Newsletter 10, 1 July 2022

Acting Principal's Message

Acting Principal’s Message

Mrs Amanda Falvey

Mr Lewis is currently on leave. During this period of leave, please contact Mrs Amanda Falvey (Acting Principal), Mr Peter Fear (Assistant Principal: Staff and Students) or Ms. Carmel Zuino (Assistant Principal: Learning and Teaching) at the College.

Mrs Amanda Falvey
Acting Principal
amanda.falvey@lism.catholic.edu.au

"For those who love, nothing is too difficult, especially when it is done for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ." - St Ignatius of Loyola

“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18)

In spite of the many challenges, our school and wider community has faced together, as Christians we are reminded that love sits at the centre of all that we do. Our Jesuit values of being men and women for others, and showing compassion and love for others, has been clearly evident over the past term. There is so much love in our community and support for each other that sits at the heart of who we are.

Everything in our faith reminds us that love is at the heart of it all and guides us on how we are to respond and how we are to act.

At the simplest level, St Ignatius teaches us that ‘love is not simply about how we feel inside or what our good intentions are towards another person, but what we do, in action, to demonstrate love’ — and as Bishop Greg reminds us, oftentimes, it is the small acts of goodness we do throughout our day that mean the most to those around us.

May the holiday period provide a time for rest and reflection where we may take the time to  dwell a while in gratitude, and consider how we want to spread love in the world today.

“Love is shown more in deeds than in words.”  

Visit from the Governor- General 

On Tuesday 21 June, we were proud to welcome Their Excellencies General the Honourable David Hurley and Mrs Linda Hurley to our College.

Their Excellencies were given a guided tour of the grounds by our Captains, where they learned more about how Xavier Catholic College operated as an evacuation centre during the flood crisis earlier this year.

Their Excellencies met with staff and students who were impacted by the flood, as well as those who assisted throughout the disaster — whether that was in the evacuation centre, in relief efforts or assisting as part of the SES.

We are so thankful to Their Excellencies for taking the time to learn about how our Northern Rivers community was impacted and the ongoing issues that continue to face the wider area.

Back to the 80s - College Musical

Congratulations to the musical production team, cast and crew for the fantastic production of Back to the 80s! The musical was a great success and a true celebration of the cultural life of the College.

Year 10 and Year 11 - Minimum Standards Testing

Students in Year 10 completed their first opportunity to sit the Minimum Standards tests last week. Our students approached the tests with positivity and are to be congratulated on their efforts. All students are required to complete online Reading, Writing and Numeracy tests to demonstrate they meet the Minimum Standard of literacy and numeracy required to receive the award of the Higher School Certificate (HSC). Students have multiple opportunities to sit the tests during Year 10, 11 and 12 (and post school). Catch up tests will be provided in Term 3 for students who were absent last week. Thank you to Ms Page and Mrs Smith for administering the tests and supporting our Year 10 students.

Year 12 Trial HSC Examinations (1 August – 15 August)

Year 12 will complete their final assessments in Term 3 during the Trial HSC Examination period. A timetable has been distributed to students. All Year 12 students are encouraged to use the holiday period for consolidation and revision of learning in order to be well prepared for the upcoming examination period; however, I would like to remind students of the need to take time for relaxation and time with family and friends. A sense of balance is important, particularly during what can be a stressful time for students. It is extremely important that all students are in attendance during the Trial HSC period and family holidays should be avoided during the examination period.

Reminder - Staff Professional Learning Day 

Staff at Xavier Catholic College will undertake the next stage in our professional learning on Monday 18 July. For this reason, students will not be required to attend school. School will resume on Tuesday 19 July for all students.

I take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge the extraordinary work of our College staff this term.

Wishing all a safe and restful holiday,

God Bless,

Acting Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

Submission dates for Major Works/Projects - Flood Impacted Schools

In recognition of the significant impact experienced by flood impacted schools, the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has extended the submission dates for major works and projects in the following subjects: Design and Tecnnolgoy, Drama, English Extension 2, Industrial Technology, Music, Society and Culture, Textiles and Design and Visual Arts.  

These generous extensions recognise the significant hardship experienced by students in flood impacted schools in the Northern Rivers and represent an effort to compensate students for the impact of this misadventure.  The staff at the College see this as a valuable opportunity for all students to develop and refine their major works and projects, and therefore achieve their personal best in the pursuit of excellence. 

Please note, these are NESA’S final submission dates and there will be no further extension.

