Issue 14 I 27 September 2019

It has been an exciting end to Term 3 with Junior

School students showcasing their performing arts

skills in OPAC’s Got Talent, our first P&F Trivia Night

and Year 12 Graduation and Valedictory dinner.

It has been wonderful to celebrate with our most

senior students as they get ready to conclude their

time at school with their HSC examinations next term.

As I’ve reflected on the past six years and this group

of students, who have been the pioneers of the

Senior School, I’ve been impressed by the level of

responsibility they have taken, and their willingness

to serve and care for the younger students in the

College. They have experienced many “firsts” at the

College, including our first Year 12 Informal

Assembly in which they were able to light heartedly

reflect on their fond memories of staff and events at

the College. They were also treated to a surprise

performance from our very own Spice Girls who

reminded them to “Stop right now, it’s time to

study…”

At their Graduation Assembly, I encouraged them to

take comfort in God’s word to them from Romans

8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all

things work together for good.” Even though their

future may seem so uncertain, God has a perfect

plan for each of them. We know that they will leave

us with a firm foundation for a character that doesn’t

shy away from challenging situations (has courage),

thirsts for knowledge and understanding (shows

curiosity), continues to develop their God-given

talents (pursues craftsmanship), works respectfully

with other people (able to collaborate) and serves

with kindness and generosity (have compassion). We

will continue to pray for our Year 12 as they prepare

for their HSC examinations which commence on

17 October.

I wish all our families a safe and restful time over the

holiday period and hope you enjoy reading more

about what has been going on in “The Life” of our

College.

“Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not

on your own understanding; in all your ways

acknowledge him, and he will make your paths

straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Mrs Naomi Wilkins Principal

Week 1A

Tuesday 15 October

Term 4 Commences

Wednesday 16 October

IPSSO - OPAC v WAC (Away Game)

Thursday 17 October

Year 1 Swimming Scheme

Concert Band (Year 3-12) 3.30pm-5pm

Whole College Assembly 2pm

Week 2B

Monday 21 October

K-2 Tabloid Carnival

Tuesday 22 October

IPSSO - OPAC v BAC (Home Game)

P&F Meeting 7pm

Wednesday 23 October

College Sports Dinner 6pm-9pm

Thursday 24 October

Year 1 Swimming Scheme

Junior School Public Speaking Finals - 6.30pm

Concert Band (Year 3-12) 3.30pm-5pm

Friday 25 October

P-6 Buddies

Week 1A

Tuesday 15 October

Term 4 Commences

Wednesday 16 October

MISA Drama Excursion

Stage Band 3.15pm-4.15pm

Thursday 17 October

Concert Band (Year 3-12) 3.30pm-5pm

Whole College Assembly 2pm

Week 2B

Monday 21 October

Senior Choir (Year 7-12) 3.15pm-4.15pm

Tuesday 22 October

P&F Meeting 7pm

Wednesday 23 October

College Sports Dinner 6pm-9pm

Stage Band 3.15pm-4.15pm

Thursday 24 October

Concert Band (Year 3-12) 3.30pm-5pm

Friday 25 October

Stage 5 Drama Evening 5pm

College News

Medication

For any students who have medication stored in the sick bay and have taken it home over the holidays,

please remember to bring them back at the start of Term 4 to Mrs Kiss at Student Services.

School Canteen - Outstanding Payments

Please ensure any money owed to the canteen for food provided on days your child has been without recess

or lunch is paid back as soon as possible. Please also be advised that the canteen is only able to provide

sandwiches should students not have their lunch.

Year 10 Service Learning Trips Payments

Payment for the Fiji and Dusty Boots Service Learning Trips were due today. Please ensure that any

outstanding payments are finalised as soon as possible. Please contact Mrs Lee on 02 4604 0000 if you

need any further assistance.

College Office - Holiday Hours

The College Office will be open during the first week of holidays (Monday 30 September to Friday 4 October)

from 8am to 2pm. We will then be closed for the holidays from Monday 7 October to Friday 11 October, as

well as Monday 14 October for Staff Professional Development.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday - see you back in Term 4 on Tuesday 15 October!

