Rosebank College Crest

Volume 9, 2024

17.6.2024
From the Principal
From the Assistant Principal
From the Dean of Ministry
Ministry News
CAPA News
EnrichED News
PACE News
National Reconciliation Week
Year 10 Design New Popcorn Flavours
Year 9 and 10 Robotics in Action
Staff Spotlight: Steven Rebello
Donate to our Trivia Night Online Auction!
SRSC News
Pathways and Partnerships News
Important Uniform Shop Dates
Alumni News
The Sacrament of Confirmation at St Mary’s Cathedral
🔗Community Links

From the Principal

School is so much more than explicit teaching and learning. Over the past week and into this week, we can certainly see that Rosebank invests heavily in what we call the hidden curriculum, the unwritten, unofficial, and sometimes unintended lessons, values, and insights students learn while they're not in the classroom. We know that student learning and development ‘emerge’ from the dynamic experience of the school environment, that of interacting with peers, teachers, subject content and the tapestry and texture of school life. Even in one week, these opportunities have been many. They cover sports, social justice, the performing arts, and competitions such as chess, debating and theatresports; Activities that provide opportunities for teamwork, collaboration, college spirit, perseverance, altruism, and celebration.

A number of these include our Winter Sleepout, an event where 61 students and 21 staff slept overnight at the College. The work is in support of a charity called StreetHeart, and the students assembled food, hygiene and health packs. It’s only one of the initiatives our Social Justice team is leading to encourage students to get more involved in their support of others in our community. My thanks to the 21 staff members who stayed overnight, sacrificing their own family time to teach our students valuable lessons. This event also coincided with our ‘Beanies for Brain Cancer,’ another student-led initiative.
 


With this, I had the privilege of attending our Music Ensembles Showcase, which was held on Tuesday night. This event has grown significantly over the last few years, with over 350 parents and friends attending. The Showcase featured 150 students in a variety of music ensembles, ranging from beginners all the way to the highly accomplished. What became very clear was the wonderful personalities of the music teachers not only getting the best out of our students but also drawing great audience participation on the night. It was thoroughly enjoyable.




Last week, we held our Athletics Carnival, a significant event in the Rosebank calendar. Once again, we can never underestimate what our students learn through sporting carnivals. We go there to cheer on our talented athletes, but for our Year 12s in particular, this is a team building day, a day where we all work together engendering House and school spirit, leadership and, let's not forget, the value of having fun. The carnival allowed so many students to shine and achieve and gave us an opportunity to show that we value achievement here outside of the classroom, too. Attendance rates were up this year, and I thank you for your support. 



We look forward to seeing our Year 10 parents for the Pathways and Subject Selection Night this Tuesday. This year, we will engage parents in interviews with our students to determine the best set of courses for Years 11 and 12. Parents are also invited to the Stage 5 Drama night on Monday evening and our annual Dance showcase on Thursday night. 

Finally, I extend my thanks to the Leadership Team and the College Board, who worked collaboratively this weekend to develop the early stages of the next Strategic Plan, a significant investment in our future and that of our students. 

Ms Iris Nastasi

Principal

From the Assistant Principal

The four-day weekend was just what was needed to top up energy levels and ensure the success of another Rosebank Athletics Carnival.  

 

House colours flew high and students were in full voice supporting participants throughout the day. With two events still to be completed this week, the winning House has not yet been revealed. In the interim, I congratulate all the athletes who were out to beat their personal best, or just brave enough to ‘have a go’.  

 

With the Olympic Games in Paris just over a month away, the words of Pierre de Coubertin, father of the modern Olympic Games and champion of sport in education, should continue to motivate us all: 

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”

We have also received extremely positive feedback around the recent Year 9 Injection of Character Day. This formative event is presented in separate gender groups in order to focus on gender-specific issues related to personal development, relationships and self-acceptance. Groups were facilitated by Enlighten Education for our female students and The Man Cave for our male students. There is a tremendous amount of coverage in the media at the moment around the need to ensure that young people are raised and educated to better understand and demonstrate respect – respect for themselves, as well as for members of the opposite sex. We hope that programs like this one at Rosebank, will contribute to a larger cultural shift in behaviour in those areas of our shared society where positive change is sorely needed. We are committed to continuing to provide our students with formative and thought-provoking opportunities to further their understanding and learning around these important issues. As parents we are all reminded to lead by example and to keep working to find the best ways to connect with our children as we encourage them to become the best version of themselves. 

Thank you to those members of our community who purchased a beanie for the Mark Hughes Foundation fundraiser. Those beanies certainly came in handy at the Winter Sleepout on Friday with over 60 students and a team of Rosebank staff, putting themselves in the shoes of those less fortunate, braving the cold and spending the night outdoors. I am immensely proud of these students who all donated to ‘StreetHeart’ to participate in this experience. This is Rosebank! 

The cold weather is also a reminder to ramp up our efforts for this year’s Vinnies Winter Appeal. Next time you are at the shops please consider purchasing one or two of the following items for students to hand in during Home Room over the next two weeks: Scarves, beanies, gloves, socks, blankets, sleeping bags, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner and soap. 

If each student donates just ONE item, we will have over 1400 products to add to the charity House baskets! 

We look forward to welcoming our ‘showbiz’ parents joining us this week for the Stage 5 Drama Production ‘Ward Thirteen’ and the Dance Showcase. With the College Musical in the pipeline for 2025 and already generating much excitement, I have no doubt that students will be pulling out all the stops to ensure show-stopping performances. 

Our Year 7 students are also getting ready to step into the spotlight and show off their talent and progress at the Year 7 Semester 1 Arts Day next week. And if a future in the Arts is not on the cards for our Year 10 students, our guests presenting at the ‘Future Pathways’ event tomorrow, will provide personal insights into a number of other exciting career options.

We will end the term on Friday, 28 June with our Benedict Day celebration, including a whole-school Mass and the badging of our 2024/2025 student leaders. These community celebrations provide an opportunity to come together not only to recognise significant people and events central to our College’s past and future, but to demonstrate hospitality, collegiality and inclusivity. One of the highlights of this annual event is the always entertaining ‘Rosebank’s Got Talent’ show. Word around the water cooler is that a motley crew of staff have formed a band in the hope of stealing the win, so we should be in for a fantastic afternoon.

Mr Paul Hardwick

Assistant Principal

From the Dean of Ministry

Vacare Deo - Making Space for God.

Having been a student of St Benedict for some time now, and after developing a habit of reading the Rule on a more or less regular basis, I marvel at Benedict’s profound grasp of the human condition. It is real, authentic and unadorned.  As we approach the end of the semester and wonder at how everything that needs to be done will be done, I hear Benedict’s wisdom echo gently over and over again. God is found in the regular and daily rhythms of life and work, in prayer and praise, in rest and rising.  

The Rule demonstrates an amazing insight into what human beings need for a healthy and sustainable life that is open to all the richness that God offers.  For Benedict the grounding of the Christian life is to be found, of course, in love of Christ and dedication to following Christ faithfully where we are called. The “doing” of that is the daily pattern, a sameness that becomes so familiar that it is like breathing.  However, the “doing” part requires resilience - it will take time; it does not “just happen”.  

After the Prologue, chapters on community organisation, and the famous sections on the “tools of good works”, obedience, silence and humility, Benedict then spends twelve chapters on the structure of the prayer of the community.  It might seem pedantic to write on and on about how many psalms are to be sung and when the alleluia is to be chanted and the distinctions between the night offices, saints days and bowing - and yet Benedict does just that. The prayer of the community is structured, always with the proviso that local communities should adjust where they need to, but always at the heart of the life of the community.  Why?  Human beings need a minimum amount of structure and familiarity in order to immerse themselves into life with purpose and meaning. Christian life needs this as well.  If I am to listen for God, I need to learn habits that give me time and space to do just that.  I think one of the most marvellous parts of the Rule is Benedict’s advice to pray Psalm 94 slowly so that everyone has time to get to the chapel for the Night Office (Ch 43). Habits are not formed through harsh and inflexible rules, but with discretion and compassion for the weakness of our sisters and brothers.

All this “ordinariness” points to the lived reality of most people. What I may casually describe as “boring” is in fact the reality of living; and it is anything but boring. What Benedict is encouraging me to do is “declutter” my life of all that gets in the way of allowing myself to get closer to God. The rhythm of prayer and praise, lectio divina and times of silence is the Christian way to “declutter”. Anglican Benedictine Oblate, Esther de Waal writes:

The purpose of controlling mindless chatter and incessant noise, whether it is external or internal is to make room for an inner silence and peace to be filled with God. The ancient mothers and fathers of the desert spoke of this as vacare deo - emptiness for God.

Sister Christine Manning has spent many years pondering Benedict’s Rule and has taught me what is perhaps Benedict’s greatest gift to the world. The Rule offers me a structure to help me live my baptism in a loving relationship with Christ with the gospel as my guide. It is as simple as that, and as profound as that too.  As we head towards Benedict’s feast, which for us at Rosebank will be on Friday, 28 June, let us take some time to sit in a quiet place and be vacare deo. In the year of Holy Audacity when we are called to be bold in Christ, this may well be the most bold thing we can enter into.

Dr Paul O'Shea

Dean of Ministry

Ministry News

The Winter Sleepout 2024

On Friday the College held its annual Winter Sleepout with 61 students braving the wet and cold conditions to sleep out on J-Courts.



The students heard from Rik Johnson OAM the founder of Sweetheart, a charity that provides services to assist homeless people in Sydney, Brisbane and rural New South Wales. Rik shared his personal journey which brought him to founding the charity in 2019, and the amazing work they have been doing ever since. Students constructed ‘food packs’ and ‘hygiene packs’ in the Benedict Auditorium – enough to support the work of StreetHeart for the remainder of 2024 – before loading them into the StreetHeart van. The remainder of the night consisted of games, a simple meal similar to that provided by our Vinnies Night Patrol groups, and a visit from the Night Patrol Truck so students could see first-hand how the service works.



The Winter Sleepout provides our College community with a beautiful opportunity to come together and demonstrate our ‘love for neighbour’ in a practical way. A night like this does not come to be without the willingness of our College staff. We had 21 staff involved in the evening, assisting in activities, preparing and serving meals and of course, sleeping out for the night.

St Vincent De Paul – Winter Appeal 2024

As we enter the final weeks of Term 2, our College community has started the Winter Appeal in our annual support of St Vincent De Paul. We are asking each member of our community to support this important donation drive, as those who have come along to Night Patrol over the past three years have seen first hand how important the provision of these items in winter are.

How can you help? Over the next two weeks purchase one or more of the following items and drop them off at your House collection point.

  • Blankets (King Single, Double or Queen)
  • Beanies (adult and children sizes)
  • Winter gloves
  • Scarves
  • Toiletry and hygiene products (toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and sanitary products)

Social Justice leaders will be visiting Home Rooms over the next two weeks. We appreciate your generous support and on behalf of Vinnies and those they support – thank you!



Night Patrol – Expressions of Interest

In 2024, Rosebank College Year 12 students joined our staff on the Vinnies Night Patrol run in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. To accommodate the high interest from students, we doubled our commitment to every fortnight! 

This initiative provides participants with a first-hand understanding of the great work that Vinnies does in our community and also highlights the diverse lived experience and journeys that we can have. If you're 16 and would like more information about how to get involved, please contact Mr Hansford at chansford@rosebank.nsw.edu.au

Miss Olga Azzi and Mr Chris Hansford

Assistant Deans of Ministry

CAPA News

Music Ensembles Showcase

On Tuesday night, the Benedict Auditorium was filled with audience members who were delighted by an array of musical styles at the annual Music Ensembles Showcase. The night, themed Myths and Legends, featured the 150 music students across the College Orchestra, Concert Bands, Jazz Band, Choir, String ensembles and Rock Bands. The Showcase also celebrated and farewelled the Year 12 students who performed at their final showcase: Petra Beynon, Natalia Buzo, Isabelle Campion, Chloe Hong, Grace Lin, Sarah Waldie and Kaitlyn Wong.


The night would not have been a success without the amazing team of Music teachers who direct these ensembles and inspire the students to reach their musical potential.

Don't forget about our upcoming Showcases:

Monday, 17 June - Stage 5 Drama Production at 6:30pm - RSVP here.


Thursday, 20 June - Dance Showcase at 6:30pm - RSVP here.


Monday, 24 June - Semester 1 Year 7 Arts Day from 1:30pm-3:00pm - RSVP here.


We hope to see you there!

Mrs Amanda Hill

CAPA Coordinator

EnrichED News

The College Colloquy has been busy this term attending several public lectures and evening events across Sydney. 

The highlights of the past two weeks have been a presentation by Philosophy of Mathematics Professor Mark Colyvan of the University of Sydney who spoke about Decision Theory and the pros and cons of applying it to life decisions. This was followed by a lively discussion with the audience which Rosebank College students participated in.

Rosebank College Colloquy students also attended a filming of the ABC’s Q&A. The group attended on Monday, 27 May, during the Sydney Writers’ Festival, which meant the panel was devoid of politicians, much to the delight of the audience and the host. Sophia Maniaci of Year 10 asked the question that was highlighted from the night, about how the path to reconciliation might look in the wake of the ‘No’ result from last year’s referendum. Sophia’s question and the response can be watched here.

Below are student reflections on these two events.

Q&A Audience Excursion

Attending the ABC Q&A filming was an incredibly enlightening opportunity, and I am so grateful to have been able to attend. As someone who enjoys staying up to date with current affairs and global events, being a member of the Q&A audience allowed me to fill in the gaps in my understanding, and develop more informed opinions on the topics discussed.

We began with a very entertaining crowd warm up (a happy belated birthday to the host!) before shooting a quick promo clip for the night’s session. As we moved on-air, we heard from our guest speakers, specialists from a range of fields such as journalism, human rights and music, on current concerns in global society. Each speaker provided unique perspectives on a number of topics, including the Russia-Ukraine war, Australia’s next steps in its path towards Reconciliation, the optics of the ICC’s arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders and the Albanese government’s proposed anti-vilification laws and freedom of speech. Each speaker, and audience member, presented a unique perspective on the topics, facilitating a very comprehensive and thoughtful discussion.

With misinformation becoming an increasingly prominent issue in our digital world, attending Q&A was an excellent opportunity to hear from the experts and explore several sides of a number of topics. No question was off-limits, enabling everyone present to expand their understanding of the world today, and foster an appreciation of open, honest discussion.

Elizabeth Day (Year 12)


LtoR: Christos Nicolis, Joshua F, Winston P, Rex N (front), Carlo C, Moses L, Sophia M, Damian T (back), Emilie S and Elizabeth D.

Reflecting on my experiences at the Q&A session on Monday, 27 May, I realised just how valuable and insightful the event was. The diverse range of experts on the program with differing perspectives deepened my understanding of the various topics discussed. One of the most striking aspects of the session was the range of questions posed by the audience. The various inquiries highlighted the differing interests, concerns, and curiosities that individuals bring to such events. Hearing questions that I hadn’t considered before broadened my own thinking and exposed me to the various ways one can see an issue.

Several responses from the panel were particularly insightful, especially Maher Mughrabi’s take on Prime Minister Albanese’s proposed misinformation/disinformation bill. Mughrabi emphasised that while the intention behind the bill is to combat the spread of false information, it raises significant concerns about free speech and the potential for Government overreach, where it could be used to silence all opposition. He argued that such legislation must be carefully balanced to avoid infringing on the freedom of individuals and to ensure that it does not become a tool for political manipulation. This perspective was insightful because it stressed the importance of balancing the fight against false information with protecting free speech. It helped me understand the complexities and potential problems in creating legislation to regulate misinformation.

Christos Nicolis (Year 11)

A group of people sitting in a room Description automatically generatedLtoR Sophia M and Elizabeth D

Living in Uncertain Times

I was curious about attending the lecture, Living in Uncertain Times, as I was interested to hear Professor Mark Colyvan’s interpretation of uncertainty about life. I found his comments on decision making thought-provoking as using probability theory and Decision Theory was a perspective that I hadn’t considered before. His application of Decision Theory to real world issues, such as the saving of endangered species, produced a surprising and somewhat counterintuitive response. The lecture was also made more interesting due to the questions from audience members. This was a good experience for me and I am interested in learning more about the role maths plays in managing uncertainty.

Abby Challinor (Year 9)

A group of people sitting in a lecture hall Description automatically generatedLtoR: Owen M, Joshua F, Lachlan R, Charlie J, Oskar R, Ally C and Damian T

The contemporary society we live in is brimming with uncertainty, whether it’s as small as where I should buy my coffee this morning or life changing decisions like quitting your job and becoming a musician.

Uncertainty comes in two forms, that we can affect and that we cannot. There is no solution to the uncertainty of things we cannot change, however there is a near ancient formula of how we can fix our own uncertainty within the decisions we make.

Decision Theory is the theory of rational choice, it takes uncertainty out of everyday problems and replaces it with mathematics. Decision Theory works to weigh the outcome of every possible decision you can make, taking every factor into account and informing you which decision to make.

Take the trolley problem for example, a long-standing ethical problem that has had philosophers arguing for years can be solved with a simple formula, or so it says. Whether you look at Decision Theory from a mathematical or ethical standpoint it is a highly interesting and unique idea that is worth researching further.

Charlie Johnson (Year 9)

Ms Cheryl McArthur

Gifted Education and iThink Teacher | EnrichED Program Facilitator

PACE News

Rosebank Teams Storm Into Finals

Term 2 has been an incredibly successful term in the Representative Sport arena! Our Football (Soccer) and Netball teams have continued to go from strength to strength under the guidance of our expert coaches, with 17 of our 19 teams qualifying for the SCS Conference 2 Semi-Finals. Qualifying for finals in a highly competitive Conference is a credit to the hard work, dedication and commitment of the students in each of these teams. We wish the following teams the very best of luck as they prepare for finals and push for a place in the grand final!

  • Girls Junior Netball
  • Girls Intermediate Netball
  • Girls Senior Netball
  • Mixed Junior A Netball
  • Mixed Junior B Netball
  • Mixed Intermediate A Netball 
  • Mixed Intermediate B Netball
  • Boys Junior B Football (Soccer) 
  • Boys Junior C Football (Soccer) 
  • Boys Intermediate A Football (Soccer) 
  • Boys Intermediate B Football (Soccer) 
  • Boys Senior Football (Soccer) 
  • Girls Junior A Football (Soccer) 
  • Girls Junior B Football (Soccer) 
  • Girls Junior C Football (Soccer) 
  • Girls Intermediate Football (Soccer)
  • Girls Senior Football (Soccer)






NSWCC Cross Country Championships
On Wednesday, 5 June, eight students represented Rosebank and Sydney Catholic Schools at the NSWCCC Cross Country Championships. On a muddy and tough course at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre, our students excelled. Congratulations to the following students on their excellent performances and results. A special congratulations to Claudia Peterie (Year 12), Joshua Bartle (Year 7) and Jaden Kane (Year 7) who placed in the top three in their age group and have now qualified for the NSW All Schools Cross Country Championships in July.

