Sapphire Coast Anglican College Newsletter | Term 1 | week 4 | 2025

College Principal's Address

It was the brilliant Mark Twain who famously said, ‘I apologise for the length of this letter. If I had had more time, it would have been shorter’.

With a typically hustling and bustling Week 4 almost over (and apparently an already bulging Newsletter almost on the electronic press) it looks like I shall be, of necessity, utilising a less than optimum amount of time in the pursuit of a shorter than usual contribution!

In amongst all that happens both here on our beautiful and so very green campus, and off-site, be that at the Art Gallery of NSW, the surf of Tathra Beach or in the ring at Cobargo Show, our students and staff ensure Sapphire Coast Anglican College is ever more firmly on the education map.

When contemplating new directions and improvements as part of the development of the College’s next Strategic Plan, I often find myself struggling for ways to cover all the most crucial bases without seeming to place lesser emphasis on, or even totally ignore other avenues. Those paths are still worth following and for some, perhaps they are the essence of what they love most about the College. I really don’t want to leave anything out.

As such, it was a comment from a colleague a few days ago, prompted by a conversation at the most recent Parents and Friends meeting, that is my most memorable moment since the last Newsletter. Having been showered with praise during the meeting, at which that colleague was absent, I called to relay the appreciation of that august group. The disarmingly modest response was, ‘but isn’t that just what anyone would want for their own children?’

How perfectly put. That is the measure by which anyone working with young people should judge their efficacy. Are we doing for your children exactly what we would like our own children to experience? It has the makings of a superb mission statement, and I will carry it along with me as the senior leadership team and whole staff continue our deliberations.

In fact, even today, important decisions have been made by colleagues that fit within that framework, ranging from how our wonderful Canteen service operates to what novel a Year Group will read. Our staff has not only tremendous educational powers, but a strong Christian ethical compass. Your constructive feedback is essential to maintaining both in optimum operating condition, so please don’t ever hesitate to let us know how we, and your child/children are performing.

10,000th Person Entered the College Database!

The College adopted a new school management system, ‘Synergetic’ back in 2016, an application produced by a Melbourne-based software company, Education Horizons. Every new student or employee since 2016 has had their name formally entered into Synergetic. It was a lovely surprise a few weeks ago to discover we had just passed the 10,000 mark, and that it was Natalia, from Year 8. Michael, her older brother, narrowly missed out, becoming our 9,999th entry!

Natalia joined the College in November 2024 having previously been a Narooma High School student, where her parents work as teachers, and her sister still attends.

A Coolagolite resident, Natalia loves; playing AFL for the Bermagui Breakers, spending time on the family property with their two dogs, dark blue and pizza!

Who knows how long it will take to add another 10,000 entries to the school management system, but I suspect it may be less than 9 more years!

David Proudlove | College Principal

Thursday, 13th and Friday, 14th of February saw the Bega Memorial Swimming Pool overrun by our SCAC swimmers who enjoyed their carnivals. We had a high level of participation from both primary and secondary students. Students not only swam in the traditional events but also participated in a range of novelty activities including pony pool noodle races, over-under ball and egg and spoon.

2025 Champion House:

• Primary – Booth
• Secondary – Nicholls

Congratulations to our Age Champions!

We wish our SASSA team all the best when they compete on the 4th of March at the Nowra Aquatic Centre.

Welcome to the New School Year!

Our primary students have kicked off the year with incredible enthusiasm, quickly settling into their learning routines and creating vibrant classroom displays. We are dedicated to maintaining a consistent approach to teaching and learning, ensuring smooth transitions for our students and reducing the cognitive load associated with new routines.

Focus on Literacy Skills

Building literacy skills remains a top priority. We aim to empower our children to be well-informed and confident in expressing their ideas. We encourage students to ask questions, seek factual information, and seize every opportunity to learn about the world. Please support your child in reading, writing, and responding at every chance. This could be as simple as making a weekly shopping list, writing a journal entry, or sending a letter to a grandparent or special friend.

