1476 Ignatian Newsletter - Friday 17 February 2023
Principal's Report
Dear Members of the Loyola College Community,
Over the last fortnight we have had many wonderful opportunities to meet families through various events at the College. It has been pleasing to hear that students have settled in well and that their commencement to the year has been overwhelmingly positive.
Year 12 Breakfast
The year 12 breakfast was held on Tuesday 7th February in the Old Loyola Courtyard. It was a wonderful morning and was very well attended by the Year 12 students and their parents/carers. This event celebrates the students’ commencement of their final year of secondary school. I thank Deputy Principal - Students Mrs Salmic, Ms Solomon and the Canteen and catering staff for organising the event.
College Opening Assembly
The assembly took place on Thursday 9 February and was a wonderful celebration of student achievement and student leadership. Our Year 12 high achievers were invited back to be acknowledged, including our College Dux, Alysha Prisc, and Proxime, Kelly Tran.
Students who had received the highest 2022 study score in various VCE subjects and those who achieved an ATAR of 90 or more were also recognised. The student leaders for 2022 were inducted and committed to serving the College community through leadership this year.
Mentor Conversations
I thank those parents who attended the mentor conversations on Thursday 16 February. Families who were unable to attend are asked to make contact with mentors to make an alternative appointment to meet. We continue to engage more parents and students in the learning process with the aim of further improving student outcomes.
The Mentor Conversation evening is a great opportunity for parents to meet with the mentor and give some context to their child’s education. At Loyola, the mentor should always be the first port of call for parents. Developing relationships and shared understandings are essential in setting up for success. Good communication between home and the school is vital to create and sustain a relationship that supports excellent learning.
I encourage parents to show interest in what their son or daughter is learning, what their projects are and how they are going with them, and, most importantly, how they feel about themselves as a learner. Parents and caregivers are the first educators and first source of their child’s affirmation. Students will believe what the people they love, and trust, believe. Being positive about school and learning is incredibly beneficial.
Student Drop Off and Pick Up Areas and Road Safety
Parents and carers are asked to observe the drop off and pick up protocols when using the Grimshaw Street entrance (Gate 1) in mornings and afternoons. These protocols are in place to allow traffic to move steadily for the safety of all students. Drivers exiting Gate 1B are to be mindful of pedestrians crossing that exit gate on the Grimshaw footpath and must only turn left into Grimshaw street. Turning right blocks the flow of traffic and impedes the ability of all parents to move off campus quickly.
Gate 4 on Bungay Street is not to be used by parents in the mornings and afternoons as there is no internal drop off and pick-up area on that side of the College. You are encouraged to park away from Bungay Street and use the surrounding streets; your child can then walk to and from the College to meet you. Only College staff are permitted to use this gate at these peak times.
When parking cars, please be aware of our neighbours and ensure that you have not parked in a spot which would make it difficult for them to drive out of their driveway. Parking over driveways, even if it is for just 30 seconds, is both unhelpful and illegal.
Child Safety
Child protection and safety are extremely important. Loyola College places a strong emphasis on relationships and social and emotional learning. Returning to school, after our holiday break, means returning to routine, stability and consistency. We aim to build an environment where students feel safe, a place where they matter, they thrive, and are nurtured.
All students will be engaged in a child safety Personal Development presentation this term where it is made clear who they should speak to if they are feeling unsafe.
If parents have concerns around Child Safety, they contact one of the two Loyola Child Safety Officers, Mrs Anna Salmic (DP Students) and Mr Paul Toney (DP Staff and Compliance).
ACS Sport
We have had a number of parents requesting that their child be removed from ACS sport. ACS participation is compulsory and is part of the Loyola College enrolment agreement.
Parents sign off on this agreed expectation when students enrol at the college. We therefore ask that appointments and personal commitments are made on an alternative day to the relevant ACS day.
Apart from this compulsory obligation, consideration should be given to the wellbeing benefits of team sport. Exercise reduces the levels of stress hormones in the body. At the same time, physical activity stimulates production of endorphins. These are natural mood lifters that can help keep stress and depression at bay. Team sports also improve self-confidence, teach respect, improve perseverance and offer the opportunity for students to develop social skills and create strong relationships. Belonging to a team builds connection, a sense of safety and ultimately greater resilience.
