Villa View: Issue 05/20

On Ash Wednesday the College community gathered for a special liturgy in Goold Hall where staff and students received the ashes in the Sign of the Cross. The mark of the ashes reminds each of us that during this Lenten Season we enter a time of reflection and prayer in preparation for the resurrection of Christ.

During Lent we often hear the students discussing what they have given up for the weeks of Lent. For some it may be a special treat that they always buy. For others it may be reflecting on how they speak to their brothers and sisters and reducing the number of harsh words spoken.

With the Launch of Project Compassion, we are asking the students and families of the College to generously support Caritas Australia and St Vincent de Paul Society Easter hampers. The Senior students will be supporting the Easter hampers with food items and other household essentials (non-perishables) and the Middle and Junior Schools students will be supporting Caritas Australia and their charity works through collection of money for Project Compassion.

The theme for the 2020 Lenten Program, “Be Opened – A journey to new life.”

Mary Poppins
Opening Night has finally arrived and the cast and crew of the 2020 musical, Mary Poppins are eagerly looking forward to thrilling audiences with a fantastic show. Over many months the cast and crew have been working very hard to polish the production and I am confident we will witness a wonderful display of talented students from Loreto and Villanova College.

We wish all involved in the production the very best over the four shows this week.

AIC Swimming Carnival
Next Monday 2 March the 2020 AIC Swimming Championship will be held at the Sleeman Aquatic Centre, Chandler from 2.00 pm until 7.00 pm. Spectators from the Senior and Middle Schools have been invited to attend. Students attending as supporters are expected to be in the College formal uniform (minus the hat). Students will be transported by bus to and from the venue and will conclude the evening back at the College with the buses arriving after 7.30 pm.

We wish all our swimmers the very best for the championships. They have been training well over the course of the pre-season and I know they will represent the College with pride.

Staff News
We congratulate Mr Matt Smith and his wife, Emma on the recent birth of twins – Fergus James and Molly Neve. Mum and dad are very proud. As a twin myself I have shared with them what my mother used to say – “Twins are a gift from God.”

Pastoral Outreach Forums
Members of our community have launched a number of Pastoral Outreach Forums to provide information and assistance to Old Boys of Villanova College and their families who have been affected by past abuse.  Villanova College fully supports the Pastoral Forums.  The forums will be conducted by community members independent of the College.  For further information, please click here.

Prayers Please
We ask for your prayers and thoughts for the following families following recent deaths of loved ones.

• Donnelly Family – Max and Sam in Year 6 whose Grandfather John passed away earlier this week.
• Chigwidden Family following the death of Mrs Vera Dodd, mother of Kerry Chigwidden and Grandmother of Sam – Year 12 and James and Monty – (Seniors 2018).
• Margaret Stevenson’s family following the death of Margaret’s mother last week.

May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen

God bless
Mr Mark Stower, Principal

Our Year 12 students are about to enter an important time of the term, with a large number of students sitting examinations over the coming weeks. With the introduction of the new Senior system, examinations and assignments are no longer grouped as they have been in the past. Week 7 is a particularly busy time for them, and we wish them all the best as they complete examinations that will contribute for many, 25% of their final subject marks which in turn contributes to their ATAR. Year 12 students have been given their examination commitments over the coming weeks.

A pleasing initiative that has commenced over the past few weeks is our Year 12 students have formed a number of peer tutoring groups that meet outside of normal school hours. It is great to see that our students have realised that they are on the journey together, rather than competing against each other, and that they can learn much from their classmates. We hope that this will reap the benefits for our Year 12 students. All Year 12 students have been made aware of the times available.

A number of other year levels will also begin examinations in the coming weeks.

• Year 11 have examinations commencing Week 8
• Year 9 and Year 10 have examinations commencing in Week 10.

Examination timetables for these year levels will be released over the coming few days.

Given that it is Week 5, now is an ideal time to consider study routines and timetables. I wrote last week about the fact that ‘cramming’ for examinations is a futile exercise for arguably all students. Instead, a well-considered study routine that has regular revision built is the best way to approach assessment, particularly examinations. Rather than trying to complete two hours on the night before, 10 minutes of spaced revision per night for five weeks is equivalent to approximately six hours of study, and all without the stress and pressure of learning it the night before.

The Biology camp attended by Year 12 students at the beginning of the week was very successful from a number of perspectives. Thank you to Mrs Juanita Jacobs and Mr Jack O’Hare, along with the staff from the University of Queensland, for giving up their time to give our students a practical experience that also provided significant understanding of knowledge and upcoming assessment.

Last week we also had a group of Year 6 and Year 7 students compete in the Gregory Terrace / All Hallows’ Maths Problem Solving Challenge. Congratulations to the Villanova Team 1 who placed third out of 46 teams.

For those Year 11 and Year 12 students who might be interested in gaining the extra edge in examination preparation and assignment completion, Griffith University is offering boot camps over the holidays. These boots camps are specifically for students studying Mathematics Methods, Biology, Physics and Chemistry. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Mr John Christie, Dean of Teaching and Learning

Victorious Villanovans!  Maths Challenge Day
Last Thursday was an exciting day as 25 Year 6 and Year 7 students embarked on the All Hallows’/Gregory Terrace Maths Problem Solving Challenge Day.  In the pool of 47 teams, our students attempted to solve Maths Problems of the extra-terrestrial kind! Here’s an example: How many 3 digit numbers can be made using the digits 3, 4 and 6, if repeats are allowed (e.g. 444, 344, etc?)

Congratulations to all who participated with such pride and gusto: Sebastian Collins, Samuel Pauli, James Pearcy, Will Colquhoun, Alex Fraser, Cooper Lander, Christian Snell, Reuben Wagels, Xavier Webb, Daniel Wilson, Isaac Lerato, Liam Martin, Mitchell Millard,  Patrick Smyth, Liam Viney Gonzales, Liam Curtis,  Jackson Mantis , Harrison Brisbane,  Matthew Dooley and Nikolas Katakis.

It was a great point of excitement when Villanova Team 1 (comprising Year 6 students Alex Capaldi and Grant Crawford and Year 7 students Dylan Fryga, Lucas Fleming and Bailey Horvath) were announced as third place winners  against 46 other teams on the day.

A huge thanks to mothers Louise Wilson and Julia Fleming and staff member Ben Stuart, who accompanied us on the day in the role of team supervisors. Many more extension and enrichment opportunities will arise throughout the year and we welcome both new and returning faces to participate.

Mrs Kath Underhill, Learning Enrichment Program Leader

For the Love of Reading and Writing
Over the coming weeks, the Tolle Lege Library will be celebrating reading and writing by hosting our authors-in-residence. This year will be the first year we welcome two authors. Mark Greenwood will be in residence and working closely with our Middle School students, from March 2 – 6.

Mark is an author with a passion for history. His award-winning books have been honoured internationally. With his wife, Mark has produced work that promotes an understanding of diversity. Mark’s success as an author has been recognised by the numerous awards he has won. Mark has twice received the West Australian Premier’s Award a Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Honour Book and a United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Book.  Mark will inspire and challenge the boys to engage in the creative writing process.

Jack Heath will then take over in the Junior School and will be in residence from March 10 -14. As of February 2018, Jack is the fourth bestselling fiction author in Australia. His twenty action-packed novels have been translated into several languages and optioned for film and television. Jack fell in love with reading in primary school, when an ear infection left him unable to do much else. In high school he was frustrated by the slow pace and lack of excitement in most teenage fiction, so he started writing his own novel. It was picked out of a slush pile and published while he was still a teenager, and it soon became an international success.

Similarly, Jack will work with each Junior School class and together they will write a creative piece. Jack will also run our Writers Festival, which will be held Friday evening 3.30 – 8.30 and then again Saturday 9.00 – 3.00pm. Over this time, Jack will step the students through the writing process.

Please see the attached flyer and registration form.

Bookshop
The Tolle Lege Library will be converted into a Bookshop from March 9 – 14. Students, staff and parents are welcome to come in from 7.30 each morning to browse and buy new releases and great reads. Books are supplied by The Book Warehouse and Dymocks and will be on sale from $5.00.

Shrove Tuesday was celebrated this week in the Junior School with a number of classes enjoying pancakes, maple syrup and whipped cream for morning tea.  The teaching behind this ritual is that Christians, for thousands of years, have used this day before Ash Wednesday, to empty the pantry of anything considered a luxury.  Back in history, eggs/flour/preserves were a luxury – unlike 2020 where they might be considered staples.

Ash Wednesday brought the College staff and students together for a Liturgy where ashes from Palm Sunday 2019 were used to mark the foreheads in memory of Jesus.  “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return”.  God made us from the Earth and that’s where we physically return to – heaven waits for our souls to reunite.  In classrooms, your sons will learn about Lenten Pledges.  For the next 46 days, it is a Catholic ritual to engage in promises that help us simplify our lifestyle, do more for others, or be more to the community.  Promises are personal.  They can be shared or kept for ourselves.  We encourage everyone to find the time each day, until Easter Sunday, to live as Jesus modelled for us – be inclusive, patient, thoughtful and kind.  Did you know that Lenten Pledges do not include the Sundays during Lent?  Promises make up 40 days – with Sundays being excluded so that worship, prayer and family time can be the priority.

On Ash Wednesday, no red meat, chicken or pork were available in the Tuckshop.  There are many ideas about why this occurs.  Meat and dairy were banned on holy days in the days of Jesus, going without meat is a sign of sacrifice, just as Jesus sacrificed his life for us, and it is a sign of respect for the blood shed on the Cross.  Fish and other seafood is often eaten on these days instead.  Please know that this custom is encouraged, not enforced, and all boys are welcome to eat whatever is brought from home in their lunchboxes.

Sometimes, it’s our first reaction to feel that life in 2020 is already busy enough, challenging and altogether too demanding to think that an added promise will make a difference.  I ask that you give yourself a chance to think more deeply about it.  Could you simplify something each day to find time for yourself – aren’t you worth it?  Would there be a little more precious family time – conversation, games, face to face engagement if the television/phones were turned off for an hour each evening?  If you decided to make one random act of kindness each day, would you lift your spirits knowing that you brought a smile to others?  There are vast opportunities here for us to make promises to live a life for 40 days that brings us to the core of our beliefs – faith in ourselves, community and God.

Six weeks is a long time to keep a promise – or even a new promise each week might need a helping hand.  Supporting each other during Lent is key to success.  Checking off each day on a Lenten calendar can be very useful for Junior School boys.  Talking to mates, teachers and parents about when it’s “easy” or “hard” to keep the promises means we have a greater chance to stay strong about our commitment.  We must be realistic and know that sometimes a promise can be forgotten or broken.  The key is to start again, persevere and make changes if we need to.  We can all make it through the season of Lent – Jesus spent 40 days in the desert preparing for his end on Earth – our challenges will typically be much simpler than that.

I look forward to hearing the boys’ Lenten pledges.  I anticipate many will need help to alter the ambitious pledges, or even be challenged with simpler ideas.  The effort that goes into trying makes all the difference.  The personal gains of setting goals and reaching them does more for us by the end of 40 days than we realise at the start.

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

This week’s podcast episode focuses on goal setting. Click on the image to begin listening.

Mr Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

College Musical
This evening sees the opening night of the 2020 College Musical, Mary Poppins – a marvellous collaboration of the musical, dancing and acting talents of the students from both Villanova College and Loreto College. As a strong advocate of the creative arts and a passionate believer in the ideals of a renaissance man, it is wonderful to see our young men on the stage, in the orchestra pit and in production roles, working collaboratively to produce creative art. Congratulations to all Senior School students who are involved in this production – especially the principal cast members, Jacob Keay, Dylan Crouch, Eoin Hartley, Lachlan Galbraith, Sean Kearns, David Cassaniti, Matthew Beames, Kyle Boyle and Tom Parker as well as the chorus members, musicians and crew.  I look forward to attending tomorrow night’s performance.

Developing Fine Young Men
The recent 4 Corners investigative report on a Catholic College in Melbourne certainly ignited much public commentary and debate pertaining to the culture and values which underpin private single sex boys’ schools. As the leader responsible for the cultural environment in which students in the Senior School are immersed in and in which they ‘form’ their adolescent identity and values, the report certainly gave me pause and made me reflect upon the work we do as educators in ensuring that we are forming men of character and integrity at Villanova College.

Two weeks ago in my column and as mentioned at the Senior School Parent Information Evenings, the work of Michael C Reichert PhD in the area of the transition of boys into manhood has really resonated with me. I have just finished his book, How to Raise a Boy and certainly the chapters focus on all the pertinent issues that both parents and educators are wrestling with in ensuring that we are forming ‘good men’:

• Confined by Boyhood
• Freeing Boys
• Boys and Their Hearts
• Boys’ Learning and Schooling
• Brotherhood and Boys’ Clubs
• Love, Sex and Affection
• Boys and their Bodies – Sports and Health
• Violence, Bullying and Vulnerability
• Boys’ Toys in a Digital Age
• The Twenty-First Century and Beyond

I look forward to sharing Reichert’s views and research pertaining to these areas as we collectively strive to achieve our College aim of ‘developing fine young men’.

Skills for Study Success
As we come to the mid-point of the first term, it is extremely important that students are taking full advantage of the support available to them to maximise their academic success. Year 11 and Year 12 students are continuing their goal setting interviews with their Academic Coaches and Year 10 students are exploring their transition into the Senior School with conversations with either Mr Sean O’Neill or myself. I continue to reinforce with students that a strong relationship with their classroom teacher is the primary platform for realising their academic goals. A distinctly Augustinian approach to teaching and learning promotes an emphasis on a relational pedagogy in which the strength of the teacher-student relationship has the greatest impact for successful learning outcomes.

In last week’s Year 12 Form Meeting, Mr Tony Rolls moderated a discussion between three of the graduates of the Class of 2019, focussing on their approach to study and the strategies and behaviours they exhibited which led to their academic success and overall wellbeing as a Senior student. I would like to thank former Student Council President Nickolas Sofios, former Academic Captain Matt Short and former Cor Unum Spirit Committee Promotions Co-ordinator Will Stevens for taking time out of their University Orientation Week to offer their wisdom to this year’s Seniors. These are some of the reflections of Nickolas Sofios:

In order to be successful you must be organised with your work load to ensure that you give all your subjects the effort they deserve. What did you do to get organised? (Planners, Diaries, outlook etc)

I used Microsoft’s Sticky Notes on my laptop to record my homework and assessment throughout the term, regularly updating the notes to track my progress.  When the opportunity arose (often during study periods), I’d transfer the contents of these Sticky Notes into my diary.  In this way, I had something tangible to work with for whenever I didn’t have access to my laptop.

How did you study? What did you do to learn large amounts of information?

My approach to study varied with the subject.  In Maths B (now Maths Methods), for example, practice and repetition was critical; the best exam preparation was making use of teachers’ tutorial worksheets and revision lists.  On the other hand, Legal Studies exams were mostly knowledge-based, so staying on top of my notes throughout the term made study relatively straightforward.  Mixing up my study environment, reading notes aloud, and “teaching” others helped enormously with recall.  To learn large amounts of information, the key is understanding what you’re doing and asking questions when uncertainty arises.  Fact memorisation the night before may be attractive, but it’s not effective.  

What would you do differently if you had your time again?

 If I had my time again, I would ask even more questions and seek further assistance from my teachers, taking advantage of every opportunity to improve my conceptual understanding or the quality of my work.  I’m proud to say that I spent a lot of time with my friends, which I would recommend to every student.  We were constantly reminded of this throughout our Villanova journeys, but Year 12 is over in a flash; the moments that I treasure most are those spent with my mates.

 “Just as food eaten without appetite is a tedious nourishment, so does study without zeal damage the memory by not assimilating what it absorbs.” – Leonardo Da Vinci

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Appropriately, this week, the beginning of Lent, has been the signing on process for the various Ministry groups at Villanova College. The wholehearted enthusiasm of the Ministry leaders this year has, I think, struck a chord with the students. That Villa men are men of service has come across as important to the culture of our College.

Ministry claimed the opening segment of last Friday’s assembly. The dramatic action was the surprise formation of a human chain, rapidly passing lots of donated items – foods, hygiene products, blankets – from the back of Goold Hall to the stage, where two baskets were rapidly filled. This visual symbol of the community coming together brought to life what Ministry Captain 2020, Isaak Collie, was explaining: that each of us is a link in a chain. Whether we join a Ministry group or not, we can all contribute to the Lenten collections – for Project Compassion in Junior and Middle Schools, and for local families in need and Emmanuel City drop-in centre for Senior School.

Also visible in the chain was the important contribution of parents. So often it is parents who get the ball rolling, and once the flow of giving begins, then everyone in the community catches the momentum and joins in.

Last year, almost like the Gospel story of the feeding of the 5000 (Mark 6: 30 – 44), the Villanova community provided so many items to our Christmas appeal that we made several extra trips to Emmanuel City (then called Blind Eye).

It was therefore appropriate that Eddie Murray, Manager of Emmanuel City, should come and speak so powerfully about the impact of the collected goods on the patrons of the drop-in centre. The foods, hygiene products and other items are literally life-giving. As he said, memorably, no other service nor compassion nor listening can be offered until people feel safe, and until they are fed.

Straight away, several Year 9 students have seen the opportunity to respond by making care packs for patrons of Emmanuel City Mission. I want to wholeheartedly commend this initiative.

The other main speaker was Ministry Captain Isaak Collie, who announced the formation of a new Ministry, called the Green Team. This is his summary of why this initiative matters and what it is about:

“Last Friday, I had the pleasure of launching of announcing the formation of the Villanova Environmental Ministry (otherwise known as the Green Team). This project has been years in the making and is Villa’s response to the ongoing environmental crisis. The Green Team will be responsible for managing recycling programs, organising events related to environmental issues, and conducting clean-ups of local areas in the community (such as Norman Creek). Currently the Green Team is open to all students in year 7 to 12 (a first for ministry at Villa), however community clean-ups are restricted to students in year 10 or above.

The first clean-up for Senior students is happening this Sunday at Norman Creek.  Please meet at the bridge over Norman Creek at Deshon Street and Turbo Drive at 8a.m.  Parents are welcome to attend, and any students going are asked to wear Villanova sports clothing. Hopefully boys seize this opportunity to make a difference to the environment and join the “Green Team.”

YAYM (Middle School Ministry)
Like the other ministries, YAYM has had a large number of students signing up, and it is particularly encouraging to see so many Year 7 students getting involved straight away. The first YAYM event of the year occurred on Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday), with the selling of pancakes and all the favourite toppings. There was a brisk flow of customers and I also spotted boys quietly making extra donations; all the proceeds have gone to our Lenten appeal for Project Compassion. The website is well worth a look because you can quickly see what a difference the accumulated giving makes, in funding small community projects which make a big difference to children and families who have the same desires and hopes as we do. https://lent.caritas.org.au/#blank

On Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, a group of six YAYM students took 30 minutes out of class to serve lunch and chat with some visiting guests from Duhig Village Nursing Home.  YAYM enjoy a good relationship with the home, and therefore an invitation was given to the residents to attend our community performance of the College musical, Mary Poppins.

Mr John Holroyd, Dean of Mission and Identity

Time flies. This weekend marks the half point of the AFL, cricket and volleyball season. Our swimmers are making their final preparations for the up-coming AIC Swimming Championships and we are already looking ahead to next term’s sporting program which includes rugby, football, cross country and chess. There are certainly plenty of opportunities for our students to become involved.

By now all students and families from Years 5 – 12 have been notified via a College email and have been given the link for the new online process of sports sign-on. Currently the online sign-on form for those wishing to participate in AIC rugby, football, chess and cross country is open. Simply click on the link provided and complete your choices. I ask all parents to ensure that their son has completed the appropriate form by the March 4 closing date. The information collated from these forms is used to plan and prepare the season ahead. This form is available on the College’s website and is due next Wednesday 4 March. Further information regarding the Trimester 2 Sign-on process as well as the link is found below.

Again, we need parents and old boys to assist the College by coaching and refereeing teams/games for both rugby and football in 2020. Your son/s need your help. If you are able to assist, please make contact with Mr Chris Everding (rugby) – ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au or Mr Anthony Kemp (football) – akemp@vnc.qld.edu.au from the Sports Office. We wish to finalise all coaches/referees for up-coming AIC rugby and football season as soon as possible.

 To assist families with their forward planning, please find below a full schedule of the ‘Term 2 AIC Sports Training Schedule’. All teams training at Villanova Park will be transported to the venue by bus. Parents will be required to collect their son/s promptly after training.

Our wish as a College is to use Villanova Park as much as possible. The training schedule is designed so that all rugby and football teams from Years 7 – 12 have enough space to train adequately and are at the same location at the same time for our skills coaches in both rugby and football to monitor/assist coaches and player development.

 On behalf of the College I wish all swimmers the very best in their preparations for the up-coming AIC Swim Championships next Monday 2 March. This year the Championship will run as a twilight event commencing with the first race at 1.40pm and concluding by 6.30pm. The College has asked for students from the Years 10, 11 and 12 cohorts to volunteer themselves to attend the carnival as part of a cheer group. Those wishing to support the swimmers will need to contact Head of Senior School, Mr Levander for further details regarding transport etc. Our swim team would certainly appreciate the support of our College in the stands as they represent us in their events.

Villanova had another good weekend of results against Iona College winning all but two games in the cricket aggregate. Our volleyball players achieved excellent results against one of the top volleyball schools, all up we shared the aggregate games six all.  It was great to see the First cricket team win their game in sensational fashion. Well done to the AFL players who played Iona and St Pat’s over the weekend in a tough round of footy, again Villanova dominated the opposition winning most games. Well done to all players and coaches!

I know our boys are looking forward to putting on the Green and Gold this weekend as we take on St Peter’s in AFL, cricket and volleyball and Padua in the Junior AFL. The Year 7 and the Open AFL teams do have a BYE this weekend. As always, we ask every Villanova boy to stand up and be counted this weekend to ensure we perform at our best. I’m backing the boys in Green and Gold all the way, good luck to all and please enjoy!

Round 4 Fixtures – Friday 28 and Saturday 29 February
AIC Cricket and Volleyball v St Peter’s Lutheran College, AIC AFL v St Peter’s/Padua College. Swim Time Trial and barbecue Friday 28 February.

Please refer to the College’s website to view all times and venues for this weekend’s fixtures against St Peter’s and Padua. Simply scroll down on the College’s home page to the ‘Latest News’ section and click the ‘Weekly Fixtures’ section.

AIC Cricket
Mr Chris Everding, AIC Co-ordinator

It was a mixed round for Villanova in the cricket on the weekend. Overall, we had 13 wins and 15 losses against Iona College. Villanova showed their strength in the older grades only losing one match from Year 8 to Opens, while we only won two matches from Year 5 to 7. I’m sure the coaches in the younger grades would have been focusing on fielding and game awareness as they seemed to be two areas that we need to work on. The older boys really dominated their fixtures against Iona winning the aggregate games 9 – 2. This is a great result considering we didn’t have much of a lead up heading into the round.

This week we have St. Peter’s College in the draw, but we will have quite a few other Colleges to compete against as St. Peter’s Lutheran College cricket numbers are smaller than Villanova.  Please check the draw carefully and be aware of the time and venue for your game. If you cannot be at the game on Saturday, please make contact with your team manager or coach. Their details can be found in the ‘Locker Room’. Unfortunately, there were a number of boys away last Saturday and some coaches were not notified of any absences. One cricket team played with only six players and had to use players from the opposition to help them with fielding.

Cricket Team Photos – Round 4, Saturday 29 February
Please be aware that some cricket photos will be taken this weekend before the scheduled cricket games played at Villanova Park. We ask all players to arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled photo time listed below dressed in their full and correct cricket uniform. The photos will be taken near the large score board. A full photo schedule is posted under the AIC Cricket section on the website as well as listed below. Please look out for your coach who will have a team list with him. Unfortunately, if you arrive late and miss out on the photo it will not be taken again.

AIC Cricket Results v Iona College

AIC Volleyball
Mr Todd Kropp, AIC Volleyball Co-ordinator

Last weekend the Cats took on a formidable Iona, arguably the leaders in AIC volleyball. I am proud to say that it was a great round for Villanova volleyball! With our Senior teams at home and the Junior teams on Iona turf, we produced some great results. A special mention to our Year 9 and Year 10 teams who took a clean sweep for six from six wins against Iona. As the season continues, we are looking to continue this success into our next round of volleyball against St Peters. Teams will be training hard on the court this week, looking to maintain the strong attacking options we created last Saturday. It is a focus that our teams become comfortable with playing the ‘Villa’ style of volleyball, even if this means we aren’t the winners on the scoreboard. One of my favourite quotes from a true sporting legend –

I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. Michael Jordan

We look forward to welcoming back our Junior teams to Goold Hall for their matches this weekend. We encourage students and parents to check the court duty roster available on the College website.

A few reminders to our players as the season reaches the halfway mark –

• Notify coaches of absence from training and games
• Arrive on time for training and games
• Arrive early for court duty
• Train with a purpose
• Encourage and support each other at training and games
• Listen to coaches at training and during games

Check out this clip of the Year 10 boys’ war-cry after the 10As secured a clean sweep of the Year 10 age group!

Goold Hall Canteen Roster

AIC Volleyball Results v Iona College

AIC Swimming
Mrs Juanita Jacobs, AIC Swim Co-ordinator

The Villanova swim season is quickly coming to an end. I wish to publicly thank all the coaches, managers and swimmers for their efforts this season.  The AIC Championship is the culmination of a lot of work from a lot of people, and the support of all the swimmers and their parents is always appreciated.  The Sports Office have continued to support swimming, and nothing is ever too much trouble for them.  So, on behalf of the squad, thank you to Craig, Todd, Chris and Anthony for their efforts.

AIC Swimming Championships – Chandler
This Friday, 28 February, all members of the AIC Swim Squad will be acknowledged at our College Assembly which will be held in Goold Hall from midday. Parents are more than welcome to attend, with seating available on the mezzanine level.

Our final swim team, who will compete at the AIC Swimming Championships, will be selected based on times recorded at the AIC swim meets held throughout the season. Unfortunately, not every student who has trained throughout the season will swim on the day of the Championship. We do, however, recognise each swimmer’s importance within our squad and the efforts they have made, so every member of the will be acknowledged at this week’s assembly.  Only the ‘A Squad’ members who were selected to attend the Friday night meets will travel to Chandler next Monday either as a competitor or a reserve. Buses will transport your son to and from Chandler on the day of the Championship.

The full list of the Villanova College Swim Team, including the competitor list for each event, can be found on the College website. Note – this team list is in draft form. A final draft will be published this Friday as a number of swim-offs will occur at training during the week.

This Friday, 28 February, Villanova will hold its final swim meet at Langlands Pool from 3.30 – 4.30pm.  This meet is important as it is the final time trial for coaches to confirm a swimmer’s place in an event. At the conclusion of this week’s meet we will provide a hamburger and drink to all AIC squad members as a way of celebrating the season.

Normal training times will continue until this Friday 28 February. We ask all ‘A’ squad members from Years 5 – 12 to attend a full and final compulsory team session at the Villanova Pool this Friday morning, beginning at 6.30am followed by the usual ‘Friday Brekky’. It is important that ALL MEMBERS of the AIC swim squad attend so that we are able to practice relay changes, starts and finishes for the Championships. It is critical that the boys arrive on time for training, that is, by 6.20am at the pool, so that warm up can begin promptly at 6.30am.

This year the AIC Championship will be a Twilight event. Next Monday 2 March, the boys are asked to attend school in their swim uniform (Villanova squad shirt and PE shorts) at the normal time and participate in the first 3 periods of the school day. At first break (11.25am) all swimmers are to meet in the Middle School Quadrangle for final team instructions and a team photo before departing the College for Chandler at 12.15pm.  The carnival will conclude by 6.30pm.  We ask all swimmers to travel as a team to the Championships on the buses provided. Parents may transport their son/s home directly after the carnival.

All students are to wear the College squad shirt and their College sports shorts to the AIC Championship – NO EXCEPTIONS.  If your son has not yet purchased his shirt, he must do so immediately from the College Uniform Shop.  The boys must compete in Villanova racing togs/or jammers or any plain colored togs (no multi-colored togs are permitted in the AIC rules) and the Villanova swim cap. The swim cap was distributed free of charge to all swimmers earlier in the season. Please be aware that only one pair of togs may be worn, to meet with QSA and AIC regulations.

Boys should bring their own afternoon tea and plenty of water to drink on the day of the Championships.  Food for the day should be light and easily digestible.  As we are trying to encourage our athletes to follow a healthy diet, we ask our swimmers not to buy any food at the canteen until after their events.

A copy of the AIC Swim program is posted on the web. Parents are most welcome to attend the Carnival. We ask our parent spectators to sit in the same section allocated to Villanova College, however, we ask parents to sit in the top tier as our student spectators and swimmers will sit in the lower section.  In case of an emergency on the day of the Championship please call Mrs Juanita Jacobs 0417 777 501.

AIC Swimming – Key Dates

Friday 28 February

• Final compulsory team session at Villanova Pool – 6.30am
• College Assembly at 12.00 midday in Goold Hall to acknowledge swimmers
• Final time trial at Langlands Pool at 3.20pm followed by a barbecue

Monday 2 March – AIC Swim Championships at Chandler Pool

• All AIC swim squad members to arrive at school at the normal time and participate in the first three periods
• The swim squad meets in the middle school quadrangle at 11.25am for a team brief and photo
• Bus departs the College for Chandler at 12.15pm
• Arrive at Chandler 12.45pm, warm up 1.00-1.30pm, first event at 1.40pm
• Bus departs Chandler at 6.40pm for return to College
• Parents to collect their son from Chandler or back at the College at 7.00pm

We wish our entire squad the very best in the lead up to the Championships and on the day itself. I hope the boys enjoy the experience of representing their College. Please be assured that the entire College community is behind the team and wishes them all the best.

AIC AFL
Mr Adam Fry, AIC AFL Co-ordinator

What a way to finally kick off the footy season. The weekend was a fantastic effort from all players especially those boys coming back from camp, Villanova have certainly started the season well with five wins and only two losses. It was fantastic to see all families and players there early supporting each other, it was very much appreciated. A special mention to all the Senior students who travelled out on Friday night to support the boys, it was truly appreciated. Below are results from the weekend’s games.

This weekend in the Senior divisions we have a mixed bag as our Opens and Year 7s has a bye; our Year 8/9 team plays St Peters and the Juniors will square off against Padua. These are strong schools, so it is important that all players make a strong effort to make training and come ready for some tough games this weekend.

Thank you to all parents who helped with photography and support on the weekend. If any parent would like to run water for a quarter or two feel free to see any of the coaches to grab a bib. Once again thank you to all players during the round and I look forward to another solid round this weekend.

AIC AFL Results v St Patricks and Iona College

AIC Rugby and Football Training/Trials
The first training/trial session will occur the very first week after Round 7 of Cricket, AFL and Volleyball. That is, the week beginning Monday 23 March.

Training times and venues for all Year 5 – 12 rugby and football teams are listed on the College’s website and below. All Year 5 and Year 6 teams will train at Little Langlands or Whinstanes. Year 7 -12 teams will train at Villanova Park. The College will provide bus transportation to Villanova Park for all teams. Parents are required to collect their son promptly from Villanova Park after training. There will be no return bus service from Villanova Park.

Please see the divisions below. Note in each division the players will be graded from A, B, C etc. Opens will be graded from Firsts, Seconds, Thirds etc.

Football: Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10 and Opens
Rugby:  Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10 and Opens

AIC Rugby and Football Trial Games – Date Claimers 

• Monday 23 – 27 March (rugby and football training/trials begins at Villanova Park for all Year 7 – 12 teams, Year 5 and Year 6 teams will trial at Little Langlands)
• Saturday 28 March internal Year 5 – 12 AIC rugby and football Trials (Firsts and Seconds rugby and football v SLC only, all other teams will trial internally at Villanova Park)
• Saturday 25 April (ANZAC DAY) AIC rugby and football v SPC (full school trial) NOTE – As these trials will occur on ANZAC DAY, all games will take place from 12 midday onwards, most games will be played at Villanova Park with some games being played at Curlew Park. A special ceremony will be held at Villanova Park before the Firsts games to commemorate the day.
• Saturday 2 May Round 1 – Saturday 13 June Round 7 as per College calendar

AIC Rugby, Football and Chess Training/Trial Schedule
The below schedules will be applied all season:

Rugby Training

•  Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Year 11 and Opens at Villanova Park 4.00 – 5.15pm, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons
• Year 5 at Little Langlands, Tuesday afternoon 3.15pm – 4.30pm and Thursday mornings 6.45-8.00am
• Year 6 at Little Langlands, Tuesday mornings 6.45am – 8.00am and Thursday afternoons 3.15pm – 4.30pm

Football Training

• Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Thirds, Fourths and Fifths at Villanova Park 4.00pm – 5.15pm, Monday and Wednesday afternoons
• Firsts and Seconds at Villanova Park 4.00pm – 5.30pm Tuesday and Thursday afternoons
• Year 5 at Little Langlands, Monday afternoon 3.15pm – 4.30pm and Wednesday mornings 6.45 -8.00am
• Year 6 at Little Langlands, Monday mornings 6.45am – 8.00am and Wednesday afternoons 3.15pm – 4.30pm

Mouth Guards – Please find attached a flyer regarding the purchase of SISU Mouthguards (mouthguards are compulsory for all Years 5 – 12 players at training and on game day)

AIC Chess Training/Trials
Chess is open to all boys from Years 5 – 12. All interested chess players are asked to attend the sessions below.

The AIC Chess Competition runs in conjunction with the AIC Rugby and Football season during Term 2, however, chess will be played on Friday evenings as per the College calendar beginning with two trial matches. To give our students the necessary skills and training the College has opened a Chess Club to all interested players, which will commence next week, Week 5, in T10 during first break each day. All students are welcome to play in the Chess Club, but students wishing to join the AIC Chess Teams will need to compete in play-offs for positions in the team and later attend practice sessions. Further information will become available later in the term in relation to those students who wish to participate in the Villanova College Chess Teams.

If students wish to know more, please see Mrs England (email: sengland@vnc.qld.edu.au)

Rugby and Football – Coaches/Referees
As the winter football season is fast approaching, the Sports Department is asking all parents and Old Boys who indicated last year they wished to assist in these two sports in 2020 to confirm that they still wish to do so. If you have an interest in refereeing or coaching, please contact:

Years 5 – 12 football – Anthony Kemp email: akemp@vnc.qld.edu.au
Years 5 – 12 rugby – Chris Everding email: ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au

Trimester 2 Sport Sign-Ons – Rugby, Football, Chess and Cross Country – Now Online

All students who are interested in representing Villanova in AIC rugby, football, cross country and chess from Years 5 – 12 must complete an online registration form. A link to this form is found below.

Online Registration Form Link – https://form.jotform.com/VillanovaSport/term-2-sport-sign-on

We ask that all parents to complete this online registration alongside their son. Information regarding the student’s ID number, email address, parent’s email address, DOB and sport selection is required.

A copy of the link is also posted on the website in the ‘Locker Room’. All nominations are due by Wednesday 4 March.

AIC Cross Country
The Cross-Country program is split into two squads – The Year 5 and Year 6 squad and the Year 7 -Opens squad. Both squads will train separately with different coaches and managers. The AIC Cross Country Championships will take place on Tuesday 2 June, that is, Week 7 of Term 2.

We are aware that many boys will have lots of different activities going on. We encourage our best runners to represent Villanova on the day of the Championships. It may be the case that a student may not be able to attend all training sessions due to other commitments. If this is the case, we simply need students to communicate this to the coaches and managers involved. We are open to negotiating alternative training schedules with those who have lots on.

Year 5 and Year 6 Squad
The Year 5 and Year 6 training squad will officially begin on Monday 9 March, that is, the seventh week of Term 1. Training will be held each Monday and Wednesday afternoon from 3.15pm – 4.30pm. Boys are to meet Miss Roberts outside Goold Hall after school and she will walk the boys down to training at Little Langlands. Boys who cannot train both afternoons are encouraged to attend the non-compulsory training session on Sunday afternoons (see Villanova Runners Club information below).

Years 7 – 12 Squad
The Years 7 – 12 training squad will officially begin the week of Monday 9 March, that is, the seventh week of Term 1. Training will be held on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 6.45am. All students are to meet at the front of Goold Hall at 6.45am sharp (not at Little Langlands). Late comers must remain at the College.

IMPORTANT:  All cross country runners should be participating in two – three training sessions per week, unless they are involved in another sport, in which case they should be completing at least one cross country session per week to be prepared sufficiently for the AIC Championship.

Villanova Runners Club (VRC)  – Mr Tom Lonergan
Recommences – Sunday 1 March 2020, No VRC on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday 2020

The VRC meets on Sunday afternoons 4pm – 5pm at Whites Hill Reserve (Cricket Ovals, Boundary Rd, Camp Hill). This is an opportunity for Villanova College athletes to maintain/build up their Aerobic fitness as part of their training for the coming cross country season.  There will be training on the Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the school holidays.

An open invitation is extended to families of the boys and in fact any people interested in improving their fitness. There will be no minimum standard of fitness required and all levels of fitness will be catered for during the session. Assemble on the Cricket Oval # 3 where a Tabata session will be held, followed by aerobic running on the surrounding bushland trails.

Holiday Rugby Clinic
A pre-season holiday rugby clinic will operate from Easts Rugby Club on 6 and 7 April.  Two programs will operate for the 7 – 10 and 11 – 14 age groups. The program incorporates recent rugby trends and professional training. Each program covers the essential skills for that age group.

Former Wallabies captain and Villa Old Boy, Ben Mowen will also be involved.

We encourage all Villanova rugby players to attend this camp over the Easter break. Special rates apply to Villanova College students. Please see the flyer attached.

Composite Sport
Please find below a list of composite trial and nomination dates. Paperwork for these trials is now available in the Sport Office.

Representative Sport
Well done to Mitchell Rieck (Year 9) who has been selected in the Qld Athletics Talent Squad for the 19/20 season.  Mitchell has qualified for the Queensland Team and will compete at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney from 21 – 24 March in the 2000m steeplechase and 3000m.

This is an outstanding achievement. Well done and best wishes Mitchell!

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

Rehearsals and Lessons
All lessons and rehearsals have now commenced.  Please ensure you check emails for messages from teachers and ensemble directors.  If you are unsure, do not hesitate to contact us through the Music Office for further clarification.

Please click here for the rehearsal schedule for Term 1.

Jump Start Day – Year 5 Musicians
Year 5 musicians will be participating in our annual Jump Start Day on Tuesday 3 March.  Students will be working with Instrumental Music staff throughout the afternoon, learning about ensemble etiquette and rehearsal experience.  This is a vital team-building activity that prepares our students for the year of ensemble engagement they are about to commence.

Students are to wear their school uniform for this event.  We ask that they bring their instrument to the Augustine Centre when they arrive at school to assist with movement later in the day:  string students to the string room; band students to Hanrahan Theatre.

A letter has been distributed to parents via email this afternoon.  We have also sent this home via the College app.  Should you require any further information, please contact the Music Office on 3394 5691.

Mary Poppins Musical
Congratulations to all students involved in the musical.  I had the opportunity to view the preview performance yesterday with a number of visiting primary students and residents of the Duhig Centre.  I would like to commend the students and staff involved – they have worked incredibly hard to produce a great show.

I trust those of you who were lucky enough to get tickets are going to have a really enjoyable experience.  It will be great!

Entertainment Books
Every year, our Music Support Group participates in the Entertainment Book drive.  This year, Entertainment Books are selling their digital format only.  Information will be distributed to students involved in the music performance program at Villanova over the coming fortnight; however, if you would like to purchase an Entertainment subscription in the ‘early bird’ phase, please take a look at the information following this newsletter article.

Entertainment Memberships can start anytime and are packed with thousands of substantial savings on dining, travel and fun family activities. The digital membership is easy to download to start using instantly. New offers are added weekly for ongoing value all year round.

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

Get your new Entertainment Membership today to support Villanova College Music Support Group and receive these early bird bonus offers. Up to 4 months EXTRA MEMBERSHIP + SPEND & SAVE + $20 BONUS WISH eGift Card when you purchase our NEW Multi City or Multi Plus Membership. Hurry offers end 29th February! Entertainment Memberships can start anytime and are packed with thousands of substantial savings on dining, travel and fun family activities. The digital membership is easy to download to start using instantly. New offers are added weekly for ongoing value all year round.

Up to 4 months extra Membership applies to Single City and Multi City purchases only and depends on the date you activate and start using the Membership App. Up to 4 months extra promotion is only available to Memberships purchased between the 8th February and 29th February 2020.^ Spend & Save offer is available with the purchase of either a Single City, Multi City & Multi Plus Membership between the 8th-29th February 2020. Each offer will have until the 15th March to be redeemed. Promo codes for each offer will be sent with your purchase confirmation email. View full Terms and Conditions for The Iconic, Endota & Rebel here.† WISH eGift Card will be sent by email within 30 days of purchase. $20 WISH eGift Cards issued when a Multi City or Multi Plus Membership is purchased with promo code BUYMULTI applied at checkout between 12:00am Saturday 8th February and 11:59pm Saturday 29th February 2020 AEDT. One eGift Card per order. Offer excludes Single City Membership, Entertainment Waitstaff and Corporate Partner offers. View WISH eGift Cards FAQs here. WISH eGift Cards do not expire. Lost or stolen cards cannot be replaced. WISH eGift Cards can be used at a wide range of participating Woolworths Group brands, both in store and online including Woolworths, BIG W, BWS, Caltex Woolworths, Dan Murphy’s or Cellarmasters. Please note not all Caltex Woolworths outlets accept eGift Cards, please refer to the list of participating stores at giftcards.woolworths.com.au for further information.

Mary Poppins – Opening Night
The lines have been learnt, notes have been practised, dance steps perfected, and rehearsals are now done. Tonight, the magic of Mary Poppins will unfold on the stage in the Hanrahan Theatre. We have a cast, crew and orchestra of 107 wonderful students who have worked tirelessly to put on this show and they can’t wait for you to see it.

As a community we would like to wish everyone involved, staff, students and parent helpers, all the best for the next four shows and we hope that our sold-out audience enjoy every second of it.

Mrs Justine Silk, Musical Producer

Villanova International Carnival

Villanova’s annual International Carnival is just around the corner! This year’s big event will be held on Saturday 21 March from 5pm to 10pm on College grounds. It is guaranteed to be an evening of fantastic food and great family entertainment.

Enjoy a feast of international flavours, including American BBQ, French, Indian, Latin and Greek, washed down with a cold beverage from one of our ever-popular bars including the Four Pines Bar and the City View Bar.

There will be rides galore for the kids including a major newcomer this year – the Dominator! This massive whirling ride will have everyone screaming. There will also be a Giant Commando Obstacle Course, the Dragon Castle, Laser Skirmish, the Bungee Tramps and this year the Football QLD Inflatable Football Field – something for everyone!

Carnival Ride Armbands are available now for purchase through the Villanova College Parent’s Lounge. Select ‘Make a Payment’ – ‘Tours & Excursion’ and select how many you want to purchase.

The Hub will be back again this year, providing a safe chill-out zone with live music and space to relax. There will also be of plenty old-fashioned favourite stalls returning including Lob-A-Choc, Cakes, Sweets, Tombola, Snow Cones, Lucky Wheel, Publican’s Purse, Silent Auctions and much more.

The International Carnival is a great night out for the whole family. Don’t miss out – mark it in your calendar now!

We are still looking for some extra helpers, we require an entertainment co-ordinator, rubbish removal manager and a ride co-ordinator. Get involved, meet some great people and help make this year’s Villa Carnival our best yet. Please contact me if you are interested – mobile 0417 759 606 or email jamie@brubecks.com.au

Jamie Whitlock, Carnival Convener

Year 9 Parent Event
Date: Saturday 7 March from 6.30pm
Venue:  Pineapple Hotel – 706 Main Street, Kangaroo Point
Cash Bar for drinks and food purchases on the night

Helping Hands Update
Thank you to Villanova  College and families for welcoming Helping Hands into the Villanova community. Helping Hands Outside School Hours Care opened at the College on the first day of Term 1, 2020. Over the last few weeks at Helping Hands we have enjoyed getting to meet the many new children and families who have started attending Before and After School Care. The boys have settled in well and have helped us to create some clubs which we will run throughout Term 1,  including Technology and Sports Clubs.

We are also excited to offer an Extended Learning Activity during After School Care this term. The  activity on offer this term is Circuit Scribe, which commenced on Thursday 13 February. As part of this activity, children will make a circuit creation each week and receive a take home mini kit at the end of the five-week program. The program is offered to all children attending After School Care on the day at no additional charge. Please see the attached brochure for more information, or pop in and speak to one of our friendly staff.

Helping Hands offers care for children in Years 5, 6 and 7. We provide Before School and After School during term time and Vacation Care during the school holidays. Enrolling with Helping Hands is easy and there are no fees for registering. Families can enrol online via our website www.helpinghandsnetwork.com.au or call the Helping Hands service on 0437 784 379 for further information.

Anthony Tizzone, Villanova Helping Hands Co-ordinator

2020 Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection Notice
Please find information here regarding the collection of 2020 Student Residential Address and Other Information by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

Library Roster

Tuesday 3 March
Donna Leahy
Cec McGuckin
Cristina Palacios

Wednesday 4 March
Katia Sukkar

Friday 6 March
Melanie Pickering

Tuckshop: Flexischools Update
The College has been experiencing issues with the new Flexischools system that is impacting Tuckshop purchases for ALL student accounts. Students are requested to bring cash as a back up for all Tuckshop purchases until further notice.

A number of our new students will have experienced a separate issue with Flexischools syncing with school data – these accounts are showing up as ‘Unknown User’ when students are attempting to make purchases. If your son’s card / account is one of those which has been affected by this problem, Flexischools has requested that they be contacted directly on 1300 361 769 to fix the problem manually.

Until these issues have been resolved completely, we advise the boys to have cash as a back up when making purchases from the Tuckshop. The College apologises for the inconvenience.

Tuckshop Menu and Prices
Our 2020 Tuckshop menu is available by clicking here.

Roster

Monday 2 March
Narelle Rieck
Jane Green
Maria Woodger
Sylvia Wright
Katrina Hermiston

Tuesday 3 March
Donna Perkins
Lisa Forsyth
Nicole Webb
Leanne McMahon
Sonia Ballen
Susan White
Tricia Allen
Cristina Watson
Melissa Bruce
Lisa Waugh
Miranda Dang

Wednesday 4 March
Tina McCaul
Peta Gomersall
Kathy McCaul
Maria Corones
Lena Bazzo
Lisa Gorry
Denise Smith
Fiona Jenkins

Thursday 5 March
Maria McGarry
Zsuzsa Henderson
Pauline White
Bernadette Papagiannis
Jane Lawson
Chrissy Bonfiglio
Leesa Francis
Emma Banaghan

Friday 6 March
Louise Pertnikovs
Jacki Wilson
Pauline Vasta
Maria Nicolaou
Jelena Duskovic
Rita D’Amore
Kathy Lerato
Maria Gordon
Sarah Sullivan
Leanne Monteverde
Kelly Halikos

All Hallows’ Dance
Years 7 and 8 students are invited to attend the All Hallows’ Dance on Friday 6 March from 7.00pm to 9.00pm at Loreto Hall, All Hallows’ School. Cost of entry is $10.00 (current student school ID is required).

“Whinstanes” – First campus of Villanova College
The impressive two storied residence of “Whinstanes” was located near the Brisbane River on the eastern slopes of Hamilton Heights and bounded to the south by Eagle Farm Road.  The area was developed early in European settlement, when Brisbane was still a penal settlement and the land was allotted during the 1830s.

Mr A.B. Webster emigrated from Scotland in 1881 with his new bride, purchasing 15 acres of land and building the home “Whinstanes” for his family.  The name of the house came from Scotland – “whin”, a brambly bush and “stanes”, stones. The building was an impressive two storied residence with eight bedrooms and wide covered verandas on both floors.  It was a spacious home and commanding in appearance.  Inside, above the halfway landing on the handsome cedar staircase was a beautiful leadlight window of stained glass on which the Webster coat of arms and motto Vincit Veritas (truth conquers) appeared, and which the Augustinians accepted as their own.

Original residence of Mr A.B. Webster and family, 1931

Aerial photograph, ca. 1945

At Mr Webster’s death in 1925 the property was sold to the Sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, who conducted a boarding school for young boys on the site.  They maintained the beautiful gardens and added three wooden classrooms.

At the commencement of World War II both the house and the grounds were requisitioned by the Army: the 738th Military Police Battalion USA Army.  For safety reasons, the Sisters moved the school to Toowoomba.  The house was adapted for the American soldiers fighting in the war, and the beautiful gardens covered with bitumen and used as an army car depot.

It became the property of the Augustinians in January 1947.  For 12 months a band of workmen under the watchful eye of Fr James Larkin OSA, laboured and succeeded in restoring Whinstanes to something of its former splendour.  Villanova College opened on February 2 1948 ready to receive the first students, 45 boys.

Due to the need for a larger campus Villanova College was moved to its current location at Coorparoo in 1954.  The Augustinian Fathers sold Whinstanes to a developer who demolished the original residences and erected factories – quite a sad ending to a grand house!