By Mrs Liz Illingworth, Principal

Being a member of the vibrant St Patrick’s College community continues to excite me and bring new opportunities for encounters, conversations and interactions with the many young people who are the central focus of our College.  As Term 1 draws to a close with our holidays commencing next week,  to say the term has been exciting and full of opportunities would be an understatement.

Recently I was able to attend the Head of the River Regatta and spend the day with our Rowing community. St Patrick’s College had several wins and placings on the day - well done to all Rowers.  Congratulations to Rowing Captains, Jack Clark and Ashlee Cherry for leading the team over the season and for the excellent results obtained. It was a pleasure to be at Lake Barrington last week and watch the outstanding teamwork, effort and companionship that is a part of this sport.

Congratulations to our Senior Boys Tennis team,  captained by Campbell Young, for making the NSATIS Final. The boys played a great match against a strong Marist team, going down 4-2. Highlights included seeing the excellent competitive play from our boys, which was matched by their outstanding sportsmanship. Well done to Campbell and Thomas Chambers for their individual wins.  

Congratulations also to our Senior Girls Basketball team, who played off in the NSATIS Basketball final against St Brendan-Shaw College. This was a  great game, with the girls going down 58-32 in a competitive display. Well done to Basketball captain Keely Morrison for leading the girls.

Our Year 7, 8 and 9 Cricket teams are all performing well. There have been many fantastic team performances already this season, with one round to go before the break. Congratulations to Harry Page, who made an outstanding 50 last weekend. When the innings ended and Harry walked off, it was great to see how his teammates supported and encouraged him - they were genuinely pleased and excited for him. To me, this is so much about what sport and other extracurricular activities can provide. 

As well as all these sporting activities, our Debating teams are performing very well. Last week, our Senior team had a close victory against St Brendan-Shaw College. Congratulations to Elenoa Ravai, Jack Adams and Otto Middleton, ably supported by Elena Darby-Rodriguez and Evan Williams.

As we conclude Week 8, it is exciting to let you know the School of Rock is coming together well.  The commitment of the staff and students involved is outstanding, and the run-through over the last weekend was brilliant. I hope you all have secured tickets for the show, which runs from May 3-5 at the Princess Theatre.  

Year 8 campers returned last Friday from their House camps. Being lucky enough to visit MacKillop More and MacKillop Barry on camp was a highlight of my week. Seeing the staff and students working together, helping each other out, cooking, eating and playing together demonstrated the amazing relationships that can form through such fantastic experiences.  

The past week our Year 11 and 12 students have taken part in their Retreat. These were  amazing opportunities for our Seniors to explore their personal spirituality, reflect and continue to develop connections with their peers.

Term 1 has certainly been busy and I would like to this week acknowledge the St Patrick’s College staff who work to ensure that our students have so many diverse opportunities to grow and flourish. I wish to acknowledge our students who have been exceptional this term and thank you, our parents/guardians, for the support you provide to your children and that you give the College.

Why Share all These Positive Experiences?

St Patrick’s College is a Catholic college. Choosing to be a part of our community involves choosing all that the College represents. My experiences across this first term would certainly suggest that those who choose to embrace all aspects of the College, those who wear our uniform with pride, those who attend and participate in everything that is on offer, those who engage fully in their studies, and those who choose to push themselves to be their best, are certainly the members of our community who gain the most.

Having high expectations of your children; expecting them to give their best, wear their uniform with pride, participate and show respect, will help them flourish and to be their best self.

Validations Survey

School Validation occurs every five years. Validation provides assurance about the ongoing improvement of the College, and in 2023 this will have a particular focus on learning and assessment. In order to focus on continuous improvement, we need to know what our parents, staff and students feel about the College.  

Parents/guardians should have received a Survey on Monday, 27 March. This survey is conducted independently, and all data we receive is anonymised and confidential.  

We ask that you please take the 10-15 minutes required to complete this survey to support us in ensuring we provide the best environment and education for all students in our care.

Thank you in anticipation for your time.

Holy Week and Easter

Next Thursday is Holy Thursday. As a College, all students will participate in a liturgy journeying across Holy Week. Holy Week is the most important week in the Church's year. It is a time when we celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We remember his actions, reflect on his messages and recommit to living as his disciples in the world today.

Thank you to all for your support and commitment to the College during Term 1.

A reminder to the community that winter uniform changeover starts at the start of Term 2.

Uniform items can be found in the Uniform Protocol, which can be accessed on the College website and in Schoolbox or by clicking the following link: https://media.digistormhosting...

College Uniform Store

The St Patrick's College Uniform Store's last trading day for Term 1, 2023 is Thursday 6 April 8:00am - 4:00pm.

During this period, online orders can be placed by visiting www.midford.com.au. Registration details and instructions are provided on Schoolbox under the Uniform tile.  Online orders will be filled when the College Store reopens and items can be collected from the College.

Regular trading hours resume Wednesday 26 April 2023.
Wednesday - 8:00am - 4:00pm
Thursday - 8:00am - 4:00pm

Best wishes to Makayla Lobley, who is participating in the 2023 Rotary Youth Sailing Challenge on a five-day voyage from Hobart to Sydney on a tall ship.  

Chelsea Anderson is one of seven Australian Army Cadets who has been selected from Tasmania to compete for the peak individual award for an Australian Army Cadet, the Adventure Training Award (ATA). This year Tasmania hosts the ATA, and it is being held over the Easter Break at Lake Barrington. Cadets are selected from all states to attend and compete. Selection trials included a swim test, a pack march, a beep test, a navigation exercise and a written assessment. Competing will test endurance, fieldwork, teamwork and leadership skills. Congratulations, and best of luck, Chelsea!

Jackson Carroll-Egge represented the College and Tasmania in the School Sports Australia National Triathlon Championships held in Devonport on 14 – 16 March 2023. Jackson delivered a great performance and showed wonderful sportsmanship during the event. Well done, Jackson!

Mrs Minami Ivory, Visual Art, Photography & Japanese teacher, has recently had her work selected and is currently on exhibition at Modern Art Oxford in the UK as part of the Procreate Project. Minami's work was also awarded the prize for Most Critically Engaging Work in the 2022 Summer Salon at the Centre for Contemporary Photography in Fitzroy, Victoria and was one of 15 selected for the public art space in the Perth Centre for Photography 30-year anniversary exhibition Collective in Western Australia. Congratulations, Minami!

Congratulations to all our staff and students involved both on and off stage in Encore Theatre's amazing production of Priscilla the Musical.

By Ms Tracey Owers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Success

On Sunday evening, a small group of students and staff attended mapali on the foreshore of Devonport's Mersey River.  Traditionally home to the punnilerpanner people of the North Nation, Devonport hosted the closing event of Ten Days on the Island - an arts festival held in various locations across lutruwita/Tasmania.  mapali - meaning gathering - told the story of mulaka makalina (hunting stingray).  Using dance, drumming and fireworks, Dave Gough and performers created a spectacular retelling of this creation story.  As always, it was a wonderful celebration of Tasmanian Aboriginal culture and storytelling, and it was fantastic to be amongst the crowd of 2000 or so who gathered to watch the performance.  It was also very special to see some members of our St Patrick's College community walk alongside Aboriginal community members as a part of the gathering.  Thank you to everyone who attended, and special thanks to Paige Arnold, who captured amazing photographs of the event.  

The College's Front Office and Accounts Office will be closed to the public from Wednesday 12 to Friday 14 April (following Easter Monday and Tuesday public holidays).

Regular opening hours of the offices resume from Monday 17 April at 8:00am. 

ABSTUDY is a group of payments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. ABSTUDY helps with the costs of studying or undertaking an Australian apprenticeship.

It can help with your child’s school fees, boarding costs, travel to and from school and other school items. If COVID-19 impacts your child’s travel or they need to study remotely, ABSTUDY can also help.

