Saint Ignatius College Geelong
Feast Day of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Tomorrow, July 31, is a special day for our College each year – the Feast Day of our patron saint, St. Ignatius. St. Ignatius was born in Spain (1491) and died in Rome on July 31, 1556.
With a small group of friends, St. Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits. His book, the “Spiritual Exercises”, is one of the most influential books written on spiritual life. Currently, there are about 16,000 Jesuits worldwide who are involved in a variety of ministries and are very well known for their involvement in education. Jesuits dedicate themselves to “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam,” or the “greater glory of God” and the good of all humanity. They do this in grateful collaboration with others who share their values, including laypeople who are part of the extended Jesuit family. Our College is gratefully part of this ‘family’ as a “Jesuit Companion School.” Previously our College was known as a “Jesuit Partner School.” As a result of our latest Statement of Agreement with the Jesuits, we will use this new description.
Usually, tomorrow would be a very special day of celebration for the students and staff. With the current situation as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, we will not be able to conduct the usual activities. We will run normal classes and include time for an online school assembly. This 30-minute online assembly will provide the opportunity to mark this special day for us.
We are looking at, if the COVID-19 situation improves enough, to hold some special activities on a day to be decided in September and celebrate this as a “Community Spirit” Day. I will keep you informed about this. We had intended, with the other Geelong Catholic Colleges, to participate in the “TRIumph” event in September but this was cancelled. So, if it can go ahead, the “Community Spirit” Day will provide a substitute opportunity for a fun and community building day for students and staff.
Masks – mandatory from next Monday
Today, the Victorian Government announced that face coverings would be mandatory across regional Victoria from 11:59 pm on Sunday 2 August 2020 when people leave home.
Face coverings will be mandatory for people aged 12 and over. These measures will slow the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and help protect our school community. Therefore, all secondary school students will need to wear a face covering, including when travelling to and from school. Parents will need to please ensure that their daughter or son has their own mask each day from Monday.
Parents and carers will be required to wear face coverings whenever they leave the house, including for school drop-off and pick-up.
Students or staff who have a medical condition – including problems with their breathing, a serious skin condition on the face, a disability or a mental health condition – are not required to wear a face covering. Parents, please provide a note to the Homeroom Teacher if this is the case for your daughter or son.
The Department of Health and Human Services website has advice about face coverings, including:
• which different types can be used
• how to make your own
• how to safely wear one
• how to safely remove it.
Thank you for your support in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and keeping our school community safe.
Peninsula Drive Traffic and Parking
Further to my previous newsletter articles and the email message to parents last week, the local Police have informed me that they will be monitoring traffic movement and parking along Peninsula Drive. To help alleviate congestion, could I please ask parents who drop-off or pick-up students to consider using the following alternatives:
• Andersons Rd (now McKiernan St), with pedestrian/cyclist access under the Drysdale Bypass.
• Reserve Rd, with pedestrian/cyclist access via the walking track.
• Drysdale Railway station, with pedestrian/cyclist access via the walking track.
• Gillies Rd, with pedestrian/cyclist access to the rear of the schools.”
I understand that more parents may be driving their daughter or son to and from school due to the Coronavirus situation, and this may be contributing to the present traffic and parking congestion issues. Can I please ask you to consider using one of the four alternatives above instead of using Peninsula Drive? We need to work together to ensure that everyone gets a fair go, and that traffic can flow at all times in Peninsula Drive. The congestion along Peninsula Drive is only for a short period, so if you must use this way, please exercise patience and follow the road rules.
Semester 1 Statement of Results
Statements for Years 11 & 12 are now available again. Parents will receive an email message to inform them when Statements for Years 7 – 10 will be available.
Thank you for patience and support while the problems with some of the results were rectified. If you think a result is not correct, please email the subject teacher to query this. Thank you again for your understanding of the challenge around changing to a new system.
Annual Report 2019
Due to the impact of the Coronavirus on schools, the due date for the Annual Report for the previous year was delayed. I am pleased to inform you that the College’s Annual Report (2019) is available on the College’s website.
Student Leadership @ Saint Ignatius
It is important to me that our College culture is characterised by high-quality student leadership based on service. I want this so that we have the best learning environment for our school community and that we ultimately better form young women and men of competence, conscience and compassion who will be women and men for others.
I was very pleased to be informed by our Student Leadership Development Coordinator, Mr Anthony Gravener, that at closing on Tuesday afternoon, he had received 92 applications from students for one or more of the many different positions available. I commend all students who put themselves forward – well done!
One of our College mantras is – “St Ignatius – inspiring me to be a leader.” Saint Ignatius, the person, provides a role model of and a way of leadership and Saint Ignatius, our College, offers opportunities to develop our young women and men as leaders.
At Saint Ignatius College Geelong, the development of life-long leadership skills is one of the learning opportunities offered to all students. Students are expected to develop their leadership qualities and skills. The quality of this leadership is vital to creating a school environment:
• where students demonstrate pride in and loyalty to their College;
• that is conducive to and enhances student involvement and achievement; and
• that ultimately leads to our College vision of forming women and men for others.
As well as having active students in formal leadership positions, having as many students as possible demonstrating positive and constructive leadership in their day to day interactions and work practices supports the development of responsible behaviours, a positive school tone and encourages students to model the College’s values of respect, responsibility, resilience, service and excellence.
Michael Exton Principal
For general enquiries please telephone the College on 5251 1136 or email: office@ignatius.vic.edu.au
For student absence please contact the College office by 10am and leave a message or email: office@ignatius.vic.edu.au
For College Fee related enquiries email: fees@ignatius.vic.edu.au
For account related enquiries email: accounts@ignatius.vic.edu.au
For enrolment related queries email: registrar@ignatius.vic.edu.au
For general IT support enquiries please email: itsupport@ignatius.vic.edu.au
For Wellbeing support please email: wellbeing@ignatius.vic.edu.au
Thank you for your understanding.
This week we celebrate the feast day of our patron St Ignatius of Loyola.
Strange as it may seem on the surface we celebrate his life on the date of this death. This Friday marks the 464th anniversary of his death and on this day each year we celebrate his life, legacy and his entry into eternal life. St Ignatius’ feast day is a reminder to us that we should reflect upon these three aspects and offer prayers in intercession for his soul.
The time in which Ignatius lived in was vastly different to the present. During his life the Church was experiencing a period of challenge and renewal. It held great political, economic power and in many ways absolute power. Ignatius’ early ministry was particularly dangerous as at the time any ‘new’ ideas or perceptions of ministry offered beyond the ordained members was viewed very suspiciously. His courage and ability to articulate what had been revealed to him along with his love of learning persuaded the religious authorities of his time that his exercises were authentic and true to the teachings of the Church. As we journey towards his feast day let us consider four of his great gifts.
God in All Things
The key insight Ignatius offers humanity is the teaching that God’s presence can be found in creation and our experiences as humans. This insight transcends the boundaries of religion and illuminates our ‘normal’ experiences. Ignatius encourages us to be observant and encounter God in the divine and the ordinary. God can be found in nature, friendships, music, chocolate: in all things.
When we become aware of the goodness, beauty and love that surround us we become aware of the complete love of God who creates all things in love so that we may find fullness of life. When we experience this joy we are drawn to reciprocate in gratitude for what our God has created and our place within creation.
Know the retreatant / learner
The fundamental basis for Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises is for the spiritual director to know the ‘retreatant’. The depth of the exercise’s and thus the relationship one develops with Jesus can only be gained through guidance of a learned and experienced spiritual director. The director can only help the retreatant if they seek to know him/her intimately.
By extension this fundamental structural component applies to Jesuit or Ignatian education. For a teacher to be called an Ignatian educator they must prioritise knowing the student more than the curriculum taught. Regardless of whether maths or religious education is being taught the person is the focus of the teacher. Helping the student become all they can be occurs in the companionship and guidance. The results achieved on a test or assignment are inconsequential if the teacher does not know the learner or have the ability to guide them and assist in their development.
Contemplatives in action
The Jesuits broke the mould for religious groups and in doing so helped the Church respond to the changes of the Reformation and respond to the new world being discovered outside of Europe. The Jesuits from their inception have been referred to as ‘contemplatives in action’, a term coined by Ignatius himself.
His vision of living a holy life ‘in the world’ revolutionised not only religious orders but the laity. His lived and mystical experiences revealed that deep faith and constant relationship with Jesus does not have to occur in the context of a cloistered life or ordination. He sent the Jesuits out in small numbers, often singularly, so that they could be close to the people and adapt swiftly to the community they worked in and their needs. In a similar way he enabled every member of the Church to live a deeply spiritual life in the ordinary.
Today we are encouraged to take time out each day to stop and review our experiences, reflect upon the good and what may be improved and then act upon these insights. In living the following day in our normal lives we are encouraged to live this insight, observe the world around us and repeat this cycle as we stop and reflect at the end of the day.
Exercises
The greatest gift Ignatius left the world are his Spiritual Exercises. His experiences at Manresa transformed him and in the exercises this transformation and ensuing holiness is offered to any person who accepts the invitation. Today the exercises are completed as Ignatius offered in his time over thirty days, with a spiritual director in a retreat centre, removed from daily life.
The exercises have also been adapted according to the amendments made by Ignatius and are often completed ‘in daily life’. Many people choose to complete the full four weeks of the exercises over an extended period but many complete the ‘First Spiritual Exercises’. These exercises are broken into four retreats that are completed with guidance in small groups and which meet over a period of weeks and complete daily ‘exercises’ between gatherings.
Regardless of the manner in which the exercises are complete the model Ignatius left enables all people to grow spiritual and experience profound and transformative encounters with our Lord. The adaptability of the exercises to the lives of those who choose to complete them and relevance to the modern world are evidence enough of Ignatius’ genius and the revealed truth he offers within them.
I encourage you to consider these four priceless gifts this week and celebrate our saint, St Ignatius of Loyola.
Yours in Christ,
Brendan Nicholls Liturgy Coordinator
Over the past week the state of Victoria has been under significant pressure in the fight against COVID-19. This has resulted in the Government enforcing the wearing of masks in the entire state of Victoria. The aim of the face mask is to provide an additional physical barrier to coronavirus and assist in slowing the spread of the virus.
In the present time it is important to take a proactive approach when trying to reduce the spread of COVID-19 within our local community. Currently a large number of our students and staff have taken this proactive approach by wearing face masks while at school. As a College we are committed to the safety of our staff and students, therefore, we have recently invested in reusable face masks for all our teaching and non - teaching staff at the school. By providing the face masks for our staff we are hopeful this demonstrates to the students the commitment we have in protecting each other and role models the appropriate behaviour.
Now that the Victorian Government has mandated masks to be worn in all areas within our state, all students are required to wear a face mask while travelling to and from school and while on the school grounds. This not only adds another layer of protection to themselves but also protects others.
A reminder please, if your daughter/son is feeling unwell please follow these directions:
• If your son or daughter is displaying any of the COVID-19 symptoms (see below) or flu-like symptoms they are not to attend school until they have been tested and received a negative result.
• If there is someone in the student’s household who is displaying COVID-19 symptoms or flu-like symptoms, that student is not to attend school until the family member has been tested and received a negative result.
Finally, I have included two links below from Dr Brett Sutton and the DHHS on the importance and correct wearing of masks. I trust families will find this information helpful.
