Newsletter 2: Friday 24 February 2023

Principal's Message

Dear Parents, Students and Staff,

What a week we have had at Xavier! It has been hard to keep up with the wonderful experiences our students have been part of.

Ash Wednesday

This week we celebrated Ash Wednesday as a school community with a creative and inspiring liturgy led by our students. Students and staff were reminded of the significance of this event in our liturgical calendar and also the period of Lent. They were challenged to participate in the Lent season with Almsgiving, Prayer and/or Service to Others. It was a beautiful Liturgy that culminated in some inspiring artwork that we look forward to showcasing across our school.

Year 10 Assessment Evening

It was wonderful to spend time with our Year 10 parents on Monday as we shared our school's Assessment practices. We also had the opportunity to have a community conversation about learning and how it has changed since parents and teachers were at school. If you missed the evening the presentation can be found here.

Championship Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to the 66 students who participated in the Championship Swimming Carnival last Friday. I was fortunate enough to get down to the event and witness some of the amazing talents that we have at our school. Congratulations to Isaac Mulligan, Jack Solman, Mya Poptie, Keiko Bond-Sheehan, Oliver Sharpe and Madelaine Siebert who all broke one or more records on the day. What a fantastic effort! A number of students have qualified for the Lismore Diocese Swimming Carnival and will travel to Kempsey.

Year 7 Belonging Day and Evening

The Year 7 families enjoyed a wonderful evening on Thursday together. It was great to have this occur again after it was cancelled for two years due to COVID. The purpose of this evening is for parents to meet the Heads of House, Pastoral Care Teachers and one another as our community grows. Our school was filled with much joy and celebration during the evening, with plenty of fun had by the Year 7 students playing games and parents sharing a meal. Thanks to the wonderful food trucks who provided the delicious food for the evening — Samburger, Byron Bay Homemade Pizzas and Wonder Cones. There was no chance anyone was going home hungry. I would like to thank all the parents for coming along to the evening and building our school partnership. I certainly enjoyed the opportunity to meet many of the parents of our amazing students. I would like to acknowledge the wonderful Year 12 students who assisted in the evening with set-up, pack-up and also welcoming parents. We were also fortunate to have a student band perform on the night and provide music and create a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.

Year 7 2024 School Tours

Over the next few weeks, School Tours will be offered to prospective students and parents for Year 7 in 2024. Dates for the tours can be found below. If you know families who would like to join our school community, please ensure you let them know. We look forward to meeting all our prospective students and families during the tours.

If you'd like to book a tour for your own Year 7 2024 student, visit our website.

COLA Update

The building of our COLA has been slowed down this week with the construction company hitting some difficulties with rock formations underground. We are investigating options to work through this and are hopeful that work will resume next week.

Community Mental Health Support

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the flood event, families may be interested in accessing some extra support to help with the memories and emotions that may surface. Headspace has provided us with a list of national and local mental health support you may access, and the Diocese of Lismore has provided a fact sheet that may guide discussions with your family going forward. I encourage you to read both flyers, which are linked below.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our College. It has been a pleasure to meet the many parents this week at our school events. Enjoy the weekend!

Mr Ryan Campbell
Acting Principal

ryan.campbell@lism.catholic.edu.au 

Have you downloaded Compass?

Compass is our new parent communication tool and one-stop shop for daily updates, upcoming events and notifications about your child's learning. Download the app below:

• Google Play Store
• Apple Store

Can't find XCC? Search for Skennars Head, and we'll appear! Then, use your provided login details to access your parent portal.

If you have any questions, please email us at xavier@lism.catholic.edu.au. 

Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

Assessment Information Sessions

It was wonderful to have parents of our Year 10 and 11 students on-site over the past two weeks for our Assessment Information Sessions, building school and family partnerships. Students in Years 10 and 11 also attended information sessions that outlined policies and procedures for assessment practices at the College. They were reminded of the importance of being well-prepared for assessment tasks, the need for honesty and integrity in submitting their own work and to strive to do their personal best.

Students were also reminded how to access assessment calendars and policy booklets. Assessment calendars and assessment policy handbooks for all year levels are available on the College website.

Supporting your child with assessment tasks

Developing good study habits at home and discussing upcoming assessment tasks with your child is an important step in supporting learning. Students receive task notifications at least two weeks prior to the due date of a task, which detail:

• The nature of the task
• The outcomes being assessed
• The weighting of the task
• The due date
• Task requirements, and 
  
• Marking schemes.

Assessment task notifications are typically placed on subject Google Classrooms and should be used to support discussions around upcoming task requirements.

Students and parents are encouraged to print off the relevant year-level assessment calendars from the College website and keep them clearly visible at home. It is important that students keep an eye on their assessment calendar to best manage their study plans. Please note that students may not study all of the subjects listed on the Calendar, particularly in regard to elective subjects. A personalised copy highlighting relevant subjects studied is recommended.

Study habits

Good study habits are not just for senior students. The foundation of a strong study plan is laid in junior years and from the beginning of the year. If you or your child is unsure about how to approach study, please consider the following tips:

• Create a study environment that fosters productivity. A quiet, well-lit room with a desk and comfortable chair is best. Keep distractions at a minimum — silence any computer notifications, and keep your phone on silent and in another room.
• Be conscious of due dates and develop a weekly planner. Map out activities in advance, including set times for study and revision. Ensure a copy of the relevant assessment calendar is clearly visible. We recommend the Elevate website for support in developing time management skills and a study schedule (enter Rondo as your password).
• Set clear and achievable goals for each study session. Be well-prepared and do not leave tasks until the last minute. Consider breaking the material into smaller 'chunks' — daily summary notes, visual diagrams, dot-point summary notes, mind maps, and subject-specific flashcards are some useful tools students may wish to use.
• Test your understanding. Senior students may wish to access past HSC papers to consolidate their understanding. Students may also use draft questions from textbooks, Atomi, chapter summary quizzes, Kahoots, or other digital resources.
• Look after yourself. Make sure you keep a balance between life and study. Healthy habits are important. Ensure you get plenty of sleep each night, drink water, and eat healthy food. Exercise will also boost your energy and make you feel great, so keep up any regular sporting activities.
  

I encourage students to seek help with their learning wherever necessary. Classroom teachers and Leaders of Learning are available to offer feedback and advice to support learning and wellbeing.

Ms Carmel Zuino

Assistant Principal Mission - Staff and Students

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday holds great significance to our Catholic community as it marks the beginning of Lent, a period of prayer and reflection leading up to Easter. On this day, we gather together in liturgy to receive ashes on our foreheads in the shape of a cross, which serves as a symbol of repentance and the need for forgiveness. The ashes are traditionally made from the previous year's Palm Sunday palms, representing the cycle of life and rebirth. Ash Wednesday provides us with an opportunity to renew our commitment to our faith and deepen our spiritual connection with God.

On Wednesday we were privileged to gather as a whole school community and celebrate this important event. It gave us an opportunity to reflect and repent, but also an opportunity to think about the season of Lent before us. We were asked to consider 3 things:

• What can I give up?  (living more simply & having gratitude for all that we have)
• What can I share/give to others? (using our talents & sharing our wealth)
• How can I embed prayer into my life? (a focus on talking to God regularly)

I encourage families to have these conversations at this time. Maybe you could make some family goals based on gratitude and generosity. If you are interested in this year’s Project Compassion the website link can be found here.

More on VAPING

This year I have been invited to be a part of the North Coast Youth Vaping Working Group. The North Coast Youth Vaping Taskforce and Working Group have been initiated to bring stakeholders together to collectively address these concerns and as a call to action across the North Coast. The aim will be to develop a coordinated regional plan to support young people around the issue of vaping, with this work being community-informed and shared responsibility. Unfortunately, studies have already shown that vaping can have serious health consequences, especially when it comes to mental health. According to recent statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in 2021, around 13% of Australians aged 14 and over reported using e-cigarettes and this continues to increase exponentially, not to mention those that don’t report. Current statistics indicate that 1 in 3 young people 16-24yrs have tried e-cigarettes  Another study found that Australian teenagers who vape are more likely to experience poor mental health than non-vapers, with already  22% reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, young adults who vape are at increased risk of mood disorders and addiction to nicotine and other substances.

There are a variety of chemicals that can be found in vapes.. Here are just a few of the most dangerous chemicals that have been found in vapes:

1. Nicotine: Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm the developing brain, leading to lasting impacts on attention, learning, and memory.
2. Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is a carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substance that can be produced when e-cigarette liquids are heated.
3. Acrolein: Acrolein is a toxic substance that can cause lung damage and is produced when e-cigarette liquids are heated.
4. Heavy metals: Some e-cigarette devices have been found to contain heavy metals such as lead, nickel, and cadmium, which can be harmful when inhaled.
5. Flavouring chemicals: Many e-cigarette liquids contain flavouring chemicals such as diacetyl, which can cause severe respiratory disease (known as bronchiolitis obliterans or  ‘popcorn lung’).

Mr Peter Fear

Catechesis And Evangelisation

Project Compassion

This week, the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which also marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allow Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. 

The theme of Project Compassion 2023 is ‘For All Future Generations’ and reminds us that the good we do today extends to impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues.  We encourage you to put your compassion into action this Lent through prayer, fasting and almsgiving in support of Project Compassion.

There will be numerous opportunities for students to make cash or EFTPOS donations to Project Compassion this Lent. Any student or family who would like a Project Compassion box and/or a set of envelopes for their donations should ask the YMOs. Families can donate online via the Caritas Australia website.

Transitus

The Youth Ministry Officers have recently visited every Year 7 class to speak to the students about an opportunity to represent our College at the Annual year 7 Intentional Discipleship Gathering: Transitus. Transitus is an overnight retreat experience for Year 7 students to grow in their discipleship of Jesus Christ and membership of His Church, and to strengthen their transition into Catholic secondary school. 

Xavier Catholic College will be able to send up to fourteen representatives to Transitus.  There is no cost to families for those students selected. Accommodation, transport and activities are all paid for by the Diocese. We encourage you to have a discussion with your child about attending Transitus. 

To learn more about Transitus, watch our Transitus Promo Video. To apply for one of the fully sponsored places at Transitus, students should complete the online Transitus Application form before Sunday 26 February.

Students selected to attend the Transitus Retreat will receive further information, and online permission and medical forms, through the events module in their Compass portal.

Ash Wednesday

The College Captains led a very thoughtful and creative Liturgy to commemorate Ash Wednesday. Our Youth Ministry Officers - Kirra and Maya shared some personal reflections on the meaning of Lent and Lenten traditions as part of the Liturgy of the Word.  Year 10 student Miah Bradley cantored a beautiful contemporary psalm setting, very capably accompanied by Landon Broadley (Year 12) on piano. Members of the Senior Ministry Team assisted Heads of House in distributing Ashes and were joined by some art students to visually link this first day of our Lenten journey with the events of Holy Week that will conclude it.

Mr David Eyles & Dr Madeline Beveridge

Wellbeing

This fortnight has been incredibly busy in the lives of our students. Off the back of a truly inspiring student-led College assembly, our Heads of House and House Captains put on a masterclass during House Assemblies in Week 3. It is safe to say that the community here at XCC is thriving in 2023.

Student Voice

It has been wonderful to move around the schoolyard during break times and interact with our students. I’ve learned as much about the start of high school this year as I did when I experienced it myself. Such is the honesty and willingness to communicate within our student body that we look forward to hearing more of in the coming weeks.

Within the next fortnight, there will be several opportunities for students to have their say about some issues that they face at school. Initially, we will be looking to collect some data about how students should be rewarded for consistent positive behaviour utilising our existing merit system. To date, there have been 3585 merits given out to our student body for demonstrating excellence in their daily life. This is an incredible achievement by students and a great affirmation of the focus on positive relationships by our staff. We will be eager to know what students think about recognising their peers in this manner.

Internet Safety

This is a constant in the lives of young people. They navigate a world that is often made more complex by the access to an online world that often is very difficult to filter and control without constant monitoring.

This week, Mr Campbell, Mr Fear and I met with Senior Constable Brooke Papasidero and Senior Constable Clare Beek, School Liaison Officers in the Richmond Local Area Police Command. They will, once again, support the College and our students in delivering a series of presentations over the course of the year. Of note is their ‘Think U Know’ campaign about protecting and understanding our digital footprint and our online presence. These seminars will take place toward the end of the term, and we look forward to this ongoing partnership between the College and local Police to increase the knowledge and safety of our students.

Prior to the Police presentations, I would encourage families to engage in the materials and resources provided in the links below to foster conversations in the home about safe ways to engage in the online world:

• Think U Know

Attendance

Each year, students have various demands on their lives and time. We know, also, that families work hard to be able to enjoy positive experiences together when they can. At times, this can lead to questions being raised about student attendance percentages at school. 

As a College, we are obligated to report and record all student absences and show evidence that we are supporting families to improve attendance rates for students who miss school regularly. In the coming weeks, this will be communicated to parents by letter and phone call in order that we might work in partnership to ensure the best outcomes for all members of our College community.

The below link is a fact sheet created by the Catholic Schools Office:

• Secondary School Attendance

If you are concerned about your child’s pattern of attendance, please reach out to me and we will work in partnership to find solutions.

If I can be of assistance to your family, please don’t hesitate to contact me as we move through the year together.

Mr Nick Jones
Leader of Pastoral Care

Seasons For Growth and the Positive Peers Program

Seasons for Growth is an opportunity for you to learn with a small group of your peers who have experienced similar issues. The program will help you learn new skills to cope effectively with change and loss. It focuses on developing strengths in areas such as self-esteem, managing feelings, problem-solving, decision-making, communication and building support networks. 

The Positive Peers Program (PPP) is for all students! This weekly small group activity is an opportunity to work on social skills and find a safe space at school. Through discussion within their peer group, students work on navigating friendships, conflict resolution, social communication, impulse control, where to turn when they need support, and building on their support network.

These programs are NOT counselling. 

Interested students should email Ms Rennae Reilly (rennae.reilly@lism.catholic.edu.au) from their school email address, and ask their parent/carer to email Ms Reilly as well.

Ms Rennae Reilly
Student Support Worker

Faculty News

VET News

Hospitality Excursion to Tenango Coffee

The Year 12 Hospitality class has just visited Espresso Tenango in Ballina to learn about the process of roasting coffee beans, packaging coffee beans, dialling-in coffee grinders and extracting a perfect espresso.

Jason from Tenango took us through each step of the process and shared his extensive knowledge of the science behind coffee roasting and extracting, as well as his passion for the coffee industry.

Students were able to package their own freshly roasted coffee beans to take home, as well as use all of the current espresso technology and equipment to make their own coffees, including:

• Customised espresso machines
• Milk juggler
• Pesado gravity distribution tool
• Tamp master (automated tamper)
• Fiorenzato f71 ek pro coffee grinder
• Sanremo You espresso machine

We use Tenango coffee at our Xavier Coffee Shop each morning and now we have a better understanding of where our coffee beans are coming from and how they are processed. 

Thank you to Jason and his team at Espresso Tenango for allowing us to work with you. If any of the Xavier community needs coffee beans, custom espresso machines, coffee equipment or some help with how to extract a perfect espresso at home — you know where to go!

Mrs Karina Lampe
Hospitality Teacher

Creative Arts News

Senior Creative Arts Sydney Showcase Excursion

In Week 2 of this term, 20 Year 11 and 12 Creative Arts students (accompanied by Mrs Hodges and Ms Rogers) travelled to Sydney for the HSC showcase excursion — displaying exemplary works of the 2022 HSC in Creative Arts. The itinerary was jam-packed with two performances of OnSTAGE (featuring our very own Lirra Eady performing her Individual Performance, Mrs Smith) and Callback, as well as viewing ArtExpress.

During the excursion students also participated in a physical theatre workshop at ATYP, a contemporary dance workshop at Sydney Dance Company, saw famous costumes at Sydney Theatre Company, and viewed the new modern art building of the Gallery of NSW. It was a fantastic excursion that provided the students with many ideas and inspiration for their own HSC studies!

Mrs Allysha Hodges
Dance and Drama Teacher

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Sport News

Championship Swimming

On Friday 7 February, 66 swimmers competed at the 2023 Championship Swimming Carnival held at the Ballina Memorial Pool. Congratulations to all of our swimmers on your effort, conduct and sportsmanship demonstrated throughout the day. The top two placegetters in events will now be eligible to represent the College at the 2023 Lismore Diocesan Swimming Carnival on Thursday 2 March at the Kempsey Pool.

2023 Swimming Age Champions

• U12 Boys: Max Sharpe
• U13 Boys: Jack Solman
• U13 Girls: Abigail Matthews
• U14 Boys: James Kirby
• U14 Girls: India Spyker
• U15 Boys: Jayden Matthews
• U15 Girls: Keiko Bond Sheehan
• U16 Boys: Cooper Winney
• U16 Girls: Hayley Patterson
• U17 Boys: Ethan Bayly
• U17 Girls: Niamh Sharpe
• U18 Boys: Oliver Sharpe
• U18 Girls: Madelaine Siebert

2023 Swimming Records

Congratulations to the following students who set new College swimming records this year:

• U13 Boys: Isaac Mulligan (100m breaststroke — 1:34.39)
• U13 Boys: Jack Solman (100m backstroke — 1:25.68)
• U13 Girls: Mya Poptie (100m backstroke — 1:28.01)
• U15 Girls: Keiko Bond-Sheehan (100m backstroke — 1:19.39)
• U18 Boys: Oliver Sharpe (200m freestyle — 2:11.21)
• U18 Girls: Madelaine Siebert (200m freestyle — 2:24.60; 100m freestyle — 1:06.20; 50m butterfly — 32:52; 100m backstroke — 1:23.06; 100m butterfly — 1:18.03)

Diocesan Individual Touch Football Trials

The Diocesan Touch Football Trials for under 15 and Open Girls and Boys were held at Coffs Harbour Tuesday 21 February. Well done to the following students who were selected to trial:

• U15 Girls: Amalia Anderson, Zali Raudonikis
• U15 Boys: Zane Close, Luka Stone, Harry Ranyard
• Open Girls: Maddison Kennedy, Madelaine Alexander

Diocesan Touch Football Selections

Congratulations to the following players who were selected in the Diocesan representative teams and now travel to Wagga Wagga on 4 April for possible selection in the NSWCCC teams.

• U15 Girls: Zali Raudonikis
• U15 Boys: Harry Ranyard
• Open Girls: Madeleine Alexander

2022 Bill Turner Cup

The 2022 Bill Turner Cup U15 Boys Football team were presented with their Medallions for being the North Coast winners and eventually placing 6th in the National competition. What an incredible result.

NSWCCC Rugby Discovery Day

This is a new event that will be held on Monday 6 March at the Coffs Harbour Snappers Rugby Club. See Mr Pat Kennedy if you are interested.

Individual Student Achievements

Congratulations to Kai Dalli who has been invited to umpire for the NSW PSSA Boys cricket carnival in the Ballina and Lismore areas for all 4 days of the carnival, from Tuesday 7 March to Friday 10 March.  This carnival is very prestigious and involves students from public, catholic and independent schools from all over NSW. From matches, they select a NSW All Schools team to compete at the National Titles later in the year.

Congratulations to Jake Hamilton who was recently selected in the NSW State Hockey team. What an amazing achievement.

Reminders

Sport Uniform

Students are required to wear the correct sports uniform when representing the College in sports or when participating in Integrated Sport. This includes the College hat/cap, predominantly white or black sports shoes with jogger soles, navy striped socks, correct shorts (not rolled up at the top), and the red polo shirt.

Yrs 7/8 and 9/10 Integrated Sport

The Term 1 Integrated Sport Calendars can be found on the College website under the Co-Curricular link. Students will be informed of expectations by their Integrated Sport teacher.

College Website – Sport Link

When visiting the College Website, please use the Co-Curricular Link and then the Sport Link to find:

• Integrated Sport Term 1 calendars
• 2023 NRCC Draw
• Contact Sport Permission
• Swimwear Policy
• Sports Shoe Policy
• Lismore Diocesan Sport website
• NSWCCC (CSNSW) website
• School Sport NSW website

Mouthguards

Mouthguards are compulsory for all contact training/sports including Rugby League, Rugby Union, AFL and Hockey. The 2023 Contact Sport permission note Google Form has been emailed to all parents via Compass.

NSWCCC (CSNSW) Representative Sporting Links (these are not XCC Teams)

Students who are interested in nominating to trial for ‘Individual’ NSWCCC Representative Sports should use the following link and read all of the associated information carefully with your parent/guardian: https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc-secondary/nswccc

Mr Pat Kennedy & Mr Russell Asser

Canteen News – Term 1 2023

Volunteering in the 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 to the Canteen where you can prepare 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 on how busy the day is.
• If you cannot 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.
• Reminder: All Canteen volunteers need a volunteer Working With Children Check before starting with us. This is free for volunteers, and you can apply via Service NSW. 
  

Canteen Roster: Weeks 5 and 6

Mrs Denise Barnard
Canteen Supervisor

College News

NAPLAN

The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses important skills that each child needs to succeed in school and life. The NAPLAN tests are designed to help us make sure students are on track with their literacy and numeracy development individually — but, more importantly, as part of their school community and against national standards.

At Xavier Catholic College, students in Years 7 and 9 will participate in the four domains of:

• writing
• reading
• conventions of language (spelling, grammar, and punctuation), and 
• numeracy.

NAPLAN begins on Wednesday 15 March 2023.

​Please note there is an opportunity for catch-up tests; however, this is limited during the testing period.

Essential equipment requirements: 

• A fully-charged laptop
• Wired earphones (AirPods/wireless earbuds are not supported on this platform). 
  • Example of wired earphones (Kmart)

Preparation for NAPLAN
Familiarisation activities will be conducted on Monday 27 February (Year 7: Periods 1-2; Year 9: Periods 3-4). Students will also have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with NAPLAN-style questions, expectations and procedures during regular English and Mathematics classes. These activities are designed to:

• ensure all students are familiar with the online platform
• test the lockdown browser (LDB on all individual Chromebooks, providing a secure learning environment and is essential)
• test students' earphones, and
• test the school's internet capabilities.

How can I support my child?
Ask:

• Does my child have a fully charged computer and wired earphones?
• Has my child engaged in all familiarisation activities (particularly Monday 27 March) and had the opportunity to visit the public demonstration site?
• Does my child understand that NAPLAN is a great teaching and learning tool that can be used within the school community to further develop literacy and numeracy skills?

For more information, visit the links below:

• How to support your child during NAPLAN
• Information for parents and carers
• FAQs about NAPLAN
• NAPLAN Brochure for Parents (attached)

You can also subscribe to ACARA's monthly parent newsletter, Parent Update.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Louise Sim (Literacy Coordinator) or Susan Horvath (Numeracy Coordinator).

Community News