Student Leadership @ SICG

As a College we have commenced the process of selecting our student leaders for 2025. This is a significant process which includes interviews, speeches, staff voting and student voting. Student leadership at Saint Ignatius College is integral to the development of a vibrant, supportive, and mission-driven school community. Embedded in the Ignatian Charism, which emphasises forming "young people for and with others," student leadership at Saint Ignatius College goes beyond traditional roles of responsibility. It embodies the Jesuit ideals of service, reflection, and discernment, providing students with a framework to grow as leaders who are deeply committed to the common good.

When students take on leadership roles, they actively engage in shaping the school’s culture, ensuring it reflects the values of respect, inclusivity, and justice. This involvement benefits the entire student body by creating a more connected and empathetic community. Leadership opportunities at SICG allow students to practice key skills such as communication, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making, all while fostering a sense of belonging and purpose among their peers.

Furthermore, student leadership at Saint Ignatius College is a tangible expression of the Ignatian Charism, linking personal growth with service to others. It cultivates leaders who are not only academically and socially adept but also spiritually grounded, ready to contribute meaningfully to society.

I extend my best wishes to all students who have applied for a student leadership position. May you find every success in your endeavours.

Staff Professional Development Day

Friday 30 August will be a staff professional development day. This day will be utilised to support staff in the development of a Behaviour Curriculum and develop strategies to support staff wellbeing.

We feel developing a Behaviour Curriculum at Saint Ignatius College is essential to fostering a school environment that reflects our core values of conscience, competence and compassion. A well-structured Behaviour Curriculum provides clear expectations and consistent guidelines for students, helping them understand the importance of their actions and how they impact others. This proactive approach to behaviour management is not just about maintaining order within the school; it’s about instilling lifelong values aligned with the Ignatian principles of justice, empathy, and service to others.

By explicitly teaching positive behaviours and reinforcing them through regular practice, we create a culture where students are encouraged to make thoughtful, ethical decisions. This aligns with the Ignatian focus on reflection and discernment, guiding students to consider the consequences of their actions in light of the greater good. A Behaviour Curriculum also supports the development of emotional intelligence and resilience, equipping students with the tools they need to navigate challenges and conflicts in a constructive manner.

Our aim is the Behaviour Curriculum at Saint Ignatius College will contribute to a sense of belonging and safety within the school community. When students know what is expected of them and feel supported in meeting those expectations, they are more likely to thrive academically and socially, embodying the Ignatian ethos in all aspects of their lives.

Meg Durham: Staff Wellbeing Professional Development (PD) session, is a valuable initiative that focuses on enhancing the overall wellbeing of our educators. By addressing key areas such as mental health, stress management, and work-life balance, this PD equips staff with practical strategies to maintain their wellbeing in a demanding profession. The benefits of this program are significant, as it promotes a healthier, more positive work environment, leading to increased staff morale and effectiveness. Research suggests that when educators prioritise their own wellbeing, they are better equipped to support their students, fostering a more vibrant and productive school community.

Wear it Purple Day

The College celebrated 'Wear It Purple Day' on Thursday 30 August, 2024. As a College this is a powerful expression of the school's commitment to inclusivity, respect, and the dignity of every individual. This day promotes and aligns with core Catholic values of love, compassion, and social justice and emphasises the inherent worth of every person, made in the image and likeness of God. 'Wear It Purple Day' offers an opportunity for the school community to affirm this dignity, ensuring that all students feel valued and accepted for who they are.

At Saint Ignatius College, celebrating 'Wear It Purple Day' is about educating our community on the importance of empathy and understanding. It encourages dialogue, reduces stigma, and fosters a safer and more welcoming environment for everyone. This aligns with the Gospel's call to love one another and to stand in solidarity with those who may feel marginalised or excluded.

I would like to thank our Justice Coordinator, Ms Nicole Sadler, and all staff and students who supported the day.

Michael Timms | Acting College Principal

Through our continuous work in ‘Building Community to Become a Better Learner’, one of the guiding principles for professional learning at Saint Ignatius College Geelong in 2024, has been to empower teachers to ‘stive, thrive and inspire’ not only the students we teach but one another through a strong culture of collaborative practices.

This culture has been nurtured through a wide range of Professional Development opportunities across the College and is evident in all contexts where teachers meet together, work together, and learn together every day.

Currently, all teaching staff are completing their annual ‘Professional Learning Cycle’ that will culminate in an exciting showcase of achievements at the end of the year. All individual or team learning goals are linked to our Learning Area priorities and will inform very real and tangible outcomes for professional practice across the board. In addition to this whole school process, a large number of teachers have become involved in regularly scheduled Focussed Workshop Time for small group collaboration. This regularly designated time for self-nominated teaching teams to develop new curriculum, moderate for assessment and undertake targeted professional learning together has significantly strengthened the foundations of our College wide commitment to move forward together as a collaborative learning community. Further testimony of this culture is visible in our teacher-led and initiated professional learning sessions held after school to address specific areas of staff interest and our collective ongoing commitment to the MACS Vision for Instruction. The MACS Vision is grounded in evidence from cognitive science research. A recent highlight of such offerings was a ‘Writing Masterclass’ led by Steph Gillies - Pedagogy Literacy Leader.

As the College steps into the next phase of our Connected Curriculum programs at Years 7 and 8 in 2025, we will be embarking upon a journey of Instructional Coaching and Leadership. A large group of College leaders from across our Pastoral and Learning Area teams have been undertaking training to be coaches since early Term 2 as they prepare to lead this ‘one to one’ classroom based instructional coaching, with teachers in Years 7 & 8, as well as other nominated areas of the school. Our aim here is to purposefully support individual teachers achieve their professional goals related to evidence-based high impact practices within our new and developing knowledge rich teaching and learning programs. Our teachers at Saint Ignatius College have much to be proud of and a great deal to look forward to indeed!

Jemma Morris | Director of Teacher Development

What a busy and energetic start we have had to Term 3. Our Year 10 students have settled into their new classes. Our Year 10 and 11 students have been busy with Pathway meetings to select their 2025 subjects. Our Year 12 students have also started the process of researching and applying for University courses. Two weeks ago our College Feast Day was held and three of our Xavier House Students, Sienna Davidson, Zachary Jackson and Paddy Noble beautifully performed the song “Let it Be.” Although we didn’t take out first place (well done to Glowrey House), these 3 should be super proud of their performance.

Moving forward, we have our Xavier House Mass next Tuesday and this will be a wonderful time for all senior students in our house to come together. I am sure the students will also enjoy the pizza lunch after the mass!

The countdown is now on for our Year 12 students. Only yesterday one of the Year 12s informed me it was 78 days until their last exam. The next 78 days will fly by. Preparation has already commenced in organising their final school assembly, Graduation and Valedictory. We look forward to helping our Year 12s look back over their final year and celebrate the closing of this chapter.

Julie Wilson | Xavier Head of House

On Monday 5th August, the Year 7 and Year 8 students were invited to join Tjupurru, an Australian First Nations performer from Djabera Djabera country in the Kimberly region of Western Australia, to explore and learn Indigenous cultures, languages, histories and storytelling in a unique and engaging manner.

Using his Didjeribone, a homemade traditional instrument that is part Didjeridoo and part Trombone, Tjupurru quickly had the audience transported to the remote Australian outback full of howling dingoes, haunting winds and humorous kookaburras.

His 60 minute performance was highly entertaining but also deeply truthful and personal as he share his story of displacement, discrimination and growing up on a mission camp site in Australia in the 1970’s. An honest and real recollection of how our First Nations people have been treated since federation.

A very powerful story but his message to all the students who attended was of hope and hope for the future. Hope that we can all stand side by side as friends, as brothers and sisters and as one proud Australian people acknowledging all our genuine and unique life experiences, family histories and cultural backgrounds.

SICG Intercultural Perspectives Coordinator | Attel Martschinke

This year Saint Ignatius College is participating in ‘Bullying No Way Week,’ a week to promote standing up against bullying and instead spreading and encouraging kindness. Bullying No Way Week runs from the 12th to the 16th of August, with Saint Ignatius College recognising this important event on Friday the 16th of August.

When participating in a day such as this, it is important to remind ourselves why this is important and relevant at our school. In Term 2, the senior students were surveyed to help us understand their experiences with bullying. From these results, 12% of our senior students report having been bullied at school at some stage, however, 50% of our senior students report having engaged in or seen 'upstander' behaviour. When asked to finish the sentence "Students at Saint Ignatius have the right to...", the responses included “learn and be happy,” “be treated kindly,” “enjoy the time at the school without feeling worried about being bullied,” and “be safe.”

To kickstart this week, the Wellbeing Team organised a “Be Kind Competition” where students from all year levels were able to spread the message to ‘Be Kind’ in the form of a drawing, painting, poem, photo, etc, drawing on student creativity to spread an important message. We received some amazing submissions from students, with selected submissions being awarded prizes, and displayed around our school. As your Wellbeing Captain, I would like to thank everyone who submitted an entry and went out of their way to spread the message of kindness in their own unique, creative way.

On the morning of the 16th of August, students were greeted at the school gate by their teachers and peers who will invite them to sign their name on a chalk pledge, as a way of showing support against bullying. When students get off the bus, music will be playing and teachers will be wearing ‘Be Kind’ t-shirts, all of which will act as a reminder throughout the day to spread the message of kindness.

This event is sure to spread an important message for students whilst walking into school, and I hope they bring the message with them throughout the day and continue to implement it in their own lives as they grow and become people for others.

Lucy Keen | Wellbeing Captain

One in seven young Australians aged 4–17 faces mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Schools play a crucial role in offering early support to prevent these issues from escalating. Batyr is a leading organisation in prevention and stigma reduction, using stories of lived experiences to normalise mental health discussions and encourage students to seek help.

On the 7th and 8th of August, Batyr delivered tailored presentations to our Year 9–12 students. The key themes were -

• Year 9: Focused on creating a supportive environment for mental health discussions.

• Year 10: Emphasised the importance of peer support and "looking out for your mates."

• Year 11: Provided coping strategies for managing stress and anxiety.

• Year 12: Addressed balancing life and academics, and developing advocacy skills for the future.

One example of the stories shared during the presentations was about a person who felt trapped in the cycle of anxiety and depression, exacerbated by experiences of bullying. They spoke about their decision to seek help. In doing so, they became equipped and motivated to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life. This individual’s goal is now to share their journey with mental health and encourage others to do so.

Students received this program very positively and formal evaluations are currently being collated. We extend our sincere thanks to Batyr for their continued support. For more information on Batyr, visit https://www.batyr.com.au/our-s...

From the Student Wellbeing Team, Olivia, Sarah, Leanne, and Michael

Year 8 students and their fathers/male mentors are invited to the upcoming 'Time & Space Evening' on Tuesday August 27th from 6.30pm.As a prelude to this evening, attendees are also invited to enjoy the fun of the 'Paper Planes and Pizza' program which commences at 5.45pm.

Year 8 students and their fathers/male mentors are asked to register via this link --> http://bit.ly/SICG824

Saint Ignatius College looks forward to welcoming Year 8 students and their fathers/male mentors for 'Paper Planes and Pizza' from 5.45pm, followed by the 'Time & Space Program' from 6.30pm.

Click here to view 2024 Year 12 Save the dates

Friendship Fix: How to Manage Difficulties with Friends

Navigating friendships can be tricky, especially during our teenage years!

If your young person is experiencing some friendship turmoil at the moment, it could be worth discussing some of the below tips with them to support them in navigating these tricky and distressing times.

It's normal to encounter challenges and disagreements with our friends, but it's important to know how to handle these situations in a positive and healthy way. Here are some tips on managing difficulties with friends:

1. Communication is key: If you're having a problem with a friend, it's important to talk about it openly and honestly. Share your feelings and listen to their perspective as well. Remember, communication is a two-way street.

An effective communication tool is using the sentence…

“I feel…. When you…. Because…. Can I ask…”

1. Choose your battles: Not every disagreement is worth fighting over. Learn to pick your battles and let go of minor issues. Focus on the bigger picture and the long-term value of your friendship.

1. Set boundaries: It's okay to establish boundaries in your friendships. Let your friends know what you're comfortable with and what you're not. Respect each other's space and opinions.

1. Seek support: If you're struggling with a friendship issue, don't be afraid to seek support from a trusted adult or wellbeing. They can provide guidance and help you navigate the situation.

1. Practice empathy: Put yourself in your friend's shoes and try to understand where they're coming from. Empathy can help you see things from a different perspective and find common ground.

1. Take a break if needed: Sometimes, it's okay to take a break from a friendship if it's causing you stress or negativity. Give yourself space to reflect and recharge, and come back to the relationship when you're ready.

Remember, friendships are an important part of our lives, but they can also come with challenges. By practicing good communication, setting boundaries, and seeking support when needed, you can navigate difficulties with friends in a healthy and positive way.

From the Wellbeing Team (Liv, Leanne, Sarah & Michael)