House Swimming
On Friday 10 February staff and students travelled to Fawkner Pool for the annual House Swimming Carnival. The students were exceptionally well behaved. It was great to hear the students full of House spirit for the annual House chant competition at the end of the day.
I thank Mrs Lauren Hartigan (Director of Operations), Mrs Shannon Staub (Head of Co-Curriculum) and Ms Jacqueline Wade(Director of Sport).
The results were as follows:
- Flynn 1,511.5
- Xavier 1,486.0
- MacKilllop 1,436.0
- Chisholm 1,259.5
- McAuley 1,069.0
- Mannix 1,065.0
This year, the College named the most prestigious race of the meet as the Jackson Car Memorial Gift. Students and staff listened in respectful silence as Mr Paul Toney introduced the race to the College community. Jackson Car (L: 12 – 18) passed away in August 2022 after a battle with cancer. Jackson was famously renowned for his dominance at the swimming carnival and in ACS competition. He qualified for five state championships and five national championships, and qualified to race for the 200m Butterfly in the 2021 Australian Swimming Trials in Adelaide. Unfortunately, due to COVID, he was unable to trial for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Jackson was more than just an outstanding swimmer. He was indeed a young man for others.
Jackson was a quiet, humble young man who would do anything for anyone.
He was so loved by not only his family but also the communities around him.
Jackson demonstrated great sportsmanship. I never saw him complete any race without congratulating his opponents – win or lose. Jackson has been lucky to swim with some of his generation's greats at ACS, state, and national levels.
Jackson knew that being a good sport is a hallmark of great swimming and amazing athletes.
All of this sportsmanship, service, and compassion was instilled as a young swimmer long ago. Swimming taught Jackson character counts both in small acts of kindness and in choices we make to change our world every day. Jackson was appointed Loyola Swimming Captain in 2018.
Jackson did not have a dominating presence, he let his talent do the talking. He was courageous - most notably in his younger years, swimming against senior students in the gruelling 200m Individual Medley (House and ACS carnival) and 50m Fly, then competing in the remainder of the events other students his age wouldn't put their hand up for.
Kate Swift (Former Loyola swimming coach)
Alison Leutchford,
Acting Principal
Ignatian Mission & Identity
PARISH HOUSE MASSES – TERM 1
It is with great pleasure that we invite our staff, students and families to the Parish House Masses that occur throughout Term 1. It is important that all Year 7 students, their senior Mentor buddies, House committees and families attend their respective House mass. Students are welcomed into the College community as a part of their Parish, with a special blessing for them in their journeys as a new student to the College, or in their role as a buddy. The dates for the masses are:
CHISHOLM HOUSE: Sunday 12 February: St Mary’s Greensborough 10:00am
MCAULEY HOUSE: Sunday 19February: St Francis of Assisi Mill Park 10:30am
MANNIX HOUSE: Sunday 26February: St Damian’s Bundoora 10:30am
FLYNN HOUSE: Sunday 5 March: Sacred Heart Diamond Creek 9:00am
MACKILLOP HOUSE: Sunday 5 March: St Thomas the Apostle North Greensborough 10:30am
XAVIER HOUSE: Sunday 19 March: St Martin of Tours Rosanna 10:00am
Students attending must be correctly attired in their summer uniforms, with blazer.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Adam Calderone,
Ignatian Mission & Identity
Pope Francis’ Intention for February
February 20: World Social Justice Day
Social justice is fairly simple to understand. It means that people must be treated with respect and equality in all their relationships. These relationships include the economic relationships between employers and staff, cultural relationships between religious and political groups, and international relationships between nations.
It is not always easy to establish what respect and equality demand in practice. It is easier to point to clear instances where due respect is lacking. The Russian invasion of Ukraine with its cost to human lives and livelihood is a patent example of disrespect in the relationships between nations. Similarly the treatment by the Chinese Government of Uighurs clearly disrespects persons who belong to a minority ethnic group and religion; the treatment of persons of Indigenous descent after invasion and conquest is often also clearly lacking in respect. So also is the underpayment of vulnerable migrant workers.
The demands of social justice are often clearly seen from a distance. But they may be less clear to those who benefit from unjust relationships. In Australia descendants of settlers often fail to see the effects on the descendants of the First Australians of exclusion, disappropriation and discrimination. They may even blame Indigenous people for their predicament. If we were to see it as the result of injustice, it would imply the need to set things right, with all the economic and other costs that this might bring. Similarly, if people were seen to have a right to work and fair remuneration, it would become harder for firms to sack them and for governments to make people who are unemployed live below the poverty line. It is easier to call them dole bludgers to whom society owes nothing.
This blindness means that to win the struggle for social justice takes more than rational argument. It takes a change of mind and heart that allows us to be open to reality. A passion for justice must be grounded in an attitude that goes beyond self-interest in relationships and sees all our relationships as a gift. We see the persons who are involved in these relationships as our brothers and sisters, and not merely as customers, clients or strangers. When we make decisions about the economy, security, immigration and our health system we must take into account the welfare of the people affected by them.
Pope Benedict XVI made a major contribution to the rich body of Catholic reflection on social justice when he emphasised the gift that we are to one another in all our personal and instititutional relationships. His insight underlies the increasingly accepted idea of the social bond or license that businesses must have. They are responsible not only to their shareholders or their proprietors, but also to their society, and must behave in a way that does not damage people or that compensates them for unavoidable damage. They must not simply seek their own good but also the common good.
The social license, of course is properly more than a duty imposed on business. It comes out of the recognition that for any organisation to thrive all the relationships within it and with its environment must be based in respect and be seen and treated as a gift. This attitude, which is close to love, is a source of great energy and a compass for healthy growth as persons, businesses and societies.
February 22: Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is not a stand-alone day. It is part of a process. It marks the beginning of Lent, which in turn prepares for the central Christian remembrance of Jesus’ death and rising from the dead at Easter. Belief in Jesus who died and rose for our salvation lies at the heart of Christian faith. It also takes us into the depth of our human life – our hope in a blessed life, its testing by rejection, isolation and painful death, and our hope vindicated by Jesus’ rising from death. To enter into these depths demands serious reflection.
Ash Wednesday is the gateway, suitably solemn, to the forty reflective days of Lent which culminate in the exuberant celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. The colour of church drapings and vestments changes from white and green to a sombre purple. Ash Wednesday also introduces a time of fasting and abstaining from animal foods. Fasting is common in many religions, usually associated with a serious focus on what matters most deeply in life. It is also associated with an awareness of sin and the desire to change one’s way of life. Ash Wednesday highlights these things. It takes its name from the practice of marking our foreheads with ashes.
The symbolic actions of taking off colourful dress, of fasting, of spending forty days in prayer, and of putting on ashes, echo central stories in Scripture. They recall the forty days that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert as he prepared for his life’s mission. For the first readers of the Gospels, too, this story would also call to mind the forty years that the People of Israel passed wandering in the desert as they awaited their entry to the Promised land, and the forty days that Moses spent in prayer and fasting as he asked God to pardon the people for their rejection of God by worshiping a golden calf.
Ash Wednesday is a Christian celebration. But it speaks also to the situation and anxieties of all human beings. For modern Australians it evokes events in our world which drive us to ask where we are heading as a nation and as a world. The ashes evoke the violent bushfires associated with climate change, and confront us with the certainty that they will be more destructive and occur more regularly unless we address the causes of climate change. Our choices are to turn or burn. Ashes also evoke the horror of the atomic bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and more recently the effects of bombing in Ukraine. The path to peace, too, demands conversion and repentance.
Teaching & Learning
Upcoming Events
Year 7 Life & Learning at Loyola:
21 February 7:30pm. Loyola Companions Hall (LCH).
The purpose of the evening is to provide an overview of ‘life and learning’ at Loyola and offer solutions to any challenges your child may encounter as they transition from primary school to secondary school.
Staff will also be available to offer support and advice regarding digital devices, for example warranty, claims and trouble shooting.
More information can be found HERE
Senior Programs Information Evening:
21 February 7:00pm. Inago Theatre - Magis Performing Arts Centre.
The purpose of the evening is to provide an overview of VCE and VCE VM procedures for 2023, in the hope that any concerns or questions you may have will be answered and addressed.
More information can be found HERE
Student Services Information Evening for Year 7 Parents:
23 February 7.00pm
Parents of Year 7 students on the Student Services register have already been emailed an invitation to attend this information session. The purpose of this evening is to communicate the various academic, social, and environmental supports available at Loyola, and discuss how these may alter as your child grows.
This is a parents only session for those with children with an identified individual need.
Assessing Student Curriculum and Assessment Grades
Both students and parents/guardians have access to curriculum material via our Learning Management System. Teaching staff post course work, homework and resources to help our learners as they travel through this year’s curriculum. It is possible to track student usage and we aim to support parents to a level of comfort with using the LMS as a means to view what their child is working through in class. Assessment marks will also be placed on the LMS within three weeks of being collected, marked and moderated.
School Assessed Coursework (SACs) are Part of Assessment
As the term progresses student assessment becomes more frequent. It is during this period that students can start to feel the pressure of assessment(s). It is important that we keep in mind what assessment is. Assessment is an opportunity for students and teachers to assess what they have been learning in class and receive important feedback on their strengths and areas for improvement. Assessment only tests or examines what students have already been studying.
At Unit 3/4 level, each SAC is often only worth a small percentage of the total year’s overall assessment, with the majority of the end of year results weighted heavily on examination results.
Some hints to avoid assessment stress:
- Complete all set work
- Complete a regular homework program
- Use your class time well
- Revise consistently
- Attend out of class help sessions, such as master classes held after school
- Meet with your teacher to go over the feedback after SACs/SATs
- Set achievable goals
- Attend Homework Club on a Tuesday/Wednesday after school
- Use the Study Design to guide learning and revision
Students should discuss any concerns that they may have with their subject teacher, mentor or the relevant Student Programs Coordinator.
Immediate S for Units 1- 4 SACs
Students will receive an immediate S for a SAC when they have demonstrated the following:
- Produce work that demonstrates achievement of the outcomes
- Submit work that is clearly their own
- Observe the rules of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and the school. (School rules may include, for example, Attendance or Submission of Work policies)
If any or all of these are not satisfied at the time of the SAC/SAT a student can be awarded a ‘Provisional N’. There are many options to redeem an S for any missed Learning Outcome(s). Students will need to consult with their subject teacher about the best way to proceed.
Year 7 and 9 NAPLAN
Please note that NAPLAN will now take place in the week beginning 13 March. Further details will be available nearer the time.
Dates are:
- Wednesday 15 March – Writing
- Thursday 16 March – Reading
- Friday 17 March – Language Conventions
- Tuesday 21 March – Numeracy
- Wednesday 22 March – Catch Up
Kathryn Wilson,
Deputy Principal, Teaching & Learning
Student Voice
Hello parents, staff, students and the wider College community. Our names are Celeste and Wes, and we are the 2023 College Captains.
Welcome to the new year, we hope everyone had a relaxing summer break and all have settled in nicely over the last week. We would like to extend a special welcome to our new Year 7 families and new families across all year levels. We hope that your transition into the College is as smooth as it can possibly be. We look forward to seeing you around this year and beyond
We just wanted to talk about our goals as college captains and what we can do for you this year. Wes and I are going to have a massive focus on making a positive lasting difference, looking after our mental and physical health, bringing the College community together and, most importantly, overall enjoyment. To be able to achieve this we are going to need your help. We encourage you to reach out to your LSC Reps, they are there to be your voice at our meetings and I am sure they will be happy to pass on your ideas. We are all in this together. So In saying that …As well as your LSC reps, feel free to come up to Wes or me at any time for a chat or send us a message about anything and everything; we are here for all of you. We are your captains, sure, but our main role is to be your voice, so take advantage of it and we can improve the school together.
As I'm sure you have already felt, Term One is absolutely choc a block with different events filling up our Calendars: so far we have already had the Year 7 welcome picnic, Year 12 breakfast, House Eisteddfod rehearsals and the House swimming carnival. Coming up we have the College Opening Mass and House Masses for both McAuley and Mannix, not to mention the co-curricular expo - where we encourage students to sign up to as much as they can and really get involved this year. Take advantage of the opportunities given to you and jump into it this year. As Mr Valentino always says, ‘lean into the uncomfortable’, and as your captains we strongly encourage you to do so.
We also want to increase connections across the wider college community, if you ever want to give feedback or ask questions and advice. We not only have the LSC reps but we also have the My Loyola feedback page, and many staff and student leaders who can pass your message on. We will use the My Loyola page, as well as Monday morning announcements, to keep you updated about what's going on around the grounds. For parents and the wider community, you are just as involved at Loyola as the staff and the students, so feel free to get in contact with either of us at any time throughout this year.
We encourage all staff, students and parents to set some goals for the upcoming year ahead, we don't want you to waste the year! For example, it could be increasing your involvement at the College, or making new friends, whatever it is the entire College community is here to help you achieve them.
Thanks everyone, we look forward to working with the Loyola Community this year.
Celeste Murone & Wes Mills,
College Captains
2022 Dux Speech
Good morning, Mrs Leutchford, special guests, staff, students and my fellow graduates from the class of 2022. For those who don’t know me, my name is Alysha Prisc and I am the 2022 College Dux. It is such an honour and a surreal experience to be speaking to you all today – an experience that my year 7 self would not believe. I would first like to apologise for not being able to address you in person but I hope this video makes up for it.
The three main teachings that my VCE journey taught me were the importance of balance, collaboration and self-reflection – which are the three main discussion points of my speech today. I know that everyone’s high school journey and goals are different, yet I hope the advice I give to you today will be able to help each of you in some shape or form.
Ever since I started year 7 at Loyola, back in 2017, I have been actively involved in multiple areas of the College including ACS, leadership and house events. You name it and I was there giving it a go.
However, during the COVID lockdowns, I was unable to maintain my usual busy lifestyle. Without the connection to my netball team, part time job and co-curricular activities, I felt like my life had become a never-ending cycle of school and sleep. My previous love of learning began to dwindle as I felt that other aspects of my life were not being fulfilled.
Once the world began to re-open in 2022, I knew that in order to do well in year 12 I had to ensure my time studying was balanced with spending time doing the things I loved. Performing in the Mannix House Eisteddfod, leading alongside College Committee, working my part-time job, coaching my under 13s netball team and going out partying with my friends allowed me to rediscover myself and as such my love for learning. It ignited my drive to do my best in my studies.
There were definitely difficult days where I had to make sacrifices and compromises, but I would not have had it any other way. I truly believe that unless you are engaging in all aspects of your life, you can never truly excel in one.
The next point I would like to talk about is collaboration. Now I will be the first to admit that in the junior year levels I hated team work. I didn’t like sharing the responsibility of a task and was scared to trust my teammates and let them down. After completing year 12, I can say with full confidence that my ATAR is not just a reflection of my abilities but the combined abilities of my classmates, teachers and myself.
In each of my classes I found a core group where we could brainstorm ideas, tackle hard questions together and learn from one another. There were some days when I felt like my peers were able to teach me more than my teachers were able to.
Just remember that your classmates are going through the same experience as you and all want to do their best. The challenges that you are facing may also be faced by them, so use each other for support and laughter during the hard times as well as sources for knowledge and inspiration.
My final point is all about self-reflection. Your high school experience will be a whirlwind of celebration and disappointment. The one thing that you are able to control throughout all of this is you. I found that reflecting on my successes and failures enabled me to create points for growth. Finding little actions to tweak my style of studying allowed me to become a better student.
I also believe that reflecting and staying in tune with your emotions is extremely important. Throughout my VCE experience I definitely had lows, days when I would doubt my abilities or feel like I would never overcome the stress that I was feeling. Knowing when I needed a day off studying or when I needed to confide in a friend helped me to overcome these challenges and prevent burnout.
Above all things you need to prioritise yourself as you can only perform your best when you show yourself love and compassion.
Now I would like to apologise in advance for how long this next section of my speech is but I truly believe each of these people need a huge shoutout for helping me throughout my VCE journey.
Firstly, to Mr Denton and Mrs Murray – Thank you for introducing me and guiding me through my first VCE subjects. Thank you for all the class calls, remote teaching and making sure that I felt connected whilst in the midst of the pandemic.
To Mrs Chung – Thank you for always putting up with my endless questions and providing me with pages and pages of work to do upon my request.
To Mr Lynch – Thank you for creating such a fun and supportive class environment where I and the rest of the class felt safe to make mistakes. Thank you for also opening my eyes to the weird and wonderful of the world.
To Mr Kelly – Thank you for reigniting my passion for English and allowing me to discover my own views and values to big questions in the world. Thank you for your thorough feedback, reassurance and the partnership we were able to develop.
To Mrs Hartigan – Thank you for showing me the importance in collaboration, for your endless advice and for believing in me even when I doubted myself. I appreciate all that you have done for me and truly look up to you so much.
To my classmates – Thank you for always having my back and challenging me to push myself further than I ever have before. Thank you for our friendly competitions, allowing me to steal some of your wisdom and for always putting a smile on my face.
To my friends –Thank you for always being by my side, helping me celebrate my achievements and supporting me during my failures. Thank you for always believing in me. A special shoutout to Taj who stuck by me through the good, the bad and the ugly times.
The final and largest thank you has to go to my family who have had to put up with a very stressed and tired daughter for the last two years.
To my sister Chelsea – thank you for waking up early and staying back late at school for me, making me food while I studied into the late hours of the night and calling mum after each of my SACs to warn her if I was in a bad mood.
To my dad – thank you for encouraging/dragging me to go to netball each week even when I was stressed. Thank you for your many terrible dad jokes and never doubting me. I really did get half your brain.
To my mum – words cannot express how much you helped me. You have been my rock when I have struggled under the pressure as well as my biggest cheerleader. Thank you for always being there for me and always reassuring me that my ATAR did not define me.
To those who I haven’t mentioned and have been apart of my journey, thank you.
I would like to wish the class of 2023 the best of luck. Make sure you support one another through this challenging year and also look after yourself. Remember to have fun and most importantly enjoy the journey.
Before I leave you all today, I would like to end with some words of wisdom from the late Mr O’Sullivan. I was fortunate enough to be taught by Mr O for multiple years. During his battle with cancer he would often write to me and shared with me this quote following a conversation I had with him regarding my fears about starting VCE. Mr O wrote that “an arena where academia is the only football is one where the most deserving get a kick”.
Your high school journey will have many highs and lows, but the importance is having the determination to achieve your goals. Only then will you be able to kick that football and truly succeed.
Thank you.
Alysha
House Swimming Carnival
Last Friday was the annual House Swimming Carnival held at Fawkner Leisure centre. The weather was perfect for swimming. It was great to see many students representing their House as individuals and teams. The Year 12 Polo was a highlight of the day. Congratulations to Flynn House who are swimming champions again and have completed a three-peat!
There was also a new event added to the program this year, the Jackson Car Memorial Gift. Jackson was a Loyola student from 2012-2018 who sadly passed away last year. In his time at the College Jackson represented Loyola at the ACS swimming championship each year. He was captain of the swimming team in 2018, was the male swimmer of the year in 2016, and an ACS All Star in 2018. The gift is an event at the House Carnival that is invitation only, and Jackson swam every Gift from 2012-2018. The three fastest males and females in the 50m freestyle are selected and given a handicap according to their time. This year the participants were Rohan Wein, Jacob Ryder, Jeremy Coleman, Hayley Car, Ruby Street, and Brydie Hutchinson. Congratulations to Jacob Ryder, who won in a tight finish from Jeremy and Hayley. Jacob was presented with a medal by Jackson’s grandparents, and his sisters Hayley and Brodie.
Jacqueline Ward
Director of Sport
Appreciating the Small -Staff Member Exhibition
New to Loyola, art teacher, Nicola Dawborn is a Melbourne based, New Zealand born, artist and teacher. Working as a graphic designer in both NZ and Melbourne, including at the Sunday Age, Nicola then retrained as a high school art teacher in Melbourne, and resumed her painting practice. She has exhibited in solo and group shows in NZ and Melbourne, and currently has a new show, “Fabrications” opening at the Brunswick Street Gallery on Friday 17 February.
This series hints at landscapes, rock-forms, glimpses of ocean – yet in truth, they are evocations: images referenced from draped fabric and crumpled paper. These paintings are a meditation on beauty in the ordinary, wonder in the small, and the visual schemas of our known world that we hold in memory.
‘Fabrications’ Nicola Heasley Dawborn
Brunswick Street Gallery, 16 February – 5 March
Opening event – Friday 17 February, 6-8 pm
ICT
Cybersafety
Taking measures to protect oneself against unwanted attention or against criminal activity while working, socialising, emailing, playing or banking online is known as ‘Cybersafety’. Everything a person does via the Internet adds to that person’s ‘digital footprint’.
Schools play an obvious part in providing students a range of Internet-based learning opportunities that are engaging as well as safe. But given young people spend a significant proportion of their home time surfing online, socialising or playing games on the Internet, the cyber risks they may be exposing themselves to are more likely to be higher while at home than at school. Consequently, it is important that parents/guardians understand the risks their children face while online.
Over a number of subsequent Ignatian Newsletter issues, I will be exploring some Cybersafety issues that students and parents/guardians need to be aware of. Be prepared to be surprised and even shocked with what is revealed!
Let us start with the first topic: How to block nefarious Internet websites
Home security products and services
While Loyola College does not endorse/recommend specific home security products or services, it is aware that parents/schools have used the following products:
- Family Zone (https://www.familyzone.com/anz/families/how-it-works)
- Circle (https://meetcircle.com/)
- Firewalla (https://firewalla.com/)
These products are not free and are typically offered as a monthly subscription service. The service provider is constantly updating its blacklisted website registry, so that users have access to the most up-to-date protection.
Device-based websites blocks
Different browsers and Operating Systems provide varying functions for blacklisting specific websites, eg Google Chrome provides three such blockers, in the form of extensions:
- uBlacklist (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublacklist/pncfbmialoiaghdehhbnbhkkgmjanfhe?hl=en)
- Block Site (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/blocksite-block-websites/eiimnmioipafcokbfikbljfdeojpcgbh?hl=en)
- StafFocusd (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji?hl=en)
However, please be aware that such device-based website blockers are generally not as effective as the home cyber-security products and services listed above. This is because it would be almost impossible for a home user to keep their blacklist up to date with what is happening on the Internet.
If you have a specific cyber-security question or concern, please contact the ICT Helpdesk.
Excess to be paid on Accidental Damage claims
Please note that Microsoft, under its Terms and Conditions, enforces a $110 (incl. GST) Excess charge for each Surface Laptop Accidental Damage claim made under Microsoft’s policy. Please note that the payment of an excess does not apply to warranty claims.
Please be advised that invoices for Accidental Damage claim Excess payments will be issued by Centorrino Technologies, on Microsoft’s behalf. Once payment has been received, Microsoft will give the approval for the Accidental Damage claim to be processed.
Across Year 7 to 9 Microsoft enforce a strict interpretation of what constitutes ‘accidental damage’. Intentional damage is not covered under the terms of Microsoft’s policy, which includes engraving the student’s name on the laptop. A sticky label should be used, instead. Note that ownership of the device is identified by the device’s serial number, which is registered with Microsoft. Also, please ensure the tough case remains on the device at all times.
Please contact either Victor Dalla-Vecchia, ICT Manager (dallavecchiav@loyola.vic.edu.au) or Kathryn Wilson, DP Teaching and Learning (wilsonk@loyola.vic.edu.au) if you have any concerns. For Microsoft policy specific questions please contact Liam Hooton of Centorrino Technologies (lhooton@ct.com.au).
Victor Dalla-Vecchia,
ICT Manager
Community
Morning Tours – 2023
Morning Tours for Semester 1 will be taking place on the following dates from 9:00 am – 11:00 am :-
Monday, 27th March
Thursday, 24th April
Monday, 15th May
Monday, 5th June
Monday, 17h July
To book for a Morning Tour, please visit website – www.loyola.vic.edu.au/bookatour
Twilight Working Bee – Friday, 24th February
Please feel free to join us for our first 2023 Working Bee on Friday, 24th February 4pm – 6:30 pm
A BBQ will be provided at the conclusion of the Working Bee. For catering purposes, if you are interested in attending, please send an email to alonsod@loyola.vic.edu.au
Year 11 Presentation Information Night – Monday, 27th March
A Parent and Student information night will be held on Monday, 27th March at 7:30 pm in the Theatrette (LCH) for all students who would like to express an interest in participating in the 2023 Presentation Balls. The Presentation Balls will be held at the Manor in Epping on Monday, 18th September & Tuesday, 19th September
All students participating in the Balls must be current Year 11 Loyola Students. A boy can ask a girl, a girl can ask a boy, a boy can ask a boy and a girl can ask a girl.
There will be approximately 7 rehearsals which take place on a Sunday evening in LCH from 6:30 pm
Interested students and the parents are required to attend this evening.
If you do not have a partner at this stage, please feel very welcome to attend the Information Session.
An email will be sent for you to register your expression of interest.
2023 – Welcome to our new Loyola Ambassadors
It was so nice to have 38 Year 8 students being presented with their Ambassador badges at a special luncheon on Tuesday 7th February. The students attended Training Day during the holidays and are now equipped to represent Loyola at our upcoming Tours and Open Day.
Year 7 Get-together- Friday, 17th March
The LPFA are very excited to welcome all Year 7 families to a fun filled Year 7 Family Get-together. This is a great opportunity to meet other Loyola families. Both students (siblings included) and parents are welcome to attend.
WHEN: Friday, 17th March TIME: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm WHERE: Loyola Companions Hall
Bookings are essential at https://events.humanitix.com/year7_family_night
$10 per family – includes food, drink, ice-cream, games and entertainment (free door entry prize and raffle tickets)
2023 All Houses Cocktail Night
Please join us for a wonderful adult only event. The House Cocktail night will be held on –
Thursday, 30th March 6 pm - 8:30 pm.
COST – $35 pp.
Free cocktail drink on arrival. Soft drinks provided. Alcoholic drinks available at bar prices.
Please book now, as numbers are limited, via Humanitix - https://events.humanitix.com/house_cocktail
2023 LPFA Winery – A Day in the Yarra
Please join us for A Day in the Yarra on Saturday, 20th May. The day features great places to visit and a wonderful lunch. Please refer to flyer in the Ignatian. Very limited places available.
Book now –https://events.humanitix.com/2023lpfa-yarravalley. $135 per person. Adult only event.
2023 Entertainment Books
The LPFA are very happy to continue the promotion of the 2023 Entertainment Book.
If you are interested in purchasing a digital copy (no hard copies) of the Entertainment book, please visit – www.entbook.com.au/187x238
Homestays Needed – Italian Students
I am very pleased to confirm that we are expecting 15 students from Liceo Levi in Itlay. The students will be here for 12 nights from the 1st of August and departing from Melbourne on August 13th. There will be both male and female students and all attempts will be made to match students regarding age. As this is a short-term visit, families are not paid to host.
All persons living in your household who are over 18 years old will require a Working With Children Card.
If you have any questions or if you are interested in being a Homestay family, please contact me via email – alonsod@loyola.vic.edu.au or call – 9433 0128.
LPFA Elite Performance Grant
The LPFA are very happy to offer a $500 grant for any Loyola Student who represents themselves at State or National level in a range of fields including sport, music, dance or other relevant field. Grant applications can be found on the Loyola website. All applications are taken to the LPFA for approval. A student can apply twice, once as a Junior student and as a Senior Student.
To apply – CLICK HERE
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 overseas students. Donation of blazers and girls school dresses would be much appreciated.
Please feel most welcome to attend -
2022 PWP Meeting
Monday evening – 15th May 2023 7.30 pm
2022 LPFA Meeting
Wednesday evening – 15th March 2023 7.30 pm
Dianna Alonso,
Community Liaison Officer
TO ORDER WINE – CLICK HERE