From the Principal

Dear Parents & Carers,

Welcome back for the commencement of Semester 2.

We’ve started another term, and I hope your daughters and sons have returned refreshed from the break and are ready to face the challenges of the second semester.

The new Semester offers a fresh start, with most subjects organised into semester units.

The Semester One Reports will be available next week on Friday, 1st August. These are summative reports that show overall results for the semester. More detailed information about student progress can be accessed by reviewing assessment feedback through our online Learning Management System, ‘Canvas’. If you haven’t already accessed Canvas, your child should be able to show you how to do so. Acting Deputy Principal (Teaching & Learning), Ms Robyn Jackson, will email parents this week with the relevant dates and instructions on how to access the Semester One Reports.

I encourage you to spend some time with your child discussing the report to set some directions for making the most of the new semester’s academic program. This would also be a good opportunity to consider all other commitments in your child's life to check for balance in their time and ensure they are attending to their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Examples to consider include participation in sport (particularly team sport), physical fitness, what and how much they are reading, how much time they are online, and, of course, how they are contributing to the running of the household. Apart from VCE Unit 3 and Vocational Major subjects, there are no scheduled Parent-Student-Teacher (PST) conferences to follow up on these reports. However, you are very welcome, and I encourage you to reach out to any subject teachers regarding academic concerns or the Mentor teacher for pastoral care. matters. Please email the teacher to arrange a suitable time for a meeting.

All VCE Units 3/4 subject PST conferences will be held on Thursday, 14th August, next term. Later in Term Three, all Years 7 to 11 and VCE VM PST conferences will take place on Wednesday, 3rd September, and Thursday, 11th September. All interviews will be conducted via Zoom, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

To follow-up the reports, Unit 4 VCE & Yr 12 VCAL Parent, Teacher & Student (PTS) Conferences will be held on Wednesday 23rd July 2014 (4pm – 8pm.)

There are no scheduled Years 7 – 11 PTS Conferences for Semester One; however, parents may request one by contacting teachers directly.

Teacher Inservice on Monday 21st July 2025

As part of our ongoing commitment to school improvement and student wellbeing, we are excited to update you on the implementation of our Positive Behaviours for Learning (PBL) approach at our College. Monday’s Staff Professional Learning Day was an important opportunity for staff to learn more about this approach and collaborate on its implementation. It is essential that we have a whole-school approach with clear expectations supported by consistent reinforcement. This proactive approach will enhance our teaching and learning culture, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for our students.

PBL is a whole-school framework designed to create safe, supportive, and engaging learning environments. By explicitly teaching and reinforcing positive behaviours, we aim to strengthen our culture of belonging, connection, and learning—ensuring that every student feels supported and motivated to succeed.

Rather than focusing solely on managing negative behaviour, PBL is a proactive strategy. It sets clear expectations, recognises positive actions, and provides consistent responses to behaviour across all classrooms and school settings. This approach empowers students with the skills they need to thrive academically and socially.

Key Elements of PBL at SICG

1. Clear Expectations
   We have developed a set of Behaviour Practices for Learning that guide how students are expected to engage in the classroom and school community. These include:

   • Be Prepared and Punctual: Arriving to class on time and with necessary materials.

   • Work and Listen Respectfully: Collaborating with peers and valuing others’ contributions.

   • Share Thoughtful and Relevant Ideas: Engaging in meaningful class discussions.

   • Demonstrate Effort and Accountability: Completing classwork and homework responsibly.

   • Respect the Learning Space and Expectations: Maintaining a focused and respectful learning environment.

   • Represent the College with Pride: Wearing the uniform properly and caring for school property.

2. Consistent Reinforcement
   All staff members are committed to consistently applying the PBL approach. This means students will receive clear, fair, and supportive feedback on their behaviour, with a focus on growth and improvement.

New Behaviour Notices

To support this framework, we will be introducing a third type of behaviour notice – the Positive Behaviour Learning Improvement Notice. This notice will provide constructive feedback and support when students need reminders or guidance to meet expectations. Parents will also receive a copy of this notice via email. These new notices will be provided alongside our other usual behaviour notices, which include:

• Affirmation Notices: Celebrating students who consistently demonstrate our College expectations.

• Infringement Notices: Used when behaviours significantly disrupt learning or go against our values.

These notices are part of a transparent and supportive system to help students understand the impact of their actions and to celebrate their successes.

Mr Michael Timms (Deputy Principal, Students) is leading the implementation of this initiative. Mr Timms sent an email to all parents on Monday with further details.

We believe that by fostering a positive and respectful learning environment, we can help every student grow into a confident, capable, and compassionate learner. We look forward to partnering with you as we continue to build a school culture where all students feel safe, respected, and motivated to do their best.

Staff news

We are pleased to welcome the following staff in Term 3:

Ms Ruwani Keyburn – replacing Mr Kallum Wallace. 8 Wallace will now be called 8 Keyburn.

Ms Vanessa Rees – covering for Ms Isje Turang-Timmins, who is on leave for Term 3.

Mr Jaymen Barker – covering Ms Michaela Hamence’s classes while she is on leave for Term 3.

Ms Elise Meehan – assuming the role of mentor teacher for 8 Sadler for Semester 2. This mentor group will now be titled 8 Meehan.

Ms Chelsea Hall – replacing Ms Nicole Sadler’s classes while she is on leave.

Mr Joe McLean – assuming the role of mentor teacher for Xavier Nicholls (now named Xavier McLean).

Mr Gary Kane – replacing Mr Andrew Smith’s classes while he is on leave.

We also warmly welcome back:

Ms Kate Otto from leave in Semester 1

Mrs Linda Pape from leave in Semester 1

Ms Kim Abbott from leave in Term 2

Subject selection for 2026

During term three students in Years 8 – 11 will be asked to indicate their preferences for elective subjects for the following year. Whilst considering options at this time, it is important to discuss with your daughter/son her / his strengths, interests and post-school options and review this every so often. The Semester One reports would be helpful springboards into this type of discussion.

Students and parents can access information regarding the 2026 subjects, information sessions and the specific year level subject selection process by visiting the “2026 Subject Pathways” page on our Learning Management System, “Canvas.”

Our Work and Further Education Team is available by appointment to assist Students and Parents in this area. To make an appointment, please send an email to pathways@ignatius.vic.edu.au, and a team member will get back to you. Students are welcome to access our Career Centre resources (located in the VCE Centre) by first seeing a WAFE Team member (Mr. Connor, Ms Snookes, Ms Sama, Ms Bromilow or Mr McLean.)

Yr 7 enrolments 2026

I am pleased to report that very strong interest in the College continued again this year, with many more applications than places available for next year.

The support from students, staff and parents for the Open Day and enrolment promotion program was a vital contribution to this success – thank you. The very positive reputation of the College is a commendable result of the dedication of our students, staff and parents to our College community and its ongoing improvement.

I have again made enrolment offers to 260 students for year 7 next year.

Feast Day

As you are aware, Thursday 31st July 2025 is a special day for our college community - the day we celebrate the Feast Day of St Ignatius of Loyola, the College’s patron saint. All students are expected to attend school on this day. We have planned for this to be a school community celebration, in support of our school improvement pillars: building belonging, connection, and learning.

Parents and Friends of the College are invited to attend the whole school Mass (9.15 am to 10.30 am) in the Companions Centre. Please report to the Loyola Centre Reception at 9.00 am so a seat can be organised for you.

Special activities are being organised for the rest of the day. More details will be provided to parents and students via email from Deputy Principal Ms Carmen Ahearn. The canteen will be open at both recess and lunch times on this day, and “red” foods are allowed on our celebration day.

We have celebrated Feast Day for many years, and each celebration has been a great success. I am looking forward to another very successful day this year and encourage all students to embrace the spirit of the occasion.

Student Leadership positions for 2026

Applications open this week, and the due date is Tuesday, August 5th.

I ask parents and carers to please discuss with your son or daughter the possibility of applying for one or more leadership positions, if you think they would be capable and a good fit for the role. This ‘encouraging’ conversation can make a big difference as to whether they apply or not. One of our mantras is “St Ignatius – inspiring me to be a leader,” and to support this, we have a Student Leadership Development Program coordinated by Ms Robyn Frigo (Coordinator) and Ms Dom Kiely (Assistant).

Student Leadership positions include:

College Captains, Vice Captains and House Captains from the current year 11 students.

House Vice Captains from current years 9 and 10 students.

SRC reps from all current years 7 – 11.

Portfolio captains (Academic, Arts, Environment, Justice, Ministry, Sports, Wellbeing) from the current year 10 students.

Arrupe leaders from current years 10 and 11 students.

(In addition, students can apply to take on a FIRE carrier position.)

Details and application forms are available via our Student Management System, ‘Xuno,’ with instructions and the same forms and all role descriptions are on the 'Student Leadership' ‘CANVAS’ course.

Best wishes for the next fortnight,

Michael Exton | Principal