Mr Michael Timms Deputy Principal [Students]
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/face-coverings-covid-19#how-do-i-wear-a-face-covering-correctly
Practice General Achievement Test will be held on Tuesday 11th of August, 2020. 9:15am- 12:30pm
Dear Parent/Guardians
As part of Unit 3/ 4 VCE studies, all students undertaking a 3/4 VCE sequence of studies in 2020 are required to undertake the VCAA General Achievement Test (GAT). As part of our preparations for this test in 2020, all students who are required to complete the GAT will attend a virtual assembly conducted by Ms Etherington (Learning Area Leader for English) and Mr. Brown (VCE Coordinator) in homeroom groups on Friday 7th of August. In this assembly students will receive information regarding the GAT, its importance and valuable information on ways to approach the writing tasks within the GAT.
Practice GAT – Tuesday August 11th 2020
All students involved in the GAT for 2020 will undertake a formal practice paper on Tuesday 11th of August during periods 1 to 4 under replicated exam conditions that they will experience during the actual test. The practice paper will be externally graded, with the grades being provided back to students.
Students will then have an opportunity to unpack their practice paper and seek further assistance to prepare for the formal GAT on Wednesday September 9th. While this practice GAT will not count towards any final grade generation, it is vitally important in the preparation of students for the actual GAT paper this year given the COVID-19 impact on and interruptions to, student assessment performance and results in VCAA subjects delivered at this level.
The Principal, Mr. Exton, has strongly endorsed the provision of a full practice GAT on August 11th and has requested this activity be organised for all students doing a Unit 3/4 subject in 2020. For that reason, Year 11 and 12 classes will not operate from Periods 1 to 4 on August 11th and any Year 11 or 12 student not sitting the GAT will be allocated to supervised private study during that time.
Normal classes will resume for all students in Years 11 and 12 in Periods 5 and 6.
Should you wish to discuss these arrangements further or seek more information about the GAT itself, please contact Mr. Brown, VCE Coordinator via the email: brownm2@ignatius.vic.edu.au
We are pleased to be able to provide this invaluable preparation for our VCE students and will send home a Care Monkey notification early next week to seek parent and guardian support for this initiative.
Mr Michael Brown VCE Coordinator
Each year schools are asked to provide information to the government about the number of students with additional needs currently attending their school.
There is a broad definition of 'disability' that includes students who require minor adjustments to those needing significant additional support to achieve success at school.
The data is provided to the Australian Government to assist in the development of a consistent, national picture of the educational needs of students with disability.
In 2017, there was a change to the data collection process whereby schools were required to submit recorded names of students within the school receiving any kind of assistance. The Catholic Education Office, Melbourne [CEM] has advised all schools to place the attached documentation in their respective newsletters to clarify the process and changes to it, so that parents and guardians have the option to ask for student identification to be removed.
The purpose of this notification is, therefore, to make parents aware that we are currently collecting this data. Your son or daughter’s name, however, will not be identified in the report.
Should you have any additional questions after reading this CEM information, please direct these to Mrs. Caroline Edmonds, Learning Support Coordinator, during school hours or via her school email: edmondsc@ignatius.vic.edu.au
We thank you in advance for your ongoing support in relation to the accurate collection of data on behalf of the CEM and your readiness to follow the amended process in 2017.
Mrs. Annette Chidzey Deputy Principal [Learning and Teaching]
Mrs Caroline Edmonds Learning Diversity Coordinator
Please click here for the latest edition of Catholic Education Today https://www.cem.edu.au/News-Events/Catholic-Education-Today.aspx
The Term 3 edition focuses on ‘stepping up’ with articles that explore school transitions and how to support your child through changes at all levels of school from beginning in Foundation to leaving secondary.
This issue explores how a school changed its language offering and involved the whole community. It also contains guidance to help families build resilience, looks at how our students are building connections with the vulnerable through the Letter Project, and celebrates events around the Archdiocese.
Last week in 'Lap of lake Lorne' we had an epic battle between Cameron Donald and Sienna Stewart which resulted in both athletes running personal bests over the 1.4 km course as a consequence Sienna lowering her own record by 5 seconds, results of last weeks time trial Cameron 5.10, Sienna 5.12, Archie Stella 6.12
Records for fastest lap in the males is Will Kilpatrick with 4.25 set in 2017 and females is Sienna Stewart 5.12 set in 2020, they are the fastest recorded times since 2015 when I first started coaching at Saint Ignatius College.
