ISSUE 10 | Week 2, Term 3 Thursday 1 August 2024
PRINCIPAL'S WELCOME
Dear Families
Welcome to Term 3. I trust you enjoyed the three-week break with your daughter and she is now well rested and prepared for the all-important Third Quarter.
Our staff enjoyed an excellent week of Professional Learning where we heard from colleagues and guest speakers on various topics. A highlight was our Staff Formation Day, prepared by Director of Faith and Mission, Joseph Catania with significant input from College Archivist, Danielle Trewartha. We learnt more about the history of the Dominican Sisters of North Adelaide by partaking in a walk around North Adelaide to visit significant sites. The day had begun with Uncle John Lochowiak who took us on a history and spiritual journey, his words and story resonating deeply with us all as we acknowledge the sacredness of the Kaurna land.
I offer gratitude to all who contributed to our Professional Learning Week and acknowledge the excellence of our staff who take their professional responsibilities seriously; extending themselves and their teams to ensure your daughters receive the very best experience at school.
On Friday 5 July, old scholars, past and present staff, members of the College Board, and the Dominican Sisters of North Adelaide, gathered for the 140 Dinner at the National Wine Centre. The dinner was held to acknowledge the outstanding history of St Dominic’s Priory College and those who have contributed to its story. Dr Jo Vandepeer was guest speaker, and she invited us even deeper into the story of the Sisters by explaining the importance of the Sisters’ needle and illumination work. We offered gratitude for staff and students, and for the Dominican Sisters of North Adelaide who were our guests of honour. The following is an extract from the evening’s acknowledgement.
And so, for all of us gathered here it is now time to offer our sincerest gratitude of the night – There are 9 remaining Dominican Sisters of North Adelaide; Sr Margaret Wallace, Sr Noreen Reynolds, Sr Julie McMahon, Sr Bay Nguyen and Sr Cecile Nguyen who all send their apologies and good wishes. The remaining 4 are here with us tonight. Sr Shirley Macklin, Sr Jillian Havey, Sr Tram Nguyen, and Sr Hieu Tran – on behalf of all those gathered here tonight we say thank you – thank you for leading us, for teaching us, for knowing us, for inspiring us.
May you always know how grateful we are.
The night was a wonderful event to celebrate our 140 years. In the months to come we look forward to celebrating our 140th year at the College Fete on Sunday 27 October, along with an Afternoon Tea of Thanksgiving. We will share more information, as it becomes available.
In other news, we were delighted to welcome our new students to the College for Term 3. Eleven Little Doms were very excited for their first day, with laughter, photos, chatting, a few tears and lots of learning. We welcome Vedhasree Mandadapu and to Year 1, and Hadiya Ahmet to Year 8. We look forward to having you, and your families, in our wonderful community. As most Primary families are aware, Mrs Ellen Daniels, one of our Year 4 teachers is expecting her second child on 7 October. Elle intends to begin her Maternity Leave at the end of Week 8. We wish Elle and her husband Will, all the best for this exciting time ahead. I am pleased to inform you that Mrs Belinda Baker will be teaching in Year 4G on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; working alongside Mrs Amy Parker once Elle begins her leave.
On a sadder note, last week saw the passing of Gabrielle Kelly; a past student, parent and staff member of St Dominic’s Priory College. Gabrielle is well known in South Australia having worked for the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, a founding member of the Governor’s Leadership Foundation (GLF), and significant work with Martin Seligman on Positive Psychology and the PERMA Model. As a member of the St Dominic’s Priory College community, she is a much-loved friend of the Sisters, and we offer our condolences to the Kelly family. May she rest in peace.
I look forward to welcoming parents and friends to the Parents & Friends meeting on Thursday 8 August. This meeting will include an opportunity for community members to contribute to the 2025 Strategic Plan. The regular meeting will commence at 7:30pm, with the Strategic Plan discussion beginning at approximately 8:00pm. For more information, and to register your attendance, please click here.
