St Dominic's Priory College eNewsletter

PRINCIPAL'S WELCOME

Dear Families,

Welcome to the 2025 School Year. In this the Jubilee Year of Hope, Pope Francis has declared “hope as a gift and duty…”. At St Dominic’s Priory College, we will celebrate with the theme – Awaken to the Spirit of Hope which is an invitation to realise that there "is good worth working for" (Seamus Heaney).

It is such a wonderful time of the year when we remember with gratitude our 2024 graduates and their families whilst opening the door to new relationships as we welcome our new staff, students and families.

We congratulate the Class of 2024 on their outstanding SACE results with 100% SACE completion. Congratulations to our DUX Alana Nguyen with an ATAR of 99.85 and three Merits. And to our Proxime Accessit Bianca Scali with an ATAR 99.70 and three Merits.

CELEBRATING EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

Congratulations to 2024 Year 12 Graduate Zashka Gunson for being awarded a Governor of South Australia Commendations – Excellence Award. Zashka has gained this recognition due to her commitment to the College's core values of truth, academic excellence, and community. This prestigious honour recognises students who have demonstrated exceptional development of SACE capabilities and achieved A-level grades in at least 70 credits of their SACE.

In Year 12, Zashka gained straight A’s across all subjects studied:
· Drama A+ (Merit)
· Chemistry A+
· Physics A+
· Mathematical Methods A
· Specialist Mathematics A

To achieve such an award, students must also demonstrate they have developed one or more SACE capabilities to an exceptional level. For Zashka, these capabilities were – Personal and Social, Ethical Understanding and Critical and Creative Thinking. Zashka’s initiatives and achievements include:

Sharing valuable insights on study skills and subject selection with younger students.
Securing funding for the Solar Buddies program, which provided solar light kits to students living in energy poverty worldwide.
Leading students in new sustainable practices.
Excelling in para-badminton at both national and international levels.
Recipient of a South Australian Sports Institute Individual Athlete Scholarship.
Participating in the National Youth Science Forum in January 2024.

Zashka's ability to balance academic excellence, athletic pursuits, and community engagement makes her a truly deserving recipient of the Governor of South Australia Commendations – Excellence Award. Zashka has been offered a place at Adelaide University in 2025 to student a bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Hons). We wish her every success in your future pursuits.

The greatest achievement for our graduates is the deep satisfaction that comes from knowing they have given their best in their studies. True success lies in personal effort and the pursuit of individual goals. I also extend my gratitude to our Year 11 and Year 12 teachers, who consistently model the values of hard work, preparation, and excellence, inspiring our students to strive for their personal best.

We will acknowledge these students at a celebratory Assembly on Thursday 6 February.

And this sentiment goes for all our teachers and staff who have returned for the 2025 year with a professional positive outlook that indicates we are indeed in for another excellent year at the College. I take this opportunity to welcome our new staff.

From left to right: Sandie McCarthy (College Librarian and Teacher); Sue Pike (Primary Administration); Helen Bartsch (Finance Officer); Tori Rehn (ESO Primary Curriculum); Antonio Caiazza (Maths and Science Teacher).

The first day of school for our new Receptions is always delightful and this year has been no exception with the traditional first day of school photos, last-minute hugs and parents wondering where the past five years have gone. We welcome our other new students in the intake years of Years 5 and 7. Wearing the new uniform we were most pleased to see the girls proudly representing the college on their first day. We acknowledge and welcome new girls and their families joining us from across year levels.

There is much to look forward to in this year of awakening to the spirit of hope. I am pleased to share with you that I have been granted both Renewal and Long Service Leave beginning in Week 4 of Term One and returning to begin Term 2. In my absence, I am grateful to Muriel Noujaim who will be Acting Principal and Jo Surman who will be Acting Deputy Principal. Joining the College Leadership Team during my absence will be Ali McPeake, taking on the role of Student Wellbeing Coordinator. I look forward to my leave with great anticipation as I trace the footsteps of our founders whilst also enjoying a lovely holiday. I am grateful to the College Board for granting this leave as I begin my 6th year as College Principal.