Tips for Parents to Help at Home

• Reading Together: Set aside time each day to read with your child. Discuss the story, ask questions, and encourage them to predict what might happen next.
• Writing Practise: Encourage your child to write regularly. This could be through keeping a journal, writing letters, or creating stories.
• Educational Games: Use educational games and apps to make learning fun and interactive. Card games are an excellent way to build their working memory.
• Daily Conversations: Engage in meaningful conversations with your child about their day, interests, and what they are learning.
• Homework Support: Create a quiet, dedicated space for your child to do their homework and be available to help if needed. Chat with teachers if you have any questions of suggestions.

Parental Involvement

We invite parents to join us on this learning journey. Feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher or contact me if you would like to assist in the classroom or school grounds.

Thank You

Thank you to all the parents who attended our information evening. We hope every family has now received their child’s Class Information Booklet and timetable.

We look forward to collaborating with you to support your child’s learning this year.

Mrs Whyman

Last week, Sapphire Coast Anglican College HSC Drama and Visual Arts students embarked on an exciting cultural tour of Sydney, immersing themselves in art, theatre, and history.

A standout moment of the trip was visiting the Art Gallery of New South Wales to explore the ARTEXPRESS exhibition, which featured the ceramic body of work by SCAC Class of 2024 student, Luke Iodice. Students were able to see the high standards of work they can achieve in their Visual Arts journey. They also toured the University of Sydney Museum, delving into its extensive collections, observing ancient artefacts and viewing collections of works produced by university students in studio classes.

Drama students participated in a dynamic acting workshop at the renowned Belvoir Street Theatre, collaborating with teaching artists to devise performances. They also attended a staged reading of HSC Drama scripts at the iconic Sydney Theatre Company in Walsh Bay and experienced the exceptional OnStage performances at the Seymour Centre, showcasing the highest-achieving 2024 HSC Drama students.

Meanwhile, Visual Arts students visited the Australian Museum, where they explored the fascinating Machu Picchu exhibition, as well as their permanent collection. They also visited the Museum of Contemporary Art, experiencing conceptual videography and abstract painting.

A definite highlight of the trip was attending the Broadway musical Hadestown at the Theatre Royal—a spectacular performance that left a lasting impression on all.

The experience was an invaluable opportunity for students to deepen their appreciation of the arts and gain inspiration for their own creative journeys.

While on our lovely Christmas/New Years holidays - people worked around the weeks to keep our Aggie plants and animals happy. Thanks to Megan, our farm hand, Dan the Dirt Man, Maintenance and Nate G of Year 8 who also popped in to let chickens in and out, put sprinklers on and keep the farm looking amazing.

Senior Plant Density Trial

In a fantastic overlap of timetable, Year 11 and 12 Aggies worked together to harvest potatoes from our Plant Density Trial and then measure and calculate the success of growing potatoes in high, recommended, and low-density conditions. As per most experiments, the results did not concur with 'recommended' conditions but for some reason worked for 'high-density planting' - maybe our soils were just AMAZING and could cater for competition in close proximity. Year 11 and 12 Ag make for a formidably cohesive senior group!

Year 8 Ag Electives

Our newest team of Aggie recruits entered the farm - some with some amazing experience! We formed a human fence line to move our BIG calves back from chewing behind the Green Shed to their poddy paddock. We look forward to growing some carrots in our unit on Plant Production!

Year 9/10 Ag

YEAR 9/10 AG: REQUEST FOR FERTILISED EGGS?!

Hi all, as our Year 9/10 Aggies eagerly unpacked our new fan-dangled egg incubator, it seems many of our Bega Valley chickens have started moulting with the odd weather and gone off the lay. Without that excitement... Year 9/10 students formed a human fence line, and we moved our delightful (but BIG) calves up behind the Ag Green Shed to chew down the grass. Willy our oldest calf, followed by Marmalade, our Jersey were first up, followed by twins, Bazza and Travis.

Year 12 HSC Ag

Our Year 12 Aggies returned to the Ag plot to check on the animals - particularly Marmalade, their Jersey from last year and the Potato Plant Density Trial they had planted out at the end of last year...