Invitation – Blessing & Opening of our new Multipurpose Centre

Parents and friends of the College are invited to attend next week’s full school assembly on Friday 15th November 2019 (1:15 pm – 3:00 pm). This will be a very special assembly for the Blessing and Opening of the New Multipurpose Centre. I am grateful to Bishop Mark Edwards (Auxiliary Bishop for the Melbourne Archdiocese) who will bless this fantastic new facility and our local MP, Ms Lisa Neville (Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Water) who will officially open the Centre. The State Government contributed $2,000,000 towards the funding of this project for which we are very grateful.

Please report to the main office at 1:00 pm so you can be escorted to a seat in the new Centre. The assembly will conclude at 2:45 pm and will be followed by a tour of the new facility and afternoon tea. (This tour will include the new Year 9 Centre as well.)

The new Year 9 Centre will be blessed and opened at a later date. Parents will be advised of this when we can confirm the availability of the Australian Government Minister of Education or his delegate.

Year 12 exams and pathways

Our Year 12 VCE students are well and truly into their exam period. Many have sat two or more exams since they commenced with English on Wednesday last week. Please keep these students in your thoughts and prayers that they can revise well and demonstrate their learning to the best of their abilities at this time.

Year 12 VCAL students have finished their classes for the year, and I wish them all the best for their next step toward employment or further study. I know some of them have already obtained an apprenticeship and others are enrolling in a vocational course for next year. So it is also important to keep them in our thoughts and prayers as they make this very significant transition from secondary school.

Mr Bruce Connor, our Work and Further Education Coordinator, has provided support to many VCAL and VCE students and parents when they were considering possible pathways. Mr Connor remains available for the rest of the school year (and into the next school year) if any student or parent would like some support or information re pathways, courses or employment. He can be contacted by phoning our Office.

Remembrance Day

As you are aware, Monday is Remembrance Day. Each Homeroom Group will be involved in a short memorial service during their morning period.

Thank you to Mr Paul Lewis (DP) for organising and leading this service.

Mosaic Evening and arrangements for classes on the day

Our annual ‘Mosaic’ evening is an excellent annual College community celebration. All members of our school community are encouraged to attend this wonderful evening on Thursday 21st November at Costa Hall, Deakin Waterfront Campus. The Student Art & Technology display commences at 6.00pm in the Costa Hall foyer followed by the celebration evening that begins at 7.00pm in the main auditorium.

We have received very positive feedback over the years about this major College function. As many students as possible are expected to attend. This College function reinforces for our students the College’s values, celebrates student achievement in a variety of areas and builds a sense of belonging and school community. I also encourage parents and families to support our community by attending and to be part of a delightful and uplifting celebration of the 2019 school year at Saint Ignatius College.

Please note that most Years 7 – 11 students will not be required at school on Thursday 21st November 2019 so staff can prepare for the evening and students performing can rehearse. Some students will be expected to attend school and/or Costa Hall during the day to prepare for this event. Parents of students involved during the day in the lead-up to Mosaic that evening will be contacted by the organising staff members about the arrangements for this.

Having had the day off school, it is expected that students will come to the evening instead of their classes for the day. Students in Years 7 – 11 who are performing in the evening are expected to go to school on the day for the rehearsals. Year 12 students will attend school as per their exam timetable.

I look forward to joining with students, families and friends of the College to celebrate the school year. As was the case last year no tickets are required to attend, all you will need to do is turn up at Costa Hall, and you will be ushered to a seat. There is no cost to attend, and you are most welcome to invite Grandparents, other family members, and family friends.

Recent Year 8 Camp

Last week the College conducted the second Year 8 Leadership Camp for a group of selected students to Wollangarra in Gippsland. The group was away for four nights camping and bushwalking in this beautiful Victorian area, situated beside the Macalister River south of Licola. Participation in the camp was by application and has overall involved fifty Year 8 students.

All reports indicate both camps were very successful. Well done to the students involved and thank you to the teachers who accompanied the students – Ms Robyn Frigo, Ms Kate Kearney, Ms Rebekah Spencer and Mr Michael Tod.

Recent bereavements

On behalf of our College community I express our sympathy to the following College Community members who have lost a loved one.

Mrs Sandra Woodall (Canteen Manager) on the passing of her mother Mrs Beryl Buckley.

Mr Richard Moody (Teacher) on the passing of his father Mr Spencer ‘Noel’ Moody.

Ms Gillian Newland (former staff member and current parent) and Jack Newland (Yr 9) on the passing of their husband and father Mr Brett Newland.

“Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”

Michael Exton Principal

As we begin the month of November we are reminded by the liturgical calendar to remember those who have passed away and rest eternally with God. November commences with All Saints Day and All Souls Day. These commemorations draw us deeper into belief of the communion of Saints. We believe that all are one through Baptism, with those who are journeying toward God with works truth and love and with those who live eternally with Him. Drawing upon this theme we should pause this month to reflect upon the connection we have through faith with the living and those who have passed into eternal life.

Reflecting upon the theme of the communion of faith I was prompted by of the feast day of St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) to consider his life and how he might intercede for our needs. Borromeo was born at a time of great change within the Church. As was common at the time he entered clerical studies as a young boy and when only 24 years of age selected by Pope Pius IV for his brilliance (Doctorate in Canon and Civil Law). Borromeo’s organisation was key to the success of the final session of the Council of Trent and his influence is evident in the juridical nature of the teachings. Borromeo was then ordained Archbishop of Milan 1564.

His vision for his episcopal see was prophetic. Borromeo acted as a bishop should according to the teachings of Trent. He went out and visited every community in his diocese. He listened to all of the people and was astute in his evaluation of each parish. After listening he discerned a pathway for each parish and then set his priests to work on achieving this vision. Borromeo improving the outcomes greatly by providing training, adequate funding, pastoral care and importantly accountability for those who failed to live according to their vows. Through this process of synodality he was able to respond in new ways to problems that were intergenerational. His example set the bar for the Church and over time his ministry and leadership became the bench mark for authentic leadership in the ‘modern’ Church.

Borromeo’s vision and actions changed the Church forever. In fact, other than a regression to authoritarianism in the early twentieth century the Synodal approach and its fruits were foundational to St John XXIII’s decision to convene Vatican II. More recently Pope Francis has furthered this approach and uses the synodal approach as his default method of leadership. He has held synods for and with families, victims of clerical abuse, young people and recently the synod of bishops for the Pan-Amazon region. Synodal leadership requires discernment and courage.

The Pan-Amazon synod has opened up new conversations to resolve difficult problems in new ways. The recommendations from the synod include the extension of previous teachings about the discipline of celibacy, so that married men may be ordained in distant regions where priests are not present. The recommendations also seek to reopen the exploration of female leadership and ordination as deacons to further assist with the lack of priests. These two points have cause much debate globally and are yet to be considered and responded to by Pope Francis.

It takes courage to listen to others and respond to their needs with genuine openness and authentic discernment. Borromeo’s actions proved that this approach is the better way. Synodality seeks to identify and respond to the underlying need most effectively and encourages innovation and thus growth. In 2020 the Bishops of the Church in Australia will meet and at the Plenary Council as a final component of a synodal framework that has to date heard over 222,000 people. The insights and suggestions offered thus far have been distilled to the following six themes for discernment, which will guide the discussions at the council.

1. Missionary and evangelising.

2. Inclusive, participatory and synodal.

3. Prayerful and Eucharistic.

4. Humble, healing and merciful.

5. A joyful, hope-fillled and servant community.

6. Open to conversion, renewal and reform.

As the discernment phase of the Plenary Council continues we might pause to consider how synodality has become a gift from Borromeo to the Church. Listening to the people rather than a leadership group illustrates humility and requires courage. By knowing the needs and opinions of those to be served the response to their challenges can be complete. As we remember those who rest with God in November we should remember fondly St Charles Borromeo whose life and legacy are inspirational and continue to bear fruit in our Church today.

As we reflect and remember this month, we should also consider the future. I encourage you to spend time considering the six themes being discerned within the Australian Church currently and how your thoughts and opinions might help the Church find new ways to respond to unique local concerns.

Yours in Christ,

Brendan Nicholls Liturgy Coordinator

Year 9 Expedition

Our Year 9 students returned from Expedition invigorated by the challenges placed upon them. Many stories of teamwork, overcoming adversity and building a rapport with staff were shared upon their return.

As a College we are proud of the way our students conducted themselves and the application to develop their leadership, social and resilience skills. We are sure that down the track these students will be able to draw upon their experiences from the Expedition, to overcome life’s little challenges. The students recently responded to an Expedition survey and we thank them for their honesty and recommendation for improving the 2020 Expedition.

We also thank the parents and staff who also offered some feedback related to their observations.

Year 9 Exam Timetable

The College is now in a position to publish the Semester 2 Examination Timetable. We have spaced the exams out over 4 days, as per the recommendation of students and staff after mid-year. This will hopefully relieve some pressure for students and staff.

Please note that examinations are a part of our curriculum and it is the expectation that students undertake these exams. As we have a tight schedule leading into the end of the year, staff are busy correcting assessment tasks, exams and writing reports.

We are unable to offer students the opportunity to sit exams prior to the schedule date, due to the possibility of jeopardising the integrity of the Examination process. This means that students that miss an exam can only complete that exam during study periods during the exam timetable.

Please organise family holidays and appointments after the Examination period.

Exam Timetable

All Year 9 exams will be conducted in the new Year 9 centre.

Thursday November 28th

Periods 1&2: Normal Classes

Periods 3&4: Normal Classes

Periods 5&6: Religious education

Friday November 29th

Periods 1&2: English

Periods 3&4: Exam study in Homeroom groups

Periods 5&6: Science

Monday December 2nd

Periods 1&2: Exam study in Homeroom groups

Periods 3&4: H&PE

Periods 5&6: Year 7 - 10 Advent Liturgy (Period 5) and Year 9 Thank you assembly / final gathering / afternoon homeroom

Join the College community in an exciting evening of celebration at Mosaic 2019

All students are encouraged to attend this important College event.

Date: Thursday November 21st.

Time: 6pm - 7pm Exhibitions, displays and performances in the Costa Hall foyer.

7pm - 9pm Student performances, media retrospectives and award presentationsin the main auditorium.

Venue: Costa Hall, Deakin University Waterfront Campus, Brougham Street, Geelong Please note: Tickets are not required.

General Admission to the foyer and auditorium. Doors to auditorium open at 6.40pm

For enquiries: Please contact the College office on (03) 5251 1136 or email: info@ignatius.vic.edu.au

Please click here for the latest edition of Catholic Education Today https://www.cem.edu.au/News-Events/Catholic-Education-Today.aspx

The articles reflect a common focus on encouraging young people to care for what’s important: from understanding current social issues to protecting the environment for their future, from engaging with their faith to looking after their health and wellbeing. This edition highlights the vision of Catholic schools to provide an education in more than the academic, as well as including the regular celebration of events taking place ‘Around the Archdiocese’.

A PDF of our Canteen Price List can be downloaded here

Starting November 11th

Monday 11th

E. Musella, T. McMurray, Needed

Tuesday 12th

L. Tigani, M. Jackson, M. Dunstan, S. Crawley

Wednesday 13th

L. Vella, Needed, Needed

Thursday 14th

M. White, L. Eastwood, Needed

Friday 15th

J. Rogers, C. Ford, S. Hamilton

Starting November 18th

Monday 18th

T. Smale, L. Grist, E. Don

Tuesday 19th

R. Morris, S. Twaits, Needed

Wednesday 20th

N. Condon, L. Vella, Needed

Thursday 21st

K. James, S. Peters, M. White, L. Eastwood

Friday 22nd

E. Stokie, T. Dowd-Hamilton, Needed

If unable to attend, please make sure you get a replacement.

Sandra Woodall Tel: 0417 050 258

Annual Parents and Friends' Association College Fee Raffle

1st Prize: Saint Ignatius College School Fees for 2020

2nd Prize: Campion Voucher $200

3rd and 4th Prize: Noone Uniform Supplier Voucher ($100 each)

Plus....

Large Oxford Dictionary (from Campion)

4 x $25 Secondhand Uniform Shop Vouchers

10 x $5.00 Canteen School Vouchers

Tickets are $25.00 each and can be purchased via trybooking using this link: https://www.trybooking.com/BGHUX

The Raffle is drawn on Year 7 Orientation Day Tuesday December 10th at 2.45pm

Ticket sales close Friday December 6, 2019

Thank you to everyone who supported our PFA "Big Night Out" Fashion Parade fundraiser held on Friday October 18th.

Form all the businesse and families who supported the evnt through donations / vouchers and products to the families from the College who donated goods and $$$ towards the event ... we thank you with all our hearts! It was a fun, fabulous and totally successful night!

Sponsorship and Donations List Please support these businesses in your day to day purcases

Piano Bar, Little Creatures, Flying Brick, Adventure Park, Peninsula Hotel, Baker's Delight, Bellarine Memories, Body Shop at Home (Sam Hargreaves – independent consultant), Yoga Classes (Be Broomhead – ‘yogaforthepeople’ St Leonard’s), Pistol Pete's Food and Blues Bar, Barwon Seefods (on behalf of Mantzaris Fisheries), Kay Gibbons-Buckwell Loca Artist, Cotton On, Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie, Dan Murphy's, Mind Body Salt (Ryrie Street), Sleek Custom Resin Design, Plant & Co., Town & Country Pizza - Leopold, Direct Chemist Outlet - Leopold, D&M Butcher - Gateway Plaza, Leopold Sportsmans Club, Geelong Flower Farm - Bellarine Highway, Rolling Pin Pie and Cake Shop - Leopold, McGlashan Winery - Wallington and Montana's Fashions and Accessories - Portarlington.

Donations received from College families

Browne Family, Wilgrave Family, Gordon Family, Hay Family, Sims Family, Lace Family, Johnson Family, Williamson/Sumner Family and the Penfold Family.

Congratulations to Mr Bernard Lewis

Congratulations on being unanimously accepted as Parents and Friends' Representative on the School Board. We look forward to maintaining and developing this relationship between Parents and Friends' and the School Board through your efficient reporting and input. Thank you for stepping into this role.

Parents and Friends’ Meeting for November 2019 (Includes AGM and PFA Meeting)

Please come and join us on Tuesday November 12th at 7.00pm in the Food Tech Rooms.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Email your details to us at: sicgpandf@ignatius.vic.edu.au

Even if you can’t make it to the monthly meetings, but think you might be able to be on call to help at the different things we are involved in, please get in touch with us.

Become part of the Parents and Friends’ Association

We invite you to join the Saint Ignatius College Parents and Friends' Association - whether it be attending our monthly meetings, helping out at fundraising events , you can receive some up to date information on events coming up at and around the College by emailing your details to sicgpandf@ignatius.vic.edu.au

The Uniform Shop

Please note that Uniform shop will be open every second Wednesday from 2pm to 4 pm. Remaining opening dates for this term are:

Term 4 Dates are: November 13th and 27th

Extra! Extra! Special Uniform Shop Openings:

Tuesday December 10th 2019 – Year 7 Orientation Day from 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Thursday January 23rd 2020 – Book Pick-up Day from 9.00am – 2.00pm

We are always seeking Volunteers to help in the uniform shop. If you are available and have time to help out Please email Samantha (Sam) Wells sicgpandf@ignatius.vic.edu.au Training is provided.

Yes! We are selling the Entertainment Book – (2019/2020)

You can still purchase your copy! Please help support Saint Ignatius College by purchasing an Entertainment.

Books are for sale at the College Office or you can email Sandi Clark sicgpandf@ignatius.vic.edu.au

Join Saver Plus and we'll match your savings, dollar for dollar, up to $500 for school costs.

To join Saver Plus, you must be at least 18 years or over, have a child at school or attend vocational education yourself, have regular income from paid employment (you or your partner), have a current Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card and be in receipt of an eligible Commonwealth social security benefit, allowance or payment.

Contact: Your local Saver Plus Coordinator

Phone: 03 5278 8122 Email: GeelongSP@bethany.org.au Web: www.saverplus.org.au

See PDF flyer for details:

Parenting is a socialisation process during which parents develop in their children and teenagers the skills and attitudes that will enable them to fit into the different groups they encounter. These groups will exist inside the classroom, in friendship groups, during sports and leisure activities and elsewhere.

This socialisation process needs to begin from a young age.

Initially, most kids believe that their world and everyone in it revolves around them. “I want” is their mantra. Patient, firm parents will continually remind children that they need to think of others. “It’s your brother’s turn.””Nana doesn’t feel comfortable listening to that language.” “Think about how your behaviour affects others.” These are the types of appeal to a less self-centred approach that many parents make.

The socialisation process operates on two levels. On one level its focus is on teaching and helping kids to follow social rules or conventions that exist to help them get along with each other. At a deeper level successful socialisation develops empathy in a child or young person.

Empathy – the ability to understand how another person is feeling or how they respond to a behaviour or an event – is the basis of all respectful relationships. Without empathy it’s impossible for someone to enjoy a relationship based on respect and equality. It’s easy for a person who doesn’t practise empathy to reject, bully, intimidate or hurt someone else.

Empathy learned in childhood carries on to adult life

Empathetic adults enjoy better personal relationships and experience less stress. They also make better leaders who are more likely to get the best out of people than self-centred, result-focused leaders.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that empathy, if neglected in childhood, can be difficult to develop in adulthood. In some adults it takes a traumatic event or a ‘road-to-Damascus’ moment for them to adopt an empathetic perspective.

So, rather than wait until adulthood, let’s focus on developing empathy in your children and adolescents. There is a good chance they will benefit very soon in terms of enjoying better friendships, improved wellbeing and more success at school. Here are five ideas to get you started:

1. Model empathetic behaviour. Be kind even though the person in front of you in that queue is slow.

2. Read fiction stories to kids or encourage them to read fiction. People who read fiction score highest on tests that ask them to infer other people’s thoughts and emotions.

3. Praise kind and compassionate behaviours. The behaviours that parents focus on, even with teenagers, are those that tend to expand, so bring their empathetic behaviours to the fore.

4. Validate your child’s feelings. When a child shares difficult stories or emotions let them know you understand, without offering solutions or advice.

5. Invite your child to walk in someone else’s shoes. Occasionally ask your child a question like, “What would it be like to be feel tall like Tanya?”

Empathy is too important to wait until adulthood so make it a priority to develop a sense of ‘other’ in your child from an early age.

Michael Grose

Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s the author of 10 books for parents including Thriving! and the bestselling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It, and his latest release Spoonfed Generation: How to raise independent children.

Local Community and Sporting groups you may be interested in.

Leopold Youth Space Term 4 Program

Leopold Youthe Space @ the leopold Hub, every Wednesday in Term 4. 12 - 25 year olds 3.30pm to 5.00pm.

Regular drop in activities include Nintendo Switch, table tennis, making a blanket and free food! See the attached flyer for program details.

Free community forum on Indetifying Family Violence

Rotary Ocean Grove invites you to a free community forum on Identifying Family Violence to be held on Tuesday November 19th, 7pm to 8.30pm at The Pavilion, Shell Road, Ocean Grove.

See attached PDF for details.

City of Greater Geelong Regional Parenting Program

The City of Greater Geelong, in conjuction with other stake holders, presents Parenting Programs which may interest parents and guardians.

In November they are presenting a Free Parenting Forum entitled 'Parenting tools to help your adolescent thrive'. This will be held Tuesday November 12th, 7.00pm to 9.00pm

See the flyers below for more information and booking details.

Bell Park Parish

Holy Family 147 Separation St, Bell Park, VIC 3215

Sunday: 8.00am, 9.30am, 11.00am Croatian, 12.15pm Slovenian 2nd Sunday Only

Ss Peter & Paul’s Cnr Mercer & Malone St, Geelong West, VIC 3218

Saturday: 5.00pm Vigil

Holy Spirit Cnr Bostock Ave & Nambool St, Manifold Heights, VIC 3218

Sunday: 11.00am

Belmont Parish

St Bernard’s 74 Fryers Rd, Belmont, VIC 3216

Sunday: 9.00am, 10.30am

Saturday: 6.30pm Vigil

Corio and Lara Parish

St Francis Xavier 143 Bacchus Marsh Rd, Corio, VIC 3214

Sunday: 10.30am

Saturday: 7.00pm Vigil

St Anthony’s Kees Road, Lara, VIC 3212

Sunday: 9.00am

Drysdale Parish

St Thomas Peninsula Drive, Drysdale, VIC 3222

Sunday: 9.00am

St Patrick’s 10 - 14 Harding St, Portarlington, VIC 3223

Sunday: 9.00am

St Phillip & St James 1345 Murraduc Rd, St Leonards, VIC 3223

Saturday: 6.00pm Vigil

Lumen Christi 66 Kensington Road, Leopold, VIC 3224

Sunday: 10.30am

Geelong Parish

St Mary of the Angels Basilica 150 Yarra St, Geelong, VIC 3220

Sunday: 7.30am, 9.30am, 11.00am, 12.15pm Polish, 5.30pm

Saturday: 6.00pm Vigil

Grovedale, Anglesea and Torquay Parish

Nazareth 10 Griffith St, Grovedale, VIC 3216

Sunday: 10.30am

St Therese’s 43a Surfcoast Highway, Torquay, VIC 3228

Sunday: 8.45am

St Christopher’s 72 Bingley Parade, Anglesea, VIC 3230

Saturday: 6.00pm Vigil

Meredith Parish

St Joseph’s 28 Lawler St, Meredith, VIC 3333

Sunday: 11.00am Alternate Sunday

Sacred Heart 70 Hamilton Highway, Inverleigh, VIC3321

Sunday: 9.00am except last Sunday of the month when it will be at Bannockburn gymnasium

St Brigid’s 2439 Ballan Road, Anakie, VIC 3221

Sunday: 11.00am Alternate Sunday

St John the Baptist 4 Harding St, Winchelsea, VIC 3230

Saturday: 6.00pm Vigil

St John the Evangelist 24 High Street, Bannockburn, VIC 3331

Sunday: 9.00am Mass in the Stadium last Sunday of the month

Queenscliff Parish

Holy Family 101 Hitchcock Avenue, Barwon Heads 3227

Saturday: 6.00 pm

Our Lady Star of the Sea 68 John Dory Drive, Ocean Grove 3226

Sunday: 9.00 am

Holy Trinity 34 Stevens Street, Queenscliff 3225

Sunday: 11:00 am