It’s great to see that 168 have registered for the Great Australian Cross Country Challenge, and some very impressive times posted!
We only have a few more weeks left for this challenge so I encourage everyone to give it one more crack ( could even be some prizes for section leaders! )
As it stands now on the leaders board for Saint Ignatius the top 2 are:
Year 7
Jacob Irwin 13.16, Noah Jeffrey 15.41
Lily Leorke 17.06, Evie Lewry 18.23
Year 8
Max Craven 16.36
Sienna Stewart 17.09, Philppa McIntyre 20.05
Year 9
Xavier Russell 50.08
Year 10
Cameron Donald 16.22 and Mietta Morgan 17.28
Year 12
Nicolas Nadile 15.24, Bailey Ash 15.47
Lateisha Laney 17.57, Erin Gillett 20.13
The above is all 4 km, teachers/ coaches 5 km as follows:
Coach Darren 19.16
Mr O' Brien 20.24
I would love to see some of these people come to training with me, as I know I can get you running even faster! If you can't make lunch times I have squad training in Geelong on Tuesday & Thursday nights. Pleasesee me if interested.
Regards
Coach Darren
Our first 'virtual' PFA meeting
We will be trialling our first 'virtual' PFA meeting! Nothing too formal, just would like to touch base to see how everyone is travelling and cover some quick agenda items! Fingers crossed this all works!
If you are interested in being a part of this meeting, to be held on Tuesday, 11th August at 7.00 pm
Please email: sicgpandf@ignatius.vic.edu.au BEFORE Friday 7th August so we can send you the relevant meeting link.
PFA 'Working Bee' Feed back
We have also received some wonderful feedback regarding the work we achieved at the working bee. Although parents and visitors haven’t been able to see the fruits of our labour, we are being told that students and staff are enjoying the lovely gardens! Thanks again to those families who helped make this happen!
Fundraising
Please don’t forget we are still fundraising! E-Entertainment Books are now available for 2020/2021 so please help support the school by e- purchasing!
Visit the school Facebook page for details or you can contact me directly on 0438 353 855 if you need any further details.
Stays safe!
Regards
Sandi Clark
On behalf of the Parents and Friends’ Association
These operation have been devised due to current Vic COVID-19 guidelines.
No parents allowed on site. No volunteers on site.
Maximum of 4 only to serve in the canteen.
Social distancing requirements.
Canteen open to serve:
Recess - Years 10-12 only (Not serving Years 7-9)
Lunch - Years 7-12
Lunch Orders:
Years 7 - 8 : YLCs to give home room teachers a (washing) basket for each HR teacher.
Students to complete their order, place into the basket with money. Students leaders to take basket to canteen by end of homeroom and collect from canteen at 12.25pm.
Year 9: 1 basket near YLCs office (PANJ)
Students to complete their order on the paper bag, place into the basket with money. Students leaders to take basket to canteen by end of recess and collect from canteen at 12.25pm.
Years 10-12: basket at the canteen
Students to complete their order on the paper bag, place into the basket with money at the canteen by end of recess and collect from canteen during lunch time.
Staff: basket at the canteen
Staff to complete their order on the paper bag, place into the basket with money at the canteen by end of recess and collect from canteen during lunch time.
Each basket will have a Canteen Price List, paper bags and plastic money pockets.
Each basket will be daily cleaned and sanitised by Canteen staff.
Staff on Yard Duty to encourage physical distancing for students waiting in queues.
Canteen Operations will be reviewed and adjusted to comply with prevailing Vic COVID-19 guidelines.
Many teenagers today are sleep deprived. They should be getting between nine and 10 hours sleep each night, yet most get only seven or eight hours. Some get less.
Sleep deprivation is akin to jet lag. It causes young people not to function at their optimum. It can be the cause of poor behaviour, mental health problems and low functioning in the classroom.
Sleep maximises the brain growth that occurs during adolescence. It also consolidates learning. Sleep research has shown that when a young person is asleep, the brain practises what it has learned during the day. So sufficient sleep consolidates past learning as well as keeping a young person fresh to maximise their future learning.
Sleep experts stress that while adults may not have control over biology we can assist young people to establish good sleep patterns. The first step is to eradicate some of their bad habits, starting with the following:
1. Being glued to a digital screen
The digital devices a young person uses to roam through cyberspace are as addictive as cocaine, with similar arousal effects as well. The blue light emitted by mobile devices stimulates the brain into keeping kids awake well into the night.
Tip: Get your kids away from digital devices at least 90 minutes before bedtime.
2. Doing homework in bed
The brain associates activity with location. When young people are at their desks in school it’s easy to get into study mode. They associate learning and productive activity with their classroom and its furnishings. The same principle applies at home. If they fire up their laptops and work while on their beds, it is hard for them to mentally switch off from their schoolwork when the light finally goes out.
Tip: Keep homework out of bedrooms. If they must work in their rooms, confine study to a desk.
3. Spending all day indoors
Moping around the house is a huge part of the adolescent experience. However, spending all day away from natural light is shown to lead to anxiety and depression, which are both causes and symptoms of lack of sleep. Put a cap on moping about and encourage them to go outside – take a walk, meet a mate, do an errand.
Tip: A minimum of hour outside a day helps keep insomnia at bay.
4. Sleeping in late on weekends
The sleep–wake cycle for teenagers is delayed by up to two hours. That is, they get sleepy later and wake later than when they were children. In most teens, melatonin – which makes them sleepy – is secreted around 11 pm. Cortisol, the chemical that wakes them up, is secreted at 8.15 am for many. So the adolescent brain wants to be asleep just when most them need to be waking up to go to school. Many teenagers catch up on this lost sleep on the weekend. However, if your teen is sleeping in until midday on weekends then his whole sleep cycle is being thrown out of whack.
Tip: Keep sleep-ins to no more than an hour longer than normal to keep the sleep clock operating on a regular basis.
5. Talking on their mobile phones
A mobile is an extension of the person for most teens. Unfortunately, there’s no getting away from the fact that mobile phones may be harming our health. One study (https://www.emf-portal.org/en/article/15274) found that radiation thrown off by mobile phones can seriously throw off sleep in heavy phone users. The study found that regular mobile phone users reported more headaches, took longer to fall asleep and had difficulty experiencing a deep sleep.
Tip: Encourage young people to limit the length of their calls and place a moratorium on mobile use 90 minutes before bedtime.
6. Consuming caffeine and other stimulants
It’s a familiar story. It’s seven o’clock in the evening and your teenager hasn’t started a big assignment that’s due the next day. Needing to stay awake for the big job ahead, she drinks a coffee or a caggeinated soft drink or two to keep her adrenaline high. Consuming caffeine in any form after dinner is like throwing a wrecking ball through regular sleep patterns. The brain needs to calm down rather than be artificially stimulated if sleep is to occur.
Tip: Confine caffeinated drinks to mornings to minimise their impact on sleep.
According to beyondblue, one in seven teenagers experiences a mental health disorder. Many experts agree that if they were to choose only one strategy to improve young people’s wellbeing it would be to increase the quality and quantity of sleep that teenagers have. That’s how important sleep is to a young person’s wellbeing.
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.
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.
The eligibility criteria has also been broadened to assist more families, with JobKeeper and/or a formal Child Support arrangement classed as ‘income’.
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:
Local Community and Sporting groups you may be interested in.
Parent Education Events - Geelong Region: Term 3 2020
All programs are free and will be run via Zoom, however, bookings are essential.
To book visit www.geelongaustralia.com.au/parenting or call us on 5272 4781.
There are a number of events planned for Term 3, please see attached flyer for event details: