Volume Four, Friday 22nd March 2024

Greetings,

How quickly time flies. Tempus Fugit

In the southern hemisphere it is somewhat difficult at Easter time to comprehend the sense of anticipation, hope and new life that one does in the northern hemisphere where days are getting longer, spring is in abundance, and the long summer holidays are temptingly close. In Australia Easter comes as days are shorter and the trees more barren. Easter reminds us, as does nature, that we cannot experience the joy, hope and light of new life, without some pain and darkness. Easter Sunday is preceded by Good Friday. The message of Easter is that suffering, disappointment, loss or diminishment have to be faced and not turned away from because it is through suffering that we can experience the redeeming love of God; we learn that we have to depend on others. We all need the resilience required to live fully human lives, not ones shielded from struggle and pain. We need each other. [ Adapted from St Peter’s Bournemouth, 2017]

Lenten Reflection: Seeing in a Deeper Way

I would like to share a reflection from Fr Ron Rolheiser, OMI, an Oblate monk from San Antonio Monastery, Texas. I share it with you all as Lent and Easter is a time of reflection and prayer, a time of self-renewal.

One of the many kinds of healings Jesus performs in the Gospel is the healing of people who are blind. He’s giving them more than just physical sight; He’s opening their eyes so that that can see more deeply. How can the grace and teachings of Jesus help us to see in a deeper way? Here are some suggestions:

1. By shifting our eyes from seeing through familiarity to seeing through wonder.
   G.K. Chesterton once affirmed that familiarity is the greatest of all illusions and that the secret to life is to learn to look at things familiar until they look unfamiliar again. We open our eyes to depth when we open ourselves to wonder.
2. By shifting our eyes from seeing through jealousy to seeing through admiration.
   Our perception becomes distorted whenever we move from the happy state of admiration to the unhappy state of envy. Our eyesight is clear when we delight in admiration.
3. By shifting our eyes from seeing through bitterness to seeing through eyes purified and softened by grief.
   The root of bitterness is wound and the way out of bitterness is grieving. Tears clear our eyesight because they soften a heart hardened by wound.
4. By shifting our eyes from seeing through anger to seeing through forgiveness.
   Nothing taints our eyesight as much as anger. It’s the most debilitating of all cataracts. And nothing cleanses our vision as much as forgiveness. Nobody holding a grudge sees straight.
5. By shifting our eyes from seeing through longing and hunger to seeing through gratitude.
   Longing and hunger distort our vision. Gratitude restores it. It enables insight. The most grateful person you know has the best eyesight of all the people you know.

Fr Ron Rolheiser, OMI

Have a wonderful Easter holiday break, and I look forward to seeing students returning ready and focused for work to finish the term well.

Br Steve Hogan fsc
Principal

For the conclusion of Lent it would be wonderful if we could take the following to heart:

"Withhold judgement and criticism. The human way is to judge in haste the actions of others, but the divine way is remain quiet and loving".

White Eagle

Oakhill College celebrates International Women's Day annually, embracing a variety of activities across a week, offering a diverse array of events aimed to inspire inclusion. These activities provide our students with meaningful opportunities to reflect on the progress made and the journey ahead for gender equality.

Nicky from Year 11 said it well: I'd like to ask you to take a moment to recognise that each and every one of us are different. The people sitting next to you, behind you and in front of you are unique and unlike any other person. We all have our own achievements and qualities which make us who we are. This is what International Women’s Day is about. Today, all over the world, people just like you and me come together to reflect on the lengthy journey women have taken to reach equality. On the 8th March every year, women’s achievements are specially commemorated by a different theme which aims to help us remember how women’s quality of living has been improved, as well as encouraging everyone to take charge of our future to reach the highest stages of gender equality.

On Thursday 21st March, 52 Year 11 students volunteered to participate in a Leadership Afternoon: a seminar designed to inspire and equip young minds with the skills and confidence to lead, innovate, and excel in their communities facilitated by Mrs Roxanne Leopardi. 

The students were also fortunate enough to  have College and Vice Captains, Phoebe Reynolds, Nihaal Dhillon and Ruby Keast share their positive experiences of leadership and share tips and tricks!

Oakhill College is teaming up with the Rohrig Group to build The Commons. The College has been working alongside MostynCopper and BVN Architecture once again, in the planning and design of the Commons, following the success of the Canteen project. A small ground breaking ceremony took place on Thursday 21st March, with key stakeholders present to celebrate the commencement of this exciting project. 

The Commons will be a remarkable three-story administration building, featuring two link bridges and a stunning glazed canopy that seamlessly integrates with our College's unique design aesthetic. We eagerly anticipate this new space that will benefit our College community in early 2025.

