ISSUE 13 | Week 5, Term 3 - Thursday 28 August 2025

PRINCIPAL'S WELCOME

Dear Families,

As the month of celebrating St Dominic unfolds, I trust families enjoyed the good company of their daughters on Friday. Indeed, our staff enjoyed the chance to catch up on marking whilst contemplating a weekend free of work commitments. Taking a little extra time to be attentive to our lives whilst appreciating the gifts around us has the potential to lift our spirits, placing us in the presence of a God who loves us and knows us each by name.

It was a joyful celebration for nine of our girls who celebrated the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion on Saturday afternoon. Gathered with their families and students from Blackfriars Priory School and Rosary School, the girls became attentive to a new way of understanding God’s presence in their lives. Celebrations followed the Mass, and no doubt the girls felt the love and acceptance of their families as they grow in faith. Congratulations to Megan Frashni, Sabia Czerwinski, Liesl Hui, Alexia Matej, Jennifer Do, Senna Sutterby, Olivia Rodrigues Puopolo, Evie Sordillo, and Isabelle Sammons.

Book Week once again captured our imagination and love of reading. The Book Swap proved to be a wonderful success, with girls thoughtfully exchanging stories and discovering new favourites. Thank you to our students and families for supporting this tradition, which highlights the importance of literature in nurturing creativity and curiosity. Many thanks to Library Officer Camille Silvestre-Aguilar, who embraced the theme of “Book an Adventure” in the Adams Mayo Library, Learning Area Leader Sara Nigro and her English faculty, and Junior School staff who, under the guidance of Junior School Curriculum Coordinator Deb Osborne and Director of the Junior School Natalie Cameron, led students through a robust program of Book Week themed activities throughout the week.

Science Week inspired us to look beyond the everyday and into the mysteries of the universe. Our guest, Professor Adrian Linacre from Flinders University, opened doors into the fascinating world of forensic science, while the electron microscope images sparked awe and wonder at the hidden beauty of creation. The light-hearted “stolen mug” investigation also reminded us that science is not only powerful but fun!  Read more about this forensics investigation, as featured by the South Australian Science Teacher's Association, here.  

A sincere thank you to our Science faculty, ably led by Denise Kennedy, for bringing learning to life.

YEAR 12 PLAY – SCHOOL DANCE

Our Year 12 students recently took to the stage in their production of School Dance. This play, with its mix of humour and confronting themes, gave our senior students a real challenge, which they met with courage and creativity.

What stood out most was not the storyline itself, but the way our girls embraced their roles and brought depth and nuance to their performances. Their acting reflected discipline, teamwork, and a genuine willingness to take risks in their craft. I admired the way they embraced the complex characters in voice, costume, performance and role with set designs and that expertly enhanced the scenes.  The music choice and costumes had me tapping my toes and taking a trip down memory lane. Congratulations and many thanks to the Year 12 students and their Drama teacher, Victoria Sayner.

MATHEMATICS SUCCESS

Congratulations to all our students who participated in the MASA Quiz Night. Their enthusiasm and determination were inspiring, and we are especially proud of our Year 7 and 8 team who won the Junior Division Best Maths Award, our Year 9 team for the Intermediate award, and our senior students who held their own in a very competitive tie. These results reflect both the talent of our students and the dedication of their teachers: Stacey Matthews, James Aslanidis, Antonio Caiazza, Vicki Dent, Muriel Noujaim, Jo Surman, and Nhi Tran.

FETE AMBASSADORS

I extend my gratitude to the students who have volunteered as 2025 College Fete Ambassadors. Your energy, creativity, and school spirit will ensure the Fete remains a joyful day of fun, friendship, and community. I look forward to working with you as we prepare for this important event.

SPORT AND DEBATING

The final rounds of Sport have seen our students achieving both personal bests and team success — with equal celebration for those who bravely tried new sports for the first time.  Meanwhile, our Debating teams continue to sharpen their skills as they approach the season’s conclusion, showcasing confidence, clarity, and collaboration.

Not a day goes by when I don’t wonder at the many opportunities afforded to our students. This happens because of their enthusiasm along with the willingness and expertise of our staff who generously work as professionals bringing education to life for all our girls.

Dr Helen Steele
COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

2025 FETE NEWS

POT PLANTING MORNING

A reminder that our Pot Planting morning will take place this Saturday 30 August; 9:00 - 12:00 noon, in the Year 12 Centre Driveway.  Children are welcome to participate; however must be supervised by a parent.

It is not too late to donate your empty plastic grow pots.  Donations can be dropped off at the College Reception or brought along on Saturday.  

AUCTION CLASS HAMPERS

The Fete Auction has been a valued tradition for families, with students in each class working together to create a themed hamper.  Themes and suggested donations are in the flyer below.  Please donate new, unused items - either for your class, or another Year Level's hamper.  Grey Tubs in classrooms will collect your contributions.   

Donations will now be accepted until Wednesday 10 September (Week 8).

THE CRAFT STALL IS UPCYCLING!

Wondering what to do with your old school uniform?  The team of creative minds behind the Craft Stall are endeavouring to recycle old uniforms into a range of handcrafted Dominican mementos to sell at this year's Fete!  So, if you have an outgrown or outworn former St Dom's Uniform item you wish to contribute to this initiative, it can be dropped off at the College Reception this term.  

The Craft Stall would also welcome inspiration for what to create from the uniforms.  Please feel welcome to submit your ideas directly to the Craft Stall team, care of parent convenor Belinda Vella, at belindavella4@gmail.com 

WEEKLY APPEALS

Along with the Classroom Hampers, there will be additional appeals throughout the term, to help our family-run stalls: These appeals will be communicated via the College's key communication channels: Student Daily Notices (SEQTA), event posts (Facebook), School Stream, and, of course, this College Newsletter. 

For those on social media, please be sure to mark yourself as 'interested' or 'attending' to follow the Facebook Event Page updates HERE. 

If you’d like to know more, attend the next meeting, help out, or join a team, please contact Fete Coordinator, Genesia McQuarrie at fete@stdominics.sa.edu.au 

NEWS FROM MULTI-ARTS

YEAR 12 DRAMA PRODUCTION "SCHOOL DANCE"
Wednesday 20 and Thursday 22 August 2025

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CATHOLIC SCHOOLS MUSIC FESTIVAL

We are proud to confirm that the Year  6 Choir and Senior Choir will be performing in the 2025 Catholic Schools' Music Festival on Wednesday 24 September.  Support Acts from our College will also feature throughout the four-day program. For further information and tickets, please visit the link below.

www.musicfestival.cesa.catholic.edu.au

We encourage as many members of our College Community to attend this magnificent celebration of musicianship and performance. 

KEEPING OUR STUDENTS SAFE 🚗

This week, a near miss on Mills Terrace reminded us how important safe driving is at pick-up and drop-off.

Together, we can protect every child by:

✔  Following road rules
✔  Avoiding double-parking
✔  Respecting our neighbours

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our community safe.

Muriel Noujaim
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

FROM THE YEAR 2 CLASSROOM

Term 3 is well underway, and the Year 2 classroom has been a vibrant place of learning and fun. Students have enjoyed participating in Gala Day, Science Week, Book Week and St Dominic’s Day activities to name a few. Each morning you will hear us practising our times tables in Maths Automaticity, and we are getting fast!

We have been learning about our solar system in Science this term. Students have been exploring constellations of the Southern sky, finding out what they are named after and using them as inspiration for art pieces. We have looked at real-time 3D visualisations of our solar system on the iPads and learnt about the importance of astronomy for First Nations cultures. As part of their homework, students have been keeping track of the phases of the moon by recording their observations in a daily moon diary. We are looking forward to an upcoming class excursion to the Adelaide Planetarium where we will extend our understanding further.

Jane Delloso
YEAR 2 CLASS TEACHER

GROWTH MINDSET

NEUROPLASTICITY AND YOUR BRAIN

Help your child develop a growth mindset by encouraging them to ‘grow their brain.’  Every time they try something new, tackle a challenge, or learn a new idea, their brain responds by forming or strengthening connections between neurons—literally rewiring itself to become smarter.

Neuroscience has shown us that the brain is far more adaptable than once believed. This ability, called ‘neuroplasticity’, means that our brains can change and grow throughout life. With practice and effort, neural networks create new pathways, reinforce existing ones, and build stronger “insulation” to make thinking and learning faster and more efficient.

The exciting part? We can support this growth every day. Simple actions—like practicing skills, asking thoughtful questions, trying different strategies, and keeping healthy habits with good sleep and nutrition—all contribute to strengthening the brain.

By nurturing these habits, we can show children that intelligence isn’t fixed—it grows with effort.

Learn more about the neuroplasticity of  your brain: CLICK HERE

FATHER'S DAY STALL

The Parents & Friends will once again host a Father’s Day Stall on Wednesday 3 September. Junior School students will be supported to purchase gifts during class time and there’ll be a lunchtime stall for Secondary students. Cash and Credit Card facilities will be available for all students.  All gifts cost $7.00

SCIENCE WEEK

The National Science Week theme for 2025, held across 9 - 17 August, was “Decoding the Universe – Exploring the Unknown with Nature’s Hidden Language.”  This theme invited students across Australia to explore the mysteries of the universe through the fundamental languages of nature, such as mathematics and quantum science.  At St Dominic’s Priory College, we chose to interpret this theme through forensic science, giving students a chance to experience how hidden scientific clues can be used to uncover the truth. 

On Monday 11  August, we welcomed Professor Adrian Linacre, Chair in Forensic DNA Technology at the College of Science and Engineering, who spoke to students about his career and the fascinating world of forensic science. Following his talk, students were challenged to solve a forensic case involving a broken cup belonging to Dr Steele. After watching a video of the crime scene, students worked like real investigators, examining fingerprints, hair samples, lip prints, and handwriting to identify the culprit. Both primary and secondary students enjoyed this engaging activity, which brought science to life in a memorable way. 

In the lead-up to Science Week, St Dominic’s hired an electron microscope, giving students the rare opportunity to place their own samples under the lens. This hands-on experience allowed them to view the microscopic world in extraordinary detail, from everyday objects to biological specimens. During Science Week, students then tested their skills by identifying a range of mystery images taken with the microscope. 

As part of Science Week, six Year 12 students competed in the State Titration Competition at the University of South Australia on Saturday, 16th August. The finalists — Annie Ngo, Lily To, Aaliyah Nguyen, Aleisha Nguyen, Jessica Vo, and Angelina Dam — enjoyed the opportunity to test their skills against students from other schools and develop their precision and accuracy in the lab. Four students received a Silver Certificate, with Aaliyah Nguyen and Aleisha Nguyen achieving Gold Certificates for their outstanding performance.  

Science Week was an inspiring celebration of discovery and investigation, sparking curiosity in students of all ages. Thanks to all the science staff who generously gave their time at lunchtimes to support Science Week 2025.  

Denise Kennedy
LEARNING AREA LEADER - SCIENCE

YEAR 10 PATHWAYS

REFLECTION, PLANNING, AND LEADERSHIP

This semester, Year 10 students have undertaken a structured process of contemplation, research, reflection, aspiration, and planning in preparation for their future pathways.

The program commenced with students exploring the breadth of career options available to them. Through targeted research, they examined the key features of a variety of professions and the corresponding Tertiary, VET, and TAFE courses required. Importantly, this process highlighted the direct implications of SACE subject choices, as many future courses necessitate the study of specific subjects in both Year 11 and 12.

Students were then encouraged to engage in serious reflection, evaluating their own abilities, personal attributes, and aspirations to ensure that their subject selections align with their long-term goals. This stage required critical thinking and careful consideration. The process will conclude with the submission of Year 11 subject selection forms on Monday 25 August.

In addition to academic planning, students have been invited to apply for leadership positions for 2026, including Year 11 Prefect and House Captain roles. Applicants have been asked to reflect upon their personal skills, capacity for leadership, and willingness to contribute meaningfully to the College community. Following the submission of applications, the next stage will involve student presentations and peer voting.

Attaining a leadership position is both an honour and a responsibility, offering students the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to service, integrity, and the values of the College. We look forward to seeing our future leaders emerge through this process.

