Villa View Issue 24

Dear Members of the Villanova College Family
The 2018 Queensland Catholic Colleges and Schools Music Festival (QCMF) will be held at Villanova College and St. James Church from Thursday 16 August through until Sunday 19 August. The QCMF will see over 100 ensembles and choirs perform across the four days of this event. Over 15,000 visitors will be present to enjoy a wonderful showcase of music.

The Music Supporters Group and QCMF Organising Committee have been working tirelessly to ensure all is in readiness for the influx of visitors. I am sure the committees would welcome any additional volunteers and you can contact the organisers through the following website- https://qcmfvolunteering.com/.  As you appreciate hosting such an event is an enormous logistical exercise.

There will be many fine musicians performing over the four days and all families are most welcome to enjoy the wonderful carnival atmosphere of the QCMF.

AIC Cross-Country

Cross-Country is a very demanding sport and all our runners can be rightly proud of their efforts at yesterday’s AIC Championship. The day was quite warm for this time of year and the very dry surface made the running conditions challenging. All runners from Villanova College gave 100% on the day. Villanova College placed fifth overall and I thank Mr Brett Morrissey, Mr Brian Pascoe and all the coaches and managers for their support of the team.

Old Boys Dinner

Last Friday evening the annual Old Boys Dinner was held in Goold Hall. Under the watchful eyes of Mrs Kath Underhill and Mr Steven Bremner, Goold Hall was transformed from a sporting venue into a dazzling ballroom to host the event. Representatives from year groups celebrating their 10-year anniversary through to 60-year anniversaries were present and took the opportunity to catch up on old times.

This event raises money for the Terry Hendle Bursary to support students from families who are unable to afford a Villanova College education. I thank all the Old Boys and the Executive Committee for their support of this event.

Prayers

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and school communities following the recent rugby injuries suffered by young men playing for their school teams. We keep these young men, their families and the school communities in our prayers.

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

Week 4 has been full of opportunities for our young Villanovans to show their gifts and talents.  With Lytton trials completed on Monday and Tuesday, our green and gold hopefuls took to the track and field events at Villanova Park.  Year 5 excursions to the Gold Fields on Tuesday and Wednesday consolidated historical and social elements of life in Early Australia.  It also impressed me with the finest of outfits, home-made tools and spirited tales of being accosted by bushrangers for 20 cent pieces!  Cross Country runners took to the track on Wednesday, after months of training.  Endurance and determination saw every runner cross the line with pride.

Next week we have another exciting run of events.  Our Ekka Public Holiday is Wednesday where the country proudly displays produce, animals and crafts amongst the dazzle of rides, show bags and Dagwood Dogs (always a favourite).  Thursday is a compulsory day for all students and staff at Villanova Park for the Inter-House Track and Field Carnival.  We expect full attendance, in sports uniforms with plenty of water and sunscreen.  Our College Spirit relies on our sons being present and committed to cheering on the athletes, some elite and some always trying (that’s me) their best.  From Thursday evening to Sunday, our QCMF (Queensland Colleges Music Festival) takes over the College grounds, rooms and shines the spotlight on musicians, volunteers and comperes.  Schools from all over Queensland travel for the opportunity to compete in choir, solo or group performances.  Many thanks to those people who have volunteered to bake, serve and help on the bbq – and also my sincerest gratitude for those who will put up their hands from here on.  It is our chance, the city folk, to show hospitality and a smile for our visitors.

These two weeks combined mean we need to be prepared and smart with our time.  Our classroom curriculum continues with its rigour in moving our students towards learning outcomes.  Every student will need to find a balance with their families, and their schedule that combines class time, performances and community engagements.  Adjustments may be necessary, extra effort in catching up on missed work at home will be important, and plenty of sleep.  Expectations will be high, but there is also a great deal of support between home and school – we just need to ask for help or direction if need be.

It is timely in acknowledging that term time is precious.  It is so incredibly valuable to keep routines going and to be present so that building blocks of content, skills and relationships remain secure.  Holidays taken during term time are understandable – work commitments and time available can be out of the control for most parents.  Yet, with our College Calendar dates set one year in advance, we ask you to be as considerate as possible with booking vacations during the terms.  We only have the best interests of your son in our minds and hearts, but we will do as much as we can to accommodate families where need be.