In other news to begin the school year, I ask parents to take the time to fill in their family calendar with the important events taking place in 2024. You can access the College Calendar HERE. I draw your attention to the following dates in weeks 1, 2 and 3:

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Friday 31 January: Student ID Photos (all Year Levels)
Monday 10 February: Reception to Year 6 Parent Information Evening AND Year 7, 8, 10 and 11 Parent Information Evening.
Thursday 13 February: Parents and Friends Meeting (College Library – 7:00pm)
Sunday 16 February: Family Mass

In conclusion, our prayer for 2025 'Awaken to the Spirit of Hope' captures the essence of our faith-filled community:

Sophia, Wisdom of God,
Awaken our hearts to your Spirit.
Fill us with hope and joy each day,
so we may share your light with others.
With grateful hearts for your endless love, we pray.
Amen.

Dr Helen Steele
COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

Dear St Dominic’s Priory College Community,

RECEPTION: Addison Crisp; Alicia Lam; Victoria Mavromatis; Athena Nguyen; Elena Nguyen; Ivy Stoyanoff; Arden Tassone; Tina Zhang. YEAR 1: Violet Cooper; Aoife Jacobs; Averie Pao; Vienna-Marie Trotta. YEAR 2: Mischa Gregory; Mia Tasovac. YEAR 3: Emily Rozokos; Arianna Trotta. YEAR 5: Christina Huynh; Riley Huynh; Ella Jiang; Ava Lionello; Irene Lu; Cartia Mitolo; Julia Oan; Leah Pao; Aria Romaldi; Saanvi Sharma; Shayla Tran. YEAR 6: Hershil Bhatia; Sonia Slobodian. YEAR 7: Fatiha Bajwa; Deeksha Bhagat; Arijela Bushi; Mary Choimes; Ivana Christopher; Aaliyah Chung; Eliza Cocca; Chloe Deans; Elizabeth Deans; Shreya Dhull; Ashlee Diep; Sara Do; Hannah Elsa Ajeesh; Alessia Gagliardi; Aaliyah George; Isabelle Goh; Phoebe Huyen Ton Nu; Kristine Huynh; Maddison Huynh; Alice Hynes; Mohereet Kalsi; Cadence Kelso; Mckenzie Kelso; Avesta Kurdo; Kim Lam; Alannah Le; Jacklyn Le; Charlotte MacKenzie; Lola Martin; Jacqueline Nguyen; Mia Nguyen; Nhi Nguyen; Sienna Nguyen; Summer Nguyen; Joanna Oan; Vanessa O'Dalaigh; Ilijana Ostojic; Chrisoula Panagopoulos; Dwiti Panchal; Kim-Ly Pham; Shivani Ramalingam; Eve Rawlins; Martika Romaldi; Isla Schumacher; Elmira Shahul; Xinyue (Katie) Shuang; Mila Tassone; Kelly Thai; Elizabeth Tran; Priyesha Unadkat; Kira Vu; Malaika Yengi; Grace Younie. YEAR 8: Akira Cocking. YEAR 10: Maia Harrison; Sophie Wellings. YEAR 11: Lucia Azzarello; Kim Duong.

Day 1 Assembly

In their first address to the College community, Head Prefects Lyana Huynh and Isabella Bauer spoke eloquently of the 2025 theme of 'Awaken to the Spirit of Hope', and how it corresponds to their personal vision surrounding the importance of strength and honour. To conclude, Isabella shared her spoken word poem, titled 'Echoes', which is published below:

ECHOES
When dawn breaks, o’er the horizon,
And the moon is set to bed.
The hound bounds far, across the plains,
Thy future lies ahead.

With strength and honour behind thy back,
We walk as one in glory.
A bountiful past, one of truth and faith
She freely begins her story.

Mellowed with our spirits in arms,
We wake to hearts resounding.
A mind set in hope, a dove once provoked,
Thy honour becomes thy bounty.

Now, invited are thou to raise thy glass,
And toast to a year so bright.
Be present with passion upon this journey,
And dance proudly through the night.

We were also fortunate to begin our school year alongside Lunar New Year celebrations. This celebration is particularly special for our large Vietnamese community. The Year of the Snake brings themes of wisdom and transformation, which no doubt we too will embrace throughout our academic journey. The Year of the Snake means that every student left our Day 1 Assembly and was given, you guessed it!, a sweet, sugary Allens Snake treat, in celebration. Happy Lunar New Year! Chuc Mung Nam Moi!

NEW UNIFORM LAUNCH

It was delightful to see students arriving in their new uniforms, symbolising a fresh start and a shared identity that was some three years in the making.

The rollout of our new school uniform has been a resounding success and many key players, internal and external to the College, have worked in partnership to bring a renewed look and feel to the French navy that we know and love. The transition period in introducing the new uniform will span three years, starting at the beginning of Term 1, 2025, and concluding at the end of Term 4, 2027. We kindly remind all families that, as per our policy, students should wear either the complete new uniform or the complete old uniform. Mixing elements is not permitted. Please consult our website for policy details and if in doubt, please have your daughter ask the question. It never hurts to seek clarification.

Click here to view our Uniform Policy.

IMPORTANT DUTY OF CARE REMINDERS

As we start the new year, I'd like to highlight our shared responsibility for student safety:

Supervision within College grounds begins at 8:20am daily, including recess and lunch times.
Students must not leave College grounds without parental permission.
Playground equipment use is only allowed under teacher supervision.
After dismissal, students should proceed directly home unless attending supervised College activities.
Parents, please collect your daughters promptly after school and Co-Curricular activities.
Inform the College of any student absences; we will contact you if not advised.

It has been a truly joyful start to the year, and we look forward to the wonderful experiences that 2025 will bring to St Dominic’s Priory College.

FINANCE OFFICE NOTICE

SCHOOL FEES

School Fee Accounts and information have been emailed to all families in early January. Please advise the Finance Office if you have not received this information.

PAYMENT FREQUENCY	2025 DUE DATE(S)
ANNUAL	Friday 7 February (3% discount on Tuition Fee if paid in full)
TERM (4 equal payments) Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4	Friday 7 February Friday 2 May Friday 25 July Friday 17 October
INSTALLMENTS Weekly (x39) Fortnightly (x20) Monthly (x9)	Friday 7 February - Friday 31 October Friday 7 February - Friday 31 October on the 1st or 15th of each month from February to October

Please note: As a minimum, Fees must be paid as per Option 2 - Term Payments. i.e. Due at the start of each Term. All fees must be paid in full by 31 October 2025. (Unless prior arrangements have been approved.)

The College can process regular payments on your behalf. Please complete the Payment Authority Form and return to the Finance Office.

School Card Forms are now available [FORM A | FORM B]. Please note a new Form must be completed for each year, and for each school your children attend.

Parents and Guardians can at any time, check their School Fee Account transactions by logging onto SEQTA and clicking on the Finance Tab. Please allow 24-48 hours for transactions to be updated. Currently, payments are not able to be processed via this portal but may be possible in the future.

Sports and Camp payments must be made at the time of consent on Consent2Go via the secure payment portal. Payments cannot be processed via the College Office. It is important that your contact details, in particular emails, are correct.

For additional information, please refer to the 2025 Financial Information booklet.

Mrs Tania Rogers
BUSINESS MANAGER

PAYMENT OPTIONS SELECTION FORM

EXTERNAL SIBLING DISCOUNT FORM

TUCKSHOP NOTICES

The St Dominic's Priory College Tuckshop is centrally located on the College campus and is open each Recess and Lunch for all year levels. A limited selection of freshly prepared hot and cold food is available for purchase from the display cases, or else families may wish to pre-order lunch from the full menu either online, or via lunch order bags in classrooms (Primary) or at the counter before 9am.

To view the Term 1 Tuckshop Menu CLICK HERE.