Mrs Gabby Russo
Head of Marketing & Communications

Oakhill teachers are always at the forefront of education, Ms Tania Moriarty (Head of Library) and Ms Edwina West (English Teacher) have been asked to share their knowledge at the upcoming School Library Association of NSW event. They will be educating teachers from other NSW schools on the role of libraries supporting and resourcing the new English Curriculum. 

A reminder that the first instalment for 2024 fees (one third of your annual fees) was due on Friday 15th February unless you pay in instalments via School Easy Pay. Fee statements were issued prior to the beginning of term.

Could you please organise payment if not already made or contact the Accounts Receivable office on 9899 2288 if there are any matters relating to your statement that you need to discuss.

Ms Lisa Camilleri
Accounts Receivable Oficer

The lost property at Student Services currently holds a significant number of items. We are unable to return them to their owners, as they do not have names on them. Please ensure all clothing uniforms and items are labelled with your child's name. Items may be collected from Student Services.

Please see below a detailed list of items currently in lost property.

As previously outlined in the Welcome to 2024 Newsletter:

Tutor Day is on Tuesday 2nd April so there are no classes that day. Parents/guardians have been sent an email with information regarding this day.

Term 1 ends on Friday 12th April.

Term 2 commences on Monday 29th April.

Last week was International Pi Day, a day that holds a special place in the hearts of mathematicians everywhere! It's celebrated each year on March 14 (3/14), echoing the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi (π), which is approximately 3.14159. Pi represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, and it's a number that has fascinated mathematicians for centuries due to its infinite, non-repeating nature.

Oakhill's annual celebration grows each year! We kicked off with a fun video explaining Pi, then a Kahoot quiz testing our knowledge about pi, followed by selling Krispy Kreme donuts, and then finishing the day at 3.14pm. Our donut sales raised $1,100 which will be donated to the Breakfast Club, in Papual New Guinea, a cause close to our hearts.

Happy Pi Day!

It was lovely to see so many Year 9 and 10 parents at Wednesday night’s seminar on Parenting Todays Teens. The seminar covered the following topics:
- Adolescent brain development
- Parenting emotional teens
- Emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills
- When to be concerned and seek help for your child

Adolescence is a period of enormous brain development which sees the brain becoming more specialised and efficient. Different brain areas mature at different rates, which means that our teens are more susceptible to extremes of emotion and impulsive behaviour. Parenting emotional teens can be hard work and sometimes parents find themselves using unhelpful parenting strategies such as being overprotective and overcontrolling, inconsistent in applying praise and discipline or overly criticising their child.

Parents were introduced to a number of skills to help teens (and themselves) regulate their emotions and tolerate distressing situations and emotions.

An important set of emotion regulation skills that we can all benefit from is captured by the acronym ABC PLEASE. We can remind our teens to use some of these skills when they are distressed, and we can encourage them to build each of these skills into their weekly routine to reduce their vulnerability to problematic emotions.

A = Accumulating positive experiences
B = Building mastery
C = Coping ahead
P = Physical health
L = Limit screen time
E = Eat a balanced diet
A = Avoid mood-altering substances
S = Sleep
E = Exercise

The use of TIPP skills may be useful for teens to follow at times when they are trying to reduce extreme emotions. The TIPP skills are depicted in this short video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Ms Helen Morris
Head of Counselling/Registered Psychologist

This term Year 10 have been running Interest Groups with Year 7 students. These collaborative sessions provide an opportunity for students to come together and explore various interests, fostering teamwork, mentorship, and a sense of community.

Thank you for your co-operation. 

The Gold Duke of Edinburgh program is a rigorous program that calls on student to push themselves and pursue interests and passions. Will travelled overseas to complete his incredible residential project. Here is his story:

During my Gold Residential Project, a medical internship facilitated by Projects Abroad, I had the invaluable opportunity to immerse myself in the medical field in Chitwan, Nepal, from December 12th to December 23rd. Joining a cohort of 30 peers, our mission was not only to engage in medical practices but also to cultivate initiative and expand our perspectives in an unfamiliar environment.

Throughout our stay, we actively participated in six local hospitals, where we shadowed surgeons, doctors, and nurses, as well as spent quality time with patients. Witnessing firsthand the challenging conditions and limited resources, we were confronted with various injuries and observed inadequate hygiene practices, which deeply instilled consciousness and empathy for those living in harsh conditions in other parts of the world.

One of the most impactful experiences was our visit to a preschool, where we took on the role of educators, imparting essential hygiene practices such as proper tooth brushing and hand washing to young children. This engagement not only contributed to the health education of the community but also allowed us to connect with the local populace on a personal level, fostering mutual understanding and cultural exchange.

Moreover, this experience served as a poignant reminder of the privileges often taken for granted in more developed regions like Oakhill College. Witnessing the resilience and perseverance of the Nepalese people amidst challenging circumstances underscored the importance of gratitude and humility. It emphasised the significance of acknowledging our own privileges, such as access to advanced medical facilities and education, and the need to use these advantages to uplift and support those who are less fortunate. By immersing ourselves in a culture vastly different from our own, we learned to appreciate the simple joys of life and to approach every opportunity with love and care.

This humbling experience reinforced the notion that true fulfillment comes from genuine connections, empathy, and a willingness to serve others. Thus, it serves as a lifelong lesson to never take our blessings for granted and to always approach life with humility, empathy, and a willingness to learn from every experience.

Through our collective efforts, we successfully contributed to the operations of the local hospitals, while simultaneously gaining invaluable experience in a foreign, third-world setting. This experience not only enriched our understanding of global healthcare disparities but also underscored the importance of compassion, adaptability, and teamwork in addressing such challenges. Overall, my Gold Residential Project was a transformative journey that broadened my horizons and reinforced my commitment to making a positive impact in the field of medicine, both locally and globally.

Will Austin, Year 12

The Agriculture Show Team showcased their talent and dedication last weekend (9th - 10th March) at the annual Castle Hill Show Agricultural Youth Expo. The team arrived with 8 of our steers, accompanied by 40 enthusiastic students. Among them, 27 students entered the Parader Competition, while 23 tackled the Beef Judging event, showcasing their expertise and passion for agriculture.

As the day progressed, the showground buzzed with activity, as students meticulously groomed and prepared their steers for competition. Their hard work paid off, with Minto Old Gold, securing 2nd place in the Galloway section, while Staple Hill Moro secured 4th position in the Middleweight Steer category.

In the Beef Judging event, Arthur White, Charlotte Gibson, Elizabeth Doughty (Year 11) and Matthew Cook (Year 10), showcased exemplary skill, with Matthew Cook awarded a well-deserved 2nd place, earning a coveted spot in the Beef Judging State Final at the Royal Easter Show. Harry Mayhew, Show Team Captain, showcased his skill in Poultry Judging, securing a spot in the Young Judges final at the Royal Easter Show. There were over a hundred competitors in the Parader Competitions, and we were delighted when Spencer Robson (Year 9), secured 3rd Place in his age group.

The event also served as a reunion of sorts, with alumni from the graduating class of 2023 showing their support and Andrew Scarsbrook (Class of 2019), returning to offer his support and expertise in Beef Judging, further enriching the experience for the students. The presence of local MP Mark Hodges and Mayor Dr. Peter Gangemi, an Oakhill alumni himself, highlighted the significance of the event in the community.

A moment of pride and recognition came as Jack Mayhew, one of the Show Team coaches and an Oakhill Alumni, was honoured with The Castle Hill Association of NSW Next Generation 'Securing the Future of NSW Ag Shows' award. This award, nominated by the Castle Hill committee for Youth Contribution, highlighted the invaluable role of the youth in shaping the future of agriculture.

With spirits high, the team eagerly anticipates the upcoming Royal Easter Show.

Ms Stellina Trestrail​​​​
Co-ordinator of Agriculture

Our 2024 Battle of the Bands competition held in Benildus Hall on Friday 15th March was a huge success with bands battling it out for supremacy on stage. The talent for this years competition was one of the best we have seen with six bands competing for the Senior title and four bands competing for the Junior title.Each band bought their unique style and energy to the stage performing so many hits - from Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody", to Wolfmother's "Joker and the Thief" - there was something for everyone to enjoy.

Congratulations to our winners for 2024:

Junior Bands:
1st: No Boundaries
2nd: Agents of Insanity

Senior Bands:
1st: Jinxed Magic
2nd: Sweet Sorrows
3rd: The Thrills 

People’s Choice:
The Thrills

The College Agriculture Show Team has arrived at the Royal Easter Show, geared up for several days of intense competition. This year, we're excited to share that in addition to showing our animals, Harry Mayhew (Year 12) has crafted a scarecrow that will also be included in the competition.

Good luck to the Show Team!

Mrs Gabby Russo
Head of Marketing & Communications

There has been plenty of sport happening at the College over the last few weeks, with our Basketball, Touch Football, Rugby 7’s, and Cricket teams finishing their seasons and our swimmers competing for Champion School at the ISA Carnival.

At the recent College Assembly, I explained the concept of a Grandslam and how only true champions are able to achieve a Grandslam in a calendar year. I set our students the goal of achieving the ISA Grandslam, winning the ISA Swimming, Cross Country, and Athletics Carnivals in one year. I am proud to say that the Oakhill Swim Team has commenced our attempt to achieve the ISA Grandslam in excellent fashion.

Our Swim Team was in the pool at Sydney Olympic Aquatic Centre last week and were successful in all categories:

Junior Boys: First Place
Intermediate Boys: First Place
Senior Boys: First Place
Overall: Champion School

Our girls also performed extremely well and finished in 2nd Place in the Senior Girl category. Congratulations to our swim team and well done to our 2024 Swim Captains, Nicholas Suvajac and Emily Ward, for leading the squad so impressively. Best wishes to the following students who have been selected in the ISA Swim team to compete at the NSW CIS Championships:

ISA Swim Team

The Oakhill Girls Rugby 7’s teams finished their competition on Monday night, with the Oakhill 1sts making it into the Grand Final against Barker College. Unfortunately, the girls lost the decider, but it was a great effort throughout the summer competition.

Recently, the ISA held their Grand Finals for the summer sport season. Our 1st XI and 2nd XI cricket teams were both successful in making the Grand Finals, with our 1st XI victorious in being crowned ISA Champions. Congratulations to both coaches, Mr Fisher and Mr Goodman, as well as the 1st XI Cricket team. This is an outstanding achievement, which has only been achieved on three occasions since Oakhill entered the ISA Cricket competition in 2007.

Oakhill had 25 basketball teams in Grand Finals, with 16 of these teams crowned as ISA Champions for their competition. Unfortunately, both our girls and boys 1st V basketball teams lost both their Grand Finals but were certainly valent in defeat.

Oakhill also qualified for four Touch Football Grand Finals: Two girl teams and both our Division 1 Boys and Junior A. Unfortunately, St Augustine’s outplayed our boys, and both girls teams also finished Runners Up.

This weekend will see several of our students trailing in various sports: Rugby, Soccer, and Tennis. Our U16s and Opens will be hosting Canberra Grammar on Damien Oval. We wish all players the best of luck.

Student Achievements

Athletics - Keegan Free competed at the NSW Junior State Championships at Homebush over the weekend and came 3rd in U16 Javelin and Shot Put. He now progresses to Nationals in Adelaide next month. We are all watching his progress closely https://www.oakhill.nsw.edu.au...and wish him the best of luck. 

Golf - Matthew Nathan competed alongside two other Oakhill students (Keean Holmes and Toby Elvy) in the NSWCIS Golf Championships. Matthew played an outstanding round and was named in the NSWCIS Golf team. We wish him the best of luck when he competes in the NSW All Schools Golf Championship later in the year.

Mr Anthony Toro
Head of Sport

The Oakhill College Rugby Committee invites parents/guardians of Year 7 students playing Rugby to attend the Welcome to Oakhill Rugby evening on Thursday 4th April, 6.30 - 8.30pm, The Vicar, Dural. 

If you wish to learn about the U13 2024 Rugby season please come along. For further details please see the below flyer. 

The annual Oakhill Sports Lunch is taking place on Friday 21st June. We have some exciting speakers and entertainment planned for the day. Tickets on sale Friday 12th April.

The Oakhill Welcome Event is almost here!

The P&F looks forward to welcoming you to Oakhill College 2024! – all guests have been emailed details about our sold-out event.

Just a reminder that raffle tickets are still on sale until 9:30pm, Saturday 23 March 2024. The raffle is open to all, an you don’t need to be there to win. Tickets are only $5. Please click the following link to purchase tickets https://www.trybooking.com/CQANY

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors.

When placing an online Flexischools order, please select any date for collection and the order will be sent to the Uniform Shop. Once the uniform order is packed and ready for collection an email will be sent to the student and parent informing them of the next available collection times. You do not need to reply if the student is away from the College that day. Subsequent emails will be sent until the order is collected. It is expected that the student collects the order during the allocated times for students. Currently some of the winter orders include a blazer or are bulkier, therefore parent collections are permitted during Uniform Shop opening hours only. The Uniform Shop staff would appreciate prompt collection as we are currently experiencing high volumes of online orders.

Please note, the Uniform Shop will be open on Tutor Day from 9.00am - 3.00pm for the sale of Winter uniforms.

Ms Suzanne Haskins
​​​​Uniform Shop Manager

Please find below the upcoming Uniform Shop roster. 

UAC will be hosting a webinar designed specifically for parents demystifying ATAR calculations and the university application process. This free webinar will take place on Wednesday 27th March at 6.00pm. Should you be interested in attending please click the following link to register: https://enews.uac.edu.au/t/r-e...