Villa View: Issue 25/21

Dear Members of the Villanova College Family
In the current climate of uncertainty surrounding COVID and lockdowns we need to be mindful of our mental health and wellbeing. On Thursday 9 September, we will hold RUOK Day at the College.  This special day is a national day of action dedicated to reminding everyone that every day is the day to ask, “Are you OK?” and support those struggling with life’s ups and downs.

Our Junior School is doing a fantastic job is bringing this day alive in our community and with all the resources, badges and wrist bands being sold it will be difficult for anyone in our community to not know it is RUOK Day on Thursday 9 September.

We often hear the importance of being mindful and to find time in our busy schedule to just turn down the volume and sit with silence and to calm our mind. Some people use yoga, others nature, while some will use music and noise cancelling headphones to block out distractions. Whatever way works, it is crucial to our wellbeing that we all find time to slow down.

The diagram below shows that mental health and wellbeing is holistic and involves social connections and physical wellbeing as key components to overall wellbeing.

Year 12 External Exams Timetable
The recent announcement by the Queensland Government to allocate the cancelled Ekka Public Holiday to Friday 29 October will impact the Year 12 External Exam Timetable. The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority will adjust the exam timetable and provide the advice to schools as soon as a decision is finalised.  Year 12 students and families will be kept informed of any changes to assist with their own planning.

To assist parents during this stressful time, the Resilience Centre is holding an online presentation by Neil Worsley.

Exam Stress: the parent survival guide
Wednesday 1 September, 2021
7.00pm – 8.30pm
Cost: $30.00
Click here to register

AIC Sport Resumes
This weekend will see the resumption of AIC sport for Tennis, Basketball and Rugby League. I am grateful for the work of our staff in the Sports Office to ensure teams, coaches and managers are ready for this Saturday with very little notice.

I am confident the students will be very pleased to see the games continue this weekend and we wish all our teams every success for the remainder of the season.

Prayers
We keep in our prayers and thoughts, teacher Mrs Christina Drakogiannakis and her family following the passing of her mother, Mrs Maria Van der Kamp.

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

God bless

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. 

Subject Selection
A number of our staff have been working with various Middle and Senior School cohorts over the past four weeks in the subject selection process. Our Year 10 students have now all but completed their SET Plan interviews and settled on their subjects for the final two years of school. I would like to thank all of the Teaching and Learning Office staff (Ms Liana Baillie, Mr Kirk Astill, Mrs Julie Duffy and Mrs Rosie O’Toole) as well as Mr Matt Levander in facilitating this process.

Year 9 students have just submitted their subject preferences for Year 10, 2022. I am currently looking through their subject choices and may have the opportunity to speak with some students about their selections.

Last night the College held the Year 8, 2022 and Year 9, 2022 Subject Selection Information evening. Along with the Year 10 and 11 evenings, these presentations were held as webinars. All students and parents would now have received emails following up the presentations, and all the students would have also received an email from the subject selection platform indicating how they are to submit their subject selections. Selections for these students are due in two weeks on Wednesday 1 September.

2021 Early School Leavers Survey
The Queensland Government is seeking the support of the school community for the annual survey of Year 10, 11 and 12 students who left school in 2020, before completing Year 12. This short, confidential survey collects information about what young people are doing the year after leaving school. The results of the survey help provide valuable information to improve services available to school leavers in the future.

Between August and September, these school leavers can expect to receive instructions to complete a web-based survey or a telephone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office. Please encourage them to take part. If their contact details have changed, please assist the interviewer with their updated details or forward the survey to their new address so they can participate.

Thank you for your support of Next Step post-school destination surveys in 2021.

For more information, visit www.qld.gov.au/nextstep/ or telephone toll free on 1800 068 587.

Mr John Christie, Dean of Teaching and Learning

What’s important to every human being?  Safety, relationships and hope for the future.  Now, more than ever, as adults, we understand just how fortunate we were with our childhoods – the freedom and lifestyle that might seem a little simplistic when we share stories in class with our students.  Shops that used to shut at 5pm weekdays and 12noon on a Saturday.  The only places open on a Sunday were the newsagent and the local fish and chip joints.  The internet wasn’t invented and a school set of encyclopedias was how we got our school work completed.  Atari games were huge – but only for the very lucky families – as were swimming pools, with most of us heading to local pools or the beach to find some relief in summer.

What has not changed, in my lifetime, is the importance of friendships and belonging.  Students who bounce to school do so because there is much to look forward to – teachers who are glad to see them and have plans that include their interests; friends who remember whose turn it is to start the handball game and the feeling that their learning in class is manageable.  For most students, this is a fairly achievable expectation – even if it waivers around assessment periods.  Yet, at this time of the year in particular, friendships can start to shift and that’s when we really need to watch, listen and help our sons navigate their way through their social networks.

Our son’s happiness and health is everything to us.  We can withstand the rollercoaster ride of grades, sport, co-curricular achievements and even COVID restrictions if we know our boys have mates and their connections are genuine, reciprocated equally and they feel emotionally and socially secure.  So, how can we help the boys, knowing that there are two sides to every story, and somewhere in the middle might be another version of the truth?

1. Watch and listen – this is hard, due to work commitments and time together might be limited at times to car trips, or whilst you are busy preparing meals at night.  Overseeing homework and checking in on friendships can be a big ask.  Yet if we strive to make time perhaps twice a week – walking the dog together or shooting hoops (my personal favourite), then we have an activity where conversations can happen naturally.  There’s sometimes nothing more off-putting to a young man than direct eye contact and blunt questions about potential popularity.  Changes in sleep, diet, engagement, emotions – can all help give us clues.
2. Share information – with your partner or son’s class teacher (even a coach or preferred older sibling or cousin). Sometimes one extra pair of eyes, kind words or thoughtful action can lift spirits and keep a chin up.  Knowledge means help is more readily available.  The quicker we can provide support and redirect some words, actions or relationships the better the relationships can find their own way back to the new path.  It’s not about always getting back to “before” – friendships naturally thrive and shift over a lifetime.  It is most certainly about seeing the potential opportunities around us, especially if we look to the left and right of us, rather than just straight ahead.
3. Build resilience – acknowledge that feelings are valid.  Our emotions are ours and so are our perceptions.  Encourage your son to consider (not necessarily agree with) another perspective – the friend/s in question.  There are times when we are very much entitled to an apology.  There are also times for us to realise we play a part – we want things to stay the same and change is inevitable, new people become part of the group and this is a part of a larger cohort (especially with new teams formed for sport every term) so connections are continuously growing around us.
4. Make a plan –  all is not lost.  While the difference in routine or familiar faces can feel uncomfortable, it’s amazing how quickly new friends can become what you actually most need and want – you just never knew it.  Your son may surprise himself with a refreshed sense of himself, focusing on his needs and growing in ways that make it all worthwhile.  It does take time and effort – we are only too happy to help where we can.  There are so many incredible young men who have room for another friend!

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

Someone once said that, ‘The only predictable thing about adolescence is its unpredictability’.  While this might be a fairly safe comment, one thing in their lives does remain constant, and that is the increasingly important part that relationships play.

We know that healthy relationships with teachers are crucial for success with learning. We know that positive relationships with parents are essential for a teenager’s wellbeing, safety, and personal development. Research and experience also lets us know that, for a teenager, relationships with peers is often their biggest priority.

As teenagers transition from childhood to adulthood and start to learn about the wider world and the various responsibilities associated with becoming older and more mature, they rely heavily on their peers to guide what is appropriate and inappropriate. This peer influence should never be underestimated – no matter how good your relationship with your child is.

While adults (teachers and parents) play a significant role in providing the best environment for the teens in their care, we often don’t have much control over who the boys are friends with. This is one area where if we try to choose for them, the effects are often disastrous.

Dr Cam Caswell, an adolescent psychologist and family success coach, recently posed this question on her blog: “How healthy are your teen’s friendships?”

She writes, “Although teen friendships can be tumultuous, we have to be careful when we talk to our teens about their friends. I’ve had teens tell me that their parents hate their friends. It doesn’t make them like their friends less, it makes them resent their parents more.”

As Dr Caswell is keen to point out, friendships in the teenage years can be an ever-changing landscape. Friendships can evolve, strengthen, or even end during these years. This can often be related to the varying rates of maturity – both physical and mental – that adolescents experience. One result of this may be that they find themselves drifting away from their friends due to differing and changing interests, values, and behaviours.

Irrespective of who your son’s friends are, and whether you, as parents, ‘like’ them or not, we should always be encouraging the boys to reflect on their friendships.

In order to help young people reflect on their friendships Dr Caswell suggests these questions:

Does my friend:

• Show happiness when I succeed, and do they celebrate with me?
• Show me kindness and comfort me if I’m down?
• Make me feel good about myself?
• Respect my opinions and beliefs?
• Stand up for me behind my back?
• Make me feel heard and understood?

For parents who have ongoing concerns about their son’s friendships, the relevant year level coordinator can assist you (and your son) navigate such challenges. Whilst feeling socially connected is crucial, friendships need to reflect the values listed above, and not be corrosive and undermining. As always, we are happy to help however we can.

On a side note, Mr Lynam, Year 7 Co-ordinator, commences his four-week long service leave on Monday. We wish Ben all the best for a well-earned break. Mr Peter Simpson and the members of the Middle School Pastoral Team will be covering for Ben in his absence. Any parental concerns can be raised with your son’s core teachers or alternatively directed to myself, Vicki Lamb, or Peter Simpson.

Mr Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

As we enter into the second half of this third term, it was great having the entire Senior School back on the College campus this week, with the return of our Year 12 students from their examination block. Whilst our Seniors now pivot towards their preparation for mock examinations to conclude the term, our Year 10 and Year 11 students are busily engaged in the completion of a heavy assessment load.

I would like to commend our Year 10 students in particular for the way in which they have purposefully reflected on their Semester One academic performance and refocused their commitment and approach to their studies in the conversations Mr Sean O’Neill and I are presently having with the cohort.

Using our TrackOne Data platform, Year 10 Pastoral Area Leader Mr O’Neill and I are meeting with each student to discuss their learnings from their first semester in the Senior School and the goals they have set for the period ahead, particularly in light of their recent SET Plan interviews. Both Mr O’Neill and I have been impressed with the maturity and honesty of our Year 10 students, particularly in their introspection pertaining to their study and organisational habits.

Character Strengths
One of the core pillars in forming fine young men is the cultivation of good character. Within the field of Positive Psychology, which has shaped the Positive Education movement, there is significant emphasis placed on the discovery and deployment of our own character strengths.

According to the science of Positive Education as articulated by Professor Martin Seligman, an individual’s awareness and practice of their character strengths can significantly boost levels of engagement, self-efficacy, resilience and physical and mental health. Seligman and his colleague Christopher Peterson, in their ground-breaking book, ‘Character Strengths and Virtues’, articulated 24-character strengths now known as the VIA Classification. Whereas the Periodic Table of Elements is a classification of elements on a microscopic level, the VIA Classification is a classification of positive traits in people. Strengths such as curiosity, kindness, bravery, perseverance, hope, gratitude, teamwork, humility, and fairness are part of this framework.

In Year 12 ACP this term, one of the modules in our program focusses on our young men examining their character and completing the VIA Youth Survey to identify their top five strengths. In completing the adult survey, my top five-character strengths were- love, humour, bravery, honesty and spirituality. Pretty much on the mark!

Podcast of the Week
In listening to one of my favourite podcast series – ‘The Art of Manliness’, I recently was absorbed with a thought-provoking episode featuring futurist Brian David Johnson, author of the book ‘The Future You- Break Through the Fear and Build the Life you Want.’ Johnson explains that being a futurist is less about predicting the future than envisioning possibilities for it, choosing the one you want to build, and figuring out how to get there from the present. In the episode, he shares what that looks like, beginning with the importance of envisioning the future not as something set that you’re helplessly hurtling towards, but as something you can actively change and shape. Johnson then talks about how to do your own future-casting by figuring out what you want the life of ‘the future you’ to look like and identifying the tools and people that can get you there. This podcast emphasised the importance of individual agency and self-empowerment. You can access the podcast here:

https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/futurists-guide-to-building-the-life-you-want/

“The future depends on what you do today.”- Mahatma Gandhi

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Mission Week 2021 – Friday 27 August until Thursday 2 September
We are on the countdown to Mission Week 2021!

It looks a bit different from what we had been planning…. but let’s face it we are used to pivoting and adapting in our current situation with COVID, and relative to others we are so fortunate!

Mission Week essentially has three important aims.

1. To have fun and celebrate as a community here at Villanova!
2. To learn more about what mission means at Villanova College and in particular our AFAS program with the Philippines.
3. To raise money to support our friends in schools and projects in the Philippines through AFAS.  This year, to maintain our commitments to communities in the Philippines, we need to raise at least $8,000.  These funds exert a startling leverage. We fund 16 students to stay in high school each year, an adult education program, various building projects in our sister schools and communities, and projects responding to the specific arising needs in communities.

To achieve these aims we need everyone to be actively involved.

There are several events that will be happening.  At school there are two key days:  Friday 27 August and Thursday 2 September.   At home there is a special project called ‘Red Candle Week’ that we invite families to support and participate in.

Friday 27 August – Mission Week begins
Mission Week begins with free dress – wearing red for Red Candle Week, our Mission Day Liturgy and a sausage sizzle prepared by our Year 10 students.  The big questions we want our community to be considering are ‘What is mission?  What is my mission in life?  What is our mission together?’ 

Saint Augustine spent much of his life wrestling with this question about mission and he wrote extensively on the idea of building a City of God.  What does that mean for us?  How do we contribute to building a more just, loving and compassionate world?

The eldest in every family will be bringing home a candle and we are hoping all Villanova College families will come together across the week to share the stories of our projects in the Philippines, prayer and some discussion about what having a mission and being a person with a mission means.

[Solidarity] is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all. —St John Paul II (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, para. 38)

Red Candle Week
During our Liturgy all families will receive a red candle made by our friends in the Philippines and information and prayers about our AFAS projects.  We ask all families to light the candle each day of Mission Week and share the stories and a prayer for our friends in the Philippines.  An electronic copy of this has been emailed to all families and we are asking all eldest sons to be responsible for bringing home the candle and a hard copy of the stories and prayer for AFAS.

Thursday 2 September – Dare 2 Donate Day and Concert
Dare 2 Donate! This is the chance for our students to have a heap of fun daring our teachers and student leaders to do things. The main concept behind this student led initiative is to raise funds by daring teachers and student leaders to do something unusual, dress differently, perform or generally make a good-natured fool out of themselves.

The Student Council believe that this event is significant to the culture of the College as it highlights the positive relationships that are formed between staff and students. It encompasses our college values of community and humility!

The whole idea of Dare 2 Donate is for our teachers and student leaders to ‘dress up’ do a ‘dare’ that could be related to how a teacher acts/behaves for the day —- to raise money to help people in the projects AFAS connects with.

The success of the day depends on students and how creative and generous they are…. Oh and of course how generous and daring our staff and student leaders are!!

Historically students participate in Mission Day by buying Mission Day tickets, usually about $10-$15 worth.  These tickets have normally enabled students to purchases a wide range of festival kinds of foods and a selection of meals and engage in games, sporting events and stalls.  Currently we are not permitted to do this with our COVID restrictions.  We are hoping families will be equally generous this year in Daring to Donate and supporting our sausage sizzle.  We are still planning on having a heap of fun as a community!

So key actions for parents:

1. Go to Parent Lounge to book sausage sizzle for your boys
2. Encourage your boys to submit creative and fun dares
3. Ensure they donate to the dares. I suggest it would be great if they are relying on you for this money that they would offer to do some jobs around the house – clean the car, bathroom, toilet, their room, make dinner for the family, mow the lawn, help grandma with a job!
4. Make sure your eldest son at Villanova brings home the red candle and the sheet. Please take the time as a family to join in this great ritual of solidarity by reading and praying together during Mission Week.

As we prepare for Mission Week and think of all those impacted this year by COVID we pray:

May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close, remembering those that have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for quarantine at home remember those who have no home.
During these uncertain times, let us choose love during this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other;
let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbour.
Amen.

Forming fine young men at Villanova
Our YAYM boys have been hard at work preparing all of the red candles for Mission Week.

Honey coming to Villanova!
Our Green Team has taken on an innovative project in 2021 that has been led by the passion and expertise of Tom Price who is currently in Year 11.  It is an inspiring example of the work of our Green Team and student led initiatives.  Tom tabled an extensive proposal and risk assessment and with the support of the Green team and fundraisers through sausage sizzles and recycling our plastics through Containers for Change enough money was raised to build a safe enclosure to protect our bees who play a critical role in both pollination of our flowering plants and making beautiful Villa honey. Tom has then generously donated two hives and all the equipment needed to establish the bee project here at Villanova College.

Tom’s passion for bees and honey started as a 10-year-old and has led him to already becoming quite an expert in managing bees and their hives.  He owns and operates over 30 hives around Brisbane and wanted to share beekeeping with our school community.

The two beehives have been introduced next to the Uniform Shop, backing up to the Priory. A fence has been built to keep students away from the hives, mitigating the risk of student contact with the hives. In regard to bees around the College, no difference in bee numbers has been noticeable.

The bees travel around a five-kilometre radius of their hive, meaning they will not be hanging around the College at all. The hives cannot be accessed by students or staff without permission for safety reasons. Bee suits will be kept at the college 24/7 should any emergency take place. Bees will be inspected every two weeks during spring-summer after school hours and the area will be cordoned off.

The project will significantly benefit student knowledge on the importance of bees and will help to pollinate Coorparoo and surrounding areas.

Attached also is a link which contains an article, written by Education NSW about a school in the state which is conducting a similar program. https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/keeping-bees-has-students-buzzing

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

Ms Kate Garrone, Dean of Mission and Identity

I finished writing my weekly editorial for the Villa View earlier in the week. It was a marvellous article, one of my best! Unfortunately, you will never get to read it. Given the announcement by the Chief Health Officer (CHO) yesterday that community and school sport could resume as from 4pm this Friday, the plans for this weekend as well as my weekly article have entirely changed.

Soon after the CHO’s announcement, the AIC Management Committee confirmed yesterday that all AIC sporting fixtures would return this weekend with the resumption of Round 4 fixtures for AIC Basketball, Rugby League and Tennis to be played. This announcement was very much unexpected as we believed no fixtures would occur this weekend, therefore absolutely no planning or prior organisation has occurred before this time.

The Sports Office at Villanova (and across all AIC Colleges) has gone into overdrive since yesterday afternoon to ensure we have everything in place, ready to go for this weekend’s fixtures against St Patrick’s College, commencing with our Year 5 and Year 6 basketball games being played tomorrow afternoon.

The organisation of schedules, availability of coaches, players, referees, first aid, livestreaming services, ground staff, canteen services, confirmation of outside venues etc have all been put in place and are now confirmed. We are very appreciative of the many people involved who have changed their plans at such short notice so that sport can return this weekend.

Please ensure you look at the website to view the weekly schedules outlining all times and venues for each of the sports. As always there are COVID restrictions in place at all venues this weekend. We have been so grateful to the members of our own community as well as our weekly guests from other colleges who have abided by the restrictions put in place without raising a fuss with our staff. I have no doubt that we will receive the same level of compliance from our families and visitors this weekend, so I thank you in advance for adhering to all the restrictions set out below.

COVID Restrictions (to be applied across all AIC Sporting Venues)

AIC Basketball – Only one parent per player (including the First V team) will be permitted at each basketball venue. All spectators must wear masks indoors and sign in using the QR code at each venue. There are no student spectators allowed.

AIC Tennis and Rugby League – Please note that unlimited spectators are permitted per player due to the outdoor venues. All spectators must carry masks with them, must socially distance and sign in using the QR code at each venue.

Based on the performances from our Interhouse Track and Field Carnival, the coaches have selected a squad of boys to commence Track and Field training as from this week. Mr Kemp has emailed all members of this squad and their parents advising them of their selection as well as passing on the details of the Track and Field season ahead.

We hope all boys who were selected will accept the challenge and commence training. The season is very short, and we only have two sessions per week. We are willing to work in with families and accommodate an alternative training schedule for those boys who have lots on their plate. Given we only have five weeks of training this term and the basketball and tennis season only has four rounds remaining, I feel confident that we can work in with those who students so that they can still  partake in the Track and Field program. Please find more information below.

I hope everyone will enjoy a return to competitive sport this weekend. I wish our teams the very best and urge them to ‘leave nothing in the tank’ after the game. Play hard, play fair and enjoy boys!

AIC Tennis, Rugby League and Basketball Round 4 v St Patrick’s College, Friday 20 and Saturday 21 August – Times and Venues
All Year 5 and Year 6 basketball games are played on Friday afternoons. Note – the College will provide bus transportation to and from the venue for the Year 6 games played away at St Patrick’s College this Friday afternoon to assist parents due to the late change. All Year 7 – 12 basketball and Year 5 – 12 tennis and rugby league 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 Patrick’s College.