  • Amelie Rimondi - 40th Girls 17 Years
  • Amia Kolman - 34th Girls 12 Years
  • Angelina Ninkovic - 35th Girls 12 Years
  • Claudia Peterie - 2nd Girls 18 Years
  • Jaden Kane - 3rd Boys 13 Years
  • Joshua Bartle - 2nd Boys 13 Years
  • Raquel Boswel - 31st Girls 15 Years
  • Victoria Hatzivasiliou - 32nd Girls 15 Years
     



Netball NSW State Titles

Over the long weekend, seven Rosebank students competed at the Netball NSW Senior State Titles at Campbelltown. These students have been training for months on end in the lead up to this competition; the pinnacle of representative netball in NSW. Congratulations to the following students on their great performances throughout the competition: Ben Gilligan (17s Boys), Elise Steppat (17s Girls), Katia Reichle (15s), Lukas Peat (17s Boys), Madeleine Mulley (15s), Nicholas Korompay (17s Boys) and Tijana Kalagurgevic (15s).



Jeremy Durham (Year 8 - MCL MS1) competed at the Baseball Nationals 

From Monday, 27 May - Friday, 31 May, Jeremy's Ryde Hawks team topped their pool and then ended the tournament by winning the Bronze medal. Jeremy scored a home run in the second pool match and pitched one of his best matches ever in the finals.



Baseball Australia reported on Jeremy, stating that he "...was excellent on the mound for Ryde. He tossed 4.0 innings, striking out five, allowing just one run and one hit."

We are proud of Jeremy for his success in this tournament and wish him well as he continues on his baseball journey.

Nick Andreacchio's AFL success

Over the past three weekends, Nick Andreacchio (Dwyer Year 12) has travelled to Victoria and SA playing in the AFL's Under 18 National Championships for the "Allies", a rep team selected from the best players in NSW/ACT/QLD/TAS/NT. The tournament is the annual showcase of elite junior talent and is scouted by AFL club recruiters.



A member of the Sydney Swans Academy since he was 11, Nick played strongly as the Allies defeated WA before close losses to SA in Adelaide, and the mighty VIC Metro in Melbourne.

With one game remaining in July against VIC Country, Nick will then switch to club footy for Sydney University's Men's Premier Division team in the Sydney Football League, before hoping to be selected in the AFL Draft this November.

We congratulate Nick on this outstanding achievement and wish him all the best as he enters the next stage of his very successful playing career. 

Students Reel It In 

Students of the Thursday afternoon PACE Fishing group had a massive haul last week down at our secret spot on the shores of Canada Bay.

Sam Parrenin, Aleksandar Konakov and Marly Fernandes managed to reel in a few good sized salmon after spotting and chasing numerous "bust-ups" around the bay.



Vito Mazzotta had "the one that got away" of the day; an absolute monster of a trevally that we managed to wrangle to the edge of the water before the line snapped on us at the last second. There were at least eight witnesses to the size of this trevally and we can all attest to the fact that it was a beast. Tears were shed once we realised that it was not meant to be.

While the fish from the Parramatta River aren't much for eating, it's been good sport and the students have had a great term out on the water's edge.

Ms Annalisa Di Bella and Mr Mark Zilich

PACE Department

National Reconciliation Week

During Week 6, Rosebank College organised a range of Reconciliation Week activities. The theme for 2024 was “Now More Than Ever.” Rosebank staff and students participated in the following events: 

  • Colouring In Competition
  • Reconciliation Writing competition
  • First Nations Monoprinting 



The following Year 7 students have entered the Rosebank Colouring In Competition:

  • Madelalena Lowe
  • Dina Alexopoulos
  • Henry Baker
  • Emily Higgins
  • Charlotte Hsu

The winner of the competition will be announced by the start of next term. Please see the students’ wonderful Reconciliation posters below! Congratulations to Jasmine Taylor and Lily-Rose Bechara (Year 7) who have entered their Reconciliation Poem into the Schools Reconciliation Challenge writing competition. Jasmine and Lily-Rose have an opportunity to have their poems published as part of a group exhibition. Winners and further announcements will be during October. For further information about the competition please visit the website.

I would like to thank staff and students for all their support and participation for National Reconciliation Week. 

Ms Simone Small 

Visual Arts Teacher

Year 10 Design New Popcorn Flavours

As part of Stage 5 Food Technology, students are working on a unit called Food Product Development. Students investigated food companies that design new products as part of a line extension. During a recent practical lesson, students were challenged to design a new flavour of popcorn. Year 10 had fun designing their popcorn flavour, making it, but most of all the taste testing that followed! 

