Saint Ignatius College Geelong
Dear Saint Ignatius College community members,
Now is an opportune time for students and parents to review the term’s progress. We are approximately halfway through term one. I encourage parents to discuss with their daughters/sons how well they have established their daily and weekly routines and, in particular, the priorities reflected in their routines. Is schoolwork being given the importance it deserves, and how balanced is the weekly program of activities? Are good meal routines and routines for those many housekeeping jobs in place? What about her/his sleep routine?
Last year we implemented ‘Canvas’ as our learning management system. This is a valuable online platform that is a fundamental support to our teaching and learning programs. I suggest that you ask your daughter/son to show you the features of Canvas including, courses and assessments to date. Monitoring your daughters/son’s progress by accessing Canvas will help you to affirm good practices and achievements and raise areas of concern. These discussion points would be helpful in preparing for the end-of-term Parent/Student/Teacher conferences.
Students must be settled into a good routine by now so that as the demands of the school programs increase, they are in good stead to cope with the assignments and assessment tasks that will be set and maintain the other activities necessary for a balanced life. Being able to develop good routines early in secondary school will help students establish patterns that will help them with the demands of their senior programs.
It is very pleasing to see many students participating in a range of co-curricular activities. At Saint Ignatius, we encourage the development of well-rounded young women and men, so we offer a range of co-curricular activities. Through participating in areas such as sport, the performing arts, public speaking, debating, community service, environment group or social justice group, we can see a strong sense of community, fair play, leadership, and service fostered as well as the development of many different skills.
It has been busy in the sports arena with many teams competing in GISSA Cricket and Tennis competitions recently. And on Thursday last week, we held the annual House Swimming Carnival at Kardinia Pool Geelong on a pleasant summer’s day. I congratulate the many students who participated on the day and all those who came along in good spirits to make the most of the day by cheering and encouraging their housemates and enjoying the opportunity to socialise with other students and staff. The students seemed to enjoy the availability of the waterslide and the different novelty events. As in previous years, many students swam very well and will represent the College at the GISSA inter-school level. The GISSA Carnival will be held on Wednesday 17th March at Kardinia Pool.
Congratulations to Bradman House members for winning the House Shield. Well done!
Thank you to Mr Andrew Philp (Sports Coordinator) for organising the carnival and all of the staff for their work on the day to ensure its success.
The swimming carnival is one of the many co-curricular programs that we expect all students to attend and participate in if possible. We are now looking forward to all students attending the Annual House Athletics carnival on Monday 15th March at Landy Field, Geelong.
In the performing arts area it has also been very busy and exciting with auditions being held over the last week for this year’s College production of “Wicked.” Well done to the many students who have put themselves forward for a part in this musical. We look forward to another wonderful production involving a large cast and crew of students later in the year.
In my previous newsletter article, I mentioned that we will be running a series of tours and information sessions for visitors in late-term one and early term two in 2021 before the Year 7 2022 enrolment applications close on May 7 2021. This closing date also applies in the case of where a sibling is already enrolled at the College. Please see our website for dates and times and how to book a visit.
If you know of any parent who is considering secondary schooling for their child, please encourage them to book a visit or apply for enrolment.
A reminder that next Monday 8th March is a Public Holiday and the College will be closed for the day.
Best wishes for an enjoyable long weekend.
Michael Exton Principal
As we settle into the new school year we consider all that is before us and all we might achieve during this academic year. There is so much we hope to achieve at the College this year and so many aspects we hope to be covered in educating our students. The Latin term cura personalis is the College theme for the year and it translates roughly to, ‘care for the whole person’. This concept is particularly Ignatian in its vision but is common in all Catholic Schools.
Catholic education focusses upon the development of the whole person and Jesus’ teaching to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’ As we accompany our students over their six years we aim to follow this teaching in helping each student develop in every way; spiritually, academically, emotionally and physically.
This theme is enhanced this year as we celebrate the bicentenary of Catholic Education in Australia. In just over a week’s time we will celebrate this anniversary during Catholic Education Week, 14-21 March.
Over the last 200 years the Catholic community has developed and placed their trust in the educational opportunities and formation that their children receive in Catholic schools. This achievement is no small feat. For the first thirty years other than two convicts who were priests there were no Catholic priests in Australia and Mass was allowed for only two of those years. As the colony developed the first officially appointed priests arrived in 1820. The first Catholic school in Australia began in Sydney in 1821 with an enrolment of 31 students.
As religious orders arrived in Australia more and more schools were opened. In particular the arrival of the Christian Brothers (1843), Sisters of Mercy (1846), Jesuit Fathers (1848) and Brigidine Sisters (1883) led to the establishment of schools in or connected to the current Catholic Colleges in Geelong. Today the numbers of students in Catholic schools has grown exponentially with one in five students attending a Catholic school!
Secondary Catholic Education has been a major part of Geelong and districts for well over a century.
• Sacred Heart College was established in 1860.
• St Augustine's and St Joseph’s, established in 1857 & 1890, which amalgamated to become the ‘current’ St Joseph’s College (est. 1935)
• Clonard College was established 1956.
• In recent times and with significant growth in the region Iona College opened its doors to students in 2020.
Our College is part of this tradition. Although Saint Ignatius College has ‘only’ been operating for some thirteen years the College has a history that can be traced back well over a century!
Prior to the establishment of Saint Ignatius the College was preceded by Catholic Regional College - CRC (coed) [1991-2006] which was spread across three campuses. CRC was established when St Mary’s Technical School (male) [1916-1990] and Goold College (female) [est. 1974] amalgamated. Even prior to this Goold College was preceded by St Agnes’ College (est. 1899).
Although we celebrate our College today and our position as an Ignatian Companion School we remember the long history of Catholic Education in Geelong that has led to this point.
Catholic education has grown over the last 200 years to the point that it now educates around 770,000 primary and secondary school students, in more than 1,750 schools and employs almost 100,000 staff. In the Geelong region alone Catholic secondary schools educate some 5,600 students, with some 500 staff employed.
This year we remember and celebrate all those who have gone before us. We are thankful for the dedication, sacrifice and vision of the religious and laity who together developed Catholic Education in Australia. At Saint Ignatius we celebrate especially the vision of the priests of the Deanery of Geelong who made the decision to centralise CRC to the Drysdale campus and the vision of the staff and leadership of the time who set a direction for the College, and entered into a partnership with the Australian Jesuits. The benefits of this relationship and the charism it offers are as immense as they are in enabling the vision of cura personalis.
In 2021 we also celebrate the new life and the renewal afforded by our transition to Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools and how the structural changes made will lead to new opportunities and a redefined vision of Catholic Education which I can assure you could be summed up in two words – cura personalis.
I look forward to being a small part of the journey of Catholic Education in Australia over the coming years and pray that we as a community hold Jesus’ teaching close to our hearts, and are seen by those outside of our community to hold true to that vision for life.
Yours in Christ,
Brendan Nicholls Religious Education Coordinator
Author’s note: I encourage you to read the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s pastoral letter from which some points in the above article were sourced.
It was with great pleasure that the College announced at the recent Academic Assembly, that the Dux of the College was Matthew McInerney, attaining an outstanding ATAR score of 99.60.
His acceptance speech is truly inspiring and be viewed in the video below.
We wish him great rewards and happiness, as he proceeds to the University of Melbourne to study a Bachelor of Science with a major in Mathematical Physics and he joins other residential students at the Jesuit College, Newman College.
We wish all our Class of 2020 great rewards and happiness in their post-school endeavours and look forward to welcoming them all back very soon as the College's alumni, 'Old Ignatians'.
Claire Hewitt Development Manager
Parents have an important part to play in the education of their children. At Saint Ignatius College we are called to assist parents in fulfilling their obligation for the Christian formation and education of their children. The College respects the parents’ fundamental human right to know, understand and share in decisions that affect the education of their child.
Positive and responsible student behaviour is essential to the smooth running of our College, to achieve optimal learning opportunities and to the development of a supportive and cooperative school environment.
Genuine parent engagement exists when there is a meaningful relationship between parents and teachers with the shared goal of maximising learning and wellbeing outcomes for students.
Parent engagement extends beyond parent involvement in volunteering at the school, to having a deliberate focus on influencing and improving learning and wellbeing outcomes. Parents are provided with ideas and strategies and are encouraged to collaborate with the school and community to strengthen partnerships and directly assist in supporting their child’s learning. Effective parent engagement creates authentic relationships valued by each party.