AIC TRACK AND FIELD SEASON PROGRAM
Commitment, Dedication and Effort – The ‘Villanova Way’

In preparation for the AIC Track and Field Championships, training has commenced as of this week at Villanova Park. Training sessions will be held every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon throughout the entire season leading up to the AIC Track and Field Championships which are held in Week 1 of Term 4, Friday 8 and Saturday 9 October.

This year we intend on training our entire AIC Track and Field squad from Year 5 – 12 in all disciplines/events on the same two afternoons each week, excluding the middle-distance athletes. The entire squad will be transported by bus to and from Villanova Park to use our newly constructed Track and Field facility. The boys will train from 3.45pm to 5.15pm. The bus will then return all athletes back to the College for collection by approx. 5.40pm. Please find listed below a complete list of our 2021 Track and Field coaches.

Villanova Training Schedule
Includes all students from Year 5 – 12 in all disciplines excluding middle distance

When: Tuesday and Thursday afternoons
Where:  Villanova Park
Time: Bus departs Villanova at 3.10pm and returns at 5.40pm

Middle distance athletes will train at Little Langlands on the days listed below.

• Year 5 and Year 6 – Monday and Wednesday afternoon at Little Langlands 3.15 – 4.45pm. Coach – Mr Tom Lonergan
• Year 7 – 12 – Monday and Wednesday mornings 6.45 – 7.30 at Little Langlands. Meet Mr Pascoe promptly outside of Goold Hall at 6.45am before moving down to Little Langlands.

Villanova College Track and Field Coaching Staff – 2021

• Sprints (400m) and Hurdles – Mr Chris Everding, Mr Matt Levander, Mr Ben Valentine and Mr Michael Garske (plus external qualified coach – Mr Bill McKenny)
• Middle Distance (800m/1500m and 3000m) – Mr Brian Pascoe and Mr Tom Lonergan
• High Jump – Mr Craig Stariha (plus external qualified coach, Karolina Rosloniec)
• Long Jump and Triple Jump – Mrs Terri Dillon, Mrs Margaret Carabetta (plus external qualified coaches, Yevgeniy Tkachenko and Julian Konle)
• Shot Put – Mr Anthony Kemp and Ms Barbara Dewis
• Discus – Mr Paul Schiavo (plus external qualified coach, Michael Criticos)
• Javelin – Mr Tony Rolls (plus external qualified coach, Neil Janse)

If for any reason a student is unable to attend his allocated training session, he must contact his coach and notify them as a matter of courtesy. The Track and Field coaching staff is comprised of experienced members of staff from Villanova, as well as several external professionally qualified coaches.

I encourage all students who are keen to represent Villanova College in Track and Field this season to take advantage of all training sessions offered.  Following the annual Inter-House Track and Field Carnival, an official train-on squad will be announced. We are hopeful all boys listed will accept the offer and train weekly with the squad.

We do understand that many of our athletes will have other co-curricular commitments including AIC Rugby League, AIC Tennis or AIC Basketball. The Sports Office at Villanova College is keen to negotiate an individual training schedule with these students for them to participate and represent the College in Track and Field.  This is important to our program as it ensures our best athletes are representing Villanova on the day of the Championships.

All Track and Field athletes are required to purchase the items below from the Villanova College Uniform Shop and wear them to all AIC Track and Field meets as well as on the day of the Championships. Please note, these items are not for loan or hire, each student must purchase their own items.

We recommend that the Year 5 students hold off buying any clothing until their place in the squad is confirmed by their coach. In the meantime, these boys can wear their PE uniform until further notice.

Villanova College Track and Field Uniform

• Villanova squad shirt (same shirt worn by the AIC swimmers/cross country runners/tennis players)
• Villanova athletic singlet (used for Cross and Country and Track and Field)
• Villanova athletic shorts (white)
• Villanova sports cap (green)
• Villanova sports jacket (not compulsory but recommended)

AIC Track and Field Training Dates and Venues – 2021

AIC Track and Field Meets – 2021

Year 5 – 12 Track & Field Training Timetable – 2021

Please assist the coaches by ensuring your son is available to attend all meets.  A bus will transport all athletes to and from these meets. A complete event schedule for these meets will be posted on the College’s website in the week’s leading up to the event.

Assistance with timekeeping and officiating at the Thursday night carnivals would be greatly appreciated. Please contact a member of the Sports Office or the coaches if you can help at any of the lead-up carnivals.

I look forward to an enjoyable and successful season. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me the Director of Sport on 3394 5611 or cstariha@vnc.qld.edu.au particularly if your son has other co-curricular commitments and a negotiated training schedule needs to be organised.

Commitment, dedication and effort are needed by all to produce strong results on the days of the AIC Championship. I thank you in advance for your support and wish the boys all the best in their preparations for the AIC Track and Field season.

Villanova Runners Club
When: Sunday 22 August (4 – 5 pm) and each Sunday until 26 September.
Where: Whites Hill Reserve, Boundary Rd, Camp Hill
Who: Open to all students/parents/siblings/friends etc.

This activity is an initiative of the AIC Juniors Running Coach – Mr Tom Lonergan. It is an opportunity for all aspiring AIC middle distance runners to complete an extra training session each week. Parents, siblings and friends of the athletes are invited to participate in the training. One of the training activities will be a Tabata session. Tabata is an anaerobic activity which complements fitness for running. Another component of this session is a Bush Run which utilises the many trails in the Whites Hill bushland area.

Further information about this program can be gained by contacting Mr Lonergan email: lonert24@gmail.com

ZONE CRICKET
Zone Cricket registrations are open for Term 4. Parents will find the necessary information and forms on the College website. The Parental Consent Form, COVID Guidelines, Safe Play Guidelines and link to MyCricket, can all be found in the Locker Room in the AIC Cricket section. Registration and Payment is due by September 3.

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

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

Return to Routine – from Week 7
With the current roll-back of restrictions in schools and the broader community, it is expected that we will return to regular activity from Monday 23 August.  As per previous to lockdown, we will remain vigilant with our personal hygiene and follow procedures implemented by the College and within the Music Department.  Whilst we welcome everyone back to playing music together once again, we ask that if you are unwell, you remain home.

Information will be distributed to families before the end of this week regarding our return to music and a reminder regarding our hygiene procedures within the building.

QCMF 2021
The adjudications have been returning to the Music Office over the week and we have received many positive comments regarding the outstanding event, and the fantastic performances shared by participant students.  I am very pleased with the outcome of this year’s festival, especially considering the late change in delivery that we managed through.  Again, thanks must go to our team of volunteers and the organising group for ensuring we produced another quality QCMF, regardless the obstacles.

The performances shared by our Villanova ensembles have been well received and we are looking forward to sharing adjudications and results early next week.  Well done to all involved and congratulations on your efforts.

Calendar Revision
Now that we have a clearer path to what will be allowable within current and future restrictions, we are able to revise and have approved a calendar of events for the remainder of the year.  A draft has been formed for consideration by leadership; once this is approved, we will communicate to you all.  We are looking forward to getting back to playing music in front of audiences!

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/BBQ/etc. this Summer! (flyer attached).

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

All items can be purchased via trybooking through the following link:  https://www.trybooking.com/BMEML

All profits go to the Music Support Group.

Entertainment Publications Memberships
Entertainment memberships are one of the Music Support Groups main fund-raisers.  Just click on this link to purchase a membership and obtain ongoing special deals throughout the year.

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
A calendar revision is being considered.  Further information to follow as soon as it is available.

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

Mr Michael Jones, Director of Music

2021 VILLA FATHER’S DAY STALL
Celebrate Father’s Day with special gifts for Villa dads, grandads and caregivers!

Junior School: Tuesday 24 August – first and second break (Agora)
Middle School and Senior School: Monday 30 August through to Thursday 2 September  –  first and second break, unless sold out (RE Centre)

Gifts are $5, $10, $15 and $20, cash sales only.

SUPPORTERS GEAR – VNC FACE MASK
They are selling fast! Don’t miss out on the newest addition to the Supporters Gear range – the VNC face mask  – now available from the Tuckshop (or Goold Hall Canteen when back operating).

YEAR 5/6 PARENT END OF YEAR FUNCTION
Tickets for the Year 5 and 6 Parent End of Year function are now open:

Date: Saturday 6 November, 2021
Time: 6.00pm
Venue: Martini Bar, Story Bridge Hotel
Cost: $45.00 (includes drink on arrival, canapes and noodle box)
Bookings: click here

LIBRARY ROSTER (MONDAY 23  – FRIDAY 27 AUGUST)
All volunteers rostered on this week will be contacted directly by the Library.

TUCKSHOP ROSTER (MONDAY 23  – FRIDAY 27 AUGUST)
All volunteers rostered on this week will be contacted directly by the Tuckshop.