Newsletter 16 - October 15

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” 

HSC Changes May Impact all Year Groups
As you may be able to appreciate, the successful completion of the HSC is so important for our graduating Year 12 cohort; as such, it is vital to ensure all possible events and instances that may impact this are avoided and prepared for. NESA (the NSW Education Standards Authority), which oversees the HSC, has communicated to schools all of the necessary changes that are required to ensure the safest possible environment for Year 12 to complete these exams.

This includes having multiple available on-site and off-site venues in case one is infected in any way. Another is to have multiple teams of supervisors to ensure any illness can be covered and thirdly a directive to facilitate off-site learning for one or more cohorts during the biggest exams such as English, Maths and/or Studies of Religion. These exams are where the majority of Year 12 students will be at school at the same time for exams. During these exams we have been instructed not to have them all together in a big exam hall like would be traditionally done, but rather to spread them in smaller spaces using the 1.5m distancing rule. As you can appreciate this will be a challenge and will require multiple rooms to facilitate.

What does this mean for the other year groups?
This means that on those days, we may have to ask families to keep children home in a particular year group to ensure we can spread out our Year 12 students across the school in enough spaces to complete their exams. This could be any year group from 7-11 but has not yet been decided. We need to ensure that, if this is to occur, that the least possible impact is felt by students who are:

• Able to work from home on individual days
• At a point in their studies where this is possible and appropriate
• Capable of working unsupervised and off-site to complete pre-set tasks.
• Disciplined enough not to need Zoom contact on those days to complete their work.

The College will come to a decision on this during some intense planning over the next few days and alert families in sufficient time to allow plans to be made to support students at home.

At all times we will be taking the needs and requirements of all families into consideration as we work our way through this. Let’s hope and pray that 2022 does not throw up the same sorts of challenges.

COVID Freedom Day NSW - What it means for Xavier and the Wider Community
As the 70% double-dose day came and went and new freedoms were afforded NSW residents, a whole new raft of unknowns emerged for schools. Since that day many cases have been identified at schools around the region. Further restrictions easing when the 80% double-dose target is reached will mean even more change. We can expect here, as in many other schools, businesses, sporting clubs and so on, the likelihood of infection passing among our community to increase. Rest assured this College is well-prepared to keep students safe at school while we remain COVID-free but also to safely transition into blended learning if required. 

Mask wearing, hand sanitising and social distancing remain vital in ensuring the safety of all staff and students. I ask you to keep this message constant in your discussions with your children about their experiences at school. Together we will keep each other safe and well.

Go gently and love each other.

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

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

A welcome back to the final term for 2021 is extended to all students, parents and staff. 

Term 4 is a very busy term for students as they prepare for final examinations and assessment tasks. Students in Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 will complete final assessment tasks over the forthcoming weeks which will contribute to report grades. In Year 10, grades will be recorded by NESA as a Record of School Achievement or ROSA grade. Students in Year 11 will complete the first assessment tasks that contribute to their HSC and our Year 12 students will sit HSC examinations. All students should be engaged in a regular program of home study and revision to support their preparation for forthcoming tasks.

Year 12
Year 12 students commence their HSC Examinations on Tuesday 9 November. Please keep our Year 12 students in your prayers as they prepare for their HSC Examinations over the forthcoming weeks.

Year 11
Year 11 students will be issued with a formal report by the afternoon of Friday 22 October. Reports will be available via the Parent Portal on the College Website. A HSC information session for current Year 11 students will be held on Monday 18 October.

Year 10
Year 10 examinations will be held in Week 6 from Monday 8 November.  Students are encouraged to commence a program of study and revision in preparation for the exam block and to ensure all assessment tasks are completed and submitted on time. 

Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9
All students in Years 7, 8 and 9 will complete assessment tasks over the forthcoming weeks which will contribute to their Semester 2 report grades. Please encourage your child to commence tasks early and to carefully check due dates, task requirements, marking guidelines and submission procedures for all assessment tasks. Make sure tasks are submitted to the correct Google Classroom and that the submit button is clicked after the

task has been attached. Students and Parents/Guardians are reminded to view the year level assessment calendars via the College website/Curriculum Tab/Assessment Information to assist with forward planning and to allow tasks to be completed in a timely manner. Assessment Calendars

Creating a Study Environment

• Ensure you have a quiet space to study with a desk and appropriate lighting
• Make sure your phone is silenced and not in the same room
• Check notifications on your computer have been turned off to avoid any unnecessary distractions
• Build short breaks into your study routine

Effective Study

• Set clear and achievable goals for each study session
• Create a study timetable to allocate equal preparation time for each subject

Study Techniques

• Create summaries of your class notes
• Access Google Classroom material or revision notes provided for each subject
• Complete chapter/review tests to help consolidate course content
• Create flashcards to self test your knowledge
• Ask clarifying questions of your class teacher for challenging areas or concepts

Self Care
Self care is very important during examination periods. Ensure you balance study with activities you enjoy doing to manage stress levels.

