Upcoming Events
Wed, Jun 29
In Your Skin - Year 9-12 Parent Session (6-7:30pm)
Sun, Jul 3
NAIDOC Week begins
Exams Timetable - Week 10, Term 2

Fundraising for Mercy Works with Entertainment

PIPALYATJARA Winter Drive

Join us at our next SCHOOL TOUR!
To all responsible users of social media: If you are on Instagram and would like to see more snapshots of SAC in action, feel free to follow our new official SAC Instagram page!

Donations Wanted!

Australian Mathematics Competition - Invitation

Parking Rules and Restrictions at SAC

From the SAC UNIFORM SHOP

08.06.22

Acknowledgement of Country


21.06.22

From the Principal

Ms Paddy McEvoy
Principal

Grandparents and grand-friends came out in force last Friday to spend time with Reception students and staff participating in a range of fun and engaging activities. The children were so excited to welcome their families to the College. We recognise the very important role grandparents and friends play in the growth and development of our students, providing the unconditional love and support that enables them to flourish, and we thank everyone who took the time to be part of this special day.

Our Reception students having a wonderful time with their Grandparents and Grand-Friends


“A good start is of great importance”

Orientation for our midyear Reception intake has started and will continue for the next two Mondays. Catherine McAuley once said, “A good start is of great importance”, and we want each student to feel a strong sense of connection and belonging from their very first days at the College. We are thrilled that 18 students and their families will begin their journey at SAC in Term 3 and we look forward to seeing them make their home here.


Year 10 and 11 students have had a very busy fortnight, undertaking the first round of exams for 2022. Whilst many subjects do not require exams as part of their assessment plan, the skills and confidence to be successful in exam conditions are important to develop in our students. Year 10 students also completed a Work Experience placement this week, and we hope that the insights provided into the world of work will be useful as they navigate their pathways through the final years of schooling. We are grateful to all the families and community contacts who welcome our students into their workplaces – without your generosity, this important aspect of the Personal Learning Plan would simply not be possible.


You may have heard the cheering across Adelaide last Thursday evening when our vocal ensemble, Catch 22, was announced the winner of their division at the Generations in Jazz Festival for 2022. Whilst it was not possible to hold the event live, the students have grown as performers through their preparation for and recording of their pieces. We congratulate Ms Jo Tropeano, Choir Director, and Ms Fiona Turner, Music Coordinator, on supporting the students to achieve this level of excellence. Congratulations also to Ms Stephanie Neale, who directed the Stage Band in another excellent performance. Two students from this band were selected as part of the Super Band, for their performances on trumpet and trombone.


Congratulations To the following students who were selected as part of the Super Band, for their performances on trumpet and trombone.

Year 10 Student Alexis
Year 12 Student Sofia

An excellent performance by our SAC Stage Band

Congratulations to the Year 4 students who received the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Communion last Wednesday in the St Francis Xavier Cathedral. Thank you to Archbishop Patrick O'Regan DD and Fr Anthoni Adimai SdM who led us in this special celebration.


The theme for Refugee Week this year is Healing, and our students reflected on the questions What message of hope and healing would you like to send to people seeking safety in our community? and How can SAC be a community where all people can heal and find hope?

The Justice and Mercy group then collated student responses to form a display for the foyer. The Sisters of Mercy have a proud history of supporting families with refugee experience here in Adelaide, so it was a pleasure to welcome Nagina Zahra, to our Staff Meeting to share some information about her work educating refugees in Indonesia and Thailand. Nagina and her husband Muzafar helped establish Cisarua Learning, a refugee-led education centre, whilst waiting in Indonesia for their refugee status to be assessed by UNHCR. Nagina is an inspiration to all of us in her commitment to support those who remain in refugee centres and we are proud she is an old scholar and current staff member. If you would like to support Nagina’s work in Cisarua Learning, please follow the link below.

Wishing all our students, staff and families the very best as we begin Semester 2!

Ms Paddy McEvoy
Principal

"Nagina is an inspiration to all of us in her commitment to support those who remain in refugee centres and we are proud she is an old scholar and current staff member."


22.06.22

Refugee Week 2022 - Healing

Celebrating the courage and resilience of refugees

Students gathered together at lunchtime on Wednesday this week to celebrate the courage and resilience of refugees everywhere. The theme for Refugee Week this year is Healing. Students coloured a collaborative artwork (an illustration by Nima Javan, a refugee and artist specialising in traditional Persian art); made origami hearts with messages of hope and kindness to decorate our large 'Healing' banner; wrote poetry; and penned letters to the newly appointed Immigration Minister (requesting an end to Temporary Protection Visas, as promised pre-election). Our celebration was hosted by the JAM (Justice and Mercy) group, in collaboration with a number of refugee students within the SAC school community.

In the words of one of the students involved: “At the gathering I saw many beautiful young girls living here in Australia going to the same school as me and with different backgrounds. There were songs playing from different languages and we had a little Origami section which I really enjoyed helping the little kids. I really enjoyed it and I think it is very important to have everyone there.”

Ms Suzy Penberthy
Teacher/JAM Support

A big congratulations to Year 11 student Isabelle Chen whose poster was runner up in the state-wide Refugee Week, Youth Poster Awards. Isabelle’s powerful poster with the caption ‘Seeking Safety Should not be a crime’ creatively captures the plight of refugees. She received $100 for her win and the school $300. I would also like to congratulate Francesca Capozzi whose inventive poster was also chosen to be exhibited at the Poster Award Exhibition.  A selection of posters created in Ms Toubia’s 2021 Semester 2 Design class are currently on display in the foyer. Please come and look at these engaging images as we all take time this Refugee Week to reflect on the plight and strength of refugees.

‘Seeking Safety Should not be a crime’ by Isabelle Chen

16.06.22

Support our Year 12 Executive at The Biggest Morning Tea!

On Monday 27 June, the Year 12 Executive will be hosting their very own Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea for staff and Year 12 students at Recess in the McAuley Auditorium.

The Year 12’s will be on a baking spree, with a bake sale to also be held at lunch time for the students.

The Biggest Morning Tea raises funds for those impacted by cancer, to show your support, feel free to donate here.


21.06.22

Bronze Dukes Girls Trek Through Kuitpo Forest

Monday 6 June started as a clear crisp day and saw 57 students from Year 8 and 9 embark on their first Dukes expedition. After an hour drive, the girls reached their camp site where they quickly pitched their tents before boarding the bus again for a short drive to the start of their trek. The trek, mostly along the Heysen Trail, took them through natural scrubland and planted Pine Forests as they navigated their way on a 16 km route back to the camp site.

At approximately 4:00pm the last of the groups arrive back at the campsite where they began to prepare their evening meal and start a campfire. As the night drew in the girls gathered around the fire toasting marshmallows and participating in various fun activities.

Tuesday 7 June was a very cold, wet start to the day. A fire was quickly started and a breakfast of cereals, eggs, bacon and toast was cooked by all the students. When breakfast was heartily consumed the girls made their lunch, repacked their back packs and took down their very wet tents before heading off in groups of 8 or 9 on the orienteering course. By noon all groups had returned from the orienteering course had lunch boarded the bus and headed back to school.

Dukes camps are always an unforgettable experience for all involved.

Mr Alan Brown
Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Coordinator
Outdoor Education Coordinator


21.06.22

From the Careers Department

Ms Julie Stephenson
Careers & VET Coordinator

How do we expect young people to dream if they don’t know what they can dream about?

Opportunities for career exploration give young people broader exposure to the working world they will one day enter. Connecting the dots between school and career can aid motivation to strive for future goals, and it’s always wonderful to see students seizing opportunities for growth and development. Thinking outside the box in terms of pathways and stereotypical gendered professions can be challenging but also fulfilling. Year 11 student Charley is to be commended for doing exactly that. With an interest in mechanics, Charley participated in a school holiday program at the Motor Trades Association which offered an introduction to the automotive industry and taught key skills including; changing a punctured tyre, checking crucial levels and vehicle maintenance tips, how to jump start a vehicle, how to reset tyre pressure, spotting damaged vehicles and learning how to spot odometer tampering. She also toured the MTA facilities, learned about basic vehicle technology and tried her hand at spray painting using a virtual reality paint system.

Igniting a keen interest, Charley has since attended a week of work experience generously hosted by Volkswagen Solitaire, where she found out firsthand what it’s like to immerse yourself in a world of automotive technology. After impressing her host employer, we are keen to see where this journey of exploration takes her. Congratulations Charley!

Year 11 student, Charley, in the school holiday program at the Motor Trades Association

Parents and Carers FREE webinar

Tuesday 9 August 2022 | 3:30pm AECT

 Career decision-making learning includes developing the ability to make career decisions in the context of life planning and relating self-awareness to the knowledge of different opportunities. In guiding this development, we have a responsibility to provide young people with learning opportunities that expand their understanding of themselves in relation to less visible careers, such as those in Agriculture.

  • how to best support students to develop self-awareness and self-efficacy to support their career goals
  • the purpose, meaning and values that are associated with career choice for students aspiring to a fulfilling career and life
  • the unseen job market in the agriculture industry

Registration (gotowebinar.com)


21.06.22

An Outstanding Achievement

"you just don’t know it, until you have a go."

Congratulations to Year 12 student, Rida, who was recently a prize winner in the Future Leaders Photography Prize. Pursuing her passion for photography, Rida has always tried to find competitions to enter into and after submitting her photograph and an application, she was pleased and excited to receive a winner notification! The competition was open to all Year 12 students across Australia and one student from Sydney and Rida (from SA) were awarded with this prize and $500. Well done Rida!


22.06.22

From the Music Department

Ms Fiona Turner
Music Coordinator

The past few weeks have been very busy in the Music Department. During Arts week, the Year 5 classes ventured to the Town Hall for a concert by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra as part of the ASO’s annual Festival of Learning. Led by internationally acclaimed educator Paul Rissmann, the concert featured the world premiere of Rissmann’s new composition, The Lost Thing, inspired by the book of the same name by Australian author Shaun Tan. The Year 5 students joined in enthusiastically with the parts they had learnt during their music lessons with Ms Binney and enjoyed the variety of music presented in the concert.

As part of the ASO’s annual Festival of Learning, the Year 5 classes (pictured above) were excited to visit the Town Hall for a concert by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra

Week 6 also saw the Year 10 – 12 Music students performing at the Senior Music Evening, showcasing the range of talents in our senior school and providing an opportunity for students to share their music with their families.

Earlier in the term, Catch 22 and the Stage Band recorded entries for this year’s online Generations in Jazz festival. Last Thursday evening, members of these ensembles gathered to watch the Generations in Jazz Gala Concert online. It was an evening of terrific music and brought with it the announcement of the division winners. Catch 22 were thrilled to learn that they were the winners of Division 3 Vocal – Treble Voices. Also recognized at the concert were Sophia S and Alexis A, who were selected in the Division 4 Superband. Congratulations to all the students involved as well as the ensemble directors Ms Jo Tropeano and Ms Stephanie Neale. Thanks also to Catch 22 accompanist Alex Wignall. We are very proud of you all!

Ms Fiona Turner
Music Coordinator

OUTSTANDING MUSIC Achievement

Congratulations to Year 4 Student Ziqi, who recently entered the Piano Division of the Adelaide Eisteddfods and also performed as part of the Recital Australia Junior Star Program. At the Eisteddfods, Ziqi won first prize in the 9 Years Own Choice and AMEB Grade 8 sections, as well as second prize in the 9 Years Modern Piece section and an honourable mention in the 12 and Under Romantic Era section. Congratulations Ziqi!


22.06.22

The da Vinci Decathlon

The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. With a particular emphasis on higher order thinking skills, problem solving and creativity, students compete in teams of eight across ten disciplines: engineering, mathematics, code breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography, and legacy.

This year, SAC entered a Year 5-6 team under the guidance of Ms Graney and Ms Cronin and a Year 9 team under the guidance of Ms Villis and Mr Cotton. Prior to the competition, teams met weekly to develop team skills and familiarise themselves with competition categories. Congratulations to both teams!

The Year 5 team who won placements in the following categories:

  • Engineering: 4th
  • Code Breaking: 5th
  • Art and Poetry: 6th
  • Mathematics: 7th
  • English: 8th

The Year 9 team who won placements in the following categories:

  • Code Breaking: 2nd
  • Mathematics: 3rd
  • Creative Producers: 3rd
  • Ideation: 5th
  • Science: 8th

Ms Joanne Villis
Digital Technologies Coordinator

Ms Vivian Graney
Primary Curriculum Coordinator


22.06.22

A Little Wet Weather - Lots of fun!

A little wet weather didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of our Year 7 students as they headed off to the Adelaide Hills for Year 7 Camp over the past few weeks. Students enjoyed the opportunity to connect with students across the year level and form new connections, while pushing themselves physically and trying new activities. From getting muddy and wet while tackling Challenge Hill, ducking for cover and hiding in the forest during laser skirmish, to learning survival skills by starting fires using flint, there was always something new to try.

Students also enjoyed the opportunity to learn from local businesses about how to start, grow, and diversify a business. Our trips took us to the fields of Jurlique flower farm, into the warm kitchen of the family run of Beerenberg, and around the delectably sweet factory of Melba’s Chocolates. The presenters gave a great insight into what it takes to run a business, and how they have managed to overcome challenges that the pandemic has presented them with.

A big thank you to the Year 7 teachers who helped make this camp possible.

Ms Tenielle Nuske
Year 7 Coordinator

"Camp was amazing, I made so many new friends and many memories." Kira Zhang

"Camp was a fantastic and enjoyable way to meet new people. We also appreciate the opportunity to step outside of our comfort zones and attempt a variety of new activities. Despite the weather, we had a fulfilling experience." Zihan Cheng & Clementina Colmenares Gonzalez

"The camp was a great experience with good people and the activities we participated in were very fun. The businesses we went to were very nice and strawberry Beerenberg ice cream absolutely tastes amazing!" Alexandra Sheedy


22.06.22

Arts Week - Celebrating the creativity and collaboration in our school community!

Arts Week was a new initiative organised by the Senior Art, Drama and Music leaders to celebrate the Arts, as well as the creativity and collaboration in our school community.

Held in Week 6, students had the opportunity to get involved in and explore various areas of the Arts. With musical performances, photobooths and a collaborative banner among other exciting activities, this celebration of the Arts was filled with enthusiasm and excitement.

The Year 10 and 12 Drama students started the week with a bang by seeing sold out State Theatre show Antigone. The play started in Ancient Greece we are then shown a kaleidoscope of dramatic vignettes, personal stories, and dialogue taken from the mouths of our own politicians and famous women throughout history. Confrontational and moving at times, the students thoroughly enjoyed the production. On Wednesday our Drama Leaders ran a dress-up photo booth. 100’s of photos were taken against a gold glittery curtain. Finally on Thursday Slingsby’s Flying Squad visited the school with the beautiful and creative production of This Tree is a Tree. Exploring the cultural and diverse backgrounds of the actors, the play fit in beautifully with the Year 7s current studies of their own cultural backgrounds.

Musical offering over the week included the Drum Corps leading a Conga line around the school, an interactive display of unusual instruments, a Year 5 excursion to hear the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and performances from a variety of ensembles which had the crowds rocking at lunch times throughout the week. A particular highlight was the Year 7/8 Dance group dancing up a storm to the Middle School Concert Band’s Thriller.

Throughout the week there was also an exhibition of student artwork in the foyer and students collaborated to create a fantastic banner celebrating the week.

On behalf of the Arts Leaders, we’d like to thank all those who participated in Arts Week 2022!

Thankyou also to Arts coordinators Ms Turner (Music), Ms Barratt (Visual Art) and Mr Coultas (Drama) for their support in helping our vision come to life.

Emily Crocker (Music Leader) & Paige Tran (Art Leader)


22.06.22

The Big Day In

designed for students to explore careers in technology

The Big Day In is an event designed for students to explore careers in technology. Students gain insights into career paths, opportunities, and the future of technology.  

Students heard from industry speakers from organisations like Amazon Web Services, Australian Space Agency, Axios, TCS and more! In the breaks, they visited the exhibitor stands to speak with company and university representatives.

According to Emma Fyfe, “I was surprised about the vast number of careers which involved technology” and Mikayla Yap added, “the day broadened my horizons regarding my future and what job I want to pursue”.

Ms Joanne Villis
Digital Technologies Coordinator


22.06.22

Heat Experiments – A snippet of STEM and 9JV Science

The “Fountain Experiment”(pictured above)

Several students excitedly filmed this demonstration that relied on how a tiny volume of liquid water can turn into a huge volume of steam when boiled, and then back again when cooled, drawing a large swirling volume of coloured water into the container to take its place.  Parents and home class teachers were the beneficiaries of their enthusiasm!

Lara (pictured above) kindly shared her photos with us.  Here she is seen contributing to her group’s experimental investigation into which coffee mug material keeps the hot drink warmest over a period of time.  Students were learning further about elements of experimental design – how to control variables more carefully, making repeated measurements with better precision, in this case using Pasco temperature sensors to blue tooth data to their Sparkvue app.  This meant that students could set it to automatically sample temperature at regular intervals, record a table of the data, and graph several sets of data on the one set of axes.  Turns out those travel mugs are a good investment!

Ms Sandra Eustace
Chemistry Teacher