Hearts and Minds Open to Others
Over the past week Junior School students have participated in two events that have encouraged them to stretch their knowledge and understanding beyond themselves and their daily experiences.
Multicultural Expo
Last Thursday and Friday we celebrated the Multicultural Expo. Despite the rain on Thursday, students came together to watch a cultural drumming performance by students from Claymore Public School and many joined their families in a picnic lunch in our breakout spaces, where the artefacts of each grade’s learning was displayed. The following day, each class had the opportunity to visit these displays and ask and answer questions about what they saw. It was a celebration of the many cultures that make up our community—and a meaningful opportunity to help students grow into compassionate, globally-minded citizens.
Through engaging activities like storytelling, music, food, and cultural dress, students explored the lives of children from different backgrounds. These experiences help our children build awareness of the world beyond their own, understanding of diverse perspectives, and most importantly, empathy which helps them to care about and connect with others.
Australian research shows that when students feel they are accepted, valued, and included, when they feel a strong sense of belonging, they are more likely to thrive academically and socially. According to the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) report released in May this year, positive relationships with teachers and peers, inclusive school policies, and activities that celebrate diversity all contribute to a child’s sense of belonging. Students who feel connected to their school community show higher levels of motivation, effort, and engagement in learning.
Multicultural education also plays a vital role in fostering empathy. A recent study from Deakin University highlights that intercultural education—when done thoughtfully and with institutional support—can help students develop respectful relationships and deeper cross-cultural understanding. These approaches go beyond simply celebrating difference; they encourage students to reflect critically, engage meaningfully, and build inclusive communities both inside and outside the classroom.
As part of Multicultural Day, students are encouraged to reflect on what they’ve learned. These reflections help them connect their experiences to broader ideas of fairness, kindness, and inclusion. As they listen to stories from other cultures and share their own, they begin to see that every child—no matter where they come from—has something valuable to offer. By celebrating diversity and nurturing empathy, we help our students grow into thoughtful, respectful individuals who are ready to make a positive difference in the world.
Compassion Chapel
This week we have also come together for our Compassion Chapel. During the year we have raised funds for each grade to sponsor a child through the Compassion organisation. Students have learned about their sponsor child and have collaborated to write letters to them. During Friday’s Chapel we heard more about the work of Compassion across the world and raised further funds to support our sponsor children. In our part of the world, we are blessed to have so many of our fundamental needs taken care of. We are able to provide our children with shelter, food and education (and many more things on top of these). But there are so many families in the world who are unable to do this. We need to provide opportunities for our children to realise how much they have and that they can help make a difference in the lives of other children. The Compassion project is a fabulous way to do this.
Read this week’s Health and Wellbeing article by Mr Przydacz to find out more:
Upcoming Events
The term is racing by and we have a number of events in the coming weeks: Father’s Day Breakfast, Year 4 Camp to Taronga Zoo and our Bookweek Parade, in addition to our regular Recognition Assembly in the last week of term. Please keep checking the Weekly Reminders or the Parent App for details.
God bless,
Mrs Jenny Squire
Deputy Principal – Head of Junior School
Sport
CSSA State Athletics
Last week, a number of our students proudly represented the College at the CSSA State Athletics Carnival. We congratulate all students who competed and thank them for their commitment and sportsmanship on the day.
We are thrilled to acknowledge some outstanding individual and team achievements. Kimberly I was named Age Champion for 12 Girls, and Lucas V was named Age Champion for 10 Boys. Our Junior Boys Relay Team placed first and will progress to CIS.
In total, six students from OPAC will be representing the College at CIS Athletics, which will be held on Friday 5th September at Sydney Olympic Park. The students are: Kimberly I, Jazlyn Perez, Lucas V, Marcus V, Ethan O, and James K. This is a fantastic achievement that reflects the dedication, skill, and sportsmanship of our athletes. We are extremely proud of all students who competed at the State Carnival and wish our CIS representatives the very best in the next stage of competition.
Please note that the CIS Athletics Carnival will be held Friday 5th September at Sydney Olympic Park.
IPSSO Sport Updates
Our IPSSO teams continue to show great spirit and teamwork each week.
This term has been heavily impacted by wet weather, with a number of games unfortunately washed out. To ensure fairness across the competition, the average of games played and wins is being taken into consideration when finalising which teams progress through to the finals.
Please note:
- Results will be finalised at the end of Week 7.
- The Top 2 teams progress to the finals day.
- Finals will be held at Thomas Hassall Anglican College on Wednesday of Week 8.
- AFL finals will be played at Greenway Park.
Current Rankings
Junior Team | Ranking | Senior Team | Ranking |
Junior Boys Soccer | 5th | Senior Boys Soccer | 7th |
Junior Girls Netball | 1st | Senior Girls Netball | 3rd |
Junior Mixed AFL | 6th | Senior Mixed AFL | 1st |
Junior Newcombe Ball | 2nd | Senior Volleyball | 5th |
As we move further into the season, we encourage all students to keep giving their best, demonstrating good sportsmanship, and enjoying the opportunities to represent the College.
Term 3 Upcoming Sporting Events
Week 7
Wednesday 3rd September – Winter IPSSO
- Training 7:45am
- Home Game against St Peters
- Netball and Necomball @ College
- AFL and Soccer @ Doohan Reserve
- Juniors 11:35pm
- Seniors 1:00pm
Friday 5th September
- CIS Athletics Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre
Week 8
Wednesday 10th September – IPSSO Finals
- AFL – Greenway Park
- Netball, Soccer and Newcomball / Volleyball – Thomas Hassall
CSSA and CIS Nominations
From time to time, the College is able to nominate some of our exceptional athletes to trial for CSSA or CIS representative teams. These teams are selected for high level representative competitions, drawing from almost 100 schools across NSW. If you would like the College to nominate your child for one of these events, please follow the procedure below:
- Go to CSSA website to see the list and dates of these trials (cssa.net.au)
- Email me (swright@opac.nsw.edu.au), expressing your child’s interest, background and skills in the sport
- If they fit the requirements of the trials, I will nominate them to attend
- Attend the trials with your child
God bless,
Mrs Stephanie Wright
Sports Coordinator
Read more about the Multicultural Expo in the Principal or Senior School Articles:
