Villa View: Issue 06

Dear Members of the Villanova College Family
Recent events at a school at Upper Coomera have hit the media headlines and I hope made all families sit up and take notice. While I am pleased to hear the seven young men have now all been released from hospital this event highlights a number of key issues.

Interestingly, many of the authors of books on Boys Development have emphasised the risk-taking behaviour of young boys as being one of the key issues. We see this trait in the incidents of males involved in driving accidents and a host of other statistics related to risk-taking behaviour. Boys will take risks and not think of the consequences. The area of the brain responsible for forward thinking and planning is not well developed in young adolescent males and as a consequence they will often find themselves involved in impulsive acts with little regard for personal safety or the safety of others. They simply do not think ahead.

The second key issue is the availability of substances in our society and the ease in which these substances can be purchased. Our young people are certainly more affluent than I can remember being when I was a young man. With part-time jobs they have a disposable income that allows them a level of financial independence. The supply of substances is widespread in every community and we, the adults, need to be aware of the ease of access to these substances for our young people.

The media attention on this issue provides a great opportunity for all families to have a discussion around the dinner table. I am confident our young men will have an opinion about the story and hopefully in sharing this opinion may provide a great opportunity for a wider discussion about smart choices and personal safety.

AIC Swimming Carnival
Next Monday our AIC Swimming Team will compete in the 2018 AIC Swim Carnival at the Sleeman Sports Centre at Chandler.  Accompanying the swimmers will be a vocal group of students from Years 5, 10 and 12 who will be travelling to Chandler to support our swimmers.

Swimming can be a very lonely sport. Most events next Monday will be individual swimmers competing against other competitors and the clock. The support of our cheer squad on the day will remind our swimmers that they are not alone. Behind them is the support of the whole College urging each swimmer to achieve their best. We wish the swimming team all the very best for the carnival.

International Carnival
With only two weeks until the famous Villanova College International Carnival on March 17, the excitement is certainly building in our community. This event is a highlight of the year and I urge all families to book this night as a family night to come and experience the wonderful food, entertainment and activities for all members of the family.

The International Carnival Committee has been working tirelessly to ensure this year’s event is a great success. All funds raised from the carnival are directed to projects within the College to improve educational opportunities for our young men. This year the Parents and Friends Association have earmarked the funds to assist the redevelopment of the Tolle Lege Library into a dynamic “iCentre” catering for a diverse range of learning environments within this space.

Footloose Musical
I had an opportunity to sneak into the back of a dress rehearsal for the upcoming musical last night and I was delighted to see the enthusiasm and skills of the students as they performed their respective roles with confidence. The musical promises to be a wonderful showcase of the talents of young people from Villanova and Loreto Colleges.

You have made us for Yourself O Lord,

And our hearts are restless until they rest in You.

God bless

Mr Mark Stower, College Principal

Next Monday the AIC Swimming Carnival will take place at the Sleeman Sports Centre at Chandler.  Our young men have trained since the end of Term 3 2017 and are aiming to swim personal best times at this meet.  Swimming is a sport that relies on every facet of fitness and discipline.  Requiring the highest of commitment from its participants, every stroke performed is a specific combination of coordination and aerobic capacity.  Hundreds of hours following a black line come down to around twenty-five to forty-five seconds in competition.

Individual sports are brutal.  Yes, those that win experience the highest elation and sense of achievement.  However, the difference between the podium and “better luck next year” can be hundredths or thousandths of seconds.  I know that for me, that would be a tough mental aspect to deal with.  No swimmer gets on the block with any intention but to streamline themselves and simultaneously power through the water with everything they have. I wish every swimmer who has been a part of this AIC Swim Squad our best wishes for a spectacular meet.

The Villanovan Spirit is set to soar next Monday at Chandler.  Our classmates deserve every cheer, roar and chant possible.  We back the green and gold togs, swim caps and willingness to get in the water for our College.  Some boys will be nervous and others quietly confident.  Some competitors have years of experience, right up to a national level, while others will be trying at a level they never thought possible.

All Year 5 students will attend Chandler next Monday, along with selected Senior School students, to boost morale and take pride in our presence against other schools.  It is expected that all students attend on this day.  Full academic grey uniform will be worn with the broad brimmed green hat.  Boys may bring cheer squad mascots and props, along with ample water and food.  The canteen is available if boys would like a treat. School buses will transport the boys to and from the College within normal start and finish times.  Please ensure all private music lessons or appointments are rescheduled for this day. Year 6 students will attend the AIC Athletics Carnival later in the year in the same sense of community and spirit.

Our Focus of the Week this week is “taking turns”.  Sounds simple, and it might be in a one on one situation or a family of four (on most days).  It can be quite another thing in a class of 28, a cohort of 160 or a school of 310 students.  Some boys love to be helpful – racing to open doors, turn off lights, answer the phone or help the teacher.  They eagerly run to a classmate’s aid in a time of need.  These boys might take this Focus of the Week as an opportunity to be patient and see if another student might like to help.  Of course, this means some boys need to be brave and trust their ability to seize the chance to share gifts and talents.

