10 PASS Ski Trip – Week 6

The highly anticipated 10 PASS Ski Trip was once again a highlight of Term 3, with plenty of excitement as students piled onto the bus bound for the snow. The energy was high as we set off, ready for three days of adventure on the slopes.

Day 1 greeted us with sweltering conditions on the mountain – a “chilly” 11 degrees at Blue Cow! Despite everyone being rugged up in thermals, spirits were high and students were eager to hit the snow. The first lessons saw huge progression, with students picking up the basics quickly (though a few bruised egos reminded us that skiing isn’t always as easy as it looks!).

Day 2 started early, with plenty of tired faces making their way to the Skitube. High winds by mid-morning made things a little tricky, but a quick switch over to Perisher provided more sheltered slopes and plenty of space to keep practising. While some students were still mastering how to stop, determination was strong, and confidence was clearly growing. It was also great to see our more accomplished skiers and boarders taking advantage of expert instruction to help hone their skills even further.

Day 3 was set up to be a wet one after heavy rain overnight, but to our surprise, conditions were much better than expected. A light fall of snow later in the day created the perfect backdrop for students to refine their new skills. By the end, a few had well and truly reached their skiing limits, but the bus ride home was full of stories, laughter, and rave reviews of the trip.

A massive thank you goes to the teachers who generously gave up three days with their families to make this trip possible. Your support ensured another successful and memorable PASS Ski Trip.

Mrs Sarah Costabile and Ms Jan Cleal

Interschool Debating Day

On Thursday, 11 September, our Year 7 and 8 students participated in our annual Interschool Debating Day, joining students from schools across the Illawarra Diocese, at Edmund Rice College. Across three rounds, our students engaged in lively debates, showcasing their skills in critical thinking, public speaking, and teamwork.

Our teams were:
Year 7 Team 1: Christina Dellis, Alexis Kelly, Evelyn Dean, Maia Castillo
Year 7 Team 2: Ivy Powell, Madison Stone, Sadie Loemker, Abbie Stenos, Ciara Pons
Year 8 Team: Lara McEntee, Oscar Hillhouse, Zali Munoz Letham, Livinia McLuskey

Year 7 Team 1 won two of their three debates, while Year 7 Team 2 and our Year 8 Team each secured a win during the day.

We are incredibly proud of all our debaters for their effort, courage, and sportsmanship. They represented our school with excellence!

Miss Alicia Da Rocha
Public Speaking/Debating Coordinator

Design and Technology

I had the pleasure of taking four of our year 12 Design & Technology students, Kai Macpherson, Caitlin Rashleigh, Eva Gebauer, and Dakota Hornby, to showcase their work in the "Innovate for Impact" competition held at the UOW Innovation Campus.

Innovate for Impact is a collaboration between Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong and the NSW Department of Education. The event showcases the innovative student works of both primary and secondary students who have developed solutions to real-world problems. Over 70 Primary and Secondary Schools took part in this program, and 50 projects were selected for the final showcase. 

Industry experts judged the projects across a range of criteria, and I am proud to announce that Kai and Caitlin came First and Second in the secondary schools competition 

Eva and Dakota were also praised for their high standard of work. 

They will now take their projects to represent the College and CEDoW one last time at the National STEM-MAD competition in Adelaide in November.  

The four students were wonderful ambassadors, representing the College with pride. Their

Mr Jason Smith
TAS Coordinator

Year 11 Biology Excursion 

On Tuesday 23 September, Year 11 Biology students  completed mandatory fieldwork for the Year 11 Biology topic ‘Ecosystem Dynamics’. The first-hand investigations that the students were engaged in covered many of the mandatory fieldwork activities listed in the syllabus for the Module 4 topic.  

Students :

- applied real world problem solving and critical thinking

- explored validity and reliability in investigations (and science)

- utilised several sampling techniques

- learnt about specific ecosystems and niches 

The students really enjoyed collecting real world data for the National Parks and Wildlife Service utilising transect and quadrat sampling techniques.

They also enjoyed searching for, finding and identifying the numerous organisms in and around the rock pools at Sandon Point. 

Congratulations to all students on representing our College with distinction and for applying themselves to their learning.

Mr Gregory Mackney
Science Teacher

Pie Drive

Thank you to everyone who ordered from the Pie Drive! We have raised $912 to support the vital work of Catholic Mission. Thank you also to the Youth Ministry Leaders and student helpers who helped to organise and distribute the pies on the day. We are very thankful to be part of such a kind and giving community!

Mrs Hannah Fields
Youth Ministry Coordinator

Year 11 Italian

Our Year 11 Italian students have been busy planning an itinerary to Rome using an original map along with the interactive whiteboard desks as a tool.

The students are learning about the rich history of Rome as well as learning about how to write and speak about places and monuments in Italy’s capital. Some examples of the monuments and places students are learning about and have been inspired to visit are: The Colosseum, The Roman Forum, The Arc of Constantine, The Pantheon, The Fountain of Trevi, The Spanish Steps,The Vatican City, St Peter’s Basilica, The sculptures of Michelangelo and Bernini, Venezia Square, Piazza Navona, The Tiber River and The Basilica of Saint Mary Major where Pope Francis was laid to rest.

Mrs Cunzolo and Mrs Raschilla

Year 11 Italian Beginners

Year 11 Italian Beginners Class had an Italian excursion Thursday 25 September. The theme of the excursion was to interact with Italian senior citizens. 

To begin with, we went to the Sacred Heart Italian Church in Stewart St Wollongong where we met Fr Angelo who gave us a history of the church. We then walked to the Bonacina Walkway (an Italian couple who helped the Italian community) near Wollongong Library followed by a visit to ITSOWEL where students interacted with senior Italian citizens. A delicious lunch was had at the Fraternity Club. The final part of the day was visiting Italian residents at the Marco Polo Nursing Woonona.

Mrs Amabile Cunzolo
English/Language Teacher

Caritas Australia's Catholic Earthcare Annual Art Competition

Huge congratulations to Indira Lozenkovski of Year 8, who won the People's Choice Category of the Caritas Australia's Catholic Earthcare annual art competition exploring the theme of Peace with Creation.

This is a competition open to the whole of Australia, so this is an amazing accomplishment and wonderful that her talent has been recognised in this manner.

The results of the competition can be seen below. 

https://www.caritas.org.au/catholic-earthcare/school-art-competition/

Teamwork and Innovation on Display at Tournament of Minds

Early one Sunday morning in August, our school was proudly represented by two brilliant teams at the annual Tournament of Minds (ToM) competition. Students showcased their problem-solving and creative skills in a challenging and fast-paced environment.

The Molten Cheese Gang tackled the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Challenge, which required them to investigate the reasons for the disunity of Earth’s four spheres: the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Their task was to create a scientific theory for this breakdown and present a solution to restore the planet’s balance. The team’s presentation featured a remarkable 3D emblem that physically broke apart and was then reassembled in a new, more resilient configuration, symbolising a hopeful future for our world.

Meanwhile, our second team, Blank Canvas, competed in The Arts Challenge. Their brief, "We Are The World," tasked them with creating two collaborative artworks—a performance piece and a visual art collage—inspired by past and present artists. Their presentation was a powerful expression of global unity and cultural diversity, designed to convey a message of peace to the world. The team's creative talents and thoughtful message were truly inspiring.

The competition was fierce with many teams having a few years of experience in this competition under their belts. Of the 26 teams that competed in the day, Blank Canvas were awarded the Spirit of ToM award for the best performance in the Spontaneous Challenge - the spontaneous challenge is an unseen, time-limited problem that teams must solve collaboratively on the day of the competition to test their creative and critical thinking skills. 

Here is the judge’s feedback on Blank Canvas’ Spontaneous Challenge performance: 

This team struck gold with their imaginative take on the Spontaneous challenge. Despite being the youngest of the secondary teams we judged, they impressed us with their creativity, teamwork, and infectious energy. Watching them work together was a true highlight – the way ideas sparked and bounced around the team, each one building off the last, was nothing short of brilliant. The excitement reached a peak when one team member threw in a bold new twist, and the whole group lit up with excitement. The result? A hilarious and unexpected retelling of the Grinch's plot to steal Christmas, this time involving an anti-aging plot and financial ruin. It was fun, clever and spontaneous – which is what “Spont” is all about.

Both teams demonstrated exceptional teamwork, dedication, and ingenuity, spending countless hours preparing for this event. Their commitment is a testament to the school's collaborative spirit and innovative thinking. Congratulations to all the students involved!

Mrs Claire Owen
Science Teacher