吃瓜网

Acknowledgement of Country

From the Principal

This morning we farewelled our Year 12 students at a whole school assembly. These were my parting words to the Class of 2022:

Farewelling our graduates is always an emotional experience, but this year鈥檚 group has faced some extraordinary challenges in their secondary years. As the end of the year drew near, we have all been aware of the strength of the ties they have forged in adversity. Today I want to honour these young women, acknowledge and thank their families, their teachers and support staff, and wish them well in their lives beyond SAC.

To the parents who are here today, and to the many more who will join us for a special Mass at the Cathedral this evening, I say thank you. The Year 12 journey certainly has its highs and lows, but I can honestly say that the open and supportive partnership we have enjoyed with you is truly appreciated. Thank you for choosing 吃瓜网 as the school for your daughter 鈥� it has been our privilege to work with you to enable them to flourish. We share your pride for the kind, creative and capable young women who we bid farewell today.

This year we have focused on integrating Courage into our Mercy values. At a time when our world is highly volatile, uncertain and disruptive, young adults will need to be courageous in navigating the risks and opportunities that they might meet when they finish school. Being discerning and confident in considering these risks, our graduates will draw on all of their Mercy values, but especially courage.

And I can鈥檛 imagine a more courageous group of people than the Class of 2022. Front of mind for all of us today is Zoe Hosking. In the almost three years that have passed since Zoe died, she has been in the hearts and minds of her classmates constantly. I am proud of the way the students have supported each other through their grief, having picnics on Zoe鈥檚 birthday, writing songs and sharing stories. I am grateful to the family members and staff, teaching and non-teaching, who have helped them to come to terms with their loss.

But nothing could surpass the courage of Zoe鈥檚 Mum, Lisa, who is here with us today. Lisa, we are so grateful that you continue to be part of this community through the College Advisory Council. You are an absolutely inspirational woman. Your zest for life is contagious, and you continue to be driven by a desire to help others in all that you do. When we look at you, Lisa, we see Zoe - thank you for continuing to share your light with us.

At the end of today鈥檚 assembly, Lisa will present each of our graduates with a brightly coloured gerbera. This was Lisa鈥檚 idea, to give a flower as a reminder of the joy and energy that Zoe brought to our lives, and also as a reminder that each of you are brilliant signs of hope for the world. In Catherine McAuley鈥檚 words, 鈥淲e should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us鈥�. What a gift Zoe and Lisa have been to this community, showing us what it looks like to shine your light brightly for all the world to see. We look forward to seeing what life holds for you all in the years ahead, and we know that the world will be a better place for your presence.

Goodbye and good luck, Class of 2022.

Ms Paddy McEvoy
Principal

Indigenous Year 12 Celebration

At the end of Term 3, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Year 12 students from Catholic Schools across SA were recognised for completing their schooling in Catholic Education. The ceremony was held at the Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Australia鈥檚 oldest Aboriginal-owned and managed multi-arts centre. The Welcome to Country was given by Elder Uncle Moogy, and each student was gifted an artwork by Aboriginal artist, Mali Isobel, who was commissioned to create an artwork for the graduating students. Congratulations to Maali Ferguson and Mya A鈥橦ang on their schooling achievements and for representing 吃瓜网 at this special occasion.

Ms Viviana Graney
Coordinator of Teaching and Learning R-6 / Aboriginal Education

South Australian Space Camp

A stimulating and rewarding educational experience

Congratulations to Alexis, Amelia, Oliva, and Sydney, who were successful applicants to the South Australian Space Camp. Amelia and Sydney spent 4 days during the holidays on the camp and Alexis and Olivia will participate in the camp early next year. What an amazing achievement!

Amelia and Sydney visited the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base where they heard from engineers at the base and had a tour of a plane. 听鈥淭here is so much to the RAAF, other than just being in the military and fighting jets. The engineering behind the scenes is fascinating.鈥� Sydney Villis

They then visited Hamilton Secondary College, where they participated in a Mission to Mars. 鈥淲e became the astronauts and mission control for the day and underwent all the trials that come with these jobs. It was awesome!鈥� Amelia Carman

鈥淲e built rockets from a kit, then launched them. They travelled high and used a parachute when landing.鈥� Sydney Villis

鈥淲e stayed at the Warradale Camp site for 4 days, who knew you could meet so many amazing people in such a short time? We all wish we could have this experience again, if not for the STEM, but for the friends we made along the way.鈥� Amelia Carman

Other places they went to included the Space Discovery Centre, MOD, Adelaide University and Defence and Science Technology group (DST)

鈥淭here are so many opportunities in the Space industry right here in Adelaide, on our doorstep! Sydney Villis

鈥淚 had never realised the career possibilities that Adelaide offers in Space; we are on our way to becoming the Space State of Australia. Through this camp I鈥檝e learnt about many fantastic opportunities in astrophysics and engineering, (my fields of interest), that can almost be found on my doorstep.鈥� Amelia Carman

Again, congratulations girls, on your well-deserved experience.

Ms Joanne Villis
Digital Technologies Coordinator

From the Deputy Principal (Pastoral Care)

Year 12 Executive 2023

We are very pleased to announce the Year 12 Executive team for 2023. As a part of the Year 12 Executive team, students facilitate leadership and decision-making by bringing important issues to the notice of the school community, as well as organising whole school events and taking on additional responsibilities.

We congratulate our 2023 Executive members, a strong group of passionate and energetic young leaders.

We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate all students who applied to be on the Year 12 Executive team. 听They are to be commended for their efforts throughout the selection process and willingness to immerse themselves in student leadership. The Senior Leaders process for Art, Drama, STEM, Music, Languages and Sport has commenced ,and Senior Leaders will be confirmed by Friday, Week 4.

creatING classes that reflect well-balanced learning communities

We have completed the important process of class placements for 2023. Our goal each year is to create classes that reflect well-balanced learning communities and an optimal learning environment for all students.

Considering the make-up of each classroom community and placing your daughter is an intricate process that we take very seriously.听 In order to maximise the learning of all students, it is essential that we create balanced classes at each year level to mirror the diverse nature of 吃瓜网.

Given our commitment to the process, once the classroom communities have been formed, the movement of one student from the group can alter the group's integrity and causes a chain reaction within the classroom balance, which we work so hard to achieve. Therefore, we ask that parents and caregivers trust the expertise and judgment of the professionals making the class community and placement decisions.

We know that students are often nervous about starting a new year in a new classroom, so we have liaised with Madhavi Nawana Parker, Director of Positive Minds Australia, for her expert advice. Please take the time to read Madhavi鈥檚 article below.

Ms Jacqui Mcilroy
Deputy Principal (Pastoral Care)

Class Placements 2023

Are you worried about your child鈥檚 class placement in 2023? It鈥檚 perfectly natural to have a preference for a particular teacher and peer group and normal to feel worried or disappointed if they don鈥檛 get them.听
A child鈥檚 emotional adjustment to leaving this year鈥檚 teacher and classmates, while preparing for next year鈥檚 teacher classroom community, may be heavily impacted by your feelings about it.听As parents, you have the power to set the tone: your optimism or pessimism is contagious.听Here are some ways you can help make the transition smoother for your child if either of you didn鈥檛 get the news you were hoping for.听

The advice above is general and based on general child development, resilience and confidence research. It is written with the very best intention to help you. Without knowing your individual circumstances it鈥檚 not intended to replace your expertise as a parent or the expertise of educators and health professionals. Always seek tailored expert advice if you feel your child鈥檚 physical or psychological health is at risk in any way. 

Wishing you all the very best with class placement news. 

Madhavi Nawana Parker

SAC Pink Day 馃巰

A cause close to the heartS of many in our SCHOOL community

Did you know that October is Australia's Breast Cancer Awareness Month? Each year, the 吃瓜网 community hosts a Pink Day to raise awareness, funds, and show support for people living with Breast Cancer, people who have survived, and people who will receive this life-altering diagnosis.

Last Friday, students baked, bought and ate delicious cupcakes, enjoyed dressing up in all things pink and participated in an educational scavenger hunt. Students also had the opportunity to reflect and write heartfelt letters of support, which will be delivered to Breast Cancer patients.

Thank you to everyone who supported this year's SAC PINK DAY 馃巰

The Silver & Gold level Duke of Edinburgh Award

Paddling their way ALONG THE RIVER!

Our Silver and Gold level Duke of Edinburgh Award participants weren't at school on Friday for Pink Day - but that didn't stop them from displaying their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They certainly stood out in their pink clothing as well as they kayaked along the river!

Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions are an excellent way for participants to use their critical thinking and teamwork skills whilst learning and having fun outdoors.

Year 10 student, Alexis Auret reflects on the experience:

"Throughout the camp, my partner and I mostly successfully lead our group through the river using only a map and compass. I believe that this helped improve my individual navigating and location awareness skills. We did not have amazing weather during our camp, but we remained joyful and we enjoyed our experience. We got rained on a few times, and had to put up and take down very wet tents, but it was an experience that I'm glad I have had. I ended up with an extra long kayak, which benefited me by allowing me to have more room to pack, but made it extremely difficult for me to turn and control the kayak. I got stuck in logs are reeds a few times and struggled to get out of them because of the size of my kayak. Overall, my camp was a positive experience which I could make even better next time by packing a few extra clothes, as mine all got very wet."

Year 5 Camp: A Smooth-sailing Success!

During Year 5 Camp in Week 1, students participated in team building activities including canoeing, challenge course, archery and initiative pursuits. The weather was perfect, and lots of fun was had by all!

鈥淚 really enjoyed the canoeing and I actually found it as one of my new strengths. If it wasn鈥檛 for camp I probably wouldn鈥檛 have tried canoeing, so I鈥檓 very grateful for camp鈥� Drew Matthews

鈥淚 loved camp because I would have never been able to peruse my hope to do archery. All the games that we played were very inclusive to everyone and very fun!鈥� Sunday Skrabanich

鈥淚 really enjoyed camp because I found archery a lot of fun. I got better and better as the day went on, and I even caught someone in the archery tag game. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 thankful camp happened.鈥� Skye Karidis

Year 5 Teachers

From the Secondary Sport Coordinator

Term 4 sport

Term 4 sport kicked off last week for our basketball, volleyball, touch football, water polo and tennis teams. It was great to see so many students out at trainings and games. A particular highlight for the week was our middle years water polo team winning their first game against Loreto College (9-6).  A big thank you to all the parents and spectators that came out to support our girls. Stay tuned for more Term 4 sport updates via the SEQTA sport portal and the fortnightly newsletter.

STUDENT ABSENCE FROM GAMES AND TRAINING

Parents and caregivers are asked to advise the Sport Coordinator if your daughter cannot play or train on a specific day by texting or calling the sport phone (0447 937 709). Alternatively, you can email me at [email protected].

WEEKLY TRAINING / GAME INFORMATION

Students can access a weekly schedule on Mondays outlining the details for their sport for the week via SEQTA. This will include any changes or extra details regarding game and trainings. Students are expected to read this every week so they are fully informed. All information will be communicated via email, student bulletin and SEQTA so students must regularly check these.

Congratulations to the Year 5/6 SAPSASA Basketball Team who finished equal 3^rd in the State-wide Large Schools Basketball Finals last week! An incredible effort by the team to make the semi-finals! Go SAC!

Sporting Spotlight!

Congratulations to Year 8 student, Emma who recently competed in the Oceania Championships for Artistic Free Skating in Whanganui, New Zealand from 29^th of September till the 3^rd of October. This was Emma鈥檚 first time representing Australia in this competition, and she won gold in the Ladies Cadet Freeskating event! This is an amazing achievement and shows Emma鈥檚 determined approach to her sport both in and outside of school.

The De Pasquale sisters, Layla & Capri, were also busy over the school holidays competing in state competitions for their respective sports. Year 7 student Capri was part of the Under 13s State Hockey Team, who competed in Tasmania. Year 10 student Layla competed in Queensland in the Under 16s State Water Polo Team.  Year 8 student, Alexia Cordera was also part of this team. A big congratulations to these students for representing our state at such a high level. We can鈥檛 wait to see what the future holds for them as young athletes!

Leila鈥檚 Ballet Adventures!

2022 Spring Poetry Anthology

Congratulations to Harsanjh Athwal and Harper McLaughlin (4PG) and to Scarlett Scardigno (10SC) whose poetry has been selected to appear in the 2022 Spring Poetry Anthology. This compendium is created following the annual Spring Poetry Festival run by the South Australian English Teachers Association and includes work from students across South Australia. The work of our recently published poets also appears below.

Ms Genevieve Pelekani
English Coordinator

From the Careers Department

Accepting university offers: Things Year 12 students should know

• If you receive an offer to study at your preferred university 鈥� congratulations!
• Offers are sent via email during the day of a SATAC offer round.
• During offer rounds you will receive an offer for the highest preference you qualify for. Pre-requisite requirements will be considered as well as your selection rank which determines how competitive your application is.
• The first offer round for SACE students is on 12 January 2023. Offer rounds will continue regularly after this round up until teaching commences.
• Once you receive your offer, be sure to read your SATAC email carefully for important information about responding to your offer and the program enrolment process.
• If you receive an offer for your first preference SATAC will automatically accept it on your behalf.
• If you receive an offer that was not your first preference, you will need to log onto the SATAC website and respond to your offer. You have six options for responding to your offer:

1. Accept
2. Accept but wish to be considered for higher preferences
3. Defer
4. Defer but wish to be considered for higher preferences
5. Reject
6. Reject but wish to be considered for higher preferences

• If you wish to change the response, you鈥檒l need to log into SATAC and change it manually.
• Once you鈥檝e accepted your offer, you will receive a welcome email with your University ID. Follow advice from your selected university to enrol. Remember there is help available if you need it!
• You should also plan to attend orientation, which will give you the opportunity to explore your campus, find lecture rooms, navigate through your online student portal and make new friends.

Good luck as you start your next adventure!

Adelaide University Headstart Program

The University of Adelaide鈥檚 Headstart scholarship program gives high achieving students the opportunity to study at university while still in Year 12 and have these university studies count towards their SACE and Selection Rank.

While studying at the University part-time, Headstart students not only have the opportunity to find out what university life is like before they even finish school, but also contribute to and benefit from, the diverse cultural and intellectual life of the University of Adelaide.

Headstart provides gifted and highly-motivated students with a challenge beyond the Year 12 curriculum and the chance to grow as individuals as they combine secondary school and university studies.

Headstart students can choose to supplement their Year 12 subjects with university courses (subjects). University courses are recognised by the SACE Board, allowing students to use them towards their SACE Stage 2 completion and therefore their Selection Rank.

Headstart students may also receive credit towards their degree if they enrol in a University of Adelaide program after high school.

To find out more you may register for the annual Headstart Scholarship Program Information session:

Wednesday 23 November 5:30pm 鈥� 6:30pm
The Braggs Lecture Theatre
The University of Adelaide, North Terrace

Hear more about:

• Entry criteria and application
• What to expect
• Services available to support Headstart participants
• SACE recognition and contribution towards the Selection Rank

Registrations are mandatory and must be done through this link:

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

VET is designed to teach knowledge and specific practical skills to assist in the workplace. Courses are delivered externally but can be incorporated into SACE, with many fully completed Certificate III courses counting towards an ATAR. Available to students in years 10, 11 or 12, enrolments for 2023 are now open. Please speak to Mrs Stephenson in the Careers Centre to gain more information and to discuss options.

Courses popular with students at SAC:

• Certificate III Business
• Certificate III Business (Medical)
• Certificate III Legal Services
• Certificate III Hospitality
• Certificate III Early Childhood Education and Care
• Certificate III Individual Support (Disability or Aged Care)
• Certificate III Screen and Media
• Certificate II Retail Makeup and Skincare
• Certificate II Kitchen Operations

From the Music Department

Congratulations to our talented SAC Rock Band students, who are the winners in the 2022 Rockfest National Competition's 'Song of the Year' category! The song that earned them top spot is named 'Angel' and was written by our very own Angelica Alfaro. This is the first time the Rock Band has won in this category and they have won exciting prizes for the school, such as $500 to spend at Coleman's Music and a microphone recording system. What a fantastic effort and a huge honour for the Rock Band, we are so happy for them!

This year鈥檚 National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant is not far away, with the parade returning to the streets of Adelaide for 2022. Many SAC students participate in the Pageant each year in a variety of ways, and this year they will be joining the celebrations to mark the 90^th year of the event. To honour this anniversary, a new float, surrounded by a 90-person National Pharmacies 90^th Celebration Band will lead the Pageant. Three SAC students have been accepted into this band, so keep an eye out for Sienna, Helen and Chelsea on Pageant day!

Ms Fiona Turner
Music | Instrumental Program & Curriculum Extension Coordinator

The Battle of El Alamein Commemoration

Last Sunday, the Year 11 Student Representatives were invited to attend the Commemoration of the Battle of El Alamein at the 2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion Memorial Pathway of Honour. 吃瓜网 is proud to hold the Memorial Crosses and Regimental Banner for the 2/43^rd and the College has enjoyed a long friendship with the families and friends of those who served at El Alamein.

Year 11 students, Angelica and Prefei, spoke at the Commemoration about our Mercy values of Courage and Service, and reflected on the inspiring influence that those who served in the 2/43^rd have had on those who knew and loved them.

Lest We Forget.

An Exceptional Opportunity

Last week, the Year 12 Modern History class visited the Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Steiner Education Centre as part of their study about Germany and the Holocaust. In addition to a wide range of historical artefacts and firsthand accounts, the Museum encourages critical thinking and the importance of being an 鈥榰pstander鈥� to promote human rights for all of humanity. The Year 12 students were particularly lucky to have the opportunity to meet with Holocaust survivor, Andrew Steiner. They found his message about the 'power of one' particularly poignant. Andrew explained how the actions of an individual can have profound effects on others, with either positive or negative consequences. From this, the students took away the message that we should use our influence, no matter how small, to make positive change in our world.

Ms Elizabeth Heuzenroeder
Senior Modern History Teacher

Celebrating our Students' Faith Journey

Last Monday night 21 of our Year 3 students received the sacrament of Reconciliation for the very first time at St Francis Xavier Cathedral. This sacrament enables people to experience the fullness of God's mercy and it is an important step in faith formation for our Catholic students. We congratulate our Year 3 students and thank everyone in our community who supports our students in their faith journey.

Australia celebrates today! Hats off to teachers this

Our teachers have shown great resilience during challenging times, all so they can give Australian students the best future possible.