Effective communication between schools, parents, students and the community forms the foundation for developing and maintaining partnerships. To have a significant impact on student outcomes, communication needs to be focused on student learning and wellbeing.
It must also be a genuine exchange of information and ideas between the student, the College, the home and the community.
If parents/guardians do have a concern in relation to their child the following list outlines the appropriate steps:
How do I raise a concern
• Raise the concern or complaint as soon as possible after the issue has arisen
• Communicate and respond in ways that are constructive, fair and respectful
• Be clear about the topic to be discussed
• Be mindful of the need to obtain all of the facts relating to the issue
• Observe confidentiality and respect for sensitive issues
• Consider what would be a reasonable and realistic outcome/remedy.
In all cases
• Make email or phone contact with the relevant person outlining the concern/complaint.
(Note, if the concern/complaint is about a staff member, they are the relevant person in the first instance).
• Where possible, make an appointment to speak on the phone or in person. Talking provides the best opportunity to discuss and resolve your concern and seek a timely and informal resolution.
• Ensure the relevant person(s) is (are) given a reasonable amount of time to take the steps required to resolve or address the concern/complaint.
Working together is always going to achieve a better result and a more effective outcome for all parties involved, especially the young people of our College.
https://www.ignatius.vic.edu.au/our-school/student-information#790
Michael Timms Deputy Principal [Students]
Year 12 students require an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) for entry into many undergraduate-entry university programs in Australia. This year we have implemented a Year 12 Learning Conversation program. This program provides an opportunity for students to share learning conversations with a senior member of staff about their academic goals, strategies that may assist in their learning and finally develop a 2021 Action Plan with a focus on improvement.
Year 12 students will also estimate an ATAR based on their Year 11 Semester Two Overall results. The Year 12 students have received the relevant documents and an ATAR calculator program so that they can spend some time reflecting on their Year 11 achievements and prepare for their learning conversation. The focus is not so much on the estimated ATAR that they calculate but the way in which they can maximise their learning opportunities in 2021.
An important learning behaviour of maximising academic success is how well students use their time at home to complete work, prepare for assessment tasks and revise the week’s work. Year 12 teachers set homework that covers all three areas. The expectation is that all Year 12 VCE students should be setting aside at least three hours per night and time on the weekend to spend on their learning. Therefore, it is recommended that a Year 12 VCE student would prioritise about 20 hours per week to consolidate their learning at home. There is a direct correlation between student improvement and time spent on learning at home.
It is also important that students create a learning environment that allows them to concentrate on the tasks at hand and free of other distractions such as mobile phones or other social media platforms. For example, there is a lot of research that shows the negative effects on test scores for those who frequently text or those who multitask flicking between accessing their device and other means of learning opportunities.
The clear messages provided in a range of research is that technology is a great support for learning but should only be used when required for the task. Please see the link for an article from Harvard University discussing the effects of technology on students.
https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/technology-and-student-distraction
Bernadette Donnelly Deputy Principal [Teaching and Learning]
Learning is at the heart of what we do. We strive to ensure that every student improves in their learning and through a collaborative team approach, we encourage critical thinking, clear communication and creativity at Saint Ignatius College.
Effective schools are learning communities. The core element of which is a culture of collaboration and collective responsibility for the development of effective teaching practices and improved student achievement.
We learn better when we learn together. For this reason, we are developing Professional Learning Time and Learning Focus Teams as part of the 2021 Teacher Development Framework for teaching staff.
It involves teachers working in the spirit of openness and critical reflection, sharing their experiences, ideas and expertise with each other and engaging in an ongoing process of inquiry that promotes learning, while maintaining the focus on improving our student outcomes.
Since the beginning of the school year, opportunities have been structured into this year’s meeting schedules for teachers to work together on the College’s most valued teaching and learning goal for 2021:
Learners and their Learning: “Helping students learn to a higher level”
In the meetings conducted this term, teaching staff have had the opportunity to meet in Learning Focus Teams and Professional Learning Time / Companions.
Learning Focus Teams
In Learning Focus Teams, teaching staff are addressing the key areas of:
- The use of student achievement data and samples of student work to maintain a focus on student requirements.
- Focusing on learning delivering strategies that can be implemented in the classroom immediately and evaluated in the following weeks.
- Taking time to become proficient at new strategies, so regular cycles of learning, observation and review can be used to support and track progress.
- Seeking feedback from each staff member in their team, about what worked well and what could be improved.
Professional Learning Time
As part of the Teacher Development Framework, Professional Learning Time / Companions will continue to be set up at Saint Ignatius College. Each group will consist of a Companion Leader, Companion Mentor and Companions.
In Professional Learning Time, teaching staff are addressing these key areas:
- To form and support their Professional Learning Goal with accessible Professional Development which is tailored to assist teachers in the improvement of Professional Knowledge, Practice and Engagement (APST).
- To ensure that the annual College Teaching and Learning Goal and initiatives are embedded into teacher practices.
- To provide regular feedback to teachers about the effectiveness of their teaching and learning in their classrooms.
- To ensure that quality and consistent teacher practices across classrooms is improving student outcomes.
I look forward to continually supporting our teaching staff during another exciting year at the college.
Joe McLean Director of Teacher Development
Welcome back to what we hope is a settled and full year of classes at our College. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the current and new Saint Ignatius College families and give the first of the years’ brief tips, insights and acknowledgements from the English team.
My name is Gemma Etherington and I am the Learning Area Leader for the wonderful English team here at Saint Ignatius College. I have been at the College in this role for the past eight years and have been fortunate to teach many of our students across all year levels. In my time at the College, the most frequent question asked of me by parents and guardians is “how can I best support my child with their English studies?”, with my consistent answer always being- ‘read with and alongside them’.
Students need to see the value of reading; not just at school, but in their homes as well. A great place to start is by also reading the set English texts when your child is studying them. It is an invaluable opportunity to engage in academic discussion, share ideas and interpretations and consolidate knowledge and understanding for your kids. Yes- this is something that will occur in classes, however the more exposure to literature and different perspectives a student can get, the greater their understanding will be.
At all year levels, students study a variety of texts. The texts listed below are the ones which appeared on the booklist for purchase. Many year levels are also supplemented by short texts supplied by the college.
2021 English and Literature Texts:
• Year 7- Finding Audrey (Sophie Kinsella), Crow Country (Kate Constable)
• Year 8 - Between Us (Clare Atkins), The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson)
• Year 9 - Road to Winter (Mark Smith)
• Year 10 - Macbeth (William Shakespeare)
• Year 10 - Literature: Medea (Euripides), Animal Farm (George Orwell), Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)
• Year 11 - I am Malala (Malala Yousafzai), A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens)
• Year 11 - Literature: Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank), Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Tennessee Williams)
• Year 12 - The Lieutenant (Kate Grenville), The Dressmaker (Rosalie Ham), The Crucible (Arthur Miller)
• Year 12 - Literature: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Tennessee Williams), The Anchoress (Robyn Cadwallader), Northanger Abbey (Jane Austen), A Hunger (Petra White).
Gemma Etherington Learning Area Leader: English
On the 24th of February, Coco Bullock, Daniel McInerney and I visited Sacred Heart College for the CLOGS Launch Dinner 2021. CLOGS (Catholic Leaders of Geelong Schools) brings together senior leaders from Sacred Heart, Saint Joseph’s, Clonard and Saint Ignatius to facilitate collaboration between our schools.
The evening allowed us to get to know the other leaders and their schools’ ideas and goals. We each gave a presentation that highlighted the structures of leadership in our school, our history, and the themes that define our leadership team.
It was a great opportunity for us to discover what we had in common and plan actions we could take throughout the year to honour these shared passions. I really enjoyed getting to know my fellow leaders, and I’m looking forward to working with them throughout the year!
Florence Noble FIRE Carrier & College Vice Captain
On Thursday the 18th of February, the Year 12 VCAL students went on an excursion to different businesses around the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast as part of our PDS, WRS and Numeracy Classes.
Our first visit involved meeting the owner of Ket Bakery in Wallington where we had a presentation on the operations of a small business and what is involved in developing a small business. Miek, the bakery owner has a Belgian background and spoke about the importance of fresh organic chemical free ingredients as part of a balanced healthy diet.
Our next stop was Edmonds Honey in Mount Duneed where we met George, who gave us an introduction into how John started the business. George and John talked to us about the importance of a good work ethic including a positive attitude where you are prepared to “get your hands dirty and have a go.” They also described the importance of OH&S concepts and guidelines when working closely with bees.
We enjoyed the visit to the Chocolate factory on the Great Ocean Road, in particular, we learnt about the origins of the cacao bean and the process involved to then create a variety of different types of chocolate eg. white, milk and dark. We had a tour of the precinct where we gained information about recycled water and the growing of fruit trees and local native trees. The main highlight was we were given the opportunity to make a chocolate lolly pop and also have a tasting plate of the different chocolates and ice cream.
On our way back to school we dropped into Ocean Grind in Torquay and were informed about the coffee roasting process and the nuts and bolts of running a small local business.
Overall it was an informative and interesting day gaining insights into local businesses in the region.
Olivia Sinkinson Year 12 VCAL
Research suggests there has been a significant increase in the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) amongst secondary school students in Australia.
E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid to produce a vapour that is inhaled. The fluid usually contains propylene glycol, glycerol, nicotine and added flavouring(s). The devices are designed to deliver the aerosol directly to the lungs. Some resemble conventional cigarettes, while more recently developed devices look like everyday items such as pens or USB memory sticks. The appeal of these flavoured e-cigarettes to adolescents has led to their rapid uptake around the world.
In Victoria it is illegal for any person to obtain, possess or use nicotine e-cigarettes, or e-cigarette cartridges containing nicotine, or nicotine liquids for use in a vaporiser, without a prescription. It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to, or buy e-cigarettes for, any person aged under 18 years whether or not the e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Whilst it is not unlawful for a person to possess or use e-cigarettes that do not contain nicotine, it is unlawful to use them on school premises or within 4 metres of a school entrance.
The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is concerned that e-cigarettes have ‘renormalised’ smoking. A worryingly recent study has also found that e-cigarette users were three times more likely than non-e-cigarette users to subsequently become tobacco smokers.
While the damaging impact of smoking tobacco is well known, the short and long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are still being researched.
Although the compositions of the e-cigarette liquids vary, they all contain a range of different solvents and flavouring agents which have the potential to increase the risk of developing cardiovascular, cancer and respiratory diseases.
When overheated, the solvents propylene glycol and glycerine can produce dangerous levels of the carcinogens formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.
It is important that parents/guardians have a conversation with their child in relation to the dangers and issues around e-cigarettes and vaping. It is also important that families are aware if any student brings an e-cigarette onsite or is caught using this device, the College’s Drug and Alcohol policy will be enforced.
I have included a link below to a School Tv special by Michael Carr-Gregg in relation to e-cigarettes and vaping.
https://schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/ecigarettes-and-vaping-au
Michael Timms Deputy Principal[Students]
Source: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/all-topics/electronic-cigarettes
https://schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/ecigarettes-and-vaping-au
We encourage parents to register for the FREE webinar run by the eSafety Commissioner in partnership with Headspace Be You on the 9th March at 7:00pm.
The session will focus on online trends for adolescents, ideas for parents to start the chat around social media and the impact on mental health as well as strategies around managing screen time.
If you're interested please click on the 'click here to register' link within this poster.
Tenille Thomson Student Wellbeing Coordinator
As from late 2020 the College has improved access to upstairs science and digital technology rooms with the installation of automatic sliding doors.
Caroline Edmonds, Learning Diversity Leader, was successful in applying for a $5000 Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment grant via the Local Schools Community Fund.
Two students who were mobilised in wheelchairs, and a number of students with strength and mobility challenges have benefited. Having automatic doors now allows these students to independently navigate entry to the building, rather than needing to wait for and rely on Support Staff and peers to assist.
David Fitzgerald Business manager
The Math and Science Department would like to express their appreciation to Amy Oxlade for her hard work and commitment over the past 3 weeks.
Amy is a Student Teacher who is in her final year of study at Deakin University Geelong.
Over the past 3 weeks Amy has conducted classes in Years 7 - 10 Maths and Science. I would also like to thank the Science and Math Staff, in particular Leesa Snookes, Craig Browne and Anthony Fitzgerald for sharing their knowledge and expertise and for guiding Amy during her teaching round.
It is always exciting to have competent Student Teachers who have the ability to challenge us and are able to bring new ideas to the facility. We wish Amy all the very best in her future employment opportunities.
Joe McLean Director of Teacher Development
Saint Ignatius College is delighted to once again host world renowned parenting expert Dr. Justin Coulson in an engaging and informative webinar titled ‘Tweens, Teens, and Screens,’
with students and their parents/guardians on Tuesday March the 16th at 7.30pm via Zoom.
Pre-webinar information and activities will be distributed to students and their families prior to the evening.
Looking forward to families joining us, albeit virtually, on this evening.
Ms. Elana Cole Companions Coordinator.
Collection Notice for parents/guardians 2021 Student Residential Address and Other Information
The Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment (the department) would like to advise you that a request has been made for your child’s school to provide residential address and other information as required under the Australian Education Regulation 2013 (Cth).
The school is required to provide the department with the following information about each student at the school:
• Names and residential addresses of students’ parent(s) and/or guardian(s)
• Student residential address (excluding student names)
• Whether the student is a primary or secondary student (education level)
• Whether the student is boarding or a day student (boarding status).
Your child’s school generates a unique and unidentifiable record number for each student record. The number is only used by the school for this collection. It is not allowed to be used for any other purpose. The number indicates to the department that each record provided is for one student.
Purpose of the collection
The Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection (the Collection) informs Australian Government school education policy and helps ensure funding for non-government schools is based on need.
The information collected will be used to inform school funding calculations. It is combined with data held by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to calculate a non-government school community’s anticipated capacity to contribute to the costs of schooling.
From 2020, a new measure of capacity to contribute, the Direct Measure of Income (DMI), was introduced. The DMI is based on the median income of parents or guardians of students at a non-government school using data collected through the Collection.
More information about the DMI can be found at https://www.education.gov.au/what-direct-measure-income
For more details please read the attached PDF from the Australian Government
Next meeting will be held on Tuesday 9th March at 7.00pm in the Food Tech Room.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Even if you cannot 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 by emailing sicgpandf@ignatius.vic.edu.au
Due to the school’s decision to change the Open Day event to be more COVID-19 friendly there is no need for the working bee at this time. There will also be no BBQ required during the open evening sessions. Thank you to everyone who offered to assist on the day.
Uniform Shop Opening Days and Times are as follows:
Wednesday 17th March 2-4pm
Thursday 31st March 4-8pm
Wednesday 7th April 2-4pm
It’s nearly winter uniform time so it is a great time to purchase ready for the beginning of Term 2.
Items to be sold can be dropped off on any of the above days or anytime at the front office.
We are always seeking Volunteers to help in the uniform shop. If you are available and have time to help out contact Kate Callaghan by emailing sicgpandf@ignatius.vic.edu.au . Training is provided.
The College canteen menu uses the 'traffic light system' to inform students, staff and parents of the College the healthier choice’s available at the College canteen (See 'Healthy Food @ School Guidelines' in our 'College Policies and Procedures' section for full details).
Canteen duty provides a much appreciated service to the school. It gives you the opportunity to meet and talk with other parents and also enables you to see your child’s school in action.
Five helpers are needed each day. Helpers will need to be at the canteen by 9:00am and will generally be finished by 1:30pm. If you can only be there part of the day, your help is greatly appreciated.
If you are able to assist, please contact Sandra Woodall at the College on 5251 1136.
Week starting March 8th 2021
8th Mar: No Canteen (Public Holiday)
9th Mar: M. Dunstan, L. Tigani, L. Vella.
10th Mar: J. Grant, K. Button, N. Cooper.
11th Mar: E. Carpenter, S. Sarauer, Needed.
12th Mar: J. Rogers, S. Hanks, K. Johnston, S. Nyga
Week starting March 15th 2021
15th Mar: E. Carpenter, E. Musella, B. Rees, B. Brinfield.
16th Mar: R. Morris, M. Jackson, K. Allchin, S. Twaits.
17th Mar: C. Ford, N. Cooper, L. Vella.
18th Mar: M. White, G. Uytendall, K. Langworthy.
19th Mar: N. Lowther, V. Durbidge, S. Nyga, Needed.
The new school year is full of excitement and possibility for students and parents. Regardless of how a child or young person has previously performed, this year offers a chance to set a new course.
While it’s tempting as a parent to make the attainment of good academic results the main priority, this is a narrow view that may be incompatible with long-term success. It’s wiser to broaden your view and focus on helping your child or young person becomethe best student they can be. Here’s how.
The rapidly changing world and workforce that your child will enter requires that they have a willingness to continually learn and adapt. The concept of a lifelong learner, previously lauded by educators with an eye to the future, has now become a reality. Learning and continual improvement should be embedded in each child’s psyche so that school life is just a starting point to a lifetime of learning, growth and development. Help your child see themselves as successful learners who achieve results through hard work and application, and that nothing is beyond them if they apply themselves.
Leadership is required in all walks of life including at school, at work, in families and in the wider community. Help your child see themselves as a leader by focusing on personal leadership capacities such as planning ahead, communicating clearly, being accountable for their behaviour, developing emotional awareness and fostering good relationships with siblings and peers. Personal leadership development provides a strong foundation for the development of leadership skills in more public forums in later life.
The school years are critical for the development of independence, which can easily be closed down by the roadblocks of impatience, overindulgence, fear and lack of time. Alternatively, independence is promoted when we show patience, provide opportunity, display confidence and teach students how.
If there is one difference that modern schooling is making to the next generation it’s in the leadership they have shown in recent years to the maintenance of mental health and wellbeing practises. Parents can support their child’s long term wellbeing by embedding wellbeing habits including healthy eating, exercise, sleep, relaxation techniques, regular time in nature, gratitude and mindfulness.
If you want your child to be liked by others, it’s essential to spend time and effort developing the skills and attitudes needed to succeed. Develop in them an awareness of how their behaviour impacts on others, instil manners and community-mindedness and develop a broad range of friendship skills that will assist them to relate well to others.
2020 showed us life is unpredictable, full of ups and downs, straight balls and curve balls. It’s the unpredictability, the downs and the curve balls that develop kids’ resilience. How parents and teachers react to the hardships, frustrations and difficulties kids face either hamper or foster resilience. Spoil, overprotect or pamper and growth opportunities are wasted. Support, encourage and teach kids to cope and you’ll be helping them develop a real sense of psychological hardiness and resilience that’s essential for long term happiness and success.
Make this year a memorable one by helping your child grow and develop into the best student they can be. Keep the focus broad and do all you can to ensure that your child sees themselves as a confident and continuous learner.
Michael Grose
Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s an award-winning speaker and the author of 12 books for parents including Spoonfed Generation, and the bestselling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It . Michael is a former teacher with 15 years experience, and has 30 years experience in parenting education. He also holds a Master of Educational Studies from Monash University specialising in parenting education.
Local Community and Sporting groups you may be interested in.
Grovedale Tigers Junior Football Club: Junior Girls Football
Players wanted to come join in the fun at the Grovedale Tigers for 2021.
Age Groups: U18, U15, U12 and U10s
Training times:
Wednesday at 4.30pm - 5.45pm (U10, U12 and U15s)
Thursday at 5.00pm - 6.30pm (U18s)
Grovedale College Oval, Burdoo Drive, Grovedale
We are very passionate about girls football. We want to create a fun environment for all girls to come and have some fun no matter whether they have experience or absolutely no experience at all.
If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact Kelly McCarthy on 0401 679 763 or Michael Barratt pm 0419 342 708
YMCA Geelong: Junior Kitchen Assistant - Casual
YMCA Camp Wyuna is looking for an enthusiastic junior, to fill the role of a Junior Kitchen Assistant. This is an opportunity for a young individual to be part of a Non for Profit organisation who Believe in the Power of Inspired Young People.
See attached PDF for details:
International Women's Day Breakfast
Wednesday March 10th 2021 at the nagle Room, Clonard College 7.30am to 8.45am
Guest Speaker: Dr Bree Gorman, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant.
Tickets $15 Booking online at: www.trybooking.com/BPAUX
Lara Junior Netball 2021!
The Cats are back....
Come and join in the fun and fitness and make friends along the way!
All new and existing players welcome and encouraged to come along and have some fun!
Call Bridie, Junior Coordinator 0431 783 323
https://www.revolutionise.com....
laranetballclub/home/
See the attached PDF for registration details.
Parent Education Events - Geelong Region: Term 1 2021
All Regional Parenting Services programs are free and will be offered face to face or Online 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 1, please see attached flyer for event details:
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: