From the Principal

Dear Parents & Carers,

Time for a Check-Up

As we move beyond the halfway point of Term One, this is an ideal time for students to pause and reflect on how the year has begun. In line with our school improvement theme, Engagement for Excellence, establishing effective daily and weekly routines is essential, particularly as academic demands begin to increase. This includes prioritising schoolwork, maintaining a balanced schedule of activities, developing consistent sleep patterns, and managing day-to-day responsibilities.

Strong routines established early create a solid foundation that will support students as they progress into the more demanding senior years. When students are engaged in purposeful routines, they are better positioned to strive for excellence in all aspects of their learning. I encourage families to take this opportunity to have a conversation with their child about how they feel their routines are developing. Discuss what is working well, what might need improvement, and how they are progressing towards the goals they set at the beginning of the year.

It is pleasing to see so many students actively engaged in co-curricular opportunities. At our College, we are committed to developing well-rounded young people, and participation in activities such as sport, the performing arts, debating, community service, and social justice initiatives plays a vital role in this. These experiences foster confidence, teamwork, leadership, and a strong sense of belonging, reflecting our commitment to Engagement for Excellence beyond the classroom. As part of your reflection, you may wish to explore whether your child could further enrich their experience by becoming involved in an additional activity.

Parent, Student and Teacher Conferences

Our learning management system, Canvas, continues to be an important tool in supporting student learning. I encourage you to engage with your child in reviewing their courses and assessment tasks on the platform. This can help reinforce positive habits, celebrate achievements, and identify any areas requiring attention.

These discussions will also assist in preparing for our upcoming Parent, Student & Teacher Conferences, which will be held online via Zoom on:

• Thursday 26 March (4.00 pm – 7.00 pm)

Session times are as follows:

• Session 1: 4.00 pm – 4.50 pm

• Session 2: 5.00 pm – 5.40 pm

• Session 3: 6.00 pm – 7.00 pm

Further details regarding bookings will be sent via email by our Director of Learning, Ms Sarah Smith.

NAPLAN testing last week

As you may know, NAPLAN testing was disrupted on Tuesday morning last week due to technical issues with the national assessment platform, affecting schools across Australia. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has acknowledged the significant impact on students during the writing assessment and has issued an apology.

Following ACARA’s guidance, we continued with our planned NAPLAN schedule. The Year 7 and 9 Language Conventions tests that couldn’t be completed on Tuesday were successfully moved to Friday, with all sessions running smoothly.

Measures have been put in place to make sure no student is disadvantaged because of this disruption.

I commend our students and staff for their calm and resilient response to the challenges caused by last week’s outage.

Bus Network Review

The Victorian State Government is reviewing the Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula, and Bannockburn Bus Network, including bus services for students to travel to and from school. I encourage you to share your feedback as part of this important community consultation.

I strongly encourage all members of our community to complete the online survey and to share it with family and friends. As our region continues to grow, it is essential that our transport network evolves to meet increasing demand.

The online Review feedback form is open until Sunday, 12 April, offering residents an opportunity to share their experiences and ideas. The review will consider how bus services can better reflect changing travel patterns, support the expansion of suburbs, and improve connections between towns, schools, and workplaces.

The survey can be accessed at: engage.vic.gov.au/Geelong-Bus

It is important that the voices of Saint Ignatius College families are well represented. I particularly encourage you to highlight any concerns or suggestions relating to student transport to and from the College.

Student Uniform Expectations for Off-Site Activities

Participation in excursions and off-site sporting events is a valuable extension of classroom learning and an opportunity for students to represent our College in the wider community. It is essential that students attend these activities in the correct school uniform. Wearing the appropriate uniform fosters a sense of pride and belonging, ensures students are easily identifiable, and reflects positively on our school.

We appreciate the support of families in ensuring students are well-prepared and correctly dressed for all off-site activities. This partnership helps us maintain high standards and reinforces the values we uphold as a community.

Key Dates

• Friday 27 March – Student Free Day (Staff Professional Learning)

• Tuesday 31 March – Easter Liturgy (Period 4, Mentor Time)

• Thursday 2 April – Final Day of Term One (2.20 pm finish)

• Monday 20 April – Term Two Commences

• Thursday 23 April – College Open Afternoon (4.00 pm & 5.00 pm)

Best wishes for the next fortnight,

Michael Exton | Principal