Newsletter 6: Friday 5 May 2023

For the Calendar

• Thursday 11 May: Year 11 and 12 Parent Teacher Interviews (3:45pm - 6:30pm)
• Friday 12 May: Tell Them From Me Parent Surveys close
• Monday 15 May: Year 11 2024 Subject Selection Information (Parent Information Session at 6pm)
  
• Thursday 18 May: Parent Group Meeting (6pm - 7pm)
• Monday 29 May: Reconciliation Week begins
• Wednesday 31 May: Professional Learning Day – Student Free Day
  
• Friday 2 June: Year 11 Reports available via Compass

To see all important dates each term, view our live term planners here.

Principal's Message

From Mr Lewis

Dear Parents, Students and Staff,

‘Above all, maintain constant love for one another.’ 1 Peter 4:8

It’s Great to be Back

At the conclusion of the 2022 school year, I wrote to you all about my intended leave for the entirety of Term 1, 2023. During that time I have had a wonderful and generously supported opportunity to replenish the tanks and find a new vigour for my work. I am delighted to say that this time has been revitalising and renewing, and has given me a spark that had been diminishing in previous years. Over this term, I am also delighted to note that Mr Ryan Campbell will remain on as operational Principal whilst I will take on the challenge of implementing the commencement of our School Annual  Improvement Plan - an instrument that was developed in no small way by the input and feedback from our parent group.

The Catholic Schools Office in Lismore has shown great foresight and pastoral care for me and this College by way of this arrangement. Mr Campbell has done a wonderful job in my absence and I know his presence here has had a stabilising effect on the entire faculty and students. I thank you, the parent body, for the way you have supported him during his time here. 

I look forward to my opportunities as part of the School Annual Improvement Plan process, of speaking with parent groups and getting your feedback, wisdom and insight to continue to propel the College on our positive journey forward.

Mr Kevin Lewis
Principal

From Mr Campbell

Welcome back to Term 2! It has been great to have the students back at our amazing College. This term has already been action-packed, with a number of opportunities for students to participate in practical learning, cultural and sporting activities. As we share with students regularly, Xavier is a school of opportunities. I hope that throughout this newsletter you are able to experience a little of what our students experience during their time here.

Tell Them From Me

Last term I shared with parents our annual goals for 2023. These goals were informed by the feedback shared by students, parents and staff via the ‘Tell Them From Me’ survey. Early last week, we again shared with parents a link to complete this survey. Thank you to those parents/caregivers who have provided feedback by completing the survey. I would like to encourage all families to complete this survey, so the school can be well informed on the greatest needs for the school moving into the future. The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. I appreciate each family making this a priority. The survey closes at 4:30pm on Friday 12 May.

Parent Assembly Meeting

Next Thursday 18 May, we will be hosting our second Parent Assembly meeting of the year. All parents/carers are invited to attend this evening to collaborate and co-design our school's future. Please see the flyer below if you would like further information. We will be gathering parent voice on the uniform and phone policy moving into the future. We look forward to sharing this time together.

Annual Plan

Our annual plan, found here, is being worked on each day to ensure that we have made some improvements before the end of the year. As we progress, we look forward to sharing our learnings through the process and keeping parents informed.

Year 12 Café

I was fortunate enough to reserve a seat at the Year 12 Café on Thursday and experience the wonderful service and food. The Year 12 Café prepared a beautiful environment for staff and students to enjoy the delicious pork sliders, wedges, milkshakes, hot chocolate, coffee, sticky date pudding and a Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream. Congratulations to all the students on preparing this experience for our staff and students. The food was amazing and I would recommend the perfect sticky date pudding dessert. 