There are many ways to help in class.  How many ways has your son tried this year?  Collecting the phones after second break, taking out the lunch bins, running errands between classes, putting up chairs, turning off lights/air conditioning and helping others stay organised in class are just a few examples.  What would they like to try?  When could they make this effort?  Do they need to ask a teacher for a suitable day or time?  Running a classroom takes a village and all the villagers need to contribute to ensure a sense of belonging, a sense of ownership of place and space and the good old fashioned inner feeling of “I matter”.

Junior School Pastoral Area Leader, Mr Brendan Kennedy has also made suggestions to the boys about contributing in class lessons.  Who could make more effort to share ideas in class?  Taking turns to speak, write, read, perform, entertain and shine in front of each other helps create identity, confidence and lets others get to know us.  It could be the start of a new friendship or an elevated appreciation by all involved.  Taking turns really does have consequences far beyond our imaginations.  Our Focus of the Week matters a great deal.

Collecting the House Points each week from all Junior School classes is proving a wonderful insight into the many achievements in classes.  Completed homework, extra effort in class tasks, “the quiet achiever”, thoughtfulness to others and positive changes can all mean the difference in weekly totals that are submitted to Mr Kennedy for careful tallying.  Keep up the top efforts lads – you never know when the next points will be given out and the House Shield’s first annual recipient might be just a case of polishing your shoes, making eye contact or using your College Diary effectively.

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

Write that Essay
This year the College has engaged the services of Write that Essay (WTE) to improve the writing skills of our students. This programme has a focus on skills such as the variation of sentence styles and how to properly structure paragraphs. It also incorporates an online tool with helpful guides and videos to promote skill development.

You should soon start to notice your son using the tool in some of their classes and homework. All this will grow as we expand WTE into more and more areas of the curriculum. Our principle focus in promoting these skills is exam readiness. Eventually, all students in Queensland will be required to sit the ATAR, of which exams and essays are a major component. As a College we believe in preparing the way now, so that your sons have the best possible grounding when the changes come into effect.

Laptop Usage and Digital Footprints
This week in Personal Development (PD), Mr Jason Lane, our eLearning Pedagogy Leader, met with our Year 7 students to discuss their use of laptops and digital technology.

He offered helpful hints about getting the most out of their device in a safe and appropriate way. They are relevant to all Middle School students and their parents!  Here is a little snapshot of what he shared:

1) Ensure your desktop background and any profile avatars (such as Google+) are appropriate: no potentially offensive or inappropriate images please. Backgrounds and avatars make a statement about you – ensure this statement is appropriate, respectful and suitable for an education setting.

2) How can I preserve my battery life? Many laptops are coming to the end of their three-year cycle. This is the end of most if not all warranty periods. Laptops will begin to slow down and batteries will hold significantly less charge. Reduce screen brightness and avoid white paper backgrounds where possible (e.g. Word, OneNote). Use wi-fi and Bluetooth only when necessary. Batteries are designed to ‘wear out’ after two years of constant use, therefore consider replacing the battery (if your warranty terms include a two/three-year battery replacement). Batteries can also be deep cycled.

4) Close OneNote 2016 Notebooks: Students in Year 6 Black/White in 2016 (and some other Junior School classes) were using OneNote Class Notebooks. If these Notebooks are still visible in OneNote 2016 then they are out-of-date, consuming battery/wi-fi/storage space and must be closed. Please right-click on the name of the Notebook and choose the “Close this Notebook” option. Only keep open Notebooks that are current and active.

5) Uninstall games: Games slow the device and serve as a distraction to learning. The College requests students uninstall games (and game clients such as Origin, Steam, etc) during “term time” to minimise the distraction to students and peers. This excludes Minecraft: Education Edition. Games can be re-installed in the holidays.

6) Clean up and archive your files: By now all 2016 (and 2015) files should be archived and/or left in the cloud at drive.google.com – students should create /2015 and /2016 folders and move files to these locations (if they wish to keep them). This action demonstrates effective management of laptops and ensures students are using folders and file locations appropriately. More information to support students in completing this process will be shared via Moodle in the coming weeks.

7) Upgrade from Google Drive to Google Drive File Stream: more information will be shared shortly regarding this new (improved) Google Drive product. Instructions will be added to the Moodle BYOD software page shortly.

8) “Digital data doesn’t die”: Our keystrokes, messages and browsing leaves a permanent footprint – even when we believe we have deleted or ‘covered our tracks’. Every time a communication (email, chat message, clicked browser link, networked game interaction, etc) is sent across a network it is logged and stored. This can be retrieved years later and used as evidence. Students are encouraged to know how to take screenshots (Windows: use Snipping tool; Mac: CMD + SHIFT + 3/4) to record and store any chat or web-based communications that demonstrate poor choices and unwelcome behaviour. These should be shared with relevant school staff to intervene and respond. The best advice remains the same: think before you click, post, chat or communicate electronically.

9) Get used to Office 2016 and Outlook: Students in the Middle School are encouraged to become proficient in the use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook. These apps form the nucleus of Office 2016 and Office 365 collaboration. As students move through their schooling, proficiency in Office continues to be a benchmark across most industries and work situations. A great initial step is to learn how to stay organised using Outlook calendars.

Road Safety
This week we have been reminding students about the dangers of crossing roads when not at the lights. Last week a serious incident was avoided when a car was forced to swerve and brake suddenly because students crossed Main Avenue without using the traffic lights. This near miss is a timely reminder to us all about the importance of promoting road safety to our young men.

The crossing of Main Avenue (to get to the bus station), Cavendish Road and Old Cleveland Road without using the relevant lights remains an ongoing issue for us as a College.

This week we remind our Middle School boys to show caution when crossing any street or road, regardless of the time of day, and always use the closest lights when possible. If I may, can I please ask that parents reiterate that message at home too.

Mr Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

What are you reading at the moment?
Last Friday, I attended a QCAA Senior English Syllabus Workshop. It was a purposeful professional development experience, which saw a room full of passionate educators engaging in conversations about shaping the future of their discipline. To commence the day, the facilitator asked the teachers from each table, as a means of introducing themselves, to share what book they were reading at the moment.

When it came to my turn, I qualified my response by saying that I was a Head of School who reads a multitude of different books, journal articles and news reports on a number of different subjects on education. At the moment, my ‘primary’ focus book is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey, son of the late Stephen Covey who wrote the seminal self-improvement text The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I always like to share within my articles takeaway messages from my professional reading that both Senior School students and/or parents can hopefully adopt or consider within their own lives. Over the course of the semester, I would like to offer you some insights from this book as it will utilised as a key resource within the senior school formation program.

Prior to introducing the first habit, Covey speaks of winning the private battles within yourself, as all change begins with YOU. He introduces the concept of the Personal Bank Account (PBA) which is reflection of how you feel. Just like a bank account, you can make deposits and withdrawals from your PBA through your actions and mindset. Covey asks the reader to evaluate their PBA by considering the following possibilities:

Deposits which lead to a Healthy PBA

• You stand up for yourself and resist peer pressure;
• You are goal driven;
• You are happy for the success of others.

 Withdrawals which lead to a Low PBA

• You act arrogantly to help hide your insecurities;
• You wrestle with feelings of worthlessness and inferiority;
• You self-destruct by getting into alcohol, drugs, pornography and other vices.

At Villanova College, we aim to nurture the development of each student’s inner life by illuminating the gateway value of interiority. One such virtue that we hope that Senior School students then enact as a product of looking inward is that of servant leadership which strengthens our community. The following excerpt from The Man Nobody Knows by Bruce Barton exemplifies this point:

There are two seas in Palestine.

One is fresh, and fish are in it. Splashes of green adorn its banks. Trees spread their branches over it and stretch out their thirsty roots to sip of its healing waters.

The River Jordan makes this sea with sparkling water from the hills. So it laughs in the sunshine. And men build their houses near to it, and birds their nests; and every kind of life is happier because it is there.

The River Jordan flows on out into another sea.

Here there is no splash of fish, no fluttering leaf, no song of birds, no children’s laughter. Travellers choose another route, unless on urgent business. The air hangs heavy above its water, and neither man nor beast nor fowl will drink.

What makes this mighty difference in these neighbour seas? Not the River Jordan. It empties the same good water into both. Not the soil in which they lie; not in the country round about.

This is the difference.

The Sea of Galilee receives but does not keep the Jordan. For every drop that flows into it another drop flows out. The giving and receiving go on in equal measure.

The other sea is shrewder, hoarding its income jealously. It will not be tempted into any generous impulse. Every drop it gets, it keeps.

The Sea of Galilee gives and lives. This other sea gives nothing. It is named the Dead.

There are two kinds of people in this world. There are two seas in Palestine.

AIC Swimming Championships
Next Monday, the annual AIC Swimming Championship will be staged at the Sleeman Sports Complex. This is an important event within the College’s sporting program and the Villanova College Swimming Team are looking forward to representing the green and gold in the Chandler pool.

In the spirit of our community and to support our swimmers, the College has selected the Year 10 and Year 12 cohorts (combined with Year 5 from the Junior School) to attend the championships as spectators. Please note that this is a compulsory school day for all Year 10 and 12 students and that any student absence on this day requires the usual phone or email notification to the Senior School Student Services Office.

There has been a tendency for some students in the past to not attend school on this day to stay home and complete work or assignments. These actions do not reflect a sense of united community spirit that is central to our philosophy at Villanova College.

The Cor Unum Spirit Committee will be leading the Villanova army of spectators throughout the day.

“He (sic) will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.”- Sun Tzu

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Who are the players in your son’s academic journey?
Much time has been spent this year discussing academic success with all students, and how best each one of them can achieve this. Typically, these conversations focus on being organised and prepared, as these are the key habits that we see our successful students demonstrate year in, year out. Such conversations are occurring at an individual level, at a classroom level and in year level form meetings. Academic mentoring is already a key aspect of a Villanova College education, and will become even more significant with the introduction of the new senior schooling system, so we certainly focus on a student’s ability to plan each night, each week and each term. Your son’s individual subject teachers, Pastoral Care teacher and Pastoral Area Leader are all key people in assisting him to become more organised.

Apart from your son and his teachers, the other key ‘player’ in his journey here at the College is you. Research indicates that students are more likely to encounter success in their studies if parents / guardians are involved in their learning. Hendersen and Mapp (2002) found that ‘the more families support their children’s learning and educational progress, the more their children tend to do well in school and continue their education’. Given the distinct relationship and environmental differences between teacher and parent, and school and home, becoming involved as a parent with your son in his studies may be more challenging for some than others. For a number of parents, their sons are quite happy for them to be interested and involved, However, many of our students are fiercely independent. I have spoken with parents about their frustrations of not being able to be involved in their son’s academic pursuits. When offering advice on this front, there is no quick or easy fix. However, some tips to share your son’s academic journey each term include:

1. Know what his academic program looks like, know what curricular activities his is involved in and know what assessment he has by accessing information online via platforms such as the Villanova College Parent Lounge.

2. Given that you know information about aspects of his studies, you can now find information to potentially share with him. For example, if your son is studying natural disasters in Geography, rather than looking over his shoulder, find an article in the newspaper or online and make him aware of it as this could generate some discussion.

3. Encourage your son to adopt the organisational skills that he has been made aware of so far this year. ‘Assignment season’ is well upon your son currently and that is normally followed by end of term examinations. Chunking revision rather than cramming is so much more beneficial.

4. The College has a subscription to a study skills website called Study Skills Handbook
https://www.studyskillshandbook.com.au/

Over time, students will have the opportunity to engage with this resource. I would encourage parents to also access what is available using the following login information:
Username:            forvillanovaonly
Password:            129results

Harrison Rieck – 2017 Old Boy
Three weeks ago, the College had the opportunity to welcome back and congratulate a number of 2017 graduates who achieved an Overall Position (OP) of 1 to 3. Missing at the Scholars’ Assembly unfortunately was 2017 Dux of the College, Harrison Rieck. Earlier that week, Harrison commenced university life at Australian National University (ANU) studying a Bachelor of Finance, Economics and Statistics (Honours). Last weekend, and as part of his acceptance of the Tuckwell Scholarship, Harrison had the honour of meeting with Professor Brian Schmidt, ANU Vice-Chancellor and Nobel Prize winner for Physics (see below).

Parents and students will be made aware of scholarship opportunities through the Villa View and other online platforms over the coming months.

Tutoring
Villanova has always provided a number of opportunities for outside-of-classroom tutoring for students seeking additional assistance in their studies. Included below is a list of sessions available for a number of subjects.

Term One Tutoring Opportunities

Students are highly encouraged to attend these sessions as a way to be consistently revising or seeking assistance.

Mr John Christie, Dean of Teaching & Learning

Ministry News: Second week of Lent
On Friday we had a low-key visit from Lynda Mussell from Caritas Australia. Moved by the humble efforts of one Villanova student for Project Compassion, she popped in to give him a framed thank you certificate. She spoke briefly to the student’s Pastoral group and explained that this student’s effort and generosity would support 25 women in the Philippines through the purchase of a sewing machine. The same figure raised would, alternatively, assist 33 young Filipinos to return to school. Many families cannot afford to send their children to school in the Philippines, as our AFAS Exchange group found last year.

This week the Project Compassion focus story is on Rattanak. $15 per week allows a person from rural Cambodia to live in the city and receive a cochlear implant enabling them to hear for the first time. This is the incredible power of Project Compassion. Young people right here and now at Villanova College can make a huge difference in the lives of others. I am attaching a short video of what the impact is for people who first receive a cochlear implant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0jKWn1bNvs

Report to Schools on the Royal Commission
It was a privilege on Friday to attend a report offered by Francis Sullivan on the findings of the Royal Commission into institutional child sex abuse. In particular, Francis offered his conclusions regarding how the Catholic Church needs to change in the light of the report. As CEO of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council, he heads up the body responsible for coordinating the Church’s response to the Royal Commission. For five years he has listened to the evidence presented at the Commission and also to the recommendations made in response. He has usually been the Catholic representative responsible for speaking to the press, for example after harrowing evidence has been given.

Francis told us that the Commission had revealed a clerical culture – particularly one that existed in the 70s and 80s – that has often been arrogant, self-serving and evasive. Compliance, fear of scandal and keeping to church “laws” have often been prioritised over the obvious and glaring need to listen to the suffering of innocent children. Another suffering party is of course all the people who persevere in the public practice of their faith in church.

So, how does a school like Villanova College respond to this report? I can only offer a personal view. I believe that any moment where the good deeds or the crimes of the past come out into the open for justice has the potential to be a power for good and for change. I believe that the promise – made by Christ – that there will be justice and judgement for good and bad deeds is at the very heart of our faith. What we do in secret is known and will be made known. We are responsible for our actions, whether we choose to secretly raise money for Project Compassion – or to criminally abuse a position of power and trust. Mercy cannot occur without and until full and personal responsibility is taken.

What I read in the Gospel is the story of the innocent and the poor who cry out for justice. That cry is one day heard and when it is we work for a better world to take the place of the one we’re in now. That is ultimately what a Catholic school is for – if it’s worth its salt.

If we want the Church to change we, the people of faith, need to play our part and offer our voices to the conversation.

Year of Youth forum
Oliver Bernal and Jack Dommett (Year 11) and Jack Verner and Riley Pownall (Year 12) joined many other Catholic high school representatives at Lourdes Hill College last Friday evening at a special question and answer session on what young people think and feel about the Church. The first part of the evening involved a panel of young-ish Catholics (and one Bishop) dealing with questions from the floor. One of the main messages of the panel was that young people can take decisive action in order to “be the change” they wish to see in the Church.

The next stage of the evening was break-out groups for the panel to listen to feedback. One main theme in the feedback was that young people are looking for the badged leaders to be equally brave. They want to see the visible leaders of the Church taking the institutional Church back closer to the Gospel message of humility, daring and compassion.

Mr John Holroyd, Dean of Identity and Mission

Reminder – Musical and Rehearsals
You are all no doubt aware of the fantastic musical that is being prepared by a talented group of students and staff from Loreto and Villanova College.  ‘Footloose’, now completely sold out across four shows, will be commencing in the Hanrahan Theatre from Wednesday 7 March.  Due to the size and scope of the production, and the involvement of so many students across this week, there will be no rehearsals during Week 7.

Please remember that all instrumental music lessons will continue as per usual.

Year 5 Instrumental Music – Testing Process Complete
Year 5 students have received their first lesson on their allocated instrument this week.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all families who returned their preference forms promptly, assisting us greatly in completing the allocation exercise.  Mrs Sleep and the team have done a fantastic job ensuring your son receives an instrument upon which we feel he will have most success.

Whilst I understand there may be some disappointment, I would like to communicate that our staff have not made decisions lightly and have your son’s best interest at heart when completing this process.  Due to ensemble balance and resources available, we must make a tough call at times.  I suppose it is akin to the Brisbane Broncos recruiting a team of Petero Civoniceva’s (well, 10 years ago perhaps) – whilst a team of forwards may be formidable, without play makers and supporting backs, they will not win a premiership.  Our goal is to create well-balanced ensembles at the beginning level to maximise learning outcomes in the first year and we require a balanced ‘mix’ of instruments.

As always, should you have any concerns regarding your son’s involvement in the Music Program at Villanova College, please do not hesitate to contact me through the Music Office on 3394 5691.

Entertainment Books
Every year, our Music Support Group undertake the Entertainment Book drive as a major fundraising event for students involved in the music program at Villanova College.

Our Entertainment Book drive will be convened again this year.  Presale envelopes will be delivered to all students in ensembles from Year 6 – 12 at the beginning of March.  Books will be handed to all Year 5 students at the College at the start of the Book Drive – around March 19.  Details will be forwarded home once these have been confirmed with Entertainment Books.

Music Support Group
Our second Music Support Group meeting for 2018 will be convened for Monday 5 March, commencing at 7.30pm.  We meet in the Music Classroom at the bottom of the Augustine Centre; please enter via the Music Office and catch the lift to Level 1.  We look forward to meeting you all!

Performance Uniforms
As per our date claimer’s below, we have our first concert of the year during the week of Anzac Day – Week 2 next term.  To assist families in preparing for this, I would like to share uniform requirements to ensure we are all adequately prepared for this event.

Please note:  Only students from Year 6 and above need to organise performance uniform.  All Year 5 students, regardless of their ensemble involvement wear requirements as set out below.

Performance Uniform requirements for Villanova College ensembles are outlined below:

All Year 5 musicians are required to wear:

• grey shorts;
• formal white shirt (available from the Villanova College Uniform Shop);
• long school socks;
• school tie;
• black leather belt; and,
• polished black school shoes.

The following table outlines uniform requirements for the remainder of our ensembles:

All uniform items can be sourced through the Villanova College Uniform Shop or external clothing retailers.

For further information regarding uniforms for ensembles at Villanova College, please contact the Music Office on 3394 5691 or music@vnc.qld.edu.au

Date Claimers
As per tradition, we cast our eyes over the coming terms.  Please note the following in your diaries:

Mr Michael Jones, Director of Music

This week our swim coaches and managers are making the final preparations for the annual AIC Swimming Championships which will be held at the Sleeman Sports Complex at Chandler next Monday. The College has much respect for the many swimmers who have trained long and hard in the pool spanning many months. The early rises and countless laps are not seen by many. The self-discipline and motivation these swimmers possess as they go about their training is to be admired. On behalf of the College we wish all members of the squad the very best at the AIC Swim Championships next week.

In support of our swimmers the College will take out all Year 5, 10, 12 and selected Year 11 students to Chandler next Monday to cheer on our swimmers. I know that every swimmer will appreciate the support given by their mates in the stand and I have no doubt given this support our swimmers will lift even more on the day. Further details pertaining to the spectators and competitors is found below.

Term 2 sign-on forms for rugby, football, cross country and chess were due last week. By our estimation it seems that some forms have not been handed back to the Sports Office. If students are keen to represent Villanova in these sports and activities I ask that they download a form from the website or collect one from the Sports Office and register their interest as soon as possible. Coaching allocations are currently being finalised based on team numbers.

Unfortunately, due to the wet weather all cricket, swimming and AFL was cancelled over the weekend. Well done to our volley-ballers who took on Padua College over the weekend. It was a close day with Villanova narrowly winning the day overall with regard to the aggregate games.  In such a tight competition our boys must aim up each week in order to post good results. With good results in the last three rounds, Villanova is still in a strong position to take out a good number of premierships and achieve a credible position in both the cricket and volleyball aggregates.

Please note that the first round of volleyball photos will be taken this weekend for teams playing at Goold Hall. Please consult the schedules found on the web and ensure your son is dressed accordingly. Those cricket teams who missed their photo over the weekend will have their photos rescheduled in Round 7.

As we enter the back half of the cricket and volleyball season I ask all to keep up the efforts both at training and on game day. It is not uncommon for teams to lose some focus around this stage of the season. We only have three rounds remaining, the boys are going well, so let’s keep up the good work until the end.  Best wishes to all involved and enjoy!

Round 5 Fixtures – Saturday 3 March, AIC Cricket and Volleyball v Iona, AIC AFL v Ashgrove

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

AIC Swimming – Mrs Juanita Jacobs, AIC Swim Coordinator

The Villanova swim season is quickly coming to an end but unfortunately due to the wet weather, last week’s swim meet was cancelled. This was a shame as it would have provided all swimmers with another opportunity to post a good time to gain selection into the team.

Tomorrow, all members of the AIC Swim Squad will be acknowledged at our College Assembly which will be held in Goold Hall from 10.35am. Parents are more than welcome to attend.

Tomorrow afternoon, the boys will attend a final time trial at Langlands Pool straight after school from 3.15 to 4.30pm followed by a BBQ for all swimmers. It is important that all squad members attend this swim meet as it is the final opportunity for coaches and managers to conduct any last minute swim offs in order to finalise nominations for the AIC Swimming Championships next Monday.

Final Swim Trial and BBQ at Langlands Pool

Date:  Friday, 2 March

Venue:  Langlands Pool, Panitya Street, Stones Corner

Time:  Warm-up – 3.15 – 3.30pm Time Trials – 3.30 – 4.30pm

**All students to be collected from Langlands Pool after the time trials.

AIC Swimming Championships – Chandler

By now all squad members should have received a letter outlining all relevant information with regards to next week’s championships. This information has also been posted on the sports webpage of the Villanova Website.

Note:  The draft swim team is posted on the web, however, after the final trials held tomorrow  some changes may occur. We will post the final team list by midday this Saturday after we consider the results from this Friday.

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 squad will be acknowledged at this week’s assembly and all regular squad members will travel to Chandler next Monday either as a competitor or a reserve. Buses will transport your son to and from Chandler on Monday.

On Monday morning, 5 March, the boys are asked to meet at Villanova in the Middle School Quadrangle by 6.45am (not Langlands Pool) for final team instructions and a team photo before departing the College for Chandler at 7.15am.  The carnival will conclude by 2pm.  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 but must advise a staff member that they are doing so.

Tomorrow we ask all squad members from Year 5 – 12 to attend a full and final compulsory team session at Langlands Pool, beginning at 6.30am followed by a team briefing.

We appreciate your continued support and look forward to a great day out at Chandler to celebrate the boy’s hard work this season.

Spectators – AIC Swimming Championships

All Year 5, 10, 12 and selected Year 11 students will be transported out to support our swimmers at the AIC Championships next Monday. The buses will depart and arrive from the College within normal school time. All supporters are asked to wear their full academic uniform. Canteen facilities will be available. I ask parents to ensure that their son does attend school that day and does not take the day off.  This is considered poor form and is not the ‘Villanova way’.

AIC Cricket

I have been informed by the opposition school that even at this stage of the week that some fields are likely to be out of action this weekend as some fields are in low lying areas. Perhaps it maybe the case that a good number of games could be cancelled yet again, we will wait and see how field preparations are going and make a call if need be. This certainly is no one’s fault, it’s just a result of the constant downfalls we have encountered over the past weeks. We will hold out as long as possible until we make the call. Please stay tuned via Skoolbag alerts. If you don’t hear an alert, this means we are all on ready to go!

In the meantime, I ask all players and coaches to keep focused at training and be ready and waiting. With such disruption to the cricket season it is hard to gauge how we are going in the aggregate stakes, suffice to say, we will be at the top somewhere.

Let’s hope we get on this weekend.

AIC Volleyball – Ms Barbara Dewis, AIC Volleyball Co-ordinator

Padua proved to be a challenging opposition for most teams over the weekend with a good result overall for Villanova volleyball and it was pleasing to see many boys supporting teams right to the end. Congratulations to all teams who succeeded in reigning supreme over a quality opposition such as Padua.

After observing several training sessions during the week, I remind all players that training provides the platform for all coaches to have in place a game strategy, however players are reminded that what is practised at training needs to filter into the overall game plan. Games have been rather close and with three rounds to go players will need to be mentally tough to overcome whatever is thrown at them.

Volleyball is a game that challenges the best players to be mentally tough during crucial moments of a game.  Mental toughness and self-belief is what players must use to overcome the closeness of these games.  As we move into the next round against Iona, all teams will need to be well prepared and ready for everything that Iona will serve to you

‘Sometimes it is not how good you are, but how bad you want it. If you have the right mental attitude, nothing can stop you.’

Parents are reminded that they are not to approach a coach, umpire, the score bench or sit on the players bench on game day. Matters of grievance should be directed to the Volleyball Coordinator or Director of Sport.

Volleyball Team Photos – Round 5, Saturday 3 March

Photos will be taken this weekend for all Year 10, 11 and Open volleyball teams. Please check the College website and below for the schedule and ensure that all players are on time and dressed in the full and correct volleyball uniform.

Please arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled photo time. All photos will be taken at the front of the Langlands Building.

Team                                          Photo Time                                              Game Time

• 11 B                                            7:20am                                                       8:00am
• Third VI                                     8:15am                                                       9:00am
• 10 C                                            8:25am                                                       9:00am
• 10 B                                            9:10am                                                       10:00am
• 11 A                                            9:20am                                                       10:00am
• First VI                                       **9:30am                                                  Midday

**(this covers all reserves attending)

• 10 A                                            10:10am                                                                      11:00am
• Second VI                                10:20am                                                                      11:00am

AIC Volleyball Results v Padua

 AIC AFL – Mr Adam Fry, AIC AFL Co-ordinator

Unfortunately, a disappointing round of sport for all families due the rain last weekend. This weekend we will replay the fixtures lost due to the wet weather, so we will be up against Marist College Ashgrove. Just a reminder to all players to ensure you continue to bring a water bottle in these hot and humid conditions. It is fantastic to see players from both teams arriving early or staying late to support their Villanova mates and I encourage all players to do the same this weekend for a big weekend of Villanova AFL.

As always if any parents would like to assist with running water please see Matt Conlan or myself for a bib.  The boys and I certainly appreciate the help throughout game day. Thanks again for all your support and I look forward to seeing everyone at Yeronga on Saturday.

Fixtures Round 5

Villanova Rugby and Football Uniforms – 2018

All students from Years 5 – 12 in both rugby and football must purchase the Villanova rugby and football uniform in readiness for the up-coming season. This includes shorts, jersey and socks. The Villanova College Uniform Shop will have all rugby and football gear available for purchase.

PLEASE NOTE:  All boys who sign up for rugby and football WILL make a team, therefore, parents can purchase these items of clothing:

Villanova Rugby Uniform

• Villanova rugby jersey
• Villanova rugby shorts
• Villanova rugby/football socks
• Mouthguard compulsory
• Head gear optional
• Villanova green zip jacket or Villanova track suit optional (no other jackets /jumpers are permitted)

Villanova Football Uniform

• Villanova football jersey
• Villanova football shorts (not the PE shorts/ not the basketball shorts)
• Villanova rugby/football socks
• Shin guards compulsory
• Villanova green zip jacket or Villanova track suit optional (no other jackets/jumpers are permitted)

Please Note

• Football players must wear the Villanova football shorts not the Villanova basketball shorts, which do look similar.
• The new Canterbury rugby and football socks are the same.
• What to wear at training? – It is acceptable for both the rugby and football players to wear any coloured/club clothes to training. Boys are not encouraged to wear their Villanova playing uniform to training but may do so if they wish. We certainly would not recommend rugby players wear their PE uniform or any shirt that may get ripped and torn. The Villanova College Uniform Shop has some old stock (jerseys and shorts) which would be perfect for training but not to wear on game days. Old stock prices start at $8.

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 19 March.

Note:  All Year 5 and Year 6 students will do some skill and drill sessions within their Friday sport times commencing on Friday 9 March. All players will need boots, mouthguards and any suitable jersey (this does not have to be a Villanova Jersey). The staff will notify the boys when they will be doing contact drills and need extra protective gear.

All training times and venues for all Year 7 – 12 teams are listed on the College’s website and below. All Year 5 and Year 6 teams will train at Langlands or Whinstanes, specific days and times to be announced.

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, Year10 and Opens

Rugby:  Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Opens (Year 11 and Year 12 students will be grouped in Opens this year)

AIC Rugby and Football Trial Games – Date Claimers

Monday 19 March (rugby and football training begins at Villanova Park for all Year 7 – 12 teams)

Saturday 24 March AIC rugby and football v SLC (full school trial)

Wednesday 28 March First XV trial v Iona and First XI trial v SPLC (after school)

Saturday 21 April AIC rugby and football v SPC (full school trial)

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 and Opens at Villanova Park 4.00 – 5.15pm, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons
• Year 5 and Year 6 at Little Langlands – morning session 7.00 – 8.00am/afternoon session 3.15pm -4.45pm (specific days to be confirmed)

Football Training

• Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Thirds, Fourths and Fifths at Villanova Park 4.00 – 5.15pm, Monday and Wednesday afternoons
• Firsts and Seconds at Villanova Park Tuesday and Thursday afternoons
• Year 5 and Year 6 at Whinstanes/Little Langlands, morning session 7.00 – 8.00am/afternoon session 3.15pm – 4.45pm (specific days to be confirmed)

Junior School Rugby and Football Information

Of the 319 boys in the Junior School, 223 have signed up for football or rugby. That is a healthy 70% of our students but we would still love to have more students sign up to ensure we have fewer reserves each Saturday. If boys have clashes with other sports, we will do our best to plan with them, so they can get out on the field each week with their Villanova mates. At this stage there will be three rugby teams and five football teams in Year 5, while in Year 6 there will be four rugby teams and four football teams.

Year 5 and Year 6 Rugby and Football Trials

Initial selection trials will be conducted by College staff, during Friday Sport starting next Friday. All football players will play games on Whinstanes (Year 6) or on the Junior School Oval (Year 5), as an identification process only, to split the boys into two groups. Staff will place them into initial squads that will be revised in the last week of term when official training begins.

Rugby players will be involved in several drills and play a series of modified matches at Little Langlands and will require an old jersey, boots and a mouth guard. The boys can change into their rugby gear at the end of lunch but must change back into their sports uniform to go home. Football players can bring along boots, football socks and shin pads, if they are scheduled to trial on Whinstanes and will play in bibs over their sports uniform.

Junior School Rugby and Football Training

All training will begin the week beginning March 19 in preparation for the trial match against St. Laurence’s College on March 24.

Rugby players will train at Little Langlands and are to bring a mouth guard, jersey, footy socks and boots. If the boys don’t have an old jersey, an old t-shirt will do. No mouth guard- no contact drills.

All football players will train either on Little Langlands or Whinstanes with days and times to be confirmed by the end of next week. Bibs will be supplied to help identify the boys. They can bring shin pads, footy socks and boots

AIC Chess Training

Chess Club will continue Wednesday and Friday mornings in Term 2, 7.30am-8.30am. Lunchtime time sessions will also be available at first break every day for game practise. The chess club sessions offered this term will double as the trial process to select AIC teams as well.

AIC Rugby, Football, Cross Country & Chess Sign-Ons – Forms now overdue!!

Please be advised that all boys from Years 5-12 have been given the opportunity to sign-on for the up-coming Villanova Rugby, Football, Cross Country & Chess season. These forms were due last Friday 23^rd March. If your son has failed to hand in his form on time, it is not too late, please hand deliver or email to the Sports Office asap please.

Representative Sport

Congratulations go to Joshua Smith who recently made the Queensland 15yrs and Under Cricket Team. Josh played in the National Championships held at the Sunshine Coast during mid-February. A great achievement, well done Josh!

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

Uniform Shop, Tuckshop & Library

Uniform Shop

Please find the updated form for any 2nd Hand Items for Sale.

Tuckshop

MONDAY 5 MARCH

 TUESDAY 6 MARCH

 WEDNESDAY 7 MARCH

THURSDAY 8 MARCH

FRIDAY 9 MARCH

Library Roster

Monday
Sharon Vecchi
Syl Wright

Tuesday
Jane Wipps
Cristina Palacios

Wednesday
Jaclyn O’Shea

Thursday
Melanie Pickering

“Parenting with Technology in the Age of Social Media” – Monday 19 March 2018 at 6.30pm

On Monday 19 March, Villanova College will be hosting a parent education event to help support the community families with managing and regulating safe online behaviour. A common concern for parents is the lack of knowledge and understanding about the apps, social media sites and chatrooms our young people engage with as the “normalisation” of digital technology continues to evolve. This education event will provide parents with information, technical skills and advice to be more informed and involved with the social behaviours and potential threats that affect our children.

Task Force ARGOS will be presenting a session regarding the social site predators that target and groom our youth – and how to best safeguard children falling victim to the convincing behaviours and profiling these criminals utilise. Brett Lee has also been confirmed as our second speaker, covering social media apps and principles for parenting with social media (bio attached).

Please click the following link to RSVP for this FREE event – we are also seeking your feedback as to what information we should cover to make this event as relevant and informative as possible.

Link to register attendance

or register via QR code (attached).

To stay up to date with the College events please proceed to the event calendar.

Villanova Carnival