Jo Riccio
YEAR 10 COORDINATOR

CHILD SAFEGUARDING

FRIENDSHIPS AS A PROTECTIVE FACTOR IN SAFEGUARDING OUR GIRLS

Friendships are a protective factor for our health and well-being. Human beings are social animals, and we thrive when our relationships are healthy.

As School Counsellor, I often spend a lot of time helping students to manage the changing nature of friendship groupings. At this time I take the opportunity to reinforce the value of friendship and outline strategies that students can apply throughout their lives.

Research has found that a network of good friends is often more helpful than some family ties in leading long and happy lives in our ageing population.

For parents it is important to guide our children to understand he motivations of their daughters and their friends and the consequences of their choices in their interactions with each other.

While acknowledging the significance of friends, it is important not to compromise on parental values, moral codes and expected codes of behaviours. It is important for parents not to lose sight of who is captain or manager of the family team and for family values not to be overrun by some very negative qualities of peer group influence.

So how will we manage those relationships that will be most important to us throughout our lives?

Identify the optimistic people in your life. While we cannot control other people’s attitudes, we can control which people we choose to spend our leisure time with.

Resilient optimistic people build a supportive network of friends who share each other’s problems, triumphs, hopes and possibilities.

• Find PLUs ( People Like us) people with similar values, attitudes, interests, personalities and backgrounds.
• Strive to be honest, loyal and trustworthy
• Listen with understanding and empathy
• Remember that friends do not fall out of the sky; you have to work at it.
• Try and manage conflict and get someone to mediate.
• While male relationships are often forged through sharing activities, female relationships are forged from sharing themselves. If these friendships change, don’t breech their trust by spreading confidential information
• Remember that friendships are sometimes very fluid and often changing, especially in Years 7-10. Try not to be possessive and don’t manipulate to set others up or take advantage of them
• Avoid gossiping about others within the group. If you haven’t got something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
• Be mindful of the hierarchy and dynamics of the group. Be inclusive of those with less power and those who might be a natural leader should not try to abuse their position.
• Girls can be very competitive when it comes to friendship, but this is not healthy behaviour to compete for friends (keep the competition for the running track).
  
• Here is a simple guideline… “If I say or do this right now, is it going to bring us closer together or take us further apart?”

Parents need to acknowledge the powerful protective factor that friendships can provide their girls and teach their children how to manage and maintain those relationships in a mature and responsible way. Perhaps we should be guided by the Christian principle of “treating other as you wish to be treated”.

Georgia Meyer
STUDENT COUNSELLOR

PARENT NOTICES

TERM 3 KEY DATES FOR THE DIARY 

• Wednesday 3 September: Parents & Friends Father's Day Stall
  
• Thursday 4 September: Parents & Friends Meeting from 7pm in the Conway Space
• ***NEW DATE*** Wednesday 10 September: Fete Community Launch from 6pm in the College Hall 
• Thursday 11 September: Learning Conversations from 1:50pm - 6:30pm. (Students dismissed at 1:00pm)
• Monday 22 September: Languages Day
• Friday 26 September: Last Day of Term 3. Students will be dismissed at the NORMAL dismissal time.

TUCKSHOP VOLUNTEERS

We are calling for volunteers with adequate clearances to help in the Tuckshop from 10am until 2pm, on a couple of days per term. If you are available to lend a hand, we would greatly appreciate your support.  Duties include serving (no exp. needed), some stock filling/rotation, and packing lunch orders. 

Should you have any questions about volunteering or would like to register your availability, please contact Tuckshop Manager, Michelle Macri, on 8331 5108 or mmacri@stdominics.sa.edu.au.

Thank you for your continued support.

ARE YOU ON SCHOOL STREAM?

We kindly request that at least one parent/guardian in each household enable notifications and access the app regularly, so that their family does not miss receiving vital communications from the College.   

For our systems to recognise you as a parent/guardian of the college, we ask that your account be created using the email address or mobile phone number you provided to the school. Login attempts via Facebook or Apple ID will not link you to messages sent to your daughter's Class.   

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.To refamiliarise yourself with what platforms the College requires families to access, and why, please refer to the College Communication Policy. 

ENCORE SCREENING 140-YEAR FILM

ENCORE SCREENING OF 'IN TRUTH & LOVE'

Please join us for the matinee screening of our ‘Living Stories’ film, ‘In Truth and Love’, exploring 140 years of the Dominican Sisters of North Adelaide and St Dominic’s Priory College.