Individual teachers in different subject areas may ask students to submit their work earlier than the NESA submission date to ensure students maximise their learning growth through feedback, review and improvement processes.

Year 7-10 Reports

Reports for Years 7-10 will be available through the Parent Portal from early Term 3. An email will be sent to advise when reports will be available to download. Please ensure you have created a Parent Portal account to enable you to access your son/daughter’s report.  If you require assistance with this, please contact 66180123.

Parent Teacher Interviews - Year 7-10

Parent/Teacher Interviews are an opportunity to meet with your son/daughters’ teachers to discuss their academic progress and learning habits. The interviews for Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 for Term 3, 2022 are scheduled for Thursday 28 July from 3:30pm to 8:00pm. We also invite your son/daughter to attend the interviews with you so that matters discussed are heard by all concerned. Interviews are scheduled for 5 minutes each and will be located in the Magis Centre. 

Year 10 into Year 11 Subject Selection

On Monday, Year 10 students participated in an information session, followed by a parent information session that evening, to outline the requirements for the award of the Higher School Certificate (HSC). These sessions were designed to assist students, parents and guardians to work together to discern their senior pattern of study.  

In Term 3 Week 2, parents and students will be invited to attend an interview with a Leader of Learning.  This interview will provide additional support with subject selections for Stage 6.  Appointments will be booked via the “Try Booking” website and we will advise you once it is open. Prior to this interview please access our Subject Selection site available on the school website.  The website is a valuable resource which provides detailed information about the wide range of subjects offered to students at the College.  Students are also encouraged to seek advice from Leaders of Learning and their teachers. Students will have until Term 1, Week 4 2023 to finalise their selections.

Thank you

As the term draws to a close I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to the staff of the College for their professionalism and dedication.  I would also like to acknowledge our students for the many gifts and talents they contribute to the rich fabric of our school community. I wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday.

Mrs Carmel Zuino 

Assistant Principal Mission - Staff and Students

Nagel Pastoral Care Activities (Week 9)

Research shows that high levels of mental health are associated with increased learning, creativity, productivity, increased prosocial behaviour, positive social relationships, improved physical health and increased life expectancy. In contrast, mental health conditions can cause distress, impact on day-to-day functioning and relationships, and are associated with poor physical health.

Ultimately, mental health is about being cognitively, emotionally and socially healthy – the way we think, feel and develop relationships - and not merely the absence of a mental health condition.

During Week 9 Nagle House PC activities focused on Beyond Blue and ways in which we can work on our positive mental health. A great tip the staff and students explored is focusing on NESTS which is a simple acronym that we can use to keep our mental health in check. Often when things are wobbly, one of these areas needs some attention:

Nutrition - Have I eaten?

Exercise - Have I moved?

Sleep - Have I slept or rested?

Time - Have I had time alone?

Support - Have I reached out for support?

This holiday break NESTS could be a great focus and we can take these new habits with us into the next semester.

Safe on Social

This week we had Kirra Pendergast founder of Safe on Social visit the College to present to all year levels. This is an important biennial learning experience that has our students reflecting on their digital footprint, the social media they use and how they interact in the digital world. These student sessions cover the most popular social media apps and trends in our school; what they are, how they work, security, and privacy tips for safe use.

Some great advice included how students need to be empowered to take control in their group chats:

• Learn the skills to know how to leave a group chat that is unhealthy (or is harmful) in any way.
• Using statements like “sorry guys, this is getting nasty, I’m out!” as a way to remove yourself. This allows you to be an upstander by pointing out to others that the behaviours may be getting out of hand.
• If you don’t want to speak up, just remove yourself from the chat.

But most of all - BE KIND, remember there is another human person on the end of that text, post, comment.

Attendance Procedures 

At the start of Term 3 the College will have a greater focus on our community’s attendance procedures. It will be very important that parents ensure they respond to our Absence SMS and clearly communicate explanations for each absence. The Education Act (NSW 1990) requires every student enrolled at school attends each day that instruction is provided, unless prevented by sickness or other good reason. There are a number of students whose records show unexplained absence and this is something the school, in partnership with families, would like to improve.

End of Term 2

After a very busy Term I would like to wish all our students, staff and families a restful and peaceful holiday break. This is an opportunity to pause and spend time as families away from the pressure of academic demands.

Prayer for Serenity

O God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference;
living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will;
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

I look forward to seeing everyone back at the College in Term 3

God bless,

Mr Peter Fear

Catechesis And Evangelisation

Year 10 Ministry Class

Students in the Year 10 Ministry class completed the first stage of their practical work in Youth Ministry this week with a very well received visit to Holy Family Catholic Primary School.  Our students prepared and presented a workshop on Gratitude, which consisted of prayer, a drama, games, songs and small group discussions.