NSWCCC Rugby Union Selection

I have continued to be amazed at the achievements of individual students at our College. For a small regional school, our students perform and compete against the best in the state and achieve great things. I would like to congratulate four boys — Oscar Godwin, William Picker, Matthew Page and Jack Moyle — who have all been selected for the NSW CCC Rugby Union Team. This is an amazing achievement for the boys and also the College to have four boys in this team. I would also like to acknowledge the commitment of the parents/carers of these boys who no doubt have travelled many kilometres to training, games and different carnivals so each student can excel and follow their passion. Thanks also to all the school coaches and Pat Kennedy for supporting each boy. We look forward to sharing how the boys progress in the next stage of selection for the NSW All Schools Team. 

HSC Drama Workshop

Last Wednesday our Year 12 Drama students participated in the HSC Drama Workshop. This day assists students with key learnings relating to their performances and provides an opportunity to learn from other Drama teachers and experts. Well done to all the students for engaging in this practical learning and to Mrs Hodges for organising this event.

Open Girls Football (Soccer)

A huge congratulations to the Xavier Open Girls Football Team who have won the Dio competition and now progress to the next stage. We wish them all the best in their next match.

Student Achievements

We are extremely blessed to have so many talented students at our College and it is hard to keep up with all the successes. I would like to ensure that all students are acknowledged for their successes. We have developed a Google Form that parents/carers can complete to notify us of these achievements. If you have something we should celebrate, please complete the form here so we can interview them during the weekly wrap, at assemblies or in our newsletter.

Thanks again for your ongoing support and we look forward to seeing you throughout the term.

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 & Teaching

Welcome back to Term 2 and a special welcome to new students and families who have joined the College community.

Staff Professional Learning — Whole School Literacy Goal

Staff at Xavier Catholic College are a Professional Learning Community and regularly participate in professional development focused on data-informed goals to improve student learning outcomes. On Monday 24 April, all teaching staff engaged in a professional learning day centred on evidence-based strategies to improve literacy outcomes.  This year, our work will focus on improving reading outcomes. 

In the coming week, our staff will work with visiting educational expert Janelle Dickman to deepen their understanding of cycles of inquiry and the methodology of effective Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) to plan and implement the NSW Curriculum. Additionally, staff will engage in Learning Walks this week, where teachers visit classrooms to share their practice and model literacy strategies in action in the classroom. We are fortunate to have a highly professional and dedicated team of teachers who work collaboratively to maximise learning growth for students at Xavier Catholic College.

ANZAC Day March

Our College Captains represented Xavier Catholic College in the ANZAC Day march in Ballina. It was wonderful to see so many people in our local community join together to respectfully acknowledge and commemorate the effort of our Australian armed service men and women. 

Lest we forget.

Parent/Teacher Evening

This term, we are holding a Parent/Teacher Evening for families with students in Years 11 and 12. Students are encouraged to attend the interviews as a way to receive feedback on their learning. The interviews will be on Thursday 11 May from 3:45pm to 6:30pm in the Magis Centre. Bookings may be made via Compass.

Year 11 2024 Information Evening

We warmly invite all parents and guardians of Year 10 students to attend the Year 11 Parent Information Evening on Monday 15 May. This information session will be held in the Magis Centre to outline the requirements for the award of the HSC. The evening is designed to assist parents and guardians to support their students as they discern subject selections for their senior pattern of study.  Year 10 students will be provided with this information at school earlier in the day. We look forward to continuing to develop our family and school partnership.

Term 2 Assessment Calendars

Please be reminded that year-level Assessment Calendars are available on the College Website under the Curriculum tab/Assessment Information. These calendars serve as a valuable point of reference to open up discussions at home around learning and upcoming assessment tasks. Please highlight due dates for submission of all tasks. All assessment tasks are accompanied by a detailed task notification and marking criteria accessible on Google Classrooms for each subject area.

Absence from Assessment Procedures (Years 10-12)

If your child is unable to complete an assessment task due to illness or requires special consideration due to individual circumstances, please encourage them to speak with their classroom teacher or the relevant Leader of Learning. They should also submit a response to the Absence from Assessment & Request For Special Consideration form. 

Please note that your child must submit the form using their school login details. Parents are unable to submit on behalf of their children.

Please consult the Assessment Booklet on the website (under Learning tab/Assessment Information) for further information on assessment procedures.

Year 12 Reports

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate our Year 12 students on their commitment to learning this year. Year 12 Mid-Course reports will be available via Compas on Friday 5 May after 4.00pm. Report comments provided by teachers provide commendations and recommendations which can be used to acknowledge students' strengths and provide opportunities for continued learning growth as they work towards achieving their HSC credential.

Year 11 Reports

Year 11 Progress Reports will be available on 2 June via Compass.

Ms Carmel Zuino

Assistant Principal: Mission

Term 2 Focus: Acceptance

Our Term 2 focus for Pastoral Care activities is 'Acceptance', which ties in with our overarching theme for the year, ‘Better Together’. As we navigate through our lives, we often find ourselves sticking to what we know and the people we are familiar with. However, in doing so, we may miss out on opportunities for personal growth and a deeper understanding of the world around us. We may also miss opportunities to strengthen our community and culture to be ‘Better Together’ in the most positive and nurturing ways.

This is where the theme of 'Acceptance' comes into play. It's important to recognize that everyone has their own set of beliefs and values, and that's okay. By accepting people's differences, we can create a more inclusive and tolerant society. This means not judging others based on their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, interests or any other characteristic that makes them unique. Instead, we should celebrate our differences and learn from each other's unique perspectives.

Throughout Term 2, we will be focusing on how we can foster a culture of acceptance within our college community. We will be encouraging students to step outside of their comfort zones and engage with people who may have different backgrounds, interests and experiences. By doing so, we hope to create an environment that is more welcoming, inclusive, and supportive for all. A community that is not afraid of difference, understanding that acceptance of diversity will only strengthen our culture. We look forward to exploring this theme further in Term 2 and working together to create a more accepting and supportive College community.

Accessing Student Behaviour Notes via Compass

We hope that the introduction of the new Compass software has been a helpful change for parents this year in terms of communication from the college. This platform allows parents to access important information such as timetables, attendance and events information. However, we also want to make parents aware that by going to the Browser View and clicking on their child's profile, they can access the chronicle of merits and/or behavioural notes that teachers have made throughout the year so far. This provides valuable insight into their child's progress and behaviour, and we encourage parents to take advantage of this feature to stay informed and engaged in their child's education.

Uniform Review Update

Thank you to everyone (staff, students and parents) who completed our survey regarding our current uniform. The Uniform review committee is busily working through this data to formulate recommendations to the College Executive and begin working with The School Locker regarding any changes/modifications that may be required. We would like to advise that a change/modification is a slow process (between 1-2 years) as we need to work with The School Locker around timelines to ensure they are not left with surplus stock. Additionally, the head office of The School Locker has been advised of our review process but they are still required to have adequate supplies of current uniform items (including Xavier tracksuit pants) available for our students to purchase.

Mr Peter Fear

Catechesis & Evangelisation

Applications now open for the Diocesan SHINE Gathering!

Shine is the largest of the annual Youth Gatherings organised by the Diocese of Lismore.  It is held annually in Coffs Harbour. It is an overnight gathering of Youth Ministry Classes and Senior Ministry Team leaders from across our diocese. Shine offers students an opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ and the Church, to experience dynamic faith, to be equipped for ministry and living the Christian life, and to be empowered to impact the Church and the world. It is an opportunity to gather and share an experience of faith.

All Year 10 Youth Ministry students are expected to attend SHINE. Parents of these Year 10 students will have already received Compass notifications of this event.  Students in Years 9, 11 and 12 are also welcome to apply to represent Xavier Catholic College at Shine. Year 9 students who can demonstrate an interest in Ministry activities are invited to apply. Senior students, typically those who are active in the Senior Ministry Team, are invited to attend Shine as Small Group Leaders.  