Where: St Dominic’s Priory College
When: Sunday 31 August. 2:00pm for 2:30pm (Concludes about 3:45pm)

Please join us after the screening for refreshments.

Tickets available at $25.  
Bank details: St Dominic’s Old Scholars BSB 065000 AC 00902787
Reference: Your name and no of tickets.

Any queries, text Jo on 0411305042 or Elena on 0410205073.

We would love to see our current families. We would also appreciate you passing the word around. 

Read the latest edition of the Old Scholars' Newsletter, In Black & White, online here.

SPORT NEWS

SATURDAY MORNING SPORT

Congratulations to all St Dominic’s Saturday Morning Sports teams. The winter season saw approximately 160 St Dominic’s girls from Year 7-12 participating in Saturday Sport. A big thank you to all coaches for their expertise and commitment and to our students for their sportsmanship and enthusiasm to always participate to the best of their ability.

Congratulations to our Premiers
Middle A Badminton SDPC 1
Middle C1 Badminton SDPC 8
Senior C Badminton SDPC 5
Year 7 C1 Red Netball SDPC 2

Term 4 Sport Nominations closed on Wednesday 27 August

Practices and team selections will begin in Weeks 8, 9 and 10 of this Term.  Students can keep an eye on the Daily Notices for more details.  Due to North Adelaide Aquatic Centre being rebuilt, Water Polo will not be offered in Term 4, 2025.

Term 4 Training Schedule

SENIOR STATEWIDE BADMINTON

Congratulations to the four students selected to represent St Dominic's Priory College at the Statewide Senior Badminton Carnival. These girls lost their first match to St Peter's Girls but won their second game against Kildare. All games were played in good spirit.

YEAR 11/12 STATEWIDE VOLLEYBALL

In very close games, these girls made it to the State Finals in Division 1.  Congratulations to all girls!  Amazing effort by the girls and Ms Dent, we look forward to hearing how they go in the Finals later in the Term. 

STATE RELAY SHORT COURSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Rosie Welden (8G) had a really busy weekend of swimming at Marion.

She came away with two Gold medals. She swam third in the 10-14 years Women's 4×50m Freestyle Relay and the first leg (Backstroke) of the 10-14 years Women's 4x50m Medley.

Rosie also achieved four Personal Bests across the weekend. This is very exciting with the State Short Course Championships coming up in a couple of weeks.

Lyndall Pratt
SPORTS COORDINATOR

JUNIOR SCHOOL SPORT

This term, Physical Education lessons in the Junior School have been buzzing with energy and enthusiasm as students across various year levels take part in exciting skill-building programs through the Sporting Schools initiative.

YMCA GYMNASTICS

Our Little Doms, Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 students have been participating in gymnastics lessons facilitated by YMCA.  These sessions have focused on building fundamental movement skills including: strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance.  Through engaging and age-appropriate activities, students have been learning safe landings, springs, rotations, balances, and a variety of body shapes.  Year 1 and 2 students have taken it a step further by working collaboratively in small groups to create their own gymnastics routines.  These routines include creative combinations of balances, different travelling methods, rotations, and shapes—encouraging both physical development and teamwork.

RED BALL TENNIS

Meanwhile, our Year 3 and 4 students have been sharpening their tennis skills with lessons delivered by Theodora Kiparoglou from TK Tennis in Prospect. Their sessions have focused on improving hand-eye coordination, racquet control, footwork and rallying skills.  Sixteen students have been selected to represent St Dominic’s at the SAPSASA Hot Shots Tennis Carnival, held at Prospect on Friday, September 12.  Following this, all Year 3 and 4 students will have the chance to showcase their progress at the Catholic Schools Red Ball Tennis Carnival at Millswood in Term 4.  Both programs have provided fantastic opportunities for our students to develop not only their physical abilities but also confidence, perseverance, and teamwork.  A big thank you to YMCA, TK Tennis, and our school community for supporting these valuable learning experiences.  We look forward to seeing our students continue to grow, compete, and most importantly—enjoy being active!

Michelle Richter
JUNIOR SCHOOL PE TEACHER