St Mary's Coptic Orthodox College

Newsletter Issue No. 4

Reflection of Growth and Gratitude

As we come to the end of semester1, I want to take a moment to reflect on all that has been accomplished and express my gratitude to all parents for entrusting us with your children’s education. At SMCOC, we strive to provide a nurturing and challenging environment for our students, where they can grow academically, spiritually, and socially. I am proud to say that our students have demonstrated exceptional growth in all areas this semester.

Our faculty and staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that our students receive a quality education that is rooted in Christian values. We have incorporated biblical principles into our curriculum, and our students have had the opportunity to grow in their faith through chapel services, Bible studies, and service projects. I want to thank our parents for their support throughout the semester. Your involvement in your child’s education has been invaluable, and we appreciate your partnership in helping our students succeed.

As we look ahead to the next semester, we are excited to continue our commitment to excellence in education and in nurturing the spiritual growth of our students. We invite you to stay involved and be a part of the journey.

May God’s blessings be upon you and your family during this holiday season.

Fr Tadros Sharobeam

Principal

'Urban Upcycle' incursion

On the 16th of June, our Year 1 students participated in an extraordinary sustainability adventure during the 'Urban Upcycle' incursion. Filled with creativity, the children not only dived into the world of repurposing and reusing materials to create innovative masterpieces but also learnt valuable lessons on recycling and waste management.

Our young learners discovered the power of sustainability as they transformed discarded items into extraordinary creations. Armed with their imagination and a wide array of reused materials, the students showcased their inventiveness and resourcefulness. Guided by teachers, they discovered the beauty of giving new life to everyday objects.

In addition to their creative endeavours, the students delved into the importance of recycling and proper waste sorting. They learned about the different types of bins and the significance of responsible waste management. Through discussions and engaging activities, they gained a deeper understanding of the impact of their actions on the environment.

The 'Urban Upcycle' incursion instilled in our Year 1 students a sense of environmental responsibility. They now appreciate the value of reducing, reusing, and recycling in order to protect our planet's resources. Equipped with this knowledge, they are empowered to make informed choices and become ambassadors of sustainability within our community.

Asees Kaur

Year 1 Classroom Teacher

SMCOC's Chess Club

Chess Competition

Chess is extremely popular at SMCOC.

Most students are very experienced players, enjoying playing chess against the computer (Artificial Intelligence) whenever they can.

All students in Year 7-10 have been encouraged to participate in Chess Club, and the Chess groups are broken up into year levels.

There have been ongoing competitions during this term, and based on students' interest, this may continue in Term 3.

Chess involves problem solving strategies, which are important to develop and use in life, and we will continue to encourage student participation.

Lee DE LA CRUZ

Mathematics and Science Teacher

Library Activities during Semester 1

The Primary and Secondary libraries have been combined into one space this year, and it has been a smooth and successful transition.

Anzac Day

Our libraries honoured Anzac Day with several displays, which reminded the College to pause and reflect on the sacrifice of fallen soldiers. Primary students read picture books on this theme during their library sessions.

Harmony Day

Harmony Day display in the College Library, celebrating our cultural diversity and promoting a sense of unity and togetherness.

Mother's Day

Primary children enjoyed colouring in Mother's Day cards during library lunchtimes last week, and also read aloud picture books about Mums in their library sessions!

2023 Premiers' Reading Challenge Awards Presentation to Year 1C

Year 1C received their Early Bird Prizes for being the first class group to finish reading their books for the 2023 Premiers' Reading Challenge. They received a Mr. Men book each and a PRC Badge.

Story Time

Foundation students participated in the 2023 National Simultaneous Story time event reading of The Speedy Sloth, the story was being read aloud at the Sydney Zoo in the sloth enclosure.

Mairie Sullivan

Librarian

Foundation's Hands on Science Incursion

On Wednesday 14th June, Foundation students participated in an incursion run by Hands on Science. The incursion was investigating the concept ‘How Things Move’, which Foundation student have been learning about in Science this term.

During the incursion, students took part in a range of experiments in order to determine How things move. Students begun by exploring how objects move on land by experimenting with rollers to discover the best way to move an object despite friction. Secondly, students explored air as a force as they experimented with balloon cars, parachute toys and rockets.

Finally, students explored buoyancy as they experimented with objects that sink or float. All Foundation students had a wonderful time during this incursion and they were so excited to take part in each experiment.

Sarah Fraser

Foundation Teacher

Grade 3 Humanities Excursion Term 2 2023

The Shrine of Remembrance

To complement their Humanities Term 2 Unit: Celebrations and Commemorations, on Thursday 15th June, Grade 3 classes went on an excursion to The Shrine of Remembrance. Students enjoyed educational tours conducted by ex-service men and women. They saw: the Hall of medals, a Boat from Gallipoli and the Eternal Flame. In the World War One room, students were super lucky to get to try on actual uniforms from WW1 servicemen and women.

The Eternal Flame was a hit with most classes. They were all impressed that the flame would not go out in the rain or wind. Our guides explained that The Shrine Of Remembrance was mathematically designed to have the sun shine on the word ‘LOVE’ on the “Rock of Remembrance” for 11 seconds at 11.11am on Remembrance Day every year for the next 5000 years. One of the classes was lucky to have the sun shine on the plaque for a few seconds while their guide was explaining it.

Dusk Glass & Nashwa Maroky

Year 3 Classroom Teachers

Early Australian Explorers

On 14^th of June, students from Year Four participated in an incursion program as part of their Humanities topic on Early Australian Explorers and The First Fleet. The History Box' team, provided our students with interactive activities about the life of the early settlers. They learnt about who the convicts were, who came on the First Fleet, their reasons for settling in Australia, and Captain Arthur Phillip's influence on developing the first colony.

It was a fantastic learning experience and the Year Four students had so much fun learning about early Australian life!

Nancy Turner

Year 4 Classroom Teacher