Volume 4 2025

Project Compassion

This term, Rosebank has been actively supporting Caritas’ Project Compassion, making a real difference in the lives of those in need. Through a variety of engaging and meaningful activities, we have already raised vital funds while coming together in faith and service.

From the delicious Shrove Tuesday pancakes to the generous efforts of O’Connor House, and most recently, the mouthwatering bacon and egg breakfast for St Patrick’s Day, we have seen an incredible response from students, staff, and families.

But we’re not done yet! There are still opportunities to contribute and be part of this important cause. Let’s continue our efforts to support Project Compassion and help create a more just and compassionate world. Every donation—big or small—makes a difference! Students have the opportunity to donate each morning during Home Room via the Project Compassion boxes or EFTPOS.

Thank you to Miss Azzi and Mr Hansford for their fundraising organisation and Lenten Passport initiatives. Students are encouraged to collect a passport from the Ministry Office to encourage them in this season of prayer, service and almsgiving.

The Fourth Sunday of Lent (Sunday, 30 March 2025)

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is known as Laetare Sunday. It is a significant day within the Lenten season because it marks the halfway point to Easter and serves as a moment of joy and encouragement amidst the penitential period. Laetare comes from the Latin word meaning rejoice, taken from the entrance antiphon of the Mass: "Laetare, Jerusalem" ("Rejoice, O Jerusalem"). It provides a break from the sombre tone of Lent, reminding the faithful of the coming joy of Easter. Priests may wear rose-coloured vestments instead of the usual Lenten purple, symbolising a lightening of penitential themes. Since Lent can feel long and challenging, this Sunday serves as a moment of refreshment, encouraging believers to persevere in their fasting, prayer, and charitable giving. The Gospel readings often reflect themes of restoration and hope, such as the Parable of the Prodigal Son or Jesus healing the blind, reinforcing God's mercy and the joy of reconciliation.

Wishing you a joyous Fourth Sunday of Lent.

Join us for Rosebank College’s Open Day on Sunday, 4 May 2025 from 10am – 2pm.



Open Day is our annual community event where we welcome past, present and future members of the Rosebank family to explore all that our school has to offer.

Here’s what you can expect from our Open Day:

• College tours
• Principal’s address
• Interactive displays showcasing our key learning areas
• Engaging children's activities
• Performances from our talented students
• BBQ, coffee cart and artisanal gelato 
• Historical displays
• Meet our friendly teachers and key staff members
• Face jewelz and tattoos, petting zoo, jumping castle and more!

We invite you to connect with our vibrant community and discover the extraordinary opportunities at Rosebank. 

Register for Open Day today.

Parent volunteers, we need you!

Rosebank's Open Day planning is underway and we'd love your help! Parents can contribute either by volunteering on the day itself or through donations.

If you're interested in participating, please fill out our Parent Engagement Volunteer Form or send us a message at pandf@rosebank.nsw.edu.au to get involved. Your support makes a big difference!

Preparations are underway for the Term 2 PACE options from the InspirED Program.  Future Problem Solving and Model United Nations Assembly will continue, with the latter focused on the assigned country and the resolutions to be discussed for the June competition. Other opportunities include joining our annual teams to compete in Write a Book in a Day, which also requires fundraising for the Kids’ Cancer Project; participating in the National History Challenge; Chess Coaching which will focus on preparing for competitive chess; Tournament of Minds; Rosebank Writers and our inaugural attempt at the PeCan+ Cyber Security Challenge. Please contact Ms Cheryl McArthur via email cmcarthur@rosebank.nsw.edu.au for more information. 

As we wrap up Term 1, 50 students will be participating in the Bebras Challenge (computational thinking), and our Year 9 and 10 teams will compete in the Da Vinci Decathlon NSW Regional Competition Round. 

The College Colloquy will once again offer students the opportunity to attend the recording of the ABC’s Q&A as audience members, for the Monday, 31 March program. Students planning to attend are currently researching election issues to inform the questions they will submit for the only episode of Q&A likely to air after the election date is announced and before Australia goes to the polls.

 Below are student reflections from two recent Colloquy excursions.

Jewish History, The Holocaust and the Rise in Anti-Semitism

On Wednesday, 5 March, a group of Rosebank College students from Years 9, 11, and 12 attended a Sydney Ideas event: An Evening with Sir Simon Schama. Sir Simon began by offering a thought-provoking and challenging overview of Jewish history and The Holocaust.

I found this experience to be both polarising and enlightening. Sir Simon’s description of The Holocaust as a “factory” and his portrayal of the Nazis as emotionless “machines” deeply challenged my understanding of this dark chapter in history. He also suggested that Jewish people have historically been scapegoated for society’s problems. Despite the increased focus on Jewish education, Sir Simon argued that this has only highlighted global anti-Semitism and how Jews have often been used as a convenient target for blame. This experience has made me question the result of the Holocaust for Jewish people and their future, especially with the armed conflict between Israel and Gaza and the international controversy this has ignited. 

Overall, I found the experience worthwhile and definitely a way to challenge my way of thinking by providing insights new to me.

By Dali Grieco - Year 12 

Photo: LtoR: Cormac Prendergast, Dali Grieco and Joshua Fung
 

Is Language Power?

'Is language power?' This was the topic discussed at the Rosebank College Colloquy excursion to the Seymour Centre, which I was lucky enough to attend. The discussion was between Dr John McWhorter from Columbia University and Professor Nick Enfield of the University of Sydney. Dr. McWhorter covered several topics in his presentation, including how language use can influence its power, the impact of profanities, and whether language has the ability to change people's minds. Among all these topics the one I was most interested in was his talk about the different types of creoles and what they are. For example, he told us how creoles are created when a large group of people need to learn a language quickly. This group of people will take in a few words from the original language and as a community will fill in the blanks creating a creole. I found this very interesting; it makes you think about how languages have evolved from different beginnings into what they are now. I would have loved to hear more about this topic but sadly the presentation was only an hour long. In conclusion, I had a wonderful and thought provoking time with the College Colloquy and would definitely recommend it to others in the future.

Valentino Napoliello - Year 9

Photo: LtoR: Valentino Napoliello, Rex Newman, Cormac Prendergast, Joshua Fung (obscured), Jada Grieco and Dali Grieco

Is Language Power?

On Wednesday, 12 March, a group of Rosebank students and I had the opportunity to listen to Dr John McWhorter in conversation with Professor Nick Enfield on the topic 'Is Language Power?. Dr McWhorter discussed the significance of language and how the main use of language is to change how someone is thinking. Another thing he talked about was the development of languages and how certain languages can be considered a ‘creole language’, meaning that the language has emerged from two or more established languages. Creole languages often start as a pidgin and develop into a more commonly known language with native speakers. Dr McWhorter also spoke about the development of certain words within the English language and how over time their meanings have changed completely. For example, he spoke about how profanities have changed so much over time that they were once something you could be formally punished for saying, but now are words people use frequently, with some even being reclaimed by the people it was formerly used to denigrate. I personally found it fascinating to learn so much about language, and I don't think I would have had the opportunity to explore these ideas if I hadn't attended this talk.

Jada Grieco - Year 11

Calling Local Businesses

Rosebank College partners with The Youth Partnership to provide valuable work placement opportunities for students completing Vocational Education & Training (VET) courses including Business Services, Construction, and Hospitality. We are always looking to connect with local businesses willing to host a student for a one-week block placement. It’s a fantastic way to support young people in gaining real-world experience while also benefiting from an extra set of hands. If your business is interested, please reach out to workplacement@theyouthpartnership.com.au.

University Applications

Applications open on Wednesday, 2 April 2025 via the UAC website. Year 12 students will receive a UAC PIN to the email address registered on NESA Students Online. This needs to be changed from the school email to a personal email address for receiving results later in the year. The closing date for on-time applications is Tuesday, 30 September 2025. After this date there is a considerable price increase. 

YEAR 12 Post School Pathways Information Sessions

On Thursday, 10 April, two post-school pathways presentations will be delivered concurrently at the College. Students are required to select one of the options by Friday, 28 March by completing the Google Form sent to their College email address.

• UAC Applications Session for students intending to apply for tertiary courses through the University Admissions Centre (UAC). 
• Vocational Pathways Session for students intending to apply for apprenticeship/traineeships, TAFE study, entering the workforce or attending private universities and colleges not accepting application on the UAC site.

Year 10 Work Experience

Students are encouraged to devote time in the upcoming holiday break to source their work experience for the week of Monday, 21 to Saturday, 25 October. A comprehensive list of contacts is available in the Pathways and Partnerships course on Exchange. Year 10 students interested in the opportunities listed below are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest. This is available in the Pathways and Partnerships Course on Exchange along with a comprehensive list of other business contacts. 

• NSW Police
• Are Media -  Marie Claire Magazine
• AJE (Fashion industry) 
• AIE (Academy of Interactive Entertainment)
• National Fashion Institute
• Australian Museum
• Halliday Engineering
• Carla Zampatti (Fashion)
  
  

We are thrilled to share the inspiring experience of Vaughan student Lukas Peat, who recently traveled to Perth to represent NSW at the Junior Indoor Netball Nationals. His journey was not only an opportunity to compete at an elite level, but also to learn and grow alongside talented athletes from across the country. Lukas’ reflections on the intense competition, the challenges, and the valuable lessons he gained highlight his dedication and passion for the sport. 

Vaughan Student Lukas Peat's Netball Nationals Experience:

Traveling to Perth to play for NSW at the Junior Indoor Netball Nationals was simply amazing. It was an eye-opening experience to be part of a sporting competition at an elite level. The tournament was intense in terms of the number of people there each day, players and coaches, umpires and physios, officials and supporters. There were some very long, hot days, and we were all pretty tired by the end, but I loved every second of it.

The teams from across Australia in our Under16 mixed division were really talented. The tournament week was divided into two smaller competitions, starting with a 6-a-side competition and then moving into the 7-a-side competition half way through. 6-a-side indoor netball is quite a different game to wrap your head around as it’s not played much in NSW. It is fast and physical with long-distance two point shots making for some high scoring games.

At the start of the tournament we had some very close games against the other states with draws and one point losses in the final seconds of several games. We worked really hard but were unable to defeat the strong QLD teams and ended up 5th in the 6-a-side competition.

In the second half of the tournament we grew into our confidence and had some excellent victories, winning our semi-final against the home team WA and only narrowly missing out on the grand final because we got knocked out of the preliminary final by a tough QLD side. We came 3rd overall in the 7-a-side competition.

I learned so much from my coach, my teammates and all the NSW squad players and staff. There was some excellent netball on display over the entire ten day tour, and NSW ended up with quite a few teams in semi finals and even grand finals in different age groups. I wanted to thank you all for your support and approving the leave which enabled me to travel to Perth and have such a fantastic experience which I will always remember.

By Lukas Peat, Year 10, Vaughan

Bon Voyage Sophie

An exciting road ahead for Sophie Tawadros, (Vaughan MS2) who, along with members of her Parish, (St Joachim’s Lidcombe) will be setting out on a pilgrimage to Rome, on Easter Sunday, to witness the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis. 

Anna Harrison, from Sydney Catholic Youth, wrote and directed a play about the soon-to-be Saint, called “Highway to Heaven” as a way of engaging the children in the life and works of St Joachim’s Parish. 

Sophie is a cast member, playing multiple roles as a nurse and a tour guide. In her own words, Sophie is looking forward “to deepening my faith, and grateful for the opportunity to travel to Italy for such a faith-filled experience for a man whom I have had the upmost love and admiration. I would like to thank Father Epeli, Parish Priest and my parents for this once-in-a-lifetime experience”.

We are so very proud of Sophie!

On Friday, 7 March, Rosebank celebrated International Women's Day with the amazing EmpowHER Women in STEM Guest Panel Event. Through hearing from the seven astounding women in the panel including a zookeeper, optometrist, astrophysicist, pediatrician, former forensics detective, a cancer doctor and a nurse, we were able to take inspiration from their accomplishments and careers in STEM. 



The panel shared their experiences of overcoming adversity faced while working in male-dominated fields. It was extremely inspiring to know they persevered through such challenging environments. They shared experiences such as being ignored by their colleagues and the details of their job. Overall, the event made a lasting impact on the significance of continued advocacy, representation, and empowerment of women in STEM.

All Year 10 students have been offered the opportunity to participate in a Vaccination program on Monday, 31 March to receive the Meningococcal ACWY vaccine. Parents of Year 10 students have been emailed instructions on how to give online consent directly with NSW Health. If you wish for your child to be included in this program, please ensure the online consent process is finalised by this Thursday, 27 March. 

Information regarding the Year 7 Vaccination program scheduled for Wednesday, 25 June, will be sent to parents and carers in early Term 2.