This week we have had the pleasure of meeting potential Year 5 students for 2020.  Enrolment interviews have been taking place before, during and after school hours, including weekends.  I am very grateful for the staff who have made the time to help interview such outstanding applicants.  It is refreshing to see Villanova through the eyes of new families, hear such positives from those who have siblings here already, and to remember the intentions of the College – our 3 Core Values – search for truth, community and interiority.  We want balanced young men, capable and accountable, but above all, happy.  We hope and aspire to foster active citizens, best mates and great fathers of the future.

Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

Newsflash! Copernicus wrong! The world actually does revolve around the son!
Parents regularly express frustration that their son’s attitude and/or behaviour reflects a “me first; everyone else second’ mantra. But as adults, it’s important that we acknowledge and understand where this attitude stems from, and how we can best manage it at home and school.

A few weeks ago I wrote about an important Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competency in responsible decision making and how, as adults we can help facilitate its development.

This week, my focus is self-awareness.

A quick Google search into the personality traits of ‘millennials’ will throw up definitions including narcissism, selfishness and a sense of entitlement. However, such labels, and what they entail, only serve to restrict and inhibit the growth of our young people.

The pathway to self-awareness must involve the skill to self-reflect and, having reflected, the ability to share the results. This may take a bit of encouragement on our part.

What is self-awareness?

Being self-aware means having the ability to reflect on and to accurately identify one’s emotions and thoughts and to recognise how these thoughts can influence behaviour.

How do we facilitate our young people in developing this skill?

Social Emotional Learning needs to be integrated into everyday learning experiences, however parents can certainly adopt a few simple strategies to foster this development.

What should I encourage?

• Time for self-reflection: “How am I going? Am I achieving my goals? Who am I now, who am I becoming, who do I want to be?”
• The accurate labelling of feelings and/or the motivation for behaving in a certain way
• Being clear about what and who they value
• The naming and description of the benefits of skills, behaviours, and attitudes that help them be a good student and a good person
• The understanding of who is affected when their behaviour is below expectations

For some boys, they might be keen to share their feelings, but can be restricted by their vocabulary, i.e. they don’t have the words to describe exactly how they feel. As adults we need to challenge the boys to use more than just “good, bad, mad, sad”; but we might need to provide them with other options, e.g. overwhelmed, proud, relieved, resentful, satisfied, uncomfortable, worried, nervous, insecure, irritated, hopeful, jealous, ashamed, determined, excited, content, etc.

Our teenage men need to be part of a generation that can feel safe when sharing how they feel. As we learn more and more about mental health, we see that our young people need to be ‘in touch’ with their thoughts and feelings, and be able to express these within their support network.

As previously mentioned, the College surveys it students using the Social Emotional Wellbeing (SEW) instrument. The survey is completed anonymously and provides us with a snapshot of how the boys’ overall wellbeing and SE development is progressing. Some of those questions relate directly to self-awareness:

Next week, I will explore self-management, which includes managing stress, worry and anxiety.

Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

Year 10 Camp
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to visit the Year 10 students on camp. This significant formation experience is facilitated by Emu Gully Adventure Education Group, whose mission is to challenge, inspire and empower young people to develop their personal character. The philosophy at Emu Gully is that your success in life, will be based primarily on your character, that is; “the real you” and the way you handle the circumstances of life, whether they be good or bad.’ The activities are framed to provide a simple historical context of significant Australian military campaigns including The Western Front, the Siege of Tobruk, The Tunnel Rats of Vietnam, The Bridge over the River Kwai and the Kokoda Track. Each challenge confronted our students with the choice to demonstrate and reflect on the character values needed to succeed in the activity, and more importantly in life.

The program of various teamwork and leadership activities certainly fostered the underpinning themes of mateship, courage, perseverance and sacrifice. When visiting the camp on Monday evening, I was very pleased to hear the reports of the instructors about our students stepping up to the various challenges. This is a positive sign for the grade in embracing the leadership responsibilities associated with being part of the Senior School.

This camping experience is a wonderful opportunity for our young men in Year 10 to move out of their comfort zones and to engage with members of their cohort in a collaborative and inclusive way. I would like to thank Year 10 Pastoral Area Leader Mr Sean O’Neill and the staff who attended the camp for their support of the students.

Senior School Extension

This week, I attended a meeting with Mr Peter Dawson from Architectus, regarding the preliminary vision for the extension of the Senior School within the College’s Master Plan. There was representation from my colleagues across the domains of teaching and learning, pastoral care and student wellbeing. It is vital that we consider the needs of our students within an environment of 21st century learning as well as cultivating the disposition and mindset of our students for tertiary education as we design classrooms and the precinct. I look forward to updating you throughout this journey.

Senior School Assembly

Tomorrow, the Senior School will assemble for the first time this term to be entertained by our wonderfully talented musicians ahead of next week’s Queensland Catholic Colleges Musical Festival. I would like to thank Director of Music, Mr Michael Jones for organising the program of performances and affirm all Senior School musicians for their dedication and musicianship. I intend to reinforce the theme of ‘stepping up’ in my remarks and would once again ask parents for your support and partnership in ensuring that all Senior School students arrive to school on time in full academic uniform to ensure that we maintain standards of excellence.

“Education is the passport of the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcom X

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Yr 12 Excursion to UQ
On Tuesday evening Sam Vecchi, Nelson Thorpe and Daniel Shearer attended a presentation by the honourable Michael Kirby AC at St Leo’s College at the University of Queensland. A small group of senior school students from a wide range of schools attended the presentation to consider North Korea, denuclearisation and global safety. The presentation by the former justice of the High Court was very engaging and thought provoking, as he gave his insight into the current situation in North Korea. It was a valuable experience for the students that attended.

Mr Tony Rolls, Year 12 Pastoral Leader

Winter Appeal for the Homeless and Sleep-Out
I would like to offer a big thank you to the many students and families who have brought in hygiene items and warm clothes or blankets for the homeless. This week is Homelessness Week and a number of excellent media items have revealed the extent of the problem in Australia, with many families and pensioners having to sleep in their vehicles when they lose their accommodation.

The sign of the generosity of the Villanova community is seen in teetering piles of donations in the Lower Library, as well as donations in Mrs Lamb’s office spreading into the corridor outside.  The collection closes tomorrow, 10 August. All the items donated will be sorted that evening at the annual sleep-out. Warm blankets, beanies (100 donated by one student alone) and clothing items will be given to the Rosies Van, which will make a special detour to Villanova on the evening of August 10.  Hygiene items will be donated to Ozcare on Peel Street and a resident of this shelter accommodation will address the students during the evening. Finally, the tins of beans, soup and other foods will mainly be given to Blind Eye Ministries next week.

There was an excellent item on Blind Eye’s View from the street photo competition on ABC’s 7.30 Report on Monday 30 July. Villanova is humbly proud to have supported the prize for the second-place winner, and we look forward to a growing relationship with this drop-in centre.

One of the aims of the conference part of the Sleep-Out is to bring students together to think about ongoing ways in which we can make a difference.in a practical way. One idea lodged by Ozcare was the need for fridges or removalist services for the temporary residents when they find a permanent place. Maybe this – or similar – can be an inter-school project uniting the St Vincent de Paul societies of the local Catholic schools?

You can never keep YAYM (Middle School ministry boys) out of a good Ministry event. Prompted by the “war on waste,” YAYM boys have been recycling and flattening cardboard every lunchtime to make the five-star bedding for the older boys and staff sleeping out. We currently have nine staff attending the conference, four of whom will sleep out under the stars.

As a possible follow-up to the winter appeal, look out for SBS’s second season of “Filthy Rich, and Homeless” later this month.

Light on the Hill Scholarships and Backpack Challenge

A humble highlight of the Old Boys Dinner last Friday was the wonderful film made by Year 12 student, Sam Campbell, about the two Iraqi students of refugee background currently in Year 11 – Anas and David.

When ISIS attacked the Mosul region of Iraq in 2014, the Christian families were given an ultimatum: convert or be killed. David and Anas’ families both fled north into Jordan, eventually gaining refugee status in Australia. The boys have found a new home at Villanova College and – to their credit – boosted the academic climate no end in the way that every single day is an opportunity to learn more, creating a new future. Anas’ father will go back to Mosul in late August to try to re-establish the Christian school he set up there. Villanova is sending with him a set of textbooks for English classes and look forward to other opportunities for practical support.

It was timely that last week at YAYM, Year 8 student Matthew Beames proposed that YAYM publicise and model the backpack challenge. This is a challenge for young people to learn empathy through role reversal: they must try only to eat the food fitted into a small backpack over the course of two days. Friday August 24 has been earmarked for a special YAYM film evening, in which the achievements of YAYM are modestly displayed, the backpack challenge is promoted, and we all join together to watch a film.

John Holroyd, Dean of Mission & Identity

AFAS ELDERS DONATIONS

Thank you to the families who have contributed to the AFAS Elders project in the Philippines. Recent donations from the Knagg and Houlihan families as well as an anonymous donation received, all go a long way towards the construction of a community hall which will also be used for the mat weaving business thereby ensuring a sustainable business for the people on Kinatarcan Island.

VILLA OLD BOYS, STAFF and PARENTS (AFAS ELDERS) HEAD TO KINATARCAN ISLAND

To support the AFAS Elders project of assisting with the construction of a community hall, you can contribute towards buying the materials needed, transporting them to Kinatarcan and all construction costs-the Elders have a target of $8000.

Donations may be transferred/deposited into the following account:

AFAS

BSB 064-786

Account Number 019232109

When making deposit/transfer, please put ‘AFAS ELDERS’ in the description as well as your name and what item you are donating:

e.g.     Smith      concrete

If you would like to remain anonymous, please put “anon”.

Unfortunately, AFAS is not a registered charity, so donations are not tax deductible, however if you require a receipt, please email thindmarsh@vnc.qld.edu.au.

For anyone wanting to assist the Elders reach their target of AUS $8000, please click here to see a list of the costings of all materials required to complete the Elders project.

If you would like to donate, donations as little as 1 kg of tie wire -$2.50 or one bag of cement -$9.40 are much appreciated. EVERY LITTLE BIT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

2019 AFAS PHILIPPINES EXCHANGE

There will be an information evening for all students who are interested in participating in the 2019 AFAS Exchange to the Philippines next Monday, August 13 at 7.00pm in V7. The Exchange will occur during the September holidays and students need to be at least 15 years of age to be eligible to participate.

Tony Hindmarsh, AFAS Elders Coordinator

It was another outstanding day of results in Round 2 of the AIC Competition against St Laurence’s College on the weekend. The atmosphere at the St Laurence’s basketball stadium where the Year 9 -Year 12 games were played was again electric this year due to the many Villanova supporters who managed to stay behind and support. Well over 100 student spectators from Year 5 – Year 12 spurred on our First V team throughout the entire game and provided the lift they needed. It is pleasing to report that Villanova won the game 48 – 43 in a tight tussle.

Not only were we successful in the First V basketball game, Villanova won 27 of the 34 basketball games played against the opposition. This includes eight wins and four losses in the aggregate games. However, St Laurence’s did get the better of us in the tennis. Villanova won only three from the 17 games played. Our First IV Tennis Team did us proud again this week to win a closely fought game 5 – 3. Well done boys!

On behalf of the College, I thank the many spectators and players who did their bit to ensure the day went well. Special thanks to the parents who allowed their son/s to stay behind and support other teams. It does make a significant difference.

Yesterday, we had many boys from Year 5 – Year 12 represent the College at the annual AIC Cross Country Championships. A full report of the Championship will be published in next week’s Villa View.

I am a big believer that many lessons in life can be learnt whilst playing sport. Sometimes you work hard and get the results and sometimes you do not. Developing a sense of resilience when things do not go your way and being happy knowing that you did the necessary work are worthwhile values to instil in our student athletes. Throughout the year, the College has had some fantastic sporting achievements and sometimes we did not perform as well as we would have liked. If you enter the sports realm, you must be prepared to take the wins and losses.

Villanova’s success across all areas comes about because all or most within our community make it a success, it does not just happen. If we strive to be the best, we all must take responsibility to ensure we do our part to make Villanova a great community. If we are good enough to represent the College, we should.  Villanova College would not be the great place it is if we did not have our best giving their best. There is little use possessing a gift or talent and not using it. After each round of sport or each championship event, I am satisfied and happy if I know our students and coaches gave their best throughout the season and have enjoyed themselves along the way. The result is secondary.

To be the best we can be at this year’s AIC Cross Country Championship, several students were identified and asked to join the cross-country squad. As mentioned previously in recent Villa View editions, we did ‘tap’ a few boys on the shoulder and we did email parents asking that they support the College to ensure their son participates. Villanova has a good number of capable athletes. Some need that gentle push from time to time to get them involved particularly in an event like cross-country. Many thanks to those parents who have backed the College and coaches to have our best represent Villanova on the day.

The AIC Track and Field (T&F) training program will commence the week after next. The training schedules are posted on the web. We encourage all students from Year 5 – Year 12 to participate and work hard at T&F training to improve. The College is very much aware that many of our top T&F athletes will already be involved in tennis, basketball or other co-curricular activities. Although we try to avoid timetabling clashes, we know that some training sessions will overlap. This is normal and does occur at all AIC Schools. Keeping the lines of communication open between coaches and students is the key.

Please be mindful that our Inter-House Track and Field Carnival will be held next Thursday 16 August at Villanova Park. More information about this carnival is posted below.

This weekend we will play Round 3 of basketball and tennis fixtures against St Edmund’s and Ambrose Treacy College in the Year 5 and Year 6 age groups. Those travelling to Ipswich must ensure they allow enough travel time (and time to find the court) to be at their games at least 30 minutes beforehand. I wish everybody the best and please enjoy!

AIC Tennis and Basketball Round 3 against St Edmund’s College and Ambrose Treacy College, Friday 10 and Saturday 11 August – Times and Venues

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

Met East Track and Field Nominations

All athletes from 13 Years – Opens who wish to nominate for the 2018 Met East Track and Field Championships are to complete the nomination form, which can be found outside the Sports Office. Please note that students must meet qualifying standards to be considered. These standards will not be advertised. ALL nominations close tomorrow, 10 August.

AIC Track and Field Training

AIC Track and Field (T&F) training will commence the week after Ekka week. A full season schedule is found on the Villanova website. After the Inter-House Carnival, the coaches will invite students from Years 5 – 12 to be a part of their squad. All track and field coaches will monitor student attendance at all training sessions. Students will be contacted by either their coach or a member of the Sports Office to explain any absenteeism. We encourage all students to contact their coach if they are unable to make training. Rolls will be taken each week to ensure that those who have been identified as our best athletes attend the sessions and follow through with their commitment as this not only builds character but also the College’s Track and Field program. Parental support on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Villanova Track and Field Carnival Years 5 Year 12 – COMPULSORY! 

All students from Year 5 – Year 12 are required to attend Villanova’s annual Track and Field Carnival at Villanova Park next Thursday 16 August.

All students are to attend school as per normal times wearing their PE uniform to and from school. Buses will then transport the boys to and from Villanova Park. We hope all parents support the College to ensure that all boys attend. Canteen facilities will be available at Villanova Park. We ask students to bring a small bag on the day for their belongings including a hat, sunscreen and water bottles (food etc.). The first events are due to start a 9.45am with the last event run at 2.00pm followed by presentations.

All students will be rotated around 100m, hurdles (championship event only), bin ball, 200m, javelin, 800m, long jump, shot put, high jump (a select few in each age group only) and tug-o-war events. Our aim is to have fun, promote track and field, give everybody a go, showcase our best athletes and identify those boys who should be in our AIC Track and Field Squad.

Our track and field coaches will be posted on all Championship events for them to identify our best athletes and invite them into our T&F program, which will commence the week after.  We would expect all members of our rugby and football development programs as well as all ‘A’ team members of each of the sports we have on offer to excel and be at the forefront of the T&F program. 

Villanova Inter-House Track and Field Carnival Canteen – Your assistance is required 

We are hoping to run hot chips and a BBQ along with the normal canteen next Thursday at the Villanova College Track and Field Day. If you are available to help for an hour or so (in between your son’s event), please contact Robyn Gunning either by email rgunning@vnc.qld.edu.au or phone 0400 841 720. We are particularly in need of parents attending around 8am to assist with the preparation.

Track and Field – Championship Events and ‘Dash for Cash’ 

To reinvigorate and improve our track and field program, the Sports Office has made some changes to our own Inter-House track and field program. This year students have the option of competing in each or all individual championship events rather than selecting a relatively small group of boys to do them all. Boys can nominate for these events via the sign-on forms found in the Foyer of Goold Hall. The Championship Events include the 100m, 200m, hurdles, 800m, long jump, shot put, javelin (Year 7 – Year 12 only) and high jump.

Students who do not wish to participate in the Championship Events will compete in the non-Championship program.

All boys will be given the opportunity to compete in a ‘dash for cash’ race. Over the next few days all boys who nominate for the ‘dash for cash’ will be taken across to the East’s rugby league field to race. We will race off all boys in several heats to choose our best 10 sprinters in each age group. The finalists will then compete in the first event at the Villanova Inter-House Track and Field Carnival in front of the entire College for the ‘dash for cash’ final. The winner of each age group will be given a $50 voucher to Rebel Sport.

At the end of the day, we want Villanova’s best athletes to compete against each other for the College to identify our best athletes to join our AIC Track and Field Program. It would be reasonable to expect that all ‘A’ team members in all sports, nominate for at least one Championship event. Ben Mowen, Andrew Slack, Junior Football Development Squad and First football candidates for next year’s season must nominate or they will be excluded from these squads.     

AIC Basketball – Mr Sean O’Neill, AIC Basketball Coordinator 

The rivalry round of Saint Laurence’s was hyped as a big day with both Junior and Senior teams all playing on Saturday and it certainly didn’t disappoint. All games were tightly several them came down to the final minute or two to decide the winner. We ended up winning the day on aggregate 8-4 and all up, 28-6. It was another fantastic effort.

The 1st V battled gallantly in a very tight contest in front of a packed house where both St Laurence’s and Villanova students cheered superbly for their teams. In the end, it was a five-point victory to Villanova and puts us in a strong position after the first two rounds.

This weekend against St Edmond’s will be another tough round. I look forward to seeing some more entertaining basketball this weekend.

Basketball Results v St Laurence’s

AIC Tennis – Mrs Kath Underhill, AIC Tennis Coordinator

An extremely tough day on the court was had last weekend against St Laurence’s. With a few players missing, big thanks must go to all our students who stepped in to play for the green and gold. There is no doubt at all that the total number of games won on Saturday did not reflect the quality of play, and credit goes to our boys for not losing their spirit, despite fighting the toughest of challenges.  Two fine examples of this were Year 7 students Adam Zanatta and Daniel Taylor. A huge congratulation to Year 6 A and B teams who had outstanding wins. A very exciting result was our mighty First IV, who were victorious despite one of the top four retiring injured. We look forward to a successful round this Saturday against St Edmund’s! As we have some recent season injuries, we are desperately seeking players for the Second IV and Third IV teams.  If any student in Year 10 – Year 12 would like to play tennis for the College for the next four weeks, please let me know as soon as possible.

We welcome any student to come along and cheer on your fellow Villa mates at Morningside Tennis Centre, where a free sausage sizzle will be provided for all players and Villanova students in College uniform. $1 Sausage sizzle for all other spectators.

Tennis Results v St Laurence’s

Representative Sport  

Well done to Levi Weston who represented Met East at last week’s 11-12 Years Queensland State Rugby League Championships. The Met East team was undefeated and won the State Championship for 2018. A great effort Levi!

Big Band – Mt Carmel Fete
I would like to extend my congratulations to Mr Josh McKechie and our Villanova College Big Band for their performance at the Mt Carmel Fete last Sunday.  They represented our College and our program proudly and performed very well.  Thank you also to the families and friends who came and supported the team.  I would also like to thank the Mt Carmel community for their kind invitation – it is always a wonderful event to come and be involved in; we look forward to many more opportunities to share our music with you.

www.qcmf.com.au

https://qcmfvolunteering.com/

QCMF 2018 – 7 SLEEPS TO GO – WE NEED YOU!

We are hosting 20,000 people at Villanova from 16 – 19 of August – WE NEED YOUR HELP!  I would like to thank those who have overwhelmingly responded to our call for volunteers – it has been fantastic!  However, as this is the biggest QCMF yet – we need the support of our entire community.

Our organising group, led by a fantastic team of parents, needs your help.  We need people willing to welcome visitors to our venues, those with a penchant for the BBQ, even bakers who are willing to donate goodies that our support group can sell – we need help in any way you can.

The QCMF cannot be held without the support of a fantastic group of volunteers.  Every year we have a great team who fill over 1,700 roles across the weekend of QCMF; many of whom enjoy the event so much they return year-on-year.  I encourage you all to come along and experience our event from a volunteer perspective.  The QCMF volunteering portal is now open and ready for operation – head along and view where you may assist:  https://qcmfvolunteering.com/.

Villanova Performance Times

Performance times for Villanova have been finalised and have been distributed via email.   Please ensure you have received these and note the arrival times.  For your information, these have also been included below.  All students will need to be on level 1 of the Augustine Centre at the set arrival time so that preparations may best be made for our performances.  I am really looking forward to hearing all our groups share their music with our community.

Performance Uniform Requirements

As this is now the final late-night shopping day before Festival, I have reposted our performance uniform requirements below.  These have also been emailed previously to all students and parents.

All Year 5 musicians are required to wear:

• grey shorts;
• formal white shirt (available from 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

Wieneke Family Bursary

Please note, the closing date for all Bursary entries is this coming Monday 13 August.  Entries will not be accepted after 4pm on the closing date.

Date Claimers

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

Music Support Group – Entertainment Books

Villanova College Music Support Group is raising funds. Order and receive your NEW 2018 | 2019 Entertainment Membership. Your 2017 | 2018 Entertainment Membership expired on 1 June 2018. Please continue supporting our fundraising by purchasing the 2018 | 2019 Entertainment Membership from us today. Hundreds of great value offers are ready for your enjoyment, while also helping our fundraising! Be quick, the new Membership is selling fast!

Using just a few of these offers will cover your cost of the Membership:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Villanova College Music Support Group

Alison Schrauf, 07 3394 5691, music@vnc.qld.edu.au

‘The Villa Kitchen’ Cookbook

Sales of The Villa Kitchen are going well. To ensure you don’t miss out on the pre-sale special of $30 for this wonderful cookbook, make sure you order your copy (or copies) on Flexischools asap.

All proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will go to the P&F. We look forward to you enjoying your copy of the The Villa Kitchen.

If you have any queries regarding the cookbook, its delivery or distribution, please contact Megan Stuart; email – bmstuart1@gmail.com

Tuckshop Roster

MONDAY 13 AUGUST

TUESDAY 14 AUGUST

WEDNESDAY 15 AUGUST

EKKA Public Holiday

THURSDAY 16 AUGUST

Canteen at Villanova Park:

FRIDAY 17 AUGUST

QCMF – No Tuckshop

Library Roster

Monday 13 August                                                            

Sylvia Wright

Mothers of  Villanova Old Boys Afternoon  – 1st September

St James – Sacrament of Confirmation
St James Parish Coorparoo … Children who are 8 years & in Year 3 or older, (and who have been baptised), are invited to prepare to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Contact our Parish Office to register your interest and come along to the Information Session being held on Tuesday 21st August (phone 3397 1671 / email osastjames@bne.catholic.net.au).

All relevant information will be provided at this session, including Family session dates and Practice date.

Confirmation Ceremony will be held on Thursday September 13th (7pm St James Church).

San Sisto Dance

San Sisto College 90”s Dance will be held on Friday 10^th August.  The dance is for students in years 7 – 12.  The venue is Carindale PCYC from 7pm – 10pm.  Entry is $10 + current Student ID.

Moreton Bay College Dance

Moreton Bay College are holding a dance for students in years 7 – 10 on Saturday 11^th August.  The venue is the Oriel Handley Hall from 7pm – 10pm.  Entry is $10 + current Student ID.

Fr Kevin Burman OSA

Kevin Burman was born in Cairns in 1931, the middle brother of three boys.  After completing his secondary schooling at St Augustine’s, Cairns he decided to join the Augustinian Order.  There was no novitiate in Australia, so he travelled to Villanova University in New York then studied at the Augustinian College in Washington.  He was ordained in 1956.

On his return to Australia that same year, he joined the staff at Villanova College where he remained for next 19 years.  He was appointed third Rector of the College in 1965.  Because the College was rapidly increasing in numbers and the task of Rector was becoming more onerous, it was decided to separate the positions of Prior (leader of the Augustinian community) and Rector – which had been combined into one position before this.

Fr Burman was an outstanding educator and strengthened the Augustinian spirit and built on the earlier foundations of the College Rectors.  He broadened the academic life of the College and provided facilities to accommodate a wider curriculum, including film and music. The original library, a general-purpose room, the first three floors of Mendel Hall with art room, science labs and classrooms were instigated during his headship.  The current library, conceived and supervised by him, was completed after his term had ended, but remains a legacy to his foresight.

The swimming pool and extended facilities at Villanova Park gave sport a great impetus.  Villanova became a force in TAS competitions, winning premierships in all sports and in all grades of competition.

Fr Kevin recalls that Villanova prided itself in a sense of achievement over his time as Rector.  He describes these years as renewing the College all over again – it gained a sense of maturity in sporting and academic life, ethos and fabric.  It was a period of building upon what had already been established, a time of consolidation and striving for new goals.

Fr Burman retired from the Villanova College staff in 2012 and now enjoys his days in the Priory on the College campus.