Cate O’Leary for her leadership in this area as we strive to ensure our girls 'boldly become citizens of the digital world' (Pope Francis), per Priority 2.4 of the College's Strategic Plan.

We continue to appreciate opportunities to work in partnership with parents as together we support girls to achieve excellence and grow in confidence. I take this opportunity to remind parents that we have a Parent Code of Conduct that sets a standard expectation for behaviour and provides guidelines for the use of technology, attending college events, and raising concerns.

This morning, I attended the Year 1 Mother's Day Mass and the Reception Mother's Day Liturgy. Both found me engaged in prayer and reflection, while celebrating our mothers and significant women in our lives. There wasn't a dry eye across the morning as the girls sang in full voice, to their loved ones:

But when you walk by my side, Read me stories at night, And teach me to trust in God's love, You give me a hug, maybe two, And you say, "I love you" Then I think you're doing enough.
from "More than Enough" by Shawna Edwards

Wishing all families a Happy Mother's Day on Sunday.

Dr Helen Steele
COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

A PRAYER FOR MOTHER'S DAY

Sunday 14 May is Mother's Day, a day for giving thanks and celebrating the loving mothers and special mother-figures in our lives, who support and inspire us every day. To our mothers and grandmothers; angel mothers watching over us from Heaven; bonus mothers, godmothers, special aunts, and mothers-to-be: Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother_s_Day_Prayer.pdf

PRIMARY MOTHER'S DAY STALL & PAMPERING MORNING

Welcome back to Term 2! The cooler weather has certainly greeted us, and it is great to see the girls wearing their Winter Uniform proudly. We are always encouraging the girls to wear their uniform as intended and I thank parents for their support in this space. This term we welcome two new students, namely Phung (Anne) Le to 5B and Ashley Wijayarathna to 10B. Although somewhat nervous on Day 1, these girls seem to have embraced the challenges and excitement that come with new beginnings.

END OF TERM ASSEMBLY

The items presented at our Whole School Assembly on the last day of term, were diverse and captivating. There was prayer, song, laughter, awards and more. We even took the time to observe silence. Anzac Day took place during the term break. However at this Assembly, we paused for a minute of silence, where the whole school stood in solidarity to remember our Anzac story. Thank you to all our students who played a part in giving us a memorable finish to Term 1.

Professional Development in the space of child safeguarding is ever growing. In Week 8 of Term 1, you may recall your daughter coming home and sharing that she had a relief teacher on Thursday or Friday. This is because we offered certified training to some 40 Teachers and curriculum focused Educational Support Staff, across two days, in the mandated Child Protection Curriculum. We were fortunate to have Andrea Richardson (Education Advisor: Engagement and Wellbeing CESA) lead this training. Her approach was thoughtful, and her knowledge impressive.

“The Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum (KS:CPC) is a child safety and respectful relationships curriculum for children and young people from age 3 to year 12. The KS:CPC provides age and developmentally appropriate strategies to help children and young people keep themselves safe. It has gained a world class reputation due to its depth of content, breadth of learning, contemporary nature, and the requirement for explicit training.”
https://www.education.sa.gov.au/

Uniquely, at St Dominic’s Priory College, we teach KS:CPC explicitly. Although there are cross disciplinary links in all subjects, this curriculum is largely covered in Pastoral Care lessons weekly, delivered by your daughter’s Class Teacher/s, who are certified and trained. This is one of many ways in which we keep an environment here that is largely one of welcome, respect and understanding. It also holds us to account in delivering on our Commitment Statement.

Ms Muriel Noujaim
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

TECHNOLOGY ENRICHMENT

CODE CAMP

During Term 1 school holidays, St Dominic’s hosted a 2-day Code Camp. Students from schools across SA were invited to participate in a Spark Programming Camp or an Animation Camp. Spark Programming involved students embracing their creative side as they designed and coded their very own computer game. It was the perfect place to start for beginners who wanted to kick start their coding journey with likeminded others.

Animation Camp presented the exciting intersection between storytelling, art, and technology! Over two days, students created two movies from scratch using stop-motion animation. Stop-motion is the process of taking multiple images of objects and stitching them together to look like they’re moving - it’s an incredibly fun and creative way to tell a story!

Ms Joanne Villis
DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY ENRICHMENT

CYBER SECURITY: Passwords or passphrases?

According to Keepersecurity.com the frequency of changing your passwords depends on your current password practices. If you use strong, unique passwords for your accounts, you won’t change your passwords as often. However, you should change your passwords right away if you suspect a security breach. To create a good password, use at least 12 characters in a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid using easily guessable information, such as names, birthdates, or common words.

You might also consider using secure passphrases which are made up of four or more random words, making them harder to guess but easier to remember. According to the Australian Cyber Security Centre, consider using multi-factor authentication (MFA) when possible. If choosing passphrases make them long, unpredictable, and unique.

For more information, visit https://www.cyber.gov.au/protect-yourself

YEAR 4 REPORT

Term 1 was busy and full of rich learning in the Year 4 Class. We were extremely proud of our collages, incorporating many materials to depict the features, colours, shapes, and textures of the rainforest. “Journey To The River Sea”, by Iba Ibbotson, was the class novel for Term 1. Together, the girls went on an adventure through the Amazon with the main characters Maia, Finn, Miss Minton, and Clovis. Inspired by Greta Thunberg, persuasive sizzling starts were written, encouraging the protection of 'the lungs of the Earth', the tropical rainforest.

In Term 2, we are looking forward to starting the Thundercup Netball competition. Our learning theme for Term 2 is “The Medieval Times”. We have shown curiosity and shared prior knowledge, as we began researching this fascinating time. We have been wondering:

What is jousting?
What was eaten at a Medieval Feast and who was invited?
Did all castles have a moat? How many rooms were in a Medieval Castle?
What did a knight wear to protect themselves?
Which musical instruments were played in Medieval Times?
Where did the serfs sleep?
Why did the Kings fight one another?

Another highlight of this term is the Arts Showcase. Very soon, the class will begin rehearsing a story set in the Medieval period.

Mrs Georgina Fenton & Ms Cate Zanetti
YEAR 4 CLASS TEACHERS

GROWTH MINDSET - Success & Failure

It is easy to see the success of others and perceive that success comes easily to them. Talk to someone who has succeeded, and they will tell you that persistence pays off. Hours of training and practice, many failed attempts, having another go, trying a different strategy and seeking advice from someone all help with eventually reaching goals.

Sometimes a fear of failure can stop us from trying something new or persisting when things get tricky. American basketballer Michael Jordan reminds aspiring players that he doesn’t always succeed. He had 9000 missed shots in his career and 300 lost games. He has failed repeatedly but credits this with his success.

In our classrooms, we acknowledge the persistence of our students. We encourage them to recognise their mistakes and see those mistakes as a stepping-stone towards success.

Our first well-being topic this term has been Positive Affirmations and Positive Self-Talk. How we view ourselves as learners and our belief in our ability to succeed help us keep trying.

Jordan Growth Mindset video: https://youtu.be/W3FCbP8rdRU

YEAR 12 REPORT

**First of the lasts; the first day of Year 12 2023**

As we enter the second term of the 2023 school year, the Year 12 cohort are nearing the ‘halfway’ mark of their final year. Already there have been many ‘lasts’; Wellbeing Day, Formal, House Assembly, excursions and incursions have been enjoyed by us all. This term, we now look forward to the return of marching, Sports Day, Retreat and the much anticipated arrival of Senior Jumpers.

There have already been a number of tests taken, folios completed and essays written, with many more to come. The cohort continue to manage the challenge of balancing their time across subject areas and they lean in on each other and their teachers for guidance and support.

We hope to maintain a strong partnership between home and school so if you have any concerns, do not hesitate to contact your daughter’s subject or home room teacher to seek clarification.

Ms Victoria Sayner
YEAR 12 COORDINATOR

MULTI ARTS REPORT

The Multi-Arts Faculty has been working hard to provide students with unique and exciting opportunities to explore their creative talents. For our senior students, the start of their final year of school has been packed with viewing performances and exhibitions. An important aspect of SACE Art, Music and Drama, viewing professional performances, broadens their inspirations and introduces the girls to different styles and techniques. Often students expand their creativity and develop a more diverse set of skills after viewing professional shows. This includes an excursion to the Elder Conservatorium of Music at Adelaide Uni to see the Jazz Honors Ensemble and the Light Square Gallery to view the SACE Art Show.

For the first time post-COVID, Visual Art, Design and Drama students were privileged to travel to immerse themselves in the vibrant Arts scene abroad. After an early morning flight to Melbourne and a viewing of the VCE Top Arts exhibition, the girls attended a night-time performance of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Princess Theatre. This highly anticipated stage production is based on the original story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany. The girls were blown away with the magical illusion, breathtaking choreography and dramatic staging of the performance.

The following day they had the opportunity to experience the world-renowned Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, and Muse exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. This exhibition provided a unique opportunity for our students to explore the work of one of the most influential fashion designers of the 21st century and gain a deeper understanding of his creative process. Displayed alongside McQueen’s innovative designs were more than eighty artworks – spanning painting, sculpture, textiles, prints, photography and decorative arts – that help to illuminate the interdisciplinary impulse that defined his career.

In Term 2, students from Years 8-11 will perform the Musical Production of Disney's The Lion King Jr, showcasing an impressive array of talents including dance, set and costume design, theatrical makeup as well as skilled actors who bring the core characters to life on stage. Additionally, the performance will be enhanced by the participation of the Advanced Choir, String Quartet, and Rock Band, making for an even more exciting show. Tickets are on sale now.

Ms Annelise Johnson
LEARNING AREA LEADER - MULTI ARTS

Lion King Poster.pdf

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FILM FESTIVAL

Last term, the Year 9 and 10 French Classes had the opportunity to go to the Palace Nova East End Cinema to watch the film ‘Tempête’ as part of the annual Alliance Française French Film Festival. It was in French with English subtitles.

It is the captivating tale of Zoë, a young girl growing up on a stud farm. Ever since she was a child, Zoë had a special connection with horses, and had dreams of becoming a jockey. But tragedy strikes when Zoë suffers an accident that could stop her from pursuing her dreams. Now, Zoë must learn to love horses again to save her family’s farm.

We had a wonderful time watching the film, because of the interesting plot, the fascinating characters, and the beautiful visuals. By the end of the film, we all felt like we lived in the same world as the characters. A must watch for anyone who enjoys a heart-warming and exciting story.

Merci to our professeurs, Ms Bosco and Madame Patti-Reid, for organising this fun educational excursion.

Saanvi Taneja and Jessica Zhang
YEAR 10 FRENCH

SPORTS REPORT

SACSSGSA SWIMMING

On Wednesday 3 May, 13 girls from across Years 7 - 12 took part in an inter-school Swimming Carnival at SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre Marion, as organised by the South Australian Catholic Secondary School Girls' Sports Association (SACSSGSA).

Although we had a very small team, we still managed to finish 5th on the day. We are hoping for more swimmers in 2024!

NATIONAL CHAMPION WEIGHTLIFTING COMPETITION

Congratulations to Annie Huynh (12W) who was declared Junior National Champion after placing Gold in the Under 45kg category at the 2023 Australian Weightlifting Federation Junior & Under 23 Championships. This event took place in Townsville, QLD between Friday 21 - Sunday 23 April. For those that follow weightlifting, her stats were an impressive 41kg for Snatch and 42kg for Clean + Jerk (totallling 83kg). Well done, Annie on this commendable result!

NATIONAL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Congratulations to Georgina Salandra (12B) and the SA Metro girls' basketball team, who won gold at last month's Under 18 Australian Junior Championships, held in Brisbane. After a week-long competition, SA Metro emerged victorious over NSW Metro in the final, with a convincing 6 point margin (78 - 72). Well done, team!

Mrs Lyndall Pratt
SPORTS COORDINATOR

ROUND 1 + 2 SPORTS DRAW

ISSUE 6 | Week 2, Term 2 - Friday 12 May