Dr Helen Steele
COLLEGE PRINCIPAL
FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
Ms Muriel Noujaim
Welcome to Term 3!
As we enter the second week of Term 3, I hope this newsletter finds you all energised and ready for an exciting term of learning and growing at our college. It's my pleasure to share some important updates and reminders.
A WARM WELCOME TO NEW FAMILIES
I'd like to extend a heartfelt welcome to all the new families joining our school community this term. Welcome to:
Hadiya Ahmet (Year 8); Vedhasree Mandadapu (Year 1); Lynette Antony, Danielle George, Clementine Livesey, Mariah Marinos, Sakina Mashouf, Violet Neate, Harper Parrish, Lydia Rossi, Liliana Szumylo, Florence Wyten and Luna Kim (Little Doms).
We're particularly excited to welcome our new Mid Year Receptions (Little Doms), who are taking their first steps into our college life. To all our new students and their families, we're thrilled to have you with us and look forward to getting to know you. Our college prides itself on fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, and we're confident that your transition will be smooth and rewarding.
OFFICIALLY INTRODUCING SCHOOL STREAM: OUR COMMUNICATION PLATFORM
As you have no doubt learnt from previous Newsletters, starting this term, we will be using School Stream as our key communication app between families and the school. This will complement My School Account (Canteen Orders), SEQTA (Teaching & Learning) and Consent2Go (incursions and excursions). This user-friendly platform will streamline our general school communications, ensuring that you stay informed about all school activities, and important notices. Please download the School Stream app and familiarise yourself with its features. Our Director of Technology Enrichment, Joanne Villis (jvillis@stdominics.sa.edu.au) is available to assist with any questions or concerns you may have regarding this transition.
To find out more about School Stream, and to download the app from either Apple Store or Google Play, visit: https://www.schoolstream.com.au/download/ and then follow the prompts.
UNIFORM REMINDER
As we settle into the new term, I'd like to remind all parents and guardians about the importance of correct uniform wear. Our college uniform is a symbol of pride and unity, and it's crucial that all students arrive at school properly attired. This includes the appropriate blazer, tie, skirt length, regulation shoes and socks, and neat hair presentation. We kindly ask parents to take responsibility for ensuring their daughters leave home each morning in full compliance with our uniform policy. Your support in this matter is greatly appreciated and helps maintain the high standards we set for our students.
SCHOOL BUS
Our official school bus between Port Adelaide and the College is running seamlessly so far. From this term, in addition to single trips ($2.40) and 10 trip passes ($20), the College is selling a term pass for ($180). These can be purchased from College Reception, during school hours. This is an excellent service on offer to the northwest. If you live in the area, what a great way to grow independence in our girls, with peace of mind that this bus only collects and drops off St Dominic’s Priory College students. I encourage you to build the value of resourcefulness in your daughter/s and catching a bus is a useful life skill to teach this very value.
This service is provided by Grants Coachlines before and after school, exclusively for the use of St Dominic's girls in Years 5-12 (and accompanied younger sisters). For further information, please refer to the service flyer here.
EXCITING NEWS: OSHC COMING SOON
I'm pleased to share that, all going to plan, YMCA is pencilled in to begin offering On-Site Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) from Monday 2 September. This service will provide valuable support to our families who need before and after-school care. We'll be sharing more details about this new offering in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned for further information.
The coming weeks promise to be filled with engaging learning experiences, exciting extracurricular activities, and opportunities for personal growth. We encourage all our students to embrace these opportunities with enthusiasm and to strive for excellence in all their endeavours.
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. Here's to a productive and enjoyable Term 3!
Muriel Noujaim
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
GALA DAY INFORMATION
FRIDAY 9 AUGUST
Gala Day is fast approaching, as student leaders come together to plan for the big event on Friday 9 August. This day is an opportunity for students to take part in fundraising for charities and to celebrate our community. It is also a day of relaxation, eating, drinking and entertainment provided by the Games Stalls, Fashion Parade and Talent Quest.
The 2024 Gala Day Theme is
BLAST FROM THE PAST!
All students participate in a day of dressing up, food and game stalls, and watching talent performances to fundraise for charities. This year’s theme is “Blast from the Past”, and students are invited to come dressed appropriately in a way that reflects our theme. All proceeds raised from Gala Day will support the following South Australian charities: Ronald McDonald House, Mary Potter Foundation, Catherine House, Back Packs 4 Kids, Hutt Street Centre, The Village Co. and Treasure Box SA.
Please note costumes should be low cost, where the idea is to get creative and have fun, all in the spirit of raising awareness and money for some great causes.
On the day, each class (in Years 4-12) will hold a Food or Drink Stall, and/or a Games Stall. In addition, all students can enter the Fashion Parade held in the Gym. This is followed by a Talent Quest, with students from Reception to Year 12 taking part. Students are also asked to contribute $4 each from now until Gala Day, or a donation to the Year level charity. Communication has been sent home. This allows students permission to abandon School Uniform, entry and entertainment via the Talent Quest and Fashion Parade. Gala Day continues to be a student and staff-only event.
Ms Kirsty Nankivell
STUDENT LEADERSHIP COORDINATOR
BOOK WEEK IS COMING
In the Junior School, the excitement is building for Book Week, which will be celebrated in Week 5 of this term. There will be a variety of activities throughout the week, and opportunities for students to nourish their love of reading. Activities will include a ‘Guess the Mystery Reader’ competition, a ‘Write a Story in 50 Words’ task and Guest Readers (staff) popping into classes throughout the week to share their favourite story. Students will also be entertained by a visiting Magician. Primary Classes will also continue the tradition of a Book Swap and an optional Dress Up Day on Tuesday 20 August.
For the Book Swap, students are invited to bring in a book from home that they’re happy to give to another student. They will in turn, bring home a ‘new’ book. All classes will be supported to swap their books with a similar age group. Please ensure that no sentimental books are brought to school as they will not be able to be returned.
Primary students are invited to dress up in the theme of ‘Reading is Magic’ or as their favourite book character on Tuesday. Should your daughter wish to dress up, families are encouraged to use costumes and items from home and be creative, rather than purchase expensive costumes. Parents and family members are welcome to join us on the bottom court at 9am for a short parade.
Natalie Cameron
DIRECTOR OF THE JUNIOR SCHOOL
YEAR 12 NEWS
WELCOME TO THE FINAL FULL TERM OF SCHOOL!
It's hard to believe we've reached this moment. As we approach the end of the year, we celebrate the many achievements, accomplishments, and highlights we've experienced so far, with more still to come. However, Term 3 can also bring stress and anxiety regarding the remaining work, upcoming exams, and questions about life after school. It's common for students to feel overwhelmed during this time.
In Pastoral Care this term, our focus is on Future Planning and Pathways. Under the leadership of our Career Counsellor, Ms. Louise Eustace, and representatives from SATAC, your daughter will set up her SATAC account and begin making preliminary course selections. She will also have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with representatives from the University of South Australia about career pathways and participate in an online workshop from Headspace on ‘Transitioning to Life After School.’
This time of year can raise many questions for your daughter, and finding the right answers as a parent can be challenging. The Reach Out website is an excellent resource for parents navigating these tricky conversations, offering interesting articles for your perusal: Reach Out - School and Education.
Term 3 will not be without its challenges for you and your daughter. We highly encourage maintaining open lines of communication between home and school. Your daughter’s subject teachers and the Year 12 Home Class Team are available via email or phone if you have questions or concerns. Despite the temptation, we ask that you avoid letting your daughter stay home to ‘catch up,’ as this can lead to missing important content and falling further behind.
I hope you and your daughter enjoy this final full term of school… ever! Remember, along with the stresses of Year 12, there is lots to celebrate, too.