PLEASE NOTE: In accordance with the College's Mobile Phone Policy, students are not permitted to use a smart phone/smart watch to pay for purchases during school hours. EFTPOS is available for conventional debit/credit card payment only.

IMPORTANT DIETARY INFORMATION
Please clearly state any allergies or sensitivities when ordering.

Vegetarian (V) or Gluten Free (GF) are available upon request, as marked.
For specific product information/ingredients, please speak to the Tuckshop Manager, Ms Michelle Macri (8331 5108 or mmacri@stdominics.sa.edu.au)

WE CANNOT GUARANTEE ITEMS ARE 100% NUT OR ALLERGY FREE

ONLINE ORDERS

St Dominic’s Priory College has an online ordering system for the Tuckshop called My Student Account (MSA). MSA allows families to place Tuckshop orders online at any time of the day, up to 8:00 am on the day the order is required.

You will be able to; view the school lunch menu, pay, and manage special dietary requirements and allergies through this easy-to-use online platform.

The process is as follows:

Go to https://msa.stdominics.sa.edu.au/
Sign In. Enter your St Dominic’s email address and click ‘Forgot Password’. You will be sent a link which will take you to a page to set your own password.
Once logged in, you will see your account listed under your profile.
You’re all set. Now you can start placing online orders by following the prompts.

If you have any technical questions, please contact MSA Support/Service Team at 1300 369 783.

TUCKSHOP VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Recess + Lunch 10:30 am - 1:55 pm

Duties include serving (no exp. needed), some stock filling/rotation, and packing lunch orders. We greatly appreciate the support of parents/guardians or grandparents who would like to help.

Contact Michelle Macri 8331 5108

ROAD SAFETY INFORMATION

KEEPING KIDS SAFE AROUND SCHOOLS - A MESSAGE FROM THE CITY OF ADELAIDE

With of the resumption of learning for all students, we wish to remind families of the road safety measures that help keep all members of our Community safe.

Parking Zones around the school are put in place to ensure pedestrian safety. Children
are in particular danger near schools because:

Their small size makes it hard for drivers to see them between traffic, parked cars, stobie poles and other
obstacles.
They are easily distracted and may not be aware of traffic.
They may suddenly run onto the road - e.g. to meet a parent.

Some road rules you particularly need to be aware of are:

You must not stop in a No Stopping Zone, even for a few seconds to pick up your child.
You may stop in a No Parking Zone / Kiss & Drop Zone for a few seconds only to pick up a child who is already waiting nearby. You must not linger in this zone in wait, park, or leave the vehicle.
You must not Double Park, or stop in the line of traffic, to pick up or drop off a child.
You must not stop in a Bicycle Lane.
You must not stop within 20 metres before a crossing or 10 metres after a crossing.
You must not stop within 10 metres of an intersection or junction without traffic lights.
If you have an enquiries regarding this information, please contact City of Adelaide on 8203 7203.

City of Adelaide Parking and Information Officers and SAPOL are aware of these issues and will monitor the situation and deal with breaches accordingly, to ensure children’s safety. Expiations will be issued to vehicles contravening these rules.

In addition to the information above, as provided by City of Adelaide, the College would further wish to request that
drivers please be mindful of our neighbours in:

Not pulling into, or parking across driveways or no standing zones.
Not making U Turns at busy pick up/drop off times. This obstructs the flow of traffic and may endanger children
crossing the road. Please drive around the block.

Please be mindful of your own behaviour around schools, whether in relation to where you park or the respect shown to those trying to ensure pedestrian safety - you are our children’s greatest role model.

ADELAIDE METRO BUS SERVICES

PLAN YOUR TRIP TO SCHOOL WITH ADELAIDE METRO

The nearest bus stop to St Dominic's is HILL STREET STOP 5A. It is serviced by two student-only School Bus services:

477 Elizabeth Station to St Dominic’s
985 St Dominic’s to City (afternoons only)

For current timetables for these routes, as well as other (general public) services that are within the vicinity of the College, visit: www.adelaidemetro.com.au

ISSUE 01 | Week 1, Term 1 - Wednesday 29 January 2025