For students in Years 9, 11 and 12, Shine is an optional event. 

The 2023 Shine gathering will be held on Thursday 24th August and Friday 25th August. Consent, medical information and a $50 co-payment are required from applicants very soon. This very early submission date is required because of the scale of the Shine event and the very busy schedule of Youth Gatherings currently being organised by the Catholic Schools Office. Applications for Shine from students in Years 9, 11 and 12 are due by Friday 12th May.  

Students and parents can learn more about Shine from this video link: Shine video 2022.

Students in Years 9, 11 and 12 can apply to attend Shine via the 2023 Shine Application Form.

Applications now open for the Diocesan Street Retreat!

Street Retreat is the smallest of the Lismore Diocesan Discipleship Gatherings.  The 2023 Street Retreat runs across four nights and three days: Thursday 22nd June until Sunday afternoon 25th June. 

Only Year 11 students can apply for Street Retreat.  Spaces are limited to just a handful from each school.

The participants in Street Retreat spend four days and three nights in Brisbane working with ministries connected to the poor and marginalised. It is a very challenging but also inspiring event. Some of the activities included helping out with late night or early morning food vans for homeless people, working in soup kitchens run by the Salvos or hostels run by Vinnies, or sheltered workshops with disabled adults or refugee centres.

Students and parents can learn more about Street Retreat from this video link: Street Retreat 2021.

Applications to represent Xavier Catholic College at the 2023 Street Retreat are open.  Applications close on Friday 19th May.  Students apply via the 2023 Street Retreat Application Form

Mission Network Meeting

Ms Brown, Mr Eyles, and Dr Beveridge travelled to St Joseph’s College Banora Point on Thursday, 27th April for our Mission Network Meeting. Dr Beveridge led a session about how AI technology can be used in the Religious Education faculty by students and teachers. She also spoke about our amazing HSC results, the Composite Model for Scripture, and a Diocese Religious Education Google site. Dr Beveridge travelled to Coffs Harbour on Friday to meet with colleagues from the southern end of the Diocese and share with them the same information. 

Wellbeing

Welcome back to Term 2! It has been pleasing to see and hear from students who are regaling us with their accounts of holiday periods spent in ‘freedom’ with family. The overwhelming majority of students appeared to be happy to return to school; to see friends, to get back to routine, and even to get stuck back into learning! The second term of any school year always delivers on being full to the brim with activities, assessments and all the wonderful things that make up the rich tapestry of life as a high school student. 

With many students engaged in so many different activities, it is important to maintain a calm and safe environment at home that promotes conversation and gives ample opportunity to share any grievances, concerns, joys and successes that may arise. To aid in this process I include two resources from the Catholic Schools Office Pastoral Care Team that are simple guidelines that can assist in creating open homes that contribute to positive family dynamics:

• Check-in Family Document
• Student Wellbeing Document

Winter Uniform

We saw the 2023 Winter Uniform season commence in Week 2 and I wish to commend the students for the way in which they have taken to the different threads. The vast majority of students are wearing this uniform well, exhibiting great pride in the College in doing so. I include below links to the College website that provide details of the correct uniform items. If you have any questions about what your child should be wearing, please contact me at any time.

• College Junior Winter Uniform
• College Senior Uniform

The Welfare Team will be focusing on maintaining high standards of uniforms in the coming weeks. It is greatly appreciated when this work is supported by parents and carers by expecting that your child leaves home wearing the correct uniform each day. If you would like any clarification on matters of uniform, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Online Safety & Safe Gaming

Navigating the online world is a space that requires guidance and trust within families. Many parents express concern about the amount of screen time their children engage in. In addition to this, the games and activities that young people access are often outside of the experience of parents. This can lead to adversarial conversations about usage, something that education may be able to lessen within the home. Below is a link to a webinar offered by the E-safety Commissioner, sponsored by the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT entitled ‘Getting the Most out of Gaming’. 

This 45-minute webinar provides families with strategies for supporting children and young people to have safe, positive experiences when playing games online. It is designed for parents and carers of children aged 7 to 14.

It will cover:   

- when gaming can be beneficial and strategies to promote better in-game experiences

- how to keep children safe online – using safety and privacy settings in games and platforms

- strategies to promote more balanced gaming and how to create smoother transitions from game-play to other activities

- the key online risks and where to find help for things like bullying and harassment in games. (e-safety Commissioner, 2023)

If you are interested in participating, you can register via this LINK.

Attendance

Many families will have received letters last term regarding the attendance percentage of their children. This is a mandated requirement of the Education Act 1990 (NSW Government). This legislation says: “Once enrolled, children are required to attend school each day it is open for students”. The letters sent by the College Attendance Officer ensures that the College is upholding our end of the obligation to ensure that children attend school. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please do not hesitate to contact the relevant Head of House or me to work in partnership to improve the educational outcomes of our young people.

I appreciate you reading this article and, as always, invite you to contact me if you have any queries or concerns. On behalf of the College Welfare Team, thank you for your ongoing support in the education of our wonderful students at Xavier Catholic College.

Mr Nick Jones
Leader of Pastoral Care

From our Student Support Worker

At the end of last term, I asked students to write or draw in a puzzle piece about what makes them unique. There was not one student who did not want to contribute. I explained to the students how these puzzle pieces would still go together even though they were all different. The end result, Our differences fit together to make us invincible, is on display near my space where you find the counsellors.

Again I am blown away by how our students approach every task I ask of them. 

Ms Rennae Reilly
Student Support Worker

Learning & Teaching

Reading in the Middle Years: It Kisses as It Bites

The hashtag ‘BookTok’ is going viral on TikTok. According to reports young adolescents are reading more than ever, inspired by social media and the ability to comment on the books they are reading. A survey found that there was an increase of 24% in the amount of books read in the 2021-2022 year.

It shows us the power of social media, the way it can tap into human potential and the social instinct, drawing in tribes of readers and inspiring them to read, write, comment and like.

Sounds great, right? However, the report (as reports always do) provides a cautionary note. Readers in the middle years get stuck reading books sometimes four years beneath their reading level.

These are critical years in the ‘learning to read’ growth curve, a time when there should be maximum growth. The challenge may be in the lack of quality choices – they seem to be returning to childhood favourites. However, there could be something else.

Vocabulary knowledge and comprehension are what are called ‘unconstrained skills’. That is, the learning never ends. By contrast, there are 26 letters in the alphabet. So the challenge is to engage young readers in challenging texts and to support them through the struggle or ‘desirable difficulties’.

How to do this?

Xavier Catholic College teachers have been engaging in professional learning to support our new learning goal – reading. But how can our parents and community support the effort?

The book I am currently reading, and can highly recommend to parents and adults in our community, is Daniel Willingham’s Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make it Easy.

How can I summarise the strategies he supports?

1. Be curious about words and language, and encourage ‘word consciousness’.
2. Challenge the shallow skimming approach that the online culture encourages – encourage deep reading.
3. Challenge overconfidence and explore a range of perspectives in reading as well as conversation.
4. Note-taking and reflection – a simple ‘What did you learn in Science class today?’ will encourage the important shift from short-term memory to long-term memory. Then, encourage simple note-taking (we recommend the Cornell method) or journaling to embed the habit.

Learning is hard, but it needs to be. If we can master the skills of learning to read, then we can read to learn and then have the gift of a lifetime. It can be hard, but remind them – it kisses as it bites.

Yours in reading, etc.

Mr James Gordon
Leader of Pedagogy

Images below: XCC's staff participating in professional learning on our first day back in Term 2!

Faculty News

Creative Arts: Visual Arts

We are excited to announce that our school has been chosen to be part of the Sydney Catholic Schools Visual Arts Initiative, the REGIONAL ARTS CULTURAL EXCHANGE FORUM. This program offers a unique opportunity for regional diocesan art students to engage in a collaborative experience, fostering meaningful conversations and bringing together artists from different schools to promote learning, knowledge sharing, and the creation of collaborative artwork.

Xavier Catholic College students selected to participate in the program are:

Year 10: Ayla Calnan, Amelia Paulsen, Piper Wallce, Elizabeth Licheri, Anya Pilcher, Indigo Grey.

Year 8: Lily Calnan, Felix Burnett.

XCC Teacher: Ms Jasmin Rogers

The program will consist of interactive ZOOM seminars, featuring live presentations and workshops led by the CAPA Education Officer and the Artist-in-Residence. These workshops will take place over the course of Terms 2, 3, and 4, and will allow students to participate in real-time discussions, video chats, file-sharing, and question-and-answer sessions while creating artwork. 

Students will work with the Sydney Catholic Schools Artist-in-Residence and have the opportunity to vote on their preferred collaborative project. Each school will contribute to the final artwork, which will be unveiled at World Square and then displayed at participating schools and Catholic Dioceses Offices. The Sydney Catholic schools, in consultation with Education Officers, will support resource provision for all schools to participate.

Through this program, students will have the chance to learn about new artists and techniques, expand their knowledge and technical skills in art, and contribute to a collaborative artwork that showcases their creativity. All programs have been carefully curated by the Education Officer, Helen Landas, and are ready for implementation.

I look forward to working with these students on this exciting creative and collaborative opportunity.

Ms Jasmin Rogers
Visual Arts Teacher

Sport News

2023 Fun Run and Cross Country

Fun Run

On Thursday 6 April, students competed in the 2023 Cross Country Carnival. Both the Fun Run and Championships started at the southern end of Angels Beach, ran north to Flat Rock then along Sharpes Beach to the Headlands Reserve.

Fun Runners had 25 minutes to make it to Headlands Reserve in order to get a House Point.

2023 Cross Country House Shield Results:

• MacKillop: 6th place (31 points)
• Ignatius: 5th place (33 points)
• McAuley: 4th place (37 points)
• Nagle: 3rd place (38 points)
• Faber: 2nd place (41 points)
• Campion: 1st place (51 points)

Championship Cross Country

Seventy runners competed for Age Champion and a top 6 place to be eligible for Diocesan Cross Country at Grafton on Friday 19th May. Championship runners also had to deal with ‘heartbreak hill’ after running the beaches. Congratulations to the following Age Champions:

• U12 Girls    Andee Blackler
• U12 Boys     Max Sharpe
• U13 Girls    Abigail Matthews
• U13 Boys     Will Schmid
• U14 Girls     Skye Dogan
• U14 Boys     Calvin Greely
• U15 Girls     Marli Francis
• U15 Boys     Ben Smith
• U16 Girls    Ruby Yantsch
• U16 Boys     Tyler Dogan
• U17 Girls     Niamh Sharpe
• U17 Boys     Kurt Cruden
• U18 Girls    Mia Viel
• U18 Boys     Tom Tullett
  

Cross Country Age Champions

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Diocesan Opens Football 

The Diocesan Opens Football Carnival was held at the Lismore Thistles Football Club on Tuesday 4 April. Well done to the Open Boys who were Runners Up in their pool. Congratulations to the Open Girls who won their pool and then went on to win a thrilling final after a penalty shootout. Special mention to goalkeeper Breeana Atlee for her efforts. The girls now travel to Coffs Harbour on Friday 5 May to take on the winners of the southern Diocesan carnival. Best of luck.

Bill Turner Cup Round 2 vs Richmond Christian College

The 2023 Bill Turner Cup season is off to a good start with a solid 2 - 0 win over Richmond Christian College. After a tight 0-0 first half the boys' teamwork and flair came through in the second half with nice goals from Archie Power and Max Groves. The boys now play Byron Bay High in Round 3 at Xavier on Friday 12 May. 

NRCC Rugby League at Casino

On 18 April the U14s and U16s Rugby League teams travelled out to Casino for the NRCC Rugby League competition against 7 other Catholic Schools in the Diocese.

The U14s Boys had a close loss to St Mary’s 3 tries to 2, and a draw with St Joseph’s 2 tries all. Big efforts from Lex Izzard and Levi Saad who combined to score some great tries in the matches. Unfortunately, they missed out on the final.

U16s Boys had a strong win over St Mary’s 3 tries to 1, and a convincing win over St Joseph’s 5 tries to 0. Unfortunately, the boys lost the Final to Woodlawn 3 tries to 0. Special mention to Kai Saric who scored tries in both matches. 

NRCC Volleyball at Casino

The U14 Girls had a fun day of Volleyball, working well together as a newly formed team.  

The U16 girls all played so well. They won every pool game advancing to the Grand Final. They played amazingly well against St Mary's Casino, with the score being 25/25 at full time.  Unfortunately, the girls ended up losing to Casino in overtime. 

NSWCCC Touch Football at Wagga

Congratulations to Zali Raudoikis and Harry Ranyard for representing the Lismore Diocese at the NSWCCC Touch Football Carnival at Wagga in early April. Zali and Harry were both competing as 13 year olds in the U15s, which is a fantastic achievement.

NSWCCC Rugby League Selections at Smithtown

The Northern CCC Rugby League Trials were held at Smithtown on the 28th and 29th March. Congratulations to the following boys who were selected to go through to the NSWCCC selections at St Mary’s Sydney.

• Under 15s: Jett Flatley
• Opens: Mathew Page, Fynn Jonsson

NSWCCC Rugby Selections in Sydney

On Anzac Day, seven boys travelled to Sydney for NSWCCC Rugby trials. They were amongst 100 U16 and 80 U18 NSW Catholic Schools Rugby potentials, all vying for a spot in the NSWCCC teams. 

The students representing the 18s were Mathew Page, Will Picken, Jack Mundey, Jack Moyle, Henry Thompson and Oscar Godwin, and Jonah Verus was competing in the 16s division. It was a day of top level rugby and some hard hitting games. There was absolutely nothing left on the sideline as the boys put everything they had into their A game for some spectacular rugby to watch. It truly was great footy. 

After the final whistles and the selectors deliberations, the following students were selected in the 2023 NSWCCC Rugby Union Teams:

• Oscar Godwin (18s) 
• Jack Moyle (18s)
• Mathew Page (18s) 
• Will Picken (18s)
• Jonah Verus (16s)

The teams will now play a series of games in Sydney over the coming two months against NSW Combined High Schools (CHS), AICES (Independent) Schools, and ISA (independent sporting) Schools before the NSW All School Selections in late June, also in Sydney. 

Congratulations to all the boys that attended the trials for their outstanding representation of the College and the best of luck to the boys that have made it through to the next level. 

AFL Queensland Schools Cup Yrs 7 - 9

The Northern Rivers All Schools AFL Yrs 7 - 9 Gala Day was held at the Cavanbah Centre, Byron Bay on Wednesday 3rd May. 

Junior Girls, with only one weekend club player in the team the girls had trained very hard but were also very inexperienced. 

• Game 1 vs St Joseph’s, the girls were a bit hesitant and were narrowly defeated by 19 points to 6. Goal scorer: Lara Sawkins
• Game 2 vs Mt St Pat’s, the girls found their confidence and won by 14 points to 8. 

Goal scorer: Heidi Grimster x 2. Point scorers: Layla Ross and Heidi Grimster.

• Game 3 vs Kingscliff, the girls showed fantastic teamwork skills and won by 21 points to 0. Goal scorers: Heidi Grimster, Cedar Pick and Isabella Clarson. Point scorers: Candice Pinto and Layla Ross x 2.

Players Player was team captain Heidie Grimster, followed by Cedar Pick, Sarah Jones and Layla Ross.

Coaches 3 points Heidi Grimster, 2 points Cedar Pick, 1 point Sarah Jones.

Congratulations to all the girls on coming equal second today, your commitment to training and the way you improved in matches. You should be very proud of yourselves.

Pat Kennedy

Junior Boys

The Junior boys were the only boys team who had to play four pool matches and then a final, which equated to 2.5 hours of footy.

• Game 1 vs Mt St Pat’s the boys won 31 points to 14
• Game 2 vs Kingscliff, the boys won 45 points to 7.
• Game 3 vs Lindisfarne the boys hit the wall and were defeated 3 points to 45.
• Game 4 vs St Joseph’s, the boys were narrowly defeated 12 points to 13.
• Final vs Lindisfarne, the boys were worn out and were defeated 6 points to 24.

Mark of the Day: Koby McLoughlin

Goal of the Day: Oscar Klose

Harper Faulks and Archer Klose combined for some pleasing goals. Congratulations to all the boys on being runners up today and the way you represented the College.

Individual Achievements

Alexander Crimmins recently competed at the 2023 Australian Track and Field Championships. In an amazing performance he placed 5th in the Under 18 Boys Triple Jump with a leap of 13.53 metres. Congratulations Alex!

Blake Walsh has been nominated by Tenpin Bowling Australia and Tenpin NSW for the 2023 Commonwealth Games Australia NSW Athlete Grant. He will be recognised at the Sydney BowlFest (Junior Sydney Cup and Youth Sydney Cup) and acknowledged in front of his peers. Australian open bowler Jarrod Langford, has dubbed Blake as “the best bowler for his age I have ever seen.” Blake has finished with several podiums in nationally-ranked events over the last few years, after winning his first-ranked event at the Queensland Junior Cup in 2021. He was also invited to compete in the inaugural Tenpin Premier League in 2022 and represented Australia in the tour of New Zealand, where he claimed an astonishing 10 medals for the country. Congratulations Blake on your amazing achievements!

Mr Pat Kennedy
Leader of Sport

College News

Silent Reading Program

We are excited to announce the launch of our new silent reading program at Xavier Catholic College. Every Tuesday, we dedicate 20 minutes of the school day to silent reading. Students can choose a book from our extensive library or bring their own book from home to read.

We believe that silent reading is an essential part of developing your reading comprehension skills and imagination. By taking the time to read, you will not only improve your vocabulary and grammar, but you will also enhance your ability to understand complex concepts and ideas. Additionally, reading for pleasure can help you develop your imagination and creativity, which are essential skills for success in many fields.

Silent reading has also been shown to reduce stress levels and improve focus and concentration, making it a valuable addition to your school day. By participating in this program, you will have the opportunity to explore different genres and authors and discover new worlds through the pages of a book.

We encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity to improve their reading skills and engage their imagination. Let's work together to create a culture of reading in our school. We hope you enjoy this renewed initiative and make the most of your reading time every Tuesday.

Thank you!

Mrs Louise Sim & Mrs Susan Horvath
Literacy and Numeracy Coordinators

Canteen News – Term 2 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. 

View our live Term 2 Canteen Roster here.

Mrs Denise Barnard
Canteen Supervisor

Community News

An Invitation to Grandcarers

If you are a grandcarer who looks after your grandchildren full-time, DAISI Services is here to support you in your important role of helping your grandchild or grandchildren reach their potential.

The Grandcarer Project, an established group, is ready to welcome you. 

Frequency: The first Monday of every month (3/4/23, 1/5/23, 5/6/23, 7/8/23, 4/9/23, 6/11/23)

Time: 11:30am – 1:00pm, with lunch provided

Venue: Ballina Masonic Hall, 56 Cherry St, Ballina

Please contact Sue Hetherington on 0491 065 906 or gc.sue@daisi.asn.au for more information.