Newsletter 5 - 8 April 2022

Principal's Message

Dear Parents, Students and Staff,

Easter Celebrations

While Christmas and Advent traditionally carry the notion of being the joyous season, as Catholics we should all remember the joy that Easter brings in new life and rebirth in Christ.

Live with joy: Joy is a deep-down gladness that cannot be taken away, even in the midst of sorrow. The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus teaches us that suffering is transformed through faith in the Risen Christ. With this faith, we are able to hold on to an enduring sense of joy — even in the midst of the sadness we experience from the loss of a loved one, a failure to achieve an important goal, or a setback during recovery from an illness.

Live without fear: The Resurrection teaches us that God can overcome anything, even death. When the Risen Christ appears to the women at the tomb and later to his disciples, his first words are “Do not be afraid!” (Mt 28:5,10) These words speak to our hearts, helping us cope with the fear from the loss of a job, a serious illness, or a crumbling relationship. Our faith allows us to trust that God can overcome our most serious problems.

Live with new eyes: Easter means to live with a sense of newness. Just as the return of spring lifts our spirits and makes us feel like the whole world is new, the Resurrection of Jesus makes “all things new.” (Rev. 21:5) The Easter spirit is a spirit of renewal that enables us to show up at work with a positive attitude, to renew relationships that have been taken for granted, and to express appreciation and affection to those closest to us. It means to see the world through new eyes — God's eyes.

I encourage families to share together the joy of Easter at our Parish masses over Holy Week:

• Holy Thursday Mass:
  • 6:00 pm in Ballina
• Good Friday Liturgy:
  • 3:00 pm in Ballina
  • 3:00 pm in Lennox Head
• Holy Saturday Vigil:
  • 6:00 pm in Ballina
• Easter Sunday Mass:
  • 7:30 am in Lennox Head
  • 9:00 am in Ballina
  • 11:00 am in Ballina

ANZAC Day

For the first time in a while, the community will be able to come together to share the pride and respect we have for our servicemen and servicewomen. Whilst still unable to March as a College community, families are encouraged to join with the crowds and cheer on our brave ADF past and present personnel. The College will be represented by two of our College Captains and myself when we take the opportunity to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph. The March will commence on River Street opposite Babalinos Bakery and process west, down towards the RSL.

Embracing (some) ‘Stress’ in Attaining Excellence

I spoke at the beginning of the year to our students at the commencement assembly (when we could have them) about elite sportspeople and how they use stress to incrementally improve their performance. Each time they train hard, they place their bodies under stress to get used to coping with an ever-increasing level of pressure on their systems. Olympic and World Champion athletes do this daily in their preparation for event glory. Even those who don’t win end up being among the top 8 or 10 in the world at their chosen sport… an outstanding achievement. 

The same process is true for academic success. Throughout the term, we place our students in some sort of study-based stress (just small increments each day or week) to prepare for the big stage. For most of them that will be the next big assessment or ultimately the HSC. 

The challenge for some is the misguided belief that removing all stress altogether is a good thing - it is not. Targeted removal of some stresses in certain situations is of course sometimes necessary and we will always ensure the care and safety of our students is front of mind when making decisions about this. What can do the most harm is not preparing in small steps each week such that when we arrive at that big assessment, the leap to the superior performance level required is too stressful, and students can then sometimes crash and burn. It’s like trying to jump up five stairs all at once instead of taking one at a time. Great athletes have great coaches who know this. Great students have great teachers who know this just as well. What parents and families can and should do is support that incremental stress process and reassure your children that this will not only prepare them for assessment success but ultimately success in life too. The world can be a stressful place – what better time to prepare for it than now…?

Supporting our Staff to Support your Child

Providing care and guidance in your child’s education is something we as a College community take very seriously. That care extends to the way we provide one-on-one special provisions, small groups and other modifications in attempting to allow each child to perform on a level footing with all other students. 

Many will have noticed in service locations around town, the growing number of signs indicating ‘Physical and Verbal Abuse Will Not Be Tolerated’. People in these organisations deserve our respect and support and their managers are right to protect them in this way. Like bank workers, Service NSW staff, hairdressers, nurses and any other occupation that provides individual services, teachers, teacher-aides and office staff equally deserve the respect of the community, and I, as their employer, have the solemn and necessary role to support and protect them from any such behaviours. Happily, here at Xavier Catholic College, this is very rare.

I remind families that the team here are caring professionals and work very hard to put in place the appropriate support for all children in our school. The ultimate goal is to set them up for the HSC later in their schooling career with a plan that has them ready, because it has been practised and rehearsed many times over. It does no good for students (or their parents) to insist on supports that are outside what would likely be achieved in the HSC and, in fact, sets them up for failure when they are unfamiliar with those they ultimately receive.

Further, it does nothing to support students when they see school and parents in conflict over such support. Their success depends on us working as a united team, relying on our professional judgement, your parental input and support, and our wonderful resources to ensure the best circumstances for success. Please remember this when next you have to work closely with our team.

Staff Changes for the Remainder of the Year

With Mr Evans moving north out of our Careers Adviser position, I am pleased to announce that Mr Julian White will take on that role for the remainder of the year. As a result, Mr White steps away from the position of Head of Nagle House, which will now be taken up by Mrs Sarina MacPherson. I am delighted to have these two very experienced staff members moving into these roles and look forward to the great contribution I know they will make to our students. The position of Leader of Year 7 Transition & Pastoral Program is yet to be filled at time of publication.

REMINDER - Term 2 Dates

A reminder that Term 2 commences for all students on Wednesday 27 April 2022. Staff will be participating in Professional Learning on Tuesday 26.

Save the Date

The Xavier College Parent Group is planning to reconvene our meetings in person next term on Thursday 19 May at 6:00 pm. They are a great opportunity to meet new people, hear from staff and get acquainted with how College life works.

Have a lovely, restful and holy break.

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

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

For Christians throughout the world, Holy Week is a time to remember and celebrate the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. I encourage all members of our College community to attend some if not all of the Holy Week liturgies. I trust we will be renewed with the spirit of hope that Jesus brings.

Year 12 Assessments and Reports

Year 12 students have now completed their mid-course assessment block. Despite the challenges presented by floods and school closures, our students demonstrated maturity and diligence as they prepared for and completed their tasks. I congratulate Year 12 on their conduct during this assessment period.

Year 12 Reports will be issued early next term. These reports provide valuable information regarding your child’s progress in their final year of school. I encourage you to read your child’s report and use this to inform their study as the year progresses.

Parent/Teacher Evenings

Parent/Teacher Interviews for Years 11 and 12 were scheduled for yesterday (Thursday 7 April). Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, these became phone interviews rather than our usual in-person interviews. I thank parents for their understanding of the change in format.

Parent/Teacher Interviews for Years 7-10 will be scheduled early next term. Further information about booking interview times will be forthcoming.

NAPLAN

All students in Years 7 and 9 will sit online tests for NAPLAN in Weeks 3-4 next term. A reminder that students will require wired headphones to access their tests. NAPLAN requirements prohibit students from using wireless headphones (i.e. AirPods). Please ensure your child is equipped with the correct style of headphones by Week 3.

Information regarding NAPLAN is attached at the end of this newsletter.

Careers Newsletter

Parents of senior students may be interested in reading the Careers Newsletter, which is published fortnightly and sent to families via email. Newsletters contain important information regarding university acceptances, early entry, scholarships, and other employment opportunities that may be of interest to your child. 

We encourage parents and students to access the Careers Newsletter to support the post-school transition. If you wish to access past newsletters, please download using the links below. Please note that no Careers Newsletter was issued in Week 8.

• Term 1 Week 2
• Term 1 Week 4
• Term 1 Week 6
• Term 1 Week 10

Winter Uniform

Please be reminded the Winter Uniform is to be worn from the first Monday in May (Term 2, Week 2) until the first Friday in September. Items may be purchased from the School Locker in Ballina.

I wish all a safe and restful holiday and a very Holy Easter break.

Mrs Amanda Falvey

Assistant Principal Mission - Staff and Students

End of Term 1 - Easter

Term 1 in schools is always a very busy time, but this year we needed to adapt to more than the usual ‘busy’-ness and I must congratulate our College Community for the way we have once again handled both the usual and unprecedented events that this term held. In Term 1, a diverse range of Xavier College Community events added to the rich tapestry of daily school life; as we move toward the conclusion of Lent, following 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, it is important to remember that Easter is the greatest feast in the Christian calendar. On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the ultimate resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. In the lead up we prepare ourselves to die spiritually with Christ on Good Friday, the day of His Crucifixion, so that we can rise again with Him in new life on Easter. This offers us all the hope of eternal life and the promise of the Kingdom of God.

We wish all of our Xavier College Community members, families and staff a joyful and restorative holiday so that we can embrace the year ahead with a renewed spirit and vitality.

Term 2 Return to School

We will return to the College on Wednesday 27 April; this follows Anzac Day (April 25) and our Staff Professional Learning Day (April 26). 

Students, please ensure you avoid extreme haircuts or additional piercings over the holiday break, as this term we saw a return to our required uniform standards and we expect students to maintain this going forward. 

God bless, and have a safe and enjoyable holiday break.

Mr Peter Fear

Catechesis And Evangelisation

Lenten Liturgies and Devotions

On Tuesday 5 April, all our Year 7 students travelled to St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Ballina for Mass. Our College chaplain, Fr Anselm, presided at this Eucharistic celebration. Fr Anselm’s brief homily was augmented by a very interactive reflection on the Gospel — and the students provided some very thoughtful and insightful comments on Discipleship, Stearship and Bullying. Finley Wallace, Penelope Axman, Owen Kilby and Rose Meany are to be especially commended for their contribution to the Readings and Prayers of the Faithful.

On Wednesday 6 April, we held our first Way of the Cross devotion since 2019. The Year 10 Ministry Class prepared live tableaux of the various scenes from Christ’s Passion, staged while Captains and Senior Ministry team members read various Gospel extracts, prayers and petitions. The Year 10 students then repeated their efforts for a Lenten assembly at Holy Family Catholic Primary school.

Remembering Refugees on Palm Sunday

Our 7-10 Religious Education classes have been completing activities for Holy Week during Week 10, in preparation for this important Liturgical season. These activities have included a focus on the connection between Jesus triumphantly entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and refugees in our modern world. Students have been considering the concept of hospitality and how they can see Jesus as an example for how to treat refugees. 

Letters for Our Flood-Affected School Communities

Many of our Religion classes have been writing letters and cards of support for schools in our local community who are affected by floods. These cards were sent to schools such as Trinity Catholic College (Lismore), Our Lady Help of Christians (South Lismore), and St Carthage's Primary (Lismore). 

Mr David Eyles & Dr Madeline Beveridge

Wellbeing

Optimism and Being a Person for Others. [ Character Strength and Jesuit Value.]

This week’s Character Strengths in the Student Planner are Accomplishment and Optimism and they dovetail with the Jesuit aspiration of being a person of Competence.

End of Term One

Beyond Blue’s research shows us that one in seven Australians is currently experiencing an anxiety condition. This breaks down to: 14.4% of Australians aged 16 to 85 who have experienced an anxiety disorder in the last 12 months. This is equivalent to 2.71 million people. This is cause for deep thought.

I have been watching a few YouTube clips about Stoic philosophy, especially the thoughts of the great Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, who wrote during the Antonine Plague (possibly smallpox — their version of COVID). His meditations are his reflections on leading a better life — interesting in our own time of anxiety, COVID and wild weather seriously disrupting life. The Stoics taught that they should:

1. Put people first.
2. Another path is always open: if something goes wrong, there is always another option.
3. Step by step. Start today, take the first step now and develop the discipline of action.
4. Discard your anxiety. “I discarded the anxiety that was within me.”
5. Well begun is half done. Get up early and start the routine that enables you to own your day.
6. Be strict with yourself — self-discipline. Be tolerant with others — strict with yourself.
7. Don’t resent other people. Use them to become a better person.
8. Ask yourself “Is this essential?” Do you need to be doing this? (Minimalism: do few things well.) 
9. Amor Foti: it didn’t happen to you, it happened for you. Make something of whatever life serves up.
10. It’s what you do for other people. “The fruits of this life are good character and acts for the common good.”
11. Memento Mori. Seize the day. Live each day as if it’s your last. Life is short.

9 Stoic Rules For A Better Life (From Marcus Aurelius)

If we are feeling anxious about life we need to seek external help and I cannot speak highly enough of our two counsellors here at Xavier. I encourage students who are feeling troubled to please see their Head of House or PC teacher and make an appointment to discuss their concerns with a professional third party. I think we also need to look within ourselves, as the Stoics did, and try to “discard the anxiety that is within me” by owning our life and being strict with ourselves.

Uniform

The vast majority of our students come to school in perfect uniforms and are to be commended for the way they wear their College uniforms.  

I have just spoken to School Locker in Ballina. They have in store sizes 3 -7, 11 - 14, 14 - 17 and are expecting size 7 - 10 socks in the very near future. In Term 2 all students should only come to school in the XCC sock.

Our Planner informs us that “extremes of hairstyle and/or colour will not be accepted.” The mullet is considered an extreme hairstyle. It looked good on David Bowie but sadly he is no longer with us. Please come back to school with a more conservative haircut.

A few other uniform reminders:

• The dress and skirt should be knee length. We may ask student to go home to adjust their uniform if it does not conform to this regulation.
• Jewellery is to be kept to an absolute minimum (see page 7 of the planner). Skin coloured tape is not an acceptable covering of nonuniform piercings.
• Shoes must be black, polishable and laceup.
• Everyone should always have a cap handy.
• Please use a “Sharpie” and label all items of uniform that are brought to school.

Mr Anthony Condon

Faculty News

English

Performance Poetry for Flood Relief

On Thursday 10 March, Carmen Stock performed in the Poets Out Loud "Poets For Flood Relief" online event. Along with a wide range of local spoken word poets, Carmen helped raise $1660 for direct and immediate flood relief for our communities. This money will help purchase new manchester for flood-affected families in Murwillumbah and surrounds, relief for Bundjalung and rural/isolated communities in Lismore and replace lost music and arts equipment at SeeSpace in Lismore. Congratulations Carmen, it was a truly inspiring performance.

Ms Krista Austin
Leader of English

Year 12 English Standard Creative Writing Workshop

On Wednesday 6 April, two Year 12 English classes walked down to the headland overlooking Sharpes Beach and participated in a creative writing workshop with their teachers. Students focused on their surroundings and used them to inspire a piece of writing that uses natural imagery and reflects on the ocean as a significant part of our lives. Well done to all students involved. 

Ms Krista Austin & Mrs Lauren Jeffery
Year 12 English Standard teachers

Creative Arts

Year 7 Visual Arts Students created still life charcoal drawings in class.

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Year 11 Ceramics students created their own teapots in class and enjoyed a cup of tea with their teacher, Ms Albany.

House News

MacKillop House News

Wellbeing Awareness: National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence

On Friday 18 March 2022, Xavier Catholic College participated in the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence (NDA). The NSA is Australia's key bullying prevention initiative, connecting schools and communities to find workable solutions to prevent bullying.

Thank you to the MacKillop House Captains who organised the wellbeing awareness activities, spoke at Assembly and organised the whole-school Pastoral Care activities for this day (including a film featuring Xavier students' commitment to choosing kindness and a kindness wall). The theme for the 2022 NDA is Kindness Culture. Xavier Catholic College made a commitment to demonstrate Kindness Culture by promoting inclusiveness, respect and community belonging for all students. Their key message was to make conscious choices to choose kindness first and foremost every day.

MacKillop House chose to promote this important whole-school activity as it replicates the charism of our patron saint, Mary MacKillop. St Mary MacKillop is Australia's first and only saint. One of her famous quotes was "Never see a need without doing something about it." Kindness, courage, determination, integrity, generosity, helping others, and showing compassion are the core beliefs of the MacKillop House patron. She was the ultimate upstander, never a bystander. The MacKillop House motto is Challenge with Courage. Mary MacKillop advocated for change for others. On the National Day of Action and beyond, we ask you to be like Mary MacKillop — to be an upstander and choose kindness.

It is important for our entire College community (including staff, parents, carers and students) to have a clear understanding of the definition of bullying, and to correctly identify and respond to bullying incidents. Knowing the types of bullying behaviour can also help you identify if the incident is bullying or peer aggression. While neither of these behaviours is tolerated at Xavier Catholic College, they do require different management strategies and the first step in responding is to correctly identify the behaviour.

For more information, please visit the Bullying. No Way! website for additional resources.

Mrs Rebecca Kennedy
Head of MacKillop House

Sport News

Diocesan Rugby League Trials

Under-15 boys Kai Saric and Jett Flatley, along with Opens boy Noah Waldock, were selected in the Lismore Diocesan Rugby League teams. They travelled to Tamworth for the Northern NSWCCC selections on Tuesday 5 April. Congratulations to all three boys — especially Noah Waldock, who is in Year 10 playing Opens. Special congratulations to Kai Saric and Jett Flatley who were selected and now travel to Sydney for a chance to make the NSWCCC Under-15 boys team. Best of luck!

Australian National Athletics Titles

The National Athletics Titles were recently held at Homebush, Sydney.

Congratulations to Tyler Dogan who competed in the Under-16 boys Steeplechase, placing 4th in Australia with a time of 6.24 minutes over 2000 metres. Tyler also competed in the Under-16 boys 3000 metres, where he placed 21st in Australia with a time of 9.30 minutes.

Congratulations to Alexander Crimmins, who competed in the Under-17 boys Triple Jump, placing 7th in Australia with a jump of 12.94 metres.

Mr Pat Kennedy & Mr Russell Asser

Canteen News – Term 2 2022

Mrs Denise Barnard – Canteen Supervisor

Canteen is a great opportunity to meet other parents and to be involved in your child/children's 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

College Musical: BACK TO THE 80s

It was wonderful to have some time with our lead cast on Sunday this week to work on selected scenes from the show. Special thanks to Mrs Hodges and Mrs Broadley — and all the students who were able to make the rehearsal for giving up their time on a Sunday morning to get right into it. It is great to see students learning their lines and developing their sense of character, and the great sense of community that is starting to build in our cast.

Our cast and crew have been given their rehearsal shirts now, and it is great to see everyone working as a team. We will finish the term on a high with some extra rehearsals really pushing things along! Keep an eye out for when tickets go on sale early next term — there will be only 4 shows!

Mrs Leanne Broadley
Leader of Creative Arts

Community News