The Year 10 students have been rotating through different roles as we present these workshops at both feeder primary schools.  They were ably assisted in their activities by our College Youth Ministry Officers, Macy Butler and Chelsea Gorman.

Mr David Eyles & Dr Madeline Beveridge

2020 Ministry Class Reunion

The HSC Class of 2022 are establishing themselves as trailblazers in numerous ways in our College Community.  Last week they established a new tradition that looks like becoming an annual event - a Ministry Class Reunion.

The Ministry Class of 2020 invited back the 2020 YMOs, John and Jules, for a pizza party, along with some reminiscing and our Sacred Space prayer. 

Street Retreat

Seven Year 11 students from Xavier Catholic College spent four days and three nights in Brisbane last week on the annual Diocesan Street retreat.  They worked in various ministries with marginalised groups such homeless people, disabled people, refugees and asylum Seekers - and with inner city ministries who work with those groups.

Our students, Oliver Dwyer, Suriana Mamone, Ellie Griffit, Tate Wallace, Riley Patterson, Madelaine Siebert and Simon Dwyer, were exemplary ambassadors for our community. Many thanks go to Mr Steve Edmonds and YMO Macy Butler who generously volunteered to accompany the students this year.

Yesterday we received a note of thanks from an Anglican Homeless Outreach (St Andrew’s) commending our students for their work:

On behalf of the Community Meal, we just wanted to pass on our thanks to the students and teachers that came to help with the meal last Saturday.The students were a lovely group of people – very polite, respectful and eager to do anything they were asked with enthusiasm and a smile.

 Special note to the lovely (Xavier Catholic College) lad who ended up doing all the dishes. He did a sterling job and there were plenty of dirty pots to scrub! 

Year 10 Retreat

Notes were emailed to all Year 10 parents in Week 7 regarding the annual Year 10 Retreat. These emails included essential permission and medical forms that need to be collated weeks prior to the event. Any parents who have not yet submitted these forms are asked to do so as a matter of some urgency. 

A copy of those google forms can be accessed from this link: Year 10 Retreat Permission Form

The Year 10 Retreat is a most significant annual event at Xavier Catholic College and a very special part of each student’s experience at our school. Upon enrolment at Xavier Catholic College, advice was given of the compulsory nature of the College retreat program. 

Vinnies Winter Sleep-Out

This week the Senior Ministry Team hosted the 10th Vinnies Winter Sleep-out at Xavier Catholic College.  Our Senior Ministry Team and the Year 12 Community and Family Studies class slept rough in the XCC playground in solidarity with the homeless community: giving up one night in a warm, comfortable bed to help raise funds and awareness about the housing crisis that is most pressing in our very own backyard. 

Please consider donating  now to help us reach our fundraising goal which will assist Vinnies provide support for those in our community who need it the most. You can access our registered School Sleep-out fundraising page via this link. Xavier Catholic College Ballina Sleepout

Year 7 and 8 Class Liturgies

Year 7 and 8 have been preparing class liturgies on themes of their own choosing. Students have selected themes such as: the environment; friendship; love; and forgiveness. Students have developed beautiful liturgies with thoughtful selections of music, opening prayers, Scriptures readings and reflections, prayers of the faithful, and ritual actions. Our Years 7 and 8 classes have been celebrating these liturgies in Week 10 lesson time. It has been a wonderful way to apply our learnings of Sacred Scripture and Sacraments from Term 2. 

Wellbeing

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.

Social media: On Tuesday this week Kirra Pendergast presented her “Safe on Social” talk to three different groups of students in the Magis.

Another timely reminder to:
● use Social Media in a kind and supportive manner.
● Turn off as many location sharing settings as possible.
● Do not tag your friends / family to the world.
● Make private your social media apps, so that you manage who is viewing your posts.
● Delete any apps that you are not using.
● Siri is listening and recording.
● There are unconscionable folks out there who are keen to exploit you.
● Don’t share intimate images especially if you are under 16 or of folks who are under 16.

Term 2: We say farewell to another difficult term, one with periods of the deepest sadness.
We are reminded that a life without tests and challenges is a life without growth and
improvement. That we don’t always get what we want and in these periods of anguish and
struggle we have the opportunity to respond well, to care for one another and to create a beautiful
life. Please have a good break and return refreshed and ready to learn.

Housekeeping: We are a school of rules and guidelines, designed and intended to create a safe
environment for our students to succeed at their studies and socially. Some of these are contested
by the students but are not going to change in the short term.

A reminder of some of them:

• The XCC sock is compulsory for all students at all times and is available at School Locker.
• Absolutely no nose piercings are permitted - including clear studs/band aid coverings.
•  Only two plain sleepers/studs are to be worn in the lobe only.
• No mobile phones/ear pods are to be used between entry onto school property and 3:21pm.
• Dresses and Skirts must be to the knee.
• Shorts and trousers must have a belt.
• A tie must be worn with the winter uniform.
• Shirts must be tucked in.
• The formal shoes must be black, polishable and lace up.
• Sport shoes must only be black or white.
• Aerosol deodorant is not permitted - it can initiate some student’s asthma
• Vaping at school (or else where) is unacceptable and is completely unhealthy.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMbXUE9Hjwg

Mr Anthony Condon

Faculty News

Visual Arts

Year 9 Visual Art Students created 1980’s themed Pop Art paintings and sculptures. These artworks created a bold display of colour and ‘80’s imagery during performance intervals. All students can be commended on their commitment to artmaking, as well as their contribution to assisting with the musica, which has enriched the cultural life of the college. 

Year 7 Visual Arts students have been working enthusiastically and showing individual creativity on a skate deck design. The vibrant artworks demonstrate their understanding of composition using the elements of art and develop techniques in layering paint techniques.

James Kirby

“I liked how we could use our imagination to paint on a skate deck that we can take home.”

Dominic Gilhooley

“I enjoyed implementing the elements and principles of art in our skate deck artwork and using our imagination to create something great!

Audrey Johannes

“I loved how we got to create something that we enjoy and got to learn about new techniques, elements and principles when making art.”

Jasmin Rogers and Therese O’Kane

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MUSIC COMPOSITION SUCCESS 

YOUNG COMPOSER AWARD -  ISAIAH GALLOWAY

Congratulations go to four members of our Year 11 Music class, who submitted entries in a National Fanfare writing competition.  Landon Broadley, Akesa Hamlin, Louis Turner and Isaiah Galloway wrote a short piece for orchestra.  Louis, Landon and Akesa have had their works highly commended as being exemplars of modern composition for orchestra.  Isaiah Galloway was selected to have his piece workshopped and Isaiah's piece will be recorded by the Queensland Youth Orchestra in August this year, and performed live at a concert in Brisbane by this orchestra.  What an achievement!

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/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

BACK to the 80’s - the TOTALLY AWESOME MUSICAL

Wow - what a week we have had! With over 70 students on stage, an awesome band made of year 9 &10 students,  and many more students in the wings helping with art, stage management, visual projections, programs, lighting and sound, this has been a truly amazing whole school production.

I am incredibly proud of all the students who were involved in this production - it has been 9 months of hard work, overcoming many hurdles such as Covid restrictions and Floods, school shutdowns, illness and injuries to put on this production - and what a production it was!

The excitement of our students at being able to put on the first show in 4 years was tangible. The dressing room was abuzz with excitement each night -and every show stepped up to deliver just as much enthusiasm. What a privilege to get to work with a Professional Mentor - star of Australian Musical Theatre - Rachael Beck to help us refine and polish the show!

We were fortunate to have the Governor General of Australia drop into one of our final dress rehearsals, and also to have the NSW State Minister for the Arts - the Honorable Ben Franklin attend our Friday evening performance. Both were impressed with the calibre of the production, and the energy, talent and enthusiasm our cast brought to the stage.

A final excitement was having the actual writer of the show send his best wishes from New York to us!  It has been the Time of our Lives!

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Community News

LIBRARY NEWS

Xavier Library again hosted the Sorry Day Colouring Competition during Reconciliation Week in conjunction with the Art Department. The Prize-winners were Ellie Grifith (1st), Riley Chapman (2nd) and Lara van Eijden (3rd). These students were presented with their prizes at the Sorry Day School Assembly recently. Congratulations to all students who entered - the standard was exceptional.

A “Suggestion Box” in the Library has been well-utilised and a number of new ideas for “Library Happenings’ have come from this. This week began our Thursday morning “Loud in the Library” with themed music from the Eighties to bop along to before school. 

Book Club continues to meet once a month  (now the first Thursday of the month) and numbers have been growing steadily. New books are constantly arriving at our Library, so make sure you come along and find a good read for these cosy winter days!