Volume 8
Calling all Rosebank Writers
Semester 2 brings back the exciting opportunity to write and workshop your story/poetry/drama ideas with like-minded peers! Inspirational chocolates will be provided. For each session you will be required to bring a draft of your latest composition to complete, edit and polish ready for competitions or personal accomplishment. The workshops take place during PACE, where we will enjoy specially tailored writing activities in addition to independent time for personal projects. Writers will receive advice on all stages of drafting and details of the latest external writing competitions.
(Please note that this group does not provide advice for essay writing, homework or assessment tasks.)
If you would like to join our writers’ workshops for the start of Term 3, please email Assistant English Coordinator, Ms Nuttall at anuttall@rosebank.nsw.edu.au to register your interest by 16 June 2023.
Read More
Principal's Message
We proudly welcomed The Hon. Prue Car, MP, to Rosebank. The Deputy Premier and Minister for Education was keen to hear directly from teachers and provided them with an opportunity to express their views on some of the tensions around the teaching profession. School Captain, Jonas Kapsanis, and Year 7 Leader, Sophie O'Driscoll, proudly showed the minister around Rosebank, hitting their favourite locations, including the performing arts rooms and our new facilities in Manquehue Hall.
Last Friday, I had the privilege to acknowledge Dr Fiona Martin, one of our outstanding graduates who has not only excelled in her field but has also made a remarkable impact on the political landscape. Fiona is the first female MP to represent our local division of Reid and represented this community in the federal parliament 2019-2022.
Dr Martin is passionate about improving health outcomes. She is a registered psychologist who has advocated for young people, mental health, safety, and disability issues. We extend our gratitude for her dedication to public service and her achievements as a former Member of Parliament. She is testament to the impact Rosebank College can have on shaping leaders who strive to make a difference.
We presented Dr Martin with the 2023 Alumni Excellence Award, recognising her sustained contribution to her profession but also more broadly, nationally as a proactive representative of this area and health issues across our country.
I thank Dr Martin for her presence at the assembly and for inspiring us all with her achievements. Her success offers an inspiration to all of our students.
Celebrating alumni (past pupils) reminds us all once again that someday we will all refer to Rosebank in the past tense. We are always conscious that our community is constantly changing with the inflow of new faces every year and the ebb and departure of those we have nurtured for almost six years. It is a bittersweet time, and we only get comfort knowing that many of them will return. And we hope they do.
Finally, I thank every parent who has supported us as we impress upon our students the importance of our uniform. There has been a notable improvement in how the students are presenting at school, and I know this wouldn’t happen without your added support. To every student who wears our uniform with pride, I say thank you.
Read More
Ms Iris Nastasi
Principal
From the Assistant Principal
College Assembly - Friday, 26 May 
Thank you to those parents who attended the P&F meeting on 17 May and for joining our guest speaker for some insight around parent and carer engagement. Parents and carers play a critical and pivotal role as the first educators of their children, so coming together to have these discussions as a community is invaluable.
I would also like to thank those families who have so generously volunteered to host one of 8 international students who will join our College community at the start of Term 3, as part of our Benedictine Exchange Program (BEP). The BEP is a reciprocal short-stay exchange, which partners with Benedictine schools around the world. It offers our Year 9, 10 and 11 students the opportunity to travel abroad and learn in a dynamic environment whilst observing a new culture and establishing lifelong friendships.
We are tremendously excited to relaunch this hugely rewarding program, which was put on hold during COVID. The students arriving during the upcoming school holidays, are visiting us from Convitto Nazionale "Vittorio Emanuele II", Italy; Benediktinergymnasium Ettal, Germany; Ampleforth College, England and Glenstal Abbey School, Ireland. They will spend four weeks emersed in Rosebank student life. Our own students will have the opportunity to travel overseas in January 2024. The experiences had and memories made as part of this exchange program are in many cases, the highlight of a student’s high school journey. If you are interested in receiving more information about the BEP, please contact Tina Carbone, Community Engagement Liaison: tcarbone@rosebank.nsw.edu.au
Our Year 11 students, who will join their parents to attend their Learning Progress Meetings tomorrow evening, have over the past few weeks been participating in the student leadership selection process for 2023/2024. It takes a great deal of courage and commitment to put up one's hand for a leadership role and we wish all these students the very best during this exciting time. The leadership selection process will be completed by the end of term with students to receive their badges at our Benedict Day Mass.
On Wednesday, 7 June all students will come together for the 2023 Athletics Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park, a day of competition, comradery and an abundance of House spirit. We look forward to seeing if last year’s winners, Adamson House, will retain their spot at the top of the podium. The interhouse basketball competition held last week left us with no doubt that it is 50% talent and 50% enthusiasm, support and cheering that gets a team over the line, so we are looking forward to a display of high energy both on the track and field, and in the stands.
With a great deal on the go including Year 8, 9 and 10 subject selection sessions, Vinnies Winter Appeal and Night Patrol, the Music Ensembles Showcase (8 June), the Stage 5 Drama Production (13 June), Year 9 Reflection Day (16 June), Year 7 Semester 1 Arts Day (19 June), and Benedict Day (23 June) to name but a few activities on our calendar, we will all no doubt need be looking forward to the King’s Birthday long weekend. A reminder, that the College will be closed on Friday, 9 June as a day in lieu for Open Day, allowing the community a four day break to recharge in preparation for the final push to the end of term.
Save the Date - Understanding Bullying for Parents
I encourage you to save the date in your diary for our next P&F guest speaker, Louise Poulson from ‘Bully Zero’, who will talk with us about ‘Understanding Bullying for Parents’. This session on Wednesday, 6 September at 6:30pm, recognises the importance of the whole school community working together to help prevent all types of bullying. It will guide parents through understanding bullying behaviours, how to identify it and how to manage it. An invitation will be included in the newsletter closer to the date of this event.
Read More
Mr Paul Hardwick
Assistant Principal
From the Dean of Ministry
What makes a school “Benedictine”?
I was quite startled recently to hear from a colleague, recently returned from the Good Samaritan Education Pilgrimage, that a presenter in England had characterised John Bede Polding’s mission to Australia as a “failure”. Rather strong language we both thought. And an indicator that the presenter did not really understand who Polding was, and what he was doing in this, then outpost of the British Empire. In thinking about why my colleague and I reacted as heatedly as we did at the suggestion that Polding was most certainly not a “failure”, I started to think again about what it was that this man did and to ask the question “how did Polding succeed?” That in turn, led me to wonder about just what it is that makes Rosebank a Benedictine school. And therein lay and lies an open door to wonder, ponder and be swept into the exciting energy of the Holy Spirit, ever ancient and ever new; ever creative and ever surprising. Polding’s genius lay in his humble awareness that whatever his vision for the Catholic community in this Great South Land, the only vision that mattered was that of the Spirit who had brooded and hovered over this ancient land long before John Bede stepped ashore in 1835.
Polding’s “success” lay in taking the ancient wisdom of the Christian gospel, interpreted through Benedict, and, over time, re-shaping it to speak to the realities of life in colonial Sydney. His great dream of transplanting English Benedictine monasticism to Australia evaporated slowly but surely as he faced up to the demands of being a shepherd to a very diverse and, to paraphrase Pope Francis, very smelly flock.
By the time Rosebank was founded in 1867, Polding had faithfully followed the inspiration of the Spirit to found, with Mother Scholastica Gibbons, a new form of Benedictine living - the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. We stand in that tradition today 156 years later. So what then makes Rosebank “Benedictine”. I suggest that it is the same set of values - all derived from the Gospel - that one would hope to find in any Benedictine community anywhere in the world.
A Good Samaritan Benedictine community is characterised by:
- The honest love of self and of others and the willingness to serve without conditions;
- Hospitality in the willingness to see and hear Christ in every person, and to give welcome to every member of the community and then to all who come into contact with us;
- The willingness to honour and respect the dignity of every person because I believe they are created in the image and likeness of God;
- Accepting the challenge of inclusivity, to recognise that Christ comes to me and to us in many different guises and to join in wonder and humility at the diversity of creation;
- Responding to Christ’s call to be a voluntary community of listeners and seekers, engaged in living out my baptism call with like-minded Christians and other good people;
- Islands of Humanity, safe places where each person is valued before any and all other considerations;
- A place of neighbours who grow to know and love one another.
If this is what Rosebank is called to be as a Good Samaritan Benedictine community, then what is the end of this journey? It is, to paraphrase 2 Peter 1.4, everyone in this family becomes a sharer in the divine nature. This community is called to be nothing less than a family of saints here and now. I think John Bede Polding might have discovered his original vision for Australia has become something truly wonderful, life-giving and rich beyond his wildest dreams. There is no “failure” here, only the endless creative genius of the Holy Spirit doing as she will, where she will and with whom she will - us. And this is Rosebank.
Read More
Dr Paul O'Shea
Dean of Ministry
📷 From the Student Leaders
Donate here: https://www.thepushupchallenge.com.au/fundraisers/rosebankcollege
Express interest to participate here: https://forms.gle/MLpwVWTWhzzRS5bB8 
Middle School House Basketball Grand Final Results!
On Monday, 15 May, the Middle School House Basketball competition came to an end with Brady on top! After a close and intense final against Vaughan House, the final score of 10-9 brought the game down to the wire. We would like to thank the other teams, especially Vaughan for a very challenging and exciting game that had us on our toes until the final seconds. We’d also like to thank all the House Captains for arranging such a spectacular competition. But, most importantly we’d like to congratulate our Juniors; Sophia Catton, Shannon Donegan, Samuel Esho, Miles Brokenshire, Lara Petrozzi, Lachlan Cox, Xedric Biglangawa, Aiden Calabrese, Matthew Bourke and Vito Mazzotta for their outstanding efforts and talent, as well as their coach Christian Tedeschi for his dedication. Thank you also to everyone who came down to support and spectate, you made it an overwhelmingly exciting and enjoyable experience.
Kayla Low and Stephen Petousis
Brady House Captains
Return and Earn House Decoration Competition
Over the past term, the Environment Service Group Leaders have pulled their focus towards improving the Return and Earn system within our school community while simultaneously reducing the amount of single use plastic bottles in and around the College grounds. To encourage the various House groups across Rosebank to be more active in our habitual recycling, the Environment team held a bin decorating competition in order to promote the introduction of our newly acquired Return and Earn bins as well as raise awareness of sensible recycling practices.
In the end, we ended up with 10 amazingly decorated bins, with dozens of students across all Houses expressing interest and contributing towards their creation. As announced at the beginning of Week 3, Brady took home 1st place (Go Brady!), with Delaney and Adamson in close 2nd and 3rd position. This is just the beginning of the wonderful things the Environment team of current and future students will achieve as we strive to make Rosebank a cleaner and greener place.
Lily Hole and Christian Tedeschi
Environment Service Group Leaders
Concord High Prefect Afternoon Tea
On Thursday, 11 May, Raffie and I went to the Prefect Afternoon Tea at Concord High School, and the leaders were super welcoming. The theme of the afternoon tea was Leaders of Tomorrow, with the focus being on sharing ideas and discussing our experiences as leaders. There were students from Domremy Catholic College, The McDonald College, Burwood Girls High School and MLC School. The experience gave us insight into how to effectively host and create more engaging initiatives that build both a community within the school but also bring awareness to contemporary issues. Some of the activities we participated in included various fun icebreaker activities such as telephone charades, karaoke and speed dating. We rotated around the room in various groups and shared initiatives we have been involved with and the significance behind them. Overall, it was a really enjoyable event that furthered our understanding of what it means to be a leader, how to lead more effectively and strengthened our connections with schools in our surrounding community.
Celeste Malcolm
Cross Curriculum Leader
Canterbury Boy's Prefect's Afternoon Tea
On Wednesday, 17 May, Eve Canale, Lily Borozan, Zara Lockhart and I went to a Prefect Afternoon Tea at Canterbury Boys' High School. It was a great afternoon, starting with introductory activities such as musical chairs. This helped break the ice as everyone got involved. It was extremely nostalgic and fun! The afternoon continued with trivia, snacks and insightful discussions with other student leaders. It was a great way to meet people from other schools and discuss leadership initiatives and things our schools do differently. Overall, it was a great afternoon as we all got involved and had a great time.
Sofia Dunphy
Cassidy House Captain
Read More
From the Dean of Pastoral Care
You’re Invited - The Tech Diet for Parents
Frequent questions asked by parents to our pastoral team surround the use of technology. Questions of appropriate use, impacts, recommended online time, or how to limit screen time are not unusual. Our teenagers have access to game consoles, their own personal College laptop, computers at home and the majority are carrying their own smart phone with access to data. They have greater knowledge about the inner workings of these devices and their associated programs than ever before and can navigate them at speed.
We are pleased to announce that we have secured presenter, speaker, researcher and international author Brad Marshall to speak to our College staff and parents. Brad is the Director of the Screens and Gaming Disorder Clinic (Sydney) where he works with young people and their families impacted by Internet Gaming Disorder and problematic screen use. Brad has authored ‘The Tech Diet for your Child & Teen; The 7-step plan to regain your kid’s childhood (and your Family’s Sanity)’. It provides real life strategies that any parent can implement to create a healthy balance.
On Tuesday, 13 June at 6pm in the College library, Brad will present his keynote speech, The Tech Diet for Parents. In this presentation he explores the psychological underpinnings that drive the addictive nature of gaming, social media, and online gaming. He spells out the warning signs of heading down the wrong path and gives practical strategies for parents to manage screen time and gaming addiction. Parents will leave this session with a clear plan of action for WHAT they need to change in their family, WHY and HOW to do this.
Cost to attend this event is $10 per person. Please click here to RSVP and make payment by Friday, 9 June 2023.
We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an informative evening.
Ms Belinda Clark
Dean of Pastoral Care
Read More
📷 Senior Learning Excursions
Religious Education Sacred Spaces Excursion
Last week, on Wednesday, 17 May, as part of the Year 11 Studies in Catholic Thought (1 Unit) and Studies of Religion (1 & 2 Unit) courses, the whole cohort visited the Five Dock-Drummoyne Uniting Church, Auburn Gallipoli Mosque and the North Shore Synagogue. Through this “Sacred Spaces” excursion, we were all able to gain a greater understanding of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, particularly their core beliefs and practises. More importantly, it helped us recognise the significance of joining together to discover our many similarities. Our visits to the sacred spaces were led by guides who made connections between their faith and ours and encouraged us to interact with the holy spaces around us.
The mosque was a beautiful space. We engaged with respect towards this sacred site by taking our shoes off before entering and the girls covered their heads with scarfs. As one can see from the photos, the mosque contained incredible features such as the amazing Arabic calligraphy on the walls all the way up to the ceilings as well as the grand chandeliers. Similarly, the synagogue visit was highlighted by the extremely engaging tour guide, Rabbi Cohen, providing us with wit and contemporary examples of how he practices his faith. Meanwhile, one unit students visited the local Uniting Church to find out more about the Protestant variants of Christianity. From all accounts, it was an incredible experience. The event was a remarkable, highly enjoyable, eye-opening experience and, as a group, we all thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Amelia Cuomo
Year 11 
Legal Studies Excursion to Local Courts
During the COVID pandemic, the courts were closed to the public, especially school groups, however recently this decision has been overturned due to a decrease in COVID cases and restrictions. On Thursday, 11 May, the two Year 12 Legal Studies classes participated in the highly anticipated excursion to the Parramatta Local Courts. We arrived at 9am and endured a full day of experiencing the busyness and reality of the Local Courts. We were able to sit in different courtrooms and observe court procedures involving a range of matters, including traffic offences, distributing intimate images without consent and drug related cases. It was very interesting to view how the court quickly handled a hearing and also the depth of some cases. Court proceedings were covered in our syllabus, thus, seeing it unwrap in front of us was like watching a movie. The Local Court is one of the busiest courts as there are so many hearings everyday. At the end of the day, we could ask questions to the magistrate as she described her role in the courts. This was a very valuable experience as the information she expressed can expand our knowledge on the topic of crime during the HSC. On behalf of the Year 12 Legal Studies classes, I want to thank Ms Cohen and Ms Michael for organising the excursion to the Local Courts. I would recommend anyone who is studying legal at the moment or anyone who has an interest in law to visit the Local Courts as it's a very valuable and interesting experience.
Angelique Lorquet
Year 12
Biology Field Study of Bicentennial Park
On Friday, 19 May, the Year 11 Biology classes went on an excursion to Olympic Park in order to conduct experiments in the Bicentennial Park wetlands. Since 1983, the government's efforts to reclaim the once destroyed land has allowed for a lush, thriving environment to develop. Visiting this area, we were able to immerse ourselves in the presence of a fully functioning ecosystem. We got to practise and apply our theoretical knowledge of the topic through experimentation with various scientific equipment - measuring abiotic factors such as the soil salinity, air pressure and light intensity. The excursion was a useful insight into the practical uses of biology, conservation and reclamation of the land and ecosystems.
Throughout the day, our tour guide, Mark, helped us complete thorough investigations into the effect salinity has on vegetation types as well as the population of crabs in the area. The excursion provided a hands-on experience as we drew diagrams, collected data along transects and in quadrats, and examined the natural environment. It was an enjoyable experience working with fellow students, emulating group field work through everybody’s contribution.
Additionally, learning about the history of Olympic Park provided a lot of background context on how land degradation is combated in the modern day. Not only did it provide a cultural insight into the 2000 Sydney Olympics and how that fast-tracked the Homebush land reclamation process, but also allowed us to fully appreciate the process of reviving an ecosystem.
Overall, the excursion was an informative, hands-on experience which engaged our theoretical knowledge and will allow us to utilise our own data in our upcoming assessment.
Isabella Todaro and Nicholas Korompay
Year 11
Read More
CAPA News
It's Showcase Season!
As we head towards the end of Term 2, the CAPA Faculty will be hosting four Performing Arts Showcases. Be sure to add these to your social calendars:
Thursday, 8 June - Music Ensembles Showcase - Benedict Auditorium - 6:30pm
A night filled with music performances from our College Orchestra, Concert Band, Choir, Jazz Band, Corelli Strings, Training Band and Rock Bands.
Tuesday, 13 June - Stage 5 Drama Production - Montserrat Theatre - 6:30pm
Year 9 and 10 Drama students will be performing their class play for assessment on this night.
Thursday, 15 June - Dance Showcase - Benedict Auditorium - 6:30pm
This dance extravaganza will feature performances from all Dance Companies, plus works from our Stage 5, Year 11 and HSC Dance classes.
Monday, 19 June - Year 7 Arts Day (Semester 1) - Benedict Auditorium - 1pm-2:30pm
Parents are invited to attend a celebration of works created by Year 7 students during Semester 1. This will include Visual Arts collection of works, instrumental performances from Semester 1 Music students, Drama and Dance performances.
All events are free to attend. Please click the posters above or visit bit.ly/CAPAShowcases2023 to register your attendance.
Mrs Amanda Hill
CAPA Coordinator 
SCS Dance Eisteddfod Results
On Wednesday, 17 and Friday, 19 May the College's Dance Company competed in the SCS Dance Eisteddfod. This was the first time the College had competed in this eisteddfod as the annual Dance Gala Day is no longer running and we were the only school outside of Sydney Catholic Schools competing in all our sections. After the musical finished in Term 1, Dance Company had only had six short weeks to get seven pieces learnt, polished and performance ready for the eisteddfod. The Dance Company did an amazing job and made the College very proud with every one of the pieces performed.
Our placings were:
1st - Folk
2nd - Jazz
Highly Commended - Tap
Highly Commended - Hip Hop
We are looking forward to showcasing our efforts at the College's annual Dance Showcase evening on Thursday, 15 June. Be sure to come along, by booking your seat through the above link, to see the amazing skills and talent of the Dance Company.
Mrs Karen Henry
Dance Company Coordinator
Unleashing Creative Minds: Year 8 Students Dive into the Surreal World of Collages
Year 8 Visual Arts students have recently created their own Surreal collages in Adobe Photoshop. Exploring levitation, scale, dislocation, and juxtaposition, they crafted captivating compositions that defy reality. In many of their works objects float gracefully, whilst playing with scale created intriguing contrasts. Dislocation transported elements to unexpected places, challenging perceptions and sparking curiosity.
Congratulations to our talented Year 8 artists for their exceptional results in Surreal collage art. Their imaginative creations serve as a testament to their artistic growth and the boundless possibilities of self-expression.
Ms Aimee Leal
Visual Arts, Photography and Digital Media Teacher
Our Year 8 students have been immersing themselves in the captivating world of lino printing, focusing their artistic talents on the theme of animals. With great care and attention to detail, they carved linoleum blocks into beautiful renditions of various creatures, from majestic lions to graceful birds. The classroom now boasts an enchanting display of their animal-inspired prints, showcasing both their artistic prowess and their appreciation for the natural world.
Mr Jack Booker
Visual Arts Teacher
Read More
Languages News
Recently, Year 8 Italian language students have been putting their language lessons into practice by ordering gelatos at the neighbouring store, Duccio. Students learnt the vocabulary for the great array of gelato flavours and then rehearsed how to say whether they wanted it in a cone or a cup. Students enjoyed the fruits of the studies when they successfully said what they wanted to eat. It was delizioso! Da leccarsi i baffi!
Maria Philpotts
Italian Teacher
Earlier this term, Year 8 Chinese language students participated in a Chinese Lion Dance incursion. Students were taught about the cultural significance and historical origins of this art form. They all then had the opportunity to learn some basic movements with a real Chinese Lion Dance costume, discovering that much training and skill is required to master a performance. They were also introduced to some typical musical instruments that are played when a Lion Dance is performed, and they learned how to play some basic rhythms on the Chinese cymbals. Students were delighted to have a hands-on cultural experience. 很好玩！
Veronica de Jong
Chinese Teacher
Languages Coordinator
On Friday, 19 May, the Year 8 French classes had the wonderful experience learning the authentic way to cook French crêpes. We were appropriately dressed in our chef hats, and were led by our French speaking head chef Luca and his sous chefs, who taught us the process of cooking light, golden, tasty (and sometimes burnt!) crêpes.
We worked in bays making the crêpes, splitting the steps between the class. Some students made batter, some cooked, and some had responsibility for the toppings. We had two tasty topping options: traditional lemon and sugar, or raspberry coulis and whipped cream. When instructed to flip the crêpes, some of us were hesitant at first as it looked tricky, but after a few tries we improved our skills, having had a lot of fun too.
Along the way we gained a deeper understanding of French culture which was especially interesting. Overall this experience was very enjoyable and one our families will benefit from once we start cooking crêpes at home! Thank you to Mrs Zuman, Mrs Philpotts and Mrs Arnold for organising the incursion!
Abby Challinor and Nina Edmiston
Year 8
ConnectED News
On Wednesday, 17 May, ConnectED Class 7P went on an archaeological dig. The students discovered a fossil with prehistoric frogs buried in peat bogs. Using and assessing the detail of each layer, the students had to determine whether or not the frog was alive or dead when it entered the bog. In ConnectED we have been learning about Australia's ancient remains and how artefacts and fossils are inspected and examined to determine their age. Class 7P have been researching stratigraphy and exploring the role of archaeologists. They needed to practise their skills and study the fossil as closely as possible with minimal damage. They assessed the effectiveness of a range of tools in uncovering the mysteries of the past.
Ms Tanya Whiticker
English and ConnectED Teacher
TAS News
Year 9 and 10 iSTEM students recently completed a unit of work on sustainable transport in which they had to construct a solar racer capable of traveling around the school's solar racing track. In the process, they developed competency in using CAD, 3D printing, soldering, and iterating solutions. The fastest car was built by Christian Alouan, Kane Mckenzie, and Cody Wedlock who managed to get their car to complete the loop in 7 seconds, a formidable result. They now have the opportunity to race their car against other schools at the Sunsprint Challenge at UNSW in October. Congratulations to all students involved!
Mr Dimitrios Stivaktas
Science, iSTEM, and Engineering Studies Teacher
Year 11 Food Technology 
The task for students was to recreate magazine photos and then come up with their own way of styling the food. Well done to all students on this creative, and delisious task.
Mrs Melissa Gal
TAS Coordinator
EnrichED News
Sydney Writers' Festival
Last week a group of 36 students attended one of the Sydney Writers’ Festival School Days. An opportunity for students to hear from the writers of young adult fiction about various elements of the writers’ craft. By all accounts it was thoroughly enjoyed by our young writers with several of them, especially the students planning to take Extension 2 English, taking copious notes. Below are reflection paragraphs from several of the attendees:
Though every single presentation was intriguing, I found Jane Godwin’s presentation particularly interesting. She talked through the full process of generating character, setting, and ideas throughout a few of her books. She has written numerous books which range from picture books to young adult novels, all of which are based on her actual experiences or observations of the world around her. The ways that she clearly explained some of her experiences and inspirations for her books was truly commendable and I found her part in the Sydney’s Writers' Festival informative and entertaining at the same time.
Imogen Yaw
Year 7
The festival was full of amazing speakers who offered a different perspective on writing and storytelling. My favourite speaker was Jason Reynolds. He had flown all the way from America and told a super interesting story of how he became a writer. It was an underdog story where he went from hating books to then finding his passion for literature through rap and finally, being offered to write about his experiences by a friend. He wrote books such as Long Way Down, All American Boys, As Brave As You and many more. All of these books were inspired by his personal experiences, and all convey a meaningful message. In conclusion, Jason's speech was engaging, meaningful and most importantly, heartfelt. This made his speech my favourite and I was lucky to hear him talk.
Harrison Monch
Year 8
We had the privilege of listening to four authors, Lili Wilkinson, Jeremy Lachlan, Jane Godwin, and Jason Reynolds. Each author discussed different aspects of the creative process, including inspiration, authenticity, development, and creativity. Personally, I found Lili Wilkinson's talk on creativity the most engaging. She shared how she creates her characters by asking herself three important questions: What makes them feel emotions? What are their secrets, weaknesses, strengths, future, and worst deeds? And what do they have in their pocket? She also emphasised the importance of writing about something that you are deeply passionate about and interested in, something she did in her latest book, A Hunger of Thorns, where she incorporated plants into the storyline because of her love and fascination for them. Overall, it was an incredible experience, and I learnt so much from these exceptional authors.
Holly Birmingham
Year 11
The excursion to the Sydney Writers' Festival was an insightful experience and an absolute delight to attend. I'm certain that many of the attendees gained guidance on how they themselves can progress their writing, as well as advice for publishing their own work. Personally, the best part of the day was being able to hear about the different experiences of the authors and their journeys to get to where they are today. In particular, I enjoyed listening to Lili Wilkinson explain the intricacies of writing for the fantasy genre and the limitations a writer must set when creating a unique, magical world. Her advice to always write the first draft of a story for yourself truly resonated with me, as I know initially writing the things you enjoy is what drives you to continue to edit, reshape, and finalise your story. I believe that any emerging writers at the College will find this to be a very enjoyable and valuable experience!
Sophia Sullivan
Year 12
Write a Book in a Day
Our own aspiring writers are continuing their preparations for Write a Book in a Day. Rosebank will be entering three teams: The Rose Bouquttes, the Blue Ovens and Zalgok. All team members must raise funds for the Kids’ Cancer Project as a requirement for entry. Their picture books will be written, illustrated, edited and published over a 12-hour period on 17 June. If you would like to contribute to the fundraising, student fund raising pages can be found at https://writeabookinaday.com/sponsor-a-student/
Ethics Olympiad
Coming up this week we have a team of five senior students participating in the Senior Ethics Olympiad. They have been preparing their arguments and clarifying their thoughts on the ethical issues found in each of the eight cases in the competition case pack. Cases are based on real world issues, with students considering issues as diverse as becoming a vegan in a family of meat eaters, to compulsory military service, tax avoidance and the role of anger in politics.
We wish them well for their day of deliberation and discussion with schools from all over New South Wales, conducted before a cohort of international philosophy professionals who judge the competition.
InnovatED
In last week’s College Assembly, the annual InnovatED project opportunity was launched. InnovatED allows students from across the College to spend a term of quality time during PACE working on a project of passionate interest to them. Students can engage with any topic they find interesting with a focus on innovation in that field.
The theme this year is “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much”. Completed projects are eligible for entry in the InnovatED Showcase to be held on Friday, 10 November. College students, staff and community members are invited to attend the display throughout the day and after school. The student organising committee are mentored to promote and facilitate the showcase, and develop a website displaying the student work. Judged by a panel of independent professionals, there are opportunities for students to win prizes as well as communicate their ideas to the world.
Interested students should see Ms McArthur in the Diverse Learning Office or send an email to: cmcarthur@rosebank.nsw.edu.au by Week 8 this term.
Read More
Ms Cheryl McArthur
Gifted Education and iThink Teacher, EnrichED Program Facilitator
PACE News
Click here to view full Rep and Club Sport results (Term 2)
Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award
Congratulations to the following students who have recently completed the Bronze level of their Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award: Marina Botic, Anna Concannon, Anna Cooney-Koromilas, Patrick Endicott, Felicity Fogarty, Dali Grieco
College Athletics Carnival 
The College Athletics Carnival will be held on Wednesday, 7 June at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre. The Carnival will comprise a Championship events program and a House events program, running alongside each other.
Championship events are timed and competitive races and events are run in age groups. Any students who wish to be considered for selection in the Rosebank Athletics Team, to compete at the Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Athletics Championships, must compete in Championship events at the College Athletics Carnival. Students can choose to compete in one or multiple Championship events if they wish. The Championship events entry form MUST be completed in order to compete in any Championships events on the day.
Students who do not compete in Championship events will participate in House events at the College Athletics Carnival, which are run in year groups. Students do not need to register to participate in House events.
Athletics Carnival Championship Event Entries NOW OPEN!
Entries are now open for students wishing to compete in Championship events at the 2023 College Athletics Carnival. Please have a look at the entry form for more details, including the events available. Students MUST complete the entry form via this link in order to enter into any Championship events. Entries close on Thursday, 1 June.
Ms Maryanne Di Bella
PACE Coordinator (Cultural and Diverse Activities)
Theatresports Update
On Monday, 22 May, the Senior Theatresports Team competed in the semi final of the Theatresports School Challenge at Ashfield Boys High School. The talent has certainly increased from the heats stage and our students were faced with well established, connected teams displaying excellent improvisational skills.
Throughout the four rounds the Rosebank team fought hard, bringing to life quirky characters, physicalising interesting inanimate objects and creating original storylines. The scores were so close between each team in all rounds, differing by only one point. With the top two teams moving into the grand final at the Enmore Theatre, the team held their breath at the final announcement, tying for first place with Riverview and moving into the grand final.
The chance to perform on the Enmore stage on Sunday, 18 June from 5pm is an amazing opportunity for our students. This event is a public performance and we encourage you to join us in supporting these talented students. Tickets can be purchased Enmore Theatre Website by visiting this link.
Ms Belinda Clark and Ms Heather Clark
Theatresports Coaches
Representative Sport
NSWCCC Selections
Rosebank students have been been exhibiting their sporting prowess with a number of students selected for the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges (NSWCCC) across a range of sports. This is a state level team that consists of the best athletes from across NSW who attend Catholic schools. Congratulations to the following students on their wonderful achievement:
Adriano Sorrentino - NSWCCC Swimming
Christian Alouan - NSWCCC Swimming
Cooper Smith - NSWCCC Water Polo
Ellie McNeill - NSWCCC Water Polo
Henry Lamond - NSWCCC AFL
Jacob Keelty - NSWCCC Water Polo
Nate ToelleAtkinson - NSWCCC Water Polo
Rebecca Donnelly - NSWCCC Basketball
SCS Cross Country
On Tuesday, 22 May, a team of 58 students represented Rosebank at the Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Cross Country Championships. With a chilly start at Eastern Creek race course, the day warmed up to be shining, both in the sky and on the track. There was fantastic energy amongst the Cross Country team, with students cheering and supporting each other all day. We had a record number of Rosebank students progress to represent SCS at the NSWCCC Cross Country Championships. Congratulations to the following students for their stand out performances:
Amelie Wardle - 6th overall, 1st in Conference 2
Bonnie Meares - 3rd in Conference 2
Claudia Peterie - 1st overall, 1st in Conference 2
Jasmine Gilligan - 9th overall, 6th in Conference 2
Livia Fryer - 12th overall, 8th in Conference 2
Marcello Furnari - 7th overall, 3rd in Conference 2
Owen Fitzpatrick - 8th overall, 4th in Conference 2
Sienna Roach - 3rd in Conference 2
Zara Lockhart - 7th overall, 4th in Conference 2
NSW State Team Selection
Congratulations to Rebecca Donnelly (Year 10 Hayes) who has been selected for the NSW U16 State Basketball Team to compete in the National Championships in Perth in July.
Rebecca has worked extremely hard to achieve this goal and everyone at Rosebank is very proud of her and her selection to the team. Congratulations Rebecca. We wish you all the best for your preparations for Nationals. 
NSW Hockey State Champtionships
Aidan Najdzion (Year 11 Dwyer) recently competed at the U18 NSW Hockey State Championships. Congratulations Aidan on your wonderful performances over the weekend.
Ms Annalisa Di Bella
PACE Coordinator (Representative Sport)
Read More
Hayes House Update
Last week Hayes House student Anna Cooney-Koromilas of Year 11 attended the Australian Gymnastic Championships on the Gold Coast. It was her first time competing at Nationals and her level 7-10 group were placed 5th in Australia. What a fantastic achievement. We look forward to hearing about many more successes for Anna. Hayes House is definitely super proud!
Mrs Karen Henry
Hayes House Coordinator
🔗 Community Links
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |