1461 Ignatian Newsletter - Friday 6 May 2022

PRINCIPALS REPORT

Dear Members of the Loyola College Community,

Welcome back to Trinity term and the commencement of Term 2. I hope that everyone enjoyed the beautiful and pleasant Easter break. Since the last newsletter there have been many events taking place involving students, staff and families as well as members of the wider community and I am pleased to share these with you in this newsletter.

Presentation Balls
During the school holidays two Presentation Balls were held for the Year 12 students who missed out last year because of COVID. The students prepared very well after many rehearsals on Sunday evenings and looked wonderful on each night. I congratulate the Presentation Ball Committee for their generosity of time and effort in enabling this event to take place. Congratulations to all involved.

Inter House Athletics Carnival
On Monday of this week, the Annual House Athletics Carnival was held at Meadowglen International Athletics track. There was a great atmosphere generated amongst the students and I congratulate Flynn House on winning overall. I thank Ms Jacqueline Wade, Director of Sport, Mrs Hartigan, Head of Co-curriculum and their team of staff for organising a wonderful day. I thank the Sports Captains, the Heads of House and House Captains for their significant contribution in working with their Houses to field all events.

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ANZAC Day Commemoration
On Monday 25 April a wonderful ANZAC Remembrance ceremony was held at the College. A number of our own students who are cadets led the catafalque party. Also present was Fr Michael O’Connell, PP of St Martin de tours, Rosanna, who led the school community in prayer. Many thanks to Mr O’Keeffe, Director of College and Community Engagement, who oversaw the organisation of this important ceremony. Such ceremonies are a reminder of the sacrifices paid for our freedom and a plea for peace in the world. In these troubled times praying for world peace is becoming a great need and I invite all members of our Loyola community to keep those nations at war, particularly Ukraine, in their prayers.

We thank Year 12 Nathan Wein, Sebastian Silva and Joshua Lee who as Cadets from Watsonia Barracks have been involved in the Loyola College Anzac day since they have been in Year 8.  Their involvement adds meaning to the ceremony and we them for their service over the past five years. 

Student Dress Code
It is timely to remind students that the winter uniform requirements are now in force with the changeover period having ended.  All students are reminded that when in day uniform they must wear their blazer to and from the College and anywhere in public when in Loyola uniform. I ask for the support and cooperation of all families regarding this matter.

Open Day – Sunday 15 May
This is an especially important event for our College, and we look froward to many students helping us out on the day. To assist staff in preparing the campus, students will finish at 1.45pm on Friday 14 May.

Staffing Matters
Mr Favrin is currently absent from school to attend to a personal matter. In the interim, I will be Acting Principal. I look forward to working with the Loyola community in this capacity.

Mrs Alison Leutchford
Acting Principal

UPCOMING EVENTS

After a two-year absence due to COVID, the Jesuit Mission Maytime Fair is back! The Maytime Fair has been raising funds to support Jesuit Mission works with our most vulnerable brothers and sisters overseas since 1952. The Fair raises funds for programs in over 10 countries across Asia and Africa, providing life-changing support to the most marginalised communities. Your participation at the Maytime Fair will help marginalised people lift themselves out of poverty and injustice. Come join us on Saturday 7 May from 9am to 5pm at Xavier College Kew and together we can empower communities in need.  

IGNATIAN MISSION & IDENTITY

Mother Son Day
In the week prior to Mothers’ Day the College hosts a morning for mothers and their children, alternating yearly between sons and daughters. This year it was the boys’ turn. The day started with a cooked breakfast served by the College hospitality students and a liturgy followed.

Father Gerry Healy SJ presided at the liturgy and spoke about the need to be grateful but to also express it. He used the well-known story from Luke’s Gospel of the finding of the twelve year old Jesus in the Temple to recognise that even Jesus would most likely not have been ‘a perfect child’.

Imagine ….. three days…your twelve year old child missing for that long in the ‘big’ city. How would you react? Every parent understands the anxiousness that Mary and Joseph felt and I’m sure some adolescents can identify with Jesus’ lack of ‘apparent concern’. After all, he knew where he was, so…..‘what’s the problem?’