If you’re a parent or guardian and your child is younger than 16, you should claim on their behalf. If your child is 16 and over, or independent, they can claim themselves. To claim, call the Services Australia’s ABSTUDY line on Freecall 1800 132 317. If they’re starting uni or TAFE, they’ll be able to claim online through myGov.

Claiming before 1 December means ABSTUDY payments can be finalised in time for the start of school next year. This is very important if your child needs to move away from home to study. To see what you or your child can get, and learn how to claim, go to servicesaustralia.gov.au/abstudy

The Department for Education, Children and Young People has advised that Thursday 6 April will be a student-free day for state primary and high schools from kindergarten to grade ten. As the secondary colleges and the majority of non-government schools will be open as normal, Metro will make some alterations to school bus services as follows:

Thursday 6 April only

• Morning school bus Routes 827, 829, 831, 833, 837 and 841 will operate as normal. Route 835 from North Riverside to St Patrick’s will not travel via Prospect High School grounds, but will otherwise operate as normal.
• All afternoon school buses (Routes 836, 838, 840, 842, 844, 846, 848, 850, 852 and 856) will operate from the College as normal.

General public services on Metro’s Launceston network will continue to operate to the Term weekday timetable.

Friends of Music is a small, enthusiastic group of parents, grandparents and friends of the College's Music programs. We aim to support the Music Tutors, students and ensembles in any way we can. These efforts include providing support and enabling students to enrich and broaden their musical experience through fundraising and events.
 
The group meets monthly during the school year. All parents and associates of the various music ensembles are encouraged to attend meetings, volunteer at events or assist in whatever capacity they can.
 
The next Friends of Music meeting will be held in room A2 in the Music area on Tuesday April 4 at 7:00pm. 

Meetings run between 30 to 60 minutes. Fresh ideas, inputs and experiences from parents, grandparents and friends are welcomed. For further information, please contact us at music@stpatricks.tas.edu.au

By Shannon Kelly, College Captain

For my College Captain's speech on St Patrick’s day, I decided to celebrate our College and the many things that make it special to the people within its community. Over two weeks, I went around our school and asked people for stories about why St Patrick’s College is special to them. I asked teachers, the Library staff, Year 7 and 8 students, the Student Executive and some past Collegians. Everyone had their own individual reasons, but some strong themes emerged, showing the amazing strengths of our College. Throughout the process of doing this, I came to realise how impactful these stories were, and so I wanted to share them with the broader school community through the newsletter.

From the Student Executive: 

"St Patrick’s College is special to me because of all of the diverse opportunities available and the supportive staff."  

"St Patrick’s College has been special to me because of all the connections I have made through the Ascent program and the other opportunities given to me."  

"SPC is a special place to me as it provides me with so many opportunities in so many different areas of my life."

From the Middle School:

"St Patrick’s College is special to me because of all of the separate spaces. There is a place here for everyone. Every grade has its own area, which makes for a very welcoming and safe environment and has meant that our grade has become really close over the years."  

"I love our school because of the amazing Library! There is such a wide collection of books, and it is a really great place to hang out."  

"Our College is special to me because of all of the friends I have made and the time I get to spend in my Tutor group, which is like a family to me."  

"SPC is special because of the elective classes (especially cooking!) that are offered to us. There are so many opportunities!"

"I love St Pat’s because of the canteen!"

St Patrick’s College is special to me because of Wellbeing. I love how it gets me outside and active and all of the friends I have made during it". 

"Our school is special to me because of the music program."

From some Old Collegians:

"The thing that makes St Patrick's College special to me is the people. The patience and care from every teacher and staff member, the support from older students and the laughter with friends. All of this builds a real sense of belonging at St Pat’s and, fundamentally, I think that’s why it’s such a special place."  

"St Patrick’s is special to me because of the culture of care that the members of the community have fostered. As a student here, you know that you have a loving, compassionate support system around you."

"St Patrick’s College has so many things that make a special school, such as the vertical connection built through our Tutor groups, the space given to you to grow and mature at Croagh Patrick and the time allowed to follow your passion and explore future possibilities in the Senior School."

From the staff:

"St Patrick’s College is special to me because of the people, both staff and students, past and present."  

"St Patrick's College is incredibly special to me - it feels like home most of the time. I love the sense of community that St Patrick's provides for people - staff, students and parents.  The diverse cross-section of society that makes up this community is one of its great strengths - with our size and demographic, our perspectives, empathy, and connections are pretty broad and yet also profound, which is always a great thing.  Over the years, our students have always shown a bit of spunk - and cheekiness, humour and boldness, and that energy brings me great joy.  I also find our students incredibly down to earth and willing to get 'amongst it', which is vital for a strong community.  Being surrounded by young people and their hope, creativity and way of looking at the world - I feel really lucky."

"I have been here for what feels like forever, and it is hard to go anywhere in Tasmania and not know someone who went to St Pat's or who knows someone who did, and I love that."  

"What I appreciate the most is how forgiving our community is - I have made some awful mistakes and have seen others make mistakes, and yet, for the most part, we forgive and allow people to grow.  When I started at the College in my early 30s, the women and men who were my age now offered me such kindness and guidance and those relationships I cherish. And, of course, I have met some of my closest friends here (including my husband), and so it has had a profound impact." 

"I was a past student and have now come back as a teacher. SPC is special for giving so many past students a home later on in their life, bringing them back in a complete circle as they return here as staff members. And from me personally, St Patrick’s College is special for so many reasons. Something I really love is the positive response I got to my requests for these stories. I went up to many Middle Schoolers during their lunchtime and explained what I was looking for, and it was so special to see them all thinking of their individual reasons as to why our school is special to them." 

PTO BOOKING INFORMATION 

As we come to the end of Term 1, we are preparing for our first formal Parent-Teacher Evening which will be held at the College on Wednesday 26 April from 4.00pm until 8.30pm. 

Parents and guardians can use the feedback and assessments recorded on Schoolbox as a guide as to whether you need to book an interview. Students are encouraged to attend the meetings with their parent(s)/guardian(s). 

Interviews can be booked online using the online booking system PTO from 7.00am Tuesday 4 April until midnight Sunday 23 April. Login details were emailed to parents on Tuesday 28 March.

The PTO website portal is available by clicking on or typing the following link in your web browser: 

https://bookings.parentteacher...

PTO App Bookings can also be made by using the PTO Mobile App. The App can be downloaded on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and you can find St Patrick’s College using the code: aprmz 

Please note, the PTO booking System will NOT be available until it opens at 7.00am Tuesday 4 April.

If you encounter any problems using either the PTO website or App, please contact Mrs Nicole Cullen, Personal Assistant to Deputy Principal Learning & Achievement, on 6341 9988 or ncullen@stpatricks.tas.edu.au.

PTO Login Details: Will be emailed on Tuesday 28 March.

PTO Bookings Open: Tuesday 4 April, at 7:00am

PTO Bookings Close: Sunday 23 April, at midnight

DOWNLOAD THE PTO APP

App Store (Apple)

https://apps.apple.com/au/app/...

Play Store (Google)

https://play.google.com/store/... 

App Code: aprmz

By Ms Jodie White, Future Pathways Coordinator

Australian School-based Apprenticeships

St Patrick’s College support students in Year 10 to 12 who are on Australian School-based Apprenticeships, known as ASbA’s.

An Australian School-based Apprenticeship is a paid, employment-based training arrangement where Years 10, 11 or 12 students can combine employment, training and education to gain a nationally recognised qualification, usually at Certificate II or III level – across almost every industry sector and training package.

Students undertaking an ASbA, in conjunction with the parents/guardian, school, employer and the RTO, are supported by an Australian Network Provider (ANP). The ANP is responsible for the coordination, administration and communication between all stakeholders; student/parent, school, employer and RTO, and forwards documentation to Skills Tasmania to approve a legally binding and registered Training Contract.

St Patrick’s College currently has students in Years 10, 11 and 12 participating in ASBAs, working in various industries such as retail, hospitality, cookery, agriculture, carpentry, building, childcare, banking, and business administration. Past students have completed ASbAs in hairdressing, barbering, plumbing, ICT, engineering fabrication, green keeping and civil construction.

Many of these students, were offered an ASbA after participating in a work placement in their area of interest. Other students complete an ASbA as part of their casual employment at KFC, McDonald's, Hungry Jack's or Domino’s, and they gain a Certificate II in Retail Services. Often St Patrick’s College students on an ASbA also complete Year 12 and transition into full-time apprenticeships.

Further Information
Please contact Ms White, who facilitates all the ASbAs, or go to:

https://www.skills.tas.gov.au/apprenticeships_and_traineeships/accordions/what_is_a_school-based_apprenticeship_or_traineeship

ARBRE HUB FOREST INDUSTRIES TRAINING AND CAREER HUBS

Arbre Hub collaboratively creates and facilitates training programs that meet the needs of the forestry industry workforce. Partnering with schools and colleges to shape and deliver high-quality career education opportunities.

Three student programs that are available for 2023 are:

1. School Forestry Work Experience Program

The College participated in the pilot of this Program last year.  The Program is targeted at Year 10 students and will be running in the Launceston region from 29 to 31 August 2023, giving students three days of work experience with a different employer each day.

School Forestry Work Experience Program Brochure

2. Cadet Forester Program (ASbA)

This Program is an Australian School-based Apprenticeship and focuses on Forest Growing and Management.  This Program targets students in Years 11 and 12 who will complete a Certificate II in Forest Operations.

Cadet Forester Program (ASbA) Brochure

3. Next Generation Forestry Operators Program (ASbA)

This Program is an Australian School-based Apprenticeship focused on Forestry Machine Operations with a unit of simulator training included.  This Program targets students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who will complete a Certificate II in Forest Operations.

Next Generation Forestry Operators Program (ASbA) Brochure

LETZ LIVE 2024 GAP YEAR OPPORTUNITIES

Applications for Letz Live 2024 Gap Assistant positions (working in boarding school establishments) across New Zealand, Thailand, and the United Kingdom are currently open until Easter Sunday, 9 April 2023. Interested students are encouraged to apply early to avoid disappointment; applications can be made through their website www.letzlive.org.

Letz Live provides paid overseas Gap Year opportunities for working in educational settings across New Zealand, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. All positions are paid, with participants receiving food and accommodation during the school term. The Letz Live program offers a unique opportunity to immerse in an exciting culture, gain independence and make lasting connections worldwide before returning to Australia to pursue tertiary study or career ambitions.

Should any students be interested in a UK Gap Year who are perhaps not eligible (who aren't 18 years of age by January 1, 2024, or do not wish to spend January through to December overseas), they may like to apply for an Activity Assistant role.

Participants depart between January and April (their decision) and will conclude in September 2024. Information can be found here.

Further Information

Please contact the Letz Live Queensland office by phone on (07) 5527 1822 or by email info@letzlive.org. 

EARLY UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS FOR 2023

Get the advantage! Apply now for an early offer at Charles Sturt

Charles Sturt wants you to have the best possible start to your next chapter. With the Charles Sturt Advantage, you can get a guaranteed spot in your course before you sit your final exams. Last year Charles Sturt made almost 6,000 early offers.

Apply by Friday, 7 April, to receive an offer in May!

Apply now at https://publicrequests.csu.edu.au/public/csu-advantage/csa-early-offer 

Australian National University – Early Applications are Now Open

ANU’s Direct Applications for domestic undergraduate applicants have opened (for study in 2024).

Key points to consider:

• Applications for 2024 domestic undergraduates close Tuesday, 23 May
• There is no charge when submitting an application
• Applications are open to domestic school leavers studying an Australian Year 12 qualification
• There is only one application for ANU, and it includes admission, guaranteed on-campus accommodation and access to over 200 scholarships in one form

ANU contact details for future student enquiries can be made by calling 1800 620 032 or by the University’s website contact form https://www.anu.edu.au/contact-anu/future-students-enquiry  

By Olivia Gardner

On Thursday 15th of March, our three Year 9 Art classes went to the John Glover Art Exhibition. The classes got to have a look at the artworks and pick their favourites for the Children’s Choice Award. The exhibition was held in Evandale and has been for 20 years. Many of the paintings were of landscapes of Tasmania, while others were abstract. The paintings allowed you to have your own depiction of what they represented. It was a great opportunity, and it was cool to see all the paintings, and it was great to see how diverse they were. 

By Isabella Colson, Dance Captain

Senior Dance started off with a bang in 2023. So far, Year 10 Dance and TASC Dance 3 went to MONA FOMA and watched Body Body Commodity, choreographed by Jenni Large. This performance was eye-opening and challenging for many students and gave us a deeper understanding of contemporary dance. Stompin Youth Dance Company visited the Senior Dance classes and ran a contemporary workshop. We were encouraged to learn and create intents and movement sequences and how to move our bodies in ways we aren’t used to.

Currently, senior students are working on crafting their routines for the Launceston Competitions. We cannot wait to share our performances with everyone and continue to work on our dance skills and develop our personal style of dance.

In Years 8 and 9, students have been exploring and experimenting with their own movement vocabulary and applying various choreographic devices to their routines. They have been creating some small group performances around a chosen intention. We wish them all the best with their upcoming performance assessments.

By Thomas Crack, Art Captain

Students from all Year 11 and 12 Art classes have attended ArtRage this term to view the exhibition displaying works selected from TASC3 Visual Arts students from across the state in 2022.

ArtRage was an incredible experience for our senior students, through looking at what others their own age have been able to create and by providing them with an exciting opportunity to get ideas and inspiration for their own folios this year. 

The works within ArtRage ranged from mediums such as mono printing, sculpture, photography, painting, and lino prints and looked at topics such as abstraction, the environment, social and political issues. There was an extensive range of work to see. Thank you to all our Art teachers for providing us with this opportunity.

By Mr Robert Kaitse, Business Studies Teacher

In Business Studies Foundations, students have been introduced to foundational business concepts such as how our economy works and the roles that businesses play within it. They have covered elements such as classifying businesses in various ways and learning about the functions business fulfils in society, such as providing employment, income, choice, and innovation. In Term 1, we were fortunate enough to visit Launceston’s Jailhouse Grill and talk with owner Mr Tim Piper over some burgers, fries and soft drinks. Students are currently undertaking a task that requires them to profile a local business and discuss classifications by legal structure and some of the advantages and disadvantages of being in a partnership or being a sole trader. We received some incredible insight into the daily operations of restaurant ownership and management, with students getting a tour of the entire building, including the cellars, which are home to much wine.

Analysis of the internal and external business environment is an important element of the student’s current task, and Tim was kindly able to provide some fascinating details relating to some of the challenges both within and beyond the business’s control. From core product offerings to supply chain and inventory management, the sheer range of challenges that a business, and the entrepreneurs running them, must consider and adapt to is quite remarkable.

From an operational perspective, the students were given some insights into human resource management and the many challenges that come with gaining, retaining and maintaining a cohesive and effective staff in an ever-changing hospitality industry and with the unemployment rate so low.

I need to give a very special thank you to Tim and the team at the Jailhouse Grill for generously offering this experience to our students. Although students have offered to cover the cost of their meals, all of these have been donated to Caritas and Project Compassion instead. The only complaints from students were the need to walk back to class on such a full belly and now needing to complete the Business Profile task.

By Ms Leigh Hart, Head of School – Croagh Patrick

On Monday 27 March, Year 9s welcomed Mr Rod Spinks from St Vincent de Paul, who spoke to our students about the services that Vinnies run and how much they value the soup that our students make each week. Mrs Emma McIver (Croagh Patrick’s Outreach Coordinator)  said that we had already made 100 litres this term and were well on track to beat the previous year’s record of 1,000 litres.

Rod explained that The Vinnies Soup Vans go to two venues in Launceston five nights a week. He highlighted the different needs of each group and how Vinnies not only supplied food for the homeless and disadvantaged but also supplied blankets, coats and even food for pets. The outreach program runs all year and gives students opportunities to help those of our community in need through either making soup, donating goods such as blankets etc. or in Term 2 and 3, by working with primary students to develop skills in reading and fine motor activities.

By Mr Deon Birtwistle, Head of Rowing

The Head of The River regatta was a fantastic close to our season on Saturday, 18 March 2023.

 We celebrate three Year 12 students, Ashlee Cherry, Ruby Hudson and Kira Rose, ending their final College rowing season with amazing experiences and leaving a wonderful legacy with their teammates. While Ashlee and Ruby have rowed over multiple years and seasons, Kira joined in 2022 to learn a new skill as a coxswain. Kira’s courage, devotion and genuine support of others are exemplary qualities that inspire our rowers.

 Up to 130 SPC rowers, family members and friends, some new to rowing and others experienced, enjoyed great weather for racing conditions, good food and an awesome team atmosphere. We achieved some of our best race results to date, with many close second and third placings making for great stories. Adding to this, we also achieved another season where our senior rowers were able to race in both the Girls and Boys Open Eights events. Our junior rowers performed very well, with a notable outcome being our Year 8 Schoolgirls and Schoolboys Quads winning their first division events, which we believe has not been a result that SPC has achieved previously.

Thank you to all our coaches, supporters, families and rowers for another wonderful season. We now start our planning for our winter training, which will begin quite soon after our presentation evening in April and a well-deserved break for all.

By Mr Harri O’Toole, Sports Coordinator

St Patrick's Day Cup

My first St Patrick's Day as an ex-student was just as great as I remembered. To see nearly 1600 students all competing and having fun is one of the highlights of working here at SPC. A big congratulations to Mr Chris Denton for his back-to-back-to-back wins against his rival Tutors MM1, TC5 and RB1. 

1st - Nagle 
2nd - Tenison
3rd - MacKillop
4th - Rice

Rowing

Old Collegians Laurie Dean, Oscar Birtwistle, and Connor Ryan are competing at the Australian Rowing Championships this week (Monday 27 March - 2 April) in Western Australia. Laurie and Oscar in the Lightweight U21 (Oscar) and U23 (Laurie) singles; Lightweight U23 Double; then the Lightweight Open Mens Four with Mr Deon Birtwistle (Head of Rowing) and Connor; then the same crew in the main event being the Interstate Lightweight Mens Four (called the Penrith Cup), which means a first time (that we can see from the records) that a father and son (Deon and Oscar) have competed in the state team boat together. The Penrith Cup will race on Sunday, 2 April. Best of luck to all rowers!

Basketball 

Our Senior 1sts Girls, coached by Mr Simon Austen, played their NSATIS final last week vs St Brendan-Shaw College. The girls lost the game but showed some great effort and won the 2nd half.

Tennis

Our Senior 1st Boys, coached by Mr Paul Smith, played their NSATIS final vs Marist Regional College last Wednesday. They sadly went down to a strong Marsit team. It was a big effort to make the final, congratulations! 

Cricket 

Our Years 7/8 Cricketers are still going. Our Year 8 team is currently 4-0 after defeating Launceston Christian School. 

Saturday March 25 - Year 8
SPC 8/221 (30 overs) def LCS 8/191 (30 overs)

Batting Performances:
Harry Page 56*, Darcy Kitchin 26*, Tahj Jones 23*, Patrick Twynam-Perkins 14,Cameron Nicholas 11 & Jasper Lee 9.

Bowling Performances:
Owen Woolridge 2/14 (3 overs), Darcy Kitchin 1/15 (5 overs), Harry Page 1/9 (2 overs)
Cameron Nicholas 1/15 (2 overs) & Jasper Lee 1/37 (4 overs)

Saturday 18 March - Year 7
SPC 8/156 (30 overs) def SOC All Out 138 (27 overs).

Best Performances SPC: Will Perkins 43 no, Harry Driessen 24 no, Fletcher Luttrell 17, Isaac Martin 3/6, Josh Stacey 1/2, Sean McClintock 1/8.