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Old Andrean Association Supporting SACS
Students are all back at school again and gradually, little by little, some of their cocurricular activities are being reintroduced with music ensembles and sports training once again taking place. It's not quite back to business as usual, and there are lots of adjustments and reinventions still taking place, but it is wonderful to have students back in the classrooms and playground.
2020 continues to be a year of constant change. For safety reasons, all reunions and live events continue to be postponed. Be assured they will go ahead, though it looks like the 10 year reunion, like the 5 year reunion, will need to be rescheduled. It is premature to provide a new date just yet.
The school have asked us to pass on their thanks to the many Old Andreans who have been supporting the school this year. In particular those who are running online events such as the OAA Virtual Community Choir and Showcasing Showcase. These community events have been extended to students and parents, as well as Old Andreans, and provide wonderful opportunities for the wider SACS community to get together.
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To commemorate 10 years since the passing of beloved SACS student Kundayi Chiundiza, the OAA will be putting together a video celebrating his life and legacy.
We invite those who’d like to say something or be part of this video to fill out their details in the below form. We’ll be conducting interviews in SAH on Thursday 11th June, 5-8pm on Level 4, St Andrews House. More information will be sent out via email at the end of this week.
https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/xIreCJyB6psq86vDTVzkVo?domain=drive.google.com
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SACS FACTOR People's Choice Award
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Not even COVID-19 could mute the wonderful sounds of SACS FACTOR.
Normally the SACS FACTOR final is held live in the Cathedral for students only but this year it will be a streamed event that everyone in the SACS community can enjoy and get involved in because for the first time you can vote for the People’s Choice Award.
So the musically talented and enthusiastic students of each SACS house have been rehearsing; heats have been held and now we are ready for one of the most highly anticipated and hotly contested school house competitions of the year. Music Captain Natalie Newman and Drama Captain Josh Dimmatina-Bevan will host the live performance which will be judged by three generous SACS alumni; Annie McDonald (OA2013), Ben Hayward (OA2011) and Mikaela Grob (OA2013). Streaming of the event begins at 11am on Thursday 11 June. Points from the winning houses go towards the Dean Pitt Shield at the end of the year.
This year Old Andreans and Hessians can participate by voting for the SACS Factor People’s Choice Award, which will raise money for the school’s charity partner, the South Sydney Anglican Church and their One4food program which provides around 100 Friday evening meals for some of the less fortunate residents of government housing in this rapidly changing part of Sydney. All we ask is that when you vote you make a small donation – either $2, $5, $10 or $20. In addition, students will be able to vote at school by gold coin donation.
You can view, vote and donate at: https://www.charidy.com/sacsfactor. Just click on the speakers to view the performances and vote by donation. The winning house of the SACS FACTOR People’s Choice Award will be judged by the number of votes received not by the amount raised. Voting closes on Monday 15 June at 11am.
Please note donations are not tax-deductible.
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Alumni Continuing to Support Music at SACS
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You would think that wrangling more than 170 singers and musicians with all their artistic temperaments and creative demands would be a tall order but not for some very committed members of the OAA and certainly not when you are dealing with the wonderful and talented 173 members of the newly formed St Andrew's Virtual Community Choir.
The St Andrew's Virtual Community Choir was the idea of OAA past President and current Treasurer, Mika Rosewarne (OA2016). Seasons of Love from the musical Rent by Jonathan Larson was chosen as the performance piece.
The call for singers went out and Kath Thomas (OA2018) and Angus Hook (OA2018) not only prepared detailed instructions and how-to videos for participants submitting their vocal performances and videos from isolation lockdown but have the massive task of pulling the virtual performance together. Complicated is an understatement.
“Seasons of Love is a song well known to current and past Senior Choir members and its words seem particularly pertinent to the current situation” says Kath Thomas. “We asked Marcus Milton (OA2016) to write an arrangement of the piece tailored to incorporate the instrumental talents of a group of alumni, staff and current Year 12 music students so it really will be a unique SACS performance”.
Once the editing is done Angus and Kath and the OAA will release the St Andrew's Virtual Community Choir performance via Facebook. Be prepared for a visual and audio treat.
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Showcasing Showcase Online
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Showcase - for many the highlight of the school year, will not be held this year because of the limitations on gatherings. However, don't despair, the OAA with support from SACS Archivist Kelton Jarvis (OA2012) and the Music Department are putting together a wonderful event of archive highlights from past Showcases.
Showcasing Showcase will be held on Tuesday 23 June from 7pm. This will be a combined live and online event featuring such classic numbers as the very famous 2007 drum off introducing All You Need is Love, to the classic 2014 performance of Minnie the Moocher.
Check out the OAA Facebook page for the link on how to watch the performance. https://www.facebook.com/oldandreans/
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Keeping SACS Spirit Strong
This year has been an uncertain and challenging time. The impact on our families, friends, jobs and businesses is becoming significant. The strength of the SACS community, which as supported students, graduates, staff and families for 135 years, continues to be something that we cherish.
We want to celebrate that and everyone in our community can join in!
From 3pm on Thursday 25 June, for 24 hours, we are looking for 500 members of the SACS community to show their support - by sending a positive message, by committing to volunteering in the future, or by donating to the Heath Bursary Fund.
For those who can donate, please consider giving your support to SACS. The Heath Bursary Fund is a tax-deductible necessitous circumstances fund that will allow us to support each other. Our wish is for the educational experience for all our students to continue at SACS. We recognise that many in our community are not able to donate at this time, but for those who have the capacity, your generosity will be very welcome. For everyone else, we still would love to have you join in our campaign by sending a message of encouragement or by a volunteer pledge.
Please go to www.charidy.com/sacsspiritstrong
You can register to get a reminder on 25 June to join the rest of our community – parents, staff, students, Hessians and Old Andreans to Keep Our Spirit Strong.
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Amelia Charles (OA2007)
When did you join SACS as a staff member and what is your role?
I joined in 2019. I work in BBC Administration – I assist the Head of Senior College and Deputy Head of Senior College; support IB and HSC Administration and help organise Senior College assemblies and events such as the Year 12 Formal and Valedictory Service.
What have you most enjoyed about working at SACS?
I love the variety of my role and my colleagues the most. And some days I like the students too.
Is it helpful in your work role to have been a student here?
In organising last year’s Year 12 Valedictory and Year 12 Formal, it helped understanding what a large day that is for both students and parents. I remember my last day of school, and it is huge. I feel this helped in ensuring the day went smoothly for everyone. Even if I did overfill the Cathedral.
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How has SACS changed since you were a student?
Gawura School began the year that I graduated school. It was such an achievement for the school and Mr Heath. It is amazing to see just how far it has come under the guidance and love of Dr Collier. While so much has changed, this by far is the most heartening change I have seen.
Any other observations about SACS from your dual perspective?
SACS is a bit like Hogwarts, in that it will always be there to welcome you home. I enjoyed my time as student here, and now as a staff member. I hope to enrol my daughter into Gawura so that she may also call SACS home.
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Old Andreans - Where are they now?
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Connor Finlay (OA2019) - ADF Army Infantry Gap Year
After deferring his place at UTS doing a double degree in Engineering and Business, Connor Finlay OA2019 accepted a 2020 ADF Army Infantry Gap Year.
The process of applying for an ADF Gap Year began almost eighteen months earlier with an exhaustive process of information sessions, written applications of interest, physical exams including achieving a minimum beep test score of 7.5, a full medical as well as psychological and aptitude tests. Offers for 2020 were not confirmed until the applicant passes a final assessment in December 2019.
The Army Infantry Gap Year is described as "an opportunity to experience life at the sharp end of the Army, spending 12 action-packed months training and operating in a highly-skilled combat team, armed with advanced weapons".
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“The first couple of weeks were challenging as you can imagine. His head was shaved within the first 24 hours; no phone; lots of yelling; up at 6.30 am; lights out at 10.30 pm and 7 days a week training for 83 days. There were times he wondered what he had done in those first couple of days and weeks particularly knowing how hard he had worked so hard to get into the Gap Year,” said his mother Mrs Wendy Finlay.
Unfortunately due to the COVID-19, Connor’s family and friends were not able to attend his march out parade on April 10 at Kapooka on the completion of the first stage of his gap year. Following two weeks of quarantine, Connor then moved to Singleton Lone Pine Barracks where he is now undertaking the second leg of his Gap Year which will last until approximately September. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, his training continues in lockdown with all weekend leave cancelled.
The ADF Gap Year offers Connor the opportunity to take up his tertiary study within the Army or to finish his gap year and return to Sydney with the valuable job training and life skills learnt during his Year 13 and take up his tertiary studies at UTS.
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Honouring our exceptional OAA
Each year at our Evening of Celebration and Prize-giving, members of the school community are inducted into the Hall of Honour. The Hall of Honour was established to honour students and alumni whose achievements have been exceptional on a national level and who exemplify the ethos of St Andrew’s in their interaction with the school and wider community.