College P&F Update

Call for Volunteers

The P&F will be holding a BBQ Fundraiser at Gregory Hills

Bunnings next term, on Saturday 26 October 2019.

If you are able to volunteer on the day, for an hour or two, it would

be much appreciated! Please email pandf@opac.nsw.edu.au with

your availability.

Clothing Pool (Second Hand Uniforms) Donations

As some of you might be aware, the P&F run a clothing pool for the College:

If you have any second hand uniforms that you would like to donate, please feel free to drop

them into the Front Office

If you are looking to purchase any second hand uniforms, please contact Amanda Mair at

0404 094 636 or amandamair@rocketmail.com

Inaugural P&F Trivia Night

The P&F held the College’s first ever Trivia Night last Saturday 21 September. It was a fun-filled

evening, with College staff, families and friends, all coming together to enjoy some light-hearted

competition and fun games.

Thank you to all who assisted with the planning and organisation for the night. Please enjoy some

photos from the night over the page.

Mrs Katherine Kendon Deputy Principal - Head of Junior School

Junior School have had a fantastic finish to this term!

OPAC’s Got Talent was a celebration of the creative

arts in the Junior School. There was plenty of

preparation as teachers set up the hall, held rehearsals

and calmed nerves. We are so proud of the courage

that our students displayed when performing in front of

such a large audience. Thank you to all the teachers

who helped to put the evening together and the

families and friends that joined us.

As part of our Service Learning this term, Junior

School teamed up with the Senior School to raise

funds for Compassion and Operation Christmas Child.

Both of these charities are ones that the College has

supported since its foundation. With the

encouragement of our College Captains, Maxine and

Oliver, each grade identified what gifts they wanted to

raise funds for. Children looked for ways to do extra

jobs at home or bring lunch from home rather than

buying from the canteen in order to meet their goals.

We are proud of the way that students got behind this

project, looking for ways that they could authentically

contribute and actively show their hearts of service.

NAPLAN results were released last week, and families

would have received student individual results. As

I have mentioned in previous years, NAPLAN is a

snapshot of a child’s achievement on one day. As

teachers, we use NAPLAN results as one piece of

information, amongst the rest of the data that we

collect, so that we can get a holistic view of a child’s

ability and teachers can develop practical strategies to

use in the classroom. I trust that these results,

alongside the information you receive from your child’s

class teacher, will help you to gain an understanding

of your son or daughter’s literacy and numeracy skills.

As we head into the term break, we hope that you

enjoy the extra time together. For those in our

community who are travelling away for holidays we

pray for safe travels and return for the beginning of

Term 4.

‘Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full

restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind,

live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be

with you.’ 2 Corinthians 13:11

Prep Blue Excursion

On Tuesday 24 September, Prep Blue had a great day at Symbio Wildlife Park! We were able to observe up close, a whole range of animals, as a culmination to our learning this term about wild and Australian animals. It was a fabulous learning experience for Prep Blue as we learnt lots of interesting facts about the animals from the Symbio rangers.

A big thank you to all our parent helpers on the day - we hope you also had a fun filled day!

Mrs Shepherd

Prep Blue Teacher

Prep Red Excursion

We had such a fun filled and exciting day on our excursion to Symbio Wildlife Park on Monday 23 September Thank you so much to Mrs V. and our two parent helpers, Shelley Caton and Natalie Collits for sharing the day with us and making it so great.

Some highlights of the day were feeding the kangaroos and wallabies, and getting up close to the emus and reptiles. It was a perfect way to consolidate our classroom learning of Australian animals and their habitats.

Mrs Maloney Prep Red Teacher

Year 6 Leaders Tour of NSW Parliament House

On Friday 13 September, Mr Peter Sidgreaves,

Member for Camden, invited our College’s Year 6

student leaders to NSW Parliament House for a special

guided tour and some delicious morning tea in the

Speaker’s Garden.

After morning tea, Mr Sidgreaves introduced himself

and gave an introduction into the building and the

running of parliament. We also got to meet the Hon.

Dr. Geoffrey Lee, Minister for Skills and Tertiary

Education. He spoke to us about his role and

encouraged us to be courageous leaders who strive to

work to serve our schools and to make a positive

impact in our communities.

After morning tea, we went into the Lower House for an

explanation about what happens in this room and how

bills and laws are created and passed. We did a small

role play before seeing the mace and beginning the

tour around Parliament House.

The tour was very interesting and we got to travel up

and down the lifts to see the library, the government

offices, the restricted area for ministers and the media

room where they can conduct interviews. We had a

quick tour through Mr Sidgreaves’s office and got to

see the view over the harbour from the balcony.

It was a very interesting day and a privilege to be able to see so many things that are normally not open to the general public.

Mr Przydacz Junior School Wellbeing Coordinator

OPAC’s Got Talent

Last Thursday night saw the Junior School Creative Arts Night take on a different focus of showcasing student talents in song, dance, gymnastics, musical instruments, comedy and magic. Twenty eight students from Kindergarten to Year 6 advanced their way through heats held throughout the term to the final of OPAC’s Got Talent. These students were joined by the College choirs, dance and band groups, including the Year 4 training band. All the performers on the night rose to the occasion and gave their best. It was encouraging to see these students bring their talent to the stage and earn their position in the final through perseverance and practice. Well done to all the participants on the night and thank you for a wonderful night of entertainment! Please enjoy some photos from the night over the next page.

Gifted and Talented Mathematics Competition

This year for the first time, our College entered two teams from Year 6 in the NSW Gifted and Talented Mathematics Competition. Lara Faddy, Charlise Palmer, Lily Finn, Joshua Woods (Team One); MJ Espinosa, Nathan Tattam, Jayden Woods, and Raif Haack (Team Two) competed in several challenges throughout the day that required the application of mathematical concepts and strategies to solve complex problems. Team One achieved a creditable 5th place from thirty one teams. It was a great experience for all those involved and certainly challenged their creative thinking skills. These students are to be congratulated on their application to the tasks and for the commendable way they represented the College at this event. Mrs Cathy Grant Junior School Coordinator

It has been a wonderful finish to Term 3 with the highlight being the Graduation and Valedictory dinner for our inaugural Year 12 cohort. I have had the great pleasure of getting to know this group of students over the past few years and really enjoyed seeing them grow into mature young men and women. They are a credit to the College and to their families.

If I were to sum up their character in one word, it would be service. This group has included a number of students that have served the College consistently. They have gone above and beyond at numerous College events including the Oran Park Festival, Performing Arts evenings, sporting carnivals, overseas missions and an array of Senior School and whole College activities.

In doing so, I have seen their relationships with staff and peers solidify and the respect and admiration from their colleagues increase. They are a fine example for others to follow. The graduation assembly celebrated their efforts and achievements and reinforced the importance of hard work being the key ingredient to success. I firmly believe that students that demonstrate improvement should be acknowledged as much as those that achieve excellent results. For all students, GROWTH is the most important element. Those that received awards on the day have worked hard and have worked consistently over time. The great football player Pele once said, “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do”.

As the Class of 2019 move into their respective futures, I believe hard work and persistence will be key to their success. Success not just in vocation, but in all areas. If we desire rewarding careers, relationships and fami-lies, we need to work at it. Life is without doubt full of challenges. To this, our first Year 12 graduands, I hope for you to be people that will persist through challenges. I hope and pray that in your time at our College, you have learnt the importance of hard work, the value of integrity and honesty, the compassion to treat others in the way you wish to be treated, and the grace to live with an attitude of gratitude in every facet of your life.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have played a small part in the lives of our first Year 12 cohort, and I know our staff resonate with this sentiment. We are truly becoming a vibrant learning community, where every member is valued, high standards of character, behaviour and relationships are set and Christ is honoured. God bless you Year 12.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all cir-cumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. 1 Thessalonians 5 16-18

Mr Michael Newton Deputy Principal - Head of Senior School

Student Council BBQ to farewell Year 12

On Tuesday 24 September, the Student Council ran a BBQ to say farewell to the Year 12 students prior to their graduation. This BBQ was held prior to the inaugural “Staff v. Students” sporting match later in the day.

Mrs Brennan Student Council Coordinator

MISA Debating Grand Final

Our Year 7 debating team debated their way almost to the top this season!

After multiple rounds of training and debating, the Year 7 debating team qualified for the grand finals of the MISA debating competition. They came first in their division and lost narrowly in the grand finals to Magdalene Catholic College.

Congratulations to Marcela Duran, Raphaella Agia, Valentina Garcia-Quevedo, Nikki Biswal and Sienna-Rose Kumar for their consistent effort and growth mindset!

Mrs Steele-Smith Debating Coordinator

Student Council BBQ and activities to support RUOK Day

On Friday 13 September, the Student Council ran a BBQ and organised some activities for Pastoral Care Groups to raise funds and awareness of suicide prevention. This is a great cause and it is an important issue to be aware of.

Mrs Brennan Student Council Coordinator

Year 9 and 10 Armstrong Excursion

On Thursday 26 September, Year 9 and 10 were fortunate enough to attend an excursion to Event Cinemas, to view the documentary “Armstrong”.

The film is based on the life of Neil Armstrong, from his childhood to his first steps on the Moon. The content coincidences with the Stage 5 Science course, as well as the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. A great opportunity for the students to witness archival footage of the momentous event for the scientific community, as well as the role Australian scientists played to ensure the mission was a success.

Mrs Arundell Science Teacher

Congratulations to Cerise Bootsma – Finalist in NSW Plan Your Own Enterprise Competition

Year 11 Business Studies students have spent several weeks working on their own small business plans as part of their studies. Students developed a range of interesting concepts, and several entries were submitted in the Plan Your Own Enterprise Competition. Cerise recently attended an awards ceremony as one of ten finalists in the NSW Division. Here is her speech summarising her plan:

Two Steps Ahead is a company that provides service tours for two major age groups. The vision of Two Steps Ahead is to provide a tour to empower human connection through an experimental understanding of third world countries whilst encapsulating perspective-changing philanthropy. Two Steps Ahead’s prime function is to provide a constructed and organised tour through parts of South East Asia and for a unique experience for the purpose of philanthropy and service. Two Steps Ahead provide two initial tours:

Tour curated for youth (recent school leavers, university students, couples etc.) incorporating visiting and serving younger generations and families to provide a more focused and specific learning experience.

Tour curated for the elderly (recent retirees), be less strenuous and more focused on personal service and incorporating a more relaxing and scenic route.

The first tour for youth is located in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. South East Asia is important as being close to Australia where its poverty is known. Vietnam is home to beautiful, mountainous scenery and multiple havens for adventure and picturesque moments. The orphanage is home to over 100 children. Participants will visit these children and help serve food and help teachers whilst also creating genuine connection and impact in their lives. The second tour for the older demographic is located in Bangkok, Thailand. Various school groups located in Bangkok are understaffed and require individuals to connect with students through the teaching of English. Couples and individuals can nurture a class of students through communication of experiences in English. Activities in Bangkok are vibrant and encourage a different perspective on the country.

Mrs Brennan Business Studies Teacher

$20 Boss Program

Over the last week, students in Stage 5 Commerce and four Year 6 students have put into practice what they have been learning about running a business. They now understand the importance of marketing, finance and what it takes to break even and make a profit!

Some of the business included High Tea and Games at the local retirement Village, a Gaming Tournament in the Senior School, stationery items to the Junior School, iced tea and anti-stress balls.

Mrs Brennan Commerce Teacher

YEAR 6 STUDENTS VISIT TO

ANGLICARE ORAN PARK VILLAGE

Class of 2019 Student Assembly

Last Friday 20 September, Year 12 hosted the first ever College Informal Assembly for the Senior School!

Year 12 dressed up as what they want to be when they grow up and entertained us with a group band performance, hilarious and heart-warming videos, an awards ceremony and a teacher game of Kahoot. There was also an opportunity for everyone to dance, plenty of laughing, a little crying, some epic speeches, and a surprise Spice Girls flash mob by the teachers.

Ms Lamerton and Mrs Cornford

College Counsellors

Get Your Sleep Sorted

Recharge is a personalised six-week program that helps improve your general health and wellbeing by focusing on four key areas:

a regular wake and sleep time each day, achieved gradually over six weeks

an alarm clock that triggers fun activities designed to get you up and out of bed

increasing your exposure to daylight early in the day, to help reset your body clock

encouraging you to increase physical activity, especially within two hours of waking up.

Establishing a good sleep/wake routine that includes regular exercise and early daylight exposure will help improve your mood, energy and general health and wellbeing as well as helping you sleep better at night. Key features include practical tips to improve your sleep/wake routine and wellbeing, daily reports to track your mood, energy, exercise and sleep and graphs to help monitor your progress.

Don’t let the bad stuff take over

Practice gratitude by writing down the things you're thankful for in this daily journal app. Features:

add up to three photos a day

rate your day with mood icons

enjoy daily inspirational quotes

export your journal to a PDF file.

Stay Calm The Stop, Breathe and Think App is designed to help you be more mindful and compassionate using a meditation guide. You can check in daily, track your progress, and feel more calm.

Get Organised

My Study Life is a cross-platform planner for students, teachers and lecturers designed to make your study life easier to manage. My Study Life allows you to store your classes,

homework and exams in the cloud making it available on any device, wherever you are. My Study Life seamlessly syncs your data between devices, allowing you to use the app even when offline. You can add a task on the move from your phone or tablet and it will be instantly available on the web app

Reconnect with friends The Check-in is for anyone who wants to check in with a friend but is concerned about saying the wrong thing or making the situation worse.

The app takes you through four steps, getting you to think about where you might check in, what you might say and how might you support your friend. There is also a section showing you things to consider, such as what if my friend denies there is a problem or what if I say something silly. After you have had your conversation you can go back into the app and rate how it went. The app will then give you advice on the next steps.

Helpful Apps for Teens

College Sport

Thank you to Hockey NSW and to the AFL for running such wonderful programs this term. Year 1 also participated in a fantastic Tennis program as well.

Year 2 Sports Afternoon

On Thursday 26 September, Year 2 participated in a special sports afternoon of football and netball, in readiness for the coming year.

Term 4 Sport

IPSSO Teams for Term 1 and Term 4 are the same for 2019. Training will commence in early Term 4. For students participating in College Sport, the following options are available:

Cricket http://tiny.cc/jlhadz

Ultimate Frisbee http://tiny.cc/rohadz

Dance (Years 3 and 4) http://tiny.cc/zqhadz

Tennis (Years 5 and 6) http://tiny.cc/euhadz

To register, please click on the link of choice above. Registrations will close at 3pm on Friday 4 October. Students who do not register will be placed into a sporting group at the discretion of the Sports Coordinator. Please note that group spaces are limited and will fill quickly.

Mr Chapman Junior School Sports Coordinator

JUNIOR SCHOOL

NSW All Schools Athletics Championships

Congratulations to Lauren Tisdale (Year 11) who

represented our College at the NSW All Schools Athletic

Championships in the 16 Years Girls Pole Vault. Well done

Lauren on your commitment, determination and

craftsmanship in the Pole Vaulting arena!

OPAC Singles Tennis Championships

Congratulations to Oliver Humphreys (Year 12) for

defeating Victoria Shaw (Year 10) in the Singles Tennis

Championships. It was a tough match, with many games

going to numerous deuces! Oliver ended up winning 6-3.

Well done!

Staff vs Year 12 Sporting Challenge

On Tuesday 24 September, Year 12 took on the College

Staff in Volleyball and Oz Tag. The competition was

challenging and the games were played with enthusiasm.

The College Staff were victorious in both Volleyball (2 sets

to 1 set) and Oz Tag (7-3), with Mr. Warren running a full

field try in Oz Tag - play of the day! The culture was

excellent and the challenge has been set! Well done Staff!

SENIOR SCHOOL

Mrs Clisdell Senior School Sports Coordinator