1487 Ignatian Newsletter - Friday 1 September 2023
Principal's Report
We are nearing the end of Term 3. This is a busy time for students, especially those in Year 12, as they finish many of their final assessments and start to prepare for examinations.
Father’s Day Breakfast
What a delight it was to attend the annual Father’s Day Breakfast. This year, the breakfast was provided for fathers and their sons. A big thank you to Colin Brooks who gave the address.
Colin is not only a father in our community, but is also State Minister for Housing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs since December 2022.
Ignatian Ethos Evening
As an Ignatian school, we want to ensure that all members of our community understand the significance of our charism. Last week we hosted our annual Ignatian Ethos evening. We were thrilled to invite our incoming Year 7 students and their parents to discuss what we are about as a community. After exploring the hopes and dreams of these parents, we share our hopes for their children and introduced them to our Vision and Mission statement.
We aspire to develop articulate, adaptable, discerning and confident young men and women of conscience committed to living the values of Jesus Christ in a global community. As a community we recognize this is best achieved in a welcoming and collaborative environment committed to Justice, Mercy and Faith.
Master Planning
The completion of the STEM building will mark the end of our current Master Plan. We are currently in the tender process for the STEM facility and hope that building will commence towards the end of 2023.
Darrin Day, our Business Manager, has started consultation for our new Master Plan. We will endeavour to consult with various parties to ensure that the new plan will ensure that we can deliver a high quality contemporary education.
Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Improvement Survey (MACSIS) Survey
A random selection of parents in the Loyola community have been emailed the 2024 MACSIS survey. This survey asks for parent feedback around a variety of school matters. We are keen to receive this feedback as it gives us a real sense of what is going well and where we might need to improve. At Loyola, we are committed to continous improvement and we strive to work in genuine partnership with our parents. I encourage parents who received the survey to make time to complete it. It is important the College get feedback from all stakeholders – parents, staff and students.
Alison Leutchford,
Acting Principal
Student Voice
Kwong Lee Dow Scholarships
Kwong Lee Dow Scholarships – Year 10 students
Applications are now open for the Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program, the University of Melbourne’s flagship high school academic enrichment program. The program is open to Year 10 students from all Victorian and select interstate border schools, offering access to exclusive University events and academic enrichment activities for two years. The Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program is an academic enrichment program designed to support high-achieving secondary school students in achieving their personal best. Student applications for the program are open until Friday 1 September 2023.
Successful applicants will take part in an exciting two-year program of events and activities that will expand their academic and personal horizons and set them up for success at Melbourne, and beyond. When you finish your secondary studies, you could also be offered a guaranteed place in an undergraduate degree, financial assistance to move to Melbourne, and an overseas scholarship during your studies. If you wish to apply, please have a conversation with your Careers Teacher or the Year 10-12 Programs Coordinator, to let them know you're interested in submitting an application. Each school must limit the number of applications they submit. To be considered the school will need to endorse your application, so this conversation and the school's support is vital. For more information, contact Mr Denton.
Unit 3 and 4 Trial Exams
The unit 3 and 4 trial exams will be held during the last week of Term 3 from Wednesday 13th September to Friday 15th September. All year 12 VCE and Accelerated year 11 students will have a trial exam for each of their subjects. Students have been emailed their personalised trial exam timetables. Below is some important information regarding the trial exams.
- All the exams are run using VCAA rules.
- Students have their English, English Language or Literature exams on the Wednesday. Their other 4 exams are spread out over the Thursday and Friday.
- Students who have approved SEA will sit their trial exams with these provisions.
- Students need to be in full uniform.
- Students will not be allowed to leave early – they must remain for the entire examination time.
- Students can go home if they do not have an exam.
- Students can study in the library if they choose to remain on campus.
- Students do not need to attend mentor during this period.
- Accelerated year 11 students will not be required to attend year 11 classes on the day of their unit 3 and 4 trial exam.
- VCE- VM students are expected to attend their timetabled classes on the Thursday of this week.
SAC Reschedules
The last day for Unit 4 assessments is Tuesday 12th September due to the trial exams later in this week. It is anticipated that most students are going to have a large number of SACs to complete at the end of term 3. Students with 3 or more SACs on one day can apply in the usual way for a SAC reschedule. To allow for the increased number of SAC reschedules the following dates and times will be provided to complete these SACs:
- Wednesday 13th September 1.30-2.30pm - DJD
- Thursday 14th September 4.00pm-5.00pm - KLW
- Friday 15th September 4.00-5.00pm - DJD
Dominic Denton,
Programs Coordinator
Wellbeing
This Month on SchoolTV - Respectful Relationships
Fostering a nurturing environment of respectful relationships within your family holds the key to not only harmonious living, but also improved academic outcomes for your children. As parents and caregivers, embracing the art of teaching children about respect at a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy interactions and empathetic understanding. It will help cultivate a positive environment where communication flourishes, conflicts are resolved constructively, and bonds are fortified.
Teaching children to respect themselves and others will open up avenues for both personal growth and academic achievement. Fostering an environment where respect is not just a word, but a practiced behaviour, will empower young people with essential life skills. Effective communication, active listening, and the art of compromise, will provide your child with a solid foundation that will transcend family interactions and help them collaborate effectively with peers, teachers and the broader community.
Equipping children with an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy relationships is an important aspect of their development. It will guide them to make informed choices, foster positive connections, and set boundaries that contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Understanding the nuances between healthy and unhealthy relationships provides children with the essential tools to navigate their social world, build self-esteem, and cultivate meaningful relationships.
In this edition of SchoolTV, learn how to empower young people in healthy interactions to embrace differences and forge connections that honour their self-worth. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always 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.
Here is the link to this month's edition https://loyola.vic.schooltv.me/newsletter/respectful-relationships
Sal Valentino,
Wellbeing & Personal Development
Sustainability
Sustainability Week 2023 occurred in Week 3 (July 24 - 28), Term 3. Throughout the week students were able to participate in the following activities:
- Movie showing of The Lorax
- Soft Plastic Basket Weaving with Emma Wade, one of the College counsellors
- Terrarium building with Ms Box
- Tree planting in Year 7 Humanities classes linked in with National Tree Day with Mr Dave Kelly, our Head Gardener.
A huge thank you to all the students who attended our events plus Emma Wade, Ms Box and Mr Kelly for running your workshops. Sustainability Week wouldn’t have been the success that it was without you.
If students are interested in continuing to participate in sustainability activities, they are invited to join Sustainability Club. The Club meets every Monday in room OL137.
Elise Mezner,
Sustainability Coordinator
ICT
Loyola College Lends its voice to Ed Tech on Data and Privacy
The last fortnight has seen Loyola College take a prominent role in two public events involving ICT in Education.
On 15 August Loyola College, led by ICT Manager Victor Dalla-Vecchia, hosted its inaugural Victorian ICT Network for Education (VINE) conference, where more than 100 members from over 50 schools convened to focus on the use of data to improve student learning and wellbeing.
After being welcomed by Acting Principal Alison Leutchford, Deputy Principal Anna Salmic, Head of MacKillop House Jacqui Salamon and Head of English Jacob Gasparini shared their successes in using data to monitor student progress and wellbeing.
As part of an Acknowledgement of Country, First Nations Head Gardner, Dave Kelly treated members with an explanation of his creation, the Yarning Circle, while sharing some of his own personal journey.
Then on 25 August at EduTECH 2023, Loyola College's ICT Manager Victor Dalla-Vecchia and cybersecurity thought leader Denny Wan, using the MACS-VINE collaboration model they designed along with Trinity Grammar ICT Director Josh Lyon, presented on ways schools and school communities can collaborate to better prepare for the imminent Personally Identifiable Information (PII) related Privacy Act changes.
Victor Dalla-Vecchia,
ICT Manager
Community
Morning Tours 2023
Morning Tours for Semester 2 will be take place on the following dates from 9:00 am – 11:00 am:
- 11 September
- 9 October
- 13 November
Father’s Day Breakfast – Tuesday, 29 August
It was wonderful to have so many dads /guardians attend the Father & Son Breakfast. In a very orderly fashion, dads and their sons filled their plates with the wonderful food made by the Hospitality students, with the guidance and support from Fiona Chapman, Liz Gartland and Alex Marinelli. It would appear that the fathers apparently are more focused in comparison to the mothers and within a record time over 200 people were seated. It was a pleasure to have Hon. Colin Brooks, a parent at Loyola, speak about how the role of fathers has changed over time and the importance of being grateful for the role fathers play in one’s life.
Expression of Interest – Stall Holders for Community & Food Truck Event, Friday, 1 December
Loyola College will be holding the annual Community Event on Friday, 1st December.
We are requesting an expression of interest for businesses who may be interested in having a stall at the event. The aim of stalls at this event is to sell products that are potential Christmas gifts. We are expecting over 1000 people to attend this event.
Whilst there is no cost for having a stall, all stall holders would be asked to donate goods from their stall (or small financial contribution if preferred).
Set-up would commence at 4 pm and pack-up at around 8 pm.
As we would like to ensure that we have a good range of varied items, please email Dianna – alonsod@loyola.vic.edu.au.
You will then be notified if your stall has been approved.
All stall holders are required to have a current Working With Children Check.
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 -
2023 LPFA Meeting
Wednesday, 11th October 2023 7.30 pm
2023 PWP Meeting
Monday, 9th October 2023 7.30 pm
2023 Working Bee
Saturday, 9th September 9 am – 12 noon
Dianna Alonso,
Community Liaison Officer