An important aspect of parenthood is getting the balance right between the proximity of our care verses the progressive freedoms and responsibilities that our children have to experience if they are to grow up as independent, healthy, confident people - rest/work …. school/play … family/friends ….. fruit, vegies/Macca’s …… freedom to be independent/security of being around mum and dad.

The Passover festival in Jerusalem that the Holy Family attended was a great social occasion. Mary and Joseph would have taken the opportunity to catch up with the extended family and, as Jesus was about the age when Jewish boys would be seeking some independence, it would have been quite acceptable for him to attend religious ceremonies without his parents. They trusted him enough to allow him to wander around, spend time with relatives.  After all, this was an annual visit.

But three days missing……that’s stressful! Think of what your reaction would be to if you found your son sitting inside a Church talking to the priests after you had been searching for him for three days The writer of Luke’s Gospel says they were ‘astonished’. I’ve no doubt that most of you would be astonished too, but possibly not in the same way as Joseph and Mary.

It is true that when we are really worried about a situation, we focus on what’s really important to us…as in this story…… the health and safety of our children.

However, this didn’t stop Mary from asking the obvious question “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.”

The story emphasizes the humanity of Jesus by giving us a glimpse of his family life and thus helps us identify with the Holy Family and brings us comfort that even Jesus gave his parents grief. But there is more to it than this. We hear Jesus’ rather puzzling response that gives us an early indication of his saving mission.

‘Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.’ These final words give the boys, their mothers and us all something to think about.

Parents feel stress when children make an obvious poor or short-sighted choice. There is nothing inherently wrong with doing this. Making mistakes is part of the process of growing up and parents expressing concern and seeking to correct and guide shows love. The challenge for parents and children is to think through their actions and be consistent with their underlying important values – responsibility, trust, respect for self, care for others and a commitment to following the way of God.

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Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea
The six house committees will run simultaneous morning teas for all students in the Two Wolves Hub on Thursday 26 May. This major event will be co-ordinated by the Loyola Young Vinnies Group. The money raised will be used by the Cancer Council to support research and other programs to assist those with the disease.

Students are asked to support the morning tea by participating or bringing a donation. They will receive on-line order forms next week. Payment is made on the day.

Loyola Easter Egg Drive Thankyou
Each year the College conducts an Easter Egg drive. These are collected through the Houses and distributed by the Greensborough St Vincent De Paul conference. The response this year was particularly good – thank you to all who supported it.

Students sorted and packed them. Mr John Bohan took delivery of them on behalf of the local conference.

Mr Chris Lynch
Deputy Principal,
Ignatian Mission & Identity

TEACHING & LEARNING

Year 7 and 9 NAPLAN
These tests provide a snapshot of the progress that individuals and the cohort is making in comparison to state and national standards.

This year we will be completing the NAPLAN tests online.  This will require all students to make sure that their digital device is full charged for each session and they have their non-wireless headphones with them as well.

The tests are from May 10 – 13 with time allowed for student catchups, if required. Students are assessed using common national tests in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy.

Further details are available from the NAPLAN website. ‘NAPLAN is not a test of content’. Instead, it tests skills in literacy and numeracy that are developed over time through the school curriculum. Excessive test preparation using previous tests is not useful. NAPLAN tests identify whether all students have the literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for their learning, and for their productive and rewarding participation in the community. Students are assessed using common national tests in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy. For more information please look at the NAPLAN website.

Any students who still require further familiarisation before the live tests are held, May 10 – 13, will need to access the ACARA public demonstration site below:

Parents and guardians will receive their individual child results as soon as they become available, usually in September.

Semester One Examinations
The Year 8 to 11 Semester One examinations will run over the following dates:

• Year 10/11: June 9 to June 16
• Year 8/9: June 14 to June 16

Mrs Suzanne Pola
Deputy Principal,
Teaching & Learning 

WELLBEING

SPECIAL REPORT: Vaping & E-Cigarettes
Vaping is becoming a trendy pastime that is growing in popularity across Australia, especially amongst teenagers. It is the act of inhaling a vapour created by an electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette. Many teenagers are succumbing to peer pressure around this risk-taking activity due to the ease of accessing and hiding vapes. They are often cheaper than conventional cigarettes, making it more cost-effective and attractive to young people.

Although under 18s are not legally allowed to purchase any type of e-cigarette or vaping product in Australia, teenagers are finding ways to access them online. Australia has strict regulations in place for nicotine-containing products, and attempts are being made to regulate vaping and ban the importation of them. Many of the flavoured liquids associated with vaping, contain not only high levels of nicotine, but other potentially harmful additives. Many of these “e-liquids” contain chemicals that are likely to be toxic, that when inhaled or vaped repeatedly, can cause severe damage to the lungs.

Vaping is often marketed as being the “healthy” alternative to smoking. However, doctors strongly advise that if you do not smoke, then you should not start vaping. Most teenagers are unaware of the associated risks and potential impact vaping can have on their development and overall health. Parents are encouraged to discuss the dangers of nicotine addiction and include e-cigarettes in the discussion alongside alcohol and drugs.

This Special Report highlights the facts around vaping and e-cigarettes and what are the potential risks. 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 DESIGN

Year 7 Visual Design Students recently immersed themselves in the virtual world with the assistance of Mr Tran- who coordinates the use of the College’s Virtual Reality resources.

As part of their coursework, students are experimenting with shape and form with the end result of creating a 3D sculpture.

Students, with the benefit of the VR software, were able to create organic shapes and see the colourful extent of their creations.

Students also experiment with digital software to create their own personalised logos as a way of seeing the importance of branding and marketing.

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Mr Mark Cuddon
Visual Design Teacher

PERFORMING ARTS

Term two promises to be a big term of events in Performing Arts. Please make sure you note the dates in your calendars. Our students have been rehearsing and working on shows which we hope to share with our community throughout the term .

Term Two Events – Performances

•  VCE Ensemble Evening - 3 May  
  
• College Play - Puffs - 19 May at 7pm 
• Gala Concert - Legally Blonde Fundraiser - 28 May
• Winter Music Concert - 2 June
• Year 7 Junior showcase – Drama and Dance at 7pm
• Year 7 music nights - 21 and 22 June

Booking details for the larger events will be posted on the College website under events and information emailed to students involved.

Student Workshops and Events

• Year 7 African Dance and Drumming Workshop – 5 May
• Music Camp - 12 to 14 May
• Year 9 Drama Festival - 17 May and 3 June

We also have many co curricular groups running each week. Students are still welcome to join these groups. Please contact the teacher in charge if you have any questions or pop by the Performing arts office where we can assist you. Click below to view the Loyola College 2022 List of Ensembles. 

2022 Production  “Legally Blonde"
The rehearsals for this years production have been running from the start of the year however these will ramp up in term Two. We had an overwhelming number of students sign up for backstage roles this year. The Show will run over two weeks and begin its show season in the second week of the winter Holidays. We wish the cast and crew of this show all the best as they work hard on making it another show of the very high calibre we have come to expect from a Loyola College. Please note the dates of the show and start gathering interest for tickets so that you don’t miss out when tickets go on sale.

• Friday 8 July - Evening show
• Saturday 9 July - Evening show
• Friday 15 July - Evening show
• Saturday 16 July - Matinee show and Evening show

Mrs Julie Boyle
Head of Performing Arts

GLOTTO-DIDATTICA LANGUAGE COURSE

There were a total of 20 participants in the ‘Glotto-didattica’ language course which began on 7 March. Students came from USA, France, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, Argentina, Poland and Georgia – with Ms Josie Campana being the only Australian! Aside from formal culture, language and grammar lessons and a visit to the ELI Publishing House, the course included visits to the port city of Ancona, Ascoli Piceno, Florence and the evocative Frasassi Grottos. A trip to Recanati is impossible without a visit to the Giacomo Leopardi museum to view the home and literary works of the renowned 18^th Century poet, scholar and philosopher.

The experience was energising and stimulating and one which Ms Campana highly recommends to staff, students and families in the Loyola community if such an opportunity should ever present itself.

Ms Josie Campana
Language Teacher 

ICT

ICT News

Cybersafety Part 5: Student Computers Hijacked by Block Chain Miners

At a recent technology conference, I heard that in Australia 179 international cyber threat actors (7 new ones have been added just this year) are focussing on Australia’s education sector.

School students in particular are a target because many spend much of their free time online gaming, meaning their computers are hooked into the Internet for lengthy periods.

Threat actors wishing to capitalise on this pool of online computing power place Block Chain mining software in gaming add-ons, which once loaded on a unsuspecting gamer’s device it starts using their device to mine crypto currency. Crypto currency mining is a very expensive electrical process since it is very CPU and RAM intensive and requires many hours per day to complete. This chewing up of computer resources causes performance to lag, the fan to thrash constantly and the battery to drain much sooner!

If you are a gamer and your computer appears to be ‘going crazy’ when it’s supposed to be idle, consider the possibility of it being infected with Block Chain mining software!

Mr Victor Dalla-Vecchia
ICT Manager

VCAL

Year 12 VCAL student Aaron Lennon has become a popular member of Marbuilt Building team with his enthusiasm during work placement every Friday.

Mr Garry Ramsay
Careers Coach 

COMMUNITY

Morning Tours – 2022
Morning Tours for Semester 1 will be take place on the following dates from 9.00am – 11.00am:

• Monday 9 May
  
• Monday 6 June
  
• Monday 18 July

Catholic Development Network Seminar – 31^st March
Loyola College had the pleasure of hosting this event.  With 40 attendees a very informative seminar was held in the Magis Performing Arts Centre.  Insightful sessions were held by the High Performing Team followed by a session on how to get the most out of your social media platforms. A very nice morning Tea and lunch added to the success of event.  A thank you to Celine Del Re, Monica Agius, Daniela Amore and Michael O’Keeffe for their assistance in hosting the event.

Presentation Balls – 11^th & 12^th April
Due to COVID it took three attempts for these Presentation Balls to take place. There was such excitement leading up to this very special occasion.  The students were very co-operative during the nine week Sunday night rehearsals and word was out that this year level had mastered their dancing techniques.  Perhaps this was a result of being in lock down and it was time to get out and enjoy themselves.

It was so pleasing to attend both evenings and there was a great sense of pride as the students showcased their dancing skills.  There was a great vide on both nights as families were able to attend this event. The dance floor was alive right up until the last song, a testimony to the enjoyment experienced by all those that attended.

A big thank you to the Loyola Presentation Ball Committee, lead by Natasha Mills and Kellie Waldon.  Loyola is truly blessed to have an amazing group of parent volunteers who run this event.

Short-Term Cultural Experience – Homestays Needed
I am very pleased to inform you that we will have the pleasure of having students from Italy and France coming to Loyola College for a short-term cultural experience.  Homestays are needed to accommodate these students, this is a wonderful is a wonderful experience that often leads to lifelong connections. The main aim of the program is for the students to gain an insight into the culture of both the Australian education system and family life and to improve their English.

The students will commence in Term 3. We have 4 students coming from Italy for 10 weeks and 7 students coming from France for 7 weeks. Students from Italy will be enrolled into Year 11 and French Students will be enrolled into Year 10.

There will be both male and female students, aged 16-17 years old.  All have Vaccination Certificates.

Families are paid $280 per week to homestay the students to cover expense and the school will provide uniform. A visit to the family home by myself will take place for interested families.

If you are interested  in expressing an interest in hosting, please send me an email and an Information Booklet will be sent to you.

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 and girls school dresses would be much appreciated.

2022 PWP Meeting
Monday 9 May 2022 at 7.30pm

2022 LPFA Meeting
Wednesday 1 June 2022 at 7.30pm

Next Working Bee 
Saturday 24 July 2022 from 9am – 12 noon

Mrs Dianna Alonso
Community Liaison Officer

LOCAL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS