The coming fortnight provides several significant opportunities to celebrate what makes Saint Ignatius College such a special community. We will honour the commitment of our staff, celebrate our Ignatian identity, support our Year 12 students, recognise the achievements of our young people and begin identifying the student leaders who will help shape our College in 2027. Together, these events reflect our shared commitment to forming young people of competence, conscience, compassion and commitment.

Today, we celebrate our annual College Community Celebration Day, “Ignatius Day.” It is a time to give thanks for the rich tradition of Ignatian spirituality and education that continues to shape life at Saint Ignatius College. Inspired by the vision of St Ignatius of Loyola, we are committed to forming young people who strive for excellence, grow in character and use their gifts in the service of others.

The Power of Productive Struggle

In a world that often values quick answers, educational research tells us something important: meaningful learning happens when students are challenged.

Cognitive science shows that students develop deeper understanding when they think critically, solve problems, make mistakes and persevere. These moments of productive struggle strengthen learning, build resilience and help students apply knowledge in new situations. Rather than avoiding difficulty, effective learning embraces it.

This approach is a hallmark of an Ignatian education. We believe learning is about much more than acquiring knowledge; it is about forming the whole person. We encourage our students to engage fully with challenges, reflect on their experiences and ask:

• What have I learned?

• How have I grown?

• What will I do differently next time?

Reflection transforms challenge into growth. Guided by caring teachers who know and support each young person (cura personalis), students are encouraged to strive for their personal best (magis). They do this not by choosing the easiest path, but by embracing opportunities to grow. True learning begins just beyond our comfort zone. By combining high expectations with genuine care, we help our students develop the confidence, character and wisdom to meet challenges with courage, hope and purpose.

The recent release of Semester One Reports provides an ideal opportunity for families to pause and reflect. Rather than seeing the report simply as a record of achievement, I encourage parents and students to use it as a starting point for meaningful conversation. Celebrate progress and effort, acknowledge challenges openly, identify the strengths that have emerged, and set clear goals for the semester ahead. In the Ignatian tradition, reflection is the pathway to growth. This mid-year review offers every student the opportunity to renew their commitment to learning with confidence, purpose and hope.

Yesterday, 30 July, we gathered to recognise members of our staff who celebrated 10, 15 and 20 years of service to Saint Ignatius College. These milestones represent much more than years of employment. They reflect years of dedication, professionalism and care for our students and families. The strength of our College community has been built through the generosity and commitment of staff who have faithfully shared their gifts in service of others. We look forward to celebrating these valued colleagues and thanking them for the lasting contribution they have made to our College. Congratulations to:

This week also provides opportunities to support our talented student athletes. On Tuesday, 28 July, our Senior Boys competed in the GISSA Senior Boys Soccer Championship, followed by our Senior Girls in the GISSA Senior Girls Soccer Championship on Thursday, 30 July. We wish all our players and coaches every success and thank them for the commitment, teamwork and sportsmanship they demonstrate in representing the College.

Congratulations also to our Senior Boys First XVIII AFL team, who recorded an outstanding victory in Round 1 of the Herald Sun Shield Division 1 competition. The team now progresses to the semi-final against St Bernard's College, Essendon, at Trevor Barker Oval, Sandringham on Wednesday 29th July. We wish the team every success as they continue their impressive campaign.

Looking ahead, our 2027 Student Leadership Election process has now commenced. Leadership at Saint Ignatius College is grounded in service, integrity and the desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Last Friday, families received a letter outlining the election process, and nominations for all Year 8 to Year 12 leadership positions opened on Tuesday, 28 July. Nominations will close on Thursday, 6 August. I warmly encourage parents to discuss these opportunities with their daughters and sons and to encourage them to consider nominating. Leadership is one of the many ways our students are challenged to grow in confidence, responsibility and service to others—qualities that lie at the heart of an Ignatian education.

Our Year 12 students continue their preparations for the VCE examinations, and VCE Unit 4 Parent, Student and Teacher Conferences will be held online from 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm on Thursday, 6 August. These conferences are an important opportunity for students, parents and teachers to work together to review progress, celebrate achievements and discuss strategies for a successful conclusion to the year. Parents will shortly receive an email with details about booking appointments and accessing the Zoom meetings.

As we celebrate Ignatius Day, we are reminded that an Ignatian education is about far more than academic achievement. It is about accompanying each young person as they grow through challenge, reflect with honesty, discover their gifts and become people of faith, hope and service who will make a positive difference in the world.

Best wishes for the next fortnight,

Michael Exton | Principal

YEAR 10 SRC UPDATE

Term 3 is shaping up to be an exciting one, with plenty of opportunities for students to get involved and celebrate our school community. Here’s a look at what the SRC are working on and what is coming up in our college…

Ignatius day- One of the highlights for our college on our calendar, recently renamed ‘Ignatius Day’, an annual day of remembrance, commemorating the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The day begins with a whole-school mass, followed by our annual walk around Lake Lorne and an afternoon of fun activities, including face painting, games, a thrift shop, food vans, canteen specials, and the much-anticipated ‘Casa de Talento’ house performances.

The SRC is excited to run the Dunk Tank, where students can pay a small amount of money for the chance to dunk some of our teachers!

Casual clothes day- Our next casual clothes day will be held on Tuesday, 25 August (week 7). It’s a great opportunity for students to raise awareness and money for a good cause and help make a positive impact in the community, while getting to wear casual clothes. Following discussions at the recent SRC meeting, members agreed to support the Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre as this term’s casual clothes day charity organisation. The centre provides support to those experiencing domestic violence and sexual assault.

Breadth week- Breadth week begins on Monday, 3 of August (WK4), and is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the wide variety of subjects offered at our school. Throughout the week, different learning areas such as food technology, textiles, visual art, design and technology based subjects, dance, media and drama will be showcased through different activities, giving students a chance to explore the subjects and build a new interest in them, through getting involved in a wide variety of learning areas.

Ziggy and I, the year 10 SRC representatives, are both looking forward to seeing students get involved in these upcoming events, and, of course, to take part in them ourselves!

Thank you to all students for helping make our school community a positive and inclusive place.

Year 8 students finished Semester 1 with the same enthusiasm and positivity with which they began, coming together for a memorable Belonging Week. This program, like the Connection Week at the start of the semester, plays an important role in strengthening relationships, promoting inclusivity and building a genuine sense of connection among students and staff.

The week began by revisiting positive study habits through the Learning to Learn program. Monday concluded with the Monster PE Challenge, encouraging physical activity, teamwork and some spirited House competition.

Tuesday placed the focus on wellbeing, with students engaging in a session conducted by Backflips Against Bullying. Combining impressive physical tricks with meaningful discussions, the program explored challenging issues such as bullying and peer pressure in an engaging and accessible way.

Wednesday was the highlight for many, staff and students alike. The focus of Wednesday was wellbeing, connection and engagement. Students enjoyed visits to Rollerway or the driving range, while also participating in programs delivered by Shake and Pippin Girl. Shake worked with our young men in supporting wellbeing and engagement, whereas Pippin Girl encouraged our young women to ‘GROW brave, GLOW brightly and EXPLORE boldly,’ through conversations focussing on the realities of teenage life.

Belonging Week concluded with the Mentor Challenge on Thursday, pitting mentor groups against each other in a range of entertaining activities, including The Floor is Lava, Charades, Sponge Relay, Rope Shape-Making, Pictionary and Guess the Song. The Challenge provided a lively and positive end to the week, strengthening relationships and encouraging healthy competition among our Mentor Groups.

Our Year 8 cohort are to be commended on their strong start to Semester 2. They have shown particularly impressive resilience and flexibility while adjusting to changes in learning spaces, many students moving from the Xavier Centre to the Oval Portables and vice versa. Students based on the Oval are encouraged to bring a lock for their locker as their lockers are no longer located inside the classrooms.

Looking forward, we are excited to announce that the Year 7 and Year 8 Mentor Groups will host our annual Loyola Market which is sure to be a Term 3 highlight. We look forward to sharing further details about this exciting event soon.

Throughout the GALS (Girls as Leaders in STEM) program, a group of Year 7 and 8 students have been developing their skills as young scientists, designers and problem-solvers by investigating real-world environmental challenges.

Working in teams, the girls moved through a detailed research and design process to develop practical solutions to issues linked to textile waste and pollution. Each group began by identifying a problem, researching the science behind the issue and considering how STEM could be used to develop an effective response. From there, the students tested ideas, refined their designs and evaluated how successfully their solutions addressed the original problem.

The Cause for Paws group investigated the environmental impact of unwanted and second-hand clothing. Through their research, the students explored how textiles can be reused rather than becoming waste. The group designed a project that transformed second-hand clothes into chew toys for dogs in animal shelters. The girls considered different materials and designs as they worked to create a product that could give unwanted clothing a new purpose while also supporting animals in the community.

The Fibre Fighters group focused their research on microfibres released from clothing during washing. The students investigated different fabrics to identify which materials produced greater amounts of fibres in wastewater. Using the evidence collected through their investigation, the group moved into the design phase and developed a possible solution to the problem. They designed and 3D printed a ball that could be placed inside a washing machine to help collect fibres before they enter wastewater and potentially make their way into the wider environment.

An important part of the GALS program was communicating scientific findings. Each group produced a scientific poster that outlined their research, experimental process, results and final designs. These posters were displayed at Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre during the Term 2 holiday break, providing members of the wider community with an opportunity to learn more about the students' work.

The girls also travelled to Deakin University, where they presented their projects and findings alongside other GALS participants from across the Geelong region. This provided a fantastic opportunity for the students to share their ideas, discuss their research and celebrate the work of other young women in STEM.

The GALS program has provided our Year 7 and 8 students with an opportunity to develop their confidence, leadership, scientific thinking and creativity. Most importantly, the girls demonstrated how STEM can be used to investigate important environmental issues and design innovative solutions that can make a positive difference.

A CAUSE FOR GAWS

Fiber fighter poster