• It is important to have between 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night
• There should be no screen time for at least half an hour prior to bed to ensure a good night's sleep
• Eat nutritious meals and drink plenty of water
• Remember to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine.

We wish all students well as they prepare for final assessment submissions and examinations. We hope the information above assists your child with their academic studies in the forthcoming weeks. Please do not hesitate to contact class teachers, Leaders of Learning, Mr Chris Robinson or myself if you require any support in regards to academic matters.

Mrs Amanda Falvey

Assistant Principal - Staff and Students

Vaccinations
Now that students have returned to school, the School Vaccination program will continue to provide services to Xavier Catholic College as an essential service. Our next date is booked for 26 October (Tuesday Week 4). This is our last scheduled vaccination session for the 2021 school year and offers the following:

1) Year 7 students - Gardasil (HPV) Dose 2
2) Catch-up Year 7 if required (late forms, absentees)
3) Catch-up Year 8 if required
4) Catch-up Year 10 & 11 students (Nimenrix) if required

Please note that at this time the NSW School Vaccination Program will not be offering any COVID 19 vaccines in the school environment. Please read the linked documents relating to the Adolescent Vaccination Program

• Information for schools
• Information for parents/guardian
• Information for parent/guardians regarding the co-administration of COVID 19 vaccines and any routine school vaccinations (HPV, dTpa and Meningococcal ACWY).

NSW Health would like to reassure families that students will not be vaccinated without a current completed and signed consent form.

Pulse Application
This term, we are trialling the Pulse Application, which is a regular wellbeing survey asking 6 questions each week and to help the College quickly build and maintain an up-to-date picture of wellbeing and engagement. We will trial this program for the term in order to assess if the application could be a valuable tool for our College.

Pulse not only gives us a regular insight into the wellbeing climate of the school, but offers the most vulnerable students an opportunity to reach out for help to a specific, trusted teacher, at the time they are ready. The application also has a valuable gratitude function, offering students an opportunity to express gratitude to peers and teachers. These messages of gratitude are shaped within 5 areas:

1. Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. 
2. Determination helps people achieve their goals, especially when things are challenging. It sets an example for others.
3. Saying thank you lets other people know that you appreciate their actions. 
4. Fairness is the quality of passing judgement free from discrimination or bias. 
5. Humour can make people feel better and strengthen friendships.

FAQ for parents regarding Pulse

Vaping
Vaping continues to be a serious issue for young people in our society. Paul Dillon is a highly engaging and informative speaker, so we’d like to encourage parents in our school community to attend this free online session and be informed about vaping.

The College needs to remind parents and students that vapes are a prohibited substance and the use and/or possession of vapes at the College will be met with serious consequences.

Mr Peter Fear

Catechesis And Evangelisation

Catholic Mission Month
Each year in October, Catholic Schools are asked to assist raise funds and awareness for the work of Catholic Mission. This is a worldwide organisation formerly known as the Pontifical Mission Society. As the Pope’s international mission agency, they respond to the call to love God and to love neighbours by forming individuals and communities as missionary disciples of Jesus who share their faith in action and through prayer. 

Catholic Mission serves people in need, acts for peace, justice and creation, and proclaims the Gospel that all may have life in Christ.

The Senior Ministry Team will lead fundraising efforts for the 2021 Mission Month appeal with money raised going to assist a school for disadvantaged children run by the Good Shepherd Sisters in Thailand. All students will have an opportunity to learn more about Catholic Mission and the projects they support through Pastoral Care and Religious Education lessons in October.

Families are invited to support the work of Catholic Mission via their website: 
2021 Catholic Mission Appeal

Youth Ministry Officers
Our 2021 YMOs, Sophie and Kailani, have been working with all classes in Year 9 recently.  Year 9 students are studying Australian Church history. The YMOs have developed and presented a program of prayer, discussion and reflection based around the Christian faith of 2021 Olympic High Jump Silver medallist Nicola McDermott. Our YMOs have shared stories of their own faith experiences framed around media clips of Nicola describing her introduction to Christianity through a welcoming and loving Christian school community.

Mr David Eyles & Mrs Mary Howard

Wellbeing

This week’s Planner looks at the Character Strength of mindfulness and engagement and examines the off ramp of procrastination. An interesting combination, when we become aware of our tendency to procrastinate we can begin to set goals to reduce its hold on our time. This Character Strength matches with our Jesuit insight of your Deepest Desires. St Ignatius asked his followers to reflect on what they really desire?  What do you want? What do you really want? What is your heart’s deepest desire? St. Ignatius invites us to take time to quietly reflect on what is the deepest desire of my heart, no one else’s. If I were to confront or overcome all of my fears and wounds, or to dare to dream about my heart’s deepest desires, what would they be? These desires are what God wants for you. Some interesting reading:

https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/our-deepest-desires-2/

https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/an-exercise-in-desire/

Xavier Catholic College Uniform Change for 2022

ONE SOCK POLICY
From the start of the year in 2022, all students at Xavier Catholic College will have to wear one type of sock. It is navy blue and has a red, white and yellow stripe around the top. These socks will be available from The School Locker from November.

These socks are for boys and girls.
They are for sports and formal uniforms.
They are for junior and senior students.
One people, one school, one sock.

The Lord of the Socks:
The Fellowship of the Sock.
Prologue: One Sock to Rule Them All

Galadriel (VO): I amar prestar aen. (the world has changed)
Han mathon ne nen. (I feel it in the water)
Han mathon ne chae. (I feel it in the earth)
A han nostron ned ‘wilith. (and I smell it in the air.)
Much that once was, is lost.
for now none live who remember it.

VAPING
Sadly we have a number of incidents of students vaping at school or in their school uniform outside of school. The science is fairly clear that e-cigarettes are NOT safe. I encourage you to read this short article on e-cigarettes. As you know we have a zero tolerance policy for students caught with illicit drugs at school. If a student is caught with these illegal cigarettes at school they can expect quite severe consequences.

• From 1 October 2021, e-cigarettes and e-liquids containing nicotine are a prescription only medicine.

https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/smoking-and-tobacco/about-smoking-and-tobacco/about-e-cigarettes-

https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/e-cigarettes-vaping/impact-of-e-cigarettes-on-lung

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/tobacco/Pages/e-cigarettes.aspx

Year 12
We are rapidly approaching the end of classes and revision for Year 12 students on Monday 25 October. I would like to commend the majority of Year 12 for their persistence and grit in making the most of this extra preparation time that COVID has afforded them. We are planning two days of House and School celebrations on the Tuesday and Wednesday of Week 4 prior to their graduation on Thursday. The nature of all of these activities will depend on the level of COVID restrictions at that time. Please encourage your students to continue with their studies until the end of their exams. If they are going to university, the starting dates are around 1 March, so they will have plenty of time to recover from the stress of the HSC.

Mr Anthony Condon

House News

McAuley House Krispy Kreme Fundraiser
The McAuley House Krispy Kreme fundraiser came to a close this past Thursday with an amazing 175 boxes sold totalling $1500 raised for our sister school in Turiscai. A huge thank you to all who participated and to Mrs Grimster for organising the event. Hope you enjoy your donuts!

Maija Sudmals, McAuley House Captain

My New Gallery

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Sport News

Individual Achievements

Ben’s a Bulldog!
As mentioned in the last newsletter, Year 12 student Reuben Moyle recently represented NSWCCC in the Open Boys’ Rugby League team at the NSW AllSchools state selection trials at St Mary’s Sydney. On the back of his amazing efforts, after a wonderful junior Rugby League career and playing first grade in the NRRRL, Reuben has officially signed with the Bulldogs NRL Club. We all wish you the very best of luck Reuben.

Mr Pat Kennedy & Mr Flynn Whitney

Canteen News – Term 4 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.

College News

Lost Property

Please contact the Library for lost property.

Ordering of School Photos and Group Photos

If you wish to reorder school photos or purchase group photos please see the below flyer.

Community News