Villa View: Issue 14/21

Dear Members of the Villanova College Family,
Our twin themes for 2021, ‘Humility and Gratitude’ need to be reflected in our actions this year. This is a challenge for all in our community. St Augustine stated very clearly in his writings that humility is the “… basis for all genuine humanity, for all genuine spirituality as well as for all real happiness and fulfillment.” (St Augustine on Humility)

Sadly, in our modern world, humility is more often than not identified with self-deprecation, with an absence of or weakness in asserting oneself, with minimalization of all that one is or has. St Augustine teaches us, “…humility is the critical, root virtue for discovering and becoming who we are called to be in Jesus, and thus for attaining fulfillment and genuine happiness.” (St Augustine on Humility)

“Humility is about understanding: truly understanding ourselves that we might understand the God within. Humility is about loving: loving ourselves that we might love others, and in loving others that we might love God within. Humility is about living: living in the real world, living fully the happy life, living according to the pattern of Jesus and the plan of God for us.” ( Fr A Chappell OSA, St Augustine on Humility)

Gratitude, our second theme is an attitude that all are challenged to adopt. How do we give thanks for all that we have been given? I so often find myself grumbling about some small matter and losing sight of all the blessings I receive that I am truly grateful for each day. I will challenge myself to see all the gifts I receive and to express gratitude for all that I have been given.

Parents and Friends Mothers Evening
Last Friday evening over 400 mothers joined together to celebrate at the annual Parents and Friends sponsored event. An army of fathers took on the onerous task of serving drinks and food during the evening. From all reports the event was a great success and it was amazing to see the enthusiastic response from our community to support this event. I do believe our guests thoroughly enjoyed the 70s and 80s music played during the evening with many mothers breaking out moves not seen for some time on the dance floor. Thank you to the Parents and Friends Executive and especially Mr Peter Roberts for their organisation of this event.

The funds raised from this event were specifically targeting the supply of additional basketball hoops for the Middle School precinct. My sincere thanks for the Parents and Friends Association for their generous gift to the College in supporting this initiative.

Parents and Friends Meeting
Last Monday evening, representatives from the Teaching and Learning Office were invited to attend the Parents and Friends Association meeting to discuss reporting and how parents use the feedback from their son’s assessment tasks that is provided by the staff. The discussion was most helpful for both our staff and the parents present at the meeting. There were a number of important matters raised that will be taken away and acted upon to assist parents to continue to play an active role in assisting our staff to guide the students in their assessment tasks. I thank the parents present for their feedback to our staff.

Music at Villanova College
With the temporary closure of the Instrumental Music rooms and Music classrooms, our musicians have been playing in the vacant classrooms around the College campus. This has resulted in all our students and staff being increasingly aware of the strength and size of the music program here at the College. The Music staff and Director of Music, Mr Michael Jones have done an excellent job in continuing the momentum of the Music program despite the difficulties we are currently experiencing with the Augustine Centre.

On Wednesday evening our Year 12 Music Extension students performed their assessment pieces in the College Library. It was a wonderful display of talented musicians who have worked very hard over many weeks to polish their performance. The students and Music staff are to be congratulated on the quality of the performances.

You have made us for Yourself O Lord
And our hearts are restless until they rest in You.

Mr Mark Stower, Principal

In keeping with the spirit of Reconciliation, Villanova College acknowledges the Yuggera and Turrbal peoples, as the Traditional Custodians of this land on which we stand.  We pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging.  This has always been, and always will be, a place of teaching and learning connected to country, culture and community. 

In Year 12 Study of Religion on Monday, we had the opportunity to listen to a Real Talk presention by Paul Ninnes. This interactive discussion based on Catholic Christian values provided significant insight on topics including relationships, sex, consent and pornography and how to make stronger choices. On the topic of consent, Paul turned an often confusing and blurred topic into a simple series of steps for proper consent. He gave four clear conditions which needed to be present for clear and proper consent. The first was to ensure a clear answer is given. For example, ‘maybe’ is not a clear consent, and ‘no’ is clearly not giving consent. Paul’s second condition for proper consent is that both people need to be aware of clear boundaries for what they are agreeing upon. We learnt how critical this stage is in eliminating confusion. The third part of consent is that both people understand the possible consequences of their actions. Finally, it is important that both people are able to give consent. If one person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, consent cannot be given under any circumstances. By providing these clear steps, Paul’s presentation effectively simplified the often-confusing topic of consent for young people.

Paul Ninnes’ presentation also explored the importance of the gift of relationships built upon how we should treat everyone with the inherent dignity we are blessed with. One particular threat he made clear is the negative effects that pornography has on relationships. Young men globally have been blinded by the false representation of what a healthy, truthful and fruitful relationship is. Pornography – looking beyond our immediate presumptions – harms one’s ability to distinguish between ‘expectation and reality’. When young people are exposed to such adult content, they expect relationships to be purely physical and intimate, whereas reality proves that relationships with a significant other encompasses human dignity, respect, clarity, consent, faith and support, not just sexuality and intimacy. Additionally, Paul precisely outlined that using pornography as a stimulus doesn’t allow us to experience what life has to offer and continues to expose us to a false sense of reality. Young men are therefore unable to stay true to themselves when it comes to what they desire in a relationship – empathy, communication, commitment and love.

Louis Henderson, College Captain
Thanasi Keskinidis, College Vice Captain
Luke Palmer, Student Council President

It Pays to Be Organised
As we almost reach the halfway point through the term, here are some timely tips for getting organised.

PARENTS: Many students come home from school and end up just waiting until they might ‘feel’ like doing schoolwork. Or else they drag everything out over the whole night. A much better way is each night have set allocated times for home learning. Many students find that learning in 20-30 minute blocks works well for them. During this time students should do homework first, then work on any assignments or upcoming tests, then use the rest of the time allocated for schoolwork to complete independent learning activities such as reviewing work they find difficult, making study notes or doing practice questions to build their skills. All distractions should be removed during this time, so students learn to focus for 20-30 minute blocks of time. It is a great idea to make a timetable for home learning and place it on the fridge so everyone is clear when students are focusing and when they are doing other activities or having free time.

STUDENTS: Some of the benefits for students of having set times allocated for home learning are:

• You are more likely to learn at home if you know when to start and when to end.
• You will be more effective when you remove distractions and learn to focus for 20 – 30 minute blocks.
• In all the times NOT allocated to schoolwork you can do whatever you like without feeling guilty about it.
• Having set times stops arguments between students and parents as everyone has agreed when the timeslots allocated to students will be.
• You know that you are definitely doing enough work for school.
• Keeping your home learning and personal life separate means you will be able to manage all of the distractions in your life and still complete your work for school.

Teaching and Learning Framework
Two weeks ago I wrote in the newsletter that it is the College’s intention to develop a teaching and learning framework that makes it very clear as to how students learn in the classroom. A teaching and learning framework is designed and implemented at a school to support the teaching staff in the delivery of quality teaching and learning programs; it is focused on improving students’ ability to acquire knowledge and then understand how this knowledge can be used to further improve their continued academic development and growth.

As part of the development of this framework, it is important that we give our parents the opportunity to contribute to its development. Parents / guardians can do this by completing the questionnaire below by Tuesday 18 May.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=pVLDvKol9EeHKipkErxkNra4AgAGRHhBsIIYXgoHg9FUQ0FLT1k4UFhHUE9IRTBRWlZSWUlWVDNPQS4u

NAPLAN
NAPLAN testing commenced on Tuesday with Year 5 and 7 completing tests on the first two days and Year 9 commencing their testing today. Our students have committed themselves very well in the testing so far.

A reminder for the remaining days of testing that all Year 5, 7 and 9 students will require each day:

• A fully charged device that is in good working order
• A pair of wired headphones

Given that the tests are being completed online this year, this presents the opportunity for ACARA and the QCAA to make results available earlier. The College then uses this data to build on areas of student strength and also address topics that require some attention.

Mr John Christie, Dean of Teaching and Learning

YEAR 10 CAREERS PROFILING

Students in Year 10 are required to make subject choices that will form the basis of their Senior Education and Training Plan. In order to make informed choices, it is to the students’ and the College’s advantage to ensure that each student is in possession of rich and relevant data about himself, has had time to consider that data and then research the potential career paths that it suggests he is suited to, before embarking on this decision-making process. On Tuesday this week, our Year 10 cohort completed a series of tests that will support them in their decision-making process regarding Year 11 and 12 subjects.

The testing that the students undertook included:

1. Career Avenues Differential Reasoning Profile
2. • Abstract Reasoning
   • Verbal Reasoning
   • Numerical Reasoning
   • Attention to Detail
   • Physical Reasoning
   • Spatial Reasoning

2. Career Avenues Career Interest Profile

This is an interest profile based on Australian career opportunities in 10 different general vocational groupings.

3. Career Avenues Type for Teenagers (CATT)

This personality profile gives an in-depth description of each student’s style. Based on the Jungian personality preferences, it indicates the kind of work environment / work focus that is likely to suit.

4. Career Avenues Transferable Skills Self-Assessment

Transferable skills are a core set of skills and abilities which can be applied to a wide range of different jobs and industries. They are becoming increasingly important in the employment market.

5. Career Ideas

Students are given approximately 45 career ideas in their top 3 career interest areas. These ideas are generally consistent with all of the elements in the student’s profile. Students are encouraged to select and research careers from these lists.

Over the coming days and weeks, as the SET Plan process gets underway, the students will each receive :

1. A Career Profile Report (comprising 17 pages) that is individually prepared, rather than computer-generated
2. A Careers Workbook
3. Access to web-based research tools, which will provide access to descriptions on various occupations, short videos, and links to universities in each state (giving details on their courses and relevant data on prerequisites).
4. Group Feedback and one-on-one careers support by an accredited Career Avenues’ Careers Advisor.

In addition, the College will receive a one-page summary on each student that contains a synopsis of each student’s results across the various test areas

Students and parents can be confident that our Year 10 students will be in possession of information that will assist them in their own research into relevant careers and form the basis for pathways discussions.

Mrs Julie Duffy, Head of Careers and Pathways

There are ultimately two things in life that all parents want for their children – happiness and friends.  It is the lottery in life, and all adults know just how good it feels to have both.  So how do we help our sons when there are bumps in their perceptions of self, doubts whether they belong, or worry that they have no friends?  In a world where social media means we have more access to information and people than ever – is it very possible to feel alone and anxious in social settings.

“Nobody likes me”.  Words that break any parent’s heart.  There are ten to eleven years of memories that you have where the funniest and warmest moments are burned into your family history.  How do you get that kind of CV across to new classmates and on the playground?  By starting small.  Making steps to build new memories.  Help your son focus on his best traits – what he likes about himself.  He needs situations to share this side of himself – are they available?  The classroom and playground can be a perfect platform where games, clubs, activities, and low-key interest groups can be formed to provide an entry point for boys to make connections.  A word to the wise – to be a great friend, you need to be honest and genuine about passions and interests.

“They won’t play with me”.  Ouch.  Nobody wants to hear the words “no,” nor do they want to be ignored when they try to join a line at handball or see eye contact drop away when they approach.  So, it is important to ask why these people are worth pursuing as playmates.  What is appealing about boys who are less than interested in expanding their circle of friends, or have little patience in getting to know you?  We must look for places where we are respected, given a fair go by others, and valued for our talents and good nature.  That might mean changing our ideas about who we thought would be a friend, to whom might be the friend we deserve.

“They call me names”.  As parents we fight every urge to want to fight this battle ourselves.  We would have the right words to fire back to put someone back into their place – right?  Yet, we do not know the entire circumstance of the situation, and we need to take a breath and remember the world of speaking without thinking, misinterpretation, and crossed wires.  Resilience must be learned, and the help of bystanders and adults must be sought.  It is a challenging situation when your son wonders if he has the strength to speak up or get help to stop the names being said at all.

As adults, we have the power of hindsight to school days, and knowing there is so much involved in making friends, keeping friends, changing friends, and letting friends go who might be a better fit for someone else.  Having children who are currently negotiating their social network brings back a lot of our schoolyard memories – and our hopes for avoiding half of our battles and having twice as much fun.  That is perfectly understandable.  Yet, we have over 360 developing brains in the Junior School who need our support, understanding and patience in helping make good choices.

So, let us be proactive.  Positive.  Help our boys find confidence, trust people, and establish their genuine sense of belonging.  They must feel it, not have us tell them.

Where can you start if your son is struggling at the present – seeing where he fits in?

Talk to him and listen – give him all the minutes he needs to figure out his emotions and what he wants.  Do not assume his needs are the same as yours.  Take some notes that you can repeat back to him to make sure you really have heard him clearly.  Then ask, “who can help you best?”  Let your son identify who he would prefer to negotiate him through something as delicate as friendships.  He might need space from you, but a quiet email to a trusted teacher.  Or he could need a play at a park after soccer on Saturday with a small group to break the ice of getting to know some boys better.  The momentum of a game could trickle into lunch and a local park setting.

Rest assured that we have a social-emotional framework that we work to explicitly teach the students.  We are your biggest advocates in helping your son to feel welcomed, supported, and able to be his best self.

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

Road Safety
Over the past few weeks, we have learnt of several occasions where Middle School boys have nearly been hit by cars when crossing roads and streets – due solely to boys taking insufficient care. These events have occurred mainly when the boys have not been crossing at the provided crossings or lights. The major locations include, crossing Main St (getting to/from the bus station), crossing Old Cleveland Rd (not at lights), and crossing Cavendish Rd at Coorparoo Square. There are also a number of pinch-points around the campus, especially at 3.00pm pickup. Can I ask that parents take special care during these times, and that they also stress to their sons the importance of crossing streets and roads safely. 

STEM Club 
The Middle School STEM Club has kicked off 2021 with a presentation from two Villanova Old Boys, Mr Ben Jarrett, Improvement Projects Specialist at BHP and Mr Kyriakos Tapinou, PhD Candidate, Centre for Hypersonics, UQ. While Ben works in BHP’s Integrated Remote Operations Centre (IROC), applying his engineering and project management skills to deliver improvements in ultra-class truck productivity across BHP’s eight central QLD coal mines; Kyriakos is studying the Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability (RMI) that occurs in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) plasmas. The RMI causes a mixing of hot and cold fuel, as well as non-fusible material, during the fusion process which hinders efforts to achieve a “breakeven” point in energy release.  

Students learnt from Ben and Kyriakos not so much about their interesting and highly technical work, but rather about the benefits of studying STEM related subjects in high school, tertiary education pathways, and its relationship to real world workplaces. Special thanks to Mrs Kate Alexander and Mrs Shannon Lynam for their facilitation of this wonderful club. For more details about joining the Middle School STEM Club, the boys can speak with either of these teachers.  

NAPLAN
As the first week of NAPLAN tests comes to a close, I want to extend my congratulations to the Year 7s and 9s who have approached the tests with great focus and confidence. I visited several the testing rooms throughout the week and was impressed with the boys and their diligence. Keep up the great work! 

  Mr Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

The Marks of a Gentleman
The fundamental mission of our collective endeavours at Villanova is to develop fine young men. Whenever I address a Senior School cohort or the College as a whole, I begin with ‘Good morning/afternoon gentlemen’. Some may say that referring to boys as gentlemen is an outdated archetype that conjures up dated gender stereotypes however, I disagree. I believe in the ideals of a gentlemen – one who acts with integrity, demonstrates moral decency and above all displays the marks of good character. Furthermore, breaking down the word to ‘gentle’men also consider the importance of the social and emotional wellbeing of our students which is healthy to cultivate amidst a strong prevailing gendered construct that men can’t show their emotions.

I subscribe to the e-newsletter of ‘The Gentleman’s Journal’ magazine which recently included a piece on the ’20 things that make a man a gentleman’. The article considers that in an increasingly troubled, confusing and modern world, it makes the concept of being a gentleman somewhat bewildering. I would like to share some of the list which I believe can be good learnings for our young men:

A gentleman never tells –
No gossiping. No spreading of scandalous rumours, or of speaking ill of others. A real gentleman always protects the integrity of both himself and those around him – so that means embodying the utmost discretion and keeping any affairs or confrontations a tight-lipped secret. Nobody likes a bad-mouth.

A gentleman knows that anything worth having is worth working hard for –
Shortcuts and free rides have no place in a gentleman’s world. Work for your luxuries, and your achievements will taste even sweeter. A gentleman knows that you only get what you give: and rightly so.

A gentleman knows the difference between confidence and arrogance.

A gentleman is open-minded –
Sharp wit can win any argument; but an intelligent gentleman knows the benefits of listening to the views of others. He is never stubborn and is always prepared to learn, in order to develop and broaden his world view.

A gentleman constantly proves that chivalry is not dead –
Because it isn’t – especially if a gentleman looks in the right places. It may be different to antiquated ideas of chivalry, but the concept is still very much alive and kicking. Essentially, chivalry can be chalked up to good manners, empathy and the capacity to forgive.

A gentleman is always well-presented.

A gentleman has a firm handshake and always makes eye contact.

Love Languages
Last week in our Year 11 Formation Program, we engaged our students in a Positive Education workshop within the Relationships Domain of PERMA – in particular the module on Kindness and Connections. During the workshop, we explored Gary Chapman’s concept of ‘Love Languages’ – the different ways of giving and receiving emotional love. Just like languages have numerous dialects or variations, love has different dialects. According to Chapman, the five love languages are:

In unpacking these languages with the students, we were able to generate some powerful and purposeful conversations around the importance of selfless action and what it means to be a good friend, brother and son. I challenged the young men in my workshop group to write a personal message to their Mum ahead of last Sunday expressing how much their Mothers meant to them. These workshops provide scope for us to continually reinforce and model the behaviours and values that shape fine young men.

“Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Reclaiming the Sabbath: Living Gratefully and Walking Humbly!
It has been fantastic to enjoy a couple of long weekends.  There is something so liberating about the feeling of Sunday evening when Monday is a public holiday!  There is a spaciousness and sense of relief that is pulpable in my household.  I know I cherish a lazy Monday morning where there is time to sit and have a cuppa, and there is space to get to some of the important but not urgent things.

One of the learnings resulting from the long lockdown of 2020 in Melbourne, amongst many of my students and their families, was an appreciation for slowing life down a little and a return to enjoyment of simple pleasures – a warm drink in the sunshine, a walk in the park, kicking the footy together, time in the garden, noticing the changing seasons, time to reflect and re-evaluate.  This was born of necessity, and yet many of us made new and unexpected discoveries.  Consequently, as life returns to full pace, I am aware of an internal wisdom that beckons to keep things more in balance.  I have found myself returning to, reflecting upon, and trying to implement a sense of the sabbath in my life.  I am struck now that a day with no jobs, no cooking, no driving, no compulsion to be online and with permission to spend time with family and loved ones, to stop, pray and rejuvenate sounds quite heavenly!

As this week began, I enjoyed a wonderful conversation with a dear and wise friend of mine, Elaine Smith, who is a Josephite nun.  In her ponderings about Sabbath, she too has been aware of the need to build in moments to pause and be still a little while.  The following are some of her reflections:

Celeste Snowber in her Body Psalm for Savoring writes: –

“Relinquish the need to be superwoman…..
have a funeral for doing too much
And celebrate not doing in some way.
Enjoy being and know
You are being formed into a wise one………
Each gesture is an act of love
A counteraction to a world of overdoing….”

Elaine’s invitation:
Take three slow breaths……. notice the rhythm of each breath.
After each released breath there is a pause…a still space……before the body naturally continues its rhythm of breathing in….
My body takes this pause, this ‘mini-Sabbath’ naturally, as an integral part of its lifegiving rhythm.
The gift of Sabbath space is as close as my own breath.

Elaine’s Blessing:
Take a brief Sabbath pause.   Breathe in the pure gift of this moment…. Let gratitude well up within you….
Breathe out gratefulness for the preciousness of another day…….
Bless your capacity to honour the uniqueness and richness of your own life….. bless this choice to take time, however brief and simply be.

“When we embrace a Sabbath rest, we remember that life is always in process: we will never fully arrive, so we can slow down now and savour the journey.” – Christine Valters Paintner

Win – Win for Ministries
In recent weeks there have been some great examples of creative and generous work in our ministries that have provided for our community whilst also raising funds for projects we partner with.  Following are some examples:

YAYM’s Mother’s Day Stall
Last week each break brought a flood of shoppers to queue up for the famous Villanova Mother’s Day Stall.  A big congratulations to all the students from YAYM who were involved and the staff who gave tirelessly of their time to ensure that all boys left with a present for their Mum.

The great success is both the celebration of our Mothers and the raising of funds for breast cancer research and for adult education programs that are part of the AFAS Elders programs in the Philippines.  Congratulations to all involved and a special thanks to Kath Underhill who put her heart and soul into the stall.

Flu Vaccination Fundraiser
In recent weeks, Dr Juergen Landmann, a Villanova parent, has generously given of his time to provide flu vaccines to our Senior students and staff, with encouragement for people to donate to Villanova ministries.  We are grateful for the generosity of Dr Juergen and the example he provides to our students of how they can use their skills and expertise to give generously and provide service to others.

Congratulations to AFAS Scholars at Divino Amore Academy (DAA)-Mohon-Talisay-Cebu
Since 2016, Jeciel Marie S Segismar, Althea Dela Victoria and Noe Novengel Cabanes have attended DAA. Last Friday saw them formally complete their schooling at DAA with the Virtual Moving Up Ceremony and Recognition Day Awards.

Jeciel and Althea were offered AFAS scholarships in Year 7, 2016 whilst Noe was added in 2018 under the recommendation from School Principa, Sr Janeth upon learning that Noe was ill with Lupus (an autoimmune disease, with systemic manifestations including skin rash, erosion of joints or even kidney failure). Noe’s parents could then use the money saved from school fees for her medical needs. Whilst Noe has finished her schooling at DAA, AFAS recently donated towards Noe’s future medical needs.

AFAS and the Villanova community sent a video to the class of 2020-2021, congratulating all the students and especially the three AFAS Scholars.  This video was aired during the ceremony.

Well done Jeciel, Althea and Noe. The Villanova community is proud of your achievements and wishes you all the best for the future.

Sunday Readings at Home
Please use  this link to access this week’s readings and commentaries.

Ms Kate Garrone, Dean of Mission and Identity

Last weekend Villanova played Round 2 of the AIC chess, rugby and football season against St Peter’s Lutheran College and many more in the supplementary draw. I must say I was very pleased with the overall performance displayed by our players. In terms of results, the chess boys did it tough only winning a couple of games. The competition was varied in rugby and football. Both College’s enjoyed success throughout the day as the aggregate results went in favour of the opposition in football and in Villanova’s favour in the rugby. Not a bad outcome to see both colleges playing competitively and sharing the success.

As with all sports, some teams are doing it tougher than others; some teams are having more success than others, but I believe most boys are out there on the paddock giving it their all for the College and it’s good to see. Well done to all!

The atmosphere at Villa Park and at the opposition grounds over the past few weeks has been great. It certainly is the case that the Villanova community including players and spectators are enjoying the opportunity of being involved in the AIC footy season this year. The number of supporters who made the effort to stay and support the First teams was greatly appreciated and it certainly lifted the boys out in the middle. The AIC footy and rugby season is a special time where our boys really seem to enjoy the time spent with their mates outdoors playing sport. The College community does gain much satisfaction seeing its students wearing their uniforms with pride, chanting the College war cry, forming ‘run-on’ tunnels for each other and representing our school well both on and off the paddock. This all aids in the development of a positive school culture which has a flow on effect throughout the entire College.

Rugby and football training at Villa Park for most teams from Year 7-12 seems to be working well. Having all teams train in one safe location side-by-side helps the coaches to work with each other and to communicate more effectively. Training at Villa Park allows our skills directors to float among year levels to ensure support is given to coaches where needed. Unfortunately, there is the usual traffic congestion leaving Villa Park after training. Perhaps parents may consider parking on the western side of the Park behind the newly built Western Grandstand. Not as many park in this area. When exiting from this side you simply use the bottom gate which is left open and the line-up is not nearly as long as the main entrance/exit.

I take this opportunity to thank those who have supported the College’s decision for students to wear full academic uniform when staying behind to support other teams.  Although there may be a difference of opinion, there is no doubt our supporters on the weekend looked good and represented our College well on the weekend. Well done boys!

This weekend marks Round 3 of AIC chess, rugby and football v Marist College Ashgrove. May I please ask all families to ensure that they allow enough time to travel so that the boys are present at least 30 minutes before kick-off. Arriving early is paramount to ensuring our boys are prepared and ready to go when the whistle blows.

I ask all players to dig deep this weekend and give their very best. Best wishes to all involved!

1st Rugby & Football Games v St Laurence’s – Rescheduled
As Villanova has several First players competing at the 17-18 State Rugby Championships and the 13-16 State Football Championships during the weekend of Round 5 AIC fixtures v St Laurence’s, both First games have been rescheduled for that weekend to a mutually agreeable time.

Please note the First XV game has been rescheduled as per details below. At this point the First XI game details are not yet known.

• First XV – Villa v SLC, Souths Rugby Club on 25 May, 5:30pm kick-off
• First XI Football – Villa v SLC, time and venue TBC

AIC Chess, Rugby & Football Fixtures, Friday 14 & Saturday 15 May – Times & Venues
All times and venues for this weekend’s fixtures v Marist College Ashgrove (plus supplementary games) are available on the College’s website.

AIC Trimester 3 – Rugby League, Tennis (managers), Basketball Coaches Needed!!!
Currently the College is seeking coaches and managers of the abovementioned sports for the up-coming AIC Trimester 3 program. Trials will begin during the last week of this term. The season will be conducted during Term 3 as per the College calendar.

If you are keen to assist the College by taking on a role of coach or manager, please email the respective people below.

• Basketball Coach – Email Mr Sean O’Neill: soneill@vnc.qld.edu.au
• Tennis Manager – Email Mr Todd Kropp: tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au
• Rugby League Coach – Email Mr Blake McLauchlan: bmclauchlan@vnc.qld.edu.au

Trimester 3 Sign-on – Rugby League, Tennis, Basketball and Track & Field
Trimester 3 Sign-Ons are now open – For those wishing to play AIC Rugby League, AIC Tennis, AIC Basketball and AIC Track & Field please register your interest via the online sign-on form. The link will close on Monday 24 June – https://form.jotform.com/VillanovaSport/term-3-sport-sign-on

A copy of this sign-on link is found on the College’s website in the ‘Locker Room’ section.

Please Note:

Basketball

• Year 5 and 6 Basketball is played on Friday afternoons. Year 5 and 6 students can play basketball on Friday as well as either Tennis or Rugby League on Saturday
• Year 7-12 students will play basketball on Saturday and cannot play Tennis or Rugby League as they are played at the same time.
• There will be approx. four teams per year level

Tennis

• Year 5-12 students will play tennis Saturday mornings. These students cannot play Rugby League or Year 7-12 Basketball as they are played at the same time.
• There will be two teams per year level

Rugby League

• Students can only play AIC Rugby League if they have played AIC Rugby Union or AIC Football. Rugby League coaches will view a number of Rugby Union games to commence the trial process. This will not determine the teams as some may be playing AIC Football but will give the coaches a guide as to the quality of players we have as the majority will be playing rugby.
• There will only be one team per year level in Rugby League. The teams will be – Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, 1st Rugby League (combined Year 11 and 12 team), probably around 20 players per age group
• Rugby League Players cannot play Year 7-12 Basketball or Tennis

Track & Field

• Students can participate in any other sport as well as Track & Field. Track & Field training will commence halfway through term 3.

College Web-Site – Sport Page
The weekly reports indicate that many people are using the College website each week to gain access to important information pertaining to Villa Sport. Please continue to use this site as information regarding draws, by-laws, important notes/dates etc. are posted and updated regularly. The use of the Villanova App is also a must.

Weekly Team List
Due to privacy issues, the posting of sporting team lists on the website will no longer occur.

Students and their families can now access the team lists through an online link. This link was sent last week. This new link can be accessed over the next couple of weeks for all team lists. A new system of accessing team lists will be in place in the weeks to come. Please click this link to open a folder to view the Round 2 AIC Rugby, Football and Chess team lists for this weekend.

All other information regarding sport, including general messages, training schedules, weekly fixtures, coaches contacts, by-laws etc can still be accessed through the normal channels, that is, via the ‘Locker Room’ page on the website.

Sports Club – Canteen Roster
On behalf of the Sports Club we would like to thank all those who have been kind enough to assist in the canteen over the first two rounds of the competition. The assistance has been fantastic. This weekend Villa will host all the Year 9-12 games at Villa Pk against Marist College Ashgrove. Please see canteen roster below.

AIC CROSS COUNTRY REPORT
Mr Brian Pascoe, Cross Country Co-ordinator

St Laurence’s Invitational AIC Cross Country Trial
When: Wednesday 19 May
Venue: St Laurence’s College Playing Fields – 3 Nathan Road, Runcorn (UBD Map 220 Q4)

With much anticipation the ‘Running Wildcats’ will travel to St Laurence’s College Playing Fields next Wednesday for the first cross country trial. It provides each person with a chance to see how effective their training has been. The coaches are excited to see how good the squad is and how it compares to the other schools that will be there competing. A bus will transport the Villanova cross country squad to and from the trial run at St Laurence’s and is expected to return to the College at approximately 5.45 pm.  Parents are welcome to collect their son from the venue.

One of the nuances of cross country running is that very few of the squad just undertake cross country, with most competing in at least one other AIC sport. I would like to commend those boys on making the commitment to the Villa cross country squad. The lessons from cross country assists in the other sports undertaken.

Former Head Coach of the British Athletics Team Frank Dick is quoted as saying, ‘The reason you go into tough arenas in life, is to perform better. You cannot perform better if not challenged.’

Thus, I challenge as many of the cross country squad as possible to attend the trials and challenge yourself.

 Program of Events

Note: Runners do not need to register prior to their race but are asked to be at the start line five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Year 5 and 6 Cross Country Report
Mr Tom Lonergan, Year 5 and 6 Coach

“Rain, rain go away…” What a season – just one week where we have been able to train both sessions. The next two Wednesdays are trials and then the AIC Championship on June 2. Time is getting short! The Year 6 boys who competed in the Lytton Trial demonstrated the value of training in the school holidays and on public holidays. A group of Year 5s has been attending the Sunday session regularly and they also performed in the Lytton Trial. My message is: “You cannot run cross country competitively unless you have done the hard work.” The good news is that a total of 60 boys have actually turned up to train during the school term. How fit/competitive they are will be answered next Wednesday, when we have our first Interschool Trial.

Villa Runners Club (non compulsory) Sundays 4 – 5pm @ Whites Hill Reserve, Camp Hill. This session is held every Sunday. Villa boys, siblings and friends are all invited.

Lytton Trial
Rain caused the postponement on the Thursday and the boys ran on a damp track on Friday. The first race was the 12 years boys and the Villa squad was outstanding. ACGS runner 1^st, Jacob Short 2^nd, Liam Holmes 3^rd, Charlie Farmer Year 7, 5th, Billie Pearson 8^th, Archie Dickinson 10^th and Ollie Kotzur 11^th. This race included the best runners from GPS, AIC and state schools in the Lytton area.WHAT A PERFORMANCE!

The 11 years race was a mix of Year 6 and Year 5 boys. New to the sport in 2021, Year 6 student, Ashane Jayaweera came in 15^th and Pat Overland was 17^th. They were followed closely by Year 5 boys (in their first ever cross country race) Nathan 21^st and James 22^nd Hannah and Thomas McDougal 24^th with Ben Landers 23^rd another Year 6 student new to cross country, Harvey Meredith, 49^th was the final Villa runner to complete the arduous 3 km course. The 10 years event was raced over 2 km, the distance Year 5 run at the AIC Championships. Lawson Greenwood 2^nd was most impressive. He was followed in by Nate Beaverstock 28^th, Finlay Griffin 31^st, John Martin 39^th and Ben Jaskowski 84^th.

SLC Cross Country Trial – Wednesday 19 May
See schedule above for event times

All Year 5 and 6 boys will be transported to the SLC Sports Fields at Runcorn by school bus. Boys wanting to travel home with parents must provide a note to Miss Roberts. The bus will leave Runcorn at approx. 4.45 pm and should arrive at Villa around 5.30/5.45 pm.

AIC RUGBY
There were 20 wins and 8 losses recorded last weekend against a number of Colleges last Saturday, but our main draw games were against St Peter’s Lutheran College.  The 1^st XV managed to secure their first win for the 2021 season. Playing in front of an enthusiastic crowd in the grandstand at SPLC, the boys stood up to St Peter’s extra size and played with grit, hunger and determination to come from behind on the scoreboard to record a 21-18 victory. The other Open sides all had wins except for the 3^rd XV who had to battle Ambrose Treacy’s 1^st XV team and came up against a very good outfit. Congratulations to our Year 5, 6 and 7 boys, who only lost one match out of twelve and that was an unlucky two-point loss to the 5D side. It is fantastic to see our Year 5 boys improving each week. The 5C team lost 30-12 to Iona in Round 1 and had to play them again last Saturday. The standard of play by the Villanova boys was a big jump on their performance last week and they reversed that result and won by 27-5. Well done to all involved. They are an enthusiastic age group and are starting to develop some good combinations on the field and putting together phases on the field.

This weekend we come up against Marist College Ashgrove. Our Year 10s to Opens are playing at Villa Park this weekend which is sure to generate an enormous amount of atmosphere around the park.

Just a reminder to all parents that you are not to approach the coaching staff regarding team selections on game day or attempt to contact the coach via social media. The coach’s role is to prepare their team as best as possible on game day and discussions regarding team selections can hinder their preparations. If you do have a concern regarding team selections, please email the coach directly. Their email address can be found on the College Website.

Just a reminder to all boys to arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled kick off time to allow for sufficient pre-game preparation and if you are going to be late or are sick, to please notify the coach and give them plenty of warning.

Best wishes to all teams for Round 3 versus Marist College Ashgrove.

Team of the Week – Round 2

AIC Rugby Results v St Peter’s Lutheran College

AIC FOOTBALL
AIC Football Co-ordinator, Mr Anthony Kemp

The latest round against St Peter’s proved to be another tough round of competition in AIC Football. Overall, we enjoyed 13 wins, 11 losses and 3 draws across the games on the weekend. The season is now beginning to take shape with a number of our sides off to a great start. It must be said that despite the interruptions and setbacks due to the weather and Covid, our teams have done a fantastic job so far and will no doubt relish the opportunity to get a full week’s training under their belts.

The First XI boys had a tough task on their hands and came up against an in-form St Peter’s side. With both teams coming off first round wins and their entertaining tussle last year still fresh in their minds, this was always going to be a game that went down to the wire. Unfortunately for us, St Peter’s started as the better side and capitalised on an early chance. A free kick awarded just outside the 18-yard box saw Angus Nicholson step up and score a goal that David Beckham himself would be proud of. This levelled things up at 1-1. An excellent through ball from Caelan Campbell just before half-time saw Zac Vedelago in space and able to take the ball around the keeper and slot it in the back of the net for a 2-1 half-time lead. The momentum was firmly in Villanova’s favour; however, St Peter’s were able to wrestle some of that back through an equalising goal of their own in the second half. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to capitalise and find that winning goal even though we created many opportunities. The game ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw with a very late shot by Zac Vedelago being cleared from the St Peter’s line by the last defender. It was a great game that leaves both sides on top of the table for the moment.

The competition doesn’t get any easier this week for our football teams as we prepare to take on Ashgrove. Our Years 5-8 sides will be playing away this weekend with our Years 9-Opens sides playing home at Villa Park. Please ensure that all parents and players check the schedule and playing times carefully this week and are at the game 30 mins prior to kick off. Good luck to all teams in chasing that victory this weekend!

AIC Football Results v St Peter’s Lutheran College

AIC CHESS
Mr Jack Lamb and Mr Nic Verity, AIC Chess Co-ordinators

Round 2 saw Villanova face off against St Peter’s Lutheran College. St Peter’s proved to be very strong opponents and took the overall win on Friday night. Despite the unfavourable result, there are several players that deserve special recognition for their efforts across the board: Our Year 5 boys carried the Juniors to an overall win with their dominant performance winning seven out of eight games. The Intermediate A team achieved the same 7 – 1 score line but the St Peter’s B team hit back just as hard leading to an overall draw for the intermediates. Well done also to Thomas Hoctor for his two wins against the tough Peter’s Open team. In Round 3 we play Marist College at home.

AIC Chess Results v St Peter’s Lutheran College

LYTTON CROSS COUNTRY
Last Friday, 18 students represented Villanova at the Lytton District Cross Country Trials held at Villanova Park. Six of our students have been selected to represent Lytton at the Met East trials on May 25 based on their result last Friday. In the Under 10s Lawson Greenwood finished second in the race to earn his spot on the team with a fantastic run but unfortunately the other runners in the U10 and U11 race missed out on selection.

The U12s were outstanding in the 3km event and all six boys who ran, finished in the top 11 out of 90 starters. Jacob Short 2^nd, Liam Holmes 3^rd, Charlie Farmer 5^th, Billy Pearson 8^th and Archie Dickinson 10^th all made the Lytton team while Oliver Kotzur 11^th has been named as first reserve. An impressive result by all of the boys. Good luck on the 25^th.

REPRESENTATIVE SPORT
Well done to Liam Holmes who recently made the Met East Hockey Team. Liam will compete at the State Hockey Championships held in Toowoomba in mid-June. Well done and best wishes Liam!

Well done to Jared Cosep, Alex Vasiliou and Ben Hermiston who all made the 13-16 Years Met East Football team. These boys will travel to Hervey Bay to compete in the State Football Championship in late May. We wish these boys all the best!

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

Augustine Centre Update
We continue to await further advice regarding the remediation of the building.  I appreciate your patience as we work through this problem.

Lessons and Rehearsals – attendance and effort
Ensembles are preparing for performances toward the end of this term, and we are all preparing for the filming of QCMF videos very soon.  Can I please remind everyone that attendance at rehearsal is vital in ensuring your ensemble can collectively prepare for these important opportunities.  We will continue to communicate with home regarding ensemble absentees – please assist the Music Department in communicating any known absences via the College absentee line (music option).

Upcoming Events
Our Guitar Ensembles 1 and 2 will be performing with Loreto Guitar Ensemble 1 and the Riverside Guitar Ensemble on 31 May at the Qld Multicultural Centre, Kangaroo Point.  This will be our first concert for the year for our Guitar groups and it will be a fantastic opportunity to play with some world-class musicians here in Brisbane.  Tickets will be available through Trybooking for $10 – information to be distributed to student families first.

Orava String Quartet, another world-class ensemble, will be performing with our Sinfonia and Camerata String Orchestras on Thursday 3 June at the Queensland Multicultural Centre, Kangaroo Point.  The students have been working with this fine ensemble across Terms 1 and 2, and have a fantastic program of works available to share with you all.  Ticketing information to follow.

Communication re Lesson Absences
As the department remains dispersed due to the Augustine Centre challenges, the routine of attending lessons can become problematic.  From this week forward, we will be sending a proforma to parents and students who miss a lesson without explanation.  Please understand that this is merely an opportunity to open the lines of communication and an invitation to communicate with your son’s teacher or the music office regarding the absence.

The following email will be sent.  Please note, this is a proforma used for all students – it is not a personal communication, more an opportunity to open a dialogue:

“Unfortunately, your son did attend his instrumental music lesson today.   Please ensure he is aware of the time and date of his next lesson via the timetable previously distributed; it is attached for your reference. To assist with our records, please contact the Music Office regarding your son’s absence – music@vnc.qld.edu.au or 3394 5691.”

We look forward to our continued partnership in the musical education of your son.

Entertainment Publications Memberships
Entertainment memberships are one of the Music Support Groups main fundraisers.  Click here to purchase a membership and obtain ongoing special deals throughout the year.

Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers
Our fantastic Music Support Group have organised an innovative fundraiser for Villanova College.  You may have heard the buzz about our Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers…  the MUST HAVE items for the beach/cricket/park/fishing or barbecue.

• Villanova Branded Camp Chairs – $35
• Wildcat Coolers – $30

Purchases can be collected from the Music Office and all profits will go to the Music Support Group. All items can be purchased via Trybooking through the following link:  https://www.trybooking.com/BMEML

Opportunity to Participate
The Music community at Villanova welcomes all students interested in participating in ensemble or instrument/vocal tuition.  If your son would like to take lessons on an instrument this year, please contact the Music Office on 3394 5691 or via email at music@vnc.qld.edu.au for further information.

Date Claimers
It gives me great pleasure to share our future events.  I look forward to sharing music with our community again!

Thank you all for your ongoing support of Music at Villanova College.

Michael Jones, Director of Music

SAVE THE DATE – THE VILLANOVA COLLEGE COCKTAIL BALL
With the cancellation of the International Carnival this year, the Villanova College Cocktail Ball on Saturday 24 July represents the P&F Association’s major fundraising event for 2021. It also presents the first opportunity for the entire College community to come together after 2020 decimated our ability to do so. Please make it a priority on your 2021 social calendar and let’s make it a real celebration of the Villanova community. The event promises to be a fantastic evening in the art-deco inspired Tivoli in the Valley.  Further details will be released soon, including how you can bid for one of three VIP lounges for 10 people on the evening.

SCHOOL PHOTOS
Next Thursday 20 May:
7.00am – Year 12 cohort photo and individual portraits.

All Year 12 students must be at Goold Hall, ready to be photographed, by 7.00am. All Year 12 students must have their individual portrait taken, either directly before or after the cohort photo, as it will appear in the Villanovan yearbook.

8.40am – Year 11 class group photos and individual portraits.

All Senior students are to wear full winter academic uniform, including tie, long trousers and blazer.

Monday 24 May 24
Year 5 to Year 10 class groups and individual photos, times will be advised by teachers.

If you require sibling photos, these will be taken in Goold Hall on this day from 8am until start of school; and at morning tea and lunch break.

Please wear full winter academic uniform, including tie (and long trousers and blazer for all Year 10 students).

Final days to order Sibling Photos, orders for Sibling photos close next Thursday, May 20.

All class group and individual orders MUST be in before Monday June 7 to avoid a late fee of $9.  Please note that Silver Rose never place student images online to view before purchase due to security reasons. If you are not happy with the image provided, Silver Rose will refund upon return of the photos.

Please click here for ordering instructions.

LIBRARY ROSTER (MONDAY 17  – FRIDAY 21 MAY)
All volunteers rostered on this week will be contacted directly by the Library.

TUCKSHOP ROSTER (MONDAY 17  – FRIDAY 21 MAY)
All volunteers rostered on this week will be contacted directly by the Tuckshop.