Dear Parents & Friends,

Term 3 finish-up

It is hard to believe that this week is the last week of Term three. When the Year 12 students return next term, they will have just over two weeks of formal classes remaining before exams commence in late October. To maximise their level of achievement, our senior students obviously need to plan to make the most of the remaining time.

To help you with your planning, can I please remind all parents about the following?

• Please check your son or daughter’s Term 3 progress by accessing the feedback available on our Learning Management System, “Canvas” (ask your son or daughter to show you how to access this if you are not sure how to find this information)

• The Last day of term three classes will be Friday 15th September. 

• The first day of term four is Monday 2nd October.

College Captains for 2024

A significant number of Year 11 students expressed their interest in becoming the College's student leaders for 2024. We are grateful for their enthusiasm to serve, their evident dedication towards the College, and their consistent demonstration of the College's values in their day-to-day activities.

The College Captains and Vice-Captains for 2024 have been announced, marking the completion of the first stage in selecting the student leadership team.

We congratulate the following students for putting themselves forward for leadership of the College in the year ahead:

College Captains: Alana Clark & Curtis McCoughtry

Vice-Captains: Zoe Walter & Thomas Galan

College Production – Tickets now available & selling fast!

It is very exciting that the College’s Production – “Anastasia” will be performed next week. After many months of planning, preparation and rehearsals, the cast of well over 100 students, together with the student, staff and parent support crew, are ready to entertain us and reap the many benefits of being involved in such an undertaking. The students have been developing valuable knowledge, skills, talents and confidence in many different areas.

The performances will be held at the Geelong Arts Centre’s (GAC) new Story House Theatre at the following times:

• Thursday 14th September –evening show (7.00pm)

• Friday 15th September - evening show (7.00pm)

• Saturday 16th September – matinee show (12.00pm)

• Saturday 16th September – evening show (7.30pm)

Tickets are available from the GAC website: https://geelongartscentre.org....

I encourage all members of the school community to support this event by coming along to one of the performances.

School Community Surveys – please provide feedback

Every year at about this time, students, staff and parents are surveyed by MACS (ORIMA Research will manage the surveys this year for MACS) to provide data to inform how we are progressing with our School Improvement Plan. Four hundred parents have been randomly selected and emailed a link to complete the survey online to provide confidential information about how the College is performing in a number of areas. This important information will help us determine how we are performing and inform our school improvement strategy plan. I ask all parents to please take the time to complete the survey if you are selected. We obviously need as many parents as possible to respond so we have the best possible sample of opinion. Thank you in anticipation of your support.

Students completed their survey during Mentor time on Tuesday 29 August, and Staff completed their survey at Wednesday afternoon’s Staff Meeting.

Staff changes for Term 4

Returning from leave:

Going on leave:

Due to the intricacies of teaching loads and our timetable program you will find several of the changeovers for Term Four of staff are not simply “one for one”. The exact details will be evident on your daughter’s/son’s Term Four timetable when it is published.

I wish to acknowledge the enormous amount of work done throughout Term Three by Craig Brown (Timetable Manager) and Anthony Fitzgerald (Daily Organisation) to plan for all of the above staff changes and to implement them into our Term Four timetable.

Thank you to the staff who have supported the College over Term Three by replacing our returning teachers.

Some important dates on the College Calendar

• Staff Professional Learning Day Friday 20th October. No classes will be conducted on this day.

• Melbourne Cup Public Holiday Tuesday 7th November, and no classes are to be conducted on Monday 6th November.

• Mosaic Awards Ceremony Costa Hall Thursday 16th November

• Staff Professional Practice Time Day for teachers on Friday 8th December. No classes will be conducted on this day

• The final day for classes for Yr. 7-11 is on December 7th.

• Year 12 Celebrations:

  • Monday 16th October - Final day of scheduled classes

  • Monday 16th October – Farewell Assembly, periods 5 & 6

  • Monday 16th October – Valete Mass & Graduation Ceremony at the College (5 pm to 7:30 pm)

  • Tuesday 17th October – Year 12 Celebration Day

  • Tuesday 24th October – Unit 4 Exams begin

  • Wednesday 15th November – Unit 4 Exams finish

  • Friday 24th November – Valedictory Dinner at GMHBA Stadium (6 pm)

Best wishes

This is the final newsletter for term three. The next newsletter will be available late in the day on Thursday 5th October 2023.

I hope all students have a restful break with some time spent revising work and preparing for next term included. Best wishes to all families for an enjoyable time together.

Thank you to our dedicated and hard-working staff members for their efforts to support our students’ educational experiences throughout the term. I wish all staff members who will be on holiday my best wishes for a well-deserved and enjoyable break.

Michael Exton

Principal

As we draw to the end of another school Term, we'd like to take a moment to highlight the critical role that regular attendance plays in your child's secondary school journey. While it might seem like a straightforward aspect of education, attendance holds a significant impact on your child's academic progress, personal development, and future success.

Academic Achievement: The Building Blocks of Learning

Attending school regularly is the foundation upon which academic success is built. Each school day presents new opportunities for your child to engage with subject matter, participate in class discussions, collaborate with peers, and learn from experienced and engaged teachers. Consistent attendance ensures that your child doesn't miss out on important lessons, explanations, and classroom activities that form the basis of their learning.

Active Participation: Fostering Engagement and Confidence

Active participation is not just about raising hands in class – it's about developing essential communication and social skills. When your child attends school regularly, they have the chance to ask questions, share their thoughts, and engage in interactive learning experiences. This not only deepens their understanding of subjects but also boosts their confidence in expressing themselves and connecting with peers and teachers.

Building Relationships: Connection and Support

Secondary school is a time of growth and exploration, and strong relationships with teachers and classmates are crucial. Attending school regularly allows your child to build these relationships, creating a support network that can help them navigate challenges and celebrate successes. Teachers can better understand your child's strengths and areas where they need support, enabling a tailored and effective learning experience.

Developing Responsibility: Life Skills for the Future

Consistent attendance instills the value of responsibility in your child. By attending school on a regular basis, they learn the importance of commitment, punctuality, and time management – all essential skills that will serve them well in their future endeavours, whether in higher education or the workforce.

Preparation for the Real World: Professionalism and Discipline

In the professional world, consistent attendance is highly valued. By attending school regularly, your child is learning the habits of professionalism and discipline that will serve them well in their future careers. Demonstrating commitment to their education now sets a positive precedent for their approach to responsibilities in the future.

In conclusion, regular attendance at secondary school is not just a matter of fulfilling a requirement – it's a vital component of your child's holistic growth and success. We encourage you to reinforce the importance of attendance at home and communicate openly with teachers if any challenges arise. By working together, we can ensure that your child's secondary school experience is rich, fulfilling, and sets them on a path to achieve their full potential.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education journey.

Warm regards,

Michael Timms

Deputy Principal - Students

On Friday 1st September and Monday 4th September, the ILC hosted their first ever House Spelling Bee Competition.

The event was held over 2 lunchtimes.

A total of 15 students took part in this event that was organised by Curtis McCoughtry in conjunction with the ILC team.

Congratulations to all students involved and to this years House winner- MACKILLOP HOUSE

Results below.

Mackillop - 10 points

Xavier - 9 points

Ricci- 3 points

Glowrey- 2 points

Year 7-8

1st- Amelia Leonidou- 7 Funston

2nd- Isabelle Hachem- 8 Frigo

3rd- Henry Flight- 7 Smith

Year 9-10

1st- Owen McCoughtry- 9 Hamence

2nd- Rory Whittaker -9 Nicholls

3rd- Jade Cowdery- 9 Nicholls

Year 11-12

1st- Archer Stein- 11 Ric Clatworthy

2nd- James Grabowsky- 11 Xav Perkins

3rd- Jack Van Zyl- 11Xav Smith J

Last Tuesday, the Year 8’s were visited by Professor Bunsen. He is a scientist that aims to help high school students know how the world works, and taught us about many subjects we have been and will be studying - Chemistry and Energy. With lots of fun explosions and visual displays, he made his show both fun and educational. He also got a few students to come up and help him demonstrate the theory that he was testing with us. The one that made us gasp was when he made one of our classmates levitate using a leaf blower. His visit left us all in shock and awe. It was a truly fun and educational experience.

Ashlyn Pitts | 8 Butler

On Monday 14th August the Year 11 and 12 students attended a presentation by Batyr.

The guest speakers, Ash, Lucia and TJ, helped to educate our students on topics such as managing change, dealing with stress, seeking help and effective coping strategies. The Year 11’s listened to the personal story of TJ, sharing his own mental health challenges and the turning points in his life that supported his recovery, such as reaching out and leveraging various supports. Stress was explored, and some top tips in effectively managing stress provided and practised. The Year 12 session took a greater focus on managing change and savouring the school experience.

Students were encouraged to think of one thing they might do differently moving forward as a result of what they learnt. The students shared messages including:

“Don’t sweat the friendships that come and go. You’ll find your true friends”

“Your teachers are there to help you. Go to them if you need someone to talk to”

“Always do the right thing by yourself”

For full list of references, please visit: www.batyr.com.au/school-references

We are so grateful to Batyr for providing our students with these insightful and informative sessions.

If your child is struggling, we encourage you to reach out to us for confidential support.

From the Student Wellbeing Team.

wellbeing@ignatius.vic.edu.au

Dear Parents/Carers,

Helping our teens eat well can sometimes feel challenging in a culture where there is so much confusing information about food, eating and diets. Butterfly, as part of our Body Kind Families initiative, is teaming up with Accredited Practicing Dietitians Meg McClintock and Susan Williams to offer guidance on helping your teen towards a balanced and healthy relationship with food.

Format: Via Zoom. Time-limited recording available
Length: 1hr, plus 15 minutes for questions
Date: Tuesday, 12th September 2023
Time: 7pm - 8.15pm (AEST)

Cost: FREE

Suitable for: Designed for parents of teens but all care-givers welcome.

You will explore:

• Why charting a healthy course in a food confused diet culture can be so hard

• Figuring out problematic diet information vs helpful information

• Impact of body image on eating and diet behaviour

• The differences between eating for health vs eating for weight or shape control and why it matters

• The risk of teenagers dieting regardless of body size

• Helping our teens stay in touch with their appetite and trust their body through puberty and beyond

• Troubleshooting common teen food dilemmas:

  • ​Eating too much 'junk' food

  • Eating to 'bulk-up'/high protein diets

  • Wanting to go vegetarian/vegan

  • Not eating at school.

Click here to sign up:

https://events.butterfly.org.au/portal//event/?id=EP_BCCT_Parent_Webinar477928020&Name=12/09/23%20BKF%20Teens%20Eating#msdynttrid=uC2Cjywl5UwWNx30Y9WCidN1VYkvij0HS2Bb1MHXyFc

To register, click here.

W/C 11/9/2023

11th: K.Allchin, NEEDED.

12th: M.Dunstan, S.Twaits.

13th: M.Jackson, M.White.

14th: M.Hiemstra, S.Sheerin.

15th: L.Taylor, K.Royle, F.Horne.

......................................................................

Term Four

W/C 2/10/2023

2nd: E.Musella, Needed.

3rd: NEEDED, NEEDED.

4th: C.Holland, NEEDED

5th: M.White, B.Collins.

6th: NEEDED, NEEDED.

Click here to view the 2023 Canteen Price List

If you are able to assist on the above mentioned dates, please contact Canteen Manager Mrs. Sandra Woodall on woodalls@ignatius.vic.edu.au

Volunteers must hold a current WWCC. New volunteers must fill out the form provided via the link below.

Click here for Volunteer Form

Mrs. Sandra Woodall | Canteen Manager