1455 Ignatian Newsletter - Friday 10 December 2021
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Dear Members of the Loyola College Community,
This is the final newsletter for the school year and there are many interesting events to share with the College community. This year has ended on a very positive note for all the remaining year levels with Masses and celebratory events. The final week for staff has been very busy with finalising Semester Reports, meetings to plan for 2022 and the induction of new staff.
Food Truck and Carols Evening
This event was held on Friday evening of last week and was a resounding success with over 400 in attendance. The atmosphere was very festive indeed and enjoyed on a pleasant Melbourne evening. The choirs and musicians performed wonderfully in front of the Old Loyola tower which was lit up in Christmas lights on the evening. I thank Mr O’Keeffe, Mrs Alonso, Ms Taylor and the Loyola Parents and Friends Association for all their hard work. It was a splendid way to launch the Christmas season.
Annual Awards Evening
This was held on the evening of Friday 3 December in the Loyola Companions Hall Over 200 students received awards at the event attended by many families, Loyola staff and students. Our special guest this year was Julian Hetyey, Associate Judge, Supreme Court of Victoria, Loyola alumni (L: 90-95) who shared a reflection on his career journey as well as his time as a student at Loyola. He encouraged the students to do their very best and complimented them on their achievements despite the pandemic. I thank Mr O’Keeffe, Director of College and Community Engagement, for overseeing the organisation of the evening. I congratulate the recipients of all awards and in particular the recipients of the following four very important awards presented at this ceremony:
Insignis Medal 2021
This is the highest award a Loyola student can receive and is presented annually to a Year 12 student. The medal is awarded to a student whom St Ignatius would have happily had as one of his companions. This year we congratulate Calista Nguyen on being the recipient of the Insignis Medal. Calista has been a wonderful ambassador for Loyola during her time at the College and is a worthy recipient of this award.
College Medals 2021
St Ignatius Medal
This medal is awarded to a current or former student who has given service in a pastoral or leadership capacity and has shown loyalty and commitment to the College throughout his/her time as a student.
This year’s recipient is Kristian Ambrose (L: 14-19)
Loyola Medal
This medal will be awarded to a current or former staff member, Canonical Administrator or chaplain who has given service in a pastoral or professional capacity and has shown loyalty and commitment to the College for an extended period of time.
This year’s recipient is Mr Geoff Wambeek (L: 06; 08-21)
Jesuit Medal
This medal will be awarded to a current or former parent or College friend who has given service in a pastoral, professional or leadership capacity and has shown loyalty and commitment to the College for an extended period of time.
This year’s recipient is Mrs Denise Cecchin
VCE/VCAL Results of the Class of 2021
At the time of writing, this year’s Year 12 results have not yet been published. A full report will be given in the first newsletter of 2022. We wish all our students the best of luck when the results are announced on 16 December.
The Conversation magazine
This year’s College magazine was sent home with Years 7-9 students last week and will be posted home to remaining year levels. Congratulations to Mr O’Keeffe and Ms Del Re for all their hard work in producing this year’s magazine.
Staffing Matters
At this time of the year we farewell staff who are leaving the College. We thank them for their contribution to the life of Loyola and wish them well for the future.
The following staff will complete contract positions:
Mr Bland, Mr Corcoran, Mrs Groom, Miss Mathewes, Mrs McDonnell, Mr Roscioli, Mr Verite.
The following staff will be resigning from the College:
Dr Barisonzi (L: 20), Mr Baxter (L: 16), Mr Falcone (L: 18), Miss Johnson (L: 20), Mrs McLeod (L: 17) and Mr Rujak (L: 21).
I wish to acknowledge long serving staff members who are leaving our community. Mrs Bezzina (L: 11), Mr Fragapane (L: 03), Ms Keating (L: 11), Mr Miller (L: 08), Ms Swift (L: 12) and Ms Thompson (L: 13) who have all been at the College for a significant number of years. I thank them for their loyalty to our Loyola community, for their ongoing dedication, care and hard work given over many years.
I wish those staff leaving every blessing as they move to other schools or pursue other interests.
A full list of new staff will appear in the first Ignatian in 2022.
I take this opportunity of thanking all the College staff for their dedication and hard work in this challenging year in supporting our students and families. Meeting the educational needs of our students is an ongoing and ever-changing challenge for all of us, and for those who work in Catholic schools it is a vocation of service. I greatly appreciate and value the support that the whole College Leadership team has given me in leading the Loyola Community and wish to acknowledge them particularly this year when we have had to meet the many unforeseen continuing challenges of COVID -19.
Christmas Greetings
As this year draws to a close, I wish to thank all who have contributed to its success despite the many challenges. The year has again passed quickly, and Christmas celebrations are beginning. This year we have reflected on the theme “to see all things new in Christ”. We have seen many examples of the living out of this theme through the actions of support shown by staff, students, and our generous families at times of crisis anxiety and fear during the pandemic. We have stood in solidarity with others in the way Jesus showed us.
As we move towards the feast of Christmas let us take the time in this Advent season to prepare ourselves for the celebration of the Saviour’s birth, making a place for Him in our hearts and in our homes this Christmas season
I wish all a happy, safe and blessed Christmas and look forward to having a wonderful new year with the Loyola community in 2022.
Mr Joseph Favrin,
Principal
FIRST AID
Parents/Guardians are asked to check student medical plans (such as asthma care plan or anaphylaxis plan) to ensure that they are up to date and completed by a Medical Practitioner. Plans should be forwarded to the First Aid Department and uploaded on Consent2Go.
Parents/Guardians are reminded that students with anaphylaxis/asthma are required to bring their EpiPen and Asthma medication with them to school each day. Asthma medication must be carried on their person during the school day.
Ms Judy Snelleksz,
First Aid Coordinator
snellekszj@loyola.vic.edu.au
IGNATIAN MISSION & IDENTITY
Year 7-9 Final Masses
As COVID restrictions eased we were able to offer end-of-year masses to years 7-11.
Naturally, the experience of living through the COVID-19 pandemic was a common theme of the homilies. Students also provided a reflection on the year. All reminded those present on the positive start to the year, recalling experiences including the term one camps, swimming sports, preparing for House Eisteddfod, the first couple of rounds of ACS sport – then lockdown!
They spoke about revisiting on-line learning and dealing with a new way of schooling. They were appreciative of the support of friends, family and teachers.
Advent is a time of hope and looking forward to the birth of Jesus and what he means to the world. The students certainly expressed their desire to spend time with their families and hopefully return to a more ‘normal’ 2022. I thank the parish clergy and Fr. Gerry Healy SJ for their support of liturgy at Loyola and wish all the College Community a holy Christmas and a safe and restful break.
This Fortnight's Examen
Parish Christmas Mass Times
Please check websites of each parish fr entry conditions
St. Damian's Bundoora Parish
Fully Vaccinated Masses
Christmas Eve Carols/Mass times: 5:30pm/6.00pm, 7:30pm/8.00pm, 10:30/11.00pm
Christmas Day Mass times: 10.00am, 5:30pm (Vigil mass)
For Unvaccinated Masses
Friday 24th December: Christmas Eve at 4:00 pm
Friday 31st December: New Year Eve at 6:15 pm
Sacred Heart Diamond Creek Parish
Christmas Eve Mass times: 6.00pm, 9:00pm
Christmas Day Mass times: 9.00am
Our Lady Help of Christians Eltham Parish
Christmas Eve Mass times: 8.00pm
Christmas Day Mass times: 10:00am
St. Mary's Greensborough Parish
Christmas Eve Mass times: 6.30pm, 10:30pm
Christmas Day Mass times: 8.00am, 10.00am (no evening masses)
St.Thomas The Apostle Greensborough North Parish
Christmas Eve Mass times: 5:00pm, 7.30pm
Christmas Day Mass times: 10.30am
Our Lady of the Way Kingsbury Parish
Christmas Eve Mass times: 5:30pm, 8:00pm
Christmas Day Mass times: 8:00am, 10.00am
St. Francis of Assisi Mill Park Parish
Christmas Eve Mass times: 5.00pm Family Mass, 7.00pm Vigil
Christmas Day Mass times: 7:30 am, 9.00am, 10.30am
St. Martin of Tours Macleod Parish
Christmas Eve Carols/Mass times: 4:30pm/5.00pm, 7:30pm/8.00pm, 10:00pm/10.30 pm
Christmas Day Mass times: 8.30am Italian, 10.00am
St. Francis Xavier Montmorency Parish
Christmas Eve Mass times: 10:00pm [6:00pm Holy Trinity Primary]
Christmas Day Mass times: 8.30am
Mr Chris Lynch,
Deputy Principal
Ignatian Mission & Identity
WELLBEING
Special Report: Having the Alcohol Discussion
With the impending festive season and end of school celebrations, some teenagers may be feeling ready to party, wanting to put the disruptions, frustrations and disappointments of this past year, behind them.
To ensure our young people stay safe during this time, parents and carers are encouraged to have the alcohol discussion - no matter how difficult or overwhelming it may be. It is important to outline the rules and boundaries around age-appropriate alcohol consumption and what the legal implications may be.
Young people are at greater risk of alcohol-related harm than adults because their brains continue to develop until their mid-twenties. The safest level of alcohol consumption for teenagers is no alcohol at all, but this may be difficult to enforce, and may not prevent them from experimenting. However, parents and carers can influence sensible drinking habits and help minimise the risks.
In this Special Report, a series of discussion points are offered to help make the conversation about alcohol consumption a little easier. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.
If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Mr Sal Valentino,
Wellbeing & Personal Development Coordinator
VISUAL ARTS
Congratulations to Ethan Lucione, Josephine Cuddon and Jordan Wilson who have had their art works chosen by the Archbishop Peter Comensoli to displayed at the upcoming Catholic Art Show. The theme for the year is “The way of the Gospel”. Students interpreted the theme and related it to a sense of themselves in the wider world. We’d like to congratulate them on their thoughtful, inspiring and creative works.
We also congratulate Veronica Senior, whose work ‘The one arm boatman’ received the ‘Highly Commended’ award in the Arts Learning Festival National Film Competition!
Jordan Wilson ‘Faith’
A common perception in society is that young people lack faith or question the presence of God. This misconception is often related to the way the youth of today express their beliefs in subtle yet deep ways. The subject has a self assured gaze - her earrings in cross design, highlight her Christian/Catholic connection.
Josephine Cuddon ‘Mary’ or ‘Revelation’
The theme/idea behind the work is that we sometimes shield or partly hide ourselves away and thus don't express our full potential. The subject is partly concealed - a possible form of protection or an expression of uncertainty. This may be melancholic to the viewer as it also seems the subject has a lot to offer.
Ethan Lucione ‘Youth’
The central focus is young people and their environments. The images allow the viewer to reflect on young people and how they can be totally immersed in their worlds. There is a sense of ‘place and space’ in the images. There is rich beauty in the way young people become one with nature. ‘Halo’ is almost ethereal as the subject reflects and ponders- there is a touch of Catholic symbolism with the halo and cross.
Mr Mark Cuddon,
Head of Visual Arts
LANGUAGES
Il Globo Article
Our year 8 teachers’ inclusion of the film Luca in their curriculum highlighted how verbs are used in cooking, which was featured in a recent Il Globo article:
At Loyola College you can learn Italian verbs by cooking
Melbourne. Engaging, fun and cheerful, the animation film Luca has been a useful resource for Italian teachers, who have used it in their Italian classes. Michela Barisonzi, an Italian teacher at Loyola College in Watsonia, tells us how, through a geographical map, she took her students on a virtual journey through Liguria and in particular the Cinque Terre area, to demonstrate how the film location was inspired by those places and colours.
“Our Year 8 Italian teachers decided to include Luca in the Italian Food Unit, focused on some of the most iconic Italian dishes such as pizza, pasta and bread. A prerogative of this project was to show the students how to cook typical Italian dishes for their families in the attempt of making the lockdown less alienating for our students, as well as maintaining alive their interest for the language despite remote learning”.
“Our goal was to reinforce the idea of Italian as a lively and dynamic language, underlining the strong connection between what students learn in class and today's Italian culture and lifestyle”, Barisonzi said. “The idea was to contextualise, through some specific scenes of this movie, the importance of pasta in the Italian culture, and then encourage students to prepare pasta at home choosing among a variety of sauces, such as the Pesto Genovese of the movie”.
Students completed a series of activities linked to the Pasta theme, which helped them enrich their vocabulary through a virtual pantry with lists of ingredients, questionnaires, and listening tasks.
“We introduced the recipe to prepare Pesto Pasta, using a series of resources based on Luca, provided by colleagues and found on the Internet. Students were given the recipe for Pesto Pasta and the preparation steps, together with illustrations to support their understanding. Then they worked not only on vocabulary through the ingredients, but also on the conjugation of -are and -ere verbs by looking at typical verbs used in giving instructions in the kitchen. These verbs became then the models for all regular verbs of these first two verbal groups”. After the sauce, it was time to “get your hands in the pasta dough”: through live lessons and recorded videos, the teachers demonstrated to students how to prepare fresh homemade pasta.
Michela Barisonzi concluded that “As a teacher, I think that Luca is an exceptional resource to teach the Italian language and culture. The film set, the choice of music for the soundtrack, the use of iconic symbols like the Vespa motorbike and Italian expressions scattered throughout the whole film, are the aspects that make it such an easily adaptable resource for different levels, from both a linguistic and cultural perspective”.
Article by Barbara Manzini, Il Globo 25th of November 2021
Mr Jason van Leest,
Head of Languages
2022 MUSIC PROGRAM
Invitation to join our Music Program in 2022!
Do you love music?
Are you a musician or would love to learn a new instrument or learn how to sing?
Then why not get involved in a meaningful and rewarding Music Program at Loyola College.
It’s an exciting program with many benefits! It increases concentration and memory, improves focus and study habits, enhances communication and problem-solving skills, develops self-esteem etc…
To join our Music Program, all you need to do is complete our Music Program Application and Music Program Agreement forms.
SPECIAL OFFER: Year 8 students who select trumpet, trombone, flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin, viola and cello and enrol in an ensemble for the year are eligible for 50% subsidy on their music tuition fees. To apply, you will also need to complete the Year 8 Subsidy Agreement.
Click here for links to our Music Program forms.
Check out our Music Program flyers “6 Reasons To Learn An Instrument” and “FAQs” for more information.
If you have any questions, please email music@loyola.vic.edu.au or call our Performing Arts Assistant, Antonella Dalla-Vecchia on 9433 0782 or our Director of Music, Jennifer Taylor on 9433 0286.
We look forward to seeing your child participating in our Music Program in 2022.
Loyola College Music Department
ICT
Digital Devices for Year 10 – 12 Students
Is your child starting Year 10, 11 or 12 in 2022?
If you wish to replace their current device with a new device, please be advised that you may purchase the device from any retailer, provided it meets the specifications below.
Note that you would be responsible for dealing with any warranty/damage issues with the device. Microsoft Office 365 (www.office.com) and Adobe Creative Cloud (www.adobe.com) licences are provided by Loyola College, linked to each student’s Loyola email address. The ICT Helpdesk can provide application support for your device, but you would be responsible for providing antivirus software.
Recommended Digital devices for Year 10 – 12 students
- Windows Notebook or Surface Device (eg carried over from Year 9)
Windows 10 or later
Core i5 Processor or greater
Minimum 8Gb Memory (RAM)
Wireless Network Card with AC (5Ghz) - Apple Macbook (VA students) or Macbook Air (not recommended for Visual Arts students)
Apple OSX Mavericks or later
Core i8 Processor or greater
Minimum 8Gb Memory (RAM)
2013 model or later
Note that Android devices are not supported on the College’s ICT infrastructure.
Further recommendations
- Anti-Virus: This should be installed and kept up to date.
- Warranty/Care: It is highly recommended that the device is maintained under warranty and that consideration is also given to protecting the device from physical damage.
- Support: Please bear in mind that as the device is parent owned, Loyola College is not responsible for diagnosing hardware issues with the device, repairing the device or replacing the device should it be lost or destroyed.
Mr Victor Dalla-Vecchia,
ICT Manager
LIBRARY
COMMUNITY
Morning Tours – 2022
Morning Tours for Semester 1 will be take place on the following dates from 9.15 am – 11. 00 am :
- Monday 21st February
- Monday, 28th March
- Monday, 9th May
- Monday, 6th June
- Monday, 18th July
Loyola College Carols & Food Truck Night – Friday, 26th November
A great night was had by the so many who attended this great event. With food trucks selling delicious foods, nice entertainment, a great performance by Tim the Incredible who kept the younger children very amused and the wonderful stall holders all led to the wonderful success of the night. The night ended with beautiful carols in front of Old Loyola, with the lights lit up and the heart warming carols there was a true sense of community created for all those in attendance. The staff choir added a little charm to the evening with Mr Cuddon a stand out in his solo part. Thank you so much to the LPFA who did an amazing job in ensuring the event was such a success, in particular Mark & Ornella Monteneri, Bryan Kearney, Loretta Baker, Angela Barbuto, Pinella Lo Presti, Reena Thomas, Darren Skidmore, Kelly Stephens, Brendon & Priscilla Caroll, Vicky Sartor, Claire Baker and John O’Connell. The LPFA are a wonderfully spirited committee, and I am truly blessed to have their assistance.
2021 LPFA/FOPA Online Wine Fundraiser
Due to popular demand, we have continued to run the fundraiser in 2021. Not only is wine nice to drink, they also make a great gift idea. There are 7 different types of wine that can be ordered through Prospect Wines. Orders can be made online and processed in lots of 6. Delivery is within 7 working days and come to your front door. The bottles range in price from $13-$16.
All money raised will be distributed to LPFA and FOPA to purchase goods for the Loyola Community.
Prospect Wines Christmas Offers
Raffle
Every online order goes into the draw for a chance to win our Raffle.
Win 1 of 3 personalised Christmas Wine Packs, each valued at $250.00, including delivery Australia-wide
12 bottles with your own customised wine label – perfect for Christmas gifts, or other celebrations.
Bonus Bottle
For all online orders: buy any 12 bottles – get 1 FREE BONUS bottle (selected from the wines in your order)
2021 Entertainment Books
The LPFA are proud to promote the 2021 Entertainment Book.
Loyola College Accommodation
Just inside Gate 4, on the corner of Bungay and Kenmare Streets, sits our Aurrupe House and Manresa Cottage which are used for accommodation on a short-term basis for both overseas visitors and members of our school and local community. Accommodation rental is ideal for family members or friends who would like to attend a function or appointment in Melbourne and require an overnight stay or longer at a very reasonable price. Some of our families have extended family who live interstate and rent the house on a regular basis when planning a visit to Melbourne for 1 or 2 weeks. Loyola’s close proximity to shops and the train makes it ideal to be independent and yet close to relatives as well.
Donation of Loyola Uniform
If you have any Loyola uniform items that you no longer require, please leave them at Reception. They are great to have for families in need, student accidents and our Exchange students. Donation of blazers would be much appreciated.
Important Dates
2022 PWP Meetings
Monday evening – 7th February 2022
Wednesday evening – 9th February 2022
Mrs Dianna Alonso,
Community Liaison Officer
AWARDS CEREMONY SPONSORSHIP
The following organisations have generously supported the achievements of our students through their sponsorship. Please support them generously, as they have supported our students.