Learning Legalities and Lattes
Term 2 kicked off with a flurry of activities, offering a diverse range of experiences for our students, including Social Media Law seminars, excellence in sport, cross-country and making the perfect cup of coffee.
Social Media Law Seminars
Senior school students engaged in an enlightening seminar led by Lara Menon, a Criminal Defence Lawyer, focusing on the legal aspects of social media, including issues such as cyberbullying, common youth offences (such as motor vehicle theft and filming criminal activity), and the distinction between assault and self-defence. It was an insightful session that provided valuable guidance for navigating the digital landscape.
Don’t miss the SchoolTV article shared by our Deputy Head of Wellbeing, Alison Menzies, this week, addressing social media and sexting. Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg’s message is loud and clear:
“Parents need to find their digital spine. Just because your children are pestering you, and because everybody else is on it, doesn’t mean you can’t stand your ground. The office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner, whose staff aim to ensure Australia’s young people are safe online, continue to see a sharp rise in complaints relating to sexting and intimate images but most of those have been from high school students.”
Cross Country Carnival (Courage)
Last Thursday, our students demonstrated immense courage by participating in the Cross Country Carnival. It’s an event that tests both physical and mental endurance, showcasing the indomitable spirit of our students. While there were outstanding performances, I’ll leave the details to Mr Cranston, who will share them soon.
Sporting Excellence (Craftsmanship)
Congratulations to Minnie-Mae G. (Year 7) for her remarkable achievement, securing 2nd place in the NSW Little Athletics 3000m event. Additionally, College Captain Campbell H. found further success by winning the national title at the All Schools Baseball Championships, representing NSW with pride.
Barista Training
Our Year 11 and 12 Food Technology students had the opportunity to learn barista skills from Mr. McMinn, Mrs. Fedele, and a parent volunteer Mrs. Perri. This valuable training equips them with skills essential for hospitality careers and enjoyable home brewing. I had the pleasure of sampling a cappuccino, which was of excellent quality – hot, mild, and lacking bitterness.
Taster Day for 2026
Many of our Year 5 students had a glimpse of Senior School life, exploring various subjects like Food Technology, Science, History, Visual Arts, and PDHPE. They engaged in activities ranging from creating Spartan shields and testing battle phalanx formations to baking cookies and witnessing experiments like elephant toothpaste production. We’re excited to welcome Year 5 students from other local schools next week for a similar experience, as they consider joining us for Senior School.
God bless,
Mr Steve Owen
Deputy Principal – Head of Senior School
Duke of Edinburgh
Our first DoE Spotlight for Term 2 is focused on one of our Year 10 students, Isabelle C. Isabelle is nearing the conclusion of her Bronze Award, with only a few steps remaining until she will receive her certificate.
Isabelle has been using her Dance classes outside of school as her Physical Recreation component. She attends weekly dance classes and set herself the goal of memorising all her exercises and passing the end of year exam. She has been dedicated to improvement and maintaining her physical fitness. Isabelle’s Skill component has been her weekly participation in the Senior Concert Band playing the flute. She is a dedicated member of the ensemble and has improved a great deal in the past 12 months. Isabelle attends weekly rehearsals and does private tuition with Mrs Allen to refine her craft.
Isabelle has also been serving her church community at J-Crew (NewLife’s after school kids club). Her goal for this activity demonstrates the heart she has for service – “I want to help them understand the bible and listen to them when they need it and to be a friendly person they can trust to talk about the bible and God.” What a beautiful way to use your time Isabelle – we are very proud to see OPAC students serving in this way!
In 2023, Isabelle completed her qualifying hike at the Bouddi National Park. Some of the photos shown feature Isabelle’s group where they needed determination and teamwork to complete the journey.
Well done Isabelle on nearing the completion of Bronze!
Mr Rohan Miller
Duke of Edinburgh Award Leader