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William Ronald OAM (OA1967)
William Ronald was born in Sydney in 1949. He joined St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Year 3 and inspired by the swordplay he had seen on the popular 1950’s television show Zorro, he signed up to learn fencing at School.
Whilst a student he became the New South Wales and the Australian Junior Foil Champion in 1964, 1965 and 1966. He also won the New South Wales Open Foil and Open Epee Championships three times and became the Australian Open Foil Champion in 1968 and the Australian Open Epee Champion in 1969.
He was selected to represent Australia at the Olympic Games, Mexico in 1968, competing in three events. He successfully competed in the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games in 1970 in two events and won a silver medal in the Foil Teams event.
He went on to serve Australian Fencing both nationally and internationally in administrative, management and coaching roles.
He managed the Australian Olympic Fencing Team for the 1976, 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games.
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He served as the Australian Fencing Delegate to the Australian Olympic Committee from 1980 until 2000. In the year 2000 Bill managed the Fencing competition for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
More recently he was Fencing coach for the Australian Modern Pentathlon competitors at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Since 2013 he has been Fencing coach at St Andrew’s Cathedral School and a guest lecturer in Australia and overseas in the areas of sport management, Olympic studies and international sports federations.
He was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2001, the NSW Olympic Council Award of Merit in 2013 and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1993.
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Hall of Honour - 2020 Nominations
It’s time to nominate alumni that you believe should be included in the SACS Hall of Honour for 2020.
Those nominating should ensure that the graduate concerned meets the criteria outlined below. Nominations must be received by 30 August this year, as inductees are announced to the general school community at the annual Evening of Celebration and Prizegiving. Inclusion into the Hall of Honour is not automatic and is at the discretion of the Head of School. A maximum of three nominations will be approved each year.
Successful applicants will receive a letter of confirmation and a certificate and will be presented with a framed picture recognising their achievements which will be hung in a prominent location in the School.
Criteria
To qualify for consideration for induction into the Hall of Honour an Old Andrean must:
- Exemplify the ethos of the School in their interactions within the School and wider community.
- Represent Australia with selection based on merit and a process of national selection. This is most likely to result in a national award being given to recognise that achievement possibly in the arts, public service or academia or being selected to be part of a national team in the arts or sport.
If you would like to nominate someone, please send a letter addressed to the Head of School (jcollier@sacs.nsw.edu.au), which includes a resume outlining the candidate’s specific achievements.
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History of SACS School Houses
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Over many issues of Elevate we have looked at the history of St Andrew’s Cathedral’s sports houses and now it’s time to turn our attention to Durham and Hereford. Both houses were established in 1996 to accommodate the school’s increasing enrolments and ironically these two newer houses are named after two of the oldest cathedrals in England.
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Durham
Durham Cathedral was granted world heritage status in 1986. Some parts of the structure date back 900 years and are distinctly ‘romanesque’ in style.
Durham Cathedral holds the remains of St Cuthbert, St Bede and St Oswald. St Cuthbert became the most important medieval saint of northern England. His shrine at Durham Cathedral was a major pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages. St Bede, aside from being a patron saint of Benedictine monks, was also an avid historian, writing the “Ecclesiastical History of the English People” amongst numerous other works and commentaries. St Oswald was one of the most powerful kings in Briton who led the nation in embracing the gospels.
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Durham is also notable for being the seat of the Prince-Bishops: leaders who held both religious and secular office simultaneously. The Prince-Bishops were practically a state-within a state, under only nominal control of the crown. This came about from the time William the Conqueror and remained for 700 years.
Interestingly the Bishop’s throne at Durham Cathedral was purposefully constructed to be larger than the equivalent seat for the Pope at the Vatican and a single non-matching column can be found which some had thought to be an apprentice’s error but is more widely acknowledged to be a deliberate fault in the Cathedral’s construction as an acknowledgement that only God is perfect and infallible.
The House colours of Durham are sky blue and black. Duram’s house crest is different from the crest of Durham Cathedral and is based instead on the crest of the Chorister School Durham which educates Durham Cathedral’s choristers.
The house started strongly with the early years placing well on Gala Day and swimming carnivals. Most recently they won the inter-house debating in 2019, and this year they had a very competitive Harry Potter-themed stall in the big-city-bakeoff of 2019.
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Hereford
Hereford Cathedral was founded in 696 AD and has one of the oldest choir schools in the world, being founded in 1190.
Over its long history of worship, the Cathedral has experienced periods of grandeur and decay being plundered by the Welsh in 1056 and then repaired by the Normans in 1107. The shrine of Saint Thomas was created in 1300 and then destroyed during the reformation in 1538 and only the intervention of Dean Herbert Croft prevented the cathedral from being further despoiled during the English civil war. In 1786 the cathedral’s west tower collapsed but was restored in 1863.
Hereford Cathedral is known for its Chained Library: a collection of medieval texts which predates the concept of library as we understand it. The books within the are all chained to the shelves, a simple yet effective measure to prevent theft. Texts include the 8th-century Hereford Gospels, many medieval manuscripts and a 1217 copy of the Magna Carta.
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Hereford Cathedral’s greatest treasure is the ‘Mappa Mundi’ - a medieval map of the world upon a single piece of vellum, created for the cathedral’s benefit in 1300 and the largest surviving complete map of this kind. It depicts the history of life from Creation to Doomsday, with Jerusalem in the centre of the world, as well as many mythical animals and regions. It is both a map and an insight into the medieval mind and their understanding of the world.
Red Cattle, or Hereford cattle, also originated from this region, the cattle flourishing on the border between Wales and England and a small herd of Herefords was once agisted at Kirrikee and this led to the use of the cow motto and the term “Hereford herd” for Hereford house.
Hereford house is known for its bright yellow-and-blue banner and its general enthusiasm for all house events. Hereford House partners with One1Seven church, a combination church and welfare group that assist the Redfern community, including providing meals and groceries for the needy. Hereford is typically placed at the top of most inter-house competition.
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Engaged!
Emma Polyblank OA2016 has recently become engaged to Aiden Kemp (who also happens to be the son of one of our current staff members Mrs Jenny Kemp!). Congratulations to both Emma and Aiden.
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Vale - Alex Katrakilis (OA2001)
Alexander Edward Katrakilis (OA2001) passed away on May 14, 2020 at the age of 35. He was the son of Eve and Stephen and is much loved and will be greatly missed by all his family and friends. Due to the restrictions on funerals during COVID-19 a memorial service for Alex will be held at a later date and you can check details for this service at www.alexanderkatrakilis.com.
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Vale - Christopher Maxwell Thomas (O1965)
Christopher Maxwell Thomas (OA1956) passed away on 29 May 2020. A dear friend contaced the school to let us know and share with us how often he spoke fondly of his time at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.
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Vale - Herbert Stewart Young
Herbert Stewart Young on June 3. He was aged 102 years and six months. He was Dux of school in 1932 and Head Chorister under the Choir Master Beckett. A Balmain boy with a beautiful voice hence his acceptance into the choir. Prayers for his family would be appreciated at this time.
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SACS Factor People's Choice Award
View, vote and donate! View the amazing SACS Factor final performances. Vote for your favourite in the People’s Choice Award and donate from just $2 to the South Sydney Anglican Church’s One4food Program. The performance with the largest number of votes wins!
See the performances at https://www.charidy.com/sacsfactor from 11am on Thursday 11 June until voting closes at 11am on Monday 15 June.
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Showcasing Showcase
Enjoy watching some fantastic archive performances from previous Showcase extravaganzas.
Tuesday June 23, 7pm
Details on how to watch coming soon to the OAA Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/oldandreans/
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Giving Day 2020
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Send a message of support.
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Pledge to volunteer.
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Donate to the Heath Bursary Fund
June 25 from 3pm, for 24 hours, join the SACS community to Keep Our Spirit Strong
www.charidy.com/SACSspiritstrong
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LinkedIn - Connect with Old Andreans
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SACS now has an 'Alumni' Page!
What does that mean? It means that you are now able to connect with other Old Andreans via LinkedIn.
LinkedIn’s Alumni page provides access to the professional profiles our Alumni have shared. It can help you:
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Explore possibilities: See what alumni in your field have accomplished since graduation - and expand your sense of what's possible for you.
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Make connections: Reconnect with old friends, and reach out to alumni in your field for their industry expertise and career opportunities.
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Find opportunities: From mentoring to jobs, your fellow alumni are often ready to help.
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Stay in Touch
We are always searching for 'lost' Old Andreans. Please let us know where you or your classmates are now.
We have lost touch with many graduates over the years and really need your help to track down members of our SACS community. If you know of alumni, former parents and former staff who would like to reconnect, you can start by forwarding this e-newsletter onto them.
Please send your name, final year at SACS if applicable, email, mobile number and street address to alumni@sacs.nsw.edu.au or by mail c/- Karen Swibel, St Andrew's Cathedral School, Sydney Square, Sydney NSW 2000.
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