Villa View: Issue 21/19

As we enter the second half of the 2019 school year and many of our students select subjects for future years, it seems appropriate to pause for a moment to consider the influence our teachers continue to have on our lives. I had some brilliant teachers when I was at school. Schools were very different in my day—parents were not as welcome on school grounds, let alone in the classroom and pastoral care was something my boarder friends spoke of upon their return from holidays. Yet a few teachers still loom large in my imagination, and fortunately they are the ones who had a positive influence in my learning and growth.

It is surely a cause for celebration that children are treated with respect and compassion in modern schools. Whilst teaching is certainly not a lost art these days, there is little doubt that the regard for it as a profession is becoming a lost tradition. There is a positive side to this in as much as those entering the profession in the 21st century, really do want to teach and to make a difference on young lives; it is truly a vocation.

I look at the staff at Villanova College and marvel at their willingness to give of themselves the moment they walk into the College until long after the final bell has sounded. It is impossible as a teacher not to get involved.

Of course, we teach because we love it and the rewards are indeed diverse and immense. Everywhere and anywhere, projects and events which place children at the heart and focus of our staff, have quietly happened around the College. Amidst all this activity, relationships are being developed that are healthy and constructive and yes, sometimes demanding. One simply cannot teach in this era without allowing oneself to be available, present, and occasionally vulnerable. It is what makes our profession so challenging and so rewarding. We take our work and its outcomes personally.

So, spare a thought for the teachers your children now have. They work hard, and they care a great deal about what they do, and we are so very fortunate to have such a dedicated group at Villanova College.

As Carl Jung wrote, “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child”.

In the coming week, we celebrate Catholic Education Week.  Villanova College must be different.  Our mandate, our charter as a Catholic school demands that of us.  Our only right to exist is that we be an active Gospel presence in the world, that we educate young men to go into this world with Gospel eyes, asking Gospel questions and walking in the shoes of Jesus to those he unashamedly chose to be with – the powerless and the oppressed.  In the week of celebration of Catholic Education, our prayer and hope could be that in our pursuit of excellence in all that we do, Villanova will stand out as a place where credibility, inner courage, justice and courageous love can all find a very human home.

Mr Steven Bremner, Principal (Acting)

A belated welcome back to all families for Semester 2. I hope that there was the opportunity for some rest and relaxation in all Villanova households across the three-week break. The end of Semester 1 was frenetic and each student at the College deserved some well-earned time off.

START OF SEMESTER
As I stressed at the beginning of Semester 1, planning a considered, well-thought out approach to one’s study is one of the stepping stones to success (and not just academic success). I would encourage all students across Years 5 to 12 to continue to reflect on their previous achievements, engage with any feedback from teachers and develop goals that focussed on increased success.

Making these goals explicit and visible is very important. At the beginning of the year, all students were given a study planner to use in their place of study. If a student is new to the College, or for any reason has misplaced their study planner, they can come to the Curriculum Office to collect one.

PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS
I hope that the parent-teacher interviews that were conducted last Monday were fruitful conversations. For those students who met their goals and achieved success in their studies, I hope the affirmation they received allows them to build on this success this semester. For those students who did not reach their potential, I would encourage them to be critical of their performance and vulnerable in accepting the statements of feedback and feed forward in order to move ahead positively in Semester 2.

SUBJECT INFORMATION AND PATHWAYS EXPO EVENING
Last night the College held its Year 10 and Year 11, 2020 Subject Information and Pathways Expo Evening. It was great to see so many students in attendance, keen to find out more with regards to subject offerings in 2020 and pathways once they graduate from Villanova. The next few weeks are an important time for all students in determining this pathway.

SEMESTER 1 AWARDS
Semester 1 Academic Awards will be handed out next Friday, August 2.  As has been the case in the past, it is an opportunity to acknowledge students who have achieved highly in their studies across Semester 1. The minimum criteria for these awards are as follows:

• Year 5 to 9: Across a student’s core subjects, achieving an ‘A’ in all but one subject, with the one subject being no less than a ‘B’ grade.
• Year 10: Across a student’s seven (7) subjects, achieving an ‘A’ in all but one subject, with the one subject being no less than a ‘B’ grade.
• Year 11 and 12: Across a student’s six (6) subjects, achieving an ‘A’ in all but one subject, with the one subject being no less than a ‘B’ grade.

This semester, the College will recognise those students who are not recipients of an Academic Award but show application to their studies. As a result of feedback from the wider Villanova community, it was made clear that application to one’s studies is just as important as the academic distinction achieved.

Many students give their all to their studies and do not receive official recognition. Earlier in the year, the College refined the manner in which a student’s application was reported and collected, and this has allowed for these students to be acknowledged. The criteria for this award are:

• Students are not the recipient of an Academic Award.
• Using the application scale of Excellent (5), Good (4), Satisfactory (3), Inconsistent (2) and Needs Attention (1) across all subjects, the student achieves an average application of 4.5.

STUDY HUB
Study Hub has recommenced this week for any Junior and Middle School students interested in seeking help with any aspect of their studies. It is facilitated by committed group of Year 10, 11 and 12 students. Junior and Middle School students are welcome to attend the Study Hub at the following times:

• Middle School (Tolle Lege Library) – Wednesday afternoon – 3.15pm to 4.30pm
• Junior School (Lower Library) – Thursday morning – 7.30am to 8.15am

NB : Tuesday morning in the Junior School is no longer being offered due to Year 5 Instrumental Music lessons.

ORAL SPEAKING WORKSHOP
Oral presentations are not just an important part of assessment at school but the skills in delivering a speech are important in all facets of life. They give individuals confidence and develop self-belief amongst other things. I would encourage all students in Years 10 to 12 to consider attending the ‘Persuasive Speaking’ workshop being run on August 23 at Gregory Terrace. Details are in the flyer (linked below).

Mr John Christie, Dean of Teaching and Learning

JUNIOR SCHOOL LEARNING TOOLS SESSIONS
This week we commenced Junior School technology workshops introducing Year 5 and Year 6 students to Microsoft Learning Tools. These are functions that are pre-installed on all Windows 10 laptops. Learning Tools encourages students to be independent learners through the following capabilities:

• Reading text from any OneNote page aloud;
• Changing the font, size, spacing, contrast and background of OneNote page text;
• Highlighting grammar labels such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs in OneNote pages;
• Translating words into pictures (Picture Dictionary);
• Increasing focus by limiting the number of text lines visible in paragraphs;
• Dictating spoken words into (error free) typed text.

These Learning Tools features require students to use the OneNote for Windows app. Presently, students are using either OneNote 2016 (mac/Windows), OneNote for Windows or OneNote for Mac. The OneNote2016 application (a long-standing favourite) now only receives security/bug fixes indicating is nearing its end of life date. No product or feature updates – such as Learning Tools – are being pushed out to the OneNote 2016 application. This is one of the key drivers encouraging users to move towards OneNote for Windows or OneNote for Mac. If not already pre-installed, the OneNote for Windows and OneNote for Mac applications may be downloaded freely from the Windows Store or Mac Store respectively.

Part of the Junior School Learning Tools sessions requires your son to take home an A3 activity sheet. This is a creative activity where we are asking the boys to “be the experts” and demonstrate how to use Learning Tools to parents (or other siblings). This should also generate discussion regarding how your son can use these tools to become more independent and to enhance his reading, writing and comprehension skills.

WHICH ANTI-VIRUS TOOL DOES YOUR SON USE?
All BYOD laptops require the installation of an Anti-Virus application. As per our instructions on the BYOD Setup page of the College website, there are a number of options for you to consider. You may choose your own anti-virus application – perhaps you have a family subscription – or there is the option to install Sophos EndPoint Protection. Sophos is a professional anti-virus service that the College provides free to all BYOD devices. This ensures that all devices using our IT network are covered, whether you prefer a free or paid/professional option (e.g. Nortons, Sophos, McAfee, Bitdefender).

Just last week I posted this recent threat to the BYOD Facebook page. “Agent Smith” highlights to vulnerability of all devices, in this case the widely popular Android fleet of devices. The best protection against such threats is (a) information, and (b) protection.  Therefore, educate your son to the dangers of threats – it is estimated a business will fall victim to ransomware every 14 seconds during 2019. Ensure the anti-virus software on your son’s BYOD laptop is installed, functioning correctly and updating its threat database continually.

I am starting an online discussion this week on the BYOD Facebook page regarding your advice and experience with anti-virus software. We are a large community, and this is an example where we can use our collective knowledge to raise awareness. Any posts or product information shared is not an official endorsement, rather it should be intended as advice and information to help all parents manage BYOD devices in the home.

ANTI-PHISHING RESOURCES FOR HOME
I will also share some recent anti-phishing posters and resources to the page. What is “phishing”? Rather than giving the game away here please visit and subscribe to the BYOD Facebook page – then see for yourself. Alternatively, if you prefer not to use Facebook email me at jlane@vnc.qld.edu.au and I will send you a PDF copy directly.

Mr Jason Lane, eLearning Pedagogy Leader

BREAKING NEWS
Villanova College is pleased to announce the introduction of Media Studies to the semester electives in Year 9 and Year 10 in 2020.

If your son is a Spielberg in the making or into producing YouTube videos, or is attached to his phone, this course is for him.
In studying the Media Arts, students learn to be critical thinkers by engaging in the creative process of design and production of their own media products. Realistically, students are already doing this. By using their phones every day, they are immersed in the media world, but the phenomena of this subject is that the classroom becomes a place where they begin to deconstruct these images and messages and start to understand how they are manipulated by them. Critical thinkers stop to ask questions and investigate the truth. In this subject, this becomes second nature. Students are no longer passive consumers.

They learn to collaborate, negotiate and problem solve in creative teams and analytically respond to, and interact with, ideas and audiences that are relevant to them. Students learn to tell stories through the use of information communication technologies such as short films, television content (the News, advertising, drama and reality shows), newspapers, radio, video games and social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and Facebook etc.

Trying to inspire students to be innovative, entrepreneurial and socially responsible is a huge challenge for educators today.  Media Arts provides a safe pastoral place to discuss what is happening around us whilst upskilling our young men with the 21st century skills they will require in the future.

I am very excited to be introducing this dynamic subject to Villanova College.  I have taught Media and Film, Television and New Media for the past 26 years and I am looking forward to designing engaging lessons and assessment task for your sons.  If you have any questions, please email me at sfreney@vnc.qld.edu.au

CITY OF GOLD – ‘A battle cry from the front line of Australian Identity’
Drama excursion to Queensland Theatre Company

In nearly 30 years of teaching, I can count on one hand the number of times I have taken a group of students to a performance that is both challenging, confronting and contemporary. City of Gold, written by young actor, Meyne Wyatt and directed by Isaac Drandic was exactly that.

Students in Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12 Drama were privileged to see this play last Wednesday night which deals with indigenous racial tension in the community of Kalgoorlie and highlights the challenges faced by many young indigenous kids just trying to fit in whilst staying faithful to their traditions.

While there were a few scenes that were particularly confronting, having discussed them at length before the show enabled our students to handle the content with maturity and respect. After the show, the cast came out and chatted to the boys about their reactions and were then kind enough to pose for some selfies.

Thank you to Mrs Sophie Kenny, Mrs Kath Underhill and Mr Matt Levander for accompanying the boys to such a wonderful show.  It was a great night.

Ms Sallyanne Freney, CAL of Creative Arts

July is my favourite month of the year because it means the Tour De France is on TV. My passion for the tour started in 2007 after I saw on the news that it was heading past my uncle’s house in the French Alps. I had already booked a ticket to visit him and his family at Christmas time for my first trip overseas. Initially I didn’t look out for the cycling. Instead, I took in the beautiful countryside, the rich history of chateaus and churches and the imposing mountain ranges that were capped in snow even in summer. After watching on for a few nights in a row, I became fascinated by the cycling; the strategy of the teams, the attacks, the steepest of climbs and of course, the commentary of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin. I supported Cadel Evans who narrowly lost, finishing second behind Alberto Contador by just 23 seconds. It wasn’t until 2011 that Evans was able to become Australia’s first winner of the biggest cycling race in the world. After a few years of watching the Tour I decided to try cycling myself and it’s something I have been passionate about ever since.

Term 3 is a passion-filled term for many of our boys. For the first time, the AIC competition offers rugby league and those who have played league for many years are excited to share their sport with their school mates. If the interest in the sport at Villanova is matched by the other AIC schools, then the competition will continue to grow in the coming years.

Our commitment to AIC basketball remains strong with eight junior school teams competing this season. As a non-basketballer (something Steve Rouhliadeff has only recently forgiven me for) I’m so impressed with the skill and teamwork our boys display at training and on game day. Not to be forgotten are our tennis players who began trialling in Term 2. There was a tennis clinic on the first Saturday of the holidays and they have been training twice a week at Morningside in Term 3. Last Saturday was their first AIC trial against St Patrick’s College. The Year 5s were so excited to represent Villanova for the first time.

It’s not all sport this term for the passionate; it is looking likely that we will field four teams for Tournament of Minds (TOM) regionals at the end of August. TOM is a wonderful initiative that offers students the opportunity to solve authentic, open-ended challenges in the Arts, Language Literature, Social Sciences and STEM. Not only is it great fun, but it fosters 21st century learning skills of collaboration, creative thinking innovation and critical thinking.

Our recently elected Term 3 Year Six leaders have already been spreading their passion for the College through a number of activities. Firstly, they have created a suggestion box which they have manned at break times to bring everyone’s ideas to life. They have several activities planned, including house point competitions to keep our boys engaged at break times.

Finally, the passionate Junior School teachers are continuing their collaborative professional development this term. By engaging in current literature, gathering feedback, visiting each other’s classrooms and reflecting on the needs of our learners, our teachers are ensuring their teaching is high-quality and continues to develop.

It is infectious working in an environment where you are surrounded by passionate people who take on the opportunities that they are presented with. It keeps everyone more positive and gives people the confidence to step outside their comfort zone and take some risks from time to time. The best thing we can do in partnership with parents is to help our students find their passion and encourage them to be active at their school and in their families.

Mr Brendan Kennedy, Head of Junior School (Acting)

This term, in place of the Middle School editorial, we will be featuring a series of podcasts where we’ll discuss a range of issues relevant to our adolescent boys. Happy listening.

Episode 2: “The Adolescent Brain”

Click on the image to begin listening.

To listen to previous episodes:
Episode 1: ‘Effective Feedback’ with Ms Kate Alexander and Ms Christianne Kemp

Mr Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR SON: IDENTITY
Last week, I introduced Tim Hawkes ’10 Conversations You Must Have with your Son’. According to the author, a crucial aspect in the development of all young men is in them discovering who they are – ‘he needs to know what he is capable of physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally and spiritually’. On the journey of self-discovery, finding support from trusted family, friends, teachers and mentors is so important. In conversing on this topic, Hawkes offers the following points:

• A son must know that he special and has unique gifts;
• Maturity in our sons comes from knowing when to blend in and when to stand out; when to speak and when to be silent;
• Teenage boys find their identity in many ways and in order for them to develop an accurate understanding of self they must receive honest and regular feedback from their parents;
• Our sons must be encouraged to find out what they believe and to stand for something.

At Villanova, we encourage our young men to look inward (nurturing their interior selves). The mark of an Augustinian Graduate is one who grows in knowledge and acceptance of their own gifts and graces and who gets in touch with his deeper self and personal story.

YEAR 12 RETREAT PROGRAM
Segueing from the aforementioned discussion on identity and the value of interiority, the Year 12 students are to be commended for their engagement and courage exhibited during their retreat experience. This year, we made some changes to the program which ensured that the students were more comfortable in taking off the mask and embracing their vulnerability in a trusting and supportive small group environment. I would like to thank the staff who both shared their story and led our young men in their spiritual and emotional development.

One of the challenges of the retreat was for the students to disconnect from their dependency on their smart phones and to ‘be present’ in the moment. Given the recent media focus on the work of Cal Newport and his book ‘Digital Minimalism’ who stresses the value of a 30 day phone-detox, the students did particularly well.

COMMENCEMENT OF TRIMESTER THREE SPORT
This weekend marks the commencement of the AIC Season for Basketball, Rugby League and Tennis against St Edmund’s College. It has been my consistent expectation throughout the year that all Villanova College players and supporters model the highest standards of sportsmanship both on and off the court and field and those spectators remaining to support the First teams must be attired in full academic uniform.

At yesterday’s Trimester Two Awards Ceremony, it was pleasing to affirm the achievements of many Senior School students. The celebration of the Open Chess Premiership and affirmation of the players who walked down the aisle of Goold Hall, coupled with the thunderous VNC chants was incredibly powerful.

“If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.” – Peter Marshall

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

WINTER APPEAL AND SLEEP OUT
The response to the winter appeal has been both stirring and humbling. Perhaps most gratifying is to overhear Junior School students discussing what a person who is homeless can easily cook and eat. The empathy these young men display is clear to see, both in the sheer quantity of donations, and also the reasons the boys supply. One young man – for example – explained that he included the “Little Shop” toys in case one of the homeless people has young children.

It is indeed the case that some of the “hidden” homeless are adults with children (usually women), and they sometimes end up in cars or temporary accommodation.

Another outstanding feature of the community response has been through parents, past parents, and staff. Past parent Paula Lisignoli has donated several beautiful hand-made blankets from a group of women who meet to make these blankets. Ms O’Dwyer’s Pastoral decided to over-achieve by all donating $5 each to buy eight fluffy new blue blankets.

I would urge students and families to give this appeal some thought, especially to encourage empathy in our Villa young men. We still need more male toiletries, shaving gear and toothbrushes/ toothpaste before the appeal closes on Friday.

Some of the donations will be taken to the St Vincent de Paul men’s hostel on Peel Street, and to Blind Eye Drop In Centre on Merivale Street by the students who are sleeping out tomorrow. We will also donate a number of blankets as well as tea, milk, milo, coffee etc to the Rosies van. Another aspect of the evening, before we stretch out on our BYO cardboard on the concrete, will be to carefully sort all other donations and plan which partner organisation will make the best recipient.

YEAR 12 RETREAT
Taking the two halves of the Year 12 cohort away up Mt Tamborine at a busy time of the year may seem counter-intuitive, but the experience was profoundly relaxing, uniting and refreshing. I really commend the young men for the brave way in which they shared personal stories, and also for the care and attention given to listening. As Fr Pete observed, there were powerful moments in the retreats when everyone fell silent together. One was when students were busily writing affirmations to one another. Everyone silent and focused upon writing about respect, love and affirmation – that is community.

Here are some student responses:

“I absolutely loved retreat.  I haven’t tended to like retreats in previous years because I often find that the hosts of the retreat focus on the negative experiences of people’s lives rather than the often much more prevalent happy side. Despite reflection being an integral component of self-growth, I found that this retreat had more on what will be done in the future and using the past to create a new future. My favourite moment was last night when group members were sharing their happiest moments because it brought joy to me as well. Hearing about how different things make different people happy emphasised how we are all so different, yet all still be able to connect.

I received some [postcard affirmations] from people that I am good friends with, but what they said on the card, they would never say to me in person. Not because it was nasty, but I think it just comes down to masculinity and not sharing your emotions with others. But given the opportunity with the postcards, I got to see people behind their ‘mask’. I loved the analogy with the masks too, because it is so true.

Another positive thing was the level of freedom that was given to us in getting to roam around without teachers walking around checking on us constantly which made me feel trusted and no doubt others felt that way too.” (Will Barwick)

“It was a fantastic two days spent away, a great time to connect and look back on who we are and how we came to be the young men we are today. Sharing stories, both happy and sad allowed us to get to know one other better and also get to know ourselves better. This was by far a standout experience of my time at Villa and something I found incredibly rewarding.” (Matt Rolls).

FAIR GO FOOTY, SUNDAY 21 JULY 2019
In 2011, a team of dedicated Villanova parents responded to an urgent request, or dream, by two indigenous Villanova students, namely that we create a sporting event to bring together the indigenous and non-indigenous young people of Brisbane over a shared love of sport. With its wonderful indigenous program, John Paul College has now taken over the hosting of this annual event. It seems fitting though that the 2019 winners were the humbly named Villanova B team, consisting of Year 10 and 11 students. Another team of equally spirited Year 12 students contributed to a great day of reconciliation and sport last Sunday. (Please see Mr Peter Meecham’s report in this week’s Villa View Sport section).

YAYM – WINTER APPEAL AND VISIT TO ARCHBISHOP DUHIG VILLAGE
YAYM have been very busy, using some of the money made from bottle and can recycling to have some “Nova Nation” wristbands made. These will be sold, with chocolate and chips, in $3 value packs next Wednesday 31 July. All profits will go to Blind Eye Ministries as a way of offering further support for this wonderful drop-in centre for the homeless. A special thank you to Jack Stone and Tom Price (both Year 9) who conceived and organised this initiative.

On top of this, and to mark the start of Catholic Education Week, YAYM will join forces with the Irish Ensemble on Monday 29 July to renew our friendship with the residents at Archbishop Duhig Village. Zac Child (Year 9) is once again pushing the boat out to make biscuits for each the residents. The aim is to create a memorable afternoon of singing, conversation and music.

Mr John Holroyd, Dean of Mission and Identity

THE KOKODA CHALLENGE YOUTH PROGRAM (KCYP)
Since its inception in 2004, the Kokoda Challenge has changed the lives of 50 “Kokoda Kids” every year, from all walks of life and backgrounds.

The Kokoda Challenge Youth Program (KCYP) is a 14-month program that involves weekly training sessions, involvement in the 96km Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge, a trip to Papua New Guinea to hike the Kokoda Track and visit local villages, a 2-day camp at Camp Kokoda Outdoor Education Centre in Maroon QLD, 10 months Community Service designed to teach the value of giving back, education on the Kokoda campaign and regular activities which encourage team work, cooperation and leadership skills.

Earlier in the year Alex Bryant, a Year 11 student, was selected into the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program (KCYP). The program is based on the core values of Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice. In preparation for the challenge his team completed many tough hikes and participated in a two-day adventure camp. The activities thus far have fostered the development of resilience, trust and healthy rapport with both team mates and leaders. Alex has been acknowledged by his mentors for training hard and pushing his personal limits each week.

In June, Alex and his team participated in the Brisbane 30km Kokoda Challenge finishing in 10 h 24 min. They also completed the 96km Gold Coast Challenge last weekend in 33 h 40 min. The KCYP training will continue to teach the ‘Kokoda Kids’ valuable life lessons that will facilitate their transition into adulthood.

Alex now continues his training with the Kokoda Foundation in preparation to complete the Kokoda Track during the September holidays. This will be followed up with involvement for the following 10 months in a range of community service projects supporting the Kokoda Foundation. Congratulations Alex!

Mr Brian Pascoe

All trials for AIC basketball, rugby league and tennis are now complete. Round 1 will commence against St Edmund’s and Ambrose Treacy College tomorrow, 26 July and Saturday 27 July.

Last weekend marked the inaugural rugby league trial round against St Patrick’s College at Villanova Park. As a new introductory trial sport within the AIC Competition this year, it was a little unusual to see rugby league being played at Villanova Park for the first time ever. However, given the vibe and excitement around the park by both the players and spectators. I think rugby league may be here to stay after the two-year trial period ends at the conclusion of the 2020 season.

The new Villanova rugby league uniform looked great too. On close inspection you will notice we have the East Tigers rugby league logo sublimated on our jersey and shorts. There is no denying it is our intention to further build and foster a good relation between our College and Easts. We have mutual interests in our local catchment area and we intent to work together where we can to share resources to ensure our boys, the College and their club can benefit in a positive manner. Two advertisement signs have also been placed around the main field of Langlands Park to promote our College. Boys who have a strong rugby league interest are encouraged to enrol at Villanova knowing that we have solid programs and a partnership with Easts in place.

I was pleasantly surprised by our rugby league teams at Villanova Park. Although only a trial, we won five from the seven games played against a College who has many keen league players. Well done to all coaches on their good work to ensure that Villanova is ready to tackle the league season ahead.

A message of apology is given to those who were involved in the tennis matches played at Morningside Tennis Centre on the weekend. There was a mix up of scheduling which caused the opposition College to send the wrong teams at the wrong time. The correct information was given but was not filtered down. We are certain the program this weekend will be trouble free as it normal is.

Basketball continues to be very popular at Villanova College.  St Patrick’s College have come in bridesmaids to Villanova’s dominance winning the aggregate over recent years. St Pat’s proved that they will again be a force this season. Our aim is again to compete very well this season and hopefully be in contention for the aggregate for a fifth consecutive year. It doesn’t just happen; the boys must apply themselves week in and week out during training and on game day to get the results. Let’s continue our winning culture by applying ourselves. Best wishes to all!

I urge all parents and students to check the College’s website regularly for updates regarding the Villanova sport program. This includes information regarding training/trial schedules, team lists, upcoming fixtures/events, by-laws, uniform requirements etc. Plenty of notice/information is given to students via the College app, morning notices, assemblies, newsletters and of course the College website.

I request the support of our parents to ensure that the boys are receiving the information and are following through with their commitment by attending all sessions when necessary. As mentioned in last week’s Villa View, the Sports Office is willing and able to negotiate alternative schedules to assist students who have many commitments. The ‘Villanova Way’ is to help when you can and to follow through once a commitment is made.

Best wishes to all for Round 1 of the AIC basketball, rugby league and tennis held this weekend against St Edmund’s/Ambrose Treacy College. Enjoy!

VILLANOVA COLLEGE GREEN ZIPPED SPORTS JACKET (CANTERBURY)
Villanova’s green zipped sports jacket is on sale from the Villanova College Uniform Shop for $110. During these cooler months, our boys would benefit from wearing a warm jacket such as this to and from training sessions, games, track and field meets etc. It is important that our boys are dressed in uniform as it sends a positive message about the College to the community. The jacket looks good and certainly will keep the boys warm. The Sports Office strongly urges parents to invest in this piece of clothing. Please be assured that the design will stay for years to come and the jacket can be worn to all Villanova sports events.

It may be the case that some sizes are on back order, please check with the Uniform Shop for immediate availability.

AIC TENNIS, RUGBY LEAGUE AND BASKETBALL
Round 1 v St Edmund’s/Ambrose Treacy College, Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July – Times and Venues

All Year 5 and Year 6 basketball games are played on Friday afternoons. All Year 7 – Year 12 basketball and Year 5 – Year 12 tennis games are played on Saturday.  Please refer to the College’s website to view all times and venues for this weekend’s fixtures against St Edmund’s/Ambrose Treacy College.

AIC Basketball, Rugby League and Tennis
All AIC tennis, rugby league and basketball trials have now concluded. Team lists will be posted on the College’s website each week by Thursday. Please be aware that these lists can and will change each week depending on player performance, attitude and attendance at training.

We are expecting a significant challenge from St Edmund’s this weekend. In our quest to retain the basketball aggregate and our firm placing in the tennis aggregate we ask all boys to come ready to play this weekend. Rugby league will be an unknown all season. Good luck to all involved!

AIC RUGBY LEAGUE
Mr Blake McLauchlan, AIC Rugby League Co-ordinator

Congratulations to all our rugby league teams who trialled against St Patrick’s College on Saturday for their first rugby league game for Villanova College. There was a buzz around the ground, and it was fantastic to see how pumped the boys were to kick off the inaugural season. Although it was only a trial it was pleasing to note that we came away with five wins and only two losses. Our Year 9’s only went down by two points and had an exceptional second half as did our First XIII. The Firsts were down 32 – 0 at half time and managed to keep SPC scoreless in the second half, clawing their way back into the game for a final score of 32 – 22.

As is expected, some boys are still learning the basics of rugby league but there were many positives to take out of Saturday’s trial. There is no doubt that many of our boys display a real talent for the game.

We are very excited to have many experienced coaches on board developing and getting the best out of our boys. Mr Terry Matterson is the current development officer for the Easts Tigers Rugby League Club and will be helping with the development of our players and all coaches. Terry played for many years with the Brisbane Broncos and at one point was the leading point scorer at the club. Terry was selected to play state of Origin in 1989 and has also had an extensive coaching career.

The College is also very lucky to have Mr Jon Buchanan on board with our First XIII. Jon is a prominent name in Queensland Rugby League and was the head coach for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls before moving over to his current club, the South Logan Magpies for the Queensland Intrust Super Cup competition. Jon has also been the head coach for the Queensland Residents rugby league team for the past three years. We are very lucky to have him along with our assistant coach Sinave Faitala working with our Open boys. 2019 is an exciting time for rugby league at Villanova.

This weekend we come up against St Edmund’s College for Round 1 of the AIC competition. All teams from Year 6 to Year 12 will be playing at St Patrick’s College playing fields. Please check the draw posted on the website for the time and the field that teams have been allocated to. Please allow enough travel time to ensure you arrive at the venue at least 30 minutes before your scheduled kick off time, unless you have been told to arrive earlier by your coach.

I wish all teams the best of luck as they play their first official AIC game of rugby league for Villanova College.

AIC BASKETBALL
Mr Sean O’Neill, AIC Basketball Co-ordinator

The 2019 basketball season begins on Friday and it should be another exhilarating year. 30 teams are competing for Villanova this year and we are once again excited to see how the season ahead will unfold. With two trials already played and several training sessions undertaken, the players should be ready for Round 1 in what should be a blockbuster against rivals, St Edmund’s. Year 5 and Year 6 will face Ambrose Treacy and we have high hopes for the development of our younger players after a good trial on the weekend.

With four AIC Aggregate’s already secured, we are looking to make it a fifth, but it does not come easily. Every school knows how strong we have been in the past but 2019 is a new season and our job will be to train, play, execute and win. We play in the right spirit and we show ourselves to be worth ambassadors of the College basketball program.

There is no harder competition in the First V arena than St Edmund’s with a tough, tall and well drilled team. They were able to beat us with a buzzer-beater last year to win the premiership, but this is a new year and it presents a new challenge and our First V players are ready for it. The training completed all year will ensure that they are ready for whatever is coming for them. I want to take the time to congratulate the First V squad on their dedication to training. They have prepared well and are ready! I hope you are ready to support them!

Goold Hall Canteen – AIC Basketball
As Round 1 of the Year 7 – Year 12 basketball season starts this Saturday, we are asking parents to once again help by volunteering their time to assist in the canteen. The canteen will open at 7.45am. It is usual that we need the most help within the first hour with food preparation and coffee sales.

Although at times the canteen may look like they have enough helpers, please come and offer your time as some of those volunteers may need to get to their son’s games. So please come along and help, meet some new friends and catch-up on what is going on around the College. Please see the roster below:

AIC TENNIS
Mr Matt Lalor, Tennis Co-ordinator

 It was a great turn out on a wonderful winter’s morning for the commencement of the Tennis season on Saturday. St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe were our opposition in what was to be our first trial and last opportunity for the boys to show their skills before the season proper commences against St. Edmund’s College on 27 July.

It was most pleasing to see many new players attending who did not play last year, some even in the senior age group who had never played before, illustrating that there is always time to become involved, support the College, have fun and learn new skills.

Competition for places in teams was particularly fierce in the younger grades; thank you to all the boys who trained and trialled. Unfortunately, not all players can make the team with limited number of places available. I encourage all players who have not been successful in making teams to stay in contact with their managers; we would like to see boys be available for selection throughout season and for weeks when there are absences.

The results of the trial matches were pleasing as were the overall individual performances. While I didn’t get to see all matches, I was impressed by Alex Faccio’s intensity in his practice match for the First IV. He was hitting the ball well and hard and showed impressive form leading into the season.

A special mention should be given to the Year 9 teams; they performed ruthlessly winning their trials 7 – 1 and 8 – 0 for the 9A and 9B teams respectively.

Thank you to all parents and boys who have contributed already to what will be an enjoyable and hopefully a very successful season ahead.

BEN MOWEN AND ANDREW SLACK SQUADS
The participants of the abovementioned squads for the up-coming 2019/20 season will be published on the web in the AIC Rugby section late in Week 5. All members are expected to participate in this year’s track and field program. The complete program details will be posted towards the end of this term.

AIC TRACK AND FIELD
AIC track and field training will commence for all age groups from Year 5 – Year 12 the week beginning Monday 19 August. All training will be held at SAF (State Athletic Facility, which is the stadium outside next to QSAC) or QSAC itself on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3.45 -5.15pm. All athletes will be transported by bus to and from SAF and QSAC. A full season schedule will be available on the web by the end of next week.

TERM 4 CRICKET
This year Villanova will again run an internal cricket competition for Year 4 students who will be entering the College in 2019. The current Year 5 students, who are interested, will be invited to play for Villanova in the Eastern Districts pre-Christmas competition during Term 4 in the U11/U12 divisions.

Year 6 – Year 11 students wishing to play will be placed in the BEARS competition, but the number of teams entered will depend on the availability of fields and parents who volunteer to coach. Students are free to play for other clubs and this decision will have NO bearing on AIC selections in 2020. A note outlining details will be available to interested students with contact details by Tuesday, 6 August, from the Sports Office.

REPRESENTATIVE SPORT
Well done to Nick Craig who recently made the Queensland Under 14 Volleyball squad. Nick will travel with the team to Canberra during September for the nationals. A fantastic effort Nick, best wishes!

Mitchell Rieck participated in the State Cross Country Championships held in Toowoomba over the weekend. Mitchell finished in ninth place for the 4km race (13.39) and received a silver medal as part of the 5 x 1500m Met East relay team. Mitchell also made the Met East Track and Field team for 800m (First at Met East) and 1500m (Second at Met East) and will travel to Cairns in October for State Championships.  Well done Mitchell!

Well done to Adam Beiers and Angus Sullivan who made the 11 – 12 Years Rugby Union Chairman’s XV and Met East XV respectively. Both boys will travel to Townsville in early August to participate in the Rugby Union State Championships. Best wishes boys!

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

FAIR GO SCHOOLBOYS TOUCH CHAMPIONS
On Sunday 21 July two Villanova teams competed in the Fair Go Touch Cup at John Paul College. Founded in 2009, Fair Go Australia Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that distributes its funds into its programs and the marginalised young Australians it supports. The Villanova Year 12 team made the semi-finals but were defeated by Ambrose Treacy College and the combined Year 10/11 team won their semi-final against John Paul College and went on to defeat Ambrose Treacy College 8 – 4 in the final. Congratulations to both teams for representing Villanova and supporting the Fair Go Cup competition.

Year 12 team members: Luke Berridge, Sam Hannan, Reece Jansen, Jack Milner, Joel O’Reilly, Jack Scully, Will Stevens and Matt Rolls.

Year 10/11 team members: (below): Joe Carter, Finn Dickson, Jesse Dickson, Jacob Dimmick, Henry Holt, Gus Godwin, Will Johannesen, Declan Ries and Tom Twaddell.

Mr Peter Meecham, Year 12 Pastoral Area Leader

BRISBANE GIRLS’ GRAMMAR SCHOOL BAND WORKSHOPS –  WEDNESDAY 24 JULY
Yesterday afternoon, over 100 Villanova students combined with musicians from Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School to participate in our annual Bands Workshop.  The senior ensembles from both schools rehearsed at Villanova with our Wind Ensemble and Concert Band travelling to BGGS.  At both venues, we worked diligently preparing a short concert repertoire in 70 minutes.

I would like to commend the students for their efforts over the afternoon considering some of the logistical challenges faced.  I would also like to thank Mrs Jimenez, Mr McKechie and Miss To for their work with our students over the afternoon at BGGS.

QCMF IS COMING!  15- 18 AUGUST
We are now only four weeks away from our 29th Queensland Catholic Colleges’ and Schools’ Music Festival.  From Thursday 15 August through until Sunday 18 August, we will be welcoming over 15,000 students from across Australia; this year we are welcoming students from Davenport, Tasmania for the first time!  106 schools will be represented by almost 570 ensembles – it is going to be a great event!

Every year, over 700 fantastic volunteers come along and help our College host what is a vital event in the life of Catholic Education in Australia.  Our volunteer committee would really love to hear from you and we strongly encourage our friends from far and wide to come and join our QCMF family and celebrate music, music education and the youth in our Catholic Schools.  I can say unequivocally that this is an incredible event for our broader community and one that you must experience to realise the positive impact it has on so many.

Our volunteer portal is now active.  Please take the time to visit, sign-up, and join us for a couple of hours over the weekend.  The site for volunteering is located at www.qcmfvolunteering.com.au.  If you have any queries regarding volunteering at QCMF, please contact our organising group via qcmf@vnc.qld.edu.au.

VILLANOVA COLLEGE PERFORMANCE TIMES – QCMF
The Villanova Performance Times for QCMF have been distributed to families earlier this week.  Please ensure you received these via email.  For our community’s information, the times have been listed below.

Villanova Performance Times

We hope that you will come and support the Green and Gold and share in some of the fine music our students have been preparing over the past few months.  I look forward to seeing you all around Campus or down at St James’ over this weekend.

COMBINED CHAMBER EVENING – WEDNESDAY 31 JULY
Next Wednesday 31 July, we will be hosting our inaugural Chamber Music Evening in the Augustine Centre.  Students in Years 6 – 12 who have been taking Instrumental Music lessons at the College have been busily preparing repertoire for this event over the past two and a half months.  I am looking forward to hearing this music performed for family and friends!

The evening will commence at 6.30pm and will comprise a number of performance spaces within the Augustine Centre.  Our Brass and Percussion students will be performing on stage in the lower section of the Hanrahan Theatre, our String students will be performing in the String Room on level 1 of the Augustine Centre, and our Woodwind students will be performing in the Playhouse behind the Augustine Centre.

The Music Support Group will be present to provide refreshments across the evening and the concert is relatively informal in that you may move between spaces to enjoy the music.  Students are encouraged to attend the entire evening and support their peers.  Our musicians will be completing this activity as part of their Instrumental Music assessment for the semester.

I look forward to seeing you all here for a wonderful evening of music.

ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS 2019
If you have purchased books through the drive, please collect your books from the Music Office.  If you require clarification around collection of your Entertainment Books, please contact Mrs Schrauf in the Music Office on 3394 5691.

Entertainment Books can still be purchased through our Villanova Music Support Group portal (link below) or through the Music Office.

Thank you all very much for your continued support of this initiative.  We look forward to being one of Entertainments biggest contributors again!

DATE CLAIMERS
As is tradition, we look forward to the fantastic events we have planned in the near future:

Thank you all for your continued support of Villanova Music.

Mr Michael Jones, Director of Music

VILLANOVA OLD BOYS DINNER
For all our Old Boy fathers (and staff) – tickets for the Old Boys Dinner on Friday 2 August close tomorrow (Friday 26 July). To secure your tickets for what is always a great night, click on the image.

THANK YOU
The Villanova Sports Committee would like to pass on their thanks to the Sports Club Lunch committee members for all their hard work and dedication in organising yet another successful Sports Lunch this year.

We sincerely thank Mr Leo Wallin, Mr Jon Winsbury and their band of helpers for their drive and determination which ensured another successful event was held.

TUCKSHOP
To view our current tuckshop menu:

Tuckshop Menu Price List – 2019

TUCKSHOP ROSTER

Monday 29 July
Alicia Maunsell
Kyle-Ann Walsh
Heather Martin
Leah Coogans
Mary Sclavos
Sylvia Vaitsas
Carmel Scaini
Lisa Gifford
Michelle Dixon

Tuesday 30 July
Kate Hartley
Jo Phillips
Lisa Meredith
Jilane Anderson
Deanne Perrier
Lisa Stone
Nicole Binney
Victoria Lenton
Nicky Rosso

Wednesday 31 July
Sharron Genrich
Lisa Prendergast
Jayne Solomon
Lisa Moroney
Clare Godwin
Paivi McIntosh
Jean Egan
Peta Diedrichs
Eleni Diakos
Maree Martin
Loretta Jordan-Vieira

Thursday 1 August
Christy Grigson
Wendy Wallis
Tracey Wells
Diana McGregor
Maria Horton
Kerry Lapish
Naomi Greenwood
Lan Tran

Friday 2 August
Amanda Robinson-Ilka
Melissa Paterson
Bridget Manning
Merissa Ryan
Barbara Dardengo
Amanda Knight
Melody Phillips
Jane Short
Lucinda Timms

LIBRARY ROSTER

Tuesday 30 July
Cristina Palacios

Wednesday 31 July
Donna Leahy
Madhu Kalaimannan

LHC MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE
The annual Lourdes Hill College Middle School Dance (for students in Years 7 – 9) is being held on Friday 2 August from 6:00 to 8.30pm in the Good Samaritan Centre (GSC). Tickets are $10 at the door.

 HOMESTAY FAMILIES NEEDED
ISCA is looking for homestay families to host visiting International students who are here to study and enjoy the Australian High School experience.

The age group ranges from 15 up to 18 years of age. Please contact International Student Care Australia (ISCA) by visiting our website www.isca.net.au or contact us on (07) 3851 0704 during business hours or you can email us at isca@isca.net.au for more information.

ISCA pays a competitive market rate per week to reimburse you for your costs.

LORETO COLLEGE DANCE
Years 7 – 10 students are invited to the Loreto College Dance on Friday 23 August from 7.00pm – 10.00pm. Entry is $15.00 (ID required).