From the Principal

Dear Parents and Friends,

The number of student absences due to illness has increased recently. With winter approaching, cases of colds and flu have risen, and COVID-19 infections continue. Thank you for keeping our office informed about your daughter’s or son’s absences so we can monitor student attendance. Absent students may be concerned about missing classes. They can keep track of their subject courses online via ‘Canvas if they are up to it. I hope you and your family experience no illness or minimal impact. We need to continue to be vigilant about good hygiene practices at school. And, if unwell, students should not be attending school. We want them back after recuperating, ready to embrace their onsite school opportunities.

Despite the amount of illness around, daily life at the College remains very busy. Since the previous newsletter, our students have had many and varied wonderful experiences, in addition to their regular classes, to be involved in. Some examples of our vibrant faith and learning community include: a Careers Panel Evening run by twenty-two alumni of the College; the student achievement assembly, led and ran by the senior student leaders; the VCE Music Soiree at the Piano Bar in Geelong; the “Achieving success in the face of adversity” Evening with guest speaker Sophie Taylor (Australian Hockey star); the Sorry Day Assembly; the Yr 9 Camino Inigo camps in south-western Victoria; a large number of sports teams competing in GISSA and the other competitions; the Yr 10 Retreat Day; and the Yr 7 Mass. Details about many of these and other events can be found in this newsletter and on the College’s Facebook page. I have received very positive feedback about many of the events – well done to the students involved, and I commend my very busy colleagues. Their hard work, generosity and enthusiasm have ensured we could run these for our students.

May 20, 2022, was the 501st anniversary of St Ignatius’ “cannonball moment” when he was struck down during the siege of Pamplona in 1531. This incident commenced a transformation in Ignatius’ life from aristocrat and soldier to pilgrim and founder of the Jesuits. As a Jesuit Companion School, we have joined with the Jesuits and Ignatian organisations worldwide in celebrating the Ignatian Year that commenced last year on May 20 and concludes on the Feast Day of St Ignatius, July 31st 2022. This year is also the 400th anniversary of the canonisation of St Ignatius and St Francis Xavier in 1622. With Feast Day falling on a Sunday this year, we will celebrate this special day for our College on Friday 29th July. And we will take this opportunity to conduct the Blessing and Opening of our new “Loyola Centre” on the morning of Feast Day. Loyola is the hometown of St Ignatius in Spain. More details will follow about arrangements for Feast Day. We look forward to a wonderful day of College community celebration on July 29 after not being able to have our usual Feast Day activities for the previous two years due to the pandemic.

Best wishes for the next fortnight,

Michael Exton

Principal