Mrs Cathy Paton

TAS Teacher

Year 9 and 10 Robotics in Action

Year 9 and 10 students in Mrs Peres' Computing Technology class completed their Mechatronics and Automated Systems task last week by designing robots to tackle basic kitchen operations. Some of the robots they created include:

  • An automatic glass washer for that last glass in the sink.
  • A blender that plays a tune until the ingredients have been mixed.
  • Boris the Bot: a chef's assistant who transports items to the chef.
  • A robot that uses sensors to wipe down a dirty benchtop.
  • A robot that pushes food scraps from the bench into the kitchen bin.
  • A Meatball Chef that delivers ingredients to the frypan.
  • And, of course, a pizza maker that rolls the dough for you.



These automated systems were developed using programming languages in conjunction with Lego Robots, ultrasonic and colour sensors, touch sensors, and motors to solve some of the everyday tasks we all encounter. Congratulations to the CompTech students for their innovative perspectives on everyday challenges!

Mrs Diana Peres

Technology Teacher

Staff Spotlight: Steven Rebello

 

What is your position in the College? TAS Teacher

When did you start? Casual at the start of last year, full time at the start of this term.

Where have you come from prior to Rosebank College? I've come straight out of university.

What is the first thing you noticed about Rosebank College? The staff are very welcoming.

Describe Rosebank in three words: Safe, camaraderie and exciting.

What's the best thing about your role: Being a TAS teacher is incredible, the subject content is always adapting and the content itself ranges to vast corners of education. We explore science, we apply maths, we problem-solve and the skills learnt in Tech also teach patience and resilience. It is amazing when a student thinks out of the box to overcome a problem.

Favourite book to recommend to others: The Dark Heavens Series by Kylie Chan, Starting with "White Tiger". Fantasy that has martial arts and magic. 

Book you are reading right now: I was reading Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, but picked up two books that I would like to read - If He Had Been With Me and If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin.

What is your first memory of reading? I hated reading. I had problems with reading when I was little. I only really started enjoying reading in my first year of university when I picked up a Nicholas Sparks novel Safe Haven for my hour to hour-and-a-half long train rides to UoW.

SRSC News

Premier’s Reading Challenge

With about eight weeks to go until the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge closes, now is a great time to organise your child's holiday reading options.

Search Destiny Discover for our most recent additions to the SRSC here. 

You can also easily access over 2,000 eBooks over the holidays by signing in to ePlatform on your device of choice, following these very simple steps below:


Once you are logged in, there is a curated list of Premier's Reading Challenge eBooks in the Year 7-9 category that are free to borrow for two weeks and you can borrow three titles at any one time.

There are 95 students registered to complete the Challenge this year. Can we get to 100, Rosebank? Don’t forget, students can earn House points!

For further information see the Premier’s Reading Challenge website or email srsc@rosebank.nsw.edu.au

SRSC Book of the Month - June
Under the Broken Sky by Mariko Nagai, 2019

Click on the cover image to borrow from the SRSC now!

Themes: war, family, orphans, survival, courage, novels in verse

This book is perfect for readers interested in war experiences and first hand accounts. The story is set in Manchuria during WWII and follows the thought process of a 12 year old girl called Natsu, who tries to support her family and safely relocate. The book shows exactly how and what the girl is thinking on her journey, which provides a unique perspective to the reading experience.

I loved the protagonist's focus on family and I appreciated the attention to the setting, especially from a first hand perspective. One part of the story I found quite compelling and moving was when the protagonist was sick, which is the only variation from the structure of the book. This truly represents the panic of the situation in a way I have never read before.

What makes this book such a great read in particular is the structure. The entire book is a series of short poems so it is very easy to follow. Anybody could read this book as it is a very quick read and the story is generally interesting and engaging. This structure helped me to understand what was going on in the protagonist's mind and helped provide a clearer understanding of a war context.

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed this story and I would recommend it to everyone as it was a great experience to read a book in this structure.

Lauren Burello, Year 8, Dwyer

Mrs Leanne Plesa

Library Technician

Pathways and Partnerships News

Employment and Work Experience Opportunities

Ausgrid Bright Sparks 2025 Apprentice Program now open


 

Applications are now open for our 2025 Bright Spark Apprentice Program. Ausgrid will be taking on 50 apprentices to learn and work across the network in our Greater Sydney and Hunter areas. Applications from school leavers, people in need of a career change or current electrical apprentices are welcome. Applications close 28 June 2024. 2025 Bright Spark Apprentice Program 

All-Scape Landscape, 1st Year Apprenticeship
All-Scape Landscape Pty Ltd in Five Dock is looking for a Landscaping apprentice. Contact Peter 0418287272.

Quantity Surveying Work Experience
For students attending Years 11 or 12 at school and interested in gaining Construction Management work experience with a Quantity Surveying firm, please send an expression of interest to Michael Cook at education@aiqs.com.au.

What’s on at UTS 



UTS Tech Festival Tech Festival: 17 - 28 June
This event promises an exciting line-up of events that bring together students, academics, industry partners, and like-minded tech enthusiasts. Register.

UTS Forensic Science Trace Day: 9 July 
Partake in workshops and hear about career options and the forensic science degree. Register.

Discover Nursing: 18 July 
Learn about the Bachelor of Nursing from expert academics, see where a nursing career can lead students, and get hands-on in our clinical nursing facilities. Register

Mrs Angela Pavicic

Pathways & Partnerships Coordinator

Important Uniform Shop Dates

Please note, the Uniform Shop and the online Uniform Shop will be closed for stocktake on Monday 24, Tuesday 25 and Wednesday, 26 June 2024. The Uniform Shop and the online Uniform Shop will re-open from Thursday, 27 June 2024.

Alumni News

Celebrating Our 2023 Alumni: Duke Richardson and Daniel Gierek

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that our 2023 alumni, Duke Richardson and Daniel Gierek, have been selected for the prestigious AgCAREERSTART program!

AgCAREERSTART is an exceptional gap-year initiative aimed at young individuals aged 17-25 who do not come from a traditional agriculture background. This 10-12 month program provides participants with the opportunity to work full-time on a farm anywhere in Australia. It’s a fantastic chance to explore the agricultural industry, enhanced by a $4,500 training and engagement bursary to support their development and participation in industry events.

Earlier this year, Duke and Daniel represented the AgCAREERSTART program and the National Farmers Federation with excellence at an event in Melbourne. They have since been placed on a Horticulture Farm in Queensland. We couldn't be prouder of their achievements and dedication!

Let's celebrate their success and wish them all the best on this exciting journey!

For more information on the AgCAREERSTART program, please check out the flyer for the 2025 intake.

The Sacrament of Confirmation at St Mary’s Cathedral

The Sacrament of Confirmation this year will take place at the St Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday, 18 August 2024 at 12:30pm.

Children in Year 6 and upwards who have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and Eucharist are eligible to receive the Sacrament.

Confirmation Program

Registrations close: Thursday, 20 June 2024 (This is an extended registration for the Rosebank community). Candidates must attend all sessions and respective following Masses.

Information session and session 1 of booklet 

  • Saturday, 29 June (St Michael's)
  • Sunday, 30 June (St Brendan's) (end of term 2)

Session 2 of booklet

  • Saturday, 27 July (St Michael's)
  • Sunday, 28 July (St Brendan's)

Session 3 of booklet

  • Saturday, 3 August (St Michael's)
  • Sunday, 4 August (St Brendan's)

Session 4 of Booklet

  • Saturday, 10 August (St Michael's) 
  • Sunday, 11 August (St Brendan's)

No formal rehearsal scheduled – compulsory Zoom conference – 14 August 2024 (Time TBA)

For more information on the Sacrament of Confirmation, please contact Michelle Durham (Sacramental Coordinator) email: sacramental@stbrendan.org.au