Melissa Fiacchi
YEAR 12 COORDINATOR
PYJAMA DAY PYJAMA STAY
IN THE YEAR 3 CLASSROOM
On Friday 26 July the Year 3 Class had their annual PJ Day PJ Stay day. The classroom was transformed into mini dorm rooms and the girls participated in different activities, culminating in a pizza and ice cream dinner, before leaving school at 6pm. It was so much fun!
Renee Edwards and Savannah Gargiulo
YEAR 3 CLASS TEACHERS
“I like the dorms” – Lotte
“I loved how the lights are set up” – Sabia
“It was fun hanging out with my friends in the dorm room” – Isabelle S
“I like Pyjama Day because it is really fun and exciting” – Khloe
“We liked telling scary stories at Pyjama Day” – Olivia C and Johanna
“I liked doing scary stories and funny stories and eating icecream” – Senna
“I really enjoyed making the dorm” – Chelsea
“I like Pyjama Day because you get to wear pyjamas” – Isabelle H
“I liked the dorms and the ideas that everybody did” – Megan
“I liked coming to school in our PJ’s. It felt really weird but at the same time it felt really amazing” – Ollie
“When we ate the pizza it was nice, cheesy pizza” – Evie
“I liked Pyjama Day because everyone was being nice to each other and I liked the lesson we learned from the book Mrs. Cameron read to us” – Khushi
“I loved doing the origami and reading the book to the Receptions” – Neyli
“Pyjama Day is only this good because of the effort our teachers put into it” – Sophie
GROWTH MINDSET
Building Resilience
When something goes wrong, resilience is what helps you to cope and get through challenging times. Sometimes it makes you even stronger than you were before. Resilience can also be described as:
- Bouncing back after tough or challenging times
- Dealing with challenges and still holding your head up
- Giving things a go or trying your best
- Being strong on the inside
- Being able to cope with what life throws at you and shrug it off
- Standing up for yourself
(above information adapted from the kid’s helpline website https://kidshelpline.com.au/)
Daisy Turnbull, author, mother of two, and Director of Wellbeing at St Catherine's School Sydney, has extensively researched different parenting styles. In the podcast link, she discusses parenting and the surprising connection between risk-taking and resilience.
Listen to Why Daisy Turnbull Loves Taking A Risk from No Filter in Podcasts. https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/daisy-turnbull/
VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE
CAREERS PRESENTATION
On 19 June, students from the Vietnamese Classes (Year 9 – 12), led by Sr Hieu Tran, had the pleasure of welcoming two guest speakers — Mrs Hang Nguyen (Business Manager; Treasurer) and Ms Phung Ho (Event Manager; Accountant; and Former Vietnamese Community Deputy Manager). They spoke about the significance of the Vietnamese language in shaping future careers; highlighting how proficiency can unlock opportunities, foster cultural understanding, and enhance communication skills on both local and global scales. This session provided many positive experiences for our students, who were eager to share their reflections:
“Hearing Mrs Hang Nguyen and Ms Phung Ho talk about their experience in learning a new language was a very eye-opening experience. We were free to ask them any questions regarding their journey growing up in Australia and the challenges they faced learning another language. It was really refreshing and relaxing talking to them. From asking questions of our own, I remember hearing from both of our visitors how important and useful it is to speak and understand your mother tongue language. It is not only useful learning your mother tongue to communicate to your loved ones, but I have also learnt from this incursion, how it can help out in your future career when talking to people who can speak the language…” - Amy Tran, Year 9
“This talk gives us a take on how a different language could be used in work life and that clients would be more inclined to open up to you if you are able to communicate in a language other than English, in this case, Vietnamese.” - Annie Nguyen, Year 9
“After the talk session, I felt deeply encouraged and determined to continue maintaining my Vietnamese language learning journey. I was able to take away insightful suggestions, benefits and personal experiences of my mother tongue, allowing me to feel self-assured and a profound sense of confidence in pursuing Stage 2 Vietnamese as a subject here at St. Dominic’s. The key message directed at the students was the vital role of consistency where community engagement was evident in both speakers’ discussion…” - Michelle Do, Year 11
We feel incredibly fortunate and grateful for this enlightening opportunity. We extend our best wishes to Mrs Hang Nguyen and Ms Phung Nguyen for continued success in their endeavours and pray for abundant blessings in all their community efforts.
Sr Hieu Tran
Vietnamese Liason Officer | Teacher
ENVIRONMENT CLUB
The Environment Club is comprised of a group of passionate students who convene biweekly with the aim of making a positive impact on our planet. Throughout Semester 1, the club embarked on two significant initiatives aimed at fostering sustainability and global responsibility.
One achievement was the establishment of a Recycling Hub at The Space entrance. Here, designated bins await contributions of unwanted pens, markers, electronic and metal waste, glue sticks, and batteries. These items, once collected, undergo recycling processes that help mitigate our environmental footprint and reduce landfill waste.
Additionally, we enthusiastically embraced the SolarBuddy program, a global initiative providing solar lamps to students in regions experiencing energy poverty. Through our fundraising efforts, which included recycling cans and bottles, as well as a generous donation from Dr. Steele on behalf of the College, we acquired unassembled solar lamp kits. Club members took on the responsibility of assembling these kits. Accompanied by heartfelt letters of encouragement, these solar lamps are now ready for distribution to students in 21 countries, ensuring they have access to safe and reliable lighting for their educational pursuits.
The Environment Club remains committed to driving positive change locally and globally, and we look forward to continuing our efforts in Semester 2. Together, we can make a difference for our planet.
Tracy Templeman and Genevieve Taheny
2024 FETE NEWS
WANTED: DRINK STALL CONVENOR
For more information about what being a Fete Convenor entails, or to express interest in convening the DRINKS STALL please contact Genesia McQuarrie at fete@stdominics.sa.edu.au
PARENTS & FRIENDS
PARENTS & FRIENDS MEETINGS IN TERM 3
The Parents & Friends will meet during Term 3 on the following dates:
Thursday 8 August (Week 3)
Thursday 5 September (Week 7)
These gatherings will take place in the Adams Mayo Library from 7:30pm until 9:00pm. Of particular note, the August meeting will focus on our 2025-28 Strategic Plan, and intended attendees are kindly requested to RSVP here.
All parents and/or guardians are welcome.
PARENTS & FRIENDS MEMORIAL GARDEN FUNDRAISER
Our biscuit fundraiser has come to an end and the Parents & Friends would like to thank the College Community for a fantastic result, with over $2,800 in sales raising $863.55 for the Memorial Garden!
Fun fact - 125 orders received and 277 packets of biscuits ordered!
Biscuits will be sent home with your daughter/s today.
Thank you to all those who ordered a sweet treat in support of this fundraising initiative.
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES (DHS)
WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECK (WWCC) EXPIRY
IMPORTANT NOTICE
From July 2024, WWCCs will begin to expire. To undertake any volunteer work at St Dominic’s Priory College, you must hold a valid WWCC.
You can apply for a free WWCC as a volunteer, or check if your existing check will expire within six months by visiting SA.GOV.AU.
Renewed DHS WWCC details can be forwarded to the College at employment@stdominics.sa.edu.au. If you are interested in becoming a registered volunteer with the College please visit our website.
2024 CENSUS COLLECTION NOTICE
The Australian Government Department of Education would like to advise all staff, parents and guardians that it will collect certain information about St Dominic's Priory College, its staff and its student body as part of the 2024 Non-government schools census collection. Please refer to the flyer below for more information.
SPORT NEWS
UNAA WORLD FINALS!
Big congratulations to Isabel Burgoyne (4G), who recently competed at the UNAA (Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association) World Series Finals in Anaheim, California. What an incredible opportunity to be part of a talented team of Aussies representing our school and country. We're so proud of you, Isabel!
COMMUNITY NOTICES
