Learning Beyond the Classroom

This week, I had the privilege of spending a night at the Year 7 Camp. Let’s be honest - ‘privilege’ may not be the most obvious word when sleep is hard to come by, but I stand by it.

Earlier in the year, a Year 4 student asked me how many school camps I had been on in my career. What a great question! As I reflected and crunched some numbers, I concluded that it must be around one hundred. These camps have ranged from single-day excursions to multi-week overseas tours and everything in between. Despite that variety, all of these experiences share common threads: real learning occurs, relationships are formed and deepened and growth inevitably follows.

The media often narrows the definition of learning to academic success, but we know that time at school encompasses far more than academics. School provides the environment and support for young people to learn about themselves, form lasting friendships and develop essential social and emotional skills. While much of this occurs incrementally on a daily basis as students balance formal and informal learning at the College, camp provides a space for this growth to accelerate and take center stage.

As students step away from home, they step up to take on increased responsibility, tackle new challenges, move out of their comfort zones and lean into opportunities for growth around every corner. It is in this context that I have witnessed significant personal growth throughout my career and this week’s Year 7 Camp was no exception.

One of the best aspects of camp is participating in incidental conversations with students. The rapport built in these unscripted moments pays massive dividends back in the classroom, echoing the old saying that students learn who the teacher is before they learn what they teach.

This environment creates a vital shift in the dynamic between staff and students. In a traditional classroom, teachers naturally act as instructors and evaluators. At camp, those boundaries soften into those of mentors, teammates and cheerleaders.

When students see a teacher tackle a challenge, laugh at a mistake, or share a story over dinner, trust builds rapidly. This rapport creates a lasting foundation back at school. A student who feels seen and supported as a person is far more willing to push themselves academically.

This week was another powerful reminder that camps are not a break from education; they are an integral part of the broader educational journey at the College.

After-School Pedestrian Safety: Protecting Our Community

The end of the College day brings a heavy mix of foot traffic, buses and cars across our surrounding streets. With students eager to head home, dismissal time requires heightened vigilance from everyone to keep our community safe.

A quick reminder for our students and families: please use designated pedestrian crossings. There is a growing pattern of students crossing neighbouring roads elsewhere, which significantly increases the risk of accidents. We also urge parents to use designated pick-up zones rather than asking children to cross busy surrounding streets unassisted or away from the designated crossings.

Routine 

• 1. A customary or regular course of procedure.
• 2. Commonplace tasks, chores, or duties as must be done regularly or at specified intervals; typical or everyday activity.
  [Dictionary.com]

We are, by nature (or so we are told), "creatures of habit." Each of us has personal routines that structure our day. Families have routines that enable the smooth functioning of households. Our lives mirror our Creator, who is the God of order, rhythm, seasons, boundaries, and cycles. Creation itself mirrors the nature of God.

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
- 1 Corinthians 14:33

But all things should be done decently and in order.
- 1 Corinthians 14:40

Routines create a discipline in our lives. They help us organise our workflow and set in place good daily habits. Routines may include when we wake and sleep, work and rest, socialise and withdraw, eat and exercise.

Routines reduce stress and anxiety and can help us feel more organised when life gets busy. They set up clear expectations and can reduce conflict and misunderstanding.

In raising children into independent young adults, instilling good routines is critical to their long-term success and health. Some of the students I encounter who are struggling with academic work, stress and anxiety, or behaviour have lacked good routines.

In thinking about the routines for your children, consider helping them develop or refine routines for:

• - Getting ready in the morning or winding down after coming home from school
• - Doing laundry or other chores like making beds and cleaning rooms
• - Doing homework
• - Revising regularly
• - Doing extracurricular activities, including hobbies or sport
• - Spending time with family
• - Relaxing before bed

[Raising Children Network]

The safety of our students and all members of the community is a priority for the College. We ask parents and carers to take care when driving or parking in the streets surrounding the College, particularly during busy arrival and departure times.

The pedestrian crossing on Flynn Avenue is an important safety measure for students and families accessing the College. The No Stopping zones near the crossing must be kept clear at all times. Vehicles stopped or parked in these areas reduce visibility for students crossing the road and for drivers approaching the crossing.

Please do not stop or park in front of or near any crossing, even briefly when dropping off or collecting students. Keeping this area clear is essential to ensure students and other pedestrians can be seen and cross safely.

We also ask families not to perform U-turns around the College's pick-up and drop-off areas. U-turns in these busy areas create an additional safety risk for students, pedestrians and other vehicles, particularly when traffic is congested. Please follow the traffic flow and use the designated pick-up and drop-off areas as intended.

The College has also received concerns from local residents regarding vehicles obstructing driveways and parking in surrounding streets in ways that create safety issues. We ask families to respect the access needs of our neighbours and only park in permitted areas.

Parking on footpaths or nature strips can limit pedestrian access and reduce visibility for drivers. Rule 197 of the Road Rules 2014 does not allow parking on a bicycle path, footpath, dividing strip or nature strip. Vehicles should be parked kerbside on the street in a permitted parking area only.

As a result of concerns raised regarding parking around the College, we understand that Liverpool City Council rangers will be patrolling the surrounding streets and may issue fines for parking offences. Please refer to the image below from Liverpool City Council showing examples of legal and illegal parking, along with other school zone offences.

Thank you for helping us keep the roads surrounding the College safe for everyone.

Thursday was a day of music, dancing and fun for our Junior School students, who enjoyed our annual Junior School Disco.

Students were invited to wear mufti for the day, with many showing off their disco-inspired outfits and getting into the theme. After lunch, our Kindergarten to Year 2 students had their chance to hit the dance floor, while Years 3–6 returned that evening for their own disco.

Both sessions gave students the opportunity to enjoy music, spend time with friends and celebrate together outside the classroom. It was a great day for our Junior School community.

Help the College & Parent Community Network raise money to assist our community events. We are holding a mufti day on Friday 28 August for Years 7 to 10. Krispy Kreme doughnuts will also be sold at lunch.

All students who participate are asked to bring in a gold coin donation.

Donuts are $3 each. 

Please note: 

• • Usual mufti rules will apply. Outfit should be modest and appropriate, in alignment with the ethos of the College.
• • Enclosed footwear is required (no thongs/sandals).
• • Students not participating in mufti attend in full College Winter uniform

Students have been very busy learning exciting new things in the Languages classroom this term. 

Kindergarten students have been learning Dharug numbers from 1–10, developing their knowledge of the local Aboriginal language through listening, repetition and interactive activities. This learning supports students in building cultural awareness and respect while developing an appreciation for the importance of preserving and celebrating Dharug language.

Year 1 students have been consolidating their knowledge of months and numbers by learning to talk about their birthdays and demonstrate their language skills through creating oral and written texts on Seesaw.

Year 2 students found learning how to use a bilingual dictionary a challenging but enjoyable experience. Learning to use a bilingual dictionary is still a valuable skill because it teaches children to analyse words, choose meanings based on context, and check accuracy rather than relying on a single automatic translation. It also gives them an independent language-learning skill that works even when technology is unavailable or unreliable.

Year 3 students have been learning to talk about their weekend plans in Spanish, developing their understanding and use of the near future tense. They have practised forming simple sentences to describe what they are going to do, building their confidence in communicating about their plans and everyday activities.

Year 4 students explored the significance of Bastille Day and the French Revolution, learning about life in France in 1789, social inequality and the famous phrase “Let them eat cake” and its connection to Marie Antoinette. Through these discussions, students developed their understanding of how language learning connects with French history, culture and identity, while exploring important values such as liberty, equality and fraternity and making connections to fairness and social issues in society today.

Year 5 students explored the famous sights of Paris, learning their French names while developing their cultural understanding and appreciation of France’s history, architecture and landmarks.

Mrs Viviana Morris
Junior School Teacher (Languages)

So far in Year 9 this term, we have continued to focus on building a positive and connected cohort culture through a range of activities designed to strengthen relationships, celebrate student voice, and promote student wellbeing. 

Three minutes with… Segment

We have launched a brand new segment at our Year Meetings, called ‘Three minutes with…’. This is a short and snappy interview with a student or staff member conducted by our students. Some of our Year 9 students have enthusiastically signed up to conduct these interviews and we commend them for their leadership in this area.

We kicked it off with Kadanees interviewing Mr Wyatt, and we enjoyed learning a little more about him including his favourite hobbies and books. We have since had Cinzia and Bella interview Tade, and James and Timmy interview Rowan and it’s been great to have a chance to hear from each other and get to know students outside of their immediate friendship group.

PC Challenge - Trivia All About You!

On Wednesday 5 August, our Year 9 cohort took part in a Pastoral Care Challenge, with all eight pastoral care classes competing in a fun and engaging team-building activity.

While we have run trivia competitions in the past, this challenge featured a unique twist: every question was about the Year 9 cohort themselves. Students enjoyed putting their knowledge of their peers to the test while also discovering some fascinating facts about one another along the way. For example, who knew that one of our students had a frightening encounter with a snake while travelling in Egypt? 

After a closely contested competition, the event concluded with a tie between the Lewis Girls and Lewis Boys pastoral care classes. Congratulations to both teams on their outstanding result! 

We also found out more trivia about other students in the grade that we will add to our next Year 9 PC Trivia Challenge.

PC groups pick up a new hobby

Over the past few weeks, our Year 9 PC group discovered just how easy candle making is as a new hobby! The girls personalised glass jars with colourful washi tape, set their wicks, and poured the wax, leaving custom candles ready to take home and enjoy. Beyond bringing home a lovely creation, the girls loved the chance to unwind, get creative, and chat together over a fun, hands-on project.

Term 3 Wellbeing Focus

This term, our Wednesday Wellbeing lessons have focused on respect, healthy relationships, and understanding the impact of gender stereotypes and discrimination. Students have explored the concepts of positive masculinity, equality, and gender violence, while developing strategies to promote respect, empathy, and inclusion in their everyday lives.

It has been great to see increasing numbers of Year 9 students engaging in all areas of College life. Whether big or small, this participation builds a sense of belonging and purpose - goals that we all aspire to in our lives!

Mr Sam Mills and Mrs Roslyn Rodriguez
Year 9 Year Advisors

Last Thursday and Friday, a group of our high‑potential learners proudly represented the College at GATEway 8, an annual multi‑day academic competition hosted by Macarthur Anglican School. This event brings together students from across Sydney to tackle challenges in creative problem‑solving and critical thinking across disciplines including mathematics, science, humanities and the arts. On Thursday, eight Year 9 and eight Year 10 students took part in a full day of collaborative academic challenges, followed by eight Year 7 and eight Year 8 students who competed with equal enthusiasm on Friday.

Our students demonstrated impressive resilience, creativity and intellectual curiosity throughout the competition. In particular, our Year 10 team placed third in the Year 9/10 English Challenge, showcasing strong analytical and communication skills, while our Year 8 team achieved fourth place in the Year 7/8 Mathematics Challenge, reflecting their growing confidence in problem‑solving under pressure. We are incredibly proud of all students who participated and represented the College with teamwork and a genuine love of learning.

Mr Matthew Miller
HSIE Teacher - Coaching Leader - G&T Coordinator

Our Year 8 Geography students recently stepped out of the classroom and into the shoes of real-world environmental scientists as part of their Water in the World unit.

Working in their class groups, students visited two distinct local sites to conduct hands-on fieldwork comparing how human activity affects our natural environment. Armed with a full suite of geographic testing equipment, students gathered and analysed data across three key areas:

• Water Quality: Testing local water sources for clarity, pH levels, and conductivity.
• Soil Health: Analysing soil composition and pH levels.
• Atmospheric Conditions: Measuring air temperature, humidity, and microclimate factors.

The primary goal of the excursion was to investigate the contrast between local reserve areas and sites situated closer to main roads. By comparing pollution indicators and environmental health across these two environments, students gained firsthand insight into how urban infrastructure, traffic, and land development impact surrounding ecosystems.

It was fantastic to see Year 8 collaborating, mastering geographic tools, and applying their theoretical knowledge to real-life spaces right in our local community.

Mrs Andrea Kemp
HSIE Coordinator - Social Science