Newsletter 14 - September 3

Principal's Message

Dear Parents, Students and Staff,

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”

Happy Father’s Day
It is now more important than ever to find opportunities to bring joy into each other’s lives. While you may not be a father, we have all had or continue to have one in our lives. Whatever your situation, I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to joyfully celebrate the love we share as families, no matter our structure and members might be. Make this Father’s Day a celebration of Family Day. Spread some love in the world, or at least your little corner of it.

COVID-19 Challenges
As I write, the reality for schools is that we are all living in a period of great uncertainty. Despite dates being set for school return, there are a few scenarios that could potentially play out which may impact whole cohorts or individual year groups coming back. As such we are busily preparing to be able to respond to any of them as they arise. Our primary objective is to ensure Year 12 are well-placed to sit their HSC examinations (now scheduled for November) whilst also preparing for Year 11 to commence their HSC studies next term, and to reconnect with 7-10 as soon as we possibly can. Whatever eventuates over the next few weeks and months, please know that XCC is well-placed to support your children’s care (academic and pastoral) as a result of the determination, professionalism and gentle support from our wonderful team of educators.

Taking Leave in T4
Farewell to Mrs Fitzpatrick: I would like to wish Mrs Emma Fitzpatrick well as she commences her maternity leave. In her absence, we welcome Mr Peter O’Toole as Acting Assistant Leader of Mathematics, and Mrs Nichole Page as Acting Numeracy Coordinator.

Mr Glenn Smith is also taking leave during term 4. He will be replaced by Mr Ian Yensch. The Assistant Leader of Technologies role will be filled by Mrs Tawney Peachey.

New School Middle Leaders 2022-2024
Every 3 years all schools in the Diocese of Lismore enter into a new round of appointments for middle leadership in their schools. Depending on school size, there may be many or only a few. Xavier Catholic College, being one of the larger schools in the Diocese, has quite a few positions which have now all been advertised, interviewed and appointed for the commencement of the 2022 school year. Some of these positions are also part of the College Executive team. Happily, we advertised 35 positions at the College and had 48 applicants — which is so encouraging to see so many staff wanting to lead the school in such a positive manner. I extend my congratulations to the following:

Executive Positions

• Leader of Catechesis: Dr Madeline Beveridge (Executive)
  • Assistant Leader of Religious Education: Mrs Mary Howard
• Leader of School Evangelisation: Mr David Eyles (Executive)
• Leader of Curriculum: Mr Chris Robinson (Executive)
• Leader of Pedagogy: Ms Carmel Zuino (Executive)
• Leader of Pastoral Care: Mr Anthony Condon (Executive)

Faculty Heads and Assistants

• Leader of English: Mrs Krista Austin
  
  • Assistant Leader of English: Mrs Keryn Black
• Leader of Mathematics: Mr Graham Black
  • Assistant Leader of Mathematics: Mrs Emma Fitzpatrick
• Leader of Science: Mr Rob Waters
  • Assistant Leader of Science: TBC
• Leader of HSIE: Ms Maria Casamento
  • Assistant Leader of HSIE: Mr Luke Melenhorst
• Leader of PDHPE: Mr John Cunynghame
  • Assistant Leader of PDHPE: Mr Luke Sullivan
• Leader of Technologies: Mrs Fiona Spinks
  • Assistant Leader of Technologies: Mrs Tawney Peachey
• Leader of Creative Arts: Mrs Leanne Broadley
• Leader of Languages: Mrs Maureen Campey
• Leader of VET: Mrs Karina Lampe
• Leader of Learning Technologies: Mr Trent Dooley
• Leader of Inclusion and Diversity (formerly Additional Needs): Ms Bronwen English
• Leader of Sport: Mr Pat Kennedy
• Leader of Numeracy: Mrs Nichole Page
• Leader of Literacy: Mrs Emma Smith

Leaders of Student Wellbeing - Heads of House

• McAuley: Mrs Andrea Grimster
• MacKillop: Mrs Rebecca Kennedy
• Ignatius: Mrs Janine Wallace
• Faber: Mr Matt Wills
• Campion: Mrs Kate Kilby
• Nagle: Mr Julian White
  

Other Leadership Roles

• Pastoral Program and Yr 7 Transition: Mrs Sarina McPherson
• Co-Curricular: Mr Steve Edmonds
• STEM: Mr Paul Driscoll
  

I also take this opportunity to thank those staff who have moved out of roles and who have served the College over varying periods of time with dedication and commitment:

• Mrs Mary Howard (changing roles)
• Mrs Sarina McPherson (changing roles)
• Mrs Emma Fitzpatrick (changing roles)
• Mrs Naomie Fitzgerald
• Mrs Leanne McFadden
• Mr Glenn Smith
• Mr Matt Evans
• Mrs Glenda Brown
• Mrs Ciel Jukes
  

Go gently and love each other.

God Bless,
Mr Kevin Lewis
College Principal
kevin.lewis@lism.catholic.edu.au

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

ONLINE LEARNING AND TEACHING
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our outstanding teaching staff who have been working incredibly hard to facilitate online learning. We are blessed to have a team of staff who constantly go above and beyond to ensure our students' individual learning needs are well supported. To the students, thank you to all who have continued their studies to the very best of their ability! The positive and resilient manner in which you have responded to completing online work, regularly attending Zoom lessons and always striving to do your best is truly reflective of ‘the Xavier way’. To our families, thank you so very much for supporting your child's learning at this time and for your continued partnership with the College. We thank you wholeheartedly for the role you have played in supporting your child's learning over the past four weeks. We should all feel incredibly proud of our College community and the successful way in which we rapidly shifted our mode of delivery to an online platform in response to COVID-19.

It is important that students continue to maintain a routine around their home learning

Some links to assist manage school work from home:

• Xavier Catholic College Website - Home Learning Tab
• Zoom (day) Schedule
• How to Learn from Home Infographic - (see below) or click on the following link to access via the College Website
• How To Zoom infographic (see below) or accessible via the College Website.

Year 12
Congratulations to our Year 12 students on completing their Trial HSC Examinations online! The students have displayed great resilience and determination in completing their examinations and we are so very proud of each and everyone of them.

Year 12 students are extremely well situated at this point in time and we must keep in mind our Sydney schools who have been in lockdown since the end of Term 2. The forthcoming weeks are a very important time for Year 12 students to continue to focus on teacher feedback and to consolidate their knowledge of course content. Students should continue to work closely with their teachers via online learning, attend scheduled Zoom lessons, refine revision notes and dot point summaries, complete past examination papers under timed examination conditions and actively respond to teacher feedback.

Parents will be advised early next term when reports are available to download via the Parent Portal.

HSC Examinations
The HSC Examination commences Tuesday 9 November. The revised timetable is yet to be released by NESA.

Dates for HSC Major Project submissions:

• Visual Arts Bodies of Work — due Monday 6 September
• Music 1: Elective Compositions — due Monday 13 September

Year 11
Year 11 students have made an excellent start to their final assessment block. Year 11 examinations/assessment tasks continue next week. Normal classes resume for all Year 11 students on Monday 13 September.

Please contact Mr Robinson or Mrs Falvey if any support is required at this time in regards to illness/misadventure. Year 11 reports will be available to download via the Parent Portal early in Term 4.

Year 11 Assessment Timetable 

Year 7 to 10
I have been encouraged to see so many of our junior students engaging with their studies during Online Learning. We acknowledge the challenges in moving to an online mode of learning and are very proud of the resilient way in which our students have adapted to this.

As always, if students in any year level require additional support, extensions or exemptions for assessment tasks, we encourage them to speak to their classroom teachers and Leaders of Learning, and complete the Absence from Assessment form (Link available on the College website/Curriculum tab).  Please know we are here to support your child in this regard and do not hesitate to contact the College if we can help in any way.

Our prayers will be with all in our community during this time and may God bless each and every one of you. I look forward to welcoming students back on-site when we can.

Assistant Principal - Staff and Students

It is always a good idea to revisit key strategies to have a healthy mindset (healthy thinking). It’s difficult when we are constantly bombarded with the confronting sensational headlines and general ‘noise’ from the media to make the time and space to focus on positives. There are always gifts and graces and opportunities that we can have gratitude for in the present moment. Practising gratitude and focusing on the positives is important in keeping us grounded, balanced, and more able to deal with real adversity as it arises. It is not healthy to spend all of our energy focusing on the ‘what ifs’.

• Teach children to set reasonable goals and move toward them one step at a time. Moving toward that goal and receiving praise for doing so will focus children on what they have accomplished.
• Help children remember ways that they have successfully handled hardships in the past and how this can help them handle future challenges. This teaches children to trust themselves to solve problems and make appropriate decisions.
• Even when children are facing very painful events, help them look at the situation in a broader context. A positive outlook enables children to see the good things in life and keep going even in the hardest times.
• Enable opportunities for expressing gratitude often.

Although challenges can be scary, young people need to see that this is part of life. Tough times are often when children learn the most about themselves, and we can help children to make the most of these lessons by creating a safe environment for them to learn about how to care for themselves and others, and how to develop their resilience.

Levels of Support
Our teachers and teacher aides are working hard to ensure no one is missed during this time of remote learning. Reaching out to families has been a key part and checking in to see how families are coping. Could I remind all that if you have concerns please access the various supports listed in Wellbeing during Blended Learning document.

Year 12’s Complete their HSC Trials
Congratulations to our Year 12s who have completed their HSC Trials online for the first time ever. The entire College is proud of the resilience and fortitude you have displayed. I also want to share with them a great resource STAY HEALTHY - Stay healthy, stay active and keep connected during the HSC with resources brought to you by the department and our partner ReachOut.

Catechesis and Evangelisation

Digital Prayer Group
Just because we’re in lockdown doesn’t mean there’s any break to the lunchtime prayer routine at XCC! Every Monday to Friday at 1:20pm, the YMOs are hosting an Instagram Live streaming of the daily prayer.

When we are at school, we typically see a handful of students at prayer each day, and about a dozen different faces across a typical week. Many hundreds of students and staff, however, hear the prayer bell ring in the middle of the lunch break and are aware that prayer is on.

Our online experience has been similar.  A dozen or more individuals have been joining us live each day — and about as many again seem to be engaging with the daily post at a later time.  Thanks to the connectedness of our online forums, many hundreds of students and their friends and families — even our contacts in Timor Leste — are aware of our prayers. (See some of our page insights pictured) This initiative is a wonderful testament to Kailani and Sophie’s Ministry, even in COVID lockdown.

Our daily prayer comes from Sacred Space, an Ignatian prayer book created by the Irish Jesuits. It includes the Gospel of the day and points of reflection.

Join the YMOs live at 1:20pm each day, or watch each day’s prayer at a time that suits your routine. A video of each day’s prayer is posted to both our Instagram and Facebook pages.

https://www.instagram.com/xcc_ministry/

https://www.facebook.com/XCCMinistry/

XCC_Ministry Facebook insights

XCC_Ministry Instagram insights

House News

McAuley House Krispy Kreme Fundraiser

The Krispy Kreme delivery date has been postponed until we have returned to school.

Campion House Gratitude Wall

Ignatius House Gratitude Wall

MacKillop House Gratitude Wall

Nagle House Gratitude Wall

College News

Hello to everyone at Xavier Catholic College

Please click on the link below for a video message from your teachers at Xavier Catholic College. We hope you are all doing well and look foward to seeing you again soon!

Canteen News – Term 3 2021

Mrs Denise Barnard – Canteen Supervisor

Canteen is a great opportunity to meet other parents and to be involved in your child/childrens school life

• Arrive at school by 8:45am and park on the street (or you will get locked in the bottom carpark!)
• Go to the Office to sign in and receive your Visitor Badge.
• Head over to the Canteen where you can start preparing for the day’s lunch orders.
• Volunteers receive lunch and their children receive a $5 canteen voucher.
• Finish time is approximately 1:30-2:00pm, depending how busy the day is.
• If you are unable to make your rostered day please email Denise at xcccanteen@lism.catholic.edu.au or phone the College beforehand on 6618 0180.
• Text message reminders are sent on Wednesdays the week before your rostered day.

Flexischools app is unavailable until further notice

Community News

Ritchies Card Loyalty program
It is easy for your members to join either using a phone and downloading the Ritchies Card App from the App store or Google Play, or by going online to www.ritchies.com.au/loyalty using a tablet or desk top computer. They can then pick up a physical card available from our friendly cashiers in-store, which they then link to their app or online account. Once they have set up their account they can then nominate your organisation.